Bring a Bathing Suit

Writers: Estelle, Francesca
Date Posted: 4th August 2019

Characters: Gienah, Chalzie
Description: Gienah and Chalzie chat at the Dolphin Hall.
Location: Dolphin Hall
Date: month 11, day 14 of Turn 9

Gienah stood at the top of the cliff path and looked down on the Dolphin
Hall, taking a moment to enjoy the view out over the sea before she
descended. One of the other Candidates had recommended the walk out to
the Hall from the Weyr, and she'd taken the opportunity of a sunny
restday to try it. She'd never seen a Crafthall before, or a sea hold,
and she was amazed by the sight, wondering what it must be like to live
built into the sea caves like that. Perhaps a little like being in a
dragonrider's weyr? Below her, the noon sunlight glittered off the
waves, and she thought she could make out shapes in the water and white
spray - from swimmers or dolphins, she wasn't sure.

It was hot up here in the sun, and she hoped she'd be able to get a
drink of water at the Hall before turning back. She made her way down
the path to the docks and looked around her. Drudges and kitchen staff
were going about their daily work, while dolphineers strolled around
enjoying the restday, some even in swimsuits, wet from the sea.

To her relief, she saw a girl about her own age or perhaps a few Turns
older - she didn't want to bother a master - and approached her. "Hello!
I'm sorry to bother you, but do you know where the kitchens are?"

Chalzie glanced at the girl's knots with curiosity, then looked at her
with a smile. "They're just down here," she gestured. "I can show you.
Are you looking for anyone in particular?" Visitors from the Weyr were
common, but Candidates less so.

"Oh, no, I was just hoping I could get some water. I walked over from
the Weyr, and it's warm up on the path." She returned the smile. "I'm
Gienah, one of the Candidates."

"I'm Chalzie, an apprentice here," she replied, as the two headed down
towards the dining hall. "I'm originally from the Weyr though, so I'm
over there pretty often. Have you lived there long?"

The girl thought back, counting the time. "Ten months!" She hadn't
realised how long it had been. "I came for Panitath's last Hatching.
This is the first time I've been to the Dolphin Hall, though." She'd
only vaguely heard of dolphins before coming to the Weyr, having lived
all her life inland. It was strange and exciting to see so many women
walking around with craft knots in a Hall, even after she'd got used to
it at the Weyr. "I hope it's all right to visit?"

"You're welcome to come anytime," Chalzie replied. "The dolphins are
always happy to meet new people, and I'm sure it can be nice to get away
from the Weyr for a bit." She lowered her voice conspiratorially, "If
you do want to go for a swim, just make sure to bring a bathing suit, or
plan to swim in your clothes. There was a greenrider a few months ago
that some of the apprentices are still talking about." It was strange
how physically close Hall and Weyr were, and yet the two cultures
remained very distinct.

Gienah giggled. Despite being at the Weyr so long, she still wasn't
quite ready to go swimming with nothing on, not just yet. "Can I really
meet the dolphins? It wouldn't be any trouble?"

"Not at all. They'll come to you. They can be a little hard to
understand, but there will probably be someone nearby to help translate
if you can't figure out what they're saying." Chalzie remembered how
strange dolphin speech had sounded to her at first.

"That would help. I'd likely be too amazed they were speaking to me to
think about what they were saying." Like being Searched, Gienah thought.
She couldn't remember much of what the greenrider had said, past the
moment when she'd been chosen.

She wondered what it would be like to apprentice as a dolphineer. It was
one of the few Crafts which would train girls in a Hall, the others
being the harpers and technicians, which Gienah was fairly sure she had
no talent for. She wasn't a particularly strong swimmer, either, having
done no more than splash about in rivers and pools before coming to the
Weyr. But at least, strength could be built up.

"Do you mind if I ask how you came to be a dolphineer? If you came from
the Weyr?" she asked.

"Around four or five Turns ago there was a hurricane, and I was only
13 at the time but I felt so helpless just sitting there and hoping
nothing terrible would happen," Chalzie explained, thinking back to
that period of time. "And I had Stood for a few Hatchings, but the thought
of potentially Standing for Turns and Turns and seeing my friends
Impress and feeling like my life was on hold sounded really
depressing. I had always loved the water, and the Hall is so close I
can visit most restdays, so the choice was pretty easy. And, of course
dragonriders help keep Pern safe, but so do dolphineers. And working
with dolphins will never get old." Remembering she was talking to a
Candidate, she added slightly awkwardly, "I just made being a
Candidate sound awful. Sorry. I really hope you luck out at the next
Hatching."

The girl smiled. "That's all right. I know what you mean. At times it
feels like I'm waiting for something that may never happen." She had
seen how some of the older Candidates seemed on edge, knowing that they
hadn't many chances left, and it had made her all the more determined to
use the opportunity the Search had given her to forge a path for
herself, even if she wasn't fortunate enough to Impress. After all, if
she'd wanted to spend her life cleaning and doing chores, she might as
well have stayed in the holds.

"Do you have a dolphin partner?" she asked, curiously. "I heard some
dolphineers do. Like dragonriders, in a way..."

Chalzie shook her head. "Only Journeymen and Masters can have dolphin
partners, and not all of them do," she explained. "And there are some
faraway assignments, like the Healer Hall, where it's easier to be
unpartnered. For now, I've been working with most of the unpartnered
dolphins. It is amazing seeing partners work together though. They
can't actually read each other's thoughts, but it sometimes seems like
they can."

"I'd like to see that. Next time I come here, I'll certainly bring a
bathing costume." Gienah realised that she did want to come back and
meet a dolphin up close, and find out more about the craft. They'd
reached the entrance to the dining hall now. Though she'd not been here
before, she recognised the scent of food and the clinking of dishes
being washed from the kitchens. "Thank you for showing me the way. Maybe
we'll meet again, next time you're up at the Weyr! That is, if I'm not
stuck doing endless Candidate chores," she added with a mock grimace.

"Chores never end, whether you're a Candidate or an apprentice,"
Chalzie replied sympathetically. Then, with a smile, "I'm sure we'll
cross paths again. I'll be rooting for you at the next Hatching."

Last updated on the August 19th 2019

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Bring a Bathing Suit