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- 04/28/2022
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Dragonriders of Pern series was created by Ann McCaffrey in 1967 and spans 24+ books published by Ballantine Books, Atheneum Books, Bantam Books, and Del Rey Books. Any recognizable content in this story is from Ann McCaffrey, Todd McCaffrey, Gigi McCaffrey or their representatives or inheritors. <br> Original content provided by author of this FanFiction story without monetary compensation. <br>
To the Weyr - 13. Second Fall
‘Mother?’ Jevikel sat down on the bench next to Jemina. She stared into the fire, clutching her useless arm. ‘How are you feeling today?’
‘Could be worse,’ she muttered. ‘Could be better, too.’ She glanced at the arm with a perplexed look. ‘Would you fetch me some klah?’
He poured a cup. The sweetener jar had just been refilled, so he added a generous spoonful. It would take away the harshness of a brew that had sat on the fire too long. ‘There you are.’
She reached into her pocket for a small flask, unstoppered it and let two drops fall into the dark liquid. She was still taking fellis on a regular basis, even though Merida had confirmed she wasn’t in pain any more.
‘She’s become used to it. It keeps her happy,’ she’d told him.
Jevikel often wondered if his mother might recover some of her old vitality without the drug. But he wasn’t an expert on healing and those who were seemed to think it wasn’t doing her any harm.
She sipped on the drink. ‘Thread’s going to fall again soon, isn’t it?’
He hadn’t thought she’d noticed. Mind you, how could she not? It was all anyone was talking about as the event drew closer. ‘Tomorrow,’ he said. ‘And you can’t stay here this time.’
‘Why not?’
Jevikel glanced upward at the reed thatch over this part of the main room. ‘It’s not safe until we get a slate roof, like the old one.’ Vikkel had announced that all of the able bodied folk were to go up to the nearby caves to sit out the next Fall. The few who weren’t able to walk that far would be able to fit inside his office, which was deep inside the cliff face and with a stout metal door. ‘If you come up to the caves with us, you can tell the children some stories.’ She wasn’t a patch on Granny Val, but Val had died four Turns ago. It was traditional for the Holder’s wife to educate the young and storytelling was a part of that. It would do her good to get out of the Hold, anyway. Plus, it was something she could still do, bad arm or not.
‘Just leave me here.’
Jevikel sighed. This was why Vikkel had asked him to speak to his mother, thinking he’d have more success in persuading her. ‘If you don’t feel like walking, there should be enough room for you stay in the office with the old folk.’
Jemina took another drink, visibly relaxing as the fellis began to work. ‘I’m no good for anything anymore. It would be better for everyone if I died.’
‘Don’t say that.’
‘It’s true, isn’t it?’
‘No. Admittedly you can’t do some of the things you did before your injury, but that doesn’t make you useless. Anyway, father needs you to support him.’ That might get through to her.
‘Merida’s doing a good enough job.’
That was certainly true. And with Merida in charge of the other women, there was a lighter atmosphere in the Hold, despite all the other problems. He’d even heard laughing and joking while they worked. ‘Kemi would want you to carry on.’ Maybe if he could give her even a glimmer of hope it might ease her out of this sorry state?
‘Kemi’s dead.’
‘We can’t be one hundred percent sure of that. I mean, we haven’t found her body.’ Clearance had recently begun on the inner parts of the Hold. With the arrival of Thread, the extra rooms were needed more than ever. At some point, it would become obvious Kemi wasn’t there. It wouldn’t make any difference to her, of course. She was safe at the Weyr, far beyond the reach of anyone at Pinnacle.
‘Yet.’ She glanced over towards the corridor leading to the sleeping chambers. ‘I know she’s there. A mother can feel things like that.’
‘Well…’ There wasn’t much else he could say. ‘I’m just trying to be positive. I mean, it must have been chaos that morning…’
‘It was.’ She sighed heavily. ‘I know you’re trying to be kind. But if she’s not buried under all that, then where is she?’
For a moment, Jevikel wanted to tell her, but if he did, she’d want to know how he knew and it would lead to all kinds of awkward questions, especially when Vikkel found out. ‘It was just an idea I had.’
She finished the klah. ‘Tell your father I’ll go to the caves, if that’s what he wants.’
‘I will.’ He stood to leave.
Jemina plucked at his sleeve. ‘You’re a good lad. You’ll make a fine Holder one day.’
He smiled, even though her words left him feeling cold inside. He didn’t want to Hold at Pinnacle, to be forced to conceal his feelings for Kadin for the rest of his life. Even if they didn’t Impress dragons at the Weyr, even if they ended up digging ditches or shovelling manure, it had to be better than this.
