DISCLAIMER: I own nothing to do with "The Dragonriders of Pern," nor any character presented in any of the Pern books, created by Anne McCaffrey. No money whatsoever is being made by me in writing this story. Please visit Ms. McCaffrey's official website for more on Pern (you can find it via Google.)

(A/N: This is my very first Pern fanfic, and the beginning of what I'm calling "The Pern Vignettes." I've got at least a few more coming down the pike, stories of characters already created by Ms. McCaffrey that I'd always wanted to see in the various books. The stories won't be written in any type of chronological order, but as my Muse inspires me.)

Lord Groghe Meets Merga

"Lord Groghe, Lord Groghe!" the steward's assistance hollered as his metal-tipped boots clattered down the long wide corridor of Fort Hold.

The Chief Steward poked his head out of the Lord's office, prepared to scold his young assistant, when he saw the boy clutching a large basket to himself.

"What have you there, boy? The Lord is busy with his mid-day review of petitions, he cannot be disturbed."

The young man panted, having run all the way from the Hold stables. He'd pushed his runnerbeast to the limit, riding up from Fort Seahold, and was as exhausted as his mount.

"Sir, I found 'em, a whole clutch of 'em! Right here!"

The Chief's heart raced as he looked with delightful anticipation at the tightly-woven basket. "Is that...?"

His assistant nodded his head vigorously, still trying to catch his breath enough to speak. "Yes, sir, YES! A whole clutch of FIRE LIZARD EGGS!"

The Chief beamed at his industrious young assistant. The boy had had the day off, and had been given leave to take one of the lesser runners out to do with as he would. He apparently had taken to heart the Lord's offer of a handsome reward to the first person to locate a clutch of the prized fire lizard eggs, now that it was known they were not mythical little beasts, and had used his day off to go beach-combing. And now he'd receive his reward!

Lord Groghe's booming voice reached them. "What? What is that? What's going on out there?"

The Chief turned to look at his Lord, and smiled. "My young assistant has a gift for his Lord."

He motioned for the young man to come forward. The boy gulped, suddenly nervous and frightened and excited, all at the same time, as he came forward to greet his Lord.

He'd had occasion to work with Groghe before, and knew the man, for all his bluster and booming voice, was kind and treated his people and staff well. He reinforced that thought, reminding himself that he'd be well rewarded. He wasn't sure HOW he'd be rewarded, of course, but if he knew Lord Groghe at all, he knew he would not be disappointed.

Lord Groghe was sitting at his big broomtree desk. He watched the boy timidly enter, hiding behind the Chief Steward, gulping nervously.

"Come, boy, you've nothing to fear. I've seen you before, haven't I? Wilsho? That's your name?"

"Yes, my Lord," he replied, pleased that the Lord of Fort Hold would remember someone as inconsequential as himself.

"What do you have there?" he asked, motioning with a thick-fingered hand that the boy should come closer.

"For you, my Lord, I found them just this morning." He boldly stepped forward and carefully set the basket down on the only clear space available. "A whole clutch of fire lizard eggs, sir, eighteen in total!"

"Oh, my!" Groghe said, leaping up to see the rare prize. "Eighteen!"

The three men peered into the top of the basket, the sand still warm from the hot morning sun. None of them spoke for a few moments.

"Um, Lord Groghe? Do you know what we should do with them, now that we have them?"

The Lord reached out a finger, delicately touching the top egg. Of the ones poking out somewhat, it seemed to be the largest. He fingered the others as well, as if by touch he could discern more about the colorful, miniature dragonettes that formed within.

"You found them on the beach, Wilsho?"

"Yes, sir, just as you see them there. I'd brought a coupla big baskets along, just in case, but they all fit into this one just fine, as my Lord can see. I was very careful not to disturb them too much."

"Was the queen anywhere to be seen? Perhaps she'll clutch there again. Did you remember where it was that you found them?"

