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 Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2010 9:12 pm
Ralae was eager to learn about the new batch of candidates to come to Malvern. Then again, she was eager to learn about anything she could... Somehow, she had managed to sneak away from her foster mother and was now stalking the lower caverns as well as near the candidate barracks.
As a weyr brat, she didn't have to bunk with the newbies. Instead, she resided with the other girls in the weyr in their own bunk area. Or rather, she slept there. Hardly did she ever stay there when there was so much she was missing out on. And right now, her brown eyes narrowed. If she was not mistaken, she had missed out on seeing a new candidate area via dragon back. A girl, by the shape of her, and a tall one at that! Ralae studied her very carefully so that she could remember her later just in case anything came up.
Which in Ralae's case, things came up all the time.
Still. With the girl standing there as the dragon and rider took off, now was a perfect time to snag her and drill, er question, her for information. Moving with a purpose, the brat made her way over to the newcomer.
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Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2010 9:18 pm
Rhilira stepped down from the dragon and thanked the rider as he took off for the high cliffs, leaving her near the front of the towering marble Weyr. Never been to one of these before! We've never traded with Weyrs, since they get all their supplies from the tithes. It's huge! She took a moment to look around and take it all in - there were dragons dotting the coast line, as well and lazily looking over the ledge atop the hole-dotted cliffside. "Shards, this place is way different than any of the holds we've ever visited..."
Once she gained a hold of herself again, she noticed a girl coming toward her - a young by, by the looks of her. Oh, maybe someone to let me know about the place. and what I just got roped in to...
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Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2010 9:40 pm
SO much for the element of surprise. Oh well, if the girl was looking at her then Ralae was going to look right back. For some reason, there were not a lot of big big girls at the weyr and this girl looked to be at least a head taller than Ralae herself. Of course, she was still growing. Still! With no Candidate Master or Headwoman in sight, the teen was loving the fact that she would be the first person that this older person would meet.
Bounding up like a canine pup, she waved and gave a winning smile. "Hi! My name is Ralae, welcome to Malvern. Did you just get Searched? Should I say congratulations or say I am sorry you left your life behind? Not to worry though, I can talk you through anything and lead you to the Candidate Master or the Head woman. They need to keep track, you know? Of course, you don't know! You just arrived." Ralae chattered and waited for the girl to catch up or get a word in edgewise.
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Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2010 9:52 pm
Rhilira was taken aback when the girl began talking - and didn't stop. "I-" she tried to interject, but the girl kept talking right over her. Better to let her finish, I guess... When it seemed that the girl had stopped - at least to take a breath - Rhilira cut in. "I guess I don't mind," she said flatly, looking around her again. "But I'm not used to staying in one place, and I've never been to a Weyr before." This girl seemed to know what she was talking about. Maybe she grew up here? I have no idea. Nor do I care. But if she'll show me around, I can't tell her to go away.
"I'm Rhilira," she said, offering her name up against her own good mind.
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Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2010 10:07 pm
"One place? So you have traveled then? That must be interesting. I was born and raised in the weyr. I practically know this place inside and out so if you ever get lost or need help getting someplace, I can totally lead you there," the girl paused in her dialogue and looked around. They should head down to the lower caverns. They had to anyways to get to either the Candidate master's weyr or to the head woman's rooms. It was midday and a meal would be being served. She might be able to catch them in the eating hall....
"I know? Have you eaten anything? Riding dragonback can take so much out of a person and we have the most interesting foods here. Are you from the area or did you come from the East? I mean sometimes we get people from Southern or Monaco or Honshu but up North??? Only if a dragon happens to pick up on somebody from a Hall or something and even then that is pretty rare."
Again. A pause in breathe and an expectant look. "Well?? Where are you from?"
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Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2010 10:24 pm
Shards, she's going to wear me out before I enter the Weyr... Rhilira took a deep breath, "I was searched at Eura hold, but my family - well, myfamily and some companions- have a Trader's train. I'm from all over Pern." She stopped and considered it a moment, looking around. "Well, everywhere but the Weyrs, I guess." She didn't like offering up all this information to the girl, but she needed the help. Being surt and unfriendly would not work for her at all.
