+ One (clutching)

[stolenhart]

"Sweet stuff", Ilayria scoffed. She had never been a big sweet eater, or even much of an eater at all. Bread, meat and cheese on occasion usually filled her dietary demands but lately she had found herself eating fruits, vegetables and the sweet pastries cook made. It was making the cook very happy to see the Weyrwoman eating his food like it was going to disappear any moment. "In this matter I should", Ilayria said softly, Astoth was more than likely right but Ilayria wanted to make sure herself, "I'll still go see a Healer as soon as I can", she added.

Ilayria looked at B'oone for a moment, wondering how to answer his question. "No I don't think I would", she finally answered after a few moments, "I am not quite sure how to go about it anyway even if I wanted to. And besides", she matched his lop-sided smile though her's had more of wistfulness to it than any real humor. "I haven't been with one man long enough myself in this condidtion, so third man must be a charm", she winked at him.

Just as B'oone asked his question about being help Astoth added two more eggs to her clutch of ten for a total of twelve. "You can go check that one egg while I do this one", she offered pointing to one of the two eggs. It seemed that Astoth was just going to let her rider take care of the eggs since Ilayria had seemed so instistant on the first ones. But as soon as B'oone was told to check the one egg Astoth turned to glare at him, lips raising in a snarl. "Astoth you wherry brain", Ilayria turned, murmurs of death threats in her mind from the gold. He will not hurt your eggs anymore than Manna will, she scolded the dragon. When Astoth didn't back off Ilayria calmly walked over to the gold and slapped her shoulder. It wouldn't have hurt the gold but it did get her attention since Ilayria never hit her. Go lay out in the sun, Ilayria ordered the gold. Astoth shot B'oone a warning glance and stalked over to a sunny patch curling up, eyes still watching B'oone. "Go ahead, check the shell make sure it's a soft leathery touch to it then cover it with sand", Ilayria told the Weyrleader, while she checked the egg in front of her.

[Femisis]

"I know there is one and I can find out who just as soon as I get back to the kitchens. We're probably too late to bet on the egg tally, but as for what's inside... THAT we can do. Between the two of us, we should be able to get a pretty accurate number, and we can split whatever we win." Crescentia replied, already scanning over the eggs eagerly. Twelve so far, so either the clutch was almost laid or it was nowhere near finished. It was a good thing she'd been saving her marks for when things like this came up. "We can even start right now." She added, peering out across the sands as best she could. "That big one over there... Bronze, maybe?"

[maiwolf]

B’oone raised an eyebrow at Ilayria, joking, chiding. “Are you sure it was just sweets?” He asked, and then watched as Astoth laid two more eggs. When Ilayria suggested B’oone look at the smaller of the two newly-lain eggs, Astoth became fiercely protective. B’oone was suddenly unsure of actually doing what he had asked for. But Ilayria, through mind-speak, he was guessing, scolded her dragon. He could see it on Ilayria’s face that she was angry. Angry for him, angry at her dragon. Maybe B’oone had just seen one of her more selfless moments, when she cared for people other than herself.

And he liked it, so whatever Astoth thought of him, he’d do whatever it took to keep Ilayria liking him. He walked over to the large egg and felt it all over, working gently but quickly. He was no expert at this, but he did know what to do, and where to press and crap like that. When he was sure the egg was fine, he began to scoop handfuls of sand onto it. He was working up a sweat just doing this, and he wondered how Ilayria kept her cool in these sands. Plus, if she was pregnant, B’oone wasn’t too sure that the heat would be too good for the baby. But B’oone wasn’t going to say anything. He knew Ilayria, and he’d keep his mouth shut.

Manna, who was becoming very amused at Arrow’s continued ‘laying’ of eggs, sat back. The egg pile was now closer to forty eggs now, and Manna didn’t think any dragon, or firelizard, could clutch that much. Nevertheless, Arrow was enjoying himself, and so was Manna.

[stolenhart]

He tapped it wrong. He's going to hurt my egg. I shall never forgive you if he hurts my egg. Look he's doing it wrong. The poor dragon never had a chance, I would really prefer it if you did that mine. Look at him, he's hurting my egg!, was repeated over and over again in Ilayria's mind while she checked her own egg, heaping it with sand. She'd have to make sure she got plenty of water later on, this sand was baking the sweat right of her. She stood up, feeling a little light-headed, standing still for a moment to catch her breath. Astoth please, he is not going to hurt your egg, you ninny, Ilayria told the gold for the hundredth time as she walked over to Manna.

