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 Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 2:21 pm
For the past sevenday Firyal had been working seemingly nonstop, and she was, quite honestly, sick of it. She knew she would have some time off from her daily tasks to attend the Touching, but that was still days away and she needed a break from work now. So she did a half-hearted job sweeping the dust out of the corridors near the entrances from the Weyrbowl and took advantage of the opportunity to disappear. Logically, if no one knew where she was, they couldn't give her any additional chores to do. So what if it wasn't very responsible of her. She didn't particularly care. The worst that would happen was that someone would scold her when next she put in an appearance. She had yet to meet anyone at the Weyr whose scoldings could compare to her mother's.
She and her bronze firelizard, Numenor, moved unnoticed through the passageways nearer the Candidate's quarters. She didn't sleep in the dormitories because she wasn't officially speaking a Candidate: she had never been Searched. Despite this, she was allowed to stand at Hatchings from time to time and take part in Touchings, but it was more of a courtesy afforded her because no one figured she would Impress. Firyal dreamed of Impressing, but she tried not to dream of it too often. She was privileged enough to have a firelizard, and she knew she ought to be grateful for that.
And she was. She adored Numenor, and the feeling was mutual. The bronze's favorite position was acting as a shoulder adornment with his tail curled around her throat for balance. He was riding there presently, his foreclaws gripping her collar and his head sitting atop the crown of her left ear. He disengaged when they drew nearer their destination, though. He adored the large caverns that were usually used for Candidate or Weyrling lessons because he was allowed to fly about and perform aerial acrobatics and no one scolded him for being a hazard. Firyal liked the caverns, despite their chill temperature, because they were rarely occupied, and in an overcrowded Weyr where space was a valuable commodity, that was reason enough to overlook the chill.
Once they were in the large cavern, Numenor launched himself from her shoulder to fly madly around while she perched on the instructor's table. Lessons were over for the day, and so no one would be coming in to catch her taking her leisure rather than working.
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Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 2:59 pm
For all the work Veyes seemed to do these days, he swore to himself that it was just like the farm. Not that he would complain to anyone about this condition because they had taken him in for the opportunity to impress a dragon. After his life at the farm, this was one dream that finally opened a door and gave him a chance to see the world he had only imagined out in the fields with the herds.
Today, when he finished butchering the meat; the woman in charge of the kitchen gave him a berry tart as a treat. It wasn't unexpected for the women in the kitchen to give him a little extra helping here and there but the desserts were always the best. He kept it wrapped up tightly and decided today; he'd wouldn't eat this delicate offering in a far corner of the kitchen nor would he eat in the dining hall, a place that offered to many crowds or someone else to hand him more work.
So he slipped out of the back door and wandered quickly down the halls trying to find some place that might be empty. It was difficult considering that the Weyr was considerably crowded. So as he searched, he pondered the lessons that he had learned yesterday - It was then it struck him that the Lesson's cavern might be empty. As big as it was, maybe he could find a quiet corner to settle in and enjoy the warm gooey goodness.
Scooting down another hallway; avoiding the wrong turn he had taken so many times, he finally made it into the cavern. At first, he didn't glance around because the considerable quiet was profound in itself. He sighed feeling that relief wash over him as he stepped forward. It was then he lifted his eyes suddenly realizing he wasn't alone.
Oh shards! he thought to himself Wasn't there any unoccupied room in this Weyr? But still...it was only One person. As big as this cavern was maybe they could...share. He wasn't sure he recognized her from the lessons so why was she here?
Did she even notice him? Mmm...well maybe if she didn't he'd just slip to the back of the cavern and eat the pastry before it got cold.
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Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 5:31 pm
Firyal, at ease on her perch and paying little heed to her surroundings failed to notice when Veyes came into the cavern. Her eyes were closed and she was telling herself impossible stories of a girl who was shipwrecked on the Southern Continent and managed to tame one of the wild felines that lived down there. As stories went, it wasn't particularly complex or even interesting, but it was very warm, and for someone who lived for warmth, that was an important aspect. At some point she would probably bring in a handsome brownrider to end the girl's solitary life, but she was still debating that. At any rate, Veyes' appearance went unnoticed. By Firyal.
