August 7, 2004
R'hyn runs into Kaiel in the Galleries, a few days after Serriena's death.

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You follow the stone steps into the expansive galleries.

Kaiel is by no means alone in the galleries, though perhaps judging from the distance he's managed to put between himself and any of the other onlookers, he might as well be. The resident has positioned himself on the lowest tier farthest from the door, eyes slowly moving over the mound of sand and shell that make up the eggs. In particular, one egg remains under the constant attention of Kaie, for his gaze keeps sweeping back to it. Eventually, though, he leans back, using the seat above and behind him as a backrest, quietly contemplating the sands and furthest wall of the caverns.

"Shoo," gripes R'hyn, swatting at a firelizard zipping about his head. "I'll send a response later on. Go back to Mother!" The brown - finally - disappears between, and the bronzerider, still barely within the galleries themselves, allows his shoulders to slump. For a moment, he waits, watching the sands silently; eventually, ignoring glances in his direction, he makes his way down towards the sands, settling himself not far from Kaiel. "No," he says, barely audible. "I'm not coming down, 'vath."

At first, Kaiel looks faintly annoyed at having his relatively quiet corner disturbed by another. He even turns to foster a withering stare upon the other... until he notes who his viewing companion is. Frowning, though more toward his own thoughts than the Weyrleader, he finally grunts to himself before shifting postion. Pulling his arms back and resting them upon the seat behind him, he makes as if he hadn't noticed the other at first. Until... "Seeking some peace, Weyrleader?" Casually asked before Kaie deems to turn a full face to the other, dipping his head respectfully, though not altering his rather relaxed position.

R'hyn is only momentarily surprised at being addressed, to his credit, and turns quickly to size up whomever the conversant is. "Mostly only from my mother," he allows, carefully, nodding his head shortly in greeting to the young man. "Otherwise - well. This is hardly the most peaceful place in the weyr, these days."

The night grows late, midnight fast approaching on this spring evening. There's an uncommon feel of humidity in the air - clammy and chilly, leaving wisps of fog lingering here and there. The spring air is cool, still brisk but no longer icy. (45F, 11C)

Kaiel offers a slight smile for the other's seemed surprise, lifting his shoulders in a shrug. "Mother's can be that way," he eventually responds, his gaze turning slowly back toward the clutch, though glazed-- not really seeing them. "And you also have a point. Though I've noticed that the later it gets, the quieter." He glances back toward the stairs as if he could see the night sky through them. "My name's Kaiel, by the way." The introduction given almost as an afterthought, lips slowly pursing as he idly flicks his fingers toward the sands and the occupants. "Have you... by chance... noticed a relenting of the feelings of the Weyr since the clutching?" He says it as casually as he can, turning his head slightly to angle the older man within the corner of his eye.

"Yes," agrees R'hyn, with a brief grin. "Mine more than many sometimes, it seems. You'd think I'd never grown up." As he shifts in his seat, stretching his legs out in front of him, his gaze slides across to the sands, and to Arisvath and the eggs. "True. Which is good, since I don't often get a chance to be out here but at night. Kaiel - well met. R'-- well. You know that." His expression turns a little embarrassed, and he shifts his attention towards the young man, eyebrows raising. "Um. I don't know. It's kind of hard to say. I mean, they're still not /Fortian/ eggs. So."

"I suppose, to them, we don't grow up. They always know more, have seen more, experianced things we never will. I wouldn't doubt we'd do the same to our children, given half the chance. Or the children in the first place." Kaiel smirks at this, pushing off the bench behind him and rubbing idly at his elbows. "He doesn't require that you stay with him?" questions the man, gaze and fingers flicking toward the bronze. "I've heard tale that some golds and some bronzes demand their riders remain with them almost the full time." According to his tone, he seems to think that that may be more hassle than anything, due to the heat of the sands. "Same to you, sir," he responds easily, waving away the others embarrassment. "Yes, I do, though considering the people I've noticed in the Weyr... I'm not surprised you had to get into the habit of introducing yourself despite your rank." Scratching along the side of his head, the man turns on the bench, choosing the stone wall it intersects as his backrest now, fully facing R'hyn and folding his hands over his prominent stomach. "I had wondered about that. The general mood is happy, though there's that tension." He stops to muse a moment, eyes narrowing upon the other thoughtfully. "How do you suppose the dragonets will take it? I hear they're highly sensitive to emotions... as most babies prone to be."

