Dragon Lost

Writers: Kaysea, AL
Date Posted: 14th August 2008

Characters: Irlani, J'gen
Description: J'gen confides in Irlani about his rather rough day.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 11, day 10 of Turn 4

Thread had fallen that day and Irlani knew it would be a long one. She had let Ravyan stay up until his mother came to pick him up, Irlani breathing a sigh of relief. While she loved Ravyan as if he were her own, she would never want him to lose his birth mother. J'gen, however, did not show up. He was less of a worry as far as that went, for he helped those who had gotten scored, remaining on the ground to fight the wounds that the ancient enemy caused. Dinner was eaten and she and Gyta danced and played games until bedtime. J'gen still did not return.

Irlani couldn't help but get a little bit worried. What had happened that caused J'gen to be so late? Surely he wasn't injured. He didn't take to the sky. As it drew later, Irlani took the liberty of borrowing his bed, lying atop the covers and eventually, her eyes closed and, for the moment, she slept.

***

He was expecting to find Irlani waiting for him when he opened the door, but she wasn't there. Maybe she had dozed with Gyta in her room. The day had been long and hard. Fall had been heavy, but no heavier than usual - just the casualties had been a little higher than normal. The sound of dragon wails had echoed around the Weyr all day
- or so it seemed.

Wearily he crossed to the small cupboard near the alcove and opened it.
He rarely imbibed of the heavier spirits that the Vintner Hall produced, but tonight he felt the need to blot out the sights of the day. He sloshed some spirit into a glass and pulled aside the curtain that separated Gyta's alcove from the rest of the room. The child was fast asleep, but there was no sign of her fostermother. It was unlikely Irlani had left the child alone, so where was she? He crossed the room in a few strides and stopped short in his bedroom doorway. Irlani lay asleep on his bed.

She didn't awaken, despite the noise of his boots against the floor.
Irlani did stir a bit, though, turning over a little onto her back, hand sliding from stomach to hip.

He took a sip of the spirit, appreciating the bite as it slid down his throat. He stood and watched as Irlani slept - it triggered his memories of Syrita and of finding her asleep when he had had a long, hard day. How he longed to slip in beside her and bury his head in her hair and forget the days worries. He moved towards the bed, thinking it would be better to wake her, than follow his first instincts. Irlani reminded him of Syrita in a few different ways, but she had been appearing more and more in his thoughts in her own right.

It look a couple of gentle nudges, but Irlani's eyes finally opened and when she saw J'gen, her lips curled upward in a smile. "Hey." She pushed herself to a standing position and rubbed her eyes to rid them of sleep. "I must admit, I was getting a little worried. Are you all right?"

"Ye- No, not really." he admitted. He had been about to tell her he was fine and that he had been busy with paperwork, but something inside him caused him to admit to how he really felt. He had a need to talk to someone about his day, as he hadn't for a long time.

Irlani turned her gaze upward, eyes free of sleep finally and really _looked_ at him. Had she done so previously, she would have noticed the expression upon her face. She scooted over and patted, indicating he should sit beside her.

He strolled across to the bed, and sat next to her. He offered her a sip of his drink, "I need this tonight. I don't normally - but tonight..."

Irlani looked down at the glass, then slowly took it and sipped from it before handing it back. She studied him for a moment, looking full into his scarred face, eyes meeting the one he had left. "What happened?"

"We lost a blue tonight and I fear his rider will be next." he said, he felt totally weary tonight, his whole body bereft of energy. "There was nothing we could do for the beast, not even Suuth could reach him in his pain." His voice broke as the pain of loss came afresh to his heart. The screaming of the injured dragon mixed with the undullating cries of the dragons farewell, echoing around the Weyr.

Irlani reached over to cover his hand with hers. "I'm sorry J'gen."
She had seen the devastation that Thread could cause personally. But to see it Fall after Fall, to never know how bad it would be, to struggle to save only to lose, Irlani could only imagine the frustration and sorrow that brought.

He took another sip of the strong liquor, the burning as it flowed down his throat dulling the pain he felt. "Thank you." his thumb stroked against her palm. "I didn't mean to unburden myself to you." He said, looking down at her hand.

"It's okay, J'gen, I don't mind at all." Irlani watched him. He seemed distracted at least. She looked down at her hand, his holding hers, then back up at him. "Are you going to be all right?"

"I have to be." he nodded, finally looking at her. "Thanks..." he said, squeezing her hand gently. "Sorry I took so long to get back."

"It's all right, I don't mind at all." Irlani hesitated, but then slowly stood though her hand remained in his. "I should go...try to sleep."

"You can stay, if you want? I can sleep on the settle?" he offered, not wanting her to have to leave so late at night.

"You should sleep in your own bed. You've had a rough day and shouldn't have to be elsewhere." Irlani finally slipped her hand out of J'gen's hold. "I'll be here first thing in the morning with a bright eyed and bouncing Ravyan, I'm sure."

"Okay..." he nodded, slipping back onto the bed, his weary body and mind grateful for release, he was barely awake when Irlani let herself out of his quarters.

Last updated on the August 25th 2008

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Dragon Lost