The Ways of the Weyr

Writers: Ames, Eimi
Date Posted: 13th August 2010

Characters: Cardella, J'nev
Description: Cardella and J'nev meet and discuss the 'ways' of the Weyr. J'nev promises to help her learn more about them!
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 10, day 15 of Turn 5

Cardella

J'nev's sweepride had taken a bit longer than usual, and he had missed
the evening rush for the dinning hall. He also had missed the best
pickings as the best had already been consumed. The soup was cool, the
salad wilting, and the rolls all gone. Even the water was tepid and
only a few drops remained. Well, there was nothing to do but wait he
decided, sighing as he waited for someone to come with a fresh pitcher.

Cardella had put in a long day already. Between baking, chores,
candidate duties and helping to serve meals, sometimes she felt as
though all she wanted was a moment to sit down and rest. That moment
was not now. Most of the diners had already departed and some of the
other kitchen staff had moved on, leaving only Cardella and a few
others.

"The rider out there, he needs something again," one of the other
girls' called. Her hands and arms were covered in soap as she worked
to clean the pots and pans.

"I'll take care of it," Cardella replied. Moving over to the table,
she picked up a pitcher of water and a tray of what was left of her
pasties, which wasn't much. Carrying the two, Cardella walked over to
him.

"Evening," she said with a kind smile, as she tipped the water pitcher
to fill his glass. "I'm afraid there's not much left," she added as
she set the remnants of her desserts on the table.

He glanced at them, but he was far more interested in the young girl's
face. She was pretty! That certainly could help ease the pain of
this
meal! "Could you sit down for a moment?"

Cardella paused for a moment, contemplating. She would love to sit,
and in truth, she'd been told by the others that she could go. So,
really, she was done with her duties for the day. Cardella had enjoyed
meeting all the different people over the past few sevendays. Everyone
had a different story to tell. She wondered what this man's story
would be.

"For a short while," she said kindly, sliding into the open seat
across from him. "I'm actually done with my duties in the kitchens, so
I have a bit of time. I'm Cardella."

"J'nev. My lifemate's bronze Ankioth." He threw that in there
because
he knew girls tended to be a bit more impressed by the bronze boys.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir," Cardella replied. "What brings you
to the meal so late today?" Cardella could not help her curiosity. A
curiosity that had seemed to grow in the sevendays she'd been living
in the Weyr. Life here was so much more open and free. Cardella was
finding it more and more to her liking with each passing day. She knew
she still had much to learn and adjust to, but life here was good, and
she was happy.

"I had sweepriding duty and it took a little longer than we thought.
The winds weren't favorable," he said with a shrug. "But I don't mind
so much. I wouldn't have met you if I had been on time, now would I?"

Cardella found herself blushing a bit at his words. "Now, we've met
then," she replied. She found she didn't know what to do with herself,
so she folded her hands in her lap and glanced down at the table.
Then, as though remembering her duties, she looked back up at him
quickly, "Would you like something else J'nev? I can see what else is
available in the kitchens."

"You're trying to escape me already? Shards, I think that's a record.
Most women don't find me not to their tastes until we've exchanged at
least ten sentences of conversation," he smiled so she'd know he was
kidding. Sort of.

"No...I..." Cardella fumbled over her words, her cheeks turning a
rather nice shade of pink. Why did she always have to feel so awkward
around new people? "I didn't mean that way at all." She added on a
sigh. That was when she noticed his smile. Her eyes opened a bit wider
and she fumbled again for her words, "You...you were teasing me?" She
asked uncertainly, feeling a bit foolish for thinking he'd been
serious before.

He nodded. She must be new. Unspoiled by the Weyr. He wasn't sure
if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

The silence seemed to settle between them. Cardella was a tad
uncomfortable in social situations, so she wasn't sure what to do.
Feeling like she _should_ do something, she spoke again, "_Can_ I get
your anything else? I promise I'm not running away this time." She
added the last with a hint of a smile.

"You've put in a full day. Just sit a minute." He pushed one of the
desserts towards her. "Tell me how you ended up here."

Cardella smiled for real then. This was something she'd become
accustomed to talking about. It didn't make her uncomfortable in the
least. "I was actually studying at the Bakercraft Hall when a rider
from here came and informed me that I would make a good candidate. The
next thing I knew I was moving here. I've been learning so much since
then." Cardella stopped, and looked at him. "How long have you been
here?"

"I Impressed my first time, so not too long." J'nev really didn't like
talking about himself. He would rather like to imagine his life
started
after Impressing Ankioth and that he had no past other than that.
"You're going to Stand at the next Hatching then?"

"Oh, yes," Cardella said a bit breathlessly. "I'm still a bit nervous
about it all. I would never have imagined my life would have gone this
way." Her eyes were wide with a hint of excitement, but it was well
masked under her normally shy nature.

