The Amazing Sight
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: Avery, Heather, Paula
Date Posted: 13th November 2015
Characters: Lenala, F'dal, A'kades, C'rin, Lahdran, Nerita
Description: Egg touching that doesn't go that well.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 3, day 10 of Turn 8
Vilarth was nervous. She did not like the idea of letting strange people anywhere near her precious eggs. **You have to allow them in,** Lenala said, putting her will into her words. **It's customary and the candidates need to be familiar with the eggs _before_ they Hatch.**
Vilarth hissed.
**Don't try that on me,** Lenala warned. She pressed her hands on her own belly. She was still feeling occasional sickness and her stomach ached. She was not in a mood for Vilarth's tricks. "You will back down and allow them in!" her eyes flashed.
}: Alright, but only a small group, :{ Vilarth sounded sulky but moved away from the entrance. She settled down near her eggs, eyes swirling with agitation.
"You can bring them in now, just few at the time!" Lenala called outside.
A'kades looked at the assembled candidates, pointing at a few of them including Carin, Feydal, and Lahdran. "You six, with me. The rest of you will get your turn," the bronzerider assured.
Lahdran shouldered his way past Feydal to stand right by the bronzerider. He couldn't wait to see the eggs and find his bronze.
Carin glanced over his shoulder at some of the disappointed faces of those who would be left behind. This wasn't his first time on the Sands, but he was quickly becoming one of the "older" Candidates compared to some of the young brats that were just eligible to Stand for the first time.
As they followed A'kades out onto the Sands, Carin was once again overwhelmed by the sight of a large, golden mother guarding her bejeweled eggs. There was no sight like it in all of Pern.
Feydal had been bouncing on the balls of his feets when Lahdran pushed him. "Hey, watch it. No need to push people around, that's just rude," he protested to Lahdran while following him in. Then he saw the eggs and for once he couldn't find the words.
Vilarth glared at them but didn't move.
Feydal made a low whistle. "I don't know which is more amazing, the mother dragon or the eggs," his voice was lowered to reverend whisper and tiptoed closer to the eggs.
Nerita breathed out in awe, sharing Feydal's feelings. "The eggs."
A'kades bowed to Vilarth, assessing her temperament. Volaith was hovering at the edges of the Cavern, ready to dance attendance if the gold dragon wished it. So far she was tolerant of them, but that could change.
"Welcome to the Hatching Sands. You can touch the eggs. Just stay respectable," Lenala said and smiled. She never get tired of their awed expressions.
Feydal hesitated before gently placing his hand on the top of a light beige - creamy coloured egg. "Hello, mate, are you in there?" he asked.
Carin walked away from the direction Feydal went, seeking a little privacy amongst some of the eggs at the back. He strolled between them with his hands in his pockets, content to observe and study each one. Perhaps it was because he was training as a harper, but there was something poetic and beautiful about the eggs. Already Carin could hear the faint gitar chords forming in his head to a song that he would write later once he was alone.
Feydal moved to greet the next egg. This was largish and blue. "Hey there, you look like you might be a handsome fellow," he was still talking to the eggs like they could hear him.
Lenala smiled and then her smile faded when a pain struck into her stomach. A faint groan escaped from her lips and her face turned pale. Vilarth's head instantly snapped up and she gave her rider worried look.
Feydal had been moving into her direction and heard it.
"You alright, Lady?" he asked with concerned tone. Few quick steps took him next to Lenala and he gently took her elbow to support her. Lenala seemed to sway on her feet.
"Some sort of cramp, I need to sit down," Lenala replied. Her free hand was covering the now visible baby bulge in protective manner.
A'kades felt a jolt of concern go through him as he walked over to Lenala, trying not to look too worried. He nodded at the Candidate who'd helped her. "Let's get you in a seat. Do you want me to call a healer?"
"Suck-up," Lahdran muttered to himself as he saw Feydal trying to help. He turned away and went back to the eggs. There was a large one in a deep grey that he really liked, trailing his fingers over it. **Are you my bronze?** he asked it mentally.
Nerita was overwhelmed by how big they were, and how big Vilarth was. She reached out and touched one, but jerked her hand back when she felt it rock. Or was it her imagination?
"Let's see if it goes away when I rest first," Lenala murmured to A'kades.
Seeing that the Weyrlingmaster's second was taking care of her, Feydal released his hold. "You take it easy, lady," he flashed her encouraging smile and went back to eggs.
Carin turned away from the sight of Lenala and A'kades to give them some privacy. He could see the other group of Candidates who had been left behind, still anxiously waiting to get their chance with the eggs. He'd been through several egg touchings before. Carin had talked
to eggs, touched them, pleaded with them to pick him and it had never made a difference before. He doubted it would now.
"Sir, I'll go back and let one of the others come out and see the eggs." He told A'kades before turning to go back and let one of the younger kids take his place.
"Thank you, Carin," A'kades said.
Lahdran snorted as he saw the other boy walk away. He wanted to spend all of the time with the eggs he could get. So he walked to the next one over and lingered.
Nerita tripped and sprawled into the sand as she went towards the next end. Her hand struck against another egg and it wobbled.
Vilarth jumped to her feet and roared. }: She's hurting my egg! :{ Reds swirls appeared to her eye facets.
"Faranth!" Lenala cursed in very unladylike manner. "You better leave now." Her face frowned when she put all her will power into controlling Vilarth.
Feydal reached to help the girl up, giving the enraged mother-dragon a worried glance. "No eating anybody, okey?" he pleaded and almost pulled the girl back to her feet.
Carin had flinched, along with the other Candidates who were waiting, when the enormous queen dragon leapt up to her feet. Fear lanced through him as he stared, transfixed by the frightening sight of the gold dragon's enraged face. He had lived his entire life in the Weyr
and never seen anything as frightening as Vilarth looked at that moment. It was a clear reminder that while dragons might be lifemates, and weapons against Thread, they were also terrifyingly powerful.
}:They are leaving. My rider is taking them away. They will not hurt the eggs.:{ Volaith told Vilarth, crooning down at her.
Nerita let Feydal pull her up. She cowered against him, turning her face away from the golden queen. "I didn't mean to," she said softly.
A'kades gave Lenala a last reassuring touch before walking back to the Candidates and giving an impatient motion for them to follow him. "Come on, let's go. Vilarth isn't going to let us stay."
"Of course you didn't, it was an accident," Feydal murmured to her and pulled her along towards the entrance. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders. Day wasn't total waste if he got his hands around a pretty
girl.
"I let you know when she's calmed down and forgotten this," Lenala promised to A'kades and then concentrated to calm Vilarth down. The queen had wrapped her wings protectively around the eggs.
"Understood. It's okay if it takes a day." he said before he finished chivvying the Candidates out. After all, no one wanted to risk the queen's wrath.
Last updated on the November 30th 2015