I'll Drink To That!

Writers: Eimi, Noola
Date Posted: 29th April 2010

Characters: N'thal, Birigundi
Description: N'thal and Birigundi discuss life and the changes Impression brings.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 8, day 22 of Turn 5

Birigundi

N'thal dropped himself into a seat with a weary sigh. He ought to go
get something to eat, but honestly, he was perfectly happy just to
stay right where he was for the moment. All around him there was
laughter and chatting as friends and family congratulated newly
matched weyrlings. The Hatching had only been a quarter of a day ago,
though it felt like much longer.

He hadn't even bothered to invite his own family this time, or the
last several times before this. He had a letter to write later, that's
for sure! Much later though. For now, he was going to relax a bit and
enjoy the party. His little blue Oreanth was a demanding creature and
getting him fed and then cleaned up and then settled in the barracks
had taken some doing. If the Hatching had taken place later in the
day, he might not even have come to the celebratory feast at all. But,
as tired as he was, physically and emotionally, he couldn't excuse
himself from missing out of being on the other side of things this
time. Usually he was the one congratulating, this time he was being
congratulated by friends from around the Weyr.

"So, what am I supposed to call you now, hmmm?" Birigundi asked as he
plopped a mug of beer in front of the new bluerider.

"Name's N'thal, pleased to meet you," he held out his hand for a
handshake with his friend, an amused grin on his face.

"Charmed, I'm sure," Birigundi said with a bat of his eyes as he
daintily took his friend's hand. "How could you leave me like this?"

"It was completely unexpected, believe me." N'thal couldn't help but
think back to how sure he'd been that this Hatching would be like all
the others, and how wonderful a surprise it had been when, instead,
he'd come away with a dragon.

"Well, I suppose that leaves me a little hope." Birigundi would need
it. He might only have one, maybe two Hatchings left if he were lucky.
Though really, deep down, he had come to realize that he didn't much
care anymore.

"You never know," N'thal agreed fervently, wanting to cheer up his
friend who'd been in the same boat as him for turns. "I'd given up,
really. Going to Stand was just sort of habit, you know? And now, look
at me."

"Yeah." N'thal got what he wanted. But what did Biri want? He knew
the answer, but he was beginning to accept the reality. His friend was
trying to cheer him up, but he didn't really know that it wasn't the
loss of the chance of a lifemate that weighed on him. "Of course," he
smiled. N'thal shouldn't feel guilty for his happiness. "I'll have one
next time. I'm not giving up."

"That's the spirit," the weyrling raised his mug in salute to his
friend. "Nothing is ever as hopeless as it seems, that's what I
learned today."

Birigundi actually laughed as he raised his mug in salute, but there was
very little feeling behind it. He had learned all too well that
somethings _were_ hopeless. Some dreams did die. Nia taught him that.
"Well, here's to a lesson learned, eh?"

N'thal thought his friend seemed a little off, but chalked it up to
being disappointed on the Sands yet again. He understood how
difficult it could be, saying everything would work out was one thing,
but believing it was another. "To lessons learned," he replied, taking
a drink.

"So," Birigundi licked the foam from his lips. "A blue, eh? No
surprise there."

N'thal couldn't help the snort of amusement at that, "Not really, no.
Only surprise about that will probably be from my parents when I write
them."

"Ah, yes, the parents..." Birigundi had known several candidates who had
to break the news of the color of their dragon. "Will they be all right
with it, you think?"

"I honestly don't know. I haven't spent more than a few days at a time,
a handful of times, with them in the last seven turns." N'thal frowned
thoughtfully, taking another sip of beer.

"Ah, I'm sure they'll be proud of you no matter what," his friend
assured him. It was his turn to be hopeful and positive. To be honest,
he wasn't sure how it would work out. He'd seen the best kids
heartbroken when their parents rejected him. Hopefully, that would not
be the case for N'thal.

N'thal smiled at his friend and nodded, "You're probably right. At the
very least, they'll be glad to hear something besides 'Not this time
either' when I write them." He didn't want to get his hopes up though.
He too had seen many a fellow candidate and friend be shunned by their
family after Impressing blue or green. It would bother him, if his
family decided to do the same, but he would get over it. He'd known,
even before Oreanth hatched, who he was and his dragon made whatever
difficulties the inability to hide it from his family back home more
than worth it. Still, he'd rather it wouldn't come to that.

"They'll be wanting to know when you'll be free to visit them, I'm
sure!" Though Birigundi knew that even if his family did accept them,
it didn't mean they wouldn't blush to have the neighbors see their son
sitting proudly on top of a blue.

The weyrling laughed at that, "No doubt. I'm sure they'll be thinking
Impressing a dragon magically means I can come visit them whenever I
want now. Never mind the months it will take Oreanth to grow enough to
make a trip, and the training I'll be in until then."

"Oh and weyrlinghood is going to feel oh so long too," Birigundi
grinned. It wasn't only his parents that would be waiting for him to
get out of weyrlinghood. He gave him an amused wink. "You're going to
be a tailor busting at the seams!"

"Don't remind me!" N'thal groaned playfully at the other man's bad pun.

"Oh don't worry, you'll be reminded every day. I'll be making out with
some gorgeous girl while you're elbow deep in sweetsand and oil
wondering just how big a blue can grow." That was Biri's one great
consolation about not Impressing!

"I begin to question the merits of our friendship," N'thal's tone was
mock-severe, though the glint of amusement in his eyes belied the
words.

"It's the price you pay for a pretty dragon. I'll be suffering your
dilemma soon enough," Birigundi assured him. "Until then, no woman in
the Weyr is safe."

"Get it out of your system now then, because once you Impress you'll
just have your memories to look back on for months and months." N'thal
advised with a wistful grin before he couldn't help but laugh.

"I've been living with that thought foremost in my mind for turns,"
Birigundi laughed. Though there was a bit of sadness in his eyes as he
took a sip from his beer. That lifestyle hadn't always served him well.

N'thal caught the strange expression and wondered about it.
Considering the topic, he supposed that his friend might have some
regrets of a romantic nature. He had a few himself. Awkward moments,
hurt feelings, they weren't unheard of, even in a Weyr where people
were much looser in their attachments than the Hold he'd been born in.
And the weyrling knew his friend had a daughter, but wasn't on good
terms with the child's mother. He decided to change the subject, "You
know what the worst part is? I just got my own quarters three months
ago."

"Now that is a shame," his friend grinned at the irony. "At least you
got to enjoy it for a short time, though."

"True, and it won't be -that- long before Oreanth and I have our own
weyr. Not really."

"It will go by fast for you," Birigundi agreed. "You'll be too busy to
really think about it."

"I'll drink to that!" N'thal raised his glass with a grin.

Last updated on the May 3rd 2010

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I'll Drink To That!