September 5, 2004
R'hyn takes advantage of 'summer' to spend time by the lake; he's joined by Emani and C'lan.

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Emani heads toward the lakeside from the bowl.

Sitting on top of one of the boulders by the lakeside is R'hyn, bare footed and apparently quite relaxed. His eyes are closed, his elbows resting upon his raised knees to allow his hands to cup his chin. There's no one else about, at present - at least, nowhere anywhere near R'hyn himself.

Emani saunters along in the darkness from the bowl, peering skyward as she does. Her hands are shoved deep in her pockets, her steps casual and unhurried. Her boots crunch on the pebbles along the shoreline, squinting over to the shape on the boulder as she approaches. Her head tilts slightly, watching R'hyn before; "Not interrupting anything', am I?"

R'hyn's back straightens, surprised. Lifting his head, he turns it to give him a better view of Emani, a brief smile crossing his face. "Oh. No, not at all, Emani. Just-- enjoying the vague sensation of outdoor warmth, while such a thing exists."

Emani quirks a grin at that, nodding. "Seriously," she agrees, looking out over the lake. Bending to scoop up a handful of pebbles, "It feels warm. But it's not -really-, like hot. Never stops raining. I don't know if I'm ever gonna get used to this." She sifts through the pebbles idly, turning to look up at R'hyn with a charming smile. "How're you?"

"No," agrees R'hyn, glancing out over the water. "Never hot. I'm not sure if I will, either. It feels like winter, still. But it's better than snow." He turns back to watch Emani, wiggling the toes of his left foot thoughtfully. "I'm fine. I mean, more or less. Things are fine. How are you? Impatient?"

"Yeah, well. That'll come back. The snow, I mean," Emani says morosely. She's apparently found a likely pebble; she flings it to skip over the dark waters - only twice. Wrinkling her nose, "Yeah. I'm done with all of this - especially the always bein' around people that hate me - but, like - guess you sorta get that." She looks up at the boulder, while picking through the stones in one hand. "More or less? You impatient?"

R'hyn is apparently in a good mood - he only laughs, groaning good-naturedly. "Don't remind me!" Nodding, his expression wry, he allows, "I would find that difficult, too. At least they kind of have to at least /pretend/ to respect me." Biting at his lip, he nods again. "Once the hatching's done, it's one less place I have to be - the sands, I mean. And one less headache, too, if things go well."

Emani seems amused herself - at least she's good-natured about it. "Yeah, ain't none of 'em that pretend to respect me. I think I'm givin' up on girls. Boys are easier to figure out." Skipping another stone a bit more successfully, she continues, "-If- things go well? I mean, how can they go badly? You mean people gettin' clawed up, or something else? 'Cause I was down there, and the eggs all are lookin' like they should. If that helps any."

"Of course, Trusilwyn doesn't even pretend, but I don't think anything will stop that girl." R'hyn mentions the name lightly, though there's a slight twitch to his left eye, noticeable only to the very observant. "Boys - particularly teenage boys - tend to think with... Well. Not with their head. Er," he adds, shutting his eyes briefly. "If people get clawed up, sure. But more... If the right people Impress. If the clutch is good. I don't know. I just worry."

It doesn't take the observant to notice Emani's reaction tot he name; pure disgust. "I -hate- her," she says bluntly, then moves on, content to leave it there. "And yeah - I knew that. I mean, look at me. But at least guys aren't generally evil to me." A suspicious glance up at R'hyn then; "Yeah, well. We'll see, I guess. Who's to say who're the right people, anyway?"

From the sky, Tallerith launches into the sky from Tallerith's ledge.

R'hyn's expression shows no real response to Emani's declaration of hate; he does nod, though, as he listens. "I'm, er, sure it's a bit of relief that they... don't. Hate you. And... yeah." Sighing, as he stretches his legs out, toes pointing towards the rocky ground, he shrugs. "Popular opinion, really. I mean-- the right people will Impress, because the dragons know, and that. But the weyr? I just hope the right people are the people the weyr are happy with, that's all. Else they'll blame Kiora and I."

