Logs:How To Lose A Chance
| |
|---|
| |
| RL Date: 20 June, 2015 |
| Who: Lilah, Paislie |
| Involves: Fort Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: Paislie joins the Candidate class. |
| Where: Hatching Sands, Fort Weyr |
| When: Day 18, Month 1, Turn 38 (Interval 10) |
| Weather: Clear as a bell, the sun shines in pale winter skies, though an occasional sharp breeze blows. |
  |
The pale, golden-hued sands occupy nearly the entirety of the Hatching Cavern, with the dam and sire traditionally claiming the north with their eggs scattered throughout. To the right are the Galleries, which stretch up nearly the entire length of the wall and provide the only visual break in what would otherwise be a monotonous tableau. Lighting comes from both the entrance and through glow baskets spaced throughout, ensuring that the place is well-lit at all times. The heat here is tolerable, but only barely, and heat mirages are relatively common. Turns of hatchings have resulted in the sands being littered with fragmentary bits of shells despite thorough cleanings, subtle bits of history being left behind. Eliyaveith is sleeping, or so it would seem. Today, she has the two darker eggs of her clutch cuddled close to her and under wing, only noticeable in their absence where the rest of the clutch is missing the dark tangled webs of one and the dark tangled roots of another. The other eggs have been rearranged, grouped as she sees fit, though none of the rest are separated out from each other. As Eliyaveith naps, Lilah gives in to the heat of the Sands to take to them to watch those eggs, though she doesn't sit. Instead, she is examining that golden-hued one at a closer range for once, fingers brushing over it's warped curve. Paislie appears on the stairs from the galleries that lead down to the sands, hesitating at the bottom before she sets foot where very few non-rider, non-candidates end up. She pauses again once she's on the sands, waiting for Lilah to notice her and reassure her that she can be here before she starts crossing her way tentatively toward her sister. "It's fine, Paislie; she's sleeping," assures Lilah even as Paislie hesitates, her presence not going unnoticed despite her inspection of that warped egg, her dark gaze sliding towards her sister before she lifts a hand away to wave her closer. "I was trying to feel if anything is moving inside." "Are they supposed to be moving?" is asked softly as she comes closer, Paislie perhaps worried about waking Eliyaveith and finding her less welcoming than her rider. "I suppose babes move around quite a lot before they're born." She's basically answering her own question, but dragons could be different. "Will it be okay?" "They must, I assume. But if she is, I can't feel it," Lilah murmurs in her own answer, the tightness of her lips the only reflection of her feelings about it before her focus slides to Paislie with the fall of dark eyes. "You should see if you can. It won't hurt to touch the egg as much as possible." A pause, only a glance up to the empty galleries, before she adds, "That would be one way to free you from your past." "Can you feel it in the others?" she wonders, gaze drifting towards the rest of the grouped eggs with some hint of curiosity. Paislie glances at the golden clutchmother again before taking the last few steps toward the egg in question to settle her hand against its shell. "I've thought about it," she admits. "But if they find out before they hatch...." she might not get a chance at all. Lilah shakes her head at the question, her hands falling away even as Paislie touches the egg. Instead, she focuses on the latter words as she replies simply, "It's a gamble. You'd have at least one shot, though. They can't pull you off the Sands in the middle of hatching." "It could get me kicked out of candidacy before I have a chance to be on the sands," she murmurs. Paislie has given this a lot of thought, evidently. "I want to do this, Lilah. I'm just scared of losing the chance." And of basically everything else, too, but that's not relevant to this particular conversation. "You are losing the chance either way," Lilah points out patiently to her sister, watching her as she shifts to walk around that golden egg. "You aren't giving them the chance to take it away, no, but you are giving the chance up before you ever had it." "I'm not," says Paislie with a hint of defensiveness. "They say they take candidates right up until the eggs hatch. Couldn't I just show up with a robe when the time comes?" It seems to be a serious question and the smaller redhead looks at her sister for her more experienced guidance. Lilah's brow curves upwards at the question, though she points out, "You are betting that someone will be around to Search you right then. Or that you can find someone who has the power to agree to let you Stand. Do you think that when the dragons start humming, you'll be able to find Hattie and ask her permission?" "Can't you give me permission right now? Why does it have to be then?" There are already tears trying to form in Paislie's eyes, but she looks down at the egg under her soft touch, soft despite her growing anxiety. "If they find out, will you take me somewhere else? Somewhere I can try again? Southern? I've heard it's nice there." There's only a slight waver in her voice when she asks. But at least it means she's considering Lilah's side? "If I give you permission right now, then you're a Candidate," Lilah counters, little about her softening despite the tears in her sister's eyes as she presses this point. It's only at the other question that she does warm slightly, assuring her, "Of course I would. Or to Ista or Igen or Monaco-- Any Weyr that has a clutch on the Sands until you Impress and can return to Fort." Something in Paislie's demeanor seems disappointed that Lilah won't agree with her plan, but she nods her head as she crouches down near the egg. "If you think it will be okay to be a candidate now, I'd like to be one. I just hope one of them wants me." Maybe the one in the egg she's touching right now, the one she's focused on every time she's been out here. "They will; they are Eliyaveith's children. If anything about Impression goes through blood-- they will want you," replies Lilah in a softer answer, her gaze sliding in focus to that egg as well as she falls silent. Paislie glances up at her sister and there's a very small, if nervous, smile. "What do I have to do now? Do I have to stay in the barracks with the rest of them?" There's no smile now. The last question is mostly nerves. Evidently the idea of co-ed living quarters isn't her most favorite idea. A curious look is cast over Paislie for that question, but Lilah doesn't press at her sister's reason. Instead, she assures her, "No, you don't have to. You can stay in your room until the hatching." A pause, before she adds in a warning, "Though once you Impress, you will need to share the barracks." But she doesn't linger there on that point, either, as she brushes fingers against that golden egg and watches Paislie. "There will be chores and the usual things. That is all." She nods her head slowly, chewing on her lip, but she doesn't ask anymore about living arrangements. "Who do I find out my chores from?" Paislie rises back to her full height, glancing down at the egg, but stepping away a few steps. She glances at the others uncertainly, then over at their mother, who she watches for several moments. "The Headwoman's assistants will always have a list of who is assigned to which chores, as well as the assistant weyrlingmasters. But they are busy with Elaruth's clutch; when you can, find out from the Headwoman or her staff," explains Lilah simply. "The Headwoman will also give you your Candidate's knot, that you should wear until the hatching." She draws close to her sister again, her own gaze joining her to take in the sleeping Eliyaveith, before she adds quietly, "It won't be long now. Another two sevens, likely." "Okay," murmurs Paislie. Then she's looking at the goldrider instead of the dragon. "Thank you. For helping me. It means a lot to me." The younger redhead smiles briefly again at her sister, then says, "Do you think I should touch the other ones, too?" "Touch all of them," agrees Lilah lightly, reaching to press fingers against Paislie's familiar red hair and then a quick touch of lips against the top of her head. but then the goldrider draws away without lingering, only murmuring, "It will all be ok. I promise." Where Paislie is usually tense about just anyone getting too much into her personal space, her sister's presence is different. She's relaxed. There's another small smile, then the younger woman is stepping away to meet the rest of the eggs while she can do so without the anxiety of other candidates being around. |
Leave A Comment