How Can You Be Sure?

Writers: Devin, Francesca
Date Posted: 17th September 2008

Characters: Cosani, Kamalia
Description: Kamalia and Cosani discuss dragons and Impressing.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 11, day 13 of Turn 4

Cosani

Threadfall and chores were finally done for the day. Luckily for
Kamalia, her brother had gone to practice for his gitar lesson. She
was glad they had come to the Weyr together, for the most part, but
lately she found herself developing "hobbies" that he would quickly
put a stop to, if he knew.

Going to the weyrlake to admire male riders was one of these hobbies.
When she arrived, there were still a number of dragons there. She
didn't see any of the ones she especially liked watching, but that
just meant she would need to pick a new one out. It was most
rewarding to pick one man at each sitting, so she could concentrate on
him and construct a life story to explain his behavior.

Arriving at one of her favorite vantage points, she saw a fellow
Candidate had already taken the spot. Watching was at times fun when
done in company, so Kamalia took the liberty of sitting next to the
girl; Cosani she remembered her name was.

"Have you picked out a favorite yet?" Kamalia asked, gesturing with
her chin at the riders. "That one near us on the bronze is handsome,
but maybe a bit old."

"Favorite?" Cosani frowned.

"You aren't here looking at riders?" Kamalia couldn't imagine what
else the Candidate would be doing there.

"No." Although she did look at some of them ... a _little_. "I'm
looking at dragons."

That made perfect sense. "You're new to the Weyr, right?"

"I've been here two months."

Kamalia nodded. "I don't think I'll ever get tired of dragons, and
I've been here almost a Turn."

"They're so ... big." Even the greens, even the half-grown Weyrlings.

"Have you had the chance to ride one yet?"

"No," Cosani answered. She'd had a few offers, usually from people as
she helped wash their dragons, but she'd made excuses about being
busy. The truth was, she was afraid.

"You should, before the Hatching. It's amazing." It was also terrifying,
the two times she had ridden a dragon.

"Why before?"

"Well, because then you'll know what to expect if you Impress."

"Huh. Good point," Cosani said. And if she got over her fear of
flying, maybe it would help her chances of Impression.

"Do you think you'll stay here if you don't Impress? Do you like it here?"
There were a number of Candidates who seemed to come to the Weyr
to stand once, out of some sense of obligation, before going home.
Kamalia was glad her parents hadn't insisted on this.

Cosani did her best to swallow back her fear. "I'm going to Impress this time."

Kamalia couldn't help but laugh for a moment, before she saw Cosani's
serious expression. "Right," she said sarcastically. "How can you be
so sure?" All of the Candidates, even the new arrivals, knew that it
was impossible to predict when, or even if, a person would Impress.

"I just am." Cosani set her jaw.

"But-" Kamalia stopped. She didn't know what to say. Cosani seemed very
stubborn, and she didn't have the energy to explain that most people did not
Impress their first time on the Stands; some never did. "I thought I had a
pretty good chance my first time too." Part of her hoped Cosani didn't
Impress, just so she would stop thinking she was somehow special.

Cosani had met other Candidates on their second try, their tenth ...
their last. But that wouldn't be her. She had to Impress this time.
She _had_ to. "I don't think. I know."

Kamalia rolled her eyes. "Right. Well, good luck. But, I guess you don't
need any if you already know," she said, sarcastically.

Cosani got to her feet. "Well, I have things to do. Bye." She didn't
have to sit around and listen to this girl remind her that she might
not Impress.

Kamalia didn't bother responding. Instead, she turned her attention back
to the lake, and the handsome, muscular, male dragonriders. Her only
regret was that Cosani had the last word.

Last updated on the September 20th 2008

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How Can You Be Sure?