Goodbye.

Writers: Leigh M-F.
Date Posted: 3rd November 2017

Characters: A'kua, Meerin
Description: A farewell too late.
Location: Harper Hall
Date: month 2, day 8 of Turn 9

It wasn't the same time this sevenday, but Thread had fallen yesterday. A'kua was pretty sure his sire would understand.

}:You mentioned I had a lot of fun watching the children play last time. Do you think I'll get to watch them again?:{ Zeiranth asked hopefully once they had come from between and started their descent.

**There's always a chance. Kids need to play, especially after a Threadfall day,** A'kua answered.

}:Wonderful,:{ Zeiranth said, and landed where he had previously.

His rider unstrapped himself and slid to the ground, shedding his helmet, scarf, goggles, gloves and jacket. It may have been cloudy as all get out, but it was still too warm for much of his gear. After brushing his hair back, A'kua realized Eionen was nowhere to be seen. He'd thought his sire would have heard there was a bronze visiting by now, and come running. Curious, he entered the housing wing, retracing the steps Eionen had taken him through last time. It wasn't long until he found a group of five men and two women in front of one of the rooms, all of whom were wearing somber clothing. One of the men, a silver-haired, handsome fellow, was shaking his head. "We have to wait a little longer," he said. "Out of consideration for our colleague-"

A'kua cleared his throat, and eight heads turned toward him, followed by very startled expressions and a couple of gasps. "Excuse me, but I'm lookin' for Eionen," he said.

The silver-haired man pushed away from the door, slipping through the others. "Please forgive my presumption, but you look- the resemblance- are you by chance the son Eionen mentioned? The one who wrote that song?"

The bronzerider slowly nodded, a strange feeling of dread beginning to twist his guts up. "Aye. A'kua of Dragonsfall, bronzerider. I'm supposed to meet him today."

}:A'kua, what's going on? You don't feel right,:{ Zeiranth asked anxiously.

**I don't know yet.** "Are you Meerin?" A'kua wanted to know.

The man nodded. "Yes, and I-"

"Oh, Ancients. For a moment I thought we'd buried the wrong man," one of the women, a stout blonde, muttered.

"What?!" A'kua asked, startled.

Meerin shot the blonde a quelling look, then turned his attention back to the redhead. "Bronzerider, I'm so sorry, but there's no easy way to say this," he stated, putting a hand on A'kua's shoulder. "I found- I found my old friend dead at his desk on the first."

Pern fell away from A'kua's feet again. "What?" he echoed, and shook his head. "No, that can't be right. He was perfectly fine when I left last month."

Meerin squeezed his shoulder, expression sorrowful. "I'm sorry," he repeated. "I suspect, and so do the Hall healers, that what killed his father got Eionen as well."

A'kua remembered Eionen had said his father had just dropped dead without warning one day. "But he...." He swayed, putting a hand to his head. Zeiranth's strength suddenly filled him, and he found himself clinging to it as the bronze told him to breathe. In and out, deep and slow; in and out, deep and slow, like he had during every panic attack following his scoring. Fardles, but he was abruptly and profoundly glad for Zeiranth's support now.

"Clear out, all of you," Meerin told his colleagues, and didn't take his eyes off them until they scattered. "Here, come inside." He opened the door of Eionen's room and guided A'kua to the simple bed, helping him sit down. "I'm so sorry this makes for such bad hearing," he told the younger man. "It was a shock to me as well. Eionen had enjoyed fine health for as long as I knew him, and I thought for sure we would have breakfast together like we often do, but we had to bury him beside his parents instead." The instrument-maker briefly closed his eyes and shook his head. "It's good you came, despite circumstances. I was hoping one of his children would, even though we had no way of reaching you."

"Why?" A'kua asked hoarsely.

Meerin shrugged unhappily. "We need to clear this room out. As Eionen's child, you should have first pick of any of his belongings, to- to remember him by, before we put his clothing in storage and clean up in here."

