[EasternWeyr] (06.24.2761) The New Apprentice; Take 2: (attn Kalenia / Ozmyr)

[mike hornsby]

The heat of the forge was something Ozmyr understood well. Left to his own devices for a bit during craft time he had set to work on some tools that had been left behind in need of repairs. The first, a cracked ax head, had been softened in the fire and he now held it in the tongs as he hammered at it, forging the metal back into a single, sold piece before it would take on the usual ax shape they were needing. This much he understod. Life in the Weyr thus far was a bit beyond him.

 

Ozmyr had mixed feelings here on his first full day. Part of him felt relieved that life was more free here and he could explore who he really felt he was. Another part, which was perhaps stronger for the moment, felt a lot of anxiety over such changes. The lessons learned over sixteen years in Hold and Craft morals wouldn't be over come in a single day.

 

Out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of someone else entering the area. Another bit of anxiety came over him. No one had been here when he arrived to tell him what he should do. Just setting in to work had seemed the best bet. Now though he worried that perhaps he was taking someone elses spot or might be in the way. Normally he wasn't such a worry wart but the new environment was freaking him out a bit.

 

"Begging your pardon," he said to the new arrival. "Hope I'm not intruding. No one told me where to be other than to show up here. Thought I'd just set to work till I heard different."

 

(Ooc: Ok, didn't see your message for a bit about me starting. Hope this works for you. :)  )

[Arielle]

Kalenia had been back in the storage area, picking out a few small jewels for the fancier hilt work and jewelry she'd been relegated to, with much displeasure, now that her belly was becoming too big for her to safely swing a hammer. It didn't help that a few of the Senior Journeyman and at least one Master were concerned about keeping their position at the Weyr, should something happen to her baby. Sometimes it really stunk, having your father be a Craftmaster. He wasn't the ultimate ruler of the Smithcraft, that Master was up North, but he was in charge of quite a few placements. Kale didn't ever think her Da would do anything to the Smiths at the Weyr just because she was stupid enough not to realize her own limits. But Impression and now pregnancy seemed to have change the impetuous woman some, for now she did as others felt necessary for fear of their livelihoods. She did feel compassion for her fellow Smith; they were often like her family here.

The greenrider knew a new apprentice had come, Searched, and would likely be at Craftwork over the next few days. She assumed by the fact that she didn't recognize him that the young man she saw upon reentering the main forge was he. "No worries, keep on as you were," Kale said, taking her seat at the workbench near by. "I'm just here to supervise and answer any questions you might have. The name's Kalenia. And yours?" She looked at him while she sorted out her gems, figuring out what would go best where on the hilt of the unfinished dagger sitting at her elbow. It wasn't meant to be ornate, but rather a merging of art and purpose. The steel of the blade was beautiful, a Master's work, and Kalenia had been lucky enough to be assigned the forging and subsequent decoration of the hilt, with the Master's initial designs to go on as suggestion.

[mike hornsby]

 "I'm Ozmyr," he replied, glancing over at the young woman. She was pretty, and obviously very pregnant. Judging by her knots she was a greenrider and her easy manner helped to set him at ease. Settling back in to work on the tools he was obliged to wait a few moments for them to finish heating enough to be properly forged.

 

"That's some fine craft work on that dagger. Your work?"

 

He had no way to know for sure if she had made it or someone else had.

[Arielle]

Kalenia smiled back at the young man. "Well met, Ozmyr. Thank you for the compliment, but no, this isn't my work. It's one of our resident Master's. I've just been give the assignment of the hilt." She kept one eye and ear on him while she worked, to ascertain his skill and to make sure nothing untoward happened that she could have prevented.

[mike hornsby]

On Tuesday, April 9, 2013 8:32:53 AM UTC-4, Arielle wrote:

Kalenia smiled back at the young man. "Well met, Ozmyr. Thank you for the compliment, but no, this isn't my work. It's one of our resident Master's. I've just been give the assignment of the hilt." She kept one eye and ear on him while she worked, to ascertain his skill and to make sure nothing untoward happened that she could have prevented.

