In which another attempt is made by someone to 'manage' our heroine.
Who: Miniyal and Issa
Where: Weyrling training cavern
When: After dinner on day 10, month 13, turn 3 of the 7th Pass.
What: Having taken the advice solicited from the weyrleader Issa presents Miniyal with a new schedule. Ella? I'm afraid you just lost the Queen of Breaking Miniyal title. It's passed on to another greenrider. ;)
6/25/2007
At High Reaches Weyr, it is after dinner on day 10, month 13, turn 3 of the 7th Pass.
The older the dragons get the more their riders tend to stay away when they get some small free time. Not needing to worry so much they roam or just avoid being where they live. Following dinner, for the most part, the training cavern runs pretty empty. There's always someone around. One or two people with some assignment to finish or straps to work on or just no place else to go. Tonight is no exception and even though the winter weather has encouraged people to gather indoors the weyrlings have found a different indoors to go to. Likely the living cavern since they've already been there for dinner. And while she's been there as well it's not where Miniyal will be found at the moment. Instead she's here where it is quieter. Even were there a group of people it's hard to miss her since she's still got the constantly growing gold attached to her hip. Or, well, curled up beside her watching what she does. What she does is read a book. Horribly exciting. It must be since she seems engrossed in it, leaving it to the dragon to alert her to the arrival of anyone who might appear.
Miniyal has plenty of time, these days, to prepare herself for the approach of the weyrling's wingsecond. Issa waddles quite noticeably now with the weight of that baby and she can be seen from dragonlengths away with the size of the belly holding it. The emptiness of the cavern just makes it that much easier. But even with that plodding pace, Issa persists across the wide floor, zeroing in on the newest Reachian goldrider. She does the weyrling a favor of announcing her presence once she's in hearing range, though, greeting her with a simple, "Evening, Miniyal." Aside from that belly, she carries a scrap of hide in her hand, another sort of list scrawled over the cracked and much-used surface. For Peloth, she gives only a slight nod before returning her attention to her rider. "What're you reading?" she asks, small talk quota fulfilled as she pauses a comfortable distance away.
With warning given she has time to close her book. Although she waits until the wingsecond has spoken before doing so. Then she makes her way to her feet and if her belly is not as large as the pregnant woman's it still requires a moment for her to get up. Still, a lifetime of being used to such a thing makes it not so difficult. Holding the book in her off hand allows her to salute. "Ma'am. Evening. Poetry, ma'am." The book gets a little waggle in her hand at those last words. In case the other woman has trouble determining what that last word before that last ma'am refers to. And then since she was the one approached she waits in silence with her free hand sliding into a pocket.
Issa releases that salute with a swift toss of her own hand then nods for the answer, her lips lifting into a pleasant little curve. "Ah. Good way to relax," she comments, then she waits in silence for a moment, only a moment before getting to the business that caused her to cross all that way to see Miniyal in the first place. "You have a new schedule," she informs her, her words shifting over into the quietly firm tone she reserves for official orders. She moves only to extend her arm and the hide filled with D'ven's handwriting along with it, making Miniyal step forward to take it. Schedule updates are usually posted on the wall near the office, for all to see, so this personal summons is a tad odd. Making it more so is the fact that it's not really what one would expect out of a new schedule; in fact, it looks quite similar to the schedule from a few months ago. While there are still times set aside for the drills and exercises that all weyrlings are experiencing at the moment, her free time slots are filled with extra duties labeled simply 'classroom time' or 'teaching.' Then, at the bottom, there's an addendum, that Miniyal is to accompany the woman that stands before her whenever the wingsecond wishes, helping her with whatever she needs help with. An assistant of sorts. Issa merely stands there, face impassive, while the weyrling reads over it.
Step forward she does with her hand coming from her pocket so she can take the list and look it over. Miniyal's expression remains undisturbed as she looks it over. Peloth remains still beside her rider as she observes what goes on. Neither of them give anything away as far as any internal impressions of this new schedule. After it's been read over twice carefully the weyrling's eyes move away from it to Issa. "Starting tomorrow, ma'am?" That's it. Other than to hold the schedule back out as she asks, "Did you need this back?"
