"Ugh!" The twenty turn youth replaced the spoon back into the soup, hoping no one noticed him take a sip. "Disguisting. Gotta add something." He quickly searched the shelves for the spices he wanted, dumped a large quantity of each into the soup (it was -really- bad and needed all the help it could get), and stirred it around, praying the Headcook would not notice the improvement. She hated it when he 'meddled' with her creations. The Hold-folk blessed him for making her food edible.
He smiled as he left the soup to simmer and returned to the cookies, and the real reason he'd entered the kitchens. He quickly began mixing ingrediant, humming as he worked, and sampling his creation every now and then. He was completly oblivious to the world around him as he cooked.
"Raydon!" Iona sighed as she saw the youth covered in flour. "What are you doing child?" The Master of the Servants demanded. Iona's position was not recognized by most Holds, but because Nyterwyrm was so shardin' big it requried it.
Raydon smiled, licking his lips. "Baking, Master. What does it look like?" Raydon was soft-spoken and kind. He had a big friendly smile and happy blue eyes. He was thinner and shorter than most of the other men his age and a lot quieter. His hair was kept at chin-length and was a very light brown...so light it almost had a grey tinge to it. The Hold girls sighed over his smile.
"It looks like you're making a mess!" Iona began dusting him off, sampling the cookie dough herself as the youth stuck it into the ovens to cook. "Besides. A young man your age shouldn't be in the kitchens cooking anyways! It's not proper."
Raydon smiled calmly. "What is proper Iona? What should I be doing?"
Iona loved Raydon like a son, more that his own mother probably. She knew his problems and she knew his secrets. She prayed every night that his mother didn't find out. "You should go find one of my many daughters...Insa, for example, and marry her. Tell her I sent you, she won't be able to argue."
"Thanks, but no thanks Master." Raydon kissed the elder woman on the cheek. "You have lovely daughters and I'd hate to steal one away from the Lord they are going to marry."
Iona laughed. "You're such a sweet-talker. You could have all the girls of the Hold lying at your feet if you wanted Raydon."
Raydon walked to the door, a quiet smile on his face, before responding to the Master of the Servants. "Take the cookies out in a half-an-hour would you Iona? They should be perfect." He left, quietly shutting to door behind him and sighing as soon as he was out. "Too bad I don't want any of the Hold girls. He sighed and headed off for his room.
* * * "Hey!" One of the Hold boys laughed and pointed at Raydon. "If it isn't the aspiring Headwoman." The collection of girls and boys, all around the age of 15 or 16 began to laugh.
Raydon didn't care. Even though he was 20 turns, his aloof attitude, quiet nature and small size lead people to believe he was much younger. These children probably considered him their peer. Raydon figured he was above that and them and therefore paid them no mind what-so-ever. Their parents comments, however, did tend to stick. And people seemed to whisper wherever he went.
"A truly beautiful young man." A lady would whisper. "Perfect for our daughter, too bad though."
"Too bad?" Her husband would reply. "What makes him so bad?"
The man's wife would cluck her tongue at him and continue. "Didn't you hear? About him and that blue-rider...T'ulin...or whatever."
Raydon sighed softly again as he closed the door to his room and tried to close the Hold out with it. Even though Nyterwyrm was a large Hold, they were still only a Hold. Close-minded, short-sighted, judgemental.... The youth threw himself down on his bed. Impractical...annoying...petty...small.... He sighed again. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately...ever since he met Nu'lin.
* * *
Three turns previous...Raydon couldn't help but be uncharismatically emotional as he stood in the line at Falas Weyr. The Falas Genetic Program Center was up and running, and ready to donate extra-rare flits to the lucky chosen. At Nyterwyrm Hold, they had drawn straws, thinking of no fairer way to choose. Raydon had won, much to the disappointment of everyone else in the Hold and the delight of Esta, his finacee. His smile faded slightly as he thought of the girl.
She was pretty enough, nice personality, a perfect lady, but... Raydon fidgeted as he stood in the long line. But I'm just not attracted to her...
