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The Golden Boy. A Pern/BtVS AU fic... (2/3)
So, I should be working on my ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
seasonal_spuffy fic, which needs some tweaking and fine polishing (my posting date is Friday). But - the crack has been eating my head, so instead here is part two of my little Pern thing. There will only be 3 parts (for now at least), although the third part will be split in two...
Anyway, as I said in this post, the characters are rather running away from me and evolving in ways that are very interesting, but not at all consistent with their origins. So - essentially they're OCs, who just happen to look like Spike & Angel and share some characteristics, OK? Also I apologise for the lack of action in this part, but I promise that things take off [pun totally intended!!!] in the next part! Un-beta'd and stuff (so not exactly a masterpiece - srsly!), and probably a 15. Oh and feedback will be eaten up as greedily as thread devours greenery! ;)
Part 1 here.
Part 2
It was a beautiful, radiant morning. Silent and unnoticed from his vantage point as guard above the Star Stones, N’gel watched as the three young queens were being bathed. They would soon reach their full growth, he pondered, observing the grace with which they carefully waded into the water.
There being two more days until Threadfall the Weyr was not busy, and as usual a crowd had gathered to watch the spectacle. Cordelia and Winifred, long hair tumbling down their shoulders, were already busy scrubbing their queens’ hides, their skirts bunched up and tucked into their belts - as beautiful and feminine a sight as could be found on all of Pern. And again N’gel wondered at the marvellous fortune that had given him Cordy - gorgeous, funny Cordy; frivolous and lighthearted, yet as sensible as a woman twice her age. Some day soon - maybe when he was made wing leader, which he was sure couldn’t be a long time off - he would marry her.
Then slowly, against his will, his eyes were drawn to Spike. As though deliberately trying to stand out against his fellow queen riders, the youngster was a picture of masculinity. Chest and feet bare, he wore only leather breeches - so tight N’gel sometimes wondered how he got dressed in the morning. But it was all for the ladies - that message was one Spike had managed to put across loud and clear. There had been advances from several green riders - as well as other interested men, including the new journeyman Harper. But Spike had turned them all down - sometimes almost resorting to violence, since his temper could get hot when pestered...
No, whatever had drawn Buffieth to Spike, it had not been that bend in his tastes. If anything, it had been the opposite... N’gel’s brow drew together as he studied the way in which Spike bathed the golden dragon. Love was at the heart of all rider-dragon relationships; it was a friendship - partnership - that went soul deep. A rider cared for his mount more than himself, tended to it as carefully as a mother to her child. But there was something different to Spike’s ministrations - it was as though he was in love with the young queen; his touches almost like those of a lover’s, lending a strange sensual undertone to all his interactions with the golden creature.
And N’gel didn’t like it - it chafed him somehow, and it felt wrong. Unsettling. Of course the obvious solution was just to avoid Spike, but this was surprisingly hard to do - and not just because Spike was best friends with Cordy. Spike was likely to appear at any point in the Weyr, at any time - except when he was taking care of Buffieth of course - always busy assisting some pretty girl or other with yet another task, asking questions that were clearly thinly disguised chat-up lines. He was even often to be found in the company Norella, Head woman of the Lower Caverns... who also just happened to be the mother of one the most beautiful girls in the entire Weyr. N’gel had secretly been very pleased - and rather gleeful - when the girl had married a brown rider a few months ago. The golden boy had obviously failed in that particular mission.
The dragons being clean Spike then turned his attention to the girls, and soon he had managed to knock Cordelia off her feet. She emerged, spluttering and gasping and laughing - her dress clinging to her in such a way that N’gel suddenly found himself rather uncomfortable on Immorteth’s neck. Fred - as usual thinking ahead - was already safely back on the shore.
Shaking her hair, and obviously in no hurry to follow Fred, Cordy grinned evilly, and a second later Pradaith pushed Spike over. But rather than resurfacing, Spike yanked at Cordy from under the water and she disappeared under for the second time with a yelp. The dragons were obviously amused, as were the spectators, but N’gel was less forthcoming. As soon as his watch was over he’d have words with Cordy - he didn’t trust himself not to punch the blond youth.
***
“By the Great Egg, N’gel, jealous much? Spike’s my friend, that’s all. Get over it!”
