At the age of 15 turns, she was made a senior apprentice, learining to sing and compose. Shortly after she was asked to not sing much any more, as her voice is shrill and somewhat sharp. Her favored activities however are carving wooden flutes and stringing small hand harps. She plays both of those and writes so well that by the time she is 17, she is a Journeywoman. She has since made several compositions which are at once dark, imposing and broadly beautiful, though they are not easy to play.
Jequie came to Mama Tani's to assist with the harper duties, having heard that their old harper had impressed and was now flying with the Protectorate.
Even at her adult size, Jequie is only 4'9" tall, extremely small build but with a compact and healthy body. She is very sure footed as well as gifted with nimble fingers. Her skin is very dark brown, while her hair is a brilliant flaxen color contrasting with her face. Her eyes are a rich brown. She has a strong voice, as above though it is shrill. She chooses others to sing for her. Jequie wears comfortable Southern clothing, usually leather or heavy cloth but normally cut off the shoulder or with one armed tunics, and high cut skirts or simply no leggings at all with a longer tunic.
Jequie is a strong willed, quick witted young woman. She thinks in terms of music at all times, and relies upon her senses to keep her in touch with everything around her. She appreciates silence as much as any musical score, and loves to be in natural settings where she can hear the compositions of crickets and trundlebugs and everything else. However she has a penchant for liking large, hollow caverns and huge Halls for making her own music!
Jequie wants to see the world. And see it she shall! Hopefully from the back of a dragon. As most of Mama Tani's offspring and Fosterlings have been Searched, it was only a matter of time before Jequie met with one of the dragonriders of the family. She was almost afraid to be searched, as that might mean that her harpering would be crushed.
However she has been assured by A'rd of blue Trelerth who searched her, that any harper or smith or crafter who does Impress around the Protectorate's holds or weyrs will certainly be allowed to continue as much of their craft as they can. She was relieved to hear this, though is still wondering how she might best start her travels... heading west or east!
"Do you mean... Searching?" She asked, and the boy gasped in a yes! "But I've been searched my dear," Jequie said, patting him on the head. "I don't need to --"
"Not Our guys! Someone else! Come see pleeeeeese?"
Finally, Jequie acquiesed. She stood and put her small harp down, placing a cloth over it. When she walked outside, she saw a pale blue dragon that she had never seen before. 'Oh my,' she thought.
"Mama -- Mama Tani's not here!" Yelped another of the children. "Mamatani's not here!"
"Then I shall have to do, young lady..." Jequie said, and the children gathered around behind her as the rider of the blue dragon jumped to the ground. Peacocks fluttered away, into the nearby trees, as he walked.
"Clear skies," called the rider. "I am J'layle, of Mooncrest Weyr. We've got six eggs of a green's flight, ready for candidates! I was told by Moonvith that there would be a candidate here." The man's eyes unfocus just when Jequie was about to say something. Because she had been around dragonriders for a while, she knew he was speaking to his dragon. So she waited until he was done to ready a question.
"He says it's you," J'layle announced with a smile.
Jequie was left somehow speechless. How this could happen... "No. I mean... Not now! I've just started with the children's lessons and--"
"You may remain here until the hatching, if you must," J'layle looked at the half-dozen faces gleaming behind Jequie's slight form. "Though you should meet the eggs before then. This isn't your cothold, is it?"
"I'm only the resident Journeyman Harper, sir, Lady Raanatani runs this fosterling cothold. She is out with one of her children, she'll be back by tomorrow evening." Jequie cast a glance at the children and then the cothold buildings, and breathed 'I hope' too quietly to hear.
"Well then, should I return the day after tomorrow? To check up on your interest? We've so very few eggs, Journeywoman, surely one of them would be right for a charming and responsible sort like yourself."
"Oh, you're the charmer, here..." Jequie laughed. "I shall start readying myself. And I must send a message to the Harper hall to bring another Harper here... Again!"
J'layle looked with puzzlement at Jequie. "Why do you say that?"
"The harpers keep turning into candidates, around here, J'layle. Perhaps I'll write a song about it!"
When the evening of the hatching arrived, she was excited, but as all Harpers were trained, she was also looking and listening intently. She would remember everything happening on these sands...
A brown hatched first, then a blue. One green dragonet had found her true partner, but the girl wasn't even paying attention! Then, the next green pushed through the group right up to Jequie.
Here I am! We will fly and you will write and I will be in everyone's heart!
Jequie laughed and scratched the green below the chin, like a cat. "Yes you will be, Darlith! You certainly will be!"
But is it not perfect already? You have been working on it for days!
"Only two, dearheart. And I know, that's about as long as you can remember. Now, you keep the beat."
The dragoness thumped her tail in their small new weyr, making the beat for the song that she wrote. It was a fun, happy song, one which Darlith just adored to hear.
It was best for morale that the pair fly in trumpeting. Through Darlith's mind, Jequie aimed a careful song of pride and defiance, one which the riders of her wing appreciated.
"Are you tired already?" Jequie asked, unsure. The green below her swooped around and blasted another batch of Thread, crooning her superiority.
I am going to need rest, but I will be great! Look! There is more!
The dragon and rider swung up and did a move that only a Protectorate rider could properly finish, a great loop tail-to-nose which ended with a gout of flame across the silvery thread. Turned to ash, the thread drifted down, harmless now.