To Escape - Fem

[stolenhart]

What exactly are we looking for?, Knymawth asked his rider as he they came out of the icy frigidness that was between. }An escape. The Weyr's women are becoming to accurate at finding me{, T'ran replied, glancing down at Taskin's large hold. Turns ago he'd first come to this Hold as a soldier, using Taskin as a way to move forward in his father's mission to control everything in the South. Now he was here to find an escape from the women at the Weyr.

Pity that, Knymawth replied as he roared, alerting the aged watch dragon that he was here on pleasure, not business. The bronze had a dry sense of humor that went hand in hand with his rider's but in this case he felt no pity for his rider. Knymawth was rarely allowed to chase the female dragons at Southern, and only through evasive measures, no one had thought him capable of, had he managed to get free to fly after Vandyith last winter. He had caught the gold, which forced T'ran into being the Weyrleader, a position he firmly hated.

}I know you do{, T'ran replied as the dragon landed just outside of the hold. He'd walk up and blend in with the rest of the crowd and find a willing woman for the night. "Are you set for the night? Do you require anything?", he asked Knymawth, giving the bronze a quick pat as he settled his flight gear into the small bag he'd brought. I will do. I will be atop the heights if you need me, the bronze replied, nuzzling his rider before lifting into the air. As he watched the bronze land atop the hold, T'ran shouldered his bag and made for the streets of Taskin Hold.

[Femisis]

“Fix your hair this, wear a dress that, I swear, if that woman nags any more I’m going to disown her.” Crescentia grumbled, tucking a strand of blond hair behind her ear with her free hand while balancing the basket of clothes on her hip. Both she and Reren had been instructed to sort through their clothes and get rid of the things they didn’t want, though only the elder of the two had listened. Reren would get her just desserts eventually, but for now she’d have to wait. Besides, it was nice having all that free room in her trunk, though now she had to traipse out to the edge of the hold to give the clothes to a family who’d fallen on hard times. She didn’t mind giving them away, but it was the walk that was a pain in the ass.

Her head snapped up as the Watchdragon roared, announcing the presence of a visitor from the Weyr. “A Bronze…” A smug grin crossed her face as she spied the silhouette on the horizon. Now THAT was the kind of dragon she wanted to ride, a big noble Bronze. It was a pity that they didn’t Impress to women. Still, she couldn’t help but pick up her pace a bit in the hopes of seeing the beast before he disappeared. People got in her way, but once they spied her, then the dagger at her waist, the crowds parted, not wanting to experience her wrath. Wise choice, though she’d hardly knife anyone over something stupid like that.

“You have a wonderful dragon. I envy you.” She commented, finally picking T’ran out of the crowd once the dragon departed and the crowd thinned out. “I’d kill for a Bronze like him, pity they’re so picky.” She snorted, tucking another loose strand of hair out of her face as she watched the rider carefully. “I’m Crescentia. Welcome to Taskin, though it’s probably nowhere near as grand as the Weyr. Still, it’s home.” The blond said ruefully.

[stolenhart]

"I'd kill for a Bronze like him, pity they're so picky".

He glanced around for the source of the comment and found it as a young woman continued to introduce herself and welcome him to the Hold. He lifted a muddy blonde eyebrow in question as she spoke. "Killing for a dragon is no way to obtain one", he scolded her. Shards when news made it to the Hold that a gold egg rested on Southern Sands every girl in the South would come running for her. Pity that, if some of the greens who had Impressed women been allowed to stay he would not have to go out of the Weyr to find willing women, perhaps this Hatching something could be done, if a green chose a woman. "But I understand the sentiment", he added, a polite attempt to soften the blow. He realized he could be rather rude and the young woman had just been stating an opinion that hundreds of others had stated.