Skipping another rock, Emani grins slightly. "I like the attention," she admits, unnecessarily. She drops the rest of her pebbles, moving to sit on a smaller rock nearby. "Dunno how they could, R'hyn - I mean, really. They can like, try, but anyone who would'll sound pretty damn stupid. Anyway, doubt there're many people -everyone- will be happy with. I mean - the lot of us aren't exactly..." She searches for a word. "Um - real friendly, for the most part."

"I'm sure." Actually, R'hyn doesn't quite sound sure - it's not disbelief, but maybe something more like an inability to understand /why/. "No... No, that's true. I don't know. I mean - if only Fortian's Impressed, or mainly, anyway, would you be offended by that? I don't think I would. But if most of the Istan-bred candidates did? I can see why that would bother the For-- er, the /native/ Fortians. You know?"

"Well, they can't blame us for being -better-," Emani points out, loftily. "An' even if they -did-, it's kind of stupid. Dragons pick, not like you can up and decide who gets what. And I wouldn't be offended by anything that happens hatching-wise. That's like blamin' the clutchparents for makin' you lose a bet." A pause, then she offers, "'Sides, N'thri says he thinks it'd help. 'Cause anyone who Impresses here is a Fortian rider. 'Least, that's how he figures it."

The night grows late, midnight fast approaching on this summer evening. A loose drizzle falls from the patchy, inconstant clouds, just enough to dampen the ground and cool down the air. The summer air is warm and balmy. (66F, 19C)

R'hyn has a smile for that, and a quick nod that sends his hair - grown far too fast, and too long - bobbing about his ears. "Mmm," he agrees, voice quiet. "Maybe. I think N'thri's right, and I hope more people think that way, but I suspect some people won't. Our aforementioned little candidate friend, for example, would be very vocal in... declaring a conspiracy, or something. We're all Fortians, now, but those who Impress? Definitely."

Emani is unequivocal on the matter of Trusilwyn. "She's a nut, honestly. And anyone who'll listen to her is a nut, too. She's been all up in my business since day one, and frankly, if I Impress and if she's got somethin' to say, she can bite me. Look, R'hyn, it's a -hatching-. People love 'em. Eggs'll crack and people'll drink and have a big party. Somethin' good will help, and then Dovryth'll clutch and even better." She regards him seriously a moment, then; "Yu oughta do somethin' with your hair before it goes down, y'know."

R'hyn listens, his eyes half closed, and nods, finally, with a little hesitation. "I guess." The worried expression doesn't leave his face, but he does smile - thinly, but it is definitely a smile. "You're right. There's nothing anyone can do about it, and there's no reason why it shouldn't go well. But I think I'll sleep better once it's all over-- hopefully tomorrow? Soon, anyway." He lifts his hand, fingers running through his hair. "Oh. Yeah, I should, I guess. I keep forgetting. Mum used to... er. Remind me. Uh." He flushes.

"Damn, we -all- will. I mean - I win one way or the other, really," Emani says, eyeing the Weyrleader's worried expression with some concern of her own. "I figure tomorrow, next day. Wouldn't be surprised if it were now." She glances away as he flushes, perhaps to pretend she hasn't noticed. "Offer to do it, but - uh. Don't think I'd really do a good job of it. Found this old auntie here that's willing when she's up to it, and she's a sweetheart - nice change, really. Oughta find her. Ellin." There's a moment where she just looks out over the water, then; "R'hyn? Seriously. Don't let 'em get you scared. This is your Weyr, like it or not."

R'hyn can't help but smile, nodding. "Any time, really. Arisvath doesn't even like people in the galleries anymore; I swear he's ten times worse than Siramyth." Smoothing his hair down again, he mouths the name - Ellin - and says, quickly, "I'll make sure to do that early tomorrow, then. Ellin." Turning his head away, as Emani speaks, he drops his hands to his lap, tiredly. "I'm just tired of it. Tired of not being able to make people satisfied. I'm not even trying for /happy/ - just satisfied. Just... okay."

