Stories for Ale

Writers: Estelle, Halyonix
Date Posted: 28th October 2025

Characters: A'ten, Nirian
Description: A'ten visits Nirian at the tavern where he used to work
Location: Vintner Hall
Date: month 8, day 7 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: C'uren, M'rhas

A'ten's first solo trip out of the Weyr, as soon as he got leave, was to the tavern at the Vintner Hall. Not an uncommon choice for young riders, although he wasn't going there for the same reason as most. This had been his home for two Turns, and like some of his holder classmates, he wanted to go back.

He'd timed his visit for the early afternoon, after the noontime rush had abated, but before the first customers began to arrive for an early evening drink and a meal. Sure enough, the tavern was quiet, with only a few travelers and a handful of elderly grandpas sitting around a corner table, grumbling about the state of the world over mugs of beer. A'ten knew them only too well, but to his surprise, rather than shouting at him for another drink or to wipe the table, several of them gave him a polite nod.

Of course, he'd been a scruffy serving boy back then, and now he was a dragonrider in flying leathers, but had he really changed that much? He didn't feel different...

Not quite daring to greet the men, he returned their nods respectfully and headed over to the bar.

He was immediately recognized. "Arten!" Nirian cried with a big grin on her face. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, we just got cleared to fly out of the Weyr, and I wanted to see everyone here again..." A'ten was sure he was blushing. "I mean - Corvanth and I. He's my dragon. I Impressed!"

"You did? Well then! I guess I have to call you something else now," Nirian said as she planted her hands on her hips and looked him over. He had filled out in muscles but he was still too young for her by a decade. Still, it was good to see him.

"A'ten." Now he was definitely blushing under her gaze. In his last Turn at the tavern, he'd begun to notice the younger women who served alongside him in a new and intriguing way, although he'd been far too shy to say anything, sure that they all saw him as the little twelve-Turn-old runaway who'd found his way to the tavern. Still, with the newfound confidence of having Corvanth as his lifemate, he did summon up the courage to ask a question. "Uhm...am I allowed...I mean, can I buy us both a drink?"

With the look of a woman who was indulging a boy on his first date, Nirian grinned. "Sure thing, A'ten. You can introduce me to Corvanth later. What are we drinking to celebrate today?"

"Can I have a mug of ale?" A'ten asked hopefully, trying not to think of what the Weyrlingmaster, or his father, might say if they found out. He did his best to sound as though he asked for such drinks all the time at the Weyr.

Nirian gave him the assessing eyes that adults often gave when trying to decide if someone was lying or adult enough but her expression still stayed amused. "Sure," she said. She poured two glasses of a lower alcohol content ale but as she passed one to him, she said, "But only one. I'll not have you getting drunk and unable to get home." She winked though.

"That's all right, I don't want to get in trouble with the Weyrlingmaster," A'ten said hastily, and then wished he hadn't drawn attention to the fact that he was still a weyrling. Would his father, or the older boys in his class, like C'uren and M'rhas, have bothered about getting caught? Probably not.

To cover his confusion, he took a sip of the ale, and immediately struggled not to screw up his face at the bitter taste. How could his father have enjoyed drinking this stuff so much? But to be polite and try to retain his dignity, he swallowed and managed a smile. "Very...nice, thank you."

Nirian laughed. "If you don't like it, just say so," she told him. "There's all types of beers here. Some are more hoppy, some are more sour. You tell me what flavor you want and I'll get you a taste. But, you have to give me something in return."

"Oh!" Embarrassed, A'ten reached for his pouch and his carefully saved marks. "I'm not - I wouldn't try and sneak off without paying..." There had been a few of those while he'd worked at the tavern, and they were roundly despised by the staff, even worse than the drunks.

She immediately put a hand on his arm to stop him. With a laugh, she said, "Not like that. Don't worry. You lived here, you know how it goes. I trade in stories! Tell me of the outside world. I get so bored in here!"

"All right! Though I only know what's happened at Dragonsfall first hand. This is the first time Corvanth and I have been allowed to go out on our own," A'ten explained. He was so relieved he even tried another sip of his ale. The taste took some getting used to, but it did give him a nice warm feeling in his belly.

"The biggest thing that happened since I got there was, there was a flood out in the mountains where a lot of holdless people were living, and there was this massive operation to rescue them. I wasn't allowed to go because Corvanth was too small to fly, but my dad went, and he and his friends nearly _drowned_ trying to save a family." It felt good to be proud of his father, for a change. "And now they're all living in the Weyr. They were right outside in tents at first, but they've mostly moved in or built shelters now, because of the cold. I heard that some of them were even Searched."