"And I would not be so quick to call him wonderful, especially when it comes bathing time and he smells of firestone and feces", he added, matching her rueful tone. "Crescentia was it? I am T'ran", he chose not to give his title, being the Weyrleader here meant being invited into the Hold Proper and he knew Holder Ravan from his soldiering days. Faranth this girl might even remember his face, though admittedly he did not have the scar seventeen turns ago. "Can you point out a tavern for me? I feel the need for a drink. And don't sell Taskin short, it has things the Weyr does not", he glanced at her, taking in her green eyes and silvery blonde hair. Maybe if she was willing?

[Femisis]

Cresce cocked a brow at the reprimand and had nearly been about to smack the man before he amended his statement. Good move, she thought. Otherwise there’d have been BIG trouble in a few moments. “I probably wouldn’t appreciate him then.” She agreed with a small nod. “But I’d much rather Impress to a Bronze. Who wouldn’t?” She asked as a wry grin spread across her face. She’d never thought too much about Impression, but if he was here on Search, it wouldn’t hurt to get on his good side. If he wasn’t, it still wouldn’t hurt, though she wasn’t desperate enough to do something stupid. That was Reren’s department.

“A tavern, you say? Well, there’s one not far from here, actually, but I wouldn’t know if it’s any good or not. I just go in there to drag my brother out.” She snorted, tossing her head slightly. Reral needed to stop that bull or he was going to get himself in trouble. Besides, he couldn’t party forever. “You might say that, but the Weyr has many things Taskin does not, like dragons.” She laughed. “Though I see what you mean. Still, it’s home. I don’t know if I’m lucky or not, thought. I couldn’t have ended up at either place.” The girl said aloud, though it was more to herself than to T’ran.

[stolenhart]

"Most girls would rather have the Gold on the Sands at the moment", he replied absentmindedly. While it was fairly common knowledge that Vandyith had laid her clutch just two seven days ago, what with the extensive firelizard network in the South, as well as the riders always riding from hold to hold it was hard to keep the event a secret, the Gold egg had been kept a strict secret so that the Weyr would not be inundated with girls.

He hoped she would not notice the slip of his tongue and continued to listen to her. "Well the Weyr doesn't have a tavern and a man can't have a drink there without someone getting into his business", namely someone from the Hold, with it being T'ran and all. "And you are lucky, trust me, there are far worse places for pretty women to end up", and pretty boys for that matter too. One of T'ran's fellow weyrlings, turns ago, had been kidnapped and sold into prostitution when he was just five. Luckily he had escaped with his mind intact, Impressing a rather solid blue who matched personalities with him perfectly. "Lead me on to this tavern young miss, I won't keep you from your laundry much longer".

[Femisis]

“I wonder why.” Cresce replied wryly, having caught the slip right away. She wasn’t quite sure what it meant, though. He may have just been making a statement of fact, which was true for just about every girl on Pern. Then again, a clutch had just been laid, so maybe… Maybe there was a Gold egg on the sands. They hadn’t said there was, but they hadn’t said there wasn’t, either. In any case, she’d never fancied herself on a Queen much, even if it was a great position of power. That would be rather nice, now that she thought about it… “Then again, I’m not most girls.” She added, trying not to make T’ran suspect that she was trying to figure out his statement.

Shrugging it off for the moment, she listened to his arguments on how Taskin was a nice place. She didn’t MIND it, really, but things were so boring around here. “We could do with fewer taverns, though. There are too many as it is for the men to slink off to.” She snorted, tossing her hair. “I know I’m lucky. Ravan could have kicked me to the curb when he found out I wasn’t his, though he’s a good man. Wish I wasn’t saddled with that bitch Reren, though.” She’d never been shy about admitting her origins because one, it wasn’t her fault that her mother had been stupid enough to sleep with a Bronzerider, and two, it was nice to know she came from Bronzerider stock and was good for more than just cleaning and making babies.

