Here's to Us!

Writers: Aaron, Devin, Eimi, Estelle, Paula, Suzee
Date Posted: 13th December 2018

Characters: R'fal, T'nep, Dessa, K'don, T'lin, Miriat
Description: The Weyrlings celebrate their graduation to senior status
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 6, day 14 of Turn 9

K'don

T'lin

The evening of the party had finally arrived, and R'fal's weyr was the
cleanest and tidiest it had been since he'd moved in. He'd put on his
best shirt, which his mother had brought after the Hatching and was now
a bit on the small side - he must have grown over the last months, but
he didn't have anything else that the other weyrlings hadn't seen
covered in dust or oil - he had packed away anything that might get
broken, and he had a few mysterious bottles tucked away behind Marlath's
couch for when the party really got going.

He glanced around the weyr, checking to see if there was anything he'd
forgotten.

**What if no-one comes?**

}: They will come, :{ Marlath reassured him. He and the other young
dragons were all quite intrigued by how some of their riders had been
spending the hours before the party, making themselves look their best.
}: In fact, I think someone is arriving now. :{

"Am I late?" T'nep asked, peeking his head inside the door. Seeing
there was no one there yet, he felt relieved. "Oh good! I'm the
first!" That meant he had his choice of the best snacks laid out. "I'm
starving!"

"Boys of your age are always starving," Dessa remarked, walking in
behind T'nep. She was carrying a guitar case. "Hello, R'fal."

"Hi, Dessa!" R'fal's eyes lit up when he saw her arrive. If the gold
weyrling was here, the others would definitely come, and it looked like
they were going to have Harper music! "Help yourselves to the food." The
months of sweet talking the cooks had paid off, and they had provided
him with a feast of delicious-looking treats.

"Hello, R'fal. It wouldn't be a party without a harper," Dessa replied.
She put the guitar against a wall and went to check the food.

A few moments later, once it was clear, K'don was landing on the ledge.

}:I told you the others would come before you if you tarried,:{ said
Maciath.

**I know, I know! Shush.**

}:Do not worry so much! You were asked to come. You belong.:{

But it did not much feel that way. Being so much younger than most if
not all of this classmates, K'don was preoccupied with whether he would
be unwelcome. Of course, R'fal invited him, but what if it was only so
he would not feel bad about not being invited? What if the others would
be sorry to see him?

K'don sighed. He had hoped to arrive first and to be still enough near
the back to avoid too much notice.

But then again. If he were there first, everyone would notice them,
would they not? He clearly had not thought this through. No, he should
have arrived late so he could slip in unnoticed!

}:Only go inside!:{ Maciath laughed. And K'don did. Timidly, perhaps
even apologetically. He vowed to himself then that he would not do
anything to hinder the fun.

"I think I'm actually on time." T'lin chuckled as he walked in. He'd
gotten a new tunic in a shade to match Calaroth's hide and this was the
perfect opportunity to wear it.

"Well don't you look nice," Miriat said as she walked in behind him. She
was a turn or two younger than the bluerider and as interested as she
could be. Though she tried hard not to show it. Her green Deghayth
hadn't shown the least bit of flirtatiousness yet. Besides by
diffinition a bluerider might not have any deep interest in females. She
smiled and waved to Dessa and R'fal.

Dessa had just put a cookie in to her mouth, so she replied with a wave.

"So..." T'nep said as he looked around curiously with his plate full of
food, "is there... any drinks?"

"There's fruit juice, and water, and..." R'fal lowered his voice. "A few
'special' drinks, for those that want them." He winked at T'nep, his
confidence growing now that the other weyrlings were starting to arrive.
"What can I get you?"

"One of those special drinks, please," T'nep said, feeling his heart
pound at the thought that he would be included with the 'big boys'!

K'don froze. Special drinks!? Oh, no. He closed his eyes. If he did not
see anyone drinking a "special drink", then he had plausible
deniability. He would not be able to tell his grandfather that he saw
it. And then he would neither have to lie nor to snitch on his
classmates. He would never be invited to anything ever again if he did that!

"Coming right up." The brown weyrling picked up some glasses and headed
over to Marlath's couch, where the bottles were hidden. Some of the
guests were a bit young, it was true, but he'd had sips of his father's
drink when he'd been T'nep's age and it hadn't done him any harm. All
the same, with the Weyrlingmaster's grandson in attendance, it was
sensible to be discreet.

"I'll have one, too," T'lin said. It would be so nice to have a real
drink again!

R'fal returned with several of the mysterious "special" drinks, and a
glass of fruit juice for K'don, which he handed over with a sympathetic
smile. His weyr was starting to fill up now, and he wondered for a
moment whether the whole class would fit, or how long the food would
last, but put those concerns out of his mind. Everything would be fine.

"Well - here's to us!" He raised his glass. "The new senior weyrling class."

Dessa replied to the toast with her glass of juice. Since she planned to
sing and play, she needed to be clear headed.

Miriat smiled and grabbing her own drink walked over to the gold rider.
"Oh good," she smiled. "You're going to sing?" She still kept track of
T'lin though she tried to be subtle about it. "Looks like a good group
here tonight," she nodded at R'fal and lifted her own glass.

"That's the plan. Feel free to join me," Dessa replied.

"I'm not sure you'd want some of us singing," R'fal joked. Even after
all the extra harper classes, he was rather shy about participating in
musical activities. He gestured to his glass. "Especially after a few of
these." The drinks were a bit stronger than he'd expected, but perhaps
it was just that he hadn't touched any alcohol for months.

Dessa grinned at him and went fetch her guitar. She found herself a seat
next to the wall. She started with the duty song, altering the words to
fit the occasion.

R'fal followed the others as they gathered around her and joined in for
the chorus. At least he knew this one! He'd never thought, learning it
from his mother back on the farm, that one day he'd be one of the
dragonriders it honoured - although he'd dreamed. Sometimes he wondered
if he could ever be worthy of his new role in life, but singing along in
the company of his friends - and with the liquor warming his throat -
those worries seemed to slip away.

The singing made everything better. K'don barely even noticed any more
that the others were a little off compared to their usual state. They
were all singing and having fun, and he could even ignore the fact that
he was youngest. He clapped along and sang along and began to feel that
he did belong.

Last updated on the January 29th 2019

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Here's to Us!