Priestess of the Linen (open)

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Lirian looked down at her hands, shriveled and stained blue, and sighed. If you had asked her a few months ago, she'd have never thought she'd be a laundress, but now here she was, "lady of the soap pools".

Truth of the matter was, she couldn't bring herself to look at a dragon since the incident. "The incident" referring to of course the bloody hatching. Maulings happened, of course, but never next to her. She watched the very life leave the eyes of the girl as the current queen slashed into her. People told her it was an accident, people said the queen had only slipped, and she hadn't thirsted for carnage. "People" could say all they wanted, but they weren't there, on the stands, in her sandals. She saw dragons for what they were- scary beasts- and now had to find something to do with her life.

Lirian knew she could take her mother's path in life, a flight moth and milk mother, and maybe she would be, but Lirian didn't feel ready for a squaling baby of her own, much less some one elses as well. She should be thankful enough that her grandmother secured her a spot washing the clothes of the Weyr's occupants. If she was lucky, she was told, she might eventually rise up in the ranks of laundresses enough to care for the Weyrwoman's own clothes herself- bah! Was that all she had to look forward to now? Lirian wasn't one to dream of great rank, but she rather dreaded the day when the highlight of her life was to wash the Weyrwoman's undergarments.

[hrsegrl]

Sometimes one had to do things one did not enjoy to move forward in life. The Weyr as a community based on the communal care of one another needed her to do her fair share after healing her. She should be pleased to have the opportunity to prove her worth now. Laundry was most definately the way to do that for someone who knew something about laundry. She, however, could not even mend clothing with a straight stitch without poking herself with a needle. Despite her mother's most diligent tutoring, Rishka was appalling at anything that had to do with clothing.

She made poor time getting to the place where they told her to be. Not because she dreaded how horrible she was going to be at it, though she probably was, but because she was still sore when she walked quickly. Every day she recovered more and felt more sure of herself. The healers were not happy that she pushed herself too far some days, well most days. Rishka could no more stand being held back by her injuries now than she could on bed rest. She was anxious to do things that she could do before her accident with the feline. As she had learned that was what the beast was that had attacked her.

Upon seeing one of the young women with the stained hands, she knew immediately that she was in the right place. "Excuse me, the Headwoman said I should report down here for as she said, light duties. " Rishka smiled though she knew it made her now mostly healed, pink claw marks on her face look even more horrendous. To Rishka it was a reminder of her adventure and where looking without leaping could get you. Would that stop her in the future from doing something seemingly careless and daring? Probably not. She had a determined sort of will inside of her and nothing would ever stop her if she truly wanted to do something.

"Oh and I know absolutely nothing about laundry. I tried to tell the Headwoman, I'm not good at anything with clothes. I doubt I could even fold them properly. I'm Rishka by the way." The strange, injured captive, finally released from her prison called the infirmary. Come to think of it, laundry sounded better than imprisonment in the infirmary. At least people here would expect more of her rather than less.

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Lirian looked up and quickly hid her hands in her skirts, "Oh, um, hello," She said politely, glancing over the other girl, whom she assumed was her age. She noted the scars on the girl's face, and thought back to the mauling, shuddering inwardly. Was there nothing that could purge the memory from her mind? Giving Rishka good second look, she smiled more encouragingly, "Well you've come to the right place alright. Well met, Rishka, I'm Lirian."

She looked down at the pool and stood up from her kneeling position, "I can show you around," she laughed dryly, "Not that there is much to show. Soap is over there in those buckets, these pools are for washing, along with one of these crinkled metal sheets. Jarna will come with a basket to pick up the soping wet clothes to put through the wringer. I suppose you can help me here, then we can work up to the more difficult things, like folding." She winked in jest.

She grabbed a metal washer and handed it to Rishka, "We just take these and half put them in the water, and then take a shirt or whatever and up it vigorously up and down the metal grooves. Oh, and the water is a bit cool, just a warning." She knelt and resumed her scrubbing, "I don't recognise you, you aren't from the creche, are you?"

