Turn's End Songs (1/4)

Writers: Avery, Heather
Date Posted: 13th February 2024

Characters: A'vel, R'nar, Iemia, Tasira, Lyndis, Nehati
Description: R'nar takes the night off to watch A'vel perform at Turns End
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 13, day 29 of Turn 10

When: m13 dTE t10
Where: DCW
Notes: First in a 4 part sequence!

****

"He'll be fine," the creche worker said again, for probably the hundredth time.

Eranar's usual foster mother was sick and R'nar had promised A'vel
that he would come to Dolphin Cove for Turn's End to see him play with
the other harpers. It was a promise that R'nar really wanted to keep,
but...

"Bronzerider," the skinny woman in front of him put her hands on her
hips and squared up, her chin lifting. "I know I'm not your son's
foster mother, but I _am_ a qualified foster mother."

The corner of R'nar's mouth lifted. "I know, I apologize, it's nothing
personal."

**It's just that I'm a grieving widower who has filled my life with my
son and the thought of leaving him makes me panic.**

}:That was very self-aware.:{ Iorath said approvingly but with an
accusatory inflection.

**I know,** he mentally sighed.

"Again, I apologize. Thank you for watching him on short notice, and
on Turn's End, no less." R'nar remembered his manners and inclined his
head to her. "I'll check on him in the morning."

"I have a flit," the woman said, and a handsome brown firelizard
appeared above her head. "If you want to check on Eranar while you're
going, Meiyo here will be happy to pass along information to your
dragon."

}:Ugh. Me? Talk to one of those puny little things?:{ Iorath groaned,
but R'nar had seen plenty of times when some of the wild flits perched
on the bronze's back while he was sunning.

"That would be perfect. I'll try not to bug you too much," R'nar assured her.

"Shoo," she said with an understanding roll of her eyes and a flap of her hands.

"Yes, ma'am."

~*~

Dolphin Cove Weyr.

Wind buffeted Iorath as he held steady, swaying in the breeze above
the seaside Weyr.

}:Can we land now? I see Tsogath and I want to get a spot beside of
her:{ Iorath didn't understand why his rider was going over thoughts
of the woman from before.

R'nar swallowed against the emotional memories of Ranni.

**Yes. Let's land.**

Angling his wings to cut against the breeze, Iorath plummeted toward
the Weyr at breakneck speed before unfurling them once again to land
with a soft hop.

**Ugh. Thanks for that.** R'nar said against a rolling stomach.

}:Hurry. Get off! Get off! There's a brown thinking he's going to sit
beside Tsogath.:{ Iorath said impatiently.

R'nar shook his head, smiling, but pulled off his helmet and goggles,
attached them to his riding straps, and then jumped down from Iorath's
neckridge. **Go on, then.**

The bronze wasted no time in leaping from the Weyrbowl.

}:Oh, Tsogath my sweet,:{ Iorath called dotingly as he flew toward the
familiar green.

Coughing dust out of his mouth, R'nar ruffled his hair from where it
had been under his helmet as he walked toward the Dining Hall, hoping
that A'vel had started playing yet.

}: Iorath!:{ Tsogath said with pleasure, shuffling over from her
perch to as to give the bronze more room. The brown who had been eying
the spot looked disappointed.

The sounds of a larger group could be heard playing from the Dining
Hall by the time R'nar entered. A'vel was part of a smaller group and
so he was standing along the side of the hall, with the other members
of his quartet. A lyre sat at his feet while he spoke to Tasira and
Nehati, as they wondered where their fourth was.

Spotting A'vel, R'nar smiled, relieved that he hadn't missed anything.
Flagged down by some of his former wingmates, the bronzerider slipped
into a chair while fending off questions about how he was and what
he'd been up to.

}:My memory doesn't do your beauty justice,:{ Iorath practically
purred, the tip of his tail sliding over Tsogath's.

**Laying it on thick, aren't you?**

Iorath ignored him.

Catching A'vel's eye, finally, he gave his friend a jaunty salute.

The warmth of the sun was fading, but she knew the setting sun made
her hide glisten. She shifted to lie closer to Iorath to improve her
look. }:I remember you are strong.:{

A'vel waved back at R'nar, beaming. "I'll be right back - watch the
lyre?" he asked Nehati before stepping off.

He went out to the chair where R'nar was sitting. "You were able to
come!" he declared.

R'nar stood, pulling A'vel in for a hug as he patted him on the back.
"I told you I wouldn't miss it. I'm just glad I made it on time. I was
afraid you would have already started."

"The big music is always first, remember? Then the smaller ones to
show off." A'vel's smile remained soft and fond when he disengaged
from the long hug. "I can't wait for you to see how much I've improved
on the lyre. Gitar is the one we're all taught, but I find I like this
more."

