The Places of No Return

Writers: Yvonne, Halyonix
Date Posted: 30th July 2024

Characters: V'dryn, Ketlyn
Description: Ketlyn and Videryn talk about their home Holds
Location: Barrier Lake Weyr
Date: month 9, day 2 of Turn 11

The worst part about Weyr life was deciding where to sit in the Dining hall. The Candidates usually sat together at a table (unless they had other family or friends they'd rather spend time with) but even then one had to decide _who_ to sit next to.

Some people were better company than others.

At least today she was the one doing the deciding. Usually Ketlyn fretted until someone deigned to sit besides her and then spent the meal trying her best to prove that they hadn't made the wrong choice. She plastered what she hoped was a friendly look on her face and sat next to Videryn. She liked him-- he had a nice laugh and she liked the way his eyes scrunched up when he smiled. Plus, he had a firelizard. "I hope you don't mind if I join you?"

He quickly swallowed, passed a napkin over his mouth to clean away crumbs that weren't there, and said, "I don't mind at all. Please, join me," His smile was polite yet open. "You're Ketlyn, if I recall correctly." He was fairly certain he did. He remembered names and faces well enough. Before she answered, Mora, his green firelizard, who was perched primly on the table, just on the other side of the plate of food, cheeped a welcome at the woman. She was waiting patiently for her share of a meatroll set aside for her that Videryn was occasionally cutting a piece from to give to her.

"You're right, I'm Ketlyn, and you're Videryn." Ketlyn sat, her eyes already glued to the little green firelizard. They were perfect, tiny dragons. Her fingers itched to stroke what she assumed was a very soft hide. "And this is your firelizard?"

Videryn nodded. "This is Mora. Mora, say hello." Obediently, Mora cheeped again. She cocked her head, her faceted eyes whirling slowly as she regarded Ketlyn. "Would you like to pet her?" Videryn asked, noting that Ketlyn's gaze was fixed on Mora.

"Sure." She reached out cautiously to let the little dragon sniff her fingers before gently touching her eye ridges, as if she were petting a feline instead of a flit. Her hide was surprisingly soft. "How did you find her?"

"She was a gift," Videryn answered. Mora crooned, leaned forward into the touch, and then shifted her entire body forward so that Ketlyn wouldn't have to reach so far. "There are usually lucky traders that find nests, though if you know someone with a gold, then you have a better shot of making that list." Which is what had happened in his case. Videryn's Sterward father had known someone and had paid for an egg for his son. "Here," Videryn said as he offered the broken up meatroll. "You can feed her if you'd like. She'd enjoy that."

Ketlyn obediently held out the meatroll. Part of her writhed with envy, but it was a hopeless sort of envy over something that's so far out of reach it might as well not exist. "You're very lucky that someone gave her to you."

Videryn's smile turned thin, tight. "Yes, well, though she was a gift from my father, she came with more strings than I thought," he said. Mora, in the meanwhile, padded closer to Ketlyn, intent on the meatroll. She made a cute sound, almost like a thank you, and then bit into the meatroll. "I wouldn't trade her though. She's become my only trusted companion since I left home," Videryn said. His smile returned a bit as he watched Mora chew. "But enough about that. Tell me about yourself. Where do you hail from?"

"From a farm at the edge of Dolphin Cove Weyr territory. It's... a farm. Not very interesting." Ketlyn broke off another bit of the meatroll for Mora. Just like a dragon, the flit had terribly sharp looking little teeth. "Has she ever bitten anyone?"

"Only when she first hatched," Videryn said with a remembering grin. He held up one of his hands. "She was quite hungry and mistook my finger for food." In truth, she bit him a few more times than that, usually around feeding time, until he managed to train her better. "A farm? Farms feed Pern. I'd say that's interesting in how vital they are. But I do understand how it...pales...in comparison to the lively nature of the Weyr."

Ketlyn wrinkled her nose in response. "If you think farms are interesting then you clearly have never had to spend a sevenday weeding and picking rocks out of a field. Farms and the Weyr are like... like having to decide whether to fold laundry or go to a party."

