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Happy Turnday, Kassi!


Date:  April 24, 1997
Place:  Lysseth and Kassima's Weyr
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:  Imagine my surprise upon signing on to find a bunch of
people in my weyr, bearing gifts! :)  This Turnday party was an IC and 
OOC surprise (the moreso because it took place on my mother's RL 
birthday, so I was rather late in signing on), cooked up by Merla the 
Sainted, with the help of at least a dozen other wonderful people.  I 
was and am greatly touched by the gesture, and everyone who took part 
has my eternal thanks and appreciation. :)  Because I was having 'Net 
difficulties, the log begins rather abruptly, not long after Kassi 
landed on her ledge.

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The Log:

A veritable festival of colours meets your eyes as you look about you. 
Spring flowers from the four corners of Pern have been brought in for your 
viewing pleasure, a veritable rainbow of colours, so bright they dance in 
your eyes! Steamers too, made of brightly woven cloth, dyed with the 
brightest the weavercraft can put together. In another place and time, you 
might suppose some gay sprites had chosen to wreck havoc upon your senses, 
your eyes are full of colour and your nose catches the wonderous scents 
around you.

In the middle of all this glorious mayhem is a gloriously made skybroom 
wood table. It will merit further examination, but for now, your attention 
is distracted by the reams and reams of coloured cloth, wrappings, ribbon, 
and by an array of sweets layed out for your enjoyment. You realise that 
it is not only the scent of the flowers that has caught your attention, 
but also the scent of the plethora of foodstuffs that have been left here.

Ofira and Meli, who are really here, yell, "Surprise!" as well.

Kassima blinkblinkblinks, at hyper-speed. "Great Faranth!" is all she 
manages for a moment, plainly *completely* stunned. Secondly, she manages, 
"How... what... why... but...." Articulate when surprised, isn't she?

T'vor says "SURPPRISE!"

Alyssa smiles quietly, softly, pleased, and applauds. "Apparently you were 
surprised."

T'fian grins and concurs with Alyssa, "Apparently so."

T'vor OWS as his head thumps against the buttom of desk, he stands up 
rubbing his head with a sheepish grin, "UM."

Benden Weyr> Kassima giggles. You guys surprised the heck out of me! :)

Benden Weyr> Alyssa whee!

Cirdanth whuffles happily and nudges Lysseth, snorting querelously.

K'ti just grins merrily, "now, iffin we had an artist t'git that 
expression..."

Adonith whuffles Lysseth all the mmore. A little protectively, 
possessively even.

Merla grins broadly, "Well, open your gifts quickly, some people have to 
go on sweeps..."

Benden Weyr> K'ti grins and looks glad she snuck around :)

Kershala whistles and applauds. "Happy Turnday, Kass!"

Benden Weyr> Merla muahahhahaa :)

Benden Weyr> Emne says, "the point no?:)"

T'fian looks at T'vor. "Lucky Penath's not as clumsy," he comments.

T'vor looks at T'fian, and snorts, "It's a small desk!"

[Editor's Note:  About this time, I got disconnected.  A few people had
to leave while I was trying to get back, but the story-line should still
be mostly intact. :) ]

Benden Weyr> Merla grins at Kassi :)

Kassima just shakes her head, still at something of a loss for words. 
Finally, she manages, "What on Pern *possessed* you all?" while beaming 
like a sentimental idiot--which, at the moment, she is--up at all of her 
friends.

T'vor smiles at Kassima, "I had nothing better to do." He winks.

Merla nods, "I'll second that one, " she comments on what T'vor said.

Suzot makes an excuse, speaking up as she wouldn't have had the confidence 
to do just a few short months ago. "Ai wanted an excuese ta cume visit the 
weeyr."

Benden Weyr> K'ti says, "We wanted to see the view from your weyr?"

K'ti nods her head and says, "Jus was passin by and thought t'visit."

Emlyn laughs at the irreverant responses. She adds, "Perhaps we like you?" 
She seems to consider it, then shakes her head at the imagined 
impossibility.

Merla grins, "You were so late getting back from sweeps today, Alyssa 
figured you either knew, and were avoiding us, or else, it was your 
natural tendancy to avoid doing anything in routine or predictable 
manner."

Kassima snorts cheerfully. "Right, Weyrleaders and goldriders don't have 
things to do? And if I bought that one, I bet you'd have a bridge to sell 
me... oh, you are--*all* are--so... so...! I can't even think of the words 
to express how touched I am!" In the head, maybe, but the generally 
unflappable greenrider does look incredibly moved by all of this. Her next 
question is, "How did you all find out 'tis my Turning-Day?"

Emlyn says with perfect sincerity, "The warnings were drummed across all 
Pern."

T'vor looks at Merla, and laughs.

Suzot nods.

Emlyn finally grins and winks.

Merla adds, "While you were *between*." to Emlyn's statement. She grins at 
Kassi, "I believe he said /nothing better to do/...not necessarily 
/nothing else to do/.. what's better than making someone's turnday?"

Kelset lets out a bit of chuckle, adding, "We have connections."

T'vor chuckles, "The Penath Gossip group."

Merla grins at T'vor.

Kassima bursts out laughing at that. "Oh, I'd actually believe that if'n 
I'd heard 'em m'self!" She grins at Merla, "Since I can't go *between* for 
a time, I'll chalk it up to momentarily having my hearing drained out by 
Kyril and his rattle. Shells, you lot--I honestly don't know what to 
say--except thanks, ever so muchly!"

K'ti looks over towards Emlyn, "So who left th'note tied t'Jaralth's tail 
this mornin?"

T'vor grins at Kassima, "You're welcome, besides, I had to make t'fian 
salute me at least once."

Merla grins, "So, take a look at your gifts, already." she chuckles at 
T'vor, "You're evil..."

Suzot's eyebrow raises as she looks closer at the greenrider. "Canna gae 
betwaen?"

Benden Weyr> Kassima hugs you all and is grinning idiotically RL, too. 
Wow... I just can't *believe* you guys. You're all absolutely 
wonderful! :)

Emlyn gives K'ti an honestly innocent look. "I don't know, Sir."

Emlyn is in the habit of calling all riders 'sir', regardless of sex.

T'vor waggles his eyebrows at Merla.

Benden Weyr> Merla heehee :)

Kassima grins and snaps a sharp salute to T'vor. "Naturally, sir!" 
Stepping forward over to the table, she simply shakes her head in 
amazement. "There are so many... shells, where should I start?" At 
Suzot's query, she explains with a chuckle, "I've drunk the Benden Water, 
y'see."

Kelset continues chuckling a bit to himself, watching Kassima and the 
table of gifts.

Suzot's eyes light up. "Och, it wurrks!" she says, covering her mouth. 
"Congratulaetions, Raeider!"

T'vor returns the salute, grinning.

Kassima grins at Suzot, still looking... well, shocked. "Thank you... and 
aye, haven't I been saying that all along?" She peers over the table's 
contents, dumbfounded. "This many? For me? What did I ever do to deserve 
friends like you all?"

Merla grins, "Everything."

Suzot puffs up, pleased with her part in the celebration.

T'vor chuckles,"You were born, this day, a few turns ago."

Emlyn grins and crosses her arms to watch Kassima unwrap her gifts.

Kassima chortles. "In all honesty, 'twould think what I'd done in m'life 
would be more deserving of a swift kick in the rear than gifts--but hey, 
you're the experts." She winks, then takes a closer look at the table that 
the gifts rest on and draws in a surprised breath. "Oh...! Why, this is 
beautiful!"

Kassima runs her hands over the stylized dragon, taking in the beauty of 
the piece with what could only be awe. "And gifts, too... well, 
shellfires. One of you want to suggest a starting place? There are so 
many, I hardly know where to begin 'tall."

Penath backwings for a landing.

Penath warbles and scrunches himself on the ledge.

T'vor grins, "Just pick one."

Merla nods at T'vor's statement.

T'vor looks at Pen, "Looking for gossip,lummox?" Penath snorts, and 
peeeers.


---

You take the soft cloth carefully away from the purple package, and see:

An unusually large tuber has been carved into a remarkable likeness of 
Kassima astride her dragon, riding helmet in hand and a smile on her face. 
The part of the tuber that makes up Lysseth has been dyed with food 
coloring the precise shade of green of Kassima's lifemate, while the rider 
herself is colored realistically as well. The entire carving has been 
glazed with some sort of mixture that prevents it from spoiling or turning 
colors. At the base are carved the words: "Happy Turnday Kassi! Love from 
Ofira."

