Loose Ends

Writers: Yvonne, Miriah, Devin
Date Posted: 8th April 2019

Characters: Alina, N'vanik, Jerinne
Description: Jerinne tries to escape the Weyr, but makes a mistake.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 10, day 7 of Turn 9
Notes: Mentioned: J'ackt, Grevan (NPC), Saidrene, Cosani, Saibra

Alina

N'vanik

~*~

How much had he told them? Were they questioning him again? How long would it be before he told them everything? Jerinne hurried through the corridors, keeping her head down to avoid notice. It could only be a matter of time. Why had she been so stupid? Why did Grevan have to be so completely stupid and not get it done right? She knew of maybe only one person that could help her. Someone who hated _him_ just as much and would understand.

She was grateful that it was evening when she got to the door. She lightly knocked, hoping that Alina would be home. And hoping, she'd help her.

It took a few moments for the greenrider to answer. Alina's hopeful expression became confused when she saw the drudge standing on the other side of the door. "Jerinne?"

"Oh, thank Faranth that you're here. I was afraid that you'd be on sweeps or with someone." She rushed into Alina's weyr, not thinking about waiting for any invitation. "I need a friend right now and you're the only one I have! You've got to help me. I need to leave. Can you take me to your Hold?"

"Wait-- what?" Alina closed the door and turned to face Jerinne. She hadn't seen the other woman much since she'd graduated to a fighting Wing, and even before then they hadn't been close. "Slow down. Why on Pern would you want to go to Nadol Cothold?"

"I need to get away, Alina! Away from here." Jerinne tugged at a strand of her golden hair, twisting it around her fingers. Her lower lip trembled, but then she stomped a delicate foot and burst out, "It's all his fault! I've tried everything! He's just hateful! He called me horrible things, so I decided to get back at him. For the baby, I mean. I tried making his food too spicy at first, but then he liked it! And when I heard that he'd shoved you off too, I found his extra straps and I tried cutting them just a little, but he found that too! And now...Faranth, I'm in big trouble..." Jerinne wrung her hands. "He promised it would happen when I let him in and wrote the note, but he messed it all up and now he's locked up and he could tell them about me!" She spun to face Alina. "I know you understand... you're from a hold! And he's treated you bad too. I don't know how you can stand it! Just get me out and I'll do anything you want!"

It took Alina a moment to put the pieces together. Jerinne had written the note that had led J'ackt to Grevan. She'd sabotaged his straps, she'd plotted to _kill_ him, and she almost had. The greenrider felt as if she'd been slapped. Alina had always thought that Jerinne was a bit crazy, but never crazy enough to hurt someone. But now she was alone with the woman. **I need to figure out what to do.** Alina slowly sank onto the edge of her bed. "That's a lot... did you... did you really cut J'ackt's straps?" she asked.

"Just a little..." Jerinne hedged. "It wasn't much. Besides someone _always_ catches a falling rider." Whether or not they were hurt was another matter, but Jerinne had been hoping that J'ackt would be at least a little hurt. "Didn't you want to? He's horrible." Her mouth set in a sulk. "Sleeping with Saidrene and Cosani and Saibra and Faranth knows who else, and right in front of you too!" She sat beside Alina and took her hand. "I knew that you would understand. I
bet you can even understand why Grevan came here." Her voice dropped to a low whisper. "He was supposed to get me out with him. I don't know what happened! He swore he wouldn't tell on me, but I can't take the risk. Can you get me out? I'll help your family. And you have a brother, don't you? I could...you know..."

Alina lowered her voice too. "My brother's a child. He just coming up on his fourteenth birthingday. I-- and Nadol is nowhere. We don't usually get new people. It's days journey overland away from Emerald Falls Hold. And there's nothing there but farmers. I mean, I could take you there, but... it's nowhere." As she babbled, Alina reached out to Imarith. "I just... I don't understand. How did you meet Grevan, anyway?"

"Oh." That was a bit too young, even for her. Perhaps she should suggest...no, Alina wouldn't appreciate her "assisting" her father, but she could if she had to. "Nowhere is just fine right now. And maybe later, after everything's calmed down, I can go to the main Hold. I'm sure there'll be a place for me there. They like pretty girls, don't they?" She paused and held Alina's hand tightly. "I have cousin there, Elanni. She was courting Grevan and they were about to get married, but then his father died. After I told her what happened to me, she asked me to help him. I don't think she really knew what Grevan was going to do, but she'd do anything for him. So...I helped."

Alina squeezed Jerinne's hand back. "You're good to your cousin. Was it just the note?"

"I know." Jerinne agreed. "Well, kind of. But I showed him a good place to hide and wait. I know what corridors are used and which aren't. And I knew J'ackt was too stupid to check with the Weyrwoman to see if the note was really from her." She sniffed derisively, irritated that the man was so involved with just so many women. "I bet he's sleeping with _her_ too."

The greenrider bit her lip, feeling ill. "Perhaps. Probably. I-- look, I can take you to Nadol and see if my parents can take you in. We could go now. It's not so late there."

