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Rhys - HR

There was no way to explain to anyone what had happened to him when that little one had Betweened at the very end of the hatching. There was no way to explain to anyone what was going on with him now. Indeed, Rhys had withdrawn from everyone, sitting in the very back of the Feast, watching nothing, buried almost completely in a sheet of paper and his own writing utensil. How could he tell anyone it was like, in that moment, that he'd gone Between himself? How was he to explain how the world had dropped from under him, and his heart had shattered. He was such a delicate creature, and his sister had always been his knight, his protector, his backbone. When they'd been running wild in the streets of their home, there she was. When Thread had destroyed their hold, she was the one who swept him on to dragon back and held him in the cold of Between. When they'd first been introduced to the woman that would be their adopted mother, she'd pushed him to open up...and now he was alone. So terribly alone, and it HURT. It stung, to think that it had not been his time, and honestly? Rhys HATED himself for being so jealous. How could he be? His sister had found her beloved match, the other part of her soul! He could no more begrudge her a dragon than he could if she'd found a boyfriend, and yet here he was.

He wouldn't even look towards anyone, refusing to speak, just indulging in his drawing as he tried to fight past the raging whirl of emotions that threatened to consume his broken heart. Rune was gone, he had to accept that, to a vicious little Green whose laugh resounded in Rhys' mind rather like a taunt. Perhaps the Green would find his pain funny, but who knew, for any time Rune got near, Rhys would disapper in the crowd all over agian, finding a new place to sit. Tonight was her night. Let her enjoy it as she ought...he had quite so much to work through...on his own.

Rune of Green Saevath

It was like her brother had disappeared. While Rune would catch glimpses of his near-white hair through the crowds, she could never quite catch him, and Saevath seemed to think it a fun game. The hatchling was, however, rather sleepy, and had decided that Hers' shoulder was a lovely resting place. Her head and upper body were draped over one shoulder, while her tail and back legs were draped over the other, the forked tail wrapped idly about her arm. The little one's eyes whirled an orange hue as Hers looked around, baleful and agitated at the girl's attentions drifting elsewhere, Either find him, or settle so we might eat. All your moving is making me ill. In reality, Saevath said it for Rune's own good, sensing her Rider's hunger and exhaustion. Wasn't today all about CELEBRATING their union? After all, they were each other's most important now.

Sighing, the girl settled near the other new Weyrlings, drawing out a piece of meat and feeding it to Saevath. The Green's teeth nipped at a finger as she took it, going so far as to draw blood. Both glared at each other, teeth baring, Saevath's in a mock-smile, and Rune's in a snarl, before they laughed together. It was how they would be, and each was well with it. While Rune's heart might be just a bit sick over Rhys, she had a Hatchling to attend now....and that was most important, after all. She could find the other later....since she knew well that he'd go to Olliah and Fianth. "Okay, you're right....He's obviously busy or something. He can handle it."

Alumet of Gold Zenobiath
Today was a day of sorrow, and a day of delight. Zenobiath was watching all the to-do from a distant perch, and could feel the presence of her Beloved down below. In her gathering best, Alumet looked like a sparkling star as she always did, and the Gold had to take a moment to encourage her beloved to go socialize. She was a Goldrider after all, and there was so much for her to do. Once the woman was mingling about, the Gold let herself relax, her eyes whirling white and yellow, looking around over all the little ones. Thank Faranth they were all well, and taking care of one another. The two little Golds were in her hearts right now, beautiful both and so good for their clutches. A credit to their own golden mothers. Let tonight be about celebration....That she might well ignore the pain that thrummed in her hearts from insults and loss.

Aryale, A'star and Miryath

"I can get down on my own," Aryale nudged one foot dismissively at A'star as he lingered, eager to just grab up his eldest daughter as she climbed down from Miryath's shoulder. Instead, the man stepped back, several degrees of nervous as he looked from Miryath and Aryale, to Euryale, to the dragons of High Reaches. It was as if he was expecting them all to change their minds about letting the family send off their oldest son.

"You're not - I think you - Aryale, please!" the tall man caught a heel in his chest for his attempt to dive in to grab up the girl, causing him to wheeze as she finally dropped into the sand. being in a dress, on top of her father's nervous antics, had not made something she'd done so many times somehow easier. He'd already been acting like an overly dramatic and wounded canine about the whole affair since they came home.

In fact, A'star had already all but thrown himself into Euryale's arms to weep - again. "Our babies are...all grown up!! They don't need d-d-dad anym-more and I-"

Aryale had already begun to tune them both out, putting her hands on her hips and shaking her head. "Seriously, you two," she sighed, already accepting her fate of dealing with...with whatever this was for the next full Turn. But she decided pointedly to leave them to it, nodding to Miryath, who had moved to cuddle up next to Theath, as she made her way into the Feast to find her brother.

