Turns Beginning
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: AL, Jane
Date Posted: 1st January 2009
Characters: Leisenn, Alydelle
Description: Leisenn speaks to one of the apprentices as they head for the Hall's celebration of Turns Beginning.
Location: Dolphin Hall
Date: month 13, day 30 of Turn 4
Notes: Control Post for Turns Beginning at the Dolphin Hall.
It would be dawn soon; Turns Beginning. That day for celebrating the new Turn. The fifth Turn of the Pass.
The elderly Hallmaster of Dolphin Cove's Dolphin Hall missed the old Turns, before the Pass, when each Turns Beginning had added one to a total stretching back over a thousand Turns. There was something wrong, she had thought for each of the last three Turns Beginnings, with identifying the Turns solely in relation to the presence of the Red Star in Pern's skies.
But perhaps the dragonriders liked it - and if they did then who more than they had the right to name these difficult Turns?
Whatever it was called it was about to dawn.
The New Turn.
~ ~ ~
Leisenn was carrying an electric lantern to light her way down to the eastern-most of the two docks, the one that was solely for the use of the dolphineers. Since she would be swimming with Tu it was a safest place to meet up with him, keeping well away from those who would be on the water in small boats which would be boarded from the main dock directly in front of the Hall's main entrance.
"Good morning, Alydelle," Leisenn said as she recognised the young woman as she appeared from out of the shadows cast by the large electric lights that illuminated the beach and docks but also threw the rest of the area into deeper shadow. She was amused to find her voice croaky on this first use of the day. "Happy Turns Beginning."
"Good morning Master Leisenn." Alydelle's greeting was soft. She had been feeling better over the last sevenday or so. The illness that struck her never seemed to simply happen in the mornings. No, it hit at the most inconvenient of times. It was gradually getting less, however, and that morning she had yet to feel any effects from it. She still wasn't showing, for which Aly was grateful. That wouldn't last forever, however. "Happy Turn's Beginning."
"Are you going to swim with us? Or take to one of the rafts?" Not that there weren't other options with the training pontoons moored out in the bay, but most dolphineers, even apprentices, possibly even pregnant ones, would tend to opt for being the in the water.
"I'm going to swim." Alydelle wasn't limited by her physical condition in that aspect at least and she wanted to enjoy as much time in the water as possible. "Is everything ready? Is there anything you need me to do?"
"I hope everything's ready," Leisenn said fervently. "Thank you for the offer, but I'm sure everything will be fine. You just enjoy yourself out there. Th weather seems to be as our friends predicted and we should have a lovely dawn to celebrate."
Alydelle turned her gaze to the horizon where the predawn just barely lightened the sky, warning of its coming. "It will be lovely." The girl muttered half to herself. "When do we start?"
"I suppose some of those on boats will be already underweigh as soon as I'm on the dock and Tu shows up then I'm heading out. No need to wait for me, though, if you beat me to the water."
"I don't mind waiting." The girl offered amiably. She liked her Master and she liked Tu. "I would like to go with you."
Leisenn forbore to ask if the girl didn't have friends she would rather share the Turns Beginning with, suspecting that Alydelle didn't, in fact. "That would be nice. Tu's been telling me he likes you too."
~ ~ ~
Leisenn was too busy to pause and take stock while they were out in the water, and then the magnificent breakfast the staff served out on the beach was distraction enough without the addition of people wishing each other the best for the New Turn.
But when she did find a moment she surreptitiously glanced around. Up to the cliff face with its myriad of windows; along the beach crowded with Hall folk, over the docks that lay uncharacteristically idle at this time on this day, and out into the bay where the gathered dolphins still played.
She didn't like to consider herself smug - but really, what else could she call the feeling? She had a Hall, after all these Turns. The Hall belonged to her ... and she belonged to the Hall.
The fifth Turn of the Pass had dawned, and it found her in a role she was enjoying - very, very much.
Last updated on the January 1st 2009