November 12, 2003
Things go bad between Serriena and R'hyn, when he finally admits that he doesn't have feelings for her. Previous Next
You head off toward the waterfall pool.
Waterfall Pool - Ista Weyr(#60RJ$)
What was once a shaded oasis is now rather bleak in appearance. Oh, the pool is still there and the waterfall that keeps it refreshed still spills from the walls of the bowl - deep enough and wide enough for a single grown dragon or numerous weyrling dragonets - but the place is blackly desolate now. There's still a few boulders whose height makes them good for finding shade on the hottest, sunniest days, but everything else is stone and ash - new ash. Whatever might once have flourished here has recently been flamed completely away, so that the rocks are still blackened and the ash, occasionally muddy when the weather is bad, still blows about on the ground.
A stone lip rims the pool, creating a shallow seat for those who come here for recreational purposes despite the grim lack of greenery. Facing northeast to the sea, the water is drained through intricate pipework that must have been created thousands of turns ago, down to the ocean far beneath. There's a strange, almost unnatural glow that seems to emanate from the bottom of the pool.
Arisvath comes over near the pool from the bowl.
"Hope you don't mind." Kiora apologizes for her dragon's innate sense of self-importance, and then sets to scrubbing away at Siramyth's hide -- rubbing more than scrubbing, as Ki doesn't have any soapsand with her. "She's real proud -- oh, he what?" Ki blinks and looks bemusedly at Inashanth. "He did? Oh. Siramyth -- well. She ate. And then I washed her off, and then she slept. She talked a whole bunch -- what, wait, your brother fainted?" Now Ki just looks alarmed. "I didn't mean to make him faint, honest. He's not really hurt or anything, is he?"
Nhiameth is moving along ahead of B'myr and slips quickly and quietly into the water, the quietness is quickly gone when she begins to mewl for B'myr to quicken up and clean her.
Oki comes over near the pool from the bowl.
Rhavinath comes over near the pool from the bowl.
R'hyn's feet are bare, as he wanders into the vicinity of the waterfall pool, shrugging off his winter sweater as he walks. A rather dusty Arisvath glides in behind him, backswinging into a landing just beside the pool - a dark rumble of greeting made towards the little dragons. "Oh. Hullo," says the bronzerider, stepping up behind his lifemate. "Er, don't mind us. We'll be quiet."
"Savaric was always the weird one." In A'raz's opinion, anyway. "But yeah, Inashanth's got some interesting things about him. Don't like water, either. Been trying to bathe him, but he absolutely refuses to get wet at all." Inashanth huffs- that's right, buddy. Not gettin' wet yet. Tired, the blue dragon ducks his head down and rests a bit.
B'myr strips down a bit and slips into the water next to Nhiameth. "See, they don't want to go in the water at all, and you need to be perfectly clean right now ..." He begins scrubbing, pausing every once in a while and then redirecting his efforts according to the green's instructions.
Oki and Rhavinath slowly make their way across the Waterfall's pool area. She takes a quick look around and sighs softly. "I know," she mutters, "It's rather bare and ugly since the burning." Spotting fellow clutchmates, she lifts a hand and greets, "Hello, there!"
Siramyth's wide eyes and the tip of her crooked nose are visible above the water's surface, and she peers very warily in Arisvath's direction. "Oh no, Siramyth, I don't think you'll look like him when you get bigger," Kiora says in the gold's direction. "As he's not quite your color and all." R'hyn gets a polite wave from Kiora, as do B'myr and Nhiameth. "You don't have to be quiet, sir. I don't suppose they'll mind, since I don't guess we're quiet." Then there's a beam for Ara before Ki peers back down at her submerged lifemate. "Siramyth likes the water. She likes to do all kinds of things, but she's not really good at runnin' and stuff. Don't guess they're built for it -- hullo, Oki, you come to take a bath, too?"
"Only in size," says R'hyn, having heard Kiora's words to her lifemate; "Though I suspect she'll be slightly bigger again, for all that Arisvath is a large bronze." He ducks his head, both in greeting and - by the blush upon his face - in a moue of shyness. "All the same," he continues, directed to all of the weyrlings, "I don't wish to bother you. Weyrlings like to engage with each other." Arisvath slides into the water, with as serpentine a movement as is allowed by his bulk. Submurging, he peers back at R'hyn, who reluctantly strips down further, his clothes piled upon the water's edge, so as to join the bronze.
"'Lo," A'raz extends to his fellow Weyrlings and the entering bronzerider, before getting up and deciding that yes, Inashanth will have to take a bath. "Ina. Get up," he half-barks at his dragonet, who simply doesn't budge. "Up. Now. You're getting clean /now/, and you will get wet whether you like it or not." Inashanth retorts with a low grumble, and A'raz only replies, "Then I'll have to bring the water to you, won't I. -- Stupid," he tells the blue firelizard perched on Inashanth's neck, "fetch a bucket?" The not-so-idiotic 'lizard flits away and returns out from ::between:: with a pail, dropping with a thud as he exits the void.
B'myr chuckles, and directs a comment toward R'hyn, "Well we're going to see a lot of each other, it is nice to see other riders." Nhiameth turns to gaze at the bronze from half-lidded eyes. Her underwater snort sends bubbles toward Inashanth and his rider.
Rhavinath makes a made -- stumbling -- dash for the water when he spots it. "No! Rhavinath--" at last, she finally says his name aloud" -- don't be so hasty or you'll fall! Yes, you'll get clean. Yes, it'll be soon. Now, /wait/." She gives A'raz a quick, if harried, nod. "Yes. He's been /begging/ me to do it for the last half hour." Her lips curl into a grin, "And so here we are." She eyes the bronzerider for a moment, trying to place him, but then off she goes. With a rather graceless *SPLASH* and a grunt from Oki, the blue careens into the water. "Dangnabbit. Now I'm all wet. And I just got my uniform too," comes an irritated mutter from the wet weyrling trying to prevent her dragonet from falling out of control.
Dragon> Inashanth, Rhavinath, Nhiameth and Siramyth sense that Arisvath's voice is a low rumble, as warm as a blanket dried in front of the hearth, fuzzy. << Good afternoon, little ones, >> he greets, in a voice that exudes not so much confidence as a deep-seated sincerity.