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The other woman seemed to take her time about looking her over. Maybe she wasn't sure what to make of her, with the scars and all. Still there was only warmth in the greeting she gave and Rishka who usually knew a good person when she met them decided this was the right person to have met here.

"Lirian is a lovely name." Rishka said, knowing it was part of her upbringing that made her say such things to other young women. It was all a part of that Hold Lady small talk. Soap, check. Bucket, check. Metal board, check. Basket, check. Wringer, what in the name of the Red Star was a wringer? She decided to watch when this Jarna came by to take the washed clothing. Maybe the wringer was not as strange as she thought it would be.

"Alright, so long as you don't mind my avid curiousity, it won't be so bad showing me anything. I'm a fast learner usually. I can be slow to apply what I have learned to some tasks but my tutors always said I was quick, for a girl." She really should think before speaking sometimes, Rishka admonished herself. None of that would make much sense at all to someone who was from the Weyr.

Swallowing a little she tried not to answer the question directly. "No. I've never been to the Creche." And who in their right mind would want to, screaming, crying, dirty, whiny, selfish little pestering children were in places like that. The whole idea of a room filled with children and babies was enough to make her want to jump ship now. Thank goodness babies were afraid of people with faces like her own or she may have been placed there. She should remember in the future to avoid bearing children if at all possible. That was a mental note. Rishka took the metal washer that was given to her and placed it in a similair position as the other girl. Watching her she realized that it was a lot of work. More than she had thought. The healers would be angry, at the thought she almost gave a wicked laugh but held back. Lirian would not understand.

"Actually to be quite honest, I'm not from the Weyr at all. I ran away from home and a few sevendays later was attacked by a beast which I now know is a feline. E'dian and Xialanth found me and brought me here to the infirmary where I've been held captive until now." She smiled. "Other than my brief excursians to the Records Room, which is filled with minute details that no one would ever need to know. I wish they would keep all the important stuff in one section and things like tithing and crops in another." As she spoke she did as Lirian did with the shirt. Her chest ached but it was a dull pang, not something that would stop her.

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Lirian smiled slightly as she received her compliment, she was not sure if the girl meant it, or was just being polite. Lirian herself could be more polite than sincere with most people. She did not say anything as Rishka prattled on about her intelligence, just nodded and let the girl be. Silently she thought Rishka was bragging, and wondered about what Rishka must think about her. Lirian didn't want to start any arguments or be a "one-uper". Not that she could, Rishka had mentioned tutors, and Lirian never had such a thing, whatever it was. All she could think of was perhaps a harper. Well the harpers who taught weyrbrats history in verses but none of them ever told her who was a "fast learner"or taught words like "avid" or seemed to favor boys over girls. Lirian was sure that a harper was not a tutor, she assumed a tutor must be better since this girl spoke so strangely. She wanted to just tell the girl to speak plainly, but Lirian just kept her mouth shut.

Lirian looked up over her work at the other girl, now quite sure Rishka was not a weyrbrat. The answer was not surprizing. Rishka was different from every weyr boy and girl she knew. What did surprise her, however, was that Rishka was very open with Lirian. She spoke softly, "Oh, I'm sorry to hear."

Lirian turned back to her work, pushing a grey shirt up and down the metal ridges. So this girl was actually found by the Weyrleader? Or former Weyrleader, rather. Still, the girl said his name like it was nothing, like he was just another rider. And then the fact that Rishka had access to the Records Room man her feel a pang of jealousy. Rishka was some one who was privileged, and yet she was doing laundry with Lirian, who could hardly read. She wished she could read more, but no one had time for her, and there was more important things for a sturdy young woman in the Weyr to do than waste her time reading and writing. Things like washing the Weyrwoman's sheets.

She sighed inwardly a bit, "I wouldn't know, I've never been into the records room." Now she scrubbed a little harder before grabbing another garment. Washing laundry was below her intelligence, but what else was there for her to do? She figured this girl must be a candidate, or maybe they'd have her train with the Headwoman, and Lirian would be here forever, just because she could not get the mauling visions out of her head...

