A New Face in the Barracks

Writers: Halyonix, Heather
Date Posted: 18th April 2025

Characters: By'ler, R'vkal, Oriene
Description: Byllaver arrives and meets his fellow candidates, Ryvankal and Oriene
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 5, day 1 of Turn 12

By'ler

Oriene

Seemed like every day there was a new Candidate coming to the
Barracks. Ever since Panitath had risen, Searchriders were out
gathering new people to present. Ryvankal wondered how many Candidates
would be there by Hatching. Certainly seemed like enough right now.

“Where’re you from?” he asked conversationally of one of the newer
ones as they cleaned up their bunks that morning.

Byllaver, who had just come off the beach from an early morning swim,
flipped his towel over his leanly muscled shoulder. “Oh hey, I got in
so late last night that everyone was already asleep. My ride forgot
about the time difference.” There was still specks of sand on his bare
torso as he strode over and offered a hand to the other Candidate.
“I’m Byllaver. I transferred from Far Island. My foster sister is a
dragonrider here.”

Another Weyrbred it sounded like. Ryvankal wasn’t sure where Far
Island was but judging by the name, it wasn’t anywhere close. He shook
Byllaver’s hand. “I’m Ryvankal. Came from Green Valley Hold. Been here
a few Hatchings now.”

“Ah, a holding. You like it at the Weyr?” Byllaver asked
conversationally. He tossed open his trunk and began rifling through
it for clothes.

Ryvankal shrugged one shoulder. “S’different,” he said. “New things to
see. More active than the Hold for sure. Still deciding on if I stay
or not.”

Byllaver stripped out of his swim shorts and pulled on a more sensible
pair of work pants and tunic. “But you’re definitely staying for this
next hatching cycle?” Ryvankal nodded. He opened his mouth to answer
but a new voice interjected.

“Hope everyone is decent!” Oriene warned sunnily as she strode in. Her
gaze swept through the Barracks until she found Ryvankal. “Ryv, they
did it again!” she said with a grin, holding up a shirt that was
obviously too large for her. “This yours?”

The other Candidate nodded and stepped forward to claim his shirt.

“The laundrymaids delivered me his shirt again,” Oriene explained to
Byllaver. “Hey, you’re new. Ish. I’m Oriene.” She offered him her
hand.

“Byllaver,” he said with a nod of his head as he took her hand and
gave it a light squeeze. He looked back at Ryvankal. “I guess it’s a
good thing they didn’t accidentally give you _her_ shirt. It would
have been a crop top on you.”

Ryvankal grunted. That would have been really embarrassing. “Happens,”
he said. “Got someone else’s pants the other day. Couldn’t figure out
why they were so short on my legs.”

Oriene flopped down on Ryvankal’s cot. “So, where are you from,
Byllaver?” she asked.

“Far Island,” he answered. “You?”

“Dolphin Hall here. My family’s all dolphineers. I’ve been here for a
few Turns.” Though lately she wondered how much longer she would stay.
Oriene kept wobbling between going back to the Hall to continue her
studies or staying with her friends here.

“You didn’t want to pursue having a dolphin partner?” Byllaver asked.

She shrugged a shoulder. “It’s not like a Candidate for a dragon where
you age out. If I don’t Impress, I can always go back to the Hall and
work towards a dolphin partner. I’ll just be a little behind on my
studies, that’s all.”

“Least I can study smithing here,” Ryvankal interjected.

“True,” Oriene agreed. “What about you Byllaver? Do you have a craft?”

“Oh, yeah, I’m a starsmith,” Byllaver said with a nod and a smile.
“It’s a great craft. Staying up late watching stars.” It was also an
easy way to get girls in between the furs, but he thought that went
without saying.

“Stars? How interesting are stars?” Ryvankal asked dubiously.

“Well, stars can tell you a lot. Especially about location. Sailors
use them to navigate by, for example. We track the Red Star,
meteorology, and threadfall patterns.” Not that Byllaver really
planned to progress _that_ far into the craft. “I just like looking at
them, mostly. It’s peaceful being in the observatory at night.”

“I knew seacrafters used the stars to navigate,” Oriene said. “You
make it sound way more interesting than I thought. Maybe you could
show me one night!”

Byllaver’s eyes swept over Oriene, and then he smiled, “I’d love to show you.”

“Sounds great,” Oriene agreed. “I’m gonna head back to the girls’ side
of the Barracks. Hopefully I don’t have to return another shirt soon.”
She wiggled her fingers at Ryvankal, who gave her a half-hearted wave.
“Nice to meet you, Byllaver.”

“And you,” he called back, watching her backside sway as she went.
**I’m going to like this place.**

Last updated on the April 22nd 2025

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

A New Face in the Barracks