Logs:Everyone's Different
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| RL Date: 12 July, 2014 |
| Who: K'del, Valenros |
| Involves: High Reaches Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: Valenros wants to know what K'del's purpose is. |
| Where: Garden Patio Ledge, High Reaches Weyr |
| When: Day 25, Month 3, Turn 35 (Interval 10) |
| Weather: Foggy and cold. |
| Mentions: Aishani/Mentions |
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| There's a fog hanging over the bowl, but the garden patio ledge is high up enough to escape much of the unpleasant haze. Only a few people are hanging out on the repurposed stone - mostly keeping to themselves, parties of one bent on solitude. Valenros has made himself comfortable on one of the benches, his feet propped on a crate that's been turned upside down. He has a hot mug of something in his hands tucked between his knees, steam curling upwards, as he stares pensively outwards. His posture is relaxed, that of a candidate not on duties, though his clothing is pretty dusty looking. The calendar promises spring any day now, though K'del, trudging through the darkened bowl, doesn't especially look as though he believes it. The Weyrleader has his hands slung loosely in his pockets, elbows lowered; he's got a faraway expression on his face as he begins climbing the steps up to the Patio Ledge. It's when he gets to the top that, with a shake of his head, he seems to clear whatever he's thinking about: after that, his gaze tracks over those few in residence, hovering, finally, upon Valenros. Dusky though it is, and foggy to boot, when someone's gaze rests on him, Valenros's own eyes shift a little to stare right back. He blinks a few times, not making the connection, until he does - and his eyes widen and he sits up straight. His hands bring the cup up, then down, then to the side, until he finally rests it on the bench and gets to his feet. "Weyrleader K'del," he says, his voice carrying through the air with clarity, and making a couple pairs of eyes turn their way. "Ah, sorry, sir.." Wincing, he bobs a nod of respect in the bronzerider's direction. "No need to apologise," is K'del's quick answer, made as he crosses towards the younger man. His demeanour is relaxed, for all that his gaze is intent as, more focusedly now, he studies Valenros. "You're... one of the candidates. Seen you around." That others may be watching this doesn't seem to bother the blond who pays them no mind whatsoever. "You're settling in well, I hope?" The sudden attention makes the candidate shift uncomfortably where he stands, especially since his hands are free of distraction. "Yes, sir.. yes. I'm.. one of them." Valenros touches his knot absently, then jerks his attention back to the dragonrider. "I.. yeah.. I guess.. sir, do you feel you have.. purpose? If so, when did you find your.. purpose? Before or after Impressing? Did it have any effect on your purpose?" It's inelegant as any question can be, eager eyes searching K'del's face as he awaits an answer. As questions go, it's a surprising one. K'del blinks, fair brows raising ever so slightly, before he gives a minute nod. There's a chair nearby, and he leans himself against it, arms crossed. "Purpose? Yes, I've got purpose. Got a Weyr to lead, a family to help raise, a lifemate." Having said that, he's silent for a few moments. "Came to the Weyr hoping to find my purpose," he ventures, finally. "That was the whole point. Find something to succeed at; something I could do better than my brothers." Valenros listens raptly, then blinks and the eagerness fades from his face. He doesn't look disappointed but neither does he look elated. His expression is just.. neutral. "Really? You came.. here.. to find a purpose? And.. and did you find it.. in, your dragon? And do you.. do it better?" Some things just have to be spelled out sometimes - he's back to looking at the bronzerider expectantly. K'del seems keenly aware that his answer hasn't prompted any revelations; he sucks in a breath, holding it for a moment as he attempts to work out the best answer to the rest of Valenros' questions. "Impression gave me a sense of belonging and... place," he says, finally. "Whatever else happened, I belonged here; with Cadejoth. It opened new doors, even while closing others. So... yes, reckon it gave me purpose. Granted, I was Weyrleader within half a turn of my weyrling graduation, so... it's all a little skewed, in my case." That appears to be enough.. of whatever it is the candidate is looking for. "That's good then." Valenros attempts a smile, though it's a little unsure. "I was talking to weyrwoman Aishani.. about.. purpose. I'm not sure that I'm particularly.. ah, good.. at anything. She thought she had purpose before.. Impressing.. and told me to ask around. Thank you.. for the answer." After the revelation, he kind of deflates like a balloon, sitting down on the edge of the bench and picking up his mug again. K'del's exhale, this time, is almost like a laugh. Almost. "Did she tell you what that purpose was? Betting she didn't." Not that he immediately elaborates, having said that. His gaze drops towards his drooping elbows, the stone of the ledge beneath his feet. Then, "Me, I wasn't especially good at anything, either. No real ambitions, except that I wanted, generally, to be amazing." He sounds wry. "But the thing is... everyone's different. We all have different purposes." "N-no.. she just said she.. that she had a purpose before.. before she got here." Here being the Weyr presumably, but Valenros doesn't look too sure himself. He sighs and wraps his hands around his cup, "I feel that way ..all the time. When I was back home.. at the Hold.. I had a purpose, I felt, not a necessarily good one someone might say.. but, it was one. Now here.. my skills I used there.. they're not very useful except maybe to the Headwoman. And if I don't Impress.. well.. I can't go 'home'. I'll have to find something," He looks up at the much taller man, looking grim. "I