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T'thia and Niko had finished their duets in time for T'thia to slip into the crowd to listen to the twin's perfomrance. a knott formed in ehr stomach, she heard one man mutter to the man next to him "i'nt she the one who impressed the bronze?" the other man sneered in T'thia's direction "benden scum in my opinion, she bewitched that hatchling"

T'thia clenched her teeth, she was afull rider now, she had a composure to hold. as the twins ended their song tears were blurring T'thia's eyes. she turned quickly, accidentaly knocking into a women she didn't recognise, though the indignant squake her flit had given off reminded her of benden's wyrewomen's Isskio, but the women couldn't possibly be Ray. T'thia muttered a pardon as she pushed her way through the crowd, catching the few disgusted glances as members caught sight of ehr shoulder knotts. she found a table in the far back of the gather area and slumped down, grabbing the first glass of wine she could find hoping to steady ehr shaking hands and the moutning desire to break down at the looks and comments she was recieving. it had been two turns, and impressing a bronze was a prestigious thing, she had done nothing, she was in candidacy for the queen, Arizath chose her

that's right mine. i did chose you, i would have taken no other

this comment caused the tears to slowley drip down the girl's cheeks

"oh Riz, i thought we had grown past these comments, but people still can't accept a female as a bronze rider! what am i going to do if you ever fly a queen?! a female wyreleader? it's unheardof!"

T'thia rested her head in her hand as she sipped at the wine, wanting to drown out any unpleasantries that had just arisen

"For a game of chance that appears to be practically hiding in a Gather?" Reina shook her head. "One mark."

Lillianna haggled with the stall keeper for the small pipes, and ended up paying 6 marks for them.
She sauntered over to the Hapertents, determined to pay her respects to the new Masterharper. The old one had been a friend of hers, but he was nowhere to be seen.

((sorry to have left my character so abruptly! my computer's aquired some sort of virus. Again might I add. But I fixed it finally!))

Lireal turned back to the gather, having zoned off for a moment. "Sorry! Sure, booths, fine, good..."
She glanced back at the stall and saw another girl playing the game she'd wanted to play. The price had gone down to one mark. Well, that she could probably manage. But for now, it might just be more fun to wander around with Freya. After all, she didn't really need a firelizard egg. Not now with the hatching in sight, and she finally a candidate. Idly she toyed with the nots on her shoulder. Maybe she'd get better at bartering at some point in the future. Or maybe not. Ah, well.
"Soooo..." She shook her head clear again. "Do you want to go check out the harpers later. I think, if the sounds, or lack there of, are to be trusted, the harpers have just played a new, and possibly contreversial song. Besides, I want to meet the girl who impressed the bronze dragon. Don't ask why, it's just a sort of whim. Sound good to you?" She smiled tentativly.

It was now almost fully dark, and the aromas of dinner began wafting their way to Selene's nose. Unable to resist the beckons of good food and good music, she left the booth in the care of one of the other apprentices and made her way back to the main square.

There was a really good dance going, and she stopped for a moment to watch. She grinned at the ensemble; they'd practiced forever to get this number right, and to hear it now, rehearsed to perfection, gave her great pride in her craft. She tapped along to the beat with her foot, smiling blissfully.

Ray bites back a startled oath as someone runs into her. A familiar someone, who mutters an apology and vanishes into a crowd. Isskio makes a curious noise, and Ray shrugs. "Well, I think it was T'thia too, but I guess she didn't recognize me in this ridiculous outfit." Ray turns, trying to see where the girl had hurried off to.

She overhears some comments a few sharper-eyed holders were still making about the girl bronzerider, and feeling a bit irritated that the respect for Riders was so low, she makes her way toward a pair of particularly vocal dissenters. Isskio hides in her hair, growling until a mental reprimand silences her.

"I couldn'ta help but o'erhear," she begins sweetly, her voice lapsing into how she imagined uneducated, isolated holderfolk spoke, "Yuer commentin' aboot a girl Bronzerider?" Ray feigns wide-eyed astonishment. "Tis thar truly sucha thing?"

One of the ruffians elbows his companion. "Why yessiree ma'am, abaut two, mebbe three Turns back," he gestures, "this lil slip of a gil went an' dun Impressed herself a Bronze. We's all athinkin' that's gotta be witchery o' some ken."

