Journeyman Kaeryn

Kaeryn was the only child born to Herder Master Ryen and his wife Kiersten despite the fact that she was the object of the second of her mother Kiersten’s three difficult pregnancies. Her parents had both been from very large families, and dreamed of having many children of their own, but after Kaeryn’s birth, Kiersten’s health never fully returned. The infant helped Kiersten’s health to return somewhat, with her cheerful attitude and the smile that never left her rosy lips, and once Kaeryn began to walk, she was her mother’s shadow at all times, never leaving Kiersten’s side. The bond between mother and daughter was a strong one, with Kiersten dedicating most of her time to teaching the tiny child as much as she could. Kiersten loved music, so she would sing to Kaeryn if she was too busy working to play with the child, which would explain much of Kaeryn’s love for music.

Despite many warnings given to Kiersten and Ryen, they decided to try to have more children, believing their daughter should have siblings to play with, learn with, and grow with. When their daughter was the young age of 3 turns, Kiersten became pregnant for the third time, and healers actually began to believe that she would be able to carry this baby to term, without excessive difficulties. She spent most of the pregnancy in bed while the Hall’s Healer, and Ryen, hovered, caring for her as best they could, hoping for the best. Young Kaeryn did not understand why her mommy was spending so much time in bed when she should be playing with her, but Kiersten did spend most of her ‘in bed time’ teaching her daughter. Their voices would be heard throughout their apartments, Kaeryn’s childish voice rang sweetly with her mother’s as they sang simple children’s songs together, and sometimes, Kiersten would sing songs to her daughter and Kaeryn would attempt to mock her mother, repeating the tune or the words a few beats after her mother. Many times, Master Ryen would stand outside the bedroom, just to listen to his two girls singing, a soft smile on his lips.

Unfortunately, what seemed to be a normal pregnancy turned disastrous several seven-days before the time the baby was actually due. Kiersten went into labor early, and despite everything the healers tried, the tiny baby boy was lost. Kiersten fought to survive, calling for Ryen to come to her and pleading to see her daughter, for she knew the end was near. Knowing this was the last time his wife and daughter could ever be together, Ryen carried his daughter to his wife’s side. Kaeryn slipped her tiny fingers into her mother’s hand, and she began to sing to her mommy, the song she Kiersten had sung to her every night of her life to put her to sleep. Kiersten kissed her daughter on the forehead before closing her eyes and breathing her last breath. Her tiny daughter was proud that she had ‘sung mommy to sleep’, unaware of the fact that it was the last time she would ever see her mother alive.

Kaeryn was devastated after Kiersten’s death, for, not only was she her mother, but she was also her teacher, as well as her playmate and best friend. Ryen tried everything to help his little girl to find a new way to be happy, and he spent all of his free time with his daughter, even brought her to the stables with him on occasion to let her play with the young animals. This still left young Kaer with many hours of time her on hands, so Ryen asked the Journeyman Sakien, the Harper that was residing at the Hall, to take Kaeryn into his lesson, despite the fact that she was younger than most of the children in his classes. He agreed and Kaer began to show talent almost immediately. She picked up everything put before her at such a rapid speed that both her father and Sakien were amazed with her progress, and they found that taking an instrument from her fingers in order to get her to do another task just lead to her singing while she worked.

By the time she was 7 turns old, after the departure of Sakien, who was replaced by Journeymen Chandrin, Kaeryn had developed a love for music that helped her to leave the pain of having lost her mother, but her real talent had yet to develop. She began to spend more of her free time in the stables with her father, learning about the care of the animals, but, more and more often, she could be found sitting off to one side with a dreamy look on her face, pencil in hand, sketching the animals as they frolicked in the fields or worked. Chandrin recognized the girls skill quickly enough and began to teach Kaer as much as she could about the arts. Soon thereafter, Ryen began to find sketches that his daughter had completed decorating the walls of their apartments, and those of other herders and Keroon residents. Kaeryn still spent a great deal of time assisting her father with the animals, and her love for creatures was evident, though Ryen knew his daughter would never be a herder and give up her passion for art and music.

When Kaeryn reached 14 turns, she and her father sat down to discuss her future and Ryen asked his daughter what she wanted to do with her life. To this, Kaer’s only possible response was that she wanted to be a harper, a future that Ryen could not disagree with. The big question was where should she go to study? Which place would be best for a student that wanted to be an artist and a musician to study? After consulting with Jorwin, the Keroon hold harper at that time, it was decided that the Harper Hall at Ista Hold would be the best choice for her, since there was an entire area devoted to art at the Ista Crafthall. Add that to the nearness to the water, and Kaeryn knew that it was where she belonged, so she packed the few things that she owned, kissed her father goodbye and headed out for Ista, letter of recommendation from Journeyman Jorwin in hand.

