A Dream Within a Dream (2/2)

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: M'thos, Kadira, T'lonas

Saibra

I'serin

There were less eggs hatching now yet an abundance of Candidates
remaining. I'serin spotted a dark blue hatchling standing close to the
remnants of his egg, looking out over the sea of options, and hoped
that there was not about to be a tragedy. The hatchling looked at
Chioneth, like he was debating something, then took a cautious step
forward. And then another. And another. Until he had marched his timid
way up to Merhaskel and said, }: I'm Alzaryth, :{ his damp wings
fluttering open and closed. }: Can you feed me? :{

Saibra’s eyes caught movement just behind M’rhas, where M’thos was
slapping T’lonas and K’yne so hard on the backs with pride that both
men were trying to inch away from the enthused parent.

}:Every parent should be so honored as to have their child chosen by
one of _my_ dragonets.:{ Chioneth said with approval.

Saibra heard her dragon, but it felt like Chioneth was talking to her
from a great distance because Saibra's eyes were focused on the gold
egg, which had yet to even show a single crack, nor any sign of
movement. Her heart clenched.

Was there something wrong with the egg? Sometimes eggs didn’t hatch.
What if it was a golden dud? Had that happened before?

As she pondered these things, a quiet hush fell over the crowd.

Standing in the middle of the Hatching Sands was Zaphare, her hand
reaching out to stroke a small, delicately built blue dragon, whose
hide was so dark a shade of blue it looked like the sky at midnight on
a moonless night.

}:It was Zollarth who swiped at Norriath’s to get out of the way.:{
Chioneth supplied, explaining how E’kirim had gotten the blood on his
shirt.

There was a look of triumph on Zaphare’s face as she turned with
Zollarth to face the crowd. When Kadira had impressed her blue, the
Stands had been stunned with silence, but this time, there was an
immediate uptick of applause and whistles from the crowd.

The next candidate was so desperate to Impress that she ran straight
into the path of a green dragonet. The pair collided in a tangle of
arms and wings and talons onto the sands.

}:Oh my goodness, oh dear, oh shells and sand!:{ Arimith exclaimed,
flapping her basil-green wings in a dither. }:Are you alright, my
dearest? You just... You just _threw_ yourself in front of me. I was
on my way to you. Didn’t you see?:{ she scolded Halia gently as she
nudged her body, which was still lying limply on the Sands.

It was K’yne who jogged over, hooked his hands under Halia’s arms, and
hauled her to her feet. She had enough presence of mind to throw an
arm around Arimith’s neck as the Weyrlingmaster’s Third helped them
from the Sands.

“Oh, look, I’serin! Our hears all dragons Candidate found himself a
lifemate!” Saibra called to her Weyrleader over the noise of the
crowd.

Sure enough, the newly minted A’ris, was leaving the sands in the
company of an umber dragonet.

**I didn’t catch his dragon’s name, Chioneth?**

}:It’s Kyllavath,:{ Chioneth supplied.

There was some minor excitement when a brown dragonet came to a stop
in front of Varethos. He eyed the boy for a very long time before
gently, as gently as a dragonet can, nudging the boy out of his way,
in favor of Ceauren.

“Oh, this is absolutely fabulous! Everyone meet Roeth!” C’uren called
beaming brightly and waving to the crowd as he led his dragonet off
the sands.

At this point, there were only three eggs left, yet there were at
least fifteen Candidates still present on the Sands. It brought
Saibra, again, a measure of relief to have so many options for the
eggs.

**I just need that gold egg to hatch,** Saibra thought, a little
callously dismissing the other unhatched eggs. The gold egg _had_ to
hatch. It felt like the summation of her time as Weyrwoman all rested
on this one egg.

As if she had willed it to happen, one large crack rent the egg in
two. It was no delicate cracking of a piece or two, but an explosion
of the shell.

The gold dragonet that came forth was… well, _monstrous_… Monstrously… ugly?

A mirthless laugh escaped her and then she clapped a hand over her
mouth. **Chioneth finally lays a gold egg and her daughter is…
hideous.** Sometimes irony was cruel.**She’s _healthy_ and, and…and
_large_. These are good things. She will be a strong dragon,** Saibra
coached herself, because surely she would have to endure comments
about the dragonet’s appearance later with a straight face.

}:She’s beautiful!:{ Chioneth snapped at Saibra, clearly seeing the
dragonet through the lens of a mother’s love.

Some of the girls on the sands actually took a step back in fear.

