Name: Taiyo
Gender: Female, bi
Age: currently 40s?
Origin: Blackstone Weyr/Dawnlight Hold
Family: unknown, Nihon Exotic line (note big eyes)
Other Relations: has twins Yahan and Hoshi with Zarilon Erikson
Height: 6', +2" of hair poof
Build: statuesque, topheavyish, slinky
Hair: brilliant sun yellow top, very long shaggy black /bottom
Eyes: bright sun yellow, quite large (genetic feature of Exotic line)
Appearance: tan skin, heart shaped face, Big Hair which always seems to be fluttering gently in wind that isn't there; low Green caste, Admin Slate rank

Dragon: Black Female Lethuineth, who is a twin to black male Tarakonak. This dragon was hatched in October of 2001 and abandoned by the 8th of December, readopted by Shard

It was the same clutch that had a number of other riders go missing, that Taiyo was brought to 'after the fact' to make sure that the dragons on the sands didn't up and die. Perhaps it was Diamoth's insistent and angry worry that caused H'lis and some few others to scatter and find riders for those abandonlings, or maybe just later on they'd read the roster and noticed that a few were a bit... wonky. Names changed, records altered.

Thus, Taiyo was summoned by her Weyrleader and she dutifully bowed. "You don't need to do that to me, you know that," H'lis said, though whether he could look her in those big yellow eyes, remained to be seen. "We have a task for you, and I think you'll like it."

"You mean above and beyond my 'looking at the other Admin while they're not watching me and reporting back to you' thing?" She chided with a lilt to her voice. H'lis really loved her voice, she could purr or titter or scream with equal ferocity. And this time, it was a titter that brought a smile to H'lis's lips.

"Yes, beyond that. It will make your job both harder and very different."

She tilted her head, hair perfectly falling over her one shoulder. Blackbottom hair? Well, she was definitely black-haired to begin with, but it was the brilliant yellow shade of her eyes and 'top' hair that kept his attention. "Your instructions?"

"Come with me, to the hatching sands at Alabaster Weyrhold, their last clutch is... in need." They geared up, H'lis providing the woman with a long coat that she somehow managed to look fantastic in even though it was hardly her size or style. The transit to the Weyrhold was colder than Taiyo expected, whether she expected it at all. H'lis couldn't read her mind, she was a complete mystery to him. As they arrived, however, he had to tell her in low words, "don't make sudden movements, the hatching has been over for ... a long while. There were circumstances that led to this."

It was quite strange too, because their 'search' rider - in this case a trio of locals - had gone back and forth through time already, to bring in the disparate candidates. Some of whom... left their dragon after the hatching. The few that were left gave off sad, strange sounds. Sounds that Taiyo did not like.

She didn't move suddenly or rapidly, but somehow found herself striding toward one dragonet in particular. That dragon lifted her boxy head, and snarled at first, eyes red and warning. But ... soon enough they tamed down into a different shade, and she stood. Shaking herself free of the sand that still clung to parts of her tail, this dragonet wasn't just a dark shade of green.

She was absolutely black. Taiyo blinked rapidly, for the first time in many seasons actually surprised about something. She glanced toward H'lis, who seemed to already know what this was all about, and nodded, the mop of his white hair bouncing a little. "A black dragon?" Taiyo whispered, "is this true?"

"There were others - and," H'lis said in an equally quiet voice, "one was her twin in the same shell."

Taiyo's brows went up, and a smile began to move over her lips. Just as the dragon had walked toward her. At first she was hesitant, but finally moved with purpose.

I was meant to protect another, but that one foolishly left me here and whether she fends for herself now I don't know and I don't care. I had warnings for her, she didn't heed them. But I can see that you will.

"What do you see in me," Taiyo asked, musically and soft.

I see my future, and more. I have eaten, they have kindly fed us and tried to keep us from harming ourselves or dying like other nestlings might. One by one I have seen those of us - ah, there went another, she strangely looked just like a rider might, thinking to the air with unfocused eyes. We shall all find our way tonight, thanks to him and others.

The dragonet turned to look right at H'lis, who all but wilted under that gaze. Taiyo had never seen him like that.

You will likely see him blush, as well as yell in anger, some day, but soon we shall also meet one of my siblings too. He went with someone important to... you...ish.

Taiyo's one eyebrow remained up, but she smiled. "I know this word in my mind, Lethuineth, it is your name."

The dragon proudly bumped her head into the waiting woman's leg, and they were transported back to Blackstone Weyr quietly and quickly under the cover of night.

**

It was definitely more work than Taiyo anticipated, raising a dragon. But she had the support of the entire Spy wing, which she'd been a part of even before she was a rider. Anyone that hung out with H'lis was likely to be enlisted for it, but particularly people of her rank and job. Dawnlight folk didn't much care for their current leadership, but then neither did the others in the Administration department. The question wasn't whether Taiyo could keep her dragon a secret, and still do her job. The question was whether she could still do that job and have a dragon this demanding.

I am not so demanding, your leaders are. I do not like that one, he is wretched.

"Yes, he is," Taiyo nodded, regarding Deon.

Some day he will get what is coming to him, and people will be glad for it.

"That is very, oddly, comforting."

**

They had finally met the other(s) in the clutch who had remained with the Protectorate rather than die on their sands. One was a bronze - imagine, leaving a bronze dragon to die?

I remember him being so much more confident on the sands when we hatched, Lethuineth bespoke. He isn't all broken any more, but he will never quite be whole. Not like me, thanks to you.

It was when they were chatting with that bronze's rider Tarrilon that one of his siblings wandered past. Another bronze rider? Well well, those Erikson folk certainly knew their way around dragons. Zarilon was his name, and even though they were rather disparate in backgrounds, Taiyo and he got to talking.

She'd need a place for her dragon, somewhere easily reached for her as well as the dragon to fly from. In Dawnlight. Not in the Weyr, but down in the city on the mainland. That got the engineer thinking, which got his dragon thinking, and quickly enough they formulated a plan to actually create a dragon tower right in Dawnlight.

After all, their move to Paniya had been somewhat abrupt but very rewarding. And now that things were starting to settle, people there were realizing that the lines between 'weyr' and 'hold' had been erased long ago. Dragon riders resided among the normal folk in the Hold, and though most Holdborn didn't make it up to the Weyr on their island nearby, certain numbers of them were quite welcome. Her dragon would be one of many that might roost at this thing, sweeping the area for Ants and other dangers.

"We will have to run it by the others in Administration first," H'lis said, his eyes narrow but turning toward Taiyo with a grin, "I think we can handle getting the necessary permits, don't you?"

Taiyo bowed deeply.

dragon