Weyrling Ambition (2/2)

Writers: Aaron, Avery
Date Posted: 25th January 2018

Characters: V'rel, K'don
Description: V'rel and K'don talk during exercise time
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 2, day 25 of Turn 9

K'don

"Well, that's good to know," V'rel said. "I fiddle with string. Here,
see?" He reached into his pocket and pulled out a creation of yarn. It
looked like several pieces braided together into a rope.

"Ohh, wow!" said K'don, fascinated by the braid. "How do you do that?"
he wondered. "Is that, like, knitted or something?"

"I made the yarn myself. Part of classes," V'rel explained. "But the
twisting together is just braiding, like when women do it with long
hair. All I did was take 9 strands of yarn and tie them all together
at one end, here. Then I braided 3 strands together. When I had 3
braids of 3 strands each, I braided those against each other, and
that's where I get the whole rope."

"Ohhhh," K'don said, nodding as he finally put together just how the
ropes were actually put together with the help of V'rel's description.
That made a lot of sense. K'don had always regarded it as some kind of
esoteric magic that he would likely never understand. "How do you make
yarn?" If he could get a grasp on the basic idea of making a rope,
maybe understanding yarn was also not far beyond him.

"I was learning that at the end of last Turn. You take shorn fiber
from an ovine or a llama or something and you use a spindle to make it
into threads which become yarn. I'm not _great_ at it but I had to
learn how for my craft. Because sometimes you can't find yarn of the
type or color you want, so it's good to know how to work on it
yourself."

"I always loved the ovines," said K'don, smiling fondly. "They're
really very sweet, and they get to know you and trust you," he added.
"What's your favorite color?" he wondered as his thoughts wandered.

"Did you ever shear the ovines? Maybe you got some of the fiber I
later used. We could get a whole pipeline from ovine to finished
yarn..." V'rel mused, contemplating how interesting that would be. But
they were going to be so busy with weyrlinghood that the odds of them
getting time to do that was going to be much less certain...

The color question brought him back. "I always liked cerulean blue.
You know, like the brilliant autumn skies here, or the tropical water.
As opposed to the deeper colors of farther out over the sea."

"Cer... cerulean?" K'don blinked a few times and then filed the
description of the color away in his mind. He had never really know
much more than red, yellow, green, and blue and the like. The simple,
broad color categories. "Oh, OK," he nodded as he came to understand
what the color referred to. He suddenly felt a bit worried he might
not have a very good favorite color for himself.

}:Brown is a rather good hue, if I may say so,:{ said Maciath, and
K'don smiled. }: What of the shearing?:{

"Oh, yes. No. I mean. I hadn't really started to learn shearing yet. I
have helped salve a few of the poor things who got shorn a little too
closely, though, while trying to teach the beastcraft apprentices
how," he explained.

"Oh, they're probably at risk of getting cut, aren't they?" V'rel
said. He hadn't really thought about that before.

"What's your color?" he asked after a minute.

"I like green?" said K'don, though he was uncertain. There was
probably a better name for the exact color he meant. "The, uh. The
ovines don't usually get cut, not when the masters or journeymen do
it. But the apprentices aren't as good at it."

"Makes sense, apprentices aren't good at much. I mangled so many
things when I was learning," V'rel admitted.

"It takes a very long time to get good at things," said K'don, with a
little sadness at the thought. He wanted to be good now, but he knew
he had a long way to go. For healing, for riding. For everything. "But
you can't give up."

"It does. I hope it won't take longer than weyrlinghood to learn how
to be a good rider," V'rel said. He fretted he wouldn't learn fast
enough. That he'd be held back.

"I think it'll be long enough for us to be good enough," said K'don.
"I don't think they'd let us go up to fight if we weren't good enough.
And, uh..." He turned white. "I, um. If we live, then we'll get
better." He had not been thinking about the danger.

}:We will not die. We will shield the world,:{ said Maciath confidently.

"My father had mentioned having to hold back some weyrlings because of
skill level, not age. I'm worried one of those might be me, that I
won't do well enough in classes to graduate when the rest do." V'rel
didn't want to sound like he was trying to rub it in that K'don would
have to wait before he joined the wings just because of how old he
was.

"Well, I know my grandfa- er. I mean, K'sedel isn't going to let
anyone through who isn't really ready," said K'don. He, too, did not
mean to rub it in that he had a familial relationship among the staff.
He almost hoped K'sedel would be harder on him than all the others
just so no one could claim he was getting unfair treatment.

"But he also isn't going to let you fall behind. L'pin and Sh'del,
either." K'don knew Sh'del the least of all of the Weyrlingstaff, but
he could not imagine the others tolerating anyone who did not share
their commitment. "So. As long as you're trying your hardest, I don't
think you have to worry."

K'don smiled, but he did cast his eyes downward. He was not sad that
he would have some time yet with Maciath without the fear of death
from the sky, but there was some shame there that his classmates would
go before him, leave him behind, and risk themselves while he stayed
far safer by comparison.

"Surely not everybody can graduate on time and learn everything..." He
got really insecure when he knew his way of learning and looking at
things was different from that of others. "I will try my hardest, and
you're right - with three teachers to learn on it's got to be worth
something."

"You're really worried about it?" asked K'don, tilting his head
curiously. "I can try to help. If you want," he offered. Once he set
his mind to helping, it would be hard to deter him.

"I am. Do you think it's silly?" he asked.

"No," said K'don, reaching out to touch V'rel's arm. "If it's worrying
you, then we'll fix it." He offered a smile. "I mean. I know I'm just
a kid and all, but I'll do what I can."

V'rel gave K'don a grin, appreciating the other weyrling's faith in
him. "We'll both work hard and do our best, and maybe we'll be the
best class Dolphin Cove has seen."

Last updated on the March 2nd 2018

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Weyrling Ambition (2/2)