Logs:Full High Reaches Riders
| |
|---|
| RL Date: 4 October, 2009 |
| Who: Ajatha, Audria, B'tal, C'sel, Ebeny, Ezalea, K'del, K'ndro, Milani, P'ax |
| Involves: High Reaches Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: The weyrlings graduate; K'del has an announcement that causes much unhappiness; a number of weyrlings get tapped. |
| Where: Living Caverns, High Reaches Weyr |
| When: Day 7, Month 12, Turn 20 (Interval 10) |
| The caverns staff have spent much of the afternoon preparing for this evening's celebration. A light dinner was on offer earlier, designed for the weyr's younger residents, and those uninterested in the party; now, the living caverns are resplendent, decorated in dark blues and blacks, with accents of silver, from drapes hung along the walls and ceilings to flower arrangements that decorate each table. The servers have already started to emerge from the kitchens, bearing trays laden with bite-sized treats, while the buffet tables are set up in preparation for later, more substantial food. Triumphant in expression, and dressed carefully in black and pale blue, his hair flattened with water and a comb, K'del emerges from the bowl in the company of B'sil; the older bronzerider shares a few more thoughts with the younger, then tips his head sharply, and turns away. That leaves the Weyrleader to shake his head, still looking pleased, and wander on through the crowds, not so much looking for someone as, perhaps, looking for everyone: "Does look lovely, doesn't it?" "Mm, of course, we're very proud of all of them." And so on. Probably a lot of people are only here for the food. P'ax is here to heckle the unfortunate ones who end up in Avalanche. The bored expression painted on his face is justifyable in this light, even if he does gravitate towards the handful of weyrlings he's close to before the actual ceremony gets under way. Ignore the boring packages tucked under one arm, those aren't for them. Well turned out but not in anything spectacular, in one of his more conservative shirts with Idrozti stylings -- if Trader styling can ever be called conservative -- and charcoal trousers, and the pair of boots with the least scuff marks having recently seen a brush and oiling, would be K'ndro. Perhaps intentionally avoiding the Weyr's colours, the shirt a dark forest green. For anyone who actually knows the large weyrling, it probably won't be surprising that he doesn't look entirely comfortable with all the glitzy decorations. He's accompanied by an older woman a full foot shorter, iron grey hair cropped short at her jawline, the knot of a bluerider upon her shoulder and limping along with the aid of a cane. Lucky him, Mikaela's actually come out of hibernation. Dressed with at least a splash of color more than usual, though still typically conservative, C'sel heads down to the festivities in blue and brown. Yep. Really colorful. The typically stoic weyrlingmaster's assistant is no different today except maybe for a faint underlying current of ... tension? Excitement? Either way, he does pause to relieve a server of a bite-sized something and turns in time to catch K'del passing. "Weyrleader," he says simply, politely, inclines his head. "C'sel," says K'del, with a smile that seems genuine enough, and not just passing formality. "Congratulations-- getting them all through safely, and all. Good job." If he has noticed the underlying current, whatever it is, he makes no note of it; instead, "Got plans, what to do with yourself now that your duties are over? Aside from joining another wing, of course." For the moment, his attention remains wholly upon the brownrider. There's nothing particularly noteworthy about B'tal. His clothes are clean, some of his nicer ones but definitely nothing overly fancy. He doesn't seem to be with anyone in particular but there is a point where he's caught to talk to a blonde that looks very much like an older version of his sister. His mother, Tamaris. She fusses over the way he's done his hair, straightens out his collar and licks her thumb to rub away some non-existent mark on his cheek. "Mom, I'm fine. Stop." Embarrassed but not very firm with his protests. It's not often that Ebeny seems shy when faced with a crowd of people, but this evening she looks quite uncertain as she weaves her across the cavern, gaze fixed more on her feet than where she's going. Every so often, she looks up and glances around, as if expecting someone to tell her she doesn't belong or to point in her the direction she should be going, seeing as she appears to have no particular destination in mind. As she apologizes for accidentally clipping the shoulder of a young woman considerably shorter than her, she stops long enough to focus properly on her surroundings and offers over a quiet, "Good evening, K'ndro," when she spots him, "Ma'am," added for his companion a moment later. Ezalea has spent a goodly portion of her afternoon in the living cavern - time well spent observing the adornment of the grand cavern, lending a hand here or there where needed, browsing through the lighter morsels and delicacies. Now, her hair wrapped in a scarf so that it's high off her neck, braving a skirt for all the fading warmth of the season, the weyrwoman has