Quieter Crafts

Writers: Avery, Devin
Date Posted: 12th December 2017

Characters: V'rel, Talryne
Description: V'rel and Talrynne talk about crafts
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 2, day 8 of Turn 9

Talryne

Vatirel frowned at the yarn he was working on. He'd gone and dyed the
wool roving and now he was using a drop spindle to make it into yarn.
It was a task that he'd been unable to do a Turn ago, he just hadn't
been able to manage the stretching of the roving and then the proper
way of twisting the wheel and letting it go down and start spinning
the threads.

He'd advanced finally enough that he felt safe talking to the people
next to him while he was working with it. So he casually glanced over
at the person in the seat next to him as he began stretching more
roving out. "How are you this afternoon?"

"I'm doing well." Talryne was glad she could answer honestly. She was
spinning her own yarn in order to get a specific color for her current
tapestry.

"How long did it take you to get the hang of this? Because I'm still
worried I'm messing it up," Vatirel confessed.

"Do you mean competent or good, because I'm not sure I'm good at this
yet." Talryne had been crafting for Turns now but she was still an
apprentice.

"Competent works for me. I just need to not snarl it," he said with a sigh.

"Here, watch me." She demonstrated how she was working. Talryne liked
him, Vatirel was a quiet sort and was easy to be around.

"Aha, I see what you're doing," he said after a moment, beginning to
mimic her.

"So, what are you going to be doing with your yarn when it's done?"

"I'm using it for a tapestry. The colors we have on hand aren't quite
right." Besides, dyeing and spinning were skills she needed to improve
if she ever wanted to make journeyman.

"That's neat," he said, impressed. "I'm just doing this because Master
Caores wants me to make 10 balls before the month is out."

"That's important, too."

"I'm just trying to make sure I have all the boring basics down in
case they're on a promotion exam. The way he's acting, I'm sure they
will be."

"Are you trying for journeyman soon then?" Although Talryne was old
for an apprentice she'd started late and was a long way from being
promoted. Not to mention her lessons and projects were sporadic due to
her mental health. She'd lost a lot of time, especially early on.

"I would like to within the next Turn. I like this craft and it would
be a fine way to spend my life." Vatirel didn't want to directly
allude to aging out of Candidacy, in case it upset her. He always
figured the best way to treat her was as if she was just another
apprentice, but he tried to be as sensitive as he could around the
subject of dragons.

"Would you stay at the Weyr or would you like to travel?"

"I'd like to stay here. I don't really like moving around," Vatirel
confessed. "I've moved twice with my mom, and I think, if I could just
stay fixed in one place, I would."

"I feel the same." She craved stability and familiarity.

He smiled at her. "We can be homebodies together. I wouldn't mind
going somewhere for a short bit - like, to a Gather elsewhere - but if
I never have to move again I'm happy."

Talryne nodded. "The Weyr is an interesting enough place anyway."
N'vanik took her out sometimes, usually to secluded places but they'd
been to a few smaller Gathers up North where the Weyrleader was
unlikely to be recognized without his knots.

"It took me Turns to get used to Rising Moons, and then to get used to
here. I'm afraid if I went anywhere else I wouldn't feel settled for
another 3, you know? No reason to go to another Weyr, and - I'm not
the kind who could go to a Hold, I like boys too much. So I guess
we'll know each other for a long time, then."

"That would be nice. You're pleasant company." Some of the other
weavers were too loud or frantic or gossipy. Vatirel was generally
steady.

"Thank you," he said with a head bob. "I know how some people here are
just very. Noisy. This is a quieter craft then many, but..." He
shrugged.

"It still gets to be too much." Especially on days when she was
feeling more fragile than usual.

"Yeah. Some people gossip too much," he said with a sigh. "Some crafts
are better for loners are others for social people, I guess," he said.

"Good thing we're not harpers," Talryne said. She decided not to
mention the gossip about Vatirel and his friend. Not that she would
judge him even if it was true, she'd been wild enough before. . .
Well. Before.

"I'd go crazy if I was. I can sing passably, but I think instruments
would be beyond me."

"All the interaction with people is what would get to me." Most
harpers were expected to travel and teach children before attaining
their Mastery.

"Settling their disputes and all that? Yeah," he agreed. "I considered
Smithing, but while that makes useful tools, I just like making
fabrics more, they're soft. Not as good muscles on a Weaver, but you
can't have everything. Lots of other men can have muscles I admire."

"Good thing we have all those dragonriders for you to admire." One of
the benefits of living in a tropical Weyr was all the toned bodies on
display.

"Yep. And the Smiths and Masons we have," Vatirel agreed. "It's a good
place to live to men-watch."

"Think of all the poor people missing out on the spectacle we get to
enjoy every day." Talryne glanced at the thread she had so far and
judged she needed more.

"I'd hate to be somewhere cold where they all had to wear clothes,
that's for sure," he said. "Do you need me to get you anything," he
asked.

"No, I'm fine. How is yours coming?"

"This spindle's worth is done," he realized. It seemed like he'd done
better once he started working while talking, almost as if trusting
his hands and not hyper-focusing had been the right call. "Nine more
balls to go, I guess."

Last updated on the December 23rd 2017

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Quieter Crafts