Letters

Writers: Yvonne
Date Posted: 29th January 2006

Characters: Tsaera, F'lin, Everlyin
Description: Tsaera, Felarin, and Everlyin exchange a series of letters regarding Felarin's desire to Stand
Location: River Bluff Weyr, Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 10, day 1 of Turn 3
Notes: By the timeliner - this is actually taking place over m9 and 10 - I have to give a specific date for the system

Dear Grandma, I hope that this letter finds you well, especially since we've heard rumors of a plague of some sort at the Weyr. I doubt that they're true since you'd tell us if there was anything serious. I am doing well, although I miss Dad. And I miss living at the Weyr. I feel wasted here at Topaz Sea Hold - I never Crafted and I don't think I am contributing much to the Hold. Father was always telling us how important it is for everyone to pull their own weight. Ma says differently, but she only says that because she's worried. I know that I haven't been Searched, but being a dragonrider is in our blood. I think I have a good chance of Impressing -
you're the Weyrwoman, and everyone except Ma on your side Impressed, except one of my cousins. I would like to have the chance to Stand, anyway
- it is my duty to Pern. I am not a Crafter, but as a dragonrider I could save lives by fighting Thread, which is much more important than working in the stockrooms or building herdbeast sheds. I'm almost too old to Stand and I'd like to try at least once. Plus, mother is trying to marry me off and I don't want to get married yet.

Love, Felarin.

~*~

Dearest Mother, I hope that this letter finds you well, especially as we've heard some distressing things about River Bluff of late - is it true that there is a plague of some sort? How terrible if it is - I heard that there was a shortage of candidates for Tabanirth's clutch, although there were no dragonetts without lifemates. I hope things are better for Vilarth's clutch. I heard that there are only eighteen eggs. Is that really true?

No doubt by now you have received Felarin's letter. I am sorry that his foolish notions have to trouble you as well - ever since we returned from River Bluff he's done nothing but talk about dragons. I told him that since he has not been Searched he cannot Stand but he will not believe me.
You know how I feel on this issue, Mother. I worry enough about you, Neasale, and B'nartil without having to worry about my son as well. Please set his head on straight. We need him here, although he seems to think that helping rebuild Topaz Sea Hold is an unimportant task.

Send my love to Tabanirth.

Everlyin.

~*~

My dearest Everlyin, It is so good to hear from you! You don't write nearly as often as you ought to, and I miss having you here with me at the Weyr, especially while Tabanirth brooding over her Clutch. It's true that Vilarth's clutch was smaller than anticipated, and unfortunately as well it's also true that there is a beast plague here at the Weyr. It has begun to wane, and there were no humans who became ill because of it, but we still need candidates.
Please reassure those who worry that it is the Plague returned: it is nothing of the sort.

I did get the letter from Felarin, and while I know your thoughts on the matter, if he wishes to Stand it is his decision, and his alone. You are right that he has not been Searched, but the tendency to Impress does run along family lines. I will, however, outline the dangers inherent in dragonriding to him. I worry when my family is in the sky just as much as you do.

Love, Tsaera.

~*~

Dearest Felarin, How happy I was to receive your letter! I am sorry to hear that you are feeling so restless, however, and you are worrying your mother. Please be sensitive to her feelings: she has the tendency to fret herself into illness. If you wish to Stand, I will send a dragonrider to pick you up and bring you to the Weyr. No one is denied the right to Stand if they so wish to, unless they are physically or mentally incapable - and you are neither.
But rebuilding Topaz Sea Hold is just as important as fighting Thread, and far less dangerous. As a dragonrider you will be pushed physically to your limits on a regular basis, and every time you face Thread there is the chance that you will not come home alive, or that you will be maimed, or that you will lose your dragon. I know many dragonmen who have lost limbs to Thread, and if you feel as if you are wasted now, think of them: they are incapable of doing most things. Being my grandson will win you no favors, either. I miss you, Tsaera.

~*~

Mother! How could you?! All Felarin can talk about is dragonriding and dragons and his 'responsibility to Pern'. He's fulfilling his responsibility right _here_ and does not need to Stand to do so! How could you fill his head with all sorts of romantic notions about dragonriding when I specifically asked you to discourage him? I will not lose my son as well as my husband.

Everlyin.

~*~

My dearest Everlyin, I am sorry that you feel this way, but Felarin is almost twenty turns, and therefore can make his own decisions. There is no guarantee that he will Impress if he Stands and I have told him as much, but I have also told him that I will not deny anyone mentally and physically fit the right to Stand. As idiotic as it is, those rumors you asked me about - about plague at the Weyr - have scared away some of our candidates. I will not have dragonetts die on the Sands because of a malicious lie, and having my own grandson brought to the Weyr to Stand will hopefully quell most of those.
I will take care of him, Everlyin, and if he does not Impress then I will send him home to you. But I cannot deny him the right to Stand.

Love, Tsaera.

~*~

Dear Grandma, Mother is furious. She's stopped speaking to me, except to scream at me and accuse me of trying to kill myself. I know she's worried but nobody from our family has died from Thread except in the First Fall and that doesn't count because nobody knew what they were doing yet. I've thought lots about it and I've come to the same decision: it's my duty to Stand, and to fight for Pern. Felarin.

~*~

How _dare_ you use my son for political reasons - your own flesh and blood! Felarin might think he's an adult but he's still young and doesn't yet know his own mind. He doesn't realize that he won't ever have a proper family or that he could die or be horribly, horribly injured. I'm sorry for Vilarth if there is a lack of candidates and the thought of lost dragonetts horrifies me as much as anyone, but there is a small clutch and you do not need Felarin to fill out the ranks of candidates. I will not let you make my son into a puppet for your own purposes. Please help me, mother. I cannot lose my son. I cannot lose him.

Everlyin.

~*~

My dearest Everlyin, You will not lose Felarin. He loves you, and he worries about you. He is your son, and nothing - not me, not a dragon, and not Thread can take him from you. But he is also almost twenty and ready to make his way into the world. This is his decision, and I will take it seriously. He is a smart, well brought-up lad who does you credit, and only wishes to do what he thinks is right. I am not using him for my own personal gain, but I cannot deny that having him Stand will send a strong message to others that the Weyr is safe. If you so wish you may move back to the Weyr with him, and I will welcome you both with open arms. I will be sending a dragonrider for Felarin shortly.

Love, Tsaera.

~*~

Felarin, I will be sending a dragonrider to pick you up as soon as there is one to spare. Please be kind to your mother - this is very hard for her. She loves you very much. If you do decide to stay at Topaz Sea Hold, I will respect that decision as well.

I cannot wait to see you again! Tsaera.

~*~

Mother, No. I will not let him go. Nor will I move back to the Weyr - I left for a reason. Remember why? Because I could not stand waiting on the ground scanning the skies for your and my siblings' dragons. I could not bear it if anything happened to Felarin. He is all that I have left - I never see you or Neasale or B'nartil. Please do not do this. I beg you. Don't take my son from me. Please don't take my son.

Everlyin.

~*~

Grandma - or should I call you Weyrwoman now?

I can't wait to see a dragon in the sky and know that they're here for me.
I will make you proud. There is nothing else on Pern that I'd rather do than Stand. If I do not Impress, then at least I will know that I have tried. But I know that I will Impress, and I can't wait until I can serve Pern in the most important way of all.

Love, Felarin.

Last updated on the January 29th 2006

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