Shameful

Writers: Devin, Chelle, Paula
Date Posted: 21st January 2015

Characters: A'dryn, D'lorn, Lenala
Description: The boy's parents don't take well to his Impression.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 10, day 15 of Turn 7

Lenala

Nalarith opened her mouth for the next piece of meat. He had to
occasionally remind her to slow down, but she was doing well. He
looked at her with utter adoration. A'dryn couldn't believe this was
real.

"How could you do this?"

He turned, going cold as he saw his parents approaching. His mother
had that pinched, disapproving look on her face that made him want to
crawl into a hole. And his father...

"A _green_? Do you know what men who ride green dragons _do_?" Father
glared down at him, angry and horrified.

}:What is wrong? Are these bad people?:{ Nalarith's eyes whirled and
she shifted uneasily.

A'dryn tried to calm down and had little success. "Sir, the dragon decides--"

"Then you should have refused!" He wasn't much taller than A'dryn but
still seemed to loom over him.

A'dryn's mouth fell open at the very idea. "No one can _refuse_!" He
put a hand on Nalarith. **I would never. You're everything to me.**

Mother stepped forward. "Did the dragon choose you because... have
you-- have you _done_ things Aldryn?" She put a hand to her chest as
if her heart were breaking.

Shame burned in him. He hadn't done anything but he couldn't speak.
Nalarith's distress made his already chaotic emotions worse, which
made her more distressed.

Father looked at mother, then back down at A'dryn. "My own son a
man-lover? Deviant, shameful ... I always knew there was something
wrong with you."

The world wavered as tears stung his eyes. "Please," was all A'dryn
could manage.

Nalarith only understood that her rider was upset and these people had
something to do with it. She creeled loudly and reached out for her
dam. }:People are making mine hurt! Please make them stop!:{

Hearing the noise, a male greenrider walked forward. This one held
Weyrlingmaster Third knots, however. And he wasn't happy about the
distress one of his dragonets was in. "Excuse me, folks, but you can't be
down here. If you want to visit, you can do it at the feast." Saying it nicely,
D'lorn noticed A'dryn and the condition the lad was in as well as the green.

**Villith can you please find out the matter?**
}:Little Nalarith do not worry. Mine will protect yours.:{ Villith
obligingly told the young green.

"A'dryn," he'd had to fish for the name. "If you can follow the others
there, the barracks are that way." One of the other staff members was working
to gather the weyrlings up when they finished feeding.

"This is none of your business, dragonman," A'dryn's father said.

"Husband, manners." Mother spoke softly but her words cracked like a
whip. "I apologize," she told D'lorn.

Father made a slight bow to the Weyrlingmaster Third. "We need to
speak to our... child about the disgrace he's brought us."

A'dryn pressed closer to Nalarith. For a moment he felt better having
someone to protect him, but then he felt worse, realizing it meant
someone else was witnessing his parents shaming him.

}:Are they angry because of me?:{

**No. It's my fault love, not yours.**

It wasn't hard to figure out just what the man was referring to. And for just
a moment D'lorn wished that everyone could see things the same way. The
man was so sure he was right. "I'm afraid I don't know what disgrace that
would need to be discussed. After all, your son just Impressed to a fighting
dragon hatched at River Bluff Weyr and he will spend the rest of his life making
sure you are not eaten by Thread at possible cost to himself and his dragon." All
of this was said in a very polite manner even while the former trader gauged
the situation. **Is he going to keep on or cause a huge problem? And why is the
boy not going toward the others? Shardit.** He noted the woman's apology and
the man's lack of one.

"And being a _woman_ to some other dragonrider!" Father said. A'dryn
couldn't bare to look at him, his face hot with shame.

"Husband," Mother urged again, a hand on his elbow.

But he wouldn't be swayed. "Did you rut with someone at the hold? I'll
have his name." Father reached for A'dryn.

The weyrling shrank away and Nalarith gave out a piteous cry. }:It hurts!:{

**Oh let the Red Star take him!** Before the man could put his hand on anyone
D'lorn moved between them. The greenrider had turns of training and had more
muscle than the holder would ever wish to have. He wanted to tell the man to
stick it up his rear but hold/Weyr relations being important as they were,
he knew he couldn't do that. He also had a sensitive green dragonet on his hands.

Knowing everyone else was moving away to the feast, he didn't want to interrupt
anything, but he thought it would be better to do it now before the situation could
get out of hand. And there were only two people who could calm the dragonet and
kick the idiots out of the Weyr at the same time. Deciding to give the man one more
chance before he bothered his superiors, D'lorn smiled. "I want you to understand
that you are on very dangerous ground here. A'dryn is a weyrling. He is no longer
any of your business. He belongs to the Weyr. If you threaten a rider of River Bluff
Weyr we will take action. Is that something you want to do?"

