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Pretty In Pink
Date: November 30, 1998
Place: Telgar Weyr's Living Cavern
Game: PernMUSH
Copyright Info: The World of Pern is copyright(c) to Anne McCaffrey
l967. The Dragonriders of Pern(r) is a registered copyright.
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Kassi's Note: Only at Telgar would people actually pay Kassi forty-
seven and three-quarters marks to dress up in pink lace for a day. But
it did indeed happen, and now Kassi has to hold up her end of the
bargain--on the very day after E'vrin told her that he loves her,
ensuring that between the lace and this crisis, she's sure to have an
interesting time of it. And then, of course, that Trevor fellow had
to show up again.... This was a fun log, and my thanks go to everyone
who teased Kassi so mercilessly. Faranth knows, she deserves it. :P :)
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The Log:
You walk through the large entrance to the Living Cavern.
Pierron humphs thoughtfully as the Wingleader of Thunderbolt arrives.
Tip-toe, tip-toe. That's what Kassi does on her way in, because all things
considered, she probably doesn't want to call a lot of attention to
herself... never mind that her clothes do that all on their own. "Shhhh!"
she hisses at Pierron.
Kassima:
Have you ever seen a woman whose entire outfit might just as well
be a sign that says, 'Hello, I Look Like a Complete and Utter Twit'? Well,
you have now. Little wonder that Kassi looks so mortified; if you were
wearing this costume, you probably would be, too.
From head to toe, Kassima--someone who normally defies any attempt
to catagorize her as feminine--is dressed in... lace. Pink lace. Soft,
fluttery, rose-colored lace, frilly and revolting. She's not actually
wearing a gown of the stuff, which is one small mercy, but her costume of
pink lace pants, pink lace blouse, bolero-cut pink lace jacket, and pink
lace dancing slippers is almost worse. At least an underlining of sisal
saves it from transparency, and Kassi from utter embarrassment.
Her hair, you might note, has been done up in a multitude of slim
blue-black braids, each falling nearly to her knees and tied with a
precious pink lace ribbon bow-tie. A rather larger pink bow rests on the
crown of her head, looking too cute for words. The only jewelry she wears
is a bracelet of... silver bells? Goodness. Of course, her chances of
being recognized would probably be much less if she could make herself
forego the knives and wherry-skewer that hang at her hip, but this *is*
Kassi that we're talking about here.
Noticing your attentions, Kassi's canted emerald eyes turn on you
in a long-suffering glance that says as clearly as any words, 'Pity me.'
Or maybe even 'Please shoot me now and put me out of my misery.' Notably,
she's wearing no knots or other insignia of rank.
Saskia walks here from the Inner Cavern.
K'tyn has just settled himself at the hearth, his face looking like it's
been carved of flesh colored stone. Busy at this time of day the Living
Cavern is, but the activity and chatter seem like so much noise as this
particular bronzer stares into a cup of quickly cooling klah.
Saskia stops at the entrance and stares at Kassima. Her eyes get really
wide as she looks over the greenrider from head to toe, "Oh, Kassi! You
look so...pink. I mean fluttery feminine." Her mouth contorts into various
positions as her eyes twinkle brightly.
Kassima grimaces and makes frantic shush-style gestures at Saskia. "D'you
have to say that so *loudly*?" she hisses, glancing around. Of course,
most of her Wingmates at least were already staring anyway. "You'd better
have those marks ready t'pay me, Saskia, I'm telling you...."
Dragon> Juliath bespoke Lysseth with << Greetings, SkinnyButt. >>
Meli walks in from the bowl.
The straight line of his brows lowers to his nose as K'tyn glances up from
his klah and stares at Kassima and Saskia. He makes a faint grunting
noise, but for the most part, looks pretty pissed off. Or hungover. Or
both.
Meli enters, rumbling on under her breath about something or other, as is
her wont... until she stops short, lower jaw scraping the floor. "Uh...
Kassi?"
Lysseth> Juliath senses that Lysseth rumbles a cheerful, << Good evening,
Runner-Rump. >>
A'lex appears from around a corner . . .
A'lex enters from the Bowl.
Pierron gives a respectful nod to the Weyrsecond.
Saskia beams brightly at Kassima, "Of course not." she says just as loudly
as before. "I do have those marks, but wasn't it supposed to be after you
wore it all day. What's to stop you from just taking the marks and running
off?"
Kassima grimaces again, looking to be in actual physical pain. "They
*bribed* me!" she wails, backing away from the entrance and towards the
sanctity of her table. "As if'n life weren't weird enough! Focus on
something else, would you? Ask Kiat why he looks as though he swallowed a
nest of vtols or something!"
Goggle-eyed, Meli enters further, following after Kassi in morbid
fascination even as the other rider retreats. "Great Faranth's forked
tail..."
Ro walks here from the Inner Cavern.
K'tyn chugs his klah, staring at it like he's wishing he could jump in it.
"Bah!" he says to no one in particular, particularly a be-frilled
greenrider. Feh. They're all froofy creatures, anyway. Women. Hmf.
A'lex enters quickly, trying to escape the chill. He stops short when he
sees the Wingleader in pink. Not able to come up with any thing good to
say, he blinks, snaps a very formal salute in her direction, then breaks
out into hysterical laughter.
Ro walks in, looking a little tired, perhaps hungry, and who knows what
else. She smiles and murmurs "Evening." to everyone, not even breaking
stride as she heads for the serving table.
Maylia enters from the Bowl.
Pierron twirls his moustache at the Weyrlingmaster.
Telgar Weyr> K'tyn admits to this character being a chauvinist. :) Yes, he
DOES have double standards. Mostly.:)_
Telgar Weyr> Maylia giggles, and was gonna say... ;)
Meli's head snaps around as 'lex enters, then breaks out into laughter
herself, half-doubling over and holding on to her stomach even as she
tries to control herself.
"Just don't hold up a mirror or aught," Kassi pleads, sinking into a chair
and trying to hide. "I've already seen m'self once. Couldn't stop vomiting
for ten solid minutes... sir! That's very undignified!" she wails again,
this time at A'lex. Mortified doesn't even *begin* to describe her.
"Kiat, believe me, life could be worse. *You* could be wearing this
outfit."
Saskia doesn't even notice her hero K'tyn, so focused is she on Kassima
and her strange pink outfit. "But Kassi, this is your day. As the
recipient of over forty-five marks given by your fellow Telgarians, I'd
stand tall and proud. I can think of very few people who could earn so
much in just one day."
Telgar Weyr> Saskia fortunately can't read K'tyn's mind or she'd hit him
with her Dawnslight flying broom. :)
A'lex chokes out, "Please, please, no more sirs... it's just making me
laugh harder Kassi..."
Telgar Weyr> Maylia laughs! Someone call Pimpdaddy!
A'lex starts to fall over.
Saskia turns to K'tyn as Kassima cries out his name in such pain. Her eyes
narrow, "it's not that bad. You're making her feel bad."
Kassima grouses, curling up in her chair, "But I *have* t'sir you, sir.
And Saskia, I know, I know--but if'n I stand tall, people will be able
t'*see* me. And that's the last thing I want!"
Meli wipes tears from the corners of her eyes. She mutters to A'lex,
"Thank Faranth she's... showin'... imagine... outfit'd look on...
nine-month beachball? "
The troop of weyrlings preceeding Maylia through theliving cavern gawk,
heads turning as one before they hurry off to chores, whispering and
gossiping. May's just a bit too stunned to notice them, and too occupied
in trying to keep herself from giggling like one of her weyrlings.
"Evening, Kassima," She greets on her way past the Thunderbolt Wingleader
in search of klah.
K'tyn tries to sink into his chair, tries to ignore the chaos that erupts
around him. Like a fuse slowly burning, his intent (and intense) gaze
turns to look at the merry-makers. Boom. The eruption. "Why in the first
flying shard are you all so sharding happy?" he demands, thumping his
hands on the chair's armrests. "What is going on here?"
Saskia gazes at Kassima with a mostly serious expression and hrms, "Well,
you could also carry a sign that says you're doing it for forty-seven and
three-quarters marks."
Kassima gives up. She just gives up. Leaning over, she grabs a leather
sack that some kind Wingmate abandoned at the table, and pulls it on over
her head. "Beats the bloody shells out of me, Kiat," she replies in a
muffled voice.
A'lex shakes his head, "Oh no, Kassima. After this, you're not allowed to
sir me anymore. No, no, no..." He finishes falling over, and sorta sits
against the wall, chuckling.
Meli kerplops onto a bench, taking a few ragged, heaving breaths as she
composes herself. Wiping again at her eyes, she studiously turns away from
the befrilled and beribboned woman and calls over her shoulder, "Ah,
spring."
Ro peers at Kiat with a muchly arched eyebrow "Who says I'm shardin'
happy. Would you be happy if you had to hold a dragon together with
stitches?" Wuh oh. Maybe Ro is just a tad grumpy.
A'lex says "When the young pink wherrys come out to mate..."
Maylia's amused stare at Kassima turns to a confused on to Kiat. "What's
gotten up his kilt?" She asks of a nearby caverns worker. Klah mug finally
in hand, the greenrider turns back to the tables, looking for a seat.
A'lex starts laughing agin.
Kassima looks over at A'lex--or her head turns in that direction, anyway.
It's kind of hard to tell where she's looking when there's a bag on her
head. "You can't tell me that this makes me *respectable* enough nay
t'have to, sir," she replies unhappily. "Go ahead, May. Laugh. The
humiliations in m'life can't even keep to one a sevenday anymore, and
everyone laughs. Can't say I blame 'em. Personally, I'm surprised they're
nay vomiti--don't *make* me kill you, sir!"
"Blast and Char, you are all..." Kiat stops suddenly, then stares at
Kassima. In all the years that he's known this woman, he's never seen her
in _this_ sort of getup. Frozen for some minutes, he turns away, and sinks
back into his chair--the look of oncoming headlights brilliant in his
shocked pale brown eyes.
Leaning forward, Meli ah... coughs... into a quickly grabbed napkin. She's
still most definitely not looking in that direction.
Saskia jumps as K'tyn thumps the table. She gazes at him for a few moments
and her expression softens, "I'm sorry. For what it's worth, I was rooting
for you and Prometh."
A'lex says "Respectibality has nothing to do with it," after the laughter
stops. "But now, whenever you say it, I'm just going to be reminded of
THIS. It'll be bad... very bad... pink, yes... but still bad."
Telgar Weyr> Meli just bol again at 'lex's last line as she rereads it. :)
Telgar Weyr> A'lex likes to make people bowl...
Meli clears her throat once, twice, then calls over, in a tightly wound
voice, "Kassi, y'goin' t'do us a fan dance or somethin'?"
A particularly bold or perhaps suicidal lower caverns girl says, "Shells!
I didn't think she could look more ridiculous, but then she put that bag
over her head." and bursts into a fit of giggles.
Kassima lifts up the edge of her bag to peek out. 'Resigned' is the only
word for the look in her eyes. "Nauseating?" she supplies helpfully for
Kiat. "Hilarious? Ridiculous? Rich?" More pink comes into light as Kassi
sticks her tongue out at A'lex. "All right, all right, August One. Nay
more sirring. Melllliiiiiiiiiiiii...!" It's amazing how high a mezzio-
soprano voice can shriek when its owner is tortured.
Heaving, A'lex stands, removes his jacket and proceeds to the Skyfire
table, where he sits next to K'tyn. Shoulders still bouncing from teh
occasional chuckle he asks, "Everything okay?"
Meli turns her head back, catching a sight of Kassi's head peeking out
from under the sack. This, of course, just sets her back to laughing,
shoulders shaking though for now, she's doing so quietly.
Maylia takes a seat, cautiously not too close to the banging Kiat nor the
frilly pink Kassi-thing. Who shreiks.
