For the Good of the Weyr

Writers: Devin, Suzee
Date Posted: 16th October 2025

Characters: N'vanik, Cyradis
Description: Cyradis is less than pleased with N'vanik's behavior at the Feast.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 10, day 16 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: Z'kim, I'serin, K'mai

N'vanik

Cyradis

N'vanik had pushed their meeting back and he was still a little
hungover when they met in the early afternoon. "I'm too old to drink
that much." He took a sip of his klah. "But I can't really say I
regret it." He'd built a good relationship with his Weyrwoman over the
Turns, but part of him was still braced for . . . something. Judgment
or a reprimand.

She looked at him a bit quizzically. "Exactly which brain were you
thinking with?"

Ah, there it was. "The less smart one." Maybe she'd think less of him
now, like he wasn't a proper bronzerider anymore. Maybe she was just
mad his public display had upset some of the guests.

"Mmmm," she mused. "So..." she tilted her head as she turned her body
to face him. "How do you think it's going to play on your next
diplomatic visit?"

N'vanik tried to push down a flare of defensiveness and only partly
succeeded. "I didn't wanna hide it anymore. I shouldn't have to." He
was glad he'd kissed Z'kim, he wished he'd done it sooner. But he
could still hear the nasty comments ringing in his ears -- some of
them said to his _face_.

Her eyes narrowed. Sometimes N'vanik reverted to the holdless boy who
bucked all authority and though he'd settled into a very good leader,
there were still times when he became petulant just because he wanted
something. "That is a child's argument," she said evenly and without
heat. "Do you love him?"

His stomach tightened and his face warmed. "Not like that. As a friend, yeah."

She gave a sharp nod. "I loved K'deren," she said softly. "Yet for the
good of the Weyr, I didn't do what _I_ wanted. Which I'm sure you
realize was to go with him and take all the children with me..." she
trailed off. She didn't finish her entire argument. But she turned
away and picked up her mug. He was a smart man and could figure out
where she was going with it. She hadn't exactly had another
relationship to fall back on like N'vanik did. Not even with him.

N'vanik took a moment to get his emotions under control. "I'm glad you
stayed," he said sincerely. He could argue that Senior Weyrwoman
didn't simply move somewhere else, but Janani had done just that,
leaving N'vanik without a Weyrwoman. "But I'm not abandoning the Weyr,
I'm not ignoring my duties." He thought of I'serin, scared and brave
all at once as he kissed K'mai's hand. "And it might be good to see
someone like me not bein' afraid, that Weyrleaders, that bronzeriders,
maybe don't fit in the boxes we put them in."

"No," she looked at him with sad eyes for what she'd lost. "But you're
making _my_ job infinitely more difficult," she said. "I'm the one
that will have to negotiate for the next supply shipment and the one
after that." Ultimately she didn't really care what N'vanik made of
his personal life. But this one affected her ability to do her own
job.

"Holders need to get over themselves," N'vanik grumbled. "Who I'm
sleeping with shouldn't make them want to hold back on what they give
to the Weyr. Unless it's one of their wives," he added with a snicker.

She turned slowly, back to look at him, lifting one brow as she did.
“Seriously?“

"Oh, come on." N'vanik sighed and crossed his arms. "Fine, it was
selfish, is that what you wanna hear? But I ain't sorry. It felt
_good_." Knowing that everyone was watching, knowing it was shocking.
The thrill of being aware he was crossing a line, and doing it with
Z'kim who was just as happy to cause a scandal. "Though I do feel bad
it's causin' you problems."

She shook her head ruefully. "You're like a large child sometimes. I'm
surprised you didn't stomp your foot and pout at me," she half smiled.
"Of course it felt good. Bad things always _feel_ good or we wouldn't
want to do them, now would we?" This time she lifted both brows and
smirked at him. "I will deal with them and gain their sympathy by
playing the injured Lady," she shrugged. "It will all work out. But
please warn me next time?"

N'vanik rubbed the back of his neck. "It wasn't exactly planned. The
dance was, but the rest just sort of happened." He looked at the floor
as he thought of the rest of what she'd said, hurt squeezing his
chest. Then he lifted his head. "You can be mad I made a big show of
it at a Hatching Feast. You can be mad it upset the holders. But
please don't make me the bad guy because I'm sleeping with Zeke. He
doesn't deserve that. No one like him . . . us, does."

"Oh N'vanik," she sighed. It had taken her time to learn that Hall
ways were not the only ways. Then she'd learned to really enjoy her
flights and she'd seen the same thing happen with other Hold and Hall
bred riders. She put a hand on his arm. "It's quite rare for a bronze
rider I'll admit and I honestly don't see the attraction." Sure the
greenrider was good looking enough and N'vanik wild enough to
experiment but what had happened in the middle of the dance floor was
beyond experimentation. "I'm not mad. I think I'm just puzzled and
leery of the consequences. You're pushing boundaries that could bring
us all trouble and I just want you to keep it out of my face. Okay?
Please?"

He chose to believe she meant to keep _trouble_ out of her face. "This
is new for me. Outside flights I never . . . but something changed,
and I don't really understand it. I'm happy about it, though." His
stomach fluttered nervously. Talking about this with Cyradis was
harder than he'd thought. "I know I probably should've been quieter
about it, but I'm not really the quiet type." The corner of his mouth
turned up.

Laughter bubbled up inside her. "Oh really, I didn't notice."

His smile widened and he chuckled. Reaching out, he took her hand.
"Thanks for puttin' up with me for so long. I know I can be a lot
sometimes."

"Yes," she said. "But Panitath keeps choosing Loseth and you're my
friend. We'll work it all out."

Last updated on the October 28th 2025

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