You walk toward White Sands Beach.

Aithne's brows furrow as she considers T'las. She seems to be trying to decide on the too young comment. "Why do you ask?"

Auralia, barefooted and carefree, is striding across the sands, her hair not quite blowing in a light breeze. It's just that little bit too short. She eyes the two weyrlings, and, after a pause, offers them a bob of greeting. Er, a bob of her head. In greeting. You know.

T'las ohs as he sees Auralia. "Auralia, how long have you been here?" he asks, ignoring Aithne's question for now.

"Hmm?" Auralia's head shoots up, her interest, well, ignited. "I dunno. Since I was fourteen? And I'm nineteen. Almost twenty. So, I suppose, five turns. Why do you ask?"

T'las ewws, nodding his head. "So you knew my sister for a while haven't you?" he asks, more of a statement.

Aithne glances over to offer Auralia a quick grin and a wave, turning back to watch T'las quizzically.

Auralia looks more than a little confused, glancing at Aithne almost for clarification. As in, is T'las off his rocker? But she manages to nod. "She searched me. So, yeah."

T'las ohs slightly, being a little put off. "Well if she searched you that means you didn't know what she was like as a weyrling or candidate then, do you."

Auralia's head manages to rotate slightly on it's hinges, "Well, no. She was already a Wingleader when I got to know her. She's been here a long time, you know."

T'las erks slightly, nodding his head at that, having forgotten how old his sister really is. "Well, what is she like now? We were just talking about how dragons change people, and I was about to bring up how my sister has changed..." he rambles on seeming never to stop.

Auralia holds up a tanned hand. "Slow down, my dear boy. You're confusing me." And this is not a good thing. "What's she like now? I dunno. She's...How do I say it?" She looks around, eyes pausing at Aithne as if for inspiration, and then continuing the rounds. "Er, let's try this one. Have you heard about the bet?"

"She's Kinoa." Aithne adds helpfully. "Completely her own person." Lets see just how vague Aithne can be.

Very vague obviously. T'las just shakes his head at Auralia.

Auralia beams. Well, just about. "That's right, Aithne. This is true. But the bet." She looks serious a moment. "Don't hold this against her, mind. It's just the way she is. But she had a bet with Josy that she could go for a season without sleeping with anyone. And that was hard for her. Which sort of illustrates what she's like now. Not that that's bad."

"Was she able to win the bet?" Aithne asks curiously, darting a slightly guilty look at T'las...its his sister after all.

T'las mrrmms at Auralia, obviously not expecting /this/. His face is a little flushed, but he waits for Auralia's response.

Auralia's a little hazy on this point. "I think you'd have to ask K'tor. From what I heard, and I'm not entirely sure, she thought she had won, and then she and K'tor played poker." And we all know what that means. "He wouldn't tell anyone whether she'd broken it or not." Calm-faced, she adds, "Not that it matters, I suppose."

T'las doesn't look very happy with the news. "Played poker?" he queries quietly.

Long distance to Auralia and Aithne, T'las beams and can't wait to have it out with his sister on her, behavior...

Auralia waves her hands about. It's sort of like emphasising a point without saying what the point is. "You know. With cards. And probably wine. And clothes." A pause, and then she continues undaunted, "And the clothes come off."

Long distance to T'las and Aithne, Auralia smirks. I really should exagerate, and get Aura in trouble, as well.

T'las frowns at Auralia, not wanting to believe. "So her dragon rose a lot, so what?" Poor, naive T'las.

Aithne is just listening now, watching T'las carefully.

Auralia mmms, nodding her head, "I s'pose. Well, I mean, Luiseth doesn't rise as often as some of the others, I think. I got to know that pretty well when I was Kin's 'second. But I suppose so. But indeed, so what! It doesn't matter. It's only sex."

T'las is still frowning, especially at the 'only sex' part. That's hold-bred for ya. "So, what's a few riders here and there then? Nothing extreme..."

"Does that change anything about how you feel about her?" Aithne asks curiously. "She still is your sister, no matter who she has slept with, right?"

Auralia hesitates a moment, nodding her head at Aithne's comment. "She's right. It doesn't matter. But I suppose you haven't heard about T'dru. And C'ley." A pause, "And you do know that lots of times Luiseth's been caught by dragons with female riders?" Not that it matters.

T'las looks over at Aithne and tries to think. Of course, Auralia's comments just kinda let his thinking go far far away. Everyone wave bye-bye to the logical part of T'las. He just shakes his head now, swinging it from side to side. "No way, she would never do that..." Which part he is denying he doesn't say.

