Logs

Introduction

Alright, this is the only way /I/ know of doing it. If you have a better way to post logs to a Wiki, please tell Q'luin!

Right now to post a log you simply need to hit the edit at the bottom of this page and add the following information:

[[ tab TabName ]]
Small blurb about log text.
[[ include logpagename ]]
[[ /tab]]

Then create a page by using the box at the bottom right of this page using the 'logpagename' and throw up your log there. I'm throwing up an example log, and you can follow along with that.

You can also just post links to your Live Journal post, which I will do as well to give an example.

Candidate Mayhem

The candidates and others get into some trouble in The Klah Pot.

The Klah Pot
Just off the Lower Caverns, the Klah Pot opens past thick curtains hanging over the doorway, effectively blocking out some of the clamor of the more trafficked areas of the Weyr but not shutting them out entirely. Within this large area there are cushy chairs and other padded, comfortable seating are arranged in semicircles, to allow for ease of sitting and chatting among friends. Tables ringed by wooden chairs are also present for the occasional guest who does not wish to sink into something softer, and these are nearer the bar, where drinks can be served upon request to thirsty dragonriders and weyrfolk alike. The Klah Pot has traditionally seved only non alcoholic drinks ever since 'the incident' but there are skins of various juices along the wall, pots over a small hearth behind the bar keep klah hot as well as water for teas and such. The little sign appearing near the counter, No alcohol of any kind! Violators shall be fed to Niliath! is probably in jest only partly. The stone walls have been painted a warm tone of orange, the Weyr's color, and to match, pillows and blankets folded and thrown over each stuffed chair match this color and are trimmed in gold, the dim lighting of this room making it gleam like a proddy queen. A cozy room with a relaxed atmosphere, welcoming to any so long as they aren't bringing questionable drinks in. Upraised in one corner is the small stage meant to hold three people at absolute most though only then with smaller instruments.

"Ok!" Tia's far too amendable to the idea, really. She doesn't get to show off the tattoo very often to start with due to it's… positioning. And when you add a good dose of alcohol into the mix, she's quite ready to stand up and expose herself. Yep. "Oh sure, join in the fun! Game of dice… winner picks someone for truth or dare.. and the person who's picked decides if they want a question or a dare and… yeah, that's how it goes." At least she's not slurring? Unbuttoned and unzipped, she tugs the side of her wherhide pants down to show the gathered candidates her hip - the one that has a tattoo of a partial runnerbeast on it.

OOC: Tiarla says "Can be seen as follows: http://pics.livejournal.com/qiluin/pic/0001735e"

Carolyna blinks. "Tattoo? That sounds interesting," is stated as the candie takes a seat at the table, after aquiring herself some klah. "Yes, Tia, you absoloutly have to show us this tattoo that Rhikiad gave you, if it's any good I may go pay the lad a visit myself," is stated with a wicked smile, oh dear… the gears are turning. "C'mon, Sana, you have to join us, it'll be fun. "Oh, that's wonderful, Tia, I am definately going to be talking to Rhikiad…."

It's a flowing languid stroll that carries the dusky rider into the 'Pot'; easy pace lacing with easy mood. As if hit by an invisible wall, Q'luin comes to a stride-breaking halt as he sees what he perceives as Tiarla stripping. Cough. Headshake. Blink. Stunned motionless, the lithe man just stands there and appreciatively stares, head cocking to the side to attain a different viewpoint of the artwork.

OOC: Tiarla says "Whomever wants to participate in the next round - just roll the dice after Tig's next pose and we'll work the winner/loser into the next round of poses. "

Tiago is not to be undone as the scrutiny is made of his cousin, rolling up his own shirt sleeve and exposing his arm. "I got one from Rhikiad as well, though I suggest you girls get numbweed before he starts." There is a wry grin on the guard's face to suggest that he didn't do so. "Ok, next round. Anyone want drinks in the mean time?" Yes, he'll be doling them out from the bar himself this time.

OOC: Tiago says "Here's mine: http://pics.livejournal.com/wolf_fight/pic/0000wcq5"

Tiarla rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Intense Brown …&… Hideous Red Star
Carolyna rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Spectacular Bronze …&… Intense Gold
Tiago rolls Dice. They roll off of his fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Intense Green …&… Brilliant Blue
Mika rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Intense Blue …&… Intense Bronze
Theresana rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Intense Brown …&… Spectacular Gold
Q'luin rolls Dice. They roll off his fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Beautiful Green …&… Brilliant Green

Mika scoots a little further back as the group playing grows much larger, though she doesn't quite tense up again, which is a good sign for the moment. She frowns at her roll, not the best roll, but certainly not a bad one! She watches the other as they roll to see who might best her… and who might wind up bottom of the pile, there was pleanty of room on either end.

Theresana looks dubious at Caro's suggestion, but warily moves over to the dice-rolling candidate group, sits down, and rolls said die. She blinks at the mention of 'you girls' getting tattoos, and looks around Who's getting a tattoo? She shakes her head at the drinks comment though, and holds up her own, /pure/ fruit juice glass. She's good.

"Numbweed. Yes." Tiarla agrees, picking up the dice and throwing them at the table again before she thinks to do up her pants again. "More juice. Please?" She's not glassy-eyed yet, so she can probably handle more. "Oh shardit. That roll just plain sucks." She looks up accusingly, and then spots Q'luin. Ah-ha! He must be why she rolled horribly twice in a row. "Dare." she decides aloud, as soon as she sees a red star. "Since obviously I lose. Again." Hrmph. "You gonna join us, Q'luin? Maybe you'll get to see the tattoo again." the girl jokes, obviously not /quite/ herself.

Carolyna rolls the dice and blinks at the outcome. "I suppose I win," she notes, before turning her attention on Sana. "Sana, dear smith. Truth, or dare…" does she sound like she's about to cause some trouble? Good, she just might.

Tiago had a rather safe roll, but it wasn't good enough to win. He got up and went to fetch the drinks, waving to those just coming in. "Come and sit! It's a big table, Truth or Dare night!" he calls out in quick explanation. As he's not a victim this time, he returns with a full tray of drinks. "It's chilled fruit juice." he claims as he starts handing out mugs willy nilly, whether or not the recipient had an empty glass already or not.

Oh, so it's a fashion show. Q'luin is only happy to oblige, and once beside Tiarla tugs off his shirt, tossing it at Tiago. Turning, the sinewy back burns with the Igen sun painted upon darkened caramel skin direct center. "Red is a damn fine artist, and he's got fantastic hands." The grin that is displayed is pure wicked evil when the sleek man turns back. "Can I play?" Without asking, the dice is snagged and tossed, and a chair is sought. Shirt? Forgotten - Q'luin is already well on his way into the bottle tonight.

Theresana /pales/ as she's picked. She shoulda guessed, though. She sips again, and due to her inatentiveness, from one of the newly-handed-out drinks, before gulping, and quietly decideing, "Truth."

"And I don't?" Tia inquires, referring to Rhik's hands of course when Q'luin makes the statement. Not that many people will catch on to quite what she means. But when the rider snags himself a seat, she snags herself a new one. It happens to be his lap. Ok. Maybe she's already had a bit too much from that first glass of juice. But she's already on to her second one, and happily so.

Mika bobs her head at Tiago as she takes the drink without so much as a hint of suspicion. "Thank you," She murmurs to the man, her drink had been pretty much empty anyway so the replacement is very welcome. She spies Q'luin and scoots a little closer to the more 'comfortable' members of the group, though she doesn't say no.

Carolyna doesn't take long in finishing her mug of klah, and soon picks up the offered juice. "Perfect temperature for the Istan heat, Tiago," is stated with a simple smile as she keeps the mug in her hands and turns her head to keep a careful eye on Theresana before her attention is drawn to Quill's tattoo. "Definately going to be talking to Rhiki…" oh yah, she'll be all inked up before the hatching, no doubt. "Alright Sana, truth you say? Well than… Sana, what colour do you think you'll Impress?" boring, yes, tame, yes, but she's just getting into the swing of things.

Emilia moseys in, officially off duty from whatever duty she was on which she still really doesn't understand anyways. She'll assume she was included in that Tiago sweeping gesture and scurries to take a seat. "Truth or Dare?" This gets queried to the general populace, "as in lie your way out of it or… uh huh." That becomes very apparent very quickly. She peers at the assemblage and hastily grabs a juice.

Ah, a lap warmer. Tia's new seat wraps itself about her for a moment before leaning around to peer at the table. "I can see my luck hasn't changed any." The hands? "Beautiful hands. Beautiful hands," but sorry, there's just something about Rhikiad's that makes him shiver, even now. Q'luin-the-seat vibrates faintly. "Do I get a juice, Bruiser?" Emilia's presence is noted, "Hey, Curly!" The rider is obviously not in the usual temperamental state.

Theresana looks up, eyes slightly wide, and shrugs, "Um… I don't know. Whichever color the one that decides it like me, I suppose." She sips her drink, again, and looks around.

Q'luin rolls Dice. They roll off of his fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Hideous Red Star …&… Dazzling Green

Tiarla rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Dazzling Gold …&… Brilliant Green

Carolyna rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Beautiful Green …&… Spectacular Gold

Emilia roll Dice. They roll off your fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Brilliant Brown …&… Beautiful Blue

Mika rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Beautiful Green …&… Beautiful Blue

Theresana rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Baleful Red Eye …&… Baleful Red Eye

Tiago rolls Dice. They roll off of his fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Dazzling Brown …&… Spectacular Brown

Tiago resumed his own seat just in time to catch Q'luin's thrown shirt before it hits him in the face. The motion bumps a few glasses so the guard just smirks as he uses the garment to mop up the spill. Fruit juice can be very staining, but luckily the rider wears a lot of black. "Such safe questions." he tsks before downing his own drink and then nearly spits it up when he sees Tiarla sit down in the rider's lap. Well, looks like the drink loosened her up /a lot/. "Yeah, sure." he mutters before sliding an unclaimed glass towards Q'luin. Noticing the shy Mika shifting away, he puts the back of his arm protectively over the back of the girl's chair. Don't worry, Tig's not a bad guy. Technically.

Carolyna eyes Sana. "That was such a cop out answer, Sana," she states, frowning before taking a large sip of her juice. "Hmm, this is good stuff, Tiago, better than the usual stuff," is stated, simply.

Tiarla just snorts at Q'luin, before downing another half of her glass and setting it back on the table before it slips through her hands. "Great juice. What kind is it again?" she wonders, her eyes narrowing at it a bit before she blinks at Tiago innocently. "Mika, you win the roll." she slurs helpfully, leaning back against her new chair.

Mika blinks as it seems rather surprised as her roll seems to be the highest… though it may be a dogfight for who had the /worst/ roll, until she sees Theresana's. She glances at Tiago when he puts an arm around her chair and gives him a tentative smile. "I guess I do…" She responds to Tiarla then looks from Q'luin to Theresana and then keeps her gaze at Theresana, It doesn't /look/ like anyone's calling out for her to be kicked out so she asks, "Truth or Dare?"

Theresana asks, "But how am I sposed to know? I don't even know what's in the eggs!" She sips again, and again, and nods, "It /does/ taste slightly… different." She rolls, and looks at her dice. She bites her lip, "So, am I out, then?" But then she'd asked, again, and responds, "Erm… Dare?" Since she'd rather not be called a 'copout' again. But… "Or, actually, Truth."

Emilia shifts to the end of her seat and lifts an eyebrow at the dice. She'll wait quietly and drink while she catches the rules of the game. A generally bright smile is directed towards everyone but a bounce for Mika. "Ooh, you won!" She has no idea what, so she drinks some more.

Carolyna chuckles. "Oh, Sana, apparently we're out to get you tonight," is given with a grin and a shake of her head before she takes another sip of the rather tastey and delicious juice type stuff.

The mussed shirt is gawked at only briefly - good thing we got candidates to do the laundry, and yea, it's always black. Not knowing the juice is already spiked, Q'luin undoes his ever-ready-flask and tips it into the juice, caps it, and stashes it again with a little wiggle beneath Tiarla in doing so. The drink is waved around to the group, "To the eggs, and the dragons who shat them out." He takes a drink, black eyes widening with surprise. "Juice has a - bite," the rider says, voice hoarse.

Tiago does that protective thing everywhere he goes, even when he's pulling a fast one on all these unsuspecting girls. Q'luin'll recognize the taste no doubt, but all Tig says when his cousin asks, is an innocent "Oh it's a blend of different juices." Which were fermented till it got a good kick. "Mika won! That's great." And there he goes, beaming that smile at her while he listens to her asking the same poor victim.

Carolyna eyes and shakes her head. "No, Sana, you can't change. You said Dare first, so it's a dare," aye, now we get to see that arguementative Bitran side of her.

Theresana glares at Caro, first the lake, now this… "/NO/, really, Caro, I hadn't /noticed/, no, I hadn't noticed at /all/." Sarcasm. Alcohol's already taking effect, then. "And why can't I change it? Mika's turn, Mika's choice."

What sounds suspiciously like a gigglesnort from Tiarla is cut off by her choking on the next gulp of juice she takes. "Are you sure about that, Tig?" She holds up the glass to peer at it suspiciously, but then… just.. grins. And when she turns her head slightly it's to whisper something at Q'luin before she tries to pay attention to the truthing or daring that's going on and whether people have decided who is doing what yet.

Mika takes a long drink and ponders, noticing the different taste but they're always mixing up /something/ new by combining fruitjuices here so she really doesn't take note of it. "Ok… Then your question…" Mika stalls while she thinks of something, saying it very slowly, then glances at Caro, "She can't, but she said…" Mika shakes herself and looks at Theresana. "Truth: Of all the candidates, including yourself, which combination, color and candidate, scares you the most when you think of them impressing." Her voice grows in firmness as the alcohol takes hold little by little. Others get silly and argumentative, she forgets to be beaten down.

Carolyna sips more juice, her mug now half empty, as she turns her attention to Sana. "I like tha' question, way better'n mine," is stated in a simple tone with a crooked grin.

Theresana bites her lip, "Erm… I don't know. She looks around at her fellow candidates, than shrugs, looks back to Mika, and says with a glint of humor in her eye but none in her voice, "Rhikiad on gold?"

Q'luin is watching all of this through mild eyes, hand dropping from drink to Tiarla's shadowy lap. Dark eyes meet the broody guard's and roll with condescension at the route the game is taking. Emilia is peeked, and with the other hand the flask is handed toward her. "Freshin' yourself, Curly."

Tiago rolls Dice. They roll off of his fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Intense Bronze …&… Baleful Red Eye

Carolyna rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Spectacular Brown …&… Dazzling Bronze

Tiarla rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Spectacular Blue …&… Hideous Red Star

Emilia roll Dice. They roll off your fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Intense Blue …&… Beautiful Bronze

Mika rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Hideous Red Star …&… Dazzling Gold

Q'luin rolls Dice. They roll off of his fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Brilliant Green …&… Intense Green

Theresana rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Intense Bronze …&… Baleful Red Eye

Emilia just eyes everyone with a mildly bemused expression and settles back, sipping more rapidly then she does of the juice in the Living Cavern. She'll wrinkle her nose at Thersana's answer and flip her head sideways, arm reaching out to take the flask from Q'luin and liberally spike her juice. A mild nod back with a more perky, "Thank you!" The flask is handed towards Tiago.

Carolyna nose-wrinkles and brow furrows at Sana's answer before shrugging her shoulders and rolling an awful roll. "Well, that was a bad lot of rolls, wasn't it, a brown and bronze should never win," is stated with a smirk as she looks around the table. "Tiarla, truth or dare?" she questions with a quirk of her brow.

Tiago scoops up the dice as the round was finished, sending them rolling again. He stares at the results and frowns as the dice are passed around the table. "Hmm, I think I lost again!" He just shakes his head, sipping at his 'juice' and smiles innocently still at Tiarla. "Really, it's just juice." Specially brewed juice of course. A flask is passed to him and he eyes it for a moment, masking his alarm and uncaps it anyway, but he is very careful not to pour too much into his glass. Then the flask is passed back around the table.

Oh hey! There's Emilia. Tiarla waggles her fingers in the woman's direction and then giggles a bit, before replying to Caro. "Dare." None of this truth crap! She settles back into her Q'luin-chair quite comfortably again and smiles in a bit of a smug manner.

Carolyna offers a crooked grin. "That's what I'd hoped you'd say," is stated with a mischevious glint in her eyes. "Tiarla, I dare you to kiss somebody at this table. I don't care, and none of this crap 'kiss on the cheek' stuff, nu uh, s'gotta be the real deal."

Theresana settles back in her chair after rolling, she's safe this round! And truth is much safer, or so Sana /had/ thought. She sips again at her spiked drink, having it almost half finished, and watches Tiarla for her responce.

Tia considers this. I mean, she is already sprawled on Q'luin's lap so he's the obvious choice. But, no. Noooooo no no. That's just too easy! So instead, she winks at the bronzerider and then stands up and eyes the room critically. "I have to kiss someone." is murmured, and she eyes the person her dared her. "Alright then!" Blame Tiago for spiking her drink and giving her two of them. But she reaches for Carolyna to lay one on her. No kiss on the cheek, either!

Mika looks a little surprised at how this is turning out and edges again, this time towards Tiago. He's been the supportive one so far so he gets stuck with the 'safe' image in her mind. She watches Tiarla for the moment, and her eyes widen in a bit of surprise as Tiarla chooses to kiss /Carolyna/… not becuase she did, mostly because at least Carolyna, and she thinks Tiarla are hold or craft bred and she didn't think they did such things there.

Tiago listens to the dare and just rolls his eyes. "Awh that's not such a difficult dare." Not when the girl is already sitting in Q'luin's lap. Honestly, she bore him a set of twins as it is, how is a kiss any worse? But then his eyes nearly glaze in surprise as he watches his cousin plant one on the smith girl instead. "Wow." Just how much alcohol did he stick in her glass!?

Emilia wiggles fingers back at Tiarla too and then sips her juice. She is now completely lost and pushes hair from her eyes and back across her head, then peers into her glass. Why is this making her forehead sweat? "Boll Minor's worth at least two points," she offers blinking up at Amarik who actually apparently isn't. "Ooops. Er nevermind. They look alot alike." And moreso apparently when you're tipsy.

Marryn pauses in the doorway to glance over the busy room a moment. Surprise lifts dark brows a tad as the number of late-night visitors is noted. And here he thought a quiet tour on his own would have to suffice. Jackpot! Travel jacket is quickly discarded and a passing server flagged down to wet his dry throat after a long runner ride to the weyr. Since one large knot seems to be engaged in a particular game he edges in that direction, curiosity peeked.

Carolyna blinks as she watches Tia stand… and… wait?! Where is she going? Oh dear. Caro sits perfectly stalk still. One would think that Caro would push Tia away, like the good little smith/candidate that she is, but she did dare Tiarla, after all, it wouldn't be right for her to push away, thus she shall behave, if not fairly blush at this.

Carolyna rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Intense Brown …&… Beautiful Green

Tiarla rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Brilliant Blue …&… Beautiful Blue

Tiago rolls Dice. They roll off of his fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Beautiful Blue …&… Baleful Red Eye

Theresana rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Intense Brown …&… Brilliant Blue

Emilia roll Dice. They roll off your fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Dazzling Brown …&… Spectacular Brown

Mika rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Spectacular Gold …&… Dazzling Brown

Q'luin kicks out and gives a hearty 'hoot'! The grin is oh so uncharacteristic, and as broad as they come as he watches Tiarla accost Carolyna. The jerking laughter continues long after the kiss, and wicked glee gleams in the lithe man's eyes. When Tiarla ends up back in his lap, the rider is more than welcoming, pulling her aggressively down into his eager embrace.

Q'luin rolls Dice. They roll off of his fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Brilliant Bronze …&… Spectacular Blue

Marjani has made her way into the Lower Caverns after a day of helping one of the posted Smiths with some project or another. It can't have been that easy, as even now her face is beaded with sweat and various parts of her body either lightly scraped or dirty in some way. She stops short of approaching the large gathering of people, raising her eyebrows in an inquisitive manner and setting her hands on her hips to observe exactly what is going on with the dice and the— the kissing of ranking members of her Craft? Her reply is an amused snort and to move a bit closer to the group.

Tiago stares down at his roll and sighs, his luck is terrible tonight. "I think Mika's got this round." he murmurs, grinning at the girl beside him. "Anyone's drinks running low? I'll get more!" Such a nice offer from him isn't it? Looking at the entranceway, he notes more folk and waves them over. "Come play, it's Truth or Dare. Let me get you a drink!" he offers to them both, then does a double take. "Lord Marryn? Welcome to Ista." he chuckles, not having seen the man for close to a Turn now.

Carolyna raises a hand, face still a rather lovely shade of red. "I could certainly use s'more, Tiago," she states as she drowns her mug. She's all set to be totally drunk, after that dare.

Theresana blinks at the kiss, than blinks again, and settles back into her chair, wriggling slightly, and leaning forwards only to roll. When she sees that she lost, again, she sits back again, and is content to watch and sip her tainted juice, although she does give a respectful nod to Marryn.

Mika bites her lower lip and considers for several moments, even /with/ the drink she's not relay sure what to do next, so she turns to Tiago. Maybe she meant to ask for advice but instead out comes, "Truth or Dare?" Someone's either getting bolder or just has less of a filter between her brain and mouth.

Tia's rather surprised at herself as well, yes. But her expression is something close to smug when she's pulled back down onto Qi's lap, his laughter setting her off into a fit of giggles. One that ends when the call for another round of drinks is called for. And she kind of nudges her glass his way. Not that she needs anymore, certainly. That's quite obvious! And she grabs for one of Q'luin's hands (probably so that she can keep track of it) ostensibly to keep her balance as she tries to sit upright again.

The arm that was laid across the back of Mika's chair is slid down over her shoulders, giving her a brief squeeze before Tiago leans in against her and says just loudly enough for all at the table to hear, "Dare." A low chuckle follows before he lets her go and gets to fetch the next round of spiked drinks, setting them down in the middle of the table for anyone to take. "So what will it be, Mika?"

Marryn watches the dice fall from over several shoulders, nodding on cue when the roll is especially good. Lean fingers tap his forearm as he stands with arms lightly crossed, itching to scratch his infernal love of gaming. The last time he engaged in this particular game, however, he lost a sizable trading deal to Taini, so the inner battle to err on the side of caution wins out so far. Tiago comes to his rescue with a timely welcome, to which he nods and bestows a wide smile on the man. "Still getting yourself into trouble, I see," he teases.

Marjani flushes when she realizes that she's not very far from a Lord Holder… and then tries to move subtly sideways while brushing some of the dirt off -and at the same time she nods assent to Tiago. So she looks something like a shuffling crab -and in that space of time drinks are brought. With a resigned sigh at breaching the outskirts of the group(and thus making her presence even more obvious), Marjani leans between two chairs to obtain a glass. And then she steps back, holding the juice. Her eyebrows furrow as she raises the glass to her lips, but whatever concerned her, she takes a long swig, smiles wryly, and … hovers.

Lord? At first that elicits a sneer from the caramelized shirtless bronzerider, but when Marryn is spied, as is his knot, Q'luin loosens up into a friendly enough greeting. "Ista Weyr's duties, Lord Boll." Better than Lord Ista, for sure. The flask is found, and held out invitingly to the other man, "We could use some more males in this game, apparently there aren't enough so they've taken to clamping onto one another instead." It's a mild tease for Tiarla who gets a pinch with the evasive hand right on the inner thigh. The other entering Smith is waved in too.

Out of the corner of his eye Marryn notes a nod from Theresana and briefly returns it with another of his winning smiles.

A soft, "Oh dear", is heard from Mika though she doesn't pull away from Tiago as she thinks. "Um…" Mika tries to figure out something, and opens her mouth for something truly mundane… or perhaps Cliche. What comes out would likely be both from anyone else. "Take off your shirt." She pauses for a moment, then realizes what she actually /said/ as opposed to what she intended to say and turns a bright shade of scarlet, though she doesn't retract it.

"Oooh, hey." Tiarla pinches Q'luin right back - but he's got skin exposed so she aims surreptitiously for that. In her drunken state, she has a marked lack of shyness. "Evening." she adds cheerfully to Marryn, her eyes swinging towards Mika to see what the girl will dare Tiago to do.

Emilia again twists in her seat now that the confirmation has been made. Fingers get waved towards the Lord of Boll with a beaming smile, "Not as cute as the other one, but passable." The fingers get moved into a gimmee motion towards Q'luin and his flask. She's getting flustered, a nip will help calm her. Then her jaw drops at Mika and she blinks, "Oh my!" Deep down, she knew the girl had it in her.

Carolyna hasn't even noticed the newest arrivals yet, as she's partway through her second mug. "Nice'n Mika," the Bitran-smith-candidate notes with a laugh and shake of her head, and crooked grin, she's having too much fun.

Tiarla adds a whistle, to encourage Tiago's shirt removal of course.

"Always!" Tiago replies to Marryn, raising his glass almost like a toast to the lord holder before turning his attentions back to the girl beside his own chair, waiting for what dreaded fate he bargained himself into with that errant flick of dice. Of course after his cousin's display, there probably isn't much that could top that more or less. A brow arches as the request is made and he leans in on Mika again first. "Certainly." Though there's no tell tale flush to his own face from the drinks, there is certainly color enough to the tanned firm flesh he exposes as his tunic is raised and removed completely. He even stands, toned arms flexing as he shows off his dragon tattoo some more as he plants his hands on his hips, smirk once again on his face.

Carolyna rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Dazzling Gold …&… Brilliant Gold

Tiarla rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Spectacular Gold …&… Brilliant Green

Emilia roll Dice. They roll off your fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Intense Brown …&… Intense Brown

Theresana rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Beautiful Brown …&… Intense Green

Tiago rolls Dice. They roll off of his fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Intense Brown …&… Brilliant Gold

Mika rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Spectacular Blue …&… Dazzling Bronze

Q'luin rolls Dice. They roll off of his fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Beautiful Brown …&… Spectacular Green

Marjani rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Spectacular Brown …&… Intense Bronze

Marryn rolls Dice. They roll off of his fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Dazzling Green …&… Hideous Red Star

Theresana blinks, again. Her eyelids are getting excersixe lately. She sits even farther back in the chair, her knees drawn up almost protectively, but more likely for comfort. She then twists, rather strangely, around to roll, and tences for a moment as she actually gets a pretty good roll, but relaxes and leans back in her seat again as Tiago tops it. She's good for another round. And so, she sips.

Carolyna whistles. "Nice, Tiago," she states, dragging out the guards name as she watches the lad remove his shirt. Yes, this is a view she can appreciate.

The pinch causes Q'luin to jump, but the ebbing pain has a whole 'nother effect. The hand pulls Tiarla down for a wet whisper in her ear. While partaking of the candidate's ear the recent entrant from Smithhall is eyed over her shoulder.

Mika turns back to the dice when they come around to her, her complexion back under control more quickly than normal. She rolls hastily, though when Tiago seems to be the high roll she casts a slightly nervous glance in his direction, hoping she really hadn't over stepped the bounds more than the she thought she had.

Marryn can't help but chuckle, after thanking Q'luin, and his amused copper-lit gaze wanders about the group to note the rider's situation. "A prediciment for which I'm happy to oblige," he replies gallantly. Now /this/ is more like the rowdy weyr he's been warned about. Watching Tiago, he snorts lightly, musing aloud, "I see you do need help." Taking his turn, he groans theatrically at his bad roll. So much for help.

Tiago tucks his shirt over the back of his chair before reaching for the dice, and for once they are in his favor. "Well now, well well well." His stormy blue eyes scans the gathered crowd at the table and he takes a moment sip at his drink before selecting a victim. "Let's see…" Marryn's comment makes him wrinkle his nose just a little. "That wasn't much help, you'll have to do then." he tells the lord holder. "Marryn, Truth or Dare?"

Player name Connected Idle time Location
--- -— --- -—-
Emilia (#20921) 8 hours 0 seconds IW: The Klah Pot (#13444)
Q'luin (#20822) 5 hours 11 seconds IW: The Klah Pot (#13444)
Tiarla (#20907) 4 hours 25 seconds IW: The Klah Pot (#13444)
Carolyna (#20852) 12 hours 58 seconds IW: The Klah Pot (#13444)
Tiago (#20888) 5 hours a minute IW: The Klah Pot (#13444)
Marryn (#20361) 56 minutes 2 minutes IW: The Klah Pot (#13444)
Mika (#20761) 3 hours 2 minutes IW: The Klah Pot (#13444)
Theresana (#20753) 12 hours 4 minutes IW: The Klah Pot (#13444)
Marjani (#20945) 40 minutes 4 minutes IW: The Klah Pot (#13444)
Aldon (#20930) 20 days 7 minutes OOC: DF Information Center (HUB)
Total: 10 players, 9 of whom have been active recently. a.m.
OOC: Q'luin says "Someone needs to log the @who. ;)"

Tiarla starts off with the giggling again. Though it's because Tiago did the whole 'manly man' flexing thing rather then the fact that she took off his shirt. Said laughter trails off when she's whispered to and she smirks in response, not yet leaning forward to grab her refreshed drink yet. And ooooooh, look! He's even truth or daring the Lord Holder. What fun this is! That must be what she murmurs in return to Qi.

"I'll have a go, then," says Marjani as she leans in for a turn at rolling the dice. Even though she rolled her eyes quite pronouncedly at the flexing the guard did. At the results, she shrugs lightly and takes another swig, rolling back her shoulders. She catches the movement of Q'luin and turns her eyes distinctly in the other direction as he whispers to Tiarla—and then there's a certain uncomfortableness in her posture as Marryn is chosen as the next one to answer. Still, she keeps her eyes on him as they all (presumably) wait for his descision.

Marryn blinks, surprised to be addressed so quickly. And after a bad roll too - this can't be good. One hand rises to rake back through long-ish bangs while he eyes Tiago critically a few seconds. What's the worst that could happen? "Alright. Dare." Hands fall to rest at his waist, stance firmly awaiting the decision. His lips remain set, ghosted by a grin of anticipation. Surely male support will come into play, right?

Sort of male support. Tiago crosses his arms over his bare chest, partly glad to be rid of the garment due to the rising warmth of the room with all these people now packed into the Klah Pot. "Well looks like as the only man around here still wearing a shirt, you need to take yours off too!" the guard informs the Lord Holder, a vastly amused grin on his face. Q'luin tossed his own off voluntarily quite some time ago and it's currently being used as a table rag.

Emilia has no idea why Marjani is nervous and so she leans in the girl's direction and stage whispers rather bluntly, "Why are you nervous of him? He's like the same as a Weyrleader which is one step above a bronzerider and you never get nervous of them else you're doomed." Good advice. Listen up. Her finger waggles in the general direction of Marryn but she looks down at her empty juice glass, before it snaps back up again, curls springing. She's going to give herself whiplash. "Comparisons!"

Carolyna takes a large swig of her spiked juice before whistling at the dare. "Good, more to look at," she states as the drink gets to her, if it hadn't already.

A sudden cough heralds a burning flush to burnished features, followed by an exaggerated wince. Tiarla is given a long perusing gaze through watering eyes, but Q'luin is quick to shake off whatever it is that 'got him'. Sniffing himself back into the power of testosterone, the rider diverts his attention to peer at Marjani, black gaze piercing with a strange intensity. The woman in his lap's ear is overtaken again with a hushed conversation.

Tiarla arches an eyebrow at the bronzerider's cough, but is also quick to give an easy agreement to whatever is whispered at her and she makes a shooing motion when she stands up for a moment. "Wha? Comparison's? Is that another dice game?" she wonders, her eyes looking suspiciously glassy there. Yup, she sure better sit down again and fast!

Oh dark brows rise at that one - promising Tiago a sound beating later for that one. Still, it could've been worse. Turns of lectures on the correct social behavior for a young Lord ring warning bells in his head - and are happily dismissed. He never did like those classes anyway. Shrugging, he unbuttons the few fasteners that front his crisp, white shirt and pulls the whole thing over his head. In subtle deference to decorum he doesn't make a show of it, but spreads his arms briefly afterwards, canting his head as if for Tiago's acceptance of the dare.

Theresana rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Brilliant Brown …&… Brilliant Green

Carolyna rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Spectacular Gold …&… Dazzling Green

Tiarla rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Dazzling Blue …&… Brilliant Bronze

Marjani looks a bit startled to be addressed, for all that she's made herself part of this group, one way or another. "I'm not nervous of him. I'm…" she shifts a bit closer to Emilia so she doesn't have to broadcast to the entire party, "I'm just … ill at ease to be around someone so high ranking in such a casual place." Hold born and Craft raised, this one. "Especially not knowing him." She looks across at the man at the wrong time and… quickly downs the rest of her more-than-juice. She misses Q'luin's gaze, probably for the best.

Emilia roll Dice. They roll off your fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Intense Green …&… Beautiful Blue

Marjani rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Dazzling Brown …&… Intense Blue

Marryn rolls Dice. They roll off of his fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Beautiful Gold …&… Spectacular Green

Q'luin rolls Dice. They roll off of his fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Hideous Red Star …&… Dazzling Blue

Tiago rolls Dice. They roll off of his fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Intense Blue …&… Baleful Red Eye

Carolyna another swig and Caro rolls the dice, grimacing at her roll. "Aye, I think yeh win, Sana," she states with a crooked grin.

Tiago does indeed accept that display, that broad grin of his directed at the now shirtless Lord Holder. However if Marryn thinks he'll extract revenge physically, he might have a harder time of it than simply removing a shirt. Tiago's a trained guard after all and not a slouch at that. The dice are cast and he looks back across the table at the candidate. "Looks like Theresana's up once more." Does that mean it's time to pass out more drinks? At least there's plenty to be had.

Theresana rolls, and leans back before watching the rest of the rolls. She hasn't won yet, she won't now, right? Wrong. Caro's comment brings her to sitting strait up, and she nearly /squeeks/, "Me?" But then she's looking around for a likely victem. Ah, Carolyna. "Truth or dare, Caro."

When Tiarla stands, Q'luin is quick to follow, offering her the warm empty chair before strolling toward Marjani. The gaze he plies her with holds no less power, but might loose a bit of its strength due to the naked torso. Who takes a man with no shirt seriously? Marryn is about to find out, apparently. "Smith? You're a smith right? Too many in these parts, I say. Got a moment?"

