Wings for the Weyrleader

Writers: Avery, Heather
Date Posted: 9th June 2017
Series: The Ruin of River Bluff Weyr

Characters: K'ran, K'lvin
Description: K'ran and K'lvin talk about getting aid.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 12, day 20 of Turn 8
Notes: Mentioned: F'lin
Notes: takes place in late evening the day of the disasters

K'ran

Xmrenth's glowing eyes, pinpricks in the darkness, watched as his
rider walked across the river's bridge, to the crafter's building that
had been turned into the Weyrleader's office and center of command.
The bronze shifted from his perch up on the cliffs, tucking his wings
sharply against his back ridge. He knew his rider was deeply troubled
by the damage and deaths of the day, as they all were, and yet he
insisted that continuing to work helped him keep going. Still, Xmrenth
felt that there was something off with his rider, something he needed
to keep an eye on...

K'lvin couldn't help but stop on the bridge over the river, which had
swelled well outside of its banks, trying to contain all of the
run-off water that was still trickling out from the tsunami that had
it. So much destruction from something as essential as water.
Instinctively, K'lvin glanced up toward the cliffs, to the campfires
that could be seen on the plateau, to the pinpricks of light that he
knew were his dragon's eyes watching him.

He couldn't afford to stop now, to think now, he would think later,
when everything was taken care of, when it was over.

Trudging onward, he knocked on the door that had once housed crafters,
and then pushed it open. Workers had already cleaned out any evidence
of flooding in the building, and a desk, chairs and bed had been put
together for the Weyrleader's use.

"K'ran," K'lvin said, for once addressing his Weyrleader informally,
"how is Rogueth?" With all they had been through that day, K'lvin was
too exhausted for titles.

K'ran looked up at his Wingleader. "Asleep, finally. He was in a lot
of pain. They say he won't be able to fly for some time."

The boulders had come down on his back right side. His wings were fine
for flapping, though there were some small tears, but if the bronze
couldn't leap off the ground, he couldn't get anywhere.

K'lvin winced sympathetically, "I'm sorry to hear that." But fear of
his dragon being harmed had been one of the reasons K'lvin had coaxed
Xmrenth out of the Hatching Caverns before disaster had struck there.

"It's going to make things sharding difficult," K'ran said with a
sigh. "We've got to appeal to the Holds and pass more detailed
information on to the other Weyrs. They won't mind if we relay updates
by greens or blues, but I don't want to send anything less than a
bronze to the major Holds. This is going to mean extra work for you
and Xmrenth. I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about us," K'lvin said, holding up his hand to stave off
any apologies from his Weyrleader. "Staying busy is... helping." He
licked his lips, not yet ready to voice the things that he had lost
during the tsunami and earthquake.

"Would you and Xmrenth be amenable to taking a request to a few Holds?
Garnet Valley and Onyx Peak are both inland, and hopefully didn't
suffer earthquake damage. I was thinking they might be willing to
shelter some of our vulnerable for a few days. Sending a Wingleader
would impress the seriousness onto them."

K'lvin had visited both places before, Garnet Valley more frequently
than Onyx Peak, "Of course. I suspect they will be a little dubious of
the people we will be sending." He could imagine their worry over
receiving the Weyrs more.... _liberal_ members, "Who should I tell
them will be coming?"

"I was thinking we'd send people they can't possibly object to."
Political considerations were important, after all.

"I'd say the elderly and the weyrbrats. Tell them it's people who we
can't be certain will do well outside for a potentially long period of
time, and they should be sympathetic. I would be wary of sending our
female crafters, though. They'll probably have to manage here."

K'lvin nodded in agreement with that, although the thought of sending
his own daughters to a Hold without him made him feel anxious. "I will
go to them first thing in the morning."

"Thank you. I'll add a note. If they demand anything, I grant you
power to decide what's reasonable."

It was a high degree of confidence K'ran had for K'lvin. F'lin was his
wingsecond and he trusted the younger man to run Rapids for now, but
for negotiating with Lord Holders, he wanted someone older and more
experienced.

"I suspect at some point there will be Weyrleaders wanting to see me
as well. Especially depending on what the Masons say. Would you and
Xmrenth be amenable for transport there as well?"

"Of course, until Rogueth is well our wings are yours." K'lvin wanted
duties, he wanted chores, he wanted anything to keep his mind off
of.... He pinched the bridge of his nose between forefinger and thumb.
"Do we have an estimate on when the masons will be here?"

"That's part of the reason I was thinking you could visit Garnet
Valley early on. The Miner Crafthall is located there and they have
both skilled Masons and Surveyors. If they'd be willing to have some
transported here adragonback, they could start work tomorrow or the
next day. Otherwise, we could appeal to Journeymen posted at local
Holds, but I'd rather the most expertise we can have."

"Would you have me go rouse them now?" K'lvin would if necessary.

"That wouldn't be a bad idea. I know it's late there, but letting the
Hallmaster know what's going on now would give him time to make a list
of who to ask, and maybe they could set out tomorrow."

"I'll grab a cup of klah and head to the Minercraft Hall then." K'lvin
said, pushing to his feet, glad of the excuse of something to do other
than try to sleep.

"If I've drifted off before you get back, wake me up and give me their
answer, no matter what the Healers say," K'ran said. Their notions of
painkillers and sleep be flamed, he had more work to do.

"Will do. Rest well." K'lvin said, even though he knew it had to be an
impossibility for the Weyrleader.

Last updated on the June 10th 2017

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