Mercy [Solo]

D’hys staggered out of his hut against the wishes of his dragon. Zeianth typically showed a motherly side to his favourite dragons that either needed protection from others or themselves or the gentle spoken ones he simply liked. It never really showed up for D’hys. It had always been the rider concerned for the dragon, which was something D’hys had always believed was the proper way of things. They had a special bond and D’hys knew he would give his life to ensure Zeianth was safe and happy. In a way, he had given the icy hide dragon his life the day he agreed to go South into exile without his half-sisters. They had meant something to him to a point where even his frozen heart had thawed enough to start letting them in.

It was because of the minor accident that involved getting knocked out by falling rock that gave him a concussion and left him bruised and sore that Zeianth had turned into his warden. You really should be resting still. The concussion is gone; you can sleep peacefully. True; he could rest without being woken every few hours to make sure he was fine and not about to slip into a coma or whatever it was the Healer had explained to him while the room spun and voices faded in and out. He had done enough resting, however, and D’hys didn’t want to stare at his ceiling or walls any longer.

“I need to know, Zeianth. You forgot or you’re a bastard that won’t tell me, but I need to know.” It was something he had thought about a lot during his lucid states the last few days; How was S’ren? D’hys thought he could remember Zeianth’s keen and S’ren seeming upset but the world had gone black too quickly in that moment for him to grasp what truly happened. Naturally, the suspicion that Rinzath was too badly hurt and panicking to keep herself on the ground was strong but D’hys hated thinking about such things. He heard enough of the keening as he faded in and out of consciousness since the accident that he didn’t want to hear about one more; and one that was still a weyrling.

Zeianth’s stubbornness was close to setting in and not moving but he relented. D’hys’ need to know was stronger and he kneeled down. Riding straps. You can barely walk straight and I do not like the thought of you slipping off mid-flight. D’hys leveled a flat stare on the dragon and shook his head. No way was Zeianth getting his way on anything that day. The dragon had babysat him enough for the Healers that it was time it ended. “We’ll walk then, but I will be sitting atop you.” With that said and another moment of silent staring, D’hys made his way up to sit on Zeianth’s back.

The devastation of what had been his home for over a decade was enough to break even his heart. It wasn’t a perfect place to live and there were countless flaws – chief among them being the fact they were forgotten by Pern as they hid away – but it was his stomping ground all the same and now, the earth had stomped back. The headache that continued to plague him, lingering just at the surface of his temples, began to throb as D’hys took in one destroyed area after the other. Nothing seemed to remain on the northern end of the Weyr and that meant many lives would be lost. He’d find that out later. First, he had a greenrider to check on; if he still lived, anyway.

D’hys slowly entered the Hall that had been taken over by Healers and wannabe Healers. He didn’t want to return after being discharged soon after Zeianth had brought him in and he regained consciousness, but it seemed to be where S’ren was hanging out. Someone pointed out a small room and D’hys wandered over to it.

What he saw inside brought only a moment’s relief before confusion and even anger took over. S’ren sat in a chair, blanket pulled snuggly around him, and he seemed to be babbling while tears ran down his cheeks. “She’s gone. Gone. Never coming back, gone.” Shockingly blue eyes stared up at D’hys but they seemed vacant with only hints of clarity that was filled with pain showing through. “I don’t hear her, D’hys. She left me. Why would she leave me?”

D’hys had no idea how to answer the Weyrling. He had never imagined what it would be like without Zeianth in his head. When his mother went between with her dragon, he had been furious with her for leaving him but the bond he shared with Zeianth showed him how hard it would be to let it go and continue on without that constant presence. This poor kid hadn’t even been bonded a turn and it was tearing him apart. S’ren should have been worrying about his maiden flight; not wondering why he was left alone.

He wasn’t one to play by the rules unless they were his own and D’hys didn’t think it was fair to let a kid live when his dragon had not. What good would come of this? Sure, some riders survived the severed connection and were able to rebound enough to function in society but he could tell those men were never the same. The knowledge that they were only half complete and even seen as a failure would haunt them forever. S’ren didn’t need that. He had a long life ahead of him but each day would hurt and he’d suffer and feel empty.

“Get up. We’re going for a walk.” D’hys ordered S’ren with a wave of his hand but the former green Weyrling stayed put. “I had a concussion and half my body is more purple than tan. You owe me this walk, kid.” Reluctantly, S’ren stood and finally recognition lit up those blue eyes.

“You’re the one that pulled me out. You shouldn’t have.”

D’hys tossed the kid a look and nodded agreement. “I know. But, I’m going to fix that. Come on.” S’ren either didn’t catch his drift or he didn’t care as he silently followed the bluerider outside to where Zeianth sat waiting. The dragon was typically indifferent on most matters but this one left him conflicted. Was it right to help S’ren like D’hys wanted to or would it be better to leave him alone? You know that answer, Zeianth. You can’t live without me, and I wouldn’t live without you. Look at him.

“We’re reuniting you with Rinzath.” S’ren shied away from the blue dragon as tears started to fall again and then approached with an outstretched arm to pet Zeianth. It was obvious he was seeing Rinzath in every dragon he saw, despite the difference in height and size but D’hys stayed calm and didn’t interrupt the moment. Zeianth wasn’t huge on strangers touching him and D’hys didn’t like it much either but this was a special exception. “You deserve peace, S’ren, nothing else.”

S’ren spun around on D’hys and the bluerider actually startled somewhat; a feat that was rather rare. It went even further as the lost Weyrling threw his arms around D’hys and hugged him tight. “You’ll give me my Rinzath back? Truly? Thank you! I just want to be with her.” Sighing, D’hys nodded and returned the hug. No one deserved to be without their dragon and it was cruel to even make a man wait an hour, let alone three days.

Zeianth collected S’ren and D’hys finally gave up on trying to climb atop the protesting dragon. It didn’t seem right to stay with his feet firmly on the ground while Zeianth did the deed but he was feeling a bit woozy again and the shock of between quite possibly wouldn’t agree with him in his current state.

“Thank you.” The smile that broke through the distress brought back a bit of the D’hys his mother would have been proud of for using manners and actually meaning them.

“You’re welcome, S’ren. Go home to Rinzath.” They nodded in farewell and Zeianth took flight, waiting for D’hys’ signal in case either human had a second thought about the matter but he sensed both men dedicated to the idea. Do it. Within seconds, Zeianth vanished between and returned empty-handed. D’hys hung his head in a moment of silence. He really didn’t know S’ren outside of their dragons being friendly with one another and that he was rather easy on the eyes, but he had earned a bit of respect. S’ren had tried to toughen it out, or perhaps he was still in shock and didn’t believe the truth enough to end his own life. Regardless, it had made an impression on D’hys.

He went back inside the Hall and found one of the Healer-types running around. “S’ren of the recently deceased green Rinzath has died.”

The Healer started scribbling on some paper he pulled from a pocket. “Cause of death?”

“A broken heart.” D’hys didn’t elaborate and ignored the questions as he turned and left the building again, intent on returning to his bed after all.