Come Back With Me

Writers: Avery
Date Posted: 31st August 2016

Characters: Corran, Neja, Serra
Description: Corran convinces his parents to come home.
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 7, day 10 of Turn 8
Notes: Mentioned: K'ran, Zelanka, Karhal, Yusanis, Nohria
Notes: Followup to "Fanning Flames".

Serra and Neja had settled in a cothold in the middle of Amethyst Cliffs
territory. They'd lived there over 50 Turns, her practicing her weaving to
sell and later raising the children while he'd worked as a guard for the
nearby Sunken Spring minor hold, a candlemark away by runner. The cot they
lived in was a two bedroom tiny one, the smallest of a cluster of seven
cots due to the fact that they had only two children and no extended
family with them. It had been a comfortable place to grow up, almost like
a small village, more connected than many cotholds were. The news there
had been a fire was devastating and he'd spent the whole trip, short as it
was, fearing what he'd see.

When K'ran had dropped Corran off two nights ago, both men had been
shocked at the destruction that had hit their parents' cothold. The room
that had been his and K'ran's had collapsed inward, the stone being unable
to support itself after the wooden parts had burned. It had been put out
by the residents before it could destroy the kitchen and their parent's
room, but there was still the stench of smoke and char across the living
room. It clearly would need significant repairs before being habitable
again, if it ever was.

Corran had spent the first night he'd been there checking in on his
family, ascertaining where they were staying now and making sure everyone
was alright. Another cot held a family of farmers who had a spare room
they'd been using as a workshop after their sons had both become
apprentices, and they'd offered it for Serra and Neja to stay in. Corran
had bunked on the floor with his parents, a tight fit but a useable place
to stay for now.

The next day had been spent investigating the damage in detail, and
talking with everyone about what they'd seen or noticed. He worked in the
field with Idaryan and his sons to know what they'd seen - spoke to the
old aunties Melisra and Daryas, who'd woken the others up and organized
the buckets that had saved the house - and took the evening stable chores
with Yaskiro to hear his opinion. All of them sounded like they thought it
was an accident, except Yaskiro, who blamed one of his youngest sons.

The fire that broke out had started in the large barn that housed the
animals the cots relied on. It looked like a lantern with a candle in it
had been knocked over, and it had lit the straw aflame. The fire had
spread rapidly through the wooden barn and sent sparks flying over to the
two nearest houses. The cots had all been wooden constructions, hastily
reinforced with stone exteriors and tile roofs when Thread returned, but
there were small gaps and sparks must have gone through them to catch
aflame.

It was plausible enough, Corran supposed. Yaskiro's son swore he'd put a
glow, not a candle, in the lantern. "I'm 11 and know what I'm doing," he'd
said. But he was the last person to be seen in the barn, and his father
said he'd seen the boy take candles in there before. So everyone was
shunning the kid for now.

Just sharding bad luck for everyone. The two damaged cots weren't going to
be fit for living in, but as had been shown already, people could probably
squeeze around to take unrelated folks in. It would have been easier had
the fire happened in spring, leaving summer and autumn time to rebuild the
burned areas, but with winter beginning and the snows already falling,
there wasn't time. Could the undamaged cots bear the additional cramping
from extra people? And how would they handle the loss of the barn and the
fact that the sheep there had died of smoke inhalation?

There wasn't a lot Corran could do for the entire group. What he could do
was convince his parents to move home, with him. And that's what he'd
spent today doing. He told his parents he'd be able to find them something
to do around the Hold - his mother could continue to weave or aid Zelanka,
maybe Karhal would let his father have a very minor guard's task like
dealing with equipment or paperwork. Barring that maybe Yusanis would have
something.

He told them that in the spring they could come back and rebuild, if they
wanted. He knew they were proud people. That they didn't want to rely on
their son's charity. But surviving the winter packed into other people's
homes was charity as well, he thought.

Finally Serra sighed and patted his hand. "He's right, Neja. We could
handle the winter there and see how we feel."

**Yes!** Corran thought, pleased that his mother was seeing reason.

Neja crossed his arms and looked unhappy, but while he could argue with
his sons, he couldn't argue with his wife's expression. "I suppose we'll
need to book passage with a trader caravan," he said.

"Doesn't one pass through tomorrow?" Corran asked.

"Yes, it does. It would take us a few days to get there, but it'll carry
all our possessions," he said.

"What about - " the guard started.

"We're not asking your brother for another favor. He's had to move himself
recently enough.

"But it would get us back quicker." Corran was worried about the Hold in
his absence.

"The caravan will give us the chance to see Pern and get to know Amber
Hills," Serra said. "Though if you need to go on ahead, that's fine."

Corran considered it. He'd send a note to Karhal that they were coming
back and then see what his boss said. And one to Nohria, as well - he
missed her.

"Shall I help you pack?" he asked. Some of what they owned had been
destroyed, but other things had survived to either move with them or stay
stored here until winter ended.

"Yes," his mother said, beginning to direct him.

Last updated on the September 1st 2016

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