Nareisa tries to look like she did know that, and just succeeds in looking terrified. "Of course er.. you don't...Don't you?"

L'mir presumes Liwellan's speaking to Nareisa, so he focuses on Jayla. "Not speaking ta me?" he asks, cocking his head to the side and raising a brow.

Auralia pauses at the doorway to look for a certain someone, and gives a somewhat silent sigh of relief, taking a seat and a mug of juice. And a frown, as she hears little bits of the conversation. Ok. This is odd. But she says nothing.

Liwellan glances over to look at L'mir and then shakes her head "no..now quit acting that way..dovath flew already."

Nareisa squeaks "I wasn't worried." Suuuuuuuuuuuure.

Watch whatever luck Jayla had left fly right out the window as she pack falls right on her foot. There's a painful cry shortly followed by a long string of muttered curses. "I'm not /not/ speaking to you!" Whatever that means.

Liwellansighs "Ohh reis really..you'd think.." and then she shakes her head "Besides..your my wingsecond remember? what if I need to talk to you?"

Nareisa blinks. "I thought you were, er..." she peers curiously at whatever she can see of Liwellan's tummy. "WEll, of course you can talk to me. As your er... wingsecond." Squeak.

Auralia just blinks. And blinks again. And sets her klah mug down on the table ever so gently. This was a bad time to enter the Weyrhall, wasn't it?

Liwellan looks down and then nods "I am..but it's too early to show yet Reis.."

L'mir's smile fades as Jayla answers him, then his eyes go to her pack. "Can I help ya with that?" he asks quietly, rump lifting off the table to stand straight. The weed jiggles as he talks but manages to stay in his mouth.

Nareisa, nevertheless looks closely at it, just in case it pops out while she's looking or something. "er.. are you happy?"

Liwellan blinks "Happy?" and frowns and thrn ohhs "about the baby..well yes..though i'm a little grumpy about being grounded." she smiles just a bit.

Jayla didn't mean anything at all by that, by the way. It was only an angry reply brought out by that stupid pack. Which she enthusiastically sets a scowl on as she stands on her one good foot. "If ya like... I'm not about to stop ya." comes her next reply.

Nareisa pushes her hand through her hair and manages a "Congratulations," it's mumbled.

L'mir has been keeping track of the conversation nearby, sable eyes flicking to the women then back to Jayla. Okay, is everybody happy yet? "Sure." comes his reply then a few long strides bring him near the smith. "Here ya go." he offers as he leans down to pick the pack up. "Shards, whatcha got in here, Jays?"

Auralia's just listening, and from out of the blue she offers, "Congratulations, Liwellan." She talked! And then she looks back down at her juice again.

Liwellan nods "thanks Reis..but..well.." and she shrugs "You know..you really don't have to stay sitting here if I make you that nervous."

Liwellan smiles back to Aura 'thank you.."

Nareisa squeaks "you're not going to er... you know?"

Liwellan frowns "I'm not going to what?"

Nareisa ers. "YOU know."

No matter how angry Jayla might be, she still takes to time to look over L'mir. Perhaps even against better judgement. She scratches her forehead and frowns. Think, Jayla, think. A snap of her fingers and she returns flippantly, "Just some stuff." Can she elaborate? Yep. "Sometools, you know, Heavy metal ones. Oh, and a whole buncha jars of salves and herbs I got from uh... Dyani."

Liwellan shakes her head "no reis..I don't.." and she really is confused.

Nareisa whispers loudly "Try to kiss me."

Liwellan ohhs and laughs "No..only if you ask for that too...that make you feel better?"

Auralia blinks, smiling to Liwellan for a moment, and then turning to head towards Nareisa, blinking again.

L'mir's interest is heightened now at the 'tools' part of Jayla's conversation. "Tools? What for?" When Nareisa's whisper is spoken, he eyes the two women with an odd look but says nothing.

Nareisa looks relieved. "Right, well then. Er... so I thought you were being transferred while you're pregnant?"

Liwellan nods 'to the queen's wing..temporarily..but then you'll be my wingsecond again..unless you two don't want me back."

Nareisa ers. "I don't know why we wouldn't."

Liwellan smiles "well see then.." and grins. "How have you and your lifemate been?" Then she smiles at Aura again.

Jayla needs to think that over some more, so she goes to sit down in a very near-by chair. Sitting crossed-legged on it, she works on untying her bootlaces. "To do some repairs.." she replies, being vague yet again.

