A/N
Apologies for making you wait this long. Since I did make you wait, I will post the rest of the story. Enjoy.
The candidates stood shifting from foot to foot on the hot sands, listening to the dragons hum and watching the eggs wobble slightly. Kailisu felt as if she were on a stage, with a spotlight upon her. They couldn't see any faces in the stands for the darkness. Shards, she could barely see the candidates on the other side of the semicircle as they stood around the eggs. While they waited she amused herself with remembering the times the candidates came into the Grounds for the egg touching, remembering the smooth, leathery feel of the eggs. A scant two days ago they were no longer leathery; instead they had that chalky, brittle feeling that poultry eggs had.
Yet these shells were anything but brittle. One of the first chores a Weyrling had was to collect the eggshells from the Sands, for the shells would then be ground up and sprinkled on the food the newly hatched dragons would eat. Since the dragons wouldn't be chewing bones for the first month of their life, the shell-dust would provide them with the necessary nutrients for a growing dragon's bones.
One of the eggs gave a quick lurch as Kailisu was contemplating the Care and Feeding of Baby Dragonets, generating gasps from both the stands and the candidates. The same egg gave a quick hop, coming back down and crackling around the bottom. Taking advantage of this opening, first one foot, then another came out of the egg, kicking shell fragments away. The shell's denizen gave one last shake and the shell seemed to melt away around it, leaving behind a dainty, forest-green dragonette. She sat there, looking around as if surprised at the view, then sat back and creeled piteously. The candidates were frozen into place.
"I am not waiting around for a possibility," Haneset hissed to Kailisu, and quickly walked forward towards the little green dragon. The green stopped creeling and looked at Haneset quizzically, then gave a happy warble, running up to her and butting her in the legs.
She says her name is Zizzakath, Breylith informed Kailisu.
"What the shards kind of name is Zizzakath?"
Your best friend's dragon's name. She made a choice. She was tired of waiting, and she Impressed the first dragon of this clutch. Breylith sounded proud, and Kailisu realized that Weyrwoman Rhanda was probably proud of her daughter, Haneset, rider of green Zizzakath. At first, Kailisu wasn't certain how she felt as she watched Haneset walking off the sands with her new lifemate trotting along beside her, but she realized that she was proud. Not jealous, not sad that her friend might be in a different weyrling class than she would be in, but proud. Haneset had made the right choice.
As if Zizzakath's Hatching were a signal, several more eggs began rocking violently, several began to show hairline cracks down their sides. Forgetting about Haneset, Kailisu began to watch as dragon after dragon began to slowly come out of their shells, creeling in hunger and looking for the one who could best serve them. So far, there had been no casualties, and Kailisu began to hope that there would be at least one Hatching where no one was hurt.
Egg number fourteen had just produced a bronze who made a beeline for his partner when the noise stopped once again. Even as she turned, Kailisu knew what she would see.
Loth, in the manner of all queen dragons on Pern had placed the gold egg on a mound higher than the rest of the Hatching Grounds. No one knew why queens did this - whether it was to show off their next breeding progeny or a more reflexive habit of keeping their pride and joy safe. Or maybe dragons were natural Harpers, with an innate sense of showmanship. Loth's treatment of her little queen seemed to be in the latter group, for she was on a hill almost as high as her mother. The egg had just split down the middle, and the little queen dragonet was sitting where the shells had parted, looking around as if surveying her Holding.
Kailisu and the rest of the female candidates moved as one to pay homage to the queen, and Kailisu knew - she just knew she had to Impress this one, or she'd never Stand again. Gone were her doubts and fears about not being worthy. All she knew was she had to make this little gold hatchling an offer she couldn't refuse.
You are the most beautiful dragon on the sands, she thought at the little queen. I will cut up your food into the choicest little bits for you. You will get the best of the herdbeasts out there. I will sew satin pillows for your weyr couch. You will be oiled every day with the freshest, best smelling oils that we can make. I don't know you, but I already love you. Her thoughts and words were sappy, but she didn't care. All she cared about was the hatchling at the top of the hill, this beautiful hatchling that was a beautiful, pale gold. The sun was just peeking over the horizon, bathing the Sands in a subtle glow, and the newest hatchling was framed by the sun's rays.
Slowly the little gold walked down the hill. For a hatchling she was very regal, and held herself as a queen should. As she reached the foot of the hill, she seemed to survey all before her as if taking their measure.
Oh, you darling dainty little beauty, Kailisu thought, trying to ignore Breylith and Adexith, who were both sniggering in the back of her mind. You deserve someone who will take care of you, who will adore you for the queen you are. I have been waiting my whole life for you, and it will be meaningless if you don't become my partner. The queen continued to walk down the hill, looking at each of the girls in turn. She stopped, and Kailisu heard a click in her head. Everything fell into place.
Rainbow eyes looked up at Kailisu as her mind was suffused with a love so strong it caused tears to roll slowly down her cheeks. Dimly she heard the congratulations of Breylith and Adexith, but their voices seemed to come from far away. All that was important stood in front of her, caught in a rainbow haze.
Well, of course your life would be meaningless, said gold Rhavishath from her position in front of Kailisu. But don't ever talk to me in that sappy tone again, or I'll have to hurt you. Now, where is that choice, cut up food you promised me?