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As far as Inaari was concerned, this was turning out to be one of the best weeks in her entire life. The week she'd left home, and the week she'd been Searched were the other two, but this? This was probably the best week ever! The Candidatemaster had liked her klah, along with most of the Weyr! And now, it was the most special day of all.

Her Naming Day! She was, as of now, fifteen Turns old. Sovann and Okassis could no longer call her young, she was a young lady coming into the world at the lofty age she now held! It hadn't even been that bad of a day. Her mother HAD sent her a giant, hideous hat, and a tearstained letter with hopes that her daughter's virtue was firmly intact. This had set off at least a candlemark's worth of eye rolling. As if anyone was interested! And ugh, hats were a thing of the past. Never again! Well. Sometimes. But not THAT thing!

From her siblings had come some dried fruits from the farm, and loving letters full of curiosity. Apparently her eldest brother's wife was due to have a child, and her eldest sister was set to get married. The teen knew about the possibility of the second, but was happy to see it'd finally happen. Maybe their mother would calm once grandchildren made an appearance.

The best gift, however, was from her father. It wasn't anything truly fancy, just a slim wand of aquamarine, still somewhat rough around the edges, hung from a fine brass chain. Included was a loving letter, and the idea that even rough around the edges, something...or someone, could be a lovely treasure. Beaming joyfully, the necklace had immediately gone around her neck, and Inaari was sure she would never remove it.

The only thing missing, was acknowledgment from her new friends! Sovann and Okassis hadn't said a single thing lately, and she'd told them it was her special day, hadn't she? Determined to get at least well-wishes for the day, the klah princess of the Weyr set off for the kitchens. Okassis was harder to find, but she knew at this time of day, the lackluster poet would be assisting with preparations for the evening meal.

"Sovann! Soooooooovaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn~" One was allowed to be slightly rude on their Naming Day, weren't they?

"Oh, I'm sure the poisoning of the whole Weyr can wait just a moment or two." She'd seen their klah, and wasn't sure that it was entirely Okassis' fault that it turned out the way it did. And then there was that girl who had choked...no. It MUST have been poisonous. Hands on her hips, Inaari was glowing from the inside out. So the pout she affected next was somewhat less impacting than it should have been.

"Did you forget what today is? I can't believe that you would forget such a thing, Sovann!" Really, she didn't. Not one bit.

The glow faded a bit, and shoulders drooped beneath long blonde hair. Almost nervously, a hand went up to the new pendant, and worried gently at it, twirling her fingers through it. "No, not kitchen duty! Something better!" He really hadn't forgotten, had he?!

Inaari refused to believe that Sovann would let something so important slip his mind. She was fifteen now! That was monumental! Perhaps now she'd grow a real figure, and her mother's worries for her virtue might actually find some ground to stand on.

But no, it seemed he had forgotten. How sad!

Oh no, he really had forgotten her Naming Day! With a slapped look in her eyes, she turned quickly so that her friend could not see the tears that were welling up. Inaari had been looking forward to hearing her friends wish her well all day, and now the most clever one couldn't even recall the importance!

"Never mind. You're just a sharding dimglow, you know that Sovann?" With that, she turned fully and started running back out of the Lower Caverns, blinking the drops away rapidly, determined that absolutely no one see her cry on her Naming Day. When she was alone in the Weyr, however, she snuffled into her sleeve pathetically all the way back to her room.

The new fifteen Turn old was so preoccupied with the whole thing, that she nearly sat on what was a plate full of very soft cakes. Hopping up and whirling in shock while rubbing furiously at her eyes, Inaari's mouth fell open in shock. Decadent little cakes were artfully arranged on a fancy plate, and leaning against her pillow was..."SHARDS!"

Sitting right there, in the center of her pillow, was a firelizard egg. It was carefully tucked with blankets, while sitting in a small pot filled with warm sand. The color was indeterminately mottled, and hard, signaling that very soon there would be no more egg. Trembling with shock and joy, brown eyes lit on a piece of paper with easily recognizable scrawl.

