IMPRESSED BROWN KUNITH
"There you are!" You say to the tallish dark-skinned and bald headed man. "I've been trying to find you."
"I've been running away," Arandy said, a smile on his face. He certainly can pour on the charm, you think.
"I've only got a couple questions, and I'm sure you're used to answering them by now..."
"Well, yes. If you mean the 'how old are you/what craft might you have/who are your parents' line, yes. I know them. Let me see..." He leaned against the wall and toyed with the edge of a tapestry beside him. "I am 20 turns old, and I'm a Journeyman Harper. I deal with law, so I came here to the Weyrhold to study. I'm working directly with Lord Holder Engell, and it's working nicely."
"I hear he is quite crafty."
"He IS the craft, around here," Arandy admits. "Anyway, back to me!" He lets you laugh a bit. "My parents were a weaver and a minor hold Lord. I don't really have much to say about them... I'm the middle of eight children." He shrugs. "I had to get out of that, believe me. I came here three turns ago, starting my Journeman ship. I was Searched just a few sevendays ago. That A'rd and his blue, you know. He likes to take Harpers aside and make them think they're going to be promoted or something, and then shoves them in front of that menace with a blue snout."
"Menace?" You gasp, "is Trelerth being--"
"It's just a joke," he says, leveling you with a look. His eyes are clear amber color, very attractive eyes. His full lips move back into a smile. "Anyway, I've been searched and now I'm waiting to see which Weyr I'm to stand at. It could be practically anywhere. But I know that when I do stand, I'll have some time to spend at that weyr, and then come back here to serve Alabaster. That's my goal, anyway."
"Many people do. I understand that there is a strong loyalty among the Alabaster Weyrhold folk."
"Only the best," Arandy replies.
"Well, let's wrap this up. What kind of dragon do you think you're suited for?"
"Brown, definitely brown. They don't make the smash entrances that Bronzes do, but they're sturdy and smart enough. I'll shorten my name to A'ndy by the way."
"You've thought this out, haven't you?"
"Doesn't everyone?" He chuckles and then gives you a goodbye handshake.
"You understand that this will place you at Talor Cliff for about two turns, if you Impress," the Lord Holder explained. He knew the routine, he'd watched his son go through it too.
"I do sir," Arandy said. "And I'm looking forward to it." He caught the jokingly caustic glare from the white-haired man. "Not that I want to get out of Alabaster!"
The Lord Holder laughed, and sent Arandy on his way, along with a letter on a scroll for Weyrwoman Falora regarding this particular one of his "spycrafters".
'Arandy is a sensible young man, but treat him with care, Falora. Don't let his ego get the better of you -- or of him!'
One morning, however, all the wondering in the world paid off, as the dragons began to hum and fill the Weyr with their song. The hatching had begun!
They raced to the sands, and put their white robes on (hot, over hot! how ... rude!) and waited.
Arandy watched several Marks go to someone else as a brown dragon hatched first. He was almost certain that the shell that broke second, a bronze, would have done it!
He sighed, and then laughed. He watched the other hatchlings and their antics, one blue tossed himself halfway across the sands to reach his chosen.
Then Arandy was bowled over himself, by an impatient butt of a head! A large head, at that! It hovered over him and the eyes whirled red, until they changed to a bemused blue.
You didn't see me! How could you be watching that blue clod when I was coming for you!
"I see you now, Kunith," Arandy said, laughing. "Let's go get you something to eat, since I already had breakfast!"
