[PRP] How long until they invent AIM? (Y'ul and Tofir)

[Princess_Feylin]

Y'ul,
Salutations. I made it all in one piece (in case you were concerned), and since I left all my notes and whatnot in my office with plans to return for them at a later date, my possessions were meager enough not to be lost en route. I'm sure you wanted to know that, too. Anyway, I'm back with the senior apprentices, which has most of them confused, since they all remember me Walking before I left. The explanation, believe it or not, is too complicated for them to keep straight, so I've given up trying to explain. Really, though, I fail to see what's so complicated about it. I Walked, but in order to get the posting I wanted I accepted a nominal demotion and have chosen to return to being a senior apprentice until I'm sufficiently refreshed in the necessities. I'm hoping it won't take more than a few months.

How's Song doing? I ask partly because I'm fond of the little flightless one, but mostly because Shiv's figured out that I'm communicating with you somehow and he's bombarding me with Song!Song!Song! So, being the obedient person that I am, I ask you, How is Song? I've tried to explain to Shiver that he'll be seeing her shortly, as I plan to use him to convey this message, but he has a remarkably poor grasp of the future it seems.

Since I'm asking how people are, I suppose it would be good manners to ask how you and Erath are. Have you settled in to the barracks, and worked everything out so that no one violates your personal space? I'm sure you have. And you've been to your first few lessons by now. I imagine you're bored out of your mind with those. How to Not Kill Your Dragon By Accident, etcetera and so forth. If it's any consolation, my lectures are dull, too, so there's lots of lovely tedium all around.

I'll ask Shiv to stay with you until you've got a response, since I doubt Song will be traveling between any time soon. Please try to feed him, if you can. He's been especially picky lately. I think it's because he's still adjusting to the Hall. Dammit, I'm out of hide.

Tof  

[Rown]

Tofir -

I will tell you right now that your shardin' flit is more than I want to handle, thank you very much. He spent most of his time puking on my bed in between bothering Song over something and not letting her help him at all. He also really did not appear to like Hymn, this new Green I someone managed to snag in the middle of the night. Don't ask me how it happened - I don't know and Erath says she can't remember. Shardin' dragon.

Anyway, Song is doing okay - she ended up clutching a short while after you left. Nine eggs all on the foot of my bed, though thankfully I managed to get rid of almost all of them. I'm left with only one - it hasn't hatched just yet but I'm sure by the time I manage to get around sending this out I'll have something from it. I'm not sure how Song's taking to having children of her own as she looks rather oblivious to it all. I'm fairly certain Shiv is not pleased.

As for myself and Erath we're hanging in there. Lessons are dull, like you say, but they're rather interesting in watching how the clutch interacts with one another. Erath seems to hate one of the blues as well as that solo brown we had, but I can't rightly blame her for it. Brute's a nasty thing anyway and it seems as though that little Green that came from the hatching isn't worth much either. Erath's words - not mine.

Anyway, you're doing well? Have you walked yet?

- Y'ul

PS: You owe me new riding boots.  

[Princess_Feylin]

Y'ul,
You know I've never really been able to control Shiver. Just the fact that I can get him to carry messages amazes me. However, I am sorry that he's managed to puke on your bed so much and in your boots. Shall I send marks for their replacements? I suspect they'll take a bit longer to reach you, since I doubt I can convince Shiv to carry them.

Congratulations on your inundation with firelizards, by the way. I'm sure you're thrilled, though maybe not as much as the candidate who has to collect your sheets. Firelizard puke and whatever comes out with eggs. What a delight. So your count's up to three, then? And Erath doesn't mind? I'm a little surprised to hear that Song seems oblivious to the whole clutching thing, but it doesn't surprise me at all that Shiv's not happy about it. The poor guy has aspirations way above his birth.

Which of the blues has Erath taken a dislike to? I interviewed Akerth and his rider, and I think I can guess why she's not too keen on them. When you say little green, do you mean the one that Impressed the girl you don't like? Not that I'm saying you're wrong or anything. I'm sure you have your reasons, convoluted and incomprehensible as they might be.

