The First Green

Writers: Len
Date Posted: 6th December 2010

Characters: G'wen, T'bel, Sevin, G'waren
Description: Impression day for friends Galwen and Sevin!
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 12, day 8 of Turn 5

}:It's time:{

Startled, T'bel looked up at Fanth, who was snuggled up on her ledge with Manarth. He, in turn, was rising to begin humming. It had been a peaceful morning so far, and T'bel had been enjoying a second cup of klah, curled up on the couch. His mate, G'waren, was still asleep, the victim of a hangover from celebrating his son's birthingday.

**And here I thought it was going to be a quiet day**

}:No, it's time:{

He sighed and stood up to wake his mate. For his part, G'waren was blinking his eyes open; no doubt Manarth was telling him the same thing. T'bel fell onto the bed to give him a quick cuddle.

Kissing G'waren lightly on the lips, he asked, "you ready for this?"

His answer was a deep sigh.

"Don't worry love, Galwen will be okay."

"I know," the boy's father said a worried tone. "I just wish he hadn't
taken after his mother on the height department. Or that if he Impresses, it'll be blue."

"It'll be okay no matter_what_he Impresses. He's a good boy, he'll look after himself. And bloody shells man, a lot of the girls are just as small and they all end up okay." T'bel reached for G'waren's trousers. "Now let's get you looking your best. And just trust me, okay?"

**Oh lovely boy, please get chosen by a sensible green**

}:It's time:{

**I know, love, I know**

-*-*-*-*-

When the humming began Galwen took leave of F'neb and walked into the barracks, trying not to shake. Nodding to Sevin, who looked like he felt, he quickly stripped of his clothes and got into the symbolic white of the Candidate's robe. Of course it was slightly long on him; he had meant to hem the bottom but had forgotten. Then again, had he really thought this moment would come?

Hefting up his robe and hoping he didn't look too foolish, Galwen joined the large knot of candidates ready to walk out onto the Sands. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Kendale run into the barracks but his mouth was too ashen to call out to the tall lad. He looked for Cardella in the crowd but, being so short, and with her just as short, he couldn't spot his best friend. And here he wanted to stand with her. Sighing unhappily he stood in the mist of the youngsters waiting to be called out.

A hand slipped into his and squeezed. "Don't worry Galwen, we'll be
okay," Sevin said, giving him a brief kiss on the cheek. Galwen could
only answer by pressing his head into his lifelong friend's shoulder.

-*-*-*-*-*-

Settling down in the stands, T'bel gave his wingmates, Kenza and D'ale,
a nod of the head and mouthed 'good luck' to them. It was too crowded to
be heard in the huge chamber. But of course, with 42 eggs to be
Impressed, he never expected a small crowd. He placed his hand into G'waren's, noting that the man's were as sweaty as if it was him and not his child out there on the Sands.

"Oh look, here they come," he said to G'waren.

Galwen was deep in the line, still gripping onto to the tall boy T'bel reconized as one of his best friends._That_one was everything little
Galwen wasn't, he mused, chuckling a bit to himself. Beside him G'waren took a deep breath and sighed. When his child stumbled on his overlong robe, the man about jumped out of his seat.

Squeezing his hand tight, T'bel whispered, "love, it's going to be
alright. You'll see."

G'waren tore his eyes away from his son long enough to try and give T'bel
a smile. His lips were white around the edges, T'bel noted to himself. Sighing, he reached out to his lifemate.

**Ask Manarth if his is going to get through this okay, please, lovely**

}:He says he's just very scared for his little one:{

He buried his head in G'waren's shoulder, wondering what would happen to the poor man if Galwen didn't Impress this time but had turns of this
ahead of him. A loud 'pop' and the excited rise in the crowd caused
him to look up.

}:It's time:{

-*-*-*-*-*-

Red faced from that stumble he was sure everyone in the Stands had seen, Galwen stood in his place in the huge semi-circle, still gripping on to Sevin. It gladded him that the boy was clinging his hand just as tightly, just as anxious as he felt.