"Excuse me." Another young man bumped into Raydon. He was taller than Raydon by a few inches and had dark blond hair. His eyes were the same faded blue as his shirt and shoulder-knots. He was a rider.
Raydon smiled. "It's alright. We're all excited."
The man smiled back at Raydon. He could be more that 18 turns...only a turn older than Raydon himself at the time. "My name is Nu'lin. Pleasure to meet you."
Raydon shook Nu'lin's hand. "Raydon. Nyterwyrm Hold."
The two smiled and continued their conversation as the line diminished in front of them...and then the people behind them moved in front of them...and hours later their was no one else in the room, but they didn't notice.
"Hey!" One of the caretakers finally yelled at them. "If you two are here for the eggs you'd better come quick. The last ones are hatching."
Both youths jumped as they realized they'd forgotten their original purpose for being here. They ran into the incubator room to find that there was only one eggs left.
Raydon, very uncharcteristically swore. "Shards! I'm sorry I kept you so long Nu'lin."
The rider smiled. "You take it Raydon. And I'm not sorry we got to meet."
"Are you sure?" Raydon smiled hopefully at the rider.
"Of course I'm sure! Shards' Ray! You look like a candidate on the Sands. How could I refuse you anything?"
His new friend stayed around to watch the firelizard hatch. A tiny granite-like creature made it's way out of it's shell and feel into Raydon's arms. He quickly fed it and impression was made. Raydon kissed the tiny male on it's nose and cuddled it close to him. "Thank you so much 'lin." They'd only known each other for a few hours, yet it felt like a hundred years.
The rider smiled. "I have my lifemate, Confondreth. You can have the tiny freak of nature."
Raydon swatted him. "Don't call my little Gnarl that."
Nu'lin laughed. "Gnarl? What kind of name is that?"
"His name." Raydon held the flit up for inspection.
"I think he's cute." Nu'lin smiled.
"So do I. He's simply adorable."
Nu'lin blushed slightly. "I wasn't talking to you, I was talking about you, to Gnarl."
It was Raydon's turn to blush. "Thanks...I guess...look 'lin..there's something you should know....I'm engaged...to a girl."
Nu'lin leaned over and kissed Raydon. "I don't care."
* * *
Present day..."I wasn't engaged after they found me in the morning, eh Gnarl?" Raydon couldn't help but smile dreamily.
The full grown granite firelizard twirled in the air and sent him picuters of Nu'lin and Confondreth.
"Yep. That's him." Raydon continued to grin like a love-sick idiot...which he was. "And he's coming tonight."
As if to emphasize that point, someone began to bang on his door. The calm youth didn't even start as the sudden noise, although his firelizard did. Raydon walked to the door and opened it. To his surprise the same group of kids that had been tormenting him earlier stood there...smiling. Raydon smiled at them softly, the way an annoyed parent looks at kids to make them go to bed. The kids weren't listening.
"Hey fruit." The lead kid happily started.
"What do you want." For once Raydon wished his soft voice was deep and commanding, maybe then they'd go away.
"You're a disgrace to this Hold...you and your...preferances. We're here to teach you a lesson." The same 16 turn kept talking. Even though Raydon was older by four turns, he was much smaller in size and out of his weight class.
Gnarl. He felt his flit's mind touch his. Go to Nu'lin and stay there. He could have sent the flit for help, but he had to prove something here. To the other boys of the Hold and to himself. He was not afraid...and he was just as man as they were.
The lead boy laughed. "Send your precious freak to your lover?" Although they all would have died for a rare flit, since Raydon had it it was a freak.
"Yes." Raydon clenched his fists. "Now leave."
"Not likely." One of the girls laughed. Two of her male counterparts grabbed Raydon by the arms and dragged him outside the Hold. No one tried to stop them. Raydon faught and struggled, but he was not a match for one of the stronger boys...let along 4 or 5 of them. The blows started raining down on his face and the girls' annoying giggling continued until he mercifully lost consiousness.
* * * "Ray!" Nu'lin searched all through the Hold and along the outside of the Hold. "Confondreth! Anything?"
