Before Surgery, There are Goodbyes

Writers: Avery, Heather, Miriah, Suzee
Date Posted: 7th April 2019
Series: The Wingleader's Surgery

Characters: Cyradis, Kapera, Jeyme, Urlene, D'hol, Solmon
Description: The day of surgery begins.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 10, day 25 of Turn 9
Notes: To be continued

Cyradis

---

Shortly after dawn, D'hol sat on his bed, freshly bathed as he waited
for Cyradis to finish dressing. The order had been passed to Yumath
that he was not to take any of his fellis this morning and he could
already feel a steadily throbbing ache. It was tolerable, but
experience had shown him that it would grow worse within the
candlemark, if not sooner. He looked up at Cyradis, knowing that she
had also received the message that they were ready for him.

"I'm going with you," she said almost as though she thought he would
protest.

Rising from the bed, his lip twitched at the inner pang, but he
nodded. He had figured she would insist on it. He looked around at his
weyr, then offered his hand to Cyradis. Yumath's deep rumble of
disquiet at his inner thoughts belied D'hol's outward calm. He had
little faith that he'd see the sunset. "Let's get this over with."

"Hey," she said as she took his hand and stopped him with her other
hand on his chest. "We have to believe you're going to get through
this."

Looking down at her, D'hol wanted to believe it. For an instant, the
darker, more cynical part of him thought that she had only told him
that he was still loved only to get him through the surgery. But then
he remembered the previous night and knew that she'd been completely
honest with him; she would not have come to him otherwise. He offered
a slight smile and brushed the back of his fingers over his cheek.
"I'm trying. But if I don't..." He stopped, took a breath and then
shook his head. "No, I think I'll follow your lead on this one." He
squeezed her hand, then brought it to his mouth to kiss her knuckles.
"Yumath says they're waiting."

"If it helps at all," she said. "They think they can get you through
this and brought in help from the Healer Hall." But the look on his
face told her he still had his doubts though he was trying. She nodded
and went out the door. Soon they were at the Infirmary and as she'd
asked them the day before, they'd made sure there were no people
watching other than those who needed to be there.

"Lord D'hol," an elderly healer came forward holding out his hand. "It
is a pleasure to meet you. I'm Solmon and will be assisting the
surgeon today."

Cyradis gave his hand one last squeeze and stepped away toward where
Kapera and Jeyme waited.

Jeyme observed the way D'hol and Cyradis were holding hands on their way
in. Was Cyradis finally going to make her feelings for D'hol public
despite being weyrmated to K'deren? she wondered.

What an odd threesome they made, Jeyme thought; Cyradis, his true love;
her, his former weyrmate; and Kapera, the one who had ruined their
relationship. But they were all there for D'hol because not only did he
matter to them, he mattered to Dolphin Cove and Pern.

Reptin glanced up as the dragon rider entered, intrigued to see the man
that had drawn so much of the healer hall's attention.

Kapera shifted on her feet as she looked at the healing team, trying to
tamp down her nerves about this procedure. Healers weren't her favorite
people to be around for awhile, especially not after her own long
Infirmary experiences. It was hard enough for her to go into the
Infirmary when it was just visiting riders in her wing who were injured.
When it was someone she cared about, it was worse. And going in for her
own visits, practically impossible.

But she _had_ to be here today. Dolphin Cove needed its Wingleader.
Cyradis needed D'hol, professionally and personally. Jeyme needed
D'hol...as a father figure to their child, if not for any personal
reason, any more, if she was over him. He had to be held here for all of
those reasons.

She had no reason to be _nearly_ as worried as Cyradis did. Or Jeyme.
She had only been his lover in body, never touched a piece of his heart
like the other two women had. She knew why she was here - not because
D'hol felt anything for her, but because her dragon could exert a pull
on his to keep him anchored and could do it without distraction. Knowing
it was just a job made it easier for Kapera, even as she worried Riyanth
wouldn't be enough. Rather than express her nerves openly, she tried to
be reassuring.

Kapera smiled softly at Cyradis as the older goldrider joined her and
Jeyme. "Yumath won't let him go, and Riyanth has Yumath."

Hesitating only a moment before taking the Master Healer's hand, D'hol
revealed his true trepidation about the entire procedure in that one
little gesture. He took the proffered hand and shook it with a nod. "I
wish I could say it's a pleasure but under the circumstances, I'm
afraid I can't. But I am thankful for your assistance."

Urlene appeared from behind the curtain, looking scrubbed and calm.
"We have a whole team ready, Wingleader. If you'll step back here and
undress, we can get started."

D'hol paused and looked over his shoulder at the three women waiting
away from him. He offered Kapera a small smile of thanks, knowing that
she would understand. His eyes slid to Jeyme and in them was a
combination of regret and love that lingered there. Finally to
Cyradis, his look was indefinable, a mixture of love, thankfulness,
and oddly enough, farewell. The smile said 'goodbye' to all of them,
despite their hopes. He turned away, took a breath and stepped behind
the curtain with Urlene and Solmon.

Cyradis turned from that look with tears in her eyes but determination
in her heart. "Thank you Kapera," she nodded to the younger goldrider.
"Panitath will be ready to help should things get difficult." She took
Jeyme's hand. "I'm sorry," she said to the greenrider. She'd tried to
stay out of the greenrider's way when she was Weyrmated yet memories
weren't something she had any control over. Perhaps she'd understand.

Last updated on the April 12th 2019

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Before Surgery, There are Goodbyes