Deserving

Writers: Yvonne
Date Posted: 22nd August 2025

Characters: Thiseta, Ketlyn
Description: Ketlyn finally petitions the Weyrwoman to allow her brother to transfer to the Weyr.
Location: Barrier Lake Weyr
Date: month 8, day 17 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentions: Jayzine, Cyradis

The Weyrwoman sat behind a large wooden desk with her brown hair swept into a neat knot at the nape of her neck. Her green firelizard, Nobody, was draped over the back of her chair and Thiseta could feel the swish of her tail as she dozed. Her wingrider, Ketlyn, perched on the edge of her seat like she was about to bolt. "Greenrider Ketlyn, it's good to see you. I trust you've been keeping well?"

Ketlyn nodded. "Yes, thank you Weyrwoman." There was a small pause before she remembered that she was supposed to ask the same question back. Nerves were making it hard to not just blurt out what she wanted to say. "And yourself?"

"Oh, well enough. I am looking forward to getting back in the air," Thiseta said with a smile. "But I am looking forward to the Hatching Feast more."

Ketlyn managed a smile. "Me too."

Sensing her wingrider's tolerance for small talk was limited, Thiseta got down to business. "What can I help you with today?"

Ketlyn hesitated. The air in the Weyrwoman's temporary office was stuffy and hot from the Hatching Sands, and it made it hard to recall the words she'd practiced in the mirror before she'd come. Or maybe it was the guilt that was scattering her thoughts. She felt awful for waiting several days to come to the Weyrwoman after her brother announced that he was staying. A proper dragonrider, an honest one, would have done so immediately.

Sure, he'd arrived on a rest day, and then Threadfall happened, but the next day she'd spent lurking in the Smithy instead of dealing with her brother or going home to break the bad news to her parents. Then she'd come back to her weyr to find him gone and had spent the next few candlemark rushing through the Weyr to find him, convinced that he'd been discovered and nabbed by the guards. They'd run into each other on the path back from the Crafter's Village. Kemmin reeked of beer. They'd had an argument in the middle of the path and had spent the night not speaking to each other.

And now she was here, in front of the Weyrwoman, to plead for a transfer on his behalf. **He doesn't deserve it.** Ketlyn buried the traitorous thought deep.

She wiped her sweaty palms on her pant legs. "I... um, I wanted to petition on behalf of my brother Kemmin. He wants to move to the Weyr." She hoped that Thiseta hadn't found out that her brother was already here.

Thankfully for Ketlyn, Thiseta hadn't. "I assume if you're asking me, then he hasn't been Searched. How old is he?" The Weyrwoman pulled a well-worn bit of partishment from a desk drawer and dipped her pen in the inkwell.

"Nineteen," Ketlyn said softly.

"Does he have a Craft?"

Ketlyn shook her head. "He's a hard worker, Weyrwoman. He'll do anything that the Weyr needs. We grew up in a cothold so he's used to working all day. My parents will vouch for him." Another lie.

Thiseta made a note on her partishment. "Remind me, where are you from?"

"Dolphin Cove's territory." Ketlyn watched as the Weyrwoman wrote Kemmin's name and age, then 'no Craft'. "But he'd rather be here at Barrier Lake instead of there, to be with me. And I would too. I'd prefer to keep my family close."

"Family is important," Thiseta agreed. She'd have to write to Cyradis, to let her know that she was stealing one of her cotholders. "Why does he want to come to the Weyr?"

"He wants..." Ketlyn trailed off. This wasn't something she'd practiced. She wondered what Thiseta would say if she told the Weyrwoman her brother had tricked her into giving her a ride. "He doesn't want to inherit the cothold and live with my parents forever. He wants a chance to learn some new skills and meet new people. To change his life."

"There's no chance that he could foster at a Hold?" The Holds could be tetchy about young men running off to the Weyr instead of contributing to the tithe.

Ketlyn shook her head. "He'd prefer a place here, if possible."

"Is he healthy?"

The greenrider nodded. "He's strong and willing to work, Weyrwoman. I promise."

"Has he committed any crimes or caused any trouble at home? Be honest, now."

The greenrider's eyes widened in shock. "No! Of course not! He would never!" Although he had run away... neglecting to mention that fact wasn't another lie, was it? She felt another pang of guilt for not speaking with her parents yet.

"I do have to ask," Thiseta said. She made a mental note to send a letter to the nearest Hold to verify that this 'Kemmin' was who her greenrider said he was. Usually she was comfortable taking her dragonriders' word for it, but safety was still top of mind - especially with a Hatching coming up.

Thiseta leaned back in her chair as she considered the request. On the one hand, a strapping young man coming to the Weyr was always a boon. On the other, he didn't Craft and wasn't Searched, and Barrier Lake already had an excess of young men lingering from the Weyr's construction. Still, young people were an asset. Their labour was an asset. Kemmin would likely earn his keep and accepting his transfer request would keep her wingrider happy. "All right, I'll approve it," she said.

Ketlyn's knees went weak with relief. "Really? I mean-- thank you!" she squeaked. "He won't be any trouble. I'll look out for him."

"See that you do," Thiseta said, amused. "He can come anytime after tomorrow. Have him report to the Headwoman and she'll set him up with a bed somewhere. Was there anything else you needed, Wingrider?"

"No, thank you. Thank you so much." Ketlyn couldn't keep the smile from her face. It felt like a boulder had been lifted from her shoulders. "I promise that you won't regret having him here."

Thiseta hid a smile at the greenrider's enthusiasm. "And your word carries weight with me. But if there's nothing else, I should get back to my hidework."

"Of course. Thank you, Weyrwoman. I won't let you down." Ketlyn bowed once, then scurried from the room to tell her brother the good news.

Last updated on the September 2nd 2025

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Deserving