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 Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 11:57 am
Z'fer had heard plenty about her Impression, but he wanted to hear it from her own lips. She had admitted to being a drudge, and not one born or sentenced to the profession. As she began to recite her tale he listened carefully. The question had been innocent enough but he was looking for more than just the surface information.
It wasn't smart for anyone to go off on their own on Pern, even Runners had check in points. Bands of Holdless were less than kind to strangers, especially a young woman on her own. That and the Red Star glinting on the horizon should have dissuaded her from the idea, even if most had believed Thread to be gone for good. It was no wonder Hold's turned her away then. "You don't seem the type of person to settle for kitchen staff." He commented quietly, letting her continue.
She touched on his next suspicion almost as if she could read his mind. Living and working in a weyr should have given her plenty of opportunities to be found by a Search dragon. They were good at their jobs for a reason. But if she'd mostly stayed in the kitchens then maybe he could excuse their oversight. She didn't mention how long she'd been at Trine before she Impressed either. It was something to keep in mind and find out later...especially if what Calanoth had relayed to him was true.
In the end though she stuck to the story she'd given him previously. Either she was telling the truth about her unorthodox life or she was a sharding good liar. "Dragons seem to prefer those born outside of weyrlife. You were lucky you were in the right place at the right time."
"So you had no candidate lessons or training at all huh?"
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Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 2:50 pm
Hekate frowned her expression darkening slightly at the mention of kitchen of her owl work. "I can read and write just fine. Even do calculations though nothing as expansive as some of the harpers and start smiths can do. I know my teaching ballads and I like to improves new solutions. So no, doing the same thing day in and day out with staff, riders, or even regular weyrfolk repeating their orders to me like I was a dimwit was not exactly my vision of how I wanted my life to be." She replied taking another sip of her klah and pausing biting on her lip slightly a small look of old niggling worry crossing her face at the memories. "I'd planned to find work perhaps helping man a stock room or something basic at the first Hold I came too. After all I'm a strong worker and as long as the task isn't too repetitive I tend to do good work. I didn't ask for a great job, just wanted something I could work my way up in. Make a place for myself with. True I expected them to me suspicious, but I hadn't expected them to slam the sharding doors in my face and say they had no work at all." Hekate explained with a frown Devith letting out a low rumbling snarl at his rider's memories. How Dare They! How dare they treat his in such a way?
If it weren't for that I would never have found my way here. Be at peace King of Mine. she soothed her irate silver and after a few moments Devith settled down with a snort of disgust. Very well Mine. They'll broach no such insult to the likes of us now. Devith crooned a low dark pleased rumble at the idea drawing a chuckle from Hekate.
"Anyway as I said before I received the same treatment at the next Hold and the one after that. I've always been good at looking out for myself and I earned spare coin along the way doing odd jobs~" Hekate continued leaving out that some of those oddjobs had been nabbing said coin from a holder's fat purse. "But by the time I got to Trine I was getting a touch desperate and the only thing they'd take me on as was a drudge so I took what I could get." She explained surprised at how easy it was to talk to Z'fer though the woman was careful to watch her tongue. It wouldn't due to blow her little secret after all. At his mention of her being in the right place and the right time she smiled casting a loving look her dragon's way. Luck indeed though Devith was confident he would have found her no matter where she'd roamed. The mention of candidate training though rubbed salt in old wounds drawing a frown from the young woman. However the trick at least had earned her a long time friend in Dizzian, taking away some of the red-haired rider's anger at the cruel deed.
"No I had no candidate training at all and some of the drudges weren't too keen on my sudden leap in status. A few less pleasant tricks were played to try and make me look incompetent. Luckily I caught onto them before they could do too much damage to Devith or myself thanks to the help of one of the other Weyrlings, Dizzian, who gave us a chance. Then before we could get anything, but the barest basics of weyrling care under out belts the Weyr's were invaded. For the most part Dizzian's taught me what she can when she can since neither hide nor tail has been seen of Trine's candidate or Weyrling masters since the attacks." Hekate explained with a sigh and a shrug that she wasn't bothered too badly by her lack of traditional education.
