Leilani

Female, age 17 at Impression

Apprentice Glasscrafter

Alabaster Crafthall

No family present

Husband/partner Lopez

Dragon: Gold Diamoth from Aden Weyr

Doll: Doll Divine Warrior

Read below for her dragon's flight, and the 2nd hatching at Alabaster

Emotional/Mental Description: Pressured from all sides while young to join the Hold and become a lady for some young holder, Leilani shunned those things to become a crafter at first. Her parents both are dragon riders, but she wishes to not only follow in their footsteps but surpass either of their expectations. She responds to Engell's orders and has been on several hold-hopping ventures with him, his son and the rest of his trusted aides, so she knows that even if she doesn't impress she will have a good secure place in his entourage. She has a sharp personality, and doesn't mix well with weak people. She respects strength, but also senses that there are many different types of strength that can come from very different places in people.

Skills: She is a good glass crafter, specializing in small baubles and elegant colorful goblets. She always likes posing with those goblets at gathers, though shards forbid she get stuck doing that for the rest of her life! She pays attention to detail, who is whom, and is often put in charge of selecting weyrmates for young weyrlings. She has a deadly aim, using a crossbow. She is fond of Lexan's work with projectiles, too.

History: as above, she was born and raised here in Alabaster, and given over to look at the beautiful wares of the glass crafters hall. She remained there long enough one day that the Master crafter allowed her to begin working some of the sands and forges, and eventually made her his apprentice. She will not have much time for this once or if she Impresses, and he is slightly disappointed that he might lose her to the skies.

Notes and Special Information: She and Malisah work together often, hunting or riding scout.

Pets/Hobbies/Posessions: Leilani has no pets, though fire lizards seem to like her a lot. She has many small items in her weyr, glass ones she's made as well as gifts from suitors she's declined. The one suitor she has NEVER declined is Lotiapez. She and he are quite attached. See below!

It wasn't Thread falling, and for that at least Leilani was thankful. It was something far more important to the Weyrhold. It was a search rider.

This was becoming more a regular occurance, she thought. They were coming from everywhere, looking for good potential riders. This far into the Thread pass no one could be missed, and with no end in sight -- short of destroying the fardling red star -- no one could be discounted as a Candidate.

So it was not really surprising when the lazy folk of the hold and the overworked ones from the weyr got together down in the darkened courtyard. This time it was a searchrider from the newer Aden Weyr, announcing a seventeen-egg clutch had been laid. They had sent out other searchers, but they could not afford to lose too much time, so the late hour was warranted.

Apparently the dragon could do its work in the dark, just as well as in the day. That cast a smile across Leilani's face. She remembered that not so long ago, Shimimura had been searched, and went and Impressed, too! She knew he'd be back soon, sometime when his dragon -- and the other of that clutch, Germain's -- would be an adult. Talor Cliff needed riders, but this area of the South was growing quickly, and also needed them more than ever.

Alabaster was a priority. But then...

The great sniffing of the dragon's nose alerted Leilani that she was being looked over. She felt a hand at her shoulder, it was Lotiapez.

"I thought I'd find you here," he said, eyes gleaming. "He's already chosen me... I hope you--"

"She will be excellent," the rider announced, and then saw Lotiapez beside her. "Ah, you two come as a pair? Well, you know how that goes!"

They looked to one another, doubtful that they did in fact know how that went. Both shrugged, and both returned to their weyrs, separately this time, for the night.

First off, of course, Diamoth was the hungriest little girl in the world! Every time she woke from her little dragon naps, she demanded more meat!

Someone on the hatching ground said that though she was small compared to the other queen that hatched, she might rival her in size sometime soon!

"I don't doubt that," Leilani remarked.

Lo'pez arrived to her weyr, with brown Lilioth at his side.

"So," he said, smiling widely, "do you think that Lilioth would have a chance at catching your gold? If they weren't from the same clutch, that is?"

Leilani winked and kissed her friend, "that would have to be ironed out when she is old enough to Fly, my dear. And now, we are not supposed to be flirting and playing anymore."

Lo'pez's beautiful brown eyes turned almost sad, but he was only joking. He and Leilani had shared enough of each other in the past. He could wait for their dragons to grow up.

"Besides," Leilani said, putting oil on Diamoth's skin, "if your lovely little Lilioth flies another gold, I will be there for you. I just pity that queen rider who loses you."

***

"How can you say that!" Leilani pleaded with the weyrling master to allow her to fly.

"Your arm is not strong enough," he pointed out. "If you cannot grip the straps correctly you might fall. And then where would we all be? Without one gold rider, and soon without one gold dragon. That's where."

Leilani huffed about the weyr for another few minutes. Her arm did sting so when she gripped her fingers together.

"You could send for a healer."

So send for a healer she did. The only one she knew of. The one from Alabaster's inner caverns. He would have to come. She was aware that he rarely left the place, but she also knew he was far better at setting bones and making wounds like her broken wrist heal very quickly.

She also detested him completely, but that was another story. She had someone send a flit to the Weyrhold, and shortly recieved the message back that he would be on his way. Grudgingly, the note added.

She smirked. Of course he would be resistant. He apparently hated being around dragons. Something about his childhood, she guessed. But what she guessed and what really was true might have been very different things.

The healer arrived and looked much paler than usual. The arch of her eyebrow asked the obvious question and Kalkin grunted.

"I do not take travel very well, my dear Leilani. Let me see your arm before I fall over." The tall man examined Leilani's wrist and shortly sat her down with a mug of wine spiked with fellis.

"I took the pain of getting it broken," she said, looking at the wine and halfway wondering if she might have called Lo'pez in just in case the good Healer decided she was more appealing than off limits.

Kalkin looked at her and with a serious face told her, "you will probably not enjoy watching this, though. I will have to re-break it, and yes it will hurt quite a bit. So if you will, please drink up and when you are more tired I will set your wrist."

She smacked her lips and drank. Warily, she watched and then her head began to nod. Right about then, Kalkin looked at her with a slight smile.

