Company for a Change

Writers: Kenya, Sunrose
Date Posted: 16th January 2006

Characters: Jer'ic, Illiana
Description: Jerric and Illiana meet each other in the Dining Caverns
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 9, day 14 of Turn 3

Illiana looked around the crowded dinning cavern, there didn't appear to be any real seating plan so she just walked between the tables until she found an empty seat. She plopped herself down on the bench and looked across the table at a young man who also had Candidate knots on his shoulder. "Hey there, hope you don't mind me sitting here, there really isn't anywhere else. I'm Illiana, I'm a Candidate also." She extended her hand across the table to the stranger.

Having already had several drinks of wine to help himself get accustomed to his 'new home,' Jerric was in the mood for companionship. "Nice to meet you, my name's Jerric," he replied in answer and shook her hand. He didn't slur at all for he wasn't exactly drunk, just a slight buzz. The meal before him was a modest one. Eating too much would mean he would have to drink more. He was almost done anyhow. "Have you been here long?" he asked, taking another bite.

"Nope, just arrived the other day, how about you?" She asked as she went to lathering her roll with butter, it really was a wonder why the girl didn't gain more weight with all of the food that she devoured.

"Same more or less. I was Searched from the Harper Hall and stood at Hatching not too long ago. Then I transferred here. It's a lot more different than I expected. It's so hot," Jerric said bluntly. Nearly finished with his meal, he propped his elbow on the table and watched as the girl began her meal. At the rate she was eating, it wouldn't take her long to finish anyways.

Illiana paused from her meal. "Yeah I came to Garnet River Hold about a sevenday ago to attend my youngest brothers espousal, then the Searchrider came by, I said yes and here I am." She said with a shrug of her shoulders.
"So you're a Harper huh? Do you sing, play or write?"

"I'm a scribe by trade but I do play the guitar a little," he boasted. Of course, had his mother been there she would have preferred if he had lied and said he was singer or songwriter. He smiled a little. Maybe being separated from her from a little while wouldn't be so bad. He took another drink of ale and decided to spite her, he would have a very good time tonight and enjoy his liberation.

"I tried to play the guitar once, didn't go over so well. I'm really bad at it, I think sticking to the BeastCraft would be in my best interest and save everyone's ears." She grinned as she drank the last of her red fruit juice.

"My father taught me how to play when I was little. He was a Harper too. So you're in the Beastcraft, huh? I've never really been around animals a lot.
They make me a little nervous," he admitted. In truth, he was pretty terrified of any animal larger than himself.

Finishing up her meal she set her fork and knife down and looked up at Jerric. "I just love animals, I used to bring tunnel snakes and vtols home with me when I was younger. I've upgraded to a canine now though." She grinned. "You'll have to meet Dasha, I left her at the Barracks because I didn't want her to get under foot in here."

"Sure, I have to go back to the Barracks myself sometime tonight anyways,"
Jerric agreed. He supposed a canine wasn't so bad. They were supposed to be friendly animals, right? "I would like to meet her." He finished the rest of his wine and wearily stood up. He brushed off his pants, an old habit he had learned from his mothers constant nagging to keep clean and then looked at Iliana to go.

She literally bounced up from her seat, this girl just had too much energy, _all_ the time. "Now all we have to do is try to weave our way through all these people." She said as she scanned for the best exit.

Jerric's eyes quickly scanned the dining cavern and deciding on a destination, took her hand and led her through the crowd. Naturally, he apologized and politely issued an 'Excuse me' to everyone he passed. Yet another bad habit his mother had instilled in him. Finally, the reached the door and stepped out into the night air. Despite his hope, it was still humid. He then let go of her hand shyly again. "Sorry about that," he mumbled and looked down at the ground as they began to walk towards the Barracks.

Illiana also blushed, had one of her brothers, or her uncle, even her father been there and saw that there was a boy holding her hand poor Jerric would never want to talk to her again. Perhaps being Searched was the best thing that could have happened to her, she loved her family with all her heart, but at times they could be a bit over protective. "Ahh, no problem." She said as she looked up into the night sky.