Carolyna blinks. "Oh ho, and here I thought I'd get outta this game unscathed," she states, levelling her gaze upon Sana as she finishes her mug of spiked juice, time for more. "Dare me," she states, raising a brow in a 'give it your best shot' manner.

Marjani gets another bad roll, and idly looks into the bottom of her glass as a distraction from looking at shirtless men. Not that, all things considered, she hasn't seen her fair share of shirtlessness. This idea of not looking at the men is dashed all to pieces. She looks up at Q'luin, "Yes sir, though I can't comment on how many Smiths there are about," well she could, "I don't seem to be required for the game." Her posture straightens as she speaks, though she deposits her glass on the table. She keeps her eyebrows aloft, albeit in a 'ready' expression rather than an incredulous one. "What is it you need?"

Tiarla falls back into the newly freed chair gratefully, lest she topple forward instead and right onto the dice table. That would be rather more undignified then she's already managed. Just wait'll she wakes up with a killer hangover and finds Tiago to take it out on. "Make it a good one too!" she encourages, to 'Sana. Because obviously, the more debauchery the better at this point!

Aadi arrives from the Lower Caverns.

"You passed a bronze dragon on your way in," probably many many, "and you caught his eye." Q'luin looks the woman up and down, but the snide remark waiting behind those scarred lips remains behind them. Instead he retains a professional tone, "There's no accounting for taste," oops, apparently it did slip out, even if placed with a skilled tongue. A challenging sleek brow shoots upwards as the bronzerider peers at Marjani.

Now that he's officially in the game Marryn chooses a seat, perching himself on the back of Emilia's poofy chair. Why her? Random chance of location and comfort - and perhaps because the whispering going on between her and the other young lady beside her makes him slightly curious. His fancy shirt is rolled into a ball and thrown at Tiago, along with a wink when the man looks his way. Feeling a light tap on his arm he turns to find the server has finally arrived and he accepts the drink with thanks, unable to resist a flirtacious flexing when she glances at his chest. Deep southern tan is complimented by firm musculature thanks to his tendency for hands-on outdoor projects.

Theresana bites her lip. What to dare, what to dare. Hrm… She spots a trundlebug going along the base of a wall near them, and points, "Okay, then. Caro, your dare is to go get that trundlebug, bring it over here, and kiss it." Not the best dare, but Sana's not one for creativeness when drunk, apparantly.

Carolyna quickly holds up her mug. "Tiago! We need more of that spectacular juice of yers," she states with a grin before returning her empty mug to the table and turning her attention towards Sana. "Well, c'mon, give it to me," she states, not yet slurring her words, as of yet. She's only downed two cups of the fine liquid, and Bitrans are certainly capable of holding their alcohol. "Theresana," she pauses as she hears the dare. "That is the nastiest dare I have ever heard in my entire life. I may be a Bitran, but I am most certainly above making out with a.. a… BUG," she states as she squashes herself as far into her chair as she can and crosses her arms over her chest. Good thing her glass isn't in her hand, or it'd undoubtedly be shattered at this point.

"Dare's a dare." Tiago calls out to Carolyn as the girl appears to be resisting the dare. Another tossed shirt is way gets added to the back of is as he barely manages to catch this one. Heck, both extra shirts are of a much nicer make than his own. Maybe he should keep them? But another round is brought, the spiked juice set out for all with an empty glass though he hasn't actually done more than sip from his second one. It's amazing some of these girls haven't fallen under the table yet.

Marjani looks first confused "I caught his…?" and then as if she would /really/ like to look offended but won't let herself. Years of expereince with sometimes less than charming ranking Crafters combined with a certain respect for authorityeven shirtless, tactless authority, holds her gaze steady and her tongue still. Well, it keeps her from being /too/ sassy. "I see," she glimpses the action of the game from the corner of her eye, but her attention is fairly focused. "What taste is it that there's no accounting for?" Her eyebrows come down, and she holds his gaze. Wait, wasn't she shy a moment ago?

Emilia manages a rather head swooshy dip forward to collect another glass of 'juice', though she has to brace one palm on the table to do it. When she comes back she's embraced in the warmth of the poofy chair and finds her head tilted back to look up at the shirtless Lord. "Well then, hello there," and fingers waggle with a smile. A head shift causes her to glance over at Thersana, "Well that's just stupid!"

Tiarla sputters with laughter. She just can't help herself. "A… a .. trundlebug?" she wheezes, holding onto her sides to help contain her laughter. "Least I rate better, since she let me plant one on her." the candidate declares, reaching near blindly for her glass again - and casting a back over her shoulder at some of the other exchanges going on.

Slipping in from the lower caverns, Aadi finds an assemblage of Candidates and others—though she doesn't quite seem to process them as 'others' just yet. "I got better'n 'at, Caro!" she calls merrily, lifting both hands, two bottles in each. "You're more'n welcome t'it if'n I c'n join whatever t'is you're playin' at." She steps in further, cheeks flushed and spies Lord Marryn perched on the back of a chair. "Marryn! Haven't seen y'since I got back from th' timin' an' sorts. Hear y've gotten a new lady-love, yeah?" She giggles then. "Too bad y'had t'go an' pick one o' th' few women what despise an' hate me. Ah well. Means I'll be seein' less o' you even than I would now. Sad tale, but y'had t'settle in someday, yeah?"

Emilia roll Dice. They roll off your fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Baleful Red Eye …&… Spectacular Gold

Carolyna is /not/ budging. "I don't care, Tiago, it's nasty, it's disgusting, and just because the girl hates my guts for no reason, is absoloutly no reason to try to get me to make out with a nasty l'il bug," is stated, simply. "Tiarla, you rate much better, you kiss better'n most I've kissed, too," is stated with a crooked smirk, her lips are loosened, at the very least.

Carolyna rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Dazzling Green …&… Hideous Red Star

Marryn rolls Dice. They roll off of his fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Brilliant Brown …&… Beautiful Bronze

Tiarla rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Beautiful Blue …&… Beautiful Bronze

Theresana rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Dazzling Gold …&… Dazzling Blue

Marjani rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Beautiful Gold …&… Spectacular Blue

Aadi rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Intense Gold …&… Baleful Red Eye

Q'luin rolls Dice. They roll off of his fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Beautiful Bronze …&… Baleful Red Eye

Tiago rolls Dice. They roll off of his fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Brilliant Brown …&… Brilliant Bronze

"Taste, you know - " Q'luin waves a feckless hand to indicate her 'whole and entire'. Shrugging it off with a slanting sluff of a shoulder, the bronzerider rambles aimlessly on, "Zhoreth has none, apparently, but he's wondering if you have it in you to tolerate the heat of the Istan sands? —- There's nothing like sweating out the dead of summer in the hatching caverns." A pointed flick of a brow tilts the tall man's head to the side as he awaits Marjani's answer.

Carolyna hmms. "So, who's winnin it, looks like Marj and Sana are tied," she states, simply, rather ignoring the fact that she hasn't done her dare.

Theresana looks at Caro, "You picked dare, you do the dare. Or, I guess, you could change to truth, if you want." She looks back to the dice. Oh, great. Oh! but there's a tie. She turns to Marjani, "You can have it if you want, or we could re roll."

Her nostrils flare, but Marjani just lets her mouth go all thin rather than interupt what it is the man is saying. She stills her right arm with her left when the whole of it is out, before replying slowly. "So I'm to Stand, then." It's not a question. "That's… that's fine." Not that there's a lot of choice in it, but either way she seems to have accepted this turn of fate. She nods once, and then kind of just stands there all awkwardly unsure of what to do until the dice come around. "Tie breaking role, then?" She's visiably relieved to be focusing on Theresana, though maybe it would be nice if it sank in that she just became a candidate. Or something like that.

Carolyna smirks and lets her dark gaze settle upon Sana. "I don't care, when you start comin' up with better dares, then I'll do em, so far you 'aven't, so I don't give a wherry's behind," she states in an all too stubborn manner. "Though I'll take the truth, to keep with the spirit of the game."

Marryn tips back his newly acquired mug for a sampling taste, his preferences tending toward sweeter varieties after growing up on Boll's fruity fare. Whatever it is appears to meet his approval only somewhat, and having noted the group's 'special' brew he opts for a refill of that instead. Leaning forward toward the table he notes Emilia's greeting and grins downward, giving her a rolling, "Hello indeed." And then a familiar voice is heard and he glances over his shoulder, loosing a hearty laugh. "Aadi! You look well." He skirts her mention of Fort's excursion, the whole idea never having sat well with his hold-bred senses, and instead waves an arm for her to join the group. "And you come well prepared, as always." For the moment her other comment goes unremarked as well, not knowing anything about a dispute between the two women. Shirtless and drinking amidst a rowdy group of riders ought to be plenty to raise her curiosity and foster all sorts of interesting new rumors.

Emilia tsks at Marjani as she listens in to Q'luin, "No more booze for you. Have some juice instead," and the table is waved at. Igen just gets snorted at and she narrows her gaze, "You know, bronzes are not supposed to be very good at searching." Suspicion sits on her face for a while until she takes another sip and she'll twist in her chair and hook legs over the arm, showing way too much leg, even for a weyrbred girl.

"Aye, Marryn. I was raised better'n t'come t'a party empty-handed. S'bad manners, yeah?" She offers him a wolfish grin then, openly admiring the bare chest for a moment before shaking herself. "Mm, too bad not all o' Pern's as loose as us weyrfolk. Y'are a sight f'sore eyes, 'Ryn." She snags a comfy armchair and pulls it up next to Emilia's chair. "I even brought th' sweet stuff y'like, 'Ryn. Aren't y'lucky?"
That was totally Aadi.

Marjani rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Brilliant Blue …&… Spectacular Gold

Theresana rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Beautiful Gold …&… Beautiful Bronze

"Ah, well good then, my duty is done," and in the next instant Q'luin is sauntering back toward his chair. The fantastically bright tattoo of the Igen sun is shinning brightly black on his back as he turns his back on her. A thought, or a dragon thought, rocks his alcohol-thick skull and the man turns briefly to attend it, or her, "These ones will help you find the barracks and the cot you'll likely need, unless you hardy Smiths prefer sleeping on stone." Quickly the candidate's present is ticked off with a finger, including the newcomer Aadi. Marjani is then promptly ignored as the rider leans hard on the back of Tiarla's chair.

"I think since the room's spinning, s'time for me to go." Tia decides, using Q'luin's shoulder as her steadying device so that she can stand up to start her wobble out of the room. Wheeeeeeee!

Marjani murmurs something like 'not much difference between them, is there?' before giving the dice another go. As she loses, she finds an empty chair around the table and sort've inches a new glass her way. Over the top of it, she eyes Emilia. "Well if they are, I'll simply go home after the eggs are hatched, won't I?" Apparently she's been thinly insulted enough times to shelve a bit of her manners. "No loss to you either way, I imagine."

Tiago gets up as the debate over rolling continues amongst the candidates. The guardsman leaves instructions at the bar that any further drinks will of course be 'tailored' just a bit. Quietly he scoops up the shirts like trophies and heads sneakily towards the exit before too many can notice or stop him. Now Lord Marryn'll have to explain why he's returning without some of his clothing later. That should get interesting. The smirk on his face reappears as he notices his cousin's tipsy condition, so the man slips away, amused that the night went as planned or better.

Q'luin wraps an arm around Tiarla's waist, "You alright? Too much - juice?" The sly grin latches eyes onto her empty glass, and then bounds to his less-than-empty one. Hmmm. "You need help to your cot?" A suggestive nod has him walking her that way, and on through the door as he calls back, "Keep my seat warm!"

Hey! Theresana looks over, saying, semi- (okay, mostly) out-of-it, "I just asked you a dare, I couldn't think very well, and picked the first thing I saw. If there was a feline in here, I'd of dared you to kiss it. But, truth…" She trails off. "Which of the girls here would you most like to kiss? And not on the cheek, /kiss/ kiss." She doesn't wait for a responce, leaning forwards and rolling for the tie, sighing slightly as she wins again, and looking around for her nex victim.

Carolyna sits, arms crossed, as she fairly glowers at Sana, only occasionally moving to take a sip of her recently refreshed juice mug. "Well, c'mon, you suck at dares, you best have a good truth to ask of me," is stated in a simple tone. "Oy," she fair blushes for a moment. "Well, Tia just left, so I can't say her, though she is a good kisser," she looks about the crowd, eyes eventually settling on one female in particular. "Aadi!" Didn't take her long to answer that now, did it?

Emilia leans in towards Marjani again, "Not off mine no. But then I don't have a knot." In other words, not a victim to the sands. She'll finish off her second glass and wrinkle her nose again as the Smith's argue.

"Hang on, wha?" Aadi's head whips around at the sound of her name. "What now, Caro? I brought th'drink. Y'be wantin' some? That it?"

Carolyna grins in Aadi's direction. "Sana asked me who of the females of this group I'd like to kiss, really kiss, not cheek crap. I said you, tha' okay? Or would you rather kiss a trundlebug?" she questions with a raised brow and a laugh.

Theresana nods, and finds her next victim. "Aadi, truth or dare?" She watches, sipping, and finishing her second mug of spiked juice.

Aadi snorts. "Oh s'at all? Shards, Caro. I don' mind t'all." She winks playfully. "Y'aren't too bad on th' eyes once y'get past the Smith dirt." And then her attention goes to Theresana. "Hmm…dare."

The candidate barracks isn't all that far, so Q'luin rebounds back to the mix within a blink or two. His chair is regained, as is the drink, flask fortified even in a matter of seconds. "What'd I miss?" comes the rhetorical question as the bronzerider gazes about to catch up. Dice. Still sitting in the same place as when he left - this furrows a brow.

Carolyna brandishes her mug at Aadi. "I clean up good, yeh should know that, yeh nutter," she states before taking another swig of her juice. Ooh, dare, this should be interesting. "Nuthing, Q'luin, no darin' yet… we're waitin for Sana to dare Aadi to do somethin'."

Marjani downs about half of her glass in one go, feeling a bit out of sorts. "Then it doesn't matter." She turns her head to watch… well, her fellow candidates. And now she laughs, albeit a bit too loudly as though she is trying to prove that she is amused and not at all uncomfortable. Still, she blushes, although it isn't overly visible against her dark skin.

Q'luin rolls Dice. They roll off of his fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Hideous Red Star …&… Dazzling Bronze

Theresana nods, "Okay". She eyes the trundlebug for a long moment or two, but decides against it, "Kiss, and not on the cheek, one of the girls playing. Your pick which one." Then she waits for which girl gets picked.

Carolyna rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Dazzling Bronze …&… Spectacular Bronze

Marjani rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Baleful Red Eye …&… Beautiful Bronze

Aadi rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Dazzling Green …&… Baleful Red Eye

Theresana rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Spectacular Gold …&… Dazzling Gold

Emilia roll Dice. They roll off your fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Intense Green …&… Beautiful Bronze

Marryn rolls Dice. They roll off of his fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Beautiful Green …&… Brilliant Gold

Carolyna quirks a brow. "What's this, we all into kissin' girls these days?" she questions eyeing Sana. "'least it's better'n a trundlebug…"

The dice are rolled, a familiar dare trundles across the table toward Aadi and catches Q'luin's puckered attention as he hits the flask directly rather than the waterdowned juice glass. Fingers scruff through the lengthening black hair as a yawn trolls its way out. The metallic clanking of the decorative silver on his black boots sounds in the air as ankles cross under the table.

Emilia eyes the dice suspiciously, she won? This doesn't happen often. An eyebrow will raise as she sweeps the room wondering who to ask. "Well you candidates are sort of annoying, so that leaves me with either the one in front of me or the one behind me." Decisions decisions, and then she grins, "Hurry up and kiss someone, I want to pick." A week bit of a cranky drunk.

Marryn is oblivious to the thieving of his shirt, quite comfortably lounging behind Emilia and Marjani and enjoying the view while sipping his drink. Aadi's offer garners a wide smile, not to mention a good excuse to do something he really really shouldn't - over-indulge. "You wonderful woman! It's like you knew I'd be here," he beams, retrieving one of the offered skins and brushing a light kiss on her cheek. Lowering his voice slightly as he sits again, he tells her, "I'll return the favor by recommending the current fare. A 'specialty', I believe." And that's putting it mildly. As if to support is description, or at least it's results, Aadi gets called into a dare. Sitting back a bit, Marryn just grins while awaiting the results.

"One o' th' girls huh?" Aadi thinks a moment and then grins /wickedly/. Setting the bottles she brought on the floor by her feet, she stands fairly steadily and walks over by Q'luin's chair. With a fighter's reflexes she holds his chinsurprisingly gentleand tilts it up as she leans down to give him a rather lewd and…frighteningly skillful kiss. Pulling back with a feline's grin and a wink, she stands up straight and flops back into her chair, looking supremely satisfied. "What?" she asks, looking around her all innocence. "He /looks/ like a girl…"

"If you call him a he, he's not a girl." Not that Sana really minds, she's settling back in her chair, more than content to simply watch again.

Aadi says, "She, then. So picky."

Carolyna outright /laughs/ as Q'luin is on the receiving end of Aadi's kiss. "Oh! Aadi! That's dreadfully hilarious," is stated with a crooked grin. "Is she any good, Q'luin," she asks with snicker. "Enquiring mind want to know… er… minds, want to know, I'm sure there's more than one mind that wants to know…" she stumbles, slightly, over her words.

Marryn does two things in short order after Aadi's antics. First, he nearly falling off his comfy perch, then chokes on the drink he was having. It sprays over the girls in front of him most unpleasantly, and embarrassing for the chivalrous young man. Swiping one arm across his face he muffles an apology, righting the mug quickly before he does any further damage. Not so quick to push back long-ish bangs as usual, he uses them to help hide his expression somewhat and has to struggle to straighten out the smirk that twists his lips.

Q'luin is caught up in the kiss, hand coming up to cup the back of Aadi's head until she breaks away. He's even up for the joke until she actually voices it, and then the mood alters drastically on the young rider's dusky features. Clouds, it's clouds that roll in, black ones, and they are spiked with bolts of light that stab through the black of his eyes. This narrows in to focus on Aadi, silently targeting her for future wicked endeavors that have nothing to do with sultry kisses. You've been marked, Sorta-Barlord. Wordlessly so.

Emilia is rained on, from above, and it smells rather odd too. She'll push back the frizzy mop and frown upwards. Well that rules that one out and her head comes down with a scowl, "Igen, Truth or Dare?"

Marjani frowns, not out of ire but mostly because it's almost suddenly taking longer for her to think than it normally does. "Wonder what's in this, then…" she muses quietly, apparently not used to getting buzzed so quickly. She reaches her right hand up to rub the top of her head, but almost directly afterward takes another swig. "Q'luin, then." she is thinking outloud, but to herself at least. "Didn't ask /my/ name, I noticed." She snorts and trains her eyes onMarryn, because his drink is now occupying her person. Mortification crosses her face. "It's notit's fine." She seeks something to mop up the mess with. Too bad all the extra shirts seem to have been spirited away.

Grinning up at Marryn, Aadi blows a bit of bang out of her face and chuckles. "What? Y'want one too?" She glances over at Q'luin there with a ready smile, thinking he's in on the joke. Boy is /she/ in for a surprise. "Aw c'mon, Cranky Pants. Y'don't /really/ look like a girl. Just a bit o' harmless fun…" Sighing, she turns back to Marryn muttering under her breath. "Can't do nothin' right…"

Igen is still burning, simmering fires in his eyes traveling to Emilia as she commands him with the familiar call-sign. "Truth, because I ain't kissing Marryn and you guys seem to have no imagination." The bitter backlash from Aadi is whipped toward the one Q'luin calls 'Curly'.

Emilia lifts an eyebrow back at the man, smile way to fake. "Alright Igen," and her gaze narrow and meanly, "you've been all talk and no action since the day I arrived. What's your problem anyways?" It is a question, though she doubts he'll answer.

Q'luin rolls Dice. They roll off of his fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Hideous Red Star …&… Beautiful Bronze

Carolyna rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Spectacular Brown …&… Dazzling Brown

Emilia roll Dice. They roll off your fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Brilliant Bronze …&… Hideous Red Star

Marjani rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Intense Blue …&… Beautiful Blue

Marryn rolls Dice. They roll off of his fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Dazzling Gold …&… Dazzling Brown

Theresana rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Beautiful Gold …&… Brilliant Brown

Aadi rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Hideous Red Star …&… Brilliant Bronze

Xanathos rolls Dice. They roll off of his fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Beautiful Bronze …&… Beautiful Blue

Theresana rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Brilliant Brown …&… Beautiful Blue

Marryn rolls Dice. They roll off of his fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Hideous Red Star …&… Beautiful Brown

Marryn isn't nearly drunk enough to have completely lost his manners. He pats his chest a moment, realizing he has nothing to offer as a towel - not even his shirt. Which in turn makes him realize that Tiago is gone - with his shirt. His jaw works a moment. Now that's going to be interesting. He doesn't worry overmuch though, assuming he can scrounge a shirt somewhere before he leaves. In a slightly forward gesture for not knowing them, he does lean to pat each lady's shoulder lightly in a wordless bid for apology. Getting more physical with each passing drink, he follows that up with a quick squeeze for Aadi as she returns within arm-reach mumbling to herself.

Theresana rolls her dice, ties, and rolls again. Her turn, again. So… next victim! Hrm. She just asked her, but even so- she didn't refuse, like Caro. And she copped out a bit, too, really. "Aadi, truth or dare?"

Carolyna chuckles. "Sana 'gain, you be'er have somethin' good up yer sleeve, smith, or you'll be disgracin' us all," she states with a shake of her head and a swig of her drink. With that her attention turns to Quill, accompanied by a quirked brow.

"Shardit!" Aadi hears the question again and frowns. "Well since I can't seem t'/do/ anythin' without makin' /somebody/ mad, I'll go wi' truth."

"Shardit!" Aadi hears the question again and frowns. "Well since I can't seem t'/do/ anythin' without makin' /somebody/ mad, I'll go wi' truth." Marryn's squeeze earns him a saucy grin and a return squeeze, leaning his way as she gets more comfortable in her chair. "Unless y'got a dare in 'ere what won't get folk mad at me for doin'."

Carolyna laughs. "Truth or dare, Aads, yeh can' just pick em both an' hope fer the best, yeh know," Caro states, grinning wickedly.

Quietly Q'luin stashes the flask, and for a moment even looks around for his shirt, but it's nowhere to be found. All the while Emilia is left waiting, and anyone else who might be interested in the answer to the question plied to the Igenite. Chair shoved back as he stands, the leanly muscular rider banks around the table to where Emilia is sitting, baring down on her with a skill born of turns of training, and the speed akin to one of his desert ilk. Darkly, he states, "Not enough sex," as an answer, followed up with a kiss that is applied with the expertise that tells a wholly different story. When he pulls away, lips are sucked for lingering flavor, and words are flung as the bronzerider strides from the room, "Look me up when you finish growing up, Curly." A gesture is made on his bare chest to suggest she is lacking in this area. Laughter is all that is left of Q'luin as he disappears into the lower caverns. Goodnight.

Theresana blinks. "Ummm… Was that truth, or dare?" Theresana is confused, for that was a rather confusing question, from her point of view. "It's rather confusing when you say both."

Marjani has resigned herself to drying off the parts of her that she can with her shirt (and inadvertantly exposing her stomach more than once in the process, to be sure) and just wearing a damp shirt until this one dries. At the pat of her shoulder, she tenses, but nods at Marryn briefly. Still, she can't quite manage a smile, and turns back toward the table, rubbing one of her eyes and considering finishing her drink. The result of this consideration? An empty glass and a kind of glazed-over look. "Well I say nobody who hasn't got a quarrel or a crush ever has a good question for 'truth'," comments Marjani, apparently part of the conversation now (though she addresses mostly the air over Carolyna's ear).

Tossing a flask at Caro, Aadi glares after Q'luin's retreating form. "Don' see what was s'wrong with /my/ kisses," she grumbles to herself before lifting her chin defiantly and glaring at Theresana. "Dare," she growls, her voice more feline than woman for just that one word.

Carolyna catches the flask and laughs slightly. "Well, I doubt there was anythin' wrong with her kisses, Aadi, he just didn't appreciate it," is stated with a laugh before a grin is turned upon Marjani. "Y'know, I think yer right," she offers with a nod of her head and a laugh. "Ooh! Sana, you have to…" and she pauss to whisper in San's ear.

"I'm sorry I was just looking for. I ah, I'm sorry but have you seen. Err ah excuse me but." With a hand up and a finger raised Xanathos attempts to ask person after person err well something. But each time the soft spoken lad doesn't manage to get the persons attention before they have walked past him. Finally he gives up with a sigh and finds a bit of wall to lean against. "So much for the whole finding, I swear I just I…" Another sigh and he lets his eyes wander over to see what all the noise is about.

The kiss while receiving a passing grade leaves Emilia snorting, and her eyes roll upwards when she begins to giggle. "Your leer is better," she'll holler at the departing back of the bronzerider. She does look a wee bit ticked off though.

Curious as always, a large bronze flitter looks up from his napping perch in one of the walls and glides over to where Xanathos is leaning, crooning a soft and almost tentative greeting to the newcomer in this Den of Sin.

Marryn spies a server coming within range and hops up to snatch the cloth lying over her shoulder. Reclaiming his seat he tries to do the gentlemanly thing and offer to assist those he's showered (which was entirely Aadi's fault, by the way). Reaching from his angle above and behind them, he dabs heads, shoulders, and yes, he even drops lower for the occasional stray droplet that may have wandered chest-ward. Alcohol-heightened kindness is in high-form this evening.

Theresana gulps. Uh-oh. Her eyes widen, and her ideas seem to dissapear. She looks about for ideas, but then Caro's whispering in her ear. Her eyes widen even more, and she spins to look at Caro, "Wha…!" before turning back to Aadi, a hint of apprehension clearly visible in her eyes even with being drunk, and says, "Your dare is to…" she looks at Caro once more, before finishing, "Take off your shirt, like the guys did."

Emilia watches with a mild puzzled look as she gets dabbed by the Lord Holder. She'll frown and peer down at her chest and then pull out the neckline of her tunic and offer it up for Marryn, "Excuse me." Polite inquiry at its best, "While there are certainly no melons down there, wouldn't you think those are the equivalent to a pair of healthy redfruit?" Grow up indeed.

Carolyna grins, rather wickedly, and raises a brow towards Aadi. "You said dare," she points out, ready to argue, just in case Aadi should decide to back out of this dare, not that she's one to speak.

Marjani opens her mouth. Marjani closes her mouth. Marjani fairly radiates heatembarassment and ire. She moves as his hand wanders twisting around, "/Thank you/, Lord Holder, but I believe I am fine now." She looks sideways at Emilia and … giggles? No, she coughs. Certainly, that's the noise she makes. "Well mine ah" now she /actually/ coughs. "That is I am sure she could use more help than I." Marjani turns back around and… goes to scoot her chair but just ends up looking boogle-eyed at Theresana.

Aadi snorts and then shrugs. "Fine, then. If'n that's all y'd like I'm not gonna argue." She shakes her head and unbuckles her belt, setting it on the chair behind her before grabbing the hem of her tunic and pulling it off over her head. That too, is laid behind her. Her breasts are bound tight to her chest and there's a knife holster on one shoulder. The band she removes without hesitationand there's much more than redfruits there, dear, healthy or notbut the knife causes her some grief. Finally she sighs and—reminding herself that she's still not unarmed, she removed the holster and blade. Now there's quite a nice pile behind her and you'd think she's done. But on impulse, she pulls the bands out of her hair and shakes it loose, red curls falling past her shoulders. Pulling it all to one side she sits back in her chair and crosses her legs, grabbing one of the skins and taking a good-sized swig. "There. Now that y've wasted y'dare…"

Carolyna watches Aadi go topless, and whistles. "Right… le's roll the dice," she states, grabbing the dice, and dropping them onto the table top.

Carolyna rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Beautiful Brown …&… Spectacular Bronze

Aadi rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Brilliant Bronze …&… Spectacular Bronze

Marjani rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Hideous Red Star …&… Spectacular Gold

Theresana rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Spectacular Brown …&… Spectacular Brown

If she's going to offer, he's going to look. Marryn leans a bit forward to aid his view and quirks dark brows at the owner of self-described redfruit. "You haven't seen southern-grown redfruit, have you?" A gracious 'You're welcome' is tacked on for Marjani seated next to Emilia as duty is seen as fulfilled, even if overmuch on his part.

Xanathos rolls Dice. They roll off of his fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Baleful Red Eye …&… Spectacular Green

Marryn rolls Dice. They roll off of his fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Intense Bronze …&… Hideous Red Star

Emilia roll Dice. They roll off your fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Spectacular Gold …&… Dazzling Blue

Marjani takes the opportunity of her bad roll to cover her face and mutter, "Shards and shells."

Theresana, though, avoids Marjani's stare by sinking into her chair, her legs drawn up before her, and her face half hidden in her empty mug. She reaches out to blindly roll the dice, but then she's back to the contemplations of her empty cup.

A small smile and a touch to his brow in a sort of wave/salute if offered to the large brown flitter. "Seems like I got someone's attention after all. Thou somehow I don't think you'll be able to answer my question I appreciate the er greeting? I think it was a greeting." He looks over at the growing lack of skin obstructions. "But then again I'm not sure I'd want to know what was going on even if you could tell me."

Emilia will turn and glare up at Marryn and hotly retort, "They are perfectly adequate." Her arms cross her chest now to keep her tunic splayed down. She annoyed look will sweep the candidates, "I can make you all do latrine duty for the rest of the time till the eggs hatch." A petulant pout returns to the man not far down on the list below Igen, "Truth or Dare!"

The big bronze-not a brown here thanks!chirrups his agreement, almost sounding amused. Though a fond lookif a firelizard can look fond—is shot to the now topless redhead, a low croon sent her way. Rhett knows his mistress.

Marryn may be somewhat drunk, but he's less far gone than most others in the room thanks to his lean muscular build. Still, he'll note Aadi's display more boldly than he should. No one can blame him, right? Dragging his attention back to front and center, he gives Emilia a wolfish grin. "Dare," he says calmly, tilting his head slightly.

Carolyna chuckles. "Yay! Another dare!" she states as she tries to swivel her head a near full 180 degrees, to no avail, instead she lets her gaze fall about the table… Marj, Emilia, Sana, Aadi, table. Cause the table is better to look at then the half-nekkid candidate.

Theresana still sits, half hidden in her soft chair, and not planning on coming out. Unless of course, she has to, due to being dared again, or winning the roll again.

Marryn straightens on his perch and crosses his arms, still staring downward smugly at Emilia. Bring it on.

Aadi reaches over to poke Marryn in the arm. "Oh quit lookin' s'high an' mighty, 'Ryn. Y'll scare 'er."

Emilia's nose crinkles and she'll snort softly. She does that alot, drunk and not drunk too. "Alright then." Her gaze sweeps the room and she narrows her eyes at Carolyna, Thersana, Marjani, Aadi and the new guy. And how the heck he showed up is completely beyond her, so he earns a double take, "Just who the heck are you anyways?" Back to the task at hand, "Kiss Marjani." Nothing like a quick way to earn friends in low places. "Or me, but I'll compare you to your brother so be warned." Not that she ever actually kissed Amarik, but he doesn't know that.

Emilia roll Dice. They roll off your fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Brilliant Bronze …&… Brilliant Brown

Carolyna rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Hideous Red Star …&… Intense Blue

Aadi rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Spectacular Brown …&… Hideous Red Star

Marjani mostly tries not to look at anyone's boobs and awaits the outcome of this round by focusing on the man talking to a firelizard. If you can call sort of tilting her head to the side and looking confused in that direction —oh, but now she's heard her name. So she looks confused in that direction instead. "What." Also not a question.

Marjani rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Baleful Red Eye …&… Beautiful Brown

Marryn rolls Dice. They roll off of his fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Baleful Red Eye …&… Brilliant Gold

Xanathos rolls Dice. They roll off of his fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Brilliant Gold …&… Dazzling Green

Theresana rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Spectacular Bronze …&… Spectacular Brown

Emilia roll Dice. They roll off your fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Brilliant Blue …&… Intense Blue

Theresana rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Brilliant Green …&… Spectacular Gold

Carolyna laughs at the dare before picking up the dice and rolling. "Oh, bugger, the red star of DOOOOOM," is stated, with a simple laugh as she sinks back into her seat, and empties off her mug. "Right then, did Tig leave anymore o fthat juice'f 'is?"

Aadi says, "I threw y'a skin, Caro! Finish it already?"

Carolyna blinks, and looks down at the skin in her lap. Picking it up the smith shakes it. "Nope! 'S still full," is noted with a grin, as she opens it and takes a swig of it. "This is better'n the juice."

Emilia glances over at the new guy then, though she's not sure he can speak, since she hasn't heard much. But she's also a little looped and still cranky as all get out. Gone is her perkiness, there is no bright cheery smile. Even her hair is lacking its usual bounce thanks to the spit Lord above her. A furious growl, "Truth or Dare new guy?"

Marryn loses his fine-tuned control for a second to chuckle at Aadi, slipping her a wink before returning his dark gaze to Emilia. Her dare only loosens that challenging stance and raises dark brows again. "That's a dare? Does she bite or something?" Not waiting for a reply he leans forward, angling himself over Marjani's dark head and reaches a hand down to tip her chin upward. No light brush called for - no light brush delivered. The kiss lingers a few moments before Marryn breaks off, giving her a genuine smile as he sits back up. Finding Emilia's gaze again he winks. "My kind of dare. I'll give you one too if you feel left out." As the gaming continues he laughs and retrieves his drink.

Xanathos smile droops as just a hint of frown mixes in, "You certainly keep some strange company." He offers to the flitter of bronze colorings before his attention seems to be demanded. "Err I am, I ah, er I'm Xanathos. I was kind of sort of looking for Meld…" He gets about that far before he notices Emilia's attention has wandered off. So he turns his attention back to the flit, "Well they certainly seem to be enjoying themselves at… Wha what?" He asks with a start looking back to Emilia, "Ah er Da Dare or what?"

Aadi snorts. "You'll never change, will ye, 'Ryn?" She chuckles and drinks from her skin. "S'much th' better, yeah?" Letting her head loll to the side so she can face himnevermind the red hair in her faceshe grins wolfishly and stretched. "Well what if /I/ feel left out?" A chuckle then, soft and low. "Don't see y'for /turns/ an' all I get's a kiss on th' cheek. A girl could get to thinkin' you don' like 'er n'more."

