See You at the Hatching
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: Emma, Nicole
Date Posted: 12th March 2006
Characters: Khalida, Oria
Description: Khalida is Searched
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 10, day 6 of Turn 3
A few long hours of trading could leave anyone worn out, and Khalida was no exception. She was all too glad to spend the break she'd earned herself sitting down by the ocean and letting the incoming tide lap at her feet.
The water was cool and soothed her tired legs. Khalida took another sip of juice, crammed her glass firmly into the hot sand so it wouldn't fall over, and laid back, taking little or no notice of everything around her, including the sound of approaching footsteps. "Nice day for it," commented Oria. "Extremely," Khalida responded without opening her eyes, "and being on your feet for more than twelve hours just makes it better."
She looked up at the woman standing over her and grinned. "You getting a break, too?" "Drills have finished for the day," replied the rider, shifting slightly so that her knots were visible. "I thought I'd get some air." "Wow," Khalida said as she noticed her knots. "I didn't think you dragonriders got breaks." "It's not good to work like that, if you get tired, you can make mistakes. Mistakes could cost lives in threadfall." Khalida nodded gravely, and stood up, brushing some of the sand off her.
"I could imagine." She looked up at the greenrider. "I'm Khalida, by the way, one of the traders that just came in." "Oria, Degrorth's rider." "Nice to meet you," she said with a grin. "So, do you help lead a Wing, then? You kind of sounded like the leaderly type." Oria laughed - that statement... Surely the girl could see she was a greenrider, and how old she was. But then a new arrival to the weyr might not know such things. "I'm a healer as well," she settled for saying, "I've seen what happens." Khalida nodded.
"And I'd imagine you'd have your hands full. But then, I don't imagine you get a lot of time to do Craft work."
She scanned the beach for the rider's dragon.
"You're lucky, though. I think greens are some of the prettier dragons." "I'd have to agree with you there, but them I'm biased, not that Degrorth would let me have it any other way." Khalida laughed.
"I wouldn't think so. Where is she?" "Not far away I dare say. She likes the sea, so she'll put in an appearance soon enough." "That bond always amazed me. I've gotten a small glimpse of it with Quarter-mark over there," she pointed at a brown firelizard sunning himself along the rocks. "But, of course, the bonds between firelizards and humans and human and dragon must be immensely different. It makes you wonder, though, if other creatures on Pern try to communicate that way, and we just don't listen." "Who knows!" replied Oria. She looked around, "There she is," she said pointing to a green dragon. "That's Degrorth." Khalida followed Oria's gaze, putting a hand up to shield her eyes from the sun.
"Hey, she is pretty." "It'll go to her head if she hears that too often," laughed Oria. "Well, if dragons are anything like people, most of them can't hear it enough. How old is she?" "Not quite a turn." "Is she finished growing?" "I think so, she's small compared to some though." "That just makes her all the faster, though, right?" Khalida asked, still watching the green. "I always figured it that way. Better if you're a green to be tiny, or a bronze to be huge." "I like her just the way she is." But before Oria could say anything else, Degrorth interrupted. }:I like this one.:{
**What?** }:I like her, she has something.:{ "Is something wrong?" Khalida asked, as Oria's attention was abruptly distracted into that far-off stare riders got when they talked to their dragons. "No, no, not at all, just something she said." "Oh." Khalida nodded, and there was a short battle between politeness and curiosity. Curiosity won.
"What did she say?" "That she likes you, something about you?" "Oh, umm...Tell her I said 'Thanks'," she said, not quite sure how to respond to that comment. "It means that she is searching you." "What?!" The trader girl stammered. "I mean -- is she sure? Oh, that's a dumb question. My family is going to kill me." "She wouldn't have said anything if she didn't think she was sure." "Of course not," Khalida sighed. "Thank you -- both. I'm honored, really, I am. This just puts me up for a long discussion -- or argument -- with my family, and I hope it's not the latter." "The next part is up to you," said Oria. "Well, I'd love to Stand, honestly, I would," she said, "But, my family's rather new here and could really use the help. I'd feel bad leaving them.
It's a hard decision." "Perhaps you should have this conversation with them?" "I should," she nodded. "And if I decide to stay, should I find you or...?" "See the Headwoman. Mayla will be able to help you. Just tell her that you were searched, and that it was Oria." "Thank you, Oria," she said with a grin, "and you too, Degrorth! With any luck, I'll see you at the Hatching."
Last updated on the March 13th 2006