Worlds Colliding

Writers: Halyonix, Yvonne
Date Posted: 19th February 2026

Characters: V'dryn, Ketlyn, Kemmin
Description: V'dryn finally gets to meet Ketlyn's brother.
Location: Barrier Lake Weyr
Date: month 9, day 9 of Turn 12

It was nearing dinner time and Kemmin had a date -- with his sister. He hummed as he headed down the hall to her weyr and knocked, and when he received no answer he barged in. "Hello?"

Ketlyn's weyr was empty. Her bed was (as was typical) neatly made and her riding gear neatly hung by the entrance to Varinth's ledge. Kemmin glanced at the shelf by the door. Her basket of lotions and jar of sweetsand for her hair was missing. She must still be in the baths. He shook his head fondly, and in exasperation. Lingering there was such a girly thing to do.

No sooner had he settled himself in her only chair to wait came a knock at the door. Kemmin pulled it open expecting to see his sister, but instead found himself face to face with a young man a bit shorter than himself with dark klah-coloured skin and a bluerider's knots on the shoulder of his well-tailored tunic. Kemmin looked him up and down suspiciously. "Who are you?"

One eyebrow arched curiously, having been caught obviously expecting someone else to open the door, as the bluerider answered, "V'dryn." The family resemblance could be seen so V'dryn ventured further with, "I'm going to assume that you're Ketlyn's brother." Though which one was still in question.

Kemmin nodded crisply. "Why are you visiting my sister?"

V'dryn tilted his head to the side slightly as he considered how to answer this. "We were weyrlings together," he answered after a pause. But what they were now -- well, maybe he should ask Ketlyn how she wanted that narrative to go. "You must be...hm...either Kemmin or Milyn? You're too old to be Vekal." Ketlyn had talked about her family enough for V'dryn to remember some of their names and ages but not all of them.

"Hmm. Ketlyn hasn't mentioned you." Kemmin leaned against the door jamb and crossed his arms. "Is she expecting you?"

Still no name. V'dryn leaned towards the older of the two brothers he knew, given this protective stance. His grin remained easy as he answered, "Usually, yes. We tend to spend some evenings together, catching up." Sometimes catching up led to other things but V'dryn was not about to bring that up just yet.

"Really? Because she never--"

"V'dryn?" Ketlyn was coming down the hallway looking a bit wide-eyed at the unfolding scene. Her damp hair was wrapped in a towel, although several dark curls had escaped to plaster themselves against her forehead. "Ah-- hi! Good to see you!"

"You know this guy?" Kemmin jerked a thumb at the bluerider.

"Yes. _Obviously_." She kissed V'dryn's cheek in a very pointed greeting before turning to face her brother. "Kemmin, this is V'dryn. He's a- good friend," she finished, somewhat lamely. What exactly were they? "V'dryn, this is Kemmin. I, ah, he's moved to the Weyr."

"Kemmin," V'dryn echoed with a knowing smile. "Ketlyn's told me a lot about you. Welcome to the Weyr." He hadn't missed the halting way Ketlyn had introduced her brother (or their relationship, but that was okay) but he decided to ask about it another time. "Are you a Candidate?"

"Not yet!" Kemmin nudged his sister with his elbow. "Right?"

"You haven't been Searched yet so I doubt you will be," she told him irritably.

He shrugged, nonplussed. "I hear it runs in families. Got any siblings here, V'dryn? Any sisters?"

The way Kemmin said the word 'sister' did not sound like he was looking for a friendship. Grinning, V'dryn answered, "One sister, who is far too young for you or anyone else, even if she was here." He looked over at Ketlyn. "I see why you want to throttle him sometimes. He's a delightful little rogue."

"What--oof!" Whatever Kemmin was about to say was cut off by his sister's sharp elbow to the ribs.

Ketlyn rolled her eyes. "Sorry about him. We were about to go for dinner. You're welcome to join us, although I can understand why you'd choose not to. Or I could meet you later. Actually that might be a better idea."

V'dryn tilted his head to the side. "Whichever works best for you," he offered with his usual ease. He stepped forward and kissed Ketlyn's cheek sweetly, partly to assure her that he was flexible and partly to irritate Kemmin. "Just have Varinth let Zhomoth know?"

She nodded, feeling a bit flummoxed by the kiss and Kemmin's glare, and also relieved that she didn't have to sit through an entire dinner between her brother and V'dryn. V'dryn didn't deserve that. "I will. I promise."

"Nice to meet you," Kemmin said, sounding unconvinced. "Maybe I'll see you around."

"I'm sure you will," V'dryn answered with a jovial wink. This could be fun, getting to know Ketlyn's brother. So long as he was cool with his sister having a sort of boyfriend.

"Sure." Kemmin narrowed his eyes a bit but was immediately dragged off by his sister, who blew V'dryn a kiss over her shoulder.

**Disaster averted,** she thought, although the sense that she was living on borrowed time followed her like a storm cloud throughout dinner.

Last updated on the February 28th 2026

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Worlds Colliding