The Finer Points

Writers: AL, Avery
Date Posted: 17th January 2009

Characters: Meledei, R'min
Description: Ruumin flirts with Meledei.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 13, day 11 of Turn 4

There was about a half candlemark before class and Meledei decided to take it easy. Her chores were done, she wouldn't have to report to her mentor until after class, and she had no need to study. The information they were taught was packed into her mind turn after turn. As she had mentioned to another candidate, she could teach the classes if she had to.

Meledei slipped into the barracks. She didn't stay there, but was wondering if Sorsha or Navan or any of her other friends were there. There was no one save for a single candidate whom she knew by sight. From the look on his face, he looked utterly confused. "Everything all right?" She queried as she drew closer.

"Not really." Ruumin said looking up. "The finer points of dragon anatomy are eluding me."

"Oh?" Meledei lowered herself into a chair next to the young man. "Maybe I can help. What's eluding you exactly?"

"It's not the bigger bits, like wings or tail. It's the finer structural parts, and what exactly the bleeding green makes different." he sighed, pushing his hair out of his eyes, and looked at her. "Ruumin, by the way. Newly a Candidate." He extended his hand.

"I'm Meledei." The girl took his hand and shook it firmly. "If you want, I can try to help you."

"I'd appreciate that." Ruumin said. "So, the ichor thing...does that affect anything, other than bleeding green?"

"Well, the ichor is their blood." Meledei shifted to settle into a more comfortable position. "Ours is red, theirs is green and it's called ichor. That's pretty much the only difference."

"Do you know how they manage to do everything? Get inside your head and be one with you and all?"

"Well, they can describe it all they like, but the best anyone can say is that it's a connection that occurs at impression." Meledei wasn't a dragonrider, but she knew it was something that went beyond the scope of words. "The only way to truly understand it is to become one I think."

Ruumin nodded. "I just wish I understood it better. I feel like understanding things is the way to achieve anything, you know?" he asked.

"Yes, I can see that." Meledei honestly wished she could understand better. She certainly hoped one day she would be able to. "Maybe you'll impress."

"I hope so. But I don't expect it to happen the first time- I mean, look how many have been standing for Turns."

"Like me?" Meledei pointed out with a small smile. "But you never know. No one really knows why the dragons choose whom they choose when they choose."

"Was it disappointing to be left?" Ruumin asked.

"Yes." Meledei wasn't going to lie. It was always disappointing, very single time - she had been left quite a bit. "Though I think I have an easier time of it than some people."

"You seem pretty nice. I'm sure it won't be forever."

"Who knows. Maybe I'm not cut out to be a dragonrider." Meledei did hope he was right. She clung to that hope every time she stood. "But, if not, I at least know that I'll be able to continue in something that I love."

Ruumin nodded. "Having a Craft is nice." he agreed. "I don't know what I'll do if I don't Impress- if the Hall will take me back, since I left it to Stand."

"I don't see why they wouldn't." There was usually demand enough, especially on ones who already had some experience, wasn't there? "You couldn't craft here?"

"Well, I was always Weyr-trained until we moved here. Then I transferred to the Harper Hall to get training. But now that I've chosen to Stand instead, if I fail...well, won't I look flaky to the Hallmaster?"

"It seems to me," Meledei stated slowly, "That Standing is something outside of simply being flakey. You can craft and stand at the same time, though."

"I know that, and the Weyr crafters know that. I'm just wondering what the _Hallmaster_ will think, you know? It might be different when they're at the Weyr, but I imagine normal Crafthalls probably aren't too happy about their students leaving, and then deciding to come back- it does show a lack of commitment." He wasn't sure if he was explaining it right.

"Well, you won't know until you ask." Meledei pointed out. She thought that Hallmasters should understand when it came to standing for a dragon. Of course, she wasn't a Hallmaster either. "So perhaps you should ask."

"That's true." Approaching the Hallmaster seemed a little risky. "I don't know if I belong at the Hall." he admitted. Then he looked at her and smiled. "You realize you're pretty good at getting stuff out of people, right?"

