A Long Journey

Writers: Devin, Estelle
Date Posted: 25th August 2026

Characters: Talryne, Fariha
Description: Master Fariha has news for Talryne after examining her tapestry of Eboroth
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 3, day 3 of Turn 13
Notes: Mentioned: Tr'vel, Gilbek, R'ayl, Tavhei, N'vanik

Talryne

Talryne suspected what this might be about and her stomach fluttered nervously as she knocked on the Master's door. When she got permission to enter, she took a deep breath before stepping inside. "You wanted to see me, Master?"

"Yes, thank you for coming, Talryne." Master Fariha was the Weyr's most senior weaver, a tall, elegant woman in her late middle Turns who'd been in charge of the weavers' workroom at Dolphin Cove since the move from Thayan Peak. She had a warm, encouraging manner that could nevertheless turn stern at the first hint of carelessness or misbehavior, as many an apprentice had discovered to their cost.

Today, though, her manner seemed relaxed as she contemplated a tapestry hanging on a display stand that she often used to discuss her students' work. "I was just taking a closer look at this piece. Wingleader Tr'vel and his weyrmate were kind enough to let me borrow it back for a while."

"I made it as a gift," Talryne heard herself say as she looked at her work. "Gil saved R'ayl, so I was more than happy to make something for his weyrmate. I wanted to do my best to make sure I captured Eboroth, with the color and the pose. Tavhei made a sketch for me, which helped a lot."

"The harper journeyman? Yes, I see." Fariha leaned closer, studying the dragon's form. "It's a good idea to build a relationship with the harpers, or anyone with a talent for sketching. You can learn to copy a dragon from a pattern book, but to capture what makes one distinctive, their character - it's a skill. Eboroth in particular; you'd think it would be his injury that defines him, but here he looks strong and dignified." She smiled. "The Wingleader was thrilled with his gift, I could tell. He certainly didn't think he'd got apprentice work."

Talryne couldn't help a small smile at Tr'vel being pleased with the gift. He'd come to thank her and ask if he could show her work to the Master Weavers and suggest they consider promoting her. Gil had been delighted when she gave him the finished tapestry, even if it had taken her longer to complete than she'd thought. "Tapestry is my strongest skill. I know I spend more time on it than I should, and I need to work on the other craft areas." She was also very good at knitting, the skill that had made her apprentice to the Weavers in the first place. Her tendency to focus on the things she was already good at or deeply interested in combined with her mental health issues had made her progress in the craft slow.

"It's true that it's important to keep in practice all around. As a journeyman, you'd start to take on a teaching role, formal or otherwise, and the apprentices are full of questions about every aspect of the craft. But you'd also have the chance to specialize, working in the areas you find most appealing." The Master's enthusiasm shone in her eyes, but she knew the difficulties Talryne had faced, too, and she caught herself before pushing too far. "Do you think you'd like that? I know that not all weyrfolk can practice their craft full-time, as they would in a Hall."

Talryne hesitated. The idea of teaching made her nervous. But then she thought of how she enjoyed helping R'ayl and how she sometimes helped the other apprentices with questions. "I . . . don't think I could handle classes, but I could work with some of the quieter apprentices." Her heart beat faster. If Master Fariha was asking those types of questions it meant she was serious about promoting Talryne. "And it would be nice to formally specialize."

"It's when the craft becomes _really_ interesting," Fariha agreed. "Smaller classes, advanced techniques. And now that the Hall at Emerald Falls is finally waking up to how successful the Harper Hall's become by admitting women, there are new opportunities for collaboration. But we can take it step by step. With the teaching, too. I've seen how well you've done with our little R'ayl. Not so little now, of course."

She reached into her desk and took out a set of knots. "If you like, we'll have a ceremony this evening, and I'll give these to you then when you 'walk the tables'." The craft seating arrangements weren't as formal in the Weyr, so it would be more of an announcement, but they could honor the tradition nonetheless. "But I wanted to let you know ahead of time, so it wouldn't be a surprise... Congratulations, Journeyman."

Talryne swallowed against the sting of tears. Journeyman. She remembered how scared and excited she'd been to become an apprentice, the sense of purpose a craft had given her when she'd felt so adrift after losing Ysanth. There were times that advancement had seemed so far away, even impossible, especially in those first few Turns when she'd lost so much time to bad days. But now she'd finally made it. "Thank you, Master," she managed. "I'd like that." She could already picture her fellow weavers and friends smiling, the look of pride on N'vanik's face

"Then just you make sure you're in the dining cavern this evening, and not off somewhere with that handsome weyrmate of yours." Fariha was teasing, but there was a misty look in her own eyes, as if perhaps she was remembering her own promotion to journeyman rank, many Turns before. "I look forward to working with you. Though I imagine for a while you and your friend Tavhei will be busy with commissions; it seems Eboroth has been singing your praises, and now half the dragons in the Weyr want their likeness in a tapestry."

"Oh no," Talryne said with a half-groan, half-laugh. She suddenly thought of her mother, and wondered what she would think if she were still alive. How patiently teaching her five-Turn-old daughter to knit clumsy blankets would one day lead here, to dragons asking Talryne to weave them portraits. To her becoming a Journeyman Weaver after surviving the worst loss anyone could ever face.

Now she was really struggling not to cry. "I--I need to go tell N'vanik. Thank you again."

"It's well deserved, Talryne. Don't forget - the dining cavern, after the evening meal." Fariha slipped the knots into her pocket for now, and stood, offering a hand. "Now go and celebrate."

Last updated on the September 12th 2026

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A Long Journey