All references to worlds and characters based on Anne McCaffrey's fiction are copyright © Anne McCaffrey 1967,2000, all rights reserved, and used by permission of the author. The Dragonriders of Pern(r) is registered U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, by Anne McCaffrey, used here with permission. Use or reproduction without a license is strictly prohibited. For more information, visit the Worlds of Anne McCaffrey.

14-10-01: Dance
Serafa wanders into the living cavern, scroll in hand and makes her way automatically to the klah hearth, ah the...

Serafa wanders into the living cavern, scroll in hand and makes her way automatically to the klah hearth, ah the years of weyr life training her feet and hands was a blessing when she studied as hard as she did. Making her way to the table she sits down and finished reading that particular paragraph before taking a look at her surroundings

Relian already sits there, beside the hearth, a droplet of sweat running down his face; it's got to be pretty warm there. He, too, is reading -- although his hide is spread out upon the table, and, with stylis in hand, he makes notations to it. Espying Serafa, he smiles. "Hello."

Serafa takes a sip from her klah and place her scroll on the table. "Hello" She replies looking at him curiously, she hasnt seen him before. "Oooh what you have there?" She asks her brown eyes alighting on his studies as she moves closer, to get a better look naturally

Relian's hide is filled with a large set of circles, one inside the other, names printed in a clear, firm hand throughout. "It's my family tree," explains the young man, with no small amount of pleasure and pride. He shifts his hands to give a better view of the circular tree, adding, "I've made it myself."

Serafa settles herself on the bench closely to peer at the hide. "And where's your name?" She asks, looking at the circles of names on the page. She makes a private bet with herself that his name is in the middle, Thats where she would put her name if she was doing her family tree.

Rather than point to the middle, in fact, Relian indicates the outermost circle, his name one of the smallest, and, apparently, insignificant of the entire hide, coming in as, apparently, the youngest of seven. "I'm there. Right at the bottom of the thing, at least, until some of my siblings or cousins have children."

"Aurelian huh?" She asks "Pleased to met ya, I'm Serafa, Senior Healer apprentice posted here" She extends her hand to indicate the weyr. "Why is this bit missing?" She asks pointing at a curious blank in the circle. Of course in the point she hasta move a tiniest bit closer to indicate the correct place.

Relian responds with a somewhat rueful nod, agreeing, "Aurelian, although most people know me as 'Relian', here." He'd forgotten that his full name was on the hide. "Resident-type, as long as I'm here, I suppose." He glances down, following her finger, latching upon the point with more than vague interest, "Now that is a good question, one you might well ask. The entire reason I'm at Ista, in fact. It's where my great-great uncle's family should go."

Serafa frowns for a moment. "If your great-grand fathers family should go here, then why arent they?" That question makes sense to her. "I thought only harpers kept records like these anyways" she shrugs, flipping a short length of hair out of her eyes.

"Another good question!" Relian, apparently, is more than delighted to answer it, his whole face coming alive at the prospect, while he pushes wooly strands of hair away from his face. "My great-great uncle, Togidun, departed our Hold as a young man, ostensibly coming to Ista. We don't know what he did after that, hover, or if he had children. So I'm here, to find out." He nods firmly, afirming his words, then adds, "I'm the youngest, with no particular 'job', as such. I decided to do it. I'm sorta the Hold Historian, now. Except that I"m here."

Serafa nods. "You think he came to the weyr?" She asks. "Cos if ya do I might be able to offer you some assistance. How long ago did he get here?" Harpers are the only ones who keep records. " I dont even know if my youngest sibling is going to stay my youngest sibling so you are lucky" She grins.

Relian nods, as he smoothes a piece of dirt off of his precious hide, explaining, "That's where he supposedly was headed. Mind you, it *was* eighty turns ago." Hesitating, the young man adds, "What do you mean, your youngest sibling staying your soungest sibling?"

Serafa giggles "Well I'm the oldest, but my parents started early....as far as I know they are still going at it, my youngest sib is six months now, havent heard if mum is pregnant yet again." She blushes, the joys of coming from a large family. "So do you think he was just a resident like yourself? or did he get himself searched?"

"How many, in total?" asks Relian, interested. "I'm the youngest, of course." Fingers indicate the family tree, which he carefully rolls up, keeping it safe. "It must be different, as oldest.--I don't know, honestly. It would be," he hesitates, then smiles a tight-lipped, somewhat bemused smile, "romantic, in a way, if he ended up a rider, but I doubt it."

