- Saimwen had been a Candidate for about a week. Seven days in which he'd quickly had to adjust to a brand new lifestyle in which the stars didn't change every night, in which most nights he couldn't even see the stars. Weyr life was interesting, it was exciting, but it was also scary. He missed his family, and often wondered if perhaps he'd speak the words that he'd want to go back. Instead, he spoke openly, making new acquaintances every day. He'd already proven to be popular among the kitchen hands. Sometimes he thought he saw a familiar face in his lessons or across the barracks, but wrote it off as his own personal brand of paranoia.
During the evening free time period, Saimwen had taken to seeing himself outside to stare at the stars. Occasionally they were broken by the silhouette of a dragon, swooping in patrol or some other duty. But most of the time, it was Saimwen and the only stalwart friends he'd maintained through his whole life. He knew exactly where it was - that never changed. But just as when he was a child, he acted out the stories of each of the constellations in his head. He'd taught those stories and constellations to one other person, someone he hadn't seen in many Turns. Perhaps one day he'd teach them to a hatchling dragon, and when that dragon was large enough, they'd get up and personal with the cosmos.
Tonight, his heart just wasn't into it. He'd been spending the whole free hour here, but tonight, the presence of people he missed was far too heavy. So Saimwen wrapped his cloak tighter around hsi shoulders and bustled back into the cover of the Weyr, seeking solid shelter for what felt like the first time in his life, gaze cast to the ground in a stance that was unlike the happy-go-lucky part he'd been playing for the last week. And then he physically bumped into someone.
"Oof, sorry," he said, turning to face the other person he'd just bowled over. Saimwen's eyes widened in surprise as he took in the visage of someone he thought he'd never see again.
Thaliawen