Issa's eyes flick down to the held out hide, but she shakes her head when they rise to the weyrling again. "Keep it," she answers, her voice still calm as she adds, "It'll help you know when and where you need to be." She pauses, but the briefing continues on after that, as Issa tries to cross her arms, but finds her belly to be too awkward for the position and instead resigns herself to sticking them into the pockets of her coat. "And yes, you'll start tomorrow. And continue indefinitely. The classroom time is for you to make up every one you missed, or were late to. There are a few others that need remedial help that will be there with you for most of them. You'll be helping teach those few, too, since you seem to feel you have the subjects mastered." All of this is delivered simply, without any snarkiness that might otherwise be expected. "Under whatever instructor's supervision, of course. So be prepared for that. If you have any questions about any of it, I'll be around," she says then, with a bit of amusement touching the corners of her lips very briefly before her expression sinks back down into a pleasant calm once again.
The list being hers to keep it is folded and tucked into her book. Where it will remain and never be looked at again, sure, but that's information for her to know. If Issa believes she needs it then Miniyal will not correct her of that notion. "Very well, ma'am." With a hand free once more it goes into her pocket and the other holds the book down flat against her thigh. "I do not see the need for questions, ma'am. It all appeared quite self-explanatory on the schedule." That said she goes for silence once more as she simply waits for something else to be said or to be dismissed from the lovely 'conversation.' Such as it is and all.
"Good. I'm glad," Issa responds succinctly, giving a short nod to match the words. "I'm mostly going to need you to help me oil Oshisyth. Bathe her. As well as anything else I can think up at the time." She seems unaware if anything she says is particularly unbearable for the weyrling, continuing with that same quiet inflection. The wingsecond shifts the whole of her laden weight onto her other foot and regards Miniyal's face evenly for a beat. "You think you're up to it?" she asks, arching a mildly curious brow and using a nod to indicate the schedule that's been hidden away in the book of poetry since her hands are caught in her pockets at the moment.
Miniyal's head shakes once as she regards the greenrider. "I've had plenty of experience with assisting, ma'am." Whatever it might have costed her to say that so calmly and apparently unbothered by the words there's no hint of it in her expression. "And schedules." Her eyes stray away from the conversation to where her dragon lies watching her. A little glance and then she looks back once more to Issa's general vicinity. She must be horribly comfortable standing as she is since there's not an inch of movement from her. No twitching fingers or shuffling feet but just a statue-like stillness that she seems to think works with her sparing words.
Issa shifts enough for the both of them, her stance returning to a lean on that first foot again. Her eyes, though, stay steadily forward and focused. "Can't escape it, I guess," she says, the comment drained dry of any prodding malice or teasing amusement, instead weighted by an ounce of regret in amidst the overall quiet of her voice. "You realize the reason for the change, don't you?"
"I would never presume, ma'am, to attribute motives to the actions of others. I am sure if I do not get it quickly enough I will be enlightened as to exactly what it is I am supposed to be learning from all of this." Miniyal lifts her eyes away from whatever they studied off in the distance to focus with certainty on the other woman. "I am not sure if this is the sort of thing I should be learning on my own or if you wish to enlighten me know so I might bask in the brilliance of this plan." And, while the words must have come out from some place alive with sarcasm there is none of it in her tone.
Issa blinks passively at the dry tone paired with those sarcastic words and, after a beat, lets out a slow breath of laughter. "The brilliance of it is," she replies easily, seemingly unaffected by the weyrling's manner, "is that you are going to finish every single aspect of this program, just like everyone else, no matter how unimportant you may think them to be. Even if it bores you to tears. Even if it takes us turns and you're still in the barracks when Peloth's on the sands. Even if I have to attach myself to you and push you the entire way." Her pocket-bound arms start to give a shrug but give up the endeavor halfway, making it seem stunted. "Because as a weyrwoman there'll be many things that you must do, whether you agree with them or not. That seems to be an area you have difficulty with, Miniyal."