Numenor was far more alert and always keen on exploration, so the appearance of a new person was a thrilling event in his day. He flew straight at Veyes, stopping himself by fanning out his wings abruptly about a foot in front of the young man's face. He chirped querulously and circled once around Veyes' head before flying directly back to Firyal to land on her shoulder and tug her hair for attention. She didn't like when he tugged her hair, but preferred it to the period of time where he'd gotten her attention by nibbling on whatever portion of skin was easiest to reach. He never drew blood, but it was still an unpleasant sensation.
"What?" she asked, opening her eyes and turning to look at her firelizard, who was also directing insistant Come, Look thoughts at her.
Once he was certain he had her attention and that she was following him with her eyes, Numenor darted off toward Veyes and cheeped demandingly. From their empathic connection Firyal understood that the bronze wanted her to convince the young man to give a portion of whatever he had in his hand to him. That wasn't going to happen. Numenor was a mooch and a beggar, but he was not in any way underfed.
"Hello," she greeted the young man Numenor had discovered. "I hope Numenor didn't frighten you. He's usually much better behaved than this."
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Posted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 6:43 pm
Veyes slipped quietly along the edge of the cavern thinking the shadows might hide his presence then he could take advantage of the moment to savor the tart. He dreamed of a kitchen in a great holder's hall filled with 100s of bubbly pies, cakes, and tarts just waiting to please their most charismatic master, who awaited them in a golden dining room filled with....
That was when a sudden blotch of bronze startled him; driving his mind far from that golden hall to the reality of a chattering and flapping wings. He didn't swing at it rather fell backwards catching himself upon the cavern wall. "Crazy little bronze!" he muttered under his breath wonder why the little flit had suddenly come at him like that.
As the flit flew away, he wasn't certain if the little guy would leave him alone or if he should prepare for another dive. So he moved quickly and found a quiet perch trying to settle in; then scanned above briefly before opening wrapping that surrounded the fat tart.
"Oooh..." he said with an adoring smile. He could already tell that the berries within it were dark and the crust flaky. Licking his lips, he prepared to bite into the fine morsel and started to imagine the fine golden hall again but then someone spoke and his eyes flicked open. "Who?.. OH.. ah.. Hi."
Placing the tart back into the wrap upon his lap, he looked up at the girl and ran his fingers along a heavy dark chestnut braid. It wasn't polite to eat in front of others that weren't eating...at least that is what his mother would say. "Oh...he did startle me but...well I wasn't paying much attention. I didn't see him for a moment."
He paused for a moment trying to figure out what to say next then realized that they hadn't been introduced. "Umm...I'm Veyes, a candidate here. I don't think I've seen you....umm...around here."
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Posted: Sat Apr 11, 2009 7:39 am
Firyal was grateful that she had not bothered to turn the glows in the cavern so it was but dimly illuminated. It meant that the young man Numenor had discovered could not see her amusement at his reaction to both her firelizard and her. She could understand how he felt, since she had come to this place to be alone and couldn't imagine any other reason for a person to come here unless they sought the same thing. This was the first time in all her years of using this place as an escape that she'd ever encountered another person.
Numenor perched on Firyal's shoulder as she shifted so that her legs were drawn up beneath her on the table. He looked back and forth hopefully between Firyal and Veyes' tart. As far as Firyal knew, a berry tart wouldn't hurt him, but it was also not typical firelizard fare, and she didn't want to get him in the habit of eating foods which were intended solely for human consumption. As it was, his was not a particularly welcome presence in the kitchens, where the temptation of all that food sometimes became too much. If he developed a taste for unusual foods, he would be decidedly unwelcome, and that would make her life more difficult. Numenor hated when she told him he couldn't accompany her for long periods of time, and had a habit of popping in to check on her, and see if maybe she wouldn't allow him to stay with her.
