Difference between revisions of "Logs:Clothes Are Fun"

Aishani and Iesaryth's Weyr

This hollowed out bubble cavern is large enough to fit at least three large dragons, the immensity dwarfing the spartan furnishings and decor - there's an awful lot of open space. A small portion of the room contains a personal bath, enclosed by a carefully carved out strip of rock wall. Faint tendrils of stream waft from the corner, permeating the immediate area with a merging of warmth and cooler temperatures.

In the outermost room, a large stone table is centered in the entranceway, five chairs of wicked wood surrounding it, nearby an old elevator-pulley trap door to the kitchens. The further corner forms the ledge entrance; nearer the baths is a grouping of stands and ceiling hooks that hold a collection of lush, green plants and hanging brightly coloured glass beads. Just next to the greenery is a large glassed-in bookshelf built into the well, filled with books, dishes and glassware, an impressive variety of liquor, and very few keepsakes. In front of the shelves and near the small, neat hearth sit two large, cozy-looking leather armchairs with a low table between them.

Behind a curtain made of more coloured glass beads is a smaller, blue-wash walled room, mostly filled by the big bed made up in shades of blue to match, and lots of pillows. Hanging on the wall over it is a large, beautifully made quilt, its deep blue oceanic tones broken only by the gold of sunbeams in rounded patterns, circling sunbursts in azure shades. At the foot of the bed is a ornately carved chest that matches the sweet redwood wardrobe that stands along the far wall. A short tunnel from this room leads into another that is a little larger, containing an ornate desk and set of shelves that are both almost too neatly organized to be believed - a cozy, private study nonetheless.

It's a windy, cold day in the middle of winter; not as unpleasant as it could be, but perhaps Iesaryth's sunny waves lend a bit of warmth to Solith, who the queen has some little warmth for to begin with. She floats an image over for the green, crisp and clear, though with the grittiness that bespeaks Ilicaeth's sandy stony nature. It's the cove where the ship was found, down South. « We are interested in this, if you and yours might speak about it. » She would like to see, eternally curious, and the weather is nicer there anyway. Probably. There's the picture then of her view from her ledge below; perhaps Solith would meet her there, rather than the other way around.

Telavi certainly can't accuse Iesaryth of poor timing, not when Icicle's just flown in from the day's duties; it makes it easy for the tired green to bid her wingmates farewell and drift down towards Iesaryth's ledge instead of all the way to the Bowl floor itself. « Yes, of course! » Then, « How much longer must we stay here, how soon may we go? » Go, and then sit, but at least it's sitting somewhere warm. If, at least, there's not another storm.

Perhaps a little concerned, Iesaryth wonders if Solith is terribly tired; if so, she wouldn't put her out (or in danger, overprotective maternal instinct still lingering). Though, « We need not stay long. She is just getting ready to go. » Not that that means her rider is always quick about such things, just quick today. The gold has made ample room on her ledge for the green, despite the fact it's hardly necessary. There's a bit of a pause as the pair land, conference over when Iesaryth adds, a bit wryly, « She may go in. » To her lair!

The green having landed, Solith's is an audible sigh, full-body enough to quiver her wings down to their very tips. No, not too tired. Worked-out tired, a good tired. Icicle was fun, she relates, she only wishes she were as fast and deft as they, and what a pity that this was the very last day. « Warm will be nice. » And a nap. Perhaps they could manage a nap? Telavi's stifling a yawn as she dismounts, but then she pushes her goggles back with a jaunty air that threatens to make them look fashionable even though they aren't. Retro, maybe: a girl playing around at being a real rider. "Thanks, Iesaryth," and with that she strolls into... the lair.

Iesaryth is certain that Solith will soon be both fast and deft, as small and clever as she is. The green's assurances are taken easily, without undue fussing, though the queen may hover over the younger dragon for a look, just in case she's grown again in the last day or so. « Perhaps you will fly with them again soon. » After all, she doesn't have very much to grow still. And Iesaryth wouldn't be herself if she said no to a nap. For Telavi, she has a little huff, oddly polite. Inside, it would be a better lair if it weren't so big. But nothing terribly nefarious, but for Aishani stuffing a notebook into an already-full bag at the stone table. Glancing over to note the weyrling with a nod, "I'm glad I have good timing. How are you both? And thank you."

