Logs:Different Dances Mean Different Consequences
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| RL Date: 25 February, 2013 |
| Who: Alida, Hana, Hraedhyth, Iesaryth, Kaeden, Wakizian |
| Involves: High Reaches Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: Some evening gallery viewing gone pleasant, then gone horribly wrong. |
| Where: Hatching Galleries, High Reaches Weyr |
| When: Day 3, Month 2, Turn 31 (Interval 10) |
| Weather: A layer of gray clouds hangs oppressively around the spires. The air is humid and cool, but there is no snowfall today. |
| Mentions: Azaylia/Mentions, Devaki/Mentions, Issedi/Mentions |
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| Hatching Galleries, High Reaches Weyr Ringing the southwestern side of the hatching sands are ample tiers of carved stone benches, the lowest of which is some six feet off the ground -- just high enough to separate wayward hatchlings from unwary viewers, and vice versa. A metal railing on the outside helps prevent anyone from falling off; it also extends up the stairs that lead the way higher into the galleries. While most of the area is open seating, ropes section off some of the closer tiers when dignitaries are expected; those areas even feature cushions in the Weyr's blue and black. The higher one climbs, the more apparent the immense scale of the entire cavern becomes. The dragon-sized entrance on the ground is dwarfed by the expansive golden sands that glitter in the light. Everything on them is easily visible from the galleries, whether that's a clutch of eggs and a broody queen, or simply its emptiness and the handful of darker tunnels that lead to more private areas than the bowl. Wherever one sits or looks, however, one thing is constant: the overwhelming, suffocating heat.
From the sands, Hraedhyth has her head lowered, fighting against the downward pull of heavy lids. With the more savage of the queens not far from slumber, some might find the courage to brave the galleries. She isn't so gone yet, and continues to watch those coming and going with some of that lingering ferocity. Would Kaeden still count as a compatriot? Only time will tell. When he first enters the galleries, however, it's toward Hana that he walks. Perhaps the discovery of a familiar face helps him ignore the scrutiny from those on the sands. He gives the Hold woman a nod of greeting, then takes a seat about a meter away. Only when the heat really starts to bake him does he start shedding his coat. "Felt like thawing out, too?" Hana glances up, then smiles, "Well, and this is a face I was not expecting - and some," she admits near the railing where she is starting a(nother) new project, the base being a swatch of deep blue fabric. "I just thought I would take part of a Weyr Tradition, or so I've heard," she explains, in a low tone as she glances towards the savage queen almost napping on the sands. Must be a good time for egg watching, as Kaeden's entrance is followed a few moments later by Wakizian. The Smith-turned-candidate is quick about ridding himself of winter coat, mittens and hat, tucking the coat across his arm. He pauses just after arriving on the stone steps that make the galleries to sweep his gaze across the sands. The galleries and their contents are of secondary interest. Seeing the pair conversing, the young man meanders nearer, a hand rising in greeting as he approaches. "Ah, is that what this is?" Kaeden asks, giving Hana a wink before glancing up and around at any others also gathered in the Galleries this evening. "I just wanted to thaw some feeling back into the ol' extremities." He drops his coat and gloves onto the bench beside him, only then spotting one of his fellow candidates. Kaeden's quick to return the wave, then glances over at Hana. "Have you guys met yet?" Hana glances up, then offers a smile to Wakizian. "I do not believe so, however, I believe there was possibly a young woman," the slight uprising tone questions that last word, "Who looked somewhat similiar?" Then to Kaeden, "You owe me a dance, by the way. At least, if you were at the Turn's End Party, too." Wakizian hasn't even had a chance to get a word out before he's turning red and choking. It's only a moment of furious throat-clearing before the young man can manage speech. "My twin sister. Uh. She doesn't shave either." Riiiight. His tone isn't even a little convincing. But that's one way to break the ice, so he just plops down on the seat, one row up from Hana. "I do prefer Wakizian to Lady Smith. You're from the Hold, right?" He flashes a friendly smile to Kaeden. "How're you settling into candidacy? Much of a change for you?" Kaeden leans back on his hands, then takes a moment to get a better look at those on egg duty. They don't seem about to be eaten, so he relaxes a little more easily. "I do indeed owe you, then," he says to Hana, though his focus remains on Hraedhyth a moment longer before he turns toward the woman. "It was a pretty busy party, though I suspect we'll have another chance. I've heard they like excuses to party here. Just hearsay, though, so I guess we'll see." He shifts momentarily to make sure he's not in Wakizian's way, then settles back again. "If you like