"No, sir, I didn't see the queen, but they're elusive little creatures from what I've heard from Master Robinton. And I marked with three stones the site of where the clutch lay, so we could return to check again later this Turn."

"Excellent, my boy." Groghe thought of something. He turned to his Steward. "I think we must prevail upon brown rider F'nor to come and teach us what he can of these delicate little creatures. His queen found him on her own, apparently, while he recuperated in Southern. I think he and Canth know more than anyone else on Pern about them."

The boy hesitated, looking between the two older men. He wanted to ask of his reward, but didn't want to appear impertinent. Perhaps the Lord would wait until Wingsecond F'nor arrived?

As if reading his thoughts, the Chief Steward came to Wilsho's rescue and asked in an aside to the Lord Holder, "Perhaps the boy's curious as to the reward you offered, Lord Groghe?"

The man guffawed, wrapping his thick hands around the basket. "Yes, yes, of course." He looked up from the basket and smiled softly. "I'd already planned on giving, to the person who found the first clutch, an egg of his or her very own! So once your Master and I and F'nor have looked through this basket and decide on our next course of action, you may claim one for yourself."

Wilsho's eyes lit up with delight. "Oh, my Lord, may I? I can't think of any greater reward than to bring these to you, and to have my very own fire lizard!"

"Yes, yes, we'll give one to you, and I'll dole out some to my eldest children, and your Master will certainly be able to lay claim to one. But we'll decide all that later. I must talk to F'nor first, and see if he and brown Canth can tell me anything about them!"

Hours later, as Canth reposed with the Fort watchdragon on the fireheights, soaking up the last of the setting sun's rays, the three men stood over the basket, now warming by the blazing hearth.

"From what I understand, Lord Groghe, and Canth agrees, it's difficult to tell which is the queen egg." The man poked at the eggs, his trained eye following two fingertips over the striations of one egg. "Of the lot, this one's a little bit bigger, and if you look carefully, it seems to be of a different color. I'm willing to wager Benden marks that this is the queen, or at the least a bronze. As you probably know, not every clutch has a gold. So it may be a bronze."

Groghe beamed at the younger man. "Gold, bronze, either one would be wonderful! Then it's decided, that's the one I'll keep. I'll tend to it myself even!"

F'nor coaxed Grall down his arm, to settle on the long wrist of his riding glove, and presented her to Groghe. "Here, stroke her, get the feel for her hide. She may even let you hold her, I don't know. She won't let just anyone hold her, mind you."

Groghe's touch was surprisingly tender for such a thick man, and Grall pressed against him, her inner lids drooping, and she crooned her appreciation. At F'nor's encouragement, the Lord Holder wiggled his fingers under her talons, and she willingly climbed on them, perching with a light grasp so as not to scratch him.

"By the Egg, she only recently began to let F'lar handle her, Lord Groghe! You must have a special touch."

The Lord stroked Grall's headknob, and she crooned once again. "She knows I am worthy of handling a queen, as is Weyrleader F'lar." He leaned in, addressing Grall directly. "Right, little gold?"

She perked up when she realized he was talking to her directly, and squeaked, making the three men laugh. F'nor put his gloved fingers under her and shifted her back to her favorite position on his padded shoulder. She rubbed her head against him, her eyes closed, and mumbled to him in devotion. He tickled her in silent reply and turned to talk quietly to the Steward.

Lord Groghe looked wistfully out of the office's high, wide window, toward the fireheights where he knew the two dragons were basking. To have even a small taste of what dragonriders enjoyed, that lifebond to another, would be incredible. He knew that fire lizards were fleeting, wild creatures, but from what little he'd learned of F'nor and his little gold Grall, there was still a link between lizard and Human. They could be trained, he hoped, if they were nearly as intelligent as their giant cousins, the dragons of Pern.

As the afternoon had turned into evening, the Chief Steward had noted down the instructions discussed between Lord and dragonrider. He reiterated to them what he'd written, to be sure he had it right.