Several of the eggs were rocking violently now. Two were largish ones
that could be any colour, another one that was most likely a blue and one tiny one that just might be a green. With a loud crack, one of the larger ones broke open and a little brown fell out. A tall figure--Kendale, a calm part of Galwen's mind noted--started forward
before stepping back again. The little brown stumbled through the mass
of eggs before Kendale again stepped out, this time for good. Galwen
could only just hear his voice cry out before it was drowned in the applause from the massive crowd watching.

Movement out of the corner of his eye caused Galwen to look away from his friend and back onto the eggs. He blinked out his tears of joy for
Kendale in time to see a green body fall onto the sands, quickly followed by two blues, one coming from that tiny egg. Asarin was right, he mused, before putting all thoughts of the blues out of his mind.

The green, the beautiful green, was coming towards him! Sevin clutched
his hand in equal excitement as she came closer, part of her egg still attached to her tail. She was huge, much bigger than the dainty little beauties had always drawn Galwen's eye in past Hatchings.

He deflated when she walked straight past him. The two blues had gone in opposite directions and had quickly Impressed. The one lad Galwen didn't reconize, but the other was a rather shy boy who sometimes had helped him wash dishes in the kitchen. Well, he was free of that chore now, he thought to himself with no small desperation.

The green had stopped before a knot of girl candidates, eyeing each one before walking off with a stumble as one of her large wings dragged on
the sands. She glared at some boys before turning back. Galwen could
feel his heart in his throat as she walked, paused, and walked again, looking at the boys in turn. She was coming closer, so much closer.
Sevin had just about squeezed his hand off in scared excitement. Four
boys away, she suddenly gave a cry and lunged.

:}There you are!:{

Galwen's mind was suddenly full of a love, of a joy, only a dragonrider would ever feel. And that is what he now was, a dragonrider. Never again would he have to face his fears alone. No more bullies, no more drudgery, no more being forgotten or being left behind. Tears streaming down his cheeks, he fell onto the hot Sands, wrapping his arms around the dazzling green. She was beautiful, she was his!

}:And you are_mine_! Feed me!:{

Sevin heard him murrmer, "lovely Neath!" before he turned away, tears of joy for his friend and tears of bitter disappointment for himself running down his own cheeks as the small boy and the large green stumbled off together. She had been so close. But he couldn't begrudge his friend, glad that at least one of them was now free from the life of a candidate. Squaring his shoulders, he sent out loving thoughts to the hatchings coming out quickly now.

One would be his, this he was sure.

-*-*-*-*-*-

}:Her name is Neath:{

T'bel nodded vaguely, trying to see admist all his own tears. The first green, the very first green, had gone to Galwen! Thank Faranth for that! He let out his breath in a sob and turned to G'waren. The man was bent over, crying in earnest. Before he could say anything, the man burst out, "I'm okay, love!"

"You're happy?"

"I'm so very happy!" At that he grabbed his mate into a back breaking
hug. Oh, thanks the shells for that, T'bel thought, before grabbing his hand. "Come_on_let's go meet Neath. And little G'wen."

Well, little G'wen, you won't need that bronze flit egg now, he thought to himself, making a mental note to tell the Headwoman that he wouldn't be taking that egg after all. Maybe one would make a nice Weyrling
graduating present. He smiled, thinking about little Galwen on a flaming dragon.

Happy days were ahead of him, of this T'bel was sure.

As he walked down the steps, he saw G'wen's weyrbrat friend Impress a beautiful little blue. Now_that_was a surprise, he thought, what had they run out of greens already?

}:I told you it was time:{

**Of that you were right**

}:I always am:{

At that he laughed and, still clinging to his mate's hand, ran across to where the new Weyrlings where being directed. Just ahead was the familiar shape of a small boy and the new one of a haughty little green.

Or one as haughty as only a green with half her egg still stuck on her tail could look.

Last updated on the January 22nd 2011

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The First Green