« Perhaps! » Solith's optimistic about it, this not one of her rare melancholy times... though she will also sidle closer to big Iesaryth for company, best of all if she can wedge herself between the queen and the wall where it's not so windy. Wind is good for flying in. For being cold in, not so much. « Do you like your wing? We may not fly in it, we are not... 'recuperating,' » did she get the word right? « but Nhidanth likes it so much better. » Better than sitting and waiting, if not necessarily better than flying in a fighting wing: the boy's impatient. "Marvelous, thank you," her rider says with a quick smile. "Just off shadowing," which is to say sweaty, but surely she doesn't have to say that in so many words, "and glad for somewhere quieter. How are you? I like your plants."

Iesaryth can even shield little Solith with an angled wing, so she's not overly bothered by the chill winds while they wait for the humans. « My wing is pleasant enough, though it is small. I think it may be more entertaining if we did more; I would like to see different places more often. » Not that the queen doesn't right now, no -- she still sees all the Holds and the different Weyrs and... she pauses before, « I hope you will not need to fly in our wing, though your company is always welcome. » Her rider's eyed the curtain to the ledge with an arch of brow, but then turns back Telavi's way with a little shrug. "Well enough, though curious about all your adventures. And I'd always wondered if it might have been an idea to shadow properly. For all I felt no need to fly in a fighting wing. The plants, they came along with the place. They do well with the moisture, I suppose." She does up her jacket, slinging the bag over one shoulder.

In that case, Solith will tuck herself right in, and give the queen her mother a contented croon for it, too. « More places would be much better, » she agrees, but how pleasant that Iesaryth hasn't a dearth! Really, perhaps Iesaryth visits more than she does, at least in terms of variety. « We will not need to, though we might visit, » breeze in and out and if Nhidanth finds himself envious, is that so bad? "Moisture from... a bath, did I see?" The steam, if not the bath itself, there hadn't been so much of a delay as to mean that she'd been peeking about. While they're at it, "I feel as though we've learned a lot, if only that there seem to be so many 'right ways' instead of just two or three or four, and they don't always map onto each other," but Aishani knows that already, says her wry tone. "I wonder which wing you would have fit in." Since her counterpart's notorious for having flown with Glacier.

The gold is pleased that she can be of help, more so for her offspring's contentment. There is a lot of Iesaryth, so why not use her for a wind block? « I think we would enjoy that. » A visit, that is, and if Nhidanth does, well. What can Solith do about his feelings? Flashing a grin, Aishani gives a nod for the bath, then one towards it; "Take a look, if you like. It's awfully convenient." Even so, she moves toward Telavi and the curtain both, expression faintly amused. "Everyone thinks they know what's 'right' or 'best for the Weyr'. I suppose it's a matter of going with the definition that works for you, then try to match it up with a wing." As she pulls gloves from her pocket, she considers. "I really don't know. I might have said Snowdrift once, but I'm not not sure I'd say I'm a diplomat. Not now."

If it's Telavi instead of Nhidanth who's envious now, checking out that bath with an exceedingly wistful sigh, it's little more than any young woman might when shown a bathroom of one's own; when she departs, it's with a spring in her step for such a thing even existing. "Everyone thinks they know that, and of course they can't keep it to themselves, can they. For the wings... I have to remember myself to be flexible, even if we can ask for two. Snowdrift will be one," for what that says or doesn't say about what Tela thinks of herself and it. She cocks her head at Aishani. "You wouldn't say you are one now, or you aren't one now? If you don't mind my asking." There's a smile in her voice when she adds that last: it's not that Aishani's incapable of shutting her down, more that she shouldn't have to. Solith's less than thrilled about the whole getting up and getting going process, though there is the promise of warmth, and it should be a quick trip once the other pair is ready.

"I hear at some of the older Weyrs... like Benden?" Aishani's choice can't be coincidental by her grin, "Some of the weyrs up higher have baths too. We're not so lucky, unless, of course, you're down here." That's a little wry as well, touched by the uncertainty that it should be so, even if she's benefiting for the moment. As she ducks out onto the ledge, glancing over her shoulder at Telavi, "Flexible is good. And I'd imagine all the wings will be happy to take on new riders. What makes Snowdrift one?" Iesaryth shifts away from Solith regretfully, for the wind, but it won't be long or far to better weather. With a smirk, as she pulls herself up to the gold's neckridges, "I wouldn't say I am one now. I don't know that anyone would say, 'Aishani is diplomatic'." Certainly many things, but not quite that.

