Logs:Skaters and Sort of Small Talk
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| RL Date: 22 February, 2015 |
| Who: Edyis, Lilah, Eliyaveith, X'vae, Izazeth |
| Involves: High Reaches Weyr, Fort Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: The duo, then trio chat while people (and dragons) enjoy frozen lakes. Eliyaveith might have kidnapped Izazeth. No biggie. |
| Where: Lake Shore, High Reaches Weyr |
| When: Day 1, Month 2, Turn 37 (Interval 10) |
| Weather: Steady, today's snowfall sticks, creating dunes on the bowl floor. |
| Mentions: Aishani/Mentions, Alida/Mentions, Azaylia/Mentions, Elise/Mentions, H'vier/Mentions, Irianke/Mentions, K'del/Mentions, Kristaeva/Mentions, M'kris/Mentions, Nala/Mentions, Z'riah/Mentions |
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>---< Lake Shore, High Reaches Weyr(#276RJs) >-------------------------------<
The rest of the bowl may be barren, grass barely surviving at best, but
here by the lake, it's brilliantly green in the warmer months: thickening
and thriving in the silty, boulder-dotted soil just before it transitions
to soft sand and thence to the cool, clear water itself.
A large freshwater lake fed by a low waterfall, it not only provides
warm-weather bathing space for humans and dragons, but has one end fenced
off as a watering hole for the livestock in the feeding grounds. The water
there is often muddier than the rest of the clear lake, whose shallows
drop off abruptly several yards out into deep water, and whose edge
undulates against the coarse-hewn bowl wall: here close enough to just be
bramble-covered rocks, there far enough away that a narrow land bridge
divides the main lake from a smallish pond. Between are several rocky
outcroppings that form excellent makeshift diving points, though only one
-- across the bridge -- has a set of narrow, slippery, quite possibly
tempting stairs.
Steady, today's snowfall sticks, creating dunes on the bowl floor. Though it might be hard to tell with the cloud cover that sends a steady fall of tiny white flakes to the ground below, it's a lovely afternoon. The temperature hovers just a handful of degrees above freezing, which is still plenty cold enough for the lake to be frozen solid enough in large swaths that invite the adventurous to try their skates on. Izazeth is crouched on the shore, his brilliant blues with all their varied hues standing out quite handsomely against all the white. His rider flops into the snow some distance in front of him, dressed in winter clothes that keep him warm even as he takes a break from the physical exertions of taking the blades of his skates to the ice. More of Snowdrift is on the ice, with a smattering of friends and even others totally unrelated to the group. Edyis isn't far from the skaters, dark brown eyes curiously following the movements of those brave enough to try the ice. Knitted scarf and gloves hide her puffs of breath in the cold, even as the former scribe huddles further into the borrowed jacket, flecks of snow catching in her hair and eyelashes. Observing but, perhaps not quite daring enough to take part. Blue eyes find Edyis as X'vae stretches on the snow, finishing the stretch before he's up on his feet and approaching the scribe with carefully placed steps in the snow. He raises a friendly hand as he approaches. "Afternoon, Edyis!" It's a cheery sort of greeting, paired with an equally congenial smile. "Enjoying the snow?" He is, obviously. Edyis blinks a little bit at the greeting, and her "Afternoon," is slightly muffled by the scarf. It takes her a moment to push the bulky knit out of the way to speak more clearly. "I prefer the southern heat." She states, her gaze shifting once more to the ice skaters. "It can be quite beautiful though." She allows with what might be a soft smile. "Also fun," X'vae points out, nodding toward the skates he wears. "Though I suppose you could always go south for winter," his smile is broad and amused, but not unkindly. Did I see you at Monaco during the flight?" His brows are up looking at her with polite inquiry. Edyis eyes those skates skeptically, though seems somewhat surprised when he mentions Monaco. "Sorry, I - well," Would he understand her reasons for not saying hello? "I was visiting with a brewer friend of mine." She admits finally, glancing back to the ice. "So you were taking refuge in the south too huh?" Something wry working its way into her voice. Lilah has arrived. "Habit," the bluerider nods to taking refuge. "Goldflights seem to breed mistakes more plentifully than eggs," X'vae says with a grin for the brunette. "Best to avoid the whole mess. Rather be surfing anyway," than chasing gold tail. Imagine how that goes for a bluerider! "Is your friend well? The one you visited." He stands on the shore, addressing the bundled up woman, his own winter weather gear a little less bulky. On the lake, Snowdrift riders and others enjoy the still frozen sections with the occasional whoop or shout to one another. That Lilah has come to High Reaches Weyr is obvious enough in the appearance of Eliyaveith in the