Day One

Writers: Iluva, Heather, Halyonix, Francesca, Duskdog, Curious, Corrin, Aaron
Date Posted: 24th June 2024

Characters: H'taysh, Inyara, Casmari, N'kayden, R'bain, A'lin, L'rin, J'nic, V'dryn, Kailis, K'lvin
Description: The Weyrlings have their first class post-Impression.
Location: Barrier Lake Weyr
Date: month 13, day 2 of Turn 11

H'taysh

There was a buzz of excitement in the air as the day began. It was the first day of Weyrling Training for the newly Impressed. K'lvin found that he rather enjoyed the first day. It set the tone, he thought. He and J'nic were splitting up the 'welcome to the first day' speech this year. He was going to cover rules, regulations, and chores, while J'nic would then help the Weyrlings through their first bathing and oiling of their new lifemates.

He glanced at the timepiece on the wall. He always enjoyed seeing which Weyrlings to get to class on time the first day.

Kailis was not always on time. But today, she had been ridiculously early and was simply watching the clock so that she and Chordath could appear precisely on time. V'dryn was not far behind her on timing, coaxing a sleepy Zhomoth along with some help from his firelizard Mora.

}: It's so _early_, :{ Zhomoth complained to his rider and to Chordath. He yawned and curled up against his green clutchmate, intending to nap.

Chordath sent back an image of Zhomoth doing just that, along with feelings of sleepiness, warmth, and comfort.

"Let's see how this goes," J'nic said to K'vin with a smile, then moved to the back of the room. He had his clipboard out, ready to take any notes about how particular weyrling pairs were doing as well as the group dynamics that were beginning to form.

Oberlith had already been up to eat, giving A'lin his first opportunity to chop meat. He had a feeling the task would get old fast, but for now, everything was new and exciting. }:Let's go!:{ the blue told his rider, who wasn't as energetic.

L'rin and Yasanth followed a minute later, after L'rin managed to convince the brown he didn't want to miss the class and promised lots of washing and oiling afterwards.

"Sir," N'kayden groaned as he drug himself into the classroom. He raised a hand and gave K'lvin a salute before collapsing into a desk near the front. "No one warned me that a dragonet is the equivalent of a _baby_. I was up _twice_ last night feeding Aberath."

The corners of K'lvin's mouth twitched in amusement. "Where is Aberath now?"

"I stuffed his gullet and he's sleeping peacefully in his box-thing." N'kayden had his face pressed to the smooth surface of his desk.

Casmari sashayed in next, looking like an annoying ray of sunshine as she smiled at J'nic and K'lvin. "Weyrlingmasters," she greeted brightly, taking the desk behind N'kayden.

R’bain was supposed to be walking on clouds that morning. This was his triumph over the odds of life. He, a nobody from nowhere, had become a dragonrider. He was basically a hero of Pern now. He should have been the happiest he’d ever been, but he wasn’t. He was confused and ashamed as he hurried Brinolth down the hall to the classroom. He’d left Haysh cleaning up after the morning’s butchering. He could have waited, but he hadn’t.

Haysh had impressed green. A girl dragon. A girl’s dragon.

R’bain didn’t know what to make of that. He slipped into class and took a seat next to Lenorin�" L’rin. Brinolth, sated and sleepy from his morning meal, curled up beside him.

Selkirth had been excited since the moment of waking and was now winding her way around H'taysh's legs as he ambled into the classroom, somehow without tripping. He was used to early mornings because of his work, but today he felt more drained than usual, and he wondered if it was just because of the big emotions from the day before. Who knew feelings could be so exhausting?

His own stomach was in knots right now. Things felt... _off_ with R'bain this morning, and he thought he probably knew why. Maybe it would have been okay if not for those sharding rumors... maybe.

}: Is something wrong? :{ Selkirth asked, pausing with one foot on his and the other lifted delicately, hesitantly, in mid-step.

**No!** H'taysh replied, and it was almost actually true, because it was hard to stay anxious and sad when her voice was right there in his head. It was such a beautiful voice, and he could _feel_ the concern in it. How could he feel bad when she was right there looking at him like that? **I'm just tired, probably. You got up early!**

}: I did, :{ she agreed happily, without an ounce of apology or shame in her tone.

He hesitated inside the door, uncertain of where he should sit. His friends were right there, but maybe R'bain didn't want him there? Would it be weird if he just sat down? Maybe he should pick another spot.

Brinolth didn't know about rumors. He didn't know about the complicated feelings his lifemate was trying to keep from him. He just knew his green sister had arrived. He had eaten with her. He liked her. R'bain liked H'taysh. He had felt that much. He chirped sleepily and flapped a wing. }: Selkirth, over here! :{

The sheer and unmeasurable level of overstimulation yesterday hadn't done A'radess any favours. Everything zipped hot, bright, strong, fast and new through Tarvanneth's link and he was not prepared for _how much_ of the world was coming at him at all times. If the bronze was awake, he was busy and in awe of what was around them, _demanding_ to know more about it. Who knew a gitar could prompt such a surge of curiosity and delight and bizarre fascination. In so many ways he felt like he was seeing the world anew, through those sweet whirling eyes.

It was wonderful, it was more than anything he could have imagined. He could still see and hear his family's faces any time there was a pause in the mental noise. But what had been dumbfounding, and flabbergasting, and downright cathartic the day before had also made sleep next to impossible, despite feeling both of their exhaustions that night.

Ugh. And that morning.

A'radess made it in only slightly behind a few of the others, dragging himself into a seat and propping his chin on his hand like it was holding his entire body with it. Tarvanneth, however, loped in with the bounce of a very good night's sleep and a readiness to explore.

