December 10, 2003
When political discussions get sent off-course, R'hyn offers Serriena something he probably hadn't intended to.

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Serriena enters into the cavern. The weyrwoman looks like she has a lot on her mind. She doesn't acknowledge salutes from the latest weyrlings, heading over to the drinks and then finding herself a table. She sits down, her elbow digging into the table, her chin in her palm and stares down at the tabletop with a pensive face.

It's not often that you'll find R'hyn sitting in the caverns doing nothing, though that's precisely what he's doing this evening, leaning back on his chair so that the front legs are off the ground. In his lap is his set of pipes, but it doesn't look as though he's been playing them in a while; instead, he's staring into the flames on the hearth, as pensive as Serriena is, in his own way.

Serriena stares for a while but then the sound of laughter causes her to look up. She watches as some residents drift by, laughing at a joke between them. They've brought her into a semi-awareness and she looks around the room. Serri spies R'hyn watching the fire. Standing up, she winds her way over to his table and sits down near him. "Hello R'hyn," she greets softly.

R'hyn's pushed out of his own thoughts as he's greeted; he seems to have managed to ignore the noise of the caverns, otherwise, but when it's directed at him, specifically, it's not quite so easily. He manages a smile for Serriena - not a big one, though - and nods in return. "Serri."

"You seem distracted," Serri notes directly. "Care to share what's on your mind?" It's easy for the weyrwoman to slip into the friend mode although in the previous weeks - the friend mode had been lacking somewhat in favor of an unrequited love. But tonight she seems too distracted to even look at R'hyn in that weird way.

R'hyn probably picks that up - at least, he's not quite as distant and withdrawn from his friend, tonight, as he has been often in these past weeks. He drops his hand towards his pipes, running his fingers across the polished wood. "Just thinking, I guess. You know... Mum's pretty upset. Claims E'van is fabricating evidence, and I don't know what to think. I keep wondering which goldrider we're going to get." He lifts his head to watch Serriena, as if attempting to gauge her reaction.

"Well.." Serriena's eyes flash remorse, anger and unhappiness. "I'm not happy about this. Niaryth and I have fully recovered but he's going to bring a gold from Southern?" She looks at R'hyn. "I have to agree with your mother on this one." She splays her fingers on the table. "And I have to admit, it bothers me thinking Drayson is the one who tried to poison me. He just..." she pauses, thinking for a descriptor, "Doesn't seem like the type."

"It may be," R'hyn offers, "A political thing." He squints his eyes, thinking. "Like, in order to convince Southern to take Mechelle, who has apparently done this horrible thing, they offer one of Southern's juniors a good chance. You know." He doesn't sound convinced. Shrugging his shoulders, with a sigh, R'hyn repeats, "I don't know. Maybe, maybe not. Anyway, with a new queen, we might end up with a new weyrleader anyway, and that'll be the end of it. She'll have to rise, when she gets here, sooner or later."

"But why would he put a gold from Southern into the Weyrwoman position here?" Serriena questions. "Niaryth could rise first, but he's acting like he's already won." She doesn't look happy about that. "R'hyn..." And her voice trails off. "I just don't know what to do. Other than force him out of the weyr but he's too ingrained in it now. Even his special little wingleaders and weyrlingmasters from Fort are here."

R'hyn turns his head away from Serriena to gaze into the flames again. "Well, he can't get someone from Fort, because that just wouldn't work - beside, it'd mean getting Alyssa back, probably, and I don't see that ever happening. It may be the only way to convince a Southern junior to transfer is to give her the senior. And... you do have a reputation for being against E'van. So, if he's been cleared... you know." It's one of the longer speeches R'hyn has mode of late, and throughout it, he keeps his gaze away from Serri. "I don't know, either, but I'm not sure if there's anything we can do. If he is guilty, then for the moment, he has won. If he's not - I don't know."

Serriena puts her head in her hands. "Maybe I should be the one to go. Not Mechelle. Then perhaps one of Ista's queens will still remain in the senior position." She indulges in that moment of self pity. "Niaryth and I could go to Southern Weyr. My mother is there.. along with her weyrmate Ch'vron."

R'hyn blinks. Repeatedly. He lifts his head. "Huh? No - Mechelle was the spearhead of this. She publically denounced E'van. There's obvious reasons why she's going; she can't stay in the Senior position. She just can't. Serriena, don't be a twit." That's said with a large amount of conviction. "It'll be a long time before Siramyth rises. We need /a/ dragon to produce Istan-bred dragons."

