The New Watcher

Writers: Avery, Emma
Date Posted: 21st December 2015

Characters: K'dee, Zelah
Description: Xeladrie meets the new watchrider.
Location: Sunstone Seahold
Date: month 3, day 4 of Turn 8
Notes: Mentioned: Bryvin

Zelah

At least the weather was reasonable thought K'dee as he made another note on the hide, tracking that Timor had finally set for the day. and it seemed to be a quiet day, or at least it was weather wise. there had been several of the hold's residents pass by, he'd heard the sounds of appreciation as they admired Vatonth, and heard a few sighs of pity at the site of the crutch he needed to get about.

Xeladrie was out walking and enjoying fresh air. As her pregnancy neared its end, walking became harder, and she got tired quicker. It was enough to make her want to stay in, which she had for a sevenday. But then she realized she'd been feeling claustrophobic, so she was out walking, taking time to sit when she needed to. Besides, she'd been told that walking was good for her, so she felt compelled to do it. **Maybe this baby will come soon, and it'll be over then.**

She'd taken to carrying Glimmer with her so the little green could get air as well. Training was going…okay. She probably could be doing better, but in a fit of childishness she hadn't wanted to ask for help. So the little green was a bit fat and indolent and occasionally uncooperative. But she was beautiful, and she belonged to Xeladrie, and so she was important. She'd almost forgotten Glimmer was there in the pack at her hip until a head popped out and a high pitched cheeping started happening. The fire lizard
had sensed the bronze dragon, thought ~bigger kin~, and was struggling to get out.

"What's with you?" the lady asked, not sure how to interpret the flit's feelings. She stopped and started undoing the pack's flap to see what was happening.

"Ma'am", the bronzerider said politely to alert her to his presence. It hadn't taken much for Vatonth to inform him of the little green. "May I assist you?"

"I'm just trying to free my poor flit. Glimmer's interested in something," she said.

She looked up at him. Her eyes flicked across his chest, assessing, and lingered on his knots. "The new watchrider?" she said curiously.

"Yes Ma'am, Bronzerider K'dee at your service, and this is Vatonth, and I think he may be the reason your flit is all worked up."

The dragon in question had lifted his head, and was gently crooning a welcome.

"Could I help you get her loose?"

"Pleasure to meet you and Vatonth, K'dee. I'm Xeladrie."

She appreciated his gentlemanly offer. "I'd appreciate it. I got used to the pouch being on my hip before I was quite this round," Xeladrie said apologetically, turning her side so he could reach the pouch. "I think she wants to play with your dragon.

"He doesn't mind the little ones," K'dee said as he lent on his crutch to steady himself as he unfastened the clasp on the pouch. "Some dragons hate them though."

"Really? I thought they'd see them as friends," Xeladrie said.

Once the clasp was unfastened, the small green popped out and immediately winged her way over to Vatonth, chirping curiously and sending images of play.

"Some dragons think they are above them, but Vatonth here has a good sense of fun. I'm sure she won't bother him too much."

"He likes fun? Hope he's not too bored here at Sunstone," she said. "Is this your first time being assigned as our watcher?"

"It is," he said. "It took me a while to get mobile enough to come here," a wry smile crossed his face. "We can serve Pern this way, even if I can't fly in fall."

He'd mentioned it, so she didn't feel as terrible thinking about it. She'd been wondering if it had hurt him badly. "At least the weather's lovely here on the beach. I hear there are far worse holds to be assigned to."

"I hear some places have snow," he jokingly. "I prefer the warmer weather, the view tends to be better here as well."

"The view of the beach?" she asked.

"And the ladies too," he said, with a smile. "Yourself included Ma'am, and your lovely little green."

"Bronzerider, you are far too kind, as round as I am," Xeladrie said. But she blushed prettily, secretly extremely pleased by the compliment.

"Nonsense, it merely means that there'll be a little one who will no doubt take after you, with us shortly."

The blush spread a little further. "I hope he's a wonderful child."

"Or maybe it'll be a gorgeous little girl."

"I hope my husband is happy either way. I just hope they're safe," she said diplomatically. In truth, she wanted a boy, then she wanted to foster him off as quickly as possible. Raising a child wasn't something she had profound interest in.

"I am sure he will love you, and the child all the more," replied K'dee.

"That would be really nice." But she was more curious about the stranger. "Can I ask a few questions?"

"Of course." In his experience, most people asked about why he needed the crutch, or what it was like to fly, or the more bold holders in the taverns asked whether flights were really as intense as they said.

"Where did you come from before the Weyr? Were you a holder like me, or did you always live there?"

"I'm weyrborn. My father is a brownrider, my Ma is a smith. She's working on getting her mastery, and looking after my brother and sisters."

"Your mother crafts?" But that was an option at the Weyr, she remembered belatedly. "And what about you?" she asked quickly, hoping to not seem like a rube.

"Starsmith, I watch the weather."

"Maybe you can do forecasts for us," she joked. "Is that useful for a dragonrider at all?"

"It is, it helps predict how heavy a fall can be. Wet or really cold weather can make for a lighter fall," he explained. "So never knock winter that much."

"I didn't know that. So does that mean you do all the predicting for the Weyr before one?" Xeladrie knew the hold received charts of when Falls should be, but she had never considered overmuch how they happened.

"We try," K'dee said. "There's a pattern for winds, rainfall and thread, we just try to match them up to predict what will happen, and when."

"That's pretty interesting. Maybe you could tell me about it sometime." Her father never would have let her learn about charts, because it wasn't useful for getting married.

"I'd be happy to." K'dee smiled. "All you need is some patience and a keen eye."

"Then I'll have to arrange that, as long as it doesn't distract from your important watch duties." She gave him an answering smile. He was a nice guy.

"Perhaps after my relief arrives," he suggested. "I can arrange for an extra candlemark here without too much problem."

"Where and when should we meet up?" she asked. She'd also figure out how to have her husband approve...maybe if she brought him to dinner.

"My next shift, is next sevenday, a little later than this one because it's the day after fall. Maybe after I finish, if someone had a flit that could take my report back, then I'd be off duty." K'dee was thinking aloud to some extent.

She nodded. "Feel free to ask a drudge for Xeladrie, if you don't see me around. But I'll be keeping an eye out for sure."

"I'll be watching out for you too, ma'am." He answered politely. But it hadn't taken much for him to notice how pretty she was, even though she was clearly expecting, it just seemed to have gently rounded out her features to their best, or so he thought.

"I should leave you to your watch. Thanks for talking to me, bronzerider K'dee."

"You're welcome," K'dee managed a slight bow.

Last updated on the December 27th 2015

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