"You think so?" Kiora directs this towards R'hyn, her expression quite curious. "Some golds get very big, but some golds get very small. I haven't sorted out what I think Siramyth will be yet, so I guess we'll see, maybe, and I don't mind if you engage with us too. It's not nice to tell people they can't engage." Kiora then watches A'raz and Inashanth with a look of great amusement while Siramyth awkwardly makes her way towards Rhavinath -- just close enough to snort disparagingly at him for reasons unknown. "Share, Siramyth, else you're just being mean." Or known. Siramyth just repeats her snort.
Dragon> Arisvath senses that Inashanth replies brightly, the heady incense of his voice brightening a bit with springy flower scent. << Good afternoon. Have you seen the skies? They look promising. >>
Nhiameth raises her head from the water to answer Arisvath's mental voice with a delicate croon. Unlike the gold she's more then willing to share the water.
R'hyn, still pink in the face, smiles. "I suppose," he agrees, to B'myr, bobbing in the water - chest-height - as he reaches up to give Arisvath a good scrub upon his lowered headknobs. "She would be very, very small indeed, if she was only Arisvath's size. Niaryth is still bigger than he is, and she's considered very small for a queen. Well-- time will tell." Arisvath, seemingly conscious of his size - when surrounded with weyrlings - holds his wings and limbs very close to him. It wouldn't do to drown one of them accidentally, now. He whuffs, quietly, towards Nhiameth.
Dragon> Inashanth senses that Arisvath considers this with great seriousness, thoughts twisting and twining within his own mind. << Are they? There is no thread, so that is, to be true, a promising sign. >>
Dragon> Inashanth, Nhiameth, Siramyth and Arisvath sense that Rhavinath's voice rolls over with the grace and strength of the pounding surf, << Good Afternoon >> Water surges and receeds, whirling with a multitude of colors that makes up the essence of his voice. Wet, slippery, and very cool.
B'myr continues scrubbing, tapping Nhiameth's muzzle lightly and then ending up crouched in the water hugging her neck. "I only did it because ..." He's smart enough to keep the rest of that quiet. "Well ... but it's cleaning time." That argument quiets the green and she leans into the scrubbing, at just the right spot.
A'raz proceeds to the water and fills the bucket. "Stay put, Inashanth." The blue dragon, rather disliking the situation, rises to his feet slowly. When A'raz attempts to pour water down his back, Ina steps to the side and watches the liquid tumble uselessly to the ground. "...shards. Any of you folks want to get your dragons to try to convince Inashanth that he needs to get cleaned?"
Rhavinath merely blinks his eyes at Siramyth and snorts. Oki, on the other hand, attempts to right herself and squeegee all of the water out of her tunic. "Now, that does it. You're clean." But the water-loving blue is more than willing to frolic in the water no matter /who's/ water he currently inhabits. Watching her dragon, Oki slants another look at R'hyn. "I'm Oki. And I'm sorry, but I just don't remember your name. I'm rather bad with names, if that's any consolation."
Dragon> Arisvath senses that Inashanth seems up to something, like he has an intricate plan worked out in his young mind. << Oh, yes. Very promising. -- what is thread? I do not think sewing things fall out of the sky at random. >>
Dragon> Inashanth, Nhiameth, Arisvath and Rhavinath sense that Siramyth burbles, gold and pink and disturbingly precious -- << Is it good? This water is becoming very -- >> She pauses, then finishes sulkily, << -- occupied. >>
Dragon> Nhiameth, Arisvath, Rhavinath and Siramyth sense that Inashanth rumbles a bit darkly. << Good for you. I do not wish to occupy it. >>
Dragon> Room dragons sense that Arisvath's drawl - oh, the syllables are drawn out, lengthy and warm - registers amusement. << The water is better for the sharing, >> he remarks. << I feel it in the air. It promises to be a good thing, have faith. >>
Dragon> Inashanth senses that Arisvath projects an image - dulled down, so as not to frighten - of silvery strands falling from the sky, wrecking havoc. << You will see, little one. It is your purpose. Foretold - if you like. >>
Nhiameth snorts again toward Inashanth and rolls in the water before mewling in agreement toward Arisvath and then making sure she's near B'myr with an affectionate nudge of her head.
"Siramyth says he can have her spot when she's done," Kiora offers for A'raz, though by the way Siramyth is shoving at Ki's knees it would seem that she did nothing of the sort. "Ah, Sira, stop that, get clean, this isn't playtime -- oh!" Siramyth pushes again, Ki falls backward, going under the water for a moment. She rights herself eventually, and sputters irritably at the others. "I don't think I like this bathtime thing. Do we gotta do this a lot?" The gold takes this time to snort amusedly at Rhavinath. It bubbles. Woo!
R'hyn exchanges glances with Arisvath, then proffers a suggestion to A'raz, "Tell him that the signs all point towards it being a good thing?" Oki's introduction is met with a slight blush. "Er. R'hyn. Um, nice meeting you, Oki." R'hyn's forgettable, save for his reputation, which is more due to previous positions within the weyr, than his own nature. "I'm Laerya's son." Laerya being the one-legged Assistant Weyrlingmaster with the sharp temper. His expression bears amusement for Kiora's misfortune, though not mockingly so.
Dragon> Arisvath senses that Inashanth understands, owing to the subtle change in his tone for the better. << I see. -- do not call me little, I am simply young. >>
Dragon> Arisvath bespoke you with << I was just looked at by A'raz. >>
Oki suddenly realizes her faux pas. "Hi!" she chirps brightly to try and cover the fact that she just realized who she was talking to. And who he was. "Rha... No. You can't. Because I said." Putting her hands on her hips, bluerider stares down at the sinking dragon, "Get out of the water. Yes, you're clean. No, you can't." Her one sided conversation suddenly makes her feel self-concious and so she inches closer to the water and hisses, "Out."
