Xanadu Weyr - Hatching Sands
The large circular "stage" is surrounded on one half by a towering wall, thin slit windows high overhead letting in some light without truly endangering the objects on the sands, though plenty of lights are spaced at human-level all the way around. The other half is ringed by the dark blue seats of the observation level, rising upwards towards the back wall. The circle itself is filled with a mix of red and white sands, deep enough to cover the largest of dragon eggs with ease. To one side, a small door is visible, hidden away behind a platform meant to provide a place for the clutch parent's lifemates to stand during the on goings.
V'dim was waiting in the foyer of the Hatching Arena, the greying greenrider looking impatient - arms folded over his chest - as he waits for the candidates to appear in regards to his summons. As a small group has gathered, he turns to the door, and with a gruff reminder to bow, keep their voices low, and walk slowly, he's pushing the doors to the sands open, leading the way in silence.
Phylicia is perfectly fine with that silence, following V'dim without more than a nod and a mumbled "Yessir." It appears that something is still eating at the girl, and likely what is to blame are the letters she has been receiving now and again. Phy lets herself be swept onto the sands by the flow of candidates, neither pushing nor staying back, dropping into a distracted curtsey for the parental dragons. With only a glance around the sands, she finds herself wandering towards the Lady's Delight Egg, gently placing her palm upon the shell.
Osric is near the back of the group, recently woken from a day off nap and with his hair a bigger mess than normal as a result. As he tries to restore some semblance of normality to it via his fingers he nods to V'dim, pausing at the edge of the sands to get his bearings. Turning to the side, as if sitting in the stands, he mutters to himself and looks back at the eggs again. Slowly he shuffles round a little, trying to find the position of one specific egg.
Natishen seems a bit subdued as he minces across the hot sands, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his shorts. His head is down, chin tucked almost to his bony chest, as he trods towards the gold and bronze. His bow is hesitant and rather jerky, then he's off amongst the eggs. While he hesitates at the True Enlightenment Egg, he moves past it, shuffling towards the Patterns in Parchment Egg.
Thea is there, over by the platform, sitting quietly with some paperwork on her lap. They're expecting the Candidates having been contacted by Isobeth. And today, at least the gold is not hovering over any particular egg.
Phylicia's hand twitches upon the Lady's Delight Egg, but doesn't withdraw her touch. Besides for Faraeth on great occasion, she's never had anything but her small trio inside her head, and to say its disorientating doesn't do the sensastion justice. There's a small wobble from her, but she stands fast, looking at the egg. "I'm not in the mood to be teased, little one." She murmurs to it, though she still feels that tug. That longing.
Osric spots his target, carefuly picking a path through the eggs until he stands beside the Haunted Maze Egg. Carefully he reaches out a hand, tracing a finger along one of the 'paths' on the shell, before bending down and placing his hand over the yellowy circle.
Natishen gazes at the Patterns in Parchment Egg - or it's assumed he does, as his chin is still firmly tucked to his breastbone. But finally, he reaches out and lays a hesitant hand on the ovoid, fingertips moving restlessly against the stains dotting the surface.
Phylicia's chocolate eyes are locked onto the shell of the Lady's Delight Egg without tracing its designs, her form still if somewhat relaxed. It's a passive tenseness that keeps her from moving. "Be careful what you want. I wanted those things." There's a pause. "Still want, I guess…" Whatever the girl's soft warning was about, it dies off with a sigh, though that hand is still held against the shell.
Osric looks at first confused, then intrigued, removing his hand from the egg for a moment to rub fiercely just under his nose. "They don't feel like I'd expected." The comment is made to nobody in particular, as his eyes don't stray from the egg, and for some reason he decides to straighten his shirt, just a little. His hand reaches for the yellow circle again, but hesitates, instead coming to rest over one of the other coloured splotches on the shell.
Seryth greets the Candidates with a rumble of warning, but without the agitation she had the previous night when the Candidates arrived. She rises from her crouch to loom for a moment, but a stern look from Thea has her backing off reluctantly to give them some room.
Natishen gasps, head jerking up, and his wince tears another gasp from him. He's quick to drop his head again though, and he moves back a step - a rather futile gesture, as his hand remains locked on the shell of the egg.
Osric's hand jerks away from the egg, breaking contact as a quiet, but firm, "No." escapes. He nearly puts his hand back on the shell, stopping short several times, but in the end he takes a step away, bringing him almost accidentally up against the Face of Time Egg. Though it's this one his hand now rests against, the maze still receives a curious glance now and then.
