Touching the Poetry of the Air Clutch (Candidates)

It might have been her imagination, of course, but Ember would have sworn the Cowardly Knight Egg shifted away from her as she approached.  Surely that wasn't the case, though?  The shell appeared solid enough that the dragonet inside could not be seen-- how it would it then be able to sense a shift in the light?  Of course, it could have been the sound of her footsteps, but again, wouldn't whatever liquid cushioned the little one inside help muffle the sound?

In any case, she continued to move closer, though only a couple of steps at a time, just in case Galadrieth were watching and knew something she didn't about the egg's occupant.  When no more movement came from the shell, she stopped next to it and slowly raised a hand.

Frowning at the faintest sense of… fear?… she received, even at this distance, her fingers involuntarily curled as she drew her hand back slightly.  Was it really afraid?  Surely a strong dragonet wouldn't be afraid of a human it would soon outgrow.  Would it?  

Then again, they were still just babies and had no idea of the world beyond their shells.  And many of the women she'd known spoke of talking to their babes in the womb to reassure them, and get them used to the sound of their mother's voice.  Maybe the same concept would apply here to the dragonets, even if she were not their mother?

So, wanting to reassure the little one inside, Emberlynn gently reached forward and let her hand rest gently against the speckled egg.  "Shh.  There's no need to be afraid," she soothed.  "There's nothing out here to hurt you.  Just some young men and women who are waiting for you to choose one of them when you hatch.  It will be all right.  You'll see."

And again, it might have been her imagination, but she rather thought she sensed the faintest querulous curiosity, as if the dragonet inside wanted to believe her.  "Soon, you'll see," she repeated with a smile and a tiny pat to the egg.

Knowing there was not much else she could do at this point, the former barmaid stepped back and turned to glance over the eggs nearby.

Knowing she needed to trace a path back towards the Weyrwoman, Ember carefully wove through the eggs closer to Galadrieth.  Mindful of the queen's watchful eyes, she chose the Fearful Voice Egg next, as it again called to her like the Cowardly Knight Egg..  This one didn't seem to be hiding so much as possibly wanting to be closer to its mother.  And before Ember touched it, she gave Galadrieth another respectful bow-- it certainly wouldn't hurt to show her gratitude for the opportunity again.

The Fearful Voice Egg didn't quite give off the same fear as the previous one she'd touched, but she didn't hesitate to give it the same reassurances before she stepped away.

The golden egg not far away drew her eye next, though that was to be expected.  And she'd get a chance to touch it once all of the boys had finished their turns amongst the eggs.  But no one seemed to be gravitating towards the Trusty Sidekick Egg-- or at least she hadn't seen anyone do so.  Why, she wasn't sure, since it seemed a perfectly fine egg to her, even if it was less exciting in terms of color.

Once she reached it, she could tell there was no fear or uneasiness emanating from its shell like the previous two.  The dragonet inside may not be in need of soothing or encouragement, but would it need something else?  

Lightly placing her fingers on the shell, she discovered that it seemed to need nothing, and was content just as it was.  Not as openly confident as some of the others were, it still knew what it was, and that it had its own place among dragonkind.  A good thing, too, and perhaps its attitude would rub off on its siblings once they hatched.  Because surely the same thing would happen to dragonets as did humans in that regard?

Emberlynn could see no reason why that wouldn't be the case, sentient as the dragons were compared to other beasts.  So until proven otherwise, it was what she was going to believe.  "You take care of your brothers and sisters, ok?  They'll need your support, I'm sure," she told the egg.  "Especially a couple in particular.  I think you'll know them when you come out of there."

Perhaps it would be one to hatch first, so it could lead the way, even?  Or at least if it hatched at the same time as the previous two, they could help each other along.  Or something along those lines.

Whichever the case was, Ember was sure the dragonets would choose the best partner from among the candidates, and she for one couldn't wait to find out what was inside each egg, and who its occupant would choose.

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Iraellium was still getting used to this whole candidate thing.  Here at the Weyr, he'd been given a chance to start over, to escape the memories of the loss of his father and his mother's subsequent reversion to a more childlike state. Here, he could try to forget his disgraceful release from Crom's Guard and the girl he still wished he could see every day.  Not that any of that was easily forgettable.  But he was able to try here, without the reminders to dog him every step of the way.

