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08-04-02: Friends
Lydiere and W'yn have been best friends for turns, and sometimes a friend is better than a lover for just sitting and chatting.

W'yn is sat to one side, his eyes looking unfocused as he hugs a mug of Klah. An empty platter shows signs of Wherry and gravey but his stance is relaxed and no paper work in sight! ;

The evening drags on, and Lydiere finally manages to stride - well, limp, really; she looks exhausted, and her movements show it - into the caverns, wavering by the serving table before a kind drudge shoves a plate of food in her hands. This she takes to a table, which, incidentally, and purely by chance, is W'yn's table, all but dropping it onto the hard surface before she collapses into a seat.

W'yninstantly snaps out of the conversation that had been covering his mind. Blinking a few times and wiping his hand of a few drops of Klah that had splashed at his motion he looks up and finally sees Lydiere. "My! Quick eat..are you ok?" he asks concerned, the fatigue openly shown as it is. "Can I get you some wine or Klah to go with that food?" Not noticing if any had been passed by the friendly drudge.

"Fine," says Lydiere quickly-- perhaps too quickly, but she's obviously so tired that such things aren't really more than negigible in their indication of anything. "Sorry, I'm just tired." She presses a weary smile onto her lips, attempting to force the muscles in to something more broad, as she reaches for her fork, spooning the first mouthful towards her mouth without even noticing what she's eating. "No, no, I'm fine."

W'yn leans back in his seat and for a long while is silent. Raising his mug to his lips he sips slowly for a moment before speaking. "You needed that.." Nodding towards the food for a moment he then smiles lightly. "Don't worrie about putting on a brave face in friendly company.." he smiles lightly himself then adding. "Ill be quite for a while eh?...except for what im going to say to G'wain for keeping you up like this.." his tone friendly teasing.

Lydiere gives her broadest smile, which, considering, isn't really all that broad anyway, and nods her head in silent thanks. Another bite is taken, and she drops her fork to chew, concentrating on one thing at once. "Hah. I /wish/. 's hard to do anything without falling asleep mid--" She trails off, apparenting thinking better of this. "Well, hard for him, if I fall asleep on him. Too much work to do, not enough time."

W'yn snorts as he stays silent, allowing her to eat for a while. Smiling then as he does finally look up he nods. "I've seen it from G'wains point of view...when Ly'ette had that last batch of Weyrlings.." he sighs lightly before he smiling. "You look forward to the time you can spend together and try and understand the times when you cant.." he admits then adding. "Its kinda hard for both and doubly so with your work load.." He frowns for a moment then tilting his head to one side. "Has your work load increashed that much? anything I can do.." not that his own pile of paperwork is being avoided.

Lydiere's plate is emptied rather more quickly than she intends, by her expression; she's almost disappointed, it might seem, when she realises that there is nothing left but a few odd greens, which she forks, bringing them to her mouth. "Mm," she responds, her mouth full, nodding. "And G'wain's busy, himself, now-- the whole wing thing, and all. But..." Her expression is guilty. "Not /increased/, I guess, I just have some projects I need to get done. I hate doing it, but-- I /have/ to." Her mouth droops, her face troubled. "I don't really have a choice. And no, but thank you. I'll manage."

W'yn goes to say something and then stops mid sentence, looking worriedly at his friend. "Projects.." he wonders, though not making it into a question, that would be breaking privacy. Looking thoughtful for a moment he sighs. "Maybe that is a little my fault..I think he really wants to make a good job with his Wing and from when J'ran stepped down there was quite a few rankled riders...maybe, no I could not interfear there..and he knows full well he can come and speak to me, my Weyr is always open..told him so myself.." W'yn had slipped into talking to himself and as he suddenly looks up he smiles. "your pardon..Im rambling again arnt I.." Looking down to his own platter he smiles and as a drudge passes askes them kindly for more wherry. Not a moment longer and he returns and with his belt knife W'yn speaks two fat pieces for himself and slaps a few more down on Lydieres plate, winking.

Lydiere's eyes gleam with the new pieces of wherry, her smile issuing her silent thanks, as she forks one, mashing it in to her mouth. She chews, then swallows, and then grimaces, nodding. "Mm-hmm," is her only comment. "He's doing his best, but he /is/ only eighteen. And it isn't that age is important, but--" she trails off, shrugging. "No, no, don't worry about rambling. I don't mind talking, now that I've eaten something." After a pause, as she swallows again, she adds, "I don't suppose that offer of wine is still open?"

