An Anticipated Gift ((I'slen))

[FireThorne]

Raelwyn was sitting with the other candidates, having her usual small dinner in the weyrhall. She was a lithe girl, so her meals consisted largely of redfruit juice and half a bowl of stew. She was not talking too much, however, for she was thinking about the stolen eggs of Sharieth's. The poor gold seemed so distraught that day, and the girl had not forgotten it. Of course, the fact the golden egg was gone also gnawed at her insides, and she was naturally thinking about her future at Ponaa.

Candidates did not exactly have many opportunities outside of what they were chosen for, and she worried that she would perhaps lose even that. Women were not considered for crafts, either. Rael sighed, but quietly, and instead of dwelling on those not-so-pleasant thoughts, she instead turned her attention to the conversation the others were having, laughing alongside them. It was far easier topic than what her mind wanted to linger on.

Rael wore a sleeveless top and a long skirt, and her hair was tied up in it's usual careless bun, wisps of blonde silk framing her face. However, there was something different about her appearance than when she had first arrived at the weyr. Her neck was bare. The two necklaces lay in the trunk at the edge of her bed, and the girl would leave them there until the first gather. Abruptly, her mind went to the bronzerider that had changed that aspect of her, and the candidate grinned, thinking about that encounter. I'slen seemed a little harsh to begin with, but he had done her a kind deed when he offered her one of Feya's eggs, and had called Tujal down to instruct her further on gold Impressions. He was kind, in her opinion, no matter what the weyrlings said. His bronze Weseanth had also offered to let her visit him whenever she wished, but Raelwyn had not had time. She regretted that, and considered going to see him after dinner. If he was not busy with Amenth, that was.

Grinning, the girl stood and deposited her empty dishes, then turned to leave the weyrhall. Rael smiled and waved a farewell to her friends, then started to pad towards the exit. She would certainly have to see if the bronze was free; she had not visited a dragon and scratched their eyeridges for quite some time.

[LyricalBlue]

A gold streak zoomed into the hall and after a circuit above the heads of the crowd, made straight for the young woman. The little lizard landed on Raelwyn's shoulder with all the grace of a falling stone. Feya recovered after a moment and chittered at the Candidate as if the sloppy landing was the girl's fault and not her own. After a brief preen and a natter at one of the uppity greens that occupied the Hall, Feya turned her attention to doing what I'slen had actually sent her to do. She imaged a sharp picture of the inside of the Weyrling Master's office as well as a sense of urgency for Raelwyn to be there.

Job done, Feya tilted her head to examine the young woman and chirruped again, imaging a meatroll. Clearly the little gold had the system worked out pat. She flicked her lithe, forked tail back and forth in opinion of how slow humans did things. Everyone should work at firelizard pace in her mind. The annoying green from before vocalized again and Feya turned her head sharply to give the other flit a glare before turning back to Raelwyn expectantly.

[FireThorne]

Rather immersed in her thoughts of bronze dragons and the many finer points of eyeridge-scratching, Raelwyn was not prepared for the gold blur that shot to her shoulder with a decidedly less-than-gossamer landing. Starting, the candidate laughed lightly when she recognized the firelizard, grinning at the little one’s chiding tone. “Hello, Feya.” She cooed, scratching the small queen delicately as she preened. The girl was rather surprised to see the gold again, although her appearance was by far unwelcome. She had often thought of the little pet since her meeting with I’slen, and had wished she could see her again. Rael thought she was lovely, and undeniably adorable. “What are you doing here, sweetling?” She asked softly, her brows knitting lightly when she received Feya’s thoughts. The candidate could not quiet imagine what the Weyrling Master could possibly want with her, but she was not disinclined to the idea of seeing him again. She already had a bronze crush, but she liked Weseanth’s rider in more of an adoring way. Blushing slightly, unable to keep from thinking of G’del, the girl grinned, turning her attention back on the queen. Best not get flustered thinking of the Wingleader.

Raelwyn could not help but chuckle at the firelizard’s next thoughts, her green eyes sparkling as she watched the gold chirp commanding at a nearby green. Such a feisty one, she reflected, grinning as those expectant eyes returned to her. “Alright, love, I suppose your master can wait long enough for me to get you a meatroll, can’t he?” The candidate quickly made her way back across the weyrhall, thanking a nearby drudge as she collected one of the meatrolls. She could not stop grinning as she walked, unable to deny the weight of the delicate queen on her shoulder made her feel all floaty inside. She so adored the little gold! Breaking off a small peice of the meatroll, Rael fed Feya slowly as she left the weyrhall, crossing the bowl quickly toward I’slen’s office. Smiling at the small queen, the candidate laughed softly. “Are you happy now, little one?”

Approaching the Weyrling Master’s office, the girl slowed for a moment, smoothing her shirt and skirt with nervous hands. Kind or not, he was still a bronzerider and authority figure, and the thought of seeing him made butterflies in her stomach. Taking a deep breath, Rael knocked on the door, taking some comfort in the queen with her. “Weyrling Master, it is Raelwyn. You sent for me?” She asked, waiting for his permission to enter. What was it that I’slen wanted with her? The candidate was a bit excited as well, however, and hoped that Weseanth might also be available. Although, if he was with Amenth, she thought with a soft smile, there would be no amount of scratching bribes to lure him away from the gold’s side.