You Must Be Special

Writers: Devin, Eimi
Date Posted: 9th March 2006

Characters: D'ren, R'mer
Description: D'ren and R'mer talk about his future as a bronzerider
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 10, day 12 of Turn 3

"That gets harder, you know," D'ren said as he watched R'mer wash his young bronze.

R'mer smiled up at the Senior Weyrling. "I think so. I've seen the size of the smallest bronze in the Weyr. I don't know how I'm ever going to wash his whole body in a single day."

}:You can do anything,:{ Hanunth crooned proudly as he bumped his lifemate's knees with his small head.

"You get used to it gradually. There's a little more to wash every day.
Thank Faranth it doesn't happen all at once!" He looked down at Hanunth and smiled. "It's a little hard to believe Menanth was that small not long ago."
"Yeah, well I find it hard to believe he's going to be that _big_ soon. I can't wait to fly him." **And to go home and show him to my family.**

"Flying for the first time is wonderful," D'ren said, his eyes a little distant with memory.

"How much longer until you graduate into the fighting wings?"

"Not much longer." His mood dampened a little. "It was delayed because of the changes in Weyrlingstaff. We have to get through Blooding first."

"I've heard of that. It sounds... scary." R'mer looked down at the little trusting bronze splashing in the crystal clear water. He couldn't image that little thing fighting anything, let alone Thread.

D'ren nodded. "I'm scared, I'll admit that. But it's my duty - _our_
duty - to fight Thread. I could even lead a wing someday." The idea was a little frightening, but it also held some appeal. He liked leading in weyrling drills.

That was something else that had been on his mind lately. Leadership. "Were you surprised? Impressing a bronze, I mean?"

"Yeah," the senior Weyrling said with a smile. "I'd always been hoping for bronze, like most boys, but I was surprised when it happened."

"I hadn't even thought about being a dragonrider until one landed in my field."

"I've been dreaming of it since I can remember. My father thought it was a phase I would grow out of, but I never did. And here I am!" D'ren laughed.

"Where would you be if not here?" R'mer asked, as he and the little bronze waded out of the shallow water.

"I'd be--" he paused and then laughed again. "Actually, I'd still be here. I was Searched from Harper Hall. What about you?"

"Working my family farm." Probably feeling their porcine right now. "I plan to bring my family here as soon as I can."

"Really? Do they want to leave the farm?" D'ren thought of his father, who would fight tooth and nail to keep his holding.

"They would starve on the farm without me," R'mer said simply. "Here they all have a chance. Even my sisters."

"Oh." D'ren was at a loss for words. He pictured his family starving and promptly pushed the thought away.

"And my brother might even be able to learn a craft here. Or at least a trade. But I musy admit, I'm worried about brining my sisters here. They're a bit young for... well, all this." In fact, even R'mer felt a bit uneasy talking about it, even after all _he_ had done.

"How old are they?" D'ren asked.

R'mer paused to think about it a second. "Sixteen, thirteen and eleven," he finally answered.

"I have a sister, too. She's twelve. I've thought a few times about bringing her to the Weyr because I think she'd be a good harper."

"You want your sister to craft?" R'mer had never thought of his sisters _crafting_.

"Yeah. She has a really good voice." D'ren smiled at the memory of them singing songs together on the riverbank.

"And your family would be all right with that?" R'mer asked curiously.

"Well . . . maybe not. I don't think my dad would like it," D'ren admitted. "I suppose they couldn't be crafters anywhere else. They would have to always stay at the Weyr?" If R'mer's sisters would craft... Well, then they wouldn't have to depend on him anymore! But if they crafted they had to stay at the Weyr forever. Even if they wanted to leave, unless they were a technician or a dolphineer... He had heard _they_ took female crafters still... "Can _anyone_ be a crafter in the Weyr?"

D'ren nodded. "Yeah. It's one of the many things I like about it."

"I think my sister Imry would be a good harper," R'mer said thoughfully.
She had been teaching their little brother and sisters all their letters and reading and the ballads. He missed their singing the ballads. He might not be able to read, but he sure knew his teaching ballads backwards and forwards.

"Maybe our sisters could be apprentices together," D'ren said. _If_ he could get her to the Weyr. "But maybe my brother and sisters will need a bit more formal harper training. We didn't have a harper but once a month, when the weather allowed."

"Maybe," D'ren shrugged. "I'm sure they'll do fine though. You seem smart enough."

"Me? No. I'm not smart," R'mer said with a shake of his head. He petted his little bronze and soothed away his protests. "Despite what Hanunth thinks, I'm not."

"What makes you say that?"

"Well, I... uh... I never finished my harper classes," R'mer admitted softly.

D'ren smiled gently. "So? Learning and intelligence aren't the same thing. You can still be smart."

"Naw, see now, _Imry_, she's smart. I'm nothing compared to her. She's... real smart." Shards, but he didn't realize until that moment just how much he had been missing her. And it would be a long time before he would see her again...

"Well, you must be special, for a bronze to choose you," the senior weyrling told him. "It's not always easy to believe that. I have my doubts too, but the dragons know." Menanth sent him a loving confirmation.

"Yeah. I want to deserve him," R'mer smiled as he rubbed his bronze's eyeridge. "You already do, even if you don't know it," D'ren said.

"Uh oh. Feeding time again," R'mer said unconsciously grabbing at his own stomach as he felt his dragonet's hunger pains. "They do eventually feed themselves, right?"

"Yes," D'ren laughed, "they do."

"Thank Faranth," R'mer said with a dramatic roll of his eyes. "All right then. I best go feed this little one. It was nice talking to you."

"You too. I'll see you around."

As R'mer lead Hanunth away as fast as his little legs would carry him, he reflected on what the more experienced bronzerider had said. Someday, he would understand why that perfect little bronze had chosen _him_. But for now, he just had to wait and wonder.

Last updated on the March 9th 2006

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

You Must Be Special