[6.2] Visiting the Hope

[Micaela]

Micaela woke up that morning knowing that this would be a day her new charges had been looking for since the clutching a month before.  Irukath stretched once her rider woke up, the little blue Kanu yawning as he was woken up from his perch on her pink and red head.  Mine, shall I wake the hopefuls, the coral asked her rider cheerfully as Micaela proceeded to get dressed.  Yes, please love.  Make sure they've eaten and are dressed by the ninth hour and then we'll go greet them, the new Candidate Master said as she proceeded to go wash up and get dressed for the day.  The coral nodded and stretched again, calling to the sleeping candidates, Young ones, wake up.  Mine will take you to the eggs today!  Eat and dress first though, and then meet her by the lake at the ninth hour.

An hour later, Micaela came walking up to the lake where her charges were supposed to be waiting for her, dressed against the cooler weather of winter.  She looked at them all, from the youngest Marik and Kikaya, to Ameli, who had just joined their ranks a week or so before.  The Search Riders would still be going out, bringing more and more to their ranks.  She gave them all a friendly morning and said, "Good morning, everyone.  I've cleared it with R'sten for us to walk down to the caverns today, so that you can see the clutch, and go onto the sands and touch the eggs.  Now, the only rules I have for you are that you have to be on your best behavior, and if Heweth tells you to get off the sands, then get off the sands.  He guards this clutch now, so listen to him.  R'sten and I will be keeping an eye on you too.  I don't want to see anyone misbehave, because the last thing we need is for you lot to not be Standing come Hatching Day."  Her voice was friendly and cheerful, but she still managed to have a slight sterness to her to let them know that she wasn't going to mess around with this.

Heweth, Mine is ready for yours to meet her and the hopefuls now, Irukath passed onto the Weyrleader's bronze guarding the clutch in the cavern below.  Her rider said at the same time, "We'll head that way as soon as R'sten arrives.  He might have his own words to say."

[Kikaya]

Kikaya had been sleeping peacefully when she heard Irukath. the girl had grown up in the Weyr, so it didn't scare her, but she was a bit reluctant to get up until it registered that the coral had just said they would be able to see the eggs. She sprang out of her bed and quickly pulled on a clean pair of pants and a tunic then hurried down to the Dining Cavern to eat. She couldn't wait to tell her parents later how her day went.

The girl ate her food quickly and then hurried to where they were all supposed to meet. Kikaya smiled a bit shyly at the Candidate Master and listened as Micaela gave them some rules. she nodded as they listened. they sounded reasonable to her. She looked over and smiled when she caught sight of Marik. She had surprisingly made fast friends with the Lord Holder's son.

[Monee]

Monee’s bright blue eyes flew open at the voice of the CandidateLeader’s dragon. Egg touching today! The girl was suddenly a flurry of motion, taming her pale locks as quickly as possible into a twist that would end up over her left shoulder more so than not later on in the day if it stayed in that style at all for more than half the day. She tossed on a light blue overdress over some lavender shaded breeches and a pale red shirt that bordered on pink before slipping into her usual light boots for running amuck up and down the mountainsides. After dashing to the Common Room to await her brother while bouncing on the balls of her feet, she ushered her twin to the Dining Hall, then whisked through her breakfast before racing her brother to the lake where they were to meet their tutor to await the great wonder of touching eggs.

The energetic teen listened as patiently as she could to Micaela, glad for another chance to touch some eggs and hope that her lifemate was within one of them. “Oh! This is gonna be great!” she said cheerily before casting a wink at a nearby male Candidate. Oh, she had a glorious scheme all thought up for freetime that day.

[Gemsonee]

Gem’s sky blue eyes opened wide at the draconic voice in his head. He had recalled countless times when his parents’ dragons would talk to him and again when his CandidateLeaders’ dragons would talk to him as well. The sound was foreign but comforting all at the same time. He missed his parents badly, but at least he still had his sister and many of his friends and classmates. That made the recent hurt all that easier to bear. While he did not rush through getting dressed in a light brown tunic and pants and thin soled boots, he did hastened his step once he headed for the Common Room, knowing that his excitable sister would be waiting there. Sure enough, she was and he had little room to speak as she grabbed his arm and literally drug him off toward their breakfast, a broad smile gracing his lips as she talked nonstop about the egg touching they were about to go for. He was excited about it like he was for every egg touching he had been to. Maybe after all this destruction, his dragon awaited in one of the surviving eggs on the Sands of their latest queen’s clutch.

Gem listened quietly to Micaela’s words, having heard the spiel time and time and time again in the past. Perhaps some luck would be on his side for this clutch. He grinned at his sister’s excited words, noticing her characteristic glance at a couple of her troublemates that were Candidates as well. Just what was she cooking up for today’s excitement?

