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 Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 6:58 am
Veyes shrugged his pack off his shoulders and the sack that his mother gave him filled with goodies; then watched L'thor buckle on the straps. He carefully watched each and every move trying to remember each little detail. Some people might not have taken this as seriously but it was the first time that a dream of his had the real potential to take off and well after the conversations he had recently with L'thor he might get overwhelmed with all sorts of things he had not expected so he had to take in every scrap he could get and learn it quickly.
He was thankful that L'thor seemed to be recovering from his terrible loss. At least on the surface that is what it appeared like. Who knew what was underneath....well maybe Raith but Veyes wasn't the type to pry too far. It wasn't his place.
A big sigh of relief came to the boy, "Well, at least I know it will be a few turns. I guess it just takes time to get into that mind set. My parents weren't too...umm...good about talking about that sort of thing except in relation to other animals."
He briefly revisited his first "talk" that his father gave him about mating. Walking down to pen to watch a bull go on a female herdbeast. He remembered thinking how uncomfortable and painful it looked and his father saying, "Ok...so that's how its done after you're married, Got it, boy?" That was everything his father said....end of conversation. It really didn't make the idea of being with a partner any more appealing than a day at work and he could never even imagine his mother with....Havel. That thought alone made the prospect rather disgusting.
However, he tried to push aside the distasteful thought for the more amusing conversation at hand as L'thor continued to talk. A small smile flirted at the edge of his lips, "So your best friend must run and hide ever time Raith rises? Or is running to find a woman as fast as his legs will carry him?"
His wild imagination almost took the better of him as he imagined his version of V'kain running and L'thor chasing after him with an ardent look in his eyes. The thought caused him to laugh because even though he had never met V'kain, his imagination could easily create a handsome straight man with the vivid look of fear in his eyes as L'thor back him into a corner.
It wasn't hard even with his small bit of knowledge about relationships to understand that L'thor was mostly interested in men. Veyes really didn't find that as scary as a lot of holders would because he never had enough exposure to either outlook to really get an impression. He wondered how much the dragon had an affect on your interests in men or women.
With so many imaginary and real thoughts stuffed into his head he almost missed it when L'thor had hopped on and offered his hand down to him but he soon recovered and grinned up at the man; taking his hand only after nimbly leaping up Raith's still extended leg. "After all that scrubbing on her back ridges alone, I think I have the handle on mounting the seat." He only used L'thor's and as a balance and slid himself into place then broadly grinned back at him as he started clinching on the straps. Afterwards he again glanced back at L'thor to get his eye over them to correct any mistakes he might have made. "Did I do it right??"
Veyes was about to burst from the notion of flying again. This would be the second time he had flown and it was hard to contain himself. He was more prepared for the lift off after experiencing the last one and he had to wonder if his mother was still waiting outside the farm looking towards the sky. "I can't wait to see what the Weyr is like!" His exuberance washing over the other misgivings about the social element of it all.
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Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 7:29 am
L'thor laughed and nodded as Veyes strapped himself down. "Yes, that's fine, and no he doesn't." The rider grinned as he made a final check of the straps. "I run away from all the riders of the male dragons, him included, and when Raith lets one of their dragons catch her, I let the rider catch me... You're not at all aware of yourself really once your dragon's flying. If you know your dragon is going to rise, or chase, and you're horribly uncomfortable with the idea of either catching or being caught you need to lock yourself away somewhere beforehand, preferably with a... we call them stand ins. Still, most don't bother no matter what their preferences might be; it's just accepted as part of life really. Still," he laughed again, "V'kain was horribly embarrassed the first time it happened."
He always was amused by watching the behavior of riders in flights he wasn't a part of. One green rider sprinting away towards their weyr with a gaggle of admirers on their heels. Hilarious.
"Anyway, let's go and see the Weyr shall we?" L'thor said, putting the change of subject out there so that Veyes didn't have to make any fruther response to the matter of mating flights if he didn't want to. Beneath him, he felt Raith's muscles bunch in readiness for take off, and then she sprung and with a few powerful wingbeats they were in the air. Dusk and River, having been left behind, appeared beside them once more and clung firmly onto L'thor. As they climbed, L'thor took in a deep breath of the morning air and sighed it out again. At last. Free again. Time to go home.
Raith, sharing in her rider's emotions, let out a bugle of joy and turned to soar over the farm. It was actually out of their way, but that scarcely mattered. L'thor had asked her to fly this way until they were out of sight of the farm, and then go between when he asked. Come out quite a way from the Weyr, so that Veyes would get a nice view of the volcano as they approached. They were going home!
