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The youngest of three brothers, Norai is a strong
Dawnlight Hold native, who works for the guards. His oldest brother Flarai
and he have never gotten along, due to the elder brother's devotion to
the old Lord Holders. Norai is steadfastly gaining friends in the sympathetic
group of outcasts and such, though he keeps his work and his politics
separate as much as he can.
He is just barely over 20 turns old, and has never really found a woman
he could truly love. He is hoping that with his Search he might find a
dragon who could spot her for him. He is a romantic soul, though in a
somewhat rough and tumble body. **2021 Note: He and Kyree get together and have children, raising only Kengari but his twin was sent to another part of the system and Ang'eh impressed very well, even if they weren't there to congratulate him...
When he was 6 turns old, he and his family went to Blackstone Weyr, to
see about work. There was none, but one of the blues sniffed him out among
his brothers for a Search. Neither older brother was searched, and that
has created a lasting rift between them.
As a teenager, he began to work with the guards, first learning the layout
of Dawnlight's deeper parts, patroling with them. Later, he was entrusted
with learning sword play, which he still enjoys doing quite a bit. It
was one of his first girlfriends who introduced him to the less complacent
members of Dawnlight Hold, and from there he has only wedged himself deeper
in with them.
At least once he had been called on by Lord Holder Deon to infiltrate
their quiet organization, however he, like Trask and his wandering companions,
declined to go along with it.
He hopes to stand soon, as he feels he is getting too old to be chosen
by a young dragon. He will shorten his name to N'ai, and wants to ride
a brown or bronze dragon. He knows that what he wants and what may eventually
happen could be very different, but then again, he will be riding, alone
of his family, and that makes him proud.
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The Harpers kept drumming and playing, though the
party was clearly over. The ruckus from the dissident Holders and the
old Lords had broken the spirit of the dance, and Norai just kept his
mouth shut and helped escort people out of the hall.
"I've never been insulted in my own home like that," said one overly-dressed
Lady holder. Her wherry pecked husband agreed with a grumble and Norai
caught his eye to offer a sympathetic smirk. "And look at them now, they've
got a dragon laying all over the courtyard stones!" The woman whined again,
and Norai took notice of this!
There was indeed a large, brown dragon who lay carefully posed with his
great head on his small forepaws. He was awake, and his eyes seemed to
glow with an eerie white-green light.
Norai escorted the pair to their waiting wagon, and then stood to marvel
with some others at the presence of the dragon. No one had said anything
about there being a rider around, not this late at night at the Hold.
"Whose dragon is this?" Norai finally asked, rather loudly to be heard
over the mutterings. He was more official than the drudges who were there,
and more able to command attention than the craft-brats running about
as well.
Finally, an answer came. A tall man sauntered up, and slapped Norai on
the shoulder. "You're the one we've been told about," he said. "We're
from Aneris weyr. There's a clutch on the sands
you might want to be at. Two of your ... friends... are there already."
Norai jolted back a bit. Aneris? He'd heard of the place, and knew that
Dawnlight and Blackstone had supplied successful candidates in the past.
Now, would he be among them as well?
"I must get permission to go," Norai said. "If that's all right? I believe
the guard commander is awake. Just inside. Let me... I'll be right back." He stammered and then bolted into the Hall. The rider smiled at the young
man's enthusiasm, and then helped him get his things together when he
came back out.
***
Norai was in awe at the Weyr. Though he'd been through
Blackstone's fine weyr, he had not seen others. It was busy, this weyr.
But it was also gearing up for a hatching, so there was always work to
do. There in the rooms where weyrlings were taught to shovel and tie firestone
sacks, something new to Norai but easy enough for any strong young man
to do, he met up with Talony and Kyree.
He listened in on their conversations,
but was still somewhat disgusted with the ease that they wanted to deal
with Dawnlight's holders. But Talony insisted that they forgive and allow
the Lords to change.
Norai pondered this, while they continued to work. After a long day, however,
the call went out for the hatching!
Norai groaned, but was well-used to being roused for late-night duties.
So he met up with Kyree and Talony, and they hit the sands eagerly if
a little groggy.
Two blues came first at the hatching, then a great bronze. Norai felt
a tugging at something inside him, oddly. When the next shells broke,
they revealed a green, and a brown. With a sedate march, the brown walked
before the boys and looked up at Norai.
I am yours, N'ai. I am Mortath. I understand you.
When I was within my egg, there were people who came near who wanted only
for themself. I felt you... And you wanted only what I would give. Thank
you.
"His name is Mortath," N'ai announced, in awe yet again. They moved off
the hatching sands, and N'ai layed his hand on Mortath's soft skin. "You
are the best thing in the whole world, Mortath. And nothing will ever
change that for me."
***
I want to fly through the clouds, Mortath bespoke to his bond mate.
"And we will, just as soon as the weyrling master tells us we're ready."
N'ai patted the smallish but well-muscled brown's side. "You're almost
ready, I think I heard him talking about you recently."
Do you think so! Oh, how wonderful it will all be,
from above!
"I know, Mortath. I've flown, too -- you haven't yet."
Share that memory with me, N'ai.
I am so sorry I can no longer remember my birth. You like remembering
that time. But what about flying?
N'ai leaned back onto the side of his growing dragon, and thought back
to his first time in the air, and his next, and when the Search dragons
came to bring him to Aneris. Each memory was precious, each one the dragon
ate up like fresh meat.
***
"It's a good thing you didn't get yourself killed,"
the Weyrling master announced, but there was a smile on his face, and
he looked over Mortath and N'ai with pride. "You saved a good bit of agony
from those Greens which were under it. Good fighting."
They beamed, N'ai's face looked about to break. Their move was to have
dropped almost literally onto a trio of green riders, causing them to
scatter between, and then drop further to give themselves room to blast
at the Thread which had been coming at an odd angle -- an angle that the
green riders hadn't seen for their concentration on the clump below them.
We did so well, my friend. But
I hope that all threadfall isn't so exciting!
"Neither do I, Mortath! Neither do I!"
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