Vikkel and the other men had come up with a plan. For this coming Threadfall, all the beasts would be penned in the smaller of the fields. There was no shelter there, but at least they couldn’t scatter over a wide area while dragons were fighting Thread above. Then, as soon as it was over, several workers would carry the makings of a gate up to the high pastures. It was to be fitted at the entrance to one of the larger caves, so that when the herders knew Threadfall was coming, they could drive the animals inside and keep them safely penned. Once the job was finished, the beasts could go back to their traditional summer grazing, albeit unable to wander so far as they had been used to.
Threadfall being due early in the morning, as soon as the evening meal had finished, everyone lent a hand to move all of the organic materials - cushions, wooden items and wall hangings - out of the main room and into one of the storage caves. At least then if the roof was breached, Thread would find nothing below to feed on and the men could use their flamethrowers to destroy it. There were a few grumbles, but ultimately, everyone saw the sense in the measures. Until the Hold was properly secured with a slate roof, this would have to become a regular occurrence.
Some of the items were used to make Vikkel’s office more comfortable for the old folk. While carrying chairs inside, Jevikel took care to memorise the dates on the Fall chart. It had been twelve days between the last Fall and this one, but fourteen until the next. So long as he and Kadin left no later than ten days after tomorrow, they should be safe.
No one rested well that night. Now that everyone had been through a Fall and knew what to expect, it was worse than the first time, when they had no previous experience. Jevikel had fitful dreams in which the herd beast in the barn was replaced by people he knew. When it became Kadin reaching out his arms as Thread devoured him, he knew he couldn’t sleep again. He sat up, looking across to the far end of the sleeping room, wishing he could go to Kadin and nestle close as they had up in the hills. Hopefully, it wouldn’t be too much longer before they could do that again.
They rose at dawn and began the trek up to the caves. It wasn’t a long walk for a fit person, but with young children and some of the older folk who weren’t deemed infirm enough to stay at the Hold, it took much longer. It made Jevikel realise that while his knee felt fine on the flat, walking over uneven ground and climbing uphill was another story. He was glad he’d taken his stick, as by the time they’d got there, he needed its support.
The children and their mothers settled themselves in the largest of the caves, while everyone else found spaces for family groups. Idarna and Dameri were in with the children, as was Jemina. Merida had stayed at the Hold, looking after the elderly, so Jevikel showed Kadin the small, low cave where he’d hidden Kemi’s pack and the two of them squeezed inside. With only a glimmer of daylight coming in from the narrow opening, it was fairly gloomy. Kadin shivered.
‘What’s up? You can’t be cold.’
‘No. I just had a memory of the last time I was in a cave.’
Jevikel hugged him. There was no one to see them here so he didn’t have to worry. ‘It’ll be fine. We’re safe here together.’
Kadin snuggled closer. ‘I like this.’
There were some advantages to Threadfall, after all. Everyone stayed inside their own caves while the battle raged in the sky above. Jevikel gratefully seized the opportunity to make Kadin forget the last, horrible Fall in all the ways they both enjoyed. By the time Thread had passed over, they were sated and blissfully content.
A shadow passed in front of the cave entrance and Gatri popped her head inside. ‘Oh, so that’s where you two got to. Weren’t you bored all alone in there?’
‘No,’ Kadin said, something of his old confidence reasserting itself. He held up the leather bag containing his dice. ‘We had a few games together.’
‘Who won?’
Jevikel smiled. ‘Kadin had the upper hand at first, but then I had a winning streak.’
Kadin laughed. ‘Yes. I think we both ended up pretty satisfied with the results.’
Gatri gave him a funny look. ‘Everyone’s starting to head off now.’
It was far easier walking downhill, back to the Hold. Jevikel dreaded what he might see, but everything looked just the same as it had when they left. Even the reed thatch over the main Hold had survived intact. Nothing looked charred or eaten, which must mean no Thread had got through this time.
Inside the Hold, they helped replace all the furniture, while Lorell made fresh klah and Merida settled the old folk in their usual places. Jevikel was bringing the last few cushions back from his father’s office when Merida stopped him. ‘Have you seen Jemina?’
‘Not since we were at the caves.’
‘Andarla told me she saw her on the way down, but she’s not in the Hold.’
‘Oh?’ He cast his eyes around the room. ‘Maybe she went for a lie down?’
‘I checked the sleeping rooms.’
‘Cheese rooms, then?’
Merida shook her head. ‘She’s not anywhere indoors.’
‘I’ll go and have a look outside, then.’
He went to the ruined barns and the field shelter, but she wasn’t in either place, nor sitting on any of the benches around the edges of the courtyard. Maybe she’d grown tired on the way down and stopped to rest a while? She’d certainly not walked so far for a long time. The thought of retracing his footsteps wasn’t a welcome one, but it needed to be done.
