I Would Never Hurt a Dragon

Writers: Devin, Duskdog
Date Posted: 3rd October 2025

Characters: Mesarian, T'lonas
Description: Mesarian talks to T'lonas about becoming a Candidate.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 10, day 13 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: R'bharra, Oselle

T'lonas

If he didn't make a move now, Mesarian was worried that someone else would take his place. With the Search token clutched in one hand, he knocked on the Weyrlingmaster's office door.

"Come in, come in!" T'lonas called cheerily.

Mesarian stepped in, his expression slightly wary. "Got this a while ago." He held up the Search token. "There's gonna be eggs soon, so, I'm gonna do the thing. Be a Candidate."

T'lonas stepped down from the stepstool he had been on. He had decided to try to add a little greenery to his office, so had been arranging a couple of small potted plants onto a shelf. He'd been assured they were hardy, low-light plants, but he wasn't entirely sure they would thrive in here... still, it was fun to try. "Wonderful! Just a moment. Please, have a seat! Enjoy a candy, if you'd like." He nodded at the bowl on the desk. "What's your name, young man?"

"Shards, you're short," Mesarian said as T'lonas reached the floor. So much for bronzeriders being tall and broad. After eyeing the bowl for a moment, he grabbed a piece of candy and stuffed it in his pocket. "I'm Mesarian."

T'lonas blinked -- it wasn't that he didn't know he was short, it was more that people didn't often point it out so bluntly. "Well yes, I suppose I am." He gave a little laugh. "Pleased to meet you, Mesarian. You say you got that a while ago? Had to think things over for a bit first?"

Mesarian shrugged. "No rush as long as they weren't gonna kick me out."

"Can't kick you out if you've never stepped in," T'lonas pointed out. "That's quite alright, though, there's never any rush. Best to be absolutely sure before committing -- and it _is_ a rather large commitment, if you were to Impress. Tell me, how old are you, where do you come from? Do you remember the rider or dragon who Searched you?"

"I'm nineteen, I'm pretty sure." It was hard to keep track of birthingdays. "I'm from nowhere. Holdless. Searched by Reveroth and R'bharra." He snickered. "Guess I'm the reason the Weyrleaders got their panties in a bunch and demanded _two_ Searchriders for us Holdless scum."

"Let's think of it as you revolutionizing society wherever you go," the Weyrlingmaster mused, writing down Mesarian's details. "Any special skills, have you started doing any sort of craft work? If you've been doing any particular type of work since you've been here, we can likely just keep you on that for your chore rotations."

The young man shrugged. "Been doing whatever. I kind of like the animals, though," he added quietly. Even though they were destined to end up in a dragon's belly, it was soothing to be around them. He thought, too, of the way he was drawn to the forge, watching people shape metal, and what it would feel like to make his own blades.

"Well, the beast pens could always use more hands. We can certainly assign you there, if it's something you enjoy. I've never seen any reason not to let people do the work they most prefer, when possible and practical. I'm sure there's no shortage of other candidates who would rather be elsewhere." He nodded as he wrote notes on that. "Now... I _do_ have to ask, unfortunately, but is there any criminal history we should be aware of?"

Mesarian's face closed off. Of course they were going to ask that. "Gonna kick me out for fighin' to survive out there?"

"Not if I can help it, no," T'lonas said. "But part of my job is considering the safety of the hatchlings, and the other candidates and weyrlings. I consider these things on a case-by-case basis. What one does elsewhere isn't necessarily what one might do here."

There was one thing Mesarian could say with complete honesty. "I would never hurt a dragon."

"Well, that is a relief," T'lonas said, though his tone was more flat than before. "I think it would be helpful for you to keep in mind that you've no need to fight to survive here. There's plenty to go around, and the Weyr is pleased to share it with anyone who pulls their weight and doesn't hurt anyone else."

Mesarian drew in a breath and looked the Weyrlingmaster in the eye. "I'll do whatever I need to to get a dragon." It was hard to let go of Turns of fighting to stay alive, fighting to live openly without shame. He hadn't had to care much what other people thought of him because he wasn't going to stick around long enough for that to matter. Now he had to keep from getting kicked out of Candidacy. "I won't hurt nobody."

T'lonas considered him for a long moment. His own desire to see the best in everyone sometimes warred with his obligation to be cautious for the safety of his Weyr and the dragons. He didn't believe in the concept of _evil_ people, and wasn't even entirely sure if he believed that people could be _bad_. They could certainly do bad _things_ -- misguided things, unfortunate things, harmful things -- and those things deserved punishment when warranted... but he did not think that anyone was _inherently_ a bad person.

That said... the fact that there were no _bad_ people, in his point of view, did not automatically mean that everyone was suitable to Stand for Impression. Some people just took to long to learn to stop making harmful choices at the expense of themselves and everyone around them... and some people, unfortunately, _never_ learned.

But he believed that everyone _could_.

"I'm choosing to have faith in you, Mesarian," he said solemnly. "Regardless of what you may have done in your past, you've done nothing here to show me that you intend any harm. You could probably stand to be a bit more convincing," and his smile returned slightly, just a quirk of amusement, "but I'm going to take you for a young man of your word. Take your token up to Headwoman Oselle, be on your best behavior, and she'll make you official. Best of luck to you on the Sands!"

Last updated on the October 3rd 2025

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I Would Never Hurt a Dragon