Serafa grins "Its great, I cant wait to get started for my own. I have like eleven other sib's, but they are still all at Keroon so we get along great." She assumes an expression of guilelessness. "What did you say his name was again? Because if he was searched, or sustained any injuries we would still have the records." Somewhere anyways.

Relian hesitates, his eyebrows nearly escaping into his hairline as he accords Serafa with a long glance. "You--want children?" Bemused surprise is evident upon his clearly expressioned face, as he adds, "Eleven. My goodness, that *is* a large family." More comfortable ground is his hide, his relative, which he responds to far more easily. "Togidun. He would be? Oh, if you could, say, look for me, I would much appreciate it."

Serafa grins rather wickedly "And what would be in it for me?" She asks quirking a brow. Almost in the same breath she answers his question. "Sure, I want a whole heap of 'em. They arent that bad you know." Her brown eyes twinkling she watches for his reaction.

"What is that you want?" Relian responds, his eyelashes not quite fluttering, although he's amused, and playing it up. "It would mean a lot for me, if you could do it." His head shakes, as he adds, "Kids. I can't imagine actually *wanting* them."

Serafa chuckles "Thats cos you are a boy" She shrugs, its something they grow out of, otherwise she would be out of a job. Idly tracing a pattern on the table she looks at him from under her lashes. "Well what can you give me?" dimples appearing in her cheeks as she starts the negotiations.

Relian snorts, noting, "My eldest sister would die before getting pregnant. She can't stand the thought of it, in all honesty." Nonetheless, he folds his arms on the table in front of him, watching Serafa carefully. "What can I give you? Er...I've got some clothes, but they won't do you much good, and I've got my hide, here, but I'd rather not give that up. What else is a possibility?"

"You're hold is kinda out of the way isnt it?" Serafa asks, almost of topic, almost but not quite. "Hey you want to go to the gather with me? I would consider that part payment" Again the wicked grin. "Have you been on a dragon yet?" Another thing to barter with she figures.

Relian's eyebrows raise once more, but he nods. "We're a fair distance from any major holds, and weyrs, yes," he agrees, watching her. "What has that got to do with the price of fish, though?" After a curious pause, he adds, "All right. I'll go to the gather -- er, which gather is that? -- with you." Pause, again, then he shakes his head. "No, I haven't."

Serafa schools her expression to one of enigmatic wisdom. "You have a bit to learn thats all. Theres a gather at Ista hold in about a seven-day. And I have already got a ride, so its only fair you get one too" Her expression rapidly crumbling into barely constrained excitement. "Do you dance much?" Another question is fired his way.

Relian comments, tranquil, "I've been at Ista since the spring arrived, no longer. I think I'm entitled some measure of studentship. At Ista Hold? In that case, it will certainly be my pleasure to take you--" Pause, "--M'lady." He sweeps a mock bow, from within his seat, adding, "Oh? Oh, that would be very...interesting. Dance? My dear," another pause. "I'm the son of a minor Holder. I dance."

Serafa grins "What would you do If I said I didnt believe that you know how to dance?" She asks, Her brown eyes twinkling innocently. "Oh thats great" She gushes "What are you going to wear?" If he says his drudges-wear she will positively scream.

Relian considers this -- mock seriously -- then decides, "I suppose I would insist that I could, and offer a demonstration." He's not flirting, per se, but he's found some measure of charmingness within his demeanour. "Wear? Oh, Faranth, I'm not sure, actually. What should I wear?"

Serafa claps her hands. "Well I'm wearing red so....." Naturally he hasta wear a complimentry colour. With a mischievious grin she states simply. "Well /I/ dont believe you can dance!" She mock-pouts, and folds her arms. Yes she's flirting, but only gently as not to scare the boy.

"Red." Relian considers this, then nods. "I've an outfit in green, if that would suit your style? I suppose this means I ought to find some kind of red flower, to gift you." He's taking this very seriously, obviously, and retorts to her mischevious grin with one of her own. "Up, then, Serafa, and we'll dance!" He stands, lithely moving to his feet, extending one hand for her. Well.

Serafa brushes imaginary crumbs from her lap as she stands, taking his hand lightly and curtseying. "Well what would you like to dance? Something fast, or something slow?" She queries, as she stands straight once more, peering up to watch his face.