Dragon> Inashanth senses that Arisvath's tone ripples with amusement, but it is neither mocking nor unkind. << You are little, though. Tiny, compared to me! >> He is, without a doubt, sincere. << I apologise, if that offends. >>
"You pushed me, yes you /did./" Kiora is attempting to avoid being pushed over again by Siramyth, who seems to have taken it into her head that this is all a very nice game of tag. "You don't /push/, it isn't nice at all. You stay. Stay right there so I can scrub you more, okay? Okay." Pause. "Yes, okay." And Ki's scrubbing of her dragon's side resumes. Scrubscrub.
R'hyn's bobbing about in the water with Arisvath, who isn't really being scrubbed - though there's a mock-attempt going on. He smiles, somewhat abashedly, at Oki, ducking his head, and remarks, generally, "Seems like none of them are very good at following directions, yet." Arisvath huffs at him, lazily, and sprays him with water. Pushing hair back off of his face, R'hyn grimaces. "Guess you aren't, either."
B'myr opens his mouth to mention that Nhimeth is doing well with directions but thinks better of it and closes his mouth before he jinxs himself. Nhiameth doesn't miss his thoughts though and the two get into a half verbal and half unheard conversation which ends with a bit of splashing from both sides. It's after this that B'myr remembers that there are a whole bunch of other people around and chuckles slightly.
The light grows wan as the winter day gives way to evening. Full winds stir the air considerably, enough to send branches swaying thoroughly. A few clouds dot the otherwise clear skies. The winter air is cool, especially for the tropics. (60F, 16C)
"Siramyth doesn't like to do what I tell her," Kiora laments, though she hasn't been pushed in a good ten minutes. "Says that things work out better if we do them the way she likes. I dunno how she'd /know/, but."
Oki shakes her head, "No, they're not very controllable right now." She finally coaxes Rhavinath out of the water and begins to brush off the excess water. "See? Now I'm going to have to oil you twice as much. You got too wet!" If that's possible.
R'hyn, shivering - just slightly - pulls himself up out of the water, resting upon the edge. "Better be firm, Kiora," he advises, quietly, though that's no surprise. "You need to be able to control her." Grinning at Oki, he adds, "They'll grow up. They usually do."
W'rik and Daymith make their way to the pool from the general direction of the barracks. The baby bronze makes no hesitation to splash his way into the pool only to turn around and wait impatiently for his weyrling to get on with his bath. "None of them'll do it so there's no point in thinking over it," he says to the dragon. "They're busy enough bathing /their/ lifemates."
Viasseth drops down from the sky overhead.
B'myr and Nhiameth make their way out of the water soon as well, B'myr is quick to put on some clothing and look for a way to dry his green off just a bit.
Cardixa slides down from Viasseth's helpfully lowered shoulder, landing firmly and confidently on both feet.
People are at various stages of washing their dragons, scattered about the pool. Kiora and Siramyth are in the water, as is Daymith, with W'rik following; R'hyn is sitting on the edge, though Arisvath is still in the water, and Oki is attempting to get Rhavinath dry.
Kiora heaves a sigh, and bobs her head in R'hyn's direction. "I know, sir. It wouldn't be proper for me to just let her run around and do whatever she wanted. She might get into trouble and I'd be quite upset if she did. Wouldn't be very respectable of her. Or me, I guess, really." W'rik gets a beam, as he and Daymith are noticed, and then Ki resumes scrubbing Sira's side.
Cardixa slips to the ground with some extra caution, checking the ground around her before she makes that last hop from Viasseth's half-poised foreleg. Wouldn't want to squish any weyrlings, now. As she isn't far from her weyr, she lacks her usual helmet-gloves combination -- and actually, is dressed quite a bit more casually than usual. She's still looking around when her lifemate chuffs cheerfully at all the midget dragons running around. "They won't be that short for long, Viasseth."
"That's right," agrees R'hyn, though - wrinkling his nose - he comments, "You can call me R'hyn, erm, if it's all right. All of you. I'd prefer it." Arisvath sends another wave of water in the rider's direction, which draws another nose-wrinkle, though he merely kicks a quiet wave back. Cardixa, noticed shortly afterwards, is greeted with a nod of the rider's head. "Afternoon."
Oki is busy patting her new weyrling dry, making sure water doesn't puddle anywhere. She can't have him looking like a drowned dragon. She only pays attention to her surroundings when new people come and then, former kitchen girl only gives them a quick glance before resuming her chore. Her newly sheared head dries much quicker now and thus she's beginning to get a crown of fluffy black curls. "Stop wiggling!"
Nhiameth streaches her wet hide and B'myr does his best to wipe the most of the water off as she looks toward the newly around brown and croons a welcome.
Cardixa returns the nod with a head-bob of her own, shoving her fists deeply into her pants pockets as her attention darts around. "Afternoon-evening-whatever it is now."
Viasseth whuffles back down -- waaaaay down -- at the diminutive green, his eyes sparkling an affable blue. 'Lo.
"Okay, R'hyn, sir," replies Kiora with a very vivid beam. "And -- um, hello, um." Siramyth peers up at Viasseth, and Ki peers at Cardixa. "Hello-et-cetera -- oh, Sira, are you done?" Siramyth is now trundling towards the beach, grunting indignantly at the fact that the beach that she is so willingly making her way towards is so very crowded. "Ugh, Siramyth, make up your mind sometime, huh?"
B'myr looks up at the whuffle and then smiles toward Cardixa, rubbing his head absently after a moment and shooting Nhiameth a slightly angry look. "How 'bout we just oil you eh ..."
R'hyn's patience manifests in a quiet smile - he refrains from correcting Kiora, remarking, as Arisvath ducks back down into the water, "Looks like they're all getting tired. So cute." He gets up, wiping the sandy seat of his swimmers - he's too modest to swim in the nude - and returns to the water, sprayed cheerfully by his lifemate. "Thank you."
Cardixa pushes her shoulders inwards, arms shoved up against her sides, warding off whatever chill it is that she's experiencing before relaxing again with a chuff of her own. "What are we all doing? Bathing, oiling?" A not-so-furtive glance to R'hyn, one eyebrow lifted. "Supervising?"
B'myr raises an recently oil dipped hand, "All of the above!"
Cardixa darts a look over to B'myr. "Thanks. It's going well, I assume?" The question is general.