“This lot won’t be my problem for much longer.” She said as she lead him toward the nearest tavern. “Mother made us clean out our clothes, but I’m the only one who does anything. It’s nice to have a bit more space in my room though, and it’s not like any of this stuff fits. Too big in the hip and small in the bust.” Laughing, she brushed a strand of hair out of her face, momentarily considering cutting it before vetoing the idea. “Can’t wait to see who they try to marry me off to, though I don’t know anyone who’d be willing to live with me.” She didn’t quite know why she was telling this rider so much, but he just felt like a nice person to talk to. Then again, she’d never really been a privet person in the first place.

[stolenhart]

"Not most girls?", he repeated, corner of his mouth twitching. Perhaps it was just the fact that the only girls he ever talked to usually expressed their hopes or disappointments that a gold egg had been laid. There hadn't been a gold egg at Southern since two clutches before Knymawth's clutch, which made Vandyith just eighteen turns. She was young for a gold and so was her rider, that's why T'ran kept his suspicions about her failing health to himself.

He wanted to say he was not slinking off to a tavern but walking straight to it but hey, obviously she had an opinion about men. "Ravan raised you? Which means you must be Sere's daughter?", he asked, thoughts whirling. He'd met Ravan turns ago when he'd come to Taskin and the then heir had not been married to his wife for long. He wondered if Cresce had been one of the children that had been there at the time, then shrugged. "I know which one you are now, there was a big fuss here in the Hold about your mother and you", he added. There had been an equally big fuss at the Weyr as well. T'ran remembered that his own father hadn't been upset about the affair, but then Garek used the riders as breeding stock anyone. Another reason for T'ran to hide out of Lidal's reach.

"I am sure a man or two could be found to live with you", he added, "and besides, being a Lday Holder's daughter they don't exactly have to live with you. Give you your own hold and leave you there except for a couple sevendays at a time. And besides, you might fall in love with your husband", he doubted that would happen. Love was just a lasting form of lust, and he knew exactly where lust came from.

[Femisis]

“No, I’m not most girls.” Cresce reassured him, tapping the pommel of the dagger on her left hip for emphasis. “Because most girls are foolish and completely useless whereas I could effectively run a hold myself even if the pig-headed fools around here would never let me do it.” She replied coolly. She never quite understood why women in the South were treated as less than second class citizens when they were the ones that had to do the cooking, cleaning, not to mention the birthing. See a man try that, ha! They didn’t have the stomach for it, both literally and figuratively.

She nodded. “I am, and T’sun’s too, though that bastard can go rot on the Red Star for all I care. I don’t know what Savath saw in him when he Impressed, he doesn’t deserve that sweet Bronze.” The blond all but spat. It was common knowledge that she had little to no respect for her father Bronzerider that he was. You had to earn her respect through action, not rank, in her eyes, and he had none due to the sole fact that he’d had the audacity to seduce her mother. Sere was to blame as well, but she’d atoned for her crime by raising three children.

“That’s wherry dung and you know it.” She snorted, turning to look at T’ran. “When any man, married or not, looks at me, all they see is a nice pair of tits and a pretty face. They don’t care what I like or don’t like or if I want kids or not.” Cresce fumed, looking like she was about to punch the Bronzerider in the face, or worse, stab him, but her expression calmed and changed into something smug. “Just for saying that, you should take me to the Weyr to see the eggs. I don’t even care if I’m not a candidate, I just want to see them.” She insisted, giving T’ran a hard look. “That’s not such a bad thing, is it?”

[stolenhart]

"T'sun?", no there was a name he knew. And she called him a bastard, well couldn't fault her, being the bastard daughter of a dragonrider begotten on her Lady of a mother must have been difficult for her as a younger child. T'ran could sympathize after all, his father was a Lord Holder. But T'ran had made up for this sin by not backing down from duty and challenges. He did feel he had to stand up for one of his wingriders though, "He's a decent enough rider, no matter what kind of man he is", he said half-heartedly. Which was true. The best riders were somtimes bastards, the dragons only looked for what they wanted. Trying to figure out how a dragon Impressed was like trying to figure out why water was wet. It just was.

