Don't Count Your Eggs

Characters Janja, Eryzan, Sabrael, Brighid
Synopsis The candidates get another chance to touch the hardening eggs.
Out-of-Character Date December 15, 2014

Igen Weyr - Hatching Sands
As if temperatures in the rest of the Weyr weren't uncomfortable enough, the sands are positively blistering. The air shimmers from the onslaught of heat, leaving the area with a hallucinatory feel. Black sands stand currently empty but for the occasional egg-shard or 'print not swept clear. A raised platform of smooth stone provides a lounging-spot for queens or their mates, or a retreat for the lifemates that accompany them from whence they can cool their feet somewhat.


Janja is standing chatting with Neyuni when the candidates arrive for another few precious moments with the eggs. However, based on the patient look on the senior's face it might be better to say Janja is pestering Neyuni, while the senior is busy trying to keep Zuhth calm and relaxed. Zuhth hovers in place in a crouch that's slightly more up than down, eyes whirling a bit faster than average. "So I still don't think I should have to stay at the weyr for a whole other month." Janja ends with a huff. Turning she spots the candidates that Neyuni and Zuhth have been watching and waves them in. "Hello there!"

Eryzan arrives among the others candidates calmly. His height makes him a bit noticeable in that relative crowd but oddly as it is, his usual smile isn't as wide as usual. Following the protocol, he bows before Zuhth and trots to gather with the others again. He's silent for now, obedient and all.

Sevens have passed and Sabrael has made marked improvement in her shyness. She isn't hanging back away from the others now at least. The tendency to hide though? Totally in place. Behind Eryzan' s large form is exactly where the tiny teen hides, coming into view when Zan bows. She inclines again and keeps close to Eryzan.

Brighid is busy chatting with another girl about the benefits of moisturizing in the dry Igenian heat as she enters, "I swear by this cream, personally. Use it every day!" She wrinkles her nose, "If I didn't, I swear my skin would crack like a fish that's been out of water for a sevenday." The trader-candidate trails off and scowls faintly as the other girl moves off, huffing softly in indignation as her sales pitch is blown off, shaking her head at the obtuseness of some people. She moves closer to the clutch and bows respectfully to the weyrwomen and dam, her eyes focusing on the eggs with an almost greedy light, though she hangs back waiting for instructions. Janja gets a little grin and an extra wave at the greeting.

Once all the candidates have entered and are calm and waiting, Neyuni gives her normal welcoming speech. It's the same as usual in regards to proper behavior, respect, and activity on the sands. Once through she motions the candidates to start spreading out amongst the eggs with a smile while remaining near the queen to keep her calm. Janja however happily strides around the sands as though she had a right, chattering here and there with candidates she's more familar with. "Brighid, I need to get another jar of that cream. Also, C'vryn told me to get something for stretch marks." She frowns. "He better not be calling me fat."

Eryzan won't comment on that. No, no ,no. He knows better than to upset a pregnant woman especially a pregnant weyrwoman. The Harper focuses his thought and gaze on the sands and the eggs but a shadow behind him catches his attention. Of course Brigid's speech on sun protection started to distract him. With a smile he makes a single step aside, causing Sabrael to come into the light. "Just breathe Sab." He begins, forcing his voice to be as reassuring as possible. "No need to be afraid of anything here….or yes, maybe one thing…" And he points Zhuth with one finger quickly. As he lowers it, the ovoid form in front of him makes him smile. That particular egg with that odd blood splatter mark…

Sabrael manages a short smile for the trader candidate, though words escape her grasp for a moment. Hands in front of her twist within one another, and the smile for the weyrwoman is warm, if silent. Gathering herself in hand with a stern talking to she steps forward on the heels of a female candidate, easily a foot taller than Sabrael. She makes no rush to touch the ovoid though, waiting to see the reactions of others first.

