With Your Permission

Writers: Jane, Suzee
Date Posted: 29th June 2014

Characters: Cyradis, R'haran, Iselen
Description: R'haran and Iselen speak with the Weyrwoman
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 7, day 17 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: L'cor, Corowal, Sahna (not by name)
Notes: Mentor approved.

Cyradis

R'haran waved a hand at his adopted son as the boy waited outside the door.
"You'll have to knock."

"Oh." Iselen would have, had he been alone. He wasn't a dimglow. But at the last
moment before coming to visit the Weyrwoman he had asked R'haran to accompany
him and it had seemed natural that the harper greenrider would take the lead.

Apparently not on this errand.

Iselen wasn't weyrbred and hadn't always lived at the Weyr and he wasn't sure if
that made him more or less nervous about seeking out the Weyrwoman. More,
probably, he thought with a gulp as he knocked on the door before he changed his
mind.

"Come in," Cyradis called. She'd arranged her furniture to make a welcoming
entry for her seemingly unending stream of guests. She wanted to maintain as
much as possible of her duties until she had to hand them all over to her Second.

She smiled warmly at the boy with R'haran. "Welcome," she said.

"Thank you, Weyrwoman. My duty to Panitath." Iselen glanced up at the greenrider
to make sure he had said the right things.

R'haran nodded, keeping his smile out of sight for the moment. Part of asking
the Weyrwoman if one could Stand was doing the asking oneself.

Her eyes flicked quickly to R'haran with the ghost of a smile. She knew why the
boy had come but like many things in life there were times when a person had to
prove to themselves their own mettle. She nodded graciously. "She thanks you for
your kind words." Dark eyes fixed on his face with an inquiring look.

"Oh. I'm Iselen, greenrider R'haran's son." The boy straightened up and stood as
tall as he was able to. "Adopted son. And I live in the Weyr. I have twelve
Turns now and with your permission, Weyrwoman, I would like to Stand as a
candidate."

R'haran suspected he stood a little straighter himself, proud of Iselen. To be
honest he'd been proud of the boy since the five children had arrived in his
life three Turns before. Iselen and Sahna had carried the burden of being the
eldest and responsible for their younger siblings and he had admired them for it
even as he regretted the necessity.

She looked him over carefully from head to toe. "And do you think you would be
dedicated enough to care for a dragonette who chose you?"

"I've looked after my little brother," Iselen offered. "And helped R'haran with
Evie."

"Alright Iselen," she said and reached into the drawer next to her for a small
piece of hide. "Take this to the Headwoman. She will take your name and assign
you some chores. You'll be assigned a room in the barracks with the other
candidates." She lifted her smile to R'haran and as the boy looked down at the
piece of hide she winked.

"Thank you, Weyrwoman." Iselen clutched the hide. "I promise I'll be a good
dragonrider - if I Impress."

"You did very well, Iselen. Go on. Catch up with the Headwoman," R'haran advised
his son. "I'll have a few words with the Weyrwoman." When the boy left the room
R'haran turned back to Cyradis. "I'll add my thanks to his."

"You're more than welcome R'haran," she smiled this time without the 'Weyrwoman'
reserve. "He seems like a fine boy."

"He is. He didn't explain it well but he and his sister really have been
responsible for their younger siblings - kept the family together when, for him
especially, there was always an easy way out and a welcome into another family
if he went alone. He _would_ make a good dragonrider but I doubt he will
Impress. Evie's a strong Searchdragon and she hasn't ever felt he's suitable."

She nodded "We'll give him the chance he wants then maybe he'll chose a craft
instead." She waved a hand at the chair across from her. "Sit and visit with me
awhile."

R'haran settled into the chair. "I'm sure you're not wanting for visitors,
Cyradis. Knowing they can find you here has probably made it all too easy for
people to come and see you."

"Well bed rest is supposed to keep me stress free but sitting around all day has
never been my idea of fun... more like boring," she chuckled. "So I take every
opportunity to visit with my guests. So tell me how you're doing."

R'haran considered for a moment. "Nothing out of the ordinary. Still missing my
eldest - she went with the Harper Hall as a printer apprentice - and still
spending most of my free time -" He paused and corrected himself: "_Their_ free
time with the children." When they had first turned up in his life he had been
the only person they knew at the Weyr, but over the Turns they had settled in,
made friends of their own, and developed their own hobbies and interests. He was
no longer their only choice for companionship and he was glad it was so. "Evie's
well in herself and we fly occasionally just to keep her fit." His blue eyes
twinkled with amusement. "She's probably able enough to go out on a limited
Search, if you would like us to."

"I'm glad to hear that," she smiled. "Of course I'd love her to do what she
can," she spread her hands. "Does Evielenth have a preference in companions when
she searches? Blue, brown, or bronze?"

"She thinks anything bigger than a blue is a bit d-i-m when it comes to
Searching. She may have seen a few girls bought to the Weyr who were rather more
beautiful than they were Searchable - and she blames the dragons for the poor
judgement."

"Well of course they are," Cyradis chuckled. "She has every right to think that.
It is very rare for a bronze or brown to sense anything in a candidate. But they
are very good at scaring or convincing holders into letting you do your job."
While they didn't usually see the belligerence they had before Thread returned,
there were still some holders that didn't take kindly to searchers.

R'haran smiled. "I can usually manage to get the people I want out of the
Holders, even as a 'mere' greenrider, though Evie's scoring sometimes makes
their mothers protective. Perhaps you're right, though. A dashing bronzerider to
do the talking once Evie and I have done the work - could be just the thing. Do
you have one in mind? Somebody who needs to spend some time traipsing around in
the wake of an elderly, inactive dragonrider?" It sounded like a punishment duty
to him and if Cyradis did have somebody in mind it would be interesting to know
what the man had done to offend her.

"There's something to be said for long turns of practice," she smiled with a nod
of approval. "No actually I have a younger bronzerider I was thinking of. You
know L'cor?" She was fairly certain everyone who'd been at that hatching had
heard Lord Corowal's exclamation and recognition of his son. "I'd like to see
him get some experience as an escort."

"I'd be happy to have L'cor's company," R'haran said. "Will you let him know
about this or shall I?"

"I'll let him know," she said. "I'll send him to you and then you can manage the
trips as Evie is able. How does that sound?"

That sounded fine to R'haran.
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