just wish.. wish I knew mine." "Revenge," says K'del. "That's what her purpose was. Against me, specifically. It's hard, when your whole life is focused on one thing, and once that's no longer... it's hard. Was hard for me, when I wasn't Weyrleader, after turns of identifying myself that way." One of his hands withdraws from his pocket, fingers running through his short-cropped curls. "You will find something. Impression... it's like that. And weyrlinghood is all about figuring out where your skills are, what's going to work for you longer term. There's opportunities. And I can tell you straight: I'm always interested in using people's skills, some way or another." "What?" Valenros looks completely flabbergasted by the thought that the goldrider's purpose is simply revenge. "I don't.. against 'you'? What did you do? Something.. bad?" Now he's looking at K'del like he's suspicious and concerned all at the same time - then again, if you were suspicious of someone's actions who was bigger than you and standing in front of you, you might be too. But the ebb and flow of conversation quickly has his expression changing to something mellower. "I'm good at numbers. Figures, collections, negotiations.. that's more of a lower cavern job not.. not something you can just 'do' as a rider." K'del being interested in all skills however, has his interested, his face perking up from that grimness. K'del may well have been looking for, hoping for, that particular reaction, though his expression is only wry for it, his tone, when he explains, blandly neutral. "Her father was a criminal who led raids against High Reaches; they were stealing our tithes. The then-Weyrwoman and I had him executed." His hand returns to his pocket, stuffed back into the warmth, as he exhales. To the rest: "You don't think the Weyr has need of negotiators? You don't think that kind of thing can be important? We're dragonriders in an interval; everything we do is negotiation." Valenros says, "Oh, riiight." Valenros leans back against the bench, closing his eyes for a minute. "I forgot.. she's one of 'them'.. that would make sense." But he looks vaguely haunted by the truth, perhaps disappointed. "My father would have done the same," he murmurs quietly, opening his eyes and focusing them on some point in the distance. "But.. just.. anyone? I thought Weyrleaders did that sort of.. thing. In tithe negotiations and Weyr affairs." His brown eyes fall on the bronzerider once more. "Any.. one.. can?" Nothing in K'del's expression suggests his true feelings on those long-ago actions; he sucks in a breath, holds it, and then exhales abruptly. "Well," he says, focusing instead on that other topic, his tone firm. "There's capacity for riders to do all kinds of things. We've a wing that focuses on diplomacy; there are certainly riders that work with me, too. The point is: if that's where your aptitude is, and you Impress, we'll do our best to find a way to use it. Riding doesn't have to be just about flying sweeps, and performing drills for thread that won't fall again in our lifetimes." If Valenros notices the dismissal of the previous topic, he's not saying anything. He looks immensely happy with the assurances K'del is giving him though. "I didn't know dragonriders did.. diplomacy.." and immediately flushes, noticing his crassness. "Sorry.. I mean, certain ones, but not.. all." He realizes he's digging himself a deeper hole, so he changes tactics. "Do you regret that? There not being.. thread.. to fight. I've heard it was different.. when it was. Dragonriders were.. different." Whatever that means - who knows what harpers fill Holders' heads with on the sly. Valenros' flush makes K'del grin; he shakes his head, dismissing the apology easily enough. "Dragonriders do all kinds of different things," he says. "Things that maybe aren't immediately obvious. I--" He pauses, inhaling through his nose, then exhaling in a cloud of cold air. "You're too young to remember thread falling, I'd guess," he muses. "Comet Pass ended when you were, what, a baby? I was a teenager; I remember. Don't wish 'fall on anyone, except that... it was different. Must've been. It's a different kind of purpose. We've a different kind of difficult. No burning fiery death, just... the growth of apathy." Dragonriders do all sorts of things. Valenros looks intrigued by the prospect, his case of the sads set aside for this moment. "I don't.. no.. just heard about it." He's listening, quite intently, like a child listening to a bedtime story - and really, that's kind of what it is. But the rest, that just gives the candidate a bit of confusion. "I I guess." His gaze drops to the floor, "Thank you.. for.. answering all my questions. It.. it helped." When he raises his eyes again, he has a vaguely content expression. "I think I might need to go though.. I've stayed out too long. Morning chores come.. too soon." K'del's mouth opens, as though he'd like to try and explain himself better, a second time around; he stops himself, shaking his head instead. "Of course," he says. "You're most welcome, Valenros. And if you have more questions... don't mind answering them." His gaze lifts from the candidate, meandering towards the lit entrance of the Snowasis. "And if not: good luck with the hatching. Guess that, at least, is out of your hands." "Yes, sir." Valenros gives a jerky nod, standing in a slow movement and sidling off to the side. He nods one more time, for good measure, before making his leave with quick, clipped strides. His shorter frame disappears through the fog, likely headed towards the candidate quarters. |
Contents
Comments
K'del on 00:49, 13 July 2014 said...
I bequeath K'del's teenage song to you, Valenros:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5glOLjR7VK4
Azaylia on 01:33, 13 July 2014 said...
Aw, K'del, can we keep 'im? Can we? Lets put him in a lil' cage with a wheel and a waterbottle. :3c
Roz on 09:32, 13 July 2014 said...
Oh, that's awesome! XD
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