[hrsegrl]

The fact that the other woman said little would have bothered a normal person but Rishka being who she was did not seem to mind one bit. She had been doing enough talking for two people. If she had said too much she would not know. The young woman had no idea that who she was did not necessarily rub everyone the right way. Growing up as privileged as she had allowed her to do things that even the average Weyrfolk had not been able to do. In some ways her home had not been all bad. There were obvious advantages to being given knowledge enough to help run a Minor Holding. She wondered just how much of an education the Weyr gave its children.

One of these days she would find out. No power without knowledge, no knowledge without asking questions. “So how do people know which laundry is their own? Or do people share with everyone?” Rishka did wonder about this mostly because she doubted that a Master crafter would wear the same clothing as a drudge who cleaned the privy. There were always questions that needed answers it seemed. She did not quite understand the way the Lower Caverns system worked and why it worked so well. She should like to have a meeting with the Headwoman to figure out how they were able to schedule so many people in so many places without much error.

Rishka tried to keep up with Lirian as far as working went, not wanting to seem like she did not care. She did care in so much as they had helped her heal and Xialanth had saved her life. Dragons were part of her life now, whether she wanted it that way or not. Somehow she got the feeling she could not leave even if she wanted to. Most of the weyrfolk were nice to her, other than those working in the infirmary. Even here people seemed more pleasant than at the Hold. She could stay here for a while and be content, though perhaps not forever.

Lirian was a quiet type though she seemed nice enough to Rishka. There was something tragic about her though, especially in her eyes. There was no doubt that the other woman should be considered beautiful by many here at the Weyr and she was much taller than Rishka was who seemed even shorter around all these dragon folk. At the mention of not ever going into the records room, Rishka raised her left eyebrow and looked over at Lirian.

“Really? I must have been making the healers feel very annoyed for them to have let me in then.” At least she supposed that much. “If you want you can come with me next time I go.” She paused wondering if maybe that would make the other girl feel worse. Rishka was having trouble saying things that would not offend Lirian but she seldom noticed that her mannerisms and way of talking were viewed as those of a privileged class. “Think of it as a thank you for helping learn how to wash clothes.”

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She looked up briefly, "Oh, well, work is usually split between all the women, there is quite an army of us." Lirian smiled a bit, she might have been confused too, if she hadn't been raised around her grandmother and other lower cavern workers. "Usually the high rankers are more picky with their clothes, and they can afford to be. So we have a miniature heirarchy here, the older, more skilled women get to take care of the high ranking members of the Weyr, the Headwoman and her family, the bronzeriders, the ranking brownriders, the Candidate Master, the Weyrling Master, all the way up to the Weyrleader and Weyrwoman. Their clothing is washed by itself, and taken care of much nicer than everyone elses. But then again, their clothes are much nicer to begin with."

Not that Lirian had ever been allowed to touch any member of rank's clothing. "A laundress who cleans for say, the Weyrleader, takes her job very seriously. Me, well I'm just starting, so I have a few of the old aunties I clean for. And if you really want your things back, you'd stictch in an inside piece of fabric with your name on it, thats the simplest way." She offered a kind smile. Lirian found that she rather liked this role as a teacher.

When there was a quiet spell, Lirian sputtered, appearing to concentrate on the garment in her hands, "Were you scared? When you ran away?"

When Rishka spoke of bringing Lirian with her to the records room, the girl dropped the shirt, and slowly turned her face to the other girl, "Do you mean that?" Perhaps she had judged Rishka for a snob too quickly. She couldn't believe it, and she wouldn't have accepted it if Rishka hadn't added the last part. Lirian wouldn't have went if she thought it was a pity offer, but in exchange of her services, that Lirian would gladly accept, and now expect. She gave Rishka an easy smile and picked her work back up, "I would enjoy that greatly." She tried her best to speak educated like Rishka.

