Sorry For Your Feelings

Writers: Devin, Estelle
Date Posted: 25th October 2025

Characters: N'vanik, Z'kim, Talryne, Gavis, Marela
Description: Gavis is summoned to apologize to the Weyrleader, but will he only make matters worse?
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 10, day 16 of Turn 12

N'vanik

Z'kim

Talryne

Gavis groaned softly to himself and leaned forward in his chair, his face in his hands. The bright lights in the stone-carved corridor leading to the Weyrleader's office made his eyes ache and his stomach roil, and his head throbbed like a harper's drum. He ought to be back home in his own hold, lying in a darkened room with a cool cloth over his eyes, not sitting here in yesterday's crumpled, sweaty clothes, waiting for the dragonriders to see him like an errant drudge.

"Why are they keeping us waiting so long?" he complained again. "Even a - a pair like that ought to be up by now."

His wife turned her head and gave him a look like a midwinter frost. "The Weyrleader will have other matters to attend to. This is your own fault. You should think about what you're going to say when he does see you. And remember that we're relying on their goodwill if we don't want to walk back to Emerald Falls."

"Dragonriders," Gavis muttered under his breath, barely restraining himself from an even ruder name.

It was past noon when N'vanik finally managed to get out of bed and have a late breakfast with the two sexiest people in the world. He didn't regret kissing Z'kim last night, but he did slightly regret having so much to drink. After a mug of klah and some willow salic, he still had a headache pulsing in his temples. He was at least in good company because Tal and Zeke were feeling a little rough this morning -- afternoon -- too.

"Should we let him in now?" N'vanik asked as he poured more klah for Talryne. "Or let him stew a while longer?"

"I could use some entertainment," Z'kim said. "And unfortunately I need to be heading home soon."

"'Unfortunately.'" N'vanik snorted. "As if you aren't dying to go be the center of attention."

Talryne and Z'kim dragged their chairs around behind N'vanik's desk so they'd all be facing the holder, and then Z'kim went to open the door. Gavis looked absolutely miserable and Z'kim took no small amount of pleasure from that. "The Weyrleader will see you now."

"About time," Gavis muttered. What was that greenrider still doing here - didn't he have his own Weyr to go home to? But with Marela watching him as intently as a firelizard who'd spied a tunnel snake, he didn't dare say any more and stomped in.

"Have a seat," N'vanik told the holder couple. "This is my weyrmate, Talryne. And my friend and lover, Z'kim. You met him last night, but we didn't get to introductions." The Weyrleader's smile had a slight edge to it.

Gavis glanced from one to the other, thrown off by the other woman's presence. "Why is _she_ here?"

"Gavis!" Marela hissed. "Please excuse my husband, he...didn't sleep very well. He forgets his manners when he's tired. It's a pleasure to meet you both."

Talryne looked at Gavis. "You insulted my weyrmate and my friend. I took that personally." She didn't want to miss this, and she wanted the full effect of the three of them together.

"I think it's past time you remembered your manners," N'vanik told the holder. "You've failed twice now to introduce yourself and your wife." And the woman kept apologizing for him, which N'vanik didn't like at all.

Gavis' brows drew down and his jaw set in an obstinate line, but he flinched when Marela elbowed him sharply. "Gavis," he grumbled. "Of Emerald Falls. My wife, Marela."

"Marela. What a lovely name," Z'kim said.

N'vanik cleared his throat to keep from laughing. Z'kim was only flirting to annoy the holder. "Well, Gavis. You've had some time to cool down and think about how rude you were last night. So what do you have to say for yourself?"

The holder's scowl deepened, his grudging apology sticking in his throat. He wanted to get back to his hold, but now that shameless greenrider was trying to charm his wife! Why should he humiliate himself in front of these people? "I'm very sorry if my opinions offended you."

Beside him, Marela covered her face with her hands.

The Weyrleader's expression darkened. "Oh? You're sorry for my _feelings_?"

"That's what I said. I wasn't to know that dragonriders have such fragile emotions." Gavis straightened in his chair as he justified himself. "We holders speak our minds. But of course, if plain speaking isn't welcome here, then I shouldn't have mentioned it."

