Touching of the Blooming Flora Clutch

[Administrator]

Aslath was staring at the entrance to the Hatching Grounds, her large eyes unblinking as she watched Shmee enter, with Shei in tow. Miguel was being babysat, but she wouldn't let go of Shei. Blinking sleepily, she cuddled Shei close to her. Oddly enough, she was in a rather good mood. Maybe it was just taking her anger out on S'rei, but she hadn't been in such a good mood since she came back from Benden. Sighing, she looked up at the gold, smiling a little. Her face still contained a few shadows of unhappiness, but not as much as it used to be. That, at least, was an improvement. However, Aslath caught none of the happiness into her own mind. Salenth was banned from the Sands, her gold egg needed extreme protection, her broodiness was frightening everyone who came near her, and today was the Touching. Those sticky-fingered urchins were going to touch her beautiful clutch! Well, she wouldn't let a single one that she didn't like touch any of her eggs. She grunted. If they weren't polite, they would not be allowed into the Hatching Ground at all, let alone Stand for it.

Shmee bounced Shei, who gurgled pleasantly, smiling toothlessly around the empty Hatching Ground. "Remember Aslath?" Shmee cooed to the babe. Shei didn't respond, but Shmee turned her body so Shei faced Aslath. "Aslath has eggs," she continued on almost cheerily. Shei grinned happily, her eyes lighting up. They weren't as bright as her mother's, but it looked like they were starting to get a little darker. Perhaps they would become brown, like S'rei's... She sighed. Stupid blonde man that he was... Already, though, Shei was sprouting hair that was deep red where her darker hair had fallen out. Shmee ran her hand across Shei's head, across the downy follicles, and the babe grunted with her drooly smile.

"Aslath, can you tell Aliscia that she can bring the candidates in?" she asked, frowning as the heat finally got through her sandals. Stupid sand.

Do I have to?[/color] the queen asked mournfully, pulling the queen egg toward herself possessively. Shmee blinked. She couldn't remember if Aslath had been this crazy with her last clutch or not. Usually, Aslath was so gentle and good...

"Yes, you have to, you silly dragon," she replied lightly, bouncing Shei some more. "If not, then your children might not Impress..." Aslath grumbled.

Fine,[/color] she replied sulkily. Tanith, Mine says Yours can bring the urchins in,[/color] she informed the green, making it clear that this decision she would have rather not gone through with. Just make sure that Yours keeps them in line. I will attack them if they do not behave,[/color] she warned. She was dead serious about that...

[kysseh]

Tanith, preening up on the drumheights, was not in the least bit startled by the senior queen's request. She had been waiting for quite awhile, and the green tossed her head and spread her overlarge wings, launching into the air and relaying the message word-for-word to her bonded. When Aliscia responded that she had understood, Tanith sent out the first mental command to the candidates. //Candidates, the Touching will begin soon, and you will arrive outside the ground-level entrance to the Hatching Grounds to meet Mine there.// she broadcasted, keeping the relay as short as possible. The green soared into the Hatching Grounds, warbling respectfully to Aslath and then settling herself on one of the lower tiers to keep a wary eye out on Hers. //Forgive my presence, but myself and Mine anticipate trouble from them. One of the girls had to be removed from the lesson.// the green added to the queen, barely managing to keep a lid on her disdain at the thought of the quarrelsome candidate. //I will stay up here unless you request otherwise or one of them strikes Mine.//

Outside the Hatching Grounds, Aliscia made a mental note to keep a wary eye out for a few of the specific candidates, particularly the girl who called herself Celeyn. She had no wish to permit the girl to enter, but as she was a candidate, there was no option. The greenrider almost hoped that the arrogant snob would misbehave so she could remove her by force. Then again, having the Touching go off without a hitch was always preferable. Though, if that girl showed her one bit of attitude...

Thankfully, she had no more time to dwell on it, and she glanced at the amassing group of candidates. She stood stock-still, hands folded behind her back, waiting until they quieted down to silence in front of her. Then, and only then, did she speak. "You are going to be allowed to touch the clutch today, should your behavior permit you to do so. Before we enter, remember that their are rules for the Hatching Grounds. There is to be no fighting, no shoving, no horseplay. If you have pets, like flits or the salamandyrs, then I'd strongly advise you send them back to the barracks right now."

She looked around for a moment, giving everyone the chance to send the pesky little critters on their way. The greenrider caught Tanith's dislike and ignored it. The green wanted to watch out for Hers, but staying around a broody queen was not the wisest choice available. Aliscia had a distinct feeling that the green would get herself kicked out, and it would not surprise her in the least.

"Now that that's taken care of, here is what will happen when we enter. I will lead you in, and you, as individuals, will pay your respects to the weyrwoman and her queen, as well as ask to approach the eggs to touch them. If Aslath does not give her permission, do not push the envelope. If you do, any consequences fall on your head. If she gives her permission, then you may move, under her graces, to touch the eggs. Don't linger over any eggs and do not leave any of the eggs out. Spread your attention to all of them." The greenrider flicked the corners of her mouth in a humorless smile. "I'm sure those of you girls-" she continued, emphasizing the word 'girls'. "-who would like to Impress the queen will feel tempted to go right up and touch the egg. Consider yourself warned to be exceedingly polite in asking for permission to do so."