"That is quite a bit of eggs", she observed, squatting down beside the little girl. Arrow gave her an inquiring chirp as he brought another 'egg' over. "Arrow I think that is quite enough, she can't possibly watch all those eggs for you", Ilayria told the flitt who seemed to think the situation over and nodded briefly before flying away. "Manna why don't you go save your daddy? He looks like he needs something cool to drink", she told the little girl.

Astoth grumped unhappily and snorted turning her head to face the sun so she didn't have to witness B'oone's supposed mishandling of her egg. She'd get him back for it if that egg didn't hatch, just watch her. She grumped and whined until she laid another egg and this time she covered it up before Ilayria knew about or even saw it. She held onto the precious egg and purred to herself thinking she had succeeded in fooling her rider.

[maiwolf]

B’oone continued to shovel sand onto the egg. When the egg was covered, he stood up and wiped the sweat off his forehead away using his arm. Then he glanced over at Ilayria, who was once again talking to Manna. Despite anything that Ilayria said afterwards, B’oone knew she had to have some sort of connection to the girl, motherly maybe? B’oone turned to Astoth, too, and watched her from the corner of his eye. Brennanth stood there uncertainly, wondering what he could do to be of some help besides the nuzzling that Astoth gave him between laying eggs.

Manna looked up at Ilayria when she came over, and waved, “Hi, My Illie!” The young girl said to Ilayria as the woman squatted next to her. “D’you think there could be this many dragon eggs?” She asked, pointing to the now-larger clutch. When Ilayria suggested a drink, Manna hopped to the task. She nodded, and laughed at B’oone, who seemed to have just gotten out of the lake. Ilayria didn’t look much better. She decided to go get both of them a drink.

After Manna had raced away, B’oone came over to Ilayria and laughed, “You look like you’ve sweated yourself out. Why don’t you sit down for a bit?” He suggested. This was not for the baby’s sake—if, indeed, Ilayria was pregnant—but, instead, just for the sake of B’oone and Ilayria talking. He smiled at her, and gestured to a small bank of sand that seemed to be comfortable. He’d sit when she did. When she did, he did.

Manna came back then and almost tripped over the small ‘egg’ pile that Arrow had succeeded in making. She regained her footing at the last second, and made it to B’oone and Ilayria without spilling any of the precious water in the two flasks she was carrying. She thrust one at B’oone, and then, without asking, sat on Ilayria’s lap. “Here ya go, Mommie.” Manna said. She had been talking so fast that, in the process of saying ‘My Illie’ she had slurred the words, somehow, into Mommie. So there she sat, on Ilayria’s lap, handing the woman a drink, and calling her mommie. B’oone, who had thirstily taken a drink of the water, snorted, and gulped the water before he spurted it everywhere.

[saidaltam]

"Could be a large brown, but no... I think you're right," Kalley agreed contemplatively. "I think it's the biggest one out there, so far, so it'd probably have to be bronze, wouldn't it? What about that one? It looks littler, to me. Blue, or green, you think? Aren't most clutches about half green, anyway?" He furrowed his brow, trying to remember the numbers he'd been taught. Half sounded right to him.

"I don't have a lot of marks," he added after a contemplative moment. "But I've got a few saved up. I'd suggest asking Kirnin in--I know she's got more--but she doesn't believe in 'wasting' her money on things like this." He rolled his eyes. This was a rare point of serious contention between them. Much as he loved his sister, it had never seemed wasteful to him. Even if you didn't win, you had fun, after all.

[stolenhart]

"In Astoth's clutch? There will be more I hope", Ilayria replied jsut before Manna dashed off. Ilayria climbed up to her feet and followed B'oone to a bank of sand where she sat down and was handed a flask of water as Manna sat in her lap. Her blue eyes widened as Manna called her 'Mommie' but B'oone didn't step into stop the girl so Ilayria let it slide. She was to hot and tired to deal with it today and she didn't want to upset the girl. There would be time enough for that later.

"Thirteen eggs so far, I hope she lays at least four more. Seventeen would be a good number", Ilayria watched Astoth lovingly sitting on a lump of sand. "I would almost think she has a gold egg hidden over there but I'll wait and check later. If she had a gold I suspect she would be crowing about it". It really wasn't worth the effort to make her move, just so Ilayria could see if the egg was metallic or not. "So what six more maybe seven turns before Manna is old enough to Stand?", Ilayria said, looking over at B'oone for confirmation. "We'll have to get her around the eggs and dragonets as soon as possible".