"Yeah, the Weyr does that to people." The bronzerider would never have
imagined his life would be this way. Before he had thought family was
the most important thing on Pern. His father had taught him then.
Then he found out his whole family was a giant lie. "And I bet you
never
had so many men notice you at the baker hall. Well, they probably
noticed,
but never talked to you."

Cardella blushed and giggled a bit at his flirting. "Yes, I mean, no,
I mean," she rolled her eyes at her own foolish tongue-tied nature. "I
mean you are right. No one really ever paid me much heed at home or at
the hall. Things are very different here." Cardella recalled some of
the flirts that had been case so easily her way since arriving, even
her dance with M'pan. So much had happened to her since her arrival.
She was beginning to feel like a different person altogether.

"So have you found any 'special friends' yet?" he asked curiously,
wondering just how far she had adapted to Weyr life.

Cardella looked at him with confusion for a moment, thinking of all
the new friends she had meet since her arrival. Then, as though a glow
had just been dropped on her head, Cardella's eyes widened, she sucked
in a breath and her hands rose to her chest. "Oh!" She exclaimed,
realizing what he had meant. "No...I....um....No!" She added the last
a bit more emphatically, then blushed profusely. Cardella was beyond
embarrassed. Her gaze dropped to the table, away from his.

"There's nothing wrong with it, you know," he said, ducking his head to
try to meet her eye. "If you Impress you'll need to find one. You
might as well start thinking about it now."

Cardella looked up, her face a mixture of emotions. Anguish was
clearly one of them. "I didn't realize that," she said in reply to his
comment. "My father would never approve." She looked at him, wondering
what she was going to do with herself in this matter. "I...I don't
know how to proceed with something like that." **Why are you even
having this conversation with him?** She chided herself.

J'nev frowned slightly. "Your father isn't here. And don't think
that your father wouldn't jump at the chance if he were given it."

Cardella blinked at him. What was he suggesting? "I couldn't imagine
what he would say the next time I saw him." Cardella loved her father
and she was ever so grateful to him for allowing her to go to the Hall
in the first place. Then, to boot, he had allowed her to stay on, when
most of the others had left. He'd even been supportive when she'd told
him about this move.

Cardella didn't know what to say now. This topic made her a bit
uncomfortable. She actually squirmed in her seat. Then, blurting out,
she said, "Are you sure I can't find you something more to eat?" It
would be an escape from this difficult moment, but yes, she knew she
would never leave unless he told her it was okay. He was, after all, a
rider, and she just a cook and a candidate.

But J'nev wasn't quite done. "Listen, you're cute and your young which
means that a lot of guys will love to teach you the ways of the Weyr.
You really should start thinking about it now, or you'll be there with a
proddy green Rising and you won't know what to do. You can get hurt.
Think about it, Cardella. I could be a friend, if you wanted me to
be."

Cardella stopped squirming and looked at him, _really_ looked at him.
She chewed her bottom lip as she contemplated what he was saying. "I
would like a friend," she finally replied. Then, glancing around and
seeing that they really, truly were alone, she looked at him with such
anguish in her eyes when she spoke, "I don't really...well....you
know. I've never had anyone. I mean..." she was utterly mortified but
she finally blurted out, "I've never even kissed someone before."
Cardella's cheeks turned a red like fire. She closed her eyes and
chided herself, **Why did you go and blurt that out. Silly, silly
girl.** For a moment, she wanted to get up, run out of the room and
find a good spot to cry. She felt so very foolish. He probably thought
her a simpleton after that statement.

That much he had guessed. And he really liked the idea of being a
girl's first 'friend'. "Well, that's easy enough to fix," he said with
an encouraging smile. "When do you get off?"

"It is?" She asked him naively, her eyes lifting to meet his. "I, um,
just have to help clear the dishes out here and then I am done. I
normally work early and finish as soon as the main meal is over."
Cardella was still looking at him curiously, unable to completely
understand what he was suggesting.

"Well, why don't I finish up, and I'll you finish up, and I'll meet you
in the commons room after you're done?" Teaching a new girl the 'ways
of the Weyr' certainly sounded like more fun than going back to his room
and oiling his riding straps, that was for sure!

"Oh, thank you," Cardella almost gushed out. She was so glad to feel
that she had made a friend. She knew he was going to tell her about
what she needed to know. Then, hopefully, she wouldn't have to feel so
afraid of the unknown. Cardella, of course, had no idea exactly what
was in store for her. Instead, she hopped up and started moving off to
finish her chores.

Turning back she added, "I'll be there as soon as I'm finished. Thank
you J'nev."

Last updated on the September 6th 2010

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