Congratulations

Writers: Rochelle
Date Posted: 31st October 2007

Characters: Ariau, Shaelis
Description: Ariau's family comes by to congratuilate her after the Hatching.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 6, day 3 of Turn 4

}:More.:{ Alabieth demanded imperiously, butting Ariau's arm as she quickly reached for more meat. }:I'm _starving!_:{ "All right, all right." Ariau said quickly, watching another chunk of raw meat disappear down Alabieth's throat as she reached for the next one.
"There's plenty to eat. Slow down or you'll choke."

Ariau was half aware of the people lingering around her and the other weyrlings as they fed their new lifemates, and knew intellectually that many were there to see her and Alabieth. But it hadn't quite sunk in yet, and she was very determinedly ignoring the spectators in favor of feeding her marvelous new lifemate. Alabieth had chosen her. Her!

}:Who else would I chose?:{ Alabieth asked, bewildered. }:You are mine.
And I am _so_ hungry...:{ Another large chunk of meat vanished in a blink, and the queen demanded more.

The bowl was half empty, and Ariau was wondering if she was going to need to get another one when familiar voices made their way to her ears. She turned, half dazed, and Alabieth cried an indignant protest. Ariau turned hurriedly back. "It's my family, Ala'!" She cried as several more chunks vanished.

The little queen's consumption of meat slowed as the gold considered this, and Ariau's unspoken desire to talk to them. }:Very well.:{ She conceded.
}:But only if you feed me while you talk. I am _so_ hungry...:{ "I know. But you'll be full soon, and there's plenty of food." Ariau reassured her as she watched the weyrlingstaff assistants let her family in through the onlookers. She felt her eyes widen. Her grandparents, E'laj, _and_ her aunt and uncle and Jaurin! They had all come! She'd expected her grandparents and E'laj, since they all had access to dragons, but not her brother Jaurin or her aunt and uncle. E'laj must have made some extra stops before arriving, or gotten a friend to help.

"Congratulations Ariau." Her uncle Shaeo said as he came up with her aunt Balari on his arm. They looked so proud and wonderful in their best performing clothes. Her aunt looked like she was going to burst with pride. "I can't wait to tell everyone. She's beautiful. A queen!"

Ariau laughed, still floating on the happy bubble of Impression, and hoping the feeling lasted forever. She could see her grandparents and brothers coming up behind her aunt and uncle. "She's the most gorgeous thing I've ever seen." She said lovingly as Alabieth devoured another hunk of meat, a little slower now that her hunger was abating somewhat and she realized that she was being admired.

"What's her name, Ariau?" Her grandfather Aothart asked softly, his kindly voice somehow carrying over the commotion of forty-seven new dragonets and their lifemates and families without a problem. He had his arm around her grandmother Shaelis, and they were both resplendent in their best clothes.

"Alabieth." She said proudly, savoring the sound of it. It was perfect.
Ariau and Alabieth. She wasn't alone anymore, and never would be, ever again. She couldn't even comprehend the idea, and she didn't want to right now. It was too enormous, and Alabieth was too important.

"She's gorgeous, 'Ree." E'laj said coming up beside her grandmother with Jaurin. "Bakketh thinks so too. I guess you were right about needing to be here." He added quietly. "Of course she was, E'laj." Her grandmother said, amused. Ariau could see the pride in her face and the light in her eyes showed her far more than anything else could how deliriously happy her grandmother was for her, and she felt yet another lump rise in her throat, probably her eighth since the Hatching. "I always knew you children could do anything you put your minds to. You found Bakketh waiting for you, and Jaurin, you found the beastcraft. Ariau just had to wait for you two to be settled before she could find Alabieth."

Ariau felt a blush rising at her grandmother's summary of the thoughts that had sent her south to River Bluff Weyr and Alabieth, something she'd never had the nerve to tell her family flat out, which faded when Jaurin unexpectedly laughed. "I just can't believe it. You, a queenrider! It's just..." He shook his head, grinning at her. "Wow."

"You never know, Jaurin." Her uncle told him as Ariau grinned at her youngest brother. "If you want to, you could probably Impress. I can't think of a better recommendation than _two_ dragonriders in the family."

}:More!:{ Alabieth interrupted when Ariau slowed down for a moment. Ariau hurried to obey. "Sorry, Ala'."

Alabieth considered that for a moment as she swallowed. }:Ala' is okay sometimes.:{ She allowed dubiously. }:But my name is Alabieth.:{ Ariau grinned stupidly at Alabieth as she gave her the next hunk of meat.
A dragon, _her_ dragon. Alabieth. E'laj laughed. "I know that look. We had better get to the feast so you can have some time with Alabieth before she falls asleep."

"Of course." Her grandmother agreed, slipping out from under Aothart's arm and giving her a quick hug from behind. "Congratulations, dear. You're a credit to all the women in our family." She murmured into her ear with another squeeze to emphasize how proud she was. "We'll see you at the feast. Pleased to meet you, Alabieth." She added courteously to the little gold.

Alabieth preened a little at hearing her name, and Ariau laughed. "I think she likes being admired."

"All dragons do." E;laj laughed at the same time Alabieth's voice filled her head again. }:Why not?:{ Alabieth asked imperiously. }:I am beautiful.:{ "Yes you are." Ariau agreed lovingly, scratching an eyelid. "You're the most beautiful dragon I've ever seen."

}:More!:{ Alabieth demanded.

Ariau hastily slid from her grandmother's arms to grab the bowl again, and tossed the little gold another chunk of meat that vanished without chewing. "I told you to chew, Alabieth. You don't want to choke!"

More laughter caused her to look up again, a blush rising on her face, but her grandmother shook her head as her grandfather started shooing everyone away. "All right, that's enough pestering Ariau and Alabieth for now. Come on Jaurin, you can talk to her later."

"We'll see you at the feast." Her grandmother added with another joyous laugh. "Congratulations."

Ariau watched them go for a moment, her family, one ones who had meant everything to her until the moment a pair of whirling eyes had met hers.
She grinned, unable to contain her happiness, and let Alabieth finish the bowl. The large bowl she'd been handed seemed to have been trhe right amount of meat, because although she eyed some of the other bowls when she finished, Alabieth didn't seem too interested in demanding more. The hatchling yawned hugely, surprising herself.

"Come on, Alabieth." Ariau said, handing the bowl to a grinning member of the weyrlingstaff. "It's time to sleep. They have a nice bed waiting for you."

}:I am tired,:{ Alabieth conceded, and followed Ariau on wobbling legs into the barracks that was their new home.

Last updated on the November 3rd 2007

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Congratulations