|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2009 9:58 am
((OOC: This clutch was on the sands at the same time as the African themed clutch. Well, it was laid slightly later, but it's part of that giant two clutch thing. So.. you know. Here you go. As stated before, there's a crack in the wall of the Hatching Grounds that intrepid Candidates can peek through to look at the eggs ahead of time. It's easier now, with only one Queen on the sands. OOCLy, there are fifteen eggs on the sands, but there are only five IC ones that will Impress to your Candidates.))
Mandarin Dragonet Egg
The Mandarin Dragonet egg is a smaller sized egg that sits near the center of the clutch, leaning delicately against several other of its siblings. The base color of the egg appears to be orange towards the center, though with all the vivid, electric blue that forms both swirls and dots, it’s hard to tell. The bottom of the egg does manifest itself in a more pure form of orange, shot through with darker stripes of the same color, and edged with a darker blue than that of the center. Towards the top of the egg, the electric blue becomes speckled with yellow, almost in a reverse pattern from that in the center. Gradually, the blue takes over the top of the egg and fades to almost white. The egg is attention grabbing, and holds appeal for both female and male Candidates. The size is ambiguous, and many hold hopes for the egg.
avanese Damsel Egg
This mid-sized egg seems to have a recurring theme of… well, blue. There are no other colors on the egg, though some parts of the blue are so dark to appear almost black. The whole egg is an even, midnight blue with just a touch of iridescence about it; that is, when the light hits the egg in the right way, there is a brilliant flash and the blue appears a shade or two lighter. Though minimally marked, the egg is shot through with the same vivid, electric blue that the Mandarin Dragonet Egg contains. Indeed, the smaller Mandarin Dragonet Egg leans against the Javanese Damsel Egg. Besides a few more random speckles of the electric blue, the Javanese Damsel Egg is deceptively plain- just let the light hit it, if you want to see its true colors.
Lunare Wrasse Egg
While not a very big egg, the Lunare Wrasse Egg is probably the largest in the clutch. It’s big enough that it could potentially hold a small bronze or a brown, but not so big that there isn’t a possibility that it could hold an extra large blue. While minimally patterned, the larger egg is brilliantly colored. It's a lighter form of jade green. Towards the top, brilliant pink stripes break up the green. A single stripe of pink runs along each 'side' of the egg, continuing towards the bottom, where it gradually fades into purple surrounding a bright burst of yellow. Occasional further dashes of pink go across the green in the center of the egg, but that remains primarily that one color.
Picasso Triggerfish Egg
A medium sized egg that would blend in unnoticably with the others were it not for the dizzy, slap-dash pattern of it. A lightly tanned egg, skimmed with black down it's middle and sides, interupted by pale brush-like lines from the right side of the shell (Or the left, if one were to walk around to its opposite side). A rich brown crowning the top, the color looking to almost dribble down the eggs shell to a pale gold. It borders on a near ugly look, despite the undertones of vibrant blue along the stripes. (Description by Golanth)
Leopard Shark Egg
The egg's size is nothing out of the ordinary, it is neither large nor particularly small. The egg actually seems to be hiding, it's grey overtones helping it camouflage into its shadow. Upon closer inspection, the egg is actually quite beautiful, a light grey with dark, charcoal ovals with small spots winding their way through the ovals like jewelry draped over the egg. (Description by soutou)
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2009 10:06 am
[[OOC: First, I'd like to provide a basic rundown on what happens during the Touching/basic etiquette. The Candidatemaster will come and wake the females up, then the males (no reason for that order, just felt like it). He'll tell them to hustle to the Hatching Grounds. For this occasion, they can wear their normal clothes; however, any fire lizards they may have need to be left in the barracks or told to go elsewhere.
The Candidates enter together. Make sure your Candidate bows first to the Queen dragon (dragons in this case). It's not necessary to wait for me to reply her acceptance, but it is necessary to be polite to the Queen at all times. Your Candidates should remain quiet. They are allowed to touch the shells of the eggs. They shouldn't worry about breaking them, but they shouldn't like... slam their fists into them either. One Candidate at a time to an egg please. They'll have to sort that out on their own. All the heterosexual female Candidates will be asked to (BRIEFLY) touch the Queen egg if there is one. They can also touch any other egg they feel like. While some of the eggs have 'feelings' associated with them written into the description, please do not have your character form this amazing insta-bond. That's just going to make me less inclined to want to give you a dragon in the end.
