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 Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 10:50 am
Master Kervian and Tiar had finally finished their work. Having repaired most of the flamers and sprayers and learned what they could about those they could not fix it was time for them to return to the Smithhall and begin smelting new tools to replace those that could not be fixed. After all such equipment would be badly needed to counter thread.
"Come on gal we'll be needed back at hall. If we get there soon we can still stoke the fires and get some of the smaller mechanism forged and ready for the morrow time." He called to Tiar, the apprentice following down the stairs, bags in her hands of papers and plans for their work.
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Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 10:27 pm
Clumsy, gullible, and rather silly were good words when describing Ista's Weyrleader; on a good day. The Hatching was over. Hatchings had gone between, but most had Impressed. T'rel had to focus on that most. He had to keep from thinking of the dragonet's anguished cries and frightened behavior. As he made his way down the stairs, he paused. He didn't recognize those two; but then again, plenty of people came from Hold and Hall to see a hatching.
He continued down the stairs, thinking nothing of it.
Mine, stop, commanded Zelith from where he sat on the ledge. The large bronze had watched the hatching (and with some smugness had observed that though bigger, had not gone nearly as well as how T'rel had described Rath's and his). The girl. She would be good for the next clutch.
"The girl?" T'rel repeated aloud, amazed. Zelith very rarely Searched. Last time had been Farrell, and the boy had Impressed a bronze. (T'rel hadn't been surprised, with the boy's assertiveness, desire to lead and ability to compromise). He slowed his pace, no longer taking two steps at a time, and caught up with Tiar and her master.
"Hello," he said with a smile. "T'rel, bronzerider. Of Zelith," he added at his bronze's snort. "He wanted me to talk to you."
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Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 10:36 pm
Master Kervian and Tiar paused at the sudden approach of the weyrleader of all people, the two smith's giving him a startled and surprised look. "May I help you Weyrleader?" The Master Craftsmen asked politely stopping as his apprentice came up along side him, the two turning to face the weyrleader.
"If this is about the possibility of new flamers I left you a note mentioning that it'll be at least a month to two months before we can forge and begin distributing them." Master Kervian mentioned seeming somewhat unsure why the Weyrleader had approached him or even less why the man's bronze of all creatures.
Turning he glanced down at his apprentice. "You did deliver the note correct Tiar?" He asked with a small frown the woman nodding.
"Yes sir. It should be awaiting him on his desk. I also left a small guide for if any of the working flamers break down and how to fix them." She replied pulling out a small copy of her notes she'd compiled into a guide and handing them to her Master who hastily flipped through them.
"Smart girl. Shardit if I didn't think of that." Master Kervian mumbled before looking expectantly back up at the Weyrleader.
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Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 11:07 pm
"Oh no, it's nothing like that," T'rel assured Kervian with a smile. He knew how to charm masters; he had once been an apprentice at the Harperhall. "Actually, it's about her," he gestured to Tiar with another smile. His skin might have been pale from still-recent tragedies, but the young man still possessed his natural charm. "Zelith is convinced she could become a dragonrider," he wasn't used to doing this. Brownriders, blueriders, even greenriders were Searchriders. He ran a hand through golden curls and flashed another smile.
"He's never been wrong." Of course not. He'd only picked out someone once.
I am never wrong mine, Zelith gave a pleased rumble. I chose you, didn't I?
T'rel didn't seem to pay much attention to their talk about flamers. That didn't matter. What mattered was that Tiar was allowed to stay at the Weyr. "The boy he chose for this clutch Impressed a bronze. Farrell."
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Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 11:15 pm
"Me? A dragon rider? But I'm just an apprentice!" Tiar gasped out blinking in surprise before quieting contemplating what the Weyrleader had said. Master Kervian too was taken by surprise at T'rel's words as he tried to compose himself.
"Are you quite certain? Another clutch won't be due for quite sometime I'm told? I'd hate lose my prized apprentice if she's not absolutely needed. Shame to not let her talent grow and I've finally got her trained up proper." The man explained with a slight stutter and a head shake trying to picture the scrappy young woman anywhere else but at a forge with a hammer in hand.
"Then again it is her choice." Master Kervian began turning to glance down at Tiar. He'd seen how horrified she was at the hatching and was having a hard time picturing her wanting to stay, but then again she had a stronger stomach then most for these sorts of things.
"Would I still be able to man I forge? While I wait that is? There's no guarantee after all and in case I don't impress I would very much like too not fall out of practice." Tiar finally spoke up considering the Weyrleader carefully if not somewhat skeptically, still rather unsure of the man. Turning her head she glanced up at the massive bronze wondering if dragons had a sense of humor.
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Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 11:54 pm
T'rel chuckled. He couldn't help it. The girl's amazement was refreshing; he remembered when he'd been Searched. He'd been in absolute awe of the dragonrider, offering to help in every way he could. "I was just an apprentice too," he told her, shaking his head. "Most of our candidates were," he added. "Dragons seem to prefer those born outside the Weyr. No one knows why."
"Oh, it won't be too long," the Weyrleader mused. "Calith's maturing quite nicely... Shouldn't be long at all. Few months, maybe." He seemed almost wistful. He tended to remember days with Ky't and Rath when speaking about other golds. "Clutches are closer together and larger during passes." He paused, and seemed to understand the master's trouble. "She'll age out within the turn," he mused. "If she ages out, she will be sent back to you to finish her apprenticeship."
He paused and nodded at the apprentice. "Of course. We have a small forge."