"Remember that while you are out there touching the eggs, it is an honor and a privilege to do so. It is a learning opportunity, a chance to familiarize yourself with the eggs and the fact that there will be hatchlings coming from them at some point in the near future. Don't waste the opportunity. If someone else is hovering over one egg in particular, move on to another one. Let myself--or the clutchmother--deal with the rulebreaker. Aslath explicitly stated, through Tanith, that she will attack any one of you who does not behave. I suggest you avoid that at all costs."

Finished with her instructions, the greenrider glanced over the candidates once more and then turned to walk inside. "Double-file line, please, and if I so much as hear a peep of fighting, I won't let you in," she called over her shoulder, expecting the candidates to follow right on her heels. Just inside the entrance, in view of the queen and weyrwoman, Aliscia bowed slightly first to Aslath and then to Shmee, stepping forward and aside to watch the candidates try their best to be respectful. From the responses they had given to her at the lesson, she had serious doubts about whether any of them had any sort of discipline. Shards, but that was one thing she missed about Benden. This would be a sight to see.

[reqqy]

Salenth had just about decided that it was foolish to attempt to wait Aslath out. He should just find a ledge somewhere. If he really wanted anything out of her - and he was beginning to think that he didn't, because a dragon could only be so patient at his age - the bronze could always start chasing some of the greens around here. Whether she cared about him or not, Aslath was a queen, and queens had their pride. The thought was rather amusing.

He of course noted the gathering of the candidates, and soon enough Salenth saw exactly who he expected to see. His had taken a knife to his hair in a fit of pique, cutting it as short as he possibly could, but the ends still gleamed a pale gold. Salenth privately thought it made S'rei look ancient. Or not so privately. The bronzerider's glare made him shift uncomfortably, but he masked it behind a great yawn.

"Still stalking that gold, eh?" Still pursuing a woman nearly half your age? Salenth shot back, not appreciating the tone. S'rei's eyes narrowed. "Not pursuing." And then he turned his gaze upon the hatching grounds, a somber look taking a face made stark and angular without the curls that usually softened it. Gray had worked its way into his temples in the past turns. "She has my Shei," he stated, quietly. Something in the bronze prevented him from stating the obvious. Right now, it would wound. S'rei hadn't been working so hard to return just to see his daughter. His hand drifted to the knots of a mere bronzerider; it was all he'd ever wanted to be.

But not alone.

***

After last touching, Mutasim knew better than to bring Jabari along, though it had taken an inordinant amount of time to coax his little brown into remaining behind at the barracks. In another day and time he would have sent his pet to Z'hin for safekeeping, but those days were now over. Phremath had borne word; Jessereth had gone Between. Several others, too. Of course, she'd been wrong about Salenth, hadn't she? He couldn't quite bring himself to hope.

Having left the bandolier of daggers and his trench with Jabari, Mutasim felt quite naked when he joined the others before Aliscia. He could handle the scars lying exposed beneath the sunlight. He could handle not having the added security of the blades on which to draw should anything occur - and with all that had happened at Selenitas since he first came, that was a strong possibility. Both exposures at once left him discomfitted in a way that they couldn't possibly accomplish singly. He actually took a moment to touch the dagger hidden at the small of his back for reassurance. Yes, only the small Bitran candidate could possibly feel unarmed with three hidden blades still on his person. Some things would never change.

He only half-listened to this greenrider. Mutasim came because it was expected. In the periphery of his mind, he also knew that it was likely expected that he would never Impress as well, but that wasn't a concern. For a candidate not to show up to the Touching would have raised a red flag. When she was finished, Muta ventured forward, not bothered to be so close to the other kids.

He offered a low, graceful bow to both dragon and weyrwoman, pausing a moment before he straightened in silence and drifted, wraithlike, through the eggs. The boy would pause here or there, but he never attempted to touch a shell, merely 'tasting' the auras they all gave off and playing a game with himself. Which one of the stupid brats would this egg choose? A dark smile came to his lips. Maybe there would be blood on the sands this next Hatching. That would be...

nice.

***

The bronzerider left his bonded as the kids filtered into the hatching grounds. He remembered going on the sands, just as they had...these same sands. So hopeful then. That was eighteen turns ago. It seemed impossibly long, now. S'rei shook himself. He knew he could hardly be mistaken as a candidate - didn't try. The man simply figured he had a better chance of gaining the sands while Aslath was preoccupied with all the children.

Nevertheless, the rider still offered a bow to them both. It was strange. He'd first met Shmee at another Touching, over five turns ago. For him. Blinking away the memory, the man skirted the edge, drawing closer to the woman who held the only child he'd ever sired. Daughter. Fire-haired daughter. She didn't know him, not yet, but she was too young to know that he'd been gone, too. One small blessing. How do you explain to a child the reason that you weren't there?

