Of all the lakes in all the world... (J'fel)

[Invisible]

No one really liked drills if only because they were hard work, repetitive, and took up enough of the day to seem like an eternity. K’mar did not much like them either by the end, but at least it was real dragonriding work. They were doing this stuff to prepare to fly and wasn’t that was this was all about? He wished sometimes he’d been born during a pass when riders were really needed. But, as he always told himself, better during an interval than never at all.

Drills had ended long enough ago that most of the other weyrlings would be done bathing themselves and their dragons. K’mar preferred to go to the lake alone. It’s not like he was talked to and it felt less lonely when he didn’t have to worry about socializing going on around him. Then he could just focus on Volsteath who was more important than anyone in his class anyway. He had not wasted the time between drills and bathing that was for sure. The brownrider had run to records to return a few hides and get several more. Then he had run to the laundry (ugh, just thinking of the laundry after punishment was a horror) to collect his items. After that he’d straightened up his cot area which never needed much straightening. His own bath would come after Volsteath’s because he learned the hard way that doing it the other way around just resulted in him needing a second bath.

When the lake was clear he and his brown headed for it. They walked at a quick pace because neither liked to dawdle. With a smile reserved only for his dragon K’mar sent him into the water. No going too deep this time. I nearly drowned last time. You did not[/color] Volsteath answered with a mental snort. Besides you should swim better if that’s the case. Practice will make perfect.[/color] A groan escaped thin lips as K’mar waded in after Volsteath.

[Omnia Munda]

Jordeth enjoyed watching the weyrlings drill, though this was a habit of his that he had not chosen to display to the young dragons - or their riders - yet. He sunned on his ledge or appeared to sleep on the rim of the bowl high above, attentive through partly lidded eyes, listening the same way that the wind could listen: an intangible presence.

Once in a while he shared his observations with J'fel, who rarely came out to the ledge or occasionally went striding across the bowl on 'business' for the purpose of seeing with his own eyes what the weyrlings - and their 'master - did with their days. But most often Jordeth watched alone or in the silent company of his queen, and even when Pelegaoth graced him with her attendance the bronze kept most of his conclusions to himself.

They were carefully weighed, these conclusions. He'd determined already that Deoneth was, though not so sharp as her rider, less easily deceived; he was sure more depths of her nature would become apparent as she matured. He'd decided that Paleoth was not quite unpredictable, but that predicting his states would require practice, and wondered if T'rad would have it down by the time they were ready for the wings. He'd also seen how Th'dis was guided by his beast, how Guiyath was bold yet brilliant and well-aware that his chosen rider's youth worked in his favor - and was reminded of himself, bemused by the similarities. And of Tremaith, Jordeth had been able to make out very little at all.

He'd been thinking of all of them while the weyrlings worked, and the fact that during their baths thereafter there had been a few missing was of no concern to him. Nevertheless he was aware of it, and after they had trickled away from the lake Jordeth remained on its far bank, an unmoving bolt of sooty golden cloth lain out like a shadow puddle left over from the receding shade of the trees. Perhaps he dozed. Perhaps he merely waited.

Jordeth had been thinking of Volsteath, too. That his rider was of note to J'fel was not lost on the weyrleader's bronze. He was thankful (as was his rider, secretly and guiltily - but Jordeth did not feel guilt) for the color of Volsteath's hide; it would make him much more valuable, and easier to plan for.

The drills must be very easy for you, asserted the shadow on the far shore. It came slowly to life, head raising like a creature from the deep. You were in no hurry to be cleaned after so much work.

[Invisible]

Volsteath when he got older would learn to keep an eye out for those in command. Those would be the ones he would try to keep secrets from lest his plans go awry. At this age he had no plans but to make his K’mar into the sort of man he needed. He had been so close all this time, but had never had someone to show him the way. Now he had Volsteath and the brown was determined they would grow together to be a shadowy force to be reckoned with. For now he would allow K’mar these moments of solitude to recover from their socializing.

