Grandparents

Posted on Sun Oct 5th, 2025 @ 1:27pm by Gold Rider Lana & Bronze Rider A'ren

Mission: 3531 AL
Location: KH
Timeline: M3 D11

Zarminath landed on the fireheights, lowering himself to let his passengers off. A'ren patted his bronze's shoulder. “What do you think, Ari? Think we should let Zar rest while we visit?” He asked, scooping his daughter up before sliding down the dragon's shoulder.

Ariana giggled as they appeared in the familiar surroundings that she came to visit often. She had hoped her mum would come with her but she had heard that her mum had been hurt in fall according to people she had heard. “We should. He works hard.” The little girl smoothed Zarminath’s side before they started down the stairs of the firefight’s. “We are going to visit your grandparents?” She checked quietly

Zarminath crooned softly at Ariana as he turned his head to blow warm steam over her. A'ren chuckled a bit but he did wish that Lana would have come. He held Ariana's hand as they walked. “We are. Is that okay?”

The girl squealed and laughed at the air that blew over her. She loved it when the bronze did that. She wrapped her arms around the man’s neck as he carried her. “Yes but where is your mum?” She wondered waiting for him to put her down at the bottom of the stairs before she started asking her questions.

The bronze always liked making the girl giggle. A'ren smiled. His bronze had taken to Ariana very quickly. “My mom?” He asked as he sat down. Well, that he hadn't expected.

“Yes.” She said simply as she looked around at his busy Kymos was even that late in the afternoon. She loved exploring but she was not normally taken from the weyr as her foster mother worked in the crèche. “Where is she?”

A'ren had never really considered the fact Ariana didn't know his mother. That was his fault. “She's at the Weyr,” he finally answered as they walked. ed.

The little girl frowned. “But I have not met her?” Ariana asked, trying to work it all out in her head.

The Weyrleader sighed softly. “I am sorry about that, Ari. I honestly didn't think about it. I was never close to her since I grew up in the creche and then a weybrat too.” Maybe that was why he didn't want to be too far from Ariana.

“Who is she?” The little girl wondered. She was sure that she had never met her or heard about her dad’s mum. “Where is mummy?” She added seeing she was asking questions.

There was really no reason not to tell Ariana. “Drina is her name. She rides green Bajoth.” He sighed a bit. Lana was a harder topic. “Mommy still wasn't feeling well. She felt bad she couldn't be here.”

“I do not believe I have met her. Do you think she would like to meet me like your grandparents?” She wondered. “I heard Tula telling Jinxana that she got hurt in fall?” She asked quietly as she thought about if she had ever met Drina. She was sure that she had not but she would ask Jinxana properly when she got home.

He smiled a bit. “I'm sure she would. I will see what I can do about finding her,” he promised. He had always been closer to his grandparents and maybe Ariana would be that way. A'ren slowly nodded. “It was just an accident and mama is okay. She just needs to rest.”

Ariana looked up at the man and frowned a little more as she decided whether she wanted to discuss it more. “I miss mummy.” She finally settled on saying as they got to the familiar cottage in the middle of Kymos.

A’ren’s heart broke. He didn't know what to do to fix this. Lana always closed up as soon as A'ren mentioned their daughter and he still didn't understand that. “I know you do, baby girl,” he whispered.

“Is she acting like your mum?” She wondered finally as the door of the cottage opened and a woman came bristling out.

“Oh finally gracing us with your presence are you Weyrleader?” She asked grinning up at the man as she bundled Ariana up into her arms.

A'ren had not been ready for that. His daughter was too perceptive. Thankfully he was saved from answering by the door opening. “Sorry grandmother. Things have been busy at the Weyr.”

“Not even at the gather.” She teased fully understanding that the man had duties. She snuggled the little girl close amazed still that her grandson brought her to visit despite his duties when her own daughter never visited. “No Weyrwoman with you?” Arine wondered looking around for the woman who occasionally popped by if she was passing with or without her grandson.

He shook his head, smiling a bit. “I would have liked to. Don't think I got to sit down til late in the night that day,” he chuckled. A'ren sighed softly. “Not this time. She got injured during training and is resting right now.”

Arine frowned. “I hope she is okay. She popped in last sevenday with some herbs for my back.” She said sadly. She genuinely liked the woman, she knew how the Weyr worked but the woman despite the blip several turns ago seemed to love her grandson.

“I did not get to go to the gather.” Ariana sighed dramatically as the woman led the pair inside the cottage.

“She is okay. It was a close call but she is safe.” A'ren was surprised by that. “Really? That was kind of her. We haven't had a chance to talk much, but I'm glad she stopped by.” He chuckled a bit. “You little one would have been so tired. Maybe the next one,” he said, following his grandmother.

