Final Phase Interview (Tags: E'den)

Telgar Weyr had contributed some riders to the new Weyr that were obviously unacceptable. They had been rooted out in the first round of interviews with Zora and D’nier present. Now she was Interviewing those who had made it through and while she called it an interview, it was more like a conversation. She wanted simply to get a feeling of whether they were going to see this through or if they were the type of person who would want to go back to their home Weyr as soon as they realized Igen Weyr meant hard work, same as any Weyr.

Karene would normally wear her leathers but as she had baby weight to get rid of, she wore one of her less elaborate dresses with her hair on one long rad braid down her back. She was almost more intimidating when she wore a dress.

Who is next?
E’den. Rider of Brown Haruseth
I hope it won’t take long. I need an oiling…
I’m certain it won’t. This is more of a touch base, make sure everything is on track kind of interview. Karene would have a feeling one way or the other fairly quickly.

While she wouldn’t have to wait long between Interviews, it still felt like forever. She kept herself busy though. Mostly because her son was with her so she had to take breaks. He was a good healthy boy for the most part, not much different from any baby. Although he had his father’s dark hair already, which would suit him well, she thought with a smile before turning her attention back on the parchment she was reading from Telgar about the riders they were sending.

E’den seemed to be a good wingrider by all accounts. The fact that he seemed to lack ambition actually endeared her to him. She didn’t like the grasping types much. Being a brownrider was also to his credit. It would be very difficult for him to fail this interview.

Nose hovering just over the cold stone floor that ran the length of the hall where interviewees had been waiting, E'den lay flat on his stomach, peering beneath the long line of chairs along the wall, to see where his marble had rolled off to.

Since he and the rest of the transfer riders from Telgar had arrived, they'd had a little time to talk amoungst themselves, where they all sat together, but eventually E'den had pulled a marble from his pocket to occupy himself; just flipping it in the air to catch. Of course, there would be one fateful mis-catch that launched the small pearl of glass down the row, then to hit the floor with a roll. And of course, it would just so happen to stop right under Greenrider Eiris' chair.

Wincing inwardly, E'den decided that he didn't want to interrupt her animated conversation with the riders next to her; he should be able to safely reach and retrieve his marble before she noticed his close proximity. He knew her temper for males that intruded on her space. Especially if that male were him. Hey, there could possibly be some history there -all to E'den's embarasment.

Swallowing hard, E'den collected his courage, standing, and then waltzed casually down the line; the group of gossiping Greens didn't even bat an eye his direction. So, from the other side of her, where her back was partially toward him, he crouched very quietly, cautious of any attention that might be turned upon him.

Carefully, oh so carefully, he got back on his stomach, extending his arm under her chair at an angle. But just when his fingers were upon their prize, gently fingering it toward him so that he could take it into his grasp, the chatty group above him grew silent.

"E'DEN!" Eiris' voice raised shrilly.

Warning! Alert! Alert! All the signals flared in the Brownrider's mind, causing him to think that this would be a very good time for retreat!

Closing his hand on the marble, E'den shot up from the floor; and with perfect timing. The previous interviewee had just exited Karene's office, calling for him, next. The retreat was flawless in its flow from desperate escape into a tripping gallop that ushered him back toward the Weyrwoman's abode. E'den called back to Eiris, "Sorry Eir, Weyrwoman's calling."

For now, at least, he was saved."


Breathing a sigh of releif as he closed the office door behind him, E'den took a last look at the marble in his hand before dropping it back into a pocket. His expression and entire demeanor though, after that, became one of appropriate repsect, if not a little nervousness, as his eyes raised to greet Karene.

Head bowing curtly, it was obvious that he was still young and a little uncomfortable in these kinds of situations, but at least he had a sense of propriety about him. He was trying.

"Weyrwoman Karene. Brownrider E'den of Haruseth. It's a pleasure to meet with you here." He did not move to sit just yet.

Karene was not known to be very easy on people. She had expectations of everyone, including herself and it made her a much more formidable person to stand in front of for an interview like this. Almost all of the riders seemed to be nervous, at least by a little. The Weyrwoman couldn't know if it was because of her rank or perhaps she had a reputation preceding her? Either way it didn't much matter now.

"Good day, Wingrider E'den. I trust Haruseth is well and enjoying the heights while he is here in Fort." She smiled, trying to make the meeting seem more friendly, though her ice blue eyes were always intense, even when she was making an effort not to come across that way. "Pleased to see you have made it through most of the process. I hope you understand the reason for assessing riders for the transfer to Igen Weyr."

He could answer that if he wanted but she didn't necessarily expect an answer.

"I hope you do not mind, I thought we would cut right to the chase. I'm going to ask some somewhat personal questions although some less personal. I promise nothing that I ask will be for anyone else's ears."

She waited this time to see if he had an objection to being asked any sort of personal question.

To the Weyrwoman's questions, E'den was nodding his affirmations, an almost sheepish "Mmm!" preceding the series of incantations of his head. Right away, he probably came across as an agreeable sort in general; even if that didn't exempt him from the usual mischief he was capable of. But that of course, was all just to keep things interesting.


Sitting himself infront of the Weyr Woman's desk as she went on, he waited until pleasantries had passed to offer much else in response. Of course, the first of those responses that cropped into his mind, he smartly refrained from speaking aloud -the first of which was something along the lines of that he usually didn't mind when women wanted to get too personal. It was more of a joke, though.


At first, he sat waiting for her to go on, as though it didn't matter whether or not he objected to personal questions. His hands had folded infront of him, not quite relaxed in his posture, where he was at, though not too up-tight either.