However while he was scrubbed clean, offering silent direction to K’mar when he might think his rider would miss a spot, he did find himself missing someone to talk to. As he extended one wing so it might be washed under he was surprised, although he concealed it well, to be spoken to by Jordeth. They are not so easy[/color] the weyrling brown demurred with some humility in his secret party. K’mar was more prepared, I think, than some of the others. He was patient to wait for me and used his time well.[/color] Volsteath thought speaking well of his rider showed more humility than agreeing that he found drills to be easy. That and they were not so easy, but he would not admit that nor would he lie.

I do not mind waiting[/color] he then told Jordeth with some amusement to his tone as he openly considered his rider. K’mar wished us to have this time alone.[/color] With so little chance to truly be alone with one’s lifemate in weyrlinghood it should not seem too odd. Although Volsteath worried that speaking so would cause the bronze to quit speaking to him so he added I am pleased to speak with you, of course. K'mar and I hope to be well thought of by you and yours when we graduate.[/color] Which was said more wistfully as the brown considered graduation the same way small children considered 'when I grow up I'm going to be a ballerina'. Something that could not happen too soon even if those plans would likely come to nothing.

[Omnia Munda]

For all of Volsteath's humility, Jordeth had observed too much not to have some inkling as to how the dynamic between brown and rider really worked - or how, anyway, Volsteath was making it work. Yes, he agreed sedately, of K'mar being well-prepared. The weyrleader's beast did not even infuse his words with any extra weight when he went on, You have readied him well.

The bronze rose slowly to his feet, his slender stomach an arch bridging the long space between bent legs spring-loaded with sinew. He looked about to rise into flight, but rather than stretch out his wings, he swung his head on serpentine neck toward the water's edge. As though he were hunting, Jordeth rippled into motion, the sooty tip of his tail swinging a lazy lash as he slunk toward the lake.

You and yours are well-thought-of by I and mine already, observed Jordeth, sliding silently into the water as though his remark were nothing much of import. He let his weight carry him deeper, slow ripples spreading out from him as he began to swim as a snake swam, slithering the surface. His wings were sleek against his sides now, out of the way.

What do you do with your time alone, Volsteath? Even as he slid slowly across the water, Jordeth was sharing out parts and tidbits of his activities with his rider, whose luxuriating in a much warmer bath by himself in his weyr had come to an end that he might dress and consider joining those in the lake. There was no trace of that sharing betrayed to the young brown, however; he was to believe that Jordeth, and Jordeth alone, bespoke him now. You and your rider. What do you discuss? What do you plan?

[Invisible]

Volsteath did not alarm K’mar by mentioning his conversation with the weyrleader’s bronze. He thought his rider might enjoy a few moments of peace more. Until, that is, Jordeth decided to swim as well. Kind enough then to alert K’mar the weyrling tried not to stare at the bronze making his way through the water. Instead he focused on his work. If he was being watched he had to make doubly sure he did a perfect job on this bath. Even a bath could be important after all. The sort of person who would be lazy in bathing their dragon could be lazy in other ways.

While K’mar fretted Volsteath considered his answer to the question asked of him by Jordeth. We are honored to be well thought of[/color] he said first with all due humility. When older he’d be able to carry the humility off better. It rang just a little shallow at his age. Still what weyrling pair didn’t think they would be the ones to shake up the world? We speak of what we still must learn a lot[/color] he tells the bronze. It was true. They both knew there was much to learn before they could be anything.

We wonder where we might wind up.[/color] K’mar especially wondered what wing they might go to upon graduation. He hoped to be one of the first tapped so he worked hard. Being last would be too much like all the turns he waited for impression. Some slight upon his worth as a dragonrider. If we might end up in a wing with many of our fellow weyrlings and if so who.[/color] Volsteath sometimes wondered if he said too much, but he thought if the weyrleader’s dragon spoke to him, that had to mean something. Right?

