Disaster Clutching

Western Weyr - Viewing Galleries
Row after row of hard benches to sit on, with a good view of the sands below and the action that takes place there during every hatching.. Despite the times, people still come to see the new pairs formed and place bets on the outcome.


It was supposed to have been a secret, a mad dash for freedom — or at least the Hatching Cavern — but inexperienced as they are, Liora and Orraeloth just don't know the ropes. Or that the dragons would let their riders know, and their riders would let non-riders know. But the news is out, there are eggs … maybe … coming. By the time that Orraeloth makes it to the sands, there might well be a sizable crowd in the galleries. Most of them would be here to see if indeed the tawdry-colored gold is going to lay her eggs, and if so, there's fierce betting either for or against. Liora should have gone to the sands with her dragon, but has chosen instead to swan her way up into the galleries, nose in the air, sure of /her/ triumph.

Naeda isn't exactly the most informed person in the weyr, but ever since the whole debacle the other evening she has been keeping an ear out for news about Liora. Mostly so she can stay away from her. But this? A possible clutching? Well, that'll get the apprentice's attention. She sneaks into the galleries as stealthy as she can, standing on tiptoes to try to see over the heads of taller gawkers.

Oh, Naris has heard of the rumors. There is no way that she would be letting any rumors concerning Liora slip past her, not at the time being anyway. And if the goldrider is going to be making a mad dash to freedom? You can bet that she'll be there. An aura of anger seems to be gathering around her as she arrives and sees that Orraeloth is indeed heading to the sands. Not only that but there are people, more than just her, gathering in the galleries. As if that's not enough Liora is practically strutting up into the galleries, nose in the air and oh so proud. Naris just /can't/ ignore this. Marching right up to the goldrider Naris asks in a cold, tense voice, "you do remember that you are meant to be confined to your weyr, correct? And that on that off chance that your dragon /is/ clutching you should be on the sands with her, not up here?" Is she still upset over their last meeting? Yes, probably.

See, Liora isn't the sharpest tool in the shed. Shells, she can't even hold a candle to a rusty fork at this stage of the game. It's probably likely — in fact, it's extremely likely — that she's forgotten that she got into that terrible to-do in the Tiki Lounge. Yes, she's really that stupid! So for her, the crowds are part of her success, her triumph whereupon everyone has gathered to watch her crowning achievement — or her dragon's anyway — and she all but basks in the glory of it all. Why, she's even managed to bring a skin of wine along. "The best!" she can be heard declaring, hoisting it up like a trophy. "To Orraeloth's success!" And then there's Naris, getting up in the goldrider's grill, which brings a flush to that complexion of hers. And a scowl. "I." It's more of a statement,a laugh. "Not I. I can go where I want." A sudden sneer. "And what would /you/ know of clutching dragons?" To be honest, Liora isn't that knowledgeable anyway. There's a brief glance spared for her gold, Orraeloth pacing nervously across the sands, tail lashing as she hisses and growls with discomfort. "Didn't I fire you?" That's more of a question for Naris, a suddenly perplexed look creasing Liora's features.

Naeda knew she was avoiding Liora for a reason. And now, the person who brought out the very worst in the goldrider last time is right there again. This does not bode well. Naeda makes a quick, obligatory, shaky salute before making a futile attempt to hide behind the crowd.

Shards, has this rider made it her mission in life to get on her nerves? At this point Naris is beginning to think that it isn't too unlikely. The woman even brought /wine/ along to boast her 'success'. However, that isn't what she's focusing on at the moment. No, it's the way that goldrider is talking to her. Naris narrows her eyes, her normally controlled look slipping for just a moment. "No," she growls, "you do not go where you want, you go where and do what the Senior Weyrwoman says." At the mention of her knowledge of clutching dragons she tenses before adding, "and I may not be a goldrider but judging by Orraeloth's most recent clutch, her /only/ clutch, I might add, I dare say I know more about it than you. I might not be a rider but I /do/ enjoy knowledge and try to learn what I can. Besides, I saw Miraneth clutching once, and Enka certainly wasn't in the stands bragging." Then there's the comment, that comment on her status as assistant headwoman. For a moment it looks like Naris might lunge and attempt to strangle the goldrider. But she manages to control herself to some degree and instead of lunging growls, "yes, you did, but I am yet to get a confirmation that I am indeed dismissed from my duties. Besides, even if that /is/ the case I still live hear." This is when she notices Orraeloth's growling, hissing, and general discomfort. For a moment worry for the dragon crosses her face despite who the rider may be. "Now," she continues in a slightly calmer and softer voice, "why don't you go help your dragon? She certainly looks like she could use some comfort."

Let's face it, Liora has made it her life's mission to get under everyone's skin. Maybe it was her upbringing as the daughter of a minor Holder, or maybe she was spoiled and pampered as a child and fawned over and not a single ounce of sense was stuffed into that head of hers to begin with. Yes, she has wine, fingers clutched tightly around the neck of the 'skin before she draws herself up to her full height, and pastes a sickeningly sweet smirk onto her face. "You forget, /dear/," — such said in a way that might well imply that Naris is anything but a dear — "I am the Senior Weyrwoman, /some/ people just aren't ready to accept that yet." Still persisting in her delusions, it seems, although one has to hand it to her, she is determined, if rather stupidly misguided. Naeda's brief salute gets a quick look, but since the apprentice is ducking back out of sight, well, she's got other fish to fry. "Maybe you should get /thrown/ out too," Liora suggests to Naris, probably provoking further ire in the process. "Them that can't work, can't stay." On the sands, Orraeloth's growls and hisses grow more frantic, the tawdry gold's tail flailing wildly as she stalks her way around and around. And then, almost seeming to spin on herself, with wings beating at the air, and jaws snapping in a frenzy of worry, the dragon clutches. It's a /small/ egg to be sure, wizened and wrinkly looking as it is, but nonetheless, it /is/ an /egg/. There's silence for a moment, and then a hubbub of sound, bets suddenly won or lost. And into that moment, the look that Liora flashes at Naris says it all. "So there you have it," the goldrider replies airily, almost dismissively. "/My/ dragon is doing just fine."

