Xanadu Weyr - Hatching Sands
A domed ceiling stretches high above the sands, enough open air for a queen and her mate to be comfortable with their clutch. Thin slits of windows around the edges let in a little light, though more of the illumination comes from electric lamps diffused off the dome. The sands are ringed by the dark blue seats of the observation level, the first third exposed to the sweltering heat of the sands but those in the back glassed off for the comfort of those watching.
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.
Kairoikyriath and Innes preside over their corner of the hatching grounds as the candidates are lead onto the sands. The goldrider seems to have secured herself some kind of outdoor lounge chair, and sits there sipping some fruity drink while the gold watches the candidates carefully. Their presence is the only reason Saburath isn't playing babysitter right now. "You can touch 'em all," Innes calls out, waving her hand toward the candidates and then in the direction of the closely clustered eggs. "Except those." Those would be the mound that rests closest to the protective queen, the eggs still mostly buried beneath a protective layer of sand. But there are still nine eggs visible, their shells now hard enough for candidates to lay hands upon them. "Just don't kick them, or do anything stupid," the goldrider warns, "Or you'll be sorry." And with those encouraging words, she goes back to her drink.
"Don't be stupid. Right. Can do that. Yeah." Maorin sounds at least /mostly/ confident in that fact as he makes his way onto the sands with the rest of the candidate group. It's his first time on them..or any! He can be nervous. And nervousness has him wringing his hands ever so slightly, and he stops short to give one of those polite bows one might expect. There's a look over toward the more guarded of the eggs, giving a slow nod. He's not about to go try and sneak a poke at any of /those/ buried orbs. No, he instead makes his way…if a bit slowly, towards the rest, tentatively laying a hand on Tears In Rain Egg.
< Maorin touches egg 9 - Tears In Rain Egg >
Maelle is slow in joining the group, while some of the more experienced are already reaching for eggs, she's just taking in the fact she's standing in a place she's never been allowed to be standing in before. She follows along with the proper greetings, though her gaze sweeps over the sands and her face pinches a little as the heat starts getting uncomfortable. Picking a favourite is difficult, but the one she's closest to seems like a good place to start and so she kneels beside the Treasured Trash Heap Egg.
< Maelle touches egg 12 - Treasured Trash Heap Egg >
Maorin squints a little at first, his expression scrunching somewhat. "Oh..oh okay that's weird." He might not let go of that contact, but he doesn't really look like he's enjoying it all that much. It's a strange thing, that first bare touch of a forming mind.
On his /best/ behavior, Zak comes into the sands with a bow towards Kairoikyriath and Innes before he looks towards the eggs themselves. Drawing in a deep breath he makes his way to an egg at random with only a longing look towards the lumps still hidden in the sands.
Maelle isn't really sure what to make of things, though her hands remain on the shell of the egg and she touches a bit at the edge of the colouring that is seeming to come off of it. "Start at the top?" She suggests to nobody in particular, wondering if that really is the right suggestion.
< Zak touches egg 8 - Deception in Pretty Packaging Egg >
Innes waves off any kind of greetings, although Kairoikyriath does seem to appreciate being accorded the respect she's due. As one of the younger girls freezes a short distance from the eggs, the Weyrwoman sits forward, pausing in her lazy sipping to shout, "Go on, girl! Touch them. They won't bite yet." For those already actively seeking out eggs to touch, she offers an approving nod.
Maorin shakes his head just slightly. Maybe to jostle a few things loose, or at least clear it up from the crowded..clamoring. "Not answers I've got," he mutters, lips pressing together afterward with just a hint of frustration. But after another moment there's a faint smile, and a breathy chuckle. "Cuz we all wanna know."
Maelle pulls away quickly, looking around like she's expecting some kind of storm to have taken over the sands. Whew, nope. This is something that she really doesn't look like she's quite used to, but rather than pull away for good - she touches the shell again to see if the egg is finally silent. "Shards, that's strange."
Zak has just enough time for the tips of his fingers to brush against his chosen egg when he lets out a gasp of surprise, his eyes staring at the egg but clearly seeing an entirely different scene. "Sweet farnath's itty bits." he mutters but he stays right where he is.
