A Flotilla of Barges

It was a rest day, and the sky dawned cool and clear.  About an hour after sunrise, when the morning sun's rays slanted into the canyon to gild the surface of the Black Rock River, a song could be heard echoing off of the cliffs.  More than a few dragonriders and weyrfolk turned their heads to try and catch the words, but to no avail.  All that came was the sound, distorted and muffled by the multiple echoes twisting back on themselves, mixing with the sound of the river as it tumbled in white rapids here and there.

Avidian made his way to the Weyrsenior's ledge and nodded respectfully to Yllaveth.  The stillmaster didn't have to say anything, he simply waited.  Sure enough, within minutes, the young Weyrsenior emerged from his weyr with a smile.  

"Good morning, Stillmaster," Br'son said.  "What can I do for you this morning."  

Avidian smiled, "Not much, I should think," he said, his voice gravelly as always.  "Came to tell you.  Barges were spotted upriver.  They're flying colors of some Hold I've never seen before, singing some kind of song.  Making it very clear that they're coming, if you take my meaning."  

A smile blossomed across Br'son's face.  "Ah!" he said.  "Very nice.  My guess is that would be Tarza Hold, perhaps with our first tithe payment."  

Avidian's eyebrows went up.  "Tithe, hmm?  We are moving up in the world."  

Br'son's smile turned mischievous.  "Indeed.  Give me five Turns, and I'll make a legitimate businessman out of even you, Stillmaster."  

Vid snorted at that.  "Not likely.  But if they're your Holders, that's fine.  I'll tell my people not to shoot them full of arrows as they approach."  

Br'son's smile faltered just a bit.  "um.  Yes please."  

Now Vid smiled.  "Weyrsenior," he said, turning to take his leave.  

Br'son watched him go, and not for the first time, wondered what, exactly, he'd gotten into with the stillmaster.  But that was a problem for another day.  

"Yllaveth, spread the word.  We'll need all hands to help unload the tithe barges.  Tell E'zen and Teagan that they're in charge of getting the inventory, as we don't have a Headwoman yet.  Tell Dividia, too.  I believe they've sent supplies specifically for the wher cadre.  Harness straps and whatnot.  I'd like to have her meet me down by the river, if it's not too inconvenient for her schedule."

Aliseth lifted her head from her latest meal - the shadow had been so ravenous of late, they'd had to go hunting more often than not, and a restday meant time for true hunting, not pen-bound meat.

It had put Aliseth into such a (relatively) better mood that E'zen couldn't remotely begrudge the early wake-up. And Aliseth only spread her wings at Yllaveth's message, quite nearly content.

Nearly. She refused any mopping up, and so returned to the Weyr with more than a bit of blood decorating her inky hide, which, of course, suited her perfectly well.

E'zen hoped Teagan would be there when he arrived, as he wasn't entirely sure he was ready for a first round of inventory-ing with as little sleep as he'd had.

**
Dividia hadn't yet gone to bed, nothing unusual there, but Divisk had just gone to sleep and did not appreciate the wake up call.

His roar - as much mental as vocal - was sand-in-delicate-places rough, and meant to be so. Dragons!

Dividia didn't bother to calm him - a wasted effort, and he wouldn't come out of his den at this point anyway - but did take a moment to crack her neck and stretch. That would be an itch down her spine for the next few hours, whether Divisk went back to sleep or no.

Her pace was brisk enough that she got to the river about the same time as Br'son, whom she met with a perfectly neutral, "Weyrsenior," and the slightly lifted eyebrows of the interested. "I hear we are in for quite the morning."

"Thank you for joining me, Wherleader," Br'son said with a smile. "I believe you are right, but this is, finally, a good thing that his happening. This is the first of our tithe shipments, and they've supplies specifically for your cadre. I think it would also be wise for you to speak with the barge captain. Perhaps to give them a warning about showing up unannounced?"

A very brief, very sharp, nearly promising smile answered him. Usually she kept a good, neutral expression, but that was too good to go unrewarded. "Indeed. Presents and a holder to scold. You do know the way to a woman's heart, Weyrsenior."

Br'son laughed. "I'd better, after all this time as the only male Queenrider in existence. No longer, though," he said, with something that might have been joy, and might have been sadness. It was probably some combination of both.

"Do you know if your father has someone in mind to handle the inventory influx? In another Weyr, that would be the Headwoman, but... Well... We don't have one of those."

"I'll oversee for today," Dividia answered, and usually she would have left it at that. Inventory, after all, was critical and not to be left to someone not entirely trusted.

Though now there was quite a bit more to keep track of, and that number seemed ever growing as new arrivals trickled or poured into their once secret-canyon. "Something we should talk about soon, though," she added, everything about her speaking of casual ease in such a way it was clear this was important. "Was there anyone at Eastern strong enough at this that we should see if they're worth fetching?" Or someone from within the canyon, but no one sprang to mind...