W'yn chuckles and with a jest of a 'funny' salute he rises. Returning a while later with Skin and glasses he begins to pour. "I was not sure..red?" he asks hesitating but a moment. Looking back over his shoulder he smiles. "Sorry about the delay.. Another green pregnancy. Poor Debria(NPC) this will be her second child, but she had such trouble with the first.." open concern ripples in his voice before he turns back to the conversation at hand. "Would you like me to have a word with his seconds? they should be learning the responsibility..and what better way than to help? and maybe a subtle way of re-enforcing G'wain with help and taking some pressure." He falls silent himself then, seeming to stare at the skin before he adds. "He shows such promis, I would be a crime to burn him out with early promotion. I know he was so pleased and when WeyrWoman Lymera promoted him, he was so happy..but..well if you think he is not coping?" he asks the last lightly and with an undertone so nobody else could be heard.

"Red is fine, thank you." Lydiere reaches out to pick up one of the filled glasses, lifting it to her lips, and shakes her head. "Oh, no, that's all right. I can understand that she'd want to talk to you." The mention of pregnancy brings another dark look to her expression, but she expells it after a long pause. "Oh. I-- I don't know. I don't want to interfere or anything. I'm sure he's doing a wonderful job, he's just busy, and..." She half grins, and then shakes her head. "Better not. If he found out, I'd probably be in the dog pen, and I don't want to do anything to upset...the good things."

W'yn also takes a glass and raises it lightly before sipping. As he does the dark look is caught in his eyes and he hesitates in drinking. As he does finally sip and lower his glass he decides not to speak at the moment and smiles lightly. "He is doing a wonderful job, let me reassure you of that please." he nods to add accent to his words as he continues. "I have had less complaints from that wing than I have from Phoenix, under the WeyrLeader..." he snorts slightly as he then smiles. "Ahh Lydiere..you could not be in the dog house for long.. But how about I just keep note of what is happening?" he offers as maybe a substitute to getting others to do it.

Lydiere's expression turns right back to coolly comfortable, dark looks banished as if they had never been there, her smile firm. "I know," she says, her head nodding, her plate finished for the second time, and pushed away from her, fingers twining about the solidity of her wine glass. "Ah, but R'yn's the rakish type, and G'wain's-- far less so, or so I should hope. And no, I probably couldn't be. But...Oh, I would appreciate that. Thank you, W'yn."

W'yn chuckles lightly. "Ill work out which answer was which.." he teases for a moment before he smiles warmly and adds. "Rakish type hmmm.." was there his own dark look for a moment.. it was only a flicker before he turns back to his light teasing tone. "You know id do anything I could for you..and heck, my weyr is as open to you as G'wain.." he adds then before eating the last of his Wherry.

Lydiere blushes, her lips turning down in a moue of contrition. "Sorry!" But her smile returns-- she's not offended, nor particularly repentent for long, adding, "Is that a bad thing? The whole rakish thing. I suppose..." Her head shakes; evidently, whatever it was she was going to say is thought better of. "Thank you, W'yn. That means a lot to me. And-- well, shards, I guess our weyr is open to you, too. Alwa--well, almost always."

W'yn laughs and nods. "Ok, maybe I should add..apart from if Ayath is on the ledge?!" His tone broad before he shrugs lightly. "Ahh done apologise. What happened between R'yn and all is in the past and gone..I accept it and the understanding has turned into myth..its all past." he offers, not really being specific but also showing that he is not holding anything against the Weyrleader. "Well!" he adds then.. "Just remember it ok? and I appreciate the offer also..something I will remember.."

Lydiere smirks, finding this amusing. "Unfortunately, there's no such warning note for us-- well, Llysereth probably does well enough. If she's all hot and bothered, it's best to avoid." She's cheerfully frank about this, moving on to say, after a pause, "Ah, yes. Well...yeah. R'yn just--" Again, she can't manage to finish that thought, but, her head nodding, she obviously accepts it calmly. "I will. Absolutely. And do remember it, without a doubt. What else are friends for, after all!"

W'yn openly laughs before sipping his wine. "Hot and bothered because she still does not like such activities?" a raised eyebrow before chuckling lightly and smiling. "Without a doubt Ill get Zymanth to bespeak Llysereth first..hows that?" he asks lightly smiling for a moment before tilting his head and nodding. "What else are friends for, if not to be a shoulder to lean on or a venting post?"

