Secret Party

Writers: Aaron, Corrin, Duskdog, Francesca, Halyonix, Heather, Iluva, Len, Sia
Date Posted: 2nd November 2024

Characters: S'yen, Katora, C'uren, M'rhas, Z'renh, Varethos, A'ris, Diara, Zaphare, Halia, Tiyo, L'kayric, H'lem, Sylvian
Description: The candidates plan a secret party.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 3, day 10 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: T'lonas, M'thos, Ekirim

S'yen

Ceauren had always lived his life ready to roll at a moment's notice. Accepting a Search? No big deal. He grabbed his travel bag and he was off! The Weyr had anything he was missing, right? Probably.

He strode into the Candidate Barracks, located what looked like an unclaimed bunk (probably), dropped his bag on it, and boomed, "What is _up_, my fellow Candidates!" with his arms spread and a giant smile on his face.

Merhaskel wasn't hungover. That would have attracted the attention of his father or one of the other Weyrlingmasters and it was probably in his best interest to avoid latrine duty again, especially so close to a Hatching. But the proximity and volume of this new voice riled his headache anew and he whipped the nearest thing (a boot) at Ceauren (and missed). "Faranth, _shut up_, whoever the shards you are," he grumbled, curving his pillow around his head with a groan.

"And they say the Weyr isn't a welcoming place to be," Ceauren laughed. "You there! What's your name?" He pointed at a different Candidate, who was also eyeing him balefully.

"Syerin," he replied. He looked the new guy over but didn't seem too impressed.

"Ha! That almost sounds like my name! I'm Ceauren!" He thrust his hand forward to seal the introduction.

Syerin rolled off his bunk and went somewhere else. Anywhere else. The guy was already on his nerves. "You should have hit him with the boot," he muttered to Merhaskel as he passed.

Aedris, who had dealt with the brother squad when he arrived, piped up from his bunk. "You'll get used to them."

Zorenh would not have admitted it, but he was more than a little annoyed that the boys who had lived there their whole lives were so miserable. It must have been the cold. It did things to people. When he had his bronze, he would be sure to visit the shore as often as he could.

He extended a hand to the newcomer and smiled.

"Welcome, Ceauren. I'm Zorenh. Heh. Our names sound a little similar, too, don't they? Where are you coming from?" He surely sounded like someone from warmer climes.

Ceauren beamed at Aedris for chiming in. "Going to be fun for the Weyrlingmasters to tell us all apart, won't it?" he replied with absurd confidence as he shook Zorenh's hand. "I'm coming from the ships, the Silver Fin mostly. Seacrafter family. You?"

"The coast. Vista Point by way of Dolphin Cove," said Zorenh. He had nailed it-- by accent and attitude, both. This man was far too cheerful to have come from the frigid, high-altitude far south. "Dragonrider family."

"Vista Point! You're a long way from home, friend!" Ceauren remarked. His dark eyes scanned the rest of the Barracks. "Where's everyone else from?"

"A no-name farm in Amber Hills' territory," Aedris supplied. It was nearly as glamorous a location as a traveling ship or a tropical beach Weyr full of beautifully tanned people.

"A farm?" Ceauren repeated with a laugh. "Far more action here, I bet, yes friend?" Before Aedris could finish answering, Ceauren pointed at Merhaskel and said, "You! My friend with the terrible aim. Where are you from?"

"Right here." Varethos answered instead, from atop a bunk nearby that was not his own. A leg dangled precariously down and swung gently in front of the kid who sat on the bunk below. "We grew up in Dragonsfall. Merhaskel and I- I'm Varethos- are the Weyrlingmaster Second's kids." The last part was a bit more pointed towards Merhaskel, a less-than-subtle warning that they needed to behave.

Merhaskel didn't have much capacity - or use - for subtlety, but he knew what Varethos was getting at. Maybe it was hearing his full name, which tended to only happen around reprimands and hurt feelings. He reluctantly let the pillow go from his head, and sorta sat up. "Yep, Dragonsfall weyrbrats from wall to wall. We've all got two dads and three mums, and everyone get wild and naked together on their restdays. Any newbies go first. Welcome." There. Much better.

"Now _that_, that sounds like a party!" Ceauren exclaimed. "Where's my invite?"

By now, someone from the girls' side of the Barracks had drifted over, standing at the doorway and watching the boys cautiously as she picked at a fruit. To the nearest Candidate, Katora asked quietly, "Is there something going on? There's a lot of commotion."

Diara had followed Katora over, curious. "Is there a party?"

Zaphare wasn't going to just hang around in the doorway. She pushed past the other girls and into the boys' barracks, flopping down on the nearest bunk, unmindful of who it belonged to. "Doesn't look like a party yet," she said, folding her hands behind her head. "But we can make it one. How about it, new guy?"

