Justin gasped as he, Joseph, and Narith blinked into existence in the air above Fort Weyr. The watch dragon on the heights bellowed a greeting, and Narith and Rahleth both returned his call. He pressed closer into Joseph's back as the seeping cold slowly wore off his extremities. Joseph, surprisingly, still held the warmth he'd had before their trip Between, even though Justin had his jacket. He felt Joseph's hand cover his where it lay across the rider's lap, and heard him say, "We're here."

Justin turned his head, and watched Rahleth land on the lowest level of the Weyr, where Chris helped Lance off the back of the dragon. "Where's Lance going?" Justin asked.

"He's staying in the sleeping chambers off the Hatching Ground, with the other candidates."

"Why aren't you taking me down there?"

"I can, if you want, but I thought you might want to get cleaned up, and it's a little late to bother Honora anyway."

Justin nodded against Joseph's back, and whispered, "Thank you," although he was sure it was lost in the wind as Narith landed on a ledge higher up in the Weyr Bowl.

Justin removed his arms from Joseph's waist as the rider shifted to slide to the ground, landing easily. Justin quickly followed, though he stumbled awkwardly as he hit the ground. Narith moved a great claw to support him as Joseph caught his arms to prevent him from falling.

"Easy." He helped Justin into an upright position. "I would have helped you if you'd waited."

"Sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry for. Come on, let's get you in a bath."

Justin shivered as Joseph helped him out of the riding jacket, which was tossed aside as soon as it was off. Joseph wrapped an arm around Justin, who started shivering as the night air hit his skin. The rider led Justin deeper into his weyr, away from the night breeze and into the bathing room off his bedroom.

A deep bath cut into a stone ledge on the back wall. Water continually flowed into and out of the bath, tapped from a warm spring deep in the mountain. Joseph sat Justin on the edge of the bath and knelt to remove the boy's boots.

"Stop."

Joseph stilled in his efforts and looked up at Justin.

"I can do it."

Joseph glanced doubtfully at Justin's huddled form. "Are you sure?"

Justin nodded slowly.

"I'm still going to wait right here."

"Fine." Justin grunted as he bent at the waist to remove his boots himself. He managed to tug them off before he stood to remove his shirt. He made one attempt and got his arms up to shoulder level before he felt the muscles tug on his aching stomach and ribs, and he knew he wouldn't be able to lift them farther. He hissed at the pain, and dropped his arms to his side.

He felt more than heard Joseph cross the room to stand behind him. "Here, let me help you." Joseph pulled Justin's shirt up in the back and slipped the wide neck over his head to the front, then turned Justin around so he could pull the shirt down his arms.

The golden head never straightened after the removal of the shirt; Justin's eyes concentrated on Joseph's hands where they gripped the discarded cloth. He didn't want to see the revulsion in the rider's eyes when he saw the bruises and cuts marking Justin's body. Instead, his eyes watched the man's knuckles turn white with the fierce strength of his grip.

"You don't want me now, do you." Justin's voice was small and raspy in the large room.

Justin heard Joseph's harsh breaths, felt them across his forehead where they gently moved his curls. "Want you?" escaped on a harsh exhalation.

"I'm weak. I let him hurt me." Justin closed his eyes. His voice was barely a breath as he continued. "No dragon would want someone like me."

"Justin." Justin heard confusion and anger in Joseph's voice, but couldn't tell the direction of either emotion. "Justin, look at me."

Justin shook his head, but stopped when he felt a warm, callused hand on his chin, forcing his face to tilt upwards. "Justin. You are not weak."

"But I am. I let him hit me-"

Joseph laid a hand over Justin's mouth. "You didn't let him do anything. You didn't. Your current condition was not your choice, or your fault. It was something he did to you. You were strong. You made a choice when you walked away. You are anything but weak."

Justin closed his eyes again as tears welled up and his vision of Joseph became blurry. Justin felt his tears hit Joseph's hand, felt the rider remove his hand from Justin's mouth. He sobbed at the loss of contact, until he felt both of Joseph's hands on his face, the rider's thumbs brushing wet tracks from his cheeks.

Justin opened his eyes and found himself staring directly into Joseph's dark brown eyes. They shimmered with something like understanding, more like caring, and the empathy in their depths moved Justin. He swallowed heavily to regain control of his tears, to stop them. He closed his eyes again when Joseph leaned into him, and breathed out on a shaky sigh when Joseph's lips touched the bruise coloring his left temple.

He shivered as Joseph pulled away and said, "Get in the water, Justin. I'll bring a cloth."

Justin nodded quickly, mostly to cover his blushing reaction to Joseph's chaste kiss. He removed his pants as the rider stepped out of the room and slipped quickly beneath the surface of the warm water.

