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 Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2015 3:44 pm
'Remind me why I'm doing this again?'
'So you can try and secure yourself a decent future.'
'Can I turn back? Please?'
'You can, dear one, though it is ill-advised. You'll be worse off if you do. I know you can do this.'
A reassuring wave of energy spread throughout Qyprenna's entire body as she walked along to Weyrharper Kiment's personal quarters. Warden was, as always, wrapped around her shoulders. Though instead of dozing, as she usually did when the weyrling went about her business, the firelizard was surprisingly active and alert this time. This was probably due to a combination of going to a new place and her owner's nerves, but Qyp was glad for her alertness, regardless. The firelizard would show her glimpses of images every so often, which made it easier to walk along. She was grateful for that.
'If you're sure. I trust you.'
Qyprenna was on her way to talk to Weyrharper Kiment about her future, which was a nerve-wracking prospect. Unlike the other weyrlings, she couldn't just sit by on her laurels. Wingleaders approached B'tes about which of the graduates would be most suitable for them, but for Qyprenna? Well, a wing of any sort was out of the question, given the severity of her disability. This much she knew for sure. As such, if she just sat around and hoped for something to happen, she would be doing herself a disservice, ultimately. If she wanted any sort of future, then she was going to have to take initiative and work for it.
After a careful walk from the weyrling barracks to the Weyrharper's quarters, she had finally reached her destination. Catoth, who had been growing and growing more with each passing day, had decided to stay behind, for fear of not fitting through the door. Yet, despite his absence, he was there to offer moral and emotional support, as always. Qyprenna could always count on him for that, regardless of where he was. The young woman stood outside the door, stomach in knots, and Warden chirruping excitedly on her shoulders. At least one of them was eager -- that helped, if only a little. Expelling a heavy sigh, Qyp then raised a balled hand up, and knocked sharply upon the door.
'Here goes nothing.'
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Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2015 12:43 pm
It was a girl who answered the door; she was mousy haired and scrawny, perhaps twelve or thirteen turns old at most with the knots of an apprentice Harper on her shoulder. Large hazel eyes blinked owlishly up at Qyprenna, took in the weyrling knots, and then she smiled a bit. "Hullo, can I help you rider?"
If Qyprenna glimpsed the room beyond through Warden's eyes she might be able to make out a fair sized, high ceilinged room furnished richly as a reception room lit by expensive wax candles rather than the blue-green light of glows which was more common around the interior of the Weyr. The floor was covered by warm rugs and the walls hung with expensive tapestries illustrating scenes from classic songs and stories. On the other side of the room was an ornately carved wooden door, which presumably led deeper into the Weyrharper's chambers. Without the aid of sight Qyprenna might catch the scent of freshly cut flowers, there were several vases of them scattered around the chamber and most of them were blue.
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Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2015 3:28 pm
Qyprenna smiled immediately when the apprentice addressed her, and she did her best to push back any sort of feelings of uneasiness or trepidation. If she didn't present herself well to even this apprentice, things could go south for her, and she didn't want to sabotage her own chances. "Yes," she said with a warm smile, her gaze immediately going in the direction of where the voice was coming from. "I was wondering if Masterharper Kiment was available, if only just for a few minutes? I have some questions on the possibilities of becoming a harper that I'd like to discuss."
She could have elaborated more, but she felt it was best to keep it short and simple. She could have went on about her whole ordeal with taking the cane and getting sick and losing her sight, but she didn't want to bore the poor girl. Instead, she just waited for a response, and took note of the other things she could tell from the reception room: namely the smell of flowers. Not only did they smell lovely, but they helped to calm her nerves some. It was interesting what something as simple as a flower could do.
Now all she had to do was wait and try her luck. Hopefully, the weyrharper would be able to talk with her, if even just for a moment or two. She'd take what she could get at this point, honestly.
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Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2015 1:21 pm
"Ah, I'll go and ask him for you rider. Please, step inside." The apprentice held the door open until Qyprenna had entered, closed it behind her, and then set off across the room. If she were listening closely Qyprenna would hear that the young girl walked with an uneven gait.
