Profile
 Former Candidate at Aneris Weyr - Resent to Isla Weyr - note some links don't work correctly on toyhouse |
| Ledina (leh-DEE-nah) Once there was a time when Ledina knew what she would be doing for the rest of her life. Her family had always lived by the sea, and always there was the smell of fish and the odd saltiness and brine that the waters brought. Her family was large, constantly moving, half of them always at sea and the others preparing the catches that their brothers brought home. If her mother could keep track, she'd have been able to say that three of her children were from Ledina's same father, the others from one or another of the sailors and fishermen that frequented the docks. She was hardly a terrible person for this, she kept men busy and prevented fights and tended their catches while things were weighed up. That she did this in what appeared to be a constant state of pregnancy only added to her odd charms. Ledina didn't intend to become like her mother, though. She knew which of the strong men was her father, he was the tall, skinny dark-skinned one with bright green gold eyes, like her own. He was handsome, anyone could see that, but he was also fairly wise, calm and kind. He sired Ledina and her next sibling, before the disaster which took almost everything away from them. Ledina was just shy of ten turns old, when their delta village noticed the waters had oddly receeded. Their stilt-houses with metal rooftops and mud-cemented stone walls were high and dry for long, long minutes. Then the waves came, one huge and several smaller but bigger than any that they'd ever seen before. Many of the boats were still out to sea, but Ledina's family - all of them, actually - were at the docks and worried about how they'd get their now-stranded boats out to sea. They hauled up to the higher ground, but by that time almost half the lower village was submerged by the first wave. Meters more water than usual rushed up to their homes, and someone had sent the village flitter out - or it had sent itself, no one knew because its owner perished almost immediately - to shortly return with several dragons. The riders were stunned, how this could have happened, in such a short time, they didn't know. Hundreds of miles away in the middle of the ocean, an underground quake had sent the water into motion. They couldn't know that, of course, but what they did know was that now a village was missing more than two thirds of its population, and the rest would never be able to rebuild here from the destruction. So they were carried off, family by family, on broad brown and gold and bronze dragonback, to various Holds and Halls. Ledina's family was brought to a vinyard, a Hold devoted to the ripe grapes and fresh berries that grew in long cultivated rows. It was such a change from the sea. But it was a welcome change. Ledina's friends had all perished in the wave, she harbored no small amount of resentment for it now. So she threw herself into the place, grim and determined to change what she'd always wanted to do with herself. From the sea, to the mountains. It was hard. But Ledina was a bright girl, and concentrated on her tasks easily. When told bring this basket there, she would. She started to see how each of the different varieties of grapes were used, noting the leaves and the way their vines curled, their color, their scent. It was hard not to ask to join in the true makings of wine, but she might even be able to pull it off after a turn and some months of dedicated work with the Holders. But her family were still just servants; most of them wound up working drudgery inside the Hall, which they were okay with - it was less smelly work than counting fish! They missed the sun, the spray of the sea, but they fit in pretty well here. Ledina couldn't find it in herself to enjoy things, though, when she began her journey into womanhood. In such a large family it was almost impossible to get some private time with her mother, so she was feeling more alone than ever. Until one day, after an embarrassing moment when someone noticed blood on her leggings, she'd run into the darks of the Hold and refused to return outside. A brilliantly white-haired girl came to her, bearing a basket of glows on a stick, and jangling it into her face with a giggle. Desperate for some kind of attention, Ledina allowed Sahviito lead her around for a while, and quite soon they became fast friends. A Lady Holder and a young waif, but no one really even noticed. They were too busy with the Hold activities, and Ledina enjoyed the things that a wealthy girl like Sahvii could give away. A shirt, a little leather pouch, a doll gotten at a gather. These weren't cast-off things, either. They were Sahvii's possessions - that shirt was nice, embroidered with green threads and pleasant to the touch. The pouch, one of two which she'd had for years, obviously precious. But obviously too, Sahvii valued Ledina's presence more than anything. Some might say that Ledina was the more outgoing and social of the pair, even though Sahvii should have been groomed for it. But it was true, Ledina enjoyed those big gatherings, Hold dinners, sudden parties. Sahvii kept to herself, but occasionally allowed Ledina to drag her into the thick of things. Ledina however, wondered greatly at Sahvii's behavior when Threadfall came. Out on the water, she knew, it was far safer than on the land. Thread itself was quite dangerous, but on the water it stood more of a chance of just being swallowed up by the waves. But here? Everything needed protection from it, everything would wither if hit. But it wasn't the Thread that Sahvii was afraid of: it was the dragons fighting it. And not so much afraid. But concerned, angry. Ledina finally coaxed out why - a terrible incident which had opened Sahvii's mind to the dragons! "We've heard of such things," Ledina said, "but I've never met anyone who could hear them! It's a miracle!" "It's terrible," Sahvii said, miserably in her dark corner. They were half a mile below the surface, practically at the farthest cavern one could reach and still get back into