Memory

Writers: AL, Jane
Date Posted: 25th April 2008

Characters: R'haran, Lirit
Description: R'haran and Lirit talk together.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 9, day 28 of Turn 4

The rehearsals had been quickly over. All of the harpers who would do duty in the dining cavern that evening were competent and reliable (perhaps to a great or lesser extent, but nothing too worrisome for the Weyrharper) and all had taken the time to learn the new instrumental piece and the new song.

R'haran waved a farewell at the couple of joking journeywomen and looked around the room. As on most restday rehearsals food had been served and the place looked like somebody had let a tunnelsnake lose in the pantry. The harper greenrider chuckled as he absently gathered together the worst of the debris and addressed the remaining journeyman.

"Wherries couldn't have done a better job of eating their own weight in food so why don't harpers get fat? Most of them, I mean." He could think of a few that were, but for the most part they kept to a reasonable size. Was being a little vain part of the reason the craft appealed? He liked to think not, but he'd been shunted into the craft at a young age and that was too long ago to remember his own feelinigs at the time.

"Food is good for the body my friend." Lirit pounded his chest a couple of times with his fist and let out a loud burp. He grinned, then offered an amused, "Excuse me." He then ran his hand over his chest, as if wiping it off. "Hm. I don't know why I don't get fat.
I certainly eat enough. Maybe I'm just fortunate? Although, vocalese and singing is good exercise. Yes, that must be it."

"I suppose it is. If anything harpers can get a little barrel-chested." After a moment R'haran added, "Which looks better on the women than it does on the men."

Lirit let out a laugh. "I bet it does! I'm afraid I can't quite imagine that, but I'll take your word for it. Am I looking barrel-chested?"

"Not at all," R'haran said with a grin. "Do I?"

"Yes." Lirit stated decisively, his grin cocky. "Doesn't look good at all. You should do something about that."

"Something like build a large stomach to match?"

"Yes, then you'll even out." Lirit made a motion with his hands, rounding out a much larger stomach for his frame. "Ah, now that would be a sight I wish I could see! I bet you'd swoon all the ladies."

"Only if I remember to leave the rider's knots at home. Though some of the less than lady-like ladies see the green thread as a challenge."

"I had no idea." Lirit chuckled at the slip up he made. "I'm afraid I'm a little more than colour blind. So, maybe the guys would go for it."

"Maybe they would; but they'll just have to take me as I am. Not so barrel chested and no stomach to match." R'haran paused for a moment and then asked: "Do you remember everything, Lirit?"

"My memory is pretty keen." Lirit admitted, surprised by the sudden change in topic and by the question. "It has to be. Why do you ask?"

"I just wondered if you were born with that - the memory - or if it developed because of your lack of eyesight."

"I think a little of both." Lirit admitted, a thoughtful frown creasing his lips and brow. "I've got a pretty decent memory naturally. I remember being in a crib, actually, and thinking about my grandmother.
I was in a room, next to the wall and it was dark and was thinking 'grandma gone'. You see, my grandmother had passed on. The only thing I didn't remember was my age - my mother said I would turn two within two months of that time when I told her about it one day."

"That's younger than most can remember," R'haran said thoughtfully.
"Were you born blind?"

Lirit shook his head. "No, but my eyesight was never very good. I was completely blind by age six, though it started earlier than that. My peripheral vision went first, then the rest of my eyesight. I do remember some things. I remember what my parents look like, I remember colours, I remember what trees and grass look like. That sort of thing."

"They must be very valuable memories," the greenrider commented. "But your memory was already good. Do you just remember everything now from hearing it? Or do you have some way of making notes?"

"Well, I do have a way, yes." Lirit nodded. He couldn't help but wonder why R'haran was talking about his memory. Not that he minded, it was just a curious subject. "Though I prefer to just memorize. I mean, I would have to memorize my music whether or not I could see, so it just makes sense."

"Hmm. I suppose that's true. But there's a lot in life other than music - as terrible as it seems for a harper to say so."

Lirit staggered back dramatically, a hand placing upon his heart.
"Sir, you wound me. How could there be anything else? Without music, life would not be worth living!"

"Possibly true, but with only music the same could be said."

"Okay," Lirit nodded solemnly. "I'll give you food. Music and food, without them life would not be worth living?" He grinned then, spreading out his arms. "What else do I need?"

"Children?" R'haran said, speaking from his own recent experience.

"I wouldn't know about that." Children? No no, not at the moment, thank you very much. Lirit didn't even have a weyrmate, and children were certainly not on his list of things to have any time soon.

"Perhaps not. Oh well, I don't want to hold you up, Lirit, but any time you want to show me your way of making notes, I'd be interested." He'd never made any in his life, but he knew most people needed them.

"Sure." Lirit honestly didn't know why it would interest anyone but him. He used them, albeit not very often, and he was the only one who could decipher them. "I'll talk with you later, I'm sure."

Last updated on the May 1st 2008

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