N’gel really hated it when Cordy used that tone of voice. As though he was an unreasonable 12-year-old. He emptied his cup and put it on the table, then caught her eyes.
“I just think he takes too many liberties. And you know what he’s like!”
Cordy smiled innocently. “I have no idea what you mean.”
He sighed. Why did everyone just let Spike get away with everything? The golden boy with his golden dragon, who appeared to fool his way through life.
“You know perfectly well what I mean! The fact that he’s spent the past two turns sleeping his way through the Lower Caves... how many children has he sired by now?”
Cordy’s expression turned musing. “Three I think... well three where he’s the named father anyway.” Then she smiled indulgently. “And anyway, not everyone’s as faithful as you and me. What’s wrong with having some fun? He is special after all. As well as being very pretty, and pure Blood to boot. Not a bad package.” She chuckled, then picked up a fruit from the bowl and sent N’gel a teasing look. “He’s got quite the reputation you know!”
‘She’s right,’ Immorteth added, sleepily, and N’gel shook his head and let the matter drop. It never helped - even his own dragon was enthralled...
He knew that Cordy would never cheat on him, but still he resented her close friendship with the other man. Yet it could not be helped... the three of them - Cordy, Fred and Spike - had been close ever since Impression. Three simultaneous queen eggs was an incredibly rare occurrence, and naturally they had bonded.
For what was probably the millionth time, N’gel wished that Spike had not Impressed a queen... and, as usual, went on to hope that Immorteth would not develop a preference for anyone except Pradaith - a matter that increasingly occupied his thoughts as the day of the young queens’ first mating flights grew ever nearer. What Spike’s thoughts on the matter was no one knew, since he never mentioned it. Not that it needed to be a problem for Spike, of course - there were plenty of women more than willing to share his bed. And if N’gel was the unlucky one (although given the great number of bronzes it was rather unlikely) he had Cordy. Green riders often arranged things this way, and he was sure Spike would be no different. And yet... there were times when he’d catch Spike carefully scrutinising the bronze riders, one at a time, an odd look on his face that N’gel couldn’t really work out. And mostly - or so at least it seemed to N’gel - he spent the longest looking at him. He knew the other bronze riders were uncomfortable too, even if the subject was rarely mentioned. “Not different from the greens, is it?” one of them would invariably say, and the rest would nod assent. But it was different. And they all knew it.
Thankfully, he had just heard some news that had made everything better. Smiling, as though he really had let go of the Spike-matter, he caught Cordy’s eyes.
“Have you heard the rumour?”
“Which particular rumour were you thinking of?” she asked archly, probably thinking of Spike’s newest conquest, a pretty miner’s daughter that he’d chased for quite some time. N’gel took a deep breath, carefully purging his mind of such silliness.
“The one where there’s talk of setting up a new Weyr, since once the new queens start to lay, this one will be bursting at the seams. It might be a few Turns away, but...”
“Oh yes, heard that.” Cordy shrugged indifferently, but then her features suddenly lit up. “Oh - J’thon told me that there are traders on the way! You think they’ll have some of that new shimmery cloth everyone’s talking about?”
N’gel stared at her. “But - don’t you realise the potential? A new Weyr! Which will need a Weyrleader and Weyrwoman... And - they might just decide that they need someone young and full of energy!”
Cordelia frowned. “What - you think they’ll choose us?”
“Of course!”
He wanted to shake her - this was the opportunity of a lifetime, why wasn’t she more excited? “I thought you wanted to be Weyrwoman!”
“Well yes, but not now!” Her expression was incredulous. “Neither of us is more than 19!”
“Lessa wasn’t much older when she became Weyrwoman!” he countered.
“Well - I’m not Lessa, and back then there was only one Weyr and one queen. Things were different. I’d like a good few years of fun first. You know...” her smile turned affectionate. “Get married, have some children... And I seriously don’t want to spend every Gather cooped up in boring meetings!”
Slowly she shook her head. “What is it with you and responsibility, N’gel? You chase it as determinedly as a runner at a race. Is... is it because of your father?”
He sighed. “No. It’s nothing to do with my father. I just know that I’m the best man for the job, and I believe you’re the best woman.”
At this she rolled her eyes, and threw up her hands. “You - you bronze riders! You’re all the same!”