"Some," Tela agrees as she mounts, briefly wistful or else briefly showing it. "But there's something to be said for the rest of us having to go run into people, like it or not," for all that she herself still chooses to wash her hair late at night, out of most people's sight. "Or so they say." Or so they say, the weyrlingmasters, perhaps. "Snowdrift... hmm, I'll give you a better answer once we get there, how's that? They also say it's easier for someone to be diplomatic if she has a wingleader telling her to." Her smile for Aishani shows a dimple, briefly, before Solith pulls forward and then leaps up, moments later disappearing only to reappear above the cove. Only it's not the same as Solith left it: it might look, for a moment, as though the ship is gone.

Aishani would have allowed that it's simpler to do when one is following orders, but Solith is in a hurry to go -- and Iesaryth's not far behind. Besides, does the goldrider really know that much about following orders? Probably not since she was in Tela's position. The gold doesn't appear above until just a moment later, looking down with a disappointed cloud skating along her horizon... but that clears as she sees, and then the older of the dragons is quite eager to get down to the beach and into the water, spiralling to a landing less lazily than usual.

Solith veers over the crash site, staring even as Iesaryth does and clearing likewise; it's only then that she consents to land on the beach herself. "Would you like a ride over?" Telavi calls to Aishani, waving toward the rocks upon which the ship once struck. "It's a hike otherwise, and of course she won't fit," not if even the larger weyrlings hasn't. Not that there's as much left to look at as there used to be, with scavengers having taken plenty of the useful boards and the ocean others, At least there aren't any dead men floating.

Immediately dismounting and ditching her jacket, Aishani peers over in the direction of the rocks that Telavi's waving at with a nod -- even if Iesaryth could fit, she's far more interested in getting underwater to go look. Fascinating. She might be less fascinated when she does get to the bodies. Crossing the sand with a glance toward where the wreck is, "Thank you. Both." There's a smile for Solith before she adds, "And thank you for coming down with us at all. I'm given to understand it wasn't pleasant, the salvaging."

"It wasn't." Tela pauses to toss her own jacket over towards Aishani's, now that she's gotten it off, and keeps watch over Aishani's mounting up; the green's neck is so much more slender than the gold's, and thus less stable, even if it's easier to straddle. From there it's a short flight and a quick hop down to the rocks, the green far defter than the first few times she'd tried, even counting the time she'd actually made it. "So... here we are. Aishani, Ship. Ship, Aishani." Down below, the wreck has taken on quite a lot of water, and might have submerged the rest of the way if it weren't for the rocks propping it up. There's a big hole in the side where Ilicaeth and others had gotten more crates out, as well. "You can see where the deck had been. Right there," she points, "is where we think the captain's room had been. What do you think, is this what you wanted to see?"

Aishani's oddly awkward on a smaller dragon, but it must be strange with the size difference. She's a grateful smile for both Telavi's eye on her and the quick hop over to the rocks, she peers over the side with narrowed eyes. Iesaryth definitely has a better view, for all that she has to be careful around it, what with holes and all. "I wanted to just take a look, as did she, obviously." Her tone is wry for all of her lifemate's eagerness. "I also wonder... I know what was on the ship, but did you notice if anything wasn't? Dealing with the crew--" That's one way of putting it, "Was more important than the cargo they left, but did they take anything?" It's partially rhetorical, but if the greenrider knows...

"Lots, it looked like," Telavi says promptly, only to reconsider. "Well, lots when it came to numbers of things, I don't think big things, though people said there were gaps in the hold where smaller boxes might have been. But it also looked like they went through the cabins, especially the captain's didn't have anything to identify them by, and his desk was all gone through and what looked like it had been a secret drawer, even. That part I saw myself." It's comparatively easy for her to report; for all that she and Solith have had their issues in the past, just now it's nearly as comfortable as sitting anywhere else at all. "I'm not sure why they ripped out pages of the ship's log instead of just... taking it."

