Speedy Delivery

Writers: Aaron, Duskdog
Date Posted: 23rd May 2024

Characters: Ã‡'pier, Nidre
Description: Someone sent Nidre a package. It's probably sweets or something.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 10, day 5 of Turn 11
Notes: Mentioned: Blue (Jarril), Calbarran (NPC), Cerault (NPC), N'vanik, R'lor, Saedyna

Ã‡'pier

Nidre

Panitath's clutch had hatched that day. Whoever had sent this had gone to a lot of trouble just to conceal who they were. Ã‡'pier got several dirty looks from the runners at Cerault's waystation when he had come in asking to retrieve the package he had been sent to deliver. He supposed he could not blame them. He was more or less stealing work out from under their nose.

They turned their attitudes around when he offered to give two of them a lift to wherever they were going, free of charge, so that was nice. One of them was rather good looking. But no one had been interested in him that way ever since they had discovered what he had done.

When he returned to the Weyr, Yuliuth informed Jossenth that they had something for her rider.

}:Someone at the runners' station in the weyr informed us that there was a package for your good rider waiting for her at the waystation, to be delivered the day that Panitath laid her clutch. It may be that you should be wary of what it contains,:{ said Yuliuth. }:Given the state of things. We are at your service.:{

Jossenth relayed the news to Nidre, who frowned thoughtfully. She hadn't been expecting any packages, let alone one to be delivered on a specific day. (A symbolic day, she couldn't help but think wryly.) She could imagine someone within the Weyr deciding to give her some sort of welcome gift or something, perhaps, but from _outside_ the Weyr? She hadn't spent any real time out there to meet anyone yet.

}:My rider thinks your warning is prudent, Yuliuth, and we thank you for it, :{ Jossenth replied to the brown after a moment's consultation with Nidre. }: Would the two of you deliver it to us at our office, straightaway? You may join me on my ledge, if you'd like.:{

}:I would be honored,:{ said the young brown. He deposited Ã‡'pier near Nidre's office and then joined Jossenth as she had offered.

"It wasn't me who sent this to you," said Ã‡'pier once he had handed over the package. "Ma'am. And it wasn't anyone I owed money to. At least, if it was, I don't know the one they sent to ask me to pick the package up. I know I would suspect it was me if I was you."

Nidre placed the package on her desk -- she didn't want to handle it any more than necessary until she'd decided whether it was actually dangerous or not -- and turned back to Ã‡'pier, looking him over briefly. For some reason, she had expected someone younger, more vulnerable-looking, but here he was, a grown man who definitely looked the part. Odd of her to expect anything different, she supposed -- he _was_ an attempted murderer, after all, and it would have made more sense to expect him to look like he actually did -- but maybe the rest of what she'd heard of his story had colored her expectations.

"I probably should, I guess, but it would have been weird of you to bring the potential danger to my attention if you were trying to kill me or... whatever this is. And then deliver it in person." She waved a hand. "It's easy enough to verify that it was at the waystation, anyway, if it comes to some kind of investigation." She cocked her head, then extended a hand. "Pleased to meet the famous Ã‡'pier. Maybe that sounds sarcastic. Let me try again: I'm genuinely glad to finally put a face to the name. It's harder to judge someone fairly if you're disconnected from them, and all you know is what you hear from other people."

Ã‡'pier eyed her for a brief moment, but he was not about to get himself in trouble with a goldrider now. He shook her hand.

"Ready to judge me now?" he asked.

"After knowing you for five seconds? No." She smiled wryly. "You can relax... or try to, anyway. I don't have any intention of berating you, regardless of what I decide to think about you. I'm sure you've heard it enough from other people already, and a nail can only be beaten in so far before you're just hammering wood and accomplishing nothing. I've actually been meaning to speak with you eventually, so it's convenient that you're here. Well," she amended, glancing back at the package and grimacing, "Probably very inconvenient for _you_. I'm sorry you got stuck with something that might put you under scrutiny for no reason. We'll deal with it. In the meantime, I'm just interested in hearing how you're doing."

}: And you, Yuliuth? :{ Jossenth asked. }: Are you well? :{

}:I am well! I thank you for asking. We are working hard every day,:{ he answered. He was not ill, anyway.

