Yulee's mother raised her to speak her mind, and never care what anyone else thought of her. Some people did not respect her for that. Some people did not respect her at all. For you see, Yulee was very forthright with her feelings. She knows that other people may not appreciate her, but she doesn't care. She is very tough, and will not take anything from anyone. A boy once teased her, and she made him wish he was a girl (if you know what I mean). People stay away from that subject. It was once said about her that "if she swallowed a sewing needle, it would come out crooked as a corkscrew."
Yulee and Aisha trotted down the street, holding hands. They lived together, despite the glares and whispers from other people. They had been lovers since their early teens. They received glares not only for being lovers, but also because of their skin. Aisha was a pale-skinned blond with blue eyes, while Yulee had dark brown skin, and black hair to her shoulders which she kept in hundreds of tiny braids. Yulee was now 21, and the reason they were so happy this day: Aisha was celebrating her 20th birthday. No longer a teenager, Yulee was treating her to dinner and some presents.
The snow was freshly fallen, and a beautiful, blinding white. They skipped along, laughing and singing, enjoying the day. They lightly tossed snowballs at each other, and then stopped, wiping the snow off of each other's faces. Shouts arose from behind them. Aisha's eyes filled with fear, and Yulee's expression hardened. A gang of four boys was behind them, the leader tossing a snowball up and down. He held it in his hands, melting the outer layer, and forming an ice ball. He grinned at the two girls. Yulee turned, and holding Aisha's arms, the two began to walk away. The snowball came whizzing through the air, clipping Yulee's ear. She turned, and another snowball hit her square in the chest. The boys roared with laughter, and she started towards them.
"Please, Yulee. Let it go," begged Aisha, pulling Yulee's arm. Yulee looked at her friend, and then at the boys. She turned, and they walked away.
"Why'd you stop me? I could have taught them a lesson," complained Yulee. They were back in their small little home, sitting on a couch.
"There was four of them. Only one of you. You know I wouldn't have been any help," said Aisha, looking at the ground. Her light blond ringlets fell in her face. Yulee lovingly tucked the locks behind Aisha's ear.
"It doesn't matter. They didn't come after us," she said soothingly. Aisha smiled then.
"Wonderful thing to happen on a birthing day." Yulee laughed.
Later that day, Aisha was sitting by the fire, playing a tune on her harp and singing cheerfully. Yulee was sitting also by the fire, and drinking a mug of hot klah. She listened to Aisha, smiling at the sound of her lover's voice. When suddenly, there was a loud knock on the door. Aisha's voice stopped mid-note, and so did her harp playing. She rose, tucked the harp under one arm, and opened the door slowly. Yulee watched Aisha from behind as she seemed to be talking to someone. And then, the door opened all the way and a man with bluerider knots came walking in, his boots thumping on the floor. He smiled at Yulee, who stared back. He then glanced at Aisha, who ducked her head and crossed to the couch beside Yulee.
"Hello. Like I said to..."
"Aisha," Aisha supplied shyly. The bluerider nodded.
"Aisha. Right. Well, like I told Aisha, I am here on Search. My dragon out front told me that there was a suitable candidate here." The girls glanced at each other. One?
"Well, when we got down here, he told me (his name's Amitath, by the way), that there were two suitable candidates. Why don't you two come out and meet him?" Yulee rose without question. Her dream had always been to get out of the tiny Hold and have a change- to do something new and fun. Aisha, on the other hand, rose very slowly, frowning. She was completely satisfied with her life as it was. Why should she change it?
They walked outside, and Aisha got her first look at the dragon. She fell in love. His hide was a beautiful royal blue, and he was so beautiful. His eyes swirled as he looked at her, and she felt as if she would die.
"Where do you come from?" asked Yulee while Aisha stared at the dragon.
"Ryslen Weyr. There's a Winter Gather Flurry Frenzy there, that you two would make great candidates for, if Amitath's not wrong. And he never is. You two wanna come, or what?" Yulee turned to Aisha, fully prepared to plead and beg to go. But Aisha was already there, sputtering, saying how she would love to go. And Yulee smiled, and nodded.
And soon, they were off.