DCW: All the Sailing You Need

Writers: Jane
Date Posted: 26th May 2007

Characters: Ylisahn, Ravere
Description: Ylisahn catches up with her son, Ravere, who offers his help should the water never go down.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 3, day 19 of Turn 4
Notes: Ylisahn's Storm 10a - Storm intensifies, water deepens

Ylisahn was stopped in her tracks by something catching hold of her
over-large shirt. She _had_ to find clothes that were closer to her
size because if she wasn't rolling the legs of the trousers up, then
loose and baggy fabric was catching on things.

Not this time, she discovered as she edged around to see what had hooked
her up.

"Ravere!"

After her unexpected swim she had sought out her Wirril and found her
weyrmate with Rilisa, helping with the children. It had been wonderful
to hug them both – to be reassured that they were alive, and that she
was too – but her son had been harder to find. She couldn't justify
taking the time to find him and his absence had continued to worry away
at the back of her mind.

She found herself caught up in a strong hug, being lifted off her feet
and held close.

"Wirril told me – about you 'getting wet'," the weaver apprentice said,
his tone accusing as he put her down. "But others are saying that you
swam for your life when the storm surge came inside."

"We could touch the floor, Ravere." _Sometimes_ they had been able to,
and it hadn't been much help with the water moving as much as it had
been. "And you know what rumours are like."

"Are you sure you're telling me the truth?" the young man asked, using
the phrase both his mothers had always used on him. He thought of all
the times he had downplayed his adventures, making them suitable for
retelling to his parents, and was fairly certain Ylisahn's protests were
a long delayed repayment for those half-truths.

"It wasn't that deep. Not over our heads, not even for a moment."

"And yet Rilisa said your hair was wet."

"I fell over when the water came through the sandbags –" Ylisahn said
firmly, not about to be swayed from her story. "And I got all wet."

"Well, you stick to your story, and I'll keep my doubts to myself," her
son said, willing to be reassured even if he didn't believe. When there
was more time he would find out a little more about her 'adventure'.
"How is everything else?" He waved a hand around the corridor vaguely,
trying to indicate all the preparations that had been made in case there
was a flood. "Did you get everything up here you needed?"

"Some. Enough, I hope." What if she hadn't? What if something
critical had been left behind? And how would they feed everybody in the
next couple of days without the vast stores and access to the Weyr
gardens? "What if the water _never_ goes down?" she asked suddenly,
regretting speaking her silly fears aloud in front of her son. She
ought to be protecting him from her worries.

"How can it not? We've had high water before, and that's gone down when
the storm passes and the tide ebbs."

Ylisahn didn't reply but remembered the changes in coastlines on old
maps from long ago, before Dolphin Cove had been abandoned as the
Weyrholds had consolidated. Sometimes the sea did come in and stay.

Ravere grinned down at his mother, seeing her frown and determined to
stop her worrying about at least that one thing. "And if it doesn't
we'll just run the Weyr by using boats and punts on the biggest,
saltiest Weyrlake you've ever seen."

Ylisahn smiled at his amusement, feeling it lift her own mood. "I'm not
that good a sailor," she protested. "I grew up at Thayan Peak."

"Well, you bought us here to finish our growing up, so Rilisa and I'll
be able to do all the sailing you need."
____________________

Last updated on the May 27th 2007

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DCW: All the Sailing You Need