"That is all it will take," he said. "Now, yell if you have to. Do not bother keeping it in."

"You just like hearing people yell," she muttered, fuzzy with the fellis.

"I do, at that," Kalkin replied while pushing his fingers over her wrist and moving the bones back to their right places. To her credit, Leilani did not shout out. She gritted her teeth and tears came to her eyes, but she remained steady.

Diamoth outside her room however...

RIDER! MY RIDER IS HURT!!

To which Kalkin passed out. Unceremoniously he let out a gasping sound and fell face first onto Leilani's lap. Distantly, Leilani felt another dragon's mind.

No! You must not do that! He cannot listen! His mind is...

"What was-- what is he-- Are you okay?" Lo'pez arrived in the archway of Leilani's weyr, to see the dark-haired healer and his lover, somewhat oddly embraced.

Leilani held her hand up, looked at it, and even though she knew the fellis was numbing her somewhat, she grinned.

"Well at least he fixed my wrist before Diamoth assaulted his brain. What was that other dragon?"

"Other... oh. Oh, I see. I'll take care of it." Lo'pez said mysteriously, and put Leilani to sleep, propped up Kalkin so he could hopefully sleep off whatever the dragon's mind did to him, and went to fetch someone to bring him back to Alabaster. Or to visit his own dragon, one which Leilani did not know of.

***

Leilani chuckled at the redheaded bronze rider behind her. This flight home was just what she needed.

From the looks of it, Anissimoth was going to be having a mating flight soon, and she didn't want Diamoth anywhere near that when it happened. The first of her golden offspring was a proud beast--

I am not a beast! Came the indignant reply from the golden head. I am a dragon! Those fish below, they are beasts!

True enough, below the trio of travelers there was a huge school of blue-green fish with the large fins and the long snouts.

Shipfish, Diamoth bespoke, look, shipfish! Aren't they swift!

The dolphins below circled the fish, and then singled several out, preying on them like the long forgotten earthly wolf. A pack hunting far more efficiently than singly.

While they watched, of course, Diamoth got it into her head that she was hungry.

I will bring us a fish!

Dia-- you know that we're on our--

The dragon dove down, hard, suddenly hitting the water with her forelegs and head. Her neck curled high, and her back held over the water, she still managed to splash Leilani with cold ocean water.

Fuming, Leilani insisted they rise up again, but sure enough, Diamoth had actually caught one of the big sailfin fish!

You see, all it takes is a swift hand.

"I see that," Leilani said, angrily tossing her soaked hair from her face as it whipped about in the wind.

She could hear the laughter from the guys behind her, and growled.

Perhaps they heard her, because they shut up and said nothing on their arrival to Alabaster!

***

With more relief than anything else, Leilani welcomed back the four men who had gone back to Aden for Anissimoth's flight. She knew that any of them (well, perhaps not J'zin's bronze) would have made a fine leader and mate for the queen. But sadness and nervousness melted away from her when she saw Lo'pez drop to the ground off of his beautiful brown Lilioth.

"You're back! You... didn't win," Leilani said, trying to look disappointed for him.

"You don't have to act sad about it," whispered the black-haired handsome man she loved, "I'm not. Lilioth agrees. Now... let's get some wine and celebrate!"

The others, Leilani noticed, were not in such festive moods. Especially G'ed. She gave him a look of apology, for didn't he have to head back to his empty, chilled weyr?

"Lo'pez," she whispered, turning him and nodding at G'ed. "We have to cheer him up somehow. While you were gone, Syncha left the Weyrhold."

"She what? She's needed as a--" Lo'pez started, but Leilani put her fingers over his mouth.

"She wasn't suited for weyr life, love. She'd never be a dragon rider, and it showed. So let's just get G'ed and the others and keep him occupied for a while."

Together they cornered the drummer, and made more than a half-hearted attempt to keep him from his depression.

Three days later, Diamoth was sunning herself when she perked her head up.

I think that it is a good time for me to tell you, she bespoke to Leilani, that I am finding myself wishing for wherry.

"Then go grab yourself one." Leilani grunted, while oiling her harness.

No, I think, one will not do. Nor two. She passed her eyes over the other weyrs, from her high ledge. Oh, and those males will have to go. They do nothing at all for me. They are cluttering up the scenery!

"Cluttering up--" Leilani gasped, "Oh, Diamoth, you're proddy and rising... Oh my..." The long black hair on the rider fluttered around her back, snapping in the breeze she caused by dancing about. "I must tell Lord Engell, and the others..."

You do that. I will ... be here.

Not for long though...

***

The call at the Protectorate went up, through the contact of bronzes and browns. There was a queen rising at one of their sands! Golden Diamoth, of Alabaster! Many of the browns and bronzes called were held back by their riders. They were due in Threadfall soon, so could not afford to be tired out and distracted by a flight. Some others, particularly at Alabaster itself, pulled out of the running purely because, well, Leilani and her weyrmate Lo’pez would not due to be separated.

Still, some dozen males drifted in while Diamoth was pacing angrily on her ledge. From the rim of the huge white quarry-weyr, Lord Engell and the gold’s rider watched the dragon pace.

“She will be going up any moment,” Leilani panted, flushed. “And I don’t know what to say. I want her to have the best mates... I want Lilioth to win...”

The white-haired Holder pressed his fingers onto Leilani’s shoulder, warmly. How fatherly he could be, to those he held dear! How distant he usually acted to strangers and those who did not belong at Alabaster! “Leilani, even K’yle isn’t here for this, and you know of anyone I could want to win your beautiful Diamoth, it would be him. He’s off at another weyr’s flight, far in the future. Now, you should go to the feeding grounds. There is an area for ... your situation, down there.”

Her situation... Oh yes, that once those dragons began flying, she would be swept away into the full emotional brunt of it all. Almost unable to respond already, Leilani nodded weakly and allowed the Lord Holder to escort her into the tunnels. He didn’t suggest that Diamoth fly her down, of course. That might not be a wise idea.

