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Melodious Memories
Location: Telgar
Date Started: Oct 09, 2009
Candidate Folen and Candidate Jada meet each other again after several turns. He is playing a homemade flute when she finds him. The two of them are old friends from Harper Hall, and both are very happy to get to see each other again. Jada's hands are very soft still as she has just come from Harper Hall not even a fortnight before, just forming callouses, and she moans at the loss of soft fingers and careful hands. Folen suggests that perhaps she should get a pair of specially made gloves for her palms, choosing to allow her to borrow his gloves for her to try them out. He mentions that there is a tailor in Telgar Weyr who may be able to make them for her.

When she was twelve, she remembers, she wanted to be a Mastersinger. Master Harper was too much to dream for, but Mastersinger was a possibility. And, of course, she simply had to be a Harper at a Weyr, so she could sing for the dragons and make them happy. How she had changed from a girl who wanted to be a dragonrider, to a girl who wanted to be a Mastersinger and then to a girl who wanted to be a Candidate- she realized she had been flighty in her decisions, perhaps, and that though she may miss her family and friends at Harper Hall, she has made her bed to lie in. Folen and Jada discuss favorite chores, least favorite, and even the thought of a Raibbow Concerto, with the dragons of the Weyr singing for the Harpers instead of vice-versa. They laugh at the memory of an old Harper who was well-loved by them both, and Folen helps to soothe her homesickness by being a small piece of home. The two of them make plans to go visit the tailor the next day, and then each return to their chores.

Composition Complications
Location: Telgar
Date Started: Oct 14, 2009
It is a crisp morning, and Weyrsinger M'dor and Green Ichoth are out enjoying a nice swim. Or one of them is, and the other is playing the gitar and trying to write a song. Jadamirei is supposed to be digging trenches, bt it instead wandering around the Weyr with a few spare bubbly pies, which she uses to 'bribe' the dragonrider and his Green. She is very careful, of course, not to get any crumbs on the hides which he is working on- that would be unconscionable. She has been spending much of her time trying to memorize dragons and riders, and hum her practice songs, and with her hands becoming calloused she fears for her manual dexterity. Ichoth enjoys the bubbly pie, and comes from the water to watch M'dor and Jadamirei speak. Jada reveals her plan to go back to Harper Hall if she does not Impress, and then their attention turns to other things.

They spend quite some time poring over his composition, and she loans him her flute to play- he is much better at it than she is. Jada's talents, alas, do not lie in wind instruments. Discussion, amidst the beats, and rests and tempo, turn to politics. Jada asks which gold will rise first, and they discuss the Weyrleader. A bit before evening meal, Jadamirei asks Ichoth if she thinks M'dor is a good player, and the Green speaks directly to the Candidate. It is her first time being spoken to by a dragon, a first for the notoriously shy dragon to speak so freely to someone she just met, and all in all it is a great honor for the young Harper. M'dor tells her she can talk with him anytime, and delighted, Jadamirei runs off to take care of her chores in the kitchens, promising to meet the Weyrsinger and his Green later.

A word for the Wise
Location: Telgar
Date Started: Oct 12, 2009
A Word for the Wise was an open roleplay. It begins with Weyrsinger M'dor in a corner of the dining hall tuning his gitar. He notices that Iva has returned from her meeting angry, with Malkai as stoic as always and D'rak oddly sober. He starts his performance with the Duty song, Sharp on his shoulder. T'ren and Chaveth are in the dining hall, and the sweet little green thanks M'dor for the song with a croon, embarrassing her companion. The next to be summoned by the sound of music is Jadamirei, who completes the next verse of the song for the weyrsinger and takes a seat near to him.

Deneva and Folen also swing by, and the latter pulls out his reed flute and joins in on the performance. The small crowd attracts the attention of the candidate Iloraz. Deneva claims her voice is like that of a wherry being beaten against a tree, and Folen comments that his reed playing is better- Jada points out he'd been asked not to sing at all, and Folen comments that he'd been told he could sing 'When Chaseth's Flame goes out, and not before.' The Weyrsinger inquires how everything is going and people are adjusting. Each had a different answer.

In the end, Jada comments, being a Candidate is a lot like being a Harper Apprentice- learning, listening to the masters, and doing the work no one else wants to. She is struck by a pang of homesickness, and a renewed desire to return to Harper Hall if she does not Impress. Her journeyman's knot, or a Mastery? Folen finds Jada's hand and gives it a squeeze. Her homesickness is obvious, and the other Candidate is concerned about her. Yet he gives her hand a squeeze. Together, they will walk towards the future.

Journal #2
It was a lovely day, really. As Jada had started the morning, she had actually been hoping that she could get an outdoor assignment. It was so early, but there was already that pretty day feeling in the grey sky. The light was just peeking up, and dragons and their riders were rousing. The kitchens were already hard at work for those who broke their fast early, and the dishes were piling up. The Candidate tied back her hair as she entered the room, grabbing a roll and stuffing it down her throat briefly before taking a post at the dishes without being directed. Someone needed to do it, after all.

She worked at the dishes through midday meal, at which point she found herself released to go and enjoy a few candlemarks to herself. It was a lovely surprise, actually, so snagging a sweet roll she ran outside to watch the wings practice. Outside, Wingleader I'dan's Wing was coming to a landing for a mid-day meal. By now she was coming to identify dragons, and riders. A flash of bleached gold hair atop a rippled, watery hide was what got her attention. She waited for the group to disperse before she hurried over to Tethis, shoving the roll at her friend. “I missed it all?”

“We were hungry.” the blonde replied. “Feylith kept on whinging. Thanks to him, I'm going to probably be digging trenches later.” Jada frowned at the blue, whose eyes whirled complacently. “Go hunt, you. It's down here.” A moment later, she sighed. “Fine.”