"Are you threatening me?" The man glared at D'lorn as his wife tried
to drag him away. "Just because Thread returned you dragonriders think
you're lords of Pern. I gave you my son so he could do something
honorable, not _embarrass_ us!"

**Can you tell Vilarth that we need her rider to handle a holder situation
as well as there being a dragonet in distress?**

Orlaith had already left the Hatching Cavern to eat a meal and rest after so
long sitting with eggs. That was probably a good thing since the senior
queen likely would have done more damage since the man was upsetting
her newly hatched dragonet.

}:Vilarth, Nalarith is upset and her rider is being upset by two
leggers. Mine is trying to get them to stop but the man doesn't want to listen.:{

D'lorn had weyrlings to attend to. He needed to get them settled into the
barracks and this holder was taking his time for no reason as well as causing
a scene they didn't need. So many were attending the Hatching due to the queen
egg that they were bound to notice. The Weyr couldn't afford to be lenient with
such disrespect and he wouldn't tolerate a threat to his weyrlings.

Vilarth relied Villith's message to Lenala and she excused her current
company. **Someone bothering the Hatchling?** she checked for details
while she hurried over the scene. Vilarth abandoned her sunning spot
and landed nearby.

"Is there some problem?" Lenala asked, looking very much like the lady
she was raised to be. "D'lorn?" She gave the Weyrlingmaster's Third a
warm smile.

A'dryn's mother recognized the knots immediately. "Not at all,
goldrider. I apolog--"

"This rider interrupted a conversation with my son," A'dryn's father said.

A'dryn couldn't move or talk or do anything but cringe and feel
horrible that all this was happening because of him. **It's my
fault... my fault...** The thought repeated as his distress fed into
Nalarith and hers fed back into him.

"You're interrupting people too," Lenala pointed out with a frown.
She gave D'lorn questioning look, hoping the greenrider would tell her
what was going on. The little green was upset, that much was clear
and the poor weyrling cringing. **Calm Nalarith," she asked Vilarth.

D'lorn tactfully turned to the goldrider instead of the boy's parents.
If needed, he would lead A'dryn away soon himself. "Well ma'am,
these are A'dryn's parents. Apparently they are upset he Impressed
green. And while being upset with him, they upset the boy and now
his dragonet is confused and concerned." He knew Lenala could read
between the lines. Just in case, though, he waited as Villith sent }:Vilarth,
the weyrling's sire was rude. He seems to think that Nalarith's rider has
done something wrong:{

Lenala's frown deepened. ** One of those parents,** she groaned inwards.
"I can't see why they're so upset about it, it's _honour_ to be chosen
by a dragon," Lenala's tone was frosty as well as the look she gave
the parents.

"A'dryn, has Nalarith eaten her fill? If not, please attend her
needs," Lenala's tone turned warm and sweet when she turned to adress
the Weyrling. The difference was as apparent as the colour of her
dragon's hide.

With a queen soothing her, Nalarith slowly calmed. A'dryn blinked when
the goldrider turned her attention to him. "I... I'm not sure." **Her
needs. Nothing matters except what she needs.**

His father was still glaring but mother squeezed his arm. "Husband
dear, we're causing a scene." She finally succeeded in getting his
attention and he turned to her. "Even the best runner can give birth
to a deformed foal." Mother fixed her gaze on A'dryn. "You simply cull
them and move on." She turned away. With one last glare, his father
followed.

There it was. His parents wished he was dead. A'dryn burst into sobs.

Thanking Lenala for her help, D'lorn turned to the boy. "A'dryn, you are not
the first and you will not be the last to have idiots for parents. To have a rider
in the Bloodline is an honor and failing to see that is their mistake, not yours.
You are part of us now and we will see that you have what you need. You will
need to be strong for your dragon and for your Weyr. Your Nalarith needs you
very much." He looked down at the young candidate and smiled. "And she will
love you more than anything else ever will including those wretches who just
left. Now let's get to the barracks with the others."

There was something in Lenala's eyes. She thought of how _her_ parents would
have reacted had she not Impressed Vilarth but instead a green. She gave the boy
an impulsive hug. "We're your family now," she whispered.

A'dryn stiffened in surprise, but a moment later he put his arms
around the goldrider. It didn't matter that she was so much higher in
rank, Lenala was offering comfort and he needed all he could get.
Nalarith nudged him. }:You are perfect and they are _wrong_.:{

Last updated on the February 10th 2015

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Shameful