On Search

Writers: Avery, Heather
Date Posted: 12th March 2016

Characters: Saidrene, A'vel, E'ska
Description: Two riders go on Search.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr, Harper Hall
Date: month 4, day 10 of Turn 8
Notes: Mentioned: L'pin

Saidrene

E'ska always helped L'pin teach the initial classes on Searching, and
he remembered who showed the aptitude and the interest to be Search
pairs. The bluerider smiled at Saidrene when he saw her. Of course he
remembered her. Part of it was her background, but also Ashareth had
done well. And he liked traveling with new people.

"Are you and Ashareth excited to go on Search?" he asked her.

}:Your wings are very nice,:{ Leriath told Ashareth.

Ashareth preened for the blue. }:Thank you.:{

Saidrene, dressed in her nicest pair of riding leathers with a turquoise
blouse and her black riding jacket, had some vtols fluttering in her
stomach. "Excited and nervous." She had heard horror stories of the way
some Searchriders were treated at the Holds.

"You'll do fine," he assured her. He'd had an idea that he hoped would
make this easier. "I was thinking the Harper and Weaver Halls today,
unless there was somewhere you had a burning desire to go?"

"You're the experienced one here, I'll go wherever you think would be
best." Saidrene was glad to be going with someone like E'ska, who had
been before.

"Let's try the Harper Hall first. They take women and they're used to
weyrfolk, which makes it easy."

"Perfect." Saidrene turned to Ashareth and with one hand on her
lifemate's straps, she vaulted up into place, wiggling her hips as she
situated herself behind the green's neckridge.

}:Leriath is a nice blue. You should let his rider fly you.:{ Ashareth
said, seemingly out of nowhere.

Saidrene blanched, and she felt her cheeks heat. **Ashareth! Where did
that come from? Tell me you did _not_ say that to Leriath, too!**

There was a long moment's pause where Saidrene could feel her lifemate
searching for the answer that would pacify her.

**YOU DID!** She gasped.

}:Well, I thought it was a nice suggestion.:{ Ashareth sniffed.

}:You have been too serious. You should do it,:{ Leriath encouraged.

E'ska tried to be mature and calm when going on Search or interacting
with holders. He was a laid-back young man. But he could't help but
chuckle. **I don't know if she's interested, dear.**

"So...to the Harpers?" E'ska called over verbally, trying to keep a
straight face.

Saidrene was a far cry from a virgin, and she'd grown up in a Weyr, so
she wouldn't describe herself as 'conservative' by any means, but it
was still the first time she'd had her dragon trying to fix her up for
an evening in the furs with someone she barely knew. Not that she
would decline should E'ska offer, he was a nice looking bluerider, but
having your dragon suggest such a thing made one look... desperate.
She cringed.

"Yes, to the harpers." As fast as possible, she thought.

Once they took wing, E'ska gave Leriath the visual and asked him to
pass it on to Saidrene they were going. Then he went /between/ to the
new hall and spiraled for a landing. Children raced out almost
immediately, yellin about the dragons.

}:I sense potential here. Strong potential.:{ the blue commented.

Ashareth spiraled to a landing behind Leriath, and folded her wings
neatly along her back, preening as if to say, 'I have arrived, be
impressed!'

Saidrene smiled at the children that gathered around to stare with
wide-eyed appreciation at the blue and green dragons. At least there
was nothing scary about children, she thought as she unhooked her
straps and jumped to the ground.

Some of the younger apprentices crowded very close to see the dragons,
while others backed away in fear of them, not having been around for
the Weyr days. The older ones seemed a bit more calm about the whole
affair. A few girls stood near the dragons, paying as much attention
to the boys as the dragons.

"We're here on Search. One of you, summon an adult," E'ska commanded.
"My name is E'ska and blue Leriath."

Saidrene stood beside of E'ska, letting him do the talking as she
watched the growing crowd of youngsters. She noticed some youngsters
in particular, too young for Candidacy, who seemed to want to touch
Ashareth's dark green hide.

"Go ahead, she won't mind." Saidrene assured them as she walked over
to bring them closer to her dragon.

The smallest one scampered up and touched. "Not scales!" she chirped.

Favelance pushed his way up beside them to stare. What a pretty blue
and green they were. He sighed slightly. They were beautiful indeed.
But would they notice him? At the Weyr he hadn't been noticed. Or
allowed near them, really.

Ashareth swung her head around as the crowd of children shifted to
include some of the older youths.

}:A Candidate is here.:{ She told Saidrene.

The greenrider turned and surveyed the group. **Which one?**

The green was silent for a moment, and Saidrene could feel as her
dragon searched among those gathered with her mind. It really was
amazing how dragons were able to Search.

}:That one. There.:{ Ashareth passed an image to Saidrene.

"You," she pointed at the boy and crooked her finger. "Come here.
What's your name?"

Favelance looked over his shoulder at first, thinking that she meant
someone behind him. Someone taller, or stronger, or more like a rider.
Not the short, skinny boy he felt like. But there wasn't anyone behind
him. He'd wound up at the front. So he walked over to the greenrider.

"I'm Favelance, greenrider," he said, hating how his voice cracked at the
end.

"Why don't you come closer? Ashareth would like to meet you." She invited.

Favelance stepped closer and smiled tentatively at the green dragon.
"Uhm, hello...Asareth?" He thought that was how she'd said the name.

"Ashareth." Saidrene corrected automatically, even as the green craned
her head over Saidrene to come eye-level with the boy.

"Sorry Ashareth. Hello," Favelance repeated. She was so beautiful! "Do
I have to say anything for her to judge me?"

"No, she already has. She thinks you would make an excellent Candidate
for a dragonet."

Favelance's eyes widened. "Me?" he squeaked out, his voice breaking
and going high up. It stayed high and crackly as he said "She likes
_me_? Wow..."

E'ska had been talking to another boy, who'd nearly snatched the token
out of his hand in excitement and started over to Leriath. The
bluerider heard Saidrene's candidate's undignified squeak, and
snickered quietly.

Saidrene reached into her pocket and withdrew a Searcher's Token. "She does."

Favelance reached a hand out to take it, cradling it like a precious
thing. "I have to tell my family before you can take me, right?"

"That's right. If you are interested in coming to the Weyr why don't
you go grab your parents?" Saidrene suggested, as Ashareth playfully
wiggled her tail at some children who were hopping back and forth over
it.

"I'll go see if I can get them. But my father might not come," he said
doubtfully. He remembered one thing from his knowledge of rider rights
though. "The token lets me request a pickup later right?"

Saidrene gave a nod, "Correct. Go see what you can find out, we'll be
here for a few more minutes."

Favelance bobbed his head. "Yes ma'am, thank you!" Holding the token
in his hand, he rushed off.

Last updated on the March 14th 2016

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