Her mother's lifestyle has suited her fine, mostly. The freedom of choices open to women in weyrs is something she has always enjoyed. Though her father has trained her in bartering, appraisal and those sorts of skills, she is rarely given to exersize them at Gathers -- she's only a girl after all.
She harbors no (or very little) resentment for this. She has always wanted to be a dragon rider. Always. It runs in her blood, and seems to be much stronger in her than her siblings. She seeks the sky, mountains draw her near, and she loves star gazing.
Her ability with math and examining objects to check for workmanship are not neglected just because she's rarely tested at Gathers. She herself wants only the best. What better way to outfit herself? Surely she'd never want second-rate clothing, accomodations or items.
Son-ni has a slightly squeaky, high voice. It is the one thing about herself that she truly wishes she could change. Her mother's voice is similar, but she adores listening to it anyway. Her father on the other hand has far more interesting stories to offer, so his gravelly rough merchant-worn sound is just as much a blessing to her.
She is fond of her brother and sister, and helps raise them when her father is visiting the Weyr. However she's never gotten along with her half-siblings mother -- who also likes to tag along to make sure there are no other ... "accidents" like Son-ni. Not that she could have done anything, Son-ni was concieved while her parents' fire lizards were mating, and long before Thokai came along.
But the older, gruff pottery seller said nothing. He did not even grunt much now. Son-ni settled in, disgusted that while she had to put up with traveling around like this, she also had to put up with people who didn't want her there in the first place. The caravan would not be stopping for a good number of days. And those days would simply crawl by, if Son-ni did nothing but wait for this oddball companion to speak.
She knew that her own observations about the storm were correct. But would this curmudgeon ever admit that? Never! She glared off at the side of the road, where the short grasses and tall trees barely interested her at all.
When the road suddenly lurched around and struck her on the noggin, Son-ni was hardly prepared for it! She struggled without speaking, out from under the wagon's many spilled goods.
"Aww, what in the world happened now!?" She whined. As the others in the caravan came up hurriedly, she stomped around, innefectually.
When the leader of the merchant caravan approached her, however, his expression was anything but bemused. "Were you planning on telling anyone that the old codger had died on us?"
With her mostly narrow violet-brown eyes widening by the moment, Son-ni squeeked out, "... is that why we crashed?..." And bit her lip. Below it, her pointed chin quivered. "I didn't know..."
"Ahh," said one of the other beast-workers, "don't worry about it... The old guy didn't like anyone else..." But he was interrupted by a more experienced auntie.
"He didn't have to go on the road. He chose..." But she too did not finish. Tears brimmed in the old woman's eyes. Son-ni went to her side, and held on.
"Half the best pots are broken, and most of the rest are too bor-ring to use..." But that wasn't really true. Son-ni took time to put everything in order before they ascended the hilly area to Dragon Fang weyr. She placed the broken bits into a basket, to be powdered down and used again. The rest, she made sure they were in better more secure packing.
As they entered the weyr's domain, she looked up at the sky and smiled. There were dragons here, beautiful ones!
She blinked, paused, and thought to herself... They've got scales, too. Odd. Pern isn't known to have scaley dragons. Well, whatever. Scales, hide, who cares!
She watched the road only part of the time, the rest she gazed lovingly up at the dragon-filled skies.
The whole weyr was a great place, and Son-ni couldn't wait to be let out of the merchant area to see it. It was forever. For-EVER! But she finally got the chance to grab a few marks for herself out of the pottery-wagon's little stash, and bolted up to the proper parts of the Weyr.
There, she watched with interest as the riders and weyrlings did their work, practiced, and flew. How queer, though. Those scales. They glimmered in such a way that held her attention so much more than any other dragon had.
This was the place for her. She knew it. She jumped out of her skin when someone tapped her on the shoulder and cleared his throat.
Laughing, the man slapped his hand harder on the poor girl's shoulder and turned her back to the dragons above. "Look at that," he said, "aren't they great? That one there," he waved a hand at a blue dragon who hovered and then landed nearby, "Ineth by name. He thinks that you do belong here. On a dragon, in fact. And there," he waved again to a darker area below, "are eggs which our beautiful queen has laid. For you? Perhaps."
Son-ni's expression changed appropriately while the man spoke. She laughed at the end.
"Do you mean, my charming blue rider, that I've been Searched for the clutch?"
"I do mean that. Very much so!"
"Well then let me tell my father, and have him send a flitter to my mother!"
It was a good thing she was a candidate! Because at last, the call went out that the green's clutch which Son-Ni was participating in was ready to hatch. The candidates were gathered, and she dutifully donned her white robe. The weyrwoman said something about expecting a surprise this clutch.
A blue broke shell first, followed by a green, and then a bronze. A bronze?! From a green's clutch! That must be at least part of the surprise! Then, another surprise -- a golden dragonet hatched! This certainly was something spectacular!
A blue hatched, and then was followed by a green who impressed a boy. A big brown strode around for a while before choosing his bond. At last, there were only two eggs, and several candidates. The first of them broke, to reveal a brilliantly scaled green dragonet. She approached Son-ni with a complaint, Son-ni, I'm hungry.
"Well come on then Kelanseth, we'll get you something. But don't eat too much!" Son-ni hugged the little dragoness and they went off to start their new life together!
What is that way we were supposed to go? I cannot remember. This pattern is very difficult, my friend.
I don't see why we must learn this anyway... The Protectorate will have us with them soon, and I expect to be a merchant on your back, not a fighter.
Both human and dragon gazed at the dark sky, looked at the stars with wonder.
Why are they bright? Why is that one dim?
"Because they're near and far, or big and small. They are just like our sun. Or so says a starcrafter or two. I believe them. I know it's true."
Then I know it is true too!
If only I could remember that island's coast better...
"It's all right Kel, you do the flying, I'll do the memorization. I'm best at it."
You are best at getting those pretty stones and plates and things!
I like doing that too, bartering is fun with these Guild folks. Say, is that a caravan? We should check them out and see if they need help. They look like they're in need...
And so it goes...
