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+---- Thread: [G] [O] 734.09.08 | Life's little disappointments (/showthread.php?tid=2227)
734.09.08 | Life's little disappointments - Jayedi - 18.Jan.14
J’di wasn’t a heavy drinker, as a rule. Certainly not this early in the day. But it wasn’t every day one’s favorite (she had no illusions on that, and she didn’t think the boys did either) son ripped your heart (such as it was) out of your chest. So she’d ignored Caymath’s tentative overtures to soothe her and went to seek out some of what was laughably called ‘Katila’s finest’.
Which really ought to be a warning signal to those around her, since the bluerider was decidedly more particular about her vintages as a rule. But sometimes, one just wanted to grouse for a while, and so Jayedi sat with her newly-acquired wineskin and glared daggers at anyone who approached.
Kids- you tried to teach them well, and for what? So they could prove they were no better than the rest of the willful native-born brats. “Where did I go wrong, I ask you?” She asked her wineskin rhetorically, not expecting or really wanting an actual answer. She should’ve quit after J’cel.
Damned sense of duty.
Outside, Caymath just sighed the sigh of the insightful and long-suffering, and rested his head on his forelegs. The problem, as the blue saw it, was that his rider’s offspring was just like her- but nobody involved wanted to hear it. He ought to see where the younger boy had gotten off to. He was a sweet boy and Caymath could use the simple cheer until his rider had calmed enough to be logical about things.
Re: Life's little disappointments [Open] - S'cer - 19.Jan.14
Of course I do, but she's our Weyrlingmaster. Doesn't this violate some kind of rule? S'cer had woken later than expected, worn out from finally being allowed to go back to work after so long of being unable to do so, and headed directly to the makeshift dining area. He had just finished a plate of meat pies when Quelseth had chimed in that J'di was there looking mighty down.
Of course I have, but I don't think now is the best time...
They had discussed the future following her first flight; S'cer had been forced to realize that Quelseth was no longer the baby hatchling that had stumbled free of her egg nine months ago, and although he wasn't necessarily happy with this, he would have to get used to it. It was folly to think that they would ever graduate and be tapped into a fighting wing--Quelseth's weakness would never allow it.
Cursing the green's cheerful nature, S'cer got to his feet and picked up his half-full cup of klah. He straightened his hair and tunic before he even drew near, knowing that his weyrlingmaster liked neatness, and hoped that this wouldn't go as disastrously as he was imagining it would go. "Weyrlingmaster? I was wondering if I might have a word--it's about graduation. I know it's a way off yet, but Quelseth and I wanted to talk about our plan with you before getting our hopes up." S'cer very resolutely did not look at the wineskin, forcing himself to maintain eye contact even though it made him uncomfortable. "If this is not a good time, perhaps I could come find you later."
Re: Life's little disappointments [Open] - Jayedi - 19.Jan.14
J’di eyed him dubiously for a moment, then shortly waved a hand at a seat. “No time like the present.” She unknowingly echoed the young man’s green, her words as crisp as they ever were despite the ingestion of something with questionable quality but high alcohol content. In truth, she would have preferred to shoo the child away and finish her drink in peace, but that would be a greater sign of weakness than she could permit herself to commit.
Neither, if he had weyrling-related business to discuss with her, could she neglect her duty. Not only would S’kef be glad of any excuse to have her ass and her rank, she would disappoint herself. And she was quite pleased that S’cer was using his brain and looking ahead. Quelseth’s condition aside, the fate of some of her weyrlings had given her a passing worry, despite being technically outside of her job description. Her job was to make sure they were taught and as fighting-fit as possible, but they were on their own after they’d graduated and left her tender care. She could advise, could answer questions, but couldn’t (and wouldn’t) handle their shit for them.
“What did you two have in mind?”
Caymath could have sighed with relief as he felt his rider’s mind sharpen and her attention shift, reaching out to young Quelseth with quiet gratitude.