Narith's eyes winked from his position on his ledge. You like this one.

Joseph shrugged wearily, collapsing onto the couch next to Nary's ledge. I like all the candidates you find.

This one is different.

The dragon knew him too well. He's so young.

As old as you were when I found you. Joseph heard the smug pride in his dragon's voice and smirked at Narith before replying.

Seventeen turns is still young.

He doesn't seem to be protesting.

Joseph laughed. He'll make a good rider.

Of course he will. I picked him.

Joseph laughed again at the utter confidence of his dragon's tone.

The dragon's lids closed over his eyes, muting the swirling colors. I'm going to sleep now.

Joseph stretched an arm out to gently scratch the bit of soft hide closest to him. Narith hummed quietly as he slipped into unconsciousness.

"Joseph?"

Joseph turned to the small voice in the doorway, smiling when he saw Justin in his oversized riding shirt. "Yes?"

"Where am I to sleep?"

"In the bed."

"Oh but I couldn't!"

Joseph waved him quiet. "I'm going to sleep out here with Narith no matter where you decide to sleep. The bed is by far the most comfortable accommodation after leaning up against a dragon."

Justin took a small step out of the bathing room. "May I?"

Joseph smiled. "I can't see why Narith would mind. But I would grab the blanket off the bed if I were you. It'll get chilly out here later, even with him."

Justin nodded and went for the blanket. Joseph moved from his position on the couch around to Narith's side, and leaned against his flank. When Justin came back out with the blanket, Joseph patted the ground next to him. Justin's mouth quirked in the semblance of a smile as he made his way across the room to the dragon's side. He settled himself next to Joseph, but far enough away that his skin didn't touch the rider's. Joseph watched him drift off with the smile still playing across his face.

Justin woke the next day to streaming sunlight. He was blissfully warm and content, more comfortable then he'd been in ages. Several long moments passed when he thought he might still be dreaming, because he couldn't imagine why he'd be resting against a soft, moving, breathing thing, warmer than he'd ever been in his life, despite the chill in the air. He heard movement far away, in another room, and struggled to pry his eyes open, to move from his supine position.

"Narith said you'd finally joined the living world," Justin heard as he dragged himself into a sitting position.

"Hmm?" He scrubbed his face with his hands, yawned widely as he scratched his fingers through his riot of curls. He jerked back in surprise when a cup appeared in front of his face, attached to a strong, brown hand. He looked up to see Joseph smiling down at him. Justin grinned in response and took the earthenware cup.

"What is it?" he asked as he blew across its steaming surface.

"You've had klah before, right?"

Justin shook his head as he took a small, testing sip. "No, but I like it."

"As well you should. I have a feeling it will become part of your daily diet while you're here."

The last part of Joseph's sentence stuck in Justin's mind. "While I'm here?" he asked softly, suddenly finding the contents of his cup intensely interesting. "So you don't expect this to be a permanent thing?"

Justin heard Joseph's footsteps still. "Oh, hey, I didn't mean it like that."

Justin nodded and kept his eyes trained on the mug as he heard Joseph's footsteps approaching him. "Justin, I didn't. Did you listen at all last night? You would make a fine dragon rider. The Weyr would be lucky to have you."

Justin raised his face, knew the last vestiges of self- consciousness and loathing were still apparent on it. As Joseph crouched next to him, Justin saw a quick look pass through the rider's eyes, like regret, but it was gone before Justin could fully name it. "I didn't mean it, Justin. Not the way you think I did. Believe me."

Curls fell across his forehead as Justin nodded again, this time with an enthusiasm and a belief that was lacking in his first response. Joseph grinned, still in apology, and brushed the hair away from the boy's brow before standing in front of him, an arm stretched out.

"Come, if you're done with your klah we've got things to attend to."

Justin took Joseph's hand and was helped to his feet. "Things?"

"Clothes, breakfast, Honora. In that order."

One of the weyrwomen had washed his clothes during the morning hours while he slept, so, although they were a little the worse for wear, Justin put them back on. Joseph put him on Narith's back, and the bronze dragon gave both a ride to the floor of the Weyr, which was alive with people and dragons moving about on their business.

When Narith landed Joseph slid off quickly, turning at once to catch Justin, whom he knew would follow almost immediately. When they were off, Narith launched again, beating his powerful wings to bring him level with the fire heights, where he landed to lounge in the sun.

Justin watched the flight intently. He'd finally ridden a dragon, but he'd never seen one fly from this perspective before and the beauty of it took his breath away. He felt Joseph take his arm, and managed to tear his eyes away from the ledge Narith spread himself across.

