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Divine Secrets of the Telgar Sisterhood


Date:  August 11, 2003
Place:  Telgar Weyr Hot Springs
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:  'Divine' might be a *small* exaggeration when it comes
to describing the secrets in this log; actually, even 'secrets' isn't
quite the right word.  'Gossip' would be more accurate.  But what fun
would titling logs be if I couldn't abuse poetic license? ;)  Five 
Telgar women run into each other in the Hot Springs and cheerfully
share bits of local news--most particularly concerning K'ran and his
harem of women past and present.  Kassi also attempts to convince 
Yselle and Kichevio to spawn K-named children, but what else is new?

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The Log:

Dianneth flies over the edges of rock and lands on the far end of the springs.

Yselle swings down from Dianneth's neckridges, and slides down her side.

Naelanth flies over the edges of rock and lands on the far end of the springs.

Stationed, as per the usual, in the largest of the steam pools, Lysseth is
currently enjoying a thorough scrubbing--back-scrubbing, anyway; the rest
of her, from half-submerged body to outspread, floating wingsails, already
gleams, and so it may be that Kassi's attacking her back with sand less in
the name of cleanliness and more in the name of pampering. Have we
mentioned that the greenrider's singing, too? She is. "...Lift up his kilt
and see what's under, lift up his kilt and see what's under, lift up his
kilt and see what's under, ear-ly in the morning!" Oh, great. It's the
Drunken Rider song.

Telgar Weyr> Kassima ohs and remembers something. For any interested
parties: I've got a log of the Weyrling graduation in all its
scarf-intensive and pompommed glory posted, finally. :)

Telgar Weyr> Yselle oos.

Telgar Weyr> Mirah says, "Yay! I guess I'll read it since I wasn't there :/"

Naelanth drops down from the darker night sky, through the steam of the
baths, wings snapping back to beat at the vapours. His claws reach for
purchase, and Javinia's unbuckling before he finds it. "Heyla!" she calls,
cheerily enough, swinging a leg over, pausing only to peer at her
wingleader for a moment, especially when she catches the chorus.

Javinia swings a leg over, then slides down Naelanth's shoulder.

Alerith flies over the edges of rock and lands on the far end of the springs.

Dianneth arcs through the entrance to the baths, not long after Naelanth
tucking her wings only just enough to get through, she announces her
arrival with a bugle that echoes through the caverns. The Green Has
Arrived. She swoops just a little further than necessary, banking, turning,
arcing around and finally, landing on the side of the pool. Yselle slides
down her side, offering the green a stroke of soft hide before beginning to
remove her straps. "Hey Javi, wingleader."

Alerith doesn't exactly swoop, or sweep or even arc really. He simply gets
the job done, a pragmatic flyer is Alerith. Neatly he lands beside the
pool, not even with a single stray claw in the water as he's wont to do. A
croon is sent 'round to the other dragons about, as he settles and allows
Meri to slip down his brown hide. She does so, scattering nods about in
greeting "Javi, Mirah, Yselle--Kassi" The last name getting a loose salute
as well, softened by a wink. Alerith is removed of his straps and Meri of
her clothes and both go into their respective pools, human and dragon.

Merielan carefully dismounts from Alerith's long neck.

"What d'you do with a drunken rider, ear-ly in the morning? Tie him up with
his straps 'til he's sober, tie him up with his straps 'til he's sober, tie
him up with his straps 'til he's sober, ear-ly in the morning!" Kassi
pauses this rather enthusiastic and ringing recital from atop her dragon's
back upon realizing there are now other persons present. It's doubtful that
brief flush of red across her face and neck can be entirely attributed to
steam. "Oops. Was I being loud?" Lysseth's amused rumble is a decided
affirmative. "Shush, beast; 'twasn't asking *you*--sorry about that.
G'deve, Javi, Yselle, and d'you *have* t'still be Wingleadering me? Meri!
I'd bid you g'deve too, but I'm nay talking t'you now. You *saluted* me."

Javinia's boots hit solid ground, and she's ducking under her brown's
languid neck, following Yselle's example, working his straps off. He's
taciturn, her brown, though he makes his own snorting welcome. It's a
grudging sound that makes Javinia roll her eyes, smack his hide. "Into the
baths with you. Yes, yes: right behind you." And she is. After she's tugged
off boots, taken off clothes, paused to greet the other brownrider. "Meri!
Heyla." Then she slips into the pool after Naelanth, surfacing again in the
suck of his wake. "Oh, not so very loud," she reassures her wingleader,
albeit with dimples to betray her.

Yselle glances over to Kassima consideringly. "Mmm," she mutters. Her gaze
rests on the woman as she continues to undo the straps. "Brownrider," she
says, finishing the unstrapping, and coiling the straps up in a neat pile.
Her movements, even after flying, are subdued. It's only a matter of time
before she too is undressed and in the water with her lifemate.

"Only out of utmost respect for your singing..." Is Meri's rejoinder to
Kassi--doing her best to look utterly innocent of any wrongdoing. "..I
don't know why you'd take offense at a sincere compliment Kassi." Meri is
trying hard to keep up her straight face but the laughter glinting in her
eyes doesn't really go with her innocent demeanor. She's saved--at least
for a few moments--by the quick and vigerous scrubbing that commences.
Having cleaned herself, Meri pulls on a large, loose shirt and shorts--and
slips into the dragon pool. "C'mon love--" She murmurs one hopes to her
brown "--time to get clean."

