RCW: Meet N’mar

Posted on Fri Jan 2nd, 2026 @ 1:59pm by Tula & Sr Journeyman Halia & Master Craftman Mari

Mission: 3531 AL
Location: RCW
Timeline: M4 D10

Although Mari and her brother were exceptionally close in spite of the age gap between them, they did not see on e another often. With him being a rider and her being a Harper, it was difficult to coordinate schedules. Even rest days weren’t easy as they each had other things they wanted to work on. But still, they made the effort.

Mari expected the visits to be fewer and farther between now that she was farther away, so it came as a surprise to hear a voice in her head while finishing her breakfast.

=/\=N’mar wishes to know where you are, =/\= came Riamboth’s voice as she downed the last of her Klah.

She froze, brow winked. It took her several moment to get her brain working to think back towards the bronze, are you here?

Riamboth chuckled =/\=I certainly cannot speak to you all the way from Fort!=/\= was his reply.

Mari broke into a grin and hurriedly returned her empty dishes to the kitchens. I’m on my way outside! she sent back.

By the time she arrived, Riamboth had landed, N’mar had dismounted, and they were surrounded by the bolder Weyr children- even though they were used to dragons, an unknown bronze and his rider was a bit of a novelty for them- which suited them as they both absolutely adored children. “N’mar!” she exclaimed as she ran to him and launched herself into his arms. “I’ve missed you!”

“I’ve missed you, too, little sister,” N’mar replied with a chuckle. “How is Southern treating you?”

“It’s nice,” she replied, breaking the hug. “Hot, but I’m getting used to it already. Hello, Riamboth,” she said to the bronze. “You’re looking very well.”

Riamboth’s eyes whirled blue at her, but he said nothing. She had, on many occasions, felt like Riamboth loved her as much as her brother did and now she was reminded of that.

“He says thank you,” N’mar told her. “And that you are looking well, too. You are, really. I think there’s more color in your cheeks.”

“Probably the heat,” she told him. “It gives everyone a bit of a flush. How did you know to find me at the Weyr, though? I’m stationed at the Hold.”

“I stopped there first and they told me you’d headed here and would probably be here for a Sevenday,” he replied. “So I got directions from the watch pair. I still can’t believe this is the first time I've been here.”

“Me neither,” she said. “And you, a rider. I’d have thought you’d have gotten all over Pern already. Oh, are you hungry? There’s still breakfast left.”

“I ate before I left Fort,” answered N’mar. “Is it okay if he stays here? I think he’s enjoying the attention.”

Mari glanced at the bronze, who had curled up and was pretending to sleep, but humming softly as the children patted him and giggled. “I think he’ll be fine,” she replied, then told the children, “no climbing on him, all right?”

“Yes, Master Mari,” they replied dutifully.

“They’re really well behaved,” she told N’mar.

“They would not dare to misbehave.” A voice spoke up and Tula stood behind looking at the pair. She knew the Master Harper as she came back and forth to make sure the drums were up to scratch and Halia had told her the woman would be there but the bronze rider was unknown. “And just who might you be, Bronze Rider?” She asked taking in his ropes and the bronze dragon nearby.

“I am N’mar and this is Riamboth, of Fort,” answered N’mar with a slight nod of respect. “I am kin to Master Mari. In fact, she’s my favorite sister.”

“That used to fool me when I was little,” said Mari with a good natured roll of her eyes. “I’m his only sister.”

Tula smiled a little. “I had a brother who was like that once Master Mari.” Tula admitted with a looked in the man’s direction relieved that he was Fort and not High Reaches after the problems there.

Mari beamed. “Brothers are grand,” she agreed, “if a bit annoying at times.”

“When have I ever annoyed you?” demanded N’mar with a grin.

“Almost every time I see you,” she retorted.

“Well you are welcome even if Master Mari sounds like you are on a time limit.”
Tula said relaxing a little as she glanced around at the children who were leaving the bronze alone to head to their classes.

“Nah, I’m on rest day,” he replied. “I thought I’d come help my little sister with her Harper duties. It’s been awhile since I went through teaching ballads, but I assume one never really forgets them.”

“I’m sure the children will love having their lessons with a bronze rider,” grinned Mari.

“I would hope not.” The headwoman said amused by the bronze rider, he reminded her of Z’ran. “But if you get bored or she throws you out I am sure I can find you things to keep yourself occupied.” Tula smiled as she noticed the Weyrwoman coming in their direction.

