Relaxing, as usual (open)

[hrsegrl]

The youth walked towards the lake, finding a place in the sun. Amneris moved the gitar that was swung across her back into a better potition as she sat down on the ground. Her two canines, took seats beside her. Tipp laid her head down on her forepaws while Note tilted her head, and looked at Amneris as if waiting.

She never took long, to start singing. As early as it was she didn't expect to see too many people about. In the Harper Hall people were much too busy indoors in the morning. This being her first week at the Weyr, she didn't really know what to expect. Still, she figured no one would be around to bother.

Her voice lifted into the air, the girl had the voice of an angel, something most people wished they had but that , she like most good singers took advantage of. Her mother had only been able to let them take her, she being a girl, because of the amount of raw talent that she had. They never really expected her to grow into a higher position but they would use her talents.

As the song came to an end the girl sighed, it was going to be a beautiful day. She wished everyday at Telgar was this warm and found herself muissing Fort Hold very very much.

[FireThorne]

Raelwyn’s favorite haunt was the lake. Peaceful waters were the only companions she desired on some days, even though she was quite usually a social butterfly. Even girls like her needed time to themselves, though. She had been a resident of Telgar for all of three sevendays, and she had been suffering from homesickness. The candidate had acquired a few acquaintances, but no true friends to really speak of, so even on this warm afternoon she was alone.

Yet, she was utterly satisfied by that at the moment. She missed her brother, G’mir, and his blue Ulrith. Although, since it was such a warm day, she had decided to wear one of her favorite outfits from Ista, a simple sleeveless shirt and delightfully light skirt with sandals. She also missed the island’s weather. Nothing could beat the pleasant warmth of Ista.

Sighing, meditating in the inner confines of her mind, the gold hopeful was surprised to hear a female voice rising over the lapping of the waters, the melodic lilt far lovelier than her own. Her friends had often complimented her on her singing, but Rael was ashamed by what she heard now. The candidate followed the voice, until she came upon a girl seated on the ground with two canines.

Canines generally seemed to like Raelwyn, but all the same she kept a safe distance. She did not want to scare them, after all. “Hello.” She said, coming to stand before the strange girl. The Istan noted that she had a guitar strapped to her back, and wondered if she was a harper. “I’m Raelwyn, a candidate. You have a lovely voice.”

[hrsegrl]

A shadow fell across her, causing Amneris to look up. Tipp had fallen asleep but Half-Note was sniffing the newcomer with gusto. "Note, leave her be. Come sit." She demanded of the canine, who quickly did as ordered. The Candidate looked up once more at the girl. Amneris patted the ground next to her, inviting he other girl to sit with her. "I'm Amneris. Thank you for the compliment." The she added, almost in annoyance that she was a candidate herself. "I'm a Candidate as well." Amneris wasn't one to boast of her own accomplishments so she left it at that.

Half-Note looked at her, as if waiting to be let loose of Amneris' command. "This is Tipp." She patted the older canine. "And this is Half-Note. Don't mind her too much, she just loves meeting new people." Amneris scratched behind the canine's ears lovingly.

She took a lute out of her pocket, "Do you play or sing? I'd dearly love a duet this morning. Its been AGES." She exaggerated. It had only been one sevenday, however to her that felt like ages. The blonde had an uncanny gift with people, most likely gotten from her mother, but it seemed people felt at home with her. She looked at her gitar a moment then at the green eyed girl. "You have lovely eyes. I always liked green. Though blue would have to be my favorite color." After all, Harpers were associated with the color blue.

[FireThorne]

Raelwyn watched as the canine retreat back to her master, almost smiling. There were not a lot of the beasts back at Ista, and they were especially rare in the candidate barracks. They were usually too penniless to buy pets, unless of course they possessed a talent that made them marks. Her friends had told her that she could make some marks singing, but the Istan had never tried. She did not think she was quite good enough for that. “Well met, Amneris.” She replied, taking the proffered seat on the ground. The girl once more looked at the guitar on the singer’s back, and wondered how a candidate came to own such a thing.

