Far From Home

Writers: Corrin, Heather, Yvonne
Date Posted: 29th May 2026

Characters: Donnise, N'kyri, Saibra
Description: Donnise moves to Dragonsfall Weyr - whether she likes it or not.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr, Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 1, day 26 of Turn 13
Notes: Mentioned: Oselle, Ki'ben, Saidrene

N'kyri

Saibra

A light wind tousled Donnise's hair as she sat quietly by the Star Stones and waited for her father. Far Island Weyr spread out beneath her like a map come to life. Each craggy cliff seemed as familiar as the lines on her hands, each path a scar, and the blue-grey water that stretched to impossibly distant mountains like the blood in her veins. And she was leaving. Banished.

The watch dragon bugled a greeting as a blue dragon came from /between/ high above, and even from this far below she recognized the cant of Oriath's wings. Donnise rubbed her eyes to remove any sign of the tears that threatened and stood to greet her father with an insouciant smile. "Took you long enough," she called when Oriath landed. "I've been sitting here waiting forever!"

N'kyri vaulted down, roguishly rumpled and beaming despite the circumstances-- despite being over half a candlemark late. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart! But a green went up right as I was coming to get you. Ori was off before I could stop him."

The blue rumbled at the slanderous lie and butted his rider solidly in the back.

"Oh, he wants me to tell you he won," N'kyri said, laughing off the nudge. He knew he was willfully misinterpreting Oriath's wishes, but he didn't want to disappoint his little girl. It was better that she thought Ori a little bullheaded than know her father had entirely forgotten the appointment to fetch her. Thank goodness Saibra had thought to check on him. Usually N'kyri liked to linger more after a flight, but that message from Chioneth had been like a bucket of ice water.

"Where's my hug?"

She made a face, then deliberately went to hug Orlaith around his broad neck. "Good for you for winning," she told him, then turned to her father and gave him a hug too. She couldn't help herself. "Thanks for coming to get me."

"Of course," N'kyri said, returning the embrace tightly. He was dimly surprised to find the girl was much taller than he remembered. "I know-- I know this move has been kinda sudden, but you're going to fit in in no time. And you'll have me, and your Aunt Saiba to help you out..."

He pulled back, a cheeky grin on his face. "And lemme tell you, having the Weyrwoman on your side is a wonderful thing. Remember that red fruit scrape she got me out of?"

She smiled but had no clue what he was talking about. Red fruit scrape? Was that a fruit peel kind of thing? "Maybe. We'll see. I'm looking forward to seeing Dragonsfall Weyr but I don't think I have enough sweaters."

"You will," N'kyri promised with the confidence of a man who'd always been able to finagle what he wanted. "Now let's get you loaded up."

---

It was a fine summer evening when Oriath burst back into the air above Dragonsfall. He wheeled leisurely down to the Weyrwoman's ornate ledge as N'kyri pointed out his own lodging, the candidate barracks, the eponymous waterfalls. Landing, he helped Donnise out of the straps, hollering "Hello the Weyr!"

Saibra was waiting for them in her weyr. Refreshments sat on the dining table as she came around and gave her niece a hug. "Don, look at you! You're all grown up." She had not seen the girl in quite a while and the transformation from weyrbrat to woman was startling.

"Hi, auntie." It felt awkward to hug Saibra now that she was almost as tall as the goldrider. That, and Faranth only knew what her mother had said to Saibra about her when she'd arranged a transfer. Donnise lifted her chin and found a smile. "Mom says hello."

"What a spread," grinned N'kyri, helping himself to a seat and a plate. He had been in the Weyrwoman's quarters enough to feel completely at home. "Saibra, you're spoiling us. Don will think candidates always eat like this!"

Donnise's eyes widened as she looked at the table, mostly at the pile of deep fried sweet breads dusted with sugar and oozing red jam. "They don't? Send me home then!"

Saibra shared a look with her foster brother over Donnise's head. "I'm afraid they don't, but Headwoman Oselle's kitchen cranks out tasty food, even for Candidates."

Donnise popped a sweet bread into her mouth and licked the sugar from her fingers, feigning a nonchalance that she didn't feel. "No exceptions for me, if I'm in the Candidate barracks? C'mon, Aunt Saibra!"

Her father was happily digging in, and no help at all.

Saibra glared at her brother's bowed head. Her expression cleared quickly, however, as she placed her hands on Donnise's shoulders. "You know, when Ki'ben and Saidrene were Candidates and Weyrlings, they would come eat with me once a sevenday. I'm sure your father would love to host you and a friend for meals. He's an expert at _acquiring_ goodies from the lower caverns." The corners of her mouth lifted.

"...sure." Donnise smiled back as she palmed another sweetbread-- and probably her last, if she was reading between the lines right. Saibra didn't want her here either. "That makes sense."

N’kyri glanced up only briefly from his own sweetbread, catching just enough of her mood to flash Donnise an easy grin. “Oh, don’t look so tragic. The dining hall food isn't bad!” And, since his sister sort of forced his hand, he promised: "And I'll have you around to eat sometimes too. Maybe not every _sevenday_, but you won't starve for treats."

Their relationship had always been on her father's schedule, so that was nothing new. Donnise had a good idea of what he meant. Instead she changed the subject so that she didn't have to feel so abandoned. "Tell me about the Candidate barracks. And when's the next Hatching - it's in a few days, right? I can't _wait_ to see the Sands. Mom'll be so mad if I actually Impress here. D'you think Chioneth will let me see the eggs today? And how many other Candidates are there? I can't wait to meet them." As she chattered the mood lightened, enough so that Donnise thought that maybe, just maybe, Dragonsfall Weyr might be tolerable.

Last updated on the June 4th 2026

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Far From Home