For that matter, how do you explain it to a childish woman?

Looking to Shmee, he paused, catching her eyes, before he reached for Shei, his hands stopping just short of his small family. Childish or no, the history behind this woman's gaze was deep, and she was beautiful. A wild, untameable sort of beauty, this girl. Salenth was right to treat him with derision. Still, he had a right to his own daughter, didn't he? It wasn't as if he made the choice. If they wanted to place blame - Shmee had run away, then been kidnapped. If not for that, he would never have gone looking for her, and never have found himself so completely lost. He did have a right to his daughter.

Even if the child's mother had no heart to forgive him for something beyond his control.

[Kisha-Ra]

Roshya had the fortune, or misfortune, to have been quite near the hatching ground, if any daily task could be said to take one near to the structure, this meant she’d turned out to be near the front of the double file line that the candidate master instructed them to form at the entrance.

She’d listened to the lecture carefully and couldn’t help the feeling that the greenrider had aimed that bit about the queen egg at her because she’d missed the first lesson or maybe it was just because she was the closest girl candidate. At least Riss had left her as soon as the flitter realized that Roshya was going to the hatching ground, the timid blue didn’t care for broody queens at all.

The candidates were clearly supposed to follow their master so Roysha did so, a respectful distance away as if she though the rider might kick her. The girl eyed Aslath and her eggs for a moment, in truth she didn’t have experience in requesting favours of possessive mothers with heads as big as her body. Still she stepped forward and bowed deeply, once to the Weyrwoman and once to the queen, doing anything else would make her look like a silly little girl, and framed a simple formal request for Aslath. ‘Would you do me the honour of letting me touch your eggs Aslath?’

((I’ll post for the others later, I can’t see any of my boys at the front of a line.))

[kysseh]

Savitri had just arrived back at the candidate barracks, weary from a shift in the Infirmary, when she heard the command. Surprised, she tossed her bag on her bed and focused on Shadow's constant stream of images. Apparently, the little 'mandyr was having a dream about the making of a batch of klah... or perhaps he was watching it be done. Leaving the little creature be for now, though vowing to keep tabs on him via the images he was putting out, the candidate quickly made for the boats to head towards the Hatching Grounds. It took her far longer to get there than she wanted to, but she managed to arrive just before Aliscia started on her obligatory lecture.

Straightening her clothes a bit, the healer stood still to listen, absorbing and retaining as much as she could. Her cheeks had a faint flush to them from the effort spent in getting here on time--if only barely--though she could not deny that she could simply be excited for this event. As impressive as the dragon clutch was from a distance, it just had to be even more so up close, and curiosity pushed her to investigate. The thought of a bondmate... a heartmate... of hers that could be in one of those eggs was secondary to her innate nosiness to get up close to the dragon eggs and see just what they were like, though it was a very close second. She had to be envious of the bond that she saw between the dragons and riders, even when the two were very different in temperament.

She fell into line with the others, waiting patiently to get inside and get a better, closer look. Once inside, her first realization was that however big Aslath looked from in the stands, she looked far bigger when one was standing on the same level. She was not frightened so much as simply surprised by this. Apart from the clutching, this was the only time she had seen one of the queens. Then again, compared to the diminutive Tanitih, nearly every dragon would appear large, though she would never say that to the green's face. The healer wanted no more scars added to her collection, and she would rather be alive for the Hatching. Dead candidates did not Impress, and dead healers were of no good to anyone.

As she took a step or two forward in her turn to pay her respects, it belatedly dawned on her that she was still wearing her healer shoulderknots. Shards. Too late to change clothes now, she reasoned, making a genuinely respectful bow towards the senior queen and then a similar one toward the weyrwoman. She kept her hands visible and at her sides, faintly remembering approaching a mother canine as a child. Stay calm, do not conceal your hands, and demonstrate your submission... she remembered her father telling her. This was one of the instances where the people in authority belonged there, and she had no trouble giving Aslath an extra half-bow of respect. The queen deserved it, after all.

One of the other candidates had spoken aloud, and Savitri wondered if there was some sort of ritual to the asking of permission. Whatever the case, the young woman was not about to spout useless, insincere flattery. She had a feeling the queen could see right through it. She settled for something more politely direct. "May I be permitted to touch and view your eggs, senior queen?" she asked, deciding to use the formal title instead. It just seemed too familiar, to her, to be on a first-name basis with a dragon she had never personally met. She straightened her shoulders a bit, patiently waiting for the queen's response, even if it was a disappointing negative.

[ryanne]

Liassa stood in the privy, trying to convince herself that she could pull herself away from it long enough to go to the touching. Her stomach was killing her and she was having issues keeping food down today and yesterday. She didn't know what was going on with her body. She could only assume that she was coming down with something. So she stared at the walls, trying to pull up the muster to drag herself out of there. She couldn't not attend the touching, it was so important! She would finally get to run her fingertips along the eggs that could contain her lifemate, her lifebond.

