RCW: Realistic Expectations

Posted on Sat Aug 16th, 2025 @ 12:36pm by Bronze Rider F'cone & Milayna

Mission: 3531 AL
Location: RCW
Timeline: M3 D12

Milayna glanced up at the sun. She still had some time before she needed to pick the children up from the crèche and she had finished early with her lessons. Now to check on a certain bronze rider who had just finished lessons. she collected a wine skin and headed for his office.

The blonde stopped outside and knocked. “F'cone?”

F’cone looked up from where he was going over the drill schedule for next next sevenday when he heard the knock and voice. “Come in Mil. I am all alone.” He called putting down the pencil that he had been using to give her his full attention.

She pushed the door open once F'cone gave her the all clear. She hadn't wanted to walk in on a meeting or anything. “Hey,” she smiled as she saw him behind the desk. “Hope I'm not interrupting.”

“Nope saving me what I can only describe as a descent into drill schedule for next sevenday.” He admitted with a shrug as he noticed what she was carrying which was unlike her. “Wine skin?”

She laughed a bit. That sounded very dull but she knew it was something he had to do to keep his wing safe. Milayna nodded. “Mian and Fal will be at the crèche a while longer and I finished early. Thought you could use a pick me up after everything,” she answered, sitting down.

F’cone raised an eyebrow but said nothing other than to grab 2 mugs and set them out across from her. “I could use a pick me up. Who knew having such a full wing would leave me clueless on how to schedule stuff.” He laughed knowing it was just because he was tired and not because he was useless.

Milayna filled the two mugs. She was just feeling happy at the moment. “I'm sure it has been nice for all of you to have full wings though,” she smiled, sipping on her win.

“Aye it’s not great being wing light but it is certainly something I need to adjust to now. Will need a wing third soon.” He had been coping with just himself and K’yar but it was getting a bit hard now. The man grabbed up the cup and held it up to her in thanks waiting for her to sip before he took a his own.

She nodded as she listened. She knew new riders were good even if it made more work. “That's impressive,” she commented, flashing him a bright smile. she was finally feeling like they were in a good place.

“I like to think so.” He answered with his own smile. It had certainly been a long road getting from where they had been even just a turn ago was stark contrast to where they were that day.

Milayna sipped her wine again. “I'm glad you had a few minutes that we could be here together,” she smiled. F'cone always made time for his family but this was nice.

The man took a big gulp of the mug before placing it down. “It is nice without the children around to have a moment together. This was a good idea.”

“I had hoped you would feel that way,” she smiled. “As soon as I knew I was getting out of my lessons early I knew I had to try.” She couldn't keep a smile off her face. It was peaceful.

“I like this end to my day.” He confirmed with a nod. “We should do this more often.” He decided knowing he needed to try more to think on her and not everything else even though it was not very dragon rider of him.

“I would like that a lot,” Milayna agreed. She knew that he was busy and a lot of times by time he got back the children were back so they didn't get much time to themselves.

The man nodded. He was going to try. This Weyr was a lot different than others, they still have thread but it was a lot less than other Weyrs which allowed them a little more leeway. “One mug though we have to go get them and I still need to figure this out.” He admitted with a laugh.

Milayna wrinkled her nose before smiling. He was right. Mian didn't mind as much but Falayna would throw a fit. “Your daughter let's me know if I am even a second late,” she teased him. “And if course. Don't want your wing messed up. They looked good today.”

“She has my temperament on timing.” He said quietly lowering his eyes, smirking. He hated being late for things and expected everyone else to be like him. “We had a good sweep this morning to check the coast for any burying thread if they got too close to shore.”

“That she does,” Milayna laughed. F'cone couldn't have denied Falayna if he wanted to. “Glad it went well. How's the wing working together?” She did like to try to keep up with his wing.

The man thought about the question for a moment but in all honesty the wing was doing really well adjusting to size and changes. “Really well why I need to sort out a wing third properly as it needs that smaller dragon and rider to relay and keep track.” He admitted with a shrug. “What about yourself? How was class?” He asked, turning the question back to her. His routine did not change much but she was progressing so much that each day was different.

“Ah okay. So that is what a wing third is for.” She was still learning everything even after being at the Weyr for Turns. “It was really good. There are so many different techniques for clothing and color. I never realised,” she smiled.

“You’ll be making amazing things in no time, love. Riders make their own clothes when thread isn’t falling.” F’cone revealed with a smile. “Sometimes. I like to use mine to monitor the greens and blues as normally there are more of them and I can’t track them all.”

“I hope so. It's been a lot of fun and work to learn.” She shook her head a bit. “That is still hard to believe,” she chuckled, trying to picture F'cone sewing. “Oh, that makes sense.”

