First Interval
Spring, Turn 250 A.L
Benden Weyr
Karrema sat on the lowest tier of the Hatching Grounds with her sketchpad balanced on her knees, sketching the two Benden queens with their clutches. It was clear to Karrema that this was Karoth's first clutch. Compared to Karoth's dam, Maruth, Karoth seemed tense. She kept her long neck wrapped protectively around her whole clutch, which included a queen egg, while Maruth was completely at ease, showing only a protective instinct about her own queen egg.
"Do you think you'll Impress?" The sound of K'una's soft voice startled Karrema. K'una, Impressed bronze Ureth at the Hatching a Turn ago. Karrema gave shrug. "You're the favorite for the queen eggs." K'una smiled.
"Why would I be a favorite, K'una?" Karrema said incredulously. She knew she Weyrwoman Irene was her aunt, but she only had vague memories of her parents. "I mean Foepe and Zara are Candidates too."
K'una pressed his lips into a thin line. "Zara is such an arrogant, dimglow she'll be lucky to Impress a green." Karrema hid a giggle behind her hand. The whole Weyr knew Zara fancied K'una. Karoth shifted restlessly.
You might want to scurry, Karrema. Ryssa is heading this way to see why Karoth is agitated. Maruth warned Karrema.
Karrema quickly shut her sketchpad and got to her feet. K'una gave her a questioning look. "Maruth says Ryssa is coming," she explained quickly.
"Girl can talk to any dragon, but doubts she can Impress a queen." K'una muttered as he followed Karrema to the exit. Karrema let him grumble. K'una was one of the few, besides Weyrwoman Irene that knew about her gift. She didn't like to bring it up. Karrema wasn't sure why, but she felt it was because of her gift that her parents abandoned her and sometimes she dreamed about a tall, willowy woman with pale ivory skin, long black curls and sapphire blue eyes. Could that woman be my mother? Karrema thought.
"So this is why Karoth is agitated." Ryssa's sharp voice cut through Karrema's thoughts, bringing her to an abrupt halt. Karrema and K'una looked up into Ryssa's angry face. To K'una she snapped, "Go see to your dragon bronze rider." K'una gave a quick bow to Ryssa and cast an apologetic look to Karrema before hurrying off. Ryssa turned back to Karrema, her dark eyes blazing angrily. "What are you doing here?" she demanded.
Karrema shifted uncomfortably. Ryssa was the polar opposite of Irene, where Irene was tall, graceful, and warm, Ryssa was short, stocky, and frigid. Karrema didn't like dealing with the junior weyrwoman. "I wanted to sketch Maruth and Karoth with their clutches before they hatched." Karrema answered truthfully, but Ryssa didn't appear to appreciate her candor.
"You ungrateful wretch, you have no business snooping about and upsetting my dragon." Ryssa rebuked sharply. Karrema stood in silence, hanging her head.
I've sent for Irene. Maruth informed Karrema.
What? Why! Karrema asked with a start.
Ureth asked me to. Maruth shifted on the sands. However, I would have done so anyway. Ryssa has no right to speak to you in that way.
Karrema felt comforted by the senior queen's maternal tone. Irene appeared a few moments later, looking a little irritated. "You know Ryssa; maybe Karoth would be happier if we continued this elsewhere."
Ryssa turned around in surprise and began to bristle. "What are you doing here?"
"Well, I'm Benden's Weyrwoman and Maruth's rider. I'm supposed to be here." Irene said with a sweet smile. Ryssa's face grew red, but before she could respond Maruth sat up on her golden haunches and began humming, her eyes shone blue-green with excitement.
"The eggs!" Irene and Karrema said together.
"Quickly Karrema, go get dressed." Irene said eagerly.
Karrema nodded, pushed her drawing supplies into her aunt's hands, and then scurried off toward the Candidate Dorms.
"There you are!" Foepe cried, tossing Karrema the white robe that all Candidate's wore to the Hatching. "Where were you?"
Karrema smiled at her best friend. "I was sketching Maruth and Karoth."
"Hey Karrema, whose eggs are Hatching?" Meko called from across the room.
Karrema turned to look at the brown-skinned girl from Igen. "Maruth's." She slipped the robe over her head.
"How many browns do you think there will be?" a young lad from High Reaches called from beside his bunk.
"Why are you worried about browns Solib? You'll be lucky to Impress a green." Markury sneered. Markury was Zara's twin brother. They shared the same horrid personality. Both were arrogant, prideful and believed Impression a guarantee simply because weyrwoman Ryssa was their mother and bronze rider P'iti was their father.
"I think Solib is more likely to Impress a bronze than you are Markury," Karrema stated coolly.
A tall man with cream-colored skin and dull sea-green eyes appeared in the doorway. "Hurry up you lot," he snapped.
The Candidates hurried to obey the WeyrlingMaster and formed a line. Markury and Zara slipped into the front positions, their noses in the air. Karrema stood behind Zara and in front of Foepe. Together the Candidates made their way to the Hatching Grounds. Zara looked over her shoulder at Karrema, a leer on her face. "Don't even try to Impress the queen, little brat. She is mine."
