A Late Evening at Work (open)

[hrsegrl]

H'var worked diligently and well into the night at times. HE had no reason to go to bed early and plenty of reasons to do work. If he had his way he would have moved his bed here. Etrayth would not like that much, he prefferred having his own ledge and not sharign with the Weyrlings.

There were tests to make for the older Weyrlings not to mention a Graduation to plan. The WEyrlingmaster had made it clear that this next Graduation would need to be special as the Gold Weyling would be graduating at long last. It was no secret to H'var that I'slen liked the girl. It was not his place to say anythign on such a matter. What happened between a Gold rider and a Bronze rider was certainly no concern of his. IT would only have been a concern if the ranks were considerably different.

Kestrel flew into the office, a letter tied to him. what was it now? HE wondered. The search for more candidates had begun. Sharieth had clutched and so close to Zhariath. HE was excited to have new Weyrlings of course. Though Zhariath's clutch was slow to hatch and their were rumors that they might never do so. H'var didn't listen to rumors so it was of no import to him what they thought.

He would cling to the hope of another full clutch of Weyrlings to improve the Weyr and dragonkind. Letting out an absentminded sigh, H'var wrote down some notes about a blue Weyrling who seemed to be acting out of sorts. He wanted the dragon to be seen by the Weyr Dragonhealer. It might just be an issue with the teaching methods but H'var expected their might be something wrong with the dragonet's wing.

[menta]

Brook poked her head into the Asst. Weyrlingmaster's office, yay, he was in! She was in one of those modds here she needed someone to pester. And really, what could H'var be doing that was that important. And he would probably no the status of the clutches and the searches, which was all very exciting to her; fresh blood (and boys) and a chance to impress.

"Hello H'var," She greeted the Brown rider warmly, letting herself into his office. She had manners when she needed them, but once she was remotely comftorable around a person, they flew out the window. "Whatcha up to?"

[hrsegrl]

"Good evening Brook." He replied distractedly. Finishing the last part of the note he was writing he tied it to Kes on his leg. "Just finished writing the Weyr Dragonhealer about a young blue Weyrling. I'm convinced the blue is having some difficulty with his wing." H'var looked up finally. "Now why would a young Candidate like yourself be up at this hour?" He knew exactly why but didn't say a word.

The clutches were exciting to everyone. She'd want to know what was available and how many eggs there were. H'var hoped Sharieth's clutch did not leave her ill as it had Zhariath. The Queens were rare after all.

[menta]

She shrugged slightly, "Just the usual." She replied. She was older than most of the other candidates anyways, so it would be absurd for her to have to have the same bedtime as they did. It had been perfectly honest really, she'd been out training her new flit, her little Bronzie. "Have you met Pan?" She asked, revealing a growing lizard nestled and snoring slightly, in her sleeve. She had forgotten how fast they grew. It was needless to say that Saavi was quite excited by the hatching of the bronze.

"So H'var," She said winningly, sliding closer to him, with a charming smile, "You wouldn't happen to know anything about the clutches, or the searches, would you?" She asked, a glint in her eye. She was unabashedly flirtatious, but also knew that men like H'var rarely fell for it, so there was really no harm. She wondered for a moment if H'var ever had fun...she doubted it.

[hrsegrl]

He watched her reply. Sounded like she was a bit bored really. Then she presented her firelizard. "No I have not had the pleasure of meeting him." He smiled. "Nice looking little Bronze. Kestrel will be jealous... as he is not fond of Bronzes. How has your green taken to him?" The Brown flit was luckily away delivering a message for him.

Brook was incourigable. All she had to do really was ask. He wasn't into the whole flirtation but he was not suprised by it. She could get someone into a lot of trouble someday. He wagered it would be some poor Bronzerider. Better the Bronzerider than himself. As much as the young girl was attractive she wasn't the sort to console a man with a broken soul.