taken up in a position where she might mark the comings and going of the evening. "Weyrleader," she notes with a nod as K'del passes by, and for the passing weyrlings: "And congratulations." P'ax could go bother B'tal with his mother, or K'del and C'sel. Both options come with delightful awkwardness, but one particularly more so. It's there that he heads. "I suppose I can't call you Weyrling anymore, can I?" he says when he reaches the smaller greenrider's side, nodding to the blond woman. "Ma'am." "Thank you, sir," C'sel remarks in his measured. "I can hardly claim all credit. They -- worked hard as did all of the weyrlingmaster's staff," the brownrider says and perhaps to mask the gap in conversation, takes a bite out of his hors d'oeuvre. He then gets an odd expression on his face and looks down at the item in question and his brows knit faintly. He chews hastily, swallows. "I -- look forward to a little bit of time off, beyond new duties," he states finally. It's probably not a weyrling event without an argument between Mai and Kalisti, that famously mercurial weyrling couple - but it's brief enough, the two greenriders stalking off in different directions entirely rather than cause an outright scene. Kalisti confers with Urda, who puts an arm around her, and leads her off into a corner for a good chat. "Ebeny," K'ndro returns with a thread of relief under the name, "good evening. I uh, don't think you've met Mikaela? Blue Xiloth's. My mother." Order of importance. The older woman scans the younger with something a bit milder than scorn, "Not the one Xadovith was encouraging you to--" "Ma! Go sit down, or something." Please. Cackling, not caring about appearing rude, Mikaela stumps off after whacking her son's shin with her cane and making him wince. "I'm sorry, Ebeny," the bronzeling sighs. "Excited?" "Junior Weyrwoman," K'del greeted Ezalea with, as he passed. "Ezalea. You're allowed to go enjoy yourself, you know." But his conversation, for now, is with C'sel - not so far away. His smile grows amused in the wake of C'sel's remarks, his head shaking; "Course they did, all of them. You all deserve your congratulations, every one of you." He accepts a glass from a passing tray, sniffing it carefully the once with an expression that verges upon disappointed. Not, then, what he thought it was. But; "Time off! Of course. It's my intention that all of you weyrlingmasters will wait a few sevens before joining wings, to do any last minute packing up Meara has in mind, but also, to get a break. Hope that'll be sufficient." Over by the kitchens, the headwoman confers with one of the cooks, nods and gestures around to some of the tables, beams a bright smile and then slips into the crowd to offer up congratulations to a pair of weyrlings who just came in all clean and pressed. Milani's laughter carries a little ways and she nods, pats shoulders, then steps away again as she spots an assistant gesturing to her and goes to take care of whatever that's all about. Ezalea's passage is met with another polite nod from C'sel and a simple echoing of her name, before he addresses K'del again. "I mean to speak with the weyrlingmaster about a seven away from the Weyr," he adds more quietly and his eyes fix on that tray of drinks and his hand sneaks out to collect a glass as well with thanks offered to the server. Several sips from the glass follow and he doesn't take another bite from the tidbit on his plate. "You probably can if you really want to," B'tal returns, turning to look at P'ax with an awkward sort of smile. "Tamaris, my mother," he introduces the blonde woman, who smiles and cuts in when B'tal starts to introduce the other young man: "I know who this one is." Back to her son she says, "You have fun, dearheart. I'm going to go look for your sister. You have your-- Yes, there it is." She smiles at the small bit of chain visible from one pocket. His precious pocketwatch. "I-" Haven't. Am pleased to meet you. Something. Whatever she means to say, Ebeny doesn't finish, doesn't return the look in kind and waits for the exchange of words between mother and son to be over before so much as daring to look K'ndro in the eye again. "Don't worry," she quietly assures. "It's alright. ...Though do I want to know what Xadovith was...?" Maybe it's a genuine question, maybe it's not, but she smiles anyway. "Sort of. Excited. Keep expecting someone to announce it's all a joke or something. Or that I'm going to wake up in five seconds. You?" P'ax lifts an eyebrow at B'tal, his eyes on his mother as she beats it, but only after he's murmured a polite 'Wonderful to meet you' to her before she can get too far. One of the packages under his arm is selected, probably because it has Bety's name scrawled across the top in his precise handwriting. "Congratulations, B'tal," he offers sincerely while he's holding it out. Pouting Mai, now abandoned by her girlfriend (ex-girlfriend?) wanders relatively aimlessly through the crowds until she's waylaid by her blueriding mother. The poor woman is the recipient of quite the torrent of tears; "Mai! Sweetheart. You're supposed to be celebrating. worry about Kalisti /later/." K'ndro coughs lightly, going a bit squinty as he tries not to chase his mother's