"So far Devith and I have been getting by well enough with Dizzian's help and just learning on our own here or there. Occasionally we'll ask questions of older riders we think will give us a straight answer. Beyond that we've more or less taken care of ourselves and those we look after on our own." She added stroking Prince's little eyeridges with a small smile. As far as she was concerned short of learning to go between and chew firestone she didn't see much need for lessons, but knowledge was power and they needed power right now to see the others remained safe.
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Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 9:11 pm
Fellis had curled up on his shoulder, the small flit finding ample room to hold her as she rubbed her head under Z'fer's chin, thrumming as loud as she could. Z'fer managed to keep his expression neutral though what sort of odd jobs a young woman on her own might preform for coin was something he was disinclined to ask. Her play of emotions was interesting to watch. The way her expression seemed to change with each sentence made him wonder what exactly was going on in her mind. There seemed to be so much more than what she was saying, especially as she talked about her early days after Impression.
"Well I know we brought at least one Assistant Weyrlingmaster with us. Mercy's a capable woman and I know she'll be glad for something to do. Our newest Assistant Candidatemaster made it too. She's young but she's in my wing and I have faith in her.
I'm hoping this Dizzian knows her lessons? I don't really expect another weyrling to be able to teach you what they have yet to learn?" He didn't mean to speak down about Hekate's friend but he had an honest concern. While Devith looked healthy he had no idea who this other person was and if they were just teaching hearsay they could both damage their dragons beyond repair. They looked big but they were as delicate as flowers in some ways.
"Feel free to come to me if you need anything. Devith is going to be a big dragon and I at least know how to deal with that." He'd probably talk to the The other Wingleaders about arranging some proper lessons, at least basics for the Weyrlings. Both those from Malvren and Trine's small clutch. They couldn't afford to lose any of their young ones to neglect and he had a particular interest in this particular one.
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Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 9:49 pm
"Dizzian's just taught me what she was taught in candidacy. Beyond that all we've been able to really do is keep our dragons fed and oiled and try and stay out of the way. Devith has horrible cramps at times, but we managed to talk a dragonhealer into showing me how to help the pain by massaging his muscles." Hekate explained though her eyes remained somewhat dark with memories. Setting her cup of klah down she leaned back against Z'fer's chest pulling her legs to herself to stare into the distance for a little while in silence. A range of emotions played across the young woman's face, a strange change from the usual flirtatious and fiery mask she wore. The foremost emotion though was sorrow, it seemed to weigh heavy on Hekate's shoulders adding years to a young face that should never have been there.
"Thanks Z'fer and I do mean it. You just have no idea how lucky you are." Hekate sighed burying her face in the circle of her arms on top of her knees as if for just a moment she could shut all of Pern out.
They're all fools Mine. They will see our glory soon enough. Devith assured Hekate, but his words only drew a frown. They should have seen their glory from the moment Devith hatched. Instead rumor and deceit soured her wondrous dragons reign.
"I was never so naive as to believe all the teaching songs about the Weyr you know. Sure they're nice, but they're ballads. Whatever little wonderment Trine might have held for me was lost shortly after becoming a drudge. A boy impresses a bronze and all of Pern thinks he's fit to be a leader, fit to be strong. A girl impresses a Queen and they think she was surely predestined to lead. Even when boys impress silvers all of Pern thinks they're destined to be great poets or tacticians. A drudge~" And her voice faltered there and she paused taking a sip of klah unable to speak further. Hekate didn't care about rumors about her. There would always be rumors about her. She couldn't stand such things about her dragon however. Oh she'd heard some of the nastier ones. The worst though was one of the softer whispered one that all the clutch had been off or strange in someway. That perhaps the hatchling silver had been damaged in the egg to choose such a low born nobody for a rider. Not even the smallest sickliest dragon ever chose from the drudges, specially not some nobody wanderer. Taking another sip from her klah she sighed giving him a small smile.
"Anyway it's not that important and everyone's too busy now to play pranks anyway. I'm sure I'll meet your assistant weyrlingmaster eventually." Hekate replied her tone a bit sharper with false cheer. It seemed her short moment of openness had passed and the girl's mask had caught up with her.
