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 Posted: Thu Mar 04, 2010 4:03 pm
It started simply, really, it did.
Today Belhec was given yet another opportunity to bake (and hopefully improve) some loaves of bread. They did this every so often on the off chance the boy had outgrown his clumsiness or seemed to gain some sort of divine inspiration. He was Jali's grandson, after all. He couldn't possibly be this horrible at baking! His sister was decent, for her age, their parents were both succesful within the craft and Jali was...well, she was Jali. That sort of spoke for itself. Bread in his blood or not, Belhec still did not produce. Today's exercise in futility left him with a handful of black rocks in the ovens.
At least, he reasoned, sentenced to go start cleaning up the dining hall while the kitchen got ready for dinner, nothing caught on fire this time. Rubbing his neck with a tired sigh, Belhec began to gather up abandoned plates, returning them to the kitchen half-heartedly (because he knew exactly who was going to have to clean those later) before heading back out with bucket and rag. With another exaggerated sigh, the apprentice began scrubbing down the tables, talking to himself softly as he willed time to hurry up and pass already.
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Posted: Sun Mar 07, 2010 2:34 pm
He was of course welcome to eat with the family every night... No, that was a lie, he was allowed, permitted, suffered. Today had been too rough already; for some reason or other they apparently needed to harvest faster than they had been. The pause for lunch had been pretty well non existant and even though he'd been working as fast as he was capable of working, he'd been shouted at to hurry it up more times than he cared to remember. As such, when the working day had finally come to an end, Fealty had not opted to go back with them, he had a little money, and spending a bit of that on not having to be around people who considered him worthless seemed like a good plan.
Sighing softly to himself, the High Reaches candidate dropped down onto a bench feeling like a very sore and tired fish out of water. Food wasn't being served just yet, he was told, but it wasn't like he had anything better to do than wait. Rolling his tired shoulders, Fealty sighed again, gazing vaguely in the direction of a youth wiping down tables. Why had he ever come here?
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Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 5:48 am
It took the baker a moment or two to notice the lone boy sitting at one of the tables. After first, Belhec thought perhaps he was just seeing things. He'd been scrubbing at these tables so long he was starting to become delusional. Leaving his rag on the wood, he rubbed his eyes with a hand, fighting back a yawn as he openly stared at the stranger. Nope, nope. Whoever they were, they were definitely sitting there, and he definitely didn't recognize him. It didn't mean much, really. Belhec didn't leave the kitchens very often; it was rare for a dishwasher to come across a whole lot of adventure.
Still.
Belhec across the tired youth, barely remembering to bring his rag with him as he crossed the dining hall. It was then he finally realized the other boy had perhaps been watching him, and the baker flushed, feeling terribly inattentive. Sliding up next to him, he began to wipe the other boy's table down and cast him an apologetic smile. "Sorry. I didn't see you here, right away. Did you need something? The kitchen's not open yet, but I can get you something, if you want."
Being Jali's grandson had its perks, even if it came with expectations set far too high.
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Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 6:31 am
"...Oh, umm, hello." Well, a Ghenzan who didn't cringe at the sight of him, this was an interesting change. "That's alright, I wasn't exactly trying to make myself..." Oh, blast, what was the word? Noticeable? That wasn't what he'd been going for... Oh! "Err, conspicuous... I can wait for food, but a drink of something would be good, I don't mind what so long as it isn't hot." Ale, wine, water, fruit juice, even cold klah would go down alright... Perhaps he should try to talk to the boy a little more, he could use an acquaintance who didn't glare at him out of hand.
"My name's Fealty by the way," he flashed the cleaning boy a slight smile, "I'm one of those outsiders from High Reaches." That was probably obvious given everyone seemed to know everyone around here; a new face would really stick out, and everyone must know where the strangers had come from... Still, it was alright to state the obvious sometimes, and he supposed it was possible that this boy was especially dim and hadn't made the connection. Always best to try to humor idiots, they tended to get snappy if they realised that you were too much smarter than they were. Of course, he had that issue with pretty much everyone, but it was worse with people who were deadglows even by normal standards.
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Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2010 3:53 pm
"Fealty, huh? That's quite a name," the baker replied, the tired smile harboring no hint of malice. "I'm Belhec, Jali's grandson. She runs the kitchens, basically. It's nice to meet you, though." From High Reaches or not, it didn't give the honey-blond any room to be nasty. Honestly, Belhec didn't really care. Oh, sure, plenty of people told him strange things about the foreigners, but he heard strange things all the time. Folk just said strange things when they were bored!
