"The reason you are here," H'lis said, "is because of the other candidates we've heard that are going to Seasparkul Weyr to stand on the sands."
"... And you want me to what?" He asked, working his jaw back and forth.
"To keep an eye on them, mainly," one of the others said, one with a clip-board and wherhide log book in his hands. "You are ideal for this. The pair of women have never met you, to our knowledge."
"And you would know, right? Who I hang out with?" Vipeler narrowed his already slitted eyes. "I thought that was Alabaster's job."
"Who said it wasn't?" H'lis said, darkly. "Of course we keep tabs on everyone. But we know that these two haven't been around you because we keep them carefully monitored, more than you my cousin."
Relieved, Vipeler leaned back. "So... You want me to go to Seasparkul. Then what? What if they spot me?"
"You're going as a candidate," H'lis said, handing the young man a sheet of introduction which he was told would get him in.
Vipeler sat there with his jaw rather slack. Then he sucked in a breath and smiled.
"Well, if that is what it takes to get a dragon around here," he said, standing, "I'm in!"
"Do I know you?" M'cel asked, unsure that he'd seen the face before, but wasn't entirely certain he had been sober at the time. Then the yellow-skinned man's eyes grew wide. "I didn't -- you didn't -- we weren't--"
Vipeler looked at the stammering junior weyrleader. Then he smirked. The tension coming from the man was obvious, but he quelled it with a bit of empathic energy. M'cel calmed quickly.
"I just wanted to say that aside from Shard's clutch that never made it at Seascape, I think you might be the first of our riders to do this!"
"That's good, I mean thanks. In fact I think you're right."
"Well, being a Harper you might want to check up on it..." Vipeler said, and then went back to the weyrling barracks.
***
"It's only a green's clutch," one of the drudges said, as Vipeler was passing by.
"But it's another clutch you won't Impress from," her annoyed friend carrying all the laundry spat back.
They were right, it was both a first for Dawnlight and only a green's clutch. But "only"? The fine dragons at Seasparkul were sharp and fast and they suited Vipeler fine. He sent back word to H'lis and the others that he'd settled in, and that the pair of twins were acting normally. That is to say, they were freaking out and hoping madly that they both impressed something great.
Then, a humming sound filled the weyr! Vipeler sped down to the candidate's area, and sure enough, the hatching was about to commence! He was among the first into the sands, and stood with his eyes peeled and his feet burning.
Everyone had finally arrived, and then the hatching started! So quickly, his cousin Vaughn had Impressed the first Brown! Then others hatched, rapidly in succession. Mallory fumed while her sister Impressed a blue first... But then everyone was taken totally by surprise when a girl impressed a BRONZE! The attitude in the sands was half of elation and half of intense need. Mixed in with the human emotions were those of the dragons, which Vipeler couldn't feel specifically, but he was certainly open to them.
It was while the others were Impressing that he got it into his head that perhaps this might not be his time. There were several dragons wandering about the shards after all the eggs had opened, but indeed it looked as if Vipeler would be left alone this time. Even people on the stands had begun to leave. But then...
You would never leave without me, came a clear, shining voice into Vipeler's mind. You must know that your name is now V'iper. But you and I will have time to discuss that, will we not? After you feed me, of course.
Who are you? What is your name, my dragon love? V'iper asked the dragon with his mind. It was so much easier than speech...
I am Sineth. Come away from the sands.
And they did.
