Story Time

Writers: Devin, Steel
Date Posted: 24th May 2026

Characters: Tavhei, Talryne, N'vanik
Description: Tavhei reads to Loseth.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 2, day 11 of Turn 13

Talryne

N'vanik

~~Flashback to Turn 6~~

Tavhei tried not to make too much noise as he edged into the weyr. He... he wasn’t going to _steal_ anything, after all. Or get in anyone's way. His mom wasn't at home, probably with the Healers, and he... he didn't want to be alone.

They'd _said_ he could come here, and sit with Loseth. It was allowed. He wouldn't get in trouble, surely.

Still, he made his way hastily to the weyrledge, and the bronze dragon there. "... Hi Loseth." He greeted quietly. "I... I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

The bronze lifted his head and crooned a greeting. This was the Sad One that Talryne and N'vanik were looking after.

Okay. That was... that was good, at least. Loseth didn't _seem_ to mind that he was here. That was a friendly sound.

"I... I _am_ sorry for intruding." Tavhei offered quietly. "I.. I just..." A sniffle, and he wiped his face hastily with one sleeve, before he rallied. "I.. I brought a story scroll. Talryne said you like being read to. Can... can I sit out here with you?"

Loseth gestured with a paw and shifted around to curl onto his side. He loved stories, and he also wanted to make the Sad One feel better.

Tavhei nodded, and slid closer along the weyrledge to Loseth's side, careful to keep himself away from the edge, and finally settled with his back against Loseth's side. "... Thank you." He said finally, quietly. "I didn't know where else-- I mean, I have a few stories with me. They're all the happy ones though. Creche kid stuff."

He pulled one out of the bag, showed it to Loseth. "See?"

Loseth lowered his head and gently touched his muzzle to the scroll, his eyes whirling a pleasant blue.

Tavhei took the chance to pat the bronze's nose, gently. "Yeah. ...That's right." He responded. "Here... I'll start with this one." He took a deep breath, scrubbed his sleeve across his eyes a moment. "I hope you like it."

The bronze crooned again. This little human was very nice, and Loseth could feel that he needed his company.

Another not quite sniffle, but Tavhei opened the scroll. "This one’s... this one's called The Squeaky Feline." He told the bronze. "I know, it sounds kind of dumb, but I liked it when I was little."

The bronze settled in to listen intently.

A little while later, Talryne was on her way to the weyr. **Is N'vanik home yet?** she asked Loseth.

}:No. But the Sad One is here. He's reading to me.:{

Her heart clenched. Tavhei had been trying so hard to take care of his mom while mourning the loss of the dragon he'd also loved. He was so brave and so determined, but the poor kid was barely thirteen. Talryne and N'vanik had been doing their best to support him and show him that he didn't have to do this alone.

She came in as quietly as she could, not wanting to disturb him. Then because she couldn't resist, she crept up to the ledge entrance and carefully peeked around the corner.

}:Shhhh,:{ Loseth told her.

The massive bronze was curled around the skinny boy, chin resting on the smooth rock as he listened to Tavhei reading a children's story.

Tavhei, for his part, was thoroughly wrapped up in reading to Loseth. A small stack of read scrolls sat to one side, though his bag wasn't yet entirely empty.

He continued reading, oblivious to the newly arrived audience, though after a few more moments he had to stifle a big yawn before he continued. "... so then she had to go to the Weavers to fix her red cloak..." he read on, before he paused. "That makes no sense. Wasn't the feline chasing her?"

Talryne watched with a warm smile for a moment, then she quietly slipped away.

Tavhei continued to read, though the yawns came with more regularity, and after only a few more stories, the scrolls and bag were set aside and the boy shifted slightly, leaned more into Loseth as he dozed off.

When N'vanik came home, he found both boy and dragon fast asleep. Tavhei was pillowed on one of Loseth's forelegs, a pile of children's story scrolls next to him. A sweet ache filled N'vanik's chest as he realized the kid had fallen asleep reading to Loseth. The bronze had always been good with weyrbrats and Candidates, but he was being especially kind to Tavhei, and for all that the boy avoided dragons since his mom had lost her green, he'd seemed to latch on to Loseth.

As he watched Tavhei breathing evenly, tucked cozily against his dragon, it made N'vanik think of Tal's pregnancy, and what might have been. The Weyrleader had to swallow against the threat of tears. No, it wasn't meant to be. He pushed that thought aside and saw Tavhei for who he was -- the son of a dragonless woman, trying to care for her and taking on far more than he should.

He needed the sleep, so after a little while N'vanik crept back inside and left them to their nap.

~*~Present Day~*~

"... I really shouldn't be still falling asleep on your ledge." Tavhei told Loseth, dryly, though he patted the bronze and huffed amusement. "Imagine if someone else needed you."

"It's so cute, though," N'vanik teased as he stepped out onto the ledge.

Tavhei sputtered, and rose to his feet, dusted off his pants. "Maybe when I was a _kid_." He retorted. "I'm _twenty_ now. And what if you'd needed to fly off somewhere?"

"I can just wake him up," N'vanik said with a laugh, leaning against the arch that led into the weyr.

A softer laugh echoed through the space as Talryne joined them. "Since you're so _old_ and _mature_ now, would you like to join us for a drink?"

"True." Tavhei conceded. "Talk about a surprise awakening, though." He aided, then smiled at Talryne. "I'd love to. Do you have any of that cider left?"

"Yeah," she said. "Come on."

Loseth lifted his head.

"He wants to know if you'll come back and read to him later," N'vanik said. **You're so spoiled,** he teased his dragon.

}:He needs to feel good around dragons, and I'm the only one he likes.:{

Even after all these Turns, Loseth's insight could still surprise him.

"I can." Tavhei responded. "At least, I'll check in later with Loseth." He gave the bronze another pat, and then stepped away to follow Talryne.

Last updated on the June 8th 2026

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Story Time