Rael herself was pretty much dirt poor, save for the marks G’mir had given her before she left. And those, regrettably, would have to go towards the purchase of a new dress. Her last one, given to her by her mother as a birthing day present, was growing far too small for her newly developing figure, and the seams were pulling around her hips. Of course, she had worn it since she was thirteen, so it was no real surprise. Though, even her brother’s present would not be enough to purchase the dress. The cloth maybe, but not the labor. The Istan could patch her own clothes here and there, but she was no seamstress, and she at least wanted her gather and feast dress to look nice. After all, she might perhaps be standing before the weyr one day as their weyrling gold rider, and what kind of presentation would it be for her dress to look amateur? She really had her own amount of pride, and wanted to look good. She always wanted to look good.

Looking at the canines as her fellow candidate introduced the two, the girl grinned, holding out her hand for Note to smell. “Hello, lovlies.” Rael replied, wondering if Amneris would mind if she petted them. “May I pet them?” She asked, never one to overstep boundaries with animals. They were so unpredictable, unlike people. If there was one thing the Istan was good at, it was reading people.

Her eyes went to the lute, a smile spreading across her features. Ah ha, so this girl owned more than one instrument. Raelwyn was the type that liked a challenge, and she highly suspected this singer was more than just a candidate. No mere candidate owned two instruments and sang like the croon of a queen over her clutch. Looking down for a moment, the gold hopeful shrugged. “Well, I’ve been told I sing decently, though I am afraid you make me sound like a hoarse herdbeast trying to bellow. I’d love to sing with you though.” Rael grinned to show her words were in jest, though she really thought she did not sing nearly well enough to accompany this girl. The compliment she suddenly received was unexpected, and the Istan blushed a little. “Oh, thank you. Green is my favorite color, I have to say.” Many people had told her that her green eyes were her best feature, and the candidate had always agreed. It was one of the few things she really prided herself on.

[hrsegrl]

Amneris watched the girl sit down and let her get comfortable. "Well Note loves a good pet but I have to keep close tabs on her. She's only two and boy is she trouble." The black canine quirked her head at AMneris again. "Half-Note wants to sing with us. She loves to sing."

The fourteen turn old smiled girlishly. She looked young, for certs. She had no figure worth mentioning and if she weren't growing so tall, she'd still fit clothes from her childhood. "Tip, is a sweet, older girl. She's being trained to herd Herdbeasts. My brother is a journeyman beastcrafter and said it would be a good job for her. They said Note was antagonizing the wherries too much, so they are finding another job for her."

She eyed the girl suspiciously. "Now now, I've probably had more training. Don't even think of trying to get out of this one." She grinned, lifting the lute to her lips casually. The upbeat, chatty girl was silent once again. It was strange to some how quickly Amneris changed gears but it was very much a Harper attitude. She played a couple of measures on the lute, a song that many knew, it was a pretty song, a good one for a beautiful morning such as this. She hoped Raelwyn would jump in.

Note began to howl with the playing of the lute. The instrument's eerie sound was special and different than a regular lute. This one she had made herself with the help of a good friend of hers. He was excellent at making them and all she had to do was promise him her first born child to get it.

[FireThorne]

Raelwyn ran her hand down the canine’s smooth black fur, grinning at the candidate beside her. “Trouble, is she? She seems like a dear, though.” The girl had never owned a pet, and it was not because she did not want one. The Istan could not afford one, and her family was too busy with their dragons to buy her any. G’mir would have....but he was a new rider himself, and hardly in the position to spend any marks on her. She would not have asked him.

“A canine that sings? I cannot wait to hear.” The queen candidate said merrily, watching as Note tilted her head to the side and looked at her master. “Your brother is a Beastcrafter? Mine is a bluerider back at Ista. I miss him.” Rael said, a little sad as she reached over to pet Tip as well. It was betting with Bitran odds to think she would see him any time soon.

Dispelling her rather dour thoughts, Raelwyn shook her head and grinned at the girl, raising a brow. “Well, I have not had any training at all, to be honest. I just...like singing. I’m not promising I’m good at it, but I’ll be glad to join Note.” Laughing to herself, she added, “Maybe she’ll drown me out.” The Istan listened to the melody for a moment, wondering at the lute’s sound. It was low, eerie, yet undeniably lovely. It was not like others if it’s kind she had heard, for it was far more beautiful and melancholy. She could almost just listen to the music instead of sing.

