Alone

Writers: Francesca
Date Posted: 16th November 2008

Characters: Arrilon
Description: Arrilon Stands and doesn't Impress.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 12, day 5 of Turn 4
Notes: Mentioned: Kamalia, the Weyrlingmaster, Teseada

Arrilon quickly pulled the candidate robe over his head and put on his
sandals. He ran his fingers through his hair, then walked outside to where
a line of candidates was forming. He saw his sister, Kamalia, but hardly
acknowledged her. Shards, he was nervous. Hatchings were such public
spectacles. Everyone in the Stands staring at the eggs, and the candidates,
and making bets. He didn't like having so many eyes on him, so many
unfamiliar faces turned in his direction. They were probably judging him,
trying to guess what color dragonet would be suitable, making up his
history and experiences, unworried if he failed to Impress. Because, once
the Hatching was over, only the new weyrlings got the attention.
Candidates were forgotten until the next Hatching.

The Weyrlingmaster began to speak and Arrilon listened to his
instructions, glad to be able to concentrate on something other than his
own fears. Of course, he knew to pay his respects to Onnyth and her rider,
and to be wary of dragonet talons; but, hearing everything one last time
reassured him that he had at least some idea of what to expect.

Arrilon glanced at some of the other candidates, wondering how they felt.
For some, it was their first time Standing. Others had Stood for Turns.
Kamalia, of course, was sickeningly happy. She was nervous as well, and
hadn't paid much attention to the Weyrlingmaster's words, but she was
probably confident.

Arrilon was not. He tried not to think about the Hatching, or Impression at
all. It was much easier for girls, he thought. If there was no gold egg on
the Sands, they knew they would Impress a green, or nothing. However,
there were four possible colors for him to wonder about. He couldn't
imagine a green choosing him, but he worried that a blue could. Every
Hatching, he had tried to concentrate on every male dragonet that hatched,
wondering if the one dragonet who would decide his future was in that
clutch, or if he existed at all.

At 19, he didn't have much time left as a candidate, whether he Impressed
or not. On hard days, he considered transferring to the Harper Hall and
devoting himself to his studies. But then he would see the dragons, and
their incredible bonds with their riders, and he would promise to wait for
another sevenday, another Hatching.

Well, here he was at another Hatching. If he didn't Impress, he would be
faced with the tough choice yet again. But no, he wouldn't think of this
now. Happy thoughts, he remembered Kamalia repeating over and over.
He wouldn't be as outwardly excited as she was, but he would project
loving thoughts to the little hatchlings.

The candidates walked to the Sands and arranged themselves near the
eggs. Arrilon tried not to look at the Stands and to focus instead on the
eggs that already showed signs of movement. He wasn't confident enough
to tell himself that he would Impress that day, but he tried to hide his fears
and doubts as much as possible.

The first egg hatched and Arrilon stared in wonder at the little bronze. He
let a sliver of hope take him. As a bronzerider, he would be respected
across all of Pern. His parents would be so proud. Some day, he could
become Wingsecond, then Wingleader, and then maybe… But the bronze
chose someone else, and Arrilon sighed, determined not to let his thoughts
get carried away again. That made the disappointment all the worse.

**Don't count your eggs before they hatch,** he reminded himself.

Several blues hatched and Arrilon wondered if, maybe, but no. They
found other boys. Then a brown, and another. And, another bronze.
Arrilon couldn't help but look at the dragonet as it moved in his direction.
He held back a sigh as Impression was made with someone else.

He looked briefly in Kamalia's direction, to see how she was doing, but
she wasn't there anymore. Arrilon quickly looked towards where the new
weyrlings were led and saw her with a little green at her side. So, she had
Impressed. She had been found worthy, while he was not.

Arrilon barely saw the third bronze as it hatched and, of course, didn't
choose him. Soon after, the Hatching was over, and he was still standing
there, alone. Without even looking to see who else had been as unlucky as
he, Arrilon strode off of the Sands, away from the crowds. He was happy
for his sister and would congratulate her, but not just yet. The though of
seeing her now, glowing happily and chattering on and on about her green,
and Impression, would be too much.

He just wanted to be alone. Away from the new weyrlings, and the
dragons, and the sympathetic faces. Totally and completely alone, as only a
non-rider could be.

Last updated on the December 12th 2008

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