dancing, Wakizian, Hana here is an excellent person to partner. And... quite a change, actually. Nothing but frozen water in sight, and I keep needing to use my brain, but so far so good. You?" "As is Kaeden - do remind your sister of that fact come the next party," Hana tosses back immediately, a quick smile - and an evil glint of mischief in her eye - offered to the Smith, before she nods. "High Reaches, yes; I came along with Lord Devaki, Lady Issedi, and the rest," she admits before peering down at Hraedhyth, an attempt to get a better - and safely far away - look at the queen. From the sands, Hraedhyth's whorling gaze is slow as slumbers continue to creep up on such large prey. It does nothing to lessen the primal focus that meets those who keep glancing her way. What are you looking at? While crimson bleeds just on the edges of those faceted jewels, the dragon doesn't seem as though she'll be terrorizing those in the stands. For now. "I'm afraid my sister only likes masquerades. She's very unfortunate looking. And with those unsightly legs, who can blame her for not wanting to be out in the public eye?" Waki's grin to Hana is decidedly cheeky, but the smile warms as the discussion is to dancing, "Is she?" Is asked of Kaeden, "I never refuse a good dance partner. Actually, I never refuse a poor dance partner. Did you know women are more likely to be nice to you if they step on your feet first?" His tone is half-kidding, though there's a note of pathetic truth to that too. His eyes only go to the gold on the sands and the eggs when the others' head that way, following more than finding on his own. "I hope I didn't offend any of your party with my choice of dress at Turnover. I had a joke with Weyrwoman Azaylia that went just a bit too far." Is offered to Hana before responding to Kaeden about candidacy. "It's all the same to me. I'm from here. Just a few extra chores is all. Remind me where you came from, Kaeden?" He queries of the older boy. Enlightenment dawns on Kaeden's face as Wakizian goes on, though he does not comment on it. In answer to the other candidate's question, he nods toward Hana before adding, "Same as Hana. Though I'd only heard about Devaki and Issedi coming up here. How long do you think they're going to stick around, Hana?" Kaeden's apparently had his fill of egg-watching, because he ends up scooting back far enough to lean against the next row of benches, as relaxed as one can be on something that hard. Hana shakes her head, "For shame, saying that about your sister... and maybe I should rethink this. My poor feet, if you were to step upon them..." A handful of thread is pulled out from under the fabric, as she compares and contrasts the various colors against the blue material, "At least until the Hatching, is my understanding - and there are a couple of others. Their little one, Vinien of course with Diendra, and Raum." A single finger wags in the air at Hana, "No, no, no. There will be absolutely no trodding of feet by me. Your feet are safe. Mine, however, feel free to trod upon. I'll take any good-will I can get." The weyrbred lad's eyes bounce back and forth between the two. "I've never been down to the Hold. What's it like?" Pause, "And not to be rude, but... What's their deal? Like... why are they here? Just-- for fun? The Lord and Lady I mean." Subtle as a sledge-hammer. Kaeden picks up his coat and bundles it behind his bed for a little extra comfort. "It really only hurts if it's the heel," he tells Hana, grinning over at her as he resettles. "And even then, usually only if they turn. And you're wearing silly shoes. But it does seem to smooth the conversational routes somehow," he adds, glancing over at Wakizian, "and sometimes every little bit helps, right?" He shrugs before folding his hands over his stomach. Now that he can't see the sands all that easily, his attention mostly switches between Hana, Walizian, and the hatching cavern's ceiling. "I always liked the Hold. The ocean is gorgeous, and gets all stormy blue and grey this time of season. It's been really nice getting to visit the Weyr, though. I mean, after only hearing this story or that for so long, it's nice to find out what it's really like." As for the lord and lady, he'll just turn to Hana for that one. "Devaki is overseeing the repairs on the road between Hold and Weyr - my lady, on the other hand, is overjoyed at the chance to visit and enjoy herself," Hana admits after a moment before looking between the two. "The Hold is the hold - often busy, jobs to be done and squabbles to be settled. What about the Weyr? Is it difficult to be a Candidate when you are used to not," she asks Wakizian, before asking Kaeden, "And how it is going from Holder to Candidate?" "Repairs on the roads, huh?" Wakizian's tone is dubious, but he politely allows: "Must be a very important job to win his attention. I'd imagine Lords have a lot to do with their time." He purses his lips slightly, "And you? Are you enjoying your visit so far?" To Kaeden, he responds, "Sounds pretty. You know, I haven't seen the ocean since before I remember. My friend, Nicky, says it's very different at the Holds from the Weyr. Are you two finding it so?" He's genuinely