Belhec's wiping all but ceased as he lapsed into conversation. His priorities obvious, a red blush began to spread from his cheekbones to his ears and the boy ducked his head. Tucking his hair back behind the bandanna was meant to keep it out of his face all together, he mumbled a 'be right back' before tucking his rag into his apron and scampering off into a kitchen. Just long enough to seem like perhaps the boy had forgotten his new acquaintance, Belhec came trotting back and set a mug of ale in front of Fealty.
"Oh, sorry that took so long. I'm sort of...the resident errand boy," he explained with a sheepish smile, "and they were giving me my list of things to do during dinner service. I'm not really supposed to be in the kitchen while they cook."
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Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 7:56 am
"Mmmh, yes," Fealty grimaced slightly, "no taste in names at all my family..." The boy had headed off to find him that drink but he hadn't thanked him. Eh. Bother. He'd do that when the Ghenzan returned, no sense worrying about whether or not he'd insulted him by not saying it right away.
He was beginning to think he really had annoyed Belhec enough for him to just not return when he spotted the youth making his way back to the table. "Thanks," there, that was that out of the way, "and don't worry. I can, err, I can just drift off into thought pretty easily if left to myself." Admittedly though, he was trying to avoid doing that just now. Everything was far too depressing when he really started to analyze it. He was going to age out of candidacy, and have to go back to his family. Egh...
Still, ale. Fealty took a sip, and made a noise of pleased surprise. "This is good," he informed Belhec with a smile, "it's not like the stuff we get at High Reaches... I suppose since you lot closed yourself off, you've begun to develop things somewhat differently to the rest of Pern. Ahah. Your dragons, for one." Amazing things; so massive, so open, and with such memories. To Impress one of them... but would he have to stay here rather than returning to High Reaches? Still, that was preferable to having to go home by a long shot.
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Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2010 12:19 pm
“It’s no trouble at all,” Belhec replied. That was probably his drink for the evening, honestly. The kitchen didn’t tend to hand things out left and right, besides, that would be taking more than his fair share. And even if the baker wanted a second mug of ale, it was unlikely he’d be awarded such. He was a hazard to everyone in the kitchen straight-laced and sober, the idea of him even the slightest bit tipsy probably stuck fear into the hearts of each and every staff member working, his parents included. No, strike that. Especially his parents.
About to reply, brushing off the compliments, something curious struck Belhec’s attention. You lot? Now, what was that supposed to mean? The youth frowned, honey-blond bangs falling forward into his face as he tried to force the hurt expression back where it came from. As far as he was aware, they were both Pernese, both young men, both working their fair share. There was nothing different about them! Well, except for that part where Fealty mentioned he was from High Reaches, but…how much could that matter, honestly?
“Oh, um,” the baker finally managed (and quite intelligently, we might add), “yes. The dragons are nice. I think.” Belhec looked away before plucking his rag from his apron; it wouldn’t do to slack off, especially not so close to dinner service. “None of my family rides dragons, so I, you know. Don’t get to see a lot. But, uh. They’re nice. Very big. The dragons that came from High Reaches seem nice too, though. Smaller, but they’re young.” Belhec shrugged. “I’ve only seen the dragons here for as long as I’ve lived, so, uh. I’m not really sure what’s so different, I guess,” the youth finally admitted, glancing over to his new acquaintance. “Are they that much different, at your home?”
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Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 5:43 am
"Well... Yes," Fealty sipped at the ale, a thoughtful frown creasing his features as he tried to decide how to begin explaining the differences between these dragons and the ones he was used to. "High Reaches dragons, in fact dragons from all the Weyrs, don't speak to humans other than their riders," he began eventually. "They occasionally will to thank somebody for a great service, or to shout a warning, or sometimes for a different purpose but in general it's not the done thing. I was very, very surprised to find out that your dragons speak freely to others. I think over all that's the biggest difference, but there are others too."
There were so many little things that he just didn't know how to get it all out; how could he explain something that was so alien to a place like this? "They... our queens are treated differently," he continued slowly. "Your queens... they have a job to do because they are gold, but they're not seen as any better. At Weyrs, queens are almost worshipped by most. They are given huge luxurious quarters, and everyone will bow to the whim of a gold rider if they know what's good for them... Riders in general, umm, they're... err... well people call them sir or m'am, people who aren't riders. They are respected as a cut above the rest, and they don't have to prepare their own food or see to their own laundry like your riders have to... Drills seem to be harsher here too, everything is so precise and in it's place and..."
