Staked Out For Thread

Writers: Suzee, Miriah, Devin
Date Posted: 15th May 2025

Characters: N'vanik, Enali, Cyradis, Shuvan
Description: N'vanik remembers Shuvan and Enali's fates
Location: Elsewhere on Pern, Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 3, day 5 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: Ingrizon, R'ayl
Content warning for execution (off screen).

N'vanik

Cyradis

N'vanik tried to work but his mind kept turning toward Ingrizon and
what he'd done. What could have happened if Gil hadn't been there to
stop him. His fingers clenched, imagining his hands wrapping around
the man's throat.

Maybe he should have taken Cyradis's suggestion and dropped the holder
/between/, but he'd tried to do the right thing and now he had to
_wait_ on the Acting Lord Holder and his stupid sharding hearing.

Ingrizon. Shuvan. Enali. All part of the network of holders and
crafters who'd plotted against the Weyr, who'd poisoned the meat at
the Hatching. But at least two of them weren't his problem anymore.

~*~*~*

Month 12 Day 4 Turn 10

Enali winced at the bright light as she was pulled slowly towards the
dragon bowl, wrists tied firmly in front of her. A dull sense of numb
acceptance of her fate made her face flat, but there were hints of
despair in her gaze if any chose to meet her eyes. The guard who led
her forward towards the waiting dragon was neither gentle or rough,
just...matter of fact. There was no comment from him, which surprised
her, but she could feel the eyes of others in the bowl watching her
even as riders prepared for the coming Threadfall.

It was different beside her. Another guard dragged the Master Weaver
as he weakly struggled, his face puffy as he attempted to dig in his
heels. Unlike her, Shuvan had been gagged and his muted protests
barely reached her ears. He saw her and the cry of rage underneath the
gag could be heard as he made a sudden lunge towards her; he grunted
in pain as he was jerked back. She was thankful that she could not
understand the curses he was likely throwing at her.

The Weyrleader's huge bronze sat with slowly whirling red eyes.
N'vanik was already strapped in, watching the prisoners approach. Most
of his attention was on Shuvan, his stomach churning as he thought of
what the man had ordered, and of what he'd done to G'fand. When the
prisoners reached the center of the Bowl, the guards stopped them.
"Today you pay for what you've done. Enali, you're guilty of
attempting to murder an entire clutch of Hatchlings. Shuvan, you're
guilty of planning that poisoning and of the murder of G'fand and his
blue Olisrath. For your crimes against the Weyr and against all
dragonkind, you'll be staked out for Thread."

Loseth rose and leapt into the air. The guards hastily stepped back as
the bronze reached down with his massive hands and gripped Shuvan in
his claws.

Even larger, the weyr’s queen landed beside her mate “We will take
Enali,” Cyradis said. “Bring her up.”

Enali began to visibly quake as she was pushed towards the massive
gold and she felt her knees go weak. The guards caught her as she
stumbled, holding her up to help her walk towards the dragon. Before
being forced her up onto the gold and to her fate, Enali looked at the
queen, her large eyes shadowed as she softly addressed the gold. "I am
sorry about what I did to your babies and your rider, Panitath. I was
wrong. I was very wrong." Her voice sounded dull, but there was a
watery sheen to her eyes before she closed them and looked away. The
guards brought her up and cinched her to the gold; Enali neither
fought or resisted, but kept her gaze down.

Panitath's head snaked around to look at her extra passenger. Her eyes
whirling red with her anger. }:Not forgiven!:{ the giant gold spoke
directly to the woman in a none too pleasant way. Then she shot into
the air to follow her mate.

Cyradis blinked for Panitath hadn't spoken to any other human but her
in many turns.

Loseth shared the image with his mate and they went /between/. Below
them was a small, uninhabited island, far enough out that the Weyr
never flew 'Fall over it. There was nothing but sand and rock -- and
two metal frames with chains attached to them. Loseth banked, keeping
his grip on Shuvan but deliberately jostling him in the wind.

Going white with shock at the sudden words in her mind, Enali
shuddered, then began softly weeping, her shoulders bowed in
acceptance and defeat. When they came out of between, she was
shivering uncontrollably, her sobs interrupted by soft hiccuping
sounds.

Shuvan, at the sight of the frames, felt a cold rush of terror fill
him. It was really happening. They would do that to him. Leave him for
thread. The sudden realization that this was reality and he could not
escape it drained him of his anger. Hope of an impossible rescue left
him; and he felt a trickle of wet heat slide down his inner thigh as
he began shaking his head wildly, struggling in the bronze's grip and
futilely kicking his legs.

