A tale from Ragnarok Island. U'friec, a hunter, has unexpectedly impressed Adoruth, a bronze dragonet. He has no idea what to expect. Wingleader Samara of Valtinth, a brown rider is trying to help him. This story is a brief role play that DinoInADress and I did in our group's discord. She owns and wrote Samara. I own and wrote U'friec.
(Wingleader Samara)
Sam is sitting at a table in a corner of the dining hall both watching people and casually reading a book.
([Maeli] Jothan/L'san )
U'friec and L'san walked into the dining hall together. U'friec was trying to explain his reasoning to his brother.
"Look. I know you mean well, kid, but I don't see what you think you can teach me. You're barely more than a weyrling yourself. And you ride brown, not a bronze. You don't know the stuff I need to know."
L'san looked annoyed as more than a few heads turned their way
"No need to rub it in yet again," he muttered.
(Wingleader Samara )
-Sam growled softly then stood and walked over to them, she is wearing a neutral face that looks not pleased, her voice is just at a normal speaking level but it is a firm tone-
"Enough you two, U'friec, come sit with me, L'san, I'm sure you have things to do"
([Maeli] Jothan/L'san )
"Yes, Wingleader, " he agreed. "I'll make myself scarce."
(Wingleader Samara )
-Sam walks back to her table not looking back to see if U'fric is following her-
([Maeli] Jothan/L'san )
L'san wandered over to the servery, helped himself to a large mug of beer and pointedly chose a seat at the far side of the room. U'friec glanced at him dismissively, then followed Sam. He pulled out a seat and sat down opposite her, waiting for her to speak
(Wingleader Samara)
-Sam watched coldly as U'friec sat and then looked back to her book, purposefully not looking at U'friec-
"First thing you need to know, you are a Weyrling not a Wingrider, so you are only a slightly higher rank than a candidate, don't forget that. Second, respect your senior riders, that includes your brother. Third, you have a lot of catchup work to do, so start asking questions and don't waste my time."
She pointedly looked at U'fric with the last words.
([Maeli] Jothan/L'san )
-U'friec looked down, unable to meet her eyes.-
"Yes, wingleader," he said. "I'm sorry. But it's not easy to see my brother as senior to me when he's the younger of us. I guess I do have a lot to learn. I don't know anything about life in the Weyr. L'san told me that and he's right, much as I hate to admit it."
-After a long pause-
"Please will you teach me what I need to know."
(Wingleader Samara )
-Sam rolled her eyes, turned the page of her book, and crossed one leg over the over the other-
"I don't want your apology, and I already said I would help. I am sure you have half a million questions going through your head right now, so ask them. Once that is out of the way I can actually start my job. A good place to start might be what will be expected of you."
([Maeli] Jothan/L'san )
-U'friec swallowed nervously-
"C'than is teaching me how to care for Adoruth. What I need to know is the duties of a bronze rider, how they differ from those of the other colours. I've never been in the position where I had any authority. I'm told riding a bronze changes that, that I might end up as a wingleader in the future. I need to know how... how to be a good leader, useful, respected, effective. How to work in a team, I've never done that."
-U'friec felt increasingly anxious. He knew it was going to be hard work, both for him and anyone who tried teaching him, to turn him into the man the weyr needed, the rider that Adoruth deserved.
(Wingleader Samara)
-Sam looked up and scoffed as she leaned back in her chair-
"That' s a tall order to ask for, and honestly I don't think you will ever be a Wingleader, it takes a lot of drive there is a lot of pressure and you don't seem like a person who would work well under that much pressure with that many people relying on you to me.
"Before you can even start with teamwork and leadership you need to know a bit more about life in the Weyr and specifically rank and etiquette. The Senior Queenrider and the Weyrleader are obviously at the top, then there is the headwoman and the junior Queenriders, Wingleader, Wingseconds, and then the Bronzes, Browns, Blues, Greens, Weyrlings, Candidates, and then Weyrbrats and other Weyrfolk are kinda at the bottom but also not. Basically you are outranked by any and all fully fledged riders."
