Logs:Lansha Meets Rhey
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| RL Date: 16 September, 2013 |
| Who: Lansha, Rhey |
| Involves: High Reaches Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: Two future weyrlings meet for the first time. |
| Where: Inner Caverns, High Reaches Weyr |
| When: Day 24, Month 10, Turn 32 (Interval 10) |
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| Inner Caverns, High Reaches Weyr Within the labyrinth of interconnected chambers that make up the inner caverns, this large, long cavern serves both as a crossroads and a comfortable place for weyrfolk to sit, talk, and keep a nosy eye out for who's going where. Colorful, seasonal tapestries add warmth to the smooth walls and reduce echoes, while large niches house clusters of chairs, and a waist-high stone shelf along one wall provides a perch for drinks or work for residents on the go. Worn brass hooks often hold jackets or other outerwear with workboots stationed beneath, the transitory nature of the cavern lending itself to being treated as a sort of communal foyer where snowy or muddy gear can be kept outside of living quarters. Smaller, higher niches at regular intervals hold glowbaskets kept fresh during the daytime and allowed to dim somewhat at night. The largest tunnels lead to the main living cavern, to the bowl and to the Weyr entrance, but it's still easy for the uninitiated to get lost within this maze. Lansha emerges from the kitchens with a snack, a small meatroll and a glass of juice. He slumps into a chair, looking exhausted. Rhey, head lowered, shuffles down the corridor, trailing behind a group of chattering children, some of whom are taller than he is. The children rush past on their way to the outdoors, but Rhey, his eyes sharp behind the fall of hair that largely obscures them, hovers, taking a few more meandering steps this way and that. Lansha takes a bite of the meatroll and glances over at the gaggle of kids. He smiles cheerfully and flips a wave, careful not to chew with his mouth open. The kids, already on their way out the door, pay Lansha no particular attention. They're in the eight-to-twelveish age bracket, and intent on their destination; he simply doesn't rate. Rhey, now leaning on a wall in an affectedly casual way, does note the wave, and the smile, but he's further off to one side - and not apparently seeking inclusion. Lansha takes a sip of juice and swallows, then leans back further in the chair (though it seems impossible to lean further back than he already is) and closes his eyes, trying to let the fatigue of the day melt away. The reclining Lansha has more of Rhey's attention, now, though there's no particular indication as to why. On almost silent feet, he crosses the corridor, ultimately sitting down in one of the chairs nearby the other boy. "Hey," he says. "Got a minute?" His accent isn't local, though recognisable as Nabolese if Lansha knows that particular accent. Lansha opens his eyes and looks at the other boy as he approaches. "Um, sure. Though I think a minute might be all I have. They run me ragged around here." He takes a large bite of the meatroll and listens. "Do they." Rhey sounds... amused? His hair is long enough that it's hard to see his expression, though, which makes that particular sentiment more difficult to confirm. "I just - well, I'm new here. I guess I'd like to know more about the place." Lansha nods, chewing carefully. He swallows the bite of meatroll before speaking. "New to this Weyr? Or just Weyrs in general?" He sips his juice again. Rhey's gaze falls towards the meatroll, and then lifts back up towards Lansha. "Weyrs in general," is his answer, prompt and cheerful. "I'm a hold boy. Nabol. We had to... escape, so as not to end up in Lord Rone's army. But it makes it all very... uh, new. Different." Lansha grins, showing even, white teeth. "Well, you know what they say, a Weyr is where dragons are. That's why we're all here, really, to support the riders. My mom and dad are riders. Lived here all my life. It's different, I guess, than a hold, although I haven't been to many holds. In a hold you have a lot of families living together. In a weyr, it's more like one huge family. We all support each other. Kids are raised mostly by weyrfolk, and we all pitch in with the work. And it's a LOT of work, too. cooking, cleaning, fixing things, helping out the riders. I pretty much do a little bit of everything. Makes me indispensible, you know." He puffs his chest out a bit in mock-pride. Expression thoughtful, Rhey considers Lansha carefully. If he disagrees with any part of the other boy's assessment, there's no sign of it in his expression. "I see," he says, after a moment's pause. "And dragonriders are, of course, terribly useful... in these days without thread." Lansha shrugs. "Well, of course, Thread was the main threat during the Pass, and now that it's gone, we've had to adapt to new ways of life. Dragons are hardly useless. That's what people thought during the Long Intervals. Two hundred turns without Thread, what do we need dragons for? And there was that plague back in Moreta's day, it could've wiped us all out if not for the dragons. No, they haven't outlived their usefulness just yet." "Spoken like a true weyr kid," says Rhey, his tone edging towards neutral. "I see. I can see I'm going to have a lot to get used to... for as long as I'm here." He turns his head, letting his gaze meander up and down the corridor as weyrfolk head to and from their duties. His fingers splay out on the fabric of his trousers, and then tighten into a fist. "Are you going to do odd jobs forever, then? Is that how it works?" Lansha pops the rest of the meatroll into his mouth and makes short work of it, then drains the rest of the juice. "Well, probably not, but it seems like that's about it for the foreseeable future. I could make it a living, though." He looks at the other boy for a moment, then smacks himself on the forehead. "Where are my manners? I'm Lansha, by the way. What's your name?" Rhey's, "Huh," is cheerful enough. He seems bemused by Lansha's belated introduction, but answers it easily all the same: "Rhey. Do kids tease you for having a 'girl' name, with that 'a' on the end? Or is that different in a Weyr, too?" Lansha looks non-plussed for a moment. "You know, I never thought of it that way. Maybe mother wanted a girl instead of a boy. I like my name, though. Never got teased for it before. But there are quite a few things different in a weyr. I won't tell you all of them, that'll spoil the fun! Anyway, pleasure meeting you, Rhey, but I have to be going now. Duty calls, and all!" Rhey gives Lansha a solemn nod. "You, too," he says. "Thank you for your time." Lansha gets up from his chair with some amount of effort and a grunt for good measure, then heads out to the bowl. "See you later! Oh, and ask one of the drudges in the kitchen for a meatroll, tell them I said you could have one." He disappears outside. |
Comments
Varied (Varied (talk)) left a comment on Tue, 26 Nov 2013 17:57:38 GMT.
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Boys. So different.
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