Meant For This

Writers: Avery, Devin
Date Posted: 11th May 2016

Characters: N'vanik, K'ran
Description: K'ran and N'vanik discuss leadership.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 5, day 4 of Turn 8
Notes: Mentioned: G'nir, Rhosyn, K'sedel, Nisheyl

N'vanik

K'ran

The first Threadfall that K'ran had led as River Bluff's Weyrleader
had gone well. He'd stayed up with private nerves the night before.
But once he had mounted Rogueth, he had felt more assured about it.
The pre-Fall calmness and clarity whad settled over him, the desire to
fight Thread mingling with the one to keep his people safe. He had a
healthy respect for Thread, but there was no paralyzing fear of
causing disaster for the whole Weyr, or a strong desire to run away
from it all.

Now flying Thread was over, he'd cleaned up and done the post-Fall
review with the Wingleaders, and was settling into his weyr to do his
own internal review. he thought about N'vanik's words in the
conversation they'd had last sevenday...

- - -

His time with Nisha had been cut short by the Flight, so N'vanik
returned the next sevenday to make up for it. But first, he wanted to
drop in on the new Weyrleader.

}:Mine would like to talk to yours, if he has time,:{ Loseth told
Rogueth as he spiraled down for a landing.

}:There is nice sunning on this rim,:{ Rogueth said. He remembered
flying with Loseth at Dolphin Cove, and was perfectly willing to be
nice to him.

K'ran had finally moved into the Weyrleader's weyr. The challenge for
this restday was getting his stuff placed. Well, furniture was placed
already. Much of his travel knick-knacks were still in their boxes
waiting to be unpacked and set out. So it was no hardship to take a
break for a bit.

**Tell him I'm available,** he thought.

}:Mine has time,:{ Rogueth said after checking with his rider. }:His
weyr works.:{

Loseth rumbled a greeting to the other bronze as he landed. N'vanik
slid from Loseth's neck and made his way inside. If things had gone
differently... But no, he wouldn't give up Dolphin Cove.
"Congratulations, K'ran."

"Weyrleader N'vanik. Thank you," he replied automatically.

For a moment he considered how strange this was. The man had had a
rocky reputation when they'd first met, and so many people had been
shocked when he'd won Traelyn's open flight. But K'ran had found he
liked serving under him at Dolphin Cove, that reputation didn't always
match how people actually turend out.

"It's still settling in, to be honest," he said after a moment. "I
keep thinking I'll wake up and it's all a dream. I think some of the
disappointment bronzeriders might be hoping the same."

"I know the feeling." N'vanik laughed. "At least you've got some
experience leading. I got thrown into this with nothing." Shards, he'd
been so worried when he realized he'd have to lead a whole Weyr in
Fall when he hadn't ever been so much as a 'Second.

"I'm going to need it. Having seen how they've performed the last two
falls, I think I know what they're doing. It's not too different, but
it'll take time to learn their strengths."

As for N'vanik's own experience... "You must have picked it up fast.
You've done really well with Dolphin Cove. People may have questioned
it at the beginning but now nobody would say you haven't made it your
own."

N'vanik ducked his head. "Thanks. I know it sounds like typical
bronzerider arrogance, but I feel like I was meant for this." Flying
'Fall had given him a purpose, but he felt like that purpose hadn't
been fully realized until he was leading a whole Weyr.

"That's how I felt when G'nir handed me Cyan. I hope within a month
leading River Bluff would feel the same," K'ran admitted.

"Leading a Weyr is quite a bit more, but there's also no one to boss
you around. Except maybe your Weyrwoman," N'vanik said with a smirk.

"They all have the core of a gold in them, even though they're
different in your own ways." K'ran hesitated. There had been some
rumors about the bronzerider and the goldrider from River Bluff. "So
you're usually here visiting your daughter?"

"Yeah. That's why I was there when Orlaith rose." From Loseth's
comments he'd known she was close to rising, but not _that_ close.
"For once I wasn't _trying_ to cause trouble."

"I doubt anyone would have assumed you did it on purpose when you
already have a Weyr. Some people are suspecting I was plotting and it
wasn't an accident though," K'ran said with a shake of his head.

"You and Rhosyn aren't still together, are you?"

"No." N'vanik wasn't too surprised the man had brought it up. "She
kept me at too much of a distance and that's not the kind of
relationship I want." The closeness he shared with Tal had ruined him
for anything less.

"I just wanted to make sure that my winning wouldn't cause anything
awkward between the two of you," the other man said.

"Not at all. How are you getting along so far?" N'vanik asked. Rhosyn
had a strong personality and she might not be happy about finding
herself with a new Weyrleader.

"So far it's going well. She knows her share of Weyr duties well, of
course. And she's been helpful teaching me what I'll need to know about
River Bluff to hit the ground running. She didn't seem to be furious about it, anyway." He wouldn't have blamed her about being upset about an outsider suddenly being thrust upon her as a new choice.

"Ah, that's good. I know she liked K'sedel as her Weyrleader, but I
think that was mostly because he was familiar and didn't get in her
way." He'd heard K'sedel managed the Wings well, but N'vanik knew
River Bluff truly belonged to Rhosyn. "It's good if you can get along
but don't let her walk all over you."

"I hope to find the balance. The Wings are my job, the rest is hers. I
know some Weyrwomen try to make it all theirs, but it's really a
partnership and I hope we can both respect that."

N'vanik considered him for a moment. "I think you'll do okay. I
haven't worked with her so my opinions are a little... skewed toward
what she's like as a lover. But I do think she needs someone to lean
on more than she admits." K'ran was a steady sort and might be a good
match for Rhosyn.

"Hopefully we'll turn out to be good partners, for the sake of River
Bluff if nothing else." K'ran wasn't hoping for a romance from this,
but he was hoping for a successful partnership.

"Have you already seen your daughter, or is that where you're off to?"

"That's where I'm headed. I try to visit at least a few times a month,
so don't be surprised if you see me around." Things with the River
Bluff Weyrleaders had been polite but distant since N'vanik ended his
relationship with Rhosyn. N'vanik wondered if K'ran might help
strengthen those ties.

- - -

The Dolphin Cove Weyrleader had been correct about it feeling right,
like everything had been leading up to the moment. It had felt natural
to lead a whole Weyr. Bigger than leading just Cyan, but still a
scaled up version of it. Rogueth had been confident, and that had
carried through to him. The Wings had flown and survived under his
command.

He'd have to tell N'vanik he appreciated the advice. Maybe at the next
Hatching, or whenever he was around next.

Last updated on the May 20th 2016

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Meant For This