I have my guesses

Writers: Emma, Vix
Date Posted: 1st January 2008

Characters: Thanja, Kanydrin, Tanrin
Description: Tanrin tells his parents he doesn't want to be a printer
Location: Harper Hall
Date: month 7, day 11 of Turn 4

As the family finished their evening meal, Thanja gave their youngest a nod. Jakrin had already left, making a polite excuse about having something to complete something for the following morning.

"Papa, I'd like to tell you something," he began.

Kanydrin slouched back in his chair, feeling quite sated and a bit sleepy. The meal had been quite tasty and he had probably eaten more than he needed, but the mild discomfort was nothing that a nap would not cure. "Eh? Of course. What's on your mind?"

He glanced to his mother, who urged him on with her eyes. He'd promised her he'd tell his father himself.

"Papa, I, I don't want to be a Printer," he blurted out after what had seemed to be an interminably long pause.

The man found himself to be suddenly less tired. He frowned as he looked toward his son. "I must not have heard you correctly."

"I don't want to be an apprentice in your craft Papa," he repeated himself. Tanrin looked to his mother, as if to ask for help.

"Go on," she said, this was something Tanrin had to do himself.

"I, I want to be a healer," stammered the young man.

Kanydrin stared at him, puzzled. "Why would you want to do that?"

Clearly 'because I just do', was not going to be an acceptable answer to his father. "Papa, I want to help people, I want to make them better, I want to see them day by day."

"We see people who want print jobs completed," the man told him. "And we make their lives better by what we do."

"But do we help people live longer, and bring babies into the world?"
countered the youngster. "Papa, healing makes a real difference for a long time."

His face impassive though his emotions were roiling, Kanydrin studied his son. "But what we do makes no real difference?"

"It can Papa, but sometimes it takes a long time for words to help.
Healers can set a bone, or give a medicine that makes pain go away quickly."

"So you'd choose another craft rather than try to develop patience?"

"Papa, I've thought about this for the last turn at least," it was pleading, and Tanrin knew it, but he'd feel much better apprenticing with his father's consent.

Kanydrin tried not to show the hurt he felt at that statement. "At least a turn and you're only mentioning it now?"

"I needed to be sure Papa," replied his son in a small voice. "And I am now."

The father started to reply, but paused, glancing toward his wife. "Did you know about this?"

"He spoke to me earlier today," she said. "I told him he needed to tell you himself, that I was not going to do it for him."

At least she had not known about it earlier and kept it from him -
Kanydrin did not think that he could take having this information withheld from him in that way. He tapped his fingers thoughtfully before finally replying. "I don't understand your decision and I think that you're making the wrong choice, but I don't know that we have any choice but to accept it. I only hope that if this turns out not to be right for you, that you figure that out before you are too far behind to change crafts."

"Thank you Papa, it means a lot to me that you accept this," said Tanrin.

The printer raised an eyebrow and grunted. He doubted that the boy would find the healing craft to his liking - how could he with all of that blood and bodily mess? - but there was little else that the man could do about it.

"May I go now?" he asked of his mother.

"You may, unless your father has anything else to say to you."

Kanydrin shook his head, one hand absently waving the boy away.

"I think he's certain about this," said his mother once Tanrin had left.

Her husband snorted. "For now he might be but he'll change his mind."

"We'll see," she said hoping to calm things. "At least he'll try it."

"It seems like a waste of time, but if it gets it out of his system, let him try."

"At least he knows he can come back to us if anything should change about his chosen craft," Thanja said. "Who knows what will happen in a few months time."

"Who knows?" her husband replied, but followed it with a muttered, "but I have my guesses."

Last updated on the January 4th 2008

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I have my guesses