It had been a good hatching, her mother told her, and tears had sprung to her eyes when she remembered Isith's Impression to her. It was never good to not have enough candidates, and with eighty candidates when there was only fifty-four eggs, maybe some duds, and more than a thousand people in the stands, there had to be enough choice for the little draclings.
Yet, there were times when there hadn't been enough choice, even with hundreds of spectators and candidates, then the draclings had gone between and it was never good to have a death so shortly after a hatching...they were supposed to be joyous and momentous occasions, but that wasn't always the case.
Sandra turned her attention back to her work: serving bread, cheese, and wine for the few dragonriders that were here. She sincerely hoped that in six years the Weyr would have a full-fighting force of dragons. She also hoped that perhaps her mother would decide to remain here. Afterall, it was her job, as a Weyrwoman, to take care of a Weyr in times of trouble, and this Weyr was more than in trouble.
If Tai remained here, than two or three different times there would be clutches on the sands this year, and they'd most suredly have enough to fight against Thread by the time the baby dragons became adults. That is, if some could be persuaded to stay at the Weyr.
Sandra, Tai calls for more wine to be brought to the tables, are you not hearing? Sandra jerked her head up and looked at Tai and the staring dragonriders.
"S-sorry," Sandra fumbled and hurried back into the kitchens. She sighed as she helped a few of the other 'helpers' bring out more wine and food to the tables. Suddenly, a loud bugle split the air and Sandra had to cover her ears. For even as the dragon was outside, the bugle was loud enough to hurt anyone's ears on the inside.
"Who? What is wrong now?" Tai asked and got up from the table and peered outside. Sandra, and many others, followed and peered outside and up. A large bronze was circling down to the Weyr. "Well what was that all about Monrith?" Tai asked, glaring fiercely at the large bronze.
Thread! It falls! It falls and we must help fight where we can! Dragonriders are needed. The fall is bad!Sandra hurried and grabbed her riding garb and put it on, then grabbed the nearest flam-thrower and leapt onto Monrith's back, along with T'rukel. She would have to be among the ground crew.
"What is so bad about this-" but her words were lost as Monrith went between as soon as possible.
Sandra had hoped, more than anything, that she'd be Searched for Isifth's clutch. She had learned that Isifth had a golden egg on the sands, something her mother had not told her before, and she vied to have that golden egg for her own. Afterall, her own mother had Impressed Isifth, albeit she had been in the stands and hadn't known she was going to Impress Isifth at all.
After Fall was over, the dragons, riders, and Sandra returned, worn and tired. Nobody had lost their life, thank Faranth, but there had been considerable injuries. Sandra had a few Threadscores herself and they burned like nothing she'd felt before. Numbweed had been applied to her arms and leg where she'd been scored...but she could still feel a dull throbbing and it irritated her so.
She now saw what Monrith had meant by a bad Fall this time. Thread had fallen heavy today and the Weyr they'd helped had been in need of more dragonriders, and had been grateful for the help of the dragons at Sidra.
Tai had remained with Isifth and that was where Sandra now joined her. Isifth looked over at her with gently whirling blue eyes and then looked back at Tai. Tai shook her head, sighed, and then nodded. Then she shook her head again and Sandra could see Isifth's eyes whirling faster and getting a deeper blue, almost purple as they were changing to an irritated red. Finally, Tai huffed and left the sands in a flurry.
What's that about? Sandra asked Isifth, who just preceeded to ignore her. Fine! If everyone wanted to ignore her, that was jsut fine! She'd just go somewhere where she could ignore herself as well. She didn't understand why Isifth would talk to her sometimes, and then not at all at other times. Monrith was kinder, and talked to her often.
I like talking to you. You are my rider's daughter. You are my mate's daughter. Yes, she was, wasn't she? Her mother had had her on Pern with T'rukel, and then a few years later, they'd impressed their first dragons. Tai was jealous, how come her afther and mother Impressed and she never got to? Everyone was Searched everywhere else, but she was never Searched! And Isifth always avoided her age on purpose...excepting today.
