View source for Logs:The Beautiful Brave Stupid Reckless Harper Holder's Daughter

{{Log
|who=Farideh, Ghena, K'del, Keysi, Leova, Lycinea
|involves=High Reaches Weyr
|what=Farideh and K'del tell stories through the rockfall to entertain the trapped people. No one likes K'del's plots.
|where=Collapsed Hallway, High Reaches Weyr
|day=8
|month=6
|turn=37
|IP=Interval
|IP2=10
|gamedate=2015.04.03
|quote="It's a much more ''rousing'' story than giving a bunch of pirates ''real'' jobs, that any good, upstanding holder could do."
|mentions=H'vier, Irianke
|type=Log
|icons-new=Icon farideh disbelief.jpg, Icon ghena.jpg, Icon k'del explaining.jpg, Icon Keysi.jpg, Icon leova behind-grass.jpg, Icon lycinea scared.jpg,
|log=It's been a couple of days, now, and while any amount of days is probably more than anyone prefers, it must no doubt be worse for those trapped. It's the middle of the afternoon - not that one can tell, from here - when K'del arrives, pausing first to converse with the crafters on duty. Efforts to shore up the ceiling and plan for a rescue are underway, but it's clear that things are moving slowly. Finally, the Weyrleader move away from the crafters and approaches the new-made wall, crouching in front of the rough-cut hole. He peers into it, blocking some of the light. "Hello?"

From behind the wall, It had taken the candidate those couple of days to be able to move herself without excessive difficulty. At least now, Keysi is more mobile. Hesitantly so, but mobile. With no eyes to pry- her barricaded cohorts in their own corners, coping as they can- she's wrapping her torso with the fresh bandaging that had arrived this afternoon with more healer supplies. Not that K'del can see. Which is good. It's a slow process, but she forces through it. The compression is necessary. Amidst one round, she can hear the semi-familiar voice. Everyone is a little distorted as their voice drifts through the hole. "Hello?" Is the echo, and after a pause, "Who's there?"

"It's-- K'del." Having evidently decided that names are better than titles, in a situation such as this, K'del nonetheless falters over it; awkward. He presses one hand to either side of the hole, still staring through it for all that there's not much to see. "Wanted to check in. See if there's... anything else we can get for you. We're doing everything we can to get you out, I promise." 

From behind the wall, Keysi lowers her arms over the snug binding, taking a break to take a turn at talking over wrapping. There's a grunt or two as she moves a bit closer to the wall itself, her voice as clear as it will get from this distance, "Weyrleader." The healer breathes quietly, having not called him without his title before, for good enough reason. "Those who have come by have been kind." She needs many pauses between her words, and her voice is still strained and uncomfortable, though much better than the initial day if he was close enough to hear any of anything behind the wall. "I know you are." Very uncharacteristically, there is an angered drop to her voice. "There isn't much else.. Ghena's broken a leg. I'm worried of Leova, and Lya..." The frustration is evident, livid.

That anger, however unsurprising, eventuates in a long pause from the Weyrleader; perhaps he's thinking about what to say, or perhaps simply acknowledging the gravity of the situation. "I'm worried about all of you," is what he does say, finally. Him, personally. "I've been reassured that everything is stable, now. Whatever happened... it's finished with, and we've shored everything up properly. So... you're trapped, but it's not going to get ''worse''." Small comfort; he's aware of that, too, his voice exhausted and emotional, despite general solemnity. 

From behind the wall, "If it's shored, why can't they get this ''sharding thing'' down?" Keysi's hands ball into fists as if to strike it for all but a fleeting moment before she unrolls them and stares at her them in the dark, all the small cuts and plenty of swelling. She needs her hands for whichever future- if there is a future- awaits her. And it burns her more. She's done well enough holding it together until now. Maybe it's ''his'' presence, who deals with hard things all the time. "Do you.." She pauses, laying her hands down, and trying to unclench her teeth. To take a breath. "Do you know if they have an estimate?"

It's probably a good thing that Keysi won't be able to see K'del's wince-- the wince that has him closing his eyes and just ''breathing'' for a few seconds before he can draw himself together enough to actually answer. "Everything is stable ''now'', because they're not... poking at it. They're afraid," his voice is quiet, brutally honest and also apologetic about it, "of destabilising things when they try and clear the rubble. The ''last'' thing we want is to try and rescue you, and make it worse. But I promise: the best minds on Pern are working on it. As soon as they're sure, we'll get you out." 