K'tyn peers at Ro, an eyebrow lifting. "I trust," he says in that precise
manner that says he's shardin' pissed or hungover, "That it will not be
too much trouble to ask you or perhaps one of the others near to you to
pass the pot of hot water this way? Of course, if it's too much trouble,
please. Just tell me. Kassima!" Kiat shouts. "Are you _trying_ to make my
head explode, or is this just some fun little exercise that you've planned
to do in your new outfit. Which, by the way, should be fuschia."
More giggling ensues from Meli's general direction at this last comment.
K'tyn merely grunts toward Saskia, searching as he is patting his pockets
for that packet of special willow bark leaves that the healers made for
him.
Telgar Weyr> K'tyn hrms. Not leaves, but... Heck, I don't know what to
call it. ;) Willow bark cubes? :)
Kassima informs Kiat bluntly, not in much of a toying mood herself, "I
don't like fuchsia, and if'n you're that bloody hungover, you should take
something for it and stop acting like something crawled up your leg and
bit the inside of your posterior. What're those things called that do
that, anyway?" Rainbows? No, no, no. "Meli, I'm nay doing *any* kind of
dance. I'm just going t'try and pretend the world doesn't exist until the
day's over and I get m'ridiculous amount of mrks. You wouldn't *believe*
what life's been like this sevenday."
Telgar Weyr> Kassima says, "Pellets?"
Telgar Weyr> A'lex says, "Itty bity bits of willow..."
Telgar Weyr> Maylia suggests strips? Slivers? Heck. TEa.
Telgar Weyr> Meli says, "I think they used to brew a tea from it... :b"
Telgar Weyr> K'tyn nods. :) Strips, I guess.:) That's what I was thinking
of.
Telgar Weyr> A'lex says, "ground bark? ground round? another round? On the
house? AWWWWWWRIGHT!!!!"
Meli clears her throat again, using her napkin to once more wipe at her
streaming eyes. After a few tries, she seems to be under control and able
to speak. "Kassi... y'bring it on y'self," she says through an expansive
grin. "Only person I know tha' fond o'marks as t'humiliate y'self..."
Telgar Weyr> Meli says, "Ok, someone put 'lex on the decaff from now
on. :b"
Saskia rises to her feet and walks over to the serving table, and puts
some cookies on a plate. Then she walks over to Kassima and presents the
plate to her with as much aplomb as if she was a Lady Holder dressed for a
gather. "Would you like klah, cinnamon or nut cookies?"
A'lex mumbles, "Wonder how much we'd have to pay her to take it off..."
Ro waves her hand dismissively from where she stands at the serving table,
the other hand occupied by a nearly filled plate of food, as she says "I'm
sure someone will, if you ask nicely." And indeed one of the drudges does,
anyhow.
Maylia risks her life and limb, chuckling at Kassi. "No sympathy, mentor-
mine!" She calls, putting herself knowingly at greater risk. "You're
getting an insane ammount of marks for it, and ... EEEW! A'lex!"
A'lex smiles all innocentlike.
Saskia almost drops the cookies onto Kassi's pink lace and gives A'lex a
look of shock and horror, "You're kidding!"
"Hmf. Women should not..." K'tyn, muttering to himself, makes all sorts of
rather strange imprecations and other comments as he waits for the hot
water to magically appear so he can steep this blasted bark and feel less
like his dragon's nastiest leftovers. He waves the drudge away, latching
the pot he leaves behind. "Yea, yea. Thanks."
A'lex gives Saskia one of those "Well duh!" looks, "Of course I am..."
"Well, for nearly fifty marks, you'd do it *too*," Kassi points out to
Meli, absently toying with one of those many, many braids. "But *this*
part, I suppose I brought on... d'you have t'remind me of that, though?"
As the cookies are presented, she swallows heavily, going even paler. "Any
kiwi muffins?" she manages to squeak. "And A'lex, you couldn't raise
enough in ten Intervals!"
Meli scooches down the bench, closer to the pink fluffy thing that just
keeps going and going and going. "Hey, Kassi, lend me one o'your knives,
I'll take care o'the braids for you if you like." Reddish-brown eyebrows
waggle suggestively.
Telgar Weyr> A'lex snerks at Meli.
Telgar Weyr> Kassima says, "Kassima: the Energizer Bunny of Pern?"
Telgar Weyr> K'tyn lol:)
Kassima's bells jangle up a storm as she clutches at her braids
protectively, holding them behind her with both hands. "Naught doing,
Meli! Allow me *one* vanity, *one* lingering scrap of dignity, if'n you
please!"
Maylia turns her disgusted glance from A'lex to Kiat, where the expression
alters subtly. While close enough to hear A'lex's muttering to himself,
Kiats' are lost to her, but she's staring at him for long enough that one
might think she had.
Saskia breathes a sigh of relief and rights the cookies though one almost
leaps off the plate, perhaps to get away from so much pink lace. Meanwhile
one of those ever helpful drudges shuffles over to Saskia and dumps two
kiwi muffins on top of the cookies, then he just stands there and stares
at Kassima with large bovine-like eyes.
Meli shrugs playfully, turning back to the table and scanning its
contents. "Cider... cider... Ah, there," she grabs at the pitcher.
Ro comes around, away from the serving table and finally spots Kassi. Her
response is a simple lifted eyebrow and murmured "Well Kassi, that is a
new look for you."
Kassima closes her eyes for a moment, a picture of suffering. Why do these
things always happen to her? "Please," she moans, "nay more infatuated
individuals... one's *enough*!" Nevertheless, she takes the muffins, and
chomps into one with considerable vigor. One might wonder whether she's
gotten anything else to eat all day.
A'lex says "Do you have an admirer Kassima?? How sweeeeeeeet..."
As if on cue, the drudge gazes at Kassima with limpid adoring eyes.
"Bea-u-ti-ful!" he whispers huskily, ennunciating each syllable as though
it was an effort to say even that. He certainly has a big muscular
physique if you like them strong and dumb.
Telgar Weyr> Jayna watches the LC and dies. :)
Kassima whips around to point at A'lex with one imperious, becrumbed
finger. "Don't you even start--" She starts to yell that, anyway, but has
to pause near the start to actually swallow that muffin. "Mrph. Just
*don't*, 'Lex. You have nay idea." Darting a glance back down at the
drudge, she looks about ready to cry. Or be ill. Or maybe even both at
once.
Bitter and stringent, the scent of steeping willow bark bits override most
everything else in the room--until K'tyn drinks it, that is. "Just tell
the miners to stop with their hammers in my head, I'd be grateful," he
says after some long moments after the banter's died down. His expression
drawn, tired, and rather apologetic, he quickly makes another cup of
tea.
Saskia backs away from Kassima and her newfound admirer and hurriedly
walks over to K'tyn, "How about some cookies with that tea?"
A'lex blinks, "What? I was just curious... I mean, if there's someone out
there who's finally turned your heart strings, I'd sure like to shake
his... or her ... hand."
Jorenan walks here from the Inner Cavern.
Maylia watches the bronzerider down the willowbark tea, shaking her head.
"Faranth, let the stuff steep." She advises. "Won't do you any good if you
drink it too fast."
K'tyn blinks at Saskia, making his eyes focus on her. "Cookies? No,
darlin," he says quietly. "I think I'd best drink another steeping of this
tea. I don't mind it so much, anymore. Almost rather like the taste, if
you can believe it. Bitter tastes can soothe a bitter heart, as my mother
always said."
Jorenan comes up from below. As usual for this time of day, he's clean
behind the ears and generally ruddy from a recent scrubbing. He goes over,
pours a mug of klah, and stirs the stew of the night.
A'lex turns to Kiat, "You know, you could always try Ofira's Stincture of
Asparagras..."
A'lex nods at Jorenan. "Evening!"
"That's nay *quite* m'current crisis," Kassi replies to A'lex, rather
wearily. "And for Faranth's sake, 'twouldn't be a *she* if'n 'twere. Kiat,
want t'trade problems? I will, y'know. Gladly. Though this pink get-up has
t'be part of the bargain, and I have t'get t'keep the marks."
A'lex tsk tsks at Kassima, "So someone is mooning over you. How
sweeeeeeeeet."
The drudge holds out a dirty rag to Kassima "No cry.." but is prevented
from saying anything further by that bold lower caverns girl who taps the
drudge on the shoulder, "Come on, Rog. You're needed in the kitchen." Rog
looks mournful at being parted from his vision of beauty, but shuffles off
obediently.
Meli looks back over at Kassi, asking "M'curious, where exactly did y'get
that outfit, anyway?"
Telgar Weyr> Kassima aaaaaaaaaacks at Meli's @do!
Player Name On For Idle Doing
Meli 00:38 32s PinkWingleaderAlert! TGW-LC
89 Players logged in.
Telgar Weyr> Jayna LOL!!!
Telgar Weyr> Meli whistles innocently.
Aurian walks in from the bowl.
Telgar Weyr> A'lex contemplates a +announce...
Telgar Weyr> K'tyn laughs.
Saskia sighs softly, "She's still your weyrmate, Kiat. Or is that not it?"
Ro pauses, fork halfway to her mouth, and looks over at Kiat, her
expression softening slightly. "Twill get better in time." she says
softly.
Telgar Weyr> Saskia giggles!
Jorenan isn't all that awake, for he just ods to Kassi without a second
glance. "Hullo," he says to her. "Will you be wanting odd foods soon? I'll
need to lay in a store." Okay, so maybe he was paying attentiont and just
isn't suprrised.
Aurian whistles as she enters. She pauses and starts to simply laugh,
"Kassima you are looking most lovely today. Has E'vrin seen it yet?"
A'lex says "E'vrin? Is that who it is?" He smirks, "You sure must have
impressed him after that flight..."
A deadly ninja cookie goes whirling towards A'lex. "'Tis nay a laughing
matter!" Kassi informs him, by now about as pink as her costume. How
lovely. An extremely grateful look is shot to the LCG in question, before
she answers Meli: "Aurian gave it to me as a *Turnover* gift, the evil
wench! And speaking of which... gah. Jorenan, got a moment?" The
mortification of a tortured soul is contained in the *look* Kassima gives
to Aurian. "Don't. Ask. You jest at scars that never felt a wound,
freak-people. A'lex, y'know... I've an Emasculator. And I know how t'be
using it."
Aurian falls down on her knees before A'lex, "Do you know good weyrsecond
that E'vrin came in to this very living cavern and professed his love for
the fair Kassima just the other night?"
Telgar Weyr> Aurian sighs and can't help herself these days.
Meli blinks at Aurian. She can't help herself. "Shards, he did? Wha' did
yon powder puff reply?"
"It's many things, I think, Saskia. But most of all it was a pain in my
head that turned me inside out and backwards. Things are as they will be,
regardless of what I feel or how I would wish them contrary." He looks at
the others, smiling a little at the ribaldry flying back and forth before
glancing at Saskia once more. "Tis best, I suppose that things work out as
they do, even this. Tis hard, learning to accept it."
Ro shakes her head after listening for a few moment, then asks Kiat "Shall
I be getting hay for another bonfire?"
A'lex breaks into a big grin, "Oh did he now? Praytell what was her
reply?"
Saskia smiles to Kassima, "I hope you and E'vrin are very happy together."
"I'm nay a powder puff!" yelps Kassi, followed swiftly by, "And I'm nay
hearing this! You people are sadists! Sadists, sadists, sadists!"
A'lex says "Oh, wait until I tell Channie..."
Aurian rests her head on A'lex's knee, "Why she professed her true and
eternal love for him of course..." She hops up lightly laughing deligted
with herself.
The bronzerider nearly chokes on his tea. "No, Ro; not unless you've a
wish for a bonfire. I've no pressing need to..." K'tyn's lips twitch.