Kassima gives Javi a highly amused, highly doubtful look. "Rule number
four," she says, "try nay t'show the dimples while you're lying if'n you
can help it. They give you away something terrible. Ach, well, you'd likely
be hearing me sing that eventually, anyway--that is, if'n we ever end up
drinking together, at the Lounge or somewhere. When drunk, I'm
approximately seventy-seven percent more likely t'sing that song than any
other. Usually with all the leather verses left in." Just what the
brownrider doubtless needed to know. "You should come drinking too, Yselle.
Boll makes a sharding fine Green Dragon. Or have you seen the Lounge
already?" She straightens from her scrubbing of one of Lyss's neckridges to
slant a half-disturbed and half-laughing glance towards Merielan: "You
saluted me... out of respect for m'*singing*? That's an original one. I
have t'give you a point for creativity if'n naught else."

Even Dianneth's wading is done with grace; and Yselle picks up a scrub
brush to start the cleaning in a distinctly unenthusiastic sort of way. "I
don't go drinking," she murmurs. "But thank you. I haven't seen the Lounge,
no."

Javinia sets to scrubbing dragon first before she considers herself.
Naelanth rolls and luxuriates under the attention, eyes double-lidding.
"Oh, feh!" Javinia exclaims. "Right. No dimples. No dimples." She repeats
it like a mantra -- for memory's sake. Kassima's rewarded with a dubious
glance. The leather verses? "Should I ask?" Those dimples again for
Merielan's 'creativity'. "She's rather good, no?" she asks the wingleader.
But it's Yselle who gets a sidelong glance and a slight frown. "What's
wrong, Ys?"

Alerith is lolling about quite happily--rather in the manner of a
large-er--very large feline. A feline who apparently, in addition to being
over-sized, likes water. Anyway--he stops his lolling, splashing a bit
about as he settles, allowing Meri to climb up onto his neck and set to
scrubbing, scrub brush in hand. "General respect then Kassi--" Meri grins
in the greenrider's direction, before shooting a glance at both of the
former 'lings "-Never- go drinking with Kassi at the lounge." Is her dire
pronouncement, along with a small smile for Javi "I am rather good, thank
you Javi." Nothing more is said about drinking with Kassi--as that
particular story has made the rounds -far- too often. Though--perversly
Meri does most of the spreading, seeming to find a particular bit of pride
in her tale of drunken misdeeds.

It might have taken awhile for that unenthusedness to register with Kassi,
but the woman's only distracted, not an idiot; she eventually catches on,
and one eyebrow raises. With care for the towel wrapped around her person
and the damp slickness of Lysseth's hide, she manages to carefully turn
around to better face the other riders all. "Any particular reason why
nay?" she wants to know, leaving the more general question to Javi. And
speaking of Javi: "'Tis easier a'course if'n you don't *have* dimples. But
dimples have their uses, too. You can mayhaps distract your mark by
flashing 'em in a sunny or innocent smile at moments; try and make 'em
think you haven't the least shred of deceit in your head. Meri has indeed
learned well the way of creative untruth. And the leather verses... well.
Nay. You probably shouldn't. But since you sort of did, they primarily
involve finding inventive uses for the drunken rider's straps and jacket
and pants and such, and there's *said* t'be a line about a saddle in the
fabled racier version of the song," like riding straps weren't racy enough,
"but I've never been able t'find anyone who knew it. Probably as well for
m'sanity, truth be told. Hey! Meri, c'mon, you act like *I'm* the one who
got you knocked up with Douglas there."

Dianneth turns to wuffle affectionately at her rider. "Would you go
drinking if the only time you'd got drunk, you'd slept with T'van?" Yselle
quips. But onto Javinia's question; her reply is accompanied by much
scrubbing, which naturally takes up most of her attention "We took Levarn
out to be fostered today." She ducks down for more soapsand. "It had to be
done, but..." she shrugs. "I think Tel's coming by later or something."

Javinia finds a quick grin for Merielan, one only slightly wry for all the
talk of drunken escapades; oh, yes, that's a familiar story. Then, "Oh,
that's -good-," she admits to Kassima. "Though I'm not sure I'm really the
flashing typ -- Saddle? What in the -- " Whatever interest she might have
in those leather verses disappears in so much smoke. Her hands still their
scrubbing, and she can only blink at Yselle. It's a mere moment before
expression and eyes soften. "Oh, Ys. I didn't know. I mean, I knew you
might have to soon, but ... -today-?" Without another thought, she's
pushing through the water of the pool toward the greenrider. "Where? Do you
like the couple? How does T'van ... " Her questions trail off.

"Don't look innocent Kassi--" Meri intones, busily engaged in scrubbing
Alerith's neckridge making sure all specks of dust--or anything is
obliterated. Yselle's explanation catches her ear and the brownrider turns
to the give the girl a sympathetic smile. "I remember both times we did
that.." She murmurs, stopping in her scrubbing, eyes far away for a moment
as she sighs. "It's difficult to say the least." Another smile sent
Yselle's way--this one trying it's best to be comforting. "It -is- for the
best Yselle. Erika--my daughter--is talking of coming back to the weyr to
live, but she's been fostered for quite awhile now. And my son, Kiere, is
still -quite- happy where he is--and you can visit. Having a dragon makes
it -quite- easy."

