Tour at Dawn (2)

Writers: Ainsley1, Vix
Date Posted: 21st May 2007

Characters: Hartam, D'ryne
Description: As promised, D'ryne transports Hartam to the Weyr and shows him around.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 3, day 9 of Turn 4

D'ryne reached for the mug and stowed them both to return to the kitchen staff. The brownrider couldn't believe how much he was enjoying the morning. It was very much like having V'ryne alive again. "Let's mount up then and we'll continue with your Weyr experience. I'm sure we can provide you with material for more than one new song."

"Perhaps," conceded the harper, "though I'll be happy to get the verses written so that I can get the chorus of this one to leave me in peace."

Cocking his head to the side D'ryne gave Hartam a wink. "You tease a man with all of this talk of a chorus to a new song," D'ryne stated while preparing to help the harper mount again for the short glide down. "I'll be very interested to hear this new song."

"And when it's finished, I'll be sure that you hear it. Until then, it's only so much noise and not to be heard by anyone except myself."

"Somehow, I knew you were going to say that!" Climbing atop his lifemate once Hartam was safely aboard the trio dived off the cliff, the brown dragon taking a swift and steep decent to impress the harper with his flying.

Hartam could feel his klah rising in his throat. He closed his eyes and forced himself to take deep breaths. "This is why I'd not make a good dragonrider," he muttered.

**If you want that song, you had best go easy on the harper** D'ryne warned.

Quirinynth was cautious to make the landing smooth and easy.

"Sorry about that," D'ryne offered as he held out an arm to the harper once he'd dismounted. "Quirinynth was showing off a bit. He forgets such antics aren't for everyone."

"No problem," Hartam replied, feeling much better now that he was on the ground. "I suppose that's one of those things best viewed from a distance - at least for me." He glanced around, taking in the activity of the dining area of the Weyr.

D'ryne led the way to where one of the drudges was serving. "Good morning, Helita. This is Harper Hartam, visiting us from the Vintner Hall." The brownrider was pleased that Helita was serving this morning. Who better to represent one of the more different and interesting sides of the Weyr.

"Well, Good Morn'n, to you Harper, and how long is your visit to be?" she drawled with what could only be termed as a seductive smile. Helita was quite attractive with a sensuous figure and she was well placed in the Weyr. Her inviting nature left her no shortage of male companionship, and yet she always seemed to welcome more.

The harper found himself a bit taken aback by her behavior. Though he worked in The Tavern, he knew that Bhervehan would not allow the women serving tables to be so forward with the customers. Still, he forced a warm smile. "Only for the day, my good lady.
Fortunately, in my short time I have the joy of making your acquaintance."

"Oh it _is_ too bad you can't stay at least one night," Helita answered grazing her fingernails across Hartam's hand as she passed him a plate.

Hartam sighed heavily, hoping that he was not being too melodramatic. "Sorry, my lady, but I need to get back to Amber Hills Hold before evening. If I don't show up for work, there will be some rowdy customers at the bar."

D'ryne grinned and moved toward a table once he had a plate of food and a full cup of klah. He nodded to a group of female crafters as he passed. There was a healer, a harper, and a beastcrafter in the group and the brownrider was curious what Hartam's view on that might be.

Following quickly after the brownrider, Hartam followed D'ryne's glance and nodded to the crafters as well. "As it should be," he murmured as he caught up to the other man.

The brownrider was pleased to see that Hartam held no bias against the female crafters. "Just so you know, Helita is not exactly the norm here in the Weyr, but she is well placed."

His companion nodded. "To hear the stories that many tell, all of the women of the Weyr are as free as she is."

"Well, I would say the stories have some merit in that many women seeking the freedom to be different from what the Holds allow do come to the Weyr. On the other hand, I find that very few women are as forward as Helita!" D'ryne laughed.

"That is not the only kind of freedom women seek here, though." D'ryne tilted his head toward the cluster of crafters. "Some want to pursue a craft, and some want the option NOT to be tied to a man. Last turn I was trying to get to know one of the kitchen workers a little better and she told me in no uncertain terms that she had come to the Weyr so that she would not be required to have any relationship at all with a man."

"There are many misconceptions about weyrlife," mused Hartam. "It's a shame that those outside of the Weyrs cannot look beyond those tales and recognize the acceptance of all for what they are that those impressions are based upon. Living up to the expectations of others has ruined many a person's life."

Giving a nod of agreement, D'ryne considered the harper's words as he started in on his breakfast. He had lived here all his life, and seen all sorts of people coming to join the Weyr. Many just came seeking adventure or change, but many were hurt and broken, seeking sanctuary.

"Dragonriders fight to keep Pern free of Thread, but perhaps the Weyrs themselves offer freedom from a far more widespread, though not as deadly, menace," he finally offered.

"Many have been saved by the Weyrs," the harper conceded, "but there are many more broken ones out there who are not suited to weyrlife. Let's face it - many are frightened by dragons and that gets in the way as much as the lies that are perpetuated about this place." He took a bite of a roll, soft and still warm, and gestured toward his plate as he chewed. "Your cooks are quite good, though I may not want to mention that to Barthella."

"Barthella?" D'ryne queried, realizing that he knew very little about Hartam. Did he have family? A wife perhaps?

"The head cook at The Tavern," he replied. "I'm fortunate enough to be able to eat her food daily, so I make a point of letting her know how much I appreciate her cooking." He made a low sound of disgust. "I've been assigned some places where the food was barely edible, so I've learned to encourage those who are truly good cooks."

"I guess I have been rather spoiled here," D'ryne answered. "The food is always good." Biting into a sausage the brownrider thought about the journeyman's plight. "How many different assignments have you had?"

"I really can't tell you," stated Hartam. "I journeyed about the North for well over twenty Turns. Some places I'd stay for a month or two, others only a night and then I'd move on." He chuckled and rested his elbow on the table. "You may have seen a good deal of Pern from the air, but my feet have known just as much of it."

Shaking his head in amazement, the brownrider took a sip of his klah before answering, "I don't think I've ever appreciated how much journeying a journeyman does. Do you have family?"

The harper's smile disappeared. "I do but I don't. My mother and sister live at River Bluff Weyr but I seldom see them. My brother. . . I heard that he Impressed but have no idea where he is living."

D'ryne nodded, knowing that many were not really close to their family, but having lost his own siblings to whom he was very close, it always made him a little sad to hear about families that had grown apart. He took the last few bites from his plate and another swallow of klah. He looked at the harper's meal and noticed it seemed to be nearly gone as well.

"Well, my friend, are you ready to see the Weyr?"

Relieved that he could set aside the topic of his family, Hartam grinned. "Definitely. I want to see it all or as much of it as I can in this one day."

"Excellent, then let's see what we can see."

Last updated on the May 25th 2007

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Tour at Dawn (2)