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My Honest Opinion

Writers: Emma, Elaine
Date Posted: 14th September 2005

Characters: Toriat, Teseada, Mirdra
Description: Teseada and Toriat learn a bit more about each other over dinner
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 7, day 13 of Turn 3
Notes: Follow up to Plugging away at the Pool


Teseada

Teseada

Toriat paced around outside the candidate barracks. He nervously picked at the cuffs on his shirt, one of his nicer ones, a deep red that complimented his brown hair and eye coloring. He was waiting for Teseada, and wasn't sure where they were going to meet to head to dinner.

He wasn't really nervous about meeting up with her, he just really didn't want her to get the wrong impression. Maybe he felt a little guilty about manipulating a situation to run into her before.

"Toriat?" Teseada came up behind him. She'd decided it was worth wearing something a little nicer than usual, and had opted for a new tunic that her father had got her from a market he'd been to. With the hatching due anytime, candidates were restricted in their movements a little.

"Teseada," he said while spinning around. He paused and offered a hand to her. **Formal manners never hurt anyone** he thought.
Especially for the more self possessed people. "Ready to be persuaded that I'm trust worthy?" He smiled conspiratorially.

"I'm sure you are," she said, returning the smile. **But it might be fun to make him prove it.**

"Well I'm glad you think so. I guess then I'll just have to question you over dinner instead. As we descend," for they had reached the stairs. "Let me first ask where did you get that tunic, it looks very becoming on you."

"Thank you," she said, accepting the compliment. "Papa got it for me at the last market he went to. It was a surprise." It did look good on her, D'nev had chosen well for once, and it was slimming, accentuating her figure.

"Suprises are always nice." **Time to flesh out her history a bit**
Toriat thought, then started with the questions. "Your father, is he a rider, or a worker?"

"He's a bluerider. In the Weyrleader's wing. My mama's a cook."

"So you _are_ a weyrbrat then," Toriat couldn't resist replying. He instinctively ducked, unsure if she were the type to hit back.

"Through and through," she grinned. "I took up a craft here as well. Like my papa, he's a technician too."

"Ohh, ok. So, were you trying to follow in your fathers footsteps, or was taking up technic-ian-aryy" he stumbled over the world, not exactly sure what the verb for technician was, "just a coincidence."

She laughed. "Mama and Papa told me to choose, but I suspect he angled me towards my craft."

"More then fair, more then fair," Toriat mumbled as they arrived at the dinning caverns. "Lets try there for a seat," he said pointing towards a corner with very little people by it. "Do you enjoy it? I mean, aside from when you're fishing shirts out of drains."

"Pretty much, I mean it is something different to normal," she said taking her seat. "I mean so many people want to be harpers or healers. Papa said it took real talent to choose for myself"

Toriat bit his lip, sensing there was perhaps more then a little influence. **At least she was better off then Aryn, who father wouldn't let do a single thing.** "Well, I guess i should be happy you didn't lump in my craft with the _normal_ ones. Although I find theres nothing wrong with Harpers or Healers. Never enough healers I say. Now" He lifted a finger, "Before you respond, what do you general like so I can fetch victuals for us."

"The stew is usually pretty good. Or the roasted herdbeast."

"Got it, Ok, I'll be back before you can count to three," he said striding at a fast pace away.

...

He soon returned with a heavily laden tray. In addition to two heaping servings of stew there was fresh bread and a small selection of fruits. There was also a pitcher with two mugs.

"Here stew as you requested, and it looks pretty good, chock full of stuff." He said placing it down. "I got water to drink though, hope you don't mind."

"Water is fine," she said. "This looks really, really good."

"Great!" He poured some for her. "Now where were we. Something about healers and harpers?"

"And Tanners," she said taking a sip from her glass. "Tell me about yourself, why the tannercraft?"

**Hmmm, how to answer** he thought, deciding for the more personal one. "Well, if you asked my father, he would say I'm a tanner so I can subliminally lash out at him, since hes Journeymen in the Beastcraft." **Which isn't entirely inaccurate** he thought. "Really though Opal Cove supported two craft halls, the Beastcraft and the Tanner craft, so avoiding my father I joined the other." He shrugged, "and haven't looked back ever since."

"Do you enjoy it?" she asked. She'd at last found her feet in her craft and begun to progress. Maybe one day soon she might even walk the tables.

"Yes indeed," he responded. "Doubt I would have made it past journeymen if I didn't. Its a good craft to have when coming into the weyr." He pointed his thumb to himself. "No one will have to show me how to work with the hides that make our riding straps, when the time comes."

"No, I guess not," she said. "Just like I won't need to be shown how to use the tools to fashion the buckles." That thought made her smile. "Do you think you'll impress?"

"Excellent point that," Toriat hadn't thought about the other parts of riding straps. With a shrug he continued. "On the one hand, I am a confident fellow, I rarely fail in anything I pursue, but on the other hand," he was moving his hands as if weighing possibilities, "I don't want to be too cocky, because that may ruin my chances. So lets leave it at, I'd like to think so."

"To be honest, I'm not so confident," she admitted. "I've been standing since I was old enough, and it hasn't happened yet. Papa managed to find his lovely blue, and me, well every green on the sands has gone straight past."

"Well, maybe green just isn't your color?" Toriat replied with a laugh. Then he gave her a critical look, "Brown would fit your coloring better I think. Oh, wait a minute, what about the gold?"

"Never in a thousand turns, there are plenty of other girls that she'd look to before me." The girl just didn't think that she was really goldrider material, in fact she was beginning to question if she would even impress at all. Maybe she would just look to walking the tables, and maybe becoming a Master. The Technician Hall itself admitted women, or so she'd heard. She could study there for a while.

"Thousands really?" Toriat turned his head in several directions, as if looking for them. "Where? I don't remember seeing thousands of strong, beautiful, competent women running around. Trust me, I'd take notice." He then looked straight at her, giving her a silly smile.
"Nope I only see the one, sitting right in front of me."

She giggled a little at that, no-one had ever flirted this outrageously with her before now. Maybe it wasn't quite the appropriate reaction, she thought as she noticed his face.

At first Toriat made a face, but he soon burst out laughing. "Ok, fine, so I'm still no good at flattery, I admit it! I'd rather be honest, but I'm not sure you would believe me if I were honest."

"I think I'd prefer honesty," she said after a moment or two.

"I will make sure to keep that in mind," Toriat responded in a bit more serious tone, but immediately lightened up. "Now, do you want my _honest_ opinion of this stew, or my _honest_ thoughts on this bread.
Or perhaps my _honest_ words on some other topic?"

Last updated on the September 15th 2005


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