A Vigilant Hatching

Writers: Suzee, Devin, Curious, Aaron
Date Posted: 31st March 2024

Characters: R'lor, Naradis, Ç'pier, B'lyse, Cyradis, Talryne, N'vanik
Description: A Hatching with no surprises . . . at least, not the bad kind.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 1, day 3 of Turn 11
Notes: Mentioned: Dessa, G'ran

R'lor

Hatchings were supposed to be joyous occasions, but when N'vanik heard
the humming of the dragons, it made his stomach twist with fear. Would
they try poisoning the dragonets again? Would they do something
_worse_ this time?

}:We are all watching. They would not dare.:{

N'vanik wished he had his bronze's confidence.

He kept checking through Loseth as he dressed. A double watch on the
landward entrance, another on the beach, and another on the Heights.
No sign of anything unusual. He'd considered barring non-rider guests,
but that would just show fear. Give the conspirators a sense of
victory.

He was already sweating under his jacket by the time he finished
putting it on. It was an older outfit from a previous Hatching. Today
was Dessa and G'ran's time to shine, so there was no need to waste the
Weyr's resources on something new.

Talryne stepped into the sleeping chamber. "Do you want me to come with you?"

The offer gave him a rush of guilt. "No," he said firmly, but gently.
He pulled her into a loose embrace and kissed her forehead. "You don't
need to put yourself through that for my sake. I'll have Cyradis with
me, and everyone else." While he wanted Talryne to come to a Hatching
someday, he wanted her to do it for her own sake, not his.

"I can do it." A fierce light flashed in her eyes for a moment before
fading. "You've been there for me so many times . . ."

"No," he repeated, even gentler this time. "Maybe the Feast, if you're
up for that?" And if nothing went wrong.

Her smile was only a little forced. "All right." He'd been under so
much pressure, she didn't think even Cyradis knew how much all of this
was weighing on him. That night after the Candidates had been attacked
. . . she couldn't get it out of her mind. She slid her arms behind
his neck and leaned up for a kiss.

He lingered, drawing strength from her. Finally he pulled back. "I should go."

N'vanik passed through the Council Room and knocked on Cyradis's door.

"I'm coming," she said as she finished sweeping her hair up on her
head and pinning it there with two beautiful wood sticks. She swept
out the door in her long Azure dress with Black knee boots showing
below the front scallop of her skirt. "I am sure we'll be fine," she
said and took his arm.

He kissed her cheek. "We will," he said with more confidence than he
felt. They made their way down to the Hatching Grounds, which were
already buzzing with activity. Half the Weyrlingstaff and a number of
dragons were guarding the long table filled with buckets of meat. The
only non-rider allowed within a dragonlenth of the area was Naradis,
who was not allowed to present herself to the eggs but was being
forced to help the newly Impressed.

"I'm scared." Blue took Pierce's hand. It was hard for him to reply,
as he had they had to turn to face one another, but Pierce was not
about to leave Blue afraid.

"The babies will know if you are. You don't have to be afraid of them.
If you stay out of their way, they won't hurt you."

Blue usually caught more of what Pierce said than most, simply because
he knew to exaggerate his lip and tongue movements to make it more
obvious what he was saying but he still had to guess at some of the
words.

"I'm not afraid of the babies," he said. "I'm afraid we'll get separated."

"No matter what, we'll never be apart for more than a few months,"
said Pierce. "You're going to be all right." If _when_ he Impressed,
his dragon would be able to tell him everything anyone ever said. As
long as they were near one another. He would not need Pierce as much
then.

But Pierce needed this more than he ever thought he would, too. If
Saedyna ever remembered what he did... He would need the protection a
dragon would afford him.

"I want to stay together. There are lots of eggs. Maybe there's one
for each of us. If a dragon picks me, I'll ask it to tell one of the
others to pick you," said Blue.

"I don't think that's how it works. But I'll try it, too, if a dragon
picks me. Just in case."

Naradis stood on the sidelines. She watched. She waited. She did not
react, because she didn't know if there would be any bottling the
wellspring of anger and grief within her back up if she allowed it to
rise to the surface. So the majority of her energy was spent trying
not to look like she was sulking, because - well, she was. Just a
little. But who could blame her? As long as she didn't _look_ like she
was sulking, the answer was absolutely nobody.

Except her mother. Cyradis could see her daughter all closed in and
angry. She kept an eye on her from the stands up over Naradis' left
shoulder where she could see the Candidates. "What are those two
holding hands," she pointed them out to N'vanik.

His gaze turned to where she was pointing. "The older one is one of
the Candidates who was attacked in the storeroom. I don't know the
other." Shards and shells, that attack.

