DCW: Promises

Writers: Jane
Date Posted: 25th May 2007

Characters: Ylisahn, Wirril
Description: Ylisahn asks Wirril to go upstairs with the mothers and children.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 3, day 19 of Turn 4
Notes: Ylisahn's Storm 04a - Storm arrives

"Please."

Wirril's fine, perfect features were set in mutinous lines. "I can
_work,_ Yli. I'm not _weak._"

The Headwoman sighed and moved a little closer to her weyrmate, catching
hold of the end of Wirril's sleeve and tugging it. Neither of them was
particularly prone to displaying their affection for each other in
public but it would have been obvious to anybody who was watching that
the slightly built, dark-haired woman and her taller, blonde companion
were a couple – and a couple trying hard not to argue.

"I know. I know you're not weak." They had been weyrmates for over
twenty-five Turns and she knew well enough that any suggestion that
Wirril was weak was regarded as tantamount to a challenge. "Or
helpless. Or anything like that." She shook the corner of fabric she
held, trying to will Wirril to accept her assurances.

"Then why?" Wirril looked up at Ylisahn. The older woman's usual sunny
smile was barely in evidence and Wirril felt protective of her weyrmate.
Wasn't it reasonable to help her? "You're getting people to carry
things upstairs in case it really does flood in here. I could help with
that."

"If it really does flood in here –" Ylisahn couldn't help but glance
around, struggling to believe it _could_ but known she needed to prepare
for the possibility. "If that happened I need to _know_ you're safe.
You know I'll worry – I will anyway – but if I was _certain_ ... If you
went upstairs now and promised you wouldn't come down for any reason,
then that would be one less distraction."

"I would come back down for Rilisa and Ravere."

Ylisahn knew exactly where that came from. She would certainly risk her
life for their children regardless that they were adults now. Still,
she had to try to convince Wirril to be more sensible than that. "If
the water did come in here, and if they were missing, they would
probably just have gone up some other staircase. Nothing dramatic. And
you'd rush down here and _drown_ for nothing. Me and the children would
all be alive to mourn you."

Wirril felt her mouth kicking up into a smile. "And there's nothing
dramatic about that little story?" At Ylisahn's laugh she pulled her
arm away, dislodging the other woman's hold on her sleeve and held her
hand instead. "You want to send me upstairs with the women and children
so I'm safe and you can do your duty as Headwoman without your personal
worries interfering."

"Exactly." Ylisahn relaxed as she squeezed Wirril's hand, hearing her
weyrmate's agreement in her tone. "So you will go? And stay up there
no matter what?"

Wirril nodded, lifting her free hand to hook the fine dark hair that had
swung forward back behind her ear. "All right. I'll go upstairs and I
promise not to come back down unless I can _see_ that Rilisa or Ravere
are in danger. Or you are."

"Me?"

"You'll be down here, running around doing things." Wirril smiled up at
her weyrmate. "But you remember that the Weyr doesn't need another new
Headwoman, it needs you to be sensible and keep yourself safe. And so
do I."

"But –" Ylisahn realised that becoming Headwoman made her feel
responsible for everything, for the whole lower caverns and all their
business, where before, as assistant Headwoman, she was just doing a job.

"I know," this time it was Wirril tugging at her weyrmate's arm for
emphasis of her point, "that you think it's all yours, but just be
reasonable and don't take foolish risks."

"I won't," Ylisahn promised. She wasn't foolish, was she? She would be
sensible and not risk herself for _things._ Not even the most precious
of the Headwoman's records. "I'll be careful." She freed her hand to
hug her weyrmate. "I promise."

Last updated on the May 27th 2007

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

DCW: Promises