Rhett chirr-croons a response of some kind before settling on Xanathos' shoulder and watching the proceedings out of one faceted eye.

Carolyna eyes Marryn. "Now what kinda kiss is that, Lord?" she questions, shaking her head. "I could kiss better'n you just did," yes, she believes she most certainly can, don't dash her of her dream.

Emilia tosses the dare to the candidates, "You choose and have your worst with him." She struggles to her feet, wobbling quite a bit as the room spins. If she even attempted a bouncy exit, her nose would plant itself into the floor. "Good night." A hand gets waved as concentration needs to occur, one foot in front of the other, repeat.

Marjani is probably not the best kiss the Lord has ever had, considering she how she goes a bit slack at his touch. Which is to say, she does not return or rebel against the kiss, and in fact afterward mostly concerns herself with rubbing her jaw. It doesn't look like she's in pain, but mostly just confused. Carolyna gets a slow, not-all-there look and a matter of fact. "It wasn't bad." Brr.

Carolyna grins. "Well, seein as Emilia was so kind as to throw the dare open to us…. Lord Marryn, I dare you… to feel up our dear," she gestures in Aadi's direction, "Aadi over there," she states, with a wicked smile and coy little wink.

Aadi snorts and gestures towards Xanathos. "An' I dare th' new lad t'go sit in Caro's lap. Keep 'er occupied so 'er mind can't be thinkin' o' no more o' this nonsense."

Marjani finds the presence of mind to protest, "Now, excuse me, Journeywoman, but that seems very inappropriate. It is…" she blinks a few times, "it is one thing for… I mean, a Lord Holder… to consider the consequences…" Well, okay, she tried to protest. "Besides, it was…" she gestures at Xanathos, "his dare, anyway." Marjani nods, and then decides that her fingernails are fascinating.

Aadi snorts. "Easy there, new candidate. S'not like it'd be 'is first time, now would it?"

Carolyna shrugs. "A) I'm a candidate, Marjani, and B) Aadi over there has dared him already, so it's only fair that the Lord be dared as well," she states, simply, before cocking her head to the side and eyeing both Xan and Marryn.

"Marjani." She says, "And it's public, either way that's private doing." She blinks blinks blinks at Carolyna. "Well, Journeywoman-candidate, then?" This is actually followed up by a somewhat inappropriate (considering her apparent mood) grin.

Xanathos rolls Dice. They roll off of his fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Hideous Red Star …&… Spectacular Blue

Marjani rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Intense Green …&… Spectacular Brown

Carolyna rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Hideous Red Star …&… Hideous Red Star

Aadi rolls Dice. They roll off of her fingers…
They land and stop giving sides:
Intense Brown …&… Intense Blue

Xanathos absently skritches at his new shoulder ornament. Likely wondering why he has the sudden urge to walk like he has a patch and a peg leg. "Ya Your ga going to wha…" His eyes widen a bit for a moment but as attention shifts elsewhere he lets out a soft sigh of relief. Of course then it turns back to him rather suddenly. "Ya You wa want me to to to what?" He turns his head to look at the flit on his shoulder. "Ha Have th they all gone loony?"

Rhett preens at the attention, crooning softly in the most descriptive non-answer he can give.

Carolyna croons slightly. "Hahaha! Marjani, you win. Pick a victim," she hoots with a laugh before taking another sip from the flask, then returning her attention towards both Xan and Marryn.

Marryn pats the air a few times, smirking in Carolyna and Aadi's direction. "Now, now ladies. There's plenty of me to go around." Eyeing his raised glass he appears to be gauging something, then perks up with, "At least three or four more dares worth, I'd say." Quite proud of himself he takes a long swig and nearly tips over backwards into Emilia's vacated seat. "Whoa!" he laughs, who tilted the room like that?" Carolyna's dare elicits a frown of concentration, then a rise in the opposite direction as her words sink in. Dark gaze rolling in Aadi's direction he gives his chin a jerk in unconscious gesture, swinging long-ish bangs out of his view. Oh yes, /that/ view. "Well now" he starts, hopping up from his seat. "There's a dare a man can get into" And one that he has - at least once in times past. Heading in her direction he takes a shortcut around the end table and loses his footing. Impaired senses have finally taken their toll on the young lordling. He collapses just shy of his goal, landing across the redheaded woman's lap, out cold. He really should've gotten more rest before making such a long trip to the weyr today. Maybe he'll at least dream aboat completing that dare.

Marjani cocks her head at the dice, "Now I win? Can't even… sentence." Properly. "Well, then," she looks around… Boobs, there's a no go. And a passed out Holder, so he's down for the count. The new person thinks they're crazy has yet to fufill his dare. "Carolyna, Truth or Dare?" She scratches her neck, waiting for the answer.

Carolyna laughs as she watches the Lordling fall all over Aadi, literally. "Oh, me? Dare, if you don't mind," she states with a bit of a cackle and a shake of her head.

Startled by Marryn's sudden appearance in her lap, Aadi shakes her head and adjusts his face so that at least he can breath. Smiling indulgently down on her unconscious friend, she cards absent fingers through his hair as the dares continue.

Sharyna Search

Sharyna is searched!

Link to Emilia's LJ post: http://emilia-df.livejournal.com/3727.html#cutid1

Post Flight Q'luin

Logged 7 May 08

If you have a more complete version of this by all means append!

Why one should always avoid Q'luin after a mating flight…

Living Cavern (#2070J)
This is the vaulted, high-ceilinged main gathering area of Ista Weyr, where riders, residents and drudges congregate to socialize and make merry. Or even just to eat. Long, sturdy tables fill most of the cavern in neat rows, two of them hemming about the hearths that line the northeastern curve of the cavern. Sideboards by the kitchen entrance groan beneath a constant burden of food and drinks, kept fresh by the cooks and lower caverns staff.
If one were to 'look menu', they'd see what the cooks are serving up as a meal.
R'ki, Q'luin, Jacqueline, and Emilia are here.
Obvious exits:
Bowl Kitchen Lower Caverns

The sexual tension vibrates through the weyr as queen rises and males chase. The night bleeds ink, and the darker it becomes, the brighter the pinpoints called stars become. It is when the twin moons are eclipsed by the melding of gold and brown that the crescendo of emotion finally comes to a climax. Soon after riders pour into the living caverns from every direction, some hitting the liquor cabinet, while the others head straight for obvious partners. If one were to listen really closely they could hear the splash of heated riders diving into the icy winter lake as well. It is awhile after this that a sulking bronzerider stalks into the room, his progress strict and purposeful as he heads straight for the alcohol. His roar could be heard across the cavern as he realizes the pot has been run dry. "Whiskey! Why are we out?!" Q'luin rattles the table /hard/ to get the drudge's attention.

"Maybe 'cause you don't need any," Jacqueline says in a matter-of-fact tone of voice, skipping into the living caverns after coming out of the seclusion of her mother's weyr. Grabbing a mug of juice, the youngster primly settles herself down into a seat to nurse it, one leg curled up beneath her while her fingers tap idly at the surface of the table. Blue eyes flick carefully over whomever is present before again settling on Q'luin. "What're you so pissed off for?"

"Coming," Mika mumbles as she brings the whiskey, though the latest batch is rather wattered down, it was what they handed her, and she didn't ask. The Kitchen staff are taking their own measures, and they don't tell mere servers what they are. "Here, sir…" She deliberately avoids Q'luin's eyes. This is /not/ the time to be making herself more than mobile furniture!

Emilia is engrossed in hides at a far table. Tumbled hair falling across her face as she tries to figure out just where half a cartload of beetroots disappeared to. "If you recite ever single harper ballad you ever learned backwards it'll help you know," gets tossed towards the cranky bronzerider in very mild tones. Lying through her teeth, but that's half the fun. A glance up at Jacqueline and Mika and she raises her eyebrow.

The wicked black eyes flare at Jacqueline as a hiss like an angry lidded pot spills out, "You, /little girl/, don't want to find out. I promise." The last crawls toward her with a sensual growl. That gaze slides with a greasy ease toward Mika when she arrives next to Q'luin. The skin is swiped, and the process of trying to fill a heavily fingerprint-smeared silver flask commences. It's a difficult endeavor as the bronzerider's hand shakes with quakes that are echoed throughout his long lithe form. It is Emilia with her springy hair that garners the first true lecherous ogle. The sneer that pops out is chased by a lewd warning, "/That/ I could get a handle on," he says while pointedly eyeing the hair.

Jacqueline just angles a look at Q'luin, opting not to say anything in response in favor of glancin towards Emilia and Mika, sending a happy grin and a cheerful wave their way. Her juice is what then gets the most of her attention, though Eli occasionally shoots glances up towards the others, spying that shaking of Q'luin's hand and the meekness of Mika. A confused look settles across her face at the bronzerider's last words, prompting the girl to glance questioningly towards Emilia, and then Mika. "What's he mean?"

Mika glances down at Jacqueline, "You don't want to find out for another few years." She says softly, "Best not to annoy him, until he's only his /normal/ grouchy unpleasant self." She carefully keeps herself out of range of the bronze rider… you know the one your mother always warned you about?

Emilia looks up and snorts at the rider's ogle, biting her lip to keep from laughing again. Completely unsympathetic, she will grin cheerfully at Jacqueline and toss her head towards Mika, "I'd listen to her and I am surprised your mom's let you down here too." A flick of a glance back towards Q'luin, somewhat smug, "I think it means that we have a new Weyrwoman and Weyrleader. I'm pretty sure it means it's not him."

"I don't sharding care if you want to prove yourself, I'm having a say in it." Probably equally grouchy is a certain brownrider that comes in. "I. Don't. Care. You can fly greens all you want, but we are /not/ going up after golds. I have absolutely /no/ desire to become Weyrleader, thank you, Seiketh." Don't mind the fact that R'ki is talking to his lifemate outloud, he's just a bit too annoyed to really relize it. He pauses, only seeming to realize just where he's managed to go since being caught up in his thoughts. Q'luin is glanced at, but R'ki quickly avoids the bronzerider, instead moving towards a certain someone that catches his eye. "Mika, glad you're down here. You wouldn't believe what a time Seiketh was giving me. I had to pratically force him not to chase." The brownrider flops into a chair, wrapping his arms over his waist.

Emilia's typical frozen response is enough of a deflection, but Q'luin is in the mood for some good old fashioned revenge, and he doesn't care who gets in the way. So when he's fairly sure the flask is full, the bronzerider ignores the mess he made spilling and heads with dark intent toward Jaq, sultry eyes lidded low under the sleek black brows. "Let me explain it to you, pup. Come on with me outside." A swig of the whiskey is taken and nearly spat out as he realizes the alcohol to water ratio. "Crap!"

"That's 'cause I came out and she doesn't know," Jacqueline says with wide eyes to Emilia, blinking them owlishly at the other females before pointing towards the tiny green firelizard that is now, suddenly, curled atop her lap. "I came to get food for her, but I… Uh. Got distracted." There's a few beats of a pause, here, before Eli glances up again at Mika and Emilia. "Oh. Yeah, I don't like him anyway." When R'ki enters, as sullen as Q'luin, Eli grimaces before schooling her expression into a careful mask of indifference. Just as quickly, Eli recoils away from Q'luin as the bronzerider advances on her, curling even more into her chair. "No, I'm staying -here-." The expletive is ignored as Eli turns wide — and a little frightened — eyes towards the others close by.

Emilia will open her mouth to grin at R'ki and offer an even wider one at Mika, waggling her brows under her hair. That she was about to say something is promptly choked off and the frown directed towards Jacqueline and Q'luin is suddenly sharp and out of character, "Don't you dare!" She'll thread fingers through her hair and shake it for a moment, snapping her jaw hard at the bronzerider, "What in shells are you thinking?"

Mika doesn't say anything to Q'luin just steps a little farther forward, trying to put herself between Eli and the bronze rider. She spots R'ki's entrance but isn't sure she can actually divide her attention though with Emilia coming to the rescue, she may not have to stand too long.

R'ki isn't sullen, he's annoyed, and more annoyed at his lifemate than anything else. But the brownrider seems to be quickly getting over his annoyance, unlike the bronzerider. His lips will purse slightly in thought, his eyes wandering from one person to the next before falling on the one face that he's comfortable with.

Q'luin will not be so easily turned away from his goal. "You had your chance!" he snaps at Emilia, driving closer to Quinn's child; for it is only that fact that makes her interesting in the slightest. First Mika is glared at with a wrath that could melt metal, but an easy swerve carries him around her. The flask is pocketed before the burning rider crouches down in front of Jaq, voice coming out as a sensual croon, "Come on, baby girl, you keep asking questions. I have the answer for you - right here," and a rude gesture is made in the shadows between his legs.

Jacqueline uses this time as the proper one to skitter along behind Emilia when Q'luin crouches in front of her, abandoning her chair in favor of a safer haven while her fingers clutch with white knuckles onto the back of a chair. "Go 'way," are the pleading words spilled from the youngster's mouth, head turned away to avoid the crude gesture. The girl, in an attempt to seek solace -somewhere-, remains hiding behind Emilia, whilst glancing towards Mika or R'ki to drive off the bronzerider.

Mika gulps and says softly, though more firmly than she can really credit. "Leave her alone, Q'luin. She's too young. You know it." Her face is drawn and her hands are shaking by her side, the rest of her would be shaking as well if she wasn't so completely tense. She says softly to Jacqueline, "Go back to you mother's quarters. This is not a good place to be right now…"

R'ki just shakes his head, a brow arching as he peers over at the bronzerider. "If you're going to act like that Qil, I think it's better for you to go back to the hole you crawled out of." R'ki says quietly, lifting his shoulders indifferently, "Or go back to wherever it was that you were hiding out for so long. The weyr was quiet and /decent/ before you came back." The brownrider turns towards Mika, "You know how he can be, Mika, he's not worth it. All he cares about the next woman he seduces."

Hides are forgotten and Emilia's out from behind the table and in front of the younger girl in a swish of skirts. She'll raise both eyebrows at Mika as she passes and mouth the word 'wine' to her. Then her head will tilt towards Q'luin very carefully, "You'll hate yourself in the morning Igen," gets whispered in a low murmur. R'ki gets a brief 'so not helping' look.

And with that Q'luin just starts howling, rocking back on his heals, head tossed back so far the obsidian curls grow long down his back. The laughter breaks only so he can taunt, "I didn't think so, my little egg!" Pushing back up, he cackles a bit more, filching the flask from his side to drown out the mirth with another sip. The glistening blithe eyes are teaming with evil as he turns to Mika, "Don't worry, she's safe from me. I just wanted to teach her a good lesson." This is said very low, but a sudden movement has him mock leaping at little hidden Jaq as he barks out a loud, "BOO!" in an attempt to send her skittling. More wicked laughter and the bronzerider is turning it on R'ki. "Ooo, that was sexy, brownrider. Serve me some more spice. I liked that." The rolling purr of his voice is definitely lewd. For now, Emilia is ignored. You can be sure she's next though.

Jacqueline breathes a sigh of relief as Emilia steps in front of her, bobbing her head with wide eyes in response to Mika's words before finally levelling a look at Q'luin. As the bronzerider begins laughing, a look of horror slowly descends over her face as she looks on with wide eyes. She's already starting to edge away, slowly, but his leap and subsequent 'BOO!' sends the girl whirling about, running headlong out of the living caverns without so much as a farewell or squeak.

Mika flinches back, but doesn't run scurrying this time. "You should go back to your room." She says to q'luin then turns back to R'ki. "Let's go… I'm done with chores here tonight…" She says with a bit of exasperation, though the volume doesn't rise. "I don't think we can get him to see sense, and Eli's safely out of his way…"

Jacqueline walks out of the Living Caverns into the bowl.
Long distance to R'ki: Mika could wish for a little more depth to the character beyond borderline evil.

R'ki just rolls his eyes, "You may sex up whatever you wish Q'luin, but I wouldn't touch you even if my life depended on it." The brownrider idly leans backwards in his chair, wrapping his arms behind his head. He lets his eyes flicker to Mika, concern on his face. "I agree, I don't really have a intention of staying here much longer anyway. And I have to go try and cheer up Seiketh, maybe we could go out flying or something. I'm not sure."

Emilia isn't quite that relieved and continues to eye the bronzerider with an expression of wary exasperation that only darts away to watch the younger girl depart. Head and hair flip back and crossing her arms she'll give the bronzerider a once over with another snort, "Why are you always such a jerk?" For the moment the odd couple gets ignored.

More laughter, and it's roaring. Q'luin is amused by little Jaq. When she grows up, he's probably going to be very sorry for this night. R'ki's response keeps the amusement rolling, and as a stabbing retort, he knife's the brownrider with a, "He'd cheer right up if you let him be a dragon! He wants himself a gold!" The noisy display comes to a halt with a flinch as the memory of tonight's flight rudely invades. The flask is tilted back for a good mouthful, but the nasty mixture of muckwater and whiskey is spat out toward Mika in a misty spray. Licking away what dribbles down his chin, the man forms a smirk. "Stuff tastes like shit." Turning about to head toward the stores to get the undiluted whiskey, Q'luin passes by Emilia with a wink. "Follow me and I will tell you."

"He's not getting one as long as I have a say in it, and he only cares about the chase. Not the gold, he's not your sharding bronze, Q'luin. You don't even know him so don't make a statement about him when you don't even know my lifemate." The brownrider rolls his eyes, moving over towards Mika whom he offers a hand, "Wanna go on a walk? I fancy myself some peace and quiet and away from bronzeriders who think they're Weyrleaders when they're not."

Mika flinches away from the spray but doesn't quite manage to avoid it all getting more than a little wet. "Let's go now…" She doesn't really want to know if Q'luin can push R'ki into doing something stupid. She nods with relief at R'ki's retort. "Somewhere peaceful would be prefered." She doesn't look at Q'luin just moves a little closer to R'ki. "anywhere you had in mind." she offers him the uncontested lead.

Emilia watches the others conversation and exit preparations out of her peripheral vision with just a slight smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. When her gaze fully centres back on Q'luin, she uncrosses her arms and clutches her hands to her heart. A cheery smile gets plastered across her face, "Ohhh, you do say the most flattering things to me Igen. Makes me go weak in the knees. Why don't I just get on the table now and save all the effort?" The sarcasm may drip like honey from a hive, but she will in fact lean against the table for a bit of support. Head bouncing dismisively, she turns the smile into a dismissive sneer, "Go find some booze little boy and take your temper tantrum someplace else."

"I was kidding, Curly, I have no interest in you. Don't flatter yourself," Q'luin lobs toward her over his shoulder as he strides into the lower caverns. It's more laughter that follows him out; a sort of high pitched cackling that you generally heard spilling from the windows of a nuthouse.

Ista Hold Gather

Logged 8 May 08

A few glimpses of candidates in a very busy scene. As well as one possible explanation as to why Sergeo is so sour.

Great Hall (#1711J)
The immense hold doors lead to an equally immense Great Hall, with an entire wall of long windows and breezy white curtains that make a picturesque view that rolls down to the ocean. Most of the room is given over to several long rectangular tables, though a group of bright turquoise chairs and couches cluster invitingly next to the hearth and the endless pot of klah kept hot there. The Lord Holder's table has prime place near the windows, together but apart from the rest, while a wide flat bench occupies a little alcove in the far wall, heaped with brightly colored pillows to soak up the sun. Several broad archways, framed in the same golden wood as the floorboards, lead out to the rest of the hold.
You see Lucas and Houdini here.
Taini, Sterling, Daelin, Wullan, Aldon, Kamilah, Alereo, Threndon, Aodien, Quorra, Althia, T'paz, and Vyune are here.
Obvious exits:
Kitchen Courtyard Residential Hallway Hold Office
Moved.

T'paz nods, sipping his own wine. "There's something to that, Wullan, but I figure sometimes one's skill promotes one far more than one's voice. I'm sure he'll be tapped soon enough." He shows off his current outfit. "I think I bought this from him, a while ago."

Althia smiles to the weyrwoman after handing her the glass, and nods to the Bronzerider "please I hope you will call me Althia, titles are so formal. And I really do not do that much at the moment, skinned knees and the occasional wounded pride

Althia
Tall and supple, this young woman's twenty turns have graced her with the slim, athletic frame of a young sapling. At about 5'8, her lean frame anchors the fiery cascade of long, /long/ hair hued a deep, rich, sanguine blood-red. With eyes of forest green and a honey-warm countenance, she hardly needs the elegant nose, warm, soft lips, long neck, and those endless legs that make up the rest of her.
Althia's knot of healer purple and white shows A Journey woman healer and rests against her Fort Weyr's darker hues.
Althia wears a soft white cotton tunic, with large baggy sleeves that fasten with wooden toggles at the wrists. A fur lined Vest of Healer Purple, snugs tight to her waist and bosom showing her form. For durability she wears fight black wherry hide breeches with a belt that has a silver buckle with Fort Weyr's emblem on it. Her feet are clad in soft calf high black wherry hide moccasin / boots that have a leather fringe around the tops and cling to her calves. Thad regards you, perched atop Althia's shoulder.
Althia is 23 Turns, 11 months, and 16 days old.

T'paz
Dark grey eyes that sparkle with humor and intensity, looks deeply into yours. Dark brown hair, peppered with grey now, is pulled back in a longish ponytail. It's kept tight, so as not to interfere with his riding helmet. His skin was fair once, but is now ruddy tan. Strong cheekbones blend into a clearly defined, yet easygoing jaw line. His broad shouldered frame sports toned and chiseled muscle…long, lean and powerful. Shoulders ripple down a hardened back, to gymnast's legs - ready to move any way they need to. His chest and stomach are lean and defined. Hands are long and strong, callused from hours of duties and heavy tasks. He's wearking black leather bracers, and a small silver ring on his right hand.
Snowy white shirt of very finely woven sisal with a stand-up collar provides an elegant backdrop, straight armed sleeves ending in lacy cuffs secured by silvery snowflake cuff links. Coarse sisal vest dyed deep ebony overlays the white shirt, overstitched with black snowflakes to match the cuff links. Soft ebony trousers in a classic cut are belted with wherhide decorated with swirling patterns in silver studs and accented with aquamarine jewels, and end in highly polished wherhide riding boots.
An orange and black cord with a bronze sisal ribbon woven through it is tied in a wingrider's knot. It's bound with a metal band that is engraved with the logo of Amethyst Wing.
T'paz is 54 Turns, 4 months, and 25 days old.

Wullan
Deeply chestnut hair, gently highlighted with touches of white at temple and crown, cascades in a glorious wave down this mature woman's back. Clear, olive complexion complements almond-shaped dark eyes, fanned with ever-deepening laugh-lines set above high cheekbones, and a saucily upturned nose. She is softly feminine, mature curves flowing roundly under her clothing, but there is an electric undercurrent about her which fairly crackles with energy. Her smile is wide, always ready to curve into a vivacious grin at a moment's notice. Petite, though you would never know it from the amount of boyish mischief she exudes, she projects an air of confidence and experience.
A complex, multiple looped knot of blazing orange and black cords, through which a ruddy golden strand shines, denotes her status as a Retired Weyrwoman posted to Ista Weyr, and the rider of gold Isabeth.
Spirited crimson stains this dress, slashing colour sweeping from shoulder to calf in clinging sisal. Dramatically slit from ankle to thigh, and sleeveless even in winter's chill, the dress is elegant albeit risque - more so when paired, as now, with highly polished spike-heeled wherhide boots reaching up almost out of sight under the slit. Bangles grace Wullan's wrists and throat, glimmering gold punctuated with the scarlet fire of rubies tastefully arrayed. Gold Duchess regally regards you, from Wullan's left shoulder. Bronze Baron fixes you with a smoldering glare, vying for a spot atop Wullan's shoulders.
Wullan is 59 Turns and 3 days old.

Mika
She is a slim woman, willowy and on the short side. Her long brown hair is tinged slightly with red, giving it a mahogany look, and falls past her hips. Her face is a bold diamond shape, very much at odds with he rest of her appearance. High cheek bones accent soft hazel eyes, her nose is long and straight. Her mouth is a full bow shape, managing, somehow, not to overspill the pointed chin. Her figure curves gently, evened out between bust and hit and slender waist.
The simplest of all knots in a base of Ista's colors of orange and black. Through it is woven two strands of bright white thread.
A rich green brocade drapes elegantly around her form, tapering at the waist, then flairing out at the skirt, giving the illusion of more of a figure than she has. The materiel is light enough to cling in all the right places, and the tailor was skilled enough to send the spiralling felines, green thread, embroiedered so they shone at exact oposite angles of light from the rest of the dress so they were always visible even though the colors were perfectly matched. Her hair is coiled up on top of her head with only a few trails hanging down. SeaCliff regards you, perched atop Mika's shoulder.
Mika is 17 Turns, 2 months, and 10 days old.

Quorra raises her glass rather belatedly, and takes a delicate sip. "Mm," she replies to Taini, agreeably, as her eyes alight on Daelin blushing on — Sterling's arm? What's this? Her eyes narrow thoughtfully, and not altogether pleasantly.

Aodien turns to set the wine glass down on the bar and then begins to make his way through the crowds. They've thickened somewhat, so other exits may have to be considered. The Smith still looks uncomfortable and finally finds himself against a wall. He'll watch from there until things thin out.

Apparently Daelin can do no wrong in the Lord's eyes, as she might as well have predicted 'Thread is gone forever!' for all the way he beams down at her when she recites the toast. Keeping his manners intact, the others around him garner attention. "Bronzerider!" Sterling greets T'paz as he calls out the toast, "A pleasure to have you here." Quorra is spotted again, and he is apparently trying to keep tabs on his beautiful daughter as she works the room.

Alereo raises his glass at the toast, but drops it quickly so he can throw back the rest of the contents. A passing drudge receives the empty vessel and the arm-locked pair continues to stroll around the perimeter. "Shame, Kami, for keeping that from me. I should have been given the honor at least. He /is/ my brother." He frowns down at her, ignoring her form pressed close to his, in what could be a first for the young man. "I do not know if he will be inheriting anything, he is.." His voice trails off as he closes his mouth firmly, choosing not to divulge whatever it is he was about to say. Indecision flashes in his eyes and his lean cheeks flex convulsively. If there was ever a time in his life for selflessness, this would be it. To save his brother's skin and sacrifice his own dreams? Or should he assume obliviousness and let the girl bind Sergeo soundly? Steely-blue eyes find Quorra through the crowd. Seconds tick past. "You do not want Geo," he says carefully, turning his focus on the petite, buxom blonde at his side. "/I/ want you, Kami. That is what I really wanted to drag you away for, but you know me, ever at a loss for words.." His gaze is intense, his words quiet and meaningful. At least one Eo brother is getting betrothed tonight.

Taini's gaze follows Quorra's and chuckles softly. "Ahhh." She nods. She drains her juice, and moves over to ask for a refill. "Threndon." She remembers his name. "How are you, sir?"

Mika comes hesitantly in on the arm of a tall lean gentleman in harper's knots, though he's mirroring her look with a green tunic, though his pants are dyed a similar color to his mahogany hair. His triangular face is alive, and mobile, and his blue/green eyes scan the crowd even as he hooks Mika's arm closer and grins down at her. "Come now… You can't hide at the weyr forever. you've been here before. You told me yourself. Let's see if we can find the dancing…" And he pulls her into the crowd over her softly stammered protests.

The next drudge to emerge from the kitchens is a mild hunchback - ah, no, it's Vyune, her silhouette marred by a small satchel slung over her shoulder. Anzan is still in her arms, but barely, his struggles becoming more marked against her restraint. So many luscious colors, so many sparkling fabrics, and he wants to touch them all. Dark heads tilt together and her lips move as she murmurs soothingly into his ear, inching her way back towards the hold doors.

Threndon sincerely hopes the Lord Holder is done with the toasting. At this rate, everyone in the room will be two-fisting within the hour and he'll either run out of glasses and mugs, or booze! Then again, there is always the Tillek white. He rubs his chin and orders one of the drudges he hasn't permanently injured to go to the Broken Staircase and grab as many skins of the white as possible.

T'paz blinks, then turns towards Sterling. He bows formally from the hip and grins. "Thank you, Lord Holder. I'm glad that I was able to come. It's been far to long since I attended a ball of any sort." He notices the watchful eye, and nods. "More in the room than I'm accustomed to. Magnificent spread, impeccable hopitality." He raises his mug in salute to the Lord Holder.

Wullan smiles again at the Fortian and nods her own agreement. "When I was the young scribe accompanying my grandfather everywhere. He was the old Lord of Ruatha Hold," she notes, "He never let anyone get away with anything less than the appropriate etiquette under the circumstances. Grew tiresome, to be honest. I myself am simply Wullan - since now that I am retired, I hold only the rank of weyrwoman rather than Weyrwoman."

Althia smiles to the two Istan riders as Thad uses his head to gently nudge her cheek..her eyes blink a moment and she says "if you'll excuse me, seems there is a cut that needs sutures back at the weyr….

Threndon, hearing his name being called turns to Taini. "Why yes. I do believe I remember you. One of my first customers if I do recall. I'm busy but….well, busy." He beams happily. Well, as happily as a man who takes marks for getting people drunk can be, but it's all he has. Seeing the glass he queries "Wine?"

Between the attention from Sterling and the effects of the wine, there's no telling when Daelin's fair complexion will ever return to normal. Never the less, she plays her part, greeting those that come up to them as if she did that all the time and didn't lurk in her crafthall instead. Feeling more gazes upon her, Daelin tries to discretely look around and spying Quorra there. Innocently the weaver raises a glass to Sterling's daughter, having met her before however briefly.

Aodien will notice the drudge aka Vyune with a small frown and raise an eyebrow at the bundle, especially the squirming one whose head is twisting in all directions. So he'll try and intercept her by pushing off the wall and walking a step behind, "The other outfit was prettier," get murmured quietly in her direction.

The Lord Holder dips his head appreciatively to the toast. "Thank you. Do enjoy all that you can! Remember, also, any rider in off sweeps, or threadfall for that matter, gets their first drink free at The Broken Staircase." His nearly empty glass is raised, "To the riders! The heroes of Pern!" Is Sterling trying to get everyone drunk? Threndon will be pleased.

Taini shakes her head, and once again points out the weyrling knot. "Not tonight, I'm afraid. Just juice." She says, with a smile. "Understand. He's going to run you out of supply, isn't he?"

Quorra carefully schools her expression back into a blank kind of polite pleasantry as she lifts her glass in return to Daelin. No reason to make an enemy of the woman that her father seems so enamored of, but she makes no effort, either, to approach the two. Avoid, avoid, avoid.

Alereo's charming words render Kamilah quite speechless. The country bumpkin heiress stares disbelievingly up at the Fortian man a long moment, then she smacks him with her small handbag. "Reo! He's your own brother! You'd take his happiness just because you want me?" Her eyes turn up to him and lashes are fluttered plaintively - begging him to answer in the affirmative. "I just don't know that I could bring myself t'break his li'l heart like that. He's become so attached t'me and li'l Kam." Then there's a little sigh as she seems to consider his words, "Can we have a big handfastin'? Like this here? An' will you love me and Kameo ferever and ever?" Apparently she's willing to be his for but these paultry requests.

Threndon sputters at the Lord's generous offer. Heart attacks don't come cheap you know! He looks at Taini with a mildly pained expression on his face before looking up and seeing others looking back at him, clapping mildly. He nods and bows a bit, wanting to find the closest knife and take a running stab at the Lord Holder. Again, he just says "Yes. Of course. Why not?" It's only my profits your cutting into you lazy so and so….he thinks.

Vyune cannot whirl, beladen as she is, but her head still turns swiftly to pinpoint the source of that whisper. Only Aodien seems to be attentive, and yet by her expression she'd rather be facing Sterling himself. "Ye ain't goin' ta stop me." Not at all certain, those words, and after a moment of harried thought she actually steps closer, her voice gone breathy with urgency. "Ye won't tell. Will ye? Promise me ye won't. I can't let them take 'im. He's mine, he's all I've got."

Vyune
Coils of blue-black hair, dark and glossy as a beetle's carapace, pile efficiently atop her head just above the matching slash of full brows. Burnt cinnamon eyes, lushly jet-lined, follow a similar slant, prompted upwards by the rise of wide cheekbones; the plush contours of her dusky mouth thin far too often, though time spent in the Hold has not diluted her skin's golden hue. Her small hands bear the callouses and scars of heavy labor, her manner a bewildering flux between sharp and soft that speaks of too much, too soon - or too little, too late.
The paler strands of her orange and white Istan resident's knot have become rather beer-stained since she started working in the bar.
Shadowed sapphire coats her torso, the cut feminine without being obstructing, with a subdued collar and wide sleeves gathered to fasten at her wrists. Pants, sleek and dark and with hidden pockets here and there, cling more tightly than strictly comfortable to her slightly rounded waist. Her mid-calf boots of soft, supple leather dyed to deep russet brown clearly cost a fine mark, and worth every eighth. Si typically finds his perch tucked against Vyune's collar, near the chin. Quae spices up Vyune's shoulder. Vyune generally keeps Anzan within eyesight if not always arm's reach, and the solemn boy seldom strays far.
Vyune is 19 Turns, 1 month, and 19 days old.

Daelin is oblivious to Quorra's concerns, only seeing the polite look and taking it at face value in her innocent way. Then looking back to those nearest, she ends up following yet another toast with some alarm but keeps her own smile up on her face. "To the riders." And she inclines her head to T'paz at that before sipping once again. Her glass empties quickly at this rate and she warns herself to partake very very lightly or else.

T'paz nods and grins, sipping his wine and blending into the crowd. His ears remain open, but clearly he's seeking food. <sniff sniff> Ah, there's goes something yummy. With facile ease, he moves into the throng and disappears…

Wullan raises her glass with pride, the glow in her cheeks either a pleased flush or the effect of having stood next to the handsome bronzerider before he vanished towards the latrines. "Hear hear!" she responds to the toast to the riders, her impish eyes sparkling.

The drudge comes back, with two friends weighed down by a mass of skins. They are deposited and Thren smirks evily toward the general direction of the Lord Holder. Go ahead. Have another toast. Thren dares. Oh her dares.

Taini's comment is whispered, as she takes her refilled glass. "Might as well supply for flights, too, the way he's going on…" She smiles. She looks around, noticing Aodien talking to someone, though she can't make o ut who it is. So, she shrugs, takes a drink of her juice, and glances around the room again.