retreating form with a glower. Lifting his hand to scrub over his hair and inadvertently turning the careful combing into a mess of random spikes, "Ah, nothin' important. Just... Xado bein' Xado." Which is a maybe-not-answer for the maybe-not-question. He does lift his chin a little, questing about after a familiar-sounding laugh, but returns his attention swiftly back to Ebeny when he fails to locate the source. "Pretty much th'same," he admits. "Nervous about where we're all gonna end up. Got a wing you're hopin' for?" And with a vague hand gesture, "Care for a drink? Somethin' to eat?" B'tal watches his mother wander off for a moment, not looking as though he wants her to go just yet. But then he's turning more directly to P'ax and he eyes the package just as awkwardly. "Thanks," he says for the congratulations. "You didn't have to," he says for the package even as he reaches to take it and eyes the others. "What is it?" A group of male weyrlings, young V'nian included, celebrate with whiskey shots that leave a couple of them looking a little green already. Meara's glance in their direction as she passes draws immediately straightened shoulders, their glasses set down. "Perhaps," she suggests, coolly. "We'll wait until /after/ the ceremony to forget who we are and what we're here for, hmm?" "I've no doubt she'll approve such a request," says K'del, quickly, though a sharp upraising of his brows illustrates his surprise. He takes a hasty sip of his drink, using the time it takes to do that, and swallow it (without more than a twitch of displeasure at the taste) to come up with something else to say. "Imagine you've earned the break. Well--" beat. "If you'll excuse me? Reckon it's just about time to get the formalities over with." A quirk of a smile, a tip of her head: Ezalea acknowledges K'del's words with a soft chuckle and, "yes, thank you. I shall. C'sel," in response, before Leah straightens and twitches at her blouse. Schooling her expression into something polite, pleased, she sweeps into the crowd. An attempt to waylay Milani is with a light touch aimed at her arm, her fingers hovering only inches above the Headwoman's sleeve. "May I say the decorations are lovely, Headwoman." P'ax offers B'tal a lazy smile, a very knowing smile and gives him the up and down in the least subtle way ever. "Oh, just something in case you're planning to spend much time at the lake this winter," drawls the greenrider, unable to contain his smirk. He knows he's a bastard, he has absolutely no apology for it. "You can open it later. I think this thing's about to get under way." He nods towards where K'del is breaking away from his conversation. There's no real warning when a certain blond comes up from the outside, though when she makes her addition to the crowd, it's with one more than usual. Clean and near -perfect- in appearance, Ajatha even has her hair all (mostly) unbeaded and flowy, as much as it could be. Save one braid out by her temple that's braided into a rainbow-bead-studded magnificence. But as mentioned, she's not alone. Walking arm in arm with her is a dark-haired woman with the blackest eyes that could ever be seen, of the same-ish height, but with such an energy about her. And a bluerider knot and Southern Weyr colors. Mama's come to town. Chatting animatedly, Jathi takes in the scene and exchanges a word over to her mother and parts, going over that way to settle on in beside K'ndro and Ebeny. "Hey." "I'm sure that a reasonable request would not fall on deaf ears," C'sel replies without much in the way of inflection then inclines his head to the Weyrleader. "Of course. Good luck," the brownrider offers sincerely and steps slightly to the side as K'del makes his excuses to start the formal part of the proceedings. Audria slips in from the inner caverns. Her hair is wet, and pulled back into a tight braid. She pauses near the edge, watching. Her eyes move towards the food for a second, checking it out. But whatever her part was in creating that, it's apparently over. Milani turns after dealing with the latest harried question and beams at Ezalea. "Oh thank you, I'll be sure to let the staff know. They had such lovely ideas," the headwoman says enthusiastically. "Make sure you try some of the little mushroom caps with the pepper stuffing. THey're really really good!" Ebeny accepts that answer without seeking further information, a nod of her head and a smile edged with amusement her only response to it. "I don't really mind. Nowhere I really want, but nowhere I'd hate to be either. Do you have a preference?" About to reply concerning food or drink, instead she takes a step back when Ajatha appears, greeting her with a wave rather unnecessary at close range. "Evening, Ajatha." "Please do," Ezalea bids Milani with a gentle bob of her head, and then she's moving off again into the crowd: there are people to see, congratulations to make, and almost most importantly, little mushroom caps with pepper stuffing! B'tal blushes. He can't help it. And there's a quick glance around for any nearby presence of a certain bronzerider. But when he doesn't see him, he nods again to P'ax and says, "Thanks." He looks like he might say more, still grinning, then he gives his head a small shake