"Since you're not going to get an apology from him, allow me to extend one on his behalf. He does know better," she said, turning to glare at the little bronze creature on her shoulder.
"It's good to meet you, Veyes. I'm Firyal."
She had already guessed that he was a Candidate. There were few reasons for a person to be at a Weyr if they were teenagers: they were either Candidates or dragonriders. She was familiar with all the faces of the Weyrlings, and his was not among them. By process of elimination, he had to be a Candidate. Besides, there was a clutch hardening on the sands, so they'd been bringing in still more Candidates, despite the fact that there were still a large number who had failed to Impress at the last Hatching.
"It's no surprise you haven't noticed me. I don't attend Candidate lessons, because I'm not officially a Candidate. I came here as a fosterling and so mostly I do the same sort of work that the non-rider weyrfolk do. It's possible I've served your meals, or washed your linens, or swept out your dormitory, but that's not the sort of interaction that prompts a person to go out of his way to remember someone." She spoke without bitterness, because she had long ago come to terms with the fact that she was a person who was easy to overlook, and since she had cultivated a talent for seeming to disappear, she could hardly hold it against people when they didn't notice or recognize her.
"Have you been here long?" Just as it was unlikely he would have noticed her, Firyal paid little attention to most Candidates unless one did something to stand out in her memory.
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Posted: Sat Apr 11, 2009 8:33 am
Veyes leaned back against the wall of the cavern under the dim light of the glows. He finally realized after all the movement from the little bronze exactly what the boy was after - his berry tart! But didn't fire lizards eat meat? Well it certainly didn't smell like meat but...maybe the flit had a bad nose. Or maybe it was just a little pig. That thought alone brought an amused looked to Veyes' face as he imagined a small snout upon the flit's face and a portly belly. Not that this flit didn't already have a round little tummy it was just more pronounced in Veyes' vivid imagination.
"Ah...it's alright. Flits seems to be really willful. Seems like he wants my tart but I can't imagine why. It's fresh but it's a berry." he said with a curious look as he watched the flit almost seeing the drool hinting at the edge of its small mouth.
"Nice to meet you, Firyal." he responded "Ah...I haven't met many of the people around the Weyr because I've only been here about umm...a sevenday." He had to consider it for a moment because he had spent so much time waiting for L'thor to heal before they could come to the Weyr.
"I mostly work in the meat locker. The women in the kitchen got me assigned there because I'm from a herd farm. So, I don't get out much. Maybe that's why your flit thought my tart might be food. I haven't gotten to the bathing room yet. I wanted to eat my tart while it was hot." He really couldn't complain because while he worked there, it was easy to dream of wondrous places without any interruptions even if he was a mess afterwards.
"Ah...well umm...usually I don't eat in the dining hall because there's a little table in the kitchen that's sometimes free but you might have washed my linens. I don't like doing laundry that much but I will do it if it's assigned to me." He didn't want to imagine continuing to work in these jobs without being a candidate. After making his decision many sevendays ago to leave the farm and the Hold, his views on the world had changed in several ways; one goal had become more apparent to him and others waited in the wings if for some reason impressing a dragon wasn't in the cards. Either way, he swore to himself to make more of his life than a simple farm or just another drudge; no matter the cost.
"So you're not a candidate? Ah...so are you wanting to go into a craft or something else? Umm...you're welcome to...sit." he said after realizing that he hadn't offered. His mother probably would have scolded him for that one. After his mother started working as a drudge in the Lord Holder's household; she had become keen on manners so he had a smattering of this and that even if they were as practiced as finer folks.
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Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 9:57 am
Firyal had no way of knowing what Veyes was imagining, but if she'd known, she would have said that he was closer to the mark by suspecting Numenor to be a pig. The bronze was only charming to other people when he wanted something, and only because he'd learned that you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar, as the ancient saying went. He was certainly in no danger of starving, though he was also not overfed. Firyal was very careful in caring for him, though she'd had him for over a turn, by which time most firelizard owners relaxed a little.
