Interview with the Weyrwoman

Writers: Paula, Suzee
Date Posted: 4th December 2017

Characters: Cyradis, Dessa
Description: Cyradis interviews female Candidates including Dessa
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 2, day 8 of Turn 9

Cyradis

Cyradis had asked the Weyrlingmasters to send in the next of the
female candidates so she just called out for them to enter when she
heard the knock on her door.

She lifted her face with a smile from the notes she'd made on the last
candidate and rolled it up for later review. "Welcome," she said and
indicated the chair across from her.

"Weyrwoman, ma'am," Dessa said when she stepped in and gave a perfect
curtsy. "You wanted to see me?" she asked while seating herself. She
was wearing a light dress, much more revealing than anything she had
worn in Emerald Falls Hold. Her hair was plaided to a single simple
braid hanging down to her back.

When she heard the news about the gold egg, she like every other
female candidate, started to wonder about her chances of Impressing
it. Dessa knew her parents expected her to Impress it. Being harper,
she took the meticulous approach and studied the background of the
current weyrwomen to see if there was common nominator that the Golds
were looking for. She found out that Cyradis was Crafter's daughter, a
hallbred, Kapera was Holder's daughter, Lanniya had been trader and
both Goldriders in Dragonsfall Weyr were weyrbred. With diverse
backgrounds like that it just left the personalities. What was the
trait a Gold hatchling was looking for and did she had it?

"I did Dessa," she smiled. "I see you were raised a harper? Can you
tell me if you studied and maybe what you studied?" She could already
tell from the way the girl had entered the room, she was well raised
and knew the social graces she needed. She hadn't just shlumped into
the room and plopped into a chair like the prior one had who'd been
raised in a beasthold.

"I'm a musician," Dessa replied, finding it easier to answer the last
question first. "I play various instruments, violin being my
favourite. I also sing, although that's not my main talent." She was
still a good singer, just not exceptional. "My talent was apparent
from a young age and our hold harper was able to convince my parents
that I would benefit from the Hall's education. I started as a student
at the Harper Hall. When they started to take girls as apprentices, I
was offered an apprenticeship. After that I got the whole range of
skills needed from a harper."

"Harper training is quite extensive I hear. More than just instruments
and such." She smiled. "Did you enjoy any other aspects?"

"I did," Dessa replied.

"Good," Cyradis chuckled to herself. "Tell me about your family."

"Well, my father is overly ambitious cotholder in Emerald Falls'
territory. My mother is a half-blood, unacknowledged but everyone
knows who her father was," Dessa shrugged a bit. She didn't like to
bring out her connection to Emerald Fall's Blood. "I'm the youngest
child, I have plenty of older siblings. None of my family's been
searched before but I do know I have..cousin who's a dragonrider."

Cyradis smiled. "Yes you do. Have you met him yet?" Her cousin would
be L'cor of course. Not a bad connection at all.

"Yes, I have," Dessa replied. She really should try to learn to know
him a bit better. Especially if she Impressed.

"He's a very nice young man," she smiled. "I'm sure he'll be happy to
help you if you need it. How are your candidate classes coming?"

"The candidate classes have been quite intersting," Dessa answered.
"Eye opening, one could say."

"Oh yes," Cyradis laughed. "I was raised at Vintner Hall. I had a bit
of culture shock back then." She smiled and gave her head a tiny shake
as she remembered her first bathing experience as a Candidate. "Do you
have and questions for me?"

She hesitated a bit and then decided to be frank. "What makes one girl
to Impress a gold, when everyone else Impress a green? Is there some
characteristic or trait a Gold is looking for?" That was a question
that burned in every female candidate's mind right now.

Cyradis smiled. "Good question," she said. "But I'm sure you realize
we aren't sure what it is or we'd only need one candidate for her
right?" She licked her lips. "But I will say, whoever Impresses her is
in for a fight. She will have a very strong will and if you are
chosen, you'll have to make her obey you at times. So, leadership
skills are good, and a strong will. You can never let her walk over
you and she will try."

Dessa nodded, she hadn't really expected all conclusive answer. The
strenght of will was not a problem, she had plenty of that from both
of her parents. But leadership? There was many kind of leaderships. In
her family, for example, her father led with fear. He yelled at people
and deal out harsh punisments. While he had never hit any of his
daughters, she had seen him knock down a cheeky stablehand. She tried
to imagine him hitting her mother, the image ended up with him getting
a knife between his ribs. Her brother Desliw was totally different
kind of leader, he treated people fairly and kindly and they followed
him because they liked him. He still didn't tolerate any slack or
disrespect, but his punishments were justified. Dessa had no idea with
kind of leader she was or if she even had leadership-qualities.

"So it remains as wait and see," she said.

"It does," Cyradis' eyes closed and opened with her nod. This one
seemed to catch on quickly. "You should go with the Weyrlingmasters
when we do the egg touching. You will be able to see Panitath close
up."

"I will. That will be exciting," Dessa said. She didn't look excited,
she looked as cool and self-possessed as ever. She didn't show her emotions easily.

Last updated on the December 10th 2017

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