"So... what do you think about all of this Candidate business? Do you even want to Impress?" he asked her. He hadn't ever really seen very many dragons and he had never dared to get close to the ones he had. He assumed this was a shared feeling among most of his peers, which showed his naivety about the subject.

"Well it is different, I just wish I could continue with my Craft while I'm a Candidate. I guess I secretly always wanted to come to the Weyr and live the exciting lives of the dragonriders. I'm the first in my family to stray from the BeastCraft." She explained as she stole a few glances at Jerric on their walk to the Barracks. "I'm not going to get my hopes up too high though."

Jerric shrugged, looking uncertain about this. "I suppose it wouldn't be so terrible to Impress but I've never considered it an option before. I just always wanted to be Harper. I guess I could continue my craft here but it's not the same as being at the Hall. Besides, dragonriders are strange,"
Jerric commented. He was trying furiously to remember some of the satires and the like the harpers had made up about the lives of dragonriders but none were coming to him at the moment. Of course, there were plenty of noble songs but the comical ones always stood out.

"Strange? How so? I've always looked at them as something . . . different from us Crafters, they are like their own Breed." She said as she squinted her eyes and furrowed her brow in thought. "The whole idea of bring a dragonrider seems to be quite romantic."

Jerric wanted to laugh. "Oh? dragonriders aren't romantic. They are promiscuous," he rolled his eyes at her. "Girls and their silly dreams of being swept away by a bronzerider," he remarked and then painfully regretted it. "Look, I don't mean to hurt our feelings or even argue with you on this but I just doubt that dragonriders are the glorious romantic things so many girls like to make them out to be. Now harpers on the other hand..." he said then, teasing her.

Illiana made a funny little expression with her lips and punched Jerric in the arm. "I don't think you should tease, its not nice." She stuck out her tongue at her new friend. "Bet I could beat you to the Barracks!" And with that she took off at a sprint.

Jerric laughed for another minute and then took off after her. Of course he was going to let her win, and besides, he wasn't exactly fit for too much running after all of the wine he had had. Arriving at the Barracks, he pretended to pant. "Why, you sure are fast," he said sarcastically and then in a more serious tone asked, "So where is this mutt of yours?"

"I'll let you know that pretending to let a girl win to be nice is just stupid. I have five brothers, believe me they have pulled it on me before."
She stuck out her tongue again. "And I'll also let you know that Dasha is no mutt, she is one of the finest bred from the BeastCraft Hall back home."

"Five brothers, eh? No wonder you have such a mouth on you. I would suggest that you keep that tongue in your mouth though before a flit comes and takes it." He crossed his arms over his chest, as if apparently waiting for her to present this canine of hers.

Illiana opened the barracks doors and gave a high pitched whistle, a few moments later a canine appeared from the girls section of the Barracks. She came up to her masters side and sat down looking from Illiana to Jerric.
"Dasha this is Jerric, Jerric this is Dasha."

Jerric took a step back when the canine approached but then once it had sat down, he decided that it would be all right. Illiana hadn't lied; she was a pretty canine. Jerric just wasn't quite ready to warm up to her, that was all. "Nice to meet you," he said down to Dasha.

"She really is harmless, and will listen to voice and hand commands. Very smart," Illiana explained. "Feel free to pet her, she likes to be scratched behind the ears."

"Er, that's all right. I think I'm fine looking at her from here. Besides, it is getting rather late and we all have lessons and chores in the morning.
I should probably get going," Jerric explained. Truthfully, he wasn't feeling all that great either. "But I am sure we will be able to talk soon as it looks like we might just be together for a while until this Candidate business is finished with."

Dasha almost seemed disappointed. "Alright then, see you tomorrow Jerric."
Illiana said with a wave of her hand as she disappeared behind the curtain into the girls section.

Last updated on the January 16th 2006

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Company for a Change