Assumptions

Writers: Devin, Yvonne
Date Posted: 24th February 2021

Characters: K'mai, R'hil
Description: K'mai and Rushil have two completely different conversations.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 8, day 1 of Turn 10

K'mai

K'mai was headed for a table with some of his friends when he spotted a young man sitting all alone. The fact that he was unfamiliar and
wore Candidate knots led K'mai to believe he was a recent arrival. "I'll catch up with you later," he told his friends as he headed toward the lanky Candidate.

"Hello there," K'mai said. "Would you like some company?"

Rushil looked up from his plate, suddenly tongue-tied. _Would_ he like company? The candidate wasn't even sure why a dragonrider would
approach him in the first place. At least, he _thought_ that the man was a dragonrider. He was dressed in flying leathers, which was a good clue.

"It's okay to say no if you'd rather be alone, or if you're waiting for someone. I won't be upset."

"I'm not waiting for anybody." Rushil wasn't sure what to say after that, so he shrugged. "It's a big table?"

That was good enough, K'mai supposed, and sat across from him. "I'm K'mai, of blue Sebeth. I'm guessing you might be new to Dragonsfall."

Rushil hesitated a moment, then nodded. It was probably obvious. "They brought me here to Stand."

Shy or just naturally closed off? "Are you excited for that?" K'mai asked.

"Uh... I guess?' Rushil hadn't really thought about it like that. Being chosen to Stand was just something that had happened to him, much like being born at a cothold. It just _was_.

That certainly wasn't enthusiastic. "Hmm . . . did you agree to come because you felt it was your duty, or because your family encouraged you to come?"

"Mam said so." Rushil shrugged, as if it was obvious. "I don't think I'll get a dragon. She does, but I don't."

"If you were Searched, that means you have the potential to Impress." It was hard for K'mai to imagine not wanting a dragon . . . well,
there was the Pass to worry about. He certainly understood those who didn't want to face the danger of Thread. "Not everyone does, of
course. Have you thought about Crafting while you're here? Or do you plan on going home if you don't Impress this time?"

**I could go home if I don't Impress?** The thought had never occured to him, but then he remembered how insistant his Mam had been that he go to the Weyr and Impress a bronze dragon. His family was counting on him to bring some privelage to their cothold, to help his brother claim his birthright. "I... don't think I can go home any time soon," he said quietly. "And I don't want to spend time with Harpers."

Did that mean he liked boys? That would certainly explain a lot. "You'll be welcome here no matter what. And Harpering certainly isn't
the only craft available. You don't have to Craft at all if you don't want to, either. I dragged my feet on that until Sebeth rescued me." K'mai chuckled.

Dragon names ended in a 'th' sound, Rushil remembered. "Sebeth is your dragon?"

"Yes, and -- oh, I didn't get your name."

The candidate gave him a suspicious look, but then shrugged. As a candidate he'd be easy to track down if someone wanted to. "Rushil."

"Rushil, nice to meet you. Where are you from?"

"Kind of around Amber Hills Hold." It seemed to be answer enough for most people.

"A small hold, then? The Weyr must be very overwhelming." Tough nut to crack, this one.

"There are a lot of people here," Rushil said after a moment. "I don't get how this many people _fit_."

K'mai chuckled. "The Weyr is very big."

"Does everyone go home after the Pass is done?" the Candidate asked impulsively.

Laughing in surprise, K'mai said, "No! Dragonriders have to live in a Weyr, and anyone else is welcome to stay. Whether you Impress, or Craft, or even if you spend the rest of your days working in the lower caverns, the Weyr is your home as long as you want." He was tempted to ask a few personal questions, but that might scare the boy off.

So, everyone else could leave but dragonriders - who had the ultimate transport - had to stay? That didn't make sense. "Why do dragonriders have to live here?"

"Well not _here_ specifically, but at one of the Weyrs. For one thing, we have to fight Thread. For another, dragons need to live with their
own kind." K'mai made an amused noise. "Did you skip a lot of Harper lessons?"

Rushil had never been to a Harper class in his life. "No. I just didn't know."

"Hmm, well. Maybe they don't cover that in the holds." K'mai couldn't resist anymore. "Are you worried about going home for some reason?"

"What? No. I miss my brothers." The candidate traced his fingertip along the grain of the wooden table. "I guess I'm just homesick."

"I get that." It was getting better but K'mai was sometimes homesick too. Although for him there was no home to go back to. "It's hard, to
be away from the people you love. They should be able to come for the Hatching, though."

Rushil grimaced before he could stop himself. "Sure." His brothers would love the Weyr, but his Mam...

"Do you not want them to come? Maybe . . . worried about what color dragon you might Impress?" K'mai asked gently.

Rushil shrugged. If he didn't Impress bronze his Mam would have his hide for sure. Blueriders and greenriders didn't carry the same rank
as a bronzerider, and they needed that if they were going to get his eldest brother's inheritance.

"If you want to talk about anything, I'd be happy to listen." Shards, he hated that poor holder boys had to deal with this. "And there are
plenty of other people here who would listen too, and can help you understand things a little better."

"Naw. It's family stuff." His Mam wouldn't like it if he was gossiping about family problems with some stranger in the Weyr. Why was this
K'mai asking, anyway?

"Well, let me know if you need any help, okay?" Maybe K'mai would put in a word with some of the other Candidates to keep an eye on him.

The candidate in question eyed him suspiciously. Why on Pern would he ask a strange man who sat down at his table one day for help with his brother's inheritance? Did K'mai know something? "What do you know about... family stuff?"

"I might not know exactly what you're going through since I'm weyrbred, but I can still help. And I can introduce you to others who are holdbred and might understand a little better."

Were stolen inheritances common? The injustice of it made Rushil angry. "Why does this happen to so many people?!" It had to be the
Harpers. His Mam always said that they were a tricky, dishonest lot, but Rushil hadn't realized how far the corruption went.

K'mai rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, hold folk they just . . . they don't understand."

"They're all just dumb," Rushil muttered.

"Maybe not _all_, but I'm inclined to agree," K'mai said. He would never understand why holders made so many people suffer for no reason.

"You're a dragonrider. Why don't you do something?"

K'mai laughed. "I can't solve all of Pern's problems. Though I'd certainly like to solve _that_ one if I could."

That gave Rushil pause. If a dragonrider couldn't influence inheritance laws, then maybe his Mam was wrong-- he wouldn't be able
to solve his family's problems if he Impressed. But then, this K'mai had also said that his dragon was blue. This just reinforced his need
to Impress a bronze dragon. He _had_ to, for his family. The candidate sighed. "Oh."

"Well, you're here now. Things will get better, I'm sure." K'mai wanted to give him a reassuring pat, but he didn't know how Rushil
would react to being touched.

Rushil shrugged a shoulder. "Maybe."

"It _will_," K'mai said firmly. "And maybe soon you'll have a dragon, and you'll realize nothing else is as important as the love he or she gives you."

That was corny. Rushil refrained from rolling his eyes but his expression slipped a little closer to sullen. It sounded like another
lie, a lie to keep him out of his family's business. "Sure." He pushed away from the table and stood. "Gotta go."

"Well, see you around, Rushil." K'mai hoped the young man could open himself up to the acceptance of the Weyr.

Last updated on the February 24th 2021

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Assumptions