This time, Maorin does let go, taking an unsteady step backward from the egg before him. "Is it..always like that?" Is he asking anyone in particular? Maybe it's just to himself, but his head shakes, a few back and forth swings while eyeing the surface of that egg again. "This is gonna be..interesting if it is." Rubbing his fingers against themselves, he moves to another, finding a shell surface to brush against.
< Maorin leaves egg 9 - Tears In Rain Egg >< Maorin touches egg 14 - Sudden but Inevitable Betrayal Egg >
Maelle wasn't prepared for what happened, though luckily she's on her knees rather than some other awkward position that'd end up with her falling over. She flumps down on her rump, pulling her hands away after the egg lets her loose. Rather than immediately reaching for another egg, there's a moment that she spends just recollecting her thoughts before getting up and walking over towards the next egg.
< Maelle leaves egg 12 - Treasured Trash Heap Egg >< Maelle touches egg 4 - Hope is a Mistake Egg >
Zak closes his eyes tightly despite there really being not much difference from when they were open. A low grown escapes him but he stubbornly remains with his hands pressed lightly against the hardening shell. Even with his eyes closed his finger tips trace the small rips in the eggs other side.
< Zak leaves egg 8 - Deception in Pretty Packaging Egg >
It's a decidedly different sort of sensation, and Maorin certainly looks surprised by the change after a moment of getting used to the contact again. His lips quirk just slightly, slowly pulling out into a broad grin. It's definitely more comfortable for his poor brain, it seems! He stays with it, although he moves around to the other side, taking in the sight of all of it curiously.
Maelle is silent as she touches the new egg, her eyes closing as she tries to figure out what exactly she's being shown and what exactly she should be looking for. Her face has a neutral expression on it, neither unhappy or pleased, and she sighs a little as she pulls away. But, it's not for long as she reaches for it again.
Maorin doesn't lean on the egg, but he does raise his hand to touch a bit higher on it. Maybe if he was more sure he wouldn't break it, he'd meld onto the shell in a full body hug. But he doesn't do that. Instead there's a bit of a laugh, and just a tad of quiet muttering to the egg under his touch. "Made off with some of my mother's hats once and gave them to my friends. Bonnet Brigade, we were. That lasted all of two hours before I had my hide tanned. Worth it though, for the look on her face."
Maelle isn't looking like she's so certain about this egg, though she isn't quick to pull away from it either. Experiences are experiences, even if they aren't the ones you're sure you're looking for. She sighs deeply, and shrugs her shoulders to answer, "Why stop when you've come so far?" And indeed, she doesn't stop touching the egg yet.
Maorin looks a tad disoriented by the time he's taking his hands away from the egg. It takes him a moment to recover from it, before he settles a hand on his hip, watching that egg again. There's a smile though, faint and just a bit amused as he heads away from it. Standing around, staring at it won't help. "Alright then..let's see." He picks another, a close one, running his hand over the surface of the shell.
< Maorin leaves egg 14 - Sudden but Inevitable Betrayal Egg >
< Maorin touches egg 5 - Raise Your Hands to the Sky Gods Egg >
Maelle nibbles on her lower lip as she considers the questions being asked, indeed, she has no answer for them either. She pulls her hands away and rubs them on her slacks, giving the dam a long look before searching for her next egg to touch, this time another of the darker coloured eggs because it's closest.
< Maelle leaves egg 4 - Hope is a Mistake Egg >
< Maelle touches egg 3 - Borrowed Time, Borrowed World Egg >
Maorin tilts his head, although there's a touch of confusion trickling across his face again. There's a small headshake though after a bit, smirking. "Nah, you're on your own there.."
Maelle is hot, that much is true, though despite that she still shivers like there's a cold wind that's ripping through the sands that only she can feel. She isn't sure if she wants to hold onto the egg any more, but yet, curiosity is keeping her fingers latched to it and she shimmies closer to it as though it's the only source of warmth on the sands.
Maorin takes another moment, but then he pulls away. Fingers take a brief ruffle through his hair, but the teen backs off from the clutch a bit. "I think I need to get a drink.." Well the sands /are/ a fairly hot place to be. The candidate beats himself a retreat though, certainly sweating from it all.