Upon arriving at the island, Kaer discovered there was a gather in progress. Deciding it might be the best way to meet a few harpers, she headed towards the gather and found herself standing in a tent full of harpers and instruments. After spending the day there, getting to know some of the other apprentices, she headed off to the hall to find Master Caramak, the person Jorwin sent her off to find. She realized soon enough that Caramak was the kind man that Jorwin said he was, even if she looked up to him in awe and a little fear. Her interview was over soon enough and she was accepted as an apprentice into the craft.

For 3 turns, Kaeryn studied at the hall at Ista, working to improve her musical abilities with the masters and journeyman, as well as becoming Journeyman Jerran’s student in art. When Jerran was posted at Ista Weyr, Kaeryn and his other students were moved with him so they could continue to work closely with him and progress in their arts. In the process, Kaeryn developed deep feelings for Jerran, feelings that she could not continue to keep to herself. One night, at a ball given by the harper hall, Kaeryn admitted her feelings to a fellow apprentice, and, much to her dismay, Marius relayed the confession to Jerran. That night, the two harpers had a long talk, admitting their feelings for one another, but knowing that the relationship was one that could not be pursued due to craft rules. Unfortunately, rules can’t stop emotions, and the feelings they had for one another grew as time passed, making working so closely together a difficult thing for each of them.

Finally, Kaeryn was promoted to Senior Apprentice and her journeyman project was before her, so she packed some of her things and headed back to the hall to create the masterpiece that would give her a place in the hall. After many weeks of steady work and little sleep, the mural was finished and, at the largest ball the harper craft has presented in turns, she presented it to the rest of Pern. Much to her surprise, after presenting the mural to Pern, she was, in turn, presented with a journeyman knot of her very own, as well as a kiss, by Jerran.

That night was a turning point in Kae's life. She packed all of her things, said goodbye to her friends at Ista Weyr and Ista Hold, and headed off to Tillek Hold, with Jerran, where, together, they worked to create a place of study for those interested in art.

Jerran asked Kae to be his wife, and she happily accepted his proposal, for she loved him with all of her heart, and couldn't imagine her life without him in it. Turns passed, the handfasting still hadn't taken place, Jerran was forever imersed in his work, and Kae was beginning to get restless. An old friend from Ista Weyr, T'rell, would often come to visit her at Tillek, and they'd pass the day just enjoying the company of a friend, which was all that Kae needed at the time, someone to talk with. No longer sure of her future, she decided it was time to pursue a dream she had long had, one of becoming a DolphinSinger. Without a word to Jerran, she requested permission from both crafts to study with the Dolphin Crafters, and, upon receiving permission, packed her things and moved to Master Sea Hold to study.

As time passed, Kae became more comfortable being with the other Dolphin Crafters, with the Dolphins, in the water, and, most importantly, away from Jerran. She knew she loved him, but she had come to the conclusion that he was no longer her future. When Master Thorn requested her presense aboard his ship, the Lady Rose, she knew it was the best way to determine, for sure, what her life had in store for her. Taking her student, Apprentice Tolia, with her, she set sail on the Lady Rose.

She tried to focus on her studies, but found herself more torn before than ever. She missed Jerran, but found her thoughts turning more and more to the person she had before only thought of as a friend. When the Lady Rose landed on Ista Island, Kaeryn and Tolia made plans to visit the weyr to see Kae's friend, and Tolia's uncle, T'rell. Opting to visit him one evening while her student was busy working on a project, Kae visited the weyr, found the 'rider, and they went for a walk. After a long, friendly conversation on the beach, they went up to T'rell's weyr to have a drink of one of T'rell's self-created drinks, and, when a green dragon rose and Sejith rose to chase, one thing led to another, and the pair of friends wound up in bed together.

This occurance forced Kaeryn to face her own heart, and, despite Jerran offering to forgive her for what had happened, she couldn't put it in the past. Her friend Marius' words echoed in her ears, and she knew he was right. It would have never happened if she hadn't have wanted it to. Realizing that her feelings for T'rell were deeper than the friendship they had been sharing for so long, she had to put an end to the relationship between herself and Jerran. Little did she realize just how much that one night could have changed her life.

Two months later, after experiencing many days of morning sickness, dizziness, and weakness, T'rell and Brina (Kaeryn's cousin) forced her to see a healer, who informed the shocked Kae and T'rell that they were going to be parents. Later that night, after getting over the shock, she asked T'rell what he wanted, and he promised that he would be there for her and the child. Knowing that she could never ask more of him than that, she was satisfied.

He kept to his word, and was by her side for the pregnancy. Deciding it would be best for the harper to return to Ista Weyr so that their child will have both mother and father together, Kae moved back into her old apartment in the Harper's Area. The day Brencia was born, Kae watched T'rell with their daughter, and she realized that her feelings for T'rell had grown even more, but she knew in her heart that she could never ask him to change his life even more than Brencia would, and accepted just having him in both her and their child's lives would have to be enough.