Karrema gave the older girl a sweet, innocent smile. "I thought the dragon chooses the rider, Zara." Zara glowered at her before turning back to face front.
"Good job," Foepe whispered in Karrema's ear as they reached the edge of the Hatching Grounds. The sight that greeted them left Karrema awestruck. The spring sky above the Weyr Bowl was a clear blue, not a cloud in sight. Bronzes, browns, blues, and greens wove through the sky, dropping off guests. "Who is that with M'shall?" Foepe pointed to the ledge where bronze Craigath just landed to drop off the Weyrleader and a tall woman with pale, ivory skin and long black curls.
"I don't know," Karrema shrugged. The dragons' humming increased in pitch and intensity.
"Look the eggs are rocking!" Solib gestured eagerly. WeyrlingMaster C'yiw led them onto the hot sands and instructed them to fan out around the mottled eggs.
The first egg cracked and a hush fell over the room. Karrema watched with baited breath as the egg split open, revealing a glistening bronze, who peered up into the faces of Markury, Pagud, and Korkog. Tall, witty, and amiable, Korkog seemed the obvious choice to Karrema, but the dragonet had other ideas. Karrema bit back a groan as the bronze chose Markury. Three more eggs hatched revealing two browns and a blue. One of the browns shuffled awkwardly to Solib, causing Karrema's heart to soar with joy. The young lad's eyes shone with happiness. "Hello Keloth." Solib, now S'lib whispered softly, stroking the brown's head. I love you S'lib, the brown crooned.
Foepe tugged on Karrema's sleeve and pointed to the queen egg, which was rocking violently. Maruth's encouraging warble echoed around the grounds. Karrema inhaled sharply as a small golden head broke through the shell. The dragonet turned her head, surveying those around her with a bejeweled eye. The other girls looked at Karrema and Zara expectantly. Zara took a frightened step back. "What's wrong with you?" Foepe scolded.
"Why is she angry?" Zara whispered. The gold dragonet broke the remainder of her shell and advanced toward Zara, who scrambled backward.
Karrema looked at the whirling red eyes of the dragonet and smiled. "She isn't angry, Zara. She's excited." Karrema couldn't believe the girl of fifteen Turns was afraid of this beautiful dragonet. The dragonet tripped over her still damp wings and gave a bellow of pain. Karrema hurried forward, knelt down, and tucked the damp wing along the ridge. "There you go darling," she smiled.
My name is Fayelth, the dragonet informed Karrema.
That's a very pretty name. Karrema scratched the queen's eye ridge.
Where is Foepe? Fayelth chirped.
"Foepe come here," Karrema called. The shorter girl came over looking confused. "This is Fayelth and she chose you," Karrema whispered.
Foepe gazed at the young queen looking dazed. "Hello Fayelth." Foepe whispered. The dragonet blinked up at Foepe and a look of complete bliss covered Foepe's features.
"Congratulations queen rider." Karrema stood. It made her happy to see Foepe cradling Fayelth's head in her arms. She looked at the newly Impressed dragonpairs, a smile on her face. Korkog, now K'kog stood next to a bronze as did M'kury. S'lib stood with his arm draped over Keloth's neck. Meko stood next to a green. Karrema had to hide her amusement when she spotted Zara sulking. She quickly shifted her gaze to where Karoth lay with her own clutch, the queen egg rested beside her head. Will I Impress the queen in Karoth's clutch, Karrema wondered silently.
You will ride a queen, young Karrema. Maruth crooned.
I hope you're right Maruth, Karrema sighed, unsure what she would do if she didn't Impress.
Later That Night
Karrema walked into the large dining cavern, smells of roasted herdbeasts and spiced wherry mingled with the tantalizing aroma of bubbly pies. Karrema's stomach growled. "Karrema, over here!" K'una called from a table where he sat with his little sister Heli, their father, brown rider S'mum, and their mother Farli, rider of green Obath. Karrema smoothed the green fabric of her dress before strolling over to join her friends.
"Are you sad you didn't Impress?" Heli chirped.
Karrema smiled at the small girl. "Not really." Blaze glided into the room and landed on Karrema's shoulder. "Besides I have Blaze." Karrema stroked her companion fondly and the gold fire lizard warbled happily.
"But you can't ride or fly against Thread on a fire lizard," Heli objected. "Everyone thinks you'll Impress the queen from Karoth's clutch, and I think you have to. What use is a woman in a Weyr if she doesn't ride a dragon?" Heli prattled on. The smile fell from Karrema's face; although Heli only had ten Turns she made a good point. Ninety percent of the woman at Benden Weyr rode at least a green, not counting the girls too young to stand on the sands as Candidates.
"Heli! Don't say things like that," Farli, rebuked her daughter.
If I fail to Impress where will I belong in Pern's society? Karrema thought darkly. Blaze rubbed her small head against Karrema's cheek, eyes whirling pale yellow with concern.
K'una lightly touched Karrema's shoulder. "Are you alright?" He whispered. Karrema nodded, still deep in thought.