Pleased To Meet You

Writers: Jelena, Suzee
Date Posted: 29th April 2014

Characters: Yanley, A'kua
Description: Yanley and Aluka finally meet.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 6, day 8 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Ninaine, Benani

Yanley

Lunch was over, and the remaining Candidates were scattering back to their
chores. Sometimes, there were whispers of playing hooky, just for one day,
to get a break from the monotony. A chance to relax, sit around, shoot the
breeze, drink some swiped wine. Sometimes Aluka was tempted to organize
something like that, but the risk of getting caught was too high, and he
was still paranoid about people's intentions and motives. He had gotten
slightly better about that ever since he had sworn himself in as Ninaine's
friend, but not enough to reach out to a larger group of people.

He brushed a last few crumbs off his tunic and entered the Headwoman's
office, mentally rallying himself for the errands to come. "Candidate Aluka
reportin' for- oh, 'cuse me," he said on seeing an absolutely drop-dead
gorgeous woman who was not the Headwoman.

"She had to run to solve some crisis in laundry room. Perhaps I can help
you?" Yanley replied with friendly smile.

Aluka paused, then shrugged. Maybe this woman was waiting for the Headwoman
too. It couldn't hurt to see if she knew anything. "I'm Candidate Aluka. I
was s'posed to report in with some others for errands and chores; I just
got here first," he said. "Did the Headwoman left a list of things to do or
somethin' of the like somewhere?"

"She did. Oh, I'm Yanley by the way, one of her assitants," Yanley replied
and picked up correct list from the desk. "Aluka you said?" she recognized
the name and studied him curiously. So, this was Ninaine's friend.

"Nice to meet- oh, _you're_ Yanley?" the redhead interrupted himself. He
sketched a half bow to the woman, figuring that was something else that
couldn't hurt with all the times Ninaine had called her Lady. "Good to meet
my friend's advocate."

"Good to meet you too," Yanley said with a smile. "No need to bow."

Excellent. The less formality, the better. "Have ya kept in touch with her
since she Impressed?" he asked, hoping the answer would be in the
affirmative.

"Yes, tried anyway," Yanley sighed. "I worry about her...she's too prim and
proper for her own good. She's difficult time adjusting."

Good, at least she had tried. Hopefully that was some comfort to the new
greenrider. Aluka shrugged again. "'S not her fault. She's just a product
of her repressive Hold upbringin'," he said. "Doesn' help that her
so-called parents made her feel worthless." Oh, if only Ninaine had given
him permission to write that wrathful song about them.

"I know, oh, Faranth, I know that way too well. People like her parents are
reason why I'm raising my son in Weyr. They are reason why I am here, and
not running some hold for my Lord Husband," Yanley said. Not that she
regretted coming here. Leaving her family and Benani, yes, she missed them.
But she was happy now.

That statement was all it took to make the Candidate like her. Here was a
woman who had exercised her smarts and realized she didn't have to take the
silage forced on her all her life. "'S good to have ya here," he said,
giving Yanley a friendly smile that did wonders to lighten up his face.

"Thank you," Yanley said with graceful nod. No wonder Ninaine seemed to
like him.

"Don' mention it," Aluka said with a wave, though being thanked by a pretty
lady pleased him. "So, what's the Headwoman got for us this time?"

"Oh, yes, that one," Yanley looked thru the list and found Aluka's name.
"Congratulations, you're helping the beastcrafters today, when not having
the usual lessons."

Which meant mucking out stables and pens and grooming the runners, hauling
hay for the herd and milchbeasts, and getting smelly and sweaty without too
much time for a second bath. Lovely. "Oh, joy and delight," he muttered,
heavy on sarcasm. "Well, thanks," he added a little louder.

"What? You don't like working with the beasts?" Yanley asked. "When I was a
child, I used to bug beastcrafters to let me help them. In the end they
gave me shovel and I was so happy shoveling manure out of stalls. It was
terrible scandal of course and my mother was horrified."

That just made Aluka like her more. "Of course," he snickered. "The work's
fine, I guess. Just not my favorite thing. 'Least it gives my mind time to
ruminate on my projects."

"Well, I don't get to decide the assignments, so you're stuck with it,"
Yanley answered. He was bit rough around edges but she liked this young man.

"I wasn' arguin', just complainin'," Aluka pointed out, but not
caustically. "I'll get goin', then. Sooner started, sooner over with and
all that."

"All right," Yanley nodded. "See you around."

Last updated on the May 6th 2014

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Pleased To Meet You