Okay, that was it, she was stronger than this. Wiping her mouth distractedly, she walked out, hastening to the Sands. She was going to touch those sharding eggs if she had to continually run to the privy in between each one. Her eyes flashed almost dangerously. Today was not a day to mess with her. She was sure to be trouble if someone tried to toy with her. She might not get violent, but that person would definitely get a tongue-lashing. Probably not the best of moods for a touching, but she couldn't exactly change that on a whim.

When she arrived outside of the Sands, she listened to the temporary candidate master with a distracted expression on her face. Her stomach was still bothering her, but she was going to ignore it at all costs. When called for, she joined the line. She wasn't quite at the front, but she was far from the back. The sooner she got to the eggs and the sooner she touched them, the sooner she got to run back to the privy. She did not like how closely tied to the that stupid room. She really needed to get better and get better soon. She wasn't going to visit the infirmary yet, though, in case it was something that would keep her off the Sands. She would wait until afterwards.

Entering the Sands, she curseyed to the queen and the Weyrwoman respectfully. She truly did hold respect for the pair, something she'd developed growing up in the weyr. After seeing how Shmee dealt with not only pregnancy, but the disappearing of S'rei, her respect for the woman had only grown. She had yet to decide, however, if she was fond of the new Weyrleader or the fact that S'rei had returned. That was something that she wasn't sure that Shmee was dealing with as well. But it wasn't her place to judge, she was just a candidate hoping to Impress.

None of that mattered right now; only the eggs did. "May I touch the eggs?" she asked Aslath simply. She wasn't going to lay on the flattery or anything of the such. The gold knew her clutch was beautiful and so many of the girls were going to simper and coo at the eggs; she was much more practical than that. She thought that they were wonderous, but she felt no need to try and convey that feeling to the gold. It was extraneous. She paused with the majority of the line, waiting for the gold's answer.

[lilliana]

Lyelle had been hanging near the Hatching Grounds for a few days now, because she had heard from some of the people that had seen the clutch that it would be ready for the Touching… soon. How soon was soon, and how reliable were her sources – the candidate had no idea. But she wanted to be sure that she didn’t miss the day on which the Touching would occur. It would be a big deal, she was sure, and the last thing she wanted was to be in the middle of something, and therefore be late to one of the most important events that she could ever experience. Hm…

Currently, the girl was training Ril near the Sands – not close enough that Aslath would be disturbed, hopefully, but close enough so that she could be ready to arrive if the golden mother decided that it was time. Time for the Touching.

“Riiiiiil… come here, lov—“

//Candidates, the Touching will begin soon, and you will arrive outside the ground-level entrance to the Hatching Grounds to meet Mine there.//

Hm. For some reason, Lyelle didn’t mind that interruption. She immediately sent her green – with short instructions to where a few meat scraps were, if she could find them – to the Barracks, before heading towards Aliscia, Shmee, Aslath, and the eggs. The eggs that could possibly, possibly, possibly hold her future mindmate. Just possibly.

Although Lyelle wasn’t one of the first, despite her efforts, she was in no way late as she had feared. Instead, the girl arranged herself in one of the middle positions, so that she wouldn’t greatly stand out, and began to listen to the stand-in Candidate Master. This – this the girl hadn’t heard before, as this was her first time standing. It was mostly to be expected… nothing new, nothing drastic, nothing huge and earth-shattering. Still, it was something exciting, and so Lyelle listened even more intently than she had at the past Lesson. She did exactly as she was told, as soon as she had permission to do so, and the candidate was greatly excited to file into the double-file line, and enter the Sands.

The girl entered, and bowed as elegantly as well as she knew how to Aslath, and then to Shmee, as soon as she felt that it was appropriate. As Lyelle drew herself to her full height, she, too, stopped with much of the line. As everyone else requested to touch the senior gold’s eggs, the candidate paused for a moment, wondering how she would phrase it. After all – although she might pride herself on being a spectacular talker, as well as listener, the girl rarely was able to talk to dragons, or people of rank. Much less the most important, high-ranking dragon of the Weyr.

“Queen, may I touch your eggs?” She wasn’t going to be disrespectful, or act as if they were equals in any way. Still, Lyelle had decided that she wasn’t going to trip over herself to ask the gold if she could touch her children. It wouldn’t solve anything – the girl doubted that the queen would take too well to sucking up. But who knew? Waiting for Aslath’s answer, Lyelle toyed with one of her braids, hoping for an affirmative.

[marissa]

It was true, Raen had wanted to follow the examples of some and stand around the Hatching Grounds. However, that was not permitted. She was an apprentice to the Weyrwoman, whose dragon had a clutch on the Sands, a new babe, a new Weyrleader, a fostered child, and an old lover had just come back around. The candidate was a bit busy at the moment, and she didn’t have energy, even when she was released from duties, to trek to the Grounds. On some days, she actually felt responsible. While some people might enjoy this, it was a feeling that this certain candidate dreaded and despised. Still, after the most recent candidate lesson, Raen wasn’t as against this responsibility as she was, normally.