Which basically meant she needed to think of all of the potential pitfalls of such a setup and check there, first.

Kinyegele

She'd straight up cried on her mother.

It had been as though these clutches, these wonderful, beautiful, sweet, dark, disastrous, amazing clutches, had boiled her feelings over to the point where they finally had needed to spill over and they'd spilled over with more gusto than intended. But the thing about crying and mothers was that somehow both of them combined had a way of smoothing things back over to an even keel.

So she was simply bright and bouncy and happy to be alive again. A stark contrast from the slightly(...times twenty) girl who had all but scrambled off the sands early that morning. She'd picked up her best blue dress (it was so light and pretty!) and braided her hair up extra nicely (her hair was always braided, so perhaps nobody would care about that) and after perhaps another 20 more hugs around the whole family, off she'd gone.

All by herself.

Zheria's speech put it so wonderfully; she was one step closer to a beautiful green, or maybe a blue, or maybe a white for herself. But she oddly came out on the other side of all of this sadness feeling like perhaps...she was closer to something. Something else. She didn't know what, though. Maybe it was this food. It did all look rather tasty!

V'mel
Eight eyes were not enough. Of course he carried only two himself, but for one V'mel, with more than sixty weyrling pairs to mind...Aviroth had been settled in the bowl, just outside the entrance to the caverns, keenly alert and fixed upon any weyrlings that passed by. Over the bowl a deep, nearly midnight-blue firelizard wheeled and turned, chittering to himself as he likewise tracked the movements of those below...and above. As the man himself passed through the entrance to the feasting hall, another firelizard, this one green, took off from his shoulder to perch among the rafters, conveniently blending in with the fair that gathered there each night.

Of course he had his assistants on hand as well. They all of them knew the dangers present at a feast for the freshly bonded. They would intercede if any trouble arose. And still, V'mel felt he needed eyes in the back of his head. Eyes in the skies, eyes on his kids...he was only one man, and he was very good at silencing his own worries and need to assist in all matters he could. His main task, the greatest good he could do, was to be The Weyrlingmaster. Several of these kids had come from Western...and well. Gr'del had already failed some of the rest.

He would not do the same, even if that meant he had to break them to fix them again. If he had to smack wine goblets from hands tonight then by Faranth's own shell he would do it.


F'enn & Zezollath
He'd slept through most of the hatching, in truth. Heart-rending emotion had given way, as the tiny green (his green, his partner) had eaten her fill beside her cousin, to bone-deep exhaustion. Some of it, certainly, was Zezollath's own sleepiness. Most? Most, if he'd had a mindhealer to tell him, was simply his own body giving up. Feeling isolated, feeling fear, feeling certain his life was in imminent danger? It'd broken him down, and the rush of impressing had broken the dam holding that wave back. His mind hadn't known how to cope with suddenly NOT being alone, NOT having his fate be uncertain. Finally able to cease the persistent stress...he'd collapsed, wrapped in his green's wings, and slept and slept and slept. Not even the death of the candidate, or the passing of his green at the end had roused the pair from their death-like sleep.

When at last they'd been shaken awake, it was like a rebirth. To have each other from that first instant of awareness. To not only not be alone, but to be loved; palpable, genuine, a love he could feel was true...it was the first time in all his turns to wake up knowing that there was someone out there who cared for him. He'd been nearly in tears as he'd been led to the weyrling barracks, and struggled to get dressed when he realized he did not want to let go of the green's tiny headknob. As if losing contact with her would cause her to drift away, a kite with the strings cut, never to return.

Upon finally joining the throng in the feasting hall, both pressed closer to each other instinctively. It would become easy to be separated in the throng, and neither wanted that. Zezollath's eyes whirled a bit brighter upon spotting Anakumath amid the crowd, pausing to offer a bright little trill before pressing on beside F'enn. At her gentle coaxing he had actually dressed well for the event, in a mix of blues—High Reaches colors and to bring out his eyes—and greens. Similarly she herself sported a frothy blue scarf wound around her neck to match his. And she adored that he'd thought to do so.


O'thio & Iweth
Theo wasn't READY for a feast! He simply, simply wasn't! Oh, Faranth between but he'd come ready to play the role of harper, not one of the guests of honor! Theo'd been wringing his hands since he'd woken and realized that there was a dragonet draped over his legs. Iweth's childlike excitement and his own jangling spirit crashed into a whirling explosion of barely-containable...something, but within just himself he'd begun to wonder if he might not be completely out of his depth. It didn't flag his eagerness to indulge in every wish and wonder he'd kept held at bay—there was no need to consider begging a weyrling to examine their dragon when it was his own!—but...what if Iweth had chosen wrong?