"Yes, sounds like you've got it all. We're still learning about the little beasts, so I think I'm the closest to an expert as it gets. Or Kylara. Unfortunately, the woman knows quite a lot about them, being a queenrider herself and having successfully located some clutches in Southern." He couldn't mask the bitter taste in his mouth at the mention of the woman's name, and wished he hadn't brought her up. He cleared his throat dramatically to change the subject. "So, yes, Lord Groghe, I think we've covered all that we can. I'd say, based on the hardness of the shells, that you've got five days, maybe a sevenday, till Hatching. In three days' time, you may want to put someone on them every hour of the day and night so you won't miss their Hatching."

"Yes, that's an excellent suggestion. My young man Wilsho will fill that role satisfactorily, taking turns with my children who'll be claiming one of their own. Won't hurt them to do a little work to earn their fire lizards, after all!"

The following day, knowing from F'nor's expert information that they had a couple or few days' leeway, Lord Groghe called his children and others in who were to receive one of the precious eggs. His five eldest children lined up respectfully, by age, as they'd been taught to do when in the Lord's main office. The giant hearth would house the eggs, each in its own little basket of warm sand, until the big event.

Groghe looked up at the small crowd gathered before him and smiled. "Brown rider F'nor told my Chief Steward and me all that he knows of a hatching fire lizard. And the Impression of same. Steward will let you all know what must be done in preparation. What I want each of you to do, IN ORDER MIND YOU, is go and pick out your very own egg." He looked at the Steward and the others, not of his family, and said, "My children will get first pick, eldest to youngest present. After that, Steward will get his choice, then his assistant Wilsho, for his reward in finding them. From there, I'll let you all decide who's going to pick next."

That caused a stir among the older people present. Groghe's children obediantly remained silent, pleased that they'd have first pick.

The Lord Holder frowned at the adults, his expression stern. That was sufficient to quiet them down. "I expect you all to arrive at how you're going to choose wisely and fairly. You are, after all, each going to get one."

He stood and went to the basket that held the egg he suspected was the single gold of the clutch. "This one is mine; F'nor and I have already examined it, and think it's the gold or at the very least a bronze." He waggled a finger at them all, smiling. "I've already grown rather attached to that little egg, so no switching! I know that shell like the back of my hand!"

Everyone chuckled, appreciating the Lord's light mood.

"Brown rider F'nor said they've never had any firm proof that it makes a difference, but you're welcomed to come and visit your special egg. He said holding it, maybe even talking to it, could impact if the little creature Impresses once it breaks shell. Get to know it, even now, and you may increase your chances of a successful Impression. He stressed that not all of them may Impress; unfortunately, it is in their nature to eat the first thing they see, sometimes even their clutchmates. We will strive to avoid that, if each and every one of you is on the alert for when the Hatching arrives!"

He motioned to his Steward once more. "He will tell you more details of how we'll do this. Stay alert, pay attention, know who's on egg watch and how he or she can reach you."

He looked at his five children. "And you five are going to help with egg watch. It's the least you can do to earn your egg, instead of just being fortunate to be born into this Hold!"

The children smiled and nodded their heads in agreement. "Yes, Father," they murmured in acknowledgement of his missive.

A sevenday after the clutch had been found, the eggs still hadn't hatched. Groghe fingered his special egg, and the ones near it, and all of them were hard as stone.

"Any time, my precious," he whispered to his egg. He knew, in his heart, that this was a queen fire lizard. He didn't know HOW he knew that, but he was as sure of it as he was that the sun would rise come morning.

He looked down the line of baskets on the hearth, each with a piece of wood proclaiming the owner's name. His children had not wasted time putting names to baskets, so that there'd be no mistake on whose was whose once Hatching day arrived. The others, including his Chief Steward and Wilsho, had followed suit.

The young assistant steward was even now poised on the edge of the hearth at the end of the great fireplace of the Lord's office, his head nodding as he lightly dozed. He knew the Lord was watching and remaining diligent, confident that the Hatching would happen any minute, any hour now.