Sorry rider-mine. I can't see him. The grey/blue was pacing the other side of the Hold.
"Stupid Hold-brats!!" Nu'lin yelled at the top of his lungs. "May the Red Star take them all."
"They're just scared 'lin." Raydon sat up and leaned against the wall. The chill fall wind sending shivers down his spine.
"Ray!" Nu'lin ran to his boyfriend. "What the hell happened?"
He expected to find Ray hysterical, crying, scared, anything but what he was: perfectly calm. He looked at his lover through two black and swollen eyes. "They're just scared 'lin. Don't hurt them. They don't understand...they don't..." His lips were cracked and bleeding and talking was becoming painful.
"Shhhh...." Nu'lin hugged him as Gnarl and Confondreth appeared from between. "Let's get you out of here. Somewhere safe. I'm taking you to my Weyr." Nu'lin tried to help Raydon stand.
"No." Raydon managed to cough out. "My mother...Iona...my home...can't..."
"Please Ray!" Nu'lin begged. "I know you can be stubborn, but please. Just let me have my way this once."
Raydon shook his head. "I'm not running away from them. Besides..." He managed to smile. "My cookies are probably burning."
"I hate you Raydon." Nu'lin sighed as he helped the youth back to his room in the Hold.
Raydon smiled. "I love you too."
* * * "Feeling better?" Nu'lin sat on the edge of the bed and gave Raydon his soup.
"I feel fine." Raydon lied, the pain from the attack he'd received the day before still fresh in his mind. "You don't have to baby me."
"But I like to." Nu'lin put his hand to Raydon's forehead. "You don't have a fevor. I was certain you would have caught your death out there in the cold." The blue/greyrider gave a scrap of meat to Gnarl, who was flying happily overhead. The firelizard seemed to always get excited when the two were close togeter, like it understood their relationship and wanted to celebrate with them. Gnarl happily flitted to the desk and began cleaning himself.
"Are you sure you don't want to leave?" Nu'lin asked for the millionth time. "I've talked to the Lord and Lady Holder and they both agree it would be a good idea. Your mother even agreed to it."
"And probably disowned me. I'm not leaving 'lin." Raydon was like rock sometimes. Cool, calm, quiet and immoveable.
"This is ridiculous!" Nu'lin stood up quickly, startling Gnarl into another sweap of the room. "Now that they know they can take you they'll be all over you. They think you're a wimp."
"And if I run away what will they think? It's a lose-lose situation 'lin, and I want to choose how I lose." Even though Nu'lin was almost shouting, Raydon never raised his voice. His quiet determination sliced through the rider's anger.
"Ray, they might kill you." Nu'lin sat down and grabbed Raydon's hand in his. "I couldn't live with that."
"They won't kill me...they'd be convicted. Too many people know me and my relationship with them to let the crime be covered up. Besides, they're not that brave."
"How do you know?" Nu'lin demanded, raising his voice again.
Raydon smiled patiently at him. "They're scared."
"Scared people do desperate things."
"Like lie to their lovers? Tell them that their mother said leave when we both know that she refuses to admit you exist?"
The rider blushed, caught in his lie. "So I lied about that part. I did talk to the Lord and Lady Holder. And I'll admit. I'm scared for you Ray."
"Don't be. I'm not."
"How can you be so calm?" Nu'lin stood up and began pacing the room. "It's not fair!"
Raydon sighed softly. "You're right, it isn't fair. But just because I cook, because I'm smaller, because I like you...those aren't reasons for running away from your home. They don't scare me Nu'lin and they never will. They're just scared children. They'll get over it."
Nu'lin smiled and sat on the end of the bed again. "Sometimes I think you have to be the smartest man alive."
"I'm glad you said that."
"Why?"
"Because you have no idea how close I came to leaving with you."
Nu'lin laughed away a tear.
* * * "Do you think we have to tell him?" A small boy talking outside Raydon's room woke him.
"Master did say to wake everyone." A little girl was obviously keeping the boy on track.
