|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2010 7:24 pm
It wasn't uncommon for the common hall to be full after a hard day's work, both men and women of Ghenza gathering for dinner and a drink. Unfortunately for Fenta, that meant running multiple trips to and from the kitchens in an effort to keep everyone fed and watered. Jali had no tolerance for slacking off, even at the end of the day, which meant the girl wouldn't get to go home until all the majority of Ghenza had gone back to their houses. Even so, she didn't begrudge her position, and darted between table after table, making sure there was enough to go round.
On her return trip to the kitchen, she couldn't help but spot the High Reaches riders, still sitting on the far end of the common hall. No doubt, not many of them had managed to win over the affections of the Ghenza regulars, resulting in a kind of social out-casting. Nonetheless, they were still dragonriders and Fenta itched to go and talk to one. Looking around for an excuse, she noticed that one table's jug of water was running low. Fenta hastily grabbed a new jug and trotted towards the table, hoping to make it there without being intercepted.
Luckily, the rest of the hall seemed too busy with their own conversations to notice her. Fenta's pace slowed as she approached the table, trying to place faces with the dragons she remembered. Was that the goldrider? Surely it must be! Butterflies fluttering madly in her stomach, the kitchen girl set the jug on the table and gave a small courtesy.
"Another water jug... for your table, Goldrider."
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2010 7:31 pm
Amelia blinked when the young waitress came over to their table and offered water not to the group but to her. Shifting in her seat, she flashed a smile and gave a nod of thanks, "Great! Thank-you. We were running low. And I'm Amelia, call me that hey?" Being called Goldrider still bothered Amelia even after all these months.
"What's your name?" She inquired pleasantly, at least willing to give this girl a chance. The others tended to avoid the High Reaches' table, and their drink often ran low, or out entirely, before someone would meander over and replace the jug in silence. It was always an awkward moment and Amelia usually couldn't help but frown at the deliberate wall that had been erected between her peers and their hosts.
But! This girl seemed in good enough a mood for a bit of a chat. "You don't need to be nervous. We don't bite." Chuckling, Amelia winked.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 4:16 pm
Fenta certainly hadn't been expected to be addressed directly and started, the blood rushing to her face before she could even react further. It was lucky that the girl hadn't still been holding the water jug when Amelia's spoke to her, or else it would have ended up on the floor. An invitation to speak with a dragonrider? It was just too much!
Worrying the edge of her apron, the kitchen girl's eyes darted from the floor to the Goldrider's face, never looking her directly in the eye. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Goldrider Amelia from High Reaches. We've heard many things about you." We meaning, of course, the kitchen staff, as everyone knew that was one of the key places to gossip. Between the kitchen and the laundry tubs, it was a wonder anyone could do anything secret in Ghenza. "I'm Fenta, Jali's granddaughter. My grandfather is a dragonrider! He's old though. I mean, he would be because he's my grandfather and grandfathers are just old like that. Not that I'm saying all dragonriders are old, because I'm not!"
Now wringing her hands, and blushing even darker, Fenta tried not to look as stupid as she felt. Once she started talking about dragons and their riders she just couldn't stop!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Feb 25, 2010 10:48 am
"Whoa, whoa!" Amelia called, smiling in amusement at the girl's nervous outburst. "Just Amelia, okay? I hope you've heard good things? Oh! Are you a rider too?" It would surprise the goldrider if this were true, as the one before her seemed awfully young. "Or you hope to be a dragon rider?"
Calling for someone to watch her plate, she turned away from the group and regarded the girl, "Fenta's an interesting name. I like it. I guess you like dragons? Don't the new ones bother you?" It was phrased gently but Amelia was curious.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2010 7:49 pm
Just Amelia? Really?! They were on that good terms already? Wow. Fenta really wasn't sure what to think. Calling another girl by her first name, without her craft title, after they'd just met was pretty serious business. But perhaps it was like that at High Reaches? She would have to ask around and see what the kitchen staff knew. It was so hard trying to keep up with traditions of places she'd barely even heard of!
"Amelia, then. And good things? Um…. Yes? Some good, some bad. But that happens a lot. Not everything can be all good or all bad I guess. It's sort of the way things happen around here, you know?" At the mention of being a rider she shook her head vehemently, almost falling over. "No no no, not yet. Not ever may. I don't know. I want to be though! But I won't be sad if I don't. Or I will be sad but not like… super upset or anything because I like my craft! I do!" Faranth forbid she said anything bad about being a baker. Jali wouldn't be very pleased with her then.
