[PRP] Who Are You Calling Remedial?! (Chayrel & Cami)

[DruidTigeress]

It was late afternoon and by now, the small classroom had mostly emptied of its usual crowd of weyrbrats and candidates, but Cami had been assigned another candlemark of private study after the lesson. If she was more prideful, it might bother her that her peers were all mostly ten turns her junior, or more. But she was to busy being frustrated by the myriad of symbols decorating her scroll to let something like that get to her. Her teeth grazed over her bottom lip as she glared at the page in front of her in concentration. She used to wear that expression a lot as a small child, when she was practicing setting a trap or learning how to sting a bow. Her father used to laugh at her for it, and some of the boys in the camp would tease her about it too, sucking their bottom lip into their mouth to imitate her. It didn't matter. She was never conscious of doing it, so she couldn't stop if she wanted to.

Cami was not a total stranger to written symbols. She used to lay them in stones to let her father know where she had gone, or carve them into trees to warn other hunters where traps were laid or about potential dangers in the forest. But those were simple symbols, and there were only maybe a dozen in total. Not like these.. Since arriving at the Weyr she had learned the names of these shapes and their associated sounds, though that somehow didn't make it much easier. She was beginning to recognize some of the simpler words, too, but it was the place names that always got her.

It was one such confusing collection of symbols that had stumped her now. She was supposed to be reading a written history of the Weyr, but she was stuck on the second word. It had started off so easy: 'in', she remembered that one. But the next word used a fancy letter at the front, so she knew it was probably either a place or a name. She sighed. 'Sound it out', the Harper always said... "Hi..Hi-guh-huh. Hi-guh-huh. Hig.. huh?" She frowned. That didn't seem right, but she went on to the next word anyway, hoping it might clarify things. "Ree.. Ah.. Kuh.. Huh.. Es.. Reakhess. Highuh Reakhess..?" Leaning back, she raised an eyebrow at the paper, perplexed. This was supposed to be her language, and yet she was sure she'd never heard of such a place.  

[Masterharper]

DruidTigeress

It hadn't been quite a full Turn since Chayrel had left his life at the mines behind and begun a new at the Weyr. He was less defensive than he had been when first brought in, having learned that not everyone was out there to do him harm. High Reaches Weyr was less blood-thirsty than the corrupt Nabol, and while he hadn't entirely relaxed in the place, he was getting better about biting his scathing comments or taking everything personally. With every passing day he was better learning his place in the Weyr -- and being a Candidate was far superior to being nothing more than mining drudge. Perhaps the best part about being at the Weyr was the lessons they provided free-of-charge.

In Nabol, everything came with a price. Here? They gave him a bed, clothes, food, and studies for nothing but a bit of hard work and the agreement to attempt to Impress a dragon. Part of Chayrel still was concerned about there being some catch but he had yet to find it.

Today, the boy had been assigned to stay after and work on his reading and writing lessons. While he hated that the remedial lessons were so obvious -- anyone held back from chores or other tasks remained behind -- he knew that it was for the best. He'd never learned much how to read or write, and was far, far behind. While he knew some words simply be necessity and their appearance -- when written clearly enough and not in some fancy,formal script -- he still didn't now much of the basics.

Even months of lessons hadn't yet caught him up.

Glancing over a few desks, he couldn't help but over hear some girl struggle to pronounce a word. Part of Chayrel was pleased he wasn't the only one here learning the basics; some of the students were studying other work, or serving some form of punishment. He couldn't help but be glad he wasn't alone in his inability to struggle with letters, ad their peculiar symbols. "Need help?"

While he wasn't sure how far along the Candidate might be with her studies, he felt confident enough that he might be able to offer some aid. He knew the full alphabet, which was good, and could even (slowly) get through a few of the most basic teaching songs. Maybe, just maybe, he was in a place to help a fellow out.

Besides. If he helped her out than that meant he was't the most illiterate in the group. Right? So his motives weren't entirely true.
 

