To be an Apprentice

Posted on Sun Jul 26th, 2026 @ 11:53am by Bronze Rider F'cone & Jr Journeyman Terliyn & Apprentice Talomin

Mission: 3531 AL

Mian hesitated briefly before walking towards his father's office. He knew he could wait until that evening but he was a bit worried and hoped to catch F'cone when he wasn't busy. He stepped up to the door and knocked, hoping he wasn't making a mistake.

F’cone had just been about to head out and he heard the knock so yanked the door open and blinked in surprise when no one was there for a moment before he looked down at the boy. “Mian? Hello?” He said, smiling a little. The boy never came to visit. “You okay?” He checked quickly.

Mian stood quietly. Maybe he had missed his father. He finally smiled a bit as F'cone pulled the door open. “I'm okay,” he promised. “But can I talk to you?”

“Of course.” The man quickly pulled the door open more and stepped back more. He indicated the couch wondering what could be so important for him to track him down in the day.

}: Young young one is troubled? :{ Caladoth asked.

**Yes. He is troubled but smiling still. We shall talk and fine out what is going.** F’cone assured.

Mian stepped into his father's office and crawled up on the couch. “I talked to Aunt Terli,” he finally admitted. Maybe he shouldn't have. She hadn’t seemed happy about it.

F’cone sat next to the boy and turned to look at the boy as he spoke. He looked surprised for a moment before nodding. “Okay. And what did Terliyn say?” He wondered seeing the relief on the boy's face as he admitted it.

Mian fidgeted a little which wasn't like him at all. “She seemed almost sad,” he admitted softly. “Does she not want to teach me?” He didn't understand what he had done wrong.

“I think your aunt at the moment is going through a lot. She’s just had a happy last month and I am pretty sure if I saw the schedule correctly today was her first day back on duty. So she would have had a lot of emotions going through her head. What did she say?” He wondered. He had not had much contact with the healer really as she avoided Milayna for the most part and he couldn’t blame her after everything that she was put through by the same man as Milayna.

The boy considered his father's words. He guessed that made sense. He really didn’t know. “She just didn't look happy and when I asked she went pale,” he said quietly. “She said she didn't know.” He had hoped his aunt would want to help him but it seemed like she didn't want anything to do with him.

“Maybe she is just trying to get back to routine and you caught her at the wrong time.” He could not imagine the woman being unhappy with the request but it could have been at the wrong time which had made it hard for her to give a positive answer.

“Maybe,” Mian agreed. He didn't know though. Terliyn had just acted so strange. “Did I do something wrong?” The boy finally asked. Maybe he had upset Terliyn without realizing it.

F’cone smiled as he leaned back in the chair and glanced at the boy. “Do you believe you did something wrong lad?” The wingleader wondered, looking at the boy more carefully. He was Milayna and Talomin through and through apart from the eyes.

The boy shook his head. “I don't think so,” he answered. “It just seemed like I must have with how Aunt Terli was. Maybe she is just tired.” Mian didn't really understand. Of course he didn't know what his biological father had done to Terliyn.

“She is a new mum having to go back to her craft after most likely not much sleep. Would you like to go and talk to her and your uncle together?” F’cone wondered thinking it might be safer to try and work out what was going on and just to check that Terliyn was oaky.

Mian slowly nodded. “If you think it is okay. I don't want to upset her,” he said quietly. He loved his aunt which is one reason he wanted to apprentice to her after Calayra had suggested it.

“Come on.” F’cone said gently gathering up his jacket, but left the straps he had been about to take with him. “You know the way to their quarters, right?” F’cone had to admit he had no idea where it was in the lower caverns, as he did not often go there in his opinion.

The boy nodded. “I do,” he answered. He had been there a lot. Mainly with his uncle though if he really thought about it. Mian stayed beside F'cone as they walked.

F’cone smiled as they found the correct rooms and he raised his fist knocking softly to not disturb anyone to much. He hoped that Terliyn was there or at least Talomin was so they could speak.

Mian stood quietly by his father as they waited. He was actually a bit nervous. Talomin soon opened the door, surprised by their visitors. “Hey guys,” he smiled. “This is a surprise.”

“Sorry to interrupt Talomin, but we need to talk. Mian is worried about Terliyn. ” He said quietly. “It’s Terliyn in as well?” He wondered as the man opened the door to let them inside.

“It's fine,” Talomin assured them. He raised a brow. “She is. Let me see where she is. Make yourselves comfortable.” Talomin went to find his wife.

F’cone nodded and sat on the sofa lifting the boy onto his lap. Terliyn bumped into the man as he came into the bedroom having heard the voice of F’cone and decided to come out. “Is Mian there?” She whispered.

Mian snuggled against his father. He watched where his uncle disappeared to.

Talomin quickly stepped back to keep from running full force into her. The young man slowly nodded. “He is. I'm sorry sweetie. Do you want me to make something up so you don't have to come out?”

“No. I have to do this.” Terliyn whispered Feeling and looking like the weight of the world was on her shoulders there and then as she took in a deep breath. “You are right, I shouldn't be afraid of similarities.” She said trying to sound like she believed it.

He nodded. If she felt she was up to it then he wasn't going to argue. “Alright then we shouldn't keep them waiting,” he said gently. He hated how worried she seemed.

