After breakfast, Qianel went to be with Yainolith in the Hatching Grounds, despite the unbearable heat, only to find her queen moving about the eggs, and humming softly to herself. "Is it time, Yainolith?!" she asked, eyes wide.

Soon, but not yet. Yainolith said, rolling the first egg across the sand, and toward the exit. No need to get those candidates excited in this heat.

"Okay...." Qianel said, watching Yainolith move her eggs. "What are you doing?"

Taking them outside. Yainolith replied.

"Outside!"

Yes. Lokioth! I need you... The queen called, and soon her mate arrived, his bronze hide gleaming splendidly. She quickly detailed what she needed him to do.

Within moments, twenty five eggs lay in the morning sun in the Weyrbowl, with Yainolith and Lokioth ringing them protectively.

"I still don’t understand..." Qianel began, and Yainolith interrupted her.

It’s cooler out here where the breezes are. Yainolith said. You may call for the candidates now, but tell them to take their time. My children cannot choose fainted boys or girls.

After a few moments, candidates in the short white robes appeared on the scene. N’ral had scuffed a big circle around the eggs, and the dragons retreated a ways, so the candidates could get near them. A second circle surrounded this: the Spectators had to stay back.

When half-circle of candidates stood on one side of the clutch, and a mass of spectators, on the other, the dragons began to hum. Amidst the crowd were numerous skins of water being passed, and mugs in constant need of refilling, such was the heat. Weyrwoman Tiyanni, Weyrleader J’kosh, Qianel and N’ral, Lord Holder Mejolin and his wife Rehlla, and Sanjoral and Lady Keyanki sat in low beach chairs so others could see past them. Keyanki looked uncomfortable in the heat, but being pregnant in the summer is always miserable. A boy in a candidate’s robe sat beside her and fanned her with a large feather fan, so she would be cooler.

The eggs rocked, and the dragons hummed, and the sun shone. Many of the candidates wore bathing suits beneath their robes, and were still hot.

Everyone was wondering why Yainolith had brought her clutch outside, but when the first egg hatched, spilling out it’s bronze inhabitant, it brought the wondering to a sudden halt. The bronze shown in the sunlight as he scrambled to his feet. A few steps brought him to the candidates, who had for whatever reason, not separated themselves by gender. The bronze rubbed his head against one girl, knocking off the last piece of his shell, then walked as straight as a new hatchling could up to Sheilin. With an arrogant sniff, the bronze spoke his name to his rider. "His name is Altivoth." Sh’lin said, lifting his chin jauntily.

The second egg to hatch revealed a bright green. She looked dainty, but when she unfurled her long wings, it was clear that this was no prissy hatchling. This was a fighting dragon! She charged across the sands, and sent a few weak-hearted candidates ducking behind others. One girl stood her ground. Farani! She cried triumphantly, and the girl grinned. "Dayeath!" the girl replied in kind, greeting her new lifemate.

The third and fourth egg hatched almost together. A brown first, and a green second. The green was rather small, but well proportioned, and the brown’s caramel hide made him look larger than he was. The brown stood his ground, and let the green go first.

She looked at him like he was witless, and ran towards Anush, creeling excitedly. "Calm down Comenna! It’s only Mizeth!" Anush called out as her firelizard dove at the hatchling. Comenna made a sharp turn, and landed beside the green.

The brown dragon calmly made his way to the candidates, and looked up at one lad. I am Dzaynirth. He said, and you are S’nall, are you not? The candidate formerly known as Shawnall could only smile as he led his dragonet away towards his first meal.

Another egg shattered, and a green emerged, and immediately began to flap her wings. She ran towards the candidates, and made a show of running past them all, trying to get one in particular to notice her. Of course, they all were watching her, holding their breaths as she was the only one unshelled, but one girl stepped forward, her blue-dyed hair streaming in the slight breeze. "Icaryth," she said, kneeling, "How could I not notice you?"

A large brown hatched next, and calmly walked across the sands. He was average in almost every way, it seemed. He stopped before Gelmar, a smithcrafter from Two Rivers, much to the delight of greenrider Jeniae, his older sister. Im’mel looked pleased. After all, if his weyrmate was happy, so was he. Ge'ar looked towards his siblings. "His name is Elborth."

The next egg revealed a large bronze, with equally large wings. "I’d wager he’ll lead a wing someday." Lady Keyanki murmured to the candidate beside her. Anikkol nodded, and watched as the bronze hiked across the sand of the weyrbowl to a youth named Sagien. "His name is Urivanth, Lady Keyanki, and he thanks you for the compliment." S’gien said, smiling.

The next eggs hatched, revealing a blue and a brown. The lithe blue ran towards the candidates, and nearly bowled over Daneleuruundakiou. Everyone was glad when they saw the bright blue put his forepaws on the boy. "Is D’lerundai short enough for you, Zekintoth?"

