A Large Shady Hat

Writers: Jane
Date Posted: 26th November 2008

Characters: Tey, Teykara, Lhara
Description: Lhara announces her intention to go to Dolphin Cove Weyr as a Candidate.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 13, day 2 of Turn 4

"So," Teykara, the eldest of T'kanu's children said with something of
her place in her family in her tone, "you're going to Dolphin Cove to
Stand for their clutch."

Lhara, the youngest, sighed. She had meant to announce her decision to
her sisters but as soon as she had said that she had something to tell
them Teykara had made her statement. "I'm going to Dolphin Cove to
get away from a family that knows me far too well."

"Really?" Tey said, looking up from her meal in surprise. She was
second youngest in the family, now a well-grown twenty Turns and a
greenrider to Lhara's fifteen and still a candidate.

"No, of course not." Lhara rolled her eyes at her sister, amused that
Tey's attention had been so captured by her food that she had missed the
sarcasm. "We can come back if we don't Impress. It's not like I'm
going there to live forever."

Lhara's dark eyes narrowed as she finished speaking. _Had_ Tey missed
the sarcasm, or had she been meeting like with like?

"You dimglow," she added, just in case.

Tey chuckled, smiling at her little sister. The odd one out in the
family, now, since the death of a middle sister in Threadfall. Just as
the rest of T'kanu's children were recognisably his, Ykana and Lhara
were like their mother; blonde hair with more than a little red, dark
eyes, short curvy figures, and pale skin.

"You'll burn that pretty freckle-less skin to a frazzle at Dolphin
Cove," Tey commented with sisterly bluntness.

Teykara managed not to laugh with her mouthful of klah. "And you
wouldn't, Tey? These freckles don't protect us, you know. In fact, I'm
sure they multiply in the sun."

"I hope they do," Lhara said. "I hope they do until they join hands and
you two are darker than a tunnel without glows."

The three of them grinned. No matter how old they got, no matter how
much the teasing was in fun now, it was always a echo of their
childhood. A comfortable echo of good times and happy squabbling.

"So," Teykara said again. "You're really going?"

"Really am," Lhara agreed. "But I'll be back as soon as the Hatching's
over - unless I Impress."

Which wasn't so funny, Tey thought. When they had lost Ykana it had
been something of a relief, as well as a grief. For some reason their
middle sister had never fitted in with the rest of them. She hadn't had
T'kanu's easy-going nature, and she had been glad of it. She had
regarded the rest of them as rather foolish and hopeless and for the
most part she revelled in growing old enough to have less to do with her
family.

In many ways Ykana had already left the family before she died. But
Lhara wasn't like that, for all she looked like Ykana. Inside she was
cut from the same cloth as her remaining siblings. Like enough to
always feel comfortable around each other. Like enough that staying
close to her family in adulthood was what she expected.

"You'll be away a while, if that happens."

"I'll be back eventually, though."

Tey shrugged. It wasn't her decision and she doubted Lhara had made it
lightly. "I thought you didn't even care whether you Impressed or not?"

Teykara had, perhaps, and their only brother, Delhanu. He had
desperately wanted to Impress, but never had. The rest of them Stood
because their father expected it of them. T'kanu felt that they owed
the blood of the generations of dragonriders than ran in their veins to
Stand - just in case they were wanted.

"Mmm." Lhara tilted her head and considered the question. "I don't
suppose I do. If it happen, it happens. Otherwise I'll just go on
doing the things I normally do."

"So," Teykara said for a third time.

"I know! But it's an adventure, really. Going away to Dolphin Cove for
a while? Among people I haven't known all my life."

"Bound to be some young bronzeriders there who will fall for your
charms," Tey agreed with a nod. "Unless you're as scorched red as that
fruit over there."

Lhara lifted her chin at the teasing. "It's not _about_ bronzeriders,
young or otherwise." It had always seemed to be with Ykana, but she
wasn't like her late sister except in looks. "All the same," she added
with a tone that belied the amusement in her eyes as she looked at her
elder sisters, "I shall be sensible enough to pack a large shady hat."

Last updated on the December 4th 2008

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A Large Shady Hat