([Maeli] Jothan/L'san )
-U'friec raised his head and looked at her, finally meeting her gaze-
"May I be honest with you, Wingleader? I don't believe I'll ever be ready for that kind of responsibility. But Adoruth saw something in me and I owe it to him to be the best I can be. Whatever it takes..."
-He hesitated, then quietly added-
"I don't want to fail him."
(Wingleader Samara)
-Sam chuckled softly and took a long sip of the cup of Klah in front of her-
"You won't fail him, you might fail to live up to your 'full potential' or some other BS standard that someone else has set. By even just impressing him you probably failed some challenge that someone like E'shan or N'ian set and people will probably try to make your life miserable for it, but one nice thing about a dragon is that they will always believe in and support you even if you don't even believe in yourself."
-She paused for a moment then continued-
"You probably are having a bit of culture shock coming from being a lone wolf to being thrust into a Weyr, I'm assuming you have at least a few questions about how things work around here want to ask them?"
([Maeli] Jothan/L'san )
"I'm beginning to learn my way around, and L'san and his friends are never slow to put me right when I mess up. I listen to them talk and they say the same as you about my dragon, that he's always there for you, always a part of you. Is it true what they say, that you feel everything your dragon does and they feel what you do?"
(Wingleader Samara)
"To a degree, some dragons are more interested in their life-mate's day to day life than others, Valt is probably listening in right now and I can feel the warmth as he suns himself but I keep a much tighter link with Valt than a lot of riders do, but during mating flights you and your dragon become as one and their feelings and desires become yours. I'm sure L'san has at least informed you of the fact that mating flights do exist and whatever the dragons choose goes, mind you most Bronzes have a hard time catching Greens because the speed and agility difference is huge but it is still the Green's choice. How are you getting along with your fellow Weyrlings? Now is a good time to get to know them before your life becomes so shardingly busy that you don't have any energy to do anything more than eat, train, do your chores and sleep."
([Maeli] Jothan/L'san )
"I'm getting to know the other weyrlings. Slowly, I admit. I'm so used to being on my own, and most of them seem so much younger than me, but we get on well enough and I'm learning to work with them. Adoruth won't let me be alone, he loves to be with the others and if he feels I'm spending too much time alone he'll contrive to get me involved in something. He's a very sociable creature. As for mating flights, yes, L'san has explained how they work and that I'll have to go along with it. I'll just have to hope Adoruth doesn't succeed in catching any greens with male riders. I like J'than and Z'kiel well enough as friends, but I've no wish to know them or others of their kind more intimately than that. One thing that does trouble me is how much Adoruth can see into my memories. When we impressed he saw a name in my mind, a name associated with painful memories. I don't want him distressed with my pain over things I can't easily forget. Can I learn to block these thoughts from him, at least while he is so young?"
(Wingleader Samara)
-Sam took another swig of her Klah and glanced up at U'friec-
"Yes, there is, it takes a lot of practice and time to prefect but I can teach you if you would like. Keeping your emotions in check and separating the emotions from the memories is effective, but it also takes a long time to work well."
([Maeli] Jothan/L'san )
"Thank you" -U'friec said softly-
"The memory is too new to separate it from how I feel about it so learning to hide it would be best."
Maybe in the future he'd learn better how to control his emotions, to come to terms with his loss, but for now U'friec would take any help he was offered
(Wingleader Samara)
-Sam closed her book, leaned back in her chair and crossed one leg over the other-
"This exercise works better in a real forest but we will have to make due. I want you to close your eyes lean back in your chair, slow your breathing and imagine a forest, it's full of life, there are wherries making their nests, there are animals going about their business, there are plants growing and flowering, there are trees which are full of life in their own way, there are grubs in the soil, basically make it feel as alive and disordered as a real forest is."
