A Marvelous Gift
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: Clancey, Dana
Date Posted: 20th April 2007
Characters: Traelyn, J'darin
Description: Nyith clutches
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 3, day 17 of Turn 4
With excited, bright eyes, Traelyn leaped to her feet and grinned at J'darin as he came up the steps of the Stands towards her. Below them, Nyith was crouched in the fine, golden sand, tail lifted, neck arched back, straining. With a deep whine that shook the cavern walls, Nyith fanned her bright wings as another, soft egg slipped onto the ground. "That's her fifteenth," the Weyrwoman told her Weyrleader, maternal pride in her voice.
J'darin's grin was bright and warm as he joined his Weyrwoman, watching Nyith's laboring below. "Her fifteenth? Impressive!" J'darin slipped an arm around Traelyn's shoulder and drew her close to his side, so they could watch together.
**You did well, Hasaarth. Your Queen clutches.** He thought warmly at his dragon.
Out loud, he went on. "They flew well. Perhaps we'll see over 40 this time."
She leaned companionably against him. "That would certainly help replenish the Wings."
His words were most feverent, for Pern. "Faranth, I hope so, Trae. I can't keep fighting Thread with 'not quite full' Wings!" He had to forcibly lower his voice to keep from upsetting Nyith, although she was fairly glowing with happiness it seemed, and his bronze seemed to outshine the sun as he looked on from a nearby ledge, paternal pride in every arch of his neck and bow of his wings.
His blue eyes were dark with distant worries, only partially alleviated by the scene below.
"We'll need every one. Those Senior Weyrlings that graduated 10 days ago were so _young_...."
"I know, J'darin," she murmured, lightly squeezing his side. "I know. But in some ways, maybe most ways, they were much better off than we were.
They had so much time to prepare, and we were thrown into the midst of all of it without much preparation at all." Traelyn could still remember that terrible, horrifying time as vividly as if it had happened only yesterday.
Hasaarth bellowed his anger and his purpose, which was to fight Thread, as J'darin's thoughts weaved their way into his lifemate's mind, despite the bronze's obvious happiness in his children being placed on the sand by his mate.
"You're right, of course, Trae. We have a wonderful Weyrlingmaster, and he will see to it that the Wings are full again. Then we just have to keep them alive, don't we?" His grin flashed. "Nothing easier!"
Traelyn brushed her cheek affectionately across his shoulder as she eyes once again locked on Nyith, who was pushing a mound of hot sand close to one of her precious eggs so that it wouldn't roll. Both Weyrwoman and Weyrleader stood in companionable silence for a long moment, each content to watch their lifemates and the growing number of eggs on the sands, glistening wetly in the light of the cavern. Finally, smiling, Traelyn broke the easy stillness. "I remember the day she had clutched from her first mating flight. It was a hot afternoon, and I was in the middle of my lessons inside. She had whined plaintively and had bugled demandingly until I finally was able to drop everything and make my escape to the Sands. And as she laid each egg...shards, J'darin. It's hard to describe the joy and pride I felt inside. It was like _I_ was the mother too. And every time she has clutched since then...they all feel like that first time."
J'darin's eyes went soft and dark, as he nodded in understanding. "This is only the second time I've been able to watch Hasaarth's children being clutched on the Sands. Nyith is the only gold he's every caught." His voice choked a bit on that and the same pride that always found him in Nyith's choice - and in his bronze - settled across his shoulders and raised his chin.
"Thank you, Traelyn, for the gift your queen has given us both. And soon, the entire Weyr."
And what a gift it was: forty-two eggs was the final count as twilight finally fell over Dolphin Cove. Traelyn couldn't keep the beaming smile from her face as she crooned her praises to Nyith, hugging that great, golden head. The queen thrummed with pleasure and pride, knowing that she had done her Weyr well. Forty-two eggs! Certainly this clutch was her largest yet.
"Their flight was marvelous."
A soft murmur of memory. "Indeed, and I hope there are many more to come.
As ever, the queens continue to prove that they do, indeed, know best."
J'darin smiled as the last egg was nudged into place by the proud mother, watching Traelyn and her dragon with shining eyes. What better life could there be than this, leading a Weyr against Thread? What more amazing wonder than to look at the eggs on the heated Sands, and imagine that in another month lifelong promises and bonds would be made? And that the end result would be a life and home protected from a mindless, voracious enemy that cared little for where or how it attacked - just that it was hungry.
What better sight could a man's eyes have than the one before him now?
Not one.
Last updated on the April 22nd 2007