There are some we worry about. They do not like us and we fret over it. If they might turn others against us.[/color] Volsteath did share that concern with his rider. If they were not well-liked their lives would be much more difficult in the future. We are just trying to do our best. It makes no sense that we are disliked for it.[/color] So smoothly that was offered. As if K’mar’s attitude had nothing at all to do with why the kids didn’t like him.

[Omnia Munda]

If K'mar was watching him whilst bathing his brown, Jordeth gave that attention no notice. Propelled by the motions of his legs below the surface, the bronze seemed to move effortlessly, as though the water itself obeyed his wish and carried him ever closer to the weyrling pair. Perhaps the weyrleader's dragon enjoyed it; maybe that was why he remained silent until Volsteath seemed to have wondered himself dry and no further remarks not-quite-questions came.

It makes perfect sense, said the slow-swimming bronze then. Your rider is older than most of the others, more ready than most of the others. It will make some people inclined to take his advice as insult, and likely makes him impatient.

If Jordeth could have shrugged while swimming he would have; as it was he lifted his wings mere inches from his back and let the wingtalons drag through the water, leaving narrow vee-shaped wakes streaming off alongside him. As for wings, the bronze added, Pairs are placed according to their inclinations and abilities more than what their fellows think of them.

J'fel was doing up the buttons of a short-sleeved shirt, alternating each button-closure with a flick of fingers through his damp hair. He got moving while the last button was still in his fingers, getting it through the hole just in time to get through his weyr's door and into the meeting room; from there he started through the tunnels on the path that would eventually take him out into the bowl. And according to what the wingleaders think of them, far more than that, he noted to Jordeth, but the bronze's wording had omitted that truth intentionally.

In my experience, Jordeth told Volsteath as though he had not been somewhat interrupted by his rider in the distance, when competition and envy are concerned - you would win more friends with laughable failures than with even the humblest approach to success.

[Invisible]

Blissfully unaware of an approaching weyrleader K’mar allowed Volsteath his conversation while scrubbing away at a spot on a back leg. I do not know how you get so dirty he complained with a long suffering tone for his brown. Because I get dirty[/color] was the brown’s reply before he directed his attention to what the bronze told him. So, we should fail on purpose? I do not think K’mar would do that. He is trying too hard not to fail.[/color] Which was part of the problem most assuredly in this case.

We will offer no more advice to those who seem to not want it[/color] Volsteath said thoughtfully. Perhaps when we get older it will change. We just wish to be helpful.[/color] K’mar might wish to show off how much he knew, but that was entirely unrelated. Honestly! Speaking of K’mar he was fishing for Volsteath’s tail that the brown was hiding from him under the water. The base of his back where tail met rump always required extra scratching.

I do not wish to come across as better than the others. I am learning as they are. But K’mar wishes to help and he seems to have trouble on his own.[/color] So Volsteath helps in his own subtly not subtle way. I think it impossible to be well-liked. K’mar-[/color] Has so many troubles in that regard, but Volsteath would never come out and say it as that would be disloyal.

[Omnia Munda]

Jordeth laughed. Some of his laughter seemed to be physical; the bronze dipped his snout into the lake and bubbles roiled up from his nose in waves. No, I do not advise you to invent failure. I only offer an observation about friendships and competition.

The more valuable part of the lesson, Jordeth reflected, was that weyrlinghood was a competition, and though he had not experienced this personally he had a hunch it was never more true than when a queen was part of the class. Especially, J'fel noted as he strode at last into daylight, lovely eyes narrowing against the brightness, a Telgari queen. There was wryness in his remark; he more than anyone but Salina herself knew how likely it was that she and Deoneth would wind up at some other Weyr.

Humility will serve you well, however, Jordeth assured the brown - and assurance it was, reflecting the notion Volsteath himself had offered about not giving advice to those who didn't want it. As for yours...