[DruidTigeress]

Hearing the voice behind her, Cami lifted her head, following it back to the source: a short, wiry man with messy brown hair (not that she could judge him for that, given the state of her own) and dusky complexion. She recognized him, of course. He was one of the few candidates who always got stuck in these lessons that was anywhere close to her age. "Ummm..." She turned back to look at the page once more but the words remained as inscrutable as ever. She didn't like to admit defeat, but she also knew that staring at the symbols like they stole her dinner wasn't going to suddenly reveal their meaning. "Maybe ..." she agreed, sliding the scroll towards him. She pointed to the offending pair of words. "What do you make of those?" she asked.

The words were, of course, 'High Reaches'. Yet despite knowing the place well, the silent 'g' combined with the 'ch' sound had her utterly lost. She put her chin in her hand. It might as well be written in firelizard (if such a language existed) for all she understood it. She watched cautiously as Chayrel longed it over. Part of her still wanted to work it out for herself. The more you had to struggle with something, the deeper the lesson sank. She was stubborn like that sometimes, insisting that she figure something out by herself. Once or twice, another hunter from her group had asked her riddles to help pass the time and Cami utterly refused to be given any hints when she didn't get it. But she also didn't like wasting time, and if it wasn't a word she knew to begin with, no amount of studying the symbols wound reveal its meaning. She bit her thumb Anxiously, scanning his face for any signs of recognition. "Just tell me; is it a word I would know?"  

[Masterharper]

Chayrel was pleased when the girl asked his opinion. Obviously he was doing better than when he'd first arrived at the Weyr, and he was quite confident in his skill. Glancing down at the word, though, did cause the Candidate a moments pause. This one was a longer word, and had a few tall letters, too. Though it took him a moment, he was able to place the word. The big H and big R helped give it away.

"This one's kind of hard, cause it's a sneaky shaffing thing," he stated. "But you'd know it." He settled in a chair opposite the stranger, and couldn't help but pleased that this was one he did recognize. All his months of study and hard work, and here he was able to help. Did it really matter that he was cheating and knew the word simply by look and appearance and less by phonetics and grammar? Nope. Not to Chayrel. A win was a win and he knew the word. At least, he was pretty sure he knew the word.

While his pride and ego couldn't help but puff out, the typically defensive boy did find that he wanted the other to know the word, too. Silently, he thought the right word out at her as loud as he could, as if him thinking it would cause Cami to understand. "It's really common 'round here." He added. Just in case she might want a hint.

((Apologies for the short post. yum_cupcake I'm still ironing Chayrel out, so he's taking a little fine-tuning and adjusting.))  

[DruidTigeress]

Masterharper

No worries! Stick two quiet kids together and it's no wonder they don't have much to say xP

"Ahh.." she sighed, leaning her head against her hand. She was at least relieved to hear him say that it was tricky and not say it was something obvious, or make fun of her for not knowing. He did say she would know it though.. She leaned back in her seat, drumming her fingers on the table. Hmm... "I'll think about it some more." she decided, unable to let herself give up. But only because she knew she'd be kicking herself once she found out what it was. She looked back at Chayrel for a moment, still rolling the sounds and symbols over in her mind.

"How long have you been at High Reaches?" she said. Her tone was less conversational and more genuinely curious, otherwise it wouldn't have occurred to her to ask. Small talk was still something she was getting used to. So unless there was some topic she happened to want to know of someone, long periods of awkward silence were the norm with her. In this case, she was curious how her progress tracked with the norm. It seemed clear that Chayrel, like her, had little experience with the written word prior to coming to the Weyr. And yet he was also clearly much better than her. It would be good to know what the normal rate of progression was, so she could see if she was keeping up.

Once she said the phrase out loud, however. She looked back at the paper. Couldn't be... Now that she looked at it, though, she did recall that funny trick about how the combination of the 'c' and 'h' symbols changing their sound. The first word was still a total shot in the dark, though. "It's not just 'High Reaches' is it?" she asked, frowning at the page, supremely dissatisfied. She pointed to the word. "What the shaff happened to the 'G' then?"
 

