Common Ground

Writers: Devin, Teresa
Date Posted: 12th December 2008

Characters: T'nel, Cosani
Description: Cosani and Terainel find out they have some things in common.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 13, day 7 of Turn 4

Cosani

Cosani stopped in the middle of the hall and frowned. It all looked the _same_! There had to be a map on the wall, or a sign, or something.

As Terainel hurried down the hallway, he happened to see someone out of the corner of his eye as he passed an intersecting hallway.. He all but skidded to a halt just on the other side of the hallways entrance. He turned around and looked down the hallway, only his head and body visible. He looked at the girl standing in the middle of the hallway. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine." She looked at where the hall split. Left or right?

"ok..." he straightened his body and stepped back into the hallway entrance. He was not totally convinced. She looked a little confused. He cocked his head a little, "are you going somewhere?"

"I'm supposed to get some kind of special cleaning solution, but I can't find the supply closet." Cosani sighed.

"Oh, well you are headed in the right direction, Its three corridors down this way, then two left, then another right. Are you new here?"

Another sigh, but a softer one. "Yes," she admitted.

He looked at the girl a second more then walked toward her "I'm Terainel," he told the girl as he approached her "I am a candidate here. When I first got here it took me almost a seven day before I got used to all of the hallways, corridors this way and that, and they seemed to all look the same." he put out his hand. As he stood in front of her, he noticed her blue eyes, and the shine of her light brown hair.

"Cosani." She took his hand and shook it, her grip firm. She liked that she could shake everyone's hand and not have to curtsy like back at the hold. "I transferred here from Dragonsfall." She hesitated a bit before adding, "My father is the Weyrleader."

He mentally noted her firm grip, which was unusual for the girls he knew, of course most of the girls he knew were back home. To him a firm handshake meant confidence, he liked that, especially in a girl."Aahh... well, if you will follow me I can show you where the supply closet is." He motioned for her to follow him. "So, the Weyrleader is your father. This is his first run at Weyrleader isn't' it?" he said as they approached the first turn.

"Yeah." That's what everyone said, anyway.

From the tone of her answer he felt like an idiot. "Sorry, I'm sure that you hear that alot. Did you grow up in the Weyr?." he said casually as they turned another corner. He hoped that he was not asking too many questions' She seemed to be strong of will, and mind. Even thought she did not let on, he would wager that she would be as confidant and strong as a woman, as her father who is now Weyrleader. For some reason that was a very attractive thing for him.

"I grew up somewhere else," she admitted.

"So did I" he said almost quietly and his shoulders slumped slightly, which he seemed to do every time he thought about where he came from. They rounded another corner and headed down another hallway.

She gave him a curious look. "So you were Searched and ... your family let you go?" Her grandda would have thrown a fit and refused.

"Well... not exactly." he said giving her a small smile, and running his left hand through his hair. "I was searched, yes, but my family doesn't know where I am." He said looking down at the ground as they continued walking down the long hallway.

Her eyes widened a little. "You ran away?"

"Yeah," his hands tightened into a fist and his muscles tightened. He stopped in the middle of the hallway, still looking down at the floor. "It was either run away, or wait for the day my father beat me to death." his voice a strange cross between pain and sadness. He took in a deep breath to make himself relax again, and resumed walking.

Cosani put a tentative hand on his arm. "I ran away, too. So my grandda couldn't marry me off. So I could be free."

"Oh..." He thought for a few seconds. "I can understand the need to be free. All I wanted was to be free of my Father." He stopped again looking down at the floor, then back up to her. " I still have nightmares that they will find me and try and drag me back." he was not sure why he told her that. There was only one other person that knew about his nightmares.

Quietly, she said, "Me too." She felt a little guilty. Grandda had hit her, but it wasn't beating and her life hadn't been in danger. Terainel had been through worse.

"I can understand the reason why you ran away too. I have a cousin who was married off to someone she didn't know, much less love. she used to send messages to my Ma, she was very unhappy, and miserable most of the time. That is no kind of life to live either. It takes a strong woman to take the risk you took. Fortunately you had somewhere to go." he said gently.

"I ... hoped I had somewhere to go." She looked away, wondering if she wanted to say anything more. Since her outburst at Dragonsfall the day she arrived, she'd told people as little as possible about her past.He was a little surprised by that statement. He cocked his head a little to the right. "you weren't sure you would be taken in the Weyr?" even though he tried to contain the surprise, some of it still showed in his voice.

She made sure they were alone in the hallway. "No."

His eyes grew a little bigger, "But... your father is a dragonrider, surely they take in family regardless of where you lived before." He could not think of the possibility that they would turn away a family member in need.

"That's what I was hoping."

He was beginning to suspect that she still feared she would be taken back to a world she did not want to go back to. "you know," he stated little unsure if he should continue. After all, he was not sure why he was felt so uncertain about being here. "when I first got here, I lived each day with the fear in the back of my mind, that my parents would find out where I was, and my Father was have me transported back, or he would drag me himself"

He took a deep breath. "But I was assured by the Headwoman, and the Weyrwomans second, that I was safe here. As a candidate of Dolphin Cove Weyr, I would be able to stay here. Even if my Father did show up, they would not allow him to take me against my will. As a Candidate you have those same rights. Even if we don't impress, we have the right to stay here if we chose, neither of us can be made to leave if we do not choose to do so." He told her with confidence.

Cosani nodded. "I heard that, too." Rational truth couldn't always get rid of irrational fear, though. "What about that supply closet?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Right there," he pointed to the closet across from him. "I understand your fears about that, because I have them too, but I have to believe that I will Impress, and I won't have to leave." he smiled "if nothing else you have someone to talk to. I would be happy to be a shoulder to lean on, if you need one."

Anger rose up. She didn't _need_ anyone! "It's fine. I'll Impress this time. Maybe the gold, even."

He could see by the color in her face, that for some reason that made her upset. He thought for a second then stated again. "Yes, I believe you could impress a gold, We will find out soon enough." he told her calmly hoping it would disperse the heat that was in her skin color.

"Yes, we will." Then she could go shove it in her grandda's face. She'd show him that she wasn't some worthless accident, a burden that ruined his chances for more marks.

"That will show them, won't it" he said with lopsided grin. "my offer still stands, even if you don't want it right now." He took a deep breath, he liked this girl for some reason., he hated to leave, but he feared he had stayed too long already. "I am glad to have met you, but I have to get back to my work. Would you like for me to show you the way back?"

"No. I'm fine." She reached for the closet door.

"Well, could I wait and walk back with you then?"

Cosani thought about it for a moment. "No." She pulled open the door.

Terainel shook his head and sprinted off.

Last updated on the December 18th 2008

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Common Ground