Jevikel’s knee protested as he started uphill again, but he ignored it. Exercise had to be good for it and he needed to be strong again for the trek to the Weyr. Having the chance to be together with Kadin had made him realise how much he’d missed the pleasure they gave each other and how stifling was the way they were forced to live here.
Jemina was nowhere to be seen. He checked each of the caves, even though he didn’t think she would have returned there. It was as he came down the path to the Hold for the second time that he met Vikkel. His father must have been washing the away the foul ash of burnt Thread, as his shirt and arms were wet.
‘Where have you been?’
‘Merida said mother was missing. I went to the caves to see if she was there. She’s not.’
Vikkel shrugged. ‘Maybe you just missed her.’ He led the way into the main Hold.
Merida looked up from serving klah. ‘Any luck?’
‘No.’
‘Don’t worry,’ Vikkel said. ‘She’s hardly set foot outdoors for months. It’ll do her good to get some sunshine. Might even perk her up a bit.’
Lunch was as bland as ever; yesterday’s bread with cheese that wasn’t of a saleable grade and the last of the pickled vegetables from the previous season’s harvest. Jevikel ate slowly, to make it last. Kadin had learned the trick, too. Cheerful chatter circulated around the table; everyone must be relieved there hadn’t been any Thread damage this time. Now and then, Jevikel glanced toward the door, expecting Jemina to walk in. She’d be hungry by now. Breakfast had been scant and hurried, due to having to leave well before the expected Fall. Jemina didn’t return, though; not while folk were enjoying their post-meal klah, or when the plates were gathered up and taken out to be washed.
Merida was clearly concerned. Jevikel noticed her talking quietly with Vikkel. She probably knew the state of Jemina’s health better than anyone. He made his way over. ‘Are we going to carry on looking for mother now?’ he asked.
‘I think we should,’ Merida replied. ‘What if she’s fallen somewhere and hurt herself?’ She directed the last comment to Vikkel.
‘She’s a grown woman, not a child.’
‘And she’s got a bad arm and takes too much fellis,’ Jevikel pointed out. ‘If no one else will, then I’m going to look for her, anyway.’
‘I’ll come with you,’ Merida said.
‘She’ll turn up.’ Vikkel picked up a piece of wizened fruit from the table and bit into it. ‘But seeing as you’re both behaving like a pair of worry wherries, you’d better do what you feel is right.’ He glanced at Jevikel. ‘Not like you can do any proper work yet, is it?’
Merida pursed her lips as if she was trying to stop herself making a comment. ‘Come on,’ she said to Jevikel. ‘So, you checked all the caves?’ she asked as they walked to the door.
‘Yes. Not a sign of her there. Anyway, didn’t someone see her on the way down?’
‘Andarla did.’ Merida sighed. ‘Sometimes I despair over my brother.’
‘He probably figures that half the day’s work’s been wasted on Threadfall and doesn’t want to disrupt the rest.’ Vikkel hadn’t really paid much attention to Jemina in her decline. He’d said often enough that if folk couldn’t work they weren’t much use. She must have taken that to heart. ‘Yesterday, mother said it would be better if she died.’
Merida shook her head. ‘Poor woman. She’s harder on herself than anyone else.’
Jevikel paused outside the Hold. If Jemina had been seen on the main track, but hadn’t got back to the Hold, maybe she’d wandered off down a different path? There was one that led to the orchards and the courting seat, another to the vegetable patch. She might have gone there, thinking to do ‘something useful’. You only needed one hand to pull weeds, after all. He led the way, knee still aching, but not in a bad way. He’d done a lot more walking today than for a while.
Merida obviously noticed. ‘Your knee’s doing well.’
‘I know. Reckon I’ll be fit for “proper work” in another couple of days.’ He smiled wryly.
It was easy to see all the way across the vegetable plot so early in the Turn. The top growth of the tubers had only just got above ground and the orange roots were sprouting their feathery foliage. But Jemina wasn’t there.
They began to retrace their footsteps. ‘You care for Kadin, don’t you?’ Merida said, taking him by surprise.
He stopped in his tracks. Were they really so obvious? Maybe he could bluff it out. ‘I, er, well, he’s my cousin. I’ve a duty to…’
‘You don’t have to pretend to me. I just want him to be happy. I know there are others in the Hold who feel differently.’
‘Like my father. Like most of the people here.’
‘Love’s a precious thing. I loved Kadin’s father very much.’
‘That’s why you ran away with him. I know.’