Panitath spiraled down to land on the tiny strip of land. As she
settled she reached with her nose to sniff at the nearer of the two
metal frames and snorted in disgust.

Cyradis turned to her passenger. "Do you understand what could have
happened to everyone you love if you had succeeded in poisoning me and
an entire clutch of dragons? There would be no one to protect them
from Threadfall!" Her tone was not gentle.

Enali kept her head bowed and spoke through her tears. "Yes,
Weyrwoman. I understand." Her hands wrung in her bindings and she
spoke barely above a whisper." My son...he will be loved? Cared for?
No one will hurt him or hold what I did against him?"

Loseth kicked up a spray of sand as he landed awkwardly, keeping
Shuvan trapped in his claws. N'vanik was just close enough to hear
Enali's questions. "I named him and made sure there are rumors he's
mine. We gave Nievan a gentle, loving foster mother and he'll be
raised with my daughter."

Cyradis could see the pain in the young woman's question. Being a
mother herself she understood. "He will be loved and no one will ever
know other than N'vanik and me. He is innocent of your crimes."

Still weeping, Enali lifted her head to speak to both riders. "Thank
you, Weyrleader, Weyrwoman." She swallowed and bowed her head again,
fully accepting the judgement against her and offering no resistance.

Shuvan, once the bronze touched down on the sand, whimpered and
attempted to struggle and squirm with frantic effort, his muffled
curses shrill and high pitched through his gag.

N'vanik dismounted and took Shuvan from Loseth, yanking the man to his
feet and keeping a tight hold. The bronze wiped his paws in the sand,
grimacing in disgust. N'vanik marched Shuvan toward the metal frame,
anger sitting like hot coals in his gut. Nothing would bring G’fand
and Olisrath back, but at least their murderer would be gone soon.

"You stay here," Cyradis said to Enali. Then she unbuckled and slid
down to Panitath's lifted leg and jumped to the ground. She walked
toward the frame to watch as N'vanik secured Shuvan. "Well," she said,
staying out of reach. "I'll bet you'd rather we'd just dropped you
/between/." She lifted a hand to shade her eyes as she looked out over
the ocean. "Seems like you won't have to wait all that long to
experience what we dragonriders have been protecting you from all
these turns."

As Shuvan was lashed to the frame, he kicked out towards first N'vanik
and then Cyradis, pure panic in his eyes as one arm was tied then the
other. Struggling against his gag, he turned to look at Enali, who
sank to her knees to stare at the ground. He screamed, muffled words
that could barely be understood. "'ill em! ill em! Ooo ufid itch! Ill
then ow!"

Enali turned away from the sound and remained where she was, silently
preparing herself for her own turn.

N'vanik dodged one last kick before he finished chaining Shuvan to the
metal frame. With the man fully secured, N'vanik pulled off the gag.
He didn't want to hear any more of the man's raving, but N'vanik would
like to hear a few screams. Then he turned to Enali. "Now her."

Cyradis shook her head. "That man shows no remorse, but she does."

"_Remorse_? She poisoned Panitath's hatchlings _and_ you," N'vanik
growled. "The sooner she's gone, the better."

The moment he was fully strapped to the frame and his gag released,
Shuvan began to shake his head. "You can't do this! You can't do
this!" He began repeating himself over and over again, his eyes
bulging. "I'm a Master!"

Even through the Master Weaver's yelling, Enali could hear both the
Weyrleader and Weyrwoman discuss her. She rose, stumbled a little and
shuffled towards them, keeping her head down until she saw their feet
in her line of vision. She started to speak, then caught herself,
biting her lower lip. Instead, she turned to look at the frame that
awaited her. She swallowed, then slowly walked herself to the frame
and stood in front of it. Even as tears slid down her cheeks, she took
a quick shuddering breath. "Please...tell Furayl...R'ayl...that I'm
sorry." She had to labor to be heard over Shuvan who had regressed
into snotty sobs and denials of the inevitable. Even with her hands
bound, she used her arms to wipe her eyes and looked at N'vanik. "And
I am. I am sorry." She bowed her head again and took a deep breath,
resigned and accepting of her fate.

Shuvan's head twisted towards her. "You bitch! Traitor!" Spittle flew
from his mouth. "If you had done what you were supposed to do, we
wouldn't be here! Too fecking stupid to do one simple thing!
Dragonman's whore! That's all you were!"

N'vanik spared one murderous glance at Shuvan and then glared at
Enali. "You're just sorry you got caught. If you'd killed all those
babies you would've gone back to your friends gloating about it."

