Glimmer in the Dark [Egg Touching]

[Shoki]

79.03.20
Afternoon
Hatching sands

It was time. It made Hedara nervous, but so far nothing was wrong. The eggs seemed fine, and no one had been on the sands that shouldn’t be. She herself had been assured by the candidate master that all these candidates would be fine and that they had been warned to use the utmost care around the eggs.

Everything would be okay.

That didn’t mean that Hedara wasn’t on high alert. She wanted to make sure that their defenses did not lapse for even a moment. There would be no tragedy this time. She would be certain of that. As she went to the sands her eyes softened a touch as she looked at her dragoness. Temperanth has moved her eggs again, this time into a wide semi-circle around herself. With the utmost care she had made sure that each egg was equidistant from herself, but went from largest to smallest egg around her. After all, it was story time.

[smear:33ccff]-And that is how Ofteth, the Fearless came into the world. Her mother and father both laid down their lives to defend her as she hatched, and her home fought desperately to fight back the dark birds. It was said that even then she did not back down, but rallied her clutch siblings as they hatched. What happened next…[/smear:3366ff] Temperanth’s gaze shifted from her eggs to Hedara, who stood patiently in the entrance to the sands. [smear:33ccff]Is a story for another time.[/smear:3366ff]

They are coming. Temperanth flared her wings, getting up from her more lounging position. Hedara moved to go to the stand to watch, glancing back down at the eggs. Twenty two eggs. A good number. Curiously, now that the Ice Queen had placed them out in order, one could see that the golden egg was not the largest. It was actually the fourth from the end. Hedara didn’t mind one way or the other since Temepranth was entirely pleased with all of her eggs, but it was certainly something different. Then again, this was Ice Stone. Where different was ordinary.

[smear:33ccff]Welcome, Candidates.[/smear:3366ff] Temperanth never had been shy about speaking with other humans, as this was her Weyr she was host to all. She watched them come in, and waited to see how the candidates and eggs got on with each other.

((Please indicate what egg your candidate is touching by number. Egg 1 would be the largest egg and so on down to the smallest being egg 22. The golden egg is Egg 4. Have fun everyone!))

[shapeshifter]

Taissa walked in amongst the other Candidates. In this moment, this very moment, she felt the heat rise up into her bones and the dizzying reminder that she was here. She stood before Temperanth with the others, each bowing in respect to the Queen dragoness and the Weyrwoman Hedera. Taissa bit her lip, feeling the excitement course her body, along with a overwhelming sense of dread creeping over her like a black shadow. It sucked at her feet from the floor, attempting to creep itself up into her mind from the ground up. She felt the goose bumps rise on her arms, hairs standing on end. To others who would have noticed, chills like this would be present in such a momentous occasion and wouldn't be thought of otherwise. Taissa began to whisper to herself in her mind, Go away. This is fine. I'm fine. I can do this. I'm good enough and I can do this. She repeated this over and over until something switched on, much like the removing of a lid from a glow basket that lights up a room.

The chills stopped, her light blonde arm hairs laying flat to her now warming skin. The warmth from the sands began to spread through her body from the tips of her extremities on inward. She began to move towards the eggs as the other Candidates did, finding herself first on a medium sized egg, a creamy shell with the most precious thing on earth encased inside. She stood in awe, smiling softly down at it and stroked its shell one time. She looked up to a group of girls lining up for the golden Queen's egg, the fourth in the circle the Queen had formed with her shelled offspring.

Tai moved herself closer to the line, waiting for her turn to arise. The euphoria brightened in her mind the second she touched the egg. Something so beautiful, precious, and the continuity of our mankind. All in this little shell. She chuckled slightly to herself in admiration as she ran her fingertips along the shell, absorbing its color into her mind and enjoying the texture under her soft sin. She then felt herself slightly pushed out of the way by two other girls. She felt an instant anger as she stumbled slightly to the side but of course let the rude incident roll from her back. Tai left the Queen's shell and walked to egg number 19, all the way across, but stopping for a brief moment to graze her fingertips on the lonely number 9 on her way there. She heard the encouragement to touch every egg, making sure the dragonets were aware of their presence.

