Eggs on the Sands
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: Emma, Yvonne
Date Posted: 15th April 2008
Characters: Tsaera, K'reyel
Description: Tabanirth clutches, and 35 dragon eggs now occupy the Hatching Cavern
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 9, day 16 of Turn 4
Tabanirth's fat belly brushed the hot sands of the Hatching Cavern as the huge golden queen settled herself yet again. She lay still for a moment, then rose, circled, and lay down again in an effort to make herself comfortable. And then she was up again, and Tsaera watched anxiously as she laid one perfect, glistening Egg in the sand.
No matter how many times they went through this, the Weyrwoman found herself a little choked up with emotions. Worry for her dragon, pride in her accomplishment... it was silly to be so proud of something that happened naturally, but she felt a sort of grandmotherly pride in the smooth curves of delicate dragon shells.
A scrape made Tabanirth hiss angrily and Tsaera turn her head, but it was only K'reyel joining her in the Stands to watch. Tsaera shushed her dragon and Tabanirth reluctantly settled. "Hello, K'reyel. I wasn't sure that you'd make it, what with drills and all."
"I left my father in charge, this is something I was not going to miss," he said after having paid his respects to Tabarnith. "It's the first time he's sired a clutch." Erdenth had come close in the past with junior golds, but always at the last minute there had been one that was wilier than him, or quicker. Although possibly it was simply that the rider of the gold had a preference for another.
The Weyrwoman looked surprised. "This is Erdenth's first? I suppose it is..."
"He's come close to winning before, but always at the last moment, something has happened. But this, this shows everyone what he's capable of."
Tsaera smiled - no matter how arrogant the bronzerider, there was something humbling about seeing his dragon's clutch - especially his first. "Now you'll have dozens of 'children' to mind, instead of just one."
"But these will be grown up before my son, and my eldest is old enough to stand herself for one of these dragons." Not that Reyela had decided anything yet. She was still looking at crafts before making her mind up one way or the other.
K'reyel stopped speaking as he realised another egg lay on the sand.
"Tabarnith looks pleased with herself," he remarked.
"Of course she is. She can do what most dragons cannot, and no matter how many clutches we have, I don't imagine that it will ever grow old or dull."
"I hope it doesn't," he said fervently as he made a quick count. "I make that three so far, or am I missing any?"
Tsaera squinted for a moment - the light in the Hatching Cavern was dim.
"Mmm... yes. There's one behind her tail." The Weyrwoman asked her dragon to move a little so that K'reyel could see, but the queen hissed angrilly and mantled her wings to hide her brood. "Well, you'll just have to take my word for it."
"How many do you think there will be?" he asked. "Eggs I mean."
"Well... Tabanirth is getting a little older, so her Clutches aren't as large as some of the other queen's... but I'd say thirty-six? Thirty-seven?
Somewhere around there."
"It sounds a good number."
"Are you going to stay a while and find out?" Tsaera asked, only half seriously. There hadn't been a bronzerider yet who hadn't wanted to stay and watch her queen on the Sands.
"I wouldn't miss it for anything," was K'reyel's reply. "Erdenth would never forgive me otherwise," he said making a joke.
They sat togather on the Stands until Tabanirth had laid thirty-five mottled eggs. K'reyel left with a smile on his face as he went to attend to his duties, but Tsaera went to meet her dragon on the Sands, and to brush her fingers gently against the soft, warm shells that hid dragons.
Last updated on the April 17th 2008