Keylyn: Impression

Baeris Kshau's Healing Den | Ryslen Weyr

Stats | Childhood | 14 Turns | Search | Hatchling |  Weyrling | Adult

        How long had she been at the Weyr? Keylyn couldn't remember. About a sevenday and a half, she guessed. She couldn't fault the behavior of the weyrfolk, either. They had all been extremely welcoming, and Keylyn was glad.  The presence of music in the Weyr was comforting, too. Although most of the new styles of music that Zheyth favored were strange to her, Keylyn did not find them annoying as many others did. "You would too, if you'd been hearing music non-stop for ever since Zheyth laid her clutch. Doesn't matter that you're a Harper," one disgruntled dragonrider told her.
        Still, though, the days before the Hatching had seemed the longest of her life. Keylyn was relieved when it was announced that the eggs were finally cracking.
        She walked to the Sands slightly apart from the other Candidates, who were all discussing the coming Impressions excitedly. She was about to go through the archway onto the sands, when a voice in her mind awoke.
        Am I doing the right thing? she wondered. What if they don't want me? I don't think I would ever stand again. . .
        Her worries were disrupted by Ziiri. The little green shoved imperiously into her bondmate's back, forcing her forward. Escorted by the flitter, Keylyn walked to stand with the other loosely grouped Candidates.

        She had arrived none too early; a moment after she had taken her place, the first egg split, revealing a blue. Keylyn backed instinctively, but the flit moved her forward to watch the blue Impress to a boy several feet away. The expression on his face was incredible, Keylyn thought. Rapt, adoring, and amazed that the dragon had chosen him.
        In the next few minutes, several bonds took place. A delicate white? light? green bonded to a crippled girl, followed by another blue. And then, drawing a gasp from the crowd, a white-gold broke shell. She was beautiful, Keylyn reflected, but somehow, she was not drawn to the little queen. A moment later, she watched as the gold and her new bondmate exitted the Sands.
        Despite the gold, the hatchling that followed made a greater impression on Keylyn. He was a blue-white, with a hide fading from deep Harper blue to aqua to white. Keylyn, watching as the blue met his life-mate, found herself wishing that it was not so rare for a girl to Impress a blue.
        Another green, and a light bronze followed. Watching the bronze and his life-mate - a feline humanoid - leave, Keylyn wondered if she would ever Impress. Had K'jannen betrayed her? Would the dragons leave her here alone? She frowned; a phrase of music danced through her mind, evading capture.  "...the queen has flown, left me here in the twilight zone." Her attention drawn from the Sands, she did not notice when another egg hatched.
        She was pulled out of her thoughts by an imperious voice, and looked down to see - another, exquisite light blue. Keylyn - I am Sekayth.

        Keylyn was surprised, amazed, delighted that the hatchling had spoken to her. But it did feel right. In a rush of love, she ran to the little light blue standing in the sands before her, and held him to her. I know, dear heart. Come, let's go.
        I would go anywhere with you, Sekayth assured her. I love you and I will never leave you alone.

        Oblivious to the eggs and candidates still on the sands, the girl and blue-white hatchling left the Hatching Grounds together. On an impulse, forgetting the last time that she had sung it, forgetting everything besides her deep, wholehearted love for the dragon beside her, she began to sing.
 
 

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.