"Retaliate. But.... A practical joke? That might not be amiss."
Telgar Weyr> Meli apologizes to poor Kiat, stuck amidst all this
excessiveness. :b
Ro lifts an eyebrow "You tell Channie to stop hiding from me. I want to
get that wrestling match done already."
Telgar Weyr> K'tyn says, "Meli, Kiat's used to it.:) Tis everything being
normal, to him -- and hed not have it otherwise.:)"
Now that the yelling and banging is done, Maylia scoots over, closer to
K'tyn, ready to prevent his drinking the willowbark tea before it's quite
ready. The others nearby are given a 'y'all are insane' look, easy for her
to do when she's not involved in it. "Aye, the tea will take care of the
pain in your head," She speaks softly, but then grins. "Ahh, another
practical joke."
A'lex nods to Ro and asks Aurian, "Truly? She did profess her undying
love?"
Aurian hmmms, "That reminds me... where is Kindre..I do rather need to
wrestle her." She nods to A'lex, "O'course."
Meli knocks back the remainder of her cider. She mutters to herself,
"...about... fardlin'...time... "
Ro says to Kiat "If it makes you feel any better, T'saren, Maylia, and
Aurian all spent the night in M'hryn's weyr." Maybe it is Aurian's turn to
blush.
Kassima springs out of her chair to point at Aurian. "That's nay true! For
Faranth's sake, people, 'tisn't a laughing matter." Oh, yeah. Like
anyone's going to buy that, considering what Kassi looks like as she
declares it? "'Tis all just some huge misunderstanding. Shouldn't have
expected any of you lot t'be any help."
A'lex says "Misunderstanding? The he didn't profess his love first? You
did?"
Aurian places her hands on her hips and whips about to look at Ro, "Well
aren't you being the busybody these days.."
"Were y'down on one knee, Kassi, or standin' on the table?" Meli asks.
Maylia's head twists to regard Ro, then slides her attention back to
K'tyn. "Thanks, Ro. Not enough gossips in the weyr?" She inquires.
A'lex smirks, not saying a WORD now...
K'tyn glances at Kassima, his expression mild. "What did you want help
with? I am afraid I didn't quite catch the rquest..." He trails off as Ro
reveals something. 'They did? Hm. A pity I couldn't have joined them. I am
sure that much merriment was made."
Ro shrugs and says in Maylia and Aurian's general direction "I'm nay
-blind-, and I was nay talking to either of you."
Saskia turns back to K'tyn, "Yeah, I'm beginning to realise that about
flights. You know I hated M'hryn for a long time for winning, but you
showed me how silly that was."
Kassima scowls at A'lex. A scowl, when paired with a giant floppy pink bow
on one's head, is a scary thing. "I didn't profess aught, dunderhead, and
he does *nay* love me. You can't love what you don't know, or me in either
event. Never mind, Kiat... I can wait until everyone's done cackling to
ask for advice. Assuming that's a'fore the Pass is over."
Jorenan just waits until the whirl of activity around Kassi slows down a
little. Apparently he does, in fact, have a minute.
A'lex looks at K'tyn, "What, you didn't have enough fun where you were?"
K'tyn moves to pat Maylia's hand, then grins at A'lex. "No, of course not.
But ... more the merrier, of course, hm?"
A'lex smirks, "I don't know... never been down that road."
Meli shakes her head. "Me neither, tho th'way T'lar'n I have been gettin'
along lately..."
"There's a lot for you to learn, then, son," K'tyn grins, his eyes
glinting rather mischieviously. "Remind me to show you."
Aurian takes up a bowl from the table its filled with various fruits,
"Fruit Kassima?"
Kassima sighs with some relief as the general hoot-and-holler seems to
have faded, and digs a squarish, flattish parcel from her still-present
satchel. It's gaudily wrapped, of course. With a green ribbon, also of
course. "Happy extremely belated Turnover, Jore... are there any kiwi,
Auri?"
K'tyn nods at Meli, then winks at Maylia. "Welcome to ask for lessons. I
don't charge--much."
A'lex smirks some more, "But I like to think I'm more than enough for any
one wo-err-person..."
Aurian mmmms, "Kiwi, redfruit, citron, mango.. all sorts of fruit.
Ro blinks at A'lex, by some instinct realizing that this is a good time to
blush, if only a little.
Maylia's seated not far from K'tyn at all, and shakes her head, glaring at
Ro. "And it's none of your buisiness to spread around my activities." She
snaps at the girl. Hmphing, she manages a smile for K'tyn, nodding. "'tis
over and done with now, though." is her vacant reply, before a chuckle
escapes. "And Meli, I am truely sorry, about. Well. YOu know."
K'tyn chuckles, shaking his head. "That I will not dispute, my fine
friend. A toast, to you, and your...." his lips twitch as he lifts the
bitter tea to drain it dry. "Perspicacity."
Meli turns to look at Maylia, giving her a smile. "S'all right, no harm
truly done, an' we've other problems already," she murmurs. "Mus' be th'
seven Turn itch or somethin'..."
Jorenan blinks at the package in enormous surprise. "I.... Thank you,
Kassi!"
Ro says levelly "What you do in -private- places in none of my business,
and beyond that -I'll- decide what is and isn't."
A'lex blushes a bit, but raises his glass, "And to your... marathon
spirit!"
Kassima asks Aurian hopefully, "Kiwi and mango, please? Haven't had any
mango in *ages*, and... oh, Meli, I'm sorry too," she assures the
greenrider, sounding perfectly sincere. "Jore, you should probably wait to
see what's in it ere you thank me. Go ahead and open it, eh?"
K'tyn winks at Maylia, returning A'lex's toast. He mutters to Maylia,
"... that... not... I..."
Jorenan takes the package slowly, and then sits down and starts unwrapping
it. "Mum taught me," he says with a grin, "to always say thank you before
you open it, so you can still be sincere."
---
Bound in carefully-worked leather that holds a peculiar blue-grey
sheen, pages of wood-pulp paper seem to beg to be written on. The volume
is slim, simple, and almost austere. It is not a Lord or Lady's genealogy
tome or a Harper's songbook; rather, it has a more practical application
that is named by the word branded in script across the front cover:
'Recipes.' That might explain the lightweight, small size of the book,
since it is clearly crafted for convenient carriage. A marker of braided
white, red, and black ribbon dangles from the binding, the better to help
one keep track of which recipe they were intending to try today. Should
you flip through the pages, you will discover that all the pages are blank
save one: that one bears the recipe for spicy tunnelsnake stew, with a
rueful note in Kassima's florid script informing you that this was
included at the bookmaker's request.
---
Aurian sighs and places the kiwi and mango in front of Kassima, she
glances to Ro, "You think what happens after a flight is worth causing
trouble with? All we did was go into that room together, for all you know
we could have sat there playing dragon poker all night. But you make it
sound rather unsavory... I take it then that you disapprove of what our
dragons do? How they make us react.." She drops into a seat at the
dawnslight table.
Maylia sighs, returning her attention to Ro. "Fine then. Share with the
weyr what happened in the bowl, 'tisn't my fault you're so attention
starved you need to watch where people dissappear to." She's missing
completely any innuendos between K'tyn and A'lex, at least until they
cease to become innuendo. A gentle smile, so different from the hard
expression she'd spoken to Ro with, and she reaches for K'tyns' hand. "I'm
glad you enjoyed yourself, though." Is offerd to him.
A'lex smirks at Maylia, "So am I..."
Kassima immediately picks up the mango and takes a large bite out of it,
with a muffled 'Thank you' to Aurian. More of a, "Mrmph moof!" actually.
When her mouth is clear, she wonders, "Meli, are you done chortling enough
to mayhaps lend me an ear?" Her attention flickers between the other
greenrider and the present-openage.
"I did, didn't I? Before I passed out, that is." Kiat grins at A'lex and
Maylia before he turns to look at Jorenan, his brows lifting as the young
man opens his gift. "This ought to be good. Kassi always manages to find
the most unique things," he comments.
Aurian takes up a redfruit and starts to peel it, her eyes glaring at it
as the skin comes off.
Ro turns her attention back to eating her food. From the way she eats, one
might think she's had naught else all day. After swallowing a particular
mouthful she says blandly "I don't much care one way or another. I just
thought it might make K'tyn feel better. And whether you're proud of what
you do or not is your problem."
Meli gives herself a shake, then turns to give Kassi a nod. "Sure, f'you
need to talk."
Jorenan looks very surprised. The gift is not, as he vaguely expected, a
joke. He turns a bond volume over in his hands, and then, noting the
script on the cover, opens it. As the blank pages become visible, his eyes
go even wider. He glances up at Kassi and says, "Now truly, Kassi, thank
you!! I've thought of getting one of these for myself, but they're more
than I can justify." His fingers catch the feel of ink, and he glances
down to look at a recipe for spicy tunnelsnake stew. He reads through it,
laughs at something, and then shakes his head. "I don't know that the
Craftmaster will acept this one..."
Maylia includes A'lex in that smile, nodding. A sigh is given as she hears
Ro's answer, and she grumbles, "Then let me share my own activities of my
own accord," under her breath.
Kassima grins at Jorenan, actually looking pleased rather than long-
suffering for a brief moment. "Eryssiara insisted," she explains with a
good-natured shrug. "She's got this tunnelsnake fetish, y'see. I'm glad
'twill be useful t'you; I know 'tis rather practical." Going serious
again, she nods to Meli. "Methinks I do, actually. Come sit?" She gestures
to a chair at her own table.
K'tyn sits up, his hand slipping (if allowed) around Maylia's hand. "What
is that?" he asks, squinting a bit. "A book, is it?"
Ro shrugs and devours food.
Meli nods again, rising from the bench to move over to the indicated
chair. Brushing a loose bit of pink ribbon out of the way, she settles
herself with a hint of a smile. "So...?"
Maylia gently sqeezes K'tyn's hand, peering past a riders' shoulder to
see. "A book," She speaks, nodding. "With blank pages? Mostly."
Jorenan holds it up so those who are interested can see. "A blank book,"
he explains, "with the woodcrafters' good paper in it. For writing recipes
I find in my travels. And a recipe already in it for tunnelsnake stew." He
grins at Kassi. "If we could find a good way to serve the things, it'd be
a boon. They're plentiful in hungry times."
Kassima notes whimsically, "They're really nay half bad, with enough
spicing. Eryssiara *always* serves the buggers." Turning back to Meli, she
glances about furtively before speaking to her friend in a lowered voice.
Aurian leans across the way between herself and the weyrlingmaster, she
whispers something to the younger woman in a half breath. She mutters to
Maylia, "... you... one... after a... Maylia..... been... days.... you...
want to... discussion with... again?"
"That seems odd. A book of blank pages--unless tis for writing in?" K'tyn
grins as Jorenan confirms his guess. "Tunnelsnakes are good for wherries
and 'lizards and not much else, eh? Even with spicing, there's still that
_taste_."
Kassima mutters to Meli, "'Tis about... 'twere... of... I... Have... ever
had someone... you when... needed... of..."
You whisper "'Tis about that E'vrin business 'twere speaking of earlier. I
could use some advice. Have you ever had someone think 'twere in love with
you when truly 'tweren't, and you needed t'convince them of that, without
hurting their feelings 'tall?" to Meli.
A'lex sits back in his chair and smiles, seeing the Skyfire Wingleader
relax a bit.
K'tyn winks at A'lex. "I should remember to take this before my headaches
get so bad," he comments, gesturing at the tea. "It helps,
immeasurably."
Maylia doesn't relinquish the frienldy contact with K'tyn's hand despite
what Aurian says to her. The Weyrlingmaster shrugs, and replies in a
somewhat louder voice than Aurian spoke to her with. "Shards, we're
holding hands, not other body parts." At least now, her voice carries some
amusement.
