Ariana and Niseth's record
The Hold With earnest anticipation, I urged my runnerbeast towards the hold ahead. There were only hours before the next threadfall and to be caught outside a hold is asking for death, especially on the northern continent. The river I had been following was not much of a shelter. Neither were the plains that expanded behind me. Ahead, the hold comprised the face of a well worn limestone cliff. The caves of the cliff were wide and inviting. Approaching the main entrance, the sweet
savor of roasting meat and fresh bread filled my nostrils
and I knew it had been worth my travels. "Welcome to
Dormav Hold," greeted a tall elderly man. "I am
Baux, the Lord Holder here. Would you do us the honor of
joining us for our evening meal?"
The Harper Upon completion of the generous portions, the hall grew silent in eager anticipation. From the other side of the room, a young woman in her early-twenties arose and began to sing. Mesmerized I listened as her clear soprano soothed my ears. Her appearance was clean, but her clothes were well worn. I could tell that she was no stranger to hard work. Her shoulder length dark hair was drawn back off her face and her dress was a soft brown fabric. She was not strikingly beautiful, but wholesomely pretty. As I listened, I realized that she had captivated the entire audience with her song. Looking towards the Lord Holder I ask, "who is she?" "That would be Ariana," Baux replied. "Her father is my steward, Bournon, and her mother is Micala. "Ariana is deaf, you know," Lord Baux continued. "What? with that voice?" I interrupted, "It can't be?" "Sadly so. She had her hearing at birth and her mother taught her to sing. When she was 7 she started losing her hearing and has been completely deaf for the last 7 years. She still sings and talks, but cannot hear a thing." "She reads lips to know what people say." After a moment's pause, Baux whispers,
"Want to know a secret?" Entrigued, I leaned
closer for the message. "We know she is a little
older than the other candidates, but Ariana was found on
Search!" "She will stand on the Sands at the
next hatching!"
The Cave "This is where my dragon will sleep," Ariana announced respectfully, "That is, if one of the hatchlings picks me." Lord Baux, Ariana, Bournon, and Micala had brought me to the entrance of the cave Ariana had claimed for her dragon. As I peered into the dimly lit cave, I realized that I had entered a place where no one but Ariana had ever been. "This is my sanctuary," continued Ariana, "this is the place I have always gone when I needed time alone." If I am lucky enough to impress a dragon It will be our sanctuary." The cave was quite large. It was but one
cavern with a ledge big enough for any dragon to lounge
on during hot days. The interior was littered with an
assortment of objects. As my eyes adjusted to the new
light, i found that the objects were instruments
surrounded by piles and mounds of Ariana spoke again, "In the event that I do Impress, I will have to consolidate this all a bit better." "But luckily, hatchlings are a bit smaller than full grown dragons so I will have a little time - that is, between feedings." "In case you were wondering about the scrolls..." Ariana begins as an afterthought, "They are an attempt to put the music I hear in my head in a form other's can enjoy. Perhaps if I Impress, my dragon can help me hear it performed."
The Hatching - an original composition by Ariana As the candidates gathered around the hardened eggs, the crowd took their seats to the hum of the adult dragons welcoming the upcoming birth of more of their kind. I, Ariana, a young woman in my early twenties, was the oldest candidate for the clutch. My shoulder length dark brown hair was drawn back from my face in the usual style and my simple dress had been replaced temporarily by a white robe matching the rest of the hopefuls. I have been told that I am pretty, but I know I am not beautiful. As I watched the activities surrounding the hatching, it was hard to follow what was happening. Having gone deaf at the age of seven turns, I learned to read lips to understand. Before, when I could still hear, my mother taught me to sing. Up until the day I came to the weyr for the hatching, I still sang every night in my hold. Now, with everyone so excited and moving so much it made reading lips all the more difficult. Why had I been chosen? Certainly there were other girls that would make better dragonriders. Then, as everyone around me seemed to be looking towards the eggs, I too turned. One by one the eggs cracked and a moist little hatchling would stumble out to unite itself with the excited candidate of it's chosing. As a tear escaped my moist eyes, I wondered why I had agreed to this venture. There was so much I wanted to accomplish with my compositions. Sure, I could not hear, but the music in my head is marvelous and I feel compelled to share it. Lost in thought, I did not see the young green hatch. "I will help you with your music. I am Niseth, and you are my rider."
Niseth Startled by the loving voice that penetrated my thoughts, and intriqued by the first "sound" I had distingished in over 7 years, I found herself looking into the deep rainbow eyes of a newly hatched green dragon. "Oh, Niseth, you are wonderful!" I said aloud, not quite believing that one of them might actually choose me. "No, Ariana, you are the special one. That is why I chose you." In the distance, in the seats provided, I did not see one dry eye among those who had come to watch this moment, my parents, Bournon and Micala, and the lord of our hold, Lord Baux.
Looking over at the beautiful green dragon sleeping on her dragon couch in the weyr, Ariana became more and more aware that she needed to stay in the weyr. When she had been first Searached, she did not quite understand the responsibilities of a dragonrider and thought she could live with Niseth in a cave near her hold. Now, the rapidly growing Niseth was bigger than she was. What a gift Niseth was. Ariana had gone deaf when she was seven, but learned to read lips. With Niseth, she could "hear" everything her dragon heard through their mental link. Before coming to the weyr, Ariana had been the resident hold singer, gracing her hold with her clear soprano everyone but her could hear. Amazed as she remembered those silent times, she made finishing touches on her latest composition. Now, once weyr harpers learned their parts, and with Niseth's help, it had promise! Putting away her work, and tying back her shoulder-length dark brown hair, she moved across to her sleeping companion. "Niseth, wake up dear. You've slept all morning. It's time to excercize your wings, and give you a bath." Ariana mentally soothed Niseth awake.
Amid a few grumbles, the young green complied and both dragon and rider stepped out of their temporary quarters into the noon-day heat.
Weyrling The more Niseth grew, the more Ariana realized she needed to permanently move her things into an empty weyr. Since she had been searched, she had entertained the idea that perhaps she could live in an old cave near her parent's hold. Now it was all too clear that that could never become a possibility. She was actually looking forward to fighting thread with Niseth. Now, almost full grown, Niseth was a good size green. There was still room to grow and the dragon still needed the daily oilings to keep her hide from cracking. Now, as Ariana stood on the ledge of the wery she shared with Niseth, she watched the aerial show Niseth was putting on as she flew high above the bowl. From the dizzying flips and dives, you would think she was ready to rise! Luckily, she was too young yet - to Ariana's relief. Being deaf had it's advantages, and disadvantages. Ariana had an excellent voice, but could never hear music unless Niseth was near. It was exciting to hear things through her dragon. Well, tonight she would need Niseth more than ever. She was to sing in a quartet with the harper and two other dragonriders. In fact, it was almost time to practice. Mentally calling Niseth back, she made her way down the steps to the lower caverns.
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