Good Memories

Writers: Avery, Estelle
Date Posted: 15th December 2020

Characters: M'gan, Kehrana
Description: M'gan catches up with an old friend from Vista Point and makes a discovery
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 3, day 10 of Turn 10
Notes: Mentioned: R'kehr
Takes place after DCW: A Similar Look

Beralith listened to the bronze who reached out to her. The small green
stretched on the rim and shuffled herself so that he could see her in
more detail. She always liked when bronzes chatted her up. When she
received his message, she reached out to her rider.

}:Isarth just contacted me. He remembers us from Vista Point. His rider
would like to catch up with you.:{

Isarth's rider... Kehrana tried thinking back through who she knew.
Beralith helped with a mental impression of the bronze and his rider,
and she thought maybe she remembered him. Well, she _did_ like dinner
and drinks, why not see who he was, what he was like, and if she found
anything interesting in him?

*See if he's free this evening, and if not, tell him I'll be fine any
time in the next few for him.**

Beralith obligingly passed it on.

M'gan was free, and now he had the idea in his head after meeting R'kehr
at the lake, he couldn't put it out of his mind. He wanted to know, more
than he ever had before, and it surprised him. But he got on with his
wing reports, trying without much success to concentrate on other
matters, then at last asked his dragon to tell Beralith he was on his way.

He felt unexpectedly nervous as he walked into the dining cavern. Of
course, he didn't have to say anything. He could just catch up with her,
talk about old times, have a drink or two. There was time. Though when
you were a dragonrider in a Pass, you never really knew...

Looking around, he saw a woman who matched the vague memories in his
head - the dark curls, though he thought they'd been longer back then,
and a look of the young bronzerider. He raised his hand in a slightly
uncertain greeting. "Kehrana?"

She looked over him. Ah, yes, he was good looking - she could see why
she'd have bedded him before - _and_ he looked familiar. "M'gan?
Beralith told me you and Isarth had transferred here! It's good to see you."

"Likewise. You don't look a day older than when I left Vista Point,"
M'gan said gallantly. "I'd heard you were here and thought you might
like to share some memories over a meal or a drink. Or both!"

Though it had been nearly 15 Turns, there was still the signs of the
striking beauty she'd been as a teenaged weyrbrat, then as a
mid-twenties wingrider. Her brown curls only went to her neck, but her
cheeks dimpled when she smiled and her eyes crinkled happily. "That
sounds lovely. I'm happy when I see someone else I knew from before. I'm
surprised I didn't spot you before. I guess because I'm flying in Rapids
with the other Bluff refugees."

"That, and unlike you I'm a little more grizzled now than when I left,"
M'gan said, laughing, as they approached the serving tables. "I've
actually not been here that long. Isarth and I transferred back from
High Reaches and it makes us glad to see a few friendly faces." He
sobered for a moment. "Though I didn't know you'd been at River Bluff.
That was a terrible day."

"We transferred there to get a change of place. I was tired of the same
old weyr I'd had since I was a weyrling, and my parents were both gone
by then, so it seemed the right time to go. I didn't want to lose being
on the sea, and River Bluff was right over there, so it was an easy move
to make," she explained.

"Did you ever visit in the last few turns? You know, for awhile River
Bluff looked like Vista Point. Rider-wise, I mean. Both of the senior
queens were Vista Point hatched, though in my opinion neither of them
were really _good_ goldriders. And some of the bronzes were from there
too. None as nice as Isarth," she teased.

She fell quiet as she picked up a plate of food and filled it. After
they both had food, she said, "It was a terrible day, but it could have
been worse. We were outside doing drills when the warning came and
helped evacuate a number of people from the Lower Caverns in time,
including my children."

"Oh, yes. I met your son down by the lake." M'gan headed for a free
table, in one of the less crowded parts of the cavern. "That's how I
learned you were here. Fine bronze he's got." He took a seat, wondering
how in the world he could bring up what he wanted to ask. "I remember
him as a young weyrbrat, always running around with a big group of
friends. He's turned out well."

"I'm glad you met him and not my eldest daughter. Uriana's a free
spirit, hangs around the flight cots, you know how they are in the
hormone ages," Kehrana said with a smile. She'd been the flight-moth
type before Impressing, so she couldn't really blame her girl.

"He always _was_ a social child. It's funny, the dragonets never sniffed
at him at Vista Point. I'd given up all hope he'd Impress. So he picked
up being a _cook_ of all things to do in between clutches. He was good
at it, though. Makes good bread and amazing stew. I was so surprised
when he finally Impressed, and to bronze." Her smile was fond - she was
proud of him, even though she hadn't really done too much for him.

"Must have been waiting for his Thadath. It's not altogether a bad
thing, to Impress late in a Pass. Some of the young lads in my Wing look
like they should still be singing Teaching Ballads with the harper, not
facing Thread." M'gan shook his head. He fell silent for a moment,
almost losing his nerve. The young man seemed happy enough without
knowing. Should he leave it be?