Amneris knew her stuff, that was for sure, and the melody was rather pretty. Grinning as Note began to howl, Raelwyn tapped her finger in time to the melody for a few moments, then began to sing. She knew that her voice could not be nearly as lovely as the girl’s but she still enjoyed singing to her lute. The Istan lilted her voice, matching the tone of the lute.

[hrsegrl]

Amneris would chat with the girl after the duet for now, she continued her music. Whenthe girl joined in she may have been off on a few notes but she was a decent enough singer and she had probably just gotten nervous. Amneris would like to sing with ehr sometime. Still, she had obviously intimidated the girl with her knowledge and hoped to remedy that. Half Note howled in some places, bringing a funny addition to the sound of the lute and Raelwyn's voice. When the song came to a close Amneris applauded and smiled genuinely at the other girl.

"You don't sing bad at all. We should do a song together. Both singing for a Hatching Feast or something. We cold set it up with the Weyrsinger. There are not many women who sing. I bet the Weyrwoman would agree to it. I mean its not like we would be getting into any sort of trouble singing." Amneris was not trying to make the girl side with ehr but she did enjoy a good duet as much as any harper. Her solos were much more sought after however. It was fun for her to sing anything that was a challenge. Duets were always a challenge because it was hard enough to connect to a song but even harder to blend into another voice, especially when ones voice could be so overpowering.

"So, Raelwyn, back to chatting." She grinned, playfully patting Tipp on the head. "I do indeed have a brother in beastcrafting but I ahve a total of six siblings so I'm not particularly attached to any one of them. I am the second to last. My youngest brother is about eight now. The sibling I'm closest in age too, absolutely hates me and I her. Not that it much matters she ran away again about a turn ago." Kendara was never a happy child. No one inthe family understood her. Since Amneris was born Kendara, at two, decided she would hate her. Since then they bickered constantly.

[FireThorne]

Raelwyn was a little surprised at the girl’s suggestion, for she had never considered herself good enough to sing in front of many people, especially during a Hatching Feast. Sure, she and her friends had sung ballads and short poems while they were working back at Ista, but never had she considered singing at an important event, especially one such as a feast for the new weyrlings. She had sung before a few of her closer acquaintances, but it was a private thing and people she knew. Of course, perhaps all the candidate needed was some lessons from someone who knew their stuff. Someone like Amneris. Perhaps if the girl would be so kind, she could school the gold hopeful in singing.

Grinning, the Istan shook her head, quirking a brow as she turned her attention to the lake. There were a few dragons swimming. “Thank you, but I do not think I sing well enough to do a duet with you, Amneris. Especially at a Hatching Feast.” Tilting her head to the side, Rael focused her green eyes back on the other girl. “You sing beautifully. Would you mind giving me some lessons some time? Perhaps under your tutelage I might sing well enough by the time the next hatching comes around.” However, she did not want to make the harper feel like she would be angry if not, for she could certainly understand if she was too busy to give her lessons. “Of course, you do not have time, I completely understand.” Raelwyn added hastily, smiling. “Candidates have rather abundant schedules.”

Listening to the girl chat about her family, the gold candidate grinned to herself, finding that Amneris was a very vibrant, very open person. Someone like herself---someone she could get along with beautifully. Raelwyn nodded as the harper spoke, genuinely interested in her, rather thinking that she had found a lovely new friend. “You have a larger family than I. I have two brothers and two sisters, and all four are older than me. My father is a wingsecond at Ista, and my mother a greenrider. Both of my sisters ride green as well, though my eldest brother rides brown and my youngest blue. I was always closest to my youngest brother, G’mir of Ulrith. We spent many months together in candidacy. He is the only one I really miss back at Ista. When I Impress, I want to go back and visit him.” G’mir was such a wonderful brother and rider, and she missed him nearly every candlemark of the day. It nearly made her chest hurt.

[hrsegrl]

Amneris wanted to blow off the girl's suggestion that she didn't sing well enough. If anything that only gave her more room to improve. Neris wasn't perfect either. Though she had a lot more training than Raelwyn she had a lot to work on too. She barely knew enough to be considered a true apprentice at her age. Not her fault exactly with the men in the craft choosing to see her as a lesser person, only suited for singing.