I haven't walked yet. Sorry. I've had a few things come up that I didn't expect and they've been keeping me from devoting myself to my studies as I ought. Also, half the instructors think I'm in their classes as a joke and put me to work checking answers on assignments or something. So much fun. Hope things are better with you.

Tof  

[Rown]

Tofir -

Don't start by saying my dragon's dislikes are my dislikes. She has her own opinion and her own tastes, it just happens that the two of us are rather similar. It happens sometimes when you get someone with a like mind. But anyway we're moving along and dropping it. End of story.

Song's clutch hatched, I managed to somehow end up with a Brown. I named him Tune, in his clutch mother's honor, and I'd be spitting lies if I didn't say he reminds me more of Shiver than anything else. Neurotic and touchy, though thankfully he doesn't puke all over my bed.

Speaking of that - Song's somehow managed to get your blue to not do it on my sheets or boots anymore. He does take it up on the empty bunks though, but that's not my problem. Candidates clean that up and I don't have to worry about waking up in whatever he had to eat.

But anyway, moving along to you. People stop gawking at you yet or are you still the talk of the tables? Faranth knows that there's nothing better for half of those useless people in the halls to do then just gossip about the ones who actually are trying. Keep at it.

- Y'ul

PS: Don't worry about the boots - I managed to get a new pair. Someone provided for them.  

[Princess_Feylin]

Y'ul,
Consider it dropped.

Oh, I'm a source of gossip still, but for less idiotic reasons now. The masters have finally gotten their heads around the idea that I'm serious about doing this. A lot of them think that since I walked once it should still count, and that this is an affectation on my part. I suppose it is, but I want to do it this way. I guess since they're letting me do it, they don't really mind the redundancy. It's my time, they say.

In case you were wondering why I'm an item of gossip now, it really is pretty mundane. There's a girl who's just become a senior apprentice who's decided to focus on mindhealing and I'm helping her out. You can imagine what must be said. I'd ask if you know her, but I doubt you would. She only vaguely remembers you, and since it's vague on her part I would guess you'd have no memories of her at all.

Tune's a good name, considering who the mother is. I'm glad he doesn't puke on your bed, and that Song's convinced Shiv to give it up, too. I wonder if that training will hold here at the Hall. It'd be nice not to wake up to the sound of a 'lizard throwing up. So far he hasn't been doing any of that, but he's also not eating, from what I can tell, so maybe there's just nothing for him to throw up. Sorry. My problems with my flit are my own. I'm sure he'll be fine. But...Was he eating when he was with you?

I'm glad to hear you've found replacement boots. If I'd been thinking, I could have given you a solution to clean them so you would hardly be able to tell they'd been vomited on to begin with. It guess you don't need it at this point. Sorry I didn't think of it sooner.

How's Erath, by the way? Is she getting you into as much trouble as you thought she would? And what about in general? Are you getting along all right? I mean, how're they treating you? J'ev and the others.

Tof  

[Rown]

Tofir -

A girl into mindhealing? No, then not at all. I stayed mostly in the Trauma lessons, while dabbling into the dragonhealing. I stayed away from anything that dealt with the brain. Also - if you're going to just let rumors stand, why not spice it up? Sleep with her once or twice if you want, no one will say anything more. It's not like the Hall wasn't full of promiscuity while I was there, so. . . .never mind, forget it.

Yes, Shiv's been eating somewhat fine. He and Song spend quite a bit of time alone together, but he's looking rather on the pale side - a sorry shade of blue as Erath says. I've tried to oil him down and have watched what he eats, but I'm wondering if us sending things back and forth to him is becoming a bit too much. Maybe we had better stop for a while, to see if that gets better? You should keep him with you for a little bit after this message, and if I need anything from you or for you I'll find a way to get it to you. There's always Hinalle or Aloe (L'pin's newest Green, I swear he has the thread's luck) to do the sending, so I'm not worried.