You carefully replace the purple cloth and set the package on the table.

---


Emlyn looks over at Penath and pauses to answer a silent inquiry from a 
young green dragon. She shakes her head and murmurs aloud, "No room, 
Dearestheart."

T'vor looks at Penath for a moment. With a mighty leap he springs aloft.

Benden Weyr> Emlyn waits for T'vor to come back to land. He's going to be 
surprised when he finds he doesn't have wings.

Benden Weyr> Emlyn winks.

K'ti sneaks over and adds a hide wrapped bundle to the table.

Kassima nods, and picks out--after much dithering and deliberation, of 
course--the purple-wrapped gift. She uncovers it to reveal a goodly-sized 
tuber sculpture that causes her to start laughing again, for once not 
turning green at the mere sight of the vegetable. "Ofira! Oh, shells--this 
is the most perfect tuber, and in fact the *only* good tuber, that I've 
ever seen. D'you believe this?" She holds it up for all to see, grinning 
from ear to ear.

Benden Weyr> T'vor heh.

Merla grins at Kassi.

Benden Weyr> Kelset grimaces. "And I didn't get a present for her. Sorry, 
Kassi." :)

Benden Weyr> K'ti pauses then starts laughing in real life at the tuber! 
Oh this is a night for details.

T'vor laughs, quietly.

Benden Weyr> Kassima nononos. Anyone who leaps from my ledge finds 
themselves magically equipped with wings. I needed to do that to keep me 
from plunging to my own deaths countless times. :)

Benden Weyr> T'vor notes Penath lept up, not me :)

Benden Weyr> T'vor says, "Although I supposed I could change that emit. 
Yup. Kinda ambiguous."

Suzot covers a dry chuckle at the sight of the carving.


---

You remove the soft green cloth from the package and see:

Ryi's gift is a contraption of slings and straps, similar to what she used 
to tote around the twins after she had them. They are a bright yellow, 
with green paisley-like designs on them, and handpainted in red are the 
words: WARNING. This mother is a green rider. Snicker at at your own risk. 
Nestled inside one of the slings is a collection of salts that can be used 
in a pan of warm water, to soothe the feet. In the other is a bottle 
wheedled from Saer's stash- the prize from a bet that never did get to 
take place, and, for reasons soon to be obvious, is now rather obsolete.

You carefully replace the soft green cloth and set the package down.

----


A delighted bugle is heard, and on the Star Stones, Penath is chattering 
away to the watchdragon.

Emlyn shakes her head, laughing. "Well. I wonder if all bakers learn that 
skill. Tuber-carving. My foster-mum can make reasonably accurate 
likenesses of people."

Kassima sets the tuber down with a care she would normally *never* give 
her least favorite vegetable, and gives all of the Swarm nearby a fierce 
look that just *dares* them to come near it. Fortunately, they get the 
message. "Let's see... well, I see a green package here, and Lyss seems to 
think that's a good color to open next." The dragon rumbles in affirmation 
as Kassi tugs away at the wrapping, to reveal Ryi's gift: baby-sling, 
water-salts, and bottle of a liquor that causes Kassi to blink with utmost 
awe. "Saer's stash!" she whispers in disbelief. "How'd she manage *that*? 
By the shards of Lysseth's egg, how marvelous!"

T'vor chuckles, "Impressive."

Kelset lets a quiet grin alight on his lips as he watches, chuckling a 
bit. "Indeed," he agrees quietly.

Merla grins broadly as Kassi opens Ryialla's gift.

Kassima abruptly starts chortling again as she reads the message painted 
on the straps. "Warning, indeed! Only Ryi could've done something like 
this. I'll definitely have to remember to thank her; these are delightful, 
and the message is so... so apt."

Kassima pulls up an empty box to sit at, and suggests to the various folk 
around, "There're plenty of boxes, if you'd like to sit; they really are 
stable, fire-lizard claw marks aside." A wink, and she sets the 
conglomeration of straps, salts, and bottle down with care to select 
another gift: this time, the one wrapped in red.


---

You pick up the red package, and remove the soft cloth wrapping. Inside 
you see:

Soft as an infant's skin, as finely crafted as any leatherwork on Pern, 
this sheath has been dyed carefully, meticulously, to a piney green 
remniscent of the Benden dragon Lysseth. Upon its flank has been stitched 
in purple and black the initials L and K entwined as lovingly as the lives 
of Lysseth and Kassima are forever joined. Whoever crafted this sheath has 
done so with attention to detail and to the person for whom it was 
created, yet it pales in comparison to the dagger resting within the 
leather's confines.

        Steel as shiny as the twin moons' light has been selected for the 
blade; a flick of a finger on its flat will cause the weapon to emit a 
sonorous ping like the sound a raindrop would make against filligree 
crystal. And the hilt...ah, the hilt is a thing of simplistic beauty, 
polished white bone swirled downward toward a rounded silver pommel in 
which a single cabochon amethyst glitters gracefully. Gold and silver have 
been hammered into the spirals of the hilt, reaching toward gently curving 
quillions. It is, in its entirety, as wondrously unique as the rider who 
shall wear it. 

You notice a note to the effect that Alyssa was responsible for this gift. 
You wrap the red cloth once more around the object, and set it down.

---


Kelset is quick to take up Kassima on her offer, reaching for the nearest 
box at hand and taking a seat on it, glancing down at it with a bit of 
alarm as the sides shift a bit, finally steadying. "I hope so," he adds to 
himself, chuckling a bit.

Suzot remains standing, rocking from heel to toe.

A low whistle of amazement escapes the greenrider as she slides the 
incredible dagger out of its finely-crafted pine green leather sheath; 
even though there is no need, she runs her thumb over the blade's edge 
lightly to test it. "Perfect," she murmurs. "'Tis perfect... where could 
Lys possibly have found it?"

T'vor sighs, "Well, it seems i'm needed back at fort." He grins, "Happy 
Turnday, Kassi."

T'vor concentrates for a brief moment, while looking up. Penath backwings 
to a landing nearby.

T'vor mounts Penath with a nimble and practiced motion, using a 
thoughtfully lowered forelimb. He nestles himself into his spot between 
two neckridges. From the ground, he all but disappears from the view.

Astride Penath, T'vor straps in, "Be well, all, and clear skies."

Penath spreads his wings and leaps from Lysseth's ledge.

Emlyn salutes T'vor as he departs.

Merla waves to T'vor....

Kassima salutes T'vor with her newest blade, smiling up at him. "Clear 
skies, sir, and Benden's duti--fardles, I managed to miss *again.*" She 
sighs good-naturedly.

Emlyn takes a seat near Kelset's. The weyrling has chosen poorly. Her 
crate nearly tips as she lowers her weight on it. Emlyn reaches out wildly 
the way people do to keep from falling on their rears.

Seemingly from nowhere, Kindre appears in your presence.


---

You pick up the small green box, and open it. You see:

The base of this ring is a band of bronze and gold interwoven with each 
other. They are twined together, molded and formed so by heat. Two 
gemstones sit at the top of the ring, a pale emerald, and a bloodstone. 
The two of them are held tightly in place, the bloodstone by the gold, the 
emerald by the bronze. Inside the ring, opposite the stones the initial 
"K" is engraved on the bronze band, and the initial "L" is engraved on the 
gold one.

You put the ring back in the blue box, and set it back on the table. A 
note by the box indicates this gift is from Merla.

---


Suzot quickly reaches a hand out to Emlyn.

Kelset attempts to grab one of Emlyn's flailing arms as she tips over, 
letting out a brief, startled laugh as she sits down.

Emlyn grabs Suzot's hand and steadies herself. She smiles gratefully and 
makes sure the crate won't tip as she resettle herself. Once she's safe, 
she gives Kelset an embarrassed smile, too.

Kindre arrives via a transporting blue dragon, Herath left at her own 
ledge to clutter up space. Kindre smiles and waves to all before speaking. 
"Happy turnday Kassi! Crackdust, been quite an eventful few sevendays, 
'eh?"

Kelset lets out the rest of his laugh, trailing off, returning Emlyn's 
smile. "Not the steadiest of structures," he notes, dryly, a long creak 
from his own seat adding emphasis to the observation.