"Well of course, but .." Serriena sighs. "I was the first to be on E'van's bad side. Nothing good ever comes of it." She looks as if she's fully responsible for Ista's leadership being the way it is now. "Why..oh why did Arisvath have to be away that day?"

"But it hardly makes any difference, now," R'hyn chides. "We're not going to lose you as /well/ as Mechelle. So don't be stupid." He reaches out to take Serriena's hand - if she'll let him - and smiles at her, sadly. "We can blame E'van for that, too. In the end, it's done, and... Well, Ista would hardly be /much/ better off with me as Weyrleader again. You know that."

"Yes I know." Serriena states. "I have hope that Y'lan and Orinth will somehow win the next flight. He's so young though." She looks uncertain. "Just like A'son and look how it affected him." She lets R'hyn take her hand in comfort. "I just want to find a way to make Ista ... the way it was. Before E'van."

R'hyn's expression - if Serriena is quick enough to see - shows, for a moment, a glimmer of relief, before it disappears again. "He's very young, and impulsive. I'm not sure if he'd be a good choice. There are others, I'm sure." R'hyn is confident of this, and gives a slightly bigger smile to his friend. "Who knows, Serri. We never know what will happen. Don't make it your personal mission, though."

"But who else will?" Serriena asks sensibly. She removes her hand from R'hyn's although there's a tad bit of reluctance to do so. She puts her head in her hands once again, her chin resting on her palms pressed together. "Tell me R'hyn, how is your family? Have you seen Rhyena today?"

R'hyn sets his jaw, firmly. "I know some of Southern's juniors. Remember, I Impressed there. They're solid, I think. Ista will be taken proper care of." He draws his hand back into his own lap, wrapping it about the pipes once more. "Yes, I popped in this morning. She's growing too fast. Mother is in a funk, and is tormenting weyrlings more than ever - the poor things. Laera is desperate for another baby, but is having trouble getting pregnant. Her boys are getting tall, too. Proper kids, now."

"Isn't it strange to think she's already two turns old?" Serriena questions. "Laera wants another?" She looks skeptic about that. "I suppose that will make your mother happy." She laces her fingers together beneath her chin, changing positions and leaning forward. "Speaking of your mother R'hyn... I must tell you something."

"Very strange," R'hyn admits, wryly. "It doesn't feel that long ago." Twining his fingers together, he tilts his head to the side, shrugging. "She likes children. A lot like my mother. Mother would have had a lot more if she'd had a long-term mate to have them with - though the 'riding doesn't help much. She's delighted, I suppose. She keeps staring at me, though." He hesitates, his eyebrows raising. "What?"

"I believe your mother is staring at you, expecting you to produce more." Serriena says thoughtfully. "And she has asked me why you and I aren't doing so." Serri blushes. "I just thought I'd tell you that." Feel the pressure. "Rhyena has started potty training."

R'hyn's expression, for a moment, is aghast. He attempts to cover it up quickly, remarking only, "I should have expected that. My mother is not one to be polite about such things." Quickly, he jumps onto the new topic, "Really? Already? How's she doing?"

Serriena lowers her head, shoulders shaking a moment. When her face looks up, there's a sparkle in her blue eyes - amusement at R'hyn's expression. "It's nice to know how you feel." Said with some ironic dash of humor. "She's just started to learn this sevenday is what I heard from the nanny." Serriena reaches up and tucks a lock of blond hair off her head and behind an ear. "I think within a month we'll have a daughter who won't need diapers anymore."

R'hyn is clearly guilty, and opens up his mouth to say something, but the words don't seem to come out, and he ends up shrugging helplessly. "Oh? That's good. That will be so nice. It'd be a shame to have another baby now, and have to go through the diaper changing thing all over again."

"Luckily you weren't the one changing the diapers then wasn't it?" Serriena says wryly, pointing out that fact to the child's father. She raises her hand and rubs at the bridge of her nose and states, "Honestly R'hyn, I'm not going to propose anything else to you." She puts her hand down. "I learned that lesson the hard way."

"I changed some!" insists R'hyn, defiantly. "Several, at least!" He hesitates, shoulders drooping. "But that doesn't stop me from feeling guilty. I led you on, inadvertently, and if there was any way I could make it up to you, I would."

"Oh you can make it up to me," Serriena says. "Get your mother to turn her clutches to someone else. I'm in too delicate of a state right now to try and adhere to her wishes." Serriena sighs. "Not that I don't think on it mind you... you are a highly attractive man R'hyn."

