Search

“You’re not going,” he said plainly.

“What do you mean I’m not going? I told everyone I’d be there!” She said in distress.

Her father shrugged his shoulders. “I really don’t care what you told them Varelli. We need you here so that you can look after Bella and Verna.” Varelli sighed, knowing it was no use. Well there goes another night that she could have been out with her friends.

Varelli walked into the other room and picked her blue firelizard up. “It’s not fair Cielo, I never get to do anything while Kalso gets to go out every night if he wants to.” The blue chirped and wrapped his tail about her upper arm. “Where’s Rame?” She asked her flit. Cielo chirped again and pictured the hold’s gold firelizard snapping her jaws in her bronze’s direction. She laughed slightly and then said, “Oh again? I don’t think he’ll ever learn that she doesn’t like him. Oh well, you want to see what Bella and Verna are up to?” Cielo warbled and Varelli walked into the room that the two younger girls shared.

When she walked in her sisters stopped what they were doing and looked up at her. “What do you want?” Verna asked.

“Watch the attitude there Verna or you’ll be seeing the inside of your eyelids the entire night.”

The girl groaned and asked, “You’re babysitting again? Why can’t Kalso do it?”

“That’s a good question Verna. I think it’s ‘cause he’s irresponsible and would leave after half the night to go do something else,” she said as she stroked Cielo’s head softly.

Bella smiled and then asked, “Relli? Where did you Impress Cielo and Rame?” Varelli shrugged and said, “Why do you ask?”

Bella shrugged and then Verna sighed loudly. “Well it’s obvious that she wants one, and… I wouldn’t mind one either.” Varelli thought about this. It could be a great way to get them to listen to her tonight, though she doubted that they would take care of them their entire lives, like she’s been doing with her two males.

“I dunno,” she said. Verna began to whine and Cielo hissed. She patted his head reassuringly and then said, “Fine but you have to listen to me and stop with the attitude.” The two girls nodded quickly and Varelli smiled inwardly. “Alright, we’ll go after dinner but you can’t tell Kalso ok?” The girls nodded again and then Varelli walked from the room.

Later that night while Varelli was reading Rame flew in through the window and lightly on his owner’s shoulder. “Well hey there Rame,” she said as she rubbed his eyeridges. The bronze chirped and sat up, picturing the gold and him sitting on the fence together. “Oh really?” She said as she rubbed his eyeridges again. He warbled and took off, taking up in customary spot on top of the bookshelf.

She put her book down and walked back into her sisters’ room. “You guys ready to go?” She asked them as she leaned against the wall. The girls nodded excitedly and stood up, dashing into the kitchen. “Get your coats!” Varelli shouted.

She walked into the kitchen a few moments later to find Verna and Bella sitting at the kitchen table, looking anxiously at her. “We have to find Cielo before we can go,” she said.

“Why?” Bella asked.

Varelli shrugged. “I never go anywhere without him, and I think he’d enjoy it.”

Verna nodded in understanding and said, “What about Rame? Won’t he want to come as well?”

Varelli shrugged. “I don’t think so. He could lay on top of that bookshelf for a week and be happy.” She ran a hand through her blonde and then said, “Alright I’ll be right back. I bet he’s out in the yard somewhere.”

Varelli walked outside and called Cielo’s name out. Within moments he was flying towards her, warbling happily. “Where have you been?” She asked as she walked back to the kitchen. The blue crooned and pictured a large, fat rat. She smiled and said, “Oh alright, well I’m sorry I disturbed your dinner.”

Varelli walked out the door, closely followed by Verna and Bella. “Where did you find the next?” Verna asked. “Was it on the beaches?” Varelli nodded and Verna said, “That’s kind of far away and dad will be mad if we’re not home when he gets back.”

“We’ll make it,” she said simply.

They walked towards the beaches and when they reached them Varelli sent an image to Cielo picturing a nest of hatching firelizards. He chirped and flew off, gaining altitude and cruising above the rocky outcroppings. “Do you think we’ll find one today?” Bella asked.

Varelli shrugged. “I don’t know. I hope so though. If there are any ready to hatch Cielo will find them though so don’t worry about missing a hatching.” She watched as Cielo made a few passes over a rock and then continued on. “Looks like he found one, but I don’t think it was ready to hatch,” she commented.

They stood watching Cielo for about ten minutes and then he returned, landing on Varelli’s shoulder with a sigh. He crooned once and pictured a nest with eggs but they weren’t hatching. She sighed and said, “Well I guess he didn’t find one that was ready for us. Would you like to go back to the hold and get some food?” The two girls nodded so they started back towards the great hall.

When they reached the hold courtyard Varelli stopped and stared. Standing near the back was a large dragon, blue in color. “I wonder if they’re here to collect the tithe for the weyr,” Verna said softly.

Varelli shook her head. “No I don’t think they’d sent only one dragon. Maybe they’re one Search. Would you like to go see if I’m right?” Bella shook her head while Verna nodded. Varelli sighed and said, “Verna will you stay with your sister? I want to see what’s going on.” Verna nodded so Varelli headed off towards the blue dragon.

She walked up to the blue and looked up at his face. He looked down calmly and then crooned, creating a deep rumbling that made Cielo warble in uncertainty. She stepped back a little and then jumped when a hand landed lightly on her shoulder. She turned around quickly and came face to face with a young, smiling man.

He looked her over, lingering a little on her golden hair and then he shook his head. “Hey, I’m J’keti, rider of this blue lump. His name is Rweneth. Are you here to be Searched?” She blinked in confusion for a moment and then shook her head. His eyes got a little wider and then he asked, “You’re not? Well Rweneth thinks you would make a good candidate for a clutch at Cincanta Weyr.”

Varelli smiled and asked, “Really? I would love to go and stand.” She frowned after she said this however. “I don’t know if my father would let me go.”

J’keti frowned and said, “Well no one can stop a person from going to the Weyr once they’re Searched. He’ll have to get used to the idea I suppose. Can you get all your things together and then meet me back here?”

She nodded slowly. “My firelizards aren’t going to be a problem are they?” She asked after a moment. He shook his head and then she smiled. “Alright I’ll be right back then.” She stroked Cielo’s head once more and then turned around, heading back to her sisters to tell them what just happened.