Taleran
:Story::Search::Candidate::Hatching::Weyrling::Adult:
:Dark Moon Weyr::Tripaldi Weyr

Taleran had been born in the Weyr to one of the resident greenriders. He’d been fostered at a young age to the Headwoman and had never known which greenrider was his mother. He secretly believed it was the Searchrider Killora, but he had no proof. What other greenrider wouldn’t have time for her son? He’d tried that argument with Piliana many times and she always just shook her head and informed him that few dragonriders had time to raise their own children, not just the Searchriders. He liked to puzzle over it though. Especially when his foster mother made him sit in on one of the Candidate lessons. He’d heard them all ten times by now and usually used the time to daydream.

Today was no different, Taleran sighed and looked to the sky, watching the dragons as they came and went. Tripaldi had gotten very busy, rather quickly. It still was not large, but it had a respectable amount of traffic. Taleran returned his gaze to Killora whose green Jurith had extended a wing so Killora could teach the Candidates about a dragon’s wing-structure. Taleran scanned the group of candidates before him; he always sat in the back of the group. This was a new group, the last group having Impressed recently. There had been only one girl in the last group who hadn’t impressed and she wasn’t here, having been excused from attending lessons she’d already had. Taleran knew that meant she got extra chores though and so he didn’t envy her in the least.

As Taleran’s gaze traveled lazily over the candidates he noticed a face he hadn’t before. A young woman who caught his eye like no other had done before. The girl sat there, her attention fully on Killora though from time to time Taleran saw it drift about the Weyrbowl as if the young woman were expecting someone to show up. Taleran’s mouth fell open as he watched her. She was lovely, her hair a shimmering reddish-blonde color, her eyes sparkling blue; her lips puckered just enough to be enticing. Her every movement bespoke delicacy and grace. Taleran had never been one to chase the girls, but this beauty he fell in love with on first sight.

She turned her gaze in his direction and he shut his mouth with a snap, not wanting to be seen drooling over her. Her eyes lit up suddenly and she shifted in her seated position to make herself look even more becoming. Taleran’s eyes grew wide, thinking that perhaps he was the cause until he heard a voice behind him.

“How are the lessons going Killora?” said F’rol, the Weyrleader, as he walked up and Taleran’s heart fell in his chest as he saw the girl’s eager gaze following the Weyrleader as he strode to the front of the group.

“Fine,” said Killora, her tone rather unpleasant, her gaze highly disapproving as F’rol looked over the group, his eyes landing on the object of Taleran’s affection. Taleran seethed as he saw the admiring gaze of the Weyrleader taking in the young woman’s every curve.

“I can see that,” replied F’rol admiringly and Killora’s scowl deepened.

“Don’t you have any pressing Weyrleader business to attend to?” asked Killora testily.

“None whatsoever, you know Xalia takes care of everything. She’s very particular about how things are handled.” F’rol grinned and lounged back against Dritenth, his bronze who had padded up behind him. “I think I’ll just stay and watch your lesson, report to Xalia whether you’re doing your job or not.”

“Whatever you like, Sir, you’re the Weyrleader,” said Killora, obviously grinding her teeth. Taleran frowned, a bit puzzled by the Searchrider’s attitude towards her Weyrleader, then he shook his head, thinking he must have misheard her as he thought she muttered, “Not for long, let’s hope.”

Taleran sighed as the lesson continued, forced to sit through not just the boring lesson he’d had countless times before, but also having to watch F’rol and the lovely young woman exchanging glances. His heart sunk a little lower every time she blushed prettily having caught one of F’rol’s admiring gazes.

Continue...