To Be a Beastcrafter

Writers: Ames, AL
Date Posted: 11th December 2013

Characters: Caenir, Faldrimme
Description: Faldrimme spends some time with Caenir and puts her Beastcrafter skills to the test at the GV stables
Location: Green Valley Hold
Date: month 2, day 22 of Turn 7

Faldrimme

The runner was spirited, but she had been doing well. Caenir had been
working with her for several days and despite that spirit - or perhaps it
was part of it - she was very, very smart. He called out a command and
the walk turned into a trot. Praise followed from his lips and he smiled
as he watched the creature toss her head in such a way that indicated
pleasure. He'd learned to read her in their time together.

She passed around the corral twice before he noticed that there was an
audience. An eyebrow arched upward and Caenir passed the rope on to the
young stable hand whom he was teaching how to teach. "You take her a
bit."

Was she lost? Of course, he had first talked to her privately when she
was at a stable, but generally women didn't come around unless they wanted
to ride a runner. Was that what she wanted? Surely one of the other
hands could help her, but she just stood there, watching them. Perhaps
she had a question for him.

Caenir separated from the young man and runner and made his way over to
where Faldrimme had placed herself. "Good day ma'am." He greeted with a
tip of his hat.

She'd been memorized from the moment she'd set foot near the stables.
The man she'd spoken to so briefly on occasion, seemed a totally
different man when he sat atop a runner. No longer did he seem shy or
even uncertain, but rather confident and caring. All this she read
from his body language and the way he handled the mare. She was a
spirited one for sure, but he calmed her and praised her with ease. It
warmed Faldrimme's heart._That_ was what she wanted to be doing, not

shoveling manure out of stables and running errands.

She looked down at her hands, slightly calloused now from the work
she'd been doing at the Weyr stables, yet not once had she gotten to
do what she truly desired. To train and ride the way she'd watched
Caenir.

**I'll get there,** she told herself, but her heart wasn't in it as
much as it had been in the past. The Weyr just wasn't as comfortable
for her as home had been. The people were friendly, but so different.
She knew she would adjust, someday, if she stayed. If she didn't?
Faldrimme sighed and frowned a bit at that thought. She honestly
didn't know.

She looked up when she noticed Caenir heading in her direction. "Good
day to you too, Caenir. You handle that mare so well. I can see the
spirit in her step, but yet you rein her in, letting her know whose in
charge, yet not crushing her spirit in the process." She smiled at
him, hoping her compliment would be received well.

Caenir was startled by the reaction. He'd expected a question, perhaps a
request to help her get a runner to go riding. The praise - that hadn't
been anywhere in his mind as a possible reaction. A slight flush entered
into his cheeks and he tipped his hat again. "Thank you ma'am. Er...is
there something I can do for you?" Though he couldn't help but notice the
way she looked at that mare. He turned to gaze at the creature who was
now mounted by the younger man and moved around the corral at a slow trot.
"Did...you want to ride? If you want to ride her, I wouldn't recommend
it. She needs a bit of work yet."

She answered his last question first, "Oh, I'd_love_ to ride her.
I've always wanted the chance to_really_ get to work with a runner.

To feel that exhilaration when they respond to you for the first
time," she had a bit of a faraway look in her eyes as she imagined
herself doing just that. She lowered her gaze and this time she
blushed a bit. "I forget where I am. I'm sorry. That's not my place
here." **Though if I keep working at the Weyr maybe one day it will
be,** she thought a bit wistfully.

Her statement made Caenir look at her again. She wanted to work with
runners? To be honest, she didn't seem like the sort. She was
related to the Lord of Amber Hills. The girl was used to a soft life,
not hard work. "You want to work with a runner?" He couldn't dismiss
that gaze, however. He knew he'd had it on his own visage when he was
young.

"Oh yes," Faldrimme breathed, "It's why I went to the Weyr. I wanted
to pursue that very idea. To become a beastcrafter if I could. I
_still_ want to do that, but I'm not sure life in the Weyr is for me."
She frowned, "but, I can't have everything I want. Hold life and the
chance to work with the runners the way I wished. The two just simply
don't go together, I'm afraid." Her tone her dropped to one of sadness
as she continued to speak. She still did not know what decision she
would make when the month came to a close. Her heart was torn between
two worlds, and she couldn't seem to pick the one that would lead to
her future.

Caenir pulled a cloth from his pocket and wiped his hands with it she
stared at her. She wanted to be a beastcrafter? The idea was
ludicrous in the world they lived in, except for at the Weyr, of
course.

Caenir sniffed and ran his knuckle alongside his nose. "Tomorrow
morning. Sunrise. Stables." If she wanted to work with runners,
he'd give her the opportunity. She was a Lord Holder's daughter,
- or niece anyway. She wasn't suited for hard work. He'd give
a taste, though. If she truly wanted to work with runners, then she'd
be willing to do the work. He let his gaze wander over her, nodded,
then straightened up and turned to go back to the runner.

She blinked and straightened at his words. A grin began to spread over
her lips as he began to head back to his work. "I'll be here!" She
called out excitedly.

~

Early the next morning, Faldrimme was up and dressed in her riding
gear. She was eager to see what exactly Caenir had in mind for this
little morning meeting, but she sure wasn't going to miss the chance
to find out. Dashing out of her rooms, she made her way quickly
outside, just as the first rays of sun were beginning to peak into the
sky. Hurrying, she made her way to the stables.

Letting out her breath, she looked around for Caenir.

He had already arrived and waited for her. The young man leaned
against one of the pillars that supported the ceiling. A piece of
straw was in his mouth and his hat was pulled down low to cover his
eyes. He could hear her a mile away, however, and lifted his head to
peer at her from beneath the brim when she approached. He turned to
spit out the straw and sent it flying, then straightened. "You ready
to start?"

She hadn't seen him at first. Looking up quickly, she grinned. "Boy,
am I ready," she answered. **More ready than you'd ever know."
Faldrimme was eager to show off her skills and see what she could
learn today as well.

Caenir nodded, then motioned for the young woman to follow. He led
her further into the stable, then came to a stop before a stall.
Within a young mare, barely more than a filly lifted her head and eyed
the two.

"This is Kiriki." Caenir leaned against her door and laced his hands
together. He'd picked her out and spent more than he should have,
though he'd managed to haggle the price down decently from what the
original had been. She was an investment, and a fine one in his
estimate. Caenir knew his runners - if she bred true, they'd have a
good start. The nostrils of the creature flared as she inhaled and
then let out a gentle snort.

"Lead her out to the corral. Then her stable will need to be mucked
out." Caenir stood straight again and moved out of the way, then
nodded. "Let me know when you're done." With that, he turned to
stride off further into the stables.

Faldrimme grinned. Caenir was treating her just like any crafter in

training. She was starting to feel at home here already after her stay
at the Weyr. She wished she could have this feeling here, at a Hold,
all the time.

With a sigh, she lead the filly out of the stall, wishing and hoping
for things she knew could never come true.

Last updated on the March 26th 2014

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To Be a Beastcrafter