October 16, 2002
R'hyn introduces his nephew, Janri, to Serriena, while Niaryth and Arisvath play cuddly.

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You wing down to a landing in the southern bowl.

** Arisvath springs to a landing, his wings furling about him as he guides himself down to the sandy bowl floor. R'hyn's got company -- a toddler, complete with trademark burnished red curls, whom he assists downwards as he, too, dismounts. "That's right, Janri," he murmurs, helpfully. "Like that."

Arisvath crouches low, allowing you to swing your leg over his neckridges, and climb nimbly towards the ground, with the help of his straps.

Niaryth is enjoying having her wings oiled by Serriena, the golden queen basking in the sunshine warmth that has cast over Ista on the day. Serriena's hands work diligently to rub the oil in, soothing and massaging her rough spots. She glances at Arisvath, waving to his rider as he lands. She glances up, shielding her eyes trying to see who R'hyn has brought with. A child? Curiosity lights in her blue eyes. "Good day to you R'hyn," she calls to him.

"Er, Serriena," greets R'hyn quickly, with his trademark flush and ducking of head. Arisvath rumbles a drawled, tenor note of greeting towards Niaryth, settling himself down comfortably upon the bowl floor. The child, a little boy of about two turns, wiggles in his grasp, and R'hyn nearly drops him-- to his horror, as he grasps for purchase.

"Hey, easy," Serriena walks forward, rushing as if to catch the child should you lose your grip. Niaryth rumbles a greeting towards Arisvath. He's certainly worth moving away from Serriena to view. Or be viewed, as she extends her wings in front of him. "Who is this R'hyn?" Serriena's curiosity about the boy can no longer be contained.

Nearly, but not quite - R'hyn manages to regain his grasp upon the boy - Janri - just in time, and looks relieved. "His mother would kill me," he notes. "If I dropped him. My nephew," he adds, as the boy hits him in the nose with one clutched fist. "Saera's son." Arisvath rumbles appreciatively, admiring Niaryth as he lounges.

"Well, very nice to meet you then young man," Serriena leans in, to put her face near Janri's. "What's his name?" She asks, grinning at the boy. "Hello handsome," she greets in a cooing voice, slightly higher pitched than her normal voice.

Niaryth settles down near Arisvath, snaking a glance in his direction. The gold seems to accept that admiration and approve of it as it feeds her ego somewhat.

"C'mon, Janri. What's your name? Can you tell Serriena your name?" A loud, very petulant "No!" follows, and R'hyn winces. "Janri," he repeats. "Short for Janrael." The bronzerider looks, as ever, increasingly uncomfortable. Arisvath's tail snakes out towards Niaryth's - not touching, but close, and comfortable.

"Nice to meet you Janri, you're such a big boy. I'm Serri," Serriena smiles brightly at him. She turns that smile on R'hyn and then asks, "Is your family well? How is your mother getting on?" She has not forgotten the elder bluerider from the turns ago she danced with her.

Janri promptly turns up his face and screams, and R'hyn looks mortified, attempting desperately to soothe the screaming child. "They're well," he agrees, between blushes. "Saera's pregnant again, and Mum's loving that. She loves Janri to bits; kind of distracts her, you know?"

"He doesn't like strangers?" Serriena questions. She takes a step back, making a tsking sound with her voice. "Janri, I'm surprised at you. Such a young man making such a fuss. It's rather alarming I suppose but look here." Serriena holds out her hand. "Would you like some oil?" A bad bribe, not like candy, but maybe the child will be curious enough to stop crying. Niaryth is interested in Arisvath's interest, her tail snaking close to lay side to side with his, letting him be near her.

R'hyn nods, quietly. "Shy," he adds, with a blush. Not unlike a certain other young man we know. Janri peers at Serri curiously, halting his tears mid-wail. After a pause, he holds out his hand, blinking quizzically. Arisvath all but radiates warm contentment; his tail snakes up against hers, and there it rests, tapping every so often.

Spreading her hand, Serriena indicates a little puddle of oil that glistens in her palm. "Take some Janri. Oil can be fun. It keeps your skin nice and it's squishy to play with." She grins and demonstrates by clapping her hands together. As she pulls them apart, the greasy oil sticks for a moment before splitting and clumping on her skin. "Hmm.. I think he could be like someone else I know," Serriena throws a slight smile to R'hyn, winking at him to let him know she knows who it is.