"That's up to you," decides Relian audaciously, raising one hand in greeting to Zara as he notes her arrival, leading Serafa away from the table. "You're the one that doubted my ability to step in time. So, my dear, what shall it be?"

"Something fast I think, to truely test your ability" Serafa counters, of course she likes the fast dances best. "Of course if you cant keep up we can dance slow" She challenges, her eyes snapping. "This is the beat" She claps her hads in rapid rhythem to start them off.

Relian dips his head, tapping his foot in time to the rhythmn as he gains hold of it. Then, with a broad grin, he grabs Serafa, and whisks her off into the dance -- he's making up steps as he goes along, but, for a boy of his age, he's not bad, really. "And off we go!"

Serafa giggles as the dance commences. Oh this was just fine. Still she wasnt going to admit that just yet. "Okay do you know how to dip a girl?" She manages to get out while they twirl about the cavern. Of course this will be much more fun if she was wearing skirts rather than trous, but you cant win them all.

Relian waggles his eyebrows, almost playful in mood; "Do you trust me to find out, for you?" he comments, as he keeps to the rhythmn, smoothly leading them between tables, about the room.

Serafa laughs as they continue thier mad dash about the room. "Do you trust me not to hurt you if you dont?" She counters as they narrowly avoid a drudge. "Give it a go, if ya cant do it then we will just have to practise until you get it right"

Relian swings around, laughing with an unusual gaity, "Then we'll give it a go, indeed!" Around, and then down, he does his best, dipping the girl somewhat with somewhat wobbly control, but, nonetheless, a reasonably maneouvered finesse. "I'm not perfect, then," he decides, not quite humbled -- in fact, he sounds more amused, and full, of himself than ever.

Serafa folds her features into a cute little frown blowing a stray strand of hair out of her mouth. "Not bad, but it still needs some work, I suppose we will have to practise it after all" she smiles but still does not slow the pace of the dance, even though he has proven that he can dance well.

Relian laughs, watching Serafa's expression as he swings about once more, deftly avoiding a near-trip by swinging further still. "I guess it does. No matter, we'll manage as best we can, and try it again." Without warning, he performs the movement again, dipping, then bringing her back up. "Better. Somewhat."

Serafa emits a tiny squeak and clutches at Relians shoulders as the unexpected dip is performed. "That is much better" She manages to comment as soon as she has regained her composure. "But still not up to standard." This last comment was of course to get him back for surprising her.

Relian sticks his tongue out gleefully, retorting, having returned the piece of flesh to his mouth, "So you say." His hair flops about as it moves, wobbling up and down as his steps take him this way and that. "You're not a bad dancer yourself. We'll make a good cou--pair."

Serafa grins and whirls away from him for a moment before twirling right back to where she was. "Not a bad dancer!" She snorts "Boy I am the best!" Well at least she thinks she is. "But the real test is the slow dance" She adds in a warm tone. "Do you think you are up for it Relian?"

Relian's naughty tongue sneaks out once more, as he retorts, "Oh, of course. My mistake." A wink, as he continues the step, slowing slightly at her mention of a slow dance. "Up for it? I *live* for slow dances, my dear, Serafa."

Serafa smiles as she moves just that fraction closer. "Really? You have lived a sheltered life havent you?" She teases, of course if he pokes his tongue out once more......Her eyes twinkle as thier mad dash is replaced by a more languid pace.

Relian shifts his arms so that he is in a far better, if closer, position for a slow dance, his arms wrapped about Serafa's waist. "Have I? Perhaps I have -- to my advantage, perhaps, and perhaps, even, to yours." He winks, as he gains his rhythmn properly, leading the dance in far more measured, if not quite intimate, steps.

Serafa almost purrs before she remembers that she's only just met Relian. She quirks her eye brows and asks in a slightly husky tone. "Oh really? How would that be to my advantage?" She is innocent really. Her hands smooth out wrinkles on his shoulders while she sways softly in his arms.

And, besides which, Relian's far too innocent for his own good, even besides his false bravado. "I don't know," he comments, with a smirk settling in upon his face. "What do you think?"

A wicked grin settles once more on Serafa's features. "Its been far too long since the weyr has had fresh meat" She remarks cryptically, her hands still brushing softly. "I mean, you get to know the people round here far to quickly, so that could be to my advantage I guess" Nice save!

