Author's Note: I am extremely pleased to announce that this is the final chapter of Dragon's Duty. I started this story at the beginning of the summer of 2006, and nearly a year later, it's finally complete. I would like to thank everyone who took the time to read or review. I can only hope that you've enjoyed the story as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you've held off reviewing before now, this would be the time to let me know what you think. Thanks for coming along for the ride.

Chapter Nine: Duty Fulfilled

5.18.1

"I love the day after Fall. There is nothing better than an entire day to do whatever you want. I pity those poor new weyrlings that actually have classes to go to."

Carima raised an amused eyebrow at L'tad, who was speaking loud enough to ensure that all of the junior weyrlings at the table could hear his words. More than any of the other older weyrlings, he enjoyed being able to lord his seniority over the younger class.

"If you call working on a new set of straps, bathing our dragons, doing laundry, and reviewing Threadfall formations 'doing whatever you want,' then yes, I agree with you completely," Carima said to him.

"It's still better than going to classes," L'tad muttered back. He didn't like it when Carima stepped in to prevent him from terrorizing the younger riders.

"You know, Mariko will probably kill you if she catches you treating Caleyth's first class like this," Th'ron pointed out with a smile.

L'tad shrugged and tried to retain his normal reserve, but Carima caught a twinkle in his eyes. It was the same with all of them when they thought about the thirty-nine eggs hardening on the sands. Caleyth had surprised them all by rising earlier than expected. Perhaps the pale queen had been responding to some natural instinct, knowing that the Weyr needed more young dragons to face Thread. Whatever the reason, Mariko's friends were awaiting the hatching of Caleyth's clutch with all the anticipation of a bunch of old aunties and uncles.

Mariko, methodically chewing a piece of bread, refused to join in the banter, but there was a softness in her eyes whenever she thought about her dragon's first clutch of eggs. Thirty-nine was a respectable number for a young queen, and she could be justifiably proud of Caleyth.

"Is Ekerith still hovering around Caleyth as much as before?" Th'ron asked Mariko.

"Even more. He's insufferable, but Caleyth seems to like the attention."

"Probably as much as you like the attention from D'ben!" Carima teased, and was rewarded by a faint blush appearing on Mariko's normally stoic face.

"Yes, well," she muttered, and returned to her food.

The teasing probably would have continued, but silence fell over the dining caverns as Z'fer stood at the high table to address the riders and weyrfolk.

"Today is a special day," he began. "Today, we celebrate the culmination of over a turn and a half of hard work. Today, we celebrate the accomplishments of an extremely talented and dedicated group of individuals. Today, we welcome our young brothers and sisters to the wings as full riders."

A nervous flutter started in Carima's stomach when she heard the words 'special day," and by the end of Z'fer's speech a lump had formed in her throat. Around her, Carima's friends all had shocked expressions on their faces. It was only then that she realized why the dining caverns had seemed so crowded for dinner. The entire Weyr had turned out to witness the first graduation of the Pass.

"I would like to invite my fellow wingleaders to join me as we welcome our new riders." As one, the Telgar wingleaders stood and joined Z'fer at the high table before walking in a line straight for the weyrling table. One by one, the wingleaders stepped forward to tap the young riders into their wings.

B'rek, wingleader of Yellow Flight, was the first, resting his hand on a shoulder quivering with excitement. "Ch'ren, it is my pleasure to invite you to fly with Yellow Flight. It will be an honor flying with you."

"M'ard, it is my pleasure to invite you to fly with Green Flight. It will be an honor flying with you."

L'tad was the first of their friends to be tapped. "L'tad, it is my pleasure to invite you to fly with Orange Flight. It will be an honor flying with you." Carima and the others let out a wild cheer as L'tad, his face glowing uncharacteristically, gripped his new wingleader's arm in the traditional rider's greeting and joined his new wingmates.

Lirallen, her face wreathed in smiles, rested her hand on Mariko's shoulder. "Mariko, it is my pleasure to invite you to fly with the Queen's Wing. It will be an honor flying with you." The tall girl was still clutching her half-finished piece of bread as she walked proudly with Lirallen to the high table.

Carima was nearly squirming with anticipation, wondering which wing she would end up in. A nasty voice in the back of her mind insisted that none of the wings would want her. They would be the only ones to not graduate, destined to ferry firestone and never become a real fighting pair.

"Th'ron, it is my pleasure to invite you to fly with Red Flight. It will be an honor flying with you." Carima gaped as Z'rong solemnly tapped her friend. Weyrlings almost never went straight into a mid-altitude wing. It was a great honor and an indication that the Weyrleaders expected great things from him.

She was so busy cheering for Th'ron, who looked completely stunned as he was herded to the Red Flight table, that she didn't realize someone was coming up to her until a heavy hand landed on her shoulder.

"Carima, it is my pleasure to invite you to fly with Green Flight. It will be an honor flying with you." Carima blinked up at E'res's face. The wingleader winked at the blank expression on her face. "What, did you think we would forget about you? Come and join your wingmates, rider."

Weyrling no longer, Carima accepted E'res's arm and walked with her new wingleader over to the Green Flight table. She was the last weyrling to be tapped into Green Flight, and she wasn't sure how the older riders would react. Would they be disappointed to have the female freak in their wing?

