RCW: You get what you get

Posted on Thu Mar 26th, 2026 @ 11:07pm by Green Rider Calarya & Brown Rider G'van & Milayna

Mission: 3531 AL
Timeline: M4 D8

Milayna took a deep breath as she wasn’t sure if this was a good idea or not. She didn't know the rider very well but she would do anything for her children. The blonde stepped into the Dining Cavern, not sure if she would find Calayra there or not.

Calarya sat with a few riders with a mug of ale in front of her as she listened to the harpers player on the raised platform. She was not dressed in her flight gear but a long floaty dress that allowed her to be cool despite the heat of the day. As someone slid into the space next to her she turned surprised. “Hello Milayna.” She greeted.

At least Milayna hadn't had to go far and she had guessed correctly. “Hello green rider,” she inclined her head. “I do hope I am not interrupting.” She knew what F'cone had told her but she was still concerned.

“Calarya is fine. And no you are not. Can I help you?” She wondered as she started to glance around for F’cone but she could not see him or the children. What did the woman need her for?

Milayna pressed her lips together. “I wanted to ask a favor. Falayna loves the dragons and says she will ride a big one like Caladoth. But she has never had a chance to meet any other of the dragons.” She hesitated, not sure how to proceed.

“But she doesn’t quite realise her dragon colours will be limited by the fact she is a girl and F’cone thought of me?” Calarya wondered taking a long sip of her ale. She had seen this before with weyrbrats where they needed a dose of reality to be kind.

Milayna nodded a bit. “Yeah,” she answered softly. “I think right now she just thinks all dragons are the same size,” she admitted. “But well, I, we want her to know how important all the colors are to the Weyr.”

“I can do that,” Calarya assured quickly. She did not doubt that she could teach the girls about the hierarchy of the Weyr. “Other than the Weyrwoman and Junior Queen I am the next highest-ranking female rider.” She said trying not to sound big-headed. She missed Nerlyn being a wingthird for this purpose.

She looked up quickly. “Really?” Milayna asked. “You wouldn't mind? I know you are busy.” Milayna nodded a bit. “which is one of the reasons F’cone suggested you. That way too Fal sees just what green riders are capable of.” she wanted the best for her children.

“F’cone suggested me?” Calarya found herself snorting into her ale as she took another swing. That Bronze rider surprised her more and more. He had routinely ignored her presence until last turn when whatever happened between him and the Weyrwoman mellowed him out.

Milayna slowly nodded. should she have not said that? “He did. Is that bad?” She asked quietly, seeing Calarya's reactions.

“Not at all. I just didn’t know he remembered I existed.” Calarya laughed softly as she grabbed a clean mug from the pile and poured the younger woman a mug offering it to her.

“I know that feeling,” Milayna agreed as she gratefully accepted the mug. It had only been recently that her and F'cone had started to get back on good, solid terms.

Calarya frowned at what the woman said and felt a deep sense of sympathy for her. “It’s hard being a woman in the Weyr sometimes. How are you holding up?” She wondered softly, thinking that she looked like she could use a friend.

Milayna nodded a bit. It hadn't been easy being a woman at Dragon Hold either. “Doing okay usually. I'm really enjoying learning a craft and getting to see my children.” Both were things she hadn’t thought possible.

“What craft have you chosen?” The rider wondered. Calarya had never considered a craft outside of being a rider. It was the only thing she had ever wanted to be from the moment she was old enough to stand on the hatching grounds.

“I chose to learn weaving,” she answered. “I love working with different materials and colors. I never thought I would be doing something actually useful,” Milayna admitted.

“Weavers are always needed and we have so many good weavers here for you to learn from.” She said thinking she missed doing things like that with threadful. It was was hard to believe seven turns ago they all did things like that and were self reliant.

Milayna nodded. “They're so amazing to watch. I never realized what was involved,” she agreed. “F'cone said the riders used to make their own clothes before Thread. Must admit I can't picture some of the riders doing that.”

“We were very self-sufficient and if you couldn’t, you had a mate or friend who could help.” Calarya assured. She was lucky she could see but she had no choice when it came to flight straps and stuff you had to do it all. “F’cone used to be alright. Only stabbed his fingers a few times.” She laughed.

The young woman nodded a bit. “That's what he said.” Milayna hid a giggle behind her hand. “Now that I can see,” she smiled. That definitely made a lot more sense. “I just never realized.”

“You came at a time of chaos. You did not know this place before thread and Dragon Hold tried to destroy and bring us down.” Calarya sighed softly. “You would have thrived quicker than you are doing now if you came here beforehand just like I did.” Calarya didn’t want to admit it but she had suspicions that Dragon Hold or at least the beginning of it had been her home before she was found wandering as a child by a search rider.

Milayna nodded a bit. “I would have liked that. Dragon Hold had a few good people but they were all afraid to speak up.” She sighed softly. She wondered sometimes what life would have been like if she would have had a normal family.

“But you seem to be doing okay now. Things are settling for you? I have seen the children and they are well on their way to being weyrbrats.” Calarya wondered trying to lighten the mood after she spoke up.

“Oh Fal is determined to be a dragonrider and Mian is interested in the dolphins.” Milayna nodded. “I am. It was a rocky start but I think I am finally feeling like I'm home,” she smiled.

“You know if you can’t figure it out Tula is here to help and she’ll know someone who can organise and assist right?” Calarya checked smiling. Her own son was considering everything and anything but he seemed to be perfectly content to try anything to escape the crèche.

