History lessons (Lyrai)

[brimstone81]

G'del was browsing around the records room, searching for more information about this Weyr. He hadn't been told too much, just a little about the poisoning from Southern leaders and from the short conversation with Ruet. The bronzerider practically knew none of the statistics of this Weyr, other than the amount of breedable queens it had, and how many bronzes the Weyr housed. G'del thought that if he was going to live her for the rest of his days, for he was tired of moving, he should know everything there was to find out about this place. It was still a little mysterious to him, he did not have the advantage of growing up here to find out about all the secret passageways, nor did he know many of the kitchen workers' names. That would come with time. However, the rider wanted to find out what he could from records first. He would never probably admit it, but he was a fan of reading, and enjoyed doing some research from time to time. Though that was usually when he was preparing for thread.

Speaking of thread, he didn't even know how traditionally Ponaa fought thread. G'del had been using Fort techniques that he had learned since being a weyrling there. He made a mental note that he would have to look at some thread charts while here. However, that might be a little harder, considering that he had heard N'mos poured over them almost constantly. G'del wasn't that obsessive with research, thank the first shell. The bronzerider's attentions fell upon clutch charts. They always made him wonder about the riders. These were just boring records, but it was sort of fun to just daydream about what kind of lives they led. If they were strictly business or if there was love in that match. Again, this was something he would probably not admit doing to anyone, save perhaps a future weyrmate or close friend.

The bronzerider thought he heard footsteps. G'del had thought he was alone, but maybe it was N'mos coming back for something. Or maybe his imagination was just playing tricks on him. The bronzerider picked up the record, not sure now if he had heard anything or not, and read down a few lines.

[LyricalBlue]

With an armful of skins, the Weyrwoman stumbled into the records room. Always there were skins that needed cleaning and copying, this was the latest batch that had been restored. She set them down on the table and let out a long sigh. A drudge could have handled this, but she was careful with the records, Harper training Ly supposed. But before replacing any copies they had to be checked and checked again, loosing any information could prove problematic for later generations. So much had already been lost... Time and again, the Weyrwoman had wondered about setting a search party to try and recover records from the long abandoned Weyrs. Of course they had been unoccupied for so many generations there was probably nothing left.

She had turned to leave when she finally spotted G'del. She squeaked slightly and her eyes widened, a moment later she recognized the bronzerider.
"Oh! Wingleader! I didn't see you there!"
Lyrai took a deep breath then laughed slightly. By the first egg, he'd given her a start. But then walking anywhere without being able to see where one was going was never a wise plan.

Out on her ledge, Zhariath had woken up to her rider's momentary bewilderment. The Queen shook her head and yawned, exposing many sharp teeth and a pink tongue. But Lyrai's nerves had settled a moment later so the gold only touched the Weyrwoman's mind lightly with reassurance.
You are well?
Yes love, just fine.
With a snort the Queen laid her head back down and made another valiant attempt at sleeping in the hot southern sun.

[brimstone81]

G'del had dismissed the thought of footsteps and when he had heard a small squeak, his eyes darted up from the record and immediatly sought out the maker of such a noise. It didn't him long to find the squeaker, because she soon spoke to him. Good, he wasn't going nuts. He smiled softly and bowed slightly as curtesy to her rank, "We have that in common, Weyrlady, I didn't see you either until now. I had thought that perhaps I was hearing things. I am very glad to see that I am not. Very glad indeed."

G'del found her appearance very pleasing, and he would welcome this diversion from his studies. He set down the record skin, and motioned to the newer record pile, "Would I be interrupting your work? If they need to be organized yet, I could probably be of service. Though you might have to be patient with me, I am but a poor, thread fighting dragonman. I'm not very well versed in such librarian arts." He smiled playfully at her. He nodded thoughtfully, "Although, I have been told I can be as good about taking orders as I am giving them."

[LyricalBlue]

It seemed that the private sanctum that the Records Room was supposed to be was anything but. Indeed, this man seemed quite full of himself today. But then that seemed to be a commonality among Ponaa's bronze riders lately. They all thought they were as smooth as freshly churned butter. Lyrai rather thought they'd have much better luck laying such attentions on that thick with Greenriders of sill hold women. She had too much work to do to be bothered with such inane foolishness.