What could Jordeth say about K'mar? The man was brusque and seemed hard-bitten, but accounting for the turns he'd dedicated to his desire to be a dragonrider and the particular success he'd had at last, he had every right to be. Furthermore, J'fel believed - and Jordeth mostly agreed - that whatever chips were on the brownrider's shoulders could be beneficial to his leaders, later.

Mine comes to join us, murmured Jordeth instead, lifting his head a little so the smoky tip of his snout pointed in the appropriate direction. Sure enough, J'fel was a speck across the bowl, growing larger with each step.

[Invisible]

We have not tried to make it a competition[/color] Volsteath said with some thought in his tone. But we are aware that to secure a place where we might be most useful we will have to be better than those who also might seek such a place.[/color] Lofty words from the brown who betrayed his age with a puzzled Although I am still not sure what place we might wind up in.[/color] For all he tried to think like he thought an adult might he was still very much a kid in thought.

Meanwhile K’mar finished up with scrubbing Volsteath and made his way out of the water. He was surprised the brown did not follow and turned to see what he did. Volsteath was wallowing in the shallow water still apparently speaking to the weyrleader’s bronze. Umm, Volsteath? Are you still talking to him? Yes, K’mar. He is very smart. He will be very useful to us I think if we befriend him.[/color] The weyrling gave this some thought, uncomfortable with the whole idea.

The precise moment Volsteath offered, entirely offhandedly, The weyrleader is coming to join us[/color] was obvious by K’mar’s reaction. His head whipped around and he tried to smooth wrinkles out of his wet shirt and then look down at his clothes in dismay. He was in no shape to meet J’fel and was only slightly calmed by Volsteath’s steady He knows what we have been doing. He will expect you to look as such. Or he might think you did a poor job.[/color] Poor K’mar. So unable to know how to behave with the weyrleader approaching. He settled on just watching Volsteath wallow.

[Omnia Munda]

It's not a matter of trying,[/i] observed Jordeth unobtrusively, turning his head back toward the brown and his soggy rider. As you are aware that you 'must' be better, - Jordeth achieved the quotational emphasis with a flick of one wing and a hint of humor in his tone - they are aware as well. It's this belief that makes the process most difficult.

Still, I would prefer to see the class function as a team, Jordeth added, but he was no longer obliged to hide the fact that he was conversing with his rider - what with the man approaching, it would be sensible for the weyrling to assume it - and the bronze allowed himself to trail off at that awkward juncture. Surely his distraction was the reason he did not offer more reflections on where Volsteath and his rider might 'end up.'

J'fel had sped his gait a little, evidently unconcerned about appearing to be anxious to meet the weyrling pair before they might pack up and return to the barracks. He even, some yards off, raised a hand in a wave. By the time his footsteps could be heard, crunch crunch crunch on the lakeshore's stones, it was also apparent that he was grinning.

"Ha, K'mar. You can get him clean, but it won't last long." Cheerful if all too true, the weyrleader's greeting was accompanied by a toss of salute. He kept coming closer, clearly intent on coming to a halt beside the brownrider, that they might both watch the dragons wallow and swim. "Better than it'd be round the thirteenth month or the first, though."

[Invisible]

We have not tried to distance ourselves from the others[/color] Volsteath was quick to say. It just has come about that we are not as close as some of the others.[/color] The weyrling brown left much unsaid in his words, but those same words were heavy with the sense of things unspoken. It was not his job to make the others look bad. In time they would complete that themselves. He just had to make sure he never did.

K’mar was anxious about the approach of J’fel and although he would have liked to have fled he made no effort to do so. That would be mostly because Volsteath would not let his rider do any such thing. It would be an insult[/color] he said before trying not to appear to be keeping too close an eye on his rider. That wouldn’t do either. So K’mar was left to face J’fel. He returned the wave and the salute before trying to assume a casual stance.

“I don’t mind the washing so much, sir,” K’mar said in his best attempt to be oh so social. It came off slightly stilted, but he had never been good at small talk. “It’s the running commentary while I do so that gets to me. I think he thinks I am blind and unable to see what a mess he makes.” For his words he earned a splash of one wing from Volsteath who wallowed in water and mud. “I hope you are well today, sir.”