Ray manages to look a bit dull-witted as she exclaims, "Rilly? Oh my!" Her outrageously feigned accent slips a bit, though she maintains some of the lilting quality. "That must mean there jist aren't enough real men in the big Holds ennymore, iffin the only person a Bronze could find wus a girl! I came all this way, a'lookin for a good man, and alls I'm afindin' are girls doing mens' jobs and the men all a'sittin aroun', all a'drinkin' and a'gossipin' like the wimmenfolk should."

She continues blithely, pretending to ignore the bulging eyes and sputtered oaths of the two fellows in front of her. "Why, do the menfolk, in the big Hold and all, do they raise the little'uns too? Do the wimmen all farm and do the real work out here? Mebbly my home Hold tisn't runnin with the times, mebbly I should go on a'home and find meself some good man to raise my littles, while I bring on home the food. Thank ye kindly, good sirs, I'll be asure to tell mah sisters, there ain't any real men out here, we should be a'lookin' closer to home."

Before they can recover their composure, Ray bobs a minute curtsy and weaves away through the crowd. She'd spoken loudly enough that she was sure the conversation was overheard. Perhaps she'd planted something with those idle words; there did seem to be a lack of men in the Weyrs of late; they were there, just ... not as many as there should have been!

But if she could shift the angry thoughts away from jealousy that a girl was in a role that was rightfully a man's, to the fact that there had been no worthy men available... it might help shape up the indolent Holdermen she'd encountered of late.

In fact, she should go find the Masterharper and suggest something to that point; a song implying that Pern was lacking in real men, courageous men, men able to fight Pern's most deadly enemy firsthand. That is, if he was sympathetic toward Weyrfolk... Pern was in dire straits indeed if the Masterharper himself was inclined against the Weyrs...

Akai sighed and was able to take a breather fora couple of minuits sitting down. She smield and petted Kopi gently

"Remember Kopi "she says soflty nuzzling him al ittle bit "This is very exciting, but make sure you pace yourself i don't want you getting sick" She says smiling soflty to him. Kopi chriped his agreement. He chriped sending images of all the flits he'd seen so far and she laughed

"Yes.. I'm sure you'll make some more friends" she says smiling. She sighed getting up

"My break is over but go ahead and rest here for a little bit.. you've had a hard day." She gently set Kopi down on one of the tables because he saw a flit that he was planning to try an make friends with, even though it was eating. He crawled over and Chrupped to Lira to try and get her attention. Akai sighed and hoped that the woman didn't mind.. THen she paused blinking the woman had knots... and she frowned.. rats she couldn't remember what those specific knots ment either.. She reallyshould have payed more attention when the others had talked about the riders..

Ipsen boldly looped his arm through Tolara's, steering her through the crowd and into an out of the way corner of the dance square. He pulled a chair out for the Weyrwoman and called over a wine boy before seating himself. He made meaningless small talk with Tolara, he could sense her unease. Shards, even the dragonriders were wary of the Craftsmen and Holders, this was worse than he had thought. The boy returned with the wine. Bended red, an excellent year. They knew better than to serve him otherwise. The boy deposited two wine glasses and was dismissed with a nod.
Ipsen silently poured them both two small glasses for they hadn't eaten. The feast would be soon, he could see them setting up tables and smell the smell of roasting wherry. Soon the students would be up there singing his composition; hopefully he wouldn't be fighting his way out of here tonight.
Smiling Ipsen picked up his glass and lifted it to the Weyrwoman. "I'd like to make a toast..." He began. She started to pick up her glass, but he smiled. "To you! And your brave riders for protecting our humble Pern." With another smile he took a sip. There, that seemed to throw her off.
He leaned forward and spoke softly. "I'll be blunt for I think you would appreciate that more. I," He tapped his chest, his face stern. "Have no intentions of following the Holders' fruitless quests to discredit you." He shook his head. "I've seen our menace, Pern needs you and that is exactally what the people are failing to understand." He swirled the wine in his glass, taking another sip and savoring the full flavor.
"Benden didn't have much of a crop this year, I hear... Such a pity. It's the only wine I can stand to have more than a few glasses of." He winked at her. Perhaps she would be more at ease.
"This dissent has been here for a long time and only grows. The only way that attitudes will make a distinctive turn towards you is if the drouth ends... I can try but swaying them will take a force I have not to muster at this time. I'm having quite a time placicating the old Masters in my hall." He chuckled. "I hope I haven't frightened you my dear Weyrwoman."