What Do You Want?

Writers: Chelle, Yvonne
Date Posted: 4th September 2015

Characters: Rhosyn, F'lin
Description: F'lin asks Rhosyn her opinions on Weyrleadership.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 1, day 18 of Turn 8
Notes: Mentioned: K'sedel, Lanniya, Lenala

It was the just over a sevenday wearing new knots, and F'lin was beginning to feel a little more comfortable in them. He did miss his leisurely evenings after drills, though. Intellectually he'd known of the demands that rank would bring, but hidework and discussions with wingriders took up a lot more time than he had anticipated. Or that his body had anticipated. The bronzerider was tired as he tidied up the Wingsecond's office and locked up for the night. He turned to head back to his weyr and just about bumped into Rhosyn.

"Sorry!" he said, taking a hasty step backwards. Of course she was here-- their meeting was inevitable. The Weyrwoman and Weyrleader's offices were off the same hallway, and Rapid's Wingsecond office was right next to K'sedel's. He flashed a cocky grin at the Weyrwoman to hide his surprise at her sudden appearance. "I should have seen you coming. You walk as quiet as a feline."

"Hmmm....only when I have the right shoes." Small as she was, she had to look up to even catch a glimpse of his eyes. Everyone, it seemed, was taller than her-especially bronzeriders. **Maybe it's something they eat.** She knew who F'lin was and who he was related to. That was easy enough to figure out by Records even if someone hadn't told her. She also had been wondering when he would finally decide to take on a leadership role within the Wings. So this new development made certain sense. Now to see if he proved himself. "You're supposed to say sorry Weyrwoman you know. As if I'm some common drudge." The small twinkle in her hazel eyes and the slow smile let him know she was teasing.

"You're right. My deepest, most sincere apologies, Weyrwoman." F'lin took another step back and swept an elaborate bow. "I have no excuse, and I'll just have to throw myself upon your mercy and hope for forgiveness."

"Keep that up and maybe I'll consider it." Signaling for him to walk with her if he wanted to, she turned and started heading for her weyr. "So F'lin, how do you like having more duties? Was it all you ever dreamed?"

When a Weyrwoman said walk, you walked. "I like a challenge," he said, reluctant to admit to her how much he wanted the borrowed knots on his shoulder. "And maybe I was getting a little bored."

"It's time you learned, just in case. And besides I think it'll be a good fit. People will listen to you. You've got to gain the experience and polish, mind, but you're trustworthy and people know you." Rhosyn hadn't had to work to gain her position-Impression had done that for her, as well as the happenstance of a Flight. However, she had made sure to understand her duties regardless so she could perform them well. "You're growing into a responsible adult. Perhaps I should send your grandmother a letter."

"You should! She likes letters." F'lin decided to be a bit cheeky since Rhosyn had said he lacked polish. Whether or not it was true, it still stung his pride a bit. "Especially letters that are all about how wonderful I am."

"I imagine so." Since her only offspring was still in diapers, Rhosyn didn't quite feel that same pride yet, but she could appreciate it in others. "F'lin....what are your overall ambitions if you don't mind me asking?" It was always good to keep a finger on the bronzeriders in the Weyr, young or not.

The bronzerider hesitated as he gathered his thoughts, debating how much to share with Rhosyn. Would she approve of ambition? Would she respond better to someone who knew how much they had to learn? After a moment he decided to go for it. Who knew, it might plant the seed of an idea with the Weyrwoman. "Eventually I'd like to lead Rapids."

That was interesting. And he was honest. "And you think you could work with me then?" Because not only would he be be a wingleader but also leading the Weyr. "Because many don't."

"The dragons decide, and we comply," F'lin quoted. "I haven't yet met anyone I can't work with. But a Weyr needs a strong _partnership_ to lead them, and partnerships require two people to make it work. So-- do you think you could work with me?"

"At the moment, I don't know. I don't know you well enough. You have lofty ideas though. Because I've seen Weyrs function without a strong partnership as long as everyone completed their duties. They weren't perhaps the best they could be, but sometimes it can be enough. I've also seen Weyrs work with only one doing everything using delegation." She didn't go further than that but it might have given one a glimpse into what Rhosyn had dealt with during her turns.

"Sure, that can work." F'lin paused, sensing that he'd need to think more about her words later on. "But I don't think that's optimal. The Weyr leadership system developed for a reason. What do you prefer, Weyrwoman?"

"Depends on the partner I have. Just as you said, the dragons decide. Sometimes, though, they can decide leaving someone who wasn't ready to lead in a position of great importance. That is why I find it important to make sure that anyone who might be found in that position would find themselves ready." She still imagined that F'lin had many turns to come before his bronze caught, but one never knew. Some Weyrs, during a Pass, had had very young Weyrleaders. "But you learn to manage with whatever you get." Because she was the one that would never change-the one that would always have to deal with the changes.

"But what do you prefer?" F'lin asked. Making do with who you had wasn't the same as having what you wanted.

"Everyone wants a good partner, F'lin. That's natural. For me, though, it's easy to find a good Weyrleader, but not so easy to find one who accepts me as a Weyrwoman. I'm a bit....Well not like the rest." She didn't go into that since it was rather well known and obvious and Rhosyn didn't much care. "Then again I've only had one Weyrleader myself so far so there's not much to judge from there."

That said a lot about her relationship with K'sedel, perhaps more than she'd intended to reveal. "Tabanirth used to pick a different bronze nearly every time, so you never know." F'lin hesitated as they reached the end of the hall, then gave her a cheeky grin, hoping to lighten the mood a little. "Well, I hope that Orlaith chooses Seneth sometime soon. And when she does, I'll look forward to working with you."

In the back of her mind, she found herself thinking of other bronzes-Mnoranth, Loseth... far, far away and out of reach. Rhosyn didn't think her queen would ever choose such a young bronze like Seneth. Someday when he was older perhaps. Then again, one never really knew, did they? If that did happen, though, it could cause problems and she didn't need that now. Not with Lenala and Lanniya and everything else. "Working? Admit it, you just want to see what's under my skirts." At the moment she was wearing trousers or the troublemaker in her might have just given him a glimpse.

Flipping her head, she made a whistling noise and then headed down the other hallway, thinking of a bath to relax her muscles. It was sometime after she'd gone several steps before her voice drifted back to him again. "Maybe someday you'll earn it, F'lin."

Last updated on the September 6th 2015

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