Nareisa leans on a chair, trying to pretend she's relaxed "We're fine. He's watching the dragons land again."

Auralia is just sitting there, just sitting there. But as she gets smiled at, she smiles back. This is getting repeditive.

Liwellan nods and shakes her head "Seems that's his favorite past time.." she then hmms 'you can come over and join us auralia.."

Nareisa nods. "Yes, he likes to know what's going on."

L'mir gives up trying to find out what Jayla's doing for the moment, turning toward the khah pot to pour himself a mug. "Anyone else?" he asks, holding the pot outward to the group.

Liwellan waves her hand "Me?" she says "No sweetner."

Auralia ers, and shakes her head, "I'm fine. Really." She stares at her juice, as if to emphasize this fact. And then lifts the cup to her mouth to drink.

Liwellan has disconnected.

Jayla, at the same time as L'mir, gives up on trying to untie that lace. Instead she goes for the different approach of prying it off her food. Off it does goes, and flying in the air too. She finally utters a brief laugh as she shakes her head. Nope, not a good day for her luck.

Nareisa ers "I'm fine." She flops into a seat, narrowly missing flopping on the floor instead.

L'mir snatches the boot out of the air, offering it back to the smith. "Here ya go." he says with a grin, "Try ta keep it on yer feet next time?"

Jerich has disconnected.

"Uh.. sure, I'll /try/." Jayla says in between a small fit of giggles, heading ducking slightly in a touch of bashfulness. The boot is taken and set in her lap.

L'mir bumps Jayla's shoulder briefly, giving her a grin, before glancing out the doorway. "Time ta get back to the barracks, I think. See ya soon?" The question's directed toward Jayla, but a smile is sent to the other women too.

Nareisa whispers "Are you okay now?" to Aura.

Auralia peers at Nareisa, blinking, "Um? Okay? What wouldn't I be?"

Nareisa erms. "Someone said you thought you were an auntie."

Auralia looks pale. Then she looks pink. Then she looks full on red, "Er. Um. Yes, I'm fine. Really." Blush, blush, blush, blush.

Jayla nods rather enthusiastically, that bump making her in all the more of a good mood. Make's sense, ya know? She stands up then too and smiles, "Sure thing."

Nareisa asks cluelessly "Why did you think you were an auntie?"

Auralia's eyes are staring right at her now empty mug. Humm, humm, humm...Ignore this.."Um. Well, that's a good question." And then, quickly, denying it for all that she's somewhat admitted to it, "Who told you that I thought I was? Huh? Who's out there spreading rumors about me? Horrible rumours?"

Nareisa hmms. "Someone," vaguely. "I forget."

"Oh." Auralia doesn't look happy, "Well, you can tell them that it wasn't true...Much, anyway."

Nareisa ohs. "Right. Are you sure?"

Auralia looks defiant, "Of course I'm sure! Well, maybe not." She blushes again, "Well. I had an excuse. Really."

Nareisa still looks clueless "What kind of excuse?"

Jayla slings the pack over her shoulder and with a grin tossed over her shoulder heads out shortly after L'mir.
Jayla walks toward the Courtyard.
Jayla has left.

You say "An excuse." She's being vague. "I was proddy, okay? Iesath was about to rise."

Nareisa ohs. "Really? Did you try and kiss blueriders?"

Auralia glances up, "No. I thought I was old. I was mean to blueriders."

Nareisa hms. "That's okay then." She whispers "Liwellan tried to kiss ME."

Auralia raises an eyebrow, "Oh. I see. Poor you. Silly greenriders, huh?"

Nareisa erms. "Yes, very silly."

Auralia continues, "The stupid things they...Oh, wait. Just some of them, then. Most of us aren't at all silly.Or anything."

Nareisa shakes her head. "Of course not." She tries to look as if she believes it.

Kayjay walks through the swinging doors of the Kitchen.
Kayjay has arrived.

Auralia nods, "Yeah. So, anyway." Auralia's doing her best to believe it. Which is harder than it seems. "Er. Hi, Kayjay."

Kayjay looks back at the kitchen door and if looks could burn that door would be on fire.

Nareisa nods very seriously. "Exactly. HI Kayjay."

Kayjay shakes her head and grabs a mug of water. "Hello Nareisa, Evening Auralia."

Kayjay is looking at you.