([Maeli] Jothan/L'san )
-U'friec gave a brief smile. For a man who'd spent most of his adult life out in the forests it was an easy task. He closed his eyes and let himself relax, picturing a place he knew, a place where he'd been happy. The background chatter of the dining hall faded, becoming in his mind the cries of birds, the sound of animals in the undergrowth. He reached out his hands, palms down, to his sides, almost feeling the litter of fallen leaves and plant debris beneath them, beneath him as he sat there. Almost he could feel the gentle breeze, the warmth of the sun as it filtered through the canopy above him. He gave a soft almost inaudible sigh as the tension of the past days left his body.-
(Wingleader Samara)
"Now, see how all of the chaos works together in harmony, how the wherries use the leaves and twigs and branches to make their nests. How the death of one animal or plant prevents the death of another. How the discordant voices of the wherries in the trees overlap. How out of all this chaos comes harmony and peace. Now think of your mind like this forest, you only see the chaos now, but if you look closer you will find a sort of harmony and peace."
([Maeli] Jothan/L'san )
U'friec understood what the wingleader was telling him, he knew how the forest worked, how each disparate part came together, joining in one whole. He was used to the forest. It had been his home, his entire life for so long. It was second nature. He felt comfortable there.
But he found it difficult to equate the peace of the forest with the turmoil in his mind. He couldn't find peace within himself, not since Rusalka had disappeared. He'd loved her, had been so sure she loved him in return. So why had she gone away without saying a word? Where had she gone?
Her family didn't know, any more than he did. In fact Holder Marreus had accused U'friec of being responsible for his daughter's disappearance.
"I understand what you're saying," he said softly.
"But I can find no peace in my heart or mind. Not without Rusalka, not until I know what happened to her."
(Wingleader Samara)
-she sighed thinking for a moment-
"gimme a full name, place of origin, and who her father is or was and I'll ask some contacts of mine. Oh and when about she disappeared." she says crossing her arms over her chest.
([Maeli] Jothan/L'san )
U'friec took a deep breath. Telling the wingleader what he was about to took a greater degree of trust than he'd ever afforded anyone before. He'd told no-one, not even his family, about Rusalka, afraid that if word of their relationship got out it would cause more trouble than he could handle.
"Her name is Rusalka. She's the only child of Marreus, the holder of Wolf Hold, south of Highland Rivers, in the redwood forests. It's a small place, maybe a couple dozen or so residents.
"I was injured doing a job for him and while I was recovering I got to know her. She was betrothed to another man, so maybe we shouldn't have got involved, but he was never going to marry her so we couldn't see the harm in it.
"I left there, promising to return for her when I'd found us a home. I couldn't expect her to live my life. But when I returned a month ago she was gone. No one knew where she was, she'd just disappeared one day. Holder Marreus blamed me but I didn't know anything. I still don't, couldn't find any trace of her. I'm a good tracker, wingleader, I usually find whatever, whoever I'm looking for. But there was nothing.
"It's the not knowing that's so hard. If I just knew the truth maybe I could move on."
(Wingleader Samara)
"The name feels familiar, what did she look like?"
([Maeli] Jothan/L'san )
"She was eighteen, but looked a lot younger. She had long dark hair and dark eyes. And she was short, her head just came to my shoulder."
(Wingleader Samara)
"Hmh, I'll look into it, for now keep practicing that exercise. Other than that do you have any other questions? Perhaps about who exactly you report to? Or what you'll be doing until Adoruth is an adult?" she asked raising an eyebrow with a bored look on her face.
([Maeli] Jothan/L'san )
U'friec gazed at her steadily.
"Thank you, wingleader. I appreciate that. I don't think I have any other questions. Weyrlingmaster C'than is covering all those details in our lessons. And I report to him, don't I, until Adoruth is grown?"
He hesitated a moment then...
"And I'll try to remember that, for now at least, Lissan is my senior and entitled to tell me what to do."
(Wingleader Samara)
She met his gaze as she said "His name is L'san not Lissan anymore remember that, and yes, you report to Weyrlingmaster C'than. One bit of advice, avoid N'ian and E'shan like your life depends on it, they don't take kindly to breaks in tradition."
