RCW: Finding Someone Who Can Make Nerlyn Listen

Posted on Thu Mar 26th, 2026 @ 10:58pm by Gold Rider Lana & Tula & Sr Journeyman Nikolai & Bronze Rider A'ren

Mission: 3531 AL
Timeline: M4 D10

Nikolai was not normally one to be stood outside the Weyrwoman’s office but there he was. He had not even changed his shirt in his need to speak to the Weyrleaders but he only knew that Lana was around so he hoped to catch her and she could wrangle the Weyrleader. He raised his hand and knocked smiling as the knock was instantly answered with a come in. Nikolai pushed open the door and faced the woman who had used to be in partner in crime in the infirmary.

“Nikolai? What do I owe this pleasure?” She wondered putting down her pen to look at him.

“If only it was pleasure and a catch up Weyr…”

“Lana…”

“Weyrwoman…” he pushed on playfully. “I have a bit of a problem that I need you and the Weyrleader to help with.” He admitted.

“I will ask him to come here then.” Lana said, indicating her couch and to make himself comfortable. Nikolai Glanced at the couch and awkwardly sat down. He was not going to relax.

***Sweetheart can you ask Zaraminth to ask A’ren to come to my office*** Lana requested As she raised an eyebrow at the healer. .

}:Mine would like to see yours in her office.:{ Kalaith passed on.

A'ren was finishing up some of his hidework and flight plans when Zarminath spoke. ): Yours wants you in the office.:(

A'ren frowned a bit about that. It seemed odd but he wasn't going to argue. He left his hide work and made his way over to Lana's office. “Lana?” He asked, pushing the door open. He was surprised to see Nikolai there. “Hello, Nikolai.”

Nikolai wished he could pace as there was a nervous energy around him as he waited while he and the weyrwoman caught up a little around topics. Lana smiled at the man. “Nikolai requested to speak to us both dear.”

“Yes… I have a problem… well Nerlyn… She is struggling.” Nikolai said gently looking between the pair.

That didn't sound good. A'ren couldn’t think of the last time Nikolai had wished to speak to them both. “Nerlyn? That doesn't sound good,” he commented, walking over by Lana.

“K’ron mentioned that she is believing that she does not belong and it pulling away more and more as the days go on.” Nikolai frowned as Lana shook her head.

“This my fault.” Lana sighed feeling her nails digging. “I dug inot things and its rocked her stability.”

A'ren sighed softly. “I had wondered. She was acting a bit off when I went to check on her when the others were in High Reaches.” This wasn't good at all. He shook his head. “You had no way of knowing, Lana.”

“I know but I could have stopped and left it.” Lana said, shaking her head. “You never mentioned that. Just that she was the one who bruised you.” Nikolai offered a sad smile to Lana. She hadn’t changed having her heart on her sleeve.

He shook his head. “no you couldn't have. Not with the possible safety of the Weyr,” A'ren answered gently. He nodded a bit. “It honestly hadn't occurred to me til just now,” he admitted. “Now I wish I would have mentioned it.”

Nikolai looked at the younger woman still and shook his head. “K’ron is a mess. Nerlyn is missing appointments and acting like she doesn’t belong here and I am a little at a loss of how to help.” He admitted.

A'ren looked at the Healer in disbelief. “I didn't realize it was getting so bad. I know she was saying that when K'ron was gone but I thought it was just because she was missing K'ron. I never thought…” A'ren groaned.

“But…” Lana sighed and let the thought go as she tried to think of a way to help. “I… don’t knowknow how to help.” Lana lied knowing she knew what she really wanted to do want time it and make it so she never got interested in the notepad and started this whole mess but she never would.

The Weyrleader shook his head. He knew if they lost Nerlyn then they would lose K'ron too. “somehow we have to make Nerlyn see she is important and wanted here,” he said, looking over at Nikolai. .

“Tula might be able to help. I didn’t just want to go to her and snitch like I used to as a Weyrbrat.” The healer admitted with a roll of his eyes. “I want Nerlyn back and so do many other people. I know she’s never going to be whole again but … this is the Weyr… she’s a rider still whether she likes it or not.”

A slight smile tugged at A’ren’s lips. Things had been simpler as a weyrbrat. “Maybe so,” he agreed. “Maybe she would listen to someone who isn't a rider and is still quite content at the Weyr.” He nodded. “We all know that but she has to know that too.”

“It needs to be a woman.” Nikolai said. Lana glanced at him and nodded. He understood how hard it was sometimes for the women in the Weyr, hard to rise in ranks due to their dragon size or dying through childbirth as well as threadfall. “Losing her green fractured her mind yes, making her half the person we knew but she’s been doing so well with her son and this pregnancy until this month.” Female riders always thrived better after dragon loss.

A'ren nodded. He agreed. Tula sounded like a very good choice to him. “So it's just been this month?” He asked. Maybe they still had a chance then. Tula was going to have a lot riding on her shoulders.