Must concentrate, Leilani thought to herself. The turbulant thoughts from Diamoth were rushing ever faster, and were more insistant. How she wanted to spread her wings, how she was thirsty! Oh, how thirsty she was... How she hated the sight of the other dragons – not all of them, but most of them displeased her.

The flock of greens which took to the air and went between to some safer locale tipped off anyone who wasn’t already in the know. The group of young golds (and experienced ones as well) residing at Alabaster Weyrhold also took to the air, though most of them were angrily fighting their riders to remain. How dare this upstart junior demand them to leave?

They did. It was a good thing. For Diamoth tore into the air and swept into the feeding grounds like a golden banshee. It was just barely as Leilani and Engell got to the flat of the feeding grounds that the dragon above soared down, landing heavily and with great agitation, at the wherry pens.

“Blood those. Blood them.” Leilani chanted, through gritted teeth. Though she had allowed Diamoth to do what she would before now, it was clear that this young lady rider had no intention of losing her queen through some idiotic error on her part. The dragon obeyed almost immediately, with a bugling growl. “I said blood them, and that is all.” Leilani said, her eyes almost the same color golden yellow as her glowing queen. Intent on that queen, Leilani did not even notice the bronzes and browns who had dropped in on the weyr for the duration.

Diamoth grasped at one large wherry, and while it shrieked, she bled it through its throat. Violently throwing it aside, the body of the feather-covered food beast nearly broke through the fence as the dragon looked for another.

Not enough! It is not enough for me! I want to FEED!

You will blood them and you will fly. Nothing else. I will not forgive you if you deviate, Diamoth. Find another and blood it quickly!

The dragoness glanced back, angry red eyes whirled with orange and yellow. She saw her rider, and focused again. Turning to find another wherry, she took one and sucked its lifeblood out, almost squeezing it to get the last. Then another, her third and final blood. Leilani was almost drunk with the dragon’s mind swirling into it, and Diamoth stood powerful and glowing like a star.

She threw back her head and looked to the sky, clouds dotted the southern area, while a thick haze drifted over the nearby sea coast. Where should she fly? Where would make her happy?

No longer caring that there were people, wherry or dragons below, Diamoth spread her great wings, and flapped hard. The crew of lower caverns staff that were collecting the wherrys killed by her dove to the ground and waited it out. Soon, Diamoth rose into the air like a crossbow bolt, aflame with light.

The men who rode the browns and bronzes gathered quickly, though they remained at bay for a moment. Engell had not left his newest queen rider’s side, yet, and they would not interfere unless it looked like he was going to okay it. Resentful, one of the bronze riders strode to the pair.

"Lord Holder,” said H’aze, “you must leave now. This is for riders.” The hint of growling threat in his son’s voice alerted the Holder and he turned, took in a long breath, and nodded. With a slight show of politeness toward the clump of riders, Engell moved aside. Leilani needed no protection from him, of course. She was one of the most deadly young women in the Weyr, trained like all the others that Engell wanted around him, in ways of subterfuge and defense. If she had to fight her way out of a mix of strong bronze riders, Engell thought to himself with a smile, he’d probably be out a number of good men!

But no such thing would be forthcoming. Though the riders were indeed swept into the air with their dragons, most of them kept in the back of their human minds that the only dragon and the only rider which this pair truly wanted to win, was Lo’pez and Lilioth. The brown was smaller than some, but faster than all the bronzes assembled. The burly L’ex took a place near Leilani and glanced across to Lo’pez who was dwarfed by the dark man. Smiling like sharks at one another, they watched the other dragons vye in the air.

At first, Diamoth didn’t seem to have a direction in mind. She did a tour of the southern hills, then led the pack of males into the air over the Weyrhold itself. Almost a sight-seeing tour, she led the large group of males for more than a candlemark! Tiring them out, a bit, Leilani noticed. But so high up did she fly that her circling tour made two browns almost too dizzy to continue. Then quickly after that, Diamoth decided to head over the ocean.

The thick sea-haze matched her mood. It was unclear, it was murky. She went very low, gliding over the water and even terrifying one boat with her nearness. The bronze pair behind her, Ulonyth and Alkalmith, had to pull up lest they smash into the fishing boat! Two more browns and a bronze dropped out.

They are only males, Diamoth thought. Leilani smirked. They have no endurance at all!

But they are good males. Let them chase you! I want to see their wings tire from chasing you!

Diamoth took that moment to turn almost straight into the air, powering up through the fog and erupting into the clear sky above it. Three bronzes and three browns still followed her, and only then did she start doing her true mating flight. Into the sky over Alabaster, she twirled. She did two huge rolls, making the nearest dragons flap away in confusion. They did not want to get tangled up in her wings, crash on the Weyrhold below! Dalinoth doggedly followed along, close behind Ulonyth. Lilioth was behind, near the other browns, and Leilani noticed this with a frown. Why wasn’t he trying harder?

Brown Surketh, ridden by another of Engell’s sons, dropped from the racing flight when he clipped a tall tree, avoiding Diamoth’s sudden dive. Pa’sha left the group and took a runner to Surketh’s side, making sure that the dragon’s wing wasn’t injured. Diamoth rose and dipped again, confusing the males as to where she would go next.

That was over their heads, doing a tremendous and low-flying back-turn, head over tail and flipping to right herself while the other dragons scattered. She trumpeted loudly and Leilani laughed on the ground.

They will never catch me! I will not be caught by these laggards!

Dalinoth tired next, when Diamoth did another swirling rocket into the sky. He couldn’t quite keep up, though his rider D’lon assured him that he was a fine bronze and would someday catch himself a queen like he promised when he hatched.

Far up into the air, with four suitors left, Diamoth assesed the situation quickly, and dove past the foursome and down to the sea hold again. The surprised bellows of the two browns and two bronzes was nothing compared to the exuberant shouts of those Hold inhabitants who saw the flight from the coast. Diamoth dipped into the sea, her claws and tail leaving runnels and spray to all sides, clouding where exactly she was. For another few minutes, none of the males could see where she had gone.