Aodien will look a little confused at Vyune for a moment. "Why would I stop you?" The question is offered in a husky tenor, but he shakes his head in assurance making an instant decision. He can recognize desperation when he hears it. "I won't tell," is murmured quietly. He'll lean his lanky frame towards her a little closer and though his eyes normally clear eyes are a little darker then normal he asks lightly, "What am I not supposed to be telling?"

Daelin's glass is promptly filled by an assistant steward that is hemmed to Sterling's side at all times. This is after, of course, his is filled first. The rule is: never let air touch the bottom of the Lord Holder's glass. Now that everyone of particular influence has been greeted, the man steps out of the Lord to give Daelin his full attention. A deep throaty purr comes at her low, "Are you enjoying the Ball? Have you danced?" All the while he holds to that lovely arm as if it were a hard won prize.

Quorra is near enough Aodien and Vyune to think there's something odd going on between the Smtith boy and the drudge, but after a quick glance she dismisses it without another thought — they are, afterall, only an apprentice boy and a drudge. Besides, at this point she's cornered by the wife of one of Ista's minor Holders, and must widen her smile and clasp the woman's clammy hand. "Ah, yes, Lady Marilla. How are you?"

"Jest — don't tell 'em about me. Anythin'. Nothin'. You ain't seen me, you ain't seen us." The last word, emphasized strongly, draws Anzan into the bizarre realm of Vyune's intent - muddled even to her. Earnestly she searches Aodien's face for signs of .. what? and then a moment later contradicts herself: "Iff'n they ask, tell 'em we went to… to.." Her eyes seize upon the skin delivery and supply a quick, "Tillek!"

Tillek white at the ready, Thren feels a little safer in his bunker of a bar by the kitchens. He looks over to Taini once more. "Are you not allowed to drink or something? Does the weyr do some kind of designated rider program I don't know about?" Juice? At a party?! It's just unPernesian of her.

Bylaran drags Mika through the crowd. "You can't hide on the walls forever, sister dear…" He picks practically at random and his eyes rest on Quorra, "Ah! Good eveneing good evening!" He strolls in even as Mika tries to pull him back. "Bylaran, you can't just go interupting people and barging about everywhere."

There goes his hand, partly raised, until Alereo realizes he has no glass to lift. His hand drops to his side and he gives Kamilah a smile, the likes of which Sergeo might be proud of. Turns spent watching his brother charm this one or that one has taught him a few tricks. "What about my happiness? I would writhe every night thinking of you in his arms. No, you have to be mine, Kami, say you will." He stops, turning her into his arms, and stares meaningfully down into her lovely face. "Sergeo has withstood heartbreaks before and I am sure if he knew how much you meant to me, he would do the same. Do not keep me in suspense a moment longer, Kami. You can have whatever you want. A big ball like this, jewels, and a huge feast. Anything to make you happy, and say you will handfast me properly and soon." She will probably miss it, but a furtive look is shot over her head to Quorra, then to the doors leading to the garden. Bad timing could ruin the whole scheme, and now that he has made his mind up, he means to see it through, for better or for worse.

There is the sense of being a small fluffy creature in the sights of a prowling feline, at least that's what Daelin feels like as she hears Sterling's questions in her hear. The young woman half turns her head, peering up at the Lord Holder through thick dark lashes. "Oh yes, of course. There hasn't been a gathering like this in Boll in some time. It's good to get away." Then she shakes her head no, "I haven't danced yet. Doesn't appear that there are too many on the floor. Perhaps you could encourage the harpers to strike up a suitable tune?" And that brings the dimples back to her cheeks.

"I'm a weyrling." Taini says, shrugging. "So, for roughly two Turns, no alcohol, no intimate contact…" She sounds like the page from the weyrlingmaster's manual. "Luckily, I've only got a little less than a Turn to go." She grins. "When I can, you'll be sure I'll put a few marks in your pocket."

Threndon beams good naturedly. Secretly he hopes she will break her vows of alcoholic chastity and come partake of a few adult beverages before a Turn is up, but he simply smiles and say "Well isn't that nice. Good for you." He pats her hand lightly before moving down the bar, toward the customers who might actually get drunk enough to tip!

The Steward himself arrives to tap Sterling on the shoulder just as he was about to answer the young weaver. A stern look is fired at the man, but when his gaze is directed toward the Hold doors, it all becomes clear and he nods understanding. In walks a young man known to Ista Island as Detrim, son of a minor holder. It is with apologies that the Lord looks down upon Daelin, "I will happily do so and sweep you off your feet if you will give me just a moment. I have to make an announcement. Bare with me?" he questions with heavy-handed hope.

Kamilah stares, jaw wholly agape at the younger twin of the two. She's gathered up into his arms, and still just listens. And its a good thing, too, that Alereo has her now in his arms because on the heels of his words she swoons, "Well, I do declaaaaaaaare!" This is certainly loud enough to ring over the din as one hand moves to fan herself expressively, "Of course, I'll hand fast you, Reo!" And before there can be two words of protest she's on her tip-toes to reach his face, and pulling it with both hands down to meet lips in a (well, at least on her end!) empassioned kiss!

Aodien seems to make the connection between 'all I have' and 'don't tell' quite quickly, "I've never seen you alright." He'll repeat that softly with a slow nod of his head. The desire to not reveal anything is something he can atleast appreciate since he has no secrets left to reveal. "If anyone asks you've gone to Tillek?" His gaze will narrow just briefly as his hand scratches his chin. The tenor will roughen a bit, "Why Tillek, why not Telgar, Igen or Fort? The more details I can provide, the better a lie it will be don't you think? That way should anyone ask I can give tons of details and no one will guess I'm lying." He doesn't believe this, but he will ask.

Re-enter Sergeo, through the Hold doors. Looking more disheveled than when he left, hair ruffled out of the neat arrangement it had been carefully placed in. His expression was less somber - truly, but all that changes quickly enough as his eyes are drawn to Quorra in the crowd. Arms fold across his chest and his eyes shift around to find Kamilah not only in Alereo's arms but kissing him! And its there that he sets as his mark and begins to push through the crowd to get to.

It would take a louder woman than Lady Marilla to drown out Kamilah's exclamation. Quorra's eyes are drawn over the woman's head and towards Alereo and his newly-betrothed, and there's something quite satisfied and triumphant in her gaze, though it fades almost as quickly as it came. She'd be hard put not to notice Sergeo, even in this crowd, drawn to him like a moth to a light, but she only deliberately turns her back on him, tosses her head, and laughs like she's having the time of her life.

Seeing duty rearing it's head once more, Daelin nods uncertainly at Sterling. But when he mentions announcement, the young woman appears to have had enough of being so close to the center of attention. She slips her arm out of Sterling's grasp and smiles innocently. "Go on, don't mind me. It is your party." Well Quorra's technically. "Do what you have to do." As Sterling looks away but for a moment, she steps back and vanishes into the crowd. Daelin'll find that attentive Steward and head on to one of those nice quiet guest rooms.

Taini nods. "Thank you." She senses some of his frustration, and feels a little of it herself. She takes her glass, and stands, to walk toward the center to get a better view. As she does, she passes Aodien. "Don't be bothering the drudges /too/…" She gets a good look at the 'drudge', and inhales deeply. "I don't want him. She says, plainly. "I just want to know him. And, I lied, by the way… It wouldn't be every one of them. Just some." Mainly the ones coming after her and her family. With that, without even waiting for the 'important announcement' of the evening, Taini makes her way to Sterling, curtseys again, "Thank you for a grand party, sir, however, duty does call." And she heads out the door to her waiting dragon.

Sighing deeply with a sad shake of his head, Sterling watches Daelin go. "Duty. Always in the way." Alas, he knows his duty, and moves on. Stepping up onto what looks like a freshly painted dais where the harpers are playing, the Lord Holder waits as the music dies down to capture attention. The thick wooly voice booms out across the room, Harper training being put to full use. "Ladies, gentlemen, and anything in between! Thank you for coming to our Ball! I have an announcement and would like to take a moment of your time." With a formal stature he scans the room with a frosty cool gaze.

Vyune's arms constrict, eliciting a bleat of protest from Anzan that burgeons towards a full-fledged toddler's outburst. "Not Fort!" Her own disagreement rises above her son's sniffling. "Never Fort!" Tension bristles about her, jaw clenched tightly shut, but Taini's approach sends her over the edge. This older Taini, strange, different, and in Vyune's mind powerful; the Barlord's confession is lost on Vy, who blindly struggles to escape the crowd, uncaring of whose satin slippers she crushes on her way out.

Wullan waits attentively for the announcement, swirling her wine idly.
Brawling, drinking, and womanizing are Alereo sort of attention-mongering, not over the top dramatics as Kamilah has just exhibited. He winces as her loud voice brings him pain and he puts more pressure on her arms, to keep her from falling on the floor and making a complete cake of herself. "Goo—" he starts to say, but is silenced by her kiss. It is no passionate kiss on his part and it ends abruptly as he spots his brother, over the top of her head, tearing through the crowd to get to them. Grabbing Kamilah's hand and pulling her along, he too weaves around the crush of people, intending to meet his brother halfway. He does not bother to stop for Lord Ista either, but continues to shoulder his way towards his twin.

Threndon hopes there's another toast. MWHAHAHAH!

Mika succeeds in pulling Bylaran away from Quorra's vicinity, especially since she recognizes the gleam in his eye as he sees the girl heading towards Sergeo. "Bylaran, you're still causing trouble!" She mutters at him, barely loud enough to be heard in the noise. He glances down at her, "You didn't think that would change, did you Mika? But fine… Let's go to this group, they should be… sedate enough for you. They're from the Weyr so they shouldn't frighten you away and maybe my arm will get some circulation back!" He saunters up to Wullan and Threndon's area bowing deeply as he approaches. "Ladies, Gentlemen might we join you? Since the rest of the party seems concerned with it's own affairs and it would be rude to untangle them… amusing as it might be."

T'paz reappears, mug free, and looking much more relaxed than before. He moves back in the direction of Wullan, and siddles up closely to her. He hears the announcement, and perks up, listening.

Wullan smiles a welcome to Mika and the harper, making room for them both. "Certainly, Harper," she responds quietly, not wanting to interrupt whatever exciting news there may be announced. "Always room for a harper and there's wine over here too - never knew a harper to refuse a glass of wine." She leans into T'paz gently as she waits.

Aodien is just plain confused by that outburst, but concern lingers there as well, so he will follow her towards the door. Besides, she's clearing a path that makes it easy for him to get through the crowds. "Wait!" But then she is gone and so is he.

Clash of the twins! Sergeo does indeed meet Kamilah and Alereo half-way, and hisses just below the din of the quietening crowd, "You bastard. First you steal the love of my life, and now my wife-to-be. Couldn't be happy with just one, Reo? Had to have both?" His tone is a quiet snarl. Kamilah - not being the brightest glow in the basket - blushes at his words, saying quietly, "Now, Geo, Reo loves me, an' tha's all there is to that. I'm sorry yer hurt, but Kameo's Reo's baby." How many times has she changed the parentage of the child now? Seven? Who's counting. A silencing hand is held up to Kamilah and a glare directed at Reo from Geo. "I hope you're happy." And with that he pushes past the two, heading for the drink table and only turning to give Sterling the proper attention once he gets there.

Quorra freezes even as Lady Marilla turns her attention towards Sterling. "Oh, how exciting," the irrepressible woman coos, and it's a good thing she's turned away from Quorra who gives her a dirty, scowling, disgusted look. Sterling wouldn't /really/.. would he?

When the vast majority of eyes are trained on Lord Ista, he begins in earnest. "It is my great honor to announce the betrothal of my lovely clever daughter Lady Quorra to Holder Detrim!" Sterling's hands come together loudly in an attempt to rouse applause from the crowd as he directs bows to both the man mentioned, and his daughter. Spotlights might as well have been directed on them both.

Bylaran grins, "Oh, I'll take a drink surely, m'lady," There is a saucy wink attached to the title, "but I think you'll find my sister harder to persuade, she's a bit on the conservative side…" He shakes his head in dreadful mock melencholy

Mika blushes and attempts to step on her brother's foot, but he's nimble and dodges. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you, and I'll stay with juice… I'm a candidate after all…" She offers it up as at least a feeble defense.

Threndon almost claps because there doesn't seem to be a toast associated with the announcement. He claps his gnarled hands together, trying to entice those around him to do the same. Not like he's even had ten words with the man's daughter, but putting on the face is important. First rule of sales is make them think you care. Well….*clap clap clap* "Good on ya!"

Wullan smiles kindly at Mika and grins back at Bylaran. "No, no, I'm Wullan, not 'm'lady', Weyrwoman or anything other than that," she notes for the harper. Hearing the announcement, she smiles and sets down her glass after raising it in toast. "And that is my exit, Isabeth is restless and I must go. Enjoy yourselves!" And with that, the scarlet clad goldrider heads out the hold doors, the heels of her thigh-high boots clickclacking purposefully on the lovely wood floors.

Jaw drops. Sergeo stares - at Sterling, at Quorra, then in revulsion at Detrim. His turn to the drinks couldn't be fast enough. Soon enough there's a good number of drinks that were full and are now empty. And if that weren't good enough, both hands snag up bottles into both hands and he begins threading his way through the crowed towards the courtyard.
Sterling's lovely clever daughter Lady Quorra is having a hard time looking pleased. The most she manages is a rather twisted sort of smile as the applause rises around her, and well-meaning guests open a path in the crowds for Detrim to join his betrothed. He takes her arm with a possessive air, and Quorra endures it. Barely. Until she remembers that Sergeo is in that crowd, and then her eyes flash and the smile sparkles and she looks adoringly up at the man she's to handfast.

Sergeo is gone from Alereo's presence before he can recover from his shock long enough to comment. He stares after his brother, keeping a firm grip on Kamilah's hand lest she decide to run after the other man. All he can do is lift his gray-blue eyes to Sterling for the announcement. In further astonishment, he looks to the man named, Quorra, and then back to Sergeo. Swiftly, his jaw clamps and he growls out low, "Idiot!" Neither twin has a high opinion of the other at this point. Dragging his new fianc in his wake, he speaks quickly and effectively, trying to staunch any protests she may have ahead of time. "I think it is time we left. I have to pack my things and you yours, so we can get to Fort. My parents and yours will want to know about this."

Sterling gestures with a graceful flourish for the band to strike up a tune and heads down into the crowd toward his daughter and her betrothed. A wine glass mysteriously materializes in his hand just before he arrives at their side. Detrim's shoulder is enthusiastically thumped, "My good man, welcome to the family!" The sideways glance thrown at Quorra is full of covert warning.

The polite clapping doesn't seem to lessen the grumbles of the disappointed. Sergeo had resolved to at least maintain some dignity by -walking- to the courtyard much as he simply wants to flee, but hearing Sterling welcoming Detrim - of all people! to the family… well, this is too much for his aching heart and rebelling stomach to bear. A few someones are shoved roughly aside as Serge gives up on walking and breaks into a run as he tries to exit faster - vanishing through the Hold doors.
Some poor fool of a drudge trips as he is coming back to the bar area and spills 3 full glasses of Benden red all over Thren's lovely lavender coat! "Gah!!! Fool!" the old man barks! He takes a rag and tried to wipe some of the red liquid off, only making things worse. "Oh bother! I have to go get this cleaned right away!" He beckons one of the servers over and instructs them not to let any toasts occur with a red wine in glasses before shuffling out of the Hall.

Kamilah, for her part, as much as she'd -like- to protest, to go after Sergeo - she's easily led, poor thing. And so when her fiance says 'let's go' that's just what she does, making her way off as she's towed by Alereo.

Quorra hardly needs Sterling's warning glance, though her smile falters as soon as Sergeo is out the doors, and she's uncharacteristically silent. She bides her time, accepting congratulations with fairly good grace, but as soon as the crowd loses interest she, too, slips away, without a word to anyone.

Braving the Baths

Logged 9 May 08

Candidates in the Baths… including Rhikiad, of course there's nothing to worry about.

Baths (#5705J)
Polished tiles glow underneath, through the humid steam that is the inevitable accompaniment to the baths; in a colorful mosaic they spread their graceful pictures, the disarray and languor of bodies nude: dragon, human, 'lizard. The pool seduces long and broad in the center of the antechamber, about which the walkway crowns its way, an outer ring of relative dryness circled yet again by a series of stout wooden benches and hooks for cast-off clothing. Stacks of soft white towels pile loosely in large baskets, inviting indulgence and envelopment in fluffy clouds of warmth.
The mosaics stream along tiles that dive into the central pool, coalescing into patterns along an underwater bench which circumscribes the bath before fading into blue-green waves and swirls that show faintly through the deepest waters. Time is nonexistant here, the cares of the world outside slip away in weightless luxury. Pots of herbs placed at strategic intervals invite you to 'add' exotic scents; sweetsand is available, for foaming 'bubbles'. All rumors of the hedonistic pleasure enjoyed by weyrfolk seem to be confirmed here - indulge yourself!
Rhikiad is here.
Obvious exits:
Out

Valiant sailing ship navigates the swirls and whirls of the unpredictable waters, breaking through waves before dipping into troughs. Powered by some unknown force, it curves about, moving away from a dangerous 'cliff' and on into more intrepid waters. Oh yes, human-powered ship is propelled just a little deeper, given a bit of a push before the wave from a larger bathing inhabitant causes it to dip alarmingly and then list to the side before taking on water and sinking. "Damn," curses Rhikiad, another of the pool's inhabitants, watching as some kid's toy boat proceeds to sink to the bottom of the pool.

Rhikiad
Auburn-dark hair ripples in a negligent tumble to nearly mid-back on this teen, just as a forelock seems to fall decadently to either side of his brow, often spilling over his gaze with rakish daring. Light flashes along those reddish locks of his, causing it to shine to burnished copper at just the least provocation. Hints of a carefree nature are exposed in the irises of his almond-shaped jaded green eyes, where stolen flecks of a sundered gilt fleck their impish depths as well. His masculine features are finely angled; the lines drawn with the same subtle touch that grants his skin its slightly tanned cast. With his nearly aesthetic features and despite an almost gaunt appearance, a lithe grace characterizes his slightly less than average height just as the welcome swell of toned muscles leave his wiry form svelte.
A simple silver hoop earring adorns his left ear, rather small and easily unnoticed.
With a string-laced front to draw together the V-neckline, the hardy fabric of his shirt trims close to his torso in a shade just the lighter side of olive. Long sleeves fit the form of his arms, ending with cuffs often rolled to his elbows. The shirt is tucked into a pair of form-fitting and natural-hued wherhide pants that lightly follow the line of his legs, leaving plenty enough room for movement's ease. The cuffs of his pants drop to the top of his boots, those shoes dyed just a shade darker and looking all the more scruffy. His hair is drawn back into a loose braid, ending with a thong tie. Juppi regards you, perched atop Rhikiad's shoulder.
Rhikiad is 16 Turns, 3 months, and 18 days old.

Mika has had a long day and is surprised to find the baths more crowded than usual, though the misty haze of the bathing rooms makes it more difficult to make out exactly who happens to be in here. None of them look like R'ki so she can relax a little! "Evening…" She murmurs to whoever's in hearing range, though the profanity does catch her attention. And here she'd been hoping for a quiet night!

Rhikiad leans over, blindly swishing his hand around under the water to try to locate that sunken toy boat. He scowls a bit, straightening to try to peer through the waters, to locate the little toy. Finally, fingers close around the prow and he pulls it back to the surface, upending the thing so it is floatable once more. "Is it night already? Shells, I've been in here awhile."

Mika nods. "If not yet, it will be soon." MIka confirms as she finishes undressing and slides into the pool. The normally shy girl is still weyr bred enough not to be nervous around communal bathing, at least outside of very specific company.

Rhikiad sets the little toy boat back upon the surface of the water, giving it a little push to send it bobbling about once more. His eyes slip back up to watch Mika's progress into the water, and then flashing her a quick grin in greeting. "The hopefully the evening rush is past. Its nice in here when there are no kids about." He can just play like one with the little toy boat. Whoooooosh.

Mika nods. "I usually wait until later to come myself, but they've got me on early duty tomorrow." She shakes her head as she starts to scrub. Toys and play time were never something that she associated with baths herself, so the appeal of the boat is only minimal.

"Early duty for what?" is the question that begs to be asked when Mika phrases that just so. You know, sort of a small-talk thing while people are naked in the water together. Rhikiad swishes after the boat, ducking down 'til he is covered to the neck in the warm waters. Approaching one of the inflowing currents, it takes ahold of the little toy, propelling it quickly down to the other end of the bath before the teen can grab it. He just ends up splashing though, provoking a chuckle.

"Takeing around a couple of the newer candidates…" Mika's a little mystified as to why they'd pick /her/ for that. "But theyr'e starting them very early." Fortunately there weren't alot of new candidates yet so it should be too confusing.

The soft tamping of feet from outside heralds the arrival of Corana, dressed in her wintry best without hardly a scrap of skin showing save her face. She's got towels with her, her own supply of sweetsand on a basket, and upon entering, looks genuinely surprised to see anyone here at this late hour. Not pleasantly surprised, either. "Oh… sorry, didn't know there were…" she stops, licks her lips nervously, and blushes and turns away when she recognizes Rhikiad. All that long red hair, she didn't realize it was a boy there at first. "Mika, Rhikiad," she mutters by way of greeting, sheepishly.

Rhikiad is after that left-behind boat once again, before it can be claimed by the unforgiving depths of the bathing pool. Tan fingers barely brush it though before another current catches the child's toy, sending it spinning towards Mika. "Candidates? What… Oh! Like those people that get picked to be riders? How do you 'take them around'?" Another question rises to his lips at the sound of his name. The teen blinks and turns a bit in the waters, dark eyebrows lifting in question 'til he recognizes the rider. "Oh. Hi, Corana."

Mika nods, “Yes, a candidate. I just show them where everything is and introduce them to the people they're working for." She looks up as she hears Corana, "Weyrwoman," Her tone is formal. "It's just us here, ma'am." She tries to reassure, though she's not sure why Corana would actually need the reassurance.

Corana remains completely uncomfortable, looking down at the tiled floor instead of at the figures in the pool nearby. "Oh, I know," Corana replies to Mika's comment, still flushed, "But you deserve your privacy, and I can… come back later." She makes to turn, haltingly, but stays for a moment longer while she fidgets with the towel and basket under her arm. "How are you both?" she asks, as awkwardly as anything she's said tonight, though the only reason she's staying is because she's pondering if she went back up to her weyr if she'd be too tired later to come all the way back down later on tonight.

Rhikiad splashes forward to reclaim the low-floating toy boat, plucking it from the water once more to dump out any water that might have gotten inside it. "Sounds really boring. I'd much rather just sort of bumble around 'til I got it right. Much more fun that way. Sure, you might get yelled at for going and doing things you aren't supposed to, like I did when I first came -although I do still yet yelled at now and again." His grin quirks a little lopsidedly. The boat is set back down and giving a bit of a push to propel it over some motion-born waves towards the edge of the bath. He glances away from the toy for a moment to peer oddly at Corana, "Privacy? In a communal bath?" He won't hide his confusion, for he looks just as perplexed as his voice sounds. Blink. And then he goes WAY in another direction, "Only ones that want privacy, I think are the people that usually have sex try to take that bath further back. Or that's my experience. I don't think Mika and I are going to do that." And the teen will just keep right on going. "Pretty good though." Grin.

Mika gives Rhikiad a look that is somewhere between trying to decide if he's a tunnel snake in disguise, a lunatic, or a Q'luin clone. She shakes her head and grimaces at him, turning her attention completely to Corana. "It's a public baths, ma'am. There /are/ more private ones for those who want the privacy… I think some of them are empty if you'd be more comfortable there?" She /thought/ she remembered that Corana was hold bred, but surely 3 turns as a rider did something about the normal hold-bred vs. weyr bred differences? At least when it came to the baths.

Ah, but most people aren't the bull-headed Corana, who changes in many ways and stays as unchanging as a fossil in others. "If I wanted a private bath, I'd go back to the Weyrwoman's weyr and have it there. But I don't. I came here," and she won't explain aloud why that is, but simply leaves the statement obvious that she doesn't wish to go there. She turns rather crimson at the ideas Rhikiad is explaining, but seems to avoid commenting on them except to say, "If there's any personal experience involved in that, I don't want to know it." Firm enough to know she means business, meek enough to tell she's still embarrassed.

Rhikiad gets that kind of look quite often, and so the teen'll just blink right on back at Mika. The toy boat is pushed right on up to the edge of the bath, with the teen right there as well. He stands up some, reaching to scoop up some scented soapsand (moongazer like always) and dump it into the little boat 'til it rides rather low in the water. His attention flickers back to Corana, flashing her a toothy grin. "Oh, I wouldn't. Just saying. So, are you going to get in, or keep turning that pretty shade of red? I'll scrub your back if you want me to? Or help you wash your hair?"

Mika edges away from Rhikiad. "Um, that might not be the best way to make her comfortable…" She tells him softly, though her tone indicates she doesn't really expect it to do any good.

Chewing her lip, Corana replies sharply to Rhikiad's offer with, "Uh, no. Thanks." Likely she took it out of context, but she's been in close encounters with one too many sleazy men to think of any of their gender as innocent anymore. Even Rhikiad, with his tub toys, which she barely glimpses out of the corner of her eye. To Mika, Corana will just nod and respond with, "Yeah, you're right. I think I… will retire after all." The embarrassment might be worth skipping a bath for one night. She turns, towel and sand tucked under an arm, and makes for the door.

Rhikiad flickers a glance over towards Mika, and then looks towards Corana rather expectantly. He blinks though at her, and then nods his head. "Oh. Okay. Well, if you ever want met to, I can. Sometimes it is hard to reach back there, and one can use some help." He flashes her another toothy grin before going back to his toy boat. He gives it a good push, sending it to the deeper reaches of the pool.

Rhikiad follows after the toy boat, watching it careful as some of the waves picked up from Mika's hair washing cause it to bobble alarmingly. "Did you need help washing your hair? Although it looks like you are doing a pretty good job of it." Seeing as she is here, and is something of a captive audience, the teen will continue to babble at her. "So what exactly do candidates do? I've never seen one before. Well, besides you, and all I remember you doing is selling eggs. But I don't think they sell firelizard eggs."

Mika rinses out her hair and moves a little further away. "No thank you… I can manage." Weyr bred she may be, but these kinds of offers are not something she is willing to trust, not given his all to recent commentary. "No, we do whatever really needs done. the candidates with crafts tend to help out with those crafts. We learn about dragons, especially the hold bred, so they know what to expect on the sands. Do lots of chores, not much different than being a drudge except for the hatchings and egg touchings and classes…"

Rhikiad nods his head vaguely to Mika's response to the hair washing, but he is all eyes for that toy boat. He deliberately bobbles once in the water, causing the toy to ride the waves but not tip yet. "Egg touchings? What is that? You mean you touch some eggs?" He blinks and glances back over to her, question in his eyes.

Mika gives Rhikiad a long disbelieving look. "Candidates stand for /dragon/ eggs. To get familiar with them when they're hard the clutch mother usually lets the candidates come in and touch them and get used to being around them so especially the hold bred don't panic when they start rocking and hatching…" It's hard to tell if she's trying to be sarcastic or if Rhikiad has just surprised her that much, "You do realize that dragons hatch out of eggs… you /did/ actually get your harper lessons right?"'

Rhikiad blinks for a moment at Mika's tone, stopping in his bobbling movements. The toy boat that he has been following around wallows about with the stilling of the water, momentarily forgotten. "I know that. I mean, I know about the candidates and dragons hatching out of egg, I didn't know they get to touch the eggs and stuff." He looks vaguely embarrassed, dropping down in the bath waters again 'til he is hidden to the neck. "I tried -the lessons. But they got boring, and I'd do other things, and then the harper would throw things at me and yell at me and tell me to leave. So I did." Fickle attentions bring him back to the forgotten toy boat.

It's too sharding cold to take bathes in the lake anymore, and he no longer has carte blanch use of a private one, so now Q'luin has to deal with the masses in the public bathes again. Sometimes that isn't such a bad thing. The steam roils and rolls about as he pushes through the curtain into the cloud that turns his black to grey. Slow purposeful strides take the tall man to a bench where he starts dumping off items into two distinct piles: clean and dirty.

There isn't much in the way of 'masses' at the moment in the baths. For the most part it's boiled down to Rhikiad and Mika, most of the others having drifted out to other things. Mika is favoring Rhikiad with a long, appraising look that one is usually reserved for those who discover new and random species of fuzzy things. Not quite repelled, just very, very confused. "The harper threw things at you?" She couldn't really imagine that…

Rhikiad draws in a breath, cheeks puffing out before releasing it toward the soapsand laden toy boat. Alas, it doesn't move forward any, just keeps bobbling about in the water. "Yeah. Whatever he could get in his hands. I think maybe he figured if he bounced things off my head, I'd pay more attention. You know, because you do tend to pay attention when things like that happen. I tried though." Hands cup, sending a wave at his found boat, causing it to bobble a bit more heavily in the water. Blink. "Hey, Q'luin."

Q'luin is naked in no time and slips languidly into the sultry warmth of the bathes. His named being uttered catches him off guard, so he's paused at knee depth to squint in the dim light. It isn't that he couldn't recognize Rhikiad's voice, but he heard another one and is trying to figure out who it is. "Red." Ah, there they are, "And the drudge called Mika. Evening." It's the boy's voice that calls to him though, so that is the direction the soaking commences.

It's evening heading into night, and the baths are mostly empty, except for the pool with Rhikiad, Mika, and Q'luin. The latter seems to be the most recent arival, just judging by the state of pruning involved in each. "Candidate still…" Mika says in response to Q'luin's title, though there's no force behind the statement at all. Then she turns to Rhikiad and shakes her head. "It might keep your attention but um… getting hit in the head that often really can't be good for you…"

Rhikiad rises up out of the water for a moment, and then sort of pushes forward, causing a more substantial wave to drift from him. Alas, it still doesn't sink that soapsand-filled toy boat he is playing around with in the deeper area of the bath. He glances over towards Q'luin, flashing him a quick welcoming grin, but his green-irised gaze flickers back to the boat. "I've been hit harder." Another bobble of his body and finally the boat rides the crest but doesn't keep its balance while dropping into the trough. It tips to the side, spilling moongazer scented soapsand before sinking under, much to Rhik's grinning delight.

"Ah, candidate. I just sent another your way," Q'luin informs as he sinks down into the pool until he disappears from sight. It isn't long, however, before he appears again, shaking water from the intensely black hair. "You sinking more ships, Red? That one taken by pirates too?" The tresses are slicked back as he rides Rhikiad's wave to the side to collect some soapsand.

Emilia will have made the quick dash from the resident's barracks to the baths in her robe which gets shucked to a bench. It was a bad aim and the robe slips to the floor but she is already stepping into the water and then sinking. Hands are busy trying to loosen her hair she tilts her head towards the other voices while sinking into the water. "Hello there?" is called in a cheerful warning to the assemblage as she aims towards that end.

Mika frowns, "I'm not sure that's a good thing." She says to Rhikiad, definitely chalking his oddities up to being hit one to many times in the head. "I've got a pair they want me to show around tomorrow morning…" So what's one more. Then she sees Emilia and shrinks down in the water up to her jawline. Great. Just what she needs…

Rhikiad's hands reach under the water to try to save that poor toy boat from sinking to the bottom yet again. "Only if I am the pirate," he murmurs, fingers finally locating the toy again to bring it to the surface. He upends it for the millionth time, before setting it to right and giving it a push away. Enough play with the child's toy for now. "Hi, Emilia," he drawls, glancing over the the bath-entering young woman.

"You don't stink bad enough," Q'luin blithely comments as he forces soapsand granules into his hair. A lather is worked up as he speaks to Mika, "This one is a weyrwoman's daughter." The rolling of his dark eyes might get missed in the fog drifting off the pool. Just about the time he's got a fine white crown of foam, Emilia walks in. "You following me?" The grin is drowned as he sinks under to rinse away the soap.

Girl Talk

Logged 10 May 08

The baths bring out the strangest conversations: Girl talk between Aadi, Emilia, and Mika.

Baths (#5705J)
Polished tiles glow underneath, through the humid steam that is the inevitable accompaniment to the baths; in a colorful mosaic they spread their graceful pictures, the disarray and languor of bodies nude: dragon, human, 'lizard. The pool seduces long and broad in the center of the antechamber, about which the walkway crowns its way, an outer ring of relative dryness circled yet again by a series of stout wooden benches and hooks for cast-off clothing. Stacks of soft white towels pile loosely in large baskets, inviting indulgence and envelopment in fluffy clouds of warmth.
The mosaics stream along tiles that dive into the central pool, coalescing into patterns along an underwater bench which circumscribes the bath before fading into blue-green waves and swirls that show faintly through the deepest waters. Time is nonexistant here, the cares of the world outside slip away in weightless luxury. Pots of herbs placed at strategic intervals invite you to 'add' exotic scents; sweetsand is available, for foaming 'bubbles'. All rumors of the hedonistic pleasure enjoyed by weyrfolk seem to be confirmed here - indulge yourself!
Obvious exits:
Out

Steam rises and moves in the humid air and the baths seem quiet and empty except for the odd dripping sound and gurgle of the constant flow of water into and out of the pools. A bundle of clothes lie discarded on a bench indicating that perhaps someone has forgotten them. There occurs a faint rippling in the water as if something thrashed briefly but after a moment it stills again and all appears calm and quiet.

Aadi steps into the steamy room, taking a moment to breathe in the heavy air before finding a dry place for her clothes and stripping down. Hair is untied and fingers comb out the braids, leaving a curly, crimpy mass of red to be washed. Everything in order, she moves to a corner nook and steps in, a blissful sigh escaping her lips at the heat.

Mika hates fish. Or at least today she hates fish. She has spent much too much time on the docks dealing with fish, especially after her tour for a couple of the new candidates ended. She never thought she'd be /wishing/ for a job that put her in more contact with people. One could not smell like a stable, a latrine, or /fish/ when one worked with people! She strips out of the distastefully smelly clothing, grateful she thought to bring a spare. She's not putting /those/ back on until they're properly decontaminated. She gets into the pool without really looking where she's going, other than making sure she's not on top of anyone, though with the steam she can only check the surface, not the sub surface.