The broach on the topic of how sex was just thrown around in the Weyr, because of the dragons and their Flights, and then the Flightlust, Raen finally realized something. It didn’t matter if she felt responsible enough to handle it. It didn’t matter if she sharding grew up, and then decided that she wouldn’t have sex until she was ready to have a babe. It didn’t matter if she was ready in any way. Because if she impressed, then her dragon would either Fly or Chase. It didn’t matter which, because it was simply a way of life for them. And then, well, Raen would be hard-pressed to keep her abstinence. She could sharding be eleven, impress, and then her dragon could Fly and she’d have sex. And maybe she wouldn’t be so very set against this idea if it wasn’t that she didn’t want to give up her child as her father had given up her, nor did she want to die during childbirth.

It was no surprise to her that, when Tanith’s call sounded in her mind, Raen debated for a long while if she wanted to go to the Touching. The girl closed her eyes tightly for a moment, debating with herself. After all, she knew that she wasn’t ready for a child. But, really, the odds that she would be saddled with a child were unlikely. And even if she did end up getting pregnant, if she was a dragonrider, then she could just take that ‘short hop between’. Biting her lip sharply, the candidate rose from her spot on the floor and made her way to the Sands.

Raen arrived outside of the Hatching Grounds just before Aliscia began her lecture. As soon as the woman mentioned ‘mandyrs, the candidate untangled Shirk from her ankle, where the green had decided to reside for today. How the girl was able to think when her bonded was muttering something like, “Nonono nononono…foooooooodyes. Nonono,” was astounding to both, and now the completely-asleep creature was murmuring something about sleep and wherries. Pinching the tip of her tail gently (Raen had discovered this worked a few days previously to wake the ‘mandyr up) Shirk raised her head prettily, if drowsily. “Go back to the weyr, Shirk. Go back to the weyr. The weyr. Yes. The weyr,” she repeated multiple times, until finally the green blinked between, and then sent a distorted image of the furs that her bonded curled up in every night.

Taking her place near the back of the lines, she slowly entered the Grounds. Curtseying first to Aslath, and then to the woman who had taken her in as an apprentice, Raen inched up to make her way a bit closer to the front. She shot a small smile to Shmee and Shei, the beautiful baby girl, and wasn’t sure if they caught it before all of her attention was caught on the magnificent gold before her… whom she had seen countless time, rode a good number of times, and had spoken to a few times.

“Do I have permission, Golden Aslath? Do you give me your permission to touch your clutch?” Raen murmured quietly. Once again, she hoped her voice carried far enough so that the gold caught her words, before she waited with the rest of the candidates to see if they were granted their permission.

[Administrator]

Aslath's first reaction to Tanith was a growl. Jerking her massive golden head to the tiers of seats where the green so impudently sat. Tanith was probably squished, since the low ones were where humans sat. And that green had no permission to be so close to her brood! Tanith, go sit up where the dragons sit or I will ban you from the Hatching Ground,[/color] she threatened, protectively nuzzling her golden egg. Though she would not admit it now, it was obvious that Aslath went a bit crazy when she was brooding. She was normally kind, and never threatened dragons like she did to Tanith. But when it came to her clutch, she felt that she was entitled to being protective, even if she didn't understand that this was changing her personality drastically. Her eyes whirled red, maybe enough to scare the candidates. The candidates could be partly to blame for her unhappiness today. First Tanith, and now, the urchins... And I know how to care for my own clutch, thanks,[/color] she added coldly to Tanith's attempt to help. Stupid green, even suggesting she couldn't handle it!

Shmee nodded boredly at Aliscia as she came over. She didn't even bother to try making Aslath stop; it would've been useless to try, and Tanith was a big girl. She could handle it. Looking with mild curiosity at the candidates, she suddenly felt overwhelmingly old. She wasn't even twenty turns, yet she had run three touchings... So much had happened since that first one. She had met S'rei, been to Benden for the first time, fought with Benden, flown Thread, fell in love with S'rei, had his child... The amount of memories were dizzying as her fingers ran lightly over Shei's smooth skin. "Also, candidates, if anyone has any questions about the Hatching or the queen in particular, you can ask me, too," she added to Aliscia's words. Surely, girls would ask her about the queen egg. Maybe the more ambitious ones would ask about the duties of a weyrwoman, and others might ask if queens attacked more violently than a normal dragon. It would be curious, she thought. One of these girls would be the one who would join in her ranks within a sevenday or two.

--

Shmee froze, however, as a familiar person glided into the Hatching Ground. Why was he here? Her expression betrayed no emotion as she watched S'rei come in, but a frown did escape as he bowed to them. "Don't bow," she told him with soft irritation, her eyes not meeting his. He looked so old... Since when did he have gray hair? She hadn't noticed it before... But at least his hair wasn't blond. It was too unsettling, with his blond hair. Yet with his hair returning to its old color again, he was more recognizable to her. She sighed, resisting the urge to touch it, to smooth it out. Seeing his hands move, she blinked lightly.