Then, wanting to prove that she was indeed the finest glowing Gold in the world, Diamoth blasted through the layer of fog and nipped at Lilioth’s tail! Shrieking with glee and anger, Lilioth finally started his own offensive. He snarled at G’ed’s Lorenth and down below Lo’pez gave a laughing apology to the rider. Lorenth dropped out of the flight when Diamoth swooped over his head and ‘tagged’ him giving off a trumpet mocking his slowness. Diamoth circled with a big barrel roll, and then headed up once again.

Surprised, Alkalmith couldn’t keep up with the gold’s swift ascent, and seemed to know that his race was over. The bronze descended with his head low, and H’aze consoled him as well as he could.

Ulonyth and Lilioth continued to chase closely behind Diamoth, turning with her left-right movements. Leilani down below could feel her arms and part of her back aching. Why? Oh! Because Diamoth’s wings were begining to tire. All the dodging she was doing started to take its toll. Diamoth tried to sweep down to the left, but Ulonyth was there. She tried moving to the right, and there was Lilioth right with her!

Snarling fiercely, Diamoth then decided a different tactic would have to do. She dropped from the air, folding her wings up above her body and allowing the wind to breeze past her. She lost altitude quickly, and caused Leilani to gasp in half-terror. The wind rose, but just before Diamoth was going to strike the slate-colored water below, she broke her fall and used the acceleration she had to carry her up higher than she had been before! So clear into the air, Diamoth barely had to flap now. But she did, eventually, and at that moment, Lilioth appeared below her. A dark brown shadow, keening with his voice joined by Lo’pez’s below.

You shall not have me yet! Screeched Diamoth’s mind, echoed by Leilani on the ground, and the men still watching closely backed away from the fierce dragon-tainted woman. All but Lo’pez.

L’ex smiled softly, and muttered, “perhaps next time, dear girl,” and bowed out, telling Ulonyth to allow Lilioth his day. You’ve already had your chance, and next time it may be another queen without ... attachments.

Grumbling, the bronze obeyed. He was nearly exhausted anyway. As he dove downwards, Diamoth and Lilioth ascended still, the brown barely behind her golden tail. When she began to slow, he sped up, still headed almost straight into the sky.

Below, mutterings of astonishment started. How high would they go? If they were to even start now... Such a spectacular sight!

At the apex of the dragon’s flight, Diamoth twisted her body into a beautiful bow arc, her wings curving off toward the sky still. Lilioth joined her wrapping his tail around hers first, then taking her neck around his own, not one scratch would he allow on either of them. Their wings tangled together as did their limbs, and below on the ground Leilani and Lo’pez were hurried into the shelter that was provided for them.

“They’ll be up there for a while,” someone muttered, “might as well start clearing the sands out, it’ll be a big clutch!”

(( This is the hatching of that clutch, might as well post it here. ))

Lord Holder Engell looked at the papers on his desk, and the window from his tower-office. He preferred the latter view to the former. Of late, in fact, he’d been apt to watch the waves beyond Alabaster’s complex and actually be content for hours. It was so different than before.

But there were drawbacks. The dragon eggs on the sands, for instance. Technically, they could be said to exist in two places at one time. And that just would not do. There were so many dragon riders taking family, friends and such through the nexus to cover for their absence on one world, that they did not have much time to assemble their ranks and fight against the Ants on Paniya. Nor did it seem that their old dragons, and those found in Blackstone, would be able to fight with their flames put out. Without the vital charcoal substance they fed the dragons, their flames were extinguished forever. How the local Alskyr dragons did it was still a mystery to the white-haired man, but one that he would have more than ample time to learn about later. The gryphons of the area intrigued him greatly, and he had watched them fighting off the Ants while touring the Isle.

The Ants weren’t the end of the threats, but at least those blasted things usually wore themselves out and could be turned away. This nest of eggs upon Alabaster’s sands would be the last of their kind, true. But, Engell smiled to himself and straightened out the paperwork in front of him, there would be something new to replace them soon enough. Tirin guaranteed him that the Aerie would be in full working order within half a year at most. There were already a couple eggs in nests, but they were not fit for bonders yet. Engell put himself back to work, for his own bonders sake.

Looking over one set of tacked-together papers, Engell sighed. “Where have you gone, beautiful Marian? Diamoth was certain you would be good for an egg. And your husband is waiting...” He blinked and leaned back. Shani would be there, at the hatching. He was certain of it. But how? Either she had been left behind at the old Protectorate, which was unlikely, or she had gone somewhere and not known how to return. Verelan was beside himself, but fortunately his young bronze Montaroth kept him from being too distraught. The honor and the responsibility of a dragon kept his mind occupied. Engell tried to console the furred male, but could not really explain where his mate had got to.

J’rin cleared his throat after sticking his head through the slightly-cracked door. “Sir? Everything seems to be going fine. I’ve located a couple other candidates. Did you need me for anything else?”

Engell swung his eyes up from the papers, not paying any attention to them anyway. “Right now, search rider, your job is done. Go have yourself something to eat. Or,” he pressed his fingers together, “why not go see your candidates? Surely it must be getting close to hatching time. The dragons and flitters are restless.”

“You know signs as well as any rider, sir.” J’rin said, and begged out. He seemed relieved, and somewhat confused. He would be returning to Ryslen of course, but Engell figured it was only a matter of time before Ryslen and many other of their old-world locales would be making the desperate, impossible jump from there to Alskyr.

Moments after J’rin left, Leilani knocked gently at the Lord’s door. He bid her to enter, and she stood with her back leaning against the smooth wall. “Sir, I should like to look for her. Two of them, actually. Do you think they’re together?”

“Two? Ah, the... sort of gypsy?” Engell asked, and Leilani nodded slowly. “Yes. But ... Diamoth will not leave the sands. And will she allow you to leave either?”

A sly grin had already crossed Leilani’s heavy and red-washed lips. “We have left and come back already, sir. That’s the way with these modern day time traveling dragon riders. They don’t know when to quit. And so you know? Kalkin didn’t get lost this time.” She swayed out of the room, laughing, as Engell blinked away the surprise.

