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Post by marissa on Apr 19, 2008 19:31:38 GMT -5
Topsy-turvy.
Yes, that was the phrase to describe Raen's new life. Thirteen Turns -- that's how long she was taught that the Weyrs were evil and not to be trusted. And now... she was a candidate. A candidate for a dragon. Ifshe didImpress, she would be regarded byher home Hold as a traito. If shedidn't, she would be regarded even lowerthan if she did --she would be an attempted-traitor, who failed because they were incompetent.
Either way, she was never going back to Lighttower. Even goingbackto Hyphen, to her father... no. Even if she didn't Impress, she could becomea helpe around the Weyr, like she had done at the Holds. It would b no problem, whether or not she Impressed.
Sighing, Raen finished putting her things in her side of the trunk. Climbing up onto the top bunk, the girl lay therefor awhile, simply thinking of what Cook and Father thought of her, now. Fatherhad been less than happy when she asked him if she could go to theWeyr, but he had agreed. Still, Raen didn't know why... epecially considering she could see the revulsion on his face whenever he mentioned the Weyrs. Living for extended periods of time in Lighttower Hold does that to a person. The rumors were awful, after all, and it was basically a common rule that nobody go to the Weyrs.
Really, the only reason Raen even came here was because he wanted the opportunity... even if it meant seperating herself from her Father and the only mother figure she had ever known. Even if it took the step of maturity that she had been dreading to take for so long. Well, and maybe it also had to do something with how she had been so facsinated with the dragonpairs that had come to Hyphen. The bond between them was amazing... but still... it was against everything she had ever learned...
But that was nothing to dwell on, now. Raen was here -- she couldn't just leave. There was no point in it. She had made her decision -- she was a candidate, now, and she would stay at the Weyr. Half-wishing that she could just run back to Lighttower, to see Cook, or back to Hypen to see her father, Raen burried her head in the top bunk and tried to go to sleep.
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Post by kysseh on Apr 20, 2008 10:41:49 GMT -5
Sharding idiot boy... Savitri grumbled to herself as she shifted her bag on her shoulder. She was technically off-duty, but she had been snagged by a candidate before she could get back to her apartment. Thinking back on it, the boy had probably been her age, but he had treated her with a degree of respect she wasn't used to. The apprentice healer had gone along with him to the candidate barracks to investigate what was wrong with his bunkmate, sighing when she realized that his injury was a result of a typical young male activity: showing off. Apparently, the boy had been showboating during the bagging and carrying of firestone and had badly bruised the bones his forearm. After making a poultice for the arm and briskly informing him to take it a bit easier on the arm for the few seven-days it'd take to heal, she had informed him in no uncertain terms that the next time he was injured, he was to report to the infirmary.
The weyr certainly was not boring; that much was certain. She could hardly complain of not having enough to do, and she was content to be busy. As soon as she was done with the boy, she'd just called out a general warning to the other boys that if they were injured, they were to step forward now. None had, so she'd bid them farewell and headed toward the girls' quarters to see if anyone else was in need of her services while she was already there. As an apprentice healer, she couldn't take care of anything serious, but the normal bruises, scrapes, and sicknesses of life, she could handle quite easily. She looked around the girls' quarters, a bit surprised that there weren't more girls present at the moment. She did see one figure asleep on a bunk and moved quietly so as not to disturb her, pacing down the room to make sure there were no others needing her.
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Post by marissa on Apr 20, 2008 11:04:30 GMT -5
In a state of drowsy, almost-asleep mind, Raen heard a soft patter of feet on the ground. Yawning, the girl dragged her knees up toher stomach, and then sat up, looking down at the floor until she spotted a girl. The candidate failed to recognize her... so she wasn't a candidate, herself, unless she was new. But no, it didn't really look that way. After all, if she was a new candidate, she would be carrying a bundle of some kind, with her things in it. And she would be looking for her bunk, not wandering around, looking in the beds, as if searching for someone. Shrugging, Raen crossed her legs in front of her. She didn't want to ask, but... what was this strange girl doing in here? After all, Raen had heard all about Benden and the other Weyrs. What if this was a spy? It was possible.
"Who are you?" The question was quiet, but Raen just couldn't bring herself to demand the Weyr the girl was from. After all, it didn't look like she was doing anything wrong... but the times were uncertain. She had to ask... in case this girl was a Fort or Benden spy. Although, now that she thought of it, it was a very stupid question. If the girl really was a spy, wouldn't she just say she was from Selenitas, and was just looking for one of her friends, or something? Raen rolled her eyes at herself, before turning her attention back to the girl.
What did this accomplish? Pretty much nothing. But that was alright. Maybe... oh, Raen didn't know. But at least she would feel better about it.
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Post by kysseh on Apr 20, 2008 11:23:35 GMT -5
The quiet voice surprised her, but Savitri recovered quickly and located the source on one of the top bunks, realizing that the sleeping candidate had not actually been asleep. She was originally surprised by the question, as her shoulderknots clearly identified what she was, but a new candidate might now know these things. "Apprentice Healer Savitri." She narrowed her eyes a bit to see a little better, taking a step toward the bunk. "And you?"
She knew the other--younger, she assumed--girl was a candidate and had to have a bit of respect for the bravery that took. Anyone who would willingly want to become attached to something as large and powerful as a dragon had to have a certain quantity of guts. She had never seen a dragon hatching but had heard the stories, and she wasn't keen on seeing the injuries that resulted. The healer in her made her cringe at the very thought.