Tone thoughtful, "Big or small doesn't matter much, it's a matter of what's valuable enough to take. What there was time for... it sounds like perhaps quite a bit. I wonder..." Aishani straightens, only to lean over to the other side for a moment, peering into the depths. "I wonder if the crew happened before the storm. I wonder if that's why it crashed. If there was time enough to go through things, to tear instead of take..." She falls silent for a moment before agreeing with Telavi, "That is odd. It's interesting as well that the things that were found were things we were short on." Instead of proceeding to one of the logical conclusion, she just notes, "I think Iesaryth's a better view than we do, and she says she promised Solith a nap." She's done, for now.

"Small means you can fit more of it into the boat that went missing," Telavi murmurs. "It's... I wonder that too. Though the storm did kick up pretty quickly, and it was so strong. I wish we'd found the survivors." With that, with that promise of a nap, Solith kicks into the air and a short glide later, there's the beach. It's only when Telavi's off and gotten her goggles off, even, that she says more diffidently, "The things that were found were basic things, things anyone could use, so maybe that's it? What else would there be?"

"That's true. I doubt they wanted to lose what was lost, but it wasn't as important as the rest." Aishani is quiet until they're back on the sand, and off Solith; Iesaryth is still carefully poking around under the water, coming up for air now and again. She's still sunny-bright, but muted a little, sad for the losses. More so than her rider, or perhaps the goldrider doesn't have time for that at the moment. As for Telavi's question, she can admit, "I always think there's more going on than there is. I wondered if maybe this was part of our withheld tithe, but there's nothing to indicate that but coincidence." Hands on hips, looking out to the water, she finally thinks to say, "I hope it wasn't too upsetting. Alida said... it was rough on some of you."

"If it were along our coast instead of down South," Telavi murmurs, walking towards the water but looking down, down at what the water washes back to reveal. No little bubbles, or at least not the same kind. "I hope it's simple. I hope it's just that some people got caught out and made the best of it." But there was that slashed throat, or throats, whatever it was. Her voice is low when she says, "It was awful. And smelly. The people I'd seen... they were washed, and laid out, for a last goodbye before taking them home." Her gaze finds Aishani then, but she does not ask.

Quietly, "You have to wonder where they were going. Or how far off course they were. It's not exactly well-travelled, this area. It would be nice, if it were simple. I'm glad you looked for survivors, by the way. Even if I suspect they wouldn't have been cooperative." Aishani slides her hands into her back pockets as Iesaryth surfaces for a last time, apparently, as she's swimming for the shore and Solith both. Her rider glances sidelong to Telavi, then admits, "Most of those I'd seen were quiet deaths. Finding Iolene... was not, but better me than someone else. I hope..." A pause. "I have bad dreams, sometimes. And when it's bad enough, the Healers can help. I don't like it, but sometimes..." Just in case the greenrider or anyone else should need to know.

"A storm like that could have blown them pretty far,' Telavi can ony suppose, after an uncomfortable dip of her head for Aishani's being glad about that. She's looked away again, back towards the jungle, into her own shadow. Not to the water that washes through the ship and perhaps over those men. "Thank you," she murmurs. "Something... to help you sleep, more soundly?" As long as it's not talking.

Nodding, "I imagine it could have. Alida said D'kan might know a little about that, or know someone who does. But who knows. Perhaps it's one of those things. Where you never quite find out why." Aishani doesn't love that idea though; nor does Iesaryth by the gold's snort, as she settles herself down next to Solith to doze. And it's hard to believe the goldrider would endorse talking, but one never knows. But she nods to Telavi. "To help you sleep and not dream, usually. I think any of the journeymen can help, but I tend to ask for Madilla." Because those other healers are sketchy. Or Aishani is paranoid.

"He did work on the docks," Telavi agrees, "though from what I heard it was more on the docks instead of hobnobbing with the people who chart courses," but then again there's a lift of her voice that says, who knows? Her nod for the Weyrhealer is very respectful indeed, but it's easier to change the subject, especially when it's to the one just prior. "Is there a list of jobs people have done, before coming here or even just being here, and then their names? I heard there was, but I've never asked." Before now. And while she's at it, a change to something maybe lighter, "And the other thing I've been wondering is, and you know you can tell me to be quiet," but her dimples are showing. "Just how did you get to sounding and looking so classy, to knowing what to do? I mean, from where you started it? It's amazing."