For all her words Issa gets a tilt of the head in reply. Barely an inch to the left and then back it goes. Miniyal blinks once before nodding. "Of course, ma'am. As you say. Was there anything else I needed to know right now, ma'am? Since I will not have time tomorrow or the indefinite future I should return this book now before I get started on not sleeping, ma'am."
Issa searches the weyrling's face for a moment, as if what she's to say next would be written there. In the end, she finds it a few seconds later, there or elsewhere. "I want you to try and be less indifferent about your future, Miniyal."
Miniyal blinks again although much more slowly than a normal blink might be. So, it might be something else entirely. "I'm sure you're not alone in that, ma'am." She's not forward enough to try to end the conversation with a preemptive salute or anything, but she is, likely, running out of short answers that have not devolved into a simple nod of her head.
"I know I'm not," she responds quickly, shifting her weight once again. And just as Miniyal doesn't end the conversation, Issa doesn't seem to be giving up on it either. "I don't want you to float through this. No one does." She breaks then, but only for a moment, a handful of seconds to gather a deeper breath. "And I don't think Gans would have either," she adds even more quietly, her eyes never leaving Miniyal's face.
Stuck then, in a conversation she doesn't want to have. If it goes on forever she will have to move. She won't be able to stand so still forever. But for now Miniyal doesn't move. "He's dead." This seems to sum up that and so Miniyal lets it go with those two words. "I'm aware everyone wants me to do something, ma'am."
Issa nods her head, slowly, her eyes wandering past Miniyal first to Peloth and then to a greenriding pair wandering across toward the barracks behind her. "Everyone wants you to do something," she repeats with an affirming tone, adding then, so quietly, "Get used to it, weyrwoman." She pauses only to exhales a breath and draws her eyes back to Miniyal, where they stay steadily from then on. "Then forget what I want you to do, Miniyal," she continues, her voice gaining volume but never rising from that same smooth firmness. "You know what I /don't/ want? I don't want you to become a weyrwoman who has no influence in the way the Weyr is run. I don't want you to be the one everyone tolerates because she can keep a neat ledger, because she's attached to a good breeder. Because believe it or not, doing what you're doing now will lead you right there. A lot of people would be thrilled if that's the way you turned out. But not me. In fact I'm going to try everything, have been trying everything, to make sure you don't. But if that's what you /want/ to do, then fine." She ends that with a tiny shake of her head, an almost unconscious movement in amonst her cool calm. "Go ahead and become the unassuming weyrwoman, the one who drifts about, occasionally saying outrageous things that no one really listens to anyway. No one will say I didn't do my job if that's the way you turn out. But I can't just sit back and watch it."
"Oh, ma'am. You needn't worry about that. I'm doing my best to not say anything." Miniyal nods her head at that and then lifts her hand to waggle the book. "Just reading poetry, ma'am. No harm in that. Just something simple about trees and clouds and rocks and the like." Settling the book back against her thigh she shakes her head now, just once. "I'm not looking for influence, ma'am. The Weyr is welcome to do what it will with me. Or not. Whatever. So, do feel free to stop trying. I really wish everyone would. Better luck with the next one, ma'am. Maybe she'll be what you want and you'll get out of it whatever it is I am not willing to provide." She doesn't ask it again, she just looks at Issa as if waiting for dismissal.
"Right," Issa answers, eyebrows lifting as her eyes drop to the floor at Miniyal's feet. "Well, if you're looking for tree poems," she continues a short moment later, turning an indifferent gaze back up to the weyrwoman, "I suggest Thenalis. Have a good night. I'll see you in the morning." It's as crisp a salute as Issa is known to give that forms that dismissal she wants so badly, and she makes the weyrling hold it for a good several seconds before releasing. She doesn't yield ground though, staying rooted firmly where she is and waiting for Miniyal to take her leave. Perhaps she just doesn't want to have to waddle away from a conversation like that.
Dismissed is all she wanted and once she gets it, well, it is a thing of beauty. Once she's been dismissed and is finished saluting and, likely, sending Peloth on her way, Miniyal turns to leave. "Oh. I won't have time for reading, ma'am. You've seen to that." Some things, like a genetic imperative to have the last word, can break through any sort of bleakness that has attached itself to someone's life. And so Issa gets left as she wants, the weyrling pair splitting up to their own destinations for now.