“She often comes by A’ren.” The woman said, smiling at the surprise on the man’s face. “She doesn’t have to be loud to love you and the people you love dear.” She did not care that the big man was Weyrleader or that he towered over the healer.

“I was asleep until people decided at the tavern to start a fight and I had to heal up some patrons.” Arine said setting the girl down at the table grabbing up some crayons and papers setting them down in front of her.

A'ren smiled. That definitely sounded like Lana. Now if only she would come with them. “I know,” he smiled. He just had to be reminded from time to time. “Shards. Are you okay?” He asked as she sat Ariana down.

“Of course I birthed most of those patrons.” She chuckled. Arine was not afraid of any situation, she had been a midwife far to long to be bothered by the middle of the night wake up. “So what brought you here today?” She asked finally as she poured some klah for A’ren and found some juice for Ariana

A'ren tried not to laugh. He would not want to mess with his grandmother. She could certainly handle herself. “I actually had a free evening and what way to spend it when with two of my favorite girls?” He smiled.

“Hmmm…” the woman was not at all convinced but handed over the klah to the man. He never turned up unannounced but her raised brow was all he needed to know that she was not at all convinced.

His shoulders slumped slightly. He never could keep anything from Arine. A'ren sipped on his klah, his hands wrapped around the mug. “Lana suggested it,” he finally answered.

“That is kind of her when she has had an accident?” She wondered thoughtfully as she indicated they stepped outside for a moment as the girl was occupied by colouring in as usual.

A'ren glanced at Ariana before following his grandmother. He didn't speak again until they were back outside. “Sorry. Yeah she did suggest the visit since I think I was making her a bit wherryheaded with trying to help,” he answered.

The woman smiled as she could just imagine it now. “You are a kind soul sweetheart. Much kinder than your mother. How bad was it really with Lana for her to want you gone for the evening?” She asked thinking she might gather some bits for the woman who went out of her way to pop in at random moments for a cup of klah.

His mother really hadn't cared about him at all. Like most riders she just dumped him at the creche. “Her goggles exploded on her and we were worried she might lose her vision. She didn't but I think I might have tried to baby her too much.”

“You can never baby people too much dear but maybe she could do with some time alone from everyone. Must be tough on the pair of you after the last couple of turns.” She said looking over her herb garden thoughtfully.

He slowly nodded. The last couple of Turns had been rough. He had spent a lot of time here during that period. It had started with him nearly being paralyzed, to losing the Weyrleadership to Lana nearly dying and now this. “That's very possible. I'll have to be a bit more careful.”

“Marriage or whatever it is between the pair of you takes work and I am sure much like myself and your grandfather we required time apart.” She promised him as she glanced back at her great grandchild and smiled as she picked up another colour to draw with.

“You're right as always, grandmother. I just wasn't seeing that.” Now he could understand why Lana was basically pushing him out of the Weyr. “Thank you. Guess I just needed someone to remind me of that.”

“But we also don’t like to appear weak and vulnerable.” She added with a smirk turning back to the man. “It’s not about being right or wrong. It’s about pushing through and making things work.”

He nodded. Maybe that was why Lana was a bit on edge. Maybe it was something he had added to by accident. “We're trying,” he promised. He hesitated a moment, thinking if he should ask or not. He glanced toward Ariana. “Lana has been avoiding Ari,” he whispered.

“Some women are not natural mothers, especially women with great big golden dragons.” The older woman offered taking a sip of his klah to allow him time to think and reflect.

He knew that was true, his own mother was an example of that. “But she used to be. We did everything with Ari and then all of a sudden she pulled away.” He had tried talking to Lana about it but she was changed the subject.

“Anything happen around that time?” She wondered softly. She knew so much had happened at the weyr that he only told her a little bit about. Arine was not a mind healer but she knew women and she knew A’ren’s mate well enough.

The Weyrleader sipped on his klah. A lot had happened around that time. He was just trying to figure out what. “There was a lot but it seems like after she nearly died that she started pulling away,” he slowly admitted.

“When she was poisoned by Dragon Hold?” Arine remembered that incident vividly as it had rocked Pern and made a lot of changes but it was not until that awful night at Far Sote that enough was enough.

He slowly nodded, not wanting to think about that time. Dragon Hold loved using poisons and drugs. “That would be the time.”

“Maybe she is trying to protect her?” Arine offered as the little girl looked up to check they were still close but said nothing or came out to them. “Reason dragon riders are not close to their children after all. Ariana was also hurt because of who she was.”