In the end, the Candidatemaster will call them all out. Straggles will not be tolerate- nor, I'm sure, will they want to face an increasingly grumpy Queen dragon. The Queens tend to be very grudging about this whole Touching business, even with their riders there to placate them.
This event is for Candidates ONLY. No other spectators will be allowed. Your character must have been Searched and must be on the grounds at the correct time to be allowed in.
While this is not a mandatory event by any means, it will help me better understand your character and their respective motivations.
Thanks. I'll be making a post for this soon. Please don't post until I say it's okay.
-Sil
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2009 10:25 am
The Candidatemaster took a sadistic pleasure from waking everyone up this early. After all, if he had to be awake, then why didn't they? He was older, and had creaky joints. They had no excuse to sleep. So it was with evident pleasure that he marched first into the girl's side of the Candidate Barracks, bellowing as he walked, "Wake up! It's time to touch the eggs. Nice and orderly now." He didn't bother to see if the girls obeyed; if they had any measure of intelligence, they would.
With the words spoken, he strode over to the boys, and repeated his call, his fists balled up near his hips. No pleasure without pain. He had gotten up, and he was dealing with these boys in the best way he knew possible. The lads would probably be lazier to get up than the girls, though he was counting on the prospect of seeing the eggs for the first time to excite them sufficiently. With his duties technically done, he waited at the entrance of the Hatching Grounds, a scowl on his face at the amount of time the wherries took. What would they do the day of the Hatching? They couldn't be this late.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2009 10:43 am
Conomor half jumped half fell out of bed. The touching! He was tangled up in his sleeping furs. Mumbling a curse under his breath, Conomor struggled to free himself. Once he was on his feet, he paused to listen to the sounds of the other boys hauling themselves out of bed, took a moment to breath calmly. Alright. Here went then. Shrugging out of his nightshirt, he quickly dressed and then took another moment to stop and stretch. Gilden was sitting up on his bunk, watching him curiously. Stroking her head briefly, Conomor instructed her to stay where she was before hastening out of the dorms.
He made his way through the twisting corridors at a swift stride, but didn't run as some seemed to be. He was not going to risk tripping up at the last moment and breaking something. Besides, he didn't want to arrive too out of breath; keep calm, that was the thing to do.
He still managed not to be one of the stragglers, and took the time to look about at his fellow candidates. Frightened, nervous at the very least, but excited. Conomor grinned. This was it. He'd made it! Two and a bit turns of waiting, and he would finally touch a dragon egg. He felt as though he might life clean off the floor in excitement! Too long he had waited for this, but for that it would be all the better.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2009 10:48 am
Kiriwar had not expected to be woken so early, even though he had been warned of it by someone before. When they were called out to go to Touching, he opened his eyes quickly and near jumped out of bed, blinked once... Some part of him wanted to be excited. But, mostly, the Vintner was very nervous, almost afraid to see how this would turn out for himself and for all of the others. There was something about this moment that made everything almost sharply real. He moved to get out of bed, not daring to move slowly -- he knew that there would only be trouble if he lagged behind. So he pushed himself to his feet and shook himself off a little, quickly pulling his waves back into a messy braid before moving to step out of his alcove. He saw many others stride out of their rooms, some as alarmed as he had felt, and moved down the hall after others, sighing heavily.
But, as they came close to the Hatching Grounds, he began to grin, that wiggle of excitement beginning to move into his chest and his belly, making him look around excitedly for anyone he might know.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2009 10:57 am
Veyes stood in the bathroom shrugging on his work clothes long before the sun peeked over the horizon. He yawned several times swearing to himself that the next time someone snored like a dragon's bulging voice he'd stuff a heavy sock down that throat! Sometimes he wondered if he would sleep better if he had slept in the bathing room on the cold floor - at least it would be quieter. He leaned over the basin of cold water and scrubbed his face thoroughly with soap sands trying to remove the last hints of sleep at the edges of his eyes. The pungent odor of the soap finally brought him around and soon with a few stretches cracking the vertebra up his spine; he was ready for the new day.