and turns away for now, sticking the package under his arm, for things getting under way. K'del manages one more warm smile for C'sel before he detaches himself, collects his Weyrwoman, and then makes his way to the front of the room. There's a low murmur that marks the commencement, well before the bell is rung for silence - and the young Weyrleader takes a step forward. "Thank you all for coming," he begins, his smile bright. "We're here tonight to mark the occasion of our weyrlings taking that step from being in training to being full High Reaches riders. We're enormously proud of them." Please forgive the expression on K'ndro's face when Ajatha appears. He missed the entrance, so the momentary look of being happily stunned doesn't get hidden very well. "You let your hair out." Hi. Well, except for that one braid, and he lifts a hand to aim a playful flick of one finger at it. A couple blinks and he's returned to normal, though his smile finally makes an appearance. "Not Hailstorm--" he starts to reply to Ebeny, but anything further is cut off when that bell rings. With a very slight squaring of shoulders, his attention shifts entirely to K'del. P'ax spots Ajatha just a moment after B'tal turns but has no time to go congratulate her when K'del's getting things under way. He exhales and shifts his weight, getting a better grasp on the packages left and settles in for the ceremony. Hiding in the corner is just Audria's style. Or maybe it's just staying out of the way. As K'del starts to speak, Audria leans against an empty chair, turning her eyes up to him, listening. She'll hunt down familiar faces later. "Yep. I let my hair out," Ajatha agrees with a lazy grin up at the too-tall bronzerider. "Think I'll try this for a little while. Be more serious, y'know?" Or, so she's going to try. After all, knowing Ajatha.. There's a bell? She stops when she might have said something else and turns her eyes up toward K'del with a little lift of her chin to see what the younger man has to say. Another nod of his head and C'sel discreetly disposes of his bite-sized bit of food, 'hides' behind his drink, listens attentively to what K'del has to say. Various murmurs in the crowd die off and amongst them, Milani comes to a halt, turns with hands folded demurely in front of her to listen as well. K'del's speech is-- predictable. The Weyr is proud, the Weyr looks forward to seeing where their futures take them, and so on. Thankfully, it doesn't go on for too long. Finally, with a glance back at Tiriana, then one that takes in the entire assembled group, "The-- no longer weyrlings, the new riders! Will be tapped into their wings starting from tonight, by their new Wingleaders. Their Weyrlingmasters will also be joining wings, but not for a few sevens, yet, to give them a much needed break. Congratulations, everyone." It might seem like a nice end, but from the way K'del stands, he's not quite finished, yet, though he waits for the cheers that have broken out from a small group of former-weyrlings to die down first. B'tal is making no moves tonight to get all clingy with W'chek, though he does seek him out enough to look in that direction during K'del's speech. The greenrider claps rather than joins any of the cheering that goes up but soon enough his attention is quite focused on the Weyrleader again. Ebeny listens without making any quiet remarks and without smiling, though she does fidget a couple of times, once to tug an imaginary crease from her dress. There's no cheering from her either, but she does eventually manage a smile when she looks to be not concentrating quite so much. K'ndro at least, doesn't cheer, and he tries to keep an expression of polite interest on his face for the duration of the speech. But when that part is finally over, assuming they allow it, he's got an arm each for Ebeny and Ajatha, a brief squeeze of shoulders and a low, "Good luck t'you both, I hope you end up somewhere you'll be happy with." If he's looking for any other face in the crowd, someone who -should- be standing with them, if the world were as it should be, he does so discreetly. "While we're all here, there's just two more things I'd like to mention," says K'del, eventually. "The first is that I'd like to officially - publicly - welcome Ezalea, to the Reaches. We're not sure at this point how long she'll be staying with us, but we're very glad to have her. And, for the curious, all reports suggest Lujayn is enjoying herself at Igen, too." He takes a moment to pause then, to take a sip from his drink, and then, finally, "Finally, I have an announcement to make. And that is that..." Pause. Breath. Smile. "After a period of negotiation, Lord Crom and I have signed a deal for some land. Come spring, we will be clearing, planting, and growing some of our /own/ food, leaving us less dependent upon the tithes we will continue to enjoy." Ajatha also seems to be looking for a certain back of a head, but whether she has found them or not remains to be seen, quietly doing so while the others cheered. K'ndro curling his arm over has the subtle gaze flicking over his way and her hand looping up around his waist for a quick, friendly squeeze. "You too." And that over to Ebeny as well as Mik. Her attention