Scandal Free Celebration

Writers: Estelle, Nici
Date Posted: 8th September 2005

Characters: Alalir, Alajeran, Lindria, Jeralir
Description: The Amethyst Cliff contingent visit the DFW Hatching ceremonies
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 7, day 20 of Turn 3

Despite her excitement at visiting the Weyr for the very first time, Lindria took a firm hold of Alajeran's hand once she'd been helped down from the bronze dragon's back. She was breathless with the wonder of seeing the great Weyr cliffs and the plateau from high above, and with the cold which made her glad her mother had insisted on wrapping her up in a warm fur cloak. But it was so huge and strange, the walls of rock towering above her, pockmarked with caves where dragons lived.

Then there was the humming, reverberating throughout Lindria's body and filling her with suppressed excitement. She wanted to _run_ into the Hatching Cavern ahead of her, lest she should miss even a moment of it, and only her promise to her mother restrained her. If only Lord Alalir would move a little faster!

"What if it starts without us?" she whispered.

"Then I supposed you'd better hurry..." Alalir shook his head and thanked the dragonrider who'd given then transport. "You all are younger and faster.
I've been here before so go on ahead if you must..."

"No, Papa...we can wait, can't we Lindria?" Alajeran gave his wife a 'look'.
He was as excited as she was but they could at least wait for the _reason_
they'd gotten the invite to begin with!

Jeralir had dismounted and was too busy straigtening his clothing to give them anything more than an eyeroll. You'd swear it was more than eggs and crying little dragon babies!

"Of course we can. Sorry, Father," Lindria said contritely, remembering her promise to her mother once again. Soon, however, she was too absorbed in the sights and sounds around her as they entered the tunnel leading to the Hatching Grounds to hurry.

"Look!" She pointed at a huddle of teenaged girls and boys, all dressed in simple white robes. Some of them were talking and laughing, while others were quiet and solemn, but all had an air of anticipation about them. "Are those the Candidates?"

"Right on the first try, sister..." Jeralir smirked at her.

"Oh, you asked that too your first time, so shut up!" Alajeran said. He'd have tossed a punch but figured it wasn't exactly 'Heir-like'...or appropriate in front of his father!

"I did _not_."

"Both of you be quiet. And Enriline was worried about _Lindria_" Alalir said, shaking his head.

Perhaps Enriline had been right to worry, for Lindria was at that moment sticking out her tongue at Jeralir behind Lord Alalir's back. Fortunately she'd stopped before they stepped out into the light of the Hatching Cavern and felt hot sand rather than rock beneath their booted feet. The humming was more intense here, echoing from the stone walls around them and almost drowning out the buzz of conversation from the stands.

Her mouth fell open as she looked across the Sands to the queen dragon who guarded them. She had seen golds before, of course, but nothing could compare to the...majesty of Calyth as she guarded her eggs, her eyes glowing as she towered over one with a shell that gleamed more brightly that the others. What would it be like to be bonded with such a creature? Surely it would be too overwhelming for any mind to endure...

"No, you can't have the golden egg," Alajeran whispered in her ear, his voice teasing. "Can you imagine what your poor mother would _do_
to us if that happened!"

Lindria giggled, tearing her gaze away from the queen. "I doubt that would fall into her definition of 'ladylike' - and she'd probably blame you and your Papa for everything!" She leaned back, tilting her head towards him.
"Luckily I already have a soulmate..."

Alajeran grinned down at her and kissed her lightly on the mouth. For a second, the Hatching was the last thing on his mind...

"Really! You'd think you two would be sick of each other by now..." Jeralir taunted. In truth, there was a fair amount of jealousy there--he remembered he and Jasslara and it made the fact that she wasn't here even more of an affront. It wasn't fair how Alajeran got _everything_, no matter how he tried to ignore it most of the time...

Alalir waved toward the Weyrwoman, who looked as excited as a child and just as small as one when compared to how large her Weyrleader was. "Enough bickering and _sit_..." He gave them all the sternest look he could manage, which meant it wasn't overly impressive as 'stern' went.

"Look - they're rocking!" Lindria sat down and snuggled up close to her husband. "Which do you think will hatch first?"

"Hmm...I can't tell," Alajeran looked at them all. "You pick one and I'll pick one...and if I win..." He leaned over and whispered in her ear.

Lindria giggled and smacked his arm lightly. "High stakes, milord. And what do I get if I guess right?"

"If you win you get the same thing..." He laughed. "That way neither of us really loses!"

"Done! I choose that one." Lindria pointed to an egg which seemed to her to be rocking more violently than most. The Candidates were filing out onto the Sands now, forming a loose semicircle around the eggs while keeping well clear of the queen. It must be nearly time...

