Morning matchings

Writers: Emma, Eimi
Date Posted: 18th October 2008

Characters: U'kaiah, Teseada
Description: The clutch finally hatches.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 12, day 5 of Turn 4

Teseada

Morning broke and Teseada rolled over in a bed that was not hers. Since
Onnyth had taken to the sands, she'd been sleeping in a small room close
by set aside for the riders of broody golds.

}:We'll be in our weyr tonight,:{ Onnyth informed her, a smug note
underscoring the gold's voice.

**What?**

}:Today, they hatch today.:{

**Can you let Kalamath know? And Riyanth too,** Teseada asked her
quickly as she threw the covers back and got out of bed. "I'll be
dressed and out
to you in a moment."

And she knew that her dragon was right. A faint humming was beginning to
be felt in the air as the dragons realized what was happening.

}:I will not be late because of you,:{ Kalamath snuffed indignantly as
his rider stood in front of the mirror with two tunics in hand. }:You
already know what you will wear.:{

**Yeah, but that tunic... It just didn't look right,** U'kaiah replied
as he held up first the tunic that was the blue color of his wing, and
then the black one with bronze stripes that was more the style he was
told suited him.

}:I don't worry how I'll look,:{ his bronze grumbled.

**That's because you always look good. This is a special occasion and
everyone will be watching me and Teseada. We have to... impress.:{
Shards, which one should he try to accent? His wing or his own good
looks? **Ask Onnyth what hers is wearing, would you?**

"He wants to know what?" Teseada said aloud, some surprise in her voice.

**Tell him I have a black dress with gold embroidery along the hems and
around the end of the sleeves. It has a belt in the Weyr colours and I
have a simple necklace to go with it.** The young rider had opted for
something simple, in the hope that it might prove as elegant as some of
the clothes she had seen Kapera wearing.

**Shards, if we're both dressed in black, it will look like someone
died,** U'kaiah sighed as he threw the tunics onto his bed. **Just let
me find my white tunic. I promise, it won't take long.**

Kalamath just could not understand his man sometimes. }:I just don't
see why it's so important. Everyone will be looking at my Eggs, not at
you.:{

**Are you kidding? Everyone's eyes will be on us, just like everyone's
eyes were on D'wrayt and Kapera in the last Hatching.** U'kaiah really
didn't have time to explain human behavior to his lifemate right then.

}:Well, what did they wear?:{

The bronzerider threw his arms up in exasperation. **I don't know! I
wasn't looking!** Ah ha! There is was! His white tunic with bronze
embroidery. Those with his black pants with his knots adding a splash
of color should go perfectly. **Tell Onnyth we'll be down very
shortly.**

It wasn't long before the crowds began to gather by the sands, and the
sound of the humming increased. Slowly the candidates made their way in
and
paid their respects to Onnyth and Teseada.

"I'm sorry it took so long," U'kaiah whispered in her ear as he took his
place beside her just as his bronze settled down next to his mate and
joined in the humming. "You look beautiful." He gave the
Weyrlingmaster a nod of recognition as the last of the candidates
filtered in. He wondered if their hearts were pounding in their chests
half as hard as his was. U'kaiah had dreamed of a day like this since
his childhood. "Shall we take our seats?" he asked, offering Teseada
his arm and wondering how she could look so sharding calm.

"Thank you," she said taking U'kaiah's arm, hoping that he wouldn't feel
the slight twitch of nerves that was running through her. "Lets hope
this
goes off okay."

"It will go fine," he reassured her as they sat back in their seats.
His eyes scanned the crowd before looking back towards the eggs and the
crowd of young hopefuls standing round them. **Please just let there be
a bronze!** The humming deepened as the eggs began to rock with a bit
more intensity. "I think that one will be first," he whispered,
pointing
to a lightly mottled egg towards the edge of the Clutch.

And that egg was slowly rocking, a faint network of cracks appearing on
the surface, one of which became a hole as a claw poked its way through,
making the hole bigger until eventually a bronze head emerged. The
little
dragon pulled his way out of his shell and surveyed the boys, before
heading
straight towards one of them.

"It's a bronze," U'kaiah murmured over the excited buzz of the crowd,
reaching for her hand instinctively. "That's a good sign." He could
feel a bit of a weight lifted from his shoulders as the dragonet bound
towards one of the older boys.

Kalamath bugled proudly as Impression was made. **His name is Zeferith.
He has chosen well!**

"Oh yes!" replied Teseada as she took U'kaiah's hand. "And look there."

A brown had emerged from another egg while the crowd were cheering the
first impression. It didn't take much for him to head into a small knot
of
boys, and drop at the feet of one of them. "Solanth!" came the cry.

**Solanth and R'len,** Onnyth informed her rider.

"Faranth, look, it's _another_ bronze," U'kaiah cried with a grin from
ear to ear. It was all he could do to not jump out of his seat and
whoop for joy.

As the second of the bronzes chose one of the Weyrbred boys, another
eggs Hatched and out tumbled a beautiful green, crying piteously. A
young brown haired girl took a step towards her as the green swung her
head in the candidates direction.

"That's Kamalia, isn't it?" He thought he remembered her from the
candidate classes while working with the weyrling wing.

"I think so," someone sat behind them said as another green made her way
to
a youngish boy looking barely old enough to be on the sands.

Yet another green cracked her shell. This one had not hesitation about
her,
and lots of guts as she waddled straight towards the Weyrleader's
daughter.

"D'wrayt will be pleased," Teseada whispered to U'kaiah.

"Good for Reyina," the bronzerider smiled, giving her father a knowing
glance. He wondered if D'wrayt might have mixed feelings. She would
now have nearly a lifetime of Thread to Fight...

They watched as two more blues and a green cracked their shells.
Dragonets were spilling onto the Sands more quickly now. U'kaiah's
attention was on a newly matched blue pair when a flash of bronze caught
his eye. "Teseada, is that a _third_ bronze?" he asked excitedly. The
Wingleader had been hoping for one, and proud that there were two, but
three was beyond his wildest expectations!

"I think so," she said watching the little one as he headed to a dark
haired lad that looked vaguely familiar. "Any idea who he is?" she asked
as a
shout of joy came up. "Ankioth!"

"No, I don't recognize him," U'kaiah said after looking at the boy
closely. He was a bigger lad, though not in height. The bronzerider
was sure he would have remembered him. He shrugged a shoulder. "I'm
not surprised, though. I haven't really met many of the newer
candidates since the last Hatching."

The rest of the eggs all seemed to shatter at once as impressions were
made. The crowds were over joyed, and there were more than a few murmurs
about
how lucky it would be for the clutch that there were three bronze
dragons
there.

"We did well," the bronzerider said with a relieved sigh. "Are you
ready to meet your new weyrlings? I could use a drink." And some
breakfast.

"Let's go," she said. "I hear the Headwoman has been planning this feast
for days."

"Well she is going to have a lot of hungry mouths to feed." Chances
were none of their guests had eaten that morning either! Standing to
his feet he offered her his arm once more. "Shall we?"

"Yes," she said taking his arm.

~~~~~
Characters who have impressed
Reyina, green Ragilth
Rendalen, brown Solanth
Kamalia, green Alaudath
Jianev, bronze Ankioth

Characters who do not impress
Arrilon
Cosani

Last updated on the December 12th 2008

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