RCW:: I am sorry. I overreacted

Posted on Sat Dec 14th, 2024 @ 6:33pm by Gold Rider Lana & Bronze Rider A'ren & Bronze Rider K'ron
Edited on on Sat Dec 14th, 2024 @ 6:39pm

Mission: 3531 AL
Location: RCW
Timeline: M2 D18

K'ron took a deep breath before stepping up to the door. Nerlyn was right. He needed to get things settled in his mind as none of this was their fault and he also needed an opinion on a wing second before he collapsed. The bronze rider knocked on the office door, Tyreth having let him know they were both there. Well here went nothing.

Lana had taken to making sure than A’ren at least had a midday meal if he was awake before her and gone to drill which was why she was in his office waiting patiently for him to finish one last thing before he could leave with her. Lana raised an eyebrow at the door coming knowing they would delay the man from eating but they had an open door policy as it created a lot more of a positive Weyr.

“I’ll get your door.” Lana said, opening it, surprised to see K’ron stood on the other side. they had not spoken properly in 2 sevenday and the ruins conversation was still raw from the previous day. “K’ron? Um hello… come in.” She instructed stepping back to let the man come in.

A'ren had been trying to finish up a couple last things before lunch when he heard the knock. “Thanks,” he answered Lana but then froze in surprise.

K'ron put on a smile as Lana opened the door. “I'm not interrupting am i?” He asked. “Ty said you were here.”

Lana plastered her own smile on her face to cover up her own shock. “You are not K’ron. The Weyrleader as usual is stuck in his hide work and has been since before dawn much like yourself I suspect.” Lana assured closing the door behind him wondering why Kalaith had not mentioned that Tyreth had been enquiring about their location. She raised an eyebrow at A’ren but said nothing on the man’s appearance there.

That was at least good. He didn't want to interrupt. “Oh yes I get that. That is actually why I came.”

A'ren had left his hidework to join them. “Hidework brought you here?” He asked.

“Seems the easiest way to get people to your office dear.” Lana teased as she went to where A’ren kept wine and pour thing large glasses from the new skin that was kept there. She placed two in front of the men and indicated the sofa as she backed up a little and sat down on the edge of the desk thinking it might be more of a weyrleader to wingleader type of conversation.

A'ren shrugged. That was probably true enough. He accepted the wine before sitting back down. K'ron shifted uneasily for a second before accepting the wine from Lana and sitting. “Thank you. Honestly it has to do with my wing. Something I should have done a while ago according to my mate.” he hesitated briefly. “I am at a loss for a good wing second.”

Lana smiled at the fact it seemed Nerlyn was keeping him straight best she could. “You can come to either office and our weyr and it does not need to be wing related but I am sure that we can help with that. Right A’ren?” Lana said over her wine glass as she took a sip. It might be lunchtime but it seemed easier to have this conversation with some liquid courage.

A'ren nodded. “We can definitely help with that,” the Weyrleader agreed.

K'ron managed to relax just a bit. He knew he had been a deadglow but it had felt right at the time. “Thank you both. I know I’m not being fair to my wing or my family.” He looked down at his glass. “and I think I owe you both an apology.”

Lana put her glass down and shook her head quietly. “You do not K’ron. You did exactly what me and A’ren would have done if the situation was reversed. I have never seen you quite as furious outside of threadful and I owe you an apology for what happened. If I had known of any inkling of what was going to be revealed I would never have asked Nerlyn to reveal that. Is she okay?” Lana asked quietly. She had asked Kalaith to enquire with Tyreth but it was harder when the Dragons did not quite always get the delicate nature of human bondings and forgot things.

K'ron blew out a soft breath. “I definitely didn't expect anything like that. Nerlyn never said anything to me.” It still shocked him and he was still trying to let it all sink in. “She's doing okay. Raen has been keeping her occupied. And apparently prodding me to find a wing second.”

A'ren smiled a bit. “Children will definitely help you forget things. And no apology necessary. As Lana said we had no idea that she would say that.”

Lana wished that her daughter worked that way on her, she was so scared to let the girl love her and love her back after Dragon Hold had used her to get to the Weyr and herself. She blinked hard focusing on what was happening there and then instead of her issues.

“But it does explain so much,” Lana said softly. “But I have been looking through records. It used to be done quite often in the last pass before they thought they got rid of thread to combat thread fall misalignments and pattern shifts.” She glanced at A’ren. “I got bored,” Lana explained as if that covered everything. “But I am relieved to hear that … We have been worried about you both but we had to let you come to us when you were ready and after yesterday we did not know when you would be ready.”

A'ren raised a brow. “You must have been bored,” he smiled. That sounded like a lot of digging.

Lana had many retorts but they could have that conversation later on so she just simply shrugged and gave him that secret smile that spoke volumes between 2 people who loved each other.

