Careless Words

Writers: Halyonix, Yvonne
Date Posted: 20th March 2026

Characters: H'run, B'nell
Description: B'nell visits H'run and notices some changes.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 11, day 7 of Turn 12

H'run

}: We're here, :{ Vorath announced to Calcifeth as they appeared over chilly, rainswept Dragonsfall Weyr. Since H'run had transferred back, the two harpers agreed to trade which weyr hosted their monthly musical jam sessions. B'nell was already missing the warmth of Dolphin Cove.

Calcifeth took flight from his sheltered ledge to allow Vorath space to land. }:When yours is with mine, you should come find me by the winter lake,:{ he told the brown dragon. }:It is warmer there and out of the wind. Some of my favourite dragons are there,:{ he added, although he did not elaborate on who they might be.

H'run met B'nell at the door to his weyr and ushered him inside. "Hurry," he said, "the draft is awful."

When B'nell entered, he was greeted with a weyr stripped bare of its usual kaleidoscope of colours. Tapestries and scarves that had hung on the plaster walls were gone, as was the glittering jumble of glass bottles and jewelry on the mirrored vanity. The vanity itself was also gone, as was the wardrobe that usually stood half-open and spilling fabrics, leathers and furs across the floor. The room had been reduced to its plainest elements: a wooden table with four chairs, a couch and an armchair, a chest for clothing and a music stand.

H'run beckoned B'nell over to where a small fire burned in the hearth. "Have you heard anything from the Harper Hall?"

It took a moment for the bespectacled brownrider to finish observing all of the changes that had happened. It almost looked like H'run had decided to scrape the weyr as bare as he could. "Are we in our black era? he asked, thinking of the time there was a harper painter who did all of his portraits in blues.

"I suppose." The bluerider flopped bonelessly onto one of the chairs. "I got bored and needed a change. I think it suits me, although I almost suggested that we meet at your weyr again. I'm not sure about the acoustics in here anymore."

Brow wrinkling again, B'nell, with his pitch perfect hearing, hummed one lingering note, listened, and then said, "They sound as fine as ever. Maybe a little more reverberating since you removed some of the drapings." But that would sound just fine with some songs. "Are you..." B'nell stalled, wondering if he should even ask. Maybe start somewhere else first. "How's being back here going?"

"Oh, same old. Nothing changes," H'run said with a sigh. "Grey, snow, frostbite, rain that turns into snow. But better the usual than controversy, disaster and upset. I think Pern has had quite enough of that lately, don't you?"

"You don't sound like you're really happy to be back," B'nell observed quietly.

"Really? Whyever not? Everyone moans about their home. Dolphin Cove was hot and sticky and there was sand in all sorts of places that chafed," H'run said with a wave of his hand. "And I am sure that Volcano Wing is suffering _immensely_ without me."

There was something in H'run's tone that bothered B'nell but he really didn't know how to address it or what to do about it or if he should so he set down his gitar case so that he could open it. Music was a much easier language to speak in. "Every dragonrider is valuable," he said, but it felt lame to his ears. "Pern needs every one of us."

"Really? What an utterly unique pearl of wisdom." H'run winced and ran a hand over his face to hide it. B'nell didn't deserve the sharp edge of his tongue. "Sorry. I suppose I _am_ a bit cranky today."

The bespectacled brownrider had already wilted a little bit at H'run's reply. "It happens," he answered in a conciliatory tone. "Do you...still want to test out those new songs?" he asked. If H'run was going to be too cranky, it would just spoil the beauty of the music. But B'nell knew that music also had the power to take away a lot of negative emotions.

"Of course I do! This is the highlight of my sevenday." H'run reached for his gitar and let his fingers drift over the strings. He'd tuned it in anticipation of B'nell's arrival but fiddling with the knobs let him pretend he hadn't noticed the slump of the brownrider's shoulders. "I have been practicing all week. There's this tricky bit of fingerwork in the bridge that I'm simply not getting, so you'll have to be patient with me as we stumble through."

Interest immediately returned to B'nell's eyes. Music had that hook in him. "Show me it."

Music was a good distraction for them both. H'run ran his fingers lightly across the strings, then bent his head and began to tentatively pick through the trill of notes that made up half the duet.

Last updated on the April 1st 2026

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Careless Words