Hatching Feasts, and Confrontations

Writers: April
Date Posted: 3rd January 2006

Characters: B'drin, Baydin, Drinel
Description: B'drin sees his father and brother at the hatching feast, and there is a slight argument.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 9, day 5 of Turn 3

B'drin sat at a table with some of his other friends. He was happy. He had finally impressed. Lumyth was happily sleeping on his couch and B'drin was enjoying the hatching feast. He had almost forgotten that his father was there. Then he heard it behind him. There was a slight lull in the noise about him. He could hear the footsteps of the man he had not wanted to face. He could hear the even steps with only a slight limp. He could hear the even breathing as someone stopped behind him. B'drin could imagine his father standing there, arms crossed over a massive chest. His black trousers tucked into knee high black boots, his arms stretching the fabric of his tunic and vest. But worst of all he could imagine his face, hard black eyes peeking out form under bushy brows and a short beard that hid his straight lipped grimace. Behind him, Drinel would be standing with a teasing smile. He would be waiting for the confrontation.

B'drin turned and stood. He was ready to face his father. At least, he hoped so. He wasn't surprised that his father was as he had imagined. What did surprise him, was his brother. Drinel was standing there with a strained look on his weary face. He looked as if the turn had not been kind to him. The gentleness in B'drin wanted to forget all the hardship he had had at home and reach out to his brother. He smiled at Drinel and was happy to get a sad smile in return. In his mind, he was just happy to have gotten a smile.

"It's a pleasure seeing you again, Bayadrin. Congratulations on catching that brown." His voice was as loud as it was gruff. "At least it wasn't a green. We don't want any wishy washy girly boys in the family, right?" He reached over and picked up a large piece of meat and bit into it. The juice squirted out of his mouth and landed on B'drin's robe.

"It's B'drin father." He said quietly. He glanced down at the friends he was sitting with. C'spari was a new greenrider. He could see the anger in the boys face. "Father, there is nothing wrong with a green. I would have been happy impressing any color. I have good friends that are greenriders."
He smiled down at his friend trying to apologize for his father with his eyes even if he could not say it at that point. "For your information, I did not catch Lumyth, he chose to be with me." He said evenly. There was no anger or malice in the comment, only information. Baydin took another bite of meat and the juice squirted onto B'drin again.
He seemed not to notice. "Well, you got him or he got you, it doesn't matter. At least you won't have the time to do that women's work, since you've got that dragon to take care of. You've got to be a man and fight thread. Now, you'll make sure to protect the smith hall yourself, right?
I'm counting on you, boy. And do stay clear of those girly boy greenriders.
We wouldn't want to tarnish the family reputation, would we?"

"Father, I'm am sorry to tell you this, but I can make you no promises.
First and foremost I cannot promise to protect only the smith hall. I cannot promise that is were the wing I will some time join will be. Just because I am now a dragonrider does not mean I will give up cooking. Second of all, if I chose to be friends with a greenrider it is my choice. There may come a day when Lumyth chooses to chase after a green and catches her.
What I do with my life is my own choice." He said this all with a calm voice and even expression.

"Then what good are you?" he yelled, spitting bits of meat onto his son's robe. He turned to his other son. "Drinel, you were the one complaining about how he isn't around anymore. Here's your chance to make amends." He turned around and left, leaving Drinel standing there.

Drinel shook his head. His father was not the best at hiding how he felt about things. "I must apologize for my father." He glanced at the small crowd gathered about his brother. "I wish I could say he did not mean it, but that would be a lie. Father has never been one to admit when he is wrong. I had best see to it that he gets home and stays out of trouble."

"I'm sorry Drinel. I had hoped we would see each other under better circumstances. Please be careful and write me when you can." He tried to smile as he watched the strained look return to his brother's face as he followed his father out. B'drin had not wanted to have such a confrontation here of all place, least of all on a day that was meant to be a celebration.

Last updated on the January 3rd 2006

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Hatching Feasts, and Confrontations