That's Why I Came

Writers: Devin, Miriah
Date Posted: 6th April 2015

Characters: A'dryn, Lanniya
Description: A'dryn shares some of his worry with Lanniya.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 11, day 5 of Turn 7

Lanniya

During the whole class on Weyr sexuality, A'dryn had wished he could
sink into the floor. He had a green dragon, everyone knew what he was
now.

After morning classes it was time to feed Nalarith again. Chopping
meat was an unpleasant chore, but it was for her sake so he didn't
complain.

}:Hungry! Hungry!:{ Her eyes whirled red.

**You should be patient, Nalaraith. If he gets agitated, he might cut
his finger. He has to be careful because these knives are very sharp.
Why don't you sit with Anaeryth while we get both of your meat
prepared?** Lanniya's gently chided the green as she approached, but
kept a smile on her face for A'dryn. "Hi, A'dryn! I thought we might
help each other out a little."

"Sure." He stopped himself from addressing her as 'goldrider'. All
weyrlings were equal in rank, no matter what dragon they rode.

Nalarith eyed her warily, not sure she liked having another person
talk to her like that. }:I do not want to hurt my rider, but I will
stay here.:{ The hatchling took one step back.

**If you like. Just be careful, okay?** Lanniya smiled at the green
and gestured at Anaeryth to follow and sit nearby. The little gold was
hungry as well, but instead of demanding outright, simply stared with
thinly veiled impatience as Lanniya moved to stand beside A'dryn. She
picked up a knife and began carefully cutting the meat into chunks.
"So, how are doing? Isn't this amazing? Not the meat cutting, that's a
little gross, but our dragons?"

"She's everything." A'dryn couldn't help a smile. People had been
right that there were no words to adequately describe the bond.

She nodded in eager agreement. "I know. I thought I understood, but I
really didn't. Being able to talk to them is really different from the
bond itself. It's like...part of me was missing that I didn't know
wasn't there." She carefully put the cut meat into a bucket and then
grabbed another slab to work on.

"Yes." A'dryn sent love across the bond. Nalarith sent a warm
sensation of love, like being hugged inside his mind, then she
reminded him that she was hungry. He slid over the next piece of meat.
"I feel like I was half a person before, and now I'm whole." Handling
bloody raw meat would have made him squeamish before, but he focused
on what it meant -- feeding the most wonderful creature on Pern.

She looked over at Nalarith and smiled. "She is lovely, you know. I'm
really happy for you." She paused, her eyes unfocusing. "And so is
Anaeryth."

"Thank you. I'm glad you Impressed gold. You deserve it." They didn't
know each other well, but Lanniya had always been kind to him.

Her face was bright. "Well, I'm glad we'll be weyrlings together. I'll
be around to help you, if you need it. Or I might end up having to ask
you for help. You never know."

"Thank you." He smiled and dropped more meat into the bucket. When he
turned back to her he wore a slight frown. "It doesn't bother you?
That I'm...?" He couldn't even finish.

Her brow furrowed. "That you're what?"

His cheeks burned with embarrassment. "That I... Impressed green...
and... you know..."

}:Why does my color make you feel bad? Do you wish I was gold like Anaeryth?:{

**No, dear heart. You're perfect.** He had to get better at
controlling his emotions so he wouldn't hurt Nalarith. The guilt over
his nature kept making her feel confused and upset.

Oh. _OH_. Was that what was bothering him? Lanniya flicked a glance
between him and Nalarith, her brow furrowing. "Well, no. It doesn't
bother me at all. Why should it? I mean, it's normal here, right? And
besides, lots of other boys Impressed greens too."

At Nalarith's upset, her face softened with empathy. **Hush now,
Nalarith. Of course he doesn't. You're a very pretty green.**

Anaeryth chimed in shortly after, her tone soothing. }: I'm the only
gold in the clutch. We can't have two. :{

}:I would be any color if it made my rider happy,:{ Nalarith told the gold.

"I know." He'd hidden this for so long, but now there was no hiding
it. No denying. And A'dryn desperately needed someone to talk to.
"That's why I came here," he said quietly, not quite looking at her.
"Because I knew."

Sensing that it really did trouble him, Lanniya looked at him closely
as she finished chopping up the section of meat. She didn't normally
have serious conversations; she tended to enjoy happier talks, but it
seemed like he really needed to talk. "And it bothers you that it's
what you feel?" Her brow knit just a little. "At least you knew and
had a place to go. You didn't try to be something you aren't. That's a
good thing, A'dryn. "

"I was so afraid someone would find out. At least here I can... be
something." He'd brought shame on his family, but he was also
protecting Pern. Making the best out of his deviant nature.

}:Mine?:{ Nalarith asked softly. }:I'm very hungry.:{

**Oh! Sorry.** A'dryn turned with the bucket and began feeding her.

"You were something before, you know. Special, but you didn't know
it." Lanniya began to feed Anaeryth beside him, the little gold far
more imperious with her demands than the little green. "It's just more
obvious now. And you didn't know it either, I guess."

"People like me are meant to be riders. The dragons can see something
in us, turn our nature into something useful," A'dryn said.

Nalarith ate quickly but was careful to chew. Her rider was upset
enough without worrying that she might choke. }:You are perfect. I did
not choose a broken rider.:{

Lanniya's brow furrowed. "Is that really what you think?" She began
feeding Anaeryth, who chewed slowly and looked at the pair of them
with interest. "Nalarith is right. There's not a thing wrong with you
except that you think there is." She nudged him with her elbow and
smiled, trying to keep his spirits up. "Don't worry about what other
people think. People used to think I was crazy, but I'm not."

"Because you heard dragons?" He kept feeding Nalarith a small,
thoughtful frown on his face.

"They didn't know and for a long time, I didn't either, until I
realized what I was hearing. But by then, I was just crazy Lanniya."
Lanniya laughed ruefully. "Even my grandparents thought I was
strange." She paused and tilted her head in thought, even as she fed
Anaeryth. "Well, I guess I am a little strange, but if I wasn't, I'd
probably be pretty boring." She glanced at him. "Strange and different
isn't a bad thing, you know. It makes us...interesting."

"Interesting," he repeated. Well, that was one way to describe being
the shame of his family. "Well, I'm glad you found your way here. I
never thought I would be... friends--" he said the word a little
uncertainly, wondering if he was presuming too much, "with a
goldrider, much less one that could hear dragons."

She bumped him gently with her shoulder. "A weird goldrider. Don't
forget that part." Her grin was cheeky. "And you can be friends with
whoever you like. I'd be glad to be your friend."

A'dryn ducked his head. "Thank you, I'm honored."

Last updated on the April 8th 2015

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

That's Why I Came