Logs:Not In Trouble
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| RL Date: 22 March, 2013 |
| Who: N'ky, Quinlys |
| Involves: High Reaches Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: Quinlys has something she wants to talk to N'ky about. He also has questions. |
| Where: Weyrlingmaster's Office, High Reaches Weyr |
| When: Day 22, Month 4, Turn 31 (Interval 10) |
| Mentions: Alida/Mentions, Madilla/Mentions |
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| Weyrlingmaster's Office, High Reaches Weyr Made private by a thick, insulated door that blocks out most of the noise from the barracks beyond, the Weyrlingmaster's Office is a comfortable, quiet alcove. Instead of an imposing desk, much of the room is taken up by a large round table, with five chairs spaced around its edges. Beneath it is a square rug pieced together with twisted rags that stretches from wall to wall, just leaving room for the long bookshelves and filing cabinets. On the back wall, a tapestry of the Weyr's badge is hung, providing both insulation and decoration. In one corner sits a small green plant, growing strong despite the lack of sunlight in this windowless room. Beside it rests a tea cart, prepped and ready. Earlier, Quinlys did her rounds through the barracks, checking in on weyrlings and making sure that everything is going smoothly. With Meara largely out on medical leave, the young bluerider is basically in charge... but so far, that hasn't seemed to cause any problems. It was as she was circulating that Quinlys paused by N'ky and Cailluneth, inviting the weyrling to come and see her, later, "Whenever you have the chance. Don't worry - you're not in trouble or anything." Now, with an hour or two left before dinner, the red-haired woman sits on the table in the office, one foot hooked beneath her, the other curled around one of the other chairs. She's humming, filling in paperwork in a relatively idle kind of way. With Cailluneth asleep in her couch following a meal, a bath and a good oiling, N'ky finds himself with the time to pay a visit to the weyrlingmaster. He takes moment to tidy himself up first, making himself as presentable as possible with a clean tunic and trousers - though his hair is as much a lost cause for neatness when short as it was longer. Ready, a little nervous despite not being in trouble, he trots through the barracks and to the office, knocking quietly on the door and waiting for permission before slipping inside, closing it behind him. "W-weyrlingmaster Quinlys?" His greeting is a nod of his head and a hesitant smile as he approaches the desk to stand before her. Quinlys', "Come in!" is said in a sing-song, almost too cheerful given she's probably not getting all that much more sleep than the weyrlings. It's no doubt hard to see beneath the table, but the abrupt shifting of her position suggests she's just yanked her foot free, letting it - and the other - come to a rest upon the floor. With a wave of a hand, she beckons N'ky towards the table, and all those other chairs. "Make yourself comfortable," she says. "If I were Meara, I'd offer you tea, but... that's not really my thing. There might be some cookies on the tray, though, if you want to check." N'ky settles into the chair with his long legs stretched out before him, and his fingers laced tightly where they rest across his thighs. The offer of cookies is considered for a moment, but turned down with a shake of his head and a small, nervous sort of smile. "I'm o-ok thank you, w-weyrlingmaster. Um... I just had klah." He's always just had klah. Shifting his weight about a little in the chair, N'ky drops his gaze down into his lap, then slowly looks back up to the bluerider. "H-have I done something w-wrong, ma'am? I know you s-said I hadn't, but, um..." But here he is, sitting in a chair in her office. "No!" Quinlys' exclamation is not sharp, but it's unquestionably determined, and her head shakes to further prove the point. "You're not, not at all. Unless there's something you've done that I don't know about?" Though she raises one brow to glance at him, she doesn't leave time for a response in there; instead, she barrels onwards to say. "Your stutter. Have you always had it? Is it... like, worse at some times, when you're nervous?" One of her hands lifts to twist a curl of hair behind her ear, as she considers N'ky. Has he done anything wrong? The question has N'ky's mind turning over at full speed, teeth worrying his lower lip. Automatically, his hand reaches to tangle into curls that no longer exist, with him diverting the finger-clasp motion of the past to merely running through the myriad cowlicks that his hair has become. He's stroking through it when he nods to Quinlys about his stutter. "Yes, ma'am. A-always, and, um, it gets b-better and worse, yes." Another nod, and his hand drops from his hair back to his lap. "It's, um, a bit better, with Cailluneth. Sh-she... she m-makes it better." Quinlys probably expected something like that nervous, automatic gesture, because it softens her expression (further; it's not like she's inclined towards the super professional seriousness so many Weyrlingmasters seem to prefer). "Does she? Good. That does tend to happen, sometimes. Dragons can do all kinds of amazing things, things we don't expect. The thing is-- when you graduate, N'ky, you'll be a High Reaches Dragonrider. You'll represent us here, throughout the coverage area, and beyond." Her dark red brows have lifted, just slightly: does he understand what