Auralia is normal. Wheee! "Whats wrong with the door, Kayjay?"

Nareisa waves "Maybe it was Kayjay," she says helpfully.

Kayjay shakes her head again."The door? Nothing.. "

Kayjay decides to dare a peek at Auralia, and then smiles. "Lovely outfit!"

Well Auralia's colored confused. And then red. Perhaps a shade of Rememberance-Of-Something-Best-Forgotten to be exact. "Oh. It is, isn't it? I love my leathers. I never wear anything else. Ever."

Kayjay shakes her head. "No, of course not."

Nareisa suggests "Unless it's an old Auntie outfit."

Auralia glares at Nareisa. Glare, glare, glare, glare, glare. So there. "No. I. Would. Not. Wear. One. Of. Those."

Kayjay rolls her eyes and sips her water.

Nareisa blinkblinks. "But you did!"

Auralia shakes her head. Really, really fast. "No! I did not!" Never mind that she just admitted to it.

Nareisa is obviously having trouble here. Just blame it on the big knot. Its weight impinges on her mental processing capacity. "Yes, you did. Kayjay told me. Or Ithink it was Kayjay, and well, I don't know why you'd WANT to be an old auntie, but at least you weren't kissing blueriders."

Kayjay blinks. "What's wrong with kissing blueriders?"

"No! No! No!" Auralia scowls, "I didn't. No one told you. It didn't happen. You're all having weird dreams." Her head turns, "A lot, apparently, Kayjay."

Nareisa opens her mouth "But you said..."

Kayjay blinks again. "I don't think we had this lecture yet."

Kayjay shakes her head. "No on kissing blueriders."

Auralia shakes her head, "I didn't. I never did. You're imagining things."

Nareisa mentions "/I/ didn't get a lecture on kissing blueriders." (re)Nareisa whines "But I never SAID you kissed a bluerider."

Auralia looks confused. And then slightly relieved, "No, you didn't. And no, you don't get a lecture on it, Kayjay. You have to try it out for yourself."

Kayjay looks confused. "Do I have to get this confused when I get older?"

Nareisa squeaks! "You don't have to try it if you don't want to!"

Kayjay puts her hands in front of her chest. "I am not planning on kissing anyone."

Auralia frowns, "Why not?" If it wasn't for the fact that Iesath just rose, you'd almost think she was proddy. "Kissing's fun."

Nareisa eyes Auralia and scoots a little away from her. "Kissing blueriders isn't fun," she says.

Auralia just smiles sweetly, "It is. But anyway."

Nareisa eyes her suspiciously. "C'ley and K'tor are bronzeriders," like Aura couldn't have worked this out for herself.

Auralia just looks even more sweet, "Yes. They are. Doesn't mean to say that I haven't kissed blueriders, you know."

Nareisa erms. "RIght, well, I guess you don't need to practice then."

Auralia shakes her head, "Not me. Kayjay, however..." She shrugs.

Nareisa blinkblinks "She's not allowed!" Good ol' N'all! Came through for her again!

Auralia sighs, "Shucks. Stupid Weyrling rules. Oh well, 'nother few months and that won't matter at all." Why is she doing this? Good question.

Kayjay blushes at Auralia. "I seem to get into this discussion alot lately."

Auralia looks innocent, "What discussion?"

Kayjay sighs. "Kissing and stuff."

Auralia wiggles her nose, "Oh. -that-."

Kayjay wrinkles her nose. "Yes. -that-. " She shrugs. "I guess with flights and all, its on people's minds." She says oh so innocently.

Auralia half-smiles, and then looks curious. Strangely so, "Flights? Who's been flying lately? I mean, there are always flights, but still?"

Kayjay looks slightly panicked and shrugs.

Nareisa says "You! Iesath rose, remember? And that's when you dressed up as an old Auntie."

Auralia glares at Nareisa. Glares really, really hard. "No. I didn't dress up as an old auntie. That was someone else."

Nareisa blinkblinks. "But Kayjay said it was YOU."

Kayjay blinks and protests. "I never did!"

Auralia hides a smile. Really, really well. "No one told you, Reis," she says soothingly, "No one ever did."

Nareisa ohs? "They didn't? I was sure they did."

Auralia shakes her head, "No, they didn't." Everything is alright now. Auralia's fixed it all.

Kayjay excuses herself, with the same panicked look in her eyes. "If you will excuse me, I think I need to talk to Suriath. He can explain things to me."

