Let Guilt Be his Punishment

Writers: Eimi, Stasha
Date Posted: 12th December 2007

Characters: T'mahl, M'delon
Description: Weyrlingmaster T'mahl askes trouble making Madelon if he would introduce Larazew into the weyr
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 7, day 4 of Turn 4

The candidates gathered up their books and sheets of hides and began filing out of the classroom, chatting and laughing, surprisingly up-beat considering they were about to clean the Candidate barracks in anticipation of a strict inspection. It was amazing to see the change in so many of their attitudes now that Eggs were on the Sands. Before, news of an inspection would have brought nothing but groans and mutterings, but now they knew they could really grasp the sense that they were warming up for when they were Weyrlings and their lives would become much more structured and regulated.

One of the Candidates hung back from the rest. He seemed a little out of place and very sullen. Lazarew. He seemed to be having a bit of a hard time fitting in. Of course, he had only been at the Weyr a couple days, but the Hatching would soon be upon them. This could very well be his new home for quite some time. The Weyrlingmaster knew how it felt to not quite fit in, and he wanted to help.

He turned to look towards a group of boys heading for the door. Perhaps he could get one of them to take their new classmate under their wing, at least for a little while. Someone who knew the Weyr's ins and outs.

Ah ha. "Madelon, can I speak with you a moment?"

The young scruffy looking boy looked over his shoulder to the Weyrlingmaster. The first thing that came to mind was did he find out?
He pondered this to himself, while his stomach twisted with his guilt.

"Hey," his friend, Enrad, called out to him. "Aren't you coming?"

"Yeah, just give me a sec. T'mahl wants me," he replied with the fear of punishment shadowing in his tone. "I'll meet up with you guys back at the barracks."

"Okay. Just don't expect us to clean up your bed," Nicalos added. They disappeared into the corridors leaving Madelon at the mercy of the Weyrlingmaster.

Madelon made his way to the T'mahl like a canine with his tail tucked between his legs waiting for a beating. Again the question floated to the surface of his thoughts. Did T'mahl known? And how?

It was a harmless prank, Madelon attempted to justify. Jasamo was a candidate bully, and after he had made that comment about Samira, what was he supposed to do? Ignore him? No, Madelon convinced himself, the black dye he had poured into that bubbly pie he gave Jasimo was a suiting punishment, especially since it stained Jasamo's face for the rest of the day. Madelon thought the embarrassment would have kept the bully silent, but maybe he was wrong.

"Did you want to talk to me T'mahl?" he questioned, knowing the Weyrlingmaster's answer. He braced himself for his superior's stinging words realizing that even his own justification for his actions would not save him from the consequences of them.

"Yes, Madelon, I did," the Weyrlingmaster nodded. "You were born here at Dragonsfall, were you not?"

There was a moment of silence from Madelon. Was this a trick question?
He wondered, while his body tensed, awaiting the reprimand. "Yes," the words stuttered from his mouth. "Well," he re-thought his answer "not really. I was born at Amber Hills, but my mom and I moved here right after."

"Well, all right, yes but you have lived in this Weyr all your life as far as you remember ," T'mahl said, figuring it was pretty much the same, especially for his needs. "So you should feel comfortable showing a new candidate the ropes, right?"

So he was not going to be punished. Madelon sighed in relief. "Yeah, I'll show them around." It was a better fate than he had expected.

"Have you met Lazarew yet?" The Weyrlingmaster suspected he had not, just becuase the boy seemed to keep to himself.

"No." But he had a feeling he was about to. Did he want to though? The boy seemed sulky to Madelon, to himself, a loner. He did not look like the kind of person that Madelon normally associated with, but Madelon did not dare disobey the Weyrlingmaster's request. He nodded his head, accepting T'mahl's offer.

He would take Lazarew under his wing. Besides, maybe all he needed was a new friend to show him around. "Hey, Lazarew!" he called out to the candidate as he put as much distance between himself and the Weyrlingmaster as possible...just in case there was anything else T'mahl wanted to add.

Last updated on the December 16th 2007

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Let Guilt Be his Punishment