Allies

Writers: Dana, Eimi
Date Posted: 18th January 2006

Characters: R'mer, R'alt
Description: Reymer meets Rialt, and the two Candidates make a deal...
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 9, day 17 of Turn 3

Reymer sat on the edge of his cot, not knowing _what_ to do with himself. He had nothing to do. Free time. Free time to do what? He had no idea. His clothes had been folded perfectly and put in his locker and then removed and put back twice, including the clothes he had received from the store rooms. His cot was neatly made - his pillow straightened, his blankets neatly folded. There was no work left to do. And so he sat, and waited, waited for someone to tell him what to do next.

"Halloo the barracks!" a loud voice suddenly rang out, giving pause to the chatter of the room. "I'm looking for a Reymer! Is there a Reymer in here?" The young man paused, leaning casually against the doorframe.
White teeth flashed in a grin against his tanned face, and his green eyes were glinting. "C'mon...at least _one_ of you has to be Reymer!"

Hearing his name being called Reymer stood to his feet quickly. "I'm Reymer." Finally!

"Well don't just stand there, lad! Come on over here. I've got a message for you."

Reymer hesitated only briefly before hurrying across the barracks to the tall black haired youth in the door. "Yes, sir. A message for me?"

The chatter in the barracks resumed as the older youth grinned. "Uh huh, there's a message. And none of this 'sir' business. Shards, I'm not sixty yet!" He flashed a friendly smile as he held out the small, rolled hide. "Your message. And you can call me Rialt."

Reymer looked first at the rolled hide and then back up at the boy. After a brief hesitation he took the hide in his hands as if it were made of fragile glass. "Thank you."

"No problem." With another flash of a grin, Rialt turned around and headed out towards the hall, giving one of the older lads a friendly slap on the back as he passed.

Clutching the rolled hide against him, Reymer watched Rialt go. He looked over his should at the others in the barracks. There were a lot of candidates filtering in and out. He slipped out into the hallway and carefully unrolled the hide. His eyes scanned the scrawled message, his forehead struntched up with intense concentration. "Shards," he whispered.

Reymer looked down the hall, first one way, and then the other. Which way did that boy go? He decided to try the exit closest the Weyr Bowl. The hide was re-rolled as he hurried down the hall and out the door. He squinted into the bright afternoon sun. There - there was the black-haired boy sauntering towards the entrance. "Excuse me!" he called as he ran after him. "Excuse me... Rialt?"

"Yeah?" He turned, surprise flickering in his eyes.

The younger boy gave him a tentative smile. "Sorry to stop you, but, who gave you this message?"

"The Headwoman's assistant. Didn't she write that beside her name? Maybe she forgot...things can get pretty rushed down there."

"Yeah. I suppose it can." Reymer looked over his shoulder to see if there was anyone in earshot. "Did you... read it? Or did she tell you what she wanted?"

Rialt frowned slightly, slowly shaking his head. "Didn't you...oh." It suddenly dawned on him. "Can you read, Reymer?"

"Well... not _that_ wherry scratch," Reymer replied defensively, not looking the older candidate in the eye.

"You know, pride aside for a moment, it's all right to say no." His tone was kind. "Here, let me see the hide."

Reymer reluctantly handed it over, his cheeks burning with sudden embarrassment and shame. On the farm it didn't matter that he couldn't read. Anything that needed to be read, his sister would read aloud to him. But here... he could tell that this could potentially lead to problems.

"It says that you need to report to her in the next half-candlemark for your job assignment." Rialt glanced up at the younger lad, and knew that he was embarrassed. He couldn't really blame him...after all, all youths had their pride. Rialt himself certainly did! The thought made a faint grin come to his lips before it faded. "Did you just arrive today? Or did you come in last night?"

"This afternoon," he replied, grabbing the hide back defensively. It was rude, he knew, but suddenly he felt on his guard around the other boy. He felt stupid and ignorant in front of the other boy, and he certainly didn't like the feeling.

Rialt held both his hands up, frowning slightly. "All right, Reymer. You don't have to get snarly with me, now."

"I'm sorry," Reymer mumbled, rolling the hide ever tighter in his hands.
"Just please, don't tell anyone... You know... that I can't read."

"It's not my business to say whether you can read or not." He studied the younger lad, and understood how he must be feeling. The Weyr was a huge place, and he was obviously far from home, not knowing a single person. "Look, I'll tell you what. Why don't I help you out? You can stick with me and maybe I can teach you a few things."

"What kind of things?" His tone was wary, but certainly not opposed to the idea.

Rialt shrugged a casual shoulder. "Anything that's worth teaching! What do you think?" His green eyes began to glint. "I promise I won't get you into _too_ much trouble."

He could use an ally, that was for sure. Everything about this place was... strange. The stones, the beasts, the smells, the people... Reymer knew he could use some help, as much as he was not accustomed to it. "And what do you want in return?"

He blinked. The lad was serious! Then he grinned. Well, Rialt would be too. "Well for one thing, you can wipe that suspicious, wary look off your face. I don't bite, and I'm certainly not planning to take advantage of you."

That brought a small smile to Reymer's face. Rialt's green eyes seemed honest and friendly, and he certainly wasn't acting in anyway superior, thought he had more than enough reasons too. "Well, if you help me, how do I help you? Take some of your chores?"

Rialt waved a hand. "No, no. I do my own chores. I don't need a return payment from you, Reymer. I don't work that way. But thanks for offering! Now, do you want me to show you the way down to the Headwoman assistant's office? I know it's pretty scortching easy to get lost in this stone labyrinth."

"All right then," Reymer said with a nod. He didn't like the idea of being in someone's debt. Debt just spelled trouble when payment was due.
He decided he must find some way to repay Rialt for his kindness.

Last updated on the January 18th 2006

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