Lunch With a Charming Goldrider

Writers: AL, Devin
Date Posted: 1st March 2010

Characters: Meledei, Z'ku
Description: Meledei and Z'ku have their planned lunch date, and she invites him to the Gather.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 7, day 5 of Turn 5

Z'ku

"Phew. Drills, followed by a meeting. Not fun." Meledei plopped into
her seat across from Z'ku, her utensils rattling in protest. The girl
took up her napkin and spread it across her lap. "I hope your day
wasn't quite so boring."

"I wouldn't call drills boring." Maybe they would get routine in time,
but for now they took a lot of his focus and energy.

"Well, the meeting was boring. I would much prefer drills to that."
Not much had been discussed, and it was made even more boring by the
fact that Meledei didn't really have much to add to the conversation.
She was the youngest, and newest goldrider, so while that wasn't
surprising, it just wasn't very interesting.

"Well, I hope I can help make lunch less boring than your meeting." He
smiled and took a bite.

"How do you find being a full rider?" It was an adjustment, even if
they did the same things as Weyrlings. Only now they were truly
fighting their enemy.

"To be honest, it's a little frightening. But it's what I and Xemroth
were meant for." Z'ku knew his life might be short, but it was better
than ending up an understeward to his older brother.

"That's why there are dragons." Meledei agreed. While she had always
wanted to be a dragonrider, she had never thought she would ride gold.
That was the part that daunted her the most. "Which wing are you in
again?"

"Cyclone. K'hetah's Wing."

"That's right, sorry." She had been more focused on F'gol that while
she'd heard the others, they had more easily slipped from Meledei's
mind. "How do you like him?"

"He's very direct, and organized. A bit stiff, but then, so am I." Z'ku smiled.

"Both of you need to relax more." Meledei shook her head. "Maybe you
two should go drinking together." Did K'hetah drink? She hadn't
remembered seeing him, but then again, Meledei had never bothered to
pay attention either.

He laughed. "Drinking with my Wingleader?"

"Why is that so strange? Wingleaders are people two?" Meledei did
grin. She honestly couldn't imagine herself drinking with Traelyn - or
doing anything remotely social. The woman just seemed
so...so...distant. She was rather intimidating to be honest.

"Well, yes, but it doesn't seem appropriate."

Meledei shrugged. "Probably. Don't worry, I wasn't really serious anyway."

"Perhaps someday, when I have rank. For now I'm more concerned with
following his orders and doing well in the Wing." That was as it
should be, for a rider just out of weyrlinghood.

"Probably a good idea." They would all be following orders for quite
some time. Meledei was the low goldrider on the totem pole when it
came to the other two and there were even more bronzes to compete with
as far as position went. She knew Z'ku had some ambitions, but he
didn't seem to be over eager. That was good. They both needed
experience before they were truly put into positions of leadership.
"So, do anything interesting lately?"

"I had lunch with a charming goldrider." He grinned.

"Really? Who?" Meledei returned Z'ku's grin with one of her own.
"Besides that silly."

Z'ku thought for a moment. "Not much, really. I don't even have plans
for the restday. I sound boring, don't I?"

"I think we're all boring." Meledei didn't have plans either, except
to spend it with F'gol. "What about the Gather later this month? Are
you going there?"

"I'm thinking about it." On one handed it sound like fun, on the other
it sounded ... cold.

"Oh come on! It's going to be loads of fun! You can do the scavenger
hunt with F'gol and me." Maybe it would give the two riders a chance
to get to know each other. Maybe they would even come to realise they
liked one another. Meledei could always hope, right?

Would spending time with Meledei be worth watching her and F'gol hold
hands and smile at each other all day? Or more importantly, would it
be worth disappointing her say no? She was asking him. She wanted
him there. "I would love to, if F'gol doesn't mind." Of course the
bluerider would mind, but he was betting on Meledei still wanting
F'gol to get over himself, as she'd said before.

"Great! I think we can only have up to three in a team. We're going
to win the Scavenger hunt, I just know it!" Meledei's eyes brightened
at the prospect. Of course, if they didn't win it wouldn't be the end
of Pern, but it was fun to try. "We'll make a great team!"

Z'ku laughed. "I'm sure we will." He didn't think Meledei would be so
excited over a scavenger hunt. She often seemed pleased by little
things, and it was refreshing.

Last updated on the March 6th 2010

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Lunch With a Charming Goldrider