Where We Stand

Writers: Dana, Eimi
Date Posted: 24th February 2006

Characters: R'mer, R'alt
Description: Reymer and Rialt await their fate on the Sands
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 10, day 8 of Turn 3

"Is this where we stand?" Reymer asked as he came to a halt next to his friend, Rialt. He had never even seen a Hatching before, much less stood for one. The candidate shifted in the thick soled boots that were a size too big for him. They were the only ones he could find in the store room this late. He pulled at the collar of his scratchy white tunic, still faintly stained with dots of animal blood from feeding a newly impressed Hatchling. He took it as a good omen. Perhaps some of the luck of the previous wearer would rub off on him, along with half his skin.

"For now," Rialt murmured, the usual humor absent from his countenance as his eyes traveling over the mass of shining eggs before landing on the queen mother. Her golden wings were flared, her neck arched, her eyes glittering like rainbows as she hummed, the deep sublimal sound resonating, quaking him to his very bones.

Rialt had lost count of how many Hatchings he'd stood for. So many Turns... Perhaps this time, perhaps it was _this_ Hatching where he would find his lifemate. It had never seemed so important before now.

"But when the eggs hatch, everyone will scatter."

Reymer's eyes were also drawn to the massive queen, and he shuddered when he remembered that first moment he had seen her. It seemed like ages ago that he had arrived at the Weyr, but it was in fact only a matter of weeks. "She won't attack us, will she?" he asked warily.

"The queen?" Rialt returned his gaze to the huge gold. Up close, she was rather...intimidating. But then again, all the queens were. "Nah. She's broody, but she wouldn't hurt potential partners for her offspring. No dragon would ever hurt a human, you know. And if you can believe it, Rey, when dragons' eyes whirl with all those colors likes hers is, it means that they're scorching happy."

Somehow Reymer doubted that. He still couldn't get it out of his head that she could bite him in half and slurp him down in two swallows. His eyes then traveled along the great stone tiers that surrounded them. So many faces... He had never seen so many people in his life! And they were all there watching them, watching him. He shifted his feet nervously. "They said our families could come, right?"

"Yeah. Yours here?" The humming of the dragons was beginning to increase, and Rialt too tore his eyes from the eggs and lifted them to the stands.

"I wouldn't know where to look, but I doubt it," Reymer said as he scanned the stands. "They couldn't leave the farm unattended."

"Not even for the Hatching, Rey?"

He shook his head as he looked out over the rocking eggs. They seemed to be shaking harder than before. "No. I think they're expecting me back tomorrow anyway."

Shards. The dragons' song was nearly unbearable! Any moment the eggs would hatch. Any moment now...

Reymer's eyes darted along the stands, down the row of Candidates, up to the dragons. He could feel the vibrations in his chest as the humming bounced off the vaulted ceiling and back down in concentrated waves onto the eggs and their potential lifemates. The thought 'what am I doing here?' flittered through his mind for the briefest of moments.

But then he caught sight of a girl in the stands; a girl who looked almost like his sister Imrie. He knew it probably wasn't her, but just the thought of her brought him back to the moment. Reymer knew why he was there. He was there for the hope born on dragon wings of a new life, not only for him, but his family as well. His jaw tightened and his shoulders straightened as he steeled his resolve. "I will Impress, Rialt. I have to."

"Then believe it, Rey."

Suddenly there was a sound that could be heard throughout he Hatching grounds, even over the sound of the humming - a great crack that commanded all eyes to turn towards it. The Hatching had begun.

Last updated on the February 24th 2006

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Where We Stand