To Touch, Perchance to Dream (candidates esp.)

[Omnia Munda]

In the oppressive, humid heat of Telgar's hatching sands, Pelegaoth dozed.

It was a good time, J'fel reflected, pacing a slow circle upon the sand just below the last gallery stair. The day was overcast, making the bowl outside the hatching cavern little improvement over the sands themselves. The wind had fallen still in the night and, until it saw fit to stir again, Weyrfolk and Caminar, dragonman and charwoman alike all suffered from the stagnance in the air.

It was, J'fel supposed, better than a storm.

The young weyrleader paused, hearing or perhaps merely aware of Jordeth's shining figure sailing into the cavern above. The bronze curved a slow arch as his rider watched, a small smile lighting blue eyes even before it stretched a curve across youthful lips.

Oh, murmured Jordeth almost coyly to his rider, as he alighted on a ledge high above and turned around, folding his wings, for a view of the sands and the queen below. She sleeps.

There was something disingenuous about his dragon's tone, but J'fel couldn't investigate it just now. He was distracted by the first approach of footsteps from the gallery entrance, the sound that was cue and warning.

The summons he'd sent with the staff that tended the candidate barracks had been heeded, and the first small group of candidates would soon arrive to have an initial visit with Telgar's precious clutch.

[Invisible]

Konamar hated to be first. It always seemed like he was over eager when he was the first to arrive. None of that mattered to his feet however as once again they had their way with him. No, there was no reason to be first when being first for so many turns had never accomplished anything, but here he was, first of the candidates to reach the sands where hope rested.

It wasn’t too much to ask, was it? That this time around he find what he sought instead of those around him. The ones who didn’t really seem to be aware half the time of what it was. His future rested, or not, on this small patch of Telgar. The rest of the Weyr might not even exist to him at this point. All he wanted was for this time things to work out. If he were only good enough then he wouldn’t need the liquor anymore. Surely all his problems would be solved and he would not have to sneak around, spend most of his days in a wine infused manner.

Despite the teasing he’d gotten from the other candidates who knew his history he was still here first. He could not have done otherwise.

[flamewolf]

Second. Not too bad. In reality, though, he had not expected to be so close to the front of the candidates to arrive at the hatching sands. The rather short young man walked in and winced the moment his booted foot touched the heat of the sands. Ouch. But the sensation was gone a second later as his gaze caught sight of the Weyrleader, turned towards the entrance to watch them in their approach. Psh, like they would dare to create any trouble with the sleeping queen there.

...Okay, perhaps he should keep his mouth shut. Sunyu's gold-brown eyes caught sight of the first candidate to arrive, Konamar. He'd heard some whispers about the boy but he hadn't really paid attention. Rumors were not his thing. He walked behind him, keeping his mouth shut, seeing as how the other candidate looked fully intent on just getting to the clutch. He tilted his head to the side, curious. He was really focused. Interesting. Oh well, just keep walking. Perhaps a more talkative candidate would come in later. Or even his half-sister, Keldara...

[Invisible]

What a relief! Genet had little interest in peeling tubers and that’s what she was supposed to be doing. However, a summons to bake on the sands got her away from that dreaded task. To be truthful she didn’t feel the excitement some of the others did about this situation. It was hard to work up enthusiasm when some of the other girls were so catty. It had not gotten too bad, but she wondered if it would.

All the fuss over one little egg. All the girls plotting against each other as if that would do any good. Either you were picked or not. That’s what her brother had said. There’s no way to tell one way or the other and all the cattiness or niceness beforehand did nothing but earn you enemies or friends who would remain that no matter the outcome.

She stepped onto the sands with a few other girls. They had banded together figuring on being herded together anyway. A couple of them were actually nice enough and she enjoyed their company. The others…well, a small part of her would be quite gleeful if they got in the way of an aggressive little queen and wound up bleeding.

Despite her attempts to remain unconcerned she still felt a little thrill. Sure the odds of her actually impressing were slim, but still, it could happen. Even if it did not she had escaped home and that was worth being thrilled. For the first time she looked at the other girls with her and felt a stirring of competition. It seemed a little more real now with her feet burning and sweat beading on her brow. Well, real or not there was still nothing she could do about it so she laughed at a joke she barely heard.

[Omnia Munda]

J'fel winced, though with his eyes narrowed against the distance between himself on the sands and the bowl entrance to the galleries above, such a small tic of the face might be overlooked.

