Image made by lethe
(cat from Sapphire Weyr)

Name: Sebra Kshau

Gender: Female, she/her, gay, is often found with women, and prefers effeminate men to burly brutes. Likes her partner to have short hair, but beyond that she's not picky

Age/DOB: 23 at bonding

Origin: Buenos Weyr, pre-Healing Den

Current Location: varies, however she remains mostly at Ablan Hold, loosely connected to both the Healer's Guild and Paveh's vintners, on an alternate Pern - which leaks over into Zekira very strongly...

Family: Mother Baeris Kshau, father S'tel

Other: more siblings and cousins and relatives than you can shake a stick at, but she is the first born to Baeris

Height: 5'10"

Build: slender and tall, long fingers and limbs, small breasts, narrow waist and ?not? childbearing hips

Hair: Deep brown, full and wavy with widows peak, kept very long (to waist at least) and often tied in fanciful braids

Eyes: grey-blue with the blue being barely visible; narrow and slightly slanted

Appearance: olive-tan skin which adopts a very deep bronze when she's been in the sun VOICE QUALITY: husky, smoothCLOTHING: likes close, long dresses, usually with frilled arms and very high neckline, with wide belt kept high (to show off what chest she has), likes darker blues and greys
JEWELRY: wears a ring of bronze with her Vintners badge on it

Standing At: Dragon Soul Weyr

Dragon: Blue Charranath

Pet:one feline, named Rubbup (for her propensity to rub up against things), who is a sleek, blue-black colored cat, with a crook on the end of her tail, yellow eyes, and a loud voice

Created/Updated: Originally 2002 / updated (finally) 2.3.25 with new info and such

Events and History: (originally at baeris_kshau_masterhealer/sebra.html and sebra2.html and combined here)

"Are you sure you don't want to try it?" Sebra purred, and the little black cat Rubbup let of an annoyed maow. "But you keep telling me you want to see what's inside..." Sebra laughed. Her smile broadened as the feline attempted to jump back into the box of sewing materials which Sebra had to keep closed and locked lest the cat get stuck in it.

Sebra sipped at the dark, new wine she had just taken from its brewery-cavern. The rich red-black liquid danced over her tongue and did exactly as the young woman expected it to do. It gently tickled her nose, and brought a sweet blush to her cheeks. She closed her grey eyes and smiled. "That's how it ought to taste..." She sighed.

Outside the vintner's quarters, there was a knock and a 'clearing throat' sound. Sebra's shoulders slumped. "Who is it?"

"Currier wing," said a young voice. The rider stuck her head into the doorway, her cheery round face and eyes searched and finally found Sebra seated on her wide soft chair. The vintner waved her long fingers and Kuda entered.

"I've got a message from the Healing Den, it's from your mother, I think." Kuda extended her own hand and Sebra took the scroll. It was her mother's writing all right. Something in the way the letters almost allowed the healer's voice to come to her daughter.

Kuda stood and waited, politely as most Curriers would be. Outside, her green dragon Mhorith was already making herself at home in the shade of the cherry trees in Ablan's vintner-hills. Sebra read the letter, read it again and nodded, with a small half-frown.

"Well, it's good news," she stated. Kuda didn't argue though she wondered why good news might make the woman frown that way? Sebra rose slowly from her stuffed chair, and Rubbup immediately scooted onto the vacant seat.

Sebra sat back down at a more functional wooden chair (everything in Ablan was made from the beautiful, dark cherry wood, Kuda noticed), and wrote a response on the other side of her mother's note. It was short, to the point, and quickly written. She handed it back to Kuda.

"Could you take this back to my mother for me? I will have to find a way to pack properly..." She sighed. For something that would normally have made most young women unmeasurably happy, Kuda noticed, Sebra wasn't going about it the right way.

"Aren't you happy?" Kuda asked, and almost regretted it.

