Enough is Enough!

Writers: Len, Suzee
Date Posted: 25th November 2010

Characters: K'ale, Catrien, Garrent
Description: Kendale is confronted by a fed up Candidate after he rescues her friend
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 12, day 5 of Turn 5

K'ale

Kendale stretched his back as he walked down the corridor toward the
barracks. He though he'd try for a little shuteye before dinner.
Candidate classes were sometimes new but mostly things he already knew
from growing up a weyrbrat. He'd seen Stands enough to know how to
handle himself and he knew the hatchlings were dangerous only because
they were clumsy.

Both his parents had demonstrated their love for him over the turns
and he knew they both cared but he also knew he was second place to
their lifemates. It was just a fact of life for the child of riders.
He longed for that connection that defined a dragonrider. He'd going
to spy on the clutch the same as every other Candidate and there was
one egg that seemed to grab his attention every time he went to look.
He smiled to himself as he walked, this time was his turn to Stand and
by Faranth's own egg he wanted to Impress.

"Quick, here comes the losers' protector!" There was a scuffle and a
few shouts, before Garrent fell into Kendale's path.

Kendale was immediately on his guard watching the group of boys run
off. He reached a hand down to help the small kid up. "You ok?" he
asked.

The chubby boy sniffled and nodded. "You're Galwen's friend, right?"
If he was the one Garrent was thinking of, he knew he was now safe.

He hadn't really thought of it that way but he nodded "Yah, I'm his
friend" he smiled.

"Garrent! What are you doing?" A slender girl ran to the boy's side.
"And what are_you_doing?" she all but yelled at Kendale. Turning back
to Garrent, she asked, "is this one of the bullies that have been
hurting you?"

Kendale stepped back and raised his hands. "I was just helping him
up." he said to the furious defender with a chuckle.

The girl turned away from her friend and balled her fists up. "Oh
yeah? That's what they always say. How do I know you're any
different?"

He looked back at the young kid who'd obviously been on the receiving
end of some bullying just like Galwen. He didn't really blame the girl
who had come to his defense. "This the the Weyr and I am Weyr raised."
he looked at her seriously. "My da is a brown rider and ma rides green
and is a wing third. I don't play those kinds of games with
candidates."

"Yeah?" The girl still tried to look tough, though some of her armour
went away. "Well then, why don't you big Weyr guys help kids like us?
why do all these Holder bullies get away with the crap that they do
then?"

He frowned a bit. "I'm just a Candidate like you." he said "I wash
dragons and carry trays same as everyone else." Then he shook his
head. "I will try to keep an eye out for you but I can't be everywhere
at once."

"Be nice, Catrien, he said he knows Galwen," the chubby boy whispered
to her. For her part, she still looked less than impressed. After
being a Candidate many turns and seeing the same tired game played out
turn after turn, she couldn't understand why some boys like her mates
Garrent here, and Galwen and Sevin, got bullied and harrassed whilst
the bigger, obviously straight Weyr boys just shrugged their shoulders
and did nothing to support their Weyr residents.

"Their eyes are opened if they impress, believe me." he said. "How old
are you Caitren?" he asked.

"Yes and they pick on kids like Garrent here for not being
thin, and Sevin for being gay, and Galwen for being short. And," and
here she drew herself up, "us girls for daring to Stand for a green
and not just a gold._In_the meantime we all get picked on while the
likes of you do nothing! This is_our_home, so why is this behavior
allowed? And what's it to you how old I am?" She flicked her mop of
blond hair out of her eyes and challenged him with her glare.

Behind her Garrent mouthed, "she's 17 turns," to Kendale.

His eyes narrowed as the corner of his mouth turned up. "Look!" he
said raising his hands in protest of her unfair attack. "'The likes of
me' is exactly who scared those bully's away this time." She was
certainly passionate in her defense of her friends. "So why exactly is
it _my_ fault." How she had managed to attach all the blame to him was
a mystery.

"Well..." She wasn't happy about not having a focus for all her anger.

He swept his hand ahead of him in the direction of the dining hall. "I
don't imagine that I'm going to get that nap I wanted now before
dinner shif. So shall we?" Candidates ate on the early shift so they
could help serve the riders during the busier dinner hour.

Last updated on the December 16th 2010

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Enough is Enough!