Kassima slips the uniquely beautiful knife that was Lys's gift back into 
its sheath, and sets it down beside the other gifts. "Heya, Kin!" she 
calls over to the goldrider with a wide smile, before returning her 
attention to the unwrapping at hand. "Blue's a fine color," she quips as 
she picks up a package wrapped in blue. "Let's see what's under the blue, 
though...." Uncovering a small box and opening it, she gasps to see the 
contents and turns the box around to display them to the room in general: 
a ring, of bronze and gold, set with a pair of gems and engraved with the 
initials of this particular greenrider and her lifemate. "Merla! By 
Faranth's name--'tis too wonderful t'be truth. You shouldn't have! Which 
isn't to say," she babbles on in her obvious astonished gratitude, "that 
I'm nay glad you *did*, but...." She snaps her jaw shut with an effort, 
and removes the ring from its box to slip over her left ring finger, the 
right already occupied by her graduation ring.

Suzot's jaw drops. "Och," she breathes as the ring glitters.

Merla smiles at Kassima, "I had a friend make it...it's not a big 
deal...he owed me a favour."

Kelset brings his hands together a few times, laughing pleasantly, 
applauding the gift. "Indeed," he says, once again.

Kindre strides closer over to Kassima to get a better view of the ring. 
Whistling when she catches the glitter of it, she says, "True enough...
it's beautiful..."

Emlyn grins happily at Kassima's response to the gifts. She shifts her 
weight, and as she does so, her crate/seat makes a creak just like the one 
Kelset's made.

Kelset nods towards Emlyn, grinning a bit, as if to say, "See?"

Emlyn puts her hands out like a rope-walker as her crate creaks. Now she's 
just hamming it up, of course, and grins back at Kelset.


---

You unwrap the yellow package and see:

Between the folds of a blue bit of wherhide hides a dark tan riding jacket 
trimmed in emerald grins at the sleeve and waistline. The front is mostly 
plain, a small rosetta of leaves adorning the left corner but the back is 
painted. An emerald green dragon spreads her wings across a sky of dusty 
blue. A bit of a gold paint highlights the sunlight while an evergreen 
shows the shadows.

You carefully rewrap the yellow package. You notice a note stating that 
this gift is from K'ti.

----


Suzot just shakes her head as Emlyn tempts fate.

Kelset crosses his arms lightly, grinning a bit smugly towards Emlyn. If 
wishes were Kassima's firelizards, the box'd crash underneath him, but 
nothing so fortunate happens to the Harper.

The fifty-nine fire-lizards who are perched in various places around the 
room start trying to replicate those creaking sounds, causing quite a 
ruckus until Lysseth *stares* at them for a good long moment; silence 
descends as quickly as it left, fortunately for the ears of all concerned. 
With a grateful glance at her dragon, Kassi reaches to pick up the yellow 
package, reading the note. "Thankee, K'ti," she smiles at the bluerider. 
"If'n 'tis chosen by you, I already know that I'll like it." And by the 
way her eyes light up when she uncovers the riding jacket, holding it up 
to see the painted back, she likes it very well indeed. "Lovely!" she 
breathes. "It's lovely! And it doesn't make my eyes bleed to look at it, 
either!" Unlike her current garish riding jacket; the Weyr will probably 
be grateful to see *that* being replaced.

Suzot's eyebrows rise. Impressive gift.

Merla chuckles, "Aye, K'ti's got the eye for that..."

Emlyn whistles softly at the gift. Her own jacket is older than most of 
the cavern's occupants, and to be honest, she wouldn't trade it for a 
Lordship, but she's appreciative of K'ti's gift.

K'ti says "it's supposed t'be Lysseth... it's been a bit since I've 
painted though."

K'ti looks a bit embarassed for a moment, cheeks matching her hair.

Kindre smiles, bobbing her head while wide eyes study the jacket. "It's 
lovely...I think it looks like Lyss..."

Kelset grins quietly at K'ti's reaction, feet planted on the weyr's floor, 
so as not to let the seat creak and perhaps bring Lysseth's notice upon 
him.

Kassima holds up the jacket to compare the painted dragon with her 
Lysseth, the green craning her neck to see. A draconic rumble of approval 
comes from her when she spots it, causing Kassi's grin to broaden even 
further. "K'ti, I've nay seen a finer artist since Channa of Ruatha, and 
there's nay anyone else on Pern who could have done a better job of 
this."

K'ti turns a bit more red then says, "Thankye, it means alot t'hear that. 
Be sure, though, like wi'any wee dragon t'oil it regularly. So that the 
paint don't crack."

Emlyn shifts her rear on her seat to get a better look at the painting. 
The crate creaks noisily. "Oh!" Emlyn exclaims, "it does look like her!"

Kassima unfastens her psychadelic jacket and folds it, setting it on the 
table with a fond pat for the colorful item of attire that's served her 
for over six Turns. She slips on the new jacket, tugging her braid out of 
the way so as not to obscure the view, and gets up long enough to turn 
about and model. "Think I'm worthy of wearing such a fine jacket?" she 
asks her friends with a chuckle.

Merla chuckles at Kassi, "Nahh, better give it to Ryialla..." she says 
with a wink.

"Quite worthy!" Kelset calls out, laughing a bit. "A fine tunic for a fine 
rider," he says, grinning.

Kassima wrinkles her nose at Merla. "Feh! I'm nay going to let anyone else 
wear this, nay even when I have to switch to that maternity jacket I 
picked up at Telgar." She nods to K'ti as she sits back down, trying to 
crane her neck to admire the painting further. "I'll remember! I'll 
definitely remember--'tis too fine to be spoiled by less than perfect 
handling. For now, though, I suspect I'd best get back to gifts before 
people start to get bored." With a wink, she reaches for a basket on the 
opposite side of the table from her.


---

You lift the red cloth from the basket and see:

This is a trio of bottles, each containing differently coloured liquids. 
The first is a rich, clear gold, pale and promising. Its label clearly 
reads: Ale, Benden Apprentice Suzot. 

The second bottle contains something of a dark mahogany, and is marked 
Stout, Benden Apprentice Suzot. 

The third is a clear purplish red, the red of blood...or of Benden Red. 
Its label reads: Red Wine, Benden Apprentice Suzot. 

The card in the basket, written in the painstaking hand of one who has 
only barely learned the trick of written, says "Far Kasima An Hir Terndae. 
In Stad Of The Benden Water."

You carefully replace the red cloth, lying it over the contents of the 
basket.

---


Chuckling, Kindre bobs her head once again. "It's the perfect compliment 
to some of your Gather outfits, to be true. But, oh," she smirks while her 
eyes flick over the presents remaining, "do go on with opening, though I 
doubt any of us is bored."

Suzot pipes up, "Ai'm naht baered."

Emlyn is obviously not bored and wrinkles her face to dismiss that notion.
Kelset shakes his head, a quiet smile upon his lips, in agreement with the 
others. "Banish the thought."

Kassima lifts some red cloth from the basket, revealing a trio of bottles 
whose contents are each a different color. "Oh!" she exclaims in delight. 
"Liquors! And Suzot, you made them?" She grins with delight, continuing to 
look as silly as she's looked ever since her friends all popped out of 
hiding to surprise her. "'Tis a conspiracy, I tell you," she confides with 
a wink, "to make me long for the day I can drink again. I now own *four* 
bottles of the best liquor of Pern!" She gestures to the three in the 
basket, and to the sacred bottle from Saer's stash included with Ryi's 
gift. And when she spots the card in the basket, she starts giggling anew. 
"Thankee, Suzot! This is much better a gift than the Benden Water--if I 
drank that stuff now, who knows but that I might wind up with triplets or 
quints or some such thing?"

Suzot puffs up proudly. "Ai think et's a liettle bet laete, but ye culd 
saeve it fer the Namin' Day."

Merla chuckles at that.

Kassima laughs, placing the basket over with the other marvelous gifts 
that have already been unwrapped. "Indeed, 'twill be a time for 
celebration then. Especially if I manage to *think* of a good name... but 
I've a bit over seven months to consider, so who knows? Miracles *could* 
happen."


