The World of Pern(tm) is copyright to Anne McCaffrey (c) l967. The Dragonriders of Pern(r) is a registered copyright. This is a log of roleplay on PernMUSH, available online by permission of Anne McCaffrey, author of the Pern novels, and recorded by A.S. Korra'ti (piper@murkworks.net), player of Mehlani of Telgar Weyr on PernMUSH. This log may be distributed freely as long as this header remains intact. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Log Date: 4/16/98 Log Cast: (People) Devlin, Sandar, Mehlani (Fire lizards) Vachon, Mehlani's fair, Haggis Log Intro: Mehlani has, as of late, been hoping to make her life rather less complicated where young men are involved. In at least one respect, she's succeeded -- a Turnday present of gloves to green Milleniuth's rider, E'rian, has brought on the unexpected result of the rogueish young gambler's entreaty to her to "take care of his brother." And Mehlani's present to K'star himself -- not to mention her assurances to him that she's not angry at him for his friends' having left him in her cot the night of Leilanth's flight -- have resulted in K'star confessing feelings to her of which Mehlani had previously had only inklings and hints from Kes's cousin Kassi. The knowledge that K'star cares for her has touched the young girl greatly, and stirred up more than a little reciprocal feeling within her... but as it's happened, K'star isn't the only young man who's confessed feelings for her. Apprentice Baker Jorenan has also confessed feelings for her to Mehlani, and the girl has been unable to bear the knowledge that she's wounded the young Baker by being unable to confess feelings past friendship for him. Perhaps it's because of the near-constant presence of brown Vachon tagging along with her fair of fire lizards that shortly after Jorenan's confession, there shows up at Telgar Weyr yet another young man, to whom Mehlani's been able to talk for practically her entire life -- Journeyman Miner Devlin. And never mind that Devlin's started sending her gifts as well -- a pendant, a ring; to Mehlani, Devlin is comfort. Prompted by Devlin's brown as well as her own anxious fair, she stumbles off to find her longtime friend.... ---------- Your location's current time: 17:36 on day 21, month 7, Turn 22, of the Tenth Pass. It is a summer afternoon. You walk past the lintel and into the wide living cavern. Telgar Weyr's Living Cavern(#750RJM$) Contents: Devlin Sandar Pierron Obvious exits: Lower Caverns Kitchen Bowl Devlin brightens, "Jewelry's my subcraft. It takes a bit of practice to get the hang of it." When he spots Mehlani, he smiles, "Hello Sunshine." Devlin looks at you for a moment. Sandar nodnods to Devlin. "I can believe it." To Mehlani, he grins. "Hi, Mehl... Sunshine?" He peers at Devlin's hands, wondering if gift-giving is imminent. Devlin's hands certainly appear to be empty. In the midst of a flurry of fire lizards, led by a rather agitated brown Vachon, Mehlani comes stumbling into the lower caverns. The girl's face is a touch pale and drawn, and her eyes are reddened, as if she's been crying. Most of her fair is wheeling in circles around and above her, save for pale green Arki curled up behind her neck and under her hat, eyes whirling dimly red, as if she's apt to bite anything that comes too near the girl. 'Lani blinks distractedly, looking up through fluttering 'lizard wings, and she croaks out, "Devlin....?" Devlin looks down at himself, "I certainly appear to be." Haggis, so recently asleep on the tabletop, lifts his head at the entrance of so many greens. He trills a greeting to all the lasses. "How've you been?" To Sandar he says, "If you'd like, I could arrange a tour for you." Sandar gives the Journeyman Miner a polite bow as he turns to go. Then, pauses. "A tour? Really? I'd like that," he grins. Devlin says "Just let me know. We can do it whenever is good for you." Sandar nods enthusiastically. "That sounds like fun. Thanks for the offer!" Of 'Lani's greens, Rianet seems most interested in trying to console the ragged-looking girl; Elsi and Wili, however, happily perch not far away from Haggis, peering at him curiously. Arki