Logs:High Reaches crashes Fort's Hatching Feast
{{ Log | who = Aishani, Ali, Alida, Azaylia, Bria, E'ten, K'zin, N'dalis, N'muir, R'co, R'zi, Vash, Yamilet | where = Living Cavern, Fort Weyr | what = High Reaches riders join Fort's to celebrate, post-Hatching. | when = Day 18, month 1, turn 32 of Interval 10 | gamedate = 2013.06.22 | quote = | weather = | categories = | mentions = | ooc = This is the log from the point at which I joined; feel free to add in anything before that point! | icons = azaylia happy.jpg, r'co bigsmile.jpg | log = Living Cavern, Fort Weyr
Fort's enormous living cavern is a vast, echoing space, with deep set windows carved into the outer wall to let in light and fresh air. Large enough to house the entire human population of the Weyr with plenty of room to spare, the most common use of the living cavern is as a communal eating and gathering space. Long tables with benches usually line the main part of the cavern with a four-seater table set aside for the Weyrleaders as well as other smaller tables set along the walls for quieter dining. Tapestries depicting historic moments in the Weyr's history and scenery from the coverage area decorate the walls and lend the space a warmer feel than bare stone.
To the east, a large doorway leads out to the bowl, with a sturdy metal door that can be closed during inclement weather or Threadfall. The nighthearth is tucked away in a little alcove near the door. The large main hearth is used for cooking and for heat, sharing a wall with the kitchen's big hearths and banks of ovens. Chairs are often pulled up by the hearth for the Weyr's elderly to enjoy the heat. A swinging door allows easy passage back and forth between the caverns and the kitchen. To the west, a passage opens up into the Weyr's inner caverns.
It's still snowing outside, and so even in the short trip across the bowl, Ali's fur cloak is dusted in a sprinkling of white. Of course, part of that could well have been her lengthy pause to gaze skyward at Isyath's circling form, the queen claiming her normal space in Fort's skies, even if she can barely be glimpsed through the descending snow. Handing her cloak off, the weyrwoman's making a noteable beeline for drinks, gaze deliberately downcast.
The cool winter's breeze helps to soothe the heat of the galleries, and Azaylia is looking somewhat refreshed as she enters the living caverns. Obviously 'Reachian in a dark blue gown with white fur trim, the weyrwoman has managed to find her smile during the short walk from sands to feast. There's no longer sweat on her brow, but a glittering silver chain that adorns her temples with delicate flowers. With a drink in mind, it takes perhaps an embarrassingly long time for her to recognize Ali but when she does, "High Reaches duties, weyrwoman Ali. It was a lovely clutch." And of course, Hraedhyth's excitement can still be felt among dragonkind.
At least K'zin and Alida are exercising their manners tonight. They pause, arm in arm, just inside to dust themselves free of the majority of the snow that clung to their riding leathers. K'zin unbuttons his jacket again, sliding it off to look a little more Hatching-Feast-appropriate in his blue-silk shirt, the collar and cuffs embroidered with black, yellow and green. Once they've exercised this manner, the next is to offer the lady a drink. It's done silently though, and silently accepted, so soon enough K'zin and Alida are nearing Azaylia and Ali at the drink table. The next manner? A salute, of course, but not, at least from K'zin, a verbal interruption of the goldriders' exchanges.
One of the benefits of rank is sliding right up to the front of the drinks table - and Ali's gaze is flickering over the various offerings when Azaylia's greeting brings her gaze up. A pause, and recognition lights her expression, "Thank you. Fort's duties to High Reaches as well. It was-" /she/ can't quite bring herself to agree on the latter sentiment, so she lamely adds, again: "Thank you." She doesn't notice K'zin and Alida immediately, but the salute gets her attention, with a smile and another murmured, "Fort's duties." There's a sense of excitement, too, from Isyath, though it's slightly different: less excited about the hatching itself, moreso about being free of the sands, and having the freedom of Fort's skies.
