That time is up. At age 16, now, Lindsey has watched the Protectorate change dramatically. Caer Blackstone is her home, though she knows that her mother and father's dragons are part of a dying breed on Alskyr.
When she was 12, Lindsey watched her brothers as they were searched for their bonding. Her heart sank. She knew that she was a bit too rough of a playmate for most other girls her age, and so she remained mostly alone or in the company of guard boys. The tool in her hands shown on the left is one she picked up in the mining operations of the weyr, and she just never bothered to put it down.
Lindsey is much quieter than either of her brothers were. But that doesn't mean that she is any less able to mock, stalk, surprise, damage, or otherwise become a danger to anything or any one she meets.
On the contrary. Lindsey is able to coddle people into a false sense of calm with her coy looks. Her blackbottomed hair shows off the same yellow locks that her brothers do, and she learned how to do that trick with the eyebrow that Lazlow does -- mostly to attract someone.
Then her sharp tongue or vicious words tend to either humble them, or drive them away.
Lawvena glanced at her sixteen year old girl, and saw a proud, tall dangerous young woman. One she desperately didn't want to let go of. The green rider sighed, finally, as she heard the flap of the big bronze and smaller blue dragons that her sons rode. "I suppose I can't keep you. You weren't meant to be kept."
"I know that," Lindsey winked. "Ever since Shard said I was searched you've been like this. What's the matter? I mean, you're a rider, da's a rider, Z'low and Z'lar -- duh, are riders..." Lindsey flipped her hair away from her pale amber eyes. "What's wrong with me wanting the chance to ride too?"
"Nothing, nothing," Lawvena said, shouldering a bag with her daughters things collected in it. "I'm just finally enjoying having a more normal child to myself, these days. And not having to go out fighting things every other day. That's a facet of our lives you're never going to miss, believe me."
Lindsey looked almost sad. "But... I really wanted to fly against something. Fight some danger. I mean, there are ants and the rampage! I could still get those!" She made 'whooshing' sounds and her hands dive-bombed in the air. "It'd be great!"
"You lost two uncles and three cousins you never even met, Lindsey, to that great threat."
Silenced, Lindsey thought about the words. She would still ride. There would still be something for her to do on a dragon's back. She just wondered what it might be, now that there was nothing for them to really get worried about.
Her brothers watched in odd silence. They weren't usually found with their mouths shut, especially when they were next to each other. Their mother seemed also oddly silent. She probably wished to keep her daughter with her forever, but now they were committed to the task of bringing Lindsey to Seiryuu weyr for their new clutch.
Z'low tossed his head, and Z'lar moved to comfort their mother in the only way he could. He made a face and as Lawvena laughed, tears cleared from her eyes. "You make sure she comes back, and keep her flying. I won't lose any more relatives to our life's work."
"Promise, mom," both brothers said. Their dragons bugled as they left the Caer, and a strange aura surrounded the place where they teleported away from Alskyr.
***
Lindsey blinked and looked down when the dragons arrived over the weyr. "So why didn't either of you schmucks let your dragons fly for their weyrleadership?" Lindsey jibed.
"The brutes would have tired out the poor queen," Z'low chuckled. "Besides, do you think either one of us would really make that good of a weyr leader?"
"Well, ... If the weyr was really cool..." Lindsey giggled. As they announced their presence with a bright trumpet, several dragons took wing and escorted the big bronze and his smaller blue brother down to the grounds. She stood with wide eyes and amazed expression for only a moment. Then, not a minute later, she was settling herself in as the headwoman came up to greet them.
"Reca," said Z'low, "this is my sister Lindsey. She dishes out trouble, just like my bro' and I."
The blind headwoman tisked her tongue and swished her hand at the young rider. "I can tell. Just by a whiff of her. She's got wildness in her like you both."
Slightly impressed by the assesment, Lindsey remained quiet. She was led into a hallway where the candidates were meant to stay. It was a pair of large rooms, with some smaller ones coming off their sides, just like the candidate quarters at Blackstone. "I hope I can see the eggs," Lindsey said, after her brothers set down her things and helped her settle in.
Reca snorted, "it'd be a surprise this early. The queen barely lets her mate and rider see em. But I think they'll force the issue soon enough. But you're the first here, girlie. So act up and you're the only one on scrubbin' duty."
The headwoman exited the barrack, and Lindsey kicked back. She would be sharing a small side room with someone, when they arrived.
