Honor and Duty

Writers: AL, Cali
Date Posted: 24th December 2008

Characters: Sorsha, Ri'len
Description: Railen tells Sorsha he wants to Stand at the Hatching.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 13, day 12 of Turn 4

For a long time, Railen lay in the bed with Sorsha, enjoying the feel of his arms around her, her head resting upon his shoulder and tucked beneath his chin. His mind whirred with the information he had gleaned at lunch earlier that day and he couldn't help but wonder. Should he? Shouldn't he?

"Sorsha?" He asked softly enough not to wake her if she was asleep.

"Hmm?" She replied, she'd almost been asleep and wasn't actually sure if he'd tried to talk to her or if she'd dreamed it.

"I've been thinking." All the rest of that day, in fact. "About what was said during lunch."

Sorsha grunted, "Don't remind me, I wanted to claw her eyes out."

"What? Whose?" Railen twisted a bit to get a better view of Sorsha, confusion mulling his thoughts.

She refused to be moved out of her comfy spot by his movements and snuggled in tighter. "That awful girl that wouldn't quit batting her ugly bug eyes at you."

"Oh her. I wasn't thinking about her." Railen chuckled softly at Sorsha's silence insistence that he not move. "I was thinking about what that boy and the other girl said."

Sorsha tried to remember what he could be talking about, but she'd mostly been paying attention to the Allya girl. It wasn't that she thought that Railen might stray with her, it was the absolute _nerve_ of her to attempt to entice him right in front of her. "I can't remember."

"They were talking about the shortage of riders." Railen reminded her. "How they were asking for older candidates from other Weyrs."

The conversation started to come back to her. "Yeah, I didn't realize the Weyr was so depleted. They said that Lenlee would still be able to Stand though."

"I would hardly think they would turn people away." Railen mused. He let silence linger for a moment before finally asking her what was truly on his mind, "What do you think of the idea of me Standing?"

"You?" Sorsha sat up and turned to look down at him, "Why do you want to Stand? You've never said you wanted to be a dragonrider."

"Well...I almost feel bad, I guess." Railen sighed softly. "And when they said they needed more old Candidates, that the Weyr was so low on dragonriders...I almost feel like it's a _duty_."

Sorsha understood duty, it was one of the reasons they were at the Weyr at all. Still, it was pretty shaky reasoning for devoting your life to something. "Are you wanting to Stand because I'm Standing? Are you afraid I won't love you if I become a dragonrider and you aren't?"

"No, I'm not afraid of that." A half smile creaked over his face. "Though I can't say that you Standing isn't a motivation. Still...if they need candidates, especially candidates sixteen and older, I would qualify." If he was even allowed to Stand, that was.

She looked down at him, trying to study his face, but it was dark and he was only an outline in shadow. "Do you _want_ to be a dragonrider?"

"I...don't think it would be a bad thing to be." Did he want to? He wasn't sure. He enjoyed his work with the runners, but at the same time he had that nagging at the back of his mind that he really should do more, be more, especially if the situation was so needed. "It would be an honour."

Sorsha leaned down and kissed him gently before settling back down into his arms. "If I don't Impress, we could eventually go back to Willet Grove. Would you still want to Impress if you knew that I wouldn't?"

"If I did Impress, would you stay here with me?" he asked softly.

"Of course." She'd go anywhere or stay anywhere for Railen. As long as she was with him she would be happy.

"As long as we can be together, I don't care where we are." He whispered softly, his breath warm against her face. "All that matters is that I'm with you."

He'd never really answered her question about wanting to Impress if she didn't; but maybe it was because he didn't know. "You'll have to get permission from the Weyrwoman to Stand since you weren't Searched. She might not let you."

"True." Railen wondered if she would though. After all, they were requesting other candidates from other Weyrs, they needed older riders. Granted, he hadn't been Searched, but his sister had. "But the worst she can say is no. At least I'll have offered."

Sorsha gave him little kisses where she was snuggled against his chest, "I guess it's up to the Weyrwoman then." Sometimes it was just easier to let other people make the decisions for you.

"Yes." So that was it. Evidently Sorsha wasn't going to say no, and he only had to ask the Weyrwoman. Would she let him? Well, he would simply have to ask to find out.

Last updated on the December 24th 2008

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Honor and Duty