January 28, 2004
Emani shares with R'hyn both a certain amount of wisdom, and her sand-chair.

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You follow the path over a few dunes, black sand underfoot as you approach the beach.

It's relatively quiet by the water this evening; the beach is dotted with people walking, the odd one sitting in the sand. Emani's practically enthroned - she's reclining in a rather well-built sand chair. Just piles of sand, it serves it's purpose rather well, as she's got back and armrests so she can watch the waves comfortably. Her long legs are stretched out in front of her, crossed at the ankle.

R'hyn is another of those walkers, weaving his way along the coast, up to his ankles in the lapping waves of the tide, as it creeps higher and higher upon the beach. He reaches down to pick a shell from the dark sand, rinsing it off, then lifting it to examine in the half-dark. He begins to walk again, heading closer to Emani and her chair, though he's yet to notice either.

Emani's in a position to notice him, however, watching both waves and walkers that pass before her. Her sharp gaze follows him along as he comes closer, waiting til he's close enough to hear without shouting. "Hey," she calls out, over the sand.

R'hyn's head lifts, almost immediately, and turns. "Oh, hey," he responds, stopping where he is, as a wave rushes up to dampen him to the top of his calf. "Lady of the Sand Hold tonight, then?"

Emani makes a gesture reminicient of one of the more high-handed Ladies on the Gather circuit. "Something like that. Someone was kind enough to make me a chair. It's much better then just lying flat out in the sand."

"Someone?" R'hyn laughs, taking a step closer in to shore as another wave rushes back around his ankles. "Some man, I'm sure, though I won't argue. Much more comfortable."

"Perhaps," Emani says, airily. "I asked, he built. It was a favour." She grins, then tilts her head to one side, watching him stand by water's edge. "If you want to try it out, you're welcome to. There's some room, and even if not enough, the sand'll move. That's the nice thing about it."

R'hyn wears his amusement lightly, remarking only, "It would never do to soil your own hands in such a thing, of course." He considers for a moment, then moves to join her, feet quickly covered in sand. "Why not," he says, grinning, "No one's ever made /me/ such a fine chair."

Emani shifts over to one side of her seat, which is just large enough for more than one person. She shoves one of the armrests ineffectually - it's a token gesture at best. "Look, and there I have! Soiled my own hands, I mean. That's how much I like you." She returns the grin with one of her brilliant smiles, noting, "You probably haven't asked in the right way."

R'hyn squishes in - he's not all that big, so it's not all that hard - and stretches out his legs, his elbow resting upon the amrest. "What a girl!" he teases, quietly. "Gets in and digs with the best of them. For me! Flattering." Laughing, he adds, "I just don't have the right dimples and smiles, I'm afraid."

Emani tosses her hair as she settles back into the seat, with a slight smile. "You should be flattered," she says, gaze slipping back to the waves. "That's the most work I've done all day. Er. I mean. All evening." Clearly. She gives him a sidelong glance, with arched brows. "Naw. You just don't know how to go about it, y'know? It's not hard."

R'hyn's brows lift, amused, and not in the least bit fooled. "All evening. Of course. Er. Very flattered." His attempted cool is interrupted by the more natural unease. He smiles, hesitantly. "Teach me, then," prompts the man.

Emani doesn't seem overly concerned with whether he believes her or not. "You should be," she echoes, lest he forget to be grateful for her attention in the few moments that have passed. She shifts in her seat to turn towards him, tucking one leg up under her. Light brows arch again, and she says, lightly, "Oh - so now you want me to teach you all my -secrets- so you can go off and use 'em on other girls." A pause. "I can respect that. Okay."

R'hyn lifts his foot to try and rub some of the sand off of it, and admits, "Well, probably not. I mean, Dix isn't likely to fall for it, and-- Um. Oh. Okay? Good. Do tell." He tilts his head to the side, eyebrows raised curiously. "I'm all ears."

Emani seems a little curious at the name that slipped out, but she limits herself to an odd little twist of a grin and a knowing glance. "Girls'll fall for all sorts of things. What you need - is confidence. All the rest falls into place if you can master -that-."

R'hyn turns slightly pink, and becomes most interested in the dark sand on his hands. "Do you fall for all sorts of things?" he wants to know, with more attempted confidence in his voice than he shows in his stance. "Yeah, well. That's not something I'm well known for."

"Not -really-." Emani says casually, watching him closely. As he examines his hands, she grins widely. "I'm too much of a player for that, y'know? But just 'cause I don't -fall- for all sorts of things doesn't mean there aren't lots of things I won't be -willingly- into." A pause, then, almost embarrasedly, "If that makes sense. Anyway - I notced and it's a shame. You're really cute."

"Somehow, I didn't think so," admits R'hyn, not without the hint of a grin. "But-- I suppose that makes sense." He's got a note of seriousness to his voice, beneath the smiles. "It does. Kind of. I think." The blush deepens, and his hands become even more fascinating. "Um. Thanks. I just-- well. Confidence. Yeah."