The question about bothering seemed to surprise her, and she chewed on the edge of her lip. "B-bother? No, not really. I mean they're little but they're only babies, right?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2010 10:02 pm
Amelia nodded when Fenta spoke of good and bad things - it was to be expected. She'd come to realize she represented an alien way of life, and a seeming lack of control that likely bothered the Ghenzans. It didn't make her feel any better but she knew, at least, that between her and their culture the need for a scapegoat or a figurehead was the same. "Aye, good things come with the bad." She smiled and leaned forward after Fenta spoke of wanting to be a rider, "Want to know a secret? I wasn't ever a Candidate, Sharath picked me out from the crowds when I'd just wanted to watch her Hatching. So you never know, believe as hard as you can and maybe you'll get your dream." It was an example of the 'miraculous' that she rather hoped inspired the girl.
The goldrider had come to adore the world of the dragons riders, even if she took everything with a pinch of salt. The dragons were magnificent creatures and Sharath... she couldn't rightly say she was able to imagine a day without her beloved dragon anymore. "Baking's a good Craft. I can't cook very well but I worked stone before I Impressed Sharath. Can't eat rocks but a good, fresh loaf is truly delicious."
When Fenta spoke of them as babies, Amelia laughed. "It's a good thing Sharath didn't hear you. They're not babies, they're nearly a year old now. We'll probably be having their first birthday sometime soon - I just don't know if it'll be here or not. So, I guess to answer your question, they're nearly full grown. Sharath's small, though, so she's not a good example of how big our dragons get. Even then... the Ghenzan dragons are rather intimidating. Even your greens are so large!" It was Sharath who had the issue of size, not Amelia, even if the goldrider could empathize.
Hmm... Fenta seemed nice enough, enthusiastic and open - things Amelia truly appreciated. It was hard to find someone so pleasantly honest here. Hey, Sharath, would you be willing to entertain a fan? Fenta here wants to be a rider and I thought we'd make a good impression if introductions went well. She asked, silently as she listened to Fenta's responses.
I'm not going to show off or prance or be cute, if that's what you mean, Mine. But they can look. And talk. As long as they're not stupid like others are. Sharath replied from her place out in the fields.
Amelia couldn't suppress the out-of-place chuckle, No, I wouldn't want you to be anything other then yourself. But saying hello and trying to be nice would be a step in the right direction, especially after your speech, yeah?
Sharath sighed and shifted onto her side so she could stretch out all her limbs. Alright. If she had to hold court, as it were, it might as well be pleasant.
And so, Amelia waited for an opportunity to suggest 'abducting' Fenta for a little bit to go see Sharath.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Mar 04, 2010 1:31 pm
Sensing an oncoming secret when Amelia leaned forward, Fenta did the same, careful to avoid leaning in anyone's food. It certainly wouldn't do to go making a mess of good right in front of a dragonrider, even if she wasn't from Ghenza. A kitchen girl had to have poise, and while Fenta wasn't as straight backed and proud as her grandmother or her mother, she certainly didn't go about dipping her clothing into other people's food. Her brother was the one who did stuff like that.
The girl couldn't help but grin brightly at the goldrider's story, gigglingly softly. "I wish I'd been there. That would have been so funny to see! Sometimes the dragons make really funny choices, but they say that's just what they do." Secretly, she hoped that she'd have good luck like Amelia. Not that she wanted a gold – the responsibility! – but a little green would be perfect. She almost let her hand wander to the green dragon figurine in her pocket, but refrained at the last minute. If Amelia saw her and asked about the dragon she didn't know what she'd do.
Her grin only widened when Amelia praised baking and she gave a little curtsy. "My grandmother would be very pleased you hear you say that. She's very proud of the kitchens." Hopefully Jali wouldn't mind the fact that the compliment had come from an outsider.
The grin fell, however, as soon as the goldrider corrected her earlier assertion about the dragons. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean that they were little babies! I just meant that there were not fully grown, but that's not really babies, so I'm really sorry!" Oh Shards! Had she somehow managed to offend Amelia? She hoped not! "I've only ever seen a blue up close, but he didn't seem big to me…. Not super big or anything. No one is bigger than Sojayeth though." The thought of the gold, and her rider, made Fenta squirm. She was scary.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Mar 04, 2010 9:20 pm
Amelia chuckled, "Oh, I see. Our dragons are small compared to yours - I don't know why your dragons are so very big. I think Sojayeth is the largest Gold I've ever seen. To tell you the truth," she let her voice drop, "I think she's scary. Is she very nice?"