‘I’d seen what happened when love was denied. When Vikkel wasn’t much older than you are, he fell in love with a girl called Carleen. But his father had other plans and split them up. He forced Carleen to marry away from the Hold, then Vikkel was betrothed to Jemina. Duty came before happiness.’
‘I didn’t know.’
‘No, I doubt he’d ever talk about it. But I saw how it twisted both their lives. Jemina didn’t love him and he didn’t love her. Oh, over the Turns they reached a kind of understanding, but I don’t think either of them have ever really been happy together. That’s why when I fell for Kadarn, I wasn’t going to let the same happen to us. And that’s why I want my lad to be able to love whoever he chooses.’
Jevikel wasn’t sure if he should tell her about their plans, but before he could say anything, she continued.
‘You should get away from here before things turn bad. Lorell told me what happened to her son.’
‘Kadin’s worried about leaving you and the girls behind.’
Merida smiled. ‘It’s a refuge for now, but I don’t intend staying here forever, either. You have to do what you must.’ She put a hand on his shoulder. ‘Please.’
Jevikel nodded, reminded of what Kemi had said. There was really no other choice for them. ‘The dragonriders said they’d come back for us on Search. But they didn’t so I suppose they must have forgotten.’
‘Or they had too much else going on. Is that where you want to go, to the Weyr?’
He nodded.
‘You’ll do well there. They don’t have the same hidebound attitudes as places like this.’
They carried on walking towards the orchards. The first pink flush of blossom was showing on bare branches, a sign that spring was well under way. Jevikel imagined the destruction a single Thread could wreak on the ranks of trees. Thankfully, nothing had got through, due to the dragons. He visualised himself riding a dragon and seeing the flame erupt from its mouth, searing Thread and watching it shrivel, as it had in the barn that day. He stopped himself before those awful memories returned.
‘This has always been my favourite part of Pinnacle.’ Merida stepped carefully down the rocky path that skirted around the edge of the trees towards the courting pool. Jevikel hadn’t been back there since his few walks with Gatri the previous summer. It looked much the same as ever, although far more open without foliage to provide shade. It was only when he looked a second time that he noticed something unusual in the shallows of the pond. Clothes, he thought at first. Why would anyone bother to bring clothes all the way up here to wash? The next instant his mind made sense of the information. Although the fabric had darkened from being immersed, it was the same blue dress Jemina had worn earlier. And Jemina was still wearing it.
He heard Merida gasp as she came to the same conclusion. Jevikel ran, splashing into the water to half-lift, half-pull his mother out onto the shore. Merida helped him lay her on her back. It was obvious she wasn’t breathing and hadn’t been for some time. There was nothing either of them could do.
Merida put an arm around him. For a while, he sat there, stunned. His mother was dead. She’d never been particularly motherly towards him and there had been times he hated her for her unswerving support of Vikkel, but in those moments, he realised she had still meant something to him.
‘We have to tell Vikkel.’ Merida’s voice brought him out of his thoughts. ‘We’ll need some help to bring her back.’
Although Jemina had been slightly built, her dress was heavy with water. Merida was right. With just the two of them, they’d have to drag her, which wouldn’t be respectful, no matter she couldn’t feel it any more. ‘Shall I go?’
‘Save your knee. You stay here. I won’t be long.’ She wrung water from the lower half of her skirts, then set off.
Jevikel looked down at his mother’s body. He wondered what her state of mind had been to drive her to such a desperate act. Yes, she’d felt useless, but he’d never thought she had the kind of personality to give up without a fight. Perhaps she’d just come here for a walk, not intending to kill herself at all, then suddenly, she’d been overwhelmed by everything; losing Kemi, the damage to her arm, the disaster of the first Fall. He remembered what Merida had told him; that Vikkel had loved someone else and both of them had married for duty rather than love. She’d not had a happy life at all. ‘I’m sorry, mother,’ he said, picking up her cold hand. ‘I wish it could have been better for you. But I’m not going to stay here and suffer the same fate. You see, I’m in love with…’ Even though she couldn't hear, his innate caution stopped him from saying the name. ‘We’re going to get away from all of this and be happy together.’
Then, as he heard footsteps and the babble of voices, he gently put her hand back where Merida had placed it and waited for them to arrive.
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Authors are responsible for properly crediting Original Content creator for their creative works.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you.
Dragonriders of Pern series was created by Ann McCaffrey in 1967 and spans 24+ books published by Ballantine Books, Atheneum Books, Bantam Books, and Del Rey Books. Any recognizable content in this story is from Ann McCaffrey, Todd McCaffrey, Gigi McCaffrey or their representatives or inheritors. <br> Original content provided by author of this FanFiction story without monetary compensation. <br>
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