A Rumor from the Weyr

Writers: Estelle
Date Posted: 30th May 2019

Characters: Alyena, Perric
Description: Alyena travels to Emerald Falls Hold to find out what has become of her son
Location: Emerald Falls Hold
Date: month 10, day 4 of Turn 9
Notes: Mentioned: Grevan (NPC)

Grevan had been gone for almost a month.

Alyena wasn't sure how long a hunting trip usually lasted, but she
thought he should have been back by now. No matter how many times she
told herself, as she went about her daily chores and the work of the
small farm, that she was being foolish and he would be fine, she
couldn't keep herself from worrying.

The day before, there had been heavy rain and Fall, and still no word.
She had waited indoors with the children, listening to the distant
rumble of thunder and the thrashing of the rain on the roof of the cot,
and wondered where he was.

He'd be with the others, she told herself. They would have found
shelter, somewhere safe. She imagined them, huddled together around a
campfire in a cave, drinking and singing and sharing roasted meat from
their catch, men enjoying themselves together before they returned to
their wives and families.

Or perhaps he'd wandered off, got lost. Or been wounded by one of the
wild beasts they hunted. Or fallen ill, out in the wilds where there was
no healer near to tend him. Alyena's family had been guards, she had
grown up among them, and many of them hunted. She knew the dangers.

**No. Don't think like that. He'll be back soon.**

If she went to the Hold, she might be able to find out.

Alyena had not been back since her husband had been banished and the
prospect made her nervous. For most of the night, hot and humid after
the rain, she lay awake, trying to decide what was best. When dawn
arrived, she rose, exhausted, and went outside to check for water
damage. It looked as though today would be calmer, with an occasional
beam of sunlight breaking through the clouds.

With any luck, she thought, they would have forgotten her. She could ask
if anyone had heard from the hunters. And if her son was in the Hold,
injured, she'd be able to tend to him.

Having made her decision, she called the younger children and made sure
they both had enough to do for the day. She should be back by the
afternoon, maybe sooner if she found a wagon to give her a ride. Then,
she kissed both of them before setting out down the track that led to
the Emerald Falls road.

As she walked, she thought about the small pouch of marks, hidden in a
pocket of her dress so as not to tempt thieves. Should she spend or save
them? The sale of Grevan's ring and dagger had helped, but the tithe had
taken a good portion of the proceeds. Alyena wanted to spend some of the
remainder on new clothes for Furayl. Master Delton had already done so
much for them, she couldn't expect him to clothe her son as well, nor
could the boy wear shabby garments in the Weaver Hall of all places. She
still fretted about the other apprentices teasing her delicate younger
son. Young people could be hard on anyone who looked different...

Once Furayl had his apprenticeship, she thought as she walked, she would
have to start thinking about Evalya. Her daughter would soon be old
enough to marry, but she had no dowry. The best she could hope was to
find the girl a place as a drudge at a larger hold.

Or...she might find someone, a younger son perhaps, who'd be willing to
marry her daughter to take charge of the cothold. The idea was tempting.
A farmer's son, who'd know the land, how to get a decent harvest. As
hard as she worked, neither she nor Grevan had been brought up to this
life.

The cothold was Grevan's inheritance. Would he give up his claim? Maybe,
if he became a hunter... That was a decent job, almost as good as a guard.

Alyena allowed herself to daydream of a family in the cothold, grown
prosperous and lively. Grevan with his wife, Evalya with a husband.
Furayl coming to visit, a journeyman from the Weaver Hall, bringing
gifts. Grandchildren... It was better than wondering what might have
happened to her eldest son. Lost in her thoughts, she nearly missed the
farmer's cart coming up behind her, loaded with sacks of grain.

Hastily, she moved to the side of the road and called to the driver.
"Sir? Are you going to the Hold?"

The man nodded, curtly. For a moment, she wasn't sure if he was going to
stop, but then he relented. "Get on up, then."

Relieved that she wouldn't have to walk all the way in the day's heat,
Alyena climbed up beside the carter and tried to lose herself in her
pleasant dream once again, but she couldn't shake the sense of
foreboding that had troubled her, the last few days.

Where was her son?

***

Once they arrived at the Hold, Alyena thanked the carter and got down at
the edge of the Gather square, wondering what to do next. Who would know
about hunting parties? Perhaps the Steward, but she didn't have an
appointment and even if she had, she wasn't sure she dared.

After a few moments of indecision, she saw someone she recognized
crossing the square towards the barracks. One of her husband's friends,
from back when he'd served with the guards, and fortunately, he was
alone. She hurried over to intercept him.

"Guardsman Perric? I don't know if you remember me..."

He frowned for a moment, and then suddenly his expression cleared,
though a hint of concern remained. "Alyena? Is that you?"

She looked down, self-conscious, at her faded dress, which hung loosely
on her now. No doubt she looked different. The hard work, out in the sun
all day, and the meals she'd skipped to make sure her children had
enough... "Yes. I'm sorry to trouble you."

"Not to worry, I'm not on duty at the moment. How are you? It's been a
long time." His voice was friendly enough, but he cast a quick glance
over his shoulder at the barracks to see if anyone was watching.

Alyena guessed that he might be concerned about being seen speaking to
her, and she decided not to waste time. "I'm well, as are the children.
It's actually about one of them that I've come to the Hold. My eldest,
Grevan. He left three sevendays ago to join a hunting party, and I
haven't heard from him since. I came to see if there was any news."

"Hunting party?" Perric looked confused. "I've not heard of one going
out recently. I can ask around, perhaps one of the others will know."

"If you could, I'd..." Her voice trailed off as she watched his face
change with a sudden realization, and though she didn't know what it
was, that look chilled her heart. "What is it?"

"Likely nothing. Only that there was this rumor from the Weyr."

"The Weyr?"

"People are saying a boy attacked a dragonrider. No-one knows who, or
why, but they're saying maybe it was revenge for..."

Alyena barely heard the rest. She _knew_. Remembered his anger, his
boiling frustration. How he'd said that something had to be done. **Oh
no. No. Grevan...** She felt the world sway around her, the pleasant
fantasies she'd entertained on the journey fracturing and slipping away.

"They might be wrong. It could be anybody. Any rider, any boy." He
gripped her arm, steadying her. "It might not be true at all."

"Then where is he? He - he said he was going hunting..." She felt the
panic rising in her chest, so she could hardly breathe for fear. "What
if it's him?"

Perric glanced around him nervously, as if hoping for outside help, and
his gaze fell on the barracks again. "Look, why don't we go and ask the
captain?" he suggested. "He'll know what to do. I'll show you the way."

"Yes - yes. All right." Not knowing what else to do, Alyena followed
him, oblivious to anything but the growing dread that was in her heart.

Last updated on the June 15th 2019

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A Rumor from the Weyr