Of course, he'd found it interesting that there were other former guardsmen here.  Not that any of them had come from Crom, but it at least gave him some common ground, a place to start when attempting to talk with his fellow candidates.  He also hoped at some point he'd have found possible sparring partners in them, but had yet to approach the subject.

There were also plenty of girls here.  With a gold egg on the sands, there were more female candidates than usual.  But there were also dragonriders and other weyrfolk to choose from if he so desired.

Not that he did at this point.  His heart still belonged to a certain cousin of Crom's Holders… though Faranth knew what she thought of him now.  He'd not heard from her since he'd left the hold.  Not even a letter.  But he still held out hope that she was waiting for him, unlikely as that was to be the case.

With a sigh, Iraellium ran a hand through his hair and told himself to focus on the eggs.

That was what he was here for, after all, wasn't it?  To touch the eggs and see what they felt like, get a feel for some of the baby dragons inside.  Not that it would affect his Impression, he'd been told-- the dragons would choose who they would choose, regardless of who touched the shells harboring them.  It was a nice thought, though, that he might even today connect with the mind of the lifemate that would choose him.

Then again, he could always be left Standing, too, despite having touched some of the eggs.  Which wasn't as happy a thought, but he knew it was a possibility and needed to be prepared for the situation if it occurred.

For now, though, he'd touch the four eggs he'd been told was allowed, and see what happened.

Having greeted Karene and Galadrieth as he'd been instructed, Iraellium took a moment to survey the Hatching Cavern.  The eggs on the sands, the stands, the opening high above for dragons to enter and light to shine in…  It was instinctive to catalog the exits, determine if there were any threats, keep an eye out for suspicious activity.  He knew he needed to keep an eye and ear out for the golden mother of this clutch, just in case someone behaved in a way she would take exception to.  But he would also try to keep an eye on his fellow candidates, in the hopes of preventing such an event from happening.

Slowly making his way through the eggs, the former guardsman eyed those closest to him.  He wasn't sure if he should choose  those he would touch carefully, or just complete the act so he could have it done.  They'd been given no real guidance in that regard, so he supposed it didn't matter.  Many of the other candidates had touched a couple of shells already, so he probably should be a little more quick about it at this point, though.

The Stalker Geist Egg was close by, it's light gray shell reminding him of mist rising from the ground.  It seemed a strange effect for something that was born of a dragon and not painted by human hands.  It was nice, though, and something about the egg drew him.

Reaching out a hand very slowly, he laid it against the shell, surprised, though he shouldn't have been, at the warmth he felt on the hard surface.  Whatever was inside gave off the impression of a looming shadow, something watchful and almost ominous.

Frowning, he waited a moment to see if the feeling changed, or if it was just his own emotions at the moment.  But the impression he received didn't change.

Drawing back, he eyed the egg, wondering what it meant.  Was it the dragonet inside that had made him feel that way?  Or something else?

Moving on would be the only way to find out.  So he strode past the closest egg and moved on to the next, choosing it for the slate coloring that reminded him of the Stalker Geist Egg.  This one gave no impression of swirling mist, though-- the deep gray coloring was unblemished, broken by nothing but its own curvature.

Laying his fingers against the shell, he half expected it to feel the same, but this one was most certainly different.  The Practically Perfect Egg felt strong, stern.  Proper and proud.  Nothing to fear or be leery of.  Such a difference from the other egg that he took a moment to absorb the feeling.

What did the others feel like, then?  Deciding to stick with the gray toned shells to possibly more easily compare them, he headed for the Moral Innocent Egg.  This one had some brighter colors to it, though there seemed to be no rhyme or reason to them.  Blue, green, yellow… All lighter colors, and when he touched the egg, it gave off a much lighter feeling than either of the other two he'd touched.

It felt younger, less worldly, if that were possible in a dragonet that had yet to hatch.  Naive, maybe.  A baby, with the easy trust of the young.

The thought brought a wry quirk to his lips as he pulled his hand away.  The young dragon would learn soon enough that trust shouldn't be given so easily.  There were hardships in the world, and those who would deceive, or use power for their own gain.  Or to prevent others from attaining their dreams and goals.

But far be it for him to disillusion the dragonet now, if he could somehow do so by speaking to it.

