Amaryliss smirked as Aliana handed him the small bundle. "Another egg? It's almost hatching time, don't you think I have enough eggs to worry about?"
Aliana swatted at him. "You must be the only person on Pern to not want a firelizard, flower boy." She used the hated nick-name to bother him as she held the package closer to herself. "I'll keep it."
The gypsy grabbed it from her. "Not so fast! I never said I didn't want it. I just said you could have picked better timing in giving it to me."
"It's kinda hard to give you a Searching present after you impress, especially when I have to wait for the shardin' firelizard to lay the eggs."
Amar laughed and kissed her. "It's okay." He put the egg, in it's pot, down beside the hearth in the candidate's room. "With my luck they'll hatch at the same time."
The greenrider laughed. "Do you know what the chances of that happening are?"
* * * "Amar! It's hatching." Aliana held the firelizard egg in her hands.
"Candidate Amaryliss. The eggs are hatching." An unknown drudge stuck his head into the room to call him before quickly moving on. Fierteth had left no doubt in anyone's minds. Her children were hatching now.
Amaryliss sighed and stared at the room. "By Faranth, why me?"
Aliana grinned. "Because if it wasn't you some other fool would be talking to the roof." She kissed him quickly. "I'll keep the flitter, eggs can rock for candlemarks. You go impress."
"Aliana!" Amar called after her. "What if it hatches while I'm gone?"
The greenrider grinned. "Than I get a flitter after all. Good luck. I'll be in the stands."
Amar smiled as he quickly changed into his white robe. "Thread take her, she's more trouble than she's worth sometimes." He smirked as he entered the Sands. "And by the Red Star, I love her for it."
* * * Amaryliss didn't even notice the first dragon's impression as he was busy scanning the crowd for Aliana. When he finally noiticed the greenrider, she quickly waved and pointed at the eggs. He turned his attention back to them, but stole quick glances at her.
The eggs Amar. Most candidates watch the eggs. Look the gold is hatching. Xynoth obviously spoke for her rider.
Amar grinned. "I can't impress a gold anyway Xyn." Even as he spoke the words his eyes were drawn to the gold-hued egg. "Why watch?"
With your luck you're going to miss your own dragon. A hatching is going to between over you.
The gypsy laughed. "Has Ali stolen my flit yet?"
The creature has yet to make an appearence. Look. A bronze is ignoring all of you. Pay more attention!
Sure enough, a bronze had hatched while everyone was watching the queen egg and the tiny dragon, offended that no one noticed him, had turned his back on the entire assembly. Amar couldn't believe he hadn't noticed. He cursed himself inwardly and called out to the hatchling. "You're not going to pick any of us Heraemth?" He stopped dead as he realized what he'd just said.
You had another voice in your head. I wasn't sure you were a candidate. The bronze sat down and glared at his lifemate.
Amar laughed. Xynoth? She's a proddy old green...out of my mind before I finish her name.
In that case, I accept you as my rider. Feed me. The bronze lead the way off the sands.
The new bronzerider continued to snicker as he accompanied his new lifemate to the Feeding Grounds. "Come on then!" His sarcastic remark went unnoticed by most.
* * * "Amaryliss!" Aliana ran to meet him. She flung her arms around his neck and kissed him. "Congratulations!!" She grinned down at the small bronze. "And I didn't catch your partner's name."
"Heraemth." Amar grinned. "What about my firelizard egg?"
Nice to see how much you care for me. The bronze's eyes whirled blue and purple in amusment.
Amar grinned. "I saw your hatching, heard your name and fed you. I've got another hatching to attend."
Aliana handed the egg to Amar as Xynoth sniffed at Heraemth. Within seconds the egg had hatched, realising a tiny brown into the world. Amar smiled and knelt to feed it from the same dish Heraemth was eating out of. The new bronze hatchling sniffed the small firelizard. What are you going to call him?
Amar smiled. "Not jealous Heraemth?"
What's to be jealous of? A tiny lizard that barely comprehends anything probably thinks you're it's mother. We have something stronger. What are you going to call him"
"Angou." Amar smiled and grabbed Aliana's hand. "It means coincidence."
Aliana smiled and kissed him. "Perfect, Amaryliss...or should I call you by your honorific?"
The new bronze-rider kissed her again. He opened his mouth to tell her, but instead of talking, his eyes grew wide and he swore violently. "Damn!"
"What?" What? What? Amar could even feel Angou's mind asking him the same question.
He grinned. "Okay...that's going to take some getting used to."
Aliana sighed, looked at the others, and declared herself speaker. "What?"
Amar sighed and rested his hand on his new lifemate's head. "People used to bug me about being named after a flower...what are they going to say when they find out my name is A'liss?"
Heraemth has grown!!
* * *
A'liss impressed Heraemth at Tarizal Weyr.
A'liss impressed Angou at Tarizal Weyr.
Background from Myrror Images.