R'hyn, for a moment, actually smiles, properly. "Who do you dislike enough to transfer her attentions to?" It fades, though, and he turns brilliantly pink. "I don't think I needed to hear that."

"I'm sorry if it embarrasses you R'hyn but it's the truth." Serriena leans her head to the side on her hand and grins at him. "It's such a shame such a good looking man is so shy." She gives a small sigh and then says, "To be honest I would say E'van but I don't foresee her bothering him." She laughs and then says, "Perhaps... " A name is uttered that sounds like Genevrath's rider.

R'hyn goes pinker still. "Actually, I don't think the shyness is the problem," he mutters, but that is said guiltily, and he turns his head away. "Oh? Well... I suppose I can drop some hints. For your sake." He glances back long enough to smile, briefly.

"What do you think is the problem?" Serriena asks, because she's direct enough to want to know. She gives a smile back to the bronzerider. "Would you like a drink R'hyn?" She stands up to go get one for herself.

"Me," says R'hyn, without hesitation, without blinking. He shakes his head, indicating a mostly-empty mug of milk sitting beside him - though it's probably been there a long time, and looks somewhat unappealing. "No, thanks."

"Well I meant something stiffer." Serri steps over to the drinks and gets out a mug of ale. She brings two of them back, one slid across towards R'hyn. "And why do you feel you're the problem?" she questions.

R'hyn opens his mouth, as if to object, then gives in, accepting the mug and taking a sip from it. His mouth puckers, but he takes another; R'hyn has never liked the taste of alcohol, though he drinks it from time to time all the same. "We'd be a good match, you and I. Everyone says so. I think they're right. But I just... I'm the reason why we're not matched."

"Then it must not be your fault," Serriena states. "There must be a reason for you to not match with me - therefore the fault lies within me R'hyn." She takes a drink of her ale - a rather long drink. "So what is it about me that is so unpleasing?"

R'hyn shakes his head quickly, firmly. "No. It's definitely me. I can't see anything wrong with you. That's just it. You're sweet, and pretty, and nice, and I can't believe I'm saying this all to you, but /I/ don't... don't feel anything."

"Gee.. you make a girl know how to feel good." Serriena states. She takes another sip of ale. "R'hyn, are you telling me that all those times we were together, you weren't attracted to me at all? Not once?"

"I didn't say that," R'hyn insists, quickly. "I enjoyed it. And you /are/ pretty. If I wasn't attracted to you, I wouldn't have been... You know. Aroused. I'm not a teenager." He takes a big gulp of his ale, grimacing.

"So you are attracted to me, you like me, but you don't feel anything." Serriena shakes her head, "R'hyn I'm not even going to contemplate on that." And then because she's curious she has to ask. "So who do you feel something for?"

R'hyn shuts his eyes, and says nothing for a long time. "I think you're pretty, I guess I'm kind of attracted to you. But I don't think I love you. There's nothing in our relationship that makes me feel as though this is it. I'm twenty-eight. I feel as though I should be trying to find 'the one', if such a person exists. Call me stupid, but that's the way I feel." He reaches out his hand, in an attempt to take Serri's, and then says, "No one."

Serriena offers her hand out. "Do you know how close I came to finding the one?" Serriena asks. "This close." She holds up her hand, pointer finger and thumb barely an inch apart. "And do you know what happened R'hyn?" She lays her hand in his. "It turns out, there is no one." She looks sad for a brief moment. "At least no human one. There is only Niaryth..or Arisvath.. or even Jeirath."

R'hyn squeezes Serriena's hand, his expression sad. "I'm a dreamer, Serri. Naive, yes, and always expecting something more. Am I stupid, to keep holding out for something, when I know that while I like you, I don't love you? I'm sorry. I don't want to hurt you. My stupid ideals." He hesitates, his eyebrows lifting. "Jeirath?"

"Even though the man shows no sympathy for others, E'van must love Jeirath or they would not have bonded so well." Serri states simply in explanation. "Just as Niaryth has my heart, and Arisvath has yours." She smiles weakly at R'hyn. "I could ask you if it was stupid to cling to the hope you'd change your mind, when you keep telling me it is not so." The pair of them - both fools - at the very least one.

"Ah," says R'hyn, nodding his head sagely. "And Jeirath must love E'van. That's the way it is." His expression is sad as he squeezes Serriena's hand, murmuring quietly, "You could. But what answer do I have? I don't know what the future brings. But..." he hesitates. "If I've not found something more, by the time I have turned thirty, what say you to trying again, then? If you, too, haven't found something. Maybe it isn't love, but maybe it could become so, and... I don't want to be alone forever." Oh, men. Strange creatures, all of them.