"Numenor is wilful," Firyal said, acknowledging the fact with a rueful grin. "But I can't think why he'd be interested in a berry tart. I know he won't eat it. I've tried offering him bits of fruit before, just out of curiosity. He'll sniff them, and even taste them, but they don't get much past being chewed before he spits them out and looks at me like I tried to poison him."
"If you smell like the meat locker, I can see why he'd be interested in you, but he knows the difference between what is and isn't meat. Also, if it's any consolation, I can't tell that you smell like meat."
To her knowledge, fruits and other non-meats were not damaging to firelizards' internal systems, they just didn't like them. At least, Numenor didn't, thought he would deign to eat bread that had been allowed to soak in meat juices.
"A sevenday...so not really long enough to know your way about perfectly, but more than enough time for them to assign you mountains of chores." She offered a smile to let him know she was trying for levity. The Weyr saw to it that very few people had enough free time to get into trouble. Not that it stopped people from getting into trouble. It just meant that they had to plan their trouble more carefully and arrange for as much of it in advance as possible. She'd never been one to pull pranks, nor afraid to tell an authority if she was the victim of one, which kept people from trying it more than once.
"I was just giving examples. I do whatever I'm told. They've yet to find anything I'm really good at except making up stories and avoiding work, so they keep shifting me around wherever workers are most needed."
She paused, thinking. "I'm allowed to stand at Hatchings and attend Touchings, but I was never officially Searched. I'm in the same boat as most weyrbrats, I suppose. And like most weyrbrats, I can't really envision myself living anywhere else now. I don't want to return to my home Hold, certainly."
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Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 11:53 am
Veyes sniffed himself, "Well the smell isn't as bad today as others, thankfully. Maybe if I show him its just berry then he'll give up." He cracked open the large tart to reveal the most delicate dark juices and thick berry sauce seeping into the slightly steaming crust. He was pretty sure that these tarts weren't being given out to the candidates; more than likely the Riders and people with higher rank. He felt rather lucky to get one every now and then but he guessed that the women in the kitchen appreciated his work.
Staring down at the lush tart for a moment...he then offered Firyal half. "Here. It's big enough for two." He then took a bite into his own half and settled back against the wall slowly chewing and letting the flavors stain his lips. In between his bites he continued talking, "Mmmm...well yeah.. it's not long but I don't mind the chores. They gave me chores I know well so it really ain't any different from the farm so I can't complain. The meat locker gives me time to...think....imagine I'm doing other things.
He paused and considered her words, licking his lips of the extra juice before it dribbled to far. "Maybe it's just because you just haven't found your heart's calling yet. So many things I thought I could be but I'd never have followed them on the farm. I even built my own rider straps out of leather scraps and put them on my draftbeast to learn to ride a dragon."
The thought of L'thor's look when he saw his homemade straps made him laugh now but at the time he really wanted to strangle the look off his face. It wasn't the best of meetings but the first step towards life changing events.
"Well, I guess that you've just as many chances as I do at that." he smiled. "So what sort of stories do you like to tell?" He finished his half of the tart and licked his finger tips. When he got back to the kitchens tomorrow, he'd have to tell the women how much he appreciated their baking.
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Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 12:34 pm
"You're welcome to try it," Firyal said, replying to his idea of showing Numenor what he was asking for and also letting Numenor know it was all right for him to investigate. The firelizard wouldn't understand the exact words, but he tone of voice and the empathic go-ahead that accompanied it clarified things for the bronze.
Numenor fluttered over to Veyes and perched delicately on his forearm and wrapping his tail around the young man's upper arm for balance as he investigated the tart's inner filling. He did this very carfully, extending his neck until it was stretched out to its full length and the extending his tongue to its full length to taste. He already knew from the smell that he wouldn't like it, but he wanted to be sure. Someone could have been sneaky and found a way to disguise the scent of good meat with the scent of nasty berries. He was disappointed, therefore, but not surprised, to taste berry. He looked forelornly at Veyes and flew back to Firyal's shoulder.
