Early Morning DayDreams (Open)

[Xandria]

75.03.17//Very Early Morning//Beach

Sleep wasn't going to come, that was pretty clear. All night she had been tossing and turning in her bed and trying to sleep. There was just no use. So, Xandria decided to get dress and start her day now, rather than waiting for sleep that apparently wasn't going to come to her today. She'd just sleep during her chores or something. Surely, Orea or Jixen would her chores for her when she slept. She looked around and quietly left. No need to wake anyone else up. It was well before dawn and the halls were hard to make out at this time of day. No one was up yet. It would be hours before someone woke to make breakfast for everyone. She wandered about until her feet took her to the beach.

The night was going to be done soon and the sun would rise in due time. It was just the way of things. She sat down on a rock and looked up at the sky. It was still dark and black. Silvery stars could be seen and even one or two streaked across the sky then disappeared. Her clothes were soft and worn but they were nice and her feet felt good in the warm sands of the beach. Taking off her shoes was easy and she had done so as soon as she reached the shore. It was wonderful to watch the sky change and the starts slowly fade away to the upcoming day.

Her stomach growled and as much of a temptation it was to go back and see if anyone was up to get an early breakfast, she chose not too. This was the first sunrise she had seen in sometime, since she was a late sleeper and was always running from breakfast to do what needed to be done. At least she would be early today which might be a big surprise for a few people. She smirked to at the thought of seeing her friends stare at her when she was there before them enjoying some sweet rolls and maybe some klah. Maybe, she would have to see how long she planned on staying at the beach and how she was going to slip back without anyone noticing.

If anyone noticed her gone and found her here, she'd be in big trouble. Sneaking off was one of her habits that she was trying to at last keep quiet about and not do as much here but she just couldn't help herself. It wasn't so bad doing extra chores and helping out in the kitchens and doing other things. Cleaning was easy enough and she could do that and daydream at the same time. She did it all the time without anyone really noticing her far off looks and the way her eyes seemed to be so distant when she was daydreaming.

The sky started to change even more quickly as the starts faded and the dark blues and blacks of the night sky was replaced with the lighter blues and purples of early morning. She smiled and looked forward to seeing the sun and watching it light the world around her.

[summerrain]

Yuki wasn't able to sleep. She'd recently turned Yura to the creche, but was still waking up in the middle of the night. Ayleneth had already expressed her concerns, not really understanding the mentality of a Pernese mother. Dragon mothers were so different from a mother of their Bonded's kind, after all. The Aurora had offered to stay up with Hers, but Yuki had decided to go for a walk. The morning was slightly chilly, with the wind coming off the water, so she'd put on her riding jacket on top of a normal outfit of a shirt and skirt that fell to mid-thigh. Her full riding gear was too heavy for this weather.

She decided to head to the beach. She loved the sunrise from the beach. The way the sunrise made the water sparkle had so much romantic potential to it... She sighed, laughing at herself. A hopeless romantic, that's all she was at the moment. D'gan had yet to spend much time with his daughter, or with Yuki, really, since the last Turnover Eve dance the Weyr had, right after Ayleneth's first Hatching. He hadn't wanted Yura to be born, that much he'd made clear. She still felt bad about the argument they'd had before they really stopped speaking... She didn't like the not talking part. It saddened her, and she knew it put a strain on the relationship Ayleneth and Mosiliath had. The Aurora tried to hide it for Yuki's sake, but it was obvious all the same.

Yuki lost her train of thought when she saw another person already on the shore. She slowly approached, then spoke.

"You're one of the new Candidates that just arrived, are you not?" she asked softly. Her footsteps fell softly on the sand as she approached the water. "I won't get you in trouble. I know how much you can need to just get away sometimes..." The sadness she'd felt in her heart slipped into her voice without her noticing. She already missed the company of her daughter, and she wanted D'gan's presence in her life more... She sighed quietly as she slipped her feet out of her shoes, leaving them further up the beach as she approached the water. She slowed as she approached the tideline, letting the water lap at and wash over her feet. She gripped the wooden dragon pendant that her brother had given her over a Turn ago when she went to visit home after Ayleneth's Clutch had Hatched. She had even removed the snowflake pendant, something she'd never done before. It was a sign that she was moving on, though.

