She Doesn't Even Go Here!

Writers: Halyonix
Date Posted: 12th July 2025

Characters: Tindral
Description: Tindral thinks about being a Candidate
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 10, day 1 of Turn 12

Notes:
~*~

She shouldn't be here.

That was the only thought that tumbled through her mind as she sat on her bunk in the Candidate barracks. The blue dragon that had dropped her off earlier that afternoon had been sweet enough, had her let pet him even though his mouth was big enough to eat her, had made sounds at her to assure her that he was friendly. And his rider was nice too. Maybe that's why she had taken the token.

Besides her parents telling her to do it, anyway. They were the ones who _really_ wanted her here. A dragonrider in their family would be a big boon. And being the first daughter, though second child, there was something more that they expected of her that Tindral couldn't quite understand yet. She thought it meant getting married. She hadn't thought it meant being a dragonrider. Her older brother was going to be so mad at her if she got a dragon and he didn't.

**Please don't let me get a dragon,** she thought fiercely. She had wrapped her skinny arms around her knees and was watching all of the other Candidates in the room. Everyone was happy, talking, joking. Like they all knew each other. Taking bets which color they would get. That wasn't something someone could choose, right? That's what Tindral thought she had heard about dragons. _They_ picked, not the humans.

**Please don't pick me,** she thought. **I'm too young!** All of these other Candidates were older than her. Fifteen, sixteen, twenty. She was _thirteen_. She hadn't even had her first womanly courses yet. Her mother assured her that she was just a late bloomer but right now, she felt even more out of place, watching some of the older girls talk about crushes and dalliances.

And she couldn't even do some of the chores! Tindral had been there long enough to see some of the older boys shoveling firestone and knew that even the girls had to help with that but there was no way she was going to be able to fill those sacks by herself! Maybe she could ask to clean the Barracks every time. She knew how to scrub floors and carry out laundry easily enough. But if she got a dragon, she'd have to do some of the bigger things like _throw_ firestone sacks.

Tindral shrunk in on herself. There was no way she'd be able to do that! **Please don't let me get a dragon.** Maybe she should return the token. Tell them that she...she wasn't ready. They'd understand, right?

Her parents would understand, right?

Tindral shifted uncomfortably. She didn't think they would. She didn't know if they would. And if she returned it, did that mean she gave up entirely? She was only thirteen. Candidates stood until they were twenty, right? Could she just...delay it? Tell the Weyrlingmaster that she wanted to go home for a few Turns and come back? Would they remember to come get her?

She didn't know. She didn't know _anything_. That was the problem.

But she still didn't think she should be there.

Last updated on the July 29th 2025

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She Doesn't Even Go Here!