Like Minds

Writers: Avery, Eimi
Date Posted: 8th October 2007

Characters: L'pin, U'kaiah
Description: L'pin finds a like-minded bronzerider in his Record Room
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 6, day 13 of Turn 4

This time difference was a killer. Even when they could be together, it seemed either Trae or U'kaiah was fighting to stay awake. The Weyrwoman had dozed off waiting for him to arrive and as much as he wanted to wake her and make up for the five days since he had last seen her, he thought it best to let her sleep a while. She looked so tired and worn out.
Rather than just sit around her weyr, he decided to check out the Record Room, since he had a feeling it would be his friend on many a long night to come.

There were a few insomniacs who had seemed to have the same idea as he.
Politely, he nodded to another rider as he slipped into the chair on the opposite corner of the table with a handful of hides. "Good evening."

"Good evening." L'pin greeted the other man, eying his knots.
Bronzerider from Dragonsfall. Interesting. The bluerider had seen him around once or twice, he thought. "Perusing our Records Room? We have many good hides that you're welcome to copy." he said with a smile. He loved this place.

U'kaiah glanced at the man's knots. A bluerider Weyrlingmaster Second.
How interesting. "I'm not much a scribe, I'm afraid."

"If your handwriting isn't for it, it's not for it. Or your temperament, for that matter. You seem to have interest in records though."

"Indeed I do." He pointed to the Harper blue knots partially concealed by his rider rank. "Journeyman archivist."

"Really?" Now L'pin's interest was flaring. "So am I. It's the best part of the craft, although my son would disagree."

"Your son is a Harper too?" U'kaiah asked curiously. This man certainly was more than he seemed at first glance. To tell the truth, the bronzerider would not have expected such depth to the man considering his rather unkempt appearance. But as an archivist he should know better than most that you cannot judge a book by its cover.

"He is. Was apprenticed to Weyr harpers until we came here, but since the Hall is here...well, he's enjoying himself there. It's a great opportunity for everyone at this Weyr." L'pin said.

"It certainly seems so. And I believe I met the Hallmaster at their welcoming celebration. He seems to be a fine man." Trae certainly spoke highly of him.

"There's much more music here than before. There are plenty of improvements. Hopefully, with Hallfolk becoming more used to Weyr lifestyles, more journeymen will accept Weyr postings elsewhere." That would certainly share the wealth.

"They're content here at the Weyr then?" U'kaiah asked curiously. There had been some that he was sure were less than pleased to be surrounded with all these immoral dragonfolk.

"Wellll..." L'pin thought of the Master of Apprentices. "Not everyone is, no. And not everyone is enthusiastic about female apprentices, despite the Hall taking them. I know some of the crafters worried about losing their spouses to the Weyr's ways. But there are some people who have adapted quite well. The younger ones, and those who might have reason to enjoy a Weyr's freedom."

"Which I'm sure is the source of worry," U'kaiah nodded. From an intellectual stand point he could understand why they held onto their hidebound ways. He had studied the Plague and it's effect on society extensively. But he could never agree with it. It was just so...
foreign. "Were you Hallbred?"

"Holdbred, at Emerald Falls. It's interesting that I eventually wound up here." L'pin said. "I chose a Weyr posting when I became journeyman because I wanted to be free. If I hadn't, well. Things would be different."

"Yes, I hear Emerald Falls is not very... understanding." Why anyone would look down on another for loving in a way that only came natural to them would always be a mystery to the bronzerider. "It must have been hard."

"I never told anyone. My family, when they heard I Impressed blue...weren't understanding." L'pin was quiet for a moment. "Where do you come from?"

"I was raised at Dragonsfall practically from birth. It's all I've really known." And U'kaiah certainly had no intentions of ever leaving it.

"It must be nice to have such a strong identification with a single place. I love Dolphin Cove, but I would leave if I needed to." Or am forced to, he thought. He refused to not be at least a Third. If the new Weyrlingmaster would not let him be at least his Third, then he would leave.

"Well, it would take a very great need to pull me away from Dragonsfall.
I... Well, let's just say I dream big dreams for myself there."

"Weyrleader, one day?" L'pin asked. Who wouldn't want the ultimate in rank? He would enjoy Weyrlingmaster, if he ever could have attained it... "Or are there personal connections?"

"You can't live in a place all your life without making personal connections. Unless of course you mean of the extra-special kind..."
U'kaiah smiled softly as he thought of Trae, probably still curled up on her sofa, her arms wrapped around the light blanket. "No, that's much more complicated, I'm afraid."

"Matters of the heart always are."

"It's worth a little complications though. Right?" At least Faranth, U'kaiah hoped so. So far things were great between he and Trae, but there were moments, when they hadn't seen each other for days on end, just how long they could bare the separation. If he _did_ become Weyrleader someday...

"It is." L'pin said, thinking of how it had been hard to adapt to a triad relationship at first, but how worth it it had been. "If you love someone, you accept sacrifices."

"Well, yes..." Though only to a point... "So why aren't you in bed at this time of night. The Weyrlings couldn't be keeping you up so late, could they?"

"Indirectly they do. We don't have a Weyrlingmaster at the moment, so I'm sort of doing double duty. I have no time to look over records or do anything for myself anymore, except at night."

"Ah yes, that's right," U'kaiah nodded. He had heard about that.
"Well, I must say, you are lucky to _have_ Weyrlings. Dragonsfall hasn't had them for quite some time."

"I heard." L'pin said sympathetically. "I'm almost surprised that there wasn't a fight. I was wondering if Traelyn's clutch being there would stimulate one of your golds to rise to defend her area- that could have worked out badly." He shrugged. "I read that once, when I started Weyrlingmaster work. I thought knowing why golds might rise atypically would help."

"No, in this case the golds were not at the right time in their cycle.
And neither one was a Senior Queen technically anyway. Thankfully, one is now, and we'll have Eggs on the Sands soon." Which was a great relief to everyone.

"I heard you had a rising. How did it work before that, without a clearly-defined leader?" L'pin asked. "Were they both co-Weyrwoman? It seems like it must have been a difficult situation."

"Corvera was acting as our Weyrwoman, but Kapera's gold rose first.
After the Hatching... Well, it seems Corvera is going to try her luck elsewhere." Much as U'kaiah could understand, he thought it posed a terrible risk to have Onnyth and Teseada thrust into the Weyrwoman Second's spot so soon.

"So there's going to be even more settling before everything's stable again?" That could be difficult for a Weyr. "Your Weyr seems prosperous despite recent issues."

"We have a very capable Weyrleader," the bronzerider replied, a touch of pride in his voice. As much as he would like nothing better than to replace him, U'kaiah had nothing but respect for D'wrayt.

"Strong leadership is valuable." L'pin agreed. "Maybe Dragonsfall just makes good leaders." Traelyn had come here from there, after all, even if it wasn't her native weyr.

"I certainly would do my Weyr a disservice to disagree," U'kaiah smiled.

"I should probably get to bed, since I have to be up with the juniors tomorrow." L'pin said. "It was a pleasure speaking to you. Perhaps we can meet again at some time."

"I look forward to it," the bronzerider nodded. And perhaps he should pack it in too and go wake up Trae. After all, they hadn't much time.

Last updated on the October 8th 2007

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Like Minds