"I might know quite a bit on both topics. Queen Sharieth laid a sizeable clutch of thirty six eggs." He let a smirk come to his handsome face. "One egg you will be highly interested in." She would be indeed. Everyone had let out a sigh of relief when they saw the Gold Egg. It had been a good omen. "There is a Gold on the sands." After having let the process be drawn out. "They are sending out searches but mostly for the other colors seeing as we have quite a number of Gold Candidates for the little one to choose from."

[menta]

Brook smiled and tickled the little bronze under his chin. "Well she's fussing over him something dreadful now that he's little, but when he grows up well...he's a bronze and she's a green." She gave a slight smile.

She bit her lip, not flirtatiously in the least and her eyes widened as he mentioned the Gold egg. If there was something that interested her more then men it was a dragon. How she longed to ride a Gold, be a Weyrwoman, it was what was keeping her here. Back at Ponaa hold, she could have a wealthy young husband and numerous hot affairs...but here, there was always hope, always a chance for a dragon. She imagined that Impression would be better then sex. "A Gold egg..." She breathed happily, her expression genuinely gleeful.

She was glad there wouldn't be too many more Gold candidates, there were enough already...but the reinforcement of male candidates for the other colors was pleasant news indeed. She paused her daydreams of dragonriding and glanced at H'var. "Well that's all brilliant news H'var, so i'm at a loss to why you always look so solemn." She said. She didn't understand the conventional methods of grief. Everyone had grieved in the past turn or so...but she had her own ways. Being mopey and depressed just wasn't her.

[hrsegrl]

H'var was not at all suprised at her reaction to the comments. Gold's were every girls dream or at least most girls. Women on Pern were allowed so little freedom...riding Gold gave them more power than any of the other women on Pern. He was happy within his own station but many that rode brown had dreamed of Bronze.

"There are many things you do not yet understand." H'var said giving her a hint of a smile. Working with Weyrlings and Candidates always made him think of the future which he always saw as good. "The only thing that would be worse than what I am feeling now would be to lose Etrayth." Hopefully that explained the intensity of the emotion that he was feeling. Many had grieved but not everyone had met their soul mate. Yes he was a believer in true love but now that he had lost it he sometimes wished he had never had it.

"Sharieth is no doubt very proud of herself." He changed the subject. "Nemenath too. In fact it might be a good idea for you to meet with Weyrwoman Ruet at some point. Perhaps you can go see the eggs..." He wanted all the youths he met to get what they dreamed of but he knew that there were more Candidates than eggs and no matter how wonderful the person they were not always destined for what they longed for.

[menta]

Brook's eyes adopted an empathy and sadness that they rarely did. It lingered for a minute, to lose someone's dragon, surely nothing could be worse, or even equal. She realized she actually new very little about H'var. She almost questioned further but realized it would probably make both of them uncomfortable. There were some kinds of intimacy that terrified her. Heart to hearts were on of them. She didn't like the mushy and usually had the wrong reaction - nervous laughter, and therefore stayed quiet.

She was actually quite relieved when he change the subject. She nodded, her expressive eyes back to normal, lively shallowness. "I bet they are." She said and her fingers tensed slightly at his suggestion. "Meet her, really? And the eggs?" Her voice rose slightly, in volume and pitch. "Could you arrange that?" She asked, considering batting her eyes a little, but instead, just asked him plainly. He had suggested it anyways, and those things didn't work on him anyways. She wondered what HAD happened to him to make him so immune to her charms.

[hrsegrl]

He wanted to laugh at the little game she was playing. He could see his own daughter doing that someday... which made him feel old eventhough he wasn't. Little did Brook know that he had never fallen for flirtatious girls. The only girl he had ever wanted was Meran and now he found himself in a world without her. "I don't know. Of course you could suggest it to the Candidate Master. All of you should go see the eggs. Sharieth is the perfect one to see. She's less edgy about people being near her eggs."

