New Posting

Writers: Estelle, Suzee
Date Posted: 5th November 2019

Characters: Lorican, Bilpen, Jayzine
Description: Lorican arrives at Barrier Lake
Location: Barrier Lake Weyrhold
Date: month 11, day 26 of Turn 9
Notes: Mentioned: Urlene, Dunkirk

Bilpen

Jayzine

The dragon ride would be Lorican's third, but it was the first time he'd
travelled that way when he hadn't been badly injured and if it hadn't
been for the dejection that came with knowing he was leaving Urlene,
perhaps for months or even Turns, he might have been looking forward to
it. To his relief, flying caused him no difficulties, although the jump
/between/ from the early dawn of Dolphin Cove to the deep night-time
darkness at the Weyrhold was unsettling. Below, he saw a few dim lights,
the shadows of buildings under construction reflected in the moonlight
on the water.

The young blue who'd transported him glided steadily down towards the
clear area to the south of the bay, near one of the larger buildings. He
was laden with supplies, including some packages that Lorican recognized
from the forge.

"Want a hand with those?" he asked the dragonrider after he'd descended,
keeping his voice low to befit the lateness of the hour.

"Nah, I'll just unload them from Neldrath for now and they'll be sorted
and stored tomorrow. Master Bilpen will see it's done. He's managing the
building of the Weyrhold, but he'll be long abed by now. You can find
him tomorrow morning." The rider grinned. "He'll put you to work, soon
enough, Journeyman. Take the time to get some sleep while you can."

"All right. Thank you for the ride!" Lorican raised a hand in farewell
and picked up his tool bag. Before he could take more than a pace, a
young woman emerged from the nearest building carrying a glowbasket,
yawning and rubbing sleepy eyes.

"Journeyman Lorican?" She spoke softly. "We had word you were coming.
The Headwoman asked me to show you to a room in the staff quarters for
now. She'll assign you a place with the crafters in the morning."

"Thank you." Lorican followed the girl's light into a darkened building.
He didn't feel at all tired and wasn't sure if he'd sleep, with so much
on his mind, but he knew it would be wise to try and adjust to the
Weyrhold's time as quickly as possible. As it turned out, once she'd
shown him to his bunk and he'd taken off his boots and stretched out,
his eyes began to feel heavy. With one hand resting lightly on the ring
Urlene had given him, he drifted into a light sleep.

He woke early and lay for a while, listening to the soft sounds of
others sleeping around him. Dawn light was only just beginning to filter
in to the dormitory and he knew he ought to rest more, it would be a
long day ahead, but he couldn't seem to get back to sleep. His shoulder
ached and eventually he slipped quietly out, heading for the baths.

Washed and dressed, he picked up his tool bag and headed outside. The
sun was rising, bathing the Weyrhold with warm light. Although it was
still early, the first people were starting to emerge, and he caught the
scent of cookfires from the dining hall across the water. A passing
drudge, carrying a basket of wood perhaps destined for those fires,
pointed out a burly man on the other side of the weyr bowl as Master Bilpen.

Bilpen turned as one of the apprentices with him pointed out the new
arrival. "Hullo," he called to the approaching man. "Welcome to
Barrier Lake Weyrhold."

"Thank you. Master Bilpen?" He shifted his bag to his left hand, offered
the other in greeting. "I'm Lorican, journeyman smith. I've been posted
here by my Hall."

"Yes," Bilpen nodded. "Glad to have you Lorican. I'm sure you'll want
to meet with Master Dunrik. He's in charge down at the smithy. But
first you should check in with the Headwoman so she can assign you
room and you can drop your gear."

"Right. I'll do that." He remembered the master smith's name from the
letter he'd received from the Hall, and wondered what he'd be like.
"Where can I find the Headwoman?"

Bilpen looked at the sky and then smiled. "This time of day she'll
likely be in her office." He twitched his head toward a large building
nearby. "It's over there in the dining hall, second floor." He dropped a
hand on the lad next to him. "Penrik here will show you the way."

Penrik perked up with a smile. "Yessir," he chimed in with a voice
obviously changing from boy to man. "This way Journeyman." He took off
at a trot across the field toward the dining hall. He knew a cook who
just might let him snag a meat pie if he could squeeze into the kitchen
on his way back to Master Bilpen.

Lorican followed the lad inside and up a flight of stairs. Now the sun
was up and streaming through the large windows, he could see how light
and airy the hall was, and was impressed by the workmanship he saw all
around him. There was a clean, brand-new scent to the place, freshly cut
wood and polish and the more delicate aroma of flowers. His hand glided
lightly over a smoothly polished banister as he climbed. At the top, he
knocked at the door the boy indicated.

"Come in," Jayzine called through the door of her storage room and
turned to walk out to her main office. She pulled the door to her
quarter closed the started behind her desk when the crafter walked in.
"Good morning," she nodded soberly.

"Good morning, Headwoman." Lorican smiled a brief thanks to the boy
who'd showed him the way, then made his own bow. She was surprisingly
young, not much older than him, with clear blue eyes that met his
directly. Though perhaps it made sense; he imagined she'd want the
energy and resilience of youth to manage all that needed to be done at
the Weyrhold. "I'm Journeyman Lorican, of the Smith craft. I arrived
late last night. I'm not interrupting you? "

"No not at all," she nodded toward the chair in front of her desk.
"How long are you expecting to stay with us Lorican?" She asked the
question because they had both transient and permanent workers coming
to the Weyrhold and she had limited accommodations to distribute. So
permanent workers were given the more preferred quarters until the
pinch eased a little.

"I've been posted here by my crafthall, so - I don't know. As long as
the Weyrhold needs me, and the Smith Hallmaster wishes me to stay,"
Lorican said, taking a seat.

"Ahh yes," she nodded. "I believe Master Dunrik is expecting you. He
has access to some accommodations for his Journeymen and Apprentices."
She pulled a hide to her writing down his name and the expected
location. "I'm sure you saw the dining hall downstairs, we ring the
bell when we're serving a meal so you don't end up with cold food. Of
course there are snacks and hot drinks available any time. Will you be
needing any supplies?"

He shook his head. "No, ma'am. I brought all I need with me, and I have
my own tools. As long as there's somewhere to sleep and somewhere to
bathe, I'll be fine." His stomach rumbled, reminding him that he hadn't
eaten since Dolphin Cove the previous evening. "Though if there's any
breakfast left, I wouldn't mind a bite."

"I'm sure we can find something for you," she said rising from her
seat. "Welcome to Barrier Lake," she nodded and tilted her head toward
the door as she sailed past him. Then past the lounge area outside
her office with its over stuffed chairs and chess board. "If you play,
I like a game now and then," she said.

Lorican glanced at the chess set, his eyes widening in appreciation of
its fine quality. "I used to play with my uncle sometimes, when I was
a young lad at Garnet Valley. I think I can remember how." He wondered
if Urlene played. It would surely have been a suitable occupation for
a lady. Perhaps, if he practiced, one day they'd play together. "If
you don't mind that I'm a bit rusty?"

"Oh no," she actually smiled which was quite a rare thing for Jayzine.
Of course he'd have no way of knowing that. "I'm not all that good
myself but I do enjoy it." She tilted her head toward the stairs
going down. "Let's find you something to eat."

"Thank you," he replied, reassured by the sudden warmth and loveliness
of her smile in a face that had seemed so solemn at first. Though he
missed Dolphin Cove more than he could say, he was glad to know that
perhaps he'd find friendships here at the Weyrhold, too.

Last updated on the December 18th 2019

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