Konamar again. Poor guy, thought the young weyrleader. The candidate had been standing since before J'fel was old enough to be searchable, and the bronzerider felt a bit of a pang for that. How many clutches has it been, he wondered. How many before the one they'd stood together for, the one that gave him Jordeth and gave Konamar yet another trudge from the sands out into the open air, alone?

He wasn't sure, but it occurred to J'fel that Konamar might be getting a bit old for this. Maybe this would be his last try. The weyrleader got a smile onto his mischief-maker's mouth and lifted a wave to welcome him anyway, including with a gesture the holdbred boy who arrived next.

"Come on down," called J'fel up into the stands, making his voice a little deeper and a little richer than it liked to do on its own; to his own ears it helped his words carry. And then there were more: girls, a whole small coven of them. How did we get so many, thought J'fel, struggling to keep his smile in place while feeling suddenly quite frowny. Was this what his searchriders thought of Aderes, that any little thing could be brought in and win Pelegaoth's golden daughter?

It was a thought he had to push aside. Another wave welcomed the whole group of girls, and J'fel backed up from the stands to make room for all who'd be coming to step down from the gallery steps onto the sand.

"Some of you already know the drill," he grinned, even if the grin was a tiny bit forced. "Boys, go in among the eggs. Remember that 'touch' doesn't mean 'grope.' Be gentle and thoughtful and try to stay open-minded and calm." Calmer than I was, added J'fel silently, remembering a certain excitement he'd worked hard to restrain the first time he'd passed among eggs hardening on Telgar's sands. "Feel free to talk amongst yourselves as you go. Just try to have a relaxing time."

Then J'fel turned to the group that included (sort of) Genet, and swept out a point toward a sandy lump barely visible only a few yards from the somnolent-seeming dam. "Girls over here; the queen egg's still mostly buried. Two or three of you may be able to touch it at once if you wish, but do take turns and be patient. Everyone gets a chance. I'll be watching."

And I, too, murmured Jordeth from above.

[flamewolf]

Keldara jogged into the entrance a minute or so after the congregation of girls. She stopped off to the side to allow herself to get used to the heat of the sands, so she wasn't hopping around near the eggs. As she waited, her gaze sept the area; a few boys were there, as well as some girls. But there were noticeably more girls than guys. She frowned at that; weren't there supposed to be more guys? Oh well. They probably slept in or something. She was used to the heat now, so she started walking towards the girls.

She couldn't get a good view of the boys because they were ahead of everyone. There was two of them; so it shouldn't be hard. But because of the heat of the sands, it wasn't easy to pick out any distinguishing features. She was looking for her half-brother, Sunyu. She hadn't found him leaving the barracks, and she knew he was awake. She'd already seen him up that morning. She frowned, her eyes focusing on the second one, when she bumped right into one of the other girls- Genet.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she apologized quickly. What was up with her and bumping into people? "I wasn't paying attention." She smiled at the girl slightly, mainly in embarrassment. "These sands are really hot," she said with a frown, wiping some sweat from her brow. Yikes. It didn't take long for the heat to get to you.

[Invisible]

Unaware of the weyrleader’s pity Konamar made his way onto the sands alone. He hated to get to know the other candidates too well. Some of them might get what he wanted. He would hate them if that happened. He tried not to, he really did, but in the end when he walked away alone and someone else did not he could feel the urge to ball his fists up and show them what he thought. It was then that he needed the wine the most. When he sank so far into the liquid that he thought he might drown.

He shook his head to clear it. There was no sense thinking about what might happen. Not that future anyway. What he needed to do was think positively. This time would be different. Just like every other time he thought that. Shaking his head he stole a peek at what other boys had arrived so far. The girls he could ignore. They were here for the one thing he did not need worry about. If any of the boys wanted to get close, so be it. He could be distant and polite. That wouldn’t hurt. Small talk he could do very well.

The measure of each boy on the sands would have to be taken. The weyrleader’s words were heard, but he didn’t feel the need to reply. He knew the drill all right. He remembered J’fel. One those that had what he wanted. That had proven worthy when he had not. It was best to not acknowledge him too much. Not to get too close. Instead he plotted a trek about the eggs. The more he could get close to the better his chances. He thought. He hoped. Please this time. Already Konamar felt the calling of the wine that waited for him when he was done here.