just looks straight at Haggis and opens her beak in a menacing hiss, while Mehlani scrubs the back of her hand across her eyes, trying to compose herself. The rest of her fair vies for perching places nearest her; none of them try to perch _on_ her, perhaps due to the lurking green behind 'Lani's neck. Sandar heads off, giving Mehlani a hasty wave as he goes, making sure that the wave does not get anywhere near the vicinity of Arki. Sandar walks towards the inner cavern. Sandar has left. Devlin holds a hand out towards Mehlani, offering her a seat, "What's wrong, sunshine?" Haggis, true to his nature, trills again for the greens, a welcoming and sweet sound. Vachon, for his part, settles down on the table away from Haggis and watches Mehlani with eyes that whirl with the colors of concern. 'Lani blinks a few times at the young Miner, and then shakily collapses into the offered chair, while her fair descends on the nearby table. Multiple pairs of whirling eyes look back and forth between the girl and her longtime friend, while Mehlani drops her face into her hands and mumbles mournfully, "Oh, Devlin...." Devlin, wary of the hidden green, squeezes Mehlani's arm lightly, "You can tell me, you know." "It's just... it's just not _fair_, J-Jorenan has been such a good friend to me, a-and now I've _hurt_ him," the lass gasps out. "I didn't _mean_ to...! I didn't!" Devlin tilts his head, "Hush... I'm sure you didn't mean to. How did it happen?" He strokes a hand soothingly along the 'Lani's arm. Mehlani hadn't been crying when she came in, but now, with Devlin and her whole fair trying to soothe her, she begins to weep anew. "H-he told me that... that... h-he likes me, and... w-w-when I couldn't tell him... I... when I couldn't tell him... he looked so _hurt_....!" Devlin draws 'Lani in, after a firm look is sent to the hidden green, and goes shhhhhh softly. "It'll all work out, hon. Honest. You can't make yourself feel somethin that you don't..." Arki does hiss, flittering agitatedly beneath the back of 'Lani's hat brim. As 'Lani is pulled into Dev's arms, the pale green erupts out from her hiding place, hanging pale and wrathful in the air, and scattering several of Mehlani's other 'lizards who apparently have learned to stay far, far away from Arki when she is angry. Munki, Brodi, Elsi, and Wili flee *between*, and after a moment, so does Arki, leaving Holl and Enri and Rianet to croon tinily to the upset young woman. "Didn't want to _hurt_ him," Mehlani repeats miserably, sobbing into Devlin's shoulder. Devlin touches a fingertip to Mehlani's chin, urging her to look up, "I know you didn't. He knows you didn't too, I'm willing to bet. It /will/ all work out, 'Lani. Trust me." The girl does look up, her eyes full of tears, though the lifting of her chin makes her cry all the harder. "Wh-what am I going to _do_....?" Devlin wipes away tears gently, "Shh. First, you're going to stop the tears." He gives a small smile, "Anyone who carries my mother's pin will have to be able to pull herself together, yes?" A handkerchief appears to aid in the tear-wiping process. "Second, you're going to take several deep breaths. You didn't actually do anything /wrong/ 'Lani." Daintily sniffling under the handkerchief's ministrations, Mehlani blinks wetly several times at her friend, and obediently draws in a few shaking breaths as he's advised. "But... but I..." Devlin tsks, "Just breathe." Devlin says "Jorenan said that he liked you, yes?" Mehlani sniffles again, pulls in a deeper breath, and nods dejectedly. Devlin says "And you told him that you were very flattered?" "I... he... he asked.... h-how I feel about him... and... I told him... of... all the people I've met at Telgar Weyr, he's b-been so kind to me... and it m-means so much..." 