A Little Bit of Mercy

Writers: Estelle, Devin
Date Posted: 5th March 2024
Series: The Hunt for Gil

Characters: R'ayl, Alyena, N'vanik, Gilbek
Description: N'vanik brings Gil to the Weyr, and he has some visitors
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 9, day 10 of Turn 11
Notes: Mentioned: Y'gel, Cyradis, Jayala

N'vanik

The nine and the Weyrleader's bronze appeared into a warm evening over
Dolphin Cove, and their reluctant passenger gasped in shock and relief
after the absolute dark and cold of /between/. His fingers still gripped
the riding straps tightly, but after a moment he recovered enough to
look out over the landscape below as they descended. Though darkness had
fallen, it wasn't yet so late and weyrfolk were still about, with warm
light spilling out from the lower caverns and some of the cliff weyrs.
In the distance the lights of the runner station and a few small holds
were just visible.

Loseth circled lower and then turned toward one of the seaside weyrs.
One of the highest ones, with an amazing view of the rolling waves of
the ocean . . . and no way down save a drop straight down the cliff.

As the bronze landed on the ledge, Gil eyed the darkened entrance to the
weyr, at first seemingly bewildered at their landing place. He turned to
look over his shoulder. Beyond the edge, far below, dark waves crashed
against the rocks, throwing up spray. Anyone who fell from here - or was
pushed - might never be found. He wondered if he'd been brought here to
die, if that moonlit view was the last he'd ever see.

N'vanik started to unstrap Gil. "As you can see, there's no way to
escape. How long you stay up here depends on how cooperative you are."
That could be taken a few ways, and he figured he'd like Gil stew on
that for a moment. "But before we talk, you can have some visitors."

}:Delorth, have yours bring his mother and sister here.:{

It wasn't long before a young blue dragon appeared from the far side of
the cliffs, his wings beating hard to lift himself and his passengers up
towards the high ledge against the strong ocean air currents. His eyes
whirled fast and yellow-white, reflecting the rider's apprehension at
being summoned by the Weyrleader's dragon, and with his family too.

He landed carefully on the ledge next to Loseth and R'ayl dismounted
first, then helped first his sister and then his mother down. The young
girl was wide-eyed, but Alyena was frowning, ready to defend her children.

"Weyrleader. What's this about? It's nearly time Evalya was in bed..."
Her gaze fell on the other man, who was standing a little further back
in the weyr entrance, and her jaw dropped.

"I wanted Gil to see that his actions saved you, and that the Weyr is
taking care of you now." N'vanik turned to Gil. "Gil, you know Alyena
and her daughter. This is R'ayl, her son. His blue ate fellis laced
meat at the Hatching, but the Weyrdragonhealer was able to save him."

"Ma'am." Gil bowed his head. "I'm very glad to know you're safe. I
should have stayed with you that night. I wish I had." He sounded
cautious, which Alyena supposed was because he was choosing his words
carefully while the Weyrleader was present. As she watched, he turned to
her son with the same polite gesture. "Bluerider, I'm truly sorry for
what happened to your dragon. I hope he's recovered."

R'ayl glanced at her, not sure what to make of the stranger. "Ah - thank
you. Yes, Delorth is just as healthy as his clutchmates, thanks to
Master Y'gel."

"We're all safe, that's what matters." Alyena wanted to apologize; she
wasn't sure if he knew she'd given his name and description to the
dragonriders, after he'd saved their lives. After so long she'd hoped
they would never find him, but she couldn't say that out loud. Neither
of them could speak freely, it seemed. He seemed unharmed, at least,
though thinner and more weary than she remembered. "I'm grateful to the
Weyr for taking in my children. Though I can take care of myself," she
added a little tartly.

"Dolphin Cove is grateful for your warning," N'vanik told her. "And
you work the same as any weyrfolk." Then he spoke to Gil. "Alyena had
enough conscience to warn us something bad was going to happen at the
Hatching. She helped save many lives, including her own son's dragon.
You had enough mercy to warn her, saving her and her daughter from
being burned alive in their cot. A little bit of mercy can go a long
way. You've earned a measure of mine, which is why I took so long
coaxing you to surrender peacefully." And the man hadn't started
cursing the Weyr and dragonriders the moment he knew he was caught.
All that might mean was that Gil had a cooler head than others.

"Thank you." There was a flicker in Gil's gaze at the mention of mercy.
Alyena could only imagine he was wondering how far that mercy would
extend now that he was in the Weyr. It seemed to have awoken a bit of
spirit in him, at least. "I'm glad it turned out that way. I'd no wish
to see you or your riders hurt."

"You paid the price for warning Alyena," N'vanik said. "I don't know
why you were involved to begin with, but maybe you understand now the
kind of people you were working for. You're lucky we found you instead
of them."

"I hope so." He sounded cautious, his gaze flicking to the weyr ledge
where the dragons crouched, and the long drop beyond. Then he glanced at
Alyena, and some of the tension eased in him, so he just seemed
exhausted. "I'll tell you what you want to know, but I don't know if
it'll help. It would be my word against theirs, and I'm only a disgraced
former guard."

