Brotherly Advice

Writers: Miriah
Date Posted: 16th January 2012

Characters: Paetri, T'sin
Description: Paetri is paid a visit from her brother
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 6, day 22 of Turn 6
Notes: Mentioned: J'darin

After her talk with J'darin, Paetri felt more than a little lost. For most of the day after
and into the next, she was lost in thought. If she seemed different, few noticed; none
knew her well enough to know that her seeming mindlessness was abnormal for her.

She was mentally trapped by more than one thought that the discussion with J'darin
had brought fully to her attention. All she knew was how to run a household. She
never was trained in a Craft, she knew little about Weyrs. All she had ever done
was try to make a good match with a suitable man. All of her parents' plans had
come to nothing; she was here at the Weyr, knowing nothing.

Paetri sat at her cot, staring at a wall as her mind wandered. Hands idly stroked her
braid, her fingers sliding over the smooth strands. The feeling of inadequacy, so familiar
to her, was only growing. She wasn't good enough to be a wife, and who knew if she
was good enough for the Weyr? She fought back the sting of tears, also far too familiar.
Gripping her braid tightly, she tugged at it, her fingers digging into the thick strands.

"You know, if you keep pulling at that, you'll end up bald. Sad end to a gorgeous head
of hair."

The baritone voice shocked her, and she spun around, eyes wide. "Tam!" Paetri leapt up
and flung herself at the tall man, wrapping her arms around broad shoulders. All she heard
as she was swung around was her brother's deep laughter.

"Surprise, sweetling. But Qinth might take exception to the Tam bit." T'sin finally put her
down, and then cupped her cheeks in his hands. "When I heard that you'd been Searched,
I came as soon as I could. I'm so happy for you!" He gave her a grin, his brown eyes
twinkling merrily.

"Sorry, T'sin. I still think of you as Tam." She looked up at him with watery eyes. Paetri didn't
care who saw, she clung to her brother tightly and took a deep breath, letting the familiarity
of him wash over and calm rattled nerves. She moved back into his embrace, resting her brow
on his shoulder.

"Hey." She felt more than saw him look down at her and turn to see her hidden face. "Oh,
sweetling, that bad?" When she said nothing, she felt him sigh. "Walk with me for a bit. You
don't have classes soon, do you?" She shook her head and allowed him to lead her away
from her cot.

He stayed quiet as they walked, his arm around her shoulders as she leaned into him. She
finally spoke softly. "Where's Qinth?"

There was a slight chuckle. "She found a bronze and a brown to flirt with. Happy as a flit
with a plate of meatrolls." He led her to a small bench away from prying eyes and ears, and
then sat, drawing her down to sit beside him. "I'm not going to ask if you're having problems.
I know the whole pulling braid bit. You did that every time Mam was getting you ready to
meet someone else."

Paetri looked down at her hands and sucked in her bottom lip, then nodded slowly. T'sin
sighed and lifted her chin with his knuckle to make her look at him. Her brother's brown eyes
were kind and understanding. "It'll take time to get used to it, sweetling. It's not like home.
Believe me, I know."

"I know Tam. T'sin. I know. That's what I've been told. But. if I don't Impress, I'll be a
burden on the Weyr. J'darin, the Weyrling Master said I wouldn't be, but T'sin,
I don't KNOW anything." Paetri looked away and rubbed at her eyes.

"Stop it. Stop it right there." T'sin frowned deeply. "You're not a burden; you never have been.
And stop looking down. Look at me." Paetri stopped fighting his hand and met his gaze. "It was
hard on me too, when I was a Candidate. Do you think you're the only one Mam and Da' were
trying to wrangle into a match?" Paetri blinked in surprise. "Think about it, Paetri. I Impressed a
green. Do you think I wanted that life that they had planned for me?"

Stunned, Paetri stared at him. "I didn't even think about that."

T'sin chuckled. "No one did. Now look, sister mine, for the first time, you're going to be able
to make your own future, whether you Impress or not. Grab it. Run with it. It's not a chance
everyone gets. Don't worry about what the future will bring. Just live every moment as best
you can and enjoy everything it has to offer. "

"J'darin said something like that. That riders have to live like that."

He nodded. "Yes, we do. Whether you Impress or not, you have freedom in your hands.
To discover what you're good at, to discover yourself. Just because you don't know now,
doesn't mean you can't find out. It's a journey, Paetri. Enjoy the voyage without worrying
about where you land." He hugged her close. "Now, can you smile for me?"

She nodded and wiped at her eyes, before giving him a sweet smile. "I'll try."

"No...no trying. Just do, okay? Besides, you can send Marli to me if you need me,
okay? I'm only a hop between. Now, why don't you show me around?"

"To where?" Paetri glanced about. "I don't know the Weyr very well yet."

T'sin laughed. "The voyage, remember? You can start learning now. Let's just see
where our walk takes us."

Last updated on the January 18th 2012

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