Aurian snickers softly, "You know Maylia, some would say that in some ways
that's worse." She places a light hand on her friend's shoulder then
shifts back to her seat.
K'tyn glances at Aurian. "I've a free hand; you want to borrow it?" He
winks, teasing the brownrider gently. "Tis simple reassurance that I'm
seeking, hm? Nothing more."
Meli leans back in the chair, staring toward the corner of the cavern as
she ponders Kassi's question. "Neh, don' really think so...." she begins,
then pauses. "Wait, there was this one lad at Greenfields." The rest of
the comment is lost as she lowers her voice to reply.
Meli whispers "Followed me 'round like a watchwher he did, til I socked
'im in th'eye. Course, I was about twelve then."
Aurian grins and holds her hands up. She mutters to K'tyn, "... just...
something... flight. I'll take..." She tilts her head, "I just thought
you should know that she did say something about it though."
Ro picks up her plate and heads for the inner caverns with it.....most
likely the infirmary.
Ro walks towards the inner cavern.
Kassima blinks a few times at Meli, then starts to laugh. "Meli! I don't
think *slugging* is an option, here."
Maylia returns Aurian's snicker with an even smile, and a nod to K'tyn as
he clarifies the motives behind the open, casual contact between them.
Meli grins back. "Well, s'only idea I had. Why don' we ask some
o'th'gentlemen, see if they've any advice?"
K'tyn lifts a brow. "Kindre said something, did she? Well. I'll have to
ask her about it."
"The gentlemen," Kassi replies dryly, folding her arms with a jingle of
bells, "would probably just laugh their heads off."
"Did tha' already, Kassi. Can't possibly laugh harder'n they did at tha'
outfit," Meli replies, with a smile. "Maybe should ask Maylia or Aurian
then."
Aurian nods to Kiat, "So how goes Skyfire?"
A'lex nods to K'tyn as well, "Are they behaving for you?"
Maylia hears her name spoken, and leans to search out who did so. Of
course, her eyes invariably swing to the bright pink eyesore sight of
Kassima.
Aurian looks like the feline who got into the cream everytime she looks at
Kassima.
A'ser walks in from the bowl.
Kassima makes a face at Meli, which looks adorable, of course. Much to her
mortification. Also of course. "They'd probably laugh *too*. But I can't
slug him... that'd be ridiculous."
"Skyfire? My wingriders seem to be a ... quiet lot. Most have them have
said nothing, actually. And that's good, I think. I really don't want to
have everyone questioning my leadership again. That was... most annoying."
K'tyn pours a little hot water into his cup, swirling the dregs of the
willow bark about. "A'ser," he greets as the greenrider comes in.
Aurian smiles almost evilly as she spots A'ser. Well almost but not quite
evilly.
Alyssa walks in from the bowl.
Jorenan stands up and, with his book under an arm, says, "I've got some
chores to attendto." He's probably going to try writing i that book, by
the look of him.
A'lex, sitting next to K'tyn at the Skyfire table, waves brightly to
A'ser.
"Aurian, Maylia," Meli calls over. "Y'ever have t'tell someone who thought
they were in love w'you that they really weren't, an' that you weren't?"
She nods to the others as they arrive from her seat next to the pink
fuzzy.
A'ser hugs the bundle of messy, wild flowers in his arms as he walks.
Shoo. It's almost bigger than his torso. He stops once to lean as far
sideways as he can while keeping the flowers in one place. He hears his
name and his muddy green eyes dialate for a moment, and then refocus on
K'tyn. "Wingleader!" he croons in his soft voice.
Jorenan walks towards the inner cavern.
Telgar Weyr> A'lex says, "You never crooned for me, fickle Greenrider!"
Aurian shakes her head, "Can't say that I have."
Telgar Weyr> A'ser says, "Silence, traitor!"
Alyssa doffs her scarf and riding jacket on the way to the large night
hearth, her attention focussed inward save for the salutes she offers to
those riders who rank her.
Aurian sinks in her seat at the salute, she grrrs and focusses on her
redfruit.
"Hey Lys," Kiat adds as Alyssa enters. "And A'ser? You're looking well.
Anything to report?" he asks conversationally.
"Don't salute me, Lys, *please*?" Kassi pleads from her corner, already
looking mortified. "You'll never convince me I look respectable enough for
it. See, Meli, they don't know either...."
A'ser shuffles his merry way towards the skyfire table. Oh, but he
remembers to rasberry Aurian from behind the safety of those flowers, once
he sees her. And then he's in front of K'tyn, all smiles and grins. "These
are for /you/," he explains, propping the entire affair in his new
wingleader's lap. "That's all the report -I- have. Hello A'lex."
The soft, melting flakes on the bluerider's shoulder confirms her quietly
issued report. "Nothing beyond a sudden late snowstorm, sir, though its
effects to the north should be," and she pauses to glance A'ser's way
before finishing mildly, "short-lived."
A'lex blinks, "Flowers? What, are you giving them days off K'tyn? I never
got flowers."
A'ser frowns lecturingly at A'lex. "You're not half as nice to me as he
is."
Telgar Weyr> K'tyn lol! A'ser!
Maylia flashes a quick smile towards Alyssa, but shakes her head to Meli.
"Not since the Hall have I had that trouble," She calls. "And he didn't
take it so well."
A'lex fehs, "And how many pairs of gloves has he given you?" He purses his
lips and gives A'ser a "Well?" look.
Telgar Weyr> A'ser says, "Which isn't true, of course. I wanted to say,
'He's got better hair than you do', but that wasn't nice."
Telgar Weyr> Aurian hmmmms, "Maybe its A'ser, Kindre needs to watch out
for..."
Telgar Weyr> A'lex laughs... better hair... :D
A'ser turns pink slowly and looks at his feet. Quietly, he says, "I have
to go...sit over there now." The greenrider scoots.
"Flowers? A'ser -- I'm touched. But you'll still have dawnsweeps this
week. We all have our turns," he says quietly, smelling the blooms with
evident delight. "These are very nice though. Thank you."
Aurian leans over to Maylia and says in a soft voice, "Is it just me or is
A'lex jealous?"
A'ser grumbles when he finds out about the sweeps though. Darn.
A'lex grins at A'ser. "You're allowed to sit at the Skyfire table A'ser,
I'm just pulling your leg..."
Kassima shakes her head at Meli, looking rueful and perhaps even
distressed. "Mayhaps this sort of thing only happens t'me. 'Tis when you
run from matchmakers and gag at couples that you find yourself with men
convinced you might be their perfect weyrmate later in life. The world has
one sharding *weird* sense of humor."
A'ser spins on his heels dramatically, hoping that all of this theatrical
posing isn't lost on those around him. If no one notices, then he's just
going to start slouching and shuffling around. "Well, I /want/ to sit
there, A'lex. But then I'll have to give K'tyn his -other- preasent. I
didn't want to hurt your...feelings." He's pinker now. "I mean. D-dossa
explained to me what a kind soul you had...."
"Well, maybe f'you spend more time w'him, he'll get t'know you as a
friend, Kassi," Meli suggests, suppressing a yawn.
The expression on Alyssa's gentle features is one that is, in a word,
lost. She shrugs and approaches the hot water kettle for tea, her natural
diffidence coming again to the fore.
"That A'ser thought to bring Kiat flowers, and he didn't?" Maylia jokes,
in reply to Aurian. A shrug, as green eyes slide to A'lex, who recieves a
friendly nod before the greenrider goes back to quiet words with Aurian.
"But I'd say you're probably correct." Raising her voice to call back to
Meli, she inquires, "Why? Having difficulties with a swoonfull youngster
at one of the Holds?"
A'lex blinks, "Soul? Dossa? What? Oh come on, sit where you'd like, I can
handle not getting presents. Honestly..."
Meli smiles over at Aurian. "Neh, not me. Kassi has a problem though,
w'the father o'her latest development."
Kassima sets a fist to her cheek, shaking her head. "'Twere already
friends, Meli; 'tis the problem... I *like* him; he's a good sort. But
he's gone utterly out of his cotton-picking mind."
K'tyn glances at Alyssa, her quiet words not as lost as she might think.
"Good. Lys--I'm hoping you'll spend some time with me then, going over the
wind charts. That area's not as complete as it needs to be." He glances
back at A'ser, and smiles. "You don't have to give me anything. Just do
your best--that's all I want, though I do appreciate the extras."
"He loves her, she loves him, what could be the problem? Its love.."
Aurian says as she nibbles on her redfruit.
A'ser fidgets. "Dossa. She thinks we're bedpartners!" The idea is going to
crack him into giggles fairly soon. As for doing his best....he's doing
his best not to laugh....what else do you want?
Alyssa cranes her neck to issue a glance behind her, expression softening
at K'tyn's remark. Then, when the conversation swirls into unknown realms
again, she finds interest in her tea and stirs it industriously.
A'lex grins, "Dossa thinks you and she are bedpartners??"
Maylia nods to Aurian, grinning. "My instincts are to lay wagers as to
when they weyrmate," She observes. Of course, if her betting instincts are
informing her to do this, perhaps its best she doesn't.
Meli shakes her head. "Most definitely spring," she murmurs to herself.
"Now, f'some o'that would rub off on *my* weyrmate..." Turning to Kassi,
she gives a wan smile. "F'you don' mind, I think I've about run out
o'energy for th'evening, after laughin' so hard earlier an' all. But I'll
think on y'problem, see f'I can come up with somethin more appropriate
than hitting him."
Kassima corrects, directing a dirty look Aurian's way, "He only *thinks*
he loves me, dibblebrain. Real love doesn't even enter the picture. And so
neither does weyrmating, understand?"
A'ser throws his hands in the air in disgust. "No! That's terrible! I
would never let her run about thinking something like -that-! She thinks
that you and -I- are bedpartners!"
Aurian shakes her head, "He knows he loves you."
Kassima bobs her head reluctantly to Meli, managing to suppress some of
her woebegoneness. "A'course, Meli. Clear skies be with you and all."
A'lex blinks, "Where ever did she get an idea like that??" He looks over
towards Kassima then back.
Kassima shakes her head vehemently at Aurian. "Thinks, nay knows! He
doesn't love me--couldn't. I know that. The problem's how t'be pointing it
out t'*him*. 'Lex, don't pin this one on *me*."
Meli rises, snapping salutes to the wingleaders and wingsecond, before she
makes her exit.
Meli walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.
A'ser's eyes go large and full of the innocence of birth. "I don't know
where she got it...." Convieniently, he wanders away to steal a redfruit
from Aurian.
Kassima blows a raspberry after Meli's departing back.
A'lex humphs, "How odd..."
Alyssa tenders Meli a soft little smile before she exits, then seats
herself in a quiet corner and keeps rather apparently to herself.
Aurian heys as A'ser takes the peeled redfruit out of her hands. She
glances to A'lex, "Its what he didn't say?"
Telgar Weyr> A'lex was tempted to stare at A'ser's behind as he walked
away, but refrained. :D
A'ser /insinuates/ himself in a chair beside Aurian and nibbles at his
stolen prize, shooting curious glances at Kassima's lovely pajamas.
A'lex looks at Aurian, "What?"
Telgar Weyr> A'ser puts his hands over his eyes. TMI.
Maylia offers a wave to Meli as she leaves, for now just listening quietly
to the conversations around her.
Kassima frowns and draws one of her belt-knives, the better to work at
trimming her nails. "Everyone in the world's gone bonkers but me," mutters
she.
Alyssa's very delicate throatclearing begs discreet exception to that
declaration.
Aurian grabs A'ser's hair as he chews her redfruit, "This one made several
references as to how he snuck into your weyr... without Channie's
knowledge. While true... he also didn't tell her about how all he did was
build a snow fort."
