A Change in the Wind

Writers: Devin, Yvonne
Date Posted: 6th June 2025

Characters: F'lin, D'ren
Description: F'lin and D'ren discuss the actions of their new Weyrleader
Location: Barrier Lake Weyr
Date: month 6, day 20 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: D'hol, Q'vettan, Thiseta, Tsaera, Aydhan, Kapera, J'nus, K'ran
Notes: Follows 'Sowing the Seeds'

"Come in!" F'lin raised his mug of ale in greeting as his weyr door swung open and D'ren came in. A fire crackled merrily in the grate to chase off the chill brought by the winter rains, and the speckled feline on a pillow by the fire stopped mid-lick to glare at D'ren before racing into the bedroom in disgust at the intrusion. "Good to see you."

D'ren pouted, half-serious. "Your feline still doesn't like me."

"Not my feline." The Wingsecond pointed to the second mug of ale set on a small table next to D'ren's chair. "I hope you don't mind that I started without you. It's been a day."

"Complete change of leadership." D'ren picked up the mug and took a sip. He wasn't sure what to think about Thiseta or Q'vettan.

F'lin nodded. "I guess you heard that Q'vettan demoted V'tek."

"But _why_? Is there some bad blood between them?" It couldn't be his performance. From what he'd heard, V'tek was a dependable Wingleader, and the Ironbark riders were upset.

"I don't think so. All I've heard was that V'tek wanted to promote some of his own men in place of some of the folk that D'hol brought with him."

"And that was enough for the new Weyrleader to strip his knots?" D'ren shook his head. "I don't get it." Barrier Lake had been through enough, they needed _some_ stability.

"I'm sure that it wasn't the only reason that Q'vettan had," F'lin said, suddenly uneasy at the conversation's direction. Tsaera's lessons drifted ghost-like through his memory: that the Weyrleadership deserved loyalty, until they didn't. Loyalty was a Weyr's fragile foundation.

But Q'vettan's actions could have consequences that impacted lives. Or maybe Q'vettan was right and a change in leadership was needed-- fresh eyes, fresh thinking, to take the Wing in a better direction. Maybe he saw a problem that F'lin didn't. He was the Weyrharper, and Weyrharpers were notoriously sharp. It still felt too soon after Riyanth's death and Imbeth's rising to make changes for the sake of change, so F'lin had to trust that there was a good reason.

He sighed and sipped at his beer, a dark ale that tasted of honey and peat. "I don't know Q'vettan well yet. I never really dealt with him when he was Weyrharper. That was D'hol and K'ran's job."

"Me either. He does seem . . . serious, though that's not unusual for a bronzerider," D'ren said. "What about Thiseta? Do you have any opinions on her?"

"Not really. She's..." F'lin paused, trying to think of something to say about their new Weyrwoman. She was singularly unremarkable. "It's got to be hard taking over the Weyr after what happened to Kapera, and with everyone expecting Tymborikath to rise first."

"Expecting or hoping." D'ren took a sip and thought for a moment. "I hope she's not some kind of tyrant. Or, on the other hand, too weak. She _did_ transfer knowing this was possible, at least." So at least she thought she was ready to take on the role.

"She came because of that possibility and because we needed another breeding gold here. She and Aydhan seem to get along well enough." F'lin was quiet a moment as he looked at his glass of ale. "She brought a Master Healer with her and I hear rumors that she's poached a new dragonhealer for us too. I just don't know how she and Q'vettan will get on, or if she'll stand up to him."

D'ren sighed. "I wish we had some idea of how things are going to be. It feels . . . chaotic."

"I know. I... I'm worried that Q'vettan will take my Wingsecond knots," F'lin admitted. "I came because of D'hol, too."

"He better not. If he expects us to do well in Fall after changing our entire leadership structure then he's a wherry-brained dimglow." They'd already lost Kapera, and J'nus had stepped down from Skybroom Wing.

"He's not." A Weyrharper was by nature intelligent, but given the evidence there was every chance that Q'vettan would give him the boot just like he'd done to V'tek. F'lin shrugged a shoulder. "But I also don't know what he'll do next."

"He was a Weyrleader before, wasn't he? We should ask around to get an idea of what we might expect."

That was smart. F'lin nodded, then hesitated. "Maybe you should ask around... if word got back to him that I was asking, I don't know if it would go so well."

D'ren frowned. "Yeah, better not risk it." He stared down at his drink, thinking about how bad luck seemed to follow him around. Or did it only _seem_ like that because he was too focused on the negatives?

F'lin, wanting to change the subject, asked, "How was Imbeth's flight for you?"

The other bronzerider heaved a sigh. "Thank the stars Menanth didn't win. I thought about pulling him away, but he wanted to try so badly, I couldn't do that to him."

"They need to fly." Chasing gold dragons was in their biology, no matter how much their riders wanted - or didn't want - the consequences. F'lin felt the familiar sting of disappointment at Seneth's loss, but gave D'ren a cocky grin anyway. "But if Menanth did catch Imbeth, I'd have made sure you were a good Weyrleader."

D'ren laughed. "I hope so! I wouldn't want to be another O'dan . . ." He swallowed, mood darkening. He'd been a weyrling at Dolphin Cove when that disaster happened, scared and helpless while the dragons keened all around him.

That disaster had gone down as a darker chapter in Dolphin Cove's history. The weyrleader at the time, O'dan, had brought his Wing into a dangerous formation during an erratic Threadfall. Many riders had been injured and several had lost their lives. O'dan himself had been badly 'Scored and it had been touch and go whether he and his dragon, Kizynth would recover.

F'lin reached across the space between them to pat D'ren on the shoulder. "You wouldn't be. What happened to O'dan was a fluke, and like I said, I'd be your Wingsecond and Weyrsecond. I wouldn't let that happen to you or anyone here. And I won't let that happen to Q'vettan or Ash Wing either. Even if he does demote me."

D'ren made a face. "Well, maybe next time _you'll_ be Weyrleader and I'll support you in any way I can. Though I'd probably be more helpful with the hidework part than leadership."

Maybe he would be. F'lin had hope. "I'll assign you all my hidework," he promised. "So much that you'll live, breathe and eat ink. You'll want to lead a Wing just to get away from it."

D'ren laughed. "I might regret making that offer."

"Too late. You made it," F'lin told him. He reached for the pack of cards at his side. "So, feel lucky enough for a game of dragonpoker?"

"Sure!" D'ren didn't know how lucky he felt, but a game might be a nice distraction from the uncertainty.

Last updated on the June 8th 2025

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A Change in the Wind