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Sayaith grew to a good size, while remaining at Tripaldi, equalled by her clutch mate the handsome bronze that had paired up with Z'an. Now there would be a spectacular flight, once they got home - and even Sayaith understood at that point that she wasn't on that bronze's mind at all. Even if she wanted him to compete for her, she was out of luck. So devoted to Milonna was Z'an that when they did fly between and got back to their home Weyr, the bronze practically shoved Sayaith out of his way in his haste to meet the girl of his rider's dreams.

Though Sayaith was a bit peeved at that move, she swung around in the air with a graceful curve and looked down at the weyr. Aniz knew because she'd been on dragon back several times above Dragonhope, what the place really looked like. The cliffs and the sea below, the villages dotting the snowy landscape beyond to the west...

It certainly is the most beautiful place... I like it. I am glad this is home. Sayaith bespoke. There is his queen, oh - she is ... different! Milonna's coppery-gold was indeed a different breed, but close enough that it hardly mattered.

Aniz laughed, "well, I wonder if they're going to wait for formalities or just pair up right now!" She sent Sayaith to descend but only to the fire heights. From there, with the watch dragons approaching and trumpeting the welcome of five new and fantastic dragons, they would have a good view should they really choose to pursue a flight.

***

Fortunately the pair wasn't quite ready for that, however everyone was gathered to welcome the riders home. Aniz deposited scroll after scroll of wherhide notes in her new weyr. She'd been given as large a weyr as they could find that was still close to her office in the crafting wing. Over the next few days she got back into the routine. She discovered that several of those she'd chosen to attend duties had not only excelled in them, but managed to innovate a system between departments in the Weyr, without using the noisy drumming that other places did, to communicate across the place quickly. Other than using a flitter, the light-flashes worked well.

"Well, Mistress Queen Rider Aniz," said a voice from nearby as she was writing down a daily diary, "how are things back at Tripaldi?"

"Well Tripaldi is having another clutch or two, eggs were on the sands when we left, so there will always be more need for good candidates. And," she winked at the steward who leaned against her doorway, "I'm not a queen rider just yet. Sayaith hasn't flown a mating flight yet, and hopefully she'll wait a little while longer. I'm not ready for that."

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