Anyone for a firelizard?

[Tiiyn]

Kaeressa had spent a busy morning chasing around the Weyr to get her little 'giveaway' approved, but with all the relevant parties having given her permission she was now seated on a chair in the Dinning hall as close to the hearth's as she could comfortably get - a woven basket next to her filled with warm sand.

Within the basket 10 firelizard eggs sat, awaiting new owners as it were, and looking as childlike as ever Keri was sat waiting for the interested parties to come and ask her about them. Part of her was wanting to claim one for herself, but the small girl had told herself that she would see what interest their was in them first.

--

OOC
Right, these guys are about a sevenday off hatching, so basically my plan is that people hear about the clutch through someone (a weyrbrat, serving woman, drudge, another rider, whoever) and come and talk to Keri about them. She'll then give them an egg, probably at random, which they can either take away or leave with her. Once 6 or so of the eggs have been claimed, I'll set an OOC date for them to hatch (and tell you which egg has which colour in), and then sometime on that day you can have them hatch and impress, and etc.

Between now and the 30th (Sunday), I'm going to stick to a one-egg-per-member to give everyone a chance, but after that members may request a second egg, but I'll place priority for these on members who don't have many firelizards (maybe relative to candidate numbers, or post numbers, I'm not sure - will cross that bridge when we get to it).

So yeah, have at it. =D

(If any go unclaimed, by say April 7th, I'll probably scratch them off as dud-eggs... but I don't see that happening. Right?)

[shadowreine]

Terlara wandered into the lower caverns. She hadn't managed to get herself an egg, and the rumor that somebody was just...sitting in the dining hall giving them away had attracted the tiny candidate's attention.

She was slightly surprised to see that it was actually true. She'd been given the runaround before...and the source of the rumor was somebody she did not entirely rely on. It was also somebody she...didn't know, but thought she'd seen in the barracks. Another candidate? She wandered over. "Hey. What do I have to bribe you with to get my hands on one of those?"

[prissy]

K'nor had heard through his son and he went to see about this rumor of Firelizard eggs so he came to speak with the girl who owned the eggs. He smiled and went over to talk to the girl and then he decided to wait to see who would show up to try and impress to one of these eggs.

[Tiiyn]

Twiddling her thumbs quietly as she sat observing the room she had now found herself in, Keri was finding people watching actually quite interesting. She'd enjoyed the hobby as a child, but hadn't really had the chance in a number of turns, and the chance to people watch in somewhere as different to her home as the Weyr, was certainly interesting. Quite informative too, for someone not bred in the Weyr it was actually proving a little helpful. Someone had kindly explained his knots when he'd come over to her earlier, and told her of some of the basic variations, and Keri had been using the information, and snippets of conversation that she over heard, to try and place together what the other knots meant.

Busy studying the room as she was, Keri didn't see the other candidate approaching her immediately, but as the other girl stopped near her and spoke, Keri's attention was quickly returned to her immediate vicinity. The other girl's words, about a bribe, made the little blonde smile - and she quickly turned her attention to the basket beside her... there were 10 eggs sat within, she knew, but aside minuet size differences she had no way of telling them apart - and she wasn't planning to try and guess.

"You don't have to bribe me at all," Keri informed the other girl with a smile, "these were gifts to me, so I am giving them away as gifts... I don't know what colour is in what egg, but you are welcome to one... " and, Keri added privately to herself, anyone that wanted to ask for a certain colour, would probably end up with something totally different - just for being presumptuous enough to request something.

"I can look after it for you until it hatches, or you can take it with you now?" Keri offered, taking a glance at the girls shoulder and as she recognised the knots as those as a candidate - the same as her own - she smiled again. "I'm Kaeressa, or Keri, by the way," she introduced.

As the other person approached, this time an older looking man, Keri looked around - offering him a shier smile - "were you looking for an egg too?" she questioned.

[shadowreine]

Terlara considered. "I'll take it now, and I'll take..." She peered at the eggs, and then pointed completely at random. "That one. Not like I care what color a firelizard is."

She flickered a grin. "They're all cute, after all." She privately hoped for a little blue, or maybe brown, but one never knew.

[Felina]

He'd heard the whispers, the muted hushing sounds rushing rapidly by, accompanied always by a fleeting glance about the room to make sure there weren't too many others around to hear. For it was not information one wanted to float freely about, when one knew that the more people knew, the less the chance was of succeeding. There's a word, "Impression". A'tair had always thought it a far-off dream, bounded by his own head and unreachable by any means. That was before Romeoth, before two star-crossed lovers had realized that the sun and moon weren't quite as bright without each other, before the two pieces had become one and all was whole.