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Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 7:56 am
Veyes was proud of himself that he had clinched on the riding straps right. It was probably still going to take him awhile to get everything down but at least he felt that the small bit of progress he had made in the past sevendays had been pretty good.
His firm cheeks hinted a flush of red upon them as L'thor gave a bit more detail to the explanation. "So you really have no control over it all after a certain point?" Oh that could be quite embarrassing to say the least and he now was very curious by how many times the man had been..."caught"...by someone he hadn't quite expected. With Raith, it was possible to see that happening because she happened to like to poke back occassionally. "I bet he was very...embarrassed. I know I would be if that happened to me."
Well, ideas would continue to plague him as time passed but as soon as they took off; he was totally in another state of mind. Some might not have looked down for fear of falling but Veyes really wanted to see the farm below and much to his surprise Raith had made a very good pass over it. He could barely make out the small forms of his family members waving and jumping in the case of Hally just to wish him the best of luck. He waved back unsure if they could see it but at least he left with the knowledge that they would be ok without him and for some reason he failed to impress, he'd have a home to go back to.
However, in his own mind, he was determined not to fail; he had wished for one dream to be his and this one had been the first to open a door for him. So he would run with it until there wasn't a breath left within him if that's what it took.
Laughter escaped him as Raith let our her bugle of joy; a mirror of what L'thor probably felt today. He was rather surprised when they went between and maybe a little pale as they popped out; gripping the dragon for his life. His gasp for air afterwards rather obvious even as he tried to stamp out that fear which had grasped his heart if only for the shortest of time. "What was that?"
Glancing this way and that, he felt a bit better seeing the world as it should be but the location far different. The Volcano in the distance was a stunning sight to behold leaving him rather awestruck as they flew towards it; his jaw dropping slightly as he took in the view. "Is the Weyr over there???"
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Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 8:35 am
L'thor gave an apologetic chuckle as a multitude of dragon voices cried greetings to Raith. "That was between," he informed Veyes as the green bugled in return, "thought we might as well just get it over with rather than give you time to worry about it, and yes; that's Ista Weyr." By the first egg it was good to see it again. Peering off the the eastern side of the bowl he made out the ledge that led to his weyr. Xerrineth wasn't there, and he couldn't see the dark dragon down by the lake either. Perhaps V'kain's wing was drilling at the moment.
"I'll take us down into the bowl," L'thor said as they began to spiral groundward, "I think I can recall the way to the Candidate dorms, so I'll show you the way there and you can claim a bunk before I take you on a tour." They touched down before long, and human voices called out greetings, along with a few belated draconic ones. L'thor grinned and waved to his fellow riders. "Good to be home," he commented to Veyes as he unbuckled himself and clambered carefully to the ground before removing his and Veyes' packs from Raith's harness.
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Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 8:50 am
Veyes held on tight as they descended towards the Weyr trying catch his breath once more. "Thanks, I appreciate it." So that was what between was; ok...it was something he would have to really take a bit of time to sort out in his head. The chill itself was enough to ache his bones and he couldn't imagine what would happen falling off of a dragon in there. He would be very certain to check the straps very well any time he road from here on out; the shiver of the experience still racing up his spine.
He nodded at L'thor's next words and tried to take in as much of the sights as he could while they circled and prepared to land. Once upon the ground he followed L'thor's lead and unbuckled all the straps; then slide down along Raith and landed firmly on the ground. It was good to feel the earth below his feet again after meeting "between" for the first time.
Picking up his duffle and sack, he smiled over at L'thor; "Yes. I guess it is good to be home. I suppose I should start calling it that since I might be here for awhile." He noticed all the other people and riders then became more aware of how new and how busy this place was compared to the farm where the most hustle and bustle was your own labor with the herd and other work. He pursed his lips unsure of how to react to all the others around and stuck close to L'thor as they went inside.
Maybe after a few days , he'd feel a bit more comfortable once the surroundings became common place?
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Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 9:07 am
L'thor smiled and nodded as he set about unbuckling and removing Raith's straps. Once the dragon had shrugged out of them he passed them and his bag over to her, and she took them in one forepaw before leaping into the air and soaring towards her home ledge. L'thor coughed and blinked in the small quantity of dust her liftoff stirred up as Dusk and River scrambled up onto his shoulders. "Well thanks very much for that!" he called to the departing dragon. All he got in return was a deep rumble of amusement, naturally.
