One to Candidacy, and one to Weyrlinghood.

[panther]

Ez, still taking her weight, a little less than before, He approached the candidate barracks, his old room and such – he’d have to pack up his stuff and move it all on he guessed. He collared a drudge as they walked, telling the woman to deliver two good mugs of Klah, a good deal of cut meat and oil, and some food for both himself and Salina.

He swung open the door, Garisath bounced and loped along beside the pair of them, spearing into the room before Ez could get Sassie, in, the brown hatchling made himself at home on the bed that he had gathered wasn’t Salinas.

Ez eased her onto her bunk, “I’m sorry Sassie… “ he sat in beside her, trying to ignore the constant complaints of hunger and itchiness from his new bond. “I mean, as I said, it could be for luck, you never know…” He consoled, “You mightn’t be bound for one of those Igen hatchlings, but, maybe for one of Dark moon’s own special colours,” He gave a soft smile, bangles jangling loudly as he scratched at the cut on his cheek absent mindedly.

The drudge he’d asked for earlier, knocked on the door – he called her in and Ez told her to put the food down, and leave the oil and the meat beside him. Ez held back Garisath from mauling the woman for the meat, and slowly fed the hatchling with one hand, and half a mind as he looked at Salina, he placed the mug of klah into Salina’s hands, tightening her hands about it forcibly. “You’ll feel better, Drink up.” He smiled at her, feeding Garisath another piece of meat, the brown scoffed it down almost choking as he did.

“Garisath! Shards would you slow down, it’ll still be there in a second, it won’t disappear love.” He cooed to the little brown.

[Xennai]

Salina allowed herself to be towed along, a dead weight. Thankfully, she was small enough that it wasn’t a problem. A benefit of being veritably tiny. She dimly recognized the barracks before she was gathered inside by Ez and sat on a cot.

She sat numbly, hands pillowed in her lap. She slumped against the wall, not sure she’d be able to sit up on her own. She was trying not to think of what had just happened, tried to not think of the bronze rider from Igen and what had happened there. Every time her mind tried to go toward it, she shied away, flinching internally as well as externally.

The girl leaned against the new brown rider, head resting on his shoulder. She felt so tired. Maybe…maybe if she closed her eyes she’d go to sleep and wake up and this would all be some horrible dream? Shards, she wished life could be like that.

She watched Garisath, feeling the pain rise. What Ez had and what she didn’t. She swallowed, willing back the tears. She wasn’t going to cry. Not here. Especially not in front of Ez. This was his day, this was his new beginning. She’d be happy for him.

She accepted the klah out of reflex, fingers curling against the mug. It felt warm. It made her sleepy. She sighed softly, drinking when he urged her to. She only took a small swallow, her stomach feeling to raw and chaotic to hold down anything, even klah. Instead, she watched Garisath and Ez, listened to them.

She felt like an outsider now, an outsider to a life she felt like she’d never have the chance to understand. She took another small sip of her drink, eyes closing. She couldn’t bear to look at the little brown and it wasn’t because of him. Her. All her. All her fault.

“I suppose you’re right,” she mumbled. “I’ll just wait…” Agony. Agony so intense she nearly shuddered but held it at bay. She wouldn't. She was going to be happy for Ez. "That doesn't matter now. What matters is you." She squeezed his hand, grip more lax than usual. "You and what fantastic circumstance has gifted you."

[panther]

Ez shook his head, “No, you’re wrong there Sassie,” He looked at her, “You know, you’re such a tender heart, and you can’t hide it from me…” his words as soft as they had been to his dragon, he fed another piece of meat to Garisath who ate happily, “and I don’t matter, no, what matters is Him, and you.” He looked from brown to the grey eyed girl next to him, “You’re distraught, and don’t pretend you’re not. I know you.” Ez smiled gently, “You honestly don’t have to hide anything from me, we’ve known each other for a long time, Sassie.” He slid a hand around her shoulder.

Ez knew that the girl before him needed him, but Garisath needed him too also, and he couldn’t exactly take himself away from one or the other.

((oh man, that sucked, I’m so sorry v.v))

[Xennai]

Head shook mechanically. This was Ez. If she would cave for anyone, she would cave for Ez but she didn’t think she could, she didn’t think she could let everything she was holding back though. Because if she did…She didn’t think she’d be able to pick the pieces back up.

