Logs:The Ones That Haven't Upset You
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| RL Date: 29 July, 2011 |
| Who: K'del, Warucori |
| Involves: High Reaches Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: K'del disappoints Warucori. Repeatedly. |
| Where: K'del's Weyr, High Reaches Weyr |
| When: Day 5, Month 5, Turn 26 (Interval 10) |
| Mentions: Nathalia/Mentions, Rhaelyn/Mentions, Taikrin/Mentions |
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| The first five or six poses of this are missing, because I left them at work by accident. In short: Cori arrives with a gift of cactus wine, they share pleasantries. The cactus wine gets a hesitant, thoughtful sniff as K'del pours a measure into the two glasses; from his expression, it's hard to tell exactly what he thinks of it. He offers one to Cori before settling down in a chair just opposite hers, the glass shifted from hand to hand rather than immediately drunk from. "Cheers," he says, cheerfully. "To search! Has he picked up any good ones, you think?" There's a beat, and then he adds, "How do you like flying Icicle, anyway? Feels like the kind of thing I ought to know-- it suits you, aside from these periods of extra drills?" Warucori smiles at the expression, or the lack of expression when the weyrleader smells at the drink, "Is it that good?" She hazzards. Accepting the glass with a smile she hefts it for the cheer, "To healthy dragons and weyrlings." There's something troubled about her smile as she does the toast. Before answering the question she has a sip of the wine, nose crinkling up in thoughtfulness as to the taste. "Oh, he picked up Nathalia, I think she'll be great. There have been a couple others, one from some fish-hold and another from just outside Lemos. Zaxameth takes it very seriously." As though her dragon is the only one to do so and there's even a little sigh. "Icicle? It's alright. Politics you know? Not sure it would be different in another wing. We're not really climbing up the leadership ranks ya know?" K'del doesn't answer that first question until he, too, has taken a taste - and that's after he's looked equally troubled at the mention of healthy dragons and weyrlings. Perhaps his reasons are different, though. "It's--" he considers. "Different, anyway. An experience. Nathalia? Oh-- the smith girl, right? Hope his choices do well." His head tips forward for her answer about the wing, then inclines to one side as he wonders, "That something you want? Or are you happy floating around warm places whenever you can?" And; "Is everything all right?" "I like the front but, it's a bit sweeter than I expected." Warucori admits and has another small sip. She's happy to mostly look at the liquid though and swirl it while she talks rather than put a dent in the drink. "Yes, the smith girl. She's very sweet. Has a big heart, I think we could use a bit more of that around." The bluerider laughs, "I love floating around to any place, warm or cold. But there are times I wish we were a little more challenged." The shrug indicates that she's happy enough in her place. Her legs cross and recross at the question of things being alright. "Well..." Here it comes right? "I was having a talk with...a few people. I'd like your opinion first." "Mm," agrees K'del. "More like a dessert wine, I guess? I don't know. It's not bad, though." He takes another sip, as if to emphasise this. A nod marks his agreement to her assessment of Nathalia, and another to most of the rest of what the blue rider has to say, though his expression tightens when she gets to the point. Despite that, he's very casual as he says, "If you want to be more challenged, talk to your Wingleader. Or Meara, perhaps. But-- go on, Cori. Tell me." "Dessert in the desert. Bet it would be good cooled down a bit more too. I'm still learning about wines though. Such a happy exploration." Warucori gives the wine a swirl, trying to be lighthearted. At his suggestion of talking to her leadership she gives a nod of her head, "I'll keep that in mind. Wingsecond has such a nice ring to it." Though her grin is too playful to be serious. It even manages to stay there as she asks, "How do you think searchriders should select candidates for our clutch?" Opinion right? "Pity all the ice and snow is gone," laughs K'del, though by his expression, he's not actually at /all/ sorry about it. He can't entirely keep his expression cheerful, however, and especially not as she continues with that question. One hand lifts from his glass to rub at his ear as his brows furrow, his face asking a question that he himself takes longer to phrase. "Well," he begins, slowly. "When your dragon finds someone they like. But--" though he seems less thrilled about this, "There've always been people