Just to let you know, I'm a full time college student, so I'm not certain how often I'll be able to post a new chapter. Will try to make it every couple weeks, though there are now guarentees.
Also, I would like to give a special thanks to my beta reader, truegold-dragonstar, for all the help she gave me, even if I didn't put all of the suggestions into the story. I promise, I'll make the next chapters even better.
In case any of you didn't know this, I'm not the owner of the DRoP series, though I do claim ownership of the characters/dragons/events that I created in this story.
As his dragon came out of the cold of between, F'kon made certain that the rest of the wing was behind him in proper formation before starting to descend down towards Ruatha Hold. While he did so, he looked down on the Hold and noticed that people were moving out of the normal landing point for dragonriders. One person even entered through the main entrance, presumably to informe the Lord Holder that dragonriders were landing at the Hold.
By the time F'f dismounted his bronze dragon Tigerlath, the Lord Holder had reached the entrance to the Hold and was coming out to the dragonriders. Although this was one of the first times F'kon had met the Lord Holder in person, he knew that Lord Holder Dariam was starting to make himself known as being very critical where dragonriders were concerned. Especially in tithing, which he felt was costing Ruatha more than it should.
Before the Lord Holder reached him, F'kon used the time to take in the person coming towards him. Lord Dariam was a small, heavyset man. Although he had just assumed the position of Lord Holder, he was easily forty Turns, with his black hair now mostly grey.
"Welcome to Ruatha Hold, Dragonriders," Lord Holder Dariam said stiffly as he reached them . "I hope that you find my Hold's hospitality is to your liking for the duration of your stay."
"Thank you, Lord Holder Dariam," F'kon replied. "I am Wingleader F'kon, rider of bronze Tigerlath. As you are no doubt aware, Birath has just laid a clutch of eggs. Even though it's a small clutch, we believe that it is best if we ride on Search in order to find the best candidates to stand for the Hatching. With that said, I would like to ask permission to use Ruatha as a base while we Search nearby holds."
"Ruatha Hold will be honored, Dragonriders. I'll have Lady Tera find you some place to stay for the duration of your visit."
"That would be appreciated," F'kon said. Tigerlath, please inform Folkath, Jerith, and Gorth to start surveying the southern parts of the Hold. "A group of my riders will be Searching the southern parts of the Hold while the rest of us look around the main part of the Hold, if it isn't a problem."
"Of course not, bronze rider. May I ask how long you plan on looking around the Hold?"
"I think it will only be an hour."
"In that case, I'll have Lady Tera meet you here at that time. She'll show you to your rooms then. After you get settled in, she'll then show you to the dining hall as it will be time for the noon meal."
"Very well, Lord Holder. With you permission, I would like to get started."
After Lord Dariam turned around to enter the Hold again, J'tran, rider of blue Jerith, approached his Wingleader stiffly. "You want us to be gone for just an hour, F'kon?"
"Yes, J'tran. All you'll be doing is just making a quick search of the southern parts of the Hold. Tomorrow you'll do a more detailed search while I lead the rest of the wing to the eastern parts. Now get going."
Without even replying, J'tran went back to his dragon and, after a couple of minutes, the dragons all leaped in the air and started south.
As F'kon turned to face the remaining dragonriders, he thought about the conversation he just had with J'tran. As this was going to be his last Search, F'kon knew that he wanted to find the best possible candidates. With his ailing health, the blue rider would be transferred to Weyrling for the next Hatching.
For J'tran, there was nothing better than sitting on his dragon and watching the land fly by underneath him. He was also one of the few remaining riders who knew what Thread was like and how it affected so many peoples' lives. Which explained why he was shocked when he noticed a farm hold with patches of land still showing Thread damage, even after almost 30 Turns of being Thread free.
So the rumors I heard back then were true, after all, J'tran thought. I never put much truth in them.
So they are,Jerith replied. I knew that during the last Fall some Thread got through, but not enough to devastate the land so badly. It is strange that how, after nearly twenty Turns, this is the first time we've been here.
Well, normally our Wing never patrols this region of Pern. Aside from that, I don't have any relatives or any other reason to visit Ruatha Hold. And even when we do come here, it's normally to visit the main Hold, not any farms. Besides, this farm hold is barely within the official borders of Ruatha Hold.
I know, J'tran. Still…Jerith was saying when he suddenly broke off. J'tran, I think there's a very strong potential candidate down at that farm hold.
Well, ask T'brin if he would mind us taking a slight detour at a farm hold, J'tran said.
He says that we can be there for ten minutes. Also, we're not to actively search the hold unless a person meets us.
Understood.
With that said, Jerith angled downwards towards the farm hold.
Out in the fields of the farm hold, Jaral was taking a break from his work when he noticed a dragon flying overhead. As he stared up in astonishment, the dragon suddenly turned around and started to descend. After a minute, he realized that the dragon was actually coming in to land in an unplanted field. At the same time, as the dragon was moving towards the farm, he noticed that the dragon was a blue
"Father," he shouted to the person to rows behind him, "there's a dragon that is about to land in the unplanted field."
"What are you talking about?" his father asked angrily. "Why would a dragonrider be landing at our farm?"
"I have no clue."
Jaral could hear his father muttering something to himself about a tight schedule before he started moving to where the dragon was landing. At his fathers signal, Jaral got up and followed his father. Even though it had rained only three days ago, the fields were fairly dry and dusty, causing the sand to stick to his sweaty limbs.
By the time they reached the field in which the dragon was landing, it had already landed and the rider had dismounted and was walking towards the farmers. "I'm sorry to disturb you," the blue dragonrider said. "However, I'm here on Search and my dragon sensed a potential candidate was either on the farm, or nearby."
"Is that so?" asked Jaral's father. "Well, there are only five people anywhere around this farmland-myself, my son, my wife, and two hired help. Of those, only one is close to the age required to stand for hatching, and that's my son here. Unfortunately, he doesn't have time to be standing for a hatching. As it is, I'll be lucky to finish sowing the fields on time, even with his help. Come back some other time and I may be able to spare the person who's approaching the required age to stand."
"Well, this shouldn't take long, then," the dragonrider said. Suddenly, his eyes became slightly unfocused, surprising Jaral. Although he had never seen a dragonrider speaking to his dragon, he assumed that the dragonrider before him was talking to his dragon. "According to Jerith, your son is the presence he felt. By Pernese law, you can't deny your son to stand if it is his wish, as long as he's at least fifteen Turns.
"I would be honored," Jaral said before his father could speak, "although, like my father said, he can't spare me for at least two more sevendays; probably closer to three."
A small frown crossed the dragonrider's face as Jaral said that. "I'm afraid we may not have the time before the eggs hatch. The Hatching could occure any time now, probably within the sevenday.
"I'm sorry, Son," Jaral's father said as he turned around to go back to the fields, "but we can't afford allowing you to stand at this time."
"I know," Jaral said sadly. "However, I could never leave you to plant all the fields on time unless I know for a fact that you would be able to finish everything on time, or had some more help."
Behind them, the dragonrider turned around and mounted his dragon. By the time Jaral and his father reached the fields where they were working, the dragonrider and dragon were distant specs in the sky, flying back to the Ruatha Hold.
I'll try to get the next chapter posted as soon as possible.