A Little Help from Someone Special

Writers: Anika, Avery
Date Posted: 25th October 2014

Characters: Ilyssia, K'ran
Description: Ilyssia gets a little lost and runs into K'ran, quite literally.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 9, day 19 of Turn 7

Ilyssia

K'ran

Ilyssia hurried down the corridor with her armload of bundles. She
had already taken two wrong turns, having a terrible time getting used
to the Weyr. Her caravan days had not prepared her for the multiple
levels and masterpiece of design that was Dragonsfall Weyr. In her
haste, she ran right into someone, knocking herself down and dropping
all her packages.

"Shardit!" she swore, forgetting herself in her frustration. "My
apologies," she stated, barely glancing at the person she'd run into
as she scrambled to pick up her parcels. Luckily it had been mostly
bolts of cloth, nothing breakable. She presented a far more graceful
picture as she gathered things and rose to her feet than she had
stampeding into the other individual.

K'ran started as he was knocked into, the hides he was carrying slipping
onto the floor. He knelt and picked up his own hide, then grabbed a stray
bolt of cloth and held it out to her.

"Are you alright?"

"Fine, thank you and very sorry," the girl answered, taking the cloth
and blushing as she realized that the figure she'd originally thought
to be a young person her own age, because he was close in height to
herself, was in reality a handsome man a least twice her turns. Oh,
and if memory of her recent lessons served her correctly he was a
bronze rider to boot! "Sir," she hastily tacked on unable to believe
what she had done. Then on top of it all she had to let out an oath
like a guard or a sailor. "Are _you_ okay, sir?"

"Yes, yes I am. Even the hides survived." he reassured her quickly. He
looked at her knots - Candidate, here for the new clutch he imagined. "I'm
K'ran, and you?"

"Ilyssia," she answered politely, going even redder as she got a
closer look at his knots. Drat! Didn't those knots denote some rank
more than just a bronze rider. The Weyr was a whole new world, and
she couldn't seem to learn fast enough. "It's nice to meet you, sir.
I'm brand new here," she explained in hopes that he would accept that
as reason enough for her bumbling.

"Welcome to the Weyr, Ilyssia," he said politely, wondering about her.
"Do you need some help finding where to go?"

Though loathe to admit it she did. "I'm afraid I might. I was
supposed to take these to a journeyman tailor, who I was to find mid
cliff level in the second corridor from the stairs, five doors in. I
think I must have taken a wrong turn. The Weyr is a far cry from
caravan life where you have the sun or stars to guide your direction,"
she quipped.

"Second corridor altogether, or second on a particular side? There's
the second general one, which you passed and was on the left, or the
second one on the right side, which is the one we're in now," he
explained.

"Caravan life? I traveled with traders once, as a guard," he added,
interest clear in his tone.

Ilyssia puzzled out the bronzerider's words and realized that it must
be the corridor that she had passed. Pleased that she now knew where
she should be headed, she processed his second comment. "Dukaard,"
she could not keep the dislike from her tone, though she well knew it
was best to keep a neutral stance when speaking to someone new, "was
our Caravan Leader. Who did you travel with? Did you like traveling
with the traders?"

"I've never met Dukard," he admitted. "The Dalsani clan. A few Turns
until I was Searched. I loved it - seeing new places, meeting new
people, always on the trail and waiting for something new. Getting
used to being in one place was harder."

With a nod, the girl agreed, "I can see myself struggling with that as
well. All of this," she waved at the stone walls around her, "Seems
very...strange. Not that it isn't exciting and wonderful," she was
quick to add lest K'ran misunderstand and take offense.

"Are you going to miss the open skies, the perpetual lure of the
horizon?" He did, but he had wings to fly - opportunity this candidate
wouldn't have for some time.

"Yes, I will," she said wistfully. "Every time we set out for a new
hold, it was almost like there was a harper's voice calling in the
breeze, singing to us about the adventures that lay ahead. Of course,
it was all coming to end for me anyway. I'd been betrothed to a sh-"
she broke off before she let the curse pass her lips, "Ah, a crafter
and I was to have stayed in Opal Cove with his parents until I was old
enough to wed."

Enforced marriages before the parties were old enough to have a say in
it were an idea he wasn't a fan of, even before he came to the weyr.
Though he might not have much interest in the free love of weyrlife,
the absence of choice was worse.

"So you would have left the trails for one place and one life. And
then you were Searched?" he asked.

"Happily so," she answered eyes alight with mischief as she remembered
Dukaard's apoplectic face as she left with the search rider. He had
stood to make a fair amount of money on the match he'd made for her.
"If I had to give up the roving life, I'd much rather be in the Weyr
than anywhere else."

"It's a good place to be. If you know some sympathetic riders, you'll
get to get out, see some great sights. If you Impress, you'll find
them yourself soon enough."

Ilyssia smiled at the thought. "I really hope that is the case. I do
have a lot to learn, though. Everyone says the hatching will be here
very soon and there's still so much I don't know."

"We've got some great people to help you. The Weyrlingstaff is good
men, and even the riders will help out. If you see me around, feel
free to ask questions," he reassured.

"Oh, I couldn't do that. I'm sure you're really busy. I haven't
learned all the knots yet, but I know yours mean you're someone special.
It's really nice of you to offer, though, and to talk with me."

"They're Wingleader's knots," he informed her, "and it would be my
pleasure to help though. I like Candidates." Had considered being a
Weyrlingmaster, even.

"Thanks," she replied, "You're very kind. I had best see to this
delivery." She lifted her parcels meaningfully. "It was very nice to
meet you K'ran"

"It was good to meet you as well. Best of luck making the delivery,"
he said with a smile.

Last updated on the October 25th 2014

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

A Little Help from Someone Special