Difference between Beer and Ale

Writers: Eimi, Paula
Date Posted: 5th October 2006

Characters: U'kaiah, N'mor
Description: U'kaiah and Naemor have another talk about grown-up things
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 13, day 22 of Turn 3

Naemor stared the tankard in front of him. It was filled with golden brown fluid that foamed over the rim. Since he was growing up and becoming a man, the young candidate had decided to try "Grown-up pleasures", like beer. He had never ever tasted the stuff. He lifted the tankard and took a mouthful. His face turned to a grimace and he spat it
out. "Eew, how can anybody drink this stuff? It tastes like runner's piss!"

U'kaiah threw his head back and laughed. "You've tried runners piss then, have you?"

"Well, no, let me try again: Tastes like what I've always imagined runner's piss tasting," Naemor said and grinned too. He pushed the tankard away.

"Trust me lad, give your tastebuds a chance to catch up with the rest of your body and you'll love it," the bronzerider winked over his own mug.

"Right," Naemor said rather skeptically. "Is wine any better?" he asked curiously.

"Depends on the wine. There's lots of different kinds. There's sweet, dry, red, white, warm, chilled... You'll find some you like and some you don't. Everyone's tastes are different," U'kaiah said as he wiped the
froth from his lip on the back of his hand. "The more you drink, the better it starts to taste."

Naemor stared him. "More complicated than I thought," he said.

"It's easier than you think, trust me," the rider chuckled. "Are you going to drink that ale? There's a pitcher of juice down there if you'd prefer."

"I think I'll take the juice," Naemor said and poured himself a new glass. "What's the difference between beer and ale?"

"Uh..." Shards, he didn't rightly know. "Ale is a kind of beer..." he thought...

It was Naemor's turn to laugh. "You drink the stuff and you don't even know what it is?"

The bronzerider shrugged. "I know what it does, and that's enough for me."

"Well, I always like to know why and what," Naemor said, following the wood's pattern on table with his finger. It was obvious something was troubling him an it wasn't the beer or growing up.

"Something else on your mind?" U'kaiah asked as he watched his finger trace along the table with a thoughtful expression on the boy's face.

"Life, family, my sister," Naemor admitted. U'kaiah was become a kind of father-figure to him. It felt good to confide with him.

"Anything you want to get off your chest?"

"My sister is pregnant and she's the wrong sister. I mean, I wouldn't be surprised if it had been Naerigga, she being a greenrider et all, but Rigella? She's always been so decent, sensible, so chaste," Naemor complained.

"What is it about your sister being pregnant that's bothering you?" It didn't sound like anything that should be such a big problem really.

"I don't know. I mean, this is weyr after all. I just does. Maybe I just want things to be as they were, not changing whole the time like they do now," Naemor tried to explain.

"Not all changes are bad," he pointed out. "You'll have a little nephew to play with. That can be a good thing."

"Uncle Naemor. That sounds weird," the boy snorted.

"It was bound to happen eventually. Besides, isn't this a happy event? After all the sadness you're families had lately, isn't it nice to have a happy change for once?" U'kaiah asked gently.

"I haven't thought it that way. I guess I've been shocked that it's Rige," Naemor said thoughtfully.

"It was bound to happen eventually," the rider shrugged. "Maybe you should try to be happy for her."

"I always thought she hated men," Naemor murmured.

"Well, not anymore," U'kaiah chuckled. Maybe her father's death made her rethink things a bit.

"Yeah, well, funny thing," Naemor said and slouched down on his seat.

"Don't worry, Naemor. You'll see, it will all turn out."

"Let's hope so," Naemor grunted.

Last updated on the October 8th 2006

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Difference between Beer and Ale