"A trick I picked up from others," Kassi demurs, all modesty. "I haven't
any dimples t'flash m'self, really, so I have t'make do with smiling
sweetly and trying t'look as if'n butter wouldn't melt in m'mouth." Pause.
"Nay that I'm quite sure why *that's* a fair gauge of innocence." It's a
mystery that will have to wait until another time, though. Rather than
chasing it, Kassi considers Yselle's question. "I might," she admits. "I've
slept with strange men when drunk a'fore and it didn't cure me of the
habit. Mind you, for the most part, I didn't have any complaints, either...
which might nay have been the case with T'van." Does she earn diplomat
points for saying 'might'? "Oh. *Oh*. Shells, Ys, I'm sorry. You couldn't
find any nannies in the Cavern? Or did you nay want t'go that route?
Or...." She trails off to cast Merielan a rueful half-smile. "Probably
still nay the same, but 'twould have t'be a sharding sight better than 'tis
for Holders who foster their children far and wide. I've never understood
how they could stand it."

Yselle doesn't look up from her scrubbing. "It's my sister Vannia," she
says. "Tel and I talked about it. Now I'm in a fighting wing it wasn't
fair, you know? Remember what happened to M'guel? It could happen to both
of us at any time. So we thought it was better to do it than not. And
Vannia really wanted him ever since she lost the baby, so... but..." she
nods to Merielan. "I know. Just I'm going to miss him." Dianneth croons and
nudges at her. "Vannia loves him, Kassie, and if anything happens, he won't
be /here/ to see it. And our parents are there, everyone but us is, so we
thought that was best. They were all /so/ glad to see him."

[Editor's Note:  Javi got disconnected here.]

"I'm not diminishing it..." Meri continuies, partly onwards from her own
thoughts--and partly in response to Kassi's comment. "..it's hard no matter
what the situation, or how nice the people you leave them with are--" A
hearty sigh "It's just--hard." Apparently that's the best adjective Meri
can come up with, still she nods at Yselle's words "Take heard in that
then. He's with family--and people who are glad to have'em." She resumes
scrubbing, and picks up another of Yselle's line of thoughts "It's
hard--thinking of your children seeing something happen to you--or having
something happen to them. I dread the thought that either of them might be
searched. I'd--I'd be glad for them--but it would keep me up nights, having
them fight thread in a wing."

Kassima nods at this explanation after a moment, one finger idly tracing
patterns in the wet sand clinging to Lysseth's back. "Better--in m'opinion,
which is admittedly formed of limited experience--t'foster with family. You
can be trusting family. And it feels like less of a... disassociation? I
thought it did. Still, doesn't make it much easier at the time. I'll have
t'be asking 'Maeva t'take fuller care of Kazy soon and I don't look forward
to that for all that he'll still be *here* and often with me." She's
digressing; she seems to realize the fact. "Methinks 'twould be hard on him
t'lose one of you whether he's here or there--'tis good, though, definitely
good t'have someone who can look after 'em if'n it comes about that you
can't. I know what you mean there, Meri. Sometimes it makes me wonder how
hard 'tis on our parents, when our parents aren't riders themselves and
can't understand all that makes the risk worth it."

"He cried when we left," Yselle murmurs. "He hardly remembers Vannia. It's
just... I always knew he was here, you know? We've always been close," she
spreads her hands. "Sorry. Tell me about the lounge you go drinking in?
Maybe we /will/ go sometime. At least to see it."

Merielan gives Yselle one last sympathetic smile and then follows the
greenrider's lead and let's the subject drop. Returning to her industrious
scrubbing of Alerith, she swings 'round the brown's neck and drops into the
water. "Up love--" She comments to Alerith, as the brown raises his neck,
allowing Meri to scrub beneath it "--I really don't understand how you can
have mud -here- of all places.." Meri mutters--more to herself then anyone
else, and in a round-about way finally gets back to Yselle's orignal
topic--the lava lounge. "It's off the beach, and has -quite- a variety of
drinks. Lovely. The bartender there, Marcus, he's quite a good friend of
mine." At least in -Meri's- mind he is, Marcus' mind is another story
altogether.

"'Twould nay be the same, but I'd be suggesting t'you that you spend as
much time visiting as your heart desires and schedule allows. T'be a
smaller part of their lives is better than nay being a part at all, I'd
think. Even if'n sometimes it just makes it harder." Kassi shakes herself
out of the moment's shadow; adds, "Mind you, I don't have Meri's
experience, having kidlets completely out of the Weyr--Kaylira
excepted--and so I can't speak from quite the same perspective. 'Twill
change to the brighter subject. The Lava Lounge is beautiful; you should
see it, and I'd even encourage drinking at least *one* Green Dragon, but
this is me, and I'm a Bendenite lush. 'Tis at Boll, in the jungle a ways.
There's lovely food too if'n you can be affording it; and best of all,
there're the *walls*, where people have written things while 'twere there,
y'ken? Some of the messages are bloody hilarious. Which just figures, given
that those who wrote 'em were likely usually schnockered." She does not
dignify the rumble Lysseth gives at this with a translation. She does,
however, dart a dirty look towards her green.

Yselle glances gratefully over to Kassima. "Our families would like it, I
think. They're still trying to work out what to make of Sav," she laughs
now, and says "You know, Tel never actually /mentioned/ Sav was a boy to
them. You should have seen the looks on their faces when he introduced
him." To the rest she says "Well, maybe one green dragon, but Kass, you've
got to promise me not to let anything happen. So you'll have to come along.
Both of you. And I can meet your friend, Meri." There's the slip in
formality again. "People write on walls?" she looks quite surprised.