she's getting at? He doesn't get it, no. N'ky worries his big front teeth into his bottom lip, fingers clasping tighter together. "U-um... yes, ma'am. I'm p-proud to have Impressed here, ma'am." A beat; a very thoughtful, worried beat. "And I'm t-trying hard to be the b-best I can, ma'am, with Cailluneth and e-everyone else, um -- I'm still learning b-but I'll be g-good enough to be a r-rider here, t-to be a proper rider when we g-graduate." The ramble is fuelled by uncertainty, which is painted plain and clear against the rising panic in the twitch of his lips and the brown of his eyes. Quinlys' brow abruptly furrows, and then, hurriedly, she's shaking her head. "N'ky. Please. You're not in trouble, and I am completely convinced that you will be an excellent rider, by the time you graduate. My point... Shells." She breaks off, dropping both hands to the table in front of her as she exhales. "I've talked to the Healers, and apparently they've talked to the Harpers, or something, and we'd like you to have some regular sessions with Weyrhealer Madilla to see if we can't help you improve your stutter further. Not just yet-- I know, things are still overwhelming, and I don't want to add to your stress. But once you're ready." "O-oh." Clearly, that wasn't what N'ky was expecting. "B-" The would've-been stutter is cut off; he screws his eyes tightly shut, bites his lip, then continues. Slowly, each syllable carefully measured and halted, if he can feel himself about to verbally stumble. "But I like J- Journeyman Madilla. Um... it goes away when I'm... with people I'm c-comfortable with. You can ask K'zin." He runs his fingers through his hair, trying to clutch at what's not there. He's very slow when he next speaks, trying very hard to be flawless. "Would it make me a better rider for Cailluneth, ma'am?" Quinlys twists the silver ring on her finger, around and around, though her gaze never leaves N'ky. Her brow furrows, briefly, as he speaks, and then relaxes again; a moment later, she's leaning backward in her chair, the corners of her mouth twisting up. "I expect Cailluneth doesn't much care, am I right? But for High Reaches--" Again, she breaks off. "I'd like you to try. Perhaps it's simply a matter of building confidence; I'm not sure. I don't want to suggest that you're not good enough as you are; that's not my intention at all, and please don't take it that way. The most important thing is that Cailluneth chose you, just as you are." N'ky continues to chew on his lip, thumbs locked in battle over his thighs. "Sh-she doesn't care. But she told me that, um, I-Ilicaeth? He was making fun of me." The weyrling shrugs his shoulder, trying to brush it off as nothing even if his expression says it hurt. "It got her angry." Another half-shrug - more of a shoulder roll, really, and N'ky clasps his fingers tighter together. "I think, um, some dragons... they want to change the p-people they choose." He exhales slowly. "Not Cailluneth. She loves me. B-but, if there was s-someone who... who was worried about their dragon, ma'am, what could you do for them?" Brows lifting, Quinlys seems distinctly unimpressed at Ilicaeth's alleged actions; she shakes her head, though something in her expression suggests she's filing it away for future reference. "I can understand that," she says, simply. "It's unkind. Cailluneth-- sounds like she's a good match for you. I'm glad to hear it." It's that last remark that has her tipping her head to one side, considering in a very obvious fashion. "I'd hope they'd come and talk to me, or talk to someone, at least. It rather depends on what, in particular, they worry about, but it's always better to try and talk it out with someone." "Cailluneth's my heart." There's no hesitancy there; N'ky smiles, sighs happily, and looks just a little more relaxed - but only fleetingly. His smile fades and he leans forward, elbows resting on thighs. "H--they tried talking to me, ma'am, but I d-don't think I was a very good f-friend when they did. I'm trying to f-fix it." Brown eyes turn to the weyrlingmaster, and he gives her a crooked half-smile. "Being a w-weyrling is complicated, ma'am." That smile causes one in Quinlys, too, her own as bright and brilliant as it could possibly be, utterly lighting up her face - though it, too, fades as N'ky continues. Her nod is heartfelt. "Weyrlinghood is just about as complicated as it gets, I think," she says. "There's... so much to get used to, so much change. It changes who you are, and how you react to things, and what you see for yourself in the future. I promise, things do get clearer again, eventually. And... you've always got your dragon, don't you? It helps." "Yes, ma'am. Wh-whatever weyrlinghood is, it's better with Cai." Another happy sigh from N'ky, whose eyes close as he reaches out to his lifemate where she's sleeping - to check she's definitely still asleep, perhaps. "I'd be, um, h-happy to take the lessons, ma'am. I want to be my b-best, for her and for High Reaches. Um... I think i-it's kind of early for me to, um, think about this, but do you think, m-maybe when we're graduated, that we might make good, um, assistants? F-for you and ma'am Meara? I'd, um, like to h-help other weyrlings. Learning to n-not stutter would be a good example to them... I think?" Quinlys obviously, visibly, approves of N'ky's affection for his lifemate, compounding her warm smile with a definite nod. "Good," she says. "No pressure, mind, not now. Just set things up with Madilla when you're ready." If she's