Where: Weyrling training cavern
When: After dinner on day 10, month 13, turn 3 of the 7th Pass.
What: Having taken the advice solicited from the weyrleader Issa presents Miniyal with a new schedule. Ella? I'm afraid you just lost the Queen of Breaking Miniyal title. It's passed on to another greenrider. ;)
6/25/2007
At High Reaches Weyr, it is after dinner on day 10, month 13, turn 3 of the 7th Pass.
The older the dragons get the more their riders tend to stay away when they get some small free time. Not needing to worry so much they roam or just avoid being where they live. Following dinner, for the most part, the training cavern runs pretty empty. There's always someone around. One or two people with some assignment to finish or straps to work on or just no place else to go. Tonight is no exception and even though the winter weather has encouraged people to gather indoors the weyrlings have found a different indoors to go to. Likely the living cavern since they've already been there for dinner. And while she's been there as well it's not where Miniyal will be found at the moment. Instead she's here where it is quieter. Even were there a group of people it's hard to miss her since she's still got the constantly growing gold attached to her hip. Or, well, curled up beside her watching what she does. What she does is read a book. Horribly exciting. It must be since she seems engrossed in it, leaving it to the dragon to alert her to the arrival of anyone who might appear.
Miniyal has plenty of time, these days, to prepare herself for the approach of the weyrling's wingsecond. Issa waddles quite noticeably now with the weight of that baby and she can be seen from dragonlengths away with the size of the belly holding it. The emptiness of the cavern just makes it that much easier. But even with that plodding pace, Issa persists across the wide floor, zeroing in on the newest Reachian goldrider. She does the weyrling a favor of announcing her presence once she's in hearing range, though, greeting her with a simple, "Evening, Miniyal." Aside from that belly, she carries a scrap of hide in her hand, another sort of list scrawled over the cracked and much-used surface. For Peloth, she gives only a slight nod before returning her attention to her rider. "What're you reading?" she asks, small talk quota fulfilled as she pauses a comfortable distance away.
With warning given she has time to close her book. Although she waits until the wingsecond has spoken before doing so. Then she makes her way to her feet and if her belly is not as large as the pregnant woman's it still requires a moment for her to get up. Still, a lifetime of being used to such a thing makes it not so difficult. Holding the book in her off hand allows her to salute. "Ma'am. Evening. Poetry, ma'am." The book gets a little waggle in her hand at those last words. In case the other woman has trouble determining what that last word before that last ma'am refers to. And then since she was the one approached she waits in silence with her free hand sliding into a pocket.
Issa releases that salute with a swift toss of her own hand then nods for the answer, her lips lifting into a pleasant little curve. "Ah. Good way to relax," she comments, then she waits in silence for a moment, only a moment before getting to the business that caused her to cross all that way to see Miniyal in the first place. "You have a new schedule," she informs her, her words shifting over into the quietly firm tone she reserves for official orders. She moves only to extend her arm and the hide filled with D'ven's handwriting along with it, making Miniyal step forward to take it. Schedule updates are usually posted on the wall near the office, for all to see, so this personal summons is a tad odd. Making it more so is the fact that it's not really what one would expect out of a new schedule; in fact, it looks quite similar to the schedule from a few months ago. While there are still times set aside for the drills and exercises that all weyrlings are experiencing at the moment, her free time slots are filled with extra duties labeled simply 'classroom time' or 'teaching.' Then, at the bottom, there's an addendum, that Miniyal is to accompany the woman that stands before her whenever the wingsecond wishes, helping her with whatever she needs help with. An assistant of sorts. Issa merely stands there, face impassive, while the weyrling reads over it.
Step forward she does with her hand coming from her pocket so she can take the list and look it over. Miniyal's expression remains undisturbed as she looks it over. Peloth remains still beside her rider as she observes what goes on. Neither of them give anything away as far as any internal impressions of this new schedule. After it's been read over twice carefully the weyrling's eyes move away from it to Issa. "Starting tomorrow, ma'am?" That's it. Other than to hold the schedule back out as she asks, "Did you need this back?"