With a sigh, he ground his teeth and finally admitted a smile onto his face. It would have been disasterous to have the queen of the clutch off galavanting – especially with Kalkin and his little blue to guide them. But apparently, Engell pondered correctly, the queen did not go anywhere until after the clutch hatched, then went at her leisure off with whomever her attendants were. They picked up the errant candidates. Would pick them up. Whatever. Engell was not a rider, never would be. But he did at least know some things ought to be done carefully if at all. And time traveling, especially around the Nexus and so early after having left the old locale, was always dangerous. Too much memory of their old world could bring a rider back to it, they’d already had to rescue a number of riders.

Leilani and the Alabaster group of riders were not among those who needed rescuing. They were determined, and most of them had managed to adjust in this short time, quite admirably. They too would be given time to learn their new niche in this world.

He trusted the younger woman implicitly, and certainly wasn’t about to chastise her for her actions. She wanted the best candidates on the sands, for her dragon, and whatever she needed to do was fine with him. After this, he’d be able to retire from this dragon business. So many years, so many generations, to come to this? With half a smile on his face, he stood and watched the waves outside, and relaxed. There were diving gryphs there. The future of Alabaster.

***

In half an hour, when the sun was about to set, Engell heard the dragons in their cavern below. He missed the beautiful white-sand Alabaster hatching cave, but this one was almost exactly like it, and the candidates didn’t seem to notice the difference. A small alis-gryph lit into the tower with a hastily-scribed note to the Lord. He chuckled at it, and headed down to the Sands. Dunes, he reminded himself. A dune which was not going to see use again, for some time. The nests above and on the shore would be far busier, of course.

Engell and Leilani met up again near the entrance to the Dunes. The warm room was busy with noise and movement, but they were still. Lo’pez approached with a beaming smile on his tanned face. “This is it! Our eggs hatching at last,” he seemed so perfectly happy with it.

“Our eggs?” Leilani smirked. “Diamoth’s eggs. She’s done all the hard work. You and I have done practically nothing at all. Yet.” They shared a strange ‘we’ve been timing it’ look.

The candidates began to arrive, as the dragons reached their loudest. The room itself was not nearly as large as the Alabaster sands were. For that reason, the dragons were mostly outside. Those who had transported people remained outside, while those Alabaster based dragon riders were priveledged to remain within. There was more than ample light coming from the setting sun, though it cast a clear red-orange glow over everything. The white sand within the chamber turned amber in this light. The number of folk allowed inside to view the hatching was low, especially given that the large clutch needed room to open up, and the candidates would not be crowded. Since there was not an internal exit from the dunes, the visitors made room for the candidates and bonders as they would be leaving, out the front onto the long beach nearby. Above, on the cliffside to the east, lay the Alabaster tower and surrounding buildings. Many people remained there, but stood up on the cliff side in hopes of glimpsing the new bonders as they came up for their feast.

Tents decorated with bright lanterns and slung with banners were everywhere. The beach was crowded with them, mostly along the cliff side, where rope ladders and even a couple ‘elevators’ were draped down the rocky cliff. There was a main tent with cut up meat in large bowls for the hungry hatchlings that would shortly be coming out from the Dunes, and next to it was the medic’s tent. While the candidates arrived, and the onlookers gathered, Engell made sure that everything else was running smoothly. He would be back to the Dunes in time for the eggs to break, he was sure.

“You’re going to look for the women?” Engell asked Kalkin, who started and turned with wide blue eyes.

“I already have. I’m not well. I’m also over there,” this second-version of the man said, nodding a bit to the tent where the ‘first’ version stood preparing salves and ointments and stitching equipment for any accidents that might occur. “I do not want to meet me, Engell, so I’ll be off. The Sixth...es are having a wonderful time. Hear them?”

Engell cocked his head, and sure enough, the sing-song chittering of not one but TWO little blue Sixth floated down from the cliff side.

“Then where are they?” Engell asked, and the second-Kalkin again nodded toward the cliff.

“Preparing, with the others. The Mari needed a bit of medical attention, but she’ll be all right. Her husband is with her.” With that, Kalkin the time-lost went off to get his Sixth – and he truly hoped he hadn’t screwed up by choosing one of them over the other. Confused, he vanished on the blue’s back, apparently going forward in time again until there was no longer a paradox of people.

Engell walked toward the candidates tents, and found that the Mari pair were discussing quietly with one of the more hide-bound of the old-worlders that Shani would not in fact be wearing any such white gown for this event, even if it were tradition.

“Leilani promised me,” Shani wailed, her eyes wide and brimming with hot tears. “She promised me I would not be forced to wear ... this!” She held out the white garment at Engell.

“And I will keep that promise,” Engell stated, his voice low and clear. The attendant snatched the white robe from the felinoids hand and passed it to someone else, who set it down without putting it on. Apparently, this was more than too much for the older auntie, and she went from the tent in a huff. Engell chuckled a bit, “well, that takes care of her. If we don’t have you putting this on, I hardly expect anyone else to wear them. It works for others...”

With profound relief on her feline face, Shani bowed to Engell and thanked him in their whispering, growling language. Verelan helped his mate up to her feet, they both towered over everyone else there.

Everyone save one. One extremely odd male, named Eraill, stood taller. But he was slender and not at all humanoid like the Mari were. Oh, he stood upon two legs, but he looked more like a stick-insect than anything else. Engell had long accustomed himself to holding back any disgust or fear of this oddly-faced creature, but still. The Lleisiau emissary no longer had his wing sails, and his face (what could be said to be a face, anyway) had so little in common with humans that Eraill still frightened most people.

“I know you can get around perfectly well, rhannu Eraill,” Engell said, “but would you like an escort into the Dunes? There are many people gathering.”

The low hum of the dragons threatened to burst the poor Anuaeri’s ears, and he hesitated. “I would prefer to remain outside,” he said, his strange calling voice high-pitched and almost elusive to Engell’s hearing. Kalkin cleared his throat and pulled Engell aside.