who choose ones they personally like. Or want in their beds. I don't like it, but I know it happens." There's a sligt tip of the bluerider's head as she listens, nodding and the smile warms at the start of his statement. It doesn't last though. "Oh, yes, I have heard something about that. I...admit that until recently I didn't even know -that- was happening." She blushes, "I'm...well...Zax is very serious about a good match. And we can always use more choices on the sands right? I get that. People get to ask to stand afterall." The bluerider chews at her lower lip, "But say...a dragon thought someone was a match but the rider said 'no'?" "It means you have integrity," says K'del, approvingly. "I've never liked the idea of bronzeriders selecting the girl they want in their bed, in the hopes that they'll Impress gold and-- well, you know the rest." He takes a moment to take another sip of his drink, letting the liquid linger in his mouth for a long moment before he adds, "But no, I don't agree with riders making that kind of decision. It's like-- well. When the first convict got Searched, back at the clutch when you Impressed? We made to work out what to do. We weren't really happy with it. But-- if someone is Searched, then there's a chance they'll Impress. We have to accept that." "I do remember. I remember how a lot of people were upset and afraid. And...and people thought it wasn't good if it were to happen." Warucori's lower lip quivers with real emotion, "I remember how hurt that brown dragon was..the guard....I mean, everything turned out right but..." She makes herself stop, "I have information...and I'm really worried about this. It would be one thing if I had this information from one source, but two others have come forward asking me for advice, it's not going unnoticed." Her wine trembles in the glass with her anger. K'del's expression hardens, and he has to turn his gaze away from Warucori in order to take a deep breath and deliver his death stare at the wall, instead. His glass gets set down, and then, finally, he turns his attention back upon the bluerider. "Tell me," he says, just quietly. "All of it." Warucori nods her head, at least she can let out the breath of fear she was holding that K'del would send her out with a laugh that it was 'all ok'. "I ran into Taikrin who told me outright that her Szadath thought the exile Rhaelyn had something candidate worthy about her but instead of asking her to stand, she refused her. We can talk all about the qualities that we feel this girl has, or does not have--but first is Taikrin doesn't know and shouldn't have that power to refuse anyone. Should she? And second, she did this in front of another candidate who heard her tell Szadath to 'trust her'. And another of the exiles was asking me about it as well. I got the feeling that Taikrin has done this before....I don't know, I have no proof. Just the way she said things...." Her voice trails off. It takes only mention of the name 'Taikrin' to make K'del stiffen and look disgusted, but the name 'Rhaelyn' evidently means something, too-- he freezes. It's enough that even after Warucori finishes talking, he doesn't seem to have anything outright to say. He opens his mouth; he closes it again; he-- sighs, finally, and shakes her head. "No, she shouldn't. Though, in this case... Rhaelyn's one of the ones who nearly broke that egg. I remember the name. And I am... not comfortable with the idea of someone who would do /that/ on the sands." Which goes against his earlier words, which, at least, he seems aware of. "Taikrin's a loose cannon. She's dangerous. I'll-- I don't know. Deal with it. Somehow." Warucori's voice is quiet, "She wasn't the only one out there messing with the egg though." Because as far as Cori knows, they were playing pool, or bowling with them. Her nose crinkles up and her voice is very quiet, "It's not -right-. They didn't know anything about our culture or our ways. Are you saying all three of them will not get a chance, /even/ if a dragon selects them?" "No, and none of them are candidates, as far as I know," says K'del, firmly. Maybe more firmly than he intended, because he pulls up short afterwards, and makes a face. "I'm sorry. I don't know, is the answer. They'd been here long enough to know that you shouldn't do that kind of thing. Roughhousing in the galleries? Jumping onto the sands? That egg might not hatch. It might hatch /wrong/. Iovniath won't let anyone on the sands, so no one is getting to touch the eggs, and--" He breaks off. He sounds tired, and upset, and has to add hastily, "I'm sorry. It's complicated." Warucori's eyes narrow, her face again bleached of color at the news about the egg on top of this business of the would-be-candidate not being worthy. "And if the