[hrsegrl]

It was a good thing too, in her opinion. Rishka could not imagine how things got done unless everyone pulled their fair share. She wondered how they were punished if they did not do their share of the work or if that was not even a problem. Maybe everyone felt a sense of community like a large family and wanted to do what was needed. Strange concept to her but one that she could see here. Holds were different but she had no intention of bringing that up to Lirian. “I bet they threw the clothes I was wearing away. The tunic would be completely useless anyway because of the blood and tearing. It was my brother's anyway...” If he were there he'd be mortified that she had worn his clothes and then gotten them thrown away.

Sensing the note of wistfulness Rishka replied, “I suppose it makes sense having the most experienced do the better clothing but I bet it would be a pain to do their clothes anyway. The wealthier people I've known have always been very particular about how they are dressed. I'm not sure you could convince me it is much different here.” Her mother might be one of the wealthy people mentioned. If anything ever happened to her laundry, Rishka was certain her mother would not only have had an angry fit but also would have seen whoever did it would not work in laundry again if anywhere at the Hold.

The quiet lasted a moment or two before Lirian asked her about running away. Scared was definitely not one of the words that came to mind immediately. “I was not afraid except when I thought that feline was going to kill me and even then I feel like my fear was pushed aside so that I could function and try to get away from the beast. To be quite honest, I would rather be eaten alive by a feline than finish leading the life my parents were choosing for me. To be married off to a wealthy Holder and then lead a life of submission and child bearing. You have no idea how lucky you are to be here and be a girl...” Rishka knew she was glad to be here. A turn from now her parents would have expected a wedding and then a turn after that she would be having children. She did not even like children as far as she knew. There was no doubt in her mind that fear was a driving force in getting her to leave. Mostly because she was afraid of her future life there. Here she had a chance for something different although not nearly as wonderful as wandering freely through the jungles.

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Lirian shrugged, "They probably used them for scraps. It is very seldom that we throw anything away here at the Weyr. We usually take what we can get. Holds produce the goods on Pern, and we are tithed to, so we are, in actually, dependant, for all our power." She let out a breath as she thought, "I'll bet if your clothes were ripped they were used for patches or scraps. If they were bloodied and soiled, they would be cleaned as best they could. Some women are very good with stains."

Not her, of course, but that was because she was just starting. Lirian smiled whistfully, "All work is a pain, but here, we have to struggle for any sort of rank, and any rank is better than no rank. The women are very prideful, and they'd sooner work harder for, well, 'bragging rights' I suppose you could say, than scrub less for some old auntie or candidate."

She looked curiously at the other young woman, "You are a strange girl, Rishka. I say, to have any life is better than no life, but what it would be to become a noble woman! You know not what you wish for. Here you work until you are too old to do anything but bounce a baby on your knee, and when you are too old for that, well I don't know, I've never seen any one so old."

She sighed, if she could have her future taken care of-even if that meant marrying some one her father dictated- she would do it, and with a smile. Being so lowly didn't please her, though she tried to work as hard as she could. Lirian said softly, "Every day my hands are shriveled, they ache and I stink like a wet canine. What man wants to hold that? I never have nice things nor do I know if my position is permanent. And being a girl here doesn't get me out of breeding, you'd have to be a rider for that. Lowercaverns women are still expected to bear children and be milkmothers for any riders' brats."

She shook her head slowly, "My fate rests- or once rested- on a gold egg. Or any egg at that matter. If you are a candidate, yours will too. And you never know, I didn't Impress before, and why should I now? I guess, I treasure my life, as lowly as it is, and I'd rather be unsatisfied than mauled by a queen hatchling. You would be smart to have a back up plan, too, if you don't Impress."

Lirian broke her seriousness with a giggle, "You are headstrong though, and brave. Since you refuse to bend to the will of your father, you would not like to bend to the will of a Wingleader or Headwoman. I am willing to bet you place your chances on a queen egg?"

