Zachary
STATS
Name: Zachary
Age: 15
Gender: Male
Description: Zachary is a
young man with medium brown hair that he ties back in a ponytail. He's
just getting a beard meaning he has hair growing on his face but not
enough to call it a beard yet. His voice is at that awkward stage where he
shifts between the low tenor he will be and a much higher boy voice. He
has green eyes. His nose is straight and he has no scars or deformities in
his face. He has a tendency to scowl.
Personality: Zachary was born to a life of servitude and he has no
dreams of grandeur like some of the other hold boys have. He just wants to
do his job and not stand out. He knows when to keep quiet and he knows
when to act. People can't put a finger on it, but when he's around,
everything just goes smoother. Zachary loves peace and quiet, and spending
time in the garden. He doesn't have many friends but doesn't mind it. He
is very protective of his mother since his father died when he was
12.
Hobbies: Zachary has a green thumb and enjoys raising plants.
Skills: Being inconspicuous, seeing small problems and fixing them.
Bad habits: curiosity, thirst for knowledge.
Family: Mother Ava (38), Father John (deceased), no siblings.
Pets: Bronze firelizard Kiel (m) from the Healing
Den
*~*~*~*~*
STORY
Zachary stood in the line of servants awaiting orders. The Lord Holder was
expecting visitors and everyone was expected to be on their best. Today,
but really just every day, they were expected to be perfect. The Hold was
not a place where one could relax and expect to keep their job.
The head steward passed by and gave each of them their assignments.
"Lord Theremon's chamber."
Zachary managed to keep his composure but inside he was seriously
confused. During previous events he'd been assigned to cleaning the
hallways, helping in the kitchens or watching the horses out in the
stables. Being given the responsibility for one of the visitors' rooms was
amazing... and quite unheard of. Zachary wondered if the steward had made
a mistake. But questioning the steward, or worse, not showing up for his
duty would be dangerous. No it would be better to show up and then be told
he was a fool for thinking he would be entrusted with such an important
task.
"Zachary reporting for duty." he said as he arrived at the wing
reserved for the visitors.
Rooms in this wing were very lavish and opulent. They were cleaned rigorously
too, so maybe he was meant to be doing some last minute touch ups in one
of the rooms.
"Lord Theremon's room." the clerk nodded.
"Really?" Zachary asked.
The clerk was about his age and Zachary at least knew him from around the
hold. The young man was pretty friendly so Zachary took the chance to ask
him.
"It's my first time here myself." the clerk confided,
"they're so many visitors tonight that we're short on staff. Some of
the lesser nobles get the B-team."
"That's good to know. Thank you." Zachary said.
It was good to know, but didn't make him feel better. Because being on the
B-team meant his work would probably be scrutinised. He really couldn't
afford to make mistakes. He carefully opened the room and noticed that the
Lord's luggage had already been brought up. This lord really must be a
minor lord, since he'd brought no servants of his own. Knowing what to do,
Zachary opened the lord's bags and cases and started to unpack. Any lord
would expect that their things would have been put away by the time he got
back to his room. Zachary would have to remain here and wait for further
orders anyway.
He was nearly finished putting away the lord's clothes when a small padded
bag rolled from the case. Zachary could immediately tell that the bag was
important. The care of the stitches and the quality of the fabric was
plain to see. Would he be allowed to touch the bag? But he couldn't
exactly leave it laying on the ground. Putting on the night stand would be
the best option. But just as Zachary wanted to pick the bag up, it moved.
A soft cry sounded from within. What animal made such cries? A kitten? But
why keep it in a closed bag at the bottom of a case? Zachary heard the cry
again and before he knew it, his hands were on the fastenings, untying
them. Only a few seconds later did he realise the mistake he'd made. The
bag was an egg-pouch and the shock of the fall had cracked the firelizard
egg the lord had been carrying. The little bronze firelizard locked eyes
with Zachary and he knew they'd never be apart again.
But that shouldn't be. This firelizard surely had been intended as a gift
for the Lord Holder. Zachary knew the ranks of dragons and you couldn't
beat a bronze except with a gold. An impression couldn't be undone. What
options were left to him? Zachary frantically tried to think of a solution
but aside from running away like a thief in the night, they didn't seem to
be workable options.
"What happened here?!"
Zachary turned around and saw an unknown man stand in the door opening.
Lord Theremon probably. There was no escaping now. Zachary stuttered and
tried to explain the situation but from the look of the lord's expression
he really wasn't doing a good job.
Lord Theremon interrupted with some words of his own. He yelled and cursed
and Zachary had no doubt that everyone in the wing knew what had happened
by now. Fighting back would probably only fan the flames. Zachary remained
quiet and stroked the head of the little bronze firelizard that clung
scared to his chest. Nothing bad would happen to the little firelizard at
least, of that he was certain, so he could comfort it.
After a few minutes of shouting, the door opened again and a
strong-looking woman entered. Her long hair was tied back and she wore
pants and a leather jacket. Not attire Zachary was used to seeing a lady
in. But as it turned out, she wasn't a lady but a dragonrider who'd been
assigned the room right next door.
"Some of us would like to rest." she told Lord Theremon, staring
him down.
"This lout stole my firelizard."
"That is impossible and you know it." she sighed, "You're
to keep a firelizard egg on your body at all time or you run the risk of
it hatching when you're not present."
"The egg was meant as a gift."
"So you kept it in a pouch. Blasted things. This firelizard would
have suffocated if this young man hadn't let it out."
"It wasn't his to touch." the lord insisted.
"Oh fine. I'll give you a replacement egg and you release the
boy."
Greed shone in Lord Theremon's eyes and Zachary knew the dragonrider had
won the fight. She was amazing. But his heartbeat hastened and his mouth
got dry as she turned those eyes upon him.
"Come along now boy, You're in my care now."
Zachary scrambled to follow her. Who knew what would happen next? But
things couldn't be worse than they'd been at present. He was used to
unreasonable demands and taking care of someone's every need. It's not
like he didn't know what to do.
"Rest well and get your things. Tomorrow morning we're returning to
the Weyr. I'll have you stand to impress at Dragonhope Weyr's clutch. But first learn how to take care of your firelizard.
Have you thought of a name?"
"Kiel." Zachary stammered.
"Nice and short. A good choice. See you in the morning."
*~*~*~*~*
HATCHING
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*~*~*~*~*
ADULTHOOD
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*~*~*~*~*
Lantessama Isle
Zachary is a Candidate at Dragonhope
Weyr