Pressure or Lack Thereof

Writers: Aaron, Corrin, Sia
Date Posted: 26th April 2025

Characters: Q'helias, H'lem, Varethos
Description: Qelhelias redeclares his candidacy and speaks with some other weyrborn about recent events and expectations
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 5, day 11 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: Q'vettan (not by name), M'thos, T'mhas, T'lonas

Q'helias

Varethos

Qelhelias was a man of his word.

The morning after his talk with his father, he reported over to the barracks. Neatly dressed in his Harper blues, he redeclared his candidacy and informed the masters of his intention to maintain his current quarters and fulltime journeyman duties until there were eggs hardening in the sands. It was a simple enough procedure. He was old enough to have sat through more than his fair share of candidate lessons, there was no danger to him missing a few. ‘Second M’thos soon shook his hand and waved him out.

It was as Helias was crossing the candidate common room that he spotted a pair of familiar faces. “Varethos! What, still waiting for your dragon?!” It had been a couple of Turns, but the blond young man was easily recognizable from their many music theory classes back when Qelhelias had been an apprentice, nevermind his time in the barracks. The other one though… “And… Lemhask? You’re Standing already?” Time flew.

"Already!?" Lemhask folded his arms indignantly. "It's been almost three Turns!" He was not entirely sure he remembered who the guy was, but he clearly knew Lemhask, so he was not about to do anything other than pretend he definitely knew him.

"Like you weren't just a twerp a few turns ago." Varethos teased as easily as he grinned at Qelhelias, rolling his eyes in the way any teenager did when their kid brother had to tag along. "Still waiting, unfortunately. What are you doing back here, Helias? Thought you were out on circuit?"

"I was. I had a pretty sweet gig along the Azov under Harper Jovanes, but I was reassigned to Dragonsfall a fortnight ago. I think my Father finally noticed I'd stopped Standing." Helias made a face and dropped onto a low couch near the brothers. "So now I'm back to waiting too, or I will be, when there's a clutch on the sands. Until then, I'll be in and out, still got my Harper duties and all."

"It's good to see some familiar faces though-- and I'm sorry, Lemhask. I lost track of time," he smiled. "You guys can catch me up on what I've missed. How are the new weyrlingmasters? The candidate pool? What's the latest drama?"

Helias? QELhelias? That was him? Whoa. He was like. A proper grownup or something. Had he been gone that long? Lemhask looked shocked.

"Oh, uh. I. I have a boyfriend!" he blurted.

Varethos paused for dramatic, cringey silence on his little brother's behalf, raising his eyebrows in unspoken amusement at Qelhelias. "New Weyrlingmasters are fine." He intoned. "T'lonas is.... enthusiastic, and Dad seems to be enjoying himself. There's not much in the latest candidate pool. Half expecting at least one holdless kid to get Searched, now that they're here. One of the newest bronze weyrlings was like that- he moved to the Weyr and *then* got Searched, if you'd believe that."

Qelhelias caught Varethos' eye, sharing in that silent amusement for a heartbeat, but his smile was genuine when he turned to Lemhask. "Well, shards. You _are_ grown, and I'm officially ancient."

Settling back on the couch he sighed. "You're right though. I wouldn't be surprised if one was Searched either. There certainly seems to be enough of them out in the 'bowl... That reminds me. Keep an eye out for my cousin, Veyric, will you? He just moved into the barracks recently and I don't want some holdless kid--or any candidate really--giving him too hard a time."

"That sounds like a job for Lemhask, but I'll keep an eye out." Varethos said with a nudge towards his brother. Lemhask was closer in age and it'd be less obvious that someone was keeping an eye out...provided Lemhask didn't blab about it. He hadn't quite learned subtlety yet. "Lots of folks our age, by the looks of it." Varethos continued with a nod towards the door and the holdless camp. "Didn't look like that at first, but each time I walk by it looks like there's more kids. A good bath and a full meal must be taking the turns off."

"Yeah, I noticed that too," Helias said. "What does your dad think of them? Will they be allowed to Stand if they're Searched?"

"If a searchdragon takes notice of them, I don't see why not. I definitely don't see Dad or T'lonas saying no if they appear with a search token. And the Weyrleader and Weyrwoman brought them here, so I doubt they'd do anything either." Varethos said thoughtfully. "Though I guess we'll find out soon. I dunno if the leadership will let folks stay if they want or will send them packing once they're dry."

Helias also looked thoughtful as he guessed at the number of candidate-aged holdless now at the weyr, and how many might warrant a token. Finally he shrugged, a wry grin surfacing. "Eh, what's a little more competition at our age anyway?"

A little more competition was, in fact, a little more competition. He felt a dull impulse of affront, of possessiveness over their remaining chances, but it wasn't going to be up to him in the end. There was no point dwelling.

He turned back to Lemhask. "So, Lemhask. Catch me up. Are you hoping for any color in particular? Any pressure to follow your dads to green or bronze?"

"My dads have never pressured me about one flaming thing my whole life," said Lemhask. And he was not sure whether he was even happy about that. It would probably be nice to feel like they expected anything from him.

"I don't care what color I get. And don't worry. If anyone gives Vey any guff, I'll beat their ass."

Helias chuckled. "Thanks. I'd do it myself, but I won't be in the barracks until the eggs are hardening. I'm keeping my journeyman quarters and duties as long as I can."

"I have to say, I'm a little jealous your family isn't pressuring you..." he continued. "I've taken so long to Impress I think all my folks are _sure_ it has to be to a bronze now."

Lemhask rolled his eyes.

"Psh. They don't need me for anything. Vare is the bronzerider."

"Helias and I will have to compete for the bronze in Galgaith's first clutch, then." Varethos said mildly. He didn't bother to point out that his father wasn't the bronzerider, but he sometimes forgot that little tidbit too. He wouldn't be surprised if they expected a bronze out of him despite that. "Probably only be one with her so young, unless some old dragon like Bhelth catches her. We'll see what happens, I guess. Helias, you got any office hours now that you're a Journeyman? I might come visit."

"One-- if we're lucky." It'd been a while since he'd seen a queen's first clutch, but they were never very large or metallic heavy. Helias didn't have high hopes. "Fingers crossed for Bhelth or Domorth, they'll probably give us the best chance." Though he couldn't imagine the young goldrider being pleased with either of their men in bed. "I have a candlemark of office hours nearly every day after the second lunch service. Please come by. Faranth knows the students don't."

"Good, it's a date." Varethos said. "I'd like to get my journeyman's knots sooner rather than later. And then maybe I can get out of the barracks too in between hatchings." He was getting bored and more than a little desperate sitting in candidate classes.

Qelhelias stayed a little longer to chat, but with Threadfall later that day the candidates were soon called to help prepare the firestone. He made his goodbyes then, thankful that his craft excused him from the dirty work.

Last updated on the May 1st 2025

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Pressure or Lack Thereof