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Post by marissa on Apr 20, 2008 11:44:44 GMT -5
Aw, shells. Refraining from jumping down from the bed and beating her head on the ground at her stupidity, Raen made a mental note to check the shoulderknots from now on. As soon as the healer had turned around, she had seen the knots and remembered. Well, now, wasn't she the smartest girl on Pern? Sighing lightly, Raen shifted uncomfortably on her bunk. She disliked conversation of any kind, even just simple introductions. But, really, Raen owed it to the healer to at least give her her name...
"Raen..." The girl paused for a moment, before adding, "Candidate." After all, it was quite obvious. The healer girl, Savitri, wasn't stupid enough to make the same mistake Raen had. especially considering she was sitting in the Candidate Barracks, on one of the bunks. You didn't need any wits to see that Raen was, indeed, a candidate. Still, it was her title, now. She might as well use it, even if it was obvious.
Hoping that she wasn't asking another stupid question that Raen would know the answer to just before the healer said it, she hesitated before speaking. Looking down at the older girl, the candidate asked, "What are you doing here? In the Candidate Barracks, I mean..."
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Post by kysseh on Apr 20, 2008 11:58:24 GMT -5
Savitri smiled faintly, the corners of her mouth just barely turning upward. A candidate? Really? She had had no idea. "Hello, candidate Raen. I'm sorry for waking you." And she really was apologetic for that, her tone suitably reflecting it. She knew how annoying it was to be awakened suddenly. She nodded politely up at the girl, even though she technically need not have shown her any respect.
The query made Savitri raise an eyebrow, but she opted to answer anyway. "One of the boys was injured. I was taking a tour through to see if anyone else needed my assistance while I was already here." It seemed no one else was sporting injuries or needs, though, so Savitri saw fit that she could leave now and consider her job done. She was curious about what would motivate the youths to want to Impress dragons, beyond the prestige the position allowed, and if Raen was possessing of more brains than it seemed at first, she'd inquire.
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Post by marissa on Apr 20, 2008 12:17:21 GMT -5
If wouldn't be polite to not smile, Raen assumed, so she let her lips curve slightly as Savitri apologized. The apology was a bit unexpected for the candidate, however. Why would she apologize? It wasn't her fault... well, yes it was, but Raen didn't really mind. After all, the only reason she had been trying to go to sleep was so that she didn't have to think about how living in the Weyr was a complete and utter betrayal to her home Hold. But... that was beside the point. The point was, Savitri had done nothing wrong... so, why was she apologizing?
"It's no problem, really, Apprentice-Healer Savitri." Raen barely restrained a bit of awe that almost crept into her voice. Cook had wanted her to be a healer, for a period of time. But Raen was, to say the least, squeamish. She didn't like blood, she didn't like bones sticking out at awkward angles... she didn't like injuries. Well... being a candidate wasn't much better. Dragonets were vicious little things, and if she Impressed, ThreadFall produced suh injuries... Raen cringed. But she could deal with feeling injuries, as long as she didn't have to look at them. Healers had to look at them, fix them, and all manner of things.
"Wss it the one who was showing off while carrying the firestone?" Raen rolled her eyes. She had heard about that... idiot boy didn't go to the infirmary, had to go send one of his friends. Of course. "I don't believe that anyone else is injured. A few minor scrapes that have already been cleaned... that's about it, from the girls that I've heard of." Shrugging, Raen placed her hands in her lap.
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Post by kysseh on Apr 20, 2008 12:25:37 GMT -5
When she received a slight smile in return, Savitri was reassured that this wasn't going to be a completely unpleasant interaction. The awe in the girl's voice was something that surprised her, as much as had the male candidate's respect earlier. Back home, she had been nothing special, just the apprentice to the master. Here, she was... respected. It was odd, but maybe the shortage of healers made people more grateful. Who knew? As long as they didn't start fawning, Savitri scarcely minded.
The girl's cringe made Savitri's smile turn to a faint smirk. She assumed the girl was thinking about her job. People normally reacted like that, but Savitri was strangely unbothered by blood, except when there was a lot of it. Then she was concerned. "Yes, that was the one," she replied, tucking a stray strand of hair back behind her ear. "If no one else is injured, then I can consider my job done for the moment. Were you Searched?" she inquired, turning the conversation swiftly toward something less relevant but no less curious.
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Post by marissa on Apr 20, 2008 13:38:58 GMT -5
Not missing the smile-turned-smirk, it made Raen's smile grow a bit. This girl was... special, to say the least, but if she had to talk to someone, at least it was someone that was half-way decent. While waiting for her reply, the candidate entwined her hands togethere, and seperated them slowly, biting her lip as she escaped into her thoughts. How angry was Father? How angry was Cook? How were they doing? Would she Impress? Would she Stand again if she didn't? What would she do if Bneden took her? The list went on and on, and she was wrenched (quite happily, for it was getting kind of depressing) from it by Savitri's voice.
"Yes, I was Searched from Hyphen Hold. A bluerider stopped me at a Gather, when I was carrying a tray back to Father." Raen shrugged, forcing herself not to think of her Father too much. "And you? When did you go to Healer Hall?"
[[Ewww...crappy post, so sorry. D:]]
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