"Actually," says R'hyn, scratching his stubble-covered chin, "I do have a daughter - and that, this time around, is the whole issue with my mother. But I don't really see my daughter - Rhyena - enough to do it to her, in turn." His gaze returns to Arisvath, who has curved his tail about one of the eggs, though which it is is hard to tell. "I don't have time," the rider explains, simply. "Nor does Kiora. They understand that. Ah-- well, it was funny at first. 'Hi, I'm your Weyrleader'. But people seem to recognise me, now, even if I don't have the faintest clue who they are." His full attention is returned to Kaiel, his hand dropped back towards his side. "I don't think the tension will disappear anytime soon. The hatchlings? I should think they'll be fine. There may be some difficulties, but no one will want to harm them. This group of weyrlings is important to the weyr, as any group is."

Kaiel arches his brows, encouraging the other to go on, listening intently. "Now that I didn't know. Rhyena. Pretty name. Is she fostering with your mother? Or is she actually here?" There's a faint hint of concern for the latter, perhaps showing the man's fondness for children and their quirks. When R'hyn's gaze shifts, so does Kaie's though not toward the bronze. Rather, he looks toward the egg that had fascinated him since it was laid. Shifting his weight, he pulls both legs onto the bench and crosses them at his ankles, slouching down a tad to get more comfortable. "They do?" Despite all the teachings, all the talk from the riders, he still seems to find it somewhat strange to have something that wasn't human understand to that extent. He does manage a laugh for the other's words, shaking his head and closing his eyes for a few moments. "The life of a leader. Isn't that how it always is? Having someone you haven't the slightest idea who they are coming up and beginning to talk to you as if they've known you for turns?" Now a self-deprecating grin steals across Kaie's lips as he opens his eyes to regard R'hyn. "It must take a certain amount of acting skills to not hurt their feelings. Especially around here." The other's reply on the hatchlings sends the man into a quiet few minutes as he contemplates that, brows furrowed and one finger rubbing against his ear. "Point taken. Yet what about the new riders? I understand that some of them can be pretty young when they Impress. To have the feeling that they aren't considered Fortian? I'm beginning to think that this... this feud, for lack of a better word, will have repercussions that no one has even yet considered."

R'hyn smiles, his expression indication enough that he loves his daughter very much. "That's more or less the issue. Rhyena's... mother just died. She's been fostered, but my Mother thinks that it's important for her to have a parent nearby. I don't have the time. So - I /think/ it's sorted now, and Mother will foster her. Looking at one egg in particular?" he adds, following Kaiel's gaze - but not exactly. "They do. They're smart. I think Arisvath is smarter than I am. He knows he is. Yes, that's about it. When I was at Ista, well, I knew people. Everyone's a stranger here, almost." The Weyrleader is soft spoken, and almost hesitant in his words, though friendly enough. "It's... well. Yes. The Weyrlings, I think, will be considered Fortian, regardless of origin. I hope. I think it's really just - I don't know - something we're going to have to wait and see on. Most people care too much to alienate their own riders, though."

