All In

Writers: Chelle, Paula, Tyr
Date Posted: 31st January 2015

Characters: R'gelen, Symion, Corofel
Description: Rohagelen introduces Symion to Corofel.
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 10, day 20 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Benani, Zathris, Corowal

Corofel

Standing at the entrance to the Hold, Rohagelen waited for Symion to
meet him. Corofel would be waiting nearby too, as agreed upon.
He was learning how to play dragonpoker, learning how to read people,
and it was a fun game. Besides, it gave them something to do
after chores were done and if it got him more candy, then so be it.

Symion arrived shortly, curious about the upcoming game. He couldn't
imagine Rohagelen being very experienced in dragonpoker but
that didn't mean it wouldn't be fun. He was pretty good himself but
not so arrogant to believe he could hold his own with true gamers.
Having watched some rather exciting games at the gathers, he had held
those men in rather high esteem. Something he aspired to, being
able to make that many marks with so little work involved.

"All ready," he said, offering Rohagelen a friendly smile as he patted
a bulging cloth bag filled with sweets.

Corofel peered out. "Hi guys!" he greeted cheerfully. "How you been,
Ro?" he asked his friend and eyed the older apprentice with open
curiosity.

"Same ole same ole. Chores, sleep, lessons. Corofel, this is Symion.
He's a senior apprentice who's been helping me." Rohagelen clasped
Corofel's hand for a brief moment in their customary greeting. "Symion,
this is Corofel, Lord Zathris' fosterling and Heir to Emerald Falls."
Realizing it was really quite impressive when said like that, Rohagelen
smiled. With a look at Corofel, it was easy to see the rakish attitude his
father was famous for. On the other hand, his young friend was dependable
which mattered a great deal.

"Nice to meet you, Symion," Corofel had been drilled in to good
manners. "Shall we go to my room?"

"The pleasure is mine, Corofel," Symion replied with a polite nod,
masking his surprise at finding out exactly who Rohagelen's friend
was. Who would have thought the junior apprentice would be so
well connected?

Nodding, Rohagelen followed Corofel easily, having been this way
before. He counted the steps in his head without thinking. Not for the
first time, he wondered how long his friend would be fostering before
he went back home again to learn about running a Hold. It would be
some time before he'd ever get his journeyman knots. Symion, on the
other hand, probably should have already gotten them. That caused him
to look at the older apprentice curiously. **Maybe he got a late start?**

Corofel led them to his room. He had pitcher full of juice, glasses
and something to eat set on a table. Getting them from kitchen was
easy, he had also gotten his father's ability to charm people.

Symion immediately appreciated Corofel's position even more. To have
your own space. He really did need to make journeyman. "Nice room,"
he commented as he wondered once again at Rohagelen's association with
a Lord Holder's son. "So how did the two of you meet?"

"I was out walking the vines and Corofel had escaped the Hold. We started
talking and we've just sort of matched since then." Rohagelen shrugged, offering
his friend the chance to add anything he wanted. "Plus when I first
got here I didn't
really know any of the other apprentices or anyone."

"It's great that the two of you teamed up. How long have you been
fostering here, Corofel?"

"Too long, nearly two Turns," Corofel replied cheerfully and picked up
the deck of
cards. He started to shuffle it with nimble fingers. His father had
taught him to do
it and showed few cards tricks too. He dealt the cards to them.

Picking up his cards, Rohagelen tried to school his face so no one would know
what he had. Arranging his cards, the junior apprentice quickly counted up in
his head how many he'd need. **Hmm should I go for two pair or three
of a kind?**

Corofel's face maintained it's usual cheerful expression while he
examined his hand. "So, anybody want switch cards or start betting?"

"I'll bet," Symion stated confidently, setting three sweets in the
center. "How long do you expect to be fostering here?" he asked
conversationally.

"I'll take three cards please," Rohagelen told him after setting three
down. He wondered what Symion had since the boy didn't need any cards.

Corofel dealt him three new cards, hoping no one noticed that
sometimes he dealt _beneath_ the deck. One the tricks his father had
taught. He discarded two cards from his hand and took new ones.

Noting the sleight of hand, but caring far more about keeping such
prestigious company than winning or losing a few sweets, Symion smile.
"So what do you guys say? Anything worth betting on?"

"I raise with two," Corofel replied and pushed the candies to the
center of the table.

"Corofel you never answered. How long do you think till you go home?"
Rohagelen caught that slip and then considered his bet. "I call."
Rohagelen put his bit in the pot and put his cards
out. He didn't have very much and he knew it.

"I'm not sure," Corofel admitted. "Probably I'll be here until I turn fifteen."

Symion laid down four of a kind, rather wishing his luck was this good
at the real gaming tables. Not that Corofel couldn't beat him with a
higher four. "And what do the two of you think of Amber Hills?" he
asked his companions while he waited to see Corofel's cards.

"Full hold," Corofel spread his hand to the table. "It's alright," he
replied to Symion's question.

Rohagelen set his down. Only three of a kind. He didn't mind losing.
He hadn't won much in his entire life. He just enjoyed the company. "I
like it here. The people are okay and the land is good. No one bothers
me and I've met some friends. It was just a shame what happened to the
Lady." He looked askance at Corofel, knowing how it was his
fostermother he was talking about.

"Yeah," Corofel agreed with him. "The mood here was really nervous for
a long time after that."

"And to find out it was a crafter," Symion shook his head. "I mean
you expect the Holdless to be shifty, but not a Harper! Hey, looks
like I won this hand."

"Allright your deal Symion," Rohagelen watched him rake in the candy
and determined to do better the next round.

Corofel wasn't overly concerned that he lost the first round. He was
in for fun after all.

Last updated on the February 10th 2015

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

All In