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Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2012 11:25 pm
"I suppose that's well and good enough for now..." His words faded away as she leaned back into him. He hugged her with the arm wrapped around her waist, just a touch of reassuring pressure as she seemed to fold in on herself. He had been lucky, his whole life had really been based off of more luck than skill. First hatched bronzes were supposed to bring luck though. It was an old harpers tale but in Z'fer's experience, it had proved true for the most part. Recent events excluded. That was knowledge for Calanoth and him only though. The flirtatious, ambitious and proud bronzerider would never say something like that to anyone living.
He tilted his head forward, resting face and lips gently on top of her hair. What she said was true but there was more truth and reasoning behind those stereotypes. He wanted to interrupt but blurting his arguments out bluntly would not be a smart course of action at the moment. He took a moment to figure out how to word it as he admired her smile. " It may not be common for a drudge to be taken as a candidate, and even less so for one to Impress without that first step, but dragons don't make mistakes with Impression. Their lives depend upon finding that right person. For Devith, that was you. Your position in life didn't matter to him, it was who You Are that did."
With that lead in he continued with his previous thoughts trying very carefully to keep his words non-confrontational and even supportive. It was difficult though, whether she'd meant to or not, the bit about bronzeriders had been taken a touch personally by the prideful rascal who's lap she occupied. "There's more to Impression than finding someone who looks nice to them or has an acceptable social role. The reason bronze weyrlings are expected to be leaders is because bronzes look for that potential in their riders. It doesn't mean that every bronze rider will live up to his potential, but it's there. It also doesn't mean that a boy chosen by a blue or green lacks that potential, but his other strengths are better placed among their ranks.
Devith, a silver, chose you because you have potential. The fact that you were a drudge didn't matter to him then and it shouldn't matter to you. Now you're a dragonrider, a silverrider, Devith's rider."
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Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 12:29 am
For a while Hekate listened sharp gold eyes uplifted slightly to where Z'fer's head rested on top of hers his breath with each word gently stirring a few red locks as he spoke. "If blues and greens have the same potential, then why are they so rarely allowed to join the higher ranks?" Hekate questioned her mind drifting to her friend Dizzian. Would she and Courath be confined to such a fate? What of E'lov and Magith who felt they were in such desperate straits because of his dragons color that he would have better luck amid the murdering whers then his own Weyr. That didn't even touch on the Crimsons who strode a thin line between two worlds. "True perhaps it's because they are gentler souls or don't wish the power, but even you have to have noticed a distinct lack of none metallic hides amid the Weyr's upper sphere's." She added but left the words 'And a distinct lack of atypical hides as well' hang silent in the air unsaid.
Yet it was not the atypicals who had fled in such numbers to swell the enemies ranks. Instead it had been the greens, the blues, and the browns in mass who had left. Letting out a soft sigh she relaxed somewhat turning to stare out at the lake. "Maybe having all three Weyrs here will be a good thing in the long run even if I'm getting sick of the crowding. Maybe we'll get some change for the better." She murmured and shook her head lifting a hand to tuck a bit of hair back behind her ear.
"Even though Devith chose me for my potential it seems we will still have to fight for our approval either way." She added with a small shrug her eyes hard. Maybe others couldn't see it yet, but they would have to reckon with young dragon and rider sooner or later. They would either see on their own or be blinded.
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Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 1:52 pm
"Just from my experience riding Calanoth, I figured that was due to the social structure of the dragons themselves. No dragon can fully refuse the command of a gold. Shards I heard what your Brakiath pulled during the fighting here to protect her rider and to a lesser extent that applies to bronzes as well. It can get a little tricky when browns and crimsons lead wings but if they're of the right temperament and have the respect of their fellow riders, like our Kleos, it works out. putting a working wing together is more than just the right mix of colors, you have to have the right personalities too. Some bronzes and silvers might chafe at being commanded by a brown, while some might be able to accept it. I know Calanoth, big lump that he is, could never submit to being led by a blue or even a brown in a fighting wing. It just goes against his nature. It's not that he doesn't get along with said dragon or thinks he's better... well ok Cal isn't the best example there. He thinks he's better than all the other dragons put together. But I hope you get what I mean."
~ Which is why I should have won that flight ~ The bronze grumped from his position curled up next to Devith.
Z'fer rolled his eyes. There would be other greens, there always were. Right now he was growing more interested in winning over the sharp young mind in his lap. "Then there's the issue with stamina. A blue or green wingleader wouldn't be able to stay a full Fall and wings can't be left without their leaders. It's another reason why the larger colors are chosen for those positions."
