Trying to Explain

Writers: Estelle, Miriah, Suzee
Date Posted: 16th January 2020

Characters: Lorican, Y'gel, Reamune
Description: Lorican tries to visit Urlene, but meets Y'gel instead.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 1, day 14 of Turn 10
Notes: Mentioned: Urlene, Lusilk

Y'gel

As the blue dragon landed in the Dolphin Cove Weyrbowl, Lorican realised
he still didn't know what he was going to say when he got to the
infirmary. Should he break off his courtship of Urlene for her own
safety, hoping that he might recover it later? Or tell her the truth
about the danger he was in? Both seemed impossible choices. Then there
was the news she had for him. Should he wait and hear what that was, first?

"You've got to be back in three candlemarks?" the dragonrider asked him
as he offered a hand down.

Lorican winced. "Or else the master smith will have my hide."

"Right." He grinned. "I've got to collect some supplies, but I'll be
here waiting after that. Let's make it two-and-a-half from now to be
safe, since there's the flight time. We'll get you back in time,
Journeyman, but don't be late."

"Yes, of course. Thank you!" He waved to the bluerider and set off
towards the Weyr entrance, feeling twice as nervous and uncertain as
he'd been his first day at the Smith Hall. He knew what he ought to do,
and yet he wasn't at all sure he'd be able to lie to Urlene.

When he got to the infirmary, though, she wasn't there, and in fact it
was surprisingly quiet apart from an apprentice on duty. Lorican
frowned. Could he have got the time differences wrong? He'd thought this
was her shift.

"Excuse me?" he asked the apprentice. "I was looking for the Weyrhealer..."

The young apprentice had only recently began her duties in the
infirmary and showed all the nervous excitement of most when first
starting their craft. This one, however, managed to keep most of it in
check when Lorican approached, pausing as she struggled to keep a hold
of the stack of clean infirmary linens. "Oh, sorry. I didn't see you."
She glanced around, set the stack down before she dropped it and
turned to face him. "Master Urlene? Oh, well, she's not available
right now. There's a rider's weyrmate who went into labor, and the
baby wasn't coming, so Master Urlene's in emergency surgery right now.
She just scrubbed up only like a quarter of a candlemark ago, so
she'll be busy for a while." She blew a stray strand of hair from her
face. "I can get you another Healer if you need one. Or I can take a
message or something. Or you can wait, if you really need to see her.
But once she's out of surgery, if it's not important, then she may
just tell you to come back tomorrow."

The girl finally took a breath to look at Lorican's knots, noted the
Barrier Lake colors, and grimaced with a flush. "Oh, you're probably
needing stuff for the Weyrhold. Uhm..." She glanced over her shoulder.
"Just a minute. I'll get Master Y'gel. He can probably help you just
as easily and he's like the Weyrdragon Healer, so he's equal to Master
Urlene, and he can approve of anything and get with Master Urlene
later." Before he could answer, the apprentice darted off towards the
dragon's infirmary area.

"There's no need, it was a..." Lorican watched her run off out of
earshot. "...personal matter." He looked around at the empty room in
consternation. What was he going to say to this other master, whose day
he was interrupting? Then there was the time. He'd no idea how long the
surgery would take. Unsure what else he could do, he took a seat to
wait, drumming his fingers on his knee in evident anxiety.

Y'gel walked into the Infirmary drying his hands on a towel. "How can
I help... Lorican?" He hadn't expected the smith to show up
unannounced. His mind clicked through the probabilities and he
realized the man must have gotten a rider to bring him. "I'm sorry
Urlene is in surgery, is there something I can do for you?"

"Oh - no. I'm sorry to interrupt your work, Weyrdragonhealer," Lorican
stood, clearly embarrassed. He wondered how the man knew him, and
remembered that the whole dining cavern had seen him with Urlene the
night before he'd left Dolphin Cove. Obviously he'd take an interest in
his colleague in the infirmary. "I just...my Master at the Weyrhold gave
me some free time, so I came back to visit. I can wait, if that's all
right."

"I'm sorry Lorican," he said, and he really was sorry. He knew Urlene
would want to see him but he shook his head. "She just went into
surgery and it's going to be several candlemarks. Do you have that much
time?" He spread his hands and gave voice to his thoughts. "I'm sure
she wants to see you," he smiled a friendly sort of smile.

The apprentice's face fell when she realized that it hadn't been a
shipment. Only twelve, she'd wanted to impress everybody, but it
seemed that she'd made a big issue out of something really minor.
Eager to better helpful, she chirped up, "Master Y'gel and Master
Urlene are friends. They work together alot and helps with big
surgeries and stuff. I've even got a rotation coming up with him
soon." She beamed up at the Dragonhealer.