“He’d be best off out here, until absolutely necessary. His hearing is...” he smiled a bit, “well, like mine. They move by echolocation, so he’s been complaining about the dragons announcing the hatching, all day long.”

“They only started an hour ago,” Engell said.

“That may be true, but to Eraill they’ve been gearing up for it since morning. I tend to agree with him. It’s far too loud.”

“Are you coming in for the hatching, then?” Engell asked.

“I’ve had my fill of them, Engell, too many strays try bonding me. Sixth would get jealous if another one tried it.” Kalkin turned and tended to Eraill’s ruined arm wing-sails again. Engell left the tent, and headed back to the Dunes as the dragons song became more intense.

It was just in time, too, that the Lord of Alabaster came into the Dunes. For right at that moment, the biggest of the eggs began to spin!

The big golden-hued egg thrashed about, while several other eggs also began to buck. But this one would clearly be opening first. The dragons continued their song, Diamoth crooning the loudest and with more pride than all the rest. Her beautiful big golden egg was going to hatch first! What an accomplishment!

The talons which broke free of the egg chipped away at the shell with a sure, determined strength. The golden limb which pushed out was followed very shortly by the snout and neck of a beautiful golden dragoness. She squirmed her way out of the shell, her wings breaking the opening more. The girls whispered to one another, that this lovely vision would be quite strong, if not large. She unfurled her wings and shook the wetness from her skin. Then she deliberated about the girls gathered before her. The other eggs still shook with their hatchlings inside, but it was as if she alone wanted this moment to herself on the sands. The moment that she placed her feet on the sand, the dragons stopped their loud song.

Silence overtook the stands as the dragons ended their crooning. Then, mutterings and quickly placed bets were made. Oblivious to this, the queenlet looked from one face to the next, oddly dwelling on a male named Raydon before fully switching to the girls. She strode before all of them, and each girl or young woman’s heart threatened to explode. But the whirling angry-red eyes of this golden dragon only turned a soft green-yellow when they spied a sixteen-year old darkly skinned girl. The girl’s eyes were mismatched blues, and the dragoness bespoke to her.

You have funny eyes. Will my eyes turn those colors?

“O-only if you let them, Kesshinth!” Cried Sacilla. “Yours are much more matched than mine!” The young mother clung to the golden dragonet’s neck with a fierce happiness in her own eyes. She heard her child, Soam, calling for her. “You must meet my boy, Kesshinth. He’ll love you!” The girl’s golden flitter dived down over head, and Sacilla scolded her. “Acan, you behave! This is our new lifemate!”

Proudly, Sacilla and her golden dragonet paraded themselves out to the waiting crowd, who were stunned to see that the gold had come first! Many people lost money on that bet!

Three eggs on the Dunes began to crack open at the same time. Two were fairly large, and one seemed dwarfed by them though it was of average size. The biggest two revealed a huge green, and a medium sized brown, while the third egg cracked open with a beautiful green dragonet inside. They collectively shook off their shells and greeted one another. Then they took off to different parts of the Dunes.

The big green strode up to a black-haired girl whose brown flitter chirped loudly. “I know! I know she’s here! What do you want me to do about it, you little pest?”

You do not have to go back to your hold, Pirenamay, bespoke the big green. I am Lielth, and I will accomapany you where you wish to be. And your big pest too. The green nudged Zer as he stretched from the girl’s wrist, and he chittered again.

While they were going out to the sunset and the cheering crowd, the brown dragon was busy looking over the male candidates. He seemed to be rather different in shape than the other hatchlings, sharp where they were smooth, and much longer. He reached over to Adel, whose big hands soon caressed the dark brown hide. I am Gudifak, the dragon announced, you can feed me now, can’t you?

“Of course I can, Gudifak! What an interesting name you have there...” The horse-handler helped his new lifemate off the dunes, and into the tent where the ever-popular fresh cut meat lay.

The smaller green took her time while choosing among the girl candidates. Up in the stands, one of the search riders’ dragons gave off a cheering croon, and Maiahn found herself halfway below this eager new companion. The dragoness stretched up and put her still-sandy paws onto the girl’s shoulders, and creeled in both hunger and happiness.

I have found you! Oh it took so long, I know... I am Yemlith, and your beautiful blue friend over there was right! You are perfect for me!

“Yemlith,” spoke Maiahn, “and you’re just the right dragon for me!” She glanced up at J’rin who was grinning broadly. Their dragons would surely be right for one another!

While they were walking out to the tent, Eraill sensed something inside the Dunes, and finally braved them. He left the medic’s tent and listened intensely to the sounds on the inside of one of the shells. Upon the sands, he heard every movement that the dragons within their eggs made. One of them in particular seemed to call to him. Though he was not at all sure if he was listening in his mind, or in his ears. When the dragon he was paying attention to broke through his shell, everyone wondered in a bluster of whispers, what color that really was? It was a shade between grey, silver and blue, a slate color. Nothing like it ever hatched, anywhere, that Engell knew of.

It does not matter what color I am, the dragon thought to Eraill. You cannot see and do not judge me by it, and I will fly for you. Eraill felt the cold, still-wet muzzle of this exotic dragon press onto one of his hands. The shape of this dragon was a bit like the longer ‘brown’ who had hatched just before. The Anuaeri ran his fingers over the length of the dragonet, and discovered that it would be a great flier. His aerodynamic face and shape would slip through the air... His wings were long and well shaped. Eraill missed his own wings, and they still gave him phantom pains when he thought about them. But this dragon pressed up against Eraill warmly. I am your wings. I am Suonetark, I promise to grow quickly so that I can bring you into the air again.

As the exotic bonder and his equally exotic dragon left the sands again for the cooler silence outside, four eggs then began to break. One of them was a very large egg indeed, but it was well behind the other three. When the first of them burst open, it was with a brightly metallic silver-colored dragon inside. Gasps echoed through the Dunes. A slate, now a silver? The large dragon bellowed and for a moment, most people wondered if she would turn on her newly hatched siblings? Both of those siblings who had come from their eggs were also oddly shaded.

