Bread and Attitude

Writers: Halyonix
Date Posted: 8th May 2025

Characters: Oriene, R'vkal, J'lyas
Description: Juvelyas tries to start an argument with Oriene
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 6, day 6 of Turn 12

Oriene

Notes:
~*~

Five days into being at the Weyr and already it was way better situation.

First off, the food was quality. Not that Juvelyas's mother didn't know how to cook but there was a difference to be tasted in using better quality ingredients versus whatever the garden unwillingly yielded. Particularly in the bread. Juvelyas made it a point to grab one of the fresh rolls, warm from the ovens, with a healthy topping of butter every morning so far.

Second off, the people. Coming from a Hold of twelve families total, there were _a lot_ of people at the Weyr. And that made it interesting. Way more interesting. Yeah the kids were still annoying, because they were kids, but there were dragonriders, crafters, Weyrfolk, guards, visitors, other Candidates...

"Good morning Juvelyas!" a sunny voice greeted him.

Speaking of Candidates.

"Hey," he replied to...Oriene? Yeah, that was her name. Cute little blonde, a Turn or two older than him, but not his type. Too happy. Too smiling. Still, she was more welcome to his time than some of the others.

She slid into the spot across from him. "Are you going to just exist off the bread?" she teased him lightly.

He scowled. "Yeah, and? What's it matter to you?"

She shot him a patiently exasperated look. "It's a joke, Juvelyas. Lighten up? I'm just being friendly." His expression didn't shift. Dramatically, he bit into the bread, chewing with emphasis. Oriene giggled. "Oh, you're going to do just fine here. Liking it so far?"

"Yeah, there's shardin' bread here," he answered. That only made Oriene laugh more. Okay, it wasn't a bad laugh but did the girl ever have a bad day? Not everything in life was sunshine and rainbows.

"S'good bread," a new, male voice said as another Candidate -- Ryval? No, that wasn't it. Rykal?

"You boys and your bread," Oriene said with a chuckle. "Good morning Ryvankal."

"Mornin'."

See? Juvelyas liked that guy. To the point with his words. Had to be smithcraft by the build on him. Probably could use some nicer shirts though. A fine embroidery running through those cuffs wouldn't be bad. Smiths were always boring on their clothes though. It was like they saved all of their creativity for the forge.

"I wonder if we'll get to touch the eggs soon," Oriene said. "Forty eggs is a good size clutch."

"Would be nice," Ryvankal said. "Be nicer if a dragon was in there for us."

"I'm sure there is," Oriene said with false positivity. "What do you think, Juve? Can I call you Juve?"

"No. It's Juvelyas," he answered defensively.

She smiled still, unfazed. "Fair. Do you have a dragon color you'd like?"

"I mean, any? Shells, I don't care about being a dragonrider so much as just being here! Even if I don't Impress, I can just stay here and work with the weavers." Unless the Weyrlingmasters were lying to him about that.

"That's true," Oriene agreed. "You and Ryv are lucky. I have to go back to Dolphin Hall to work on my craft. Which, I might do. If I don't Impress this time."

Did he hear a hint of something _other_ than dazzle in her tone? Seriously. He thought the girl bled positivity! Well, maybe she wasn't all sunshine and rainbows. Good to know.

"Still Turns left for you," Ryvankal reminded her. "Not so much for me." He shrugged a shoulder. "Doesn't bother me though. I can stay or go. Figure it out when I get there."

"It's not like it's hard to find work as a smith," Juvelyas muttered as he bit into his bread. "Pretty niche as a dolphineer though."

"Well, we're all crafters so at least we have that to fall back on if we don't Impress," Oriene pointed out brightly.

Shells, she was back at the positivity again.

Juvelyas chewed his bread and stared at her. "Do you ever have a bad day?"

She cocked her head at him. Mild confusion flit across her face. "Of course. We all do."

"Yeah, I think some of us have more bad days than you do. You're pretty sharding optimistic about everything all of the time. Why?"

Her expression became thoughtful. "Because I don't see much of a reason to dwell on the bad. There's a lot of good things out there."

"Lots of bad things too," he pointed out sharply.

She gave him that exasperated patient look again. "Where are you going with this, Juvelyas?"

"Just saying. Maybe you take off the rose-colored glasses every once in a while."

"No need to be rude," Ryvankal interjected. "She's being friendly. Seems like you could use a friend. Being new. Weyr's a big place."

"I don't need a friend," Juvelyas shot back defensively. He didn't need anyone! And if this dimglow smith was going to take her side, then maybe they could be friends! Figuring that he was now cornered between them in his little argument, he got up and left.

Oriene watched him go. "Well, I hope he likes his bread. Maybe getting a dragon will sort his mood out." Ryvankal grunted in agreement. "Thanks for the backup, Ryv."

"Anytime."

Last updated on the May 12th 2025

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Bread and Attitude