"I haven't eaten, and I didn't realize that... that going between was like that. I hardly knew it was possible..." Now she felt like a dimglow. She was pretty smart, but knew nothing - absolutely NOTHING - about dragons or Weyrs or Weyrlife.
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Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2010 7:32 pm
Ralae continued to walk and talk, listening to to Rhilira's responses. So the new girl was a Trader? Ralae would bet her only mark that the girl new all about fashions and goods and is all sorts of fun stuff. She would had to drill, er ask her questions later about what her life was like. In the meanwhile, "A trader? What is it like traveling all the time? It's midday so there will be fruits and sliced meat. Um, breads and of course water and juice. Klah. I like klah really sweet but my foster mother says if I drink too much of it I will stay short forever."
She turned and randomly waved to people. Not that she had many friends to really wave to but she knew many people and many people knew her. If Addaja heard she was helping out the newcomers, then maybe she would earn a treat. "I have only traveled maybe once or twice by dragon back. But I was born here and so I see the dragons all the time. If you need any help with anything, you can always ask me. I like helping out."
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Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2010 9:54 pm
It took a good portion of Rhilira's attention span to keep all of the girl's questions in order, so she could answer them appropriately. "I imagine it's close to the opposite of living in the Weyr," she said after considering it a moment. "We travel by foot and have burden beasts to help us. We're well-trained in ground and sea travel, buying and selling and negotiating, and we're completely self-sufficient." The last comment was not meant to be an insult to the Weyr and it's living from tithes. It was the most sensible and reasonable solution for their survival. But it was a difference. "And that sounds delicious. Our bread is usually partially-stale, or really heavy, hard bread. It's impossible to bake bread over a fire." That she said with a smirk.
"You're pretty lucky to grow up here," Rhilira continued, a shred of whimsy slipping into her voice. "Dragons are like... nothing else I've ever seen. And a Weyr is like no where else on Pern." And I like it, really. I like it here... for now. She was realistic that she'd probably tire of it quickly once she was here for a few sevendays. "And I appreciate your help. It's good to know that there's someone here I can count on -" She made a mental note that she meant that in the most superficial way "- or ask questions..."
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Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2010 8:11 pm
"I have never been outside the weyr. I guess you could say I am closed off but I bet it must be interesting traveling all the time. All the stuff you must see and the people you meet. DO you meet people all the time or just some of the time?" Ralae talked and listened at the same time. It wasn't that she was rude but more that she was informative and wanted to make sure the girl knew that what she knew which was never enough in her mind. "I suppose you could be self-sufficient if you didn't have to trade and buy and sell with other people. I mean. Do you have a farm someplace to grow your food? Or do you fish whenever you can? How do you get your klah?"
It wasn't that she was trying to be rude. Honest to goodness, Ralae wasn't but her natural curiosity and being a busy body led her to ask many questions until she was sure she understood well enough to explain to someone else and come off like she knew what she was talking about even if it was a new topic. "I have never seen a burden beast up close though I have seen plenty of runners. Sometimes on Gather Days, they hold races and I watch the older kids place marks. And yes, you can count on me to help you out. And show you around. And let you know who to avoid..."
Ralae was starting to run out of steam as they moved closer to the kitchens and smell of food.
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Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2010 12:45 pm
Rhilira's head was spinning. Not only was she trying to listen to the girl and hold up the many conversations they seemed to be having, but she was also trying to keep track of where exactly they were. She hadn't expected the Weyr to be so big! At least, not where the dragons couldn't access.
"We meet a lot of people," she replied, nodding. "Usually a lot of the same people, when we go to the smaller holds. But when there's a Gather we meet lots of new people, from all over Pern, if they could make it. And also when we go to major Holds, since there's a lot of people going in and out of there, it seems like."
"We trade for mostly everything, though we fish a lot and hunt occasionally," she continued, though she was already starting to miss her train now that she was talking about it so in-depth. "And we trade for klah, and make it over fires, though not in the quantity that I've seen some Holds make it. But we're a pretty big train, and everyone likes it, so it doesn't really end up being an issue of who will finish a pot off before we leave. Plus, we use empty wine skins or something if we have extra..."