"Would you like to hold her?" she asked, looking down at their red-haired daughter. Shei had moved her little fingers to suck at her fingers, saliva dripping onto the little appendages that Shmee paid no attention to. Gently moving Shei, she held her out to S'rei, watching his reaction. She hadn't let him hold her yet-- but he was her father. Shei would need to know him...

It was surprising how much it stung to look at S'rei still. It felt as though Shmee had taken a shot of some strong Tillek red, with a bit of pain mixed in. It still hurt, how he had been gone when she needed him. When C'leon had thrown her and Kaegan into a pyre, when she had given birth, when she had laid listlessly in bed for hours, dreaming of him. And suddenly, he had returned. Did he truly understand how it had felt, to be so alone when she needed someone to support her? She finally locked eyes with him, holding him there with a cool gaze as she held up the peacefully oblivious babe.

--

Aslath looked down at the candidates that entered. Fortunately for Mutasim, she didn't remember the events at the last Touching. It was worrying for a moment as he said nothing, but he had acknowledged her with a rightful bow. She snorted, allowing him to pass on to the eggs. Blinking down at Roshya as she was the first to speak, she peered closer. She was a girl. She would want to touch the queen egg, probably. Therefore, she needed to be carefully inspected. Sniffing the girl, she grunted again, this time in approval. She was polite, she seemed fine... She could move on.

She repeated the procedure with Savitri, Liassa, and Lyelle. All girls, all probably thinking themselves destined for the queen. Irritating, to be sure, but there was nothing wrong with them. Though she didn't like it, she let go of the queen egg. She stalked back towards the candidate line, glowering down at them as she dismissed the three inspected girls to the eggs to join Mutasim and Roshya. Who would be inspected next?

[kysseh]

Tanith, seated on the very lowest of the dragon tiers, had just settled down halfway comfortably when the queen demanded she move. She wanted very much to snap right back, but a sharp mental word from Aliscia reset her priorities. She could not be near Hers if she was removed. //Very well.// she responded simply, soaring upward to perch on one of the highest tiers. She was thoroughly sulky now. She did not give two shards about the queen's little clutch of eggs. She simply wanted to have a chance at bossing around the candidates and to protect Hers from the conniving little crawlers. She hated the candidates... or, most of them. Some of them seemed halfway decent. The rest could just go between and stay there.

//I have no doubts that you can protect your clutch.// she added as politely as she could manage. //My concern is for Mine.//




Savitri was not surprised when the queen moved in to give them each a sniff or two of inspection. She had actually been expecting a little more posturing from the queen, though the brooding over of the queen egg and the whirling red eyes definitely gave off a tone of warning. This was a mother not to be messed with, and she stood patiently beneath the queen's inspection, watching the great golden head until she was given the approval to go on. When Aslath moved on, she stepped towards the egg, pausing enough in her strides to flick a smile and a small wave to Liassa. She frowned, suddenly concerned. The girl looked a bit... off, to say the least. Or, she looked worse off than when Savitri had met her, anyway.

Now, however, was not the time to address personal issues, and she continued on her way to the eggs, deciding to start on one side and work her way through the middle to the other. The first egg she touched was a massive, many-hued gray one, and she paused for an to gently run her fingers across the shell. She was tentative at first, as if unsure how much the shell could take. It seemed strong, but she kept her touches skillfully gentle, mutely wondering. She had never seen a Hatching before, so what sort of egg hatched what sort of dragon was an unfamiliar art to her. She knew this was not that coveted queen egg, but its size made her think it would be a bigger dragon... perhaps a bronze? Well, bronzes were not for girls, but she gave the egg a few more strokes, just because the many shades of gray were fascinating. Then it was time to move on to the next one.

She stopped to stroke a few more eggs, lingering about the same amount of time over each. She had no preference among them. They were all certainly very unique. She did have to pause an extra few seconds on a bright purple egg that had fairly screamed for attention the second she laid eyes on it. The moment she brushed her nimble fingers over it, though, she felt a general air of sullenness. Was the dragon actually... conscious in there?! The healer guessed it was a reasonable assumption, but she had not expected to feel something upon touching any of the eggs. Giving the egg another stroke or two, she moved on, left to wonder about how much the egg-bound dragons could be conscious of.

[mashiara]

At first glance it seemed the tall youth was more interested in observing the touching than actually… touching anything. Certainly he took his time while others leapt about to examine one egg and another and so on and on. No, the young man with critical amber eyes allowed his gaze to sweep the hatching ground before he observed each egg from a distance. It was almost comical, the candidate standing there with arms folded across his chest and a thoughtful look in his eye… as if he were overlooking the process instead of participating. Of course Malkier told himself as much. He had come to the Weyr to learn about the red star… He had assumed the guise of a candidate because it was simpler. He would learn as much as he could and when he grew too old to stand on the sands or learned enough to leave he would…he would…

Yet in his heart, buried deep in a secret place, the young man longed for a dragon. Not that he let his mind linger on such silly things. He was a smith, a glass smith, and a journeyman at that. He couldn’t turn his back on his mother, his teachers, his dreams…Yet…oh bloody shards what pointless thoughts! Shaking his head Malkier brushed back the long black bangs that seemed to have grown enough to block his vision. When had that happened? Perhaps he should do as many riders did and crop it close…

