Aylitan was born to a small Elven family. They were close-knit, and relied upon each other for support and sustenance. They often went around as a mix between Gypsies and Peddlers, selling seemingly priceless or nearly priceless items. Items that had been gained through means most foul.

For, you see, Aylitan’s roots were ones of thievery.

Her trade was not her choice. It was simply a way of living. Her ancestors had done it for generations, often selling one thing to a person to remove something else of their person. Something they considered of value.

Aylitan was particularly skilled at this, for her nimble hands could reach anywhere, without anyone realizing what was happening as they finalized deals. It wasn’t the best way of life, true, but it did feed them.

Aylitan started learning how to steal stuff at the tender age of three. Three! Her elder brother, who was older than she by nearly twelve years--having been born out of wedlock to Aylitan’s father--had started teaching her then, sticking objects in his pocket, and then having her filch them out.

They started simple. A handkerchief, a small chain. Little things. And slowly began to work their way up. By the time Aylitan was seven she was the best thief of the bunch, able to go so far as to open the many pouches Elves wore around their waists, full of herbs, money, and other choice items. Gems, gold, silver. The knack of it was not to take too much, lest the person notice the difference before the Aezris’ could get out of the vicinity.

It wasn’t until Aylitan was twelve she encountered her first dragon. She remembers that day well, for that was the day she tried to rob the rider. Much to her disgruntlement, that was her mistake. The dragon caught on, and warned the rider, and before Aylitan knew what was happening she found herself being held in the large, red Dragon’s claw.

"And just what do you think you are doing, miss?" the rider had asked, his voice neither gentle nor harsh. More neutral than anything else.

"You have such lovely things. I only wanted to see them," she said, trying to lie her way out of it.

The Dragon--whom Aylitan later found out was named Celaen--snorted, causing Aylitan’s braid to flop over her shoulder. "I don’t believe you," the rider translated the dragon speech for the girl.

"It’s true!" Aylitan half stammered, trying to maintain her story. "I’ve always been curious about pretty things. I never get anything pretty." She self-consciously brushed her outfit. Green with gold embroidering.

Again, the Dragon snorted. "If you are so curious, why didn’t you just come up and ask to see them? I would have been happy to at least have let you see them, even if not touch them." The rider’s amber gaze fixed on the young Elf and for a moment went out of focus. "Hm..."

Aylitan bit her lip nervously. Her family wasn’t close enough to come to her aid, and what little mind-speech she could manage was far too weak to reach to them.

Ah, so you can understand me, then? the Dragon suddenly asked, his voice rolling through her mind like a wash of fire. Somehow Aylitan found she didn’t mind.

Yes? she replied, a trace of hesitancy in her voice. I can.

Mmmm, he rumbled thoughtfully. I bet you’d make a great rider. If you were of age, however... you are a thief. Don’t try to deny it, he told her as she started to reply in the negative. You also are highly gifted in magic. Unusual for someone from a family so ungifted. However, throwbacks do occur, and I imagine you are one of them. If I took you to the Mage Guild to learn to master your skills, would you promise never to steal again?

Aylitan was stunned. Gifted in magic? Her? How could this be! Yet, it would explain so much. Her ability at taking things so easily. Yet why hadn’t it worked on the rider?

Because he has his dragon to watch out for him, that’s why. So, what is your choice?

Aylitan pondered, still trapped without Celaen’s claw, but after a moment she nodded. I promise I won’t steal if you help me to become a Mage. But I need to tell my family where I’m going.

The Dragon nodded, as did the rider after a moment of obvious conversation. "Very well, go and tell your family, but come back here quickly. We leave in ten minutes."

Aylitan was quickly to scamper out of the Dragon’s claw as the red beast released her, and for half a moment considered running to her family, and not coming back. She wouldn’t be breaking her promise if the dragon never took her to the Mage Guild, would she? She had only promised not to steal anymore if the Dragon helped her become a Mage.

Yet, she wanted to be different. She wanted to rise above this petty life. Her emerald eyes swirled with indecision for a moment before she finally made her choice. She would go with the Dragon and become a Mage.

