Letters from Home

Writers: Yvonne
Date Posted: 12th July 2024

Characters: Ketlyn
Description: After Impressing, Ketlyn gets a congratulatory letter from home - and a request
Location: Barrier Lake Weyr
Date: month 13, day 13 of Turn 11
Notes: Mentioned: J'nic, K'lvin, Jayzine

All the new weyrlings were allowed a free letter home if their families hadn't been able to attend the Hatching. Ketlyn's hadn't, her mother was pregnant again after all. She'd dashed off a quick note to her parents that first Hatching night once Varinth was asleep, and then she waited.

Her patience was rewarded two days later when a few bits of paper tied with twine were delivered over morning klah, bread and cheese. Ketlyn tore into them immediately without regard to the other weyrlings around her. They were as exhausted as she was, and too distracted by their own dragonets and lives to bother caring about her news from home.

'Dearest Ketlyn,

What a joyous occasion! We are so happy that you have finally Impressed a dragon and made your journey away from us worthwhile. As you know I am about to give birth to your new sister or brother any day now. Come stay with us as soon as your dragon can fly between. We miss you and your sisters would appreciate the help! Come for at least a sevenday, or longer. We need you here and I can't wait to see your sweet face,
--Mother and Father'

Ketlyn set that letter aside with a snort. Of _course_ her mother wanted her home for a visit, which wouldn't be a visit so much as her taking over running the cot so that her mother could laze around and show off the new baby.

The thought was accompanied by a wave of guilt. Childbirth was bloody, violent and hard, and the act took a long time to recover from - even for a woman like her mother who had already birthed eight children. Her mother was entitled to rest and recovery. Her fourteen Turn old sister Tris would run the cot while her mother healed.

**Be realistic,** Ketlyn chastised herself as she sipped at her klah, **Tris was running the cot and will continue to run the cot for Ma even after the new baby is old enough to because you ran off to the Weyr.**

Biting her lip, she set the letter aside and unfolded the next one.

'Ketlyn, you did it! Congratulations! I can't believe our sister is a dragonrider! Everyone here will be so jealous! Will you keep Crafting? Don't die in Thread! When can you come visit us, and can we come with you to the Weyr? -- Kemmin, Milyn, Tris, Kevan, Min, Vekal & Verraki'

Verraki's signature was a sloppy 'V' that looked more like a worm than a letter. Her mood did a somersault and Ketlyn was smiling again. Her siblings' letter felt like a warm hug. They, at least, loved her as she was and not because of what she could do for them. She made a mental note to ask J'nic when it would be all right to bring them here for a visit - he seemed likely to give her permission sooner than K'lvin did. Maybe they could give her an extra large weyrling weyr so that her siblings could all move in together with her? Who would she talk to about that... the Headwoman, Jayzine? When would she have time for all of this talking in her weyrling schedule, anyway?!

But then the bell rang to announce the approaching candlemark. Ketlyn startled and looked down at her too-full plate before shovelling cheese and bread into her mouth as her classmates rose from their seats. Varinth would approve of her table manners.

At the last possible moment she folded the letters and stuffed them into her pocket. It would be nice to carry her family's words around with her for the day, a little whisper from home to follow her through her new life.

Last updated on the July 27th 2024

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Letters from Home