Promise Fulfilled

Writers: Anika, Jane
Date Posted: 5th December 2014

Characters: R'haran, R'taran, P'ton, Toniapaulene, Arwey, Iselen
Description: R'taran asks R'haran and Evielenth to consider his younger brother.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 10, day 14 of Turn 7

With some trepidation, R'taran directed Qharterioth to land in the
Weyrbowl, unsure what outcome he favored for this upcoming meeting.
He'd first taken his siblings to show them his Weyr and offer some
refreshment. However, he'd made an appointment with R'haran and
Evielenth and wanted to arrive promptly so as not to take up too much
of their restday. Paulton dismounted without help from his brother,
barely able to contain his excitement as he paused to offer his thanks
to Qharterioth.

Lifting his small sister from the large brown dragon, R'taran was
still amazed that Toni had talked their father into allowing her to
tag along. Obviously, it was not just her big brother that she had
wrapped around her little finger. Within the adorable petite form was
obviously a very strong willed if not manipulative little strategist.
Of course, he had every intention of being very cautious about which
portions of the Weyr his impressionable little sister visited. The
Weyr Bowl was a concern, actually, but it was early on a restday so he
thought they would be okay.

R'taran asked Qharterioth to inform Evielenth that they were nearly
there and the trio made their way to R'haran's ground level Weyr. With
a final caution to his brother about getting his hopes up, he knocked
briskly on the door. Toni clung to his hand happy to be included in
her brother's little adventure and get to experience something beyond
her day to day routine.

"Hello!" Arwey beamed a proprietary smile at the brownrider as she
pulled open the door. "R'haran said we could stay if we behaved
ourselves," she said, unconcerned that this announcement might already
contravene the rules.

R'haran sighed and placed a hand on Arwey's shoulder and moving her
out of the way so he could great his guests. "Good morning R'taran. I
hope you don't mind? Iselen's here too," he added, wondering if the
brownrider would remember that the children's elder brother was a
candidate. Should the lad R'taran wanted Searched prove suitable
R'haran had thought that having Iselen on-hand would be useful.

"Good morning, R'haran," the brownrider returned the greeting,
offering a smile for Arwey, "I don't mind at all. I've brought an
extra myself," he lifted his hand which still held that of his little
sister who appeared closer to ten turns than the twelve she could
claim. "This is my brother Paulton," he indicated the tall boy of
fifteen turns that looked like a younger leaner version of himself
only with blue eyes. "Paulton, this is R'haran, the greenrider that I
told you about."

"It's an honor, sir," Paulton said, tipping his head forward. R'taran
had told his brother of R'haran's heroic service as well as his
capacity of Searchrider.

At an insistent tug from his hand, R'taran continued, "And this is my
youngest sister, Toniapaulene."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir" the small girl said politely just
as her mother had taught her.

"And my pleasure to meet you both. This is my eldest son, Iselen, who
is a candidate here, and my youngest daughter, Arwey."

Iselen nodded at the young man and Arwey, who had been eyeing the
slightly built girl with interest, suddenly announced: "I'm eight."

Toni smiled, "I'm twelve but I still love dolls. Do you?"

Arwey cast a sidelong glance at her elder brother. "I can show you
mine, but they're not here, they're at my foster-mother's place."

"Perhaps we could wait until Paulton has met Evie," R'haran suggested.
"And since it's not very hot today we can walk along the Bowl." It
wasn't far to the spot where Evielenth's weyr opened out onto the sand
and she was waiting with interest to meet the young man being
presented to her.

"I think that's a very good idea," R'taran agreed shaking his head at
how easily the young girls seemed to sidetrack from the reason for
this meeting. Toni dropped back to walk with Arwey, curious to speak
with a girl who actually lived in the Weyr.

"How long have you been a candidate, Iselen?" Paulton asked the other
boy as they walked, trying to keep his pace reasonable, though he
could very well have run the distance in his excitement.

"Nearly three months." Iselen shrugged. "I've Stood once; didn't Impress."

"R'taran tells me that some candidates Stand at Hatchings for years
before Impressing. He said that some start in a craft in between
Hatchings."

