A/Ns: Well, here is the revised chapter two. It's a combination of what used to be chapters three and four. Hopefully it's better this time.
And I'd like to ask that everyone NOT read the later chapters. I'll probably be taking them down. Really. I was reading over them earlier today, and they are APPALLING. They desperately need a re-write. Hm, I'm definitely going to take them down when I get a chance.
But other than all of that, enjoy this revised chapter. It's longer than the original… Review, please!
The bluerider bowed. "I'm T'firno, my lord," he said respectfully.
"Welcome, rider," replied the Lord Holder in his usual, toneless voice. Skydra watched the exchange silently from behind her father, her face blank as always. If there was one thing that you could say Skydra wasn't, that would be outgoing.
"My dragon, Tyrnarth, and I are here on Search," T'firno said. If he was unnerved by the Lord Cardonlo, he didn't show it. "Normally, our entire Wing would have come, but there were complications, so I'm afraid we're it."
"Very well," replied the Lord in clipped tones. "Have some lunch before you Search though, rider."
Why wouldn't he use T'firno's name? And anyone who knew Cardonlo could tell that he wasn't being friendly, he was being respectful because of the power dragonriders had. Even if it was just a blue.
"No." T'firno was surprisingly firm. "Tyrnarth and I have to get the candidates and go, if you please."
"Very well. What do you need them to do?"
A rather odd expression fell across T'firno's face for a moment, but disappeared so quickly that Skydra might have imagined it. "If you would line up all the children between ages twelve and nineteen in the courtyard, please," he said.
It was quickly done.
Skydra was sent to fetch all the children, of course. The fact that she was the Lord Holder's daughter hardly meant less work - to the contrary.
She soon stood in the line, beside her closest - only - friend, Tysla. It evaded many as to how such an extrovert as Tysla could be so friendly with the introverted Skydra.
Skydra hardly spoke to anyone but Tysla, and shied away from all physical contact. No one knew why. She'd never tell.
How could they know that skin-on-skin contact brought back memories that burned? How could they know that in the Lord Holder's quarters, words were detested? How could they know what Skydra had suffered at the hands of her father?
They couldn't.
And they wouldn't.
Tysla, seeing her best friend tight-lipped and pale, slung an affectionate arm around Skydra's shoulders.
"Nervous?"
Skydra shook her head almost imperceptibly. Tysla wasn't falling for it.
"Yeah right. Really."
"Maybe a little." Skydra never wasted the words she said. If she was going to say anything at all, she wasn't going to be lengthy about it.
"Why?"
"Because." Skydra watched as Tyrnarth lowered his head to the first boy in the line. "This is the chance to be a dragonrider."
She didn't need to say more. The two girls had long dreamt of riding a-neck beautiful golden (or green, green would work) dragons, of traversing the skies and even the whole planet. This was a chance to die for.
"And," murmured Tysla softly, making sure no one else could hear, "if you get Searched, you get to leave."
She'd found the heart of it. Skydra nodded noiselessly.
"And if you Impress… well, that'll show him!"
A slow, brilliant smile crept across Skydra's lips, mostly against her will.
She usually tried not to smile. Somehow, it just always felt out of place on her thin, pink lips. But a smile never looked out of place on Tysla's face, in her sparkling brown eyes. Not in the way it made her tilt her head, sending messy brown curls falling all over as her whole face lit up in the smile. No, Skydra's deadened blue eyes, pale complexion, and pulled-back blonde hair just seemed to defy any smile to venture near.
But if she Impressed…
Perhaps all that could change.
Perhaps she could show HIM.
She wouldn't need a gold - no, a green would do fine.
Yes.
Yes, she liked that idea a lot.
It was the first time in a long time that she'd liked something so much.
And she liked that, too.
T'firno gently smiled at the lad, whose face crumpled in disappointment as Tyrnarth swung his blue head away, looking on eagerly to the next in line. Shards, how T'firno hated the looks on the faces of the rejected. But that wasn't nearly as bad as seeing candidates who didn't Impress. After a Hatching, he always hurried to greet the newly Impressed, instead of hanging around to see the disappointed.
Well, O Master Searcher? he asked Tyrnarth playfully.
No. Tyrnarth turned away again, and T'firno forced another sympathetic smile onto his face.
Well, hurry up and pick some. I hate seeing them find out they're not gonna work.
Do not rush me, replied the dragon delicately.
The next young adult to sniff was a lively-looking girl, of about sixteen, with bouncy brown hair and keen brown eyes. She looked up at Tyrnarth with an awed expression, and Tyrnarth sniffed her.
He spread his wings slightly, exhaling with a whuff! and said, She is good.
Really?
Of course!
A wide grin split T'firno's face. "Well, then. What's your name?"
The girl's mouth dropped open into an 'o' shape. "Am I Searched?" she breathed.
"Yup." T'firno leaned lazily against Tyrnarth as the girl beamed with joy.
"Then I'm Tysla!" she exclaimed.
"Ah, you wouldn't have been if you hadn't been Searched?" he asked, arching an eyebrow with a small smile.
"Of course not."
"Well, you'd better go pack your bags now," said T'firno, as Tysla ecstatically hugged the blonde girl beside her. "We'll be leaving as soon as we finish our Searching."
