Azalea smiled to herself. Today was the day. Nothing could ruin her mood. She dressed herself quickly and ran to the weyrbowl.
Good morning Azalea. You're in a good mood.
Azalea turned to the blue and smiled. Today the searchriders come. Today I may get searched.
The dragon smiled. Good luck!
Azalea bowed a farewell and ran to join the other candidates.
She smiled remembering her scene with Hyth a turn ago. It had changed everything. Working with Celeste, Feena, K'rik and Finisheth, K'rik's bronze, Azalea had improved greatly. Although most math, even basic stuff, was still beyond her, she could now keep up a running conversation, most of the time. Also she remembered more. Celeste said that was because of the lessons. Azalea thought it was because there was more she liked to remember now.
As the dragons desended from various weyrs, Azalea put all of that out of her mind and concentrated on talking. Hello! she called out briefly to the searchdragons and then firmly decided she would talk out-loud from that moment on.
One or two of the dragons gave her an odd look, but not one of them responded. Azalea wondered why, and finally decided that they didn't reply because it would be unprofessional. She didn't know that real reason was because most of the dragons were to stunned to answer. They each questioned their rider and the other dragons in the weyr to get the whole story.
Everything was ready. Fifty or so young people between the ages of 15 and 22 were gathered in the Weyrbowl, in nice, neat rows. Seven searchriders stood in front of the rows with Weyrwoman Magika and Hyth. Azalea held her breath. They had to take her, they just had to.
Azalea! Calm down! You're distracting the searchdragons! Hyth reprimanded the youth.
Azalea sighed and quieted her mind. The searchriders began looking over the group, here and there they picked out a young boy or girl and they went to stand near the dragons. Eventually seven young people were gathered at the front. Azalea still waited, getting somewhat nervous. Suddenly the searchrider nodded to Magika and Magika began to talk.
"Thank you all for coming. The searchriders have all they can take. Please don't get discouraged. Try again."
Azalea's heart sunk to her boots as she watched the searchdragons take off without her. Everyone else left, but Azalea just stood in the Weyrbowl, looking up at the sky. Waiting for them to come back. Waiting for someone to tell her she had been searched, that this was a joke. No one came.
* * *
"She's taking this pretty hard." Feena murmured. The sun had set and still Azalea was standing in the middle of the Weyrbowl. Everyone and every dragon had tried convincing her to leave, but she wouldn't move.
Celeste sighed. "This is all my fault. I should never have suggested impressing to her. It got her hopes up too high. She wasn't ready for the disappointment. I should have known better." Celeste sighed again. "But I so thought she would have been searched. A dragon of her own would be so perfect for her."
"Yeah." Feena mummbled, not really intrested in Celeste's moaning. "She would have made an excellent rider."
* * *
The next morning came and Azalea was in bed. Eventually, she'd collapsed from sheer exhaustion and someone had carried her to her bed. She stared at the ceiling, blankly. Not caring.
Weyrwoman Magika entered the room. "Azalea?" she called.
Azalea knew she should answer the Weyrwoman, but she couldn't remember the words. She started to talk to Hyth....
"No." Magika said firmly. "I know you can understand me. I want you to talk to me."
Azalea looked up at the Weyrwoman. Why this sudden change? Magika had never stopped her from talking to Hyth before?
"I want you to tell me what happened yesterday."
Azalea calmly thought back. She remembered. She carefully formed her sentances. "There was a ...searching. I ..was there. I.....I ....." She started to loose her focus. The words started to escape.
Magika saw what was happening. "You what?" She didn't offer any help.
Azalea began to panic. "I.....I......I......"
Magika simply watched, waiting. She's not being mean Azalea realized. She's just waiting to talk to me
Azalea took a deep breath and continued. "I ...wasn't chosen."
Magika smiled. "I know that was hard, but see you can do it. You don't need the dragons to talk for you."
"You're..you're trying to make..make me see..I don't need a..dragon." Azalea said.
"Yes." Magika replied. "You need to be able to depend on yourself, not just on the dragon. I mean if your dragon was injured and couldn't talk for you...."
For the first time in her life Azalea got to interupt someone. "My dragon?"
Magika smiled. "One of the searchriders did choose you yesterday. I told Hyth to tell them not to take you though. I needed to know that you could take care of yourself, that you could handle tough situations. I couldn't just let you leave."
Normally at a time like this Azalea would be too overcome with emotion to talk, but somehow, it all worked out. "Magika. That was a very mean trick. But thank you."
Azalea is a candidate at Baeris Kshau's Healing Den.