[Invisible]

“Now we’re breaking each other’s bones?” Genet snapped before turning to see who bumped into her. “Oh. Keldara, hello. I thought you were Vera. But you’re not. Watch your step. I bet you’d be eaten if you tripped and cracked an egg. Put a foot right through a shell and I bet you’d be roasted and then eaten.” All the advice was offered with an engaging smile and a cheerful tone of voice. Likely dire warnings passed on from her twin who had already been through this.

“I think it’s supposed to be hot,” she pointed out as one girl nudged past her to get to that golden prize first. Rolling her eyes Genet danced on the sands carefully as she continued her own forward movement. “It’s going to be worse when they hatch. All the eyes in the galleries watching and both parents glaring. That’s what G’tet said anyway.” And Genet was always happy to pass on worldly words from her brother. “Could be worse. Ugh. I am not going to push my way forward. You can wait with me if you want or try not to be stomped on by Vera’s big feet.” Her voice rose on those last three words to be sure the other girl heard her.

[ignisfatuus]

S’gur had heard that candidates were going to be allowed to see and to touch the eggs, now that they were hardened and coming ever closer to hatching. Now that Glosolith was sleep most deeply on the ledge of their weyr, S’gur was free to make his way down to the hatching grounds. He was rather keen to see the candidates. Well, after he changed his clothes. His present ones were somewhat on the damp side thanks to Glosolith finding it amusing to splash him while he cleaned her hide to near perfection. At least now as she slept, she was quite possibly the cleanest dragon in the whole Weyr.

The sound of young voices wafted up through galleries and out of the doors, resulting in S’gur being able to hear the candidates long before he lay eyes on those that had gathered to see the eggs. He saw the new Weyrleader, J’fel, was present also. It was not surprising though to be honest. With a small, subconscious smile, S’gur made his way over to stand beside the watchful J’fel.

‘They seem to be an interesting bunch.’ He said cheerfully without taking his eyes off the candidates on the sands.

[flamewolf]

The girl blinked at the sharp words directed at her before realizing that the other candidate had just made a mistake. She smiled at her, for she didn't like the girl mentioned either. She listened and took a grand note of that; when they got near the eggs, paying attention would be the best bet. Striking up small-talk was fairly easy with this girl, she realized with bright eyes. And she wasn't like the others. She could get used to her.

"Probably. Not to mention that nobody really cares what happens unless its something dramatic or if you impress," she agreed with the mention of all of those people watching them. At the mention of the parents- the two dragons present with them at this moment- she smiled a small smile. "I think I'll be more nervous about Pelegaoth and Jordeth than the audience," she admitted with a sheepish look. Just as she said that another girl pushed past her, not even noticing she was there. She scowled, eyes darkening as she moved off to the side to prevent herself from being pushed any more.

"I think I'll wait," she agreed with a glare to the overly eager girls. "It's not as if being first and overly excited will sway the queen's decision," she growled. "And we're all getting the chance to touch." She huffed and then glanced her way before laughing. "It's ridiculous." She glanced to the others before rolling her eyes and turning back to her as she shifted on her feet.

"Kel!" she heard her name, and she turned around to see Sunyu waving to her. She laughed and waved back, happy to have finally spotted him (or being spotted by him) before turning back to Genet. "My half-brother," she explained with a smile. Then she realized something and tilted her head. "You mentioned a G'tet," she said curiously. "Isn't he a...greenrider?" she said finally with a frown, trying to remember.

[Omnia Munda]

J'fel was watching Konamar, and making little secret of it.

The youth - less young than the weyrleader himself, to tell true - was fortunate in a way; he was easily the eldest of these candidates, and boys and girls alike tended to forget all about the man in their midst in their eagerness to get close to the eggs.

But J'fel hadn't forgotten. The relevant part of his little speech repeated for Keldara's arrival, a lack of further additions to the first group of candidates to visit Pelegaoth's clutch up close left the bronzerider with time to think.

I wonder if he even thinks about it any more, J'fel was thinking, crossing his arms and leaning a shoulder back onto the rail behind him that separated the lowest seats of the stands from the level of the sand itself. I wonder if getting his dragon at last from my clutch would make him a good rider to me, or a worse one.

This last thought had been open enough that Jordeth could hear it, the opening of a conversation; but Jordeth did not reply, instead reflecting to his rider the general appearance of another man's scalp as seen from above. He offered nothing more; he did not need to. J'fel was already unfolding his arms and arranging his pretty features into something less like thought and more like social gladness.

