Looking Forward to the Next

Writers: Devin, Estelle
Date Posted: 4th February 2025

Characters: R'ayl, R'lor
Description: R'ayl feels a little down about being left behind again, but a chat with R'lor cheers him up.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 2, day 26 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: C'rand, Tirraze, O'dyn, V'tian

R'lor

R'ayl sat at the end of the now-empty table where the weyrlings had been
sitting, looking over to where Rapids Wing were welcoming their new
wingmates. He was proud and pleased for his friends, but he couldn't
help feeling a little lonely as yet another class joined the Wings
without him. He sighed and rested his cheek in the palm of his hand.

R'lor spotted him and walked over to pat the young rider's shoulder.
"I know it's hard, feeling like you're left behind."

The young bluerider looked up and managed a wan smile. "I'm glad for
them, it's just...I'm going to miss them being in the Wing." His
confidence with the weyrlings had grown over the past six months, and
he'd made friends in B'lyse's signing class.

R'lor chuckled. "Me, too. But that's our job, getting them ready for
the Wings, seeing them off." He slid onto the bench next to R'ayl.

His smile warmed and he felt a glow inside at being included with the
Weyrlingmaster and his staff. "I hope they'll be all right. Especially
C'rand and Tirraze." He'd heard that flying in the Weyrleader's Wing was
one of the more dangerous assignments, even if it was an honor.

"It's quite an honor, to be chosen for the Weyrleader's Wing. He has
faith in them, and so do I." Part of R'lor wanted to keep them safe,
to keep all of them out of the Fighting Wings forever. The harsh
reality of a Pass meant he had to send them up there to risk their
lives, and some of them wouldn't come back.

"It'll be good to have O'dyn and V'tian joining us," R'ayl said, making
an effort to raise his spirits by thinking of the future. He had
Delorth, after all, and a job he loved. "Even if it's not for so long."

"You can help them settle into their new roles," R'lor said. "And you
can spend more time on your craft, if you like, until we have a new
class."

"Yes, sir. The master said I could start to learn about dyeing," R'ayl
said, his enthusiasm evident. He'd overcome his previous reluctance to
continue with his craft, and was keen to find out how all the different
colors in the workroom were made - and the likely messy process of
mixing up dyes had a certain attraction to a young boy.

"That's wonderful. I'd love to hear about your progress." R'lor was
glad to see his excitement. "I don't know much about weavercraft, so
maybe you can teach me a bit."

"I'd be happy to! I don't really know much yet either," R'ayl admitted.
He wasn't advanced enough to use the looms yet or to cut out cloth, only
to assist. "But I know a few knitting stitches now, and some embroidery.
Oh, and how to make knots! They get worn out or lost all the time, and
we have to replace them."

"I like learning little bits here and there about other crafts," R'lor
said. "You never know when some little piece of knowledge might come
in handy."

R'ayl thought about that for a moment. It had never really occurred to
him that he could pick anything up from another craft, unless it was the
basics of dragonhealing that they'd all learned as weyrlings. "Is there
anything about your craft that you think would be useful for others to
learn?"

R'lor considered that. "Well, astronomy is very useful for
dragonriders, of course. And personally I think it would be good for
more people to understand the differences in quality of a blade, or a
tool."

"Is it hard to tell?" R'ayl wondered if he'd be able to. He thought of
the tools of his craft, the hooks and needles and scissors, and the
heavier blades, punches and awls used to make riding straps. Perhaps he
should know the right quality when he saw it.

"There are some subtleties that are difficult to discern, but
generally learning the difference between poor, good, and excellent
isn't too difficult." R'lor thought a moment. "Maybe I could have
people come speak to the Candidates, rotate through the various crafts
and have them learn a bit about each. It might encourage some of the
Candidates to take up a craft while they wait for their lifemate. And
I'm sure the older ones would appreciate something other than the same
information over and over." He smiled. It might make them more engaged
when there weren't eggs on the Sands.