"Never told them he was a boy?" Meri repeats, looking rather surprised at
-this- tidbit. She laughs, shaking her head slowly in quiet disbelief.
"Isn't that just like a man?" She murmurs prosically, grinning "I made sure
to tell the people I was fostering my children out to whether they were
male or female. Seems only fair." Another chuckle, though this one for a
different purpose it seems "It's hard to stop at one Yselle..." She warns
"...not only are they delicious but they're deadly. Knock your good sense
right out. I'll go along--just make sure the only weyr I end up in is
mine---" a moment's pause "--or K'nan's." A wide-grin "He won't mind. And
that way I won't get in any trouble with animate -or- inanimate objects."

Kassima grins over at Merielan. "Marcus *is* a doll," she agrees. "But I'm
honor-bound t'say that, what with his letting me play with mixing up
liquors in the Lounge and all. Did you know he once had a thing for
Aphrael? Called her his blueberry love-muffin." Her face is almost too
straight, making it difficult to tell whether or not she's fibbing through
her teeth. "Hah! I can be imagining their faces. Though I don't,
personally, envy Tel the telling... I can solemnly promise t'be coming
along with you to the Lounge, if'n duty permits. Now that Kazy's weaned,"
said with a hint of regret, "I can be drinking again, and believe you me, I
intend t'make good use of it; which only goes t'show I haven't learned a
*thing* in the interim. 'Tis good t'be me, all resistant to important life
lessons and stuff. Shells, I'd be suggesting we go now, only I don't know
how the dragons would take an interruption of their scrub. Have you and
K'nan been working on that child you promised me, Meri?"

Yselle grins. "No, he never told them his /weyrmate/ was a boy. They
already knew about Levarn," she grins. "He's been writing about this Sav
forever, and they just thought it was short for Savia, or Savette, or
Savana, but then he turns up with S'vyn, and..." she laughs. "I thought his
mother was going to choke then and there. She spent the afternoon trying to
lure me into dark corners to remind me how we always got along, and
wouldn't it be nice if we moved in together?" she shudders "Non-stop Tel.
Can you imagine?" Reminded of the scrub, she gets back to it with more
enthusiasm. "Well in /that/ case... just in case I /don't/ stop at one... I
definitely think I'll wait until you two go.... oh really, K'nan?" she
looks over at Merielan thoughtfully "Well that's another idea, I guess. I
still think maybe I'll just try it. Have a sip of yours maybe?"

"Really K'nan.." Meri grins in Yselle's direction, moving to scrub at
Alerith's wing-joint. "He and I have been together for quite awhile. We've
a daughter together, Erika--we're not weyrmates--we're just--" A shrug--a
rather unconcerned one "--what we are I suppose." A laugh and a nod in
Kassi's direction "I'm trying Kassi. It would make both you and Erika quite
happy, but neither K'nan nor I are that sure about it yet. We'll see--maybe
when Kiere's a little older."

"I can be imagining. More's the pity for me," Kassi decides, with an
exaggerated shudder and a grin to follow after. "Did you tell Tel's mother
how he still hits on plenty of women t'ease her mind?" Just what every
mother surely wants to hear, that. "K'nan has a weyrmate, Ryialla," the
greenrider fills in for Yselle, "but it's always been an open relationship,
and he's been fond of Meri since... was it nay long out of Weyrlinghood,
Meri? Just remember about the *K*. Mayhaps you should bring K'nan along to
the Lounge--'tis a good place for conceiving children, apparently; you can
be asking Alessi if'n you're nay believing me."

Yselle grins at Meri in complete understanding "I know what you mean," she
says. "There's so many things that aren't marriage or weyrmates, but are
something else altogether, aren't there? My family would be horrified to
hear me say it, but..." she shrugs. She's not so worldly though, that she
doesn't blush at Kassi's comment. "Uh.. hm," she says "So why are you
having a child for Kassima?"

Merielan cocks her head to the side, mumbling to herself "Hmm--well we were
'sort of' together before Erika was born--but really--well I suppose it's
been 11 or so turns by now." A small--happy smile "It's nice." She murmurs
in a distracted manner before nodding at Yselle and chuckling "Indeed, I
promised Kassi I'd name my next child for her-" A glance at Kassi "-can't
remember -why- exactly. But I promised, and I'll stick to it."

Saulith flies over the edges of rock and lands on the far end of the springs.

Saulith brings a distinct gust of wind and rain in with her, but it's
quickly mitigated by the steam. The green settles beside Alerith with a
tired little croon, while her rider barely takes time to peel off her
clothes before sliding into the hot water. "Evening to all. If someone
could just wake me up before I turn into a large raisin, I'd appreciate it."

Kichevio slides down easily from Saulith's neck.

"Weyrfolk tend t'be more flexible about such things." Kassi's agreement
isn't untouched by wryness. "And so do dragonriders' families, sometimes.
I'm nay sure m'mother's ever figured out what t'make of having seven
grandchildren with six different fathers, if'n you get me." Merielan just
gets one of those sunny grins that she endorsed for Javinia earlier. "Did I
mention that Alessi's been giving serious thought to spawning a K-name too?
If'n nay one named after me. Alas. But mayhaps 'tis just as well, since
if'n there are too many namesakes of mine floating around, people are going
t'start wondering when I became able to father children or something...
g'deve, Kich. Aww, must we? You'd make such an interesting-looking large
raisin."

Yselle looks a little relieved. "Oh just /naming/ the child for her. Why
Kass?" she looks over to the wingleader. "I mean... what sort of name?" she
waves a hand at Kichevio and notes "You look tired," very observant, truly.
"You know," she says thoughtfully, "it's nice to be here where it's normal.
At home it was kind of weird."

