Kyna stepped out of the building and into the bright sun. She lifted her face towards the sun and smiled. It was a beautiful day; the sun was shining, the sky was blue, the only clouds in sight were fluffy and white, or so she heard. Adlai cheerfully cheeped and flew from her shoulder. He rose into the air and then dove back down. At least he was enjoying himself.
Kyna sighed and picked up her staff. "Okay Adlai, which way." She waited for Adlai's cheerful cheep to guide her. It came obediently from somewhere off to her left. She turned and followed Adlai's chirps down to the meadow.
As she sat down on a log she smiled in satisfaction. A couple of years ago she wouldn't have made it out the weyr doors, let alone down to the meadow by herself. Adlai seemed to share her satisfaction, he chirped and settled himself on her lap. He rolled over and she absent-mindedly pat his stomach. After a few minutes she stood up, startling Adlai to his wings. He flew around her head, waiting for instruction.
"Adlai, I want flowers. Something...colourful." The firelizard didn't make a noise for a moment, but Kyna heard his wings flapping. She waited patiently, Adlai never let her down. Seconds later she heard his voice, in front of her and a little to the right. She made her way over to the noise and knelt, feeling for the flowers. She gathered a bundle while Adlai snoozed in the long grass. He enjoyed their little adventures out of the weyr.
After she had gathered a handful she presented them to the little firelizard. He picked out a few weeds she'd picked by mistake and then chirped happily. "Glad you approve." She muttered and rose to her feet, Adlai gladly pointed the way home.
When she got back to the weyr someone had shut the gates. She knocked, but no one heard. Panic rose as she remembered what had happened the last time she was locked out of the weyr. She forced herself to calm down, to breathe. There was a latch on the outside of the gate, somewhere. "Adlai," The firelizard flew to her shoulder. "Find the latch." She waited for him to respond. A chirp told her he'd found it. She reached out for where she thought the chirp came from. Adlai grabed her hand with his little claw and guided her to it. She breathed a sigh of relief as she pulled the doors open.
"Kyna?" It was Media's voice. "What on earth were you doing out there child?!? The sun set a half hour ago, couldn't you tell?!?" As soon as she spoke the words Media regreted them.
Kyna ran her hands along her staff, feeling akward. There was no way she could have known where the sun was in the sky; she was blind.
Adlai, realizing that somehow Media had said something that upset his master, screeched at the Headwoman. "Adlai calm down." He flew to Kyna's shoulder and perched there. "I'm sorry...I...umm...I..." Kyna struggled for words.
The Headwoman sighed. "Come on girl. Dinner's set. Let's go eat." Media started to lead Kyna to the Dining Hall, but she broke away.
"I need to wash up. I'll find my own way there. C'mon Adlai." With only one false start, Kyna left for her room. Once there she cleaned herself up and, with Adlai's help, found the Dining Hall.
From the amount of noise in the room, dinner had already started without her. It was a big feast today, in honour of the Searchrider who had come from the Healing Den. Kyna gulped and tried to remember the layout of the Dining Hall. "Adlai," she whispered, "find Magika." Although she couldn't see her faithful pet, she knew his head was cocked in interest. He wasn't allowed to fly around inside here, how was he supposed to point the Weyrwoman out. "Which way?" Kyna whispered to help him out. He extended his neck and leaned to the left.
Kyna realized she was walking towards the head table. She almost laughed at her stupidity, of course Magika would be at the head table. She held the bouquet of flowers that she'd picked earlier in her hands. Adlai gave a helpful chirp so that she stopped before she plowed right into the table.
"Kyna?" Weyrwoman Magika must have been a little confused to see the youth standing there.
"Umm..." Kyna started to worry again. What if the searchrider wasn't with Magika? What if they'd left earlier? If they had she'd feel really stupid after she said her next sentance. "I picked some flowers." She mentally smacked herself in the head. Boy did that sound stupid. She quickly tried to cover it up. "That is...umm..." Adlai helpfully clawed her and begged for food from the table. "Oh.." She cursed softly and put Adlai on the table in front of her. "Touch anything you little rat and I'll skin you." The firelizard hung it's head and creeled an apology.
Kyna straightened and started her pre-planned speech again. "I picked some flowers from the meadow for decoration." This had sounded so much better in her head. "I would like it if the searchrider would bring them to Weyrwoman Baeris." She didn't need eyes to know that she'd turned red.
"Okay." A masculine voice she didn't recognize commented. "Any in particular reason...."
"Kyna." She filled in, feeling a bit more confident. "I want her to know that I picked them, they're my thanks for Adlai."
"Adlai?" The same voice asked.
"Yes." Kyna replied. "My firelizard. I got him there."
"Okay...." The man still seemed confused.
Magika laughed quietly. "I'll explain." Magika told the story of Kyna and Adlai's first meeting.
The searchrider didn't speak after the story ended. Kyna still stood awkwardly in front of the Weyrwoman holding the flowers. By now she was feeling kind of embarrassed and wished someone would take them from her so she could leave.
Almost as if Magika read her mind, the flowers left her hands. "I'm sure Baeris will appreciate them, if they survive between." Kyna turned to leave.
"Wait." It was the searchrider's voice. "You got these by yourself?"
"Yes." She murmured, worried that there was something wrong with the flowers. "Are they....wrong?"
"No no. Where did you get them?"
"A meadow, not far from here."
"Outside the weyr?" Kyna nodded. "By yourself?" Kyna nodded again. "How do you know that these aren't weeds?"
"Well...I don't, but Adlai told me they were flowers."
"Adlai." He was quiet for a minute. "Weyrwoman, may I talk to you for a moment?" Magika and the searchrider both left the table leaving Kyna standing there alone.
Adlai cheerfully cheeped to lighten her mood. She swatted at the firelizard. "You better not have eaten anything or I'll...I'll..."
"Kyna." Magika called her. Kyna walked, without hitting anything, over to the sound of Magika's voice. "How old are you?"
"Sixteen turns." Kyna obediently replied. "Why..."
Magika cut her off. "How long have you been blind?"
"Since I was six. But what does this have to do with...."
"She'll do." It was the searchrider who interupted her now.
She sighed in exasperation. "What?"
She could almost hear Magika smile. "How'd you like to be a candidate?"
Kyna couldn't respond for a minute. "I'd....I'd....Of course!"
"Congratulations, Kyna." Magika laughed. "Now you'll get to give Weyrwoman Baeris your flowers in person."
Kyna is a candidate at Baeris Kshau's Healing Den. Kyna impressed Adlai at Baeris Kshau's Healing Den.