In all honesty Sharieth was too calm to be considered a normal Queen. H'var liked that but more importantly he was indebted to Ruet. She saved his mate in childbirth and his daughter. He would do anything she ever asked of him. It wasn't often that a Gold rider was able to help the people of the Weyr when there were bigger issues to consider. HE often wondered if the Weyrwomen ever slept.

"Since it is so late, I shan't be doing it tonight. However I won't be able to sleep so if you're up for it, how about going for a walk? " He suggested, mostly because he couldn't sit in this room a moment longer and because he didn't really feel like being alone. That was the best part about his job... he never had to be alone. There was always some WEyrling in trouble, sobbing in his office...or even the errant Candidate...wanting some help... usually wanting to know how to impress a dragon. H'var could be anyones confidant. Even other riders.

[menta]

She nodded and made a mental note. However going to the candidate master was never pleasant. Ever since the...er incident with Tujal he'd been hard on her, but she was glad that H'var was doing soemthing for her. He was nice, wasn't he...if a little solemn. She nodded at his suggestion, "A walk would be wonderful," she said, itchy to stretch her legs. She got fidgety quickly. She stood up and held out an arm to the Brownrider. She was glad he had suggested it...in her opinion, he needed to get out more, and who better to get some fresh air with then her?

"Where to H'var, you lead the way." She said, motioning towards the hall. Maybe she could get to know the grieving Weyrling master a little better. As long as it didn't come to tears, she was a good conversationalist and always friendly.

[hrsegrl]

He took Brooks arm casually. They could be good friends. He hoped that if she had trouble she knew to come to him. Most people found him easy to confide in at least. He used to be so social... In time he would be again but he could not be pushed to the path that they wanted. Now if only Etrayth could go down to the lake, he could let her visit him. The dragon wasn't vain but he liked getting some attention now and then.

"Mind if we visit Etrayth? He's going to meet us down by the lake." dragons were always a good topic. Etrayth would be nice and he really did like youngsters. Even H'var's brats who were to young to really understand the significance of dragons.

[menta]

Brook responded warmly to H'var's gesture. H'var seemed like a great guy, so it was a shame he had lost so much, whatever it was that had caused that tragedy. She strolled down the hall, wondering what sort of person H'var would have been before...well whatever it was.

She nodded, smiling, she loved meeting dragons. Who didn't, they were fascinating. "I would love to." She replied. The lake was a wonderful place, she had many fond memories from there. Pan shook himself out of his nap and fluttered clumsily, with his little wings, above her head. "Hello sleepyhead," She scratched him between the ears. "Wanna go meet a big dragon little one?" He chirped. "Pan agrees."

They made their way to the entrance of the Bowl, and she caught the glinting of the moon on the lake.

[hrsegrl]

Etrayth stood quietly by the lake and just as they drew nearer Kes appeared on top of H'var's head. The brown calmly neslted himself into the man's brown hair. "More company eh?" He said to the flit, his tone not quite showing annoyance. H'var was not going to complain much more than that about the flit on his head.

After they reached where the dragon stood, Etrayth spoke to H'var. She is nice. A Candidate?Yes and you know how Candidates are obsessed with all things dragon. Of course. "Etrayth this is Candidate Brook. She's hoping to get a chance at the little Gold."
Etrayth rumbled at that. Her and all the girls at the Weyr. Good thing to. The position should be desired.Of course it should.

[menta]

Pan looked curiously at Kestral. He hadn't had a chance to meet many other fire lizards yet. He removed himself from Brook and chirped hesitantly at the Brown in greeting. Brook smiled at Pan's antics before turning back to H'var.

She looked Etrayath over for a moment when they reached the Brown. She nodded when H'var introduced her aloud. "I'm am honored to meet you, Etrayath," She smiled as she greeted the dragon. Dragons were just amazing creatures. Brook stepped forward a few paces until her toes were in the water. It was cool and the squelched beneath her toes. She couldn't tear her eyes from the Brown. They were just as amazing up close as they seemed from afar, soaring in the sky. She looked back at H'var, for once lost for words.