Watching his brother speak to Iselen, R'taran could see that Paulton
was practically vibrating. They had agreed that if Evielenth sensed no
potential, Paulton would return to the Hold and fulfill his duty to
family but R'taran knew how badly his brother wanted to stay. He
didn't want his brother to be disappointed, but he was also worried
about him being responsible enough to become a dragonrider.

Iselen nodded. "I'll look at a craft, if I don't Impress in the next Hatching."

R'haran smiled, pleased to hear it.

At the entrance to Evielenth's weyr there was a green muzzle resting
on the worn-smooth volcanic rock, and behind that eyes glowing with
interest as the scarred green surveyed the party.

"Good morning to you, Evielenth," R'taran stated inclining his head.
"We appreciate your meeting with us this morning,"

Unsure of what to do, Paulton shifted from foot to foot, feeling a bit
nervous now that the moment of truth had arrived. Toni slipped away
from Arwey and took her brother's hand once more as she observed the
sleek little green with the extensive scars. Seeing the scars made
the girl sad in a way she couldn't quite understand.

R'haran glanced at the brownrider and nodded before smiling at the
young man. "Evie likes you, Paulton; likes your chances as a
Candidate."

Unable to contain his jubilation, Paulton fisted his hands together,
"YES! Yes, oh, thank you, R'haran!" He said to the greenrider before
turning to Evielenth, wishing he could kiss the lovely green who had
just delivered him from a the life he was so set against. "Thank you
Evielenth," he said with a bow before spinning to face his brother
with blue eyes sparkling and a huge grin on his face.

Powerless against his younger brother's ecstatic smile, R'taran
grinned, "Well, per our agreement with father, I guess the next step
is to petition the Weyrwoman for candidacy." He turned to R'haran.
"Thank you for accommodating us. I know this is a rather unique way
to go about a Search, but it helped...to ease tension with the
family."

"Gaining strong candidates for the Weyr is thanks enough for Evie,"
R'haran said with a slightly distracted look. "Before you go rushing
off to the Weyrwoman could I have a private word with you, R'taran?"
He glanced at the girls and Paulton and added: "Perhaps Arwey can
introduce you properly to Evie. She does have a few spots that can
always do with a scratch."

"Of course," the brownrider agreed, though somewhat taken aback by the
request. He nodded toward his siblings who were only too happy to
follow through with R'haran's suggestion. Following the older rider a
short distance away he looked expectantly into R'haran's ice blue
eyes. "Is something wrong?"

R'haran shook his head. "Not wrong; perhaps mistimed. Your sister.
Evie Searched her, too."

Shock and confusion showed in R'taran's grey eyes. "That can't be,
she's too young. I mean, I know she's twelve turns, but look at her.
She's not that much bigger than Arwey."

"Hmm." R'haran looked back at the youngsters. "I very rarely censor
Evie's Searching if the person is in the age range and has all their
arms and legs." He shrugged. "Quite apart from the needs of the Weyr
sometimes people - any number of people or any number of reasons -
have reasons to want to make a new start in their lives."

"But she's a _child_. You heard her with Arwey. She still plays with dolls."

"I know. Which is why I'm going to leave this in your sack. I'll
record her as eligible in my report and just leave it open, as if I
received no response from the person Searched. It's up to you what to
do - or not do - from here."

In all his Turns of Searching, R'haran could hardly bring to mind when
he last left such a decision in the hands of an older male relative of
a young woman that Evie found suitable. In the post-Plague Southern
Continent it never seemed appropriate to do so.

R'taran sighed heavily, feeling the weight of this responsibility.
His parents would not be happy. Shards! _He_ wasn't happy, but Toni
and the family would have to be made aware of this development at some
point in time. As much as he did not want his little sister in the
Weyr, it was a fact that she had now been Searched and when she was
old enough to truly make this decision, it was her right to do so.
Luckily, he had some time. "Thank you R'haran. When the time is
right, I'll make sure the choice is hers."

Last updated on the January 4th 2015

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Promise Fulfilled