"Only by coincidence! And not really!" R'hyn is quick, overly quick, to say this, wrapping his arms about himself. The water is cold. It's winter. It happens. "I just happened to be here."
Oki looks up from her handiwork, to say to Cardixa, "Bathing. Then probably oiling. And then food. And then a nap!" Lips quirk in a grin as she shakes her head, "Although, I'm not sure who needs the nap more. Me or him."
Cardixa's eyebrows push towards each other as she takes in R'hyn's chilled state, creases standing out in her brow a little *too* easily, like maybe she makes this face often. "*That* looks like a lot of fun. -- Sounds familiar." That latter part is directed at Oki, not unkindly.
"Siramyth wanted a bath," Kiora replies, trying to dry the gold off without actually sitting on the ground. "And now she wants to be dry. So -- um. That's what I'm doing. Right." So Kiora resumes doing that, having said her bit for now.
B'myr heads toward the bowl.
R'hyn grimaces at his toes, and, finally, gives up - again. His towel wrapped about himself a few short moments later, he remarks, "Well." Oh, the eloquence.
Cardixa has had a lot of practice with expression through eyebrows, oh yeah. One moves straight from a down-and-furrowed to up-and-interested, and then they both level out as she peers at R'hyn. "Well." Orators, all. Meanwhile, Viasseth's being a little ADD, still leering a little at the weyrlings. This, thankfully, gives Cardixa occasion to say something polysyllabic. Sort of. "Viasseth, could you--?"
R'hyn glowers, whether through misinterpreted nuances, or something else (it's all a little unclear from just his expression), and remarks, "We're not all full of purpose and determined in everything." Whatever that is supposed to mean. He turns his back, pulling his clothes back on, though he's still quite wet.
Cardixa blinks almost prettily, but really, it's just kind of confused. No, mostly confused. "What?" she asks, puzzled. "I didn't say anything."
Oki finally manages to get Rhavinath dry when he starts his wide-mouth routine. Opening his mouth as wide as he can, he lets her know in uncertain terms that he's ready for food. "I think I'd better head back to the barracks and feed him." Her doting look is reserved entirely for the little blue as she gets him to close his mouth and walk with her back up to the get barracks.
Sighing heavily, R'hyn says, "Never mind." He'll go and sit in his corner, now - though not literally; he stands where he is, and says, only, "See you, Oki. Nice meeting you."
Oki heads toward the bowl.
Cardixa tumbles deeper into the pit that is her bafflement, although her attention is temporarily diverted by Oki's departure. "No, what?" She doesn't seem terribly concerned that whatever it is might not be any of her business at *all*.
Kiora waves after Oki, and finally plops down on the ground to have an easier time drying off Siramyth's underbelly. "No -- don't you get hungry -- oh, no, not /now./" Siramyth is rumbling now, and poking at Kiora's midriff -- so said weyrling shoots a nervous glance at the other two and rises, half-bowing politely. "And -- um -- we're going to eat, too, so have a nice afternoon and /Sira don't bite my ankles./" Ki and Siramyth make their way off before the dragonet gets any more impatient.
Kiora heads toward the bowl.
"Nothing! Nothing, I said. It doesn't matter." R'hyn goes defensive, lifting his head to glare at Cardixa. "Leave it." He attempts to use his towel to rub his hair dry, though apparently proceeds to merely make the water drip down his back. He peers after Kiora. "Faranth help the weyr."
Cardixa visibly goes from baffled to annoyed to unconcerned, all within the span of a few seconds. "Fine." Looking distractedly after Kiora, she pulls one hand from its corresponding pocket to scratch at the opposite arm. "Oh? I don't know her. Kiora, isn't it? And Siramyth." Names, she can do. Personalities, not so much. "What's wrong with her?"
R'hyn gives up with his towel, dropping it in a sandy heap at his feet. "She's... I don't think she's very smart, do you?" Squinting after the weyrling - he adds, blandly, "Yeah. Kiora. Siramyth."
"I don't think very many people are very smart," the brownrider replies with equal drollness. "But I don't know her well enough to judge. Flaky, maybe?"
"Maybe," R'hyn accepts, turning back. "Guess Mechelle will manage with her, somehow. Or E'van will." There's an almost non-existent twitch of his nose - a moue of distaste - at mention of that name, though he adds, "Not really my business."
Cardixa shrugs. "It doesn't matter much to me either way. She's the goldriders' business, not mine. I'm more concerned with how the chromatics turn out." One booted toe draws lines and curls in the dirt.
Serriena comes in behind a rather sad looking weyrling, with a fresh haircut. Serri's got the scissors. The kid has the cut. "My hair," the brownrider wails reaching up to rub the fuzz that was once his full head of hair.
"Well," says R'hyn. "Everything that happens with the goldriders has an impact on the weyr." Wrinkling his nose, he adds - almost laughing - "Are you going to start watching them now, so that you can figure which you want in your wing, when the time comes?" Serri's entrance draws a quick nod, and a sympathetic smile towards the weyrling, R'hyn's hand lifting to touch his own, short-shorn hair.
Cardixa appears to have all the sympathy of a-- of a something that doesn't have much sympathy for anyone. "Yes, you don't have any," she observes to yon distressed weyrling. "--I know that," she says to R'hyn, "but only generally speaking. Given the choice between giving my attention to the golds and to my future wingriders... well. You know. Good evening, Serriena."
"Oh stop that.. you'll find you have lots of hairless company in the barracks," Serriena says unsympathetically. "I had to do it.. R'hyn had to do it," she nods to the bronzerider, "Dix had to do it.. We all did." She smiles at Cardixa and says, "Good evening Wingleader." Cardixa's comment sets off further wailing.
R'hyn's not a very good candidate to offer, "It'll grow back," given his mostly-hairless state, but his smile is warm. "That's fair enough," the bronzerider agrees to the brown; "More efficient, that way. Worry about who directly impacts you. Everyone else is someone else's problem. Do they really trust you with the scissors, Serriena?" he wants to know, segueing into that without a beat.
