Two Wherries with One Stone...

Writers: Dana, Eimi, Nici
Date Posted: 8th September 2005

Characters: Jaela, U'kaiah, Traelyn
Description: Jaela calmly discusses U'kaiah's escape from the infirmary the night before and her 'second's involvement (yeah, right!)
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 7, day 21 of Turn 3

"And of course, being Kalamath's first time chewing firestone, neither one of us knew just how much he was supposed to regurgitate. So he coughs up a bucket full and we think that's it. But no. A candlemark later Kalamath calls me, his stomach feeling like its burning. I panic, throwing my clothes on, and run right to him trying to figure out what could be wrong. I'm looking down his throat desperately trying to see _something_. Of course nothing but blackness. So I am just about to call D'wrayt when _splat_! Thick, muddy, black firestone dust all over my new tunic! And Kalamath looks at me and says, 'Oh, I feel better. You can go back to Ryerth's rider now'!"

Traelyn laughed, leaning back in her chair and folding her arms across her chest as she shook. "Poor Kalamath... Was your tunic ruined?"

"Oh yes," U'kaiah replied as he too shook wth laughter. "You should have seen me scrubbing away at it for a candlemark or more! Finally one of the laundry drudges said..."

"U'kaiah, we are going to have a _serious_...." Jaela shoved the curtain around U'kaiah's bed aside, saw Traelyn and stopped, her eyes narrowing.
"Oh good, two wherries with one stone..."

"Good morning Jaela," U'kaiah smiled, but his face quickly fell. He was in trouble and he knew it. He glanced over at Trae guiltily, knowing she was about to get it too. "I hear it was a good Hatching yesterday.
You and Calyth are to be congratulated."

Traelyn glanced at U'kaiah before turning her eyes back to Jaela. She knew why she was here...

"Don't try to change the subject, U'kaiah..." Jaela moved into the room.
"I heard an interesting rumor regarding a certain bronzerider being led out of the Infirmary where he'd been ordered to remain." She looked at both of them. "Any truth to this rumor?"

"I wasn't trying to change the subject, Jaela. I knew there would be no stopping the subject." The bronzerider met her gaze squarely. "Yes, weyrwoman. I left the infirmary last night."

"And I was with him." But Traelyn was quite aware that Jaela _knew_
that already...

"So, I take it my orders are not to be listened to then, is that it?"
Jaela pierced them with her gaze. "I suppose there's been a new Weyrwoman installed when I wasn't looking...you perhaps, Traelyn?"

"No, Weyrwoman." What else could she say?

"Then _why_ are you circumventing my orders?"

"Maybe because I was ready to go with or _without_ her help and she knew it." U'kaiah replied calmly. "I needed to see him, Jaela."

"I understand that, trust me. I'd hate to be seperated from Calyth for so long. I'm not unreasonable. However, there are healers here who might have accompanied you and who I'd preferred to have approved it first--unless Traelyn has some healers knots I'm not aware of...?" Her voice had softened for a moment but by the time the sentenced ended, there was a distinct thread of sarcasm in it.

"And if a healer had not approved it do you think that would have stopped me?" the bronzerider asked gently. He knew Jaela had every right to be angry at the both of them, but he felt responsible for getting Trae caught in the middle.

"That's besides the point. A healer probably wouldn't have stopped me _either_, " Jaela snapped. "What annoys me is that you didn't even try to ask. Secondly, it _really_ annoys me when my 'second seems to think that my orders are something she can overstep because of one very hard-headed bronzerider. What she fails to understand is that I don't give orders because it's _fun_ or because I want everyone to like me,"
Jaela said, her gaze raking over Traelyn. "I give orders because I care about the welfare of all the riders."

Seething at the implications, Traelyn's jaw clenched. "I don't _fail_
to understand anything, Weyrwoman. I know exactly what you mean." Her teeth hurt. "And you're right. I stepped out of bounds." She glanced at U'kaiah before looking back at her. "It won't happen again."

"Good, because the key to running a Weyr in making sure that your orders are listened to and that those under you _understand_ them. One day might be in charge of a Weyr yourself Traelyn...trust me, you'll not want to see any order superceded. Frankly, I don't give a whit if anyone here likes me as long as they respect me and do as I ask." She looked at U'kaiah. It was his turn. "And I'm sure if U'kaiah were not so _ill_
he'd not have asked you to do what you did because I doubt he'd want to disappoint his Weyrleader, right Wingleader?"

"I think I have disappointed Weyrleader's enough just by _being_ ill, Jaela. I am not afraid of D'wrayt's displeasure, if that's what you're implying." The bronzerider said as he looked from one goldrider to the other. "You are Weyrwoman, Jaela. You have a responsibility to ensure the safety of the Weyr and its riders, and I respect that. You are a good Weyrwoman. But I could not have made it so far without Trae to support me. She _was_ ensuring the safety of a rider. She could have left me to try it alone and not put herself at risk, but she put my well-being before her record. That may not make her a good weyrwoman second in your eyes, Jaela, but I could not have made it without her."

Jaela's eyes narrowed. "She didn't have to see you take a header in her office, _bronzerider_, therefore it's easy to bow to your whims.
D'wrayt's not disappointed that you're ill but he _would_ be disappointed if he knew you were risking your health without cleareance from the healers." The man would _never_ take her side if it came between her and one of his friends, she swore! He'd known Traelyn for all of a month but she bet she'd get the same argument she'd gotten out of him regarding his rude arsed buddies from weyrlinghood. "You know what? Consider this a formal reprimand Traelyn and frankly U'kaiah, you want to argue with me in front of _my_ 'second again and I'll see that you get a reprimand as well. Bitch about me behind my back but don't _ever_ argue with me when I'm talking to you as your Weyrwoman." That said, she turned on her heel and left.

"The woman hasn't even _seen_ me argue yet." U'kaiah said with a frustrated sigh. All the progress their relationship had made in the past few day he was sure would be forgotten. That knowledge alone was enough of a reprimand. He turned appologetic eyes towards his friend. "I'm sorry Trae. I shouldn't have asked you to help me."

"What's done is done, U'kaiah." Her voice was quiet. As if Jaela's anger hadn't cut deep enough, Trae's mood pained him even more. "I'm suddenly... very tired."

"I should probably leave you so you can rest then, hmm?" Traelyn slowly stood and looked down at him. "Unless you need to rest," he said with a small smile. "I can move over a bit."

She gazed at him, wondering why she felt a lump at the back of her throat. "If it's not too much of an effort...."

"You half carried me across the width of the Weyr. I think I can manage to scoot over a couple inches for you." He would face Jaela later, but for now he had to mend things with his friend.

Trae moved closer and rested one knee up on the bed, and when he moved to make room for her, she eased down onto it as carefully as she could.

U'kaiah chuckled a bit as he settled himself into a comfortable position. "Don't worry, love. Despite what Jaela says, you won't break me."

"I should hope not," came her soft reply as she moved a little closer. "Well, let's just hope Jaela doesn't decide to come back for another last word. She might get the wrong idea." If only fixing things with Jaela could be this simple, he thought with a sigh as he drapped an arm over his friend. "We're in enough trouble as it is."

Last updated on the September 8th 2005

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Two Wherries with One Stone...