Emani grins slightly at that, noting, "Siramyth's pretty laid-back, really. Most queens are -way- more freaky. Good thing, though - can't see Kiora matching well with a dragon that was otherwise." She toes at the ground out of lack of anything better to do, listening to R'hyn quietly. Wryly, "Yeah, well. Ain't anything any of us can do to satisfy some people. But they'll get used to it - and they'll get used to it way quicker if you don't look like you'll back down so easy. I mean - I know you didn't want to do this again, but..." She shrugs. He's pretty much stuck now.

"Niaryth used to be pretty bad," reflects R'hyn, with a smile. "But-- yeah. Siramyth works well with Kiora, really. Like all pairs, they're perfect as they are." He twines his fingers through each other, nodding his head again. "I... I guess. I'm trying - and I'm probably getting better, I guess - but it's all a little hard. But it's my job, and if I don't do it well, then the weyr won't do as well as it should, and it will be my fault. Until Siramyth rises again, this is it. So. I /am/ trying."

C'lan heads toward the lakeside from the bowl.

"I know you are. I'm just sayin'." Emani shrugs again, glancing up the boulder at R'hyn from her perch on a smaller one nearby. "Just gotta try not to worry so much about what other people say - you -can- do it, and you can do a decent job, too. You don't have t'do it alone, either. Just tell other people to do stuff for you. Or, like, ask for help." She takes a moment, then assures, "Don't think you're doing badly. Don't think you don't know any of this either - just don't like seein' you so -worried-. Doesn't suit you, darlin'."

Timlath wings his way down from the sky.

R'hyn stares moodily out over the lake, though he allows a reluctant nod, the briefest of smiles crossing his lips. "Thanks, Em. I think - well. There've been a few issues, is all. Lately. And it's been getting me down, and with the hatching, and... Thanks. It's good to be reminded." He turns back, adding, "I'll try and smile more often, then. No more worried moping R'hyn. Well. Less, anyway."

Timlath wings down toward the lake, alighting beside a near-dragonsized boulder, close enough to the other pair for C'lan to be with in speaking distance when he dismounts to the rock. Riderless, the brown heads down toward the lake. The Istan uncaps a skin and drinks steadily as he scans the nearby area, lifting a hand toward R'hyn and Emani when he spies them.

Emani flashes a brilliant smile for the Weyrleader. "If you need anything - seriously - tell me. Still gotta try to talk to T'ren - but, like, every time I do there's drama, so. That man needs to stop gettin' into bad situations." As if she's such an authority on good ones. "Anyway, I'll help. And it's okay if you gotta mope around me once in awhile. Not sayin' it to -stop- you. Just - I'd rather see you feeling like you had a plan or felt good about how things are going..." She trails off to look up at Timlath as he flies overhead, then twists around with a wide grin. "Look at that. My favourite brownrider."

"T'ren gets in about as much trouble as-- I don't know. Jondeval and what's-her-name, his little friend," agrees R'hyn, with a quiet laugh. "Um. Thanks. Hopefully, next time we chat, things will be more-- settled." He follows Emani's gaze, watching C'lan and Timlath with a quietly blank expression. "Oh, hey, C'lan. Timlath."

C'lan flashes a grin over at Emani, "Hey Em," and with a more serious expression, he nods across to his wingleader. "R'hyn. Hope I'm not disturbing you both? Tim was feeling thirsty."

"Faelan," Emani supplies to R'hyn helpfully. "And -seriously-. Um - to the T'ren thing and the settled thing both." Glancing back to C'lan, she shakes her head, curls bouncing. "Just talking. Killin' time til the eggs decide to crack, mostly."

"That's the one," agrees R'hyn, head bobbing quickly. "Can't believe I forgot that. She stole my bracelet!" With another, more forceful nod, he breaks off, to turn his attention back to C'lan. "What Emani said, really."

C'lan ahhs softly and drops himself to the boulder top, folding his legs beneath him. "Mmm, fair enough... Faelen stole your bracelet?" That name rings a bell - oh yes - Waverly was taking care of her or some such.