Nirian felt a pang of bitterness that a Holdless thief had gotten Searched over her but she expertly hid it behind an amused listening expression. "Holdless? In the Weyr? Well, I wonder how well that went! Don't they have murderers in that sort of lot? Your father was very brave, saving them."

"Some of them are all right. The ones Dad saved had three little kids." A'ten had been surprised by that; he'd never thought that children could be holdless. "Others... well, I wouldn't leave any valuables lying around them, and I heard there was a fight in their camp only the day after they were rescued. Hopefully they'll leave when the weather gets warmer."

"Light-fingered, Holdless are," Nirian pointed out. "So definitely watch those valuables. I don't envy your Headwoman or your guards. You do have guards at the Weyr, right?" Or did everyone just blindly trust everyone else in the Weyr? Her brother N'rada always made it sound so idyllic, like no one had a worry in the world aside from Threadfall. Nirian found it hard to believe that anything was that good.

"Yes, there's always been some, but more after all those attacks at Dolphin Cove, and then at Barrier Lake." A'ten couldn't help a shudder, both for the tragedy and the thought that it could happen at Dragonsfall. He'd always thought their holders weren't like that, but now they'd invited in so many strangers, used to living rough and lawless...he could sense the tension in the air whenever he walked past their camp, or when a group of them came into the dining cavern. "I bet they're not all too pleased with the extra work. But at least I have Corvanth to protect me," he said, brightening. "Would you like to meet him now?"

"I would _love_ to," she answered brightly. She tossed her cleaning rag to the side and motioned for him to lead the way.

Outside, Corvanth had settled down to a comfortable resting position, his tail wrapped neatly around his hind legs and his head raised as he observed his surroundings - and, A'ten could tell, secretly enjoyed the attention he was getting. How could he help it, the young dragonrider thought loyally, feeling his chest expand with pride at how handsome his dragon looked. His color was deep and rich, and his hide gleamed with health.

"This is Corvanth!" He gestured, though it wasn't as though there were any other dragons about. "Corvanth, this is my friend Nirian. We used to work together here at the tavern."

"Oh, well, aren't you just a handsome brute?" Nirian praised in her usual flirty tone. "You know, everyone thinks that brown is such a boring color but he definitely proves them all wrong." She spread out her hands as she approached. "Can I touch him?"

"Yes, he says you can, and thank you for asking." A'ten watched as Corvanth lowered his head within her reach with a dignified air. "He likes to be scratched on the eye ridges, most dragons do, but he also likes being rubbed under his chin, right here." He demonstrated, and the brown rumbled in pleasure, his eyelids closing.

"Isn't that just _adorable_?" Nirian cooed as she imitated A'ten by scratching under Corvanth's chin. "Oh, look at the color in those eyes! You know, it's always amazed me how they can see with all of those facets and colors. I've always wondered what their view of world looks like."

"Sometimes he shares what he sees with me," A'ten said. "If I close my eyes, it looks just like what I'd see if I was there, but sharper. He can see more than I can on the ground, when we're flying. But...I never really thought about it before, but perhaps I'm interpreting what he sends me, the same as when he speaks. What he really sees in his own head could be strange, like nothing I could imagine." He stroked the dragon's snout. **What do you think?**

}:I see what is there.:{ Corvanth seemed uninterested in the question. He crooned and nudged at Nirian. }:This scratching feels good. I like her.:{

Nirian giggled at the nudge. "Insistent, aren't you?" she teased. But she indulged him, devoting both hands. "I hear that they sound like you? Like, their voice in your head sounds like yours?"

"I never really thought about what I sound like." A'ten felt suddenly self-conscious of his own voice, which was only just beginning to settle to its adult pitch. "I suppose he does - in my head, he has a male voice, and he doesn't sound like he has an accent, or like a Lord Holder. It's quite warm, and smooth, and deeper than mine... More like a friend you've known all your life, and their voice is so familiar you don't think about it."

"Must be nice," Nirian said dreamily and with none of the bitterness that she felt. "Well, Corvanth, you take good care of our A'ten up there, okay?"

Corvanth rumbled in assent, and A'ten grinned. "He says he will. And we'll come back to see you - to see everyone here, often. If it's all right?" Perhaps, when he'd grown taller, and developed a taste for ale...

Nirian booped his nose playfully. "You'll always be welcomed here, A'ten, you know that. Besides, who else is going to bring me new stories to entertain my shifts?" She looped her arm into his. "Let's go finish up our ales before it gets too late."

The young brownrider winced briefly at the thought of the ale, but he faced the prospect with determination. It was a drink for a man, and besides, he'd put up with far worse brews for the honor of walking into the tavern with Nirian on his arm.

Last updated on the November 2nd 2025

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