Now and Again

Writers: Chelle, Mirren
Date Posted: 20th January 2012

Characters: Qorri, E'ron
Description: The Headwoman meets a young bluerider and makes an offer.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 6, day 9 of Turn 6
Notes: Mentioned: Dysali

Every now and again, she found herself switching tasks with her girls who
usually cleaned the weyrs. When she did this, it was almost always when
said girl was supposed to clean a weyr belonging to a young wingrider. So
far no one else had noticed or was smart enough not to comment on it.

So today, Qorri stood at the entrance to the young bluerider's weyr, carisak
in hand. She knocked on the stone a few times since the hide flap wouldn't
help her any.

E'ron was tidying up, thinking that it was weyr-cleaning day. After all, he didn't
want anyone to think he was a slob. Truthfully, he was more busy than messy.
Or so he told himself. He picked up a pair of socks and wasn't sure if they were
clean or dirty. He sniffed at them and decided they were clean enough to wear
again a time or two.

He heard the knock as he folded the socks. "C'min", he called out.

Walking inside, she gave it a first glance. **Not too bad** Then her eyes rested
on the young man standing in front of her. "My duty to you bluerider." She was
sure he wouldn't have been expecting her to be there and Qorri waited to see how
he reacted to that.

E'ron was suddenly aware of the pair of socks in his hands and felt like a boy caught
stealing cakes from the kitchens. He tossed them into an open drawer nearby and slid
it shut.

"Um, hello," he said awkwardly.

"Afternoon. Do you have your laundry bag ready to go? Once I'm done, I'll be taking it
with me." She took her bag and opened it, pulling out a small mop, broom, and bottles
of soap and disinfectant. Once that was laid out, she looked back at him. "Where do you
keep your bucket?"

"Laundry?" E'ron blinked. "Oh right, laundry!" Suddenly those not quite clean socks seemed
really dirty. Well he couldn't very well take them back out of his drawer! "It's um... I'll get it.
And the bucket."

It was a short walk across to the other side of the weyr where bag and bucket sat side by
side, various items of clothing overflowing from the bag and trailing on the floor. E'ron crouched
down and started shoving items in, although they kept falling back out as fast as he worked.

Qorri surreptitiously took advantage of the view as he crouched. **Not too bad there either**
She began to sweep, continuing to watch him. He was young for certain and she could already
tell the boy needed some guiding most likely. He looked lost. Deciding it would be her place to
get him straight and perhaps enjoy it in the process, the headwoman began to hum as she went
along.

E'ron got his laundry tucked away and loosely tied the top of the bag. With that in one hand and
the bucket in the other he rose to his feet. He left the bag by the door and took the bucket to the
Headwoman. "Um, here," he said, then offered the bucket and stood feeling awkward. "It's a bit
cracked though..."

"What do you mean? Will it hold water?" If he needed a new bucket, he should have told her. This
was going to take longer than she thought if she had to go locate a bucket before she could mop.
Her eyes narrowed slightly as they fixed on him.

E'ron wilted a bit under that look. "It... Yes, it holds water... It just," he stammered. "It just doesn't
hold as much as it should. The crack is near the top, see?" he pointed tentatively.

She sighed. "Fine, we'll use it this time but I'm taking the thing to be replaced before next time."
Once she was done sweeping, she took the rugs out to the ledge to air out. Qorri beat them some before coming back inside to mop. "You realize if you need something, you just have to ask, right?"

E'ron exhaled slowly. "I know, I just don't want to be a bother."

}:You're never a bother!:{

**Not to you maybe**.

The truth was closer to E'ron wanting to keep a low profile and how hard that was with a big, blue dragon in the picture!

"You're a dragonrider in this Weyr. It is our job to take care of you so that you can fly thread and keep the rest of us safe. If you don't bother us, we can't do our job properly." She really sounded like she was a soapbox and Qorri sighed, going back to the mopping. "Do you have friends, son?"

Friends? "Yes," he said, a bit too quickly. Well there was Dysali. Was she a friend? The closest thing to it at the moment anyway. "I have one... Some," he said, looking down at his scuffed boots.

Just as she suspected. "I know your dragon's probably chasing and that but hmm...do you have a girl, E'ron?" **Careful, don't scare the little boy. This one isn't worldly at all. He needs someone to ease him into things**

"A girl? You mean a..." Dysali was a girl, but not like that! "Like a mate?" Shards, he was old enough but he didn't feel it. "No," he shook his head. "Well as a weyrling I couldn't and then..." He both blushed and shrugged. "I haven't had...time."

"Oh. I have time," she offered casually, wondering if he would pick up on just what she was saying. She didn't want an all-the-time thing, just perhaps a try at him. Qorri sincerely hoped he understood that.

"You have time...?" His mouth formed an 'o' as her words sunk in. Surely she couldn't mean what she _seemed_ to mean? Could she? Why would a woman like her even notice a mere bluerider when all those experienced bronzeriders were out there?

The blood moved from other parts of his body down to one particular organ. Drat the lack of control of adolescence!
"I... Really?" was all his voice could squeak out.

"Really. Matter of fact, I have time right now while this floor dries." She gave him a glance to see if he had anywhere to be and a questioning look.

Just like that? It was so...business like. E'ron swallowed. Hard. Could he? Should he? She was Headwoman for Faranth's sake! And he was barely out of weyrlinghood. He hesitated and then, "I...I'll take my laundry down. It's a bit heavy anyway and I should have done it myself. I won't leave it so long next time and I'll take the bucket later to get it fixed later or whatever and, all right, thanks I'll see you later." This all came out in a rush as he grabbed the laundry bag, tossed it over his shoulder and bolted from the weyr.

Once he was gone, she couldn't help but laugh. **Poor boy** Grinning, Qorri finished what she had came to do and headed out of the weyr herself.

Last updated on the January 22nd 2012

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Now and Again