Torrential Rescues (5/6)

Writers: Francesca, Halyonix
Date Posted: 15th April 2025
Series: The Perfect Storm

Characters: Kamalia, Shera, Sherivan
Description: The Holdless rescues continue as Kamalia transports Shera and Sherivan.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 5, day 5 of Turn 12

“Can we ride on the green one, Daddy?” little Shera asked. All bundled
up in dry furs, she was pointing at all of the colorful dragons as
though their entire lives hadn’t just been washed away by the flood.
Her father, Sherivan, stared dully through the gray rain, trying to
give her any attention that he could, while, in the back of his mind,
he couldn’t stop the feeling of catastrophic loss. What were they
going to do _now_?

Alaudath landed where directed, Kamalia dismounting and looking to see
who they could transport to the Weyr. She noticed the girl pointing
and approached with a bright smile for both her and her father. “Hi
there. I’m Kamalia and this green is Alaudath. We’d be happy to take
you to the Weyr if you’re ready.”

They would never be ready, Sherivan thought, but they couldn’t stay
here. With the resilience that only children had, Shera leaped up and
started tugging her father’s hand. “Can we? Can we please?”

“...sure,” Sherivan eventually answered, getting up. “I’m Sherivan.
This is my daughter Shera,” he introduced them, with a protecting hand
on Shera’s shoulder as he spoke. “I…um…thanks for offering.”

“Happy to help,” Kamalia said with a smile and a nod to both of them.
“You can meet Alaudath if you’d like, before I show you how to climb
up. She’s one of the smallest dragons, but still pretty big;
especially if you’re not used to them.”

Shera let out a delighted squeal as they approached Alaudath. With
grubby fingers, she surged forward to touch the dragon -- that is,
until her father caught her. “Ask,” he reminded her sharply but
kindly. “Manners, remember?”

“Can I pet your dragon?” Shera asked Kamalia with bright, hopeful eyes.

“Of course,” Kamalia replied. She didn’t have to prompt Alaudath, who
was already lowering her head to the ground in front of the girl. The
greenrider showed Shera where she could touch the green, including
scratching her eyeridges. Eagerly, the little girl complied, following
instructions to the letter.

“She’s soft!” Shera exclaimed in surprise. “Daddy, she’s soft! Not
scaly! I thought dragons were scaly.”

“This is…um…our first time being near a dragon,” Sherivan explained quietly.

“Alaudath is loving the attention.” It reminded Kamalia of when she
visited family at Amber Hills Hold and the kids crowded around the
green.

“When you’re ready, I can show you how to mount. And then we’ll head
to the Weyr.”

“The Weyr?” Sherivan echoed with trepidation. “Wh…why the Weyr?”

Kamalia was silent for a few moments, confused. Didn’t he know? “Well,
you can’t stay here. My orders are to drop you off by the dining hall,
where you can get some food. They’re finding spaces for you to stay.”
She shrugged. “I don’t know any more than that, but you can ask when
you get there.”

Sherivan’s arm curled protectively around his daughter as indecision
showed on his face. “They’ll…they’ll let us go though, right? When we
want? We’re not…we don’t have to stay there, right?”

“You’re not prisoners,” Kamalia said, perhaps a little too sharply.
Why couldn’t they just accept the help? Why did they have such a low
opinion of weyrfolk? Not wanting to get into an argument, and feeling
she had spent long enough on the ground, her next comment was softer.
“You’ll be able to eat, sleep, and then figure out what you want to
do; where you want to go.” She had no idea if any of what she was
saying was true, but couldn’t imagine the Weyr wanting to keep anyone
who didn’t want to be there. And, once she dropped them off, they
would be someone else’s problem.

Shera tugged on her father’s shirt. “Please?” she asked him with that
piteous voice children were good at using.

Sherivan eyed the dragon, then the rider, then closed his eyes, dogged
determination sweeping over his face. “Fine,” he said quietly. Then,
stronger, “...thank you, rider.”

Kamalia nodded. “Ok, let’s get you up.”

Last updated on the April 15th 2025

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