Issa's eyes flick down to the held out hide, but she shakes her head when they rise to the weyrling again. "Keep it," she answers, her voice still calm as she adds, "It'll help you know when and where you need to be." She pauses, but the briefing continues on after that, as Issa tries to cross her arms, but finds her belly to be too awkward for the position and instead resigns herself to sticking them into the pockets of her coat. "And yes, you'll start tomorrow. And continue indefinitely. The classroom time is for you to make up every one you missed, or were late to. There are a few others that need remedial help that will be there with you for most of them. You'll be helping teach those few, too, since you seem to feel you have the subjects mastered." All of this is delivered simply, without any snarkiness that might otherwise be expected. "Under whatever instructor's supervision, of course. So be prepared for that. If you have any questions about any of it, I'll be around," she says then, with a bit of amusement touching the corners of her lips very briefly before her expression sinks back down into a pleasant calm once again.
The list being hers to keep it is folded and tucked into her book. Where it will remain and never be looked at again, sure, but that's information for her to know. If Issa believes she needs it then Miniyal will not correct her of that notion. "Very well, ma'am." With a hand free once more it goes into her pocket and the other holds the book down flat against her thigh. "I do not see the need for questions, ma'am. It all appeared quite self-explanatory on the schedule." That said she goes for silence once more as she simply waits for something else to be said or to be dismissed from the lovely 'conversation.' Such as it is and all.
"Good. I'm glad," Issa responds succinctly, giving a short nod to match the words. "I'm mostly going to need you to help me oil Oshisyth. Bathe her. As well as anything else I can think up at the time." She seems unaware if anything she says is particularly unbearable for the weyrling, continuing with that same quiet inflection. The wingsecond shifts the whole of her laden weight onto her other foot and regards Miniyal's face evenly for a beat. "You think you're up to it?" she asks, arching a mildly curious brow and using a nod to indicate the schedule that's been hidden away in the book of poetry since her hands are caught in her pockets at the moment.
Miniyal's head shakes once as she regards the greenrider. "I've had plenty of experience with assisting, ma'am." Whatever it might have costed her to say that so calmly and apparently unbothered by the words there's no hint of it in her expression. "And schedules." Her eyes stray away from the conversation to where her dragon lies watching her. A little glance and then she looks back once more to Issa's general vicinity. She must be horribly comfortable standing as she is since there's not an inch of movement from her. No twitching fingers or shuffling feet but just a statue-like stillness that she seems to think works with her sparing words.
Issa shifts enough for the both of them, her stance returning to a lean on that first foot again. Her eyes, though, stay steadily forward and focused. "Can't escape it, I guess," she says, the comment drained dry of any prodding malice or teasing amusement, instead weighted by an ounce of regret in amidst the overall quiet of her voice. "You realize the reason for the change, don't you?"
"I would never presume, ma'am, to attribute motives to the actions of others. I am sure if I do not get it quickly enough I will be enlightened as to exactly what it is I am supposed to be learning from all of this." Miniyal lifts her eyes away from whatever they studied off in the distance to focus with certainty on the other woman. "I am not sure if this is the sort of thing I should be learning on my own or if you wish to enlighten me know so I might bask in the brilliance of this plan." And, while the words must have come out from some place alive with sarcasm there is none of it in her tone.
Issa blinks passively at the dry tone paired with those sarcastic words and, after a beat, lets out a slow breath of laughter. "The brilliance of it is," she replies easily, seemingly unaffected by the weyrling's manner, "is that you are going to finish every single aspect of this program, just like everyone else, no matter how unimportant you may think them to be. Even if it bores you to tears. Even if it takes us turns and you're still in the barracks when Peloth's on the sands. Even if I have to attach myself to you and push you the entire way." Her pocket-bound arms start to give a shrug but give up the endeavor halfway, making it seem stunted. "Because as a weyrwoman there'll be many things that you must do, whether you agree with them or not. That seems to be an area you have difficulty with, Miniyal."
For all her words Issa gets a tilt of the head in reply. Barely an inch to the left and then back it goes. Miniyal blinks once before nodding. "Of course, ma'am. As you say. Was there anything else I needed to know right now, ma'am? Since I will not have time tomorrow or the indefinite future I should return this book now before I get started on not sleeping, ma'am."