Jerinne sighed in evident relief and released Alina's hand. "Oh thank you. Do I have time to pack just a few things? I can hurry." She thought quickly. "Maybe half a candlemark? You won't be missed will you? I don't want to get you in trouble since you're helping me and all."

Alina shook her head. "Just hurry, all right?"

"Okay. I will. Thank you so much. You're a life saver!" Impulsively, she hugged Alina and darted out of the door, calling back, "Be right back!"

Alina watched her go. She stood and paced to the edges of her tiny weyr, brushing the end of her braid over her fingertips as her mind churned. Then she reached out to Imairth. By the time Jerinne returned, she was in her riding leather and had buckled Imairth into her riding straps. "You're ready to go?" she asked Jerinne. "Is that all you're bringing?"

Tugging her satchel over her shoulder, Jerinne's lower lip thrust out in a defensive pout. "It's all I have. Maybe I can find a good husband or something to buy me more things." Then with relief, she handed Alina the satchel and began to climb up to buckle herself in. "Thanks! I owe you!"

Alina gave a small, tight smile as she buckled Jerinne's satchel to Imarith's straps and climbed onto her dragon in front of the drudge. It was dark; Imairth's jade green hide faded into shadows and her eyes didn't quite catch the light. The green leaped from the ledge as soon as both her rider and passenger were secure, her wings snapping open to catch the warm updrafts from the Weyrbowl. They flew up until they were level with the Star Stones, and blinked /between/.

And reappeared back over the Weyrbowl. Imarith folded her wings and fell into a steep, sharp dive that threw the two young woman hard against the riding straps.

Jerinne's inner surge of triumph was cut short as they emerged from /between/ and she was thrown against the straps in a horrifying dive. She shrieked, grabbing at the straps in terror and then grabbed at Alina to try to find some security. "What are you doing?! Straighten up! Straighten up! Are you crazy?!"

Imarith's wings snapped open and she landed hard-- on the Weyrleader's ledge. Alina twisted to face Jerinne, her face cold. "I hope you rot in the mines," she said through clenched teeth.

Thrown against the straps again at the landing, Jerinne groaned and swayed feeling sick. The sensation worsened as she noticed exactly where Alina had taken her and her eyes widened with shock and a dawning sense of betrayal. "What have you done?" She paled and began squirming, hands scrabbling at the buckles. "You lied to me! You lied to me! You're supposed to be my friend!" Frantic, she began yanking at the buckles with one hand, swinging at Alina's head with the other, and kicking her heels at the dragons hide.

Loseth landed behind the green, eyes whirling with slow anger fixed on Jerinne. N'vanik stepped out onto the ledge with his arms crossed. "I suggest you stop struggling."

Jerinne's face paled the moment N'vanik stepped forward and she realized the depth of Alina's betrayal. She visibly shrank back and seeing that she had absolutely no place to run, she burst into tears and began to babble. "It wasn't my fault! It was all him! He made me do it!"

Alina uncurled from her defensive position and twisted to face Jerinne. Her expression was hateful as she tugged forcibly at Jerinne's straps. "Get off my dragon!" Imairth's eyes whirled hot red as the green lashed her tail and hissed.

As the straps unbuckled, Jerinne tumbled unceremoniously down Imarith's side to the ledge, falling in a sprawl directly at N'vanik's feet. Whimpering, she peered up at the Weyrleader from behind a mass of tangled pale hair and began to tremble. Desperate and unthinking, she pointed to Alina. "It was her idea! All of it! She and Grevan planned it and made me help!"

N'vanik kicked Jerinne in the shoulder, knocking her onto her back. "You expect me to believe a dragonrider plotted to kill another rider?" Loseth bellowed, his fury ringing off the walls of the Weyr.

Jerinne wailed in pain and fell back, then tried to scramble back using her elbows and scraping heels. Terror filled her eyes at the Weyrleader's fury and she began to blubber helplessly, words tumbling out of her mouth. "Don't kill me, Weyrleader...I didn't mean it! I didn't mean it! It was just a joke!"

"A _joke_? You think murder is a _joke_? I should leave you out for Thread!" N'vanik clenched his fists so he wouldn't do something like strangling the girl.

Sobbing and trembling in terror, Jerinne backed into Imarith and curled up, arms covering her head protectively trying to say something, anything that would help her. "Please don't kill me! I didn't mean it! Please! He didn't want our baby! I just wanted him to love me and he wouldn't!" The last burst out in a wail, and she hitched herself up tighter, knees to her chest.

Imarith hissed. Distantly Alina felt as if she should be shocked by the violence, but she just felt-- angry. She didn't want to be nice. "She told me everything. Jerinne's held a grudge against J'ackt since we were weyrlings. I'm willing to testify."

The Weyrleader turned to her. "Thank you for bringing her to me."

N'vanik moved closer to Jerinne, looming over the sobbing girl. "You're going to spend the rest of the night locked in a storage closet, and I suggest you use that time to think long and hard about telling the truth. Lying will only make things worse. For you."

Jerinne remained huddled, sobbing piteously. His threat made her tighten up into a tighter ball. How could things get worse?

Last updated on the April 16th 2019

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