curious at this point. "I'm from a craft," He adds to Hana, "So for those of us who are, it's not so different than just being a craft apprentice here. There's extra duties, but a lot of it is just our usual classes and work. I think the real difference is when they throw us out defenseless on the sand with all those eggs." His eyes go to the subject. "Though, I'm equally concerned about the golds. I suppose they will be down there when they hatch." He raises a brow at Kaeden, as though asking the other boy's opinion on the subject. "I was never much of a Holder exactly," Kaeden answers, giving Hana a slightly crooked grin. "Did my Harper lessons with the rest of you, but..." He trails off and shrugs. "Worked pretty much every day since I was a teen. Being a candidate's just added lessons back into the mix." He sits up far enough to see if Hraedhyth is still awake, then settles back against the bench. "I'd guess so, yeah," he answers Wakizian before going back to studying the ceiling. "But I figure, it's in their best interest to let their babies get to the candidates, right?" Hana hesitates a moment, then mentions, "He is doing it for the Lord Holder Braedan, as the one most easily absent from the Hold itself. And probably for Issedi as well, as she has been all overjoyed at the visiting. As for myself, I have been enjoying myself greatly. None have been other than kind to a visitor - and not being on the sands with mothers or young is a good enough reason to not have that pretty knot of yours," she tells the fellas, "But I'm more than happy to watch you two down there soon enough," she teases. From the sands, Hraedhyth is a mother with closed lids and rhythmic breathing. Those watching from the galleries are allowed some relief. Though every now and again, a deep growl is carried out on a slow exhale. Wakizian grins at Hana, "You can cheer for us while we burn our feet off. I figure all the cheers are encouragement for both dragonet and candidate alike. For them to find their lifemate and hopefully not maul anyone in the process, and for us not to burn, faint, or soil ourselves in front of the crowd. With any luck, we'll all escape alive and unembarrassed." He looks to the sands and then to Hana, "I can't imagine it's that bad down there. I mean, so many people have done it over so many turns. Maybe you'd find you like it better down there than at the Hold." He turns to Kaeden, "Maybe you can elucidate for us on why a Holder would accept the chance to Stand? And you're right. It's in their best interests. No matter who the candidates are on the sands. Better for them to have someone than no one." He wrinkles his nose a bit, perhaps thinking of one or two candidates in particular. "I thought I had heard something about the queens' hatching," Hana murmurs for a moment, then shakes her head, dismissing the thought. "I will of course, cheer everyone. Duty to the Weyr and the queens that our Hold looks too," is the stuffy response, before she grins. "That said, if there is anything I may do to assist you two, I would be more than happy to do so. As long as my feet are protected from all harm, and my hair remains mine." A hand stops fussing with the threads to doublecheck she still has her hair, before shaking her head. Kaeden might also have a similar thought, going by his light snort after Wakizian's last comment. "It's not for us to judge," he comments lightly and with a good degree of amusement before he leans forward again. "I don't know, Hana. What would you have to lose? Other than... you know. Your job and stuff." He scratches one shoulder slightly, then shrugs it before turning back to Wakizian. "I don't know about all Hold folk, but for me... it's something new. Might be my only chance to get out and see a little more of the world, right?" He grabs his bundled coat from behind him and starts to shake it out enough to start putting it back on. "For now, though, I think all I want to see is an evening snack, followed by my pillow." He grabs his gloves and stands, then tosses off a casual salute with the floppy things. "Hana, a pleasure. I'll remember the owed dance. Wakizian, see you soon." Hurried in part by the quickly rising temperatures inside his coat, he soon disappears down the stairs and into the murky evening. She's gonna likely be standing out on those blistering hot Sands in the near future, so Alida might as well get in more views of the eggs and queens from up here... You know, where it's *safe*. The taciturn guard stalks into the galleries, hoping to find them empty of other humans...and instead noticing Kaedan's retreat from Wakizian and Hana. She's met all of them once before at the very least, but time and exposure apparently haven't warmed her up any to other company, the palest-blonde stepping lazily towards some other section of the hatching ground's stony seats, where she might be more easily left alone. Notice the slightly sour look on her even features. Yes, avoid it unless necessary. Kaeden's departure gets a nod and wave, then the candidate's attention is back to Hana. "Your hair?" A single large hand reaches up to snag the long thong-bound runner's tail of dark hair that Wakizian sports and pulls it over his