[Masterharper]

DruidTigeress

Chayrel wanted to say something when the girl said the word out loud. He wanted to give her some sort of sign that she was using the word, even as she struggled with how it was written. Still, he bit back any display of excitement or emotion, or at least he tried. If his eyes lit up when she asked, it wasn't intentional.

High Reaches. High. Reach. Es. He once again thought as loudly at the girl as he could, as if she were some dragon. He really wanted her to get it. It was one of those words he figured they'd see and use regularly, so the sooner she understood it, and all its trickiness, the better.

"Oh, 'bout a Turn now. Maybe a little bit more." He gave a small dismissive shrug. He was grateful for the Weyr, and certainly appreciated everything it had to offer. It was substantially better than Nabol. "I'm from Nabol," he added. "You a minebrat too? Or som'in' else?" He arched a black brow, hoping that she'd share. He confessed his origins, and thought he deserved to know a little bit more too. I wouldn't be fair otherwise. "I'm not very good with this readin' and writin' stuff." He added, a bit defensively. Just in case she thought he should somehow know how to read novels. He could read some of the easier parchments, and was trying to learn more words. He just didn't always have the patience for his lessons.

When the girl finally asked if the word was High Reaches, he gave firm nod and a laugh. "That's the one! You said it, and everything, but that's definitely the word. It's a tricky one, it is. With the stupid 'g' and 'h' business; it don't look a thing like it's said!" He sneered down at the word, as if the word itself could understand his judgment and distaste for it. "There's a lotta tricky words. I dun' know why we need to write shaffin' more letters than we gotta say, but we gotta."
 

[DruidTigeress]

Masterharper

Cami sighed. Ah. So that was it. And she was right, she would've kicked herself if she got him to tell her. She nodded at Chayrel's rant, completely in agreement. "What's the point of words if they're not easy to read?" she complained, as if either of them could change the way language was written. And that wasn't even getting started on writing! Her nimble fingers were well trained for holding a bow or a skinning knife. A quill, less so.. Sometimes it seemed like they were making it difficult intentionally. Having conquered the first word, she scanned the rest of the paragraph and didn't see anything that should pose too much of a challenge. She was more interested in her fellow candidate now anyways.

"Nabol..." She cast her mind back, trying to match the name to one of the many Holds she would travel to along their trade route. "Oh." she said, her brows pulling together darkly. That place. "I've been there. But it's not where I'm from." she tried to explain, answering as best she could. He clearly seemed curious, and that didn't bother her. She liked hearing other people's stories, so it was only fair if she told her own sometimes. Only problem was, she wasn't good at it. "I'm not from anywhere, I think. This is the longest I've stayed in the same place." It wasn't an easy thing to explain. The first time someone asked 'where are you from' she didn't even understand the question. But someone once told her that home is where you slept at night, so she tried going off of that. "I used to live in a caravan," she said. "When we could afford it. When we couldn't, I guess I lived on the ground. We didn't have much use for words either..." She lifted her shoulders indifferently, unbothered by the fact.

She didn't really understand what use they had for them now. What did reading and writing have to do with flying a dragon? Couldn't someone just tell them how to do that? If it's what was required though, then so be it.

"So you're a miner?" she asked, looking back at Chayrel. She didn't think she'd ever met a miner before, so she was curious. "You dig the rocks from the ground and the rocks turn into metal, right?" That was about the extent she knew of the subject. Her father had preached self sufficiency to her all her life. They made their own clothes, fletched their own arrows, bred, broke and trained their own runners.. all to keep their contact with the outside world at a minimum.. But they couldn't exactly just pick up some ore and forge themselves a piece of iron. So it had always interested her. Whenever they traded for something at a Hold, if it wasn't food or medicine, it was usually made of metal. Metal knives, metal arrow heads, metal rims of wagon wheels.. How rocks turned into that, she didn't know. But it was interesting.
 

