The comfort of strangers

Writers: Jelena, Miriah
Date Posted: 31st January 2014

Characters: Paetri, Genna
Description: Paetri and Genna meet over dinner and have a surprisingly personal conversation
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 5, day 5 of Turn 7

Genna

"Hello there," Genna smiled enthusiastically as she found an empty
spot and looked at the sole occupant of the table. "Do you mind if I
sit here?" She glanced quickly at the girls' knots and was quite
satisfied with her choice. She seemed to have found a weyrling to chat
with! How interesting.

Paetri looked up and offered a slight welcoming smile. Her eyes
flicked to the other young woman's new knots and her smile widened. "I
don't mind. You've recently arrived?"

"About," Genna nodded. "A few sevendays ago. I'm Genna, came from
Amber Hills Hold. You impressed your green here?" she asked, gesturing
at the girl's knots.

"Yes." Paetri nodded. "I'm Paetri and my green is Camilth." The other
girl was pretty; it was surprising that she was here from a hold, in
her opinion. Surely she'd have had offers for her. But like herself,
perhaps, she wanted something different. "Are you getting used to
everything alright?" Her own transition had been difficult.

"So far so good," Genna nodded. "I mean, it's all so very different,
but mostly I try to see it as a good thing. I've been treated well so
far, so I have no regrets as of yet. Have you lived at the Weyr all
your life or did you come from elsewhere too?"

"Oh no. I'm hold-bred." Paetri's smile was rueful. "It is a good
thing, really, but so much of it is unexpected, even with tales of the
Weyr that I was told. You'll be treated very well, I should think.
You're a candidate and we need all we can get. But it gets harder."
She paused and tilted her head to the side. "Have you chosen a craft
to do on your craft time yet?"

Genna nodded. "The Weyrwoman Second suggested I'd take up baking. If I
don't impress I intend to stay on in the Headwoman's service so that
seemed the logical option. Though I'd still prefer impressing." Even
so, her higher goal of leaving home had been achieved at least.

"That's a good idea, especially since most hold girls know how already
and if you like it...you'll be doing lots of it here!" Paetri smiled a
little more openly, but still remained cautious. She had never been
close to other girls at her hold; she'd always been too meek and shy,
and she'd been teased about her own looks by the prettier ones.
"You're not planning on going back home?"

Genna shook her head decisively. "Not a chance, I'm glad I left and if
I go back it will only be to visit with my family. Hopefully on the
back of my own dragon."

She relaxed a little bit; she could understand, but felt no desire to
go visit her family. She did miss them, but her family had been so
disappointed that she had Impressed a green that they had immediately
assumed the worst of her. "And do you care what you Impress?"

Genna shook her head. "Not really, I guess. My family would prefer me
on a gold, of course, but just how realistic is that? If I impress, it
is likely it will be to a green and if that wasn't acceptable to me I
shouldn;t stand, you know?" She shrugged slightly. "And I bet a green
is just as wonderful as a gold when you impress to them, right?"

She sighed softly, her eyes warming as she thought of her green. "They
are wonderful, though a bit emotional and silly, I think. But I
wouldn't trade Camilth for anything. It's just that..." Her voice
trailed off for a moment before she cleared her throat. "Sometimes,
coming from a hold...if you don't Impress a gold, you can't ever go
back."

"Your parents don't approve?" Genna asked softly, observing the other
girl's expression with care. That could happen to her, of course, but
she wouldn't mind at all if her mother scorned her. Her father never
would and she hoped neither would her uncle and aunt.

She didn't know why she had brought it up to the girl; after all, she
barely knew this young woman at all, but being holdbred, felt an odd
sense of kinship. The majority of those she had met were all weyr or
craft bred. She gave a slight, sad smile. "No. I would never trade
Camilth for a shiny hide, but my parents believe the same as many
others when it comes to women riding greens. They had expected I would
Impress a gold for some reason and I'm afraid that I disappointed them
once again. " She then shook her head and shrugged her shoulders. "But
I've come to terms with it."

Genna looked at the other girl with compassion and a small flicker of anger in her eyes. "Parents can be the most hypocritical arses on the continent. They want us to be everything they're not."

"Be prepared for it. That's my advice." Paetri finished on her plate, no longer hungry. "I do hope that yours are a little more understanding."

"I hope so too, but if they aren't, they aren't worth my time," Genna said with a bit more confidence than she actually felt. "But enough with this glum subject, right? I was wondering, do you know anywhere here I can get some nice new work boots?"

Last updated on the February 1st 2014

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The comfort of strangers