"She accepts G'wain, because it's romantic," Lydiere explains, after a pause. "But-- she hasn't come around to the idea that sex is fun, and not absolutely nasty and horrible and crude. So-- yes, if you get Zymanth to check with her, first, all will be well." She grins, adding, "Although, far more likely, you'll wander in on us working hard - at our hidework." More serious is her nod to his last statement, as she wraps her fingers about her glass again, lifting it towards her lips. "True. Absolutely true."

W'yn chuckles openly before sipping his wine. "Hmmm.. Hidework!" He chuckles again before adding. "You know, you should have a day off. I mean it, maybe a few days off.. Go over to Igen and to the heat. You and G'wain!" he nods eagerly adding suddenly. "I have the authority now to assign him off the wing and you have the authority to take the time off.." he tilts his head slightly to one side. "I feel so much better after taking my sister back, and spending those few days with her away..not that being on home soil was a good time but thats by the by.." he trails off there and smiles. "What do you think, I mean I cant think of a time that you have been away since you impressed..I know I know.. it is harder for a Weyrwoman for understandable reasons, but Veia managed to get time to come over here.." ohh did he just let something slipe?!

Lydiere's lips twitch at mention of Veia, her unsculptured eyebrows lifting curiously, but she responds without questioning this. "Perhaps," she admits, after a pause. "It could be nice. Actually," she adds, thinking, "There's a-- more private place we've found, that I might like to go to. I deal with people too much, on a daily basis, y'know?" She nods her head several times, sipping from her wine as she considers the concept. "I'll talk it over with G'wain, and see what we can do. It-- might be good for other reasons, too. I sometimes wonder if I haven't been able to pregnant because I have too much to do."

W'yn smiles and raises his glass to his lips before smiling and chuckling. "Veia was a Weyrling when I got searched from Igen. Whe have stayed friends since..though I cant remember the last time I visited..." he smiles lightly nodding before continuing. "Well, just let me know and I can sort out wings and such..happy to do that for you.." He adds then before quirking an eyebrow and asking lightly. "Is that why you turned solomn at my mention of Debria..." he trails of really not wanting to pry.

Lydiere ahs, nodding her head sagely, a smile lifting in to place upon her face. "Ah, I see. You should visit, you idiot. Poor woman, being left without your friendship. Friends are too important to be ignored like that," she chides, her head shaking. "I'll do so. Thank you - again and again." Again, that face darkens, only briefly, as she inclines her head-- only very slightly, hardly a fraction of a movement. "Guess so. I mean...Keidire is approaching nine, and I haven't managed to get pregnant since, though I've been trying. I hear about people having trouble, and I'm jealous, because I didn't have trouble, and I want to do it again."

W'yn makes a show of shrinking away from Lydiere but he smiles. "Too true..and good friends are far and few between.. " he nods then finishing his wine. "Ill do that! I will..but first you sort out your visit eh?!" He make his own voice sound as sturn as possible, though he's not very good at it. Slowly though he turns more of a slightly worried, concerned expression. "It was not a hard birth with Keidire was it.." his mind running through a few memories his mother actually told him about, or he heard. Smiling lightly he adds. "Maybe with the worrie and all the riding and such things.. the holiday could well help.."

Lydiere's eyes dance with mirth, as she nods her wholehearted agreement. "Absolutely they are-- although I wouldn't consider you, nor even I, to have a dearth of them. All right, all right. I'll make sure it happens, and soon." The other subject turns her far more serious, and she spends several long moments contemplating her mostly empty glass, spinning it about within the grasp of her slender fingers. "No. On the contrary, it was remarkably easy, as was the pregnancy. And the healers can't find anything wrong, but, of course, they're not perfect." Finally, she lifts her eyes, shoulders shrugging. "I'm probably too busy to be able to worry about a baby, anyway. I'd have to slow down-- and, Faranth, Lymera needs my help, even if I wouldn't complain to be free of it."

W'yn wonders at raising the spirits and with a light teas, while filling the empty glass as he thought the stairing could indicate this, he adds. "Maybe G'wain should speak to a Healer?" he would not dare suggest that if he did not know they were both good friends of his. Still he flushes and apologises for speaking such words. "Don't be down hearted. The Weyr has good Nannys here and Lymera has plenty of other help. Yes you would have to slow down, but again maybe this would be another good thing.." He has never spoken of children with Ly'ette but that thought only flickers across his mind as he refills his own glass.