Instead, he moved on to make his final choice.  There were several available in sticking with his theme.  But one in particular seemed to draw his interest.  It had drawn others, as well, but he'd heard no rule against more than one person touching the same egg.  So he headed for the Filthy Funlover Egg.

This one looked dirty, smudged.  It clearly wasn't sand that covered the shell, though, as it wasn't the right color.  So was it truly dusty?  Had it rolled around in the bowels of the lower caverns?  He doubted that was possible, despite the egg's appearance.

It didn't smell either, once he reached it, and he actually bent slightly closer to eye one of the dirt smudges.  It didn't move when he gently swept a finger across it, so it was clearly part of the shell itself.  Strangely enough.

The impression he received from this particular egg was of great curiosity.  A desire to dig in to whatever tasks it was given, and maybe even into the sands beneath it.  As if it couldn't wait to emerge and get started.

That explained the dirty appearance, then, he thought with a faint smile.  A dragon who would dig into its work, sometimes quite literally.  It was certainly something he could appreciate.  "Hold that thought, buddy," he ended up telling the egg, patting it lightly.  "The work can wait until you're ready to hatch."

With a last look at the egg, he stepped back and surveyed the cavern once again.  Most of the others were done, and the girls were heading for the Weyrwoman in the stands.  Which meant it was time for him to follow the others out, as he most certainly was not going to Impress the dragonet that emerged from the golden egg.

Maybe this would be an opportunity to talk to the other candidates a little more.  He could ask what they thought of the eggs, if nothing else, right?  They had that experience in common, to go with the chores and other things here.

It was another step in building a new life here, finding a new place to belong.  Doing chores, meeting people.  Distracting himself from his memories.

And hoping there would still be a place for him here at Fort Weyr if he failed to Impress a dragon from this clutch.

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Emberlynn wasn't nearly as worried about touching the queen egg as Teylarrin was.  Yes, she was cautious after what happened to the other girl, but she believed following the rules set down by the Weyrwoman would keep her out of trouble.

Stepping forward to take her turn to touch the egg, the former barmaid very gently laid her fingers against the shell.  The happiness that emanated from the egg made her smile.  And she had to chuckle faintly at the clear impression that the egg knew how pretty it was, and enjoyed the attention it received.  The dragonet inside would surely be a handful for whoever Impressed it, if that were any indication.

Allowing herself a short moment to savor the proximity as she had done with the other eggs, Ember stepped back to her place in the group around the golden egg.  And then she turned to the Weyrwoman to answer her question.  "To tell you the truth, ma'am, I can't say I do want to Impress the gold more than any of the others.  I would honestly be happy with whatever color would have me."  

It was the truth, nothing more, nothing less.  Though she could be charming and dance around the truth when necessary, this wasn't one of those times.

"However, if this lovely egg would hatch, and the dragonet inside find me worthy, I would do my best to live up to the expectations that would be placed upon me."  A little flowery, perhaps, but still the truth.  Because she wasn't going to speak about how she'd like a dragon of any sort to have the ability to travel all over Pern, and to be free to visit her siblings whenever she wished.

With a faint bow for Karene, Ember then stepped completely back into her place to allow the next in line to take her turn.

The woman entered the sands and bowed to the Weyrwoman and her queen, it was only proper. She did it every time she came to a Touching Day. Surely the pair knew her name by now. She had certainly been a Candidate the longest by now. Falyn held back, watching the other Candidates go about their choosing and touching like the dutiful people they were. The blonde woman didn't want to be here. She had been passed over too many times to be excited this time. But... she made her way into the Sands anyway, and stared at the sea of eggs before her. She could probably have touched them, but none would have seemed right. They had tried that once before. Nothing had Impressed her that time either. It was enough for her, though, that even if she didn't Impress at this Hatching, she would still be the one caring for the dragonets as they grew and making sure they grew properly.

That thought made her smile.

The gold candidates had been told to wait. She was fine with that. But the Popular Princess egg did draw the eye with its beauty. The cremes and pinks that swirled on the glittery golden shell caught the little bits of light and shimmered prettily. Falyn faltered, perhaps she wouldn't mind touching the egg, just to see what kind of personality this little dragonet would have. It couldn't hurt to try at least.