“Oh, the lyre,” R’nar said appreciatively. “Break a leg then. Maybe
after your set we can grab a drink?”

"Of course, I'd love to share one, and we can catch up," A'vel said.
"I'd like one now for the stage fright but I want to keep my wits
sharp."

The larger ensemble's final piece swelled to an end, and as a light
ripple of applause went around the Dining Hall, the group began
packing away their instruments.

"Looks like it's your turn," R'nar clapped A'vel on the shoulder.

A'vel took a deep breath. "I got this," he said, convincing himself of it.

He went back and Nehati handed him his lyre. Their fourth, Lyntris,
had arrived while he was checking in with R'nar. "Glad to see you
back, thought you'd stay gossiping instead of playing," the other man
said.

"Hey, _you_ were the late one!" countered Tasira as they made their
way to the stage.

They settled into their seats and readied to play. Theirs was an
instrumental string-primary quartet, featuring A'vel on the lyre,
Tasira and Lyntris on the violin, and Nehati alternating between one
of the Weyr's rare and prized cello and occasionally the flute.

They had four songs set up. The first three were all of them playing
together, ranging from two traditional pieces to two original
compositions. A'vel's lyre piece was third, one Nehati wrote to
combine his lyre and her cello, and it was a soft delicate piece of
longing and peace that the violins barely featured in. They ended on a
more upbeat piece to transition the mood for the next small group.

The harper quartet left the stage beaming at each other - the applause
for all their pieces had been good, but it was clear that Nehati's
piece was the best loved. A'vel was riding high on the flush of having
gotten the lead melody in it. They set their instruments down
backstage, in the small room designed to hold instruments before and
after performances, and then entered back into the Dining Hall
giggling and teasing each other.

"You can go flirt with your bronzerider now," Lyntris said.

"He's my clutchmate and I invited him out here from Barrier Lake to
listen special, so I want to make sure I get to talk with him," A'vel
defended.

"Yeah, sounds like flirting," agreed Tasira.

"I hate you both," A'vel said, no heat behind the words as he headed
off to greet R'nar again.

Throughout the performance, R'nar couldn't help but be amazed by the
way A'vel's hands moved along the lyre. The fluid movements, the
confidence, all of it, all of _A'vel_, had been mesmerizing.

"A'vel," he said, standing as his clutchmate approached. "That
was...," he shook his head. "I"m not a harper, so I lack the words to
say but, it was awesome."

A'vel beamed. "Did you know the piece I did the solo on was one Nehati
wrote for us both specifically? She wanted something where her cello
would have a prominent part instead of when it's just used as a very
simple line as a low drone to base the others, and it pairs well with
a high bright instrument, and she specifically asked me if I'd want to
play the main melody!"

"Well, after what I just saw, I'm not surprised she asked you."

}:The woman's brown firelizard just sent this,:{ Iorath dutifully, if
not a little disdainfully, passed along a picture of Eranar asleep
with his thumb popped in his mouth.

The mental image made him smile, and eased that little bit of parental
worry that had been on the fringes of his mind.

A'vel thought the smile was directed at him. "I'm glad you're happy
that you came out for this. Now, I believe you suggested drinks?"

"Yes, drinks," R'nar agreed, hand in auto-pilot as it went to the
small of A'vel's back, courteously guiding their way out from the
throng of people.

Given their size difference, A'vel appreciated it. "So if I do another
small concert, can I get you to come again? I imagine you must be
nervous about Eranar, but he's fine being watched isn't he?"

The bronzerider's head dipped a little as he admitted, "Oh, Eranar is
fine, he has a blast at his foster mother's. I'm the one with the
separation issues." He flagged down a pair of drinks for himself and
A'vel. "So the short answer is, yes, I can come again."

A'vel took the beer and had a sip. "Oh, I think they broke out fancier
brews for this."

"I would really appreciate it if you listened to the next few, it's
nice to have any extra friendly face in the audience. Or if you just
drop by in general."

"Why, A'vel," R'nar said, enjoying the frothy beer, "if I didn't know
better, I'd say you're trying to bring me out of my shell."

"You helped bring me out of mine," A'vel pointed out.

That was true, R'nar thought, taking another sip. He wasn't even sure
how it had started, their friendship, since they were an unlikely
pair. He, of course, remembered when Iorath had caught Tsogath,
because it had been the first mating flight they'd won as a bonded
pair.

The mating flight could have caused an awkward rift in their
friendship but... it never had. From then on, though, it had just
never been a question that A'vel would be a part of his life no matter
what. Even though he'd picked up and moved to Barrier Lake, they'd
always kept in contact.

"To breaking out of shells," R'nar toasted, lifting his mug towards A'vel's.

"To our dragons for hatching at the same time, and for each other's
friendship," A'vel agreed, clinking their mugs.

Last updated on the February 14th 2024

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Turn's End Songs (1/4)