Warmly Welcomed

Writers: Estelle, Paula
Date Posted: 23rd August 2018

Characters: L'keri, Yanley
Description: L'keri visits the Headwoman on arrival at Dragonsfall Weyr
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 6, day 3 of Turn 9

L'keri

Yanley

Dragonsfall Weyr was even colder than L'keri remembered. He felt the
chill even through his riding gear as they landed in the shadow of the
cliffs, though at least they were out of the wind. Once he'd dismounted,
he reached up to help the children. Arten climbed down on his own,
giving his father a disgusted look, but Eluri was still young enough to
need him to lift her.

"Wait here with Rhalith," he told them, taking off his scarf and
wrapping it around his daughter's neck. "I'm going to find the
Headwoman, she should know who your new foster mother will be. I won't
be long."

Arten just shrugged and put an arm around his sister, drawing her closer
to the warmth of Rhalith's hide. The brown dragon unfolded a wing to
shelter them.

L'keri half-remembered the location of the Headwoman's office - near the
kitchens. Hoping it hadn't changed in his Turns away, he headed that
way, resisted the delicious scents of a meal cooking and knocked the door.

"Please, come in!" Yanley called. She was expecting a transfer to arrive
sometime today.

The brownrider pushed open the door and paused in the doorway, a grin
slowly developing on his face as he looked her over. It seemed there
were some advantages to this transfer after all.

"Well, now you can't possibly be the Headwoman," he said, leaning
against the door frame. "The Headwoman is usually a plump, grey-haired
old lady, not a gorgeous young one."

"Aren't you a flirty one? I'm hardly young," Yanley replied. She was
forty-six after all. "But yes, I'm the Headwoman, Yanley. Please, take a
seat," she gestured him properly in.

"Surely great beauty, such as yours, is timeless," L'keri said
gallantly, drawing up a chair. "I'm L'keri, Rhalith's rider. Just
transferred, and very glad to be here. I hope you've assigned us a good
weyr?"

"Yes, I've received the notification from your old Weyr," Yanley said.
"You had children with you, isn't that right?" The headwoman of his old
Weyr had added rather interesting little sidenote to the official hides.
Mostly expressing concern of L'keri's parenting and hoping that Yanley
would found good, reliable fostermother able for long term commitment
for the children.

"That's right, I have two. My son has ten Turns, and my daughter is six.
They'll need a foster mother, since I don't have a weyrmate to take care
of them." The brownrider turned on his most charming smile. "I'm
completely free and unattached."

"Well, I'm not," Yanley muttered. This one was kind of flirt she didn't
care about. "I'm assigning you to a family weyr, it has private bathing
facilities and separate alcove for children. I presume they will be
spending time in your weyr?"

L'keri hesitated. He hadn't had the children living with him before, not
since leaving River Bluff, and had been used to leaving them with their
foster mother most of the time. Having two young children in the weyr
might present a difficulty when he wanted to host a party, or invite a
female friend to stay the night...and yet, a private bathing room was
worth having! He could have some fun in one of those...

As soon as he'd thought that, he felt ashamed of himself. Had he really
been considering making use of his children to get better living
quarters? What kind of a father did that? No wonder Arten hated him.

"Well, up until now, they've always stayed with their foster mother at
night," he confessed. "Of course, I hope they'll visit me."

** At least he was honest,** Yanley thought. "Well, you're still lucky
one, it's only free weyr that has ledge large enough for a brown. Unless
yours is size of a green or blue? After we took in those people from
River Bluff, there's not much free space left. You'll have some very
distinguished neighbours," she continued.

**Distinguished?** L'keri wondered what that meant. Maybe his weyr would
be next to that of an attractive young goldrider! That would be one in
the eye for the bronzeriders. His imagination started to run away with
him, and he hastily brought his attention back to the present. "I'm
afraid Rhalith is a pretty decent size for a brown, Headwoman, but I'll
do my best to be worthy of my new weyr."

Yanley just nodded. "Let me or one of my assistants know if there's
anything else you need for the weyr. About the fostermother for your
children, I have two possible candidates. Do you want to meet or
interview them?"

"Ah - well, I'd like to meet them, of course, but I'm happy to trust
your judgement on who'd be the best." L'keri hadn't the faintest idea
what qualities he would look for in a foster mother, although his
children had had several over the Turns. "My son, Arten, was a bit upset
by the move. He misses his friends, and he's not at an easy age; wanting
to be independent, but still too young to be a Candidate." The
brownrider could remember feeling that way himself. "If either of them
have experience with boys his age, it would help."

"Alright," Yanley said with neutral tone. She had pretty good idea which
one would be best for his children.

"Shall we go and see them now?" L'keri asked. "My children are outside
with Rhalith, but I can go and get them."

"I would love to meet your children," Yanley replied with a nod.

L'keri hoped Arten wouldn't be as surly with the Headwoman and the
potential foster mothers as he'd been to his father that morning. He got
to his feet. "Thank you, Headwoman." The charming smile returned,
accompanied by a wink. "I feel warmly welcomed indeed."

"Good, you're welcome back," Yanley replied with polite smile.

Last updated on the September 28th 2018

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