The second door opened and closed, remaining that way for a few moments with the sound of hushed conversation from beyond. When it opened again the footsteps that emerged were even and slightly heavier; Master Kiment resplendent as ever in harper blue looked Qyprenna up and down thoughtfully. "Well well, it isn't often weyrlings ask for an audience with me," he observed, his voice deep as caverns under the sea, smooth as silk, warm and welcoming as a hearth after a walk out in the winter chill. "I have a meeting with the Headwoman soon but I can spare you a little time. Shall we sit? There are chairs just ahead of you and to your left, can you find them?"
Just as the Weyrharper finished speaking there was the sharp 'pop!' of a firelizard appearing; she was a gold and as she alighted on the ground beside her human she yawned casually and stretched her sleek form to make sure that the unfamiliar firelizard in her territory was fully aware of this fact.
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Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2015 2:15 pm
'Are you sure this is a good idea?'
"You're going to do fine, dear one. Just relax. It's just a conversation."
Qyprenna straightened up when she heard the door open and Master Kiment step out. Warden perked up immediately, her wings fluttering at the sight of a new person, and she allowed her owner a brief glimpse of the Masterharper, if only for a second. She then sat her head back down obediently in the crook of the young woman's neck. The weyrling smiled when he spoke, feeling a bit relieved that his voice was comforting. If he had been more harsh sounding or gruff, her nerves probably would have bundled right back up again.
"Yes, sir," she said when he mentioned the chairs. She then proceeded to use a cane that she held to feel out for them, and grinned when she located where the were. It hadn't been long since her sight was gone, so she was still getting used to the cane, and finding things with it made her feel proud that she was using it well. "My name is Qyprenna; thank you for meeting with me." As she said this, she allowed herself to slip into one of the chairs and a sigh of relief escaped her. Now that she was sitting, she wouldn't have to worry about running into anything or stumbling. That was a nice reprieve.
Warden's head jolted up again with the 'pop' of another firelizard coming from Between. She stared at the gold, small eyes blinking, and chirruped at it in greeting. The green allowed Qyp a glimpse of the gold as well, and the weyrling couldn't help but smile. Firelizards were such neat creatures. Not wanting to dawdle too much on looking at fancy pets, the young woman turned her attention back to the masterharper, so she didn't waste any of his precious time.
"I don't want to waste much of your time," she began, her hands placed politely in her lap, "so if it is all-right, I'd like to explain why I'm here." As far as masters of craft went, time was something they seemed to always be in short supply of. They were important people with important jobs, and she certainly didn't want to make him late on her account. "Graduations will be coming in a few months. My peers don't really have to worry all that much. They will find Wings and go on to do great things without much difficulty, and I'm glad for that." She paused as she said this, her hands wringing nervously as she went on. Talking about her predicament was no easy feat. Other crafters probably wouldn't even give her the time of day, as she'd just be in the way. Though, this was one of the few she might have some luck with.
Clearly a bit hesitant now, Qyprenna took a deep breath, and then went on to explain further. "My chances of active duty sort of flew out the window when I lost my sight. I've been looking for other opportunities to do things within the Weyr where I might prove to be helpful, and I-..." She faltered here, unsure of if she should continue. Throughout her body, a feeling of strong arms wrapped around her could be felt, courtesy of Catoth. It was enough to get her to continue on with her words. "I was wondering if I might talk with you about apprenticing as a harper in diplomacy, politics, or something of the sort. My dragon and I -- we both have a mind for such things, so we could be of use. If not, though, I understand completely. It's a difficult predicament, most assuredly. I just had to come and see."
With that, Qyprenna fell silent. She had said what she had come to say, and now all she had to do was wait. It could work, or she would leave empty-handed, but the most important thing out of all of this was simply that she tried at all.
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Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2015 2:44 pm
Kiment listened with his sculpted grey brows slightly lifted and his fingers idly stroking his firelizard, who had hopped into his lap as soon as he sat down. When Qyprenna finished speaking he lent back in his chair, a pensive expression creasing his lined face. After a few moments he said; "I see, you want to do something worthwhile... and something that interests you?" This was clearly a question but Kiment didn't pause to let Qyprenna answer it right away. "You are aware of course that it would not be an easy path for you to follow; being unable to read will be a great hindrance in such detailed fields, and you would be very old to begin an apprenticeship."