“It was done a lot?” K'ron repeated. “That doesn't seem safe at all.” He nodded a bit. “Yeah, Nerlyn finally got through my thick skull.”

“Whole fighting wings of riders much like our times,” Lana said looking at the wine. Normally she would have downed it but she needed to keep her head about her for this conversation. “I am sorry I brought up so much we just wanted to know how she did it all but it seems that she nearly destroyed herself in the process and we are never going to ask anyone to do that. We will find a way,” Lana said firmly knowing the pair had, had many sleepless nights over the last 2 sevendays around it.

K'ron shook his head. That was so hard to believe. Whole wings. How had they not lost anyone? Nerlyn had nearly died. “I just can't believe so many were willing to try it.” K'ron thought for a while. Or maybe it hadn't been so foolish. He would have to think about that.

“I do not know but I will look I wish we had access to records from the north.” She shook her head. She might have to do some flirting with some of the northern Weyrleaders for that privilege which A’ren would be less than thrilled at but that was her issue to deal with privately. “Desperate times,” Lana added. She had not been a rider when the realisation of the return of thread after so long had hit.

“Don't get any ideas,” A'ren warned Lana. He could see she was thinking something. “Perhaps. It was still a chance and one I plan on never using.”

K'ron nodded a bit. “It seems like a big gamble to take without knowing the outcome.” He just had to keep telling himself that so he didn't try something wherry headed.

Lana said nothing to add to the conversation but did avoid A’ren’s gaze as he warned her. That would be something for them all to deal with in their own unique ways. “But to the here and now and the situation we can solve. Your wing second.” Lana brought the conversation to the second reason he had come to them.

“Yes, definitely a wing second. Any help would be appreciated.” He just hadn't been able to sort out a good one. There were many good riders to choose from but he had no idea how to choose.

“What are you looking for in someone.” Lana wondered. “What does S’ven bring to what you already have?” She said quickly remembering his wing second. Lana knew she was struggling herself without other queen riders other than herself and Jena but that was not something that she had, had time to sort out quite yet.

“S'ven has been a great wing third. He pulls his weight without complaint and is great in helping the other smaller dragons. I need someone though who can command a bit more respect from the higher ranked riders. Especially right now with the new riders. Not to mention someone dependable that can step in and lead if need be.”

Lana could understand that. It was harder with the smaller dragons and her mind went the same as him in what the Weyr needed. It was easier for A’ren to have Calarya as Wingsecond; he commanded the respect and Leith was nearly as big as a brown, but K’ron did not have the luxury. “This is your area dear.” Lana prompted seeing the Weyrleader deep in thought around it all.

A'ren tapped his fingers on a hide he had left out. “What about that new brown rider that just transferred in?” He asked, looking at Lana and K'ron. “He seems competent and willing to learn.”

“T’nol? Yes rider of Malanth” Lana asked, trying to remember his name. It was one of the things she prided herself on in knowing all the riders names even if she had to get the name of the dragon from Kalaith. He came from Fort is she was remembering correctly.

“Yes that's him,” A'ren smiled at his mate. He could always count on Lana to supply the name. “Recent transfer from Fort,” he added, confirming Lana’s thoughts.

K'ron thought for a moment. “I know the name. I've seen him around and talked to him a couple of times. That might work,” he agreed.

Lana smiled back at him. She was certainly enjoying them being on the same side again. It made everything a lot more natural and workable. “Give it some thought K’ron. No pressure from us, he might not be the right fit for you.” Lana advised. “But he is someone you should consider as it would appeal to the older and northern riders.”

K'ron nodded. “I'll do that,” he promised. He planned on talking to the new rider a bit more and see what he thought. It was definitely worth a try. He needed a wing second.

Lana smiled at the bronze rider. He still did not look right but he looked a little more steady than he had looked when he came in there. “Looks like you have a plan now K’ron. Is there anything else you would like to discuss with us?” She wondered quietly.

That was definitely one thing down. K'ron hesitated a moment. He really needed to get things sorted with his Weyrleaders. “Well,” he considered. “I am trying to get things sorted, but is there anything else I should be concerned with? I don't think i can handle another surprise like Nerlyn gave us.”

Lana looked at him thoughtfully. “You mean with the ruins?” Lana wondered as she looked at A’ren and shrugged. The man knew the biggest secret that they had come up against recently and had proved trustworthy. “Some of Nerlyn’s drawings in her notebook had locations that are of interest to us.” Lana turned around and grabbed up a book from the shelf above A’ren’s desk that they had stored the drawings into and held them out.

A'ren nodded. He didn't see any reason to keep it hidden. Especially considering who it was.

“Locations?” K'ron asked curiously. Just what had Nerlyn gotten into when she was younger? He took the offered notebook and flipped through the notebook. “what is all this?”