That’s what frightened her the most.

She reminded herself to inhale but hesitated with what she was going to say. She didn’t think she could. She didn’t want Ez seeing the extent of the injuries she was feeling. But…she owed him at least a glimpse. She loved him too much to hide it all. She inhaled again, eyes closed, leaning limp against him.

“I never…I never actually thought that I might not…” She couldn’t even finish the thought. She shuddered, choking on a sob. “I never considered the very real possibility. I just thought…I was so shells confident and never even thought…” She choked again on a sob she tried to stifle, blinking to dispel the veil of tears that threatened. She would not cry.

[panther]

He hugged her tighter as she caught on her sobs, taking her weight quite easily, she was short, and skinny, and in comparison? She didn’t weigh a lot.

“Oh Come on Salina, it’s not like you have to hide anything from me, I don’t care if you cry, you’re hurt, of course you are,” He stroked her hair softly, “C’mon, I was shocked I impressed. And for you not to? Just shows Garisath’s a strange dragon, along with the other Igenites, they don’t know what their missing, but trust me, there’s a reason, there’s always a reason Sassie, you told me that, but, Faranth only knows why. I wish I could tell you, but, I’m so sorry. But, you’ve always got me right?” He tightened his hug twice,each time relieving her a little of it, a reassuring gesture. “Sassie… Even some of the greatest of the Riders didn’t impress on their first standing. These regular colours, obviously just aren’t right for you, hold on yeah? You never know what the sands will do to you, and to be honest? I’d have never guessed you’d react like this… But please, just, let me help ok? I can’t do anything if you won’t let me in.” He fed a few more pieces of meat to the hatchling who was getting far too anxious,

Enough now, you’ll get fat if you gorge too much Garisath… and I’m not going to be responsible for the fat dragon.
You’re not responsible for anything[/i]! Let alone a fat hatchling.[/color][/i] He humphed to Ez mentally, but his mind was back on feeding and minor itches. Just the thought of itches made Ez scratch his cheek, then he remembered, “And yeah! You can’t let this get you down,” Bangles jangling about again, “because there’s a new egg on the sands. And, you never know… tell me you’ll stand for it, right?” He pressed on her.

[Xennai]

Teeth clenched against the flood of emotion roiling inside her. This just wasn’t like her. She wasn’t emotional, she didn’t get like this. The fact that she was just showed how very deeply this had affected the weyrbrat. She swallowed instead of wept, accepting his hug, feeling it begin to heal her, a balm for the superficial.

Ez said there was reason, said that the greatest of riders didn’t always Impress at first, said that she was reserved for Dark Moon’s own, not the dragons from Igen. She swallowed, accepting his hugs again, accepting the comfort he extended. This was Ez. Only he was allowed to do this, only he was allowed to see just how hurt she was.

She shook golden head, swallowing, feeling the tears spring to her eyes. She smoothed a hand over her face, biting at her lip. “I…don’t know if I can, Ez,” she whispered, voice ragged and torn. “I don’t know if I could go through that disappointment again…” She swallowed hard and one crystalline tear tracked down a pale cheek. “I can’t tell you how-how much it hurt.” She choked, but continued. “I-I’ve grown up here. I’ve seen the dragons live and die, seen the candidates, the weyrlings, and and the riders. I’ve always d-dreamed of being one and n-now I d-don’t know if I’ll ever be one.”

The tears had stormed the flood gates and won. They rolled down her cheeks, slowly at first until they streamed, coating her face in a river of misery. She gasped and choked, trying to retain what control she could. “I-I-I don’t k-know if I c-can put myself th-through that again, Ez. I d-don’t know if I w-w-want to ever feel th-this bad again.” She swallowed hard, swiping a hand across her face. “A-and how a-am I s-s-supposed to react?”

