Is there a spin doctor in the house?

Writers: Heather, Leigh M-F.
Date Posted: 10th February 2015

Characters: D'kere, A'kua
Description: Spin control is needed in a big way.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 11, day 9 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Ilyssia, Ninaine, Yanley.
Notes: The prequel to "Those Rumors About You..."

Even though the matter was urgent, Aluka had waited until the day after
Ninaine had confronted him to talk to a weyrlingmaster. He had needed to
cool off some more, and try to think of a plan. Unfortunately, the
dark-eyed youth wasn't much of a planner. His line of thought was
straightforward, and didn't always account for possible problems or
deviations. (He wasn't an idiot, truly; he just hadn't always had chances
to use his head for something other than a battering ram.) The last time he
had made a plan of any sort of elaborateness, it had lead to him running
away from his hold. Therefore, he needed help.

Aluka was actually supposed to be reporting to Yanley for chores, but he
was at the office of one of the weyrling staff instead, knocking on the
door and hoping he could catch somebody. This problem couldn't wait any
more.

It never failed, as soon as he got seated with a hot cup of klah and a
bubbly, someone inevitably knocked on his door. D'kere sighed as he opened
up his top right desk drawer and placed the bubbly inside. **Some day I'll
get to eat one fresh.** He thought as he closed the drawer, took a sip of
his klah, and then straightened in his chair a bit.

"Come in." He called, expecting to see on of the junior Weyrlings.

Aluka came in, shut the door behind him, and sat down without being
invited. "Good day, Weyrlingmaster," he said without preamble in a
Dragonsfall accent. He figured it was appropriate for the issue. "I'm
Aluka, one of the Candidates. I need your help. Well, not necessarily me,"
he amended. "Someone's been spreading nasty rumors about one of your
weyrlings, Ilyssia. They've assumed that because we're friends, I
impregnated her and we're going to be weyrmates when she graduates. It's
getting around fast. I admit to being used to trouble, so I don't care
what's being said about me. What I do care about is how this is affecting
Lys. Please tell me there's something you can do."

**Now I wish I'd had that second cup of klah this morning.** D'kere thought
as he stared at Aluka. The Weyrlingmaster's Second hadn't quite expected
such a story to just be dropped on him without preamble. Shoving his
fingers through his blonde hair, D'kere rocked back in his chair, "Just how
friendly are you then to cause someone to think that you might have... er,
impregnated her, as you put it."

Aluka's lip curled. "Not _that_ friendly," he said. "She's only fourteen.
We just talk at meals, or I visit the barracks in the common room.
Sometimes she listens to me sing."

"I'm surprised people are making rumors out of that, then. The Weyr is a
pretty liberal place." D'kere said honestly, although in truth, kids would
be kids and they always seemed to blow things out of proportion.

"Some of her classmates are holdbred, and some of them don't like her for
no good reason," Aluka stated. "They verbally pick on her a lot." He
assumed it was verbal, anyway; he hadn't seen evidence of physical fights.
"This could be happening purely out of spite."

D'kere took in that information with a furrowed brow. He had never noticed
the Weyrlings treating Ilyssia any differently, in fact, two of the ones
that she was comfortable with, E'zar and Z'then, were holdbred. But then,
more things went on than he could see when he was with them in class. "I
will speak with Ilyssia and see what she tells me. I thank you for bringing
it to my attention Aluka."

"Please don't let Lys laugh it off like she has with me," the redhead
requested. "She'll say it's not a big deal, and that she doesn't care
what's being said, but she still shouldn't have to deal with this. I'm
holdbred myself; I know how nasty people can get."

"I'm going to be honest with you, Aluka. If Ilyssia says it is fine and
that she can handle it, then I'm going to back off and let her handle it.
I'll still keep an eye on her, of course, if she needs me, but rumors and
people saying things about you are going to exist your entire life. She'll
have to learn how to deal with those people because I can't follow her
around her entire life protecting her things people say." D'kere would try
to help the Weyrlings develop thick skins and a self-confidence in who they
were, but that was all he could do for them. "I'm sure Ilyssia is tougher
than you are giving her credit for."

Aluka hesitated. The older man had a point; Ilyssia _was_ tough, and
confident, and she didn't care what people thought of her. It was one of
the reasons why they were friends. It was possible he was overreacting
because of the way his mother had been treated, with endless vocal attacks
and an attempt at a physical one by her own father. But that was also
exactly why Aluka was doing this; he didn't want the women in his life to
be treated as if they were worthless. Especially since neither he nor Lys
had done anything wrong. "At least tell me you understand why I'm worried
for a friend," he said, very quietly.

"Oh, I understand completely and she's lucky to have a friend like you
looking out for her." D'kere admitted, although his mind was straying to
the bubbly in his drawer that was undoubtedly cold by this point.

"Good." Aluka got up, having said his piece. "Thank you for your time, Sir."

D'kere nodded to the boy, "Any time, Aluka."

Last updated on the February 11th 2015

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Is there a spin doctor in the house?