"But is he an everyone?" The boy was doubtful.
The girl snorted at the boy and began to pound on Raydon's door. "Sir! Wake up. There's Searchriders here."
Raydon smiled and rolled out of bed. He openned the door. "Thank you little one. Do you know what Weyr they're from?"
The little girl shook her head and Raydon patted her on the head and sent her on her way. "I can't believe you let him touch you!" The little boy called as the two children ran off to wake the next person.
Raydon sighed and pulled on some random clothes. As emotionless as he tried to be most of the time, he always found searches depressing. He'd stood in front of the dragons 12 or so times and never been searched. He didn't expect 13 to be his lucky number. Didn't the old Terran's consider it unlucky even? He pulled on one of Nu'lin's shirts and smiled. It smelled like him.
As he slowly walked down the the Weyrbowl, Gnarl landed on his shoulder with a sad cheep. Raydon rubbed his flit's head. "Don't worry. Nu'lin and Confondreth will be back soon." He watched all the younger youths race to the Weyrbowl, stuck on the belief that whoever got their first would be the first searched. Why can no one in this Hold learn patience?
One of his assailiant brushed by him knocking him over. "I don't know why you even bother to keep coming fruit." He laughed as he raced by. "Dragons only impress to normal people."
Raydon sighed. Or tolerance. He entered the Weyrbowl calmy and quietly, waiting to take his place in line before examining the Searchdragons. It's a good think he did too, or he would have ended up flat on his back on the stairs. Nu'lin and Confondreth stood beside another man and his blue. For a second Raydon's mind flashed with jealously, but the logical part pushed them down. Nu'lin would never cheat on you. It promised, and Raydon believed it. But there's something odd about the other rider... Raydon looked closer, figuring the light must be playing tricks on his eyes or something. Was that man blue?
Murmurs from the people around him affirmed that his eyes were not screwing up. That dragonrider was blue...and tall. Raydon felt like smirking, but contained his emotions. He did, however steal a glance at the boy who'd made the comment about 'dragons impressing to normal people.'
"There he is Weyrleader." Nu'lin pointed right at Raydon. "What do you think? Confondreth likes him."
The blue dragon examined Raydon for a moment and it's equally as blue rider examined him as well. "Come here would you Raydon." The entire gathering was shocked to hear the Searchrider/Weyrleader call the young man by name.
Raydon dutifully approached. "Raydon." He spoke his name as he'd been taught to if ever a Searchrider called on him. He smiled brightly. "But I guess you already knew that." He felt the urge to stare at this odd man as the others were, but manners had been beaten into his head at an early age. He looked the 'blue' rider in the eyes.
The man smiled. "Shards and shells! I think you're right Searchrider."
"Searchrider?" Raydon looked confused to Nu'lin.
The rider smiled broadly. "Did I forget to tell you?"
Raydon grinned. "Yes."
"My name is Weyrleader Shard." The Weyrleader introduced himself. "And the big blue that you don't know is my Jeremoth. We would like you to come with us to Alabaster Weyrhold."
"Alabaster?" Raydon asked. "Now I know this is all a dream. Alabaster is gone."
"No." Shard corrected. "It's in the middle of gonning. Let's get you there before the clutch hatches wihtout you."
"I just have one question," Raydon still refused to move as Gnarl betweened a pack of his things to him.
Shard laughed and knocked Nu'lin in the arm. "You're right. Just like rock. Immoveable, does everything in his own time. Let's see if we can't change that."
"Why was I searched now and not before?" Raydon ignored the silly comment.
"That's easy." Shard said. "Because Jeremoth and Confondreth searched you."
"Wait." Raydon tried to talk as Shard and Nu'lin lifted him onto Confondreth. "That's not an answer!"
The two dragons lifted into the skies and disappeared between. Leaving Nyterwyrm and it's prejudices behind. Raydon thought he heard Shard's voice right before the darkness overtook them. "It'll have to do. It's the only answer you're getting until the hatching!"
* * *
Raydon is a candidate at Alabaster Weyrhold.
Background from Myrror Images.