He turned to S'gur on the greenrider's cue, obviously socially glad to see the greenrider beside him. "Wouldn't any bunch be interesting?" The words were trippingly light, the banter of two men who were, after all, mostly observers here. "I wouldn't call my bunch anything less," added he, twisting a hint of wry around the words, flickering a mischievous brow. "Would you, yours?"

[ignisfatuus]

S'gur turned his eyes away from the wondering candidates to give his Weyrleader a sidelong look and grinned. He was not sure if he would be able to take the younger mans authority seriously, not to begin with, not until he earned some some of the respect that S'lyn had tons of at least. But at least he was a likable bronzerider. And J'fel himself, not just 'his bunch' was be interesting. His eyes turned back to the wondering candidates once more as he spoke in a high(not pitch wise) and lofty manner:
"Oh my bunch could never be anything less than the most amazingly fantastical, diverse and interesting bunch that there ever was in the whole of Pern. But alas, my bunch are a completely imaginary and hypothetical bunch. Both a pro and a con of being a Greenrider one might say."

The lone boy, for it was hard not to think of candidates as 'boys' rather than 'men' even if they were more than old enough to fit into the latter category, who had caught the Weyrleaders attention was mildly interesting but it was not enough to keep S'gur's attention like he had J'fel's. For now he watched the girls, two of whom were talking loudly, or rather, louder than the others.
'Things are a little unbalanced though, aren't they? Or are the boys being lazy about coming to see the eggs?'

[Invisible]

Genet snorted as Vera turned a glare on her. In return the big footed, rude girl got a sickly sweet smile and a wave that consisted of wiggled fingers and nothing more. “What a bore she is. We had girls like her back home. They learned soon enough to leave me be though. Just can’t do that here I guess. Would hate to have to go home.” Her nose wrinkled up at the thought as she waited for those over eager girls to get their feel of the egg.

“I wonder if it makes a difference,” she wondered aloud. “I mean, do they even know? And if so does it matter when? I mean, if you’re the first to touch or the last? Or just a random thing? I bet it doesn’t matter at all.” Her head nodded at this decision and she laughed. “I’d better not say that too loud, yea? Can’t have them thinking I don’t respect their traditions and all.”

And then she was distracted looking for the brother in question, waiting to see if Keldara would want to go talk to him or not. Since she didn’t seem inclined to go, asking a question even, she nodded in reply. “G’tet. Kalpeth’s rider. She’s darling too even if she never remembers me even though we’ve met dozens of times since I’ve been here.” While Genet could not ever match the sort of pride and adoration in her tone that her brother got when speaking of his dragon she could get pretty darn close. After all, any dragon smart enough to pick her brother had to be brilliant. “He’s my brother. He says he’s older, but I swear I was born before him. And even if I was not what’s a few minutes? It’s not like he experienced so very much in the few minutes before I came along. But I still say I was first.”

[Selvagem]

Selvagem, Jhorna and Horatio
A light at the end of the tunnel beckoned, and Jhorna slowed his steps to wait for the two youths coming up behind him. His dark red tunic and simple brown leggings caught the shallow light that filtered in from the Hatching Sands, and his polished wher-hide boots glimmered lightly. He was excited, and was probably the most excited of the three candidates that made up this group, but now that he neared the Sands he felt his legs begin to drag.

He knew what made his legs tremble and muscles tense: nervousness. A holder child, he had never seen or been near a clutch before, and no amount of instructions and mental preperation could stem the nerves he was getting at the thought he might Impress to one of the dragonets within those eggs. It was hard not to think of how important this event was, how portentious: who knew if his touch might summon a dragonet to find him on the day of the Hatching itself? He glanced back again, and then turned to eye what little he could see of the Sands beyond the tunnel's shades.

From the shadows behind him, a thinner boy emerged first, clad in cool cream-hued tunic and light beige leggings. Horatio's pace was slow but steady, his dark gray eyes betraying the curiosity that ran through his body. Like his taller friend, he was excited at the prospect of seeing dragon eggs for the first time in his life. Unlike Jhorna however, he was rather less enthusiastic at the idea of becoming lifemate to what was within any of the oversized lumps on the heated Sands. Well, being a rider might help him become a better Healer because of the added mobility in flight, since there was no Thread to fight in this time and age. But he had his doubts on whether the Weyr would allow him to continue his training if he became a weyrling.

