Don't Leave Me
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyrhold
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Elsewhere on Pern
NPC Weyr (NPC)
River Bluff Weyr
Seacraft Hall
Writers: Devin
Date Posted: 10th September 2012
Characters: N'vanik, Talryne, Myora
Description: Talryne visits N'vanik in the infirmary
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 9, day 17 of Turn 6
Notes: Mentioned: R'enh, Pierka
Follows "We All Fall Down"
Despite Loseth's assurances that it wasn't bad, panic threatened to
overwhelm her. Talryne raced down to the infirmary, almost falling
twice. When she got to the front desk, she was gasping for breath.
"N'vanik ... where is he?" she asked the startled healer.
"Calm down, ma'am. If you would just take a seat ..."
"I have to see him. Now." If someone didn't show her the way, she'd
find him herself.
"The healers are still working on him. He can't have visitors yet."
Talryne glared at him and walked right past.
"Hey, you can't ... hey!"
She ran down the curtained rows of beds. He could be behind any one of
them. Would she have to check them all? She bumped into a healer and
muttered an apology. Looking up, she recognized the woman. She
sometimes assisted Talryne's mindhealer. What was her name?
"Oh, Talryne," the woman said. "Is something wrong?"
"N'vanik got hurt in Fall. I need to see him." She clenched her fists,
trying to hold back the panic. The thought of losing him ...
The woman--Myora, that was her name -- put a gentle hand on her arm.
"Let's go find out where he is."
The had to question two other healers, but finally they were directed
to the curtained-off cot where N'vanik was. Seeing him was a huge
relief. His right arm was in a sling, but he was awake and otherwise
looked fine. "N'vanik," she said as she stepped toward him.
"Sorry, you have to wait outside. I'm still treating him," the healer said.
"She's his weyrmate," Myora protested.
"Hey," N'vanik said, getting their attention. "If you don't let her
in, I'm going out with her."
Talryne pushed her way past the healer to take N'vanik's hand. "I was
so worried."
"I told Loseth to tell you I was okay." He squeezed her hand.
"He did, but I was still worried." She brushed a few strands of hair
from his forehead.
He winced. "Careful. I got a real good knock on the head. It's
sharding pounding."
"But you're okay?" Fear squeezed her chest again.
"I'll be fine. I won't be flying for a few sevendays, though. And they
need to watch me here for a day or two." He didn't want to say
anything to worry her, but he wanted to be honest, too. "They're not
sure how bad the concussion is yet. Don't worry. I've got a hard
head."
A flicker of a smile crossed her lips. "You sure do. But are you
_sure_ you're okay? You'll get better?"
"I'll get better." He kissed her hand. Probably not in time for the
Flight, though. Definitely not in time for the next Fall. He needed to
talk to R'enh about taking over.
Her voice got very soft. "Don't leave me."
A dragonrider during a Pass couldn't make promises, but he desperately
wished he could. "I'll always do my best to come home to you."
Talryne closed her eyes tight for a moment, fear trying to open up
that hole inside her. She'd been a rider and understood exactly what
he risked every time he went out to fight Thread. She could lose him,
just like she'd lost her dragon.
N'vanik wished he could hold her, but his sharding arm was in a sling.
He squeezed her hand. "You know that, right?"
She nodded, opening her eyes. "You have to be more careful. You can't
go rescuing people." She knew how selfish it sounded. How selfish it
_was_.
"I couldn't let that weyrling fall. I couldn't live with myself if I did."
They looked at each other, and she knew exactly what he was thinking.
He still blamed himself, at least in part, for her losing her dragon.
She wanted to argue with him, remind him again that it _wasn't_ his
fault, but instead she nodded. "I know."
"Cheer up, Tal." He smiled. "I'm alive, Pierka and her green are
alive." They'd lost D'rid and Hormith, but he couldn't dwell on that
now.
It was a struggle, but she put on a brave face.
Last updated on the September 24th 2012