Condolences or Congratulations

Writers: Devin, Halyonix
Date Posted: 28th January 2026

Characters: N'vanik, I'serin
Description: I'serin visits N'vanik after losing Chioneth's flight
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 13, day 3 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: Saibra, K'valdran, K'mai, Z'kim, Talryne

N'vanik

I'serin

Notes:
~*~

}:I'm sorry you lost, Aluneth,:{ Loseth told the other bronze sincerely. }:Mine would like to talk to yours, if he has time. At our Weyr.:{ He wondered if he might be able to coax Aluneth to play with the dolphins, or at least relax on the beach.

For a moment, I'serin debated declining the invite. The last twenty-four hours had been tumultuous in a different sort of way. He felt a great deal of relief but also...a sense of failure. Of concern. Of disquiet around what K'valdran's reign would bring. It was ultimately the swirling of those feelings that decided I'serin's mind. It would be good to see N'vanik.

Aluneth plowed upwards, rumbling unhappily as he spotted Chioneth on their way out, and shortly the chill of Dragonsfall was replaced with the blasting heat of Dolphin Cove. }: She should have been mine, :{ Aluneth groused to Loseth as he came in for a landing.

}:She should have,:{ Loseth agreed.

N'vanik leaned against the large arch of the weyr entrance and looked I'serin over, assessing his mood. Was he upset at losing the Weyrleadership? Or relieved to let go of a burden he hadn't wanted in the first place? "Am I offering condolences or congratulations?"

"Congratulations, I believe," I'serin answered, though, after a sharp snort from Aluneth, he added, "To me anyway. But condolences to Aluneth."

N'vanik chuckled at that, but then turned serious as he looked up at the bronze. "Sorry you lost your rank and your mate. I can only imagine how hard that is."

}:N'vanik remembers I have always been leader here. But two of my Queens have left.:{ Loseth sifted through memories and emotions for a moment, then he snorted and lifted his head. }:Come on. Let's go to the beach.:{

"But for you, I'm glad," N'vanik told I'serin. "I know it's been hard for you. But you did a good job, I'serin. Really."

As I'serin watched Aluneth follow Loseth into the waves, he battled internally with half a dozen emotions. There was a great deal of thought running through the younger bronzerider's hazel eyes until he finally said, "My head knows that I did my best. My heart...disagrees." He took an additional moment to pick apart why that was before tucking it away to untangle it later. It most certainly had to do with his father's expectations and he did not want to dwell on that today.

"That bad Fall," N'vanik said gently. His own Weyrleadership had started in the shadow of a mistake like that, although the casualties had been worse. N'vanik hadn't made a call that bad, thank Faranth, but he'd made plenty of mistakes and decisions that ate at him sometimes.

"It was not just that one moment," I'serin replied quietly. Looking back, he could see dozens of little moments -- times when he was slow to act, or when he misspoke, or when he made the wrong decision -- that, while were not as grandoise a failure as the bad crossover call he had made, still added up to times he should have done differently. He did not think that he had been a bad Weyrleader, just inexperienced, but he was not certain history -- or the Weyr -- would remember that distinction.

}: We did our best, :{ Aluneth reminded him. }: And we will do better next time. :{

I'serin exhaled softly. "Regardless, this will give me time to regroup. Learn from my mistakes."

N'vanik nodded. "If you want a clean break, I could use a Wingsecond. Or just a wingrider."

The younger bronzerider mulled this over for a moment and then shook his head. "Thank you but no. I..." He looked at the waves as he thought about everything meaningful to him and where it was located. "Dragonsfall is my home. I am needed there." Another pause before he added, "Though this does allow me to come visit more often, if you would like."

"Yeah, I'd like that." Even before their deeper bonding over having unusual sexualties for bronzeriders, N'vanik had grown fond of I'serin. He clapped the other man on the back. "C'mon inside, I got some food."

A meal and snacks were set out on N'vanik's large dining table and he gestured toward it. "I already had dinner, but I'll join you for extra dessert."

The opportunity to dine without a busy schedule pulling him away sounded both wonderful and weird. I'serin let out a huff of laughter. "I will have to get used to not having to _be_ somewhere at all hours," he admitted as he sat down to help himself to the food. "I thought I would never grow accustomed to being so busy but now that I am not..."

"It'll probably take a while to get used to. I do miss having more free time, but I'd probably just use it to get into trouble," N'vanik said with a playful gleam in his eyes.

"Allow Loseth to chase more greens?" I'serin joked gently.

N'vanik snorted. "Please. He does that enough already." He picked out a cookie and put it on his plate. "Allow? I never pull him from a flight unless I have a really good reason."

I'serin considered what really good reasons might be out there but then decided to pivot with, "I suppose I could clear off more of my to-be-read book pile. There are some new ones that came out of Printer Hall that I did not have a chance to read yet."

"I've got some weyr romances you might be interested in," N'vanik teased.

The other bronzerider choked softly on his latest bite, then blushed as he cleared his throat. "My ah...my K'mai has that genre covered, I believe. Though I appreciate the offer."

"Your K'mai, huh?" N'vanik chuckled. I'serin might be trying to dodge labels, but he clearly had no problem making a claim on the bluerider. "Didn't expect him to be the reading type."

"Only if the books come with pictures. Detailed ones," I'serin explained with a fond glint to his hazel eyes about K'mai's antics.

"Ok, that I can believe. You'll have more time to spend with your K'mai, too." N'vanik took a bite of his cookie.

There was a thoughtful pause from the other bronzerider. "There is that. Funny. I had mentioned to Weyrwoman Saibra that in the new Turn I wanted to do that, though at the time I imagined I would still be balancing my Weyrleader responsibilities. I suppose I got my wish and a bit more."

"We should have another day out at the beach, the five of us," N'vanik suggested. "I had fun last time." A little while ago I'serin had brought K'mai along to spend a restday with N'vanik, Talryne, and Z'kim. It had been a little awkward at first, with I'serin not used to being open about his relationship, and N'vanik used to having these outings with just Tal and Zeke, but the group had gotten along well.

Even if they had had to pry the two chattier people apart.

I'serin slowly nodded. "That...would be a fine idea," he agreed. He finished his last bite and dusted off his fingers. There was a moment where he went to grab for his habitual excuse about needing to be somewhere before he caught himself. Would he be imposing himself if...?

}: No, :{ Aluneth said. Through their bond, I'serin could feel that the bronze was reluctant to leave as well.

"I do not suppose you have a bottle of wine we could open up, if I am not intruding on too much of your time. It...would be nice not to rush back to Dragonsfall just yet."

"That sounds great." N'vanik smiled. I'serin wasn't a fellow Weyrleader anymore, but they were friends and that wasn't going to change. N'vanik was curious to see what I'serin would be like without all that pressure.

The other bronzerider let out a soft exhalation that was tinged with relief, the kind that came with telling oneself that it was okay to relax. "Thank you," he said. "And you can catch me up on the latest gossip of Dolphin Cove."

Last updated on the February 21st 2026

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