Saffron studied the wall across from her, ignoring the murmurs and rustlings of the newcomers. Elenuth's clutch had been laid only a sevenday ago, and the Searchriders had begun to bring in more potential dragonriders every day. She could still remember the few, peaceful days when only the Weyrborn Candidates resided in the barracks. Now it just continued to get noisier and more crowded.
Elenuth was a frail, elderly Queen, and the Weyr had been overjoyed to see her lay twenty eggs—in an Interval, no less. Saffron didn't care for the number, though; all she was concerned with was the largest egg of all.
She'd been there on the sands, watching Elenuth lay her clutch. She could still remember the awe she felt when Elenuth lifted her wing to show a glimmering, golden egg: the first to be laid at Fort Weyr since Elenuth herself.
Nyris had been Weyrwoman for many Turns, but this golden egg signified that it would soon be time for her to retire, and whoever Impressed to the dragon inside would be Weyrwoman for Turns to come.
Saffron knew it must be she who Impressed the young Queen; it had to be. This was her only chance, and she couldn't afford the consequences of failure.
"Oh!" a voice called. Saffron automatically turned at the sound. Her friend, Leira, had been sitting by the entrance to the barracks, occasionally peeking outside to see if there were any new faces. "Someone's coming!"
Saffron rolled her eyes in exasperation and settled back in her own chair to watch.
As a figure came through the entrance, Leira leaped directly in front of it with a bubbly "Hi!"
The young woman who had just come in shrieked in surprise. Upon regaining herself, she realized the source of her fright was simply a young girl. "What on Pern are you doing?" the woman demanded. She looked about twenty, with dark brown hair and expensive-looking clothes. She could have been quite pretty if not for the sour expression on her face.
Leira was unaffected. "Well, I understand how frightening it can be to leave your home and come someplace new, so I just thought I'd greet you, and make sure you're doing alright."
"I was—I don't—I'm fine!" the woman finally managed. She tried to walk past Leira, who stepped in front of her to prevent it.
"I'm Leira," she told the newcomer.
The young woman glanced at her in clear disgust for a moment. "Katila," she finally snapped. "Now stop bothering me!" She walked straight past Leira, ignoring the hand that had been extended towards her in greeting, and giving Saffron a disdained glance upon seeing the smile that danced across her face, before she disappeared into the barracks.
"She's a bit touchy," Leira noted. "I suppose it's just nerves."
"Actually, Leira, it's you," Saffron told her. "You can't just jump in front of people and try to befriend them from the get go. At least let her get settled in before you talk her up."
Leira tried to respond, but just then another person came in, and she turned in mid-sentence to greet the next newcomer. The young man rebuffed her with hardly a word, soon leaving Leira and Saffron alone once again.
Saffron sighed. "Leira, stop. You're supposed to be acting like a young woman ready to Impress, not a little girl. What kind of behavior is that for a Weyrwoman?"
"I never said I'd Impress." Leira sat back down, crossing her legs and looking across at Saffron. "There's so many Candidates already, and more coming in. There will be plenty of young women, and only one dragon."
"Yes," Saffron agreed, "but you still shouldn't act that way. It's… unbecoming." She had been friends with Leira for as long as she could remember. They had grown up together in Fort Weyr, and become great friends, even as they got older.
Now, things were changing. Saffron's one chance to be a Weyrwoman had come, and she became more concerned the more new Candidates the Searchriders brought in. The young women that came had what was needed to Impress, just as she did, which meant they, too, had the opportunity to become a Weyrwoman.
But not Leira. She wasn't Weyrwoman material. Saffron had been surprised that she had become a Candidate at all. It only now occurred to her that perhaps she had simply wanted to be able to help the newcomers "adapt" as she said.
She was a bit kooky at times, but she was a good friend, and Saffron was grateful for it. With all the stress she felt over that golden egg, it was nice to have one person around who didn't worry her.
Jinsuth lay outside, his bronze hide seeming to shine in the sunlight. His tail was wrapped around his body, but his head was raised, looking out at the Weyrbowl. Saffron gazed at the dragon, feeling some comfort in seeing him there.
He was the youngest Bronze at Fort, born from Elenuth's previous clutch eight Turns ago, and the only Bronze to break his shell at the time.
She remembered, of course; she'd been in the Stands, beside Leira. Saffron could remember cheering when the largest egg cracked open and a little bronze hatchling crawled out. She'd been so proud when the creature went up to her brother, Safrel. She could still remember him calling out Jinsuth's name in delight as he wrapped his arms around the young dragon.
That had been Turns ago; things had changed. S'rel was proud of himself, very proud, and just as certain that Saffron would never manage the same.
He'd come to see her, after she'd move into the Candidate Barracks, with that annoying, self-righteous smirk plastered across his face.
"Good luck," he'd chuckled. "You're gonna need it."
Saffron knew exactly what he meant, of course. This was her only chance, just like Elenuth's previous clutch had been his only chance. But while he had succeeded, he seemed to expect her to fail.
"It's a shame you only get one chance, Saffron. How are you ever supposed to prove you're as good as me if that Queen doesn't choose you?"
