Searching Stories

Writers: AL, Francesca
Date Posted: 6th December 2008

Characters: Zelle, G'len
Description: G'len and Zelle discuss Searching, candidates, and the gold egg.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 13, day 5 of Turn 4

G'len poured himself a large mug of klah and carried it, and a plate heaped with food, to where he had seen Zelle sitting. After a long day of riding on Search, only another Searchrider could understand how he felt.

He sighed dramatically and smiled as he took a seat across from her. "Are you as tired as I am?"

"No. I'm _more_ tired!" Zelle gave G'len her own smile in return and leaned back in her chair. "If I wasn't so hungry I'd probably fall asleep right here."

"That makes two of us." G'len took a big gulp of klah, glad it wasn't too hot. "Did you bring any new Candidates back with you?"

"Two, with two more trying to decide whether or not they're going to accept." Zelle snuck in a bit of her food in between words, "How about you? Any luck?"

"Not really. One was a girl barely old enough to Stand, and her parents are refusing to even let her consider it. She looked absolutely terrified at the idea anyway though, so I'm not sure she would want to come even if her parents approved. The other was a boy who was considering apprenticing to a craft. He needs time to think." G'len took a bite of food. "At least there weren't any violent holders today. That's never fun, although it is amusing to remember them after arriving back at the Weyr."

"All of mine were boys." Zelle stirred her mashed tubers with her fork, then reached for the pepper to season them. "Violent holders? Do they really get violent? I've never had any problems with that before."

"Well, not physically violent," G'len admitted. "Just very angry. A number of Turns ago I landed at a minor hold and the holder really didn't want me there but, of course, he couldn't turn me away. Then, when I Searched one of his daughters he looked like he was about to explode. He began ranting that girls didn't belong in Weyrs and that we were immoral, and other silly things. But, when I mentioned that there was a gold egg on the Sands he suddenly became a lot nicer." G'len grinned, remembering.

"Funny that." Zelle mused with a soft chuckle. "Thankfully I didn't have anything happen like that today. Everyone was at least polite, if not overly welcoming. So what happened to the girl? Did she impressed the gold?"

"No, but she will be Standing for this clutch, so maybe she'll have better luck this time." He launched a small piece of meatroll in Zelle's direction. "Your turn to tell a Search story. A happy one." Those were always better than sad ones.

"Well, all but I think two of the people we've searched and accepted have impressed. The two that didn't could have continued to stand longer, but they decided to return home instead." Zelle shrugged. "Where I'm from, people are usually honoured at being searched. Only occasionally have I had someone refuse and told that they did not approve of the lack of morals at the Weyr, but to be honest they were rather polite about it."

"The angry holder was an exception. I recently returned to that hold and someone else, probably one of his sons, is now in charge. He was much nicer, and sufficiently honored and proud when I searched a young lad there." He threw another piece of meatroll. "And, that wasn't much of a story. I think it would go under the category of bragging." He grinned.

Zelle chuckled softly. "Do you think he would have been so proud and honoured had it been a girl? I find the South's view upon women quite odd, really."

"Who knows. Maybe if there were a gold egg, but otherwise...," G'len shrugged. "Do you get negative reactions from holders as a woman dragonrider?"

"I haven't had anyone be outright hostile," Zelle said slowly as she shook her head, "But they do seem a bit more reserved than I think they would be were I a man. Really, such an attitude is very strange!"

"It isn't so strange if you grow up with it," G'len pointed out. "But then, you're from the North, so it must be a bit of a shock."

"It is indeed!" Zelle hoped she never had to deal with a holder who got hostile, even physical. For one, Zelle was strong and more capable than a lot would probably give her credit four. Two, well...Rillith wouldn't hesitant to act should her rider be in danger. "I don't think I'll ever get used to it either."

"Luckily, at the Weyr, you don't have to deal with it most of the time." Of course, once the hold and craftbred candidates Impressed, it was part of his job to make sure they adjusted to life at the Weyr.

"This is true, but Weyrs have always been more open-minded, even compared with the most relaxed of holders." Zelle shrugged. "I suppose if it came down to it, I could get some big, strong, strapping bronzerider to accompany me."

"Aye, I suppose a friendly male greenrider wouldn't do much." G'len grinned.

"You're a big pushover, and you know it." Zelle teased. "Besides, if you get hurt, who would take your place?"

"Oh, I wouldn't get hurt. Tobereth would keep the angry holders at a distance. I do like your bronzerider idea though. He could charm everyone, while you whisk the Searched boys and girls away."

Zell chuckled softly. "Rillith is pretty mild mannered, but you're right, our dragons would be sure to keep any real trouble makers at bay...hopefully anyway. I'd hate to see what would happen should someone try something and Rillith did something about it. It wouldn't be a pretty sight."

G'len waved the subject away with his hand. "Any holder with common sense knows not to threaten a dragonrider." He finished his klah in one large gulp. "Have you had any girls beg to be Searched for the gold egg?"

"No begging yet, but I'm sure that will happen." Golds always made girls flock to searchriders, even if they weren't searched. Some were insistent to the point of rudeness. "It's early. Some are bound to have a bag packed and be ready to go as soon as I show up."

"It's funny that when there's a gold egg on the Sands everything else is forgotten: the supposed immorality of weyrlife, mating flights, everything.

"Yes, you're right." Zelle was glad she didn't impress a gold when she stood. No gold was better than her Rillith. "We'll probably have quite a few girls, and I bet some fathers who will be mad when their daughters don't impress a gold but do impress a green and won't be returning home."

"At least the girls are all happy in that situation. Although, I'm not sure if that's better than them being left standing and having to decide whether to stay at the Weyr or not." He shook his head. A gold egg on the Sands made going on Search and the dynamics of the candidates very different.

"I have a feeling a lot of girls down here would choose to stay." Zelle had heard about girls and how they were treated in the holds. She had seen hints of it, but nothing outright horrid. To be honest, she didn't want to see that ugly side of Southern Pern if she could help it. "In the North, a lot simply choose to return to their crafts since most women that I've come around up North do tend to craft."

G'len nodded. "Sometimes being Searched is the only way for girls here to escape marriage." Then he thought of Sorsha, who had decided not to come back. "Others, though, are perfectly happy to stay at their hold. It's nice when they are given the choice." Many were not even allowed that.

"Where I'm from, they always have a choice." Zelle muttered. She had heard about certain practises in the South before she moved down there, but she hadn't realised how bad it truly was. Well, it wasn't enough to make her transfer back. Despite it, she loved the south, she especially loved Dolphin Cove and she had two special friends that she wasn't about to leave.

G'len opened his mouth, then closed it, smiling. "I was about to joke that it would be great if every girl who wanted a gold would Impress one, but," he giggled, "that would be horrible. Could you imagine?"

"Dear Faranth, how could you ever suggest such a thing!" Zelle laughed and shook her head. The idea of a Weyr full of golds was...not really that pleasant. "It would be way too much! Give me a green any day!"

G'len raised his mug, a wide smile still on his face. "Aye, I'll drink to that."

Last updated on the December 7th 2008

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Searching Stories