Wellness Check

Writers: Avery, Sia
Date Posted: 14th July 2025

Characters: Aydhan, Kapera
Description: Aydhan checks in on Kapera after the incident
Location: Barrier Lake Weyr
Date: month 2, day 15 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: J'nus, N'kevyn, Viseya

Aydhan

Kapera

Aydhan stood outside the chamber door, her hand hovering over the smooth stone, not quite touching. She’d stood like this before countless times, outside countless rooms. Families waiting to say goodbye. Riders breathing shallow in their final sleep. Illnesses too cruel for the Hall to fix.

But this was different.

This door held no dying body.

Just absence.

She knocked on the door and stepped in. The goldrider closed the dloro behind her with a gentle click. "I brought tea. It's warm, if you'd like a fresh cup."

Kapera was reading terrible romance fiction. Not Weyr based. It was light enough that she didn’t feel bad falling asleep during it.

“That sounds wonderful. My klah was gone and I didn’t want to bother anyone about it. Please tell me you brought gossip too.”

Because it meant leaving. And she was still pale like a watch-wher and walking slowly from the head injury. And being seen and pitied was terrible.

"I have plenty of gossip." Aydhan said with a smile. She handed Kapera the tea and took the empty klah cup, setting it closer to the door so she'd remember to take it later. "Have you heard about our newest weyrlingmaster staff? She's an author of the smuttiest caliber. I can probably bring her latest book the next time." She paused for a moment as she looked at the title. "Make sure you're taking breaks. Don't strain yourself."

“I keep falling asleep mid-page,” Kapera admitted, taking the tea and drafting half of it down in one gulp. “Oh, that’s good. I’m cold…well, all the time, now.”

"It is getting into winter, but it's not uncommon for people with concussions to run hot or cold after the injury. We'll keep an eye on it, yes? Exercise will help a little, even if you're just doing stretches in here." Aydhan said, "Falling asleep mid-page is fine. You need the rest."

It felt like a far deeper cold than concussion, a cold of the soul, but she didn’t know how to explain it.

“I’m so tired of resting. I thought having months of the chest-sickness was bad. But I’ve been doing so many stretches I think I could lead a class in them for the Candidates.” There. A joke. She could still make them. It felt like a huge accomplishment.

"I'm sure K'lvin would love that." Aydhan replied dryly. "I know the resting is tedious, but there's only so much we can do when it comes to brain injuries." And Riyanth's death _was_ a brain injury, regardless of physical damage. "We could probably dim the lights in the hallway outside, too, if that'll get you walking around more. Something to be said for good old glowbaskets."

“I guess that greenrider tattled that I’ve been mostly going outside in the evening and night.” It was mostly about light, and also that she felt stared at less, but still. “That would be nice, I find their electric lighting just isn’t the same color shade as the glows.”

"Well, I am their boss." Aydhan said. "I'll let the healers know to shut off the lights, at least in the hallways nearby for you. I do want you walking around though, all right? Rest is good, but you can't keep to your room." She paused a moment, considering how to continue before finally diving in. "Dragonsfall has started having guards with their goldriders when they're out and about. Would you be more likely to go out if we assigned one to you? You aren't in any danger, but I can understand the need for peace of mind."

Danger? Kapera couldn’t help but make a little bychoked half-laugh. She’d lost her dragon. What else was there to lose? She’d promised J’nus she wouldn’t ask for mercy, or harm herself, or seek in any way to join Riyanth. But if for some reason Zaverin hadn’t been alone - if there was someone else who’d wanted to join him on taking revenge on her - well then she’d wind up joining Riyanth early. A guard would just be another innocent who might be hurt getting in the way of that.

What she said out loud is, “I don’t want a guard. It’s having eyes on me that’s more the bother, and a guard would be more of the same.”

"That's what I told N'kevyn, but he's still following after me like a prickly watchwher. A handsome watchwher, at least. He'll get over it eventually." Aydhan said fondly. She expected J'nus was doing much of the same these days. "Is there anything else I can do? Have you and J'nus talked about where you'll stay once you're released from the infirmary?"

Kapera laughed at the image. “Any person is more handsome than a _watchwher_.”

As for the question, well… “Short-term, I wish he hadn’t given up his weyr to move in with me now so I could just move into his, but since he did we’ll have to find something.” She knew she needed ground access, but she wished they could be as remote as possible.

"There's always someone to bump, don't you worry about that." Aydhan said easily. Besides, there were empty junior gold weyrs groundside that would work, at least for a little while. "J'nus wouldn't want you having to get aboard Kopth all the time. "Maybe something near the gardens, or on the edge of the lake, if we can manage a spot."

“I think near the edge of the lake would be nice, I don’t want to have to bother Kopth either. I appreciate it,” Kapera said. Maybe watching the activity would bring her some type of peace.

"I'll see what I can do." Aydhan said. "And you aren't a bother. The dragons like having work to do. Nobody wants to force you into doing something you aren't ready for. Now, what you do have to do is finish that tea and tell me whether the bronzerider in that book ever takes his shirt off, or if it's all longing looks and no payoff."

Kapera laughed at that one. “There has got to be payoff. I demanded something explicit. But right now, he’s currently…”

Last updated on the July 21st 2025

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