It took a moment, however, for the goldrider to register that Fenta had only ever seen a blue up close. When it did, however, she smiled and tilted her head to the door, "Hmm... would you like to see a gold? Sharath's agreed to meet you if you like... When are you able?" Had it been home, she might have actually dipped into the whole gold-rider thing and stolen the girl away for a moment or two but she rather figured that would get poor Fenta in more trouble then anything.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dragonriders of Pern Shop Captain
|
Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 2:42 pm
Fenta nodded slowly when Amelia agreed that Sojayeth was the largest gold. Truthfully, she hadn't the foggiest idea why Ghenza dragons were larger than their High Reaches counterparts, but she knew what others said about them. The High Reaches Weyrwoman didn't work her dragons hard enough. They were lazy. They didn't fly Thread well. But the kitchen girl wouldn't have dared to breathe these words to Amelia, especially not after she'd been so nice. The less the goldrider knew about what was being said about them the better.
She made a motion just shy of a shrug at the mention of the gold's temperament. "Nice.... Well, I suppose she's nice in her own kind of way... whatever way that is. It's not that I don't like her though! But she's very, very firm. And powerful. So if that means she's not really nice then I guess that makes her not nice? But I don't think she's mean." Fenta was, as usual, extremely helpful when it came to telling people the truth.
The kitchen girl was positively floored by Amelia's offer and her face lit up instantly. "Really? She'd really let me see her? Wow......" Glancing around at the tables, Fenta chewed on her lip nervously. Passing up an opportunity like this was hard, but would her grandmother be angry if she left? "Well, we could go now? But I couldn't stay too long, otherwise I'll be doing Belhec's dishes!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 9:55 pm
"Efficient then?" Amelia offered as the girl described the Senior Gold and took that moment to ponder the intimidating pair. Sharath even gave them wide berth, preferring to snip and jab and hate from afar - a wise decision as far as Amelia was concerned.
When Fenta reacted to the offer, the goldrider smiled and nodded, "Yah. Okay, for a few minutes then. And if you get in trouble, I'll take the flack, kay? They'll want to blame me more then you." She knew she was a more blame-able target for most things, might as well make use of that right? "C'mon, Sharath'll be nearby."
Rising, she excused herself and moved to usher the girl outside. Sharath? She's only able to spare a few moments, find coming over here?
The gold tossed her head and whuffed, But she is not important, Mine. And I am tired.
Oh come on. Don't be lazy. Five minutes won't hurt. You can show off your flying skill too. She replied, brow furrowing at the gold's refusal to move.
She relented then and rose, flaring her wings for a moment before taking to the air and winging the short distance to the open area near the kitchen hall. Make sure not to draw attention.
The gold huffed at that, back winging as she found her landing and daintily dropped to all fours. Shaking her head and ruffling her wings before she settled them, the young queen padded forward in search of Hers and their guest.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2010 2:06 pm
Efficient. That was a good word. Fenta made a mental note to remember that one if ever someone asked her about the goldrider pair again. It certainly sounded a lot nicer than "mean" or "powerful." Perhaps being a goldrider made you automatically good with words. She would have to inquire about that one.
The kitchen girl looked positively mortified at the thought of Amelia taking the blame for her. "Oh I wouldn't want you to get into trouble! My grandmother is used to trouble, anyways, so it's okay," she whispered as she followed the goldrider out of the central hall. There were some benefits to being considered scatterbrained and generally useless. Had she been Belhec she might have got a box around the ears, but Jali was a tiny bit more patient with her. Fenta had always attributed it to the fact that she could actually bake, whereas her brother was just incompetent all around.
At the sight of the dragon she gasped and clapped her hands over her mouth, eyes wide. "She's so pretty! And she can fly!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2010 9:32 pm
"If you're certain," Amelia had answered as she lead the way out.
The goldrider waved to Sharath when she set down, a warm smile upon his lips as she moved forward to greet her beloved dragon. "I think she's gorgeous too. She's been flying for a few months now. We all got a crash course before we came here but she's been doing well enough. C'mon. Sharath this is Fenta, Fenta this is Sharath."
The queen nodded at that, eyes whirling blue as she lowered her head to peer at the young woman. Even with being a small gold, Sharath's head was nearly as long as Fenta was tall and that rather amused the gold. She's so small! A rumble of laughter issued from her then and a draconic grin answered Fenta's enthusiasm.
What happened being Ms. Disgruntled? Amelia queried silently, arching a brow at her dragon.