However, as he was about to leave and make his way towards his number one chore - butchering - he had to stop himself all of a sudden or run right into the Candidate master who had entered the dorm. Maybe he was just a little stunned to hear that the Touching was today because he just stood there for a moment as people leapt out of bed as if fire was under their feet. It made Veyes a little uncomfortable to have everyone racing around when he really preferred to be out of the dorm before any of them even woke. He wished they didn't have to go all together to this event but obviously that would not be the case. Fortunately, most were too busy to notice his discomfort and soon he found himself shuffling down the hall with the rest of the boys; some asleep...some bursting with excitement - everyone had one thought in mind...the eggs.
He treaded along with the other candidates feeling that charged current of excitement flowing along the line even though he was rather nervous with the large crowds surrounding him. He had to somehow escape this irrational feeling that pressed against his chest and so his creative mind leapt at the opportunity to present him with a diversion - What it would be like touching each delicate egg; caressing that warm shell filled with the hope of life? Each being a blossom that could "complete" the right person....Sort of like what L'thor had told him - The Other Half of oneself.
While walking with this waking dream, he could fantasize any of these eggs containing that ray of hope; something that could change his life forever with just one word. That thought in itself brought a sigh to his lips just everyone started entering the Hatching Grounds. But as soon as his feet hit the hot sands, the light above brought his eyes upwards where he spied the golden Queen hovering protectively over her clutch. His dreams shuddered as the cracks of reality managed to storm through his fabricated world leaving him again to struggle with the unsettled feelings in the pit of his stomach.
Truly, he was uncertain than any of the youngsters within these colorful eggs here would find him a perfect match. Still, even as his imaginative visions skittered into the sand like tunnel worms - they left him with a creative notion that hinted at what could be the truth about the Touching. This wasn't an opportunity to ogle at eggs and imagine what color of youngster was inside but rather a chance to reveal oneself; so if any in those shells found him worthy...that one would find him on the sands.
The momentary reasoning snapped him back into focus and as he glanced around he realized that that most didn't even notice his previous distress; everyone was fixated on the eggs. Remembering what he had been taught at passed candidate lessons, he outlined the rules in his head:
1. No Talking once you enter the grounds.
2. Bow to the Queen.
3. Don't linger too long at any one egg - touch as many as you can...one person at a time. With this big group, that meant number 3 would be the most problematic. because time would be short with each egg. How could any youngster within those shells figure out who was the right one amidst so many?
So as he approached the great Queen, he pondered the last question and took a deep breath before looking up at her immense size from his low vantage. He was a just a farmer so bowing with style wasn't within his reach but he did what he could and bent at the waist and gave a respectful bow of the head.
Never saying a single word, he straightened himself knowing the Queen had accepted him. It was then he let out that breath and allowing the next one to fill him with courage and determination but also many new questions...What could he reveal about himself? What did he have to offer? All he really wanted was that feeling of belonging, a sense of completeness...like L'thor had with Raith. Would he find it here? His heart started to pound with that boyish hope that one could be captured by a first and future love which would last a life time. He mulled those thoughts as he turned towards the colorful eggs waiting for his turn as others boys and girls moved forward to touch the eggs.
Finding an opening, he carefully slipped up against nearest egg that was free to touch. It was easy to see how one could be enchanted by their brilliance; the shell practically sparkled with a luminescent all its own. The colorful surface invoked his imagination a vision of Springtime - greens run over by the vibrant colors of pink, purple and yellow. In the right setting, the shell could have been a field with brightly colored flowers.