From behind the wall, There is an equally long pause before the healer is capable of replying. "They're ''afraid''." She replies, her tone dripping. She should be more understanding. She should be more even-keeled Keysi. But she's not. "So is Lya. Lya who doesn't move from the corner, clutching Irianke's destroyed dress." The candidate paints a picture, but it's unnecessary to do so to K'del, and she ''knows'' that. There's a deep breath. Well, deep as in shallow given the tight chest wrap she's put on herself. "-Sorry. At least that news is.. something. All we hear is mumbling, if anything."

"No," says K'del, from where he crouches next to the hole. "Don't apologise. I get it." He and Keysi are conversing through said hole; it's afternoon, a couple of days after the cave in, and he looks exhausted. The crafters on duty are standing back out of the way, hovering over a stack of charts and documents; apparently they trust the Weyrleader enough not to watch his every move. "I'd rather be honest with you all. It's-- not fair to not keep you up-to-date. As much as we can." 

From behind the wall, "Irianke promised," is intelligible, unlike so many of Lya's muted mumbling. It's abrupt that she's up and swaying. She hasn't eaten much, too little certainly if anyone has been paying attention. "What's happening? What's going on?" Her voice ''carries'' now, somehow both frightened and demanding as she approaches the injured healer, her blue-green eyes staring, the darkness of sleeplessness and stress already obvious beneath them.

There is no requirement to ''sneak'' into the hallway with the cave in, but Farideh certainly looks awkward and shifty while she's walking down the tunnel, head down, shoulder nearly touching the wall. She ''almost'' stops, when she sees the crafters, busy at their documents and reports, but after only a minor falter, shuffles towards the hole in the wall, and the Weyrleader crouched nearby. ''Hopefully'', they won't stop her, because she looks so white-faced, that if they did, she might break down and cry. "Lya?" she says from behind K'del's shoulder, anxious eyes scanning the hole, now that she's heard her friend's voice.

From behind the wall, The flush of anger has made Keysi light-headed, and she sits against the wall. Still close enough to the hole, but taking a needed moment. "I can't even help them.." It's a vague comment in response to K'del, with anger- now seemingly turned on herself- still evident in her clipped words. Most likely she means healing, mindhealing or her physical ability to tend to their wounds, or more so both. "It's the Weyrleader, Lya." Keysi's voice almost immediately seems neutral, changed to normal when addressing her, though still somehow strained. "He came to see how you're doing. To give us an update."

K'del's head turns at the sound of Farideh's voice, but given the short nod of acknowledgement he offers, it doesn't seem as though he's about to try and chase her out; perhaps, in this, he understands the need to be here. Turning back, and shifting to the side, slightly, so that Farideh can get closer to the hole if she likes, he says, "We're going to get you out... Lya. Irianke's going to keep her promise. So am I. It may take us a little while, but... I promise. We're doing everything we can. ''Everything''."

From behind the wall, "The Weyrleader doesn't know who I am," comes the blonde's puzzled response to her bestie's best friend. They might carry whether she means them to or not. But then Farideh's voice registers and her name is squeaked back to the hole even as Lycinea ''rushes'' to press herself against the wall just by it - Keysi, or no Keysi. Closeness is expected with besties, isn't it? Well, she's close with Keysi for sure, hopefully at least avoiding bumping her ribs or other injuries, but all as a means to an end: closer to Farideh. "Farideh, I'm so sorry!" Weeping already. If the Weyrleader didn't know her before, this is surely a great first impression.

The brunette's head tilts towards the hole, confusion on her face. "Who else is there?" is asked of K'del, Farideh's eyes flicking first to his face, and then finally to the hole in the wall. Lycinea's words and weeping must strike a nerve, because she looks instantly ''sad'', and ''older'', and ''helpless'', even as she bends at the waist to try and get closer to the hole. "Lya, don't cry. Your face will get all puffy and then when he gets you out, the Weyrleader will wish he'd put you back in," must surely be a try at humor, or a play at lightness, to relieve the other girl's worries. "I'm not ''mad''. Are you okay? Are you hurt? How do you ''feel''?"

From behind the wall, "Sure he does-" Keysi starts to argue, more as a comforting thing than actually an 'arguement. But then... incoming. She leans a bit, just enough to protect herself from Lya's need to get as close to Farideh as possible, but not to move herself farther away. "You see, nobody's forgotten about you." Unnecessary, the healer adds very quietly from the floor, looking up towards the dim, filtering light now obstructed by an unseen face on the other end. She falls quiet, shifting around to finish the wrapping she was in the middle of.

K'del glances side-on at Farideh as she asks her question, gaze focused there as her expression changes. One hand lifts, as if he intends to offer it to her in comfort, despite their most recent conversation; it hovers, instead, not quite making it the whole way. "Keysi," he says, identifying the healer. "And others." Turning back to the wall, he adds, "No one's forgetting about anyone. I promise. ''No one''."