He felt as if he were giving her a lesson, which if what she said was true, was quite possible. Weyrlife was how it was for a reason. Drastic changes had been made in the turns since the last Pass and already their world was much better than it had been for their ancestors, but somethings were out of their control. They couldn't change dragon hierarchy any more than the moons could change their course. "There are options for blue and greenriders. It's not all about being a Wingleader. Smaller colors often make better Candidatemasters and Weyrlingmasters. The woman I mentioned earlier? She's a white rider. The young girl in my wing rides a blue. And if you think all greenriders are gentle souls you've not met many." He chuckled. " I happen to have known quite a few who are anything BUT gentle."
"I agree. If we can get 'Mighty Benden' to accept atypicals then more of the Northern Weyrs should follow." Z'fer met her hard look with a feline-esq grin. "Approval tastes better when hard won. I know that from experience."
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Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 2:08 pm
Hekate listened with rapt attention taking in what Z'fer said with consideration. She still didn't like it, but she could understand it. Perhaps she was reading too much of the prejudices she had faced in her life into that of those faced in the Weyr.
"I still think they should be given more of a chance." She murmured somewhat moodily, but let the argument slide feeling that there was little worth in continuing it with the bronzerider. While she liked Z'fer she didn't think he could truly understand what it was like to be discriminated against simply because of the situation of your birth.
You will surely outfly the next one. Devith replied to Cal's grumbling nosing the bronze cheerfully his voice ringing with confidence in his companion. Glancing over at Devith Hekate sighed and shook her head.
"Dizzian told me most Wingriders either become messenger dragon or watch dragons. I'm not sure I can really see Devith ferrying about messages, sending a silver to do such a thing might be a bit of overkill. I think he'd make a good watch dragon though. He'll certainly be intimidating looking enough when he get's bigger." Hekate mused on the subject deciding it was best not to mention that she often considered simply waiting until Devith was big enough to go between and taking off on their own. The proud silver though probably wouldn't like losing his admiring audience and she would miss Dizzian, but it was still a rather tempting consideration.
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Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 5:28 pm
Z'fer chuckled. "Yes he does have the intimidation part down, though he needs the size to match. If that's what you want then go for it. Seems the weyrs are going to need some more robust dragons watching the fire heights now. The Wherhandlers won't get the jump on us twice." She could be a wingleader...and with her talk of leadership he didn't understand why she wouldn't try for that but he didn't know her that well. Maybe sitting for candlemarks watching the horizon really was more her taste...he didn't quite believe it though.
He couldn't not bring it up. "You could be a wingleader you know. That path isn't shut off for you. Who knows you could be one of those great tacticians. Gender Betweened. Faranth knows you've showed your sharding cunning ways to me often enough." A toothy grin accompanied the memories and took the bite out of the comment.
Calanoth shifted his weight, nudging Devith back as his eyes picked up a happier gleam. ~ I'll at least outfly the males. ~ He had no intention of outflying the girl he was chasing after all.
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Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2012 5:41 pm
Hekate shrugged and glanced over at Devith. "He'll have the size to match soon enough though I don't exactly look forward to taking watch shifts." She replied with a scowl. She liked to travel, to get out and about or at least be doing something, but she was fairly certain being at the beck and call of Holders would be too much for the silver's pride to bear.
When he mentioned her possibly becoming a wingleader she arched a brow at him. "I suppose I could try and become a candidate for the position at least. I've also considered possibly becoming a Warden. I thought all Wingriders when not flying fall were either a Courier, Watch rider, or Search rider though I know all dragons can search." Hekate questioned, her grasp on Weyr ranks was shaky at best. She knew who the top ranks were and who she was supposed to listen too and beyond that little else had been explained.
Crossing her arms though she considered the prospect staring out at the lake with a small frown. "I think I'd make a good Wingleader or Warden. I'm not entirely sure most of the Weyr shares my sentiments though." She replied with a shrug unsure how much the Weyr might like having someone in the ranks who wasn't so willingly to blindly follow orders as others might be.
Devith let out a rumbling chuckle as he settle his wings preening slightly. I do not see how that will win the race, but if it satisfies you so be it. Devith crooned cheerily.
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