The Unbreakable

Writers: Halyonix, Heather
Date Posted: 1st June 2026

Characters: By'ler, Oriene
Description: The unexpected happens at the DFW Hatching
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 2, day 1 of Turn 13

By'ler

Oriene

Mentioned:
Notes:
~*~

“Hey,” a warm voice said into her ear. “What do you say we get dressed and go to a hatching?” The bronzerider’s calloused fingers skated over Oriene’s bare hip. “Reviath tells me the call has gone out from Dragonsfall that their clutch is ready.”

Oriene’s initial answer was a low hum of contentment. Distracted by By’ler’s fingers, she considered just staying in bed for a few more hours but the excitement of a Hatching couldn’t be resisted. They could spend the afternoon dancing and then come back for a few hours before Oriene had to get back to the Hall.

“As long as they won’t care that I’m not in any sort of finery,” she said as she rolled over to let her fingers trace the muscles of his forearm.

“They won’t care and I have an extra jacket you can wear. It’ll be cold there,” By’ler said. It took effort to pull himself away from Oriene’s warmth, but the thought of more time together at the Dragonsfall Hatching was worth it.

Grinning, Oriene rubbed her nose against By’ler’s and then slipped out of bed to quickly dress. She fluffed out her hair after shrugging into her clothes, then went out to the ledge to pet Reviath’s nose. “Did you have a good sleep?” she asked conversationally, like someone speaking with a canine that would never answer them in words but someone who was perfectly happy to still converse.

A warbly rumble emanated from Reviath that sounded quite conversational as he nudged his snout further into Oriene’s hand. By’ler strode from his weyr, the extra flight jacket dangling from his fingers. “It’s going to be a little big on you, but it’ll keep you warm,” he said.

She shrugged into it, wrinkling her nose impishly as she looked at By’ler. The jacket smelled like him and she liked that. She scratched Reviath’s shoulder as she waited for the straps to be secured. “I’ve never been to Dragonsfall,” she admitted. “It’s in the mountains, isn’t it?”

“Sort of,” he explained. “The Weyr itself is built into a triple set of cliffs in the mountain’s foothills. It’s pretty neat, despite being really cold.”

The young bronzerider settled himself behind her, his arms wrapping comfortably around her waist. “Here we go,” he said as Reviath dropped from their weyrledge and then vaulted into the sky.

--

The sky above Dragonsfall was filled with dragons going to and fro, delivering families and other guests of the Hatching.

“Looks like it’s going to be a crowded one,” he said to Oriene as they landed. Weyrleader changes often brought out more guests than usual.

“How many eggs are there?” she asked as she watched all of the dragons flit to and fro. A few times, she was certain Reviath was going to collide with another dragon but they always seemed to adjust right at the last moment.

They dismounted quickly in the weyrbowl, leaving Reviath to leap for a space on one of the cliffs nearby so that other dragons could land with their passengers. By’ler, his fingers twined with Oriene’s, led her into the bustling Hatching Cavern. “We made it just in time,” he breathed with a smile, cheeks reddened from flight.

“Top tier?” she suggested after scanning the crowds, looking for a spot they could claim as theirs. She pointed to direct his gaze and then just started leading him up the stairs. “It’s so different from Dolphin Cove,” she noted as they sat. She snuggled against him, even though it wasn’t cold. “Is Reviath warm out there?”

“Oh yeah, he’s wedged in between a couple of ‘luscious greens.’ Those were his exact words.” By’ler wrapped an arm around Oriene’s shoulder, tucking her into his side. A hush fell across the Stands as the Weyrleader and Weyrwoman approached their seats and then the procession of white-robed Candidates filed on the Sands. “Here we go,” he grinned.

Grinning as well, Oriene watched as the first egg to hatch was a bronze. They both joined in on the cheering for that good omen. She giggled at how a green dragon nearly bowled over her new rider. “Oh, look at that color!” she remarked to By’ler from time to time on a particular shade of blue or green that caught her eye. “Oh, look! He finally picked a rider!” She pointed to the original bronze that had started it all, who was finally looking up at a young man in decision. “Took him long enough.” There weren’t many eggs left!

She missed seeing the last green hatch but there was no missing the imperious voice that thundered suddenly in her head. }: Don’t make me walk over all these people, Oriene! I _will_! :{

Oriene clutched her head in surprise. “By…I think…is she talking to _me_?!” Impossible! She wasn’t even on the Sands! The large shamrock green hatchling gave a commanding cry, stomping her foot impatiently. “By, I think…I think…” a stunned Oriene tried to say.

“I think you’d better get down there,” By’ler said with a mixture of shock and amusement. Taking Oriene’s elbow, he gave her a guiding nudge as people around them began to part, craning to see who it was the green dragonet wanted.

}: I can’t reach you! Get _down_ here! :{ the dragon trumpeted.

“I’m coming, I’m coming,” Oriene said anxiously, glad that By’ler was holding her elbow because she nearly took a tumble on the stairs trying to hurry! “Oh, By…what if…is she mine? Is this…is this what Reviath sounds like to you?”

“She _is_ yours,” Byler laughed, amazed that Oriene didn’t seem to be processing what had happened. “You’ve finally found your lifemate. Now, get down there, I’ll catch up with you in a bit.” The bronzerider pressed a kiss to her cheek before she reached the sands.

The kiss emboldened her. She slid free of By’ler’s grasp with a buoyancy suddenly filling her, like she was walking on air. She did not remember the hands that helped her down from the final steps. She did not remember the heat of the Sands under her feet. All she remembered was that one, perfect, joyous moment, when Esperanth -- how did she know that was the dragon’s name? -- fell into her arms while an unfettered, unabashed laugh bubbled up from her.

}: _Finally_, :{ Esperanth remarked as she burrowed into Oriene’s embrace. }: I’ve been _waiting_. :{

Still laughing, Oriene said, “I’ve been waiting too. I’ve been waiting for you for so long. I thought you’d never find me!” Were those tears she felt on her cheeks or was it sweat? It didn’t matter. None of it mattered. She was a dragonrider, _finally_, and there was no more waiting, no more doubts.

She turned to find By’ler in the tiers, grinning dizzyingly as she called out, “Her name is Esperanth!”

Last updated on the June 4th 2026

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

The Unbreakable