jerks back up toward K'del at the renewel of his announcements, lifting her brows. There's an instant murmur of surprise - and, in some quarters - horror, at this particular announcement from K'del. He what? They what? With CROM? "Riders aren't /farmers/," says someone, loud enough to be heard across the room, though not seen. "We're supposed to trust /him/?" It's not all negative, but the negative is definitely louder. Bore, snooze, P'ax isn't here for K'del's speech, pretty as the Weyrleader is up there giving it. He lets his gaze wander around, accounting for everyone he'd hoped to see. He meets K'del's announcement with a raised eyebrow and looks around again, this time for something to drink. He even leaves B'tal for a moment to find it. If there's going to be yelling - and it sort of looks like there will be yelling - he needs something to hide behind. C'sel applauds lightly when the speech calls for it and the news about Crom doesn't seem to draw any reaction at all beyond a long slug from his glass. Milani looks ... unsurprised but her teeth catch at her lip before she turns away to signal some of the staff to bring out more food, re-load trays and get the drinks circulating all the more. Echoed, "You too, both of you," quietly to K'ndro and Ajatha, a light touch to the former's shoulder and then the latter's arm, if they land. Words are accompanied by a stronger smile that fades too late for it to be at the announcement and more likely to do with the murmurings rippling through the crowd. "...That's not good..." Ebeny says softly, her focus not on K'del, but on the reaction of the people assembled. K'ndro's reaction? The same as it was for the speech. A carefully held expression of polite interest. Whatever he may know, whatever rumours or gossip he's picked up thanks to his mother being a long-term Reaches rider, he's keeping any opinions to himself. "Gonna be trouble, that's for sure," he agrees quietly with Ebeny. His mother is far more vocal over with the pack of cronies she's found to sit with, and amongst those grumbling about dragonriders not being farmers, though Mikaela will wisely keep her insults about children being allowed to run things held to a very low voice for certain ears only. K'del looks, in the wake of his announcement, a little bit like a little boy lost, and uses that moment to back away, effectively - if not terribly excitingly - indicating that that really is the end of the speech. He and Tiriana predictably part company entirely now that the formalities are over, and after a few quiet drinks, the bronzerider returns to the floor to mingle, his smile perhaps a little less brilliant, but still securely in place. "Disaster," he murmurs to Milani as he passes, but it's accompanied by a little shrug: it's to be expected, then. B'tal doesn't have much to say on his own in the wake of that announcement. This is B'tal. His opinions don't generally get beyond a rather limited group of people. When it's definitely over, the greenrider goes to find himself a drink. He'll probably grab a few of those before he disappears. P'ax blows out a breath when K'del steps down and he finds some juice instead of wistfully ogling the wine. He stands for a moment drinking his juice and picks his way back to B'tal. "Well, now that that's over." Cheerful. Ajatha really has nothing to say to the topic, though she drops her head with a little shake and a murmur to Ben and Mik. "Trouble, and then some." Jathi's mother Rajazad's found herself at a seat with a 'Reaches bronze and brownrider near the same band of cronies, though she certainly can't be so old as to be called a crony. Her brows are furrowed as the bluerider listens, though being a rider from another Weyr altogether, she says nothing at all. Out loud. She is, however, speaking to the older men riders. Audria makes her way over to get a drink after shaking her head as K'del finishes. She doesn't comment on it though, instead just securing a cup of juice before she moves out in the crowd. She hesitates for a moment before turning towards B'tal. "Congratulations." She says simply when she gets close enough. Briefly, the headwoman's hand reaches to touch down lightly at K'del's forearm and she gives him an encouraging smile before getting drawn away by Giorda who's all a-flutter and flapping her hands about /Crom/, Crom? Of all things. C'sel meanwhile finishes off his drink and sets the glass down somewhere then starts to thread his way purposefully through the crowd. K'ndro's not hard to spot after all and that's where he's heading. K'del's gaze follows Milani's path towards Giorda, and he has to bite back a laugh despite what must no doubt be the frustration of it all. But his head shakes, and he turns back towards the crowd, seeking through for what looks like someone in particular. His hand slides quietly into his pocket as, dogging around a few people, he ultimately approaches Ebeny. Beat. "Greenrider, congratulations." What can one really do after all that? "So... food, drinks? I can at least be useful and clear a path for you two." This remark coming from K'ndro with a cheerful enough smile for Ajatha and Ebeny. "Oh, and if one of you spots G'chet in this mess, I should make sure to speak to