"Absolutely!" Brighid flashes a bright grin at Janja and nods, "I've still got three jars in stock and can send Quil for more, if needed." Yay! Business! She rolls her eyes and shakes her head, "I don't see how he could be. You're one of the thinnest, most beautiful women I have had the pleasure of meeting here." A little flattery never hurt anyone, right? She glances over the eggs for a moment, "And I think I have just the thing for stretch marks… I'll have to look through what I have left, but I'll show it to you later tonight." Her eyes fall on the Rain of Sunshine Egg and she steps close, reverently reaching out to caress the warm shell.

Brighid must know her audience because Janja just preens at her compliments. Her face brightens even more if possible and she lightly pats at her hair. "She's a nice girl." She comments to Neyuni who doesn't seem to have anything to say in return. The flighty goldrider drifts away when Brighid finds an egg to become involved with, arriving at the side of Sabrael. "Hello there. Have you already picked out your favorites or are you just waiting your turn for some special egg?" she asks of the shy candidate.

Sabrael had seen Janja coming closer, and doesn't jump. Instead her eyes hit the floor as she swallows once. Deep breath brow she forces herself to look up at the woman, her blue eyes peeking out from under long lashes. "No ma'am, just, um, watching. Some of them bite." Her eyes flicker to a particular blue/gray shell, then back to the woman. "Is. .. is that okay? "

The magic of this moment and place seems to finally occur as Eryzan runs his palm over the pale yet complex surface of the Splatter of Blood Egg. All of his senses focused and tensed towards it. A noise, a smell. He soon finds himself yearning to feel more, to know more. His other reaches the first and and slowly kneels, expecting the egg to reach him or maybe it's the contrary. He's not totally oblivious to his surrounding tho and even if she'd totally miss it, he gives Sabrael a smile before turning his gaze on bright darkness in front of him.

Brighid's eyes widen at first as her hand caresses the yellow and orange egg, and slowly drift closed. Her breath catches for a moment, but she forces herself to take a deep breath as she flattens her palm against the sunny surface, "You remind me so much of home…" The words are a whisper that might not carry much beyond where she stands beside her chosen egg. A small, not quite sad, smile pulls at the corners of her mouth as she sighs and leans in closer.

Ding. Ding. One could almost hear the bell ringing with each nod of Janja's head. "Of course it's ok. Feyruth prefers you just look." A thoughtful look is sent to Zuhth who's shifting restlessly from foot to foot. "I think maybe Zuhth might feel the same. " The gold rustles her wings and Janja sidesteps a little farther away from the eggs. She leans towards Sabrael as if imparting a secret but her tone still carries to any who might be listening. "I think that boy likes you. He watches out for you like my Ryn does me."

No, please no! Don't go! It was there Eryzan felt it, he's sure. His heart pounding in his chest, he's now blind to everything save for that mysterious round form that caught him. Yearning to feel that touch again, he leans closer, braving whatever may arise. His moves are slow but determined and then, very softly, his forehead makes contact.

A soft laugh bubbles up from Brighid, "I remember the day I found them clearly." She leans in to whisper a conversation with the immature consciousness within the egg, almost wrapping her arms around the shell as she reminisces about her life with the caravan. Her hands gently caress the shell and she sighs with contentment.
Bright eyes had slid from Janja to the candidates on the eggs. Brighid's look of wonder is not missed, though Sabrael misses her words as she watches Zan slip closer to his egg. So much like blood does it look that Sabrael doesn't dare touch it. Her watching is ripped away the moment Janja ' s words slip into her mind and she flushes a deep red and stumbles at her words, "Oh no! I mean, he's, but we are, see, um, oh dear." Stopping the stumble leaves her simply red faced. Carefully she reorganizes and tries again, "He knows I'm not… very sure of myself here. Everyone has been so kind."

Eryzan reappears. At least his mind is abruptly returning to its normal state and he finds himself with both hands buried in the sand and his forehead sweating. Of course in that state he completely missed Janja and Sabrael's chatter and he gives them both another smile, standing up. First his right leg, then the left. He seems unable to articulate a word and just passes by, losing himself among the eggs.

Zuhth emits a low rumbled warning but just as Neyuni is about to say something, the boy she was warning stands and moves off to handle other responsibilities. Janja, meanwhile, is watching the boy more for the smile he gives then the warning he receives. "See he smiled at you again." She frowns as Eryzan leaves. "Well, foo. We'll have to ask him after."