[Shoki]

Egg 1
The largest of the eggs has a most active presence the moment Taissa’s hand hit its shell. Oh, who is this? Hello, hello! What are you? Will you be a seeker? Dreamer? Both? Neither? I wish to know! I hope you will be- The flurry of attention vanished the moment her hand went away, and the largest egg resumed its peaceful façade.

Egg 4.
The golden egg felt intent yet sincere under Taissa’s touch. However it was a few moments before the mind inside directed itself at the girl herself. Greetings. I hope to meet your expectations. There was an impression of movement, but it was impossible to determine if it was purely mental or not.

Egg 9
As the hand brushed its shell, the egg gave its attention to the girl, but just as quick it was gone.

Egg 19
Taissa’s hand on its shell activated a swift and overwhelming response. Tell me! Where have you been? What’s it like? What is it to walk? To fly? The intense enthusiasm was directly firmly into the mind of the candidate, and it expected an answer.

[shapeshifter]

Taissa felt so much in the overwhelming response from the eggs. She felt the mental mind prods, much different then the ones that ring in her own, much darker voices. She most shock came from the response from the golden egg. Expectations? Shards, it was a Queen and none-the-less would be fulfilling the Weyr and it's needs. You will be marvelous, you will be beyond any expectation. You will be beyond me.

She let the glimmering thought of Impressing a Queen cross her mind. Oh, what did it encase? A bright Rainbow, full of life and wonder, a Gold, tried and true with the commanding respect of all the Weyr, an Ice of beauty or... she let her thoughts trail off, until touching the nineteenth egg burst in her mind with many questions. She was unsure to answer it, much like she was unsure to answer the Queen.

The first egg made her wonder about her hopes, her wishes and dreams: the ones that were heavily clouded by her own self depreciating anxiety. She felt the crazy euphoria began to creep over her, her natural high becoming more of a permanent staple since her Search. The heat from the sands began to burn her feet, bringing around the strong feelings of hope as she looked up to the Queen.

I know what I will be.... a Dragonrider. she gazed at the Weyrwoman's dragon in awe, glorious as she. Taissa only hoped to care for one of her children to protect and server Ice Stone Weyr and her bonded.

[Shoki]

Temperanth watched the candidates mill about with an even gaze. The Ice remained as she had been, equally distance from each of her eggs. Though she did guard them, that was not all. As it was, she was to guide those who needed a bit of a push. After all, there would only be so long for the candidates to interact with her children before the sands were again closed. The Ice finished one bought of encouragement before resting her gaze on Taissa.

[smear:33ccff]Do not let me distract you. Please, greet more of my children.[/smear:3366ff]

[shapeshifter]

Taissa froze, a chill ran up her spine as she heard the voice of Temperanth enter her mind. Her hairs stood on end and she nodded fiercely at the dragon. Never had one spoken directly to her, besides the eggs at least. She moved along, moving to touch egg fourteen, her fingers gently running the shell.

She smiled, speaking softly to the egg, "Oh you will be great. All of you will." she moved along to egg twelve, whispering "You too, you shall grow strong and fly high." She began to daydream the moment when the eggs would hatch, her mind swirling with colors, shards and cries of joy. Oh how she could not wait. She then moved along down to egg number 3, caressing it's shell with both hands, "You will be free to be bonded soon, oh the great things you'll do."

[Shoki]

Egg 14
A feeling of vague curiosity followed by smug dismissal was felt by Taissa from the egg. With no further ado, the mind retreated, apparently done with her for now.