Re: Life's little disappointments [Open] - S'cer - 20.Jan.14
S'cer sat without further dithering, but the gravity of what he was about to ask surely showed on his face. He was usually serious, but there was a pinched quality to the set of his face that spoke to his worry--what if J'di said no? What else could they possibly do? The Weyr didn't like dead weight, and though S'cer was no longer a crafter, he still worried about being useful and pulling his weight in chores.
"You know as well as I that we will never be tapped for a fighting wing. Quelseth's too prone to sickness." S'cer fiddled with the mug of klah, rolling it between his hands for a moment before raising it to take a sip. It was lukewarm, and he tamped down on the urge to grimace at the bitter taste. "Please don't think me impertinent, but we want to be useful and don't really see any other alternative. Quelseth and I, well, we figured serving as weyrling assistants would be the most prudent option, but we were wondering what you thought about the matter. Perhaps you've already thought of somewhere else we could be useful, as our weyrlingmaster."
Re: Life's little disappointments [Open] - Jayedi - 08.Feb.14
Those who can't do, teach. She'd always thought that a stupid expression, as a teacher needed to do better than most in order to make certain the skills were passed on correctly. But she couldn't deny that any given weyrling staff ended up collecting those who were... less than desirable for the 'real' wings, for one reason or another.
She'd heard a rumor or two that suggested the powers that be weren't exactly eager to move any Stolen rider into the fighting (hah!) wings, let alone one with Quelseth's disadvantages. And S'cer's suggestion wasn't a bad one, all told. Still...
"I applaud your initiative, S'cer. You might be surprised how many young men in your position would cloak themselves in denial or false pride." She tapped a fingernail on her wineskin as she thought about her next sentences. "The weyrling staff is one option, yes. And given how we are constantly short of riders with the time and inclination to teach, your request would likely be granted."
Her thoughtful gaze sharped on the green weyrling as she continued, "However, you should know that that is not the only option available. Most desirable, perhaps, but not only. You could make yourself useful to the Weyr in other ways- train as a healer's assistant, perhaps." Her voice was neither approving nor censorious as she factual laid out options. "If you are committed to joining the weyrling staff, I would have two reservations."
"One, that you were a Stolen- and as such, came with a natural resentment of both dragonriders and Katilans." To J'di's mind, they were still distinct groups. No matter how many turns she'd spent down here, it was a drop in the bucket compared to how long she'd spent as an Istan. "And you will have Katilans Impressing even at Telgar- can you check your emotions at the door?" Given that J'di had had to do the same with her own prejudice, it was a fair question.
Thoughts of exactly how unhappy she was with native-born Katilans (and one in particular) made her hurry on briskly. "And two, Quelseth seems to be one of the quieter greens. Will it be a problem for her to be assertive enough to hold her own with your future charges?" Because there always seemed to be at least one problem child in a group- though, she had lucked out this time.
Re: Life's little disappointments [Open] - S'cer - 10.Apr.14
S'cer flushed slightly at her praise, but his expression never wavered from grimly determined. He was a good worker and he knew it--far less could be said for some of his fellow weyrlings. He tried to train to the best of his abilities out of a respect for Quelseth, because she didn't view herself as any less of a dragon despite her weakness, but also with the paranoid fear that there could come a time that such training would come in handy.
But despite this, his face fell as J'di began to systematically walk him through both the alternative and the misgivings she had. Could he teach Katilans? Could he handle the inevitable sniping behind his back about a Stolen being their weyrlingmaster's assistant? And could Quelseth prove strong enough to enforce order? She was rather dreamy, but she tried to be as normal as every other dragon--but she was not controlling. She mothered him, but would that be sufficient?
I don't think I can do this. S'cer knew his prejudices were too ingrained, and he was so hard to forgive and to trust that he doubted he would ever be fully over them.
"If... if I wanted to look into the healer's assistant route, would it be prudent to discuss matters with T'lian?" Even if S'cer himself was fond of him, T'lian was a perfectionist and a bit of a snob when it came to his work. He doubted that the brownrider would take kindly to S'cer following after him, especially since he knew next to nothing about herbs or healing technique.