Candidate Interviews - The Morning (1)

Writers: Cali, Jane, Kaysea, Patrick, Vix
Date Posted: 27th April 2007

Characters: Ylisahn
Description: Ylisahn interviews the candidates and makes sure she has their details correct in her records.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 3, day 18 of Turn 4

An apprentice smith? She tried to recall if there was one of those among the Candidates. Probably there was and since she had set aside this day to get all the Candidates straight in her mind (not entirely successfully, she was starting to think, though the records were nicely up to date now), it was likely that the boy making his way into her office was one of the Candidates.

"Hello. Did I ask to see you?" She had asked to see all the Candidates, so that would decide the matter.

"Yes ma'am. I'm Tuze. I'll be Standing at the Hatching." He took a seat across from her.

"That's good to hear." She had read the name. Pulling the heavy book toward her she opened it to the place she had marked and ran her finger down to the youngster's record. "Here you are. Tuze, apprentice smith.
Thirteen Turns old." She picked up her pen. "Now, where are you from, Tuze?"

"I'm from Dragonsfall. I only picked up smithing as a hobby then my mom had to leave." He scuffed his foot on the floor. "My mother doesn't like me to talk about it."

"Oh?" Ylisahn struggled to recall the boy's story but couldn't. "Let's see. Are you living in the Candidates Barracks?"

"Yes, but my mom keeps a room in her weyr for me. She wants me to know I can always come home." Tuze's smile was a little bittersweet. "She's scared that I won't Impress and be devastated."

"Not Impressing isn't a one-time deal, Tuze. It can go on for _Turns._
I take it this is your first time Standing, then?"

Tuze nodded emphatically. "Uh-huh. But I know my dragon's out there, even if my mom didn't find hers."

"That she Stood means that her family are likely to have that specialness that dragons look for, so you're right, that she didn't Impress doesn't affect your chances." She closed the book. "I think that's all I need to know for the moment but you can come back to me at any time, with any questions or concerns you have. Will you remember that?"

Tuze's head nodded so fast it looked like it might fall off. "A'course Headwoman. I'll remember." With a slight bow he left.

~ ~ ~

"Come in," Ylisahn said catching sight of the figure in the doorway.
"And your sister, too, if she's there." At least she recognised this pair of Candidates by sight which was not the case with all of them. The Headwoman got to her feet and pulled down from the upper shelf the heavy hide-bound book in which Candidate details were recorded.

"Chabal reporting as requested, Headwoman." The boy, expression serious and body held rigidly, glanced once at her and then fixed his eyes at a point just above her head.

"And Toncha!" put in the girl, her face much like her brother's but more cheerful and open. "He tried to leave without me, but I knew that you'd want to talk to me, too."

"Indeed I do. Chabal, please relax and have a seat. Both of you, sit down." She smiled, trying to put the pair at ease. "I just want to go over my records so that I'm sure I know all about you now that I'm Headwoman."

Both of the young people found chairs, though the girl was definitely more relaxed than the boy. Toncha leaned forward toward the Headwoman's desk. "I hear that the eggs are on the Sands. Will we be allowed to see them before the Hatching?

"Toncha, be patient." Her brother gave her a warning look before turning back to the Headwoman. "My sister is very . . . eager, though my grandfather wasn't sure whether it was proper to allow her to come to the Weyr to Stand."

"Since he did decide to, in the end," Ylisahn said gently, "we can assume it is proper. Toncha, yes, you will get to see the eggs before the Hatching, and even touch them, with Nyith's approval." Forstalling the keen young woman she glanced down at the page in front of her.
"Let's see what I know about you already. Chabal, you're still seventeen? And Toncha, you're fifteen?"

"Almost sixteen!" announced the girl.

"You've another seven months to go," put in her brother. "And yes, I just Turned seventeen."

"Good. And where have you come to the Weyr from?"

"Nowhere interesting," replied Toncha with a roll of her eyes.

"A very small holding up-coast northwest of here," remarked Chabal.
"There were only a half dozen cots, all workers tending fruit trees and some grain crops for Topaz Seahold. We lived with our Granda."

Yes, that was recorded too. The name of the cotholding and their grandfather's name.

"And how long have you been here?"

"A sevenday." The two replied in unison, both agreeing for a change.

"And are you settled in the Candidates Barracks?" the Headwoman asked, rather amused by the pair.

"Oh, yes!" was Toncha's response, earning her a glare from her brother.

"My sister likes being 'on her own' but I'm not convinced she's ready for this."

"She's not really on her own in the barracks, is she?" And mostly the people in barracks were newcomers to the Weyr, as she was, or the very young weyrbred Candidates. "And where have we got each of you working?
Do you have a craft, Chabal?"

"I was an apprentice beastcrafter." Chabal frowned slightly. "I never expected to be noticed by a dragon, so I've no idea how that all works.
Must I give up my craft now?"

"Not unless you Impress," Ylisahn explained. "Until then you will work with the beastcrafters here, as well as your chores and classes as a Candidate." She looked at Toncha. "And you? While you're here you understand that you can apprentice? You don't have to, of course, and if you don't we will find general work around the Weyr for you."

"I can?" The girl gave a quick glance at her brother before announcing to the Headwoman. "I want to be a healer."

Chabal took a deep breath but spoke softly to his sister. "You need to ask Grandda before you do anything like that - and you _know_ he won't approve."

"For the moment shall we have Toncha working with the healers instead of on general duties until the apprenticeship issue is settled? And in the meantime perhaps we could all write to your grandfather and explain the situation." Perhaps another time Ylisahn would make it clear to the pair that Toncha could choose to stay and apprentice regardless of her family's wishes. As a first option negotiation was better than ultimatum for all concerned.

"That would be fine." Toncha stared at her brother as if daring him to challenge her, but he simply rolled his eyes.

"I think that's all I need to know, for now. I'll let you get back to whatever duties you were on."

"Yes'm." The girl nodded to Ylisahn and left the room quickly, more to escape her brother than to get back to work.

His exit was slower. "Good day, Headwoman Ylisahn, and thank you for all that you've done for us - both of us." He bowed stiffly and headed through the door.

Last updated on the April 30th 2007

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Candidate Interviews - The Morning (1)