---

You unwrap the orange package and see:

Soft and somewhat fuzzy are the first descriptions that come to mind when 
regarding or touching this gift. A pillow, it's size is more appropriate 
for that of a babe's head than anything else. Stuffed to the gills with 
wherry feathers and double stiched to keep them in, the pillow also boasts 
bright colors across its face. Circles of ptich-black and starry-white 
alternate in circling rings until they meet the rich Benden red 'dot' in 
the center. Taking in the full picture, one would definately say it's a 
bovineseye! Intended as both a toy (can never start 'em too young) and a 
pillow, this gift is for the impending bundle of joy expected by the 
Turnday Girl!

You carefully re-wrap the orange cloth around hte package. A note near the 
cloth indicates that it is from Kindre.

---


K'ti stands and stretches with a bit of a yawn. "I've got t'be off... 
Jaralth's complainin that Kyt's about t'be takin lungfuls fer a scream 
again. He's still cuttin teeth."

Merla smiles, "Thanks for coming, K'ti :)!"

Suzot waves to K'ti, yawning a little herself.

Kelset lifts one hand in a brief wave to K'ti, accompanying the gesture 
with a quick smile.

Emlyn winces at the notion of a teething youngster. She salutes K'ti as 
the woman gets up to leave.

Kassima seems to be trying to open each of the presents first, saving the 
scrolls for last; thus, it is logical that she picks up the gift of orange 
wrapping next. "Ach, K'ti," she says sympathetically, "I hope y'fare well 
with him. Tickle the lad for me once he's feeling better, if'n 'twould? 
And thankee, thankee ever so much for both coming and for your fabulous 
gift!"

K'ti winks, "Ya couldn't keep me out, Merla. I couldna resist the notion 
of spookin Kassi."

Merla grins, "And it seems we more than did." she smiles, "I hope when my 
turnday rolls around again, you'll get me something half as nice." she 
chuckles.

K'ti says "Tell ya what, Kassi. When he cheers up an quiets down, I'll 
bring him by fer ye ta tickle fer a bit. He loves seein other people's 
faces."

Clear skies, K'ti," Kindre says before waving her farewell.

Jaralth lands at the lip of the weyr just long enough for K'ti to clamber 
up a leg and fasten up. He then drops to the side and glides over to his 
weyr.

K'ti steps up on Jaralth's foreleg and swings up with a small leap to 
settle between two neckridges. Jaralth turns his head to look at K'ti with 
a small croon.

Emlyn sits up straighter, then jups to her feet. "Ive got to go, too. I'm 
being called by Sionelle." Emlyn corners the rider who ferryed her up and 
rushes out. Manners? This is Sionelle she's rushing around for.

Kassima laughs. "Scare me you did," she admits. "And I'd love to see him, 
K'ti! Clear skies t'you--and t'you too, Emlyn!"

Kelset laughs a bit, adding another wave to Emlyn. "Good luck."

Kindre chuckles, "Good luck with her," she calls after the Weyrling. "Bye, 
Emlyn!"

Kassima waves to the departing folk, then busies her fingers with 
unwrapping the orange cloth. The pillow revealed, with its tri-colored 
bulls-eye, first makes her stare--and then laugh. "'Tis never too soon to 
start with the training!" she chortles, obviously delighted by the gift. 
"Kin, you know me so well! I'm going to put this right over there in that 
cradle... now all I need," she grins, "is a stuffed dagger."

Merla snorts at that.

Kelset grins, chuckling a bit.

Kassima places the pillow beside the straps, basket, bottles, tuber-
carving, and knife, letting her eyes rest fondly on each of the presents 
before looking down at the assortment of scrolls. "Did everyone in the 
Weyr know about this but me?" she asks with bemusement, seeing how many 
notes there are.

Suzot nods, still plumped up with pride at her part in the surprise.

Merla thinks a moment, and then nods, "Aye, pretty well. There is a 
stableboy who just arrived from Benden Hold who mayhap didn't..."

Merla looks about, "Is that the last of your gifts, Kassi?"

Kindre chuckles, her eyes seeming to twinkle as though they, too, were 
smirking. "How could anyone forget your turnday? Though this was Merla's 
doing, to be true. "

Merla waves a hand at that, "Nay...mayhap it was my thought, but the work 
wasn't mine alone, that is certain."

Adonith backwings for a landing.

Kassima chuckles, as she takes up a note tied with bright blue ribbon. 
"You'll have to tell me sometime how you managed to keep all of this a 
secret."

Alyssa slides down the beautiful purplish blue flank of her lifemate to 
come to a rest on the ground, Adonith swinging his head around to regard 
her adoringly.

"Have I missed everything?" asks Alyssa quietly as she dismounts, briefly 
bringing with her the biting chill of /between/.

Merla says, "Just the usual party festivities. Have a piece of cake, will 
you, it came all the way from Ruatha."

"Evening Alyssa," Kindre calls to the acting Wingleader and smiles. "No, 
not everything, though I myself was a bit late," her smiles turns a bit 
sheepish when she admits it. Her brows arch suddenly, "Ruatha, Merla? 
Shells, there goes my figure," she grins.

Kassima nods to Merlath, "I think so... the table and the scrolls are 
what's left. Lys!" She beams at the Wingsecond's arrival, and waves the 
scroll she holds in greeting. "Lys, *thank* you! The knife is... well, 
beautiful doesn't describe it." She pats the blade and its sheath with the 
sort of fondness the rider would hold for one of her most treasured 
weapons. "I'd display it on my rack," she gestures towards the rack of 
blades that can be found on the western wall, "but I doubt I could bear to 
be parted from it."

Merla chuckles at Kindre, "Ruatha. Gwennar baked it, and Meli brought it 
over."

Alyssa just presents Kassima with that quietly pleased smile that 
indicates deeply felt appreciation and affection. "It was our pleasure, 
Kassima...did they tell you T'lar created the sheath? He worked sevendays 
on it between...ah..." She clears her throat politely. "Other things."

Kassima's eyebrows dart up. "Gwennar? She's a *sharding* fine Baker--she 
makes the best lemon-bread in the world. And you say the cake's her work, 
too?" The greenrider's dark green eyes dart towards the confection, but 
then she remembers the scroll in her hands and starts to unroll it--an 
activity that pauses again as Lys speaks. "He did? Nay, 'twas nay told... 
but I should have guessed, by how fine and beautiful 'tis." She grins 
wryly at the mention of other things, too, with a faint nod. "I'll 
definitely recall to thank him for it."

Kelset almost comments, "For which?" but luckily thinks better of it. He 
simply chuckles a bit, grinning, instead, from his seat on his own sturdy 
crate.


---

A note, written on vellum, is placed on the table. A bright blue ribbon 
ties it. You take up the note, and untie the ribbon, loosing the scroll. 
On it, you read:

Kassima,
   Congratulations on your Turnday, and all the other Turndays you will be 
celebrating in the future. Cerilla and I always knew you would be one of 
the best riders to come from your weyrling class, and you've done nothing 
to prove us wrong. It is an honor to fly with you.

T'fian
Blue Meroth's Rider

You resecure the ribbon and set down the scroll.

---


Kassima slides the blue ribbon from the scroll she holds, and unwraps it 
to read the words thereon. Maybe it's some weird hormone thing, or maybe 
it's just the sentimental emotion of the entire day, but the usually 
irrepressible rider's eyes glisten suspiciously bright as she wraps the 
scroll back up. "I never would have thought," she murmurs, wiping at one 
eye--there must be something stuck in it, yeah, that's the ticket, "back 
when I left home nigh seven Turns agone that I'd ever have so many 
wonderful people wishing me well. You all are marvelous. Words can't 
describe it; even crazy, apt as it is for most of you," she adds with her 
characteristic grin, "doesn't come close."

Merla smiles at Kassi, "I am glad you feel appreciated..."

"You should feel appreciated," Alyssa adds to Merla's comment as she 
removes her riding helmet, shaking loose her blonde locks, "You certainly 
are, Kassima. And well-loved."

Kindre's smile is wide, her eyes betraying her admiration and well-
intended humor. "We're equally glad to have you in our own lives, Kassi. 
'Sides," she smirks, "I'd've never learned the vine or so many other 
things without you. Happiest of turndays, my friend."

Alyssa sets down her goggles and helmet, then her gloves, and stands near 
the rear where her overly tall frame will not block others' views. Her 
hand gently caresses Lysseth, her eyes shimmer with unspoken delight at 
Kassima's surprise.