A'ren hadn't even considered that option. If that was the case why hadn't Lana just told him? They could have figured something out. “Shards. I hadn't even thought about that.”

“Because your plate is big Weyrleader.” She teased softly not thinking that her grandchild would be Weyrleader all those turns ago when her only daughter impressed.

“Just a bit,” he smiled. Over the Turns with Lana he had started to lose his cocky, arrogant attitude. “I still can't believe I didn't notice.” And he had threatened to take Ariana away.

“Be kind to yourself, Arden.” She soothed. “You do not want to topple from that plate.” Arine smiled up at the man and shook her head. “Lana is trying her best as much as you are, I bet. Ariana is not hard to love but sometimes we do not show it enough because of fear.”

He sighed. It felt odd to hear his name but his grandmother did that sometimes. “I know she is. I just feel bad I didn't realize any of it.” He blew out a soft breath. “Maybe I'll try talking to her. Would that make it worse?”

“You know her better than I do. I am a midwife not a mind healer.” She added with a smile and a squeeze to his shoulder. “Is this why you came here other than to see me? You needed someone to speak to?”

“Is that wrong?” He asked softly. “I didn't know where else to go and when Lana suggested visiting you I jumped at the suggestion. I just don’t want to worry the Weyr.” Lana and he were good and none of this would affect the Weyr.

“No my dear boy. There is always space for you and your troubles.” She assured quietly as she touched his shoulders. He might be tall enough to nearly hit his head but she could remember the scrawny boy who had somehow gotten a rider to bring him there for a visit when he was eight years old. “It is what grandmothers are for.”

He smiled and bent down to hug her. “I don’t know what I would have done when I was younger or now without you.” Arine had gotten him through some really hard times.

“Well I do not believe you would have been as cocky and thrown in your poor foster mothers face that your grandmother would come and get you.” She pointed out smiling. “I do wish sometimes though A’ren that you visited more but the fact you come to me with troubles and that little girl is worth the worry every threadfull.”

A'ren nodded. He really did need to visit more often. He chuckled a bit. “Yeah kind of got a big head there for a bit.” Thankfully, he had gotten knocked down a couple pegs. “Of course I would bring Ari. I want you know you guys.”

The healer said nothing as she had seen the big headedness as his bravado at life knocking him down. “She is a gentle soul. I can see how Dragon Hold got to her so easily.” She said sadly as she looped an arm through A’ren’s arm and led her further into the garden. “Do I expect to see other great-grandchildren?”

A'ren quietly walked beside her. He owed his grandmother so much. He considered his words. “I hope so but I am not sure. After the past couple of Turns Lana has been a bit uncertain there.”

Arine knew not to ask that question again, but she hoped to see more great-grandchildren. “Time heals more physically and mentally. And how is my daughter?” Drina wrote once in a while and turned up less in a while, but it was not quite the same.

She had a point. Time did heal. He just hoped it would help heal them. He really did need to talk with Lana. A'ren shrugged a shoulder. “She's fine. No mishaps and she is very useful in her wing. I don't see her a lot,” he admitted. His mother only acknowledged him now because he was the Weyrleader.

“Typical Drina.” She commented as she moved to pick up a few herbs from one of the many growing trees and bushes. “She was never maternal when we had fosterings. She would rather disappear off to the Smiths.”

He nodded a bit. He could see that of his mother. “Pretty sure one of her bed partners is a Smith,” he admitted, having seen the two together. “I'm just grateful I have you in my life.” A'ren never did know who his father was.

“Not surprised. I am just glad you had enough ego to come search me out once Drina told you a little accidently about where she came from.” The woman laughed a little, making Ariana come and search them out bored of colouring.

A'ren laughed a bit. “The one time my ego was a good thing,” he grinned. To this day he didn't know why Drina had talked about her family but he was glad she had. “Hey baby girl,” he said to Ariana.

Ariana grinned. “Can I help with anything?” She asked seeing herbs being put in a
basket. she loved helping with chores b

“Of course. I am thinking of making your mum something to help with her injuries.” Arine admitted.

He smiled. His little girl was growing so fast. “You know Ari, I used to help grandmother pick herbs too,” he said. He had liked doing all kinds of things with his grandmother. She had helped keep him sane. “Really? That is very thoughtful of you.”

“She does kind things back and keeps you out of trouble for the most part.” Aline commented. “It is the least I can do.”

“I’ll hold the basket.” The girl offered and the woman held out the basket to Ariana to hold as she picked and punched some herbs.

A'ren chuckled a bit. “She does try,” he smiled as Ariana happily took the basket. This was turning into a nice evening. Arine had helped him realize things he hadn't previously.