When she moved on to beasts, Rhilira found it funny that she had never seen a burdenbeast up close - she could hardly imagine not spending half her time coaxing them to move. "Runners are good for that," she said with a grin. "I've never raced mine - he's not bred for speed - but I do enjoy watching them. Do you ever bet on the races? Or do you just prefer to watch?"
It took a lot of effort for Rhilira to keep the conversation, now that she could smell food. The trip between had made her very hungry, and she hadn't had breakfast prior....
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Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 8:55 pm
"There now, so you are not completely independent yourselves unless you had to stop and settle down. I think that is the way it is meant to be, you know. If you look back at the Ancients documents, they wanted everyone to work together. Not that I have seen the documents but this is what the Harper said and he should know." Ralae continued on. She took a big sniff and gave the other girl a big grin.
"You are in luck! Stew and fresh bread. Food to keep your belly full until you are settled. I don't have a bunk in the Candidate barracks like you will because I was born here but I am sure we will see tons of each other. Another pair of hands is always helpful in the weyr." Ralae stopped and stepped to the side. In front of her were long tables with various riders, candidates, weyrfolk and the odd travelers sitting and enjoying the meal. She scanned the room but didn't see who she was looking for... "Huh. Well. Eat first and then we will find who you need to get settled."
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Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2010 7:38 pm
"Nah, not completely, I guess. But we can survive for quite some time without going to a Hold, so it's pretty close." when they reached the hall, Rhilira couldn't even think to respond to her statement about the Candidates barracks. She had never eaten in a hall before -when they stopped at Holds, if they were even offered a meal indoors, they refused. The sheer amount of people and food and tables packed into the room - regardless of it being so large - astounded her.
"Where do we sit?" she said, looking down at her companion. Was there even and order to it? Sure there is... You can tell by their clothes... sort of... and knots. And uh... A High Table? I think that that's what it's called...
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Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2010 10:32 pm
"Silly. Besides the Weyrwoman's table up front, you can sit wherever you please. Though during important announcements and stuff, the wing leaders and their seconds tend to sit and the tables closest to the high table. And important people like Masters or Lord Holders. But they don't come so often. Mainly during Hatchings. Oh! You were Searched right? I think that Feynath may be rising soon but I am not positive." Ralae chattered on and on.
It could be quite tiresome for someone who had never had to endure a wearisome child. But she was trying to be quite helpful. Pushing forward, she moved towards a center table and sat, waving at Rhilira to do the same. "Eat and gain strength. But then I have to report to duties. Hopefully we can find someone to tell you which way to go."
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Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2010 12:00 pm
Rhilira was embarrassed, feeling like a dimglow for not knowing about the seating here. It was clearly not the girl's intention, she knew, but that didn't really help. Most people on Pern probably knew stuff like that, evening people in holds. "Feynath is... the queen?" she asked tentatively, recalling what little information she knew about Weyrs and their workings. Since they didn't trade with them, anything she knew about dragons, riders and Weyrs was obtained through word of mouth at holds - usually heavily biased against Weyrs - and picked up at gatherings.
It's easier just to go along with it. Learn by doing... She sat down as well, resting her elbow on the table and her chin in her hand - table manners were beyond her understanding at this point, since she pretty much always ate around a fire. "Well, as long as they tell me what to do, I can certainly do it," she said earnestly. It was lucky that she had a good memory for paths taken. She at least somewhat remembered their path through the Weyr to here, so that would help... a little?
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Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 8:41 pm
"Oh yes. Feynath is the queen now. Eirlyn seems to be a good Weyrwoman but everyone tells me what do I know because I am only 13 turns. Like I don't have ears to listen to all the gossip and going on! If you want to live and get along with everyone, keep an ear wide open... or clean." Ralae rattled on. She grabbed a couple sweet rolls, a hunk of cheese to share and a loaf of fresh bread.
The drudges were coming around now with the large pots of stew and Ralae grabbed her bowl and Rhilira's and held it out for them to be filled. Placing the now filled bowls down, she gave a huge grin. "Time to eat up. And don't worry too much about trying to learn everything in a day. You will have chores and lessons and probably go see dragons and do all sorts of stuff."
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