News about Grehga
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: Jane
Date Posted: 13th March 2008
Characters: Tarehg
Description: Tarehg's daughter tells him what his granddaughter has done.
Location: Dolphin Hall
Date: month 8, day 26 of Turn 4
"I have some news," Greah said from the door of her father's office.
"About Grehga."
There was, the young woman thought, no point in telling her brother Lahnen, Grehga's father, since he would simply nod and carry on with whatever he was doing. Somehow the news seemed worth more than a nod and easy acceptance. Her father was sure to provide something more.
"She's been dismissed from the craft?" Tarehg guessed, perhaps with too much hope in his tone. Not that he wanted his granddaughter to misbehave so much that such a thing would happen (though it wasn't impossible to imagine it happening) but getting Grehga's sharp mind back for dolphincraft would make such a disgrace almost bearable.
"No. No, from all accounts she's doing very well in her apprenticeship."
Tarehg's response to that was a short, disbelieving grunt.
Greah sometimes had trouble believing that herself. "Well, perhaps they just think she's very clever. That's what they usually say to me -
"Your niece is very clever, isn't she?"
"Nobody can dispute that, at least," Tarehg said, shuffling the papers on his desk in a display of impatience that his daughter read without difficulty.
"It's something else she's done."
"She's still too young to marry that pretty-boy senior apprentice."
"Odarian? She plans to _marry_ him?" Greah had thought that she couldn't still be shocked by anything her niece got up to. It appeared she could be. "How do you know that?"
"She told me earlier in the month. I think she was making it up but who knows? He's the former Weyrleader's son, I believe, which isn't apparently any sort of recommendation."
"Yes, he is," Greah admitted. "But a nice young man and he actually does quite a bit to tone Grehga down."
"Is that even possible?" Tarehg muttered. "Are you going to tell me this news about her, or not?" he demanded finally, certain that Greah was dawdling around the conversational traps to force him to ask. And he had. It didn't improve his temper.
"She's classed as 'Weyr resident' you know, even though -"
"She lives there; she's apprenticed there. It's only right that the master under whom she's training provides her accommodation. Why should they think otherwise?" Even as he finished speaking his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Why, what has she done?"
Greah sighed, sure she was going to end up blamed for Grehga's actions.
She said, in a rush: "She petitioned the Weyrwoman to be allowed to Stand at the upcoming Hatching."
"She _WHAT_?"
"She ..."
"I _heard_ what you said." The master dolphineer couldn't _believe_ it.
"She's supposed to be a dolphineer," he grumbled. "She's the smartest of the lot of you and for some stupid reason she wants to be a _healer._
But now not even that is bizarre enough. Now she wants to be a _dragonrider_?"
Greah kept her amusement to herself and just nodded.
"Does it have something to do with that _boy_?"
"Er - Odarian, you mean?" Greah said, working her answer around in her mind to dissemble rather than being dishonest. "All people of the right age are encouraged to Stand. Apparently there was a hatchling at another Weyr, less than a month ago, that couldn't find somebody to Impress, and it died." She nodded. "They worry about that sort of thing, the weyrfolk."
Tarehg's eyes narrowed. "That's a 'yes', then? I shall speak to the Weyrhealer. This is ridiculous -"
His daughter cleared her throat, interrupting the flow of words. "Do you think, perhaps, that the Weyrhealer might only be interested in hearing from Grehga's _father_ about her? Not her grandfather?"
"Lahnen couldn't care less what that girl of his is up to."
There was a pause while Greah held her tongue and her father's disgruntled look deepened.
"Humph. You send _her_ down here, then," he said finally, accepting defeat on that one. "And I'll tell her exactly what _I_ think."
Greah did smile then. That was only fair. Grehga and her grandfather.
Two quick-thinking, smart-mouthed people diametrically opposed to each other. It was almost worth gathering a crowd to watch.
"I'll give her your message," the woman promised, glad to have the whole interview over and just hopeful that nothing would come of Grehga's latest impulsive decision.
Last updated on the March 19th 2008