Kassima informs Alyssa, apparently not inclined to make exceptions, "You
are, too. I don't see you turning green at being in the presence of so
much pink lace, and anyone who can look at it without throwing up is
bonkers. The only thing that saves me from constant nausea is that I
haven't a mirror handy."
Telgar Weyr> Aurian says, "And those aren't Pajamas Kassima is wearing..
its something too wonderful"
Telgar Weyr> Kassima says, "Wonderful ain't the word, Auri...."
Alyssa's lips part in preparation for a comment, then seal themselves
witih alacrity.
A'ser mmmffs! angrily at Aurian as his hair is pulled. Irritated, he
huffs, "I didn' tell her I slept with him. That would be bad. Quit
pulling."
A'lex shakes his head, "Ach well, no harm done. I don't really think she's
planning on coming back from Eastern anyway." He seems oddly... not
emotional about this fact.
Aurian continues to tug on A'ser's hair, "No you didn't but you certainly
didn't correct her impression."
A'lex says "Wait, YOU built the snow wall?" This he seems emotional about,
"YOU?"
Kassima lets a faint sigh escape her and turns back to the business of
trimming her nails. Of course, implement of death or no, sour expression
or no, she still looks ridiculously cute. "Who went to Eastern?" she asks,
attention snapping back to A'lex. "If'n you mean Tinya, I can't imagine
her coming back, nay."
A'ser owowows! some more. "Aurie, you're hurting," he complains around her
redfruit.
A'lex looks at Kassima, "Channie... dinna you hear? Kemith won a gold
flight..."
A'lex says "Don't break the Greenrider Aurian, even if he is a scamp."
Kassima asks with astonishment, eyes widening, "Kemith did? Fardles,
that's wonderfu--err. Well, um, 'tis sort of wonderful. Wonderful for
*Kemith*, anyway. So Channie's temporarily at Eastern?"
Alyssa, rising, sets aside her mug and grasps her jacket in a firm grip
and murmurs dispassionately, "Clear skies," before marching to the bowl,
sans salute. To some's relief, perhaps.
Aurian smiles sweetly to A'ser, "Am I?" She tugs more but this time she
doesn't take any hair off his scalp, "Channie did? Ohhhhh are you going to
visit her?" She peers at A'ser, "What if I don't break him permanently?"
Alyssa walks towards the inner cavern.
Lysseth> Adonith senses that Lysseth inquires in flickers of violet,
blue-green, and wan silver, << Is all well with your rider? >>
A'ser looks up at Aurian, clutching his treat. "Hush! He'll say yes, and I
want to hear about Channie. Blabbermouth."
Dragon> Lysseth senses that Adonith pauses before answering, << She says
so, but no. >>
A'lex does an all encompasing answer, "No. No she's not coming back. No
I'm not going to visit. And no, don't break him even temporarily."
Aurian lets go of A'ser at that, "WHAT?" She blinks at A'lex.
A'ser peers at A'lex now. Sheepishly, he asks, "Do---do you want your
gloves back, then?"
Lysseth> Adonith senses that Lysseth inquires, all solicitude, << What is
amiss? Is it anything that something can be done to help with? >>
A'lex says "We un-weyrmated, if you must know. And no, A'ser, you can keep
the gloves." He smiles, "Consider them a gift."
Dragon> Lysseth senses that Adonith sounds a bit confused. << She is...
*angry*? Yes. >>
Kassima halts mid-motion of nail-paring, just blinking at A'lex. Blink.
Blink. Like one of those porcelain children's dolls. "Oh. Oh, 'Lex, I'm
*so* sorry...."
A'ser looks at his hands, looking a little guilty. "Yasinth wants an
oiling," he says softly, handing Aurian her half-nibbled redfruit back.
She's better those things then he is anyways. Rubbing at the sore spot on
his scalp, he shuffles off to his drudgery, glancing back at A'lex now,
again, and once more.
A'ser walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.
Aurian tilts her head at A'lex, "I'm very sorry."
Maylia's jaw, along with the jaws of those around her apparently, drops.
"A'lex!" She exclaims. "I. I had no idea. I'm so sorry."
A'lex turns to Kassima, "There's nothing to be sorry about." He turns to
Aurian, "Some things don't work out." Then Maylia, "It's not like we hate
each other or anything." His eyes betray a bit of what he's NOT admitting,
but his face is serene, and he smiles his quirky half smile.
Telgar Weyr> A'lex puts up the NO ANGST sign. :D
Lysseth> Adonith senses that Lysseth's reply is shrouded by a crystal maze
of perplexity. << Why? I do not understand what would have angered her. I
don't believe my rider does, either. >>
Dragon> Lysseth senses that Adonith, humbly, << She says I may not say. >>
Aurian folds her hands, "Did Xach go with her then?"
A'lex says "No, we both agreed that his home was here... but he'll
probably go visiting eventaully."
Kassima watches 'Lex with dark, sober eyes for a moment, before nodding.
"As you say, bronzer. Still, if'n you ever need t'talk, you know 'tis what
we're here for. And I'm certain you'll find someone else t'make us all
nauseous with again in nay time, if'n 'tis your will."
A'lex chuckles, "What, it can't be you?" He bats his lashes at the pink
and frilly Greenrider from planet wherrybrain.
Lysseth> Adonith senses that Lysseth is surprised by this. << May not? >>
Not a concept she's familiar with, this. << Well, as you say. I'm sorry
that your rider is distressed, though. >>
Aurian rubs her jaw, "Well if you ever need help with him.. I'm sure we.."
She makes a gesture including everyone and she means everyone in the
living cavern, "can all through in a hand. "
Dragon> Adonith bespoke Lysseth with << Thank you. I am...confused. She
goes to find Meroth's rider now. >>
Kassima promptly makes a face at and throws a sandwich at 'Lex this time,
just for old time's sake. "So cruel of you t'tease me with the impossible
dream," she taunts in turn, with a wink. "Besides, I've enough romantic
confusion for one sevenday!" And the game's not even over yet.
A'lex smiles, "I know. Mother wants me to foster him THERE, which I
couldn't do... there are too many mouths to feed as it is... I've already
spoken to the nannies."
K'tyn returns from the latrines, hitching his belt and wrinkling his nose.
"Maylia? Which Weyrling was it that's supposed to have cleaned the
troughs? Because they haven't been." He peers about the room, blinking at
the quiet and sober countenances that are about the room. "What did I
miss?"
Telgar Weyr> Alyssa laughs at Kiat. Geez.
A'lex turns to K'tyn again, "Nothing much..."
Kassima suggests to A'lex, perhaps half in seriousness, "You could foster
him t'Greystones, mayhaps, or I could ask whether another of m'clan might
be willing t'come up here for fostering. Kessatarina probably would be,
but she's so *serious*. Kaleiya and Eiynna could work out better. Just a
twinge on the nutty side, y'know."
A'lex smiles, "Thanks, but I want him close by. I don't have seventeen
young ones like you do..." He winks.
Maylia considers A'lex for some time, then apparently decides to mind her
own buisiness (rare, but it happens now and then). "On latrine duty?" The
Weyrlingmaster thinks for a moment, then sighs. "Y'tran. Probably gazing
up at Kyoteth's ledge, hoping to pull elevator duty for D'ton."
A'lex snickers at Maylia's harsh honesty about the Weyrling crushes on
their clutchsibling.
"That's *two*!" Kassi corrects A'lex, with a nose-wrinkling in his general
direction. "Two and... um... about a fifth, I suppose, if'n you want t'be
picky. And I meant that one of m'cousins could come up *here*. But,
i'truth, I don't know whether 'twould be fitting."
K'tyn settles back into his seat, looking far more animated--or at least
he's lost that pallor about his jaws--than he was earlier. "D'ton's a kind
lad. I'm sure he'll understand the realities. He's got some seasoning." He
glances at Kassi, frowning faintly. "Cousins coming? Are we to be
inundated with Kassi-kin?"
Aurian sips her cider, "Speaking of Y'tran. C'lot still delibrately making
mistakes?"
A'lex laughs, "Ahhh, so Ushu the Ignorant was right then?"
Aurian howls with laughter, "Ushu doesn't believe it."
A'lex says "That he was right?"
Aurian shakes her head, "He doesn't believe that's she's pregnant at all
and that she's playing a joke."
Kassima points out in a rather droll fashion, "Kiat, if'n you hadn't
noticed, between Thera, K'star, E'rian, Simaeva, Kaylira, Kharisma,
E'rian's spawn-t'be, and m'own spawn-t'be, we already *are*."
A'lex says "I thought he swore up and down that she was..."
Maylia sends a raspberry off in Aurian's direction. "C'lot's under close
watch. Somethings up with him." She half growls, but then brightens at the
conversation. "Well, he did, for over a Turn. Perhaps he now thinks her
incapable?"
Kassima then grimaces Auri and 'Lex-wards. "And Ushu can just keep on nay
believing it! Shard him, anyway, the rose-petal fiend. Methinks he
tottered into Cold Stores after ice cream and got stuck in there too often
as a child; his brain must've frozen up."
K'tyn blinks. "Repopulating Pern, is that it, Kassi?" Eyes glinting, he
teases and settles back to watch and listen to the others.
Aurian snickers softly
Kassima slaps one hand over her eyes. "What *is* it," she wants to know,
"with everyone thinking I'm a second M'kla or F'hlan or L'cher of a
sudden? This is only m'third! You've already three spawn yourself, Kiat,
for the first queen's own fecund sake!"
A'lex says "We all know it won't stop there, Kassi, and that you'll be
churning them out every few turns until... well, until Lysseth stops
glowing!"
"That's *right*, bronzie," Kassi replies, trying a different approach. "So
you'd better be sharding careful that Nraith never catches Lysseth then,
hadn't you?"
A'lex shivers, "I'd fear for all of Pern."
Aurian blinks and blinks.
Telgar Weyr> Aurian says, "KASSEX"
K'tyn shakes his head at the pair of them, glancing at the quiet bluerider
nearby. "You okay? Adonith's cranky, or something, Prometh says."
Telgar Weyr> Kassima gets out the Aurian-Slaying Stick.
Telgar Weyr> J'lyn blinks.
Telgar Weyr> J'lyn says, "Gesundheit, Aurian."
Telgar Weyr> A'lex holds Aurian while Kassi slays her. :D
Kassima informs A'lex sincerely, with a shudder of her own, "You and me
both. The spawn would probably turn out like... oh... *Aurian*, or
something. Only with black hair. Aiyaiyai."
Telgar Weyr> Maylia chortles. K'sex. hee!
A'lex shivers again, "Faranth forbid it."
Kassima bobs her head vigorously. "Indeed, i'truth, yea verily. Let's
change the subject, shall we?"
A'lex says "How bout those Harpers..."
Aurian snickers, "So tell me Kassima, do you like your harpers medium
well?"
Kassima shakes a finger at Aurian and A'lex. "Now, *don't* start that
again. First you'll be getting into Harpers, and then you'll be back to
that mirror stuff; I can see it coming. Well, it *won't work*. I'm nay
falling for it. Try something else."
K'tyn looks around, sighing as he seems to be talking to the air where Lys
once was. "I thought... Lys was here?" He asks the assembled. "Did she
leave when I went to the...Hmph. Pardon me. Best I go have a talk with
her, if I can."
A'lex says "Mirror stuff???"
K'tyn walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.
Kassima jerks her thumb at Aurian. "Ask *her*. I'm nay even going t'so
much as think about the mirrors again."
A'lex raises a hand, "Whatever... I'm for a quick soak in the baths...
evening all."
A'lex walks towards the inner cavern.
Aurian holds her hands up with a laugh.
