Learning through Observation (Elisha, V'rak)

[kayla]

Neory had taken a bit more time with her appearance for this lesson, as Elisha had let her know that she would be sitting in on a meeting between her and V'rak. Not that the younger Goldrider was interested in the older Bronzer, but there was something about sitting in a meeting of the two of them that made Neory feel like she should be a bit more formal in her appearance. She chose a comfortable but flattering dress, though one that would be a bit conservative.

Sheluth was now taller than her Rider, but she was not ready to be far from her Rider while she was awake - not after the still too recent incident with D'leon. She had finally given up any sense of guilt, but she still wondered if maybe there wasn't something more going on.

As she raised her hand to knock on the door, the - only comparatively now - little Gold gently butted her with her head. Why are you nervous? You like our lessons with Adeloth and Hers.

Neory grinned a bit, Its not Elisha that makes me nervous. Its V'rak.

Why?

Neory blinked at the question and looked at the Gold. "I don't know."

She shook her head slightly and knocked at the door. Sheluth was right, there was no reason to be nervous. None at all.

[cynath]

Speak of the devil and he shall appear. V'rak rounded the last bend to the Weyrs. He'd been notified of this meeting for some time now. What better way for a junior Queen to learn than to sit with the Weyrleaders?

Subsequently, he'd just finished oiling Bristith as the Bronze demanded more of his attention in the lessening weeks until Adeloth's Flight. The Weyrleader's sleeves were rolled up to his elbows depite the chill, the shirt tucked into riding pants and those were tucked into riding boots. His hair was neat at least, and his face clean shaven. He was presentible enough. Why bother making it seem like the Weyrleaders met under fashionable and formal attire?

A small smile curled his lips when he spotted Neory. Well, now she made him feel underdressed.


And of course, his Bronze would take advantage of that exact situation to inform Sheluth of such a fact with draconic humor of course.

"Good afternoon, Neory, Sheluth," V'rak said as he approached, coming to a stop beside the girl. Even he did n't intrude on Elisha's space until she answered the door or beckoned them in.

[kayla]

"Hello, Weyrleader." Neory curtsied slightly to him. Just because the man made her feel slightly nervous - a reaction that she and Sheluth had decided was not particularly rational - did not mean that she would allow any of that feeling of nerves to show (at least if she could prevent it!). "How are you doing today?"

Mine, Bristith says you make his feel underdressed. I think that's a good thing, is it not?

Neory had to bite the inside of her mouth to keep from laughing. Yes, Sheluth. I do think that that is a very good thing. Though after this meeting, I might tone my own dress down for future of these observations.

Mine? Is this one going to be as boring as watching Adeloth's argue with that other woman?

By the shell, I hope not, Sheluth. I hope not!

[brimstone81]

Elisha opened her door, and smiled seeing both of them, "Welcome, both of you, come on in." The woman stepped aside for them all to enter. Sheluth was with them, and getting larger by the day! Elisha shut the door behind them and motioned to the chairs around her desk. She had wanted to talk about thread, to keep communications strong between the fighting part of the Weyr and the domestic side. Not to mention they needed to talk about diplomacy and the Holds. Tithing was what made the Weyr run, and the Holders were demanding proof of thread.

"Hello, hello, I trust you've been excelling at your weyrling lessons, Neory?" Of course Elisha already knew the answer, she was in much more contact than usual with the Weyrling Master since there was a gold in the class. The Weyrwoman made it her business to know all that happened in her Weyr. She smiled warmly at V'rak. She wasn't too keen on public shows of affection, but she would see him later, and that satisfied her.

"I was hoping we could talk about thread. Just to make sure we are all on the same page, do we all agree that thread will return? And return in the next few turns?"

[cynath]

V'rak let the girl and weyrling enter first. He knew she and Sleluth were talking, so he remained silent for the time being, and instant smile pulling his lips when the Weyrwoman opened the door. He gave a slight nod to her greeting, moving to take a seat.

So she was going to talk thread. They'd covered this topic briefly when he'd first been made Weyrleader. He nodded simply to her question.

He voiced his confirmation with a simple, "Yes."

He leaned back in the chair, crossing his stretched out legs in front of him at the ankles. "Our Wings have never seen Thread, but I believe they should be adequately prepared." he added with a slight frown.

Inexperienced Wings could suffer greatly from casualties during Threadfall. This much V'rak knew,but didn't like. The blue eyes glanced at the Weyrling seated beside him. He figured it best to ignore her presence for the most part. Unless she brought up any valid points, she was just here to watch and learn.