Closing his eyes, he gently slid his calloused palms along a single strip of pink. As he caressed the egg with warm fingertips he opened up his heart; not with spoken words but his innermost feelings. This is what I am...at least as I know it...I like to dream, create things, and tell stories of worlds I want to see one day...places I plan to go. I want to change the world...leave my mark upon it...but I'm not sure how just yet. Sometimes, I'm uncomfortable with groups of people and I don't know how to change that. I guess its because I've never was given time to share with others so I'm really uncertain about relationships. But...I'm a hard worker and I don't give up even when the odds are against me. I'm looking for a partner to share my dreams with...ah...mm... I've got to move on now...but ...Thank you for...listening. I'll see you on the sands.
Withdrawing from the egg, he rose cautiously making sure not to lose his balance from his very brief contact with the shell. He wasn't certain if the youngster inside heard any of his heart-felt thoughts but at least the effort was there on his behalf. With as many candidates as there was on the sands today, the best he could hope for was that his honesty would lessen the anxiety he'd feel if he were rejected on the sands later. Only the youngsters inside the eggs knew what they were looking for so he couldn't assume anything but he kept within the rules and the spirit of the Touching so if he wasn't picked...like L'thor said...He'd try again and eventually the right one would find him.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2009 10:58 am
Kytara yawned and cracked one eye open to throw a dirty glare at the Candidatemaster. Just because he was a cranky old goat, it didn't give him the right to wake them so rudely. She stood and smoothed her bed out, taking just a few extra seconds to breath deeply and calm herself. The touching! She dressed quietly and slipped out, doing her best not to be left behind. She was excited and more than that she felt accomplished. going from a family-less child to a possible dragon rider was a huge step in her eyes. After all these turns, she finally had a shot at that freedom riders must feel.
As she approached the Hatching Grounds she looked around, on the off chance that she saw someone she might recognize. Not that she had many friends, but; a friendly face might help to calm her nerves. All around her, the other candidates seemed to be doing the same. Were they just as nervous as she was? She doubted it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2009 11:04 am
Kadri was awakened only slightly by the Candidatemaster, stirring in his bed to blink blurry eyes at the world. The excited murmurs and the rustle of movement drew his attention further, at least until his firelizards (who had taken to the air when the Candidatemaster had walked through - used to his bellowing by now) decided to plop onto his chest.
"Ack! You guys... stop that!" Mumbling, he waved halfheartedly at the pair then sat upright when he registered the whispers as mentions of the ceremony. "The Touching!" Firelizards forgotten, he swung his legs out of the side of the bed and winced as he was berated by flashes of indignant emotions from Felicitas and Cene. He really hadn't meant to cover them with the blanket! Apologizing quickly, the Candidate rose and went to shove his brother's shoulder and returned to his preparations.
A moment later, he was dressed and had splashed water across his face to wake up more fully. There was something.... oh right. Calling his firelizards to him as he walked towards the barracks' entry, he petted them both, "Hey... Go find your dragon friends for the morning, hm? I don't think you're supposed to come with me for this exercise - don't want to get in trouble, after all. So go have fun. I'll call you when I'm done."
Reluctant warbling answered him as they circled him a few times, obviously not wanting to be sent away - was he mad they landed on him? Questioning overtones in their calls and flashes of colours in his mind asked the question and he chuckled, grinning up at them as he reassured them, "No. Not mad. Go on, I promise we'll do something after. Okay?"
Felicitas warbled more uncertainties at him before blinking into between to join Cene in their favourite not-with-Kadri spot.
As he came up to stand with the others, anticipation and nervousness truly began to settle in. It wasn't a bad feeling, really, but it made him fidgety. Cracking his knuckles, the ex-Harper tried to keep his hands busy and look presentable as he nodded to the Candidatemaster and waved at his peers. "Morning."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2009 11:04 am
Zara had known the time for this clutch's Touching was drawing near, would be any day now. She knew the Candidatemaster's propensity for waking his charges early, and had been expecting the bellow to echo through the dorms soon. Even so, she nearly tumbled out of her bed as Beryl hissed grumpily, startled out of her own slumber. "Shells..." she murmured, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. Every time that sharded Candidatemaster managed to surprise her, and ever since she'd recieved Beryl's egg she'd had a grumpy flit to soothe each Touching.