The brown followed his clutch mate, and sat down before the boy standing next to Dai. A very small green firelizard perched on his head, and began to pick bits of shell from his hide. Sh’ban the brown began, Tell me about this tiny green, would you please? Shayban looked at the brown, and whatever passed through his mind made him smile... just a little. "Her name is Hope, Predesoth." He said, kneeling to greet his bond.

A largish egg rocked into another, smashing to pieces. A golden dragonet stood from among the fragments, and drew a gasp from the croud. Yainolith hadn’t treated any of the eggs like potential queens, yet here one stood. The remaining girls stepped forward just a tiny bit, and waited for the queen to make her move. The beautiful gold stepped forward, fanning her wings gracefully. She looked to all the girls, but looked perplexed. She lay down in the sands, and closed her eyes. Was there no girl here worthy of her bond? I know you’re here! I can feel you, but... The golden dragonet cried out, then was quiet, as though she was listening for something. The crowd waited with bated breath until the gold again stood. She stepped toward a tall woman, who was far from beautiful, and was well aware of the fact. Beauty within, or beauty without, the queen began, You, Jhetarya, I cannot do without! She almost looked startled, but seemed very happy. "You’re a poet, Arosambyth." Slightly behind her, Aljheran began to clap, and set off the crowd. This was definitely an unexpected surprise.

The candidates moved together again, as a pair of eggs rocked together, and split, revealing a pair of blue dragons. They looked at each other, and turned and walked towards the candidates, each going to an end. They looked at the candidates, and glared at each other when they came face to face in front of two candidates, both girls. Neither blue would move to let the other past. "Zewinth." Akeilo said, "just let him past." The larger of the two blues looked across at her, then stepped away. The smaller blue butted his head against the other girl. Cadeca knelt, and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Neashonath." She whispered, then smiled at Akeilo. Two girls. Two blues. Who would have guessed?

One of the smaller eggs split, revealing a small, darling blue. He cried softly, and moved towards the spectators, stopping in front of Lady Keyanki. The crowd hushed. Had the dragon chosen her? "He wants you to know that his name is Phynneth." Anikkol said from beside the Lady, "and that he looks forward to meeting your son." Sanjoral stared, and Keyanki looked surprized. "Son?" A’kko nodded. "Phynneth insists your child is male." S’rino stepped forward, and made to take the fan. "I’ll take it..." he offered, but his younger brother declined. The blue lay beside Keyanki, and put his head in her lap, as his bond continued to fan the Lady. The pair knew their priorities.

Overhead, the sky darkened slightly with the approach of the clouds.

Another egg rocked, and shattered explosively, revealing the rich green hatchling within. She stalked out of her shell, and over to the candidates. Who’s ready for adventure? The green asked. Who’s ready for excitement? Someone laughed. "I’m ready if you are, Aventrineth!" Jesselyn said, meeting her dragon.

A blue dragon, small, but not too small, crept out of his shell, and freed his wings. His wingsails were the color of ice, and his body as dark as the bluest of berries. He moved with a liquid grace towards the candidates, and just stopped a pace or two away. I am Xyanlith. He said, his voice as rich as a well aged wine. Any of the vintner candidates would have been elated to have heard it, but the pleasure fell to one alone. Baryn stepped forward to greet the blue, and became B’ryn. Cheers erupted from the crowd, and J’rin leaned past his beloved Maiahn to J’lenn. "Told ya." He said, grinning.

A light rain began to fall from the clouds, spattering on unhatched eggs and spotting the sand with it’s wetness. Though the rain started, the hatching did not stop.

A largish green burst from her shell, and pranced towards the candidates. There were so many to choose from. She looked each one over, eyes sparkling with hunger and perhaps impatience. "Ellinth." Someone said. "I’m over here." The green whirled daintily around, and ran to Aaram. A’ram! She squealed, and launched herself into his arms. The crowd looked on in shock. That beautiful little green had chosen a handsome man?! The dragon was always right... but what did this mean?

Another egg hatched and, to the delight of it’s occupant, a large raindrop fell on the end of his brown muzzle. Ooh! He said, looking skyward. What was that all about? A few paces away, Talaris began to smile. "Ardeth..." he called, somehow knowing the dragon’s name. Yes? The brown said, turning to look behind him. When he saw T’lar, he began to run over to him. T’lar met him halfway.

The rain lessened for a moment, and with the silence came the loud-seeming crack of a largish egg. A deep brown came from within, and began to walk towards the remaining candidates. He stopped suddenly, and scratched at the sand. "What do you think you’re doing?" Aljheran said, taking a step forward. "You’re a dragon, not a farmer." The brown looked up at him. There’s a rock... "So leave it, Fivrith. It’s not harming anyone. It’s too sandy there to grow anything." The brown shrugged, but continued to dig for the rock. When he found it, Al’jan took it and threw it towards the wall of the weyr.