"Actually, *technically* I didn't have to do... that," the Wingleader points out, indicating the boy's fuzz. "Mine just had to be cut to my chin. -- Shards, weyrling, if you're going to throw a fit over losing some hair _that will grow back_, I'm afraid of what you'll do when a flesh-eating Threadspore makes a snack out of your thigh." Note the use of *when*, as opposed to *if*. Such confidence. "Right." That's for R'hyn, although she's still looking disapprovingly at the weyrling.
"Hey now," Serriena looks a R'hyn with a rather laughing glint in her eye - combined with an evil glint of mischief, "Don't ruin my fun R'hyn.. I just wish T'yari who had cut my hair had impressed after me so I could do this to him!" *SNIP SNIP* She demonstrates by opening and closing the scissors. "Besides... I'm good at cutting hair on girls.." She glances at the boy, "Not really so good on boys since I think I'm trying to make them look like you R'hyn." She teases the bronzerider.
"Have /some/ confidence in the poor kid, Cardixa," remarks R'hyn. "Or, at least, don't terrify him. He already has to deal with my mother -- she's enough to scare candidates off from Impressing at all, with her missing leg." The bronzerider pulls his sweater on over his wet shirt, shivering, and flatters his eyelashes at Serriena. "Should I model for you, while you're doing it to them? I'm sure it'll make them feel better."
Cardixa sniffs. "It's good for character," she asserts, utterly serious. She crosses her arms, too, and looks over at Viasseth for help. He's gnawing at his leg. "Oh, *you're* a lot of help."
"Well I'm trying to help get them all ready for P'rell," Serriena states. "Haircuts, weyrling uniforms... it never ends." She looks out of the corner of her eyes at R'hyn and says, "I think a private show in my weyr would be much better suited to my tastes." She gives a small smirk.
Both of Cardixa's Magical All-Expressing Eyebrows go up. Waaay up.
R'hyn swivels, to glance at Viasseth. "Does he get enough to eat?" Then: "Character, pah! I never though I'd say I was glad I was in E'van's wing." Serriena's words - well, the last ones, the obvious ones - are enough to make R'hyn the crimsonest thing ever. He glances away. Not just embarrassed, but really, really uncomfortable. "Um." Where's a hole for him to jump into when he needs one? He should have one following him around.
"Well you're the one who offered to model for me," Serri says, gleefully seeming to enjoy R'hyn's embarrassment. The ex-Weyrleader is so easy to tease in certain matters. She turns her attention to Cardixa and states, "Character is good. Scaring the weyrlings from ever learning to fly is not."
Cardixa slides a look at R'hyn, an evil gleam in her eye making it obvious that she has *every* desire to capitalize on this fortuitous situation. "I could say something really cruel and clever to that," she says coolly, referring to his question about Viasseth, "but I won't. -- I'm not scaring him from learning to fly!" She looks pointedly at the mini-brownrider. "Am I scaring you?" she asks in a tone that indicates that the answer had better darn well be "no".
R'hyn's mouth opens and closes like a fish a couple of times. Then, a couple more. "I--" Nope, the words are really not to be found." For a moment, he attempts to fasten a 'help me please' glance on Cardixa; one glance at her face renders that impossible, and he merely stares at the ground. "So kind," he mutters.
The brown weyrling's eyes widen and then guiltily he shakes his head no even though he says, "Noooo," drawn out like he may not mean it. Serri looks over at Cardixa and R'hyn stating, "R'hyn, I would have thought after having a daughter together, there's nothing more I could do that would make you blush." She looks at Dixa and asks, "Don't you think so Dix?" The brown weyrling takes that moment to scamper off.
"Well, now, that all depends," the remaining brownrider says speculatively, cupping her chin in one hand. "What position did you use to conceive said daughter? Because, you know, there *are* some rather embarassing ones. I can think of some really clever ones right now, in fact." Her tone implies that, unless she's stopped now, she'll elaborate.
R'hyn recovers, in the fullness of time, enough to say, "That's /different/. That was baby-making. This is--" squeak. Whatever he was going to say - and whether he would have said it anyway - is cut off at Cardixa's words. Was he red before? Really red? He yelps. "Cardixa! Don't go imagining me and Serri--" The expression on R'hyn's face suggests that /he/ doesn't want to be imagining it, either.
Cardixa holds both hands up palm-out. "Whoa, now, *I'm* not imagining anything. But how *interesting* of you to say that." That's right. Salt on the wound.
Serriena's mouth drops open. It's one thing to tease R'hyn, but to have the tables turned on her... the weyrwoman's cheeks bloom in pink. "We used very REGULAR positions!" She says hotly in their own defense before her hand claps over her mouth.
"Serri!" R'hyn-- no, R'hyn can't do or say anything, now. How very sedate of him. "You're never going to let us live this down, are you?" he mutters, apparently aiming the comment towards Cardixa. "This is /awful/."
Moisture leaps to Cardixa's eyes, and her lips go very tight as she struggles -- very visibly -- against her laughter. "--Oh." And then she makes that nasal snickering sound. You know the one. That evil snort, waaaay up in the throat. And then she can't even answer R'hyn, as the tears start streaming down her cheeks. It's so... so beautiful...
R'hyn still looks as though he'd like to die, but, very quietly, eyeing Cardixa, he remarks, "I think... I think we broke her."
Cardixa frantically waves one hand in the air in front of her, swallowing hard. Her fingers go to her mouth, and she breathes in hard through her nostrils, her lips twitching rebelliously even as she forces her shaking shoulders to be still. "Oh, no. No, I'm feeling quite well, thank you."
"Oh shards," Serriena covers her face with her hands. "I'm sorry R'hyn!" She looks pleadingly at the bronzerider. "I spoke before I could ... stop it!" Her shoulders are shaking, partially from the contagious laughter from Cardixa, and partly from realizing the ridiculity of the situation.
R'hyn really isn't laughing. He nods blankly at Serriena, peers at Cardixa, and then sighs. "You women are all out to get me, aren't you?" His tone isn't entirely accusatory - but it's not far from it.
He adds, after a pause. "I guess you're just after me, in general."