[Masterharper]

DruidTigeress

The dark haired boy couldn't help but be pleased that the girl finally figured it out. It wasn't as if he'd actually helped her, but given she figured out the answer after he'd come over, surely he had some part of play in that. So it was he let himself ease up a bit, ever pleased that she seemed about as frustrated with this whole literacy thing as he was. "It's way too confusing. I jus' had a lesson that was all 'bout words sounding the same, but meanin' different things. Who decided that!?" He grimaced and glowered down at the girls work, as if it had any say over what was printed on it. "I mean, I'm glad to learn, 'n all, but I dun' know how anyone manages."

His parents had never had the time or inclination to teach their children much; his father was off gambling or drinking and his mother had abandoned them. Neither of his parents knew how to read or write, but they all managed to get by. Now that they were in the Weyr, he was learning a lot of things, but he had to wonder why it mattered if he knew how to spell. These thoughts mostly hit him when he was stuck on a question, or frustrated with some assignment. Generally speaking, even if he didn't admit it, the boy was glad to be given the opportunity to learn. He just hated to look stupid or otherwise ignorant.

Chayrel watched the girl as she spoke about her own home and upbringing. Though she didn't seem to know how to explain her situation, he was able to follow along fairly well. "So your Holdless then," he stated, certain that's what she meant. "I haven't met no Holdless before," and that was the truth. Everyone he knew at Nabol either worked in the mines or came from the area. Getting kicked out of the Hold was often used as a threat to keep mining -- though something about the way which the local Overseer would sneer it ha always made Chayrel suspicious. Somehow, the dark haired boy knew those that caused too much trouble weren't simply kicked out and left to their own devices. People didnt just leave Nabol -- they disappeared.

"I din' realize there was really Holdless folk out there. I always thought they were stories. I mean, I guess'en sometimes I seen travelers pass through, in those long caravans, but they were always going to other Holds and Halls. It din't seem like a bad life, not'n the way Nabol described it." And here he offered his own grimace. "Do you like it here, or would you rather be out there?" He wasn't sure he'd want to be out there now that Thread was back, but was smart enough to to avoid bringing up the T word. If she was Holdless, that couldn't be good for any of her family.

When the girl asked about his previous craft, he offered her a small grin. The way she described it wasn't entirely accurate, but it was close enough. "Sort of. I mean, I don't got no fancy Crafter teaching, but I know a lot about rocks and stones and ores. I mostly was put underground, and did a lot of the manual digging. I'd send the fancier ores and stones up to be sorted, but din't do any of the actual crafting. Just a lot of diggin'." He wasn't sure if he should be proud of this fact or not. On the one hand, he had hoped that maybe someday he'd become a wherhandler or somehow get his hands on an egg. That way he'd be able to move up, or at least be more useful. As it was, his small stature made him more useful in the deeper caverns. Still, the physical labor made all the chores at High Reaches seem easy in comparison.

"M'glad to be here though. When'd they bring you in?" There were so many Candidates in High Reaches it was hard to keep them all straight.
 

[DruidTigeress]

Masterharper

They probably learn when they're young... she thought. Everything was easier when you're younger. Or maybe you just didn't remember it being hard. Cami couldn't even recall the first time she held a bow, that was how young she was. And by the time her memories started, she already understood the basics. "It'll get easier with time, I bet. Most things do." she said, with a light shrug. A turn from now, she probably wouldn't even be able to imagine a time when she didn't recognize the word 'High Reaches'.

She was grateful that Chayrel seemed to understand what she was saying, but his answer struck an odd chord.

Holdless...

Cami lifted her shoulders, as though unconvinced. Although that was they were, he wasn't wrong about that. She just never identified with the word. She never considered herself to be 'without' a Hold. "So Holders say." she answered, noncommittally. She'd heard the term before, mostly by people telling them to 'move along', but it wasn't part of her identity. It didn't really bother her though. That was just their word for them. She couldn't change what people called her any more than she could change the spelling of a word. Whether or not it made much sense to her. "Well I've never met a miner before." she said with a small smile.