"He knows more about her than anyone I'll bet, so you can believe
him. It'll be a while. Should I peek in and tell her, Master Y'gel?"

"No, thank you Reamune," Y'gel said repressively but with a tolerant
smile. "We can't distract her just now. Why don't you go ask
Journeyman J'gan if you can help him with Foramyth?" He watched the
girl go and shook his head. "She's very enthusiastic." he chuckled.
"Not usually a bad thing in an apprentice. But this one talks a lot
when she's nervous."

"Look, it's not really my place to say anything..." he started.

Lorican had been anxiously considering whether a few candlemarks was
likely to mean more than three, and whether he should risk being late
and incurring Master Dunrik's ire, but the bronzerider's tone gave him a
jolt of concern.

"Is...is something wrong? Master Urlene is well...isn't she?" She'd not
mentioned anything in her last letter other than her mysterious news. He
wondered, guiltily, if rumors about him and Lusilk had already reached
Dolphin Cove. He knew he was doing the right thing - he just wished it
felt that way.

"She's fine, I just gave her a physical. I just don't appreciate you
stringing her along this way, She cares for you." Y'gel said with
narrowed eyes. "Why don't you go back to your new... whatever she is
and stop thinking you can have your cake and eat it too. It isn't fair
to her."

"My new...but we're not...I'm not..." In his astonishment and horror
Lorican forgot, for a moment, that he was supposed to be hiding the
truth and his words trailed off in confusion. Had word really reached
the Infirmary so fast? Then he remembered, with a sinking feeling, that
this man was a dragonrider. He could have been to the Weyrhold half a
dozen times since he'd moved into Lusilk's apartments.

He felt the weight of the tall rider's contempt and knew he'd feel the
same in his position. How could he explain? This man was clearly a close
friend, from what the apprentice had said. Along with the guilt came a
stab of jealousy. Y'gel could see her every day. He'd examined her. Was
there another reason why he wanted to get rid of Lorican?

"I never wanted to hurt her," he said at last, and frowned, hearing how
weak that sounded, honest as it was. "It's hardly anyone's business but
ours."

"Look," Y'gel glared at the other man. "You know and I know there is
another woman but Urlene doesn't know yet. I'd just as soon she not be
further hurt by your behavior than necessary. I have no doubt she'd
love to see you. But you're only bringing her more pain so... why
shouldn't I just kick you out of here?"

Lorican stared back at him in mute despair, knowing he couldn't explain.
He'd given Lusilk his word, and he'd come dangerously close to breaking
it already. The one spark of hope was that Urlene didn't yet know about
his situation, but it was small consolation if this man knew and could
tell her whenever he liked.

A memory returned, suddenly, and a chill crept over him. She'd told him,
that first night they'd spent together, how she'd had one lover, here at
the Weyr. A friend. Someone she respected. Who would she respect, if not
her fellow Master?

"She asked to see me," he said, helpless with shame and envy. Shells,
the man was right. Perhaps he should never have allowed himself to dream
of her, much less to begin a courtship, knowing how he was pursued. He
swallowed. "I need to speak with her, too."

"I told you she was in surgery. So you can't see her right now." Y'gel
said as though explaining to a child for the tenth time. "But I will
tell her you were here and even come get you if she wants to see you."

The smith's jaw tightened at Y'gel's tone, and he had to bite his tongue
and tell himself it was to be expected, given what the man must think of
him. "I'd appreciate that," he replied stiffly. "Is it all right if I
wait, though? Perhaps she'll be finished before I have to leave."

"I have no issues with you waiting. But you might check with your
ride to make sure they have the time." Y'gel was fed up with the smith
who could have really made Urlene happy for the first time in her life
and chose to leave and move in with some other woman. He was a
dragonrider and understood how things change for people all the time.
But she'd had tough armor that he'd stripped away and then left her
pretty much pregnant and alone. To him that was unforgivable. He was
very certain he didn't want to be the one to tell her and break her
heart. His contempt showed in his eyes. "Do what you like, But hurt
her and I'll come looking for you."

"I understand." His heart heavy, Lorican stared down, unable to meet the
man's gaze. "I didn't mean any of this to happen. If I could go back,
change what I did..." Would he exchange those precious three days with
Urlene for anything? To keep her safe and her heart whole, he knew he
would, in an instant.

He returned to his seat. "The dragonrider who brought me returns to the
Weyrhold in two candlemarks. If she isn't finished by then...I'll write,
and explain."

"Sounds good" Y'gel nodded. "Just leave your note with the Journeyman.
He'll make sure she gets it." He highly doubted the man would trust
_him_ to give her a note, even though he would.

Last updated on the January 18th 2020

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Trying to Explain