Having A Chat

Writers: Sia, Steel
Date Posted: 12th September 2024

Characters: V'tian, E'tariax
Description: V’tian gets a much needed talking to from a Mindhealer
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 10, day 27 of Turn 11
Notes: Mentioned: C’pier

V’tian knocked at the doorway of the room, shoulders hunched and his expression tight. He’d never even _been_ to a Mindhealer before, why should he have to go to one now? He was moving gingerly, still injured as he was, but at least he was actually recovered enough to _start_ moving around, if he was careful about it.

"Come on in, V'tian." E'tariax said with a wave of his hand. "Have a seat, if you like. Are your injuries healing well?"

“... Hello, sir.” V'tian greeted, and not quite slunk in, heading for a chair without really looking at E'tariax.

Indith, already bigger than she'd been at Hatching, followed, her own bearing oddly similar.

“I'm healing, sir, thank you.”

"Good. Weyrling training is hard enough without hatching injuries." E'tariax looked down at the small green, smiling politely. "And this is your little green, I take it? She's welcome today, but Aphirith can entertain her next time. Sometimes it's easier to talk when they can't- or aren't interested in- listening in."

“The Weyrlingmasters said we need to spend time together.” V'tian responded, still a little stiff. Never mind that they already _did_.

A pause. “... They don't always want to know everything you're doing?”

Indith sank down into an unhappy sprawl.

"Depends on the dragon, but they tend to grow out of it as they get older. Aphirith would be bored to tears if she had to listen to me talk all day. What do you think, Indith? Would you like to go play next time?" E'tariax didn't expect a direct answer, of course, but he knew very well how to handle huffy children.

“I- They don't do much right now. Just sleep, eat, and follow their riders around.” V'tian responded, not _quite_ looking at Indith when she lifted her head.

}: I want to be near you. Do… Do you _want_ me to go play with Aphirith? :{

“... Yeah. Yeah, next time she'll go to see Aphirith.”

}: I'm fun! :{ Aphirith interjected to Indith, }: Even if you can't fly around yet. :{

"Of course. They're babies, still. How are you finding the bond so far? You were one of the kids just Searched before the hatching, yes? A few of you Impressed at your first hatching." E'tariax asked.

}: .. I can come to see you next time.:{ Indith responded, and sounded a _little_ happier. }: I haven’t met anyone but my clutchmates and our teachers yet.:{

“I am. I mean… I was here for a while, before-- but this was my first time at a Hatching.” V’tian hastened to respond, then winced a little. “The bond is fine. I… she stopped pushing so hard, most of the time.”

A pause. “Someone else-- C’pier-- has been helping keep her fed and washing her, when I couldn’t.”

"That's good. C'pier needs something to keep himself busy." E'tariax said. "Can you explain more about Indith 'pushing'?"

“She’s already in my head.” V’tian ducked his head, and looked vaguely mutinous. “If she’s already in my head, why does she keep asking questions? Besides, everything that happened before she hatched shouldn’t even matter to her… right?”

"Well, no. Babies don't understand the world when they're born." E'tariax said mildly. He leaned forward in his chair and offered a hand to the green, flexing his fingers in the universal gesture of 'eyeridge scritches'. "They spend Turns learning about it. Dragons are more like herdbeasts. They're up and walking and talking, but they don't understand any more than a small child might. And, really, she's in your head and 'hearing' all the things you're thinking, and of course she doesn't have any context to know what it means because her frame of reference is the egg she hatched from."

“... Oh.” V'tian responded, and looked down at his hands. “... I just wanted her to stop asking so many questions, if she's already in my head looking.”

Indith inched forward, bellying down and her eyes on the offered hand. Skritches? She liked contact.

E'tariax flexed his fingers again and waited for Indith to come to him, scratching her eyeridges lightly when she finally did. "Well, she could try and find that information. Some dragons do. It's less invasive for her to just ask. If you're thinking about your home hold, for example, Indith wouldn't know what a hold or a farm is. She wouldn't know why you're missing- or not missing- a place she's never visited, because you've had this whole life before she came around. So it's not just the what or where, it's the emotions behind it, too. People are complex and strange to dragon minds. Dragon minds are strange to us too, I think, but not everyone agrees with me there."

}: Mine does not like it if I ask too many questions. :{ Indith told Aphirith unhappily. }:He says it is being a pest.:{

“So… if she's asking a lot of questions-- I _should_ answer? Even if she's already in my head?” V'tian asked. “I thought… I guess I thought it didn't matter if she already could find out.”

