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Post by Spirithawk on Apr 15, 2006 10:14:44 GMT -5
Anassa twirled about with the pipes in her hands. She was playing a merry tune and dancing around in her room at the Harper Hall. She had finished her lessons early and was allowed to have the rest of the day off until evening choral practice.
The young girl smiled. Her parents would be pleased when she wrote home from the Harper Hall. Her parents had always wanted her to become somebody important, not just a simple holder's daughter and when the Harpers had accepted her they had been excited. Now she was doing well in her studies.
Anassa was decidedly bored with the Harper Hall. They kept her busy but the music they gave her was not much of a challenge anymore. She was satisfied with her music and her masters were frequently giving her afternoons off while they tried to find something harder to put to her. The only problem Anassa had with the Harpers was copying scores. Her handwriting was terrible.
So the girl danced. She loved piping tunes that made people want to get up and dance. Anassa was nearing the last few bars of her song when the dragon appeared overhead and Fort's Watchdragon bugled a welcome. She ran to her window, still piping her merry song. She saw that the dragon was not landing in Fort as she thought that it would, but coming to the Harper Hall.
~They are on Search!~ She thought excitedly. She could not see the dragonrider's shoulderknots, but there had been rumors that the Queens were flying more often and that at least one of the Weyrs had a broody Queen, a sure sign of a flight to come. Anassa ran downstairs and nearly ran into the Headwoman. "A dragonrider has come!" She cried.
The Headwoman looked startled and then ran to get the MasterHarper. Then she sprinted to the kitchens to get hot klah and warm breadrolls to take off the chill of /between/.
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Post by Dragon on Apr 16, 2006 11:56:30 GMT -5
G'han landed outside and hopped off Gerenanth. Nira was busy with other things and asked him to do this for her as a favor. He had to admit he enjoyed flying on Gerenanth and the bronze enjoyed stretching his wings and flying. He took off the riding helmet and went to the harper hall,
Gerenanth following behind. He was obviously here on a search and asked that those of age to come before him. The bronze rider stood waiting infront of his dragon. He ran his fingers through his black spikey hair. It was getting long again and Rhia would probably be after him to get it cut, he gave a sigh to that thought. Gerenanth stood impatiently waiting for all to come before him. He couldn't wait for this, Siarath always seemed to enjoy searching and now it was his turn.
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Post by Spirithawk on Apr 16, 2006 16:53:17 GMT -5
The Headwoman turned and began to clang the bell that summoned the Harper Hall apprentices to dinner or a gathering. The young men and women emerged, looking confused. Dinner was not supposed to be for another hour or so. Anassa followed the Headwoman, pipes still in her hands.
The MasterHarper came forward. "Welcome Bronzerider." He bowed to the large bronze and extended a hand to help the bronzerider down. "Would you like klah and rolls? Our Headwoman Kara has brought some for you to take off the chill of /between/. I see you are from Dark Moon Weyr. Is it true then that your Queen is showing signs of a flight in the near future?"
The MasterHarper turned. "Young people under the age of twenty-two, line up here for the bronze to inspect you. He is here on Search to see if any of you are suitable Candidates for dragons."
An excited murmer passed through the crowd and the people began to whisper to their neighbors. Slowly and at the MasterHarper's repeated urgings, the young men and women formed a line in front of the bronze dragon.
Anassa was jostled until she was towards the end of the line. She frowned as she thought furiously. What if the dragon found someone else before he got to the end of the line? What if she was not acceptable to the dragons? Was she good enough? What if the dragon found others and there wasn't room for her?
Anassa strained to see the dragon and his rider. She had seen riders on several occasions and she always thought them rather dashing. She had learned the various knot significations. This rider was a Wingleader. She was suprised. Normally Wingleaders did not have time to come on Search. Normally it was a green or a blue. Occasionally browns and Wingseconds found the time to come on Search, but normaly they had more important work to do.
Anassa wondered why the dragonrider had come to the Harper Hall. Surely the weyrs had suitable candidates that they could transfer instead of taking craftsmen and women and holders. Perhaps they were trying to get some new blood into the weyrs. Thread had not fallen for a long time but now the dragonriders reported that Thread was returning.
The Harpers had been trying to spread the truth, with mixed results. Some people had actually gone so far as to hurt Harpers who spread the news of Thread. Some people believed the Harpers because the Harpers had been trusted for centuries. Others said that it was just a scheme to get more food for the weyrs. Anassa hoped that the people came to their senses before the deadly rain began. The weyrs were probably smaller than usual because the Queens had stopped flying to mate as often as before and the clutches were smaller. Now the Queens were flying more often, especially the young ones. More Queen eggs had been laid and the clutches were bigger.
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Post by Dragon on Apr 16, 2006 17:05:04 GMT -5
G'han smiled and took a roll and scarfed it down, then followed by washing it down with the klah. "Yes I am from Darkmoon and I do believe our queen is going to rise soon. Personally I wouldn't want the burden of a whole weyr. My duties to my weyr already are enough and besides that I have a beautiful weyrmate and twins to take care of. My duties are already stretched many ways", he said making idle talk with the Masterharper.
