A lot to celebrate today

Writers: Eimi, Emma, Roxanne
Date Posted: 24th April 2008

Characters: Jyramikah, I'lan
Description: Jyramikah and I'lan watch with I'lan's family as Ikoladith's clutch hatches.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 9, day 25 of Turn 4

Ikoladith was just beginning to awake from a much needed nap. She felt the eggs begin to stir and knew that soon they would hatch. They would no longer be eggs,but dragonets searching the Sands for their dragonrider in a sea of hopeful candidates. }:Jyramikah! Naath! It is time, the eggs shall soon hatch. Gather the Weyr!:{ the gold announced excitedly to her rider and the young bronze she had chosen as her mate.

It was just before the midday meal, when the gold made her announcement. Jyramikah grinned and passed on the announcement to those gathered in the dining cavern, "We have a hatching starting soon. Let's make sure we're prepared." Without a further thought to her stomach, the goldrider began making the preparation starting with a change of clothes and a message to the Weyrlingmaster and his staff.

With that message, I'lan changed hurriedly into his beat, and realised that he just had time to go and fetch his family. It didn't take long, and they were soon back at Dolphin Cove, after all I'lan had kept them informed that it would be some time this sevenday.

"You'll enjoy it," he said to his sister as he helped her, then their mother down from Naath. "Trust me, it's one thing to be on the sands , but another just to sit back and watch the candidates." He hoped he didn't sound too over the top about this.

"Well, if you remember, son, we actually were sitting in the Stands when you Impressed," he father smiled as he slipped off the bronze's neck.
His knees wobbled a bit as he found himself back on solid ground and hand to reach out a hand to steady himself.

"Yes, but I wasn't," Temara smiled, her eyes bright and full of excitement.

"And this time is different," pointed out his mother. "After all, I hear your Naath did have something to do with these eggs."

The humming became a little more intense. "Perhaps we should take our seats?" suggested I'lan as he offered his mother his arm. "It won't be long now."

Ililytem offered his daughter his arm and escorted her into the Hatching Cavern. He had to blink his eyes a few times to adjust to the dim lighting and had to resist the urge to cover his ears. The journeyman had forgotten just how loud the humming could be inside the cavern with it reverberating off the stone walls. "Moriak's boy is Standing this Hatching. Do you think he might Impress, son? Are there a lot of candidates?"

"There are thirty eight eggs, I think he's got as good a chance of any of the candidates out there today," I'lan said, not really sure who his father was talking about. "Most of them will likely be green out there, but there will be a fair number of the other colours as well."

He led his family to the area designated for the rider of the clutch sire and his guests. "These are good seats, we'll be able to see it all from here."

"Oh yes, much better than last time." Ililytem had a hard time making his son out from the crowd the last time. This time they had a right nice view. They bowed politely to the women they assumed had been the goldrider of the Clutching queen. Temara caught herself staring at the woman, in awe of the fact that there before her was a real life _goldrider_! How glamorous her life must be...

It didn't take long before the Weyr was gathered in the Stands and the candidates standing warily on the edge of the Sands. The dragons were humming increasingly louder and Jyramikah knew that it wouldn't be much longer before the first egg cracked. She looked over at I'lan and said, "What do you think the first egg will be?"

"I want to say bronze," he replied. "We all know what they say about the clutch for that, that it's good luck for them and the Weyr." But before he could say any more, he was distracted by a sudden hush in the stands.

"Oh look at that one, Temara," he said, pointing to an egg that was now violently rocking back and forth. "I bet that one will be the first."

"It's meant to be good luck for the class should a bronze hatch first,"
explained I'lan as he leaned forward to see. But there was not a bronze, but a brown that made his way from the cracked shell. A fine looking one at that who marched straight to a fair-haired lad looking barely old enough to be on the sands. "Rozarth!" he called.

Jyramikah watched excitedly as she always did whenever there was a hatching. She was very interested in a particular group of candidates as her harper was among them. She hoped that he would find a lifemate amongst her gold's eggs today. It would mean a change in their relationship for a short while, but worth it all in the end.

"Oh, well, I don't believe in luck anyway," Temara shrugged, though she had hoped for her brother's sake that it could have been a bronze.
Another cracked, and she hoped _that_ one at least would be a bronze, but instead it was a blue that took his time in choosing a lifemate.

"Look," her father cried. "I think that one's a bronze!"

Temara rolled her eyes. "That's a brown too, Da." Perhaps he should have brought his spectacles.

The little brown marched straight to a pack of boys. No, his lifemate was not among those. He turned and headed back down the line, almost colliding with a little green who was searching for her partner, but a young man with shoulder-length black hair called out to him and made him stop. "Memreth!" The brown turned and Impression was made.

Jyramikah grinned as she saw her harper had indeed found a lifemate on the Sands. She knew he had worried about not Impressing or even Impressing something other than bronze. She had told him not to worry that she didn't care either way.

At last a bronze emerged. He was a proud looking one, knowing from the start who his match would be. "Taoth!"

"That's a friend of mine," I'lan said. "His name's Odarian and he's the son of a former Weyrleader."

Jyramikah grinned over at I'lan as he carried on a conversation with his family. Her own children were nearby and seemed to feel everything the candidates were feeling. There would come a time when her own son would be standing on the Sands looking to Impress.

"Not many more left now," commented I'lan as a dainty grass coloured green found her girl.

"Not many at all. Rondera's still out on the Sands and there's my nephew Thyren. Your family is staying for the hatching feast, aren't they I'lan?" Jyramikah replied scanning the remaining candidates as the last few eggs hatched and found their riders leaving her nephew and Rondera on the Sands this time.

It was time to go congratulate those who had Impressed and console those who had been left Standing. She found it easiest to instill courage in those who had stood for the first time or just a handful of times before. Those who had been standing for turns and not Impressing, she encouraged them to keep standing, but make plans for an alternative living at the Weyr.

"They'll be staying, I promised my sister she could see the Weyr properly,"
said I'lan. "At least they all found riders out there."

"Oh yes, and I hear the Harpers from the Hall will play!" Temera grinned excitedly as she watched the remaining Candidates file out of cavern.
She took her father's arm as they turned to make their way along the Stands. "It was a wonderful Hatching!"

Jyramikah grinned at the young girl's excitement. "Yes,I am glad that they all found riders. The celebration will be getting underway shortly. I will see you all there, I have to go console some candidates." she replied before heading off towards the Sands to help with those who had been left Standing this time.

"D'you want to come with me?" I'lan asked of his parents, "I'lls hsow you tothe Dining Caverns where the party will begin."

"But of course," his father grinned proudly. "We have a lot to celebrate today!"

Last updated on the May 1st 2008

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A lot to celebrate today