him." Except... this group is getting converged on? "Sir," an aside for K'del when the Weyrleader shows up to speak with Ebeny, only polite and proper to acknowledge the boy after all. Then he's giving a look towards Ajatha. Shall they stay or shall they go? He'll spot C'sel eventually. He's just a mite too distracted right this second. "I don't think I want to be here when the proper arguments break out..." Ebeny utters, maybe not meant to have been said aloud at all. Her gaze skims the crowd and from how her sharply her eyes move, it's pretty obvious that she's trying to ignore any conflict, ramblings or loud assurances that someone-or-other will not be having anything to do with such an endeavour. "I'm going to..." Not try and escape any arguing, since K'del is right there and it takes her a moment or two to summon, "Thank you, sir," from somewhere, eyes gone wide. "Now that that's over," B'tal repeats, after taking a long drink of his whatever he found to drink. Audria earns a bright smile from the greenrider and he gestures to P'ax, "Thanks. You two have met, right?" He's not sure, obviously. He couldn't be. P'ax manuevers so that he can set a hand against the small of B'tal's back briefly and gives Audria a grin. "We have," he replies to Bety and dips his head to the woman. "Hello again, Audria." Audria nods her head with a quick smile to each of them, and a quick double take at P'ax's hand on B'tal's back. "Hello. Yes, we've met. Once he didn't even run off." She states with another quick grin before she looks around. "Are you excited to be graduated?" "Riders, congratulations," C'sel says simply to K'ndro and his companions, nods to K'del politely, but for a fraction of a second his gaze lingers on Ebeny before it jumps away. "I'll look forward to congratulating you again when your wings are known." His head tilts towards K'del again though. "That was a very interesting -- announcement." Pause. "I -- assume that those who know how to ... grow things will be needed?" Ajatha's been watching the crowd for the last few minutes, but when K'del comes up to snag Ebeny from right under their noses, she can really only nod her head toward K'del in greeting. Catching K'andro's glance, she shifts to the side with a little nod, clearly guessing his meaning. "C'mon. You owe me a drink. Oh, C'sel, hello, thank you." So, her drink aborted, she nudges Mik in the arm. After all, she did notice. K'del adds, a moment later; "And to you, Bronzerider-- and Brownrider." It's obvious, though, that the greeting towards K'ndro is an afterthought, though the Weyrleader's attention hesitates on Ajatha for a moment longer. His eyes light briefly at C'sel's comments on his approach, wry amusement visible. "'Interesting' may not cover it, I'm afraid. But yes... you're right." But rather than continue on that train of though, he lifts a finger to note 'one moment', and turns back to Ebeny, drawing out from his pocket a knot and a wing patch, both of which are offered out to her, flat in his palm. "Want to fly with Avalanche?" Half the room might be aiming daggers at the Weyrleader with their eyes, but the graduation? The graduation must go on. "Very excited," B'tal says, all smiles and no protest to the hand at his back. "Jeibeth is, too. It's nice to finally have that over with." At least tonight it's nice. Tomorrow might be a different story. "I should maybe get back to her soon. She's been kind of antsy." P'ax winks at Audria. "And I'm /not/ running away this time, either, but I do have more gifts to deliver." A pointed look is given to B'tal and his own package. "I'll catch you both in a bit." Turning away from then he takes himself into the crowd to hunt down the rest of his graduating friends. "Thank you, sir," is K'ndro's reply to C'sel when he lifts his attention at that nudge, and while polite, there's also real warmth in his voice for the elder man. He really, really does not mind being an afterthought as far as the Weyrleader's concerned, barely even registering the younger's tacked on greeting. He's happier keeping his attention on brownriders. "Hope this doesn't mean we ain't gonna have reason t'speak much. Your knowledge of maps is better than mine." A bit of humour touches his eyes for that last. Then, with a grin for Jathi, and a small wink, "I'll go fetch you something darlin'. Can't have you beatin' me up again." So, it's become a joke. Ebeny might have been quite aware of the people eyeing daggers and the less than pleasant murmurings here and there, yet she seems not to be in the moment that she sets eyes on knot and wing patch. Again, her response isn't immediate, isn't really any kind of nicely-worded or formal, but then that might not really be expected of her. "I'd love to, thank you, sir," she replies with a ridiculously bright smile for K'del as she reaches for items offered. "We'll do our best, Laurienth and I." Her voice is quiet, but the smile is still there and just won't be smothered. "Ah, perhaps not," C'sel answers the Weyrleader thoughtfully and nods for the upheld finger, takes a little step back to address K'ndro, gives Ajatha a polite nod. "No, of course not, we may still speak at length about -- maps. Or other matters," he says with a lowering of his chin that is