"I'm a man and while admittedly you've got nice tits and a pretty face, I am not about to hunt up a bed for the two of us", well not at the moment, but let him finish in the tavern and he might make the offer. Shards he'd probably take her, the tavern wenches and her lady mother on at the same time. He'd done before it a time or two, taken more than one woman to his bed at a time. Too bad a Weyrleader couldn't be that loose anymore, must uphold Weyr standards or else Hallek would think him weak.

He barely caught her face changing emotions but the tone of her voice gave her away. "Take you to the Weyr?", he sputtered, torn between laughing and yelling. "You must be cracked. Take you into that den of riders, just so you can see the eggs? You can wait until Hatching like everyone else", he offered, "I'll come get you myself". If he took a female in to look at the eggs, especially with that gold sitting pretty on the sands, all the riders would go up in arms about it. They'd accuse him of trying to influence the dragonet and want to bring all their girls in too. The Weyr would be swarmed under. And Faranth knew, when a bunch of girls showed up for a Hatching, one or two got Impressed by greens, which was bad news. T'ran was not about to start his weyrleadership off with wasting a dragon. "Why you want to see the eggs anyway? You can't have one". By far and away, everyone at Southern hoped the gold would Impress a Weyrbrat, no need for the holders to learn that dragons could, and did, Impress holdborn.

[Femisis]

At T’ran’s immediate refusal to take her to the Weyr, Cresce forgot everything else he said, even the comment about not looking for a bed. “And who said I can’t have one, hmm? The dragons, or you?” She asked, glaring at him accusingly. Women had Impressed before in the past, and even if times had changed, they were still the only ones who Impressed Golds and occasionally Greens. “Until I hear a dragon say it, I’m calling your bluff. You just don’t want to admit that MAYBE women are just as worthy to Impress as men are.” She snorted, looking rather indignant. “And to think I was starting to like you, only for you to say that…” All of a sudden, it clicked in her mind that he’d offered to come get her for the hatching. Wow, talk about foot in mouth syndrome… “Will you REALLY come get me so I can watch?” She asked after a contemplative moment, looking at him suspiciously. “You’d better not say it unless you mean it.”

[stolenhart]

He was listening to her tirade with an amused look on his face. He was never quite sure what girls saw in Impressing a dragon. The riders at Southern didn't want them and as far as T'ran knew neither did Northern. He'd never caught a female rider as prisoner and it was hard to tell from the air what gender a rider was after all. Plus, more often then not, women didn't come to the Hatchings. They were too busy getting ready for the feast afterwards. "I doubt that, otherwise every woman who came to a Hatching would Impress", he retorted but was drowned out by her question.

"You want to watch the Hatching? It's grusome and bloody, I've seen young boys get killed for getting in the way. It's not a sight for ladies", he told her then got a brilliant idea. "Why don't you come meet Knymawth?", the bronze would probably scare the pants off this girl. He could be quite ferocious when warranted. }Hey, you{. T'ran mentally poked his dragon. What do you want?, a loud roar filled the skies of the Hold. }I'm bringing this spoiled brat your way, scare her off will you?{, T'ran asked his dragon. I will not do your dirty work. Get rid of her yourself. }Knymawth it's not like that. She wants to Impress a dragon, so just scare her off the idea. She's better left on the ground{. Knymawth was silent for a moment, contemplating things. T'ran knew exactly what the bronze was thinking but he wouldn't push him.Fine, but you come to me.

"Alright Crescentia let's go see Knymawth", he took her arm firmly in his hand and began to lead her towards the steps that went up to the fireheights. "He's a bit grumpy so you'll take that into account when meeting him?", he asked. Inwardly he fully expected his dragon to be ferocious and evil and vile, and could barely contain his glee as he walked up the steps. "Knymawth?"

