Difference between revisions of "Logs:Skinny Dipping"

It is Eliyaveith who reaches out to Cadejoth, a reminder of promises passed along for her rider. And where the bronze shares with her the picture of the small island, the queen is not long in appearing in the skies above, a dark figure against the bright Tillek sky. She settles lazily near the stone cabin rather than anywhere near the beach, unimpeded by any eggs marring her already large and muscular figure yet. Her rider does not slide off right away, instead drawing a thoughtful gaze over the island from the vantage of dragon back.

Cadejoth's there ahead of Eliyaveith, triumphantly greeting the queen from high above the rocky island: he flies fast and free, in these skies that are his as much, if not more, than those of High Reaches itself. It's only barely spring in these parts, and there's a chill in the air, but K'del's barefoot and jacketless, his sleeves rolled up, as he steps out from the cabin to greet the arriving pair. "Welcome," he says. And, "Happy turnday?"

"There is a vineyard here," is what Lilah calls down to K'del in turn, her helmet drawn off to release red-gold curls spilling down her shoulders before she slides down Eliyaveith carefully. "I half didn't believe her when she shared the image. Whose cothold is this?" She steps confidently towards K'del and the cabin, even as Eliyaveith hunches down beside the stone thing, rustling wings and lifting her head to watch Cadejoth but not joining the bronze in the air.

"Mine," comes the answer, with a self-deprecating smile that is far from serious. "Not... legally, at least in that I've not officially made a claim, but I've grown and built all of this." K'del pauses, then adds, hastily, "With help, of course. It's not like I've really time to be a farmer. There's a few people who know about the project now, but not so many who've visited."

"What do you do with the grapes?" Lilah questions next, interest in the way her gaze flicks towards the vineyard again with a quick study of their current state. After a moment, she adds with quiet curiosity, simple, "Why?"

The first question, plainly, surprises the bronzerider. "Wine," he says, after a moment of indecision, sounding as though he would have thought it was obvious. And then: "My family has a vineyard. My sister married into a winery, too, so it's not so far of a leap. Family business. It was..." He pauses, running his fingers through wind-swept hair. "Something to do with myself, something constructive."

"What do you do with the wine?" presses Lilah, those dark eyes shifting back to K'del at the movement of fingers through his hair. She watches that, briefly, before focusing on the bronzerider with a weighted gaze. "I find myself in need of alcohol, and I have limited resources and limited marks, but--. I could pay you back, once I sell it." This is paired with the flash of a smile, a curved, almost flirtatious thing that she directs towards him.

K'del's fair brows raise, dubious for that smile, even if his expression seems otherwise... interested? Certainly considering. "It's not terribly good wine yet," he cautions. "Good wine takes considerably more time, both for the wines and for the wine to actually, you know, ferment and mature." But... it's not a no, either.

Lilah's lower lip catches briefly between her teeth at the answer, a hint of a wince in her features before she replies, "I need good. I need something that I could sell to people with marks to spare. But, it doesn't have to be great, I suppose. I am hoping that the draw of scantily clad women modeling clothing that would otherwise be inappropriate will be enough to bring people in." She says all of this as if it is the most natural thing in the world, shrugging up a shoulder as she offers the explanation to K'del.

This time, K'del's brows knit, thoughtful; he exhales through his teeth, then suggests, "Can probably get you a cask of decent stuff on consignment, from my family. You give them that first, then move on to my not-quite-so-good product later." His hands slide behind his back, one holding the other, shoulders rolling back as he does so. "Though... is this for the weaver thingy?" Thingy. It's a very technical term.

"Sort of. I've decided to commandeer some of the patrons for Dice; bring them in to look at things they wouldn't show in the common caverns and get them to stay and gamble their marks," Lilah confirms with a nod. And then, she adds lightly, "Sorry, I didn't mean to come to talk business at you. It just... was a surprise, that's all."

One of K'del's hands breaks free again, lifting so that he can wave it idly. "I'm the one who suggested we come here," he points out. "Knew it'd raise some questions, probably. Don't... uh, tell your Weyrleaders about it?" Saying that gives him a moment to consider the rest of her explanation; he presses his lips together for a moment before saying, "It's strange to me, hearing someone else talk about Dice. Lots of the planning took place right here."

