A Day of First (4/4)

Writers: Heather
Date Posted: 3rd May 2024

Characters: X'eri, Yasmeane, Saibra
Description: X’eri and Yasmeane address their Search visit with the Weyrwoman.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 5, day 11 of Turn 11
Notes: Mentioned: D’kere

X'eri

Yasmeane

Saibra

[You sounded a little different] she signed back. [You were perfectly
understandable, though. You should talk more often.]

X'eri's heart squeezed as he poured another glass and downed it as
well. He remembered the last day he'd spoken out loud. It had been the
day before he'd fallen ill. When he'd woken up from his illness with
his hearing gone, he hadn't even attempted to talk, not even in the
privacy of his weyr, not even to his own son or family.

The situation between Yasmeane and that holder had just unraveled so
quickly that X'eri had reacted without thought. The old instinct to
speak had come out so unexpectedly that he hadn't had the chance to
restrain it.

He knew what people sounded like who talked with hearing impairments.
He'd heard them in his youth, and the warped sound of their voices now
haunted his memory. To sound like that, to have people think he was
'slow,' as the holder had put it, brought more shame on him than he
could withstand.

[Hey,] he saw Yasmeane's hands moving again from the corner of his
eye. [That guy was a...] she made a rude gesture for lack of knowing
how to say what she wanted, but all the same, it actually made X'eri
snort from a suppressed chuckle.

[What did you say to him when you stepped in front of me? I couldn't
see,] X'eri asked.

Yasmeane's cheeks flushed, he assumed with embarrassment. [I told him
his brain must have been as small as his p-e-c-k-e-r to insult a
dragonrider like that.] One of the words had to be spelled since she
didn't know the hand signal.

This time X'eri did laugh out loud.

She had never heard him laugh. **Probably because I'm usually trying
to piss him off.** It was a day full of firsts.

X'eri sighed as some of his jumbled up feelings from earlier began to
subside. He could unpack his feelings over using his voice later.
Right now he needed to go and report to Saibra on what had happened

[Saibra?] Yasmeane guessed.

[Yes. I'll need to tell her what happened in case word gets around.
And, the other Searchriders will need to be warned about going back
there any time soon.]

Yasmeane's expression quickly became guarded again at the mention of
the Weyrwoman. [Let's go and get it over with, then.] She looked as if
she was preparing for battle.

--

"He actually _touched_ you?" Saibra repeated in surprise as the story
was retold by X'eri and Yasmeane. Yasmeane translated for X'eri as
best she could. Well enough for Saibra to get the gist of everything
that had transpired.

"Yes," Yasmeane said with a lift of her chin. "You can ask, X'eri. He
saw it. I'm telling the truth."

Saibra's look softened. "I don't doubt what you're saying, Yasmeane.
I'm just... amazed by the audacity of the man. We've had historically
good relations with most of the minor holds beholden to Amber Hills.
So this... comes as a surprise."

**Interesting,** Saibra mused as she looked between the greenrider and
bronzerider who were seated in front of her desk. They looked oddly
like a team sitting in front of her. She got the sense that there was
some detail they were leaving out of their story, but she couldn't
quite put her finger on what it was. There was now a sense of
camaraderie between them that hadn't been there before.

[Kohath and Isaroth became agitated and scared the children,] X'eri
signed. He watched as Yasmeane's mouth moved, relaying his words. His
eyes then flicked to Saibra's face as the Weyrwoman winced.

Scared children. Scared of dragons. Scared of dragonriders. That was
the last thing the Weyr needed. Those scared children would grow up
distrustful of dragons and their riders unless a new experience
changed their minds.

"Thank you both for coming to me right away with this. I know what you
went through today couldn't have been easy. While I think you could
have handled it more diplomatically," she was having to restrain
laughter over Yasmeane's comments about the man's 'small brain', "I
know you both did your best. I'm sure you'll have better luck next
time at a different location."

Yasmeane's eyebrows shot up into her platinum hairline. "_Next_ time?
You mean, you're actually going to put us through this again? Even
after that disaster?"

Saibra's smile was one of amusement. "If at first you don't succeed...
Besides, practice makes perfect. Next time Search at Amber Hills, it's
a safer bet. I'll have a talk with Lord Zathris about Lantern Ridge
and see what can be done to smooth things over."

X'eri was just as surprised, and hesitant, about a 'next time.' The
humiliation of having spoken in front of those holders was something
he would have nightmares about for weeks.

"You're free to go," he saw the Weyrwoman's lips say.

Out in the hallway, he glanced at Yasmeane, who was staring at him intently.

[What?]

[I asked if you wanted to grab dinner,] she signed for the second
time. [Fighting with holders has me extra hungry today.]

What he really wanted was to retreat to his weyr and lick his wounds,
but he found his hands signing the words [Let's go.]

Last updated on the May 9th 2024

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A Day of First (4/4)