Growing into a Fine Young Man

Writers: Devin, Estelle
Date Posted: 31st May 2025

Characters: R'lor, R'ayl
Description: R'lor gives R'ayl an early birthingday gift
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 6, day 13 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: Alyena (not by name)

R'lor

}:Mine would like to speak to yours in his office,:{ Kularth told the
young blue.

}:We're coming,:{ Delorth replied as his rider came out onto the ledge
and climbed up to his back. Even now, there was still a hint of worry in
R'ayl's mind that he might have done something to displease the
Weyrlingmaster. As the young blue landed lightly beside the barracks,
though, he felt reassured by how quiet and empty it seemed as the
building awaited its new occupants. Most likely it was something to do
with the upcoming Hatching.

He entered and knocked on the office door. "Weyrlingmaster?"

R'lor stood as the youngster walked in and held out a small, narrow
box. "Happy Birthingday, R'ayl! I know it's tomorrow, but I figured
you might be doing something with your family."

R'ayl's mouth dropped open. He could hardly believe that the
Weyrlingmaster knew that it was his birthingday, let alone that he'd got
him a gift. It was a moment before he recovered his wits enough to
speak. "Thank you, sir! You didn't have to."

"Please, open it."

R'ayl felt a guilty thrill at the idea of opening a present before his
birthingday, but if the Weyrlingmaster said it was all right... He ran
his fingers over the surface of the box, found the catch and opened it -
and was once again lost for words. Inside was a belt knife, the blade
polished and gleaming, and inlaid on the hilt was the tiny shape of a
blue dragon, his wings spread.

"But...this is too good for me," he managed at last, looking up at the
older rider. Back at the Hold, only a prosperous holder would have
carried a knife like that. His own was well-used, from the Weyr's
stores, with a crack in the handle.

"I made it for you," R'lor said with a smile. "You made me that lovely
scarf, and I wanted to make something for you, too." He'd intended it
to be a turnover gift but it had taken longer than he'd thought,
fussing over each detail and with a weyrling class to teach.

"You made it, sir?" R'ayl sounded overwhelmed. Despite his concerns, he
placed the box on the desk and carefully lifted out the knife, turning
it so the light reflected from the blade. Usually he was nervous around
anything that could be considered a weapon, but not this. It felt light
but solid in his hand as his fingers curled around the hilt, touching
the tiny dragon shape. "It's beautiful. Do you really mean it - for me?"

"Yes. It was a joy to use my skills to make something beautiful for
you, truly." And it was obvious that R'ayl liked it.

The young bluerider's smile lit up his usually shy, serious face. "I
love it. Thank you!" He rotated his wrist, examining the work on both
sides. "You should be a Mastersmith as well as Weyrlingmaster, sir."

"Perhaps someday when I'm old and gray, I'll make my mastery," R'lor
said. "Do you have any plans for tomorrow?"

"Well, in the morning, I'm going to bathe Delorth and oil him, so that
he looks the most splendid dragon in the Weyr." Although washing his
dragon was a regular task, R'ayl was looking forward to taking more time
over it than usual, and the pleasure that they would both share. "Then
some of the riders from my old class said I should come to lunch...and
then, in the afternoon, I'm going to take my mother and sister to a
beach one of the Searchriders told me about. We're going to take a
picnic, and swim, and Evalya wants to hunt for firelizard eggs."

"That sounds wonderful," R'lor said with a smile.

R'ayl thought for a moment. He'd not thought of it before, and was
almost too shy to ask, but now they'd exchanged gifts and after all he'd
done for him, he couldn't see R'lor as just the Weyrlingmaster. His
memories of his own father were growing dim, a distant figure embittered
by pain, and an image of a terrible end that still sometimes haunted his
dreams. R'lor was someone he trusted, to bring his troubles to and share
his achievements with. Why shouldn't he ask?

"Would you like to come too?"

R'lor's eyes widened a little at the invitation. "I wouldn't want to
intrude on your time with your family. But if you'd like me to come,
I'd be honored."

"You'd be very welcome. Besides, everyone says the Weyr is a family, so
you wouldn't be intruding at all," R'ayl said earnestly. "I'll ask Mama
to bring extra food."

"I'll be there, then." R'lor smiled warmly. "And I'll leave my knots
at home, literally and figuratively." It would be nice to enjoy some
time away from the Weyr and his duties, and the eggs weren't due to
hatch for over a sevenday.

"I'm sure my sister would appreciate it." Evalya was a Candidate and
regarded the Weyrlingmaster with a sort of awed respect, mixed with the
occasional irreverence that startled her more dutiful brother. "Oh, and
if the eggs do start to hatch early then it won't matter, as we'll all
have to hurry back. Mama to prepare the celebration, and Evalya to put
on her robe."

"I hope the Hatching isn't early. You deserve to enjoy your special
day, and I'd like a little time to relax before I have to manage the
next class."

"I hope so too." R'ayl looked up, his curiosity growing. "When do you
think they will hatch? Can you tell? I remember from class that it's
about a month from clutching..."

R'lor nodded. "Yes, it should be about a month, though it can be a
little early or a little late. They can hatch after they're fully
hard."

"Do you touch them? Or does the Weyrwoman tell you?" R'ayl didn't think
he'd have dared ask the last time, but now his curiosity overcame his
shyness. He certainly thought it would be brave to touch the eggs, even
with permission.

"The Weyrwoman lets us know," R'lor said. "And that's when I ask
permission for the Candidates to touch the eggs."

"I remember that day." He'd been so nervous, thinking that Panitath must
surely know he wasn't supposed to be there, that he hadn't dared
actually touch one of the shells. Now he thought wistfully of what it
might have been like. "It's funny to think that Delorth was curled up
inside an egg like one of those."

R'lor chuckled. "They get so big so fast."

"Yes, even Panitath, and her mother, and hers, back to the First Egg."
R'ayl blushed, not sure if it was respectful to think of the queen as a
hatchling.

"I'm sure your mother thinks of you the same way, hardly imagining how
tiny you were in her arms, and now here you are, growing into a fine
young man." R'lor smiled.

The boy's color deepened. "Thank you, sir." He hoped he wasn't done
growing yet. Now his health had improved, he secretly dreamed of
becoming a tall, strong dragonrider, like the ones in the stories. He
thought he might be getting a little taller, he'd noticed his clothes
getting shorter at the wrists and ankles in the last months - but so slowly.

"Unfortunately, I need to get back to work." R'lor mentally added a
few more things to the list so he could clear up some time. "But I'll
see you tomorrow."

"Yes, sir." R'ayl turned to leave, thinking that he'd go straight to his
mother's office to show her his new gift and tell her the plan for
tomorrow. Tomorrow, when he'd be fourteen, and spend the whole day with
the people he cared about the most.

Last updated on the June 10th 2025

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Growing into a Fine Young Man