The Bed You Made
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: Curious
Date Posted: 9th June 2024
Characters: Dryvan
Description: Dryvan deals with the consequences of his actions.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 10, day 20 of Turn 11
The Shadow had ordered Dryvan to find the watchrider schedule for Emerald Falls Hold.
He had done so without a second thought. Or a third, or even a first. He hadn’t thought that anything would come of it. He hadn’t thought that any significant harm would come of it. He hadn’t thought"
His train of thought, his litany of excuses, was cut off as the contents of his stomach violently expelled themselves. Dryvan clutched to the latrine as he vomited, biting back tears, praying that no one would find him, that he wouldn’t have to _explain_. It would be easy enough to excuse away, yes. No one was immune to stomach bugs, there was no reason to find any suspicion in that. But"
When they looked in his eyes, would they see a man about to unravel?
If they could peer into his soul, would they be able to see the first hints of guilt take root?
If they looked at his hands, would they find them stained red with blood?
Dryvan vomited until all that came up was bile, then vomited some more. When he had finally exhausted himself, he rested his forehead on the edge of the latrine, heedless of the filth there, and wheezed out a broken, “No…”
No, this couldn’t be happening.
No, this wasn’t his fault.
No, he hadn’t meant to"
He wasn’t meant to what? Get a rider killed? Bring Dolphin Cove Weyr one step closer to its destruction?
Dryvan was the one who had made the decision to align himself with the group he had. No one forced him to do so, no one manipulated him, it was him and his own rage. Good, justified rage, rage that he was sure would lead him to the closest thing that Pern could get to justice. When Shuvan had been replaced with the Shadow, he had embraced their new leader and his promise of ruthless destruction with open arms. When the Shadow had ordered him to serve as his eyes and ears at the Weyr… Well, Dryvan had a choice in _that_, but he was certain that he would have agreed to go along with it anyway.
The dragonmen were the reason his sister was dead. If that little green _beast_ hadn’t found her on the sands that day, Cainniaora would still be alive and well, working toward a future of unlimited possibilities. She had died, just as so many other children who stood for the dragons died, and they hadn’t faced any consequences. And they never would without the Shadow. The riders acted with impunity, their worst mistakes were wiped away on the hides of their beasts, and everyone else was supposed to roll over and _accept it_.
Shouldn’t it be a good thing that the common people were finally fighting back?
Wasn’t every loss the Weyr suffered a victory for those who had lost at their hands?
What was some bluerider compared to Cainniaora? What made him inherently better than her? What made any rider better than one without? The Shadow was right. _Dryvan_ was right to follow him, to help him, to throw his own miserable life aside to bring an end to the undisputed power of the Weyrs.
He was doing a good thing. This was for the greater good. He was _good_.
So what if a bluerider had died?
So what if Dryvan had as good as killed him?
The ends justified the means, and someday, he would be able to sleep well at night again.
Surely.
Last updated on the June 11th 2024