[Femisis]

“Yes, I want to watch the hatching.” Cresce reiterated with a snort. “I don’t care if blood is sprayed all over the crowd. I told you before that I’m not like other girls. I’m not some prissy little brood mare that needs to be attended to. I can take care of myself.” She told him, eyes blazing, though her indignation didn’t reach her face. Honestly, were ALL men so completely ignorant? Not all women were completely helpless. “Even if you don’t take me, I still have another ride.” She pointed out. She may not like her father, but she had his Bronze wrapped around her little finger. If word got to them that she wanted to come, Savath would insist on bringing her, but T’ran didn’t need to know that little detail.

Meet Knymawth? Was he stupid? Did he think that would frighten her? Probably, she thought ruefully, though two could play at that game. Schooling her expression, she changed it to one of concern as she asked, “Meet Knymawth? Are you sure that’s such a good idea?” She asked as the Bronzerider took her arm and lead her toward the fireheights. It was difficult not to laugh in his face, but she wanted to continue with the farce, at least for a little while. She had to teach this arrogant son of a bitch that no one could tell her what to do or jerk her around.

Once they got there, a look of pure terror crossed her face before it cleared and she calmly stepped forward toward the dragon. “So you’re Knymawth?” Cresce asked, bowing a little to him. “Your hide is lovely; I like it. It’s much lighter than Savath’s.” She commented before turning to look at T’ran over her shoulder. “Just because I hate my father doesn’t mean I haven’t seen him. Savath loves me. He made T’sun buy me a certain necklace just because I mentioned that it was pretty. I’m not all that unused to dragons, rider. You’re not getting rid of me that easily.” The girl added before turning back to Knymawth respectfully. Even if the dragon before her was intimidating, she knew better than to show fear. The Bronze wouldn’t hurt her, not unless she threatened His first, anyway.

[stolenhart]

Knymawth rose up on his hind legs, growling low in his throat, like a deep whistle, no doubt that is what put a look of terror of Crescentia's face. T'ran didn't see the look but he hoped her calmness was just a facade, especially when Knymawth jumped forward, the stoned under their feet groaning at his sudden change of weight. He pulled his wings back, growling and showing his teeth, truly a fearsome sight and T'ran was proud of the bronze who was inches from biting Cresce's fice off. "Back away slowly, oh shard it to fardin between", he cursed.

Why did he curse? Knymawth had reached out and touched Crescentia with his nose and went from man-eating carnivorous monster to a fluffy, string pouncing, kitten. He even went so far as to purr happily. Mine, I would like to keep this one. She knows how to treat a dragon, he sniffed her over, sniffing her laundry and hair. }No. We cannot keep her{, T'ran ranted, nearly pouting in the corner like an upset child. We could at least let her come for the Hatching?, there was a hopeful note in the dragon's mindvoice as he watched Crescentia. "Scratch just under his jaw, he likes that best", T'ran told Crescentia, effectively ending the argument with his dragon for the moment.

[Femisis]

Despite the fact that she wasn’t completely unfamiliar with dragons, for the first few moments she found Knymawth to be every bit as terrifying as he was trying to be before she mastered herself. She then vaguely remembered someone, she couldn’t remember who, telling her that a dragon would never attack a human outside of hatching without a good reason. She didn’t know if it was true or not, but when the Bronze nudged her and began acting like a spoiled little feline, she found herself letting out the breath she didn’t know she was holding.

“Dragon’s are so bad.” She said as she reached to scratch under his jaw. She couldn’t help but laugh as he began to sniff her, effectively mussing her hair, but that could be easily fixed. A lost arm couldn’t. “It must be nice having someone to confide everything in.” The blond mused aloud as she scratched. She liked the feel of his hide, too, warm and smooth. If this rider was trying to discourage her from Impression, he was going about it in the wrong way. “If you’re hungry, I don’t think anyone would notice a missing herdbeast or two if you’re discrete.” She told the Bronze casually as she scratched harder. “The boys might want to watch though, so make it extra bloody. It’ll scare them off.” Green eyes sparkled as she laughed at the thought.