Not to mention how into the spotlight this new status had forced him. Ever polite, he'd taken the time to shake every offered hand on the way across the bowl, and he'd given his and Iweth's names more times than he could count. The bronze, of course, was thriving on the energy. Theo, though, really just wanted to hide out in a quiet corner.

Why though? It's a party! For us, too, young heroes that we are. Why hide away and miss the revelry? When else would you be able to say your new home took the time to toast you and your new dragon? That being me, of course! The bronze seemed eager to keep his rider from the quiet repose he sought, instead continuing in the man's fashion, taking the time to gently nose at each person he drew near, small huffs of interest ruffling skirts or tousling hair.

Vash and Orath

"You would enjoy the feast more, if you'd take a nap." Vash informed the small white dragon staring at her. This was not the first time she'd 'recommended' he do so. But her dragon bonded - her bonded, sweet Faranth! - was not having any of it. Even though his head drooped a little. The redhead sighed, sitting next to Orath as he flopped his head in her lap. Such a stubborn... beautiful boy!

If I nap now, how will I win against all my siblings? Orath asked, trying really hard not to let himself yawn. He failed miserably. And his Vash was warm. And maybe if he just let his eyelids close juuuuuust a little....

Sighing, Vash gently stroked the white hide. "How about a compromise? Why don't you rest - no, not 'nap' - just rest, while I work on dressing appropriately for the feast?"

That... is acceptable. I'll just... rest...

The redhead watched as her sweet little white finally closed his eyes. And, as promised, she went to work on figuring out what to wear. But every time she began, her eyes drifted back to Orath. Impressed! She had Impressed! And to a white dragon! She couldn't even begin to describe the feelings of elation. And by the egg, she couldn't wait to write home and tell some of her friends! Or Alanya. Ah, her Aunt would be so proud. Vash was only the slightest bit disappointed she wouldn't be here. But her Aunt had a business to run. Thoughts of home made a pang of sadness catch her and she was thankful Orath was sleeping. What would happen now? While she hadn't been out on the Sands when some of the major drama unfolded, she'd surely heard about it. Would this Weyr look down on her for being from Western? Or for Impressing a white...?

Giving her head a little shake, Vash quickly squashed those thoughts and went about dressing. Faranth, but it was cold at High Reaches! She dearly hoped that the clothing she had would be warm enough. It still surprised her to find it already moved into the space she'd be calling home for a while.

Finally, she felt she was dressed warm and fancy enough for a feast. Her dress was simple and a pale rose color with a dark brown, heavy wrap to try and keep the chill out. Not really sure what to do with her hair, she left it down. Now, time for one last thing. Her gaze drifted towards a sleeping Orath. Well, he was small...

So it was, Vash arrived at the feast, carrying a drowsy Orath. He was a little indignant about being seen in such a state, but how could he deny having all His persons attention?

The sudden voice in her head that wasn't Orath's startled the redhead and she almost dropped the white. But she froze instead, listening to the congratulations from Junenth. A smile formed, and with a deep breath, she continued on. Just in time to hear the speech made by Zheria. And to feel the weight of her gaze for the briefest of moments. But it was enough to make Vash hestitant. Which Orath snorted about.

They will see. We'll be the best in the Weyr before they know it! Just you wait, Vashmine.

"I will wait for that day, my Orath." She smiled, giving him a small hug. Now, to brave the feast!


V'lik and Raith

Mine. Stop glowering. This is a happy occasion.

I am NOT glowering. Just observing. One not so smiling man informed his dragon. Why he had to be persuaded (he was pretty sure his Wingsecond had something to do with it...or Raith.).

With a glower. You'll frighten the little ones. And stress out those already too stressed. Raith was avoiding being close to any of the other dragons about, preferring to lounge in peace. He made a small note of their presence to Junenth, letting the bronze know he and V'lik were present. Junenth. Mine and I are here. We will assist in keeping an eye on our candidates that remain.

With a heavy sigh, V'lik tried to stop looking like such a sour puss. But really, he just hated Feasts. And parties of any kind. There were plenty of other things he could have been doing back at Western! Like going over the next sevenday of drills for his wing. Or working with Raith on improving their abilities even more.

I do not need to improve. You are just rambling to yourself.

Sighing once more, V'lik made an effort to not stand in the farthest corner possible. By taking a few steps away and planting himself there. Raith just sighed back at him.