"Perhaps Mama...I mean, the Headwoman could help," R'ayl suggested. He
knew that finding jobs for bored Candidates was a challenge for her, too.

R'lor nodded. "I'm sure she could." Then he decided to shift subjects.
"How did you feel this time, as an Assistant? Was it easier than your
first class?"

"A little." He'd still been the youngest, and shy about correcting older
riders, but no-one in either class had been unkind to him - even though
there had been some intimidating characters. "I think I've stopped
expecting them to laugh at me?"

"That's good." R'lor smiled warmly. "If the weyrlings do actually
laugh at you, or give you any trouble, let me know. _You're_ the one
with more experience, and they need to respect that."

R'ayl nodded shyly, though he wasn't sure he would ever dare tell the
Weyrlingmaster. Luckily, it had never been necessary. "Delorth is the
older dragon, at least, and he was bigger until the last couple of
months. I felt more confident when he was there to talk to their dragons."

"He's grown into a fine dragon." R'lor was proud of both of them.
"How's his Search training coming along?"

"Really well!" R'ayl might have been nervous about helping the
weyrlings, but his enthusiasm for Search was clear. "Bluerider T'lin has
been teaching me, and we've already found three Candidates. Only one of
them wanted to stay to help with the spring planting, but he said he'd
come for the Hatching."

"I'd prefer that Candidates get here earlier so they have more time to
adjust to Weyrlife, but I do understand." A delay was better than a
refusal. "I'm glad to hear it's going well, Delorth's ability is
highly valuable to dragonkind."

"I'm proud of him." R'ayl sat up a little taller at the praise of his
lifemate. "I'm not entirely sure how he does it, even though he's tried
to explain. Perhaps only a dragon can really understand."

R'lor nodded. "That seems to be true. Kularth never showed an aptitude
for it, which I was a bit disappointed about. But he's found his place
training weyrlings."

"I didn't realize until I started, but there's a lot to learn for the
rider, too. You have to explain what the Search means to anyone who's
chosen, and their families, and reassure them. Sometimes people don't
know much about the Weyr, or they're...not as welcoming, so you have to
be diplomatic. T'lin is really good at it," R'ayl said. He clearly
idolized his fellow Searchrider. "He always knows the right thing to say."

"He's very good with people, and it helps that he's holdbred." R'lor
was pleased the older bluerider had asked to train R'ayl. They were a
good match and had been paired as rider buddies when R'ayl was a
Senior Weyrling. "And it can be tricky, being a representative of the
weyr like that. I'm sure you'll learn in no time." Though with the
bluerider being so young, R'lor wasn't going to send him out alone,
even with an escort, for a while yet. T'lin certainly didn't seem to
mind the boy tagging along on his Search rides.

"I hope so. I can't wait to see if any of them Impress." R'ayl had been
awaiting the next Hatching even more eagerly than usual for that reason.
He hoped at least one would be chosen by a hatchling.

"I'm sure one of your Candidates will Impress, if not this time, then
next time. That should be quite a thrill."

"It'd be almost as good as when Delorth found me." Nothing could ever be
quite as special as that moment, but those memories would forever be
entwined with what had followed. Although the next Hatching had passed
without anything untoward happening, he still felt nervous at the
thought of the crowds of visitors who came to the Weyr to witness it.
"But I'll be happy if it all goes well, no matter who Impresses."

R'lor nodded. "Me, too. I hope the next class is . . . a little less
dramatic, though." He chuckled.

"Maybe there's always something." R'ayl smiled. "After the last Turn it
feels like anything could happen. A girl could Impress a bronze, or an
egg could hatch twins, or a Lord or Lady could be chosen from the Stands."

R'lor laughed. "You know, I think I might be able to handle all those.
Just not all at once!"

"I bet you could," R'ayl said loyally, although he couldn't help
laughing too, all of his glum thoughts about being left behind once more
forgotten. "I can't wait to see what surprises the next Hatching brings..."

Last updated on the February 11th 2025

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