She was completely shocked by Raelwyn asking for lessons. She was just an apprentice, how could she possibly teach anyone? "Time isn't a problem. I don't go to chores or lessons anyway, they are a copmplete bore and a waste of time." At least that was her philosophy. "I don't know if I'm qualified to teach anyone anything. I'm still an apprentice myself..."

All the Candidates here were alike. They always said, when I impress I'm going to do this, or that. So sure they were that they would impress. Why couldn't they do those things without a dragon. She found it silly for them to wait for a dream that they should be going after no matter what. "Can't you just hitch a ride with another rider to visit Ista? I mean it can't be that hard. Compliment the dragon some and flirt with the rider and you should be able to get a ride wherever you want." Amneris said it so matter of factly it almost seemed she wasn't that worried about getting around.

"So I suppose you are dead set on impressing a dragon." Amneris could live without that particular aspect of Weyr life. Impressing was more of a possibility for her that she wasn't sure she was looking forward to. She saw the amount of work that went into dragonriding and decided it was a lot more physical than the scrawny harper could probably handle. Anyone who had seen AMneris would guess the girl could barely lift a gitar let alone a bag of firestone.

[FireThorne]

Raelwyn grinned in reply to the girl’s modesty, arching a brow. “Apprentice or not, you are still far more skilled than I at singing. I am sure there is much you could teach me.” The candidate was surprised that her newfound companion skipped lessons, wondering how she planned on caring for her dragon when she Impressed. How would she know what to do if she did not attend their lectures? “I would still be honored to take lessons from you, if you would give them.” The Istan did not want to pry into her affairs too much, so she did not ask why Amneris did not attend their classes. It was really off their topic anyway, and she did not want to appear nosy. Although, Rael was surprised that she was still accepted as a candidate if the harper did not do her chores, considering the gold hopeful thought she would have been barred from standing for Impression for that.

She was more surprised, though, by the girl’s next words, and Raelwyn found herself laughing. “You make it sound very easy.” She said, watching the dragons that happened to be at the lake. “But I find myself rather busy with chores and lessons. I always thought I would have more time to visit home after I graduated from being a weyrling, though Faranth knows I am not that sure.” She was not so sure about flirting with a rider, either. If someone was with her, perhaps, but alone? The candidate was a little wary of that. “Well, enough of excuses. I’ll visit Ista soon, Impression and dragonet not withstanding. I miss G’mir.”

Raelwyn shook her head, turning her green eyes on the girl beside her. The Istan was becoming more and more confused with this harper. A candidate that did not attend her lessons and skipped chores, who sang like an angel and did not sound all that thrilled about Impression. She was unusual, alright. “I want to Impress dearly, yes.” She said, expression becoming a little sad and angry as she continued. “I am weyr-born, without any talents to boast of. I have spent my whole life hoping to Impress, and because I was nothing extraordinary I was taught nothing extraordinary. I know what a weyr girl needs to become a goldrider, and that is the extent of my talents. As I am sure you know all too well, Amneris, I am a woman in a man’s world, as are you. I will not settle for a life of drudgery, and I do not want to be passed around the bronzer’s weyrs either to earn my keep. Impression is the life that is set before me–I must tell myself I will Impress. You tell me, my friend, what do I do if not?” Rael was not whining, and she was not acting mad, either. She was merely stating facts, though she was stating them hotly, but not at Amneris.

The candidate was angry, angry at the chauvinistic views the men had of women, and wished she could pinch some of their heads off. In all reality, what COULD women do, what options DID she have? Realistically, what else but Impression did she really, really have to hope for? “Sharding men and their egos..... What do you plan on doing with yourself?” The Istan asked curiously, wondering what this slim girl was going for if not Impression. Heh, perhaps she could follow suit.

[hrsegrl]

The thin Harper blushed a little. "I suppose I could give it a try." She hadn't thought to teach anyone anything. After all, what did she know? It seemed to her that giving a girl, who seemed much older than herself lessons would be a slight bit akward. Still, she wasn't going to turn down the only Candidate she knew at the Weyr. She wasn't too sure she could help her, but she figured it was better to give it a try.

