Snacks Make Everything Better

Writers: Heather
Date Posted: 11th October 2024

Characters: Saidrene, Saibra, Saikera
Description: Saidrene and Saikera come to visit Saibra and see the gold egg.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 2, day 23 of Turn 12

Saidrene

Saibra

[[There's my girl!]] Saibra signed with big gestures as Saikera ran
headlong toward her grandmother. The Dragonsfall Weyrwoman scooped up
the dark-haired child and rained kisses down on her chubby cheeks.

"Your signing is getting better," Saidrene remarked with a smile. The
greenrider tossed her long braid over her shoulder before pulling off
her riding gloves. She clenched them in her hands for a second before
shoving them in her back pocket.

"I've been practicing." Saibra balanced Saikera on her hip as she
walked over and gave Saidrene a one-armed hug. "I've missed you," she
told her daughter.

"I've missed you, too," Saidrene said, genuinely. There was a time
when that wouldn't have been true, but their relationship had been in
an increasingly better place since Saikera's birth.

"I have a wingrider who lost his hearing a couple of Turns back. I've
been practicing my hand signs on him, much to his enjoyment, I'm
sure." Saibra bounced Saikera on her hip, making the toddler's eyes
light up.

Saidrene watched her mother with Saikera. It was so natural, and the
resemblance between Saikera and her grandmother was uncanny.

"I hear Chioneth has a gold egg on the Sands?"

Saibra's smile widened. "Yes. Do you want to see?"

"Only if Chioneth won't take a snap at us."

The Weyrwoman waved off that concern as she changed their course.
"She'll be delighted to have some company."

--

}:I am _not_ delighted to have company.:{ Chioneth glowered as she
watched Saibra, Saidrene, and Saikera cross the Hatching Sands.

**Oh, come on. It's just Saidrene and Saikera. Let them look at your
lovely golden egg, my darling.**

Chioneth lowered her head until it rested on the sands. Saikera,
unbothered and fearless, ran up to the great, arrow shaped head.

[[Dragon! Dragon!]] Saikera signed with clumsy, chubby hands.

Saidrene's heart lurched a little. Golds on the hatching grounds could
be broody. She stepped forward to snatch Saikera back, but Saibra
placed a standing hand on her arm.

"She's fine," Saibra assured her.

Chioneth remained completely still as the small child threw her arms
open and hugged the golden queen's snout.

}:Hello, little one.:{

Saikera's face took on a look of wonder.

"Chioneth is talking to her," Saibra whispered to Saidrene with a soft
smile. Chioneth so very rarely spoke to anyone outside of her own
rider.

The toddler closed her eyes and leaned against the great, golden
muzzle, still holding her arms out to hug as much of the dragon as she
could reach - which wasn't a lot.

Saidrene found her throat clogged with unshed tears as she watched her
daughter with Chioneth. She remembered spending many moments playing
between the gold's forelegs and under her wings in her weyrcouch. She
wondered if Saikera would ever have the chance at her own dragon.
Would a dragon want to Impress to a Candidate that couldn't hear? She
chewed her lip but knew that she shouldn't worry about such a thing.
There were so many opportunities in the Weyr for Saikera beyond being
a dragonrider.

Saibra reached down and touched Saikera's shoulder.

[[See eggs?]] She asked when the girl looked up at her.

Saikera reluctantly parted with Chioneth and claimed her grandmother's hand.

Saidrene trailed behind them, arms folded over her chest as they
approached the glistening clutch of healthy-sized eggs. To the side an
egg much larger than all the others stood, nestled with a cloak of
sand around it.

"It's beautiful," Saidrene remarked. She knew how special this was for
her mother, for Chioneth to clutch her first golden egg after all
these Turns.

"Isn't it?" Saibra agreed. Saikera reached out both hands to touch the
shell of the gold egg, but Saibra snatched her up instead. "Can you
tell her why she can't touch?" Saibra didn't know enough of the hand
signs to convey why Saikera couldn't touch the golden egg.

[[We cannot touch the eggs yet. They're hardening. They have to get
good and strong, first.]] Saidrene signed to Saikera.

Saikera's mouth turned down into what could only be described as a
precious pout. She didn't understand _all_ of Saidrene's signs, but
she comprehended that she was being told no.

Seeing a tantrum was brewing, Saibra quickly signed. [[Snacks?]]

Saikera's mood instantly cleared. [[Snacks! Snacks! Snacks!]]

Saidrene laughed. "You're a pro, Mom."

"This isn't my first time," Saibra said with a laugh as she lifted
Saikera back to her hip. "Come on, we'll all snack while you tell me
how things are at Barrier Lake."

Last updated on the October 18th 2024

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Snacks Make Everything Better