Emilia arises in the middle of the pool with a burst of splash and droplets, water streaming from her now not so frizzy hair which is plastered down her back and across her face. She gasps for breath and sputters, a brief thrashing occurs before she gains her footing. "Much much better," gets coughed out as her wheezes subside and air actually gets pulled back into her lungs.

That little exclamation from Emilia is what really catches Aadi's attention. Days as a Candidate haven't changed much since her last runabout — well, her last runabout in this time anyway. It's hard, dirty work, but that doesn't bother Aadi one bit. Takes the mind off of things, and working in the stables isn't bad. It's basically the same as what she had been doing — breaking and taming young runners, working kinks outta the ones badly taught and so on. Now she had been looking forward to a nice quiet soak, but with a sigh resigns herself to bubbles of more than one kind. "G'eve, Emilia."

Mika blinks and jumps away from Emilia, this time not because she's displeased to see the other woman, but because she wasn't expecting to see her there. She bobs her head at Aadi and grabs the soap. "Evening." She greets neutrally to both of them.

Emilia will blink between the women once she catches her breath fully and smiles cheerfully, "Hi Aadi, Did you get settled in okay?" Mika will get a much more bright and perky "Mika," but not quite to her normal levels. Her face is already flushed from whatever was going on down there beneath the surface and hazel eyes still look a little peaked. She casts another smile at each of the women once more with a quiet, "Excuse me won't you," and then down she sinks. This time she apparently doesn't go quite so deep and a brief thrashing and flailing of arms will occur causing waves and bubbles to rise to the surface of the pool.

Nodding to Mika, Aadi turns her attention to the whirlwind that is Emilia. "Yeah, I got it okay, thanks." She watches Emilia chatter away with an expression of minor shock, watches her dart back under and shakes her head, reaching for her soapsand and beginning to work up a ladder. "Does she have klah running in her veins? Instead of blood?" she wonders aloud.

Mika eyes where Emilia disappeared into the water a little suspiciously. "What do you think /she's/ up to?" She murmurs, overlapping Aadi's comment and shakes her head. "No, I think it's got to be stronger than Klah, if that's possible… Something from the healers. You're a new candidate, right?" She asks, thinking she saw the girl in the candidate, rather than residents barracks, earlier…

Emilia says, "Ever so much better," gets punctuated out of another cough when Emilia rises for the second time. Once she has pushed her mass of wet hair and its streaming water from her face she'll glance at the two women and notice the lingering curious and suspicious expressions. "It's not laundry day," is the explanation she gives first. "I was screaming! It's a very good way to get rid of frustration, especially if someone pisses you off, and no one can hear you underwater." Then Mika earns a quick grin, "I hear congratulations are in order again even though you were already a candidate. Is R'ki proud?" Aadi just earns a bright smile since she hadn't really heard the klah comment submerged."

"Yeah, well. New is a relative word, but for this clutch, yeah. R'ki and Seiketh Searched me the other day." She watches Emilia for a moment and then goes back to scrubbing. "Rather than break your vocal chords, y'could go n' fight somethin'. Or do someone — seein' as you aren't a Candidate. Plenty of other ways to rid stress without damagin' yourself."

Aadi
The 'solidly built weyrbrat' has grown into a blossoming young woman…sort of. Her hair — still the same rich red of her youth — is longer now, when down brushing just past her shoulders. But only rarely is it let free like that. For the most part it is tied back in two braids that run along her skull to the nape of her neck. Her face has tanned a little, but the true evidence of time spent in the sun can be found in the darkening of the dust of freckles that lies across her nose and cheeks. She's capped out at about 5'7" — a respectable height for a Pernese woman — and her body has finally shed the last vestiges of baby-fat, leaving her with a lean, toned appearance.
She wears the white knot of an Istan Candidate.
With her usual casual grace, Aadi has dressed herself in well-worn, tight-fitting clothes. The better to ride in, of course. Tight grey breeches and black wher hide boots cover her lower half, while the upper is draped in a rust-colored tunic, belted at the waist with her wher-leather belt, dyed to match her boots. On said belt are two hilts for small daggers — one on each side — and a small pouch of unknown content. There are slight bulges in her boots that may or may not be more concealed weaponry, but it's rather impolite to ask, don't you think? Prissy tilts her head, eyeing you from the other shoulder. Colum regards you, perched atop Aadi's shoulder. Nante peers up at you curiously from his safe vantage of Aadi's other arm. Synthe yawns from his perch on Aadi's upper arm. Rhett regards you haughtily from his perch on Aadi's shoulder.
Aadi is 23 Turns, 2 months, and 17 days old.

Mika nods to Aadi, "Is he doing alright?" She asks of Aadi. She hasn't seen R'ki in several days. She gives Emilia, "Meaning I'll get to stand for a second clutch soon?" Mika's tone actually is touched with irony. "At least it won't be three turns before the next one after this…"

Emilia gives a relatively mild smile towards Aadi but her eyes cross briefly, "Maybe that's why I'm screaming," she says with a faintly exasperated tone. A shake of her head springs some life back into her hair and she'll bounce in the water and roll her eyes towards Mika, "I told R'ki he should do something special for you, because you deserved it since you work so hard."

"He looked well enough to me," Aadi answers. "And yeah. Rhyolith caught Naomith when she rose. Eggs are gonna roll." Emilia's answer makes a modicum of sense, so Aadi merely shrugs and goes back to her washing.
Mika shakes her head, "He said we could go flying somewhere… but that only works if I can get permission, which with eggs comming gets less likely." She shrugs, resigned more than anything else. "It's good to hear he's looking well. I hear it was a good flight. Rhyolith's getting good at catching golds.' Which could explain the otherwise lack of golds at Ista, but that's only a passing thought at least as far as Mika's concerned.

Emilia will frown briefly at Mika's comment, "So how did Corana come here. Was she a transfer or something." She'll shake her head, "but no, that wouldn't fit given what I've heard.." For a moment she tries to figure out something in her head then shrugs, "I suppose he's better then our Weyrleader at home. My Father hates him!" She'll cock a tilted head grin at Aadi and shrug, "Eggs are always good for Weyrs and with thread there should be more clutches." She's preaching to the converted here, but…

"Naomith was bought." It's a simple explanation. "Ista was running out of golds and since Rhyolith sired the last clutch too, they had to buy one of the eggs from…Telgar or Benden I think. Somewhere with excess." She leans back to wet her hair before working it into a lather. "What's wrong with your weyrleader?"

"Telgar," Mika confirmed. "though I'm not sure how they convinced them to send the egg, rather than a gold /rider/…" She had only been 14, and barely that when that deal had been made. "More clutches is good, though there'll be some of us who don't impress at any of them."

Emilia is already the converted but she happily nods at Mika and then shrugs at Aadi, "Weyr politics. I don't know really, I'd been at Keroon Hold when all that went down and haven't really been home since. You should ask Igen though, he'd know. But since he owes me a ride home now, I'll find out soon enough."

"Yeah, right." Mika's unintentional barb hits straight home with Aadi, making her flinch before going back to her washing. "You keep mentioning an Igen, Em. Who is he?"

"Q'luin," Mika has heard that scathing moniker more than once. She gives Aadi a confused look, not sure what she said wrong, but picking up that at least something wasn't /right/. "You're going back ot Igen?" MIka's tone as soft as usual, but it wavered between hope and incredulity.

Emilia snorts at the name and makes a face, but responds to both of them, "I want to go home for a visit and if I don't have assured transportation out again then I won't be going. That's why I played the dice game with Igen. I won one favor and he won one favor. Though I owe Jacqueline three too." She's going to be doing candidate chores for a turn!

Nodding thanks to Mika for clearing that one up, Aadi turns to Emilia with a look of positive incredulity. "Emilia, dear. You do know you're in a /weyr/, yeah?" She shakes her head. "There're more riders than you could possibly want, all in one place. Ask one of them. Don't bother with cranky-pants." Her own personal name for Q'luin. "Hell, how do you think I get around in a pinch?"

Mika sinks a bit lower into the pool and concentrates on getting the fish-smell out of her hair. She leaves the argument over Q'luin to these two. She had the fortune… or missfortune… of being a candidate with the man.

Emilia rolls her eyes at Aadi but manages a cheerful grin, "I know I'm in a weyr. Born and raised thank you kindly. But how many times have you been flown someplace only to be stranded there because Weyr business takes precedence! I can get anyone of my brothers to come get me in a moment as long as they get the message, but they'd listen to my Dad and /he/ isn't going to be so thrilled that I'm no longer at Keroon Hold! This way I have assurance that my ride will wait for me!" She does grin at the cranky pants nickname though.

OOC: And here sleep over takes me.

Cavern Life

Logged 11 May 08

Little bits of daily life spill out into public view.

Living Cavern (#2070J)
This is the vaulted, high-ceilinged main gathering area of Ista Weyr, where riders, residents and drudges congregate to socialize and make merry. Or even just to eat. Long, sturdy tables fill most of the cavern in neat rows, two of them hemming about the hearths that line the northeastern curve of the cavern. Sideboards by the kitchen entrance groan beneath a constant burden of food and drinks, kept fresh by the cooks and lower caverns staff.
If one were to 'look menu', they'd see what the cooks are serving up as a meal.
Velura, Carolyna, Rhikiad, and Sharyna are here.
Obvious exits:
Bowl Kitchen Lower Caverns

Velura is still in her riding leathers as she moves klah and food around in front of her, she's got her dinner but so far all she's interested in is klah and her eyes are darting around the room a little too quickly. A small knot of riders has shown some interest in her and have of course noticed Gliss' slight glow but today Velura has warned them off though not seeming to enjoy her empty seat. "Does anyone just want to sit and talk?" She loudly asks the entire cavern.

Carolyna enters the living caverns and promptly obtains the necessary sustinance for a normal work day when she hears Velura's enquiry. "I'll sit and talk," she offers upon turning and seeing who the bodyless voice belongs to. Making her way towards the other woman's table she offers a smile. "Presuming you don't mind my company."

Sharyna wasn't here to sit and talk, or to do any kind of sitting at all. She's whistling softly to herself as she comes up from the lower caverns, in the direction of the crafter's area. She's got her sketchbook under her arm, and appears to be looking for someone, her firelizard perched on her shoulder, mimicing her person's behavior.

"Long day, ma'am?" Mika asks carrying a very full pitcher of Klah, which she balances easily. "I have more Klah if you'd like?" She offers the pitcher forward, though she's not sure the invitation applied to her.
Rhikiad bounds into the cavern. Well, maybe not exactly bounding, but a close enough interpretation to lead to that kind of description. Nevertheless, the teen weaves around a knot of youngsters, patting on on the crown of the head and eliciting a volley of giggles and waves in his direction. A cluck of his tongue, and he moves along towards the kitchens. Moments later and he emerges once more, and with a plate of iced cookies, looking most heroic for having liberated them from the confines of the kitchens and the eyes of the cooks within. "Cookies," he croons, as if that wasn't obvious enough already.

"Whoever so long as it's just conversation," Velura states eyeing the knot of riders till they subside to eat themselves. Gladya urges them on from Velura's shoulder with a hiss, her whirling eyes glowering at them. "Thank you please," the rider offers Mika. "It's been a long couple of days … if Gliss doesn't go up soon I'm going to go absolutely mad.”

Carolyna smiles and sits herself within a conversational distance from Velura, food and drink ready to be consumed. "I hope they get better for you, Ma'am," the journeyman offers with a smile as she tilts her head, watching those who've recently entered the caverns.

Sharyna spies the person she had been looking for, and begins to stride across the caverns purposefully, her whistle trailing off. She's on the prowl for a customer, you see. "Rhikiad!" She calls out, pulling the sketchbook out and waving it. "I've got some preliminary designs I want you to look at!"

Mika leaves the pitcher there. "I can talk for a little while, ma'am." Mika says softly. "There seems to be a lot of flights going on…" though with greens it was almost a daily occurrence

Rhikiad has vague flashbacks to certain southern cat prowling about and stalking him. Pernese spidey-sense tingling. He stalls in his progress across the hall, feels a shiver, and then turns to peer at Sharyna right as his name is being called out. "Whoa." But then there is the sketchbook, and the teen counters with an offer of his own. "Cookie?" Beat. "Designs? Oh! For my outfit?"

Velura nods toward Carolyna, "I hope they do too but I have a feeling they're just goign to get rough in a different way." She attempts a smile and nod at both her and Mika. Taking the pitcher she fills her mug and picks at the food in front of her finally. "There always are it's true and with thread about the flights just seem to increase, particularly the golds."

Mika nods, "Which means we should do well through thread…" Given that some of the lower caverns gossips had been claiming that the dragons wouldn't pick up on the out of sequence thread fall enough for the flights to increase.

Sharyna nods then, shaking her head. "No, no thank you. I'm trying to cut back on those." She starts to flip the sketchbook open, to where there is a design for a male outfit, complete with swatches of colored fabric. "So this is what I was thinking. A cream colored shirt of this material here…you were admiring some of the finer stuff, so I figured it would look good as a shirt. Loose, flowing…airy. A tunic or vest with this fabric here…I was thinking a nice even brown tone for it. With some periwinkle stitching through it. I was thinking a climbing vine." She's in her element now.

Rhikiad sort of shrugs his shoulder, and then reaches down to pup a broomtree shaped cookie into his mouth. He chews away at it, licking his lips now and again of crumbs. Speaking of crumbs, a few might actually manage to scatter onto the weaver's pad. The teen leans over somewhat to peer down at it, and then glance over to Sharnya, "Do you have any of that fabric with you now? Can I feel it?"

Velura shrugs, "It'll take time for eggs to hatch and dragons to grow but we might catch up at some point." She's calming now, eating more food and Gladya's eyes are slowing but she still retains a fast paced whirl.

A bugle outside may not make it to everyone in the caverns but Velura stands up and curses. "Shells Gliss I can't leave you alone for a second now." Without bothering to excuse herself from the table she storms out, Gladya launching ahead of her and stirring up at least a few startled people.

Mika watches Velura go and shakes her head. "CAn anyone else use something to eat or drink?" She asks to the group in the immediate vicinity, though for once her voice is loud enough it might carry… at least if someone has sensitive ears.

Sharyna shakes her head. "Not if you don't stop eating cookies and spraying crumbs all over my workbook, I don't." She lifts her head and then smiles, shaking her head at Mika. "Um…this is what I was thinking for your shirt." It is a smooth, fine, almost satin-like fabric. The tunic fabric is heavier, for warmth, but no-less fine a fabric. "Your trous would be made out of a darker fabric. A brown almost black in color."

Carolyna is still here, she'd just momentarily been too enthralled in her food and was munching away on it it. Once she realizes that, hey, there are people around her, she looks up, and offers up the most innocent grin.

"Sorry," Rhikiad murmurs, tipping his head so he can eat the cookie without dropping any more crumbs onto the book. He pops it all into his mouth, happily chewing upon the sweet, fingers dusting off on his thigh. After swallowing, the teen frowns slightly, "I'd like to feel the fabric first though, can I? Please?" But his attention with draw away for the moment, glancing over towards the 'not naked' Mika, and he'll offer her a wave in greeting.

Mika takes one of the other pitchers, now empty and starts clearing away the dishes left by this rider or that rider, as she falls easily back into her work. She bobs her head at Sharyna and smiles at Rhikiad, though there's a touch of warriness in her expression. She's still not sure if he's entirely sane…

Carolyna chuckles, quietly, at the conversation between Rhikiad and Sharyna, between bites of food and sips of juice.

Rhikiad is looked at, oddly. This causes the teen to look back over towards Mika with upraised brows and a rather amused expression. He offers up his plate of pilfered cookies towards her. "They are really good. You should try one. They were just sitting there, waiting to be ate. And so, I took them, and am eating them. Want one, Mika?" Blink-blink.

Sharyna nods at Rhikiad. "Sure. Look." She points to the swatches of fabric. "That's why I put those in here, so you could feel the fabric. Try the shirt first."

Mika comes back towards Rhikiad and takes a cookie tentatively. "Only if you have enough?" she replies hesitantly. "Are you sure?"
"I've plenty!" Rhik cheerily responds to Mika, brandishing the plate with the iced cookies upon them. "Lots to enjoy and make your belly happy. Have a couple." His attention is fickle though, and easily drug back to Sharyna, "Oh?" The teen fairly hands the plate over to Mika before reaching towards the swatches, a finger brushing the fabrics with obvious interest, teeth worrying at his bottom lip.

Carolyna finishes her meal and rises to attend to the dirty dishes she made. Once that's done she offers a polite nod to those gathered and makes for the lower caverns.

Sharyna shrugs then, as she watches Rhikiad. "There are softer fabrics, but that's about the best I've got right now. Especially since you're still young enough to potentially out-grow it before a couple of Turns pass." She motions to the other fabric. "This is what the rest of the outfit is made out of it. Don't mind the color." The color of the swatch is a horrible green and orange combination. "That's just some old rags I had. But the feel will be the same."

Mika creeps a little closer, cookie in hand. "Do you have many fabrics?" She asks cautiously, not wanting to steal too much of Sharyna's attention away from her current customer!

Rhikiad looks moderately proud for a moment. "I've grown some," he just kinda notes to nobody in particular. Green-irised eyes flicker over to the eyesore fabric, and his dark eyebrows arch for the moment. But he accepts it though with another touch, and then his eyes light up. "Oh, I do like that. It feels nice." His smile makes another appearance, and it is cast to the weaver. "Thank you. This is really good." He pauses though, and thinks, "Do you need to do a fitting?" He shoots a glance askance to Mika and grin briefly to her, "Good cookies, eh?"

Sharyna shakes her head then, and a slow, wicked smile appears over her face. "No, now that you've approved the pattern, and the colors, we need to get started on the measurements. Also, would you like a jacket to go with it? Especially considering you'll be getting to most gathers adragonback?" She asks, tilting her head.

Rhikiad flushes slightly, and then shakes his head enough so that his long braid of hair flops over his shoulder. "I hadn't thought of that. A jacket. Uhm… I suppose? Would it cost more?" His hand finally stops indulging in touching the fabric, fingers instead delving into the pocket of his trous. "Measurements? When do you want to do that?"
Sharyna shakes her head. "No, the exact price Tiago and I negotiated was one gather outfit. Given that sometimes you'll likely be begging riders to take you to Spring Gathers in colder climes, plus the fact that you'll likely be going between….you might want the jacket. So it would be part of the price." She grins. "Well, when do you have the time?

Rhikiad continues to chew at his bottom lip for a long indecisive moment. Eventually though, his gaze lifts and he nods towards Sharyna, "If so, then sure. I'd want it to be complete and all. I just hadn't thought about a riding jacket before, but it would be nice." He reaches back for the plate to take up another cookie, this one in the shape of a runner. "Oh, any time. I tend to only be busy in the mornings. Unless you want to do it now?"

Mika shakes her head. "Do you have time for other appointments?" She asks of Sharyna, ahving slowly nibbled her way halfway through the cookie. She bobs her head at Rhikiad again and actually smiles faintly. "Very good cookies." Definitely a safer subject than anything else he might be discussing.

Sharyna shakes her head. "I can't do it now, Rhikiad. I need to start some other projects I've been commissioned to make." She tilts her head. "Apparently, you guys have been without a weaver for awhile." She laughs then, winking. Then, she considers Mika for a moment. "I do, I do. Did you want a commission then?"

Mika nods her head slowly. "Yes, ma'am… I have some fabric, I'm just not sure it's enough." She admits. She got it in trade, and she's not certain she has enough to both pay for the weaving and buy more fabric of that kind of quality… There is a limit to the marks she got for those eggs so long ago!

Rhikiad near to beams at Mika, "I wouldn't dare bring out bad cookies from the kitchens. And the kitchens wouldn't dare to make bad cookies either." He flashes her a wink and then takes another healthy bite from the one in his hand, happily chewing away. "Oh, okay. Another time then. You can find me whenever, or I'll find you, or whatever." He kind of shrugs his shoulders, fingers seeking another sweet treat.

"Soon." Sharon corrects Rhikiad. "Very soon." Then to Mika she smiles. "Well, if there is not enough fabric for what you want, we can see what can be done about it. At the very least, maybe we can trade some labor for it or something." She shrugs. "It's easy with enough creativitiy for most people to get what they want, as far as clothing goes."

Mika nods with more than a little relief. "Any help you can offer…' Mika's tone is greatful. "I'm a good worker," Though she's not exactly skilled atany of it. "You have a point…" That to Rhikiad. "though /you/ could always blame it on the kitchen, they don't have anyone else to blame it on."

Rhikiad breaks out into a wider grin. He swings around to plop his butt onto the edge of a table. Seriously, chairs don't seem to be a noticed piece of furniture for him lately. "Oh, Mika… this is the weaver, Sharyna. I'm not sure if you two have met before or anything, and I don't remember if either name was mentioned too." He has manners, somewhere.
[Lyricists*] Indiana: well, if I'm submitting an egg desc, then surely I should write the inspiration behind it? :p That's how it's normally done where I play, anyway.

Sharyna grins slightly. "Well met, Mika. And don't worry." Her eyes flick to Mika's knot and she winks. "I have a feeling you'll be available to help me any time I need it. What did you do before you came to the Weyr?" At least, if Mika is a candidate, there is a fairly good chance she's not from around here. "And I have plenty of stuff that any fumble-fingered drudge could do, so don't worry there."

"I hadn't heard your name before, ma'am," Mika flashes Rhikiad a greatful smile then turns her eyes back down as she speaks to Sharyna. "I've been a drudge here at the weyr my entire life, ma'am." Mika informs her "I've been assigned to all the crafters here at one point or another, either as a candidate or as a drudge."

Rhikiad continues to pop cookies into his mouth as the pair of young women start to chatter back and forth. His fingers scrabble for another one on the plate, only to encounter a few crumbs. Pout. "I want more cookies," he manages around a mouthful already of one. The teen kind of waves at the pair, takes up the empty plate and then moves back into the kitchens.

Sharyna nods. "I've not seen you. But I've not been here at the Weyr very long." She smiles then. "What kind of outfit did you want made?" She asks, tilting her head.

Mika bites her lower lip and blushes. "A dress…. I've got some very nice blue fabric… very, veyr soft." She wasn't even sure what it was called. "I'm not sure what to do with it… i mean my green one's long and simple and…" She stammers turning even brighter red as she can't really bring herself to admit the kind of attention she wants the dress to help her attract.

Sharyna pauses for a second, then her smile turns sly. "Let me go out on a limb here." She moves closer to Mika, and starts appraising the girl. An appraising look comes over her face, and she eyes Mika critically. "Something…" She considers for a moment. "I don't think I should need very much. Floor length. Tight along your hips and waist…give the boys something to look at..but a little looser up top. Hide some curves to keep the mystery. But it /will/ be something to turn certain eyes?"

Mika blushes even deeper and can't seem to make herself look up. "You would know more about this than I would. I don't know if it'll do any good…" She admits, sounding as embarassed as she looks.
You paged Emilia with: ;doesn't mind if you come out. i've got an hour or so left.

Sharyna laughs then. "I only know more because I know what a well-tailored dress can do to attract certain eyes." She winks, and then reaches out to touch Mika's chin, so as to attempt to tilt her face up so that Sharon can look at it. "Do you have a particular young man in mind?" Despite the fact that they are only a Turn apart in age, their difference in experience is noticable.

Sharyna
Thick, luxurious black hair falls below the shoulders, hanging down to mid back, while in the front the bangs are set so that they frame the lovely face, rather than hide it. Large, wide, expressive emerald eyes oft sparkle like diamonds, whether from wit or woe. Her nose turns up a shade too far for perfection of beauty, leaving her instead with the description of 'cute.' Full, rich lips, a shade of lovely darker rose are often found twisted at some wry irony. Dark complexion finishes the picture, her skin the color of someone who spends most of their life outside, and enjoys it. Smooth skin curves around well-toned musculature the form of someone used to activity, her body filling her clothing nicely, with no part of her out of proportion to the rest. She requires no boots to tower over many, her height naturally above average and consisting a great deal of firm, toned leg.
Sharyna bears the lavender and white shoulder cords of a journeyman weaver, with a twin strand of orange and black to mark her posting as Ista Weyr
She wears a combination of clothing designed to make her look good and yet able to work hard. A deep burgundy shirt provides coverage for her arms, while the more wine colored overshirt is stitched directly to the other, lined in gold and black with a deep V neck that lets more of the darker undershirt peek out. This belts about the waist with a thin belt of plain brown. She also wears a skirt of the same material as the undershirt above, trimmed in gold and black as well. The cut goes far up her right leg, stopping mid-thigh, to allow freedom of movement. Sensible propriety remains preserved, however, with the ebon leggings that run from the tops of her thin brown boots up past the cut of the skirt. Aphri regards you, perched atop Sharyna's shoulder.
Sharyna is 18 Turns, 1 month, and 22 days old.

Mika nods slowly, "Yes…" though she doesn't mention which young man it is. "He's usually busy and more interested in training…" She trails off, not really realizing how much she's narrowed the options down with that statement.

Sharyna considers for a moment. "Did he just go off in search of cookies, perhaps?" She says, one eyebrow lifting as she regards Mika with an expression normally found on mothers scolding errant children

Mika's head snaps up in shock, "/Him/?" There's a note of true distaste in her voice. "No… R'ki… I mean. Oh bother…" She hadn't meant to actually /say/ who it was, though she wasn't sure exactly what she /ahd/ been trying to say…

Sharyna should've been a harper. What she just did was right out of their book of dirty tricks. "R'ki, eh?" She smiles slightly, her face taking on a crafty look. "Don't think I've met R'ki. Do you know what his favorite color is?"

Mika shakes her head. "N-no… I don't. He seemed to like the green but all I've got is the blue…" Of course she knows what she's talking about, but she doesn't quite seem to make the leap that Sharyna might not know what she's talkking about or know about the green dress she /does/ have. "He's a brownrider in the Sardonyx wing…" Might as well identify him further.

Sharyna ahs softly. "Well, maybe I can find out." She considers for a moment. "And fabric is fabric, Mika." She says, winking at the shy girl. "You do realize that I've got a lot of fabric. Frankly, I don't mind doing an even trade in a better color." She gives Mika a knowing look. "If you'd like we can look for something that'll knock his boots off."

"Do you think we could?" Mika looked up at the woman, hope turning her hazel eyes more towards the blue spectrum, rather than their usual shy dove grey end of the 'shift'.

Sharyna considers for a moment. "I think we could. Both the trade for something in the correct color, AND the knocking of the boots off." She pauses then, eyeing Mika critically again. "Yep. He won't know what hit him."

Mika blushes again then nods. "Alright… I don't know what you need /me/ to do…" She admits. "I'll help how I can."
Sharyna tilts her head for a moment. "Why, you're going to have to do the actual wooing of your brownrider. All I get to do is make the dress that gets his attention."

Mika blushes deeper but actually laughs at that. "I /do/ know at least that much…" If there were some strange form of magic to win over individuals then there wouldn't be near the complications she saw in the Lower Caverns all the time. "Thank you…"

Sharyna winks. "No problem. Just remember me when you Impress. I figure, if I help you now, I can get free rides later." She winks again, showing that she's teasing.

"If I impress," Mika emphasizes the first word. "I haven't yet…" Never mind that there's only been one hatching since she became a candidate for her to actually try /at/…

Sharyna chuckles softly. "If, when. Same thing, in my book." She winks. "Besides, best to keep an optimistic view of things." She considers for a moment. "If we don't find his favorite color, I suspect blue might actually suit you best anyway."

Mika's eyes go a little wider, "Really?" There's more than a bit of innocent hope in her voice. "I've never given it much thought. How do you tell?" She asks more than a little curiously.

Sharyna shrugs then. "Honestly, I don't really understand how myself. I mean…how I tell. I just look at a person, and kinda know what colors suit them better. I guess it's one of those talent things. You know, like you have to have an innate understanding of music to go to Harper." She winks. "But mostly it's your hair and complexion…and also your…demeanor."

"You mean if I wasn't quiet then different colors would look good on me?" Mika gives Sharyna a dubious look then shakes her head, "You know your craft ma'am. I've never claimed to be a crafter…"

"Something like that yeah. Color is as much about personality as it is appearance." She winks. "But don't take my word for it. If you'd like, we could come up with something that is…" She pauses for a moment, looking for the right word. "Contrary to your personality. Perhaps a slinky black dress that would turn…/every/ head." She looks Mika up and down for a moment. "You could pull it off. You're slim enough."

Mika turns bright scarlet. "I'm not sure I could wear something like that…" She admits. "I'm not sure you'd ever get me out of the barracks in something like that…" Though that does make the point quite well, at least to her! "I guess I see what you mean."

Sharyna laughs. "Oh, I bet I could get you outof the barracks in something like that." But then she smiles. "And I thought you might. I wouldn't do that to you, not yet, because it would require you to act like something you don't seem to be."

Mika nods slowly, mostly with relief. "I don't even go to gathers often…" Mika admits. "I'm usually working, but…" She trails off not sure where she wants to go with it. "Is that what /you/ would wear?"

Shop Talk

Logged 12 May 08

Crafter deals while hiding from belligerencies.

Workroom
A marked difference assaults the senses as soon as one enters this large cavern. The sheer roominess of it contrasts sharply to the slimmer, winding, inner tunnels of the weyr. Some ancient lava flow pooled here, eventually carving out a good-sized space put to good use by busy weyr residents. The ceiling rises surprisingly high, the walls draping with fair smoothness to a well trampled floor - turns of scars and scrapes from boots, chairs, and myriads of other activities marring the surface.
Partitions split the room into various sections, all of which are movable depending on the projects at hand. During the day the room fairly buzzes with activities of every sort - a variable collage of sights, sounds, and smells that changes day by day.
Type 'look areas' to see the various sections and activities, then 'look' at your selection.
Jacqueline is here.
Obvious exits:
Out

And here Jacqueline is, cozily hidden away in one corner of the workroom with an odd colored blanket settled atop her lap. The girl has her legs curled beneath her comfortably whilst her fingers work away a bit clumsily, working a needle and thread in and out of the fuzzy fabric. While there are others still bumbling about, Jacqueline seems to be the only candidate around — and a very quiet candidate at that. Every now and then the youngster lets out a sigh and lifts a hand up to her eyes, presumably to stretch her hand and rest her eyes. Or maybe she got something stuck in it. Oops.

Mika slips into the work room hurredly, letting out a relieved sigh as she leans against the wall and sinks to the floor… then opens her eyes to spot Jacqueline. "Oh, I"m sorry… I didn't mean to disturbe you…" she mumbles pushing herself back up to her feet, with much less grace than she colapsed into.

"Running away from someone?" Apparently with Jacqueline, someone only need be in a room for a minimum of one second before she's trying to butt into their business. Her blue eyes immediately dart up to search the other's features while her fingers cease their play upon the material she holds, the better to let Eli focus the whole of her attention on the other. "And it's okay! I'm getting tired of this blanket anyway. I'm so shard— whoops, didn't say that. So -bored-."

Mika nods, "Jeyrlan…" She named one of the boys in the weyr bully crowd… though he rarely got his own hands dirty in any of the issues. "He just got searched." The 'boy' was 21 and almost too old for it, and he was one of the crowd that had very… outspoken… opinions about what made a worthy candidate.

Jacqueline's nose wrinkles; there's probably no real 'reason' for this other than the fact that Mika just named a boy and Mika also seems pretty distraught by the other's search. "Um. What about him? I think I've run into him a few times. Didn't talk though." Eli tilts her head curiously to one side and then picks up the needle and thread, once more stabbing it into the material that so desperately needs mending. Not that Eli's doing a good job or anything, but she's trying.

Mika grimaces, "He's just been giving all the candidates that stayed on hard time… and it's been getting worse." She cocks her head at Jacqueline and her eyes go wide. "Now, Please… I didn't tell you any of this. I don't want it getting back to him. He's always had a way of making people who cross him wish they hadn't thought of it."

"Oh. Well, I probably won't end up talking to him anyway, but sure," Jacqueline says, as though -that's- enough to reassure Mika that she won't go around blabbing that anyway. Currently Jacqueline's curled up in a seat in one of the corners of the room with a fuzzy blanket across her lap, needle and thread in hand, while Mika's still somewhere near one of the walls.

Carolyna enters into the workroom for some unknown reason, just in time to hear comments on telling people things. "What aren't we telling who?" the smithy questions with a crooked grin and a bit of a laugh before offering a smile towards Mika and Jacqueline.

Mika nods to Jacquelina, then goes pale at Carolyna's question. "Nothing… no one…" Carolyna isn't one of the lower cavern workers… she's unlikely to know or be sympathetic, or at least in Mika's lexicon.

Jacqueline opens her mouth as though to say something before she snaps it shut just as quickly. "Um, nothing, really. I guess." Eli lifts slender shoulders up and then drops them down in a shrug, lips slightly turned downwards — probably at the lost opportunity to share the wealth of gossip knowledge with someone else. "How're you today? I'm Eli!"

Carolyna chuckles yet again. "Well, I can certainly make a hasty retreat if the two of you would like to carry on, though I assure you, whatever I hear, I have no intentions of telling tales," is stated, before nodding to Eli. "Yes, we've met, I think. I'm Carolyna."

"I'm Mika…" Though she thinks she's seen the other woman around, Mika isn't sure if she's actually spoken with the woman. "You don't have to go… I shouldn't have said it in the first place…"

"Oh." Jacqueline's face somewhat falls when Carolyna takes the thunder out of her introduction but she quickly covers it up with a bright, beaming smile, teeth flashing at the other female. "Nope, it's fine! You see my blanket?" Eli holds up the fuzzy blanket in various shades of reds and blues for the other's inspection, complete with needle sticking out of it. "I'm trying to fix a rip in it, but it's not working to well." Mika, for all that the other is older than Eli herself, is given a reassuring grin.

Carolyna turns her smile upon Mika and nods. "Pleasure to meet you Mika, and I think you should be allowed to say what you will, no good keeping things all bottled up an' whatever," is stated before eyeing the fuzzy red blanket. "I like it, it looks rather warm, comfortable, in my opinion," a shrug is offered at this.

Mika shrugs, "allowed to or not, some things are not wise to say, ma'am…" She shakes her head at Jacqueline. "I can't do a pretty stitch up…" She admits. "My mother's better at it, but it looks like it's still going to be warm and comfortable… which is the point right?" She sounds more than a little uncertain. She's always come across as younger than her years.

