They Do That

Writers: Len, Paula
Date Posted: 11th September 2019

Characters: E'naer, L'fael
Description: E'naer talks to Lafael about his reading skills, or lack of
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 12, day 4 of Turn 9
Notes: Mentioned: G'wen's Neath, Jaylene

Lafael knew he should be concentrating on the test before him, but for
the unteenth time his mind wandered out of the candidates room, to
where his favorites greens were gossiping about the goings-on at the
Weyr. It was easy to do for the young man. Listening to the dragons
was so much funner than the daily struggle of reading and writing. He
was embarrassed at how bad he was at a task that even the smallest
child at the Weyr did with such ease. He just hoped that Ellispeth
wouldn't tattle on him when he made a remark to Neath.

"How are you doing, Lafael?" E'naer asked, checking after the boy.

As Lafael was expecting the remark to come from Elliespeth, he visibly
jumped when instead the voice he heard was from her lifemate. His face
turned beet red as he looked up to the Weyrlingmaster 3rd.
"I'm...uh...okay..." He reddened even further when one of the
well-bred Hold boys chuckled and rolled his eyes. That was something
he wasn't used to, being a source of attention to better bred Holder
boys, or even being their equal.

"That didn't sound very convincing," E'naer noted and gave the
chucklers a stern glance. Not every candidate could read or write when
they came to Weyr. Some were like Lafael, never had a chance to learn,
others had learning difficulties.

Lafael ducked his head down. "It's okay, I'm almost done." He felt a
moment of relief when the Holders boys muttered to each other that
their candlemark for the class was up and it was time for lunch.But
then he realised he was only half done. He stared down at his test in
complete embarrassment.

E'naer looked at Lafael's work. "Have you talked with the Harpers? We
have a harper here who's specialized teaching older people to read and
write," he asked with gentle tone.

Lafael waited until the other boys had left before answering.
"Wingthird Jaylene took me to the harper I think you're talking about.
It's helped but I've...well...I've never been taught before. I was a
drudge in a isolated tiny Hold, then spent years with a traveling
caravan, taking care of the runners. Then Sunstone, and..." He ducked
his head down. "I think no one wanted to bother with the 'weird'
drudge boy." He shrugged his shoulders helplessly.

"You're not the only one. Have you noticed a girl named Hjerdisa in
your class? A small sized red head, very shy and quiet. She can't read
either, her father thinks girls don't need that skill. She's been
taking extra lessons with harpers," E'naer told him. "Her father also
tried to hide her from Searchriders, but forgot the windows. She
climbed out of one in upper floor and broke her ankle, it was quite a
drop or so the searchrider told me. You and her could compare tales,
if you get her to open her mouth, that is."

"Oh wow, I_do_know her but she's never said how she got here!" Lafael
looked around to her desk even though the entire room was now empty,
save him and E'naer and a few tests still on the tables. "I broke my
ankle through abuse too, so that's something we have in common."

E'naer nodded encouragingly. "There are more people here that have
things in common with you than you realize. Me, for instance, I was
beaten as young lad because I made a mistake to confess my attraction
to another boy," E'naer told him.

"So were you Holder-bred?" Lafael looked up at him with different
eyes. The way so many riders of blue and greens held themselves he had
assumed all of them were Weyr-bred. Certainly none of them looked the
least bit sheepish about themselves.

"Yes, from Opal Cove Hold. I was fifteen when I came here," E'naer replied.

"Fifteen? You were lucky." Lafael briefly tried to remember what he
was doing at fifteen and shuddered. No, that life was another's, there
was no point in revisiting it.

"I was," E'naer agreed. "My mom's a wise woman."

"You're very lucky then," Lafael said, trying to keep the sadness out of his voice at the thought of a mother. Would his life had been easier had he had a mother? His gaze turned inward at his inner thoughts.

}: Now you're making him sad, :{ Eillispeth commented.

**I know, he's had a sad life,** E'naer replied. He gave Lafael an encouraging pat on shoulder. "Chin up, your luck's been turned to better now."

"It already has, sir, but thank you." Lafael gave E'naer a smile as he also gave Elli a mental hug. "Just having the dragons around has changed it in more ways than I'd ever imagined."

"They do that," E'naer agreed, sending some loving feeling towards his lifemate.

Last updated on the September 23rd 2019

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They Do That