Master Shaelis

Writers: Jane, Rochelle
Date Posted: 28th November 2007

Characters: Ayona, Shaelis
Description: Ayona meets the new Harper Hall master, Shaelis.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 7, day 2 of Turn 4

Ayona pushed her reading lenses down her nose and peered across the Bowl at the woman over by the Harper Hall. A woman about her own age, she thought, and there was noting wrong with her distance sight. She could see perfectly well that the woman was wearing complex knots. Master's knots.

She handed the plans back to the journeyman who had brought them and dismissed him with an admonition to read the plans properly in the future and headed across the sandy soil of the Bowl.

Shaelis had just finished chasing off the apprentice who'd wanted to talk to her, as a female master, when she noticed the other woman striding toward her. She blinked, then grinned, seeing the other woman's knots. Another Master, and about her age too. This was a pleasant surprise!

"Good morning!" She called cheerfully.

"Good morning," Ayona said, stopping and studying the other woman with interest. "You're new to the Hall."

"The Hall and the Weyr." Shaelis admitted with a smile. "But not so much the Southern continent. I'm Master Shaelis, a composer."

"Ayona. Mason." She held out her hand to the other woman. A pleasure to meet you, Shaelis."

"And you, Ayona." She agreed, taking the hand warmly. "Have you been here long?"

"Four Turns. Since Thread," she added with a shrug, remembering that the shock of it actually returning had sent her back to the Southern Continent that she still regarded as home.

"Plenty of work for a stonemason with ever-expanding dragon populations, I expect." Shaelis commented with a smile.

"And in an old Weyr like this one. Some of the facilities aren't what most people are used to. Glows, for the most part, rather than electricity."

"I suppose so." Shaelis said thoughtfully. "I saw a lot of glows up north while traveling, so I didn't really give it a second thought." She smiled at the other master. "You learn something new every day."

"I tell people that - and point out how many days I've had - but they aren't very impressed. Sadly."

"Their loss, I think." Shaelis agreed, shaking her head sadly. She'd seen the attitude too often in recent years. "But there is no way for them to understand the folly of youth until they're our age, so it probably isn't their fault."

Ayona chuckled. "Of course, I was never like that," she said, her amusement in her tone. She had been shockingly opinionated as a young woman and only time and experience of life had mellowed her.

"Of course not." Shaelis agreed, amusement in her voice and sparkling in her eyes. "And I always obeyed my elders and believed everything they told me." She rolled her eyes before flashing Ayona a grin. "At least, when they were in the room."

"Ahhh. The re-writing of our personal histories to fit in with our current age and level of respectability," the mason crafter said with a smile. "There are some advantages to getting older."

"Isn't it nice?" Shaelis's smile became a grin. "Once you cross that invisible line, they may not believe everything you say, but they have to while you're in the room. You could tell them almost anything, and they can't argue with you."

"Which in itself is a _disadvantage_. There's nothing quite like a good argument, though that disappearing might be from getting the knots rather than getting the wrinkles and grey hair."

"True." Shaelis admitted, wrinkling her nose. "I don't mind arguing if they have a valid point, but it can be annoying when the knots prevent them from bringing it up at all."

Ayona nodded. "Though, I earned them, I'm proud of them. No matter what the disadvantages."

Shaelis nodded. "I did the work, the knots stay." She said with satisfaction and a fierce gleam in her eye. There were always some...
"Do you travel a lot?" She asked suddenly, wondering if Ayona could give her tips as another female master in the South.

"Hardly at all. The Weyr is my place and I'm not particularly welcome at the Hall. You're luckier with yours."

"For the moment." Shaelis agreed, her mouth twisting. There were so many who were unhappy with her presence. She was having fun plying her seniority over the younger, more gender-idiotic masters, although some could be very trying. "They drove me off once forty turns ago. If they decide to do it again, well." She shrugged. "I've already got plans, in case."

Ayona nodded again. "I have a sister by marriage niece who would love me to be closer to her - in the North. Sad that we have to think that way."

Shaelis nodded. "Yes, it is. But we're here now, and they won't be getting rid of us without a fight, that's what matters."

The mason crafter grinned. "Well, I won't be holding you up any longer
- no point in giving them reason to complain about your performance.
It's good to have met you, Master Shaelis."

"The same here, Master Ayona." Shaelis replied with an equally serious grin. "Have a good day."

Last updated on the November 28th 2007

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Master Shaelis