N'vanik opened his mouth, but Talryne beat him to it. "So you wouldn't mind if we came to your hold and insulted you and your wife?"

"Not that we would," Z'kim said. "Marela seems lovely."

Gavis flushed. "You'd have no cause to. I keep a decent hold! There's none of the type of sordid behavior I witnessed here last night, I can tell you."

"Okay, let's see . . ." The Weyrleader said. "You drink too much, you come into someone else's home and insult them for showing affection to someone they care about very much, you embarrass yourself and your wife. Repeatedly. And now you can't even manage a real apology."

"If you don't like to hear what I have to say, then I'm happy to leave." The holder pushed back his chair. "Where's my son? He's coming back with us."

Marela looked up. "He's with the other candidates. I saw him at breakfast. You were asleep still."

"Your son will make his own choices," N'vanik glared, his headache getting worse. "And I didn't say you could leave." If Gavis thought he could insult a Weyrleader to his face and get away with it, he was dead wrong.

"What does that mean? You can't keep us here!" He stood. "I'm a Holder, not one of your minions, and I've said my piece. Marela, go and find Gamarel, and then we'll be on our way."

"You," N'vanik said firmly. "will sit down and apologize. _Sincerely_. Or you're gonna _walk_ home."

The man bristled. "I'm a Holder of Emerald Falls and I came here in good faith to see my son at the Hatching. I'm entitled to a return trip."

"Gavis, please just make your apology to the Weyrleader," Marela pleaded, now looking genuinely alarmed. "We have to get home to the children. It'll take a month or more for us to travel back overland, and we can't leave your mother looking after them for so long. They'll already be worried sick."

N'vanik had been defending Z'kim from intolerant holders for as long as they'd known each other. Before, it had been with the weight and prestige of a bronzerider. Now Z'kim was watching him do it with the full power of Weyrleadership. And for the first time N'vanik was defending _himself_ too. Z'kim hadn't missed the way those comments had landed on his friend.

"Well?" N'vanik said. He fully intended on following through with his threat, although he'd offer Marela a dragon ride home.

The holder frowned, but he reined in his temper enough to consider the gravity of his situation. The dragonriders appeared to be serious, and they'd hardly come prepared for a long trek home, in their best clothes and without marks or supplies. His new boots were already pinching.

"If I must," he said, eventually and none too graciously. "But I want _him_ to apologize for his disrespectful remarks about my wife."

Marela stared at him. "What in the name of the Star are you talking about now?"

"He was flirting with you." Gavis fixed a darkly suspicious glare on Z'kim.

"Oh, for - he wasn't flirting! He paid me a compliment," Marela said, exasperated. "When was the last time you did that? Tell the man you're sorry and let's go home."

"I..." Gavis had no answer for that, and he gaped at her for a moment before finally turning to N'vanik and forcing out a grudging response. "I apologize for my...ill-considered words yesterday evening. I wasn't myself."

It wasn't the best apology, but it was better than Gavis's first one. "Alright. I'll get you a transport home." Maybe I'lek, N'vanik thought.

"You should compliment your wife more often," Talryne said. "She deserves to feel wanted. To feel loved." She was tempted to offer to let Marela stay here with her son, but Talryne told herself it wasn't her business and she didn't want to cause more trouble. Well, for the poor woman, at least.

Surprisingly, instead of taking offense, the holder hung his head, staring down at his boots. "Perhaps you're right..."

"Of course she's right." Marela's manner softened a fraction. "We should go and say goodbye to Gamarel. If you'll excuse us, Weyrleader?"

"You can be excused," N'vanik confirmed. "On the way home, you can think about how to behave as a guest of the Weyr," he said with a slight glare at Gavis.

The man scowled, but Marela managed to intervene before he could make any response. "Thank you once again for your hospitality," she said quickly, "and congratulations on your Hatching." With that, she hustled her husband out of the room.

Z'kim waited until the door was closed. "I was hoping for some groveling, but I suppose that will do."

Last updated on the October 28th 2025

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Sorry For Your Feelings