Splotch's soft cheep brought the youth from his thoughts and when the firelizard gave his ear a nip Malkier batted him away-or rather tried, the little creature had already gone between. Yes, yes it was time to touch the eggs. But not because he desired it for himself, it was for research! A side project to attempt to better predict what sort of dragon would come from what egg. That was all. Shaking his head again the smith straightened himself and walked into the grounds, bowing to the queen and weyrwoman as others had done. It was an…unsettling feeling to be so near to the great golden dragon. Respect and admiration was there, but Malkier was also wary as he moved to touch the eggs.

He was not the cheery open sort and many took his silent self assurance for arrogance. It was in a way. Though even the calm detachment he usually wore seemed to fade as he joined in the touching. Shards it was fascinating! The Pansy Egg seemed to…project affection…Malkier admittedly hurried to finish examining that one when he realized he was grinning like an idiot. Mentally he tried to make note of the feel and sensations coming from the eggs. As soon as this was over he would return to his room and scribble notes. Though Malkier found himself wasting time here and there when one stirred interest. The Forget-Me-Not Egg didn’t exude anything but disinterest and it didn’t feel very warm…though in contrast with the Lilypad Egg it was rather active. Interesting…was the dragonet all right? Concerned Malkier found himself lingering over that egg as well.

Detaching himself finally Malkier moved on, this time toward the Daisy Egg, it had been one to catch his eye early. So many eggs…and may they all hatch well and find riders. Those amber eyes swept across to gaze at the other candidates as if weighing them. Yes, one of them would impress this egg-someone else would impress all of them-grumbling to himself Malkier forced his expression cool and returned to his examination. This was no time to get caught up in silly attachments. That wasn’t what a touching was for! Well, not for him anyway…

[reqqy]

Perhaps it was the utter lack of expression that had stayed his tongue. Anger, tears...all of these he was familiar with. Neutrality from Shmee, though, was foreign territory. Even since he'd returned to Selenitas, it was foreign territory. S'rei didn't know how to respond. He merely stood with his arms raised until her question, to which he replied, "Yes. I would like to hold m- Shei." His solemn grays sought hers, but she refused to meet his gaze, and at last he gave up. At least there was his daughter. You too, he added silently. But you won't even look at me. During all these turns I never once thought this might happen, though now I see I should have.

What are you moping about? You flew her no more than two nights ago. I'll never understand humans. It's...not that simple. Salenth huffed. You're picky about who you fly. Nothing's simpler. That was communication, Salenth, nothing more. Pent-up emotions finding an outlet. It doesn't mean what you think it means. Humans always make things more complicated than they need to be. Privately, S'rei thought that the bronze probably had a point.

Hard, to find the words to say anything with the ice he felt between him and Shmee. S'rei opted for silence as he took the weight of his babe in his arms. His first child. His only child. Shei. For a long moment, he gazed into the infant's face, then slowly brought up one hand to run the fingers down her face lightly. Lightly. As if he could memorize every contour through his fingertips. What he couldn't say to Shmee, he could manage with this tiny creature, the one who was unaware of any wrong and therefore forgiving. "I will always regret not being there when you arrived, little one," he murmured to his daughter. Drawing her into his chest, he watched her little limbs flail, but she didn't start to cry. A small blessing.

S'rei closed his eyes. They stung, and something in him balked at showing emotion to the cold, hard woman just beyond his eyelids. It was then that he decided he'd rather weather her anger than endure another moment of this wretched awkwardness again.

Once, he'd tried to explain, but it hadn't worked. An argument flared up, leading to the 'flying' Salenth thought meant that they were 'mates' again. Such an explanation could not be offered to the stone queen over there. Why did she have to completely shut him out? Worse, why couldn't he face those impassive blues? No, that was a silly question. He knew why. It was because, when he looked into them and Shmee wasn't looking back at him, he felt as if he were already dead to her. That truth was one he couldn't yet acknowledge. His daughter's warm, comfortable weight brought him his only measure of solace.

When his lashes lifted, the grays bore no sign of moisture, though this time he didn't seek her gaze. S'rei stared out over the eggs, watching the candidates. He had to break the silence. Somehow. Not so much as glancing at Shmee, he questioned softly - a question that could be misconstrued as rhetorical if she wished to - "I wonder what Shei will look like, if she chooses to search out her heart among the eggs." Beautiful, no doubt. Like her mother.

[ryanne]

Liassa swallowed deeply, trying to quell her stomach's rebellions. She curtseyed again to the queen, glad of her approval, and made her way further onto the Sands. She wasted no time in finding an egg to touch, knowing that she wasn't going to last very long. Already, her stomach was threatening to spill what little contents it had left. Running her fingertips across the Forget-Me-Not Egg, she was not pleased to feel the detachment, the coldness that radiated off of it. She knew that it was better for some to be so detached, but she could never separate herself like that. She lingered for a moment, stilling one fingertip on the egg and wondering what color the dragonet would be before hurrying on.