The goldrider has a little shrug. "It's a start. Do let me know if there's anything important that you think of, about all of this?" Aishani leaves it at that for now, leaving off the topic of dead bodies and bad dreams. As for records, "There is something of the like. Of course, as you know, it doesn't mean it's the truth. But the Headwoman speaks to everyone who comes in, asks about what they did to figure out what they can do. It's hardly a secret." So it should be easy enough to find. Telavi's question has her arching fine brows before, with a slight smile, "I listened, watched. You have to practice speaking differently; it helps to have someone tell you if you're getting it right. You can learn a lot by merely staying quiet, being in the right place to hear and see. I think I always liked clothes, though."

"I will," Tela assures. "Though I like to think you'll forgive me for not thinking of it, much." She looks a little rueful there, something that begins to dissipate with the caveat of truth, something that really shouldn't surprise her by now but seems to do so anyway... and dissipate even more so with Aishani's explanation. That has her looking thoughtful in a considerably different way, for considerably longer. At last, more slowly, "Clothes are fun. I'd heard your... niece, is it? cousin?" or daughter, only Aishani can't be that old, can she? "has joined up with you; I can only imagine she'll learn a lot, too." Though perhaps not how to take a nap, the way the dragons do, perhaps that she knows already.

"Maybe you'll forget," Aishani suggests, her tone light; as if that's something one has control over. "Some of my memories are just a blur." It seems that she doesn't mind that -- in fact, she bends down to grab the bag she totally left with her jacket to produce a wineskin from it. It's not really the time for that sort of drinking, but a little something might not be a bad plan. She almost misses how thoughtful Telavi is due to that, but catches the end. Brows arching curiously, she does have to smile for the question of her relations, confirming, "Cousin. Jyani. She might have been lurking around my weyr. It's hard to tell, sometimes. She's... learning a lot, yes. I think. She liked the Weavercraft, but I think that's to be expected."

Telavi has her own jacket to sit on, once she carries it over into Solith's relative shade, anyway, but that bag gets an interested glance that becomes a smile upon identification; it's never too early for wine on the Southern Continent, apparently. "Do you imagine her apprenticing? Not that she didn't just get here," more or less.

Following along to go with the greenrider's example, Aishani throws her jacket back down into the sand to sit on, knees bent. She hands the wineskin over for Telavi to open. It's warm, it's sort of like vacation, right? "Mm. I'm not sure. I know my family would like her to go back, and I can't say she wouldn't be an asset, especially after she's spent some time at the Weyr. But it's really up to her." A pause. "I don't know about Standing, but she's still a bit young."

Warm wine. Tela can feel it right through the hide, but she tilts her head in a way that would toss her braids over her shoulder if only she wore them long, and drinks anyway. It's so vacation. "There must be some girls who don't want to be sewists or riders out there," she muses with an air that manages to be only mostly joking, never mind that she knows some of those herself. Then she looks at Aishani, or mostly at Aishani, through her lashes in lieu of a veil of long hair. "I imagine you'll have thought already about her helping out the weavers sometimes, maybe, making a good impression if you think she's ready for that..." It should be a little thing, but she hesitates anyway. "For what it's worth, I had a weaver tell me once that what she was looking for in apprentices had to do with... passion. So... I don't know that that's true for all the journeymen, I don't know that it could be, but if it is... she might want to not play it too cool." If she would. If she's that much like her cousin, and not just her cousin.

It's not the best, warm wine, but at least it's not white, which might be a little more less-than-desirable. Wryly, Aishani notes, "I'm not sure what she wants to do. She doesn't like 'fashion', but she didn't mind getting a proper jacket, either." She has to smile, a touch sadly, as she notes, "It's nice that she can have the uncertainty. Even if she ends up a trader still after all." Even so, Telavi's advice is interesting, enough to give her pause, some thought. "That makes sense. One shouldn't devote their life to something without some passion for it. I wonder if it's the same with dragons." Not that theirs are particularly driven to do anything but nap idly at the moment. There's a beat before, looking down the beach, "Tell me what you found while looking for survivors? I haven't been down in this area much yet." This area, and yet.

Tela washes the first drink down with her second before relinquishing the wineskin. "At least she'll have chosen it," she agrees. "Besides, you've started her on the right track. One day a proper jacket, the next she'll be talking cut and materials with the rest of us." The hint of dimple doesn't quite provide clarification about whether she's joking... or isn't, except that it fades when her gaze tracks back to Solith at last. In the end she just starts on the asked-for tale, her throat not so dry now: the stormwrack, the torn-up beaches, the lengths and lengths and lengths of sea.