A Quiet Homecoming
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: Heather, Suzee
Date Posted: 9th July 2014
Series: The Price of Power
Characters: L'cor, Arippa, Reven
Description: Reven finally returns home to Green Valley.
Location: Green Valley Hold
Date: month 7, day 14 of Turn 7
Reven thought leaving the Weyr was bittersweet. Bitter because he not
only felt safe at the Weyr but he felt as if Arippa were secure there
as well. Sweet because he missed Green Valley terribly and he was
ready to be back in the comfort of his own home. They had sent Coran
back a sevenday prior, and so it was only Reven and Arippa traveling
together back to the Minor Hold.
A young bronzerider waited for them in the Weyrbowl, and Reven
dutifully held his arm out to Arippa as he escorted her toward the
dragon. Having been at the Weyr for around a fortnight, Reven's
attitude toward dragonriders and Weyrfolk in general had changed
drastically. Yes, they were socially more liberal than he would ever
be, but they had also generously taken him in and not only cared for
him but had cared for Arippa as well while she stayed by his side. He
would be eternally grateful for the kindness that Dolphin Cove had
shown.
L'cor greeted the Holder and his Lady respectfully. "Sir," he said.
"It will be a pleasure to carry you and your Lady wife home to Green
Valley. I was raised there and my mother still runs the Inn."
Arippa smiled and held on to her husbands arm. "He's the one that came
to get me," she said to Reven. "Thank you for everything you've done,"
she nodded to L'cor.
"Thank you, L'cor." Reven stuck out his right hand and shook hands
with the young bronzerider. His left hand was mostly healed, but still
wrapped, because he couldn't stand looking at the place where his
pinky should have been. When he got back to Green Valley he planned on
having a special glove made that would hide the scarring.
Looking at the bandage on the other man's hand L'cor had concerns
about him climbing the straps to mount and indicated a stone stair the
climbed up the face of the weyr bowl. "If you and the lady would like
you can mount from that platform." He headed to the steps himself and
let down the boarding bridge with its broad planks and rope handrails.
It was sometimes used by riders who had difficulty mounting the normal
way for various reasons.
Tonuth had scooted under the platform and lowered one wing as they'd
practiced many times and L'cor walked across the bridge to where it
lay on his back.
Arippa squeezed Reven's good hand and followed the rider across the
bridge and toward the place she was to sit. She still felt scandalous
in her riding leathers though her husband seemed to like it, at least
at the Weyr.
Reven certainly did like his wife in riding leathers and he was
reminded of it as he watched her settle ahead of him onto the bronze's
neckridge. Seating himself just behind Arippa, Reven took advantage of
the view from atop the dragon as he looked around at the Weyr and the
people in it. Dolphin Cove was a beautiful place.
~*~
Reven had purposefully requested that his return to Green Valley be a
quiet, semi-private affair, so it made him smile when they arrived
overhead and the only two figures below were that of his father and
mother. They could celebrate his return later, but today was only for
family.
On the ground tears rolled down Corette's cheeks as she watched the
bronze dragon land. She could barely believe that the man sitting
behind Arippa was her son. What had happened to his shoulder length
hair? **He has become so thin!**
As there was no place to dismount like there was at the weyr. Tonuth
lowered his bulk into almost a sleeping position at L'cor's request
and then he began to help the holders down.
Arippa took the offered hand and slipped to her feet then she went to
the dragon's head to thank him as she'd learned in the weyr. At that
point she was back by Reven's side to take his hand while his parents
came closer.
Corette didn't even spare a look at Arippa's horribly inappropriate
pants but went straight to her son, her arms open.
Reven left go of Arippa's hand to wrap his arms around his little
mother, the top of her head barely reaching the middle of his chest.
Over her head he locked eyes with his father, who looked suspiciously
as if it might have tears in his eyes as well.
"You are far too skinny," Corette clucked as she drew back and
surveyed her son. She reached up and ran her hands down the sides of
his neck, "and your hair...."
"What? I thought you would be happy about the hair. You were always
telling me you were going to cut it if I didn't keep it out of my
eyes." Reven teased lightly, hoping to stem the tears that were
leaking down the sides of her face.
"Well," she sniffed, "I guess I had gotten use to it." The woman's
eyes latched on to his bandaged hand then, "Your hand!"
Reven withdrew the hand so that she could not touch it, "It is fine,
Mother, really." He shot a pleading look at his father.
Rendrall stepped forward and put a hand on Corette's shoulder, "Come
on, Corie, the boy would like to get settled into his room again I am
sure. You can fuss over him later."
"Oh, of course." Corette turned back to her husband.
The Minor Holder took up his wife's hand again and gave it a squeeze.
Arippa squeezed back and smiled at his parents. She was secretly very
glad they hadn't seen him the way she'd seen him at the Weyr, she
didn't know if Corette could have taken it.
L'cor watched the holders walk toward their home hand in hand and he
turned toward his own only to see his mother watching him with a soft
smile.
Last updated on the July 16th 2014
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