From behind the wall, The sobs are choked. She's making an effort! Arguably, asking Lya how she ''feels'' isn't the best question to pair with that. She manages just, "I'm scared," which is probably uselessly quiet for those on the other side, and then she's thumping back onto the ground, close, next to Keysi and lapsing into sudden silence, complete with vacant stare even as tears creep down her dust-covered cheeks. Apparently, even knowing the Weyrleader is out there ''right now'' and might know her henceforth isn't enough to get her to put her best foot forward.

"''Keysi''," is a sigh, a weary one; one more person she knows stuck behind that awful ''wall''. "Are you both--" Farideh senses the futileness of asking how they are, being that they ''are'' trapped and whatnot. She glances down at her feet, then slants K'del a squinty look. "No. No one's forgot you, Lya, and not you either, Keysi." In case that was an issue. "Why don't we tell you a ''story''?" And yes, she means the ''we'', eyebrows lifting as she flicks another look at the Weyrleader. "When I was little, my father always told me a story when I was scared."

From behind the wall, "Weyrleader," Keysi speaks again, serious again but the anger well-hidden. "Are any other parts of the Weyr affected? Is anyone else hurt?" A beat, "And the cause..?" It seems like she's not going to drop the ball again as far as letting her feelings show. Not with Lya next to her. Lya, who would find Keys painfully slowly lifting a bare arm to lay it around her shoulders unless she moves away. "'ey Farideh." As if it's just another day. That normal greeting. There's a few moments that lapse, before her voice carries upwards again, "What kind of story?"

"There's some damage to a few weyrs above here, but that's the extent of it." K'del answers ''that'' promptly, once again reaffirming his promise to keep those trapped behind the wall informed, truthfully. Catching Farideh's glance, he gives the candidate a wary glance, one that is quickly followed by a short little nod. He's a father; surely storytelling is in his repertoire! "Good idea, Farideh," he says, turning his gaze back to the hole, for all the good it does. "Let's see... once upon a time, there was a Lord with three beautiful daughters."

From behind the wall, "I hate Holders," Lya grumps quietly to Keysi as she shifts to nestle against the healer, leaning her head against the other girl's shoulders. It's absently that she adds for her companion, "Farideh is a beautiful holder's daughter, but she only has one sister."

"A ''happy'' story," answers Keysi's question, while the beginning of K'del's tale earns him a frown. Apparently, Farideh's dissatisfied with how he began it; not that the other girls can see her ''disappointment''. She either ignores Lya's words, or doesn't hear them, because she presses on with the next part of the story. "The first daughter was as clever as she was beautiful. The second daughter was strong. And the third daughter, she was the bravest of them ''all''." Then, she looks at K'del hopefully, ''encouragingly''.

From behind the wall, Keysi lays her head back on the rocks gently, as if looking up at the hole above her head, or perhaps to what can be seen of the ceiling above. "Then you don't hate all Holders." She takes a sharp breath as she's leaned against, which she tries well to hide with no other sign of discomfort to follows. "I was born in a Hold." The statement is worded carefully and quietly, to Lya alone, as if it is some dark dirty secret nobody should know about. She hushes as the story continues.

K'del turns back towards Farideh, giving her a funny look, quite as if he's just realised something... or hasn't ''quite'', but perhaps feels like he ought to have. It may have something to do with her name, and her background, both of which are new to him; regardless, after a moment's pause he shrugs, and takes up the thread of story she's left him. "Brave? Oh yes. She was ''fearless''. Not afraid of tunnelsnakes or wild wherries or dragons or renegades. She'd ride the wildest runners, and climb to the top of the fireheights. It drove, as you can imagine, her Lady mother ''mad''." 

From behind the wall, "I might have been born in a Hold," Lya tells Keysi without minding her volume, lifting her head to glance at the hole. She sighs, "Sometimes I hate Farideh. We fight. It's awful. We were fighting. It seems so stupid now." Then, "Stupid. Brave can be another word for stupid. Or reckless." Her tone is listless, perhaps she doesn't even realize she's made the commentary aloud.

"Drove her absolutely to the point of wanting to throw her ''between''. But, she was both beautiful and brave, and of course many, many men wanted to marry her." It's pretty obvious where this is going, but Farideh keeps her voice enthused, at least a bit, and only occasionally gives K'del the side stink eye. "She didn't want to just marry ''any'' old man, and certainly not one that wasn't equally as ''brave'', so--" There, she hands it back off to the Weyrleader, and proceeds to roll her eyes, hard, in response to Lycinea's words; no rejoinder leaves her lips however.