followed by a sudden intensity of focus on the Weyrleader offering Ebeny that knot. As the greenrider accepts badge and knot both, suddenly, the brownrider just /smiles/. Just like that. Out of the blue. Riiight. Poor K'del. He's so abused with all those glares. Ajatha's also watching him, though it's more for the hesitant glance that lingers her way. And before that can dissipate, she's lifted her brows enough with a grin shot Ebeny's way and now mocks a little clap of congratulations where Ben can see from over there, though it's not too very loud. "Congrats, Ben." C'sel and K'ndro gain her attention, though the latter gets a grin at the joking mention. "Don't even go there. I'd prefer to forget that." What fight? Never happened. She doesn't mind being politely ignored, and even nods back toward the others. "Think I'm going to get that drink myself. Let you have a bit to yourself to talk. Want anything?" "Know you will," K'del tells Ebeny, smile matching hers; at least in this, he's allowed to be unreservedly pleased, no politics allowed. "You've got tomorrow off, but the day after, you'll start drilling with us. Eighth hour of the morning; we'll work out your exact schedule after that. We drill hard, but--" Beat. Rueful smile. "Try to make it interesting, I hope. Welcome to Avalanche, Greenrider." But Ajatha is not entirely being politely ignored, and now that this particular badge and knot has ben handed over, the Weyrleader turns his attention towards her, sliding past C'sel once more with a head bob of 'just one more minute' so that he can say, "Ajatha? Just a moment, before you go. Got something for you, too, if you want it?" Because there's another badge and knot, and these ones get offered to the female brownrider. Audria smiles over to B'tal. "Tell her that I said congratulations." Audria states before she nods to P'ax. "Have a good non-running-away night." And Audria, well, she'll just slip off into the kitchens, make sure that they don't need her help again. If Jathi's heading off to collect her own drink well, K'ndro's still gonna be going to. Belated, but there is a dimple-revealing grin to Ebeny when she's actually accepted that knot. Except. Except. After dropping a polite nod to C'sel that probably is going to be missed now that his girlfriend is on-limits, the big-n-bulky bronzerider had turned away. Only to turn back again at hearing his friend so addressed. Wait, what? "Thanks, P'ax," B'tal says again, beaming a smile after the other greenrider and gesturing the package slightly to let him know that he'll open it as soon as he has a moment of quiet. "I'll definitely let her know. Have a good night, Audria." B'tal starts making his way out, pausing only to hug his sister and his mother. From afar, P'ax plugs his ears to keep his brain from leaking out worse. Smile still in residence, it could look like Ebeny's not really concentrating, but the nod of her head every so often and the repeat of, "Thank you, sir," before Ajatha is addressed signals that the greenrider really is paying attention. She doesn't look unsettled by news of how drills will turn out to be and smiles instead of answering her clutchmate's congratulations verbally, not wanting to interrupt. A grin for K'ndro as she steps back and a /look/ over shoulders at C'sel, before she turns in a half circle or so and laughs, looking like she doesn't quite know what to do now. There's just more delighted laughter, quieted before it can get out of hand. Before Ajatha can really get more than a half-step back away from the little group with her K'ndro shadow, she hears her name being called to stay, so she turns back to peer up at the younger Weyrleader. And it's a peer, as if that'd been a possibility that she's not considered. Well! Her pale eyes consider him and those about her for a long moment - but her lips curl upwards, of course. No long dissertation of course, but she's not hesitating. She's letting suspense build. "Yes, sir, certainly." As if there really was a no in her mind. That's not likely! That look of Ebeny's is returned with a steady one by C'sel and as K'del steps over to Ajatha, the brownrider closes the distance between them, comes to stand beside the freshly tapped greenrider. He doesn't say anything, just smiles again, then turns to observe the passing out of another knot and badge. "Congratulations once more," the brownrider offers over to Ajatha with another one of his little nods. The consideration K'del gets from Ajatha draws a hesitance to the bronzerider's face, as though he's almost anticipating being turned down. Her response, in the end, draws a brighter smile - relief, perhaps? Pleasure? It's so hard to know. "Wonderful. Like I told Ebeny... take tomorrow off, and we'll start drilling the day after. Glad to have you. Enjoy the party, go get your drink." This duty done, the young Weyrleader lets out a sigh of relief, contented, and turns back around, glancing at Ebeny, then at C'sel, and then noting, "Nice to see /some/ people excited about things, instead of plotting ways to depose me." K'ndro looks at Jathi, and only Jathi, while she allows that suspense to build. He knows her too well to bother getting anxious, knowing she'll answer K'del in her own good time. So