[Femisis]

Crescentia nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, they are. I think it's a Green, though. We'd like to hope that it's a big Green rather than a small Blue, wouldn't we?" She replied as she looked out at the sands to see if more eggs had been laid. "Well, I'd say more like forty percent. There are quite a few Blues, after all." She added. Suddenly, a grin broke across her face, wider than any grin she'd ever grinned before. "I think we have our trump card." She murmured to Kalley, tugging at his sleeve. "Astoth just hid an egg." She told him, grinning like a maniac. They were going to earn so much... "It's a good thing I've been saving up for something like this."

[maiwolf]

"Six more Turns is a loooong time." Manna cried, drawing the 'o' in long a long time. She sighed, and scooted off of Ilayria so that she sat, criss-crossed applesauce on the ground. She sighed, and watched the eggs. "They're so boring." She said, whining, "And so big!" She wanted to run around them, to get off the energy she had pent up. She had so been looking forward to running around Brennanth and playing hide-n-go-seek with him and her Daddy. She huffed. Plus, Arrow was missing, and Arrow usually lightened up her mood.

B'oone laughed and drank some more of the water. "Getting Manna near eggs and dragons isn't the problem. No, the problem is getting her away from the eggs and dragons. She's probably itching to get to them now, and I'm surprised she hasn't done so yet." The 'she' in question frowned at her Daddy, "Not true, I be sitting like my Daddy and My Illie." She was determined today to be like B'oone and Ilayria to show them that she was, in fact, a good girl.

That didn't come by with Manna very often.

[stolenhart]

Ilayria gave them an affectionate smiled and relaxed. "B'oone why don't you take Brennanth and Manna off to the lake. She looks like she has energy to spend and I would rather she do it elsewhere just to avoid an accident", she said softly. Astoth may object to Manna sitting on the Sands with her but Stars help her if the girl got near an egg. Though how the gold was keeping up with thirteen eggs scattered across the wide Sands was beyond her rider. The gold was not paying any attention to them at the moment, since she was carefully hiding the one egg she had decided to hide from her rider.

Love what color is that egg?, Ilayria asked, trying to prod her dragon into revealing the secret. Normal, the dragon replied smugly, turning her head over her shoulder and giving her rider a coquettish look. Thanks for being specific, Ilayria replied dryly. "I'll get Astoth to gather all the eggs into a pile later tonight and Manna can come see them then", she offered leaning forward. "I've also got to get a cot and various clothes down here. I am not sure Astoth would let me sleep in the Weyr". It wouldn't hurt to be prepared, Astoth was an unpredictable clutcher. Some days she wanted Ilayria with her, some days not.

[saidaltam]

((So... didn't notice... that it was my post. Sorry, Kanpa!))

Kalley cocked his head to the side and peered toward the queen. "Well! So she did!" he replied softly, then flashed Crescentia a smile. "Looks that way, then, doesn't it? Well, that'll be good. Bring us up to three queens, if that's what it looks like--two up on Southern, then." Straightening and rolling his shoulders stiffly, he flashed her a bright smile. "Good for us, huh? Always heard Ilayria had a good queen. Just goes to show."

That would be a convenience, too, though he just bet the competition for it, if it was a queen egg, would be very, very stiff. For a moment, he wondered if it mightn't go to Kirnin, but he dismissed the idea quickly. He wanted his sister safer, yes, but he did not want her out of his reach. Then again, it would probably be better than having her on some... some green, getting hit on by all the male riders. He shuddered inside at the thought of that, but shook it off swiftly. After all, she was hardly the only one here to impress, and from the looks of things, he might be able to see himself on a big, sturdy brown, or, better yet, a gleaming, beautiful bronze! Why, fathom that one, for a moment! Him, on a bronze dragon! Well, and who's to say it couldn't happen?

[Femisis]

“That had better be what it looks like.” Cresce grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest lightly as a sort of pout crossed her face. She already had few enough colors to potentially Impress without Astoth getting hers and any of the other girl’s hopes up. Stupid dragon… On the flipside, she could be at Southern with one choice, doomed to die if she Impressed a Green. She rarely looked at the other side of things, but this was one that she was grateful for. Her options in the North may be narrow, but she wasn’t living with those crazy Southerners.

After a few moments, she suddenly asked Kalley, “What do you fancy yourself Impressing?” She was more curious than anything, hoping that his answer might help her glean some more information about him. It might have been insignificant information to some, but she knew that what a man wanted to Impress told quite a lot about him depending on his reasons.