skies above, though what she comes seeking--. It isn't clear as the queen circles curiously closer to those ice skaters on the lake, and then she lands there, with a funny trumpet of triumph and excitement that it holds her. As of yet, at least. Whether anyone will shoo her off the ice or not will have to be seen as the bundled form of Lilah slides down even as she mutters to herself, "You just had to land here, didn't you? If I fall and break my neck--." Edyis laughs brightly, some of her initial wariness fading. "You do have a brain behind that reportedly pretty face." She teases, but it is all mirth and no malevolence. "He is. Sent me back with a whole case of spiced rum, an experiment of his that had quite excellent results. With any luck, it should help to stave off claims that I am responsible for someone's rapidly diminishing liquor stocks, with enough left over to bribe my bosses for extra days ..." Her words cut short as she recognizes the bronzy gold with a giggle. "Golds." Let no one say X'vae isn't chivalrous or attentive. In point of fact, as his eyes are drawn by Eliyaveith's approaching form he shifts his positioning even as the skaters divide and shift to make room for the landing dragon. "Spiced rum," is said distractedly, but with approval, "Do excuse me a moment, won't you? Duty calls," if in fact it can be said to be a duty to move the awkward paces to where he can step onto the ice with his skates, checking that he hasn't tracked anything that will impede his own safety as he glides toward the dismounted goldrider, to first salute and offer his arm. "High Reaches' duties to Fort and her queens, Weyrwoman," his tone is pleasant more than formal. "May I offer you an arm to the shore?" To Eliyaveith, Izazeth's baritone is abuzz with excitement as he extends a brush of ethereal light toward the foreign gold. « It's wonderful, isn't it? I wish they made skates in my size, » his want is wistful, and the impracticalities of it don't seem to bother him in the least. "Oh shards, thank you," breathes out Lilah as X'vae approaches, reaching out to clutch at his offered arm with both hands and without bothering with the polite and diplomatic greetings. "I swear to Faranth I was going to kill myself." (She says without thinking, of course, about what High Reaches has been through in the past turn.) She slips a bit even with the anchor of X'vae's arm, but with it, she doesn't fall. She is too busy looking at her feet, with only a glance up to Edyis and a nod of greeting that has her shuffling a path towards the young woman particularly, to yet notice her handsome escort as more than that limb. Light is met with light, though Eliyaveith's is the heat of the summer sun that conveys her greeting to the blue. « Have you tried? Perhaps our claws, » she ponders, sharing the impression of a dragon gliding along gracefully on curled claws. She doesn't attempt it, the ungraceful queen, but there is a hint of encouragement for Izazeth to join her and try. (To Izazeth from Eliyaveith) Edyis watches the bluerider skate to the rescue, grinning. "It is good to see you Lilah!" The dark haired young woman grinning as X'vae escorts the Fortian weyrwoman to the shore. "I'm glad X'vae can skate. We both would have been on our hindquarters had I attempted to help." Her smile wry, "Come to visit the weyrleaders?" The bluerider's attention is frst and foremost on making sure that Lilah arrives safely at the shore, saying only, "Glad to be of assistance," genuinely meant. "I had to learn when I transferred," X'vae relates to Edyis once they're close enough, with a close-lipped smile that conveys his amusement, "Isn't it required of all 'Reachians?" It's a tease for the brunette who hasn't joined the fun on the ice, but a good-natured one. The blue's tail shifts in the snow before he rises, though he doesn't move toward the ice of the lake. Obviously from the cant of his head, his attention is focused on the gold. There is relief to being on shore, the goldrider's hands dropping away from X'vae immediately even as she turns to slide a dark study over the bluerider. "X'vae, thank you. I am Lilah of Fort," is said simply, however, despite that study before she turns to Edyis with a small smile of her own. "Actually, I did mean to find you. Not that that doesn't mean someone couldn't have landed on solid ground, but I did say we should catch up in the new turn." To Eliyaveith, Izazeth's light comes with warmth, too, but not the sort that is paired with any earthly force. It's a warmth of spirit, of being that comes with his lightness and brightness. « The weight distribution is wrong, » he relates sadly. « Too much pressure on the claws. I haven't found a way to position them so they don't end up digging in too much. And if one digs in, one stumbles and falls, and I shouldn't like to accidentally break the ice here and ruin their fun. » His mind goes to one of the unoccupied lakes that occupy the surrounding mountains thoughtfully. « Show me, » is a warm suggestion, not a command, as Eliyaveith's interest peaks, drawn in by Izazeth's spirit in