Jewels of Sand [Touching of the Clockwork Clutch]

[Zactura]

[[OOC Durelaith: Please to be touchin' mah eggs. >BT]]

Durelaith wasn't very pleased at having to let others come in and touch her eggs. She had laid a lot, and she was proud of that, but still. She was the typical worried mother, wondering if there would be a dimglow that would attempt to run off with the 'dud' that stood a small distance away from the rest of the Clutch. That had happened a few Turns back, and the then-reigning Queen had lashed out in rage, nearly killing the foolish Candidate. He deserved whatever he got, though, and Durelaith knew that she would do the same. Hopefully, nobody would try that.

The warm light of morning seeped in through the windows of the Candidate's barracks, and Durelaith waited patiently for Vaien to issue the call to summon them.

"Alright, Durie, go ahead and do it." Vaien said with a nod, her near-black hair tied up in a bun and out of the way. She had slept here with Durelaith, and had thus not had much of an opportunity to prepare, but oh well! It was a momentous occasion, this Touching, and Vaien couldn't wait to see the Candidates that would come.

Candidates! Durelaith trumpeted, proud and regal. Step forth and present yourselves in the Hatching Sands. The Touching of my Clutch is open for all who dare to try it!

[devi]

She was always awake early out of sheer habit, and had been awake for an hour now, watching the sunrise from the window of the Candidate's barracks. Back home she had been awake before dawn everyday, down to the stables to muck out runnerbeast stalls, feed them, takes some out for exercise... She had loved her home, but had grown complacent there, she knew she needed to move on and try something new. Hence coming to Falmas.

When she'd arrived.. well that had been a different story. She'd been Searched and now was a Candidate. Joy. It wasn't that she didn't admire dragons, who didn't? They were beautiful, majestic creatures, but she liked runners, knew them. Why couldn't her life had just stayed the same?

Ari was dressed, the others were starting to stir, and as the sun spilled in the window and warmed her face she closed her eyes happily, just seeming to absorb it. Oh that felt wonderful...

The voice was loud in her mind, very loud, and she bolted to her feet as soon as she heard it, a smile on her face despite herself. Whatever she might feel about her position at the moment she still relished learning, and being able to get near the eggs and observe them was something she had never done. Humming to herself she shook one hold out who had somehow slept through the call before she was out the door herself and heading towards the Sands.

Stepping on, she could feel the heat even through her thick, wher-hide boots. It didn't feel blistering, but simply very warm, and she relished it. Seeing the golden Queen so close though.. it took her breath away. She gazed in awe at the dragon, and drawing close, still meeting the great beast's eyes, she bowed to Durelaith deeply, before her gaze moved to Vaien, and she switched her direction slightly and bowed to the Weyrwoman.

"My respects to you both," she said, not loudly, but confidently, and then slowly moved past and towards the eggs.

[||Rye||]

D'ron hadn't slept well throughout the night. He hadn't been sleeping well the past couple of nights, actually, seeing as how he missed the comfort of his weyrmate in their bed. The Weyrleader knew Vaien wasn't going to leave Durelaith alone in this, though, and so he humored her... D'ron just made sure that, whenever he wasn't around, Relarventh was close by. The bronze wouldn't have been far from the eggs anyway, with the threat of Shattered attacks prevalent, but still... D'ron just didn't want to leave Vaien unprotected.

Finally, as the light began to seep through his windows and glare across his face, the Weyrleader pushed out from the few covers he was sleeping under and rolled, groaning, off the bed. As he moved off the bed, he awoke Raja, who'd been sleeping fitfully against the side of his back, and the brown began chattering irritably. "Aww, hush, Raj. Quit being such a girl." His voice was husky with the morning, but it still carried enough of a reprimand that the brown quieted quickly, peeping once in reply. Grinning slightly, the man moved over to the wash basin and splashed water over his face, mussing his hair slightly and rubbing over his skin roughly to get the sleep out of his eyes. About time you woke up. Durelaith's about to ask for the candidates to come touch her eggs. Smiling to himself, D'ron replied, commenting on the sardonic tone his dragon always used. Good morning to you, too, Rell. After he heard his bronze's mental grumble, he added, I'm on my way, don't worry. With that he began pulling his clothes on, strapping down and fastening all the particulars before sliding on the belt he carried his two short swords with. Once they were situated, he held his arm out for Raja to light on before striding out the door, heading towards the Sands.

On the way, he stopped by the kitchen to grab two mugs of klah, one for himself and one for Vaien, and to speak to the cook about preparations for a Hatching Feast. It was during his conversation with the older, grizzled cook that Durelaith's call rang out, and politely he ended the talk, telling the man he'd discuss it later. His strides moving faster than before, D'ron made it to the Sands just after one of the candidates... Ari, was that her name? He waited until she'd greeted the Gold and his weyrmate before nodding a greeting to her, and after that he moved over to Vaien, kissing her soundly on the lips. After what was longer than absolutely necessary, he pulled back, grinning. "I brought you klah..." It was the only apology he offered, and after he'd handed it to her Raja chose that moment to dart from his shoulder to Vaien's, chirping sweetly to one of his favorite pets.

