Keylyn: 14 Turns

Baeris Kshau's Healing Den | Ryslen Weyr

Stats | Childhood | Search | Impression | Hatchling | Weyrling | Adult

        "You know you're no supposed to just go off like that," Alynn reprimanded her errant daughter, after Keylyn had once again left for several hours.
        "But. . . I don't bother anyone. . . and there's more inspiration out of the hold. . ." Ke protested.  Her green Ziiri chirped angrily in agreement.

        Alynn quickly hid a grin, and her attempt to look severe failed.  "Maybe, but there is more to life than composing, and I told you I needed you to teach the younger classes.  Now, why don't you go see if there are any records to be recopied?"  Although Alynn's last remark was phrased as a suggestion, it was clearly a punishment.
        Keylyn sighed.  Copying the ancient, dust-encased records was one of her least favorite jobs.  They were all about people who died Intervals ago, and contained little or no music.  However, at her mother's warning glance, she quickly hurried away to the record rooms.
 

        Several hours later, a green dragon landed in the Hold's courtyard.  Alynn looked up.  Savyn was currently being fostered at a southern hold, but Asalan had remained. . . Her thoughts travelled. . . Maybe he was old enough to Impress.  At that moment, a drudge entered her classroom, and she looked up to hear his message.  "L'sanol of green Salyth has asked to see all of your students."
        Although Alynn currently had less than ten students, her class erupted in pandemonium.  She quieted the excited children, and led them down to the yard, which was already milling with hopeful candidates.  Looking around, Alynn glimpsed Asalan, now ten Turns of age.  He was rather young, but still had a chance.  Wait. . . Alynn momentarily recalled something.  Was it someone she had forgotten?  Something she needed to do?  As she grasped for it, the elusive thought slipped away.  Oh well.  It must not have been that important.  She returned her attention to Asalan, who was talking with the rider.
 

        L'sanol sighed.  Salyth had been certain that there was a great Candidate here. . .  I still am certain!  Don't you trust me?
        Yes, he replied, and I know that you're one of the best  -  The best! Salyth interjected - the best Searchdragon around. . . but, still. . . there hasn't been anyone suitable so far.
        Someone comes now, Salyth told him.  Not the Candidate I felt, but. . . he will do.
        The boy who approached couldn't have been more than ten Turns old, but he did seem to have some potential.  After talking to him for several minutes, L'sanol decided that he would do, and moved on to the next child.
 

        Keylyn looked up from her copying.  Funny, but it seemed like something special was going on. . . something she couldn't miss.  The compulsion continued and intensified.  Finally, Keylyn walked over to the small, dusty window, and peered out. . . just in time to see a green dragon fly away.
        Suddenly, the compulsion ceased, and Ke had a sinking feeling about its cause.  What if. . . She ran from the room, almost bumping into Headwoman Jharra.  "Please. . ." she half-sobbed.  "Why was a green dragon at the Hold?"
        Jharra's friendly face broke in a smile.  "L'sanol of Salyth was on Search. . . and he picked Alasan as a Candidate!  He said that he couldn't find the Candidate that Salyth mentioned, though. . . A Candidate whom he was certain would  Impress.  Oh well.  Anyway, too bad you missed Alasan being Searched.  But really, Ke, I have to go now."
        "Thank you," Keylyn called after her.  But she did not feel thankful at all.  She had a feeling that she had missed a lot more than Alasan's Searching.
        Ziiri landed on Ke's shoulder, chirping in a manner that was obviously meant to be comforting.  "Yes,"  Keylyn remarked bitterly.  "D'kan did say I would be a good Candidate. . . that's why I have you. . ."
 

        Several Turns later the news reached Keylyn.  All had gone well with A'san and his blue, until, during Fall, Kasieth had been horribly scored.  Although the blue had gone immediately between, his wounds had been beyond repair.   Later that day, the Weyr mourned the loss of a dragon.
        A'san had lived several days after Kasieth's death, seldom conscious, and never fully aware of those around him.  Finally, after days of feverish and pain-wracked nightmares, A'san followed his life-mate into the eternal oblivion of between.
 

        After A'san's death, Keylyn wrote one of her most moving compositions to date.  Although unreasonably, she blamed the Weyr for her brother's death, and with less reason, for the loss of her true father, who had abandoned hia family to go to the Weyr.  So began her crusade against the Weyr, and a chain of events that would change her life beyond imagination.

A Dragonrider's Lament

 
I alight on my dragon, and we fly, high-soaring,
O'er Weyr, Hold, and Hall; the land and the sea.
I know that wherever, whenever I go,
He will always be there, my blue dragon for me.

At my blue hatchling's birth, I too was reborn
In his youth, I did learn with him too.
But today, at his death, I'm alone, all alone,
And the Turns that we shared were too few.

We had often flown Fall, since we both were quite young;
Little did I know today he'd die.
But as we appeared flaming, the Thread scored him,
And we went between there in the sky.

I am pain; I am darkness;My soul is now gone.
I am death, my life's void for all time.
For my heart has deserted me; my hope is gone,
Yet I cannot go between and die,

Oh, I cannot, I cannot, go between and die.