You Take It

Writers: AL, Jane
Date Posted: 31st December 2009

Characters: Ylisahn, Zelle, K'hetah
Description: Zelle moved Westni's surprise from the Hall to the Weyr.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr, Dolphin Hall
Date: month 6, day 2 of Turn 5

"Hey Ylisahn." Zelle limped up to the headwoman and grinned. "Long time no see. How are you?"

"I'm fine, enjoying my new home, and you're looking better than reports would have suggested."

"Really?" That comment made Zelle's eyebrows shoot upward. "What did the reports suggest?"

"That you'd had a near fatal accident in updraughts on the cliff face," Ylisahn said. "Was it wrong?"

"Fatal? Ha!" Zelle knew that her situation _had_ been dire, but she didn't really like to look at it that way. "I'm sure they were exaggerated. Busted myself up pretty well, but you can't keep me down for long." Only a few months.

"Hmm." K'hetah had talked about his friend's long recovery and Ylisahn wasn't entirely convinced by Zelle's bravado. "Well, no matter. It's good to see you up and about. Are you visiting for a reason? Or just out for a walk?"

"Down here to spend some time with a certain dolphineer and his dolphin." Zelle motion toward the Hall proper. "Then I have to get back up to the Weyr. Since I saw you, I thought I'd just stop and say hello. It's still weird not seeing you in the halls at the Weyr."

"Every now and then it feels a little weird, too," Ylisahn admitted, though her wide smile and generally relaxed appearance suggested that the feeling of being in the wrong place didn't afflict her too often. "Natural or crafted, Zelle?" she asked, holding up the round stone. It was one thing to accept it from the apprentice and quite another to find somewhere to put it down where it would be safe.

Zelle's gaze flickered to the smooth round object Ylisahn held. At first she thought it was a ball, but it was even too smooth for that. She stepped closer and peered at the curious item. "That's a rock? It's got to be crafted."

"Not rubbed smooth by sand and waves?" Ylisahn suggested, handing the rock over so the other woman could take a closer look.

Zelle turned the rock over and over, then shook her head. "No. Can't be, it's too perfect of a shape. Nature can do some amazing things, but this round?"

"Why don't you take it back to the Weyr and ask what people there think? I reckon it's natural - and you don't. See how many agree with you and how many with me." that would give the recuperating greenrider something to occupy her time with.

"You don't want it?" Zelle took the orb even as it was offered. What was she going to do with it?

"What would I do with it? What would anybody do with it?" the blonde woman asked, amending her own question. "You take it, Zelle, and give people something to talk to you about other than your recovery. You don't have to keep it."

"It certainly is a conversation starter." Zelle took the proffered stone and turned it over in her hands. "Maybe someone will figure out a use for it."

"Maybe somebody will know exactly how it's made, and if that's the case you can do some more exercise and come back down here to tell me."

"Who would know? A harper maybe?" Zelle couldn't think of anyone else who might have an idea. "Some of them make statues and things out of stone, right?"

"Wouldn't that be masons? Minercraft?"

"I don't know. All I know is that I've seen some harpers working on statues before. I guess it could be minercraft." Zelle would have to ask someone. "Anyway, I'd better go before I'm late for my appointment. I'll catch you later, Headwoman!"

"Not at the speed you're making. Keep getting better, Zelle," Ylisahn said with a wave for the greenrider.

Zelle lifted her hand in wave and turned to walk off, sphere in hand.

~ ~ ~

When K'hetah went to the visit the greenrider he found her asleep _again._ Still. For a while he just sat with her, musing over his concerns about the amount of time she slept - and the fellis needed to enable her to do so. Every time he promised himself he would speak to the healers he was waylaid by one thing or another, or at the last moment decided that very few things could be more annoying than a journeyman healer who long ago dedicated himself to being a dragonrider thinking he knew best.

The result was that he hadn't spoken to anybody, yet, and now that Zelle was making such good progress - she was up and about and walking unaided for long distances - surely the need for assistance to sleep was gone? So there would be nothing wrong with him querying the issue. Nothing at all.

Determined not to procrastinate again he got silently to his feet, only then noticing the ball on the bed beside the greenrider. Not a ball ...

He peered at it but was reluctant to reach out for it as it had rolled up against her body.

No, not a ball. A stone of some kind. Perhaps it was a gift, with some sort of inscription on the side he couldn't see? Whatever it was it was rather a clever piece.

He would ask her about it next time he visited.

Next time he caught her awake.

Last updated on the January 5th 2010

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

You Take It