Finding The Way

Writers: AL, Devin
Date Posted: 25th August 2009

Characters: K'mai, Briata
Description: K'mai meets Briata and helps her find the Dining Hall.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 4, day 9 of Turn 5
Notes: Mentioned: T'vanen

K'mai

Briata

The children in the creche had been delightful, even with the
occasional temper tantrums that was a part of every child's
development. Still, as much as Briata enjoyed children, the day had
been long and they did make her use a lot more energy than she would
otherwise. She had missed the children at Onyx Peak, though, and was
glad to be around the little faces, even if they were unfamiliar
faces.

She stepped through the door and stretched, then glanced about. She
had managed to get there without getting lost thanks to T'vanen's map
and it was his map that would keep her from getting lost again. She
pulled it from the little pouch that hung from her dress and unfolded
it, peering at the sketch.

"Hello there." K'mai stopped by the young woman and peered down at her
map. "I don't believe I've seen you before, and judging from the map,
I'd guess you were new here."

Briata looked up and smiled a little. "Yes, I am." It was painfully
obvious to anyone who stole even half a glace toward her.

"It's always nice to meet someone new, especially when they're as
pretty as you are." He grinned. "I'm K'mai."

"Ah, my name's Briata." K'mai sounded very like some of the holders
who had come to try and court her. "A pleasure to make your
acquaintance." Her gaze skipped over the knots and she took note of
his rank. She didn't have knots yet, but would she get any
considering her rank, or now her lack thereof?

"A pleasure to meet you, Briata." Now, why did that name sound
familiar? "I've spent my whole life here, so I'd be more than happy to
help you find your way."

"Well, I was just going to make my way to the dining hall. I'm
meeting a friend there for dinner." It certainly couldn't hurt to
have someone guide her there, even if she did have a map.

"Ah, the dining hall. One of my favorite places." He patted his
stomach. "Right this way."

Briata folded the bit of parchment and slipped it back into her pouch.
If she had a guide, she didn't it. She nodded and fell into step
beside K'mai. "Thank you for your willingness to show me."

"It's my pleasure. So, where did you live before?"

"One of the holds." Briata was hesitant to mention where she was
from. Already she had been the source of a fair amount of gossip.
She supposed there really wasn't any way to avoid it completely, but
she wasn't sure she should simply announce herself. Perhaps he
wouldn't push for a name.

"This is quite a change for you, then. Do you have family here?" There
were plenty of reasons, especially for a woman, to move from hold to
Weyr. K'mai was curious, but he didn't want to be _too_ nosy.

"No, no family." She could have gone back to her family, but Briata
would have felt too odd doing that. She had been taken out of her
father's household and set in a life of her own. That life had
collapsed, but she was still changed enough that she felt she
shouldn't go back to her father's hold. "I have a friend, T'vanen."

"A good friend?" K'mai asked, eyebrow raised.

"Yes, he's been a very good friend to me." Briata's tone made it
obvious that she had not quite caught on to the meaning K'mai's
question held. "He's helped me through a troubled time." And more,
brought her out of it into the freedom on that the Weyr afforded.
Freedom from the dream turned nightmare.

Hold girls. Some of them were so innocent. "We get a lot of young
women with troubled pasts. The Weyr is a good place to start over." He
led her through a branch in the corridor.

"Yes. Yes it is." Briata had taken the chance to make a new start
for herself. She wasn't the first, she wouldn't be the last. She
kept close to K'mai as they wound through the hallways. "Were you
originally from a hold?"

"No, no. Born and raised at River Bluff. Like I said, lived here my
whole life." Many of the corridors and stairways were so familiar to
him, he could probably walk them in his sleep.

"Oh that's right." K'mai had mentioned as such, but Briata had been
searching of a subject about which to converse. "How long ago did you
Impress?" Ah, much better - something they had yet to discuss.

He had to think about it. "Almost fourteen turns ago, now. Just in
time to rescue me from apprenticing."

"I suppose that means you didn't wish to apprentice to any Craft."
Briata's lips quirked upward a bit. "If you hadn't been searched, what
_would_ you have done?"

"I don't know. Harpering, perhaps, or massage. Something with a lot of
interaction."

"What kind of a harper?" It wasn't the only thing he had mentioned,
but Briata was curious. Did K'mai have some sort of musical or
artistic talent? Perhaps he was good at teaching.

"Not the kind that sings. I can barely carry a tune." He laughed.

"Perhaps a teacher?" Briata gives voice to her earlier thought.

"Hmmmm ... maybe. I don't know what I'd teach, though. I'm glad I
never had to worry about it."

"It certainly makes no difference now." With the return of Thread,
K'mai wouldn't have been able to continue a craft even if he had
wanted to. "How far is it to the dining cavern?" She was already
lost and was going to have to ask for guidance to get to her weyr.

"Almost there," he said. "So, what about you? What if you had the
chance to craft?"

"Oh, well..." Crafting. She could do that. Briata had thought about
it and T'vanen had mentioned it to her before. "Probably as a
Weaver." It wasn't what she _really_ wanted to do, but that rug had
been rudely pulled out from under her.

"Ahh, I have a few Weaver friends. Wonderful people." They turned
another corner and the entrance to the dining hall stood before them.
"Here we are."

"T'vanen's not here yet." Briata glanced around but she didn't see
the form of the bronzerider anywhere. "But he'll probably be along
soon. He's good about not keeping one waiting."

"I could keep you company until then, if you don't mind."

"If you wish." Briata didn't mind company, but she hoped that the
dragonrider didn't think she was going to offer anything else. She
knew that the ways of the Weyr were quite different from that of the
Hold. "You don't have to feel obligated, though."

"Not at all. Should we find a seat?" he asked.

"It will be easier for T'vanen to find me out here." Her eyes were
already scanning the stream of people that were making their way
inside the Dining hall. Her smile lit when she saw the familiar
figure walking toward her. "That's him. Thank you very much K'mai, I
appreciate it. It was very nice meeting you." She turned her smile
to him for a fleeting moment before moving off toward the young
bronzerider of whom she had spoken.

Last updated on the August 29th 2009

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Finding The Way