"Heyla Kichie..." Meri smiles in her friend's direction, waving her
scrub-brush at the greenrider. "You -do- look rather -er- deflated..." Is
Meri's pronouncement--adding a saucy grin to take the sting out of her
words and make them teasing instead. "Alessi a K name?" Meri repeats,
picking up the other subject at hand "With whom was she thinking of
'spawning' this new babe with?" A laugh at Yselle's last pronouncement and
a nod "I suppose Telgar is at least more -interesting- then other places.
If one wants to put it politely. In the vernacular it's safe to say we're
all a bunch of raving lunatics--nice ones--but lunatics all the same."

"The wingriders of Starblaze would never take me seriously," Kichevio says
through a yawn. "I'd be Wingsecond Raisin, and that doesn't roll off the
tongue too well. Yes, very tired. It's been a day. Remind me never to get
talked into touring a Cromcoal mine ever again." That might explain the
dusting of black on her discarded clothes. "So you name your spawn
Kassielan, Meri. Very simple, can even be abbreviated if it's a boy..." She
snorts at Meri's comment. "That would make a lovely recruitment drive.
'Join the nice lunatics at Telgar'. Home looked smaller and dingier, Ys? It
always does."

Kassima sing-songs in response to Yselle, "A K-name! A K-name!" Lysseth's
wings rustle, reminding her rider that, oh, yeah, she's supposed to be
getting some back-scrubbing done. She resumes. "K-names are good luck, and
it *could* be that naming children after me is especially good luck. Look
at K'tdan! Impressed a bronze at Ista, didn't he? And all of m'children are
of course the most beautiful, intelligent, clever, sublime children
*anywhere*, all because they're named after me. Well, and there's the being
half of m'blood thing. So if'n Meri has a spawn named after me, they might
come as near in glory t'my own brood as is humanly possible." Isn't it
amazing that bolts of lightning from above never smite this woman? "Well,
if'n truth be told, I suggested she ask K'ran. Since I still think he's
been wanting children. And if'n she really named them Kiressen and
Kessander, why, 'twould be *almost as good* as naming them for me, since
they've got the Ks and the As and the two Ss. I don't know, Kich... I could
see a Wingsecond Raisin. Though for some reason I could better imagine a
Harper Raisin. A giant raisin playing gitar has an odd appeal. Why the
shards were you touring a coal mine?"

Yselle laughs a little. "Yes, I guess it did. A bit. I meant though that
they always thought Tel and I were weird. Now they think we're even
weirder, since we still have no intention of living together, and with Sav
not being exactly what they expected. Why were you in a Cromcoal mine?"
That question echoes Kassima's, but back on topic "So Meri, what does it
say for me that I fit right in, and did even before I got here?" she grins
even before the answer is forthcoming. Kassima's speech gets a rather
startled look, but all she says is "Levarn was partly named after Tel, and
that's what I always attribute his cheekiness..." she trails off, and dips
down for another handful of soapsand.

"K'ran?" Meri repeats, chuckling at this "I feel quite sorry for K'ran,
Kassi--the poor man his name being bandied about." A shake of her head and
a slightly thoughtful expression "Though I didn't know he and Alessi had a
'thing' going..." A sigh "I'm dreadfully out of weyr gossip I think, I
ought to go have a nice long chat with Pierron." Turning to Yselle Meri
shrugs while attempting to look philosophical and amused at the same time
"I think it only says that Dianneth chose well. As I said we may be
lunatics but we're nice--I think that's a rather nice recruitment slogan."
This last is launched at Kich as well as a rather surprised "Coal mine?"

Kichevio is mostly underwater when Kassi asks her question, but answers as
she resurfaces. "It wasn't precisely the fun guided tour of the cleaner
parts they give to the children. It was that little mine by Greenfields.
They'd been having small cave-ins, so they saw Saulith and I flying over,
waved us down, and asked if we could stand by while a team explored in case
a bigger cave-in happened. I had time, so I agreed. The team fixed the
problem, and Saulith helped by moving some debris." The green doesn't even
bat an eye. All in a day's work. "So they were supremely grateful. And
showed it by hauling me into the mine and showing me exactly what was wrong
and how they fixed it. In great detail. I tried to escape, but--" Her sigh
ripples the water. "Large groups of happy miners cannot be gainsaid." And
now her tale is done. She listens to K'ran's name being taken in vain,
chuckling. "Oh, he's probably flattered that we're all naming children
after him eventually. Don't feel out of the loop, Meri, if he's having a
thing with Alessi, I didn't know either." She grins at Yselle. "Join the
K'ran fan club. We several, we proud." The whole Harper raisin thing is
just not commented on.

Kassima insists primly, "'Tis only his just deserts for... for... for being
K'ran. Right. Anyway, 'tisn't as if'n I'm suggesting t'Pierron that he
should proposition K'ran about being his next sweet tuber of love, here."
Which is almost a shame. "Probably more the blood than the name, Ys. But
think of this: now you're free t'find the cheekiness cute, and spoil him
shamelessly, because *you* don't have t'do the disciplining or the making
sure he doesn't eat cookies a'fore he goes t'bed. Augh,
shells--mine-clearing again?" That's to Kich, accompanied by a grimace.
"Only it doesn't sound as serious as that. Good. I don't envy you, but
doubtless they appreciated it. A shame they didn't see fit t'give you a few
sparkly stones in gratitude instead. Wait, wait, wait, what's this 'we're
all'?"

