RCW: After ‘Kidnapping’ (2/2)

Posted on Wed Feb 4th, 2026 @ 10:29pm by Green Rider Neilla & Blue Rider R’kig

Mission: 3531 AL

R'kig was fuming as he stormed out of K'ron's weyr. To between with both of them. Never again. Never again was he trying to help them. Koda cheeped softly at his as the flit landed on R'kig's shoulder. “No Koda. I am not going back there,” he said, making his way to the dining cavern where he hoped to find some wine.

“And why are we not going back there?” Neilla asked as she joined him walking into the packed cavern that was full of riders mostly drunk after fall. Even the Weyrleaders sat looking a little drunk with the riders after the bad fall. Neilla was not at all sure what was going on but her favourite blue rider had Koda with him so it had to do with K’ron and Nerlyn.

R'kig blinked in surprise, not having realized Neilla had joined him. Koda cheeped happily at her. He shook his head a bit. “I'm not going back to see K'ron and Nerlyn,” he answered simply, trying not to let the anger show as Neilla didn't deserve it.

Neilla grinned as she stroked Koda’s wing. “Nerlyn is back?” Neilla wondered quietly as she side stepped Kirala who looked drunk and was heading for her weyr hopefully. She looped her arm through his as she led him to a corner.

Koda started to croon happily. “She is. brought her back today, bit I'm pretty sure I'll get fed to a dragon,” he sighed in frustration as Neilla led him to a corner.

“Well it’s been a good life.” Neilla teased softly as she sat down and looked at him carefully. She was not dressed up in her flight gear like a lot of riders that night as they needed a lot of cleaning thanks to the black dust that she had flown through as the tail end of fall. “But what happened for you to get fed to a dragon?” She wondered pouring some wine for them both.

R'kig grumbled, not at all feeling like his usual self. He shook his head a bit. “you know your sister,” he said quietly. “And I knew if she didn't come then my sharding brother would go after her and injure himself again.” He ran a frustrated hand through his dark hair. “Wasn't my best idea.”

“I do know my sister but it’s made me wonder what did you do?” She laughed wildly wondering what could he have done to make him grumble and look so frustrated with his brother and His mate.

He blew out a frustrated breath. “I put two drops of fellis in her klah,” he admitted. “Wherrybrained really but I didn't know what else to do. She was determined not to come back and I knew K'ron would be determined to go get her if I failed.” He scrubbed at his face. “Never again. They are on their own.”

“No they aren’t but I am impressed that you managed to get her and Raen back but I can imagine she was very angry as it doesn’t agree with her.” She laughed a little imagining the woman’s anger.

R'kig's face paled at Neilla’s words. “It doesn't? Shards I didn't know.” Oh now Nerlyn was really going to feed him to a dragon. “Oh Raen found it very funny. Pretty sure Nerlyn is going to find a dragon now.” He sighed in frustration. He just couldn't win.

“Nope not unless she’s been able to sleep it off fully.” Neilla said gently. “She’ll be okay with some sleep and being with K’ron again.” Neilla assured pouring him a mug of wine. “Drink up.” She advised.

R'kig felt really bad now. He hadn't wanted to make her sick, just wanted to get her home. “I hope so,” he sighed, taking the offered mug.

“You won’t be eaten R’kig.” She laughed and took a swig of her wine wincing at the deep taste when she was not a fan of it. “Not unless that’s your type of thing.” She grinned trying to lighten his mood.

He sipped on his own wine. “Not really,” he said finally cracking a smile. “Ri would not like that.” R'kig would have to apologize to Nerlyn but not until they both settled down. Koda chittered at the two happily.

“Go on back to K’ron. R’kig is fine.” Neilla confirmed with a grin in his direction as she instructed the flit. He had a mind of his own and might not listen but she at least had to try and get him to go back. “I am sure he wouldn’t but alas we won’t ever have to worry about it.” Neilla was sure that Nerlyn would calm down once she had slept it all off.

Koda tilted his head to the side as if considering if he wanted to listen. He finally bobbed his head and disappeared.