Lydiere lifts her glass to her lips again in a motion of thanks, taking a sip that she keeps lingering on her tongue for some time-- as if to stave off the neccessity for answering that statement. "Perhaps," she says at last, grimacing. "I guess we'll see." Her empty hand is waved in a gesture of easiness, her comment light, "No, no, better to say these things. I-- I'll try not to be downhearted. Hard, sometimes, but...I guess we'll just let what happens happens." Her thoughts trail off into silence, and then she sits up again, adding, "You and Ly'ette considered children?" Perhaps she's perceptive-- or perhaps it's just the obvious query.

W'yn smiles lightly, thankful that he did not get told to mind his own and that she did not storm out. He would have hated that. Sipping his own glass again he nods. "Like I said..a listening ear can often help." Chuckling then he smiles. "My turn.." he chuckles lightly. "It seems I have a different type of problem on that score..not that it is a problem.." he pauses for a moment and smiles. "I have brought up the conversation a few times but Ly'ette has a way of sidestepping the conversation by saying she is too busy with the Weyrlings. She often is you know.." he stops then to sip wine and look up before adding. "Then again.. Ly'ette was so happy to get the position of WeyrlingMaster, I would not want her to do anything against her will and I know how she does the classes and things and..I think im going to stop bringing it up..as you say.. what happens happens. She knows, I hope, How I feel for her so.." he shrugs. once again turning rather red.

"Oh." Lydiere's time to turn contrite again, her head dipping into a somewhat rueful nod. "I'm sorry. I suppose-- well, it /would/ mean she'd have to take time off, since she wouldn't be able to go between or anything, for a while, and being pregnant does make it hard to...well, be as active, I guess. And some people just don't want children at all, mores the pity." Lydiere, for herself, can't understand that, but is willing to believe that it's true. "I'm sure she does know. It'd be hard not to; it's obvious, at least to me, and I don't even see the two of you together all that often."

W'yn smiles broadly and nods. "Thankyou for that.. what you said at the end gives hope!" Raising an eyebrow then he chuckles. "Your right you know. I can't imagin Lys not being active. She..well she always is! mores the poor Weyrlings.." his tone turns to a chuckle as he finally empties his glass. "So you know, you need peace, tranquilaty, passion, romance and solitude right?" he smiles then adding. "And I need.. well you goldriders to keep on the ground!" His tone is open jest as he knows that wont happen. He wonders if Lydiere would like another glass before he smiles lightly. "Your right you know. I dont see ly'ette enough.. I should try and sort that one out..work on that a bit.." he chuckles then adding. "Maybe I could ask G'wain to cover for me?" he ducks at the tease, knowing what they were talking about before hand.

Lydiere chuckles, reclining into her seat, one foot reaching up to grasp at an empty chair and rest upon it, as she tilts back, eyes half closed. "I do feel sorry for 'em, I admit. Proud, too - especially when they're Llysereth's progeny - but sorry, too. I really never enjoyed weyrlinghood, and I didn't even have Lys there!" She winks, expression warm. "Absolutely. Those are the important things. Bah, I'm sure you need more than just that, Weyrsecond, Sir! That list you just recited could well go for you, as well, I bet." She drains her glass, shaking her head in order to stave off further; she'll fall asleep easily enough as it is. "Don't you dare!"

W'yn laughs openly, something that gets him a few looks from riders, though many of them pleased to see him laughing. "You know, I would not dream of it.." He lowers his tone and chuckles. "Me and passion??" he smiles broadly, never really being this open. "Ly'ette was a great help during Weyrlinghood.." he offers with a wink before going on. "You know..it was a strange Weyrlinghood..talking of which what happened to S'va? Ive not seen him..." he trails off hoping nothing bad has happened.

Lydiere's lips part into a broad smile, W'yn's laughter greeted with her own grin. "I know it. Just make sure you don't start dreaming. -- Why not you and passion? Tsk." Still grinning, her face lit with that smile - although she's still, obviously, very tired, she adds, "He's around, every so often. I don't see him much, either. Never really got to know him as a person, rather than a weyrlingmaster."

