All the Dangers of the World

Writers: Devin, Estelle
Date Posted: 18th March 2025
Series: Guarding Gil

Characters: R'lor, R'ayl, Alyena
Description: R'lor checks on R'ayl after the attack
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 3, day 3 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: Talryne, Gilbek, J'ackt
follows "Betrayal"

R'lor

The dragons were in an uproar and R'lor learned from Kularth that
someone had attacked R'ayl. Who would attack a dragonrider? And in the
middle of the Weyr! With his heart in his throat, R'lor dropped his
hidework and rushed to the Dining Cavern. "R'ayl! What happened? Are
you okay?"

R'ayl was surrounded by concerned weyrfolk, including the weavers he'd
been eating with, but they stepped back to let the Weyrlingmaster pass.
He was pale and clearly shaken, but appeared calm. His mother was
sitting beside him, and his hands were clasped around a mug of tea that
someone had brought him.

"I'm all right. He didn't hurt me. But he tried..." His voice wobbled.

R'lor gripped his shoulder and looked the boy over to make sure he was
unharmed. "You're safe, lad. Why would someone try to hurt you?" He
looked between R'ayl and the Headwoman.

"We've never seen that man before," Alyena said, glancing at her son.
"But R'ayl said he accused him of betraying his Master." She hesitated
to speak Shuvan's name, but even so the young bluerider shivered,
sending ripples across the hot tea in his mug.

"He came here for me. He could have hurt one of the others."

"So this is about the holders who hate the Weyr." R'lor frowned. "He
attacked R'ayl for telling us the truth. I'm so sorry this happened to
you," he told the young bluerider.

R'ayl couldn't meet his gaze, but stared down at his hands. "It's
because of me that he came here. If Delorth and I went away then it
would be safe."

"No, you're safer here." R'lor didn't care if that was true or not.
"We'll make sure of it."

"But if he'd hurt someone else - Talryne, or one of the other weavers..."

"He didn't, and they won't get the chance to. Not now." Alyena reached
out to touch her son's cheek, turning his head so she could look into
his eyes. "R'ayl, none of this is your fault." If she'd thought, even
for a moment, that the conspirators would involve her son then she'd
never have let him go to the Weaver Hall, but it couldn't be changed
now. "You're meant to be here with Delorth."

"This is your home, R'ayl," R'lor said.

}:It is _our_ home,:{ Delorth echoed, his voice sounding
uncharacteristically fierce. R'ayl felt the heat of his dragon's
defiance deep in his chest, bolstering his spirits. }:We will not be
driven from our hatching place by those people!:{

"Delorth thinks we should stay." He spoke for his mother's benefit,
sensing that his lifemate had shared his words with Kularth and the
other dragons. "But maybe the Weyrleader won't agree, now I've brought
trouble to Dolphin Cove again." That thought filled him with dread.

"Then he'll have to contend with me," R'lor said. "Because I'm not
letting you go." He didn't think it was likely the Weyrleader would
send R'ayl away, but it was more important that the boy knew people
wanted him to stay and would fight for him.

}:Yes. I will argue with Loseth if his tries to make you leave,:{
Kularth told Delorth.

}:I will too,:{ the young blue replied. }:I will sit in my weyr and
refuse to come out. Loseth is too big to get in.:{

Despite everything, R'ayl couldn't help a small smile at the image his
dragon's bravado conjured. "I hope it won't come to that."

"That settles it. No one is leaving." Alyena gave R'lor a grateful look
over her son's head.

"Do you know if Gil is all right?" R'ayl asked, with a pang of guilt
that he hadn't asked before. "It looked as though he was hurt."

"I don't know. That's the man who stopped the attack," Alyena added for
the Weyrlingmaster's benefit. "Can we find out?"

R'lor's eyes unfocused as he communicated with Kularth. "Sorry, Loseth
is angry and distracted, we'll find someone--hold on . . ." After a
long pause, the Weyrlingmaster said, "Ah, Eboroth says his arm is
injured, but he's otherwise okay. He was taken to the infirmary."

"Can I see him?" R'ayl asked. "I should have thanked him, I just - I
wasn't thinking straight."

"Maybe later, after the healers are done treating him," R'lor said.
"He might want to check on you as well."