Kassima gives Aurian a *look*. "Nay mirror talk," she insists. "Another
topic."
Aurian sips her cider, "True love?"
Kassima groans, slouching lower in her chair. "Only if'n you can offer
advice, Auri."
Nimiriel walks in from the bowl.
Pierron nods thoughtfully as he eyes the junior queenrider.
A'lex appears from around a corner . . .
A'lex enters from the Bowl.
Pierron gives a respectful nod to the Weyrsecond.
Aurian sighs and sips her klah, "Try not to hurt him?"
A'lex comes back in from the LC... "L'cher is naked in the baths... I'll
wait."
Kassima turns a shade of green that *really* clashes with her adorable
pink costume. "'Lex, *pleeeeease* don't mention Lach's name and nudity in
the same sentence until I'm free of the sickness, will you? Or better yet,
just don't ever do it? Ugh." A salute to Nimiriel later, she sighs at
Aurian. "I *am*. And that's the problem, really."
A'lex stands back up, "I could ask him to come in here, Kassi. I'm sure
he'd love to show off for you all in pink like that."
Nimiriel walks into the cavern, a small stack of wherhide in her arms, and
ignores Pierron as she makes her way toward a table. Glancing up, she nods
to Kassima and Aurian, and smiles at A'lex.
Kassima's imagination is far too vivid for her mental comfort, and that
green shade deepens significantly at the mental image. "Urghk," is her
articulate response as she flees for the sanctity of the necessaries.
You walk towards the inner cavern.
You walk through the large entrance to the Living Cavern.
Pierron humphs thoughtfully as the Wingleader of Thunderbolt arrives.
Aurian grins at Nimiriel, "How are you doing?"
Kassima returns in short order, somewhat woozily, but considerably less
green. "Remind me t'stay away from mango for awhile," she mutters,
gingerly resuming her seat. "Too bloody colorful."
A'lex smiles, "That I can do, Nim-if-the-mood-strikes-you."
Nimiriel props her feet up on the chair across from her, rolls her eyes
once again, and grins at Aurian. "I was fine until I walked in here. Now I
think I'm frustrated."
A'lex chuckles, "Sorry. I just like to share my joy and zeal for life with
others."
Aurian raises an eyebrow, thinking....o0(Faranth don't let her be proddy
too...) She rests her chin on her fist.
Nimiriel grins at A'lex, "And you do it so well, it seems. How are you
this evening, Weyrsecond?"
Kassima asks A'lex, "Was the image of Lach clothesless part of your joy in
life? If'n so, I'm scared."
A'lex says "It was the part I didn't want Kassima, so I shared it with
you." Nimiriel gets a smile, "I'm doing fine, ma'Nimiriel...""
"Thankee *so* much for that, 'Lex. Next time, remind me t'share m'dinner
with your riding helmet instead of the necessary?" Kassi suggests, though
with a wry half-grin. "Sicko. That you should even think of such things is
disturbing. Has it been L'cher rather than Mart or R'ehn that you've
lusted after all along?"
Aurian sips her drink, "Faranth I'm getting tired... remind me again why I
accepted this knot?"
A'lex laughs, "You wish."
Kassima supplies, always one to be helpful, "Because you're a bloody
sadist, like all people with fancy knots? Why would *I* wish that, 'Lex?
More like Lach wishes, I'm sure."
A'lex says "Really, you think they'd make the more fancy ones into Choker
collars..."
Nimiriel says wryly, "That's how they feel sometimes."
A'lex sighs, "Ahhh, for the carefree days of being a Benden kitchen
drudge..."
Kassima snorts at A'lex. "Suit yourself, Purple-Man. I'd rather be a
Wingleader than the Greystonian wanderer, especially given that said
wanderer was such a *ditz*."
A'lex grins.
It's the grin of someone who has NO clue what was just said to him.
Aurian leans her head against the table and heaves a sigh.
Kassima picks up a roll, and tosses it at that grin. Just on general
principle, you understand.
A'lex ducks, a bit too late. "Thanks."
Kassima informs A'lex, primly, "You were *grinning* at me."
Nimiriel tries not to grin, really she does, and looks at A'lex. With mock
seriousness, she asks, "Are you going to eat that?"
A'lex says "No, I was grinning because I've no clue what in the name of
Faraths big Gold buttocks you're talking about."
A'lex looks from Nimiriel to the roll, "Uhhhh. No."
Nimiriel chokes on her klah and just /looks/ at A'lex.
Kassima inquires, quirking black brows, "What's so hard to understand? I'd
rather be a Wingleader than what I was ere I Impressed, is all 'twas
saying."
Reed walks in from the bowl.
Carrell walks in from the bowl.
Aurian is leaning her head against her table looking miserable.
Carrell walks in backwards from the bowl, the tail end of a conversation
finishing as he does. "I'll tell him you said that. I'm sure the stains
can come out. Just scrub real hard." He turns around. Oh, people here.
Reed steps in from the bowl and dusts off his pants. "Well...that's done,"
he comments quietly, walking towards the juice tables.
Kassima starts to call something over to Carrell, but remembers--as though
she could have forgotten for a moment--that calling attention to herself
is *bad*. Her jaw shuts with a click. "Auri," she instead asks,
sympathetically, "did A'lex's mention of a nude L'cher nauseate you,
too?"
Aurian scowls, "I have a headache, I just remember I have another set of
unusual wing formations to memorize."
Nimiriel sighs a bit, looks at Kassima, and remarks, "If it bothers you
so, then why continue to bring it up? I -was- considering an evening meal
until now."
Carrell's mouth curls into a littl 'O' as he slides unobtrusively around
the very perimeter of the room. Oddly towards the wine...
A'lex nods to Carrell, "Telgar's Duties to Harper Hall."
Carrell stops dead. Looking...anywhere but there. He seizes the
opportunity to speak with A'lex like a vice. "And Harper's to Telgar." He
booms. "What in Faran...how are you? Carrell's the name." He extends his
hand.
"Because I don't have aught left t'throw up, so I might as well make 'Lex
pay for it by mentioning it over and over," reasons Kassi. "Oh, Auri. Is
that all? Memorization's nay so bad. Duties t'Harper and her Masters,
Carrell."
Reed glances over to Aurian for a moment and nods to her before pouring
out some redfruit juice as usual and taking up a dark seat all the way
back in the corner.
Telgar Weyr> A'ser points wildly at Carrell. "Stop him; hurt him, abuse
him! Don't let him get away with being here, /someone/!"
Telgar Weyr> Aurian says, "Why? He's a harper... one for Kassima to be
lecherous with"
Telgar Weyr> Reed blinks..."Who?"
A'lex extends his hand as well, "A'lex, lifemate to Nraith. Well met."
Telgar Weyr> A'ser says, "....oh? Kassi will be lecherous at him? That's
the same as malicious abuse...carry on then."
Aurian leans her ehad up and sticks her tounge at Kassima, "N'yah. "
Nimiriel smiles at Carrell, "Telgar's duties to the Harper Hall."
Carrell covers A'lex's hand, still trying to avoid an infectious case of
pinkeye. "Carrell, Journeyman Harper. From Harper Hall. Which is...down by
Fort. Hold." Concentrating is /so/ hard these days.
Telgar Weyr> Kassima is *not* going to be lecherous to anyone. *Snugs a
Lys.*
Kassima sighs and lets her head drop onto the table. "*How* long a'fore
this day's over again?" she wants to know. "And where'd Saskia go with
m'marks?"
A'lex laughs, "Welcome to Telgar. Make yourself at home."
Aurian smiles sweetly through her headache at Kassima, "Dawn to dawn.
She'll bring them."
Telgar Weyr> A'ser says, "If Kassi's not about to be a lecher, I say we
toss 'er out......"
Telgar Weyr> Aurian thpttts
Carrell quickly pulls his hand back away from the bronzerider's hand,
covering his own mouth to hide what sounded like a sneeze. An odd sneeze,
but a sneeze. Definitely not a snort or a choked guffaw. he turns to
Nimiriel, then Aurian, 'duty'ing them each in turn. "Thank you." A deep
breath takes those odd breathing problems away, at least for the present.
He turns and heads back towards the wine. "Thank you, I will!"
Telgar Weyr> Kassima says, "You can *try*, A'ser. ;)"
K'tyn walks here from the Inner Cavern.
Pierron grunts in greeting to the Wingleader of Skyfire.
Kassima nods to Aurian, but she still seems considerably less than
pleased. "Just for the record, if'n you ever want me t'do this again, I
expect a much bigger pay-off."
K'tyn wanders in, looking freshly scrubbed and clean. "Good evening,
again, everyone."
Malachai walks here from the Inner Cavern.
Nimiriel watches Carrell for a moment longer, then shakes her head. As
K'tyn arrives, she looks up, smiles, and waves.
Reed nods over to K'tyn from where he sits in his corner, and to Malachai
as well.
Carrell turns, pouring some wine at the serving table. "Evening,
bronzerider. Duties from Harper to Telgar. It's a mightly pin..pretty
evening out, isn't it?"
"Did you find out what was troubling Lys?" Kassi asks with alacrity,
quirking a brow at Kiat. "Look, Harper, you can go ahead and laugh
yourself sick if'n you want. You'd hardly be the first one."
Aurian chuckles at Kassima, "Aye ma'am."
A cheerful whistle precedes Malachai as he ventures out of the safety of
the lower caverns and into the hazards of the Living Cavern once more,
rubbing one shoulder with the opposite hand as he ducks past a drudge and
goes in search of something to drink.
Carrell blinks at Kassima with the innocence of a newborn calf. "Crave
pardon, ma'am?" Course he doesn't look long. The wine is /so/
interesting.
Kassima groans, adding swiftly, "And nay bloody *ma'aming*! Faranth's
fardling fecund femur!"
Telgar Weyr> A'ser says, "What was that again, Kassi?"
Trevor enters from the Bowl.
K'tyn beams at Nimiriel, "G'devening to you, Goldrider," he says with a
grin. "Daelyth seems in fine fettle. Duties to the 'Hall, Carrell, is it
not? I heard mention... and to the rest of you, good evening. Noisy lot,
you are! I heard you all the way down the hall."
"I /heard/ that," accuses staccato baritone from the threshold. Trevor
comes bounding in, skidding across the stone floor to level a solemn,
beady eye on Kassima. "Bad language. Shame on you. Shame, I say."
Reed wipes the side of his nose with a single finger, just watching the
goings on in the caverns with a slightly peeked look of curiousity.
Kassima folds her arms and replies with a stream of invective suitable for
making a sailor perk up and look impressed. "*That* for language," she
finishes. "Please tell me you're nay going t'talk about mirrors and arses
again?"
Then, not at all unnaturally, Trevor plasters himself into a chair and
sprawls across the closest table: the better to ogle you with, my dear.
Brown eyes soften into mawkish sentimentality; apparently, he finds
something pleasurable to view. Kassima. "Darlink," he chirps, falsetto;
hands tumble limp from wrists. "You're jutht /tho/ thpectacular. I could
just /die/."
Carrell spins about at the mention of his name. "That it is. K'tyn, if I'm
not mistaken? Rider of one of the most impressive bronzes in the north
continent?" Well he is a Harper, after all. He extends his hand.
Ro walks here from the Inner Cavern.
Ro walks in, empty plate in hand.
Malachai manages to procure for himself a mug of cider, as usual, and
wanders out into the open chaos of the 'cavern to find a place to sit in
all of this. One ear catching bits and pieces of the general conversation
floating about, he just decides to sit a little away from them and by
himself.
Nimiriel looks between Kassima and Trevor with another shake of her head.
She rises, pile of hides in hand, and smiles at A'lex and K'tyn. "A bit
crowded now for my taste. I'm quite sleepy anyway. Good night."