"I appreciate the offer, but I obviously shouldn't be stuffing myself with tarts," Firyal said, gesturing toward her plump form with another rueful grin. "Besides, I'm sure you earned that treat, and I've done nothing productive enough to earn berry tarts. Was that one made by a woman shaped like a mountain?"
"I know the chores are a necessary part of life, and Candidates make great fodder when it comes to people to do them. At least they gave you work which resembles something you're familiar with. Many people come here as Candidates without ever having done any work, and so have no skill in any area. They tend to be set to turning glows or sweeping or dusting." Actually, she got assigned to that a lot, too, but because she was very familiar with the Weyr by now and rarely missed any of the more obscure placements. And she preferred assignments that let her complete her work in solitude.
She smiled indulgently at the young man's eagerness for dragonriding. Everyone dreamed of being Searched, she supposed, and those with the wherewithal probably would go to such extremes as Veyes had with the draftbeast. She'd never been so inclined, but that's because she had been sent to the Weyr as a fosterling before she ever had the opportunity to be subjected to a Search. She was very fond of her firelizard and the dragons she knew, but she couldn't remember ever being so passionate about wanting to be a dragonrider.
"They should have put you to repairing riding harnesses here. It'd be good practice for when you Impress and have to craft your own." She usually spoke to Candidates as though their Impression was a surety. It tended to make for happier feelings all around.
"I don't usually tell my stories to anyone. Except the children in the creche when they're being particularly uproarious. Mostly they're just flights of fancy. Typical fare in which some sort of hero has some sort of problem and solves it, ending up with the appropriate love interest in the end. Though lately I've been feeling more sympathetic toward my villians than my heros." She laughed a little at that. She couldn't explain it, and the children in the creche hated when she humanized the villians, but she enjoyed it.
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Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 1:55 pm
Veyes smirked as the flit hopped over to investigate the tart investigating with his long tongue. He almost wished he had a little tiny meat to offer the mite but knew that would only make more problems because then the flit would expect it. "Sorry little guy. It's berry, not sausage. Those aren't till tomorrow."
"Oh...well alright." he said and put the other half on his wrapper while he started nibbling on the first part. "Mmm....Yeah....well I gather the blood today for tomorrows blood pudding so maybe then your boy can get his hands on some sausage." He chuckled as he chewed on the yummy treat, "Oh yes, she's the one. You're kind of right, she is sort of like a mountain. " He imagined the cooks small head and the white stained apron as the snow peaks flowing down to well rounded slopes of land. "She just likes to bake too much...and taste everything as she does."
He nodded slowly as he reached down to get the other half of his tart, "Mm...I suppose. Well, the candidate master asked for my hold right away so once he knew I was from a herd farm he didn't think much further and sent me down there. "I guess you're right. I've had to work with a couple in the meat locker that couldn't handle the job at all. It seemed strange to me. But then again, you learn everything when you work on a farm - boys learn women's work and vice versa. My family couldn't afford many hands. "
His grins was from ear to ear when she spoke next, "I wish! I designed my first one in the dirt at home before I made it. Thought I had it right but...well I missed a few things. I've got a lot to learn." Veyes' eyes were lit with the sparkles of excitement as he spoke. It was obvious that he had thought long and hard about this part of his future at least, "But I'm working really hard where I can so maybe when that time comes, I can at least do the basics. I've already washed my friend's dragon...and oiled her too. Raith's a picky dragon but I learned a lot. Even built a brush to scrub her hide better. Plus, knowing my way around the farm I can already kill and clean up herdbeasts. I learned what parts to cut for the hatchlings here."
Closing his eyes he savored another bite of tart as she spoke of storytelling then returned a response of his own, "Mmm...my mother and I always told stories to each other when I lived at home. She'd always tell me that my imagination would open the door to the future. I love hero tales but lately many of my stories have been of great adventures - the search for far off places. I always wanted to explore Pern and seek out the ancients - find our past to see our future better."