Relian snorts, smoothing his fingers over Serafa's hips, as he dances in time to the unheard music. "Fresh meat, is that all we're considered? I imagine there will be plenty of new young men, when the new clutch is laid upon the sands." He laughs, agreeing, "That could, perhaps, be your advantage. And you have a date to the gather, again, to your advantage."

Serafa grins and wiggles her eyebrows once more. "And guess who gets to see 'em fore any dragonet does?" Yes being a healer does have its advantages. "They all have to have physicals done before they can stand." She smiles looking up at him briefly. "Not to mention a new dance partner, for I mean to hold you to the practising as well"

"One perk of the job, I see," comments Relian with a mock rueful sigh. "Do check out the females, will you, and make sure there are none that will chase me with arms outstretched? It's as if half of the are desperate, and wish to fling themselves at me." He smiles, agreeing, "Your dance partner, as well. See, you have scored well out of my presence!"

Serafa stiffens slightly and sniffs. "And what is that suposed to mean?" Of course she was 'throwing' herself at him, just not in any desperate kind of way. "Of course its nothing for nothing, if you want me to check out the girls you have to have something to offer in return"

Relian, apparently, hasn't linked Serafa in that group, explaining only, "When I first arrived, a group of girls attempted to force me to believe that they were me third cousins, or something, and started throwing themselves at me." His eyes roll; "I'm glad most girls aren't like that." He apparently misses the stiffening, and continues the dance, slow, but firm. "Oh? And what is it that you want, this time?"

"Well what do you have to offer? Use your imagination this time" Serafa murmurs, still swaying slightly with a smile, though the twinkle has left her eyes slightly. Get the feeling that she has a volitle temper.

Twisting his gaze to watch Serafa out of the corner of his eyes, Relian hesitates. "How about a kiss?" This is possibly more than his somewhat innocent self can handle, and he flushes furiously, ducking his hide. Oh dear.

Serafa smiles at him, her beasthold instincts coming to the fore. "How about a kiss for every girl that I check out for you?" She asks the innocent twinkle reappearing in her eyes. "It seems fair to me" Of course thats because she hasta check them out anyway, but he doesnt need to know that

Relian hesitates, as if considering this quite seriously -- his blush grows darker still, the longer he waits -- but, at length, he nods. "One for each." Blush.

Serafa beams radiently. "Deal!" She says as she perched up on her tippy-toes to give him a gentle kiss on his flaming cheek. "That ones for free" she teases as she continues to dance. Aw how sweet he's blushing.

Relian would have difficult blushing any darker, and thus, just casts his eyes downwards at her kiss. "You Ista girls really *like* giving kisses, don't you?" he comments, as the blush receeds, and he continues to dance, leading Serafa about the room -- patently avoiding the gaze of all others within the vicinity.

Serafa grins "What can I say? We are a friendly lot," She claims. "But I'm not really from Ista, I have adopted thier ways" she concludes, enjoying the dance. Suddenly she lifts her head. "Have you been to the beach yet?" She asks out of the blue.

Relian laughs, his complexion all but returned to normal, his confidence somewhat restored. "So I see. Ah, but adopted or natural, it all comes down to the same thing. Will I, I wonder, find it so easy to adopt those ways in return? I hardly believe so." He hesitates, although his movement never ceases, "The beach? I have, yes, although not more than once."

Serafa pouts adorably and she knows it. "Oh nevermind I was just thinking that it looks pretty at this time of night, but if you have already seen it....." She lets her voice drift off, focusing on his shoulder for a moment. "Eh I had lessons" She replies to his other comment

Relian flushes beautifully at the pout, hastily noting, "If you'd like to show me the beach, I've never been down there at this time of day." He's like a ball of putty in her hands. "Lessons?" he adds, curious. "Oh, do tell."

Serafa's face appears to be made of putty or another such substance as her grin once more alights on her features. "Oh really you mean that?" she asks breathlessly, stopping her movement for the moment, then almost scolding she continues. "Well what are you waiting for a written invitation?"

Relian laughs, breaking away from the dance pose, as he grabs on to Serafa's hand, moving towards the bowl. "Most certainly not! Women!" A further peal of tenor laughter follows, as he leads on. "C'mon, then."

[Travel spam deleted]

Serafa steps down the path grinning the whole way, of course she hasnt realised Relians hand yet. "See what did I tell ya?" She exclaims waving her hand to indicate the moons-lighted water gently washing upon the shore. Making her way further along the beach she removes her shoes and settles into the sand, patting a patch beside her for him to follow suit.