Kassima shakes her head. "Shells if I know why; as I said earlier, I'm 
amazed all of you wouldn't rather give me a swift kick in the rear than 
gifts. But for some reason, that doesn't seem to be so... and rest assured 
that you all are just as well appreciated and loved by me, if nay more so, 
than ever I could be by you." And just as she says this, the greenrider's 
serious demeanor is somewhat ruined by the sound of about thirty-two 
fire-lizards all making an 'awwwww' sound, or as close as fire-lizards can 
come; they've obviously been trained to do that, though chances that Kassi 
would admit as much are about nil.

Kindre laughs aloud at the firelizard chorus, shaking her head after 
catching sight of several out-stretched green and blue necks as they sing. 
Chuckling quickly brought under control, she quips, "The kicking comes 
later...22, mayhaps?"

Lysseth croons--yes, croons--to the bluerider, her own spirits unusually 
high as she reflects her rider's sentimentality and joy. "Well," Kassi 
says, clearing her throat with a chuckle, "if'n m'fire-lizards are done 
embarrassing me...." She mock-glares at the completely unrepetant Blue 
Brigade. "Then mayhaps I can open the rest of these scrolls so that we can 
cut the cake--and even get to the kicking part!" This last she directs at 
Kin, with a half-bow in the queenrider's direction.


---

You pick up the scroll, and unrolling it, read:

Rosa's tone-deaf
And Quinath is too,
But we'll yodel our best
Happy Turnday to you!

Lots of love
Rosalen and Quinath :)

---


Merla carefully slices off a piece of the wedding cake and moves it onto 
her plate.

Merla says, "Well, I am going to try some of this cake..."

Kassima grins at Merla, unrolling a second scroll. "Just save a piece for 
me, eh? Wouldn't miss Gwennar's baking for the world...." Sudden laughter 
begins again as Kassi's eyes skim the inked lines, eyes dancing with 
mirth. "I never knew Rosalen was such a fine poet!"


---

You pick up the scroll, and read:

Happy Turn Day, to one of th wildest knife-throwing dames at Benden Weyr. 
Many happy returns of the day. From Emne.

You set down the scroll again.

---

A delicate sort of knotwork is drawn on the oustide of this scroll. You 
carefully unroll it (it's made of vellum, so its fairly sturdy, but very 
soft to the touch). Happy turnday Kassi! May your turnday, and all the 
days from now to the next, be perfect. Merla. Oh, by the way, the table is 
for you too. M. You wrap the velum up again, and set it on the table.

===


Alyssa murmurs to Merla nearby, "She seems very surprised and pleased. 
This was a grand idea."

Kassima continues to chuckle while reading over the next well-wishing. 
"One of the wildest? Hmmm... I'll have to try harder if'n I want the 
'wildest' standing, obviously." The words of the final scroll, however, 
cause one greenrider jaw to drop in shock. "Merla! This lovely table, 
*and* the ring? But... but... but...." She seems about to keep stuttering 
a protest, until she realizes she shouldn't *be* protesting and closes her 
mouth with a snap. "'Tis such a fine table, though!"


---

This table is the deep, rich red of skybroom wood, and has been expertly 
sanded, stained and polished. The top of the table is the woodcut image of 
a dragon. Its neck is curved downard, keeping it close to its body, and 
its tail is curved upward doing the same. The legs of the table are four 
stylised firelizards, standing on their tails, supporting the top of the 
table with a spout of flame coming from their mouths.

----


Merla nods to Alyssa, "Aye, I agree..." she smiles to Kassima, "I know. 
That's why I want you to have it. Besides, you can't expect Kimbrith to 
lug it down, after bringing it up here, can you?"

"'Tis so splendid, though," Kassi murmurs, running her fingers across the 
surface. "Merla, you've *got* to tell me when your Turnday is so that I 
can return some of the favor. And Lys, yours isn't far off, is it?" 
Calculations for just how to finagle marks out of other riders dance 
through her head, the turning of mental wheels visible in her thoughtful 
expression. "But how I'll ever be able to pay *any* of you back for all of 
this...."

Alyssa blinks. "Hmm? My turnday? Oh, Kassima, no. It's passed already."

"But F'nar's is very soon...he'll be forty," the bluerider adds.

Meli wakes up, rubbing at her eyes andd glancing around blearily.

Kindre continues to look over all the well-wishes on scrolls and the 
presents, smiling almost dumbly. "Oh," her eyes flick back up when she 
finally returns her attentions to more animate things. "I may have to 
steal some cake.." Eyeing the greenrider, she rolls her eyes while patting 
the knife hanging on her belt.

Merla says, "I believe I am mostly safe from you. My turnday is just 
past." she smiles innocently :)

Kassima blinks at Alyssa, dismayed. "I missed it? Shells! I'm terribly 
sorry... this is why you should mark these things *down*, dwiddlydwonk," 
she mutters fiercly to herself. "Well, mayhaps 'tis nay too late... I'll 
get you both things nonetheless; call them friendship gifts, if'n y'like, 
but you're *nay* escaping so easily." Turning towards Kin, she sets the 
last scroll down and grins. "I think 'tis cake time i'truth!"

Alyssa chuckles quietly. "Kassima, your friendship is all the gift I need. 
Truly. I don't care for a fuss. You should know that by now."

Hearing mention of cake, Meli finally places herself. "Oh, yeh" she 
expresses profoundly. Moving towards the cluster of people, she stops 
where she can see the table and cake, nudging Alyssa slightly and 
murmuring to her "Did she open her gifts already?"

"Agreed on that," Kindre nods to Alyssa's comment quickly and smiles. 
Eyeing up the cake once again, she pats her stomach. "Shells, if that 
doesn't look like the prettiest cake I've yet to lay eyes on...it's likely 
three times as good to taste," she chuckles and moves closer to it to get 
a piece.

Alyssa merely nods in answer to Meli's inquiry as she moves a little 
closer to the dragons and the shadows, content to watch silently.

Kassima smiles at Lys. "Who says gifts have to be accompanied by fuss?" 
She nods towards the enormous fair of fire-lizards littering the premises. 
"With them as messengers, and a harness that Eryssiara made for me, I can 
send just about anything wherever I please without fuss. But I'll remember 
what you said, about F'nar." Scooting her crate-chair closer to the cake, 
she espies Meli and waves happily to her friend. "Meli! Shells--Acting 
Wingleaders, Weyrleaders, goldriders, Assistant Weyrlingmasters... who'd 
ever have thougt I'd have such prestigious company on my Turnday?"


---

This enormous cake was carefully made as a magnificant testimony to the 
friendship the members of the weyr feel for Kassima. Made up of several 
layers of rich klah-almond cake, it is frosted in pure white, and the 
edges are decorated with scallops in alternating bright red and black, the 
Weyr's colors. Around the base of the cake are small designs of hardened 
dough that depict a furious fair of fire-lizards. A pine-green dragon 
flaming in flight graces the top of the cake. Feel free to 'cut' yourself 
a slice.

---


Meli sticks her tongue out at Kassi, as if to belie this comment about 
prestigious company. "Prolly everyone jus' wondered wha' y'had hidin' up 
here, Kassi. Afraid th'whole place was full o'knives an' such."

Kassima snorts with amusement and picks up the unique and elegant knife on 
the table, pointing with it towards the well-stocked knife-rack. "The 
place *is* full of knives, m'friend!" she retorts with a quirked grin. 
Finally achieving a good closeness to the cake, she whistles again in 
admiration when she gets the better view. "Gwennar's work is always 
fantastic, but this...." she murmurs.

Alyssa blinks a bit, turns to look at Adonith curiously, then nods. "Might 
I come back later? I'm apparently wanted in our weyr...something about 
Alnar and not wanting to go to bed on time."

Merla grins at Kassi.

Kassima tears her eyes from the glorious confection to nod to Lys, tacking 
on a salute as well. "You're always welcome to come back any time, Lys," 
she says sincerely. "Give Alnar my regards, if'n 'twould be so kind?"

"I shall." Alyssa returns the salute, salutes Merla, and heads for her 
dragon.

Alyssa uses the oiled straps and an extended foreleg to mount Adonith and, 
once settled between his neckridges, she rubs his hide adoringly and 
receives, in return, a loving warblecroon.

