A Bitter Dawn
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
Writers: Yvonne
Date Posted: 19th December 2024
Characters: F'lin
Description: F'lin struggles to process the events of the night before.
Location: Barrier Lake Weyr
Date: month 2, day 1 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: Kapera, J'nus, D'hol, K'ran, Aydhan, Rasme, Tsaera, Lenala
F'lin watched the sun rise over Barrier Lake Weyr from his perch on the edge of Seneth's ledge, the remains of a bottle of whiskey in one hand. Dragons continued to keen intermittently, their bodies and wings greyed out by the mist rolling off the lake.
How had they missed it? How had he failed, again, to protect his Weyr?
Why did people hate dragonmen so much?
Seneth curled behind him, his glittering red eyes missing nothing below. }:I will watch for you. I will not let anyone harm anyone else. You must rest.:{
**I'm fine. But... thank you for watching.** F'lin brushed his eyes with the back of his hand. His cheeks were wet, but whether it was from grief or shame or the morning fog he couldn't tell. He'd been sitting up there for candlemarks, still in his celebration finery.
Kapera was in the Infirmary, J'nus by her side. F'lin had gone to look in on them but had quickly backed out of her room, overwhelmed by the astringent scent of redwort and numbweed and the hurried, low voices of the Healers who didn't know if she would live or follow her dragon into nothingness. He was too ashamed to say anything to J'nus, who sat grey-faced and bloodspattered with a vacancy behind his eyes.
He should probably be wherever D'hol and K'ran were, sending dispatches and asking questions and figuring out what to do next. Their Weyrwoman was _gone_. Aydhan and Rasme would have their hands full figuring out how to keep the Weyr running without Kapera. The Weyr needed its Weyrwoman. If his grandmother was here, she'd scold him for being self-indulgent when there was work to be done. The disaster at River Bluff Weyr had taught him that there was always a way to help.
But instead his limbs were hollowed out and heavy and his head leaden with dread. Imaginary tremors rippled through the cliff beneath his feet. Every sound was falling rocks and tearing earth. The keening in his ears rang too loud, but the earth was still and the keening was just for the Weyrwoman. Just Kapera.
He should have known. He should have stopped it; the earthquake, the knife, Riyanth, Lenala buried in the Hatching Cavern with her dragon beside her.
F'lin grimaced, then took another long swig from the whiskey bottle. His gut curdled and he debated whether or not he was going to hurl. It might be better if he did. A just humiliation for cowardice. **It was my birthingday yesterday,** he told Seneth. **No... two days ago now. It's tomorrow.**
}:It is tomorrow,:{ Seneth agreed. }:It has been a long night.:{
The bronzerider blinked and the rising sun left little red half-circles behind his eyelids. He'd gotten Threadfall and rain for his true birthingday so he'd decided to celebrate with the Weyr instead. He and Barrier Lake, growing older together. **I didn't think I'd get to relive the worst day of my life for my birthingday.**
A keen rumbled in Seneth's belly and the bronze stretched his neck, letting his grief pour out into the cool morning air.
It really was a beautiful morning.
Last updated on the January 29th 2025