A Significant Chat

Writers: Avery, Devin
Date Posted: 24th April 2016

Characters: A'vel, N'vanik
Description: A'vel has a chat with the Weyrleader.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 5, day 10 of Turn 8

N'vanik

A'vel had hoped to be sleeping in on the restday, since he knew all
they had to do was feed the dragonets, bathe the dragonets, and study
and not get into trouble. But by mid-day, Tsogath was so itchy and
miserable that she asked him for a second bath. The weyrlake wasn't
very far - it was just across the weyrbowl, and he was tending to his
dragonet. So it was that he wound up at the weyrlake when it was more
crowded than he was used to.

}:I will go by Loseth,:{ Tsogath declared cheerfully, waddling towards
her sire. }:Hello!:{ she cheeped.

}:Hi, Tsogath.:{ The huge bronze bent all the way down to touch
muzzles with the weyrling.

N'vanik chuckled at the sight. "A'vel, how are you doing?" He planned
to keep an eye on the boy and make sure he knew that even if his dad
had rejected him, there were other people that cared.

Loseth towered over Tsogath, but the small green didn't mind. She was
happy to see the bronze. This was better than classes or staying in a
wallow while her rider worked. }:It is a nice day, isn't it? Inside is
more boring.:{

"Sorry if she's bothering Loseth, Weyrleader," A'vel apologized.
"She's very energetic and itchy and insisted on this second bath."

As for how he was....he wasn't sure he wanted to bother the Weyrleader
with sadness. "I can't believe it's only been three sevendays. Already
she feels like part of me forever. And we're so busy!"

"She's not bothering him." N'vanik waved a hand and dipped his paddle
in the oil again. "You're gonna be busy for a while. Weyrlinghood is
intense."

}:I like the outside, too. Basking in the sun or swimming in the
ocean. You should go swimming when you're bigger.:{

"It makes me wish I'd been Searched a bit before the Hatching. A few
days didn't feel like nearly enough to learn, and everyone seems
smarter or ahead of me."

}:I would like to go to the ocean but the big dragon says not yet,:{
Tsogath said wistfully.

}:You're too small. There are big waves in the ocean and very deep
water,:{ Loseth said.

"Don't worry, you'll catch up. We've had people Impress from the
Stands, so at least you're more prepared than they were." N'vanik
considered asking if A'vel suspected he'd Impress green, but maybe
that should wait.

}:Aren't there those fishes? The talking ones? My rider thinks about
those,:{ Tsogath said eagerly.

"One of the other Harper kids did once," A'vel remembered. "I'd rather
have had a few days for classes first."

Loseth's eyes whirled with pleasure. }:Yes, dolphins. They're fun to
swim with. They talk and play games.:{

"See, it's not so bad." The Weyrleader smiled. "If you still feel like
you're behind after a few sevendays, talk to L'pin. He'll help you
out." N'vanik had already been quite fond of the man, but the
Weyrlingmaster Third's patience with J'ackt had made him move up even
higher in N'vanik's esteem.

"He's been really helpful," A'vel said softly. "I was afraid all
Weyrlingmasters would be strict teachers like, well." He looked down
at Tsogath's hide to see if it looked patchy before continuing.

"Everyone's nicer than I expected, really."

"And what did you expect? Holdless running amok and stabbing random
people?" N'vanik smiled to show he was teasing. Things had calmed down
a bit but wild rumors were still circulating.

"My father was considered for writing the song but I'm glad Lassom
did, he's more sympathetic to the Weyr," A'vel mentioned offhand. **My
father sure won't be now.**

"After the song I think a lot of people are at least willing to
consider the Weyr. But there were some angry holders who talked a lot
and didn't care where they were."

"There are days when I'm tempted to leave them at the mercy of
Thread." N'vanik shifted to reach the next spot on Loseth's hide.
"J'ackt is really troubled, but I saw his potential, so I fought for
him."

"After Impressing Tsogath, I understand that the dragons must see
_something_ in us," A'vel said wistfully. He didn't know J'ackt yet,
but something had to be good in him for his dragon to choose him.

In regards to the first part of the Weyrleader's words, A'vel felt
compelled to speak up. He hadn't liked a lot of fellow holders, and
fellow kids. And yet there was a part of him that really understood
them and all the abuses they'd heaped.