Falyn let herself wait for the moment they were told it was alright, watching as each potential rider went forth through the seas of color and the expressions on their faces as they came away and left the sands when they had touched their four. One man was particularly well dressed, and the Dragonhealer was surprised her managed to leave the Sands without so much as an extra piece of dirt on him.

A smile lit her face as her mood shifted. Even if she didn't impress... she reminded herself that she would be in contact with these dragons regardless. And besides, everyone liked to watch another person's first touching!

Emerene went with the rest of the girls lined up to touch the glorious golden egg, thinking that she might not mind to be the first to touch it, but all the same, she didn't mind if she were last. All she could do was stare into the glittering swirls, considering just how perfect the shell alone was. She could only imagine what divine creature was waiting to be born from it. That very thought excited her, though it didn't help that she may have already been picking up on what confidence and happiness emanated from it.

She'd been gazing on the egg so intently that she hardly heard the words that were spoken around the group, and likewise, hardly noticed that everyone else had already touched it, leaving her for last. Or maybe near-last. She hadn't really been paying attention.

So, after most of the other girls had already taken their turn, Emerene finally stepped forward to lay her hands on it. She hardly looked at her mother, nor Galadrieth, as she was far too enticed by the nearness of that most alluring presence -the golden egg. Both hands lifting together, the were placed with a tender care atop swirls of glistening pink and gold. Immediately, Emerene was assaulted by happiness magnified many times over. Assaulted indeed. More like tickled by a million feathers. Emerene felt light and joyous, absolutely enthralled. So much so that she laughed aloud. And it wasn't just the kind of girly giggle that usually rolled off her tongue. She laughed a mirthful, heart-felt laughter as though some secretive joke had been shared between the little Queen and she. The laughter simply couldn't be helped.

When she realized that she'd probably been a disruption of the reverence, Emerene fell quiet, letting her laughing subside into giggles.

For a moment, she brought a hand up to cover her mouth, just until she could control it. There was an urge then however, to share some obstinate assurances with the little Queen, and so, she bent forward to rest her cheek gently along that contour of marbled finish which was the glorious egg. Emerene was not an overly physically affectionate person, no matter how outgoing she might be, so it probably seemed very strange that she had done so. Closing her eyes briefly in that moment, she spoke to it, "Of course you're beautiful. Even if you belong to someone else, you'll always be beautiful."  

Straightening her posture then, the little queen within must have exuded a very strong sense of self-admiration, because it possessed the girl briefly. So, correcting herself with an almost subconscious assertion, Emerene's eyes lit with fire, "No. I was wrong. You are the most beautiful."

The fight in her eyes stood as a challenge to any who would doubt the truth in those words. She was utterly sure of them... though, as she stood back from the golden egg and took her place with the rest of the girls in a circle about it, Emerene's consciousness, thinking self seemed to return to her. As it did, she seemed to sink back into her own thoughts, starting to giggle again at the bubble of joy that had tickled her when she first touched the Queen's shell. She couldn't quite get rid of the sensation that it left behind.

Two, maybe three breaths passed, before she realized that she hadn't answered her mother's question yet. Her cheeks must have warmed in embarrassment, knowing that she had been remiss in her belated reply, because they were turning a rosy shade. But she'd blame it on the heat of the  sands.

Looking to where Karene stood, Emerene composed herself appropriately once again, answering as best she could, because she hadn't ever thought of why she should become a rider. At least, not beyond making a name for herself and being recognized for her own power instead of living in the shadow of her mother. Though... not having put much thought into it would cause her to take another few moments for thought before she could supply the kind of honest answer that was required. So, squaring herself to face her mother, and then meeting the woman's eyes, Emerene declared in a tone that was filled with as much confidence as the little queen nestled on the sands between them, "The blood of Pern's greatest riders flows within me. There is nothing else that I am meant to be. I cannot imagine living my life as anything else, nor would I want to live any other life, than as a Queenrider. There is no greater honour in all the world, and it is Pern's most illustrious Weyrwoman who I will be learning from. There is nothing that would make me more proud than to become a Queenrider and be able to .. train under my own mother."

The deep feeling behind those words was genuine, but the finishing thought must have made her a little embarrassed again, because Emerene averted her gaze, suddenly not sure what her mother would think about everything she had said.