Author's Note: Thanks as always for your patience, your willingness to read, and reviews (constructive criticism is always welcome 3). I'm so lucky to have you all even though it takes me quite a bit of time between chapters, especially between chapters nine and ten. So thank you, thank you, and thank you again for being here! Everyone interested in writing better stories should read Nuts and Bolts: "Thought" Verbsby Chuck Palahniuk. Cheers! ~Mage of Roses

Chapter 11: A Hard Day's Night

Ampara stayed in bed, fidgeting. Her finger traced circles on the sheets, stilling and going limp when she heard Tari shift or heard the door creak as someone checked in on them. The candlemarks dragged on and her eyelids drooped, but she stared at the slightly cracked window. Her pack was under the bed, ready to go. She listened for anything and everything; the lord holder's watch, people getting up to do the necessary, the incessant looking in on her well-being, and any other passersby. It was a gather, things would never entirely settle, but things needed to be as calm as possible before she skipped her stone and disturbed the surface.

The rays from Belior and Timor, their light wan combined, stretched across the floor, and when by some accounts it was either really, really late or disgustingly early she made her move. It was easy really. The window was already open, and sliding it that extra bit open was simple. The thunderous creaking and squeaking made her freeze, and for several moments her breathing was quick and shallow, green eyes darting, and her slender hand poised to drop the pack she had cradled to her chest. Silence stretched, and with the grace of a feline she vaulted out the window, landing lightly on the dirt, and she fled into the shadows, hugging them as best she could.

Ampara paused, sucking in some deep breaths, trying to still the staccato beating of her heart so she could listen once more.

I'm finally doing it. Finally, finally.

In the dark she grinned. Her outfit consisted of brown leggings, a linen shirt, and a wherhide jacket; no one would pay her much heed, especially once she slipped out of the courtyard proper. She slung her pack over her shoulder, starting off at a quick march, keeping her eyes peeled for anyone who would give her trouble; however, the way was clear whether she had gotten lucky and slipped out during a change of the guard or if the gates were just not particularly well guarded this evening.

The gather stalls were closed and silent, tent flaps down and wares stored. Even after one day definite paths were already defined from the hundreds of feet that had tramped here there and everywhere. Ampara strolled between the stalls, letting her pack hang off one shoulder, and studying everything at her leisure. There were visible campfires here and there where gather revelers were tented and camping out, but she intended to skirt around them, preferring to be out of sight and out of mind.

She reached the fence post that she had claimed as her own earlier in the day, breathing in the cool night air and exhaling slowly, relishing the faint smell of wood smoke. Ampara looked up at the many stars in the night sky and smiled. Just me and the stars for guides. It was easy for her to jump the fence, and she quietly whistled. The closer she came to the road the slower her stride became until she had come to a full stop, head turning, looking back towards the hold.

There's nothing to be afraid of, it's just like camping, go, go, go. Her heart said.

Her mind said. Why not just wait? You can be a proper journeyman and have proper adventures if you want. How will the intrepid adventurer feel once she has no soft place to lay her weary head and no warm food to eat and none to look forward to either?

Ampara frowned. She'd been waiting for this moment for sevendays, and now she was getting cold feet? She took a step back, taking a more comfortable stance, and then shook her head at herself.

No going back, just go forward!

Yet, her body seemed unwilling to move onward; posture rigid, unyielding.

Just think of all of the fighting and head butting and unhappiness you'll have if you stay. You'll go mad. This is what you want. Take it.

She sighed, turning around. Are you afraid of the dark? Turn back around and go. This is what you want. What you need.

I do want to run away. I do. She spun again on the spot, looking at the road, taking a baby step forward. I just thought it would be easier.

True, in theory it was easy to just turn and walk away and have grand adventures, but reality was bleeding in uninvited on her happy fantasy. Not to mention the likelihood that her mother would be even more frantic to find and keep an eye on her now that this father business was yet another thing between them, there was her uncle too. Ampara touched the pendant at her neck. They'd find her and it would just be another disappointment. Another black mark on her sordid history as a troublemaker and then it would take good luck trying to do anything with any sort of freedom afterwards. I thought you didn't care. You want to have grand adventures who cares about them? They don't understand what you want anyway, not even Tari.

No, they don't, but they can't stop me from choosing my own path once I am a Journeyman. I could even go to the weyr, and wouldn't that just show them all? Ampara smiled. She could see her mother's throbbing forehead vein in her mind's eye.

"Ha. It really would."

Her shoulders slumped slowly, and one last time she turned around walking towards the hold. You might not get another opportunity like this.

This may have been my last chance, and I just didn't know it.

After this day, who knew what the final straw would be? Besides, hadn't she already won? Stolen the higher ground for once? Perhaps it was a short lived victory, but for once she'd stood up unrelenting in Arai's face and had come out on top. Maybe… this was a turning point, and maybe if she could repeat the performance she would get her way in the end without having to sleep with sticks in her back, living on rations, being cold at night, or get caught and humiliated before her adventure even began.