Terilyn took a deep breath and stepped out into the living area and plastered a smile on her face. “Tal said you wanted to speak to me?” She wondered sitting at the dining table that was full of items that she needed to put away after her healer shift.

Talomin quietly followed her. Mian looked up at his aunt, hesitant to say anything as he didn't want to upset Terliyn again.

“Mian wanted to come and check on you Terli.” F’cone said quickly bridging the gap so that there was no awkwardness between the group.

“I am fine. I am tired with it being my first day back. Sweet of you to worry Mian but I’m okay.” She promised softly as she looked at the little boy. Terliyn could feel the guilt settling in her stomach.

Talomin stepped out behind his wife, finding a chair close by. He could see how nervous she still was and he wasn't sure if she was going to make it through this.

Mian nodded a little. “Are you sure?” He asked quietly. “You seemed so upset.”

“I was. It was my first day back and you were asking such a big question from me. I was very much not prepared for it.” She took a deep breath digging her nails into her palms. “That was on me. Not you.” Terliyn explained gently.

Mian still wasn't sure. “Okay,” he said quietly. “You don't have to teach me,” he whispered. he would figure something else out if he had.

“Now Mian I did not say that. I never even knew you were interested in healing until that moment. You surprised me on a day that was already a shock to my body. I’m knackered today but how about this give me a couple of sevendays to get my head back into being a healer and looking after your cousins and we shall catch up around this?” She offered gently. A couple of sevendays would give her time to get her head around it all.

the boy slowly nodded. “Okay,” he answered softly. He was okay with that but she still seemed odd to him.

Talomin squeezed his wife's shoulder. He hoped that would give her enough time to get things sorted in her mind. Mian was a great kid and deserved to be taught by the best.

“But I will get you the apprenticeship pack from the healer hall tomorrow as I have to go there for a meeting so you can start looking through it. How does that sound?” She wondered quietly as she glanced at F'cone who smiled encouragingly.

Mian brightened up a bit at that offer. “I would like that,” he answered, sounding much more like his normally happy self. The boy didn't like to cause problems though and he went quiet if he felt he had.

“Would you like me to take you to Kymos Ter?” F’cone offered smiling at the way the offer brightened the boy up.

“I’m… oh… Um I was just going to ask a sweep rider but if you do not mind I would like that. You can make sure the pack gets to Mian quickly. But you can also take any of my books now if you want?” She offered holding out her hand shakingly to the boy to guide him.

Mian looked up at his father before climbing off his lap. He walked over to his aunt and twined his fingers with her shaking ones. “I would like that if you don’t mind.”

Terliyn said nothing as she led him to where the bookcase was with many books. She grabbed out a couple that were simple enough for him to look at. A lot of her original apprentice books were at Healer Hall in her own belongings but she had slowly gathered some new ones. “Tank eyo or pick.” She offered them to him.

Mian's eyes widened when he saw all the books. He ran gentle fingers down their spines. “You really don't mind me borrowing them?” he asked, accepting the ones she handed him and looking through them.

“Not at all. But do not spend all your time with your head in a book.” Terliyn warned crouching down to check the bottom one awkwardly. F’cone glanced to Talomin and made a concerned face but said nothing aloud.

“I won't,” the boy promised.

Talomin shrugged a shoulder. He had tried to help but only Terliyn could really fix her problem and concern over Mian.

“But we should get your new studies back to our weyr and let Terliyn get some rest after her first day back at work.” F’cone advised quietly with a small smile seeing that Terliyn was trying her best to keep calm.

Mian nodded as Talomin walked over to his wife. “Okay. Thank you Aunt Terli,” he said before walking over with F'cone.

F’cone smiled a little at the adults. He would check on Terliyn properly tomorrow. He trusted Talomin to keep an eye on her but he still wanted to know that she was okay for Milayna. “Thank you Terliyn. Let me know what time you need to be at Healer Hall,” The Wingleader said gently as he led the way out of the rooms

Mian quietly followed his father, gripping the precious books close.

Talomin watched them leave before gently pulling Terliyn into his arms. “You did it, sweetheart,” he said softly. “You can relax now.”

The woman said nothing but accepted him pulling her close with a nodded something strong but certainly had done it. It had been hard but she had done her duty.

He knew how much that had cost her. “We'll get through this,” he promised. “You can see Mian is all F'cone.” The boy was certainly his father and mother without a trace of Anious except in the eyes.

Terliyn nodded. “Yeah.” She said letting out a long breath. “And with F’cone giving me a lift I’ll be back sooner from harper hall tomorrow.”

That was true. That part was good. “Are you okay though?” he asked gently. She still seemed very tense to him.

“Got to be but I am okay.” She assured softly as she pulled back rolling her shoulders a little as she tried to get her body to relax enough to do something than other scream or cry at the flight or fight adrenaline still rushing through her body.

“Hey hey,” he soothed gently. “We'll get through this.” He wasn't sure if Terliyn was really going to be able to teach Mian. The poor boy just brought up memories for her.

“I know. I just need a moment. I’ll go have a bath and get out healer clothes and we can go pick up the children together.” She said said knowing some hot water might help her relax.

“Alright. That sounds good.” He would give her some time to get adjusted before checking on her again. He couldn't help but worry about her.