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"My brother would be mortified if he knew his clothes were now patching some weyrbrats tunic...." She giggled at the idea. They had never really been close and he was such a prude. "Personally I think anyone at the Weyr would deserve his clothes much more than he does. He is self absorbed and foppish. I cannot imagine how he'll ever get a woman to marry him."

On that note, she did not really think that women were given as much pressure here to have families as at the Hold. Lirian however changed her opinion. "Oh I will not be doing that. Children are icky." She made a pout face as if thinking about how disgusting children were. "They are fine for other people I guess but I've never wanted to be a mother. I am going to something completely different with my life, hopefully world changing. I'd love to see places that no one has ever seen or explore parts of Pern that are considered dangerous. Adventures of the most thrilling kind..." She smiled thinking about all of the things she could do and on imagining Harpers tales with her as the hero. It was almost too much to take.

"I suppose I am a bit different.." Rishka said softly. She knew Lirian meant it nicely but it also made her wonder why. Why could she never be satisfied with what she had? Why was there always more? Her ears picked up the word Candidate. "Do you not want to stand? " Rishka looked at Lirian in wonder. She would never understand why someone wouldn't leap at the chance. "I do not suppose there will be any eggs for a long while at any rate. Aliath is gone and obviouslty Nisurath is too young to mate." Which gave her plenty of time to think about what being a dragonrider would mean and if it would be the right thing for her.

There was a moment of silent shock at what Lirian said then Rishka overcame it. "A Gold? Really?" She could see herself as a rider easily enough but Golds were so rare and well all girls wanted a Gold dragon didn't they? "I'm not sure if E'dian will even allow me to stand. I'm not from here and I was not officially searched... I suppose I will be needing that back up plan huh?" Rishka laughed along with the other young woman so that people around them had stopped to look at them. The looks on their faces clear ...what was so funny? Rishka was laughing because she could certainly see herself on a Gold but also laughing at the incredulity of such a thing.

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Lirian snorted with a grin, "Oh children aren't all that bad. You must remember being a child, don't you? Or were you one of the sassy ones?" She smiled, thinking a bit, "Oh, I'm teasing you of course. I've been around children and babies all my life. I shall probably have a few of my own, one day. Not now though, but one day. It is an honor to be a mother, or so I am told, and a woman changes. Are not gold dragons the pride of their species for such a talent as childbirth? I should like to have a son one day, though I have not the father in mind." She did not add, of course, that she needed not to have a father in mind if it was a son she wanted. It was mere romantic folly that she wanted to at least be well aquainted with a man before rearing his children.

She giggled, picturing Rishka with a great pointy stick. She however, had never really been out of the Weyr, so she could not picture what a thick jungle looked like. "Adventures of the most thrilling kind is a good way to get killed, no, I'd like a life more steady." (These two vaguley remind me of Sense and Sensibility, my Elinor to your Marianne ) And a life of fine clothes and jewels and cusions.

When Rishka asked her about standing, she froze for a moment, before quickly scrubbing on. "I stood once, at the last cluch. Didn't work out." That was all she was planning to say, but she glanced back at the other girl. Rishka had been very warm and open with her, so why should she keep secrets? There were some very good reasons, but eye for an eye won out, and since Rishka told her about her scars, Lirian would tell her why she could not stand.

"I still remember that day vividly. I was excited, the heat and the humming. People were entering in the stands, and I knew my mother and younger siblings would be watching. There were three of my mother's children standing that day, and I got to be one of them." She swallowed hard and went on, "The hatching seemed to go well some tense moments, but I could live. My elder brother Impressed a blue, Bysanth. I was very proud of him. He is a good boy, a steady, calm, soul. Then the queen egg started to rock. It was the egg that I desired, at one time, and I was captivated by it. When the queen was shelled, she looked radiant, and innocent. You would not expect young dragonets to be so bloodthirsty."