"Settle down, will you?" she said, waving the irritated flit aside as she rushed to tug her clothes on. "You'll get a nice bath after, as long as you don't follow me into the Grounds. Okay?" At the grudging chirp of agreement, she smiled and scritched Beryl's head. "That's a good girl. I'll be back soon...remember, don't follow!" And with that, she finished tying her sandals and trotted out to join the rest of the Candidates on their way to the Hatching Grounds.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2009 11:09 am
Conomor shot a grin at Nathail as the other boy came up beside him and nodded. Then it was time to walk onto the sands. As he drew near to the eggs, Conomor halted and made a deep bow to the mighty queen dragon. She was magnificent. This was magnificent. This was like a dream. Pushing his nerves aside, he moved over to the first egg that wasn't already being touched. It was blue; very blue. Swallowing, Conomor reached out and laid a careful hand on the shell. It was warm, smooth, perfect. Would it want him, the hatchling inside this egg? Could it feel him? That was the point of touchings, or part of the point. The rest of course was to make all the candidates more accustomed to the sands, the queen, the idea of baby dragons.
Well then. What was he? What the dragon inside this shell was hardly mattered, whatever it was like it would be the one doing the choosing so he needed to.. introduce himself he supposed. So. He was bright, he was diligent... maybe he was a bit serious? He knew how to laugh though, and he was usually content with life. He would love to share his life with a dragon... Of course everyone would love that. What else? Oh yes. Of course. He wanted to be noticed, along with his dragon. He wanted them both to be the very best they could be.
Smiling to himself, Conomor moved to the orange and blue egg that lay beside the one he had just touched. Bright one, this egg. He wondered if the dragon within would match its vibrant shell, if it would be one that wanted to stand out from the crowd, perhaps one with a brilliant, exuberant personality. Would a dragon like that be attracted to him, or would it find him too studious? Impossible to say. Heart pounding with elation - he had finally made it here! - Conomor moved on to the next egg.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2009 11:13 am
Nathail had fallen right out of bed at the wake-up call. Shards, did it have to go like this every time? Quickly dressing and pulling on some boots he hurries out with the lot of them, spying for a familiar head in the boys as they near the entrance.
Surely nothing had happened to cause bad luck again for his friend, if it did.. he had a bone to pick. Aha, but some familiar hair? One way to tell.. Nathail squeezes his way bast a couple bulkier candidates to step up behind that hair he'd seen. "So luck's working so far, Conomor?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2009 11:15 am
Hanya, though she had gotten used to the prospects of waking early in the sevendays since she had arrived at the Weyr, was certainly not ready for the bellow that startled her straight out of bed and onto the floor in a tangle of furs and nightclothes. Squeaking, she righted herself quickly enough, pushing everything back more or less into its proper position and casting about for clothes. Even with more time at the Weyr under her belt from the last hatching, she hadn't been cured of her love of nice clothes, and since the Touching was not labour, she took the opportunity to pull a nice shift over her head and a pretty, embroidered tunic over that. Stepping into sturdy boots that she somewhat resented (but the heat of the Sands was such that she really didn't relish the idea of going out in anything less hardy), she checked her plaits and rebraided those that had come loose as she straggled after the rest of the female Candidates.
It wasn't until they reached the Sands that she felt the first worm of nervousness stir in her stomach. Gulping, she glanced around for faces that were in any way familiar (she hadn't really made the effort to find friends among the other Candidates) and found none. Moving slowly to the back of the group, she took a few deep breaths and shook her head. The eggs were still harmless. They wouldn't maul anyone like that horrible green had at the last Hatching. She shuddered and fussed with the hem of her tunic, reluctant to step out into the Queen's sight.
---
Weylin was lucky he woke so early for créche work; he was already on his way down and fed when the news finally reached his ears that the Touching was today. Pausing only long enough to send the weyrbrat who had alerted him (why was the boy up so early, Faranth in the Skies! it was just ridiculous) down to tell one of the other workers that he'd be unable to attend. It had happened before and it would happen again, and it wasn't particularly hard for Weylin to be prepared. Cutting through a handful of shortcuts, he managed to run into the crowd before they got too near the Hatching Sands.
