Hey Foot, Meet Mouth!

Writers: Chelle, Anaria
Date Posted: 17th December 2010

Characters: J'klin, Rhosyn
Description: J'klin runs into Rhosyn and she sets him straight.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 12, day 9 of Turn 5
Notes: Mentioned: Roana, Lenala, Ariau, Solieira

J'klin watched from the ground as the Queen's Wing performed their
drills. He had arrived early to come surprise Roana, but had
apparently misjudged how early he had arrived. He paced around on the
ground for a few moments before realizing that he was not the only one
who was observing the drills that day. Weyrwoman Rhosyn was also
watching the drills a short distance away. J'klin debated for a
moment, then decided that it would be rude to just sit there and watch
when she was right there, so he walked over to her. "Good afternoon!"
he called out cheerfully.

Rhosyn turned, reading the knots first as always. "Afternoon. What can I
do for you?"

"Nothing official," J'klin said hastily. He assumed that a lot of
people wanted to bother Rhosyn with official matters, and he didn't
want her immediately thinking that was the case. "My name's J'klin, I'm

Nimyth's rider. I was just waiting for my... for Roana to get done
with her wing drills, and I noticed you standing here. I figured I
would come say hi and see how you were doing today?"

**His Roana hmmm** Rhosyn caught the slip and she filed it away.
"Doing fine now that Orlaith has clutched. Plenty of lovely eggs for the
Weyr."

"How is she with eggs?" J'klin asked curiously. As a brownrider, he
really had no experience with golds and their clutches. He had heard
horror stories about some golds refusing to let anyone near their
eggs, or refusing to let their rider leave their sight. "I assume she
isn't too demanding if she let you sneak away to watch the practices."

"Actually she hates to be bothered period. If she needs me, she'll call
and I do sleep there at night so she knows I'm near, but other than that
I'm free and easy." Rhosyn was thankful for that.

"Sounds like you've got it easy then!" J'klin said. "So now that
you've had more time to settle in here, how are you liking the Weyr?
People aren't giving you too much trouble, are they?"

"Do you think they would?" She was quite curious to hear someone else's
opinion of how River Bluff worked.

"Hm, I really don't know. I've never been in charge of anything,"
J'klin said with a grin. "But I assume that being in charge has a lot
of responsibilities. Everyone wants to steal your time, people are
always watching what you're doing and judging you because of it. I
wouldn't want to be Weyrwoman if I could be!"

"It's not so bad. Sure it's a lot to do but I have help." Lenala's assistance
was invaluable and Ariau was learning. "People can judge all they want.
All I can do is my best."

"That's a good way to look at it. And there are definitely benefits
too, I would assume. I bet few things can compare to the joy of seeing
your dragon's eggs hatch and find their lifemates. And also helping
the members of the Queen's Wing be the best dragonriders that they can
be. Those things must be rewarding."

Rhosyn did enjoy being a Wingleader though she would probably never
admit it openly. "Hatchings are always wonderful for me and I'm here to
be a support to all the riders of the Weyr."

"But what about what you want? You don't really have any choice in
anything since your Impression. Like I can make a decision to apply to
be a Wingleader if I want, but you don't get that?" J'klin said. It
was something that had always bothered him about goldriders. "I'm
sorry, that comes off somewhat rude, I guess."

"Look at it this way, J'klin. No one gets much choice once they Impress.
We all fight thread. We all put our dragons first, as well as our duties.
I didn't have to be Wingleader. I could have stayed at Vista Point, where
I may or may not have ended up Weyrwoman much later. I decided to come
here and see if it happened or not, knowing what else would come." Rhosyn
refused to believe that she didn't have a part in her own future.

"I suppose that is a valid point," J'klin said, musing it over. "I've
considered taking a leadership position at the Weyr at some point, but
I really have no idea how one goes about doing that. And until
recently, I'd kind of had some things that were holding me back from
pursuing that."

"Well, the Wingleaders choose their seconds. So if you stand out during
drills and falls, as well as maybe volunteer to help them with things, there's
a possibility that when something comes up, your name will be there." Rhosyn
shrugged, keeping an eye on Ariau's flaming.

