Quite Old for an Apprentice

Writers: Paula, Jane
Date Posted: 9th January 2009

Characters: Leisenn, Ednan
Description: Leisenn interviews Senior Apprentice Ednan.
Location: Dolphin Hall
Date: month 13, day 27 of Turn 4

Leisenn looked up before the young man had time to knock on the open door of her office. "Senior apprentice Ednan," she said, for she was starting to recognise them all by sight. "Come in and take a seat. Close the door behind you."

"Yes, m'am," Ednan said and shut the door behind him. Brun peered around curiously on his shoulder when he took the indicated seat.

"Ahh, you must be the apprentice Journeywoman Trellyn was giving the firelizard egg to," Leisenn said, getting to her feet and rounding the desk. "May I have a look at him?"

"Of course," Ednan smiled and took the flit from his shoulder and offered him for closer look. Brun didn't like it and flapped his wings furiously, clinging to Ednan's hand with his sharp claws. It made the young man wince.

"Don't let him shred your arm on my account," Leisenn said, putting her hands behind her back and 'looking with her eyes only' as she had been reminded often enough in her long-ago childhood. "He's a fine fellow, isn't he? Quite well grown for one so recently hatched."

"He is," Ednan smiled proudly. "He's a temperamental too," he continued and scratched the firelizard, who calmed down.

"Well I hope he won't get too temperamental while we talk. Have a seat," Leisenn said, indicating the chair beside the desk and deciding to retreat behind that large piece of furniture in case the little creature misbehaved. "I suppose you know I'm talking to everybody at the Hall? Meeting them, trying to get a sense of where they fit in the craft and this particular Hall."

"Yes, ma'am, I've heard of it," Ednan replied and sat on the indicated chair.

"So now it's your turn. I'm particularly interested in you because you're quite old for an apprentice, aren't you?"

"Yes, ma'am. I'm from Emerald Falls Hold, which is inland, and I could barely swim when I came here. I had to catch up with those apprentices that were from sea holds. I still have troubles with deep diving," Ednan explained.

"Hmm. Is something being done about that?" Leisenn asked, though she thought even as she did so that it was likely Master Mahantan had the young man's training under close scrutiny.

"I've been taking extra lessons," Ednan replied.

"And is that helping?" the Hallmaster asked, knowing that all the extra lessons in the world sometimes weren't enough.

"Yes, they are. But I still need to gather all my courage before I'm able to dive without the airlung."

"Are the dolphins helping you? If you explain how they feel they can sometimes manage to be quite helpful."

"Yes, they are. They stick close when I am diving, ready to pull me up if I panic," Ednan said.

"I think I'd better see this for myself. Sometime in the next month or so could you free up an afternoon to go swimming with me and Tu and we'll go through some exercises together so I can get a better feel for how this problem is affecting you." She glanced at the young man's training file that sat to one side of her desk, having studied it over the last couple of days. "Some apprentices stay apprentices for life. They reach the limit of their skills or abilities but still find useful and important work in the Hall. As it happens, I don't think that should be your future but it's something you can consider, if you like, as an alternative to struggling on with this problem."

"Would really, _really_ like to become a real dolphin healer," Ednan said with quiet voice full of dedication and desperation.

"Well, then, let's see what we can do to get you promoted so you can be one."

Last updated on the January 18th 2009

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Quite Old for an Apprentice