Logs:A Candidate's Questions
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| RL Date: 4 February, 2016 |
| Who: Dahlia, Ninwayzan |
| Involves: Fort Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: Dahlia runs into now-candidate Ninwayzan. She answers some of his questions about dragons. |
| Where: Kitchen, Fort Weyr |
| When: Day 5, Month 13, Turn 39 (Interval 10) |
| Mentions: Breirande/Mentions, Kh'tyr/Mentions |
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>---< Kitchen, Fort Weyr >---------------------------------------------------<
Fort's Kitchen is a large, well-appointed cavern that is designed for
efficiency. Granite counters, smoothed and polished through turns of use,
are tucked between the banks of stoves and ovens that share a wall with
the Living Cavern's hearth. A swinging door at the end of the hearth area
leads into the Living Cavern for easy set up and service of meals.
Additional workspace is available at half a dozen marble-topped, wooden
islands that line the middle of the Kitchen beneath hanging racks of
copper pots, pans, and other equipment. Each island has drawers that hold
smaller equipment like spoons, whisks, and rolling pins. Supplies are kept
on shelves along the walls with bulkier items available in Stores through
another swinging door at the back of the Kitchen. A row of utility sinks
line the wall beside that door for food prep and dishwashing.
The Kitchen is busy almost all day, the only exception being typically
between midnight and four in the morning when the bread bakers go on duty
to bake the daily bread. The kitchen is busy with dinner well underway and still time yet before the serving will dwindle down to just those things that are made available for those who have to eat later than most. The fact that Dahlia's presence in the kitchen isn't disrupting much in the way of the usual business means that the junior is here often enough to not be an uncommon sight. She's got a plate and is just plucking a roll off a tray fresh from the oven to add to what moderate portions are already there. With his still fairly new candidate knot attached to one shoulder, Ninwayzan is back in the kitchen it seems. He's currently tasked with washing dishes as all around him is organized chaos. Perhaps it's a bit odd for him not to be completely involved in the whole process for he's paying less attention to the dishes and more so on the others as people go in and out of the kitchens into the living caverns to take food out and bring in more empty dishes. Dahlia's presence gets a somewhat distracted nod once she's noticed nabbing a hot roll. Dahlia's eyes catch the nod as the roll reaches her mouth and she smiles at the candidate over the mouthful, carefully moving so as not to interrupt the delicate steps of the dance that is a kitchen in harmony. She draws near to the sink where Ninwayzan works by the time she's swallowed. "Candidate," the weyrwoman greets, obviously pleased. "I see you gave it some thought. I'm glad. How are you finding your experience so far?" The inquiries are all warmth and genuine concern. "Much to the surprise of 'Rand, actually." Ninwayzan says with some chagrin. "He was there when Mograith convinced Kh'tyr to ask me." the dish in hand is clean enough to pass on to another for drying before he gives all of his attention to Dhalia. "I admit though I'm a bit nervous." the noise and clatter around them in the kitchen means he can admit this without easily being overheard. "'Rand?" Dahlia asks, only the next moment her brows are furrowing and there's something like recognition, "Breirande?" She shifts her plate to one hand so she can pick up a purple chunk of beet can be put in her mouth for a quick chew and swallow. "Mograith Searching." She pauses, "I'm not sure I can imagine that," but she accepts that it must have been so, seeming ready to dismiss the particulars of his Search in favor of, "I think nerves are part of the experience. It's a big deal, but some changes are good. I didn't think so at first, but I think most who do Impress find their stride eventually." Almost conspiratorially she leans, asking, "Spent any time wondering what your perfect lifemate might be like?" Ninwayzan says, "Breirande." repeats Ninwayzan more to keep it straight in his head. "He was a bit more...um vocal to Kh'tyr." from his tone perhaps he wishes he were as readily cheeky towards the rider. "Mograith Searched...is that strange?" he really has no idea. "But Kh'tyr wasn't happy." if he's ever happy which Ninwayzan isn't actually sure on that fact. As far as nerves and candidacy he peeks around a moment but no one's paying in particular attention to the pair so he admits easily enough. "A bit...yes." a crooked grin is offered. "Though I still know so little about dragons. Just that my father's bronze is pretty stubborn." "I can't say I'm surprised. The second time I met him, he had a black eye. What was-- should I even ask?" Dahlia seems to think the second question trumps whatever her first was going to be about Breirande. "I'm honestly not sure. He may've for Zaisavyth's clutch but I can't say truthfully that I paid that much attention then to which riders put which names in." She might be paying more attention now that it's her dragon's clutch on the Sands. "Kh'tyr is a good teacher," the weyrwoman offers with a politic smile, "But I'm not sure Kh'tyr and 'happy' will ever go hand in hand. I'm given to understand that when he was an assistant weyrlingmaster back in Igen, he sort of specialized in troublesome cases. Weyrlings who had trouble adjusting or were-- well, that needed extra help." She can, at least, be informative on her former teacher. "Am I allowed to now what you've been daydreaming about?" Dahlia inquires, her tone a little coaxing, along with the lift of her brows. "Or would it be more useful for me to try to answer some of your questions