Joseph led him up a ramp, into a low, cool room filled with tables and benches. At one end a fireplace spread along the wall, several pots extended over a huge, roaring fire. Joseph led him in this direction and got two bowls of warm cereal and another cup of klah for Justin.

After breakfast, Joseph took him to Honora, the woman in charge of the candidates until Hatching. She was a tall, wiry woman, past her prime but still active and alert. Her eyes were kind but her face was set in a stern shape, boding ill to those who would cross her. Justin liked her immediately.

"You must be Lance's friend," she said as they approached her. "He hasn't stopped talking about you since he got here. Have to admit I was quite interested to finally meet you."

Justin bowed his head, his cheeks burning. "I'm Justin, ma'am," he said as he extended his hand.

She took his hand, waving him off with the other. "None of the ma'am stuff. My name's Honora."

"Honora," he said, smiling.

"That's right. My but you're a cute one. Such wonderful hair." She ran a hand gently through the curls flopping across his forehead, surreptitiously running rough, work-hardened fingers over the bruise still marking his temple.

Justin grinned again, oblivious to her alternate objective, and was unable to stop the red flush spreading across his cheeks at her compliment.

"And that smile! Oh, Joseph, tell me we get to keep this one."

Joseph clapped Justin's back. "We're hoping. Take him in with the other candidates. Get him a bed and a task to occupy him until Hatching."

She nodded and started off in the direction of the chambers, expecting Justin to follow. He didn't at first, because he was watching Joseph's retreating back, worried at the fact that the one person he knew right now was abandoning him. He looked away quickly when he felt Honora's hand on his shoulder.

"Handsome, isn't he?"

Justin's head flew up, his gaze, filled with nervousness and the beginnings of fear, fixed on her face.

"Oh hush boy. No one's going to say anything. We're open here. You'll find we're not much like the Holds at all." She moved her hand down to his elbow, and began pulling him in the direction of the chambers. "Now come! Lance will want to see you, we have to get you a bed and a task, and oh! They're going in to see the eggs today!"

Justin smiled incredulously as he allowed himself to be led away.

"Justin!"

Justin turned his head in time to see a quick blur of movement before a body landed heavily against his. Arms snaked around his neck and an excited voice sounded in his ear. "I can't believe you're really here! That I'm really here! This is what we always dreamed about!"

Justin grinned as he brought his arms up to go around Lance, and then winced and jerked away as the motion pulled on his bruised ribs and diaphragm. Lance felt the motion and pulled away quickly, looking into Justin's face. "He hurt you badly, didn't he?"

Honora, who watched the reunion with a fond smile, frowned at Lance's comment. "Who? Hurt you? Where?"

Justin glared at Lance, warning him against speech, but Lance turned to Honora anyway. "His father." Lance reached out a hand to quickly pull Justin's shirt up, showing off a spectacularly bruised stomach with smaller yellow bruises on the edges. Small cuts were spread throughout.

Justin slapped Lance's hand away, but not before Honora caught his shirt for herself, bending to examine the damage more closely. "Oh sweeting," she said, reaching out to stroke the tender skin.

"Stop it. Please. I'm fine." Justin lowered pleading eyes to meet hers.

She glanced up, recognizing pride when she saw it. "All right. Lance, show him the chambers, he can stay in the bed next to yours. What is your duty?"

"I work in the kitchen."

She nodded. "He can join you there." She waved them off. "Go on with you now. I have work to do."

Her smile faded into a small frown as she watched the boys hurry off, her eyes trained on Justin.

Joseph stood in the back of the dining hall, ladling klah into a cup, when Honora caught up with him.

"Joseph!"

Joseph turned with a grin. "Honora! Fancy meeting you here."

She ended her ground-eating stride right in front of the bronze rider. Planting her hands on her hips, she asked, "Have you seen that boy's stomach?"

Joseph's jovial nature sobered, and he nodded grimly. "His father did that."

"So Lance told me. But why?"

"He's another of those that doesn't support the Weyrs. Only it goes beyond that to an intense hatred of the dragons and their riders. Justin told his father he wanted a dragon, and his father thought he could beat that desire from him."

Honora's arms fell as she sighed heavily. "Joseph, promise me that even if he doesn't Impress you'll find a way to keep him here."

"Of course."

He'll find a dragon.

Honora, well used to the unfocused look of a rider talking to his dragon, waited until Joseph's eyes refocused and asked, "What does Narith say?"

"Nary says that Justin will Impress."

Honora knew the dragon's accuracy at choosing candidates to Impress. Coming from Narith, this prediction could be counted as fact.

She began to move away, intent on her tasks for the day when Joseph laid a strong hand on her shoulder. "Honora, even if he doesn't-"

He will.