Shaking his head, he shot a grin over at Veyes before turning to the entrance to the Weyr. "She does love to do things like that. Some people's dragons are much kinder to them than she is to me but I like her that way. Goodness only knows how huge my ego would get if she didn't knock me down a peg every so often, eh?" he chuckled as they stepped inside the Weyr. After being in the healer hall for so long, the stone passageway seemed larger than he remembered to L'thor. He just hoped he hadn't forgotten the way to the dorms, he mused as they took a turn off to the left, as opposed to one of several corridors doing more or less straight on or to the right.
"It's a bit of a maze in here," he commented needlessly as the light of glows began to take over from daylight. "You learn the way to places you need to go quite quickly, but if you take a wrong turn its easy to get lost. I still manage to do it sometimes, but luckily everyone is pretty good about leading you back to the communal areas so you can try again to get wherever it was you were heading."
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Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 9:34 am
Veyes grinned back at L'thor figuring that yes...he probably did need someone like Raith to put him in his place every now and then. He had to wonder what sort of dragon might be a good partner for himself. It was a very curious thought that had him scratching his own head uncertain of what to think. What did he need???
As soon as they went inside, Veyes agreed right away, "You're right. It would be easy to get lost but there is so much to...discover too!" Already the wheels in his mind were in motion as his more adventurous imagination wanted to take off down other paths. But he did his best to keep up with L'thor as they wound their way to the Candidates' quarters.
However, boyish exhuberance took over at many times asking the same questions, "Where does that path go???" Everything about the Weyr had to be taken in and his eyes just didn't have enough time to do so at first glance. He'd have to explore and hope he didn't get too lost upon doing so.
"So where do you live in this place? Is it nice?" Veyes finally asked realizing that the man obviously didn't live in the same place as Candidates; although he did look forward to seeing his new space even though he didn't particularly care for sharing it with a ton of other people. Having to share a small room with a little brother was Enough in his opinion. His stuff never got left alone with his evil little brother always getting into everything he had; even personal stuff. Nothing was ever safe with Hally around!
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Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 9:54 am
L'thor smiled at Veyes' enthusiasm, and answered his repeated questions when he knew; 'rider weyrs that way' 'laundry' 'that goes to the storage caverns' 'more weyrs' 'drudge quarters' 'dining hall, we'll go there soon' 'the hatching sands'. He remembered having all those questions when he'd first arrived, but the person leading him down to the dorms had been rather gruff, not at all helpful. Fortunately V'kain, then Vannkain, had been sent to take him to the dining hall, and that had ended up in the sort of huge tour he was planning to take Veyes on. Ha. How he'd hated the boy when he'd first laid eyes on him. What a day that had been, seemed as though it had been four turns ago rather than four sevendays.
"My weyr is lovely," he said with a grin. "When D'los and I graduated weyrling training we were already an established couple, so we managed to wangle a nice big one half way up the eastern side and we - well, I, he was always a bit too meek to assert himself - hung onto it tooth and nail; people gave up trying to persuade us we wanted to give it over to wingseconds and such eventually. Has its own bathing pool and everything; I'll show you later if you like, though it'll probably be a mess given that V'kain has been there by himself for four sevendays. Of course," L'thor grimaced slightly, "You probably won't be as lucky. We've got crowding problems these days, big ones; every rider who lives here in the main Weyr has to share his personal weyr with another pair. Those who value their privacy have had to move out into makeshift weyrs in the forest... Still," he brightened as a thought occurred to him, "they're going to have to do something about all this soon. Can't have people living in the forest when the Thread comes, so maybe you'll get a decent weyr after all."
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Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 10:05 am
If Veyes could have had something to take notes on he would have because he knew that he wouldn't catch everything on the first time told. So he tried to repeat each path once and hoped most of the locations would stick. "Ah so that way for you?" He pointed down the hall that lead to the Rider Weyr's. That information he definitely planted firmly in his head because L'thor was really the only person he remotely knew here.
Everything was so much larger than it had been in the Hold; probably because Dragons had to move around in here at times. "So I'll have to share a weyr with someone else if I get picked? I didn't know a Weyr could get that full. Why don't they have another Weyr take some people in?? Or is everyone full?" Maybe the forest wouldn't be so bad but he had to admit it wasn't a good solution. "Where are they going to put all the people in the future if there are more eggs? I mean the forest doesn't seem like the best idea."
He glanced around as they started to approach another room and expected that this was the Candidates' dorm. He really hoped that he wouldn't meet anyone right away. He kind of wanted to have the tour first and get a better footing on what this Weyr was really like. It was far easier than dealing with a bunch of kids that may or may not have the same dreams or ambitions he did.
