lanill

Lanill watched as his friend Galeran was being rounded by his foster mother. Lanill was sure glad his own foster mother would rejoice in his luck, rather than punish it. For Galeran and Lanill had snuck into the Lord Holder's rooms that morning, and managed to each Impress a fire-lizard! Lanill sighed just thinking about it, and resituated his little bronze in the crook of his arm. He hadn't expected a bronze, no way, but now he had one. He sighed again.
Galeran's foster mother looked sharply up at him, and seeing the little animal in his arms, she looked as if she were about to go after him too. Lanill nodded to her politely, shot a sympathetic look at Galeran, and quickly moved on. He would have his own problems to worry about later. Unlike his friend, Lanill would have to deal with the entire horde of Hold boys in the kitchen that night, and he wasn't looking forward to one bit of it.
Lanill took the long way to his rooms, going through the thinner passageways and empty rooms that filled the Hold. He always enjoyed wandering, it gave him a chance to stretch out his legs. Hold life was filled with inactivity for Lanill, and being a very active boy, it didn't suit him well. He vowed that when he chose a Craft, he would choose one that allowed him to be constantly moving, constantly working, because he truly enjoyed physical work. He was actually thinking about becoming a dolphineer, but he would save that thought for another day, for he had reached the door to his room.
The little bronze chirped testily when Lanill set him on the bed. Lanill laughed as the little creature curled himself up, and went back to sleep. I wonder what I'll call him....Lanill thought to himself as he changed into something more appropriate for working in the kitchens.

Three sevendays later.......
Lanill was sitting on an old wooden bench in the kitchen, changing the leather on one of his boots. The kitchen was, unusually, deserted. Lanill figured most of the women were probably out doing the wash since today was a nice, Threadfree, day. Lanill shrugged, and began to hum to himself.
His little fire-lizard, Nik, trilled softly in the background, happy that Lanill finally had some time to spend with him. The kitchen took on a pleasant atmosphere, and for the first time in several months, Lanill felt truly content to just sit in one place. But that didn't last long either.
"Hurry! Dragonriders in the courtyard....important news from the Weyr!" Lanill looked up at the sound of a boy's voice echoing through the hallways. Dragonriders? Here? What did they want? Lanill slipped his half-fixed boot on, and raced up the steps into the Hold's small courtyard. He couldn't wait to the dragons!
Lanill's own father had been a brownrider, and Lanill had never really forgiven him for abadoning his only son to a Hold. Lanill's mother had been Holdbred, true, but she'd not wanted Lanill, and gave him to his father. Lanill wasn't really angry at either of his parents, life was hard and children were bothersome, that's why there were foster parents. But the Hold? Why couldn't he have been raised in the Weyr?
Ah well, he thought, too late now, so why worry about it?
But the site of two huge dragons, cramped into the tiny space of the Hold's courtyard, momentarily stunned Lanill. He never really got over seeing the huge creatures, and every time he did it was like someone pouring cold water on his face. Nik chirped angrily as he landed on Lanill's shouler, he had been forgotten! Lanill, broke from his trance, chuckled at the annoyed little bronze, and scratched Nik's head affectionately. Within moments Nik's angry chirping was replaced by a gentle crooning noise.
Lanill didn't recognize the two dragons in the courtyard, so he crept closer to look. Everyone who had ears to hear was pushing into the courtyard, trying to get closer to the dragons and their riders, and Lanill had a hard time getting through the crowd to see the dragons. One was a green, but the other a bronze! Lanill didn't know the dragons, but the bronze's rider looked strangely familiar....
"V'ran!" Lanill cried, waving his arms widely to catch the riders attention. "V'ran! Over here!" The bronzerider looked about, confused, but seeing Lanill he smiled and indicated for the boy to join him while he was talking to the Lord Holder. Lanill's invitation parted the crowd in front of him, and he eagerly joined the bronzerider.
V'ran had visited the Hold once before, several Turns ago. Both Lanill and Galeran had pestered the bronzerider on his two-day stay, following him everywhere and asking questions incessantly. Lanill smiled on the memory.
"Hey there! Lanill right?" The bronzerider said warmly. "You've not grown much since I saw you last." Lanill blushed, it was true, he was about the same height as he was as thirteen. Now he was seventeen, and shorter than most of the other boys in the Hold. His height never bothered him until the dragonrider noticed it.
"Now there lad, straighten up, you may be shorter, but you're stout and strong. I'll wager you can lift twice and a half as much as any other boy around." The Lord Holder spoke up on Lanill's defense, in good spirits because of the dragonriders' visit. Lanill smiled and rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, I get my height from my sire. He was short, he left me short so dragons'ed know that I was fit to be a rider like him." Lanill smiled, trying to take away the dull humour of his "joke", the Lord Holder chuckled, telling him he'd get the hang of telling jokes eventually, and Lanill pretended to be offended. But the bronzerider looked strangely alert and serious, a look Lanill recognized as him talking to his dragon. When the V'ran spoke, it startled both Lanill and the Lord Holder.
"You know what lad, Coacleth agrees with you."
"What?" Lanill asked, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion. V'ran smiled.
"Coacleth says you'd be a good choice for any dragonet, and since we've eggs on the Sands, why don't you come with us and try your luck at Impressing?" Lanill's mind whirled in dizzying circles, and he couldn't even begin to form an intelligant thought. It was several moments, stretching for eternity before Nik nudged Lanill's chin roughly with his head, and Lanill broke out of his daze and gasped.
"M...me? A dragonrider? Are you serious?" Lanill was rewarded with a look of surprise from the bronzerider.
"Would I lie to a young lad? No, Coacleth said he woulda taken you before, but we had no eggs at that time. No, I agree, you're suited to weyrlife Lanill, and I think you should come with us." Lanill felt his heart warming with the thought of a future in the Weyr.
"Of course I'll go with you! I'd be glad to stand Tiynarea Weyr!