Yselle grins at Meri "Well, thank you. Do we need a slogan?" but then,
quite neatly distracted, she just /stares/ at Kichevio. "Oh," she says,
rather taken aback. "Thank you?" The whole first part of her speech is
forgotten and so is her scrubbing. In fact, she turns a rather bright shade
of red a few moments later, and glances back at the weyrsecond. "How did
you..." coughcough. "Well uh... hm, I guess that answers one thing anyway."

Merielan stops her scrubbing of Alerith to stare between Yselle and
Kichevio, arms crossed in front of her, scrub brush hanging laxly from one
hand--quite forgotten. "I'm very confused." She mutters, more to herself
then anyone else. "Just -how- many are there in this 'K'ran' fan club?" One
eyebrow raises "Alessi--and Tarien clearly--but you two?" Alerith doesn't
seem to mind the interruption in his bath. Instead he sees it as an
oppurtunity. An oppurtunity to flirt. With Saulith to be precise. He turns
his nicely clean brown head and croons deep in his throat to the green,
doing his best to look all nicely scrubbed and desirable.

Kichevio sees all and knows all, even when she's occupied with wringing
rather blackish water out of her hair. "Dianneth's said some things to
Saulith," she tells Yselle good-naturedly. "Which Saulith has then told me.
Meri, I was a charter member of the club. Alessi and Tali and I were the
founding members, and Tarlo of course. Tarien came along later, and then
there's Kendra, and now Ys." A thoughtful pause. "We should have badges or
something." Through all this, Saulith has been dozing. When Alerith croons,
she does deign to open her eyes and notice the nice clean brown.

Kassima watches this blushing and coughing with considerable interest. "Are
you pregnant by K'ran *already*, Yselle?" she asks in exaggerated
disbelief--a clue that she's probably teasing. "Scorch the shell and sear
the skin! You should have been given t'Thunderbolt! Shardit, 'tis supposed
t'be the *Thunderbolt* riders who get pregnant on graduation night or
within a month or two after, nay Dawnslight's. 'Twill never be living this
down. They'll doubtless try and usurp our sacred spawning title." It's just
coincidence that a casual lash of Lysseth's tail happens to direct a
splattering of water towards her rider at this point. Sure it is. "You're a
wench," the rider informs her lifemate. "Talisha and Tarlo too, I should be
thinking? At least once upon a time. Ah, Kendra, that I should have been
figuring."

Dianneth rumbles sulkily at Alerith; it's not like there's only one green
here. She swishes her tail meaningfully at him. Meanwhile, her rider coughs
and mutters "Uh-hmm," such an eloquent girl. Her gaze rests on Kichevio for
a moment, incredulous, and then, all of a sudden, she /grins/. "Saves me
asking him," she says in a low tone. "I was sort of wondering if Tarien was
likely to get upset, but you too Kich? Not that I could blame you."
Kassima's comment isn't so fortunate in responses "What?!?" she splutters.
"Oh Faranth no, it's way too ear...." she breaks off and mutters "it only
took one time with Tel. Oh dear, I never even thought about it."

"Kiani too I thought?" Meri adds into the tally. "From High Reaches? Though
that was a few turns ago, when he and Tarlo were still together." A shake
of her head "Tarlo was upset about it all." A grin is shot Yselle's way as
well as a slight laugh "Erika only took one flight--" She warns, looking a
bit amused "Though if it didn't 'take' I'm sure K'ran would oblige you
again. It's not as if it isn't enjoyable for him--as well his apparent
wishing for spawn." Alerith regards Dianneth a with quite a bit of
surprise--cutting off in mid-croon to Saulith even. He looks between both
greens--even shooting a quick glance in Lysseth's direction causing Meri to
murmur "Don't -even- think about it."

Kichevio lifts an invisible glass to Yselle, looking rather bemused. Young
people these days, spawning at the drop of a hat. Or something.
"Congratulations. And it'll only be one, it's just J'lyn that tends to sire
twins all the time. And occasionally I'sai. So Thunderbolt's sacred title
is safe. No, no reason to be upset. K'ran's habits are well-known, and are
generally considered less hair-raising than oh, say, mine." She joins in
the tales of one-shot spawn. "Kiralee's a flight child, and that's the only
flight of mine Lee and Lacroith have ever won, so--" She shrugs eloquently.
Saulith watches Alerith, eyes whirling with slow amusement, then gently
leans over and nuzzles him. Hey there. Young upstart, or long-time friend?

Lysseth is a green, too! But she seems content to let Alerith flirt with
Saulith, and perhaps Dianneth if the younger green has her way; she has
warm water, and that's enough for the moment. "Sometimes I wonder if'n I'm
the only woman in this Weyr nay bedding or thinking of bedding K'ran,"
Kassi comments in amusement to no one in particular. "May the first Egg
preserve us all." Poor Yselle: she gets a mournful look from oh-so-sad
green eyes. "See? You're going t'go and spawn for *Dawnslight*. I just knew
it. Can you at least give the kidlet a K-name, pretty please? I still think
'Kiraselle' wouldn't be so bad--hey, Meri, what was that supposed t'mean?"
It seems to have entertained her more than offended her. "'Tis true about
Kiani. I still maintain they should've named their daughter Kiki. Two Ks!
'Twould have been veritable perfection, but *nay*. --Oh, I'sai's only had
the one pair of twins; J'lyn's the Twin Master, and *he's* in Dawnslight
too now, y'know... only since he flew with Thunderbolt once, his spawn
still count under our banner. Hmm. Which reminds me, I should ask I'sai
if'n he wouldn't like t'change Skyfire for Thunderbolt whenever 'tis he
gives up Weyrlingmastery. His virility rightly belongs with us."