Naeda continues to nervously edge away from the brewing confrontation. The last one went very poorly, and this is shaping up to be no less terrible. Even if Liora does look a little more sober than last time. Fortunately, her attention is snagged by something much more promising. Eggs! On the sands! Well, egg on the sands. She marvels at it, wrinkly and tiny though it is. "Oooh."

No, no, no, just /no/. Naris can't deal with this, she can't let Liora get away with this, she can't let her keep running along with her delusion. Maybe her good sense is leaving her in her anger. After all, Liora has made what she considers to be some /very/ low blows, is breaking the rules, and generally causing trouble. None the less, the state of her mind at the moment does not change what she says next. "No," she snaps in a cold, angry voice, "you are a delusional junior that is breaking the rules, causing trouble, and trying to do things that you do /not/ have the right to do. Furthermore from the look of Orraeloth there you are doing a pretty good job at neglecting your own dragon as well." A egg is laid, yes, but it is small, wrinkly, and doesn't look all too well if you ask her. But that isn't what catches her attention. It is the sheer amount of distress that the gold seems to be in. "I'm no dragonhealer," she growls, "but she does not look like she's doing fine. Now I highly suggest that you get down there before she ends up hurting herself or I need to call for a higher authority, by which I mean higher than you." Not that Liora's presence really seems like something that could stop Orraeloth from hurting herself. Did Miraneth look like she was having this much trouble when she was clutching? She does know but she certainly doesn't think so.

Sober is, as sober does, and the fact that she's holding a wineskin only means that Liora is going to be sober for as long as it takes for her to start chugging the stuff down. Copious amounts of booze under any circumstance is never really a good idea — but when one hasn't got much of a thought in her head to begin with, all bets are off. And right now, the junior goldrider is too sure of herself in this moment, when everyone doubted, well, there it is… an /egg/. Orraeloth moves away from it, not even giving the egg so much as a second glance — fine mother she is, no? — and continues to hiss and whine, snaking her head around to peer up at the galleries. "I was afraid of this," a voice speaks suddenly right there by Naeda adressed to the apprentice herself, and it's Enka, having been alerted by Miraneith. "She's ignorin' it. Shells, that could be a problem." Rather, the problem is Liora, who far from looking all sweetness and light is now glaring at Naris again, not liking what she's just heard. "You…" that's almost a hiss just like Orraeloth, "have /no/ right to tell me what to do." Glareglareglare. "Pay her no mind, darling," Liora calls out towards the sands and her dragon. "You're doing splendidly." No, Orraeloth is /not/ doing splendidly. In fact, there's a couple of dragonhealers inching their way out onto the sands right now. "And you," Liora whirls back on Naris, "are /WRONG/. Everything you've said is wrong. /My/ dragon flew, and she's laid an /egg/ right now. What do those other golds have to say about that? Huh? Nothing!"

Naeda makes her way to the railing, leaning up against it. Her shoulders tense, the apprentice growing fearful and uncomfortable. Loud argument always makes her uncomfortable. And worse, now it looks like the clutching queen on the sands is in trouble. She just watches, transfixed, unable to resist seeing what happens.

Naris finds that she keeps glancing at the hatching sands and the troubled Orraeloth. She also notices that the gold seems to ignore the egg, which sets of warning signs in her head. Why would a gold ignore her egg, the only egg she has laid so far, if there isn't something wrong, be it physically or mentally? Enka's words are noted although she does not say anything about them at the moment, too focused on Liora to do so. Naris glares right back at Liora, showing anger but no fear toward what she says. After a moment of silence she spits, "you know what? I'm done with you. Listening to you whine, growl, and demand control is nothing but a waste of time. That dragon needs help, and I swear to Faranth, if you don't make sure she gets it I will." No, Naris does not like Liora, in fact she's getting close to actively loathing her. But a gold going /between/, which she is beginning to fear at this point, would be a massive loss, even if it is Orraeloth.

Despite the fact that there is one egg on the sands, and the flow of conversation seems to be focused on the betting if there will be /any/ more at this point, there's also muttered commentary passed about regarding the clutching queen. The dragonhealers have made it out onto the sands by now, giving Orraeloth a wary berth, but ready to step in at a moment's notice. Liora just gives Naris a look, and a high-sounding laugh that's certainly forced. "Done… with me?" In fact, she sounds like a pig squealing (goodness, she's a menagerie all on her own). "You can't be done with me, I'm done with you." Real mature, Liora, and what a comeback, right? "If you even /think/ about going onto those sands, I'll exile you." Threats, threats, why must she always resort to threats now? From the sands, there's a loud hiss from Orraeloth, and with a slash of her tail, the gold throws herself downwards, grunting with effort. When it's all over, there's another little egg on the sands. Which the gold promptly ignores. "Oh darling," Liora turns away from Naris, clapping her hands. "Two." She hasn't even noticed the fact that her senior is headed right her way. Looking angry.

Naeda now has something of a death grip on the railing as she stares out at the sands and the clutching gold. Perhaps if she pretends she can't hear the horrible arguing and threatening going on behind her, it can't swell up and envelop her.

