Merynalia

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Dawn Sisters Weyr

Merynalia leaned forward slightly as the gold egg cracked, trying to make a pretense of being interested. She somehow knew that the little queen was not for her, and felt no sadness, just a sort of curious aloofness.

As she was watching the new gold make Impression, something butted Merynalia's back, making her whirl in surprise. A small , delicate green looked back up at her with wide, whirling eyes of innocence.

I didn't do anything! chimed a silvery, sweetly babyish voice in the young woman's head. Merynalia tentatively reached out one hand to stroke the damp neck. "Tijalth. I'm supposing I've got my hands full now, hmm?" she grinned as Tijalth crooned playfully. I am too big to fit in your hands, aren't I? came the green's remark as they walked off the hot sand.

As Tijalth soared through the clear sky, Merynalia could not help but revel in the glory of flight. It was just her and her dragon up here; nothing could disturb this peaceful quiet...All dragons land back at the take-off site! came the voice of Orznath, the Weyrlingmaster's dragon, broadcasting to all the young riders and their dragons.

Tijalth snorted rebelliously and made no move to spiral downwards. Instead, the weyrling green kept gliding above the speck of brown that was Orznath. TIJALTH! her rider exclaimed, half-amused at her dragon's antics and half-anxious about what Weyrlingmaster C'gall would say. But I like it up here! So do you! Must we land? Tijalth asked plaintively.

Merynalia shook her head emphatically. LAND, Tijalth! C'gall will have our hides for this! she commanded firmly. The green snorted again but began the downward glide reluctantly, landing neatly in her place. Merynalia gulped as C'gall marched towards her with a very, very angry look on his face.

Tijalth sensed her rider's alarm and hissed at C'gall, her eyes beginning to whirl slightly red. She stepped between the Weyrlingmaster and her lifemate protectively, tail flicking in warning.

Orznath bellowed at the younger dragon authoritatively, but Tijalth remained where she was, blocking the brownrider's path. Merynalia blushed furiously at her dragon's rudeness and quickly stepped around the swishing green tail up to the Weyrlingmaster, her eyes downcast.

"Just what is this all about, young lady?" demanded the older rider. Merynalia continued looking at the ground as she answered, "Tijalth....just wanted to stay up a little longer. I apologize, Weyrlingmaster. It won't happen again if I can help it." she replied quietly. C'gall gave the young woman a look, not unkindly. "It better not, or you will face the consequences. This is your warning." he told her crisply, before moving back to his brown and dismissing the class.

I'm sorry, my rider. I won't do that again, I promise! Tijalth said remorsefully as they walked back to the Weyrling Barracks. Merynalia reach over and scratched her dragon's eyeridges fondly. "Don't worry about it, Tijalth. I will always love you!"

Wingleader B'din wants to see us after the morning meal. Tijalth informed her rider crisply as soon as the young woman awoke.

Merynalia froze. Why would a Wingleader want to see us? Surely we haven't done anything wrong. We're not of his wing... she asked her dragon anxiously. We aren't of any wing, my rider. WE have not done anything wrong, anyway. The green said dryly, flaring her wings as Merynalia climbed onto her neck. The rider chuckled and rubbed the warm neck fondly. "So we aren't."

Merynalia paused in the kitchens long enough to grab a meatroll and a cup of klah, gulping down the food in chunks just small enough not to choke her. Tijalth regarded her rider with amusedly whirling eyes. You don't have to hurry; Svatith says his rider doesn't expect you for a little while. the green gave the dragon equivalent of a laugh.

Merynalia swallowed the last of her roll with a gulp of warm klah and looked down at her clothes. "How do I look?" she asked the dragon. Fine, you look fine. Let's go. Tijalth assured her, nudging the young woman as she vaulted up.

The Wingleader's weyr wasn't far from the ground, so Merynalia didn't have much time to collect her composure. She took a deep breath before sliding off of her dragon's shoulder, walking hesitantly into the spacious weyr.

"Wingleader?" Merynalia called timidly, looking around. "Yes? It's Merynalia, is it?" came the answer, as the bronzerider appeared from the inner weyr with his weyrmate, queenrider Nirana. The greenrider nodded mutely, a bit awed at being in the presence of one of the first original dragonriders of Andromeda.

Nirana, however, merely smiled warmly at the nervous young woman before going her way. B'din turned to Merynalia, who was by now fidgeting. "I don't bite, you know." he said gently, smiling at her discomfiture. "Sorry sir." she apologized, her voice a tad squeaky.

"Well, I wanted you to come here for just one reason," the tall rider held up one finger, "and that is: to tell you that you're the newest greenrider of the Rayo de Luna Wing. The Weyrleader has allowed me to rider with you." B'din finished with his little speech, using the traditional words.

Merynalia was speechless for a few moments. Her, a girl just out of weyrling training, was to join the most prestigious wing in the Weyr? Not that the other wings were bad; it was just that the Rayo de Luna (someone had told her it meant "Moonbeam in some old Terran language) Wing was the first wing founded at Andromeda.

"I-it's an honor, sir!" she finally stammered. The Wingleader smiled again and ushered her out of the weyr. Merynalia burst into loud whoops of joy as soon as Tijalth had glided out of earshot.