"It is. The lady who used to watch me for my mom gave it to me," Jacqueline offers up, regardless if anyone actually cares or not. "Maybe I should just take it to my mom," is said after Mika brings up the topic of her mother, drawing a warm light into the depths of Eli's eyes. "Oh. Um. I forgot something. Gotta go." With the typical forgetfulness that a lot of youths possess, Eli rises up and scampers out of the workroom with no more explanation, carelessly waving back at them before disappearing.

Carolyna wrinkles her nose. "Oh, don't call me ma'am, it makes me feel so old," she states with a shake of her head and a laugh. "And warm and comfortable is the point, I suppose, I know I can't stitch to save my life, jewellery I can do, stitching i leave to the weavers," is noted as she offers a wave after Eli

Carolyna wrinkles her nose. "Oh, don't call me ma'am, it makes me feel so old," she states with a shake of her head and a laugh. "And warm and comfortable is the point, I suppose, I know I can't stitch to save my life, jewellery I can do, stitching i leave to the weavers," is noted as she offers a wave after Eli

Mika shakes her head. "I can do enough to get by…" Mika says with a shrug. "I'm no weaver. But I've done my turn at mending. You make jewelry?" She knew someone had to but she hadn't quite conciously realized it was the smiths.

Carolyna chuckles. "I have tried my hand at mending, I failed, miserably, it was quite comical, actually," is given before the smith offers a nod. "I do, yes, I've actually got a few items that need to be worked on. I admit, I'm rather fond of making jewellery."

Mika ponders, "HOw much does it usually cost?" As if there was one cost for jewelry, Mika reveals her ignorance on the subject, happily as it keeps it from going back to the one Carolyna walked in on.

Carolyna offers a bit of a shrug. "It really depends on what you're wanting, a simple item won't cost as much as a more intricate one. Whereas if you already have a design, or a basic design, it'll cost less than if I have to make the design myself," is offered with a crooked grin.

"I don't know…" Mika's uncertainty increases, as does her nervousness. "I've never really bought jewelry before…" She admits. "What should I look for?"

Carolyna offers a smile and a shrug. "Well, it depends on what you want, I can do necklaces, bracelet, necklaces and broochs, as well as anklets, though those are less visible when worn, some people opt for them instead of other items, or to accompany others. I have done engagement wings, a commission for entwined dragons, simple bands, and plenty of jewellery for gathers…" a shrug is offered with this.

"A necklace I think… to go with a dress…" Mika hesitates then continues. "Nothing to complicated. I don't think I could afford it, but I've got a nice dress, and most people I've seen with nice dresses have jewelry and…" she trails off not certain wher eher logic is taking her.

Carolyna smiles and nods. "I understand. What colours are in the dress? And is there a particular design you'd like?" she enquires, making mental notes in her head, her brows occasionally furrowing to make note of this.
"Dark green," Mika replies promptly. "Nothing too flashy, if you will?" She sounds almost anxious at that. "I'm just a drudge after all…' And she already feels pretentious enough with all this.

Carolyna nods. "I'm thinking a nice silver colour? Unless you'd like gold?" is offered with a smile. "Maybe if you tell me something you like, I can do a design based on that, like if you like writing, or reading, do you like firelizards, cooking…." she trails off, grinning, she rather enjoys getting ideas for jewellery.

Mika shakes her head, "No… silver would be fine. I'm just a drudge. I get along well with firelizards. I can actually give a message strait to some of them. And I worked a little with the Whers down at the HOld, but I haven't gotten there in a long itme." There's genuine regret in her voice.

Carolyna smiles and nods. "I have an idea, I'm thinking a little firelizard charm, nothing too detailed, mind you, but enough to understand what it is," is given with a crooked grin.

Mika smiles slowly and nods, "I like that… but I have to go. Can we haggle over the price later?" She grimaces, "I don't want to be caught too long away from chores." And the bully-boy that drove her in here should be long gone by now.

Carolyna smiles and nods. "Of course, go. I'll work up a sketch for you that I can show you next time," is given by the smith.

Mika bobs her head, "Thank you very much ma'am!" Completely forgetting that Carolyna didn't want to be called 'ma'am' as she dashes out.

Clutches and Riders

Logged 14 May 08

Interesting discussions ranging from relatives to relative clutch sizes and frequencies.

Central Bowl (#876J)
Although Ista is smaller than the other Weyrs, the bowl still stretches over 3000 feet in length. To the north and east, you can see the jagged rock fingers towering thousands of feet above you. On the tip of the most northern finger lay the Star Stones, the heralds of the coming of thread. The Queens' Weyrs and the Hatching Grounds lay to the northeast, while the Weyrling Training Grounds and Barracks lie to the north. To the northwest lies the waterfall, where the weyrlings and full-grown dragons alike are bathed, and the weyrfolk can enjoy a swim. Due east, you will find both the Living and Lower Caverns, and to the west is the Feeding Corrals and the Plateau on the edge of the Bay. Great gaping maws dot the inner mountainside and occasionally you can see dragons swooping gracefully in and out of their rocky homes.
It is a winter late night. Cool winter air touches the world with ice.
You see Khast, Rhyolith, Rhett, and Birgith here.
Taini and Aadi are here.
Obvious exits:
Eastern Bowl Southern Bowl Training Grounds Feeding Pens (Beach)

"You'd think, eh?" Aadi chuckles and shifts her weight, letting her arms sit folded across her chest for comfort. "I dunno. Could be that all they're sensin' is what's left of m'family's." She turns away to spit in the dirt. "But, no use borrowin' trouble. How're things up at home?"

Taini shrugs. "More of the same. Got me following the juniors around, which is taking more of my time, so I'm not over here as much." She grins. "But I have gotten to go over to Boll once in awhile. Momma finally got to meet Bee." She says, glancing that way. "She was kind of unsure. You'd think having three dragonrider kids she'd have gotten used to it. But I guess that's a sign of how much time we spend with her." She frowns. "Can they sense that, do you think?"

Mika slips out of the cavern, a little at loose ends. Chores and classes are done, and they've given the task of introducing the young and hold bred to weyr ways to someone who is less likely to be pushed around by her charges. She's not really looking where she's going, at least until she's practically on top of Taini and Aadi. "Oh… sorry. I didn't mean to intrude."

Aadi shrugs. "Y'know, for all my turns livin' at Fort, I still don't know near t'everythin' I'd like to about 'em." She glances at the emerging Mika, offering a nod and a blank look before turning back to Taini. "It would explain all th' Impressionless Searchings." Gaze wanders back to Mika, trying to place that face…

Taini shrugs. "No intrusion here. She smiles, and glances toward the lake. "How are the spiderclaws, Mika?" Finally, after a couple moments of thinking, she remembers the candidate's name.

Mika bobs a little. "Weyrwoman… ma'am…" She greets politely. She doesn't care if Taini is still a weyrling, in her mind she'll always be 'weyrwoman'. She's seen Aadi around in the candidate barracks but hasn't spoken much to her. "The spiderclaws aren't nearly as common these days, but they are getting tastier…" Perhaps because of the winter scarcity.

Aadi takes a moment to think…and then suddenly it hits her. "You're th'girl Em wants to set up with R'ki!" She beams. "Sure don't feel sorry for you. That girl's persistant."

"Still on that, is she?" Taini's even heard of that. She frowns. "It'd be good for him to find someone, maybe he'd feel like he's got friends. Dunno." She shrugs. "Greetings. Still getting used to that 'weyrwoman' business. I don't wonder if Grandpappy Tru isn't rolling in his grave right now." She chuckles. "I bet. Maybe there's something in the colder water…" She has no idea, but it sounds good, doesn't it?

Mika shakes her head and deflates a little. "The harder she keeps trying the less he'll listen." Mika murmurs mostly to herself. "I doubt he'd notice me anyway. Not like that…" They've been friends since their first candidacy.

"Ah, R'ki's a good sort. He n' Seiketh're the ones that Searched me." Aadi cracks her neck twice and sighs with relief. "Much better." Beat. "He's a bit shy, though. Got mad't me once for talkin' 'bout sex on th'beach…"

Taini laughs, as she remembers that. "You'd think he was holdbred or something." Tai says, shrugging. "He Searched you? That's cool." She glances over at Mika. "Seems like that's a common failing. I know /I've/ run into it before." She says of R'ki's stubbornness. "Think I'm a bit guilty of it myself at times."

"Most people are… stubborn in one way or another," Mika agrees. "Just depends on what about…" She shakes her head, "Looking forward to standing here?" She asks of Aadi.

"Aye, I am." Aadi grins at Mika. "It's an adventure all it's own—and without new folk out for m'blood, like I told Tai." She chuckles then. "Is he? Holdbred, I mean?" That would explain a lot. "I don't remember him from before Kabrielle's last clutch." She frowns in thought. "You know 'im, Tai?"

Taini shakes her head. "I know him a little, but I don't know his background or anything. I just know he was a really good friend of Kabrielle's." She says with a little bit of sadness. "So, he was dealing with that." She frowns. "How many times have you stood now, Aadi?" She asks.

Mika shakes her head. "No, he grew up here, same as I did…" Mika explains to Aadi. She grimaces as Taini mentions R'ki's relationship to Kabrielle, but she refrains from comment on it. She looks to Aadi for the answer as much as Taini does. "How many turns have you been a candidate?" She hadn't realized that Aadi had actually stood before.

"Whoosh." Aadi blows out a breath of air as she thinks about that. "Ma's green Brikabreth Searched me m'first time, so that was…" She chews her lower lip. "Eleven turns ago—for me. S'only been nine in this timeline. So in eleven turns, including the times from backwhen…" She glances up at Bee. "This will be my tenth time." Said slowly, almost to herself.

Taini raises her eyebrows. "I hadn't realized it was that many times, Aadi." She says, shaking her head. "That's a lot of years." She turns to Mika. "So, you grew up together?" Ah. Okay.

"Sort of. We didn't really get to know each other until we both stood for the last clutch." Mika shrugs. She's been a candidate three turns but there's only been one clutch in that time frame. "Good luck."

Shaking herself out of whatever thoughts pulled her back, Aadi nods to Taini. "Remember when I told you that th'dragons /were/ m'life? I wasn't kiddin'." To Mika she nods. "And t'you as well." Then with a nod to Mika, she steps in to give her sister another hug. "I've got t'run. Chores comin' out m'ears n'all. Glad t'see you. Tell th'boys t'come down n'say hello?"

As Taini reaches out to hug her 'sister' again, she grins. "I'll tell them. But will they listen?" She nods to Mika. "Ah. I guess I'm not used to having such a large place to live in. Only people I know /really/ well from that time are my brothers. Said 'boys.' " She grins at Aadi, releases her, and nods. "Have fun, my friend."

Mika nods, "It helps if you're shy. Which I don't think is common in your family." Mika's tone is simply observational. "Have a good evening," Is Mika's fairwell to Aadi. She doesn't know the other girl well enough to be any less formal.

Taini nods. "You're right about that." She says, shrugging. "No shyness here." She grins. "I think Thadd's the shyest of the bunch, and he's not shy."

Taini pauses, though, remembering. "Tahira might've been the shyest." She frowns. "But… I haven't seen her in Turns."

"I sometimes wish I wasn't so shy…" Mika admits. "But it's the only way I know how to be. Who's Tahira?" She asks the last innocently. There were pleanty of reasons why someone might not have seen a relative in turns.

Taini looks a little sad. "My twin sister. Although I'm older than she would be now." She considers Tahira gone. "The pirates, I think. That's the last we'd heard of her, anyway." She looks away, and Birgith comes near her, to nuzzle her from behind in reassurance. "Sorry. It's still tough to think about."

Mika grimaces and nods. "I'm sorry… I didn't know. I heard a little about the pirates. You're all braver than I'll ever be. How do you actually do this? Get through that… and still manage to be out spoken and…" She trails off trying to find the right words and failing.

Taini shrugs. "I don't know. I just am. Sometimes, my mouth gets me in trouble, but I wouldn't be myself if I didn't speak out. You know?" She smiles sadly at the candidate. "It's okay. I'm dealing with it."

"At least it doesn't get you stepped on," Mika points out, actually raising her eyes. "I'm not sure if it's worth not getting into trouble… It's just different kinds of trouble."

"No, but it does the stepping, which might be just as bad." Taini says frowning. "At least at times, if you're not careful."

"The ones that worry about whether or not they're stepping on others are usually not the ones doing the stepping," Mika points out. "Same trouble… different kind I guess?" She asks just a little uncertainly.

Taini nods. "Yeah. Probably. I never thought of it like that, but it must be." She shrugs, and then changes the topic. "So, they're gathering in folks a little earlier than usual, huh? Before they know how many eggs there are?" She frowns. "That's a little different, isn't it?"

Mika shrugs, "Not really. there hasn't been a clutch in three turns. They're going to need more than the half-dozen candidates that stuck it out." Like Mika. "Istan dragons seem to prefer new blood anyway. Even if it's three to one ratio, Is that really too many?"

"Like i was telling Aadi," Taini says with a shrug. "I don't know that much about it." She looks over towar Birgith. "I wasn't even a candidate when I Impressed Bee, so I have no idea…" She looks back at Mika. "Maybe we'll figure it out after she's had a few clutches. Although I'm not holding my breath." A snort of laughter. "No, Bee." She says, chuckling. "It's an expression."

Mika nodds. "I mostly remember from when I was little… and I think R'ki was the only candidate that grew up at Ista who actually impressed last time, but Naomith's never had a clutch before so…" Mika shrugs.

"And Naomith is from Telgar, right, I mean, her egg was, so you never know how it's going to turn out." Taini says, pondering. "N'lon won again, which is a good thing, but that means no gold egg." She says, tilting her head in thought. "Unless they buy another one."

Mika shrugs, "I doubt they will, we have Quinn's gold and Wullan's though Isabeth hasn't risen in a while." Two golds mean at least a few more chances before she's too old to try again.

Taini nods. "Well, whatever they do, it should be interesting." She says, smiling. "Good luck to you, then." She looks around. "I probably should get home soon. I just stopped by to see how Aadi was." She smiles. "Nice talking to you."

Mika bobs down into a little bow. "You are welcome here any time…" Mika actually smiles. "And thank you." Though she doesn't specify for what.

"Anytime." Taini may not know what service she rendered, but it was a service, so she's glad to help. "Let's go, Bee." She says, patting the gold as she mounts.

Clutches and Riders

Logged 15 May 08

A lousy connection prevented full capturing of this log: Weyr denizens gather on the beach to cook up some favorite delicacies.

Ista's Beach (#1552J)
Rolling sand lines the surf, marred by footprints and dragonprints alike. Lush tropical greenery hems the beach like a gem necklace, with the peaks of Ista weyr rising majestically in the background. A sudden rise in the landscape leads to a plateau above - the only fallen section of those peaks - where the feeding pens reside.
It is winter.
You see Jsanth here.
Jacqueline, Rhikiad, Carolyna, and Aadi are here.
Obvious exits:
Plateau South Beach SAndy Beach Pier Ocean Runner Trail

Carolyna sends a wave out to Aadi before she settles near Eli and Rhikiad. "I think I'll watch, I'd probably make a mess of it, it's not metal," she points out, grinning, before eyeing the filly a little and chuckling. "She's a pretty l'il thing, Aadi."

Over the rise, from down the beach, a two figures appear. One carrying a heavy sack over his wide shoulders, the other cooking gear. Though not dressed in guard uniform, Tiago's always got that certain bearing and a bit of wariness to his stride. But he greets the folk gathered on the beach with a wave of his hand, letting his burden slide down to the sand with a muffled thud. "Hey Rhikiad! Thought we'd find you here. Thought we'd have a crawler bake."

Rhikiad resettles himself, looking up for a moment at the waving Carolyna. He flashes her a quick grin in greeting before looking back at Jacqueline. "So you are just… stringing flowers? Like what they do at the gathers? I've always wondered how they do that." He leans over a bit to peer at the blossoms, and then back up at Jacqueline, "That's nice."
Tiarla bears the cooking gear of course, being the other half of the duo that suddenly arrives at the beach. Her hands are full, so she nods a greeting instead of waving. "It's chilly enough for a nice big fire too. And we brought -chips-. Since I know how much you like them." She flashes a happy smile. "There should be enough food for… quite a few." And quite a few there are, it seems.

"Thanks," Aadi offers to the compliments on her filly. "She's just been weaned, n's my job t'take her about n'familiarize 'er with things, y'know?" She waves to the two appraoching figures. "A fire, eh? Dunno how she'd handle that one, but if'n she gets too rough, I c'n always take 'er back to th'stables." She puts a little bit of lead-line out and then moves to sit on the edge of the group, next to Caro. Keeping an eye on the filly, she nevertheless follows conversation fairly well.

"It's relaxing, I think," Jacqueline replies to Rhikiad, laying the chain of flowers across her lap before she reaches out to snag another. A look is aimed towards Rhikiad's empty fingers. "You gonna do it, too? There's plenty to go 'round. And it's not too hard, Carolyna." The arriving pair is finally noticed and recieves a friendly hand-wave as greeting from Eli, the youngster's eyes lighting up with delight as -more- people arrive. Glancing again towards the filly, Eli looks up and down the horse's frame before looking again at Aadi, saying, "She's beautiful. Seems pretty calm, too. Which is good!" Patting the full blossoms laying across her lap, Eli then regards the cooking gear, sniffing at the air. "You guys going to make some food?"

Mika comes out onto the beach and stops a good distance away from the gaggle of other candidates. She turns around them to go a little further down. She wasn't expecting a crowd here! SeaCliff on her shoulder, cranes around and hangs by her hair (His favorite hand hold) to get a better look at what's going on. He chirps insistently. And Mika shakes her head, tossing him around a little bit without meaning to…

Carolyna sends a wave towards Tiago and Tiarla before chuckling slightly. "I work with stuff that's not going to break if I move it the wrong way," she points out, shrugging a little as she buries her feet in the sand. Upon seeing Mika, a'course, Caro offers yet another wave, she's just busy waving today.

Rhikiad reaches forward for a bit of thread, fingers unable to resist scattering through the colorful flowers. "Did you pick these all today. They are really nice." His smile hitches on the side, obviously enthralled with the blossoms. His gaze flickers back up briefly to the girl, and then he picks out a couple to start to try to thread them as well.

Tia takes one of the spiderclaws out from the sack that Tiago was carrying, and walks right over to drop it on Rhikiad's mop of hair. "Hey. Clawbake. You in?" the girl wonders, figuring he didn't hear them amidst the crowd.
Enticed by the scent of blossoms, the runner filly steps cautiously closer, sniffing until she's got her nose almost /in/ the pile. And then sneezes. Backing away quicklyseemingly alarmed by her own sneezeshe ambles back over to Aadi, where she drops to lie with her back against the Candidate's soaking up what last bits of sun she can get.

Tiago sets a rock down on the opening of the sack, it rustles slightly to show that the contents are still… moving. The guard starts gathering driftwood for building up a fire, digging a pit to contain it all. "Could use a little help here." he says as he sets out flint and tinder to start it up. Eyeing the scatterbrained redheaded boy, he reaches into the sack and pulls out a victim. Then he wings it at the boy's head. "Rhiiik!" There, that'll get his attention. He grins around at all the women folk though, nodding at the various comments. "Crawlers for roasting and the like." He thumbs over at Tiarla. "She's cooking."

"Yeah, I got them once I finished my chores. I figured they'd look nice and the barracks are so bland so…" Jacqueline's eyes move down to regard the blossoms, pushing two or three aside before she holds up a vibrant orange flower, petals struck lightly on the inside with a shade of red. "I thought color would be nice." Dirt, flitting over towards Eli soaking wet, alerts the girl to Mika's presence; primarily because when Dirt spies another 'lizard, he's gonna chirrup his little lungs out at the other. "WOAH!" As blossoms scatter, Eli tries to scoop them up, pushing them back into the pile that they were in before, giggling towards the filly. "Sounds good to me. Need help with anything?" The question is asked as Eli finishes piling up the flower, brushing pollen off her trousers as she looks towards Tiago and Tiarla.

Carolyna chuckles, or full out laughs, as the filly sneezes into the flowers. "Aww, how cute," yah, she's more interested in the horse than the flowers. "That's a good idea, Eli, I haven't been there long and it's already worse off than my room in the crafter's area…."

Rhikiad is getting bombarded by 'claws. If anything is going to get him to pay attention from playing with flowers, that is going to do it. He blinks though, scattering flowers even more in the wake of a runner sneezing by them, startling himself. "Shells!" He casts a glance to the side, looking after and finally noticing the one-time trader pair. He picks up a few more of the wayward blossoms, and picks himself up to approach the pair. "You have 'claws?" Obviously.

Mika waves tentatively back to Carolyna, and SeaCliff chirps merrily back at Dirt. Mika grimaces and gives up on a quiet night drifting towards the fuss and uproar of the campfire. She doesn't have anything to offer for the 'bake. She hadn't been expecting anything especially not this! "Evening…" she says softly, not really sure if she wants to be heard.
Seated on the edge of the group with her filly as a backwarmer, Aadi hears the tentative greeting and turns, offering Mika a grin and a wave. "'Lo! Come join us?" she asks easily. "More th'merrier, n'you've got a flitter. Heh, means I c'n send mine off to play when they get back from huntin'."

Tiarla winks down at Rhik once he's paying attention again, and then glances over at Jacqueline. "You want to help me find some rocks to heat up for the spiderclaw pit?" It's an easy enough task and also quite essential. "Then we sprinkle the 'claws with seasoning, and wrap them in leaves before covering it over with sand to cook. Unless you want to help Tiago instead." she adds, recalling her rather abrupt departure from the Klah Pot the other week and thinking perhaps the other girl may not have been left with a favorable impression of her.

Tiago snickers as he goes to recapture a few straying spiderclaws, tossing the back into the sack and then dragging it over towards Tiarla. "I think it goes without saying, Rhikiad. They're your favorites, I know. Tia's got chips too, I'm surprised you didn't smell them and jump her for them already." He looks around and nods at Jacqueline. "Lots of food, though it would be nice to eat out here while the weather's decent. I could use help getting more wood for the fire, or you could help by beaning the spiderclaws till they stop moving. Hard to cook them when they walk off with the seasonings."

"I had flowers," Rhikiad responds by way of explanation. Seriously, flowers are very important!

Jacqueline carefully moves the flowers already threaded off of her lap, laying them on the ground in front of the pile before she unwinds her long legs and stands, brushing at her pants to get rid of the dirt and stuff. Piiling the flowers is proving futile, what with Rhikiad further scattering them. "Sure!" Favorable impression or not, Jacqueline doesn't seem to mind accepting the offer for help and moves over towards the other. "How many do you need?"

Tiago snorts quietly at Tiarla's comment, sliding over a large flat rock and picking up another one. "Don't worry, I'll be the man and 'deal' with the claws for ya." he offers, already selecting a few out of the sack and giving them a good whack to render them senseless. They end up in a pile on another rock by the cook of the evening. Looking over at Rhikiad, he eyes the blossoms quizzically. "What have you all been making?" Flowers don't feature much in his experience. Occupied, he doesn't volunteer to hold the reins of Aadi's runner. Sorry.

The boy likes flowers. For obvious girly reasons, this is very appealing to Jacqueline and thus she keeps shifting her eyes over towards Rhikiad, smiling just a teeny bit as his string of blossoms slowly grows longer. However! There are more pressing things for Jacqueline to be concerned with and the circle-drawing prompts the girl to look down, bobbing her head. "Okay. Doesn't sound hard," the girl says as she tags along after Tia, glancing once behind her to look at the filly and mouthing something like 'sorry, I can't' in Aadi's direction. "I've never smacked a spiderclaw before." Dirt, in the meantime, contents himself with chirruping at SeaCliff, flapping his dirty little brown wings about.

Aadi sighs and shrugs. "Ah well, s'worth a try. I'd best go put 'er t'bed then." She brushes off her pants and gently urges the filly up. "See y'lot around, yea?" With that and a wave, she turns and walks the runner back up the beach to the weyr.

Rhikiad settles a vibrant orange blossom onto the string next, and then reaches for a white one, only to discard it for some reason or another and move on to a yellow and pink one. He glances up at Tiago, smiling vaguely, "Putting flowers on a string." Again, obviously. "I'll probably give it to someone." He glances up as he is being looked at, and offers a thankful smile to Jacqueline along with a wink. His voice is for Tiago still though, "What made you guys want to do a 'claw bake? They are really, really good though." But he'll just sit here and thread flowers while the others do the work. Slacker.

"Working in the kitchens I've had to sometimes. But I mostly stick to chopping fruit and vegetables and helping with the breads in the morning." Probably for the very reason of not wanting to beat up on Spiderclaws. A thought that has her turning around just to stick out her tongue at Tiago for making fun of her; and also gives her the chance to wave at Aadi. "Here we are. There's some scattered around this area right here." She's almost tripped over one actually. And so leans over to dig it out of the sand. "How are you doing with being in the barracks?"

Mika bobs again at those present and just retreats, too many unknowns all in one place for her liking! Missing any comments directed at her, though her firelizard continues his conversation with Dirt until they're both out of range.
OOC: Due to evil and rubber connections there may be holes in this log.

Talking Possibilities

Logged 15 May 08

A pair of candidates talk about what the future may hold.

Workroom
A marked difference assaults the senses as soon as one enters this large cavern. The sheer roominess of it contrasts sharply to the slimmer, winding, inner tunnels of the weyr. Some ancient lava flow pooled here, eventually carving out a good-sized space put to good use by busy weyr residents. The ceiling rises surprisingly high, the walls draping with fair smoothness to a well trampled floor - turns of scars and scrapes from boots, chairs, and myriads of other activities marring the surface.
Partitions split the room into various sections, all of which are movable depending on the projects at hand. During the day the room fairly buzzes with activities of every sort - a variable collage of sights, sounds, and smells that changes day by day.
Type 'look areas' to see the various sections and activities, then 'look' at your selection.
Obvious exits:
Out

Mika is hiding behind a mound of mending, though she's making very little progress. She's here mostly because it's quiet this late, though its not hard to see her if you come in from the right entry way.

Carolyna makes her way into the workroom, offering up a smile as she see's Mika. "'Lo," she greets with a crooked grin and wave to her fellow white-knot. "A little one on one time with the clothes?"

Mika grimaces. "Better than the beach or the barracks." Mika says with a shrug, "And I've been running into the most uncomfortable conversations in the baths at this hour…" The last is almost exasperated, as that had been the last refuge she really thought she had.
Quinn snugs Mika! Mika is snugged!

Carolyna quirks a brow and laughs. "I thought the uncomfortable baths conversations occured at all hours, not just at this hour," she states, settling herself near the pile of clothes, so that she can watch Mika mend. "Don't mind me, I can't sew a stitch to save my life."

Mika grimaces. "You just don't expect to run into enough people at this hour to /have/ uncomfortable baths conversations." Mika points out and shakes her head. "Staying well out of Jeyrlan's way."

Carolyna chuckles. "I suppose you have a logical point," is stated with the slightest of shrugs. "Jeyrlan? I'm sure this is someone I know, right?" yes, because Mika know's who Caro knows.

Mika shrugs, "One of the new candidates… been a lower caverns worker for a while. The big one, blond, blue eyes." She lists off relevent physical features without any hint that he's the 'cute one' some of the other girls have been drooling over. Mostly becuase she sees him more as threatening than cute.

Carolyna ahhs. "Of course, he probably arrived before me, though," she states, before running through faces in her memory. "Oh, right, him, slightly adorable looking, but not as attractive as everyone says he is," is given with a shrug.

"He grew up here," Mika's tone was sour. "And I'm not sure why anyone think's he's addorable." She actually shudders at the thought. "But yes, him."

Carolyna shrugs, again. "I couldn't tell you, I don't know him that well, I guess that's what I get for hiding in the crafters area," is noted with a laugh and shake of her head. "I guess I can't do that for the next few months, though, can I?"

"who knows. You'll probably spend your chore times doing your craft," MIka points out. "They usually do have crafters put in at least some time, because there usually aren't enuogh crafters to go around as it is!

Carolyna chuckles. "That'd suit me fine, I am rather fond of working on the jewellery, if they're not careful, this'll be the most bejewelled class of candidates this Weyr has ever seen," she points out with a grin.

Mika shakes her head. "Im not sure how many of us can actually afford alot in the way of jewelry." She's planning on buying the one necklace but obviously doesn't expect to be able to afford more than that.

Carolyna laughs. "Have no fear, when I make it big as a smith, I'll make sure that all the friends I make amongst the candidates remember the group," she offers with a lopsided grin. "When this is done, I'll have enough free time to be able to make enough, or I should."

Mika nods and grimaces, "I should go. Good luck with that project. Though are you hoping to impress? Your time might stay a little bussy if you do…" Mika points out.

Carolyna laughs. "Of course I hope to Impress, but I'm not going to hedge my bets and presume that I will," is given, before she nods. "Have a good day, I'll see you back in the barracks."

Comissions

Logged 17 May 08

Mika checks in on the piece she commissioned

Crafters' Area
You see nothing special.
Carolyna is here.
Obvious exits:
Out

Though no longer residing in the crafter's area, Carolyna has still managed to find a sufficient portion of her time spent there, especially if she needs to work on a commissioned item, do some research, or just hide away from everyone else. At this moment it would appear that she is examining an item, what exactly, is unknown from a distance, undoubtedly an item she's working on, or has recently completed.

Mika pokes her head into the crafter area, knocking as she comes. Fortunately this part is more a work area than living quarters, those are further back. "Excuse me?" She calls politely.

Carolyna looks up and beckons her fellow candidate in. "Come on in, Mika," she offers with a crooked smile. "We don't bite, and they have behaved rather well with the candidates," is stated with a wink. "Or at least with me…"

Mika scuttles in and bobs her head in acknowledgement. "I haven't heard any complaints out of /here/." At least not that she'd compare to what the lower caverns are capable of. "I was wondering, ma'am… I mean, we talked about, maybe, getting a necklace made?"

Carolyna quirks a brow at Mika, and about bursts with laughter. "Why you call me Ma'am when we're both of the same rank I don't know, but it rather ammuses me. Now sit yourself down," she states, motioning to one of the available seats. "And we did, actually…" she trails off, offering over her nearby sketchpad, on which is a 'simple' firelizard design. Or, at least, it's simple to Caro.

"Oh…" There is surprise in Mika's voice and her eyes go round. "How big would it be?" She asks curiously, eagerness showing in spite of herself. "You sure you're not an artist as well as a smith?"

Carolyna chuckles. "Not very large at all," she states, before she makes to mark out the approximate dimensions on the sketchpad. "There, about that. Medium sized, I guess, not really small, but not terribly big," is noted with a crooked grin. "I think most smiths have to have a propensity towards artistry," is given with a chuckle. "Especially the jewellery smiths, our work has to /look/ good, as, generally, it serves no other purpose."

"Just big things look huge on me…" Mika admits with a bit of an embarrased look. She's small enough that the pendant will likely look larger than it is. "I guess that makes sense, I was just surprised that a smith would draw."

Carolyna smiles. "I can, of course, scale it down if you want," is offered with a bob of her head. "I haven't even begun to make it yet, I wanted you to take a look at it first, after all," Carolyna grins. "I like drawing out my work before I get started on it, that way I've a design that I'm working off of."

Mika bites her lower lip and thinks. "How big do you think won't look too big on me?" She asks seriously. "I don't want to look…" she trails off looking for the right word. "presumptuous…"

Carolyna chuckles and draws out a quick, rough sketch, exluding the minor details, of a to scale firelizard, not likely to be much more than one to one and a half finger widths by two to two and half. "I think this would be a good size for you," is offered.

Mika nods thoughtfully, "alright… and how much, do you think, that would cost?" She hazards careuflly.

Carolyna smiles. "Not too much at all, certainly not for a friend and fellow candidate. And it'll not take much to work up, There's already enough chain for necklaces, I do enjoy making the chain, so," she shrugs.

"Ok… think I'll go for it, that is if it's not too much trouble?" Mika concludes anxiously. "And do you take trade? or just Marks?" She asks, better to know up front!

Carolyna chuckles. "I'll take trade, of course, I'm just fond of being able to make things for people who will enjoy them," is offered with a nod of her head. "Marks are good too, but I've little to purchase, and most of what I can get by purchase I can get by trade, as well."

Mika relaxes a little there. "I have more for trade than I have marks." Mika admits. "So how long does this sort of thing take?" She asks more for curiosity than impatience.

Carolyna takes a look at the larger sketch, and shrugs. "Not much more than a sevenday, if that, before I was a candidate, we've all the necessary materials here, and not too many smiths that specialize in jewellery, so I won't have to wait to get any materials in," is noted as she ponders. "I would give it two sevendays, possibly more, possibly less, you'll know when it's done, though."

Mika nods, thoughtfully. "How much of that is which part… I don' tknow much about jewelry and…" She stammers to a close looking down at her feet, hoping she hasn't accidentally pried into any craft secrets.

Carolyna smiles. "A bit of this and a bit of that," is given with a wink and a laugh. "Honestly, I'm not one to tell what goes into the metals, I can make em, if I have to, and have the instructions in front of me to do it…"

Mika blushes a bit but chuckles. "No, I meant. How much of the time was which parts of making it… I know the metal has to be melted and poured into something that'll shape it, unless you carve it?"

Carolyna laughs. "Shaping it is the easy part, the details are what take longer. And before you say a word, I refuse to do a peice of work that doesn't have some detailing on it," is given with just a little shrug.

"Oh…" Mika cuts off even the thought of protest. "You're the expert." She says leaving any argument there. "I do look forward to seeing it. Maybe when we're back in the Barracks I can show you what I have in trade and you can tell me what you like."

Carolyna laughs. "Expert I am not, there are people in the hall, and here, who are for more expert than I, even some journeyman who specialize in other areas, are better than I," she points out, smiling. "I can do a fair job, but there are better."

"You're better than I'd ever be," Mika points out. "I don't think I could even draw the sketch…" She shrugs. "What do you do with the sketch once you've got it drawn?"

Carolyna shrugs slightly. "It depends, if it was a detailed work, or harder than a previous one, I'll keep it, unless the buyer wants the sketch, than they can have it," is noted. "I do like to keep them, though, in case I ever get a client who wants to see what I've done in the past."

Mika nods, "Or someone comes back and wants the same thing re-made or made for someone else?" Chains break pendants get lost or stolen, Mika's shy, she's not entirely oblivious.

