| A month later�� Denne walked out of the dining Hall smiling. She�d just beat one of the older weyrbrats at a game of poker, and rubbed his nose in it. Another boy followed her, begging for a rematch�..his friend was a better player than the girl! Denne shook her head and continued to the kitchens. No one was around, so Denne helped herself to some fish and fruit. She wouldn�t have thought anyone could enjoy such a combination, especially herself, but she did. As she sat down to eat, someone she�d never seen before came into the doorway. Denne looks up, and the stranger cleared her throat. �Your father�s sent a message for you to be sent home Holdergirl�.� The woman didn�t seem to know what else to say, But Denne did. �No.� The woman looked surprised and amused. �You�ll not listen to your father?� �I told everyone already, I�m not going home.� �That means you�ll have to stay here until you�re eighteen. Does that suit you?� �No, but better here than back there. At least here I can be a person.� Denne answered. �Be a person?� The woman�s voice was quizzical. �It�s something I discovered with my own mind. It�s hard to explain.� �Ah.� The woman paused. �Are you lonely here Holdergirl? I haven�t seen you with any friends since you�ve arrived.� Denne was surprised by the woman�s interest in her welfare. �No, I�m not lonely. I�ve never really had friends, but I get along with everybody, and just today I played poker with some lad.� Denne told the other woman. �Oh.� The woman was suddenly silent, as if listening to something. A slow smile spread across her face. �I�m Brenna, rider of green Nikath�� �A dragonrider!� Denne exclaimed. She couldn�t believe a dragonrider would speak to her so caringly. Brenne grinned again. �Yes, a dragonrider. But that�s beside the point. I was told when you first arrived that you had a strong personality, and you seemed caring enough. But you didn�t fit in well so I avoided coming to you before.� �What do you mean?� Denne asked accusingly, wondering what the greenrider was saying. �I mean that someone told me you might make a good Candidate on the Sands. I�ve asked Nikath to Search you, and she says you�re acceptable.� �Acceptable?� Denne seemed to be in a dream. Yes, acceptable. You are a good person, and are well suited to dragonkind, even though you may not know it.....Yet. A voice, almost exactly like Brenna�s, but somewhat mellower and higher pitched said in Denne�s mind. There was no question it was Nikath, and a joy ran through Denne unlike any she had ever felt. She had heard a dragon! �So what do you say Holdergirl? Do you want to be a dragonrider?� �I�ve never thought I�d be Searched. I never made dreams that involved riding a dragon. But I think if you�ll let me try, then I�ll have to accept right?� Denne�s voice was full of happiness and hope. Brenna smiled one last time. �Yes girl, you�d make a good dragonrider. Come on, I�ll take you to see the eggs.� Denne followed with uncharacteristic compliance. |