She found her family, not to far into the wooded area where she had last seen them. "Mama! Papa!" she squealed to them, voice full of triumph. "Come quickly!"

They came, as did her uncle--a black beared man with merry blue eyes and a kind heart--and her brother, all wanting to know what had taken her so long, and what was going on.

She explained them them, as quickly as she could through all the questions. Stunned looked greeted her in the end and she grinned at them.

"You mean you would leave us?" her mother asked, shocked.

"Mama, don’t you want to see me better than a theif? Don’t you want me to be useful? What if I can learn how to conjure things! Then we’d never need money again!"

Her brother looked at her seriously. "The Dragon said you had rider potential?"

Aylitan nodded. "Yes! I was so shocked! I’m too young now, but maybe, later..."

Siryn nodded. "Ayla, promise me something?"

"Anything!"

"Promise me that you’ll one day ride a dragon. Promise that one day you’ll come back and make us something more than theives."

Worry and fear twisted Aylitan’s heart. What if she couldn’t keep the promise? Sudden resolve steeled her will and she nodded. "I will. Or I’ll die trying!" she swore to them. All of them. But most of all, her dear brother.

She hugged them all, lingering in her brother’s embrace before quickly stuffing her few things into a sack, and tying it shut, and running back to where the Dragon had been. He was still there, much to Aylitan’s relief, and she climbed aboard with the rider’s help, and before she knew it they were up in the air, and on there way!

The next four years were a blur to Aylitan. She managed to get into the Mage Guild, and practically sweep through the Apprentice ranks, keeping her record clean of thievery, and gaining her Green Tyrae in the process. And before she knew it, she was a Journeyman. And she was only sixteen. It was rare, she was told, for anyone, even one as gifted as she, to learn so much, so fast.

Yet Fate had another odd twist to through her before her sixteenth year had ended. It was Winter on Earth, and she had just received word that she would be posted at Pertineo Astrum Eyrie. It was a largest Eyrie, even though it was one of the newer ones.

Yet, before she could even set out the next morning a Dragon landed in her path. It was icy blue, and had hide instead of scales. Rare, but not unheard of. Upon his head he bore two headknobs, and his eyes appeared multifaceted as they sparkled in the sunlight.

"Hello," she greeted the pair--rider and Dragon--politely. "Can I help you?"

The Dragon moved very close, sniffing at her, sucking at her semi-baggy clothing. "Hey!" Aylitan exclaimed in partial protest. "This is my best outfit!"

The rider suddenly dismounted, and moved over to the young woman. "My lifemate wonders if you’d come Stand for the Dragon Clutch?" he asked, suddenly out of the blue.

"If I'd /what/?" she exclaimed, shock causing her first reaction to be somewhat tactless.

"Stand for the clutch. At Ryslen Weyr. We need all the Candidates we can get." The rider seemed unphased by her obvious shock.

Aylitan started to say yes, remembering her promise to her brother, but then blinked. "Ryslen Weyr?" she queried. She had never heard that term before.

"Yes. A Weyr is where a Dragon lives. Don’t you know that?" The rider frowned slightly.

"An Eyrie is where a Dragon lives," Aylitan replied, voice slightly gruff. "What planet are you from?" She didn’t mean it quite literally, but it was taken so.

"I’m from Pern. Where is this, if it is not Pern?" Both rider and Dragon were now getting slightly puzzled.

"Earth," Aylitan had replied, and looked back and forth between the two. "Well, if you really want me to Stand for that clutch, I’ll go. I promise my brother that I'd someday ride a Dragon. I intend to keep that promise." She stepped forward boldly towards the Dragon, despite the rider’s puzzled look. How had they come to Earth?

"Well? Are we going?" Aylitan asked.

"Oh, yes. Right," the rider half stammered and helped her up before swinging aboard himself. "Let’s go!" he called to his lifemate, who quickly rose into the air, winging upwards into the chilly upper atmosphere. "Ready?" The rider asked, looking to Aylitan.

"Yes, for whatever it is! Let’s go!"