[panther]

He helf her close, she was dear to him, likely the dearest friend he had ever made. “You’re,” He shook his head, looking at her sorrowfully, “wrong Sassie. And, it’s unlike you, you’re letting this all go to your head, and not thinking like normal.” He smiled gently, pity infiltrating, “of course you can stand again, you’re born of this place, and if anyone is going to impress, it’s you, you know in your heart you belong with a dragon, which is likely why this hurt so much. I mean, so, the first time, it didn’t go right, so what! You’re just like everything else dark moon grown.” He smirked, “You’re special, you’re different, and there isn’t another like you in the whole of pern.” He grinned, childishly.

“You can stand. You know you will, all you have to do, is let yourself accept this, and the way you can do that, is by accepting what you feel.” She cried, leaving damp patches on his shirt to match the small specks of blood and tears from his arms. well shards but this weyr seems to be depriving me of shirts too.

“Sassie” His words soft, warm, friendly, he wiped a tear from her cheek, “Come now… Salina, of Dark Moon. You’ll find your bonded if you can just get the strength to stand, I know you will, you’ve jut got to show the sands all of your qualities, and one of your best? Is your patience. Closely followed by your strength in the face of adversity. But, you’ve got to get them back before you can stand. Else, you’ll end up mauled, worse than this, especially if that egg is a queen egg, she’ll have no candidate stand before her that’s not ready, I’ll bet.” He stroked her hair again, soft and soothing.

“Just, let your emotions win for once, and you’ll get your strength soon, and when you’re done crying, the first thing you’re doing is eating.” He told her, but for now, he wasn’t concerned about that, he was concerned for her.

[Xennai]

She loved Es so much it made her hurt, almost as much as it hurt to not Impress. She felt awful for dumping all of this on him, but she was glad he had encouraged her, and was now comforting her, rather than pulling away and leaving her alone in a puddle of sharding, wherryheaded tears as most males were prone to do.

She leaned again him, listening, sobbing quietly as the tears sheeted down her face. She hated crying. She absolutely loathed it. It made her feel disgusting and weak. And besides, it made her face all puffy and red. She might have hated that the worst of all.

Ez was telling her it’d be fine, that she was going to be fine, that she’d be able to Stand again. She sniffled, burrowing into him, into his chest, where comfort and love and friendship and all things good resided. She inhaled his scent, sniffling—and let it go.

Tears flooded down her face with more fervor and speed than ever before. She hiccupped and then was sobbing, full-strength and all out, vocalizing all her grief and hurt and frustration. She didn’t understand any of it, didn’t understand why it was her, didn’t understand anything. The blow to herself, and to her pride, was almost unbearable. Her confidence was severely shaken. While Ez was helping, he was right; she had to find her own strength herself.

And she was finding that crying was indeed helping.

She clung to him, weeping, bawling, unable to stop the flood now that it had started. It took several long minutes before it was over and she was able to sit back, swiping at her face and sniffling, still crying a bit intermittently. She leaned against the weyrling and sighed softly. “Thank you,” she whispered, voice raspy, and then reached up to kiss him lightly on the lips, her own flavored by salt. It was a friend kiss, no passion behind it, and she pulled away after a few moments. “Thank you,” she repeated. “It did help. I feel…better now.”

[Spirithawk]

Rhia was fuming. She had ordered Ez'ki to tend to his dragon. All of the other Weyrlings were in the cavern where they would be staying until the Weyrling Barracks were rebuilt and the brown and his rider were absent.

There was now a Queen egg on the sands. That had certainly caused a bit of a stir. Igen had been generous, as Ista had been with the transfer clutch. Igen had 4 Queens already and their Junior Weyrwoman's Queen had clutched a gold egg. Igen had heard of the abandonment of Dark Moon by their Junior Weyrwoman and had sent their extra egg off to Dark Moon.

Rhia needed to teach her pupils how to clean and oil their dragon's hides. She had done a head count and found that Ez'ki and his brown were in the Lower Caverns. It had taken her a while to find out exactly where. A drudge had been gossiping about an upset Candidate and a Weyrling trying to help calm her down.

She strode into the Lower Caverns, her bootheels ringing against the stone.

"Weyrling, what do you think you are doing?"

She walked in right in the midst of the friendly kiss, however, Rhia didn't know that. All she knew was that not only was the new brownrider disregarding her orders, but both of them were breaking the rules that all Candidates and Weyrlings had to follow, especially Weyrlings.

