Some Things Change...

Writers: Devin, Estelle, Halyonix
Date Posted: 31st December 2025
Series: Bronze and Blue Entwined

Characters: K'mai, L'keri, I'serin
Description: K'mai remembers being Candidates with L'keri and I'serin.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 11, day 13 of Turn 12

K'mai

L'keri

I'serin

News had spread through the Weyr about Galgaith's clutch. There was a lot of talk about how few eggs there were, but K'mai didn't much care about that. They were _Rhalith's_ eggs, and one of his closest friends was going to be able to watch his own dragon's babies hatch and choose their lifemates. It was also the perfect excuse for another party -- not that K'mai ever needed an excuse. He sent a note through their dragons to ask L'keri to come over and then sat down to make a list of what they needed.

K'mai smiled to himself. They'd grown up together, become Candidates together, and then Impressed together. They'd had a party before that Hatching, and even I'serin -- Ioraserin -- had come. Shards, he couldn't believe how far they'd all come since those days as Candidates. L'keri was now a clutchfather, and I'serin a Weyrleader!

~*~ flashback~*~

There were eggs on the Sands and the River Bluff Candidate barracks were buzzing with excitement. A holdbred boy put his hands on his hips and puffed out his chest. "I'm going to get a bronze!"

Keemai rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sure."

The other Candidate glared at him. "What, do you think _you're_ getting bronze?"

Keemai laughed and waved a hand. "No, I'm Impressing a blue, obviously. Lukeri is getting bronze." He pointed at his friend. "And then he's going to be my Wingleader and let me do whatever I want."

"That...I don't...I do not think that is how this works," an uncertain Ioraserin said. Then, quieter, he added, "I do not think that is how any of this works." The records definitely said otherwise. There was plenty of instances where someone assumed that they were getting a certain color of dragon but were selected by another. But he did not think that pointing out the data would convince the other Candidates.

Keemai pointed at Ioraserin. "_You're_ getting a brown."

"No, I'm getting a brown." The dark-haired boy, Lukeri, grinned. "No way I'm doing all that boring paperwork. And meetings! He can have the bronze, like his dad, and then he can let us both do whatever we want."

"Oh, I like that!" Keemai put his chin in his hands and fluttered his eyelashes. "Would you, Ioraserin? Would you let me do whatever I want?" He kept trying to flirt with the shy boy, but so far there'd been no interest.

And there wasn't interest now. Just that usual awkward look away. "N-No," came the answer. Maybe he would Impress a bronze, yes, but no, he would not let Keemai...or any rider...do what they want. That was not what a leader did, according to his father.

"Aww." Keemai laughed. "Are you gonna be all mean and strict like your dad?"

When Keemai said it like _that_... Ioraserin's eyes shifted uncertainly, like he was looking for the answer written somewhere in the floor. "...that's...not...no..?"

"Of course he won't be. Will you?" Lukeri gazed beseechingly at him, all wide-eyed innocence. "We wouldn't do anything too shocking. Just a little party, now and again. Dragonriders getting together for a few drinks...and games...and girls..."

"And boys," Keemai said automatically.

Ioraserin looked at Lukeri and then Keemai and said nothing.

"Definitely girls!" another Candidate piped up merrily. "Gotta have girls at a party."

"Both!" Keemai turned to him with a laugh. "Some of us like both, and if you don't like boys then there's more for me!" He playfully elbowed Lukeri, who was clear in his preferences.

"I don't know what I'd do if I liked both," Lukeri sighed, a dreamy and rather foolish smile on his face as he pictured the female side of the barracks. "It's hard enough when there are so many beauties to choose from."

"Good job you've got a face like a wherry then," another weyrbred boy joked.

"Hey!" Lukeri grabbed a pillow from one of the bunks and threw it at him. "A handsome wherry, at least. _You've_ got a face like a wherry's ugly stepsister." He ducked as a scrunched-up sock came flying his way.

"That's not what your sister said last night!" retorted the other playfully.

"Such a crass joke," Ioraserin remarked quietly. No, crass was not the word he wanted to use there. Infantile, yes, that was it.

"No, she said..." Lukeri screwed up his eyes and peered at his little finger. "Faranth, that's the smallest one I've ever seen!" Laughter rose as he and the other boys carried on trading good-natured insults.

Keemai laughed and went to go sit next to Ioraserin, who was drawing in on himself like he so often did. "And that's why you're getting a brown. Quiet, steady, serious." He smiled to show it wasn't an insult. "You'd be a great Wingsecond."

