How Did You Know

Writers: Heather K, Suzee
Date Posted: 21st May 2011

Characters: E'ril, Pierka
Description: E'ril interviews another candidate
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 2, day 9 of Turn 6
Notes: Mentor approved by Emma

Pierka

With the latest clutch hardening on the sands, E'ril had been making
more of an effort lately to introduce himself to the latest batch of
Candidates. In his mind it was never too early to start getting to
know them and to start forming a picture in his mind of what this
Weyrling class might be like. Earlier he had checked the chore roster
for the Candidates and spotted an unfamiliar name next to herdbeast
duty. Seeing as this line of work was very familiar to the bluerider
from his childhood he decided to investigate.

It didn't take him long to find the young woman in question. He
cleared his throat to ler his presence be known. "Hello there, you're
Pierka I presume?"

She straighted up from where she was mucking out a runner's stall.
"Yes Sir?" she answered. She looked at his elaborate knots and she
wasn't completely familiar with all the Weyr's complexities yet. Ok,
he had dragonrider knots and was a lifemate to a blue dragon but there
was another whole set of complexity... was he one of the
weyrlingmasters?

Putting out his hand out to greet her, the dirt and grime certainly didn't
bother him, he said, "I'm E'ril, rider of blue Dawenth. We're part of
the Weyrlingstaff and I make it a point to try and at least
meet you Candidates before you end up in my classes. Sort of break the ice."

Her eyes lit. Perhaps if he was coming to see her she really did have
a chance to Stand after all. That thought made her very happy. "Very
nice to meet you," she said shyly.

A half smirk crossed E'ril's face as he took in her enthusiasm. This was
a good sign for new riders. "Pleasures all mine. So, let's just start with
the basics. Where are you from, family, and all that?" As he spoke, he
grabbed
a pitchfork and started picking up the dirty hay. No sense in stalling
the girl's chores.

Her shoulders slumped. "Well that's the problem," she said without
looking at him directly but continuing to work. "When the big storm
hit in Topaz Sea Hold they found me in a boat washed up after. No one
else survived and I can't remember before it. I had a really big bump
on my head. I can remember everything since." She stopped there and
looked at him.

"That's a very interesting beginning, indeed. At least you remember
everything after though. I'll venture a guess then and say you were
on your way to becoming some sort of Seacrafter then before you were
Searched?" Small though she was, he could tell she had spent a good
deal of time doing manual labor. Her
skin was tan and her hair naturally lightened. He hoped she didn't
find his questions nosy. The history of veryday people interested him
and he believed that everyone's personal history contributed in some
way to the overall history of the Hold, Weyr, and even Pern itself.

A half of a smile twitched the corner of her mouth. "Probably," she
acknowledged his thoughts. "At least I had the callouses that would
say I wasn't some sort of a Lady. I joined Dolphin Hall and moved here
with them but I couldn't stay away from the Weyr. One day I was
Searched and so I came here and hopefully will get to Stand." Her
hands moved back into position as she started back on the work at
hand.

"Oh, I think you'll Stand. Getting Searched is half the battle and,
from what I've seen and heard from you, you know the value of hard
work. A very admirable, and rare in my opinion, quality for any
Candidate and girl your age," E'ril praised and then paused in his
work, wiping his brow with the back of his hand. "I have one question
though that I like to ask every Candidate, why dragonriding? What
makes you want one of the most
demanding and dangerous jobs on Pern?"

She was very happy to hear he thought she would stand. That was one of
her main concerns at the present. Qorri had been true to her word and
sent her to several people. So far they seemed positive. "There are
many jobs with danger. I"m not afraid to the point I couldn't
function. I've survived one of the biggest storms on record." She
didn't quite know how to say that she wanted someone, something to
love her and who she could love back. For that she'd do whatever was
necessary.

E'ril laughed at this. "Well met, Pierka. Indeed you did and you'll
weather many more a storm with that sort of outlook, if you know what
I mean. Perhaps, if you do Impress, you can share your optimism and
courage with some of the others who aren't so...prepared?" In his
experience, the Weyrling Assistant found that sometimes things worked
out better for struggling weyrlings if they had strong peers to look up
to. The Weyr was always in need of leaders, maybe someday Pierka would
one of them.

She smiled and nodded at the rider and her 'hopefully' future teacher.
"Sure," she said simply.

"Alright then," he replied. For a time the two worked in silence. The girl's
demeanor was normal enough though, with young kids like this, things
could always
change in the blink of an eye. "So, do you have any questions about
anything at all
for me? Anything that you've been unable to find out for yourself, or
from anyone
else since you arrived?"

She knew she'd never be the strongest since most everyone of the other
Candidates was bigger than she was, well at least anyone her age or
older. There were a couple of younger weyrbrats in the group. There
was one thing that occurred to her. "How do we know? I mean when you
impressed, how did you know?"

"You mean like when you're out on the sands, how do you know that a dragon
has chosen you?" He waited for her affirmative before he continued. "It's
sort of like someone nudging you, but in your mind. Honestly, the first
thing
you'll feel is hunger. You'll feel so hungry you'll think you could devour
a whole herdbeast. Dawenth decided he would introduce himself to me, being
that he sort of sneak up behind me and all. So yeah, you'll feel hungry and
you'll probably hear a name in your head. Admittedly, it does take some
getting used to."

She so desperately wanted that to happen to her but she had to Stand
to make it so. She put her pitchfork down. They were finished and just
in time for her to wash up for dinner. She smiled up at him. "May I go
get washed up now sir?" she asked.

The bluerider did as she did and propped up his pitchfork against a wall.
He brushed the dust and dirt from his hands and replied, "I think we both
will go get cleaned up. I'm starving now. Pleasure to meet you, Pierka.
I'll be seeing you soon." He lead the way out of the barn and headed for
his weyr and a fresh change of clothes.

Last updated on the May 29th 2011

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