He opened his eyes and smiled slowing down so his tart would not be devoured too quickly, "I like a well rounded villain too. Why battle a villain that has no depth of character? If you are ever in the mood to tell a story, I'd be happy to listen."
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Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 3:22 pm
"Blood pudding tomorrow? That'll be fun." She was on cooking duty tomorrow. Numenor would have to be banned from the kitchen, or he would be sampling all morning and getting both of them into trouble.
Firyal didn't know how things worked for those who were Searched. Not really. She'd interacted with enough of them over the years to know the general procedure, where you're brought in, dumped in the Weyrbowl and maybe you're guided to the Candidate dormitory and maybe not. Then your name and pertinent information, such as age, Hold, and craft, are gathered. And then you're promptly put to work. There might be some other things like introductions, but she got the impression that there was nothing in the way of formal introductions. Mostly you met other Candidates as you met them, and hopefully under pleasant circumstances.
"I've never lived on a farm, even though I'm from Nerat, where the Masterfarmhall is located. It wasn't what my family did." She didn't mention that everyone said her father had looked down on farmers, viewing them as uneducated, uncultured, and generally stupid folk. Her mother, at least, had recognized the need for them, but she, too, had been an elitist. They'd both been intelligent and well-educated.
"They teach it all to you when you attend Weyrling lessons," Firyal assured him. "The riders here have to make and mend their own harnesses, since each of them have to be customized for each dragon. And if you've helped with cleaning them, you've figured out how you'll spend most of your time after Impressing: feeding and cleaning your new bondmate."
Raith. The name was somewhat familiar. Firyal was pretty sure the dragon belonged to the rider named L'thor, but she wasn't certain. Overpopulation in the Weyrs had a number of side effects, including the fact that she simply couldn't keep the riders and their dragons straight any better than she could the Candidates, though she did make more of an effort with the riders, since they were more likely to be there for a while.
"You'll spend a lot of time feeding dragons. They're little more than appetites with hides stretched over them for the first several sevendays after they hatch."
Firyal and her mother...their relationship hadn't been that good. When she was little she was her mother's daughter through and through, but as she got older they started to fight until her mother couldn't deal with her anymore and sent her away to foster with a cousin at thirteen. Not really the sort of thing to put into a conversation, though. Kind of darkened the mood. A lot.
"I'm not really one for adventure. Adventurers don't tend to sleep in beds, and there are always people trying to kill them. It's much better, I think, to be safe and be the one making up the things trying to kill the adventurer." Which was to say that she preferred imagination to real life most of the time.
"I appreciate the offer, Veyes, and I may come find you sometime if I ever get another afternoon off. Which isn't likely to happen before the Touching. You're going to be there, of course?" It wasn't really a question. "Have you gotten a chance to peek at the clutch yet?"
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Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 4:51 pm
"Well, you know they'll probably serve it with breakfast so you might get some if you're there early." he responded knowing that they would save him some after working so hard to gather all that blood in buckets. "Ah...that is sure one thing you find about coming to the Weyr. People you probably never would have met staying in a Hold. So what was Nerat like?"
He was curious enough to know other places considering he'd lived in the same place for all his life. "I come from Ruatha, mostly known for runner beasts. Always wanted to be a messenger so I could get out and see the world."
Looking up to the ceiling for a moment, he sighed, "I sure hope so but I try not to think too hard on the future lessons even though sometimes it's hard not to think about it. I have imagined so many dragons big and small being that partner in those lessons but there is no guarantee that one is going to find me acceptable. But...whatever happens, I'm going to do more with my life than just be a butcher boy."