"I am?" Meledei's mouth quirked up in amusement. "Well, I guess it's nice to know that I'm good at _some_thing!"

"Oh, I'm sure you're good at plenty of things." he said immediately, instinctively smiling his best charming smile.

"Like what?" Meledei asked playfully.

"You're a scintillating conversationalist and a very pretty lady...an excellent combination."

"I'll remember that next time I'm covered in manure and grumpy after a long day." Meledei laughed. "Then we'll see what you say."

"Well, then you'd need to be cleaned off, and I could help."

"I think I can take care of that myself." Meledei could imagine that he'd be glad to help indeed. "But I'm sure there might be some others who could use your very generous assistance."

He was mildly disappointed that she didn't sound more eager. "Oh, there are." he assured her. "But it's often the ones who don't immediately want help that are rewarding."

"Is that so?" Meledei found his teasing amusing, but she didn't think she was going to encourage him _too_ much. "I'll keep that in mind."

He leaned in, confiding a secret. "That's why I needed to escape the Hall...they don't look too kindly on certain kinds of men, there." She was weyrbred; she'd understand.

"Then craft here, then you wouldn't have to worry about it." Meledei encouraged, giving him a smile and then reminded him, "You don't _have_ to craft at the Hall, you know."

"I know. But when we came here it seemed like the greatest possible opportunity. There's a subtle difference, when you go out into the world- if you can, if you're male- if you're Hall trained versus Weyr trained."

"Is there?" Meledei hadn't thought about that. She'd never lived anywhere other than the Weyr, and she wasn't a Journeyman, hadn't been assigned anywhere else. Her experience at holds was limited to occasional visits, usually during Gathers. "What sort of difference?"

He nodded. "Since there's such a prejudice against female crafters, there's also a prejudice against places that train them. Add to that anti-Weyr prejudice, and you have a recipe for disaster. They can think we're not properly trained, or that we have contaminative, radical ideas."

"I never thought of that." If she never impressed, would Meledei be assigned somewhere as a Journeymen? What sort of things would she have to deal with? "I guess I'm a bit too sheltered."

"Sheltered and the Weyr in the same thought- I can picture some of my Craft mates havign a heart attack at the thought." he said with a laugh.

"I suppose it is unusual. I mean, I _know_ about the stigma with women." Meledei had heard plenty of stories from holdbred friends who had come to stand. "I guess I just never really thought about it thoroughly."

"If it wasn't there, would you want a Hold position?" he asked. Right now her options were limited to other weyrs.

"I don't know. To be honest, I haven't thought that far ahead." Maybe she should. The most Meledei had gotten in regards to her future was to make sure that she learned a craft. "I'm so used to the Weyr...I think I'd really hate to go somewhere else."

"What about another Weyr? I heard good things about River Bluff, for example."

"That I could probably handle. Maybe." She wouldn't be near the sea, and Meledei did love the sea. Of course, River Bluff did have a river - after all, that's where it got its name. But that wasn't the same. "I still have some time, though. I plan on staying here until I'm too old to stand, if I don't impress that is."

"I'm glad." he told her honestly.

"Is that so?" Meledei gave the young man a sidelong glance. "Nice to know I'm liked."

"Mel, if anyone doesn't like you, I will personally punch them in the face." Ruumin avowed with a straight face.

"Oh good, I'll be sure to give them fair warning." Meledei grinned and glanced around as more candidates began to wander in. Class would begin soon.

Ruumin laughed. "Thanks for the help earlier. I hope this class'll be easier."

"Let me know if you need help," Meledei offered, "I've been through these classes so many times I have everything memorized multiple times over."

"You'd be a lifesaver if you did."

"After class, we'll get together and coordinate our schedules." Not that there was much time to really work on things, but surely they could figure out _some_thing. "I'll be your private tutor."

"I appreciate it." And because he did, he didn't even make a crack about it. "I had to burden you, but I just wouldn't be comfortable asking Father."

"I don't mind at all." Meledei assured him. "Not at all."

Last updated on the January 20th 2009

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