From behind the wall, "The fights don't matter now. Doesn't it seem forgotten?" Keysi says with her even tone, unmoving, "Did you not hear her voice? She couldn't have been more sad to know you're here." Her breathing is rhythmic as she listens to K'del carry on the tale and Lya's subsequent comments. "Not quite the same." The healer disagrees, and there's almost a whisp of excitement to her, "I wish I'd climbed to the top of the fireheights." There's an uncomfortable pause as she realizes she placed the whim in the past tense, and it's corrected, "Maybe someday." There has to be a future, right?

How much of what is said behind the wall K'del can hear is hard to tell; perhaps he's simply focusing wholly on the story rather than on those quiet comments. Anyway, he has eyebrows to raise at Farideh-- ''what?''-- and yes, that story to continue. "Finally," he says, "she decided that she'd had enough. Getting married was all very well, but why not make something of herself first? She decided she was going to become a Harper, the kind of Harper who spends their life wandering Pern and ''doing'' things. Perhaps she'd rescue people! And tell them stories! And remind them of all the good and brave and wonderful things in the world. ''This'' was something she could do. Something important." 

From behind the wall, "Not if we die in here," Lycinea whimpers. She's cheery, right? There's more vacant staring after that, with the slowly seeping tears.

Good thing they ''can't'' see, because it's after K'del's turn at story spinning that Farideh spreads her hands and gives him a ''what kind of story is that'' look. "We're supposed to be ''distracting'' them from their predicament, not giving them unrealistic expectations." She makes an annoyed sound in her throat and leans in closer to the hole. "But, while she was away, Harper-ing," with a sharp glance at K'del, "she was ''kidnapped''. By ''pirates''. She was ''stuck'', out in the middle of the ocean, with nowhere to go, and no way to call for help--" Another disgruntled sound. "You're not going to ''die'', Lya. Not you, not Keysi, not any of those other people down there. Look, when you get out, we can go to a ''gather'', or if you want, we can even go to ''Igen''. If," with one more sidelong look at the Weyrleader, "they let us." Candidates and all.

From behind the wall, "Lya." Keysi shushes sharply, with Farideh quick to back her up on that one. Keys, however, won't ''promise'' things that may not happen and she doesn't add further comments to it. "I'm glad she's a harper." The healer says upwards, supporting K'del with an almost-smirk as Farideh continues. "Pirates? Really? Are you sure they had a boat?" At least she's trying with that dry humor. Trying.

In return, Farideh gets a ''are you crazy?'' look from K'del, who throws his hands out to emphasise the whole thing. Yes, it's definitely a good thing they can't see. "You can all come to the Igen bazaar we're hosting," he says, keeping his voice even despite the non-verbal theatrics going on on ''this'' side of the rockfall. "''Anyway''. Our heroine was, indeed, kidnapped by pirates, and she wasn't ''prepared'' for that. Except-- she and the captain kept talking, and at first he was scary, all big and pirate-y, but later... they really started to get to know each other."

From behind the wall, "Where would they even get a boat?" Lya wants to know. Then frowning, she adds, "The pirate captain sounds like H'vier. Was he old?" These details are important for believable story telling. At least it seems like Lycinea is becoming more invested in the story at any rate. That's what they wanted, right? No regrets?

Farideh shakes her head and gives him a sardonic ''no, but you are'' look back, and flings her hand out, as if dismissing his unspoken claims. "There, you ''won't'' die, because you have to go to this bazaar with me, and you'll have to do Irianke's ''hair''," is helpfully provided. She looks ''pleased'' when K'del takes up the new thread of their story, and continues on in a like vein. "They had a ''very'' big boat. It was painted red and gold, and it had one of those pretty maidens on the front, with the flowy hair. And our brave, beautiful Harper girl did indeed make friends with the captain, and manage to arrange her freedom, for a price. Don't you know that there's ''always'' a price, that nothing ever comes without strings?"

From behind the wall, After K'del's insert into the story and Lycinea's comments painting the mental image of this poor girl stuck on a boat with H'vier, Keysi is utterly detered from making comments for awhile. Ohfaranthwhy. "Price?" Is eventually inquired. This story wasn't ending well. The healer groaned softly- not in pain, but in something of amusement in relation to the story as she started to anticipate worse things oncoming.

From behind the wall, "Price she wanted to pay anyway?" It's a dry question from someone, Leova of the wrenched ankle, who's only just managed part of the crawl back towards the pass-through.