[Xandria]

The weather was a bit cooler than she had expected and she had forgotten her jacket back up at the wyer. She had on a long sleeve shirt so that helped and pants but it was a thin shirt and could only do so much against the wind. The sun was going to rise soon and then there would be more warmth than what she was feeling coming off the sand. At least the sky was beautiful. There were a few clouds but they wouldn't be in the way and they would turn pinks and reds by the time the sun rose high enough for them to catch the light. She shivered a little as a gust of wind hit her. Ok, maybe this wasn't such a good idea. Hopefully, she wouldn't get sick from this. She'd never be able to live it down if she got sick. The sun had to hurry up and rise. That way she could be nice and warm and not worry about a thing and not worry about getting sick.

Her eyes were on the sky. She saw a few wild flits flying about and she closed her eyes. Oh how she wanted to impress one. If she didn't get a chance to impress a dragon then she'd settle with impressing a flit. They were just like dragons in many ways. She wouldn't mind having one of those. They seemed at times to understand their human companions as much as the dragons do. At least she thought so from what she saw. She had seen several others having one maybe even two. They were always so beautiful. She smiled a bit and watch as they flew away. Mostly likey they were off to go hunting. She smiled at the thought and shook her head. Her own stomach was growling a little which meant it was time for breakfast but she didn't want to leave just yet. The sun would rise soon and she wanted to enjoy it as much as she could before she had to go back.

It took her by surprise that another person would be here this early and a rider no less. She nearly fell off the rock that she was sitting on and quickly stood up. "Yes. I just came here with my older brother. I'm Xandria of Melisong Hold." She smiled a bit and almost rushed to thank the rider. "Thank you so much." She smiled a bit but something was off with the rider before. There was a sadness in the way she looked and in her voice. She wanted to ask what was wrong but she wasn't sure how to do that. Not without prying into something that the rider might not want her to know. Still, she should at least say something.

She watched the rider walk off and into the water. She looked around and noticed that there wasn't a dragon near by. Maybe the rider wished to be alone too. Maybe she should be respectful and let the rider alone. She thought about it and got up. She could at least try to strike up a conversation so they could talk. She slowly approached the rider. "I'm sorry to intrude but do you mind if I join you." She smiled a bit and the water hit her toes. It was cold but in the same way nice. "I dont much but are you ok? I know I shouldn't intrude or anything but you look sad." She bit her lip and looked at the rider. She didn't even know the rider's name and yet she here asking if she was alright. Maybe it would be the right thing to do. She was here all alone and so was she. Might as well be alone together.

[summerrain]

"I stopped by Mellisong Hold once before," Yuki said. "It's supposed to be beautiful at certain seasons, I've heard." She turned to the girl. "Xandria, you said? I am Yuki. I also have a brother, though he is younger than myself and at Ice Stone Weyr awaiting Impression." She turned back to the sky, watching as the horizon brightened slowly. Oh, how she longed to share a sunrise like this with D'gan and Yura, if only so he could meet her. She is his as much as she is mine, Yuki reasoned. He was Yura's father, after all...

Ayleneth, would you like to share this sunrise with me? Yuki asked the Aurora. Ayleneth yawned and shook sleep from her form before answering.

Of course YukiMine, the Aurora answered. I shall be there momentarily.

Yuki turned as the young Candidate asked a question. "I recently decided to turn my daughter over to the creche," she admitted, turning her gaze toward the wild flits in the sky. "I just miss her company, is all. It is a difficult thing, being a parent as well as a Rider." It was then that Ayleneth joined them from above, landing further upshore so the tide would not reach her. Yuki turned and walked toward her Bonded, her MindMate, and placed one hand softly on the Aurora dragoness's side. She then looked at Xandria.

"This is my partner, my Bonded, Ayleneth," Yuki told the Candidate, introducing the Aurora to the girl. She noticed the slight gleam to Ayleneth's hide with a soft sigh. It was bound to be soon. Yura was almost a Turn old, after all. Though it hadn't quite been two full Turns since the first one.

[Xandria]

Mellisong Hold was beautiful when she could get away from her parents and enjoy herself or when she wasn't getting teased for dying herself all sorts of colors. The dye would linger on her skin and even in her hair for weeks. It took forever to get the blue dye out of her hair. It looked like a odd shade of blue and orange. Not a pretty mixture. She smiled a bit and looked up at the sky. "It can be." She mused. The summer months were her favorite time at Mellisong Hold. It was so beautiful then. She smiled and nodded. "Yes but you can call me Xan if you want. Its nice to meet you, Yuki." At least she knew what it was to have a brother.