Gerenanth looked over all those of age and questioned each one of them. He lingered on a few here and there but didn't find them to be what he was looking for.
G'han sat back as he watched his bronze taking time. He gave a sigh realizing, with Gerenanth, this might take awhile.
The bronze stopped at the second to last in line and began questioning the boy. He lingered for a long time on this one.
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Post by Spirithawk on Apr 16, 2006 22:51:56 GMT -5
Anassa watched the boy that the bronze lingered on with mingled envy and anger. He would probably be taken. She would be left behind to be bored in the Harper Hall.
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Post by Dragon on Apr 17, 2006 14:24:19 GMT -5
The bronze nodded his head disapointedly at the boy. He then looked at the girl next to him. Hello little one. What is your name?
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Post by Spirithawk on Apr 17, 2006 14:27:03 GMT -5
Anassa jumped when she head a voice in her head. Looking up, she saw the large dragon looking at her with his jewel-faceted eyes. He was so big! In her suprise she had dropped her pipes with a clang on the stone courtyard. She hastily bent to pick them up, running her hands over the precious instrument to see taht it had taken no hurt.
She bowed to the dragon. "Hello bronze dragon. I am Anassa."
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Post by Dragon on Apr 17, 2006 14:41:39 GMT -5
Annasa, a nice name. Have you ever thought about being a dragonrider? The dragon said to her and gave her a questioning look. The dragon looked at this girl, inspecting her.
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Post by Spirithawk on Apr 17, 2006 14:49:51 GMT -5
"I have, a bit at least. My parents thought that I would be better as a Harper. They said my head was too full of ideas and that I should go to a place where I could express them. I am bored here though. There isn't much to do. The masters keep running out of stuff for me." Her voice was bright. She was a bit talkative.
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Post by Dragon on Apr 17, 2006 14:55:27 GMT -5
But what is that you want? Why would you want to be a dragonrider? Gerenanth wasn't sure about this one either, he waited for her answer.
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Post by Spirithawk on Apr 17, 2006 15:07:39 GMT -5
"A dragonrider has a lifelong friend. Dragonriders see all of Pern. They are always busy and they protect everyone. Harpers sing about the duties and the adventures of the dragonriders. They are famous and revered. Anyone would love that."
(Since when do Searchriders have to question people? Searchdragons sense it in the people...they dont have to ask questions)
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Post by Dragon on Apr 17, 2006 15:17:01 GMT -5
Gerenanth gave an inward smile Well then that settles it. Go get your things ready. You will stand as a candidate. This time he let his thoughts be heard by G'han, letting him know he had finally found someone and they could depart soon.
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Post by Spirithawk on Apr 17, 2006 15:26:18 GMT -5
Anassa stared at him with suprise and excitement. "Really? I will stand as a Candidate?" Her face was flushed with excitement as she stared in wonder at the large creature that had just told her she would be able to stand as a Candidate for one of the great hatchings.
"Well, what are you waiting for girl. I will send a letter to your parents telling them your good luck." The MasterHarper smiled encouragingly. Anassa shook herself out of out her astonished reverie. She bowed to the MasterHarper and then to the dragon and his rider. She ran upstairs to her room in the apprentice hall and began to stuff her scant belongings into a carry-sack made of wher-hide. She didn't have much so it didn't take her long.
She ran back out into the courtyard. "I am ready." She said breathlessly. The rest of the apprentices and their masters clapped, a bit envious, but happy for their restless fellow.
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Post by Dragon on Apr 17, 2006 15:32:07 GMT -5
G'han hopped on the dragon and looked at the girl. "You can wrap your arms around my waist, to have something to hold onto and make sure you don't fall off. I will give you fair warning you will be in for a chill", he said plainly to the girl as the bronze lowered himself the best he could to help her on.
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Post by Spirithawk on Apr 17, 2006 15:39:43 GMT -5
Anassa smiled. "Then I had best put on my coat." She took her coat made of tanned heardbeast skins that her mother had made for her. She shrugged it on and smiled. "There, I'm all set." She clambered onto the dragon and waved to her friends, excited that she would be going to live in a real weyr.
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Post by Dragon on Apr 17, 2006 15:50:41 GMT -5
G'han smiled at the girl, remembering the day he was searched. "One thing you will like about this weyr, most of them will try and befriend you the second you step foot into the weyr", he said to her with a smile then continued, "Get ready, we are about to go between". He silently counted to three and then gave the bronze the signal to take off. Gerenanth flapped his wings and circled above harper hall. "Give it one last look. Who knows when you will see this place again and if you do you will be a different person", he said to her. He waited a few moments then gave the dragon the signal to go between. The dragon winked between and then when they came out they were hovering above the weyrbowl. Gerenanth landed and knelt to let his riders off.
(Ok spirithawk whenever your ready you can post in the weyrbowl)
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