Kaiel echoes R'hyn's smile as most people will-- infectious as they are. Though soon it fades for the news of the child's mother, shaking his head slowly. "I'm sorry to hear that. That's horrible for a child to have to go through, even though some claim that with fostering, it doesn't affect the child as much." He apparently doesn't agree with this sentiment, though he doesn't say as much. "You have a good mother," he comments idly, finished with rubbing his ear and returning his hand to his stomach with the other. "My mother... well. She'd laugh at me if I suggested 'foisting'," slight enunciation on that word, "one of my children off on her. She claims she did her time by raising her own brood." Snorting, he then directs his attention toward the sands for the question asked of him. He hesitates a moment before shrugging away his thoughts. "Aye. That one," he points toward the Shadowy Menace egg, "caught my attention when it was laid. I'm not sure why... it's not like it's really that different from some of the others. I suppose I just like the colouration on it." Waving that away, his attention returns to the Weyrleader. The expression on his face shows his astonishment for such words as R'hyn utters on the dragons. 'Truely? I've heard some, non-riders of course, say that they more akin to a smart firelizard than anything. No insult intended. You'd think they'd have something to say about how the peoples are treating each other." He seems... rather stuck on that certain point, which he keeps returning to. "Maybe that will ease the strain, then. The Weyrlings being considered Fortian rather than..." but he trails off, quirking the corner of his mouth. "Too be completely honest, Weyrleader, I expected you to be different. You're nothing compared to what some people claim you to be. I'm sorry that I fell for the opinions of others." Not exactly oozing contriteness, he nevertheless does manage a faint apology note to his tone, inclining his head toward the other.

"Rhyena's mother and I have only ever been... distant figures. I'm sorry I can't be there for her, but I can't, and that's the way it is. My Mother - yes, she's a good woman. Really, it was her idea. She misses me." R'hyn adds, inclining his head forward, "I think raising one lot would be enough, too. At least fostering means that, usually, it isn't necessary." He follows, properly, Kaiel's indication, and ahs, smiling. "Yes. Interesting, isn't it? I haven't been able to pick a favourite, I admit." His very stance turns horrified, utterly disgusted; with force, he shakes his head. "No! Firelizards are /nothing/ to the intellect of dragons. That's utterly disgusting. I think," a little more calmly, "they have plenty to say." R'hyn's eyebrows raise, finally - but that's a more pleased smile, if edged, thanks to the previous comments. "Er. I... thank you, I suppose? I am..." He shrugs.

Kaiel nods his head, understanding mostly at what the other says. "It happens. Isn't that the main point behind fostering anyway? So that those who hold such busy positions don't have to worry about their children being neglected? Besides, some people are better at their jobs than with children in the first place. No implication to you." Again, Kaie decides to shift his position, sitting up from the wall and returning his feet to the ground, elbows now placed on knees. Again, his gaze scan and catch that egg, partially covered with sand as it is. "I don't blame you. I constantly hear others in here, arguing with each other over which egg is better. To each his own is what I say." Nodding his head sharply for this statement, he reaches down and picks up a small rock that had probably hitched a ride on someone's boot. Turning it around in his hands, he sighs, looking swiftly toward the other for the relatively violent reaction to his words. "I'm beginning to understand that, sir. And as I said, there was no insult meant from me. I was only repeating what I'd heard. Though you have to understand, too, that people that don't live in the Weyr or don't have a dragon partner will never understand that bond. Or that dragons are nearly as or more so intelligent than humans. Then there are just the ones that won't believe that an animal can be on the same intelleuctual level." He shrugs faintly, saying nothing toward the other's thanks, edged as the words are. After a moment, he licks his chapped lips before finally standing and stretching, rubbing along his lower back. "I thank you for the company, but it's getting late." Bowing slightly toward R'hyn, he slowly begins to make his way out of the galleries, his eyes yet again glued toward that egg.

R'hyn reaches up to scratch his chin again, and nods. "Exactly. I-- well. I'm a much better at dropping in to spoil her than actually raising her, I think. So this is, by far, preferable." Dealing with a stubborn itch just beneath his nose, the rider grins. "Arisvath will hardly show anyone his favourite - I pity any candidate who tries to get too close at touchings. No, I know you meant no insult. The idea just disturbs me; I've always known, if not really understood. But it's different for those who don't grow up in weyrs. Even so, surely the mental bond is well known? Who could... Well." He breaks off, nodding quickly. "Of course. Good night-- Kaiel."

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