A soft noise of acknowledgment escapes from Lilah's lips at that, replying easily, "I'm sure. It must have taken Ali quite a bit of logistics to get the place going, and with Hattie's approval." A pause, before she promises, "Don't tell my Weyrleaders that I am involving myself at Dice, and I promise not to tell them about this place."

K'del's gaze travels over Lilah's shoulders, out towards the vines and the rocky cliffs. "Ali and I've not had so much time to spend out here, of late, unsurprisingly," he says, as much to himself as to Lilah. Perhaps even more to himself. He glances back. "It's a deal. Won't say a word... though I grant you, it's pretty easy: your Weyrleaders and I don't talk much to begin with."

"I'm sorry," Lilah murmurs to that confession, a simple response where she is not quite sure what else to say, though it does not stop the way her dark eyes drag over K'del in a curious study when he's not looking. And when he glances back, she only smiles briefly at the deal before turning away and walking towards the shore of his island.

Really, what can a person say to that? K'del's expression acknowledges it, and perhaps even apologises for it, though he's silent - silent at first, and then, as Lilah begins walking towards the shore, silent then, too, for all that he follows.

Time for a convenient subject change! Lilah offers easily over her shoulder to the bronzerider: "I did try to find someone else. I even," only, "asked R'hin, but he made it very clear that he would rather not."

K'del must, surely, have expected this development-- it's pretty obvious at this point-- but mention of R'hin does have his chin lifting, surprised. "Did he know about my part in it?" Did R'hin throw K'del under the bus?

"Mhmm. I thought he might be more willing if he knew, but he said that he did not want to disappoint you," Lilah answers, casually throwing R'hin under the bus as well. But, there is a hint of a question there where her gaze flicks to K'del at her answer, before the goldrider begins shrugging out of her riding jacket.

"He's a good friend," says K'del, artlessly; if he's being sarcastic, it's not audible in his tone, nor even obvious in his expression. Truly, he seems resigned, and perhaps even the faintest amount amused. "Well then. Wouldn't do to disappoint you, would it? And it'd be ungentlemanly for me to just sit on the beach and watch." Not that it's much of a beach, all rocky underfoot.

The jacket is cast onto rocks that seem dry, and it's only as Lilah's fingers catch on the hem of her tunic and start to hike it upwards that she offers to K'del, "You could always go back inside. R'hin said that you would keep your promise, but--. If it makes you uncomfortable, with Ali and all, I will understand." She even pauses, waits for an answer without removing her shirt for all that her arms are awkwardly holding it half up.

In answer, K'del begins unbuttoning his own shirt, shaking his head as he does say. "Said I would," he confirms. "And I meant it. Not like I haven't bathed in the public baths half a hundred times," and hopefully rather considerably more than that, "And given I suspect the water is freezing, it's not even remotely sexy, so."

"I promise not to laugh at it," Lilah offers in return, a hint of a smile appearing briefly at her lips before she pulls her shirt over her head. By the time it falls to join her jacket, the smile is gone again. It is quick work from there for the goldrider to yank off her boots and then wiggle out of trousers, before picking a careful path to the sea. And as she considers the cold water, she murmurs, "Should have found something high to jump off. Gotten it over all at once."

The glance K'del aims at Lilah, now, is mock-wounded, even if it quickly dissolves into a grin. His shirt is dropped, carelessly, to the sands; it's followed quickly by the rest of his clothes, after which he steps closer to the surf line, apparently unbothered by his nakedness. "That," he agrees, after a moment, "Would've made much more sense." Too late! Instead, he grabs for Lilah's hand, apparently intending (if she lets him) to take a running leap towards the water, and drag her in with him.

That extra tug may be the only thing that gets Lilah into the water, an undignified squeaking noise escaping the goldrider as soon as the cold sea meets warm flesh. "Fuck, fuck fuck," soon follow that up quickly, though, as her fingers tighten on his as if that will stop her from shivering. "Next time, somewhere warmer, ok? Ok."

"Fuuuuuuuck," gasps K'del, unconsciously echoing Lilah, though he's not stopped pulling her alongside him as he splashes deeper into the shallows. "Ista," he agrees, firmly, through teeth that have started to chatter. "Or Southern." Finally, he more-or-less throws himself deep enough for most of his body to be underwater, if he crouches; at least, then, there's no wind-chill.