Milayna nodded. “I might have to do that. I don't want Mian to think he doesn't have options.” Maybe she would talk to Tula after she talked with F'cone.

“They will talk to the harpers about it too. Maybe see if Halia has spoken to him. I believe she takes morning classes with the younger ones. But if he loves the dolphins, get Ner involved,” Calarya promoted. Her former fellow green rider seemed to be the active dolphineer for the Weyr right now which was perfect.

“Thank you, Calayra. I will do that. And thank you for being willing to let Fal meet your green. She will be so excited.” Milayna was actually getting excited. She wanted her children to get to experience things she never did.

“Leith will love it too. She loves showing off and really asking to see our dragons is a way to wrap us dragon rider around your finger.” Calarya grinned pouring herself another ale as the harpers started up again.

“I hadn't thought about that,” Milayna admitted. But she knew F'cone liked showing Caladoth off. “Well I will tell you Fal will never leave you alone,” she laughed, picking up her mug.

“I do not mind that. It is nice to see children not being afraid of dragons. We defend the skies, we should not be feared.” Calarya was proud of her role in Pern. “I couldn't imagine not being a rider. I never had a back up plan so I am glad Leith chose me.” She glanced up and saw G’van and waved. “Do not leave.” She whispered not wanting her mates appearance to be why Milayna ran off.

“Oh Fal definitely doesn't fear them,” Milayna chuckled. “Nor does Mian.” She shook her head a bit. “I can't imagine being chosen.” That had to be quite an experience. She saw G'van and hesitated. “You sure?” She asked as the brown rider walked their way.

“Completely. We are not that type of pairing.” G’van and her could exist without the other. “You’ve been to a hatching. So imagine that times a 100.” She laughed a little as the man slid into the seat on her opposite side.

Milayna nodded and stayed seated. night Calarya was sure then she didn't have any room to question. “Shards, that would be so overwhelming.” She still couldn’t imagine it.

“What is so overwhelming?” G'van asked curiously, sitting down next to Calarya. “Hello Milayna.”

“Me and you my love.” Calarya laughed at him. “No… impressing a dragon.” She admitted caressing his arm.

“Hi G'van,” Milayna smiled ,giggling at Calarya’s words.

“Us?” G'van asked, a bit confused. He then chuckled. “Oh yes that is overwhelming,” he agreed, smiling at his mate. “when Dystath talked to me I nearly fell over.”

“I didn’t fall over or anything as I was too in shock but I did spend a week after sleep walking.” Calarya laughed only able to vaguely remember the time on the sands. Leith had stumbled over and she had instantly gone to help her but she couldn’t remember much after looking into her eyes.

Milayna smiled as she listened. “No wonder the candidates always look so in shock,” she commented.

G'van nodded. “It's even more shocking when you're really not thinking of being a rider.” That had been him. He had stood because of his friend.

“They do because it’s unnerving to be standing there in the center with all the noise and sensations. But I'd forgotten that you weren’t thinking of being a rider.” Calarya laughed as she poured him a mug of the ale. “I’d always known I wanted to be a rider. I had no back up plan.”

“Really?” Milayna asked in surprise. “You weren't thinking of being a rider?”

G'van shook his head. “No. I wanted to be a healer, maybe a dragon healer but never a rider.” He shrugged a shoulder with a smile. “Dyst changed that.”

Calarya grinned. It was mostly why they worked so well, they had 2 very different viewpoints. He was easy going where she was uptight. “He is still a great healer still, do not let these knots fool you.” Calarya said grinning as she nudged his shoulder. “Patches up mates and Weyrwoman alike.” She teased him still.

G'van rolled his eyes with a laugh. “Well I try,” he grinned. “Between you and Dyst I am reminded of that,” he answered, playfully returning Calayra’s nudge.

Milayna smiled. She liked watching the two together. It was refreshing to see.

Calarya grinned back and wrinkled her nose at him. “Can take the boy out of the hold but can’t take the hold out of the boy.” She laughed before turning back to their company. “Before Dragon Hold, where did you grow up?” She was sure Talamon had mentioned it turns ago but so much had happened.

The brown rider rolled his eyes with a laugh. “nope. And you can try,” he grinned.

Milayna smiled before shaking her head. “I honestly don't remember much before Dragon Hold,” she admitted. She wished she did though.

“That is a shame.” Calarya said sadly. “But you are here now. And that in my opinion is all that matters right?” Calarya was a big believer in that everything happened for a reason or at least that was how she mentally recovered from Dragon Hold.

The blonde nodded. “My mother died giving birth to Tal and my father abandoned us with our aunt and uncle. Being here is certainly the best thing that ever happened to me.”

G'van cringed as he listened, absently rubbing the scar on his wrist and arm.

Calarya caught his gesture out the corner of her eyes and spread her hand over his arm without looking away from Milayna. “I am sorry I did not know,” She admitted softly.

G'van glanced at his mate as she covered the scar with her hand.

Milayna shrugged a shoulder. “It's okay. I never really knew them so it's hard to miss them. There are times I have wondered what life would be like, but I might not have met F'cone or had Mian and Falayna.”

“Everything happens for a reason. The good and bad.” The older woman commented quickly as she squeezed G’van’s arm again. “I would not change anything.” She assured herself and glanced to the man.

G'van nodded a bit. “Maybe a few mistakes,” he smiled. “But no, I would not change anything either. I am very content with my life.”

Milayna smiled. “You are both right. And I wouldn't want to be anywhere but here.”

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