As recorded by Thirza, rider of gold Bellezath.
Thirza stretched and entered the Dining Hall. It was early in the morning, but she knew that R’nan would already be there. He liked the early morning.
"Thirza! Love!" R’nan grabbed her and hugged her. "What are you doing up so early?" The brown-rider kissed her forehead.
Thirza simply smiled back at him. "The eggs are hatching."
R’nan laughed and gave her an odd look. "Could you repeat that? For a second I thought you said the eggs are hatching."
Thirza kissed his cheek and left to find the Weywoman. "I did. Wake up the candidates, would you?"
R’nan ran to the candidate bunks and began shaking people awake. Some were reluctant to get moving, but when the brown-rider told them why their precious sleep was being disturbed, they all hurried. Soon after twelve youths, clad in white robes, stood on the sands before Bellezath, yawning.
R’nan walked over to where Thirza and Weywoman Lythena were standing. Amorth, his dragon landed in the Sands. Bellezath snapped at him once, but let him stay. The two dragons were almost as close as the two riders. R’nan put his arm around Thirza and kissed her.
Weyrwoman Lythena interupted them by putting her hand on Thirza’s shoulder. "It’s starting."
The two riders turned to watch their dragons’ children impress.
All the eggs were rocking, but only a few had cracks. The egg closest to the group of candidates had the most cracks. The dragonet within was obviously struggling to free itself. With a creel of victory a small blue hatchling entered the world. The dragon stood up, walked a few steps forwards, fell down, and then stood up again. It sat down in front of the male candidates and creeled.
Jerabrin knelt and stroked the blue hatchling. "It’s okay Rocath. I know the sands are hot. Let’s get you something to eat." A cheer rose from the stands as the first impression was made. R’nan squeezed Thirza’s hand, but the gold-rider didn’t notice. She was too busy staring at the eggs.
A green dragon gracefully exited her shell and made her way quickly to the girls. She nudged Myanis’ heels and looked up at the girl expectanly. Myanis smiled. "Alright Cansarth, let’s go. And I wasn’t getting bored waiting for you." The girl led the green hatchling off the sand. As she passed by Thirza, the gold-rider heard her say. "But I am glad you came so quickly."
Thirza smiled to herself as another green and a brown shattered their shells. The green examined all the female candidates very carefully. The hatchling even scanned the boys for a moment. She was obviously going to pick the very best rider for herself. Finally, she walked straight to Meyena.
The girl put her hands on her hips and smiled at her new lifemate. "I did not make any bets on this hatching, Marichoth. It was too important." She lifted her dragon and together they left the sands.
The entire time Marichoth examined the candidates, her brown brother had been trying to stand. Walking was apparently not that easy for the tiny brown dragon. Eventually Lamelior threw up his arms in defeat and walked over to the brown dragon. He lifted the tiny hatching and spoke to it. "I know you’re supposed to let the dragon come to you, but Alegreth, you were taking forever!" A few of the candidates who were left smiled at the joke, but most were still nervously watching the eggs.
A green snout pushed it’s way out of one of the smaller eggs. The egg started to tip and a green tail emerged from the other end of the egg. Two legs burst from the top of the egg and a green dragon hatched onto her back. She snorted once, then stood and began to examine the candidates.
She stretched her wings and creeled before running to Mikaila. The girl grinned and stroked the beautiful creature. "Yes, I know you’re hungry Asperanteth. We’ll get you something to eat."
Another brown shattered his shell and walked towards the candidates. It sat down halfway between the boys and the girls and stared at both groups, obviously confused. A green hatchling nipped at her brother and pointed him towards the boys while she walked, head held high, straight to Jillyana. The brown, with a snort at his sister, stopped in front of Nemar.
Jillyana smiled down at her hatchling. "I can tell that you know what you’re doing Oath. You show your brother how to behave at a hatching."
Nemar smiled up at her. "Marahadeth didn’t need the help. He knew how to find me." The two new riders left the sands at the same time, accompanied by their hatchlings, of course.
Thirza smiled at them as they passed, but R’nan could tell that she was worried about something. She bit her lip with anxiety. R’nan started to say something, but Thirza squeezed his hand and he shut his mouth.A brown dragonet carefully removed the last pieces of shell from his hide and started walking towards the boys. With a smug look in his eyes the hatchling sat in front of Fallareon. The youth smiled down at his dragon. "You may think walking is easy Cadelenth, but just wait ‘til you have to fly!" As the newest pair left the sands Thirza’s grip on R’nan’s hand became almost unbearable.
The brown-rider quickly snatched his hand back. "Shards Thirza! What’s wrong?"
She simply pointed back out across the sands at the newest hatchling.
The hatchling was another green, shimmering like an emerald in the early morning sun. Britria, the last female candidate waited patiently as the hatchling made it’s way to her. "I’m glad you’re here Alazanth. I was beginning to worry."
Thirza grabbed R’nan, tears almost forming in her eyes. "R’nan. Oh R’nan."
He held her back, not understanding. "What?"
"There’s not going to be a gold. There’s not going to be any metallic."
"What?" The brown-rider was as bemused as ever.
"Shhh....." Weyrwoman Lythena hushed them. "Watch."
Only three eggs were left on the sands and they all were rocking. Two of the eggs seemed to hatch at exactly the same moment and two beautiful blue hatchlings struggled to stand. Godel and Galahn smiled at the hatchlings and then both approached the hatchlings. Gawain was left standing by himself.
"You’re beautiful Zonazeth." Godel said as he cradled the tiny hatchling.
"Of course I can tell you apart from your brother Zanezoth. You’re much more handsome." Galahn lead his lifemate off the sands.
"Oh please." R’nan heard Thirza murmur. "Please be a bronze."
"Thirza. Would you please explain to me...." R’nan was cut off by the gold-rider. She yelped with joy as her prayers were answered. A tiny bronze hatchling stood on the sands and looked expectantly to Gawain. The man laughed and rubbed the tiny hatchling. "Yes I was worried Zenozath. I know I was the only candidate left, but you could have chosen someone in the stands." The last pair left the sands and Thirza hugged R’nan with joy.
The brown-rider pulled away from her and looked her straight in the eyes. "Now what was all this nonsense about a metallic?"
Thirza grinned back at him. "I was arguing with a bronze-rider in the Dining Hall last night. It was the rider of the bronze that almost caught Bellezath when she rose. He was threatening me and yelling at me. He told me that because a brown caught my gold there would be no metallic hatchlings. He said that Bellezath might as well be a green. He said she wasn’t really a queen. He said it was a wasted clutch."
R’nan stared at her in wonder. "You were actually worried about what that wherry said?"
Thirza blushed. "Well...of course not.....a little..... I guess....." She stammered.
R’nan grabbed her arm and marched her to the Feeding Grounds. She stared at him, confused. "Watch." He commanded. She looked out over the new riders and their new lifemates. They were laughing and smiling and generally happy. R’nan spun her to look at him again. "Now tell me that was a wasted clutch."
Thirza smiled shyly and hugged her best-friend and husband. "I’m sorry."
R’nan hugged her back and stroked her cheek. "No clutch is ever a wasted clutch." He stared out at the many greens and browns. "And none of their Weyrs will have to worry about Threadfall with so many good fighting dragons. That’s the point, isn’t it?"
Thirza laughed. "So I guess that getting a green, blue or brown is actually better for Pern than getting a bronze or gold." R’nan nodded and Thirza grinned. "Just wait until I tell that to Bellezath."
