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Writers: Jane, Kaysea
Date Posted: 12th July 2007

Characters: R'haran, Taia
Description: R'haran stops to chat with Taia while working on his new job.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 4, day 27 of Turn 4

"Taia, could I leave a message for Corder with you?" the Weyrharper asked when he found himself unable to locate the master beastcrafter.

"Sure R'haran, what's up?" She looked up from the hides she had been working on, her stylus hovering over the inkwell. "Nothing I can help with?"

"Not really. I wanted to go over some records with him." He smiled at the young woman, his amusement directed at himself. "Making sure I know where everything is at in the new job before I sit down and enjoy it."

"Oh yes! Congratulations, I did hear on the grapevine you had been appointed." She smiled widely, rising from her chair and offering him her hand. "You must be pleased?"

"Thank you," he said, taking her hand. "I thought I would be pleased but then I realised I was moving into a job that's been vacant for a while. I feel like I'm playing catch-up."

"That's not an uncommon feeling in any craft if you don't practice it daily." She smiled across at him. "And how do the children feel?
Having the Weyrharper as a parent will be interesting for them, I should imagine. The older ones, at least."

"I think they all like it - especially Tibby who can make a wonderful mess out of papers and hides and, really, there was little or no damage he could do when I was assisting the weyrling staff."

Taia laughed out loud, in her mind she pictured the little boy having fun amongst the hides and papers of the Harpers work. "And you," she asked finally, "how are you finding it?"

"It's feels much more what I was born to than training weyrlings. My skills - talents - are in areas which make hide work and dealing with people easy for me." He shrugged. "Had Thread never come back I would be a harper still, that and Evie's lifemate, but not a dragonrider in the sense it's meant now." His attractive features lit with a smile.
"Does that make sense or just make me sound immodest?"

"Things would have been different all 'round had Thread not returned."
she replied, "You're making total sense, but as to sounding immodest?"
she gave a small laugh.

"Oh thank you, Taia. I'm am now put firmly in my place." He laughed.
"How old are you, again?"

"Old enough to know better than to answer a loaded question like that -
with words," she grinned up at him.

"Hmm. I was just wondering how well you remember before-Thread."

"I'm twenty three, almost twenty four turns... I was qualified as a journeywoman well before Thread." she gave a small chuckle, "but thanks for making me feel even younger."

"I live to please. The children don't really remember it. Sahna remembers her father talking about it, she thinks before it came, but even some of the younger weyrlings, these days, don't have very good memories of the time before." He shrugged. "My point - if I ever roll around to it - is that I'm going back to the life I had before Thread returned. Before the clutches started increasing in size and we started to consider that Thread might not be gone forever. For some, they can't remember that dragonriders had very different lives, once."

"I would hazard a guess that most wish it had never returned, but I know of some that feel relieved that they and their partners are actually serving Pern as they were designed to do."

"Hmm. And then there's the likes of Evie and I. Useless for the natural work of a dragon and her rider, and sidetracked away from the work I used to do. I think we'll enjoy the Weyrharper job; I will, certainly. Evie will always want to be in touch with other dragons, but she can do most of that without me."

"They're very social beasts, dragons, aren't they?" Taia smiled, "More like we are than some would care to admit."

"And in some ways less like." He glanced up and caught sight of the master beastcrafter he had been hoping to talk to. "Corder!" He smiled down at Taia. "I can give him my own message. I'll no doubt see you again, soon enough. The children are insistent we don't stay away too long, or the animals will forget them."

"Well I'll have to make sure I have something special for them the next time they come for a visit." Taia smiled, and gave a brief wave of goodbye, before returning to the work she had been doing. She glanced up again and watched the new Weyrharper make his way across to the Master beastcrafter.

Last updated on the July 14th 2007

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