Murmuring something to K'zin when she sees his fine shirt, Alida shrugs once, finally removing her arm from her taller companion's, then taking off her own jacket, where the simple, but clean clothes of a weyrling can be seen. The jacket is laid over her inner shoulder, Azaylia and Ali given a very proper and militarily crisp salute, along with an alto, "'Reaches duties..." to the Fortian goldie. For Zay, a somewhat more familiar, "Ilicaeth says Hraedhyth's bubblin' like a lava pot." A wee smirk for that exchange, a wink, and unless they're needed, the guard accompanies Wak ionward.
Unintentionally pulling rank herself, Azaylia follows Ali to the front, passing the wine for something far more bubbly and mild. The Fortian junior's hesitation doesn't go without notice, and her hand reaches-- hovers, before touching lightly on Ali's arm. "I am sorry about the... one left. But the rest are so healthy and look wonderful." Or as wonderful as slimy babies can look, clearly the weyrwoman is biased. She chooses a tall flute of pale liquid, cradling it as K'zin and Alida both salute, smile growing, "Senior Weyrlings." The affectionate greeting is followed by, "Hraedhyth enjoys any reason to celebrate." Even so, surely she's on her best behavior.
N'muir enters the Living Cavern accompanied by a sweeping cluster of snowflakes, his leathers coated in a light layer of frost that quickly melts from the warmth of the room. Ali is spotted and her position very pointedly avoided for the time being but lingering around without a drink and running the risk of becoming the victim of agree parental rants eventually pushes the bronzerider closer at least, if only to get a drink. Alida and K'zin would go unnoticed except that, you know, they are Reachian. And that's something in this place. "You aren't familiar to me." What happened to the old-fashioned standard of 'hey, I'm N'muir! Welcome to my home! Who are you'?
There's a touch of blush to K'zin's cheeks as he gives that salute and there's an audible murmur to Alida, "Ras makes me keep one in my bag, 'just in case'." A self-conscious touch to the shirt helps piece together the puzzle for those who didn't hear the bluerider's earlier remark to her wingmate. Then there are more manners to be seen to. The tall young man seems a little uncertain of the smile he offers to Ali, "'Reaches duties," He echoes the blonde on his arm, "to Fort and her queens," He adds to his own. Then Alida's reaching toward Ali and he slides his arm free of hers, as though to step free from association in case touching a Fortian goldrider is bad form. He doesn't seem to know what to say on the topic of the Hatching, so he just stays silent, looking a touch awkward, and instead looks to Azaylia, "Evening, ma'am. You're looking--" A pause, "-resplendent." Thanks Rasavyth! The weyrling's smile is briefly sheepish.
There's a slow breath from Ali, and a much more genuine, heartfelt, "Thank you," at the touch of the other goldrider's hand - and then she's looking at the drinks again, because, "Sorry, I-" and the dark haired woman's reaching for the nearest glass, not caring what it is, and downing it. If nothing else, it brings a flush of color to her cheeks, and with a somewhat embarrassed look at Azaylia, "I'm not much of a drinker." Still, she collects a second, non-empty glass with the intention of it being more than just a prop. This time, she gives more attention to the pair of weyrlings, with a more genuine smile. "You're betweening already? It goes so fast. Are you-" and then she's staring at N'muir with mouth half open. She'd probably accept that offer of hand, if she weren't busy staring at her Weyrleader.
"I've learned to be." Azaylia supplies perhaps too brightly, about being much of a drinker. Perhaps it's meant to be a joke, but there's no flinch from the weyrwoman as she takes a long sip from her glass. K'zin's compliment tickles more than the bubbles in her drink, "Thank you. You look very nice-- Rasavyth helped?" She can only assume. The appearance of Fort's Weyrleader maintains that warm smile, and while his greeting isn't conventional, "Two of our weyrlings, Weyrleader. Both impressed during Hraedhyth's first clutch." One half of the whole affair, as it's likely known.
K'zin's appreciation of Azaylia's choice of dress is curtailed by the arrival and observation -- or is that accusation -- of the Fortian Weyrleader. A crisp salute is snapped. "High Reaches duties, sir. K'zin, senior weyrling to Rasavyth." Since an identification seems to be needed.