Words, words, words. Naris can't help but notice that Liora has lots of words, lots of talk, but doesn't exactly seem to have any means of backing them up. Yes, Naris is done with her, and she certainly means something by it. As it happens the something she means is that she fully intends on ignoring the goldrider. Or at least she intends on ignoring her until she makes that comment about exiling her. Naris tenses up, fists clench, anger absolutely radiating from her. Western is her home, she was born here, she put an incredible amount of effort into working on serving it, in a way it's all she has. And now this idiotic goldrider wants to toss her out. For a moment she is unsure of what to say and it shows. In the end she looks Liora in the eyes and says in an emotionless voice, "go ahead, Liora. Show them just what we have to look forward to if you become Senior. Do it." Because really, if Western falls so far that they would let this wherry toss her out it isn't her Western anymore. That being said she looks back to the gold, concern on her face once again. That flop, it does /not/ look good. It is clear by now that if it gets too bad she will go on the sands and try to help, it probably wouldn't effect the situation with Liora very much by now anyway.

Liora /is/ just a bunch of hot air. And truth be told, half of the words coming out of her mouth are probably words she barely knows. And at the moment, she's so wrapped up in her own sense of personal victory with Orraeloth having managed to clutch as much as she had the first time, she hardly gives Naris a glance or two. "If," she does respond to that, bristling a little. "There's no /if/." Indeed, there's no if, because judging by the look on Enka's face as she comes up behind her junior, there's going to be hell to pay any moment now. "Of course there won't be an if, Liora." the senior's voice is hard, "because I aint steppin' down for the likes of you, and no matter what you say about Mir, she aint sterile." The words make Liora jump a little, but they don't startle her — one would have to be a thinking being to take a fright. "Naeda," Enka calls forwards, trying to get a better view of the sands beyond the younger goldrider, "what's goin' on down there?" The apprentice probably has a better view. After having taken that flopping dive, Orraeloth is up, pacing around again, whining loudly. The voices of the spectators rise, bets traded back and forth, as if pointedly ignoring the confrontation between goldriders and assistant headwoman. But they're watching, oh how the people are watching.

Naeda was doing so well at being unnoticed. But these plans of hers just never seem to pan out. She tenses further when she hears her name, but at least it's the less scary of the two goldriders addressing her. She raises her voice to be heard over the crowd. "There's, uhm, there's two eggs now… I, uhm, I can't see if there's more…" Back on tiptoes.

Oh thank Faranth. For the second time in a painfully short period of days Naris finds herself incredibly grateful for Enka's existence and her holding the rank of Senior. There she is, putting Liora in her place, making it clear that she isn't the Senior, and all around telling her off. Of course this does not completely eliminate the anger within Naris, how upset she feels, but it makes things a tad better. Enka calls to Naeda, asking what is going on, only for the apprentice to be unable to provide much information. With a frown Naris peers over the edge again, thankful that she intercepted Liora as she approached, thus giving her a decent view of the sands. "Two eggs," she reports, "both are small and the clutchmother is ignoring both." She pauses before adding in a slightly nervous voice, "it looks like she's going to have another but… she really doesn't look good." Naris shoots Enka a grave and slightly fearful look at this. She had always been at least decent at handling stressful situations, but this time she fears it might be a bit too much. It is apparent that Naris looks about to fall apart with the sheer anxiety, stress, and anger she feels.

Enka has a knack for that, it seems — showing up to pull people's bacon out of the fire. Either that or it's pure dumb luck,which might be the actual case. "Thank you, Naeda," Enka's quick to thank the apprentice, even if the girl hadn't really wanted to be called out on, and nods gratefully at Naris as well. "And thank you for that report," the goldrider remarks, flashing a quick glance at Liora who is very pointedly ignoring the senior weyrwoman at the moment. "Don't ever remember her havin' this much trouble before, but then, Mir was on the sands and could keep a better eye out. What's she doin' right now?" Orraeloth is in fact pausing to catch her breath, sides heaving in and out like bellows as she thumps her tail in obvious discomfort. The dragonhealers on the sands are starting to move in closer, but are still warily keeping their distance from the distressed gold. "Liora," Enka's voice is sharp, stern and brooking no arguement. "Talk to her. Reassure her," whether the junior does what she's told is unknown, because she doesn't talk out loud, preferring instead to look like a threatening stormcloud, but whatever happens, Orraeloth manages to clutch another egg, this one slightly larger and less wrinkly than the first two.

Naeda continues to do her best to provide running commentary. She hasn't been told to stop, after all. And it gives her an excuse to keep her attention on the sands and not risk eye contact with any terrifying goldriders. "There's a third egg now!" She announces. "It looks bigger than the first two!"

Well, it doesn't particularly matter to Naris whether it's a knack or sheer dumb luck, as long as Enka is able to pull people's bacon out of the flames of destruction she's content. She returns the Senior Weyrwoman's nod with respect. As odd as Enka can be at times she is the Senior Weyrwoman, someone she respects and looks up to, and Liora is definitely not her. She listens as the goldrider explains the situation with Orraeloth and her clutching, although she is silent as she orders Liora to talk to her dragon and Naeda reports that the egg is larger than the others. Her voice is low as she murmurs, "less wrinkly, as well." She then casts a nervous glance around before inching closer to Enka and saying in a voice low and quiet enough that hopefully only the Senior Weyrwoman could hear, "do you think it might be the clutch giving her trouble? I mean, she only laid two eggs the first time, and I'm not sure if they were as lumpy or not but I'll bet they weren't. Maybe she's having trouble passing them…" Naris trails off, unsure of how to continue. As she does so she hopes that Enka can catch onto her trail of thought without her saying it out loud, that the tawdry gold is having internal issues.

