A Green Start

Writers: Halyonix
Date Posted: 15th October 2024

Characters: Mirona, Yreka
Description: Mirona arrives at Green Valley
Location: Green Valley Hold
Date: month 13, day 21 of Turn 11

Notes:

~~~~~~~~~

"Are you sure you don't want A'soren to bring you?" Yreka asked, mostly teasing, as she helped load Mineath with Mirona's belongings. Mirona's son, Mirasoren, was busy giving Mineath lots of attention, trying to reach the eyeridges that were further away than any five Turn old could reach, but was demoted to just patting her nose gently and babbling to her.

"A'soren and I made our goodbyes already," Mirona said. "I don't want to complicate it further for Mirasoren." Separating from the brownrider had already been enough of an incident. Even though dragonriders weren't as involved in their children's lives as Holders were, Mirona had strongly tried to break that tradition. It had backfired on her in multiple ways. Now, focusing on being a mother and _leaving_ were her goals. Let the Weyr keep its traditions.

"I still think you should have let me hook you up with one of my boys," Yreka stated, tying one of the sacks down. "They know how to treat a woman good." She shot Mirona a saucy wink.

But even though Mirona laughed, internally, Yreka was also one of the reasons why she was leaving. Mirona had come to the Weyr nearly a decade prior, a spoiled brat determined to become one of the exalted goldrider, a Weyrwoman. She had met Yreka at some point while they were both Candidates, two hedonistic women who enjoyed playing the field and reveling in what the Weyr had to offer.

Except that Yreka had Impressed Mineath and Mirona hadn't Impressed at all, save her firelizard Rascal, who had been with her before. Turns went by and Mirona found that the resentment and shame she felt from burning her bridges, being so selfish, and then being ultimately rejected couldn't be washed away, even after having a son. She found herself alternating between having hope for the future and having all of her mistakes (and some that weren’t even hers) thrown in her face daily. And since she couldn’t return to her home Hold, she had eventually decided that she needed a new start somewhere.

She was either making an even larger mistake by leaving or was starting a bright new chapter.

Still, none of this reasoning was something she was going to tell Yreka, or anyone else for that matter. She was going to create a new life somewhere, somehow, her and her son.

"Up you go!" Yreka said to Mirasoren as she boosted him aboard Mineath. Mirona checked the ties on their belongings -- how had their life been reduced to a mere six bags? -- and then got on herself, wedging her son between her and Yreka. Mineath took off and, unprompted perhaps or maybe just checking her reference point again, made a wide circle around Dragonsfall Weyr, giving Mirona a moment to take in her last view of what had been her home but now no longer.

She gasped as they went /between/, clutching at Mirasoren, and only let out her breath when they reappeared over Green Valley Hold.

"Not too shabby a place," Yreka remarked as Mineath came in for a landing. "Hope you like farming though." Mirona smiled to herself. Green Valley had been chosen for that reason -- remote, quiet, pastoral. Large enough for Mirasoren to get an education from the resident harper but not so large as to risk dragons constantly coming and going. She wanted her son, and herself, to forge a distance between their old life and the new.

Children swarmed Mineath as she folded her wings. The dragon preened at the attention while the women began untying sacks. "The Headwoman, please," Mirona asked of one of the children who seemed to be the most responsible, who dashed off. In Mirona's pocket was a letter of recommendation from the Weyr and a letter of welcome from Green Valley. She passed her fingers over them briefly, reassuring herself that she was wanted here, her organizational skills needed here, and telling herself that she would make it work somehow. She knew that she could always go back to…to plying herself, using charms to climb the social ladder, but she had a son to think about now and she needed something more stable.

"I'll help you carry it to your new quarters," Yreka offered. Mirona shot her a grateful smile. Mirasoren was already making friends, being pestered with questions by the other children. Eventually, an adult returned and motioned for everyone to follow him, though the children peeled off to let the newcomers get settled.

"Not too shabby a place," Yreka said again once they were shown to their new home. Three rooms, more or less, with ample space in each. Already, Mirona could see that she would need to update some furnishings and linens but everything looked clean and it was a good foundation to start on. "I've got to scoot with Mineath or we'll be late for practice," Yreka said after exploring each of the rooms with Mirasoren.

"You're always late for practice," Mirona said as she threw her arms around her friend in a hug. "Thank you for conveying us."

"I'll come visit you soon!" Yreka promised. Mirona knew otherwise. Yreka would most likely forget about her as soon as the wind changed. Her friend was out of sight, out of mind like that. And while it was fine to be so fair-weathered in the Weyr, it was starting to feel old on Mirona. Mirasoren gave Yreka a hug and presently, the greenrider departed with a saucily blown kiss shot their way.

Leaving a mother, a small boy, and the six bags that represented all they had now.

Mirona exhaled. "Let's get started, son."

Last updated on the October 19th 2024

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

A Green Start