Golden Advice

Writers: Emma, Jelena
Date Posted: 12th March 2014

Characters: Teseada, Genna
Description: Genna follows P'nal's advice and has a chat with Teseada about what it means to be a goldrider.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 5, day 17 of Turn 7

Teseada

Genna

Genna knocked on Teseada's door politely and waited for an answer, feeling
slighly silly and nervous because of it. It seemed awfully presumptous to be
asking the questions she had in mind. But P'nal had been right, it could be
her, even if she didn't expect it. So she had asked for an appointment and
gotten one.

"Come in," Teseada had managed to clear some time for the candidate, who
really wasn't that much younger than herself, even though at times she felt
so much older at times.

}:You're not old,:{ Onnyth assured her. }:Just responsible.:{

Genna shuffled into the office quietly. "Thank you for your time, Ma'am,"
she said with a small smile as she sat down in the chair opposite the
Weyrwoman Second's desk. "I know you must be really busy, but one of your
riders pointed out to me that I should prepare for the eventuality of
impressing the gold hatchling, even if I'm not expecting it."

"I see," Teseada pointed to a seat. "What do you already know about
impression?"

"That when a dragon chooses you on the sands and looks into your eyes, your
minds kind of merge and they become the most important thing in your life.
They can hear your thoughts and you can hear theirs," Genna paused, thinking
what else she should add. It was a broad concept.

"Did they tell you about how you can feel this sudden rush of love, and
confusion all at once?" Teseada said gently, casting her mind back to that
day she would never forget. "Some people almost say it's like shock and
pleasure all in one. but don't let anyone tell you that it isn't a wonderful
thing."

Genna nodded. People had told her all sorts of things about impression. "I
heard things like that, yes. Though I guess it's hard to grasp the feeling
when you haven't felt it."

"That I understand too. But it's what you do afterwards that matters."

Genna moved forward in her chair without realising, attention focussed on
Teseada. "What do you mean, Ma'am?"

"That little dragon will be looking to you for everything afterwards. She'll
want to be fed, oiled bathed, and they cycle will repeat for a good few
sevendays before you get the hang of it. If you are caring for a gold, well
you'll find that the staff are looking to you to set an example, so there's
this unspoken pressure to do well, to show them what you can do. But all
without making any mistakes." Teseada looked the girl in the eye, "You will
make mistakes, because it's new to you, but don't let that get to you."

"But the staff has had gold weyrlings before, right? Won't they understand
that you make mistakes, if you at least try not to?" It might be comparable
to living under her mother's high standards, she thought quietly to herself.
And her mother hadn't been all that forgiving. High expectations she could
live with.

"It isn't just the staff who'll be looking, the rest of the Weyr will as
well," explained Teseada. "I think that's the difference, the staff are
there to help you, but to the rest of the Weyr..."

"They might judge more harshly," Genna nodded, now getting the point. "What
about your classmates? I can imagine some of the other girls might be
jealous? Or does having impressed their own dragon take the wish for a gold
away?" She could imagine at least one person who would be insanely jealous,
should she impress the gold. Then again, if Ninaine impressed it, she might
resent her just the same.

"That part is up to you, it depends on how they handle having impressed
green. Some will be over the moons, lost in their own world, realising it is
the perfect match for them, some will want to be your friend because of who
you are, and some will want to be your friend because of who you impressed.
It will take a while to sort that out, but when you do, keep your friends
around to keep you grounded."

Genna nodded, thinking it all over. "This might be a stupid question, but
what if it's the other way around? What if someone I don't get along with
impresses the gold. Should I change the way I treat them, because they are
then my superior?" It seemed like total hypocrisy, but if someone outranked
you...

That got a gentle chuckle. "When you're a weyrling, you're a weyrling full
stop. All weyrlings are equal, and any rider, or staff member could say
'jump', and your only question should be 'how high?'." Teseada thought for a
moment. "A gold dragon of any age will try to throw her weight about, but
she will need to learn where she fits in, as will any other dragon. You, or
anyone who impresses will learn how to deal with that, and the staff will
help you there."

That answer seemed to satisfy Genna as she nodded once more. "What's the
best thing about being a goldrider?" she asked directly as the question
popped in to her mind.

"That's easy," Teseada said. "The moment you see her clutch of eggs hatching
and you realise the cycle goes all around again."

"That has to be the most breath-taking moment," Genna agreed. "And what
would you think is the worst thing?" Perhaps it was seeing those hatchlings
scored and injured in Threadfall, or perhaps all the responsibility and hard
work. She was curious what Teseada would pick.

"The part where you never know if a bronzerider, or even a brownrider is
trying to talk to you and flirt, because they want to influence your gold to
choose them next time she rises. It can be hard to tell who is genuine, or
not." A brief note of something was perhaps detectable in her voice, as she
cast her mind back to Y'nub and his cruel bet.

"That's harsh indeed," Genna said with a small sigh. "It would be like that
with bronzeriders trying to get to the gold, but also with all sorts of
other people trying to win favours, I guess?"

"She won't choose anyone who can't or won't learn how to deal with that
sort of thing." Teseada hoped her words would assure the candidate. "And to
some extent greenriders will have to learn to handle things as well." Many
greenriders faced prejudice in the holds, the women were seen as being
sluts, and the men, well the less said the better about some of the more
conservative views on what a greenriding man might enjoy.

"Yeah, I can imagine she would," Genna nodded. "Is it true then, what they
say? That goldriders have stronger personalities?"

"I think that is true of riders in general. It takes a certain courage to
even entertain the idea of taking to the stands and risking everything,
knowing the chance of disappointment, or even that of risking loss of life."

"I guess so," Genna said, not considering herself very brave for taking the
stands. "Though I guess it's a thin line between braveness and.. wishful
thinking I guess." She'd have to see how strong she was if she failed to
impress next hatching.

"A little wishful thinking never hurt anyone."

"That's true," Genna smiled. "Was there anything you wished someone had
told you before you impressed Onnyth?"

"I wish I had known not to underestimate how much hard work it actually is,
don't let anyone tell you that dragonriders of any colour have an easy
life." Teseada was being honest. "Any rider could find themselves holding
rank of some sort, searchrider, dragonhealer, weyrlingstaff member or
higher, and that has responsibilities that go with it."

"That's also an upside, though, you always have the option to take on a bit
more responsibility," Genna smiled. She would like to be somebody, some day,
not just somebody's wife. And here that was suddenly a possbility.

"And there is always someone who will love you, no matter what."

"Exactly," Genna beamed at the thought. Oh how she hoped she would have
that one day. "Is there anything else you can tell me that might help me?"

"Just be yourself, and trust that whatever happens is for the right
reasons."

"I will keep that in mind," Genna drank in in the good advice eagerly. Even
after two brief conversations, she was beginning to grow a deep respect for
the goldrider, even though she wasn't that much older than she was.

"Well, I won't take up anymore of your time, but this has helped me a great
deal. Thank you so much for all your advice, it's really valuable to me."

"You're welcome."

Last updated on the April 13th 2014

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