Punitive Therapy
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: Aaron, Sia
Date Posted: 10th June 2024
Characters: Ç'pier, E'tariax
Description: Ç'pier reflects on his first session with his mind healer before his most recent one.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 7, day 12 of Turn 11
CRACK. BOOM. More storms. There was always another storm. At least he did not have to regret losing out on time he could be spending at work. He grinned as he remembered that this was exactly how his first session with E'tariax began.
- - - FLASHBACK - - -
When: d26 m2 t11
Ç'pier was soaked to the bone when he arrived at E'tariax's office. He could not muster much regret for sogging up his office. But he had been ordered to see him. And now he was seeing him.
"It started raining," he said, ever so helpfully to the man behind the desk.
"My old bones warned me ahead of time." E'tariax said. He stood from the desk with a groan and gestured for the other man to sit in the lounge chairs placed in the opposite corner of the room. "I don't do many of my meetings behind this old desk." He added as he collected his notebook and a pencil. "There's a towel on that chair next to you, if you'd like to use it. Can't imagine you'll be comfortable that drenched for the next candlemark."
Ç’pier was not especially concerned for his own comfort, but he took the towel and dried himself as thoroughly as he could for the sake of whoever called the chair their own, if it was not E’tariax himself. When he felt he was as dry as he was going to be, he sat.
“Thanks.”
E'tariax lowered himself into the other chair, mindful of the pain in his hip. He watched Ç’pier for a moment, letting the silence drag out between them with no mind to the awkwardness. "You Impressed at the last hatching, correct? How are you doing in training so far?"
“I did. Training is… training? I don't know how else to describe it. The others are keeping their distance, of course. Maybe it's different when it doesn't feel like you're doing it alone.” Ç’pier had said he would do this, so he was not going to go out of his way to hold anything back in particular about how he was feeling.
"That does sound lonely." E'tariax agreed. "There's…what, thirty-seven or so other weyrlings in your class? None of them are interacting with you at all?"
“No more than they strictly have to,” said Ç’pier. “But I can’t blame them. I’d be wary of me, too, if I were them.”
"Why do you say that?"
Ç’pier glanced askance at the mindhealer.
“Would you not be a little wary of someone you thought you knew who tried to kill one of your peers?”
"I might. I can't say for sure. There were ten that graduated in my weyrling class, out of the fifteen hatched. Almost all of them born and raised at Thayan Peak." E'tariax met the look with only a quirk of an eyebrow. "Should they be wary of you?"
“I'm not going to hurt them. I don't have any reason to,” said Ç’pier. “I'm not a flaming monster. But how would they know that? And why would they trust me if I said so?” Literally not one person he knew had any reason to trust him.
}:Not one?:{ asked Yuliuth.
**You don't have to _trust_ me. You can see my heart and know my truth. You never have to take me at my word. You just know. So, no, you don't have or need a reason to trust me.**
}:Hm.:{ Yuliuth was not sure he liked that answer. But sure enough, Ç’pier knew it, felt it. And the love and devotion he sent across their bond was enough to make Yuliuth forget it.
“What happened to the other five?”
E'tariax knew that far-off expression all too well, and used the brief dip in conversation to jot down a few notes. He continued nonchalantly, "It's not just Threadfall that's dangerous. Learning to do all the things we do comes with risk.
"But let's back up a moment. How _would_ they know that you're not dangerous?"
“They wouldn't,” said Ç’pier. “I just told you.” The idea of losing half of the class to accidents and incompetence made his stomach churn.
"Well, have you done anything that would make them think you would be?"
“Did they not tell you I was the guy who tried to murder someone?” Ç’pier could not possibly believe they had just let him wander into this without giving the mindhealer one single heads up.
"It might have come up." E'tariax said. "But I meant since. Have you done anything since to make them think you're dangerous?"
Ç’pier fought the urge to be a smart-arse about this. The man was some kind of professional, and Ç’pier had said he would take this seriously.
“Not that I'm aware of.”
"So have you considered any ways that you might be able to earn their trust?"
“If you know any, I’d love to hear them,” said Ç’pier. There were surely no surefire ways to do that. He would have to figure out thirty-some-odd individual ways to earn trust, and he just did not have time for that.
"I'm not here to give you solutions, Ç’pier." E'tariax said. "Usually, in these sessions, I'm just here to listen. Talk about whatever you want to talk about. But I know you aren't coming on your own free will, so I thought I'd nudge the conversation along so we aren't sitting in silence for your first candlemark."
“I'm here to make whatever progress you think I need,” said Ç’pier. “I said I would take this seriously, so I'm going to. You don't have to twist my arm to get me to play along.”
"Think of it as 'guiding' more than twisting your arm." E'tariax said. "I don't have an agenda. I'm here to talk. So, since you're taking this seriously, I'd like you to think of a few ways that you can engage positively with your classmates. And you can tell me about how it goes the next time we meet. "
Ç’pier’s eyes widened. This guy was good.
“I'm not trying to disrespect their boundaries.” He could mindhealer-speak, too. “But I'll do my best.”
- - - End FLASHBACK - - -
"Right on time." E'tariax said as Ç’pier entered. "Glad you could make it despite the storm. How's Yuliuth doing with being all cooped up, now that he's flying?"
“Better than I am,” said Ç’pier. “Everything opened up a little bit when I finally told R’lor I wouldn't try to get lost. And then. Rain, rain, go away. This place is made of rain and must and sog. Hey, at least I didn't get your chair all wet this time.”
Last updated on the June 12th 2024