< Maorin leaves egg 5 - Raise Your Hands to the Sky Gods Egg >
Maelle taps at the egg's shell lightly, and for the moment the shivering she was doing has subsided and she's just looking at the egg like it's something from outside of this world. "How can I be here, yet still feel so much like I'm there?" She wonders, though she doesn't pull away from the egg quite yet.
Maelle smiles at the egg, despite the fact she's still shivering from a cold that doesn't exist. "Of course I will." She says and pets the shell of the egg for a moment before scrunching her nose at it as the coolness fades and she's left all sweaty on the sands. Gross.
< Maelle leaves egg 3 - Borrowed Time, Borrowed World Egg >
< Maelle touches egg 14 - Sudden but Inevitable Betrayal Egg >
Maelle blinks as she touches the next egg, the 'nicest' of them all. Looking over her shoulder like there's something coming for her, it's a moment later when she shakes her head and scrunches her nose at the egg. "Not buying it." She says with a grin, though despite the fact she's not so sure about this egg, she still keeps holding on.
Zak shudders as he slowly steps back to withdraw from that very first egg. Certainly by the expression upon his face this is nothing at all like he expected; even being weyrbred he's never been before the eggs like this. For several long minutes he waits as he decides on which egg to approach next. Finally he approaches another one though not without some trepidation.
Maelle furrows her brows as this one seems far more intrusive than the other eggs she's touched, and she's not entirely sure she likes it at all. "Hey now. That isn't fair." She warns, though there's not much she can do other than pull away and she's not quite to that point yet.
< Zak touches egg 2 - Thank You for Your Childhood Egg >
Clearly a bit more relaxed with this one Zak lets his fingers wander the barely present patterns against the mottled shell. No words escape him as he relaxes with this eggs, letting it prop and discover memories perhaps forgotten. He stays to see what else will be of this egg.
Maelle lets go of that egg, and seriously looks like she's not well. The color on her face is starting to turn to an off color that can only mean she's likely about to get sick. However, she seems determined to get to her feet and try to scurry off the sands before that happens in front of.. well, everyone watching.
< Maelle leaves egg 14 - Sudden but Inevitable Betrayal Egg >
Zak moves ever so slightly around the egg though always keeping a hand in contact with the hardening shell. Intrigue is written on his expression and his lips move in murmured responses as perhaps he's explaining the meaning behind some of those colorless memories. Drawing in a breath he stops still to await once more.
< Zak leaves egg 2 - Thank You for Your Childhood Egg >
< Zak touches egg 5 - Raise Your Hands to the Sky Gods Egg >
Zak tilts his head with uncertainty written on his expression. Quietly he stays very still with both hands resting lightly on this egg.
Quillan has been here the whole time! Just keeping to himself, quietly getting to know the eggs. Right now, he approaches the Deception in Pretty Packaging Egg, reaching out to place a gentle hand upon its smooth shell.
< Quillan touches egg 8 - Deception in Pretty Packaging Egg >
Zak spares a brief glance around himself at the others who are also touching the eggs. This egg seems to command only half his attention but soon his attention does return to it once more.
Quillan jumps. No-one saw that, right? His reaction to the egg is sheer surprise, and the expression on his face is one that's none too happy. Teeth gritted, expression grimaced, he moves his hand slightly across the shell, without breaking contact.
Quillan pulls his hand back, opening his eyes and blinking around him at the Sands and those occupying them. After a couple more blinks, and even a quick eyerub, he frowns gently and looks down at the egg before him. Not ready to give it up yet, he reaches out to hesitantly touch it, one more time.
< Quillan leaves egg 8 - Deception in Pretty Packaging Egg >
Quillan steps back maybe a little too fast, scrubbing at his arms and chest as if trying to cure an itch… or squish a spinner. "No thanks," he mutters, shuddering head to toe as he turns to touch the next egg. Treasured Trash Heap. Hello there.
< Quillan touches egg 12 - Treasured Trash Heap Egg >
Zak is still quite unsure as he steps away from this third egg. Drawing a deep breath he spends a moment merely looking around once more.