"Actually, sir," said Tysla politely, "I'd like to wait and see whether my friend gets Searched."
He shrugged, looking at the blonde, blue-eyed girl, who stood, watching him blankly. His heart sank a little - she didn't look too promising. But what could he say? "Sure." Tyrnarth, if you would.
Of course.
The blonde girl was shy, her posture rather inward, shrinking away from them. T'firno suspected it wasn't from fear of Tyrnarth, but of a deeply bred instinct to melt into the surroundings. She tensed when Tyrnarth touched his muzzle to her shoulder.
To T'firno's utmost surprise, Tyrnarth said calmly, She comes with us.
What? yelped the bluerider. Look at her! She doesn't even have the nerve to look me in the eye! There's something strange about her, Tyr. Something's not right.
She comes, Tyrnarth repeated.
Look at her! What kind of rider will she make if no one can behold her? demanded T'firno.
I know what I'm doing, said Tyrnarth stiffly, annoyed.
"Congratulations," said T'firno, giving in and speaking to the girl, doing his best to smile. "Tyrnarth likes you."
"Me?" gasped the girl, her eyes widening in shock and delight.
"What's your name?" asked T'firno politely, as Tysla gave a happy squeak, grabbing her friend's arm.
"Skydra, she's Skydra!" cried the brunette.
"Well, you two had better pack now," said T'firno.
"Yes, my lord," said Skydra, dipping her head respectfully. T'firno caught her chin in the bow.
If he had thought she tensed at Tyrnarth's touch, it was nothing compared to what she did now. She went completely rigid, her eyes and body frozen as she felt his touch. All of a sudden, the living, breathing girl had turned into a sculpted carving of stone.
Let go of her! Tyrnarth cried furiously. T'firno did so immediately.
"I-I'm not a lord," he stammered, taking a step back. This girl was supposed to Impress?
Tyrnarth, you can't be serious!
The two girls heaved their stuff into bags. Tysla was full of energy, bounding around, while Skydra quaked silently in her delight.
"Isn't this wonderful, Sky?" sighed Tysla rapturously.
"It is," agreed Skydra softly.
"Think you'll Impress?"
"I hope so." Skydra looked up at blue Tyrnarth on the heights. Would she soon ride a dragon like him?
Soon, they were bringing their baggage outside. Only five others from their hold had been Searched, all lads.
Another two dragons had landed in the courtyard, a green and a brown. T'firno came forward, grinning at the new candidates. "Wow, you travel light," he said. Indeed, they did. "But we're still gonna need some extra help. That's why we have these - P'lim, green Kelzinth's rider, and Z'ral, brown Tragomth's rider."
Soon, all the bags were on the dragons, and Tysla, Skydra, and P'lim approached Kelzinth. The two girls awkwardly mounted the green, with much help from P'lim. Skydra shied away from his touch, but he didn't comment, and assisted her with minimal contact. She had to get up on the dragon somehow.
As Skydra looked out across at the Hold from upon the dragon's neck, she realized she hadn't even said goodbye to her father. But she didn't regret it.
P'lim swung up with the ease of practice, twisting around to grin at his passengers. "Hello there, candidates. We're ready to go now. You, girl, feel free to hold onto my riding belt - that's what it's so wide for - and behind her, you can hold onto her. Kelzinth's amazing in the air, but I can't guarantee a smooth takeoff. Then we'll be going between, and it's deathly cold, but don't worry. It doesn't last more than about three seconds. Any questions?"
They shook their heads.
"All right then. Let's go!" He snapped on his goggles, and Tysla took hold of his belt. Skydra awkwardly placed her hands on her friend's shoulders, and Tysla twisted around to grin reassuringly.
With that, Kelzinth snapped into the air, sending Tysla and Skydra lurching backwards, but the green easily evened out, hovering next to Tyrnarth and Tragomath. It caused a swooping sensation in Skydra's stomach. It was delightful, and the first unguarded smile split her face for – how long had it been?
Then, without warning, they were between.
But the feeling of being cut off, cold, sensing nothing, didn't unnerve Skydra. She blinked, the impotent ice filling her bones.
Then, they were out, the dragons happily bugling their arrival. Kelzinth swooped down, and Skydra looked around at the Weyr, her new home, with wide eyes.
But then suddenly, she reeled as a high-pitched screech filled the Weyr.
Something had hit her mind like a rock, and a wave of pain, of terrible, rending, all-consuming agony exploded inside of her.
There was emptiness, a horrible, gaping emptiness, wanting, needing that sent tremors through Skydra. But there was an option… there was always the option… The option of the welcoming darkness, of the desperately sought oblivion…
No! Skydra instinctively rebelled. They were going to die! No! It's all right! It all fine in the end! She was babbling. Where are you going? No! NO! Come back! Then, the real truth: I know how you feel!
Suddenly, the other presence paused, the pain not abating, but there was a reply. NO! NO! I have to leave! I can't stay! Not NOW! Not now that she is GONE!
Who is gone? Skydra demanded, surprised. You will be fine. You have to stay! Don't go! I won't let you!
Sorry, whispered the other, and blinked out of existence.