Unexpected Visitor

Writers: Cali, Emma
Date Posted: 8th July 2008

Characters: I'lan, Sorsha
Description: I'lan visits an injured Sorsha.
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 10, day 13 of Turn 4

Sorsha looked up as a breeze ruffled her hair and a shadow momentarily covered the spot she was sitting on as she mended fishing nets. It was a bronze dragon preparing to land in the courtyard. It wasn't such an odd event, but still uncommon enough that several people rushed to the perimeter of the bronze after he landed to get a look. If she'd been able to walk faster she probably would have been one of them, but since her knee was still far from healed, she stayed where she was, sure that her younger sister would share the news the dragonrider brought later that night.

It wasn't that long after the fall, and as I'lan had a some spare time he thought he should at least check on the girl he'd rescued. He unfastened his straps and slipped down from his seat on the dragon's neck, sure that his arrival would bring someone sooner rather than later.

"Good day dragonrider," a swarthy man said. He approached the dragon without fear, knowing he would not be harmed, and also knowing that until this dragonrider left, there would be no work gotten out of anyone. "What business do you have here?"

"I'm I'lan, Naath's rider," he said by way of introduction. "I'm here to check on the girl I brought back to you yesterday before threadfall."

The man eyed the dragonrider disdainfully. He was going to stay awhile. "That would be my niece, Sorsha. She's over there mending nets." He pointed towards the shop house where He'd seen Sorsha and two old aunties who couldn't walk around too well this morning. "I'd appreciate it if your dragon would leave until you were finished. He's quite the distraction to my folk."

"I can have him wait elsewhere, it's not a problem."

**Do you mind Naath,** he checked.

}:I will wait,:{ the bronze gave a low rumble of assent as he took to the air, heading to a clearing he'd seen not fat from the cothold.

"If I may speak to Sorsha for a moment?"

The man shrugged, disinterested now that he knew his people would get back to work. "Do with her what you will."

That reply was a little odd, thought I'lan, but he nodded pleasantly to him before heading over to where Sorsha was.

"Hello again," he said.

"What are you doing here?" She hadn't taken her eyes off of him since he slid off Naath's back. Could he really be here to see _her_, or was he just notice her as he was walking into the storehouse?

"I came to see that you were okay, you must have had a bit of a shock to hurt yourself so close to fall."

She couldn't help but blush, he'd come all the way here to check on her! "I'm okay dragonrider. One of the men's father was a healer so he knew enough to set me right. I'll be good as new after a few sevenday of wrapping it."

He noticed the blush, suddenly rather aware of how charming it was on her. He smiled at her. "I just wanted to check, after all, if you choose to take up candidacy again, you'll need to be fit and ready for the Weyr."

"Oh I'm not going back to the Weyr." Sorsha said as she shook her head, "Father is trying to foster me out for a turn so he can find a match for me."

"That would be the Weyr's loss I'm sure."

Sorsha shook her head, "No, I don't think so. I wasn't really comfortable at the Weyr truthfully. Everyone was very nice to me, but I only went because it was my duty to Stand when asked."

"You have the right to come back if you change your mind until you reach twenty two turns, you know that don't you?"

She smiled at the brozerider. She'd heard the tales at the Weyr about abusive holder fathers forcing marriages on defenseless girls who escaped to become regal queenriders or feisty greenriders, but that wasn't her father, he only wanted what was best for her. "I know dragonrider, and thank you, but I _want_ to be a wife, it's something I've wanted as long as I can remember, and that's just not something the Weyr can give me unfortunately." And too bad too, she could definitely see herself married to her dragonrider hero, she'd daydreamed it many a time since her accident, but she again banished the image from her mind and forced herself to be practical.

"Well if you ever need anything, you can always ask for me," he offered. "I'lan, Naath's rider."

Sorsha couldn't help the blush that spread across her cheeks and she ducked her head and pretended to fiddle with the net she was holding. "Thank you I'lan," she said, enjoying the name as she said it for the first time, "you're very kind." "I'm just glad to see you're safe Sorsha."

"No safer place to be than home." the girl remarked with a smile. Not wanting their meeting to end so soon she added as she patted the stone beside her, "Care to stay awhile and learn how to mend a net?" "Sure," he said, settling himself next to her with a smile.

Last updated on the July 9th 2008

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Unexpected Visitor