It was many turns ago now since thread starting falling, he was sure he could barely remember how to do something even basic now. “I just have no idea who yet but I will soon.” He shrugged, it would all come together eventually.

Milayna would really love to see him make something. She knew he was busy though so it probably wasn't going to happen. “I'm sure you will.”

He indicated all the pieces of paper but either way he would figure it out. “Let’s drink up and you can go retrieve the children and I’ll try and finish this up for dinner in the cavern.” He said hopeful. He really wished he had Nerlyn back as she was so good at this type of thing that he never had to worry about all the extra things. K’yar was great but he needed a woman in leadership to think of the little things that he forgot.

That was a lot of paperwork. She didn't Envy him that job. “Sounds like a plan. You know Fal will hunt you down,” she teased, taking another drink of her wine. Falayna was a daddy's girl.

“One day she will understand what I do and why.” He said hopeful that she would one day as it was the way of the Weyr but the girl was stubborn with how things worked.

“I’m sure she will,” Milayna agreed. “She is still young.” Milayna herself was still learning the way of the Weyr so she had no doubt Falayna would be fine.

F’cone hoped so as he sipped on the wine thoughtfully. He did not want to disappoint the girl but Caladoth came first. “She is. And she seems to get the basics.” She had picked that up quick enough and wanted to be a rider.

Milayna smiled. “All i hear about is how she is going to have a big dragon like daddy,” she chuckled. Mian on the other hand still seemed intrigued by the dolphins. It was amazing to see their children grow up.

“Maybe we need to manage her expectations. Weyrborn do not impress the Queens. A blue or green is big enough.” He chuckled quietly knowing that his little girl one day would be a big girl but he needed to get her aware now that she might never impress something big like F’cone.

“I think in her eyes all dragons are big like Caladoth,” Milayna pointed out. She knew Falayna just liked the dragons. They would have to introduce her to some of the other dragons though.

“Let's hope 'cause I do not want her trying for something she will never achieve. I want her to have realistic expectations.” He said quietly not wanting to burst any bubbles but he was realistic with what he wanted the girl to know.

Milayna slowly nodded. “I know and we will,” she promised. “Right now she just likes the dragons.” She knew they needed to talk to her. “Maybe we could introduce her to some of the greens,” she suggested.

“Calarya would be a good one.” He offered. “She won’t help me but maybe you.” He said share wondering if there was any bridges he had not burned as Weyrleader with wing leadership.

She was surprised by that. Of course she didn't realize how much F'cone had messed up as a Weyrleader. “I hadn't thought of her. Maybe I will.” She pressed her lips together. “Calarya really wouldn't help you?”

“Yeah.” He said simply. “She is A’ren’s second and I was not kind or anything to A’ren soo….” He let the thought trail off awkwardly as he downed the rest of the wine and looked at it. He suddenly wished he had a lot more.

Milayna pressed her lips together. That was making more sense now. She did remember that but she had been suffering herself and hadn't realized what he had been doing. “Now I get it. Maybe I shouldn't ask her.” She didn't know Calarya well enough to know what she would think.

“Ask her. She likes showing off Leith. I’m just … I messed up.” He said with a shrug. He could not change it but he wish he could have changed a lot do things.

The blonde nodded a bit. “Alright. I'll talk to her,” she promised. “Trust me, I'm the last one to judge on making mistakes,” she pointed put.

The man shrugged again. “It doesn’t matter anymore. I just … I am trying to fix it.” He assured closing his eyes to center himself a little.

}: I still like you:{ Caladoth commented, making the man smile a little.

Milayna reached over and squeezed his hand. “I'm sure they will forgive you,” she said gently. “And if not they are missing out on the friendship with a great man,” she smiled.

The man squeezed her hand back. “I am just relieved that the dragons decided better next Weyrleader flight.” He had done it all for the wrong reasons in trying to get one up on A’ren when he shouldn’t have.

She didn't really understand Weyr politics but she had heard many times it being said that the dragons knew best. Apparently, it was true. “Either way I am glad to have you more to myself now,” Milayna smiled. “And the kids love it.”

“Small miracles but they will not have me for a while if I do not figure all this out.” He said bringing it back to the desk as he rose. He moved over and kissed her softly. “Thank you for coming to visit.” He had enjoyed the distraction.

She nodded, knowing he needed to get back to work. She leaned into his gentle kiss. “anytime. There's more where that came from,” she teased, getting to her feet.

The man smiled and nodded. He knew that and loved that about her. “I know. I will see you later.” He stroked her hair out of her face and started guiding her to the door before he got anymore distracted.

“See you later.” She knew if she stayed any longer it would make him even later getting finished. She gave him a gentle smile before slipping out.