Family Matters

Writers: Anika, Jane
Date Posted: 18th November 2014

Characters: R'haran, R'taran
Description: R'taran checks with R'haran to see how Arwey is doing.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 9, day 23 of Turn 7

Seeing the greenrider exiting the dining hall, R'taran lengthened his
stride to catch the man. "R'haran, I've been meaning to check with
you. How is Arwey?"

"Ahh." This was one of those moments when harper diplomacy was needed.
"Luckily she hasn't taken an infection in the wounds," grazes were
wounds of a sort, "and she's bounced back well thanks to your prompt
assistance." Once the blood was gone Arwey had perked up remarkably.
"I have to thank you again for your help. The boys would have done
their best but it would have been more distressing for Arwey."

"I didn't think it was serious, but she seemed rather faint. I wasn't
sure if it was just the sight of the blood or the injury itself. I'm
glad she's okay. She's a sweet little girl. The boys were very helpful
with Qharterioth, too. It's a nice family you have."

"Thank you. I tend to think they're nice too, on the whole," he
admitted with a smile. "There are two older ones, as well, Sahna at
the Harper Hall in Emerald Falls and Iselen who is a candidate here."

R'taran nodded. He still didn't really approve of women crafters, and
the name of the child at the Harper Hall sounded distinctly feminine,
but that was certainly none of his business. After six turns at the
Weyr, he had begun to get used to the fact that both male and female
youths apprenticed here. Just like both Stood at hatchings.

"Don't you worry? I mean, after what happened to the former Hall?"

The greenrider sighed. "I _do_ worry. Worry seems to come in a package
with children. But Sahna assures me she's fine and writes regularly.
She also knows Evielenth and I are just a few moments away any time
she lets us know she wants to leave. And I offered to send her to a
Hall up North but she apprenticed _here_, in the Hall when it was
here, and now she feels loyal to it."

"Loyalty is admirable," R'taran observed with a nod, though inwardly
he was puzzled. He had been brought up to believe girls were to be
sheltered, protected, and provided for so sending a girl off into a
potentially dangerous situation was very difficult thing for him to
fathom. Of course he knew Weyr values were very different, but this
was still hard for him to understand. He realized that R'haran had far
more to do with his children than many dragonriders, though. It still
baffled R'taran that a greenrider would have five children.

"It is wonderful the interaction that you have with your children,"
R'taran said instead of voicing any of his other thoughts. "So many
riders don't."

The older man shrugged. "With Evie not flying Thread I have a fairly
light workload. And then when the children arrived at Dragonsfall they
needed a little extra attention." And food. It made him happy to see
them as they were now; confident, not so inclined to cling to each
other, and fit and healthy.

"Well, I've admiration for your efforts. I gave up all hope of ever
having a real family of my own after coming to the Weyr. With fighting
Thread, and well, the transient nature of most relationships," the
brownrider shrugged. He understood why the tradition of fostering had
developed in the Weyr and why it was necessary. He also knew that some
people weyrmated and had family, but to say he had his doubts was
putting it mildly.

"You never know what the future will bring," R'haran pointed out.
"Believe me, I gave up any idea of having children - if I ever
considered it - at a very early age. And now look where I am."

Not for the first time, R'taran found himself wondering about the
mother of R'haran's children. He must of been with her for some time,
given they had five children and the eldest was apprenticed and the
second eldest a candidate. How did a greenrider maintain such a
relationship? R'taran had mentioned the children "arriving" at
Dragonsfall, but then R'haran himself transferred in from another
Weyr. Still R'taran was just not one to voice such personal questions.

"I'll admit I was surprised to learn you had children."

"No more than me. Their grandfather left their guardianship to me in
his will, but I hadn't known he had survived the plague. Been told the
whole family was dead and I'd believed it for over forty Turns. Then
five children arrived, telling me I was their grandfather's uncle." He
smiled, his expression reflecting the affection he had come to feel
for his family rather than the absolute shock of that day. "I adopted
them, of course. I really am the last of their family and they are of
mine. Strange, to be a father so late in life."

"Ah," R'taran gave a nod of understanding. He hadn't considered that
the children might be adopted. Once again, not something dragonriders
did often with Thread falling. "Family is important, but I can't begin
to imagine taking in five children. I salute your dedication." There
was a time, not long ago, that R'taran would have been appalled by the
idea of a greenrider raising children and he wondered why it did not
bother him more now. Perhaps Weyr tradition was beginning to override
Hold tradition in his mind. Or perhaps it was that R'haran was an
older and seemed very grounded.

The discussion of family got R'taran thinking of his own again. "Did
Evielenth suggest the one - was it Iselen- Stand?"

"Iselen, yes. Yes, it is Iselen, but no, Evie didn't Search him, and
is fairly sure he won't Impress." R'haran shrugged. "He wanted to
Stand and who am I to deny any boy his chance at that?"

"I agree. The Weyr needs all the candidates that it can muster."
Even as the words left his mouth, R'taran felt a twinge at the truth
he had unwittingly spoken. "When you go out on Search, do you find it
very common that there are multiple candidates within the same
family?"

"Often, though sometimes their situations are different. A newly
married woman expecting her first child and her younger brother will
make different choices. And then we dismiss those that the dragon
searches that are outside the age range the Weyr has set for
Impression. No point in brining along a grandfather, no matter how
much Evie likes him."

R'taran chuckled at the thought. "I was talking with another
wingrider recently about if having dragonrider relatives seemed to
increase the likelihood of Impression. It set me to thinking about my
own family. My eldest brother and the one just younger than myself
did not interest the Search dragon, but all of my other siblings were
too young at the time. I wonder about them sometimes. Of course they
are very much needed at home, but then the Weyr also has its needs."
The brownrider shrugged at the quandary. He would never want to see a
dragonet die for lack of a lifemate, but he had no desire to see his
sisters in the Weyr either.

"Perhaps make sure your nephews and nieces are searched at the
appropriate age," R'haran suggested. "My family isn't a great example
as they were all - nearly all," he corrected himself, still making
that mistake after Turns, "- lost in the plague."

"That's a good idea," R'taran's voice held a note of relief. There
were several options and plenty of time to consider them carefully.
Then the tail end of the greenrider's statement processed through his
mind, "I am sorry to hear that you lost nearly your whole family, but
I'm glad the children found their way to you."

R'haran nodded. "They're more precious for being completely unexpected."

"Indeed," R'taran agreed, wondering for the first time in a long time
if his own future might hold a family. "Well, I should let you get on
with your day. I'm glad Arwey is okay."

"I am too - and very appreciative of your help. If you need extra
hands for dragon-washing at any time, feel free to call on my crew.
I'm sure it does them good to get to know dragons other than Evie."
Or at least it did them good to work instead of running around getting
into mischief.

"I might take you up on that. Good day, R'haran."

"And good day to you, R'taran."

Last updated on the November 30th 2014

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