He's Not a Killer

Writers: Devin, Estelle
Date Posted: 17th June 2022

Characters: R'fal, N'vanik
Description: R'fal is summoned to see the Weyrleader about his missing father
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 9, day 18 of Turn 10
Notes: Mentioned: J'ackt

N'vanik

R'fal had barely slept more than an hour or two the night after the
Hatching, and when the dawn came he was exhausted. He imagined his Da
out there alone, he racked his brains for possible places he might be,
trying to remember old stories he'd told about his travels. If only he
knew...but even if he did have an idea, he couldn't leave his weyr. He
would have to tell J'ackt or the Weyrleader. And what if - surely his
father wouldn't have had anything to do with the poisoning. Would he?

He went to sit with Marlath in his couch, leaning against the brown's
warm side for comfort, and had fallen into an uneasy doze when his
dragon told him that Loseth's rider would see him now.

N'vanik tried to calm himself before the young brownrider arrived.
Whatever involvement Terren might have with the poisoning, R'fal
hadn't helped him escape.

It had almost been a relief when the summons came. At least now he'd
know the worst. R'fal left Marlath sleeping and feeling a little
light-headed from lack of sleep or food himself, he headed for the
Weyrleader's office.

"Weyrleader. You sent for me."

"You're aware your father is accused of being involved in poisoning
the weyrlings' meat. And now he's gone missing. I'm sure you know how
serious this is." N'vanik was also angry with himself for giving that
tunnelsnake a chance.

"Yes, sir." R'fal wanted to explain how his father would never harm a
dragon, that he might not be entirely honest but he wasn't that kind of
man, but he bit back his words. Why should anyone, least of all the
Weyrleader, believe him?

"Do you know where he might have gone? We've already checked your
family's hold and he wasn't there," N'vanik said. And it sounded like
Terren was none too welcome if he did show up.

"No, sir. There's this tavern that he asked me to take him to sometimes,
but I tried there and they said they hadn't seen him." He winced,
remembering the hostile glares his wingrider's knots had received in
that place.

N'vanik narrowed his eyes. "Yes, J'ackt said you mentioned a tavern
your da visits. Out in Emerald Falls territory, with people who don't
like dragonriders. You know how that sounds, don't you?"

"Yes, sir. But I don't think they dislike dragonriders because they hate
the Weyr, or had anything to do with what happened. I think it's
because..." He steeled himself, knowing this wasn't going to be good,
but it was better than the alternative. "They're thieves."

The Weyrleader made a sound low in his throat. "Is he up to his old
tricks again?"

"He told me he gave them the sweepride schedules." R'fal remembered the
cotholder family his wingmate had told him about, who'd been attacked
when the skies were empty of dragon wings. A cold weight of guilt
settled in his belly. "I think that's why, when he heard a bronzerider
was looking for him, he was scared. I said we should go to you, but...
It's my fault. I never thought he was doing anything there but drinking
and playing cards."

N'vanik sighed. "If he's lucky, that's all it was and Enali pointed
the finger at him because she knew about his past. Maybe about his
little den of thieves too." And if Terren actually had been involved
with the poisoning, N'vanik would find a way to hunt him down and make
him pay.

"Sir, I really don't think he had any part in what happened last night."
R'fal knew no-one would take his word for that, but he had to try. "My
da has done a lot of wrong things, but he's not a killer. He wouldn't
hurt the hatchlings."

"Too bad he's not here to defend himself." N'vanik crossed his arms
and studied R'fal for a moment. "I want to believe you, R'fal. But I
can't overlook how suspicious this is." He needed to speak to his
contact. A tavern full of thieves should be easy for her people to
infiltrate, if she didn't have someone there already.

"Yes, sir. I understand." R'fal felt some faint hope that the Weyrleader
hadn't completely dismissed his father's innocence. "He's just really
scared of being sent back to the mines. If he has a few days to think,
I'm sure he'll do the right thing." He also thought, with some shame at
his disloyalty, of the marks that Terren had taken from his desk. They
wouldn't last forever.

"If he contacts you, you need to tell me right away. If he's innocent,
we need to clear his name." Maybe that would motivate R'fal to turn
his father in. If circumstances were different, N'vanik would be
furious that Terren had slipped Weyr information to a group of
thieves, but right now all he cared about was whether Terren had tried
to kill hatchlings. "He's not a rider, so his discipline would
technically fall under the Weyrwoman, and she's got a soft heart."

"I will, sir." Some of the anxiety in the brownrider's eyes faded. If
only there was some way he could tell his father that he didn't have to
fear the mines if he told the truth. He worried about Terren, not even
knowing if he had somewhere to shelter from Thread. "I give you my word."

N'vanik nodded and considered his options. "I want to believe you're
more honest than your father, so I'm not going to restrict you to the
Weyr." He was going to have Panitath and Santhiath keep a close eye on
Marlath, though.

"Thank you, sir." R'fal felt a rush of relief at those words. He needed
to see his mother. If dragonriders had already visited his uncle's farm,
they must be worried - and perhaps she'd know how to get word to his father.

"You're dismissed." The Weyrleader's mind started turning toward the
next issue. There was so much to deal with and he hadn't gotten enough
sleep last night.

R'fal saluted and hurried out, hardly believing that he hadn't been
punished for the decisions he'd made. If the Weyrleader had trusted him,
he decided, he had to repay that trust by finding his father and
persuading him to return, and the best place to start would be at his
uncle's farm. **Marlath, let's get ready. We've got work to do.**

Last updated on the July 15th 2022

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He's Not a Killer