Nareisa peers from one to the other. "Okay," she says uncertainly.

Kayjay walks toward the Courtyard.
Kayjay has left.

Jeryn walks over from the Western Courtyard.
Jeryn has arrived.

Auralia smiles, smoothely, "Good." Jeryn gets a smile, and she adds, "Hello, there."

Jeryn smiles as he's addressed. "Hello," he greets in a pleasant tone. He appears a bit worn-out, tired

Jeryn's smile falters slightly. "I'm, uhh, Jeryn," he adds offhandedly. "And you are?" His eyes flick over to Nareisa, a tip of the chin in greeting.

Auralia nods again to Jeryn, standing to refill her mug. She sits, again, and simply smiles to herself.

Auralia ohs, as she looks up from her new mug, "Auralia."

Jeryn has evidently spied the rank-knot, and then queries, "How may I address you, rider?" Sniffing toward the food, he wanders over, still keeping most of his attention on Auralia as he helps himself to a small bowl of whatever's on the hearth.

Auralia shrugs, almost smiling, "However. Auralia, if you want. If you really want to be formal, Wingsecond. I'm not fussed."

Nareisa offers "Nareisa." Blinkblink. "You're a wingsecond?" to Aura.

Auralia nods, "Yes. Starflame."

Nareisa ohs. "Fancy that," she says. "So am I."

Auralia blinks, "You are?" Talk about surprises here.

Nareisa nods. "Stormfall." Look, she has a new knot and everything!

Auralia ahs, "Congrats. K'tor's wingsecond, huh?" Interesting.

Nareisa nods. "Yep," she peers at Jeryn. "You don't have to call me wingsecond," she offers. "I'm just er.. well, they call me Nareisa or Reis, and N'all calls me Nari, but nobody else does."

Jeryn smiles a bit as he finishes the first tidbit of his snack. "Well, I wouldn't presume to call anyone a name that only one other person uses." He finds himself a seat not too close, but not too far away from the two riders. "It's a lovely Weyr your people have here," he says, looking about him once again. "It's certainly different from home."

Nareisa blinks. "Home? Where's that?"

Auralia ohs, "Wheres home, then? I guess its different from everywhere, really."

Jeryn shrugs a shoulder with a half-smile. "It doesn't have a formal name, but we're beholden to Southern, and yourselves, of course. Just large enough, or perhaps /barely/ large enough, for the two families who live there."

Auralia ahs, "Oh, I see. Most likely we've been past there once or twice on sweeps, then. Welcome to the Weyr, I guess."

Jeryn's smile turns into a lopsided grin. "Thank you, Auralia. I've certainly felt welcome ever since I got here. People are just so nice and friendly. As long as one does their chores."

Nareisa peers at him "What chores?"

Jeryn gestures to the kitchen. "The chores the headwoman assigns to any pair of idle hands belonging to someone who is willing to admit not having anything to do at present." He pauses, and then adds, "She put me to work!" His tone doesn't indicate any unhappiness at that, the smile still firmly in place.

Auralia laughs, wondering, "Then you're thinking of staying, perhaps?"

Nareisa chews on a lock of her hair. "Oh yeah, she does that."

Jeryn chuckles, "Well, that was the intent of my father. As I mentioned earlier, we're a bit crowded for space, so he's trying to foster a few of the younger ones, and get us older ones out of his way. He's got too many hands to help in the fields, if you believe that."

Auralia ahs, "Good idea. Its a nice place. You'll get used to us. I mean, with greenriders that think they're old, and that sort of thing." It wasn't her. She can be calm about saying it. -She- didn't do it.

Nareisa helpfully says "Like you, Aura!"
Nareisa says "Aura dressed up as an old Auntie while she was proddy."

You say "No I didn't. It was someone else. It was. Honest!"

Jeryn lifts his brows curiously. "Indeed?" he queries, looking Auralia up and down again.

Nareisa looks confused. "You said you did."

Auralia looks innocent, "Did I? I must have been delusional. I would never do anything like that." Jeryn gets a smile, "I'm normal. Really."

Kinoa strides over from the Western Courtyard.
Kinoa has arrived.

Kinoa wanders in, balancing a wooden crate on her hip. "Evening," she says cheerfully, lugging the thing over to the door and depositing it with an 'oof.'

Nareisa peers curiously "You get delusional? Maybe you should see a mindhealer."