And now that joy was available again, only smaller, like a little glow next to all the light of Rukbat. But A'tair couldn't help himself. It was true, that Romeoth was a handful alone, let alone in addition to another. However, he knew too that the love that burst in his heart every time he heard the brown's mental voice meant more to him than anything else ever could, and as his heart swelled, he felt only as though he wanted to give some of that love to someone, to fill that yawning black spot that had opened when Corenne told him to get lost. He couldn't receive any at that point, true, but maybe if he just kept giving, he could forget.

No, that wasn't true. Forgetting was about as possible as cutting out his own heart and giving it to another.

They are nice little ones, though. And I would enjoy their company, I think. You were thinking about the little ones, no?

Again the agonising joy, amplifying the empty spaces even while filling the rest to overflowing. But such was life. A'tair nodded, sure that Romeoth would get the meaning, whether he actually thought the words or not. Such was their bond. Romeoth was the only one who really understood them. There was some wall between himself and the other weyrlings. He tended to get pushed to the wayside, self-conscious of his own age compared to the others. He was distracted, while the others all had their friends, and their lovers, within their own little group. He knew that he was not one to ever be Wingsecond. The others would never follow him. He was not loved. Only acknowledged, and that on occasion.

The whispers. His mind returned again to the possibilities he had heard. The confirmation Romeoth had heard from other dragons. There was a fire lizard clutch, and many of the eggs were being given away. Down in the lower caverns, probably by the roaring fire, with all its warmth so similar to that of the hot Hatching sands. Now that was one thing he, and his feet, would never forget.

The lower caverns were spacious, but warm, heated by that fire on the far end. A'tair paused for a moment by the entrance, surveying the people already in there. A small girl by the fire held the eggs; pretty, but somewhat frail-looking. Another very small girl was peering intently into the basket that held the eggs; A'tair couldn't see her face, but the way she stood, her whole body angled towards that girl and, more importantly, the basket, betrayed her intentions. The third was an older man, a Rider perhaps, it was hard to tell from that distance, though he didn't recognise him. The fact remained, though, that he, too, was obviously there for an egg. And, assured that he was not the only one aside from overexcitable candidates to attempt Impressing a fire lizard, he walked up to the girl.

"You must be the one with the eggs," he said amiably, offering his hand to shake, if that was still the custom where she was from. "I'm A'tair."

[Tiiyn]

OOC: Sorry guys, had a busy couple of days.
Also, feel free too request a second egg with either the same character or another... It's gone the deadling I set. (NB: I will be taking one for either Keri, or Shaeyn... not sure which).

Nodding at the egg the other candidate pointed out, Keri grabbed one of the smaller pots she had beside her and carefully half filled it with sand, before placing the egg inside too, and filling the remainder of the pot with more sand. "There are enough spare for you to have a second, if you'd like?" Keri offered, eying the eggs with a little surprise. She had expected a bit more interest, but she couldn't afford to be sat by the hearth all day - she had chores like the rest of the candidates that afternoon, and besides, after an almost nocturnal lifestyle for the last few turns, she was tired.

As another approached, Keri looked around before taking his offered hand in her own, "Kaeressa," she greeted, studying the boys knots curiously. She'd seen riders, and candidates, and some of the ranking ones, but she wasn't sure what the knots he wore represented. "A candidate," she added, hoping it might get him to volunteer the information she wondered about him. He was perhaps a weyrling? The knots were a bit like Candidates knots, and a bit like riders, but not identical to either... her interest was caught.

To the point she almost forgot about the eggs, and Keri blushed a little as she remember the reason she was actually there. "Oh yes... I'm the one with the eggs," with a wave of her hand she indicated the basket next to her, with just the tiniest hint of eggs showing above the surface. "There are eight left, so you can have one or two, it's up to you," - that eight was counting one that the other candidate now had, and the one she was silently holding for the rider that had approached but fallen silent... Keri assumed he was thinking about whether he wanted an egg or not, and if he decided he didnt, well, Keri would just keep the little thing. Nalyn might protest the company at first, but he'd get used to it soon enough she was sure, and a baby firelizard would be just the sort of distraction she needed to keep from fretting about the clutch.

[prissy]

"Yes, I would like to have an egg if there is one to spare." K'nor said with a smile on his face he hoped the Candidate was not to shy he may be her teacher one day and it would not do for her to fear him. He hoped that by smiling and showing he was not that scary that he was all right she might not be so timid.