surprised by his question, it doesn't show; instead, she gives him a lingering glance, up and down, and then another, gentle nod. "I decided that's what I wanted not long after I Impressed," she relates. "It's a worthy goal. I think you've got the right of it. Work hard, N'ky, learn well, and we'll see what happens." N'ky can't help the proud sort smile that forms crookedly, showing off a dimple in one cheek. "I'll be s-sure to try my best," he promises again. "For you, too." And he looks almost as if he's about ready to get up and go when a thought hits him, and he curls his fingers around the arms of the chair. "Um... a-actually, ma'am, I've b-been wanting to ask something." He squirms, clearly not all that comfortable with what he's about to ask, and taking a moment to build up to doing so. "Wh-what does it mean, um, b-being a greenrider?" "Good," says the Weyrlingmaster, who evidently seems to expect that to be the end of the interview. When it isn't, she hesitates, brow furrowing, and then furrowing further, as N'ky manages to get his question out. "Are you asking me, does Cailluneth being green make you gay?" she asks, finally. "Because the answer is no. My dad is a greenrider, and you've never seen a man more in love with his weyrmate, my mother, I promise you. It's absolutely sickening. Being a greenrider means you Impressed a green dragon: that's it. It's all about what you make it." N'ky shakes his head. "N-no, ma'am, um... I know I have f-feelings for a girl. Cailluneth picked up on it." He looks a touch apologetic, then bites harder on his lip. "Um... I mean, wh-when she..." He blushes deeply, pointing upwards - when she flies. "I'm worried-- n-no, not...n-not worried. I... I don't know wh-what's, um, expected of me, ma'am?" Sudden comprehension dawns upon Quinlys' face; she flushes, faintly, apparently embarrassed by her jump from point a to point c. Her mouth tightens, before she answers, and she nods. Then, "You've a long time to get used to the idea of it, N'ky," she says. "Cailluneth's only little. We'll cover all of it, in depth, once she's older. But... she'll rise, certainly, probably two or three times a turn. It's unlikely to be more than that. You'll have sex with the winner, male or female, just as she does. But it's... not like normal sex. It's different. It's not something to be afraid of, though a little worry is quite normal." "She's getting b-bigger all the time," N'ky says with a little sadness. "She's almost too b-big for me to carry her." His cheeks are darker red with blushing, but he isn't squirming with talk of the S-word; just verging on uncomfortable. He brought it up, after all. "And, um, i-it won't happen until after graduation, right? I th-think... um... I think I'll be ok." A long time is a long time to get used to it, as Quinlys said. "May I a-ask one more thing, ma'am? Um... c-could I have a s-second mattress? Weyrwoman Azaylia s-said it would be alright, but to ask you i-if it's ok." "They do that," says Quinlys, abruptly amused by that, and perhaps, too, by N'ky's blush. "Right. Not until she's at least a turn old, quite possibly closer to two. By then... well, we'll see. Hopefully, we'll have answered all your questions by then." His question surprises her, clearly, though she's ready enough in her answer: "Of course. But - why do you need one?" N'ky seems reassured that he's got all that time to figure things out, and nods... then smiles, a little embarrassed by the reason behind his request. "Um... she's - Cailluneth's - getting too b-big to sleep in my cot, and the m-mattress isn't big enough f-for both of us on her couch..." He drops his gaze to his hands, wrinkling his nose and blushing. "I don't want to s-sleep without her, yet. She still wants to sleep n-next to me." Quinlys seems to find that answer... well, quite possibly adorable. "Oh," she says. "Well then. Of course. Just grab one of the ones stacked up at the back of the barracks; take as many as you like, really. You may want to give it a wipe down, first, though. I've no idea how long it's been since they were last used." "Thank you, miss Quinlys -- ma'am." N'ky perks up, his grin big enough to not only flash the gap between his too-big front teeth, but to show two dimples. "I'll g-go do that now if I may, ma'am? Cailluneth'll be so surprised when she wakes up. Sh-she's sleeping on my bed right now." He sits forward on his chair, waiting for a dismissal before he gets up. Two dimples! Quinlys beams. "You're welcome, N'ky," she says, cheerful and relaxed. "See -- you weren't in trouble at all. But do come back if you have any more questions, okay? Door's always open." Metaphorically, at least. "Thanks for coming in." N'ky stands up, looking for more at ease than he was coming in. "I will, ma'am, I have lots of questions. Oh, um, a-and I'll come let you know when I've s-spoken to miss Madilla, too." He gives the weyrlingmaster a sort-of salute, touching fingertips to his temple. "Have a good evening, ma'am." He turns sharply, pausing before slipping out of the door to look back, smile and wave, before disappearing to find that pile of mattresses. |
Comments
Azaylia (Dragonshy (talk)) left a comment on Sat, 23 Mar 2013 20:58:11 GMT.
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Aaaarrrg. My heart! N'ky! Stop being adorable! Quinlys! Stop being so eager and then also adorable! Gah. <3 I love the idea of N'ky getting speech therapy, and just their whole talk was great. ^^
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