Then she stood up and walked over to him, putting a hand on his shoulder.
“Just... don’t get all excited, OK? You always do this - get an idea and never stop to think. Maybe...” she suddenly smiled, eyes dark and sultry, “maybe you should put all your plans on hold until after Pradaith’s first mating flight...”
Laughing he pulled her to him and moments later they were entwined on the bed. And N’gel was yet again reminded of all the reasons why he loved his woman.
Part 3a.
seasonal_spuffy fic, which needs some tweaking and fine polishing (my posting date is Friday). But - the crack has been eating my head, so instead here is part two of my little Pern thing. There will only be 3 parts (for now at least), although the third part will be split in two... Anyway, as I said in this post, the characters are rather running away from me and evolving in ways that are very interesting, but not at all consistent with their origins. So - essentially they're OCs, who just happen to look like Spike & Angel and share some characteristics, OK? Also I apologise for the lack of action in this part, but I promise that things take off [pun totally intended!!!] in the next part! Un-beta'd and stuff (so not exactly a masterpiece - srsly!), and probably a 15. Oh and feedback will be eaten up as greedily as thread devours greenery! ;)
Part 1 here.
It was a beautiful, radiant morning. Silent and unnoticed from his vantage point as guard above the Star Stones, N’gel watched as the three young queens were being bathed. They would soon reach their full growth, he pondered, observing the grace with which they carefully waded into the water.
There being two more days until Threadfall the Weyr was not busy, and as usual a crowd had gathered to watch the spectacle. Cordelia and Winifred, long hair tumbling down their shoulders, were already busy scrubbing their queens’ hides, their skirts bunched up and tucked into their belts - as beautiful and feminine a sight as could be found on all of Pern. And again N’gel wondered at the marvellous fortune that had given him Cordy - gorgeous, funny Cordy; frivolous and lighthearted, yet as sensible as a woman twice her age. Some day soon - maybe when he was made wing leader, which he was sure couldn’t be a long time off - he would marry her.
Then slowly, against his will, his eyes were drawn to Spike. As though deliberately trying to stand out against his fellow queen riders, the youngster was a picture of masculinity. Chest and feet bare, he wore only leather breeches - so tight N’gel sometimes wondered how he got dressed in the morning. But it was all for the ladies - that message was one Spike had managed to put across loud and clear. There had been advances from several green riders - as well as other interested men, including the new journeyman Harper. But Spike had turned them all down - sometimes almost resorting to violence, since his temper could get hot when pestered...
No, whatever had drawn Buffieth to Spike, it had not been that bend in his tastes. If anything, it had been the opposite... N’gel’s brow drew together as he studied the way in which Spike bathed the golden dragon. Love was at the heart of all rider-dragon relationships; it was a friendship - partnership - that went soul deep. A rider cared for his mount more than himself, tended to it as carefully as a mother to her child. But there was something different to Spike’s ministrations - it was as though he was in love with the young queen; his touches almost like those of a lover’s, lending a strange sensual undertone to all his interactions with the golden creature.
And N’gel didn’t like it - it chafed him somehow, and it felt wrong. Unsettling. Of course the obvious solution was just to avoid Spike, but this was surprisingly hard to do - and not just because Spike was best friends with Cordy. Spike was likely to appear at any point in the Weyr, at any time - except when he was taking care of Buffieth of course - always busy assisting some pretty girl or other with yet another task, asking questions that were clearly thinly disguised chat-up lines. He was even often to be found in the company Norella, Head woman of the Lower Caverns... who also just happened to be the mother of one the most beautiful girls in the entire Weyr. N’gel had secretly been very pleased - and rather gleeful - when the girl had married a brown rider a few months ago. The golden boy had obviously failed in that particular mission.
The dragons being clean Spike then turned his attention to the girls, and soon he had managed to knock Cordelia off her feet. She emerged, spluttering and gasping and laughing - her dress clinging to her in such a way that N’gel suddenly found himself rather uncomfortable on Immorteth’s neck. Fred - as usual thinking ahead - was already safely back on the shore.