[Omnia Munda]

J'fel also assumed a casual stance, perhaps more easily than the weyrling, but that stance became a quick step backward as water sailed up from the splash of Volsteath's wing. He was not, most likely, in danger of a drenching - but it never hurts to be careful. With a glance sideways at K'mar he offered a shrug: dragons!

"Very well," he replied, "and I hope the same of you." If the weyrling's effort at small talk was less polished than his own, the weyrleader made no obvious note of it. Instead, he made the talk by increments less small: "How'd the drills go for you today?"

Jordeth still swam, coming closer to the shallower water where Volsteath wallowed. Now and then a paw grazed the muddy bottom, stirring the water cloudy. You were distanced from them by circumstance. Now the bronze cracked open his arsenal and washed the brown with a gentle wave of confidence and pride. You will find ways for the distance to decrease.

[Invisible]

The mud swirled up was not going to help Volsteath keep clean, but he did not seem to mind in the least. He already flexed talons into the mud under the shallow water to enjoy the squish factor. K’mar may be uncomfortable, but Volsteath was still enough of a kid to just enjoy the time. “I am well, thank you, sir,” the weyrling answered still a bit stiffly. “Drills went well, sir. The weyrlingmaster is doing a good job training the class.” Other than a few small problems like the Great Laundry Debacle. K’mar would not speak of that however. It was not his place and he would not whine.

I do hope so. It is not our wish to be distanced from the others.[/color] Volsteath did not consider that a lie as it was not their wish but only K’mar’s. Therefore he told nothing but the truth. I hope we might bridge that distance, but I am not sure how we might accomplish this.[/color] And K’mar was not going to help him with that. Let Volsteath want to make friends all he did, K’mar thought it an impossible task and not one worth sweating over.

[Omnia Munda]

A smile tugged impatiently at the corner of J'fel's mouth, but he drew down his brows and tried to ignore it. And you're an expert already on the training of weyrling classes, he thought, more amused than annoyed. He knew that several rounds of candidacy could not come without some benefits, not the least of which was experience with the prior weyrlingmaster. Still, K'mar's choice of words tickled the weyrleader unaccountably, so he made every effort necessary not to show it.

"He's putting on strength quickly," said J'fel instead, a tip of his head showing that he meant Volsteath, not (humorous as it might be) I'dalyn. "I'm surprised he isn't trying to swim."

Because, of course, Jordeth was effortlessly knifing through the water, showing how easily it might be done. Swimming wasn't so convenient for squishing mud between one's toes, of course. With sympathy, perhaps, the bronze suggested. Or time.

He turned a whirling eye toward the men on shore. They were not far apart in height, yet the weyrleader towered - a trick accomplished by the swagger he wore even when he wasn't walking. Or disaffectation, noted Jordeth wryly. Of course, that wins loathing as readily as love.

[Invisible]

The brown had not thought of swimming as something he might do. Volsteath knew K’mar might swim as he’d seen him do his clumsy attempts at such activity. But him? Swim? It had never been considered. The idea had not even trickled in when Jordeth was observed doing it. The young brown thought it something for adults. But he couldn’t help but hear K’mar say, “He’s never tried to yet, sir. He likes to squish in the mud.”

I can swim?[/color] Volsteath asked before looking at Jordeth, watching him. I can do that.[/color] Perhaps he could do something resembling swimming. Before K’mar could do more than turn an anxious eye to the lake Volsteath was setting out in a clumsy dragon-paddle sort of way to catch up to the bronze. Be careful, Volsteath! K’mar pleased silently. I can do this[/color] was the brown’s only reply.

Turning back to J’fel the weyrling tried to keep a worried expression off his face. He only partially succeeded in that. “I guess he had not thought of it until now,” he said with a worried chuckle as he looked out at the water again.