Jeryn listens to the banter back and forth, his eyes then taking in the new arrival, nodding his head politely. "What an interesting concept. I take it dressing up as an old auntie is unusual in proddy riders?"

Nareisa mentions "I never did it," of course, blue dragons don't go proddy, so.

Auralia looks up at Kinoa's entrance, and smiles engagingly. Anything but this conversation she's already in. "Hello, Kinoa. What's that you've got?" Turning back for a moment, "No, I don't get delusional. Not most of the time."

Kinoa peers curiously at Jeryn. "Huh?" she asks him succinctly, then smiles at Auralia. "A box," she says helpfully, reaching into the thing to shift a few of its contents around.

Nareisa ohs. "A booooooooooox." Like that explains it.

Jeryn takes the diplomatic tack and replies to Kinoa, "I was listening to these two mention some rider who'd done so."

Kinoa sits back on her heels and brushes a stray bit of hair out of her eyes. "Really?" she wonders, still curious. "And who would that be? Not me, I hope." Standing, she brushes her hands off on her thighs and nudges the box flush to the wall with her toe. "It's a box for clothes," she elaborates.

Jeryn shakes his head. "I, err, believe the rider in question hasn't been named..."

Auralia looks down at her mug. Yes, she does. No looking around, nothing. "A box. Okay."

Nareisa points at Auralia while she's not looking and mouths "AURA"

Kinoa blinks at Nareisa confuzzeldly and then mouths 'oh' back at her, peering at Auralia. "Well, you're allowed to do weird stuff when you're proddy. It's the only consolation we greenriders have." With a bright smile, she turns back to Jeryn. "And who might you be, then?"

Nareisa doesn't have an excuse then. Rats.

Auralia looks up again, "Wasn't me. Honest! I never do anything odd when I'm proddy. I'm just me."

Jeryn puts a smile back on. "My name is Jeryn. New to the Weyr. Hoping to stay and make myself useful."

Nareisa supplies "With the headwoman."

Kinoa shakes her head, still looking puzzled. "You did something with the headwoman?" she asks Auralia, glancing at Nareisa for confirmation. A shrug for the vagaries of rider behavior and then she smiles back at Jeryn. "I'm Kinoa. Well met, and welcome. And if you have any old clothes, please put them in the box."

Auralia looks even more puzzled, "The headwoman? What did I do with the headwoman, Nareisa?"

Jeryn says rather matter-of-factly, "If I put my old clothes in the box, I wouldn't have any clothes at all, and I'm sure 'vagaries' would not explain why I was going around the Weyr naked." His smile is one shade shy of an impudent grin.

Nareisa says "What did you do with the headwoman? I don't know anything about the headwoman. WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER AURA?"

Nareisa says "Come to think of it, I haven't seen the headwoman since Iesath rose."

Auralia yelps, looking around in utter confusion, "The headwoman? I have no idea where the headwoman is. I certainly didn't do anything. Honest." She's looking all scared now, "No need to go all psycho, Nareisa. I swear I haven't touched her!

Kinoa purses her lips and then simply shakes her head again. "Well. I'd love to stay and help uncover this mystery but I have work to do. Nareisa, Auralia," she nods in farewell. "And Jeremy. Hope you can -find- the headwoman." And then she hurries off.

Kinoa walks toward the Courtyard.
Kinoa has left.

Jeryn asks with rampant confusion, "The Headwoman is missing?"

Nareisa eyes her suspiciously. "You said you didn't dress up as an old Auntie either."

Auralia just shakes her head over and over again, "I didn't! Well...maybe I did. But I DID NOT DO ANYTHING TO THE HEADWOMAN!"

Nareisa seems to decide that being a wingsecond puts her in charge. It's either her or Bertha. "Everyone stay calm," she says.

Jeryn murmurs, "I'm calm... but still, she's missing?"

You say "Stay calm? How can I stay calm when you're accusing me of doing something to the Headwoman?"

Nareisa sounds panicky. "JUST DON'T PANIC!" she says. "We'll find her....or....what's left of her."

Jeryn BLINKS! and looks at the two. "She's dead?" he asks, concerned.

Bertha glances over from the card game she's playing with a male brownrider. She listens attentively to Nareisa's whisper with her head bobbing up and down. "Really!" she exclaims. "Is that so???"

Nareisa squeaks "YOU KILLED HER?!?"

