Congratulations

Writers: AL, Jane
Date Posted: 12th August 2009

Characters: Meledei, O'rian
Description: O'rian catches up with Meledei to congratulate her on an important milestone in weyrlinghood.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 4, day 2 of Turn 5

"Meledei!" The dark-haired bronzerider put a hand on the weyrling goldrider's shoulder and smiled down at her when he caught up with her at the breakfast table. "Congratulations."

Meledei came to a stop and turned with a smile at the weyrling recently turned dragonrider. "O'rian!" She cocked her head. "Congratulations on what?"

"First /between/?" His smile widened. "Don't tell me you're forgotten about it already?"

"Oh that!" Meledei grinned. It was a cause for celebration - it was one of the biggest milestones in Weyrlinghood. "Thanks. Actually, it wasn't as big a deal for me. My da has practised with me before I even impressed. I guess he wanted to be sure I didn't make any mistakes."

"It's different, though, when you're responsible for the visualisations." His own first /between/ had also been fairly straight-forward. He hadn't been particularly nervous about it because he had grown up with it being an accepted part of life, and with the knowledge that to dragons it was perfectly natural. "I bet Elleth told you there was nothing to it."

"Perhaps, but Da drilled me thoroughly." Meledei had been grateful for the training and guidance. Her father had helped her not feel so lost in her studies and to dispel the fear that other weyrlings and candidates had during their time. "We're halfway through training now. Soon we'll be joining the ranks."

"It'll be good to have you all. Of course, you'll be way, way down there with that crazy mechanical flame maker." He shook his head. "It seems _really_ dangerous to me."

"You'd better make sure that I don't get mad at you." Meledei cast an evil grin. "The flamethrowers don't have a conscience."

"And they're why dragons don't have ears you know," he teased back. "Long, long ago a goldrider went woooosh! Ooops, sorry dear. I think we should only breed from dragons with short ears ... shorter ears ... no ears."

"Ha!" Meledei shook her head at the bronzerider. "You are impossible, you know that?"

"And you and your class are very brave - and practically full dragonriders already now you've passed the major event in your weyrlinghood." He leaned forward and kissed her cheek, glad his friend had made it. "Well done."

"You're sweet." Meledei slid her arms around O'rian and pulled him into a tight hug. "But we're not quite full dragonriders yet. We still have a few months to go."

"Only one big thing to get through, though - along with all that _really_ hard work." He smiled down at her and kissed her again.

"Watch it, or I'll draft you into doing some hidework!" Meledei offered O'rian one more squeeze before letting him go. "You won't like me much then."

"I'm not like my father. Hidework doesn't scare me. But don't let me hold up your breakfast. Talking to me isn't going to be much of an excuse if you're late."

"And you'll have to pay the consequences if I have to go hungry." Meledei grinned. She moved in to give O'rian one last friendly squeeze. "But yes, I really must go. I'll see you later, I'm sure!"

O'rian smiled and nodded. Despite his own certainly (and Meledei's) that all would go well with her first /between/ it was now accomplished. She had survived, and they would get to see each other 'later' and probably for Turns to come.

When others didn't survive their first jumps - even in her own class - it was something of a relief to have her, and the other weyrlings he knew, past that hurdle.

Last updated on the August 15th 2009

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Congratulations