Buckling Under

Writers: Leigh M-F., Yvonne
Date Posted: 5th March 2016

Characters: Harki, A'kua
Description: A search for equipment that won't buckle under pressure.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 4, day 21 of Turn 8
Notes: Mentioned: Talwynn, Ilyssia, D'kere, Genna.

The drudges had said the buckles he needed were in this area, so A'kua was crouching next to one of the lower shelves, rummaging through one of the trunks stuffed with metal assortments. He wanted to find some that were good and thick, maybe even a little heavy, in order to provide maximum security. So far, none of the buckles he found were coming close. A'kua found himself wishing he had asked Tal to come help him out; he could very well be overlooking some suitable buckles in his inexperience. It wasn't as if he had ever made straps before, as the awkward stitching on his first attempt would attest.

"There's no treasure hidden in there. I've looked." The greenrider pushed herself off her perch on a bench and wandered into the weak light of the glow, leaving a mostly-tidied mess of grommets behind her. "What are you looking for?"

A'kua looked up and gave Harki a short salute, acknowledging her higher rank. "Ridin' strap buckles," he said. "My class is makin' their first set."

"Awww! That's fun! But you're looking in the wrong spot for riding buckles. Those are better for jackets or belts. Look one shelf set over." She nodded at the shelves a little further down.

The weyrling closed the trunk and pushed it back into place, and went to the spot Harki had indicated to open the squat, heavy box there. "Ahh," he said in satisfaction, and started digging through the buckles inside with a small smile. "This's more like it. Thanks."

She drifted a little closer. **Weyrlings...** It wasn't that long ago that Talwynne had come to her weyr with a bottle of wine and hurt feelings because of weyrling chatter. **I wonder if he's one of them?** For a brief moment Harki contemplated steering him wrong and giving him buckles that would snap. But there was a difference between tweaking the nose of a weyrling and endangering their training - or life. Besides, if she were caught she'd inevitably be given latrine duties for the rest of her life.

But there wasn't any harm in some small mischief... "So... first set of straps you say?"

"Mm." A'kua nodded as he absently answered. "Got 'em partially sewn, so I need these sooner than later." He weighed two in his hands, frowning thoughfully. They were the right size, and seemed to be of a good thickness and heft, so he put them on the shelf as good candidates for the project and resumed looking.

"What colour are you going to make them?"

The weyrling half smiled another time. "Zeiranth wanted 'em red." He pitched his voice a little higher for a childlike tone to mimic his dragon. "'That way they'll be just like you!'" His voice returned to normal. "I told my weyrmate about that and she laughed. Turns out she had a similar conversation with Genna, so she told me how to dissuade him. Turns out red dye will turn somethin' pink with enough chafin'. Zei immediately changed his mind, so now dark brown or black is the plan." He was finding a new appreciation for black lately; it suited his still somewhat dark moods these days.

Harki snorted. "That's boring. Don't be scared of colour. Go with the red. The dye only bleeds if it's set wrong-- black dye is just as likely to bleed. I have a set of scarlet straps and that's never been a problem." Granted, she had also splurged and had got them pre-dyed by a Tanner, but the weyrling didn't need to know that.

A'kua sighed. "Undyed it is," he muttered. He probably couldn't afford fancy colors anyway. He selected two more buckles and debated if he should get any spares.

"Dye it." The greenrider grinned and leaned her shoulder against a shelf. "Besides, if you're going to learn to dye leather, might as well do it from the beginning."

"I'm not. The concern is makin' 'em, not makin' 'em pretty," A'kua said frankly, shrugging, and took two spares before putting the trunk away. "They just have to work, not look good."

"Well yes, but functionality isn't everything or we'd all be wearing burlap sacks. Weyrlinghood is your opportunity to learn leatherworking and dying is part of that. Don't miss out. Here, follow me." Harki turned and headed further back into the storeroom. She turned down an aisle and pulled a glass jar off a shelf, which she scrutinized closely before handing to A'kua. "Red dye for leather, although I suspect it's more rusty than a true red. Just try it."

The weyrling stared at the jar suspiciously for a moment before reaching out to Zeiranth, his eyes taking the distant and slightly glassy look of mental communication. **Hey, Zei.**

}:What?:{ the little bronze asked, sounding distracted.

**Have a look at this.**

Curious, Zeiranth did so. }:What is that?:{

**It's dye. This greenrider here says it'll turn our straps rust-red. Want to try it?**

}:Aye!:{ Zeiranth gleefully yelled.

A'kua returned to reality. "I guess I'll do it."

Harki grinned broadly. "That's the spirit!"

"Thanks, wingrider," the weyrling said, trying a smile. "I guess I should go back to the barracks and start workin' again."

Harki grinned broadly. "Any time."

Last updated on the March 6th 2016

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Buckling Under