[kayla]

Neory smiled warmly to the weyrwoman and curtseyed ever so slightly - the only reason that it was not as deep was that Elisha had been the one to say she wanted them to be friends. Elisha still was in authority over her - thus the small curtsey - but Neory took the invitation to friendship honestly while respecting her as the Senior Weyrwoman and her most important teacher.

"I'm sure the Weyrling Master told you about the small incident with D'leon in class. Other than that things have been going well." She was also sure that Van'ae had told Elisha the whole story. While Neory still believed she could and should have handled things better, she also believed she had done the right thing.

While most of her duty here was to watch and listen, the question had been addressed at both of them so she nodded, "Yes. The size of Adeloth's last clutch alone is proof enough for me." Not that she had needed any, she was weyrbred after all.

She sat only after the two of them did, certain this would be much better than observing the discussions between Elisha and the Headwoman!

[brimstone81]

"Yes, I am a little distressed by the bronzerider D'leon. He isn't taking to his responsibility like I had hoped. However, he has time to grow up. There was a reason his dragon Myeth picked him." Elisha said to Neory with a small smile. There was no such thing as a "perfect" world, so why would a dragon Weyr be any different? Elisha just hoped everything would work themselves out for the better.

Once both of them answered, she nodded, "Good, we are in agreement. I'm glad to hear our wings are in decent shape. I think we need to practice with firestone more often. Perhaps we've been too lax. I don't want any confusion in the skies when the time comes" She leaned forward on her desk, "As for me, I've gotten our dear Headwoman committed to increase her numbweed stores the next few turns. We need some in storage, I think. Not too much extra, but a little bit more each batch, just to make sure we have enough when the time comes. From what I read, thread scoring is a nasty business."

[cynath]

V'rak didn't concern himself too much with D'leon. Every brinze Weyrling had their quirks, their issues. The Weyrleader had been that young once too. He had scars to prove his fair share of stupidity.

"I'll have a meeting with the Wingleaders and encourage more drills with Firestone," he complied. As a Wingleader, he'd scheduled them regularily, at least bi-weekly. Those who beleived that Thread would not return, didn't practice it at all. He'd have to change that.

He could help but smile at the numbweed topic. It was certainly handy stuff, though used less since the days of Thread, it surely still held the same potency. In the coming days, he might also ensure that every dragon rider have at least a jar of th stuff to carry with them. Oh yes, he was going to be on busy man in the coming days. Most of his time probably spent dealing with skeptical non-believers. Wonderful.

[brimstone81]

"Very good, V'rak. Do you think that all of our riders know about thread, it's implications, how to destroy it etcetera? I know most of them aren't as hidebound as we," she grinned here, knowing both of them spent a lot of time spilling over old hides, "I think education is very important in this matter. If we taught, there would be fewer skeptics. I would hope there are very few skeptics at the Weyr."

A doubtful dragonrider was bad new for overall morale, Elisha thought. "I know it's taught in Weyrling lessons, but perhaps it's not emphasized enough. After all, it was rather irrelavent for many turns. Just as making gaping holes in our wings due to pregnancy didn't matter much. Unfortunately, we cannot keep it up. That's why I've told the candidate master that if Adeloth doesn't clutch a gold egg, the girls are not allowed on the sands. Holes in the wings are dangerous to the other members, and yet I can't be having every woman in the Weyr taking a short ride between every month. It is a dillema, but I've decided to finally follow the other Weyrs' lead on this one." She knew her conservative views were often challenged, and she looked at Neory for a second. Of course the girl could reverse everything if something were to happen to Elisha prematurely, but she did want to emphasize this importance. She knew that Neory was weyrbred, and figured they might dissagree on things. This, she hoped would not be one of them, but had the sinking feeling it would be. But with out allowing for much room for argument, she went on, "We have some weyrlings I would like to get sorted out into the wings. Adeloth's tenth, I believe. They are just two turns old, and should be rounding to graduation in the next few sevendays."

[cynath]

V'rak considered the state if the wings currently. He'd educated his Wing on measures of Thread, but then, like Elisha said, not everyone was as "hidebound". He doubted that some of them had ever picked up a book outside of their lessons. His thumb stroked his bottom lip absently while he mulled it over.

Their flying skilles were excellent. Their Thread-fighting knowledge would be lacking indeed. Generations tended to fade out useless information.