Relian squeezes Serafa's hand -- he knows the theory of all this, if not exactly what he's doing, whatever it is he's doing -- as he steps alongside Serafa, nodding. "It's very beautiful. A lot like home, only the stars are different." He, too, kicks off his shoes, letting the warm, dark sand come through between his toes.

Serafa smiles and leans back on her elbows as if he could get a tan from the moons glow. "Really? I havent been to Southern yet, what are the stars like there?" She asks looking up trying to imagine them differently. Of course this is just an excuse to get his head a bit closer.

Relian, wiggling into a comfortable position upon the sand, points upwards--"Ours are, well, upsidedown, in some cases. In other cases, we have completely different stars, altogether, and they form different patterns. It's a different season over there, too, which also changes them."

Serafa nods and makes sounds of understanding. "Is that all?" She asks watching him from the corners of her eyes before peering up at the sky again. "Different season? Is it like autumn or something?" she asks softly.

"Autumn, yeah," agrees Relian. "It's still plenty warm, though, at least in my area of the south." he shifts his feet into the sand, adding, "It's so light, almost, with all the stars, and the moons."

Serafa nods again. "Yeah, it is a little isnt it? She agrees. "It makes everything prettier though" She notes. "Kinda different to what you see every day" She murmurs enjoying the silver-y quiet.

Relian nods, letting his hands slip down to his sides. "Quite. I think the beaches might even be nicer, here. Novel, for me, of course. Black sand, rather than white."

Serafa lets a handful of the black sand spill through her fingers. "They have white sand on the other side of the island" She offers, just in case he was getting homesick. Taking a breath she asks. "So how much experiance have you had Relian?" Her vo9ice soft, not that she's embaressed to ask, she just doesnt want to scare him off.

"They do? I must visit them, at some point," he comments, more to himself than anything, eyes staring out into the indigo blue of the sky. "Experience? With beaches?" Call him crazy.

Serafa chuckles, she's used to people not keeping up with her sudden changes in conversation. "No silly I mean with girls? Have you been kissed?" she asks regarding him from her klah-brown eyes.

Relian's eyes light slightly, and he nods. "Oh. That. Of course I have." He twists his head to the side, noting, "I *am* the youngest son of a holder. I was in demand." There's a blush, maybe, but it's hard to see.

Serafa raises a brow. "Oh really now?" Good to see his ego is healthy. "Must be hard for you, coming here and being relatively unkown" She teases gently peering over one shoulder invitingly, now this should prove the truth of his words.

Relian gulps slightly at her movement, but he's not hesitant in shifting slightly closer. "Not really," he admits, regarding her. "After all, I seem to have attracted your attention by my own merits." Blush.

Serafa shrugs. "Its a nice change from dragon riders, you wouldnt believe how arrogant some of those bronze riders are" she dismisses them with yet another shrug of her shoulders. "Can I assume that the attention is mutual?" she asks coyly

Relian doesn't stop flushing furiously, but nods, through the darkness. "I, er, guess so."

Serafa smirks, nicely of course. "Well good then" She remarks, wouldnt want her efforts to go to waste after all. "And why hace I captured your attention?"

Relian's eyelashes lower; he's embarrassed, shy about this. "Er, why not? I don't know...You just did." He pauses, then hedges, "Why did I attract yours?"

"Not many men who be so scholarly in the halls of pure masculinity, they usually use the archive room or something. Oh and you can dance" She replies with a dreamy murmur. She watches him openly now, the moonlight illuminating more than he was aware of.

Relian says, ever so intelligently, "Oh. I see." He flushes -- unaware that she can see that much of him -- watching her in return.

Serafa grins mischieviously and lets her eyes smoulder for a moment. "Exactly" Of course she is just as stuck for words as he is at the moment.

Relian, poor dear that he is, hesitates, watching Serafa, as if unsure what to do, what to say. Finally, as if in an act of desperation, he leans across, making as if to place a kiss upon her lips.

Serafa's lips twitch into a slight smile as she moves that fraction closer to Relian. Making contact she kisses him gently before breaking off to look at him for a moment. "Hmm that was nice, now what would you like in exchange?" she asks grinning once more.

Relian squeaks -- he's blushing more furious than ever, properly embarrassed at what he's doing. Call it his natural oddity. "I, er, I--need to go!" And, without so much as a hesitating pause, he's off, running across the beach, as if with his tail between his legs. Men.