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 Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2015 2:04 pm
When she said she felt like eating Bereck relaxed a little and nodded to Catoth again. When the dragon's eyes changed colour he even smiled a little again. "I will have food brought then, for all of us?" The intonation and raise of brows made this a query. "I can leave the two of you alone if you prefer." As he spoke Bereck gave Aorta a mental nudge, which caused the gold flitt to vanish with another sharp pop of betweening.
Whether or not Qyprenna cared to eat with him he planned to have food fit for a Master sent to her, she could use the meat for one thing and for another - shards - he just wanted to give her something nice. Good food wasn't going to make her feel better about losing her sight but perhaps the enjoyment would lift her spirits a little. There would be meat, white bread, butter, cheese, fresh fruit, honey, cream, and juice to drink. He fancied something rather stronger than juice himself but he was on duty and thus not planning to indulge his desire for a goblet or several of wine.
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Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2015 2:15 pm
"Oh, no no! Of course, you can stay!"
'We'd enjoy the company.'
"Catoth says we would enjoy the company, and I am inclined to agree."
Qyprenna was startled a bit at the sudden pop of Aorta's betweening. She jumped a little, her hand instinctively moving to lay on the brown's leg. Mentally, Catoth just sent a nudge of calmness her way. She had no need to worry; everything was ok. The firelizard was just going off to tell someone they wanted food. No more than that.
'I want to learn to do that,' the hatchling then said, matter of fact. It was a sight to behold, seeing a member of dragonkind between. Upon seeing Aorta, Catoth couldn't help but be impressed. Perhaps one day, he could learn to do that, too, and go places within the blink of an eye.
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Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2015 2:23 pm
"Mmmh? Mm. Good." Bereck's response was rather vague as he was focusing on instructing Aorta. She was in his personal quarters, on the desk, by the slate....
The gold reappeared and passed the slate and chalk to Bereck, who made a small noise of approval. "Now then. Bread, butter, cheese," he was mumbling aloud as the chalk scratched, "meat - lean if poss. - fruit plus cream, fruit juice. Bring to infirm." He handed the slate back again, and once again the firelizard was gone. "Useful messengers, if trained right," Bereck said, mainly for something to say. "They don't have the best attention span, any of them, but quick tasks like that they can be very good at if they've the right personality. And training of course, as I say." His own pair made his life so much easier, flitting off - ha-ha - to fetch this and that so that he didn't have to get up to do so. Lifting latches of tricky doors, letting him do a quick check in on the apprentices, and so much more.
Maybe he would have to get her an egg.
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Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2015 2:42 pm
All the food that Bereck mentioned sounded absolutely delicious. She could feel her mouth watering already, and she allowed herself to drift off in a daydream about them, if only for a moment. The fruit with cream, fruit juice, and meat, all stood out in her mind, in particular. Bread, butter, and cheese all would be welcomed and enjoyed as well, but not as much as the others, she knew. "That sounds like a fabulous dinner," she said dreamily, snapping out of her haze when the masterhealer started talking about firelizards.
Aside from just being plain cool looking, the flitts were also immensely helpful. Like Bereck had said, if they were trained properly, they could do little tasks here and there. Qyprenna's parents were eager to obtain a firelizard egg somehow. They wanted to get for Qyprenna a firelizard egg, regardless of color, to help her out and keep her company. She would enjoy it, they knew, being fond of all sorts of animals and creatures. The pair of them had been saving for a dowry for her ever since she was a child. All that changed, however, upon her candidacy. What was saved for a dowry would then be saved for a flitt.
"My parents want to get me one, but they are expensive and it's a long process. Given the circumstances," she continued, running a hand over her bald head, "maybe I'll ask them to put the firelizard money toward an apprenticeship, anyway. That'd be more useful, as much as I've dreamed of having a flitt of my own."
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Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2015 3:05 pm
Ah. Parents. Yes. Somebody was going to have to tell them. It sounded as though they loved her a lot, he wasn't sure if that made things better or worse. Worse for them, presumably, to hear something so drastic had happened to their beloved child. The train of thought led him on to thinking about his mother, and a wave of guilt. He should visit her, he hadn't since before the Hatching, not that she would know that when he did go to see her. He still felt bad.
"A practical notion," Bereck said after a notable pause, "an apprenticeship is a sound investment, lovely and handy though firelizards are." Anyway he was going to get one for her.... He was? Yes, he was, he had decided and Berath firmed it up with a brush of herself against his mind all warmth and love and approval. Anyway, he might as well use his marks for something useful rather than keeping them banked away for 'some day' or 'for Aleck'. His son seemed to need little for him these days.
