Starlight Hold: Winter Welcome Gather

Zearia and J'gon entered the gather, decked out in all new attire they had specially ordered from some of the local Weyrweavers. J'gon's Weyrleader knots, tied in with his dragon color and wing postion knots, laid neatly on his shoulder while Zearias had been hastily place in the knot slip, her Weyrwoman knot still lacking a dragon color weave.   Haren and his lady Laterira, with a newly birthed baby girl resting in the crook of her arm, greeted the guests as they entered. S'ron greeted the Lord and Lady Holders as his blue Aith landed just outside of the courtyard. He was to man the entrance and scope out any possible candidates for the five eggs rested on Jade Skies Beach. J'gon wrapped his arms lovingly around Zearia as the chilly winter air whipped through Starlight's courtyard.   "Attention, all!" Haren cried once a large crowd had gathered. "Our hold harper has composed two new ballads just for our gathering. One will be presented at this time to offically start the gather, and the other will offically end it. Karastan?" Haren called to Starlight's harper.

Karastan proudly strolled onto the performance platform. He ready his gitar across his chest as random players assembled behind him. Karastan smiled at the assembly as he began to sing.

Oh come all ye to Starlight's Gather, with food and fun and games, to see the wonderful Hatching, on this happy day. Come see those youngin's, break out of their shells. And to see who impresses, will it be one of you? Come drink yourselves merry, and hear the talk too. We harpers will sing merrily, And dancing will be so much fun! At Starlight's Gather.

Everyone cheered happily as Karastan finished his song. Glancing over the crowd, J'gon noticed several children who stuck out to him. He was sure that S'ron had picked up a few of them, but suddenly, a voice rang in his head.   J'gon, there's one over there, by Pendor's booth that Aith says we should talk to, Endoth sighed. Besides, Pendor has been selling green clutch eggs at gold clutch prices again. You might want to take care of that.   J'gon smiled, All right, Endoth. I'll see to it. Which child was it?   The one in the green dress at the front of the line, Endoth sighed.   J'gon nodded and strolled over to the booth just in time to hear the girl exclaim, "I'm not your dear or anyone else's!"   J'gon chuckled to himself. This one would make a perfect queenrider, but considering it was a white's clutch...   "For you... only two marks," Pendor offered the egg to the girl.   Two marks! J'gon thought. Two marks would be too much for me to pay. How could he think of asking..., "Two marks?" J'gon laughed, trying to hide his anger. "Isn't that awfully high to charge a Candidate?" Or me for any mind, J'gon thought.   J'gon chuckled at Pendor's nervousness as he forced a medium size egg into the young girl's hand and then turned away from the two.   Her name's Akelei, by the way, J'gon. Just so you don't look stupid, Endoth scoffed as Akelei studied him and fixed a preplexed look on his ranking knots.   "Yes, I get that a lot. But Endoth is very capable, I assure you," J'gon sighed.   "Weyrleader..." Akelei paused slightly.   "J'gon," J'gon said, filling in her pause. "What is it, Akelei?"   Akelei seemed a bit shocked, and J'gon assumed it was because she had said her name. She didn't pause for long this time, "Why'd you say I was a candidate?"   J'gon grinned impishly. "Pendor is not supposed to sell flit eggs at that price. And I've been wanting to take him down a step or two for a long time. Besides - it's true."   "What?" Akelei nearly exploded.   "Yes, S'ron - he let you in - said his Aith wanted you from the first. That's why they were so insistant," J'gon laughed.   "Would I even have a chance of Impressing?" Akelei started, but her attention was abruptly distracted as the egg which she still held gave a violent jerk. "Ahh!" She quickly shifted her grip in time to save the egg from smashing on the stones below.   J'gon smiled at the girl's distressed look as he pointed down at the flitter egg which was no longer an egg, but was now a small green hatchling. Suddenly, Aith bugled loudly as he landed outside the hold. Zearia exclaimed happily as she rushed to greet the candidates S'ron had just brought in. J'gon laughed as he escourted Akelei towards the area where they were preparing the candidates for the hatching. Continue...