I am not disgruntled. You could have come to me. Came the quick retort, and to Fenta she spoke next, Fenta, yes? You think I am pretty? It would be nice to hear that again. Not very many people recognize much of anything about her here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 2:23 pm
The girl's eyes were wider than saucers as Sharath came down to see her and they were introduced. While it was true that the High Reaches queen was nowhere near the size of the Ghenza one, it was the first gold she'd ever been close enough to reach out and touch. Not that she'd even think of doing that. Everyone knew that you didn't touch dragons unless they wanted you to. It just wasn't polite.
"I heard you flew all the way here," Fenta said softly, unable to tear her eyes away form the dragon. "It must have been a long way. Nobody's been out here since… well, since a long, long time ago. I'm not even sure my grandmother remembers, and she's really old. Not in a bad way, of course, because old isn't bad." Jali would have her head if she heard her talking about being old as if it were a bad thing.
Sharath's laughter surprised her, and she looked from the gold to her rider and then back to the dragon, unsure. Was that sound a bad noise? It had sounded like a laugh, but maybe she was angry. But her eyes weren't red… maybe it was okay then? Fenta nearly jumped out of her skin when Sharath addressed her directly, clutching her apron between her hands as she squeaked.
"Y-yes! I'm Fenta. And you are very pretty. I've never seen a gold with that kind of pattern on her. You look nothing like Damiath or Sojayeth. It's… unique." Technically, all dragons looked unique, but Fenta thought it sounded like a compliment. "You are very good at flying."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 21, 2010 11:58 am
Amelia shook her head, "No. Dorath guided the dragons and riders here. We went Between to get here. I don't know if your dragons do that very often... do they? Teleport?" With such a small community, she wondered if there was any need to blink from one place to another rather then fly directly there.
"I agree. I think she's gorgeous..." The goldrider turned to pat Sharath on the arm then, looking incredibly proud of her dragon.
I wouldn't want to look like them. Sharath muttered to Amelia, huffing at that remark, her breath strong enough to rustle the girl's hair. However, she was getting better at recognizing compliments (receiving none tended to sensitize you to good words), and so she didn't grumble. A good thing too or Amelia would have grumbled back.
Fenta's comment about her flying caught Sharath's attention back and the gold swung her head around to the girl once more. Deciding then that she was interested in a few minutes of conversation, the gold shuffled her rear end and plopped down on her belly, crossing one arm over the other and tucking her wings loosely against her side. Does she want to be a rider too? The traditions here are so strange.... has she touched eggs yet?
Amelia smiled, and though she knew the answer to the first, she let the conversation continue, ''Sharath wants to know if you'd like to be a rider. And if you've touched any eggs... what are Hatchings like here? They're big celebrations at home. Everybody gathers to watch."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 2:04 pm
"Here?" Fenta's brow furrowed as she tried to remember all the things she'd learned about dragons from observation. Sure, her grandfather had sat her on his knee when she was little and told her stories, but she was far too old for that now. Not to mention the fact that B'tan's stories were just that: stories. She didn't know how much of them had been true and she didn't want to be telling people the wrong information. "They do go Between sometimes, but only when we need messages carried really quickly from one side of Ghenza to the other. Or when things need to be moved long distances that would take people many days. But they don't leave Ghenza." She shivered at the very thought. Nobody left Ghenza. It just wasn't the way.
She was glad when they changed topics away from leaving Ghenza back to dragons. The girl nodded vehemently at Amelia's assertion that Sharath was gorgeous, clearly still very impressed by the gold. Oh how B'tan would be jealous! She could tell him she'd seen a dragon that would be bigger than his blue!
The questions about the hatchings pulled her back to reality and she tugged on her apron whilst considering the answer. "I… I don't know. I guess people here don't really think about wanting or not wanting. You either become one or you don't. I... would like to, but I don't think it's very likely." She scuffed the toe of her shoe against the ground, dropping her eyes. Was that a bad answer?
She looked up instantly when Amelia asked about touching the eggs, her face breaking out into a bright grin. "Oh yes! I'm twelve this Turn, so I got to touch them! They were the most beautiful things I've ever seen. And really warm!" Still beaming, she continued on about the Hatchings, "I dunno what they're like compared to yours, but everybody close enough to the beach comes to take a look. If you get a dragon, you get taken care of by the other dragonriders. If you don't, you go back to your work. We don't have that many dragonriders every clutch though. A lot of the dragons can't hatch from the eggs. Does that happen at your Weyr?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