a way that would suggest the queen is charmed. Indeed, her thoughts become more charming themselves, the colors bursting into a lapis lazuli, of golds and blues and faint shades of silver. (To Izazeth from Eliyaveith) It isn't sudden, the way Eliyaveith pushes up from the lake and makes her way back into the sky. Once she is high enough that currents carry her weight, the queen twists and looks for Izazeth. "It was never one of my talents." Edyis admits with a wrinkle of her nose for X'vae. Laughter break loose at the dragon's choice of landing zone. "I seem to recall you mentioning that sometime recently, though perhaps she merely wanted to try ice skating for herself?" Dark eyes are shifting to the gold speculatively. "How have you been? Last I recall you were getting fitted for a new turnover dress?" "It was nothing," the bluerider will assure the gold- pleasantly. "Izazeth's," he makes gesture to the blue, "Of 'Reaches," now, anyway. That's before he's looking to the blue with raised brows. "Oh," is not for either of the women, but he looks to them both, "Excuse me a moment, won't you?" Someone's dragon is good at being considerate, so he's gone some moments to meet the blue who comes closer to allow the rider to take from his straps the satchel that holds his boots and a number other things hastily tucked into a backpack before he nods to the dragon who moves off to take wing to follow the gold, rising higher and higher until he blinks between. « Certainly, » is offered with a shimmer of excitement. The colors are appreciated, even if he exudes little of his own. Just the light and his baritone will have to serve for mental connection to the queen. « I will be a moment. » He informs her politely while X'vae collects his things. Once he's airborne, a clear image is offered for he and he blinks into black, blacker, blackest and out above a frozen lake some distance away, but where the spires of the Weyr may yet be seen from the air. It's not so large a lake as the one in the Weyr, but it will serve for their purposes of playful experimentation. He descends without hesitation. (To Eliyaveith from Izazeth) "Fort's lake never gets quite as frozen as this. This is certainly something new for her," Lilah replies, though a frown starts to form at the corners of her lips as Eliyaveith disappears between as soon as Izazeth does. "She usually hates the cold. But--." She shakes her head dismissively, focusing back on Edyis. "There have been things that are disappointing. One of my friends transferred away and I fought with our Weyrsecond," and everyone else, "How are you? Your junior rose, I heard." To Izazeth, Eliyaveith's descent is awkward, coming down at just the edge of that lake and scraping her claws against ice to catch herself. Yet, a shake moves through her entire body, as if shaking off that landing, before she turns her keen interest back to Izazeth. « What if we used a branch between our claws? » she suggests, thoughtfully, even as she watches him expectantly. Edyis watches the bluerider depart briefly. She frowns at Lilah's news. "That is terrible; I'd heard that Fort had transferred a second gold South, but not much more about what happened than that." For Irianke, the younger woman smiles, "H'vier's Reisoth caught from what I've heard, I wasn't here for the flight itself. Hraedhyth seems to have settled down now that she isn't glowing anymore. I admit Irianke isn't what I expected, she has some interesting quirks." Walking in skates is an awkward and delicate process, but the bluerider manages respectably until he's near enough to be considered 'rejoined', though X'vae doesn't presently interject into the women's dialogue, opting instead to busy himself by dropping down into the snow to swap skates for boots. "Does she?" is a curious question on Lilah's part, including X'vae's opinion with a flick of dark eyes over to the seated bluerider. Her gaze does linger now, for a while longer, where he doesn't seem to be paying attention, but it returns to Edyis eventually with a smile. "H'vier--. I am sure she'll enjoy him as a clutchsire. I met him once." Her tone implies that that was enough for her. "Not Elise, no. Nala recently transferred, actually. She was a weyrling with me." The blue considers the queen's suggestion with due attention. His eyes even turn to the few barren trees at the outskirts of the little valley they've landed in. « Perhaps, » he allows, « though it would have to be the right size, wouldn't it? and shape? I wonder if the drag on our talons might cause trouble. » X'vae and he are interested in dragonhealing, it can be plainly gleaned from his mind and he's thinking of the connective tissue between talon and the surrounding hide. (To Eliyaveith from Izazeth) "Can't say she will enjoy him for his personality." The scribe mutters, but the muttering fades into a smile. "She sort of... dances when she walks. It is rather endearing, and she's already established a reputation for her research habits in the records room. It is very different from Aishani who was clever but didn't seem overly concerned