She blinked, working on autopilot now, "She came forward, and some people said she fell, and it wasn't the gold's fault, but I didn't see it that way, because she fell right at me. I am still here because the queen fell upon the girl next to me, a nice girl, and ended up killing her. Blood spattered my once pristine robes, that metallic smell of death will never leave my nostrils. Her mangled form will never leave my dreams, and the sound of the crowd cheering, actually cheering, as the bloody queen Impressed," she shook her head, "Well that was too much for me. I decided I would not stand on those hot sands again."

"Aye the queen will be grown up before you know it. Two turns will fly." Lirian said with a nod, actually careful never to say Nisurath's name, "Though there is no way to tell if Yours is in or not in a clutch." She smiled sweetly, "Not that there is anything wrong with not being a rider. I'll like as not be one, unless the hatchling finds me in my bed! You seem smart though, you could be a teacher, except you don't seem to like children. Um, you could be an archivist, or a scribe?"

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((haha! So true. Or even Lizzie and Jane... though Marianne is much more like Rishka than I realized. Its been a while since I've read the book or seen the movie. ))

“I remember that my father never wanted anything much to do with me and my mother passed me off to a nurse as soon as she was able which is not much different than here. My childhood did not allow me to roam freely like you were here. I was on a strict schedule. Every minute of my day was planned. I have younger siblings and I cannot say that any of them ever really interested me.” She just was not a baby/child person. On top of that were the horrible stories she had heard about birthing babies. “Not everyone is cut out for childbirth either. I am very small.” She could not imagine a worse way to die than giving birth to a child who would never appreciate it. Let a dragon maul her before she succumbed to any such fate. Lirian would be a fine mother because she wanted to be one. People who had pregnancy forced on them were not going to be good parents.

Rishka laughed, “You can picture a son but not a father. That is adorable.” She actually liked the idea in some ways. “Wouldn't it be lovely if you did not need one?” Maybe she was a bit silly but it was one of those thoughts that made her warm inside. On a more serious note, “I am sure many men have taken interest in you. I mean your tall, beautiful, kind and you want a family. You should be what most men want. Of course I'm not from here so I don't know what men are interested in here but at the hold you would be a commodity.”

Death was not nearly as horrible a path as a life not lived. She'd rather die a thousand times than to be caged to a man and the children she would have. No, life was only worth living if she could live it how she pleased. Rishka did not comment on what she said about death only listened. She listened more carefully about the Hatching to the point where she was staring at Lirian and not washing clothes at all. The fear in Lirian's blue eyes was enough. Rishka knew no one would ever convince her to stand again. “That is horrible.” Nisurath sounded rather fearsome in that telling.

“Dragons must be very clumsy when they hatch...” Suddenly the idea of standing sounded much more interesting. Danger, small chance of her actually impressing and a crowd to watch, it was almost too much to pass up on. “It sounds quite, challenging, to become a rider.” A challenge she would likely accept if offered. “That Record's Room needs organizing which is what I've been trying to help with. I've been sorting the ones I'm reading but I don't feel like I've even made a dent.” She sighed and went back to washing. There was a whole world out there to see, why should she limit her options to one place? “I might not even stay here. E'dian never said I had to stay neither did he ask me to leave. I think the decision will be up to me.” Although there was something about that first night in the infirmary that made her think she would not be permitted to leave the Weyr.

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((ack! I could have swore I answered this!))

"Most fathers of the Weyr, and mothers for that, are non-existent in their children's life. Why my own father was present in mine, till he died, is a mystery to me. My mother was a constant because she had the life of a milk mother and foster mother. She took care of children for a job. She took the children of the riders." And warmed the riders' beds, too. She added silently to herself. "My elder brother and first younger brother were my closest companions. Though they both have different fathers. It often happens that way in the Weyr." She gave her a quick look over and smiled, teasing her lightly, "You do have slim hips."