Truthfully, Ioraserin agreed but instead he shook his head and said, "That's...that will not be me." No, he was the son of A'len, rider of bronze Tirenth. Even though it was always the dragons' choice, Ioraserin was expected to Impress a bronze. He had tried to argue with his father about the logic of trying to force that fate but A'len had told him to get back to studying.

"There's nothing wrong with browns, you know. You don't _have_ to be like your dad. You're way too nice to be a bronzerider." Keemai nudged him.

Ioraserin scooted just a little bit away.

"Oh, let him get a bronze and be a stick in the mud!" one of the weyrbred Candidates teased. "We'll all get blues and go party!"

"I'm going to have the _best_ parties once I get my own weyr!" Keemai said. "All the blue and greenriders can come. And I _guess_ Lukeri can come too." He grinned at his friend.

"It'd be no fun without me and you know it. But why wait until then?" Lukeri bounced on his bunk. "There are eggs on the Sands! We should celebrate. After all, when we Impress we'll have to restrain ourselves for the next few months." He winked. "No girls _or_ boys."

Keemai made a face. "I keep forgetting about that."

"Yeah..." Lukeri's gloom only lasted a matter of moments. "But think about what's on the other side. We'll be dragonriders! Everyone loves a dragonrider. They're the biggest, baddest, sexiest studs in the Weyr. Girls will be throwing themselves at us night and day. And boys," he added, before his friend could remind him.

Keemai laughed. "We should tell the girls they should take their chance with you before there's a line. Aaand . . . " He grinned. "I happen to know of an empty weyr. We should throw a party before the Hatching! _If_ all of you can swear not to tell anyone."

A few of the other boys piped up. "I swear!"

"Have you ever known me to tattle to the Weyrlingmasters?" Lukeri's eyes gleamed at the thought of partying in a weyr. Keemai always had the best ideas. "I'll help set it up!" He glanced over at the only boy who'd stayed quiet. "Are you in, Ioraserin?"

Not wanting to be teased for saying no, but also knowing that if his father found out... "...sure," Ioraserin quietly said.

"Yeah!" Keemai clapped him on the back.

"All right! This is going to be so much fun. I know a few of the kitchen staff who'll turn a blind eye if a few trays of snacks disappear with their favorite Candidate. But what about drinks?" Lukeri considered the problem, then grinned. "Hey, bronzerider's son. I bet your dad's got a good stash. How about liberating a few bottles for the sake of your thirsty classmates?"

If his father found out...

Ioraserin swallowed nervously. Maybe he could some from the Weyr's stores instead of his father's personal stash. Surely the wrath of the Headwoman was an easier risk to take -- oh, no, no it would not. Because if she discovered what he had done, she would tell A'len and then Ioraserin would be in double trouble. It would be best to just steal from his father's weyr. "I...I will s-see what I can get," he promised weakly.

Keemai put a hand on Ioraserin's shoulder and told Lukeri, "It's enough that he won't tell. And maybe come have fun with us for a while?" he asked, turning back to the shy Candidate. He knew how much Ioraserin hated breaking rules. Stealing from his father was too far, but a _little_ rule breaking for a party . . .

Ioraserin shifted a little to get away from Keemai's hand, feeling further uncertain about what he was getting into. "I...I can get us something," he assured the others.

"You don't have to." Keemai said quietly.

Ioraserin made a show of rolling his shoulders like he was shrugging off both the Keemai and any uncertainty. "I can do it," he repeated.

"Welllll . . . if you're sure." Keemai said. "If your dad catches you, you can blame me." Oof, why had he said that? He didn't want A'len yelling at him!

"And me! I'm not scared of any bronzerider," Lukeri boasted.

"Pssh! You can take them on then. Those bronzes are big," remarked one of the Candidates. "Let's get back to planning a party."

~*~ end flashback~*~

K'mai laughed at the memory. He'd been flirting with I'serin even way back then. If only he could go back and tell his younger self that all those Turns of flirting were going to lead to _such_ a payoff!

"Someone's in a good mood," L'keri called out from the weyr ledge, where Rhalith had just landed. There'd been some difficult moments since the clutching, and he was still worried about his son who hadn't spoken to him since, but he could always rely on his wingmates to lift his spirits - and it was a perfect excuse to celebrate. "Must be having a party to plan! Let's get started..."

Last updated on the February 8th 2026

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