Just the Thing to Liven it Up

Writers: Eimi, Estelle
Date Posted: 15th July 2018

Characters: R'fal, T'nep
Description: R'fal and T'nep make plans over chores
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 5, day 16 of Turn 9

When the evening's chore assignments were handed out, R'fal could
hardly contain his glee. Kitchen duty again! It was one of his
favourites, since there were almost always leftovers and a resourceful
young weyrling with a healthy appetite could be sure of getting his
hands on some of them, by one means or another.

While the other less fortunate weyrlings departed for their duties, he
and his chore group got to work on gathering the remaining tableware
and serving dishes to carry them to the kitchens. R'fal managed to
snag himself a tray with a few sweet pastries remaining on it. He took
a bite out of one, then offered the rest to another weyrling who was
following him with a stack of plates.

"We'd better clean this tray before it gets to the kitchens, T'nep.
The cooks won't like seeing good food go to waste."

"I can help with that," the boy said as he set down his stack of
plates and grabbed the treat greedily. "I could eat a whole plate of
these myself!"

"After drills today, we need feeding up." R'fal finished off his pastry
and took another. Despite having already eaten a large dinner and two
helpings of pudding, he could always find more room for sweets. They
might be spending most of their time flying now, but he'd discovered
that unfortunately, that didn't mean they escaped doing physical
exercises altogether. "I think my stomach was rumbling louder than
Marlath's."

"I know. I'm still hungry!" It seemed that T'nep couldn't go more
than a candlemark without thinking about food these days. "I wonder
if anyone left any of those cheesy tubers... Those were really good."

"Let's have a look. I think I saw some over there," R'fal said,
licking crumbs of pastry from his lips. "If anyone asks, we're
cleaning the tables. Which is sort of true."

He picked up the now-empty pastry tray and wandered over to the next
table, trying to look busy. "So, have you got used to your new weyr
yet?"

"Yeah, it's really big! I've never had that much space in my life!"
T'nep picked up a half-full mug of flat ale a rider had left. His
brow scrunched as he considered whether to satisfy his curiosity or
not. "Ah, why not." After a quick around he tipped his head back and
drained the mug. "Uh," he said, sticking out his tongue, instantly
regretting his decision. "Why do they drink this stuff! It tastes
nasty!"

"You get used to it," R'fal said, trying to sound grown up and worldly
wise. The truth was, he'd only had a few sips of his father's ale back
home, and he'd had pretty much the same reaction as T'nep to the taste,
but the other weyrlings didn't need to know that. "And if you have
enough, it feels good."

"Wait, have you been drunk before?" T'nep ask, whirling around to face
his friend, his face filled with awe as he completely believed R'fal
knew exactly what he was talking about.

"Ye..." R'fal broke off, remembering how he'd only recently told
L'exan that he wouldn't tell any more lies to his classmates. Was this
lying...or just a bit of creative exaggeration? "Well, not really
drunk like some people get. But my Da gave me some of his liquor a few
times. That stuff is strong."

That sounded close enough for T'nep! "Wow, you must be pretty
strong." He had heard from his brother's late night chats that the
strong stuff could really mess people up! "So are you going to have a
party in your weyr some time? Can I come?"

"A party?" R'fal had never hosted a party before. The only one he'd
experienced had been the Turn's End gathering back home, where his
family and their neighbours had got together to feast, dance and
celebrate the new Turn. But how hard could it be? His new weyr seemed
large and lonely after the months living crowded into the barracks
with their growing dragons. A party would be just the thing to liven
it up...and best of all, there would be no watchful adults to put a
stop to the fun. "That's a great idea! We should definitely have one
when we graduate to senior weyrlings." Maybe some of the girls would
come too...

"I can come?" T'nep asked, his eyes sparkling in delight at the
thought of going to a party with the big boys. He had heard about
those! They could get crazy!

"Of course you can. You're a weyrling, aren't you? The whole class is
invited." In his enthusiasm, R'fal didn't stop to think whether it would
be advisable to have all of their group partying in his weyr. He winked
at T'nep. "Maybe I can get hold of a bit of the 'strong stuff' for us to
try."

"Yeah! Let's do that! And girls!" The young weyrling had heard that
strong alcohol and girls lead to some pretty wild parties. He
couldn't wait to see if all the rumors were true.

"I can't wait," R'fal sighed. Lately, he spent as much time thinking
about girls as T'nep did about food, if not more. Wondering how he might
get hold of some liquor in the Weyr - maybe his weyrbred classmates
would know - he reached for another leftover pastry, but froze when he
heard the sharp voice of one of the kitchen staff.

"You two boys! Weyrlings! Stop dawdling and get those trays into the
kitchens. There's a big pile of washing up for you to get started on."

T'nep jumped at the sound. "Shards, you'd think future dragonriders
would get a little bit more respect." But he turned back to the table
and grabbed up another plate. The sooner they got this over with, the
sooner they could plan that party!

Last updated on the August 26th 2018

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Just the Thing to Liven it Up