[Felina]

((Romeoth needs to quote Shakespeare more often. Muahahahaha.))

A quick flick of the eyes, from his face to his knots of rank, again to his face, seemingly unperturbed, betrayed her. Or perhaps it was but her comment, however innocent-sounding a remark it may have appeared outwardly to be. "A candidate," added forcefully, with a slight tilt of the head that meant a question, and a searching look in blue eyes. A searching look he knew too well. "Candidate, huh? I was one, too, not long gone. Impressed in Capriciath's last clutch, to Romeoth." Yes, Impressed. Gained so much, but so too did he lose, and he was not yet certain which was the bigger sacrifice.

The fault, dear A'tair, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings.

Because that makes perfect sense, A'tair retorted, retraining himself from shaking his head in disbelief. It wasn't you or I at all. So don't worry about it. It was just musing on my part. I know which would have been the greater sacrifice, and that is why your moon to my sun shall forever remain.

And the other? That love which looks not with the eyes but with the mind? Is she now relegated to be forgotten?[/color]

A flash of pain crossed his eyes, but quickly too was gone, to be replaced by the mask of geniality. A'tair had gotten too skilled to let truth show for more than the barest instant. But it was perhaps at those instants that he was most naked, regardless of whether or not he had all of his clothes on. "I'll only take the one, for Romeoth is still a handful, and I'd rather retain most of my hair than have it pulled out at the roots by hungry fire-lizards and dragons. Though I suppose if dragons tried, hair would be the least of my worries, but rather, my head. Which is yours? Which egg, I mean."

Always he seemed to get sidetracked. Never by intent, but simply by way of speaking. He was too roundabout, too circumspect, to be any good at this sort of thing. If he wanted to know the time, he asked first about the weather. If he wanted to choose a fire lizard egg then, by Faranth, he wanted to take his time in choosing. This was simply his way of buying himself a little time.[/size]

[Tiiyn]

As the bronze rider spoke again, Keri glanced around the room a moment before smiling politely back at him. It was easier for her to relax with another candidate not much taller then herself, then with a man of unknown rank that towered nearly two feet taller then her (even if she had been standing, not sitting as she was) - but the small girl wasn't that concerned about his presence really - it wasn't like a random stranger was going to start bullying her in the middle of the busy cavern, was it? Of course not.

"There are enough spare eggs for you to have two if you would like," Keri offered, glancing at the basket again - not that she expected anything to have changed - but just incase. Even as she smiled at the bronze rider again, she was counting up in her head silently how many eggs were taken and would be left... Even if the other candidate, and the taller man did each took two (and Keri didn't know if they would or not), along with the weyrling's one, that still left five eggs she needed to find homes for...

On that note, as she left the tall man to think, Keri glanced to the Weyrling - smiling at the fact her guess had been correct, Keri then paused at his question about which egg was hers... looking at the eggs helplessly, before looking back to the boy and shrugging. "Unless there is a spare, I won't be taking one of the eggs. It would be greedy of me to take one, especially since I already have Nalyn..." though the brown flit wasn't exactly around right now, he'd disappeared off somewhere a little while before, and Keri assumed he was exploring. She none the less cast a glance around the room, in search of him... "... not that I know where he is..." she added, as explanation for his absence.

"Do you have a preference which eggs you would like?" the girl questioned after a second, including both Weyrling and the other man, with a glance from one to the other, "- or I can randomly pick for you," she offered.

[prissy]

"I would apperciate it if you would pick for me, I never have been inclined to have a firelizard until I saw the Weyrlings and their young dragonets." K'nor first commented to the girl as he smiled as he looked at her, he was wondering about the eggs and getting a firelizard he might give one to his son.

"Speaking of which Weyrling A'tair, your dragon is your first responsibilty if he is neglected because of the firelizard you will be punished." K'nor was serious as he looked at him and made sure the weyrling understood his words and that he was dead serious.

Romeoth tell me right away if Yours neglects you for the small cousin. Kintrath made sure to impress upon the young Dragon the need to tell him if anything came up with His.

[devona]

Kalae wandered in, her dark hair braided down her back. Graff sat on her shoulder, his cool blue-green eyes watchful. Kalae herself looked abstracted, as though she had far more on her mind than the fire- lizard hatching she had wandered into.

But I don't want a young, idiot, screeching fire lizard about. The one you have is enough!

