Hatching of Eggs and Plots

Writers: Leigh M-F.
Date Posted: 17th July 2016

Characters: Corran, Nohria, Riveenata
Description: The eggs are rocking, the dragons are humming, a guard is attracted, and a drudge is waiting to spring a trap.
Location: Amber Hills Hold, River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 6, day 21 of Turn 8
Notes: Mentioned: Rhosyn, K'ran

Corran had just been getting a cup of klah when a drudge burst into the dining hall and waved at him. "Guard Corran, sir?" the young man said. "There's a green dragon here and her rider's asking for you!"

The Hatching, he realized. Why else would a dragon be here? He felt a moment's pang that his brother hadn't come to pick him up, and then realized that of course he was too important to take care of that himself. So he smiled at the drudge. "Could you please find Nohria and tell her to get changed and meet me in the courtyard?"

"Right away!" said the drudge, scampering off. He found Nohria and recited the message, "Guard Corran says to get changed and meet him in the courtyard."

Nohria's heart seemed to explode when she received word. This was it. Her first adventure since running away from Amethyst Cliffs. Her first Hatching. Her first.... whatever it was she had with Corran. She thanked the drudge kindly and sent him off, then rushed to the room she shared with two other women and pulled out her little trunk. Beneath her work dresses was her Gather gown, blue as the ocean with a white pseudo-corset and white under-sleeves, and the gray-white slippers meant to lace around her ankles for dancing.

She slid the clothing on, glad she had packed it all with little herb sachets, and unpinned her hair to let it fall in all its glory to her waist. Cosmetics she'd taken from home and had no real use for with the bandits, but clung to anyway, were dabbed on her eyelids and lips, and she hurried to the courtyard. A lovely, lithe green was there waiting. What a majestic beast.

Corran had changed as soon as he'd sent the guard away. His pants were plain black, but fitted closely in a way that bordered on indecent by Hold standards. The tunic was a rich warm brown in color with golden thread that picked out spirals on the shoulder, and was tailored for expertly showing off his muscles. He had a large belt pouch attached to his belt which could hold Warden, and it was the only part of his outfit not sleek. He threw a jacket over it to try to ward off /between's/ chill, intending to take it off when they reached the Weyr.

He stopped and stared when he saw Nohria in her dress. It was beautiful in color and her hair was striking when it was loose like that. He breathed in audibly and wished that he'd done more than run the comb through his hair quickly.

"Nohria. You look wonderful," he said to her as he joined her.

Once he was visible, the green's rider waved him over. When they arrived within speaking distance, she grinned at him. "The Weyrleader wasn't kidding when he said I'd recognize you," she said.

Then she turned to Nohria and offered her hand. "I'm Riven, and this is Savith. I can help you up."

Blushing from Corran's compliment and the fact he looked smashing, Nohria curtsied to Riven. "My duty to you and your green, dragonrider. Thank you very much for the ride," she said, and allowed herself to be helped aboard Savith. Her first dragonride! How exciting!

"We're honored to have a chance to transport you back to the Weyr. Don't worry about Savith's size, she can hold us," the greenrider reassured.

Once Nohria was settled, Riven offered a hand to Corran. "Need assistance?"

Corran felt comfortable climbing adragonback, given his trips with his brother, but he decided he would take her help rather than risk insulting his ride. "Thank you," he said. he noted that she settled him behind Nohria, then mounted up in front of the other woman.

"Hold on tight," Riven called over her shoulder. She gave Savith a signal and the green took off, making her way up slowly to give the pair of passengers a chance to appreciate it. She suspected that the guard knew this well, but how often did holder women get to leave? She wanted to make sure they had a view of the Hold spread out below them.

"/Between/," she called right before sending them back to River Bluff. Corran's hands automatically tightened around Nohria's waist as he prepared for the chill, the absence of sensation.

Four breaths later and they were out from the cold, back into the warmth of River Bluff that she was accustomed to. The air was thick with dragons going aloft to head /between/ or landing to discharge their passengers. Fortunately Savith was small and agile, and she slipped through the crowd to land them right next to the cavern's entrance to let them off.

Riven helped the pair down, then grinned. "I have more passengers to get, but you two take your seats and enjoy the show. Find me later when you want to go home."

Corran offered his hand to Nohria. "Ready?"

Not even fifteen minutes in, and she was already overwhelmed. The flight had be the stuff of dreams; no wonder so many songs had the refrain "if I had wings, and I could fly." Corran's arms around her had felt far too good, and Nohria was perversely glad she had a fairly nice waist, even as she berated herself for that thought. Between had been _terrifying_, and she was fervently grateful she hadn't soiled herself from the shock. Somehow, through the dizzying experiences, Nohria remembered to curtsy to Riven again, and when Corran offered his hand, the drudge disliked herself for how much she needed the support.

She rested her hand in his. "Yes," she said, and followed him in.

He relished the warmth of contact as their fingers connected. There was already a crowd of people in the Hatching Cavern, and the sound of the dragons humming was resonant in the air. He found he could feel it in his chest. He walked to the nearest set of steps and began climbing it, avoiding the lower regions marked for dignitaries and family of the Candidates, but still looking for seats close enough to see the action.

"How does this work? We should be able to see everything, but still have some detail," he said to Nohria.

Nohria collected herself and swept the area with an attentive stare, finally nodding in agreement. "It's a good choice. Let's sit down before my legs give out," she half joked.

He settled down, keeping his fingers lightly touching hers. Out of the force of habit, he swept the room with his eyes, looking for any threats and keeping an eye on the entrances, before realizing how silly it was - they were at a Weyr, for Faranth's sake, and the dragons were the best guards of all.

"Look, there's my brother," he said, pointing towards the dignitary's box as he saw K'ran and Rhosyn come in. He couldn't see details from this far away but he contented himself with the knowledge that he'd talk to him after the Hatching.

Nohria glanced toward Corran's sibling. The resemblance was uncanny. It made her wonder how often childhood pranks involved switching places. But K'ran didn't hold her interest, nor did the Weyrwoman who was so imposing despite her short stature. What mattered were the quivering eggs, the massive white-gold queen holding court among humming fire-lizards and dragons, and the fact Corran wasn't pulling away.

The humming changed in pitch and his eyes widened. "The eggs will crack any minute now."

Despite herself, Nohria gripped Corran's hand tightly. "Come on, little ones. You can do it," she whispered.

He shifted his fingers slightly to align better with hers. "I bet a green hatches first," he said.

"A brown," the drudge answered, grinning at him daringly.

"I hope for a bronze. He needs the luck," Corran said.

And then it was beginning, and a long crack spread down one egg...

Last updated on the July 29th 2016

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Hatching of Eggs and Plots