Carolyna nods. "Of course, that's a very valid reason to keep the sketches, though you should see the wad of one's that don't work out and end up in the garbage," she states, crinkling her nose. "I've had many of those…"

Mika nods slowly, "LIke I've had a few bottles that I threw away because I couldn't get the bad mixture out of them…" she's got a little wooden box with fragrent oils in them and she's dabbled a little bit with perfuming.

Carolyna nods. "Pretty much, yes, and, really, I'd rather not repeat a mistake, expecting different results the second time around," is noted, laughing. "I had a commission from Fort's Weyrleader awhile ago, that one took several sketches…"

"What was it of?" Mika asks curiously. She's not used to the idea of /men/ requesting jewelry for themselves. She'd always thought it was just the women who chased after the shiney things.

Carolyna smiles. "A pair of entwined dragons, it was a two toned peice, which makes it just a little harder. I believe he gave it to the Weyrwoman there, I'm not entirely certain," she offers with a shrug.

"Oh…" Mika hadn't considered that particular option. "I guess that does make sense. I can't imagine how you'd put together two different tones of metal." She glances over her shoulder and grimaces. "I should get back. I don't /technically/ have any chores tonight… but that doesn't mena they haven't found something."

Carolyna chuckles a bit. "I should be getting back myself… really, I've been hiding in here far too long today, they might send a search party if I don't. Though I ought to tidy up before I head out," is given with a grin. "I'll see you back in the barracks."

Brief Ruminations

Logged 18 May 08

A short Log but worth mentioning

Galleries (#1816J)
The stone tiers curve around almost half of the immense hatching cavern, providing ample seating for guests to get off the burning sands and watch the spectacle of the hatching. The hatching ground spreads out below across the vast cavern. To one side is the egg mound, upon which rests the queen eggs when there happen to be any, for attentive brooding.
You may 'look on sands', or 'look on ledge', or even 'look <thing> on sands' (or ledge).
You see Veryne here.
Aadi is here.
Obvious exits:
Stairs Ledge
You climb to the top of the galleries and find yourself at their very highest, backmost level.

Sitting in the galleries, watching the Sands. Seems that's the occupation of many so soon after Naomith's finished her clutching. One of the spectators sits a bit apart from the others, a bit of soft wood and a small carving blade in her hands, both being moved at speed as green eyes pass over the Sands, not seeming to really see what's out on them.

Mika slips in quietly. She had chores that prevented her from actually seeing the clutching. She steers clear of the many unknowns or only partially knowns and gravitates towards her fellow candidates. She winds up near the owner of those green eyes and asks, "So how many total or do they not have the count yet?" She asks, just loud enough to be heard, but no louder.

"Aye, they had some count or other," Aadi admits slowly. "I wasn't psyin' no heed t' it though, sorry." She glances once around their surroundings, expression wary and body tense in a crowd this large. "S'a decent sized clutch for a first time dam, though."

Mika nods, "And brown sire. Though Rhyolith's not sired much of a small clutch yet." Mika says equally softly, noticing the tense look but not knowing really what's behind it. "They'll probably have full numbers in the living caverns if you'd like to check?"

"Naa," Aadi answers with a sniff and a shake of her head. "'m good right here, thanks." She continues to whittle, never once looking down at the bit of wood in her hand. "You c'n check if y'like though. I'll probably sit out 'ere for a bit, y'know…enjoy the quiet time." And there's a bit of a cracked smile at that. "Come tell me later what the numbers get, yeah?"

OOC: RL intervenes and RP ends.

Philosophy of Eggs

Logged 19 May 08

Ruminations and philosophical musings over what an impression makes…

Galleries (#1816J)
The stone tiers curve around almost half of the immense hatching cavern, providing ample seating for guests to get off the burning sands and watch the spectacle of the hatching. The hatching ground spreads out below across the vast cavern. To one side is the egg mound, upon which rests the queen eggs when there happen to be any, for attentive brooding.
You may 'look on sands', or 'look on ledge', or even 'look <thing> on sands' (or ledge).
You see Veryne here.
Obvious exits:
Stairs Ledge

It is late, and except for those with very specific chores, the work is done, and most people are in bed by now. Mika is actually up in the front row of the galleries staring off into space, though since her eyes are in the general direction of the eggs, it's hard to tell if she's looking at them or anything at all.

Bed is for the weak, or so it would seem that this is the conflusion that Carolyna has come to as she makes her way into the galleries for some prime 'egg viewing' time. Looking around she sends a wave to Mika. "Hey, kinda late to be looking at the eggs, don't you think?" is enquired of her fellow candidate.

Mika starts as Carolyna speaks. "I wasn't… I mean… I was just thinking that's all…" She blushes scarlet as she tries to stammer out a coherent explaination and doesn't seem to pull it off overly well.

Carolyna chuckles slightly and motions to a seat near Mika. "Mind if I join you?" she enquires, before offering a grin towards Mika. "I don't blame you, it's almost nerve wracking, nowing that in just a little while we'll be burning our feet off out there," is stated as she motions to the stands.

"No, I mean…" Mika gives up trying to be coherent, at least for a little bit and simply motions to the seat next to her. "by all means…" She murmurs softly. "It's a big clutch." Since that seems to be the topic and she doesn't have to remember what she was thinking about.

Carolyna offers a slight nod, either not noticing that Mika doesn't actually say what she was doing, or not worrying over it. "It is, I think I heard someone counting during the clutching, I haven't personally counted the number, but," she shrugs with this.

"Twenty six was the count I heard, but I haven't verified it either…" Mika admits. "A very good clutch for a first flight." She tenders to the other candidate. "Especially with a brown sire…" It would have been a good clutch for a first flight with a bronze sire

Carolyna nods as she listens to this. "Ahh, yes, it would be, wouldn't it?" she enquires, examining the eggs out on the sands. "I've never seen a clutching, or hatching, before, myself, I've always managed to be busy, or have no reason to be at a Weyr, so I don't know what's good and what isn't."

"Twenty six is big… bigger than the last clutch by more than a bit…" And that was a full three turns ago. Mika shrugs. "Fifteen to twenty is good for a first clutch. Because the queen hasn't learned how far she can get away with flying, or how high she should be for a good clutch." Even drudges pick up a few things about dragons at the weyr.

Carolyna nods slightly. "Three turns? Is that a long time between clutches, or is that normal?" is enquired with a quirked brow. Aye, she's full of questions. "If twenty is a good clutch for a first timer, I suppose that twenty-six is a really good clutch, than?"

Mika shakes her head. "No, 'ti's not. There were four turns before that… Katarra's gold didn't rise, too old we think. And Kabrielle's had been ill. This time, Kabrielle died, and we had to wait for Naomith to grow up. Quinn only just recently came to the weyr and Wullan only recently came back and her gold is older than Katarra's." Mika explains, "And yes… this is a very good clutch. But with thread falling, I only hop it'll be enough."

Carolyna nods as she listens. "Sorry if I sound a little dim, I just hadn't been around dragons until I came here," she states with a crooked smile. "But now I'm just getting excited, even just to be on the sands, it'll be exciting, I think."

"You don't sound dim… just hold or craft bred," Mika says softly. She shrugs and looks out on the sands. "It can be exciting… it can also be dissapointing. There's usually two or three times as many candidates as there are eggs."

Carolyna laughs a bit. "A combination of both, I spent a few turns at home, with my parents, and then the Smiths," she gives with a grin. "And, in all honesty, I had never thought I'd be Searched, I'm near too old, I figure, so," she shrugs. "I think I'm good."

Carolyna
Pure black hair crowns the top of this young woman's oval shaped head, which is partially covered by somewhat long bangs that nearly covers her hazel tinted eyes. Harshly angled eyebrows arch over her small, almond shaped eyes, between which is a slight, upturned nose. Her lips are thin and tinted only shades darker than her ivory coloured skin. A strong jaw leads up to a pair of equally as strong cheekbones, and down to an overly long neck. Carolyna's shoulders are broad, perhaps too broad, while her limbs are long and gangly looking. Overall, she has a tomboyish figure, if not a bit androgynous in appearance.
Lyna is attired in a simple fashion, having donned a simple, un-decorated, off white tunic, though it does appear to have been tailored to fit her form. Covering her gangly legs is a pair of dark brown trousers, which matches the jacket she's often wearing. Finally, on her feet, she wears a pair of plain black boots, which appear to have seen better days, much like the rest of her clothing.
Carolyna is 23 Turns, 7 months, and 22 days old.

Aadi
The 'solidly built weyrbrat' has grown into a blossoming young woman…sort of. Her hairstill the same rich red of her youthis longer now, when down brushing just past her shoulders. But only rarely is it let free like that. For the most part it is tied back in two braids that run along her skull to the nape of her neck. Her face has tanned a little, but the true evidence of time spent in the sun can be found in the darkening of the dust of freckles that lies across her nose and cheeks. She's capped out at about 5'7"a respectable height for a Pernese womanand her body has finally shed the last vestiges of baby-fat, leaving her with a lean, toned appearance.
You can't make out what she is wearing from this distance.
Aadi is 23 Turns, 3 months, and 25 days old.

Mika nods. "You and Aadi are both near the limit… but since they've searched you, even if you turn too old before the hatching, they'll let you stand." It wasn't like they'd spent turns standing here after all! "It's got to be a bit of a surprise for you… I mean all this…"

Carolyna chuckles. "I probably will, too, my turnday is in 5 months," is given with a shrug of her shoulders. "So far as I know, I'm the oldest one, thus far, though I could be entirely wrong, on that. "And it is, though I have been here for about a turn, nearly two, I think, as a journeyman, so, it's not as much of a shrug as those who came straight from hold or hall."

Mika cocks her head at Carolyna "I don't think it's going to take five months for the eggs to hatch…" MIka points out. "Two is more normal." She shrugs. "You should be fine. You'd know better than I who was oldest… The young ones actually seem to have a aharder time than the older ones."

Carolyna ohs. "Well, shows you what I know, than, I think I'm pretty naive about the whole dragon thing," is stated with a laugh and shake of her head. "Amazing, as I've been here for so long," she gives a shrug, and brushes it off. "Two months, is still a long time to wait, though…"
Mika nods and shrugs. "So is three turns. You /do/ get used to it." Mika points out. "It just takes a little time, and they do keep us bussy."

Carolyna chuckles. "I don't know, I don't think three turns would be as long, there isn't a clutch on the sands, whereas there is a clutch, and now they just have to get ready to hatch…"

Mika shrugs. "You start wondering if there will be one before you get too old." Mika points out.

Carolyna nods slightly. "I suppose that that's a disadvantage, isn't it? At least I know that this will be my only chance to stand, and then I'll be right back to work," is noted, with a grin.

"Do you want to impress?" Mika asks quietly, looking back out at the eggs. There were so many out there, especially compared to last time.

Carolyna nods. "Of course I want to, I'm just not hedging my bets on it. I'm prepared to return to the crafters area and carry on, I may request to be relocated somewhere else, though I doubt I would be that bad," she offers. "Do you?"

"Got any guesses as to colors? They'll be taking bets if they aren't already," Mika remarks idly. She knows some of the lower caverns workers routinely spent the majority of what little they could save betting on the eggs and the candidates.

Carolyna shakes her head, slightly. "I suppose I wouldn't mind a green, though I suspect I won't be arguing if I do Impress, so," is given with a shrug. "I suppose you haven't heard any of these bets, as of yet, have you?"

Mika shrugs, "I've heard several… there's one on that N'lon wil make a deal to buy another gold, but I'm not sure we can get away with that twice." MIka admits. "Not with Quinn's gold here." It wasn't common to find a gold for sale, loan, or transfer even if a weyr /was/ desperate. "Most people are betting against lots of bronzes becuase Rhyolith's a brown… but he had bronzes last time he caught so…." MIka trails off and shrugs.

Carolyna nods slightly. "I suspect that there will be no golds in this clutch, right?" she enquires, with a raised brow. "So, if you Impress, is there a particular colour you could see yourself with, or just a dragon?" she enquires

Mika shrugs, "I'm not sure I'll impress, and no, no brown in history, the few of them that have caught, has ever sired a gold." Mika chews her lower lip. "I don't know what I'd get. Probably green if anything at all."

Carolyna chuckles a bit. "I could see you on a green, or any colour, actually," is given with a crooked grin. "Although it'd be quite a juxtaposition to have you on a larger dragon."

Mika shakes her head, "Me? no. if anything a nice quiet green…" Yes, she assumes her own dragon will be as quiet as she is. "If they make such things."

Carolyna chuckles. "I don't know, I don't think I'd be surprised to see you with a dragon who's your opposite," is noted with a bit of a shrug. "But, then, what do I know."

"No one knows what makes which dragon choose which person," Mika says with a shrug. "Or they'd only have the people out on the sands they knew would impress /this/ clutch."

Carolyna nods slightly. "I suppose that's a valid point, I mean, that would save a lot of saddness for those who aren't going to Impress, after all," is noted, with a shrug.

OOC: Mika’s connection goes here.

Training!?

R'ki is not amused with the behavior of the candidates involved in Truth or Dare and decides to show everyone what it's like to work hard.

5/26/2008

Ista Weyr: Candidate's Barracks

The sound of boots can be heard echoing off of the walls, herolding the approach of someone. And as the sound gets steadily louder, a rather tall man can be seen suddenly making his way into the barracks. The candidates are given a icy-cold glare. "If you're not out of your cots in the next five minutes, you get an extra candle's mark of work. Snap to it!" R'ki wraps his arms over his waist, tapping his foot impatiently as he looks over the candidates. "And if you don't like it, well, you don't have to be a candidate now do you?"

Marjani opens her eyes and lies for a moment, disoriented. Still, there's the call to rise now or face the consequences is not unfamiliar to the younge woman, and so she almost immediately rolls out of her cot. She's stood much too quickly, it seems, because she wobbles a bit, holding out her arms to steady herself. Once she has her bearings (although it seems she has not realized she does not have her /pants/—and thank Faranth for sleeping in long tunics!) she orients her focus on R'ki. Still, she'll let someone else do any requisite talking, at least until she stops processing her dream about flying on the back of a runner as reality.

When the candidates don't really move as fast as R'ki wants them to, he fixes them with a slight glare, looking over his shoulder impatiently as they start to file in line. "I'm not kidding when I say that you either do this or lose your candidate's knot. I thought the rules were simple? Maybe some of you are dim as well? Were you not told the rules? I am /not/ going to have a repeat of what happened in /my/ candidacy, not when /I/ am /your/ candidate coordinator. No. You will all follow me, or you will take off your knots and not stand at all. And I hope you've slept well, because I'll make sure you sleep like a log tonight."

Marjani might want to finish getting dressed, in that case. Finding the requisite items (pants, belt, boots), she pulls them on as fast as she can and then hurries to the line. Entirely useless, she pushes her hair back, making no difference to the scalp-hugging style but unfortunately alerting herself to the need for a wash. Her frown is not entirely kept to herself, but she still remains silent, eyeing a few of the grumblier candidates.

Fingers drum along his arm, eyes flickering over the candidates in a impatient manner. And finally when all the candidates seem to line up, he whirls on his heel. "I'll say this, I'm less than impressed with the lot of you. If it were up to me, I'd take your knots this instant and tell you to go back to where you came from, but it's not up to me, and we need candidates for the sands. I plan to drill it into your heads what a dragonrider is, and what we do, what /you/ are expected to do should you impress a dragon. I won't have less than your absolute best!"

Marjani shifts uncomfortably, but keeps her gaze steady on R'ki. As she talks, her expression shifts, sizing up a man who can't be that much older than she. A frown settles on her features as he continues to talk. "P..Pardon me," finally escapes the relatively new candidate, but she doesn't continue. Still, her shoulders are back and head held high, as stupid as interupting may be.

R'ki's eyes flicker towards Marjani, falling silent for a moment, "Yes?" He asks, turning around on his heel, "You had something to say? Make it quick." The others get a steely look, in case they might dare to say something as well.

"Well, there weren't nearly so many of us there." Marjani pauses, and then seems to remember to add, "Sir." She does her best to maintain eye contact, "And while I cannot argue that we were on our best behavior as potential dragon riders," neverminding her own timing on the issue, "and that explaining to everyone how best to behave is not a good choice, I don't…" now she falters for a moment, looking at her feet before gazing up at him again, "I don't think lecturing the group as a whole will inspire the um… the kind of dedication to such a task as we should rightly have." She holds steady for a moment and then rubs her neck. "With all due respect, sir."

"Yes, well, I don't care who and who wasn't there. I was a candidate in the last class, someone was impregnated. I am /not/ going to have that happen, or other such nonsence on my watch. And it's easier to punish you all so that you /all/ get the message. I am /not/ standing for this." He lets his eyes flicker over the candidates, "It's your choice to behave as you wish, but just remember, if I so much as /hear/ one of you acting out you will be doing this again. All of you."

Meldari can't help but roll her eyes a touch at the dramatics considering she wasn't even part of what happened. An eyebrow raises and lower as the threats come across.

"That story again?" Corana saunters in, casually as can be, just in time to catch R'ki's words about the last pregnancy, "Did you catch Candidates having sex, R'ki?" The young woman, tall and with the fancy knot, seems to assume none of the authority of her position as she seems amused, glancing from face to face.

Marjani raises one eyebrow incredulously but instead replies in an even tone, "I was not aware of that happening, sir." She falls silent, now, apparently seeing no further point in arguing. She presses her lips together as Corana enters, and simply watches.

Rhikiad has been a part of the candidate line up the entire time. Yep. He's pretty good at looking penitent and standing, but if there too long, the teen will begin to fidget some. Fingers drop down to play with a loose thread at the bottom of his shirt, but the teen is all eyes onto R'ki. Yep.

There's a loud sigh, and R'ki takes a quiet breath. "This is not up for discussion. You, as candidates, acted out of line. You, as candidates, will be punished. I am setting my foot down this time. I am not going to have a repeat of last time." Cora gets a tired look, "Yes, it's your favorite one, too. No, I heard some things happened the other night, and thought to make an example out of the candidates. I'm going to have them train with me until they can't stand on their feet. They'll learn what it is to be a dragonrider, or at least how much work I put in every single day. Maybe then they'll actually appreciate the time that they're allowed and put it to better use than breaking rules."

"Make those of us who do listen regret it too," Meldari mutters and rolls her eyes again. She's feeling bitter toward her fellows at the moment not to mention the punishments.

"Some things?" Corana's voice echoes R'ki's spoken words, and she arches an eyebrow. Casting a look around the room, she voices loudly, "Would anyone care to elaborate on what our Candidate Coordinator is angry about? I'd /love/ to hear the full story. Anyone?" Her gaze is intent; anyone brave enough to step up and speak will have her full and eager attention.

Rhikiad plucks at that thread, managing to pull out a stitch along the hemline of his shirt. A couple more picking at it unravels things a bit more, for all that the teen doesn't seem to care. His eyes lift up so he can look over at R'ki, remaining silent in his ignorance of events. His green-irised gaze finally tracks over to Corana to rest on her a moment before dropping his gaze again.

R'ki does fall silent as Corana speaks, his lips pursing tighter as he looks over the candidates. "I heard there was drinking and kissing involved. And who knows what else they did." There's a quiet snort in disgust as the candidates are eyed, "I'd say have a healer look at 'em all a sevenday a week."

Meldari voices up now, "I'd love to tell you Weyrwoman but I wasn't there, i have heard that something was snuck into drinks …"

Carolyna has been here, in line, the whole while, before taking a half-step forward. "Sir, Ma'am, may I address the Weyrwoman in regards to her enquiry?" she questions, though she certainly doesn't level her gaze upon R'ki, less she do something that'll have her shipped back in peices to the Smith Hall.

Marjani gives Meldari a look that suggests she is strongly considering hissing something in reply, but then a question is posed to the group. She gives the others who were there a moment and then speaks up, "Weyrwoman, if I may…" She doesn't attempt a smile, "Though I was not there the entire time, when I arrived," not even a candidate yet, but she leaves it out, "drinks were being handed out to riders and candidates alike by…" her eyebrows come down in concentration, "well, I can't remember his name or knot. A game of truth or dare was taking place, and as you may imagine," she falters again, as she realizes who she is addressing so candidly, clears her throat, and continues, "the nature of the dares centered mainly around kissing and, well… removing clothing. I departed shortly after several of the participants--and not all of them were candidates--erm... fell asleep." Her cheeks are blazing, though of course given her coloration it is less than obvious.

Rhikiad's attention flicks down the line of quiet candidates and over to Meldari as she speaks up and then Marjani next… Oh, new one. His dark eyebrows lift a bit at the explanations being given, fingers still busily fiddling with that loose thread and basically is going to be the bane of some poor lower cavern's seamstress.

Corana seems to barely contain her smirk, but she does. The humor is verily vibrating in her as she bespeaks R'ki with a quieter tone. "Well, that's a good idea. After the last bunch, quite. Exams every sevenday for the Candidates. That should solve /that/ worry." She's pointed in this part of her sentence to the young man. "But for now, all I caution you kids with, young ladies especially, is to be careful. There are many older riders in the Weyr who like fresh meat." She's no love for the Weyr's male riders, apparently, and that's quite obvious in her tone.

R'ki can't help but smirk aside from Corana, his voice taking on a lower tone, "I agree. Every sevenday, a check up." he nods his head sagely, falling into silence to let the weyrwomen speak. After all, she's in charge now. But he can't help but tap his foot just a bit impatiently.

Carolyna is still standing just a half step in front of the line (supposedly), waiting to be given permission to speak, so to speak, though she's generally not the waiting type, she'll be good and patient.

Sharyna slides in quietly. She heard there was something going on, so she figured she'd high-tail it back to the barracks. She arrives just in time to listen to what Corana said, and wonder what's going on.

Rhikiad gives a hard tug to that loose thread on the edge of his tunic, finally pulling it free. Blink. Whoops. Rather realizing what he had been doing, , he curls that very same thread around a finger, looking back up to the riders once more. Checkups? Every sevenday? He looks vaguely confused (easily so at that), but remains silent and in the line with the other candidates. Still fidgeting somewhat.

Corana, now lapsing into silence, suddenly catches sight of Rhikiad and eyes him suspiciously. So quiet! It's the silence of the guilty, she's sure of it, and her narrowed eyes seem to suggest this too. "Well, I'd best be off. Naomith doesn't like to wake and find me not there." That's her excuse, anyway. In truth, she's having a hard time not cracking a smile at R'ki's rages. With this, she turns and strides out of the cavern, leaving only swirling skirts in her wake.

Carolyna steps back into the line as the Weyrwoman departs, apparently she'll not be permitted to explain the goings on of the previous night.

If he could, R'ki would probably be cackling loudly as Corana dissapears outside. There's a loud clap of his hands as he looks back to the candidates. "All right, on with you then. March! Outside we go!" And he doesn't wait to listen to any more arguments.

The candidates go to and return from training.

Marjani has probably suffered the oral abuse of her fellow candidates quite well today, and so she's somewhat reluctant to return to the barracks. Still, she'd rather return to her cot and at least get a change of clothes before diverting to the baths. After all, she was filthy before they even started. Marjani sinks onto her cot to begin fishing around in her rucksack for a clean tunic, and then finds that she doesn't particularly want to stand up again. And it isn't as if the Smith is unused to labor.

Meldari flops onto her cot, "Alright I waited long enough … what the shells happened the other night?"

Sharyna staggers inside, going right to her cot. She doesn't even bother to pull a blanket over herself, or change out of her sweaty clothes. Instead she just closes her eyes, and lies there for a few moments. "When I find out who is responsible for this…I'm going to…" She pauses for a second, as though trying to find some dire punishment with which she can threaten whoever made her have to work so hard. "….to sew all their clothes together!"

Carolyna fairly storms into the barracks, offering up an inumerable amount of curses, a large amount aimed at R'ki, though there is one. "HOW were WE supposed to know that that WHERRY of a guard had spiked our drinks?!" she shouts once she's in the room. "He didn't even give me a chance to explain that it's not our fault that wherry head spiked the drinks, knowing that Candidates are not supposed to drink…" and so she continues, looking ready to rip some people a strip.

"Ah charming … now I'll never get to see how Xan is doing, and if he got my letter." Mel offers laying back. "Did you all at least have a good time drunk? I miss all the fun."

Marjani looks up at the hubbub and resists sassing Carolyna too much. After all, if they don't Impress life could get interesting. "Well I knew," is what she offers. Nevermind that apprentices aren't exactly supposed to imbibe either. She studies her clean tunic, "Although I didn't know it was /spiked/. I thought everyone was just having a drink, rules be damned." Marjani winces, and then reaches up to rub her left shoulder while rotating it. To Meldari: "I was insulted, Searched, had alcohol spit all over myself, almost groped, and kissed without permission." A pause, and then sarcasticly, "So yeah, you missed one heck of a party."

Sharyna opens her eyes, if only to roll them back again, annoyed. "So all this was just because someone spiked candidate drinks? Wonderful. Wake me when the eggs hatch." She rolls away from the crowd, huffily. "I'm tired." can be heard-muffled.

Carolyna smirks as she turns her glower upon Meldari. "Oh, yes, we had a thrill of a time, considering we weren't even willingly drunk," she states, arms still very much crossed, knuckles white as they clutch her arms. "The game was fun, though," she states, with a wink. "A sharding good time, actually," pause. "Yes, Sharyna, that blasted guard, Tiago, spiked the juice, handed it out willy nilly, we didn't know it was spiked, so we drank, and we're being punished for his complete idiocity."

Meldari raises her eyebrows, "Glad you've never spend some time in the Clan … the Wagonmaster is quite fond of her drink … and her men." She shrugs and closes her eyes. "I'm just hoping I get up in time for chores and get this over with … so we can plot something on Tiago."

"Well actually we're being punished for the mistakes of the last group of candidates, if I understood properly." Up go Marjani's arms, trying to stretch out her muscles before they get too stiff. "If it hadn't been a drunken game it would have been something else, I'm sure." Now to make herself really unpopular, "And it makes sense to work us hard anyway."

Sharyna isn't exactly asleep yet. She turns her head over her shoulder to look at Carolyna. "Shells, girl, you've never tasted alcohol before?" She shrugs one shoulder then. "I mean, unless he'd had really strong juice in there…you should've been able to taste the alcohol in it." At least, that's how Sharyna reckons. "I mean…not that I don't want to sew him into his bedclothes and leave him stranded halfway down the path to the hold." She grins. "Glad I missed it.

Carolyna settles her glower upon Sharyna, her Bitran accent coming through loud and clear in her current state. "Of course I've had alcohol before, but that doesn't mean I was expecting it, I /trusted/ Tiago. Shards, half of us asked the wherry-brain what the juice was, and he couldn't manage to tell even Q'luin the truth. And he best be hoping I don't ever get my hands on him…" glower, grumble, and she slumps, promptly onto her cot, nearly getting the previously discarded needle right in her backside.

Sharyna nods, then, looking at the ceiling for a moment. "Then what we need to do is find a way to pay Tiago back for his…misdeeds."

Marjani frowns, standing. "I could smell it in the juice, but it was low of him not to be upfront." The young woman's head shakes, "You should have been allowed to decide for yourselfs to break the rules." She moves toward the exit, clean clothing in tow. "As for all that, I'm going to get a bath so I stop smelling like a herdbeast's backside."

Carolyna nods. "Aye, had I stopped to take a whiff of the stuff, I would have known it was spiked, but, y'know, he's a guard, we /are/ supposed to trust the guards, after all. I swear, I'll hang him out first Thread fall we happen upon…" even if it's long after she's dead.

There may be more to this log.

Why Mending?

Marjani hates mending. Xanathos is flustered but helpful, and Meldari provides a tool.

5/27/2008

Ista Weyr: Candidate's Barracks

Meldari comes back to her cot after a long day of chores and barely looking around lays back on it. "They better get more candidates in on this, they're gonna kill half of us with this workload." She offers up to anyone else back in the room.

Marjani is sitting up on her cot, a pile of clothing in front of her and a needle in her hand. She looks… less than pleased and is apparently having a world of trouble threading the needle. Meldari's statement is a welcome distraction, and earns a shrug. "Well, there's plenty eggs so I'm sure there'll be plenty candidates," remarks the young woman.

"I ah, I'm sure the idea is more to get you ready for the rigors of possible rider life then to kill anyone off." Xanathos states softly from the general area of the door rather than a cot as a clip clop of footsteps carries him in. "One egg t to a customer, no returns or refunds. Blooded wherries and ha hearbeasts are not included."

Meldari nods a bit on her bed, frowning as she notes the neatness, "I'm sure we'll have more I'd be greatful for a few more hands on chores." The next voice makes her sit straight up and blink, "Xan? What are you doing here?"

Marjani returns to attempting to thread her needle, going fairly cross-eyed in the process as her eyebrows furrow together and her lips press into a line. Just as she's about got it, her right hand spasms, and Marjani curses rather loudly. "Sharditall!" She collapses forward onto the pile, frustrated. Her complaints, somewhat out of character, are muffled, "Tell you what if I Impress I'm not sharding mending my own clothes that's for one."

"Wa Well, I had come looking for you." Xanathos states with a weak smile and a soft voice. "Tha then I was uh. I was kind of asked to stay." Making his way over he pauses to regard the person that's face down in a pile of clothing. "Tha-that can't possibly be all your clothing."

Meldari smiles and shakes her head, "They got you too." She looks over toward Marjani then, "If you need a hand I'll help you out … may have a thing in here for needle threading." She's digging through her things now.

Marjani raises her head far enough to look at Xanathos. If she recognizes him from the Incident, it doesn't show in her features, "None of it's mine, I expect. I've been given mending." Being addressed seems to remind her of a certain sense of decorum, and so she sits up properly. And promptly has to fish around for the sewing needle again. A look of panic is quickly squelched and she continues to dig while replying to Meldari, "That would be fantasic, actually. Seems every time I get close to threading the-ha!" the exclaimation is small, a private triumph at finding a needle in a clothestack, and forgets to finish her sentence.

"Ye-yeah seems that I get to hang around and see to it you don't get into to much trouble after all. Or at least that I get to do half of the punishment." Xanathos smile a bit broader, a gentle chuckle in his voice as he tosses a look over his shoulder at Meldari before looking back at the pile of clothing. "You know mending really isn't all that hard. I mend Meldari's clothing all the time." He kneels down to examine the pile before looking up at its former occupant. "Ha Hey! I remember you, y-your Marjani the one that kissed that Lord Holder and then dared Carolyna to fall in love with the first male candidate that she saw."

Meldari finds the small bit of metal, flattened out to a rough hook. "Here, much easier to get through then the thread, then just loop it and pull it through." She says as she hands it over to Marjani. She seems slightly embarassed to hear Xan talk about mending her clothes then raises a brow. "You were there Xan?"

Marjani rolls her shoulders back in a kind of reverse shrug and tries not to look like she's noticed his stutter. "The mending isn't /hard/, but it's slow going sometimes, especially when I can't even get the needle to thread." She reaches across to accept the threader, and actually smiles when the needle threads quickly. Before she can thank Meldari, though, she is recognized, and her smile turns to a frown. "Yes, well. I'm the one who was kissed by the Lord Holder without permission, and I thank you to realize the difference. I wouldn't want to get the reputation of a… loose woman." She snorts, and searches about one of the random garments for a tear.

Xanathos chuckles nervously, "Wa-Well I kind of stumbled across it ta-towards the end while looking for you. Around about the time that various people wa-were missing garments and passing out. I made a pa-point to pa-point out to R'ki that you weren't there Meldari. Fa-for all the good it seemed to do." He swallows audibly and takes a step or two back away from Marjani, "Er I ah, Er ah. I ah I'm s-sorry. I d-didn't mean t-to imply t-that no n-not at all." He lowers his head, "Sorry."

Meldari nods, "He's gonna punish us all anyway, we're even getting weekly checks so that no one gets on the sands pregnant like Corana did." Rolling her eyes she shakes her head. "He's not intimating anything Marj," She supports Xan and smiles. "Thanks for trying Xan."

Marjani raises her eyebrows, "Alright, apology accepted. You don't have to get all flustered about it, I just was making the distinction." She has to focus on the trousers she's mending now, and so looks down as well, though her expression is still a incredulous. "Weekly checks, that's just humiliating, is what it is. Don't have any need to see the Healer unless somethin's been broken or burnt…" her muttering lowers in tone until it's hard to hear, though the phrase, "make the pretty ones do it" is rather distinct.

Xanathos nods his head, his gaze settled on a nice safe bit of floor. "Y-yes I heard about that. He ah kind of ran across me just a little bit after the speech. He was quite b-blunt on what was and was not allowable. Especially when I found out I knew you Meldari." He takes a long slow breath before finally looking up, "I ah, I am s-sorry Marjani I didn't mean to insult you. W-would you ah like a hand with those?"

Meldari holds a hand out, "Hard to get much private time in here anyway Xan." She reaches over to pat his shoulder and smiles as he offers help. "You're going to make life much easier to live in here."

"Stop that. I don't rank you and you don't know me, so you don't have to be nervous about apologizing to me." Marjani quirks one eyebrow at the man, and then looks back and forth between Xanathos and Meldari before… well, scrunching her nose up with distaste. Rather than comment, she just shrugs in belated reply, "If you want to help I won't say no, but I'm sure you've got enough work of your own without taking some of mine." After a short moment, she seems to realize that she's been harsh, and allows a small smile to form.

Xanathos offers Meldari a grin his soft voice picking up a bit of strength. "Well I certainly can't leave you by yourself Meldari. For one your sewing is terrible. And the mess your cot was in." He shakes his head tisking, "I don't see how you managed to get any sleep let alone find anything." His grin slips away his eyes finding a nice spot of floor somewhere in Marjani's direction. "S-sorry, I I ah I j-just seem to keep upsetting you. I I don't mind the work w-without Meldari around I h-haven't had nearly as much to do. Its n-nice to be useful again."

Meldari smiles at Xan, "I didn't manage to find much time to do it, they've had us hopping here." A brief chuckle and she gives a slightly pleading look to Marj, clearly a 'just let him get over the shyness please'

Marjani looks rather out of sorts as Xanathos seems to get more and more flustered. She seems to consider something while she continues her mending, not replying right away. And then at Meldari's look, rather than another reprimand, she speaks softly, able to keep most (if not all) of the confusion and exasperation from her tone. "Relax, I'm not upset with you." Rather than continue to escalate the issue, she lapses into silence for the moment. It's not quite in her to engage in small talk, and besides her right hand is having a go of it again, meaning she needs to concentrate doubly so on mending in a straight line.