"So, I guess even holder girls can work. You won the Klah-Off. Happy Naming Day. - S"

"Sovann...." Immediately ashamed, the girl stashed the cakes, carefully surrounded the egg with more blankets, and dashed off towards the kitchens. It was almost an exact replay of earlier, with only a bit more energy on the female part.

"SOVAN! SOVAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNN~~" She threw herself at him, arms around his neck, latching onto his back. "Thank you so much Sovann!"

Releasing her arms and sliding down his back, Inaari's face showed the confusion clearly. "But I had a note...you're the only one who calls me holder!" Sovann was clearly lying to her, probably to save face which made muddy eyes roll skyward. Honestly, boys really were so silly!

Crossing her arms, she huffed impatiently for her friend. "Are you nearly done then? We can go talk and I can show you the egg, since you've apparently never seen the thing." The blond was so excited she could barely stand still. It still remained to be seen if she would actually refrain from throwing herself onto her charming companion.

"I can't stay away too long, someone might steal it, or it'll hatch without me!"

Carefully, so as not to dislodge the bowl of meat from his grip, but still rather enthusiastically, she threw her skinny arms around Sovann. "I knew it! I knew you were lying!" Girlish giggles trickled through her lips, and she spun in a quick circle as they hurried through the caverns.

"You really shouldn't have Sovann! I mean a firelizard egg!" For some reason as Inaari looked up at her friend, she blushed. A soft pink that slowly filled out beneath the wide smattering of freckles. Her stomach fluttered a few times, and her eyes quickly fell to stare at her shoes. Unsure of this new reaction, this new feeling, her mind raced. Had she eaten today? Yes. Would she be embarassed? Why? She was just showing gratitude!

Oh dear.

Shaking her head and striding ahead quickly, they stopped in front of the girls' dormitory. "I'll be right back. Just wait there, ok?" Darting away, the odd feeling faded, and her skin returned to its normal pale color. Odd, but as long as it was gone, it was no concern to a happy girl on her Naming Day! Tucking some cakes in a scarf and lightly placing them next to the egg, she hefted it and strode right back out.

"Where should we go to do this?"

Stroking the egg absently with a finger, Inaari poured through ideas. Any general gathering place of the Weyr was out of the question, but also they couldn't sneak into a rider's Weyr. That was expressly forbidden, and she didn't quite feel like getting thrown out of the Weyr so close to the Hatching! Or ever, really.

Nobody went into the herdbeasts' area, because you never wanted a dragon swooping down on your head. That left sneaking into a storeroom somewhere and praying nobody happened by or...hm. There was one place, on the rocky outcroppings of the upper Weyr. But that was her place. It was where Inaari went to think, to rest, to just be by herself and enjoy the beating sun on her body.

But it was a chance to Impress a firelizard so...well. "I..I know of one place maybe? But you have to follow me, I can't really tell you how to get there." If she could've blindfolded him, she would have. But that wasn't really wise.

In her first week in the Weyr, she'd found how lax the rules were, as long as you stayed 'in the Weyr'. Well, she was on the Weyr, so technically, no rules were broken. Inaari had every confidence that Z'nal knew exactly where she went, and really had no care, since she was well, safe, and out of his sharding hair. What was left of it.

Hiking up her skirt and tucking it into her sash, the happy girl clambered carefully up an outcropped pile of rock, skirting a light ledge. A few more little climbs, scampering around, and they were on the edge of what seemed to be an old abandoned Weyr. She was quick to check on the egg, before turning to make sure Sovann had followed precisely. It wouldn't do for him to fall, after all!

Seeing him, the funny feeling in her stomach returned, and she found that looking at him wasn't so easy without her throat backing up. If this was true gratitude, it was a new level she'd certainly never been introduced to before. Perhaps she was sick. That must be it.

Yet again ignoring it, she leaned against the shaded wall and beamed. "I don't think this part of the Weyr has been used in awhile, I come here a lot to think, especially during midday. I never wanted to bring anyone here, so please don't bring anyone else?" The request was plaintively made.