N'vanik scanned the Stands around them. Were there some among the
guests -- or even the weyrfolk -- who were plotting against them? The
Weyrleader had assigned guards and a few riders to keep watch, sitting
scattered among the other attendees. If anything happened, there
should be someone nearby to react quickly.

}:Hatchlings need happy thoughts,:{ Loseth scolded.

**Well I'm not trying to Impress them.** But that did get a little
smile out of him.

After leading the Candidates out with the other Weyrlingstaff, R'lor
had taken a place near the long row of tables that held chopped meat.
His heart pounded as he fought to keep a calm expression on his face.
Faranth he hoped there wasn't a repeat of last time.

}:I will not let anyone hurt the young ones.:{ Kularth was among those
looming protectively over the feeding pails.

The eggs started rocking wildly and suddenly the humming of the
dragons stopped. A loud crack echoed in the silence and then a little
green spilled out onto the Sands.

Pierce squeezed, and they released one another's hands. Blue's eyes
widened as he watched the little green.

Would you be mine? Pierce wondered. For each dragon hatchling that
burst from its shell, he wondered the same.

One little green seemed to gaze at Naradis for a long moment then
turned to a boy who's joyful face clearly reflected their Impression
his shout of "Oh Regath of course we can get you meat!" made her
chuckle remembering Panitath's first announcement of hunger. He led
his new lifemate toward the Weyrling helpers where they were guarding
the pails.

Santiath and her mate seemed remarkably calm as one by one blue and
green pairs left the Sands and then a beautiful little brown exploded
his shell with a screech. He headed straight for the pair that had
been holding hands knocking one candidate to the ground who'd gotten
in his way.

Having already seen one of the others get tackled, when Blue saw the
little one heading straight for them, he stepped aside.

**Would you be mine?**

}:Oh. Oh, my dearest heart. I have to save you.:{

"Save me...? From what?"

}:You need me. And I need you. And I would very much like to speak
more on this, but first, I must admit I am about to starve straight to
death. Would you be so kind as to find me something to eat?:{

Pierce's stomach rumbled in sympathy.

"Y-yeah. Yes, of course."

**Oh. Could you ask the others to choose Blue?**

}:Choose blue? Oh. Him. He will be fine. You don't need to worry about
him right now.:{

**But I promised.**

}:You promised to ask. And you did. He will be fine. Now. Where is the
food, my love?:{

"It's this way." Pierce stood. He had not realized that he had been kneeling.

"What's his name?" asked Blue.

"Hm? Oh. It's Yuliuth." But Pierce had forgotten to face Blue, so he
could not see his lips. His eyes were glued to the baby brown dragon.

Blue sighed and watched him go only for a moment before be turned his
attention back to the hatchlings.

R'lor's heart was in his throat as he watched the first few dragonets
feeding on small chunks of fresh meat.

}:Be calm, mine.:{ Kularth was watchful, but his eyes were a placid
green. }:Everything is alright.:{

R'lor turned to see Pierce heading toward them with a little brown.
The poor young man had been through such an ordeal, and R'lor was glad
that he'd Impressed. "Congratulations, Pierce." He smiled.

"Good for him," N'vanik said. His gaze kept being drawn toward the
hatchlings choosing their lifemates, but he was still alert, searching
the crowd around them, waiting for something to happen.

But nothing did. The greens, blues, browns, and one tiny bronze all
Impressed, leaving behind scattered shells and disappointed
Candidates. There were no alerts for bad meat, no sick hatchlings, no
one being stabbed in the Stands. There was still the Feast to worry
about -- a perfect opportunity for attack -- but N'vanik allowed
himself a moment of relief. He squeezed Cyradis's hand. "So far, so
good."

"Yes," she smiled and rose as they had to exit before any of the other
guests could make their way to the feast area. "I think we've taken
good precautions but I don't want to let up." She saluted Dessa and
G'ran before exiting the VIP box.

"Hm?" Pierce looked up to see R'lor. "Oh. Uh, thanks." This all seemed
and felt so unreal, so fantastical. Was he dreaming? He looked around
and realized it was over. And Blue was not with him. His heart sank,
but only a bit. It was hard to be sad with this euphoria from Yuliuth
overwhelming him.

}:Trust me. He's going to be fine. You'll only be apart for a little while.:{

Naradis wouldn't let herself cry. It didn't matter how much her
insides felt like they were made of shattered glass, she _wouldn't_.
And if it felt like everyone was watching her, good. That was just a
reminder to hold herself together. She did not speak to any of the new
weyrlings beyond the bare minimum as she assisted them, did not look
their way for long, but that was fine. She was doing her job, she was
being _obedient_, it was fine.

It would all be over soon, anyway.

R'lor patted her on the shoulder. "Just stay on good behavior and
you'll be allowed to Stand for the next clutch." He knew that was
probably little comfort to her now.

Last updated on the June 4th 2024

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A Vigilant Hatching