Oh wow, it’s been a long time since I posted a fanfiction. hides. I tried looking over this the best I could, but I’m working with a high school knowledge of grammar and spelling here and I know there are probably some mistakes I missed.

Anyway I know I’m like the only person who loved Dragonsblood, but this is set during that time period, told from an OCC’s point of view. It will follow along with the storyline of the book so there are absolute spoilers in here!

Cerribya flicked her hand to her hair, pulling the black shoulder length curls up away from her neck for a few moments to let the cool air reach her neck. It was not an unusually warm early spring day, but she standing in the middle of the bowl of Benden Weyr and the entire structure was surrounded by rock cliffs that only radiated the sun.

Plus, she was overdressed.

Not that she would ever admit to it, of course. It was not proper for a Lady, a daughter of the Lord Holder of Bitra, to be seen in commoner clothes out in public. Especially now, when Cerribya found herself pitted against three other young women for the queen egg.

The hatching was to come in the next sevenday, but she had no doubt that she and the others would be tested by all the Weyrfolk in the days to come. Surely, they would not let just anyone have a chance to become the next Weyrwoman!

So, in her first full day in the Weyr, Cerribya had dressed in her finest. Most of the others had done well to make themselves presentable too, but it was plainly obvious that none had her finery… especially Nalla.

The weyrbred girl had shown up dressed in a simple tunic with pants cut short above her knees. Why, she almost looked like a boy with breasts! When Cerribya had first seen her, she had to bite the inside of her cheeks to keep from snorting in laughter. It had taken even more of her willpower to keep still her tongue still as she and the other four female candidates had walked to their meeting place in the bowl.

A fine sheen of sweat had slicked her forehead and nose by the time she made it to the prominent outcropping of rock on the east side of the bowl, their meeting place. No one was there to greet them, so the young women were left to talk amongst themselves.

“Do you think we have the right spot?” The only other holder girl, Hayline, asked, her expressive green eyes growing wide. She looked around nervously, inching slightly towards Cerribya, clearly not at ease with the sight of all of the dragons and firelizards flying overhead.

“’course it is.” Nalla answered, leaning against one of the large boulders nearby and crossing her arms over her rather flat chest. It was such an unladylike pose that Cerribya felt a little annoyed. Surely not all Weyrbred girls were like this, acting like their male counterparts but without the charm?

“Oh!” The last girl, Tenlia, and Harper apprentice from her shoulder knots, stepped forward waving her hand wildly in the air to catch the attention of an approaching figure. “There she is!” With that, she sprinted off to go greet the new arrival. Cerribya had only known the girl for a scant few hours but had seen that she was eager, no, pitifully desperate to please. She would make no queenrider, she was sure.

The woman approaching was tall and willowy with long midbrown hair that trailed to her waist. Although fairly young in her early thirties she had already the beginnings of laugh lines around the corners of her mouth and crows feet at the side of her blue eyes. “Thank you for being so prompt,” the woman said in a soft yet commanding voice, “I am Ohlynn, the headwoman second.” She paused, hands clasped loosely in front of her as she surveyed the four ladies, “And I will be in charge of you until the hatching. Now, I trust you all understand why you are here? Yes? And the opportunity you have been given?” At their silent nod she gave one of her own. “Then come with me. Even candidates for the queen get to earn their keep.”

Cerribya and the others were led back across the bowl to a side storage room where they were shown to a table filled with white fabric and sewing materials.

“Our Weyr boys need white candidate robes for the hatching.” Ohlynn explained, gesturing to the bolts. “You may keep the best pieces for your own robes.”

Cerribya smiled and caught the eye of Hayline for a moment. Being from a Hold, they were both well versed in the fine art of sewing. It was a pleasant enough occupation to keep Holder girls busy and out of trouble. She herself had plenty of practice.

The boy-thing, Nalla, seemed less than pleased and gave out a rude sigh before plopping down on one of stools to start. Shy Tenlia sat down nervously, but her nimble harper trained fingers quickly picked up the task at hand. “M’am, may I ask a question?”

“Of course,” Ohlynn had sat herself down and had picked up a bolt herself. Obviously, she was not above doing herself what she ordered others to do, “as long as you ask as you work.”

“Oh.” Tenlia quickly picked up a pair of sheers before pausing and swallowing. “Will we get to see the eggs, you know, before they hatch?”

“No, dear. Candidates traditionally see the eggs on the day of impression.”

“But… why?”

“It is tradition, dear. As a harper, you should know that.” Her tone was as mellow as always, but her words carried with it obvious rebuke. Cerribya smiled softly as the Harper girl seemed to shrink back into herself, all courage gone.

It seemed now that Tenlia had opened up the room, Ohlynn was ready for discussion. “Have any of you any fire lizards?”

Tenlia and Nalla shook their heads, which didn’t surprise Cerribya at all. Not just anyone could have a fire lizard, after all. You had to have the marks, the rank to afford an egg and a few sevendays to spend feeding and doting on a hatchling. Fire lizards were simply too expensive for the common folk.

“I do, a brown named Buster.” Hayline said, to her side.

“I have a blue.” Cerribya answered, flicking her eyes at Nalla and catching a flash of jealousy.

To her surprise, Ohlynn put down her thread-work and looked at her. “And what is his name, dear?”

Cerribya frowned. “He doesn’t have a name. He’s just a blue.” Truth to tell, she had been promised a bronze for her last birthday, but a large blue had cracked from the egg instead. She had fed it, as was her duty, but it was a silly thing and she didn’t see it more than once every few weeks.

Nalla giggled and Cerribya shot her a look of pure venom. Just what did that silly fool think was so funny? She opened her mouth to snap something, but Ohlynn spoke first.

“This is something that you, Cerribya, and all of you must come to know if you are to stay in the Weyr. All dragons are important. From the gold down to the merest green. Thread is coming, ladies.” She paused at that, letting it sink in. “We need them all to fight and protect Pern. All are heroes and all will be honored equally. Do you understand?”

There was a chorus of “yes m’ams” from all four of the girls, but Cerribya found herself seething quietly. She hated to be made example of, hated to be laughed at by some stupid girl who couldn’t even dress herself properly. And what was Ohlynn rambling on about, anyway? Yes, all the dragons were needed to fight thread, but it was the bronzes and queens that were in the ballads. Even Tenlia had to know that!

She did not understand what was the big deal with her stupid low ranked fire lizard not having a name. Well, it didn’t matter. The only one she had to impress – literally – was waiting in that queen egg.

And if she didn’t… well, at least she had some prospects back at the Hold. Although, marrying and starting a family didn’t have all the appeal it had just three days ago. Bah, it didn’t matter. She, Cerribya of Bitra had the training and the blood to make a great Weyrwoman. Let the hatching come. She would show them all.

So, what do you think? I would really like a second pair of eyes to look over any future chapters. Is anyone willing to be a beta? Honest feedback is appreciated!