Like in the Harper Ballads
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: Devin, Sia
Date Posted: 9th June 2024
Characters: O'rosin, R'lor
Description: Obrosin has his candidate interview with the Weyrlingmaster
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 8, day 24 of Turn 11
Notes: Mentioned: Cirina, Corland, E'tariax
"Obrosin, please have a seat." R'lor gestured to the chair on the other side of the large desk. "Welcome to Dolphin Cove. I understand you've only been here about two sevendays." The Search riders had been busy since Panitath rose.
"Yes, sir." Obrosin answered. It took him a moment to actually sit, and when he did he was straight-backed and on the edge of his seat. "E'tariax and his green brought me. He wants me to meet with him every few sevendays to see how I'm settling in."
"That's good. Have the more experienced Candidates been helping you as well?" R'lor made a note of who had Searched him.
"Yes, everyone has been really welcoming." Obrosin said with a nod. Not all of them had been, to tell the truth, but he wasn't about to tattle to the Weyrlingmaster about it, either. "Corland and Cirina are helping me catch up with lessons."
"That's excellent." The two Candidates were good, dependable sorts. "Did you struggle with your harper lessons? Or did you not get many visits from a teacher?"
"We didn't get many visits. My hold's really hard to get to. And my Da says that we got forgotten about after Topaz Seahold got washed away. I can sing all the songs, though!" He added a little too earnestly and flushed. That wasn't a feat to be proud of here.
"I'm sure you'll learn fast," R'lor said with a gentle smile. It wasn't that unusual to have a Candidate arrive who'd had a patchy education. "Don't be ashamed to ask for more help if you're struggling in classes. I want you to succeed.
"Yes, sir." Obrosin repeated. "The harpers gave me a book for practicing my letters. I'm working on it in the evenings."
"Good lad." R'lor would make sure to check in to see how things were going. "I'm curious, can you tell me why you chose to Stand?"
Obrosin averted his eyes for a moment, unsure exactly how much he should say, or wanted to. "Well, I'm in the middle of lots of siblings, and there's lots of cousins. My Da's a good man, but he wouldn't say no to one less mouth to feed or marriage to arrange, especially when there's no lack of hands to man the ships. And I wouldn't say no to a dragonrider, anyway!" He added hastily, "We don't have much, but we honor the dragonriders. Like in the harper ballads. 'Honor those the dragons heed'. The dragon said I should come to the Weyr, so here I am. And I'm happy to be here."
"I'm glad to hear you have such respect for your duty to dragonkind. You're aware that if you Impress, you'll have to fight Thread. Are you prepared for that?" Not that R'lor wanted to dissuade the young man, but better to have a Candidate back out now than to have a weyrling who wanted nothing to do with the dangers of a Pass.
"Yes, sir. If the dragons want me, that's what I'll do." Obrosin said. "I've only ridden on a dragon once, to get here, but I can do it. Though it's probably different when it's _your_ dragon and you're learning together."
"I grew up in a Weyr and I can tell you, it's _very_ different riding your own dragon." R'lor remembered the joy of that first brief flight on Kularth. "Are you hoping for any color in particular?"
Obrosin considered the question, though he wasn't sure what that meant. "No, any dragon would be an honour. If I could pick, maybe one that has a brighter color or a marking I could pick out in a crowd? There's so many I get lost just looking at them."
R'lor couldn't help a chuckle. "You won't have any trouble picking out your own dragon." Obrosin's hold must indeed be very remote, maybe an island. "Being open-minded about the color of your dragon is a good thing." Though the young man might change his mind after a few Candidate classes.
Oh. Obrosin set his hands down in his lap. He got that reaction a lot around here. E'tariax had told him not to worry about it, but it felt like everyone was laughing at him. He didn't have the answers and they did. He didn't like that either, but there wasn't much he could do about that yet. "Well, that's good. I'd want to be able to show my family which dragon is mine. Although I guess they'd mostly see them if I ever went back home, not here with all the other...groups of dragons. But I'd be happy with any dragon, if they wanted me."
"You seem very sensible. I think you'd do well with a dragon." R'lor usually asked Candidates if they had any interest in Crafting but it seemed Obrosin needed to get the basics down first. "Candidate classes will help you learn more about the Weyr and life as a dragonrider. Some of your fellow Candidates might laugh at your ignorance. A little light-hearted teasing isn't bad, but if any of them are cruel about it, let me know."
"Thank you, sir." Obrosin said. The small smile he had at the praise vanished quickly, though. He didn't think any of the candidates had been _mean_ yet, though he wasn't entirely sure of anyone's intentions. But he certainly wasn't going to tell the Weyrlingmaster of any not-so-lighthearted teasing even if it did happen. A weyrborn candidate trying to bully him surely couldn't do worse than any of his brothers. "Is there anything else you'd like to know?"
"What did you do at your hold?"
"Fishing. Da started taking me out on the boat when I was old enough. Before that I helped Ma and the Aunties with the littles, and with the garden. Hauling the nets and stowing the catch, that kind of stuff." Obrosin answered. "Cleaning, fixing anything that needs fixing."
R'lor smiled. "I don't think chores will be an issue for you. It sounds like you're very experienced with hard work."
"No, sir. And I've always pulled my own weight. I can do anything that needs doing."
"Excellent. You sound like you were very busy, but do you have any hobbies or interests? Or kinds of work that you particularly liked?" R'lor could file that information away for later to ask about potential Crafts.
Obrosin frowned and gave R'lor a quizzical look. "Any work is fine, sir." He reiterated. "Whatever needs doing. I wouldn't put me doing any kind of technical work with machines or harpers or nothin', but I can do farm work or cooking. Don't mind mending or laundry, either. Can do work with boats, too, if there's any sailors that need anything. I know we're right near the sea but I haven't really seen any docks."
"They're farther down the beach where there's a deep drop-off," R'lor said. Since overland travel to the Weyr was difficult, most of the tithe and other supplies came via ship. "We have a few fishermen here who supplement the Weyr's stores with fresh seafood. I could ask the Headwoman if they need help."
"I could do that, if they don't mind having the extra body." Obrosin said. "Do you have any other questions for me, sir?"
"That's all for now. If you have any issues or questions, you can speak to me, any of the weyrlingstaff, or the Headwoman's assistants, or your fellow Candidates." R'lor smiled. "There are many people here to help you. Good luck at the Hatching, Obrosin."
Last updated on the June 12th 2024