Difference between revisions of "Logs:Small Favors"

Riders' Lounge, High Reaches Weyr(#1803RJ)

About as high up the bowl wall as it is possible to get before hitting clear sky, right up against the rim, this ledge is tiny, narrow and not terribly inviting. Though angled towards the sun, there's not enough room to properly stretch out, and that same angle ensures it receives the worst of bad weather, with no shelter whatsoever. From above, there's not even an obvious passage inside, as if this particular ledge is, in the end, nothing more than a natural outcropping. It's only from atop the ledge itself that the cleverly concealed entrance becomes clear, angled into the stone as it is.

Inside, there's a cavernous space, more than making up for the stinginess of the ledge. There's one large main room, and a much smaller back room that could probably be used as a bedroom - if this weyr were in traditional usage. Instead, the main cavern is largely filled with a collection of mismatched tables and chairs. Towards the back, there's a bar made out of old, recycled wood, manned during peak hours; there's plenty of alcohol on display behind it, though most of it tends towards the cheaper end of the range. Old, but still impressive, hangings cover the walls, all depicting scenes of High Reaches in glory. The back room has been turned into a storage area, with several cases of whisky and a variety of other spirits ready and waiting.

A strange pipe contraption comes through the ceiling and towards the stone floor, where a large bucket sits beneath it. A lever turns on water from the pipe: fresh rain or snow, ready for drinking.

Though the weather outside is frightful, the atmosphere inside the Riders' Lounge is delightful, or at least to Edyis it seems that way, as she scampers about between the packed tables, filling drink orders, brushing those escaping curls back from her face. "Three more whiskeys, and I'm on to you O'kar, no more until you settle your tab." She grins boldly. To which the rider grumbles.

L'sha pauses at the entrance to the lounge as Rillaeth takes off from the tiny ledge outside. He seems a bit apprehensive, unusually for him, as he enters the bar. He rarely comes here, usually haunting the Snowasis, but he had to check something. He feels eyes on him and meets one or two with a smile as he heads for the bar.

Edyis grins, spotting the familiar face, and waves as the greenrider approaches the bar. "L'sha, just the greenrider I've been wanting to talk to. What's your poison tonight?" She calls over her shoulder, as she sets a beer down infront of a dour looking brownrider.

L'sha looks surprised to see Edyis here, even though he had an idea. "So the rumors are true! I'd heard you were tending bar up here, but I couldn't believe it. This place can get pretty rough, are you sure you're okay here?" He looks over the meager drink selection. "Um, I guess I'll have a beer. So what do you want to talk to me about?"

Edyis laughs, "As gentle as kittens if you know how to deal with them." No probably not, but she's sticking to that story. Tilting her head she grins, as she gets his beer. "Don't let the bartender outfit fool you, I have no idea what I'm doing. And don't think it means you can turn in reports late either." She teases, before asking: "Does Rillaeth still love being doted on? There's a girl in the lower caverns I met the other day, who seems to be completely dragon mad. Since you are such a sweet gentleman, I thought maybe you two could make her acquaintance. I think it would make her day, and probably Rillaeth's too."

L'sha takes a sip of the beer and pulls a face at it, but then his customary grin appears as Edyis talks about Rillaeth. "Oh, she enjoys being buttered up, sure. What's the young lady's name?" He sips his beer again anyway, despite the taste.

"Helgret, sweet kid but a bit - well hyperactive?" She explains, chuckling at the bitter beer face. "Apparently she's lived here all her life and never really seen much outside of High Reaches, so I thought it might be fun. " She sighs, "Sorry about the drinks, none of the fruity stuff that you'd find in the Snowasis, granted that is probably a good thing since I don't know how to do more than mix booze and water."

L'sha chuckles. "You should ask Tayte for advice, she's the best at mixing drinks. Helgret, eh? Don't recognize the name, but I can see if I can find her. Do you think she might be rider material?" He sips the beer again, this time with a bit less of a grimace.

"I don't venture to guess such things, but I suppose she could be. Far too early to worry about search though isn't it?" She asks, nodding at mention of Tayte. "I think I will do so. How have you been?"

L'sha shrugs, "Well, at least I can suss her out, see what she's made of. Always good to have an idea of who might make a good candidate." He takes another swig of beer. "Hey, you know, this stuff starts to grow on you after a while. Oh, I'm doing well, thanks. What about you? I thought you were diligently studying to be a scribe? What brought on this change of career?"