right shoulder. "Oh." Beat. Swallow. And his eyes round to the size of marks! "My hair." Gulp. At least there's a distraction. "Alida!" Waki calls, not too loudly, just loudly enough to carry in the galleries, "Come join us?" "Snip, snip. It is a crime, I tell you. A crime," Hana starts with, before shaking her head after Kaedan. "More than one dance, I think," she mutters. The introduction of Alida - if quite a distance away, however, causes the woman to look up and regain her smile, "Yes, please do," her enthusiam matching Waki's, though her voice is quite a bit softer. Ohhh *great*...an active invitation to join more humans. The sour look on the guard's features only grows, but since she's rather recently been admonished to at least *try* being a touch nicer, the blonde pulls up her bootstraps and approaches the pair. When nearby, a grunt of, "Greetings..." will have to do for a salutation, the holder finally settling her butt slightly away from Waki and Hana...a long set of stone bench between them. "I think I have to give my knot back." Wakizian's tone is neutral, so whether he is kidding or serious is anyone's guess, but he's certainly suddenly interested in the state of his hair. He begins to unwind the leather thong, freeing his long locks from their prison. "Maybe the Hold needs an apprentice Smith? You know, if I'm too ashamed to show my face here. Kaeden made it sound pretty nice. Speaking of-" He glances towards the exit where Kaeden was last seen and then back at Hana and a single brown brow arches and then wiggles, "Sooooooo, more than one dance, huh? Sounds serious." To Alida, he pats the stone closer to the pair. "I don't bite. And even if I did, I'm pretty sure you could and would beat me senseless." "I know he won't trample my feet, and is good at toss dances," Hana retorts with a bit of a grin, before shaking her head. "I think it's too late now. You already said yes," she points out with a faint frown at all that hair. Weyrs! Criminals Against Hair! Evil places. "Alida, right? I heard you have been Searched? Congratulations." The look of faint snark fleetingly dashing over Alida's features speaks of her thoughts on Wakizian's chances of successfully biting her, but the woman says nothing more after her expression clears, that offer of coming closer apparently ignored in favor of egg-gazing and gold dragon watching. A quirk of her pale head sideways to offer the side of that green gaze to Hana's words, and the guard is soon lackadaisically grunting, "Yeah. Thanks..." in distracted fashion to the other femme. That red egg out on golden sands is more interesting to her than small talk. "Well, maybe if someone brave and tough," Though Wakizian starts out looking at Hana his head rolls along with his eyes to give a pointed look to Alida, "-would do me the honor of a dance at the next party, and would thereafter be willing to attest to the fact that I wouldn't stomp on any toes, then you'd accord me the honor of a dance. Do you know I didn't get a single dance at Turnover? Quinlys was supposed to dance with me for one, but we never crossed paths. Or maybe she decided my outfit was a bit much." He frowns a bit at this. He lets his gaze linger on Alida for a moment, "Looking forward to hatching day?" "Hana," the holderwoman introduces herself for Alida's sake, before grinning at Waki, "Well, if you can find someone brave and true, that might work - or if you find any good wine." Gathering up the threads, then rolling her fabric around them, the woman gets to her feet. "It is about time to help with bathtime. Good evening!" Brave and tough R Us. Taking in word of Quinlys and Turnover with blank features, Alida finds herself again softly grunting over distractedly to Wakizian's inquiry, "Mrf, th' sooner the better." Maybe the blonde's getting stir crazy? Or perhaps just plain old crazier, given how much she 'enjoys' bunking with other candidates in small quarters. Hana's leavetaking brings only another monosyllabic grunt: "Eve..." "Good wine." Waki echoes, "I'll remember that!" He calls quietly to the holderwoman as she takes her leave. Silence ensues. Moments pass, and then the young man, with winter coat bundle in tow, rises, steps down to the bench Alida occupies, as he had been above Hana, plops down and then sliiiiides a little bit towards the guard. He leaves a generous bubble of space between the two. "So, can I just ask - do you ever get friendlier with people? Do I have to pass some kind of test before we could have a nice 'Hey there, Waki, how are you doing?' 