Brace Yourself

Writers: Heather, Sia
Date Posted: 13th June 2024

Characters: M'yvak, A'ris, M'thos
Description: M'yvak brings Aedris to the Weyr but is unprepared for Aedris's reaction to the Weyr. M'thos's help is needed.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 11, day 19 of Turn 11

M'yvak

A'ris

M'thos

**_Another_ Candidate, Pesrath. We're on a roll!** M'yvak thought with excitement as he strapped Aedris into place on the blue's neckridge and then mounted behind the new Candidate.

}:_I'm_ on a roll, but I'm glad you're pleased.:{

**Brat.**

"Brace yourself," M'yvak instructed Aedris.

**Brace myself? On _what_?** Aedris thought with panic as he looked down the long neck of the dragon.

}:Clamp your thighs tight and hold on to the straps,:{ Pesrath told Aedris with what sounded suspiciously like a chuckle to Aedris.

Swallowing past the knot of fear in his throat, Aedris did exactly as instructed, gripping so tightly with his thighs that his knees hurt. His hands he curled tightly around the straps.

"Don't mind me," M'yvak said into Aedris' ear. "I'm just going to lend you some support. The first jump can be a little jarring." The bluerider wrapped an arm around Aedris's torso to act as a brace.

}:Here we go,:{ Pesrath warned Aedris before leaning back onto his powerful haunches and then leaping into the air.

Aedris wasn't sure what he had expected, but the _rush_ of speed surprised him. His stomach, he was sure, had been left behind on the ground as the puffy white clouds zoomed towards him. There was a moment, however, when the zooming seemed to slow and then the dragon's wings caught the air, which carried them upwards in one swift swell. They drifted like that for a moment, and Aedris realized it was for his benefit as he looked down at the world around them. The hills that had been his only reference and home for twenty-Turns now seemed so small and inconsequential.

This was it. _This_ was freedom!

--

M'yvak was relieved that Aedris had neither screamed, nor fainted, after the initial rush of flight and that he held it together as well when they went /between/. He'd had the misfortune of having both screamers and fainters when on transportation duty, and neither were particularly easy.

"Here we are! Dragonsfall Weyr!" M'yvak announced in Aedris' ear. He leaned a little to get a look at the other man's face, and what he saw surprised him.

Aedris's mouth had fallen open, his eyes were wide, and his face was white as a sheet.

"Are you okay? Do you feel sick?" he asked loudly.

Aedris's hands reached up and clapped over his ears. "It's... it's so... loud." His eyes became unfocused and then rolled up into his head as he fell limp.

"Shells!" M'yvak exclaimed, snatching the back of Aedris's shirt to keep him upright.

**So much for not being a fainter,** M'yvak thought as Pesrath came in for a landing.

}:He is overwhelmed,:{ Pesrath explained.

**Overwhelmed?**

}:By all of the voices.:{

**The voices?**

Pesrath let out a long suffering huff from his flared nostrils. }:He hears dragons, M'yvak. All dragons. He is very easy to talk to.:{

**Get me the first available Weyrlingmaster,** M'yvak told Pesrath as the blue's talons touched down.

}:Fianwyth. My rider needs assistance if yours is available.:{

Fianwyth never made any fast or sudden gestures. She appeared as a slow presence in the depths of M'thos' mind, pulling his attention as easily as a jab or prod. **What is it, sweetheart?** He asked her mildly, looking up and off into the distance of his office.

}: Pesrath wants you to come to the Weyrbowl. :{ She said. }: It is most urgent. :{

M'thos still sat a moment, uncertain about what exactly a dragon may consider an emergency. He did hear M'yvak boast about going on Search, and good naturedly lifted his eyes skyward as he rose. **Whatever he does out in the holds, he needs to stop doing it.** He told Fianwyth lightly.

}: It is more serious than that, I'm afraid. :{ She answered. That made him pick up his pace, and Fianwyth met him at Pesrath's side as rushed across the weyrbowl.