Emani seems amused at that bit of news. "Girl steals -everything-. She sorta reminds me of me." Horrifying thought that - does there -ever- need to be two? She pushes up from her rock, sighing, "Best get in before I catch it - still gotta do chores tomorrow. Or, at least, get up and go to the infirmary."

R'hyn quickly amends, "Well. I got it back. It was a gift for my daughter-- I, er, don't wear jewellery." He watches Emani quietly, nodding his head. "Got to make sure you're rested up - just in case." It's kind of ominously said, though he smiles. "Sleep well."

Emani arches brows at R'hyn's ominous tone, but she mirrors the bronzerider's smile even so. "Yeah - well. Promised B'den I wouldn't get clawed up, so best to stay alert." She passes by C'lan's boulder with a little wave. "Sleep well - whenever you boys head off t'bed. I'll see you in the morning." And she makes her way off into the bowl proper, whistling tunelessly.

Emani heads off into the bowl.

C'lan waves across to Emani again. "Good night, Em. Good luck if those things crack." Lifting the skin to his lips again, he finishes it and packs it back away.

R'hyn watches Emani leave silently, his head shaking quietly. "She's... quite a girl. I'm not always sure if that's a good or a bad thing, mind."

C'lan laughs softly at R'hyn's comment. "That's a bit of understatement on your part, wingleader. She's certainly one of the characters around the place, mind you that's not a lot different from how she was at Ista either."

Grinning, R'hyn nods his head. "A character. Yes - that's about it. It'll be... well. Interesting. I mean, if she Impresses." He breaks off, glancing back at C'lan. "You can call me R'hyn, if you like. Outside of drills, anyway."

C'lan smiles faintly, "Of course. R'hyn it is. It'll be more than interesting to see how N'thri takes it if she does Impress. It'll be a whole bag of trouble if she gets a gold though."

R'hyn actually goes pale, his knuckles white as his hands clench. "Don't even mention that," he says, all seriousness. "Emani can say what she likes about hatchings being happy things, but if /that/ happened - ugh."

R'hyn's reaction is a little too much for the brownrider and he breaks into a round of laughter. "You look like you'd rather face a 'fall on your own than have that happen, R'hyn. It's out of our hands anyway. We've got to trust the dragons..." he stares out to Timlath splashing in the shallows, "Which is almost as worrying..."

"Almost," says R'hyn, relaxing slightly, though his smile is pressed across a still-pale face. "I know, I know. I wonder if I whispered names to the eggs, they'd listen?" He watches Timlath, quietly, head nodding.

C'lan shoots a stare over at R'hyn, "If that's what's been going on all these years, I'm gonna find whoever whispered to Tim's egg and hit them." Which of course brings a bellow of indignation from the brown, to which C'lan just grins.

R'hyn's face regains colour more quickly, now, as he laughs. "I have no idea who would've done it to Arisvath's-- I don't think anyone knew me well enough to want me to Impress, specifically. I wonder if it'd make a difference, though. I mean, I know egg touching helps the candidates get used to the eggs, but... I don't know."

C'lan takes a moment to consider it and then at last shakes his head. "I can't see it helping really. I mean, all cooped up in that shell, they don't really have much of a point of reference for a name. Maybe if you got Arisvath to do it telepathically..." he theorises.

"I guess they don't really go by names," R'hyn agrees, wrinkling his nose. "Ah - but Arisvath would say no. He says you just don't do that. Dragons!"

C'lan grins and nods, "Timlath too. It'd sorta be like cheating... though in the case of a gold and Emani, they might wanna make the exception."

R'hyn glancing vaguely back towards the weyr reports that, "Arisvath insists that whatever problems it causes for /us/, the dragons will Impress who they want to Impress, and that's that. I think he thinks me silly for even remarking on it." He turns back, amused. "Have you a candidate in mind whom you'd like to see get the gold? I don't think I know them well enough-- and I'd like to have someone to hope for."