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Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2015 2:55 pm
Qyprenna weakly bobbed her head up and down in acknowledgement of Kiment's statements. Of course, she knew that it would not be an easy path. Most things in life were never easy -- at least the ones that were worthwhile, anyway. People had to work hard to do things that they loved, whether it was being a dragonrider, being a harper, or even a simple farmer. If they didn't put in the effort, then whatever they tried to do would be of poorer quality than if they actually put in hard work. She was never one to take the easy route, and that wouldn't stop with her disability.
"I have Catoth to help me, and Warden can be my eyes, too." This probably wasn't much of consolation in the weyrharper's mind, but it was the truth. Her bondmate was more than happy to be the young woman's eyes, should she need them. "Not to mention I have a good memory for this sort of thing. Candidatemaster Venk had high hopes for me before my illness hit." She then paused, a bit anxious given the fact that she would be very old to begin an apprenticeship. Still -- what choice did she have? It was either this, the possibility of weavingcraft, or doing menial labor that didn't amount to much of anything.
She did not want to take a step down the latter road. It would kill her spirit. She was good for more than that. "I'm blind now, yes, but that's all. All of my other faculties are perfectly fine, and my mind is still good. I can do it. All I need is the chance or opportunity to prove it."
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Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2015 12:09 pm
"Did he? Good, I will be sure to speak to him this evening at dinner to get his reference; I trust Venk's judgement," Kiment responded with a small smile, scritching his firelizard between her wings as she chirped to demand more attention.
"It may be possible," he continued after a short pause. "Volumes in the library are mainly fastened to their shelves as you know but were you apprenticed to a trusted Harper special permissions could be obtained for you to take them to somewhere you could use Catoth's eyes to read them.... Humm." Kiment fell silent then, the only sound in the room was the purring of the golden flitt in his lap. "Diplomacy or politics you say. As Weyrharper I am heavily involved in both of course, though neither are actually what I earned my Mastery in. What it is about those two fields that draws you to them?"
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Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2015 2:33 pm
"Overseeing facilities such as a Weyr or a Hold can prove to be a difficult job, what with everything that has to be managed," Qyprenna began to say. "One has to have the proper security, a good management of funds that go in or out of their property, then there is care for the workers within the facilities, among other things. All of this and more," she went on to say, her head tilting ever so slightly, "on top of the fact that Holders and Weyrleaders have to be conscious of the other men and women around them who also have similar jobs." It was as she said this that the candidate steepled her fingers together some with her thoughts and ideas trying to form in her head.
"It's one thing to sit at a table with a Holder you have cordial relations with and be civil. It's another thing, entirely, to keep peace with them. Say or do one wrong thing, and it could upset the wrong person. Then, before someone knows it, ties can be severed, and people often wonder how they got into the mess in the first place." Qyp sat back as she said this, reaching out to Catoth to see what he thought about what all she had said so far. An image of himself nodding his head popped into her own, and with that she continued with a slight shrug.
"I suppose it's the intricacies of relationships, and trying to figure out the best way to keep and maintain peace. Also the formation of relationships, as well."
'The subject seems like a puzzle to me. I like puzzles, and figuring out how things all work together nicely. Let him know that.'
At this, the young woman couldn't help but smile. "Catoth views the subjects like a puzzle. Initially, all the pieces might be scattered and all-over the place, but after you work at it, eventually everything is nice and put together."
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Posted: Sun May 03, 2015 3:20 pm
"Humm, if you wish to have a hand in managing things around here you would be better to seek a position with the Headwoman," Kiment said thoughtfully, and there was the sound of pouring liquid. "Will you take tea, klah, or cordial? I'm having wine, but I know I can't offer any to you at present. As I say however, you could seek to become an assistant to On'ya, she is always in need of competent minds and is more than prepared to make accommodation for said minds' needs.
"As you say however, it is no easy feat to maintain cordial external relations." The Harper chuckled softly and sighed. "Of course the Holds need us as much as we need them, really we're all tied to one another and bark only has so much bite behind it. Of course getting along well makes things much easier... and it does pay to know what your Holds think of one another, and how that could affect you. Catoth is correct, all of this," Kiment waved a hand languidly, "every meeting with a minor Holder after an attack on one of their cotholds is a puzzle to piece together or a dance to dance.
