An Eager One

Writers: Eimi, Shame
Date Posted: 4th May 2006

Characters: Kachine, Pacham
Description: Kachine requests permission from Pacham to begin training as a healer. He agrees.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 11, day 12 of Turn 3

"Come in?" The Weyrhealer looked up from his hidework as the young girl entered his office.

Kachine peeked her head inside at the invitation, fingers resting against the door frame. She had been standing outside of the office for several long moments, trying to work up the courage to knock. And now that she was standing within the office, she discovered that her mind had emptied itself of words.
Her tongue ran over her lower lip, nervous at approaching the Weyrhealer.

"Greetings, sir," she said quietly, sweeping her skirts to dip into a proper curtsy. Kachine knew her manners, even if she lacked the proper social niceties. "I am Kachine... They told me that you are the Weyrhealer?" This emerged more as a question than a statement.

"Well, they told you right," Pacham smiled. "Please come in and have a seat, young lady. Tell me how I can help you today."

The older man's smile did much to calm the girl's nerves, and Kachine stepped away from the door. She took a seat, perched at the edge of the chair with her hands folded neatly in her lap. She was quiet for a long moment and stared at the floor, reminding herself that if she had had the courage to run from her home, then surely she could gather the strength to go after her dream. At last, she raised her eyes to the face of Pacham and the words burst out from her lips, "I want to be a healer! Sir." Her eyes were huge, an expression of pleading written across her features, but at the same time she looked almost expectant of immediate refusal.

"All right," he said with a slow nod. This one sure looked nervous. Fresh off the cot, if he didn't know any better. "I'm sure we can arrange that."

Surprise was etched all over Kachine's face, having not expected such ready agreement. If anything, she had expected to have to plead her case, fight for the opportunity to learn the craft. But it wasn't so. The surprise melted into a glowing smile, losing the timid appearance beneath a wave of joy. "Oh, truly?" she clasped her fingers together. "I can be a real apprentice?"

"If you like," the Weyrhealer nodded. "Here at the Weyr we believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn a craft if they so choose."

The ease with which these events were occurring was amazing. "I would like to be an apprentice," Kachine assured him with conviction in her voice. "For turns, that has been all that I ever wanted. It's why I came to the Weyr! I will be a good student, I can promise you this! I mean, I already know a little bit of the craft. My uncle was a journeyman and he did his best to teach me what he could, when he had the time."

The girl was aware that her excitement was turning her words into a string of babble, and took a deep breath to steady her mind. It would be best to get down to business, even if she felt foolish in her questions.
"How does the apprenticing system here at the Weyr work?" she asked. "When will I have lessons? Under whom will I learn?"

"Well, first of all I suppose I should ask if you were brought here on Search or if you came to pursue a craft."

"Search?" Kachine's eyes widened, startled. "Oh no, sir. I am no candidate, nor am I dragonrider material. I came here to be a healer. That's what I am meant to be." She did not speak proudly, but in a matter-of-fact manner that conveyed her belief in those words.

"That's fine, just fine," Pacham smiled. He could appreciate the dedication of the apprentices who came to the Weyr to fulfill their dreams of crafting.
"Well, then, you will have lessons every day except rest days. As part of your training you will work here in the infirmary doing various duties. As you learn more, those duties will become more complex and craft oriented. There will probably very various journeymen who will be instructing you, but one who will be your advisor. I, however, am ultimately responsible for your training, so feel free to come to me any time if you have questions."

The girl felt a sudden wave of joy so intense that she felt dizzy for a moment. At that moment, she knew that she had made the right choice by running from marriage and family. Kachine would someday be a healer, and it was all starting right there, right then. "I don't know if that is a good idea, sir," she replied with a wide smile. "I have so many questions that it would take sevendays to answer them all, and you would never get your work done!"

"Oh, well, as long as the work isn't pressing, you're welcome to drop by any time you chose. Just don't keep me too late or my wife will make my life miserable. Well, _more_ miserable," he said with a wink. "Now, have you been to see the Headwoman yet?
You have a room and are all settled?"

Kachine responded to his wink with a grin. Pacham had given her her dearest dream, and as such, he had automatically earned her trust and her devotion. "Yes, sir. I was given a room almost the moment that I stepped foot in the Weyr, and I have had plenty of time to settle in..." There was a pause, and she couldn't resist asking, "When can I start my lessons?"
The new apprentice was eager to begin her formal training.

She was an eager one, Pacham thought with a smile.
"Within the next few days. Have you had any training?
Any kind of medical training at all?"

Kachine hesitated for a moment, embarrassed. She knew that she had no professional training or experience to report. "My uncle Rahiyan was a Journeyman Healer, and he offered me lessons beginning when I was twelve turns. He tried to teach me a little bit of everything, but I don't have any practical experience.
Whenever he would be called upon for his healing skills, I was not allowed to attend. It was not proper. So all I have are theories and words."

She brought her lower lip into her mouth to chew on it for a second, trying to think of something good to offer to Pacham, a sort of proof that she would make a fine healer. "But I'm good with herbs," she confessed. "I mean, I was good at gathering, drying, and preparing them. The last part was only under complete supervision, though."

"Oh of course, of course," Pacham nodded. "Well, then, I think we will need to give you a few tests, just to see what you know already so we will know where to pick up with your training. I think that's what we will start out with. So, I want to give you a couple days to settle into the Weyr here. You can explore, meet people, settle into your new home, and while you do that, we will prepare the tests and a schedule for you to take them and we can proceed from there. How does that sound?"

While Kachine would rather have begun immediately, she knew that Pacham was probably right. The Weyr was a complex place, and it would be best to get to know her new surroundings before she jumped head-first into the world of crafting. Besides, she reasoned with herself, it would give her a few days to mentally prepare for the tests, to write down everything that she could remember in her past lessons and study from that.

"That sounds very agreeable, sir," the girl replied with a nod of her head, and she rose to her feet. She was aware that she had already taken up much of the Weyrhealer's time. "I can return in two or three days, if you think that will be enough time for the tests to be prepared.."

"I will send you a message and tell you when we are ready for you," the Weyrhealer said standing to walk her to the door. "You will receive it probably tomorrow. No need for you to take the trip all the way up here. Your name one more time, lass?"

"Kachine," the girl repeated as she crossed the room.
But once she reached the door, she paused in order to look over her shoulder at the older man. "Thank you, sir. For everything. You've given me something that I can't ever hope to repay, and I want you to know how grateful I am for that."

And feeling slightly embarrassed at these heart-felt words, the new apprentice gave Pecham one last shy smile and slipped out the door.

Last updated on the May 4th 2006

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

An Eager One