Rejection

Writers: Devin
Date Posted: 29th October 2008

Characters: N'vanik, Cosani
Description: N'vanik watches as Cosani's hopes are dashed at the Hatching.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 12, day 5 of Turn 4

N'vanik

Cosani

As soon as the strange noise started, everyone around her burst into
activity. "The Hatching!" someone shouted. Cosani swallowed against
the surge of nervousness. This was it, her chance to be safe from a
holder's life, forever. She hurried with the other Candidates to the
barracks to throw on the white robes they'd been told to wear. Outside
again, the Weyrlingstaff organized them into neat lines. Dragons were
rushing every which way, carrying their riders and passengers.

Cosani focused on her breathing, trying to stay calm. She didn't want
anyone to see how nervous she was.

Loseth flew straight to the Hatching Grounds, dropping off his rider
and not drawing attention to himself as N'vanik had instructed. }:Next
time it will be our Clutch,:{ the bronze said happily as he went to
claim a spot.

**And today my daughter might find her lifemate.** He still hadn't
gotten used to the idea that he _had_ a daughter, and their almost
total lack of contact hadn't helped. He wanted to be here for her
today, though. N'vanik slipped through the hurrying spectators and
found a spot in a corner that still gave him good view. The humming
thrilled him, as it always did. It brought back the memory of the day
he'd Impressed Loseth, as clear as if it had been yesterday.

Cosani made her entrance, along with the other Candidates. She took a
quick glance at the stands, and a longer glance at the huge golden
Queen, then her eyes fixed on the eggs. One of those held her dragon.
It had to.

Someone jostled her and she glared at them. The boy muttered an
apology and shuffled away from her. Cosani turned back to the eggs as
the humming reached a fever pitch and then stopped.

An egg cracked, far to the right. The nervous fluttering in her
stomach got ten times worse. A bronze head emerged from the egg and
she eased, just a little. Then everything started moving so fast.

Dragonets and Candidates were Impressing all around. Every time a
green came close she held her breath, willing that the little dragon
come to _her_, Impress _her_. Two of them even stopped to look at her,
and Cosani's heart stopped, but both of them moved on to someone else.

N'vanik sat on the edge of his seat, leaning forward every time a
green came close to Cosani. "C'mon, c'mon!" he murmured, clenching his
fists. All the eggs had hatched now, and there were only a few
dragonets left on the Sands. A green Impressed a very surprised
looking boy, and a blue ambled toward a knot of boys. Then there was
one.

Then there were none.

N'vanik's shoulders slumped as he watched his daughter standing there, alone.

She glanced around and saw there weren't any dragons left. She hadn't
Impressed. She'd been rejected. What had she done wrong? Why wasn't
she good enough? Cosani clenched her jaw. She would _not_ cry in front
of everyone. She would not cry at all. She squared her shoulders and
followed the other unlucky Candidates out of the Hatching Grounds.

Loseth sent his rider soothing feelings. }:She'll have many other
chances. She'll Impress, you'll see.:{

**I bet she doesn't feel like that now, though.** All those years he'd
never known about her, never been there for her. He could be there for
her now. Well, he could try, at least. He had to talk to her.

Last updated on the December 12th 2008

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Rejection