Everything Has Changed

Writers: Avery, Yvonne
Date Posted: 26th August 2014

Characters: L'pin, Alina
Description: 'pin comes to pick Alina up from the Infirmary
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 8, day 12 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: N'vanik, Jenackt (J'ackt), Saidrene, Saibra, Xandris, Ciendra

Alina

Alina sat for a long while after the Weyrleader, absently stroking Imarith's head when the dragon laid it in her lap. She felt numb, and it was soothing to lose herself in the swirl of a dragon's eyes. _Her_ dragon's eyes. Imarith. Today had been too much-- too much anger, too much fear and confusion. And there was a Hatching feast she was supposed to go to, only she'd rather sit with her dragon. Somehow that seemed simpler.

Her eyelids began to drop when Imarith's did, lulled by the green's full belly and the quiet after the commotion of the Hatching Cavern and the subsequent family visits. Alina dozed until a knock at the door jerked her awake again. The healers probably wanted her out. "Yes?"

When a healer had said that they were probably ready to let Alina go, he'd volunteered to walk her back immediately. He had heard about the injury when a new weyrling came in talking about it, and he'd spent some time worrying, even as he'd helped the new weyrlings with their first feedings and moving them all into the barracks.

He was perhaps more fond of this Candidate than he should be, he realized as he walked into the Infirmary. He hadn't meant to get so attached, yet something about her spark made him feel protective and paternal. He was looking forward to her training, but now a small part of him wondered if now he'd have to watch her die.

He put those disturbing thoughts aside, bolstered by Chaneth's rush of encouragement. He was here to help her, not to worry himself.

"It's L'pin," he called. "I'm here to take you to the Barracks."

"Oh." She shook her head, rousing herself. "Oh." He meant the Weyrling Barracks. She'd _Impressed_. Alina put a hand to her forehead, trying to wrap her thoughts around the concept, but couldn't. Then she let her confusion ebb into the numbness she'd sunk into after Elana had left. It was easier. After a moment she slipped off the bed with a wince and hobbled over to the door, opening it to reveal L'pin. "Sorry. I.. sorry. Imarith is asleep."

"I can carry her," he offered. Newly hatched dragonets were small, greens the smallest. "What did the healers say?"

What had the healers said? Alina wracked her brain, trying to remember. "I'll be fine. I've got to come back tomorrow to get the bandage changed, and I'm not supposed to get it wet. And they'll see how the stitches are doing in a sevenday." They'd said that it could have been a lot worse, too, and that she was lucky that the dragonet who'd run her over hadn't punctured an artery.

"Was it your green or another dragonet that hit you?" he asked. "We can help you with the bathing and oiling to make sure you don't get wet."

She nodded. The healer had hinted that the Weyrlingstaff would be accommodating. "I don't know. It all sort of... happened."

She didn't quite look like she wanted to get up yet, so he settled into a chair to rest. "Well, you're alright, and she's alright, and that's for the best."

Alina's gaze drifted to where Imarith was dozing by the side of the bed. Her green hide seemed to shimmer in the light from the glows, and an involuntary smile curled Alina's lips. She was so little! The numbness began to lift a little, letting in a hint of warmth. "That's true," she said after a moment.

"Do you feel up to moving to your new space now?"

Her smile twisted a bit. "You know, I was really looking forward to the peace and quiet of an empty Candidate's Barracks,"

"It's quite an adjustment," he admitted. "But you'll have Imarith with you."

"Imarith _is_ the adjustment." She shook her head, thinking back to what Elana had spat at her and finding a kernel of truth there. "But at least I'm used to being two."

"The two of you will be strong. Having a dragon - we're never alone," he reassured her.

And that, she realized suddenly, was the worst thing about the Weyr. She'd always had Elana, and had never been alone. And then she was. And now... she looked again at Imarith, at the curve of her neck and the arch of her wings. She'd never be alone again.

Alina slowly stood, careful of her stitches, even though she couldn't feel them.
"I'm ready to go. Thanks for offering to carry her... I don't think I
could wake
her." Even if she wanted to.

"It'll be fine. I look forward to seeing the two of you in my class." He tried to keep his tone as warm and assuring as possible as he stood up.

