The Return Visit (1/2)

Writers: Devin, Estelle
Date Posted: 8th May 2025
Series: Guarding Gil

Characters: Tr'vel, Gilbek, Rhysel, Amigene
Description: Tr'vel and Gilbek arrive for a visit to Rhysel and Amigene
Location: Emerald Falls Hold
Date: month 4, day 14 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: R'ayl, N'vanik

Tr'vel

Eboroth bugled as they came out over the small cothold. **Well they
certainly can't miss us.**

}:I want them to come out and see me. They can watch me land.:{

Tr'vel chuckled as the blue's spiraling descent gave them a good view
of the land and buildings below. Gil was strapped behind him since
Tr'vel was no longer treating him as someone who might need to be
controlled -- or who might stab him in the back.

Gil leaned over in the straps. He'd grown used enough to riding dragons
that the height didn't bother him, and he pointed to two small figures
emerging from the building. "There they are!" His voice lifted in
excitement, like a young boy seeing his parents again after a long absence.

Tr'vel smiled to hear the eagerness in his voice and Eboroth gave
another bugle. The blue landed in the open space where months ago
dragonriders had come to capture Gil. Tr'vel unfastened the man and
helped him down -- though he didn't need much help these days.

"Thanks." He accepted the hand down and landed lightly on his feet
before turning to face the cotholders. Amigene was beaming in unreserved
delight, and her husband Rhysel even managed a twitch at the corner of
his mouth.

"Gil! Look at you." The older woman hurried up and took him by the arms,
turning him back and forth. "You're so brown! And they've been feeding
you up properly at the Weyr, I see."

"Yes, ma'am. There's plenty to eat there," Gil said, half-embarrassed by
her scrutiny. "I can't tell you how good it is to see you again,
Amigene, and you too, Rhysel."

"Thank you for bringing him, Bluerider," Rhysel said gruffly.

"It's my pleasure," Tr'vel said as he dismounted lightly. **Don't eat
any of the animals,** he warned his dragon.

}:But they look tasty.:{

**If you eat them, these nice people will be sad, and then Gil will be
sad and then _I'll_ be sad.**

}:Fine.:{ Eboroth huffed.

"Come on inside, both of you. Lunch won't be long." Amigene bustled to
the door of the cothold, beckoning to the visitors. "I've stuffed and
roasted a wherry, with tubers and fingeroots from the garden, and
there's a bottle of Rhysel's blackberry wine. I hope dragonriders have
good appetites. This one looks like he does," she added, grinning up at
Tr'vel.

"Oh, but you didn't need to..." Gil said, suddenly anxious that the
cotholders had gone to great expense.

"The wherry's from one of your traps," Rhysel said. "I've been putting
them out since you left. Hardly a sevenday goes by we don't have meat."
He glanced back at Eboroth as Gil entered the cothold. "Is he hungry?
That wood over to the west is full of wild ones, if he wants to hunt."

"He's not hungry, he's just greedy." Tr'vel chuckled. "But I'll send
him off if he gets too bored." The bluerider stepped inside and
reached into his riding jacket for a small jar. "I brought you some
salve. It's good for sore muscles and joints."

"Thank you!" Amigene accepted the jar, peering at the label. "That's
very thoughtful, Tr'vel. We can try some of this on Rhysel's shoulder,
he's always complaining that it aches." She lowered her voice
confidentially. "He isn't as young as he used to be."

"Speak for yourself, woman," Rhysel muttered. "I'm in excellent health
for a man of my Turns." He tried to stomp over to his chair by the fire,
but was intercepted by Amigene with a bowl of fingeroots to peel.

"I can set the table," Gil offered, anxious to help, and headed for the
cupboard on the far wall where the tablecloths, plates and cutlery were
kept.

"Anything I can help with, so I don't feel awkward standing around?"
Tr'vel asked with a friendly smile.

Rhysel started to offer up the fingeroot bowl, but was quelled by a look
from his wife. "You're a guest, Tr'vel, so you really needn't do
anything, but if you'd like to you could help me with these bubbly
pies." She pointed to a bowl of mixed fruit, sparkling with sweetener.
"Two spoons into each pie base, and then I'll put the lids on. And you
can tell us all about this daring rescue at the Weyr! Did our Gil really
save a dragonrider's life?"

"He absolutely did," Tr'vel said as he started following her
instructions. "A young rider, too young for the Fighting Wings. We
were in the Dining Cavern and Gil just takes off running, and then I
see a man pulling a knife on young R'ayl. Gil tackles him to the
ground, fighting him for the knife." He gestured with the spoon. "Gil
gets cut, but manages to force the man to drop the weapon. Turns out,
Gil recognized the man who ordered him to kill a woman and child and
knew he was up to no good at the Weyr. That's three lives he's saved
now."

"Gracious golden Faranth!" Amigene turned to look at Gil, holding a
pastry cover in her floury hands. "You were hurt?"

"It was just a scratch." Gil ducked his head in embarrassment. "It's
healed up now. Careless of me to let him get me, but it happened too
fast to get a proper hold on him at first."

"And someone attacked a dragonrider right in the heart of the Weyr?"
Rhysel shook his head in disgust. "What must you weyrfolk think of us?"

"We know not all holders are like that," Tr'vel said diplomatically.
"We were lucky Gil was there."

"And that the Weyrleader chose to trust me - at least partly." He
finished arranging the plates and cutlery and glanced at Amigene for
permission, then turned to take down four simple, but precious wine
glasses from a shelf. His voice lightened. "Tr'vel here was assigned to
follow me around the Weyr, for work, exercise, to the healers and even
the bathing cavern. I was tempted to make a run for it just so he didn't
expire from boredom."

"I thought you _did_ run away." Then Tr'vel remembered where they were
and faltered. This story wasn't fit for holders. "I, uh, had to tend
my dragon and Gil disappeared. But it turns out one of my wingmates
was giving him a tour."

"It was the first time I got to see most of the Weyr's interior," Gil
continued, with a swift, amused glance at Tr'vel. "He took me to see the
Hatching Cavern, where the queens lay their eggs, and people come to
watch them hatch. It's a magnificent sight! You can't imagine how big it
is - a vast domed cave, with rows and rows of stands soaring up around a
circle of white-gold sand. Even though there wasn't a clutch there at
the time..."

He went on, describing the marvels of the Weyr for the enthralled
holders, until the pies were in the oven and the roast wherry was out,
the skin sizzling and golden brown and filling the cot with a delicious
aroma. Amigene carved off generous slices for each of them, while Rhysel
poured out the blackberry wine.

Last updated on the May 12th 2025

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