Egg 12
Perhaps so.The egg clearly responded to her words. An aura of attention edged with calculation emanated from the egg. It was a hazy sort of feeling, like walking in a fog. However a sudden flash of glittering inspiration pierced the fog and the mind inside reached out one more time. You should avoid that one. A feeling of intensity was paired with the word, as though that explained everything. You won’t like them. Take care. The thoughts were perfectly timed with the moment Taissa’s hand left the egg, the audience over.

Egg 3
Taissa felt the egg, a ordinary smooth shell as the others had been. No mind reached out of the shell, no thoughts were on display.

[shapeshifter]

Her hand glided over the shell sixth in line. She felt her blood rushing in her body, her heart racing from the mental prods and the excitement. There was drowned out chatter in her ears about the eggs with others; chatter she chose at the time to not include herself in. This was the eggs time. She then moved to the seventh next to it and rubbed it's shell with a caress, dragging her fingers along it until she touched number eight. It was a brief touch as another Candidate walked up to the egg to scope it out. Tai bowed her head slightly in greeting, giving a half smile and moved along.

She walked back down the line again, towards the fourth Queen egg. The girls were gaggling around it, some dispersing and others milling turns around it. Taissa would make a brief drag of her fingertips across the shell in a faint hope it would reach to her again before making her way to the second egg in line.

[lucidmaus]

"Well, now, if this is not a sight to behold," Savitr murmured under his breath, the words followed with a low whistle of appreciation. He was fashionably late, but with a good excuse: his young firelizards had to be settled in somewhere to keep them out of trouble. With Surya and Tvastr occupied with making a mess of his cot (which he will surely discover later, to his chagrin), the freshly minted Candidate had made his way onto the sands.

But, there she was. The Ice Queen and her brood of twenty-two. Other candidates, too, and, of course, the Ice's own rider. The arrangement of eggs was noted with a quirk of a brow, the gambler taking a moment longer to look from smallest to largest, then back again.

The Queen's touch to his mind was enough to send a shock down his spine. The Bitran stood a little straighter before dipping into a bow that ended on a flourish. "I am grateful for the opportunity," he said, words directed to Temperanth, but with a glance askance to Hedara, as if gauging whether this was out of line or not.

No matter. What's said is said; what's done is done. And there were eggs to be touched!

As the Queen had laid the eggs out in some sort of order, so he followed it - starting at the smallest (twenty-two) and venturing along to twenty-one, twenty, and then to nineteen. Every touch is measured, equal attention given to each shell. His palm placed fully on each, fingers splayed, and he leaned in to each, as if to listen to what message they might relay. Would they? Wouldn't they? He didn't know - but it couldn't hurt to encourage them, would it?

And to each, a whisper was given - a barely breathed, "You are a marvel." For they all were. Truly.

[Cait]

Never one to miss a story from his queen and certainly not a sire to shirk his duties, Irrikath lurked in the shadows, his hazed hide blending in with the gloom. Temperanth would know he was there but few others unless they knew where to look. He liked it that way; easier to keep an eye on the candidates if they didn't know he was there. Watching. Waiting. Prepared. There would be no repeat of that terrible hatching that still made his rider fume. None would attack his queen and her brood; it was his duty to make it so. To that effect, he would continue to lurk until all of her children hatched and were on their way.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Briselle was finding life in the North to be rather peculiar and a bit distressing. She'd imagined it would be a great deal colder than her home in Cliffside, but certainly not as cold as it was when she blinked in atop the search dragon from between. If asked, she'd swear up and down that the difference in temperature was hardly worth noting; Ice Stone and between. To that effect, the poor southerner was bundled up to the point of ridiculousness. She'd been busy knitting since she arrived, making sure that both she and her friend had adequate scarves, hats and mittens to survive the cruel temperatures.

The oppressive heat of the sands was actually a welcome change for Briselle as she followed the others and began to stuff her hat and mittens into her pockets. She still didn't know how they expected her to be able to wear traditional candidate garb for a winter hatching in such a place. All of her limbs would freeze and shatter before she even reached the sands! She was sure of it! But for now, she put aside her anxiety over whether or not it was possible to freeze solid in favor of taking in the sight of the eggs arced around the ice queen, arranged largest to smallest.