< Zak leaves egg 5 - Raise Your Hands to the Sky Gods Egg >
< Zak touches egg 14 - Sudden but Inevitable Betrayal Egg >
Quillan exhales. An attempt at masking a subtle sigh of relief. His face relaxes into much more content expression, and he remains with his hand on the egg before him. Yes. Much better!
Zak grins and despite himself chuckles a bit. Shaking his head he stays steady with this egg, offering up his thoughts on certain memories to explain them quietly.
Quillan clears his throat gently, opening his eyes to peer curiously at the egg. Without leaving its surface, his fingers curl slightly, then straighten again. A gentle flex, to try and coax more from the occupant.
< Quillan leaves egg 12 - Treasured Trash Heap Egg >
Quillan slowly steps back, with a little grin playing on his lips. With his hands to himself he rubs them together in front of himself, then on the front of his shorts. With clean palms, he reaches out to touch the Is it Cold in Here, Or is It Just Me? Egg.
< Quillan touches egg 10 - Is it Cold in Here, Or is It Just Me? Egg >
Zak ohs softly, smiling as he also moves around this egg to touch the shell at all angles. He stays. He's determined to answer each curiousity posed by the egg.
Quillan seems surprised by what he picks up from the egg. Interesting! As he looks down to more closely examine its patterned sides, he runs fingers over the bumpy textures of its shell.
Quillan's expression changes, slightly. Less surprised, more curious - and with just a dash of confusion, too. That doesn't put him off yet, though, and he lingers a little longer.
< Quillan leaves egg 10 - Is it Cold in Here, Or is It Just Me? Egg >
Quillan winces a little as he moves away from the egg. He looks less certain than he did mere moments ago, and he takes a little while to choose his next egg to touch. Thank You for Your Childhood Egg is finally picked, and he moves alongside to gently touch it.
< Quillan touches egg 2 - Thank You for Your Childhood Egg >
Zak backs up after a bit. Pleased by this egg he stands uncertain of wanting to touch one more egg or not. For the moment he watches Quill moving from one egg to another.
< Zak leaves egg 14 - Sudden but Inevitable Betrayal Egg >
Zak decides to touch one last egg, moving to one seemingly made of ash and smoke.
< Zak touches egg 3 - Borrowed Time, Borrowed World Egg >
Quillan stands quite still, as if trying not to scare some timorous beastie. He's not going anywhere right now, little egg. He's staying put.
Quillan lingers a little longer. Perhaps he's found something he likes in this egg? Whatever the reason, he's not ready to move on just yet.
Zak shivers involuntarily. So cold suddenly he is. Yet he stubbornly refuses to yield. He stays and waits to see what is down the road.
< Quillan leaves egg 2 - Thank You for Your Childhood Egg >
Quillan brushes his hands through his hair as he steps away from the egg, standing thoughtfully with one finger tapping his cheek as he debates where to go next. He settles on Hope is a Mistake Egg, reaching out to gently caress it.
< Quillan touches egg 4 - Hope is a Mistake Egg >
Kairoikyriath shifts just a little, just a slight readjustment of her body, but it's enough to get the lounging Weyrwoman to sit up in her chair. "Hey, you!" she waves to signal the group, whistling once to get the attention of any who are too absorbed in eggs to notice her. "Finish it up. It's time for us to go, and she's not leaving you lot here with them." There's a flash of a grin to make the words just a bit kinder, but it doesn't make them any less serious.
Quillan is daring enough to keep touching the egg he's at for just a little longer, despite the warning to leave. Just a little bit more. 5 more minutes, mom?
Zak draws in a deep breath and steps back. His dark brown eyes are slightly glazed over now and he just stands here looking across the sands absently in a reflective way.
Quillan doesn't want to rebel and get eaten… but he's also reluctant to leave things as they are. Curiosity killed the cat, and it might just get the Quill too.
< Zak leaves egg 3 - Borrowed Time, Borrowed World Egg >
< Quillan leaves egg 4 - Hope is a Mistake Egg >
Quillan slowly withdraws his hand. There. Done. He's had his fill, and is content to do as he's told and join the others in moving away from the clutch, and towards the cool of the outdoors. As he passes Innes and Kairoikyriath, he dips into a low bow. "Thank you." And off he goes.
Zak makes his way out too after a quick ( if a bit distracted) salute and bow to those on the sands in Authority.