the Hold. With all the stone and dirt between them - Sahvii still could hear the dragons minds. Eventually they explored and found chambers long disused, where Sahvii began to teach Ledina how to read and write. She'd never be good at it, at least not as good as Sahvii, but within weeks she'd learned the basics. And then that Lord Holder boy came in. He seemed inordinately furious about finding them together - perhaps he thought they were lovers, which they weren't. He was so angry, so big and burly. And - so dangerous. Neither of the girls could do anything much more than protest verbally, when he tossed Sahvii out into the hall, and then started beating on Ledina. She tried to defend herself, but with his fists being almost the size of her head itself, she hardly stood a chance. She saw through a red haze of pain and blood, as Sahvii beat uselessly on his wide back screaming for him to stop. Then, Sahvii tried to interpose herself between him and Ledina. Shocked, angered, the boy struck her so hard she went flying. But while his attention was off Ledina, she sprang out to the halls and tracked down the first person she could locate. Her horribly bloodied face told them all they needed to know, and Sahvii's angry protests from the room brought others quickly. It just didn't make any sense, then, that when the three were brought before Sahvii's parents, nothing was done. Practically nothing, anyway. However, Ledina didn't raise her voice, didn't even really raise her eyes. A servant girl versus a Lord Holder? It would never do, certainly. And the boy made every effort to be a pain after that point, even though his 'courtship' of Sahvii was considered over. (That he'd even tried was a joke, Sahvii deserved a man who wouldn't cheat on her or beat her, or vanish only to reappear years later. And this boy would probably do all those things - Ledina and she discussed it at length.) Then one hazy cloudy afternoon, two dragons arrived to the Hold, Search dragons. Ledina was out with the vintners servants, gathering fruit. When the whistle was blown and everyone gathered, she noted the absence of Sahvii, and knew right where to look. Fortunately, she caught up with the dark-skinned white-haired girl before she reached the farthest areas, and coaxed her into the courtyard instead. They could avoid the boy entirely, they could change their lives. They could see first hand the amazing architecture that they'd enjoyed reading about in the scrolls and books. But the dragons! Of course, always with the dragons... The two dragons that were there, a bronze and a blue, were quite different. One's hide was dullish and muted, the bronze's was shining almost like a gold. Not that Ledina had ever seen a gold dragon before, but she had it in her mind that if there was one nearby, this bronze would rival it. It was the blue's rider, a young man, who approached after he'd sized up the rest of the young people in the Hold. His dragon, a female blue (a female blue? where did that come from?!) had suggested this pair, and he and the other rider, F'stan, appraised the girls together. Ledina nudged Sahvii when she noticed the girl's eyes were tightly shut. The conversation between F'stan and Sahvii was short, entertaining, and led to Sahvii admitting that she could get used to being in a Weyr. Aneris would be where they would stand, and Dragonhope, where F'stan lived, would become their home should they Impress. It would be different, again. But this time, as they packed together (and Sahvii putting many of her good clothes in Ledina's pack, not for herself, but for Ledina's use later) their destiny would finally be secured. A vintner? A Holder? A fisher? None of those things could match being a dragonrider! *** Sadly though they stood for nearly two seasons, half a year, at Aneris... nothing came of it. They were moved first to Dragonhope, where they were tested on the things they learned while at Aneris's candidacy courses, and then asked whether they wanted to head somewhere once more. Apparently they were welcome 'as-is', to fit in with those holders or weyr folk at Dragonhope itself. But no - they were Searched! They should be out where a hatching would occur! There had been two clutches on Dragonhope's sands, but the girls had missed them by days. "Isla is also ramping up," they were told by Weyrwoman Kira. "We share quite a few candidates with them, and they with us, it's a good arrangement." She chuckled as the girls both held up their thick fur-lined coats and tried to figure out where to pack them. "Oh, children you won't need those. Isla is hardly as cold as Dragonhope..." *** |
| (updated info, have moved them from Aneris in like 2006, to Isla in 2021 - their timeline is a bit wonky but should be considered '3013' to coincide with hatching there) Status: Servant Age: 14 (currently 15) Gender: female Siblings: 10 Born: next to last Legitimacy: a bastard child Childhood Health: very sturdy Adult Height: a moderately tall person Adult Build: thin as a twig Skin Tone: rich red-brown Hair Color: dishwater brown Hair Style: single large braid Hair Length: mid back Eye Color: hazel gold Literacy Level: can neither read nor write (has learned both over time) Politeness Level: as long as they know their place, they are polite and well mannered Focus: they carefully attend to details This character is certainly one of the best looking folks around If they have something, they will keep it more private Values and Goals Likes: their father, she will be quite proud to show off her dragon, if she Impresses - he has been enjoying 'retirement' at the vinyard Passionately hates: the Open Sea Low goal: build or create Average fear: being alone Low fear: a rival crafter - well, he's not really a crafter, but that boy Sahvii was supposed to 'entertain' certainly intimidated her Odd Skill (learned outside of craft if any): vintner Originally From: formerly delta fishing community, now high mountain community Location size: kind of large Location climate: temperate Searched: a few days ago (more than half a year ago!) |
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