Where She Came From
Jasiline was the last born child of Sijara and Linerad, merchants specializing in the export of fine wool from the hold's vast number of herds. She is the third child, and only daughter to the family. Her father, Linerad is a prosperous merchant who with the help of his wife Sijara, has built a successful business and comfortable lifestyle for his family, to the point of purchasing a handsome cothold within the Hold's merchant district.
Sijara manages the household, and local trade deals in addition to helping her husband with the bookkeeping for their business. Together they've worked for their success. Their eldest son, Sinerad, having been raised by his mother to understand her side of the business, now travels with his father and is soon expected to go it alone to expand their reach beyond what his father can do alone.
Sijar, the middle son was also taught the basics of the family trade but since he was never expected to take over, it didn't extend much beyond that. He was apprenticed to the wher cavalry, following popular custom, as soon as he was old enough to be accepted. Though he had been presented for Searches up until his apprenticeship began.
Jasiline, their youngest, proved difficult. It was their plan to groom her for wifehood (preferably to a working match similar to their own) but even from a young age, their daughter rebelled against her imposed fate. She acted much in the way of her older brothers, rough housing, getting in trouble, and all around being a nuisance. She often went to the point of discarding her overdresses and hose and if she couldn't find her brother's outgrown clothes (her mother got wise to her quick) she would just tuck her underskirts up and run out bare to the knees to play with the other neighborhood children.
Outside of the house (dressed or not) Jasiline was often found wherever wherhandlers congregated. When her brother's apprenticeship was bought, the young girl demanded that she be bought a position as well. It was at that point that her parents put a tight rein on her. Given that she was the only child left in the home, it was made harder for her to sneak out, she was hired a tutor to teach her proper womanly skills (and to keep a constant eye on her).
Her incarceration as she saw it became practically house arrest as the Dragonplague spread throughout the northern continent. With her penchant for escaping to the Wher kennels, she was allowed outside at all unless one of her parents were with her at all times. She never fully understood this restriction, chalking it up to parents who didn't care about her wants and just wanted a perfect little daughter that she'd never be. She fought, and disobeyed at every opportunity. Little did she realize that outside the protective bubble her parents had created, a plague was wiping out over half the population of dragonkind, and war had broke out among the people.
Sure she heard things, but as a temperamental child and the baby of the family, if they didn't immediately effect her, she couldn't care less. High Reaches Hold was at best, a spectator and a refuge for displaced Holders. Still, Jasiline was kept on a tight leash for the next few turns, until the wars ended, and dragonkind seemed to be on the mend. With High Reaches gold producing massive clutches. Jasiline's parents decided to present her to the Search riders. Dragons were supposedly safer than whers and even if it wasn't a 'lady like' thing for their daughter to be doing, she was not growing out of this 'phase' they had assumed of her. Serving as a Candidate might work out whatever odd energies their daughter had and teach her some respect and discipline. Then, if she did Impress, they could at least claim a rider in the family. Riders, even women, made decent money on their own. She wouldn't need their support.
She was 14 when she was finally accepted on Search. A turn too late to be prepared for the Hiraeth's final clutch, but by the time the younger Jr. Gold laid her maiden clutch, Jasiline was 17 and a whole different girl from when she'd left her home. The challenges of candidacy had the opposite effect of their parents intital hopes. She thrived under the hard work, pushing herself harder than ever to prove she was just as good as those around her despite her 'soft' lifestyle. From a slightly pudgy well kept child, she became a tall, wiry, vaguely androgynous young woman. She delighted in the freeing feeling a shaved head and menswear afforded her.
Not to say she never had her troubles. She was still a rebellious little brat at heart, and punishment duties were not uncommon. It always stopped just short of her being declared unfit. She would turn around, clean up her act long enough for the heat to be dropped, then inevitably revert back to her old ways. Jasiline's biggest problem seemed to be dealing with the male candidates. Whether she could best them or not, the slightest suggestion that she was less than they set the young woman's temper off and her first reaction is almost always a fist. It got better about a turn and a half in... before she was allowed to squire, but her gut reaction to insults has yet to be fully tamed.
Another issue she had, though minor in comparison, is that while she considered herself fully literate, by weyr standards, she came to them still lacking. Jasiline's focus and concentration through lessons on spelling, handwriting, and history was less than desirable. She hated sitting down, being still, and paying attention to things that just didn't stick in her brain. It was a relief to be set free to join the defense and combat lessons. By far those were her favorite parts of the day.
Her squiring was decided by the Candidatemaster rather than a rider choosing her. It had been a toss up between the money-minded 5th wing #1 or Fourth Wing #2 for her. Her background and family suggested she would do well in Fifth wing, but her inability to focus or keep numbers straight beyond the bare minimum made it difficult to find a rider willing to take her. Finally, she was assigned to a wingrider and her physical skills and energy put to a better use than sitting at a desk and filing papers.
Her first clutch was the last one before the beginning of the next Pass. She didn't Impress, but her eldest brother had attended and afterwards, presented her with a present and a letter from their folks. He was apologetic, knowing it's less than courteous contents, and promised to keep in touch with her should she desire it. She had always been just one of the boys to him and their other brother. That their parents saw it differently had been a thorn between the two generations for some time now, even with her gone.
The gift itself was a moderately sized firelizard egg, kept warm and protected and near hatching. Her brother stayed for a few days after the Hatching, minding the egg himself until it was time to hatch. The note was short and to the point. A congratulations for being allowed to stand, and a preemptive congratulations on Impressing followed by our condolences if you did not. It ended with the revelation that this egg had been bought with her dowry funds and that she should find her own way from here on out. It was veiled, but obvious that she would not be welcome home should she age out before Impressing.
Jasiline's feelings were mixed. Firelizards were rare, and while this was not a gold egg by any means, it was not the runt of the clutch either. In fact, once it had hatched, Jasiline found herself with a rather small, wet, little bronze clinging to her forearm. Yet had it really been necessary for her parents to cut her off in such a way, or even, was a firelizard egg the best way to spend her dowry? She could have used that money elsewhere, put it away on the off chance she did Impress. They were merchants, she expected better money sense from them.
Toast was pretty cute though, and certainly got her some envious stares that she wasn't all that adverse to.
It took three more Turns before she finally Impressed. At that point she had written a letter to her middle brother, asking him to put a good word in with the Wher Calvary for her. Just because she wasn't welcome in her parents home, didn't mean she wasn't welcome back at High Reaches. The effort was unecessary though as she found out rather quickly.
Her dragon, the perfect match for her body and soul, was a nasty piece of work who could quite readily be compared to a wher, as long as you were out of hearing. She was vicious. She was blunt. She never gave up, and she was PERFECT. Jasiline couldn't imagine anything better than Sanuyeth. Alas for her, the lessons never end!
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