No Place Like Home

Writers: Kaysea
Date Posted: 22nd August 2007

Characters: Xara, Laysea
Description: Xara moves from the candidate barracks to a shared weyr.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 5, day 10 of Turn 4

She still didn't have many possessions since arriving at the Weyr, and for once, she was grateful. Her trunk thunk-thunked as she pulled it slowly up each step closer to the weyr she had been allotted to by the Headwoman.

A shared weyr, with the chance of her own weyr once the lower caverns had recovered from the storm damage. The Weyr appeared to be nearing completion, but for those who worked down in the lower caverns and the kitchens, they new it would still be a while before everything really was back to normal.

"You want a hand with that?" a voice asked from above, "If I squeeze past, I could grab the bottom of the trunk and help you with it?"

Xara glanced over her shoulder and almost lost her balance. "Oh..yes, help would be good! Help would be - helpful." she laughed. "I still have a flight to go, according to the diagram I was given."

"Well glad I could be of assistance."

Xara felt the other girl squeeze past her, and saw a dark haired, fair skinned, girl with a wide smile appear below her. "Hi - Laysea's my name. I don't think we've met before, but I recognise you from around the place."

Xara held out her free hand and gave an awkward hand shake by way of introduction. "I'm Xara, I was a candidate but I work in the lower caverns now - in the kitchen. I bake." she smiled in reply.

"Of course! I recognise you now, you were - er, unsuccessful last hatching." Laysea's eyes lost a bit of their sparkle.

"Yes, I did." Xara smiled back at the beasthealer to show she had taken no offence or upset from her words. "I've Stood a few times now, and unsuccessful each time. But please, don't feel bad for me. I found my true calling a short time before I walked the Sands, this time." She bent to the task of her trunk again, and waited for Laysea to do the same. "I love baking - apparently I have a natural talent for it."

"Yes, I'd have to agree, I remember asking about your pies only the other day. I know your name almost better than your face, truthfully." Laysea grinned, heaving the trunk up in her hands. "Which floor?" she asked.

"Fourth floor, east basin fourth hallway. If I'm reading the Headwoman correctly." she said, glancing once more at the small piece of scrap paper.

"Oh, same floor as me. Which room?"

"Umm." Xara squinted closely at the paper, "Shards, I've looked so many times, I've smeared the number," she held out the paper to Laysea, "Does that look like a four or six to you? I can't tell."

With a laugh, Laysea looked up at her, "Well it won't be number four, unless you're a boy in disguise? There're three in that weyr already and I doubt they'd fit another one in. Things are still pretty cramped up here."

"I hope I wasn't put in with any boys." Xara gave a grimace, "I don't think I could cope with that."

"Well you won't have to, you're in with me - number six is my room, and its a small one, just enough room for two beds and enough space to walk around the pair of them."

"Oh? Oh! You're my new roomie?" Xara's face split into a wide smile again, "Oh, that's great."

"Well we'll see how you feel during the next sevenday - " Laysea laughed. " - when I come home smelling of all the beasts in the cavern."

"Look, I grew up in a small cothold, I'm used to the smell of beasts, you won't worry me. And you have an added advantage having me as a roomie." she grinned, waiting for Laysea to reach the landing. "Which way?" she asked, the corridor didn't look wide enough for them to walk side by side with the trunk between them, but was well lit.

"To your left and the fifth door on your right. Doors two and four are the necessary and a cleaning cupboard." Laysea replied, nodding in the direction they were to take. "And tell me, why am I lucky to have you as a room-mate?" she asked.

"I'm a baker, silly. That means you get room service of all the new stuff I start creating. You'll be my tester!"

"Okay, this is ours." Laysea said, coming to a stop outside their room. "The trunk will fit at the end of your cot, but you'll have to be careful during the night, if you need to go to the necessary. You'll be forever hitting your legs against it, on your way to the door."

"So speaks the voice of experience." Xara laughed, "So, what do you think? Do you approve of your new roomie?"

"I'll let you know, once you start bringing me food!" Laysea laughed. "I'd like to see the advantages first. But I s'pose you'll do."

"Gee - thanks, don't be so effusive next time." Xara countered, "I'll be getting a swelled head next." she said, opening the door as she did so.

"Shards! We don't want that - " Laysea exclaimed, " - there's not enough room as it is."

And much as Xara hated to agree, she realised Laysea was right, there wasn't enough room to swing a feline in the room. Obviously this had been one of the store rooms before the storm, and eventually would become one again.

But for now - it was home.

Last updated on the October 18th 2008

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No Place Like Home