He grinned and glanced back over at her, "Oh, well at least I have that skill down pat. I'll be able to keep up with it's hunger. Yeah, there's nothing that would keep me from the Touching or the Hatching." It was then he laughed, "Oh yes, it was one of the first things L'thor and I did when we got here. But I am guessing that's what most candidates want to do when they get here I suppose. I really shouldn't get so excited about it. I can't say if anything will happen or not."
He tilted his head as he finished up the tart, "So...what are yours dreams then. If you don't want to be an adventurer...are you wanting to be a rider and battle thread? Do you want to impress a dragon?"
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Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 5:24 pm
"Oh, I'll get some. I'll be making it," she said, sounding somewhat less than thrilled. She didn't mind cooking, really, but she disliked the smell of certain foods more than others. Blood pudding was among those she didn't care for. She liked the taste well enough, though, and would be happy to have some once it was prepared and share it with Numenor.
"Nerat...It's lovely, fertile farmland. We have no problem getting any kind of fruit or plant we might want. We're second only to Southern when it comes to agricultural production." She couldn't believe she knew these things. "I'm from a cothold near the wharf, though, so I'm more used to the ships and the water than the farmland. At Turnover there's a singing competition."
She was really only mentioning the things she'd enjoyed about Nerat, and not in much detail, but she hadn't been home for six years, and didn't remember very much of it. It had ceased to be important to her after coming to Ista. She'd known almost at once that Ista was where she wanted to spend the rest of her life, even though the adjustment to weyrlife had been difficult initially. She loved Ista, and there were more people here that she cared about than at home
"Ruatha. Known for runnerbeasts, yes, but also producing Weyrwoman Lessa," Firyal said, betraying the fact she'd lived in a Weyr for several years. Her priorities had changed significantly. "If you Impress a blue or a green you'll be sent on a lot of errands to deliver messages, so that could still end up happening."
She knew what he meant about trying not to think about Weyrling lessons. Her whole time at they Weyr her cousin (while she'd been there) had made it clear to her that she was only allowed to stand as a courtesy, and that she should never hope to Impress a dragon. No one in their family ever had, and likely no one ever would. Her cousin was a bit bitter, despite having found the love of her life and subsequently leaving to live with him.
"Did you see any eggs that particularly interested you? You can't tell what's inside based on their colors, but they can still be pretty to look at. There's usually some sort of betting pool, too, regarding what colors will hatch from each egg, if you're interested in that sort of thing."
Asking her about her dreams was a little heavy for a conversation following their first meeting, and Firyal wasn't sure how to answer Veyes' question. She didn't really think about her future, except in an abstract way. She wanted, someday, to find somebody who loved her and make a life with him. Obviously Impressing a dragon would be nothing short of miraculous and she would be thrilled, but she couldn't envision a future a-dragonback. No one had ever heard of a fat dragonrider.
"I suppose my dreams are fairly nebulous. I want to be happy and have a life that interests me. I love being around dragons, and I'd certainly love to Impress one, but I don't really think that's the life for me. I'm too much of a homebody, and any green who had to carry me would have to be the size of a blue if she wanted to get off the ground." She ended on a joking note, even though Numenor, connected to her empathically, knew she didn't find her weight as amusing as she let on, and put his teeth around her earlobe to let her know he didn't approve.
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Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 6:44 pm
"So you make the blood pudding eh? Mmmm...well then my complements to the chef. You make it better than my mother." He folded up the wrapper that one held his tart finally satisfied that he was done with it. "I guess I know who to ask when I'm wanting seconds." He was poking fun at this point because he could tell by her face that it wasn't her favorite thing.
"Nerat sounds like it would be a fine place to visit. Maybe in the future, I will visit if the opportunity presents itself." Then he nodded as he repositioned himself against the cavern wall. "Yes, Weyrwoman Lessa is from my hold. Makes the hold sound pretty impressive but I've never been up that close with anyone as important as that. Mostly, I worked with the herds and well, my brother got lucky enough to get noticed by a Master Herder so now he gotten as far as journeyman. My family is pretty proud of him."