Com'on Zeusaeth! You've got to get wet to get clean!" L'nil was exasperated. His blue Zuesaeth hated water. Who ever heard of a dragon hating water? Dragons loved to swim and get bathes and whatnot.
The blues eyes were whirling quickly.
The water is scared of me. Can't I just get oiled again? Zeusaeth's voice was so wistful that L'nil had to laugh at him. "I think you've got your grammar mixed up Zue, it's 'The water scares me, not the water is scared of me'."
That's what I said. L'nil just shook his head and shrugged. Why argue with the blue when Zuesaeth thought he was so right? He'd figure it out eventually anyway, why spoil his fun now?
It'd only been a handful of days since his Impression, but already L'nil had grown so used to his dragon it'd been like Zeusaeth had always been there. L'nil knew his friend Galer...no, G'ran now, thought he was taking it for granted. L'nil couldn't understand his emotional friend sometimes.
He loves Poisedanth very much. Zuesaeth stated.
"And I don't love you very much?" L'nil asked accusingly.
You and I are different than G'ran and Poisedanth. All dragons and all riders are different from other dragons and other riders. That is why there are a lot of Candidates at Impression, because all the dragons are different.
"I know that Zeusaeth," and then silently, How do dragons choose? He didn't want anyone to overhear that question, he was sure he was the only one who didn't know the answer.
We see different people, we choose the one we want to love.
"Yes but how do you know? When do you decide? Does touching you in the shell really make a difference?" L'nil couldn't help his outburst, and several people walking by looked at him oddly. L'nil ignored them, he wanted to know what Zeusaeth had to say first.
We see them, we choose. Sometimes we choose before we hatch, sometimes we don't. I don't understand what you want to know.
"Ah, never mind Zeu, they were dumb questions. What does it matter now? We've got each other now." Zuesaeth rumbled happily.
I suppose I can get wet now. But only if Nik comes with me! The dragonet warned.
"Doesn't he always?" And no sooner than the words were spoken, then a little bronze fire-lizard appeared in the air, hoovering above L'nil's head. He chirped loudly, and landed on the shoulders of the blue dragonet.
"Alright, come on fellas, let's go to the lake!" And L'nil stood up, and motioned his two lifemates to follow.

