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.

21-11-01: Rubadubdub
You go to the Public Bathing Chamber. Barefoot, and yes, shirtless, Relian has obviously already started his bathtime preparations; he...

You go to the Public Bathing Chamber.

Barefoot, and yes, shirtless, Relian has obviously already started his bathtime preparations; he slinks through, disrobing without heed for modesty, his clothes placed neatly in one corner - out of the way of any splashing. Once completely naked - hide your eyes, ladies - he dives into the nearest, mostly empty pool, submurging, and beginning to splash. Rubadubdub.

Serafa stops her quiet massage of her own poor feet to watch the shy historian strip and enter the bath, without any apparent awareness of her presence in her shadowy niche. Chuckling throatily she teases. "I'll do all your chores if you do that again...and again." She offers, she'll let him know when he can stop. Removing her own clothes daintily she enters the pool, slowly submerging her own skin in the warm liquid.

Fareia shuffles in, a towel wrapped around her waist. Sorry boys, but she has a bathing suit on, even if it is a rather skimpy one. Towel and sandals are placed on the edge of the pool, and she sits next to them, letting her feet in the water as she attempts to unbraid and detangle her hair. A sudden glance back and she giggles at Serafa's comment,"Oh, hey Serafa..." A glance towards the other candi,"She's got a point, Reli..." A wink and she continues on her hair.

Relian waggles his eyebrows, as, mostly hidden beneath the water's surface, he floats lazily. "You like what you see, mmm?" he retorts, snorting with amusement. "Not modest are you, Fareia? Nothing wrong with a nice piece of naked flesh, in my, humble opinion." And hey - he's not bad to look at, to be sure. "I think I make a better man than a woman," he concludes with, splashing his hands easily through the warm water.

Serafa chuckles once more as she emerges from wetting her hair. "Weeelll out of all the naked men that I have seen in my life you would have to be in the top ten" Shy? Not really. Considering that she is a healer and has seen plenty of male booty this was actually quite a compliment from the healerite.

Fareia smirks and giggles a bit while running a wide toothed comb through her hair. Hey, almost-hip-length hair is hard work. A slight shrug goes to Relian as she slides into the water, her hair sufficiently detangled. "Oh, I wouldn't go /that/ far, /Relina/," she replies maliciously. After her hair is satiated with water, she hoists herself up to the side again, pouring a heaping handful of sweetsand onto her head and scrubbing. Scrubscrubscrub for shinyshiny hair, which is a must.

"I'm flattered," avers Relian - somewhat honestly, splashing up a light storm. "The top ten. Very impressive, don't you think, Fareia? -- Relina? Where?" His head is ducked beneath the water, then emerges, hair flopping over his eyes, and down towards his shoulders. It's long, when not safely tangling, dry. "I'll never live that down."

Serafa smiles and scrubs her own short locks, with a generous helping of sweetsand. "Relina? She questions brown eyes regarding both in turn. She may just very well be one of the only ones who hasnt heard this story yet. "And how about me? How do I rate in your scale of naked women?" She asks smirking and striking a pose, displaying her glory discreetly.

Relian groans, attempting to flatten his hair away from his face with equally wet hands. The mop of tawny hair turned dark in the water prevails against him; it bounces up, turning rabid in a war against him. "Er, nothing, Serafa." Relina, who's that? "You're probably in my top ten, too," he concludes, genially, glancing towards Serafa more rapidly than he should - admiring, then turning away.

"Are you ashamed of my body?" Serafa asks quietly before rinsing her hair. Standing up she watches the suds swirl away. "I mean I can go get my swim suit if it bothers you that much" She shrugs, this is just what she looks like without clothes thats all.

"No," Relian responds, rapidly, but, by appearances, honestly. "I simply don't want to look like I'm eyeing you up. People get offended, sometimes, when that happens." Besides, there are always adverse effects to watching someone even remotely attractive. At least Relian has the grace not to flush. "Stay as you are, I don't mind."

Serafa giggles "Perverse as I am I'd probably would consider it offensive if you didnt at least sneak peeks" She starts scrubbing her bronzen skin. "I dont mind that, but just keep the drool to yourself okay?" Yes she is teasing, and she is aware of her rather blatent sensuality, hence the reason for teasing. "You do know I am only teasing dont you?" She asks after a moment wouldnt want him to get the wrong idea after all.

Relian rolls his eyes. "I'm not that innocent." Grinning, he resumes his washing, scrubbing lightly tanned skin as his hair continues to battle against any attempts to control it. "Drool safely kept out of your reach, yes. Remind me to watch you longingly, just so that you get really frustrated, mmm?"