True to form, Orraeloth just simply ignores that egg too, although she does pause to nose at it a little before moving off again. "THREE!" Liora breaks her self-imposed frosty silence to announce jubilantly what is obvious to all — and certainly in itself no cause for a celebration. "I told you she was going to be all right!" there's a smugness to the goldrider's voice, lost in her own self-centered little delusional world. "You doubted us, you doubted us!" that last is a pointed barb thrown in Enka's direction, Liora shooting a rather poisonous look at her, one that also gets a brief direction towards Naris as well, and it's just as well that as her gaze shoots back towards the sands, she very obviously misses overhearing that whispered comment from Naris to the Senior Weyrwoman. Which is just as well, or there might be serious fighting going on in a moment or two. "yes," Enka nods briefly,the slightest of movement as not to attract the attention of the junior goldrider. "I'm wonderin' too…" there's a long pause, Enka craning her neck and body around Liora to try and get a better view of the sands. Orraeloth appears to have stopped for the moment, resting, at least, although given how skinny and normal-looking her flanks appear, it's anybody's guess if tgere are going to be more eggs.

Naris grits her teeth in annoyance when Liora lets out that thrilled exclamation over the third egg being laid and glared at both herself and Enka but ignores her other than that. Don't get angry because of the idiot, don't let yourself do something rash because of her, that can only make things worse. At the moment there are /far/ more pressing things to do and worry about than fighting with Liora. Somehow the frown on her face manages to deepen when Enka admits that she was wondering the same thing. No matter how much Naris likes being correct she had been hoping that she would be wrong on this one. For a little while she is silent, looking at the resting gold with her deflated flanks, before murmuring in the same low, whispering voice, "I can't tell if there are more eggs, but I'm not sure how well she will fare if she has to lay another. I highly suggest having the dragonhealers examine her closely when we know she's done clutching…" she trails off again, leaving the bitter alternative unspoken. Instead of trying to say it she adds, "and the eggs, those first two don't look good but the third could very well be viable. If she doesn't end up looking after them… I don't know. I wouldn't know of Miraneth or Shadhavarth would be willing to look after them or if it's a viable option, if not maybe a green could work?" It's clear in her words just unsure she is, and the look on her face says that being unsure unnerves her.

Crow all you want, Liora, but three eggs is nothing to party over, not when the least of both Miraneith and Shadhavarth's clutches have numbered twice that and more. It seems Naris isn't the only one having to grit her teeth over the junior's antics — Enka looks like she's about ready to chew nails — but the focus isn't on Liora, who's hoisting that wineskin up with an upraised fist and grinning broadly from ear to ear. No,the focus is on the gold dragon on the sands below. "She aint talkin' to Mir," Enka remarks, sotto voce, leaning close to the assistant headwoman, "so I don't know if she's goin' to lay anymore eggs or what, but as soon as the dragonhealers can get close to her, they'll give her a look over." The goldrider'sface is rather impassive, her gaze flickering between the sands and the form of Miraneith on the upper ledges. "Green wouldn't do a lick of good watchin' 'em. Orraeloth might as well be a green for all the attention she's givin' them right now. It's only goin' to depend if she'd even let Mir or Shadhavarth on the sands. They probably could make her, but …" Anything Enka might have said is cut off as Orraeloth rears backwards, wings flapping as she begins to shriek and hiss louder and more frenzied than before.

As a matter of fact Naris would go farther than just saying that three eggs is 'nothing to crow over'. No, she's actually tempted to point out that three eggs is downright /pathetic/. However, she does not. Maybe because of what she suspects might be an unstable nature to the idiotic goldrider, maybe it's her worry for the clutch mother holding her back. Either way, there are no snide comments at the moment. Instead Naris continues her whispered conversation with Enka while trying to keep an eye on the sands. Her voice is cautious as she asks, "is Orraeloth talkative enough that it's odd for her not to be talking to her?" Basically should she be worried about that. After all, no matter how smart she likes to think herself the fact remains that Naris doesn't really know any dragons, let alone Liora's. Oh, this seems to be a great day for making her frown. If she hadn't already been frowning she certainly would be now, but instead the grave expression on her face remains the same as she adds, "and she wouldn't do that, right? Not letting Miraneith or Shadhavarth onto the sands, I mean. If she refuses to take care of them not letting one of them do it would be a death sentence." Then Orraeloth is flapping, shrieking, hissing, and looking all around awful. Naris' eyes widen in horror at the sight, even if four eggs might be a good thing it seems like this one is giving her particular trouble, if she is indeed laying another. The assistant headwoman breaks out of her low, whispering voice to hiss at Liora, "try and soothe her before she hurts herself!" Yeah, trying to order her around might not exactly be wise, but with the dragon in that condition she doesn't exactly care.

Naeda has been doing her best to stay quiet, unnoticed, and out of the way for a while now. She's found herself a nice little hidden spot between some taller people by the railing. But now, what's happening on the sands alarms her to a point where she can't help but go wide-eyed and speak up again. "She… she's looking kind of sick!" She calls out, obviously very worried. "… Someone has called the dragonhealers, right?"
"She aint exactly the most chatty of dragons," Enka comments in a hushed voice, her expression grim and solemn as she regards the scene playing out on the sands before them all. "Seemed more like the type to just sit and listen, but even she won't respond to Mir now. Except somethin' about not feelin' right." There's in fact a rather grim silence hanging over the galleries, gone are the cheerfully voiced bets and comments tossed around from seat to seat, the spectators wagering about the outcome of the clutching. Now, there is shocked fear and worry, the same look etched across the faces of many of the riders present, relayed comments from their dragons displayed in their expressions, and the non-riders are all sitting there with gaping mouths. What is happening? "/SHELLS!/ Enka swears sharply, pushing past Liora abruptly and making a dash for the railing, emerging from the crowd somewhere near Naeda. "This aint right at all," there's a brisk nod for the apprentice. "Here they come." In fact, the dragonhealers have given up edging past the gold warily, and are now pelting across the sands towards her as Miraneith descends from the higher ledges, growling low in her throat.