"So, when I saw R'kehr at the lake, I thought he looked really
familiar," he began. "Well, of course he did, he's your son and I know
you, but I mean, familiar as in..." His voice trailed off while he
mentally berated himself. He sounded like a wingrider trying to explain
why he'd forgotten to bring his riding helmet to drill. "And I
remembered when Isarth flew Beralith back at Vista Point, and wondered
if it had been about the right time."

"At least he didn't have to wait in the weyrling wing. I wouldn't have
wanted to Impress at 12 and wait. I know that you did, and I don't know
how you handled waiting around to be considered old enough."

She paused, thinking about it, then said, "Then again, you did Impress
pre-Pass. Graduating into the wings just meant that we got to do adult
duties and compete in wing competitions. No Falls to worry about."

As he spoke, somewhat hesitantly, she picked at her fish, letting him
figure out what he wanted to get at. When he mentioned the flight, she
half-closed her eyes, thinking back. "You won a few of mine, I think.
Surprised you remember, with how many greens he must win," she teased.
"I wasn't seeing anyone seriously at the time. It could be."

"I've got a good memory," M'gan said, with a quick grin. "I thought I'd
better check, though, in case I was completely wrong, or there was
someone else in the picture." He paused, pushing at his food with his
fork. "Do you think I ought to say anything to him? I know I've not been
attentive, exactly, and I've been an ocean away most of his life. If
he's happy enough as it is then I won't intrude."

"It's not your fault you didn't know he was yours, there's no need to
beat yourself up about not having been attentive. Women know when they
birth a child, it's hard for men to be sure if the woman's not
exclusive. And the children don't always get the look of the father till
they're older. As a young boy he had my curls and not much else. I have
no idea who fathered my youngest daughter, but I have guesses on the
second. When the parents are dragonriders, well, they're all creche
children anyway and like they're the whole Weyr's. So he's always seen
it, anyway."

She tilted her head at him. "If I'd known for sure and told you when he
was younger, would you have wanted to have been more involved?"

Being weyrbred, and having had three children with different fathers,
Kehrana had a pragmatic view of things.

"Well, to tell the truth... I don't know," M'gan admitted. "I might have
given him a gift on his birthingday and introduced him to Isarth, but I
hardly thought of anything but my dragon and my Wing in those days, and
preparing for the return of Thread. I imagined it was going to be all
thrilling deeds and glory." He shook his head, smiling at the
foolishness of his younger self. "Now I'm older and I've come back to
the South, I've started to wonder what it would have been like, to have
that kind of bond with a child. You can have the whole Weyr for your
family but sometimes, perhaps, it's good to know where you come from,
and who you'll leave behind you."

"You were serious and focused. It was nice to see people taking it
seriously and not just being hedonists. Like me," she said, grinning.

She studied his expression as he talked about legacies. "If you want to
know him but you don't know how he'll react, you could try just getting
to know him, act like any bronzerider mentoring another one, then make
your decision about saying something. Nothing says you have to tell him
this month, right?"

"That's true. And I suppose it would be less disconcerting for him, than
hearing it from a virtual stranger." M'gan thought for a moment. "I
don't suppose I'd better leave it too long, though. He seemed bright; he
might figure it out for himself."

"That's children for you, they figure things out quickly," she agreed.
Hers had figured out that she wanted to give presents to them and dote
now and then but that she didn't want to be day-to-day closely involved.
R'kehr had never seemed to mind that. Uriana and Ehrissa had been more
stressed about it in various ways.

"On the other hand, if he's not expecting it, why would he think about
it? Who goes around examining everyone and going, 'are you my father'?"

"I wouldn't know," M'gan said, laughing. "I knew who mine was. But
perhaps you're right. Let's wait and see." Putting difficult decisions
off wasn't something he liked to do, usually, but he really didn't want
to get this one wrong. "If he does ask me, though, I'll explain - unless
you'd rather I sent him to you?"

"No, you're welcome to. He'd probably be more excited to hear it from
you than from me," she said.

"Thank you. Well, now I can relax." That had gone better than he'd
hoped, and he was glad Kehrana had turned out to be as good-natured as
he remembered. "I couldn't say if this calls for a celebration or not,
but if in doubt... Can I get you a drink?"

"I would _love_ to have a drink with you." She smiled and her whole face
crinkled. M'gan was so _sweet_. How had she forgotten that?

"Wonderful. I've been here long enough to learn the most important
detail at a new Weyr, at least. Which of the kitchen staff to ask to
bring a thirsty rider a bottle of good wine." He winked as he stood.
Seeing Kehrana again had brought back some very good memories, and there
might always be the chance to make some more...

Last updated on the January 13th 2021

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Good Memories