'I'm fine. How are you, Alida?' conversation?" He does pitch his voice into the falsetto range for the bit of conversation that's supposed to be her. "Would it help if I let you beat me up?" With the audible approach of Waki comes a burying of Alida's face into one of her propped-up hands, her mouth the only thing exposed, for now, as the holder gives a soft and long-suffering sigh. And when the Smith is done speaking his piece, the blonde femme moves her hand aside so as to better prop a temple top a fist, and note to her fellow candidate, "I have exactly two friends back at Pars." Note the femme's slightly irritated gaze as her eyes burrow into Wakizian's. "That's one friend more than I ever wanted 'r needed. Took us approximately three Turns ta' become such, and that was after I knew 'em fer another 3 Turns." Hint. A snort of dark humor at the crafter's offer presages the woman's alto, "No reason t'do such." Back to the Sands goes her gaze, this time oggling 'grumpy queen.' "Yet." Wakizian listens patiently through her response and remains quiet a moment longer. Then that incorrigible grin of his shows up along with his words: "So you do get friendlier." Beat, "Well, we can say fairly that we met on Turnover, even if we didn't exchange names until later. So the countdown has begun. In three turns, I can start to try to be your friend. And then another three turns after that I might just actually become your friend, or at least be called so." He considers for a moment. "Sounds good. I'll wait. In the meantime, though, I'm still going to talk to you and ask you how you are." He leans a little bit towards the guard, "So how are you doing? Did you have to share rooms where you came from?" "Good fucking luck..." Alida grouses offhandedly at Wakizian's words of them becoming friends overf a long time, the woman's gaze roving over more eggs being zealously guarded down there on the Sands. To his further inquires come her flat, slightly irritated words of, "Passable. Yes." then nothing further, even as the guard slowly rises to booted feet, and starts trying to escape the pest. "Thanks. Kind of you to wish me luck." Waki responds. His tone doesn't hold sarcasm, though humor is there in his tone. "Eventually," He leans forward and again in her direction, hands wrapping around the edge of the bench on either side of his knees, "You'll succumb to my charms and accept the inevitable: that we'll be friends. Friends at home don't do you any good when you're here and they're there. And sometimes, it's nice to have the ear of someone who doesn't fear you or dislike you. Just remember I'm at least that until my six turns of probation are up." He offers a smile, expression resolute. Pest he shall be! Around the Smith's tall frame steps Alida, the blonde letting her upper lip curl just slightly in tandem with Wakizian's adjoining words, letting her clipped words leave behind a good deal of her attitude. "I c'n change yer attitude right fast..." A sudden pivot about and a feral lunge at the youth with two hands looks as though she means to grab him with one paw while punching him low with the other... From the sands, It's the sound of scuffling, the ferocity vaguely felt from the galleries that has Hraedhyth shifting on the sands. Lids fly open to reveal rubies that burn with a dam's overprotective fury, lifting her head to turn such a gaze onto the stands. A tremble runs through her frame, the only warning given before she lets out a savage bellow, spittle flying from bared jaws. From the sands, Iesaryth might be slower to rouse, both from sleep and to anger, but the other queen's head raises slowly, gaze orange-red, letting the savage queen speak for them both - though her gaze is no less intent or intense, on the woman who moves to attack. The attack certainly comes as a surprise. Wakizian doesn't have much time to react, but he seems to have enough sense to tense in anticipation of the strike to protect all the soft bits under that beefy exterior. His shirt becomes visibly tighter in some places, but he doesn't move to defend himself. "Whoa..!" Alida calls out to bellow that Hraedhyth lets off, the irked guard having thought the dragon was too busy nosing around eggs to bother with two paltry humans apparently squabbling in silence beyond them. All of the false violence is shrugged aside in an instant, of course, given that not one, but two queens are quite pissed off. The guard wasn't too close to landing that punch, her tactic merely to make Waki jump...and reconsider getting close to the other candidate. Instead, all hell's broken loose after a fashion...and with a sudden wince, Alida's frowning deeply - the expression adding about 10 Turns to her features - and then muttering, "Nice knowin' ya..." as she pivots about once more and retreats toot-sweet out of the Grounds. Looks like her stint at the Weyr is likely forefeit for a moment of teenaged stupidity. From the sands, Before the first echoes are able to fade, Hraedhyth let's loose another roar aimed at the galleries. Her bone clubs are raised, and it looks as if the queen means to launch over her eggs and maul a certain pair of candidates. She doesn't. The guards are quick to act, chasing after Alida during her retreat and reaching for the second offender- Wakizian. There's an attempt to escort him from the galleries, for as much his sake as the two queens on the sands. Wakizian looks a little bit dazed. The sounds of the rousing queens, the sudden attack and transparency that it wasn't to be followed through, and then the guards- it's a lot for a simple-minded Smith to take in! There's no attempt to resist as Wakizian is swept up by the guards and escorted out. Though he manages to grab his winter coat, a lonely red mitten escapes the bundle and is left behind as he leaves the galleries. |
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