Smiths Stick Together

Writers: Aaron, Devin, Duskdog, Halyonix
Date Posted: 18th July 2024

Characters: R'lor, R'vkal, C'rand, B'lyse
Description: The men talk about being smiths
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 9, day 28 of Turn 11
Notes: Mentioned R'ayl

R'lor

The heat of the Smiths' workroom was stifling, yet welcoming. R'lor breathed in the scents of coal and hot metal as he made his way over to the nearest journeyman to ask if one of the anvils was available. He was glad to hear one was unoccupied for the next two candlemarks or so, which should be enough time for him to get some solid work in.

After pulling on the protective apron and gloves, he took a piece of steel and went to heat it up in the forge.

"You'll want to keep an eye on the temperature on that one," a voice said. Ryvankal, his face dripping with sweat, his hands gloved as he rotated what looked like spikes over the simmering coals nearby. "It's been acting up all morning," he explained.

"Thanks for letting me know." R'lor squinted at the forge, wondering what was going on with it. He evened out the coals a little before inserting the end of the steel.

Ryvankal nodded. "Welcome." His eyes caught the jacket that R'lor had shrugged off, the knots on it, and said, "You're a dragonrider." Mostly a statement but somewhat a question.

"The new Weyrlingmaster, actually." Knots were a safety hazard and were usually taken off when doing work around the forges. "R'lor, of blue Kularth."

Corland hadn't been watching other than a casual glance up to acknowledge that someone else would be sharing the space. He preferred to keep to himself and extend the same courtesy to others -- not out of shyness, but more out of a general attitude of "no need to butt in unless asked or someone's in trouble" -- but the realization that the newcomer was R'lor got his attention. "I didn't realize you were a smith, sir. I guess you probably don't get to do it much anymore, huh?"

When Blue saw Corland turn to speak to someone, he looked as well to see who it was. His eyes widened when he saw it was R'lor. Had he realized Blue's secret? Was he there to kick him out?

But no, it seemed he was there to work. He remembered back to their first conversation. He had said he was a smith then, but Blue had put it out of his mind. He breathed a sigh of relief, but he did not turn back to his work. He would have to keep an eye on everyone's lips, if he could.

"I made Journeyman before the Pass," R'lor said. "As you said, I don't get much time for it anymore. But with no weyrlings at the moment" -- with one notable exception-- "I'm taking the opportunity while I can."

Ryvankal tilted his head to the side. "Guess with being the Weyrlingmaster, yeah, you'd be too busy to work on a craft for a bit. Though...don't dragonriders have to sort of...give up crafting?"

"Not _entirely_," R'lor said. "We can still do Craft work as a hobby, but it's true that active riders can't pursue a Craft seriously, aside from healing."

Corland shifted his position in a way he hoped was subtle, in order to make it easier for Blue to read his lips and thus get the gist of the conversation even if the others didn't happen to make it possible for him to see them clearly. "Do you have a specialty or anything, sir? Or a favorite thing you like to work on, since it's more a hobby now?"

"I didn't formally specialize, but I love working in the forge. I probably would have chosen blacksmithing, maybe bladesmithing," R'lor said. "I like the feeling of shaping metal into something useful."

I like... shaping ... something useful, Blue read. Perhaps that was why R'lor wanted to be a weyrlingmaster. He was shaping the Candidates and Weyrlings into something useful.

Ryvankal seemed to understand how R'lor felt. "I understand you, feeling like you're making something others can use," he said. "My pa, he specialized in weaponry. That's what I was learning before I came here. I could teach you some of it. If you'd like. Sir."

R'lor was amused by an apprentice offering to teach him, but then again more experience in the Craft overall didn't mean R'lor had more experience than Ryvankal in every aspect. "I might take you up on that."

"Aw, I think it's all useful in some way," Corland said thoughtfully. "I don't have a specialty or anything yet. I like all the little parts, I guess... you know, the parts that are important pieces for putting other stuff together. Making other stuff work. Making some of that stuff is really precise sometimes, though. I don't know if I have the 'touch' for it. At least not yet! I just keep working at it."

To that, Ryvankal nodded. "I doubt the Weyr'll have much use for a weaponscrafter like me. Aside from eating knives, I guess. So I guess I'll be learning some things from you all as well."

"Dragonriders need belt knives and you can earn some money on a commission for the more elaborate ones," R'lor said. "That's what I'm making today, except this one is a gift."

"A gift?" Ryvankal prompted, curious.

"R'ayl made me a scarf. I'd like to make something for him, too." R'lor smiled as he thought of the bright, eager young rider.

The mention of scarves brought an expression of lost thought from Ryvankal. His late fiancee, she had liked making things like that. Ryv had left the few things she had made for him behind at the Hold rather than bringing them to the Weyr, thinking that a fresh start in numerous ways would be best. "Awfully nice of R'ayl," he eventually said, his voice quiet.

It was so easy for Blue to miss words, but he had a lot of practice reading not only lips, but faces. Expressions. Something was bothering Ryvankal. He reached out and gently touched his arm.

"You alright?" he said softly.

Corland didn't notice the change in Ryvankal's demeanor until he heard Blue's tone and it made him glance up briefly. It seemed like it might be personal, though, so he kept his mouth shut and went back to his work, not wanting to put Ryvankal on the spot with more than one person. Blue could handle it.

Ryvankal gave an almost imperceptible nod. "Thanks," he murmured to Blue. And then, because he was sure everyone else was going to notice his sudden mood, he spoke up. "I was engaged at my Hold. Set to be married. She died in a runner accident. She...liked knitting. Made me some scarves and things. Thoughtful of her."

R'lor had seen a mention of that in Ryvankal's record, but reading a sad fact was different than hearing the grief in the young man's voice. "I'm sorry it brought up painful memories."

The Candidate shrugged one shoulder, then nodded in acknowledgment. "Tragedy happens, sir. Best we learn how to come back from it rather than run from it," he said. He honestly didn't want to dwell on it any further in the current company. It wasn't something everyone needed to know about and he certainly didn't want pity.

"I find it helps to focus on those who are still here," R'lor said. "I've lost many loved ones and many Weyrlings, but I still have friends and family who love me. I still have many Weyrlings to care for and train."

Ryv nodded, slowly agreeing. "Good idea," he replied. "I...that's one of the reasons I came here. Focus on something new." Another shrug of one shoulder. "Hoping I get to stay here, I think. Weyr's not a bad place to be."

"You can stay as long as you like," R'lor told him. "Once you're Searched, you're weyrfolk whether you Impress or not."

"Could be my plan," Ryvankal said, still nodding slowly. "We'll see." He nodded his chin towards R'lor's work. "Looks like it's ready to go into the coals."

"Ah, yes. Got distracted with the conversation." R'lor smiled. "I should let the rest of you get back to work too." He needed to focus if he was going to make progress on R'ayl's knife in the limited time he had.

The thought of always being weyrfolk now that he had been Searched warmed Corland, too. "And hey, us smiths have to stick together, too," he said, with a smile and nod at his fellow crafters-and-dragonrider-and-hopefully-someday-dragonriders, before turning back to his work.

Ryv nodded, agreeing with Corland. "Let me know if you need any help," he offered again to R'lor before getting back to his own project.

"Thank you." These were good lads, and R'lor thought any of them would make fine dragonriders.

Last updated on the July 23rd 2024

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Smiths Stick Together