The scene seems to have silenced Liora as well, her triumphant gleeful cries now trapped behind the hand that she presses to white tightened lips, her face draining of color. The abrupt movement of Enka as the Weyrwoman shoves past her causes the goldrider to stumble slightly, and at the sound of Naris's hiss, she whirls towards the assistant headwoman. "STOP IT!" her shriek is not nearly as deafening as Orraeloth's cries, but it's still piercingly loud. "Go away, go away, you're making her hurt, go away!" The woman's voice is edging towards near hysteria, and as Miraneith lands in a spray of sand and lunges towards the smaller gold to pin her down so the dragonhealers can get a good look at her, Liora lets out another loud shriek and flings herself in the wake of the Weyrwoman's passing. "Leave her alone, she was fine until you all showed up. Stop it stop it stop it stopit!" Brushing close to Naris, Liora glares at her, hands flailing wildly as if in odd mimicry of her gold's gyrations on the sands below.

When the apprentice dolphincrafter points out what Naris believes to be the obvious she glances in her direction briefly, although she does not say anything. There are much, much, /much/ more pressing things to worry about than pointing out that something was said unnecessarily. Things like the panicking gold on the sands and Enka confirming that the tawdry gold's silence is not a good thing. And then the metaphorical dam holding back the chaos breaks. Silence falls among the spectators, Enka rushes forward to the railing with a curse, and the dragonhealers swarm Orraeloth as Miraneith attempts to hold her down. Meanwhile Liora responds to her words and rounds on her, blaming /her/ for Orraeloth's distress. The goldrider seems to be falling into some sort of fit and is standing there, screaming at her while flailing around. For a moment Naris sounds still as a statue, unsure of what to do and paralyzed by her own nervousness. It doesn't last long though for she soon forces herself out of it and lunges forward, attempting to grab hold of Liora's shoulder's while exclaiming, "enough! Whatever's going on it has /nothing/ to do with us being here, something's going wrong with Orraeloth and those dragonhealers are trying to /help/ her. Now, you need to at least try to hold it together and try to calm your dragon before she hurts herself struggling so much. Understood?" Oh, she tries to speak like she has it all together, like she's confident in her words. Yet this is far from the truth. Naris herself has fear in her eyes and written across her face. Part of her worries that whatever happens next might greatly depend on Liora's actions, which means it could go very wrong very easily.

Naeda continues to look wide-eyed. Panic. This is not good. Part of her really just wants to flee the whole situation. Confrontations like this are not something she's comfortable with. Not at all. And yet… this is too serious a situation to ignore. If she can help, even a little, she feels she has to try. And she knows Liora seems to at least tolerate her better than most people. So, with what resolve she can muster, she attempts to intervene. She moves forward and lightly grabs Liora's arm to try to get her attention. "M.. ma'am." She stammers. "… Those are dragonhealers. Orraeloth looked like she was in pain. I think they want to help her…" She says in a pleading tone. A glance with that pleading look is sent to Naris, hoping the two of them together can try to calm the goldrider.

Enka can manage to turn the air blue if she wanted to, given the situation, but after that one muttered curse, she's refrained from venting frustration and worry in a very vocal sense and focuses on the task at hand. Her fingers curve around the railing, knuckles going white with strain as she stares across the sands at the cluster of dragonhealers around Orraeloth, the younger gold still hissing and shrieking, but thankfully her body tremors have ceased, pinned down as she is beneath the paws of Miraneith, the older gold making a soft crooning sound of reassurance as the humans look the dragon over. The sounds of Liora's frenzy behind her make the Weyrwoman glance over her shoulder in concern, but seeing the younger goldrider between both apprentice and assistant headwoman, Enka's attention shifts back towards the sands — the same kind of worried stare affected by everyone in the galleries.

Everyone that is, except for Liora, who continues to shriek and carry on, bracketed between Naeda and Naris, she cotninues to struggle, each jerky movement threatening to dislocate a shoulder or something should she continue her near-maddened state of panic. "No no no no no." She's not listening, not listening at all, no matter what both Naris and Naeda said, no matter how sensible it is, Liora just isn't listening. "She's going to hurt her, go away!" Shoving herself forwards and then to the side, Liora pushes her face close to Naris, mouth opening for another wave of hysterical bellowing.

Okay, so it seems like she isn't winning this 'fun' little game of control the rampaging goldrider. Naris tries to hold her still and talk sense into her, Naeda comes over to try and help talk her into calm, and Orraeloth appears to have stopped shaking so, but Liora still won't stop screaming. Not to mention how she struggles, probably risking harm to herself as well as spurring her dragon into further panic. The wheels in Naris' head can practically be seen turning as she tries to figure out what to do. Trying to talk sense hasn't worked, restraining her hasn't helped, the next thing that occurs to her is shock. /Maybe/ if she shocks the goldrider enough she'll stand still and/or stop panicking for long enough for her to say something that actually sinks into that skull of hers. But what? In the end it's the 'wise' words of a certain Weyrleader that push her to do what she does next. No, Naris is not a lesbian despite what Zi'on has implied (flat-out said) in the past, and even if she were Liora is certainly not the type she would go for. However, she scared, panicking, and going to make a last-ditch effort that could very well go down in history. Waving goodbye to her last scrap of dignity Naris responds to Liora shoving her face into hers by kissing the Junior Weyrwoman. On the lips. It's not too long, it's not romantic, but it certainly /happens/ and is enough for Naris to catch a taste of wine on her lips and have to force herself not to wince. Upon pulling back she says, "no. They won't hurt her, they're going to help, and you need to /listen/." Huzzah for trial by shock?

