The Best News

Writers: Avery, Devin
Date Posted: 30th December 2018

Characters: T'lin, V'rel
Description: V'rel tells T'lin his great news.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 3, day 2 of Turn 9

T'lin

V'rel strode back into the weyrling barracks with a spring in his
step. Instead of sitting back down at the table where he'd been
socializing with Aleika and N'les, he looked around the common area
till he spotted T'lin, and went over and sat down by his friend.
"Hey," he said.

"Hey." T'lin smiled. "You're in a good mood."

Had he only stepped out for a few minutes? Was that how fast he'd
perked up? "I just got some great news," V'rel said.

T'lin sat straighter. "Really?"

"You saw me step out, right?" he asked. He thought T'lin had been
talking to someone when Rymeth called him so maybe he hadn't seen.

"Rymeth told me that someone was calling me. So I stepped outside and
my father was there. He said Weyrleader N'vanik's looking for a new
Wingsecond because of one leaving, and he'd been interviewed and he's
going to get the job and he'll be here."

"Wait, wait. Did you say your father is coming to Dolphin Cove?"

"Yeah. He said by next sevenday." Just thinking about it made the grin
break back out on V'rel's face.

"Really?" T'lin pulled him into a hug. "That's great! I'm so happy for
you." He knew how much V'rel had wanted this.

V'rel hugged back. "I can't believe that he's really going to be here
full time and that he changes his mind. And I'm happy N'vanik picked
him for the job."

"Wingsecond to the Weyrleader. That's a big promotion for him."

"It's an impressive job to have," V'rel agreed. Nothing he'd ever get
as a bluerider, but he didn't _want_ anything big like that, anyway.
But for a bronzerider that kind of thing was pretty good - preparation
for being a Weyrleader one day, maybe.

"I guess that means I won't ever be promoted into that wing," he realized.

"Did you want to be in the Weyrleader's Wing?" T'lin would rather have
him in a lower tier Wing. Somewhere safer.

"Right now, I just want to graduate classes and qualify for any wing,"
V'rel said, with a bit of a laugh. "But I want to do as well as
possible, and isn't entering the Weyrleader's wing right after
graduation a sign you did the best?"

"I guess so. But he can't have _all_ the best riders. They have to
balance things out, too."

"Ah, that's true. I'm just hoping for not the queen's wing. I'd be
nervous around all the goldriders."

T'lin shifted into a more comfortable position. "Why? Because they're
important?"

"Yeah, exactly," he said. "Cyradis and Kapera seem like they really
have it together. and I'd be nervous with them watching me. More so
than with any of the Wingleaders..." Then he paused and reconsidered.
"D'hol makes me nervous too."

"He has a reputation for being harsh. But K'don's dad is his
Wingsecond, and he seems like a nice guy. Maybe he evens things out."

"Someone would have to. I dunno how people stay that strict and don't
ease up." V'rel always felt nervous around that kind of person.
Really, he just didn't like to mess up and be seen at it and a more
forgiving overseer was better for him.

"The common theory is there's a stick wedged incredibly deep up his
arse." T'lin smiled.

"And since his weyrmate left him there's nothing to soften him in his
personal life, and who'd get him laid with an attitude like that?"

"Ouch!" T'lin laughed. "I don't get why you'd go through life being
mean when you could be nice and have lots of friends."

"I dunno either. Or why bullies do their thing. Shouldn't we all aim
to be kind? Life's too short to be miserable at others." Otherwise,
how would anyone be nice to you?

T'lin nodded. "You should mention something to the weyrlingmasters so
you don't get stuck with D'hol. Or maybe ask your dad and he can talk
to the Weyrleader. The Weyrleader is the one that makes final
decisions on Wing placement."

"I might do that. I'm just - it sounds stupid to be afraid of him,"
V'rel said, but he was, a bit.

"But are you really afraid of him or are you worried he'll be too hard
on you?"

"Uhm," V'rel said, while he tried to parse out what the difference
might be. "He's just got this reputation for being a hardass on you
and that's what makes him scary to me? That and how grim he is. Like,
even if he was being hard on someone else that would be hard to
watch."

T'lin considered that. "So maybe you can frame it that you're worried
his leadership style will prevent you from doing your best?"

"That's a good way of putting it. You're great at thinking about
this," V'rel said.

"I just want to make sure you ask for what you need, and thinking
about it this way might make it easier for you." T'lin didn't want him
to avoid bringing it up because V'rel worried it might make him sound
difficult or needy.

V'rel really appreciated that it felt like T'lin was looking out for
him. "Friends are for helping friends get better at things, right?"

"Of course." T'lin scooted over and put an arm around him in a loose hug.

V'rel let his head drop onto T'lin's shoulder. He was still always
keeping a note on Rymeth's feeling in his mind when he was
affectionate but their talk with L'pin had cleared much up on that
subject. Thinking about how excited he was to see his family, he
wondered something.

"Are you going to want to visit your family as soon as we can
/between/ on our own?"

"Oh definitely. And I might be able to sweet talk a rider to bring
some of them before then." T'lin also had a few marks saved up to
compensate the rider.

"That would be good too. I'd like to see them again," V'rel said. His
mind whirred for a moment. He knew riders. And T'lin's birthday was
coming up. Surely he could figure out how to get his family here for
his birthday...

T'lin chuckled. "Are you sure you can endure more teasing?"

"I guess we'll just both have to get used to it."

Last updated on the January 21st 2019

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

The Best News