Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows

Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold

Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold

Elsewhere on Pern
NPC Weyr
River Bluff Weyr
Seacraft Hall

Story Listing
Series Listing

Weyrling Training

Writers: Danielle
Date Posted: 13th October 2005

Characters: Catriana, Darrin
Description: Catriana and Darrin journey to Vintner's Hall
Location: Vintner Hall
Date: month 8, day 8 of Turn 3

It had been a bright morning, with skies both sharp and clear. The wind that came down the mountain slopes had a sharp chill to it, especially that early in the day. The vineyards were covered in canvas, to keep most of the frost from the leaves. The vines themselves had been lifted of their dark red burden of grapes weeks before, the fruit pressed and set to gracefully age into the crisp, sweet reds vintage that their small cothold was known for.

Cartiana and Darrin had left just before dawn, before the rest of the holders woke to start the day and their tasks around the vineyards and wineries. Less people to see them off, a quieter goodbye. Their mother had made enough of a fuss, quietly crying into the handkerchief and embracing her two youngest children as if she'd never see them again-
even though both siblings and their father had insisted that the Hall would allow them to come and visit once in a while. Their father had simply smiled sadly and hugged them both, wished them luck- Darrin in the Craft, and Catriana in finding whatever it was she was looking for. Then he handed them their packs and waved them off, turning their mother back to the hold and comforting her as best he could.

~*~

The caravan rolled along, the traders chatted amiably amongst themselves, allowing Catriana and Darrin their space, seated as they were on the tailgate of one of the last wagons. Their father had arranged for the pair to join up with the last caravan out of the mountains before the snows sealed the cothold off for the season.

Catriana shrugged deeper into the think folds of her cloak, the hood drawn up over her wild, curly hair, her cheeks pink from the cold and the excitement both. She pulled out the packet of meatrolls their mother had packed the night before and handed one to her brother. "How much farther, do you think?" Darrin took the roll and squinted up at the sun.

"A few candlemarks. Maybe two," he bit into his roll and chewed thoughtfully. "Did Father talk to you before we left?"

"Ah...yes. He did." She felt a flush creeping over her cheeks that wasn't due to the cold. She wondered just which part of her Father's lecture Dar was referring to. "Why?"

"Because I just want you to be alright there. You're going to have to be careful, Cat. The Hallmaster is very strict, or so Da says." Oh, good it was that part. Not the part about finding a suitable husband and all of that business.

"I know. And women aren't supposed to know what I know. It's just not...fair." She frowned at the meatroll in her hands.

"I know it's not. You know it's not. But that doesn't matter. Because we don't matter. It's all up to the Hall." He reached over and lifted her chin. "You should be walking the tables with me, little Cat. You're so much better than I am. Your taste is much more refined and you remember recipes better than I can. But you can't walk with me. This is the world we live in. And we are going to have to be careful. Or we'll both be in trouble." He tried to smile, to soften the sting of the underlying meaning of the words.

She almost wanted to go back, right then, to run back to the cothold and the familiar vines that didn't care if she were a girl or not.
Sometimes she really hated the fact she wasn't born a boy. But she couldn't go back. There was no life left there for her. She wanted to see more of the world, and learn more of her craft- and be able to practice that craft- someday. They said that the Weyrs allowed women to be crafters...and the Hall was so much more likely to have dragonriders visit and maybe, just maybe she might even Impress-

She didn't even dare to continue that particular thought.

"I'll be careful, Dar, and I'll bite my tongue. But promise me you'll at least tell me what you learn, even if I can't put that learning into practice? Promise me that, even if I'll never be able to do anything with wine but drink it?" She smiled, her brown eyes shining with a desperate need to know. It was a look that he'd never been able to refuse. His little sister could weasel just about anything out of him with that look.

"Alright. Alright! I promise. But you'd better keep your head down and stay quiet about it. If they find out...we're done for in the Craft."

Catriana laughed, throwing her arms around his neck in a cheerful hug.
"Thank you!"

~*~

It was two hours later that the wagons slowed just outside the Vintner's Hall grounds and their two passengers waved their thanks and farewells to the traders. They only had a short distance left to go, but it was cold, and they didn't want to linger outside too long!

Darrin began to whistle as they crossed the grounds, and with a laugh, Catriana began to sing along, glad to be starting out on a path to something new.

Last updated on the October 13th 2005