After retracing her route, she stopped again at her fence post, leaning against it and looking up at the stars, picking out her favorite constellations which was easier as Belior and Timor were both crescents one waxing and one waning.

However, her calm resolve was not meant to last.

"Isn't it past your bedtime?"

Ampara jumped.

"Valtoren, haven't they tucked you in and read you a story yet?"

In the dark she could see his outline, and the outlines of a few boys whose names escaped her backing him up.

"Where is your glow basket? I never knew you were so afraid of the dark that you needed, ah, company." She smirked though no doubt it was lost in the shadows.

"These are my friends. We came to compliment you on your lovely performance, and we just happened to see you sneaking out of the courtyard. Why you came all the way out here is curious, but I think it serves my purpose well."

Ampara's eyes widened. She had expected sabotage, childish tantrums, and pathetic attempts at intimidation, but the hard, cruel snarl in his voice chilled her in a way going between never could.

"You brought a lot of help, who knew you were so scared of little old me? I guess you know I'm a savage feline at heart." She saw the outlines begin to fan out, but heard some distinct snickering.

"Shut up." Valtoren didn't even raise his voice, she couldn't see his eyes; however, there was something in her gut saying they were on her.

She had been letting her pack slowly slide down her arm, until it was nearly touching the ground. Her muscles were tense, and her weight was shifting forward and to the right, ready to swerve and spring over the railing. Ampara had no qualms about running from this one. There would be no one to break up the fight whether she won or lost.

Just learning so much today aren't we.

She grit her teeth, her face a grimace, and her feet were ready to fly… That was when the first orange plumes of fire crackled into life from the gather stalls, casting a garish light on everything. Ampara grabbed the railing, blinking away the sudden spots dancing before her vision, trying to comprehend the roars and the thundering of many hooves and the screams of herdbeast and runnerbeast and humans alike.

"Shards."

"By Faranth."

"What by the first egg is going on?

"I can't believe…"

It was surprising how quickly menacing shadows turned into quivering little boys. She heard shouts and cries from the camps, and more screams coming from the stalls. Ampara released herself like a tightly wound spring, running towards the madness, dropping her pack on the ground, forgetting it entirely.

"Ampara stop! What are you doing? Have you lost your mind?" Valtoren bellowed after her, but, comparatively, fire and stampeding runners somehow seemed more inviting.

And if anyone was hurt… suddenly all of those hours learning healer craft were much less of a waste. She had to get back to the hold. It was already going to be a panic, and then once they quickly realized she was no longer in her bed it was going to create extra panic. She could just imagine her mother and Tari wandering around in their night dresses, calling her name, and then a runner or one of the people who had started this or… Ampara shook her head, running as fast as she could. She had to get back.

Tari had awoken maybe ten or fifteen minutes after Ampara had stolen out the window; too much fizzy juice and klah had finally caught up with her. She'd been climbing back into bed when she had noticed Ampara's bed. It was very… flat, and the window was very, very open. Tari tensed up a dozen logical explanations flew through her head, but knowing Ampara she was positive that her friend had gone out that window to do who knew what. Sneaking off to meet that dragonrider again even? She wasted no time, dressing and finding shoes and climbing out the window herself. She was going to have a talk with that girl, a serious talk, and she wasn't coming back to the room without her.

So there was Tari, furiously searching the gather stall area. It didn't enter her mind that Ampara would have gone farther than that. Her timid whispers didn't carry far, but their harsh edge would certainly catch the ear of anyone close at hand. She knew Ampara wouldn't resist giggling at her, and then she would get an earful like she had never gotten an earful before.

Tari would not have been surprised to run into any number of clandestine little romances blooming or someone passed out drunk beyond cogent behavior, but the last thing she expected was the whole place to light up in a blaze.

She faltered, barely keeping her balance as fire appeared to spring up on all sides. Tari back peddled, beginning to run and paying no heed where she was running to.

"Ampara! Ampara where are you?" Tears flowed freely down her face.

There were dragons flying overhead; however, they weren't dragons belonging to the weyr… at least not anymore. Most of the weyr's dragonmen had returned for the hatching, and those who remained were probably not going to be easily roused which would be the same for those at the weyr considering the festivities. In the current confusion the rogue dragons had plenty opportunity to snatch what they needed. It was hatching day after all, and hatchlings needed candidates.

S'tek was more than aware of the risks he was taking, but he wanted to be cautious. Dragonets were picky. They needed wide variety, and he feared that not having any people from the eggs' own timeline might be damaging somehow. He needed this first step to go right. Gathers attracted the youngsters, and now they merely had to flush them out. Beneath him Imentauth rumbled his dark bronze hide gleaming in the fire light. There weren't very many of them, but one to two candidates per dragonrider would be more than plenty. The advantage was theirs, and their silly queens wouldn't put in an appearance to stop them. They were young and the weyrwoman was certainly a coward. He ran a hand through his salt and pepper hair, licking his lips.

Urge them to hurry.

Yes, my heart.