"It'll give me a place to start." The Weyrleader's posture relaxed
slightly. "R'ayl, you can take your family back now. Thank you. If any
of you want to visit again, we can arrange something." As long as Gil
was cooperative it wouldn't hurt to allow him visitors. "We'll chat
for a bit once they're gone, then I'll get some food sent up for you."
Which N'vanik wouldn't bother with if he was planning to hurl Gil off
the ledge. He almost snorted, thinking of what Cyradis would say when
she learned he'd taken a softer approach this time.

Alyena turned after lifting her daughter up to R'ayl, who'd already
mounted. "I'll come back when I can," she promised. "And I'll prepare a
meal for you." Though it reminded her painfully of the times she'd
visited her imprisoned son, she felt was the least she could do for Gil.

"Thank you." Gil watched as she climbed up to Delorth's back and the
blue spread his wings before leaping from the ledge. He might have felt
reassured that the Weyrleader would have been unlikely to bring her
there if he intended to kill him immediately after, but he clearly
wished he was going with them.

The longing in the man's eyes was hard to miss. "These cozy
accommodations don't have to be permanent," N'vanik said. "We'll see
how things go." He gestured toward the interior of the weyr, where a
table and chairs were waiting.

Gil look one last look out over the sea as the blue dragon banked, his
flight taking him out of sight around the cliffs. Then he turned and
entered the weyr. It looked as though it was intended for a smaller
dragon, a blue or a green, but appeared to be unoccupied. The dragon's
couch was swept clean, and there was no sign of any personal furnishings
- just the rider's bed with some folded blankets, empty shelves, and
hooks on the stone wall where riding gear might have hung. The space was
lit by fresh glowbaskets. No other exits were visible.

He took a seat at the table, appearing resigned, but not unwilling to
talk. "All right. What do you want to know?"

"Names," N'vanik said as he sat opposite of Gil. "Who you carried
messages for, who else they might've worked with."

Gil was quiet for a moment, gathering his thoughts, then spoke without
hesitation. "I used to work for Obriel, the Holder of White Hollow Hold.
It looks to Emerald Falls. He gave me the messages to deliver, but he
wasn't the one who ordered me to burn Alyena's cothold. That was his
brother-in-law, Ingrizon, whose land borders his."

He closed his eyes briefly, as if reminded of something he'd much rather
forget, then nerved himself to continue. "Egrivan of Lowcross Hold -
that's near White Hollow, too, I think he's a cousin. The chief herdsman
at High Hills, Folmer. I don't think his Holder knew. Shuvan, a master
at the Weaver Hall, and someone on the steward's staff at Emerald Falls,
I was never told his name, just a description. Yarik, a tavern keeper -
well, more of a thieves' den than a tavern. I brought him marks along
with the message." He named a few more holders. "Those were the ones who
met at Alyena's cot. There were others who I delivered messages to but
sent no reply. Perhaps they didn't want to be involved."

That was a disturbingly long list of names. "We already took care of
Shuvan," N'vanik told him. Someone on the steward's staff at Emerald
Falls . . . that wasn't good at all. Jayala had mentioned a Holder was
involved, beholden to Emerald Falls, so Obriel matched up with that.
Whether everyone Gil had named was actually involved, or whether Gil
had shared everyone he knew about, N'vanik couldn't be sure. But at
least some of it checked out.

Gil didn't ask what that meant. "I hardly spoke to him or the steward,
just delivered the message and got away from Emerald Falls. It wasn't a
good idea for me to be seen there. The holders, I knew better. They'd
sometimes let me stay for a meal or overnight."

The Weyrleader studied him for a moment. "And they never told you what
they were planning?"

The man drew breath as if to deny it, then stopped, appearing to be torn
between protecting himself and unburdening himself of a weight of regret
he'd carried a long time.

"I knew they had someone at the Weyr," he admitted. "I overheard them
talking about it. And I knew that person had to be there for a reason.
But I swear, I never knew they planned to hurt the hatchlings. I suppose
I thought they would challenge a dragonrider, like that other lad did
with the one who killed his father."

"We got her, too. She's the one who actually put the poison in the
meat." After another searching look, N'vanik rose. "All right. I'll
have some food sent up to you, and some hides. I want you to write
down everything you told me, names and descriptions. As long as you're
honest with me, you'll be treated well. Plenty of food, visitors,
maybe a future where you aren't trapped up here. But if I find out
you're lying, about anything . . . you'll wish I'd thrown you off the
ledge."

Gil looked up at those last words, but he didn't make any protest. He
seemed resigned, as though he didn't hold out much hope of leaving the
clifftop weyr by any other means than the long drop from the ledge.
"Thank you." He stood as well. "I wouldn't blame you for not believing
me, but I am sorry for what happened."

"I really hope that's true." Then the Weyrleader turned and walked out
to the ledge. Loseth carried his rider away, leaving Gil with nothing
but the sound of the wind and the ocean far below.

Last updated on the July 2nd 2024

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A Little Bit of Mercy