Doing Quite Well

Writers: Devin, Chelle
Date Posted: 30th August 2013

Characters: Qorri, Z'ku
Description: Qorri checks up on Z'ku to see how he's doing.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 2, day 18 of Turn 7

Z'ku

"You wanted to see me, Headwoman Qorri?" Z'ku asked after he'd gotten
permission to enter her office. He had a sinking feeling that this was going
to be unpleasant.

"Yes I did, m'boy." She signalled for him to have a seat. There was no
malice in her tone and indeed she seemed rather concerned, on his behalf. "I
think you and I need to
have a chat. Been awhile. And apparently a lot has happened recently."
Everyone knew Qorri knew things. How she knew, no one knew. But she did.

Z'ku sat, his expression carefully neutral, and waited for her to bring up
whatever subject she had in mind.

"Basically Z'ku, I just wondered if you're okay. I mean I know you're a big
strong bronzerider and all that now, but I still worry about all you lot."
Her expression said if he told anyone she told him that she'd make sure his
bedfurs had spinners in them.

"That's very kind of you, Headwoman. I had a bit of a wake up call, but I'm
fine." Z'ku didn't want to talk to her or anyone else about how much it
hurt. She'd encouraged him to court Meledei so he understood she was
disappointed things hadn't worked out.

"Aye I know sometimes things don't work out like we want them to and people
don't make the right decisions for them." She bit her lip, wondering how
much to say. "I will say though that it's normal for people to make mistakes
when they're young. Before they have a lot of experience to judge people
with. But you're a good one and things will work out for you."

He nodded. "Yes. I've wasted enough time waiting for something that will
never happen. I have my whole life ahead of me and I need to start enjoying
it."

"I just....don't understand why Meledei....ah well." She shrugged, unable to
make excuses for the girl-despite her care for her. "She's just been acting
so strange lately."

"People change." Sometimes he wanted to scream **What's wrong with me? Why
didn't she want me?** But that was childish and he needed to get over it.
"And sometimes you just realize someone wasn't who you thought they were."

"No, maybe not. I'm very different from who I once was." He was very grown
up and making sense. Qorri appreciated that and she wondered again why
Meledei hadn't seen it and appreciated it. Maybe because she wasn't there
yet herself. "Or maybe your expectations for someone were too high and it
wasn't right for you to want so much of them."

His brows drew together. "Well, I _had_ expected a goldrider to be a bit
more ... decisive."

"Everyone is different. We have this idea of what we think they will be but
not always. And I think I was speaking more of myself. I want so much for
Meledei...I forget sometimes that she's still just a young girl which to be
honest, hasn't had much life experience. Shells, Z'ku, she hasn't even been
out of this Weyr much." Qorri was going to have to speak to Cyradis about
that.

"I appreciate that you think she should have made a different choice. With
the clutch size, I think much of the Weyr thinks Elleth should have made a
different choice as well." He couldn't help some smug satisfaction whenever
people brought it up.

"Well we can't say that Meledei's decision had anything to do with Elleth's.
No one has proven that the rider can influence the dragon, after all. Though
of course the Weyr was hoping for a better result-perhaps another fine
clutch with Mnoranth. But Elleth is a young gold as well." Qorri thought
differently of course, but she didn't want Z'ku to know that. She wouldn't
openly criticize a gold dragon.

"Meledei didn't _decide_ to choose T'nom. She woke up next to him after the
Flight and _then_ she chose him. She said if it had been me, then I could be
the one that was with her right now. It was completely left up to chance, to
her dragon's choice. It doesn't matter that I asked to be more than friends,
made my interest clear _months_ ago. She's as fickle as a green dragon."
Z'ku cleared his throat. "My apologies, Headwoman. My emotions got the
better of me."

"Aye but there had to be something else there or she wouldn't have stayed
with him after the Flight and done everything else. After all, she never had
a relationship with R'enh beyond a friendship and she woke up next to him
after a Flight." Somewhere in her mind she had to give Meledei more credit
than that.

"She made it sound like there was nothing more than a flip of a coin between
us." He leaned back in the chair. "But I'm glad I know the truth. Now I can
put all that behind me."

"Might be though her choices weren't the best and it might come out later.
At that point, she'll probably need a friend. So whether or not you still
want to be is up to you." That's all Qorri would say about that. "Glad to
know you're okay though. Being successful and all."

Friends. He just couldn't see it happening. "Yes, I'm doing quite well."

"Well that's all I wanted to chat about, Z'ku. I'm sure you've got duties
and all
that. I won't hold you any more." She slid a drawer open and came up with a
sweetroll
for him.

The corner of his mouth turned up as he took the roll. "Thank you,
Headwoman."

Last updated on the September 12th 2013

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Doing Quite Well