Moving on, a smaller egg caught her eye. Something about it spoke of a gentleness that would be comforting after the coolness of the last egg. Making her way over to the
Dandelion Egg, she was careful to touch the surface lightly. It did not feel as soft and comforting as it looked, but it radiated feelings that definitely opposed the last egg. Liassa smiled, glad for the feelings that spouted from the egg.

But her stomach turned and twisted, almost bringing her to her knees. It was everything she could do to not run from the Sands. Instead, she made her way over to Aliscia, curtseying and asking to leave for the privy, claiming that she must have some form of food poisoning. It took a lot out of her to wait for her response, her hand clutching her stomach in a dramatic sort of way that was in all actuality, necessary to keep herself grounded. She was not at all well, but she hoped the greenrider would accept her excuse and let her leave without insisting she go to the infirmary or anything of the sort. Something told Liassa that finding out what exactly was wrong would not bode well for her and her chances of Standing.

[ryanne]

Coralt flipped the leather thong in his fingertips idly. He was bored for one of the first times since he came to the weyr. Usually there was some chore to hold his attention or a lesson to draw him from his swimming, or just someone to talk to. No, he was bored now, laying on his cot in the barracks and running through scenarios in his mind. What exactly would happen at the hatching, he had no idea. What could happen at the hatching, again, he really didn't have an idea. What he wanted to happen at the hatching, now there he could muse on.

In his mind's eye, he saw himself standing in the middle of the semi-circle, watching as dragon after dragon hatched. He saw his new friends Impress, happily leaving the Sands with their browns, blues, greens, and bronzes. He saw himself standing strong, never losing hope as all the eggs hatched but the golden one and another smaller egg. Of course, the golden egg was to hatch first, usurp all the attention, but only for a moment. From the egg in the back, a clearly strong, impressive bronze would emerge from the egg, loudly demanding that Coralt was His.

Of course, in his mind, the color of the dragon changed every other day. He could be Impressing to an amusing blue who loved to play tricks and flirt with females. Or a stoic brown who was always there for him and helped calm him down when he was angry. Or even a strong bronze who helped him climb ranks that he barely understood, helping him to find a place of leadership in the weyr. He really didn't mind. He knew that whatever he bonded to, he would be able to look at the dragon with such love and wonderment that it wouldn't matter what color he was at the end of the day.

But something interrupted his musings.

//Candidates, the Touching will begin soon, and you will arrive outside the ground-level entrance to the Hatching Grounds to meet Mine there.// [/b]

Now that was the much needed amusement. He all but jumped out of bed, joining the group of candidates that were making his way to the Sands. He was almost too distracted to listen when Aliscia was talking, but then he reminded himself that getting in trouble on the Sands was probably not the best of ideas, causing him to draw his attention back over to the woman.

He nodded at her words before joining the line. He was pretty far to the back, not having been one of the first to arrive. At Shmee's words, he also nodded, respectfully recognizing the Weyrwoman. Upon entering the Sands, he bowed lowly first to the queen and then to her rider. "May I have your permission to join the Touching?" he voiced, making sure that his voice wasn't too loud. There was something about the Sands that spoke of silence and careful treadings. Even pushing his voice above a whisper seemed excessive. [/size]

[midnight]

Aminadra had just finished candidate chores and was relaxing in her room when the Green's call sounded out. She dropped what she was doing, her heart pounding in excitement. She rushed to the mirror, taking a quick glance at herself. Did she look presentable? She didn't want to look messy in front of the Weyrwoman and her Gold. Gathering her long hair up, she tied it into a quick bun, then strode away. It would have to do. She hurried to the Hatching Grounds, waiting with the other candidates as Aliscia gave her instructions. She listened carefully, not wanting to make any mistakes and be kicked off of the sands. She smiled at Aliscia's words about what a privilege the Touching was. Aminadra definitely believed it, and she was very grateful for the chance.

She filed in after a boy she didn't know and waited for him to ask permission from the Queen before approaching the Weyrwoman herself. She wasn't sure where to look as she waited. Her gaze swept over the eggs, which were all so different and beautiful. Then she glanced surreptitiously at the Weyrwoman. Who was that man beside her? He had bronzerider knots. He must be the Weyrleader. Realizing she might be gawking, she modestly returned her eyes to the front, blushing.

Finally, she looked up at Aslath. Up, and up. She was so...big. Now Aminadra really was gawking. She'd thought the blue who searched her was big! Aslath was a whole other realm of size. But not in a bulky, hulking way. No, Aslath was beautiful. Suddenly, she realized it was her turn to speak, but she couldn't find her voice.

"I...uh..." Her mouth worked, but she couldn't seem to think intelligibly. Her face turned crimson, and finally she composed herself. She pulled herself into a perfectly executed curtsy, the result of turns of practice, and smiled up at the Gold. "It is a true honor to be here, and you have a lovely clutch. May I have the privilege of touching it?"