"H'vier? No. ''No'', nothing like H'vier." K'del's frown is audible in his tone as he answers this; it's an authoritative response. No H'vier. No way. "Anyway, yes: for a price. She's right-- there's always a price. And this time, she was afraid he'd want something creepy off of her, except she'd been growing to like him, and thought better of him than that. Still. It's the kind of thing you worry about, right? But no. He wanted her to teach his men how to read, because they'd never had the chance to learn, not properly."

From behind the wall, "He sounds a ''lot'' like H'vier," Lya's tone is decidedly suspicious. She adds, for Farideh, probably, "He hasn't come to see me," and she sounds ''sad''. Then, as though Leova's dry comment only ''just'' penetrated her awareness, for all that it had been said moments before, her head snaps up and away from Keysi's shoulder to stare at the greenrider. She stares, she exhales, she shifts a little away from Keysi and wraps her arms around her knees before asking. "How are you supposed to pay a price when you haven't got anything to pay it with? Or did she? The beautiful brave stupid reckless harper Holder's daughter." See? She ''has'' been paying attention.

"''No'', it's not H'vier," not without some exasperation, which is extended to K'del. "Teach them to read, really? Why couldn't she have traded a chest full of diamonds? Or ships from her Lord Father's collection?" Farideh huffs, but continues. "And what a happy band of literate pirates they made, able to learn new bawdy songs to sing now that they could read. Brave Harper girl decided though, that she rather liked being with these pirates, and decided to sail with them for the rest of her days. As the brave, beautiful, pirate Harper. The end." She concludes with a sigh and a narrowed look at the bronzerider. "Do you want me to make him? I don't think he'd make you feel any better. He's an idiot," she says solemnly.

From behind the wall, Keysi can't do anything ''quickly'' and hisses slightly when she's so suddenly prompted to remove her arm from the other girl's shoulders. "What's wrong?" Is said so quietly, it's almost mouthed.. Grey, stern eyes fall on Leova, as if she hadn't heard her comment that followed her own and is just now noticing her join their gathering. But seeing no indication for the sudden change, the healer just sits back again and lets her arms lay in their most comfortable listless position to put less strain on her chest. "The Weyrleader is here, and Farideh." Keysi narrates for Leova, perhaps unnecessarily if she is better at identifying voices through the muffled hole than she. Or has dragon assistance, whichever. "Sequel?" Is requested upwards to the storytellers.

From behind the wall, "Did they want to? Read." It's not that Leova ignores Lycinea's staring and shifting so much as that she may never really see to begin with. There's the rest of the floor to navigate still. The rocks that remain. Once, twice, a noise escapes her teeth at a bump that goes wrong. Her gaze does eventually find her and Keysi, too. "Before they got all... happy."

"Of course they wanted to read. It allowed them to rejoin society as productive, responsible people and not just dirty, filthy pirates." K'del's storytelling expertise may not be quite as good as it could or should be. "Leova." A greeting; sort of. He's not looking at Farideh-- ''deliberately'', presumably-- nor answering her comments. "In the sequel, the pirate dies and our heroine is very sad, and-- well, if she hadn't educated all of his crew she'd probably take over, but instead she just finds them all jobs in her father's hold. And so he makes her his heir, because she's obviously more responsible than her sisters." 

From behind the wall, Ghena stirs from her spot, just waking up. "I think... that is the worst story I've ever heard." Nevermind that she was unconscious through most of it. She rubs at the sleep in her eyes, glancing about at the other trapped occupants.

From behind the wall, "I think Irianke was a productive, responsible person before she Impressed and had to be a weyrling for ''forever'' to learn all that ''stuff''." Lycinea lets this be her commentary on how she feels about K'del's assertions. She looks to Leova, wide-eyed, "Irianke made me take math classes to be her assistant. But I haven't used them almost at all," she confides as if this somehow fits. Where everyone else's injures are largely visible... Lya's? They're are definitely scars in the making. Mentally.

Thankfully, K'del supplies the name to the third voice in the wall, as Farideh was looking quite confused until he'd spoken her name. It doesn't spark recognition, but it's comforting to know a name to put to the woman's voice. "No, I doubt that they did, but it seems like our Weyrleader enjoys giving everyone ''happy endings''." She makes a face. "In the ''sequel''," not looking at K'del in return, "we meet beautiful, brave Harper pirate's sister: beautiful, clever girl, who, when the steward tries to overthrow her father, the Lord, by framing him for murder, reveals the steward as the real blackguard, and saves her father from sure ruin and execution. It's a much more ''rousing'' story than giving a bunch of pirates ''real'' jobs, that any good, upstanding holder could do," punctuated by rolling her eyes.

