New Names and a New Direction
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: Halyonix, Heather
Date Posted: 26th June 2025
Characters: I'serin, Saibra
Description: I’serin and Saibra discuss the fate of Teal Wing and what could be done to unify Dragonsfall and former River Bluff riders.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 6, day 27 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: M'kayre, G'nir, K'reyel, Yasmeane, M'rdin
In the sevenday after calling the wrong crossover formation during Threadfall, it became apparent that there were longer-lasting consequences besides the immediate casualties.
A Wing was, at a minimum, twelve dragons and composed of thirty at its full strength. I’serin had taken a comb through the other Wings to see where he could shuffle available dragons but the pickings were slim. Even knowing that there would be weyrlings graduating in a few months to offset some of the imbalances offered no recourse that I’serin could see.
Teal Wing no longer had twelve dragons able to fight Thread.
He let out a soft, defeated sigh.
This was a conversation he would have to have with M’kayre and S’lahr for certain but he wanted someone else’s eyes on the issue -- and he would rather have this conversation with Saibra first. Perhaps she would see an outcome that he did not. **If Saibra is available, please send her,** he asked of Aluneth.
The Weyrwoman arrived half an hour later, bundled from head to toe. She wore a thick, fur-lined jacket that was cinched smartly at the waist with thick, woolen trousers tucked into her tall riding boots.
“I was out at Amber Hills,” she informed I’serin as she began peeling off her gloves. Snow still glistened in her hair. “Lord Zathris was showing me the location where they plan to build the new Healer Hall.”
I’serin’s hazel eyes immediately brightened with boyish curiosity. “It is finally agreed upon to begin construction?” he inquired.
“Yes. I know having a dragon means we can be anywhere quickly, but I really think it will be a boon to have a Hall so much closer to us.” Saibra unbuttoned her thick coat and shrugged it off to hang on a peg in I’serin’s office. She pushed her braid over her shoulder as she took a seat across from him.
“And one focusing on teaching, at that,” he remarked. He loved the idea of expanding Healercraft knowledge. Though, as much as he wanted to focus on that, he needed to solve this problem first. “You will have to tell me more about it after this.” He rotated his notes so that she could read what he had written. “We…need to do something about Teal Wing.”
Saibra glanced at the words, realization dawning on her face. “Yes, I thought their numbers were getting low. What are you leaning toward as a solution?”
He pointed to a few of the other Wings who were lean in numbers as well. “We…have three options, I believe. We could pull from those Wings, which would strain their strength as well, and fortify Teal again. We could ground them in reserve until the weyrlings graduate.” Which would create strains in other spots. “Or, we dissolve Teal into other Wings, fortifying them instead.” The loss of Teal in that spot meant that the Flights would have to reshuffle in their attack formation but I’serin had charts on how to accomplish that.
The Weyrwoman took a moment, considering the individual riders themselves that were in Teal Wing, and S’lahr, their Wingleader. “I think the best option is to divide them up among the other Wings, but what will we do with S’lahr? He is a good Wingleader.”
I’serin would not deny that. “I…had considered moving him to Wingsecond of one of the other Wings. Theirs is now permanently grounded.” While Teal and Cyan had taken the brunt of I’serin’s mistake, other Wings were not without their scars.
Saibra nodded. She had done her best when G’nir was her Weyrleader, then when it had been K’reyel, and now with I’serin, to never overstep her bounds. The Wings were the Weyrleader’s priority; the heart of the Weyr was hers. “I think that sounds like a wise move.”
He was quiet for a long moment, mulling something additionally over. “Saibra, what if…we take this opportunity to do a little more than the dissolution of a Wing?” His mind was turning over the rivalries that still ran deep within their ranks, trying to find other ways to distill the concentration. He grabbed another sheaf of paper and began scribbling quickly. “When we came forward with River Bluff, we did our best to keep Wings together, correct? It made sense at the time, given the…disaster. But what if…”
A few more scribbles and he presented her a rough outline of a rearrangement of riders and Wings, switching riders from traditionally River Bluff Wings into different Wings, replaced with Dragonsfall riders.
“I think if we want them to be one Weyr then shuffling them around is necessary. As long as we allow Cobalt to be the ‘old River Bluff Wing’ then it’ll never change. I think also,” her voice was light, treading carefully, “we’ll have to encourage Wingleaders, _Weyrseconds_, and other veteran bronzeriders to help.”
He nodded, even as he realized the monumental task that was. Changing the culture of a place took time and a different sort of effort. But they had given it enough time. River Bluff was gone, resurrected in its new form as Barrier Lake, and any loyalty to the past was now only poisoning the present water. “I will speak with them,” I’serin said quietly, hoping that his words would go over well.
“I’ll support you in whatever way you need.” Her eyes flicked down. “How’s the hand healing?”
He flexed it experimentally for her. “Improving. I believe the healers will clear me for Threadfall next sevenday.” He looked back down at the notes, thinking again. “It will seem a bit odd for us to continue calling it the same Wing name, will it not?” he wondered aloud. It would not seem like much of a change at all if they did so.
“I’m glad you bring that up. I was thinking, after that altercation between Yasmeane and M’rdin…. What if we renamed all the Wings? Give everyone a new identity to rally under.” Saibra had been mulling it over for a while.
His fingers traced the blue-hued words on the page that marked their current Wings. “I would say that such a move is overdue,” he answered. “In the first Turn or two, when there was…hope…that we would return to River Bluff, I accepted that all of these changes were only temporary,” he added. His tone became thoughtful, reminiscent, turning over the traumatic past with gentle care. “But as time went on, as Barrier Lake began its construction…”
I’serin paused to give the heavy passage of time its appropriate silence.
“We are not going back to River Bluff,” he finally said, meeting Saibra’s eyes. “We are Dragonsfall now. All of us.”
Last updated on the July 15th 2025