 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Checking the metal sitting in the coals one more time Ozmyr saw that it was very nearly ready to begin. He rotated it a bit with the tongs to heat it evenly as Kalenia spoke. It was something of a relief that she seemed so friendly and easy to get along with. Most folks at the Weyr had been of course but it was especially good to find someone here at the smithy who was as well. The young man rather thought he would be spending a lot of his time here after all.

"Well, whichever of them did the work it is a fine piece. I've tried my hand at daggers before but it wound up looking a bit deformed."

He pumped the bellows then a couple of times, seeing that the fire needed to be just a bit hotter. Reforging tools was easy as such work went but still needed to be done at the right temperatures or the metal wouldn't shape correctly.

"Mostly what I've been taught to do was simple things....horseshoes, simple tools, some of the easy repairs. Some day though I'd like to try my hand at something decorative just to see how I could do."

[Arielle]

Kalenia smiled as she went about her delicate work, picking up one tiny amethyst with a jeweller's tweezers. "Daggers aren't easy to keep straight. It's a bit of an art, but all it takes is practice. I could help you sometime, if you'd like. Blades are something of my specialty, though I haven't quite gotten down the folding that a Master's work requires." She didn't say that she'd need to have her baby before any Master or other Journeyman would let her back near a hammer. It had been a rather unfortunate near-behedding-by-thrown-hammer that was the final straw for them, let alone her own physical safety.

"Simple things are where every smith needs to start. I'm sure you'll do well here and if you ever want to learn something new, the best thing is to just ask. Even if you don't ask the person who's good at it, they'll know who's the right person to teach you." There was something to be said for working in a craft where knowledge and skill were so easily taught, especially in a Weyr. Some Crafthalls would not be as open to sharing as those situated in Weyrs, but considering that you couldn't be guaranteed a fresh crop of Apprentices who weren't also Candidates here, knowledge was best preserved through sharing.

[mike hornsby]

 That was one down side about talking while in the smithy. Sometimes the sounds of the fire, the bellows or the hammer might drown out a conversation. Luckily Ozmyr had picked up the knack of talking between distractions. It was an interesting trait that most smiths picked up at one point or another.

 

"Thats good to know. Now that I'm here I want to try so many things...the freedom is kind of....overwhelming."

 

Pausing a moment to wipe his brow the young man glanced over to his companion.

 

"Hopefully I don't sound too silly saying it like that. I'm just excited to be here."

[Arielle]

Like Ozymr, Kalenia had the knack of talking between the loud noises of a forge, though she had grown up with the sounds, an impetuous toddler who grew tired of trying to scream over all of the hammering. She waited through the stops and starts of their talk, not annoyed, just comfortable. The forge had always been her home, even here, even after she'd Impressed Ilyenath.

"Oh, don't worry, it's not silly to be overwhelmed by freedom, any kind of freedom. I remember when I came here, after growing up in the Crafthall, everything was so different. Eventually, you'll get used to it though, don't worry about that," she told him between their respective tasks.

[mike hornsby]

On Tuesday, May 21, 2013 9:52:04 AM UTC-4, Arielle wrote:

Like Ozymr, Kalenia had the knack of talking between the loud noises of a forge, though she had grown up with the sounds, an impetuous toddler who grew tired of trying to scream over all of the hammering. She waited through the stops and starts of their talk, not annoyed, just comfortable. The forge had always been her home, even here, even after she'd Impressed Ilyenath.

"Oh, don't worry, it's not silly to be overwhelmed by freedom, any kind of freedom. I remember when I came here, after growing up in the Crafthall, everything was so different. Eventually, you'll get used to it though, don't worry about that," she told him between their respective tasks.

 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Ozmyr's face spread into a grin as he continued to work. Her words were very encouraging.

"It feels a little silly....like I'm complaining about about a good thing happening to me," he said with a bit of a chuckle. "It just feels so different to feel hopeful instead of anxious."