[stolenhart]

Knymawth instantly looked at T'ran when Crescentia told him he could have a herd beast or two. "No sir", T'ran said firmly, giving his dragon a hard stare. Strangely the dragon stuck his lower lip out and whined deep in his throat, acting like a child. "No Knymawth, you ate yesterday you cannot possibly be hungry. Just because someone offers", T'ran shook his head. The bronze wrinkled his nose and snorted rudely. T'ran ran a hand over his stubble of hair and sighed, "Oh yeah nice. He knows everything I am thinking and has a comment on way too much of it", the rider replied.

No I do not. I just comment on what is important. Like this. Is she coming to the Weyr or not?, Knymawth asked, reaching his head around Crescentia to bump it against T'ran's chest, almost like someone poking a finger in the man's chest. }I don't even remember the words{, T'ran replied. Make some up then, the bronze replied. I want her. "Fine you lazy scatterbrained lout of good for nothing hide", the dragon nodded as if satisfied when T'ran started in on him.

The Weyrleader turned to Crescentia with a look of ultimate suffering on his face. "Not sure this is correct or what not but it's my Weyr so I can do what I want. Would you do Southern Weyr the Honor of standing for our gold egg?", he asked, trying his best to be polite about it.

[Femisis]

“Aww, let the poor beast have a treat.” Cresce teased. She meant it only in jest as the Bronze hardly seemed to want for food. In fact, he looked as though he could stand to lose a few pounds, not that she would say that aloud, to a Bronze, anyway. It seemed difficult to take him seriously, at least right now while he was acting like a spoiled brat. Not a very noble beast, but when you were his size, you could afford not to be. One snap of the jaws and you were missing an arm or a leg or quite possibly both. “It can’t be that bad.” She admonished T’ran as she turned to look at him, jumping slightly when Knymawth’s head snaked around hers. He seemed to have been arguing something with T’ran and had won, if his mutterings and the following request were anything to go by.

“So there IS a Gold egg.” Green eyes shone in triumph as the girl watched both rider and dragon. Well, now there was proof of it, and if anyone else found out about it, every girl in Southern would be crowded in the Hatching Sands come the day of the hatching, hoping to Impress the Queen. Not that she would tell, of course. Didn’t want TOO much competition. “Sure, why not?” The blond replied with a nod.

“So, when do we leave?” She asked, adjusting the basket on her hip as she waited for an answer. She wanted to know how much time she had to pack and speak with Ravin. If anyone needed to know about this, it was him. That, and she wanted to know that she could get to Northern in the event that she Impressed a Blue or a Green. She wasn’t quite sure what he could do, but she’d be damned if she was going to wait around for a miracle if that happened.

[stolenhart]

"When do WE leave?", T'ran shook his head. "No ma'm, you get to stay right here until the Hatching starts", he told her. Knymawth made a confused sound in the back of his throat but T'ran gave the dragon a sharp glance. "I cannot take you with me", T'ran replied with a shrug, stepping around Crescentia to lean against the bronze's side. "I am not allowing any female candidates into the Weyr until Hatching day", he added in an undertone. Not after what Lidal did to Gimna. The Weyrwoman had regained consciousness only two days ago but if she so much as sat up she fainted. The healers claimed her heart was weak, that it was just the clutching and some stress had gotten to her. A few sevendays in bed and she would be fine. Gimna had told T'ran not to trust any Healer Hallek used, she also told him her suspcions. T'ran had believed her, he had no reason not too.