Naeda clings to Liora as she moves to confront Naris. She's looking increasingly desperate to try to stop the confrontation, but ends up powerless. She's certainly not bold enough to physically intervene in any way. "Ma'am, please, they're only trying to…" Then, Naris kisses Liora. Naeda is just /stunned/. Her jaw drops. She blinks a couple times. "… This explains /so/ /much/." She says to herself, quietly.

Restrain, pleas for her to see reason and even harsh words all fall in deaf ears — in the end, it's pure and utterly surprising shock factor that shuts Liora up. For good, apparently, as the scream she had worked herself up to dies a-borning. There's too much going on for her, the stress, the yelling, the anger, and the hysteria caused by her dragon's pain has tipped Liora to the breaking point. And now …now she's been kissed,not in a way she would have wanted, no indeed. Lips pressed ever so briefly against Naris' own and then freed once more, part, Liora's eyes wide and looking far too glazed for sanity's sake as she tries to speak. But what's should have been a simple 'you' comes out as nothing other than a hoot. And then several hoots, accompanied by the occasional squawk of sound as the goldrider sags downwards, hanging limply between the two girls. The turmoil on the sands seems rather subdued now, Orraeloth surrendering as easily as her rider, all fight gone out of both.

Turning away from the railing, Enka catches sight of Liora and Naris and Naeda. "Dare I ask how you managed to settle her down?" she asks, brows knitting together in concern at the rather mindless way that Liora appears to be babbling and the rather animal noises leaking from her. "Shells, we might need some regular healers here. Let's get her down onto a bench out of the way of the crowd, and sort things out." Indeed, the crowd does seem to be thinning, riders and weyrfolk alike fleeing the galleries in droves, desperate to escape the situation at hand.

On one hand Naris seems to have finally managed to render Liora quiet, which is good, she supposes. But on the other hand she did so by kissing her in the galleries, not only in public but while being watched by a whole crowd of observers. Her face pales as she realizes this. Soon enough knowledge of this little event will spread throughout the Weyr, a rumor spreading at the speed of light. Not to mention the little thing Naeda muttered, which she only barely managed to catch because of her closeness. Her jaw moves for a moment, as if she wants to exclaim that it does not explain /anything/ but she can't bring herself to find the words. It seems Liora is having that problem as well, for she tries to speak only to end up sort of hooting a few times, resulting in the two of them having to support her. Naris' face is beginning to turn bright red in embarrassment by the time Enka turns around and speaks. Her voice is partly dazed, partly unsure, partly nervous, all flustered and frustrated as she responds in what is probably one of her most awkward statements yet, "I… surprised her. With my lips." She then nods her head in agreement with Enka's idea and begins to try and gently guide her over to a bench away from the crowd, not saying anything in an attempt to prevent her from starting up again.

Naeda watches Liora for a moment, perhaps trying to make entirely certain that Naris has actually succeeded in defusing her and avoiding some sort of terrible violent meltdown. Once she's certain, she edges over to Enka and Naris. "… That was very brave." She says, looking to Naris with wide eyes. "I… I never realized you two were… I mean, it's none of my /business/, but… uhm…"

Well, there's quiet. And then there's insane babbling and incoherence, which is admittedly better than hysterical shrieks and wild flailing. And of course, there's always the embarrassment of making a public spectacle of yourself by mashing your lips up against those of the least liked goldrider in the entire Weyr, even if it wasn't meant to be anything romantic. Yep, those rumors are going to be flying for sure, maybe one or two might even find their way back to a particular bronzerider. At least Liora wouldn't be arguing the fact, it's possible she wouldn't be arguing much of anything at all anymore. She's unable to resist as Naris guides her over to a bench, by now the junior has appeared to have exhausted her repitore of bird noises and seems to be exploring the croaks and ribbits of some kind of water amphibian. Oh dear!

"I ….see" Enka regards Naris for a long long long moment and then shrugs her shoulders upwards. "Well,if it got her to stop screamin', shells, I mighta tried that myself at some point. Although better you than me." Yes, really, Enka's so /profoundly/ grateful that she wasn't the one that had to snog the crazy junior. "Healer's on her way, and they'll stick Liora into the infirmary for a few days to see if she gets better. Or not." Clearly, it's the latter that Enka prefers for the woman. It's a hell of a life to be sure, to be stuck in bedlam, but at least then the goldrider isn't trying to claim she is someone she isn't. "Orraeloth's goin' to the infirmary too." the senior adds, nodding over her shoulder at a very pale, wan and shaky dragon being escorted from the sands by the dragonhealers, with Miraneith in close attendance. "Mir'll come back here. Watch the eggs for now. Time will tell if they're even fertile."

Well, considering what happened the other times Naris has encountered Liora the insane babbling and incoherence could very well be considered a form of quiet coming from her. Or at the very least she considers it to be. And sweet Faranth the rumors. The assistant headwoman knows that she certainly doesn't look forward to when they start flying around, especially if some of them reach said bronzerider. No, there were absolutely no feelings involved with the kiss, but she can't help but think that he'll manage to find a way to insist that there are. Sigh. /That/ will /definitely/ be a fun conversation to have. As for actually speaking Naris ends up letting something resembling a strangled choking noise at Naeda's words before exclaiming, "no! We're not /anything/. I'm heterosexual, even if /some people/ might say otherwise, and am not in a relationship, definitely not with her." Then Enka's regarding of her only makes her blush worsen before she manages to choke out, "it was to try and get her to be quiet. Nothing else had worked, I figured some shock might calm her down… or at least do something to stop the flailing." She then glances in Liora's direction and furrows her brow slightly, wondering what exactly is going on with her. With a sigh she murmurs, "I hope she does get better. I don't like her, in fact I'm pretty sure I might loathe her, but it isn't right for anyone to have to live in a broken state of mind, even her." With than she sits down on a bench, slumps forward, and cradles her head in her hands, the stress from the days events finally getting to her. Her voice is little more than a whisper as she asks, "which of them do you think caused this in the first place, the rider or the dragon? If they are to get better they'll probably need to figure out who the source of whatever happened today was. Or if it's both of them." If the issue is Liora's broken mind and Orraeloth's broken body combined they might just be too far gone, or so she fears.

