Is that really you?

Writers: Danielle, Rochelle
Date Posted: 5th August 2006

Characters: X'riel, D'rue
Description: Xariel picks up a bolt of cloth from Daiirue, and are surprised to discover they know each other.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 13, day 8 of Turn 3

Daiirue tied off the thread he was holding, and took a moment to stretch before going back to weaving -and daydreaming. He loved weaving. He could feel proud of creating something useful with his hands, instead of being yet another mouth at the hold. The repetitive motions allowed his mind to wander free wherever he wanted, and as long as he paid some attention to what he was doing no one would bother him. He had gotten very good at it, and enjoyed the respite from manners and self-control he'd been drilled in.

He was checking the next color for imperfections before he wound it onto the shuttle when he noticed the boy enter. Daiirue blinked. He looked vaguely familiar...

"Hi. I'm here to pick up a bolt of cloth for..." Xariel paused in the doorway. "Daiirue? What...how...Is that really you?"

Daiirue grinned suddenly, recognizing him as one of the friendlier apprentices from the hall. It was good to see a familiar face in this crazy place. "Xariel! I'd heard that you were Searched."

"I was. My little sister was too- during my brother's wedding. Can you believe that?" Xariel grinned. "I hadn't heard you were. Did you just get here?"

"Pretty much." He laughed. "I can believe it. I was Searched at Gaiiteure's confirmation feast, announcing him as the heir." **Sharding food poisoning.** "I didn't expect to see you here. I wonder if anyone else from the hall got Searched too?"

"I haven't seen anyone yet. Except you. It _is_ nice to see a familiar face though."

Daiirue chuckled. "That's what I was thinking." He admitted. "This place is crazy, but... I think I could learn to like it. What do you think?"

"I'm loving it so far. It's so...different. Not really as restricting as the Hall, you know?"

"Yeah." Daiirue agreed wholeheartedly. He'd thought the hall was informal compared to the hold! The weyr was so different from all the stories, yet still the same... "I'm not sure what to think yet. It's hard to drop old habits." He admitted with a grimace.

"Like what?" Xariel asked. He had some ideas, but he still wanted to hear what Daiirue thought.

**Shards!** He'd said too much. Well, no sense going back now. "All of it.
Women crafting, Men pairing... I know it's normal here, but I have to keep telling myself that. And all... I know this is going to sound silly." He said reluctantly. "But I was trained as a potential heir, so it's always manners and appearances before pleasure. All this flirting, openness and informality..." He trailed off, praying he wasn't blushing at revealing something so personal. The weyr really had unnerved him.

"Sometimes, though, it's a nice change- to see people opening up and being themselves, instead of being trapped in the roles that tradition has bound them in. Hard to get used to, but people just seem more...genuine here, you know?" He fully understood how hard it was. He was shocked and speechless still most of the time. But somehow, he liked the changes he was seeing.

"Genuine..." Daiirue said slowly, a relieved smile spreading across his face. "I like that. You're right. They are more genuine, aren't they? It would be nice... to be like that, I think. Easier."

"Definitely. And we will have the chance to learn to be that way.
Especially if we Impress and get to stay here, you know?"

Daiirue studied the apprentice for a moment, thinking. "Would you want to stay if you didn't Impress?" He was nineteen... He could only stand for a little longer, if he didn't Impress this time. Xariel had much longer, if he remembered correctly.

"I...I think so," Xariel said, studying the floor a moment while he gathered his thoughts. "I haven't ever really felt comfortable anyplace else. Here- at least I feel like I could be comfortable here. Continue practicing the craft, and find a place to be useful." He looked up at the other boy. "What about you?"

"I don't know." Daiirue said softly. It wasn't the hold. He wasn't another competing pretender like his brothers here, another mouth to feed. It wasn't the hall either -the work he'd been given here was real and needed, not simply to refine his skills well enough that he could be sent away. It was a weyr. The stories always had exciting things going on in weyrs. He liked that idea. Anything could happen, to anyone. Even him. "I... haven't been here as long as you have. But I think I might." He said finally.

Xariel smiled brightly. "If we Impress, we won't have to even think about choosing. Did you ever think you'd be Searched? I can hardly believe it...
I mean, I used to think about it when I was little. And now it's real..."

He shook his head. "No, not since I was little. I dreamed of being Searched when I was younger," **And older** he amended silently. "But I never thought it would actually happen. I still can't quite believe it."

"Well, I think we kinda have to believe it now. We're here."

Daiirue laughed. "You're right. You know, I'm glad you're here. It's nice to know that I'm not dreaming all of this."

"Oh, you're not dreaming it. Unless I am too and that would be very weird." Xariel grinned. "Looks like we're in this together, up to our necks in weyrfolk. Might was well make he best of it."

"Yeah..." He sighed. "Speaking of weyrfolk, we should probably finish earning our keep. If we don't Impress, we don't want to be tossed out on our ears." He smiled at the apprentice. "But maybe we could do something together later?"

"Now that sounds like a good idea," Xariel said. "I'll just run this bolt of cloth back. Meet you at dinner?"

"Certainly." Daiirue said with a grin. "I'll see you there."

Last updated on the August 7th 2006

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