From behind the wall, "I'm not sure how any of that makes her responsible." Keysi objects lightly to K'del, disapproving of getting swindled with a summarized sequel on top of it. Gaze searches the dimly lit room for the other voice that joins them- Ghena. "G'morning. Or whatever time it is." Is said quietly, the second part added off-handedly as if she just really comprehended that as a thing.. and a problem.

From behind the wall, "Would be less dirty and filthy if they had more hot water. And sweetsand." Which Leova might well wish all of them had more of. She's back to terse again, now that she's not muttering to Vrianth, though not wholly ''herself''. Or maybe it's those ''happy endings''. Or the time.

Yet again, K'del has nothing to do but throw up his arms: he's ''trying'', okay? Everyone's a critic. At least, yet again, Farideh is the only one who can see that. "I'm sure Farideh would be delighted to tell that particular story," he says, mildly. "Since apparently ''my'' efforts are unappreciated. Or perhaps you," presumably all of them, trapped inside, "would like to give it a try?"

From behind the wall, Ghena grumbles, "I'd settle for food. Ever since I got stuck in this pit with you lot, I feel like I could eat a bronze." She replies to the greenrider. She has her priorities, as she shifts the splinted leg. "Who the heck is out there yammering away about pirates and unproductive members of society?" She asks the healer apprentice.

From behind the wall, "Ate yours. While you were snoring," Leova remarks to Ghena. Hers is less a straight face than ''tired''.

From behind the wall, It's so weirdly abrupt when Lya stands. "I'm going." Where? They're trapped. "I have to go." And already she's breathing hard. It's a sign of what is coming upon her. An abrupt moment of going to pieces. It's something she'd prefer to do alone, and apparently in darkness for she takes no glow as scrambles her way across rubble to vanish from sight. No goodbye or anything. Maybe deep down she's hoping she won't die after all.

From behind the wall, "Careful." The healer within Keysi had already been watching Leova's movements like a raptor, and as Ghena with the ''broken'' leg starts moving, she can't help but utter at least some words of caution. "I don't think much bathing will save us from being dirty for... a while." A while intending to mean however long they're stuck in here. "The Weyrleader and Farideh. The story was going well, until it wasn't." Said loud enough to share with those above. When Lya jumps up, Keys stares at her, stern grey eyes watching carefully, wordlessly. But understanding. She sighs, and drops her gaze to the dim, dusty floor.

The candidate stands up and puts her hands on her waist, staring skeptically at K'del. "You should stick to being the Weyrleader. You aren't destined to be a Harper." Farideh looks back at the hole, obviously concerned when Lycinea announces her intent to leave. "Lya? Lya, don't--" She sighs, and frowns, this time at K'del, like ''he's'' to blame. "Get them ''out''. Soon. Please." It's all pleading, angry, sad, at the same time, and her face reflects those emotions until everything goes blank. Only a nod in farewell is left, and she turns, abruptly, walking back down the hall from the way she came.

K'del's mouth opens to say something, but between Lycinea's abrupt departure, and then Farideh's, he's left without well-formed thoughts to actually express. His, "I promise," is quiet, so quiet it probably isn't audible through the wall; they won't be able to see the look of exhausted desperation, though it certainly is there. "Wish we could do more about bathing," is what he says, instead, picking up the thread. "It's just not easy. But at least we can keep you fed, and... as otherwise comfortable as we can. ''Is'' there anything else I can have brought for you? Something better than my stories?" Apparently. 

From behind the wall, "Oh." She blushes, though it's hard to tell through the dirt and grime. "SORRY WEYRLEADER!" she calls because she still hasn't quite realized that she doesn't have to shout to be heard. Maybe that will save her from dawn sweeps... of course the broken leg might help delay it as well. She stops moving and grunts at Leova. "Shame on you. I would demand more, but..." she winces, the sarcasam losing it's luster. "No one ever said setting a bone would hurt more than breaking it." She grumbles looking to the healer apprentice. For K'del? "I'd murder something for a hunk of roasted meat and potatoes." Hey it's worth a try.

From behind the wall, "Don't you? Always thought bathing helped with that." Leova's tone is mild, too, where it isn't strained. She eases onto one hip, working at keeping herself where she won't be tromped on as Lycinea scrambles off. Her gaze doesn't follow the girl. Doesn't go much of anywhere. She starts to speak, only then there's shouting. She silences.

From behind the wall, Keysi returns to watching Ghena, especially as she shouts over her. There's a look of pain that deforms her so-stoic face that isn't associated with her injuries, and it forces her to look away- to look down, as if ashamed. Ashamed and angry. ''If only'' she could have gotten to her sooner. Before the swelling and muscle tightening. Ghena may not have at all meant it to be ''mean'' but it seemed to strike a chord. She's silent.