when her affirmative comes, he actually laughs instead of just grins, shaking his head at her as he reaches out to touch her shoulder lightly, and possibly twine a lock of her hair through his fingers while he's at it. "/Now/ I'm getting that drink," is all he says, still just for her, before he turns and finally -- finally! -- manages to escape. "Congratulations, Ajatha," Ebeny calls, brightness of her laughter now woven through her voice too. When she looks back to K'del, she's suddenly all out of words as well as unable to banish the smile from her features. She glances between the Weyrleader and C'sel a few times, perhaps hoping one of them will say something further before she has to find something sensible to reply with. "It's just the shock. They'll see reason sooner or later," is all she can summon. After finishing up his good byes for now with his mother and sister, B'tal is heading out of the living cavern to deal with the antsy dragon waiting for him in the bowl out there. She can't be left out of the celebrations, after all. Only so much of an escape, though, for K'ndro, because approaching through the crowd is F'rint, his path altering to match that of the bronzerider's now that he's left the group he was with. "Come sit with us, when you're done with them?" he invites, offering knot and wing badge. "And take these to make it official. Welcome to Glacier." 'Us' must mean the group of Glacier wingriders, sitting together - a close wing, that one. "It's a good night," is what C'sel says, conservatively about all the badges and knots getting handed out and it takes a moment or two but finally, /finally/, he dares to slide an inconspicuous arm around Ebeny's waist. Humor curls up the corners of his mouth as he spots F'rint welcoming K'ndro and he nods in that direction. "There is much to celebrate this evening," he says mildly. "Sure will. Thanks, Weyrleader," Ajatha tips the words up at him with a radiant grin shifting up toward him also. Well, a day off isn't something to shake a stick at either. "Thank you." To Bel. And whoever else congratulates her too. The grin shifts and grows a good deal innocent as she flicks it over at K'ndro, touching his arm in return. "Hey, still owe me one, you know." So she's hot on his tail. Or will be when he goes off to get that drink." And only when F'rint comes up his way, does she twitch her nose to try to stifle laughter. Yes, turning to get her drink. And one for K'ndro as well. Really, can't a man fetch an ale around here!? Though at least F'rint isn't someone K'ndro's actively seeking to avoid proximity with. Which turns out to be a good thing, all things considered. His initial "Sir?" slips out before the knot and badge appear. And once they do, if he looks mildly surprised, at least he doesn't look disappointed? "Aye, sir. Thank you, sir." What a relief he doesn't have to spend a day or more worrying anymore over where he's going to end up. Whatever K'ndro looks - and even if it had been disappointed - F'rint doesn't seem too much to mind. He claps the bronzerider on the back, gives him a sharp bob of the head, then says, "We'll see you in drills the day after tomorrow, then, lad. And at the table, any time you like." This news passed on, the brownrider turns and heads straight back for his table. K'del hesitates, and then laughs, at Ebeny's assessment of the situation. "Hope you're right," he tells her, honestly. "Really, honestly, do." He can't, surely, have missed the way C'sel's arm drapes around the greenrider, but aside from the smile that was already there to begin with, anyway, he doesn't reference it; instead, "Right, lots to celebrate. Graduations, tappings... the Crom stuff /is/ good, even if people don't like it. Good for the weyr." It's a lame kind of thing to say, and awkwardly, he adds, "Suppose I should keep on mingling. Have a lovely night, you two." Finally, and even so, Ebeny freezes for a fraction of a second like she can't quite believe C'sel has just done what he has. Clearly she wasn't expecting it and she doesn't have the presence of mind, nor the will to stop herself from tipping her head back against his shoulder. "Let them calm down. Nobody says anything sensible when they're angry," she says quietly to K'del. "And you too, sir." "I trust that it will be, sir," C'sel tells the young Weyrleader, voice as measured as always though it's entirely possible that he just tucked his arm that much further around Ebeny. "If there are any plans for planting trees, do let me know," he says quietly. "I -- have some experience myself in such matters and my father would likely be pleased to help." As the Weyrleader makes his excuses he inclines his head politely. "Certainly. Do enjoy your evening, Weyrleader." K'del, stretching, pauses as Ebeny speaks, and finally nods; and then again, as C'sel adds in his own comment. "No doubt you're both right, thank you. C'sel-- I appreciate the offer, truly. We've got a lot to learn, and a lot to figure out, before spring. Good night to you both." And there's a final smile, a warm one, shared between the pair of them, before the Weyrleader goes back to mingling, and perhaps, if he's very lucky, depositing another wing badge somewhere. Or perhaps not. |
Leave A Comment