Distrust

Writers: Duskdog, Sia
Date Posted: 30th August 2025

Characters: K'valas, T'lonas
Description: Kavalas has a candidate interview with T'lonas
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 10, day 15 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: Aegaryn

T'lonas

Kavalas stood stiffly outside the Weyrlingmaster’s office, hands shoved deep into the pockets of his threadbare trousers. The corridor was quiet, most of the other candidates off working or whatever it was that these weyrfolk did when there wasn't a clutch on the sands. He assumed this kind of meeting was normal. The Weyrlingmaster would want to see all the new candidates ahead of a hatching. It made sense that this T'lonas would want to vet the holdless candidates.

It didn't make the thought of it any easier, though. He finally wrapped on the door and pushed it open.

"You wanted to see me, Weyrlingmaster?"

T’lonas, seated behind his desk, looked up and waved him in, smiling. “Ah yes, Kavalas, come in, come in! Have a seat, make yourself comfortable. Have a candy, if you’d like.” He nodded towards the dish on his desk.

That wasn't the energy he expected and he didn't much trust it, either. He entered and slowly lowered himself into the seat, eyeing the candy but not taking one. He didn't change his frown.

“Now. I hope you don’t think you’re in trouble, because you aren’t! I’d just like to have a chance to get to know you a bit better, one on one. Are you settling in alright? To the barracks _and_ to Weyr life, I mean. I’m sure it’s been a change from what you’re used to.”

Kavalas shifted in the chair. He kept that same wary look, chin tilted just slightly. "It's different," he acknowledged. "The barracks are fine, though I'd have chosen something other than a bunk bed." It was softer, even, compared to the two cots he and Aegaryn had taken in the Lower Caverns. He already missed the weight of Aegaryn pressed so close to him. "But I'm still doing whatever needs doing. It's been barn and yard work, mostly, so that part hasn't changed."

“Excellent, excellent. I know most of the work and chores are nothing exciting, but it does keep the Weyr going! And… do you feel as if you’re getting along with your fellow Candidates? Fitting in?”

"It's fine." Kavalas said, "We've been keeping to ourselves. Has anyone said anything?"

“‘We’?” T’lonas echoed with a raised eyebrow. “Well, I meant you specifically. But no, no one has said anything. Nothing substantive, at any rate. As I’m sure you’re aware, there are… those who object to your presence on principle. But I’m only interested in hearing about it if you’ve done something to cause problems here. And as far as I’ve heard, you have not.”

He cocked his head thoughtfully.

“Has anyone here said anything to _you_ that I should be aware of?”

Kavalas looked at the Weyrlingmaster for a long, guarded moment. It was hard to tell if T’lonas’ concern was genuine or just a calculated kindness. It was his job to make sure they all kept themselves in line. "I ain't looking to start anything." He said instead with a shrug. People had mostly left them alone, if only because he didn't stray far from the holdless candidates as often as he could. "People want us to give them a reason to throw us out. I've had that happen before, usually before they need to pay us for work. Doesn't work if you don't give them the fight they're hoping for."

T’lonas nodded. “That’s wise, I think. Don’t let yourself be baited. If it means anything, I’m personally not _searching_ for reasons to get rid of anyone. I have to be vigilant for reasons that do arise, because we have to prioritize the safety of our clutch and the Weyr, of course, but I don’t intend to be a hammer in want of a nail, so to speak. Don’t hesitate to speak up if someone _does_ bother you. If you all Impress, you’ll need to be able to work together, so someone who can’t handle the thought of that isn’t behaving the way a potential dragonrider ought to act, either. I don’t care if they’re the most weyrbred lad who’s ever weyred -- sometimes they could use a reminder of why we’re all here. That goes for everyone, of course. Speaking of why we’re all here… I’ll assume you’ve given a possible future as a rider some real thought? Considered the dangers, what you may be sacrificing?”

"Yes," Kavalas lied. Aegaryn was the one who wanted to Stand, even if it was just to extend their time here a little longer. "Not much to sacrifice, really. Dead in Threadfall is dead in Threadfall, whether it's on a dragon or on road. It's not like I'm abandoning any real prospects by doing it. I have no family to care about what I do."

