The Case of the Glamorous Goldrider: The Plan
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: Corrin, Estelle
Date Posted: 27th May 2025
Characters: L'keri, N'kyri
Description: L'keri and N'kyri speculate about the identity of the mystery goldrider
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 4, day 27 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: K'mai, Saibra, Lanniya, Ashela, Rasme, Aydhan
+++
L'keri usually ate a hearty breakfast, but this morning his tray was piled even higher than usual as he joined some of his Cyan wingmates. There weren't any drills scheduled today and he'd arranged to swap his sweepride with a fellow rider, but he wasn't intending to spend his day of freedom lounging around. He had plans.
"No K'mai this morning?" He looked down the table in vain for the bluerider, and shook his head in sympathy. "He must still be on watch duty."
"K'mai won't be joining us for breakfast for another seven' or so," N'kyri chuckled over a steaming mug of klah. "I hope that 'shiny sandwich' of his was worth it..."
"Must have been. I haven't heard any regrets out of him yet," L'keri said, unable to hide a hint of envy. "Speaking of, have you got any clues as to the golden side of that partnership? She sounds like terrific fun."
"She does, doesn't she?" N'kyri said with a dimpled grin. "Pity K'mai is being tight lipped about it now, I couldn't get any more out of him, but like I said the other day-- I bet we can figure it out. There's only so many of them."
"And we might not be harper-trained, but we're both sharp-witted fellows," L'keri agreed. "The Case of the Glamorous Goldrider. We'll have it solved in no time."
He thought back to the evening when K'mai had revealed all those tantalizing details. "He said he met them in a tavern, didn't he?"
"He did," N'kyri agreed, stealing a slice of red fruit of L'keri's tray. "There's several to choose from, but the Vintner's Hall tavern is a likely suspect. K'mai likes it there-- shells, we all do. It's convenient to the weyr and the drinks are top notch. The place is always swarming with riders on rest days. Usually Dragonsfall folk and Barrier Lake..."
He chewed thoughtfully for a moment, glancing over at the tables where some of the Queen's Wing sat. He could just make out the top of Saibra's head in the crowd. “...Do you think it could be one of our goldriders?"
"I feel like he wouldn't have been able to resist telling us if it was the Weyrwoman," L'keri mused. "Lanniya's got a bronzerider, hasn't she, over at Barrier Lake? It could be her, although she hardly seems old enough to be going to taverns."
A thought struck him, and he winced. "Oh, shells, you don't think it was Ashela, do you? She could have come back. To make sure her victims are still securely trapped in her web."
N'kyri actually entertained that jarring thought for a moment: Ashela--Ashela!--and K'mai. Ashela and K'mai and... a bronzerider.
"No," he shook his head at last. "I've never known Ashela to seek out blueriders in that way, charming though we are. I suppose she _might_ do it if a bronze favorite of hers insisted... But what bronzerider _wants_ to share with another man?"
"True. Besides, K'mai's got better taste." L'keri shook his head vigorously as if to dislodge that particular image from his brain. "So, if she's not a Dragonsfall gold, what do you think? Barrier Lake?" They were equally close to that particular tavern. "Do you know much about their goldriders?"
“If we’ve guessed the right tavern--which I’m fairly certain we have--then Barrier Lake’s the likeliest,” N’kyri said, tapping a fingertip against his mug. “The other Weyrs are too far off in timezone to be really convenient for a casual night out.”
“I don’t know their goldriders all that well. Rasme, I think, and the new one-- Aydhan? Haven’t met her.” He grinned a slow grin, a spark of mischief in his eyes. “Maybe we should fix that. Make a little visit. Pay our respects.”
"Yes!" L'keri's face lit up in delight. "We should definitely go. It wouldn't be a good mystery without a visit to investigate the scene of the, ah..." Not crime. "Incident. Are you free this morning?" He speared a grilled dragontail with his fork. "After breakfast, of course. Can't interview suspects on an empty stomach."
“I can make myself free. For the sake of this very important investigation.” N’kyri leaned forward, mock-serious as he gave his klah a thoughtful swirl. "Somewhere out there is a goldrider who really knows how to have a good time. We owe it to her to introduce ourselves."
"Yefh." L'keri's agreement was muffled by chewing. He swallowed. "For a goldrider like that to go through life without ever meeting two of the classiest riders in Cyan Wing? Now that really _would_ be a crime."
Last updated on the June 10th 2025