Niaryth lowers her head in contentment. Just the spade of her tail, falls over Arisvath's covering his tail lightly in a snugging touch. He's warm, and with the heat of the evening, the gold will be warm enough soon for complete napping.

Janri hesitates a moment more, and then takes some of the oil, squishing it between his fingers. A great, gleeful giggle follows, as he tosses it over towards R'hyn. It slides down the bronzerider's cheek, and he tries not to look annoyed, and merely smiles wearily. Serri's wink draws another blush, though it doesn't last; "Maybe," he agrees. Arisvath croons just softly, a whisper-thin note, as he snuggles down, contented in his position. Mmmm.

Serriena grins. Who wouldn't at the sight of the blob of oil running down R'hyn's cheek. She walks back and picks up a cloth rag from her pile of things. Wiping her hands on it, she offers it out to you next. "I think Janri just targeted you better than thread ever could." This teased lightly. "Want me to take him while you wipe your face?" She holds out her arms for the little boy.

Smiling somewhat goofily, R'hyn hands the squirming, giggling child over, as he accepts the cloth, using it to wipe at the oil as it runs down his face. "He's a bit of a handful, for all his shyness," comments the bronzerider, apparently relieved at the reduction in weight, within his arms. "Good aim, though, I'll agree. He should be a hunter, or something, when he grows up."

"Possibly," Serriena grins. She doesn't mind the oily hands, holding Janrin close where her arm is around his waist and his legs can cling to hers for support. Unable to resist, she pulls him around suddenly in a sharp turn, saying, "Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeee," as she swings around quickly to play with the child.

Janri bursts into uncontrollable laughter -- apparently, he's decided that he likes Serriena after all. R'hyn looks amused. "You're good with them," he comments. "That's really sweet." He stands, somewhat uncomfortably, watching the Weyrwoman with the child.

"I should hope so, I had three of them this young once." Serriena grins at R'hyn. "Children just need to be entertained. They learn by watching what goes on around them." She swings Janri around again. "So what do you think of Uncle R'hyn?" Serriena grins at the child and then at R'hyn. "You know Janri.. you look like him. I bet he looked like you when he was little." Is she talking to Janri, or trying to pry information out of the bronzerider?

"Three," marvels R'hyn. "I don't know if I want any. Looking after Janri while Saera's poorly, and Mum's sleeping is enough for me, I think." Janri affects a considering look, and rattles off a great amount of syllables, which more or less form basic words: In short, he thinks Unky Wyn is boring, an' he doesn't play with him like momma does. "No, I was far skinnier," pipes up the bronzerider, not without a mock-stern glare at Janri - making him look so bad, indeed! "Janri's a fat one."

"Perfectly plump," Serriena admonishes. She grins and then tickles Janri in the side. "Actually your Uncle R'hyn isn't boring. He's serious. But do you know how to fix someone from being so serious?" She leans forward to say it lowly to Janri, but can be heard anyways. "You tickle them..." Her own advice, given seriously, to this toddler.

"Tickle!" yells Janri, delightedly. "Tickle Unky Wyn!" R'yn flushes again. "Serri," he complains, teasingly, "You'll teach him bad habits!"

"Ah but the children demands it, so I must comply." Serriena rushes at R'hyn, crying "get him Janri!" She holds the boy out, so that he can be the first to tickle Uncle R'hyn, in this game called "make R'hyn laugh."

R'hyn is, indeed, very ticklish, and as Janri's fingers - even though they're somewhat inexperienced, and not particularly efficient - get to work, he's soon halted from further commentary by his paroxsysms of laughter. "Faranth!"

Serriena sets Janri on attacking R'hyn, but finally pulls back, laughing and smiling. "I think we got him Janri." She gives the little boy a high-five to indicate their success. She grins, looking over at R'hyn. "You look much better when you're smiling," she compliments.

R'hyn flushes. Funny that. "Uh, thanks. I guess I sho-- Well." He breaks off, composing himself again, now that the tickling has stopped. "Don't you keep doing that, Janri-boy, or Arisvath will drop you off the ledge!"

Serriena says back, "Don't you stop that Janri, because Arisvath can't drop you off a ledge. Niaryth wouldn't let him." She points to the gold and then blinks. "Oh my." She turns Janri away before he can see all that tail cuddling between the two. She looks at R'hyn and grins. "Seems as if Arisvath is in her good company and she in his."