A small smirk for Waki's coloring cheeks trails into a definite nod for his assessment of Azaylia's fine dress, the Reachian weyrwoman getting a rarer, easy smile from the pale-blonde, who then nods again to Ali's inquiry. "Terrorizin' everywhere..." the woman notes in her NewYork minute accent, complete with harsher, clipped tone...then giving Ali a droll little smirk-smile plus a wink, just in case her glib words weren't obvious enough. See Zay, she's actually being *good*, for once. No swearing, either! And then there's N'muir approaching, 'greeting' them, and once again, the senior weyrling goes through the proper motions, her grin disappearing behind a fortress of steely-will and propritey, the Weyrleader given her second, militaristic salute. "Alida, blue Ilicaeth's senior weyrling, High Reaches, sir." She's about as on the ball as possible. A look of quiet thanks is flicked over to Azaylia for adding to her (and K'zin's) own introductions to N'muir.
It's been long enough that some of the weyrlings have been able to get their newly hatched dragons settled. R'zi's quick to leave the barracks once Tajireth's fast asleep, tracking snow into the caverns as he makes his way almost directly for the food. It doesn't look like there's any family to greet him, judging by the way he barely looks around.
N'muir pours himself a hefty cup of wine that is far too full to be proper wine etiquette, nearly spilling it even as he lifts it the short distance from the table to his mouth. Thankfully, that first gulp is a big one! Light brown eyes drift over the rim of his cup of wine to catch that stare from his junior weyrwoman, the intention of it not lost on him. "Be..cause... I love... meeting new people?" Right. Although despite his lack of enthusiasm for the words, he does smile and nod succinctly at the Senior Weyrlings. "Senior Weyrling K'zin." And in turn: "Senior Weyrling Alida. Pleased to meet you both." Is Ali's look still there? Does he dare check? Just a little, and out of the corner of his eye. Just in case she explodes.
N'dalis is just far enough behind R'zi that it makes sense for him not to have caught up to the other weyrling - or maybe it's just that he's still utterly bewildered, his eyes uncannily wide, even now. He /has/ managed to change out of his robe and into trousers and a shirt, at least, though some of his buttons are done up all wrong. /He/ doesn't seem to expect family either, because he's easily nudged towards the serving tables, and doesn't look around.
There's a sidelong glance at the other goldrider, Ali clearly unsure if it's a joke or not. So, she settles for, "The Bollian vintages are the fruitiest but they're so easy to- to forget how many you've had." Wine talk is safe, and safer than getting involved in N'muir's greeting, such that it is. The High Reaches weyrlings earn a pleased smile from the Fortian at /their/ politeness, and it's followed by a /look/ towards N'muir. See? Still, he /seems/ to acquit himself, mostly, enough that Ali leans in to murmur something to Azaylia.
Ali whispers "I'm /so/ sorry. He's... he's..." even /she/ struggles to come up with an excuse, "...a bronzerider." to Azaylia.
Coming in from the bowl, brushing melting snow from her hair as if the flakes might be bugs, not mere water, Aishani is accompanied by E'ten. The weyrlings that track past in search of food get an interested look, gaze following after them. "That was fast," she notes. Her attention lingers there, curious, before she takes in the rest of the cavern and crowd. The small group of weyrlings, weyrwomen and weyrleader is spotted with a brief nod, a swift smile. To the bronzerider, "Find me a drink and I'll consider you off-duty? For all the company is appreciated."
The back of Azaylia's hand touches to her lips, not completely masking the curling edges of her lips. "I'm not for strong wine, but I look forward to trying those vintages." Equal oppertunist when it comes to tasty beverages. With a light clearing of her throat, the weyrwoman's hand drops to reveal a smile that is more proud than it is amused. Now, at least. But the weyrlings' manners inspire some pride, "I hope you two enjoyed your first out-Weyr hatching?" No doubt she did, eyes sparkling even more after Ali's lean. It's subtle, the way her lips move behind her tilted glass while she has the Fortian junior close.
Azaylia whispers, "Don't apologize." Now there's no hiding the mirth carried in her quiet tone, "If only all bronzeriders were so..." A quiet laugh, "...genuine." But Ali's sentiment is shared: Oh, bronzeriders." to Ali.
The speed with which R'zi collects food is probably typical of a teenage boy, piling his plate high to his satisfaction. It's about here that he becomes aware of N'dalis' presence, with a distinct sort of frown. "You followin' me?" he mutters to the other weyrling in a deliberate Bollian drawl.