Auralia bites her lip. Once again, she's said too much. "Shards, you're not going to tell Kin that I told you this stuff, will you?" Yes, the high and mighty Weyrsecond is looking pretty anxious. "She'd kill me." But once she's started..." Which part wouldn't she do?"

Aithne looks between the two, chewing on her lower lip thoughtfully.

T'las glares at the ground after he stops shaking his head. "Caught be dragons wtih female riders. I mean, you can't, there's no...she can't..." Yes, he can't say that word, too embarassed or something.

"Were you listening at all at the last lecture?" Aithne asks quietly.

"She can't have sex with another female? Is that it? Let me tell you, T'las, it can happen. And it will happen, have no doubt. What happens if Taesyth rises, and Nymath catches? Same thing. It's not her fault, you know." Auralia looks slightly tight in the face. Perhaps even a little enraged.

T'las brings his glare up to Aithne. She should of kept quiet. Then he looks back at Auralia. "Marila said that if we weren't able to be with a specific gender to have someone else set aside incase that gender caught us, and they would have someone else as well..." he grinds out through his teeth.

Kayjay strides over from the lakeside meadow.

Auralia points out, gently, "It's not as good. I wouldn't know, but I can bet that it wouldn't be the same. And Kinoa's not like that. She takes the good with the bad. I'm sorry, but it's true." She bobs her head towards Kayjay, digging her hands into her pockets.

Aithne just boggles, "And what is the other rider supposed to do?" She doesn't seemed to have seen Kayjay yet, just staring at T'las.

"Find someone else, apparently," says Auralia, dryly.

T'las shakes his head glaring at the ground again. "No, Kinoa wouldn't do that..." he mutters. Kayjay? Other people exist? Not right now, not to T"las.

Kayjay wanders across the sands, meandering might be a better word. She looks up at the sound of voices. "Evening all."

Auralia nods once more at Kayjay, and asks, quietly, "KJ? Could you tell T'las that Kinoa certainly would have sex with a female if Luiseth was caught by a female's dragon."

Kayjay coughs and chokes on whatever she was about to say. She blinks wide-eyed at Auralia, then to T'las. "She is right. We don't have any control of the situation, T'las, it is the dragon's lust and need that carries us when they chase or are chased. We aren't even aware what is going on ...or very minimally so."

<Southern Weyr> Kayjay says, "That will teach KJ to go waltzing across the beach :)"

<Southern Weyr> Aithne snickers.

T'las continues shaking his head, staring stubbornly at the ground. What a greeting for Kayjay. He tenses up then relaxes his shoulders, trying to calm down, obviously thinking for a little bit. "So she had to do what he dragon did. That doesn't mean she would consciously do it..."

"Why is it such a wrong thing?" Aithne asks quietly. "Conscience or not?"

Auralia beams. She's just dragged Kayjay into it. Oh the joys. "Well, I dunno about that. It certainly -feels- reall enough. You want it. And, once again, Aithne's got it right."

Kayjay shrugs and says matter of factly. "No, not necessarily. But it all depends on her personal preference. Some women like other women."

Oh my oh my, not the right thing to say to T'las at all. He picks poor Aithne to turn his blazing eyes upon for his next comment, which probably won't make complete sense to everyone. "It's...not...right. We weren't raised that way..."

"That doesn't matter, though, once you're a rider," pipes up Auralia with a wry smile. "And once you get used to it, it won't matter. I certainly wasn't raise that way, either." Well, not really.

If his glare has any effect, Aithne doesn't show it as she considers him thoughtfully."And just what is wrong with it...exactly?"

Kayjay takes a deep breath. She quietly agrees. "Of course it is real, Auralia. We are feeling what our lifemate feels." She kicks the sand under her feet. "Just because you didn't experience something in a cothold doesn't mean it is part of weyrlife."

Auralia says, sweetly, "I quite like women as partners. They're more often more considerate. And you do it all together."

<Southern Weyr> T'las ohs, bad bad /bad/ move Auralia :>

<Southern Weyr> Auralia grins. But oh so amusing!

Kayjay blushes and keeps her head down, kicking at the sand. "I wouldn't know about that, but I don't consider women who do like other women to be evil or anything. I just am not built that way."

T'las is feeling like that trapped caged animal he thought he got rid of a little while ago. He looks up at Auralia, barely registering Kayjay's comment. "And have you even been with my sister?" he asks in his nice, quiet voice.

<Southern Weyr> T'las bwahahas.

