One Step Forward
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: Clancey
Date Posted: 20th January 2009
Characters: J'darin
Description: J'darin watches the Hatching, caught between sadness and hope.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 13, day 23 of Turn 4
Hasaarth began to hum right along with the other dragons and J'darin flinched.
So, it was time.
40 eggs!
In the usual fashion of Pern queens, Nyith has known exactly what they needed, and done her part. Including a lovely gold egg. That drew a smile from his frown and he got to his feet.
}:Hurry! They are coming!:{
Hurrying, he did as Hasaarth asked and let the bronze dump him at the opening to the Hatching Ground. The humming was growing intense now and he adjusted the collar on one of his nicer shirts. But this time, he had only a place in the stands. He would only watch, as he had so many other Hatchings before Hasaarth had caught Nyith. It was the first time since that glorious day that he had... no purpose here... Even before that, he had been Weyrlingmaster Second, and had been so busy shepherding Candidates he'd barely noticed anything else. It had been turns, and turns, since he was just another bronzerider.
Hasaarth sent a wave of love and affection to him that managed to dampen his self-pity. }:You are MY rider! Come, welcome these hatchlings. They will fly high and well, and our new queen will come soon.:{ Hasaarth's humming deepened in pitch as he thought of the future mate for him. He had no doubts he would fly her, or Nyith, when the time came again.
He settled down in the stands, alone. He didn't see Zelle anywhere, but he did recognize some of the Candidates. He focused on the girls around the lovely gold egg, a practiced judging this one or that one fit, or unfit. He settled on one of the girls as his choice for the gold's mate and smiled faintly.
From there, he glanced toward Traelyn and N'vanik. The Weyrwoman was glowing. She had eyes for nothing but the eggs, and occasionally her new Weyrleader, but her focus was on her great queen. She was so beautiful, his breath caught. He was reminded of the frame he'd carved her, wings along the edge. She was like that, he thought. Free, yet trapped within the role.
Like him.
Trapped, and scarred.
He shook a little as he tried to banish those thoughts once more.
The joys of Impression were beginning as first one pair, then the other found each other on the warm sands. It was, as always, a beautiful scene and he found himself pulled into the Hatching. The deep blue of his eyes misted as he watched a particularly touching match between a brown dragon and his sturdy looking choice. Greens abounded, as ever, and a few bronzes, even more impressive. And then the gold egg rocked once.
And again.
The hums of the bronzes changed to that of welcoming their future mate, the sound thrumming deep in his bones with images of Flights, flying high with Hasaarth as they caught greens, and later, as they caught the most beautiful prize of all, the gold queen. And oddly, the last thought was of when Hasaarth caught Zelle's green, Rillith.
The egg cracked finally and all eyes glued to that scene as the beautiful gold made her entrance into Pern. Oh! She was a beauty, that one. She looked over one girl, then another, then another, and yet another, before she finally found the one she sought. Meledei, he thought, and he chuckled. Definitely not J'darin's choice! But the
dragons always knew.
}:As did I. We are perfectly matched, my rider. We will always be together.:{
Hasaarth's gentle, yet deep, affirmation of their bond, as always, healed the tears in his heart. Each Hatching bonded them anew, and he was never more thankful for it than he was at that moment.
He was surprised to find tears falling as the Hatching came to an end. He never cried. At least, not in public.
But what was even more surprising to the former Weyrleader was that they were tears of joy. Pern would flourish with such riders as these protecting her, and Dolphin Cove would go on, filling the empty Wings with willing and able pairs. This.. this was what made the danger and the pain worth it, this beautiful bond with the dragon. He watched, and he cried.
And he healed. The tears faded. His belief in himself restored with the touch of Hasaarth's mind to his. Dolphin Cove would survive, as it always did, and if that was so, this scarred, once proud man, would survive too.
So simple really, to just stand up.
So simple, really, to smile and congratulate happy families and happier newly made weyrlings.
So simple, really, to stop by Trae and hold her hands tightly, and whisper 'well done'.
So simple really, to just take one step forward. And then another.
Last updated on the January 22nd 2009