R'hyn turns, rapidly, towards Arisvath, and-- ah, yes. Another blush. "That's sweet," he half-murmurs. Arisvath makes no response; his eyelids are all closed, comfortably, and he's more or less dozing, sweet in Niaryth's company. "Maybe he could convince Niaryth?" he suggests, hopefully, winking at Janri, who giggles.

Serriena shakes her head. "Niaryth is rather firm in the harming of humans. She won't let it happen." Serriena smiles. "Well, unless she's in a fit of temper, which is almost never." Serriena shifts Janri, the weight of the child not bad at first, but overtime gaining on her arms. "Sweet hmm?" Serriena eyes R'hyn. "So you've a bit of a romantic in you bronzerider?"

"That's good. Arisvath's not bad himself-- all about having faith, and wisdom, and doing the right thing, he is. So I guess he wouldn't, either." A fond glance is given towards the bronze, who huffs softly, curling up. "Want me to take him back?" he adds, quickly, noting the shifting of Janri. "Oh. Well. Maybe. I guess. A little."

"That's very good to hear." Serriena shifts Janri over to R'hyn, offering him back. She peers at R'hyn a little longer. "You've been at this weyr for several turns now have you not?" Her quisitive tone has changed from mere curiosity, to an almost contemplative tone. "Do you think you'll remain out in Ista the rest of your years here with your family?

R'hyn accepts Janri, and the little boy, looking exhausted, flops over his shoulder, drooping. The bronzerider hesitates. "Nearly five turns," he agrees, slowly. "I-- suppose so. I don't see why not. I mean, it'd feel weird going back to Southern, now, and there's Saera, and the kids, and-- well, Mum, of course. Why do you ask?"

Serriena looks a bit uncomfortable as she says, "Curiosity." She glances over to where Niaryth is curled up next to Arisvath. "I don't think it's hard to tell but Niaryth seems to like Arisvath over all other bronzes." Could she be hinting at anything with that statement?

R'hyn begins to babble. "They mated. I guess that just means they've got some lasting affection for each other. It doesn't mean anything. I think it's just-- you know, like friends. Who... uh, cuddle." Underlying messages are caught full on, and he flushes.

Serriena turns to R'hyn and then assures, "Of course, you're right, I suppose it must not mean anything." She seems a bit flustered because she said this rather fast and her cheeks are probably just as red. "But.." after she calms her face, she says, "What if it does..." And then seeming to rephrase the question she asks, "What would you do if .." She bites her lip, unable to finish the complete question.

"Uh, die?" R'hyn is downright petrified at the idea, and it shows. "I don't know," he admits, more seriously. "I don't really want to, uh, think about it. I didn't even like being Wingleader." He shifts Janri, as if this is going to distract him, rocking the boy back and forth.

"So you wouldn't.." Serriena shakes her head, "Nevermind. I keep forgetting that the biggest and fastest dragon usually catches." Her glance falls on Niaryth. That doesn't mean much when the gold is small as the largest bronze in the weyr or at least the same size as her sire.

R'hyn hesitates, watching Serri. "Wouldn't what?" he prompts. His gaze falls back, rather quickly, to the two dragons, and he winces again. "That's right. Arisvath's only caught a couple of times, and he's chased plenty. He's not that good, and the weyr wouldn't want him to win especially, either, because they don't really know me."

"I know you. You're a good man R'hyn, but if you wouldn't want to be Weyrleader, I'd not want to ..that is.." She looks at Niaryth. "There's a good possiblity she'll go up. Or Selynth." Serriena's voice is dubious about that. "Before Llilian and Isyrath recover." Hope resonates that they will recover before that time, but there's the huge doubt that says they won't.

R'hyn nods his head, slowly. "There's gossip, and stuff. That she won't be able to fly again for ages, and ages. I guess it's better you than Mechelle, though. I mean, you're older. More experienced. But not me. I'm just... not the right kind of person. The best person will win."

"Or best dragon," Serriena's eyes are on Arisvath. She shakes her head, looking back at you. "I had better go wash up," she looks down at her oil stained clothes. "But Niaryth does look quite a pretty picture, curled up next to such a handsome male." She's trying to make light of things now.

"Or that," R'hyn agrees, very carefully. "Oh. yes. It was-- uh, nice talking to you, Serriena. I should take Janri to my mother. She was expecting us ages ago. I just got distracted." He glancs back at Arisvath and Niaryth, and nods. "They look good," he agrees.

"So do you," Serriena says softly underbreath and then turns, running away. So that slipped out by accident.

R'hyn blinks, several times quickly, and then turns away.

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