She managed a small smile. "Yeah. More classes... so much for being too old for Harpers."

"Don't wound me," he said, holding his hand over his heart and looking stricken, then dropping the pose to give her a more natural smile. "Weyrlinghood is shorter than Harper classes, so don't worry."

Shorter... the thought was terrifying and she shied away from it. One thing at a time. "Sorry."

"I make a poor jester," he said, worried his joke had hurt her feelings.

She shook her head. "No. I... it's just been a very long day."

"I'm sorry," he said, and dared to rest a hand on her shoulder. "Come on, let's get both of you back to the Barracks. You can decide later if you want to go to your feast, or I can send someone back with food."

"All right." She didn't want to go, but probably should. Walking to the Weyrling Barracks would help her decide if she _could_.

He picked up Imarith once she was sure she was ready, then began the slow trek out the Infirmary. The green was small and light and not a trouble at all to carry. Though supporting Alina if she lagged might be a bit more difficult.

It was longer than she thought it would be. Thanks to numbweed her legs didn't hurt, but they didn't _work_ well either, and the journey was unaccountably exhausting. By the time they came within sight of the Weyrling Barracks Alina was finding it harder and harder to put one foot after the other. She was feeling a little envious of Imarith, who hadn't woken up at all. "Who else Impressed?" she asked finally, partly out of curiosity, but also to give herself something else to think about.

"Jenackt. Xandris. Saidrene, which was unexpected. Wonder how she'll do being back here with her mother at another Weyr."

Alina blinked. Saidrene was back? _And_ in the same Weyrling class as Jenackt? That was going to be hugely awkward for everyone after Jenackt and Saibra pretty well had sex in front of everyone in the Weyrbowl. She almost said as much to L'pin before realizing that it might not be appropriate to gossip with the Weyrlingstaff. "What about Ciendra?"

He cast his mind. "Not this time," he said after a moment.

"Oh." She felt a momentary flash of pity for the girl. Ciendra _wanted_ to Impress, and Alina was the one with a dragon. It didn't seem fair. By then they'd reached the Weyrling Barracks, and Alina felt a sudden stab of nerves. She took a deep breath, then held the door open for L'pin and the sleeping Imarith.

He edged through and looked around. Good thing Dolphin Cove's barracks were so big - there was still space for Alina to have a choice of cots. "Anywhere you'd like on the girl's side," he told her. "Anyone you want to be by?"

"Not really. I'll sleep better closer to the end." None of her actual friends had Impressed. Alina started heading down the row, toward the far end of the cots for girls. They were depressing in their uniformity and lack of privacy. She
finally gestured to one near the end. "This one, I guess."

He settled the sleeping green down in the dragon's wallow. "Here you go. Your things will be brought shortly from the Candidate Barracks - do you want me to send anyone specific for them?"

She shook her head. "I'm sure that whoever got stuck with that duty will do just fine. I don't want to pull anyone away from the Hatching feast. Which you should be at." She looked up at him then and smiled, briefly. "Thanks for coming to get me. I know you didn't have to, so... thanks."

He did have plans for the feast, but taking care of his charges was more important than his personal life. "It's not a problem," he said with a soft smile. "Rest, and call us if you need us."

"I'll be fine." It was as much a reassurance for L'pin as it was for herself. She watched the bluerider go and tried not to think too hard about the green dragon in the wallow or how she'd left things with her sister, or the way the last
vestiges of a normal life had been ripped away. Like it or not she was the one Imarith had chosen. And it was either forget who she was and become a dragonrider-- someone almost the complete opposite of who she was and who she wanted to be-- or die in Thread just like Elana had told her to.

She pulled off the bloodied robe and let it fall to the floor. The dress underneath was just a workdress, a thin thing she'd intended to change out of for the Hatching feast she was now going to skip. The thought of all those people made her nauseous. Instead Alina lay down on the bed and stared into the half-light, eyes burning and her arms crossed defensively across her chest, trying to forget everything that she'd been and wondering if the Alina who woke up would even be recognizable. Everything had changed.

Last updated on the September 6th 2014

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Everything Has Changed