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Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 12:01 am
"You were an apprentice?" She asked looking somewhat skeptical, but didn't see any reason for the Weyrleader to lie to her. "What craft? I think I'd have heard if you were a smith like me." Tiar piped up the little woman seeming to be trying to mentally pick apart the rider in front of her. Coming to some sort of inner decision she gave a small nod.
"All right as long as there's a forge. My hands start itching something awful if I don't have something to smith." She murmured seeming to grow solemn at T'rel's words. She was a bit old to be scouted wasn't she? Her chances not nearly as good. Why had they chosen her?
"Hmm true. Do you mind if I be speakin with you in private Weyrleader?" Master Kervian asked resting a gentle hand on the Weyrleaders shoulder and motioning him a ways out of hearing to the side.
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Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 12:27 am
"For five turns," T'rel said with a nod. "Harperhall," he added as an after thought and in answer to her question. "No no," he said with a laugh, shaking his head. "I couldn't be a smith," he looke down at himself. He had always been scrawny. He had once hoped he would grow out of it, but it hadn't worked out that way.
I am strong enough for the both of us, mine, was his dragon's instant reassurance.
"Like mine do when there isn't a guitar to play," T'rel nodded in understanding. "Or a score to write." He glanced at Kervian and nodded, following the older man. "Yes?"
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Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 12:40 am
Master Kervian paused a conflicted look on his face as he stood there on his own with the Weyrleader. Finally giving a small cough he cleared his throat. "Now I'm not some soft shelled dragonling and don't you ever think I am weyrleader." Master Kervian began only to pause to think over his words.
"Don't get me wrong. I'm not so hidebound as to think the girl wouldn't do well at the Weyr. Actually had she not been right in front of me I'd have been much more encouraging. She needs to be away from the crafthall. I break from there would do her good. I just don't want her ta think I'm trying to get rid of her or don't want her to come back." He explained giving the weyrleader a rather apologetic look for his earlier more staunch behavior.
"I just am not sure yeah know what your getting into with this one. She's got skill like no other apprentice I've ever had, but the girl doesn't eat. She don't sleep, she doesn't trust, I think if yeah took her work away she'd find a way to blink between. She's helpful, if not a bit of a pest, but till she get's sent back or impresses I don't there will be a quiet moment until the she's passes out. Tiar's been that way since. . .well for a while now. Just do me a favor and try not to get too boiling mad at her when she get's herself into trouble. She means well."
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Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 10:38 am
T'rel was very tempted to tell Kervian in that case, the Weyr didn't need Tiar. They had enough people that hardly ate. They had enough people with that dull, unhappy look about them. If she was just going to be another addition to that number...
Mine! I do not make mistakes! Was the irritated rumble from Zelith. He did not make mistakes. How could T'rel even think that?
"She'll have to," he said aloud. "As a candidate, she will be expected to attend meals, and go to bed at curfew. Any rule breaking, and she will be punished." His blue firelizard came from between, settling himself on the blond's shoulder. He paused and frowned slightly. "I don't get angry," he said with a shrug. Irritated, yes, but he was a good natured sort, with an easy disposition. "I'll keep that in mind. Thank you."
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Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 1:01 pm
"All right then if your certain. Give her a bit and she'll warm up ta yeah." The Master said a little taken aback by the Weyrleaders change of attitude. Shrugging he nodded. "I'll have her things packed and sent over then." Master Kervian replied motioning the girl over.
"I'll get one of the lads to send your things back when I get to the smithhall. I leave you in the Weyrleader's capable hands." He spoke patting the girl on the shoulder and headed to catch his dragon back leaving Tiar the glance after him before the woman looked up at T'rel.
"Don't mind him. I reckon he's just sore about having to train another apprentice. I'm Tiar by the way." She spoke giving him a small rueful grin and offering a hand to shake.
"Oh you've got a blue firelizard on your shoulder. Did you know?" Tiar asked eyeing the little creature with curiosity and fascination.
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Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2011 2:07 pm
T'rel nodded. Most crafters when first coming to the Weyr did need time to get used to how things were run. Holders were no better, but crafters tended to be more judgemental about how things were run. He watched the man go, sighing. He understood the master's viewpoint, really. He hadn't wanted the girl to feel abandoned, so he had put on a show about protesting her staying.
"Nice to meet you, Tiar. I'm T'rel," he said with a smile. "Bronze Zelith's mine. I'm sorry to tear you away from your craft," he added. "Zelith is an odd one. Bronzes very rarely go on Search, he's only done it once before, when we were out scouting burrows."
He paused and moved to stroke the blue firelizard on his shoulder, before chuckling. "This is Harper," he said, "He's mine. Do you have any questions before I ask one of the older Weyrlings to show you around?"
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Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2011 2:52 pm
Tiar nodded the grin she'd offered at first falling from her face with a small nod as she glanced up at the large bronze offering nearby giving him a small polite wave. "I see. It's ok. I mean I can still practice the things I've learned while at the weyr between candidate chores right? So there shouldn't be any harm." She replied feeling unsure as she stood alone with the man, T'rel, without the supporting presence of her gruff grumpy old master.
Looking up at the towering weyr with it's many dragons flitting in and out Tiar suddenly found herself starkly aware of how very tiny and alone she was as worry and fear yawned open within her heart like a deep chasm. Putting on the all to familiar mask of emotions to cover her trepidation she looked back at T'rel as he was stroking the little blue firelizard letting her hand which she had offered in greeting fall back to her side.
"With that shade of blue I can see where his namesake came from." She added trying to make conversation before shaking her head. "I think I'll be ok, but er. . ." The woman paused for once lost for words her voice softening somewhat as she let her eyes rest of the firelizard instead of the man as to not give away her worry.
"Are hatchings always like that?"
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