The silver however shouldered her way past the other two, and into the mix of girls. She spun around, slapping her tail against several of the girls’ legs, and causing at least one of them to trip and fall.

“Sinarth, be nice! You’re making me embarrassed...” Said Torea. She then slapped her hands over her mouth in wide-eyed surprise.

Of course I am for you! Why do you think you knew my name? I do not like how your friends treat you. Would you like it if I went and—

“No no! Sinarth, you’ve got to behave!” Torea escorted the angry silver dragoness off the sands, as the other two found their own bonds.

One of them, a dark coppery-colored bronze, slipped around the boys, inspecting each of them. Most of them obviously did not pass muster, and at last the young innovator Kaak was the one he chose. Two flitters, a green and a white, chirruped happily at him, from either shoulder. “Hush! I can hardly hear a thing!” Kaak suggested to the flits, but then his attention was diverted by the copper dragon near his feet.

I am Hangiventh, and you are my rider. I hope you do not want to add any motors or anything to me...

Laughing, Kaak told him that no, he would be just fine all by himself.

The third of the dragons was a pale creamy color. Not white, but not brown. More like butter-cream, and very smooth indeed. She waited for the others to gather their new bonds, and then headed toward the girls. One in particular she spotted, and seemed to be happy with.

Up in the stands, Verelan smiled widely to himself, pressed in on all sides by these small humans... They were so excitable, and they were quite loud, but all he saw was beautiful Shani bonding to this lovely large cream-colored female. His bronze Montaroth mentally told him that her name was Netsuaith.

But he knew that anyway. Shani looked up at him, joy and pride and bliss all at once. I am devoted to you, as you are devoted to him. We will make a fine family!

Just as they were leaving the dunes, the bigger egg broke open with a loud pop. Inside it was not one but two dragons, both of them very different though the same shade of silver. One was obviously an Alabaster type dragon, with head knobs and a boxy face. The other was the newer breed, with the long body and tail. They hissed at one another, snapping until they were separated. Several candidates brought them apart, one of them getting quite a cut on her arm. Gasping, Zydel had to restrain her silver-gold flitter from chasing after the big hatchling. “You get back here!”

It is all right – I am sorry for injuring you. Are you well? I am Hateshinaith. Endless one, you and I are meant to be together.

“Endless all right,” Zydel laughed. Her friends from Alabaster had had to find her and Shani, and now they were both happily bonded! What luck!

The other silver, the longer and quieter of the pair, slunk beyond to look at everyone from behind. The girls and boys all wondered what was going through the mind of this metallic-shaded wonder. But one, older by ten times than the oldest candidates there, looked at the silver dragoness and grinned. Slow and wide her smile spread.

Kelekonak is my name. Sithrathiel, you are my partner. Do you wish that we could leave one another? I do not think I would like that. But if you wish...

“No! No!” Suddenly aware of her partner’s mind, Sithrathiel realized the power of bonding. Leilani couldn’t hope to understand – even though she and her queen Diamoth tried to explain it to Sithrathiel and her brother/king Isithien, mere words could never truly describe the joy of becoming complete.

A darkish blue snuck out of his shell, almost completely unseen. He had practically made it to the outside corridor to the beach, before Sharla caught his tail. “Where are you going!? Don’t you know the candidates are all in here?”

You are out here with me, he bespoke and she realized they’d bonded. I am Myrrhath, why do you want me to go back in there? The food is out here, and there is space to run! He escaped her grasp, his tail snaking out of her fingers. He bolted into the tent with the feeding bowls, and nearly gulped down three of them before she even got running.

Another of the large eggs shuddered and broke open in a spattering of shell. Kalkin would be needed, as several of the onlookers got battered by the sharp edges, but they had to go to him outside, as he was unwilling to enter the Dunes himself. As a couple of the people injured were brought outside, the two dragons within the shell untwined. They were dark, midnight black and as shining as the silvers who hatched from their shell moments before.

Luck is with you, today, Isithien, bespoke one of the blacks. He was male, that was obvious, and he was of the longer sort of breed. He wove his way toward the dragon-born king, and slipped his tail around Isithien’s ankle. Your sister is gone. My name is Tarakonak, and I am hungry. They will want to fly together with us, and you must show me how to avoid getting bit by her...

The other black dragon edged its way toward the girls. With a snap of her short teeth, she separated Ginevera from the other girls. Come with me. We have work that we must do. Your father is not the way you think he is.

“Wh—What?” Ginevera gasped. “How do you-”

I know many things. I am Lethuineth. Do not forget that.

“How could I ever?” Ginevera chuckled, finally unaware of the staring and the people around her. She would never quite relax, but she could depend that this second set of eyes would surely protect her!

Three more eggs spun into one another, one toppling over and spilling out a smallish cream-colored dragoness. She rolled out of the way of the other two eggs, which continued to bump into one another until they shattered. Wetly, a small bronze and a largish silver came out and joined her.

Together they prowled around the dunes, moving a hand off of them with a snarl, or ducking below a candidate’s eager touch. The cream daintily dodged the girls, in favor of moving toward the boys.

All these faces confuse me, Raydon. Please come and find me! Bespoke the cream. Up in the stands, Shard and Nu’lin congratulated each other on having found him for this clutch. Ignore them! I am hungry!

“Sweeth, just relax! I’ll make sure you’re fed... I’m right here...” Raydon soothingly told the cream colored dragoness. She was very delicate looking, but an Alabaster dragon none the less. Her siblings were far less obviously Alabaster-born.

The bronze colored one approached a Patriarch’s son, and pushed his long muzzle into Validassan’s hand. Here you are. Mine. You are mine. I am Makonek, V’san. Come feed me. And I look forward to seeing my new nest.

Validassan’s smile threatened to break his face, and he did a little dance around the bronze. “Father will be very proud of me, and you!” He announced.

I hardly think that a lady would want to ride me, bespoke the silver to Risha. I am Tork, or did you know that already? Did our egg shells hurt you?

“... No, I’m fine. I am just fine.” Risha said, bearing the small silver off the dunes.