Enali didn't look up, but biting on her lower lip, she nodded slowly.
"I would have. And I would have been wrong, Weyrleader. Horribly
wrong. I was a fool. I wish I could...." Her voice trailed off. "I
accept judgement."

"Shut _up!" Cyradis spun and used her fist on the side of Shuvan's
head. "You are _over_ so just wait for the screaming when thread comes
to take you, you worthless piece of ovine excrement." She hadn't
reacted with that move since she'd left home at the Vintner Hall. The
spin added extra velocity to her blow and probably split his lip.

Cyradis was still angry but not at Enali. "No," she said to N'vanik.
"She's going to have to live with what she's done." She grabbed
Enali's hand and began pulling her back toward Panitath.

N'vanik was shocked that Cyradis had that in her. She was usually
trying to talk him out of violence. But then he glared as she tugged
Enali away. "You want to save her so she can try to kill you again? Or
go after someone else? _None_ of these people deserve to live!"

Utterly confused, Enali allowed herself to be dragged away, blinking
rapidly at the sudden unexpected change. "What?" She tried to look
between Cyradis and N'vanik, but followed, stumbling after the
Weyrwoman. "I'm not...what?"

"You're not going to die today. Not by my hand," Cyradis spat. "I
protect people who can't protect themselves." She ignored the screams
and epithets of the Master weaver as she shoved the woman back aboard.

"You can't be serious," N'vanik told Cyradis, watching incredulously
as she pushed Enali back up on her Queen. "She doesn't deserve
protection, she deserves to _pay_ for what she's done!"

**I don't understand,** Enali could not help but be befuddled by the
sudden change in her circumstances. She had prepared herself to die.
She had accepted it. Numb with shock and confusion, she did as she was
bid, climbing awkwardly up the queen with her hands still bound before
her.

The blow from the Weyrwoman had done its job; the Master Weaver
groaned from swollen lips and a rapidly bruising jaw. Sparkles filled
his gaze as his knees buckled, only the ties around the stake
supporting him. Drool dribbled out of his lips as his eyes rolled in
the back of his head and he lapsed into unconsciousness.

Cyradis rounded on N'vanik. "I'm the one she tried to kill," she
practically shouted. "She is going to pay. Just not the way you
want!"

N'vanik glared at her for a moment, ready to keep arguing, but she was
right. It was only fair that Cyradis got to decide Enali's punishment.
"Fine," he snarled. "But she's not staying at the Weyr." Then he
turned to his dragon. "Loseth!"

The bronze wheeled and bounded toward the water. Bending, he sucked in
a huge mouthful and turned back. When he reached Shuvan, Loseth spat
the entire contents of his mouth on the prisoner, deluging him with
salt water.

"Fine!" Cyradis bit out and mounted in front of Enali. "I'll take her
somewhere else where they can watch her."

Shuvan spluttered and only groaned as he was drenched in the water.
Vaguely he saw the riders mount their dragons, but it didn't connect
to him immediately that he was still bound...alone. His head hung low,
groggy and unclear as he blinked rapidly. As he gained more
consciousness, he began a low chanting moan of "no...no...this isn't
happening..."

Enali gazed out blankly as she was strapped back on to the large gold.
Almost limp, she stared at Cyradis with absolutely no comprehension of
what was taking place.

N'vanik mounted his bronze and stared furiously down at Shuvan. "I
want you to see it. I want you to know it's coming. I want you to feel
every second of Thread eating you alive." This man had plunged a knife
into a dragonrider's throat, had plotted to murder hatchlings and
nearly succeeded, and now he was never going to hurt anyone ever
again. And he was going to suffer on the way out.

Loseth was tense, the leading edge of 'Fall fast approaching. "Let's
go," he told Cyradis. The bronze launched into the sky, kicking up a
spray of fine white sand.

Panitath launched into the air and backwinged out of danger as Cyradis
watched the leading edge of thread sweep toward the bound Master.

**Tell him I'm taking her somewhere where she'll work hard to gain my
trust but don't say where.** She gave her lifemate the picture of
Vintner Hall and a moment later they were gone.

Loseth's eyes whirled red, restrained from fighting his ancient enemy.
N'vanik waited long enough to hear Shuvan start screaming, then they
went /between/.

~*~End Flashback~*~

N'vanik had left those two metal frames out on that lonely little island.

In a few days, Ingrizon would have his hearing, and unless Corofel
went back on his word, he'd be officially, properly declared Holdless.
And then N'vanik would have Ingrizon's fate in his hands.

**Soon.**

Last updated on the May 27th 2025

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Staked Out For Thread