Well, That Sure Happened
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: Devin, Steel
Date Posted: 16th October 2026
Characters: T'vhei, N'vanik, Talryne
Description: Tavhei becomes T'vhei, and tries not to worry about everything immediately.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 4, day 25 of Turn 13
Notes: Follows "Unexpected Impressions" and "Chance And Change"
Talryne left Vheira with excuses about getting ready for the Feast, guilt and worry tightening her stomach. She hurried down to the Hatching Cavern and met N'vanik as he was heading toward the new weyrlings.
"Is he okay?" she asked, looking around for Tavhei.
N'vanik took her hand, his expression showing the same concern she felt. "Let's go find out." He excused himself from Cyradis, promising to meet back up with her to greet the other new pairs.
They made their way over to where Tavhei was feeding Saburoth. "He's very handsome," N'vanik said, his tone warm but careful.
Tavhei looked up. "... Hi." He said, sounding a little dazed still.
The brown at his side snapped up another piece of meat and eyed N'vanik and Talryne both. }:Tell them my name.:{ he prompted.
Tavhei swallowed. "This is Saburoth. He doesn't like stairs."
A surprised huff of laughter escaped N'vanik.
"Hello, Saburoth." Talryne stepped forward and held out a hand. He was a lovely shade of caramel and she could see the strength of Loseth in him.
Saburoth regarded her, for a long moment, and then bunted his entire head into her offered hand.
Tavhei faltered again, but Saburoth simply curled his tail around his rider, not relinquishing contact. }:Of course I like them.:{ the brown told his rider. }:They are your people, right?:{
Tavhei opened his mouth. Closed it. "I..."
}:It is very nice to meet you.:{ Saburoth told Talryne. }:Even if I had to climb stairs to get to Mine.:{
Talryne's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. For a moment all she could do was stare. "He--he spoke to me." Hearing someone else's dragon had become a normal part of her life, but that was _Loseth_ and she'd never expected to hear another dragon's voice in her head. Emotion overwhelmed her and she swallowed hard as tears filled her eyes. "It's very nice to meet you, too," she managed in a choked voice.
N'vanik took Talryne's hand and squeezed it.
}:Talryne is very special to me and my rider,:{ Loseth told Saburoth. }:They're very fond of your rider. He reads to me. Maybe he'll read to you, too.:{
}:Mine thinks Yours and Talryne are special, too.:{ Saburoth told Loseth, simply. }:Of course, I am the _most_ special.:{
"I... Saburoth. Don't be rude." Tavhei managed, and the brown snorted, good naturedly. }:That _is_ my name. And I am not being rude, Mine. I told her it was nice to meet her.:{
Talryne recovered a bit and rubbed Saburoth's head. She realized this was the closest she'd been to a newly-hatched dragon, only minutes old, since . . . She fought down another wave of tears.
"You doing okay?" N'vanik asked Tavhei.
"... No." Tavhei conceded, with a humourless sort of laugh. "... Sorry. Yes. Maybe? No idea. Rules say not to freak dragons out, right?"
Saburoth crooned, again, sending as much love and affection as he could to his rider, and nudged Talryne one more time before he finally withdrew.
}:So.:{ he told Loseth. }:Do we go with Yours and Talryne now?:{
}:You will follow Kularth and his rider to the weyrling barracks,:{ Loseth answered. }:They will take good care of you.:{
N'vanik patted Tavhei's shoulder and then gripped it. "You're doing great. I'm here for you, and so is Tal. And the weyrlingstaff will take good care of you," he said, echoing his dragon.
"I haven't told your mom yet," Talryne said. "But we're going to, both of us, as soon as N'vanik is done greeting the new weyrlings."
Saburoth snorted. }:Mine does not wish to.:{ he confided in Loseth. }:No, we will go home with you, and then Mine will read to both of us.:{ he decided. }:I am very hungry, so we must go home so I can eat.:{
Tavhei's expression didn't falter, but Saburoth sensed the shift in his mood, and spread his wings uneasily. }:Mine?:{
Tavhei took an unsteady breath. "... Just... make sure she's okay." He requested.