"Why, did you read my mothers note to me?" Sebra shot back. Then, the vintner licked her lips and tried to get an apologetic look on her face. It halfway worked. "I ought to be. But I've a huge collection of wines which will need to be tended. Some amount of timing it will have to be done, but I'm ... not too happy about that. Ablan is my home, yet it cannot really house a dragon."

"Noticed," Kuda laughed, and felt her dragon rumble from her comfortable lounging on the rolling hill nearby. There were no caves, no proper shelters for a dragon in Ablan no matter where it resided. (It, being the township. Perhaps on the old world, perhaps on Alskyr, perhaps again on Zekira where it had been founded?) "But still," Kuda continued, "your mother's a healer. And she's got a dragon. And didn't your sister just bond? To a gold yet?"

"To a gold, yes," Sebra smiled. "But Tessrabia was the only one of us who really wanted to bond. Rael is standing, at Falas. And so now I am to stand at Dragon Soul's last clutch. How odd. Every time one of my mother's children is standing upon sands, it's the last time they could have done so at that weyr."

Shaking her head, and rolling out her shoulders, Sebra gave Kuda a small metal coin. She'd long since abandoned the useless wooden tokens which the old world used -- in a place full of trees, who cared about the value of paper or wood?

When Kuda had gone, Sebra stood with her shoulder against the doorway, and her hair dropped over her hand. She played with the strands without looking.

"What if I do want to ride a dragon, mother?" She said to no one. The light breeze of warm summery wind brought the smell of the land to her nose. She loved this place. It would be impossible for her to leave it, wouldn't it? She'd watched Tess go off, enthralled to be part of Talor's last clutch. She'd even sent Rael a little good-luck gift of wine for her trip to Falas. Now it was her, her brother Lars and her sister Bali left. There was no doubt that Rael would bond. She belonged on a dragon just as surely as she could heal one. Her hands were steady. Her heart was huge as far as dragon kind was concerned.

But Sebra was more used to her father's profession of wine making. She had soft hands, liked wearing dresses, and wanted to remain without callouses and scars. True she worked the soil and she had little scratches from both the vines and her cat, but those weren't the kind of scars she was afraid of seeing on her own skin. She loved the sky, but she didn't necessarily want to fly among the clouds...

Her responsibility to stand was clear. She would have to go, of course. Like her other siblings, she had been assured that she could ride and bond a dragon if she wished. She was of healer and vintner stock -- both parents who had started out as something other than they wound up.

Well, her father might shed some light on it, but she didn't wish to track him down just at the moment. S'tel and Vaoth were out collecting fruit samples for his new brew...

"Collecting. Well, that's a plus!" Sebra said, scratching little Rubbup's nose. "I could certainly find time to do that!"

On that note, then, Sebra began searching for her bags. She had moved several times in her life, and spent a little time at her mother's Healing Den, most of her life though was spent in the hills at Ablan's winery.

**

"Do you expect to be able to set all those things into a shared weyr?" Baeris joked to Sebra, as the younger woman put down three large bags of her clothing, and two medium sized crates of her wine making supplies.

"I expect that the cook at Dragon Soul will want me to share these," she nudged the box of bottled wines with her booted toe, "and I do not own enough clothing. You know that."

"I know that, but I do remember the kinds of quarters you'll have to be living in at the weyr. You know I can't assure you any kind of preferred treatment!" Baeris said, and Sebra glanced at her mother.

"Is that a grin? You want me to suffer with some horrid room mate, don't you mother?" Sebra hugged one of her over-stuffed bags to her body. "I don't have to give up nice things to become a rider... Do I?"

Baeris allowed her daughter the few moments of simmering wonder, then responded. "If you wait a while I can have your brother bring you some clothing you'll be able to wear while training. And riding. You know even I don't ride in my nice clothing."

Dulath snorted in the wide hall beyond, and added something privately to her rider, which made Baeris snort herself. "Well, mostly."

"Mother, what if I ... Don't? I mean, bond?"

"You will. I'm sure. And do not worry. The right dragon will come to you. Just like Dulath came to me, and Vaoth to S'tel... I think there is a dragon out there for everyone."

