A Concern

Writers: Steel, Yvonne
Date Posted: 30th April 2026

Characters: T'thalin, Thiseta
Description: Thiseta has a chat with T'thalin.
Location: Barrier Lake Weyr
Date: month 1, day 5 of Turn 13
Notes: Mentioned: Saibra, J’nic, Viseya, Rath

Thiseta waited a few sevendays to let T'thalin settle into his bond with his little bronze dragon before the Weyrwoman asked him to meet her in an empty class in the Weyrling barracks. She sat on the edge of one of the desks thumbing through the crisp pages of a dragon anatomy text and pretended to read as she waited.

He’d been Holdless, one of two boys who had Impressed bronze from Tymborikath’s clutch. She was still uncertain about her decision to let the two of them transfer, but if Saibra had let them Stand at Dragonsfall, then they had to be fine. And it wasn’t as if Holdless men and women hadn’t Impressed before. It happened… just rarely.

T'thalin entered, half hesitant, though Roxarith’s sleeping mind against his was a warm strength, bolstering his own courage.

“... Weyrwoman?” He greeted. “You, um… you wanted to see… me?” He _hoped_ he wasn’t in trouble…

“I did. Come sit.” She smiled. “You’re not in any trouble, T’thalin. Imbeth is the one who bites, not me.”

T'thalin nodded obediently, even as he made his way to the indicated seat and sat. “I… Um. We won't trouble, um, Imbeth. Roxarith is… he's asleep right now anyway.” And a baby.

“She doesn’t _actually_ bite. No dragon would,” Thiseta clarified. The boy looked terrified. “I wanted to see how you’re doing. Are you settling in all right to the Weyrling Barracks?”

“It's, um… an adjustment, Weyrwoman.” T'thalin told her. “Or… it has been. I… Roxarith, um, keeps me busy.” He added quietly. “I’m… I'm doing my best. I know… um. I know there's people who don't like that any of us Impressed, but-- I _promise_, I'm no trouble. Roxarith chose me.” He said all at once. “I'll prove I'm worthy.”

“Roxarith thinks you are.” The Weyrwoman looked him over consideringly. “I know what’s in your records, T’thalin, but I don’t know it from _you_.”

“I, um… I was born Holdless.” T'thalin offered, half uncertain. “I… don't know what my, um. What my parents did. They… they never said.”

He paused, and then added, “I was, um. When… When a searchrider told me that I could Stand, I. I thought… maybe a blue? I was… Roxarith was, um, a complete surprise.” A slow breath. “I'm, um… I'm happy to belong somewhere now, Weyrwoman.”

}:Of course you belong here.:{ Roxarith asserted with sleepy certainty as he stirred.

“You have a home at the Weyr now. Any Weyr,” Thiseta amended. “But hopefully here. I know that life has been… hard for you. It will still be hard, but differently. I hope you understand what you agreed to when you stepped onto the Sands.”

T'thalin nodded slowly. “.... Threadfighting.” He said quietly, finally. “That's what dragons are _for_.”

The goldrider nodded. “That’s right. That’s what _we_ are for. When we Impress, our lives are changed forever. We are given the most important relationship of our lives: someone who loves us unconditionally, forever. But in return for that gift, we put our bodies and our lives on the line to fight Thread and protect Pern itself. It’s a duty that’s so much bigger than ourselves, and you can’t back out, T’thalin. You can’t give Roxarith back.”

“I would never _want_ to!” T'thalin said, instantly. “I… Um. He gave me _everything_. And if he thinks I'm… if he thinks I can do it, then I _can_.” His shoulders squared.

The Weyrwoman smiled. “He’s right, you know. Dragons don’t choose wrong. And _I_ believe in you, T’thalin. If I can do anything to help you settle in here, let me know.”

“I… um.” T'thalin said, and then his shoulders hunched a little bit. “I… I have one question. If… if that's all right?”

“Of course!”

“I, um… did you… did you get along with everyone in your class, when you were a weyrling?” T'thalin asked, then winced. “Sorry if that's too presumptuous!”