C'lan shakes his head in reply. "No, there's no one I can see with a gold, but then again, some of our weyrwoman -" he cuts himself off before he gets in trouble. "I guess it'll be a matter of wait and see. It's not really going to be a huge problem for a time at any rate. And we all know we've more important things to deal with right now," his gaze turns upward to the skies.

It is currently late at night on day 12 of the 6th month of turn 15 of the 11th Pass (12/6/15).

"What, Kiora? Yeah, well," agrees R'hyn, cheerfully enough. "She's a sweet girl, and she's learning." He nods, as he draws his feet back up onto his boulder, wrapping his arms about them. "Also true. Another thirty-five turns of thread to deal with - and we need each of those eggs to hatch a healthy dragon who Impresses a healthy rider, so that hopefully they can survive to help us."

C'lan grins vaguely in return, not about to mention any names. "Makes you wonder how we got so lucky," he comments dryly. He draws a leg up of his own, resting his forearm across his knee as he looks back out to the lake. "How bad did those injuries end up being from our last flight?"

"To actually get this far?" R'hyn nods, his expression a mask of seriousness. "Seen too many people die, or... well, like my mother, to not realise how lucky I've been." His mother - Laerya - is well known back at Ista: she lost her leg to threadfall some turns ago. "Two out of action for a month or two. J'mir should be back next sevenday, though. Could've been worse, I guess."

C'lan mmms quietly as the thoughts of both rider's turn grim. "It's half luck, half skill each time we go up there. There's no real option though, is there? Two out for a month? Yeah, could've been much worse. Is this your first wing command, R'hyn?"

R'hyn, his head shaking, agrees, "No choices there. We do what we have to. It's-- our mission, if you like. I wonder, sometimes, if the candidates are really aware of what they're up for." He trails off, silent for a moment, then, his head shaking again, reminds the brownrider, "I was Weyrleader at Ista for a while. While you were at High Reaches, though, I suppose. And Wingleader, for a time... It doesn't show, though? I've still so much to learn."

C'lan looks abashed at R'hyn's answer. "Nono, it's not that, I just wondered is all. Far as I can tell, you're doing just a fine. Things don't get any easier during 'fall." He shifts and stretches out, leg extending, arms out behind him. "Well, I've told Emani and Waverly both that things don't get any easier. Still, for a while, they should be allowed to dream about the 'glory of being a rider'. They'll get the wake up call once they face their first 'fall."

"No..." says R'hyn, hesitantly, attempting to smile away his concerns. "It's a tough thing, though; being in charge of people - knowing that if you make the wrong decision, they could die." With a nod, he adds, "I've tried, too. Told them all about what can happen. But - yeah. They want their dreams of glory. I just don't like seeing those dreams get smashed when one of their friends dies, or gets maimed for life."

C'lan's lips twist to a grimace as he listens. "Aye, none of us do. But we know the risks and we know what's at stake." He sighs softly, gaze draw again to skies. "We've all got a job to do, R'hyn and you're doing yours. No one can fault you up there." Timlath returns from the lake, his head brushing against C'lan's side, earning a scritch.

R'hyn watches the brownrider quietly, nodding. "We do what we have to," he agrees, finally. "I'm afraid I'm a little too introspective, at times; I think too much, worry too much. I'm not the best leader Fort will ever have, and I worry that maybe I'll be the worst. Don't mind me too much."

C'lan peers through the gloom toward R'hyn, staring at the man thoughtfully. "Sometimes," he says, "When we think something too much, we start believing it. Maybe you just need to start thinking the other way. You need to believe in yourself, otherwise those that depend on you may start to sense that you don't. Just remember you're not alone and we've got a good wing."

R'hyn lets out a long breath, laughing softly. "That's more or less what Emani said. Told me it'd be much harder to get things at Fort settled down, if people thought I didn't believe we were doing all right. We /do/ have a good wing. And-- we're not doing too badly. Thanks."

C'lan grins as the tension breaks. "Maybe Emani's got a better head on her shoulders than I thought, then. And nah, not too bad at all as things go." Timlath rumbles beside him and earns a soft chuckle from C'lan. "Tim agrees too."

