“Now, for this tapestry you may choose your own topic.” The journeyman weaver instructed patiently. Estarin smiled as he threaded his loom obediently. The light-haired young weaver apprentice knew exactly what he was going to do. Dragons! What better theme for a tapestry could there be? That’s what Estarin thought, anyhow. He did, of course, have a reputation for being obsessed with the gentle giants of Pern. But it mattered little to him what others thought. “Hmmmm….what kind of scene….? Flaming? Resting? Flying? Yes, that’s it, flying.” Estarin murmured to himself, long fingers nimbly dancing over the strands.
Several candlemarks later, the tapestry began to take on a discernible pattern. The journeyman strode around the room, giving bits of advice and compliments. He stopped behind Estarin, looking intently over his shoulder. “An appropriate scene, Estarin. Quite nice. But you should make the brown dragon’s wing a little lighter over here…” the journeyman pointed. Estarin nodded agreement and bent to correct it.
“There! It’s finished!” Estarin declared, holding up his tapestry and beaming proudly as he studied his work with light blue eyes. Dominating the scene was a huge golden queen, wings spread in flight. Beyond it was a myriad of bronze, brown, blue and green dragons in various positions. The tapestry was bordered in deep purple with tongues of flame on the edges. Estarin was sure it was his best weave ever.
“Very good, Estarin! I-” the journeyman was interrupted by the whooshing sound of huge, leathery wings outside the Hall. “Oh, yes, that must be the Searchriders. Come on now, all the apprentices are to go outside.” Estarin followed, barely containing his excitement. He’d never seen dragons up close before, only from a long distance.
There were two Searchdragons, one blue and one green. Their riders dismounted, striding up to greet the Masterweaver. “Green Cylith of Talor Cliff Weyr has just clutched, sixteen eggs, we’re here to look for any likely Candidates.” The greenrider said, adding politely, “Oh yes, I’m Beka, rider of green Reth, and this is Nora, blue Mitanth’s rider.”
As the two riders were conversing with the Masterweaver, their dragons were looking down at all the eager apprentices with blue-whirling faceted eyes. Estarin held his breath as the green dragon gazed at him. You might make a good dragonrider. You will come with us. said a voice in the weaver boy's head. He blinked and looked at the apprentice standing next to him. “Did you say something?” Estarin asked anxiously. The other boy shook his head and gave him a strange look. It wasn’t him. It was me. The dragon standing in front of you. the voice intoned with a hint of amusement. “Well, if Reth says you might be a good dragonrider, then you’re coming to Talor Cliff with us.” Said the green’s rider, who had walked over, unnoticed by Estarin. The weaver apprentice gaped at the rider with big, round eyes. “I take it you’d like to go.” Beka said, leading the still-astonished Estarin to Reth, along with a few other chosen Candidates.
“Is Talor Cliff Weyr very big?” Estarin asked a trifle timidly, finding his voice. “It’s big enough.” The rider replied shortly as they launched into the air. “Have you ever been between before?” Beka inquired. Estarin nodded. “Only a few times.” he told the dragonrider, then gasped as they went into between for a few heart-stopping moments. “Oh wow…” the weaver apprentice whispered appreciatively as they appeared over the Weyr.
A few days later, all the Candidates assembled in the Hatching Grounds. D'tol, the Candidate Master, dolled out instructions sternly. "Remember, Cylith is a broody mother. Doesn't matter if she's a green, you steer clear of her anger, and don't ever do anything that might aggravate her. This is your first egg familiarization session; you can go up and touch the eggs, talk to them, get used to them. Dragons will hatch out of them, you know." the dragonrider reminded them, casting a disapproving eye over the young people who seemed to think that talking to dragon eggs was beneath them.
Estarin quickly chose an egg to concentrate on. It was about medium size compared to the other eggs in the clutch, and had whorls of grey-green and light yellow. He put out a hand to rest on the warm shell and tentatively stroked it. "Well, you've a nice-looking egg, little dragon. What color will you be when you hatch out, I wonder? Will you remember me touching your shell? Shall I see you Impress another Candidate?" the weaver apprentice mused quietly, still stroking the smooth shell of the egg. Glancing around, Estarin could see several other Candidates doing the same to other eggs, but a few were hanging back. He particularly noticed Aleori, one of the female Candidates who he had developed an affinity for. Estarin looked up towards the green mother of the egg he was touching. Cylith shifted on the hot sand and surveyed her eggs protectively, head snaking out. He went back to murmuring to the egg.
"Hurry! All the Candidates get down to the Sands! The eggs are Hatching!" At the shouted words, Estarin hurriedly threw on his white robe and dashed down to the Hatching Grounds, where all the dragons were gathered. He could feel the deep thrumming vibrating through his bones.
Suddenly, two of the eggs cracked, revealing a green and a white! Estarin could feel his hope rising as the white headed towards the boys, but the little dragon did not glance his way. He turned back towards the clutch.
Watching the other Candidates Impress, Estarin almost missed the small brown running clumsily towards him, until the hatchling stomped his feet in the sand, spraying it everywhere. Estarin laughed. "Requarith, I see you, I see you! You aren't exactly invisible, you know!" he exclaimed joyfully, bending down to hug his new lifemate. Together, they made their way towards the Weyrling Barracks, where food awaited.
