R'lor talks with Aicha

Writers: Devin, LadyRose
Date Posted: 1st June 2025

Characters: R'lor, Aicha
Description: Aicha meets the Dolphin Cove Weyrlingmaster
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 5, day 27 of Turn 12

R'lor

Aicha

"Welcome to Dolphin Cove Weyr, Aicha." The Weyrlingmaster said as the
new Candidate entered his office. "Please have a seat."

Aicha was somewhat nervous as she stepped into the office. Things here
were decidedly different than what she was used to, but Aicha was
adjusting as quickly as she could.

She gave the older, slightly taller man a respectful bow. He was a
dragonrider, after all, and apparently had some rank beyond that. But
he looked kind, so a tentative smile flitted across her face, then she
took a seat, as suggested.

"This is a more informal discussion, I'd just like to get to know you
a little," he said with a friendly smile. "You were Searched from
Emerald Falls, correct? What did you do there?"

Aicha nodded and her smile returned. "Yes, my family lives there. I'm
a senior apprentice beasthealer." She flipped her braid over one
shoulder and began to play with the tied end of her hair, "But I like
runners better than herdbeasts or woolies."

"Ah, I wasn't aware they allowed women to do beasthealing there."
Maybe the influence of the Harper Hall allowing women to craft was
changing things in other areas.

Aicha nodded, but her smile faded a little. "Most girls aren't
interested in things like that, the ones I knew at least. But my
father always took me out with him and my brother when they tended the
beasts, and I grew to love the runners."

"They're graceful and intelligent, very noble animals," R'lor said.

Aicha grinned brightly as she nodded again, and it was clear she loved
the subject of runnerbeasts. And she was thrilled to hear someone else
who seemed to appreciate them as much as she did. "Yes! My own
gelding, Cade, is beautiful. He's not the fastest runner, but he can
trot or canter for hours. And he has the smoothest gait of any
runner." She paused, "At least, in my opinion."

R'lor frowned slightly. "Do you intend to bring your runner here?"

Aicha shook her head with a sogh. "I don't think he'd be comfortable
here, away from everything he's familiar with. Well, except me. And
it's sort of a long ride, isn't it?" She didn't sound entirely sure of
that, "I'll miss him, though. Maybe I can go back for visits?"

R'lor nodded. "If you can find someone willing to take you. You'll
have classes and chores, but you'll have some free time as well. If
you Impress, you would have had to give up your runner anyway, so it
might be for the best that you left him at home."

Aicha barely knew anyone here. She'd met the rider who'd brought her
from Emerald Falls Hold, of course. And the Searchrider who had
originally given her the token, but so far, she'd seen neither of them
since arriving. And she barely knew any of the other Candidates. So
she doubted anyone would take her just for a visit. The thought made
her sad, but she tried not to show it, and changed the subject. "Are
there many eggs in this clutch?" She had heard rumours, but hadn't
been in the Weyr long enough to know the truth, and was curious about
her odds of Impressing.

"Forty-one, a good large clutch. No Queen this time, but there will be
many greens." And perhaps another girl might Impress to a blue.

Aicha was excited just to be there, no matter what happened. Deciding
to give this life change her all hadn't been easy, but here she was,
and Aicha was determined to make the best of it. Even if some things
-like communal bathing- were enough to turn her as red as the sweet
berries she liked so much. "Forty-one is a lot." She sounded somewhat
uncertain, "It must be so ... overwhelming. To Impress, I mean."

"It is, in the most wonderful way." R'lor smiled, thinking of the day
Kularth found him on the Sands. "There really is nothing like it,
another mind joining with yours, your life forever changed."

Aicha smiled, caught up in R'lor's description. It sounded wonderful,
and lit a spark of hope in her that she'd get to experience such a
bonding too.

"Do you have any other questions for me? About the Hatching or
weyrlife in general?" R'lor asked.

Aicha thought for a moment, then nodded. "If I don't Impress, is there
a beasthealer here that I can continue my apprenticeship with? I
haven't seen much of the Weyr, but there must be some runnerbeasts and
other animals that need care, right?"

R'lor nodded. "We have beasthealers to tend the animals used to feed
the dragons and the weyrfolk, and we have a runner stable as well."

Hearing that was a relief to Aicha, and she gave R'lor a grateful
smile. She didn't know what her chances of Impressing were, but it was
good to know she would be able to continue doing something worthwhile
if she was left Standing.

"You can report to the Senior Journeyman when our meeting is over, if
you'd like," the Weyrlingmaster said.

Aicha nodded, mostly to herself, then glanced up at R'lor again. "Is
there any way to tell how soon the clutch will hatch?"

"The eggs hatch about a month after they're laid, so we have a good
idea but we don't know the exact date. The dragons will make the event
very clear, though," he said with a smile.

Aicha thought about that for a moment, comparing what she knew of
runners giving birth to what she had heard about a clutch hatching,
which admittedly wasn't a lot, and probably a bit off, being third
hand news. "Do they really hum?"

"Yes. The sound fills the Weyr, and while you'll have some time to get
ready, once you hear it, you should hurry to get your robes on."

Aicha nodded and looked somewhat more excited about the prospect of
Standing. She didn't really think she had much of a chance, but just
to be at a Hatching would be one of the biggest days of her life.

"Any other questions?" the Weyrlingmaster asked.

Aicha considered for a moment, then shook her head. "No, sir." She
hoped she would make friends here, but that wasn't anything R'lor
could really help with.

"Then I wish you clear skies, Aicha."

Last updated on the June 10th 2025

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R'lor talks with Aicha