“We don’t know but these and these are something I have seen in records. If we can find them it might help us against thread and many other things.” Lana pointed out several odd looking devices that were in the sketches. “You have the same look A’ren had on his face when he was looking through it all the first time and I have no idea what Nerlyn used to get up to but we once asked her to fly over Dragonhold repeatedly to make maps we think that the former Weyrleaders before us…” She gave no indication in her tone or phrasing that F’cone had been Weyrleader at any point since then. “Might have used Nerlyn’s skills or she got bored somehow and found this location. And Jena and T’tarel might have found this area of the old ruins. Did I miss anything?” Lana asked leaning over to touch A’ren’s shoulder.

A'ren listened and then shook his head. “That sounds like everything. So now we just have to see if we can find these places in her sketches.”

K'ron frowned a bit. Fly over Dragon Hold? Was that ever a safe thing to do? Shards his mate was into a lot when she was younger. “I wonder why they have been hidden for so long.”

“Abandoned since the crossings or never realised their full potential when the north expanded back down here.” Lana shrugged and offered a sad smile at the frown. “What are you thinking K’ron?” She asked gently trying to work out where his head was.

“Just thinking about flying over Dragon Hold. Was that ever safe?” He nodded a bit. “It would be interesting to find out. At least Dragon Hold is gone.”

“Safer than flying thread,” Lana answered softly. It had been around when Nerlyn had been pregnant and wanted something other than search rider duties if she recalled correctly. “She made the maps we all work from in that area even now. Truly we miss Nerlyn as a rider.” Lana said softly glancing at A’ren squeezing his shoulder reminding herself that he was there.

“That is true. And the maps are great.”Sorrow filled K'ron's eyes. “So do I,” he whispered. There were still many times when Nerlyn was only half there. A’ren smiled at Lana. He would be beside her always.

“I am sorry K’ron. I did not mean to strike that nerve again. I know it must be so hard. Can we help with anything?” Lana paled feeling like she was alienating him again when she was trying to just show how unremarkable the woman had seemed yet the Weyr had lost something it did not even understand it had because of how amazing she was.

The bronze rider shook his head. He knew Lana hadn't meant anything by it. Nerlyn had been a great rider. “Not really. Some days are better than others. Raen and Oceania help keep her grounded and Koda won't leave her side.”

A'ren couldn't even imagine how the younger man felt. “If you both need anything let us know.”

Lana bit her lip to not say anything else for a moment before she relaxed and allowed her mind and heart to catch up together. “Please do K’ron.” Lana said, making a note to talk to Master Jameas to confirm things from his point of view with Nerlyn. Lana might have failed at the time leaving F’cone and K’ron to keep Nerlyn ship shape but she was going to do her best now. “Do you want to take them and speak to Nerlyn?”

K'ron looked down at the papers still in his hands. “If you don’t mind,” he answered. Maybe he could at least soften the blow a little or see when she was in a better mood.

“Not at all. We’re going at your pace.” Lana said softly wishing they could go faster but Lana was reluctant to push and break Nerlyn any further. “Would you be willing to be there when we speak to V’ros around all of this?” Lana wondered. She was even wondering if F’cone and K’yar pulled in but she did not know if she could cope with that much ego in one room.

“Thank you,” K'ron said. “I will try not to take too long but I do not want to stress her and the baby,” he admitted. The bronze rider nodded. “If you would like I can be there.” This was going to be an interesting conversation.

The look on K’ron’s face said it all that he thought it would be interesting for him too. “Baby?” Lana stood up straighter and her worried look broke into a smile as she squeezed A’ren’s shoulder. “She is pregnant?”

A'ren couldn't keep the smile off his face either. That was great news.

K'ron nodded. “We only just found out so we're trying to be careful,” he answered. Which was why he was being even more protective now than usual.

“Explains a little more of your behaviour. We are not trying to do anything to upset you or your family.” The Weyrwoman repeated softly, wanting him to know that above anything. It did explain his fierceness in the situation more than anything.

“I know,” K'ron said. “I shouldn't have reacted so harshly,” he sighed. He should have kept temper but he was so worried about Nerlyn.

“But it’s understandable.” Lana assured as a fire lizard blinked out of between and dived for Lana chittering with a note in its talon. Lana took it and read the note. She let go of A’ren grabbing a pen from his desk to scribble a note back. “Return this to Tula.” She explained to the fire lizard who disappeared. “Excuse me. It seems our head woman needs my assistance.” Lana explained wishing she had more time to congratulate the man.

“Of course. I thank you both for the help,” K'ron said. “I will talk to Ner about these sketches too.”

“Thank you.” Lana turned around to the weyrleader as she got to the door and changed her mind. “Come on Weyrleader. I’ll walk you to your lunch on the way.” Lana quickly decided that her initial reason for going there could be achieved at the same time.