Ansha and Aesith's record
The Whiner "Girdra, I just can't do it," a high female voice whined. "It looks simple enough when you do it, but my fingers just can't make the threads stay together." "Ansha you can do it. Here, let's try together," a calm, but clearly stressed woman's voice attempted to help the distraught girl. "Do I really want to go in there?" I wondered outside the weyr where I had paused. Well, I'm here now, so I might as well. Two young women were seated together at the back of the cavern. One of them was about 20 with short, thick dark hair and soft, brown eyes. The other was much younger - 15 at most. She had long brown hair braided to her waist. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying. "Why don't I go get us some klah," the older girl said as an excuse to leave. As she brushed past you she whispered, "Kirina, could you talk to her till I get back? She has had a tough day and so have I." As I watched her leave, I hoped she would return soon. "Um, hello?" I cautiously called to the younger girl. "Are you here to try to teach me a craft too?" her defensive, whiny voice grated on my ears. Swallowing slowly, I replied, "No. I'm just passing through." "That's good. I'm hopeless you know. I've tried everything. Harping, healing, fishing, sewing, you name it, I'm bound to mess it up." Staring at her in disbelief, I said, "You can't have failed at everything yet, your life is just begun." "When I was 8 I loved to sing, but everytime I opened my mouth, I was told my voice was no good. So I stopped. Then I tried helping the hold healer, but he would have nothing to do with me after I mixed the felis juice wrong and put his patient to sleep for two days strait. Then, I was shipped off to foster at a sea hold at 13, but was sent home when I couldn't learn to swim. And the list goes on and on." "So how did you come to the Weyr?" "My parents thought I could be of use here, since I was always messing things up at home. Girdra is trying to teach me how to weave, but I just can't get the threads as tight as she does." By now her whining had subsided into a soft whimper. She gives up too easily I decided. Choosing my words carefully, I asked, "How long has Girdra been weaving?" Reluctantly, she answered, "She says she started when she was 11 and she is now 20." "And how long have you been weaving?" "Four days! But I've seen girls do more than I have in half the time!" "If you are ever going to do something well," I sighed, "you can't quit after four days. I mean, what would happen if you got Searched and Impressed a dragon, and then decided you couldn't be a dragonrider? You can't just walk out on a dragon you know." "That's what Girdra told me," she said dryly. "And I meant every word." To my relief, Girdra returned with the klah picture and cups. "Ansha, let's try again after klah and an afternoon nap," Girdra suggested. Thanking them for the klah, and wishing Ansha good luck, I excused myself. . The hatchling "Girdra, can you believe how much she has grown in just a sevenday?" Ansha's usually whiny voice took on a more pleasant tone. Both women were bent over a sleeping green dragon on her couch.
"That's what dragons do, they grow," Girdra teased the new greenrider. "I remember when my Kiruth was that size. Then she ate lunch and after her nap she was a few fingerlengths longer." Giggling together, they quickly set up a small loom in Ansha's quarters. Girdra was patiently teaching Ansha to weave. The sessions always started fine, but usually ended in tears. Ansha started the day's lesson as Girdra looked on giving gentle encouragement and correcting her techniques when needed. After a few short minutes, a thread broke and so did Ansha's emotions. "You see, every time I try, something goes wrong!" "Shhhh, you're doing fine, but you're going to wake Aesith if you're not careful," Girdra cautioned. Now concerned, Ansha glanced at her precious green re-adjusting herself in her sleep. The thought of waking Aesith calmed the frustrated girl immediately and she let the older greenrider show her how to tie the thread in again. As the lessons went on, Girdra was ever grateful Ansha had impressed Aesith, if only for the girl's subtle change in temperament.
The Tapestry "Go on, Aesith," Ansha tells her growing green beauty as she gives her a gentle nudge towards the edge of the ledge. "There are plenty of fire-lizards about to help you bathe, and you're getting to big for me to reach your back as it is."
Eagerly, Aesith lunged as her strong wings carry her in a gentle glide down to the lake. As she landed, Ansha watched the numerous flitters gather round for their favorite chore. Sighing to herself, she went back inside her weyr. "She'll be fine, Ansha," Girdra told the worried green rider. "Kranth will join her when she wakes from her nap." "I know, she will fine, it's just that this is the first time I've sent her off on her own while I have my weaving lessons," Ansha explains. "You'll be fine. Let's get started," Girdra suggested as she organized the many colors of thread by color. "Today, I think your ready to start your first real tapestry. The others were just practice, and things I wanted you to work on. This one is all yours." Ansha stared in shock at the other green rider, and journeywoman weaver. "You think I'm ready to start my own tapestry?" she asked in disbelief. "But, you know I can't do anything!" Her trademark whine began to creep into her voice. "That's what you think," Girdra contradicted her. "I've seen you work, struggle, and just about fall apart every day, but you are learning and I think your ready." Shyly, Ansha took her seat in front of the womb and timidly chose her first colors. "I guess I could give it a try at least," she agreed.
Conveyance Timidly I approached the green rider and her dragon. They weren't very old, judging by the size of the dragon, and that meant that their flying was novice. Oh well, I thought to my. Their conveyance would be better than nothing at all. "Excuse me," I said as soon as I was in earshot, "I hear you are on duty for conveyance today. "That's right," the greenrider said confidently, "I'm Ansha, and Aesith and I would be happy to give you a lift."
"Thanks!" I replied in disbelief when I recognize them. When I was settled, she climbed up behind me. Just after Aesith was airborne, Ansha asked where my destination was. I told her as we climbed higher and higher above Jerdan Weyr bowl. I couldn't help but comment, "most riders on duty are not usually this pleasant about being on conveyance duty. How come you seem to enjoy it so much?" "Well, as you know, and to make the story short, I was never good at anything I tried, singing, fishing, you name it, I failed. After I was searched, Girdra, another green rider started teaching me to weave. I'm still not very good at it. It seems that riding Aesith is the best thing I do, and I enjoy every minute of it." That sounds like a pretty good reason, I thought to my. By now, we were high above the Weyr. "Hang on, we're going between," Ansha warned. Next thing I knew, we were engulfed in cold darkness.
|
