Libations and Congratulations (1/2)
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: Shawna, Corrin
Date Posted: 11th March 2025
Characters: Zariah, T'gyrlan
Description: Zariah stops by to offer congratulations to the new wingsecond
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 1, day 9 of Turn 12
Zariah had taken longer than she cared to admit getting ready that evening, pulling out an old Gather dress and fussing over her hair until it sat in just the perfect amount of artful disarray. Slipping on a bright beaded bracelet as a final touch, she grabbed the little basket and large bottle and headed out to her green.
Relsath had already checked with Hanassath to make sure they would be in and free that evening, and the green made the short flight to drop her rider off on the bronze’s ledge.
“I come with gifts and congratulations,” the greenrider called out brightly as she slid down from Relsath’s back. She had a bottle of brandy that was apparently very popular in Sunstone this Turn, which she hoped meant it was a good year not just a plentiful one, and she held it up as she entered the weyr.
T’gyrlan was already throwing himself into the work that came with his elevated rank. He was at his desk when Zariah arrived, sketching out new wing formations he meant to drill. His brow furrowed slightly at the interruption, but it only took a heartbeat for recognition�"and pleasure�"to take over. He rose from his chair, grin spreading across his face as he took in Zariah’s entrance, her fine dress and the bottle that flashed in the soft glow light.
“News traveled fast, I see.” He met her halfway across the room, shrugging back into his flight jacket so she could see the bronze blendt braid on his shoulder. He modeled it with a jaunty spin before closing the distance and catching her around the waist for a bracing kiss.
He was beaming when he drew back. “You look beautiful, is that a new dress? And Sunstone brandy! You're spoiling me!”
“What can I say? I know everyone at this Weyr; I get all the gossip.” Zariah made all the expected noises of admiration at the new knots, and happily leaned up into the kiss.
When he released her, she gave a spin of her own to make the dress flare a little, but laughed, “Not new, but I save some old favorites for special occasions. Are you busy or do you have time for a toast? I have some snacks, too, I wasn't sure if you'd had dinner or not.”
“Is it dinner already?”
“Past.”
He hadn’t noticed. T’gyrlan cast a glance at his desk, at the half-finished formations and the tidy lines of his notes-- and then, inexorably, his gaze pulled back to Zariah. Zariah and her smile and the brandy and basket. “I guess I’d better un-busy myself then,” he laughed, leading her to the dining table and fetching them some glasses. “What treats have you brought?”
“Nothing fancy,” she admitted, grabbing the basket and taking it to the table. “Possibly more suited for the couch; I raided the snack cupboards.” Her own and E’kavas’s. Hopefully he wouldn’t get hungry before she replaced his crackers. Tilting open the basket, she displayed an assortment of meats, cheeses, and other little snacks. “I didn’t want to assume you’d forgotten to eat, but better safe than sorry,” Zariah glanced towards his desk. “I didn’t expect you’d be quite so busy on day one. Did your wingleader load you up with work already?”
T’gyrlan chuckled lowly as he poured them each a measure of brandy. “Not exactly. Wingleaders don’t need to load their seconds up with work, not then their seconds are worth a damn. The role is to make _their_ lives easier.” His grin went crooked with a little self deprecating twist as he handed her a glass. “You’ve caught me loading _myself_ up with work.”
He took a sip of the brandy and let out a pleased hum as he settled down to inspect the snacks. He recognized those dragon shaped crackers. “Does E’kavas know he’s contributing to the celebration?”
“I had permission… from Kevia,” Zariah admitted. “I’ll replace them.” Taking the brandy, she took a sip, relieved that it tasted just fine to her uneducated pallet. “So what were you working on, then? I’ve never given much thought to what the wingseconds did outside of actual drills.”
“That over there is a thought experiment, really. I’m trying to work out if a few tweaks to our relay system would be more efficient for the wing overall.” He began launching into a deeper dive on how he saw the current state of wing communications in general, but managed to stop himself part way in. “I could harp on about it, but it gets pretty dry. Really, a second tends to do whatever their leader needs, and it varies from pair to pair. R’ehn and I are still working things out, so I guess we’ll see what our style is, but honestly-- it’s nice to have something to focus on again, besides just Hanassath and myself.
“Being in wingleadership-- it’s a constantly changing thing. I enjoy it. Beyond the Fall basics of patterns and weather and flight discipline, you’ve got wing’s worth of personalities to learn and augment. The people and the dragons, of course. Some respond really well to one thing, others to another. It’s never dull.”
Zariah smiled, and while she’d certainly never had any training on what went into actually running a wing, she’d been a rider for long enough to follow what he was getting at. Frowning, she said, “Were you in rank before Hannasath was hurt? I don’t know that I knew that.” His injury had been the subject of most of the gossip about him, and she’d danced carefully around any questions about his time before coming to Dragonsfall, wary of opening old wounds.
Pulling out a few pieces of cheese and some fruit, she settled easily into her seat, apparently content to listen. “That would explain being so excited you forgot wingseconds still need to eat,” she teased.
“It’s good to have something to do again,” T’gyrlan agreed, unabashed. “I was raised to ‘second fairly young and even led my own wing for a few Turns before River Bluff…” His expression darkened slightly and he waved his brandy glass to encompass all he had lost that day. But, for once he didn't dwell. He had too much good going on in his life right now. A slow smile emerged.
“Thank goodness I have such thoughtful friends that think to feed me-- and ones who dress up so nice to celebrate too.” His smile took on a teasing edge as his eyes raked over her dress once more.
Zariah raised an eyebrow, “ ‘Thoughtful friend’ huh?” She got out of her seat to approach him, and when she leaned over to whisper in his ear, it offered him a close up view of a rather daring neckline, “This is not a dress I wear for friends.” She kissed his cheek before she straightened again, “Perhaps if you aren’t too famished, you’d like to join me in the other room. I hear being ‘second is a rigorous job. You can show me you’re up for it.” Zariah held out a hand to beckon him in the direction of his bed.
Last updated on the March 26th 2025