Saving Family Pt 4

Writers: Miriah
Date Posted: 1st June 2016

Characters: Lanniya, Pierlin, Kandreya
Description: Rescuing Lanniya's family
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 5, day 15 of Turn 8
Notes: Mentioned: Pierka, Rhosyn, F'lin, Z'ku; Takes place in real time in turn 3; pt 4 of 4

Lanniya

It was nearly dark as Lanniya finished telling the story to her
shocked parents. She bustled about, building a small fire out of
driftwood as she talked, but never strayed far, not wanting to leave
their sides. It was obvious that they were having difficulties
absorbing everything, from being thought dead, to their eldest not
remembering them and that both of their daughters were now dragonriders.

Her father held up a hand as she began to continue on, filling them in
with smaller details of the past Turns. "Wait..stop. Let us take this
in before our brains stop working." He rubbed his face and they both
scooted next to the fire. Her mother just stared, still numb with
shock as she rubbed her arms and stared at the gold across from them.
Her father continued. "You're saying that you're from five turns in
the future? That you have a gold dragon..." His eyes drifted to
Anaeryth, who had her right wing half stretched and was peering at
them just as intently. "...obviously, and that your sister has a green
and..." He shook his head, then rubbed at his eyes. "She doesn't
remember us...and everyone thought we were dead."

Lanniya nodded, sucking in her lower lip. "Pierkanya didn't even know
her whole name. She just remembered Pierka. She didn't even remember me."

"And she's a greenrider?" Her mother's softer voice finally entered in
the conversation.

"Yes. But don't think she's like what people say about greenriders.
She has a weyrmate and he's a bronzerider named Z'ku. He's really good
to her. She has a baby..."

Her mother's eyes widened. "A baby?" Her mother's voice was a whisper.
"But she's only..."

Lanniya shook her head. "It's been five Turns. And she's a good
mother. She lives at Dolphin Cove and I don't get to see her a lot
because we're in different Weyrs, but I try to see her as much as I
can. And she comes to see Grandmother and Grandfather when she can.
They're at my Weyr..."

"But it's so dangerous." Her mother was obviously still struggling to
take everything in.

"Not as dangerous as that storm was." Lanniya broke in, her lip
trembling. She suddenly felt a hot stab of anger. "And you left me
behind. I thought all of you were dead! You took Pierkanya and you
didn't take me and I felt so guilty because I was alive and you
weren't! You left me behind and I didn't have you or Pierka any more!
And then I heard dragons and people thought I was crazy and..." Her
face screwed up tightly. "You left me and I didn't get to say goodbye
to you or my sister! I had grandmother and grandfather, but I was the
only one left!"

"You were sick, you were fevered and we couldn't..." Her mother rose,
maternal instincts overriding the pervasive shock of the situation.
She moved to sit by Lanniya, wrapping her arms around her and holding
her.

"I could have gone with you! Or you could have stayed! And then you
were gone! And...I missed you! And I wanted you back!" Lanniya broke
and leaned into her mother, burying her face in her chest as she had
when she was just a child. She felt another set of arms come around
them both and even through her tears, realized that her father had
risen to hold both of them tightly. There was a larger shuffle and the
warm soothing presence of her gold wrapped around her like a snug
blanket.

They stayed like that for a long time, getting warm and taking comfort
in each other's presence.

---

"We can't stay here too much longer." Lanniya spoke softly, still
huddled between her parents with Anaeryth wrapping herself around the
threesome. "They fly sweeps over the coast and Anaeryth can't be
seen."

Her father spoke slowly, realization coming to him. "You weren't
supposed to do this, were you?" He lifted her chin to bring her face
up to look at him. "Is what you did dangerous?"

Lanniya squirmed a little under his gaze and her cheeks reddened. "I had to."

A frown grew on his face. "How dangerous, Lanniya?"

She looked away and shifted a little. "Uhm..."

That told him more than enough. He closed his eyes and then frowned at
her. "Never again. You don't get to put yourself at risk for us. Ever."
He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her away from her mother,
kneeling in front of her. "Never, Lanniya. " He gave her a gentle
shake and his voice raised just a little. "I may not know all about
Weyrs, but I know how important Golds are. And I know how important my
children are. Do not ever do something like this again. I would rather
have you and your sister alive and unharmed than this. You promise me.
Promise me right now, that you will never do something so foolish
again. That storm could have..." A warning rumble issued from Anaeryth.

"Peirlin.." Her mother interjected softly. "Easy."

**It's okay Anaeryth.** Lanniya stared up at her father and her voice
was a whisper. "I had to."

Her father took a deep breath. "Just don't do it again." He hugged her
to him tightly. "How much trouble are you going to be in?"

"If I time it right, not any at all." Lanniya spoke softly, hugging
him before she pulled back. "Except maybe with the Weyrwoman if she
finds out." Or F'lin...he'd figure it out really easily, but she
didn't think he'd tell on her. "I have it figured out." She pulled
away and rose, hurrying over to Anaeryth to pull maps from the
satchels on the straps. She brought them back over and spread them
out. "I looked them all up." She pointed to the currents. "What we'll
say is that you drifted this way and got beached up here. " She pointed
again.

She continued with her plan, outlining how they might have been trying
to get back to the Southern Continent for Turns and had only just been
able to raise enough marks to travel by boat back to the Southern
Continent. They would have to get their own stories set, perhaps
traveling with another trade caravan up north. They used the time
that Anaeryth was resting to solidify what they would say, especially
after Lanniya stressed that timing it was not to be known by anyone,
even Pierka. There were enough small caravans that traveled each
continent that it was plausible. If she was very lucky, no one but
they would ever know that they were not the five Turns older that they
claimed.

Last updated on the June 9th 2016

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