The Unexpected Candidate

Writers: Emma, Heather
Date Posted: 15th February 2013

Characters: Jeyme, Oria
Description: Jeyme is Searched by Oria
Location: Emerald Falls Hold
Date: month 12, day 10 of Turn 6
Notes: Mentioned: Sarban, Felyna

Jeyme

Oria

The waterfall that lent it's name to the nearby Hold came into view as Oria
and Degrorth came from /between/. Slowly she descended, landing near the main buildings.

The arrival of any rider was an event, and it wasn't long before she was
spotted.

"How may I help you?" asked the young man with the knots of an understeward who came to greet her.

"I'm here on search," she explained. "There are eggs hardening on the sands back at Dolphin Cove, and if there are any young people here who think they could have the potential, well my Degorth here can tell us."

The understeward nodded. "I'll pass the message around and organise things
for you."

Jeyme had only seen a dragon a few times in her life but never close enough
to touch. The fact that there was one on Search at the Hold did not escape
her attention. She'd just come in from a ride, this time with an escort so
Sarban wouldn't have a coronary, when she spotted the dragon landing.

They were all beautiful, in Jeyme's opinion, no matter the color. She'd
never entertained thoughts of going to the Weyr, so it was out of sheer
curiosity that she approached the dragon and rider with some other holds
people.

Slowly people were gathering, it was a source of entertainment for some,
life changing for others.

}:There's at least one,:{ Degrorth told her rider. }:I'm not sure who, but I
can sense someone with potential.:{

**Just you wait until they are ready, and we'll do this properly,** Oria told her as the group formed up.

Jeyme watched with interest as a group of youngsters came forward,
shepherded by one of the Hold's understewards. She stood off to the
side of them with some of the other holdsfolk, her attention centered
more on the dragon than on the youth who were vying for the
dragonrider's attention.

The green was so.. big. She knew, by word alone, that the greens were
the smallest dragons in the Weyr. She couldn't help but think that the
other dragons must have been unfathomably large.

Degrorth slowly made her way over to the group, turning her head to gaze at
all the youngsters in turn. "The young man with the brown hair," said Oria
after a moment. "Degrorth sees potential in him."

The lad in question had a look of surprise on his face, but it was one that
deep down masked his pleasure, a Weyr was a place he could be himself.

"And..." Degrorth continued scanning the crowd, Oria didn't know how she
knew, but the green had proven that she could find those who stood a good
chance of meeting their matches on the sands. "There's someone over there,
off to the side. The lady in the riding habit."

Out if natural instinct Jeyme turned with the rest if the crowd to look for
the lady that the dragon had picked out. Lady in a riding habit... She didn't see anyone that if the bill until she looked down at her own clothing and then back up at be dragonrider, her mouth falling open.

**Me!?**

But, but.. She had been sent to Emerald Falls in the hopes of securing a respectable marriage and proving to her father that she could be the lady he
wanted her to be. Of course, living the life of a lady was incredibly dull
and if she had to sit down and listen to the inane gossip at tea one more
time she thought she might scream.

**This is my chance. My chance to escape!**

"Ma'am," Oria asked politely. "Might I ask your age?" Sometimes it was
difficult to tell when people were at the older end of candidacy.

Jeyme was still in a state of shock but she managed to murmur out, "Twenty
one ma'am." She could feel people looking at her.

"Then I have to tell you that you aren't too old to accept search, but you
will need permission from your family, or your guardian if you want to come
to Dolphin Cove. I also have to tell you there isn't a gold egg, if that
would affect your decision."

"I would like to come," she heard herself saying. What was she going to tell her father? She supposed Lady Felyna would be considered her guardian and she doubted that the woman would say no to her going. She would never procure the marriage her father wanted if she went to the Weyr, and something about that seemed very appealing.

"Are you sure?" asked Oria. "I can give you some time, come back tomorrow
for you if you need to think on this."

Jeyme shook her head, "No I am sure." She didn't want to talk herself out if
going on this adventure.

"Then I'll wait a candlemark while you and the other young man my Degrorth
searched gather your things, if you need longer, let me know."

Jeyme thought of all the things she had and knew that she would only be able
to take the necessities, "I'll be back in a candle mark." She agreed before
turning and rushing off towards the Hold.

Last updated on the March 28th 2013

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The Unexpected Candidate