And THAT is when Phylicia's hand comes jerking away from the shell of Lady's Delight, her eyes bright with collecting, unshed moisture. Seryth's rumble of warning serves to drag the girl back to reality, and she rubs at her eyes while cursing the nature of sand to get everywhere as an excuse for the rubbing. She takes a few moments to get her bearings, and then is wandering again, this time towards the Under the Sea Egg, and there's another tentative resting of a palm against the shell.
Osric's attention is caught, and he turns the rest of the way to regard the egg beneath his hand. His free hand wipes at his mouth this time, chasing off a foul taste. Bending down a little he presses both hands to the egg this time, leaning forwards and almost listening at the shell at the same time.
Natishen shakes his head several times in rapid succession, then jerks away from the egg. "Too strange," he mumbles, before turning his back on the egg and striding off amongst the rest of the clutch. It takes several moments before he decides upon another egg to touch, but when he does, he marches firmly up to the Beyond the Taboo Egg, reaching out to place his palm directly upon the apex of the egg.
Phylicia's form is still tense from her visitation with the other egg, but standing here with the Under the Sea Egg, watchers will see her shoulders start to hunch, as if under some sort of physical pressure until she wobbles, as if pushed. The girl's eyes snap to the shell. "Hi?" Indeed, the greeting is a question.
Osric withdraws his head from the egg at least, though this time is in less of a hurry to break the contact completely. Though he still looks slightly uncomfortable, he stands a little straighter and waits for something to happen.
Phylicia shuffles her feet, her body language that of vague uncomfortableness that usually accompanies being stared at. Mentally she tries to shove back, to distance herself. But it always comes back. And yet her hand stays on the shell to the Under the Sea Egg. "It's rude to stare." She reminds it, her quiet voice sounding a bit gruff.
It's a pleased Osric that removes his hand from the egg as the contact fades, though his comment of "Weathered your storm." is perhaps a little cryptic. He turns around to look for another egg, gaze resting for a second on the Maze again before skipping onwards. A few steps bring him to the side of the Inscribed in Stone Egg and he carefully runs a hand over the surface, though his eyes close as if expecting something unpleasant.
Osric relaxes visibly as there is no worrying onslaught from this egg yet. The finger that makes its way to his ear and scratches around probably has nothing to do with the egg itself, and he checks the tip before placing that hand, as well, on the shell.
Phylicia wobbles as she's just left alone. There was that small bit of warning, but she blinks, easing her hand off of the Under the Sea Egg's shell. One hand absent-mindedly pushes her bangs back, a few straying locks falling from the confines of a hasty runnerstail. She slowly backs a few steps away, contemplating that egg, before the heat of the sands suddenly seems to swamp her. With a sway not related to any young draconic mind, she wanders over to where V'dim is, claiming the need to go sit down or potentially even lay down for a few moments, waiting only for his approval before she's letting herself out.
Osric leans closer to this egg and those nearest to him would likely hear his name being muttered quietly at the shell. When he looks up and glances around it's with a little embarassment, and he removes one hand from the shell to try to strike a nonchalant pose.
Osric is slower in breaking hand-to-egg contact with this one, and when he does it's with an odd look on his face. "Weird." He doesn't elaborate on who or what was weird, and wanders off in search of a new egg to be tested by. A winding path of uncertainty brings him to the Timeless Monolith Egg, and it's that one that he touches next.
Natishen doesn't move a muscle, except the spasmatic flexing of his fingertips against the shell of the egg. He's not tense - no, there's a laxness to his muscles that suggests relaxation, but he's completely enthralled with the egg - or with what is inside.
Osric gives this new egg a curious look. His eyes close once more but this time it's not against some onslaught from under his hand, it's in intense concentration as he tries to send a message to the being in the shell without actually voicing it this time.
Something about the egg seems to call to the boy, because Natishen's chin, though still firmly planted against his breast, firms stubbornly. With one hand still stuffed in his pocket, he moves closer to the Taboo egg, the palm of the hand resting on the shell curving firmly against it, maintaining a steady contact. Whether bravery or bravado remains to be seen, but he's not going to be chased from another egg. Yet.
Osric's eyes open again and he practically glares at the egg in front of him. "Cut it out." This time he doesn't care who hears his mutter, nor does he try to pretend that he's not unsettled by this digging through his past. He rolls a shoulder and waits, eyes and hand fixed on this shell.
