A Little Angst, as a Treat

Writers: Halyonix, Sia
Date Posted: 4th November 2024

Characters: Varethos, S'yen
Description: Varethos and Syerin gossip about the new Weyrleader & becoming dragonriders
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 1, day 12 of Turn 12

Varethos

S'yen

Notes:
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With a theatrical sigh, Syerin flopped down on his bunk. "Well, at least we're getting some eggs soon out of this disaster of a Weyrleader," he groused.

With an equally theatrical sigh, Varethos closed his book and looked up at his neighbor. "Disaster? He's only been Weyrleader for like, a sevenday and a half."

"Still enough to get a dragonrider killed. That's some bad luck there!" Syerin said. He blew a raspberry sound. "Bet he's like all bronzeriders and thinks 'it was only a bluerider who died' sort of thing," he added caustically. "I saw him at a Cyan Wing party once. Well, twice. Both times, just sitting there, stick in the mud boring. Like he was afraid someone would touch him and he'd get dirty." Syerin rolled over to look down at Varethos. "Anyway. What are you reading?"

"I don't know much about it, but it seemed like a mostly routine Threadfall to me." Varethos said mildly. "And what the heck were you doing at a Cyan Wing party?"

Syerin made a show of licking his lips suggestively. "I have my ways," he insinuated. Being a good lay meant having connections to all of the Weyr parties. "Look, Threadfall's dangerous and all that but dragonriders are better trained against it. Injuries, yeah. Deaths? Nah. That's some bad luck on the Weyr there. In my opinion, anyway."

"Nah. You're underestimating how dangerous Threadfall is. Flying that high in tandem with hundreds of other dragons that are also breathing fire? That stuff is hard. And that's before even considering Threadfall. How do you even dodge something that falls like rain?" Varethos asked with a shrug. "Any Fall where my family come back alive is a good Fall."

Syerin shrugged. "Sure," he conceded. He rolled on his back again and looked up at the ceiling. "How many dragonriders do you have in your family anyway? Besides your dads."

"Not as many as people think." Varethos said. "Dads. M'thos' dad is a wingrider, and always talks about how many dragonriders there are in the family. He likes doing that kind of genealogy work, and I'm pretty sure the archivists dread it. Merhaskel's Mom is a wingrider, too. I have a couple older cousins that are riders. They both have big families, but T'mhas is the only rider in his family."

"I'm hoping to be the only rider in my family," Syerin admitted. "They don't care anything about being dragonriders. Or me. If I can just Impress a dragon, I'll prove them pretty wrong. I'm staying here regardless. If I can. Started learning dragonhealing. I figured that's a good way to stay on."

"T'mhas' family doesn't care so much, either. I mean, they recognize that the dragons are important, but we don't get treated any differently." T'mhas' family relationships were _strained_ on the best of days,and Varethos hadn't been taken on a family outing there in a long time. "You'll be really prepared for Weyrlinghood, then." Varethos said brightly. "And that'll keep you busy if Impressing a green or blue keeps you from flying a full 'Fall."

Syerin let out a long sigh. "If one of them chooses me," he muttered cynically.

There was a pause in the conversation for a moment before Syerin asked, "What are you gonna do if you _don't_ Impress?"

"I've got a long way to go before then. Another half dozen hatchings, at least." Varethos said. "But yeah, I've been thinking about it. I'll probably work for my Harper Journeyman knots at that point. But I don't know, I could work in the Lower Caverns too, if I don't want to go on circuit or if the Journeyman thing doesn't work out. We still have a lot of options before then."

"Not me," Syerin said. "If I don't Impress this Turn, I'm out. I'll be too old. They said I could go the Healer route and learn that if I wanted, if being a dragonhealer didn't work out, but it would take me away from the Weyr. I don't want to do that. I'm not going back to the Holds." He seemed adamant about it.

"Well, you don't have to. You can request an appointment at a Weyr, can't you? There's a lot of Weyrs to keep full of healers." Varethos said thoughtfully, "You won't go further than apprentice in dragonhealing unless you Impress."

"Yeah, they were quick to drop that firestone sack on me," Syerin grumbled. "Give me the hope of being useful but only so far. Gotta love that." He picked at his fingernails. "Still, it's better than nothing. I guess I could request staying here as a healer but I'm not really the type to take care of kids. Dragons are easier. Well, unless they don't talk to you."

"There are other specialties besides pediatrics." Varethos pointed out. "Surgery, or mindhealing. Do a lot of dragons talk to you? Ghraisath does sometimes, but I think I could count on one hand the number of times Fianwyth has talked to me."

"Nope," Syerin replied sourly. "Not a one. Maybe they all secretly dislike me and that's why I haven't Impressed."

"That's the attitude, buddy." Varethos said. "If it helps, Ghraisath and Fianwyth have known me since I was new and neither of them are chatterboxes." He stretched and started to stand. "C'mon, let's go do something to take your mind off it."

Syerin rolled eagerly out of his bunk. "I'm here for that. Let's go."

Last updated on the November 9th 2024

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A Little Angst, as a Treat