"It wasn't a bad life." she agreed. "Though it was hard sometimes." She wouldn't deny that. Every day was a fight for survival. People died often. But when she thought about living in a Hold, staying always in the same place, she couldn't say it wasn't worth the price. She leaned back on her chair and crossed her arms, considering his next question. "It's not bad here." she said, after a moment. She certainly didn't want to scoff at the place that had taken her in all these months. "But I do miss things. I miss sleeping under the stars at night. And living where everything around you is alive. It's hard to explain... But I'm only one person now. I don't know how to survive on my own." She looked at him with her arms folded and lifted her shoulders. There was nothing she could do about that either.

"Honestly... I didn't use to think thread was real." she admitted. "I thought it was made up stories to keep people in their stone cages. I used to feel bad for Holders. But... In the end..." She looked at her lap, taking a deep breath and a long sigh. The same burning, gnawing feeling spread through her ribs and up her sternum, choking her throat for a moment. She pressed her lips together and tried to ride out the feeling, during which time she was grateful to stop and let Chayrel talk for a while.

"It was spring when I came here." she answered. Though she still remembered the scene on the cliff edge as clear as it was yesterday. The silver rain in the background. The wreckage of bodies lining the shore.. "I won't leave." she said suddenly, sounding more sure than she had of most things they'd spoken about so far. "Even if I could survive by myself, I won't leave. Fighting thread is important. I want to be able to help." It might sound silly, but it was that determination that was driving her forward now. She looked back at Chayrel.

"What about you? Do you miss your Hold?" she asked him.
 

[Masterharper]

DruidTigeress

If Chayrel had noticed that the girl seemed defensive about being called Holdless, he didn't notice... or perhaps didn't care. As far as he understood, anyone who didn't lay claim to a Hold was Holdless, and that was that. It didn't mean anything to him, though. He was in no position to judge, and didn't much care where a person lived. "I bet you could learn, if'n ya wanted," he encouraged with a shrug. "If you miss it 'n all."

The life that the girl explained sounded nice enough, for all that it was dangerous. He never looked much at the stars, but then again, had lived most of his life being told to look down and dig. There had never been much reason to look up at the sky, and by the time he'd get leave of the mine, he'd be so exhausted there was little energy left for anything. And living where everything was alive, that was a different concept entirely. Where he lived, there was little life around other than dirt, grit, and stones. Their lives, it seemed, were quite different, but her difficulties allowed for a ribbon of understanding. "Life's not easy," he concurred, "No matter where you been born. 'Cept maybe if you were a Lord Holder's kid or sommat like that." If his last words were a bit bitter, it couldn't be helped. Wasn't that what he spent most of his time mining for? To dig up jewels and stones and valuables all for those with marks to spare? Bah.

"It's not bad here, no but maybe you can go get lost in the mountains or something on your rest day," he encouraged. "I mean, if you really miss it." He wasn't sure why he was encouraging her, but she didn't seem to judge him for his remedial lessons, and seemed a bit of a kindred spirit. She certainly didn't come from marks or have fancy Crafthall training. Surely, she couldn't be all bad, and the fact that she sounded genuine helped. She sounded as if she did miss being Holdless. The plus side had to be that without a Hold, she didn't have to go anywhere in particular, right? Just . . . walk outside the Weyr? Sure seemed less complicated than others who might be homesick.