Cardixa draws a fingertip from her tearducts to her cheeks, wiping tears away. "Oh, R'hyn," she says, her voice still full of mirth, "you're so funny."
"I am," Serri jokes lightly. Although maybe it's true by the look in her eyes as she looks at R'hyn. "Well.." she finishes laughing and says, "Cardixa, this is all your fault... and you better stop imagining anything about R'hyn and myself." She sighs over dramatically. "I think I shall never see, a man more lovely than he. Once a lover, now an end, he shall never be more than a friend." She sounds as if she's quoting a poem.
Cardixa smirks unabashedly. "I *swear*, I wasn't imagining anything. I was only going to make some suggestions..." Oh, look at her widen those eyes.
R'hyn doesn't look at Serri as she says that - no he stares far off into the distance. "I don't think we need your suggestions, Cardixa, since it's no longer an issue. We've already got our daughter." He's firm, on that. As firm as he can be; R'hyn's not known for ever sounding sure of anything.
Cardixa returns one hand to its former palm-out position. "Okay, okay. I was only kidding." Well. Mostly kidding.
"Yes we do.. a lovely daughter at that," Serriena says. "perhaps we should give her a brother and your mother a grandson?" She raises a brow and looks at R'hyn teasingly. "Could help a little more family bonding."
Cardixa resumes smirking. "And, if *you* would like suggestions, Serriena," she jabs, "I do *excellent* diagrams."
R'hyn had /just/ gone normal colour again. /Just/. Serri's words are inopportune, and turn him pink again. "I--" he manages, in a strangled voice.
"I'll keep that in mind Cardixa," Serriena says turning pink again. "Just what ... would you suggest?" she questions looking slightly curious.
"Weeellll," the Wingleader drawls, searching her memory. "You could--" She glances at R'hyn. "Here. C'mere." She beckons with a finger, indicating that Serriena should come within whispering/conspiring distance.
R'hyn glowers. "Cardixa! Serriena!" He turns away, gathering up his towel, and the rest of his things.
Serriena walks over to Cardixa, ready to listen. She cups her hand over her ear so that Wingleader can whisper.
Cardixa leans in and whispers *real* quiet-like, occasionally looking conspiratorily at R'hyn. When she's done, she leans back, her lips quirked in a wicked half-grin. "You know?"
Serriena's mouth drops open. She looks at R'hyn suddenly and says, "Can that really be done?" And over to R'hyn, "Wait don't go nowhere!"
Cardixa's eyes go wide. "Absolutely!"
R'hyn shrinks under Cardixa's gaze, his expression truly illustrating his discomfort. "What?! No! Serriena!"
Cardixa adds thoughtfully, "Although you kind of need to hook your leg oddly... just give it a good stretch first, and you should be fine."
"What?" Serriena asks trying to maintain an air of innocence. "I was just ..." going to attack him? "Going to ask why you're leaving.. if it's because of the way we're talking... we can stop."
Evening twilight disperses and the true darkness of a winter evening settles in fully. Full winds stir the air considerably, enough to send branches swaying thoroughly. A few clouds dot the otherwise clear skies. The winter air is cool, especially for the tropics. (57F, 14C)
"I'm not leaving. I leave, and you'll ambush me on my way back to my weyr." R'hyn's certain of this much, and bunches his towel up. "I think you're too old to hook your leg, or whatever, Serri. Leave it to the young'uns."
Cardixa slides a look over at the goldrider: you gonna let him talk to you like that?
"I'm not an old woman R'hyn... I think I have a few moves left that could prove that," Serriena flounces towards him. "Besides, you're one to talk... you're not any older than I am, but you're making it sound like we're aunties and uncles." She pouts at him. "I'm feeling quite young right now... in fact." She grins in a really predatorial fashion.
Cardixa steps aside, leaning cross-armed against the snoozing bulk that is Viasseth. One sleepy blue eye slits open to regard his rider, but if he asks what's going on, he doesn't vocalize it.
R'hyn eyes Cardixa sharply. If she didn't outrank him... He turns his attention back to Serriena. The blush has subsided - but there's righteous defense going on, and that makes the difference. "I'm younger, and /I/ feel too old, though," he says. He's not very convincing. Her grin has his head turned away again, with discomfort.
"And you've been without company for how long?" Serri asks. "Probably since we were last together... am I right or am I right?" She questions of the bronzerider, trying to pin point him down.
Cardixa's smirk shifts easily into a more interested expression, her eyes squinting a bit as she silently considers this new development. "You know," she interjects, "I don't want to be privy to any terribly private conversation..."
"Arisvath caught a green during the summer!" R'hyn defends himself. "You're just wanton. I don't need to seek out sexual company all the time." No, not with his hand in such good shape-- "Oh! Don't leave, Cardixa. Please!"
Cardixa blinks several times. "Why not? You looked ready to murder me a moment ago."
Oki comes over near the pool from the bowl.
R'hyn glances at Cardixa, then at Serri, and then back again. "But if you're here, Serri can't... You know. /Jump/ me."
Cardixa pah's! "Jump you. She's mostly teasing, you know." Pause. "I think."
"Yes I wish you would stop talking about me like I'm not here," Serri interjects. She glances at R'hyn and says, "I'm not wanton thank you very much," her voice is a bit annoyed. "I have in fact come to care for you a great deal R'hyn..." She crosses her arms and looks away, "I suppose I was wrong in thinking you might return a bit of that." She turns and walks away from the bronzerider.
Oki has slipped back down to the waterfall's pool, seeking to rinse out her very special favorite oil rag while Rhavinath sleeps. Halting at the edge, she waits a moment to make sure she's not tripping through a private moment.
Cardixa is now the one looking uncomfortable. "Um." She licks her lips. "I didn't mean to, uh, unearth anything... buried."
R'hyn swallows, thickly. His face goes pale. "I /do/ care about you, Serriena," he says, quietly. Then, muttering, "I just don't know if I... care about you as more than my friend. My best friend, with whom I have a beautiful, much-loved daughter." He ignores both Cardixa and Oki-- he's not far off looking uncomfortable, himself. "I'm so, so sorry."
Cardixa throws a meaningful look at Oki. Interesting timing, there.