Nikolai nodded at the question. He had no suspicions it was longer. “As far as I can tell. She has not missed any healer appointments until the High Reaches Incident. She seemed happy with the pregnancy and walking the tables.” Nikolai assured quickly as Lana stayed quiet.

A'ren wasn't sure if that was good or bad news. “Do you think it was the old memories or the incident with K'ron?” He asked. He knew both had been a lot for her.

“Memories…” Lana said before Nikolai could comment which made him raise an eyebrow. “He needs to understand.” Lana pointed out looking at A’ren sadly. This was all her fault for the greater good, she couldn’t take it back but she could at least try and help.

A'ren completely understood memories. Those had nearly driven him from his home once. “Who needs to understand?” He asked, wanting to make sure he was following Lana’s train of thought.

“Nikolai.” Lana said gently.

“What don’t I understand right now?” Nikolai wondered quietly, starting to now worry about the pair.

The Weyrleader sighed when he finally realized what Lana was talking about. “He does,” he agreed, looking over at the Healer. “Might help a bit with Nerlyn and K'ron.”.”

“This step back started because I discovered something that Nerlyn discovered that dragons are able to do…”

“Time it.” Nikolai said, rolling his eyes as several things slotted into his head about things that K’ron had said.

“How?” Lana wondered.

“K’ron mumbled it when he was delirious.” He admitted. “He did not give me much but I thought he was … well I thought he was talking nonsense.”

A'ren was surprised when Nikolai spoke up about Timing it and looked over at Lana. Although it made perfect sense as soon as the Healer said how he knew. “That was why they were at High Reaches,” A'ren explained. “They were hoping the hides there might give them something to go on.”

“And we found that in the north it is common but Nerlyn used to do it often to conduct search.” Lana explained watching Nikolai pale drastically.

“It was a lot to take in and of course Nerlyn didn't want to say anything as we didn't know about it here. Unfortunately no one seemed to notice as she was helping the Weyr a lot.” A'ren still couldn't believe the previous Weyrleaders had let her do at. it.

“Are you okay?” Lana asked moving to sit next to the man taking his wrist to check his pulse.

“Mmmhmm just a lot to take in.” The man said quickly. “But it explains so much.” He offered a smile, moving his arm away. Nikolai was not going to faint in front of the Weyrleaders. “I’m okay.” He promised.

A'ren bit back a smile as Lana instantly went into Healer mode. He slowly nodded. “Now we just have to fix it somehow,” the Weyrleader sighed.

“Tula can be the one to get through to her.” Nikolai was hopefully at the least she would be able to get a better understanding of what was going on and how to help the dolphineer.

A'ren didn't doubt that. If anyone could reach her it would be Tula.

Lana nodded. “I will go find her now and we can discuss this.” Lana said rising from her chair and quickly left the room. Nikolai waited for the Weyrwomas steps to disappear before he turned to the Weyrleader.

“And how are you doing sir?” He questioned.

A'ren watched Lana disappear before turning back to Nikolai. “Doing okay. Kicking myself for not realizing what was going on with Nerlyn. This whole thing has been a total mess from the beginning.”

“She’s not a rider.” The healer responded softly. The Weyrleader had responsibilities for the riders not the folks in the Weyr and even then Lana could not be blamed for missing it. No one was at fault.

The bronze rider frowned. “No but her mate is,” he said quietly. And he owed Nerlyn a lot anyhow for all his foolishness. “I just hope Tula can help.”

Nikolai said something around K’ron. The man would be fine no matter what happened as he had Tyreth. “Me too. Tula has that knack about her that fixes all things.” Nikolai could not imagine the Weyr without the head woman just like he couldn’t imagine the place without Nerlyn.

“She does,” A'ren agreed. If anyone could reach Nerlyn it was Tula. The woman wasn't Headwoman for nothing. “Thank you for coming to us, Nikolai.”

Nikolai didn’t answer as the door opened and Lana walked in with Tula in tow. The pair had obviously talked on the way up. “I can completely understand what is going on.” Tula said looking at the two men.

A'ren turned as the door opened. “you can?” He asked. That sounded good at least. He was glad someone understood.

“Of course I can Weyrleader. Nerlyn isn’t the first dragonless to lose themselves after they’ve decided to stay.” She said rolling her eyes treating the younger man like the child he once was even if he towered over her.

The Weyrleader raised a brow. Tula was the only one who could get away with that. Of course she had helped raise a lot of them. “I'm glad to hear you can help her.”

“She needs a job among us.” The woman decided thinking to herself as she sat down next to Nikolai. “I have a few ideas but you could have come to me Niko.”

“I know but they also need to be involved,” Nikolai commented.

A'ren listened to the two talk, glancing over at Lana. He was glad Tula seemed to know what to do but was also glad Nikolai had come to them.