Drayk

Getting Away From Pardain.
Drayk looked around and decided he had time to sleep some more before he would be needed in Pardain Hold. Not that anyone needed him, the youngest of the family for anything. He was 17 now, still a bit clumsy in his way of walking. His brothers all had at least journeyman rank, except his oldest brother who was going to be lord Holder after his father had passed on. In the North holder sons had once fought over that right, but there was still many land unused and people were needed in the crafts. None of his brothers complained. Only he, Drayk had. But then, he was only a halfblood son, the son of his father and a mother he had never known. She had been permitted to have him and had then been forced to leave the hold. Since he was a halfblood his father didn't feel he owed him anything so Drayk had to work on the land and wasn't allowed any reward for his work. They treated him like a drudge! He combed his long fingers (everything about him was long) through his blond hair, the only thing that made him different from his half brothers. they had all black hair which made him think he got that from his mother. He liked fantasizing about her. Laying somewhere quiet, trying to imagine her. Long, blond and pretty. Drayk sighed. The sun had shifted a little lower and he would better get back to the hold.
He ran, one of the things he was good at, most likely because he had long legs and a good pair of lungs. Running was one of those things he could enjoy. He liked to think he could have been a runner, maybe, but no-one had tried to get in him any craft.
He was right on time for supper, as usual he had to sit with the normal holders and not with the lord holder family. He grunted quietly and sat down. From early on he had made himself used to carrying his feelings inside, not letting them show. He had learned soon how to behave as a half blood, his older brothers (the youngest 7 years older than him) picking on him and never leaving him alone. He knew the best hiding places outside and inside the hold.
If he really needed help, there was one person in the entire hold he could talk to. Lavira was small, with black hair and green eyes. He had spotted her one day, he was 13 at the time, near the little river of the hold. Right before his eyes a piece of the cliff had crumbled and Lavira had been thrown in the water. He hadn't been able to think straight at that time and had dove in behind her. A foolish thing to do he had realised later, but they had made it and she had been grateful ever since. It was friendship at first, but he could feel it was changing. Maybe he could sneak of tomorrow and find out if her feelings were changing too. He couldn't offer her much though, just his love and strength, maybe that was enough.

~***~

"Drayk!!" She threw herself in his arms and hugged him "It's been so long since your last visit!"
"I know", he said, "but they've been keeping me busy. I couldn't wander far." 
Lavira didn't question him any further, she didn't want all that self pity getting loose on her! she new better. She knew he was troubled, but she thought most of it would go away if they could only get married and move off, there was nothing left for them here. She was 16 and determined. But she couldn't rush him, she wasn't quite sure of his feelings towards her, maybe he just felt sorry...she didn't know.
"Drayk, there's been something I want to tell you, for quite some time now..." She started.
Drayk, feeling the crust of Pern break away from under his feet, thinking she had found another, whispered: "You have found another?"
"No silly! Don't be so stupid, I just wanted to know if we could spend the rest of our lives together. I know I love you, I've loved you for 3 years now. I can even tell you the exact mo..."
She didn't get further than that because he kissed her. Oh, how she had waited for that kiss. He had waited for it too. The kiss didn't last long enough for both of them, but there would be more. Drayk sighed as he let her go and held her in his arms for a while, just so he could be near her. He promised her he would marry her and they'd leave this hold and find happiness of their own.

A week passed, Lavira and Drayk saw each other every day and made plans, sometimes impossible plans that made them laugh, other times they were more serious and figured out what they could do. Southern was full of fruit in this season, they could find a shelter or another hold. They were both hard workers, they would manage.
They were happy that week. The Calm before the Storm.

