05.Feb.19, 04:27 AM
Madiquel bit her bottom lip, staring in wide-eyed wonder at Verec. It wasn’t really that she’d expected to be denied – she’d certainly hoped she’d made a good impression and would be accepted – but she definitely hadn’t expected to be given a start date so soon! “Goodness,” she breathed softly, before snapping her jaw shut and giving a firm nod of acknowledgement to the Master. “Thank you!” Her eyes still wide, her words were on the verge of gushing, but still held a respectful and somewhat awed undertone.
“N-Yes, Sir, just one.” It had come to her as her mind galloped down the road, realising all the things she would need to do in the short amount of time she had been allocated before starting her lessons. She was sure a specific date would come if she asked, but she also rather felt that Verec would let her choose a date, as a type of test that wasn’t a test. She didn’t know if she was correct, but that was definitely the feeling she got from him. She wasn’t convinced she’d be ready within the week, but two, maybe three maximum, and she felt sure she’d be ready to start amongst her new classmates.
“How often may I travel home, once I begin my lessons?” She considered the Master Healer. “I do not want special treatment, or to cause disruptions to my classes. But I have never been away from home-” or her Papa, really, “for more than a couple of nights.” The longest stint was the week leading up to the Hatching A’tay had Impressed at. She couldn’t remember exactly how many days she was away from home, but it had only been the count-down until she was back again that had kept her sane… She didn’t feel it would be prudent to tell Verec that she’d cried herself to sleep most of those nights.
As she waited for his answer, she realised that most of her fellow Apprentices had probably never been away from home for extended periods of time, either – or at least, the ones not born in the Hall. How did Hall’s handle homesick youth? Was it normal? Did non-Weyrfolk just ship their children off willy-nilly and they didn’t get homesick? Or were they more like her, who had never left her parent, even if they’d left their family home? A frown slowly crawled over her face, expression echoing the confusion of her thoughts.
“N-Yes, Sir, just one.” It had come to her as her mind galloped down the road, realising all the things she would need to do in the short amount of time she had been allocated before starting her lessons. She was sure a specific date would come if she asked, but she also rather felt that Verec would let her choose a date, as a type of test that wasn’t a test. She didn’t know if she was correct, but that was definitely the feeling she got from him. She wasn’t convinced she’d be ready within the week, but two, maybe three maximum, and she felt sure she’d be ready to start amongst her new classmates.
“How often may I travel home, once I begin my lessons?” She considered the Master Healer. “I do not want special treatment, or to cause disruptions to my classes. But I have never been away from home-” or her Papa, really, “for more than a couple of nights.” The longest stint was the week leading up to the Hatching A’tay had Impressed at. She couldn’t remember exactly how many days she was away from home, but it had only been the count-down until she was back again that had kept her sane… She didn’t feel it would be prudent to tell Verec that she’d cried herself to sleep most of those nights.
As she waited for his answer, she realised that most of her fellow Apprentices had probably never been away from home for extended periods of time, either – or at least, the ones not born in the Hall. How did Hall’s handle homesick youth? Was it normal? Did non-Weyrfolk just ship their children off willy-nilly and they didn’t get homesick? Or were they more like her, who had never left her parent, even if they’d left their family home? A frown slowly crawled over her face, expression echoing the confusion of her thoughts.