"There are a lot of people who are bullies, and like to push people
around. But you know what I've seen about bullies? They're scared
about something. Maybe they're scared about something big like Thread.
Or something smaller like their wives or their crops. But they're
afraid of something so they lash out at J'ackt or the Weyr instead.
They don't know any better really. And if it wasn't the Weyr, it'd be
something else."

Wow. That was the most words he'd ever said to a ranker in one string before.

"And you're worried everyone in your class is smarter than you? You
already understand more than people twice your age."

He preened at the praise - from the _Weyrleader_ himself! His father
never praised him like this. "Thank you, sir. I try."

"I know it's proper and all, but you don't have to call me 'sir'.
Unless you do something to make me mad." N'vanik smiled. "I like
things to be less formal." Some bronzeriders let rank go to their
heads, but in N'vanik's view if he needed to throw his weight around
then something was wrong. Like, for example, a Master Harper being
cruel to his kid for Impressing green.

"Yes s- N'vanik," A'vel corrected. "Do you always spend a lot of time
talking to the weyrlings?"

"Not a lot, but I do like to keep an eye on them, especially Loseth's
hatchlings."

A'vel thought about it and decided it made him feel warm and fuzzy
inside. "That's very generous of you."

Keeping his eyes on the bronze hide in front of him, N'vanik said in a
mild tone, "And sometimes I have favorites."

The new weyrling's eyes widened and he let out a little squeak.

}:Your rider really startled mine,:{ Tsogath commented.

A'vel took a moment to find his voice. "Is that why you're so
favorable to J'ackt? 'cause he needed someone?"

A thoughtful wrinkle formed between N'vanik's brows. "There's more to
it, but basically, yeah."

}:In a good way or a bad way?:{ Loseth asked.

}:A good way. He felt lost. Your rider made him feel less lost. He
thinks about too much Before,:{ Tsogath observed.

"So he's a lot better than they make him out to be?"

}:My rider likes taking care of lost ones.:{ Loseth shifted to give
N'vanik easier access.

"He's difficult, stubborn, quick to anger, and he has only the barest
minimum of what anyone would consider social grace." N'vanik smiled
and shook his head. "But he's got a good heart, and more of that
goodness comes out every day." He turned to A'vel, thinking the boy
needed some encouragement. "The Weyr is a place you can figure out who
you really are."

"I like the sound of that. The me with Tsogath isn't the me from the
Hall, I guess," A'vel said, chuckling slightly as he considered
N'vanik's description of J'ackt.

N'vanik considered his next words. They'd developed a bit of rapport
now so he thought it was safe to ask. "Did you suspect you might
Impress green or blue?"

A'vel shook his head rapidly, hair bobbing. "People said things - like
I was small and girly so I must be a boy-lover. That I wasn't going to
develop into a real man. But I never thought about boys like that. Or
girls like that. Or...anything really. I thought when I got older I
would."

And now he had to think about it and come to terms with it. And he was
older. Old enough his father could have married him off, if he hadn't
wanted the perfect apprentice.

"How old are you?" The Weyrleader asked.

"I look 12, but I just passed 19," the weyrling said.

}:You do not look as silly as you think you do,:{ Tsogath said,
picking up on his negative impression

"Nineteen and you're still not interested in anyone?" That was odd.

"Not like the marriage-and-kids way holders and crafters expect. I think
my dad had a few girls in mind, but..." A'vel grimaced. "Other thngs
always seemed more important."

"'I need to focus on my craft' huh?" N'vanik guessed.

"I wanted to focus on my craft to get away from the Hall and - my father.
Anything to be gone," A'vel confessed. "Maybe part of me knew and just
didn't want to think about it. I wonder if that'd why my dad never wanted
me to go into the Weyr when we were here, insisted our meals be taken
privately…"

"Shards, he really did have a tight hold on you. Well, you're free of
him now, and unless you want to, you never have to see him again." Why
did so many parents have to be terrible to their kids?

"I think I'm very happy about that, sir," he said.

N'vanik smiled. "And I'm happy to have you here."

Last updated on the April 28th 2016

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A Significant Chat