Reopening her book and starting back where she'd left off she said "dismissed"
([Maeli] Jothan/L'san )
U'friec let his gaze drop, flushing in embarrassment as he realised his lapse in protocol.
"Yes, Wingleader. I'm sorry, I'll remember that. And thank you for your help and advice."
He stood and gave a respectful bow of his head. He might find socialising difficult, but at least he still remembered the manners his mother had instilled in him.
(Wingleader Samara)
She looked up at him
"I said, dismissed. That means shoo."
([Maeli] Jothan/L'san )
"Yes, Wingleader, sorry. I'm going."
U'friec turned and walked away. He wasn't sure where but at least he felt more assured than he had before.
(Wingleader Samara)
About a week later Sam is sitting in the dining hall in the same spot she'd sat before, this time with a small bundle of papers and another cup of nearly empty Klah before her.
"Valt, tell Adoruth to tell U'fric to come to the dining hall."
"It is done Mine."
"Thank you"
([Maeli] Jothan/L'san )
Adoruth and U'friec were in the middle of a game with their fellow weyrlings when the summons came. Distracted, the little bronze skidded to a halt, and was almost bowled over by brown Chimarth close behind him.
"Adoruth, are you all right?" U'friec demanded.
[Yes. Valtinth says his own wants to see you.]
"Now?"
[Now. In the dining hall.]
"Stay here. I won't be long."
U'friec left Adoruth with his friends and ran across the bowl to the dining hall, pausing at the entrance to catch his breath before going in.
He walked up to Samara and waited for her to acknowledge him.
(Wingleader Samara)
"That was quick, thank you," she said then took a sip of her Klah. Her tone was as usual neutral and every bit a Wingleader
"Let's skip the pleasantries shall we. My father keeps impeccable records of everyone, but for their safety he doesn't keep records of where they go. This is a copy of his file on Rusalka of Wolf Hold. As well as a letter addressed to you presumably from her."
With her unoccupied hand she pushed the very small bundle of only a few sheets of paper with a envelope sealed with wax with his name on it and tied up with string across the table and closer to him.
([Maeli] Jothan/L'san )
U'friec picked up the bundle and untied the string. He leafed through the papers, scanning their contents. He'd read them more carefully later but the gist of it was that Rusalka had asked for help to get away from the hold and a young labourer had sought help from Garth Kullot on her behalf. They had got her safely away from the hold. And there the report ended, as the Wingleader had said it made no mention of where she had been taken.
He broke the seal on the letter and read it.
"Ulfriec, my father has brought forward the date of the marriage. He sees it as a good alliance between our families and will not listen when Talian and I say we don't want it. I see no other choice but to leave the hold. Iewan knows someone who can help me. I'll let you know where I am when it's safe to do so. Rusalka."
Silently U'friec gathered up the papers and put them in the pouch on his belt.
"Thank you for trying, Wingleader. I guess there's nothing more I can do but hope."
He stood there, waiting to be dismissed, trying desperately to keep his emotions in check.
(Wingleader Samara)
"Valt ,can you do the mental warm blanket thing for him?"
The brown sent a feeling of confirmation and the mental equivalent of a soft, warm, heavy blanket wrapped around someone full of the feeling of comfort and care to the Weyrling as his rider said in a slightly softer and ever so slightly warmer and almost proud tone
"Good of you for waiting to be dismissed. If there is anything you need, please ask, other than that you are dismissed."
([Maeli] Jothan/L'san)
"Thank you, Wingleader."
U'friec turned and walked slowly away, barely aware of where he was going. Adoruth was waiting outside. Quietly the little dragon came to his rider's side and walked beside him as he headed for the barracks, the one place he knew would be empty at this time of day. Thankfully no one noticed them, or approached them. U'friec didn't think he could have coped with that.
The building was dark inside, but he didn't bother with glows, he could find his bed easily enough. He sat down, shoulders slumped and let go the tears he'd been holding back.
Adoruth pushed up close until his rider wrapped his arms around his neck and buried his face in the dragon's soft hide.
[You still have me.] he said.