Adonith spreads his wings and leaps from Lysseth's ledge.

"Oh, may I catch a ride to the bowl with you, "'Lys," Kindre wonders 
quickly. "I've got to finish up a...project," she shudders, " for 
Jerissa." Mumbling something of tunnelsnakes briefly, she quickly regains 
her smile. Giving Kassi a quick hug, she adds a playful bap to her arm. 
"Twenty one more...I owe you. Again, happy turnday Kass!"

Kassima returns the hug, and the bap, though very lightly in the latter 
case. "If everyone starts giving me the baps they owe me, I'll be black 
and blue before the day is out!" she jests, laughing. "Thankee, Kin! And 
thankee again for the pillow, as well. Mayhaps next Turn, the lad or lass 
will be old enough for a tiny whip of their own...." She winks, nodding 
towards the small green whip at its place on her wall.

Meli exhales loudly, tapping her booted foot on the stone floor. "Shells, 
Kassi, are you ever goin' t'cut tha'thing, or are y'going t'wait til it 
petrifies and then drop it on some poor soul in th'bowl?"

Kindre quietly slips off.

Kassima blinks at Meli, and looks thoughtful for a moment. "Y'know, that 
actually sounds like a fair idea...." But she laughs, and gets up off of 
her crate to walk over to the knife-rack. Selecting an unornamented 
carving-knife, she pauses for a moment; it would seem she's reluctant to 
defile the cake by slicing it further. With a shrug, she gets over it and 
cuts Meli a decently-sized slice off of one corner. "Happy now, hungry 
one?" she grins.

Kassima carefully slices off a piece of the wedding cake and moves it onto 
her plate.

Benden Weyr> Merla says, "Gwennar's cake is making me hungry :)"

Meli eyes the piece, gauging its size. "Hmm. I'll let y'know." But she 
does accept the plate, and a fork, stepping aside to let the others get 
theirs.

Kassima rolls her eyes, amused. "Picky, picky. You know as well as I that 
a Gwennar-cake is apt to be more than satisfactory. Merla, did you want 
another slice as well?"

Merla nods, "Sure, Kassi, give me another..."

Kassima takes opportunity of the pause in conversation to cut herself a 
decently-sized piece of cake, setting this aside to deposit a slice on 
Merla's plate. "How have both of you been?" she asks the riders, veering 
around the boxes to sit in her favored blue chair with plate in hand. 
"Both well, I hope?"

Merla says, "Yes, quite so. Busy with the records as always, but there's 
been some interesting things to go over, so I don't mind too much."

"Me? M'fine" Meli replies as she finishes her cake. "Wasn't even sick 
t'day."

Kassima nods to the goldrider, deftly navigating her fork towards a corner 
of the cake to cut off a bite-sized piece. "Interesting things, y'say? I 
hope 'tis the good sort of interesting." To Meli, she quips wryly, 
"Neither was I, but only because I skipped breakfast a'fore sweeps. Right 
'tween breakfast and lunch is when I seem t'be most susceptible."

Merla says with a grin, "YOu'd likely as not hear me complinaing if it 
weren't, Kassi."

Meli settles herself, hands on her full stomach, and grins at the 
goldrider. "Ok, spill it then."

Kassima laughs and gestures with her fork. "Aye, do so! I don't know about 
Meli, but I for one am as curious as any two felines, and interesting news 
is always welcome."

Merla rolls her eyes, "Well, I found some interesting records from the 
last interval. Apparently, it there was a period of some twenty turns 
where Benden Weyr had a brownrider as Weyrleader. Did you know that?"

Meli's brows lift, her mouth falling open slightly. "Really? Wow, who was 
tha'?"

Kassima blinks and stops chewing, fork paused in motion above her slice of 
cake. She swallows and asks, "There was? I'd heard of brownriders serving 
as Acting Weyrleaders at Ista and Fort, and a greenrider or two at High 
Reaches, but never here...."

Merla says, "His name was T'del. His dragon's name was...ooh...I forget 
now. I haven't found any explinations, but he was Weyrleader for about 
ninteen turns...almost twenty."

Kassima shakes her head in amazement, slowly resuming in her decimating of 
the cake slice. "I'd never known that. Did the Records say why? Did his 
brown fly the senior gold, or was he chosen in some other circumstance?"

Meli chuckles. "Kassi, I think if Merla knew, she'd have said, neh?"

Nicoth backwings for a landing.

T'lar slides precipitously down from Nicoth's back.

Meli glances over at bronze and rider as they arrive, from her comfortable 
seat near Juliath. "Well there, weyrmate, nice t'see you this evening."

T'lar says "Can I crash this party?"

Kassima chuckles and smiles, sheepishly. "I suppose you've a point in 
that," she acknowledges. "I'm afraid I let my curiousity overcome my 
common sense too often for my own good... assuming that I *have* any 
common sense, that is, which I sincerely doubt. T'lar!" She waves over to 
the bronzerider and his lifemate with her cakeified fork. "You're just in 
time for the cake. Help yourself to a piece; Faranth knows, there's 
plenty."

Nicoth whuffles the other dragons, the females that is, in welcome. He 
settles down next to Kimbrith.

T'lar stoops to kiss his weyrmate before moving over to Kassima. "Happy 
Turnday. And thanks, the cake looks great."

T'lar carefully slices off a piece of the Turnday cake and moves it onto 
his plate.

T'lar says "I feel like a fifth wheel here with so many beautiful women." 
His smile broadens. "That or terribly lucky."

Merla smiles to T'lar.

Lysseth warbles to Nicoth from the direction of her couch, where she's 
currently playing 'Swat the 'Lizard' with a few of the fifty-nine that are 
perched here and there. "Thankee, T'lar," the green's rider responds with 
a smile. "For a day that marks getting older, this one hasn't been half 
bad--even if'n I suspect they *did* scare a Turn of m'life out of me, 
popping out of hiding like that!"

T'lar laughs. "Sorry I missed it." He pauses to give the turnday girl a 
turnday kiss. "Evening, Merla. How are you doing?"

Meli laughs, tossing her head back. "You will /not/, bronzerider, make it 
three for three. Ok?"

Merla says, "Well, thanx."

T'lar blinks innocently at Meli. "But there are four of you here."

"I think I prefer that to those twenty-two thwaps that Kindre was 
threatening me with," Kassi chuckles, a chuckle which turns into 
full-blown laughter at Meli's comment. "Meli! You're incorrigible. I hope 
you realize that."

Merla chuckles at T'lar's comment at Meli, 'We all did, if she didn't."

T'lar sits next to Merla and puts an arm nonchalantly around her waist. 
"You're looking awfully pretty today, goldrider."

Merla grins at T'lar, "What do you want from me?"

Meli rolls her eyes, extending her plate towards Kassi. "Think y'could cut 
me off another /small/ piece w'out slaughterin' th'whole cake?"

T'lar's innocent act has returned in full force. "Want? Why do you think I 
want something? Can't I just be friendly?"

Kassima rolls her eyes good-naturedly and points her fork towards the 
bronzerider and goldrider. "See why everyone keeps saying you should put a 
stud fee on him, Meli?" she can't resist commenting with a wicked smile. 
Said smile switches to less wicked and more affable as she accepts Meli's 
plate and leans over to cut another perfectly generous piece from the 
cake, which is the same size as the last. "Nay problem, Meli; if we don't 
eat it, I can't see m'self keeping the 'lizards from doing so without 
staying up all night to guard it."

T'lar says "Stud fee?" He considers this for a moment. "Sure. As long as I 
get a cut." His eyes twinkle with amusement. "But for my favorite 
goldrider, I'll do it for free."

Merla tilts her head, "Shall I inform Jehrina of this...?"

T'lar gapes. "Uh...Jehrina...no...uh..." He swallows, chokes, coughs and 
continues. "I mean you, of course, Merla. Only you."

Meli's very obvious interest in her cake readily belies the fact that 
she's carefully listening to the exchange. A soft snicker emerges from her 
general vicinity when the bronzerider is caught up short.

Merla grins at T'lar, "You and Meli make a good pair...you match each 
other in incorrigiblness."

