Not In Garnet Valley Anymore!

Writers: Clancey, Joy
Date Posted: 18th October 2005

Characters: Arcon, Solieira
Description: Arcon meets the Headwoman who shows him around and reveals some shocking information.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 8, day 8 of Turn 3

Arcon shouldered his bag and began walking in the to where he'd been
told the Headwoman would be. His eyes travelled around what was to be
his new home. There were people moving purposefully in every
direction, firelizards swooping about, and he could hear the
occasional roaring bugle of a dragon's call. The orderly chaos of it
all was nearly overwhelming to his senses and he'd only been here for
five minutes.

Solieira was waiting in her office for any new arrivals. Tabarnirth had
done herself and the Weyr proud with her clutch, and Candidates had been
trickling in for days already. Lately, although she didn't always know
ahead of time, she'd been spending the better part of her mornings
sorting out newly arrived Candidates, so she made a practice of staying
'home' so to speak. Inevitably, the Searchrider directed these
wild-eyed Hold and Hall-bred youngsters right to her door.

When the knock came, she called out in her kind voice, "Come on in, its
open."

Arcon eased the door open and peeked his head in. Within the office
was a woman who fit the description he'd been given. He entered and
gripped the strap to his bag tightly, feeling unaccountably nervous.
"Headwoman Solieira?"

"Good day to you, young man. Been Searched, have you?" She took in his
appearance and his one bag, and rose to her feet putting all her warmth
in her smile. "Come on inside here and have a seat, hmm?"

"Yes ma'am." He moved deeper into the office and stood before the
chair she'd indicated, waiting to sit until she did, as he'd been
raised to do. He wasn't sure how to deal with this Headwoman, so he
decided he'd treat her with the same courtesy and respect he would his
stepmother and hope it was appropriate.

Oh my. He was right off the cothold, it appeared. Sol chuckled to
herself and took her chair back. She was well known for her kindness
and warmth to Candidates, though she was equally as well known for her
firm hand if you crossed the line.

"My name is Solieira. You can call me that, or Sol. I don't believe in
formality here in the Weyr. What's your name then, and where are you
from? I'll try to put you close to some young men from your general
area."

Taking his seat, he answered, "My name is Arcon, ma'am....Solieira."
He shifted, slightly uncomfortable. "I'm from a cothold in Garnet
Valley."

"Ahh, I couldn't tell, Arcon." She teased him, her eyes sparkling.
"Welcome to River Bluff. I'm sure you have many questions, hmm? Well
let me answer a few of them for you right off." She drew a hide from a
stack, showing it to him. "This is a daily schedule for you, and after
we talk a bit, I'll show you the Candidate barracks."

Arcon took the hide and read the list of classes and chores. It wasn't
anything difficult and, for that matter, it provided him with much
more free time than he'd had at home. "Where it lists 'Chores,' what
sorts of chores will they be?"

"Nothing like you're used to, I'm certain. Most of the chores consist
of working with the firestone piles or working in the kitchen washing
dishes or helping out with the cooking if you've that kind of talent.
You can also help riders bathe their dragons, and the Weyrlingmaster
will occasionally assign special chores - like helping with the
herdbeasts and such." She paused to consider him. "Do you have a
preference for what you'd like to do?"

"I'll do whatever I'm asked, but... Well, I've never worked in a
kitchen or cooked or anything like that." He didn't want to actually
_say_ that such things were woman's work because he was in a strange
new environment and had no idea how this woman might react.

Sol eyed him critically for a moment, remembering where he was from.
"No, you wouldn't know that kind of thing would you? Just a word of
warning, young man. In the Weyr, all work is equal as are the folk put
to the tasks. Do you understand? It may take some time to adjust, and
we'll all help you along.." She paused to smile at him. "Sometimes in
ways you might not like, but we'll help you nonetheless."

"Yes ma'am, Headwoman Solieira." Arcon quelled a small flare of
anxiety that tried to rise within him. He wasn't sure he was going to
fit in here, and if he couldn't, what would that mean? He wasn't
afraid of doing work, even the idea of washing dishes, odd though it
was, didn't really worry him. It had never looked particularly
difficult, certainly not as hard as plowing a field. What worried him
was that the way of thinking was just so different. Could he adjust?

"It takes time, Arcon. Especially for young folk like you, already
reaching an age to be of your own mind about things. But my door is
always open, and the Weyrlingmaster is a wonderful man. We'll help you
all we can. For now, let me show you where you'll be staying, aye?"

"Thank you," he stood with her and politely waited for her to lead the
way. He was rather eager to get where he'd be staying. If only to put
his bag down and be able to take a few moments to absorb the fast
paced events that had been coming at him today.

Sol smiled in approval; his manners certainly weren't lacking. She led
him from her office out into the Weyrbowl, and toward the Candidate
barracks. As they walked she pointed out a few things, and also the
Weyrling barracks. They stopped in the dining caverns so he could see
those, and then went on outside.

"Just so you know, Arcon, the barracks have both female and male
Candidates in them, though you're separated on either side of the
building by a curtain. This may take some getting used to." She paused
to look at him, then went on with more bad news for a hold-bred lad such
as he. "There are public bathing chambers, but you will find men and
women there, bathing together, at all times of the day. You may have
some trouble with this, but it will be better for you to adapt now
without a dragon then later on, hmm?"

He nodded, feeling overwhelmed as an unimaginable concept was followed
by an even more unimaginable one. Men and woman sharing the same
sleeping quarters with just a peice of cloth between them? Men and
women bathing at the same time? For a boy who'd gotten in trouble
growing up when he'd left the room he and his brothers shared without
a shirt on because it was inappropriate for his sisters to see such a
thing, even when it was their brother, this boggled the mind.

Solieira felt for the young man; it was hard for those like him to
adjust to Weyr life. "Its going to be alright, Arcon. Everyone
adjusts in time." She showed him around the Candidate barracks, which
were really quite spartan. There was a bed and a chair and a small desk
for studying in a row of other beds just like it. "Choose any open
one, and get used to the close quarters. Weyrling barracks are much the
same, only larger and with couches for dragonettes!"

He didn't mind that. His room back home, that he shared with all his
brothers, wasn't so very different. If he could ignore the long
curtain behind which he could hear a few feminine voices, that is. He
set his bag on a nearby bed, which by the look of the empty desk and
lack of linens, was unoccupied.

"Will you be alright, Arcon? Unpack your things, and I'll send over some
clothes for you." She peered at him up and down. "Strapping young man."
Was her comment, her smile full of laughter. "You get all your clothes,
food, and other basic needs from the Weyr - me - during this time. I am
responsible for your chore assignments, though you will have classes
with the Weyrlingmaster as well, preparing for the Hatching. Any more
questions before I leave you to settle in?"

Arcon couldn't think of any. Of course, his poor mind felt so
bombarded by everything that had been thrown at him today, he wasn't
sure if that was because he understood completely or that it had just
given up thinking all together. "Thank you, I think I'll just unpack
and maybe rest a little before," he glanced at the schedule he still
held, "the noon meal." It wasn't even noon yet! He felt like it had
been days since the dragon at his cothold. "If that's alright?"

"That's perfectly fine, Arcon. Report to me tomorrow and we'll see
about assigning you chores. For today, you are free to adjust to the
Weyr and explore. If you need anything, my door is open always, aye?"
She smiled at him, and turned for the door.

Last updated on the October 18th 2005

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Not In Garnet Valley Anymore!