"Lord Lidal, you've heard of him? Maybe met him a time or two? He would try to influence you to his way of thinking and I cannot allow that. You will stay here, where Hallek doesn't know about you, until the Hatching. I will come get you or someone I trust will come", he took two steps towards her and grabbed her arms. "Do not tell anyone about this, not your parents, your siblings, no one. It's not a secret for those who need to know about it, but not everyone needs to know. Is that understood?", he looked down at her. He was going to have to leave the hold once he got her promise. If he stayed he'd do something stupid.

[Femisis]

At that, Cresce nearly shouted in indignation, but was content with a little noise of discontent. She was glad she hadn’t gotten angry, as what he said right after was a bit comforting. At least she wasn’t going to be the only female not allowed to come to the Weyr, but why… Oh. Yes, that made sense. Hallek was a monster, and that was an understatement. He’d do anything to have the next Goldrider under his influence, not that she’d even give him the time of day. “Your concern is valid, but I’d kill the man before I listened to anything he said.” She spat, her anger directed at the Holder and not the dragonman. He was only looking out for his Weyr, after all.

She didn’t back down when he took her arms, though she balked a bit at the promise. Not ANYONE? How was she supposed to be prepared… Oh, shardit, whatever. If she was sent North, Ravan would do something about it the moment he heard. He’d figured out what was going on once the dragon came to get her, so she had nothing to worry about, other than being mauled… “I swear that I will not tell anyone about this.” She told him, eyes boring into his. “I want to be prepared, though. Tell me what I need to know so I’m not walking into this blind aside from knowing that a goodly amount of dragon hatchlings will be stumbling around looking for their lifemates.” She and all the other girls were going to be at a disadvantage, so better to gain the upper hand on the ladies if only to keep herself alive.

[stolenhart]

"It doesn't matter what you think of Hallek, it's what he thinks of you. And trust me he has friends in the Weyr who could and would kill you", he hated to cast suspicions on his own riders but he'd seen and heard too many of them spouting Hallek's ideas and aspirations, most in complete agreement with the Holder. This I understand but if other riders are to fear, can I not ask their dragons?, Knymawth knew of the concerns of his rider and always asked that question when the topic came up. It made no sense to the bronze why he could never ask. }No, best let it lie for now{, T'ran replied.

"Be prepared? There is nothing to prepare you for a Hatching. You stand there and simply hope a Hatchling does not kill you", he laughed, releasing her as he stepped back. He remembered his own Impression, the Hatchlings had been voracious, swarming the sands in groups of two and three but it had been the single ones that had been deadly. Two boys had died at his Hatching, and four others had been permanently maimed. "You can't even move for fear of catching their eyes and becoming a target. To prepare you'd have to find a pride of wild felines and try to live with them", he added, adjusting his shirt. "You will be told everything when it is time. The boys will not have a large advantage, they work for their chance to Stand", he added. "Chores leave little time for them to snoop and Vandyith", he shook his head, the queen had killed a boy yesterday. With Gimna gone from the Sands, the gold had become vicious. Only Knymawth could get on the Sands and the bronze feared for his rider's life even then. "There is no way to prepare for Hatching".

[Femisis]

“You’re just trying to scare me, aren’t you?” She accused, but neither her tone no her expression backed it up. As much as she considered herself immortal as many in her age group considered themselves, when Hallek wanted someone dead or gone, it happened. She’d seen it herself and though no one said anything aloud, everyone had been accusing the man in their minds. She shivered involuntarily at the memory and sighed, running her fingers through her hair to compose herself. Thinking of that bastard always gave her the willies.

She couldn’t help but sigh again when T’ran explained how there really wasn’t anything to be prepared for. “So you’re telling me that I’m just supposed to stand there and hope that a dragon doesn’t tear me into little bite sized pieces?” As improbable as it seemed, it sounded like a hatching was more dangerous than even the skirmishes a-dragonback. “Faranth, it’s amazing you get anyone to stand. Then again, who would want to skip out on trying to find a wonderful dragon like Kynmawth?” She asked, tone turning playful as she complemented the Bronze. She couldn’t help it, she just had a thing for complementing dragons.