Song seems to be puffing up with another clutch, speaking on that certain lizard. I don't think it belongs to Shiver, as the blue was sleeping on my bed when I discovered that Song was out, but I'll have to let you know what comes of it all. sometimes I really wish she'd not...fly. It only serves to remind me that eventually Erath's time to rise will come, and the- oh wait. I'm being told that Flights are overrated. We'll forget all this then.

Erath is doing fine, growing larger. Our oiling sessions are taking longer than they used to, and I've found that somehow I have made an enemy of myself to the rest of her clutch. I really don't mind, I prefer to be left alone anyway, but it makes the lessons where we have to partner up for things that much harder. Erath seems to get along well with everyone but Akerth, so I need to grow up a bit.

Good luck on your lessons, I'll write back to you soon if anything happens. Take care of Shiver, I'm loathe to admit your shardin' flitter is growing on me.

- Y'ul  

[Princess_Feylin]

Y'ul,
Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure you were never in any of my mindhealing lessons. Of course, you're also younger than I am. I forget that sometimes, but you probably wouldn't have been in any of my classes anyway. I could probably say more on that topic, but I won't. I've more access at the Hall to writing supplies than I had at the Weyr, but paper and hide are still relatively precious commodities. Being a senior apprentice has some perquisites, but I would be accused of abusing my privileges if it was discovered how many supplies I turn to personal, non-healer use.

You might be amused by Naris, actually. I know I am. Her area of interest, being that she's seventeen, is how people connect to each other. In other words, she wants to qualify and quantify human attraction. When she first told me that, I think I actually hurt her feelings by laughing at her. I told her that it didn't work that way. She said she'd sought me out because her area of interest is so similar to mine. I'd never thought of it that way before, believe it or not. I'd never realized how ridiculous my research was. Why didn't you tell me?

Oh, right. I'm supposed to be telling you why Naris is amusing, not how I'm having a crisis of careers. Like I said, she's interested in observing how people relate to one another and helping people become closer. (I said something like that, okay, if not that exactly). Remember those projects they used to assign? (Or maybe trauma specialists don't have those?) I think she's made me her project. That is, it feels like she's trying to seduce me, but she's going about it in such a methodical, textbook-perfect way that it's completely unmistakable, and therefore completely ineffective. Seduction loses something when it feels scripted. Just in case you were interested in seducing anyone at some point in the future.

I may still sleep with her, just so she'll get passing marks on her project. And because she's not unattractive, and she's clearly not unwilling. Just the same, I do have just a little problem sleeping with someone I don't think is actually interested in me. Vain, I know, but I'd like to believe that in the ordinary course of things I could get a girl who doesn't just want to have sex with me for a grade. Even writing that feels odd. Still, I enjoy her. She keeps me amused.

Poor Song, poor Shiv, and poor you. You have an embarrassment of wealth in the form of firelizards. I don't know whether to pity you or envy you. I wonder if Shiv mightn't be happier if I got him a companion. Or...I wonder if I could impose on you and add to your 'lizard burden? Could you keep Shiv with you until I come back to the Weyr? He seems happier with you (and Song, probably) than he is at the Hall, and I hate seeing him...pine would be the word, I guess. I dislike watching him not eat, and his unhappiness is sincerely distracting, and manifests in the form of a perpetual headache on my part. I don't know how you manage your fair.

I'm glad Erath's growing up well, and I'm sorry the rest of the clutch is too stupid to see all your stellar qualities. You shouldn't be on your own too much, though. It's not healthy. Why don't you seek out some of the other female greenriders? Some of them aren't so bad.

Look at me wasting paper like a lord holder. Farewell!  

[Rown]

Tofir -

I believe you've met L'pin. He's something of a friend (?) of mine, and I trust him to get this message to you without any troubles. I decided to use him in lieu of one of his greens, since he properly reminded me that they don't know you and probably wouldn't be able to find and give you a message. Also with Shiver now staying with me (yes, I will watch over him. You have my word) I wanted to try and get a message to you as soon as possible.

Also, this egg. It's not a bribe or anything, it's for companionship. I know you won't admit it, but you're probably lonely without Shiver, right? This egg is from Song's latest clutch (she laid right before your last letter) and I wanted it to have it and the flitter inside. May it keep you company until you come back, or until Shiver is well enough to rejoin you. Whatever comes first. I'll somehow manage to keep you updated on his condition - and if you want to send a reply letter, go ahead and use L'pin. Man's not good for much else.

