Brilliance

Writers: Curious, Devin
Date Posted: 26th June 2024

Characters: Naradis, N'vanik
Description: Naradis impresses green Maylith.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 10, day 5 of Turn 11

N'vanik

Maylith broke through her shell and blinked. Everything was so _bright_ and _loud_ and it made her want to curl back into the dark comfort of her egg. But she was so, so hungry and she _needed_ to find someone.

Still half inside the egg she reached for the minds around her. They were loud too, but many of them were warm and welcoming. But not right. She pushed away the noise of other minds, searching, seeking . . .

Oh, there was one. Strong and fierce, and yes, a little scared too, but Maylith felt this one would keep her safe. She pushed through the remains of her egg and started toward that mind.

But . . . what if she didn't want Maylith? This human wanted to do great things, and Maylith was only a green. She slowed. Clutchmates hurried past her, all of them bigger than her, and it made her nervous.

}:Go to yours, little one.:{ That strong, kind voice belonged to her sire.

}:I do not know if she will want me.:{

}:She will,:{ Loseth insisted.

The big bronze's confidence carried her along until she reached Naradis. She sat down, creeling desperately. }:I am only a green, but do you want me?:{ She didn't know what she would do if Naradis didn't want her. No one else was _right_.

Naradis felt like she was going to be sick.

She couldn't. She couldn't doubt, she couldn't falter, she couldn't be anything other than the picture perfect candidate. After everything that had happened, so many eyes were going to be on her, and she needed to prove that she deserved to be there. She needed each and every person who ever doubted her to see that she _did_ deserve to be a dragonrider, that she _could_ do something incredible, and if she didn't...

If she didn't impress, it wouldn't be the end of the world. There would still be a place for her. She would still have a future. But as she watched the eggs hatch and faced the possibility of being left alone once again, she needed to impress more than she had ever needed anything before. So she stood. She waited. And in the confines of her head, she _begged_. She begged to be considered, to be given a chance, for one of those dragons to let her prove that she could _be_ something. And at first, despite all her begging, there was nothing.

And then there was Maylith.

The love and devotion and desperation that came pouring over Naradis was unlike anything that she had ever felt before. It wove into her broken heart, twisting through her insides and wrenching a startled, elated, disbelieving, "Shards!" from her lips before she could think to stop it. Then there were tears, and she couldn't stop the tears, she didn't _care_ to stop the tears. All she cared about was Maylith. Crouching down, she ran a gentle hand over the tiny greens head and said, "Shards, Maylith, of course I want you! How could I not want you!?"

}:Oh good. I was very worried. But you are mine now.:{ Maylith looked at her with pure adoration. }:I am very hungry. Could you please feed me?:{

"Of course," Naradis said without a moment of doubt or hesitation. "Come on." She took Maylith in her arms, gently handling the pretty little green, and lifted her up to approach the feeding station.

}:Thank you. I was worried how I was going to walk that far. I already walked so far to find you!:{ She tucked her head under Naradis's arm. }:Everything is so big and loud.:{

"I know," Naradis softly said, running a gentle hand down Maylith's spine. "It will get..." Easier? No, it _never_ got easier. "You will get better at handling it. And I'll carry you when you can't walk on your own." Until she was too big to be carried, of course, but she wasn't speaking literally right then.

}:You can be brave for me.:{ With her head still pressed tight against Naradis, Maylith nuzzled her rider.

"We'll be brave together," Naradis said. "We'll be brilliant. I promise."

Last updated on the July 1st 2024

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Brilliance