Shaking her hair, and obviously in no hurry to follow Fred, Cordy grinned evilly, and a second later Pradaith pushed Spike over. But rather than resurfacing, Spike yanked at Cordy from under the water and she disappeared under for the second time with a yelp. The dragons were obviously amused, as were the spectators, but N’gel was less forthcoming. As soon as his watch was over he’d have words with Cordy - he didn’t trust himself not to punch the blond youth.
“By the Great Egg, N’gel, jealous much? Spike’s my friend, that’s all. Get over it!”
N’gel really hated it when Cordy used that tone of voice. As though he was an unreasonable 12-year-old. He emptied his cup and put it on the table, then caught her eyes.
“I just think he takes too many liberties. And you know what he’s like!”
Cordy smiled innocently. “I have no idea what you mean.”
He sighed. Why did everyone just let Spike get away with everything? The golden boy with his golden dragon, who appeared to fool his way through life.
“You know perfectly well what I mean! The fact that he’s spent the past two turns sleeping his way through the Lower Caves... how many children has he sired by now?”
Cordy’s expression turned musing. “Three I think... well three where he’s the named father anyway.” Then she smiled indulgently. “And anyway, not everyone’s as faithful as you and me. What’s wrong with having some fun? He is special after all. As well as being very pretty, and pure Blood to boot. Not a bad package.” She chuckled, then picked up a fruit from the bowl and sent N’gel a teasing look. “He’s got quite the reputation you know!”
‘She’s right,’ Immorteth added, sleepily, and N’gel shook his head and let the matter drop. It never helped - even his own dragon was enthralled...
He knew that Cordy would never cheat on him, but still he resented her close friendship with the other man. Yet it could not be helped... the three of them - Cordy, Fred and Spike - had been close ever since Impression. Three simultaneous queen eggs was an incredibly rare occurrence, and naturally they had bonded.
For what was probably the millionth time, N’gel wished that Spike had not Impressed a queen... and, as usual, went on to hope that Immorteth would not develop a preference for anyone except Pradaith - a matter that increasingly occupied his thoughts as the day of the young queens’ first mating flights grew ever nearer. What Spike’s thoughts on the matter was no one knew, since he never mentioned it. Not that it needed to be a problem for Spike, of course - there were plenty of women more than willing to share his bed. And if N’gel was the unlucky one (although given the great number of bronzes it was rather unlikely) he had Cordy. Green riders often arranged things this way, and he was sure Spike would be no different. And yet... there were times when he’d catch Spike carefully scrutinising the bronze riders, one at a time, an odd look on his face that N’gel couldn’t really work out. And mostly - or so at least it seemed to N’gel - he spent the longest looking at him. He knew the other bronze riders were uncomfortable too, even if the subject was rarely mentioned. “Not different from the greens, is it?” one of them would invariably say, and the rest would nod assent. But it was different. And they all knew it.
Thankfully, he had just heard some news that had made everything better. Smiling, as though he really had let go of the Spike-matter, he caught Cordy’s eyes.
“Have you heard the rumour?”
“Which particular rumour were you thinking of?” she asked archly, probably thinking of Spike’s newest conquest, a pretty miner’s daughter that he’d chased for quite some time. N’gel took a deep breath, carefully purging his mind of such silliness.
“The one where there’s talk of setting up a new Weyr, since once the new queens start to lay, this one will be bursting at the seams. It might be a few Turns away, but...”
“Oh yes, heard that.” Cordy shrugged indifferently, but then her features suddenly lit up. “Oh - J’thon told me that there are traders on the way! You think they’ll have some of that new shimmery cloth everyone’s talking about?”
N’gel stared at her. “But - don’t you realise the potential? A new Weyr! Which will need a Weyrleader and Weyrwoman... And - they might just decide that they need someone young and full of energy!”
Cordelia frowned. “What - you think they’ll choose us?”
“Of course!”
He wanted to shake her - this was the opportunity of a lifetime, why wasn’t she more excited? “I thought you wanted to be Weyrwoman!”
“Well yes, but not now!” Her expression was incredulous. “Neither of us is more than 19!”
“Lessa wasn’t much older when she became Weyrwoman!” he countered.
“Well - I’m not Lessa, and back then there was only one Weyr and one queen. Things were different. I’d like a good few years of fun first. You know...” her smile turned affectionate. “Get married, have some children... And I seriously don’t want to spend every Gather cooped up in boring meetings!”