Veltanna of Green Moirath

As they approached the feast area, Veltanna slowed and stopped before Fianth. She gave a bow to both the dragon and the Weyrwoman Second. Momma! Love and affection poured off that one word. You and your’s look lovely! Veltanna rose from her bow and said, “it is an honor to have impressed one of your children. I hope we do you proud.” The crowd was already pushing around them, and the new pair moved inside to listen to the speeches that began the feast.

By the time the lovely Zheria was done with a lovely speech, Moirath was already well distracted by everyone around her. People glittered and sparkled! There were rich fabrics and decorations everywhere! She was delighted. It was Perfect. Look! Look Mine! The lights are different colors. Let’s go over there. I want to see what you look like in that light! And she was off. Veltanna felt she had to follow or she might never see her dragon again that evening. I would find you again!

Laughing Veltanna scooped Moirath up. “Only if you didn’t get distracted on the way.”

Zamistia and Nanuth

Zamistia had spent a lot of the day after the hatching visiting with her sister and R'iz in the infirmary. Then she had gone to get a little nap in the Weyrling Barraks with Nanuth, since she and her brown had gone through so many emotions together. When it came time for the feast, the red headed young woman wasn't sure if she should go or not. On the one hand, it felt wrong to go when her sister and friend couldn't do so. On the other, it felt like it was something they were expected to do, since it was being given in their honor.

I am sure both of them would want you to go, Mine. We can bring your sister a little treat, if it makes you feel better. I am not looking forward to all those people, but we can stay on the outskirts or outside, Nanuth suggested to his rider. Not only that, but he figured her eldest sister would be there, along with some of her other friends. As tempting as it was to just stay in the barracks, they should probably make an appearance. So he waited as Zamistia got into a simple light brown dress and fur wrap, before they headed over to the hall. When he saw his mother, he made sure to give her a warm mental caress. He knew she was probably still mourning the death of his sister, he was too, even if he kept it together as best he could.

"I will take..good care of...him,"Zamistia told the golden queen gently, before the two headed inside. They listened to the speeches, before she allowed him to lead them to the edge of the room. He certainly did not want to be where all the action was.



Ashlyn and Gyafrith

It had been a long day for everyone, but the pregnant bluerider still had a job to do. She had helped lead the Weyrlings to their barracks, before going home to get some rest. Knowing her family, she wouldn't hear the end of it if she didn't take some time for herself. Once she had gotten some sleep, she helped get their son ready, then got into a pretty blue dress, making sure to put a fur lined cape over top of it. After doing her hair, she went outside to get Gyafrith ready to go. She promised her weyrmate she would meet him there, before she climbed up on her faithful blue and they were flying to the hall.

I will make sure to help keep an eye outside on any of the Weyrlings who decide to stay in the bowl. I take it Awnya and the other two will help keep an eye inside?Gyafrith asked landing gently outside the hall.

Yeah, that is the idea. As long as she can keep the boys are on their best behavior,she thought back, gently getting down from his back. At the mention of the firelizards, all three popped in around her head.

"You know what I need you to do. Otieno, Seasnan I want you to be good,"she instructed all three of them. They gave chirps of acknowledgement, before Otieno took to the skies, to hover above those gathered outside. Gyafrith moved to take a position where he would be able to see everything, to make sure the Weyrlings behaved themselves. Ashlyn smiled to him, as she made her way inside. Seasnan went to take a birds eye view on the inside of the hall. Awnya stayed on her bonded's shoulder, as the woman made her way over to V'mel. For being four months pregnant, she sure could move still.

"I have my eyes all over, sir,"she spoke, saluting him as she found where he was keeping watch.





Demanthra and Monath

Demanthra hadn't really wanted to go to the feast at all, not after the way the hatching had ended. The green baby going between was still weighing heavily on her, not to mention knowing Gr'del would no longer be candidatemaster. She wasn't sure about her own job either, something she had wanted since before she even impressed to her wonderful green. Should she reapply, she was not sure, her mind was just a swirl of emotions and feelings right now. However, she knew she should go there to honor the new Weyrlings of High Reaches Weyr, and it would be good for her to let down her hair for a bit. So she put on a beautiful emerald green dress, a cape gently draped around her shoulders. Then went to drag Rhiyn with her, knowing he wouldn't go unless he was made to. She knew he needed to have some fun as much as she did, so she was determined he go with her.

"I know you aren't really fond of feasts, but this is for your own good. Plus, I would like the company,"she told him firmly.

Zeno...Cairo..if either of you would like the company, Mine and I will be there soon,Monath thought to both of her loves gently. She knew Cair would be watching the Weyrlings and Zeno..well, she wasn't sure her golden sister would want the company right now. So she would leave it up to them, although the green wanted nothing more than to be with them right now.