***
So she had to see the eggs. It was just something that Lindsey wanted to do, and when she really wanted something, she got it. If she had to scrub the entire weyr down, she'd do it, if she could only see those eggs.
She fell in easily with several of the drudges in the weyr, older boys and a girl who scampered around and enjoyed the loud laughter their antics would provide. Lindsey wondered if one or more of them would be bonding some time soon, but perhaps not. They were drudges after all. But what they perhaps lacked in tact and skill they certainly made up for in knowledge of their weyr. Ins and outs familiar to only a drudge, such as a quick, secret way to get from the laundry rooms to the weyrleader's hall, such as a kitchen dumb-waiter which lowered all the way into the wherry pens and parade fields... Such as, of course...
"There they are," said the girl, a hush concealing her voice. "They said more than twenty. I cann'a count that high..."
Lindsey gave a quiet snort, thought about saying something about counting on ones fingers and toes and realized the girl had been born with only three fingers on her hands. A shame, otherwise the girl was a sensible sort. Sensible of course, unless you count this rash climb onto the high platform overlooking the sands.
They were pretty, those eggs. Roundish-ovalish pinkish-creamish... Close-ish, but far-ish away. Too far. Lindsey wanted a better look. The boys recognized that gaze on Lindsey's face, and one of them clamped his hand over her shoulder. "Don't get the thought. They won't let any o' us down there. You're suppose' t' see em later anyway. When ye' do, just tell us what it's like..."
Lindsey sulked. He was right, anyway. If she got the chance to steal a glimpse, that was great. But if she would be allowed -- or even required -- to touch the eggs some time when they were harder, that would be a gift she wouldn't soon forget.
"All right," she whispered. "Then let's get back. I'll help you with the laundry."
***
True to her word, Lindsey kept the secret of how to reach the loft over the sands. It was quite warm up there, and sometimes she would go, over the next few days, just to see if she remembered how to get there. She always made sure that no eyes were upon her when she darted into the vent, and also made sure she carried with her a blanket. Not for warmth, of course, that was provided by the heat of the sands themselves. But rather to stuff into the vent behind her and soak up any sounds which she might make on the way up and back. She thought it rather clever.
So then she waited. There were two boys from Blackstone, weyrbrats by her memory, and she wanted very much to share even the little bit of excitement that she found. But then, they were a bit more straight-laced than she was, so she didn't dare. Maybe her room mate would appreciate a good tale of the eggs.
Maybe.
When everything started, Lindsey was yawning. She missed two bondings and another egg breaking open. Distracted, Lindsey knew that something was odd. Something in the back of her mind was tingling, like how Hollis would sometimes speak telepathically to her.
The boys Eizo and Naoto bonded, to two very different blues - that suited them. Blues were so flexible! And ... one more hatched along side two greens and a white. He dashed away from his sisters, bolting through the candidates until he reached Lindsey.
The tingling in her mind became words. He'd stopped next to her, plopped down and guarded her back, facing away. Name's Skieroth! Think we'll out do your brothers in mischief, my rider?
"Perhaps, time will tell, though." Lindsey said. She grinned widely - her blue was a different shade even from the brothers. At least they'd be able to tell each other apart!
"I'm not insane, I think we can do it. Do you want to help or not?"
Damian shook his head and went off to tend his brown dragon. Their formation would look good when they came back to the Protectorate, three blues and a brown. But for the moment, Lindsey wanted to make sure that the weyrling master knew that she and Skieroth had what it took to be a leading pair. Even if it was to lead a scout party or a rescue team, they were bold and strong.
I think we will impress them with this move! Skieroth sent an image of him doing a big diving tumble through the air, which thankfully alerted some of the older dragons to their intent.
"You will not do any such thing!" Said the younger assistant to the Weyrling master. "You're too young and you're way too inexperienced. Your harness probably would break, too!" She fretted. But Lindsey simply grumbled, and reminded Skieroth that if he was going to broadcast everything he thought to everyone, they'd never have any fun!
I see him. He does not know we are here.
"Then let's go!" Lindsey hissed, with a viscious grin. They dove into the water with a huge splash - spraying even more water over the relaxing form of Z'low. On the beach, watching intently, was their brother Z'lar. He laughed his head off when their little sister and her pale colored blue splashed down.
"I take it you're home-" gasped Z'low, "and lookit that!" He laughed and pointed at the dragon who'd almost drowned him, "a draggin!"
Together they dragged onto the beach, and remained outside with a big bonfire until the wee hours in the morning. Their family was together again, and would be in the skies forever!