Her eyes caught on the fourth largest egg and its golden coloring and she pressed her lips together. She knew that she had ultimately been selected as a potential for that egg but the thought of Impressing anything so...regal gave her pause. She was just a simple cook that liked to knit. She had no business going anywhere near that egg, let alone the dragon within. If she were being honest--and she'd never admit it as it would be rude--she had only come along because her best friend had been so excited that they'd both been searched. Bri would be perfectly content if she never did, though she was curious and would naturally abide by the laws that dictated candidate behavior in the meantime.

Looking around, she watched others and how they interacted with the eggs before following the older boy from Bitra toward the smaller end of the spectrum. The smallest egg (22) was far less intimidating than the eggs at the other side of the line. Waiting her turn, Briselle stepped forward and hesitated a moment, trying to decide how you were supposed to greet something that couldn't really respond. "Umm...hello?" She wobbled a little curtsy, hindered a bit by her many layers then reaching out, brushed her fingertips down the shell, glancing to the side to see that the other candidate was making full contact with his palm. Biting her lip, Bri pressed her hand flat against the warm surface and felt a flush creeping onto her cheeks.

[Shoki]

Temperanth rumbled, she was rather pleased with the candidate’s words. The Ice glanced back at her rider, who was scanning the sands with military precision. As such, Hedara hadn’t noticed Savitr’s request.

[smear:33ccff]Do not fear, I enjoy speaking with everyone. Now, off to greet my children.[/smear:3366ff] She encouraged him, and off he went. The Ice continued to watch the candidates, watching for where she might need to encourage. She paused only for a moment to glance back at a patch of shadows a little different from the others.

[smear:33ccff]Everything is well so far, Irrikath.[/smear:3366ff] She reassured even as she turned back to the candidates. [smear:33ccff]You could come closer if you wanted.[/smear:3366ff] She did expect that she was not going to take her up on that.

Taissa

Egg 6
When the egg was touched, an impressive intensity radiated from the egg. Attention shifted, and Taissa could feel a brief examination that was followed by an oppressive aura of complete rejection. You are unworthy. A quick fury kicked up and the intensity of emotion from the egg grew even more. LEAVE! I will not tolerate your touch again. If you dare-. When the hand was remove, only an echo of the feelings remained, a dim warning in their own right.

Egg 7
A feeling of calm hope was felt as she touched the egg, and it turned attentive in a moment. Oh, hello! How are you? I hope I can help you. Please, tell me if you have a trouble, I would be delighted to listen. The mind was patient in waiting for an answer, only dimming slightly as her hand went to the next egg.

Egg 8
The egg was calm, that much could be felt as Taissa touched the egg. A feeling of attention rippled through the calm, which shifted into patient thought. No thoughts were solid, but the feelings shifted around, all in a calm ocean.

Egg 4
Taissa felt much of what she had felt upon first touch of this egg, intent and sincerity. However, in the brief moments her fingers slid across the shell, there was nothing she felt that was directed at her specifically.
Egg 2
There was a feeling of bright and shinning purpose from the egg. The mind inside reached out to touch Taissa, and a ripple of amusement reached her. You are interesting! Would we work together? I don’t know yet. The egg didn’t seemed the least bit perturbed in this lack of knowledge. What do you want to be? Maybe we would be the best together.

Savitr

Egg 22
A strange sense of quiet impressed itself on Savitr’s mind as he touched the smallest egg. It remained even as the thoughts from the egg impressed themselves on his mind, as if they were being told to him in an echoing room. I am grateful you think so. There was a pause, only the length of a sigh, though there was no sigh here. Why do you wish to impress? I am unsure what the appeal is. The quiet aura remained, and it was clear the question was meant as presented. There was no sense of anything but intellectual curiosity.