"Babies are not for everyone, there are quite a few women here who would prefer not to have them, though its the riders who have the most choice, they can take a quick ride between and never have a child... Easier than any herbal potion I've ever heard about." She smiled at Rishka, "Aye, well a woman here doesn't need a man to raise a child, just to conceive one," she winked, "And that is more simple than one might think. I'd just rather not it happent that way, personally. Probably just because I know what it's like to have a caring father, and I have seen my brothers live with out one. "

"Not that they are damaged," she went on quickly, "But I think they wished they too would have a father come around every once in a while, or at least every birthingday." At her compliments, Lirian blushed, which was not exactly common for her. She quickly recovered with a light grin, "Then I should want a transfer to the holds, as soon as possible."

She merely nodded about the clumsyness of dragon hatchlings, and listened as she spoke about the records room, "If you are not asked to stand at the next clutch, you could always sit in the stands with me, I wouldn't mind the company."

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(No worries )
Yeah no one could have talked her into that sort of job. Not just having children but raising other peoples. The whole idea repelled her. Perhaps it was for a reason, maybe her hips were too slim? “I don't think I want to find out if slim is too slim. There are plenty of perfectly healthy and willing women to carry and raise children around here. I'm sure there are men who want children, even among the dragonriders.” She said hopefully for Lirian's sake. For herself she hoped none of them expected something from her. Rishka had not even thought that she might be prey to some of there philandering. She should probably be more careful, all young women should be.

“My mother did dote on all of us until she had the next child. I was never really close to either parent.” Rishka was never loved by either parent either. Her brothers were loved by their father and her eldest sister for being the eldest and a girl, her mother showed open affection for. Rishka was unlovable, which suited her fine. “I can not say I look forward to loving anyone.” She could love them and they may never return that feeling. That would be agony beyond anything she had yet experienced.

Rishka laughed, “I would arrange one for you but I am getting the feeling that once here, people are not permitted to leave. The location of this Weyr is secret. It will not remain so if they let people who find it remain.” She spoke as if she were just coming to the conclusion now. Somehow she had known but pushed it aside. Looking forward to a new freedom she had not wanted to believe she was a captive. It was better that no one at the Hold ever knew. She could see her father's face, red with fury, talking to his brother, Alaxos, Lord of Ponaa Hold and knew that if he found out, the Weyr would be in danger.

“I hear Hatchings are wonderful to watch. I would love to sit with you and have you explain what was happening. In days gone by, Holders could attend Hatchings and it was quite the event followed by a grand banquet and dancing. I'm mostly looking forward to the food I think.” She giggled. The food here was better than at home and she also did not have someone rationing out everything she ate to maintain her figure.

[omg!itsbrim!]

Lirian nodded, it was something that was common for her friends, "Yes, my mother was always busy, though I am greatful that I got to spend so much time with her. I respect her as a woman, probably much better if I had not known her." Yes, while her mother spent her nights with her rider paramours, she devoted her days to her children. Esaliri wasn't maybe the number one, but at least she was present in Lirian's life, and for that she was greatful, even felt sorry for Rishka, "But I am sorry to hear, my mother has taught me so much about character. I couldn't imagine being raised by another."

At Rishka's declaration of not wanting to love, the girl let out a little gasp, "Really? Well I know there is a difference between lust and love, even I was born from lust, but love, that's really special." Not that she had felt it, she had never been in love, and quite frankly, was really too young to have had a fulfilling relationship. "But, why wouldn't you want to find some one to give your whole self to? I think to be in love would be the most wonderful thing in the world. Though, I am aware that true love is a rare thing indeed. I only ask for a fondness, something more than lust."

She smiled in thought, "Yes, the Weyr isn't too bad, I couldn't imagine living any where else. Even if there are dragons here. From far away they are pretty, any way, even the gold ones." She looked up to see a tall, thin, middle aged woman come with a large, rough looking, woven basket. It was almost like braided ropes woven into a round basket. Lirian wrung out as much water as she could and put the damp cloths into the basket. She looked over to Rishka, "This is Jarna, she'll take the clothes to be dried."

"But yes, I would very much like to explain the hatching. As much as I may," she paused, what did they call her? Oh yes, dragon scared... "As much as I may be afraid of dragonets, they are the reason why the Weyr exists, and I plan to be at a safe distance in the stands to watch."