There was too much. Fealty sighed and shrugged, sipping at his drink again. "Everything's just so different," he muttered, "I hardly know how to start, how to start explaining it. It had to, err, be seen really, but you lot all seem to think that if you set foot out of Ghenza you'll keel over and die... Maybe meeting us outsiders will convince some of you otherwise."
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Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 6:12 am
Belhec's eyes glazed over a little as Fealty rambled on, the baker working studiously at one particularly spot on the table. High Reaches didn't really seem like his kind of place, but who was he to judge? He'd never actually been there. Besides, if lots of people lived there, they must be doing something right (that didn't include living in constant fear of the plague). And for that matter, those that came didn't seem too bad, at least in the brunette's opinion. They worked, albeit a bit grudgingly, and no one had gotten sick. Yet.
"Not all of us are quite so paranoid," Belhec replied softly, lifting his warm brown gaze to meet Fealty's eyes. "But it is dangerous out there, you know. It's sort of a big deal." The youth shrug, straightening up and wringing out his towel. "I mean, I like my home. I might be a really, really bad baker, but I like my home and I love my parents and my sister and even my grandmother, even if she is probably the scariest woman in the entire kitchen. I can't speak much for the dragons, other than confirm they are friendly. We all, just. You know. Work. For each other."
The youth shook his head, honey-blond hair bouncing out of his bandanna. "I don't think you're bad, though," he said, pushing his hair back. "Not at all." He offered a small smile. "People haven't been, you know. Unpleasant with you? Have they?" Oh sure, the old folk might be suspicious, but that was no reason to be rude to a guest!
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Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 6:42 am
Fealty sighed and looked down into his ale. "Unpleasant?... Some people have been, yes, but, err, but some people are always unpleasant to me no matter where I happen to be." It wasn't his fault he had more brains than innate knowledge of social nuances but try telling that to people when they were angry with you for being truthful, or for not paying attention to them, or for explaining to them why they were wrong and ignorant.
"The people I'm staying with are... polite." Fealty went on with a wry smile and a shake of his head. "I'm not the best at reading people, I admit that freely, but even I can tell that... that... Mhh... I am... tolerated. Still," Fealty shrugged, "I can't blame them. They're all tough farmers, I can't begin to keep up with them in their work. I'm sure that I'd be of more use in a more, umm, cerebral occupation but I don't have any formal craft training so working in the fields it is, no matter how useless I am at digging up tubers and shoveling dung..." Something the boy had said ran through his mind again, and Fealty frowned. "There's another thing, having to take the craft your father had. I can't imagine how much talent is wasted thanks to that rule, how many people like you are terrible at their job, but would do well somewhere else? Madness."
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Posted: Sun Apr 04, 2010 2:14 pm
"I...oh."
Belhec recoiled a little, shifting further down the table. Wasted talent?
The expression the baker gave Fealty could only be described as wounded, eyes wide as he chewed on his lip. What was he supposed to say to that, anyways? Something stirred in the back of the youth's mind and he shook his head, flushing it away as he wrung out his rag nervously.
"...I'm proud to take up my family's craft," he muttered softly. "I understand it's not for everyone, and I understand you're upset about suffering in a craft you're not cut out for." The smile brunette plastered on was nothing short of pained, a brave face for the sake of social acceptance. "But you don't have to insult my home. No one made you come here." Belhec glanced back up, feeling a little nauseous as he confronted the other boy. "I'm sorry people are treated you poorly; everyone deserves to be treated with respect, but, uh. That includes me, too. I know I'm not good at my craft, but it's not my family's fault. You shouldn't insult them. They're good people, just like you are, I'm sure."
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Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 4:15 am
"Eh?" Fealty blinked. "Oh. Sorry. I wasn't, umm, intending to insult anyone, I was just thinking aloud... I suppose there must be advantages to the system too. You'd start learning your trade from birth by watching your father and everything..." Blast. He'd messed this one up as well, hadn't he? Well, he hadn't meant to, it wasn't his fault if the boy didn't like hearing what he had to say... but he had to remain here shells knew how long, so he needed to be tolerated by the people around him.
"Umm... Sorry," might as well repeat that, given his mind was totally empty of anything else to say right now. "As I say this place does have a lot of things going for it, like the work ethic everyone has, and I like how open your dragons are but, err, well, it's just so very different. I am finding it difficult to adapt." Maybe he shouldn't have come, maybe he should have stayed at High Reaches along with the threat of plague, but fear of that and curiosity about a new and strange place had been too much. Hu. Well. They did say curiosity killed the flitt.
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