"Well if you want I can always arrange a ride for you. I'm not from the Weyr but we harpers are known to be good at talking people into things before they know what they've gotten into. Besides, dragons seem to like me. Why I shall never understand." Amneris was honest at least. She didn't understand what a dragon could possibly see in a girl like her. She was wherry brained, scattered in her thoughts, always dreaming and rarely paying attention. How could a girl like her even think of leading a Weyr or riding a fighting dragon? She honestly wasn't sure she could do anything.

The usually confident youth grew very unconfident and even a little scared at the thought that so many might rely on her judgements. It prevented her from looking forward to having a life among dragons. "What do you do indeed..." Amneris would not answer the other girl in a way which she would probably have appreciated. The harper wasn't one to just sit back and let life take her where it would. She had learned from her mother and father that if she wanted something she had to go and take it. Raelwyn's complaints thus seemed silly to her.

"Is that a question? Rael you can do anything. Anything at all. No one is telling you what to do with your life. If you want something it is your duty to pursue what will make you happy. Impression is something you want more than anything, why worry about what will happen if you don't. Not impressing is not an option for you if nothing else can make you happy. Its an ultimatum for you. You will impress. End of story." Amneris wasn't going to let the other girl's self doubt set her back.

The fourteen turn old laughed. "Men are easily swayed." She smiled jovially at the older girl. "Honestly I think I'm going to either stay at the Weyr as a Singer or move back to the Harper Hall. If I impress, it would be grande to be a Weyrsinger someday. Also I had hopes of one day writing a ballad. If I do not go to either Weyr or Hall I will join up with the traders, they are an interestin group, who would be of need of someone harper trained. Then I'd get to travel to far off places..." Nersi was ever the dreamer.

[FireThorne]

“Good, it is decided.” Raelwyn announced, smiling at the younger girl. “You have my deepest appreciation, Neris.” Perhaps, when the candidate had a few lessons to improve her voice, she would seek out the Weyrharper and request professional assistance from him. Until then, however, Amneris seemed more than talented enough to aid her in improving her skill. It should prove to be fun as well.

Laughing, the Istan continued the watch the dragons that were playing in the lake, arching a brow as a magnificent bronze glided effortlessly down and landed with flawless perfection at the edge of the waters. Rael sighed wistfully. They were such glorious creatures. “Arrange a ride for me? I hate to ask so much of you, Amneris, but it is a very kind offer.” Smiling, the candidate shook her head, watching as the bronze’s rider dismounted with practiced ease and sent the dragon into the shallow water. “The dragons choose whom they wish....if they like you, I am sure you must be a very lovely person.”

The bronze was stretching his wings now, sending droplets of water scattering about him like rain. The rider sat, leaning against the bowl’s rocky side. Raelwyn heard the Harper’s words, and she considered them deeply, never taking her green gaze from the great bronze. Amneris, though passionate, sounded very unrealistic to the Istan, especially when she told the girl she could do anything. No, women could not do ‘anything they wanted’, and as a matter of fact, it was hard for them to do ‘anything at all’ with their lives except become a drudge or take on some feminine craft that men tended to ignore. Oh well, enough of brooding.

“Write a ballad? What would it be about?” Raelwyn asked the young harper, looking at her now instead of the bronze, who had curled up to sun. “That would be amazing! You will have to sing it for me.” Grinning, the Istan shrugged, leaning forward to cross her arms on her knees. “Weyrsinger would be amazing as well, or even traveling with the traders. Where would you want to visit the most?”

[hrsegrl]

"I'm not so sure about that. I think they like me because I'm a horrid person but I'd make a great dragon." Neris had troubel getting along with the riders but not the dragons which led her to believe that she would have been better off a dragon herself. Humans were tempermental and they had all those sharding schedules and rules... it was a complete mess. She'd rather live by her own rules, which would mean there were none.

"Well I'm not quite sure yet. Hopefully something pretty spectacular. Not sure if I will write it for my own voice. It will depend on the manner of the ballad." Amneris stood up to stretch. She was tired of sitting in one place. "Places where no one else has been." She answered, the unknown was much more interesting to the harper.

"So, do you swim?" Neris wanted to cool off in the Lake and she had noticed the other girl's gaze on the Lake. She thought about the Bronze in the lake and said outloud, "Wonder which Bronze that is...." Soon as the words were out she looked a bit embarrased, she really didn't care who the rider was but she had a certain Bronze dragon that she had grown acquainted with.