His own student, or rather his and Wesley's student, was clearly choosing something different from both of his instructors. Rraiec was devoted to rather quiet, reflective study and contemplation. Wesley combined a somewhat more sharp-edged intellectual approach with the stabilizing influence of cyclical labor. Baura's preferences tended towards an interactive, motion oriented approach. He had more of a zeal for actively working with others than Wesley and Rraiec did. At the moment, Rraiec was trying to think of ways to help develop Baura's skills as a teacher, since it was clear that he would end up doing that when his training was done. The youth needed to hone the skills he was learning from both of his instructors. At the moment, he was terribly unbalanced and it was affecting his studies.

It took Rraiec better than an hour to find Wesley, even with directions from Uvu. His former student was indeed laboring away at a wall, this one in an overly remote location near a small pond. The verdant dalhari was hefting smooth wall stones into a barrow, chanting softly as he worked. It was warm enough that he'd stripped off his heavy upper garments, draping them over a nearby tree. Rraiec was more than slightly disturbed that he found the scene so…enticing. He didn't want to reveal his presence, just so that he could watch the other man work.

However, duty won out and he stepped forward, greeting Wesley. "Greetings. Uvu said that you were embarking on an onerous task, and I see that he was nothing less than accurate." The wall Wesley was moving was made of larger than normal rocks, making the job more difficult.

Wesley grinned and pitched one last stone into the barrow. "Ah, it needs to be done. Besides, it is lovely out and I couldn't resist."

"Of course," Rraiec murmured. He walked next to Wesley as the other man pushed the barrow to the wall's new location on the far side of the pond. "As much as I would like to say that I simply wanted to watch you move rocks around…"

"You wish to discuss Baura," Wesley finished for him. He set the barrow down and surveyed the partially moved wall in front of him. The ground wasn't as level as the old location, so he was going to have to change the layout of the wall some.

Rraiec perched on a finished section of wall several feet away. "He is doing well at learning how to parse theories and opinions," He began. "Actually, his progress is remarkable."

"However," Wesley continued, hefting a stone into place, "You are not satisfied."

"His goals include teaching," Rraiec reminded the younger man. "And he is not learning how to integrate such critical analyses with…"

"Tact," Wesley interjected. "He is a rude, condescending and argumentative person."

Rraiec winced. "I wasn't going to be that harsh, but he does have a tendency to be a bit strong in his presence."

"And?" Another stone fell into place with a sharp crack.

"Perhaps we should…refocus how he studies?" Rraiec suggested tentatively. "A greater emphasis on declarative understanding and linkage, instead of…"

Wesley fit yet another stone into the wall. He checked to make sure all was level and tight. Then he turned to Rraiec. "Instead of arguing? You mean that he should go back to rhetoric, to reading and reporting and proving that he's memorized everything he's ever read?"

Rraiec flinched. "No, not precisely." He had worried that Wesley wouldn't take well to this discussion. "Keisri, I want what is best for Baura."

"Baura entered Ke'reo Der with an intense drive to question knowledge, question reality," Wesley retorted. "Something that few here can claim; most religious scholars seek to understand, not to question. There is a difference."

"I know, but I worry that he will not find satisfaction on the path he is walking," Rraiec stated.

"Why not?" Wesley asked, eyes narrowing. "Because it is wrong, or because it is not yours?"

Rraiec recoiled. "That is not what I said!"

Wesley stepped forward, angry at his old teacher. "Or is this more because you feel the path you prefer is preferable to the one I do? It bothers you that Baura follows one more than the other, and the one he seeks is not the one you did?"

"No," Rraiec began. Wesley cut him off.

"I realize you have little respect for me. And I also see the flaws in our mutual student. However, forcing him to change the way he understands his existence is not the answer, and that is what you want him to do. He will never be a passive vessel," Wesley continued. "Regardless of how you try to force him into that role. He can be made to understand his off-putting effect on others, but that is more a matter of relearning the manners his parents have already taught him."

"I simply want him to be able to see a different view," Rraiec said weakly.