When he realized though, that she was waiting for his Okay, he sort of jumped with a start, eyes a little apologetic. "Oh! No, please, go ahead."

Karene remembered missing home for a while after impressing. She certainly wasn’t used to the physical labors of her new position but she was mostly not used to being so alone. E’den didn’t seem like the type to isolate himself however he had never lived in a place without that family support system. Obviously he could still visit when he was given leave but he would be required to keep his mind on the job. If he was going to be distracted by worrying about his family then she needed to know.

“Why do you want to leave Telgar Weyr? It seems strange considering your whole family lives there. Are you not close to your family?”

Not that that really mattered. Karene had been so close to her father, her entire life until she left for the Weyr. They were closer than she was with any of her other family members, even now, she didn’t have the closeness in relationship to her own children that she had had with her father. It wouldn’t be odd at all if he said he wasn’t close to his family. Weyr families were different.

While he was answering she took a sip of water and adjusted her son, so that she sit straighter in her chair. The next question was already written down on the parchment in front of her but she wanted to wait and see what his answer was to the first one to decide whether she needed to ask it.

The Brownrider remembered a similar line of questioning at the time of his initial interview, but it had been a while since that time, and E'den had had a chance to think on his answers more. Not like he probably put that much thought into it, but the answer came naturally enough that he supposed he didn't really need to. One answer was enough anyway... and over thinking things just added complications; and that just wasn't his style, typically.

"I do care very much for my family. We are quite close. It's not because of that..." The young man let his words trail off for a moment, before continuing the fullness of his thoughts. Starting out, E'den didn't want to sound too philosophical or anything, because he wasn't usually. It's just that the honest words were of that kind of nature, when the answer had come more from his own introspective observations -which he did not attribute to being smart necessarily. Though, perhaps that very inherently observational aspect of him was indeed quite intelligent. He simply did not give himself that kind of credit.

Starting up again, E'den leaned forward a bit, with elbows going to relax atop his knees, hands still clasping together before him, "It's just.. I think it's healthy. Boys go through life staring at their dad's back. They are always wanting to catch up to them, and then one day, finally pass them by. Even if some disagree, believing that they don't want to be anything like him, dad is always the guide-post in life. As for me, I feel like I can catch up to my dad at any time; but there wouldn't be any real accomplishment in it unless I was able to go another step further.

"I respect my dad, and how he has lived his life, but opening a new weyr gives me the chance to do something that he's never done before. It'll be kind of like... learning to walk on my own two feet and then become strong enough on my own to surpass him. That's something I'm not sure I could do in quite the same way if I remained at Telgar."

Realizing that he must seem a little too sentimental about it all, the Brownrider sat upright again, shifting his glance sidelong, turning sheepish again. "Eh. It's not like I don't like the place -Telgar Weyr."

Well, he seemed to think that he'd said too much at that point, because his words trailed off like his thoughts did, becoming silent, then. Anyway, the Weyrwoman would surely understand what he was trying to say.

Boys, girls it didn't matter. She grew up following her father and doing what he wanted her to do and now she was no longer around, she had found her own niche at the Weyr. There was absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to find your own place in the world as far as she was concerned.

Karene, in these interviews, kept her thoughts to herself. She simply made a notation on the parchment in front of her. Nodding when he had finished his answer, so he would understand she had heard him and understood what he was saying, she moved on to the next question, although honestly there were not too many on the list now.

"Igen will be warmer." She said with an understanding smile.

Her eyes lifted from the page to the young man, "What is it you hope to accomplish then?" It was partially out of curiosity from his own statements that made her ask it. Partially because it tied in with the interview process. She had already decided E'den was a good candidate for the move to Igen but she wanted her own thoughts reaffirmed.

Karene didn't think most young people really knew their own value or what they could contribute. His answer was not unexpected for that reason. Again she made a quick note and looked up at the young man when she was finished. He was young yet to really have to have an ambition. He might find that being a good wingrider was enough for him, although she was a much different person herself. Ambition was always a big part of her life, she had life goals and always knew she wanted more.

"The newness will wear off and hopefully Igen Weyr will be your home but I do not want anyone to take this lightly. If you intend to go to Igen, you should have a realistic idea of the hard work that will be involved. When the newness wears off and you begin to miss your family, will the hard and long candlemarks you put in be enough? I do not need you to answer. I'm only asking that you think about the difference between being in an established weyr with your support system and being in a newly opened weyr without your support."

Since there seemed to be an expectation that she would know who would work out and who wouldn't she added. "Only you know how much you can handle emotionally, mentally and physically." As long as everyone was honest with themselves then there would be no problems. She often thought people underestimated those who supported them and the loss of those people in ones daily life. She knew E'den would be a good fit with some of the more ambitious types already heading for Igen. It would be good to have a more laid back brownrider around.

"You are free to go E'den. But do me a favor and really think about what might happen at a new weyr and what you may be asked to do and how things will affect you as a person, not just a dragonrider."

Storing the Weyrwoman's words away for later consideration, E'den's mouth worked in thought; not really making a face,.. but he did momentarily bite his lower lip. In any case, he was nodding and stood up when she dismissed him, inclining himself respectfully in a slight bow.

"I will take those things into consideration. Thank you for your concern."

And when Karene had made it clear that he could leave, everything that needed to be said between them having been spoken, the Brownrider turned on a heel -never in quite the crisp and militaristic fashion of other (more 'disciplined') riders- making his way from the Weyrleadership office.