It wasn't long after D'ron arrived that Relarventh snaked his neck inside the opening at the roof, peering in protectively before looking back up, outside. It was obvious he'd chosen to stand as a sentinel above the Sands, rather than be on them, but that was really fine with the Weyrleader. After all, he didn't think it was Durelaith the candidates had to worry about... Rell would be the one to eat them. Finally, you arrived. Congratulations, I'm a hundred turns old. D'ron laughed slightly, looking up towards where his bronze sat. You're in rare form today, aren't you, Rell? The dragon didn't reply, he merely grumbled again, making D'ron grin more. Looking back to Vaien, he told her by way of explanation, "Relarventh's his usual, cheery self today." Still smiling, the Weyrleader looked towards the doorway, wondering who'd be the next to walk through and how many candidates would come to Touch the eggs. Kylian, he figured, would come, because she of course couldn't resist a challenge.... He couldn't help but wonder if that was a good thing or a bad thing somedays.

[taesil]

Entheos was quite oblivious to the buttery light that slipped through the window and fell over the many shiney objects scattered about the boy's room. Head cradled in the crook off his arm the boy lay nestled in a bed of sketches that coated his wooden desk like a blanket of winter's snow. He snorted in his sleep and his head lolled slightly off his arm away from the light that fell across his goggled eyes. Shifting his face away from the breaking sun he tried to drift back off but a voice broke in his thoughts and he bolted upright sending little trinkets and sketches a kilter.

Now throughly awakened Entheos lifted his goggles and blinked in the light before running the sleep from his eyes. He looked about his room as if preplexed as to where the voice came from, then an awed expression fell over his face as the words registered in his head. The queen! The queen had bespoken him, and even said he could go and touch her eggs! Entheos jolted from his chair and began to pace in an endless circle on the floor as he tried to determine wether he should attend.

Taking a deep steadying breath he straightened his goggles and trotted over to the bed to find some decent clothing. Tossing a baggy and slightly rumpled shirt over his head and a pair of pants he stopped to throw on some sandels then bolted from the door. The walk down the hall added to his stress and quite soon his was wringing his hands with nervous tension. Silently he prayed the gold would not eat him and that he could just even look at the eggs without upsetting the queen.

He paused at the opening to the Sands with an uneasy feeling now throughly settled in the pit of his stomach. Cautiously he stepped onto the sands and barely noted the heat that radiated through his thin shoes. There was something much larger and much more ferocious than the heat, and it lay coiled around the eggs as a gaint gold sentenial. Gulping dryly he faced the queen and shivered fearfully befor he doubled over in a bow. With his face to the sand he mutter, "D-dear k-kqueen, W-weyrWoman, thank you for letting me stand on your sands, and letting me see yor children."

[akusma]

Eiriana smiled smugly as she stepped onto the sands, well made boots protecting her from the worst of the heat; but the smile turned slightly bitter as the heat continued to seep through the sole of shoes that were made to look good rather then anything. Nothing about the way she waltzed onto the sands was practical. Her dress had too many skirts on it (though all of them were made from fine fabrics), her shoes were too thin, her hair was down, she wore a shawl wrapped around her shoulders. Yes she looked immaculate, her hair was neatly drawn back over her shoulders, she was clean, her clothes barely had a crease in the wrong place - but you needed more then that on the sands. Pity the person who would dare to tell her that of course.

Her face was a picture of a humble candidate, or what she believed to be the humble candidate. The smile on her face was bright, not obviously fake, smiling came naturally enough to her so it didn't strained. She was relaxed, confident, but her was bowed ever so slightly to make it look like she was awed. It was perfect, she'd decided after staring in the mirror before she'd arrived. Oh, you could not stand before those such as the Weyrwoman and Weyrleader without appearing most humble - and the Queen, of course. It was a practised humility. She thought it positively wonderful.

It was dissapointing to see so very few people there, she thought with a mocking sigh in her head, eyes flickering over the two other people there. There was no one to distract the eggs from herself, it was...glorious. Her dragon wouldn't need to bother looking for anyone else. She took in the sight of all the eggs like a starved person, but slowly, the round shapes imbedded in her memory. Which one was supposed to be the dud? Ah, that one. It stood away from the others. She needn't bother with that one, but...Perhaps she should? It would show - what was the word? - hope that it was alright, and concern for the eggs. She would touch it, not for long, there were better eggs that deserved her attention.

First she had to ask permission. That practised smile was still on her face as she stopped before the Weyrleaders and the Gold, curtseying before them all, with an elagant movement. Did she have to ask permission to touch the eggs? None of the others had, and it stood to reason if such worthless examples of candidates did not need to, then she most certainly should not. Oh, now that was not fair. She did not know if they were...imperfect, yet, she could not call them worthless; just not quite the best there could be.

"Weyrwoman," Eriana said, clearly. She paused then, unsure of how to adress a dragon. Simply Queen? Darling was too personal...Dear? She was dear to the Weyr. Yes, that would do, even if the boy before her had said it such a thing before se'd reached here. Ah, she should have practised this in her head before hand! "Dear Queen, may I request the honour of touching your eggs?" Her tone was most certainly in awe of the Queen before, and she made sure to sound slightly breathless, as if she was excited, but holding it all back. Control was the key.