Egg 21
This egg was bright and shinning in its joy as it was greeted. I am? Oh, I AM glad! Thank you! I like you. Do you like me? Would you like to steal me away from my siblings? It could be fun! Mother might be cross though. Father more so! There was an impression of ringing joy, that in humans might be interpreted as laughter. Not here though.

Egg 20
A feeling a curiosity paired with warm delight beamed through the egg as Savitr spoke to it. A marvel…thank you. For the sentiment and the new word to express it with. Can a human be a marvel too? Please, I wish to understand you better. The feelings in the last words were not solely for Savitr but a ‘you’ that referred to humans generally.

Egg 19
The feelings from inside this egg started as delight, but then moved to a strange scrambling. Savitr could feel examination from the egg, both intense and eager. When it finally stopped, there was a quiet awe. You have been places. The feelings became pleading, and hopeful. Tell me! I want to know! Where have you been? I haven’t been ANYWHERE yet, can you tell me where you have been? The egg was borderline desperate.

Briselle

Egg 22
Hello to you as well. The eggs thoughts remained colored with the all-pervasive quiet the egg seemed to have. I cannot give as physical a greeting as you, unfortunately. There was a quiet pause. You do not worry about impressing, do you? There was a very small feeling of understanding, and the feeling that if the egg has been human, they would have a small smile on their face. If you wish to speak with me, I am happy to keep you company.

[lucidmaus]

Now, for a Holdbred fellow who had never Stood before, Savitr had no notion of what to expect. He surely must have thought that murmured bit of phrase would fall on deaf headknobs and, yet, here he was, greeted with a response!

He would be utterly remiss if he were to step away from each egg before he had properly conversed - and so his well-intentioned plan to move on from each without occupying too much time was swiftly derailed. The plan was easily changed, however. To converse a spell with each egg - and to step back, should someone show an interest, of course - was surely the kind of thing that would be encouraged.

So it went:

Egg 22 was the spark of course: the first to be touched and, summarily, the first to respond. Savitr's brows lifted sharply at that cool and collected reply, so analytical and clean in its presentation. "Well, now." It took a second or two for his breath to return, but he was quick to reply with a breathed, "I suppose it is, in some ways, the greatest gamble a person can make. The odds are impossible to figure. Either a person's left Standing alone or they land the greatest jackpot in the world that no other can experience." His fingers lingered a little longer, listening - but as Briselle approached, Sav added a quick, "I shall return to you in due course, I hope." Maybe not today, but it was a kind-of-promise he fully intended to keep. Whatever reply the egg had will be heard, first, but he was not about to get in the way of his fellow Candidate getting handsy with any egg she so desired!

Egg 21 followed, of course. The same murmured phrase resulted in a different response. He smiled brightly and chuckled under his breath. "Ah, you are a vexing one, aren't you? All piss and vinegar, as one of my greenriding friends would say. I rather like you, too, although I reckon your mother and father would not hesitate to boot me back to Bitra if I tried." Right now, anyway. Not that he could control the resulting dragon, of course! He would linger here, too, to continue that conversation - or at least so long as the egg saw fit to respond. A farewell was inevitable and it took the shape of a reluctant, "I must let another meet you as well, but perhaps we might speak again, if you are so inclined." He lifted his head for a moment and, after spotting Briselle in her seemingly nervous state, motioned to egg 21. "I do believe you might like this one," the suggestion is pitched in a low voice and paired with a boyishly lopsided smile.

But, moving on was an inevitability and he did so with grace. Egg 20 brought with it a warmth that made the hairs at the back of his neck prickle rather unexpectedly. "I do believe people can be marvels, too- or, at least, marvelous. Perhaps not all of them, but- most folk are a wonder and a delight, such as yourself. You'll see, once a few other Candidates come through to greet you." And much as with the others, Savitr lingered, but only long enough to hear what more the egg had to say before he had to bid yet another grudging farewell. "Perhaps, later, I might be able to return to you and talk a little more."