With that in her heart, Sebra allowed some of the Den's tailors take measurements and write it all down for her brother. She had to sort out what she would be wearing only for 'special occasions'... Though she had a hard time doing it. What was three big bags was finally worn down to only two, and the third would be filled with her new 'functional' clothing.

She would be able to wear her work clothing, too, comfortable and functional. At last, though, a week later, Lars arrived with a number of altered outfits. Leather jacket and vest, both done in a nice dark blue color; soft but warmly lined boots; pants and shirts, along with overalls and duster jackets. All in all, a nice set of clothing that most commoners would have slaved for months to buy. All pretty much for free.

"For you," Lars said, smiling and holding out the clothing. "Do well, sister."

"Do I do any less than my best?" Sebra responded. "Thank you. So... when are YOU going to get yourself a dragon?"

Laughing, Lars exited and left Sebra to sort through her things one last time. Her neighbor and wine making partner was going to take care of Rubbup, since the cat couldn't come along. Everything had been set up and scheduled, and at last, Sebra was getting excited about the whole thing.

At the end of the week, then, B'ryn on his blue Xyanlith came to pick her up. He too was a vintner from Ablan, though he'd spent most of his time traveling around different worlds with their wares. His dragon was used to carrying crates, so there was actually a carrying strap below the dragon's neck and between his forelegs for it. Both Sebra's crates were loaded onto the straps, and snugged down.

"The wine will be perfectly chilled, when we get there," B'ryn pointed out. Sebra laughed, and put on her new riding jacket.

Of course, she didn't much like having to straddle the dragon's neck and was uncomfortable with the leggings instead of her normal dress. But Sebra endured. Proudly she grinned down at her mother, and waved farewell. The berry-festival blue dragon winged into the air outside the Den, and then vanished to head off to Dragon Soul.

**

Sebra tried to fit in, among the riders and the kinfolk and all the others. In her way, she did all right. But she was prone to her temper -- like her mother -- snapping so she'd have to apologize a moment later. She tried to keep to herself, then, after a while. The classes were her main socialization and she did relish learning the things which her mother and father occasionally mentioned.

They never dwelled upon things like fighting patterns and the like. And for the obvious reason, Zyala didn't concern herself with making the vintner-turned-candidate uncomfortable by insisting she know the same drills.

Should this girl bond, she'd be headed to a currier or merchantry field certainly. But that would have to wait, for the hatching was about to happen!

A gold lept from her shell first -- everyone was amazed, even though there would be an abnormal number of them from this triple-dam clutch. A pair of bronzes followed her, and then the hatching really got rolling. Sebra didn't even try to keep track, she was just happy that her mother had come, and that her father had smuggled in another crate of wine for the celebration.

Perhaps if Baeris hadn't been there, something awful would have happened to the little lost brown dragon. Stunned, Sebra watched her mother take in another stray for the Den. He'd find his home and his bond some day, she thought. Her heart pounded. There had been so many dragons already, and it was getting down to a couple eggs and a handful of candidates.

A large blue came from one of the last five eggs, and though he looked over the boys left, he disdainfully ignored them. He gazed at Sebra, and strode to her while she was busy fiddling with the hems of her sleeves.

Sebra.

"Charranath?" She said, startled.

You have been unsure in the past, whether dragonriding was right for you. But I hope that you will take me as your own, for I will always love you.

His mind was filled with a half-sad hope, curiousity and bright love. Sebra could hardly ignore him. She shook her head, reaching out and touching this vision of deep blue. "I'm sorry I ever doubted." She said, and it was true. Now that he was here, real, and in her mind and heart, Sebra knew that her life was complete.

**

What is that?

"It's a pear," Sebra said, munching on one of the ripe fruits she was sorting.

What is it for?

"It's for my food, or these others will be for the wine I'm going to make today."

Is wine good?

