You Can't Take the Trader out of the Girl

Writers: Chelle, Emma, Miriah, Paula
Date Posted: 26th January 2015

Characters: Lenala, Rhosyn, Lanniya, K'sedel
Description: The Weyrleaders officially congratulate their new gold weyrling even though she's shoeless.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 10, day 15 of Turn 7

Lenala

Lanniya

K'sedel

It took some time before the new weyrlings were released to attend the feast
after feeding their lifemates and getting them settled.
Rhosyn kept her eyes open and when she saw them, she moved towards K'sedel.
The Weyrleaders reserved the right to be the first
besides the Weyrlingmasters to welcome their new goldrider into
weyrlinghood. The crowd parted and she saw the young girl, once
again wondering just how this was going to go. So much depended upon it. **I
will not be like _her_. I will not ever be like _her_.**

Now that Anaeryth was asleep, Lanniya was torn between staying with her gold
and attending the party. They were to have dancing
and though she was tired, she didn't want to miss it for an instant. She
quickly washed, left her bright hair down and slipped on her
dress, then hurried towards the feast on quick, bare feet. That the crowd
parted around her was a bit of surprise, but she smiled widely.
Her eyes fell on K'sedel and her eyes sparkled as she approached. "So I
guess I get to claim my dance!" Her eyes then swung to Rhosyn
and the smile faltered a bit as she dipped a quick curtsey. "Weyrwoman."

Rhosyn watched the girl quietly, gauging her reaction. **Why did she speak
to him first? Does she not understand it is me she will have
to work with, me she will train with? I am the one she should be trying to
impress.** Rhosyn's first Weyrwoman had taught her many things,
not the least of which who held the real power when it came to her life.

"Well met gold weyrling Lanniya of River Bluff," she said, falling back
on formality as she continued to worry behind that careful façade.
"Congratulations on your Impression." **And why would she want to dance
with K'sedel when there are many young men here waiting for the chance?**

"My duty to you and Anaeryth," K'sedel said formally. "Congratulations
goldrider."

Lanniya suddenly felt uncomfortable, standing there with no shoes and
faced with two serious leaders of the Weyr. But that was no reason not
to smile, she figured. So she smiled widely at them both and gave
another curtsey. "Thank you. Both of you."

And that was when Rhosyn noticed it. She didn't say a word lest the guests
that were now looking at Lanniya's face turn down to her feet. **Why would
you come to a Hatching feast after impressing a queen without shoes?**
"Please enjoy what the Weyr has to offer. When you're ready to meet the Lord
and Lady Holders and some of the others, please let us know. They'd like to
give their duty as well." Behind her back, she pinched K'sedel's side just
slightly. Hopefully he got the message without her having to be obvious.

}:Nikornath mine seems to be confused as to why the girl has no shoes. She
will need shoes to dance. Maybe Vilarth's can see to finding her some:{
Lenala was much better at social situations than Rhosyn would ever be and
she'd have to meet the young weyrling at some point anyhow.

}:But we don't wear shoes either,:{ pointed out Nikornath. }:Perhaps she is
copying us? But if yours can attract Vilarth's attention:{

K'sedel was schooled enough to ignore the slight discomfort. "Can I get you
something to eat first? Make sure you're ready to run the gauntlet?"

}:Vilarth, can your rider please find Anaeryth's some shoes quickly?:{ Orlaith
soothed Rhosyn, letting her know that the other goldrider was on the case.

Lenala couldn't for the life of her understand what was asked from her when
she got the message from Vilarth.

**Shoes? Did you get that right?**

}: Yes, shoes for the new rider, :{ Vilarth confirmed, after a pause, during
which she probably checked it from either Orlaith or Nikornath.

**Shoes?!** Lenala was still perplexed but she was used to do as she was
told to. Maybe the girl didn't have proper shoes for the Feast. **What size?
And colour?** Those were important questions in her mind. Shoes had to match
the dress. Hers were perfectly matched with the colour and style of the
dress.

Lanniya shook her head. "No thank you. I don't think I could eat just yet. I'm
still too excited." She glanced at Rhosyn, the woman's expression making her
uncertain. "I think I'll just mingle for now. There's many people to meet."

"Take it steady," advised K'sedel. "Tonight will be the start of a
long weyrlinghood."

"You may want to meet Lenala first..." That made proper sense and Rhosyn
thought she saw her Second out of the corner of her eye. If she had the shoes
in hand so much the better. The girl couldn't mingle with there being the chance
of someone noticing her lack of dress. **The first thing said would be that River
Bluff was so poor it couldn't even shoe its new queenrider or even that the girl
was simple for not wearing any.** She couldn't allow Lanniya to cause herself
such trouble without knowing, much less to cause the Weyr harm.

Lenala had found black strap sandals with half-inch heel and she now
arrived with them. "Rhosyn? I have shoes, I hope they are what you're
asking for?" she sounded uncertain and tad bit confused.

When Lenala appeared with the shoes, Lanniya immediately guessed that
they had noticed that she was without any. It was obvious that she was
the only one _not_ wearing any. Her smile fell; she hated shoes. She
wore them when she had to, but for dancing, shoes hurt her feet. She
liked feeling the ground beneath her toes. She looked at Rhosyn. "I
hope you didn't trouble yourself about shoes for me." She lifted her
lips towards the other goldrider and curtsied a quick greeting .
"Thanks, but I have shoes, I just don't like them. I'd rather go
without for dancing."

Lenala just stared her in dumbfound disbelief for a moment. Then she
frowned. "But you can't go to feast without shoes! It's
like...like...you don't do that. It's against etiquette. Besides it
looks stupid!" she was obviously upset with the notion. Dancing
without shoes? "What if someone steps on your toes? Or drops a glass
on the floor and you step on shards? That's just...unheard of," she
fumed.

Making sure no one was listening outside their circle, Rhosyn nodded to
Lenala and then came closer to Lanniya. "Lanniya-if you want to take
them off when dancing that's allright, but for when you are mingling, it's
better to have them. You'll be representing the Weyr, you see. And people
very well might think ill of you and us. Perhaps the Weyr can't afford to
give you shoes. Or perhaps you're a simple trader girl and not fit to ride
gold. You see? I don't want them to have a reason to think badly of you.
I want you to succeed. People thought badly of me when I was young and
it caused problems for me and Orlaith."

Bombarded from both sides, the expression that appeared on Lanniya's
face spoke plainly of her questioning their sanity. It was just shoes
and she couldn't see how they or the lack of them could affect the
Weyr as strongly as it was implied. And she was a simple trader girl;
if she hadn't been fit, Anaeryth wouldn't have chosen her. Needing
help, she turned quickly to Nikornath. **Nikornath, are Vilarth's and
Orlaith's acting normal? I think the hatching has made them a little
funny in the head?** While she was talking to the bronze, she slowly
and carefully took the shoes, eyeing both women as though they would
pounce on her.

}:Let them for the moment,:{ advised the bronze. }:When they get to know you
they will relax about things.:{

She was the strangest girl Lenala had ever met.

Since Rhosyn hadn't said anything, Lanniya eyed the shoes with
resignation and slipped them on. They immediately pinched her toes and
she struggled not to immediately yank them off. She would not and
could not dance in them; instead she decided that she'd kick them off
when asked for a dance. **Hopefully they'll relax soon, Nikornath.
These feel absolutely horrible.**

Last updated on the February 10th 2015

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

You Can't Take the Trader out of the Girl