egg hatches just right and that little dragon stumbles around on the sands and can't find who he or she wants?" Her hand trembles around the wine glass, her eyes filling with tears. "I won't be the one who takes that baby Between because...because people make mistakes. Those girls, us weyr-folk. It doens't help that those exiles think something is up either. That boy ... Elgin, he has sharp eyes." K'del's discomfort is palpable; he shakes his head, struggling to put words together. "I haven't decided," he says, plainly. "What we're going to do. Until right now, I didn't know that even one of the three /had/ been Searched. I don't like it, whatever way you look at it. But right now? I don't know the answer." Clearly, however, the idea of one of the hatchlings - one of /Cadejoth's/ children - not finding a partner upsets him, though equally clearly, it's not a concept that's new to him. "They know a lot of things. They also see a lot of things that aren't there. If it were simple and straightforward, I'd have an answer, and a firm one. But it isn't, and I don't." Warucori sniffles quietly, wiping at her eyes as she keeps her head bowed ove the hands wrapped around the wine glass. "Maybe if your Cadejoth had a look at her? Surely he can tell. Could see if there was something worthwhile? Maybe he would just say no and it would be -easy-." As though it's the most difficult thing for her to lie and make people believe it. "I don't know why we're even allowing any of them to stand unless a dragon searches them. One is nice, the other is not but we have Taikrin on a dragon, drunk with the power she has..." There's a sad little sniffle. K'del reaches out one hand, evidently intending to put it on Cori's leg and squeeze - comfort. "It's going to be fine, Cori," he promises, firmly. "Don't worry about it. I'll get it all sorted out, one way or another." He looks as though he's about to say something else, but changes his mind; evidently, the exact reasons why some of those exiles are being encouraged to stand are going to remain off the table. "I'll deal with Taikrin. You don't need to worry about any of this any more." Warucori's leg doesn't move away from the squeeze, the touch actually draws her gaze up, the tears kept back by a few random sniffles. "I hope so. I really hope so. Do you know Nathalia was thinking about not standing because she was so torn about who she could trust? I mean, I convinced her otherwise....but...." Her head shakes, lips thinning with anger. Her hand slips down to cover K'del's, "I'm sorry you have to deal with all his. I can't imagine how hard it must be for your lifemate....that egg." K'del's eyes go wide: he clearly did /not/ know that particular factoid. "Shells," he breathes, which is probably a much softer expletive than he'd like to be using right about now. Despite that, there's the faint hint of a smile in his expression as Cori's hand covers his. "We're going to get it all sorted out; promise. It-- Cadejoth's taking it hurt. Iovniath's worse, of course, but the two of them... they're worried. We're worried. And I hate the idea of the candidates not getting close to the eggs before the hatching, but I just... You really don't need to hear all of that. it really is going to work out." Warucori lifts a shoulder, "I know. But not to worry, she understands now. Dragonriders are just people, like everyone else. Good and bad and inbetween." She trails a finger over the back of K'del's hand, unless he's drawing back from the knee touching. "Can't the dragonhealers have a look at the egg? Maybe give you peace of mind that there's movement inside? Surely at this point....shell getting hard and all that?" And a soft, "No, it's alright. I don't mind listening. I guess you don't want to share too much. You need someone you can talk with. Not just your lover or weyrwoman...." Not really asking if he has someone like that, surely he does. Right? K'del hadn't drawn his hand back, but Cori's tracing finger seems to remind him that it's there; /then/ he draws it back, after squeezing her knee just once more. He reaches for his drink again instead, nodding carefully. "The dragonhealers have looked, but it's hard to tell, at this point. We just have to wait and see - I hate waiting." He manages a rueful little smile, and pauses in order to actually take a drink. "Thank you for setting her straight. I appreciate that. I'm fine; it's okay. Thank you." Warucori smiles, a wan smile but still there, even with a small laugh when the hand slips away. "It always does seem to work itself out. I just hate leaving so much to chance. Maybe I'll place a big bet on that egg and win big when it hatches out a fat bronze hm? It's not as though we've ever had a crippled dragon right?" She has another sip of her