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.

17-07-02: Showing off the baby
Lydiere meets Sirena, and shows off Llysah to the adoring (or something) crowds.

You stride east to the Living Caverns.
Lydiere crosses the caverns wearily, pouring herself a glass of wine from a random skin, then sitting herself down - by chance, near to Sirena and Ezemial. Her head is lifted, as she greets the table with a short nod, taking a slow sip from her glass as she shuts her eyes, stretching out like a lazy dragon on a summer afternoon.

Ezemial grins as he sees a face he recognizes, "Good evening, ydiere, how's the little one?" he asks before taking another bite from his dinner. His attention now split between the two women.

Sirena finishes off the last bit of klah in her mug and hops up from her seat, "One moment...just going to grab some food." That being said, the young woman heads over towards the serving table and after picking up a plate, fetches a few meatrolls and another mug of klah. She then turns around and moves back over to her previous seat, "Anyway...what was I saying? Oh right. Dragons." She pauses, as if going over what she was about to say, "Personally, I like the change. Just the different surroundings, all the dragons around and their riders. Life is carried out so differently from a Hold, y'know?" She munches a little on one of her meatrolls, pausing then to nod politely to the recent arrival of the Weyrwoman.

Ezemial nods watching Sirena as she gets her food and listening attentively as she responds to his question, "well yeah, different lifestyles and world views.. it's to be expected." He grins a little, "as if I really know much about the world myself. But it certainly is interesting being here. I agree with you there"

Lydiere is almost bouyant in her response to Ezemial, though her gaze is flicked upwards slowly - wearily, by way of her expression. "Sleeping, at last, thank the shards. I should probably follow her example, and try and nap myself." She doesn't, however, look like moving. Sirena's nod earns a warm smile, "I don't believe I know you," she notes, after listening to what the girl has to say with her head tilted to the side. "I'm Lydiere. I should be welcoming you to Ista, yes? Belatedly, probably."

Ezemial grins over to Lydiere. "There are lots of things that should be done.." he cants his head, "glad to hear all is well and quiet with the little one though, suppose it gives you breathing room to have time away" He takes few more bites of his dinner only to find he's almost finished it. His eyebrows arch as if this were a surpsie then takes a sip of his drink looking back up at his dinner companions again.

Sirena offers Lydiere a grin, "Well met! I'm Sirena, just arrived here about three sevendays ago, or about that, I think." She shrugs and sips cautiously at her klah, but finding it too hot, sets it back down on the table. "How old is your little one?" Rena asks curiously upon hearing her response to Ezemial.

"She would have been born just about when you arrived," Lydiere returns, to Sirena, "Just on three sevendays ago, now." No wonder she has the new-mother exhaustedness about her, black circles beneath her eyes, gaze not quite focusing. "It's a pleasure to meet you." Ezemial's comment draws a sage nod, "There are /always/ lots of things that should be done - but should is not necessarily 'will'. And yes, breathing room is wonderful. I am getting more help, with the sproglet, but it's still pretty busy."

Ezemial grins at Lydiere, "I have a long list of should.. but, always a personal list that never quite makes it to 'will'. Glad you're getting help, I can imagine that between the babe and your regular duties you are pulled in a hundred directions at once" He takes the last bite from his plate and wipes his mouth before sipping some from his cups.

Sirena nods thoughtfully in response to Lydiere, pausing to eat a bit more of her meatroll before she sits up with a frown, "I have kitchen duties in five minutes," She remarks in a slightly disappointed tone, as it's apparent that she just remembered her duty. With a sigh, the girl stands and picks up her plate and mug, "I'm going to have to depart for a bit. It was nice to meet both of you though!" Rena sets her plate and mug down with the other dirty dishes on the serving table, and gives both Lydiere and Ezemial a wave, "Hopefully I'll see you two around soon."

Lydiere lifts her right hand in a wave, after Sirena, "A pleasure," she assures the girl, smiling. Towards Ezemial, she nods wryly. "I think it's always that way. Not enough hours in a day, not enough days in a sevenday."

Sirena descends the stairs into the Lower Caverns.

Ezemial misses his chance to wave at the young woman, but tries anyway. He smiles watching her retreating form then turns back to Lydiere, "And never enough vacation when you need it" he grins with that and gets up to fill his cup again. He looks back to Lydiere, "would you like something to drink while I'm up?"

"Isn't that the truth!" Lydiere lifts her glass, to indicate that she's still fine - she's got half of her wine left, and doesn't seem inclined to need more, although she notes, "Thank you, I should be fine." Her eyes are half-closed again, as she considers, stretching, "You thought any more about what you want to do with yourself?"

Ezemial shrugs as he heads back to the table, "I always think about it, not sure yet though. The more I'm here though the more I'd love to find something permanent to do here. Right friendly bunch of folks, that's for sure. The guys at the barn seem to like me" he grins a bit mischeviously, "even the girls do, and that's a change" He settles himself back in his chair and puts his feet up with a light bit of a stretch. He takes a sip of his drink and glances over to Lydiere,

Ezemial says "got any suggestions?"