N’mar grinned. “I’m sure you can,” he said with a chuckle. Many of his Candidate days had been spent in the lower caverns. Truthfully, he hadn’t minded it, but moaned along with the other Candidates just to fit in. He wondered briefly how many of them had done the same. “I’ll definitely let you know if I get bored,” he promised with little conviction.

The older woman just smiled and inclined her head as she headed off to catch the Weyrwoman. There was always something going on but the last month had been so many different things.

Mari grinned. Her brother never volunteered for the extra work if he could manage to avoid it. That wasn’t to say he was lazy- far from it! But he had quite enough to do and valued his free time. An admirable quality, Mari thought. “Let’s see,” she said. “This morning, I have to replace one of the skins on the heights. The hide has been soaking all night, so it should be ready. Want to help?”

“I’d better,” he replied in a teasing tone. “I’m not sure your scrawny arms can muscle those ropes into place.”

This made Mari laugh. Her arms may be small, but she was strong enough to handle the drums on her own. One had to be, if one was an instrument maker. “Now I’m tempted to sit back and make you watch me do it!” she replied.

“Please don’t. I know riders struggle.” A sweet voice called as she joined the duo. Halia was one of the weyrharper’s that was starting to get to know the northern harper more and more every visit. Halia was small and slim wearing a long southern style of dress that was armless but a lovely blue shade.

“Good morning, Halia,” replied Mari with a grin. “This is my brother, N’mar, Riamboth’s rider. N’mar, this is Journeyman Halia.”

“Well met,” replied N’mar, placing one arm across his chest in solute.

“N’mar.” The younger woman greeted with a smile. “I need a favour other than just mocking riders' inability to reskin drums.” She admitted awkwardly. She was not normally one to ask for favors but she needed strings for her guitar and there were none around the weyr.

“A favor… from me?” asked N’mar, confused. What could he possibly have to offer?

“Were you given anything to bring to the weyr?” She wondered hopefully. She hoped that when the man had inquired for the woman he would have been told her location and someone would have remembered her request.

“Oh!” said N’mar, snapping his fingers and instantly rummaging in his messenger bag. “I had forgotten.” He produced a small package and handed it over.

“He’d forget it head if it wasn’t attached,” Mari teased with a good-humored roll of her eyes.

“Thank you wingleader.” Halia breathed as she took the small package and instantly cut it open to see the bundle of wires and other items the Masterharper had thought she might need.

“Oh, helpful things,” said Mari with a nod. Included were some things she hated making from raw materials- guitar strings for one. Gut strings were messy and stinky and she would rather pay someone else good marks to do it. Steel strings required a metalsmith and weren’t very common anyway.

“What? You don’t like making strings, Mari?” teased N’mar. He of course knew full well that she hated it with the burning passion of one thousand suns, but he never passed up an opportunity to give his sister a good ribbing.

“I would rather eat tunnelsnake raw,” Mari replied.

“I cannot think of anything worse myself.” The blond said thinking of the fact the smell of dragons eating herd beasts at the moment were setting off her morning sickness.

“I will have to take your word for it,” admitted N’mar. “I never got that far in my Harper training. In fact, I never got anywhere near it. I got saddled with a great lump of bronze before I even learned to string a guitar.”

Halia laughed a little as she packed several items into her jacket pockets but held the strings in her hands. “Cannot play if I keep having the ones I have snapped.” She must have collected a bad batch last time they had stocked supplies.

“Yes, that is very difficult from what I remember," mused N’mar half jokingly.

“Nearly impossible, depending on how many and what strings,” agreed Mari. “I did see a journeyman finish an entire song after two strings broke in the first three bars.”

“I like to pride myself on not doing that but it is getting very hard.” Halia admitted with a small smile. “Are you sticking around for long bronze rider?” She wondered tucking a strand of long blonde hair behind her ear.

“The whole day, unless Master Mari gets sick of me,” he replied with a charming grin.

“So you will be gone by lunch time then by the look of that grin.” Halia teased winking at Mari. She had been in the weyr long enough to know brown and bronze riders.

“A candlemark,” teased Mari.

“Wow, that long?” N’Mar teased.

Mari rilled her eyes, but grinned. “That’s it, I’m putting you to work,” she told him. “Tuning the drums on the heights.”

“Noooooo!”