Too Young for Adult Antics

Writers: Eimi, Rochelle
Date Posted: 13th January 2008

Characters: T'mahl, Tatitem
Description: T'mahl discusses a candidate problem with the Headwoman.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 7, day 3 of Turn 4

T'malh removed his riding cap as he entered the dining hall. He gave a quick nod to the riders sitting at a table over by the wall as Tatitem refilled their mugs of klah. One was missing an arm, another had obviously been badly burned on his face. The Weyrlingmaster felt a shiver run down his spine. **If Uluruth hadn't reacted so quickly...** Shards, he hated to think that he might be seated at that very same table right now...

"Good morning, Headwoman. May I ask for a moment of your time?" the Weyrlingmaster asked when she turned around.

Tatitem raised an eyebrow, and settled the pot of klah on the table behind her before turning her attention completely to T'mahl. "Of course. What can I do for you, Weyrlingmaster?" She asked politely, hoping that G'farl didn't decide to try lifting the klah pot without the cloth again.

"I was wondering if I could speak to you about a couple of the candidates." As Weyrlingmaster he was responsible for the training of the candidates, but they were technically under the Headwoman's care until they Impressed.

She nodded wisely. The candidates were always a concern that needed to be dealt with. "Let's go to my office then." She suggested, leading the way around the tables to the kitchen full of workers. Although there were some candidates she didn't mind if the whole weyr knew her feelings about, it would be in very poor taste to do so. She certainly had no intention of discussing people where they might hear, since there were several candidates in the dining hall and the kitchens, mostly washing dishes or chopping vegetables at the moment.

T'mahl followed her and gently closed the door behind them. "I hope this is not an inconvenient time. I just thought it would be wise to apprise you of a few things I noticed."

"It not a problem, Weyrlingmaster." She assured him, waving him to a seat as she took the familiar one behind her desk. "What sort of things are you referring to?"

"It's about Liopan. He's the young boy they Searched from Glen View Hold a few months ago." Only twelve when they found him and barely more than thirteen now. Perhaps a bit too young to have been taken away from his home, T'mahl thought. Which obviously was part of the root of the problem now...

"I see." Tatitem remarked dryly. She stood for a moment, and retrieved the boy's records as she remarked. "I see his antics have caught your attention as well?"

T'mahl cocked his head to the side thoughtfully. "Well, his antics were childish at first, but I'm afraid they're becoming a bit more...
destructive." And if they didn't take some sort of measures, it could be more than a nuisance. "I don't know if you had noticed that he tends to hang around with some of the slightly older boys. They've kind of adopted him as a pet."

"I had noticed." Tatitem sighed. "But unfortunately, not until some of the other boys also figured out how to take advantage of him to do their dirty work. I've separated them for the moment with double chores, but I'm open to suggestions."

"Well, it's not just little pranks that worry me, ma'am. It's some of the more... adult antics that the older boys are teaching him now. Things I'm not sure his body and mind are ready for." "And the holders think that _we're_ the perverted ones." Tatitem muttered. Most of the candidates were Searched now rather than weyrbred, and this sort of problem had increased with the influx of new candidates who thought that the weyr was open to anything, further soiling their already tarnished reputation. "I wasn't aware that they had gotten that far, or I would have done more than just chores." She admitted with a grimace.

T'mahl couldn't fault her. He probably would not have known himself had he not walked in on them himself. "I know it is an unusual step, but may I recommend moving him out of the candidate barracks for a while? Perhaps find a crafting family who can provide him a strong, positive male role-model who can talk to him about the things boys are curious about. Right now he's taking the advice of boys who are more mature physically, but don't have the maturity to realize that he is just too young to engage in the same activities they do."

Tatitem was already nodding before he finished the first sentence. "My thought exactly." She agreed, and sighed again. "Unfortunately, it's not the first time I've had to do that, but it's far better for all concerned than the alternative."

It was a relief to know that something would be done. This was certainly not something T'mahl was very comfortable in dealing with. He could relate with the boy's desire to fit in too well. "Thank you, ma'am. I appreciate it."

"No, thank _you_ for bringing it to my attention. Liopan deserved better than those boys, and they certainly know better than that by now." She added harshly, making a mental note to have a _long_ talk with Liopan's cronies once she'd safely ensconced him with someone. Maybe Werxil would be open to the idea?

"Then I shall leave it in your capable hands." And hopefully, with the sudden influx of candidates before the Hatching, the boys wouldn't find another young one to corrupt...

Tatitem smiled thinly at the Weyrlingmaster. "I'll see to it first thing, Weyrlingmaster. And rest assured, those boys won't have time to do anything else until well after the hatching." Double chores, she decided, was probably a good habit for those boys to acquire if they were finding time for _that_.

Last updated on the January 19th 2008

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Too Young for Adult Antics