Serafa grins "It takes alot more than a few steamy glance across the bath to frustrate me dontcha know?" Scrubbing her arms vigously she asks "I bet you didnt expect this before, when you were searching for your uncle" She is of course refering to his being searched and the like

Relian coughs beneath his breath, outstretching his somewhat lithe, lightly muscled body - yes, is that enough description for you? "I'll take your word for it." Splashing, with easy strokes of his arms (this is, supposedly 'washing'), he adds, thoughtfully, "I suppose not. I mean - I still intend to try and find my Great-great Uncle, but...Yes. I certainly never expected to end up as a candidate. My parents aren't entirely thrilled, I have to add."

Serafa smiles and rinses the suds off, making her way to the edge of the pool to soak now that she was all clean. "Perhaps it like you are following in his footsteps or something? I mean he could have been Searched as well you know" She leans her head against the lip of the bath and sighs "Ooh this is bliss"

"Maybe he did," agrees Relian, his voice lazy as he, too, leans up against the edge of the pool, supporting himself with a few idle kicks from his legs, and his shoulders and elbows. "It is. This is one thing that we don't have at home that I'd miss, if I went back."

Serafa turns her head slowly and raises an ebon brow. "Oh and what is that?" She asks her brown eyes glowing muted slightly, enjoying the warmth that is imbued through the water. "

"The thing I'd miss? The baths. We don't have them, back at home; we bathe in the river, or in the ocean." The young man grins ruefully, sinking down into the hot water, the steam adhesing his hair to his face.

Serafa chuckles and settles back into the blissful water. "Oh that must not be much fun in the winter...You do have winter there dont you?"" She asks frowning slightly. Other continents can be confusing at times

Relian laughs, chuckling through the water, which makes the sound echo - ricocheting off of the walls. "In theory, yes. We're much like Ista, really; warm, most of the year round. Winter's actually nicest, because we don't get as much rain, or storms. It's fine, not having baths, unless it really does storm, which makes it more difficult."

Serafa nods and stretches, raising herself out of the water slightly. "Thats nice Relian" She murmurs, lulled by the warmth and the blissful unstrenousness of the waters she is almost on the verge of sleep, staying awake only because of her conversation. "Tell me a little about your hold?" She asks with sleepy interest, she cant go to sleep just yet despite of her current inclinations.

Relian hesitates, his body growing limp as he slips back into the water, languid, like Serafa, under the influence of its warmth. "My Hold?" Ruefully, he comments, "It may not be my Hold, anymore. Not if I Impress. But...it's set on the river, just by the mouth, where it opens into the ocean. It's warm, all year round, and there's always fruit on the trees. It's small, though; only twenty families, or so."

Serafa nods and watches him from under her sooty lashes. "Sounds kinda like my home, back in Keroon. But I've been here so long I dont think that I am ever going to be happy elsewhere." She sighs. "What else is there to recomend it? I'm sure that if you do impress that you would be able to visit at least" The last is offered with a sleepy grin.

"I think," confides Relian, speaking slowly - softly - "That Black Rock River'd be too small for me, now. That's part of it's charm: it's isolated, you know everyone, but...that's only good if you don't have anywhere you want to go in life. Easy for my brothers, who have a purpose, there." He nods, speaking thoughtfully, "Oh, indeed. I'll still visit. You miss Keroon?"

"Greatly, but its mainly my family that I miss, more than the actual place you know." Serafa grins. "I grew up alot here too you know, it takes a special type of person who just pack herself up and moves to a completely different land mass" Or something anyways.

Relian nods, keeping his movements to a minimum - too sleepy, too languid, too relaxed. "Mmm," he comments, slinking his legs out, through the warm water. "I haven't seen my family in half a turn. It's a peculiar feeling."

Serafa looks at him. "I have seen my family three times in the last four turns, its hard keeping up in that situation." She chuckles wryly. "It feels like I have been a candidate forever though" She adds as a sleepy after-thought.

"Me, too. Wish they eggs'd hatch and let it all end." Relian shifts reluctantly, struggling to keep his eyes open. "I think I'm going to go and - " yawn " - get to bed, before I fall asleep here." And turn into a shriveled up prune.

Serafa nods "Yeah well sleep well and I hope your chores arent too strenous tomorrow" She farewell's him cheerfully also making her way out of the baths. "Might go grap a klah or something so that I dont zonk out now and get all tired tomorrow"

Relian grins ruefully, as he slips from the pool, wandering idly towards a stack of towels to pick himself up one. Wrapping himself in this, he picks up his clothes, waving a hand after Serafa. "See you, Seffy." Then, he's gone.

You go to the Northeastern Caverns.