Talai woke with a start as a pointy white wingtip poked her in her side. Get up you lazy! We have chores this morning, and I for one, don't wish to be doing them at noontime! Talai opened one eye and then rolled back over on her other side and pulled the hides closer around her.
Talai! Should I have the watchdragon come over here and bugle in your ear? He has more lungs then me you know. Talai rose reluctantly, "Bolonith, why do you have to talk so much? I was having a very good dream!" She says as she looks at her lifemate with a grin. She could never be mad at Bolo.
To Be Continued!


Candidate Story

Talai sighed and the master looked at her sharply. Her and her classmates were suposed to be taking a serious test on scores of music. But, unforunately, she couldn't focus. She folded her arms and laid them on her desk and put her head on top. She abandoned all hopes of finishing and closed her eyes. The master of the class saw her lay her head down and came to collect her test. He studied her answers for a few seconds, shook his head and took it back with him. Through her eyelids, she knew the teacher had come as the light temporarily darkened, so she peeked out of one eye, saw him shake his head and she closed it again.
The next thing she knew, a blurry something shaped like a person was tugging on her wherhide vest and telling her to get up. Talai blinked and the picture focused. "Ets ov'r?" She asked groggily.
"Yes, Talai, comon! Wake up lazy! We got class next and I don wanna be late!" Reteda had an urgent look on her face so Talai picked her head up again and rose out of the seat. The two were the same height.
Ret was sometimes mistaken for Talai's sister. The two were never without each other and had grown up in each other company. Ret always watched put for Talai and helped her through "fire, fog and Fall" as the two put it. Talai pushed her thin black hair off her shoulders, shook her head and followed Ret's lead out of the class. Reteda's shiny dark brown hair always swung as she walked. Talai took a long lock of her hair own and saw no comparison. Ret turned into the next room and they arrived just as the master was telling the other apprentices to find their instruments. They slid into the back of the room and picked their favorites. Ret favored a small reed pan flute and Talai like the small drums. They sat with their instruments following the example of others.
That class, they learned a more extensive notes on each of the chosen music makers. In the middle of the class, Talai was pulled aside by the master, and Ret only shrugged. "Wat'd I do rong?" Talai asked the master, as she looked up into his pale face.
He grimaced and forced a smile, "Nothing this time. The drum master wishes to have you apprentice to him. He can hear your pounding, excuse me, rythems, from his perch in the tower. He says you have potential." The master grimaced again and Talai decided that the master needed to smile more often. "It'll be hard work, you'll have scores of messages to memorize and even more as an apprentice." The master looked at her expectantly and she nodded so he wouldn't grimace anymore.

That was the beginning of her apprenticeship to the drum master.

"Out! Out!" The enraged drum master yelled at her. She looked at him and burst into tears and ran down the many stairs to ground level in the Harper Hall. She had only been the about three sevendays and had already broken two drums accidently, and ruined three hides that were were being streched to fit a large drum frame. It wasn't her fault that a flit had come from Between and scared the bejezzus out of her, which caused her to drop the hot klah she was carrying and it wasn't her fault that the klah spilt on the drum hides. They shouldn't have been on the floor anyway!

That was the end of Talai's apprenticeship to the drum master.

But, of course, Reteda was there for her and they got her another apprenticeship, at a beastcraft hall this time. Reteda stayed at the Haper Hall. For once, the pair was divided.

Talai took a deep breath, shoved the hair out of her eyes, took up her belongings and stood up at her tallest, 5'3 now. She walked into the hall loooming above her and the first thing she noticed was the smell. Beast smell. But, she mentally closed off her nose and didn't smell the stench anymore. She made her way to the main office and found out her room and who her new master was, someone named Fere this time, and hoped for sucess.
She settled into her room and noticed two other beds, roomates, she thought to herself sarcastically. She'd rather share a room with one of her obnoxious brothers, who thankfully, where far away in southern. This was the north and they wouldn't dare follow her here. Her parents had forbidden her to travel to the northen, but, Reteda and her had snuck off on a trade ship bound for the north: they had very good luck, no one found them untill the ship was 3/4 of the way there and they couldn't turn back.
Talai stowed her stuff in the only dresser left unused. She smiled at the idea of a new beginning and promised herself that she'd work harder and give it her all this time.
She went down to the extensive stables and look at the assorted beasts and runners. From her time in southern, she could tell a good runner with a smooth gait. She bent down on a rail to the grazing field and stared to the distant dots on the horizon. Being in a good mood, Talai started to whistle a ballad by Menolly and someone tapped her on the shoulder. She spun and immediately came face to face with a tall, lean middle-aged woman of a possible 30 or so turns. Far from my age Talai thought miserably.
The woman spoke first, "Talai, right?"
Wondering how this woman knew her name, Talai thought to play it careful, "Hoo wan's ta kno?"
The lady studied Talai's carefully schooled face and replied, "I'm Fere, so, if you are Talai I am your new teacher. Are you Talai?"
Astonishment was written over Talai's face as she reddened and promptly started to aploigze. "I'm 'ery sor.."
Fere interrupted her and smiled, she put her arm around Talai's shoulder and led her to a gate into the grazing field. "Let's see what you know. Call a runner. I think they prefer long whistles."
Talai nodded and her training from southern kicked into effect. She open the gate carefully and looked for the runners on the horizon. She tested the almost non-existent wind and put two fingers into her mouth. She blew and a loud shrill whistle that noticably startled Fere and brought a herd of runners toward Talai. She looked to Fere for encouragement and found Fere had produced runner treats out of her pocket. Fere entered the gate and shut if firmly behind her. Talai made a decision there and then: I will do my best. I will stay here.

Well, Talai did let up on that resulution because when searchriders from Sapphire Weyr came, they called her out. They promised her that if she Impressed, she could still come back and visit Fere. As for Reteda, they write everyday by flit.


!!! For Weyrwoman Jewel, *The End* !!!

Go to Aden Weyr