Kassima scrapes some of the icing from her plate and peers through her 
thatch of bangs, which definitely need a trim, up at the bronzerider. 
Expression belying her amusement, she quips, "Now, now, T'lar. I'm certain 
you'll outdo F'hlan and N'ren and all the others when it comes to numbers 
of children in time; nay need to have *all* of 'em be at once, eh?" She 
nearly snorts cake up her nose as she overhears Merla, and settles for 
trying to clear her throat of what confectionary matter she inhaled 
instead.

T'lar says "Heh. She's incorrigible. I just don't need much 
encouragement."

Meli looks quite ready to reply to Merla's comment, but as she'd been 
pretending not to be listening, she can't quite justify it. So she just 
settles for grinning. When T'lar speaks, however, she gives a louder 
snort. "Yeh, right, encouragement. Kassi, did he need much 
encouragement?"

Kassima stage-whispers to the others, "So we must be certain nay to 
incorrige him further!" Oh, yes, she's just full of bad jokes tonight.

T'lar gets serious for moment. "I want children because I love children, 
but I'll take what I'm given and be very happy." He just smiles at the 
greenriders, affection for both quite evident.

T'lar takes a big bite of cake. "Mmmmmm thish is reawy goodth." He smiles 
boyishly as he talks with his mouth full.

Meli's expression softens. "Aw, how sweet. See now why I keep 'im?" she 
asks the other women.

"Encouragement?" the younger greenrider asks, wide-eyed. She taps her chin 
with her cake-caked fork for a moment, heedless of crumbs. "What 
encouragement?" The playful, jesting tone is replaced by one more serious 
as she mirrors T'lar's smile--save for the fact that hers shows traces of 
icing here and there. "Well, I'd say you've made a good start on the 
children market, m'friend... aye, Meli, I suppose I do at that. Good to 
have one riddle I never could figure out solved." She winks at the other 
greenrider, seriousness back to taking a backseat for the moment.

T'lar smiles and continues to devour the cake.

Merla also continues at her cake.

Adonith backwings for a landing.

Merla waves to Alyssa and Adonith.

Alyssa slides down the beautiful purplish blue flank of her lifemate to 
come to a rest on the ground, Adonith swinging his head around to regard 
her adoringly.

T'lar looks down at his empty plate with a sigh. The wind of the arriving 
dragon causes him to look up. "Hiya, Adontih, Alyssa."

Kassima chuckles and turns her head to inquire of Meli, "Did you see Ryi's 
gift? I've got to admit, it's apt. Weird, but apt." Placing her now-empty 
cake plate on the table, she salutes Lys and Adonith with the fork before 
setting it aside similarly. "Welcome back, Acting Wingleader!"

Merla smiles to Alyssa, "Greetings..."

Merla laughs at Kassi, "Got it right, that time, you did!"

Meli shakes her head, replying to Kassi even as she waves at Alyssa "Nope, 
what'd she bring?"

Alyssa blinks at the greeting, then laughs a bit. "Kassima, dearest...
Alyssa will do." She salutes Merla, then waves to everyone else."

T'lar stands to attention and salutes (with the empty plate covered with 
crumbs). "Wingleader, ma'am."

Alyssa returns the salute with that look that says, "MUST you?", though 
she smiles.

Kassima grins up at Lys, pushing herself out of her chair. "Well, I didn't 
want to chance your getting F'nar to assign me to latrine duty for a day 
again." When she reaches the table, she picks up the odd paisley-dyed 
leather contraption that looks something like a sling and passes it to 
Meli with a chuckle.

T'lar all but laughs out loud as he relaxes. "I had to do that. Want some 
cake?"

Alyssa chuckles quietly and glances toward the bowl. "He's elbow-deep in 
reports again. P'tran keeps him SO busy. I wanted to come back down for 
just a moment."

Merla stands, "If you'll all excuse me, Kimmy and I're gonna get something 
proper to eat...so I don't finish off your cake and get a headache!"

T'lar smiles at the goldrider. "See you later, Merla. Have a good night."

Saluting Merla again, Alyssa says quietly, "Clear skies, weyrwoman. And my 
warmest regards to Kimbrith."

Nicoth croons to Kimbrith before resettlingly himself closer to Juliath.

Kassima laughs and half-wave, half-salutes to Merla. "Clear skies, 
goldrider! And thankee... I can't really thank you enough, but thankee 
nonetheless."

Adonith sniffs derisively at the bronze whose rump takes up -way- too much 
space on the ledge, and he snuggles against Lysseth happily.

Kimbrith rumbles to all the dragons, before lifting off.

Kimbrith spreads her wings and leaps from Lysseth's ledge.

Lysseth scoots over in her couch to make room for her blue, shoving aside 
a couple dozen fire-lizards who chitter in dismay.

Meli picks at her second piece of cake, calling a greeting over to Alyssa 
and a farewell to Merla.

Nicoth raises his head and harumphs in Adonith's general direction.

Adonith ignores the large metallic lump obstructing his view of Juliath.

T'lar cuts himself another piece of cake and one for Alyssa. "Here you go, 
wingleader. It's really good." He takes a seat next to Meli up against 
Juliath.

Alyssa just waves her hand at T'lar. "Thank you, bronzerider, but no. I've 
not much of a sweettooth."

T'lar says "Aw, Lys. You gotta try it. Ofira outdid herself." When he is 
further refused, he shrugs and settles down to eat BOTH pieces. "Well, I 
like it."

Lysseth isn't paying much attention to anything, really, except the 
fire-lizards she's trying to keep from perching all over her. Displaced 
from the couch, they all seem determined to resettle on the green. 
"Welcome to a day in my crazed life," Kassi quips dryly as she picks up a 
stick with... something... on the end. It looks like hair, but it's too 
brown to be from her own blue-black locks. When she waves it at the 
'lizards, several of them shriek, and all find better places to perch. 
"There! That's better. Actually, T'lar, this is Gwennar of Ruatha's work. 
She's the concoctor of the infamous lemon bread."

"Careful, luv, if y'keep that up, you'll be fatter'n me even 'fore I start 
ballooning up" Meli murmurs through a smile.

T'lar's eyes widen, crumbs tumble from his chin. "Oh, sowwy."

Kassima laughs and calls over to Meli, "Faranth forfend! You might have to 
loan him that tunic, if'n 'twere the case."

Juliath, likewise, just wants enough space to get comfortable. She doesn't 
even seem to mind being so close to Lysseth, in what is obviously 
Lysseth's home turf. Amazing.

And if you think that's amazing, consider this: Lysseth doesn't seem to 
mind Juliath's presence in her weyr at all, and even with a bunch of 
fire-lizards flitting about her, that's unusual enough since the green is 
hardly accustomed to sharing weyr-space with anyone--much less another 
green.

Alyssa places the back of her hand against her mouth to hide a yawn as she 
listens wordlessly, lingering near the dragons and smiling faintly at the 
goings on.

T'lar swallows and looks indignantly at his weyrmate and cringes at 
Kassima's comment. "I will not get fat and I will not wear THAT tunic."

Meli levers herself upright, balancing the plate and fork carefully. 
"Shells, luv, it's a beautiful tunic. Would look jus' fine on you."

T'lar supports Meli as she rise. "I didn't say it wasn't beautiful, but 
it's a maternity tunic for Faranth's sake. I wouldn't be caught dead in 
something like that."

Meli grins, leaning over to give the bronzerider a quick peck on the 
cheek. "Next time y'lose a flight, we'll see."

T'lar's eyebrow raises thoughtfully. "hmmm." A slow blush creeps up his 
cheeks, but his smile seems interested.

Kassima agrees with Meli. "I think gold and red would look well on you, 
bronzerider," she says sweetly. That sweet tone has been identified by 
many as Kassi at her worst. "Besides, there's naught wrong with maternity 
tunics. 'Tis like kilts; they're good for... circulation! Aye, 'tis 
truth." She nods enthusiastically, then ducks her head to hide the grin 
she's no longer able to suppress.

Meli laughs, then steps closer to Alyssa. "Didn't get t'talk to you much 
earlier, how're y'doin'?"

T'lar throws the last bit of his cake at Kassima. "Yeah, right. Kilts will 
cause portions of your anatomy to get cold that should never get that 
cold."

Alyssa replies softly as she watches the Turnday Girl, "Well, thank you. A 
bit weary; for some reason, sunset sweeps wear me out. How are you 
feeling?"