"Its nice of them to give you an excuse to not do something you wouldn't have done anyway. Don't worry Meldari I'll be sure to take care of it for you." Xanathos teases gently before having himself a seat. A dip into a pocket brings up a kit for mending that's easily as battered an worn out as anything its used on. "I ah, I'm s-sorry I'll t-try to relax." Wetting the thread with his mouth he threads the needle with practiced ease. and collects a garment from the pile to examine.

Meldari narrows her eyes at Xan, but teasingly and smiles thankfully to Marjani for her patience. "I can get another one of those threaders if you want to keep that one, my family is camped near weaver hall fairly often and they got us on to the idea."

Marjani bites her tongue quite literally since she can't seem to get Xanathos to stop apologizing, and continues to sew slowly, mostly listening out of lack of distance from the conversation than anything else. Still, it seems she can't escape the conversation after all. "Really? It.. it would be a great help if they keep putting me on mending. I'll certainly return it to you after the eggs hatch, I never have to mend at the Smith Hall, my mother's just a short walk or I usually have something on one of the younger apprentices." One of the younger nearby candidates gapes a bit, and then elbows his friend to gawk about how 'That dark girl wot we couldn't tell wasn't a boy save for the front of her actually talking and not being sarcastic about it or anything'. Marjani shoots them a Look and they scamper off, laughing. She snorts again, and after a long pause, ventures "Thank you for the help." to the others.

Xanathos hums softly to himself a needle sticking out of his mouth gets absentmindedly chewed on as he goes about his mending. "Giving something away without asking for something in return. That's not like you Meldari. Shouldn't you be telling her that one day you will ask a favor of her in return or something?" He smiles warmly having something to occupy him seeming to steady his nerves and his voice if doing nothing to get him to speak up, "No thanks needed, I'm happy to be of some assistance."

Marjani is forced to hold back a derisive snort at Xanathos's comment to Meldari, but doesn't reply to his assurance that he needs no thanks. No, she'll just keep concentrating on getting this mending done, come Hatching or High Water. And at the rate she's going, the eggs may well crack before she finishes this chore, help or not. So, regardless of continued conversations, she keeps her head down and, thanks to Meldari, her needle threaded, and works.

Quarrelsome Klah Pot

Ita stops for some refreshment at The Klah Pot only to find Mika and a surly Marjani working there. Mika and/or Ita may have more poses for this log?

One would think that Marjani should avoid the Klah Pot at all costs. Yet that is exactly where the dark-skinned woman is to be found on this spring mid-morning. She's on her knees, a bucket of soapy water beside her and a scrub-brush in her hands. Yes, she's scrubbing the floor, and from the intense look on her face, either very upset or very, very focused on the task at hand.

Mika comes out of the backroom with a smiliar bucket and scrub brush, but she's also got oil. It looks like her task is the tables not the floor. She picks a table near Marjani, seemingly at random. "You Ok?" She asks of the woman scrubbing the floors as she starts on this particular table.

Ita enters the Pot to get something to drink in the relatve silence that that this room brings. However, when she sees that it's being cleaned, she stops at the door. "Oh…" She says, pausing, not sure where she can step. "I'm sorry. I'm not trying to be in anyone's way…"

Marjani could kill a wherry on sight with the look she orients toward Mika. Still, she realizes it isn't the other woman she's mad at, and so looks back down. "Dandy. Fine. Just wondering," she punctuates her words with scrubs, "who said that I love to cook, clean, and mend in earshoot of those who decide what chores to assign." Apparently scrubbing is not the back-breaking labor she bargained for. She pauses just long enough to wipe the sit up sweat off of her forehead and responds to Ita, "By all means, come in. Just sit over there," a gesture toward the chairs behind her, "as I've washed there already." More glowering and she doubles over, renewing her efforts to either clean the floor or rub right through it trying.

Mika chuckles, "Don't look at me." Mika's used to this kind of work, then again she was doing it /before/ she became a candidate so it's nothing new. Ita gets a shy smile. "Yes have a seat. I'll save your table for last. We're not closed. Anything I can get for you?" though maybe she should have let Marjani play server? Would have gotten her off her knees. She casts another glance down at the other candidate.

Ita looks down, hiding behind her curls for a moment as she sits in the indicated seat. "Just some juice, please, if it's no trouble." Ita says, quietly. "That's part of what candidates do, isn't it?" She asks, softly. "I mean, they don't do it to be mean, I don't think."

Marjani snorts, "There's plenty of tasks to be done. I'd prefer helping the Smiths," well of course she would, it wouldn't be any different than life as usual, "hunting tunnelsnakes, running messages, /fixing/ things." She inches along, sour as can be, "I'd even mind cleaning up after runners and herdbeasts less." For awhile she goes silent, the only noise her angry breathing and the steady swish-swish-swish of her scrub-brush. Finally, "I don't mind working hard," is said, not wanting anyone to get the wrong impression.

Mika nods and shrugs. "I'm just used to doing a little of everything I guess. Not used to having a specialty." Though she's not sure she sees the difference between scrubbing out the stables and scrubbing the floor here. She wipes off her hand and ducks behind the bar to get the juice for Ita, leaving both glass and pitcher. "I've always been cleaning up after somebody or other… even before I was a candidate."

Ita nods. "Yeah. I've never been a candidate, but I do my share of cleaning up after people." She smiles. "I think it's just this stage of our lives. I'm an apprentice, you're candidates…" She shrugs again, taking the glass. "Thank you. I'm Ita, by the way. I live at Fort Weyr, but I come over here once in awhile to see what's going on." She pours herself some juice, and takes a sip.

The difference is that scrubbing out the stables isn't 'domestic work', but of course Marjani can't specify. She can, however, raise her eyebrows, "I didn't do this kind of work as an apprentice, any cleaning I did was after myself. So I can't exactly say it's a stage." She's moved far enough that she has to pause and drag her bucket forward. "Though I seem to be stuck," plop! she dunks her scrub-brush a little too exhuberantly, sending a splash upwards, which sends her nostrils flaring in irritation "… with it at least until the eggs crack." She scrubs for a moment and then adds, "It'll be good to get back to proper work, that's for certain."

Mika shrugs. "Oh, I'm not sure there's anything that's not 'propper work'. It's all got to get done sooner or later," Mika points out, then to Ita, "I'm Mika." She leaves her rank out. Her candidate's knot should make that clear enough to the weyr bred. "It's been quite lately." For which Mika is very much relieved.

Ita nods. "It doesn't matter who does the work, it just needs…." She realizes she is sort of repeating what Mika said. "Well met." She replies, quietly.

Marjani can't help but comment, "Well there's proper work for some and then there's proper work for others, and proper work for me is not scrubbing the floor." Her tone is carefully matter of fact, but of course her words are less than polite. It's a long moment before she realizes that people are introducing themselves, and so rather belatedly she adds, "I'm Marjani. Of the Ista Smith Hall." A few more scrubs get in before, "Usually."

Mika shrugs, "How do you define 'proper work' for anyone?" Mika asks as she continues her own work. "Or is scrubbing not something crafters deign to bother with?" She lets Irony enter her voice. "It /is/ something that candidates do very regularly. Just hope you don't draw latrine duty!" Though they've got a few trouble makers that might save the others /that/ task. If they're lucky.

Ita shudders a little. "Yeah, I've done that." She says of the latrine duty. "Not in the latrines, but definitely similar." Being a Healer apprentice, you get to do all sorts of nasty stuff. "But it doesn't matter, because it needs done. You wrinkle your nose and do it." She shrugs, and takes another drink of juice. "Well met, Marjani." She smiles at the Smith, unsure of the response because of their topic of conversation.

Marjani rolls her eyes, "It's as ridiculous for Crafters to spend all day at cleaning as it is for a drudge to spend her day writing music. If she can do that, she ought to be a Harper. We've all got jobs to do and no use getting offended just because some of them don't include scrubbing floors." She scrubs harder, jaw set. "So while I'm a candidate I'll do it, but don't scold me for thinking my time is, yes, better spent elsewhere." Apparently fuming, she dumps her scrub-brush back in the bucket, and stands. "I don't have to feel guilty about knowing my place." She hoists her bucket and stalks out of the room, lower jaw jutting out and death in her eyes.

Workshops and Messes

Candidates, Smiths, and Guard sort out rusty metal from useable pieces. Log from before Marjani's entrance courtesy Abigail.

5/29/2008

Ista Weyr: Workshop

The Smiths have commandeered an entire table in the corner, spread with various parts of flamethrowers for inspection while the larger bits are clustered in a group on the floor nearby. "You've got to get rid of all the parts that have rusted through," Abigail is explaining, quite patiently. "Like this one, see?" She picks up a round metal piece liberally coated with rust. "It can go in the 'not fixable' pile."

Heaven. If Pern had a heaven, this might very well bit it. Rhikiad stands just shy of that table littered with the parts, fingers all but itching to dig in and lose themselves in the metal and such. He chews at his bottom lip, just barely managing to rip his gaze away from the pieces and back over to Abigail. "What if it has a little bit of rust on it?" he asks, inching closer to that tabletop of Nirvana. Metal things. Lots of things.

"Can it not be derusted? When I was backwhen, we did that to a few of these and they seemed salvagable and the flamethrower worked, though I will admit it didn't shoot that far?" is the quiet tenor's reply. Aodien is leaning over the table but he's allowed room for some of the other Ista Weyr folk to crowd around the revered Master. Still this is a lesson and he's not going to waste the opportunity. He grins just a tad incorrigibly at the woman, brown curls falling into his eyes.

"Ody!" Aadi calls as she steps into the workroom with seemingly no work to do. "I /though'/ I heard y'natterin' on in here." She grins amicably then, offering a salute to Abigail and a wink to Rhikiad. "Min' if'n I sit with y'while I sharpen some blades?"

"It depends on how much they're rusted." Abigail answers both Aodien and Rhikiad's question in one go. "If they're rusted through or over completely — well, what do you think?" She smiles a welcome to Aadi, including her in the question. She doesn't discriminate between Smith and nonSmith.

Rhikiad extends a leg to hook a foot around a stool. Dragging it forward, the teen plops upon the seat, flicking his long braid of hair to his back with a turn of his head. Eager fingers reach out to take something. Yeah, something would be the technical term or somesuch. Anywho, happily the teen fiddles with the piece, eyes serious in their efforts to examine every little bit of the metal for the tell-tale rust. "Blades?" The one thing that can drag his attention away from metal pieces would be shiny sharp things.

Aodien's head flips up and he'll offer a slow easy grin back at Aadi and a quick wink, "How you been Aadi?" He'll move over a few inches to allow Rhikiad and his stool better access to the table and its shiny bits before nodding at the Master, "It'll react with ageonthree and not be able to flame as effectively?"

"Well, 'nough. An' you?" Aadi pulls something from her belt and then sits down near Aodien, turning to Rhik while twirling what can now be seen as a rather wicked looking knife in her hand. "Yep, blades." Turning to Abigail, she grins and nods. "Plus wha' flame does come out'll burn clear through th' rusted bits."

Abigail nods. "That, and the metal beneath will be weak. Could break at any time, and what use is a flamethrower during fall if it won't flame? — Yes, exactly, Aadi," she receives the smile of a favored pupil who has gotten it exactly right, "If there's only some rust, there are ways we can remove it. So things with some rust can be put in the 'needs to be fixed' pile." Abigail is standing by a table littered with metal parts, explaining how to sort them into various piles to the gathered Smiths and candidates. "The rest, unless there's something obviously wrong with it, can go in the 'just fine' pile. Any questions?"

Rhikiad's finger picks at a bit of grease upon the metal piece in his hand, dark eyebrows overshadowing his eyes with the seriousness of rubbing it away to see if there is any rust underneath. Nope! It is set aside and in his eagerness to grab for another one, knocks a couple to the floor. Whoops. His eyes flicker up at Aadi though and her knife twirling. "Oh, I can do some of that too." He rather likes the shine of blades and is more impressed by that than any twirling. "No, ma'am," Rhik responds to Abigail after her question.

Carolyna really wasn't expecting a crowd when she walked into the workroom today, but, it would seem a crowd is what she's going to get. "Hello, Ma'am," she offers by way of greeting towards Abigail, before giving a wave to Aodien, and the rest of the candidates. "Seems this is a busy place today? I didn't miss anything too exciting, did I?"

Aodien just shakes his head in the negative at Abigail, a distracted gaze sliding first to Aadi where it lingers a little, and then more curiously at Rhikiad and his exhuberance over the metal pieces. Carolyna's entrance draws his attention with another smile, "Hey Caro," but for now his focus in on learning.

Carolyna's entrance gets Aadi's attention, pulling up a smile and a wave for her other Smith-type friend before turning and shaking her head at the In-Charge Smith. "Y'be wantin' m' help, Abigail?" she asks, preparing to sheathe her knife and buckle to if asked.

Tiago follows the group in, staying a bit back out of the way as he takes a look in to the workroom. The guardsman isn't technically on duty at the moment, but is only curious as he watches and listens to the smith. Then again the workings of a flamethrower aren't a bad thing to pick up these days.

"It's Abby," the Smith corrects, gently, "or Master, if you must. We need all the help we can get. And sooner done, the sooner we can get out of here, huh? I've got the kitchens to make us a special treat for afterwards." Nothing motivates young workers like the promise of sweets. "Aodien, Carolyna," she does pick on the Smiths in the room this time, "could you fetch us some bins from the closet? We'll need at least three." She busies herself looking at the larger pieces on the floor, squatting on the balls of her feet.

Rhikiad slides from the stool with the sound of cloth against leather. He bends down to take up a couple of the fallen pieces, absently climbing back onto the stool afterwards. Noting a movement at his side, he flickers a glance at Aodien and offers up a welcoming grin, "Lots." Apparently meaning the flamethrower pieces. Hopefully. The teen perks at the mention of a special treat from the kitchens. "Those are the best. Special treats."

Carolyna smiles. "Hiya, Aodien, Aads," she offers as she walks closer to the group, intent on finding out what, exactly the conversation is about. Of course, as per Abby's request her feet turn and automatically move to the closet for the bins. "Aye, Rhiki, special treats are rather delightful."

Aodien straightens and nods at Abigail, "Yes Ma'am," before turning towards the closet and then grinning at Carolyna as he inercepts her ther. "I'll get that," his reach is higher and he'll slide one of the bins off the shelf with a wink and hand it to her. Grabbing the next two for himself.

"Fair 'nough, Abby," Aadi corrects herself with a grin. "An' y'know th' quickest way t'a man's heart." Insert Wicked Grin Here. "Smart Smith." She turns then to sit at the worktable, sheathing her knife and peering over a few of the pieces closest to her.

Tiago lurks up behind the candidates, trying to be unobtrusive though it's not entirely successful as he does stand several inches over most. Watching the smiths work isn't something he's seen much of, so curiousity is winning as he nods along with them, looking over shoulders at the piles of parts.

You overhear Aadi murmur, " That assumes … has a heart … get …" to Aodien

Abigail twists to grin, unrepentant, up at Aadi. "So long as it keeps their hands moving, I guess I can take their hearts, as well." She stands, dusting hands on her trousers, and spots Tiago skulking behind the group. "'Lo, you there! Can you tell the difference between rust and good metal?" It isn't hard.

Carolyna scowls at Ao as he grabs the bin, though she takes it with a slight little thank you offered his way, she then takes the item, pivots about on her toes and makes her way back towards where Abby et. all are gathered. "All us smiths are smart, Aadi, you should know that, you know me, after all…" is stated with a little bit of a snicker.

Rhikiad hooks the heel of a boot in a rung on his stool. A frown creases his brow as he comes across some rust upon a piece, finger flaking away pieces. He flips it over to examine the other side, and finds the same flaw. With a chuck, the metal piece is cast carelessly somewhat in the direction of where the junk pieces are to go. Hopefully it'll make it there. His gaze temporarily flicks up to those at the bins before he is right back to the pieces once more. Yeah, so many to look over.

Aodien just continues to smile back at Caro as he follows her, balancing both bins in either hand. He'll glance down at Aadi's knives as he passes by, but goes to stand by Abigail. "Oh I don't know Caro, I've known a few Smiths that weren't that smart, but tended more towards ingenuity in tight spots." A nod will be given to the guard and then he'll lower one of the bins for Rhikiad, "Aim here."

Tiago looks on up at the master Smith, nodding to Abigail even as he straightens up and folds arms over his chest. "Aye, good metal holds a nice edge and rusted breaks when you hits someone over the head with it." Trust him to put it in a perspective that he's familiar with.

Shaking her head at Aodien and his antics, Aadi begins to sort through the pieces in her immediate vicinity, making small piles to then be gathered and dumped en masse into their appropriate containers. "Jus' enough ingenuity t'get 'em out o' tight spots, eh Ody?"

"Necessity," Abigail quotes, as she is so fond of doing, "is the mother of invention. Thanks, Ody. Caro." Tiago's response has her throwing her head back and laughing. "Oh, yes. Just so. Help us sort, won't you — ?" She pauses, waiting for him to fill in his name.

Rhikiad glances up at Aodien, and then eyes the bin as well. "Oh, sorry." He'll look moderately amused though and bob his head as well as the point has come across. "Bin. Got it." But apparently the next piece he comes across is perfectly fine and settled away. A new voice has him blinking and twisting around to blink at the guard, and then cast a wave at Tiago. Well, that'd be a wave with greasy hands and a metal piece in his hand. It'll work though.

Carolyna nods as she sets her bin down. "No problem, Ma'am," indeed, she's fallen back into the use of Ma'am's and Sir's starting candidacy. Once the bin is dropped off she shuffles around the table, somewhere between smiths and candies, is where she decides to stand, still not all to certain what they're doing. "So, we're sorting the good, useable metal from the rusted stuff?" she enquires with an upraised brow.

Tiago steps around so that he's not in the way of busy bodies and other smiths moving bins about, nodding a few here folks here and there, returning waves and whatnot before coming closer to the front by Abigail. "Tiago. I'm a guardsman." he explains with a wry grin. "Not one of the candidates here, but I'll help sort." He takes a better look at the parts and raises a brow, "Bit of a jumbled mess isn't it?"

Aodien raises his eyebrow then follows Carolyna's example and sets down the bins on the table. He'll move out of the way of the guardsman and go to stand next to Aadi, leaning forward to sort some of those pieces closest to her. Two very rusted ones get discarded with a flip into the bin and the sound of metal hitting metal in quick succession, but for the most part he's here to watch and listen.

Noting Aodien's proximity to her, Aadi gives him the barest of glances before looking back to Abby and the others, continuing her work in a more silent manner than usual, but no less efficiently. Some watching closely might see her shiver once at random, but she makes no fuss to draw attention to it.

"Smith, Candidate, Guardsman," Abigail shrugs, "if you're willing to help, I'm willing to have you." She is, indeed, resourceful. "Only a bit. We're sorting it — unfixable, fixable, and just fine already. Ask if you're not certain about something. I'd rather be bugged now than have to go back through it all later. And it's /Abby/, Caro. Haven't you known me long enough?" She teases good naturedly.

Rhikiad turns his attention back towards the table covered in pieces, fingers reaching for the edge of it while he leans forward. Feet hook into the bracing footrest along the bottom of the stool so that his butt lifts up off of the stool. "There is still a lot here." With the teen's position being as it is, that poor little and frail footrest under that stool is not going to take the teen's weight. And so, with a tell-tale crack, the wood breaks, the stool tips and the teen keeps his death-grip upon the table as he falls backwards. Naturally, this means that table and the assortment of metal objects are going to follow right along with the momentum to collapse and scatter about the floor with a rather loud clatter of noise.

Carolyna offers her most innocent smile she can towards Abby. "I don't know if I've known you long enough yet, Ma'am," she states, adding a wink at the end to note her jest before she relocates herself again, at a place in which she can easily grab the chunks of metal. The first several she takes hold of are examined and then placed into the bucket for those that can be repaired, whilst the oddball of that group is dropped in with all the other rusty, old, unfixable ones. But, her work is to no avail, as they fall to the floor. "Rhik! You okay?" she questions, darting to the teens side.

Tiago was about to crouch down by a pile when the clattering of noise errupts, the guardsman in motion in the blink of an eye. He's trained to think on his feet after all, darting forth he skirts the mess of jumbled parts now scattered everywhere and grabs a hold of Rhikiad to help get him back on his feet instead of falling back on those rusty bits of metal. "Whoa! Shells Rhik!"

"Don't give me that look," Abigail accuses Carolyna, laughingly, but the crashing has her turning on her heel before she can offer any further commentary. Luckily, she's well used to crashes and bangs, explosions and upsets, and she takes it all with credible aplomb. "You alright, lad?" First things first, she comes to Rhikiad's side and offers him a hand up.

Marjani enters from the Lower Caverns, possibly with purpose.

Rhikiad just sits on his ass amongst pieces of metal with a table half in his lap and the scattered remains of his stool littered behind him as well. "Oh, shells…" he mutters, wincing a bit at the mess about him. "Sorry." So much assistance from many. After pushing free from the table, he takes any hand available to be helped back to his feet. "Well, my pride is hurting. I'm sorry." His nirvana is now scattered about the floor without rhyme or reason. Yeah, that's a mess too. Just a bit of a flush to his cheeks, looking rather chagrined.

Tiago reaches out along with Abigail to help Rhikiad up, moving parts away from the boy with a sweep of a foot. "Are you alright though?" He figures the place was pretty much a mess before anyway, what's another? "No cuts or anything broken?" His tone may be gruff, but there's the faintest edge to his voice as he examines the younger man with barely concealed concern.

Shaking her head and backing away from the mess made by the collapsing Rhikiad, Aadi bumps into a rider who gives her a wink and a smile before handing off a bit of hide. Reading it, her face goes a little pale and she turns just long enough to shoot Carolyna an apologetic look before she's /gone/. Blink and you'll have missed her.

"Oh, nevermind. You should see the messes we've had at the Smith Hall. Aodien over there smashed one of my glass vases the first sevenday he was there, and Carolyna — didn't you almost light fire to our workroom, your first turn? I'd hardly know I was home if the apprentices weren't making some sort of racket or explosion. Once, when Kiral was an apprentice, he was mixing chemicals and discovered one combination that expanded into a cloud of gas that smelled exactly like rotten tubers.." Abigail chatters merrily away, seeking to draw attention — and embarrassment — away from Rhikiad while she grasps the table to right it.

"Oh, I'm fine," Rhik murmurs to Tiago with a bit of a flush, dusting his hands off along his pants. His eyes draw back down to the mess upon the floor and that look he gives it isn't pleased at all. And oh look… amazing how people disappear when suddenly there is a huge mess about. His attention lifts towards Abigail, and the teen looks rather wry at her words. "Smithing sounds /fun/." Because fires and smashing things and gas are pretty attractive to teen his age. "Does that stuff really all happen?" And they have shiny metal things! But despite the fact that he was on his feet, he is dropping right back down to his knees again to start the pick up process. "Shells, I scattered them near all the way to the door." Impressive.

Marjani apparently has bad timing, nearly being bowled over by someone she cannot see because of the sheer amount of laundry the young woman is carrying. "Careful!" She calls, but it's too late, and so she has to waddle in, a precarious balance of sheets and underthings that smell like they haven't been washed since the last Pass. Finally, this is deposited, and apparently that was all she was asked to do, as Marjani abandons her load, turning while wiping her forehead with the back of one arm—and what a sight to see. Too exhausted not to be curious, she wanders over toward the group. "Master Abigail!" Something quite like a grin crosses her dark features. With one glance over the mess, her eyebrows, as usual, raise. "What's happened?"

Tiago would probably be terrified for Rhikiad's continued health if the redhead actually joined the smithcraft. While he's got good steady hands, he does have a way of being distracted by shiny objects and has the instincts of a ferret. And not a bright one. "As long as no one got hurt." is all he can grunt out, letting go once Rhik's upright and steady. He eyes the mess and shrugs. "Well all the pieces are easier to spot now at least." Just harder to get it all into bins. He sends an amused look towards Abigail though. "Life sounds rather… exciting in the smith hall. I'm betting you drive Lord Sterling's guardsmen insane with all the goings on."

"Every bit," Abigail swears, solemnly, and she's not too proud to drop cross legged to the floor and begin to gather bits of metal towards her, righting the nearest bin and beginning the sorting process all over again. "Smithing, Marjani!" The Master calls cheerfully, "don't you recognize the signs? Bits of metal everywhere, overturned bins, and me on the floor." Her grin only widens at Tiago's words. "I try not to bother his guardsmen. Lord Sterling himself, though.. did you hear about how one of my apprentices almost burned down his tavern?" Funny how she sounds almost proud of that.

Rhikiad's smile quirks at Tiago's words. "You've a point there." And so while seated upon the ground much the same as Abigail, the teen is left to pick through pieces and sort them into bins with rust or none… or broken with the fall. Whoops indeed. Blink. "Really? Almost burned down the /tavern/?" He might have heard that one before, but still sounds very impressive a feat to nearly get accomplished. Smithing is sounding better and better.

Tiago dusts off his hands, for all that he hasn't really gotten to work just yet. "Burned down the tavern? Was there not long ago, I guess they've repaired the damage." He shakes his head, those smiths…good thing they're mostly on the other end of the island. He doesn't like the gleam in Rhikiad's eyes though. "Now don't get any funny ideas. I thought you were determined to become a dragonhealer, or you going to put those lessons to waste?"

"Well it does look familiar, come to think." Marjani surveys the scene, "Though I don't see anything on fire. And there isn't a 12 turner crying about being sent back to Crom." A statement such as this may be delivered with amusement by most people, but Marjani sounds dead serious. She places her hands on her back, a kind of stretch. "Anything I can do?" Now she sounds rather desperate. "I just might go insane if I'm put on another domestic chore." She drops down to help with whatever it is, seeing the action is mostly floor-oriented anyway. "I… hadn't heard that either, Carolyna, and I live there." Not in the bar, obviously.

"Well, she left scorch marks on the floor, at least," Abigail admits her exaggeration with a chuckle. "Those're probably still there, though maybe covered up with sawdust by now. Now, Marji, you /know/ that we didn't really send him back to Crom," but her eyes twinkle with amusement. "Have a seat," she waves expansively at the floor, "and help us sort? I've got to run and check on our desert.. but I'll be back!" She pushes herself off the floor with a muffled 'oomph', a muttered rumble about not being young anymore, and moseys her way on out the door towards the kitchens.

Rhikiad flickers a look back to Tiago, "Of course I do… want to be a dragonhealer." But yeah, there is a bit of a guilty look to his eyes and he'll just busily keep working on picking up metal pieces and sort them and that sort of thing, you know? He looks over towards Marjani, offering her a smile in welcome. "I kind of spilt all of these pieces, that we're supposed to be checking for rust. Only… now they've rust /and/ dirt on them and probably grease as well." Oh, so tragic.

Tiago waves absentmindedly as the smith master leaves, just shaking his head at the mess, but joins in picking up the nearest scattered pieces. "No one ever said this was in the job description." the guardsman grumbles, but the complaint is mostly out of habit as he doesn't appear to be shirking at the task any. He looks over at Marjani and grins. "Get the ones near you by the door? Don't want anyone kicking them out into the hallway by accident." He eyes the girl for a moment. "You were the new one, that other night in Klah Pot." Q'luin seems to pick up a lot of new candidates while drinking. Funny how that is.

Carolyna finishes sorting those metal chunks near her, and between her and the door, when she stands. "Well, thanks for the chaos, all," she gives, waving a hand and ducking out of the workroom, intent on getting out of the insanity.
Carolyna leaves the Workroom, stepping out into the Lower Caverns.

Marjani gathers the pieces closest to her to begin sorting them. To Rhikiad: "Well, just be more careful in the future." All warm and wonderful, this one is. Still, at least she engages in the conversation as she works, exhaling a bit impatiently at Tiago, "Yes, that would be me. Marjani." Nevermind that she was just greeted by name. "You were the one handing out the drinks." The sentence carries with it no small hint of accusation, but Marjani goes quiet, walking while squatting so that she can pick up all the pieces scattered farther away.

Rhikiad looks after Tiago for a moment, wincing slightly at the complaint. "I can get the rest," he insists and flushes again. He reaches for piece after piece, seemingly more serious into the examining and sorting than his fascination from earlier. "I'm sure I've seen you in the barracks…. Marjani. Nice to meet you." His ears would perk if it were possible at the tone of the girl's voice and her words to Tiago.

Tiago manages to only look slightly sheepish as he scratches at the back of his head, tossing a piece of metal into a bin with the other hand. "Ahh, yes. That was me. Frankly I wasn't expecting all those people. It started off as just a little game between my cousin and I." He glances back at Rhikiad. "Dice again, I really should learn to avoid that game." He keeps losing to the girls. At least he got to keep all the extra shirts though, even the very nice one belonging to Lord Marryn. Quite carefully, he avoids the topic of drinks even though Marjani brought it up.

Marjani looks over her shoulder, an awkward little mass of darks and oranges crabbing its way across the room. "Yes, I'm sure you have. Though I haven't caught much of anyone else's name." Satisfied with her hoarde, she properly stands, walks to the others, and sits down to sort out the rusty or broken pieces. "As well should the candidates from now on." She either chuckles or coughs, but with Marjani it's easier to assume sarcasm, "Though at least I didn't accept a drink under false pretenses." Again, she fails to elaborate, mind on the task at hand.

Rhikiad nods his head slowly at Tiago's words, even if his attention is mostly focused upon the parts sorting, "Tiarla mentioned something about that." He hesitates over a larger piece, flipping it over to scratch at a little bit of rust and consider what pile to put it in. He glances from one to the other for a moment, and then looks back to the piece and finally puts it in with the 'maybe's. "Sounds like it was a busy night."

Another piece, easily identified by the the coating of rust is tossed into the reject bin. The sound loud and maybe a tad forceful as Tiago wings it into the container. "I always thought many of the rules imposed on the candidates seemed a bit excessive. Though their reinforcing of them appears a little… extreme." Seems like this class is catching the flack from the previous one. Then in a much lower tone, more muttered to himself than meant to be overheard, he does complain about one thing. "You'd think they could have figured out the taste. /Juice/. Right." Not to mention a rider was there drinking away with them.

"Privately, I agree," muses Marjani, one eye closed to examine a piece up close for hints of rusting. She must see something, because it goes in the bin. "All Pern drinks alcohol, why not just toss out the ones who can't tell their limit and cause a fuss." Says the apprentice-to-candidate, who seems a bit more calm and relaxed than she has since being Searched. "It was a busier night for some than others." Another piece is discarded for rust, though at least it's visible to the naked eye this time. "And it was obvious. I…" she chews her bottom lip, and doesn't finish that thought.

Rhikiad shoots another glance at Tiago after hearing that murmur, and his dark eyebrows lift just a tad. "R'ki is definitely keeping us busy now. Hate all of it," he adds a bit wryly. "But I suppose…" A shrug of his shoulder and then he finally picks up the last of the fallen metal pieces, putting it in the good bin. He glances down at dirtied fingers, then towards the entranceway with a bit of a frown. "I should go find the Smith and tell her we're just about finished here." And she does have food coming too. At least his mess is picked up now. Using Tiago's shoulder to climb to his feet, he gives it a bit of a squeeze before moving for the doorway.

Tiago's eyes follow Rhikiad as the younger man leaves, but he goes back to examining the last few pieces and squaring them away before standing up as well. "Sorry that they're coming down hard on you guys about it. I honestly did not expect the riders to react that way." After all, in most cases the wine is safer to drink than the water. "I take it that things got crazier after I left for the night?" He'll apologize for setting it up, but you'd think that some would have been more grateful for the excuse to get in a few sips in the first place.

Marjani shrugs, going through her pile more slowly if only because she's being a bit anal about it. "It was an overreaction, pure and simple. I'm more mad at that--" she closes her mouth and shakes her head, not quite comfortable with verbally abusing Q'luin. "--that rider for being so lax if others were going to be strict." As though the riders of a Weyr belong to a hivemind. "Anyway, after you left… yes, it got crazier. Not for me, but I suspect some of the others had much more than I did and can't hold it to start with." A snort, and she's done sorting.

Tiago lets the actual smiths go put the bins where they belong, mostly because he has no idea what they want to do with these scraps now. "Well, that's that." At least he does lend a hand to the candidates, rather than make more work for them directly. "Oh well, they'll learn sooner or later I guess. Living in a Weyr was not what I expected and I'm sure some of that is only starting to dawn on some of the candidates." He glances back at Marjani. "How about you? Where were you from before being Searched?" the guard asks curiously.

Marjani stands, patting down her pants as though she cares whether they are dusty from the floor. "Well it's different, that's for sure." The personal question earns a startled blink. "Me? I… well, I mean… I'm from Ista Smith Hall." She stresses the Ista, and one of the posted Smiths--not one she greeted warmly, looks a bit sour but is shushed. Marjani inches away, and is all kinds of curious. "You're not from the Weyr, then? Why'd you, " she stops, looks at the other Smith, "--excuse me, stop giving me that look I /know/ you're from Telgar--" and continues, "come here then?"

Tiago ahs quietly as he reaches for a rag to clean off his hands a bit. "Local then? That's good. Pardon my curiosity. I like to keep track of things like that." Most of the guards do, they get antsy when there are so many new unfamiliar faces around. "I'm not from around here either. I was a caravan escort for quite a while, came from a trader family originally." It's a rather truncated history. "I was looking for a change of pace and ended up at Ista. The place has kinda grown on me." He adds the last with a bit of a wry grin.

"Well the weather is nice," Marjani allows, merely wiping her hands on her leggings like a true lady. She fidgets, not really used to standing around having a chat. Apparently this also loosens her lips, as out comes a whole string of words. "Anyone who complains about the heat should have to spend a summer in Igen. I was lucky to go during the colder months. No, I think Ista is about the nicest place on Pern, myself." She scratches the top of her head, largely out of lack of anything to keep her hands busy as she… talks about the weather.

"Been there. Been almost everywhere. Wintering here is great, better than being snowed in at Telgar or the 'Reaches." Tiago agrees enough, but fidgets slightly as he glances out at the entrance to the workrooms. "Anyways, nice to chat with you, but I think I should go see what's holding up Rhikiad. I swear, that boy has the attention span of a toddler." he says almost mournfully. "See you around." With that, he inclines his head politely then strides out.

Sneak Touching

Candidate sneak onto the sands!

http://qiluin.livejournal.com/40375.html?#cutid1