A Dream Within a Dream (1/2)

Writers: Halyonix, Heather
Date Posted: 15th November 2024

Characters: Saibra, I'serin
Description: Chioneth and Aluneth's first clutch hatches
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 3, day 22 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: R'enh, L'keri

Saibra

I'serin

It was snowing. A beautiful swirl of white flakes were cascading over
the triple cliffs of Dragonsfall Weyr. The quiet that came with a
blanket of snow made the Weyr seem still and lifeless.... Until the
humming began.

Once the dragons of the Weyr began their telltale hum, the cliffs
became a thriving hive of activity. Dragons began swooping into the
Hatching Cavern, Weyrlingstaff hurried to shepherd the Candidates into
their traditional white robes, and the Headwoman's kitchen staff
leaped into action to prepare the Hatching Feast that would follow.

After the attack at Barrier Lake, security had been increased at
Dragonsfall, especially concerning the Hatching. There were more
guards, especially near the Hatching and Dining Caverns, and the guest
list had been pruned considerably. Trusted Holders and family members
had been allowed to come but had to be chaperoned by a dragonrider or
guard for the duration of their stay.

Saibra's stomach was a bundle of nerves as she slipped into her
hatching dress. Normally she wore Dragonsfall colors, but this time,
her dress was a work of sleek, gold fabric that fell in an
uninterrupted shimmering wave to her feet.

"Are you ready?" she asked I'serin as they met by their special seats
on the Hatching Sands.

"As ready as one can ever be," he answered. He was wearing Dragonsfall
colors -- brown on green -- but there were cuffs and hemlines of
bronze, harkening to Aluneth, throughout. "You look radiant," he
complimented her politely as he offered her his arm to take.

The sands were piping hot and already people had begun to file into
their places in the stands. I'serin quietly noted which Lords had
arrived. A gold egg drew quite a crowd; few Lord Holders would miss
this event. The moment doubt tried to settle into his stomach,
Aluneth's excited warbling dispelled it. He must not ruin the day with
his worries. Today was a cause for celebration.

Saibra was pleased to see the sheer number of white robbed figures
spread across the sands as they waited for the first egg to split. She
had pressed the Searchriders to bring as many Candidates as they found
worthy, and they had not let her down.

All eyes were on the golden egg, but it was not the first to crack its shell.

Tumbling free of the first egg was a bronze, which drew a delighted,
relieved sound from the crowd. And a very loud, proud bugle from
Aluneth. The pudgy hatchling blinked his eyes to clear them of grit,
looked around at the gathered Candidate, and then barged forward
towards his chosen, knocking aside one boy who hadn't been fast
enough. "He does not appear hurt," I'serin remarked, relieved, as the
boy stood up and dusted himself off.

By now, the hatchling had reached his new rider, R'enh's son Zorenh,
and was loudly announcing himself, }: Adamanth! I'm Adamanth! He was
in my way, me trying to get to you. You're mine and I'm yours and no
one should get in the way of that. :{

The Weyrwoman's eyes looked for R'enh in the crowd, knowing she would
see a look of pride there that his son had Impressed bronze, and the
first egg as well!

"A good omen!" she shouted in I'serin's ear over the roar of the
crowd. The Weyrleader nodded, joining in on the applause.

The second impression brought Saibra a touch of secondhand
embarrassment. It was obvious that Candidate Lyndana was focusing all
of her attention on the gold egg. She wasn’t even looking at the other
eggs, nor the dragons that came from them.

}:Lyndana! I swear, if I have to call your name _one_more_time_,:{ a
jade green dragon was gritting out as she did her best to ‘stomp’
across the Sands toward her errant lifemate. }:I am Veralinth and
_you_ are _mine_. Now… let’s go, I am famished. Posthaste!:{

It seemed as though the eggs were hatching in rapid succession now.
I'serin began a running tally of how many browns, blues, and greens
were hatching, while Aluneth kept track of any bronzes. I'serin had
just updated his count when he spotted another green tumbling out of
her shell, squawking indignantly as she fell on her back and couldn't
figure out how to use her wings to flip herself over. With a spray of
sand, she managed to upright herself, sneezed loudly, then looked
around. }: Where did you go? I just saw -- oh there you are! :{ she
said as she spotted her chosen. Excitement radiated from her...until
she tripped over her own wing and faceplanted. }: This is
embarrassing. Can you help me, Nosarre? I'm Kiziolth and I'm trying to
get to you but I just... :{ Kiziolth let out an exasperated sigh.

Saibra recognized the Weyr’s newest greenrider as the foolish girl who
had gotten too close to the golden egg and nearly had her head bitten
off by Chioneth. **That’ll be an interesting pair,** she thought.

“Isn’t that L’keri’s boy?” Saibra said to I’serin, even though the
question was lost in the noise of the crowd.

Her eyes searched the stands and sure enough, there was L’keri, a
proud fatherly look on his face as a klah brown dragonet approached
Arten. The brown was svelte and compact in a way that was sure to make
him speedy and agile once he was full grown.

“Corvanth!” A’ten announced to the crowd. L’keri’s cheer could be
heard above the applause.

Another bronze dragonet, this one a muted earthy shade in color, had
appeared on the sands, from which egg Saibra wasn’t sure, but he was
on the prowl for the Candidate that would be his. When he finally
cornered his prey, it was a bleeding Ekirim that he had penned against
the cavern wall.

}:Here. Eat. Now.:{ was all Norrianth said to the young man.

Saibra’s brow furrowed as she saw the blood on E’kirim’s shirt. What
had happened to him? She must have missed the injury while watching
Kiziolth’s awkward attempt to reach Nosarre.

Another brown dragonet was on a quest for his lifemate. This dragonet
was a magnificently light shade of brown, almost like desert sand. He
had circled the sands a few times before finally honing in on his
rider.

}:You were standing in such a _cluster_ of people that I could not get
to you. I didn’t want to run over the other Candidates, unlike _some_
of my brothers and sisters.:{ Orysteth said in a soft but firm tone.
}:Are you listening, L’kayric? Let’s go get something to eat, please
and thank you.:{

Last updated on the November 19th 2024

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A Dream Within a Dream (1/2)