"Doesn't mean other girls -won't- though." Emani stresses, then adds, "Though, I mean, they won't be as pretty as me. No one's perfect." A sad little sigh, as she regards him for a time, eventually asking, "Why're you turning that colour? Is this how you react to compliments? Oh, darlin'. That's -sad-."

R'hyn opens his mouth, then shuts it again, looking a little uncomfortable. "What's your imperfection, then?" He challenges, blurting the words out-- no, not very suave. More blushes. "Sad? Why's it sad? I just can't /help/ it."

Emani considers, as if this 'imperfection' had never occured to her. "Well. Winne'll give you a list if you ask her. Lazy, irresponsible, arrogant..." She wrinkles her nose, apparently more offended but the idea of Elwynn than the question. Glancing over at him, expression softening only slightly, she says, "Well. If you don't react well to 'em, you must not be used to 'em? That's a guess."

R'hyn does laugh at that, though not unkindly. "Ah," he says, after a pause. "I've met Winnie. You two don't get alone?" The blush begins to recede, though his ears remain very pink. "Not as such. I just don't like being picked out. Noticed. You know?"

"She's my sister," Emani explains. "I've never known any sisters to be best of friends, y'know? We get on -okay-, but we fight. A lot." She nods slowly, but there's no understanding in her eyes. "Um. No, I don't, but I guess I could see how... No, sorry. I can't see how that would be a good thing, going unnoticed. That's proabably got something to do with why you don't get sand chairs built for you, too."

"My sister and I got along quite well," starts R'hyn, though he hesitates. "Guess I'm not her sister, though, so it's kind of different." The red begins to rise again, and once more, R'hyn turns his gaze away. "I feel as though people expect something of me, when they notice me. I guess you're right, though. Dazzle people, and get chairs."

Evening twilight disperses and the true darkness of a summer evening settles in fully. A light wind ripples the air, chasing a few stray clouds across the sky. Being summertime, it's humid and uncomfortable. (76F, 24C)

Emani pauses, then, in a rare moment of honesty, "It's all just that. It's a pretty smile and a nice body, some wit and a bt of confidence. And it's easy to build from there." She scratches at the sand lightly with a fingernail, then; "People expect things from you all the time. It's just usually the -same- thing. They expect stuff from you if they don't notice you, you know. They expect you to not want attention, or something like that. Everybody expects or wants something from everyone else."

R'hyn stops, listening without a notable expression upon his face. "I hadn't thought of it like that, though it doesn't help, much. I mean - expecting me to not want attention is less difficult on me, than expecting me to be a great leader, or a womanizer, or whatever."

"Oh - you're talking all that baggage. Right." Emani grins, glad to be on surer footing. "How do you figure anyone expects you do do anything other than your job? And why wouldn't you be good at any of that?"

"Because I was a-- a sharding awful Weyrleader," explains R'hyn, vehemently. "And they all expected better. And when E'van became Weyrleader, well, they expected me to win the next time, because they preferred me. And the latter-- because I'm a bronzerider. I don't know."

Emani takes a moment - there's not a whole lot there she can argue with. Then, diffidently, "So what? So, you sucked at it. You're young - and we've established you've got confidence issues - I can see how you might have been awful. But who cares? Do you want to be Weyrleader?"

"No," says R'hyn, quickly. "But I still feel pressure. Because people have forgotten how awful I was, and just remember that I have been, so ought to be a good leader. There are expectations, and I just can't meet them. Do you see?"

"I do. But - who says you can't meet 'em?" Emani wonders, then continues on to, "And again, so what? I mean, come on, R'hyn, -everyone- doesn't look at you and think you should be a good leader or whatever." She adds, tone light, "Shards, I'll bet some people can't manage to think much at all - I mean, if they think you're cute and all. Anyway, point being: What people expect really doesn't matter. What do you expect of yourself?" There's a moment, then; "I'm better at giving advice than taking it."

R'hyn actively listens, his expression set in thoughtful consideration. Finally, he nods, "I suppose. But-- well, I'm hopeless at giving it, good at listening to it, and just as hopeless as taking it. Though," he hesitates, and smiles. "Thanks. I appreciate hearing it. I ought to go; I have things to do. But... Yeah. Thanks."

Emani does look somewhat disappointed, and it seems sincere - even if it passes quickly. "Alright. I'll see you around then." She turns back to watch the water, settling to fold arms atop her armrest and rest her chin on them. "You're welcome. But it wan't any trouble. I moved sand for you, after all. Talking is nothing."

"Yeah - it was impressive. Your devotion." R'hyn shakes his head, laughing again. "I'll see you around, I bet. You're not bad to talk to." He gets up, and begins to walk off, eyes half closed in thought.

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