As they approached, her former classmates led the cries of welcome and whistles, while heavy hands clapped her on the back or affectionately tousled her hair. Tears prickled in the corners of her eyes as she realized that they didn't care that she was a girl. Regardless of her sex, she had proven herself to be worthy of her dragon, worthy of her classmates, and worthy of her Weyr.

Did you ever doubt that we would succeed? I knew I picked right that day on the sands. There could have been no one else for me.

Thank you, love, Carima thought back, engulfed in waves of pride and love from her dragon. Mayath's excitement and pleasure in their graduation was a constant presence in her mind.

Once all the weyrlings had been tapped into the wings, a steady stream of lower caverns workers poured into the dining caverns, carrying steaming plates of food and flasks of wine. Harpers arrived with their instruments in tow and a makeshift dance floor was hastily constructed.

Carima exchanged congratulations with her new wingmates, but she was anxious to find her friends. She found Mariko first and bit back a giggle when she realized that the goldrider already had a glass of wine in her hand. "For you, my dear," she cried when Carima approached, pouring a second glass of wine and thrusting it in her hand. "Congratulations!"

"You're starting a little early, aren't you?" Carima pointed out with a grin.

"Don't you know the entire point of graduation is to get as drunk as possible and find someone to go to bed with? A turn and a half without drinking and without girls! I thought I was going to die during my training." Carima laughed as her cheerful brother arrived, looking as if he would burst from pride. "My little sister, a full rider. Who would have thought? Here's to both of you, for successfully completing your training." C'rin lifted his glass and they followed suit.

Th'ron, P'larn, and L'tad made their way over soon after, and they made a cheerful group, reminiscing about training and gossiping about their new wings. Even P'larn had a smile on his face and color in his cheeks.

Are you sure you can't celebrate out in the bowl? Mayath asked plaintively. It's not fair that you get to celebrate inside. What if I wanted to try some of this 'wine' you seem to like so much?

Carima choked as Mayath delivered this complaint and had to suffer C'rin pounding her on the back before she regained her composure. "Mayath," she said with a shrug to her friends before replying to the sulky green, Trust me, you wouldn't like the wine anyway. It's not nearly as good as herdbeast.

Really?

I promise.

The harpers began playing their music and her friends quickly dispersed. Mariko left to dance with D'ben while Th'ron, L'tad, and P'larn vowed to find partners among the off-duty lower caverns workers. C'rin returned to his own wingmates, and Carima was left by herself at the table.

Her solitude didn't last for long. She'd known it was only a matter of time before he arrived.

"So you finally did it," K'say said. "How do you feel?"

Carima turned to face him, drinking in the familiar thin face and dark hair and eyes. She noticed he was dressed in his gather best. "Proud. Happy. A little overwhelmed. A little tipsy!"

"As you should be," K'say laughed, handing her yet another cup of wine. "I think I had a headache for a full sevenday after my graduation."

"A true accomplishment," Carima told him solemnly. "Mayath's decided that she wants to try wine. She doesn't really believe me when I tell her she won't like it."

"If any dragon could manage to get drunk, she would be the one."

A brief silence fell as Carima sipped her wine. Then she put the glass down and decided to speak before she lost her nerve. "I wanted to thank you, K'say, for everything."

"Everything?"

"For searching me. For pushing me onto the sands. For being my friend when so many people disapproved. For keeping watch over me during my training. For believing in me."

"Stop it now, you're going to make me blush. You make it sound like doing all of that was such a sacrifice. Don't you know that caring for you is the easiest thing in the world?"

Now it was Carima's turn to blush. "Even when I'm a stubborn fool?"

"Especially then. Come on, let's go dance."

As they walked to the dance floor, Mayath commented, I would not be upset if you wanted to spend the night in his weyr. Cirinth says there is plenty of room for me on his ledge.

It took all of Carima's self control not to let Mayath's words change her outward appearance. You never get tired of meddling, do you?

No.

A slow dance was playing when they reached the floor. It seemed entirely natural when K'say drew her into his arms. "You know," she said, wondering whether it was the wine or Mayath's urging that made her so bold, "C'rin said that the entire point of graduation is to get drunk and find someone to go to bed with. I think I've taken care of the first point, but I wouldn't want to neglect the second."

She felt a rumble of laughter deep in K'say's chest. "We can only do one dance at a time, my dear," he pointed out, but his arms tightened around her waist. "Are you sure you can put up with a jealous old bluerider?"

"Yes," Carima answered simply. They continued to sway together, and she had the sensation of embarking on something new and a little scary.

Today is the start of many new things, Mayath observed.

She was right. Today they began their lives as full dragonriders of Pern. They might only live until the next Threadfall, or they might survive the entire Pass, a testimony to the strength of dragons. Whatever happened, Carima knew she would do it with her friends and K'say supporting her.

And me.

Yes.

With Mayath forever at her side, they would do their duty to the people and dragons of Pern.

Author's Note #2: That ending wasn't too sappy, was it? All right, maybe a little. Anyway, I'm not making any promises, but I'm thinking about working on another story set in the Pern world. If you have any suggestions or requests as to what kind of project I should work on, leave them in a review or shoot me an email. Thanks again for reading!