"I bet its beatiful there. I always wanted to see what its like at Ice Stone Wyer. Maybe someday I will." Seeing all of Pern was just one of her dreams but for now she had to get a dragon and until then she was stuck here. It was a good thing there were so many places to explore just here alone. "I do hope your brother impresses. My brother doesn't want to impress. He wants to be a Master Weaver like our parents. He has his heart set on that and he doesn't seem to be waver." She shook her head. Given a chance she'd want to impress a dragon in a heart beat. Her brother was just a foolish boy.

The sun was rising and the sky was brightening faster than she thought it would but it was worth it. The clouds were already showing slight hints of pink along their edgings. Oh it must look from the sky. To feel and see the sun's warmth as it came over the horizon. It had to be breath taking. She smiled a bit and thought that someday she'd be doing just that. If everything goes well she would be.

She nodded a bit. "I wish I could understand but I'm sure you'll see your daughter again someday soon." She smiled a bit and wathced as the wild flits danced across the sky. She then noticed something far larger than a flit. It was a dragon. It had to be Yuki's dragon. She was excited to see and meet her.

The dragon landed upshore from them and she followed Yuki but not too closely. She wanted to study the dragon as she got closer. It was a beautiful dragon. She smiled a bit. "Its a pleasure to meet you, Ayleneth. You are quite beautiful." She smiled a bit and walked closer. She was beautiful. An Aurora dragon was one she had hope to impress but wasn't sure but now upclose she was clearly beautiful and the colors long the hide were so pretty. Much like the sun that was rising.

She wanted to touch Ayleneth but wasn't sure how to ask. She bit her lip and then looked at the sky and the wild flits who had pretty much disappeared at the appearance of adragon. She could see a few off in the distance but most were gone from the beach. She wasn't quite sure what to say now. Hopefully, Yuki would say something because she didn't know what to say.

[summerrain]

"One of the recent Graduates is the daughter of a weaver family," Yuki told Xandria. "I believe she came here with her mother and happened to be here on the day Archith's first Clutch Hatched. She's also one of, if not the youngest Rider in the Weyr." That was all Yuki really knew about the little girl, barely fourteen Turns old.

"You can come closer if you like," Yuki told the Candidate with a smile. "Ayleneth only bites her food." She was attempting to joke in order to lighten the girl's mood, if just a little. "She's actually very gentile. You are right to be wary of dragons, though. Not all are as docile as an Aurora, and even some Auroras I've seen can get surprisingly violent." She had one hand on Ayleneth's side, and the dragoness yawned widely.

Come, little one. I won't hurt you. Ayleneth spoke to the girl in a kind voice, eyes soft.

Suddenly, there was a chirping from behind the Aurora dragoness, and a Gold flit flapped her wings and flew skyward before vanishing between, startling both dragon and Rider. Yuki went over to the large boulder the Queen flit had been resting in, and found a large crevice. She gasped. "Xandria, you'll want to see this," she said softly. "That Gold flit's probably not going to come back..." Within the crevice were a large number of flit eggs, of various sizes, with one gold egg. Before even trying to pick them up, Yuki began counting. "One, two, three, four... Incredible! Seventeen eggs!" She started picking them up one at a time, starting with the Queen egg. "Xandria, will you help me carry them?" she asked, turning toward the girl, one arm full of eggs. "We should get these back to the Weyr, and quickly. How would you like to ride on Ayleneth?"

I don't mind, said the Aurora. Having had a Clutch of her own, she understood the importance of warming the eggs. Yuki placed some of the eggs gently into Ayleneth's saddle-bags, then went back for more. "The bags won't be able to carry all the eggs, so I'm probably going to need your help, if you wouldn't mind," Yuki told Xandria with a smile. She lifted a small egg in her palm. "I wouldn't be surprised if this one ended up being a White, it's so small..." She placed it softly into the bag, making sure the cloths were lining each egg so they would be protected. Seven eggs remained, ten eggs fit snugly in the bags. "You take three, I'll get the last four. You should get on Ayleneth first, so I can strap you to her."

[Xandria]

Xandria smiled and nodded. "I'm from a weaver family too but I am not good at it. I ended up dying myself more than any of the cloth I would weave." She smiled a bit. "I hope to meet her. Maybe she knows my family." It could be. Many weaver familes knew eachother and it wouldn't surprise her if they did but still, she wouldn't know for sure until she met the girl and see. For now she'd just have to wait and maybe ask her brother about it. He would know, he paid far more attention when it came to any news about the weaving halls than she did.