"I guess I could volunteer to help the Weyrleader out," J'klin said.
He hadn't really thought about volunteering to go above and beyond.
"And that might help make up for my problems in the past too, and show
that I am really willing to do whatever it takes to be a better
rider."

"Sounds like a good idea I think. With the hatching coming, there's plenty
to do for all of us. We need all the help we can get." Rhosyn would be very
glad once it was over. She was looking forward to sleep.

"I'm sure that's true. Have you gotten a chance to check in with the
Candidates yet? I swear, it seems like every turn they look smaller
and smaller. Or maybe that's just me getting old," J'klin said with a
frown. "The last group didn't look big enough to carry themselves let
alone toss firestone."

"Of course I have," As if Rhosyn wouldn't have already started to check
out the adolescents who might ride one of Orlaith's hatchlings. "I'm small."
After a particularly interesting maneuver, the wing came down to rest. Rhosyn
turned to him, wondering what he would say to that.

"Well, I mean, there's nothing wrong with being _small_ of course, but
the candidates, they barely look 10 turns old!" J'klin said, his voice
a bit quick with embarrassment as he struggled to correct himself. It
just didn't seem like he could manage to stay on leadership's good
side recently.

"I assure you, they're older than that. Still, we'll get them straightened out.
Don't worry about it." She made a mental note to sit down with Solieira soon
about some of that.

"Are you nervous, since this is your first Hatching since you've come
down to River Bluff?" J'klin asked, curious. "Or are Hatchings almost
an old habit by now?

"I'm always nervous until the eggs are done hatching. Doesn't matter
where I am. They're like my babies, even though I know they're Orlaith's.
I want to see each of them safe." Rhosyn thought about how cute baby
dragonets could be.

"I can understand how your bond with Orlaith would make her
possessiveness and protectiveness over them affect you," J'klin said.
"Have you ever had any children of your own?" He asked curiously,
wondering how the experience might compare.

"No." Her tone was neither regretful nor sad. It was a simple denial.
To her way of thinking, a proper goldrider didn't have time for children.
That's what the Lower Caverns women were for.

"Ah, me either. I always thought it would be odd, having little mes
running around. Even though I wouldn't end up raising them, it's still
an odd thought to me. Besides, I hardly think I'm the type of person
who should reproduce," J'klin joked.

She laughed, not being able to help it. "Not to impugn you but..I'm
always grateful when people do realize that about themselves."

"I wish some of the girls I've been with would have had parents that
realized that!" He joked. He'd had more than his fair share of bad
relationships with women. "As well as most of the closed minded people
at the Hold..."

"I was a holder." Again, she looked at him, her eyes unreadable.

"Oh... um... maybe I should just stop talking and leave you alone
before I say something that's horribly offensive," J'klin said,
flushing slightly. Shards, why did he have to go insulting every
aspect of the _Weyrwoman's_ being? Wasn't there someone less
important he could annoy?

"I'm not going to thread you on the spot. However, I will advise that
in future you might think about things before you say them. It'll help
you. I had to learn that the hard way, though I still mess up from time
to time." She grimaced, though most of the time it was only her true
feelings that she was sharing.

"I must admit, I don't talk to people that I don't know particularly
well very often, so the art of starting conversation is not one that I
excel at, for certain. I like to spin my conversational lackings on
perpetual honesty, but it's probably less that, and more that I have
no tact," J'klin said, shaking his head ruefully.

"Then maybe to learn social skills, you should be more social. Learn
from your failings as it were." That had certainly helped her realize how
things sounded in her head versus how they would sound out of it.

J'klin laughed, "You know, you aren't the first one that has told me
that. Roana always pushes me to go out and meet people around the
Weyr. I used to think it was just because she was new here and wanted
to make friends, but maybe it really is good advice."

"It's always good to have people to fall back on." She wasn't exactly the
model for friendship, but Rhosyn did have a few people she'd trust.

"Yes, yes it is," J'klin said. In the distance, it looked like the
Queen's Wing was landing, which hopefully meant that their drills were
almost over. "Well, it was nice talking to you, Weyrwoman," J'klin
said with a genuine smile. "Thanks for letting me pester you for a
bit."

Last updated on the January 22nd 2011

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