"She will choose me!" she'd shouted back at him, anger and fear boiling within her. "I'm perfect for her! I'll be Weyrwoman before you know it, just watch!"
But he had the security of his dragon, while Saffron did not. He'd only laughed her off. "You're barely seventeen, practically still a child. Why would a Gold choose you?"
She'd done her best to ignore him, but inside she was still angry, still concerned. She had to Impress, she just had to. She had to prove she was just as good as her brother was. She'd grown up dreaming of soaring on a dragon, her dragon. All of her short life had been spent preparing for this, and she didn't have a clue what she might do were she to fail.
As she watched him, Jinsuth turned his head in her direction, his eyes swirling green, and a peaceful aura seeming to emanate from his very hide. Saffron smiled and looked on at the dragon, who did nothing to acknowledge her, but was somehow still comforting to see.
Jinsuth turned his head away as S'rel approached him, nudging against his rider gently. Saffron recoiled slightly as S'rel looked at her with a knowing smirk on his face. He was an excellent rider, certainly worthy of the dragon who was his partner, but his relationship with his younger sister had deteriorated ever since his Impression. They used to play together all of the time, but Impressing a Bronze seemed to have validated something inside S'rel, making him better than the time he had spent with his sister. Now she was no longer good enough for him.
He thought she would fail, that she didn't have what it took to ride a Queen. But he was wrong, and she was going to prove it to him. She couldn't wait to see the look on his face when she was Weyrwoman, and he was nothing but a Wingrider whose Bronze didn't stand a chance at catching her dragon. She didn't know exactly what she would do the day she found herself the leader of Fort Weyr, but she did know that her brother was never going to be Weyrleader as long as she had something to say about it.
What do you think of that, S'rel?
The Candidates were all gathered together, awaiting the chance to be introduced to the Weyrwoman. There were seventeen female Candidates so far, and more to come as Search continued, and even more young men, hopefuls to Impress a dragon from the other nineteen eggs of Elenuth's clutch.
Saffron glanced through the group of people, looking around for anyone she recognized.
The self-righteous snob Katila was sitting on her own, of course, with her arms and legs crossed, occasionally shooting scathing glances at some of the other female Candidates. She'd been nothing but a bother since she'd arrived, shoving off Leira's advances and remarking on how she would be the one to Impress the young Queen, while glaring all the while as those other women who seemed as if they might be competition.
Yarthi was just the opposite; she was desperate to be the one to Impress, but was so concerned about her chances that she was willing to try anything that she thought might make her more likely to succeed, completely ignoring anyone who told her it would be left up to the dragon in the end, and that there was only so much anyone could do to prepare. Leira had told her this out of kindness upon seeing her fretting, and Yarthi had not simply rebuked her, but actually yelled at her, claiming that Leira was trying to lower her guard so that she could have the Queen to herself. Saffron still couldn't believe that Leira had let Yarthi get away with saying that about her. Still, someone had managed to convince her that Bronze dragons could influence the young Queen's choice, and watching Yarthi run around trying to befriend every Bronzerider she could find was very amusing. Saffron couldn't imagine such behavior—coupled with her pompous attitude—being rewarded with a dragon, especially since in the end it would be solely up to the Gold to choose.
The brainless beauty Cilia was surrounded by a flock of other young women, her golden hair flowing gracefully and her eyes seeming to sparkle. She was gorgeous, but one conversation with her had been enough to let Saffron see right through her. All Cilia had was her beauty and her rank; she had no brains and no guts, and yet she still came off as smug and confident. She had clearly been picked up for her beauty alone. Well, even Searchriders could end up with shallow ones occasionally.
Saffron heard a noise and turned to see Emeri glide over beside her. She was a plain and simple girl, the daughter of a Crafter. She'd come to Fort Weyr, excited and pleased with the chance to Impress. She was even-headed and open-minded, and clearly more likely to Impress the young Queen than any of the other women who had arrived, and yet Saffron couldn't bring herself to dislike Emeri. She had this quality that made her very easy to get along with, and also very difficult to hate.
"We get to meet Nyris officially?" she asked softly.
Saffron nodded. "She wants to see all the Candidates, just to make sure she finds them suitable, especially the female Candidates. You don't want just anyone riding a Gold dragon."
"But if the dragon chooses, should it really matter who's present?"
"It's more than just that; these Candidates will be here until the eggs hatch, and if they seem like they'll be more trouble than they're worth it's best to get rid of them now."
Emeri nodded in understanding.
Saffron stood in silence for a short while, her mind wandering while she thought of the girl beside her. She had never been outside of the Weyr before, and here she was, speaking with someone who had lived outside it her whole life. Perhaps now was the time to satiate her curiosity. "So, Emeri," Saffron began, "what's it like, you know, outside the Weyr?"
Emeri looked back at her, pausing to consider her answer before she spoke. "It's probably not as weird as you think," she responded, "but it is different. Women get a lot less freedom, for one thing. Before I came here, my only plan in life was to settle down, get married, and have children."
