Still Something To Celebrate

Writers: Bree, Dana, Eimi
Date Posted: 1st April 2006

Characters: Lenala, M'galec, Ar'lis, Gaiya
Description: Vilarth's tiny clutch hatches, but there are no bronzes among the dragonets.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 11, day 8 of Turn 3

Lenala

Lenala had thought Vilarth's clutching had been the most uncomfortable day
she'd have to suffer for a while, but she'd forgotten how much worse the
Hatching would be. From the moment the humming of dragons began to shake
River Bluff, Vilarth and her tiny clutch would be the focus of the Weyr's
attention... and not just the Weyr. As guests streamed into the Hatching
Caverns, she could see the sidelong glances and the whispers, no one having
seen a clutch so small in turns.

She'd dressed in her finest in spite of nerves, hoping that looking good
would at least make her feel more comfortable as the target of so many eyes.
It didn't help... she found herself smoothing her green silk over her hips
over and over, brushing invisible flecks of dust from her skirts as she
waited for the two most important men in her life to make their way to her
side.

"Stop fiddling, it makes you look nervous," M'galec whispered her ear when
he walked up behind her, lightly kissing her ear before slipping into his
expected position at her side. "Here, take my arm. You can squeeze it as
hard as you like."

Ar'lis had already braved the long, hot walk to the stands with Gaiya on his
arm. It hadn't been easy. There had been and still were so many pairs of
eyes fixed on him, and the whispers he caught wind of were enough to make
him ground his teeth, barely restraining himself from turning around to
snarl at them.

But he wouldn't concentrate on that now. He _couldn't_. Not at this
Hatching.

Gently he reached for Gaiya's hand, glad that she was there with him.

Lenala noticed the movement, her jaw tightening slightly as she turned and
forced a smile for Ar'lis. "Welcome, Ar'lis. Aren't you going to introduce
us to your guest?" Perhaps it was petty to pretend she hadn't made the
effort to find out exactly who Gaiya was, but she was feeling fairly petty
tonight.

"Of course, Lenala." His brown eyes flickered from the goldrider to
M'galec, taking note of the slight. He hadn't expected it from her today of
all days, and it took all his sharding will not to narrow his eyes at the
goldrider. "Lenala, M'galec, this is Gaiya."

"Nice to meet you both," Gaiya said with a brave smile. Shards, but
Lenala's dress was gorgeous. Obviously her Hatching best was not quite up
to par with the goldrider.

Lenala smiled prettily, though her hand was clenched rather painfully around
M'galec's. "It's nice to meet you as well, Gaiya."

Her weyrmate gave her a sideways glance. He wondered just why it was that
his lady seemed to feel so threatened by a fostermother. "I am pleased to
make your acquaintance," M'galec smiled politely to the young woman.

Gaiya's fingers tightened unconsciously around Ar'lis' fingers. Shards, but
she would much rather be down in the lower stands with the rest of the
'common weryfolk' rather than stand with the goldrider who was obviously in
a foul mood, and her rather imposing escort. If she didn't know that Ar'lis
needed her, she would have found some reason to excuse herself and escape
their scrutinizing gaze.

The uncomfortable silence spread out between the four observers as the
candidates filed nervously out onto the sands, ushered by the
Weyrlingmaster. The number of candidates only emphasized how few eggs lay on
the Sands... there would be many disappointed young men and women tonight.

Lenala didn't have time to dwell on the obvious, though, for the first of
the rocking eggs had started to crack. **Let it be a bronze,** she thought
wistfully, knowing such a good omen would mean a lot to the people who saw
her undersized clutch as terrible luck.

A tiny green nose poked out of the egg, dashing her hopes. The green
hatchling tumbled onto the sand and rose on wobbly legs, making her way
toward a clump of candidates. She bumped her head into the legs of one of
the Candidates, a young woman who met the dragon's eyes and let out a
surprised cry. "Her name is Arianath!" Illiana's voice rang out, and the
first new weyrling led her new lifemate from the sands.

M'galec could feel Lenala's disappointment, and he slipped an arm around her
waist. When the next egg cracked he leaned over and whispered, "Look! That
is a fine looking brown. A strong little fellow indeed."

It headed straight for Herimos. He couldn't hear the young man's reaction,
but Dwarkanath confirmed the Impression. }:Mosiyth and his will make a fine
pair.:{

Ar'lis briefly glanced at M'galec whispering to Lenala, and he frowned
slightly before turning his attention back to the rocking eggs. Just below
them, another cracked and the tip of a green nose poked through the top.
His fingers squeezed Gaiya's gently as the dragonet spilled forth onto the
hot sands, creeling. One girl ran forward as if she'd been summoned and
cried out, "Her name is Sarlenth!"

