Coming to Join You

Writers: Avery
Date Posted: 24th January 2018

Characters: A'kades, V'rel
Description: A'kades tells V'rel he's moving to DCW
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 3, day 2 of Turn 9

A'kades had promised during his meeting with N'vanik that he'd tell
V'rel as soon as possible so the Weyrleader could make the announcement,
so before he left Dolphin Cove he'd had Volaith ask the weyrlingmasters'
dragons to let him know when there would be a time when he could visit
the weyrlings. He didn't want to assume that the Dolphin Cove scheduling
was the same as River Bluff's had been.

The answer he got was to visit during the weyrling free period at the
20th candlemark. He scribbled himself a reminder note to do that. It was
going to be the end of lunch time at Dragonsfall, and before his
assigned afternoon sweepride. That gave him the morning free for
informing the Weyrleader about the pending transfer, and then time to
speak to the Headwoman informing her the weyr would soon be free. Then
he'd need to pack that evening.

It was after the meetings and partway through lunch when Volaith said,
}:The weyrling free period is beginning.:{

A'kades finished the mouthful he was eating and put his plate at the
cleanup area before heading back to his weyr and strapping Volaith back
up. **We've got what, maybe a candlemark? Should be enough time,** he
thought as he provided the image for Dolphin Cove for the second time
that day.

The weyrbowl was painted in the colors of dusk as the sun was setting.
Volaith spiraled down for a landing close to the weyrling barracks and
let his rider slip off.

A'kades didn't want to go into the barracks and have the conversation
with his son in front of a bunch of weyrlings he didn't know, so he
asked Volaith to get his attention and bring him outside. The bronze
reached out for the mind of a young blue dragon. }:Rymeth, could your
rider come outside for a few moments?:{

Rymeth had been curled on his couch, drowsing as his rider was sitting
in a common area looking at notes. }:There is someone looking to speak
with you outside. You need to go meet him.:{

V'rel stood up and nodded at the people at his table. "I'm going to step
outside for a minute, Rymeth says I'm being summoned."

As he headed outside, he wondered. Who could be looking to talk to him,
especially at this time of night? Several of his friends were already in
the weyrling class with him. His friends who were other riders, or
cavern workers, seemed mostly interested in socializing on restdays,
since they knew how busy being a weyrling was. It couldn't be anyone in
the weyrlingmaster's staff, they'd just come in and talk to him, and
they'd already passed barracks inspection...

He was delighted to see his father leaning against the wall of the
barracks. This was the last option he'd expected to see. "Dad! Rymeth
didn't tell me it was you." A pause before he remembered his manners.
"How are you and Volaith?" he asked.

"We're both fine." A'kades stepped forward and hugged his son. "I know
it's late in your day, and I won't keep you long."

"I don't mind if you stay awhile. Well, the Weyrlingmasters might mind
if I'm not in by lights out, but if I'm with you and close to the
barracks, maybe K'sedel won't yell too much."

After all, he knew his father had worked with K'sedel at River Bluff, so
clearly it would be fine since it wasn't like he was down at the beach
and far away from Rymeth, or sneaking off to… well, to do things
weyrlings shouldn't be doing. The discussion with L'pin about being
careful about his thoughts and emotions was still fresh in his mind.

"I have a sweepride to get to in less than a candlemark, and I'm sure
you have studying to do. Or bonding with your classmates," A'kades said.
"I just dropped by to give you some news, so you could hear it from me
before you heard it through the rumor mill."

V'rel stiffened, concerned by those words. "Is something wrong at
Dragonsfall?"

"No, it's nothing like that," A'kades said quickly, realizing he'd given
the wrong impression. "I know weyrlings are busy but I also know
teenagers are tapped into the Weyr's gossip vine. Since R'enh is
transferring to Dragonsfall to be with the Weyrwoman and their child,
your Weyrleader's been interviewing a few different candidates for the
Wingsecond postion. Including me."

"You interviewed with Weyrleader N'vanik? You'd come to Dolphin Cove?"
V'rel blurted out in surprise. That wasn't news he'd expected to hear.
Shards, they'd fought about it not happening. And his father had said
all of the reasons why going to Dragonsfall was his decision – the
logical decision – the one he was committed to. So that he'd even
considered interviewing for the Wingsecond's position was… well, it was
a surprise.

A good surprise, one that filled him with pleasure. How nice it would be
to have his father _here _ and able to be seen all the time, instead of
timezones away...

A'kades pulled the knots out of his pocket to show his son. "Interviewed
and promoted," he confirmed.

V'rel's eyes fell on the knots that were held out. The twilight light
made them a bit hard to make out and he took them from his father's hand
to take a closer look. Those were in fact wingsecond knots, in the
Dolphin Cove colors. He looked back up to the bronzerider, overcome with
delight, and threw his arms around his father, hugging him tightly
because he couldn't find the words to express his joy.

When he finally stepped back, he handed the knots back over. **What
changed your mind?** is what he wanted to ask, but he was afraid to
actually do it in case he heard a reason he didn't want to know.
"Congratulations. You deserve to be a Weyrsecond. I'm glad Weyrleader
N'vanik saw that," he said.

He was proud of his father for getting such an important job. The only
way it could be better would be if his father would fly the Senior Queen
next time.

"Apparently I had some very good references," A'kades said. "That,
combined with my record.

"When are you arriving?" V'rel asked.

"I don't quite know. I have to wrap up at Dragonsfall – my Weyrleader
may want me to stay through the Threadfall this week, and I need to move
my things. But my goal is by the beginning of next sevenday to be here."

V'rel tried to drudge up anything else he should be asking, but he was
so excited it was hard to focus. He felt Rymeth stirring in his mind
with profound curiousity and he opened their bond to let his blue feel
the joyous emotions in full. "Is anyone else coming?"

"Jadirah's choosing to stay at Dragonsfall. I'm going to ask the kids
tonight, and tell them it's their choice either way. I suspect they'll
choose to stay in place," the bronzerider answered.

"Oh." He was a bit sad about that – he didn't know the others well, but
having siblings here would be nice. He'd always liked what he knew of
them and he liked the sizeable nature of T'lin's family.

A'kades lifted his head and got a slightly unfocused look. "Volaith is
telling me we should go back to Dragonsfall to run our sweep."

"Right, it's afternoon there." V'rel took another step back and grinned
again at his father. "Just have Volaith let Rymeth know when you're
really here."

"I will, I promise," A'kades said, before he went back to Volaith.
Before they left, he had his bronze pass to Loseth that V'rel had been told.

V'rel headed back into the barracks with a spring in his step. He
couldn't wait to tell T'lin.

Last updated on the March 2nd 2018

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Coming to Join You