Aedris drew up his feet to make room for Zaphare on his bunk.

"Sounds like a good time to me... Where should we host this shindig? I'm not sure T'lonas will appreciate us throwing that kind of celebration in the barracks..." Zorenh grinned.

"How about up in the woods, by the Starstones?" Halia had heard the world 'party' and poked her head into the room too. "We can get away for a couple of candlemarks if we use our dinner block and the freetime before barracks inspection."

"Now that, _that_, is good thinking!" Ceauren said, pointing a wagging finger at Halia. "Using the time available to us!" He clapped his hands together. "So, then. Tonight? Tonight we party? Celebrate our new status, make some new friends, yes? Who can bring the rum? Mm? I know the Weyr has it." He looked from face to face eagerly to see what everyone else was thinking.

"I dunno about the rum," another voice said. Tiyo trailed in behind Halia, slightly out of breath. The clotting of bodies and noise usually meant trouble or fun on this side of the barracks. They weren't mutually exclusive, but it was refreshing (and surprising) that it seemed to point more toward the latter. "But, I know where to procure cupcakes."

"Rum! Now that's _exactly_ what we need. Where oh where do you think we could get some, _Varethos_?" Zaphare asked, pointedly emphasizing his name. "If only someone, like maybe _Varethos_, knew where to get that kind of stuff..."

"You know that my Dad's a weyrlingmaster. I have the most to lose from this kind of scheme, you know. Pilfering from a weyrlingmaster would get me in heaps of trouble." Varethos said mildly. "I'll do it, but y'all need to appreciate the risk we're taking here. We will be greeted at the Starstones like heroes, right 'Rhas?"

"Oh please," protested Halia with a peal of laughter. "Have you forgotten who we have on this side of the barracks? Plenty of us girls work in the kitchens and other useful places. We'll bring as many bottles as you, if not more. You'll just be bringing what daddy won't miss."

In the beginning, this had all seemed like a perfectly fine and normal conversation. But Lakayric had been listening from his bunk, growing increasingly worried with each new face in the room, and each escalation.

"Hey guys, wait..." he said, pushing his way into the group (with a polite "excuse me" to those he pushed past). "What are we talking about here? How much booze are you planning to have? A party is one thing, but all of us getting drunk up in the woods? It's not safe, and staggering around puking isn't really behavior becoming of future dragonriders. You've all got some pride and self-respect, right?"

Merhaskel didn't wait. He didn't hear the warning or worry, barely took in Lakayric's words or proximity at all, still looking at Halia and some of the girls. He leaned forward on his bunk, instantly conspiratorial, "Y'know, if we wanna make it a little interesting, you could steal for your side," and just a smidgen of challenge there now, "and we'll steal for ours. Winners get bragging rights and their side of the barracks cleaned."

Zorenh frowned as well. He had thought this was going to be a sex party. Was that not what they were all talking about at the beginning? Maybe that required booze... but only a little. Too much, and they would just be falling over or falling asleep, and that would be the opposite of fun. Perhaps he would conveniently find other things to occupy his attention.

But. If Zaphare was going to be there...

Zorenh would have to figure out whether Ekirim was going before he could decide.

"Don't be a drag, Lakayric. This could be the last chance to indulge for some, before weyrling lockdown," drawled Halia. She didn't mentally include herself in the 'some,' since this hatching would surely be like all the rest, but _some_ of the candidates would Impress and that would be it for their partying days for a while. "And you," she rounded on Merhaskel. "Make that 'acquired by any means necessary,' and you're on. Right, girls?"

"I'll help," said Lemhask to Merhaskel. Had he been there the whole time? Where did he come from?

"Uh _duh_." Merhaskel's eyes rolled at Halia. "Just don't get caught, 'cause we're gonna want our bunks good and tidy later, right guys?" A devillish wink went to Lemhask, the excitement and thrill having not only taken root, but blossomed rather obnoxiously on his face.

Anyone could boast before a job was done, though the proof would be waiting up at the Star Stones soon enough. In her mind's eye Tiyo could see it -- and their faces -- and it was glorious. So, exchanging amusement and skepticism with a few of the girls, she flipped her hair over her shoulder and prepared to depart for a certain brother's weyr. "Remember boys, I like mine tucked."

Ceauren left out a crowing laugh. "These are the times that make the Weyr _awesome_! So, all things planned -- boys and girls bring their own booze, to the victor the spoils of having a clean barrack, and we meet during dinner block at the Star Stones for the biggest party Dragonsfall has seen in Turns, yes my friends?" He looked around at the gathered faces, then clapped his hands excitedly. "Let's do it!"

Sylvian had stayed with the girls who were huddled by the door, not saying a word. This wsn't what she expected the Weyr to be like.

Last updated on the November 9th 2024

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Secret Party