"What's happened?" He asked as he neared.

"I was bringing this new Candidate in. I didn't realize he could hear all dragons, but Pesrath says he can and that he got overwhelmed when we entered the airspace above Dragonsfall." M'yvak had unstrapped Aedris and lowered him gently to the ground. "I think he fainted. Should we get him to the infirmary? If he comes to and there's still all these dragon voices... Well, I don't even know how that works. How do you tell someone who doesn't have a dragon how to block out voices?"

Oh good. He could tell him in person. "I'm taking you with me to the runner races next time, M'yvak." M'thos said as he helped lower Aedris off Pesrath's neck. "You know you can have an uneventful Search once in a while? Just bring back a couple of well adjusted kids?"

"The infirmary- probably. At least to make sure it was only the dragon voices that caused his fainting spell." M'thos paused a moment. There had been another boy with this ability amongst the candidates, though he seemed to have it mostly under control. "Fianwyth, can you fill his head in the same way you do mine? Or...not quite the same, you know what I mean. When he comes to we can see if that helps quiet the rest of the noise."

Fianwyth's uncertainty danced across his mind. }: I can try. :{

They arrived in the infirmary just as Aedris was beginning to come around. His eyes widened once again at the voices.

}:Only listen to Fianwyth's voice. Focus only on her.:{ Pesrath told Aedris.

}: I'm right here, little one. :{ Fianwyth said, her voice warm and gentle. Her presence was more than just the words, but the _feeling_ of being surrounded by her. Like a sweet breeze on a summer's day or an embrace from a good friend.

"There we go, that's it." M'thos said. "We brought you to the infirmary, just in case. How's your head feeling now? Can you hear me okay?"

"Y-yes, I can hear you," Aedris said to the stranger. He looked for the familiar face of the dragonrider he'd met on the trail and saw M'yvak standing on the other side of the narrow cot. "Who are you? Why are there so many voices?"

"I'm M'thos. I'm one of the Weyrlingmasters here-- I take care of the candidates and the baby dragons." M'thos said gently. "That's my green Fianwyth taking up space in your head. Those voices are all the other dragons here. We didn't realize you had this special ability until you got here. Do you think Fianwyth is helping, or are the voices just as loud?"

"Fianwyth is... she's helping. It feels like," Aedris searched for the right way to explain it. "Like she's standing right in front of me."

M'yvak's shoulders sagged a little in relief. He felt guilty about Aedris' experience. If he'd known he could have possibly helped but...

"I'm sorry, Aedris, I didn't realize you could Hear All Dragons, or I would have warned you," the bluerider said.

Aedris gave M'yvak a feeble attempt at a smile. "It's okay. I didn't know I could hear dragons, either. Until today, I've never met a dragon before."

"There's no way either of you could have known." M'thos said. "But if you're going to be at the Weyr, you're going to need learn how to handle the noise. That's not a small feat- there's a lot of dragons here and, if the one-sided conversations I hear from Fianwyth are any indication, lots of things you'd rather not overhear." He said it lightly, gently teasing.

}: I am a stunning conversationalist.:{ Fianwyth disagreed.

"But lucky for us, we have at least two dragonriders with the same ability. We'll see about getting one or both of them down to see you. When the healers feel all right to dismiss you, we'll get you settled in with the rest of the candidates."

"Thank you, sir. I really appreciate it." He hated to be a bother already.

"You're no bother," M'yvak insisted as he pulled up a stool. "I'll stay and keep him company for a bit," the searchrider assured M'thos.

"Thank you, M'yvak. I'll make sure we've got a cozy space for you in the barracks and alert the other folks with your special talent." M'thos gave the kid's hand a gentle squeeze. "You're in good hands here. It'll be an adjustment, but the Weyr is always a bit of an adjustment for the Searched kids. You'll get used to it pretty quickly."

Last updated on the June 18th 2024

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Brace Yourself