"I don't know." Natishen's voice is quiet, unsure, and his hand upon the shell trembles with his indecision. But he doesn't pull away from the egg, despite the fact that he's gone from cocky and relaxed to tense within the span of moments. With a stuttering breath, he forces his muscles to ease, but his earlier bravado has deserted him.
Osric takes his time removing his hand and when he does he stares at it for a moment, then shrugs. "Firm." This mutter is likely directed at himself, and he looks over to where he started, back to the maze egg. Squaring his shoulders he heads back, a determined look on his face as he places his hand back on the shell.
Natishen takes a deep breath, his head jerking up briefly before he drops it again. He backs away from the egg, fingers sliding limply from its shell before he firmly turns away. There's a moment of hesitation as he - presumably - scans the rest of the clutch, seeking out one which he has yet to touch. Determining his next course of action, he heads for the Lady's Delight Egg, studying it for a moment before placing his hand tentatively upon its colorful surface.
Osric's bravado slips away as this egg seem to react badly to his new found confidence. As quickly as the touchreturned it left, and he stars at the shell as if that would make it hurry back. "I'm sorry?" He stays with his hand pressed against the shell for a moment, but then moves on to the next closest egg, almost disappointed.
Natishen sighs softly, but in pleasure, rather than disappointment. The fingers resting upon the shell of the egg tap lightly in rhythm, and he sways slightly where he stands, feet barely pulling free of the sands before being planted. Even under the thrall of the egg, he never forgets that a broody queen watches for any Candidate mis-step.
Osric was only really half paying attention to the egg beside him, but slowly there's a smile that spreads and he strokes his hand gently down the shell to make room at the tip for his other hand. "Hi." He grins down at the egg, head tilted to one side.
Thea glances up from her paperwork now and then, relaxed but vigilant although she is aware of all that goes on over there thanks to Seryth's viewpoint and commentary to her. She's more relaxed today, a small smile plays on her lips as she scans the sands, observing the various reactions of the Candidates to the eggs. Seryth doesn't lie down - she's not -that- at ease. She sits, keeping a careful eye on those humans touching her precious eggs.
There is a languid peace to Natishen's stance now, as though he could stand there for hours, communing with the egg. His fingers continue to twitch, their pace slowing in response to some internal - or mental - stimulus. He still sways, which is probably quite healthy for his sandal-shod feet.
A faint flicker of a laugh tugs at Osric's mouth, though he's careful to not let out more than the faintest breathy chuckle. Amused, he stares back at the egg until he has to blink and look away for a second lest his eyes dry too much in the heat.
Natishen's head raises, uncaring now, though it reveals the blooming shiner on his right eye. That eye, like it's less decorated twin, stare sight unseen across the Sands, his fingers caressing rather than tapping now. His gaze lifts up, up, to the top of the grounds and the sky beyond as he listens to something beyond hearing, but ever so clear to him.
Osric blinks as his amusement is suddenly gone, and there's once more only eggs and sand. He stands quietly for a moment, hand still resting on the shell, but then steps away from this egg. Steps away from all the eggs. Quietly he explains to V'dim about needing to use the bathroom and then hurries off as soon as he gets the okay.
"Ah." A single word, a note of supreme satisfaction, and Natishen crawls out of his trance, staring at the egg with something close to affection. Fingertips beat one last tattoo upon the shell, caress slightly, then he slips away, his head automatically jerking down, bangs once more falling forward to hide his face. He leaves the egg reluctantly, but doesn't approach another, preferring, it seems, to wander amongst them, digesting all he's been shown this time.
As it seems another of candidates have taken leave, V'dim is glancing at the protective Seryth before stepping in, rounding up the last of the lingering candidates. "I expect that is enough for today.." He says firmly, leaving no room for argument as he begins to usher them towards the door.
Natishen certainly has no issue with leaving, and alters his course to join V'dim and the other Candidates, still frowning thoughtfully as he digests everything he experienced out there on the Sands. He does pause once, however, to glance back at Thea and offer the weyrwoman a slight wave - not that he expects her to notice him, before trudging out of the hatching arena.
Thea is watching as V'dim makes the call and she's nodding her agreement with a quick flick of her eyes to Seryth and than Zaqalekhth beyond. Her eyes drift over the sands, a grin finding it's way to her lips at the boy's wave, her hand lifts and fingers waggle to him.