Lesson forgotten, Chayrel gave a firm nod when she spoke of staying. Though he didn't know what she was thinking of, he remembered what had happened during Spring. Whether she'd been Searched before or after the first Fall, it didn't matter. Spring had been when everything had changed for, well, everybody. "I want to fight it," he confessed, also ever confident of his choice. Even if Threadfall wasn't a threat, the mountain Weyr had his loyalty completely. Giving him a bed, daily meals, and work that was easy compared to digging in the mines. "'Sides, I owe this place for getting me out of Nabol. I don't miss it at all," he gave a snort, and crossed his arms. The frown on his face and disgust in his words summed it up best. "Don't go there. Unless'n you've got marks, it's awful. They sucker you in and then you're under Gansley's thumb and that's it. He don't care 'bout nobody but himself or the rich folk." And wasn't that the truth. "I hated it there. I ain't never going back,even if I don't Impress." He hated to say it, as if somehow he was jinxing himself. Thankfully, though, he had time enough yet. He wasn't so close to aging out for it to be a real issue, but the fear of it was still enough to make him uncomfortable.  

[DruidTigeress]

Masterharper

"That's true," she muttered at Chayrel's encouragement. If she had no other choice, if it was necessary, she was sure she would find a way to survive. So there was nothing really stopping her from doing so now. She started thinking of the things she would need to survive a winter by herself. The biggest issue after thread came was that it had destroyed all their supplies as well. She'd need a runner, at least. Or a draybeast, even, just something to help carry supplies. More arrows, tools for traps, warmer clothes.. But the one you really needed was exactly what you couldn't get out there alone. And that was other people. Even her father, who was content to remain in isolation, still stuck with a group for safety. And Cami was different from him. She craved a sense of community. She wanted to be a part of something. Are there other groups like ours out there? She wondered. Probably not anymore…

She lifted her shoulders. The Weyr was still probably her best bet. They seemed freer than Hold people, at least, and until thread was gone the reality was that a life on the road wasn't likely to last long.

"That's true too.." she agreed to his next sentiment. There was hardship in Holds as well, and here in the Weyr, certainly. Of course, she only had her own experiences to go on, the things she'd seen in Holds and Halls, or the stories she been told. But at least, it seemed that way to her. "Everyone's fighting for the same things. Find safe shelter. Find enough to eat. Whether you catch the food yourself, or work to pay for it.. it's basically the same, right?" She could kind of understand Crafters and regular Hold people that way, but the idea of Lord Holders was just so foreign to her. She'd probably never understand them. Not that she really cared to.

Get lost for a day? She wondered if she could. It hadn't really occurred to her. "That sounds like fun.. Maybe I will sometime." She still had her bow, maybe she could go hunting. If she could get a fur or two more, she might be able to trade them for better supplies. She smiled, a little fire in her eyes. "I want to fight it too." she said. And maybe not just for the selfless reasons of avenging her father, or wanting to help the people that saved her. She got this sense that she could be a part of something here, more than just a mountain nomad. She wanted to leave a mark on the world. She owed the Weyr too. Even if the circumstance were different, she felt like her and Chayrel were in a similar boat. Her loyalty, if she had any, was to the Weyr.

"I'll keep that in mind," she said, grateful for the warning, even if she wasn't planning on going there anyway. Of all the Holds she'd been to, she never liked Nabol much. Obviously, there were aspects of the Hold she didn't understand. Like, if that was her life, she would just leave. But that probably wasn't an option now. Anyway, there must be something holding people there. "Why do people stay?" she asked him. She got the sense that it was a bit of a sore subject, so she hoped he didn't mind. But she'd been curious about that for a while now. If it was so bad...
 

[Masterharper]

DruidTigeress

Chayrel was pleased that the girl seemed to agree with him. The defensive boy was always ready for a fight, or an argument, and was glad that this girl seemed to have sense enough to understand what he was saying. He honestly didn't see why she couldn't go out and about in the nearby mountains and hills. The rest-days were theirs to do with what they pleased, and surely Gr'del wouldn't care if one of them left the Weyr. Not on a day that was theirs to enjoy.

It wasn't as if they were weyrlings -- now those guys couldn't breathe without someone wanting to know where or what they were doing. But Candidates? He was smart enough to know that they were living on easy street compared to weyrling life. But maybe having a dragon there would make all the restrictions worth it.