about dragons? The weyrlingmaster's staff should be starting up some classes now that there are a handful of you in the barracks, to arm you with some basic information about dragons and early care and feeding. It's a lot easier to take in when you're not sleep-deprived." There's some amusement there, but also a lot of truth. "Will we be sleep deprived?" Ninwayzan asks first. With the opportunity open for questions he takes advantage of it. "Are all Bronzes stubborn? So far everyone has said color doesn't determine much about the dragon but what /is/ the thing that makes each color different?" dishes forgotten his full focus is on Dahlia now as he leans against the sink, arms crossed over his chest. "Well...since I know little about the dragons really I've been thinking of a shorter name to take. If I Impress." he makes a face. "I want to prove that I'm not 'dim'." a scowl briefly appears. "You will be," Dahlia answers with some apology, smiling sympathetically. "It's a little like being a parent for the first time, I'm told." Only Dahlia, at only a handful of turns older than Ninwayzan, wouldn't know herself how true that might be. "The dragons are growing so fast that they wake frequently to feed, and need to be oiled so their growing hide doesn't crack and-- well, clean-up." Hopefully he can put that together himself, because she has food that she's still picking at in between answers. "Dragons are as different as people, so some bronzes are and others aren't." She gives thought to the rest of that question and comes up with, "Size and maneuverability. To some degree, capability. With the structure of Weyrs as they are, golds will always be weyrwomen, bronzes, to date, for the most part have been Weyrleaders. No brown leadership has ever seemed to stick." Finally, with another look of apology, "As it happens, your name isn't something you'll need to worry over. Your dragon will know what your name is. Some don't mind if you have a nickname of your own choosing, but others are more particular." Ninwayzan's brow furrows briefly as he does indeed put it together after a moment's thought. The realization makes his eyes light up in an 'oh' moment. "Gotcha." he murmurs. No details needed on that matter! His hand moves towards his pocket then hesitates as he realizes there's no pad of paper in there in which to make notes. Nodding his head a bit he's a good listener to the explanations she puts forth on the various dragons. "Then I think I would imagine a dragon more like myself then. Artistic and serious." which stands to chance that his potential lifemate be completely opposite. "Size and maneuverability. Does that affect which wing then to go into? Can Blue or Green be in leadership lower than Weyrleaders?" he's only vaguely familiar with weyr leadership structure. "Artistic and serious," Dahlia repeats, but the way her hazel eyes settle on Ninwayzan and search his face probably indicates that she's seeing how those adjectives seem to fit the young man. "Lower than Weyrleaders, the sky's the limit. Some find they end up with challenging lifemates who have little care for the responsibility of riders and that can be problematic for those riders who are interested in becoming a wingleader or an assistant weyrlingmaster. Dragon temperament impacts a lot of what's possible, but you don't get to pick and choose on that, so there's no point losing sleep." She answers with a grin before taking another few bites. "Size and maneuverability used to mean more, too, in a Pass. It still matters some, with what wing you might fly with in the end. Malachite, for example, is shifting back to their green-heavy roots, I'm told. Different wings had different balances of the colors during the Pass so they could be used to fight in specific ways. Stamina," she adds, as if she'd forgotten, "Stamina also depends on colors. That's why gold mating flights are so much longer and more intense than greens, and why bronzes tend to win out over browns and blues never." Ninwayzan seems content to keep descriptive adjectives of himself to those two simple words for now. "Kind of hard to imagine then what type of dragon would choose me. If I had to pick I'd think a strong sturdy brown. But..." his shoulder shrugs to indicate there's no picking. His smile though is bright enough to light up his green eyes. "What of you? What did you imagine would find you on the sands when you were a candidate?" "I couldn't have imagined Taeliyth if I'd tried." It's not really an answer to the question Ninwayzan asked the goldrider, but it's close enough that perhaps the diverted discussion direction will go unnoticed. Dahlia's smile is politic still, "She's not the sort of dragon I'd have thought should be a match for me. Even now, she's rolling her eyes-- well, not really, physically, but in my head." She tries to explain and flounders, leaving her with a little blush and grin. "I'm sure whatever happens on the Sands will be the right thing. The dragons seem to know just what that is. Even if someone's not meant to Impress just then. I didn't the first time I Stood. You're young yet, so even if you just Stand, you'll know if you want to try it again." Ninwayzan fidgets a bit in response to her small floundering on trying to explain. "Never seen a hatching. It'll be strange being down there the first time I see 'em hatch." that smile is fleeting once more. "Pardons but I really should finish up the dishes. I traded chores with someone. Need to make sure they are getting theirs done too!" "There's always a first time," Dahlia answers his first concern with a sympathetic smile. "I won't keep you. Good luck with everything, Ninwayzan." The weyrwoman then rejoins the dance of the kitchen, this time with an aim to take herself out to the living cavern where she can more properly eat the meal on her plate. |
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