Brighid sighs and laughs aloud, though her words are still soft, "Just as self-centered as any other youngling I've known." She leans in, however, continually murmuring to the brilliantly colored egg, "I'm positive that you're going to be amazing." She falls silent for several moments, basking in the bright comfort. Her nose is almost touching the egg as she sighs again when the young mind within pulls back, "I don't know if I'm the one for you, but I'm sure that you're going to be amazing when you hatch…"

Sabrael takes in Eryzan's smile and returns or with real warmth, grateful for the encouragement. Janja's words slip in and she squeaks before lifting her hands to cover her cheeks. "I…" but no, she bites back her words watching Brighid's smile. " That one looks nice, if you will excuse me? " She looks to the weyrwoman for permission.

Janja's responding look is a little puzzled but she waves the girl on towards the egg. "Sure. Go touch them." The junior goes over to chat with the senior again, nattering on and on about a new fabric she'd like to try on Neyuni. Zuhth stands and crab steps over several steps to where one very young boy is leaning a little too completely on the Through the Moonlight egg. Neyuni hurries over to move him away and the queen settles down again. "Oh, she didn't like that at all, did she, Yuni?" Janja jabber
Brighid sighs one last time when it's clear that the mind within the egg isn't going to return and carefully stands, making sure not to even disturb the sand around the sunny egg she'd been communing with. She turns to the rest of the clutch, glancing over at Janja and Sabrael for a moment and smiling almost wistfully as she absently wipes at her eyes, moving toward an egg that practically blends with the surrounding sand. She doesn't touch it, at first, instead just slowly walking around the egg to look it over with a critical eye. Slowly, almost hesitantly, she does finally reach out and just barely brushes her fingertips over the black surface.

Oh dear, that puzzlement makes Sabrael want to explain, or at least try, but the rider is already away leaving Sabrael in the midst of the eggs. Determined to at least touch once she squares her shoulders and walks delicately between the eggs. That one looking as red as blood is avoided, for all that Eryzan had responded well. Instead she sinks to her knees before one reminiscent of sunshine in rain and reaches forward gently to press a hand against the egg.

Without Neyuni supporting her end of the conversation, even Janja eventually runs out of pointless chatter. The senior is busy soothing her 'mate so Jan begins circling again. She comes to the side of the young boy recently encouraged to move off and takes him to sit down in the galleries where he can recover without feeling as if he'd been punished. "Yes, I know how difficult it is to be small." she comforts.

Once again, Brighid's eyes widen, "Do all of you like citrus and the ocean?" She laughs a little at the thought, smiling in faint amusement as she slowly flattens one hand against an irridescent spot on the shell, "You are a gorgeous thing, though, aren't you?" She slowly lowers herself to squat on her heels, grateful for the fact that, for once, she decided to wear trousers instead of a dress, and presses her other hand to the shell, "I'm sure that anyone could find out, though…"

A full smile, without a hint of self-depreciation or shyness flashes across Sabrael's lips, a calm washing though the tenseness of her shoulder. "That was simply lovely." Remembering how some of the eggs sometimes bit after that first touch Sabrael pulls her hand back and tucks it in her dress. "Thank you." Warmth slips in her words as she stands, brushing sand from her skirts. Seeing some of the others moving off Sabrael takes it as a cue and steps away also. The comments about smallness bring a rueful smile, how clearly she understands that. With a deep bow and murmured thanks to the queen slips off.

"I-" Brighid pauses for a moment and steadies herself, "I don't know…" She sounds sad at that admission and lets her hands fall away from the egg. She sits back and almost falls on her butt, but flails and manages to catch herself. The trader-girl flushes with embarassment and quickly stands, leaving the clutch and remaining candidates behind. At the last moment, she remembers her manners and turns to offer another quick bow to the clutch dam before fleeing.

Zuhth continues to become more and more restless. She's shifting foot to foot and rustling her wings in a very determined way, causing Neyuni to call, "Finish up please and begin to make your way off the sands. I think we've all had enough for the afternoon.”

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