"It sounds the same to me. Some folks just happen t' have it easier 'n others." Part of Chayrel was curious about the things she knew. She definitely sounded independent, and probably knew how to fight, or skin a tunnelsnake, and all sorts of things. Part of him wanted to know if she could teach him some of those skills. He hated to admit he needed help, but he was also terrified he'd never actually Impress. If he didn't find a partner on the Hatching Sands, then what would become of him? He was afraid no one in the Weyr would wan to apprentice an illiterate creature like him, and he wasn't keen on doing chores in the kitchen all his life, either. It was better than the mines, but he was young enough yet to aspire for something better than drudgery. If he knew how to shoot a bow or survive off the land, wouln't that be better than expecting someone to take care of him?

He wasn't ever going back to Nabol and while he wanted to stay in High Reaches Weyr, he also didn't want to find himself crushed by ignorance. He had to work in mines to make his meager bread; if he failed to Impress, maybe he'd know skills enough to do something else with his life.

"D'ya think--" He hesitated and stopped. His pride made it hard to ask. "If'n you go out, ya think I could come too? Just to see what all you do on your own. Just for a day or somethin'. I don't know anything 'bout living on the land and I bet you'd be real good to teach it." He didn't want to leave the Weyr for more than a few hours, really, but there was nothing wrong with having a backup plan.

"Probably be easier than all of this," he added with a frown at the foreign words and letters.

When Cami asked about Nabol, and why people remained, Chayrel hesitated. He thought about her question, and shifted a bit uncomfortably in his chair. He didn't much like thinking about his home life, but he often wondered the same. "I dun' know if I can put it much into words, really," he finally stated with a sigh. "Most everyone there owes somethin' to Lord Gansley," he added with a shrug. "Or at least to the Holders b'neath him. Sometimes folks try to leave. Sometimes they get out of debt and are free ta go. Other times Gansley'll bring 'em back, 'an they don't try to run no more." He shrugged, having learned long ago not to ask. "I guess it's not bad for everyone. Some folks who live there find their fortune 'n all, or pay off their debts and go free. But other folks were beat when they was born." He shrugged, as if it were common knowledge. He knew Gansley and his thugs had the power; High Reaches Weyr didn't seem to care what Gansley did in his own territory, and the other Lords and Ladys didn't seem overly concerned either, as far as Chayrel knew.

It was just the way of it.  

[DruidTigeress]

Masterharper

As they spoke, Cami had gone back to quietly translating the passage in front of her while she listened. Just a word or two at a time, not to hard. It needed to get done at some point, after all, and after the first stumbling block it was easy enough that she could do both at the same time without much trouble. "If you want." she agreed, though the idea made her a little self-conscious. She wasn't sure what all she would be doing that he would find so interesting to watch. Though she supposed it was no different than the way she used to shadow her father when she was young. She didn't know how good she would be at teaching it though..

She looked back at her work with an appreciative chuckle. Certainly, it couldn't be much harder than all this. She'd only been at it for a few months, but she already got the sense that letters or words weren't much for her. Though she appreciated the new skill, she couldn't think of a situation where she wouldn't rather just tell someone what they needed to know, or have them tell her, rather than writing it. How often did dragonriders use writing anyway? She was hoping she could learn it once and then forget about it.

She drummed her fingers on the table, leaning into her arm thoughtfully. Listening to Chayrel describe Nabol, it felt like something unreal. Like stories you told about heroes and villains and far off lands you just made up on the spot. Though she couldn't say that to Chayrel. Because of course it was real.. Who would make up something like that? She wondered if her life seemed unreal to him too. It was hard to say... The weight of things she didn't know hung heavy around her. Like these stupid letters.
Sometimes she felt it would just be easier to turn away and leave it all. But she was curious. She wanted to know.

"I don't know if I really understand." she admitted, honestly. "But thanks for trying to explain it." Lacing her fingers, she turned her palms inside out as she stretched them in front of her with a heavy sigh. Her mind, and her gaze, turned back to the record. They'd been talking.. who know how long? And the harper would surely be wondering what was keeping them. Back to work now...