He kept an eye on everyone as he walked, wincing at the disarray and resisting the urge to round everyone up and get them to quiet themselves down. He had been to enough Touchings to know that it was far from necessary to keep anyone in line. The Queen's majestic and completely terrifying presence generally kept anyone who might otherwise be uppity completely silent. Unconsciously, he moved to the head of the group and slightly to the side, keeping an eye on those in the forefront as everyone fanned out onto the Sands.
His quick bow to the Queen was businesslike but proper, and afterwards he relaxed his stance and looked over the clutch. Smaller than the last one, and no queen egg this time, but still quite large enough, in his opinion. He looked over the eggs briefly, decided which few he would touch (in truth, he was beginning to suspect that the Touchings were for nervous newcomers, as he hadn't managed to observe any strong connection between touching and Impression; he would nonetheless touch a few eggs before wandering off), and then glanced around to see if he recognized any faces.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2009 11:17 am
Ren had fallen into a very deep sleep, these last few days he had not been able to slip into slumber all that easily, still getting to grips with his surroundings and the new people and his new chores, his restless mind kept him awake much longer than most other candidates, staring at the wall. Until at last exhaustion would creep over him and sleep would pull him under so it wasn’t all that surprising that being woken so early he was not instantly at his best of alert.
In fact the initial call of the candidate master failed to register in his mind as actual words, just gibberish and therefore unimportant. He was about to roll over and drift back to sleep but the commotion around him was becoming to much to ignore, with sluggish reluctance he wriggled forward through the twist of shits to the end of his cot and tugged back the curtain in time to hear what all the fuss was about.
The touching! It was to day, now in fact. He wriggled the rest of the way forward almost doing a nose dive off the end but managing to swing his legs round intime to make it an awkward crab crouch landing. The he was half crawling in a couched running stumble over to his chest yanking off his night clothes and tossing them on the cot, whatever happened he could not miss this. He wasn’t really sure what good touching a dragon still in its egg could do but he had been told that sometimes the hatchlings could tell if their partner was there even past the thick protective shell that would continue to cradle them till birth.
Only in his under things he tugged the water basin from under his cot, he had hated being in the crush of the main cleaning room when everyone else it had only made him feel confined and nervous at the start of the day which had tended to snowball during the day as he was pushed and jostled as he went about his task, seeing as the weyr didn’t have their own fishing boats there was no job especially for him so he had been stuck with the basics of fetching and carrying or cleaning. Which he had abided without complaint but not enjoyed, so he thought he was entitled to his bucket/wash basin. The chill of the water certainty acted to wake him up as he scrubbed at his hands and face to make himself look presentable.
Running his comb through his hair quickly and then stuffing on some of his best unworn looking clothes, a brown wool shirt that was slightly to big and slipped down over one shoulder exposing the sun caressed skin and neat holeless leather pants. His old pair of boats where the last to go on but he only had the one pair and that couldn’t be helped.
That done he pulled back the curtain completely and took a deep breath, the empty space between the cots was suddenly a writhing mass of excited boss and a shrill of excited shouts ringing around him. Taking a deep breath like a deep sea swimmer about to take the plunge he pushed his way in, always staying relative outside of the group which soon merged with a flow of female candidates as well as the boys and as the ways got slightly wider Ren pushed himself out further from the main huddle. Where he could breath easier and take stock of the situation.
After all this was it, the first real contact with the eggs and nervous or not he wriggled internally with the same excitement as them all. It could be the start of the strongest bond known on Pern, a bond like L’thor shared with his Raith and she with her L’thor.
Now he just had to make sure he kept a handle on his rising panic and remembered what the candidate master had told him, and you would thing it would be easy to remember but no. Harper songs and curses filled his brain untill he felt dizzy.
The buzz of excited voices seemed to continue to echo around him untill they came insight of the hatching grounds and everyone fell into the respectful hush. But he had to guess that was alot to do with the candidate master standing at the entrance watching them trail into the sands, brow forrowed, he looked intimidating and fearless, and well that was most likely a good thing when he had a large group of rorcus boys to handle and teach. And Ren held out hope that he was a good man despite the stren demenor, well of course he was. Ren couldn't belive that anyone that had the bond of a dragon would be a bad person really even if some very unknind words about bronze riders had come tohim through his green rider friend.