"A fair assessment," Videryn said, "Though there are still plenty of chores to be done here at the Weyr." He winked though, letting her know that he understood the point she was trying to make about the differences between the places. Truth be told, he would choose the Weyr over the Hold as well. "So, what is your favorite thing to do here at the Weyr?" he asked, changing the subject a bit.

"Oof, I don't know. I like that there are so many novels here," she said after a moment. "And I like that there's so much music. I never really realized how quiet it is at home. How about you?"

"The people," Videryn answered with a lopsided grin. "I enjoy meeting people. And the Weyr has a fair lot of interesting people, always coming and going. Though, yes, I do agree with you -- the music is wonderful. Far more lively here than at the Hold. Well, my Hold at least."

"What Hold are you from?" Ketlyn realized that she'd never actually asked before.

"Nowhere I'd like to say," Videryn replied as his smile became politely guarded. "If things pan out for me, I won't be returning. With or without a dragon, honestly. I rather like it here." Mora must have caught on to his mood because she looked at him, then let out a squawk, and then looked back at Ketlyn. "Mora obviously has an opinion about this. I think she wants you to pet her more," Videryn said.

"Naturally." Ketlyn let herself be distracted and filed Videryn's misdirection away for later. There _had_ to be a juicy story there. She reached out a finger to gently rub Mora's eyeridges, the way she'd seen riders do with their dragons... but then the words spilled out anyway, unprompted. "I don't want to go back either."

The guarded grin spread into one more open again. "Well, regardless of if we Impress or not, we don't have to. Ever thought of that?" he asked. "What would you do with your life if you didn't have to go back?"

"I'm training to be a Smith. I hope to get into glazing. Glass. What about you?"

"A glass smith!" Videryn said with delight. "One came to our Hold once, to fix a few of the windows. It's a craft that requires quite a bit of dexterity and delicacy, am I correct?"

"Sometimes. Depends on what you're doing. Making sheet glass or rondels for windows is pretty hot work, but blowing stemware can be pretty delicate."

"Which do you prefer?" Videryn asked curiously.

Ketlyn shrugged. "Both? I don't know yet, mostly I'm helping mind the glory hole or hold a punty for someone more experienced, when I get to work in the glassworks at all. But unless you're a Master, I think any Glass Smith has to do all of it. People just don't need that many wine glasses."

"True, unless they have buttered fingers and keep dropping them," he agreed. "That could get costly." At this point, Mora had scooted close enough to almost rub under Ketlyn's chin. "I think she likes you," Videryn said with a grin.

"She's a bit like a feline, isn't she?" Ketlyn said, dodging the green's head butt in exchange for eyeridge skritches. "And you didn't answer my question...?"

"What question?" Videryn asked with an innocence in his tone that was at odds with his devious grin.

Ketlyn raised an eyebrow. "Fine, don't tell me."

Videryn capitulated, though the grin didn't fade. "I haven't the slightest idea, to be honest. I've thought that perhaps Mora and I could secure a runner, travel to other places that need help building, but with Thread out, that's a far more dangerous thing than I'd like to consider some days. And who knows what brigands we'd find on the roads." He popped a morsel of food into his mouth. As he chewed, he spread his hands theatrically, saying, "So who knows now. I suppose I'll chart my destiny at some point. Or have it charted for me."

"Well, you have time to figure it out. Whatever you want to do. And if you don't Impress, I know that the Weyrlingmasters will help you find someplace you belong." It was the least that they could do after dragging them away from home to build their Weyr. Her expression softened as Mora butted her little head into her hand again. "And at least with Mora, you won't be alone. She's really lovely, Videryn."

His smile softened at the compliment. "She's been a delight ever since she hatched," he said. As Mora ate the last little bit, Videryn said, "Well, if you ever want to feed her again, just let me know. She will absolutely enjoy the attention from someone other than me."

"Thanks." She still wanted one of her own, but maybe this time she'd Impress.

Last updated on the August 18th 2024

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The Places of No Return