'Lani is shaking, and still crying, though less vehemently now. Devlin taps 'Lani's nose lightly, "Did he get mad at you? Yell? Throw things?" Mehlani mutely shakes her head. Devlin tilts his head, "Threaten to throw himself off the starstones? Swore to never speak to you again? Exclaimed that he was going to move someplace else and become a herder in the remote hills?" Once more, 'Lani shakes her head, her face still vivid with misery. Devlin says "So... he's still your friend, and he's still around and he'll still speak to you?" "He...." Mehlani swallows hard, and sounds as if she's trying to speak around a lump in her throat as she whispers, "He... s-said that he... it's... he's my friend, but..." Devlin shakes his head, "'Lani, dear. It will change. If you don't return his feelings, eventually his feelings will fade. /Trust/ me. I've been in the same position. He's always going to be your friend though, and that's the important thing, isn't it?" To that, the lass manages a nod, and a faint spark of surprise shows in her eyes. "Y-you've.... liked someone before? Devlin's normal smile takes on a rueful look, "I have, yes. She... liked someone else more." 'Lani's mouth forms a silent 'oh', and her features quiver; apparently, she's rather unsure how to digest this information. Finally, shaken, eyes still damp, she vocalizes that same 'oh', soft and wan. "We're still friends," continues Devlin, "And you and Jorenan will be too. Just... don't avoid him, but don't push if he seems uncomfortable, okay? And there's no reason to cry. You've done nothing wrong. He's done nothing wrong." Mehlani seems to strive to take all this in, too, and she nods morosely, murmuring only in weak protest, "I don't w-want him to be hurt." Devlin nods, "I know you don't, dear. He knows it too. But you can't help what's already happened and crying doesn't do anything but make you sick." Mehlani sniffles, hard, and shakily nods beneath her hat. Devlin grins slightly, "So, let me see that smile that's gotten you dubbed 'Sunshine'." He gives her a mock-stern expression. Mehlani peeks up at Devlin, blue eyes to blue, and can manage only a momentary upward curling of each end of her mouth. Devlin taps 'Lani's chin, "That's the spirit. It will pass, love. Honestly it will. And you'll both still be friends and everything will, in the end, most likely work out for the best." There's a few croonings from Holl and Enri, the bronze's voice liquid, the blue's a surprisingly deep counterpoint. 'Lani glances sidelong at those of her fair who remain on hand, and then smiles again at Devlin, weakly, but slightly longer this time. Devlin gives Mehlani a light squeeze. "That's better." Vachon adds his own croon to those of the others, pleased that Mehlani looks happier. "I-I'ved missed you," Mehlani mumbles to the black-haired young man. Devlin grins, "I've missed you too, Sunshine. I'm sorry that I don't get to stop by here more often." "It's alright," Mehlani murmurs promptly. Her voice is still far too hoarse, but she says that readily enough. She's got one hand fidgeting with her necklace of the day -- the pendant L'mis had given her for her fifteenth Turnday -- but on one finger, she's also sporting the ring Devlin had sent her. Devlin grins, "Did you like the ring, then?" He asks this as he spots the bit of jewelry. Mehlani sniffles a little, manages another smile, and nods. Devlin winks, "I'm glad. I worked hard on that." Mehlani murmurs, "You make lovely things....!" Devlin gives a quiet laugh. "I have to. It's how I get to soar." Holl, by now, has come up fluttering to claim one of 'Lani's shoulders, insistent on getting in his share of comforting the girl. Rianet claims one of 'Lani's elbows, and the lass giggles a little as the two converge on her. Devlin smiles at the sound of Mehlani's giggles. "Feeling better now?" "Some," she admits, huskily. 'Lani manages to meet Devlin's gaze again, as she moves her hands to start petting her two worried fire lizards. This coaxes Enri to join the other two, and thus, Mehlani's hands become rather busy. Devlin nods, "Good. I need to go meet with the Weyrminer, but how about meeting up with me later for dessert?" Mehlani breathes, "Alright..." Devlin grins. "I'll look forward to it." That said, he rises, and Haggis hops up to his shoulder. Vachon busies himself with the other 'lizards in trying to comfort 'Lani. Devlin turns and heads deeper into the weyr, whistling jauntily as he goes. Devlin walks towards the inner cavern. Devlin has left. [End log.]