Not Just a Kid Anymore

Writers: Eimi, Suzee
Date Posted: 17th October 2017
Series: It takes Time to Love

Characters: Kaiafel, Tavia
Description: Kaiafel spends the latest Hatching in an unexpected place...
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 1, day 11 of Turn 9
Notes: Refers to events in the post "DFW: Motherly Touch"

Tavia

There was nothing quite liked the rushed excitement of a Hatching.
Days before, Kaiafel would lay out exactly what it was that he was
going to wear when the hum of the dragons signaled the impending
joyous event. And he was not alone. From Candidates to kitchen
staff, the whole Weyr was on edge, preparing for what was coming, but
never knowing when that moment would be.

Finally, when the hum began, the whole Weyr like a coiled spring would
suddenly change direction and jump into action. Kaiafel went running
down the corridor to his weyr door and threw it open with a joyful
cry, "Ma! It's started!" as he ran straight though, pulling his tunic
off as he went to change into his Hatching best.

But this was not just any Hatching. This one was special for this was
his _last_ Hatching. Well, the last one where he would be viewing the
excitement from the Stands. For days he had been reminding everyone
that his twelfth birthingday was coming next month. In the next
Hatching, he would be down there on the Sands dressed in the white of
a Candidate. Shards, if only it was _this_ time!

He checked himself in the mirror, and even took the time to comb his
unruly mop back as best he could. Kaiafel was ready for the most
important Hatching of his young life. It was even more exciting than
when Kalamath had sired his first Clutch! He turned to give his best
buddy, his canine Kal a happy scratch behind his ears. "This is it,
Kal! Next Hatching I'm not going to be just a kid anymore!"

As he and his mother walked down to the Stands, he could almost
imagine that all the younger boys they passed looked at him with envy
in their eyes. Taking their seats, he began explaining everything to
his younger brother who sat in his mother's lap.

"See, Kaiavin, those are the eggs. And look up there! The dragons
are up there watching and humming, except for the ones who are
bringing in the Candidate's families. And that door over there is
where the Candidates come in from. Next time I'll be coming in from
that door, too! And over there is where the Healers wait in case
anyone gets hurt, so your Ma's down there..."

But Kaiavin stopped. No, Tavia wasn't there. Why wasn't Tavia there?
She said she would probably be there...

Suddenly the cavern light up just a bit brighter for a moment from the
outside and a couple breaths after the sound of thunder could be heard
over humming. **Huh. There must be a storm outside.** Kaiafel
remembered talking to Tavia about her fear of storms. Was that why
she wasn't there? Did the storm scare her away?

Shaking off that thought, he pointed up to the Stands, "Look Kaiavin,
that's where the Weyrleader and Weyrwoman sit. When it's not the
Senior Gold, the goldrider and sire's rider sit up there with them.
Our Da sat up there once when he caught Tseada's gold..."

Tavia had talked about how his Da used to read to her during storms.
It would calm her fears. She missed that, she said. She missed when
he took care of her.

"And now, our Da is a Weyrleader in his own Weyr, so he sits up there
all the time..." And he isn't here to take care of his family. If he
were here, would he be watching the Hatching? Or would he be taking
care of Tavia? But he wasn't here to take care of her. He couldn't
take care of his family. One day he would be back, but for now...
Wasn't it Kaiafel's job to take care of the family until his Da could come
back?

Taking a deep breath, he turned to this mother. "I'm sorry, Ma,
but there's somewhere I should be right now."

Usually with the healers Tavia had been in the cavern as the crowd
began to gather. Then the lightning and her heart had leaped into her
throat. At the boom of thunder she'd backed away from the entrance and
then finally bolted toward her room. Thankfully Kaiavin was with his
foster mother and she could hide and bury her head under a pillow or
something. These storms always made her jump with every boom.

When the next one struck a small sob choked off in the back of her throat.

She hadn't heard his knock, so when there was no reply, Kaiafel let
himself in. He quickly found her hiding in her bed and cleared his
throat, not exactly sure what the correct greeting would be for an
adult in this position. "Uh... excuse me. Tavia? It's Kaiafel."

She zoned back in enough to realize he was there and tried to pull
herself together. "Kk..kaiafel? Weren't you at the hatching?"

"Yes, but there was lightning, and you weren't there." He held up a
leather bound book. "Da gave me this book for Turns End. I haven't
read it yet, but he said it was about a Hatchling looking for his
mother and he and his dragon go on some adventures or something. He
said it was his book when he was my age. But I don't really know if
it's good or not yet."

Her eyes widened and she remembered when she'd told him about his da
and how he'd been able to help her through times like this. She
already loved Kaiafel but that feeling swelled in her chest as her
eyes shone with unshed tears. She nodded and patted the bed next to
her. "Can you read it to me," she asked in a shaky voice.

Kaiafel kicked off his boots and crawled onto the bed next to her, settling back against the pillows and making himself comfortable as he opened it to the first page. "I don't do the voices like Da does. I hope that's ok."

"It's okay," she reached out to squeeze his shoulder. "It's very okay." She focused on his voice and tried to ignore the storm. "Thank you," she said softly.

Last updated on the October 27th 2017

[Prev: Motherly Touch] Series: It takes Time to Love [Next: Far from Alright]

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