A medium sized egg snapped open to show off two small white dragons! The pair of them lounged around in the remains of their shell until the candidates began to approach. Then, one of them dodged out of the way and zipped behind the boys. He nipped several candidates on their bums, causing quite a laughing ruckus in the stands! While he was still busy doing that, dancing around the legs of the boys, his sister spread her wings and walked up to Tiagara.

You comfort me, not like him... She bespoke. I am Dayath, your companion.

“Dayath...” Tiagara whispered, “thank you...”

You should thank your friends and have them take us home now.

“I will...” Tiagara looked up to try and find J’rin, but he was outside already with his love Maiahn.

As if to catch up with his twin sister, the male white drifted around until he was behind Raulpidal. Ra’pid, you’re going to love this. I think your running days are over.

“I don’t think so, Jepath,” Ra’pid replied. “Want to race?”

Of course I do! They bolted out of the dunes, bowling over several people in the process.

Three more eggs, among the last on the sands, hatched as one. Among them was a beautiful if tiny golden dragoness! She hissed at the other two, a little bitty white, and a small sized bronze. She waved her tail in the air, and butted her head against Lilika’s side. You are not alone. You will never be alone. I even want to meet that hideous not-dragon thing you have befriended.

“Love? You mean love? Semonnith, I hope you two get along...” Lilika breathed, “I know I love you...”

As they left the dunes, the tiny white skittered around the edge of the sand. She darted around the candidates, but then whisped up to the stands, where people lifted their feet and laughed as she tumbled around.

“Mirth! Slow down! You haven’t even eaten yet!” Cried Lannia. The crowd gasped as they now knew the dragon’s name as well as who had bonded her! The dragon healer had not thought that she was the bond, but then realized that while the whole hatching was going on, she had not known any other dragons name, until now. She hugged the hyperactive little white, and they left the sands to the lone bronze.

There were several candidates, some who had come from Paniya Caer and some others who had just wandered in and been invited to the sands. But they all realized that they were not even in this bronze’s league. He held his head proudly, even as a hatchling, and moved over to Riker with ease.

I am Sagasuth, Riker. This metal stuff in the ground is not the only gold I will be interested in, later!

Laughing, yet still unsure of his purpose here, Riker embraced the dragon and they went off to the food tent.

That left half a dozen candidates, and what appeared to be one lonely egg. One of the female candidates stomped out of the dunes, into the early evening where it was cooler and quite dark. The stars were not like she remembered them. She hated this place. She hated the weyrs back home too, but this was just intolerable. Every part of her ached to be somewhere away from dragons. They always equated death, and this was no exception – there were Ants and Rampage plants and who knew what else out there... And gryphons! What in the world were they? Achthia met her first gryphon near here, and –

Do you think that you could stop being so angry for just a moment, and come to me? I am stuck. This egg is on top of me, and no one bothered to move the sand away from it. Blame Diamoth for that. She is my mother. I am Cahnath. Unless you do not want me to be. I would just as soon not be with someone who thinks I will bring death...

Achthia’s eyes widened, and as she turned her shaggy hair got into her eyes. There in the middle of the mostly empty sands was one egg, moving a bit but furtively. She bolted back to the dune, throwing shells and shards away from the last egg. People ducked and ran for cover. At last, she reached a darkly colored brown dragon, whose eyes turned from red-gold to a brilliant greeny-blue upon seeing her for the first time.

I was right... You are for me. Angry though you are. We can show people something new, something outside of death, can’t we?

“We can, Cahnath... We can!” She cried, and was helped away from the sands.

As the last of the eggs had broken, and bonded off to its proper person, Diamoth lifted her head and gave a chirrup to several dragons. Brown Lilioth and blue Sixth among them, the trio of dragons left the Dunes as people moved out of their way. Engell leaned against the wall of the Dunes, and nodded at Lo’pez.

“You’re going to find them, obviously. Have fun. Don’t be late.” Engell said. He seemed very relaxed and happy, for someone who usually was seen as quite the bear. Then, as the dragons took off and teleported through time as well as space, a youngish woman approached him.

She had dark slate-brown hair, and her bare arms showed several large tattoos. “Lord Engell, are you going to the nests now? I’ve something to show you. Perhaps some of the new bonders will enjoy them too?”

He jolted a little at her presence, and then nodded. “Tirin. Aerielady,” he amended, “A pleasure to see you. Yes, I think some of the bonders will be quite happy to see you. Even though they’ve already got their hands full.”

“Later then, they’ll get to see. We’ve found a nest of alis-gryph eggs, and I was thinking that this would be the perfect time to hand them out. What with everyone around.”

“How many?” Engell asked, and the young woman smiled.

“More than a dozen. And they’re almost about to hatch... We aren’t sure what kind of gryphs they have in them, but they’re pretty small. I would guess hummers and skitters.”

Engell mouthed the words, and shook his head. “I may never get used to this place...” He muttered. Whatever a skitter was, he was about to find out, as were several lucky bonders!

***

(( Many of those riders abandoned their dragons, and several have been sent to the Healing Den, and eventually a few take up residence with the Black Mesa Dragon Rookery. With the 2020 revival of the Nexus, some might have 'alternate universe' reproductions - both exist.))

Riders and dragons from assorted other flights: year -14

Gold Diamath and Brown Lilioth (Leilani/Lopez)

TEB 4 BRONZE ALABASTER Kyeoth – 14 S'jem m 33

molly 5 BRONZE ALABASTER Hauytath – 14 K'kai m 29

TY 3 ALABASTER BRONZE Feth – 14 Fo'mae m 25

STARBURST #? ALABASTER COPPER Infacath – 14 J'dil m 26

kit 10 BROWN ALABASTER Emumth – 14 L'mys m 27

ANGEORIA 5 BLUE ALABASTER Shahouith – 14 N'il m 31

SKYSONG 4 BLUE ALABASTER Chototh – 14 Iy'li m 24

DRAGONFLIGHT 17 A GREEN Hlanath – 14 Aida f 30