Minairey and Eudath's record
The Lower Caverns Hanging around the Lower Caverns got me into trouble. Especially since there was a meal to prepare. Lucky for me, my assignment included peeling tubbers. Hey, it could have been worse, I could have been asked to gut and dress the wherries for dinner. So, I settled down with my knife and bowl and got to work. Thankfully, the headwoman, Lorin, assigned someone to work with me. My companion was a short, petite girl with shoulder-length, dark-brown hair that glistened with red highlights when the sun hit it. (On Earth it would be called cinnamon brown, but this is Pern.) Her eyes were brown and she had dimples when she smiled. Even though she had a few crooked teeth, she was fairly pretty. She was in her late teens, and was probably closer to 18 if my guess was correct. "So, you got saddled with the job of peeling the tubbers too!" she said as she took a seat across from me. "My name is Minairey." "It's good to meet you," I said, introducing myself as Kirina. "Have you ever done this before?" she then asked looking at the mess I was making of the tubber in my hand. "Well, not very much," I answered. Looking down I could see that I had peeled away more of the root than I had left in my hand. "Here, watch me," Minairey said as she demonstrated a technique to me. "Hold the root in one hand. Now with the knife, peel all the way around in a circle. Now, peel off the rest of the skin on each half taking off as little as possible. Like this." Surprised at how quickly and easily she made the work look, I gained hope and tackled another root. "You are quite good at this," I complimented. "It's easy when you enjoy cooking. My mother couldn't keep me away from the Hold kitchens. Being one of the Blood, she preferred I spend my time on other, what should I say, more prestigeous occupations. It's probably better I was Searched. She doesn't have to worry about it now." "Searched? Then you're a candidate for the next clutch!" I blurted out the obvious. With a twinkle in her eye, she leaned close to whisper, "Yes, and I'm enjoying every minute of every day here helping in the Lower Caverns. Even if I don't Impress, I would love to stay, just so I can cook without feeling guilty!" Surprized at her passion for drudgery, as I might call it, I curiously asked, "So what's your specialty?" "Bubbly Pies! Want to know how to make them?" "Sure, why not." I said as my skill at peeling tubbers was improving a little. "First you need to combine flour with a little sweetening and salt. Then you mix in butter and cool water till you get a nice dough. I like to roll out the dough before I mix the fruit, so I divide the dough into many small pieces and roll each piece into a circle. Now comes the fun part. Mix the berries with sweetening and a little klah bark till it tastes just right - tasting is an important part of cooking! Now, place the berries in the center of half the dough circles. Place another dough circle over the top of each dough circle with filling, and seal the edges. Poke a small hole in the top so they don't blow up and you can even sprinkle some more sweetening on top if you want to make it extra special. Now comes the hard part. You have to get the fire just right so that they bake instead of burn. I remember one time I was in charge of the bubblies for the gather and we burned a whole batch! Mother was livid! Getting the fire the right temperature is the hard part, But when they are cooked just right, they are so good." As I listened to her her instructions, I thought I just might be able to make some myself, as long as someone else did the baking part. "Sounds easier than than they look." I said as I reached for the last tubber. Quickly I peeled and quartered it for the pot. "It looks like we finished that job," Minairey said as she picked up her bowl. "If you would like to help me with the breads you might get out of peeling the fingerroots too!" Taking her up on her offer, I quickly followed.
A Different Sort of Impression When the brownrider landed in the Wery bowl, late in the morning, no one thought much of it. He sure wasn't noticed by those working in the Lower Caverns to complete the noon meal. His purpose was to find the girl, Minairey, who was a candidate for the eggs at Karath Weyr. After checking the candidate barracks with no luck, he finally decided to ask Lorin, the Headwoman, if she knew Minairey's whereabouts. The sight he saw as he entered the Lower Caverns was busy. He asked the first girl he saw - a short, petite girl with shoulder-length, dark-brown hair with red highlights - where Lorin was and received a quick answer. Finally locating the busy woman, he was able to ask if she knew where Minairey might be. "She's the girl you spoke to on your way in," Lorin answered, pointing her out again. Surprised, but in a hurry, he almost ran back to her. "Minairey?" the brownrider asked questioning. When she nodded, he rambled on, "The eggs are ready to hatch and I have come to take you to the sands." "The eggs? Oh, now is not a good time. We have so much to do...this pastry is almost ready." Minairey was torn between duty to finish her task, and desire to be at the hatching. Lorin, silenced the young woman with the promise she would finish it herself if she would get going. Relieved, Minairey and the dragonrider quickly made their exit. The flight was short, and coming out of between over the sands made it instantly plain how close they had come to missing the whole hatching. A few dragons had already hatched and were being led off by their chosen lifemates. Minairey was set down by the edge of the sands and she had to walk almost a dragonlength to get to the loose ring of waiting candidates. It surprized her to see that the majority of the candidates were girls, but then, there were two queen eggs. About half the eggs had hatched by then, except the queen eggs. One little egg had revealed a white. Still, Minairey stood eager and waiting. A slight breeze accross the sands made the heat a bit more bearable. When the tiny brown broke from his shell and started moving towards her, Minairey thought he must be after the boy at her left. Politely, she moved to her right to give them room. When she did, the brown corrected his path to intersect her. Stunned, she was aware that he sought her out. But boys ride browns! Cautiosly, she reached down to touch the head of the hatchling that was now looking up at her. "I am Eudath, and I want you to be my rider." All doubts about girls riding browns were instantly resolved as she assured him that she would. Answering his request for food, she led Eudath from the sands.
Another unexpected surprise Minairey was in the Lower Caverns again making pastry while Eudath bathed. As a weyrling, he loved to bathe, but preferred to have the fire-lizards help instead of Minairey. That didn't bother her any. That just meant she's have an extra few minutes a day to help Lorin with the pastries every day. "Eudath, I'm almost done here in the kitchen and then I'll come oil you," she called to him in her mind. "No hurry. We're having a grand time." was the reply. Swiftly, she finished fluting the edges of the pies and placed the tray into the oven. Brushing off her work area, Minairey removed her apron and walked through the door to the main cavern. She had just enough time to oil Eudath before she was to report to the weyrlingmaster. What she saw in the main cavern made her stop abruptly. There next to the hearth on the far wall sat the children watching the new clutch of fire-lizard eggs. Circled around the two was a group of people waiting - raw meat in hand - for the eggs to crack. The memory of the day she Impressed Eudath came rushing back. Then before she knew it, she was part of that ring. As each new life met an eager human, the circle broke up. Some pairs moved off on their own, while others stayed next to the bowl of meat. For some reason, a little bronze refused the offerings of the two boys next to it and lept strait into the bowl. As he began feasing, Minairey plucked him from his treasure. She couldn't resist holding the creature and ended up Impressing him.
When the excitement of Impression died down, Minairey became aware that she forgot something very important. "Eudath!" she practically shouted. "Minairey, the little ones and I have been swimming. How soon till the little bronze one can help me bathe?" "Well, I never expected to Impress him today, but it may be a few sevendays. Know any good names?" Minairey asked Eudath as she walked with the bronze down towards the lake. "Macoid." "Then Macoid it is," declared Minairey finally reaching the waiting brown dragon.
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