"HALKARIE!!!" The yell echos out from a tool shed attached to the cothold as Halkarie rounds it, leaving behind Keelie and Gruffith in the small clearing before the small hold itself. A blond girl with only one arm drops the bucket she'd been so carefully holding and flings herself towards the large man. "You came! I knew you would! Everyone is going to be SO HAPPY you're back! Oh, um…" Sudden excitement breaks as Brittany has the shame to look abashed to dig her toe into the soft loam underfoot, stopping just short of the large man. "I, um, didn't tell them I was sending you a letter. THEY said that I shouldn't, because you were doing your job and you shouldn't worry about us. But Aly got real sick and I was really scared. She got better, but… what if she gets sick again? So I was hoping you'd bring more of that medicine you brought last time because it really helped, but I didn't know how to spell it and I couldn't ask Gesra because she would have been upset…" A beat or two as a red blush crosses her cheeks, "Welcome home Hal."

He could insert words here, but instead Halkarie will just pull the one-armed girl against him and hug her tightly, relief at her words mingling with a pull of guilt in his stomach. He hadn't been here when they needed him. Finally, "They out in field? Aly? Gesra? Menal?" Halkarie asks the girl in his arms and she nods, breaking out of his hug and grabbing his hand into her own,

"We planted a whole new field while you were gone, because Menal figured out how to divert part of the river finally. I'll show you!" That bucket gets left behind as Brittany takes Halkarie's hand in hers and leads the way down towards the river and the small set of fields beyond it.

As they approach one field three figures straighten up from their work. One looks almost like a mirror image of Brittany, except with two full arms. The others, a man and woman, wear their age like badges of honor. Tanned wrinkles tell of a life of hard labor, and their shoulders show utmost determination to face life, no matter what. They converge upon chattering Brittany and quiet Halkarie at the edge of the field.

"We didn't expect you back for a few more months Hal." Aly, Brittany's twin gives him a quick hug before rolling her eyes and peeling her sister off of Halkarie. There's no hugs from the two elderly individuals, they just hold onto their implements. Menal's eyes have already spotted the white knot on Halkarie's shoulder. Rather than wait for Halkarie to speak, he'll just cut straight to the chase.

"You got searched, didn't you?" There's no recrimination in his voice, just calm acceptance. "And you're wondering if you shouldn't because of us, aren't you?"

"HALKAIRE?!" Brittany's voice breaks in as her jaw drops. "You're going to be a dragon rider?!"

"Britttt." Aly, clearly the responsible twin, reaches up and covers her sister's mouth before looking back at Halkarie. "Is it true?" She has the same cadence of tone as her sister, but obviously more control over what spills out of it.

Halkarie nods, head hanging lower, as a sheen of red spreads across his face. Embarrassed that he is so transparent to these people who know him the best, and because Menal cut straight to the heart of the problem.

"Ges, why don't you go take the girls? I think Halkarie and I need to talk." His voice is firm, the unequivocal patriarch of this small holding. CLEARLY, Brittany (and even Aly), don't like this, but with equal parts annoyance and control Gesra steers the twins away from Halkarie and Menal.

For his part, Menal and Halkaire walk the other direction, towards the shade offered by the nearby jungle. Rocks make for convenient seating and the two settle themselves, Menal leaning his shovel against his knee. Clearly, he expects to go back to work after this little talk is done.

"Tell me what you're thinking boy." His dark grey eyes fix themselves on Halkarie, and he waits. He's known the large man long enough to know it sometimes takes him some time to gather up his thoughts and put them out.

Halkarie sits on his rock, one leg drawn up and an elbow propped up on that leg. "I promised to provide for you, Gesra. Aly, Brit. Work at the weyr and send what you couldn't make. Bring back a wife. Make the holding proper." His eyes fix on the jungle beyond and it's verdant green. "If I impress… can't promise that for a good while. Can't promise to be back. Brit says Aly got sick again." He raises his eyes upwards to fix them on Menal, challenging him to deny what he'd just said. "What if I can't help?"

It's a deep question, and Menal doesn't cheapen it by answering right away. He meets Halkarie's ernst gaze before a sad smile slips onto his lips. "Aye, Aly got sick again. That damn cough she can't quite shake. Scares Brit to death every time, she's so determined Aly'll die this time."

Halkarie's expression falls, as Menal's words seem to strike right at the core of what he's been feeling. "I shouldn't,"

"Shut up for once," HA, "and listen." Menal breaks into Halkarie's attempt to speak, reaching out a time-worn hand and resting it on Halkarie's wide shoulder. "You've been caring for Brit and Aly ever since you found them, aye? And Ges and I since we came down here to Southern and built this place. I ain't never seen you take anything for yourself, even if it hurt you. We didn't just ask you to go to the weyr so you'd take care of us even more. Boy," His tone gentles, "you ain't never figured out who you are. Seems like this is a chance for you, and you see it, don't you? Else you wouldn't be wearing that knot and lookin' so worried."

Halkarie nods slowly, mind filtering through what the old man has said. He'd just put into words what Halkarie'd been trying to piece together ever since Brit's letter had arrived. But wasn't it selfish? Wanting to do this thing? What if something happened, and he couldn't help? His gaze moves away to look towards where the three women work. "Hal." Menal draws the large man's attention back to him, "Gesra and I can take care of them. If Aly gets real bad again, well… we can put up a flag or somethin'. See if we can flag down a search rider. Sides." He draws himself up using the handle of the shovel as a lever, "Gesra and I have got more years than all three of you combined. What kind of holders would we be if we couldn't take care of two girls? Aye?" Reaching out a hand he'll take Halkarie's in a firm no-nonsense handshake. "You get yourself back to that weyr, do what you have to do."

It's as good as good-bye as Halkarie will get as the old man turns and walks his way back into the fields. "Girls, say goodby quick, Hal has to get himself back to the weyr."

More hugs from the twins, a promise extracted to TELL THEM EVERYTHING, and Halkarie trudges back to the cothold, where Keelie and Gruffith are waiting. Worry still gnaws at his heart, but Menal's words work their way in and settle firmly. It was okay. Hopefully, if his eyes are a little wet, Keelie and Gruffith won't notice, or will accept his quiet claim of, "Dirt," as reason enough for the moisture.