L'nil cringed as Zeusaeth bugled once more to the brown on the fire heights. Would his dragon never shut up? Zeusaeth had been "talkative" all day, and L'nil hadn't been able to get any sleep that afternoon because of it. Zeusaeth was out on their weyr's ledge, close enough to be a nuisance, and he refused to leave to keep up the conversation. He said that L'nil needed him there, and there he would stay. But he continued to make noise, despite his rider's objections that it would really be better if he stayed quiet. Another trumpet from Zeusaeth caused L'nil to sit up and shout.
"Zeusaeth! Please, be quiet! I..." Then he was racked by a fit of coughing. L'nil was just getting over a terrible cough; one that had left him out of Thread for two sevendays. He'd been given all sorts of strange herbs and potions by the Healers, who laughed at him when he asked if he was going to die. Zeusaeth had had a calm, soothing, quiet presence through those times, but now he was making up for it. He said he'd missed being with the other dragons and wanted to socialize. L'nil told him to go down to the lake, but Zeu had refused. He still had a strong dislike for water, and said if his choice was being shut up in his weyr or going to the lake he'd rather stay shut up in his weyr.
L'nil! You are still ill. You must rest and sleep now, that's what the Healers told you was best. Zeusaeth shifted about so he could stick his massive head into L'nil's quarters. L'nil smiled and sank back down into his pillows at the sight. Zeusaeth never failed to amuse him.
I've tried to sleep love, but you keep up that racket and I'll have to stay awake for the rest of my life. Zeusaeth crooned louder and tried to fit his shoulders into his rider's room. It didn't work, and he had to wiggle and kick to get out. L'nil tried not to laugh, for it would only make him cough again.
"Zeu, you should go to the lake, or up to the heights. I won't hear you so much from there, and you'll be happier. You can groom with Poseidonth or Refuverth. They'd like that, and I could sleep!" L'nil coughed again, and Zeusaeth shifted uncomfortably.
Poseidonth is sleeping and Refuverth has gone to Dark Moon to chase a green. I would rather stay here with you.
I know love, I know. I like you here with me, but if you can't be quiet for a bit I'm going to get a horrible headache. Listen, I'll be fine, and if you're near the others you'll probably be quieter.
I could ask Lovath to come here? Her rider would not mind, and we good be together while you are sleeping.
Two dragons instead of one? I don't think so Zeu. My blue, I'll be fine when you leave, and I promise I'll call for you if anything happens. Anything at all, if I so much as wake up for no reason I'll let you know about it.
Zeusaeth eyed his rider warily, snorted and shook his wings a bit. He looked outside and could see several dragons on the heights, grooming and sunning themselves. He wanted to join them so bad, but would L'nil be alright?
I'll be fine Zeu. Go.
Alright. Zeusaeth said finally. But I will be listening, and if anything happens I'm coming back!
"That's fine love, so long as you're quiet!" And L'nil began to drift off into sleep.
I will be. Zeusaeth told his almost dozing rider. And as L'nil drifted into sleep he felt a strong loving feeling coming from Zeu. With his last bit of awake energy, he returned the feeling.

A few days later.......
L'nil was engaged in the eternal struggle to get Zeusaeth wet. The creature just didn't understand what was good for him. Poor Zeu, the other dragons teased him for his fear of water.
I am not afraid of the water! The water is afraid of me! Zeusaeth shouted and L'nil almost screeched. Why did his dragon keep saying that? It didn't make any sense. Zeusaeth was intelligant for a blue, and usually very sensible. But why did he keep saying that?
What does that mean Zeu? L'nil asked, one last time.
I've told you.
No, you haven't.
I have too! You just weren't listening. I told you that I can make the water afraid. Watch. The dragon commanded, and L'nil watched as Zeusaeth waded out into the middle of the lake, grumbling about the water the whole time. For a while Zeusaeth just stayed there, floating and looking about. L'nil was about to tell him to get out and stop making a fool of himself when something extroadinary happened. Zeusaeth took a deep breath and concentrated very hardly on one part of the water. As he did L'nil got the feeling he was trying to move something, and gave an inarticulate squeak as the water began to shake and swirl, away from Zeusaeth. What was happening? All of a sudden it seemed dozens of fish came flying out of the water, a desperate attempt to get away. They were darting in a circle outwards from Zeu, and splashing more water far away as they did so. It continued like this for several minutes, and then stopped. Zeusaeth was trembling as he came to the shore again, being watched by several other riders and dragons.
I told you. Zeusaeth said as he flopped next to a dazed L'nil. Other riders were asking their dragons all sorts of questions, and several dragons were bugling encouragement and "cheering" for Zeusaeth. In another moment L'nil came around and barraded his dragon with questions.
"Zeusaeth? How did you do that? No, don't say the water is afraid of you, I see that it is. How did you make the water afraid of you?" Zeusaeth warbled and snorted at the water.
I reach with me mind, under the water, and it happens. It has ever since I hatched, the fish tell the water not to like me.
"The fish?" L'nil asked warily, what was his dragon talking about. All of a sudden it dawned on him. "Zeusaeth, did you try to, or move, the fish before?"
Of course. I thought I'd like to know what they thought about living in the water.
"Zeu, fish can't answer you. They don't speak."
I didn't know that when I was a hatchling. The blue retorted. I do now, but they are still frightened of me. They make the water frightened to. That is why is jumps away.
L'nil sighed, patted his dragon encouragingly, and wondered how in the world he could get Zeu to stop scaring the fish.

A few days later....
L'nil? Zeu's pleading voice entered his rider's mind as the pair were doing their routine sweeps. L'nil knew the tone, and didn't even bother to ask Zeu which female he was planning to chase when the blue dragon asked to go to Sidra Weyr.