"We will," Talryne assured him.
}:You're eating now,:{ Loseth said with a hint of amusement. }:Your rider will feed you until you're full and then he'll take you to the barracks.:{
N'vanik wasn't looking forward to that conversation and he hoped Vheira didn't take things too badly. "What's your new name?"
}:Why?:{ Saburoth wanted to know. }:No, we will go with you and Yours and Talryne. That is a much better idea.:{
Tavhei swallowed, and automatically fed Saburoth another piece of meat when the dragonet prompted him with a nudge. "I... ah. I suppose it's T'vhei."
"T'vhei and Saburoth. You make a good, strong pair," N'vanik said. And he was proud, even though the young man hadn't wanted it, even though N'vanik didn't want to think about T'vhei facing Thread.
}:You must go with your clutchmates,:{ Loseth insisted gently. }:I can walk you to the barracks:{
Saburoth stamped his forepaws.}:But we do not belong there!:{
Tavhei-- no, he was T'vhei now, he had to get used to it-- frowned slightly. "... Do I really have to move in with a bunch of other people?" He appealed. "... My mother's and my weyr has interior access, I'm sure I could get him up those stairs. Or we could move in with you..." The moment the words slipped out, however, he made a face of embarrassment. He wasn’t a _kid_, he couldn't just try to move into someone else's weyr.
"Sorry, weyrlings gotta stay in the barracks," N'vanik said. "You'll get your own weyr in a few months. I can talk to the Headwoman and see if we can get one big enough for you and your mom straight away, as soon as your class moves out of the barracks." As long as Vheira was comfortable living with her son's dragon.
Loseth thought he might enjoy living with his hatchling, at least while he was small, but he kept that to himself. And he couldn't help being a little bit proud of the brown's determination, even if Saburoth needed to learn how to obey his superiors. The huge bronze came closer and lowered his massive head toward the weyrling. }:You do belong there, with your clutchmates. You'll learn and grow together, and you'll have fun playing with them.:{
"I know this is all a shock, but try to make the best of it." Talryne laid a hand on T'vhei's arm. "Even if I'd known ahead of time what was going to happen . . . a dragon is worth it." That dark emptiness opened up inside her, but there was love there, too, in the memories of what Ysanth had meant to her. Loseth crooned, and N'vanik took her hand and squeezed it.
"As long as my mom's fine with it." T'vhei said, slowly, unaware that he was echoing N'vanik. He'd never lived by himself before, not really.
}:But you aren’t alone.:{ Saburoth told his rider, and tipped his head to the side, the hatchling's neck angling to press his head with renewed affection against his rider. }:We are together now.:{
Tavhei took a deep breath, and reluctantly let his hand finally settle on that caramel hide again. "... I'm sorry." He said, a little stiffly. "This is... this is a lot."
}:I could play with _you_.:{ Saburoth countered to Loseth. }:I still think my idea is better. And so does Mine.:{
}:I'll play with you, too.:{ Loseth gently touched Saburoth with his nose. }:But you must live with your clutchmates.:{
"Of course it is," Talryne told T'vhei.
"Focus on taking care of him. Once he's asleep you can . . . process this however you need to," N'vanik said. He'd already told R'lor through their dragons to keep an eye on him.
Saburoth tilted his head up and back, stretched out his neck to touch Loseth's muzzle with his own. }:I will join my clutchmates.:{ the brown conceded finally. }:But we will visit you every day.:{
"I need to... focus on him right now." T'vhei agreed. He offered N'vanik and Talryne a tight, almost apologetic, smile. "I'm sure I'll have words later."
"I'm very proud of you." N'vanik squeezed the young man's shoulder again. Things would have been so different if T'vhei had _wanted_ this but . . . there was nothing they could do about it now. "We'll see you later."
Last updated on the October 27th 2026