Lydiere admits, as she nudges her toes towards the edge of an empty chair, snuggling down so that her posture quite goes to the canines, "I really don't know. Besides which - I don't think my opinion should count, anyway. It's all up to you, in the end, and what you decide you want. Perhaps you might want to try and seek out Valesa, our Headwoman, or Morgaine, the Steward, and see if they have ideas as to what you could work towards."

Ezemial nods a little and swirls his glass around watching the liquid shimmer as it moves. He is quiet a moment before nodding to Lydiere, "I will eventually" he says before adding with more of a grin, "it's on my should list, don't ya know?" He sits up a little but his feet stay propped in the chair, "I do take it serious, I guess I've just been enjoying time working on a job where when I'm done I'm done. At home, the day's work outside was done and you came home to a pile of chores for the family."

Lydiere allows an easy laugh to escape, as she tilts back on two legs of her chair, taking a sip from her glass, before she sets the fluted glass down upon the table. "Of course it would be - too much effort. There's no rush, I should imagine, though," she agrees. "As long as you're enjoying what you're doing, I shouldn't see any reason why not to continue it - at least for the present. At least working for people who aren't your family, they're not likely to take you from granted, I think."

Ezemial grins and flushes a little at the responses, "well my family doesn't exactly take me for granted, it's just when you live out..." he shrugs slightly, "you gotta pull together and do what needs doing." he grins over at Lydiere again, "But yeah, I do admit that I like all this copious free time. It may not be much, but it's there and it's nice. And right now I like the job. Though this isn't a forever thing, for sure."

Lydiere nods quickly, admitting, "I probably didn't mean 'take you for granted'. More-- well, yeah, what you said. People here aren't as likely to expect you to do as much, I think, even if you still have to pull your weight." She reclines further - at this rate, she may well disappear under the table, adding, "Oh, I can understand that, absolutely. Every little bit is nice."

Ezemial grins watching the rider slip lower and lower in her chair, "you can say that again" He looks a little sheepish as he continues, "I guess I should feel silly for all my high and mighty talk the other day. And now I'm just coasting. But, this won't last long, but for now.. it's feeling prety good." He grins again and sips his drink before adding with a twinkle, "besides all the girls around here are pretty cute, you just don't get that in farm contry"

"Silly, why? Fardles - I say great, philosophical things all the time, and people just ignore it, because we all know I'm just a rude, crude seacrafter at heart." Lydiere shakes her head, warmly. "And I think you made a lot of sense - and it doesn't matter that you're coasting now, because in the end, you'll get where you want. It doesn't matter how long it takes, I think." She pauses, her lips quirking, "There's always that," she agrees, sagely. "I've been told there /are/ some pretty girls about."

Ezemial grins widely about the last comment, "not that I have much chance with any of them, every time one even says hello.." he rolls his eyes and shrugs. "Not like any of them are may age anyway." He cants his head and gazes over to Lydiere, "You don't sound very crude to me, and at least you made something of yourself, even if it wasn't entirely your choice"

Lydiere laughs wryly. "You just don't have the confidence, I bet. I'm sure you'll get your share - in time, if not yet. There /are/ plenty, really." She takes another sip from her glass, having retrieved it from the table, noting, "I think I was plenty as a Journeyman Seacrafter, and captain of my own ship! But I do see your point. I have my moments... I like being crude, sometimes. It's good stress relief."

"Well, yeah we all have our moments", he concedes with a grin, "It has been nice not to have to duck a wooden spoon every time I make a joke that's a little off color" He takes another sip from his glass and grins back over to Lydiere, "Maybe, but I have this problem with girls, especially the pretty ones. The minute they talk to me, I forget any intelligent comment there is to be had." he rolls his eyes then grins again, "But, still, it's nice looking even if I do come off looking like I'm a few sacks short of a load"

"Ooh!" says Lydiere, sitting up. "Off colour jokes. I love the things. I know what you mean, though-- I always forget that I'm supposed to be all dignified and... respectable. Stupid, really." She pulls her legs off of the chair, adding, "Ah, just practice. You'll get over it. I mean - I'm a girl, and you don't do that to me. Sure, I'm a great many turns older than you, but... I'm not really so different, in some ways." She grins, "Looking is /always/ nice. Though if I look at the men too much, my weyrmate gets nervous. I better scoot - don't want to leave G'wain with the sproglet, if she wakes."

Ezemial says "Yes, turns older than me AND with a baby and a weyrmate" Ezemial grins at Lydiere, "that makes you /safe/, you see. That means I can talk to you like you were my sister. It's on my 'will' list so that some big rider doesn't bean me in the head for not being polite to his weyrmate someday." He grins, "Nice to see you again and say hello to your weyrmate. And remember to make sure he knows how nice I was /without/ looking at you /at all/" He grins with the last."

Lydiere winks, "And a son who is only three turns younger than you. I'll admit, that probably would put a dampner on things just a little." She draws her glass with her, as she rises, brushing herself off. "Very sensible of you! They get jealous easily, those weyrmates. I will do so-- I'm sure he wouldn't consider you to be competition, anyway." She winks again, trotting off out the door.

You exit the caverns, heading out into the bowl.