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Amelia was out with Sharath this day, having requested the whole day to practice with her dragon. Flying and going Between had only roughly been taught to them before they'd been sent here and so the whole group was still rough around the edges. And Sharath would not let that be another snag for the Ghenza people to complain about. She was just as good at flying as any of theirs!

And so Amelia had been given the day because she was a dragonrider as she was nearing that stage where she would officially graduate Weyrlinghood and become a Junior Weyrwoman. It was something both Amelia and Sharath were excited for - even if such a thing would not be official and would not really even be celebrated here at Ghenza. They held no power in the foreign place, but that did not mean they could not practice and try to prepare for such roles.

Not that Sharath thought she needed to practice the skill of being Queen. That would happen in due time, as she had always believed. The practice now was just to show she was as capable, if not more capable, then anyone the Ghenzan riders could present. Amelia knew, too, that Sharath had been spurred on by the news of the disastrous Hatching. Four gone between and one dud... four Impressed to those of her own Weyr, including the new young Queen, and a death and several wounded. It sounded brutal.

Sharath was up above, then, wheeling circles tighter and tighter, pushing her agility and flexibility as far as she could manage. The result was some rather interesting turns and dives that Amelia was pretty sure a larger gold wouldn't be able to duplicate - Sharath was small, yes, but that meant she flew like a smaller dragon and less like, well, a gold.

"That was good! Try spiralling and then going Between to the far side of the field!" Amelia called out, smiling as Sharath coasted low to the ground, against testing her abilities. The queen nodded and arched away, gaining the height to perform the task Amelia had set her. The goldrider was always amazed by dragons in flight and watching hers in particular gave her a rush of pride every time.

When Sharath had reached the peak of her spiral, she vanished the blink of an eye and a few heartbeats later reappeared at the very end of the field, just above where Jadamirei and her knew lifemate were speaking.

Normally not one to pay attention to the goings-ons of the Ghenzan people, Sharath blinked when she spotted the new queen. Immediately she narrowed her eyes and swept closer, getting a better view of the dragonet. Mine, the new Queen is here.

Mnn? Amelia replied almost instantly, heading off as soon as she heard Sharath's comment. Yeah? They say she Impressed to an Outsider too. Is Hers there?

Yes. She is a pretty woman. But you are better. Sharath spoke plainly, her pride and love of Hers flooding Amelia's senses and the rider knew the silly gold saw even the new arrival as a rival. It entertained and worried the goldrider - why couldn't Sharath get along with all dragons? She sighed. It was just one of the quirks of her beloved lifemate. She's standing up...?

Amelia chuckled at that, Sharath seemed unfazed by the hatchling's apparent interest. Just greet her, then? Don't have to talk to her. By that time, she'd made it to where Sharath was hovering and gestured for the queen to land.

The gold chose not to and remained where she was, probably demonstrating her ability to remain aloft and stationary. It was silly, as far as Amelia was concerned, but Sharath's muscles were developed enough that if she wore herself out she'd have no one to blame but herself.

What is your name? The gold asked by way of greeting, finally choosing to land once Amelia had passed in front of her and had waved to Jada. The whoosh as she'd landed had drawn Amelia's attention, causing her to turn back to her dragon with a questioning gaze.

Sharath merely whuffled at her rider and fondly nosed the woman before lifting her head to regard the dragonet - only to find the little one come galloping over. The older queen shifted her feet and backed up some, not intent on having the dragonet attach herself to a forelimb, Mine is Amelia yes. The pride and love in Sharath's voice was unmistakeable and it made Amelia grin with an echoing pride as she waved to Geminith as well.

"Ah, yeah. Amelia. How'd you know?" Amelia blinked, surprised Jadamirei knew her name - she'd never seen the other woman before. "Good to meet you. Ah, oil issues? She's itching already?" The goldrider's tone was empathetic, knowing all too well how much work it was to keep up with a growing gold - though Sharath hadn't really gotten any bigger in recent months so Amelia figured she'd peaked in size.

Sharath lowered her head again as she inspected the little queen, She is too friendly. Such a bubbly personality... it will not get her far. She spoke to Amelia privately, giving her thoughts on the other dragon with a tone of disaproval.

Not everyone needs to be as ambitious as you to succeed, Sharath. Amelia replied tartly, annoyed. Geminith was simply new and curious... she seemed easier to handle then Sharath had been at a young age.

The gold huffed at that, shaking her head as she turned her gaze to Jadamirei, What can she do? She does not look as strong as you, Mine. You are better.

I said stop it. Nit pick later, Sharath. A frown settled into Amelia's features then, and she hip checked the gold. Long gone were the days of physically wrestling the dragon. A firm hand and voice was all that reigned in Sharath. Okay?

Hrmph. Fine. The gold shrugged then, settling down into a more comfortable sitting position, speaking to Geminith then, You are the new gold, why are you so informal? It was fairly obvious Sharath had no idea what to speak about to the other dragon.

Sharath nodded at the compliment, Thank-you.

Amelia nodded at that explanation, figuring as much, "Seems like there's a lot to listen to here or at home." A soft chuckle followed as she shook the other's hand, grip strong and firm and calloused. Her hands were those of a worker then a 'lady', especially with her efforts in mine and field both. "Wait until she actually starts to grow... I could barely keep up with Sharath. It's hard to believe that only about a Turn ago she was the size of your little one. Now she's a great big Queen and I can't wrestle her anymore. Or least, not do so and win." A wry grin settled on her lips then as Sharath nudged her with a forelimb in likewise amusement.