The name 'Naris' does sound somewhat familiar, but I'm older then her if she's seventeen turns. I spent a good deal of my time at the Hall alone too, so it's not like I made friends with more than I was required to. Actually, I don't think I have any friends at the Hall. Some of the teachers liked me, but one of them I think had a different taste of like behind his actions. Freak.

Anyway, moving along. Did you sleep with her yet? I know you said you don't want to since she's not interested, but you're a healthy young man. Better to find a female partner than a male partner, you know what I mean? Let people know where you stand anyway, and help her pass. It's the chivalrous thing of you to do anyway, and you might actually find yourself with a weyrmate. No one wants to be alone forever. . . .and that came out wrong.

I do know one of the female greenriders - a Jasrai. I know one of the males too, Y'kar, but I haven't seen him since his dragon was still just a dragonet. Jasrai I haven't seen since before the hatching - I don't seek people out. I haven't even seen Layla in so long. . .

. . . . but anyway. Send a letter back with L'pin. He should have his three greens with him now as it were, watching you, so hopefully one of the three will be smart enough to act as a messenger for a while.

- Y'ul  

[Princess_Feylin]

Y'ul,
You've mentioned L'pin to me, and I do recognize him, but until you sent your letter using him as a messenger I never had any opportunity to meet him. I like him, I think. And he was right about your firelizards. From what I hear they do have to know a person in order to find them. It's not really a problem I ever had to deal with in using Shiv, since he knows you quite well, and could probably find Song no matter what.

How is my 'lizard, by the way? I have no doubt you're taking care of him admirably, but I worry for him. As you suggested, I miss him, though I'm not exactly lonely. Her seduction may be awkward and scripted, but Naris does know what's to be done once she's got a man in bed. She delightfully willing, and expects nothing of me. I've considered trying to convince her to come back to the Weyr with me, where her attitude toward sex would be less unusual, but I'm pretty sure she would read the wrong motivation into the suggestion. At present we enjoy each other, and I don't really want to push it any further than that.

Since you brought it up, which of your teachers had different tastes, did you think? And in what way? I ask mostly out of professional interest, but also because I want to know who's likely to be watching my arse with a little too much interest. I guess I could hope it's someone in the trauma area. I don't deal with those people. They spend a lot of time dealing with blood, guts, and other things I'd rather not come into contact with, and I really don't trust their standards of hygiene. The whole emergency scenario doesn't lend itself well to convenient cleanliness.

Thank you, by the way, for the egg. I'm not sure what to do with it, but probably by the time you get my next letter the egg will have hatched. How do you think I could construe this as a bribe, by the way? What do you want? You know I'd do most things you asked me without being bribed, and if I'm not willing to do them without being bribed, a bribe's not likely to help much.

Jasrai's not bad. A bit depressive, but the situation at Telgar's not exactly conducive to a sunny demeanor for females, as I guess you've noticed. You could do worse than get to know her. It would probably do her some good, too, to have company besides her dragon and her firelizards. I don't know Y'kar personally, but I do know he was one of the two who Impressed with Jasrai. You should find Layla and talk to her. I like Layla, and I hope to renew our acquaintance when I return to the Weyr, so you should work on doing the same. She probably feels hurt by your neglect, anyway, and is blaming herself, if I'm any judge of people.

I'd better sign off. I don't want to keep L'pin waiting too long. I hope you can read this. I kind of wanted to fire it off as quickly as I could so I wouldn't waste his time, despite how worthless you seem to think it is. He's a dragonrider and shouldn't be kept waiting for a mere senior apprentice mindhealer. Or so I've been reminded by the journeyman who first spotted him and came to get me. It was amusing to be fetched to meet a dragonrider, by the way. The first time in my life, in fact, and very satisfying because the journeyman in question - Eral - is a complete b*****d.

Clearly I'm horrible at closing letters. Until next time.

Tof