“Ah,” T’lonas said, at a loss momentarily. He was aware -- in a distant sort of way -- that he’d lived a privileged sort of life as a weyrbred boy who Impressed bronze young, but normally when he was confronted with that fact, it wasn’t so… stark. Some of the holdbred candidates came in a bit skinny, sometimes a bit repressed (in his opinion), but it wasn’t often such dire circumstances that they had no one at all to care for them, or that they were realistically facing death by Thread whether they Impressed or not. “Well. If you didn’t want to take your chances with Thread, it’s possible you could stay on at the Weyr whether you Impress or not. I’m not in charge of that decision, of course, but I could certainly put in a good word for you.”

Kavalas gave a short nod, but he didn’t thank him. He didn’t want to owe anything. He could feel it, itching beneath his skin. He glanced again at the dish of candy, still untouched, then looked back up at T’lonas with that same wary tension coiled in his chest. "We'll see. Doesn't look like the Weyr has any shortage of labourers. But I'll want to stay if Aegaryn Impresses."

T’lonas nodded, making a note. “Of course. Being attached to a rider strengthens your case to stay, too -- though of course if one of you Impresses and the other does not Impress in the same clutch, you won’t be seeing one another for a while, unfortunately. Training is intensive, and weyrlings are kept in a bit of a bubble for a while -- and are barred from physical relationships for a while longer. Is that something you’re both okay with?”

There was a flash of amusement as Kavalas thought about one of the Weyrlingstaff having that conversation with Mesarian. The amusement faded as he processed the rest of T'lonas words, and he frowned. "Are we that obvious?"

“Well, no, I wouldn’t say obvious. You haven’t mentioned anything about being brothers, but spend your time together and are planning on staying if he Impresses. That doesn’t necessarily mean you’re anything other than friends, but I suppose I _did_ jump to a conclusion. Here at the Weyr, we don’t really think twice about it, but I should have considered that you aren’t from here and might not appreciate having it mentioned. My apologies.”

"I don't. I don't want it getting around. People tend to ignore it unless it's in their faces." Kavalas said, his voice flat but edged with something sharper. Resentment, maybe. Exhaustion, certainly. "But yes, I'm fine with that. The holds may as well have 'restrictions' in place, if you sorta look at it that way. And it’s only temporary anyhow, isn’t it? Just one more thing to get through. Like everything else.”

He shifted again in the chair, fingers flexing once against his knee. It was hard to say whether he was reassuring T’lonas or himself. The idea of being kept apart from Aegaryn-- really kept apart, by rule and by distance-- sat uneasily in his chest, heavier than he’d expected. But he wasn't going to let that show. Not here. He'd rather be away from Aegaryn for a little while than Impress himself.

T’lonas’s smile faltered a bit. He’d never given much thought to the Holdless before, but hearing such a young man express approaching an unpleasant roadblock as just one more of many spoke to a world-weariness that once again needled that uncomfortable feeling of guilt and privilege that he’d gotten earlier in the conversation. Maybe it’s something he should put more thought into… but right now, he didn’t really want to confront it. “I won’t mention it again, then, nor spread it to anyone else. Your personal business is certainly your own. Now… do you have any questions for me? Anything I can do for you?”

Kavalas hesitated. That part of the conversation-- the part where someone offered to help, or offered kindness for no obvious gain-- always felt forced.There was always something to gain. He thought about asking why no one seemed to care what any of them were made holdless _for_, but not enough to risk taking Aegaryn and himself out of candidacy.

"What are the chances of someone Impressing on their first go?" Kavalas asked instead, "Do you see that happen a lot with Searched folks? Do the dragons have any kind of preference?"

“I don’t know that I could calculate the chances, exactly,” T’lonas admitted, “But it certainly does happen to both weyrborn and Searched folk sometimes. Sometimes they have to wait longer, sometimes they don’t Impress at all. You certainly wouldn’t be the first person to be Searched near the maximum age and Impress immediately, though, if you do. As for preference? None that we can discern. Some might point out that there are more weyrbred riders than hold or craftborn, but the weyrborn also start Standing earlier than most youngsters are Searched, so they have more opportunity. Some also say that whatever that special ‘something’ is that dragons look for may run in the family, and I think that’s probably at least partially true, but it certainly hasn’t stopped the hatchlings from choosing plenty of holdborn in the past.”

That wasn't the answer Kavalas wanted to hear, and it showed in his expression. He didn't have much thought about being a rider, except Aegaryn's interest and a passing curiosity. Just one hatching. All he had to do was hold out for one hatching. "All right." He said slowly, then rose to stand. "That's all I had. Can I go?"

T’lonas nodded. “You’re free to go, Kavalas. Just please don’t hesitate to let me know if you have any other concerns, or need anything.”

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Last updated on the October 3rd 2025

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Distrust