She laughed a bit. She wasn't worried about being bitten, she just didn't want to touch the dragon until it was alright and Yuki had said it was ok as well as Ayleneth too. She nodded a bit and stepped closer. The hide was beautiful. The colors reminded her of the time she had dyed herself several different colors at least the colors weren't bright but more blues,greens and purples which wasn't so bad. She preferred those colors over the brighter ones. Hopefully, she wouldn't get a brightly colored dragon. Not that she would mind too much but still. She liked the darker tones and colors over something bright. "I understand." Some dragons did have a reputation of being violent but she hoped that wouldn't be the case when she met any others.

She let out a yawn after Ayleneth yawned. The smiled and nodded. "I know, its just I wanted to make sure it was alright with you first." She reached out and gently ran her fingers along the dragone's hide. It was warm against her finger tips and she couldn't wait to feel the hide of her very own dragon. "You're hide is beautiful, Ayleneth. I've never seen anything like it." She knew it was true. She looked up when there was a chirpring and saw a Golden Flit.

She had seen it before but wasn't quite sure where it had gone when Yuki had arrived. She watched it and then looked back at Yuki who had gone over to a large boulder. It didn't take her long to follower. Maybe there would be eggs. She hoped so. Maybe she could impress one. If that was alright. She really wasn't sure but maybe if she impressed a flit, a dragon would soon follow. She peeked around Yuki and saw the eggs. "There are so many here." Truthfully, she had never seen a flit eggs up close but from what she had heard, they were like dragon eggs but smaller and required the same care.

"Yes. Of course." She smiled widely and gently took the eggs from the nest. She held them close and protectively. There wasn't going to be any chance that she was going to drop these little flits just waiting to hatch. This was her lucky day. First meeting Yuki, then Ayleneth, then the flit eggs then a ride to the wyer. Who cared if she got in trouble. This was well worth it.

"Yes of course. These eggs need to get proper care. Thank you Ayleneth for letting me ride you." She gently set a couple of eggs in the saddle bag and looked around. "Maybe we should get some warm sand too. That should protect them for the chill in the air until we get to the Wyer." Even if it was a short trip, the warm sand would help right? She wasn't quite sure but she knew that if flit eggs were indeed like dragon eggs then they would need warmth and the sand here held some warmth to them.

She nodded. The samll egg had to be white. Maybe since her and Yuki had found them, they could each try and impress one. It was a wild idea but she had nothing else to lose and she might as well ask once the eggs were settled in. Personally, she didn't care which one she got if she got one. She held the three in her arm and climbed up on Ayleneth.

[summerrain]

Yuki smiled kindly. "The nothingness of between will not affect the eggs long. Besides, nothing has feeling in between," she explained. Following that thought, she pulled a few eggs out of one of the bags and grabbed a smaller coat. "You're going to want this after we come out of between." She handed Xandria the coat and put the eggs back in the bag. She watched as Xandria climbed into the saddle, then clasped the leg straps around the girl's legs. She went to grab the last four eggs, then clamboured up Ayleneth's foreleg, throwing her leg over the Aurora's back. She strapped her arm with the eggs into the saddle, wrapping her other arm around the girl. "You're not going to fall," she assured the Candidate. She wasn't quite so sure about herself, but she had confidence in Ayleneth's ability.

"We're ready here," Yuki told the dragon. Ayleneth nodded and flared her wings, flapping a few times to be able to catch an ocean updraft to get above the rocks before vanishing between to return the eggs to the Weyr.

[Xandria]

Xandria must have sounded silly still it was possible. Between wasnt a place to take lightly at least from what the was said about it. She had gone between when she had been searched. It was cold. So cold and black. She shivered a little and was greatful for the coat that Yuki gave her. She shifted the eggs from one arm to another to get the coat one. It was very much like what had happened when she was searched except she had eggs in her arms instead of a satchel with clothes in them. She held the eggs close to her and smiled. This was going to be the best morning ever. Maybe she'd even get to meet a few of the other riders. Seventeen eggs was no small matter. It would mean that mean would want one. She looked down at the three she carried. It was hard to say what they'd be. They weren't too big but they weren't small either. Good size eggs.

She held them close and nodded to Yuki. "I'll be ok. I'm not worried about the fall." but she was worried about the landing. She didn't mind falling but it was the landing afterward that would hurt. She bit her lip and felt the wings start flapping and soon they were above the ocean. The sun was getting higher and everyone would be waking now. She looked down at the rocks and closed her eyes just as they went between. It was so cold but she kept her eyes shut none the less. She just couldn't away to get back to the wyer and see what everyone had to say about the eggs and if she would be able to have one.