"She's not going to understand the nuance, even if she does go looking on her own. It helps with your bond, too." E'tariax added. "I'm sure she's genuinely curious, but it could be pushed on by not feeling connected to you. Sometimes babies cry just to be held. She could be doing the same thing."

}: Tell him he's being a pest. :{ Aphirith said matter of factly. }: Answering your questions is faster than complaining about it. :{

E'tariax could only hear half the conversation, but he had a feeling that he would regret encouraging the greens.

}: … Oh.:{ Indith responded, after another long moment. }: …But I do not want him angry at me. Even if he does not want to answer me.:{

“Oh.” V’tian responded, not quite aware he’d just echoed Indith. “I don’t… I don’t want to _hurt_ her or anything… I just… She’s not… what I thought, I guess.” His shoulders hunched further.

Indith just got a mental shrug in return. }: He can't be that mad, he's yours. :{ Aphirith said.

"You're not hurting her." E'tariax said gently. "Everyone has a motive. It's just hard sometimes to consider what that motive is. Indith isn't going to have the words to explain it. That's why we're here talking." He paused a moment, though he continued scritching Indith. "Can you tell me more? What about her didn't you expect?"

}: He is Mine, and I love him.:{ Indith agreed.

“I just… _her_, really.” V'tian responded, and makes a sort of shrugging gesture. “I thought, well… I thought greens… _did_ things. That we're not supposed to talk about yet!” He added, when Indith twisted her head around to stare at him.

The small green immediately hunched her wings in apology, sank down again, but moved back toward her rider.

}: I am too small to fly, or do many things, like adventure. But… when I am bigger I will go wherever you want. :{ Indith promised earnestly. }: We do not even have to go home at all if you do not want to. :{

“I can't anyways.” V'tian muttered.

E'tariax tried to keep his expression neutral. He leaned back again in his chair now that Indith was out of reach. "Greens don't often have the stamina to fly a full 'Fall, but other than that I assure you they don't do anything a bronze or brown doesn't. But you're right; Indith is too little for us to have that conversation today. Let's put a pin in it and set it aside for now. Here's something for you to think about: how has Impressing Indith reshaped how you think about yourself?"

“... I thought…” V'tian started, trailed off. “Greens don't lead Weyrs. They don't even lead _Wings_.” His hand lifted as if to reach out when Indith crooned sadly, only to look away. “I was going to be Weyrleader someday. Or.. That's what I had planned.”

Indith sidled closer. Closer still, until she was leaning just a little against Hers anyways.

}: I am sure I could work hard enough to lead others.:{ she offered, peering at him anxiously.

To Aphirith, she added, }: How do I lead? :{

"That's a common dream." E'tariax agreed. "From the outside, it looks like Weyrleader has a really clear path. Impress bronze, fly in the Wings for a bit, and then catch the gold. It's important to remember that even among bronzeriders, very few of them ever make it to Weyrleader. And that's a lot of responsibility, especially during a Pass. There's a lot of lives riding on decisions that the Weyrleader makes."

}: Lead? :{ Aphirith asked. }: No thanks. I do what I want. :{ Which wasn't entirely true, but she said it with complete confidence.

“... I could have done it.” V’tian responded. “I know I could have. I just… I can't now.”

}: I would like to do what I want, and go on adventures and have _fun._:{ Indith responded, perking a little. }: Maybe when I am bigger and can do more, Mine will let me. … And maybe he would even come with me.:{

"I don't doubt it." E'tariax said, "But you're right, you can't, and that's ok. One door closes, another one opens. Why don't you think about all the things you _can_ do, and we'll go over it together at our next meeting. And remember, please, I am also a green rider and 'nothing' is not an acceptable answer."

}: That's the spirit.:{ Aphirith said. }: Boys are dumb. He'll come around.:{

“... Okay.” V’tian responded with a sigh. “I'll try.”

He rose, and then glanced at Indith. “Come on, then. If we're dismissed, sir?” A glance back to E’tariax.

"I'm not Weyrlingstaff, you don't have to wait for dismissal." E'tariax said. He rose to show V'tian out anyway, reaching for his cane. "It'll get better. And it was wonderful to meet you too, Indith."

Last updated on the September 23rd 2024

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Having A Chat