An Offering of Friendship
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: Avery, Halyonix
Date Posted: 10th July 2025
Characters: L'val, I'serin, Sevhiran
Description: L'val checks in on I'serin the day after the bad Threadfall
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 6, day 18 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: K'mai, Saibra, M'kayre, A'len
}: Kyverth's rider wishes to see you, :{ Aluneth relayed. I'serin let
out a long sigh. There seemed to be no end to the line of people who
wished to speak with him. With a quiet, mental nod, he told Aluneth to
send L'val his way.
L'val knocked on the door and entered at the call. He was carrying
hides, so with him was a somber kitchen worker slash Candidate,
carrying items he'd requested from the kitchens - juice, klah,
dragontails, roasted roots, and pastries, a mixture of protein and
carbohydrates, sweet and savory. The Candidate bowed to the
Weyrleader. "Sir, we wanted to make sure you ate something."
I'serin straightened in surprise. He had expected a raised voice,
braced himself for someone encroaching in his personal space in anger.
He had prepared to be penitent, to accept whatever he needed to do to
atone for his mistake of a call. This was...unexpected. Care,
_concern_ was unexpected. "Thank you," he answered with floored
emotion, tucking his bandaged hand away so that the Candidate didn't see.
"Kitchens know you and the Wingleaders will be working real hard after
a Fall like this, and just thought we'd take care of you. That's all,"
replied Sevhiran, heading out after he put it down.
L'val took a seat when indicated and poured himself juice. Any more
klah and he'd vibrate out his own skin. "Isn't that a good lad? I both
hope he'll Impress and I hope he won't so he can stay in the kitchens,
I could see him rising to authority there."
That L'val was so casually talking about Candidates and Impressing
came in jarring contrast to what I'serin expected to be talking about.
He rubbed his forehead with his good hand as if he could wipe away his
confusion. None of his discussions today had gone as he expected. He
did not know how to handle it. "L'val, I..." he started to say. He
stared at the proffered food, at some thought he could not articulate,
at the hides L'val had set down. Eventually, he sank into his chair,
one hand tugging at his hair, the bandaged one sitting useless on the
desk. "I made such a mistake," he muttered for the hundredth time.
There were really only two options to reply to what had been said,
what had happened. You couldn’t lie " you had to be honest. But, there
was the type of honesty that would be cruel, and the kind of honesty
that was sympathetic about it. L’val picked the latter. He figured
I’serin had heard enough of the former already from other rankers.
(From the way Aluneth had bellowed last night, he was sure it had
happened.)
“You did. I have no idea why you made that call. It’s not like you
were trying something new that you’ve been planning with us, and it
didn’t work out as well in practice as it did in theory "it was just
wrong. And it cost a lot of people in a lot of ways. A lot of people
are going to have a lot of questions about what happened. A lot of
people are going to yell at you about it. I figure you’ve already had
enough of the latter, so I’m not here to yell. I’m here to listen, and
ask what you need from me. As the leader of Cyan, as a fellow rider of
bronze, or just as a potential friend to talk to.”
"You extend to me a grace that I did not expect to receive," I'serin
said in a tired tone, mirroring the same words he had said to Saibra
the night before. Misjudging the Weyrwoman, misjudging his
conversation with M'kayre earlier, misjudging L'val now -- it all
spoke of another mistake in his book and yet...they were all mistakes
that showed him something other than isolation and impossible
standards. They offered a path that I'serin had been too afraid to
take. "To you and S'lahr, of all the Wingleaders, do I owe the most in
this. Your intervention saved more than you know."
L'val's eyes flicked between I'serin's face and his hand, registering
it now he wasn't hiding it from the Candidate, wondering what had
happened. If the injury had had something to do with the yelling.
"Do you want to tell me what you mean?" he asked quietly.
I'serin considered it, for a long moment, telling L'val the entire
truth. Of exactly why saving K'mai had been more than just saving a
dragonrider. Maybe one day, when he did not feel so tired and beaten,
he would. "Without your gift," I'serin said, reaching up to tap the
side of his head in emphasis, "there would have been more dragons
lost." The next part, while entirely true though still evasive,
threatened to stick in I'serin's throat. "Sebeth would have most
certainly panicked and slipped /between/ forever."
Even after saying those words, I'serin felt like someone had sunk
painful claws into his heart. He struggled to maintain his composure.
"The Weyr, and I, are in your debt for that."
“It was a difficult day to have the gift. But I’m glad Sebeth is still
here. He’s one of mine. I take care of them.”
Cyan had suffered multiple injuries, some that would be out for some
time, two permanent retirements, and one lost dragon - but no fatal
casualties. Those had both been Teal Wing. It could have been worse.
“Sebeth called for you first. I’m glad he listened to Kyverth and I.”
"That he called Aluneth first was...unexpected. But then again, K'mai
and I have been friends since childhood. It may have made sense at the
time." I'serin paused, thinking further on something, before chasing
it down somberly with, "You must have also heard Aluneth last night."
“Yes. I was concerned.”
On this, at least, I'serin did not need to evade. "A'len and I had a
fight. Mostly over my error but also on other topics." He held up his
bandaged hand a little. "I do not recommend punching wine glasses."
L'val had to laugh, just a little, at that. "If I may be completely
honest with you? Get rid of him. He's a foul influence."
I'serin's smile was thin. "You are not the first person to suggest
that within the last twenty four hours," he answered. "I...am giving
it great consideration." Though it would still feel like he was
running from an issue rather than facing it. "And I do appreciate your
honesty. I...am learning rapidly that I should be listening to other
voices besides the ones I have been."
"There's no shame in removing a rider you can't work with. He's not
too aged to fly and doesn't know it, he's a fine rider, he just isn't
willing to properly trust your decisions and work with you. Any shame
he feels is entirely on him. Truth be told, there's a rider in my wing
I've been going to have to get out of Cyan, maybe the Weyr if you
agree," he admitted.
After taking another drink, he leaned forward. I'serin sounded... very
rough. Tentative. Fragile, in some ways. Whatever had been going on
before the incident had really made him vulnerable, exposed his
insecurities and stressed him out, and he'd crumpled under it. But not
broken entirely.
"We've never been close before, I'serin. You keep to yourself, even
when you choose to come to an event and join in. I saw you at the
edges of Cyan events, never avoiding them but never becoming fully one
of them. I know when I spend so much time socializing, it can look
like I don't care about everyone I spend time around. But I would
actually _like_ to be friends with you, you know."
Wariness flickered across I'serin's face for a moment. He mulled it
over. He had certainly been taught that the mantle of leadership was a
lonely one. There were no friends at the pinnacle, just the self. But
the more he isolated, the more he felt as though it was the wrong
move. That it was only causing himself -- and the Weyr -- more harm.
Of course, he knew exactly who had instilled that lesson within him: his father.
"I...think I would like that," I'serin said with a soft exhalation.
"I...you are correct. I have ever been the wallflower at the edge.
Now, I am thrust into the middle of near everything and it...is harder
than I thought it would be. It...would be nice to have friends."
Perhaps even ones that could understand how yesterday's mistake
weighed on him in more than one way.
"Then let's try to be friends, and spend time together outside of
Dragonsfall," L'val said with a smile. "And when it comes to work,
feel free to open up more about the challenges you're facing, what you
need from me as a Wingleader to help you do your job."
The Weyrleader of Dragonsfall gave him a soft, relieved smile. "Thank you."
Last updated on the July 15th 2025