"Maybe not Southern," is all Lilah murmurs, though it's through chattering teeth as she drifts to deeper waters even as K'del crouches. "It doesn't feel that different, being without clothes. Less weight, I guess. And I am a little worried something is going to come nibble at me, but--. I don't know what I expected." The last bit is almost sighed, almost.

K'del might smile, but that's difficult, when one is trying to press their teeth together to keep them from chattering (and, indeed, shattering). "Might be best," he suggests, after a moment, "Done by moonlight, with someone you love... or at least lust." Wrapping his arms about his shoulders, he adds, "In any case... happy turnday and all."

The goldrider gives little away at the suggestion except for a "Mmm" that may be lost in the sound of the ocean. "Thank you," Lilah says. "My last turnday, Eliyaveith was still so small and needy; I don't think I even remembered it until after it passed. Now, she's--. Well."

"Now she's busy producing her--" Only K'del stops, glancing back towards the headland, in the young queen's general direction; he frowns, then smooths his expression out again. "How," he says, instead, "Are things at Fort?"

"Better. Things are improving for us. I suppose it won't be long until we are back to what passes as normal," Lilah replies simply. The tension that may increase as K'del glances at the not egg-heavy queen may be hard to tell, as she is buried in cold water. "And High Reaches?"

To his (debatable, perhaps) credit, K'del doesn't comment on Eliyaveith, and nor does he give Lilah any glances that could be even remotely construed as concern, pity or anything else. His tone, when he answers, is neutral-leaning-towards-positive, though the cold subdues that even further. "Good," he says, firmly. "It's about time you had some good luck; seems like your Weyr and mine have had more than our fair share of the poor. Things are good for us, too, more or less." Perhaps he's ignoring, deliberately, the rumours of pirates. "Clutch should hatch soon, too. That's always a positive."

Despite the cold of the ocean, though she's slowly adjusting to that, a smile appears briefly at Lilah's lips. "I think it's entirely possible that Eliyaveith may drag me to be there," she says lightly, though a thread of quieter emotions flicker in dark eyes as she does glance to the Weyrleader. "Sometimes, I wish it were a Pass. Everything would be so much easier for both of our Weyrs."

K'del, paddling a little deeper, now, feet and hands propelling him carefully on, gives Lilah a considering glance. "Well," he says, "You'll be more than welcome." For the last, he presses blue-tinged lips together, head inclined forward just slightly. "Mmm," he agrees. "Possibility of burning, fiery death, or terrible maiming, but... simpler, in other ways. No one questions the purpose and value of a dragonrider, then."

"It is easier to go out in a blaze of glory than to struggle to subsist on scraps," murmurs Lilah, though she is quick to exhale a dismissive, quiet laugh and shake her head at her own words. Instead, she focuses on K'del, and adds, "You are going to freeze to death and then I will be blamed, and High Reaches will be without a Weyrleader."

K'del doesn't answer that murmur; doesn't even really seem to respond to it, though his gaze is certainly focused upon the goldrider. Then, abruptly, he laughs, head shaking in answer to that last comment. "You'll freeze as quickly as I, and no doubt it'll be my fault in some eyes. Come on: I started the fire before you arrived, at least, and there are blankets."

"You were prepared," Lilah approves with a small smile, quick to start back in the direction of the shore. It's likely that it feels even colder once she's out of the water, but the goldrider only picks up her bundle of clothes rather than donning it while still dripping wet, casting a considering glance towards K'del.

"Always." K'del lets out a string of muffled curses as he begins stepping out of the water, fair skin blue-tinged; it goes without saying that there is definite shrinkage. Following Lilah's lead, he simply picks up his clothes, and then takes off for the cabin: they might as well add 'streaking' to 'skinny-dipping,' right?

As promised, Lilah doesn't laugh at the image of the naked, cold bronzerider, but she does go as far as to offer wryly to him, "I think if I were going for romantic, cold oceans is really not the best choice." She's quick to follow him, for all that she picks a careful path over rocks to the cabin as best that she can manage.