The hulking dragonet seemed to be making a line for Sanvi, but it was
not to the kitchen drudge that the gold went. Nor was it Tiyo, who
seemed to be the next in line for the searching dragonet.

It seemed a green dragonet, who had split earlier and was still
looking for her rider, who was destined for Sanvi.

}:I'm sorry,:{ she said to Sanvi with a great deal of worry whirling
in her eyes. }:There was just so much commotion,:{ the seafoam green
was saying. }:I am Respellath, and I am your lifemate, Sanvi.:{

The stands watched as the former kitchen drudge turned to the Stands.
"She is Respellath!"

There was an entire cheering section from the Lower Caverns that
whooped and screamed as Sanvi and Respellath left the sands.

A scuffle on the sands between two Candidates caused a great deal of
confusion and drew some attention away from the dense, golden dragonet
that was still lumbering towards the waiting girls. The Weyrlingstaff
were running out to help as one of the girls was thrown down onto the
hot sands.

}:No! MINE!:{ the gold dragonet said with a guttural, miniature roar.

It wasn’t the Candidate that Saibra had wagered on, who turned to look
at the dragonet, and said softly, “Me?”

}: You. :{ The mental-voice of the hatchling was a low rumble that
defied her age. }: I felt you as I hatched. You are what I need. Be
clever for me. I will be strong for you. :{

“... Do you want that sausage?”

Saibra’s eyebrows were furrowed. Had the word ‘sausage’ just come out
of the Candidate’s mouth? And was that a _dragontail_ lying on the
sands?

}: No. It smells gross. :{

No, it wasn’t the Candidate Saibra had wagered on, but it was the
unlikely Sybana who Galgaith chose. }:Good grief, rider-mine, you
could have at least _walked_ toward me. Making me walk all the way
across the sand like that… Your legs do work, don’t they?:{

Sybana, who seemed surprised beyond belief, finally had the presence
of mind to announce her dragon’s name to the crowd in the stands.

Tears were streaming down Saibra’s face, her arms were around
I’serin’s neck, hugging the life out of him as the new gold Weyrling
was escorted from the Sands by the Weyrlingstaff. The cheers and
adulation of the crowd was nearly deafening.

A very prim and elegant green was crossing the sands in the wake of
Galgaith leaving the Hatching Cavern. She was moving surprisingly
well to be so freshly hatched, and her destination seemed very sure as
she met Katora on the sands.

}:I hope you’re not disappointed,:{ she said with an eloquent sniff.
}:I may not be gold, but I _am_ beautiful.:{

“Saorith!” Katora breathed the name with the smile of having found the
missing part of herself.

But there was still _one_ egg left.

Everyone had nearly forgotten about it in the ecstasy of the new
golden queen and her lifemate. From it a vibrant blue dragonet, easily
the same size that the small browns had been, came forth. There was an
upbeat sway to his wedge-shaped head as he practically trotted, his
wings held aloft, across the Sands.

}:Oh now, what’s this?:{ the blue questioned, plopping himself down in
front of Syerin. He twisted his head quizzically from side to side.
}:Did I worry you? Oh my, this won’t do. Chin up, chin up. I knew you
were here, that you were waiting, and I wouldn’t have missed _you_ for
anything, S’yen.:{

Although the word was softly spoken, Saibra could just make out
S’yen’s lips say the word, “Jenith,” before he wrapped his arms around
the dragonet.

“Oh, my goodness, I’serin,” Saibra said, her voice still thick with
tears as she wiped at her cheeks and eyes. “I’ve no doubt cried all of
my make-up off. We are so, so fortunate. All of our eggs have hatched,
and they have all found their lifemates.”

***********
Weyrling Class:

Sybana of Gold Galgaith
Zorenh (Z'renh) of Bronze Adamanth
Ekirim (E'kirim) of Bronze Norrianth
Aedris (A'ris) of Brown Kyllavath
Arten (A'ten) of Brown Corvanth
Ceauren (C'uren) of Brown Roeth
Lakayric (L'kayric) of Brown Oryseth
Merhaskel (M'rhas) of Blue Alzaryth
Syerin (S'yen) of Blue Jenith
Zaphare of Blue Zollarth
Halia of Green Arimith
Katora of Green Saorith
Lyndana of Green Veralinth
Nosarre of Green Kiziolth
Sanvi of Green Respellath

Last updated on the November 19th 2024

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A Dream Within a Dream (2/2)