Yselle mmhms. "I'm sure I couldn't be," she says. "I mean, really, I'm sure
I'm not.. wow. It's everyone?" she seems quite surprised. "I guess I never
thought about that bit. "And everyone is..." she blushes at Meri. "Uh-mm,"
she says again; greenrider yes, weyrbred, no, no matter how whose fan club
she belongs to. "So uh.... maybe you and I could talk about it sometime.
You really don't care?" Another look is arced at Kassima "And I'sai... hmf."

"Alerith is impossible." Meri pronounces, tapping her head as if trying to
get the brown out of it. Alerith is busily snuggling up to Saulith while at
the same time giving Lysseth and Dianneth soft whirling eyed looks. "End of
the bath." Is her pronouncement, heading towards the ledge of the pool. "No
offense meant." Is added in Kassi's direction with a jaunty grin. "You're a
lovely woman Kassi, but I've no wish to bed you." A dramatic sigh "I
suppose your dreams of my nubile flesh will just have to go unrequited..."

Kichevio nods sympathetically towards Yselle. The vagaries of bronzeriders
are always a subject for discussion. "Just give Saulith fair warning before
you visit, so I can put the klah on." And bring out the embarassing
sketches. "Kiki? Kassima, you're evil." Statement of well-known fact. "Only
children of fellis and redfruit farmers on small Istan islets name their
children Kiki. Surely there are enough syllables in the world that no one
has to resort to that--" Meri's last comment hits her, and she slides
giggling underwater, laughter continuing in the form of bubbles. "Bad
mental image, Meri, bad!" she finally answers back. "Alerith's having a bad
influence on you."

"Oh, but you *do* want t'be bedding Kichevio and Yselle?" Kassi affects a
look of surprise. "What *this* will be doing to the betting pools! Ach,
Meri! I'm heartbroken. I don't want t'be bedding you either--nay offense,
but you're a woman--but I'd always hoped you lusted after me and dreamed of
romantic trysts under the stars that could never happen. Because I'm cruel
like that." Deadpan like that, too. Grinning, she bids, "G'night t'you
both, evil brown-pair... I don't know about *everyone*, Yselle. Nay me, and
probably nay others; it just sometimes seems like everyone." After arcing a
brow, she adds, "I'sai'd make a fine Thunderbolt Wingmate. He spawns, he
drinks, he loses marks t'me in bets; 'twould be a Wing assignment most
ideal... but *Kich*, isn't Kiki a charming name? She might've grown up t'do
strange dances, y'know, like Marinda of Boll and her Dancing Veils!"

Yselle turns rather pink again, amidst all this behaviour "And you..." she
tells Dianneth, who is swishing her tail back and forth in front of
Alerith, "Not yet. Please?" she sighs. "It won't be long I guess," she
mutters sotto voce. "I think I can promise you that I will /never/ call a
child Kiki, Kich," not that the promise was asked for, but. "So uh... hm,
who'd have guessed about I'sai, hm? Fancy."

"Kich has already seen my nubile flesh--courtesy of Alerith and Saulith.."
Meri grins gathering all her various and sundry items about her person.
Namely putting Alerith's strap back upon him, whilst the brown does his
best impression of young dragon lovers parted by cruel lifemates. "And I'll
leave dreams of bedding you to Katlynn, Kassi--" Her gaze flips to Yselle
"And while Yselle is a lovely young woman--she is both young and a
woman--so I'm afraid I shall just have to stick with K'nan." A nod to all
and Meri's off--taking the reluctant Alerith with her.

Merielan disappears upwards in the suddenly brown sky of Alerith's back.

Alerith rises up from the steamy waters heading north over the rim of the
Weyr.

Kichevio rolls her eyes to the ceiling. "It'd be Kiki and her Juggling
Canines. Or Kiki and the Flaming Hoop of Death. Something grandiose and
dangerous like that." She bats her eyes at Meri and Alerith as they leave.
"Yep, Meri got me--just the once, though--and Katlynn has her bubblies of
love fixated on you, Kassi. Yselle will just have to settle for K'ran. Poor
Ys." The rough lot of a greenrider. "Skyfire's had I'sai for too long, I'm
not sure you could convert him to Thunderbolt. There are always bribes, but
I have no idea what bribes affect Is."

Kassima mutters, "Couldn't she have left the dreams to a *man*? Cruel Meri.
'Twill have t'be getting some sort of revenge most devious upon her person
later." This doesn't prevent her from waving after the brownrider, mind.
"--She doesn't look glowy t'me, Yselle; you might be spared this evening.
If'n nay that much longer. Guessed what about I'sai? That he's virile? I
did, I did! I won *marks* on it. You say 'flaming hoop of death' as if'n
'tis a *bad* thing, Kich; I'm also ignoring, completely ignoring, that bit
about the bubblies. Completely. I wonder," she muses, thoughtful, "if'n I
could figure out a bribe... I've had plenty of luck with bribes lately. And
hey, I managed t'win May. Twice!"