Pausing a moment in his hammering he regarded the young woman with a curious expression.

"Speaking of good things happening, it looks like your well on the way to your delivery. When is the baby due? Or is that rude to ask here? Not entirely sure....."

It would have been just polite conversation in the holds or halls so he assumed the same held true here.

[Arielle]

Kalenia leaned back and stretched her back, then wove her fingers together and pressed out, smirking at the comfortable cracks coming from her knuckles. "Nope, not rude," she replied easily, swiveling on her stool to look at him straight. "I've got about three months left till the baby's due. I can't wait. I miss flying with the regular wings. Not that the Queens' wing is boring, per se...." She scrunched her nose, thinking. "It's just not the same, not for a green like mine or for me." Kale rested her weight on one palm on one knee. "What color can you see yourself Impressing?" It was a common question for Candidates and she was interested what this smith boy might ride someday.

[mike hornsby]

On Friday, May 24, 2013 2:52:08 AM UTC-4, Arielle wrote:

Kalenia leaned back and stretched her back, then wove her fingers together and pressed out, smirking at the comfortable cracks coming from her knuckles. "Nope, not rude," she replied easily, swiveling on her stool to look at him straight. "I've got about three months left till the baby's due. I can't wait. I miss flying with the regular wings. Not that the Queens' wing is boring, per se...." She scrunched her nose, thinking. "It's just not the same, not for a green like mine or for me." Kale rested her weight on one palm on one knee. "What color can you see yourself Impressing?" It was a common question for Candidates and she was interested what this smith boy might ride someday.

 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

He was a bit taken aback at the mention of a Queen's wing. Ozmyr wasn't sure what exactly that might be but before he could ask Kalenia had followed up with a question of her own. The young man put the hammer aside for a moment to ponder the answer.

"Huh.....well, you have me there," he said after a moment. "Like all young boys I would day dream about a mighty bronze but it's not so easy as that, is it? The hatchlings actually look for the right personality for their color and temperament or some such? I guess maybe it would just need to be a boy dragon....no offense but I couldn't imagine a female voice inside my head all the time. And hopefully a big one. I'm not exactly a small load so a little dragon would get a hernia or something dragging me around."

[Arielle]

Kalenia grinned while the lad spoke, glad to have such a decent sort added to their Weyr. "You're right about the hatchlings knowing exactly what and who they want. And for the most part, they pick right." She didn't want to think about the young man who'd betweened with his dragon because he simply couldn't adjust. It was one of the theories going around about his suicide at least. "No offense taken. Every person needs something different. And you never know what'll fit best when it actually comes down to it." Kale laughed outright at the idea that a dragon might get a hernia from its rider. "I'm sure you'll be just fine. My green isn't the biggest in the Weyr, but she's still handy enough to carry two people easy. Never underestimate a dragon, I've heard they're not fond of it." She grinned to take any possible sting from her comments. "While we've got the time as we work, feel free to ask any questions you might have."

[mike hornsby]

 "I can hardly wait to see hatchlings," Ozmyr said wistfully. The unspoken part of that thought was that he couldn't wait to stand as well but he figured that would be assumed. "It might sound funny but I haven't thought about much else since I came here."

For a moment he examined the bit of metal he was working on. A few more strikes of the hammer and it should be ready to plunge into the water to cool.

"What was it like? When your green found you I mean?"

[Arielle]

Kale grinned at his enthusiasm, winding one gem into place neatly with the silver wire set around the hilt for just such a purpose. She remembered the excitement of Standing and Impressing fondly and looked forward to the day when her own weyrbrats could do the same. "Some people think a lot about it, some don't think at all. It varies, so don't feel bad about not really giving it a thought before now."

"Hmmmm," she said, thinking. "It's hard to describe. I'd hoped she was mine, because she was the only girl baby left on the Sands, but I wouldn't have minded terribly if she wasn't. But the moment she spoke to me I knew I couldn't part from her. Ever."

