Where You Came From

Writers: Rochelle
Date Posted: 28th August 2007

Characters: Ariau
Description: Ariau discovers the reason for some of the other candidates' hostility toward her.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 5, day 3 of Turn 4

"Watch where you're going, wherry!"

Ariau staggered a moment from the force of the impact, then spun on the candidate who had deliberately shouldered her into the wall.

"Then move over." She snapped irritably. This was the last thing she wanted to deal with. She was still adjusting to the time difference, she had the start of a headache, it had been a _long_ day -and a surprising number of the other candidates had been oddly hostile towards her since she'd arrived. Since there were three other candidates who had been introduced as new to classes, she couldn't figure out for the life of her why _she_ was a threat and not the others. "The hallway is plenty large enough for two."

The boy gave a short bark of laughter. "That's what you think, Dragonsfall. But the Sands aren't. So why don't you go back where you came from?"

Ariau blinked at him, her mind suddenly placing the boy as one of the more obnoxious ones in her new candidate classes. "What in the name of Faranth are you talking about?" She asked incredulously.

He sneered at her. "Right, pretend you don't know. Pretend you aren't here just to steal our eggs. Just because our queens are actually _fertile_ you Dragonsfall people think you can steal our dragons!"

Oh shards. She'd heard something about the queens of Dragonsfall Weyr being off cycle -apparently they were farming out their candidates until they rose again. Was that why she'd been getting so many hostile looks?
They thought she was from Dragonsfall? But the Hatching was a month away!

"I am _NOT_ from Dragonsfall." She said emphatically, glaring at the other boy. "I am a harper, from Fort Weyr."

"And how is that supposed to be better?" The boy said derisively. "Fort Weyr, Dragonsfall Weyr -we have enough of our own to Stand. We don't need anyone else stealing our eggs."

He was advancing on her now, and he was taller than her by a few inches. He seemed to have decided she was a good focus for his rant, and was starting to go red in the face. It didn't take a genius to see that he saw her as an easy target. She stood her ground, anger rising in her at his stupidity. "I'm not stealing eggs." She said angrily. "And you know the dragons chose who they want, not the candidates!"

"The dragons chose from who is Standing." He retorted, still advancing on her. She began to plan exactly which move her grandfather had taught her would be best to use to get away as she started backing down the hall. "And for every _Dragonsfall_ who Impresses, it's one less dragon for those who _deserve_ it!"

"I didn't come here to steal eggs." She snapped again. "I transferred South with my grandparents."

She just wouldn't mention that her grandparents were on the other side of the continent, at Dolphin Cove Weyr instead of River Bluff...

He waved her comment away, although she could see him starting to catch himself, as he realized that she wasn't backing away from him out of fear. She had changed her grip on the bag she was carrying so that it could be used as a weapon. "Then you should _all_ go back to where you came from."

"No." She told him boldly, hefting her bag warningly. **Never show fear...** She reminded herself, bringing to mind images of her grandfather's weathered face. "I will not go back to where I came from. _This_ is where I come from now. River Bluff Weyr. And if you try to bully me like this again, I swear by the first egg I will hit you first and explain to the Headwoman later!"

He hesitated, and she saw the calculation in his eyes. He was a bully, all right, just like dozens of others she had seen over the turns, But he was also smart enough to know when he had picked the wrong target, and had no desire to be caught. As if. As soon as she could get away from him, she was going to report him. If he was picking on _her_, who knew who else he had already scared witless!

If you think that was bullying, you're an idiot." He scoffed coolly. "I was just warning you, that's all. Just as well. You'll never Impress anyway."

She rolled her eyes, but said nothing, and watched as he jammed his hands into his pockets and walked casually away. Only then did she relax her grip on the bag.

Great. Just what she needed, she thought, disappointment and anger warring in her heart as she determinedly started back in the direction she had come from. Her shining new home was just like anywhere else, with bullies and idiots as well as friendly people. She'd known better, but she had hoped...

Last updated on the November 30th 2008

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Where You Came From