Issa searches the weyrling's face for a moment, as if what she's to say next would be written there. In the end, she finds it a few seconds later, there or elsewhere. "I want you to try and be less indifferent about your future, Miniyal."
Miniyal blinks again although much more slowly than a normal blink might be. So, it might be something else entirely. "I'm sure you're not alone in that, ma'am." She's not forward enough to try to end the conversation with a preemptive salute or anything, but she is, likely, running out of short answers that have not devolved into a simple nod of her head.
"I know I'm not," she responds quickly, shifting her weight once again. And just as Miniyal doesn't end the conversation, Issa doesn't seem to be giving up on it either. "I don't want you to float through this. No one does." She breaks then, but only for a moment, a handful of seconds to gather a deeper breath. "And I don't think Gans would have either," she adds even more quietly, her eyes never leaving Miniyal's face.
Stuck then, in a conversation she doesn't want to have. If it goes on forever she will have to move. She won't be able to stand so still forever. But for now Miniyal doesn't move. "He's dead." This seems to sum up that and so Miniyal lets it go with those two words. "I'm aware everyone wants me to do something, ma'am."
Issa nods her head, slowly, her eyes wandering past Miniyal first to Peloth and then to a greenriding pair wandering across toward the barracks behind her. "Everyone wants you to do something," she repeats with an affirming tone, adding then, so quietly, "Get used to it, weyrwoman." She pauses only to exhales a breath and draws her eyes back to Miniyal, where they stay steadily from then on. "Then forget what I want you to do, Miniyal," she continues, her voice gaining volume but never rising from that same smooth firmness. "You know what I /don't/ want? I don't want you to become a weyrwoman who has no influence in the way the Weyr is run. I don't want you to be the one everyone tolerates because she can keep a neat ledger, because she's attached to a good breeder. Because believe it or not, doing what you're doing now will lead you right there. A lot of people would be thrilled if that's the way you turned out. But not me. In fact I'm going to try everything, have been trying everything, to make sure you don't. But if that's what you /want/ to do, then fine." She ends that with a tiny shake of her head, an almost unconscious movement in amonst her cool calm. "Go ahead and become the unassuming weyrwoman, the one who drifts about, occasionally saying outrageous things that no one really listens to anyway. No one will say I didn't do my job if that's the way you turn out. But I can't just sit back and watch it."
"Oh, ma'am. You needn't worry about that. I'm doing my best to not say anything." Miniyal nods her head at that and then lifts her hand to waggle the book. "Just reading poetry, ma'am. No harm in that. Just something simple about trees and clouds and rocks and the like." Settling the book back against her thigh she shakes her head now, just once. "I'm not looking for influence, ma'am. The Weyr is welcome to do what it will with me. Or not. Whatever. So, do feel free to stop trying. I really wish everyone would. Better luck with the next one, ma'am. Maybe she'll be what you want and you'll get out of it whatever it is I am not willing to provide." She doesn't ask it again, she just looks at Issa as if waiting for dismissal.
"Right," Issa answers, eyebrows lifting as her eyes drop to the floor at Miniyal's feet. "Well, if you're looking for tree poems," she continues a short moment later, turning an indifferent gaze back up to the weyrwoman, "I suggest Thenalis. Have a good night. I'll see you in the morning." It's as crisp a salute as Issa is known to give that forms that dismissal she wants so badly, and she makes the weyrling hold it for a good several seconds before releasing. She doesn't yield ground though, staying rooted firmly where she is and waiting for Miniyal to take her leave. Perhaps she just doesn't want to have to waddle away from a conversation like that.
Dismissed is all she wanted and once she gets it, well, it is a thing of beauty. Once she's been dismissed and is finished saluting and, likely, sending Peloth on her way, Miniyal turns to leave. "Oh. I won't have time for reading, ma'am. You've seen to that." Some things, like a genetic imperative to have the last word, can break through any sort of bleakness that has attached itself to someone's life. And so Issa gets left as she wants, the weyrling pair splitting up to their own destinations for now.