However, at Geminith's response Sharath blinked. Because you are Gold? You are not a green and will never be one... our purpose, and duty, is to lead. Do you not desire that? She sounded rather confused at the concept - did this one not have aspirations?

Or more like different aspirations, Sharath. What did she say? Amelia intoned, catching the gist of the gold's confusion through their link.

That she should not act accordingly despite being a gold. That she's just like a green. She remarked, disapprovingly.

Oh. Huh. I don't know then. Definitely different then you. Her response also carried a touch of confusion. Most golds she knew of were well aware of their status... it didn't sound like this one was if she considered herself akin to a green. "Make sure you get where the wing joins the shoulder. And where the wing membrane joins the side... that often bothered Sharath." She suggested in an attempt to be helpful.

"More then I care to remember." Amelia replied with fond amusement. "At least it's good for the skin." The goldrider shrugged, considering it just part of the daily routine. It had been hard at first but daily chores had allowed her to settle into the rhythm relatively well.

"They say you're from High Reaches, I can't imagine that the Ghenzans are too happy with your Impressing their new gold... Are you being treated alright?" Amelia asked even though she recignized neither the name nor face of Jada - but she'd never been a Candidate so she wasn't familiar with the whole pool. It was important the people of high reaches were treated decently in her opinion, and the fact that several of the dragonets that had survived had Impressed to High Reaches individuals was a reflection of the need for variation in the Candidates presented. Losing four to Between was horrible but apparently normal here. "Luci's a fairly good teacher, I learned a lot from her before we came here. Hopefully you'll do well too, under Sojayeth's rider. If you have questions, I'm willing to answer as best I can - I've learned a thing or two in the past Turn."

Sharath saw the young queen as a curiosity because of her answer, Ah, yes. A leader must be intelligent. Are you saying you're not interested in leading? Perhaps you are too young yet, Geminith. The tossed her head then, whuffing with a shrug of her shoulders as she turned her gaze to Amelia and spoke privately, passing judgement on the dragonet, She has no ambition Mine.

Amelia smiled at that, patting the older queen's arm, You have enough ambition for everyone. They're probably staying here so you don't need to worry, Mine. No dragonet straying underfoot.

Amelia smiled at that, "I hope they have the sense to realize that as well. As for as advice... I don't know. Be ready to be everybody's scapegoat? I found that was the case with being a goldrider - much like being an excavator. Everybody looks up to you, as soon as something bad happens, it's clearly your doing. Or you had a hand in it and could have done something but failed to do so. Basically, expect a lot of criticism." She shrugged, "Of course, I don't know if that'll be the case for you. Their golds are... well, I want to say broken in like a runnerbeast as far as I'm concerned. Sharath's no workerbeast." The disdain in her voice was clear - she did not like hearing that golds were all but muzzled in their day to day life. Sharath would have withered under such harsh conditions...

She smoothed a hand over her gold's leg then, sighing as she glanced up. "I'm grateful for Mine. And for where we live, especially after this detour. I really do hope you prosper. I don't think I'd do so well here if we had to stay."

Sharath rumbled at that, tossing her head in a very equine manner. Yes. You will grow a lot. And must learn your place and others' places. What Mine says is true - Yours and you will be criticized. Be strong. You know because you're Gold and that's our role, our place. She shrugged her great shoulders, wondering why it was such a difficult question - that golds lead was how it was. How it was meant to be. And she, Sharath, would one day have her own Weyr and prove she was just as capable, if not more capable, then every other gold out there.

Including this one. She turned her gaze to Amelia and spoke privately, She is too timid and unsure. No one will respect that. It was her usual snide remarks about other golds, again, that only made Amelia's lips twitch in a slight frown. Getting Sharath to stop gossiping like that was... well, it was impossible. She saw every other gold as competition and threat, even Dorath... but as long as the comments were private, Amelia had decided to bear them. And Sharath was right in that observation. Too soft and you'd not be a good leader. Too hard, and the same.

It was a balance they too were still working out.

"Some's fair, you just have to learn to take everything with a grain of salt, I think. Then again... Geminith seems much different from Sharath so it may turn out differently." She, and those around her, knew how difficult Sharath could be... and Amelia in turn, if people pushed her too far. Amelia herself was hardly perfect, moreso now that Sharath had rubbed off on her, she realized.

That was a good thing, and a bad, she supposed, glancing up at Sharath and smiling when the gold caught her thoughts and lowered her great head to nose at her rider with a fond whuffle. Indeed, the only ones they need ever really work about were each other. They were never alone and that was infinitely reassuring.

"I've been told Nalina's... ah, intimidating. Not even Sharath wants to pick a fight with Sojayeth." Amelia chuckled, "She'll probably be more welcoming to you though, since Geminith is Ghenzan born."

Sharath seemed amused that their bias, and she was well aware it as a bias, had unsettled the younger gold. She had no idea just what it was like - had no interest, thank-you - but Amelia and she were of like mind in this: Ghenza broke their queens. It rubbed the gold entirely the wrong way. If Geminith managed to survive that in tact... well, maybe she'd actually respect her more. Hm.

"I am. I home we return home soon. I miss the mountain air and crisp mornings... and the tunnels and friends and family. I hope the plague scare is over by now... we haven't heard too much." She frowned, sorrow creeping into her voice "I hope Luci is alright. D'astel didn't make it... I liked him. Still, it'll be good to see familiar faces."

Sharath rumbled, her eyes whirling with a similar sorrow - the echo of Amelia's own grief. The announcement had been a shock but the gold, selfishly, was grateful to be away where Hers was safe.