"Do you?" Wesley inquired coldly. "He knows the paths, all of them, and probably ones we've never considered. He made his choice consciously and with full knowledge of the ramifications of that choice. I think that perhaps you should consider rethinking your approach to this very real problem. Is it Baura you are so troubled by?" With that Wesley returned to building his wall, ignoring Rraiec completely.

Eventually Rraiec got up and flew back to the hold proper.

•••

"Rinhe?"

The elder looked up at Baura, who was standing off in the shadows as was his habit. She hadn't seen much of the young student over the past several months, although she'd certainly heard about him. He had something of a reputation. "Yes?"

He shuffled into view. "Is there something wrong? Rraiec and Keisri are…not themselves. Or perhaps they are too much of themselves and not…or it's that they—"

"They are in conflict," Rinhe said, seeing that Baura was having difficulties expressing what he saw. That was unusual; the youth was typically very good at such things.

"Yes," He agreed, nodding. "I feel as though I am being instructed twice on everything. I do not understand what I’m learning. Ever since I heard the first lament of spring, I have wanted to do this, to come here and enter into religious studies. But now, now I find that I do not understand anything, and not in the manner of an ignorant person, but of one who cannot comprehend.”

Rinhe frowned severely. It was bad enough that their personal problems were apparent to others, but to negatively affect a student’s learning and confidence? That was unacceptable. “I will discuss the situation with them. This will not continue, or you will receive instruction from someone else.”

“I would rather not,” Baura admitted. “They have—“

She cut him off. “At one point their perspectives were just what you needed. However, regardless of that, if they are now not adequate instructors, you will be moved.” Her tone was final and Baura understood that he was being dismissed. The youth left the hall, wondering if he’d helped or hurt by talking to Rinhe.

•••

Wesley was just sitting down to a sparse meal of plain paz grain when Rinhe showed up. She barely waited until the door opened before stepping inside. “Elder,” Wesley murmured, seeing instantly that she was here as an elder and not as his surrogate mother.

“Keisri,” She began, pointedly ignoring all evidence that he’d been busy. “You are harming your student.”

“I am what?” Wesley replied, shocked. “Baura? Harming?” He stepped back, set off balance by the declaration.

“Yes, harming,” Rinhe repeated. “You and Rraiec, with your petty arguments and unwillingness to work together. Not only are you teaching Baura things that directly contradict each other, without explaining why such confusing knowledge is important, but you disparage each other to him and act like rabid t’kth-vaali! He is questioning whether he should continue his instruction, whether this was an appropriate choice for his life, because he certainly does not want to be like either of you!”

Wesley recoiled from the vicious attack. “I had no idea…”

“Of course you didn’t,” Rinhe spat. “You were far too busy being angry at Rraiec. Baura is your first responsibility, Keisri. He is who you should think of first and last; Rraiec is simply another teacher, one you should be working with, not against.”

“Yes,” Wesley murmured. He was still in shock; it was difficult to believe he could have done something to destructive without noticing it.

Rinhe watched as he turned in on himself, searching for proof of these misdeeds. “You will have to discuss this with Rraiec, after I have done so first. Expect him this evening. You will resolve whatever conflict you have tonight, or I will reassign Baura in the morning.” She swept out of the room, voluminous robes billowing around her.

Wesley stared at the door for a long time, still pouring over his memories. When he finally came back to reality, he sat down next to the dying fire and slowly consumed his now-cold meal, wondering how this would work out. None of the outcomes he’d seen had been good.

•••

By the time Rraiec arrived at Wesley’s door, looking every bit as chewed up as Wesley himself did, the younger dalhari had pulled himself together somewhat. He ushered in the other man, indicating that he should stand or sit next to the cold fireplace.

Rraiec waited for Wesley to speak. After several minutes, he realized that the other man wasn’t going to, so he began. “I apologize.”

“For what?” Wesley asked, taking a set in a windowsill, as far from Rraiec as he could get.

Where to start? “For purposefully misleading Baura, for undermining your lessons.”

Wesley nodded. He’d noticed that happening some time back; it had spurred him to alter his own plans, which in turn led to the events of this night. “Why did you do that?”