R'kig chuckled a bit. “I'm shocked he listened,” the blue rider commented. “Thank Faranth. And let's hope they never do anything like this again.”

“Who Ner and K’ron? You’ll be lucky with a baby in the way. I am surprised he waited for long to go and retrieve her.” Neilla had to admit the protectiveness and obvious adoration from K’ron was something to be jealous of sometimes. H’minle had upped and left as soon as he could.

“I think that knife to shoulder was keeping him down, not to mention the healers keeping him lightly drugged to keep him still,” R'kig answered. Otherwise he knew for a fact that K'ron would have gone after Nerlyn. The blue rider had thought he had had that kind of relationship until Cassine just left him.

“Well Thalia and Nikolai know him.” She pointed out with a shrugg. “But enough about our siblings. What’s going on with you?” She wondered turning th subject onto him.

Neilla had a point. it made complete sense why they had kept him drugged. He shrugged. “Think I'm finally getting back to myself,” he answered. At least slowly he was getting over Cassine.

“Good. You only get to mourn for so long before you need to get back out there and do what riders do best.” Neilla commented, taking another sip as she looked around again.

“What riders do best, huh?” He asked with a slight smile. It was hard to stay upset around Neilla. Now if he could only stop making wherryheaded mistakes.

“Work hard, play hard.” The woman reminded him with a wink. She laughed and shook her head at him as she tried to work out how to cheer him up.

“That we do,” he chuckled, sipping on his wine. At least for a few minutes he could relax and hopefully not think about Fall and drugging Nerlyn. It had just been a day of mistakes.

Neilla let the silence settle as they drank the wine and people watched for a long time before Neilla turned to the younger man and held out her hand. “Wanna dance?” She wondered as she saw people dancing.

It was a comfortable silence even if R'kig was still trying to work out everything in his own head. he looked up as she put her hand in front of his face. “Sure,” he agreed, taking her hand.

The grinned and tugged him to his feet and led him through the cavern. The dance was the slow mournful dances that were played after falls where death had occurred. “Do not think about it. Just move, I'll follow.” Neilla said softly hoping he could hear her over the sound of the music.

He shivered a bit, hating these kinds of songs. He understood why they played them but the one loss had been in his own wing. “I'll try,” he promised, slowly starting to move to the music.

“You will do fine. It’s just me.” Neilla smiled as she moved his hand to her waist and moved to the music watching him moving. The Harpers drum beat was steady which kept Neilla focused on watching R’kig and the focus on his face.

R'kig wasn't a great dancer but he didn't mind trying and Neilla didn't seem to mind. He nodded a bit, giving her a slight smile. They had been friends for so long that he always felt comfortable around her.

“Relax.” She whispered as she squeezed his hand on her waist and moved her arms to wrap around his neck as the beat changed making the riders, weyrfolk and crafters shifted with it as they got closer. “It is just me.” She reminded her mind along the same path as his.

“Trying,” he promised her as he gave her waist a gentle squeeze before stepping slightly closer. “I know,” he whispered, which is why he couldn't understand why he felt nervous.

Neilla laughed and shook her head looking up at him. “Then why do you look like I am going to eat you instead of a dragon.” She teased wondering why he looked nervous.

R'kig shook his head, feeling embarrassed. “That is a good question,” he admitted. “Don't know. I shouldn't be.”

Neilla shook her head and stepped back not wanting his to be uncomfortable. “Go on. Escape.” She chuckled at him as she looked around for another dance partner to carry on her evening with.

He flushed a bit. “I'm sorry, Neilla. It's not you, really. I don't know what my issue is.” R'kig felt bad. He didn't want to upset his friend.

“Oh I know it’s not me. But be kind to yourself and get some rest. No more kidnapping anyone hmm…” She laughed as a smith crafter grabbed her hand and pulled her off to dance.

R'kig shook his head. Definitely no more kidnapping. He smiled as she easily found another partner and slowly turned to head for his weyr. It had been a bad day