Chores Swap

Writers: Heather, Halyonix
Date Posted: 11th December 2024

Characters: S'yen, A'ris
Description: Aedris has a proposition for Syerin.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 2, day 13 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: T'lonas

S'yen

A'ris

Aedris had been keeping quiet watch and observation over the other
Candidates since he'd moved into the Candidate Barracks. For the first
few sevendays he'd. been secretly paying random kitchen drudges to
help him do his reading and writing, but they were getting to the
parts of the lessons where it had to be someone who was _in_ class to
understand the assignments.

The risk was great. If he asked someone to help him, they could very
well blab to the Weyrlingmasters that he couldn't read or write. He
had already sensed that maybe Weyrlingmaster T'lonas wasn't completely
sold on him as being Candidate material, even though the bronzerider
had absolutely said nothing of the sort, his brain still insisted it
anyway.

He finally settled on Syerin. He knew the other guy was working now as
an apprentice dragonhealer, so he had to have some book smarts
already. He also knew that this was Syerin's last chance at
Impression, so he might understand better than anyone Aedris' worry
over not being allowed to Stand.

As luck would have it, they ended up paired together for chores, which
is when Aedris finally worked up the courage.

"How's it going in the dragon infirmary?" he asked Syerin as they
mucked out latrines.

"Beats doing this, that's for sure," Syerin answered. "Worst I have to
deal with there is ichor." Or the awful screams of pain, which were
like nails on chalk stone for him. There was just _something_ about a
dragon in pain that demanded he help. He didn't fully understand it
but he figured he'd follow it because what else was he doing with his
life?

Aedris chuckled at the comment. "Fortunately? If you can say that, I
have a ton of experience in shoveling manure so...." He lifted his
eyebrows before adjusting the handkerchief tied around his nose.

"I swear the Weyrlingmaster picked us for this because he hates me,"
Syerin muttered, utterly convinced it was because he wasn't afraid to
speak his mind about some whershite rules sometimes.

That sparked an idea in Aedris' brain. "What if we make a deal? I'm
real good at physical labor like this," he gestured toward the
latrines. "But I'm not so good at the other half of Candidacy - the
reading and writing part." It was the first time he'd admitted it
outloud and doing so made him feel exposed. "What if we struck a deal?
I'll do your share of the physical labor, if you'll help me with the
written stuff?"

Syerin stopped what he was doing. Pinned Aedris down with a suspicious
gaze. "And how are we going to get away with that deal?" he asked.
"Someone finds out you're doing double duty dirty work and I'm stuck,
up all night writing your papers."

"Well, every time we're paired together for duty like now, I can do
the majority of the work, and that'll give you time to write, so you
don't have to do it at night," Aedris reasoned.

The other Candidate seemed to consider this for a long, long moment.
He gave Aedris a once-over look that could have been a simple
assessment of the man's physical strength or a deeper consideration of
other things. Maybe both at once. With Syerin, it was hard to tell.

"Sure," he eventually said, adding a nonchalant shrug as punctuation.
"You want to start this now? Tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow," Aedris said. "I've got my stuff hidden under my mattress."
He didn't want anyone to see the blank hides and ask why he hadn't
done the work yet.

Another nonchalant shrug. "Fine. If we get caught though, all deals
are off. Got it?"

"If we get caught, I'll take the fall," Aedris promised.

Last updated on the January 1st 2025

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Chores Swap