Dark had fallen on White Lightning Weyr and even as the color faded from the world, whenever Casriel closed her aquamarine eyes she could see them. The light spangling off of Nolinth's bronze hide, catching back against the brown, blue and green hides of the dragonriders that had followed Jah'vi from Eastern Weyr. The news and implications had robbed the Wingleader of sleep and Casriel paced the length of her weyr, restless as a caged feline. She had asked Maraxith to bespeak the brown dragon Jasudeth but no answer had ever been heard. A weak reply from the green dragon Rinanoth confirmed Casriel's suspicions. Jasudeth had fallen to the plague and slowly, it was robbing Rinanoth of her will and strength. Maraxith had reached out to the brown dragon Treyath too and was met with an iron resistance.
'J'rils dragon is of Maraxith's first clutch with Parazath. Treyath will live.' Casriel knew it to be certain as she new Thread would fall again. Her stomach should have been tied in knots over her family but it wasn't. Her father and brother had stood stock still in their stance, her mother woefully ineffectual. It was for Firene that Casriel's gut twisted.
It was for Garrah that her heart lay in shatters.
"It could have been you and me, love!" Casriel suddenly cried out, stopping in mid stride to look up at the ceiling of her weyr, her hands fists in her blonde hair.
"It could have been you and me. We could have ruled side by side, Maraxith and Parazath bringing up the dragon population with Yllaveth and the shadows to boost it. If only you had let me help you. Damn it! Damn you! Garrah! You were the only woman I could see! What was a man when you walked through the room, the shadows of winter in your black hair!" Casriel's voice twisted into a groan.
The Plague was sweeping the planet and soon, Firene and Olenath would be the only gold pair left. Casriel did not even knw if Olenath could rise and she doubted it heavily. With Yllaveth the only Titanium and the two Shadow queens silly young dragonets, the stark and naked fear of it all hit Casriel. The loss of Parazath and Garrah cut all the deeper knowing that one less dragon Queen lived to rebuild the population of Pern. Maraxith and Parazath had always had good clutches with both bronzes and cobalts but never a Titanium or Gold. Titanium dragons numbers only two ever, Parazath and Yllaveth.
'Wait. Who sired Parazath? Andovith, bronze. Yes. Who sired Yllaveth? Bronze Bryeth. Is it possible that only a bronze can sire a Titanium on another Titanium. It would make sense. Browns cannot sire queen eggs, only bronzes! Bronzes....' Casriel's mind started turning. Running to her desk, the Wingleader swept the records to one side to pull a sheet of parchment and begin writing. Casriel bent over her work until sweat beaded over her brow. A pattern was coming together in her mind and a plan.