"I'll mention that in the meeting as well," It was going to be a long meeting at this rate, as he had no doubts that at least someone would argue that Thread was gone forever. As for the subject of female riders, V'rak's opinions were strong and general common knowledge. Yes, he had female riders in his wing, he didn't discriminate against them... but, he didn't like it. So he merely nodded on that subject.

The Weyrlings. Ooooh yes.

He smiled a bit. On this, he was at least 4 steps ahead. Wingleaders made a habit of watching Weyrlings in lessons and picking through them through observations. He'd done this with R'net long before he became Weyrleader. "I have a hunch half the work is already done on that matter." he admitted. He wasn't the only one who practiced that particular trick. All wanted the best for their Wing. It was only natural to place dibs...!

[kayla]

Neory was careful not to let her expression show her distaste for Elisha's policy. It was that very policy that had kept her off the sands more than once, and while that had been for the best since if she had impressed a Green in a previous clutch, she would not have been available for Sheluth! However, she had made friends with several of the young women who had Green dragons in her class, and she could not imagine them having not been allowed them.

There were other, less emotional reasons that Neory had for disagreeing with that policy. And while she would not undermine Elisha, she did know that should events ever make her the Senior Weyrwoman, the policy would revert back to what it was in the time of Marisol as the Senior Weyrwoman. However, she did not hope that anything bad would befall Elisha, as much as she wanted that policy changed.

However, she did not avert her eyes from Elisha's when she glanced at her. Her expression was not challenging, but simply an acknowledgment of Elisha's view and decision. Perhaps, once Sheluth flew and Neory had the standing to actually debate these issues with Elisha as her Junior Weyrwoman, she would.

[brimstone81]

When V'rak had told her he would mention her wishes, she smiled lightly, "Very good." She had no doubts that he wouldn't. Not like that slime who had once won Adeloth. She pursed her lips and hoped he would not try to win her queen again. Especially not now that she was Weyrwoman, just a junior queenrider. She hesitated to think what would happen then, with more power. Perhaps we would become like Igen. Or worse. Not that Elisha knew too much about Igen, since that Weyr kept so much to themselves. Telgar and Igen were rivals, at best, so maybe she was just jumping to conclusions.

She nodded to V'rak, "I'm glad to hear it." The man wasn't lazy, or one to procrastinate, that was for sure. Elisha was very pleased with the winner of Adeloth's 11th flight. Even she couldn't pretend that she wasn't affected by Adeloth's nearing time. As of right now, the gold was quiet, the queen was probably sunning her glowing hide.

[cynath]

V'rak gave the Weyrwoman an easy smile. The blue eyes were certainly affected by the smile, small wrinkles beginning to show his age and exposure to the weather. However, it hardly concerned the Weyrleader as it would a woman of his age.

"Anything else you would like to discuss, Weyrwoman?" he asked. He'd make sure everyone had at least seen the graduating Weyrlings and maybe lay out their favourites. He glanced at Neory and offered her a smile as well. Maybe she had questions, or concerns that needed to be addressed. Fresh minds usually say more than old, it never hurt to admit that.

He had no doubt Neory would be a fabulous Queen rider. Afterall, the Golds were the fussiest of them all!

[brimstone81]

Elisha didn't notice his marks of age too much. She rather fancied she loved him for who he was, not what he looked like. At thirty-two, she would start getting wrinkles and the laugh lines, and silver hairs. Perhaps his little imperfections, his marks of mortality, endeared him more to her.

The goldrider shook her head, "I don't think there is much else to discuss at this time. Rather short meeting." Elisha looked at her junior. She smiled briefly, and then chuckled, "Sorry it wasn't so exciting, Neory, not like when I had to fight with my Headwoman."

[kayla]

Neory had to chuckle. She knew there would come a day that she would care passionately about the issues of wheat supplies and what not, but that day was simply not here yet. She understood why it was important, but she just had a hard time imagining ever feeling the level of passion that Elisha and the Headwoman had exhibited over supplies. She was almost afraid of ever having that much passion over something so... ordinary.

"That's perfectly all right. I honestly don't thrive on arguing." Though there was probably a young bronzer who would disagree with that assessment.

She looked between the two of them having seen the looks exchanged during the meeting. The young goldrider grinned, "I suppose I should excuse myself and allow the two of you some private time. By the way, its about time." She winked towards them and stood.