Time For a Change

Writers: AL, Len
Date Posted: 16th December 2010

Characters: Briata, A'shel
Description: Briata meets Angshel in the infirmary
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 11, day 28 of Turn 5

Briata

"Sereyne, I brought you some..." Briata stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes trained upon the bed. That wasn't Sereyne. That wasn't even a woman! "Oh!" She breathed, taking a step back to become level with the curtain she had pulled aside. "I'm....I'm sorry." She apologised to the young man upon whom she had intruded. "I thought you were someone else."

Angshel blinked at the beautiful girl. He had just been slipping off into sleep when she had pulled the curtain back. "Oh, it's okay! Don't go!" He loved having company.

Briata paused, surprised by his request for her to stay. After all, they were strangers. But it would have been rude to go so instead, the young woman took a step closer and allowed a smile to appear. "I'm Briata." She stated after a short but awkward silence.

Angshel realised he was staring. But then again, she was breathtakenly beautiful. Grinning and flushing slightly, he said, "I'm sorry, I should have told you my name! It's Angshel." He sat up in his bed, still staring a bit at the girl. Catching himself again, he blushed. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't stare so."

"It's...all right." Granted, the staring was rather...well, it was rather odd and uncomfortable, so she was glad when he finally stopped. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Angshel. I had come to see a friend, but I guess she's been released. It must have been just this morning." Not enough time for her to have heard at any rate."

"Really? This has been my bed for some time now. But..there was a girl just beside me that was released only this morning, so you're right." He swung his legs over the side of the bed and adjusted his right arm, which was still in its cast. "If you want, I can go ask where she went for
you."

Briata shook her head. "No, that's all right. I can ask. Sereyne said she'd be released in the next day or two...I guess today was the day." She motioned toward the cot. "Please, lie back down. You look like you've been through a lot."

"Oh...yeah, that." He grimaced a bit. Since he had been here he hadn't really wanted to think too much about what had happened to him that day. One of the healers had sent over a mind healer who had said he may start getting nightmares and flashbacks about it, but so far he hadn't. What he preferred to focus on was this exciting place called the Weyr were he had landed himself. Looking back at her and obeying her, he asked, "so what do you do here? Are you a dragonrider too?"

"Me? Oh no." Briata shook her head. "No. I'm not a dragonrider and don't ever plan to be." She stated with a sense of finality. She'd been asked this before, but ever since that previous Weyrwoman...well, she was careful to make sure people knew where she stood on _that_ subject. "I'm a Weaver. Well, just a senior apprentice, but...one none the less. And you?" There were no knots she could see. "Are you a rider?"

"No, I'm no dragon rider." He had to grin at that. Him? A dragon rider? Like any dragon would choose him! "No, I'm only a drudge. I've only been here a short while." His look turned wistful at the mention of a craft. "I'd love to join a craft though. It must be wonderful not to have to clean and carry stuff all day."

"Well, it depends on whether or not you enjoy work of another kind." Briata pointed out with a soft laugh. "A craft is still a lot of work...but I enjoy it. Very much. What craft interests you?"

"Oh, I don't mind work. It's all I've ever known. But work that has meaning..." His voice trailed off, imagining a life that held a goal to strive for instead of one that just toiled for the comfort of others. "A craft? Um..I was thinking about healing...it must be wonderful to help others like that."

"Yes. I'm sure it is. It's not my calling, but perhaps it's yours." Briata glance behind her as various healers hustled and bustled about. "I'm sure you have but to ask."

And there lay the problem, for Angshel. "Oh, I'm only a drudge, I'm not sure they would want me following them around." He looked wistfully first at the Healers, and then at Briata's knots. "This is more than I could ever had wished for, to be allowed to stay in the Weyr, and to know that I'm safe and can't be hurt for what I am anymore. But to actually ask to be allowed a Craft..." He didn't want to push his luck. "I'd be happy being a drudge here, just as long as I never have to see another Hold again."

"I started out as a creche worker, then approached a Master about apprenticing. Now I am an apprentice weaver." Briata pointed out by way of encouragement. "If you want to craft, go to a Master. Talk to him or her and I'm sure you'll be glad you did." She paused, then tilted her head. "What's wrong with the holds?"

"What's wrong with the Holds?" he echoed her question. What was right with them? He shrugged his shoulders. "It's just I don't understand an entire place that will stand against you just because you're not completely like them. It was Hold boys who did this to me, and they wouldn't have if they had been raised to accept people for who they are and not what they are."

His response caused Briata's brow to furrow. Then, a realisation dawned. "Ah, I see. Well, I suppose it depends on what hold you are talking about. Not all are like that." Most, but not all. While her father didn't necessarily care for that...well...he still wouldn't have allowed something like that to happen to someone, no matter who or what they were.

"Yes, well, now I don't have to worry about that any more. The Weyrleader told me I could stay." His face glowed, thinking about that day that the Weyrleader had visited. That had been one of the best days of his young life.

"I am glad to hear it." Briata inclined her head as if to emphasize what the Weyrleader had said. "And I encourage you to speak to a Master if you are interested in a craft. It wouldn't surprise me if you were accepted."

"Do you think he would accept me? I mean, I'm not really...well, I've only ever been a drudge. I mean..." Angshel shut his mouth when he knew he wasn't making any sense. But how did you explain to someone that you weren't important enough to bother someone as important as a master?

"I think he's more likely to accept you than not as long as you're willing to work hard and learn." Briata pointed out with a small smile. "I wasn't anything more than a woman who grew up in a hold. I started out in the creche here. Now I am an apprentice weaver. You situation is very similar. You should ask."

"Maybe..." he muttered. "But I'm sure you had higher rank than a drudge, right?"

"When I came here...I became nothing more than a creche worker." Briata explained with a small smile. "And please, don't put yourself down. Drudges are important - even if you don't think so."

Angshel smiled, glad that she seemed much different than the people he had grown up around. "It's just...all I know is being put down. Except for my mother."

"Perhaps it's time for a change." Briata suggested. She reached into her basket and pulled from it a couple of sweetrolls. "Here. There's plenty for you to have some. I'm sure you will enjoy it. I should go see if I can find Sereyne."

"Wow, thanks!" She was so kind! Everyone here was so kind...once again he thanked Faranth he had come to this place. Thinking about what she said, he answered, "yes, maybe it is."

"Then...make a change." Briata encouraged him with a smile. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Angshel. I hope you heal quickly." Then the young woman turned and made her way out, leaving Angshel to his thoughts and sweetrolls.

Last updated on the January 22nd 2011

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Time For a Change