Yselle watches Merielan leave, looking bemused. "It's all happening now,
isn't it?" she murmurs. "All of this?" She laughs a little and notes "Well,
I hope she won't be disappointed if I don't dream... of her at least," she
smiles a warm and fairly secretive smile. "Yes, well, I think I can bear
it," she says finally, to Kichevio, that smile spreading into something of
a grin. "I never thought of it as 'settling' anyway." Dianneth purrs rather
smugly as though this were all her doing. "And maybe you could mention when
you're talking to other dragons about my uh... life," her rider admonishes
her. Dianneth looks completely unrepentant, but rumbles in a short
disgusted tone, a moment later. "Oh really? Well /finally/," Yselle
mutters. "I have to go," she tells the other two greenriders "Tel's back
and I promised I'd spend the evening with him and Sav, we're going to hang
pictures on the wall, and pack away the toys." She smiles ruefully and says
"Saulith will hear from Dianneth soon." Dianneth wades out of the water,
Yselle replaces the straps, and it's not long before they're heading up,
out of the baths.

Yselle ascends Dianneth's side with the aid of a daintily offered foreleg
and seats herself upon her neck.

Dianneth rises up from the steamy waters heading north over the rim of the
Weyr.

Saulith thrums companionably to Dianneth, much in the fashion of gossip
columnists, and Kichevio waves as the younger greenrider departs. "I'll
look forward to it--and if it makes you feel any better, she didn't tell
_me_ until last sevenday!" Kassi's words must be considered carefully.
There's double meanings in them. "Maybe you could bribe him with May? Since
you won her twice, you could offer her once, then snatch her back with a
mocking laugh once you had him agreeing to whatever."

"She seems reasonably content for the moment," Kassima observes as Yselle
goes, not without an underlying hint of surprise. "At least the subject
cheered her up a bit. Mayhaps the cheer will hold up through the putting
away of toys; I hope so." Her attention drifts out of the sky and back to
Kich; she makes a face. "I don't think May would take kindly t'being used
as a *bribe*--though that bit about snatching the bribe back, that's
tempting. Only I couldn't. Nay in good conscience. He let me keep the
two-marker, after all."

Kichevio lifts an eyebrow, surprised. "You won two marks off I'sai? What
over? I think I got a thirty-second from him _once_, and even then, I
cheated." Her eyes follow the faint trail of steam Dianneth leaves behind.
"Yes, she seems happy, which is good. And so is K'ran, which is also good.
That all this turned out so well, with manipulative dragons and all, is a
near miracle."

It's an odd time for Kassi to flush, but she does; and suddenly Lysseth's
back is rather fascinating. Scrub, scrub, scrub. "I don't know if'n *won's*
quite the word. 'Twas more that... well, once, when Taralyth was chasing
Lyss, and while all the males were moving t'catch, he threw this two-mark
piece at me--and I had t'reach for it, a'course--and, well. You can be
guessing the result. He let me keep the piece, though." There's a quiet
snort of amusement. "As if'n K'ran would ever be unhappy t'be bedding a
woman? That part doesn't surprise me."

Kichevio grins, affecting not to notice Kassi's blush as she climbs out of
the water and starts investigating her blackdusted clothes, to see if
they're fit to wear, "Oh, he gave it to you fair and square. If he'd tried
to take it back, you'd have had every right to bring out the knives." Her
clothes are deemed a loss, at least till the laundresses get hold of them,
and she settles for tying a drying cloth into a sarongish sort of thing.
"No, K'ran's never been unhappy about that. It's a long story. Suffice to
say that Dianneth picked him out, Indrath helped it along, and Saulith
kibitzed in the background."

"True enough," Kassi cheerfully allows, "and so I'm just as glad he didn't,
since if'n I'd killed him then 'twould nay have had his aid with the
diapers when Kisai was born. That would have just been tragic. You're done
with the soaking?" Always astute, this one. "Huh. Nay the first time I've
heard of dragons conspiring, but I'm nay sure I've ever heard of another
time when 'twas *successful*. Is Dianneth hoping t'snag Indrath as a
ledgemate too?"

Kichevio is indeed done with the soaking, and is now coaxing an extremely
reluctant Saulith out of the water. "I don't _think_ so...I'll have to ask
Ys, next time I get her chatting. From what Saulith tells me, it's more
that Dianneth decided Yselle needed someone to--well, boost her
self-esteem, in a pointed way. So she decided to check into Indrath,
Indrath himself decided this was a fine idea, and the two of them arranged
matters. So it's K'ran's usual friends-with-benefits sort of arrangement,
it just didn't happen as these things usually do."

Kassima's nod is thoughtful. "Then so long as neither of 'em want aught
more of it than that, they should be well-contented--and by the by, this is
me, *so* nay making any puns about 'pointed way.' I deserve some sort of
prize for this." Lyss also deserves some sort of prize for not radiating
smug at getting to stay in the water. Isn't it good to have a lifemate who
keeps getting distracted from her task by gossip?

"Your restraint becomes you," Kichevio tells Kassi in all solemnity. "Both
of them definitely _look_ contented...oh, all _right_ Saulith, I'm coming."
Clothes in a bundle and still be-saronged, she waves goodnight as she steps
onto the green's neck. "More bulletins as events warrant, as ever. Don't
_you_ turn into a raisin either!"

Kichevio disappears up onto Saulith's spring-green back.

"Doesn't it just? But throw me any more pun-fodder like that and I don't
know that 'twill be able t'resist!" Kassi warns, grinning with no
repentance at all. "G'night, g'night; and 'twill *try*, but if'n you come
back tomorrow and find only two giant wrinkled grapes, well... you know
what happened t'us. Sleep well and dream nay of coal!"

Saulith rises up from the steamy waters heading north over the rim of the
Weyr.