And then there was 19, which prompted a surprised laugh from Savitr. He stifled it quickly in the crook of an arm in a desperate attempt to mask it as a cough or sneeze. "Oh my, my, my. My dear, sweet egg, I have been all over this glorious world. And, soon enough, you'll get to see every bit of it, too." But that was a poor answer and he knew it, so he instead thought of all sorts of places - Holds and Weyrs all over, with snapshots of the people and the dragons and other creatures. It was a rapid-fire flicker of memories, full of everything from picturesque glory to that one time that he had to hide in a dress-packed closet in some woman's room, lest he be caught by- wait, no. That image, among some others, was quickly removed - but not apologized for. All the same, he thought those images at the poor egg, but wasn't entirely sure if the particulars were relayed. All of those thoughts turned back to Bitra, in the end, with the clatter of dice and riffle of cards and the hushed conversation as chips and marks alike were shuttled around. As with the others, he would linger a spell - though not so long as to be considered rude. "Perhaps you ought to ask the others, too. I reckon a lot of them have seen much of the world, too."

The next egg, then. He was prepared for it, though, and lucky egg 18 was soon touched and told, "You are a marvel," a phrase that was quickly becoming more earnest as he said it.

[Shoki]

Savitr

Egg 22
The egg became pensive as Savitr spoke again. It did not remain so for long, it apparently thought quickly. That is an interesting viewpoint. Even as noticed his fellow candidate, the egg seemed to sense the time with this one was at an end as well. There was a touch of friendliness in the serenity as the egg gave its parting thoughts. I may have questions for you when you return. Until then I will think on it. Farewell.

Egg 21
Oh that is probably true. But I’ll be stealing one of you it only seems fair. I will be the best at it, though! There was a sort of childish deviousness that could be felt by Savitr as the egg finished that thought, along with the joy in the conversation. Of course! Talk with me about anything you like. Tell me about your friend if you like. As she spoke conspiratorially, the thoughts seemed to loudly whisper at him, as if the egg could be overheard. Oh, sounds good. Anyone you think would be good must be fun! Bye for now!

Egg 20
Is that so? I will look then, for another one of you marvels. A sort of kind hope radiated from the thoughts the egg had, and it spoke again. I wish you well in your search for your marvel as I look for mine. The egg perked up again at his desire to speak again with it. I would be delighted. If you would bring with you another new word or a fact I have not heard, I would be very grateful. It should not be too hard, I do not know much. Yet. Good bye!

Egg 19
The egg was voracious in its interest, taking every word and putting away every image brought to mind. Savitr could feel each image taken and expertly remembered, with flashes of curiosity at what the egg saw. All of them taken, horded, and pondered over. Even as he spoke again, the egg’s thirst for locations had not dimmed, but it was ecstatic at the gifts given. I don’t know, they haven’t yet. I could tell, you’ve been everywhere! It was perhaps an exaggeration, but to the egg, it wasn’t much of one. I do know, I can go, but right now, I can’t go anywhere! The egg seemed exasperated. It was keenly aware of its non-mobile nature. Maybe when I hatch, I will show you all the places I go, to pay you back!

Egg 18
The egg’s latent curiosity blossomed into slightly embarrassed delight at Savitr’s words. Oh, thank you. You are very sweet to say. It consciously pushed away the embarrassment and in the way only the very young can, declared boldly, Let’s be friends.

[shapeshifter]

Lena ran onto the sands, feeling the warmth radiate into her bones. "This is exciting!" she whispered into Briselle's ear before scampering off down the row of eggs, landing on egg number 8. She grinned and ran her fingers along the shell, "You, I like you." she said, peering down at the shell, half expecting it to answer. She looked over her shoulder to the Ice Queen, who graciously let the Candidates in for the Touching. Oh the warmth! The warmth was the biggest part. Lena moved down the line to number 4, briefly touching the egg for face sake. She knew Queen egg was not in her future. She imaged herself on a fast, agile dragon who flamed with all its might. A female preferred. A soul-mate beyond her best friend. She then scampered back down the line to egg fifteen where she would stay for a little while, talking about how she couldn't wait to impress a dragon and become the best Wingsecond Ice Stone had ever seen!