Nimiriel walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.
Excalibur chitters quietly towards everyone and flitters over to the
hearths, where a nice clean bowl with sand from a previous clutch is
sitting, out of harm's way. She nestles down into the think and squeaks,
then a little *clunk* can be heard.
Kassima gives Trebor a long and very, very confused look. "Have you been
sniffing the 'special herbs' again, Trevor, or did you just bite your
tongue to bits? You sound just like B'gayal."
The bronzerider of the most impressive bronze on the North continent grins
at the harper. "Tis good to make your aquaintance, Carrell; You've some
songs, then? I've heard your name about here before--Ah, G'night, Nim!" he
calls after the goldrider.
Aurian groans as she sees Trevor.
Trevor squirms a little in his seat, (not that much of him is in it to
begin with), and /rolls/, redistributing his sprawl to settle shoulders on
table and arms flung akimbo. Face impossibly solemn, he stares at an
upside-down Kassima with all the intent worship of a new acolyte. "Did it
hurt to kill all those spinners for their cobweb lacing? Or did you sort
of just -- whoosh -- splat them all at once with a sponge?"
Excalibur squeaks again, and another clunk is audible. Each one of those
little noisy firelizard screetches results in one more little egg in that
pot of sand. A nicely greenish colored egg rolls out from beneath her,
very visible.
Ro eyes the fl "Is she doin' what I think she's doin'?"
A'lex groans, "Oh, great. Omlettes anyone?"
A burly arm lurches up from the table. One of Trevor's. "Me. With
mushrooms and cheese."
Reed eyes A'lex and snorts. "Don't touch those eggs. She flew a while
ago...I thought she clutched and hid her eggs from me."
A'lex smirks, "Sorry, Reed..."
Kassima can handle this. Standing, she bends sideways until she, too, is
upside down, beribboned braids brushing the floor. "You'd have to ask
Aurian about that one. She's the one who procured this penultimate horror
for me, and 'twas her idea--I think--t'pay me marks t'be wearing it."
Ro shrugs "Just let me know when their hatching.....so I can plan a trip
to Ista or Fort."
Excalibur chitters and rests her little head on the rim of the pot, eyes
half lidded. Perhaps she's done? Nope. *squeak!* Another thunk, and her
head dips down beneath the mouth to peer at her small clutch.
Carrell nods, temporarily having been...lost in thought. "Songs? A few,
aye."
Trevor is owl-eyed with fascination, and reaches in an infant's
instinctive reaction to dangling -- things. Lacy. Bright. Pink. "Does it
itch?"
Reed grins at Ro and bobs his head. "Sure I'll let you know...and that's
okay A'lex. I'm half tempted to just put the clutch outside and let em all
go wild."
Ro finally has to ask "Why are you wearing that outfit, Kassi. Surely
marks are nay adequate compensation."
A'lex says "No, don't do that... they'll end up in my weyr roosting. FORCE
them onto unsuspecting travellers."
Ro meant that first to be a question.
Kassima affirms, "Like wildfire. Though the sisal helps. What really bites
bovine rumps is the way people crack up laughing the second they walk into
a room. Oh, and needing t'vomit every time I see a mirror, a'course...
that's a down side too."
Reed laughs and peers over at the now sleeping little queen, then eyes
A'lex again. "Force them? I can't...but the traders might like to have a
gold clutch to deal with. Could bring them some interesting profit.
Suppose I can get somethin out of it too eh?"
A'lex looks as Kassima and says, deadpan, "You mean you don't normally?"
K'tyn ignores the firelizard. They do that most annoying thing all the
time, it seems, and he does have his own fair. "My pardon, ah," Squinting
somewhat, the bronzer peers at Trevor. "Who are you? Do I know you? Are
you a weyrling?" That last is a little accusatory. "You're not Y'ren, are
you?"
Aurian blinks at K'tyn, "You haven't met him yet?"
"Warped mirrors? It makes your hips look big." Trevor's dark head pops up
from the table, arms untwisted to lay him out in crucifix readiness. Head
twists to inspect K'tyn; it only takes a moment for the man to make up his
mind. "Yup," he says with aplomb. "That's me."
Kassima straightens, scoops up someone's open-faced wherry-with-mustard
sandwich, and walks over to where A'lex is. "What was that?" she asks
sweetly, sandwich poised in a menacing fashion. "I usually don't bother
with full-length mirrors, actually, so I didn't know that about m'hips.
Thankee for pointing it out to me."
Eyes narrowing as he stares at the far too-relaxed faux-weyrling Trevor,
Kiat stands. "Is that so? Then you've some latrines to clean, and right
now."
"They're pink too." An unintelligible voice from the direction of the
serving table.
A'lex smiles brightly, "I asked if you were hurt morally... by being
forced to wear that outfit of course..."
Telgar Weyr> Ro LOL. Good one Kiat.
Ro hides a sudden grin behind her hand.
Carrell plops down next to Aurian, lowering his voice. "What...she do ...
deserve that?"
"No problem," Trevor says amicably, rolling to sink his weight on several
ribs and a hip. An elbow props his upper body up; the shoulderblade bites
sharply into the soft tunic he wears, etching shadow across his spine.
"Eh. Don't do latrines, actually. Got something else?" And, helpfully,
towards Kassima: "--Big hips mean you're a good breeder. So, E'vrin's
going to be your boy toy, is he?"
Reed looks towards Ro curiously, obviously oblivious to most of the things
going on.
K'tyn stares at Trevor, unwilling to let the lad? off the hook. "I was
just there, and let me tell you something -- that kind of shoddy work will
not be tolerated in my weyr, do you hear?"
A'lex looks at Trevor and sighs, saved from the wherry sandwich.
Aurian blinks at Trevor then glances to Carrell, "Oh its just she was well
compensated for it."
Kassima replies cheerfully to A'lex, "Aye," even as she drops that
sandwich towards his lap. To Kiat, she notes, "This isn't Y'ren. And
*nay*, he's nay going t'be my--Faranth's liver on a jewel-studded stick! I
do *nay* have boy-toys!" Blush. She's turning as pink as those clothes of
hers.
Ro says to Kassi "Mayhap a soak in the springs might make you feel better,
Kassi, once you take that -stuff- off."
A'lex tries to catch the falling sandwich, and succeeds in nabbing the
bread, but the sloppy topping sails through his fingers, landing with a
SPLORCH between his amazingly widespread thighs.
Telgar Weyr> Ro chokes "'Lex!"
"He's not?" Jar head mentality can be a bit confining at times. K'tyn
blinks, his brows knotting over his nose. "You're not?" He asks as he
turns to regard Trevor with a baleful glare again.
Telgar Weyr> Reed smirks.....and can't hold back..."Messed your pants
A'lex? ;)"
"Man-pan," Trevor amends, meekly apologetic. "Boy-toy sounds better,
though. C'mere and I'll scratch your itch." It is not, perhaps, the best
extension of an olive branch; certainly the arm itself is olive-tinged,
fingers crooked in invitation. Harmless. He's harmless. As for K'tyn--
Telgar Weyr> A'lex says, "Hey hey hey!"
Trevor's earthy features warm in a plastic, sudden grin. "Okay. Hey there.
Trevor. So, your pot's all backed up, is it?"
Carrell overhears snatches of conversation. "That's not Ever...E'vrin..."
He remembers the honorific of his former fellow apprentice. "..they're
talking about, is it? So THAT'S who he's madly in love with now. How
interesting." All this in quite hushed tones to Aurian, difficult to
overhear given all the varous voices talking at once.
Telgar Weyr> Reed giggles. ;)
Telgar Weyr> A'ser is so so so glad he took the +watch off just before all
of this mess.
Telgar Weyr> K'tyn says, "Amazingly widespread thighs?! Woah! TMI there!"
Telgar Weyr> Reed laughs! ;>
Telgar Weyr> A'lex says, "Come on, something's falling towards you lap,
you're gonna spread you legs so it misses you!! Get yer minds out of the
gutter people! :D"
Telgar Weyr> Ro says, "Or snap 'em shut so it doesn't hit something
important."
Telgar Weyr> Reed grins and fehs. "I'm a /teenager/. Like that's gonna
happen A'lex. ;)"
Kassima mutters, perturbed, "Can't take it off until dawn tomorrow...
look, strange person from beyond the lunatic fringe, E'vrin's nay going
t'be a toy or a pan or any other Baker implement you might name. And
m'itches don't need scratching, thankee." She's evil enough to know not to
trust innocence any farther than she can throw it.
Aurian nods to Carrell with a smile, "Aye E'vrin has fallen for her."
Gwina walks here from the Inner Cavern.
Telgar Weyr> Gwina acks! That Trevor guy!
Ro nods Gwina's way.
"Pot's backed up?" K'tyn shakes his head, his voice going very quiet, very
polite and very precise. "That's not the problem, not now. The problem is
that you lied to me. Before that happend, you not my problem. Now, you
are. I don't much care for it when people lie to me. So. I'll ask again.
Who are you?"
Carrell lowers his voice even more. "He...sn't seen her...getup, has he?"
He settles for just shaking his head.
Gwina sweeps into the cavern, the same basket of uncarded (or nearly done)
wool still resting on her hip. She smiles to the eyes she meets, checking
a few things first before wandering the rest of the way in.
Trevor predicts, "You'll be redder than beastie blood coagulating on a
summer's day." And if that imagery doesn't fetch Kassima, nothing will.
"Not to mention all the hair on your palms. So if he's not going to be
your boy toy or your man pan, what's he going to be? Do you have any plans
for him? Or are you going to just leave him dangling from your--"
A'lex excuses himself to change his britches...
A'lex walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.
Carrell asks Aurian, "You got that for her?"
"--apron strings?" finishes Trevor, untroubled. Head rolls to K'tyn,
cocks, then blinks soft brown eyes in a miracle of interest. "Usually
people just call me Trevor. Old age does that to a man; eyes're the first
thing to go, right after the ears, so I suppose that makes them second.
Then, of course, there's the muscles and the...retention. It's too bad
that interest goes last; it should've been the other way around."
Aurian nods, "It was a joke, the real gift was much nicer."
"I'm going t'try and convince him that he's nay bloody well in love with
me, is what I'm going t'do," Kassima retorts, indeed reddening another
notch or two--but not, it might be noted, budging an inch. "Hair on my...?
Nay. Nay. I *don't* want t'know."
Reed looks about for a moment and raises a finger, as though he's forgot
something. Into the lower caverns he goes.
Reed walks towards the inner cavern.
Gwina's eyes narrow at that interloper again: Trevor. She hangs back,
placing both hands on the basket and waiting for him to dig himself into
that hole. /Deeper/ into that hole.
A decidedly calculating expression mars Trevor's facade of innocence.
"Sounds like boyo needs a little helpful advice," he suggests to Aurian.
No doubt he has just the advisor already in mind. Faranth help E'vrin.
Carrell grins. "How much did you bribe the weaver? For all the..." He
slurs the next word, but it sounds like 'hideousness' "..it does look to
be well made."
Gwina winds her way over to the bronze riders side, glancing up at him
before returning her gaze to Trevor. "So, you're back?"
Kassima eyes Trevor with considerable--and understandable--trepidation. "O
Faranth, what had you to do on the Red Star when you brought this man
into being?" she demands of no one in particular, gazing up at the
ceiling.
Aurian chuckles, "Not much really. It was rather easy to do.. I just
called it a challenge."
An arched black eyebrow lifts. "Are you calling me old? Or is that a
reference to your own physical ability?" Kiat lifts a hand warding off
comments. "Ah, I see. It's your intent to provoke one and all.