Giving the newly made weyrlings a nod as they pass, E'ten may be in more amusement over that and Aishani's comment tagged onto them. "I dare say the dragonets are stuffed and are likely to wake up in a little while. May as well let them eat now because I don't know how much sleep they're going to get in the coming days," he notes, voice not quite laughing as he lowers his arm and gestures to the table where he's at least spotted other knots of Reaches' colors. "I'll be able to spot you if you wanted to settle somewhere while I find you a drink for both of us. I think some of your riders are over there and that may be Ali as well."
N'dalis is not paying R'zi any attention at all, but even he can't ignore that mutter - it turns his thoughts from the plate he's been slowly filling, and turns his gaze, too. "No," he says, promptly. "Why would I do /that/? Unless you need a tail on you from now on, just in case."
"Yes, ma'am." K'zin answers Azaylia's query once introductions are completed with N'muir. He seems unbothered by the conventionality (or lack there of) of the greeting; but then, he's a man. It was more than a grunt, so isn't that good enough? There's even a touch of confusion for the way Ali stares, but he's not about to get in the middle of what's not his business. But really, it's Azaylia who ends up with the brunt of K'zin's awkward look at the question. He takes his time to take up a mug of beer before giving a little nod of his head. Instead of commenting on the hatching directly, however, he compliments, instead, directing this to both N'muir and Ali, "It looks like it's going to be one shelling great party." So much for the not swearing Alida was doing. K'zin's got it covered! A little wince follows though, so surely someone disapproves.
Bria makes her way into the cavern a little while after the boys. She's known where it is for awhile now so the slightly lost expression she wears might be a little unreasonable. And despite her complaints about hunger earlier, food seems to be the last thing on her mind now. Instead she hovers near the entrance she used, off to the side and out of the way, glancing over faces she doesn't know and some that she does but not quite sure what to do about either.
Her intense greens flick over present company again when the weyrwomen start to talk, and this is what allows astute Alida to notice Ali's small stink-eye offered to her Weyrleader. She's too disciplined to show it on her face, but the weyrling's eyes appear to chuckle at the recrimination. To K'zin is quietly murmured, "I say we take the champagne while it's flowin'..." the Reachian then scraping her gaze over to the most newly-minted weyrlings from Fort who enter. And then Zay's getting her attention with her words, the Reaches goldie given a sudden and almost shark-like grin that exposes even, white teeth. "We've only just started, ma'am." Nothing like a little disquietude with your decorousness, eh Azaylia?! Heh-heh. Wicked bluie. With N'muir's words of baby dragons and eating and no sleep, the senior weyrling cannot help but softly groan as she remembers her months of hell while her bouncing, battling baby blue was growing up. A gentle and hidden elbow is jabbed into K'zin's side for his small cuss, the bluerider then murmuring, "Be a decent guy, hm, 'n nab us some champagne?" Smirk.
With Ali sharing secrets with the Reachian weyrwoman, N'muir takes his escape route, and quickly: "Yes, well, a shelling great party needs a shelling good host so if you'll please excuse me..." He gives a proper salute to Azaylia. "Fort's duties, Weyrwoman." K'zin and Alida are given another nod, and finally Ali and her secret murmurings. "Weyrwoman." And then he's off, heading in any direction away. E'ten becomes his target, and Aishani by association. Is it her closeness with E'ten that draws the fondness to his voice? "Weyrwoman Aishani. How is Iesaryth?" And of course, her companion: "Wingrider."
Is that a smile from R'zi, or a baring of teeth? And no Elise in sight to separate them, either. But still, the brown weyrling has food, and that's... important. "/I/ don't, but /you/ seem to have a grudge against me." His gaze flickers from N'dalis to Bria: look, a distraction! "Bria, over here!"
"Ah. Yes." Aishani says that as if she hadn't noticed the group E'ten's pointing out; her brows come together in a momentary frown. But that passes as she offers a quick, bright smile, nodding. "If it'll make me easier to spot-- Ah, Weyrleader." Is that relief, saved by the bronzerider? "High Reaches' duties. Congratulations and... well, condolences." Her lips purse before moving on: "Iesaryth is fascinated by the hatchlings, and generally doing well. I hope Bijedth is as well." She doesn't say 'given the givens', but it's in her expression as she looks up at N'muir.