With a faint *thwap*, the cake lands smack-dab on Kassi's nose. She 
blinks, eyes crossing as she tries to get a look at it. While scraping it 
off, she snorts. "I wear kilts all the time, y'know, and they're nay so 
bad. Nay the best for riding in on a windy day, but nay so bad... and 
kilts are good luck. Ask Mart about that sometime." The greenrider rubs 
the last of the cake from her nose, and adds, "Even if he *did* keep 
insisting that Kin and I just wanted him to wear it so that we could 
castrate him more easily, I think he realized the untruth in that 
statement--else why would he have worn one to the Hatching?"

Meli pats her flat stomach, smiling to herself. "Oh, jus' fine. Two pieces 
of cake, wasn't sick at all t'day. Took a nap this afternoon too." 
Glancing at Alyssa again, she reaches out her hand to touch her friend's 
arm. "You really ok?"

T'lar laughs. "True. He did look truly proud down on the sand." He leans 
over and kisses the last bit of cake off her nose. "I guess I just tried 
to wear mine on the wrong day."

Alyssa nods, the smile warming slightly. "I miss T'fian," she admits in a 
low voice. "But I'm very well. I must just be poor at showing that; people 
are always asking me if I'm all right."

Kassima grins and wrinkles her nose, reaching up to tweak T'lar's in turn. 
"Mayhaps. You have a kilt? I didn't know that. You really will have to 
display it for all of us sometime; I promise, I'll try to keep Lyss from 
whuffling you if you do. She likes whuffling kilts; the sadistic creature 
finds it fun to see how red she can make people turn." Glancing over at 
Lys, she comments softly, "At least this time 'tis nay that he's injured 
or aught, for which I think we can all be grateful. He'll make a superb 
Weyrsecond. But 'twould seem perfectly natural to me for you to miss him; 
he always seemed a good leader from my vantage point, though a'course I'm 
nay Skyfire so can't say for true."

Meli smiles, giving her arm a light squeeze. "Well, glad t'hear it. That 
you really are well, I mean. I think I'm goin' t'need you quite healthy 
an' sane in order t'get me through th'next, um, seven months or so."

Alyssa admits as she toys with a button on her jacket, "He was my 
Weyrlingmaster, then my Wingleader. Four Turns' worth. I suppose I rely on 
him too much. And Meli...I'll not leave either you or Kassima worry about 
being sane. I'm here to help you."

T'lar blushes. "T'fian was a great wingleader and he's not realy gone." 
Standing, he leans against a green flank. "You getting through the next 
seven months? What about me?"

Meli steps forward, catching Alyssa in an embrace, giving her a kiss on 
the cheek. "Thanks, 'lys. You're th'best."

Kassima chuckles quietly. "Since when do I worry about being sane? Nay 
need to worry over what I've never been... but in all seriousness, Lys, 
'tis right grateful that I am for that. You can just copy what Meli said 
for me as well; 'tis relying on you and the others who've been through 
this for advice that I'll be."

Alyssa chuckles, looking down at her hands. "It's been a long time since I 
had a baby but...we'll see."

T'lar says "Want one, Lys?"

T'lar looks like he's ready to duck.

Meli steps back, keeping her hands on Alyssa's arms, giving the taller 
woman a good looking over. "S'not as if you're old an' gray, 'lys. Still 
plenty o'time for more babies. Can't see as how I'll want more'n one, 
m'self!"

Alyssa hmmms? at T'lar. "Sorry?"

Meli just snorts at her weyrmate. "Ask him about his stud fees, 'lys, if 
y'need a good laugh."

T'lar just smiles innocently. "Nothing, Lyssa. Nothing."

T'lar says "Now, I didn't bring up the subject of stud fees. I just didn't 
disagree."

Blushing, Alyssa says as she straightens up from her slump, "I'll...um...
think about it. F'nar and I just don't seem to have much luck."

"Oh, now," Kassi chides lightly. "Would you really ask Lys to pay a fee, 
Meli? With her being such a good friend and all?" She grins impishly, 
winks at all three riders, then turns somewhat serious again. "Aye, Lys, 
y'never know but that you'll find yourself expecting one of a sudden. Just 
drink lots of Water."

T'lar ohs as he realizes he's trespassed on an uncomfortable subject. He 
busies himself scritching Juliath's eyeridge.

Alyssa smiles softly and touches Kassima's shoulder. "I somehow think it's 
not the water; I drink it all the time, you know. And speaking of F'nar...
he's waiting for me. Will you three excuse me?"

T'lar comes over and gives the bluerider an tight hug. "Sleep well, 
Alyssa."

"Well, y'did say he's awfully busy lately, 'lys" Meli says. "Tha's prolly 
all it is. And yeh, go to your weyrmate. I think I'll drag mine home too. 
Less y'want t'stay a while longer, T'lar/"

Kassima smiles and steps forward to hug Lys as soon as T'lar's done doing 
so. "A'course. 'Tis clear skies I'm wishing for you--and thankee once 
again, for the marvelous blade and for your company this eve."

Alyssa returns the embrace warmly, even oofing lightly. "You're stronger 
than you realize, T'lar. Kassima, Happy Turnday, and many more. And 
Meli...anytime you need anything. Oh, Kassima...the blade was a gift from 
a number of us, you know. T'lar, Meli, Caitria, Merla, C'vadan..."

T'lar yawns dramatically. "Well...I'm feeling a bit like bed would be a 
welcome thing about now. How do you feel, Meli?" Walking over to her he 
tries to find out just how she feels.

Meli ruffles T'lar's hair. "Feelin' fine, T'lar. But headin' t'bed sounds 
like a good idea."

Kassima blinks in surprise, and chuckles lightly. "Merla wasn't much 
exaggerating when she said the whole Weyr knew... how I'll track everyone 
down to thank them, I've nay clue. But I can start with you three: all of 
this means more t'me than I can say, and other such sentimental 
sentiments. Thanks for making this a Turnday to remember, and may the 
winds be fair beneath your dragon's wings." She cracks a smile, then ohs. 
"Any of you want any cake, by the by? 'Tis great stuff, and I'd nay see it 
gone to waste."

Alyssa blinks as she starts toward Adonith, turns around, and asks a 
little shyly, "Might I take a piece back for F'nar and Alnar? They both 
love Gwennar's confections."

Meli smiles. "No problem, Kassi, we were happy t'do it. An' as for cake, 
neh, two pieces will do me jus' fine. Could always put th'rest in 
th'kitchen or lc for others, I s'pose."

T'lar pats his hair back into place, sorta. "Race ya." He turns, grabs 
Kassima up into a big hug, dipping her for a kiss. Then he runs up to 
Nicoth and right up his flank onto his back.

Adonith turns slightly to whuffle the bronze. Maybe he doesn't hate him 
after all.

"Hey, wait!!" Meli exclaims, giving Kassi a quick arm squeeze before she 
moves over to Juliath.

Nicoth whuffles the little blue back rather sweetly. No one was looking, 
right?

T'lar is catapulted up by a quick movement of Nicoth's snout. He gets the 
bronze an affectionate slap.

Kassima smiles and wields her cake-caked cleaver again, hacking off a 
sizeable slab for Lys--then lets go of the knife just in time to avoid 
eviscerating T'lar when she's dipped. She laughs, "I think I prefer that 
way of saying good-bye to just 'clear skies', i'truth! G'night, you 
two."

Meli climbs smoothly up Juliath's extended foreleg and settles herself 
between the neck ridges, as the green gives a welcome rumble from deep in 
her throat.

From atop Nicoth, T'lar says "Night, all."

Nicoth spreads his wings and leaps from Lysseth's ledge.

Juliath spreads her wings and leaps from Lysseth's ledge.

Alyssa kisses Kassima's cheek, takes the slices of cake, and moves toward 
Adonith. "See you tomorrow, Kassima."

From the air, Juliath flies towards the south end of the bowl.

Alyssa pauses to pat Lysseth, then mounts her blue.

Alyssa uses the oiled straps and an extended foreleg to mount Adonith and, 
once settled between his neckridges, she rubs his hide adoringly and 
receives, in return, a loving warblecroon.

Kassima nods, walking back over to her new table and the gifts thereon. 
"Night, Alyssa. Sleep well; dream well, and clear skies to you always."

Settled between Adonith's neckridges, Alyssa smiles down warmly and nods. 
"And to you as well, love. Take care of that baby."

Adonith spreads his wings and leaps from Lysseth's ledge.