"It's fine," says K'del, ''not'' shouting in respond to Ghena's shout. He stands, now, stretching, though he's also not leaving. It does mean he needs to lean forward, bending at the waist, in order to add, "Reckon I can do something about dinner, though, yes. Meat. Maybe even some bread." ''Bread''. 

From behind the wall, Ghena's stomach gurgles at the mere mention of bread, bread and meat. "Ok, that is almost worth getting pulverized by rocks." Adjusting her volume sheepishly. "Sorry." And as the healer falls silent, Hazel eyes rest on her, brows knitted together. "Hey. Ain't your fault. I'm the one who went running into a collapsing tunnel." Looking to Leova then. "You holding together?"

From behind the wall, "'Maybe,'" actually holds something near to laughter. "Hold out the fingerroot, why don't you." It isn't meant to be a complaint, though, "Thank you," might suggest belated awareness of how it could sound like it. But Vrianth's getting agitated again. Leova slumps, closing the blanket further about her, hands going to her head. "Got to," at once answers Ghena and cuts off more.

From behind the wall, "I should have gotten to you sooner. ''I'' am sorry." Keysi's words are short but still even, as if she's just barely hanging onto not-erupting. She's loud enough that K'del can easily hear the conversation below, "We all ran here." She adds, dismissing the rider's self-blame, "You didn't try to break your leg." Then, more directedly for the offer of finding more tasty food than what's normally available, "I'm not hungry."

"None of you need to apologise for anything," says K'del, through the hole, firmly. "None of you. I'm just glad you're all--" Alive, presumably, but perhaps that's not the best thing to say, right now. "You need to eat. Keep your strength up. Going to go sort that out, now, but... you need anything in there, you ask for it, okay? Anything we can fit through." 

From behind the wall, "I think you were kind of half dead so... yeah. No worries there. I'm just glad Knioth wasn't ..." She frowns. Thinking about her lifemate, "If it isn't too much trouble Sir, do you think you could have someone check on Knioth? I feel him fine, but..." She can't ''really'' check on him. He's the one she's worried about.

From behind the wall, Keysi looks up at the hole above, as if trying ''trying'' to see K'del as he talks. She catches the loss of a particular word off the end of his trailed sentences, and closes her eyes. He is ''actually'' comforting this time. "..Thank you." The healer quiets, her gratitude presumably about the food given the timing of her response, but not what she really means. She doesn't reply again to Ghena, yet, trying to collect her head as the rider makes her separate request.

Solemnly, "He'll be well cared for, Ghena. Oiled and washed and kept company. Promise." He's silent a few moments more, then, before adding, "You're welcome. Stay safe." And then he's rising, properly this time, in order to turn and take his leave.

Ghena blinks, it's just her eyes are leaking honest. It wouldn't be so noticable if it didn't cause streaks in the dust and grime on her face. "Thank you Sir." Her voice tight.

"I can't imagine." Keysi's tone is even again, calmed, controlled. As it should always be. "What it would be like to be separated." She doesn't look at Ghena as she talks. "But you can still communicate, aye? You can comfort each other?"

"It's ... " she breathes struggling to keep the emotions locked down, but it's fortunate the blue still sleeps. " I nearly lost him, I might have lost him in the panic." She exhales, "I have to focus on keeping my pain away from him. Otherwise, he'll claw the stone walls of the cavern and keep trying to rescue me on his own. He's protected me for as long as we have been together. It's my turn to keep him safe." Even if it means she can't lean on him the way she usually does in times like this.

From the outside, It's only a few minutes after the Weyrleader leaves when Sky comes hurrying down the hallway with a basket of food that is far too large to fit through the hole. He lifts it as a greeting or explantion to the smith on duty and finds his way to a somewhat stable pile of rubble near the opening. "Hello? Keys, you in there? I...The Weyrleader said you guys were looking for some special food? I brought...food." he looks lamely at his basket that he threw together as quickly as possible. "Have some of my special treats in addition to what you requested." he adds, trying to sound a bit brighter.

"I didn't think about that.." The losing the dragon part. Though, how could she? Keysi's never known that sort of bond. "I know it had to happen, but how did you keep him from feeling the setting of your leg?" Or the breaking of it. Granted, the initial panic had have been worse. She's curious, but the thought of what could happen if the blue dragon got to the rocks keeps her quiet. Sky's voice is unexpected- though she should have expected it given K'del's mission. Fortunately, the healer is still sitting right beneath the hole. "Aye, hello Sky." She answers, her talking obviously much more at ease than their previous long talk. Though she's still quieter than normal 'inside voice.' "We appreciate it."