"Weyrling Ez'ki, in the Weyrwoman's office NOW." She tundered.

"Candidate, I expect you in the office in one hour. Do not be late." She realized that the girl had to be devastated after Standing and refrained from launching into a lecture. "I didn't have enough time to prepare you and the others for what might happen if you stood." Her voice gentled noticeably. "There were more eggs than Candidates Salina. Your dragon just wasn't there. There's a Queen egg on the sands now and she should hatch within a few days. Kaith will be rising soon. The dragons are rarely ever wrong about a Candidate. If you haven't Impressed yet, it just means that you will Impress at another Hatching. I will see you in the Weyrwoman's office."

[panther]

Ez smiled as she kissed him, he hugged her again and kissed her on the forehead. Wiping away a tear, he opened his mouth to speak, and noticed the door was opening. He looked up to notice the Weyrling Mistress. He groaned,

“Oh, shards…” He knew she’d get the wrong end of the stick Her word word like thunder, but, petting Sassie’s hair once more time, he gave a wink to the candidate, knowing Rhia wouldn’t see it, the way he angled himself as he rose. He stood tall, not threatening, but proud – as always. For once, he’d done nothing wrong but stand by his friend.

Garisath opened an eye, whirring slowly with threads of misunderstanding, and of mild anger for the woman who rebuked his bonded. But, he leapt to his feet, snuck out after Ez. Tail high, and as proud as his bond on the matter. Ez’ki didn’t say a word to the Weyrling mistress as he walked past her, he didn’t meet her eyes.

Ez’ki entered the hallways, reached over, and scratched Garisath’s eye ridges, making the creature croon lovingly, bear with me. Garisath chirruped happily, and came to, leading Ez’ki onwards.

He’d make his way to the Weyrwoman’s office, as directed.

[Xennai]

Salina stiffened when she heard the door freeze, back to it, her eyes closed. No. This day could not be getting any worse. She could only hope and pray that it was a drudge, or one of their fellow--

But no. Of course not. Of course nothing could work in her favor today. Karma for something was coming to bite her in the rear, but she couldn't figure out exactly what she'd done to deserve this kind of tumult. She sighed, not even flushing to have been "caught"--because that's what Rhia was thinking. Salina could see it in the woman's eyes when she turned. Rhia thought she and Ez were involved. She had no idea of knowing that the kiss shared between them was nothing more than a hug would have been.

Salina sighed, hands nesting in her lap, listening to the verbal whip that slashed across her head. She wished that Rhia would have just been angry, lectured her about the dangers of such interaction. But no. It got worse, because the brown rider was sorry for her, she was trying to make her feel better, offering ore hope, more solace.

Salina sighed, eyes closing and nodded. "Thank you," she replied leadenly. "It's kind of you to think so. I'll be in the Weyrwoman's office as told...Candidate Mistress." The hestitation was not because of anger, because of anything other than the pain that flared because she should be calling the brown rider Weyrling Mistress. But she couldn't. She didn't have the honor.

[Spirithawk]

Rhia paused, she could see that what she had told the girl hadn't made much of a difference, but she had to lecture a Weyrling before she could attend to this Candidate. "It's not kindness child." She said, a bit gruffly. "It's the truth." She started to say more but remembered the complaining dragonets in their new quarters.

She nodded towards the girl. "I'll see you then." She walked quickly out.

Christae wasn't in her office but Rhia didn't really need the Weyrwoman there.
Mneith, let Christae know that I'm using her office to speak to a weyrling and a candidate.

Kaith, mine wishes to let you know that she is borrowing your office.

So she found the Weyrling?

Yes

Good, I will let my rider know.

The brown turned his attention back to his rider. Kaith says that all is well.

Rhia sent a wave of affection towards her brown and took a deep breath. The walk had allowed her to calm down so that she didn't tear into the Weyrling that had scared the living daylights out of her. She had feared for the Weyrling's safety and had reacted with anger to hide that fear.

She walked into the office. "Weyrling, explain to me what you think you were doing leaving the Hatching Grounds with your newborn dragonet still untended without letting your superior know?" Her voice was carefully controlled.