It must be amazing to be able to speak to a dragon like that. Another part of your sum, the other half of your soul? One day, Jada might be so lucky. “What's down here?” the Candidate asked, following her friend as the stocky woman moved over to the stone where a leather bag sat. Lifting the bag, the Bluerider was pulling out cloth, digging something out.

“A belated Nameday gift. I owe you a few, don't I? Hopefully, this will make up for it.” Tethis smiled at Jada, and dumped a green ball into the Candidate's hands. It was hot, and hard.

A firelizard egg.

Journal #4
The day that Allegretto joined Jadamirei and Dolcissimo's family was unassuming as any other. The green firelizard was still young, sleeping on the girl's shoulder, so small that they had been afraid she would not survive. Yet so far she had, and Jada was grateful for it. Dolci was a good friend for a lonely candidate, and for all her youth, peaceful and not disruptive in the least. It was pleasing- some firelizards Jada could remember being incredibly energetic. Dolcissimo, however, seemed to be content laying back and taking life in stride. Jada could appreciate that. In fact, she was more than happy to encourage it.

Together, the firelizard and girl had found their way to the hot springs. Dolcissimo slipped off Jada's shoulder and onto a sun-warmed rock as the Candidate slid into the water, submerging herself thoroughly. It was nice, the warm waters soothing tired and bruising muscles. Sometimes Jada forgot how much she ached, not just physically, but with homesickness and the weight of being lonely. She had friends, but... How long exactly she soaked, but it was less than a candlemark from her arrival when Jada was dressed again and getting ready to leave. A screech distracted her.

A little firelizard looked anguished, her eyes dull. Dolcissimo crooned, and Jada moved in the golden lizard's direction, drawn by her curiosity. A small egg, burnished yellow-brown, shimmered in the sand, fallen into a hole. Other eggs lay around her, shattered and broken, but this one... may still have a chance. Quickly, the girl reached her hand down, grabbing at the egg. The gold firelizard flew at her, clawing, and Dolci gave a startled eep, vanishing. Gripping the egg, Jada tugged it out of the sand, setting it on a rock. Instead of moving to see if her egg was safe, the small gold gave another cry and vanished, leaving Jada alone with her child and the smashed shells of the rest of her clutch.

Dolcissimo came back while Jada was pondering, faceted eyes flickering in alarm. “It's alright Dolci.” Jada soothed the green, who quickly relaxed. “We have a new family member, is all. I hope.”

Journal #5
Jada was not a stupid girl. Unwise, perhaps, and willfully naïve to many of the ways of men and dragons, but she was not a complete and utter dimglow. Nor was she ignorant of the ways of men and women. As a child, living with her Healer mother, she had seen women thick with child, and heard of the many ways that they were conceived. She'd heard of women who did not want their children, of men who did not want their children. She'd heard women scream as life came forth, and seen grown men grow pale at the sight. None of the wailing and arguing she had ever heard compared to the way this woman was sobbing.

A green had Risen yesterday. It was her first time seeing a flight, and the madness that took her rider. The men had surrounded the rider like predators, even as their dragons chased her through the sky- but only one dragon could catch the Green, and only one rider. Jada had fled before she could see the end of it, but she knew what would happen. And now, hiding behind the corner, she listened to a woman crying. “Don't take me Between.” the girl begged the rider. “If it happens, I'll be a good mother, you'll see.” Something was said in a low tone, sharp. “No! Don't tell- I-” silence. More tears. It was heartwrenching, in its way. The girl loved him, and he was a Rider. It was her body, but what were the rules? Was the girl to give up her chance at a child to suit the rider's needs? She had been a willing participant in what had happened between them, she looked to be a woman grown. And the girl was no rider- it would not diminish a Wing were she to have a child. So where did the rules lie? She listened with only half an ear to the tones, trapped in a small alcove where she could not slip away without being discovered.

Jada didn't want to hear the drudge crying. It broke her heart. Footsteps, and the crying diminished. Jada peered out of her alcove, watching the man and woman move to the bowl. She followed, curious to how the drama would end. In the sunlight, a brown waited patiently while his rider and passenger mounted. They lifted, launched into the sky, and an instant later, the deed was done. Jada licked dry lips, and went towards the kitchens.

Journal #5
It was rather strange to see Allegretto, a lovely, laid-back creature, being so proddy. Jada had been almost concerned, but by now she was growing accustomed to the antics of a Green that was about to go on a Flight. Bronzes, Browns and even a few bold Blues had been stalking her and her lizards for days, each twirling and frolicking as though to try and woo the Queen lizard, and she was rebuffing them all with some vehemence. It was too soon, Jada guessed, same as it was too soon for a few days before a Green would take to the skies.

She had seen flights before, and watched with some curiosity. There was not the emotion of a Green flight, which roused quite a group of Riders, and Jada had heard that a good Gold flight could rouse even those not dragon-bonded. But Allegretto was just a firelizard. What would it be like? Would she feel anything? Would the gold share her images with the girl like a dragon would? Probably not- she'd heard nothing of the sort. And even if she did, there was no need to control the Gold, nor would there be the impulse to mate as so many Riders did.

When the gold finally rose, is was a fair of color. Jada stared out over the sands as her Golden lizard ducked and swooped. Bronzes and Browns chased her, and one large Blue which quickly fell out of the running. The flight seemed to go on higher and higher, until she lost sight of them in the sun. And the, Alle finally fell from the sky, tangled with a bronze lizard that Jada didn't recognize. What would she do with the eggs? Would the owner of the Bronze come and find her, or would she be able to sell them if she could get them away from Allegretto? Unless the clutch was small- and even if it were not- there was no possible way for her to keep all of the eggs! She couldn't handle that many firelizards.

By the time Jada was going to sleep, Allegretto still had not returned.