"I couldn't block the break. I'm pretty sure he's clawed his talons bloody against the outer bowl. They can... If something happens, a dragon might between if they think their rider is lost." She swallows the lump in her throat at that. Grateful that food at least has arrived. "Why do you think I made you wait until he was deep asleep again?" She answers softly. "Yeah. I'm ravenous."

From the outside, Schuyler starts unpacking things from the basket. "Careful on this first one, it's pretty hot, thought you guys might want warm food instead of just sandwiches." He uses a small plate to push the first course of food through the hole. He reaches it as far in as he can then calls. "OK, you should be able to grab it now." a pause to let them get the food. "You...sound better. Is that Ghena in there with you right now?" he asks, thinking he recognizes the voice, possibly.

"That's horrible. And if you survived and he-" Keysi stops. She's ''not'' helping. It doesn't matter if she's curious. This is utterly unhelpful. "It must be hard, hiding from him all the time when you already can't be with him." Is said neutrally, but with a calmness that might make one think she could have done mindhealing. Maybe. If she wasn't so horrible adverse to it. Hesitating, she's forced to change the subject, to Ghena she adds "I still can't reach up. Would you take it?" The healer, appropriately, moves a little farther from beneath the tiny passage.

"You'd probably get first-hand experience with Weyr sensitivity training," Ghena speaks the words Keysi doesn't. "Like having to rip a part of your soul out with your bare hands. I've never been away from Knioth this long, not from the moment he broke the shell." She limps over to the hole reaching to grasp the container of food and pulling it through. She grows quiet, perhaps a sign of the blue in the bowl stirring. "Impression can be like that for some people, Knioth... I feel like I'm whole with him."

From the outside, Schuyler keeps silent while the girls talk and starts making up a second tray to push through. He rearranges things again then changes his mind and pushes a skein through. "Drinks now." he says, though he cringes a bit at interrupting their conversation, Ghena sounds tense. After a minute. "Do you need someone to check on him for you?" he asks to Ghena.

Keysi shakes her head, but stops mid-motion finding it too is uncomfortable. "I'd never." Is said so quickly, it's like Ghena said Keysi would light K'del's bedding on fire or something. She's just listening, listening and attempting to fathom. She's staring at her wounded hands through this, tracing the lines beneath the dirt in the dim light. "They are all not as completing as the two of you then?" Comes the most obvious follow-up question, while useless in assisting with the meal-taking.

"That is why the program was put in place," Ghena answers almost sharply, but it isn't directed at Keysi. "Some pairs are combative, and complete opposites, there is no set pattern but... once you have him. Once you feel that first brush of your mind and theirs." She reaches through for the next tray after setting the first aside. "I can't exist without him." Her conviction simple, and absolute.
More softly, "I won't."

From the outside, Schuyler catches part of their conversation, but not all of it. He does hear a bit of Ghena saying she can't exist without her dragon though and he frowns, not that he hasn't heard the thoughts before from riders though. He packs up the last of the food and sends the plateful of treats through. "Last one." he says with a clipped tone, trying not to comment on their conversation.

Familiar with that aspect. Too familiar, really, the healer gives away nothing, neutral and still where she sits. "We," the 'we' indicating healers in general, "Have a history of.... helping.. with that for turns." Oh so many turns. Word choice is tedious, difficult. "You make it sound like it is impossible to choose otherwise." Keysi inhales with intention of a sigh, but isn't able to breathe quite that much, and breathes out very slow. "Sky, I appreciate you running this over. I don't know what time it is.. Hope it wasn't during a bustling hour."

"Teris." Is all the bluerider murmurs, but Sky, provides a welcome distraction even as the bluerider tucks in greedily to her meal. "Thank you. Sky." She's falling to her food, and it's only after stuffing herself that she realizes it is her dragon who is hungry.

From the outside, "It's pretty late actually. The rush was hours ago." Sky answers Keysi. "Did I get everything you guys wanted? Anything else you need?" he asks, still wanting to be helpful.

Keysi stands pain-stakingly slowly, and moves with the speed of the most lethargic trundlebug on Pern. "Yes, thank you." Is answered somewhat mechnically. Not trying to be mean, it seems she's slipped into another sort of mood swing. She takes the tray and walks to the closest room- the room where Lya had vanished to. The tray is set at the doorway, and shoved through making a scratching sound as it slides until its short burst of momentum subsides. Despite K'del's instructions, she can't bring herself to eat, even with as tempting of food as the real meat and rolls may be. "Take it easy." She says to Ghena, unnecessarily. What's she gonna do? Go for a run? She herself moves off at snails pace towards the darkness to a distant, vacant room that's half covered in rocks. But, it'll do.
|Categories=Cave In Plot Logs
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