The Voice of Experience

Writers: Heather, Leigh M-F.
Date Posted: 24th October 2015

Characters: D'kere, A'kua
Description: We listen to our elders for a reason.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 2, day 11 of Turn 8
Notes: Mentioned: Ninaine, Ilyssia.

It was pain and exhaustion that finally drove A'kua to D'kere's office.
Zeiranth was blissfully sleeping off his lunch, so A'kua thought that might
gave him a few minutes before the next weyrling class. He knocked on the
appropriate door, hoping the Weyrlingmaster Second would be there, and that
his appearance would convince D'kere to take him seriously; shadows were
growing under A'kua's eyes, his hands shook faintly, and his shoulders were
slumped. Not at all like how he usually was.

}:Our newest bronzerider is here.:{ Kenirath informed D'kere, who was
sitting behind his desk filling in the initial reports on the new
Weyrlings. As the months of training went by he would periodically update
their files to keep records of growth, progress and even failures.

"Come in." D'kere called as he straightened in his chair and took a sip of
klah.

A'kua came in, shut the door, and immediately eyed the mug covetously. He'd
had two at breakfast, but the only thing that kept him from snatching it
straight from the older man's hands was the vague realization that he
wouldn't be fast enough to pull it off this time, and his grasp wouldn't be
steady, resulting in broken pottery and wasted klah. "I'm. Tired," he said
flatly and in a massive understatement. "My head. Is killin' me. It's
takin' all my concentration to speak like this and not backslide into an
incomprehensible accent. Please tell me you have more klah somewhere."

D'kere gave A'kua a sympathetic smile as he swiveled in his chair and
poured a fresh cup of klah from the warmer, "Here, drink this." He set the
cup in front of the new bronzerider. "If it makes you feel any better,
being utterly exhausted, physically, emotionally, mentally, is a common
part of the first stage of Weyrlinghood."

A'kua grabbed the mug with both hands and knocked back half the contents
with one gulp, unmindful of the heat. "Not like this," he said after he had
swallowed. "It wasn't this bad for Ninaine or Lys." He sat down heavily in
one of the chairs. "I can't take the pressure, D'kere. People are already
sizin' me up and wonderin' if I'll advance in the ranks when I don't want
to. I can't handle the kind of responsibility people want me to take. My
idea of disciplinin' an errant rider would be swingin' the back of my fist
into their face to humiliate 'em in front of all their wingmates. Women are
eyein' me like I'm a fancy pastry. I don't want any of that. I'm not meant
to be a bronzerider. I asked Zeiranth why he chose me, and he just said-"
he pitched his voice to sound like a child's, "'It had to be you and no one
else,' and I just don't understand why."

He gulped more klah. "I'm panickin' over all this. I'm petrified. I can't
sleep well at all, and my head's been botherin' me for the past two days. I
get headaches when things are tense. This is tense. I finally went to the
healers this mornin' to get my usual medicine, and even though there's
nothin' addictive in it, I was too scared to drink it in case I get hooked
anyway. I don't know what to do."

"I know it's not a lot of help, and you've heard it a million times
already, I am sure, but Zeiranth wouldn't have chosen you if you couldn't
handle it. Dragons don't choose people who are weak, they choose those that
can help protect Pern. If the healers think you need medicine, and _give_
you medicine, then as your Weyrlingmaster I am telling you to take it,
A'kua." D'kere rocked back in his chair, surveying the young bronzerider.

"I felt very similar to you when I first Impressed Kenirath. Everyone was
sure I would Impress to a brown, or even a blue, but then there I was,
leaving the sands a bronzerider. I didn't feel as though I had the
personality to be a bronzerider, but you know what, that's all a bunch of
nonsense. Don't let the stereotypes people place on bronzeriders make you
feel as though you have to live up to some idiotic reputation. Until you
graduate Weyrlinghood you have only one thing to focus on, and that is the
health and well-being of your new lifemate."

A'kua stared into his klah, wanting to protest. But the headaches weren't
going away on their own, and D'kere was right; if A'kua had been in any way
weak, he would have never survived Bex and voluntary Holdlessness and
learning how to be a socially acceptable human being. Not to mention D'kere
was in charge; if he found out the weyrling wasn't taking beneficial
medication, there would be trouble. But- "There's only one problem with the
medicine," he admitted. "It's not addictive, but it feels like it
disconnects me from the inside of my skull. It only lasts for about an
hour, though."

"Is it something you take as needed, or daily? If daily maybe you could
take it before bed, that way it won't affect your lessons or chores."
D'kere suggested.

"Only as needed." Even though it didn't have addictive compounds, the hold
healers had always said medicine, no matter what it was, should only be
used when it was appropriate. He rubbed his forehead. "Would the healers be
able to give me somethin' that doesn't have that effect, or is it just
somethin' I should expect when it comes to relievin' headaches?"

D'kere steepled his fingers, "That's a question for the healers. I've taken
things for headaches that don't leave me feeling like what you describe,
but then, maybe mine aren't as bad as yours."

The weyrling decided not to compare their pain. D'kere had to handle unruly
weyrlings on a regular basis; A'kua just had to handle a baby dragon and
everything that came with it. That, and he was too tired to really think of
a logical argument. He finished the klah before speaking again. "When's a
good time to talk to the healers today?"

"Go now." D'kere urged, "We need to get this taken care of as soon as
possible so you don't fall behind on your lessons or drills."

"Maybe if I do, people won't be so willin' to see me as a future leader,"
A'kua muttered as he stood up and put the mug on D'kere's desk. "I won't do
anythin' stupid if I can help it," he added, realizing D'kere might have
heard that. "Thanks for the klah, Weyrlin'master. And for listenin'."

"Of course, A'kua, any time."

Last updated on the October 26th 2015

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