Slowly she shook her head. “What is it with you and responsibility, N’gel? You chase it as determinedly as a runner at a race. Is... is it because of your father?”
He sighed. “No. It’s nothing to do with my father. I just know that I’m the best man for the job, and I believe you’re the best woman.”
At this she rolled her eyes, and threw up her hands. “You - you bronze riders! You’re all the same!”
Then she stood up and walked over to him, putting a hand on his shoulder.
“Just... don’t get all excited, OK? You always do this - get an idea and never stop to think. Maybe...” she suddenly smiled, eyes dark and sultry, “maybe you should put all your plans on hold until after Pradaith’s first mating flight...”
Laughing he pulled her to him and moments later they were entwined on the bed. And N’gel was yet again reminded of all the reasons why he loved his woman.
Part 3a.
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Especially by "By the Great Egg, N’gel, jealous much?" which is a perfect blend of Pern and BtVS... :-)
he would marry her
Pssst... Do weyrfolk actually get married? I thought that was the reason Holders and Crafters regarded them with suspicion, because weyr-life was one big promiscuous dragon-fuelled orgy and children were raised communally? (Even F'lar wasn't sure whether or not he was the father of one of Kylara's children, who would have been conceived a couple of years after Mnementh first flew Ramoth.) Perhaps "become lifemates" would be a more Pernese term?
no subject
Well that's good! :)
Especially by "By the Great Egg, N’gel, jealous much?" which is a perfect blend of Pern and BtVS... :-)
I was rather pleased with that, since I'm not sure how well I succeeded in the rest of the story...
Pssst... Do weyrfolk actually get married?
Gah! Please don't start with all these sensible questions that require research (I'm very carefully not naming any Weyrs or Holds...). But... *thinks* I think they do marry - I'm fairly sure F'nor and Brekke married. But yes, Weyr-life is a lot more fluctuating that Hold-life, since your partner to a great extent depends on whom your dragon mates with... Bother, it's all horribly complicated, but N'gel would totally marry Cordy, because he's that kind of a man.
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It's been a while since I read these books, but when I was 9-14, I read them over and over again.
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*nods* Of course, N'gel has this thing for thinking that he's special and that it's his *destiny* to be with Cordy etc... ;)
And I loooooved Pern when I was... yeah, about the same age. I must have been around 14 when I first discovered them. *nostalgic sigh*
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My impression was more that, as you say, "everybody treats them as such." They've never gone through any sort of formal commitment, but they're basically monogamous people who love each other all the same. Actual marriage ceremonies are for Holders*, with their obsession with Blood and lineage.
But I may be forgetting one of the later books, in which case forget what I said. :-)
*including Lord Jaxom.
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As I said, I *think* F'nor and Brekke married - but then that was probably after her queen died. Honestly I can't remember. Anyway, a lot of it was just to demonstrate N'gel's mindset - partly that he's still rather young and thinks everything will work out the way he wants, and partly that he has this entitlement thing going on - he's the best and he deserves the best. ;)
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(I love how this fic brings out everyone's secret dragon reading... *g*)
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And okay, I see the Angel:F'lar comparisons, but I've gotta say that F'lar is way less dorkish mopey to me. (There's a part of me that gets annoyed with Angel even as I do love him.)
I'm kinda wondering though if F'lar/Mnement wouldn't be a closer call to Angel/Spike in terms of the deep bond where they speak and know each other so well they don't need words.
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*nods* Buffy was an ordinary girl who had fate thrust upon her, and rose to the challenge, whereas I think Lessa always knew that she was special. And of course her childhood helped that steel to be tested and strengthened very early on.
I've gotta say that F'lar is way less dorkish mopey to me
Oh yes. What I love about F'lar is that he is so very grownup. He has no time for pettiness or moping, because he's got a world to save, and that's all that matters. (I love Angel too, because it's fun when he turns 12, but if I had to choose in an emergency I'd probably go with F'lar...)
I'm kinda wondering though if F'lar/Mnement wouldn't be a closer call to Angel/Spike in terms of the deep bond where they speak and know each other so well they don't need words.
And now I'm imagining Spike and Angel getting lost in each other's eyes and sniggering. Heh. Maybe Spike/Angel is more like Lessa/F'lar in that they drive each other up the wall, but still love each other. :)