One Last Loose End.

Writers: Leigh M-F.
Date Posted: 12th December 2017

Characters: A'kua, Erisalle
Description: A'kua delivers a letter
Location: Citrus Bay Hold, Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 2, day 10 of Turn 9
Notes: Mentioned: Eionen, D'ale

It was the last day of his bereavement leave, which meant A'kua was
busy. After he spoke with D'ale at breakfast as promised, he asked
Zeiranth to talk to other dragons in order to collect information
while heading for the archives. It took time, but shortly after A'kua
had thoroughly looked over and put away the map he'd needed, Zeiranth
reported back that he had an image. A'kua held it in his mind as he
went back outside and mounted up, the bronze having been harnessed
before breakfast. They were skyward in seconds, and after
double-checking with the dragon who had supplied the image to Zei,
they went between, reappearing under a cloudy sky in a completely
different time zone.

}:All right, now what?:{

**Eionen drew a map on the letter he wanted to send,** A'kua
explained, thinking of the landmarks. **Fly lower; we should be able
to see where we need to go soon.**

}:If it rains like it looks it could, you're going to have a hard time
thawing and drying my harness,:{ Zei warned as he obediently dropped.

**Good; that'll keep my mind busy before we return to drills,** A'kua retorted.

}:Are you sure you'll be able to drill at all?:{

**I told D'ale I would be, so I have to try.**

Approximately twelve minutes later, the wingrider directed his dragon
slightly south, and instructed Zei to fly lower still, until he saw a
clear patch of road big enough for the bronze to land in safely. He
did so, crouching down and taking deep inhalations of the sweet,
citrus-scented air. }:Oh, it's so lovely here. Just smell that!:{

A'kua slid to the ground and took off his jacket, withdrawing the
letter he'd found on Eionn's desk before placing the clothing on Zei's
foreleg. "Enjoy it while you can. I'm really hopin' this won't take
long," he said, and approached the nearby white-painted gate, absently
wondering what had happened to break the top slat. He'd just opened it
when the front door of the cottage among the orange trees slammed and
a little brown-haired boy, perhaps five Turns old, came barreling out,
shrieking in glee.

He was followed a mere heartbeat later by someone tall, clean-shaven
and also brunette, dressed in a long-sleeved lavender tunic with a
knee-length hem, and blue trousers washed so many times the color was
almost white. "Ariten, stop! Wait a minute!" they shouted.

A'kua swiftly put the letter in his sash and knelt in the running
child's way, grabbing him under the armpits and sweeping him up. The
boy yelped in surprise and gave the bronzerider a wide-eyed look as
A'kua settled him on his hip and silently thanked the Weyrlingmasters
for making him help out in the crèche so often as a Candidate. He'd
never thought he would need to know how to catch a kid ever again, but
apparently he'd been wrong.

}:Life is full of surprises,:{ Zeiranth commented.

The other adult caught up, shaking their head in embarrassment. "I'm
so sorry, dragonrider," they said. "The moment you la- Eionen?!"

**I wish that would stop happenin',** A'kua thought painfully as he
shook his head. "I'm not Eionn. I- I'm his son," he said awkwardly,
handing the boy back to his parent. "My name's A'kua, of Dragonsfall."

The orchardist bowed their head. "Our duty to the Weyr, sir. I'm sorry
for the mistake; I didn't know Eionen had children."

"Neither did he, for a long time." A'kua brought the letter from his
sash, and hesitated. "Are- Are you.... Are you Erisalle?" he ventured
uncertainly, and the orchardist froze, a look of fear and suspicion
flashing over her face. "Please, wait," A'kua said. "I'm not- I just-
I have bad news. About Eionn."

That was enough to keep Erisalle where she was. "What happened?"

The rider's throat closed, and the hand holding the letter wavered.

"Oh." Erisalle put a hand to her mouth. "Oh, no." She knelt, putting
her son down, and smoothed his hair. "Ariten, trundlebug, go back
inside, would you please? Tell Mama and Erimara I'll be a few
minutes."

Ariten's face crumpled. "But Mommie-"

"Ariten, if you don't go by the time I'm done counting to three-"

The boy yelped again and took off back to the cottage.

Erisalle stood, letting out a shaky breath. "What happened?" she
repeated, wringing her hands.

A'kua cleared his throat. "He just- He just died at his desk in month
one for no reason," he said unsteadily. "I only found out two days
ago. But he- he wrote this for you. I wanted to make sure you got it."

Erisalle took the letter with trembling hands. "I guess he did get the
letter I wrote him," she said, and cracked the wax, unfolding the
hide. "It takes so long to deliver messages if you don't have a
fire-lizard that I got worried, which was silly. I'm not even sure why
I wrote, but...." Her voice trailed off, and her face fell as her gray
eyes filled with tears. "'Be happy. Be well. I love you,'" she read
aloud. "Oh," she said once more. "Oh, Eionen." She let out a sob,
pressing the letter to her chest with one hand and covering her face
with the other. "Ancients, I don't even know why I'm crying," she said
between hiccups. "He wasn't a good man."

"No, he wasn't," A'kua agreed thickly. "But he wanted to be. And
despite how fardlin' stupid he was, he obviously never stopped lovin'
you."

"I know," Erisalle whispered. "I never stopped loving him either. That
foolish, foolish harper." She wiped her face, sniffling loudly.

"Are you all right here?" A'kua found himself asking. "Are you....
happy? I mean, despite this?"

The orchardist nodded. "I'm happier than I was for a long time," she
said. "I have a wife who loves me, and two wonderful children who call
me Mommie. Maybe that seems strange, but-"

"It doesn't matter," A'kua interrupted. "You don't have to defend
yourself to me. Women- Women lovin' women happens all the time in the
Weyr."

Erisalle looked so shocked, she couldn't speak for a moment.

The bronzerider let out a breath. "I should go before it rains," he
stated. "But if you or your wife ever need anythin', please find a way
to send word to Dragonsfall and ask for me." It seemed like the least
he could do.

The woman slowly nodded. "I think we'll be all right, dragonrider, but
it's always good to have a safety net when children are involved. So
thank you. I'll keep your offer in mind." She held out her hand.

A'kua clasped her wrist gently, and received a squeeze in turn. "By
your leave, then," he said, and turned to go.

"Will you be all right?" Erisalle asked a little anxiously.

The young man paused. "I wish I knew," he finally said. "Be well, Erisalle."

"Be well, dra- A'kua. I- I'm glad to know some part of Eionen is still here."

The bronzerider almost smiled, and let himself out the gate.

Last updated on the December 21st 2017

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One Last Loose End.