"Wilsho!" Lord Groghe barked abruptly, causing the boy to start up in fright.

"My Lord?" he asked, standing and straightening his clothing.

"Where is everyone? If they hatched this second, would you know where to find everyone? My children?"

"Yes, sir, I have it all right here," Wilsho said, reaching behind him to the floor. He pulled up a wax tablet. "Everyone checked in shortly before you arrived, my Lord."

Groghe nodded with approval. "Excellent, lad. Very good. Your Master has taught you well. Perhaps one day you, too, will be Chief Steward of a major Hold like Fort."

"Yes, sir, that would be..." Wilsho paused, his attention captured by a subtle movement from a basket holding an egg.

"What?" Groghe said, turning his attention to where the boy was staring.

"The basket, sir, I could swear I saw it move!" He pointed. "That one, your eldest daughter's!"

The two stared at the basket Wilsho had indicated, and sure enough, a moment later, it wiggled again as the hatchling within sought exit.

"It's time!" Groghe said, his voice echoing into the silent corridor. Only glowbaskets lit the way to his office. "Quick, boy, make the rounds! Go fetch everyone, tell them it's time! Get to the kitchen for that meat the cook's had prepared these last few days! Rouse the drudges to help you carry it all if you have to, on my order! Don't worry about who you're waking up, bellow if you must!"

"Instantly, my Lord!" Wilsho's reply rang through the big office as he flew out the door.

Several people arrived ahead of Wilsho and two kitchen drudges, each of whom carried a big metal bowl of raw flesh. Each person quietly took his or her designated basket as they arrived, as Lord Groghe motioned them in.

"Now, what do we do, Steward?"

The man looked at his notes once again. "F'nor said to feed the hatchlings the instant they break shell, to discourage them turning cannibal, my Lord." He looked up at the crowd in the big office. "Everyone's got some meat for their hatchlings?"

They nodded their heads. Groghe had taken his basket to his desk, separating himself from the others so his little queen would see him, and only him, with food in hand for her. If it was a queen, part of him thought logically. But he knew it would be.

The yells of the young steward had roused more in the great Hold, and a crowd began to gather, pressing to gain entry into the Lord's office.

"No, no," cried the Chief Steward, motioning them out. "If you've not laid claim to an egg, please, stay out in the corridor! Brown rider F'nor said it's important that we all focus on our hatchlings and nothing else, Lord Groghe doesn't need this distraction!"

Mentioning the dragonrider, wingsecond at Benden and brother of the Weyrleader, gave weight to the man's command, and the mob pulled away, murmuring with excitement on who'd be lucky enough to get the queen. Some started to wager on the sly, hiding such activity from the Chief Steward and the Lord Holder.

They had no cause to worry about Groghe seeing them profit off his little hatchlings; he only had eyes for his rocking egg basket.

The Lord Holder looked up at the others in the room. Eggs had begun to hatch, and his children had each retreated to a private spot so they could concentrate on their own hatchlings. He saw others uncover the eggs, pushing the sand aside and holding the eggs. He watched while one little brown emerged onto the palm of an older lady, and she instinctively cradled it to her, shoving a piece of meat into its seeking mouth.

It appeared that the Hatching was well in-hand; none of the desperately hungry hatchlings had turned elsewhere to find nourishment, meaning (thankfully) they'd not turned cannibal. His own egg, however, still hadn't cracked through.

He wasn't sure if he should leave the sand as-is, the way it was found naturally on the beach, or help his little creature along. Others had uncovered their eggs without any problems, so he decided to follow suit, instead of making the fire lizard work its way up through it, as it would have on the beach.

Within minutes, all of the people in his office, family, Stewards and honored visitors alike, each had his or her own tiny fire lizard clasped against them, still feeding meat into the hungry maws as fast as the hatchlings could swallow. The Steward had stressed to the cooks to hack the meat into smaller pieces, about half the size of a man's thumb, so the hatchlings wouldn't choke in their greed.