"Or tomorrow. You should be in bed," Alyena said, though she didn't
press her son, not wanting to embarrass him. "You've had a shock."

R'ayl sipped his tea, his hands steadier now. "All right, but I should
spend time with Delorth first." Now the worst of the fear and anxiety
had passed, he felt a strong urge to be close to his dragon.

"Yes, go reassure him." R'lor patted R'ayl's arm. "If he's feeling
calmer it will help the other dragons calm down, too."

He nodded and got to his feet. His legs still felt shaky, though, and
when he looked across the dining cavern and saw how crowded it still was
with groups of weyrfolk, talking in low voices or glancing over at him
in concern or curiosity, his courage faltered. What if there was another
attacker hiding among them?

"W - will you come with me? Just as far as the entrance." Once he was
outside, the dragons would be with him. He felt ashamed of how scared he
sounded, but he didn't know if he could take so much as a step on his own.

"Of course." R'lor gripped his shoulder. The Weyrlingmaster wondered
what he might be capable of if he had five minutes alone with R'ayl's
attacker.

"Thank you." R'ayl turned to his mother. "I'll be all right, Mama."

She rose too. "I'll go and check on Evalya. There'll be rumors going
around and I want to make sure she knows we're safe." Before going, she
enfolded her son in a hug, holding him close as though she could lend
him her strength and protection. It was unthinkable, how close she'd
come to losing him. "Take care, and stay close to the Weyrlingmaster."

R'lor gestured for R'ayl to go ahead of him. "I hope the rest of your
day is much more pleasant, Headwoman."

"I just hope this is the last of it. All these attacks." She thought
back to the men she'd overheard back at her cothold. Had they all been
found? Would her son ever be safe? Perhaps she'd never know. "But if
anyone else tries, I know R'ayl has the best protection possible."

R'ayl had started towards the entrance, but looked back to watch his
mother go. "Sir?"

"Yes?"

The boy hesitated, waiting until his mother was out of earshot before he
spoke. "When that man came at me with the knife, and that look on his
face, I was so scared...I couldn't move. I didn't even try to get out
the way." He lowered his voice. "I could have got Delorth killed."

"_He_ could have gotten Delorth killed," R'lor said. "None of this is
your fault."

"But I froze up. What if it happens again?" R'ayl bit his lip. "If he
gets free and tries again, or someone like him does, and Gilbek isn't
there - or if I get scared like that in Fall..."

R'lor sighed. "I could see if bronzerider J'ackt or one of the guards
might give you some extra self-defense training, if that would make
you feel better? And as for Fall, that's why we have drills. So that
even when you're afraid, your training takes over."

R'ayl nodded, though he felt the tightness of fear in his chest. He was
nervous of the guards and frankly terrified of J'ackt, but he would face
them all if it would protect his dragon. "I don't want to fight anyone,
but if someone was hurting Delorth, or my friends - I wish I could do
something. Not just sit there."

R'lor tamped down on a flare of burning hot anger. R'ayl shouldn't be
afraid in his own _home_. The Weyrlingmaster wanted to assure the
young bluerider that he was safe, that everyone else would look out
for him, but he understood that R'ayl needed to feel empowered. "We'll
get you some practice so you know what to do in an emergency
situation."

"Thank you, sir." They'd reached the entrance to the Lower Caverns, and
stepped out into the cool evening air of the Weyrbowl. Delorth was
crouched near the entrance with other dragons around him for comfort,
and as soon as R'ayl caught sight of him he took off at a run, reaching
up to throw his arms around his neck and press his cheek to the soft
blue hide.

Delorth crooned in relief. }:You're safe.:{

**I'm safe. I'm sorry I frightened you.**

}:It wasn't you. It was that man.:{ The blue's tail twitched and he
growled, but softly so as not to disturb his rider.

R'lor stood near the entrance, watching the small rider and his blue,
heart squeezing in his chest. He was worried enough when R'ayl was
ferrying firestone, R'lor shouldn't have to be afraid for his safety
when he was on the ground. He shouldn't have to worry about cruel men
attacking a boy who wasn't much more than a child. That was twice now
conspirators against the Weyr had tried to kill R'ayl and Delorth.
R'lor wished he could wrap his arms around R'ayl and protect him from
all the dangers of the world.

Last updated on the March 19th 2025

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