Alajeran pointed to one of his own, then watched his wife win the wager when the one she chose broke first and small green dragonet emerged, creeling loudly.

The stands erupted in clapping and cheers. "See, my wagers are the kind neither of us can take exception with!"Alajeran quipped, squeezing his wife's hand as the one he chose broke next.

He looked over to find Jeralir and his father talking excitedly as they watched as well and he fought back a smile. Jeralir was just as thrilled as they to be there, no matter how sophisticated he pretended to be.

Lindria was intent on the green hatchling, who was being led off the sands by a young boy who kept glancing down at her as if he couldn't believe his good fortune. She was amazed by the expression of devotion on his face. How a life could be changed in just a few short minutes!

A cheer rose up from the left, where a large group of crafters had been sitting together. Now they were on their feet and applauding a young boy who'd Impressed blue, evidently a relative. The boy looked up as he passed them and waved, grinning from ear to ear, then turned to his new lifemate as if to explain something..

"Are any of the Candidates from Amethyst Cliff?" Lindria asked, leaning over towards Lord Alalir. "I'd like to cheer our holders on!"

"Two I was made aware of," Alalir said, his face full of smiles as he looked around the sands. "They were quite young...a boy and a girl."

Alajeran pointed. "There is the boy I think...his father is Delarik, a smith," he replied, taking pride in knowing most of the crafters in and around the Hold proper.

Lindria kept one eye on the boy as the Hatching progressed. "Look, I think that blue's moving towards him...no." She sighed, disappointed, as the dragonet turned and headed for another boy. "Oh! Look at that bronze...I think he's approaching!"

Alajeran sat back, content to watch his wife's excitement over the hatching. She might care about the others--what he cared about was the _gold_ egg--and so far, that egg hadn't even begun to move!

The Hatching progressed, with Lindria cheering for the boy from Amethyst Cliff and a good many others whose origins she had no idea of but was caught up in the excitement. As the last few eggs broke shell, however, she too turned her attention to the gold egg and the remaining girls edging closer to it.

"I think it's rocking..." She pointed. "Does the gold always Hatch last...or is it just coincidence that we're all kept in suspense?"

"Maybe all the noise scared her," Alajeran joked. "And she's not last...there's at least two more eggs on the--" He stopped and took her hand, leaning forward as the gold egg began to shake in earnest. Finally, their patience--or lack of it--was rewarded and the gold dragonette all but exploded from the shell. "Look, love!"

"She's beautiful!" Lindria exclaimed, enchanted by the minature gold as she stumbled clumsily across the sands towards the group of girls. "Look at her _eyes_...oh, she's seen someone she likes!"

Both watched as the gold dragon stumbled with determination across the sands, then landed in the arms of a startled young girl, so enraptured by the creature that she lead her off without even announcing her name. There was murmuring in the crowd, which started in the direction the girl and her new lifemate had entered. Finally someone whispered the name 'Onnyth' to them.

Alajeran grinned. "See wife, no big deal at all, these hatchings," he teased. "I'm sure you'll consider this one your last won't you?"

"Certainly not!" Lindria's eyes were bright. "Next time I'm going to make Mama come too. You'll help me, won't you, Lord Alalir?"

Alalir laughed. "I'll certainly _try_...a united front might get her here eventually, child!"

"Once she knows what she's missing, then maybe it will." Lindria smiled.
"Thank you for letting me come, Father." Not many Lords would have allowed a lady from their Hold to so much as set foot in the Weyr. Her memories of Emerald Falls meant that she was very aware of how fortunate she was.

"It was worth it to see the look on your face, I swear!" Alalir leaned over and tugged at one of the curls that had inevitably gotten loose from the elaborate hairstyle her mother insisted she wear. "Just don't tell your Mama about the drinking, the dancing and the carousing..."

"Speaking of which..." Jeralir was anxious to do all of that. At least _here_ he only had to hide it from his immediate family if he found a particular woman pleasing and wanted to spend a candlemark or two alone with her...

"Am I about to find out about the scandalous goings-on at the Weyr?" Lindria asked innocently as they stood. The last hatchlings had found lifemates now, and the Stands were filled with the sounds of laughter and people talking excitedly.

"No, you're about to sit down at a feast, be escorted by a male chaperone at all times and dance a bit with your husband...or father and brother by marriage..."
Alalir grinned at her. "There will be no scandelous _anything_ to report back to your Mama." He glared at his sons. "Will there?"

"No Papa!" Even Jeralir chimed in for that one.

"Actually, that sounds like a perfect evening," Lindria reflected. "I think I'm getting too _old_ for causing scandals!"

Last updated on the September 9th 2005

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