Facing Fire

Writers: Rochelle
Date Posted: 1st February 2009

Characters: R'syl, B'warn
Description: An old weyrling comes to R'syl for advice.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 13, day 23 of Turn 4

"B'warn." R'syl greeted the brown rider warmly, rising from his desk to clasp the offered hand in a hearty welcome. "It's been a while. How's Rugowth?"

The stocky young man laughed. "He's fine. Silly creature's decided that chasing greens is his life's work now."

"Oh?" R'syl raised an eyebrow.

The younger man shrugged. "It's a bit annoying when he pulls me away from meals, but he's gotten better in the past turn. He's actually caught three."

R'syl chuckled. "Glad to hear it." He admitted. And he was -B'warn had been one of the more... traditional hold-bred weyrlings R'syl had taught at Telgar, and there had been more than one angst session with the young pair over whether B'warn was hurting his brown with his conflicted morals when the dragon so clearly wanted to just do what dragons did naturally. For B'warn to be discussing such a integral part of weyrlife that he'd once looked at with horror with open acceptance and even affection, the brownrider must have finally come to some sort of mental peace with himself and his dragon, since Rugowth had been too sensitive to his rider's issues to press the matter.

"Me too, actually." B'warn admitted. "It's taken some getting used to, but he's happy. And all that chasing has actually helped his maneuvers in drills."

"I can see that." R'syl admitted. "I was surprised when Usaeth told me you were here. What brings you to River Bluff?"

"Um..." B'warn looked vaguely embarrassed, and -oddly- almost ashamed. "You, actually."

"Me?"

"Yeah... I, uh..." B'warn trailed off for a moment then cleared his throat before speaking quickly, not meeting R'syl's gaze. "I'm thinking about transferring to the weyrlingstaff and wanted your advice."

R'syl blinked. This was not exactly what he'd expected... but then, how many former weyrlings actually went back to visit their weyrlingmasters for just the company? "I'd be happy to help, but... What kind of advice are you looking for?" He asked, a bit confused. He would never have pegged B'warn with an interest in working with young dragons after all the trouble he'd had in his own weyrlinghood...

B'warn mumbled something, suddenly looking every second of his... nineteen, twenty turns? Shards, R'syl had forgotten how young the boy was...

"You'll have to speak up. I have no idea what you just said." R'syl said calmly.

B'warn blushed, the act making him appear even younger. "I... don't want to be called a coward." He mumbled, a little louder this time and barely audible.

R'syl sighed heavily. This again. He kept running into this problem since the Pass had started. Somehow, somewhere, the idea that working with weyrlings was less dangerous and stressful than the fighting wings had started, and it wasn't uncommon for talented wingriders looking at the weyrlingstaff to be pressured into staying in the wings by the idea that leaving them would label them a coward.

He supposed he should be glad that B'warn had come to him, since R'syl had done the fighting wings before transferring permanently to the weyrlingstaff, but instead the thought just made him feel tired. It was more likely B'warn had come to him because he was on the other side of the planet from Telgar now, and no one would ever know that he was visiting him.

"Do you remember your first day of flaming practice?" He asked.

B'warn looked surprised. "Yes..."

R'syl looked him square in the eye. "Now tell me this. Even with all the precautions we take, does it take less courage to stand in front of forty young dragons attempting to breathe fire with no real idea what they are doing than it does to fight in Fall?"

B'warn blinked, staring at him blankly as R'syl leaned leaned back in his chair again. "I... never thought of it that way..."

"Most people don't." R'syl agreed. "But it doesn't matter what other people think of you, B'warn. You know this. What matters is how you work with them. Why do you want to transfer to the weyrlingstaff, B'warn?"

The young man ducked his head. "I... just like the dragonets. And I keep seeing all these new riders with no idea how to adjust to the weyr and they have this confused little dragon that they have to take care of at the same time... and I keep remembering what it was like for me and thinking maybe I can help..."

R'syl smiled. "Have you actually worked with any weyrlings since you went to the wings?"

"I gave guest lectures to the last four clutches." He said promptly. "And volunteered to help with the new hatchlings."

"There's more to the weyrlingstaff than lectures and cute baby dragons." R'syl warned. "There's being available at all hours of the day and night, of being responsible for sick or injured riders, and being a good example all the time. You almost don't sleep during junior weyrlinghood -you've no idea how many disasters forty young men and women can create _without_ the help of curious young dragons. And then you have to watch them go to the wings, knowing that some of them will never come back. Do you think you can handle all that, B'warn?"

"I'd... like to try, sir."

R'syl studied him for a moment, then nodded slowly. B'warn had grown these past few turns. Matured visibly, and he honestly seemed to be interested in helping out. He might be a good fit after all -maybe.

"Then talk to the weyrlingstaff about letting you help with regular classes for a few sevendays, and see what you think. Sohhen would be good, she'd been there forever and knows just about everything. See if you're still interested after that. And if still you are, talk to your wingleader. Weyrlings need good people to help them. You're right about that. But not every person can do everything that needs to be done to get it right."

B'warn nodded. "Yes sir. I'll do that -Sohhen, you said?"

R'syl nodded. "Sohhen. She's one of the regular staff. You remember her, the older woman, worked mostly with the greenriders?" If anyone could determine whether B'warn would be a good addition to the weyrlingstaff, Sohhen could. "And if you decide to do join the weyrlingstaff and someone gives you flack about it, just ask then if they've ever been singed by dragonfire."

B'warn gave a short bark of laughter. "I'll do that, sir."

Last updated on the February 17th 2009

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Facing Fire