----

She backed away from the egg screaming at her. She whimpered and felt a swirl of thoughts enter her mind separate from the dragon in the egg. She felt the overwhelming dread of not being good enough and felt herself overcome with emotion after touching the other eggs, curiosity or lack of interest peaked. The Queen did not reach out again, so she would take that as so. She felt herself slink down at egg number six, sighing and placing a hand on the shell, "You, be brave and bold, much more so than I am." she said, downing herself like the monster on her shoulders so said.

---------


R'niaan stood off from the eggs, watching the Candidates mill about. He kept a permanent stern look on his face now that he had a new brood of Candidates that would soon turn to Weyrlings in his Barracks.


Won't be long now. I can feel the excitement. I am shocked to see them all doing so well.

Agreed. I just hope it stays this way. We need these dragons healthy for the Wings.

R'niaan looked around, surprised Korvalia wasn't around at the time.

Won't be long now. I'll need to inspect the Weyrling Barracks and set an order for when they should be cleaned, fresh bedded and ready for the Weyrlings near Hatching time.

Bamath rumbled as he watched intensely from the Hatching Sands entrance, his eyes firmly on the Candidates.

[lucidmaus]

Savitr made mental notes aplenty all the while. All the mental touches, the subtle communications, were filed away by the gambler - and for what? He didn't rightly know, if he was honest. Some thought or another snagged in his mind, but he held onto it for a time; he kept it in the background, while he focused his attentions on egg 18.

The curiosity was accepted warmly, the man smiling at the faceless shell as if the creature within might see - or feel - the expression. "I am only being honest," he drawled, low and slow. "And, further, I would absolutely love to be your friend. You are not afraid of much, are you? I would put marks on you making friends of everyone you meet." And he lingered to hear what the egg might respond with.

Eventually, he moved away from the egg with an apologetic, "We will talk again, though I hope it is sooner rather than later."

Before he ventured onto the next egg, however, he looked up and over at both Hedara and R'niaan, his attention ranging even further to include both dam and sire. His question seemed directed at any - or, perhaps, all - of them: "I do wonder - do the little ones recall all the Candidates that have touched their shells? Do they ever speak to them after? They seem awfully friendly."

While he waited for a response, he ventured onward - egg 17, egg 16, and egg 15. Marvels, all of them, and he told them as much, without hesitation. Always with the same touch - palm flat on the shell, fingers splayed. And while he was aware of his fellow Candidates, his attention was increasingly more fixed on the greater unknowns, those still biding their time in their shells.

~~~

Shakti was in the middle of getting a bath when the call had come for Candidates to touch the eggs. She made haste to the sands after doing the best she could to dry off and dress warmly. But, her hair was still damp and she had it twisted up and under a kerchief to keep it from dripping all the wetness down her back. She shivered as she stepped out onto the sands, grateful for the warmth that rose from below. She quickly rubbed her hands together before approaching the eggs, though the dam and sire and their riders were given a quick curtsey and a flashed smile of wordless gratitude.

And where others might have shied away from approaching the glorious, golden egg, she had no such qualms, not in the slightest. Egg number 4 got a bold touch, a fearless pressing of both hands on that marvelous shell. She said nothing, though, opting to speak her adoration through that shameless contact. The other candidates were noted, of course, some with a smile, others with a wink - but as soon as her hands touched the egg, all focus went there. Confident? Absolutely. But it was the kind of confidence that could only be found in a person who was both self-assured - and singularly unconcerned with consequences.

There was a flicked look to Lena when she recoiled from one egg, however; the movement was a strange sort of distraction. While she would not go immediately to egg 6, not while the other Candidate was near it, she would go there eventually, once the egg was unaccompanied.