wine too, letting her eyes drift about the weyr a moment. "So, what should I tell people if they should ask? That the dragon never would have searched her? I only ask because, I don't think it's going to just, go away." It makes K'del laugh, the first of what Cori has to say, though he points out slowly, "There was nothing wrong with the egg that green came out of, in Iskiveth's clutch. And her wings are crooked. And Isforaith-- his paw." But they're lightly said, and even as he's doing so, he's shaking his head. "It will probably be fine. We just have to wait and find out for sure." Of the last, he hesitates before answering, quietly. "You don't know. You don't know whether Szadath might have searched her, and you don't know what might else have happened. Just... leave it at that." "But those dragons still turned out fine. DIdn't they?" Cori looks upward, "To be honest, I just assumed it." Better that, right? Else her color might start going grey again. "That's better advice than me trying to tip-toe around it." She still looks a little sad though, even as she takes a sip of her wine. "So, I have something else I wanted to ask." This time the smile is almost back to normal. "They're fine," K'del assures, though that's not strictly true: Isforaith may be fine, but the little green still doesn't fly properly. He attempts an encouraging smile, though his own is not much better than half-hearted, brows raising at her mentioned question. "Ask away, of course." He takes a sip of his wine, ready to listen. "Will you give me leave to take a few of the exiles who are candidates off to some tropical island?" She pauses, a tiny pause and hurriedly adds, "I know a -good- place. No one but the shipfish ever go there." And various dragonriders out for a tropical quicky. K'del hesitates, his brow furrowing uncomfortably. "I--," he begins, cutting himself short. "I don't know. Rather not have one group boasting about how they got taken to some tropical paradise, while the rest are stuck here. Really, really don't want people complaining about being 'trapped' at the weyr. They're getting to go to the gather," and by his expression, he's half second-guessing himself about that, "Isn't that enough?" Warucori lets out a little sign, "I expected as much. It's fine. Yeah." The bluerider doesn't hide her disapointment well, but, "I should have thought of how much work it was just getting them to the gather. And back again." That back-again part is the key right? Looking embarassed for the idea, she swirls her wine glass and then sets down the glass. "Well, I shouldn't keep you." A certain disquiet about the lack of answers, the half truth she leaves with and any number of worrisome details have her off balanced. K'del looks honestly unhappy to have disappointed Warucori like that, but at the same time, he's not rushing to change his decision, either. "It's a nice idea, though. Maybe we can do a much bigger trip, later in the turn. After the eggs are off the sands, when things have calmed down a bit. I don't want anyone to feel trapped here... I wan them to feel at home. So we'll work on it, okay?" He hesitates, taking in a deep breath before he adds: "It's all going to be fine, I promise. I mean it." "It's alright Weyrleader." Warucori smiles without really any joy behind the movement of those lips. "I'm sure in a turn or two will give some time for adjustment and....yeah. It's fine." It's not as though she doesn't believe, but a lack of evidence is hard not to reflect upon. "Be almost half a turn that they've been with us. Hasn't it?" A little shrug of her shoulders, "I hope everything will be fine. I," Here the hesitates, standing and smoothing down her dress, "Should Zaxameth continue searching as he has or? Are we done?" K'del opens his mouth to say something more, but the words fail him. He looks-- torn. And unhappy. And not really inclined to hide it. "Something like that," he agrees, finally. "Hard to believe." He stands as she does, drawing his hands behind his back awkwardly as he watches her. "If he finds any more, you're welcome to search them, too," he tells her, firmly. "We'll take as many as you can find." A hurt look fixes on K'del, "You'll take the ones that we find, that haven't upset you." She corrects him, "And we'll make a point of not pointing our noses in that direction." Just because she didn't get what she expected, or wanted, doesn't mean that she can't leave with honor though. She nods and turns to stroll out, hips swinging in that short skirt as she slings her jacket over her shoulder. K'del's expression fallens, and tightens. He waits until the bluerider is actually /gone/ before he pounds his fist into the fabric of the couch beside him. |
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