Rraiec sighed and leaned against the wall. “I had no faith in you; I couldn’t see Baura becoming a good scholar under your tutelage. He wasn’t—“

“Following the path you would have chosen?” Wesley finished for him. “I realize that the theory of accepting all paths and the practice of doing the same are very different, but Rraiec… You have considerably more experience than me with these issues. Did you not know that this was a likely outcome? That he would be taken away, hurt and confused? We nearly drove him from Ke’reo Der!”

“That wasn’t what I was considering at the time,” Rraiec replied.

“What were you thinking of?” Wesley asked. “I know exactly what I was doing; I wanted to get back at you for making Baura question me! I was angry and hurt and I used our student to lash out at you. But why did you start it in the first place? Was it that I did not accept your idea to mold him in your image?”

Rraiec winced. “No, not that,” He said. “I…I…” He wasn’t sure how to word what he needed to say. “I needed to distance myself from you.”

“From me?” Wesley whispered. “Why? What have I done?” He never remembered doing anything, up until their argument, that would have offended Rraiec.

“We were growing close,” Rraiec admitted. “And that is not proper.”

Wesley frowned in conclusion. “We have been friends for many years, Rraiec. How would taking on a student change that?” Yes, they talked more, but they had to—sharing a student required communication.

“Is that all?” Rraiec asked. “For you, there is nothing else?”

Wesley flinched. He knew exactly what Rraiec was referring to. Once upon a time, there had been an attraction between the two men… a mutual attraction. The timing was so very wrong that Wesley, and he thought Rraiec as well, had suppressed it. Over the years he’d grown accustomed to Rraiec being just another dalhari in the hold. Then again, he still used a more thorough eye when he looked at Rraiec…

“I thought not,” Rraiec murmured. “I apologize, then, for acting in such an unforgivably foolish manner. I should recommend to Rinhe that Baura continue studying with you.” Rraiec moved away from the wall and started for the door.

“Rraiec,” Wesley said quietly. “Wait.”

Rraiec turned towards the other man. “Yes?”

“I wasn’t disagreeing with you,” He continued. “I hadn’t wanted to consider that, really.”

“It is so awful, then?” Rraiec inquired.

“No,” Wesley murmured. “I simply thought that was a part of the past. It wasn’t appropriate then; and now…”

“It is gone,” Rraiec murmured. “All but the tension, that is.”

Wesley’s head shot up. Gone? “Now, I find myself unprepared to reconsider.”

Rraiec frowned. That was a rather oblique statement. “Reconsider?”

Wesley got down off the sill and stretched his tired body. “You said it is not proper, but that is incorrect. It *was* not proper. I thought so then and I do now; when I arrived here I was hurt and confused. Now, however, there is no impropriety.”

Rraiec shook his head. “I feel that there is.”

“No, there isn’t,” Wesley insisted. “And that is the problem, I believe. With no precedent to use as a shield, what else is there but to create conflict? We’re no longer children, no longer in an imbalanced relationship. What better way to maintain distance than by making us hate each other?”

“I did not consciously do this,” Rraiec replied quietly.

“And I never thought that you did. Nor did I,” Wesley said. “And I hold as much blame as you do. Both of us felt that what we have between us is wrong and we worked to prevent it from coming to pass. Perhaps now that we have acknowledged it, we can work together on Baura’s instruction. You are the best choice for him, far better than others in the hold.”

Rraiec studied the floor. “And what of the other?”

Wesley moved closer to Rraiec. “The other? I cannot say; we never let it flourish; there may be nothing there at all.”

The midnight dalhari’s head whipped. “Do you really feel that that is the case?”

“No,” Wesley admitted. “But I also know that I have spent most of my life here trying to convince myself that I prefer being alone, that I need no one and that no one should be punished by being saddled with me.”

“You still think very little of yourself, after all these years,” Rraiec commented.

“Perhaps,” Wesley replied.

“What should we do?” Rraiec asked.

“Stop fighting ourselves, and each other,” Wesley suggested.

“What about…”

Wesley took another step towards Rraiec. “Stop worrying about it. Just… stop worrying.”

“If you will,” Rraiec responded.

“As you wish.”