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Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2015 3:18 pm
She nodded at the notion of an apprenticeship. It would be a lot of money, but as the masterhealer said, it would be a sound investment. Practical and worthwhile, she'd be able to actually take up a trade. With training and care, she'd be worthwhile to the Weyr, rather than just a burden or annoyance to deal with. Not only that -- an apprenticeship offered other doors as well. If she was decent enough, she could become a journeyman, and perhaps even a master one day. Wouldn't that be something!
"I'll have to let my parents know everything," she said, her voice trailing off into a silence that was twinged with a hint of sadness. "They'll be overjoyed at my Impression, of course, probably wanting to know everything they could about Catoth." She could just imagine her mother now: crying from joy and telling the news to all of her friends, family, and neighbors. "As for the new disability...that will probably shock them, in all honesty." Catoth's tail wiggled from side to side when Qyprenna spoke of her parents. To reassure her, he sent happy images and feelings her way, ones of them playing in the future and just spending time chattering and being silly. Best to focus on the good or happy things, and not dwell on the sad ones.
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Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2015 3:28 pm
"Humm." Bereck scratched his jaw which made a slightly rasping noise owing to the Master's odd sleep schedule, which meant that by now he had been awake for more than twenty hours and hadn't shaved in thirty or so. "Would they be up to flying and betweening if offered the chance?" Bereck asked eventually. "Berath and I could bring them here to see you in person... though I would perfectly understand if you would rather send word than have them come in person. Everyone is different, make the choice that's right for you."
The choice that's right for you! That was lacking in the upbringing of Weyr children, and how he hated that! And it was the same across Pern, that boys did this and girls did that and hush and be good now and listen to your betters! Ugh! The world could be better, should be better, but he couldn't see it happening in his lifetime and... and... his mind had wandered totally off topic.
The healer blinked and shook himself mentally, forcing himself to focus on Qyprenna again.
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Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2015 3:35 pm
The notion of actually being with her parents in person was something that hadn't even crossed her mind. Such an option was possible? She didn't even know it could be done. In a daze of disbelief, Qyprenna just sort of stared in Bereck's direction, her sightless eyes focusing on the top of his head rather than his eyes directly. Would they even come? Her parents had never seen a dragon up close, though they probably wouldn't be afraid. It took a lot to scare her father and her mother, too.
"I-....I just sort of resigned myself to the fact that I'd have to write them..." she admitted, feeling a few tears well up in her eyes at Bereck's offer to bring them. He had been so kind to her already, letting her stay in the infirmary wing, getting her a cane, making sure she was comfortable, and bringing food for Catoth. All of this was just a little overwhelming, and she had no idea of how to even thank him. "But I'd love to see them in person. It'd be better, I think, than just an impersonal letter..."
It would also be more difficult, she understood. There would probably be a lot of tears and hugs, but that was something she was prepared to deal with. Catoth, too! As the rider spoke to the masterhealer, the little hatchling extended out his mind to speak to the green female of the healer.
'Your rider is very kind. So many things, he is allowing us to do or offering. I have no idea how to begin to say thank you, but it has moved us both immensely.'
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Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2015 4:10 pm
When Berath replied to Catoth her voice chimed with gentle laughter.
Bereck cleared his throat and shifted a little and then, suddenly, there was the gold firelizard again and... something else. She dropped the fluffy entity on the bed and it said 'prrp!'.
Bereck cleared his throat again and scratched his cat between the ears. "Ah, the cat who had just appeared is called Whiskers." Wingleader Whiskers actually but he wasn't about to admit that. "Aorta rather adopted him and.... Yes. Well, you're welcome. It's little trouble to us, somebody will have the coordinates for us to get there. We can go tomorrow." She had said write to them, so were her parents literate? A rarity among normal hold folk but an advantage to be sure.
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Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2015 4:26 pm
A cat?!
Qyprenna grinned widely when a cat had supposedly shown up. The weyrling extended her arm out instinctively, feeling around for where Whiskers has been dropped off by the firelizard. Soft, plush fur didn't take long for her to find, and she found herself running her fingers through the cat's fur slowly. She had always loved animals. Her family had even had a few cats on their farm, she remembered, predominately used to hunt mice and other vermin. One was kept inside as a housecat, however, and was a constant companion to her mother.
"That's a good name," she commented, continuing to pet the tom with a happy sigh. "And I look forward to seeing them. Thank you so much, again." The young woman was truly at a loss for words. One day, she would thank him properly, in a way befitting everything he had done for her. She wanted it to be a grand gesture, as he had done for her. It would just take some time.
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Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2015 11:25 am
"You're welcome," Bereck replied and - for a moment - he was glad that she couldn't see, couldn't see his expression. This wasn't his fault but he felt responsible all the same. He had to do something to help her.
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