Auralia sounds just completely lost, "But I swear she's just in her cothold. I know nothing. Iesath would've made a fuss if I had." Bertha gets a glare, and she shakes her head, "You didn't. You didn't tell Bertha this?" And then, "OF COURSE I DIDN'T KILL HER. I"VE NEVER KILLED ANYONE!"

Bertha winks back at Auralia.
Bertha winks back at Auralia.

Nareisa reminds her "You SAID you didn't dress up as an old Auntie either."

Jeryn's eyes get as big as saucers as he /stares/ at Auralia, an unconcious look of minor
fear passing across his face.

You say "I guess I say a lot of things. But I'd never hurt a fly." Poor, poor Jeryn. He's obviously not used to this. "C'mon, Nareisa. Act sane. Why would I kill the headwoman?"

Nareisa whispers to Jeryn "I'll save you." Lucky, lucky Jeryn. She plants herself in between Jeryn and Auralia "Don't come any closer!"

Jeryn is too new to the Weyr to know if this is real or fake. "Err, aren't I supposed to be defending you?" he asks, hesitating.

Auralia shakes her head, "I'm not moving. I'm not admitting to anything, either."

Nareisa peers at Jeryn, and switches it around so that she's behind HIM. "Right," she whispers. "DON'T COME ANY CLOSER!" she repeats.

Nareisa tiptoes up to whisper to Jeryn "She WOULD say that. Don't let her near you."

Auralia just shrugs her shoulders, "Fine, fine. I won't move. I'm just going to sit here."

Jeryn looks rather befuddled, but faced with a young... nice?... woman who is now being accused of foul play. The look of confusion doesn't so much walk across his face as run across with big neon placards screaming 'help!' "Is it true?" he asks, his voice carrying a note of hope that it's not.

Nareisa backs away nervously and as soon as she's close enough to the door, she yells
"RUN!" and bolts for it.

Nareisa strides over to the Courtyard.
Nareisa has left.

Auralia eyes the departing Nareisa, and sighs, "No. I swear its not!" Theres a desperate
note in her voice. Pleading.

Jeryn blinks as Nareisa flees. "Is she always like this?" he asks, sinking back into his chair.

Auralia sighs, rolling her eyes, "Yes. Well, most of the time." She relaxes a little, glaring at Bertha, "But now that -Bertha- knows, we're all going to be in for it."

Jeryn looks over toward Bertha. "And why's that?" he asks, curiously, relaxing, poping a small snack into his mouth and chewing thoughtfully.

You say "She's a gossip." There's no answer but that, "And she'll tell everyone.""

Jeryn makes a silent 'ah'. "Sounds like my youngest sister," he intimates in a low voice.

Auralia raises an eyebrow, "Oh really? Mmm. There's one everywhere, honestly there is."

Temari walks over from the Western Courtyard.
Temari has arrived.

Auralia is normally dressed, but sweating. Really badly. She peers up at Temari, and lets out a sigh of relief. "Whatever you've heard, I didn't kill the headwoman, Temari."

Jeryn smiles brightly at a familiar face. "Temari!" he greets warmly. "Good to see you again. And I'll back that up. She didn't."

Temari stops as she walks into the hall and stares at Auralia. "What?" she asks, then smiles across at Jeryn as she walks in. "You got work here then?"

Jeryn chuckles. "Not officially. I simply made the mistake of telling the headwoman I wasn't busy."

You say "As I said. I didn't kill the headwoman."

Temari smiles again at Jeryn's comment, then faces Auralia. "Um, I believe you, but what happened?" She notes in passing that Auralia no longer seems to believe she's an old aunty.

Auralia never believed that she was an aunty. Honestly, she didn't. "I don't even know. Kinoa, and then Nareisa...Thought I did something with the headwoman. But I didn't! Honestly I didn't! I never would."

Jeryn admits sheepishly, "I think they were teasing her... but I wasn't sure at first."

Temari smiles reassuringly. "Well, you'd know if you did, wouldn't you. And romours start in all sorts of funny ways - someone probably heard that you spoke to her, then your dragonkilled a herdbeast or something, and just missed the middle bit."

Auralia still looks troubled, "Maybe. At any rate, I'm not staying here any longer. Or some other silly rumors about me in old aunty clothes will start. Which isn't true, if you have heard it!" She stands, and stomps out of the room.

You walk over to the Courtyard.