"All the little things in life count, even if they are so insignificant that you can't see the difference, Jeszibelle." her mother had said to her before she became ill. Jeszibelle, Belle for short, sits on the left side of her mother's bed, comforting her the best she can. The MasterHealer rushes in, and starts to examine Kliesabelle, Jeszibelle's mother. Jeszibelle is escorted out of the room by her grandfather. the Healer needed all the room she could get, although she gave Jeszibelle a sympathic look when she was escorted out. Waiting for the answers to the infinate questions both Jeszibelle and her father had was though, but they both got through it, somehow. When the MasterHealer came out, her face was both a mixture of confusion and grief. Then quietly, the healer took her grandfatherfather aside, and told him what she thought was wrong with her mother. "I've never seen such a thing....Don't know if she'll make it...need to tell Jeszibelle...baby won't make it....she'll die..." Jeszibelle heard little bits of the conversation, then sighed and leaned against the wall. Her mother had been pregnant, and neither of them had known it. When Jeszibelle was born, her mother's womb had to be cut open to allow Jeszibelle out, then repaired. The healer had told her not to get pregnant again because they would have to take her womb completely out, and there was a large chance she wouldn't live through it. Jeszibelle's almond-shaped hazel eyes filled with tears that spilled over onto her cheeks, and she sobbed softly into her hands, her brown hair falling around her hands and face. Her mother was likely not to live past the next month or so. The baby is premature by three weeks, but it might make it. They must get the baby out immedately, or her mother wouldn't have any chance of living. Her grandfather nodded, and the healer went back inside with her mother. Freomeil, her grandfather was named, took her out of the hall, and into the fading sunlight of the evening. He told her the whole story, about how she was born, and how her mother was doing as of now. She leaned over to her grandfather, and wept openly into his shoulder. All they could do was wait.
    Over the next few days, Belle was constantly at her mother's side. The baby, a boy they called Cleistre, had died the night before, and her mother was so weak, she couldn't open her eyes. As Kliesabelle's health declined, so did Jeszibelle's. She wouldn't eat, sleep, or move away from her mother as long as she was alive. One night, just after Belle had fallen asleep, her mother stirred, and woke up Belle. Her mother muttered a few words to her daughter and squeezed her hand. "Take care of grandfather, Belle. My beautiful little Belle, I wish I could stay, but I must go. I will always love you, no matter what anyone else says. Remember me always, and I shall remember you. I love you, my little Belle." and with that, she closed her eyes and died.
    A year passed by, and Jeszibelle had grown into a quite attractive woman of 19. She never got over her mother's death, and was always very quiet and shy around others. Boys wanted her to notice them, but she was wrapped up in her books to even notice that she had admirers. One boy, a very handsome one from the weyr that had come here for training, was beside himself trying to get her to notice him. Even her grandfather was worried about her, never talking to anyone but him or that cat of hers. "You should be socializing Belle, dear. It's not healthy to read books all day, and ingore everyone that should say a simple hello to you. I will be sending you to the weyr to be put under the Headwman's care. I cannot have a granddaughter that won't speak a single word to a very handsome boy who has his eyes on you." her grandfather says. Belle's reaction is to turn away from him and run to her room, crying. Grandfather's right. I am a discrace! Who would want me, when I don't talk to anyone? But he doesn't understand! Mother would have never sent me away! But mother isn't here. Only in my memories and dreams does she exist. Belle thought to herself. That night she cried herself to sleep.
    Another year passed, at this time, Belle was well admired as the Headowoman's foster child at Ryslen Weyr. At twenty turns, she has blossomed into a social butterfly. No one can forget what happened to her two turns ago, but she has forgiven and forgotten those terrible times. Her memories now only consist of the happy moments of her mother's life. While she was under the headowoman's command, she leaned to be forgiving, caring, and very expressive of her feelings. Everyone was proud of her improvment, and enouraged her to keep on there. The Jr. queen and rider from Katadon Weyr was visiting Ryslen Weyr when queen Cytiath rose in a mating flight. Belle watched from the Lower Caverns, adn even bet thirty marks that the strong-willed little white would win. Sure enough, white Releith flew gold Cytiath, and Belle collected sixty more marks. "Lucky bet, Belle! I never would have thought that a white could fly a queen! Never in the history of Pern has a gold been flown by a white!" one of the boys who bet against her remarked. "Lucky bet my foot! I bet she knew that the white had enough will power to fly that gold. Huh, Belle?" One of the girls asked Belle. "I could tell that the white had enough wits to beat the bronzes, not to make fun of them or anything, but I just guessed that would be the outcome." Belle said honestly. Everyone laughed, and she bought them all a mug of beer and a plate of food just to show how fair she was.
| Stats | Candidate | Hatchling | Weyrling | Adult |
The queen had clutched around fourteen or fifteen eggs, no one was sure of the exact count, since she wouldn't tell anyone. The searcheriders went looking for sixteen candidates, just to be sure. The day after the queen clutched her eggs, one of the searchriders, D'run, stopped in for something to eat. While he was eating, his eyes went light, he was conversing with Okserth, his blue. He smiles at Jeszibelle, and beckonds for her to come over to him. She complies and sits across from him. "Jeszibelle, I for one agree with Okserth on this one. Okserth wants you to be a candidate for the first Gold/White clutch ever. Do you accept?" he asks her. "I...I mean...I...Yes!" she stammers, still shocked that she had been Searched. "Good, all you have to do is gather your things and move to the Candidate barracks, and you know where they are. Good luck, Belle. I have to go search the holds of Ryslen Weyr. See you later. Thank you for the meal, Ikara." he says,  smiles widely, and walks out of the Lower Caverns. Immedtaely, she grabs her things, tells Ikara, and runs over to the Candidate Barracks. She must write a note to her gandfather telling him the good news. Then he could come live here with all the rest of my 'family' she thought.