"Two turns?" Serriena chuckles. "R'hyn you're leaving yourself little room to work with." She doesn't argue, in fact says, "At thirty turns, you come see me for a special turnday present." This said in a most outrageously flirting, husky tone with a wink, grin and waggle of the eyebrows. She's a terrible tease.

"But by thirty, I really ought to be settling down. I could say thirty-five, but I guess I don't think it'll really make much difference." R'hyn grimaces, then, squeezing Serriena's hand again, "I guess we'll see. I can't make real promises-- but maybe things will work out."

Serriena smiles. Her hand squeezes R'hyn's back. She's silent, except for picking up her mug to take a drink. "I suppose if I didn't consider it an insult, I should thank E'van for not opening Niaryth to the senior flight." She gives a crooked smile to her tablemate. "Now there's less pressure on you should Arisvath catch her again."

R'hyn's brow raises slightly. "You think Arisvath might catch Niaryth again? I guess he's more likely to do that than catch whoever is the new senior. I'm relieved at that. I'd quite like to have him be a dad, again." He takes another big gulp, wiping his lips with the back of his hand.

"They do make good clutches together don't they?" Serriena says proudly. "Arisvath is a good clutch father." She compliments. She takes a drink of her ale and discovers an empty glass. Standing up, she moves over to get another glass, this time selecting a homemade liquor. She sits back down with it.

R'hyn's nod is firm, and fervent. "They do. Perhaps it's a good thing that Selynth is going off to Southern - she is a fine dragon, and will add something back to the Southern stock. Of course," he reflects, "two of her grandparents were Southern. What kind of alcohol is that?" he wonders, tilting his head at her glass. "He does his best. He likes it."

"I'll bet he does...that's a male for you," Serriena mutters softly, though it's not grousing - as it is more teasing. "Something that came up from Igen Hold," Serri says. "I suspect is has Vintner Kimberle's signature on it." She raises the glass and sniffs it. She takes a sip. Her lips quirk into a smile. "Berry delicious." She holds it out, "Would you like to try?"

R'hyn merely laughs, quietly. "What can I say? We're fickle like that, my dear." He considers the liquor, then drains his mug - with his usual grimace - and offers it out. "I'll try a little. I shouldn't drink too much. Drills with E'van in the morning, and I need a clear head for that."

Serriena pours a bit of the liquor into his mug. "There you are. It tastes like berries. You can still taste the alcohol, but it's not nearly as bad as ale is." She takes a sip of her liquor. "Fear not, I shall provide you with no more drink so your head will be frightfully sober tomorrow." She tips her glass in a toast. "To your head."

R'hyn sniffs hesitantly at the red liquid, then takes a sip, rolling it about his tongue. "Too right," he says, with a grimace, swallowing. "I'm never going to be a big fan of alcohol of any form, I guess. There'll be no getting me drunk and seducing me, I guess." He has a smile, for that - and amazingly, no blush. "To my head!"

Serriena takes a drink of her liquor and says, "That wasn't my plan a'tall." She tries to look appropriately shocked and innocent but it doesn't quite work for her. "Is it working?" She leans forward with a giggle.

"Sure, sure," opines R'hyn, with an air of disbelief. "I haven't drunk enough for that, duh."

"Well drink some more then!" Serriena shoos at the glass with her hand, indicating R'hyn to drink up. She sits back in her seat, giggling. "Kidding, kidding." She throws her hands up. "Ah, this is nice. Relaxed. No worrying about E'van or anything."

R'hyn hesitates, then, smiling, takes a sip. "Maybe it grows on you," he decides, after a pause, sipping again. "It's not so bad. Yeah. It /is/ nice. We get to have more times like these, not being the 'Leaders', you know? I like that."

"No more hidework!" Serriena agrees cheerfully. "Although technically on you can say that since I'm filling in for Mechelle's absence." She pouts at R'hyn and then looks at him slyly, "Say R'hyn... you remember how to fill out the account ledgers don't you?" *hint hint hint*.

"You should start teaching Kiora," R'hyn suggests, only slightly mockingly. "She needs to learn, and she's not so far from graduating." His brows raise, and he draws back slightly. "Oh, no you don't. No, no, no. I'm enjoying the wingrider life, thank you very much. No accounts for me."

"Perhaps," Serriena laughs. "She'll sink slowly into this life. I can tell because her dragon is a bit of a..... lazy gold?" She sighs, "How Niaryth and Arisvath had such a lazy granddaughter I will never know." She lets out a puff of annoyed air. "I blame the sire..Jeirath." Much easier that way.