~***~

"Drayk!" Trenion, his youngest older brother yelled into his room, "Father wants to talk to you!"
Drayk could feel cold sweat running from his back. He usually wasn't noticed, but now his father had realised he had another son....He wondered what he could have done to displease his father.
He knocked on the door to the workroom, and waited to be allowed to enter.
"Come in." His father's voice sounded.
"Yes father, you called?" He remembered he could usually get through this conversations by being extremely polite and never looking the lord directly in the eyes. He hadn't been called in a long time.
"Drayk, my boy, I thought it was about time you would marry. I have gotten a request from Frendillon, you remember him, he has a daughter of 19 he would love to marry to you. he thought you were most decent last time he was here."
Drayk remembered the girl, sure she wasn't bad to look at and all, but she was stupid, couldn't think for herself. And of course he loved Lavira.
"My dear father, I'm afraid, I can't obey your orders." Drayk dared to reply.
"Nonsense! I say you will, so you will."
At these words, Drayk leapt to the door, opened it and ran down the stairs, escaping the hold. He had acted on instinct again, but maybe that wasn't so bad, he had met Lavira that way too. He ran all the way to her home and told her what had happened. He saw a spark lighten in her eyes, determined not to let him leave when the holder and some followers on horses got to the cot. They had followed the clouds of dust hanging above the dry sandy roads and found him here.
"Now, we'll take you back and make sure you arrive on time for your wedding!" His father shouted. Lavira and Drayk embraced each other, trying to hold on to each other as the followers of lord holder Grindanon pulled them each to one side. Rage emerged from within Drayk when he saw how the guards threw down Lavira and left her laying in the sand. he pulled loose and ran towards her, only to be tripped by Trenion, who was never far if Drayk was in trouble. At that moment the guards were all around the two and forced Drayk upon a runnerbeast. They took off, leaving Lavira crying in the sand.

Back in Pardain's main hold complex Drayk was scolded fiercely by his father, who only retained from hitting him because he was to look good on his wedding day, the day after tomorrow. He would be kept locked in his room until then. The first day passed on and the next came. Around noon there was a commotion though. A green dragon landed near the hold. Grindanon emerged from the entrance, Trenion not far behind.
"Good day, sirs, I'm Z'rae and this is Remarth. We're here because there is a clutch on the sands and there might be candidates here that want to go there."
"Of course, any possible who wants to go can go." the holder promised. "It would be an honour Should I call out some volunteers?"
"No need sir. Remarth will indicate them, she's good at searching." Z'rae looked lovingly to his dragon. "In fact, she had already spotted someone."   
"Who might that be?", the holder asked.
"Whoever is behind that window." Z'rae replied pointing at his dragon crooning in front of it.
"That's impossible, Drayk is about to be married!" the holder briefly lost his patience and swayed his arms about.
"Ahh, but I need to ask him, as you said, any likely candidate may decide for him or herself."
Z'rae stepped to the window and said, "So, would you want to be a candidate for a hatching?"
Drayk, who had heard anything going on outside, until the dragon started crooning in front of his window, quickly went through his options, at least as a dragonman he would be free and respected. He could even marry Lavira.
"Of course!" he shouted.

When they were on their way to Beach Shards Weyr, Drayk asked nicely if they could stop at Lavira's house. They could, so he hopped of (helped by the front leg of Remarth) and he shouted for her to come out. He explained the rest of the situation and promised her he would come back for her. Lavira looked him straight in the eye and, again showing the determined spark in her eyes, said
"Not in this lifetime! I'm coming with immediately, There's no chance I'm ever leaving you alone again!" Thus said, she signalled the dragon, she would need a lift. Remarth, awed by this strange show of power helped her on. 

~***~

The Hatching
"They are hatching!"
Something registered in the back of Drayk's mind...they were hatching? One eye open he tried to see what the fuzz was about. he wanted to be fit for the hatching. Now who was disturbing his sleep? Wait a sec, did he say hatching?
Drayk got up and wide awake hurried to get his impression clothes on. He ran to the Sands, other candidates running along side him and noticed that some people had already impressed. That made him run even harder. There weren't many eggs in this clutch.
He entered the Sands and noticed a blue looking his way. He was right on time to see it come to him and then turn to the stands where lavira was sitting.
"mmmh, I see she is worth it perhaps. My name is Inuith And you are my rider D'ay."
Drayk swallowed at the use of his new name, how weird did it sound. He smiled at Lavira and waved.
"She is indeed."
They left together.
"We will have enough space right? I'll be big."
"You will be, won't you. We'll make room."
 

BLUE INUITH
 

Lantessama Isle