| Searched..... Isolde, couldn't get out of practice today....there are new riders in the Main Hall looking for candidates. They seem interested in your type, if you're not above getting green. Oh, here comes F'loran, gotta go, see you after practice! Narana's signature was sprawled at the bottom of the paper, and Isolde rolled her eyes. This green Narana had Impressed surely brought out a playful side to Narana's nature. Everything was a game to that girl now. Even sending messages via flit. But why would Narana think that Isolde wanted to stand candidate somewhere else? Isolde sighed and shook her head. Narana, thinking Impressing was the greatest thing that could happen to anybody and wanted everyone to experience it.... Teal chirped, and Isolde stroked her affectionately. "Hey there little one, are we a good girl?" Isolde laughed as Teal chirped happily, and sent the flitter back on her way.  Isolde still had no desire to be a dragonrider, and had applied herself twice as hard to her work in the kithcens- and was still as helpful as ever. But for necessity's sake, she had to go to the Main Hall and drop off a package to her mother, so she'd undoubtidly run into these other riders. She entered the dark room and blinked. It seemed full of people. Why were so many people here in the middle of the day? There were riders everywhere...and the Weyrleader was laughing with a group of others wearing Weyrleader knots. Oh fardles. Isolde silently swore. A Weyrleader's meeting, and how kind, they brought their searchriders too. I should have stayed back-had Teal carry in the package or something. Isolde was not fond of those in high position throughout the other Weyrs. Deep down she was slightly jealous that Impressing a high ranking dragon got your instant good status. Normal people had to work for turns to acheive even mediocre rank. "Isolde!" Someone said from nearby, and Isolde turned to see her birth mother, Zacia, standing there talking to a group of greenriders. Zacia came over, and put her arms around her daugher's shoulders. Isolde stood there stiffly, she wasn't used to Zacia behaving so friendly. It was akward too, since Isolde was nearly a head taller than her short mother. "Why, who's this?" One of the female greenriders asked, and winked. Zacia beamed with pride. "This is my daughter, Isolde. She's going to be Headwoman before she's twenty, mark my words." Isolde looked at Zacia oddly. "How'd you know that?" "Oh for dragon's sake Iss, I am your mother. You think I don't know what my own daughter is good at?" Zacia winked, and smiled apologetically, mouthing 'Jelle told me'. Isolde shrugged and smiled politely to the strangers. "Yes well, maybe not twenty, but definately thirty." A couple of the riders smiled, and one just looked at Isolde strangely. Isolde ignored him. "So you're the daughter of a greenrider? Whose your father then?" The man was surely nosey, but Isolde gave up. She just shrugged as Zacia gave the man a murderous look. He looked instantly sorry, like he'd spoken aloud without meaning too. Zacia cleared her throat diplomatically. "Isolde is the child of one of Kirtith's first mating flights. Neither Kirtith, nor I, have any emotional attachements to the men of that flight, and I have not informed anyone of that man's identity." Isolde looked to her mother in surprise, she'd never mentioned anything about Isolde's father before- and now she said she didn't care about him. Zacia hugged Isolde's shoulders closer, reassuringly. Isolde didn't think much of it. She didn't know her father before, why should she want to know him now? Honestly, Zacia didn't make much sense at times. "I see." The male greenrider said, and he smiled broadly. "We do have a place open at Quinalt for possible Impression...It's a green's clutch-nothing unusual expected. What do you say? Wanna come stand. DawnSister's sands seem always full enough anyway." Isolde laughed out loud. "I hardly ever desired a dragon of my own. I'd much rather stay here, where I'm of some use." Zacia glared at her daughter. "What are you saying Iss, that dragons are not useful?" "Oh yes Zacia, dragons are useful, but their riders really aren't. Why should I spend all my life on a dragon, just so I can say I do?" The greenriders all tried to hide little secret smiles at that, and Zacia just beamed. "You don't want a partner in life Iss? I'm sure you do. You have that green fire lizard you like so much. Think of her, smarter, and able to speak, multiply by one hundred, mix in neverending love, comfort and support, and you've got your dragon." Zacia paused, obviously speaking to her green. "They need us as much as we need them daughter. It's an honour to be chosen, an you'll never regret it." The other riders agreed, and encourage Isolde to go. "I don't think so. Some people just aren't meant for that life. I think I'm one of those people." "Nonsense." A new voice said, and Jelle came into the conversation. She handed Isolde a bag, already packed. "You're fire girl, and as your Mother I order you to go." "You're not my mother." Isolde spat, but it didn't matter. Jelle and Zacia both just shook their heads. "It'll be good for you." All the riders quirped, and Isolde, feeling like she had no say, no part in deciding her own future, just nodded her head silently and agree to go to Quinalt.
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