"Even if he doesn't," he continued, ignoring, for the moment, Narith's assurances, "he won't go back there."

Honora saw the resolve in his eyes, the intense anger towards Justin's father, and the fierce protectiveness towards the boy himself. "Sweeting," she said softly, unconsciously using the endearment she'd given Justin not moments ago. She gently laid a hard, callused hand on his cheek. "You be careful with that boy."

Anger faded; resolve grew to take its place. "I'm trying."

She nodded and moved away.

You're sad, Narith said as Joseph sat at a table with his klah.

I'm tired.

No, you're sad. Joseph felt the dragon stretch his wings out, catching the sun along the thin membranes.

He's hurt, Nary, because he wanted a dragon.

He'll get one.

I hope so.

He will. Will you sing for me? Your voice makes me happy.

Later.

Now.

Joseph sighed into his cup, taking one last sip of klah before he started singing, quietly, at an empty table in the middle of the deserted dining hall.

Lance led Justin into the sleeping chambers, and towards the back of the room, where Justin would be sleeping. Lance introduced him to several other boys along the way.

"It's a good thing you came when you did," Lance said as the sat on their beds. "We're to go in and see the eggs soon."

"Why are we going to see the eggs?"

"So we can become familiar with them. The Weyrleaders themselves are going to take us in. Rhyth wouldn't let us in otherwise."

"Rhyth?"

"Justin! She's the gold whose eggs we're going to see."

"Right."

Shuffling noises came from the front of the room as the other boys began to file out the door.

"It's time to go."

Justin stood carefully, wary of sudden movement that would pull on his bruises, and followed Lance and the others out of the chamber. A group formed right outside, facing two impressive figures. Justin could only guess that these were the Weyrleaders. The Weyrwoman, a dark woman of short stature, made up for her limitations in height with her ebullient personality; Justin could almost feel her emotions from the back of the crowd. She appeared calm and collected, but her dark eyes shone with excitement and anxiousness, both emotions felt by her dragon in the last few days before Hatching. Every once in a while she'd smile, displaying a row of perfectly placed white teeth and drawing a collective sigh from the crowd of boys.

"That's Janet," Lance whispered in his ear. "John is the Weyrleader. His dragon is Levath."

The Weyrleader, much larger and darker than his mate, allowed her to explain the importance of what they were about to do, and the process involved.

Justin listened with one ear as she explained in her breathy voice about the warm sands, the hatching, and the actual appearance of the dragonets. He knew he should pay attention, but he was more interested in actually going in to see the eggs, rather than standing outside talking about it.

After what seemed like hours but really constituted only several minutes of Justin's time, she led them into the Hatching Grounds. The room was a large cavern cut deep into the mountain. Warm sand covered the floor to the edge of the room, where long lines of seats rose from the ground. Far above this line ledges cut into the wall, for the dragons to perch on when Hatching became imminent. A tunnel led to the ledges for the dragons to come in through; Justin could see daylight through it.

Lance tugged on his arm, directing his attention to the floor of the Grounds, where twenty eggs lay across the warm sand. Each egg stood half as tall as the boys surrounding them. The queen normally sat at one end of the room, watching over her eggs until they Hatched, but Justin remembered Janet saying that she sent Rhyth out to feed. Janet gestured to the boys standing closest to her, indicating that they should approach the eggs and touch the softening shells. She led the group of girls standing around her to the place where Rhyth kept the queen egg.

Justin moved with Lance to the eggs, laid his hand upon them, but the entire time his eyes followed the girls to the queen egg. He couldn't explain the compulsion he felt, but he needed to touch it. He moved to the eggs closest to the queen egg, and then turned completely to face it. Lance nudged him in the side, reminding him of the task at hand, but Justin couldn't tear his eyes away. Under no compulsion of his own, he walked across the sand towards the queen egg. He didn't have to walk to far, but the distance seemed endless. He reached a shaking hand out to touch the shell and only then was he able to look around him. The girls surrounding the egg stared at him with expressions of disbelief. Janet just looked confused.

"What are you doing?" she asked in her high, sweet voice.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean… I didn't hurt it, did I?"

She shook her head. "No, they're meant to be touched. But there's no reason for you to touch the queen egg."

He backed away slowly, moving back over to the other boys. "I'm sorry."

Lance pulled Justin toward him. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing, I don't know. I just… I had to touch it, Lance. I can't explain it."

"Well stop!"

Justin shrugged Lance off. "I'm done." He went back to touching all the other eggs again, but continued to take frequent glances at the queen egg until Janet announced Rhyth's imminent arrival from the feeding grounds. He didn't look back on their way out.

[next]

for Mariah

[back to index] [back to fic] [back to main] [got feedback?]