Selvagem was the last, coming up gently behind her male companions and keeping a small distance between them. She did not know Horatio and Jhorna, having only met them minutes ago when they were sent up to the Sands together, and did not wish to know more of them than neccessary. Her footfalls were almost silent on the sandy floor, and her mind was elsewhere. She had had to leave Rulf at the kennels when she came into candidacy, a neccessity that left uneasiness in her stomach. Neither she nor Rulf were accustomed to being apart from one another. In fact, she had had to empty her haversack and leave it in a lump on his kennel floor to convince him to stay. It gave him something to guard so he would not follow her to the Candidate Barracks, and it was a reassurance to him that she would return, which she had done every day since the day she entered candidacy.

She would much rather be with her canine right now. She had yet to speak more than ten sentences to any of the other girls in the Candidate Barracks, and went for this Touching only because it was required of her.

Jhorna nodded to them both as they came, indicating the tunnel entrance "It's there, let's get a move on, ay?"

"What's the hurry?" Horatio fell into step beside him, trying to ignore the slip of a girl who slid along behind them almost soundlessly, "You're only going to experience this once in your life, you should enjoy it."

"Exactly, you'll only experience it once so you shouldn't keep yourself waiting," Jhorna found himself a step ahead of his friend again, and tried to shorten his steps. Horatio smiled, thinly, as he caught the curly-haired boy lightly by one arm.

"Not so fast, you still don't want to alarm the Queen. It's her clutch after all."

They came out into the open air, stifling and humid, and Jhorna snorted softly, "Not likely, Tio - she's asleep."

The three candidates stopped short at the sight of clutch, golden dragon, and Weyrleader altogether. High above them on the ledges, the senior bronze was watching. Jhorna took a deep breath, stepped out, and bowed lightly to J'fel conversing with another man nearby. Horatio, behind him, did the same, and a somewhat non-plussed Selvagem followed suit. She knew what to do, having listened quiet and careful to the Candidate Master's instructions on the Touching, but the heat was oppressive, and so were the sizes of both the clutch and their dam.

Recovering from her greeting, the Caminar girl drifted off to join the girls with the gold egg. Her deep brown eyes widened with curiosity as she took in the great thing: like her male companions, it was her first time seeing anything like this, and the sense of awe it inspired in her was solid enough to taste. She gazed at it a moment longer, blinking softly and thinking of the new life still sleeping within, and then the murmer of voices tore her attention from the large orb. She had come relatively closer to two other girls who were standing and talking together: a chestnut-haired girl who wore her long hair in braids, and a black-haired girl with eyes of frosty blue. She nodded to them politely as a bigger girl suddenly pushed past her, and she stumbled. Selvagem caught herself in time, and straightened as she stepped back: the heat was bad for concentration, even if one was used to dealing with mid-afternoons on the open plains. She hadn't visibly startled at its baking touch yet, but it was beginning to get to her.

Having made their greetings to the Weyrleader, Jhorna and Horatio started out onto the Sands, wincing at the touch of the heated ground. The curly-haired boy, as ever, led the way, eager to be in the midst of the eggs and to touch as many of them as he could on the way. Horatio hung back a little, curious dark gray eyes examining each as he passed it. He reached out to one, a smaller one amidst its larger siblings, and felt almost impetous for daring to do so, the near-hard shell smooth beneath his exploring fingers. There were only four boys on the Sands at the moment, Jhorna and himself included, which meant lots of space for everyone.



(OOC> I don't know exactly how Telgar is structured, but let's just assume that the three candidates emerged from a tunnel that leads to the Sands )

[Invisible]

Konamar was aware of other candidates and of more arriving, but to be honest he thought little of them. Surely experience counts for something he told himself. Wet behind the ears most of them. I remember how dumb I was at that age. Well, they wouldn’t get in his way this time. Not this time he swore to himself. This time he would have what he needed. If he didn’t…If he didn’t someone would have to pay. It was not a pretty thought and he tried to suppress it, but it came up anyway.

Shaking his head he rubbed a hand over thinning blonde hair and stopped at an egg set in a small grouping of others. His hands shook as he reached out to touch it. No matter how many times he’d done this they always did. The preciousness of the egg was known to him almost better than anyone. Even if you’re not mine he thought. Even if you’re someone else’s I know what you are. These thoughts swirled in his head around the jealousy at the other candidates. He disliked them, one and all, for just being what they were. It was hard to look at them neutrally so he did his best not to look at a single one of them. Instead he focused on the eggs since they were why he was here to begin with. A lingering touch on the first ended as he moved on to the next. Any one could be his. It wouldn't do to not say hello now.