This journal entry takes place between Episodes 1.8 and 1.9.
My name is Kebrin of Ista Weyr, and I am 13 Turns old.
Garoway gave me this journal, and said I should keep my thoughts in it.
He also warned me to think very carefully about everything I want to write before I do it, because “paper is precious and ink unforgiving.”
They decided a few months ago to shut down Ista Weyr because it’s stood mostly empty my entire life.
Ista Weyr is my home and I don’t want to see it go away.
But Thread was an awful, horrible thing and I’m glad that we don’t need brave dragons and dragonmen to fight them anymore. I don’t want to see my friends, human or dragon, hurt or even killed.
So I feel two ways about the same thing, which is really confusing.
Garoway sent a letter a few months ago with the Captain of the Cormorant, Brychan, asking that Harper Hall consider taking me as an apprentice.
A response arrived by dragon a few days ago, telling me that I had a month to get to Harper Hall at Fort Hold.
I leave tomorrow.
I’m excited and scared.
I always love flying and I look forward to meeting other kids my own age – I hope I fit in and make lots of friends! – but I really hope that the Master Harpers see the same thing in me that Garoway does.
If they don’t, they’ll probably send me home in a few days in shame. I don’t even like thinking about that; if it’s possible to die of embarrassment, I think I would.
When I wasn’t packing or trying to learn what I could about life in Harper Hall – I think I’ve worn Garoway’s patience thin at this point – I was studying and practicing my music. I don’t think I’ve ever worked so hard in my life.
I want to make Garoway, Harish, Nialla, Kindi, Rianne, Oswina, H’nor, B’dir, and all the rest of my family proud. I want to make Ista Weyr proud.
This is my chance to become a real Harper, not just someone who strums a guitar or can pick out a few notes on a set of pipes, and I won’t waste it.
One day, I will come home to Ista Weyr to be their Weyrharper – to make certain that their songs and stories aren’t lost. They’re my friends and my family, and I won’t see them forgotten.