"Same as I ever am, I suppose," said Ã‡'pier. He was glad to hear that it seemed the goldrider would have his back if any blame fell on him over the mysterious package, at least. But as per usual, his expression and tone of voice held very little emotion. He was only alive because Yuliuth wished it, after all.

Nidre frowned. His tone was _off_ in a way that gave her an unhappy and wary flutter in her stomach. "I was told that you did what you did to protect a friend. Something about owing someone marks, someone who threatened that friend. Do you think that _someone_ is satisfied with your attempt? I assume they didn't intend for you to fail. I know it's been months now since it all happened, but do you feel safe? Is your friend actually safe? For that matter, is the _girl_ safe? Is there something more we should be doing to make sure you are?"

"N'vanik's pet guard interviewed me rather thoroughly about it," Ã‡'pier sighed. "I assumed he had things well in hand when it came to keeping an eye on her. And I've not seen hide nor hair of anyone who claims to represent the one who was pulling my strings since I tried to do what they demanded. Maybe it's too much of a risk now that I've got Yuliuth. Or maybe someone will come calling again someday, I don't know. He's been given orders to report it if they do."

}: The work seems boring, though. It's good that you seem to be making the best of it, :{ Jossenth replied. }: Is your rider actually well? He seems unhappy. :{

}:Penances are not meant to be exciting. He is not physically ill, but he... I bring him some small measure of joy, perhaps like the occasional breath of air for someone trapped underwaterâ€" enough that I don't despair. But no, he is never happy,:{ said Yuliuth.

"N'vanik is diligent about Weyr security, to put it mildly, so I'm sure they must have it covered," Nidre allowed. "I'll admit, I hadn't looked into it yet, but talking to you brought the concern to my attention. I get the feeling that you don't care much about your own safety, but you clearly cared about the safety of others. Maybe only the one person, and maybe you don't care anymore -- I don't know. But I know you must have either loved him very much, or maybe you're just the sort of person who takes care of other people. Which is it, or both, or neither?"

"It feels disingenuous for me to claim both when I was willing to do what I did. Or... willing to make the attempt. Yuliuth has tried to convince me that the fact that I failed means I never really meant to do it. I didn't want to. But I did mean to," said Ã‡'pier. "I wanted to save..."

Ã‡'pier's eyes widened as he realized he was about to use the same words about how he felt about Blue that Yuliuth used for how he felt about Ã‡'pier.

"I wanted to save him. From... everything I escaped. And I was willing to do anything. Anything. He was the only... true friend I ever had, I think. The only true brother. I _thought_. But I can't blame him for feeling I betrayed him. It's my fault I lost him. Not his."

"Now, all I have is... whatever all this is. So I will continue to do the work N'vanik and R'lor demand I do, because Yuliuth will not let me die as I deserve. He, too, wishes to save me."

"Maybe because you're worth saving," Nidre said gently. The fact that he was even talking about it at all was heartening. Progress, no matter how small. "You did a horrible thing. You already know that, and I don't think either of us are going to pretend it wasn't. Blue and Saedyna are justified in feeling however they feel about it. R'lor and everyone else you lied to, too, I suppose. But that doesn't mean that you don't have worth. And that's worth as a human being, not just a dragonrider. You're not a parasite attached to Yuliuth, you are a _person_. There are evil people in this world for sure, but I don't believe for a second that someone who acts under duress, out of love, is one of them, or is irredeemable. Your dragon knows you better than anyone -- maybe better than you know yourself, because he can see what's in you without all the preconceived notions and insecurities that complicate the view when we look inside ourselves. He knows what you did and still believes you deserve to live. Why won't you believe him?"

"If believing were that easy, I'd have done it by now," said Ã‡'pier. "It doesn't matter, anyway. I've agreed not to try to get lost between, and so here I am, and here I'll stay. For Yuliuth."

"It matters to _me_," she replied fervently. "I know that doesn't mean much to you right now -- you barely know me -- but chew on that a little. You're doing everything you're supposed to be doing, I can't deny that. You're serving your sentence, and punishing yourself on top of that, but surviving and thriving aren't the same thing. I'd like to see you thrive someday, just like I'd like Blue and Saedyna do the same. I wish I could flip a switch for you. But you're right, it's not that easy. I can't demand for you to suddenly feel something you don't feel, but try to grasp onto a little hope when and where you can." Her lips quirked into a ghost of a smile. "I'm afraid I'm probably going to become a bit of a bother to you from here on out. Being a thorn is what I'm best at, after all. My door's open to you, and I hope you'll make use of it. And Yuliuth can bespeak Jossenth at any time. She's a chatter, she won't turn down talk about anything."