"Oh look, Ar'lis," his lover beamed. "That blue is going straight to
Sherevair. And he's a big one too!" Gaiya gave the pair a smile of near
maternal pride. She had known the boy all his life and was happy he had
finally found his lifemate. "Oh! And a green for Ava! Oh, she will be
happy." It suits her. She kissed her bronzerider's cheek softly. "What a
mighty fine clutch of dragonets your Zylarth has made."

Lenala's shoulders tightened as two more greens burst forth, both toddling
straight towards a pair of boys off to the side. Another green stumbled into
a young girl with large eyes, and a fourth called plaintively until Qarinoa
looked around and took a few steps toward the tiny dragonet.

Seven greens, two blue and a brown... over half of the clutch had hatched,
and there was still not a bronze to be seen. A third blue tumbled onto the
sand and took a weaving path that brought him to Gesamael's feet as another
green passed them by, heading straight towards an older boy in the back
without wavering.

She couldn't stop counting the numbers in her head. Eight greens, three
blues and a brown... Tsaera was going to be disappointed all over again, and
the Weyr would have too few browns and bronzes, and it would be all her
fault...

"Don't forget to smile, Lenala," M'galec whispered in the goldrider's ear as
he gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "Don't forget, you are still a goldrider
and those are your lifemate's offspring being born today."

He clapped as a brown dragonet broke it's shell and headed towards the boy
he had been introduced to as Jerric at weyrling training. M'galec was as
relieved as his weyrmate to see another brown.

Lenala did her best to smile, leaning into M'galec and squeezing his hand
back. "And Vilarth is terribly proud. I suppose I need to be as well."

"Yes, love," he whispered. "There is no room for shame at a Hatching. There
is still much to celebrate. Just look at that beautiful little green,"
M'galec said as he pointed to Eira's new lifemate, Porisath.

High above the proud queen, Zylarth sat, his eyes whirling as one by one his
offspring split their shells. Ar'lis could feel his bronze's pride swelling
within him, and for a moment, that feeling swept away any lingering thoughts
of bitter disappointment and doubt from the dragonrider's mind. "Look,
Gaiya," he murmured, pointing to one of the last few, rocking eggs. It was
too small to be a bronze...but shards, how he wished there could be one at
least!

The green tumbled from her shell and made straight for one of the many girls
still circling around - Janella.

}:Kaminth has chosen well,:{ Zylarth told his rider proudly.

The next egg revealed a blue dragonet, who wavered hesitantly in front of
two boys before turning to the younger one and bumping his head into the
boy's knee. Bedan caught more than one envious glance from other boys who
had been standing at Hatchings far longer than the new candidate had as he
led his new life partner from the sands, and Lenala felt yet another stab of
guilt. So many candidates were going to walk away disappointed...

Eventually the last egg cracked, revealing a clumsy little brown dragon who
looked around for a few moments before stumbling directly to one of the
remaining boys. At the last minute he turned and bumped his head into the
boy standing next to him, and the newly named K'tu became the partner of
Kadidyith.

"Well, that wasn't so bad," Lenala said with forced cheerfulness, squeezing
M'galec's hand. Just three browns and no bronzes... the Weyr would be
hurting for it.

The rider leaned over and kissed her neck softly. "They are not many in
number, but all strong dragonets and fine matches. Come. Let's
congratulate them. And then I should probably perform my Weyrlingmaster
Second duties."

"Oh, Ar'lis, that was exciting, wasn't it," Gaiya grinned turning to her
bronzerider.

Even though she knew it would be terribly rude, Lenala couldn't quite bring
herself to face Ar'lis and his pretty, excited young companion. Knowing it
was beneath her, Lenala tucked her hand into M'galec's arm and steered him
in the direction of the new weyrlings, not giving Ar'lis so much as a glance
as she propelled her weyrmate forward.

Ar'lis bared his teeth in what he hoped Gaiya would interpret as a genuine
smile. "Hatchings always are, Gaiya love." And this one indeed had
been...to an extent. He curled an arm around her waist, pulling her against
him. No bronze hatchlings...and so few of the other colors - especially the
browns.

The bronzerider then turned his head to look for Lenala, wanting to do his
duty and congratulate her, even though they both knew the congratulations
wouldn't be completely heart-felt - but she and her weyrmate were already
down the stairs. His upper lip curled slightly, the expression in his eyes
growing hard. Sharding woman. How many more time would she sharding
_slight_ him and Gaiya today?

Enough. He would deal with Lenala later.

"Come on, Gaiya," he murmured, his hold on her tightening slightly,
possessively. "We have some weyrlings to see."

Last updated on the April 22nd 2006

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Still Something To Celebrate