[Ameli]

Ameli was still getting used to life at the Weyr in comparison to the life she had been used to before the earthquake just weeks before. She hadn't exactly started to fit in with the other candidates yet, but then again, she hadn't exactly been trying either. The loss of her fiance was still hitting her hard, but she wasn't about to tell anyone that that what was really going. So when the coral dragon which belonged to the candidate master spoke to her that morning, it startled her out of what the holder girl considered to be pleasant memories.

The girl gave a small sigh but then pulled herself out of bed and got dressed before heading to grab a roll and some fruit for her breakfast. Ameli wasn't exactly the heaviest eater in the world, so a roll and fruit was all that it really took to fill her up before she headed out to the join the rest of the candidates. Once there, she stuck to the back of the gathering group while the others talked before Micaela came to give her speach. She knew that she was one of the newer candidates there, so she listened carefully, though she felt that what she heard was probably common sense. Still, even common sense had to be voiced every now and then to make sure others knew about it.

[Marik]

Marik couldn't believe it.  Today he was going to touch the Eggs!  He had risen as soon as he heard Irukath call the Candidates, and the boy quickly got dressed before scurrying towards the Common Room.  Clad in a pair of dark breeches, a cream-colored tunic, and boots; he looked around for his newest best friend.  He scanned the room for  a moment but frowned when he didn't see Kikaya, but shrugged before he felt a pair of hands on his shoulders.  One of the other boys, a bit older than he, was practically guiding, half-pushing him towards the Dining Caverns.  Clearly, it was stressed that he needed to eat before meeting up with the Candidate Master.  Marik's father had strong ties to the Weyr, and because of that the boy was sometimes the victim of the occasional prank.  Other times he was somewhat respected, but he didn't let his royal ties get in the way.  Marik was there because he was a Candidate and wanted to become a Rider, and he wasn't going to let anyone or anything stand in his way.  Not that he was hard-headed, but rather wanted to succeed.

Once finished with his breakfast, Marik made his way towards the lake as directed, and finally caught sight of Kikaya.  He skipped over to her and beamed, then whispered softly but with joy.  "There you are! I was hoping to sit next to you in the Dining Cavern!"  But whatever conversation they were about to have was cut off when Micaela gave her instructions.  Marik nodded his head when it was said he and the other Candidates would be watched, not just by the Candidate Master but also by the Weyrleader and Heweth.

[R'sten]

R'sten waited patiently by the entrance to the Hatching Sands, while his faithful Bronze dragon likewise waited near the eggs.  Normally, someone else would be handling this particular responsibility.  But with the recent earthquake that left everyone practically scrambling, and resulted in the deaths of the original Weyrwoman and Weyrleader, along with the Betweening of the senior dragons...

He tried not to think about it.  It was still an internal battle he was fighting, learning how to cope with the losses caused by that tragic event.  But R'sten refused to let anyone see just how much he was struggling.  After all, wasn't the future worth fighting for, now represented by the remaining Eggs that his Heweth now guarded with his honor and his life?  Wasn't it more important for him to focus on the here and now, trusting the Candidates would behave themselves and not inadvertently cause any more losses?  He squinted his eyes to try and get a better look at the growing group of youngsters gathering by the lake, no doubt Micaela instructing them on how to act around Heweth.  But it wasn't helping any.  Shards, was his eyesight starting to go already?

The Bronze's voice cut through the multitude of thoughts, much like a ship piercing the fog.  It is time, Mine.

"And so it is," R'sten said softly, then grabbed his coat before leaving the relative warmth of the Sands and heading up towards the lake.  He put on a cordial smile for everyone.  "Good morning, everyone," he greeted Micaela and her students.  "Before the Candidate Master and I lead you to the Hatching Sands, do any of you have any questions?"

[Micaela]

Micaela gave the candidates all a chance to greet the Weyrleader once he arrived and a few more moments there after to ask any questions that might arise. She glanced at Monee and some of the other candidates near her, knowing the group to be troublemakers despite her very short time as their instructor. While she was thinking she would keep an extra eye on them, her eyes moved towards Kikaya and Marik who were, by all rights, still considered too young to stand, despite having been Searched. Perhaps they would be the first children below 12 allowed to do just that, given the tragedy that had just fallen. That decision, she supposed, would be up to R'sten to make. From them, she moved to Gem, Ameli, and the newly arrived Riayhon. The first two seemed quiet enough, but she wasn't entirely certain what to make of the third yet. Her eyes continued to sweep over the others while her coral informed the weyrleader's bronze which candidates they would probably not need to worry about and which would need the most watching.