"Really?" Saffron asked in shock. Of all the options she might have, that was the one she'd have chosen last.
"You're surprised," Emeri chuckled, "but outside the Weyr, there aren't many other options. Now I can suddenly have a whole life ahead of me, not just raising children. It's exciting."
"Wow. I know women have little opportunity to be dragonriders, but there's still work to be done."
"The Weyr is run by a woman," Emeri pointed out. "The Crafthalls and the Holds aren't. I could've become an apprentice, I suppose, but it's very hard for women to become journeymen, no matter how talented they are. I just didn't see the point of putting so much effort in only to have all the boys pass me up."
"That's sad."
Emeri shrugged. "It's life. I didn't even know things could be different until I came here. It's a nice change, and I'm glad to have the opportunity."
There was silence between them for a moment. "Are you worried?" Saffron finally asked.
"About what?"
"You know… not Impressing." Saffron tried not to show how much the thought concerned her.
Emeri shrugged. "I'd like to Impress, certainly. It'd be a great honor, and having a dragon would be fantastic. It's just… there are so many Candidates, and more arriving every day; I don't know how likely I am to be chosen. I guess I'll be upset if I'm not, but at least I got to come. There's plenty of people who never get the chance to see the Weyr, and I'm grateful for the opportunity. Impressing would be a fantastic bonus, but I'm still happy to get to be here at all." Emeri looked at Saffron with keen interest. "What about you?"
Saffron sighed and smiled slightly. "I've spent my whole life daydreaming about being a Weyrwoman someday. Now I finally have the chance to make that dream come true. I'm excited, but I'm also really nervous. If I'm not chosen, I'll never have the chance again." She looked around the room. "It's funny, but I almost wish there were less Candidates. I know it won't change anything, but it still feels like it could."
If the young Queen was going to choose her, then she would do so no matter what, be there ten, twenty, or one hundred others to choose from, and yet Saffron became more and more nervous with each new Candidate brought in. Her destiny rode on the outcome of this hatching; she couldn't just forget about it.
"Well I hope you don't mind my being here," Emeri replied, somewhat jokingly.
"Oh, I don't mind!" Saffron assured her. "They have to go on Search; it's only fair to the dragon. I'm just a bit nervous about it."
"I think we all are," Emeri told her. "It's the chance of a lifetime; it's understandable to be concerned."
Try as Saffron might, she couldn't be comforted by the truth in Emeri's words. She shook her head angrily. Get a grip, she told herself. You'll Impress the Queen; you're the perfect Candidate. There's no need to be so concerned. If S'rel can do it, so can you. Calm down.
"You alright?" she heard Emeri say.
"What?" She glanced up. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking."
Emeri nodded in understanding. She looked as though there may have been more she wanted to say, but a sudden hush began to descend among the gathered youngsters. Saffron and Emeri both looked up in time to see Nyris striding into the room.
Katila immediately became alert, her bad complexion being replaced by one of feminine grace, with a serene smile taking over her face. Clearly, she intended to come across as exactly the kind of pleasant young lady she wasn't.
The only one who looked keener was Yarthi. It was clear she was going to hang on every word the Weyrwoman spoke, and the expression on her face was almost laughable. Saffron wanted to Impress as well, but at least she knew the right way to go about it. Yarthi still wanted to imagine there was something she could do to insure she would Impress.
The oblivious Cilia continued talking and giggling until she realized no one was looking at her anymore. At first she seemed quite upset, glaring at the girls who had been watching her only moments before, until she realized what was going on and turned to face the Weyrwoman as well.
Nyris was aged, and it showed in her grayed hair and tired face. Many doubted Elenuth would ever rise again, and Saffron could understand why.
The Weyrwoman spoke to them kindly, but still with a strict formality about her. At first she spoke to the group at large, telling them exactly what she expected from each of them: compliance, honesty, respect; nothing Saffron didn't already know about.
Nyris intended to speak with each of them one at a time so she could get a chance to know them a little more and judge their suitability herself. She didn't say the last part aloud, but Saffron knew it was the real reason. The group slowly began talking again after she left the room with a nervous-looking young boy.
Katila immediately resumed looking around the room and watching the other women to see how they acted, probably trying to find ways to see herself as superior to them. Yarthi sat perfectly still, the picture of obedience, occasionally hissing at those nearest her to be quiet. Cilia returned to being adored by the young women that had surrounded her, who were all significantly less beautiful than she was, but evidently with no more brainpower than their unspoken leader. Luckily, Cilia didn't have anywhere near enough intelligence to attract a Queen, and any of the girls surrounding her—no doubt hoping her instant popularity among the men could help them—were likely to either.
Saffron was smart; she knew what her talents were without feeling the need to boast about them. She was young, yes, but she knew how to speak with others, and she knew she could be a great leader if given the chance. She was the perfect Candidate for the unborn Queen, and surely no newly hatched dragon could see her without noticing that. Considering the sorry bunch of women that had been brought in, she would look even better by comparison. The young Queen would have few other options but to choose her, right?
So then why was she still so nervous?