Naeda looks increasingly crestfallen by the depressing turn the conversation has taken. She looks out at the sands, eyeing them as best as she can through the crowd. "The third egg she laid looked…" She pauses. "… Healthier. I mean, I've seen smaller eggs hatch. They could make it. Couldn't they?" She asks with wide, hopeful eyes. She shakes her head and looks to Naris. "… It can be really hard, seeing someone you used to care about in that kind of state. I'm so sorry. That's got to be so difficult…" She clearly has gotten the completely wrong idea. The denials slowly sink in, and she blinks with confusion. "You mean, you're not… I mean, but you and she…?" So much confusion.

Really! There's no point in Naris digging herself in deeper, is there? At least Enka's willing to take the younger woman's comments at nothing more than face value, or so it might seem. "Well, I was guessin' the shock wasn't exactly the kind of calmin' sort she needed," the goldrider admits, nodding at Liora who's still making those froggy-sounding noises, although the intervals between sounds is growing wider and wider. "She's been under a lot of stress lately, I'd better the healers'll say. what with her tryin' to carry on about bein' senior and whatnot." The actual senior weyrwoman of Western can only shake her head, thumping down gracelessly onto the bench beside the others. "She never was too smart to begin with, and maybe I should have sent her off before this. But it didn't seem right to just chuck her out, not with her havin' visualization problems. Wouldn't have wanted them to go between and never come back." Her lips thin into a tight-lipped expression as she answers Naeda. "They might. The two from Orraeloth's first clutch weren't much bigger than the third one down there. And one never knows, the other two just might look wrinkly, but are perfectly fine. The dragonhealers will have to inspect them after they deal with Orraeloth." Enka glances about as the crowd thins further, and there's yet no sign of any healers, although they should arrive momentarily. "Probably was both of them," she admits to Naris. "Her first flight was a disaster,chances are, she could have been a dragon who was always goin' to have problems, but havin' a partner like Liora was just a mark against her to start. And maybe when they got back from Ierne. Her lookin' all skinny and the like. Might have affected her then. Even if it was turns ago."

So people are going to be thinking that Naris really was, or is, in a relationship with Liora? /Brilliant/. She chooses not to bother trying to argue about that now, figuring that she'll have to deal with plenty of /that/ later on. Instead when Naeda asks her question she just looks at her before slowly shaking her head in a very distinct 'no'. No, she is not in a relationship with Liora, never was in a relationship with Liora, and does not plan on ever being in a relationship with Liora. At the first thing Enka says in response Naris feels her stomach plummet as she looks at Liora. Could this be her fault? The goldrider had plenty of problems of her own, /surely/ it isn't her who sent her over the edge? Naris wants to think that, tries to tell herself that, but as she looks at the goldrider she manages to pale further and dread crosses her face. Maybe it would have been better to just let her rant at scream, maybe the quiet isn't worth it, maybe she did more harm than good. As these things begin to fall in place in her mind she murmurs, "so I pushed her over the edge." The words are very quiet and spoken low, too herself, and while there is a chance that the others could hear them they clearly are not meant to. And she probably isn't wanting to talk about it as she continues to say, "I doubt there's any way of knowing for sure with those eggs until they actually hatch, if they hatch." She pauses then and bites her lower lip, pondering something, before she asks, "do you think that's why they impressed each other? I mean, people like Liora don't seem to attract dragons normally, and if Orraeloth has had her own issues this whole time she might not have even impressed under normal circumstances. Maybe they sort of… attracted each other? A gold that might normally have trouble bonding impressing to a girl that normally wouldn't bond, two wrongs trying, and failing, to find balance and make a right."

Naeda rocks back and forth on her feet, frowning and looking sort of uncertain and out of place as the others discuss things that seem over her head. Rider matters. Still, she does her best to offer her own insight. "My mom always said dragons can tell the personalities of the candidates. They pick ones that they think match them in some way. I dunno how true that is, but… maybe it's like that with them?" She looks sideways at Naris, voice dropping a little, shyly. "You know, uhm… the people here are very… very accepting of people who are less… traditional. You don't have to hide who you are." She thinks she's being kind. Really, she does.

"I didn't say /that/." Enka remarks firmly, turning her head slightly to regard Liora who's finally given up on impersonating a barnyard of animals, and has settled into a glassy-eyed state of slumping down onto the bench. At least she's not drooling … /yet/. "Aint sayin' you pushed her over the edge or anythin' so don't you go blamin' yourself, Naris. It was just … too much for her to handle at the moment." On the other hand, it's better than having a shrieking gold dragon, and a hysterical junior trying to leave indentations on people's foreheads, so really, Enka will take what she can get at this point. And it's right about then that a small group of healers show up. Like sharks scenting blood in the water, a crazed junior goldrider must be a feast of a sorts for them. "And you'll let me know, if anythin' changes, right, and she starts speakin' again." Enka demands of them as they bundle Liora up into a couple of blankets, chivvying her off the bench and off in the direction of the infirmary. With the stupefied Liora safely in the hands of the healers, it leaves Enka able to turn to Naris and respond to her question. "Dragons choose who they will," she replies with a shrug. "I dunno why Mir chose me, didn't even seem like we'd clicked all that much when I was touchin' her egg. I liked another one. Or two. But she chose /me/. So Orraeloth choosin' Liora, might not seem to make sense for you or me, but it did to her. And really, I've heard tales." She pauses, chuckling softly. "My da used to tell me about a weyrwoman, back in his great-grandmother's day. She was about as bright as Liora, and ended up senior at some mainland Weyr. So it's really just how things work out."