"I need some time," the dark-eyed man managed. "Ten minutes, maybe twenty."

"Of course, bronzerider," Meerin said, nodding respectfully. "By your leave." He exited the room, shutting the door.

A'kua tucked his elbows onto his knees, and dropped his face into his hands. **All those times I wanted him dead, Zei, and this happens,** he thought miserably. **Thought we'd time to fix everythin'. We were _s'posed_ to have time.**

}:Life should be simpler,:{ Zeiranth said softly, echoing a phrase he'd often heard from his partner.

**It really should.** A'kua stood, looking about the room. There truly wasn't much there; just the desk and a couple folded hides on it, the bed, the wardrobe, and a basin to wash in on the bedside table, next to a goblet and water jug. He went to the wardrobe and opened it, finding his father's flamboyant performance clothing hanging next to more subdued, professional wear. He trailed his fingers over the suede and felt. **Don' even know if'n I want anythin',** he thought helplessly.

}:You don't need it, either; the Weyr can provide any new clothing you might need. You could leave it for someone who does need it,:{ Zeiranth pointed out.

**I know, but-** He paused. There was a shelf in the wardrobe above the hanging clothes; it held several neatly folded sashes. One was simpler than the others; just two stripes of bright eggplant purple and warm, tawny brown, running lengthwise. He plucked it from the shelf and let it unfurl, examining the length, then wound it twice around his hips and knotted it with cold, trembling fingers. The ends trailed about his right knee, and he looked at himself in the small mirror set in one of the wardrobe doors. **Hey, Zei. I look stupid?** he inquired shakily.

}:You certainly look different,:{ the bronze said tactfully. }:But you still wear your mother's shawl sometimes, so you can wear your sire's sash, right?:{

**Guess so.** A'kua closed the wardrobe and went to the desk, picking up the folded hides. One was meant to go to Citrus Bay Hold, and his eyes widened on seeing who it was addressed to. He bit his lip, then tucked the missive into his sash and took a look at the other. It was made out to him. His hands shook harder as he unfolded it, and the next thing he knew, he was kneeling on the floor, the hide crushed in his grasp as he choked on his sobs. "'m sorry," he whispered to the air between gasps for air. "'m so sorry, Eionen- 'm sorry- 'm s-sorry, D- D-D- 'm sorry, Da...."

}:A'kua, what happened? Can you hear me? Hey, what's wrong? I mean, other than the obvious,:{ Zeiranth asked, among other questions that finally got his rider's attention.

The redhead wiped his face and got himself under some degree of control. **He wrote a song for me, Zei. He cain'- he couldn' compose, but this's the second time he's done it for me, an' now I won' hear him sing it.** He clutched the edge of the desk and pulled himself up, refolding the hide after making sure he hadn't damaged it too much. **I'm comin' back. Done all I can.**

Meerin was still waiting when A'kua opened the door. He noticed the hides and sash, but didn't comment. He just lifted his eyebrows questioningly.

"I'll be headin' home now," the bronzerider said. "Won' be back."

The instrument-maker nodded. "I understand. Thank you for coming, and for your service to Pern. Fair skies to you, bronzerider." He offered his hand, and squeezing A'kua's wrist when his was clasped. "And once more, my condolences."

The redhead nodded. "Thank ya for ever'thin' y'did," he responded, released the older man, and walked outside to where his dragon was waiting. Gear was donned, the hides placed in an inner coat pocket, and A'kua mounted up, buckling himself in. The moment he thumped Zeiranth on the shoulder to signal he was ready to go, the bronze sprang into the air, winging upward.

}:You called him "Da" while I was listening,:{ Zei said once he was at the proper betweening altitude. }:Why? I thought he was just your sire.:{

**Guess 'cause it's what I thought he wanted. Maybe it was,** A'kua told him, and thought of Dragonsfall Weyr. **Get us outta here, Zei. The day's far from over.**

}:All right,:{ his dragon agreed, and teleported back to their home.

Last updated on the November 7th 2017

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