The rock ricocheted off an egg, but skittered away. The rain picked up again, and the egg rocked on, it’s inhabitant unphased. It hatched after a moment, revealing a minty green. She walked smoothly towards the candidates, her hide cooled by the misty rain. Merigel smiled, refreshed just looking at the green. Refreshed? No. I’m Dementh. The green told her, and Merigel grinned, and stepped forward to meet her dragon, out of the corner of her eye, she saw something surprising. A girl seated on the neck of a deep green dragon, dark hair streaming. Her pants ended suspiciously just below the knees. That’s Twengith’s rider. Dementh said. "I know, that’s my sister!" Merigel said, "C’mon. I want to see Maranni!" Now, all five of the quintuplets from Two River rode dragons...

A small, dappled egg split revealing an oddly colored dragon. She was obviously identical to the Night dragons who’d hatched from Sxoith’s clutch... half black, and half green. But how did she get here? Was she one of Yainolith’s offspring? Or had someone transported one of Sxoith’s? Everyone tried to watch the dragonet and the queen at the same time dying to find out. The dark green moved slyly, as though she didn’t want to be seen. She walked right up to her chosen, who felt something undescribable. Tabitha just grinned as the green-black dragoness who introduced herself as Blith.

A largish egg cracked open, but the inhabitant slipped out quietly, as most still watched the previous impression. Can I get a little attention here!? The newest hatchling exclaimed, made furious by the lack of attention being paid her. Even angry, the golden hatchling was exquisite. A gasp was drawn from the crowd. Two queens?! The two remaining girls looked at the dragonet, one in shock, the other with a hopeful expresison on her face. "Shreeth!" Feilean said, "There is no need to be rude!" The gold looked cowed, just a little, and came to her bond. But they weren’t looking, Feilean...

Another egg burst, and the crowd was beginning to fidgit. It was raining harder now, and the eggs were taking their sweet time to hatch. The green within scurried towards the weyr to get out of the rain. She was a bold one, and ducked inside the hatching grounds unimpressed. Suddenly a yell split the silence. "Paskrith! Wait for me!!" Medara said, shocking herself with the sudden yell, and bolted after her green.

Thunder crashed above, but noone wanted to leave while there were unhatched eggs. A blue leapt from his shell as the lightning lit the sky. Zenius stepped forward, and met the blue hatchling, bemused by the coincidence of the hatching. "His name is Bolth." He said, introducing his bond to the weyr.

An egg hatched, but not sharply. More like a ripe berry being mashed. Oddly, the dragon within was a deep berry-blue. There had been many berry-toned dragons, and it was only fitting that it had been mentioned many times that these candidates were searched at the Berried Alive Gather. Lord Holder Mejolin was pleased to see the blue head for Bellarin. The lad would make a great dragonrider. "What’s his name, Bellarin?" someone shouted over the rain. The boy looked bemused. "Genolyth. And it’s L’rin, not Bellarin!" he shouted back. He wondered why Genolyth had called him L’rin, and not B’larin or B’rin or anything else... but L’rin felt right.

One egg remained, and there were no more. The sand in the weyrbowl was too shallow to hide any eggs in, and Yainolith didn’t have any time to hide them anyway, with her unexpected move. The egg began to split, but the last candidate did not move. Moslyevornyar knew it wasn’t right to presume that the dragon within would be his. A bronze pushed free of the creamy shell, and looked around expectantly. M’lyevorn. The dragonet called to him, you have been exceedingly patient. Come. M’lyevorn smiled, and walked toward the dragonet. "Morrolanth, I almost feel like singing..."

The crowd disbursed quickly once Morrolanth had chosen. The cooling rain drove them all indoors for hot drinks and a warm meal. Even the hatchlings knew that the rain was good. R’lan had missed the hatching, as had his betrothed, Tylar. They’d been running some important messages around, and were pleased to report that it was raining buckets at Ripple cothold.

Sh’lin (Sheilin) & Bronze Altivoth Farani & Green Dayeath Anush & Green Mizeth S’nall (Shawnall) & Brown Dzaynirth Etain & Green Icaryth Ge’ar (Gelmar) & Brown Elborth S’gien (Sagien) & Bronze Urivanth D’lerundai (Daneleuruundakiou) & Blue Zekintoth Sh’ban (Shayban) & Brown Predesoth Jhetarya & Golden Arosambyth Akielo & Blue Zewinth Cadeca & Blue Neashonath A’kko (Anikkol) & Blue Phynneth Jesselyn & Green Aventrineth B’ryn (Baryn) & Blue Xyanlith A’ram (Aaram) & Green Ellinth T’lar (Talaris) & Brown Ardeth Al’jan (Aljheran) & Brown Fivrith Merigel & Green Dementh Tabitha & Night Green Blith Feilean & Golden Shreeth Medara & Green Paskrith Z’ius (Zenius) & Blue Bolth L’rin (Bellarin) & Blue Genolyth M’lyevorn (Moslyevornyar) & Bronze Morrolanth

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