[saidaltam]

"Mmm..." Kalley considered this for a long moment, then finally said, "I'd be happy with any dragon, of course, but if I were to pick... I think I'd want to ride a brown. I've never fancied men. Most blueriders frankly seem very... introverted, and while I'm not the social vtol that Trevan is, I do enjoy some company. As far as bronze goes... I'll lead, if I have to, but I'm not good at it, and I don't like it. Besides, brown always seem very composed, very... prepared. I like that." He didn't bother adding that he was also quite fond of their added advantage of being able and allowed to chase females of either color. Unlike his brother, he didn't see flirting as the end-all and be-all of life.

"What about you?" he asked, tilting his head at Crescentia. "Assuming that's a queen, and you have a chance at blue, green, or gold, which one would you want to ride?"

[Femisis]

Crescentia nodded slightly in approval at Kalley’s answer. Good choice: A Brown was a good dragon to ride, but didn’t make you seem more arrogant than you really were. He surprised her a bit when he said that he didn’t want to lead. He’d appeared to be quite in charge when arguing with his brother before, but looks could be deceiving. She couldn’t help but laugh, however, when he talked about Blueriders being introverted. “Blueriders introverted?” She giggled, making sure not to attract any attention from the clutchmother. “It doesn’t sound like you’ve ever met one, then. You’d be surprised.”

“What do I want to Impress?” She parroted as a thoughtful look crossed her face. She knew what she wanted to Impress, but how to explain… “I would want to Impress the Queen. I know it’s not all that it’s cracked up to be, but I refuse to be anyone’s bitch and be subject to the whims of a Green constantly rising to mate for no reason.” She finally answered, her eyes gleaming brightly.

[saidaltam]

For a long moment, Kalley considered this, before finally saying, "Wouldn't... that make blue most appealing? I mean, look: the Weyrwoman's pregnant, and her dragon can't even take her jaunting between to remedy that, because she's brooding, herself. My nuncle used to say that going between too often made it harder for a woman to get pregnant in the first place, and green and blue both go between far more often than gold. Someone told me once, too, that, if they try, sometimes riders can keep their dragons out of others' flights, so you wouldn't have yours jumping into every flight, necessarily." He pursed his lips, then shook his head. "What do I know, though?" he finished with a wry smile, peering back into the sands. "I'm not a girl, after all. I'm not looking at nearly the same circumstances."

[maiwolf]

Mana frowned, “Oh, no! Please, Daddy, let me stay?” She really wanted to stay, and she’d sit still for as long as she could to stay with her Illie to watch the eggs being born! She would stay still, stay quiet, be nice! And B’oone knew all of that. But he could not directly say to Ilayria, “No, she should stay here.” Manna had the almost unthought of skill that most children did not have—the ability to curb her energy. She could—and would—sit down and stay sat down if need be. But B’oone was stuck on the fence.

Then Ilayria gave him an answer. He jumped onto the answer like flame to a bundle of Thread. His mind clicked. “Manna, I want you to do something for Daddy and Ilayria.” He said, and Manna turned to him, her blue-green eyes shining. “Do I get to come back?” B’oone wasn’t too sure, but he nodded. “Maybe, come here.” Manna crawled closer, and B’oone whispered into his daughter’s ear. A smile crept over Manna’s face, “Okay, I’ll go!” She turned and stood in unison, then raced out of the Sands.

Manna raced past two candidates, waving cheerfully to both of them before racing to Ilayria’s Weyr. Coincidentally, she met up with a couple drudges. After hurriedly explaining what she needed to get, the drudges followed her—whether willingly or unwillingly she didn’t know—and while one readied a cot, the other gathered furs and sheets. Manna helped a third gather clothes. How many clothes did Her Illie need? In the end she only decided on four different sets of clothes. Her Illie could always go get more.

And to think, a girl of five had so much focus as to actually do work willingly.

Manna raced back, leaving the drudges to labor behind her. She arrived back at the sands huffing. She raced past the candidates and stopped in front of Ilayria. She was holding a pillow. “Surprise!” She cried, offering the pillow to Her Illie. “I got your bed for you, and some clothes.” She gestured behind her, “They’re coming. Tell them thank you!” She said, almost imperiously, and obviously meant to tell the drudges thank you. They didn’t get enough thanks normally.

Still heaving, the girl dropped to the ground. Buts he was happy. “Daddy, I did what you said, can I please watch Astoth?” B’oone looked at Ilayria. “Yes, or no? She has just expended an extensive amount of energy.”