"Good morning everyone," K'lvin said as the Weyrlings settled in. He wasn't surprised to see so many exhausted faces. "I'm going to cover some basics with you in the classroom and then J'nic is going to supervise as you give your dragonets their first bath and oiling."

N'kayden raised his head from the desk to at least try to give the Weyrlingmaster his full attention.

"I see many of you brought your dragonets. That will not be necessary in these first few lessons as they'll mostly just want to sleep, and then you have to drag them off later. So for the next one, feed them, and get them set up in their little couches and let them snooze."

Casmari's pencil was making scratching noises as she took notes.

"Let's go over some basic rules. First, curfew. You now have a lights out curfew at nine. All male Weyrlings should be tucked into their beds in the male dormitory and all females likewise in the female. There should be no traveling outside of the dormitory after that time, nor should there be any male and female mixing." K'lvin paused to look them all in the eyes. "That leads to rule number two. Absolutely _no_ sexual or intimate relations of _any_ kind. Not by yourself, not with others, nothing. Your dragonets don't understand and aren't ready for that kind of emotion. Are we clear?"

H'taysh had slipped quickly into the seat by R'bain after Selkirth rushed over to join Brinolth, but was glad for the distraction of the Weyrlingmaster starting the lesson. Even _if_ one of the very first rules was "no intimacy". How did that even work? It was one thing to refrain with a partner, but he wasn't sure he could go _months_ without even touching _himself_. What kind of person _could_?

In a way, the rule was a bit of a relief, though. Nobody was going to expect him to practice being... a green's rider... for a while. He didn't have to think about it yet. He could unpack it later.

Except he knew he would still think about it, whether he liked it or not. He'd just have to try hard not to think about it too much, or too loudly, because he didn't want Selkirth to think it was her fault that he felt weird about it.

"Yessir," he said, to drill the thought into his own head as much as to acknowledge the Weyrlingmaster's rule. _No sex._ Easy-peasy. It would be fine.

V'dryn winked at L'rin. "Well, I suppose those greenriders will have to wait a bit for now," he joked. But he understood the severity of the rule. Even though he'd been thoroughly enjoying the fluid sexual culture of the Weyr, he wouldn't risk Zhomoth at all by breaking such a rule.

A wide smile crossed L'rin's face and he locked eyes with V'dryn for a moment. Then he remembered the other man was a bluerider now, and looked away. How were the best friends he'd made at the Weyrhold, and his own brother, blue or greenriders now? Nothing made sense and he wasn't sure how to interact with any of them anymore.

For his part, A'lin was doing his best to pay attention to the Weyrlingmaster's words while fighting the fatigue that was coming from the now-sleeping Oberlith.

}: This is boring. :{ Tarvanneth tried to shove his face in A'radess' lap, nearly pulling him clean out of his chair. The bronze yawned wide and loud as his rider sat back and cradled his head, which seemed to grow heavier by the minute.

**You don't need to pay attention to this. You'll have more fun with your bath later.** A'radess did his sincere best to scratch an eyeridge at the increasingly odd angle. It made it a little easier to stay awake, at first, but like everyone else his dragon's sleepiness was intoxicating. It occurred to him then that he'd probably be too tired for the rest of his life to worry about intimacy, or its absence.

Inyara walked into the lesson like she wasn't even late. She walked in like she didn't actually need to be there at all. She walked in like she had _deigned_ to grace the rest of the class with her presence and, without so much as a word to the Weyrlingmaster or her "fellow" weyrlings, took a seat at the very edge of the group. Selesinath seemed to follow her lead, the little green quietly sitting beside her rider. Although she eyed the other greens curiously, she did not reach out to them, and the male dragons didn't even receive that courtesy.

The Weyrlingmaster continued without batting an eye.

"Just like in Candidacy, you have chores. Chore lists will be posted at the beginning of each month. The Weyrlingstaff will be checking behind you to make sure that chores are properly and promptly completed. This month's chore list is posted at the back of the room," he gestured with his hand to a hide that was tacked up on the back wall by the door. "There is no swapping places, paying another Weyrling to do your chore, or covering someone else's duty unless you are _sick_. If you find yourself too sick to work, you'll let me or J'nic know and we will rearrange chores as necessary."

N'kayden glanced over his shoulder toward the back of the room where the chores list was posted. He wondered what horrible thing he would be plagued with first. The scratching of a pencil on hide made him glance toward Casmari. Dear Faranth, was she... copying down _every_ word that K'lvin said? Ugh.

"Now, unless there are questions, you are free to head with Weyrlingmaster J'nic down to the Weyrlake for your dragon's first bathing and oiling," K'lvin said. As chairs scraped and people began to move, he looked toward Inyara. "Inyara, that was your one and only tardy. Don't let it be a habit."

Kailis prodded Chordath gently with her mind, and the green opened one eye. Her rider sent her an image of the two of them heading out for a bath, and she reluctantly rose and followed Kailis.

Inyara let out a breathy laugh. "Right," she said. "Good luck with that. It's... funny. That you think this accident gives you authority over me. I did not sign up to be a rider, Weyrlingmaster, and I will not be treated like one."

With that, Inyara turned to walk away, Selesinath hot on her heels.

A'lin watched Inyara march out of the room with her green, worried for her. It must be so strange to Impress without even being a Candidate. Hopefully she would be ok. He nudged Oberlith awake and, after a few moments, the pair followed the others.

L'rin shook his head at her antics. He remembered their meeting months ago and how devoted she had been to her craft. It served her right, thinking she could be a smith. At least a female greenrider was more acceptable. "Let's go," he said to his brown.

**Please keep an eye on Selesinath** J'nic told his green. For the next quarter candlemark, he needed to focus on teaching the new weyrlings. After that, though, he'd go talk to Inyara. It looked like her transition to being a dragonrider would be a challenging one.

Last updated on the July 2nd 2024

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Day One