Fuzzy timed to the night before Ashrah's first Candidate Lesson
No word. No word since the eve before their exile and Casriel paced with the tension the silence brought. Maraxith had no word either, though the Cobalt had been on what would become their fire heights for days, straining to listen across the great distance between White Lightning and Eastern Weyr. It was just before dawn when the call came and Maraxith's eyes sparked orange with excitement.
They are there. Come, Casriel.
Casriel turned sharply and vaulted to her dragon's forearm. She was on his neck the moment after. Maraxith gathered himself and sprang toward the sky. When they were clear of the rocks, Casriel gave her Cobalt the signal to jump between to the farthest mile marker of Eastern's sweep circuit. She had run that circuit many times as a new graduated dragon rider and she had made it her drop off point many time in the days proceeding their exile. The sky was just beginning to lighten when Maraxith dropped from between, the dawn air seeming warm to the icy chill before. In the failing light, Casriel could make out the shape of a dragon and two people. She dropped from the saddle and the two approached.
"Casriel!" came the hushed whisper, tinged with joy. "Is that you?"
"Yes." Casriel said met the onward embrace of a young, blonde haired woman. Absently. Casriel smoothed the gold hair of her younger sister and Asteriel's arms closed about her slim waist. Casriel smiled at her but untangled herself to address the rider. The man however was already mounted and his blue eyes were clouded in worry and something else. Pain? Casriel wasn't sure and she did have time to figure it out. She simply have the rider a respectful nod and a sharp salute. He returned it in kind and wheeled his beast skyward.
"Come now, Aster. We must get out of here." Casriel said decisively. Maraxith watched as the blue dragon left, the light just giving truth to his coloration. His attention caused Casriel to look up as she was settling Asteriel on her Cobalt's neck. Recognition bloomed in her blue-green eyes. She settled the young woman, who held her tongue as Casriel strapped her in. Casriel mounted and Maraxith moved forward. Asteriel gasped to feel the large dragon move so quickly and clung to Casriel's waist. flushing brightly.
'Oh, are you a child?' Asteriel admonished herself, feeling embarrassed. Casriel said nothing, just patted Asteriel's hand to reassure her. Asteriel's eyes watered and the pain in her heart constricted. She lay her head against Casriel's strong shoulders, closing her eyes. Her older sister smelled of rich leather and the muskiness of her dragon, spicy and warm. She held that warmth with her when Maraxith leaped between.
When they broke above White Lightning, Asteriel looked down at the Weyr. From their vantage point, she could see the Hatching Sands and the eggs, like tiny gems from up high, glittering in the morning light. Casriel ordered Maraxith to angle toward their own weyr and the Cobalt obeyed. Once they had set down and the dust had settled, Casriel turned to look at her young sibling.
"So, how long as the Weyrsinger been in love with you?" Casriel asked with a smile. Asteriel opened her mouth and then shut her mouth, then blushed bright pink and licked her lips.
"I...um..you must understand." Asteriel began. "It's not, I mean I didn't.."
Casriel laughed and hugged the young woman. "I am only teasing you, Aster. What pleasure you take, if any, is your business though I would hope you would set your sights higher than a bluerider, even if he happens to be Weyrsinger."
Asteriel flushed, frustrated but to polite to say it. This was just Casriel's way but she had a good heart. Asteriel returned the hug and decided to abruptly change the subject.
"I saw the eggs, Cas. How many are there? Is there a queen egg?" she asked of the cobalt rider. Casriel motioned her inward and pulled a chair out of her. Asteriel was grateful for the seat and looked at her sister eagerly.
"Thirteen eggs, Asteriel. As for a queen egg, it is hard to say. Titanium dragons do not seem to advertise as gold dragons do when it comes to their eggshells. The flight was long and high though, so the chances are good." Casriel said.
"What are the other candidates like?" Asteriel said. Casriel gave a smirk and sat on the edge of her bed.
"First timers mostly but a lot of girls on the ground, Aster. So watch your competition. Not a one really knows what they are doing but Ashrah is a good teacher. She will be your acting Candidate Master until another can be appointed. Br'son has named her Weyrling Master, so you are to heed her in all things. Understood?" Casriel said, her voice gentle but firm. Asteriel nodded emphatically.
"Get some sleep, Aster. I will take you to Ashrah after my morning duties." Casriel said. It was then that Asteriel's blue eyes went to her sister's shoulder and she exclaimed with a joyful cry when she saw the knots.
"Oh Casriel! You are a Wingleader! They made you a Wingleader!"
"Indeed, they did. There is rank to claim here, Asteriel. All the power you need to change the world, is here." Casriel said and pointed at the stone floor of her weyr as she turned to go. Asteriel watched Casriel leave, admiring how strong, determined and beautiful her elder sister was. If Casriel had Impressed a gold dragon, she would have outshone every other queenrider in Eastern Weyr. She was so intense, with so much forward momentum.
'I wish I could be like. Brave without care of consequence. What a great Weyrleader Casriel would make." Asteriel said as she moved to Casriel's bed. Cas had left her a shift in which to sleep in and Asteriel changed her clothing in silence.
"You could have a weyr like this, just bend your mind to your studies." Asteriel intoned to herself. She wanted to be a dragonrider, to join the ranks of her family line. As she lay down in the furs, she concentrated on the possibilities and not the gnawing fear in her guts. She had thrown off tradition but she must be brave. That was what Casriel had done and look at her now.
'A Wingleader.' Asteriel marveled as she drifted to sleep. If Casriel had reached that dream, surely she could if she worked hard.