K'del will do the laughing for Lilah, though it's as much for her comment as for his own state; indeed, he gives her an irreverent shrug. True to his promise, there's a fire going in the little cabin, and blankets set out, ready and waiting. "It'd be cold in that ocean even in high summer," he admits, wrapping one of the blankets around his shoulders, once they're both inside. "But... sure does make you feel alive, huh?"

"A little bit, yeah," Lilah agrees on a quick laugh, reaching to cover herself in one of those blankets as well. It's a universal rule that all blankets must be draped over the shoulders and be worn as capes, and she does it habitually, keeping it closed with one fist of fabric. "Was it better than the time your Weyrwoman made you jump into the lake, at least?"

The cabin isn't large: there's room for a bed, a table for two, and the little hearth and 'kitchen' area, plus a rack of tools for the vines. K'del lingers by the hearth, keeping his own blanket secure with one hand, while the other stokes the fire. "Hah," he says, with a laugh. "Much. You're better company. Tea? Klah? Whiskey?"

Lilah doesn't stay by the hearth, instead she wanders that small single room, pacing its boundaries curiously. Her fingers trail briefly over the tools, and then the bed, even as she calls back firmly, "Whiskey. If you have it, whiskey."

K'del's head turns, half his attention following Lilah's explorations, while the rest meanders elsewhere. "There's always whiskey," he promises. The bottle is kept up on the rough-hewn mantle; he fetches it down, now, along with two glasses, taking several trips to get all of it to the little table. "One of my brothers spends roughly half his time here," he notes, perhaps apropos of nothing. "Now that I'm too busy to dedicate as much time. He likes the solitude."

"How does he get here? Does he sail, or does dragonriding run in your family?" Lilah questions lightly, taking the time to complete her lap of the small cabin before returning to the table. She reaches for that bottle of whiskey, uncorking it to pour generous splashes of liquor into each glass. It would be graceful and practiced, if the presence of the blanket wrapped around her didn't make it awkward.

"My niece," explains K'del, leaving Lilah to deal with the drinks. "She Impressed a blue from Iesaryth's last clutch. She's young enough that her wingleader doesn't like to send her out alone for a lot of things - only barely sixteen, now - so she's been a lot of use." He reaches for one of the glasses, nursing it between the fingers of one hand.

"You must have been happy to have your family Impress at your Weyr." Lilah picks up her own glass, lifting it to her lips to test the liquor quietly, though her attention remains on K'del. Those dark eyes are prone to studying, and that is exactly what she does as he fiddles with his glass. "How many brothers do you have?"

K'del's silence is such that it may seem as though he's not happy about his niece's Impression, not at all. But then he clarifies, head shaking: "Suppose so? Her parents are happy that if it had to be somewhere, it's at least somewhere where there's family to keep an eye on her. It's strange, though, being her superior. My brother and sister-in-law will kill me, if any harm comes to her." He pauses only long enough to sniff his whiskey, then take a sip. "Six. All of them older. Two sisters, too; only one of them is younger."

"I am sure they would understand if something did. Not even a Weyrleader can control everything," Lilah reasons casually, her brows lifting upwards slightly as she brings her glass back to her lips. Hey, whiskey is warm and she is cold. "Are you close? To your family? You did, after all, build yourself a vineyard--."

"She'll always be their little girl," says K'del, the corners of his mouth twisting upwards. "But you're right, of course. I'm... we're reasonably close, yes. More, now that I'm not a teenage Weyrleader; that one was tough. My kids spend a lot of time with them, when they can. How about you?"

Lilah's lips lift in a similar smile, softly reflecting his as she replies, "Mm, I heard about that. What did it have to do with your family?" To the latter question, she merely shakes her head dismissively, rather than answer verbally.

Though there's obvious interest, from K'del, in Lilah's answer to his question, he doesn't press. Instead, he takes another sip from his glass, then sets it down so that he can adjust his blanket. "It was awkward for them. I was still little more than a kid, but out-ranked all of them; they're in Tillek, most of them, so my work had direct implications. Pretty much had to be graduated to the adult table, as it were, and it was... weird."

"I could see how that would make things awkward," Lilah agrees simply, her own drink lifted back to her lips. She probably doesn't realize the way her gaze follows that adjustment of blankets, watching for a moment before she does and pulls her gaze back to K'del's. "Running a Weyr as a teenager, in general, seems like one of those things no one wants. But, if we're going to allow our dragons to choose--."