[mike hornsby]

On Sunday, June 30, 2013 3:32:22 AM UTC-4, Arielle wrote:

Kale grinned at his enthusiasm, winding one gem into place neatly with the silver wire set around the hilt for just such a purpose. She remembered the excitement of Standing and Impressing fondly and looked forward to the day when her own weyrbrats could do the same. "Some people think a lot about it, some don't think at all. It varies, so don't feel bad about not really giving it a thought before now."

"Hmmmm," she said, thinking. "It's hard to describe. I'd hoped she was mine, because she was the only girl baby left on the Sands, but I wouldn't have minded terribly if she wasn't. But the moment she spoke to me I knew I couldn't part from her. Ever."
 

 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

He pondered that for a moment; the idea of never being apart from someone. It wouldn't be like it was with people he imagined. No matter how much you cared about someone every once and awhile you just needed some time away. A dragon would be different somehow though Ozmyr was unsure how that might work.

"It sounds so simple," he said wistfully. "Much simpler then with dealing with people. I guess the dragons can just get to the heart of the matter and not put up all the walls and such we all put between each other."

For a moment he pumped the bellows a bit, heating the coals since the metal wasn't heating quickly enough to suit him.

"Is everyone here so easy to get along with?" he asked after a bit. "You've been so kind, as have so many others. It's not always like that out in the holds and crafts."

[Arielle]

"It sounds simple, it always does," Kalenia agreed, returning to her work somewhat. "But that's mostly because it's so hard to explain. Like being in love, you can try to explain it as much as you want to someone who's never experienced it, but they won't truly get it until they've experienced it too. And dragons and riders can and do put up walls between each other, it's just like any other relationship, but those walls are almost made of sand and easy to get rid of. If they're not, well...." She trailed off her thoughts resting briefly on the Bronze Weyrling who'd gone between with his dragon, before moving on to answer his next question.

Kale laughed. "Thank you, but we've got our rough and tumblers and our nasty folk just like any other place. I think people like you, who've come to the Weyr to stick around and join it, you lot get to see the best of us, because we all know you're one of us, or will be. Outsiders just don't understand the lifestyle, and a lot of them don't even want to. They're just thankful we keep their livelihoods and homes from getting destroyed by Thread."

[mike hornsby]

 He stopped in his work for a moment, turning to regard Kalenia. A thoughtful look crossed Ozmyr's face for a moment but was soon replaced by a large grin.

 

"I rather like the sound of that you know," he said. "Being one of you that is. It might sound strange but this is the first time I actually felt that I belonged somewhere."

 

It sounded a bit odd, even to his own ears, but it was the truth. He had always felt a bit out of place, even with his own family. Maybe this actually was home now. Ozmyr certainly hoped so.

[Arielle]

Kalenia paused when Ozmyr turned to her and returned his smile. "Believe me, it doesn't sound as strange as you think." She paused and then said, "I'm glad you're here, and I hope you'll have a blast. If you ever need anything, don't forget that even if the Smithcraft doesn't stay your primary purpose here, you've always got us burly bunch to back you up." It was something she'd truly felt grateful for over her turns at the Weyr, when she was homesick for the Smithcraft Hall and the way of life that Smiths were accustomed to.

[mike hornsby]

 It felt good really. Not just Kalenia's words but the fact he felt she meant them. It was unusual to feel such acceptance and belonging from people he had only just met but Ozmyr was especially pleased  by it. In fact it only made him more determined to make the most of this chance for a new life he had been given.

 

"I appreciate that," he said simply, giving his companion a smile as they both continued to work.

 

(Ooc: Shall we wrap this one up? Not sure where to go from there.....though he would love another thread with her. Perhaps going to the volcano to hunt for goodies?)

[Arielle]

((OOC: I'm good to end it here. =) We can totally do an island thread, I just need to see whether G'ste will even let her go over to the volcanic island so close to her due date. xD))