"Oh, she's not dumb, Emani isn't," R'hyn assures C'lan with a grin. "Vain, lazy, self-serving, yes, but not dumb." He laughs, turning his attention to Timlath. "My thanks, then. How are-- well. How are you two settling in to Fort? It's been a bit of an adjustment, I guess."

Midnight comes and goes on this summer night. A loose drizzle falls from the patchy, inconstant clouds, just enough to dampen the ground and cool down the air. The summer air is warm and balmy. (65F, 18C)

C'lan continues to smile, "I'm not sure if her intelligence is redeeming or not in light of the rest, then." His smiles fades a bit at the question. "Oh, yeah, I've had to move before though, so it's not exactly unfamiliar, but... you know, Ista's not really the place for me to be right now."

R'hyn laughs, leaning backwards, his hair flopping easily over his face. "It's rather hard to tell," he agrees. Pausing, comprehension dawns. "Ah. Your sister. That's right, isn't it? You're-- yeah."

C'lan nods shortly, "Yeah," he confirms, all round. His lifemate rumbles again and nudges his leg, earning a faint smile from C'lan. "Just another rider, really, now R'hyn and that ain't all so bad."

R'hyn nods quickly, a smile set into his face. "I get that. I think I'd probably want the same, if..." He breaks off, hesitant. "Well. Anyway."

C'lan finds a chuckle from somewhere. "How have you found the change, anyway? You were at Ista too, right."

R'hyn groans, though it's good-natured. "Hard. I miss my warmth, and my family, and-- well. I've not exactly gotten a warm reception. But it's not so bad, really. I'm settling in, now."

C'lan hehs. "If you think it's bad here, you should've tried the Reaches... well, maybe you shouldn't have." He nods quietly as R'hyn continues. "Yeah, they really like us round Fort. I can understand the longing though. None of your family out here at all?"

"Terrible thought," declares R'hyn, without pausing for as much as a moment. "Fort's really bad enough for me. I /like/ the heat." With a half-smile, he adds, "Well - Cardixa is. She's my... girl, I guess. But my mother, my sister, my daughter - they're all at Ista, and staying there. So. I miss them."

C'lan nods again, "I can understand that," he murmurs. "At least you can visit them, when time permits, that's something. How old is your daughter, R'hyn?"

R'hyn's face truly blossoms as he dwells upon his daughter. "She's four - four and a half, nearly. I haven't seen her since I came to Ista. I think that's part of my impatience for the eggs to hatch; I'll go and visit, then."

C'lan smiles as he hears the joy in R'hyn's voice at thoughts of his daughter. "A good thing that isn't too far off then." Silence from the brownrider and then, "Would you carry a letter for me when you go, R'hyn?"

"One day more," agrees R'hyn, smiling. "More or less, anyway. A letter? Oh? Sure-- I guess. Just give it to me, at some point, and I'll make sure it goes with me."

C'lan nods, grateful. "Thanks, R'hyn... I'm going to be an uncle from what I hear." And by the way he says it, he's not at all certain about how he feels about it.

R'hyn pause. Then, quietly: "Ah. I had heard that, too. You're-- well. Ah."

C'lan hmmms at the unspoken. "I'm...?" He prods gently.

"Not so thrilled about it," says R'hyn, finally.

C'lan shrugs, "I don't know. I guess not really, but there's not a deal I can do about things over there. Better for me to fighting Thread than worrying on what I can't change, ya know?"

"Yeah," says R'hyn, finally, following his words with a long sigh. "I guess so. Er," he adds, glancing back towards the weyr again. "Arisvath says someone is being loud in /his/ galleries. I should tend to that. Um. Nice-- talking to you."

C'lan follows R'hyn's look and nods. "And to you, wingleader," he says with a smile. "Tim and I should go get some rest anyway. Goodnight." He shoves to his feet and Timlath moves up for his rider to get aboard.

R'hyn slides down his rock, and smiles. "Good night, C'lan." He trots off, grimacing as he mumbles something beneath his breath.

You head off into the bowl.

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