"Tell me however, Qyprenna and Catoth, what you think of the study of law? If you are to enter politics then law must be on your mind as well, the two cannot easily be separated after all." Kiment smiled slightly. "Is law a puzzle also? It is laid down as firmly as the names of those who have fallen defending it are carved into the walls of our dinginghall, and yet it differs from Hold to Hold. So, do you think that the law is just and worthy? In one Hold a man hangs for the crimes your fellows might bring him in for in a turn's time, yet in another he merely works on a gang for a couple of turns. Should we seek to make the law uniform, or accept how it differs from Hold to Hold?"
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Posted: Mon May 04, 2015 7:21 am
"Klah sounds lovely, thank you," Qyprenna said when Kiment kindly offered her something to drink. She was all ears when he spoke of assisting Headwoman On'ya; such a job had never really crossed her mind before. That could be fun. She would certainly be kept busy with that line of work as well, as it took a lot to run all the domestic things that needed to be taken care of for a Weyr. "I'll have to think about asking Headwoman On'ya," she went on to say with a thoughtful smile. "I never really thought much about it."
The topic of law was a much more difficult thing to discuss and think about. Some might find laws boring, but they were necessary to keep things running smoothly in Weyrs or Holds. A lot of individuals didn't have the patience to study such a topic, and Qyp had seen more than a few people sleeping over a law book that they were trying to read. "I'd liken politics to a game where one has to be constantly aware of not only their own strategy, but the strategies of others as well, and how best to get ahead of someone, if need be." As she said this, she reached out to Catoth to ask him what he thought on the law and such.
The images he sent back were a puzzle being put together, slowly, piece by piece. A man was also in the image, putting the puzzle together, and looming over it with an expression of deep thought plastered on his face. This was how he felt when it came to law, and Qyprenna did her best to relay that image to Kiment. "He does think it to be like a puzzle. Sometimes it takes a while for the pieces to fit together. Other times, they do not fit at all." She then paused to collect her thoughts, considering all the questions that the Masterharper had posed to her.
"The optimist in me would try to seek to make laws uniform, as then things might be able to run more smoothly from place to place..." Her words trailed off, and the weyrling allowed a sigh to escape her before she continued, "However, the realist in me feels different. Streamlining the laws from Hold to Hold could prove difficult, especially with ones that are so traditional or set in their ways. People should at least be aware of the basic laws of other Holds, should they be seeking to do business or what not. Say a rider from High Reaches Hold goes to help, do business, or merely travel to Ista Hold. Before leaving, they should be briefed on the customs and fundamental laws, so as to not get into trouble or have difficulties while they are there."
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Posted: Mon May 04, 2015 1:33 pm
Kiment chuckled softly as he got to his feet and crossed the room to collect the pot of klah that was keeping warm over a miniature stove. "Difficult indeed. Let us speak to the optimist for a moment however; do you think it would be right for us to dictate to Holders what laws they should lay down in the name of making things smoother and easier to understand across the lands? Are we - somewhat detached as we are, and without the selfish interests of Lords - in a better position to decide what is best for the people of the Holds than their Holders are?
"Do you take milk?" Kiment asked without apology for the abrupt change in subject as returned to his seat and poured out a mug of klah for Qyprenna, he held off on passing it over until he got an answer about the milk.
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Posted: Mon May 04, 2015 4:07 pm
She smiled, her head bobbing up and down in response to the offer of milk.
"Yes, please."
She then extended the mug with the warm beverage out, so he could pour it in easily when he wanted to.
Catoth sent her a scoff, followed by a chuckle within the back of her mind. The idea of riders telling Holders what to do, well...it probably wouldn't go over well. Especially if the Holders in question weren't exactly enthusiastic about riders to begin with. 'That would end poorly, I imagine. Some Holders like riders, while others do not favor them in the slighest...' As much as she wished for riders to help make the laws for everyone, Qyprenna had to agree with her dragon on this.
"It's not really that simple, unfortunately, to say that riders are in a better position to decide such things," she went on to say with a somewhat sullen look on her face. "Catoth makes a good point: he says that it would not go over well, as some Holders aren't so fond of riders, while some are. What there needs to be are some sort of...arbiter in between them, so they can help everyone decide things as a group, rather than one party over another."
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