Ã‡'pier peered at the woman for a moment, curious-- intrigued, even. Why should she care so much? She was probably like R'lor. R'lor might have been just as invested in seeing him turn some kind of momentous corner, too, if Ã‡'pier had not made a fool of him with his lies.

Were it a Turn or so ago, an invitation from a goldrider to use her door might have provoked a mischievous grin.

"You're welcome to bother me to your heart's content."

}: It's true, :{ Jossenth said to Yuliuth. }: I never shut up. Please do speak with me anytime, even if it's only about trees or fence posts or mysterious packages. :{

}:I would cherish any time spent in your company,:{ said Yuliuth. He had so little in the way of friendship.

"Good," Nidre replied, and her smile was more tangible this time, satisfied. "I won't have to feel bad about it, then. In the meantime... we should probably do something about this package. Hang around while I open it up? Maybe you should stand back there by the door. If it's an angry tunnelsnake or something there's no sense in both of us getting bitten in the face. And you can inform my next of kin -- just please make it sound like I died in a less stupid way."

"Don't be ridiculous," said Ã‡'pier. "You're a goldrider. If one of us should take that kind of risk, it should be me. And besides, with my history of recounting how someone came to be grievously injured, I think it best you be here to weave that tale yourself, too."

She didn't like the idea of someone else taking a risk for her. But she couldn't actually find any fault with his logic, infuriating as it may be. And maybe stepping up would do him some good -- both in his own eyes, and in the eyes of the Weyr. Assuming he didn't die, which... well. He might not mind, but she wouldn't forgive herself for it. "Ugh, fine," she relented, stepping back. "But now I _know_ you're a good person, and there's no takesie-backsies on that."

"Are you sure you didn't send this to yourself to goad me into this?" Ã‡'pier chuckled.

When Nidre was far enough away to satisfy him, Ã‡'pier carefully unwrapped the package. No little gizmos to make a spark, even if the wax-paper wrapped bricks were an explosive, so that was a relief. He leaned down to sniff.

"Smells like booze."

"Booze?" Nidre asked, a little too eagerly. She moved in cautiously, giving the bricks a once-over before gingerly lifting one and unwrapping it. "Ha! Rum fudge! Oh, this is definitely mine. Unless someone who knows me like the back of their hand has decided to murder me, we're safe." She put the fudge down, leaning back against the desk again and laughing a little. "I feel a little bit dumb now."

"Not at all," said Ã‡'pier. "There really are people out there who mean you harm." He could not quite bring himself to say 'us'. How could he expect anyone in the Weyr to count him as part of the team? "And they have ways of finding out how to exploit your trust."

"You're right about that." She sighed. "I'm still new here -- I don't think it would have occurred to me that someone might want to hurt me if you and Yuliuth hadn't pointed it out. Usually when people threaten to strangle me, it's strictly figurative and I probably deserve it. Thank you for the warning, even if it did turn out to be just a gift after all. Speaking of which... do you like fudge?"

"Fudge? Oh, uh. I don't think I've ever had any, actually," said Ã‡'pier. "I... I wouldn't want to get into trouble for â€˜partaking in intoxicants.â€™" He did a passable impression of N'vanik-- although, nothing of the sort had ever before truly passed his lips in Ã‡'pier's presence. Honestly, he doubted the man had ever spoken so before to anyone. It did not sound like the sort of thing he would say.

"Surely you're not restricted from _that_," Nidre said, picking up the wrapped treat again. "Yuliuth is plenty old enough now. Not that this stuff could actually get you drunk or anything. I don't want to get you in trouble, though, so if you don't feel comfortable, that's fine -- but you're welcome to a piece you can take with you, if you want, since I'm sure you need to get back to work. I have plenty here. I'd say too much, actually, but I don't think there's actually such a thing as too much fudge."

"Well... it would be rude of me to refuse if you insist, wouldn't it?" Ã‡'pier actually smiled. It had been quite some time since he had truly smiled. "Thank you, ma'am."

"You're very welcome, Ã‡'pier. And if anybody gives you any guff about it, tell them they can come take it up with me."

Last updated on the May 24th 2024

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Speedy Delivery