It's Been A Long Time (A’zael)

[freya]

Raela was stirring some stew as she looked at the riders coming and going then sighed. She had just finished stirring when her brown fire lizard Milrek came flying in chirping and landed on her shoulder. "Hello, little one," said Raela as she handed it a piece of meat to head and it chirped then flew of to a table to eat it. The little fire lizard was a joy to her and about the only one to keep her company with her parents busy these days. A few more plates to be cleaned and she sat down tired from the day then poured herself a cup of klah. It had started before dawn making food and drink for the dragon riders with it already evening now. Their evening meal was done and looked around everyone was finishing up which left her with the great task of being the night watchmen. One person stayed awake to keep the fire going and klah ready for dragon riders coming in at night.

The woman wore a brown dress with a white apron stained with various stains while she had her hair up in a braid. She turned to see a few riders come in and got up to bring them their stew. Her thoughts went to her brother who rarely came by and who never had time for the family. "Just as well," said Raela as she got the stew putting it in plates and the drink then handed it to the two male riders. It was times like these that she wondered what it would be like to ride a dragon and knew that would most likely never happen. The woman hadn't been chosen to stand yet and wouldn't limit herself to bedding a rider to have weyrbrates. Raela wanted more out of life then that and if she didn't get chosen to stand soon it might mean leaving the weyr to try her fortune somewhere else. Her brown fire lizard chirped on her shoulder and wanted more food which Raela was happy to give while continuing to stir klah.

[Zen]

There was one part of his job that A’zael hated, hated, and that was disciplining unruly candidates. He didn’t like getting angry glares and knowing they secretly plotted to get back at him, even if the plans never really went anywhere. Few would risk not being allowed to Stand by doing anything too foolish. Still, he didn’t like being on anyone’s bad side, it was a very unpleasant experience.

That afternoon he’d been informed of two particular candidate’s disappearances from their assigned chores and had spent the better part of the last half of the day tracking them down to find the culprits, two boys, goofing off down by the harbor. He’d given them an earful and then some and assigned them to help the new Weyrlings shovel their dragonet’s dung for the next two sevendays, and if they wanted to try and skip out on that then maybe they’d enjoy watching the next hatching from the stands!

Honestly, he tried to give everyone a little free time each day and generally gave them whole days off in shifts, just one or two at a time, every so often. He remembered what it was like to be a candidate and wanted to make it as enjoyable as he could for everyone but such blatant irresponsibility made him think they didn’t deserve to be riders at all. At least for a little while. A’zael did not stay angry long, in fact he was quite past it now, but he was still a bit exasperated. And now he was having a late evening meal to boot.

He sighed and stretched as he walked into the Dining Cavern, running one hand through his hair. After dinner he was definitely heading over to the bathing caverns for some relaxation before bed. Navith was currently curled up in the Candidate’s Quarters, on the lookout for anyone trying anything foolish to give his rider a break. Spotting his little sister he tilted his head slightly. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d talked to her. Usually he wasn’t really sure what to say and ended up trying to treat her like one of his candidates, which he wasn’t really sure she appreciated at all. Well he didn’t want to start off having her serve him so he fetched his own meal before he made his way over to her table, “Mind if I sit here?”

[freya]

Raela turned around to the see none other then her brother A'zael and said, "Sure," looking at him with a odd expression. He never came over to talk to her and just eyed him knowing something had to be up. The little brown fire lizard happily went to her brother's shoulder chirping with happiness and crooned at him. While Raela was thinking you little traitor then stopped for a moment going to sit across from her brother. "Sorry about Milrek," said Raela as she just eyed the little brown who paid her no attention. "How have you been," asked Raela noticing how tired he looked and knew it had to be from the responsibility that he had? She envied her brother and was slight jealous of his ability to be around dragons all the time then sighed.

"Need anything else," asked Raela as she looked at him ready to serve him as was part of her duties? She had never been close to him and it showed in the coldness that he was received. Raela noticed how much alike they really looked with their brown hair and eyes yet we're very different people. The klah was starting to bubble as she took a hand and started to stir it with a smile. "I've heard that your latest candidates did quite well at the hatching a grey and a gold congrats big brother," said Raela trying to lighten the mood. She never knew what to say to him because of their age difference of almost ten years.

Her little brown lizard was just comfortable on her brother's shoulder no doubt wanting food and she wanted to get the little creature. Milrek went up to anyone begging for food and had a endless appetite for one so small. "He's really a pest sometimes," said Raela with a laugh then continued to stir smiling a little at her brother. The girl would have loved to be closer to her brother yet knew that he was too busy to fool with a little sister who just worked in the kitchens. "So I hear the grey Iroth is rising," said Raela with a smile there would soon be another group of eggs on the sands. She had long ago given up such a dream and was content in the kitchens till a opportunity to get out of the weyr presented itself.