Waiting Is Hard To Do (part two of two)

Writers: Allison, AmajoS, Avery, Patrick, Rochelle, Vix
Date Posted: 6th August 2007

Characters: N'alt, Tamaca, Riveenata, Ariau, Viriana, Benna
Description: Several Candidates sit and discuss their classes and their chances.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 5, day 5 of Turn 4

Benna frowned, that was discouraging news indeed. "Does that happen often?"

"It happens more often then not." Viri said. "I've been Standing off and on since I was 17. I'm running out of time." She said with a sigh. "What if there isn't one out there for me?" She asked with over the top concern, placing the back of her hand to her forehead and looking pitiful.

Benna ignored the other girl's melodramatics, her curiosity forcing her to ask, "What happens if you don't Impress and you get too old? Do you go back home?" It hadn't occurred to her when she'd left with the Searchrider that she might not Impress ever. Oh, she knew enough to know that not every Candidate who Stands leaves with a dragon, but she'd thought for sure that anyone who Stood would -eventually- Impress, even if it took them a few tries.

"You don't have to go back home if you don't want to." Riveenata told the other girl. "You can take up a Craft, or you can stay and work in the Lower Caverns as a laundry worker or a kitchen worker or whatever you'd like to do.
But you don't have to leave the Weyr for a Hold if you don't want."

"Yeah, I've been here for a little over a turn now. I still have a few years left, but if I don't Impress, I'll probably just stay here and pursue my smithing. At least, that's my back-up plan," Noalt chimed in.

Ariau smiled at him. "That's pretty much my plan too. Stand until I can't anymore, and if I don't Impress finish my studies and be a harper. Actually, I think that's what most people do." She admitted.

"I was born here and don't intend to go anywhere," put in Tamaca. "What you need to decide is whether the Weyr seems like the right place for you. Some people just never fit in because their skills aren't really the type that are in need at the Weyr and they don't care to change to those that would be.
It's all a matter of what you want to do and are willing to do."

"Like me." Viri said, her attempt at acting forgotten. She was never very good at it anyways. "The weyr isn't exactly looking for dragonriders that can do flips on their dragons back." Viri said with a wry smile. "Although I am a deft hand at relating to people." She said.

Taking all that in, Benna wondered what would happen to her if she didn't Impress. She could go home, but she wouldn't have to. Would she want to though? She'd probably have to marry -someone- if she did, that's for sure.
Be stuck inside some cothold taking care of a passle of brats, cooking and sewing and dying of boredom. Or, she could stay in the Weyr. As what though?
She could barely read, she had no skills besides what she'd picked up helping her brothers and the hired-hands work the fields... Probably not much use here.

"Well, I'm going to hope for the best," she said aloud, both in answer to the conversation and to her own thoughts. "Seems silly to do anything else."

Tamaca nodded. "That's all any of us can do."

"Hear, hear," Noalt agreed. "Although, hopefully this next Hatching will be our lucky one, right?"

"I hope so," Viri said. "This is getting boring."

Noalt snorted and shook his head. "And what do you suggest we do to liven things up, Viri?" Noalt asked, grinning at her.

"Oh I don't know." Viri told him. "I still say I should do the next Hatching on my hands." She said with a shrug.

"Then you'd better find some sturdy gloves," stated Tam. "Those sands are hot."

Noalt laughed. "Although, that might just give you the edge you need!"

"I know they're hot Tam. I'd just wear my boots on my hands." She said as if this was the most obvious thing in the world. "And I don't know about an edge but it would most definitely give me a new perspective."

Benna wondered if the girl who'd spoken of standing on her hands at the Hatching was serious. She couldn't quite imagine it. "You wouldn't do that, would you?" She asked the girl before turning to the one who'd mentioned the sand's heat and asking, "They'd let her do that?"

"It's not the usual way of the Weyr," was Tamaca's response, "and would probably be seen as quite silly by most. However, if she wants to try, I suppose she can ask. Of course, she'd best be careful what she wears under her robes as well."

"While it would be quite the experience," Viri began. "I like my current reputation in the weyr too much to jeopardize it with a stunt like that."

"And that definitely would jeopardize it," Tam replied thoughtfully. "Though everyone has a different story, Hatching is serious business for the Weyr.
Trying to have all of the right candidates assembled so that no hatchling goes un-Impressed, having each greet and bond with someone with whom he or she will spend a lifetime - not to mention all of the memories the time brings for those watching." She suddenly realized how serious her thoughts and words had become and forced a laugh. "Of course, some of us have less than pleasant memories of several Hatchings."

"Mmmmm, but I'd rather have a less than pleasant memory than no memory at all." Viriana said with conviction. "I may never Impress but I won't regret my Turns at the Weyr."

"I'll hope for pleasant memories, myself." Benna said with a grin.
Secretly, Benna wondered if she'd be like these other Candidates in a few turns. Expecting to be disappointed more than to Impress however much she hoped to do so. She hoped not. She hoped that she'd remain unflaggingly positive. She decided right then that she'd allow no thought of failure to lodge itself in her mind, and if by chance she didn't find her dragon in this clutch, well she would in the next. She wouldn't think of that now though. For now, she would just focus on how much she wanted to find her lifemate and the belief she held that some little dragon would feel it and want her as well.

Last updated on the August 7th 2007

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Waiting Is Hard To Do (part two of two)