A Little Help

Writers: Cali, Teresa
Date Posted: 25th November 2008

Characters: R'len, Pristin
Description: R'len offers to help Pristin get to know the Weyr a little better
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 13, day 2 of Turn 4
Notes: Mentor approved

Pristin hurried back to the weryling barracks to drop off her things. She'd
waited until everyone was out of the bathing pools so she'd be alone, but
now she was late for breakfast. She thought about leaving her long red hair
loose so it could dry faster, but without being able to continuously brush
it, it'd be a mass of tangles so she opted for a single braid instead.

R'len had been thinking about how to help the new girl, Pristin, become a
little more comfortable with her new surroundings. He thought she would have
been there by now, they would have classes soon, and she would miss
breakfast. He had finished his own, and was enjoying a sweet bread when he
saw her come through the door and hurriedly head to the line to get her
food. He watched her as her long red braid swayed behind her as she hurried
along.

As she looked around, she noticed that several tables of weyrlings were
already starting to finish up and leave. She thought about joining one of
the tables, but she got shy and decided to sit by herself. She was about
half way through her biscuits when she realized someone was standing next to
where she sat.

R'len smiled gently, "Hi there, your new here aren't you?" he asked as he
slid into the seat next to her, setting a plate with two sweet breads on it
on the table in front of him.

Pristin momentarily froze, then made herself swallow her bite of biscuit and
relax. She knew him, he had a brown a few rows down, so there was no need to
be nervous. "Yes, I just got here a few days before the Hatching."

"I don't mean to intrude if you would like to eat alone. You just looked
like you could use a friend." he told giving her another gentle smile.

"I just, um, didn't want to intrude on anyone." she tried to explain,
flustered and a bit embarrassed that he'd been able to see her loneliness so
easily. "You can sit here though if you want."

"Thank you. I'm R'len, my brown is Solanth. I thought you were probably new
because I have never seen you here before the hatching. I am guessing that
you came from a hold?" He asked hoping to help her relax a little.

She nodded looking down at her plate. She looked back up quickly, realizing
she hadn't given her name in return. "I'm Pristin, my green is Riprith. My
family was beholden to Amber Hills."

"It is nice there I hear. I was born here in the Weyr, but I was raised by
my foster parents, Sertiela and Darnniel. If I were new here I would think
it a little overwhelming at first. Not really knowing anyone, or where most
things were. I would think it almost a little scary at first" he said calmly
yet earnestly.

The girl nodded again, still a bit hesitant, "It can be. I have to stay near
the barracks when I'm by myself or I get lost."

R'len nodded, "If you like I could show you around a bit. The important
places I am sure you know already, but if there is a specific part of the
Weyr, or all of the Weyr, I would be happy to show you around." He noticed
she was almost done with her breakfast so he took one of the sweet breads
off of the plate and bit into it as he slid the plate in her direction.
"Have a sweet bread, they are fresh and still warm."

"Thank you," she blushed slightly as she took the bread. "And thank you for
the offer. That would be nice I think."

"you are quite welcome." he noticed that she was still a tiny bit uneasy.
"If you like we can go exploring a little after the dragons are asleep this
evening, Or when ever you like, If I am not with the rest of our group, I
can be found in the kitchens. My specialty is bubblie pies." he said with a
sly grin and a twinkle in his eye.

"You like to bake?" She looked up, her interest evident for the first time.
"Like to bake?" he said in mock surprise voice, "oh no, I love to bake. I
pretty much grew up in the kitchen. The only thing I love more than baking,
would be Solanth."

Pristin grinned, her shyness momentarily forgotten. "I love to cook
everything, but I make a fantastic redfruit tart. My father said it's the
best he's ever tasted."

"Really," he said his eyebrows raised. "We really don't have a lot of time
right now to do any baking," he said thoughtfully, "but I would like to try
one of your tarts. we could trade creations, so to speak." He tapped his
finger on his chin thoughtfully. "the trick is going to be to find enough
time to do it."

She looked back down at her plate, "We, we probably shouldn't. We don't want
to get in trouble." It was one thing to cook and experiment in her hold with
her father's permission, it was another thing to go into a Weyr's kitchen.

"Well, it would be a little while before we could actually have time to do
it, But I don't think my Master would mind me brining someone in who might
prove to be a good apprentice, when the time is right of course.." he said
with another sly grin.

Pristin couldn't help but blush. She wasn't used to young men talking to her
at all, and now one was inviting her into the Weyr kitchens. "Maybe..." she
said finally, it sounded wonderful, but she had to think of her dragon and
her duties before her own enjoyment. She looked around the dining cavern and
saw that they were the only weyrlings left at the tables. "We'd better go,
we don't want to be late."

" Yeah I suppose it is getting late. we should go, can't be late for
classes. But at least there is time for you to mull it over, one never knows
what the future holds." he told her with a twinkle in his eye, and pushed
his chair away from the table.

Last updated on the December 1st 2008

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A Little Help