Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows

Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold

Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold

Elsewhere on Pern
NPC Weyr
River Bluff Weyr
Seacraft Hall

Story Listing
Series Listing

Weyrling Training

Writers: Len, Paula
Date Posted: 2nd February 2018

Characters: L'fael, Nerylyn
Description: Lafael runs into Nerylyn and worries out loud about his meeting with Bryvin and Kiomo
Location: Sunstone Seahold
Date: month 3, day 6 of Turn 9
Notes: Mentioned: Bryvin, Lanniya

Lafael heaved a sigh. It had been sevenweeks since the meeting with Lord Bryvin, where they had suspected he was able to listen to dragons. But of course nothing had come of it. Typical. There hadn't even been a dragon on the ground to try to talk to, just to see if they were right. He shifted the pile of clean linen in his arms and kept walking bristly, not paying attention to his surroundings.

He never saw that person until he had run into him. Linens--white, clean, spotless linens--flew up into the air and, as slowly as a dragons riding a thermal, drifted down until they landed onto the muddy flagstone floor with a muffled bump.

"Ouf!" Nerylyn cried when her laundry basket was bumped and they all flew to the floor. "For Faranth's!" she nearly swore and then saw who it was. "Lafael, is that you?" the little drudge that had sheltered with them during a storm.

Lafael pushed the pile of clothing off himself and blinked at the woman. "Nerylyn? Aren't you supposed to be--?" Oh yes, the Sea Hall was gone.

"We moved here after the disaster," Nerylyn said with gentle smile.

"Ah, I saw the Hall, I'm so so sorry." Lafael blinked back unexpected tears.

"Yes, it was horrible. We were lucky to get out alive," Nerylyn said somblerly. "Where did you go, after that hurricane? We tried to find you," she asked and started to pick the fallen laundry back to the basket.

"I had to go back to the Hold, and then before I could come back to try to apprentice I slipped down a flight of steps and was unconscious for a few days." Lafael unconsciously rubbed the back of his head, wanting to forget about that. It was embarrassingly like the incident that had just happened. To be polite he began gathering Nerylyn's laundry before picking up his now dirty linen.

"Oh, you really had the worst of luck," Nerylyn said with a sympathy. The boy really never had it easy.

"Maybe one day it will change." Lafael shrugged his shoulders. As he gathered up his own linen he asked, "So how do you like the Hold?"

"The place is certainly very pretty. The life is pretty much same than everywhere," Nerylyn replied. "It does feel nice to have more services around than the Hall had."

"Really? I hate this place," Lafael said before realising he probably shouldn't have said that. Clamping his hand over his mouth, he hastily muttered, "I mean...I liked the Hall more."

"The hall is no more," Nerylyn said with sad tone. "They won't rebuild it this time. So, we had to figure out new direction to our lives."

"We're trapped."

"Not necessarily," Nerylyn said. "My husband does have dragonrider-siblings," she told him. Of course, Uetia was still grounded due her injury and G'el lived in Far Island, so reaching them would take some time. She knew they would come to help if they were asked.

"Really?" Lafael looked at her curiosity. "I was supposed to go to the Weyr for some testing but Lord Bryvin hasn't said anything more about it." Lafael sighed heavily. Like everyone else in his life, he figured that once again a promise made to him had been broken.

"Lord Holder's tend to be busy," Nerylyn shrugged.

"They do," Lafael agreed in a small voice. "I guess I was just..." Just what? He pinched himself savagely. It did no good to get above his station. He was a drudge, end of. People only cared about others hearing dragons if it was a goldrider, like that one over at Dolphin Cove.

"I wish I had a firelizard. Then I could call in my brother-in-law here and we could find it out straight away," Nerylyn said, feeling frustration. Sending a message by other ways would take days to reach G'el.

"Just having a flit would be wonderful." Lafael forgot about his misery for a moment as he pictured in his mind all his favorite fire lizards at the Hold.

"Yes, it would be," Nerylyn agreed and smiled. "You should stop by to our apparment, the kids would love to meet you again," she invited him. The boy certainly needed friends.

Lafael smiled broadly. "I'd--I'd love that."

Last updated on the February 28th 2018