Sleep Well, Stay Safe

Writers: Estelle, Miriah
Date Posted: 2nd January 2020

Characters: Urlene, Lorican
Description: Urlene writes to Lorican with some surprising news
Location: Barrier Lake Weyr, Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 1, day 2 of Turn 10
Notes: Mentioned: Lusilk, Dunrik

Urlene

The young brown firelizard sat on the small desk to wait, carefully
cleaning his talons after depositing the rolled letter. Stitch sniffled
around with interest, curious if Lorican had any treats that he might
pilfer before returning to his pet.

"Dearest Lorican,

The days have been very long lately and I know they must be so for you
as well. I admit that I've missed you dearly in your absence, but hope
you are making progress in your goals. I have heard that life is quite
busy there and I'm sure that you are taking your duties seriously. I've
seen your work ethic, so I imagine that you're often tired. Do not
over work yourself and cause injury. Nothing is worth that.

An acquaintance of yours from your Hold, Ilvar, came to the infirmary
after a minor injury. He spoke highly of you and your work and was sorry
to have missed you. I had to tell him you had left and gone to the
Weyrhold. He seemed a pleasant enough man and said he would reach out
to you too see how you are doing. I do hope you can renew your
friendship. Perhaps you should find time to write to him and let him
know that you are well.

I have surprising news for you, Lorican, but am loathe to give it to
you in a letter as it is very important and I would like to speak to you
in person. Just know that it has changed everything and had brought me
great happiness and joy, but there are matters concerning the news that
we must discuss as soon as we are able to meet. Do not rush to return,
or be remiss in your duties, though. There is time for this
discussion. I would not have it distract you or pull you from your work.

Please know that my thoughts are always with you. I know that I'm not
poetic in my ways of showing you how much you mean to me, but there is
not a day that goes by that I'm not distracted by thoughts and memories
of you. I miss you very much.

Please take care of yourself.

Love,
Urlene"

***

Lorican absently reached into the drawer of his desk for a handful of
the scraps of dried meat he'd been told firelizards liked, and set them
down for Stitch. The design he'd been working on was forgotten as he
read over the letter, once with heart beating fast, and then a second
time, more slowly, taking in every word.

Urlene's words filled him with warmth and delight and yet left him
troubled. Try as he might, he could not remember ever having met a man
called Ilvar. Of course, he had encountered many people in his
journeying, and it was possible he'd simply forgotten, but he couldn't
help noticing that now this man knew where he was.

**You're becoming as suspicious as Lusilk,** he told himself, and hoped
it was nothing. Because if it wasn't, then a man who was just like her
had been with Urlene... But how could he ask, without worrying her?

Then there was her mysterious news. What could it be, that she was only
willing to discuss it with him in person? He swallowed, feeling suddenly
cold inside. Had she met someone else - another man, a dragonrider
perhaps - and was too kind to tell him in a letter? Surely she wouldn't
have written so affectionately if that was the case. Or had she had
contact with her family? What would they think of him, a mere low-born
journeyman?

It wouldn't be long until he had to return to the forge, but he thought
he had time for a short note to send back with the firelizard.

***

"Dear Urlene,

You'll be glad to know I'm sitting down and resting my shoulder for a
while as I work on a design for one of the pieces requested by the
technicians. It's beyond me to understand what they need such odd bits
of metalwork for, but I like the challenge of it and though it fills my
days, it's not heavy work.

Your letter filled me with wonder and curiosity about the news you
mentioned. All I can say is that whatever brings you joy must surely do
the same for me many times over, and I hope you'll let that knowledge
guide you until we can meet in person. I will speak to Master Dunrik
today. There may be some business he wants done with the smithy at
Dolphin Cove.

Perhaps I shouldn't get my hopes up but the thought of seeing you again,
even if only for a day, lifts my spirits more than any other since I
came here to the Weyrhold. Every moment we spent together is precious to
me and my heart longs to add to that store of memories, very soon.

Your Lorican

PS - You'll think me foolish, but I'm afraid I have a terrible memory
for names, though I'm better with faces. Was Ilvar a tall, fair man with
the look of a seacrafter?"

***

It wasn't until evening that Urlene was able to read Lorican's letter.
Tired and hungry, she waited until she had a bowl dried fruit and thin
slices of meat on bread before unrolling it. Reading quickly, she
rubbed the slight mound that her abdomen had become. She'd managed to
be discreet so far, relying on methods that she'd learned from her
mother and grandmothers; she wore high waisted gowns that concealed a
growing belly and thickening waist, but were still attractive. That
could be done until she simply could no longer conceal her condition.
She disliked the idea of even more rumors floating about the Weyr.
Only three knew of her condition and she preferred to keep it that way
until absolutely necessary.

She wavered on her response before setting it to a hide. She didn't
know if she was quite ready to tell him yet, especially the worst
part. How was she to tell him that he might not be the father of the
child she carried? Hall-bred as he was, it would likely be enough to
have him repudiate her and she wanted this dream to continue, if only
for a little while longer. Selfish, true, but she desperately wanted
to cling to it.

"Dearest Lorican,

As I said, as much as I would love to see you, there is no cause for
hurry. It can wait, but I hope that when you hear what I have to say,
that it will bring you happiness as well. There is time, sweet
Lorican. Do your duties as you must for now. Should it become
pressing, I will let you know. Presently, it's not urgent.

Ilvar did not have blonde hair, nor was he overly tall. He has dark
hair and blue eyes with a scar along his cheekbone and a crooked nose.
He wasn't unpleasant to look at but rather average, I think, and close
to you in age, but I got the sense that he has lived a harder life
than yourself. He was a very polite and well-mannered man and told me
that he was a trader who knew your work well and had traveled with
you.

I am off to sleep now and have had a long day. There is a brownrider
here in the infirmary that requires constant attention that has quite
drained my energy. I will write again to you soon.

Love,
Urlene"

***

Lorican received the letter early in the morning, just as he was waking.
It was still dim in the smiths' cot, so he reached up and half-opened
the glowbasket before unrolling it. Though he wondered, still, what her
news might be, his eyes were drawn to the description of Ilvar and he
felt a growing chill in his belly as he read. He had traveled with
traders before, it was common enough to seek company and safety in
numbers on the road, but he could recall no-one who looked like that.
He'd have thought he would remember the scar...

Hearing movement in the next room as the others began to stir, he
unlocked his chest and tucked the letter in with the others. He'd show
it to Lusilk later, and see what she made of it.

**Sleep well, love,** he thought silently, and touched her ring that
hung at his neck. **Stay safe.** Then he closed the chest and got to his
feet to prepare for the day ahead. Though he tried to focus on the work
he'd have to do that morning, he couldn't shake the feeling of
uneasiness about what he'd read in the letter.

Who was Ilvar? What did he want?

Last updated on the January 4th 2020

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