I will Search you, if you wish to stand. I think you would make a fine gold candidate. Monrith said. Sandra's heart nearly stopped.
Really? She asked hopefully.
Really, Sandra, daughter of mine rider. You are Searched then. Take your things and go to the candidate barracks, not that there are many there. Go, Sandra. Sandra didn't need to be told twice, though the bronze had. She ran all the way to her regular room and proceeded to pack everything and move it to the candidate barracks. Heck, she didn't really need to do that...but then she shrugged her shoulders and continued with it anyway.
"Just what do you think you are doing?" Tai suddenly asked from behind Sandra, startling the wits out of her and she jumped nearly two feet of the ground.
"I'm packing. I was Searched."
"For who's clutch, by who, and by who's authority?" Tai suddenly asked, pressing her lips together tightly in a frown, and narrowing her eyes.
"For Isifth's clutch, by Monrith, under my own authority. Really, mother, I am old enough to make my own choices. Far older than old enough." She said and hurried past her mother and down to the candidate barracks, leaving behind a startled Tai.
A couple weeks later, T'rukel had to take something to one of the local Weyrs and Sandra asked to go. She loved riding dragons and took the chance whenever she could. T'rukel gave her a sideways glance.
"Oh, please, pa. Let me go with you!" She pleaded. He must let her go with him. She loved the way the wind would smash against her face and blow her hair wildly behind her. T'rukel sighed.
"Alright, let's go then." He said and sighed, but Sandra could see the smile playing on his face and jumped up on Monrith behind him. They went between and Sandra counted the three counts it took to go between but they were in there for longer...she counted five, still they were in between. No! Had her father lost them to between? Strangely, she didn't feel panic, only calm, shock, and a little realization that she was...dead...but how could she be dead if she were still thiking? Was this what it was like to be caught in the dark cold blackness?
I am here, do not be afraid, I am here, I will always be with you. Monrith assured them sadly. He obviously thought they were dead as well. As the cold became almost too unbearble through her clothes -she had not worn riding gear this time- she felt faint and then felt her mind slipping away. Soon, she was in her own blacnkess.
Sandra woke to a warm cloth being patted on her forehead. She opened her eyes, but closed them immediately as the pain was great. "Am I...dead?" She asked. "Is this some sort of afterlife?" Her voice must have been weak and soft, for the woman taking care of her asked her to repeat what'd she'd said. "Am I...dead?" She shouted this time.
"No, dear." The woman laughed, and she seemed to have a slight accent. "Wherever did you get that idea. My, my, you are pale. Are you feeling sick?" The woman asked.
"No...but i do have a headache." She replied as loud as she could.
"Well, my word, you do have pale skin. Paler than normal. I don't understand." She said and Sandra could imagine a woman shaking her head. "By the way, dear, my name is Maira, Masterhealer of Morning Star Weyr."
Sandra's eyes flew open and she sat bolt upright. "Morning Star Weyr? What the...where am I?" Sandra stood up and started backing away, despite the protests from the Masterhealer.
"Dear, please lay back down, you have been completely ill. Why, if that bronze dragon, small as he is, hadn't landed on the ground right outside, you wouldn't've been alive now. He almost died as well, he did. Poor bronze. Wherever did such a small bronze come from? Never that matter now, just come abcka nd lie down." The woman said, but didn't move towards Sandra for fear of making her run. Yet it was too late, Sandra was afraid -for the first time in a very long time- and ran out the door, shouting for someone to help her.
"Honey, are you alright?" Someone with a kind voice asked. Sandra grabbed the man by his shirt.
"Where am I?" She asked, her eyes wide.
"Why, Morning Star Weyr, there is no reason for you to-" But he didn't get to finish. Sandra was backing away, hands lifted in front of her as if to ward him off.