with doing more than the minimum." The scribe muses, glancing over to the bluerider, curious for his take as well. "Nala, was she the one... I heard something about one of the Hematite riders being a bit... off?" "Sexist asshole," X'vae will chime, "with all respect due a wingleader," is added grudgingly. "Someone needs to slug him. Perhaps someone could convince the Weyrleader," since probably the Weyrleader is the one who could get away with it, "Or whoever the new Weyrsecond ends up being. Faranth save the women of the Weyr if it's him." He frowns as he gets to his feet, brushing the snow off his legs. For the rest, he listens without interruption, obvious polite interest. If they didn't want him to know, they'd tell him to go away, wouldn't they? Once he's done speaking about H'vier, the pleasant smile returns to his lips, just hangin' there as its wont to do. "No, it should be a woman who hits him, just as a point," says Lilah with a hint of humor buried in her words, her gaze sliding towards Edyis expectantly. Because well, one of these females is much more trained in fighting, and as a hint, it isn't the goldrider. "Or maybe Irianke will. She certainly sounds interesting and I've heard nothing but good things." There is still a thoughtfulness to that statement, a flick of her gaze to the caverns and weyrs back that way. She adds, defensively, "No, there is nothing wrong with her. What have you heard?" Edyis shrugs, "Who knows, I can't picture her punching him. I know though, the fact that she was Nimae's doesn't exactly bode in her favor but... I can't help but like her." She confesses, noting Lilah's defensiveness. "Well, if the gossip was to be believed it sounded like Nala may have suffered some kind of breakdown?" "I heard Alida once got him good," X'vae answers Lilah's suggestion, "But apparently it was after a flight and he wasn't quite himself. Whichever woman does do it, ought to lay him out. He was a prize fighter once and I wouldn't put it past him to do the unchivalrous thing," meaning hit back, probably. It's not that he's uninterested by the discussion back and forth of Lilah's friend who is the subject of gossip, it's just that he doesn't seem to have anything relevant to contribute, so is blue-today eyes bounce between redhead and brunette as they speak, following the thread of the conversation. It is clear that the topic has the goldrider's back up, but Lilah at least attempts neutrality when she questions, "Where did you hear that gossip? I wouldn't believe it, she just--. Needed to get away." Which sounds awfully like confirming, except that it's clear she doesn't believe that rumor. "I am sorry. X'vae. Another transfer to High Reaches, you said?" is the goldrider's attempt to turn the conversation. Edyis grins at the mention of Alida. "Now that I would have loved to see. She could probably mop the floor with him." Then again, Edyis could be incredibly biased. As for the topic that seems to be upsetting Lilah? Edyis studies the reaction thoughtfully, shrugging. "You know the gossips, they always come up with some twisted version of the truth that they find more interesting." Letting the topic go, before grinning in X'vae's direction. "He is a transplant from Monaco, though it is worth noting, not one of the Savannah transplants." Meaning he is still welcome in that weyr. X'vae, unfortunately, has to be skeptical. "Under normal circumstances, I'm not so sure. A hundred percent of the job of a prize fighter is fighting, whereas a guard's is maybe forty at most?" The bluerider is assessing with his knowledge, not experience. He purses his lips, concern etching his features. It's after that that he'll gladly assist Lilah in changing the topic. "I am, Weyrwoman," is polite confirmation, nodding to Edyis' words. He quirks a brow at the brunette, "Is it worth noting that I'm not a Savannah transplant?" He wonders curiously. Then to Lilah, "We came later. Z'riah and I, but we've been here over a turn now and quite in love with being riders of 'Reaches, really." His smile for her is warm, perhaps even charming, though possibly not intentionally so. "Z'riah? Is that your weyrmate?" assumes Lilah without a second of hesitation, her own lips hinting at a smile though not quite taking one on. "Did you leave because of M'kris?" At X'vae's skepticism, she does actually smile, humor flickering in dark eyes. "Then I suppose we will have to find someone else. I will let you know if I see a good candidate, so to speak." The thoughts of those tissues, of dragonhealing, only seem to interest Eliyaveith more, a warm encouragement blooming from her mind to his to push subtly there. Whether he needs that encouragement or not to pursue it, it doesn't seem to matter. She will mother and encourage anyways. « We do not want trouble. We will be safe, » she agrees, dismissing thoughts of branches now but considering the ice again. (To Izazeth from Eliyaveith) "Of course it is! It means you aren't likely to get thrown out the instant someone recognizes you. If I'd known you were the type to head south during a gold flight, I