"Well, that answers that, doesn't it?" Serri asks, her voice a bit bitter. "Best friend ... friend with fringe benefits." She looks at Cardixa and shakes her head, "Nothing that wasn't going to come out sooner or later." She doesn't look at R'hyn, facing away from him, her arms crossed. She stays that way for several moments before snorting at the situation and in a way that is just so her, she leaves, walking through the trees and leaving the mess behind. That or she has to go do some self pity punishment for having said something so personal.
Cardixa slowly facepalms. "I was just *kidding*," she mutters. Is that... guilt?... sneaking into her voice? Why, yes. Yes, it is.
R'hyn's jaw drops open. "That's what we said it was. We were sle-- we were having /sex/ to have a baby. We never said there was anything more to it. It was /your/ idea." He's gone red - but more than that, his expression is numb. "I'm sorry, Serr--" he attempts, but, finally, trails off. "I never meant to hurt you."
Oki returns Cardixa's look and redirects her feet to get her nearer to the other rider. "What's up?" she asks quietly, jerking her head in R'hyn's and Serienna's direction. Eyes curiously -- but not overtly so -- watch the scene for a moment. She stands there awkwardly not sure what to do.
"I've unwittingly instigated a lovers' spat," the Wingleader says lowly.
"Oh yeah?" Serri turns around at the edge of the clearing her voice coming from between the trees. "It may have been my idea but I didn't know it was going to be so shardin hard!!!" She shouts back. "And I never asked you to come sit with me while I was sick! I never asked you to look after Rhyena and show what a wonderful father you are! And I never will ask you to do anything anymore!" And then she's gone... (ooc her player sticks around)
There is a groan from Cardixa's not-so-general direction.
Gasping a little at the baldness of R'hyn's statement, Oki shakes her head and mutters, "Perfect reason why you don't do that kind of stuff." Cardixa is eyed and since she seems to be more involved watching the two past-lovers, Oki doesn't bother saluting. She tries to edge around to get to the pool, trying not to listen.
Cardixa looks sharply at the weyrling. "You've been present for thirty seconds of this conversation and you're judging?" she asks coldly.
R'hyn opens his mouth - and then snaps it shut again. He looks - and probably is - about ready to cry. For a moment, he takes a step forward, as if to chase after Serriena, but for whatever reason, he stops, and leans down to begin to pack up his things again. "Fuck," he says, swearing with more emphasis than he's ever been noted for before.
Oki shrugs at Cardixa, "Falling love... it doesn't seem to pay off." Once Serriena flees, she kneels down to rinse out her oil rag. Her very special favorite oil rag. Carefully, she works all the little bits of crud that stuck to it on it's way down from the barracks to the pool. She glances sympathetically to R'hyn, but is smart enough to know that now is /not/ the time to open her big trap.
Cardixa brings both hands to cover her face for quite a while. And then, sighing quietly, she drops her arms to her sides and shuffles over to R'hyn. "I'm--" Her hands turn upwards at her hips, helplessly. "Well. I'm sorry."
"Not really your fault," says R'hyn, after several deep breaths. "I knew-- I knew it was coming. I could /see/." He glances upwards, from his kneeling position, then adds, "What do you do, if someone is - or thinks they are - in love with you, and you're... you're just not? You want to be, but you can't?"
Cardixa scuffs her boot across the ground, decidedly uncomfortable with this whole thing -- and then, apparently feeling *really* awkward standing over R'hyn like that, she drops to a crouch in front of him, her hands resting on her knees. "Then you're not," she says softly. "It would be wrong to try and make yourself. Don't beat yourself up over feeling how you do."
Oki has been washing her very special favorite rag for a while now, and possibly it's to linger and continue to listen. Possibly it's because the rag was so thoroughly soaked in oil. Glancing every so often over at the pair, she manages to keep her little ears open. "Love," Oki mutters, more to herself.
Cardixa glances expressionlessly back at Oki, although something in her eyes indicates that if she wasn't otherwise occupied, she'd have some choice words.
R'hyn tilts his head after Serriena, "I've just lost a friend, because of it, though. And I have a two-turn-old daughter to try and explain to why Mamma won't look at Daddy anymore." He lets his shoulders droop, and expels a sigh. "It was a stupid idea in the first place. Having a baby with someone, just randomly."
Cardixa snorts. "'Lost a friend'? You didn't *lose* her. She's pissed at you, granted, but--" There's that awkward helplessness again. She's not very good at this counseling thing. "But that happens. No relationship is perfect. That doesn't mean it's OVER."
R'hyn shrugs his shoulders. "She got pissed off at Mechelle, and they've never been friends, now. I don't know. But..." swallowing, he nods. "I guess I'll have to see what happens. Uh. Thanks, Dix." He lets a wan smile rest upon his face, for a moment.
Oki gives Cardixa a small little smile at the look she recieves from the rider. Then she turns her attention back to her very special favorite rag. Wash, wash, listen.
Cardixa nods, looking anywhere but R'hyn's face for as long as she can manage it. And then, almost shyly, she reaches to pat his shoulder. "Uh, sure." Aaaand... cue the flush.
R'hyn, even more pathetic-looking than usual, manages another smile, before he rises back to his feet. "I should go. Figure things out. And stuff. Um. Yeah. So... thanks. As I said."
Cardixa smiles weakly, pushing herself to her feet as well. "Right. Uh, write poetry, or something." Err. Or... not?
Oki mumbles things to herself, though mostly it sounds like thoughts and ideas filtering out from Rhavinath's dreams. She can't control herself very well yet. "Poetry?" she mouths once her ears pick up some of the conversation. Making a face, she pulls her very special favorite rag out of the water and shakes it a bit to get the excess water off. She's probably washed all of the soft fuzz off of it.
R'hyn laughs, uneasily. "Yeah. Good idea." He puts his towel under his arm, and glances back at Arisvath - still in the water. "Coming?" The dragon emerges from the water with a great splash. "Good." Another wan smile - as he notices Oki for the first time, properly, eyebrows raising slightly - and then he trots off, head lowered.
You leave the area around the pool and head back to the open bowl.
