I'm So Proud of You

Writers: Avery
Date Posted: 24th February 2009

Characters: L'pin, R'min
Description: L'pin tells his son how proud he is that he Impressed, even as he grapples with his own fears.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 13, day 23 of Turn 4

}:It is time.:{

As soon as Chaneth gave him the call, L'pin organized his desk- quickly, of course- and headed to the Sands. He would have liked to sit and just watch, but of course the Weyrlingmasters stood on the sidelines and guided the new weyrlings to the meat and the oils. It often interfered with viewing. But today, he wanted to see, and if he had to, he'd pull a little rank!

Preparations were well under way by the time he got there. A few of the assistants had brought out the bowls and the oils and paddles. The drudges were hurrying in with huge amounts of meat to feed dozens of ravenous dragonets. It was quite he organized chaos, and L'pin felt pride as he saw it. The weyrfolk knew their duties and did them well.

The humming crescendoed and he moved to look out at the Sands. There eggs were rocking feverishly, beginning to crack. A bronze hatched first and made his way over to a candidate. L'pin let himself smile at the portent of good luck before returning his attention to his son. Others might look at the gold, or try to follow everything; L'pin wouldn't care about the gold if she hatched first. His eyes were riveted to his son.

Did he want Ruumin to Impress? He knew that he didn't know for sure. On the one hand, it would mean that his son would be complete, would never be alone, would have the constant bond of his lifemate. But flying Thread was horribly dangerous, and rare was the weyrling class that survived to graduation without a single loss.

He spotted a blue heading directly for his son. Was that...was it going to be... Then his son threw his arms around the blue and cried "His name is Tahgirath!"

*~*

Ruumin shifted from foot to foot on the hot Sands. He'd never done this before, and being told it was hot and walking there for the egg touching wasn't quite the same. He spared himself a brief look over at Meledei as the gold egg rocked more, willing her to get it- he did like the girl, even if she did resist his advances.

Then his attention was distracted by something tickling, brushing along him. He reached up to brush at his skin, wondering if somehow a bug had gotten in the hot cavern. Then he was distracted by the sight of a beautiful pale blue before him.

}:My name is Tahgirath and I am desperately hungry. May we eat now?:{ the blue pleaded.

Ruumin threw his arms around the neck. "His name is Tahgirath!" he yelled to the Stands, looking around to try to catch Mel's eye, or the eye of anyone in the Stands he knew.

Then he turned, gently helping Tahgirath balance when the blue might have fallen. "I'll get you food," he promised more quietly.

*~*

L'pin smiled broadly for his son as he came through with a hand on his blue. "Congratulations to you and Tahgirath." he said seriously. "There's meat here, and oil."

"Thank you, Father." Ruumin said. He patted Tahgirath reassuringly and then took the two steps and flung himself into his father's arms for a hug.

L'pin hugged his boy and then stepped back to let him and Tahgirath continue to bond. "I suppose it'll be R'min now, unless you pick something else?"

"I like R'min," the blue weyrling assured him.

L'pin's heart still felt heavy as he watched his son feed the meat scraps carefully to Tahgirath. He'd talked to G'len already about his fears, but he still felt them. Right now he wanted to step in, to warn him about overeating- but other new weyrlings were doing it too, and by the time he'd warned half the other half would have finished already. Was this how all fathers felt as their sons grew up and took the final steps away? He should be proud, but all he kept feeling was loss. Loss that his boy was no longer his boy, but a man now.

Last updated on the February 24th 2009

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I'm So Proud of You