He Needs You

Writers: Devin, Yvonne
Date Posted: 17th December 2025

Characters: Tsaera, K'mai
Description: Tsaera comes to visit to K'mai near the end of his watch.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 12, day 20 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: I'serin, L'keri, N'vanik, Z'kim

K'mai

Tsaera liked mornings, even the ones that carried memories with the dawn's light. She woke early, as was usual, and bundled carefully against the cold. Tabanirth met her outside her weyr with a quiet rumble and Tsaera mounted and rode her up the Star Stones to meet the dawn. The gold dragon landed next to Sebeth and knelt to let her rider dismount. "Good morning, K'mai."

Sebeth happily greeted the queen as K'mai bounced up from his seat with a grin. "Tsaera! I'm so glad to see you!" Thank Faranth someone was here. Sitting on watch through the middle of the night with little to distract him from the anniversary of River Bluff's destruction had been rough. He'd nearly had Sebeth reach out to I'serin a dozen times. Or Uetia. Or L'keri.

Still, he hesitated. "Is a hug okay?"

She opened her arms and wordlessly folded him in a hug. K'mai had requested it but she felt like she needed it as well. "How are you doing?"

"Not so great," he admitted against her shoulder. "It's so sh-- so lonely up here and I can't help thinking about what happened."

"I was surprised when Tabanirth told me that it was you and Sebeth up here," she said as she released him. She pulled a napkin from her pocket and unwrapped two warm buns stuffed with cheese and offered him one. "I didn't think it was your turn for Watch duty."

His expression lit up as he took the offered bun, then dimmed a little at her comment. "It's not. I uhh . . . maybe threw a glass of wine on a holder at the Hatching."

"Tempers run hot this time of the turn, don't they." Tsaera settled herself into the chair that K'mai had just occupied, grateful for the way his body heat lingered in the cushions. It was sharding _cold_ out here, and she was old, and she was going to take advantage of the colour of her dragon's hide by stealing a bluerider's chair if she wanted it.

She didn't seem inclined to scold him, so he relaxed a little. "Sorry, I should have offered you my seat, Weyrwoman." He bit into the stuffed bun. Oh, that was good.

"What happened that made you think throwing your wine on a holder was a good idea?"

Oh, there it was. "I didn't think it was a _good_ idea. I just . . . lost my temper. Him and his friend were saying awful things about-- about N'vanik and Z'kim."

"Ah." There was certainly a lot to comment on there, but Tsaera bit her tongue. "People will say many things you don't like. You are old enough to understand that, K'mai."

"I know." He searched for something more to say, some explanation that didn't involve him being protective of I'serin. "I've heard it all before, all the insults holders have for blue and greenriders. And N'vanik is more than capable of defending himself if he wants to. Some people might say he was asking for it, being so public like that." K'mai frowned, thinking of how tense N'vanik had been when he and I'serin went to talk to him after that dance. N'vanik had been waiting for I'serin to judge him the same way some of the holders were.

"N'vanik has always liked to provoke," Tsaera said dryly, "He makes his own choices. As did you. Do you think that you helped the situation?"

"No." He sighed. "And I put I'serin in a tough position when he had to put aside our--our friendship and deal with me as Wingleader. Which is why I didn't even try to sweetalk my way out of this." He waved a hand to indicate the watch station.

She snorted. "If he'd have let you off, I would have made sure he reversed that decision. Favourtism in matters of discipline, and even a whiff of it is unacceptable for a Weyrleader. Yes, you put him in an uncomfortable position but his rank will always trump your friendship. You need to expect and respect that, K'mai. The Weyr comes first."

"I know." Thinking about it made him uneasy so he reached for a joke instead. "I know I shouldn't try to charm my Wingleader either, but I do it all the time. Last time I was late for drills I told L'val I would . . ." Then he caught himself.

The goldrider arched an eyebrow. "I meant what I said, K'mai. I'serin can't have your back when he is Weyrleader. Even on hard days like today, _this_ Weyr comes first. Your duty is to respect his rank, and no matter how close you are as friends to L'val or I'serin, your Weyr is what matters. All of us. That is the pact we make when we step on the Sands."

"You sound like my father," K'mai muttered. He was quiet for a moment before he said, "I might not be all proper and dutiful, but I support I'serin. I support him all the way. Being Weyrleader has been so hard for him, and I've seen him near breaking. I've been there for him when he needed someone, and I like to think I've helped make him stronger. Better able to face his duties and the weight of all that responsibility. This time I made things harder for him, and I am sorry for that."

She nodded. "And he'll deal with it and move on, as we do. To be fallible is to be human." The goldrider was quiet a moment. "I'serin needs friends. All Weyrleaders do. But they need their friends to have their backs, too. I've seen more than a few friendships crumble under that weight. Don't let that happen to you, K'mai. I'serin needs you."

K'mai swallowed and said softly, "I know he does." _Necessary_. How many times had I'serin said that to him? And K'mai knew it was true, just as he knew he needed I'serin.

The goldrider reached out to squeeze K'mai's forearm. "I'serin is lucky to know you."

K'mai swallowed again, harder this time, as a lump rose in his throat. "I'm lucky to know _him_." The real I'serin, the one behind the public mask.

"We lost so much when River Bluff... well. I'm glad to see that you're living up to your roots." She turned back to her cheese bun and the sunrise. Safer things. "It's a beautiful morning."

"It is," K'mai agreed. "Thanks for visiting. It was a really rough night. And thanks for the bun, too." It had cooled a little but it was still delicious.

She nodded. "I think I'll sit here a while longer, if you don't mind. Until the sun's fully up."

"I'd like that." He didn't want to be alone, today of all days. It would be nice to have the warmth of company until the end of his watch, someone who understood and shared his grief at the loss of River Bluff. The sky was awash in pink and orange, a new day rising over Dragonsfall.

This was home now, too, even if it could never quite be the same. His friends and family were scattered across Pern, but there were many here with him. Uetia and Sabia had come as fellow refugees, L'keri had transferred in, and Tsaera too, at least temporarily. And I'serin, who he'd been friends with since childhood, but never very close until I'serin had become Weyrleader of Dragonsfall. Now there was something new and bright in his life.

"It feels like hope," K'mai said as he watched the sunrise.

Last updated on the December 20th 2025

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He Needs You