Wish Them Safe

Writers: Emma, Jane
Date Posted: 4th July 2014

Characters: K'deren, R'haran
Description: R'haran discusses his parental worries with K'deren
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 7, day 18 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Cyradis, Iselen, A'rie, Oria, Meredel, Akessa, Rondera, Kedon
Notes: Mentor approved.

K'deren

Once a harper, always a harper, R'haran thought to himself as he watched his
companions disappear in considerably more harmony and hope than they had evinced
when they had 'casually' joined him for a drink after the evening meal. Perhaps
they would take his suggestions to heart and work on the problems in their
relationship - perhaps they wouldn't bother. As the Turns had passed he thought
he got better at judging who would and who wouldn't make the effort, but still
that didn't have much bearing on the long-term outcome of relationships at the
Weyr. In Holds it was different; marriages were considered to be life-long
commitments, but his mediation skills had never been much used in the Hold
situation since his harper masters had long-since decided he was more suited to
Weyrlife.

Hard to argue with that, he thought, sipping his now warm ale.

"You don't change, do you?" K'deren said as he ambled slowly past the harper and
greenrider, having spied the pair with him leaving.

"Some days I think it's more that I am too old to change," R'haran admitted.
"What have you been up to lately, K'deren?"

"Taking care of two dragons and assorted children, since Cyradis has to rest
now. That baby of ours can't come soon enough."

"I'd be willing to help," R'haran offered, "with Donneth, at least, as I don't
suppose Panitath would want strangers fussing around her at this time."

"Donneth would be glad, I'm sure," replied the brownrider as he slipped into a
seat. "He says that some of the younger children can't quite reach high enough
to scratch where he likes."

"I can probably handle that, though he's certainly on another scale from Evie.
Have him let Evie know when he's ready to bathe and I'll meet him at his
favourite spot." That settled he indicated his empty mug of ale. "I'll be
getting a refill - can I get you something? Save those worn out legs a journey
to the servery?"

"One of those does look good," K'deren grinned as he settled back in the chair.
"Why don't you tell me what's been happening with you? Cyradis told me about
your visit with your boy."

"Hold that thought," R'haran advised as he got up from the table and had his mug
refilled and another poured for the brownrider. "Here. Yes, Iselen wanted to
Stand for the upcoming clutch so had to petition the Weyrwoman for permission."
He settled back in his chair and rubbed a thumb along the side of the glass,
disturbing the condensation formed there. "Evie doesn't think there's anything
there."

"Really?" A note of surprise was in the brownrider's voice. "I'd have thought
she'd have seen something, he is family after all."

R'haran shrugged. "The connection is fairly distant - he's my sister's
great-grandson. As far as I know there weren't any dragonriders in the family
before me and when they might have Searched among the rest of my siblings and
their off-spring the Plague had taken most of them." He had been told it was all
of them, and for decades believed that he was the last of his family. "All but
my nephew, as it turned out."

"What have any of the other search dragons said? There's A'rie's green and
Oria's green, are they in agreement?"

"I'm not aware that he's consulted any of the others, but I can suggest it to
him. He asked what Evie thought - and I told him - but he said he was going to
try all the same since he had the opportunity." R'haran's expression betrayed
his mixed emotions. "I'm proud of him for being determined but I'm not looking
forward to his likely disappointment."

"Maybe I could ask my brother to talk to him?" K'deren's harper brother Meredel
had taken to the stand time after time until he finally aged out of candidacy.
He was settled as a harper now, but it had to have hurt at the time, especially
after he'd watched most of his other siblings impress.

"I'd like that, if Meredel is willing. It was Meredel you're thinking of?"

"Yes, I'm guessing at his age talking to my sister Akessa wouldn't help much."

"You'd probably be right. I'll have a word with Meredel. Thank you for the
suggestion. What about your own children? Rondera Stands, doesn't she? Was she
Searched? Isn't Kedon nearly of age?"

"Rondera chose to take up her option to stand, but Kedon has a turn nearly
before he finishes harper classes."

"Do you -" R'haran waved a hand while he searched for the right wording, "- have
mixed feelings about her Impressing? If she does? Fighting Thread," he said,
holding one hand palm upward, "against Impression?" He help up the other hand
and motioned trying to balance the two parts of being a dragonrider. It had been
simpler when he had Impressed. The chance to share the lifelong bond with a
dragon brought with it no future of fighting Thread - though in truth it had,
but they hadn't realised it then.

"Part of me wants her to stay safe all the time, but the other part of me knows
she has to grow up and stand on her own two feet. And if that means she
impresses.." K'deren paused for a moment as he took a drink of his ale. "I now
know what it must have been like for my father when I took to the sands."

"Though you're like me - when we Impressed we couldn't imagine Thread would
return. Of course, Impressing a dragon was still a more dangerous occupation
than a harper apprenticeship - but not like it is now."

"No, but there is still a chance that they could make it through the pass, and
their children might think that they can have it all like I'm sure I did."
K'deren smiled as he thought back, "I had it all planned, a dragon by my side,
and the knots of a master crafter as well."

The greenrider nodded his agreement. "I was in no rush - wasn't sure mastery
would be any better than the life I had as a senior journeyman. And then our
focus changed and here we are - unable to do anything expect wish them safe if
they Impress."

"Maybe we should drink to them," suggested K'deren raising his mug. "Our
children, to their good luck and their choices."

R'haran lifted his mug and echoed the words. What more could he really want for
the children come so late into his life?
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Last updated on the July 16th 2014

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