Interesting. You're quite good at it. A pity that I recognized it for
what it was." Irritation and anger smoulder in his eyes. "I would
suggest, Trevor, that you refrain from lying to people with these--" he
flicks at the knot on his shoulder. "On their persons. Else, you may be
doing more than cleaning out the latrines. You may be doing it without
implements."
Malachai finishes off his mug of cider from where he sits.. a good bit
away from the roving chaos that seems to follow Trevor around. Setting the
mug down, he folds his hands lightly in his lap and leans back on the
bench.. relaxing, and looking around idly at everyone.
"Just consider me Faranth's gift to humankind," lilts Trevor, ignoring
K'tyn with the insouciance of a diety used to the minor irritations of the
flesh. He wiggles sandalled toes at the ceiling, winning the instant
approbation of a passing firelizard; as an afterthought, he pushes off the
table to present himself to Kassima: back straight, arm stretched, palm
up, chin tilted. "Let's dance."
Carrell finishes his current glass of wine as he talks quietly to Aurian.
He reaches to take his gitar, slinging it across his lap, tuning it with
practiced fingers.
Aurian sips her cider. She stares at the mug for a moment.
Gwina quietly lays a hand on Kiat's arm, darting a look to Trevor before
murmmering to the rider: 'Could I have your help for a moment?' She shifts
her basket to the other hip, turning a bit to indicate a 'not here' kind
of help.
Kassima eyes Trevor from under the thatch of blue-black bangs and a drape
of pink ribbon. "Can't dance," she says. "Lace dancing slippers are just
for show, I fear. I smashed all the... what're they called, Auri?
Metatassles? Something like that. All the foot-bones of the last person
who asked me."
Dragon> Prometh bespoke Lysseth with << Who is provoking my rider so? It
has to do with your rider. Tell her to make him stop! Make him leave. He
wants to <<Image of Trevor flattened with a fist>>. >>
Aurian mmms, "Tarsels."
Carrell nods. "Metatarsals."
Trevor adores the pink ribbon, and crouches to poke hopefully at the
bottom of Kassima's lacy skirts. "Lace dancing slippers? Do they have
heels?" Show me.
K'tyn stares at Trevor a moment, then turns to look at Gwina. "Of course,
Gwina. What can I do for you?" The set of his shoulders and the tenseness
of his jaw reveal that he's well aware of the insolent person who is still
harrassing Kassima.
Telgar Weyr> Gwina laughs!! She didn't know the bet had been met.
Lysseth> Prometh senses that Lysseth reflects perplexment for a bare
second before assuring you, << I will tell her. >>
But he harasses so /well/. "Table-top dancing sounds keen. Hey." Trevor's
face tilts up to inspect the underside of Kassima's jaw. "If I paid you
Marks, would you?"
Gwina quietly points to the lower caverns, jerking her chin softly in its
direction. "If it's okay?"
Kassima is wearing lacy pants, actually, but she dutifully brings one leg
up until her foot is resting somewhere alongside her hip. Nimble little
minx, ain't she? "Nay heels, and that'd depend on how many, and Kiat!
Please! I don't think he meant any harm by it. Trevor, y'know, you
shouldn't provoke him... he's been having a sharding horrid evening."
Trevor untangles himself most reluctantly from Kassima foot-fetishing, and
pleats himself to K'tyn's side, docile, cast-down, and utterly remorseful.
Sort of. "I've been a very, very bad boy," he chants, obediently. "Let's
do that over again. Me Trevor. You Kiat. Hey there; be a sport and help me
tie her shoes together?"
K'tyn nods perfunctorily at Gwina, willing to let her lead him off. "Of
course." Bowing slightly in the others' direction, K'tyn stalks from the
room. In the distance, a loud bronze roar echoes through the bowl.
Gwina holds her finger up at Trevor, her eyes ablaze with a cold fire of
anger. "You! will stay over there." And with that, she turns to follow the
rider whom she redirected down to the lower caverns.
Carrell stands, taking his gitar by the neck. "Well I should be off to
find Master Kelset. I'll see you later, Aurian." He turns to Kassima and
before he can catch himself, adds, "Ma'am."
Gwina walks towards the inner cavern.
K'tyn walks towards the inner cavern.
Kassima grimaces at the roar, and falls into a chair, covering her eyes
briefly. "Well. That went wonderfully well, didn't i--arrrrrrrgh! Kassima,
Kassima, Kassima! Nay ma'am!"
Neliea walks in from the bowl.
Carrell nods, surpressing a grin as he heads towards the caverns.
Carrell walks towards the inner cavern.
Trevor cocks his head after Gwina, instantly enamoured, then skids back to
fold himself over a seat: arms on back, chin on arms, eyes round marbles
of liquid wonder. "Here I'm making friends right and left, and you're
still flailing around like a castrated cat. Maybe your laces are laced too
tight."
Neliea steps into the cavern, nodding in wordless greeting before making a
rather straight vtol line towards the serving table. If anyone didn't know
better, the rider was the perfect picture of tiredness.
"I'd like t'see you be socially graceful dressed up like some Lady Holder
want-t'be," replies Kassi, a touch sourly. "Besides, most folk here
already *are* m'friends. Evening, Nel, by the by. And m'laces are *fine*.
What's your obsession with laces and ties and suchlike, anyway? Remind me
never t'ask you about the proper usage of riding straps."
Trevor promptly opens his mouth, perfectly willing to reply.
Kassima holds up a finger to forestall. "I *don't* want t'know. I use
riding straps for *riding*, thankee."
Trevor once more opens his mouth, alarmingly ready with a thought. From
the bone-deep contentment on his face, presumably an inappropriate
thought.
Kassima decides to turn the question over to the others: "Do any of *you*
want t'know what he thinks straps should be used for?" she asks the LC
denizens.
Neliea is either sleepwalking and flying or just tired beyond words as she
just -peers- over at what Kassima's wearing. Blinking and looking for
something non-klah, she asks slowly, "Um. Kassi? Just -why- are you
wearing that?" And no she doesn't know anything, since she missed it most
likely. And another shake of her head goes in responce to the last
question.
Aurian holds up her hand with a pleading eye, "Nope/
Malachai's gaze flickers up from his quiet observation of the rest of the
living cavern.. and he answers the greenrider's question with a randomly
contrary, "Sure."
"Icepicks," Trevor accuses the rest of the Cavern, before ejecting himself
from his seat to stalk Malachai. "Hey, man. Sitting all by yourself, are
you? Scared of the women? Or are you restraining your overpowering
masculine heat so you won't end up itching with lace in your shorts?
--Trevor. And you are--?" Brother!
"Because they paid me forty-seven and three-quarters marks," Kassi
replies, quite matter-of-factly. "Methinks I got the bad end of the deal,
though. *Lace* in his *shorts*?" She just had to ask, didn't she?
Uh oh. He's been spotted. Damn words, coming out of his mouth before he
can regulate them. Malachai eyes Trevor much as one would look at a
poisonous tunnelsnake held at arm's length, and carefully introduces
himself, "Malachai." The question, he perhaps wisely chooses to ignore.
Saskia groans softly and rises from the bench where she fell asleep. She
rubs her eyes and looks around groogily, "Um hi."
Trevor throws his burly body into a seat neighboring Malachai's; face
turns, fixes on Kassi for a second, then pinches his lips and begins
burrowing into trouser pockets. His own. "--I've got...seven marks here.
How many you got, Malachai? -- How much do we need to get a table dance
out of your, greenrider?"
Kassima considers a brief moment. "Fifteen, I suppose. If'n you didn't
mind that I can't dance and it would thus be horrible."
Neliea ohs to Kassi, taking a careful sip of juice and edging towards a
seat near Aurian at the Dawnslight table. "I'm -so- sorry, Kassima," she
tells the wingleader sympathically before darting a look towards the two
men off to one side and then looking to Saskia. "Did you want a mug of
klah while I was up?"
Saskia smiles to Neliea, "Yes, thanks for asking." and takes a seat near
the bluerider's seat.
Ro yawns and ambles off toward the inner caverns "Night, all."
Ro walks towards the inner cavern.
Malachai slowly arches one eyebrow at the man.. and then chuckles, shaking
his head but answering all the same. "I've only got two, myself, and I'm
not really sure I can spare them.."
Saskia peers at Kassima, "Is there anything you wouldn't do given
sufficient marks?"
"Is there some sort of time limit to this?" demands Trevor, digging deeper
to come up with little more than lint, an oiled wax-parchment candy
wrapper, several grains of wheat, a child's hair-ribbon, a garish top,
frilled underpanties -- feminine -- and a sock. "Two plus seven is...nine.
I'll hit up this side of the room if you hit up that side."
Kassima actually has to consider that for a moment. "I probably wouldn't
sleep with L'cher," she finally says. "Or anyone, for that matter. I have
*some* standards. Believe me, Neliea, so can I... uh, well, it might be
nice if'n 'twere done a'fore I get so big that I can barely waddle, much
less dance."
"Right. Sure. I'll do that." Malachai nods agreeably, obviously not having
any intention of doing anything of the sort - let alone give up his own
marks for a table dance from a greenrider. If he wanted to see that, he
could just wait for one to get drunk.
Aurian takes up a redfruit and starts to peel it.
"You're a sport," Trevor concludes, companionably tossing Malachai a
stolen roll before trotting towards the lower caverns. More bodies, more
marks. Live in the moment. Invest in the future. And en route, plink green
peas at Aurian. That's what makes life worth living.
Plink.
Saskia gazes thoughtfully at Kassima, "So how much would it take for to
weyrmate with someone for a turn, say E'vrin?"
"Four-hundred and twenty thousand," replies Kassi, looking completely
serious. "All paid in full at the outset. In other words, keep dreaming."
Baritone floats out of the lower caverns, full-throated and enthusiastic.
Trevor. "I HEARD THAT!"
Neliea takes another sip of her drink, placing her mug in front of her
seat and heading over towards klah pot. A few moments later, she returns
to her seat, handing the warmer mug to Saskia. "Here you go," she says,
voice trailing and looking between Kassi and Saskia at the Assistant
Steward's question. She's heard the rumor, but hearing it almost first
hand is another thing.
Kassima winces and covers her face with her hands, though one can still
see that her ears are burning. "Please tell me he doesn't intend t'take me
*up* on that. He couldn't possibly. Nay anyone has that kind of money!"
Aurian leans her head against her hands.
Malachai catches the purloined roll, and considers it curiously for a
moment before taking a bite.. and turning back towards the table at which
he sits, alone once more.. and arguably better off that way. "Wierd guy.."
Saskia smiles, "Thanks, Nel." then hrms, "Trevor might just be able to
manage it and then your weyr would be filled with marks. Perhaps you
should lower your price, Kassi."
Kassima shakes her head vehemently, sending her braids flying to and fro.
"Nay way! I keep m'word, but though I'm willing to admit that I do have a
price, I'll be sharded if'n 'twill ever *lower* that price."
Saskia sighs, "Ahh, well. I guess I'm not as good a bargainer as Auri."
then beams at Kassima and says very sincerely, "I really am so happy for
you and E'vrin."
Another groan, and Kassi just slumps in her chair, looking downright
pitiful. "There's naught t'be happy for us about! Shells, shards, and
Slithereth's spleen!"
Neliea decides to stay quiet and sip on her juice like a good little
rider, listening to Saskia and Kassima. She's not saying a word. Nope not
at all.
Saskia grins at Kassima, "If you say so." and wanders off for a few
minutes. When she returns, she's carrying a small wooden stick with a hook
on the end and some wool. She sits back down in her chair and begins to
crotchet.
Kassima affirms, getting to her feet again, "I do say so. Now, if'n 'twill
pardon me, methinks I could use sleep."
Saskia smiles to Kassima, "Of course. You need to sleep for two now."
Kassima's yawn might be read as agreement as she wanders outside, with a
jingle of bells.
You walk down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.