Pausing for a moment he thought about her question. "I never really thought about it much. All the eggs are dazzling in color but that's only a shell. Beyond that, I don't care what color or size the dragon is that I impress. I'm just looking for a partner that I can share a life and follow our dreams. L'thor told me that once you impress you will learn what it feels like to be "complete". I'm not sure I quite understand that yet but I want to discover the answer."
Then, he leaned forward and put his palms on the sand, "I know that many of the other guys have been guessing about the colors though. Most think that there is a bunch of greens and blues because they are the most common. I'm guessing they're probably right even if I am not taking any guess myself. So what do you think of the eggs? Have any guesses or thoughts on them?"
In afterthought, he realized he might have been forward about his last question, he hadn't meant to make the other uncomfortable but he wasn't the best with social skills either. It was something he needed to learn to do better and he guessed it would just take a lot of time. Although he was a bit confused by her statement about the green having to be the size of a blue. His brow furrowed just a little as he looked at her then realized that she probably meant her weight; but how did that apply? She wasn't THAT Big! Either way, the comment turned on the warning light in his brain and he avoided laughing or otherwise commenting on that 'joke' "Oh...well I suppose being a homebody isn't a bad thing. My mother's like that. She loves to tell stories but she doesn't want to leave the farm. Maybe you'll impress a dragon that likes the caverns really well."
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Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 1:32 pm
"You could say that," Firyal said, smiling very slightly. "Mostly I'm handed bowls and told to mix their contents, or told to watch the candle on something that's been put into the oven. There are real cooks to do the real work. But, sure, anytime I'm in the kitchen I can arrange for you to have your pick of whatever's available. No one really notices what I do, provided I stay out from underfoot. Particularly when they're preparing meals."
As she listened to Veyes talk about his brother and the pride his family felt over his rank as a Journeyman Herder, Firyal couldn't help thinking yet again how her family would have scoffed at such an achievement. Ignoring the fact that it took years of work and study to achieve a journeyman's rank at anything, they would have dismissed it summarily as the work of someone unsuited to mental exertion. She could remember the contempt in which she held most crafters before coming to the Weyr, excluding Harpers and Healers. Her family respected their learnedness.
"They have good reason to be proud of his accomplishments," Firyal said, mostlly to reinforce in her own mind that everyone played some integral part in Pern, and that even if there was less glory in being a Herder than in being a Dragonrider, it was still an important duty. She didn't want to be limited by the same arrogance and prejudice as her family.
Veyes must be young. It was the only way she could account for his willingness to talk about his dreams and feeling complete. Very few adolescent boys discussed such things. At least, very few of the adolescent boys in her acquaintance tended to do so. She adn't realized she would be uncomfortable talking about it, either, but it was an uncomfortable realization to come to, that she didn't really have any goals for her life. It bothered her a little that she was all right with the idea of just staying at the Weyr for the rest of her life, eventually becoming a woman of the Lower Caverns. She had long since given up trying to please her family, but they would not be proud of such a life.
"I know there's no gold egg on the sands, and none of the other eggs really look large enough to hatch bronzes, but I could be mistaken. It's difficult even for riders who have lived in the Weyr their entire lives to be completely accurate in their guesses. I think the boys are right, though. The large majority are probably blue or green." After all, the gold was only a junior queen and her mating flight had not been very long or impressive.
"I'm sure they'd be thrilled if I did that," Firyal said. "What with Threadfall being iminent and all that. They can't afford to have dragons that prefer to keep to the Weyr."
Truth be told, Firyal wasn't exactly a homebody. She loved to feel adrenaline rushing through her veins, and she adored flying, but today was just one of those days. Maybe she did want more from her life, but she was afraid of the changes that would mean. Numenor's teeth on her earlobe pressed a little harder, still not breaking skin, but hard enough to pinch. Fine. She'd be more upbeat.
"How did you meet L'thor and Raith?" Most people liked to share their Search stories. It was always an honor to be Searched, and have it be known that you were someone dragons considered special. For very few people was being Searched a bad memory.
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