"I admit, I don't know her very well," says R'hyn, shrugging his shoulders. "Mother thinks she's useless, but Mother thinks most weyrlings are useless, not to mention me - and I'm the light of her life, apparently!" Lips curling, he remarks, "Oh, must be the Fortian side of her ancestry, absolutely. The Istan is too diluted with Southern to cancel out the Fortian. That's Arisvath's fault - I'm sorry."

Serriena chuckles. "R'hyn you're too much." She laughs, "I can never imagine trying to live up to your mother's standards. I daresay I'm surprised she even approves of me for you." She smiles apologetically for bringing that up. "As to inheritance of ancestry, you're very lucky to have a loving mother. My mother is not coherent enough to acknowledge her children all the time." Serri looks regretful as she says that.

R'hyn's lips curve into a slight, almost bashful smile, though said smile fades. "I'm sorry, Serri. You can share mine, if you like, though probably not for another two turns."

"Share your mother?" Serriena blinks. "Share your mother?" She repeats stupidly as if the idea had not quite sunk in. "Oh sweet Faranth save me... you did not say that and you will never mention it again R'hyn!" She brings out the finger, shaking it quite seriously. "Your mother, Faranth love her, is a termigant and she'd run me over."

R'hyn flushes furiously, though he can't quite help himself -- he smiles, with vast amusement. "Probably true," he admits calmly. "If /I/ can deal with her, though, I'm sure you can. Just think of our daughter, whose Grandmother is determined to help raise."

"Oh..oh.. poor Rhyena," Serri raises a hand to her mouth. "Your mother won't start pushing for great-grandchildren when she hits sixteen turns will she?" Serri looks almost worried about that for a moment. She raises her drink and takes a sip as if needing the false support in the drink.

"I hadn't even thought of that," admits R'hyn. "I rather hope not. I don't want to be a grandfather at forty-three! Probably not, though. Mum had Laera pretty young, and she kind of regretted that."

"I think its more natural." Serriena states. "My mother had me when she was sixteen. I had the boys when I was seventeen turns." She runs her fingers through her blond hair, the strands of pale blond not as young as they once were. There's even little laugh lines appearing at Serri's eyes. "Shells, to be that young again."

R'hyn shakes his head, wrinkling his nose. "Seems too young, to me. At sixteen... I wasn't ready to be a parent. I guess some people are, some aren't." His lips part, quietly, and he grins. "I was barely graduated, at sixteen. Wingleader, a turn after that. Seems an age ago."

"I thought I was ready," Serriena states. "It turns out, I wasn't as ready as I would have liked." She sets her empty mug down and yawns slightly. "Well... that was very good liquor." She grins.

R'hyn takes another sip of his drink - there's still a fair amount left - and smiles sadly. "I guess none of us ever know, until it happens. I'm glad I was older, when Rhyena was born. I hope she'll understand the same, and not let accidents happen. I wonder what she'll be like..." He trails off. "Not bad. It's not bad."

"We'll just have to be patient and wait." Serriena yawns lightly. "I think R'hyn.." She pauses and then murmurs, "I think I'm sleepy and I need to find my bed." She smiles sleepily. "If you'll 'scuse me..."

R'hyn laughs, nodding his head. "Can't wish her life away for her. Good night, Serri."

Reaching out, Serri attempts to brush R'hyn's hair a bit affectionately. She stands to her feet. "Good night R'hyn." She heads towards the bowl, walking slowly.

R'hyn lets Serri do that, though he stiffens, slightly. Watching her go, he shakes his head, picking up his pipe - finally - to trill a few notes.

Serriena disappears through the narrow tunnel to the bowl.

======================= It was the two of them! (No. 4) ======================

You haven't listened to this one before now.

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First started circulating on day 14 of the 3th month. (OOC Tue Dec 9.)

Two voices were heard discussing it in the lower caverns on the stairs.

"It was the two of them again. Huddled up together real cozy like in the living caverns, in front of the fire, drinking and talking. You could see that poor woman is just in /love/ with him."

" And he says he doesn't love her?"

"Yeah right, I don't believe it. I saw them holding hands!"

"Do you suppose it's just a lie and he's sneakin' into her weyr at night?

"Nah...I dunno..Maybe. Whatever you do don't tell Laerya about her boy and that weyrwoman. She'll hound you for all the details. Don't even let anyone know where you heard it."

----------------------------------- +rumors ----------------------------------

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