Morrigath was outraged and furious. Her mental voice was the color the tiny, nearly black greens eyes likely were, fiery orange shot through with red. Kalae ignored the firestorm of color inside her head with some difficulty. Morrigath was often like this, but it was rare for the pair to be on opposite sides of the anger. Usually they were united in fury.

She smiled at the candidate as she moved towards the blonde, her expression friendly. She remembered being a candidate. While not precisely uncomfortable it was unsettling, and this girl was likely holdbred. The greenrider knew most of the weyrbrats at Castaway at least by face if not by name, and this one was not one of them.

"Might I take an egg, candidate? I see K'nor and A'tair are occupying your attention, and I would not distract you." her tone was friendly, though a bit formal. It gave a hint of friendship, but no more than that. If the candidate sought her out, they might speak less formally.

[Tiiyn]

"One or two?" Keri questioned again, her words directed at the Weyrlingmaster, as she turned to the basket and selected one of the eggs are random, carefully potting it, before turning and handing it to the Weyrlingmaster. If he wanted a second, she would pot that separately.

Then her attention was caught by the newest arrival, and she smiled slightly in greeting. Not impolitely, but perhaps a little less warmly then she could have done, she was getting eager to be rid of the eggs and free now - and her mind was starting to get a little impatient as she thought about the other things she would have liked to be doing. Her voice was polite enough when she spoke though, she was good at talking to strangers, "Would you like one egg or two? There are enough spare if you would like a pair."

(OOC: As soon as you guys pick eggs/reply to Keri about whether you want one egg or two, I'll get colours sorted. (I am going to do it totally randomly, based on the rough split of colours I have in my head)... I need A'tair to pick an egg, Terlara and K'nor to confirm if they want one or two eggs (Keri has given them each one now), and Kalae again needs to pick one or two, and pick the eggs if she wants to... or just tell Keri to choose.)

[shadowreine]

Terlara looked very thoughtful. Finally, "I'll take a second," she says, softly. "I don't mind which one."

Luck, it was all based off of luck. Unlike dragons, who chose based off of personality. When she found hers...well...

[Felina]

Shards, now he really had no choice in the matter but to choose an egg for himself. To be certain, there always was the option of allowing the girl- or, rather, Candidate, A'tair really did have to start thinking in the weyr's terms instead of his own- to choose his eggs for him. But though that had its appeal, its ease, he preferred not to allow his destiny to be held so closely in another's hands, but to make his decisions himself, however long he spent agonising over each decision. "If there were a sympathy in choice, war, death, or sickness did lay siege to it, making it momentany as a sound, swift as a shadow, short as any dream," he joked with a wry smile, his words not from his own mind but Romeoth's. It didn't matter. They were as apt as if they had. "I cannot choose, but I have no choice but to. I'll take that one, to the left there."

He pointed at an egg to his left, or her right, he supposed; it was a bit more removed from the other eggs by perhaps two centimetres. It was man who had a hand in placing the eggs in that basket, and man could never know the value of a fire lizard's personality. He'd rather leave it as much to chance and, aye, destiny, as he could. Besides, the egg would be easier to take out of the basket if it was to one side. Both practical and aesthetically appeasing, just the way he liked it.

Of course, there were some matters that were neither practical nor aesthetic, and the Weyrlingmaster was one of them. A'tair couldn't really help but dislike the man. He was speaking when A'tair wanted to think, he was harsh when A'tair needed just the slightest break, he was accusing when A'tair had done nothing wrong. This time was one of the latter.

And, perhaps, it was not one of A'tair's top ten weeks of his life. In fact, it could well have made the bottom ten, had it not been for Romeoth. His patience with the other man was nearly exhausted, and he hoped he could make his point without having to resort to insubordination. "K'nor, you have a dragon, do you not? And therefore, from your own experience, you understand that it would impossible for me to ignore Romeoth for even the barest instant, do you not? It would be like ignoring Threadscore, or your own death. It's simply impossible, and that's all that there is to it." He paused for a moment, half-expecting a wave of anger. Before it could come, though, he decided he should probably make his final point. "You spoke of bonds back at lessons. This is one that, unlike rope, cannot be eroded. Unlike love, it cannot be betrayed. Unlike family, it cannot be disowned. I could no more break this bond long enough to neglect Romeoth than I could piece together a rope that's been decomposed, or a love that's been torn asunder, or a family that's fallen apart."

Back in the barracks, Romeoth made an invisible nod.
Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove.
O no, it is an ever-fixèd mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wand'ring bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
You, Kintrath, cannot deny that.[/i][/size]