I'm Here For You

Writers: Heather, Suzee
Date Posted: 21st February 2021

Characters: R'nar, Cyradis
Description: R'nar goes to his mother, hoping that Cyradis will tell him that his worst nightmare isn't real.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 8, day 19 of Turn 10

Cyradis

**This can't be happening.** The words reverberated and ricocheted
around in R'nar's head as he strode through the Weyr towards his
mother's office.

The young bronzerider was still covered in ash and sweat from
threadfall, the only thing clean on his face were the lines where
tears had ran.

}:Mine, they're gone.:{ Iorath repeated, his voice infused with sorrow.

**No! They probably just /betweened/ and came out somewhere else!
Their coordinates were scattered!** His mind's voice was a desperate
hiss.

R'nar burst through his mother's office door, his dark brown eyes
red-rimmed as he put both hands down on her desk.

"Tell me what happened." His voice hitched. "Where are they?"

"I'm sorry," she said. "They didn't make it R'nar." That news was
difficult to give any rider but multiple times more difficult to give
her son.

R'nar's head bowed as his vision became obscured by scalding tears.
**Gone?** His hands flexed and unflexed, curled over the sides of his
mother's desk. "But...but how?"

Cyradis teared up herself and rose to step around her desk and put her
arms around her son. "I'm not sure exactly," she said. "The storm, the
conditions were really bad and confusing. There was a lightning strike
and a collision then they were gone along with Borth and J'rai.

Pain lanced through his heart. She had been in trouble and he hadn't
even known. Turning, R'nar wrapped his arms around his mother and
buried his face in her neck. "Mom," he sobbed, unable to say anything
else.

She hugged him back as hard as he hugged her. "I'm so, so sorry," she said.

The thought that he had just touched her for the last time that
morning, not knowing that he wouldn't get the chance to do so again
created an overwhelming ache in the center of his chest.

His head suddenly sprang up from Cyradis' neck. There was a desperate
look in his tear-reddened eyes. "I could... I could go back and get
her... before the accident."

"No," she said gently, staring directly into his eyes. "You can't."

He knew she was right, logically, but his grief didn't want to accept it.

"What am I supposed to do?" he groaned.

"You go to the creche," she said. "You hug your son. He will need you
more now than ever."

"Oh, Faranth, Eranar." Thinking of his son was like another dagger to
the solar plexus. The perfect little boy that Ranni had given him, at
nearly the cost of her own life. A child that would remind him, every
day, that Ranni was gone.

Even though the thought of his son brought pain, now that his mother
had mentioned him, R'nar felt almost panicky to get down to his son
and hold him in his arms. "You're right. I should... I should go see
him."

"Wait," she said, grabbing his arms. "You need to calm down first.
R'nar, when things go wrong in a parent's life you must be strong for
your children. If you go right this minute he'll feel some of what
you're feeling." She shook her head. "You don't want to distress him.
He won't understand."

"You're right," R'nar said, stopping in front of the door and hauling
in a deep breath. He looked down at his wet leathers, streaked with
dust and grime. He needed a bath. Then he remembered Iorath, who was
still standing in the Weyrbowl in his riding straps, waiting to be
washed. "I'll go get Iorath scrubbed and then I'll clean up. Maybe by
then I'll be calm enough to go see him."

"Good," she nodded. "And remember, I have an endless supply of hugs
and kisses for you both. I know it's not going to heal soon or easily,
sweetheart. But I'm here for you."

R'nar couldn't imagine ever healing from the loss of Ranni and he knew
without a doubt that he would need his mother's strength over the
coming days. His mother was the strongest woman he knew. "Thanks,
Mom."

Last updated on the February 24th 2021

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I'm Here For You