Groghe began to feel concern for his own hatchling. The rocking of the egg, on top of the sand in the basket, had increased. Small striations were beginning to show, and he leaned in closely to watch. A shadow across him made him look up.

"My Lord?" his Chief Steward inqired, holding his now-dozing little bronze close to his chest.

"Why has it not hatched?"

"Well, out of eighteen eggs, one must be last, after all," the Steward said quietly, so as not to disturb his sleeping bronze. "It's trying, at least. The shell's breaking, not like when Lord Jaxom's Ruth couldn't break through, and he had to help him along."

"Yes, yes, it's the queen and she wishes to make a dramatic entrance into the world!" Groghe said, his mood raised by the Steward's astute observation.

"Perhaps so, sir, since none here have a queen. I'm sure it's a gold, or a bronze! A big bronze!"

Soft murmuring and the creelings of hungry fire lizards filled the room, as each person crooned and mumbled to their precious little lizards. Many had fallen asleep against their Humans, satisfied and full to the brim for now. Some of the people in the office began to meander over to Groghe's desk, remaining a respectful distance while they watched this final Hatching unfold before them.

The Chief Steward needlessly motioned for them all to stay back. Those at the door, who could get close enough to watch, held their breaths, afraid to speak.

"C'mon, little lady, I know you want to come out and greet your adoring public!" Groghe said softly to his egg, causing those near him to chuckle.

As if in response to his urgings, the shell gave one last final shudder, and the shell split cleanly in two. A tiny, wet golden body fell back, and Groghe's quick hand caught her as she settled along the edge of the basket.

With one hand he reached for a generous hunk of meat, and with the other he very carefully and delicately picked her up, luring her attention with the bloody raw herdbeast.

Her wiry little body reacted instantly, almost leaping from his big palm to snatch at the meat. "Shhhh," he said, confident she'd know his voice, even as she'd heard it through her shell these past few days, and she seemed to respond to him. "Not so fast, my lovely little queen, there is all that you need and much more."

He continued murmuring to her, assuring her, relaxed and calm as he held her in his giant hand. She gobbled the initial offerings, and seemed to calm down somewhat when she realized that the flesh was not going anywhere. Groghe was so focused on his tiny gold dragonette that he was unaware of the many pairs of eyes watching the Lord Holder Impress the Hold's very first queen fire lizard.

As Lord and queen settled into this quick routine, which seemed to happen in seconds, a sense came over them both, a sense of completion, of closeness. No words came to Groghe from the gold, she was only a baby, after all, and had not learned speech, Human or dragon, but sensations, feelings flooded into him. Images as well, that he could not comprehend, that may have been echoes of genetic fire lizard memories. He opened himself even more to his queen, uncaring what others in the room may think of the gentle expression on their Lord's face, the glow in his light blue eyes.

This is our moment, my little queen, he thought to her. I am the Lord of all this land, including the spot where you were clutched, and you are my girl, and you'll be by my side forever. A sense of imperious acknowledgement went through him, as if she understood every word he'd thought to her. He chuckled softly to himself, knowing that even at a few minutes old, she was in every way a queen in her own right.

"Ah, my bright girl, you shall rule over your kind in this land, as I rule over mine. Side-by-side we will be."

Her voracity was abating, and she began to slump against his supporting fingers. Her multi-faceted eyes turned blue-green in satisfaction, and she gazed up into his blue eyes. Her inner eyelids began to droop as exhaustion started to overwhelm her.

"Tsss tssss," Groghe whispered, and she responded once again to his voice, her little head perking up. He held her close, so the colors of her sparkling eyes were all he could see, and softly said, "My name is Groghe, and you... you are my little queen, Merga."

She blinked once, then again, as if in agreement, and he felt peace and contentment pour into him. Merga. Yes, that is a good, honorable name, she thought to him, more in feeling and sensation than words. With that, she collapsed against the palm and fingers, content with all that was their realm.