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Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 10:25 am
L'thor smiled and shook his head. "My weyr would have been off to the right as we came in... And you won't been to worry about a weyr right away," he smiled wryly, "weyrlings live in dorms as well I'm afraid, but they're a little nicer than the Candidate dorms. You get a bit more space to yourself, and of course the couch for your dragon. Still hardly ideal if you like you privacy like I do, but a slight improvement at any rate. As to what's going to happen," oh good, he had found the way; there were the boys' dorms at the end of the corridor, "no idea at all. Plans for the future of the Weyr have no as yet flitered down to mere wingriders, though I've heard from some friends in other wings that they've been sent out scouting. Best guess around the place is that they're looking for somewhere to establish a new Weyr. They'd just better hurry up with it, or we're going to have some nasty issues when the Thread arrives."
As he spoke, they stepped into the dormitory. It hadn't changed a bit in ten turns. Same rows of beds extending away left, right and backwards, same wooden chests, closed if beds were claimed, open if not. What a dreary place it was; even River didn't bother to leap off his shoulder and explore, but perhaps the flitt remembered the place from when they had lived here together and knew very well he'd find nothing... Well, L'thor touched the copper bangle he wore at his wrist, almost certainly anyway. He remembered River presenting it to his younger self as if it had happened only yesterday, remembered too how it had turned out to be V'kain's, and how the dark-skinned boy had insisted he keep it as a welcome present...
L'thor's footsteps took him unconsciously to his old bunk, and he sat down on it thoughtfully. New mattress at any rate; that was something. "Bed forty two," he said, returning from memory lane with a chuckle as he inspected the number-stamped chest beside the bunk. This was certainly the same; it had that wine stain it had acquired during his time here. He'd got a skin of wine from a gather, planned to save it for some occasion or other, but River had managed to burst it with his sharp little claws whilst hunting for something to play with. "Close to the front and in the middle," he went on, "so I always knew who was coming and going at odd hours, and also because when I got here I dumped my pack on the first bunk I spotted."
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Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 10:49 am
Veyes cocked his head and looked at bunk 42 then glanced around and considered the other options too. While L'thor might have wanted to know when folks came and went. he preferred that no one know his comings and goings. This bunk seemed to be one that would stand out in the crowd. So Veyes poked around as L'thor reminisced.
Then, he finally found a bunk that was shoved in a corner not far from a door at the far end. He liked the idea of having a cool wall behind his back and maybe not so many eyes upon him as he slept. He peered down at the number then checked out the chest in front of it...luckily empty. "I think I will take this one...It's number 53."
He sat down on it and found the mattress to be better than what he had slept on a home although it was a little lumpy probably from different owners. The chest had a couple dents but his stuff fit in side for the most part. He decided that he'd take the bottom bunk and use the boards above him to dangle a couple of his knick knacks and other bits of his creativity. He'd make it as homey as he could. Once he unpacked he looked back at L'thor, "Ok...I'm ready to see the rest of my new home."
He crossed the space between them eager to head out of the room. Fortunately, it had been quiet in there; everyone must have been working. "So how do I let them know I am here? How do I get started?? Do you take care of all these things?? Oh! And...umm...where do the eggs get laid? " Obviously, boyish curiosity had overwhelmed his sensible self once more.
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Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 11:03 am
L'thor grinned and got to he feet, stretching again with a sigh. Stiff. Shard it. "We'll take a tour first," he said as he set off for the door, "after we're done I'll bring you back here, or off to dinner or whatever seems like a good plan at the time. Raith has already spoken to the Candidate master's dragon, so your presence is known. Tomorrow you'll go to breakfast with the other Candidates and there you'll be assigned chores and go to lessons as ordered. Candidates generally get grouped together for chores so you won't be on your own to find your way around. I've not Searched anyone else recently so I'm not really familiar with many Candidates I can introduce you to... Oh, actually, I know one boy vaguely; he has a gold flitt that my pair are slightly in love with. I'll introduce you to him if we spot him about. If not, well, he's the stocky lad with the gold flitt. Seems a decent sort; name's Conomor, and he's a weyrbrat so he knows this place like the back of his hand. Oh," L'thor grinned, "and he's much nicer than I am."