W'yn smiles broadly and nods. "Thats better..the smile looks so much better on you, though maybe you should now think about sleep?" perhaps another glass of wine will help that, so without asking he re-fills the glass, his own as well. "I only got to know him a little better after I helped paint his brown pink..and I got a dragonlicking!!" a sound something like a chuckle reverbarates from the bowl outside and with that W'yn frowns. "You can such up you..you were not even hatched!" he calls speaks it outloud as he passes on the message. Winking then he smiles. "So you think Me and passion do go together?" his tone open to teasing.

Lydiere turns self-conscious, and blushes slightly. Her tiredness, combined with those glasses of wine, has made her rather more relaxed than usual-- and she's blushing far more often. "Probably," says she, swallowing a yawn. "But I'm not quite ready, yet. Soon." Her head is tilted to the side, as she laughs, "I do remember hearing about that, although I don't remember much else. -- Well." She pauses, then grins. "I seem to remember you being rather passionate the one time I had the opportunity to properly see that side of you, although I admit, it was probably not the /best/ time for that, being post flight. But...I don't see why aren't, no."

W'yn smiles a light smile and raises his glass adding. "not the best time but a very fond memory." the wine making his speak openly about things he would normally not say. "And I will happily tell G'wain that he is a very lucky rider..and wish him well!" G'wain surley knowing as Zymanth dragonspawn are roaming around! "I'm glad you cant remember much about the dragonpainting..I dont think S'va ever forgave us..and even when poor Zymanth kept stumbling, he was rather strickt. I still think he hopes I would not impress..."

Lydiere drains half of her glass in one go, which is probably not a hugely wise idea, and smiles brilliantly. "An interesting memory, at the very least." She laughs, her eyes rolling cheerfully, "Hah. I'm sure he doesn't need you to tell him that - he says it all the time." This amuses her, quietly, although the wine has not made her more verbose than usual. "I'm sure he didn't not want you to Impress. That wouldn't be nice. He was just...strict, because it was his job."

W'yn humfs but with an exadgerated jesture. "Strict! I have oil ingrained in my own hide!" he teases before he himself copies Lydiere with the wine - though not as much. "You know.." he leans back himself then and lifts his feet up. "..you cant get much better a life when you manage to see though all the hassle and hardship of work, paperwork and constant bickering of other riders.." he chuckles then looking over adding. "Then again.. maybe flying off and becoming holdless...ever thought of that?" he really is rambling now before adding. "Where is G'wain today anyhow?"

Lydiere laughs openly, her wine glass finished, and pushed away from her-- she knows better than to drink too much when she's tired, although she's got a strong capacity for drink. "No, you can't. I don't really like my job, but I love my life. I would't go back to Seacrafting if I could, although I miss it, at times. The work was better, but the life wasn't nearly what mine is, now. I'm happy." Her lips twitch, however, as she remarks, "Oh, G'wain and I have talked about leaving the weyr when Llysereth stops rising, and having our own place in-- er, a little cove we found. Holdless, weyrless, without real responsibilities, except to ourselves....Oh, he's back at our weyr. He ate earlier."

W'yn smiles broadly and nods. "That is such a romantic idea..and you have found the place?" he does not ask where, he gets the feeling that is not open knowledge.. "Llysereth has a good few turns left you know...enough time to build in this cove or yours?" he offers lightly before chuckling adding. "Id have to come and visit..Id miss ya ya know!" and he honestly would..but although wine can make anyone mordanin, W'yn keeps up high by suddenly laughing adding. "I cant see Ly'ette doing anything like that at the moment..she would want to come back to haunt the Weyrlings! but the thought of no responsibilities. When I ran away from my hold, I had that feeling..it was elation but so nervewrecking but no responibility.." he suddenly begins to stop talking, he is releaving past..its the wine.

"Yeah," says Lydiere, her head nodding. "We found it by accident, when I took him out sailing. We'll have to do a few things, but...it's so /private/, y'know? Something away from everyone else. And of course you'll have to visit. You and Lys, and everyone else. We'd miss you all, too, without a doubt." Her lips twitch, and she nods: "I'd say we'll manage to get out there within about thirty-five or fourty turns. This is long term planning-- and probably won't happen, besides." She comes to a halt, verbally, her head nodding, "It'd suit some, not others. Who knows. But--" a yawn breaks off her words, and she looks contrite. "I should go to bed, I guess."