Edyis laughs, "Well it's cheaper too so there's always that to be said for it." She states of the beer, shrugging as far as sussing out candidates goes. "I think if you just befriended her it would be better but what do I know. " She frowns considering the question as she tosses a rag onto the bar and moved in circles cleaning away the moisture marks. "Records Room had a pretty large demand on my time if you want to know the truth. I thought it would be an easy way to earn marks, used to do something similar when I lived in Monaco, but a bar in a port hold is different than one in a weyr. Still it leaves me more free time to study, and I am too old to try for Harper Hall at this stage in the game." It sounds like she's repeated a version of this frequently of late.

L'sha finishes his beer and orders another. "Well, there is that. Snowasis is great, but it is rough on the belt-purse." He makes a sympathetic noise as Edyis explains her reasons for the change. "It's a shame that you're putting aside something you worked so hard on. I think you'd make a great record-keeper. But, if you're happier doing this, then by all means, don't listen to me! You seem to be pretty tight with the Monaco riders. I don't know them very well, other than their poker night here keeping me awake 'til the wee hours of the morning."

Edyis grabs the glass and fills it again, before handling a few more orders. Once it slows enough, she nods. "That's the sad thing about good wine, It is so expensive. I don't know about happier, and I don't know how long I'll be doing it but, it is rather fun all told. I still work in the records room just on a volunteer basis these days. Besides I'm sure Master Jeroman will have people lining up to listen to his tirades on the qualities of paper verses hide." As for mention of Monaco she laughs, "Well they did make living in another Weyr for a while a lot easier. They are a fun bunch at least. I love poker night, but they always catch me when I cheat. It simply isn't fair." She exaggerates in a teenage-angst whine played for laughs.

L'sha smiles and takes a sip of the newly-refilled beer. "Well, that's good, at least you're keeping sharp." He groans. "It is unfair! I wouldn't even know how to cheat, I'm terrible at dragonpoker. Actually, I might join the game if I didn't keep drawing dawn sweeps all the time. Anyway, I'd just end up losing my shirt." His eyes slide slyly toward some Monaco riders in a corner. "Which actually might not be so bad. Some of those Savannah riders are quite attractive."

"The problem with the pretty ones is that they are very much aware of that fact." She laughs, "And E'nest particularly has a penchant for trouble with the ladies. Actually he's just plain trouble." She decides with almost affectionate irritation; no just make that normal irritation. "Though now that you mention it, maybe R'hin just collects the pretty ones?"

L'sha sighs and deflates a bit. "You're so right! It's so hard to find a cute guy who's actually a decent person. Just look at that one guy. What's his name? Starts with a Z. Z'riah, I think he's from Monaco. He's gorgeous, but a total jerk. He tried to take an old man's cane from him in the Snowasis a while back! I mean, honestly, who does that?"

"I will concede he can wear a dress well." She decides with a smirk, "But you know looks aren't really everything." Her eyes narrow a moment though at that little revelation. "You mean N'vad? Buggy looking blue, from Benden originally? He's hardly that old, just recovering from an injury."

L'sha blinks. "Oh. Well, anyone who tries to take a cane away from someone is bad news in my book. No matter if his eyes are beautiful, or his cheekbones are..." He shakes himself out of it, then slurps his beer. "Oh, yeah, he was the one in the dress at Turnover. Forgot about that. Not much of a costume. Were you there? What were you dressed as?"

"A tropical bird, someone left the costume in a box on my cot." Edyis replies stepping aside to fill a few more drink orders, though things seem to be slowing somewhat. "Seemed like a shame to waste it. I had meant to stay for longer, but there were things to be dealt with." With what may sound to some like a forlorn sigh. "This really is a shame because I would have loved to dance more. It was so fun to watch Azaylia spin in that flame getup. She really seems happy wherever she is almost."

L'sha intakes a sharp breath. "Oh, that one was pretty! Rillaeth loved the colors, too. I was the lord holder! I fooled just about everybody. I guess I looked pretty ridiculous skating around in that costume. It was a lot of fun, though. And the Weaver tent actually fell on me when I was getting it fitted! I almost died laughing when that happened."

Edyis grins, "I had wondered, who that was." She admits of the tent crashing costume. "I almost forgot I promised you and Rillaeth a painting I think a long time ago. She loves color doesn't she? Maybe in the spring I will get to go hunting for ink and paint materials."

L'sha's eyes look up to the right side as he tries to remember. "Did you? I forgot. That'd be nice, though, Rillaeth'd love it." He stands and finishes his drink. "Well, Edyis, I'd love to stay and chat and drink your lousy beer, but I have to get up early tomorrow. Thanks for the beer! G'night!" He leaves some marks on the bar, along with a generous tip, then turns to leave.