Post by neeuqtar on Oct 7, 2008 15:13:35 GMT -5
It hadn't taken too long to realize that the Headwoman who had cast her out was... well, no longer there. It was a shocking revelation for Vashti, who suddenly had the option of returning to Blossom Hold and taking up her true dream of being a dolphineer again. It was very tempting, enough so to give her pause. Harpering had never been her plan, though as a drummer she was very important for the Weyr. Hadn't she been the one to get the drum message that Gather was at Blossom, and to pass it on? Wasn't the drum tower beautiful and the drums burnished to a bright gleam?
But still... neither the Weyr nor the Harper Hall was where her heart desired to be. But she had been placed by the Harper Hall, and could not go back on her word. Beyond that, she'd been Searched, an honor that was not to be begrudged, no matter how little she truly wanted it. No matter how much the water called to her... But at least she could swim (though for a fee, which she payed despite the exorbitant price of a full mark for an hour).
The dolphineer in charge rang the handbell she carried, then stilled it with one hand as three sleek forms raced towards the deep-water dock. Stripped already to breastband and loincloth, Vashti whooped and took a running dive off the dock, bobbing up as the playful chattering of dolphins met her ears. She almost cried as she reached out to feel the resilient pewter of their silver-pink skin, grinning from ear to ear as she tread water with the ease of practice.
"I Tori!" one exclaimed. "You name?" Vashti blushed, but despite her dislike of the name which the dolphins had given her, she offered it to Tori.
"I Vashickelessotelti," she informed Tori gravely, keeping her words soft. "Call Vashti?" she asked nervously. One of the trio chattered happily.
"Vashickelessotelti!" he cried, curling near her. "I you know!" Vashti floundered for a moment. The other two added their assent.
"We know," Tori replied. "You with Varvon, Essto, yes?"
"My brothers!" Vashti cried, for a moment forgetting the dolphineer on the dock. "They do well?" she asked in dolphin-talk.
The youngest chittered assent. "Yes, yes! I Vash. Essto name me! I, Keles are with Essto. Swim now?" he asked hopefully. Vashti laughed.
"Yes please!" Then, with exuberance she had fogotten, Vashti sent a wave of water at Tori and ducked back under the water to play.
But still... neither the Weyr nor the Harper Hall was where her heart desired to be. But she had been placed by the Harper Hall, and could not go back on her word. Beyond that, she'd been Searched, an honor that was not to be begrudged, no matter how little she truly wanted it. No matter how much the water called to her... But at least she could swim (though for a fee, which she payed despite the exorbitant price of a full mark for an hour).
The dolphineer in charge rang the handbell she carried, then stilled it with one hand as three sleek forms raced towards the deep-water dock. Stripped already to breastband and loincloth, Vashti whooped and took a running dive off the dock, bobbing up as the playful chattering of dolphins met her ears. She almost cried as she reached out to feel the resilient pewter of their silver-pink skin, grinning from ear to ear as she tread water with the ease of practice.
"I Tori!" one exclaimed. "You name?" Vashti blushed, but despite her dislike of the name which the dolphins had given her, she offered it to Tori.
"I Vashickelessotelti," she informed Tori gravely, keeping her words soft. "Call Vashti?" she asked nervously. One of the trio chattered happily.
"Vashickelessotelti!" he cried, curling near her. "I you know!" Vashti floundered for a moment. The other two added their assent.
"We know," Tori replied. "You with Varvon, Essto, yes?"
"My brothers!" Vashti cried, for a moment forgetting the dolphineer on the dock. "They do well?" she asked in dolphin-talk.
The youngest chittered assent. "Yes, yes! I Vash. Essto name me! I, Keles are with Essto. Swim now?" he asked hopefully. Vashti laughed.
"Yes please!" Then, with exuberance she had fogotten, Vashti sent a wave of water at Tori and ducked back under the water to play.