"Alright, well if there are no questions, then let's go ahead and head down to the cavern. It's a bit of a hike, but it's the same path you'll take once the Hatching happens," she said, before waving the candidates to follow her to the path which headed down the mountain's side and to the cavern enterance.

[Kikaya]

Kikaya smiled at the Weyrleader. She knew the man pretty well since she had grown up in the Weyr. She was still young enough not to be intimidated as well. She turned back to Micaela, staying close to Marik though. The two were fast friends and it was nice to have a friend considering she was younger then everyone else.

The girl couldn't think of any questions at the moment, so she just kept quiet. She smiled brightly though when Micaela said they could go see the eggs. The girl knew they had to be quiet though and be gentle. Her parents had warned her about that enough without being a candidate. And she didn't mind the walk. It would be fun. "Come on Marik," she whispered to her friend.

[Luthien]

Luthien heard the voice in her head, waking her from a pleasant dream. It took a moment for her brain to register what was happening and come to full wakefulness. A slight smile played across her features. It was odd, hearing dragons speak, but also wonderful. And the news was good. Like all the Candidates, she'd been dying to see the Eggs ever since they were laid. The tragedy of Hipath's passing did not dull the hopeful joy that came from the possibility that she might one day ride a dragon. Perhaps even a Queen.. Or a beautiful coral like the Candidate Master's Irukath. 

Humming to herself Luthien bathed and dressed, and then made her way to the Dining Cavern, all the while wondering what eggs would look like. She smiled at the other Candidates, though she wasn't really paying much attention to them. After eating, she went out to the lake with the others, nodding respectfully, and somewhat enviously at Micaela and Irukath.

R'sten arrived and addressed them. The Interim Weyrleader had a grave demeanor, but a very charismatic voice. Luthien liked him, though she doubted that his Heweth would be up to winning the Flight of the new-hatched Queen. One never knew, she supposed. 

Finally, they were going down the corridor to the Hatching Cavern. Luthien fe her body was almost humming with excitement as she followed the others.

[Monee]

Seeing R’sten, Monee gave him a bright grin and a wave of greeting. Her brother had told her time and time again since the dust had settled that a smile went a very long way in these trying times and she had noticed the difference whenever she came upon a sad face. She had no questions for the bronzerider as her brother had answered numerous questions for her shortly after she got into Candidacy. Once Micaela had told them what they were to do and had started them down the weathered path to the Hatching Cavern, the Astronomer skipped along with the others, humming an old tune to herself, pale hair bouncing with each step.

[Gemsonee]

Seeing the Interim Weyrleader arrive, Gem knew that soon he would be stepping onto the Sands to touch the eggs and hope for a good feeling vibe from at least one of them. He gave the bronzerider a warm smile of greeting. Having done this many times before, the Candidate had no questions about the Touching ahead. Once they had begun their journey down the slope, he glanced about at his current classmates to guess their feelings on the event ahead of them.

[riayhon]

Riayhon said nothing, merely nodding his head at the others but taking great pains to make it more perceptable to the Interim Weyrleader. He has endured so much, far more than what I could possibly imagine, the young man thought to himself. Normally he was outspoken, but his mind and demeanor were keeping him a bit more restrained than usual. Perhaps it was because of what the occasion held, a chance to visit the remaining eggs on the Sands guarded by the old and wise Heweth. The former Guard Instructor had heard the stories of how R'sten was chosen by the surviving Riders as Interim Weyrleader; the man who held that position prior to him forever lost to time.

Equally rare was how Heweth was guarding the eggs closely, the last bit of a legacy left behind by their dam whom was likewise no longer among the living. Tragic, really, and yet everyone clung to the slim hope one of the eggs would result in a Queen. Riayhon wasn't about to dismiss that possibility entirely, but he was intelligent enough to recognize the odds stacked against the Weyr.

[Marik]

Marik simply smiled at his friend, quietly falling in step behind Kikaya as she led the way towards the eggs. Really, it was R'sten whom was leading the group; Marik had nothing but the most profound respect for the man due to the friendship the bronzerider had with his own father. In some ways, Marik thought of R'sten as an old uncle; some of the other candidates would whisper behind his back, spreading rumors of 'hero worship'. But Marik, in spite of his age, didn't seem to mind nor care.

[R'sten]

Once everyone fell in step behind him, R'sten shed his coat once he approached the warmth of the Sands. But instead of speaking up, he merely smiled and nodded at Heweth, and the old bronze nodded in return before gazing upon the Candidates gathered in his presence. The Interim Weyrleader looked at Micaela, as if giving her a silent cue to speak up and instruct the youths on what to do at this point.