Seeing the Sketch

Writers: Avery, Emma
Date Posted: 13th December 2017

Characters: A'vel, V'con
Description: A'vel looks at V'con's mother's sketch
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 2, day 9 of Turn 9

A'vel had spent a few days turning over the potential connection
between himself and V'con in his mind. He was trying to figure out
what knowledge he had that could give evidence one way or the other.

He'd been thinking about everything he could ever remember his father
mentioning about his journeying days. Had his father mentioned a
specific Hold? He remembered Amethyst Cliff being thrown around a bit.
Had he ever mentioned visiting a Weyr? And if he had visited a Weyr
before, then why had he been so disapproving when the Hall was
stationed here, complaining of Weyr licentiousness and complaining
about exposing good Hall-bred people to it? Was it because he had been
afraid of something he didn't understand? Or as A'vel now suspected,
was it bluster to cover up his own being tempted by weyrlife?

He'd dredged up as much as he could remember without contacting his
parents, and was disappointed that it wasn't enough to know one way or
the other. He did know that he wanted to see the picture V'con had
mentioned. He was very curious about the possibility of having a
family member who wasn't his ma or his dad. Someone here at the Weyr.
Someone who wouldn't be an absolute jerk.

And if V'con was his half-brother, that would mean he did have family
who would like him. Blood family.

So when Tsogath told him that V'con had found the picture and was able
to meet with him, A'vel rapidly headed to meet the bluerider.

V'con spotted the younger rider heading his way. As he watched, he saw
the similarities in the sketch he held, and the other man. The shape of
his eyes, the quirk of his smile. It looked very likely that they could
be family. Or was it just coincidence?

A'vel waved as soon as he saw V'con. "How're you and Cacholetyth?" he
asked when he got there, minding his manners.

"We're both good." V'con gestured to a seat in the dining cavern. "And
you and yours?"

"Tsogath is doing very well. She's been very interested in Panitath's
clutch and the excitement about the gold egg. she knows some of the
older dragons are excited and I think she's trying to figure out why."

"I'm sure she'll work it out when you get dragged into transport
duty," V'con said with a laugh. "Be careful you don't miss the fun."

"Is it possible to get so bogged down with transport you miss them all
hatching?" he asked in some worry.

"I don't know if it has ever happened."

"Oh, good. Because transporting passengers to the Hatching sounds like
it could be fun, but arriving too late would be so disappointing. Have
you ever done it? Bringing people to Hatchings, I mean," he qualified.
"Has anyone ever given you grief for being a bluerider?"

"Not when I'm taking them to see their beloved child on the sands,
deep down, I think some parents know what their child wants from his
life even if he or she doesn't yet. Besides, if I'm their only
option..." V'con grinned as he finally reached for the sketch his
mother had kept all those turns.

"Are you really ready to see this?" he asked.

The bluerider was right - they could just leave behind any holder who
was too blinded by the dragon color to want the ride to see one of
their children potentially Impress. "That's a smart way of thinking
about it," A'vel said.

And then V'con reached for the sketch. His heart rate sped up as he
leaned forward.

"I do want to see it," A'vel said. "I want to know for sure."

Then V'con simply laid the sketch out before them both. "This is my father."

A'vel leaned forward to look at the sketch. The sketch was clearly
older but well-preserved, a fine hand had dawn it and it had been kept
by someone who loved it. He looked over the face , seeking for
familiarities between it and the father he knew. He found them almost
immediately. His father as A'vel knew him was an older man, heavyset
with age and rich eating and with jowls and wrinkles. The man in the
sketch had a leaner face. But the nose was the same fine one, the
forehead smooth and sweeping back to hair which was parted in the way
his father _still_ wore. He could picture this as his father's younger
version, and he caught his breath and silently nodded.

"This is your father too?" V'con needed to hear the words, even if he
could tell from the reaction the sketch was getting.

"I can definitely see it. It _is_ the same Faveron..."

The question buzzing through his brain was what did they do now. The
first thing was obviously to notify the Weyrwoman, to get the records
updated. Then to tell his mother, and then face their father. but
would A'vel be part of it? Would Faveron acknowledge another
dragonrider son? What about the man's wife?

"What do we do now?" he said softly.

A'vel's fingertips gently brushed the paper, then he pulled his hand
back to stare at V'con. His face expressed the mix of emotions he was
feeling - nervousness, shock, and finally a dawning sense of elation.

They were related. They were half-brothers. A'vel had a sibling. He
had family, here, at the Weyr...

A'vel swallowed. "We need to talk to him. He should know about you. Right?"

"My mother needs to know as well," V'con said after a moment. "And the
Weyrwoman, for the records."

"We can tell the Weyrwoman easily enough," A'vel said, since she was
here. "Do you want to tell your ma before or after we talk to him?"

"After, I think." V'con looked at the man he now was certain was
family. "I'd rather wait, I'm not sure how she will react."

"I don't know how mine will either." Did he cheat on her? Was it
before they'd ever met? A'vel wasn't sure, and it bothered him he
didn't know.

"I'm glad we know. And I'm glad it turns out we are half-siblings,"
A'vel said.

"Me too, although I'm not sure how Cacholetyth will take being told
Tsogath is off limits."

"Does that work?" A'vel asked. He hadn't even thought about that being
a possibility until V'con had mentioned it. He knew greens couldn't be
told not to rise - could the males be told not to chase?

"With help from a gold dragon."

"I didn't know that was possible. Interesting," he said.

"I think they can make it clear to them somehow," said V'con. "Should we
make an appointment with Cyradis or Kapera?"

"I'll have Tsogath see about it. Tomorrow?" A'vel asked. He wanted a
moment to think before he had to explain it to anyone else.

"Tomorrow, yes," agreed V'con.

Last updated on the December 23rd 2017

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Seeing the Sketch