[stolenhart]

In the time Manna had been gone Astoth had moved her large bulk enough to lay three more eggs bringing the total up to sixteen. Sixteen eggs and she showed every sign of going to sleep which meant she was done. "Sixteen", Ilayria shook her head but she couldn't fault that, not when she saw the gleam of metal in the dirt beside Astoth. It seems the gold was going to keep her daughter a secret after all. Just like the selfish queen to do so. She turned just as Manna returned, offering a pillow to the Weyrwoman. "Yes ma'm", Ilayria took the pillow and glanced over at B'oone as Manna asked him about staying.

"She's done laying her eggs so I don't see any harm in it", Ilayria said, "But I am just going to roll them all into one spot and then go take a bath myself. There really is nothing more to see until it's time for them to Hatching", she explained, looking up as drudges appeared with her bedding. She stepped across the sand and directed them to a hide-covered alcove in the corner where they could set everything up before coming back. "But thank you for the help Manna".

[maiwolf]

Manna had come back too late. But she was happy Her Illie had said thank you to her. She felt special, and she swelled with pride. "Daddy, we can go now. Spend the day at the lake?" B'oone looked at Ilayria, and frowned. Somehow or another, he'd have to go there today. "Fine, we'll go. Let's go now, so the queen and Ilayria can rest."

Manna giggled, and rolled over to prop herself up on her elbows. "Ya, the pretty gold, she needs rest. She needs to look her best!" Manna jumped up, then, and laughed, "Come'on, Daddy! Brennie and I wanna go to the lake now!" B'oone looked over at Brennanth skeptically, and the dragon shook his head, I did not say I wanted to-- '--Oh well, she said it. Do you want to?' The Bronze nodded his head. B'oone turned to Ilayria, and hugged her, a fierce pride in his eyes. Sure, with the recent event of the egg clutching, he'd momentarily forgotten that he might become a father, soon, but nothing could keep that thought out of his head for long. He could make nothing out of his jumble of brains, and considered keeping quiet. But, knowing B'oone and his insatiable appetite for ... well, I haven't figured that out yet, B'oone just had to open his mouth. Out poured probably the most true thing B'oone had ever said. Just three simple words.

"I love you."

B'oone said them before realizing what he had said, and when he had said them, he felt a blush entering his cheeks. Then he leaned down--for he was easily taller than her--and kissed Ilayria (His Ilayria) gently on the mouth. B'oone felt wonderful, and what better time to tell Ilayria that he absolutely loved her than right after a clutching, when emotions were running high, and when Ilayria just announced her pregnany? And it was true, B'oone loved Ilayria with all of his heart. That flight hadn't been all dragonlust. And the time afterward hadn't been just because of Brennanth and Astoth loving each other (however long that would last, and B'oone hoped forever). And B'oone hoped Ilayria loved him back.

[stolenhart]

I love you, talk about your brains being scrambled. B'oone was hugging her one moment and then announcing he loved her. In the three months they had been living together, Ilayria had not thought it would come down to this so quickly. Then he blushed and Ilayria couldn't help but smile at him. Blushing because he had revealed an emotion to her. When he leaned down to kiss her, Ilayria couldn't resist, she wrapped her arms around his neck and held him quite firmly in place until she was done kissing him. That's just how selfish she was, it was her way or the roadway.

"I love you as well. Now leave me to my work", she chided him, kissing the bottom of his chin as she stepped back from him. "I might be able to sneak away from Astoth later tonight if you'll be in my weyr alone", she gave him a knowing wink and danced away from him, going to the middle of the sands with a shovel. "Shoo", she added with a playful smile and began digging small holes so that the eggs would have some place to rest once she rolled them into the center of the Sands to harden.

[Femisis]

Despite the fact that his argument ticked her off, Crescentia couldn’t help but admit that he had a point. Once again he had proved that men weren’t as dumb as they sounded at times, though she had to give a counter argument. How to word it, though, was her problem. She was smart, yes, but not the most eloquent of people.

“You do have a point, but a Blue? Like I said, I don’t let anyone order me around, whether professionally or otherwise. I barely listen to my parents for Faranth’s sake. I want to be my own boss, which takes Impressing the one color there seems to be few of these days.” She told Kalley wryly, smiling a bit. It was a fact of life, though even if she did Impress a Green or Blue, she’d probably be hard pressed to deny the hatchling her affection despite her unwillingness to submit to a higher authority. “Still, if I did Impress a Green or Blue… I guess I’d have to deal with it.” She shrugged, thought the thought bothered her. “Greens are… well, many of them, anyway, too hyper for my tastes, and Blues too cheerful.” She shrugged again. “I’m just rambling now, aren’t I?”