No Good
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: Devin
Date Posted: 5th March 2006
Characters: N'vanik
Description: N'vanik has a nightmare.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 10, day 20 of Turn 3
In the dark, in sleep, memories haunted him.
The hand lashed out again, catching him on the side of the head. Nilvanik's ear rang with the blow. "I'm sorry!" he repeated.
"Sorry doesn't fix it!" his father yelled, pointing at the shattered glass on the floor. "And sorry doesn't buy a new one!"
"It was an accident," the boy mumbled.
"An accident!" his father repeated. "Don't make excuses for your clumsiness."
He shook his head. "Remmil has three fine sons, and all I have is you. You're no good, Nilvanik."
Thread began to fall all around them. Now he was in the air, astride a flaming dragon. N'vanik was in high spirits. Just the day before, V'surin had told him that when O'vayez transferred next month, he might consider him for wingsecond.
**Wingsecond,** N'vanik thought with wonder. His focus returned to the task at hand. After three turns, fighting Thread was familiar, but it never lost its thrill. Here at last was something he was _good_ at, something _useful_.
A second too late, he saw the huge tangle. It was falling straight for the Wingleader. Loseth was already flaming as he moved up and over to intercept the Thread. The fire caught the clump, but only seared half of it. The rest continued to fall, landing across V'surin's shoulder and chest. For a moment, the rider seemed to be covered in the writhing organisms, then his dragon screamed and winked /between/. . .
N'vanik jumped to the ground as soon as Loseth landed. "V'surin!" he called as he raced to the cot where healers were frantically working on him. N'vanik was still a few feet away when the keening began . . .
"No!" his eyes flew open, and he stared into the darkness, disoriented. It took him a moment to remember - he was in his weyr at Dragonsfall. Not at Dream's End. Not at Jade Harbour. He sat up and ran a hand through his hair, noticing his forehead was damp with sweat. The dreams were getting worse. This time it had been so clear it was like reliving them. N'vanik reached for the glass of liquor on his bedside table and took a long drink. Every time it seemed he was putting his life together, something happened to tear it down. If V'surin hadn't died, if he had been able to save him. . . but V'surin was dead, and nothing could change that.
N'vanik was still coming to terms with how deeply the man's death had affected him. V'surin had been a friend and mentor, someone who truly understood N'vanik and accepted him for who he was. Yet the Wingleader had also pushed him to be more, to realize his potential.
And here he was, putting his wingmates in danger, treating U'kaiah the way he did, when the man had lost someone he cared about only a month ago. Saying those cruel things to him. Maybe his father had been right.
"No good," he whispered.
Last updated on the March 5th 2006