[panther]

Ez had arrived at the Weyrwoman’s office before the Weyrling mistress. He leaned against the desk, legs crossed at the ankles, arms loosely folded, one hand playing with a piece of his own hair whilst he waited. As she entered he looked up, and with effort shown, he pulled himself to an upright position, not thinking she’d much like him lounging around on against the Weyrwoman’s desk, “Firstly, Garistath was tended to, I had already fed him quite a bit, he was a bit hungry, but he admitted he’d live for a moment, I even asked a drudge to fetch me some of the meat to the lower caverns – hence the meat in Salina’s room. Oh, and, my name’s Ezeiki – Ez’ki rather – Ez’s fine and my brown’s name’s Garisath.” He informed her, though it was quite nicely put forward, and didn’t show much of his usual arrogance. However what came next slightly did.

“As to telling you? You were the one who directed me to get Salina off of the sands when that Bronze rider showed up, I said to you exactly where I’d be, I informed you I’d be in the barracks, and that Salina and Garisath would be with me, and if you needed me, I’d be there.” He paused. Meeting her eyes, he wasn’t scared of her – admittedly he probably should be, or at least show some amount of respect, but in fairness, when he got in trouble, and the trouble was without cause, he had very little tolerance for it.

“So, I believe, certainly correct me if I am mistaken, that explains why I wasn’t at the hatching sands, that I did let my superior know, and let them know my precise location, and my newly hatched Dragonet, Garisath, was tended too.” Garisath – who was at to Ez’s left - chirruped, eyes opening wide as he looked at the Weyrling mistress, dancing with curiosity and contented as he gazed up at the woman who was senior to the weyrlings it seemed (from what he had gathered from the mind of his bonded).
Ez looked to her, eye brows raised as though to ask if she had any more questions, and whether he was done at that moment in time.

[Spirithawk]

"I am not talking about just feeding him Weyrling. You were told to get her off the sands, not to take her out of the Hatching Cavern. I do not recall granting you permission to leave the Hatching Cavern. You say that you told me where you were going. Did you ever stop to think that I had more weighty matters on my mind and did not hear your message? I was more worried about the injured blue and helping Weyrwoman Christae tend to his wound before he lost more ichor than hearing your words."

"When you are a rider, your dragon ALWAYS comes first. Until you are no longer a Weyrling, you will eat, sleep, drink, and think of nothing but your dragon and your training unless I give you a day off. Your friend would have been fine. In fact, I would have been talking to her and the rest of the Candidates that were left standing right now if not for the fact that I have had to come looking for you. Weyrwoman Christae sent out drudges looking for you. It was by chance that I found where you were."

"Your dragon does not just need meat Ez." She bent over the brown. "Put your hand here." The spot was rough, and dry. "Dragonets grow fast. Their hide can't keep up with their bodies. By tomorrow, if this spot isn't tended to properly, it will begin cracking, much like our lips and skin do when it becomes too dry. It could cause him a great deal of irritation and pain. It will cause imperfections in his hide as he grows and those imperfections can be fatal in the absolute cold of *between*. You need to wash him, get the sand and egg goo that is still on his hide off and then oil him properly. The rest of the Weyrlings are waiting while I came to fetch you. Because you weren't where you were supposed to be, their dragons are waiting to be oiled."

Her voice was stern but not mean. She met his eyes squarely. She didn't want the fear of her pupils, she wanted their respect. "We have rules for a reason." She continued, softer than before. "You let your superior know but did not receive a response from her. In other words, you did not have permission to leave the Hatching Sand. No answer is not a yes Weyrling."

"Now, I do believe I have another matter to attend to. When I walked in, I saw you kissing Candidate Salina. I care not what your relationship was before this day. As of today, you are a dragonrider. Your first priority, as I have said before, is your dragon. As of right now, your dragon is a baby. His mentality is not fully developed, much like a child's. Displays of extreme affection are things that he cannot comprehend. You will learn the rules soon enough but I will tell you this now. You will NOT kiss or have any other sort of relations with a woman or a man until after your dragon is mature enough to understand what is happening. Your dragon's mental development can be severely damaged otherwise. Have I made myself clear Weyrling? This is your one and only warning. The other Weyrlings will be given the same warning. Punishments for this type of rule breaking are harsher than others because so much more is at stake. I will not punish you for this because I have not had the time to teach you properly, however, I will not be so lenient next time."