"Where's my father? Where's Monrith?" She demanded.
"I'm afraid your father is still very ill, ma'am, but the dragon is fine and right outside. Well what has you in such a mood?" He asked but she ran before he could get a reply.
Something was wrong, something was terribly wrong. Nothing felt right. She ran outside, and a highly cold wind buffeted her and reminded her of her trip between. Suddenly, a bronze foot pressed down in the grass before her...but it wasn't Monrith, no...this foot was at least ten times larger-and then some- than Monrith's own foot.
Sandra gasped and staggered backwards then looked up at the neck that towered high above her. A small scream shoved its way up her thoat and she opened her mouth, but nothing came out. The dragon lowered its head, eyes whirling rapidly.
Go away! She screamed in her head and though the bronze looked startled and highly annoyed-and his rider amused- he remained where he was. Monrith! Where are you? Help me! She cried lunging to the left, but the bronze moved his tail in her path. What was he doing? Where was Monrith? Help me Monrith! She cried, forcing all of her thoughts into that one plea and she could hear Monrith give a cry of protest as he flew down to her.
Monrith stood protectively over Sandra and hissed at the gigantic bronze. Who bugled a challenge back at Monrith. Monrith bugled back, though his bugle wasn't nearly as loud as the larger dragon's. Sandra backed away as Isaoroth-she realized she'd heard his rider shout the dragons name while he tried to shout apologies at the same time- spread his wings and bared his teeth as well as trying to make himself look larger.
Monrith would not be swayed and bared his own teeth and crouched as if ready to leap. Sandra looked around and saw all of the other dragons bugling their worry and flapping their wings. Well, they had a right to worry. Why would a small strange bronze want to challenge an obviously more powerful, not to mention much larger, dragon?
Yet this tremendous bronze was scaring her. How could this be? Where was she that could produce larger dragons? She shuddered and her fear returned ten fold and this made Monrith's eyes whirl red at the larger bronze, as if Sandra's fear was caused by Isaoroth.
Someone grabbed Sandra by her shoulders and shook her. "Release him girl, you'll make him fight Isaoroth if you don't stop!" The man yelled at her. Sandra slowly looked over at the person gripping her shoulders and her fear lessened. "Release him!" He shouted again. "How...I don't know what I'm doing!" She said and shrunk down.
"Stop being afraid girl. There is nothing wrong with Isoaroth, he's just bigger, not meaner!" Sandra closed her eyes and tried to stop her shaking. She took a deep breath and Monrith's eyes stopped whirling red, then he sat back and staredup at the larger bronze with whirling blur eyes, probably appologizing. The other dragons settled down when they saw the commotion between the larger and smaller bronze settle down.
"I'm...sorry." Sandra replied faintly, weakened by the way she'd controlled Monrith without knowing it. She tilted slightly, not able to stand straight, and had to be held up.
"No need to appologize. That's a strong mind you have there, girl. My name's S'ron. I'm the Headsearchrider here. Would you mind....becoming a candidate here?" He asked and looked at her.
"I...can't. I'm Searched for my mother's dragon's clutch." She said and swayed.
"But you won't be able to return to your time so shortly after you came forward. You can at a later time, perhaps, but timing it again will probably kill you, your father, and Monrith." He said slowly, not mentioning the fact that they could take jumps back in time by short bursts. This girl would be an asset to this Weyr if she would Impress here and stay here. "Besides, it will have a worse effect no your father as he seems to have taken it worse, as well as it will take him longer to recover." He said truthfully. "I'm afraid you might miss that hatching. So...you could, stay here." He said.
Sandra sighed, she was too tired, too drained, to argue and let herself be brought back to the healer. As she lay down, she sighed in contentment. Her muscles ached from having been so foolishly afraid and she felt embarrassed now that everything was over. She smiled slightly. At least I can still Impress, even if not Isifth's clutch! Sandra thought happily as she fell into a deep sleep filled full of dreams of dragons.