As they came to yet another choice of corridors, L'thor slowed and glanced to the left and then to the right thoughtfully. "In answer to your other question, the eggs are laid on the hatching sands; that way," he pointed. "Dining hall is that way," he pointed in the other direction. "There's a clutch on the sands already, laid just before the last one hatched out... Given how long I've been away, thinking about it, they should be ready to hatch fairly soon. There's a crack in the wall where you can peek at them... So, shall we go look at eggs first, or shall I show you the dining hall?" He knew what he'd say in Veyes position, and he had a feeling the lad would be no different. Eggs.
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Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 11:31 am
As he looked back at L'thor, he wondered if the man was going to stretch out and take a nap in that bunk knowing he probably could use it. However, he really wanted to see the rest of the place and was happy when L'thor pulled himself up. "Ah..well I wouldn't mind...umm...meeting him. Nicer than you?" He chuckled to himself, "Ut Oh...then maybe we won't get along." It was a bit of a tease since they had started out so horribly it would probably be a memory they would laugh at for years to come.
Veyes clapped his hands together in glee almost vibrating with excitement, "The EGGS!!" He practically shouted it out then covered his mouth because he had been so loud. Of course, he wanted to see the eggs first. What candidate wouldn't?!!!! The dining hall was just another hall...with food...and although he was getting hungry, that didn't seem to matter much. Not with the possibility of seeing his future on the sands. Ok...so it was very possible that none of the hatchlings would find him acceptable this time around but that was ok. He still had a lot time and there were probably plenty of chances to come.
He almost trembled with anticipation as he waited for L'thor to lead them on. "How many are on the sands?? How do you know they are ready to hatch?? What do I do when that happens???" Yes, he was filled with all the newbie questions that poured out of ever candidates lips. But who wouldn't be when you came all this way for a chance such as this.
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Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 11:53 am
L'thor chuckled, "I thought that might be the answer," and told Veyes the number of eggs currently hardening on the sands as they set off. He made a conscious effort to pick up his pace a little after a few strides; Veyes looked up to explode from anticipation. "There's a lot of competition of course," he said with a slight shrug, "you saw the number of bunks, but your chances are as good as any, and probably better than some. Any dragonet could tell how much you'd adore it just by glancing at you. The queen's rider, pretty much the only person who can get close other than for the Touching, can tell just about to the day when they'll hatch. The dragons tell us when it's about to start though. They start humming, really deep, makes the whole Weyr vibrate. When that starts, everyone drops what they're doing. Candidates go down to the dorms and put on the ceremonial robes, and then you're all flown into the sands on dragonback and ditched barefoot on the sands. Very, very hot."
He remembered that. Not nice at all, but once the shells had started to crack... "When the first dragonet appears you forget about your feet though," L'thor went on as they rounded another corner, went deeper into the Weyr. "When that happens, everyone is just hoping that a hacthling will come to them, and trying to keep out of the way of ones going past them. Candidates get injured by mistake quite a lot; there's usually at least one unlucky one per hatching, but death or permanent injury are rare."
There had been three at his first hatching, one of them getting a deep cut across his chest from the very dragon he Impressed. He smiled faintly as he remembered that. Even in his own bitter disappointment at not being chosen he'd been impressed by V'kain's fortitude; his friend hadn't even blinked over it until his dragon was sated and asleep. He'd fainted then of course, but still. Humm. Maybe he wouldn't have noticed either thinking about it at the moment of Impression. He certainly hadn't been concentrating too much on himself when Raith had found him.
"Here we are," L'thor said, coming to a halt and indicating a crack in the wall beside them, "have a look." Personally he was just glad of the chance to stop and lean discreetly against the wall. Shards.
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Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 12:12 pm
Veyes took in the number and agreed with L'thor's assessment. There would be tons of competition but well if the right one wasn't in this bunch then their surely were other chances out there. He'd have to take it all in stride of course even on his best day, he knew it would be a downer the first time he got rejected.
"Alright so basically, if I don't get picked then the right dragon just wasn't in the bunch. Just keep trying." He pondered the thought for a moment about the injuries. "Mmm...if a dragon gets that near just step aside? I mean how do you know the difference between it trying to get by you and it trying to catch you?" He really didn't want to add a new set of scars to the ones he already had so any clues would be useful.
As they reached the crack, Veyes was indeed about to Explode as it was his first time ever seeing EGGS beyond well the ones you would have on a farm. However, they were nothing compared to the ones he leaned down to see through the small crack in the wall. His eyes widened as his hands stretched on the cool stone so he could get a better look. The small crack gave a perfect view of the sands and on the other side the lustrous eggs that gleamed in the warmth of their nest. "Wow! they are big! Oh my....and so colorful! I didn't know they'd be like that! Can you tell anything about them by their color? Or is every egg a surprise???"
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