Aithne does a double take as she glances at Auralia, having not really thought about the mechanics of this. From the glance she gives to her lifemate, she is rather relieved that it will be a while before she rises. Her attention is brought back abruptly at T'las' question.

<Southern Weyr> T'las says, "Of couse, Aithne won't worry because bronzes mostly fly queens ;)"

"No," Auralia announces, quietly, but her eyes focused on T'las. "I haven't. I'm not really like Kinoa. I don't have much sex outside of flights. And I can't see Luiseth and Iesath mating, which takes care of that one. So no, not with Kinoa. But I've heard she's very good." She looks oh so comfortable with this. At ease.

<Southern Weyr> Aithne says, "And browns ;)"

T'las eases his arms and shoulders. Probably a good thing she said no. "And just /who/, have you heard this from?" he asks. Maybe he is making a hitlist.

<Southern Weyr> T'las looks over at Kayjay. Gonna be a weyrleader someday? :>

Kayjay doesn't looks oh so comfortable, more resigned if anything. "It is just one of the aspects of dragonrider life." She peers at T'las. "Who your sister chooses to sleep with or not sleep with is her own personal business, don't you think?"

<Southern Weyr> Aithne says, "Only if Suriath catches Tiarnath ;)"

Aithne nods her agreement with Kayjay's words, turning her attention to T'las.

<Southern Weyr> T'las says, "OOCly, but ICly, one day Aithne could be weyrwoman...so any gold he would fly..."

<Southern Weyr> Auralia sniffles. Baelen and I are going to be Weyrleader.

T'las again grinds out the words, "I'm...her...brother..." like that explains everything.

<Southern Weyr> T'las grins. I already told Baelen to plant subliminal messages in N'all to teach us weyrlings to obey only him, but he hasn't done that yet.

Kayjay looks at the lad. "Her -much- younger brother and not her parents. Even if you were her father, she is an adult, in full capacity of her senses and has full right to live her life the way she wants to."

Auralia just stands there and bobs her head. Oh yes, much easier than trying to talk.

T'las demands again, "Who has she been with?" Come on, start spouting names.

Auralia ums. She pauses. "Well, F'loran. And C'ley. C'al. T'dru, of course. Shasta. K'tor, I think. Rigel." She shrugs her shoulders expansively, "I'm not her keeper any more than you are. She's her own woman."

"What gives you the right to ask?" Aithne asks, her jaw muscles beginning totighten.

T'las blinks a bit when Auralia actually does start spouting names, then blinks again when she stops. "That it?" he asks, ignoring Aithne.

Kayjay stares at T'las. "Look, If it's all the same to you.." She wanders closer until she is very close to the weyrling. "I would appreciate if you started acknowledging the fact that I speak to you once in a while instead of always ignoring me. It gets a bit.. tedious." She smiles sweetly. Dangerous sign. " I don't like tediousness."

Auralia is going to get the repuation of having a waggedy tounge one of these days. A gossip. But she's not, at least to her mind. "Well, I dunno. More, probably." She glances at Kayjay, eyebrows raised. Good one.

T'las looks up at Kayjay and blinks. "I don't like tedious either Kayjay. Mucking is tedious, I don't like mucking." Erm, yes T'las decided to back down, which is a very smart move, especially for him.

Kayjay still has the sweet dangerous smile on her face. "Then perhaps you might want to answer my question, then, T'las.. Why do you think your sister needs to answer to your code of ethics?"

T'las looks Kayjay straight back in the eye replies with a nice level voice. "I'm her brother, I want to know what she has been doing all this time at the weyr."

Aithne takes one look at Kayjay's expression and falls silent. Her eyes widening as she turns to peer at T'las.

Kayjay nods. "Then perhaps talk to her and see if she chooses to answer your question rather than going behind her back to find out?"

Auralia softly takes her own turn, "Kayjay's right. If she wanted you to know all this, you should have asked her. Besides which, what does it matter? It's her own choice. You have to remember that."

Auralia ignores her part in the whole thing, of course.

<Southern Weyr> Aithne loves Auralia's convienet memory ;)

T'las stays in the exact same positino and tone of voice as before. "SHe's asleep right now, and we don't really disccus who she screwed the other night, since haven't seen eachother in so long."

<Southern Weyr> Auralia has oh so much fun with that. ;)

"Then," Auralia suggests, "Why don't you forget it all? If it's not important enough for you to mention when you do see each other, then it's not important enough to pursue at all. Gossip. And none of your business." Her eyes narrow slightly.

"You may wish to remember that she is a wingleader." Aithne points out. "And as such, will be treated with respect."