“Not at all! And to be honest, I _didn’t_,” Thiseta said, leaning forward so that she could lower her voice. “There’s a lot of competition when there’s a gold egg on the Sands, and it was worse when the Pass hadn’t started yet. But it was a good thing. It’s important to learn how to work with people that you don’t necessarily like when you’re in a Wing. Once Thread started falling, it didn’t matter what I felt. What mattered was keeping each other safe so that we could argue later.”

T'thalin nodded, slowly. “I'd, um. I'd protect anyone I'm in a wing with.” He responded. “Even if… even if they don't like me. It's just…” He trailed off, exhaled. “... Never mind.”

The Weyrwoman waited a beat before replying. “Are you sure? Because I’d love to hear what you have to say.”

T'thalin swallowed, and averted his gaze. “I'm… It's nothing.”

Roxarith mantled his wings, unseen, but _indignation_ swelled up in the young bronze. Hadn't His endured _enough_? }:You are not scared of Rath's.:{ Roxarith pressed firmly. }:They upset you. Speak.:{

The bronze weyrling's shoulders hunched, and he faltered, caught between the desire to keep quiet and Roxarith's expectation.

“I… don't want it to turn into anything.” He said finally, quietly. “... Please. I'm fine and so is Roxarith.”

“Did something happen?” she asked quietly. “Truly, nothing is too small to speak with me about.”

T'thalin swallowed again. “I… I didn't get hurt. And neither did Roxarith. I'd never let _anyone_ hurt him.” He said finally, after a long moment. “But… offering to try and get along with someone and… and being told that I'm not worth it, that I'll get Roxarith hurt, is… um.” His gaze flicked to her, then away again. “I'm _trying_ to be braver. Roxarith is bronze. He _deserves_ it, and-- and he thinks I can. I… I don't _want_ to doom him.”

Oh no. Oh no, had he said too much?

}:I am here.:{ Roxarith asserted, simply.

“I can see how much you care for Roxarith.” Thiseta cocked her head as she looked at him. “What do you mean by ‘doom him’?”

“I… If I panic, I'll _lose_ him.” T'thalin responded finally, slowly. “If… if I want to make it through training, I _have_ to get, um, braver.” His shoulders slumped.

“You’ll get through training _together_. Roxarith is a baby, but he’s also got a mind of his own. He’s your partner and he’s learning and doing new things just like you are. I am confident just from talking with you that you’re not going to do anything to hurt him, and if he’s anything like Imbeth, he’ll be your bravery when you need it.” She smiled a little. “If it helps, it’s very rare that a dragonet goes /between/, and it’s usually because their rider does something very obviously inappropriate.”

“So… so I _won't_, um. I mean… I _want_ to make it.” T'thalin responded.

}:We _will_ survive my first Turn. And all the Turns.:{ Roxarith said to Imbeth staunchly. }:I do not care what my clutchmates think about Mine. We are mighty.:{

}:You are _small_,:{ she told him. Then, begrudgingly, she added, }:But you will grow, and your rider is not so small for a human. There is no reason for you not to survive until you are grown. Why do your clutchmates say that you will not survive?:{

Roxarith snorted. }:I am already bigger than I was.:{ he responded with impeccable draconic logic. }:I will be very big someday.:{ A pause, and then he added, }:I do not listen to the rude ones. I _know_ Mine can be brave.:{ he added, to both Imbeth and his rider.

Some of T'thalin's tension drained away at the affection Roxarith sent to him.

“You _will_ make it through your weyrlinghood,” Thiseta said firmly. “J’nic and Viseya have taught many weyrlings and won’t ask you to do anything that you’re not ready for, even if _you’re_ not sure you’re ready. Trust them and trust Roxarith.”

“I do.” T'thalin promised, quietly. “I… like I said. Roxarith’s everything to me.”

She nodded in understanding. “They have a way of becoming that, don’t they?”

“They do.” T'thalin agreed, wholeheartedly.

Last updated on the May 1st 2026

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