Waterfall Pool> Cardixa unwittingly echoes Oki, although her back is turned to the crouching bluerider. She puts particular emphasis on that 'P', one hand covering her eyes. Viasseth is awake by now, and has actually been quietly watching Oki-- but, sensing a disturbance in the Force, raises his head to croon questioningly at his rider. "Nothing. I'm a moron." Rumble. Oh.
Waterfall Pool> Oki catches herself alone with the wingleader and suddenly finds herself wondering whether that's good or not. Hastily, she begins squeegeeing the water out of the rag, but trying hard not to draw too much attention to herself.
Waterfall Pool> Oki's safe-- for the moment, anyway. Cardixa trudges over to Viasseth, then, wrapping her arms around his lowered muzzle and burying her face in his cheek for a good minute or two. He huffs and snuffs at appropriate intervals, and after a while, his rider withdraws, smiling gently. And then-- then, the sound of water dripping into water, not too far away. Safe moment's up: Oki now has the Wingleader's full attention. "You're still here."
Waterfall Pool> Oki gives her most innocuous smile, "Yeah. I'm just cleaning off my oiling rag. Rhavinath wouldn't fall asleep until I had oiled him very thoroughly." She unfolds and shakes out the rag. "Well! I think I'll be going now. My rag's all cleaned."
Waterfall Pool> Cardixa can't be bought with such trivial things as smiles, oh, no. "Yes," she says steadily, keeping her full attention on Oki's face. "You'd better do that."
Waterfall Pool> Oki stares at Cardixa for a moment longer than she probably should have and then bobs her head, "Of course." She makes her way across the bowl, nearly counting the steps to freedom, before she lifts a hand in farewell. "Night!"
Waterfall Pool> "Good night." The accompanying look clearly reads: Stay awake. As LONG as you can.
Waterfall Pool> Oki manages to escape without a salute, a title or anything! Stuffing the rag into her pocket she picks up the pace and quickly escapes the the pool. "Yes!" is the last echoing trail of this weyrling.
Serriena didn't go far. She's wiping her eyes outside of the waterfall pool. "Stupid." She slaps her forehead. "Stupid stupid stupid." A few more moments of this and she stamps the ground and heads for the southern bowl.
R'hyn's a few minutes behind. He arrives just soon enough to see Serriena - and then watches her go. He hesitates, quietly, then takes a few steps forward, quietly. Finally, he takes a deep breath, and then follows her.
Oki halts on her way back to the barracks. Glancing back to the barracks, then knowing that the blue was sleeping soundly, she stealthily follows the pair, making sure it's not overt should they look behind them.
She's heading for the southern portion of the bowl, her direction towards the caverns. She hasn't noticed anyone following her .. yet.
R'hyn's shoulders are slumped, his head lowered. Still, he's trying to be quiet. Southwards it is.
Serriena heads off toward the southern end of the bowl.
You head deeper into the bowl, in the general direction of the living caverns and Hatching grounds.
Oki heads over from the far end of the bowl.
Oki keeps far enough behind them that it's not conspicious but close enough that she doesn't lose them. She manages to stay behind random people and objects so far.
Serriena is shaking her head and mumbling to herself. Or perhaps it is to her golden bond. Must be Niaryth because she turns to face the direction of the northern weyr saying, "This is all your fault!" *blink* She stares at R'hyn... apparently following her. "R'hyn?" Her cheeks are red, stained with trails of tears.
R'hyn turns scarlet. Well. He hasn't noticed Oki - but Serriena has very much noticed him, and that's even worse. "Uh... Hi, Serri."
Oki ducks behind some stuff off to the side. She's not really paying attention to what she's behind, though the owners eye her a little oddly. Still, feeling compelled to see the completion of this drama she unwittingly walked into earler, she continues to spy on the two.
"What do you want R'hyn?" Serri isn't going to spend time on pleasantries it seems. She crosses her arms in front of her defensively, tilting her head and staring intently at him.
"I wanted to apologise," begins R'hyn. "But perhaps you'd rather I didn't, in which case, I'm just going back to my weyr."
"I'm listening," Serri says quickly, dispelling any reason R'hyn would have to go back to his weyr.
Oki sighs a little, watching the two, possibly remember another time where she invaded someone else's privacy. She begins to back away, a little more unsure of herself than she was a sevenday ago.
R'hyn takes a couple of steps backwards, head ducked. "Well. Like I said. I'm sorry I hurt you. There's nothing else I can say. I'll go."
"Is that it?" Serri asks. "You're simply sorry?" She bites her lips apparently controlling something. She stamps her foot and lets out a very aggravated, "MMMPH!" Her arms uncross and she gestures, "R'hyn why did you do this to me? You came almost every day when I was sick.. nearly sat with me all the time, pretended to care like.. like.." Her mouth turns down in a frown, "Like you cared more than you do." She covers her face with her hand, "Faranth I'm an idiot aren't I? I misread your actions."
Watching them as if they represented something totally foreign to her, Oki feels compelled to stay a little longer. However, she has begun finding a way back the way she came without being spotted. She's just waiting for the riiiight moment. Until then, she watches and listens.
"I did that because I care about you." R'hyn has no simpler answer than that. "I'm sorry. I didn't realise that you would see it that way. And I /am/ sorry that I've now hurt you, and I don't want to hurt you, so I think I will go. If you want to talk - I mean, later, after we've both thought a bit, and figured stuff out, I'll be there. I think I should be alone. And so should you." He starts to turn around. Hopefully, he won't spot Oki in the process.
Serriena is almost as much of a coward. She lets R'hyn go, covering her face. "stupid" murmurred over and over to herself. The weyrwoman was quite incorrect.
Oki ducks quick-like behind the cart she was hiding behind. Heart racing she tries to make herself as small as possible -- not hard considering her stature -- and remain unseen. Luckily, being the time of night it is, the bowl isn't nearly as busy so there isn't anyone else giving her odd glares.
R'hyn begins to wander off in the direction from which he came. He probably passes right by Oki's cart, but he's not really looking for anything - or anyone. Head ducked, it looks as though he, too, is crying.
You head passed the broken partition of craggy mountain-feet toward the northern end of the bowl.
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