We Cannot Help You

Writers: Danielle, Eimi
Date Posted: 5th March 2006

Characters: Ga'vin
Description: Ga'vin runs into a wall of reality when trying to Search a new candidate
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 10, day 27 of Turn 3

"Papa! Papa! A dragonrider is talking to Keega!"

The Holder threw his shovel aside as he heard his young son run through the barn hollering his news. **Dragonrider?** Mucking the stable would have to wait. He pulled off his gloves as emerged into the bright, biting winter morning. His son had been correct. Clouds of moist air circled his face, his breathing came in deep agitated breaths, as he strode in their direction. Shards, he hoped none of the neighbors had seen. Then again, how could they not notice a large blue dragon in his field.

"Is there something I can help you with, dragonrider?" he asked as he approached the pair.

"Ah. Afternoon, good Holder. Actually, there is something you could help me with. I'm Ga'vin, rider of Xalanyth from Dragonsfall Weyr. I'm riding Search, you see, and my dragon seems to think that young Keega here would make a fine Candidate for the next Clutch." Ga'vin said with a slight bow and a friendly smile. Xalanyth looked curiously at the Holder, waiting.

"Keega, go inside and ask your mother to bring the dragonrider a cup of something hot. And you tend the children for her. Understand?" He gave his daughter a stern glance that told her everything she needed to know. It was not going to happen.

Her face fell slightly, but she nodded. "Yes Papa." She took one more longing look at the dragon before turning back towards the house.

When she was out of ear shot her father turned back to the bluerider.
"I'm sorry to be wasting your time, dragonrider. But my daughter will not be going with you."

Gav'in was slightly taken aback. "Good sir, I beg you take a moment to consider before making such a decision. Pern needs every dragonrider, and if your daughter has the potential to Impress, she is needed." He reached out a hand to touch Xalanyth's leg.

}: Be wary of this one, I think he's adamant about keeping his daughter.:{ The dragon said.

**Thanks, Xal...I couldn't tell...**

"As I said, I'm sorry," the Holder said, digging his cold, calloused hands into his pockets, "but Keega is needed here."

He turned as his wife came out of the cot, eyeing the dragon and it's rider suspiciously. She reached the steaming mug towards Ga'vin, but looked at her husband. "He wants to take Keega, then?"

Her husband nodded. "I already told him no."

"Thank you, ma'am." Ga'vin accepted the mug with a smile. "Xalanyth here thinks that Keega would make a good rider, were she given the opportunity to Stand as a Candidate. It would be a great honor if she does Impress, and she'd be serving Pern in such an important way."

The woman put a trembling hand on her husband's arm. "Gabli, don't let him take her," she whispered.

The Holder placed a reassuring hand over hers. "Don't worry Keedra," he murmured reassuringly. "I'm sorry, dragonrider. I understand that in other parts having a rider in the family is an honor, but not here.
Here we need every girl and boy. Surely the Weyr is not lacking in Candidates."

Now wasn't this interesting. "We have many Candidates, good Holder, but not every Candidate is right for every dragon. We try to have as many as possible, so that the dragons have a choice. Sometimes the dragonets simply do not find their lifemate among those Standing, and they...do not survive." It hurt to have to explain this, and there was an element of sadness that colored his voice.

The Holder shrugged helplessly. "Now we understand that the Weyr has needs, and we are grateful for all the protection you provide us, and in turn we send the Weyr our tithes willingly. But if you want the tithes to keep coming, you must leave us our children, or we will not be able to feed ourselves, let alone the Weyr."

In truth, the dragonrider had never thought of this. In fact, he wasn't sure if many riders had. "I...see. Well, could we not compromise?
Perhaps if you do let Keega come to the Weyr just before the next Hatching, she could Stand, and return if she doesn't Impress? And we could bring her back to Stand again, if she's willing to. I believe the Weyr has made arrangements like this in the past. Candidates are free to stay, of course, but it is their choice to do so. Some do chose to return to their homes if they don't Impress."

"And if she _did_ Impress? We would lose not only her hands but those of any future children. Girls are a precious commodity here, sir," the Holder said with a shake of his head. "Perhaps if Keegan were a boy..."

"Gabli! What are you saying? Would would the neighbors say if we let our son go!" his wife gasped.

"Please, Keedra, I didn't say we would let _any_ of our children go. I was just making a point," her husband said calmly. He turned back towards the bluerider. "Have you seen the number of empty cots there are in this valley? Even the Hold itself is only half full. Entire Minor Holds were abandoned after the Plague. We were hit hard, sir. It will take generations still before Amber Hills will be like it once was.
I'm sorry. But we cannot spare our children."

"The Weyrs, too have suffered from the Plague, our numbers are alarmingly low...some Weyrs don't even have complete wings to fly Thread. If we cannot fight Thread, good Holder, there will not be a Hold left, after Thread devours it all." Ga'vin frowned, musing over the whole situation. "It seems we are at a hard place, both of us." He was troubled, now, never having before given thought to the plight of the Holds the Weyr took promising children from. He thought only of the Weyr, and it's need.

"I'm sorry, bluerider. But this is the way it is here. We cannot help you now. Maybe someday things will be better." It was the Amber Hill's maxim. 'Maybe someday things will be better...'

Last updated on the March 5th 2006

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We Cannot Help You