Auralia adds, mildly, "If I wished to, I could more than easily punish you for not being respectful of a Wingleader. Consider yourself lucky."

T'las raises an eyebrow at Auralia. "Right, be ashame if her brother found it, since it seems that everyone else who shouldn't know about it does. How did you find out Auralia? Ask her wingsecond?" Ut oh, he's starting to get sarcastic, not a good sign. SOmeone better tell him his place.

Kayjay nods in total agreement to Auralia, then over to Aithne. "DOesn't matter if she was a kitchen drudge.. she deserves to have her private life, outside of her duties as Wingleader, kept that. private, unless she chooses to tell you what you seem to be so interested in knowing, T'las."

Auralia has said her bit, but she adds, "I found out because I was her friend. Still am, most certainly. She was my Wingleader. We're close friends, I suppose. That's why I know."

Aithne nods after a pause to Kayjay, going back to listening quietly.

T'las hasn't move for a while, standing on the beach like that. Amazing isn't it? "And now I know, and I'm her brother." Then he turns and addresses Kayjay as instructed. "If she were a kitchen drudge she would still be my sister."

Kayjay nods, quietly. "I share things with my friends, friends who I trust won't judge me." She lowers her voice and says as an aside. "Or spread what I tell them to others.." She looks at T'las."If you -hope- to have a voice in your sisters' life, then I suggest you show her you genuinely care for her and aren't trying to judge her."

Auralia speaks up again, her voice almost with a dream-like quality, "If my younger brother - Faranth forbid - came here, I'd like him to be proud of me for what I've done, not angry at who I've slept with."

T'las is still looking at Kayjay. "Noted," he says gruffly. He doesn't bother to respond to Auralia, probably because he can't think of one.

Kayjay nods and kicks a bit more sand. "We need all the support we can get as riders. Life is hard enough already without worrying if we are disgusting and offending relatives by who we choose to love."

T'las looks down, not saying anything. He hates it when he's wrong, and he hates it even more when others point it out to him.

Auralia eyes T'las for a long moment, "Cheer up, Weyrling. At least you realized your fault here, and not in front of Kin. Or someone vengeful. Or interested in punishments."

Kayjay chuckles. 'True.."

Aithne offers a quick smile before nodding.

T'las looks up and nods his head. "Aye, I suppose so."

T'las's eyes unfocus a bit. "I better go, Nymath woke up from this." He hurries off, grateful to leave that embarassing moment.

Aithne watches after him, just shaking her head.

Auralia mmms wisely, watching T'las leave. "An interesting time he's got ahead of him, that's for sure."

Kayjay sighs. "He is a puzzle, isn't he?"

Aithne nods her head quickly. "Indeed."

Auralia grins, "He's a mess. Oh yes."

Kayjay shakes her head. "If N'all hasn't been able to get through to him about his stubborness, I don't know who will? "

Auralia taps her feet thoughtfuly, digging her hands deeper into her pockets, "Who's his mentor? Anyone know? Perhaps he or she can help. And maybe Kin. Maybe. We can all try?"

"K'tor, I believe." Aithne supplies after a moment.

Kayjay says "K'tor, you are right." She giggles. "Telinda got through last sevenday, but she had to use some rather..err dramatic techniques.""

Auralia's brows raise oh so quietly. "Indeed? I almost feel sorry for the kid." She bobs her head, adding, "K'tor. A good thing, methinks. He's good at that kind of thing."

Aithne snickers softly before she nods in agreement. "Perhaps one of us should have reminded him of the fork?"

Kayjay hmms. "Different, Aithne. This is a mindset that has to go as a rider. Not that you have to live the same life another rider lives, but you have to be able to let people cope with the life here the way that is best for them. There are some around here who .." She looks vaguely troubled. "Who..well live ways that I can't understand. But they aren't hurting anyone or causing trouble for their dragons.. I just let them be."

Auralia's curious. That much is evident. "Who do you speak of, Kayjay? Sorry, I'm interested. No one in particular that I might know?" She shuffles her feet, adding, "After his first flight, he'll understand that much, I'm sure."

Kayjay purses her lips, trying to think how to be tactful. "There is one weyrmated couple I can think of who have expressed interest for me to join them in... certain activities. I felt very uncomfortable around them ..and wish them all the best, but I must admit, I have stepped back a bit in my friendship with both of them."

Aithne ohs, her smile fading as she listens. "especially if he wins." She pauses before adding, "And the greenrider is male."