And that though made Ren smile a little at least as he made his way in with the rest, slowly and respectfully acoss the hot sands, eyes gliding up to the magnificence of the queen, the gold of the sands and the sun couldn't hope to outshine the glimmering hide. He stepped forward and brough a hand to his chest as he preformed a deep and respectful bow, if a little untidy for his lack of practice it showed her every inch of respect. But not just because she was the queen, yes he respected that but the boy held in awe of all dragons, even the smallest green. But to him the bow was also a thankyou to the queen for allowing him passage and a chance at the touching.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2009 11:17 am
Lehpas was getting used to rude awakenings at any hour of the morning. Well, not really used to them, just accepting of them. He dragged himself out of cot and into his clothes. Following the Candidatemaster, he didn’t bother to look any of the boys around him. His life as a hatching candidate meant that he spent most of his time with the other lads. Missing the time he used to spend with his sisters chatting and cooking, he hadn’t really found any close friends among the other boys.
The cavern entrance loomed in front of him as he made his way to the Hatching Ground. Lehpas saw the Candidatemaster waiting at the cavern, a scowl on his face. He seemed to be in a rather a cranky mood this morning, thought Lehpas.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2009 11:17 am
Her connections in the Weyr had warned Firyal what day the Touching would occur on, and she knew from past experience that it would occur a little earlier than the Candidatemaster could humanely wake the Candidates and expect them to be somewhat functional. Thus, she had woken with the drudges who lit the fires in the kitchens and put the bread in the ovens so that it would be hot in time for breakfast. She snatched an orange and a wedge of cheese for her own breakfast, since the bread was nothing like finished cooking, though she would have liked a heel of warm bread to munch on as she made her way to the Candidates' dormitories, arriving just in time to hear the Candidatemaster's roaring call to consciousness.
A stab of pity went through her as she thought of those who had just been so abrubtly awakened. It was difficult to be instantly awake on a normal day, and for the Candidates, herself included, this was not a normal day. This was their first official opportunity to see the eggs they had been spying on through peepholes since their arrival. She'd done her share of peeking, but with less excitement than the others. A part of her was certain there was no egg on the sands for her from that small clutch. She had stood at other Hatchings and attended other Touchings since she was fourteen, and she had obviously failed to bond with a dragonet yet. It wasn't that she despaired. She had never hoped to begin with.
And why should she? Firyal had never been officially Searched. She had come to the Weyr at an age when she might have been Searched, but she came as a fosterling. A friend she made later who had Impressed before she came to the Weyr once told her that his dragon liked her, and would like to see her have the opportunity to find a bondmate of her own, but she doubted that was how one was actually Searched. She attended her first Touching because she had been ill that winter and the Headwoman had somehow convinced the Weyrwoman it would do no harm for her to be present and it might even aid her convalescence to be allowed on the sands. It had been impressed upon her that she was not to expect anything, nor become attached to any of the eggs, because, in all likelihood, she would not be Impressing.
As she went through her mantra, which included harsh reminders that she was allowed to attend because the Weyrwoman and the Junior Weyrwomen were generous souls, and that the conversation with her friend did not count as an official Search, she fell in with the other girls as they made their way from the dormitory to the Hatching Ground. She had been very firm and emphatic in telling Numenor that he may not accompany her, showing him that she would be going to the queen dragons. He didn't want to join her there. His kind was not tolerated by clutching queens.
At the Hatching Ground, Firyal entered with the others and made her bow to the golden dragon. The heat of the sands seeped through the soles of her shoes as she made her bow, though she had dressed sensibly for the experience. She had bowed to this queen before, she remembered, smiling to herself as she thought somewhat irreverently, It's me again. She didn't expect the gold to acknowledge her, if she had made herself understood at all, which was unlikely, but by making light of the situation she made it easier for herself.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