If K'del notices the way Lilah watches, he makes no comment on it. Instead, he finishes that adjustment, and then reclaims his glass. "Mmm," he agrees. "It's one of those difficult things, isn't it? Do the dragons always know best? I'd argue the point. Cadejoth wasn't supposed to catch Iovniath; she and Tiriana had someone else in mind, someone who stabbed himself to avoid it. Certainly not ideal. But... what can we do?"

Lilah suggests wryly in the only way one can when making suggestions about thousand-year-old rules and traditions, "Change it?" Her shoulder shrugs upwards at her own statement and leading to her own quick adjustment of blankets as it tries to fall down. "Eliyaveith didn't even get caught by the dragon she wanted. Even if they do know best, still. As you said before, anything can happen in a flight."

The wryness of that makes K'del laugh, though there's something strained about his expression, too. "Iolene..." he begins. "She wanted to institute a council. It was one of the things we argued over; she wanted to sweep in and change everything, it felt like, because she didn't come from that tradition." Perhaps it's the recollection of his dead weyrmate that has him draining his glass so quickly.

"It can be tempting to think of change that would make things better, but--. You never know what changes may be worse or what their consequences could be for the future," Lilah replies in a quiet murmur, perhaps for the conversation or that look that K'del has. As he finishes his drink, she reaches out for the bottle of whiskey again to refill it, if he allows.

He allows: indeed, he holds out his glass at an appropriate level to facilitate the pouring. "Mm," K'del agrees, not much above a quiet murmur of his own. "That's just it. Change can be dangerous. Not... that you should avoid it at all costs, of course. But it's something to be done carefully. With consultation, too."

Lilah nods, the single gesture holding the weight of agreement, before she goes so far as to venture, "It is likely something that Ali is struggling with now that she's a Senior Weyrwoman in her own right."

"Yes," confirms K'del. "Especially when she's... well, she's been there a while now, but she's still an outsider, and that makes things difficult. No one wants someone from outside coming in and making changes; you have to do it carefully. Too few changes, and you're not showing them you're in charge. Too many, and... It'll be easier after Isyath's risen, of course."

"Another two turns, or less perhaps given her history," Lilah replies thoughtfully, lifting her own glass back to her lips as she considers that. "How is she doing with it all? The new Weyr, and you recently had another baby?"

"I'd say within the next turn," is K'del's opinion on the matter, though his shrug is even: these things can be difficult to predict. "She's doing well. It's hard, of course, balancing it all, but... she's very capable. Ishadel's nearly four months old, now." K'del is, plainly, a proud father: his smile is beaming. "And Iska is two. It's a nice age."

There is a soft, momentary mirror of K'del's smile on Lilah's lips as she offers, "Congratulations. It seems like everything is going well, then."

K'del's smile doesn't diminish - and then he laughs. "Don't say that; that's just asking for trouble." More seriously, though: "But yes. Feels that way. Things coming together." His gaze slides towards the closed door, pointed slightly upwards. "Ought to get back to the Weyr shortly, though. Cadejoth's eager to get back to the eggs." His tone is apologetic.

"Of course. I suppose I have kept you here too long," Lilah agrees, quick to rise from the table even as she drains the last of her glass. There is a hint of a wince as she does so, but the glass is set back down, empty.

K'del drains his own glass without a visible reaction, setting it back down upon the table alongside Lilah's. "But it was fun," he says, firmly. "And I was glad to get away, even briefly." The glasses get cleaned, the bottle of whiskey put away, and his clothes pulled back on; it's not long before he's ready to take his leave altogether, Cadejoth enthusiastic for his return to those progeny-to-be.

It doesn't take Lilah all that longer to don her own clothes and fold up that blanket back where she found it. "Anytime you need to get away--. Though, I suppose you do not need offers like that from goldriders, when you already have your own retreat built for yourself," she replies with inherent dismissal, considering the bronzerider for a moment. Whatever thoughts may be behind those dark eyes, though, she only adds, "Fort's duties, Weyrleader."

"It's good to have the company," says K'del, perhaps more firmly than he needs to: he isn't dismissing the offer, even if Lilah is; indeed, he's smiling. "And High Reaches' to Fort. Look after yourself-- both of you." And then they're off.