A Girl And A Bronzerider (Part II)

Writers: AL, Jane
Date Posted: 31st October 2008

Characters: Briata, T'vanen
Description: T'vanen takes Briata to the hatching with some rather unexpected results.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 12, day 5 of Turn 4

Briata

"Briata ..." She wasn't any better, and surely she should be if it had
been the flight that had upset her? Though there was a fair bit of heat
around in the great Hatching Cavern. And noise. He glanced around the
seats he had found for them, in amongst other riders so not perfectly
placed for viewing but not too bad if they had to leave. "If you need a
healer, then we can go and find one." There would be any number around,
just in case of Hatching injuries.

"It's just the noise." Briata muttered as she leaned back in her chair.
"I'll be fine. Let's watch." There had to be a way to block the
noise, wasn't there? How did the dragons do it?

Perhaps she should ask one. **Qwarith...how do you keep out the voices
of all the dragons?** Or did he? Maybe the dragons didn't and they
were just used to it all.

}:I only hear those who want to talk to me,:{ Qwarith said, his tone a
little puzzled about why she was struggling with the voices. }:The
others are not for me to hear.:{ It wasn't that he couldn't hear them,
just that he didn't listen, but the bronze had trouble explaining
something so intrinsic.

So much for that idea. The girl seemed to go as silent and still as a
statue, her eyes glued to the sands, or, at least what she could see of
them. She wondered exactly how long she would be able to deal with it.

T'vanen could tell that his companion wasn't happy and felt guilty for
brining her to the Hatching, though he was baffled about what it was
that was upsetting her. She said it was the noise, but that was only
the dragons humming ready for the eggs to Hatch and a bit of noise from
the people getting into the tiers of seats to watch. In the gigantic
cavern all that amounted to not much at all.

He took her hand as even the noise from the people died down. Most were
in now, and nothing more would happen until the eggs started to rock.
"Just say if you need to leave," he whispered. "All right?"

Briata nodded, her head pounding but she was determined to stay. She
wanted to see a hatching and by Faranth she was going to! Besides, she
didn't want to ruin T'vanen's experience either, even if he had seen
others before.

The girl tried to focus on the eggs and think about them and only them.
Once they began to rock, her gaze flicked from mottled egg to mottled
egg. Eventually, the pounding in her head lessened and she realised the
voices were quieter. Once she noticed that, however, they welled back
up, so once more she focused on the eggs and tried not to think about
anything else.

A bronze hatched first, and T'vanen smiled in pleasure at what was
considered a lucky occurrence and squeezed Briata's hand.

A new voice added to the hubbub, but it too eventually began to fade as
she turned to the next egg and then the next. As each one hatched, she
turned her focus to another egg that was getting ready to hatch. The
voices never left completely, but they weren't so loud or obtrusive either.

"Are you feeling a little better?" T'vanen whispered.

Briata managed a small smile and nodded. "Yes, thank you." It _was_
getting easier. There wasn't complete silence, but it was easier to
deal with them. Hopefully it would remain that way, for she did so wish
to go to the hatching feast as well.

"They're all Hatched now," T'vanen said, a little sadly. All the new
lives had been started - both for the Hatchlings and for the newly
Impressed riders. "The feast is always good here but we don't have to
stay if you'd rather not."

"No, I would like to." Briata would love to get to see the hatchlings
up close. Was that possible? She wasn't sure. Perhaps they wouldn't
let others around the new dragons, too much stimulation. "I'd like to
stay. Let's go."

"It's a bit of a crush getting down from here but the dining cavern's
spacious." He leaned down and whispered in her ear, "The food's better
than at River Bluff, but don't tell anybody I said that."

That brought about a soft giggle and she nodded. "I won't say a word."
She glanced over at the crowd that was trying to make its way out of
the hatching cavern. The voices peaked and she reached up to rub her
forehead, then concentrated and they went down to more of a whisper once
more. It was hard, but she didn't want to let it limit her enjoyment of
the evening.

"There's a bit of noise in here," he said apologetically as they reached
the dining cavern. "People celebrating!"

"I understand." It was nothing compared to the noise that had greeted
her when she first arrived at the Weyr. That noise was still there,
just muted as she tried to concentrate. Her head was beginning to pound
and Briata was wondering how much longer she was really going to be able
to last. "It's a reason to celebrate."

"It is! Impression is life-changing and all the weyrfolk feel that."

"And those who visit for the hatching, I'm sure." She did, despite the
distraction of the noises that continued to try and take over her
thoughts. "I know you've seen more than your share, but it was
certainly something for me to behold."

"Most riders like seeing them." As they came under the lights near the
long tables laden with food T'vanen frowned. "You're still looking
pale." And drawn, almost in pain. "Briata, if you want to go home,
just say the word. This isn't supposed to be an ordeal for you."

"No." It was her first hatching and her first hatching feast. She
didn't want to miss any of it! Her head was pounding, but she could
last a little longer, surely! "Just a little more." She stated softly,
echoing her thoughts.

"All right. Something to eat? And drink? And then we'll go. Sound good?"

Briata nodded. Maybe something to eat and drink would help get her strength back and she could stay longer. She hated to think that she would miss out on so much of her first hatching feast. She was going to try and stay as long as possible - as long as those voices didn't drive her insane!

Last updated on the November 1st 2008

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A Girl And A Bronzerider (Part II)