Was It Right?
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: Emma, Yvonne
Date Posted: 6th February 2006
Characters: Tsaera, K'sedel
Description: Tsaera and K'sedel spend and evening together, and wonder if they've done the right thing by Lenala and Ar'lis
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 10, day 9 of Turn 3
Tsaera sighed and looked into her mug. The dregs of beer at the bottom didn't hold any answers for her, unfortunately. It had been a few days since Vilarth's disastrous clutching, but it was still the only thing that the Weyr could talk about - that, and Lenala's temporary demotion. "I imagine you've heard that apparently I'm shopping around for a new Weyrwoman Second, haven't you?"
"That spread pretty quickly," said the Weyrleader, pouring himself some ale. "You wouldn't expect it not too?"
She snorted. "No. But I don't like the fact that it sounds as if I'm trying to get rid of Lenala. I'm not. I just... well, what do you think of her, K'sedel?"
"I don't know that much about her. She seemed to lead your wing well enough when Tabarnith had you on the sands."
"She did a very good job of it, and that's what's so frustrating."
Tsaera polished off the rest of her beer and set her mug aside, careful to put it on a coaster so as not to leave a ring on the table. "She can do her job, but every time there's the slightest hint of a problem she curls up into a ball and waits for someone else to fix it. Like with poor Vilarth - something went seriously wrong there. But instead of _doing_ something to fix it, we don't hear a word about it until Vilarth clutches. You know that I'm splitting her duties with a junior goldrider, Zakita... I just hope that she takes the time I've given her and puts it to good use." In a way Tsaera envied her: she wished that someone would do half of _her_ work, even for a few days. **Maybe then I could catch up on some sleep.**
"Maybe that will be the spur that she needs, to get her thinking the right way?" suggested K'sedel after a long drink from his tankard.
"It's not something I would normally suggest, but if the chance to get those knots back is dangled in front of her it might just provide the motivation to really think about things and tackle them properly."
"I hope so. Because I can't afford to _not_ give them back to her.
Zakita only Impressed three turns ago, and she's been here for only half a turn. Lenala's all I've got. What did you do with Ar'lis, by the way?"
K'sedel sighed. "I told him what I thought of his actions, then I restricted him to the Weyr for a month. He's to care for his dragon, and to make himself available to those who cannot care for their own dragons." There wasn't much else he could do to the man in reality, there was no rank to remove. "I figured the removal of privileges might help give him some time to think."
"I think we _all_ have some thinking to do. This is a mess."
"I couldn't agree more. But there will at least be eighteen new riders, that's something good that might come out of this."
Only eighteen. K'sedel was an optimist, whereas Tsaera saw herself as practical. Eighteen new riders, yes, but a disappointing eighteen when she had hoped for over fifty. "True. We'll have to start sending the Searchriders out again. At least the beast's disease seems to be easing, so hopefully we'll have an easier time recruiting."
"R'sedel is talented there, he has a good reputation in that department."
The Weyrwoman smiled. "And you wouldn't be biased at all."
"Just like you wouldn't see that grandson of yours doing well here."
Tsaera shrugged and refused to be baited. "I won't say that it wouldn't make me happy if he Impressed. Although Everlyin would be delighted if he didn't."
"She's not too impressed with his decision then?"
"No." Tsaera sighed. "But Everlyin was always a bit of a black caprine. She was never as... ambitious as the rest of my children were. She wanted the typical things - to get married to a man who would love her and take care of her, and to have children. And she _worries_. But she'll come around, given time."
"Well if he walks off the sands with a dragon, she'll have to get used to it." "You'd think that, wouldn't you." The Weyrwoman stared at her hands -
when at they gotten so old looking?! Her knuckles were freckled with brown age spots, and the skin on the back of her hands was wrinkled and as hard as leather. Everlyin was stubborn, Felarin was overly eager, and Lenala... running the Weyr had been much, much easier before Thread returned. Nothing _mattered_ as much. If Lenala had a bad flight before the Pass, it would be shrugged off. She would be consoled and cosseted. Now there was no time for that. Everlyin wouldn't be so vehemently opposed to Felarin Standing if there was no Thread in the sky. She sighed. "Ah well. What's done is done, for Everlyin and Lenala both. And I can only hope that I've done the right thing."
"I hope we have too."
Last updated on the February 6th 2006