The Law of the Bronze

Monaco Bay Weyr - Exercise Yard
Sheltered from the direct heat of the day and the storms of the season by the rocky walls of the weyr, this exercise yard holds a thick layer of lush grass. The yard offers room enough for the entire class of weyrlings to stretch, romp, and practice behind a tall wooden palisade meant to keep the pre-flight dragons from wandering off too far. To the west, just against the palisade, a small coral of ovines and caprines has been erected for convenience. A freshwater pump is installed to the north, against the wall of the caverns, to provide just enough water flow to clean a weyrling dragon after a meal. When the palisade gate is open, there is a clear, stone-lined path leading towards the paradise river and the designated weyrling beach.


[DTU/Project] Garouth and Marzoth sense that Kith projects a cold wave of dismissal to a passing Brown, loud enough for any other male in the vicinity to notice.

Now that the weyrlings are very nearly done with all their weyrling sort of things and will very soon be heading off into the big bad world it is time for a conversation to take place. Every up and coming bronze and even some of the browns get to have a chat with Marzoth about how things work around here and poor Garouth is no different. Marzoth has plunked himself in the middle of the yard waiting for the young bronze to arrive. The day is decent enough weather wise with a gentle breeze flowing by and a few clouds skimming about overhead. All it all a nice afternoon. Marzoth gives his head a shake as Kith dismisses a passing brown and momentarily focuses his attention elsewhere on the proddy female before focusing on the here and now.

That's what weyrlinghood is all about, isn't it? How things work. How they're supposed to work, and then how they /really/ work. What's the real story around here? Time to find out… the truth? Another perspective on it, at least! And so Garouth comes according to his summons, a shadow drawing near underneath the span of his tattered wings and then a curve of them to cup and catch… the air, for Kith's chill thoughts seem to have little impact on the cold of his own mind. He touches ground, wings curling in against his back as he faces Marzoth with head held high and green-gold eyes steady. « You called. » His mindvoice reaches out, but his thoughts remain his own, the cold shadows of the night forest kept close around their secrets.

« Yes. I did. » Marzoth says as he gazes intently at Garouth, « Since you will be joining a wing and moving on to the larger world soon it is important for me to impress upon you the importance of your role here.» Marzoth glances in the direction of where Kith is, momentarily distracted, but soon gets back on track, « As a bronze you are important. Monaco's bronzes are the strongest and best in all of Pern. As such there are expectations. When you leave this weyr to travel I expect that you will carry yourself with dignity and not cause any trouble. If I hear that you are representing us poorly there will be consequences…» his mind darkens and the wind can be heard howling through the branches of his forest, « Dire consequences. I trust I am making myself clear.»

Garouth seats himself, lowering haunches and curling his tail around him. His eyes remain on Marzoth as he does, attention focused on the elder bronze. Well… mostly focused, anyhow; deep in the shadows, who can say what other thoughts may lurk, what parts of his being may still linger atop the cliffs in spirit… and yet his gaze remains on Marzoth, the contour of his mind's shadows aligned to listen. « I do not require threats. » He doesn't sound offended, voice merely cold and factual. « We are Monaco. If they do not respect us, they will not respect our territory or our riders. We must keep their respect, for all of us. »

« I do not threaten. I inform. » Marzoth intones simply. Apparently he is pleased enough with the response that he doesn't harp on the point, « Good. Then I will come to the main point I wish to make. » He glances back toward the cliffs, « Your place here is simple. You follow my orders. If you are with me then your life here will be good. Those who support me will have my support. They will advance quickly through the ranks. I've been told that you are in my bloodline as such I understand your ambitionn. I am willing to teach you what I know and when the time is right you may run your own weyr some day. Just not here…» He stomps his front claw to the ground as he makes that last statement, « I see that you have potential. I wish to help you realize it. »

Whether or not Garouth is in exact agreement about words and intentions, he is likewise willing enough to accept the other's interpretation to let it pass… on that point. On to the main one! To which Garouth listens, the shadows of his mind deep and close around his thoughts. « My place here is the good of Monaco. » The shadows of his mind part around a flight of dragons in close formation, soaring through the air and then - a curl of the shadows - lounging in comfort on a sandy beach. The image lingers as his mind darkens again, night-time growing deep and concealing. « You are in charge. I will obey you, because our fighting is not good for Monaco. » He flexes a paw - not a stomp like Marzoth, but a subtler shift that still scrapes talons against the ground. « If your orders are not good for Monaco, the time will come that I will challenge you… or I will leave, with what dragons will follow me instead of you. »

Marzoth breathes in deeply and then out as he listens and then pauses for a moment before letting out a low humorless laugh, « And you began so well…» he says with a slight shake of his wings, « No matter. » he says dismissively. He lifts himself up from his seated position, « These are your boundaries then. While here you will follow my orders. You are free to travel. I encourage you to do so. Feel free to chase any other weyrs golds as you will. I wish you luck in catching. Show the outsiders how strong we are. The junior golds here are also fine to chase, except for Isanath. I rather like her, beyond that do as you please. » Marzoth then begins to lumber away, though turns his neck around to face Garouth once more, « And one more thing…» he says as he turns fully round to face him, « Kith is mine. You can have the other one. »

« You have only to remain competent. » is Garouth's only answer to Marzoth's disappointment at how he concluded. He remains seated as the other bronze rises, listening to the instructions given for this Weyr, other Weyrs, other golds… but not Isanath? There's a small snort for that, an exhalation of breath, but Garouth doesn't say anything of it. No, /that/ is saved for the final comment from Marzoth; Garouth's wings twitch up from his back as his talons flex against the earth at the words, and his eyes flash amber. « No. » So little time from his claim he'll obey until his first refusal of an order! « She is not yours. » His words are dark, cold; the still of moonless night without a glimmer of light save that remembered. « I will fly to her. »

If dragon's could smile Marzoth would be beaming right now. Instead it comes across as a gentle breeze through leaves, « Ahh there is fire in you then. Good! » he says as he unfurls his wings and holds them back as if ready to take to the skies right here and now, « Son you need to understand something and its best that you learn it now. » he says in his most patronizing tone, « Why would anyone want you in comparison to me. You are a no name bronze who isn't even assigned to a wing yet. I've been running this weyr for turns. I simply have more to offer. And you have everything to lose. I would strongly advise you to rethink your position. »

Garouth keeps his own wings close. The time for the skies is not yet come… though there's a visible tensing in the lines of his body now, muscles moved to readiness beneath the surface of his brindled hide. « Then why concern yourself? » His tail uncurls from around his legs, a flick past center before it curls up behind him as he sits with head held high. « But no. You are worried, old dragon. » His head tilts slightly, the sense of a smile there as he leans forward, just a little. « I cannot lose. I have nothing… as you have made so clear. I have no wing. I have no power. If you chase me away into the wilderness… I shall be no worse than I am now. »

« You are neglecting the one fundamental truth of life. It can always get worse. Ask around…you'll see. » Marzoth kicks off from the ground bringing his wings down hard causing a small gust of wind beneath him as he takes to the air, « I'm not going to chase you away. No. I'm going to keep you close and make your life a living hell until you skulk away of your own accord or come crawling to me begging. Some refuse to learn any way but the hard way. » He continues to rise into the sky keeping a watch on the young bronze.

« Then I will learn much. » Garouth remains where he is, not moving a muscle even as the wind of Marzoth's wings stirs the tattered edges of his own, like dead leaves rustling against each other. « Perhaps you will learn as well. We shall see. » There in the darkness of his mind, something lurks; the motion of darkness against shadows, moving perpendicular to the wind of dragon's wings.


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