There's a new world for the winning (2/2)
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: Corrin, Duskdog
Date Posted: 7th September 2025
Characters: M'kadja, T'lonas
Description: Akadja presents himself for candidacy
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 6, day 28 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: Naldhavi, S’yen, Sybana
(cont.)
When T’lonas’ smile didn’t falter Akadja leaned in, hands braced on his knees. “I’m 21, near as I can figure it.” That was just below the age limit, he knew. “I don’t know my birthing day, never had much use for that out on the roads, but the day I came here is as good as any. I’ve got no lord to speak for me and no craft to speak of-- but I’m smart. I learn fast. Once I put my mind to something, I never quit. I’m a fighter, and I reckon that’s exactly what you need up in the skies.”
“Confidence and enthusiasm!” T’lonas beamed. It wasn’t so much that he was _thrilled_ by the holdless, themselves, more that he didn’t care too much about that part, and otherwise enjoyed an enthusiastic candidate who seemed to realize, at least that riding wasn’t all sunshine and flowers. “Wonderful! I appreciate your honesty. We have a fair few of our new holdless folk who have been Searched, actually, and many of them have been… hmm, what’s the word? ‘Cagey’ comes to mind, but that sounds uncharitable. Reluctant to trust, I suppose. Understandable. I realize there’s a certain… stigma. That’s unfortunate. I like to think of the Weyr as a place where all that matters is our devotion to our purpose, regardless of where we come from, so I hope that no one has given you an unpleasant experience here. Have they?”
Things were going better than Akadja had expected. He had expected some grizzled hardass. A bronze gatekeeper of the weyr and its resources-- not this mustachioed puppy of man. He reckoned he knew how to play things now.
“Caution is good, but cagey is limiting,” he agreed grandly. Nevermind he was weighing every word, every action. That didn’t matter if it didn’t show. Let this man focus on what he wanted him to see. Confidence. Enthusiasm. He grinned toothily. “I try not to limit myself.”
“But there is a stigma.” He took a gamble and stole the word the bronzerider had used. It was pretty clear what it meant in context and his expression sharpened. “Not all the weyrfolk have been as welcoming as you, but it’s nothing I can’t handle-- though my brother _did_ have a pretty nasty run in with one of your weyrlings.”
T’lonas was particularly impressed with how well-spoken the young man was, especially for being holdless, but the mention of one of his weyrlings immediately put those thoughts out of his mind. He frowned sharply, trying to imagine who might be capable of nastiness. S’yen? “I’m appalled -- do you know which was one it was?”
“The goldrider, Sybana. It was clear she thinks we’re not good enough for the weyr.”
Sybana? He was surprised -- though right on the heels of that was the thought that perhaps he shouldn’t be. She was such a lovely young lady overall, but she _did_ have some lingering holder biases. (It did not occur to him that “holder bias” was certainly not limited to the holdborn.)
“A nasty run-in, you say? Do you know what was said? If one of my weyrlings behaved unacceptably, I will certainly be speaking with them about it.”
Akadja wrestled down a wicked spark of glee at the prospect of getting the goldrider in trouble and did his best to affect an indifferent shrug. “I don’t know exactly, sir. Like I said, it was my brother Naldhavi, not me. I just know it started with her not liking that he got Searched. He’s actually here right now if you want to ask him. We both came to present our tokens today.”
T’lonas nodded thoughtfully. “Of course, I’ll speak with him next, then. I would certainly like to hear both sides of the matter first-hand. I can only hope that this was some sort of cultural misunderstanding, but I promise you I don’t dismiss these things out of hand, and _will_ be looking into it. Hmm, now…”
He drummed his fingers on his papers, gathering his thoughts again.
“Are you physically fit? No weaknesses, vision or hearing problems, eye problems… anything of the sort? And…” he tapped his fingers some more, “I must ask, is there any criminal history we should know about?”
That stopped Akadja’s quiet gloating. He had been waiting for this question. Shaking his head he smiled ruefully. “I just had the misfortune to be born Holdless, sir.” Never mind all the subsequent crimes he committed. His name wasn’t down in any lord’s records -- not his real name -- so they didn’t count. There was no papertrail. “I’m fit as a fiddle though. Strong too.”
T’lonas wasn’t entirely ignorant. He knew there were reasons people felt the way they did about the Holdless… but that didn’t mean every one of them was representative of the stereotype. If they looked into it, would they find anything? For the sake of thoroughness, they should try -- but in the meantime, he was inclined to take the young man at his word. He had certainly been surprised more than once by lads who seemed good but turned out to be ill-suited for candidacy, and lads who seemed that they might struggle but who ended up excelling. Was this really so different?
“Yes, you certainly seem to be in good shape. It’s important that potential riders be fit enough to do the job, should they be lucky enough to Impress! Now. This isn’t an official question or anything, just something I like to ask, out of curiosity: what color are you hoping for? What do you see for yourself? ‘I’m not sure’ is a valid answer!”
“Oh, I’m sure,” Akadja grinned, but his tone was deadly serious. “I want a great big bronze to take me as far as I can go.”
T’lonas laughed. “Fair enough! There’s nothing wrong with aiming high. I won’t give you the ‘responsibility’ lecture now -- I’m sure you’ll hear it several times over the next few months, and not only from me. Do you have any questions for me, Akadja? Anything I can help you with, or clarify?”
“No questions, sir. Except-- am I a candidate now?”
“Very nearly.” T’lonas held the token back out to him. “All you have to do is check in with Headwoman Oselle. She’ll take your token, get you a berth in the barracks, and make you official. Pre-emptively, though, let me be the first to welcome you, Akadja. I hope to see you succeed!”
Last updated on the October 3rd 2025