At 5'7" tall, Alonndo was the spitting image of his father, Brownrider A'lik - except for his brilliant green eyes. Those he got from his mother, Onda, a bluerider.
| Read the first part of Alonndo's Story Here! |
He slipped into the already darkened room, and stood by the doorway until his eyes adjusted. Sure enough, his roommates were sound asleep. He couldn't rightly pack anything, lest he wake his friends. That would be rather inconsiderate.
At 5'7" tall, Alonndo was the spitting image of his father, Brownrider A'lik - except for his brilliant green eyes. Those he got from his mother, Onda, a bluerider.
Onda and Ikara, the headwoman's second, are sisters, making Alonndo Ikara's nephew.
Being the son of dragonriders, everyone had expected he would Impress young. And thus far, at 19 turns, he hasn't.
Could this be his chance?
Alonndo gathered up his nightclothes, and his bag of sweetsand and strolled off to the bathing pool for a leisurely bath. His cousin Drikara, also his foster sister, said she thought it was him who would be going, since he was so logical. Alonndo smiled to himself.
Though most assumed that a smart, calculated young man would be heartless, it didn't apply to Alonndo. He was helpful and cheery. He'd helped Riale oil her sturdy blue dragon, even though there were some who didn't seem to like her much.
Even when he was a young child, he'd been very observant, finding lost things by remembering where he'd seen them. Being observant had given him a wide knowledge base, and this worked to his advantage. He could give advice on any number of topics, some of which he had no actual experience in.
As he neared the baths, a pair of noisy younger boys appeared in the hallway, with their hair still still dripping from their baths.
"Shouldn't you two be in bed?" Alonndo said with a laugh.
"Huh?! Oh! Hi Alonndo." The first said, and the second grinned.
"Alonndo... you could tell us! Can you Impress a WatchWher?"
Alonndo chuckled. "Well, I've never Impressed a Wher, but the blue one at Kielac Hold most definitely looks to one of their NightWatch. Kyrrin is her name."
The first boy, about 8, was appalled. "Why would anyone want to Impress a stinky dirty wher?"
"You're a dirty wher!" the other boy crowed, flicking water at the first.
"Hey now!" Alonndo said, blocking a few stray droplets with his arm. "I'll take care of washing myself, thanks."
The boys settled down. "Really, Alonndo, why would anyone want to Impress a watchwher?"
Alonndo regarded the youngsters carefully. "Well, it's like this. When watchwher eggs hatch, if someone feeds them, they're Impressed."
"Like firelizards?" the second boy asked.
"I think so, but I've never heard of anyone with more than one watchwher." Alonndo said.
Before they could ask another question, their father found them, and hauled them off to bed.
Alonndo went and took his bath, and later, dressed in his nightclothes, went back to his room.
Jainly was snoring - again. Alonndo was still distracted from the question of who would be going away by the youngster's antics. 'I bet a wher wouldn't be stinky or dirty if it had someone to love it.' Alonndo thought as he crept into his sleeping furs. 'Maybe I can...' he interrupted himself with a yawn, 'get someone to take me out to Kielac to talk to Kyrrin.'
Warm and comfortable, Alonndo was soon asleep. His dreams were pleasant, with oddly colored firelizards chittering excitedly about... what?
Alonndo woke hours later, rubbing his eyes. His roommates were beginning to stir as well.
"Morning Alonndo!" Jainly called from across the room.
"Good Morning to you too" Alonndo replied, climbing out of bed and smoothing the furs behind him.
Their red-headed roommate said "Are you sure you're not a woodcrafter, Jainly? You were sawing logs all night!"
They all laughed, except for Jainly, who threw a pillow at the red-head.
Within moments, they were gone off to get a morning meal before the work began. Alonndo lagged behind, debating with himself about whether or not to pack.
A tap at the door startled him.
"Alonndo?" a woman's voice called. He recognized it immediately. "Can I come in?"
"Sure, Tylar, be my guest." He said, sitting on the edge of his bed to put on his boots.
Oddly, Tylar was wearing her riding jacket. Alonndo stopped dead. "It's me, isn't it?"
Tylar nodded, leaning in the doorway while the candidate hurried to put on his other boot.
"No rush Alonndo. Isemoth's very good at getting places on tme, if you know what I mean." Tylar laughed.
Alonndo looked at her like she'd said something totally bizarre. "Good to hear." He said, standing. "I'm not packed yet."
Tylar laughed. She was nice and didn't hassle him about not having had packed the night before.
When he was ready, Isemoth took them Between to Rose Circle Weyr, where he's to Stand for Impression. Maybe one of queen Eliameth's children will pick him.
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