[panther]

Ez sighed, Rhia just didn’t seem to get it… in the slightest. “Well I’m sorry if my presumption that you were too busy to regard me with an answer was inappropriate. Salina asked me to get her out of there, the last thing she wanted was to be in there at that moment, she’s oddly fragile, what can I say. She expected to impress, she’s a Weyr girl for pity sakes, why wouldn’t she impress the first time she stood? Dragons go to dragon-kind right?” He shook his head, “I won’t apologise for helping a friend.” He informed her, though he did sound a little regretful, “I do apologise for thinking you reasonable enough to see my reasons though, it has cause you and I both problems.”

Then she lectured him on his priorities. Ez’s hand slid to Garisath’s head, gently stroking along the creatures hide. All soft, and fresh. “Actually…” He intoned after she had finished her piece of a rant. “Salina likely would have left, if she had the strength to at all, if she could, she probably would not have been within the Weyr, if I hadn’t acted as I had, she’d not want to be here, at all. She thinks too highly of her friends, and would hate to see them disappointed. Despite the fact they wouldn’t be disappointed, and on the contrary, they would be sympathising with her. “ He explained. “And also, I know Garisath comes first, I’m hardly a traditionalist, but even I can feel that Garisath is already the most important thing to me, and yes, coming from me – who held such doubts when you told us of this? It’s quite a substantial confirmation.” He shook his head.

Then she went on about meat, and it not only being what a dragonet needs, she directed him towards a piece of the dragon’s hide that was rough and dry, she likened it to human lips, and that it would cause a great deal of irritation an pain for Garisath. How the little faults in a dragon’s hide could be fatal when going between, he felt a chill settle on him even at the prospect.
“No, I wasn’t where I was supposed to be. That I’ll give you, and I’m sorry, but, again, if you took stock of Salina’s room, I’d had a drudge deliver me some oil, and I was pretty sure Salina would know roughly what to do with it.” He shook his head, “I would not neglect Garisath, he knows that. He said he itched, but he knew I wouldn’t be long dealing with it, in truth, I was about to do it a few seconds after you’re surprise arrival.” He knew it was remarkably pointless arguing with her, for she was stubborn too. And seemingly, was rigid to her rules.

Her stern nature, and the fact she met his eyes, made him sigh. “Yes, it is as you say, it is not a yes, but it isn’t a ‘No’ either.” He shrugged, “I’m sorry for what has happened, but I do not regret helping a friend in a time of need in the slightest.” He shook his head. “If I had waited for a response, it would have only placed more burden on you, and stressed out Salina more, which in turn would have stressed myself, and consequently Garisath.” He explained. Feeling like he spoke sense even if he didn’t.

Then the Weyrling mistress broached a topic that he knew would have been a bone of contention. She lectured him. And, then gave the good grace to say that she wouldn’t punish him for it, like she was being charitable at such an exchange.
“Firstly,” He growled, not liking the fact that the woman was twisting the situation, “it was hardly intimate now was it?” He informed her, she’d probably heard the rumours over himself and R’fael, and was wanting to quash his habits before they flared again, “Salina is one of my oldest friends. Friends.” He stressed, “Nothing more. And besides! She kissed me! It wasn’t like I had a choice in the matter now was it?” He shook his head, dismayed as he looked up at her, “I don’t intend on having relations with her, nor anyone else for a while – thank you for your interest.” Sarcasm dropped in, he so couldn’t help it.

He paused, knowing he likely over stepped some boundaries there, but he wouldn’t take it back, to be quite frank, he was close to walking from the room, he was hardly in control of his temper, and his own emotions were beginning to cloud Garisath’s eyes, he could see it, the placid blues and soft greens – and that odd streak of yellow, had been replaced by a winding vortex of oranges, yellows, reds and a few streaks of deep blue. Ez knew little about how a dragon’s eye colour related to their mood yet, but he knew that such a myriad of colours was likely not good for the hatchling, Garisath was bristling to Rhia’s company. So, Ez tried to tone it down a little.