"You know it is," Sebra smiled. "Charranath sweetie, look here. When you grow big enough to fly and teleport, we can see all the fruits you'd ever want to. From above I could identify what kinds of trees there are, and if there are grapes ripening, all the things I'd need to do only I won't need to trudge around."

You will want me to fly you for your fruitywine?

"I promise that I'll find something extra good for you to boot, since you eat meat. And you like it raw..." Sebra's memories of the cutting up parts of meat for the dragonets was still fresh - though they now relied upon the hunters to do it for them, since it was more than one person could really handle at one time for the growing dragons.

I like that. You know I like fish, right?

"Oh boy do I ever..." Sebra sighed, the fish habit had gotten her clean outfit completely disgusting, how could she ever forget!

You do not like me to fish? ... I shall stop. I will not fish again.

"No, no! I wouldn't have it any other way! I can always clean the clothing, and you can always learn how to eat a little more... carefully!"

I will! The dragon exclaimed, stuffing his blue snout over Sebra's shoulder and breathing a happy snort onto her face. I will do that! I wish I could eat pears, but they do not look very good to me.

"Well, raw meat doesn't look good to me either, so we're even!"

**

Vines grew long around Ablan. The cherry trees had lost their blossoms and the cherries would soon be harvested.

I want to see the harvest!

"Well don't worry, my sweet," Sebra purred, "you shall. In fact, I think you'll be a star attraction. Father's blue is going to be here too. And I think B'ryn's too! It'll be a regular blue festival!"

Charranath grumbled with a happy roar. I like that idea! Then what happens?

Sebra grinned and held up a bottle. "Remember last year, when you were but a weyrling? This was the wine I was brewing when you were hatched. We'll be taking last season's vintage to the other towns for celebrations."

And I know where to find them, because they are sharp in your mind. That is good, I would not want to get lost!

"You can't get lost," said a man's voice, and Sebra spun with a squeal. The tall, curly haired man that met her gaze smiled right back at her. "You obviously bonded well, Sebra."

"Father!" She cheered, all but sprinting into his arms.

"You know," he said, "dragons teleportation makes wine chilled perfectly. You'll be a hit."

Hugging her father S'tel, Sebra raised the wine bottle to her dragon, "He already is."

**

(added 1.3.25)

Sebra and her blue were happy that there were now quite a few others residing full-time at the Zekiran Ablan site. She and her blue had enjoyed decades of time together, and would continue to do so - for some reason she, like her siblings - did not age after a certain point. And with the Zekirans around, she could settle down with whoever she liked and actually have children with them, not from her body of course. Oh no no no.

Why do you not wish to lay eggs?

"I... do not lay eggs, my silly blueberry," Sebra said, not for the first time. "I might produce an egg inside, but no human lays eggs like that."

That one did! And the dragon looked directly at one of the visiting avian-spliced Ladies that came to sample the Ablan wine. And those dragon-born ones!

Sebra just sighed, and decided to laugh at it, because that was all true...

Dragon

Name: Charranath
Gender: Male
Size/Shoulder/Length: large for a Pernese blue, 11' s / 55' l / 80' ws
Colors: body denim blue with a slight sheen of iridescence; wingsails highly reflective lighter dusty blue; dorsal ridge dark charcoal-blue; claws dark
Features: Dragon Soul final clutch, four legs with a semi-bipedal stance, hind legs thicker, 4 toes on fore including thumb, all clawed; two leathery 3 tined wings with sharp wrist point; head has sharp knobs and eye ridge, dorsal fins from head to low tail
Powers: Winged Flight
Teleportation
Telepathy
Assisted Firebreath
Telekinesis*
Parentage: One of Ireath, Angelith and Kianath - unknown partners since they were not recorded, and 2 different image sets were given out (this is 2nd) considered 'progenitor' because of that
Origin: Dragonsoul's last clutch
Other Info: Charranath is not the brightest blue dragon ever hatched, but he is loyal and loving, dedicated to his rider, and enjoys living in their new location since he can smell all the 'fruity' things but has easy access to the meat and fish he loves!