would have pestered you for a ride! Way cheaper than bribing someone from another wing to go." Clearly X'vae does not realize his value, in her not-so-humble opinion. She won't dignify the thought of Alida losing with a response, ignoring that topic altogether. The smile that answers Lilah's first inquiry is one that says he's gotten this question before. "No, ma'am, roommate, clutchmate, but not weyrmate." X'vae's blue eyes slide away from the goldrider for a moment, briefly touching on the brunette before directing his gaze back to the woman who asked the very direct question, "Yes, ma'am," is the simple answer for that, but for Edyis he has a more complex one, "Maybe now. Before my mother was sick," he looks a touch embarrassed, a thumb scratching briefly at his temple, "I'm not so sure I wouldn't have been, but having been there a few months, for her, I've mended some bridges," some, but not all. "If you need a ride the next time, I'm sure we wouldn't mind taking you." He offers, since he's relatively sure he won't get booted out now. To Eliyaveith, Izazeth is happy to have the encouragement whether he needs it or not. The appreciation has a peculiar feeling of kinship, though they lack any direct blood tie. That's when he flops down onto his belly, arching his back a bit and tilting his head so he can observe the work of his forelimbs whose talons begin scratching on the ice. This lake is shallow enough that it's frozen solid practically throughout so it's not as though his light scratches will threaten the integrity of the ice. « This is my favorite thing about ice, » he relates, « Like sand, for drawing, but it stays through the winter. » Nevermind that he won't remember in a handful of days that he came here and scratched out anything worth remembering. "Clutchmates," is said with a knowing weight, as if that is an acceptable answer in Lilah's book, at least. It even earns a smile from the recalcitrant goldrider, and another speculative look over the bluerider. She listens, for the moment, as they talk about Monaco, attentive but not contributing much like X'vae before. To Izazeth, Eliyaveith stretches out slowly next to Izazeth, close enough to be there laying with him but not to crowd the blue's space as she watches his scratches into that ice. This, too, she encourages, light playing against light as she watches. « It is cold and hard. Sand is warm and soft, » she points out, obviously in favor of sand over ice. "I hope your mother is doing better." Her voice is soft as she pulls the jacket tighter about her small frame. She shivers a little, "I'll have to remember to take you up on that. Maybe we can kidnap Fort's Junior over there and take her too." Not that Lilah needs transportation. Something about the way that Lilah looks at X'vae might make the tips of his ears a little pinker than the cold is already doing for them. Then again, it could just be the weather. "She's quite recovered, thank you," the bluerider answer Edyis politely. "Perhaps," he'll agree with mock gravity, "But that would require that I get my blue back at some point," since he's already been kidnapped by Eliyaveith's interest and attention. He kids though, the smile says so. "Normally, I'd offer to buy you both a warm drink in Snowasis, but I'm saving up for a renovations in my weyr just now and I wouldn't want to spoil your visit. Perhaps I can at least walk you both back to somewhere warm to wait out the whims of the dragons?" He offers as he reaches down to heft his backpack and skates, their blades already covered by thick leather caps. "I am sure she'll give him back, eventually. For all that she did once try to make a blue chase her in flight," is said with a hint of teasing to Lilah's reply, but she does nod in that offer. She moves to take Edyis's arm this time, saying to the younger woman, "We shall let him escort us to your hearth and have some klah, and truly catch up." With that, she starts walking towards the living caverns. Warmth is certainly appreciated by the blue whose focus is subsumed by the task at hand. The trouble is scale given the girth of even the tip of his talon, but he'll walk her through, if she's interested, the different ways of holding one's talon to create different sorts of strokes. It's not terribly conducive to actual writing, but rough imagery can be managed. A shooting star, for example. It's not that he doesn't love the sand and the warmth, but he finds the beauty and value in ice, in winter, and likely in all things. It's just how Izazeth is. (To Eliyaveith from Izazeth) "She didn't!" Brown eyes wide as she tries to picture a blue tangled up with the giant gold. It isn't an image that computes well given her expression. Still She offers her arm grinning at X'vae in turn. "He's been the perfect gentleman; it would be a shame to let such a good escort go to waste." Either teasing him, or perhaps being genuine, it is probably difficult to tell. Regardless she falls in step with the goldrider content to spend an afternoon catching up with a friend. |
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