“You know, you could have at least asked me how I stood with Salina, before giving such a lecture.” He shook his head, she was a Weyrling mistress, she should know how to deal with situations like this, and she hadn’t dealt with it particularly well so far. She’d almost baited him, and in doing so, she’d raised the levels of agitation his new bonded felt.

“Now, if you don’t mind, I’ll be taking Garisath from here, to where-ever we are supposed to be.” He sounded lofty, but that was because he was trying to distance himself from the situation emotionally, so as not to effect Garisath any more than what he had. Yet he stayed put. He would not be rebuked again for leaving without permission. He would do it to such a level it would irritate her senseless. As a way of highlighting his point of course.

[Spirithawk]

Rhia was beginning to lose her temper. Her students were supposed to listen to what she had to say, tell her if they had any questions and then apply what she told them. This boy was insisting on continuing and she was not pleased. She was going to let him off with just a warning but at the rate he was going he would have extra chores if he kept up.

"Your friend needs to realize that this clutch was smaller than most. There were more Candidates than eggs. Standings WILL happen. As a Weyr girl she SHOULD have known that. If she is so niave as to believe that because she is weyrbred she will Impress then she needed a good wake up call. Your breeding means nothing. I've seen weyrbrats go Turns without Impressing while a newly arrived holder's son walks off with bronze. It's just a fact of life and she will have to get used to it. That's not to say that she can't be disappointed, but carrying on will simply not be allowed if she wishes another chance to Impress. I am not without a heart. I intended to seek out the Candidates that were left standing after the Weyrlings were tended to and speak with them. However, you took it upon yourself to handle the situation yourself."

"You apologize for thinking that I am reasonable enough to listen to ]i]your[/i] reasons Weyrling?" Her voice was dangerously quiet. "Let me remind you Weyrling that I do not need to be reasonable. I do not need to listen to your reasons. When I give you an order, or tell you that you have done something wrong, which you did, I expect you to say 'yes m'am' and do as I say. I do not believe I was in any way unreasonable. I am taking you to task for not being where you were supposed to be when you were supposed to be and because I saw you kissing your friend. It does not matter what reason you had for doing it, it is still my job to set you straight and make sure that it does not happen again. If Thread were falling and you weren't in your place, lives could have been lost."

"If Salina was so upset that she had left the Weyr, then she obviously is not mature enough to handle the rigors and upsets that come with a dragon. Dragons pick their chosens carefully. Perhaps the hatchlings here sensed that she was not ready. Or perhaps her dragon just wasn't on the sands. I cannot be certain, for no one really understands what attracts a dragonet to his or her lifemate." Her voice was slightly exasperated. "And if you wouldn't have been here, your dragon wouldn't be itching, and neither would the rest of the weyrling dragons. Coming to help your friend is not putting your dragon first. There's no ifs ands or buts about it, no matter how noble your intentions."

"To you, it was a no. If I do not give you a direct answer, then you assume the answer is no until otherwise informed. Not the other way around." She sighed. "Ez I am not fussing at you for helping a friend. I probably would have done the same in your shoes when I was a Weyrling. However, I know that my WLM would have taken me to task in the same way that I am taking you to task now. It is expected. If your teacher doesn't correct you when you make a mistake, then how will you know you are doing wrong and learn how to do it correctly?"

"I don't need to ask how your relationship stood with her before I lectured you. You would have been lectured about that whether I caught you kissing her or not. The situation just demanded that I lecture you earlier than I normally would have." The steel was back in her voice. "I don't care if it was plutonic. I could care less if she were your sister. It was still a kiss. That means it is forbidden. It will not happen again or you will deal with the consequences. That is the end of it."

"Weyrling. Don't push me. I have much more weighty matters to deal with than chasing down and lecturing an errant Weyrling. However, since you erred, I have to set you straight. I do not need to sit here and be set straight by a mere Weyrling." Icy fury dripped from the WLM's voice and her eyes were dark with anger. "I expect you to report to the makeshift barracks immediately so that you may be shown how to tend your dragon properly, not rely on the supposed know how of a weyrbred girl who does not have a dragon. If such a thing happens again, you will be given far more than the extra half-hour of chores you will have for the next three days in addition to your regular chores."