A Quiet Stand

Writers: Len, Suzee
Date Posted: 17th June 2011

Characters: D'ale, G'wen, Dalora
Description: G'wen asks D'ale for gitar lessons
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 2, day 1 of Turn 6
Notes: Mentions: E'naer, K'ale, Cardella

D'ale

That thing E'naer had said in class the other day, telling G'wen Pern
had lost a harper in him, had been eating at the boy all week.
He_had_wanted to become a Harper's apprentice when he was 12--he had
even been invited by the Master at that time in Dragonsfall--but
his father had said no. And then had promptly shoved him out of sight
and into the kitchens. And that was at the point where the child's
crippling shyness had started. So maybe if he secretly asked someone
for lessons in private, then maybe things would be okay. If he
took a stand against his father--even if it was only in private--then
maybe things would be better.

Maybe.

This was his life, not his father's. It was time to take it back.

He stepped up to D'ale's door and knocked quietly.

D'ale was sitting on the floor playing with his daughter building
towers with wooden blocks she promptly knocked over with a cascade of
giggles. Of course that made him chuckle as well. He didn't get to
spend near enough time with her at least in his own mind but the times
he _did_ spend we some of the most pleasant. Another fit of giggles
erupted as the knock sounded so it was with a huge smile he opened the
door.

"Hi there G'wen," he smiled.

"Hiya D'ale, hi there Dalora." He looked past the tall man and waved
at the girl. Turning back to D'ale, he said, "may I ask you
something?"

"Sure," he said leaving the door open for the young man to come in if
he wished while he went to start cleaning up the blocks into a
basket.

The boy walked in and played with Dalora whilst her father cleaned up
the toy explosion that had occurred in the room. "You've grown_so_much
since I last saw you!" G'wen said to the girl. "Are you having fun
with da-da?"

"Yesh" she said grinning up at G'wen. Then she grabbed his hand "come
on," and suddenly the 4 turn old was dragging him around the room with
no particular destination in mind. It was one of her favorite games.

D'ale chuckled. "I could have told you that was coming."

"I don't mind," answered the grinning G'wen. Patiently he let her run
him through the weyr on her game. Kids always seemed to like him,
something he figured had to do with his small stature. If he hadn't
Impressed Neath, he had been working himself up the courage to go ask
to be transferred from the kitchens to the creche.

He watched the boy circle the room a couple of times before he finally
called, "bedtime Dalora." Her shoulders slumped and he almost couldn't
hide the smile. "Say goodnight to G'wen, he can come play with you
another time."

"Good night G'wen," she smiled up at him and then let go of his hand.

"Good night Dalora." G'wen waved her off and added to her dad, "one
nice reason to have a plain and simple name, it's easy for the little
ones to pronounce."

"And you're good with kids," D'ale smiled before he ushered the girl
in to her little bed near his. Tomorrow was rest day and they were
going to go on a picnic. She didn't get to stay with daddy every night
but he'd usually bring her home with him on rest days. Once she was
in her bed and had her drink of water he came back out and closed the
curtains behind him.

"So, what brings you here tonight G'wen?"

"I...uh..." Suddenly the boy felt shy. What if D'ale laughed or,
worse, said no? Or told G'wen he was too old or needed to go to the
Harper to ask? The dark haired boy looked at D'ale and managed to
stumble out, "do..uh..do you give gitar lessons? Ever?"

D'ale smiled, "I have," he said simply. "K'ale's had them but you'd
never know it, he never picks up the instrument." Then he thought a
moment. "Are you going to want to make one or are you going to buy
one, Harper made?"

"So you_would_give me lessons then?" The joy he felt at that deflated
at what D'ale asked about making or buying a gitar. He didn't have a
mark on him for anything. "I...uh...I've been a drudge my whole life.
I haven't anything."

D'ale smiled. "Well then, as soon as you can /between/ we'll have to
take a trip to the Harper Hall to see if they have any apprentice made
instruments that might be marginally playable. You'll need something
to practice on at the very least." He didn't want to discourage the
boy but he wouldn't progress very much without an instrument of his
own no matter how bad. "Besides, you'll pick up extra marks soon
enough when you start flying transport duty. Then you can buy
something better later."

"I hadn't thought of that," the boy muttered, sitting down on the edge
of the couch. "We_do_get payed for transport duty, don't we?" He
looked at D'ale for a moment, with the realization of getting to
leave the Weyr hitting him. "The Harper Hall's by the ocean,isn't
it?"

"Yes it is, over by Dolphin Cove Weyr. There's news of a big gather
next month at Emerald Falls Hold. You should go and look over their
goods too. There's bound to be vendors."

"Really? I've never been to a gather..." He wondered if Neath and he
would be cleared to go /between/ by then.

"We'll have to make sure you get there then," he smiled.

"That'd be fun...maybe Cardella and K'ale can come to!" He sat back
and thought about just how fun that would be. Nodding to the sleeping
quarters, he asked, "so just how is my foster sister doing? Is she
settling in better now?"

"Sure if they want," he smiled. "Dalora's thriving in Halgalla's care.
I wouldn't mind if you'd visit her sometimes. With my new duties as
Wingsecond my own time with her will be a little more limited."

"That I'd be happy to do. I'm sure Halgalla would like me to come
around a bit more too. Does Dalora like riding on dragonback? Neath
and I can take her on a tour of the countryside, if she wants." That
was something the two of them had been doing a lot, lately. There was
just so much of the world he had never seen that anything new was
exciting. Just the other day they had discovered a little lake with a
beautiful waterfall they could both walk
behind. They had spent most of the afternoon, there.

"Just so long as you're careful. She has no judgment at all, you'll
have to watch her or she'll take off on you." D'ale wasn't quite sure
of G'wen's child care skills but if the foster mother trusted him, he
would too.

"Great, sounds like she and Neath already have something in common then."

Last updated on the June 17th 2011

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A Quiet Stand