To Steal the Sun from the Sky

Writers: Halyonix
Date Posted: 22nd May 2025
Series: Bronze and Blue Entwined

Characters: A'len
Description: A'len considers his options in the wake of the argument with I'serin
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 6, day 17 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: K'mai, M'kayre, Saibra

Notes:
~*~

Madness.

That was the only explanation for it. The boy was mad. Insane. That was the only reason A’len could come up with for I’serin’s erratic, violent behavior. Pushing him like that! The boy must have lost his mind somewhere along the way. Perhaps the pressures of being Weyrleader? He was young, yes, but youth had a resilience that age did not and I’serin had never failed A’len more than once when an expectation had been set.

It did not explain _why_ his son -- his normally composed and calculating son -- had physically thrown A’len out of his office.

A’len had seen men go wild with grief at the loss of their dragons. _That_ was known. Expected. But Aluneth was hale, I’serin was uninjured -- wait, hadn’t his mother Isoria said that I’serin had stopped by the Infirmary that day to visit that blasted bluerider who was hurt? No, surely his son wasn’t losing his mind over something as trivial as _that_. I’serin rode bronze! Yes, he could have acquaintances within the chromatic ranks but bronzeriders were a fraternity of their own. Theirs was the destiny to lead, not to worry over a bluerider like some moonstruck greenrider. It had to be because of the number of injuries the Weyr had sustained. That was the most sensible assumption. I’serin had always taken death and pain harder than others.

Yet worry gnawed at the edges of A’len’s thoughts. Had he…pushed I’serin too far? It was possible. Plausible. But A’len had always pushed I’serin like this and the boy responded magnificently! Well, except for those teenage Turns when even a few backhanded strikes hadn’t cooled his mouth. But his mother had taken him to task then and he’d come out better. Mostly. It simply did not make sense why I’serin had acted the way he had just now.

No matter. A’len was going to have to figure out what to do about it now. Because I’serin had raised a very disturbing point during that rant:

He was not going to give his father the rank that he sought.

A’len should have realized it a month or two after I’serin took over as Weyrleader. When he didn’t get the promotion to Weyrsecond. Or even Wingleader. He initially thought that maybe I’serin was playing his pieces strategically, not changing too many out at once. Until it became clear that it wasn’t strategy, it simply wasn’t happening. That was when A’len had begun to bristle, to push, to try to make his son see that he was making the wrong decisions left and right. I’serin had always taken A’len’s counsel into consideration before, why not now, especially when he had no experience leading? The boy needed that direction!

But tonight, A’len could see that something had changed and he would need to find a new angle to achieve his goals.

He obviously could not bring up the matter to the Weyrwoman. She was wrapped around I’serin’s finger and would back him up. She had proven that during the Wingleader meeting with those sharding Holdless. She was out of the question. At least until Chioneth rose again. And S'lahr, though usually an ally, was currently engrossed in the damage to Teal Wing. A'len might be able to fish for an angle there eventually -- he could surely add to someone's resentment easily enough -- but it would take time and would have to wait until grief had subsided enough to allow for logic to be planted.

But M’kayre…

M’kayre might work. He was former River Bluff. He remembered what they lost. What Dragonsfall had never been able to restore. He most assuredly had opinions about I'serin's decision to let some of those blasted Holdless remain. Ambitious enough to take the reins too. If a certain brat boy of a Weyrleader wasn’t in his way.

A’len played it over in his mind. Tomorrow. Tomorrow he’d reach out to M’kayre, plant the seeds of doubt in I’serin’s leadership skills. After a Fall like today, it wouldn’t be difficult. And while it would take time for those seeds to reach fruition, A’len was a patient man. If Tirenth didn’t win Chioneth’s next flight, then perhaps Bhelth would. A’len would be in a prime position to reclaim his rank.

And hopefully, whatever had gotten Aluneth into such a bellowing state would just further those seeds along.

Last updated on the May 27th 2025

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To Steal the Sun from the Sky