Where Else Would You Go?

Writers: Aaron, Devin
Date Posted: 15th August 2024

Characters: Ã‡'pier, R'lor
Description: Ã‡'pier is going to fix this whole... him problem real quick.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 11, day 9 of Turn 11
Notes: Mentioned: B'lyse, Saedyna

Ã‡'pier

R'lor

It had not taken long. Ã‡'pier had not truly expected it to be a problem for him. But perhaps Yuliuth was rubbing off on him. After class, the moment R'lor was free, Ã‡'pier approached him.

"You have to hold me back until the next class comes."

"And what makes you think I'd change your punishment?" R'lor asked as he straightened a stack of hides.

"Saedyna is in this class. Me being in this class with her is hurting her," said Ã‡'pier. "It's better to make my punishment worse than to punish her for no reason."

"She was aware this might happen and she hasn't asked me to remove you." R'lor didn't know what was going on inside her head, and it certaintly couldn't be easy for her, but she hadn't complained.

Ã‡'pier squinted as he tried to work out just what in the world could possibly be on Saedyna's mind. Was she just trying to prove that he had no power over her? It was not something he needed proven, but if she did...

"But if she does, you'll do it? Please?"

"If she asks me to remove you for her own safety and comfort, I will," the Weyrlingmaster said. Saedyna was the victim here and this wasn't supposed to be a punishment for her.

Ã‡'pier relaxed and nodded.

"Thank you, sir. And... B'lyse hasn't asked to remove me, either?"

"He hasn't asked, although his situation is different," R'lor said. "You didn't try to kill him."

"No... I didn't," Ã‡'pier agreed. Nevertheless, he was glad to hear that B'lyse had not gone so far as to ask not to be near him. "I apologize for wasting your time, sir. I'll get out of your hair."

Much as he was still mad at C'pier, his job was to take care of the Weyrlings. "How's Yuliuth?"

"He's... as well as he ever is," said Ã‡'pier. "He's trying to make friends with Avarith... which seems like a bad idea to me, but he just pretends he can't hear me when I say so."

R'lor didn't think it was the best idea, either, but one day soon they'd be fighting Thread together. "Is Avarith okay with his attention?" He'd put a stop to it if Yuliuth was bothering the green.

"He wouldn't be bothering her if she weren't," said Ã‡'pier. "I think she spoke to him first."

The Weyrlingmaster considered that for a moment. "I think it might be nice for Yuliuth to have a friend, don't you?"

"I do. But... I'm worried he'll try to chase her when she's grown. And Saedyna definitely doesn't need that." Ã‡'pier folded his arms and gazed at the ground.

"You can take him out of the Weyr if he does." That was a disaster R'lor definitely didn't want happening.

Ã‡'pier stared at R'lor for a hot minute, not believing what he had heard.

"You would trust me to come back?"

R'lor hadn't thought of that, but after a brief moment of consideration, he shrugged. "Where else would you go? And if we had to, Panitath could call Yuliuth back."

Ã‡'pier tried to school his expression, but his face fell ever so slightly. He hated himself for having hoped the answer was going to be yes.

"Right."

"You should only prevent Yuliuth from chasing in rare circumstances. Doing so too often can put a strain on your bond," R'lor said. "But avoiding Saedyna's flight is certainly a good reason."

"I'll do it." Ã‡'pier was not sure how he felt about Yuliuth chasing anyone to begin with. Weyrling restrictions notwithstanding, he was certain no one in the Weyr wanted to end up in his bed, and a flight could take that choice away. It felt... gross.

}:Perhaps I will never wish to chase anyone,:{ said Yuliuth. }:I haven't yet.:{

"What's the oldest a dragon usually becomes... interested in mating flights?" Ã‡'pier knew Yuliuth was already as big as he ever would be. But perhaps his lack of interest was mostly because he was just not around adult greens very often.

"Yuliuth hasn't shown any interest in chasing yet?" That was a little concerning.

"Well, you haven't caught me slinking off to the flight rooms yet, eh?" Ã‡'pier pointed out. "He hasn't tried to chase or even so much as flirted yet."

"Hmm." R'lor forwned. "The rider can affect the dragon, so maybe you're inhibiting him."

"Inhibiâ€" wha? If it were up to me, I would... I mean, before we found each other, I..." Ã‡'pier had been quite notorious for enjoying a roll in the furs, and more than that, for ensuring his partner in the roll enjoyed it.

But.

That had been before.

"The last thing I would want is to inhibit him."

But if Yuliuth won... somebody would end up with him. No matter how loathsome he was. No matter how shameful a thing it would be to force some poor innocent to land in his bed.

"I don't think you're doing it deliberately," R'lor said. "But you might be unconsciously holding him back from following his instincts."

"He can chase if he wants to," Ã‡'pier said softly. But he did not look R'lor in the eye. It had been a long time since he truly had.

}:If I want to, I will,:{ said Yuliuth. }:You don't feel like an anchor to me.:{

**Thanks, buddy.**

R'lor decided to let it go for now. While Yuliuth was full grown, he and C'pier were still technically Weyrlings, so they could address this later. "Just make sure he understands that."

"Of course, sir. Thank you for your time, sir." Ã‡'pier was fairly sure he had resolved the issue as much as it could be resolved. There was nothing to be done about the strange limbo he had thrust himself into. He could never change what he had done, but the dragonriders would never fully be rid of himâ€" especially not now that Yuliuth had convinced him not to take the long, dark easy way out.

Last updated on the August 25th 2024

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Where Else Would You Go?