Naris has to admit that Naeda is good at holding on to her beliefs, which could very well be a good thing. Well, it would be a good thing if those beliefs didn't involve getting her sexuality mixed up or having a relationship with Liora. Because really, Naris has never been very good at social stuff in the first place, talking people out of these kinds of beliefs is probably something she just can't do. Still, that won't stop her from trying. The assistant headwoman gives Naeda a small smile before saying, "that's really nice of you to say and I'm sure it's true but I am telling the truth. I don't have that kind of interest in women, I just thought the shock might make her stop screaming and flailing around…" she trails off, only to nod when Enka tells her not to blame herself. No comment, for she isn't sure exactly what to say, just a nod. Then the healers are here and taking Liora away, Enka telling them to tell her if she starts to speak again. At her story she gives a small smile, although it turns a tad bitter at the mention of the senior. "Kylara," she murmurs. "I mean, I don't know for sure if it's Kylara you're talking about, but she pops to mind. From around Lessa's time, she ended up causing her gold to rise while another was already rising and causing the death of them both. Although, I've heard some say that it might be the fault of the other goldrider, her Junior, Brekke. They say that she wasn't really in control of her own gold in the first place, and there are rumors that she might have been able to hear all dragons, so she might have called the other in her panic." Naris falls silent for a moment and looks back down at her lap before murmuring, "I'm… er… I read a lot of records." Really it's a bit of a coping mechanizing for her, it allows her to read, hear, or talk about something when she's stressed or feels the need to escape from reality. She has no dragon to turn to or talk to, she has no craft or dolphins, some might even say she has few or no friends. It's just her, her work, and the past.

All the names mentioned by Naris and Enka go right over Naeda's head. She's clearly not as well versed in history as the others, and it shows by how she sort of shrinks back, embarrassed. Especially when Naris continues to protest in response to her attempted kindnesses. She tries to offer one little lingering encouragement. "Well. Uhm. If you're sure. If you ever need to talk about any of this stuff…" She just lets that thought go unfinished. She glances to Enka again. "… I just hope it all works out okay. I feel bad for her… and her lifemate. To leave her eggs behind… that must be so hard for her."

Enka shakes her head. "Nope. Although I've heard it more than passing mentioned about /her/ too. This one senior was talked about at Telgar when I was growin' up there. Guess she was one of theirs a couple of generations back. Apparently wasn't the brightest glow in the basket, if you know what I mean." In other words, she probably had as much sense as Liora did… and that is /did/ given how the junior's mind seems to have snapped, however temporarily it may or may not be. "But the queens' battle is one that nobody is ever goin' to forget, regardless of who started it. Which is why the last time Shadhavarth was lookin' to rise, I sent her and Iris off to throw the flight in Ila'den's favor with a vacation. And sent Liora to Ierne WeyrHold, just in case." And everyone knows how /that/ little excursion ended. "I feel for Orraeloth too," Enka agrees with Naeda. "And maybe even Liora. A little." And that's saying something, given how the junior's been a thorn in her side for a while. There's some commotion at the entrance to the Hatching Ground, Miraneith making her way in. "Shard it Mir," Enka yells, standing up. "Pick /UP/ your tail already. Every time. Every. Single. Time." Shaking her head,the woman turns to the two younger girls. "Well, I'd better get down to the sands, check the eggs over if I can. You two will be all right?"

Naris nods at what Naeda says next, shooting her a genuine smile at her words. Even if she does have the wrong idea she is being kind to her and offering to talk if she needs someone, which is more than most people have done with her. She then listened to what Enka says, a thoughtful look crossing her face at her words. So golds choosing incompetent riders really isn't as rare as she had thought? That is… unfortunate. Very unfortunate. And downright frightening if she thinks about it too much. So /clearly/ the only answer is to keep herself from thinking about it too much. Simple, no? Okay, maybe not that simple, Naris has never been good at /not/ thinking, but it's certainly better than worrying about who might impress what for the rest of her natural life. She doesn't comment on the feeling for Orraeloth and Liora, not completely trusting herself to. Instead she nods when Enka stands and, standing up, replies, "yeah, I think so. I probably have work to do, people to talk to, rumors and panic to address." She pauses at this before asking in a nervous voice, "oh… I forgot to ask, but am I still an Assistant Headwoman? I mean, Liora fired me, but she's Liora, so…"

Naeda quickly nods to Enka, frowning and looking towards the sands with an obviously worried expression. "I'll be okay… I just hope the eggs are okay. And Liora. I mean, she's… she's scary, but… when people act that way, it's usually just because they're sad on the inside. Right?" Curious for the answer to Naris' question, she looks to Enka again.

Face it, gold dragons are as fallible as any color, and dragons themselves are about as like to make mistakes as any person does. They are only … well, mortal. "What?" Enka pauses, mid-turn, looking back over her shoulder at Naris when the latter poses the question to her. "Yes," the words come quickly enough, the goldrider slightly distracted now with the tasks in mind. "You haven't lost your job. Liora's not the one who can make decisions like that,regardless of anythin' she might have said to you. You've still got the job, unless…"she pauses, trailing off. She really doesn't need to say 'if you've changed your mind' now, does she? Naeda gets a slight smile of reassurance. "Good to hear then. And I hope the eggs are all right too, I'll find out soon enough. As for Liora, I honestly couldn't say how she really feels. Or felt. But anyway, thank you both for helpin' out right now." And with that, Enka will head off to the stairway to make her way towards the sands.


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