WARNING: Other players should not read this until Chapter 1 is complete.
At first, Kebrin absolutely loved receiving so many nice gifts – even from people he wouldn’t normally receive Turnover or Birthing Day gifts from. Then he realized how practical most of the gifts were for a young man leaving the Weyr to find a place for himself in the world. Many of them didn’t expect him to come back, for Turns if not ever. This was a sad, and somewhat sobering, thought. He made a point of thanking everyone who gifted him with something, and broke down crying – or at least got watery-eyed – several times.
Kebrin was especially struck by the symbolism – and value – of H’nor’s extremely generous gift and, momentarily overcome by emotion, blurted out that he hoped to earn the right to call himself a Harper and then one day stand the sands so that he could be Ista Weyr’s Weyrharper once Garoway retired.
Kebrin took all of the advice he received very seriously, to the point of neatly writing out the most important points on a piece of pristine paper that he tucked inside the much less nice book Garoway had given him to use as a monthly or seasonal journal.
Kebrin said his final goodbye to all of his friends the day before he left, and was ready and waiting when K’len arrived. He shook hands very formally with the older rider, hoping to seem as mature and adult as possible, and took a little extra time checking his gear and strapping himself in – making certain that he didn’t get himself killed or, worse, embarrass himself on this momentous day.
He was proud when he could shake his head to K’len’s offer of goggles and, instead, pulled his own out of a padded pocket and slid them into place.
Again trying to sound adult, “No, I don’t mind at all. I love flying. Where are we going?”
He couldn’t resist looking back as mighty Pentiath launched himself into the air, and spared a brief wave to the people gathered below if he didn’t think it was going to get him killed.
If Kebrin had the chance while preparing for flight, or during the flight itself, he asked K’len simply, “Who’s Anwen?”