"Apparently we do." Lyrai spoke rather dryly and gestured to the skins that she had just deposited on the table. "I just got these copies back, I was going to file them back onto their proper places." With a half smile she picked up a couple of the skins and began searching for their place along the wall. "I should think even a poor, thread fighting dragonman should be able to handle that."

Placing a skin back in its slot, Lyrai turned to grab another and deposit that too. She really ought to assign one of the drudges to keep track of the records and who took what. It was a limited few allowed in the Records Room at all, but never the less. It worried her when records went missing and she had no knowledge of who took them. Of course, most of the time it was N'mos. At least he knew how to properly care for the records even if he could manage nothing else right.

[brimstone81]

Lyrai didn't seem to be in a playful mood. Not that he knew if she was ever playful. G'del was more serious by nature anyway so he'd just have to do work and be himself then. Lyrai didn't seem to have much patience for lazy arses, so instead of trying to make small talk or even to attempting to tease her a little bit, he walked over to the table and picked up two record skins and looked to see how they were sorted.

He mused suddenly, "I often get lost in records rooms. The past is all very interesting to me some times. I don't suppose you ever wonder about the people who originally wrote these?" He wasn't sure if she would humor him in answering. He got a distinct vibe that she wasn't buyin' what he was selling.

[LyricalBlue]

As Lyrai continued to sort the skins she mused about G'del's comment. It was true, she often thought on long lengths about the people who had come before her. All those Weyrwomen who sat in the seat she now occupied, what she wouldn't give to learn a fraction of their wisdom. In most cases the Senior Queen did pass on the knowledge, but when the Weyr's previous Queen had died, Lyrai hadn't been anything more than a wandering Harper then. She hadn't even been a candidate. After Lamenth had died, her rider Arian had suicided; so all the knowledge that might have been passed on was lost. Lyrai found herself blessing everyday that Zhariath and Sharieth had hatched alive and well. If they hadn't... well such dark thoughts were not suited for the normal day.

Lyrai nodded slowly to G'del, keeping her eyes focused on the shelves.
"I do wonder about it a great deal, quite a shame there aren't many personal records. How many head of beasts the Weyr goes through in a turn is hardly interesting reading." She turned back to the table and collected a couple more of the freshly copied skins.
"I can't imagine how much we've lost either. Every time a craftsman dies without an apprentice or a Lord without a heir. It seems we can never learn as much as our ancestors forgot."

Being Harper bred and trained, the subject of lost knowledge was a particularly sore one for the Weyrwoman. Over countless turns Harpers struggled to maintain knowledge and the language. But no matter what they did there were variations and changes.
"And with all the Weyrs in the north abandoned, the amount of history lost is just... astounding."

She laughed quietly then and shook her head.
"My apologies, the subject is a rather upsetting one. Harper family, you know. So I tend to be rather passionate about the subject." Lyrai knew she had a tendency to go on about it. If only Weyr duties kept her less busy... The idea of getting the chance to search the abandoned Weyrs always made her antsy and unsettled.

Full Weyrs are more interesting, they hold bronzes.
The Weyrwoman giggled inwardly, Zhariath had never understood her passion about history. But then, to the Queen, things more than a few days old were far beyond recollection.
Indeed love, but imagine how many bronzes there were in the past.
I rather prefer the ones here now.
Lyrai shook her head and smiled, then went back to sorting the skins. Dragon logic almost always won such differences of opinion between herself and her Queen.

[brimstone81]

G'del chucked, "Aye beast intake records hardly tell us much other than perhaps about the hunger of the dragons. 'Tis a shame to loose any information. Would I wouldn't give to get such lost wisdom back. I hear that the master vitner at Benden only gives his secret to one master that will succeed him. And if he dies with out passing it on, then the fine Benden wine is lost." The bronzerider smiled, and looked down to the records in his hands, sorting them out. "Now that, milady, would be a great shame, ask anyone in your Weyr."

She talked about the abandoned Northern Weyrs, "Yes, that is a great tragedy. It leads one to wonder what kind of things we could prevent now if only we knew what they knew. Or even had access to such old wisdom that some records held." There was a pause before Lyrai laughed softly and spoke again. He replied softly, "Oh, I do not blame you. I always had a love of histories myself, though very few people know of it. I'm not a musician by any means, I am a smith. My hands are too clumsy for pipes and guitars. They are better with a hammer. But I liked listening to the harpers my whole life. It's good to have passions and loves in life."

And what are your passions, Mine? Solarith inquired. The rider didn't answer.