Auralia coughs, "Poor T'las if that happens, Aithne. Even if it'll be good for him." Auralia sets her eyes on Kayjay. "Not Starr and T'rrin, I hope?" Her feet shuffle again. My, does Aura look uncomfortable?

Kayjay sighs. "There is NOTHING like waking up the next morning beside someone the first time."

Kayjay looks uncomfortable yet again. "I would rather not say."

Auralia shrugs her shoulders daintily, "Oh, it wasn't that bad for me. K'tor was..." she trails off, "Very good? Both times." She shuts her mouth again, eyes almost seering holes through Kayjay, "Oh? All right, then."

At times, it pays to be silent...and this is one of those times. Aithne just listens, amazing what you can hear.

Kayjay blushes but holds her ground when Auralia stares at her. "Suriath has caught once. " She stares at Auralia. "Your green has risen only twice?"

Auralia ohs, shaking her head. It's as if she's forgotten that Aithne's there. Or perhaps not. "Oh, no. I meant...at the same flight. Twice." She looks almost..proud? "She rises four times a turn, predictable to the end. And in the end, I enjoy it. Even if beforehand, it feels odd. And afterwards...everyone looks at me odd." So confusing. Why do they stare?

Kayjay blushes. "Oh."

Auralia waggles her fingers towards Kayjay, adding, as an aside, towards Aithne, "Suriath caught Jiazith, I believe."

"Looks at you odd?" Aithne repeats, managing to school her features. "I can't imagine why." She says quietly before ohing softly.

Auralia shrugs, "I 'spect they're all jealous. It happens, you know." There, that's a good answer. Very good.

Kayjay sighs. "Yes, he did. I was happy for him but oh it makes things so difficult." She bites her lip. "The longer D'ryn is in the weyrling program and the more uncertain our future looks, the harder it is for me to deal with Suriath's emotions at losing." She blinks at Auralia. "Why should they look odd at you? It is not like you have any control of your actions?"

"Explain that to everyone else," decides Auralia, not quite bitterly. She's used to it, now. Perhaps. She eyes Kayjay sagely, and sighs, "That's not good. Not at all. You know...if you ever need someone to be with after the flights, I can offer you at least company, if not relief. Since I doubt you'd want that from me."

Aithne pauses at Kayjay's words, considering them thoughtfully.

Kayjay sniffs. Obviously a sore point for her. "I don't understand why people blame riders for the results of Flights." She dares to say the word. "I mean, a proddy rider is not waltzing around being .. well proddy because they have any choice in the matter. And a rider of a male dragon can't exactly control who their lifemate chases. Look at K'tor. He did everything to keep away.. and that didn't work."

Aithne nods her head, "Albanth was going to chase with or without him"

Auralia purses her lips, and nods. "The sharding bronze. If only he'd stayed away, then I wouldn't be the only Weyrsecond. And I'm not happy. But that's neither here nor there." She adds, slowly, "Being proddy means your mind is clouded. You can't think normally. It can't be helped. I don't like it much."

Aithne ohs softly, 'How long does that generally last?'

Kayjay sighs. "I know .. I tend to crawl away and lick my wounds when Suriath loses. I am not the best of company. And I am not the type to go find solace just because Suraith is miserable." She chuckles. "Wine gives me a headache." She glances over at Auralia then to Aithne. This one is out of her experience.

Auralia mms, while nodding consolingly (at least, she'd probably hope it is) towards Kayjay. "Er, it depends, I think, Aithne. A few days. A sevenday at most. If you're lucky, you'll only be a little flirty or something." Not like poor, poor Aura.

<Southern Weyr> Kayjay smooches the most wonderful proddy greenrider she knows :)
<Southern Weyr> Aithne nodsnods....I rolled so much during that time ;)
<Southern Weyr> Auralia woo-hoos! I must admit I laughed myself silly that time. And the time before.
<Southern Weyr> Auralia is considering going for a broom. And dates. But then again, that's pretty similar. ;)
<Southern Weyr> Aithne snickers.
<Southern Weyr> Kayjay says, "The old lady one was good too."

Kayjay hmms. "Talking about brown dragons.. Suriath says I need him, and he is right. If you will excuse me?" She nods to both girls and heads back out across the beach.

Kayjay walks toward the lakeside meadow.

Aithne nods her head, then blinks at Araneth. The dragon is almost asleep on thesand. "I have better get her back to the barracks....Thank you."

Araneth moves towards the lakeside meadow.

Auralia bobs her head, "Sleep well."

Aithne smiles and waves as she pads out

Aithne walks toward the lakeside meadow.