Chewing her lower lip briefly, Ali looks like she's trying to cover a smile, giving Azaylia a sidelong look of brief mirth before she takes a deliberate sip of her wine. "If you're interested - I'll let you know when Boll plans for its next Gather. They put on the best wines then, and you get the best pick of stock if you go." So she /hears/ anyway. K'zin's compliment earns a pleased smile from the Fortian junior for both the High Reaches weyrlings. "I'm glad to hear that. I do hope you'll stay for the dancing, both of you - that's the part I enjoy most." Her gaze shifts, and she takes note of the arrival of the Fortian weyrlings, with a brief, if noticeable frown.
"You /snuck/ onto the sands," says Dal, his voice raising a little. It probably won't carry /too/ far, given the crowds in the cavern, but it's there nonetheless. "You're a lying cheat. And yet you wonder why people don't trust you. Well, /I/ don't." The emotion of the day seems to have caught itself up in his voice, which threatens to break in a way it probably hasn't since he was a teenager.
Yamilet sashays her way through the crowd, fluttering from group to group with her cup of ale like the social bird she is until she spots a familiar face at a very opportune time. "Jazi!" Right name or not, Yamilet's sights are set on R'zi and she flutters over to him, keen on wrapping her arms around him without care for anyone else in close proximity. Her smile is beaming, cheeks rosy with the weight of the warm room or the contents of her cup in equal parts. "I'm so happy for you!" she exclaims, her voice filled with earnest emotion. N'dalis is an afterthought. "And you too! Congratulations, you guys are /clutchmates/! That's, like, closer than brothers."
With the encouragement from R'zi, Bria starts weaving her way through the crowd toward the other pair of shiny new weyrlings. If she's really picked up on their animosity toward each other now that things are all over, she doesn't really show it. "Dal! Razi!" is her greeting, though she gives Yamilet a less certain look.
"Weyrleader." Spoken with a polite nod to N'muir, E'ten does remain for just a few moments longer as he gestures to those cups of wine floating about the room with that same hand he's been gesturing with. "I was just going to find Weyrwoman Aishani a glass of wine. Did you need a refill while I go in search of at least two glasses. I can make it three, likely. It's not like I can't find either of you anywhere in the room." It'll be easy.
"I didn't sneak. I was /asked/," R'zi retorts, hastily, unable to let the accusation go. He's busy puffing himself up for some further response when he hears 'Jazi', and he looks and, oh. "Oh... hi, Yamilet," kind of awkwardly, like they weren't in the middle of a verbal fight. She glances between Yamilet and N'dalis with a kind of puzzled look that becomes a narrowing of gaze. Brothers? Vash is a welcome distraction: "Grab some food? We'll find somewhere to sit."
Rosy-cheeked and smug, R'co, while preened, has a certain /air/ to him when he comes in from the bowl, side by side with the same Fortian he'd sat with in the galleries. After a brief, whispered exchange, the 'Reaches brownrider peels away from the local, making his way through the crowd to find himself a drink. Once he's got one, he tries to look through the crowd for familiar faces by rising up on his tiptoes to do so. It's not the most efficient of moves, but it does allow him to spot Azaylia, to whom he makes his way. "Weyrwoman Azaylia," he coos once he's close enough, offering those around her a polite nod of greeting.
Given N'dalis' expression? R'zi is one part of the family tree he'd like to chop off at the root. But that fades: he forces something more akin to neutrality into his features, giving Bria an encouraging nod and adding, to Yamilet, "Yes, ma'am. Thank you." It might be better if he doesn't pursue R'zi, right at this moment.
"Weyrleader N'muir." Azaylia nods as he excuses himself, unable to stifle the soft giggle-- though no disrespect is meant. With her glass drained, and still so close to the table, she chooses a much thicker glass filled with something much stronger. Darker. "Oh?" For Alida, "Just don't give Quinlys anymore headaches." Content with the company of familiar weyrlings and weyrwoman Ali, she turns back to the clutchmother. So to speak, "I hope you don't mind me asking..? There seemed to be a lot more candidates..." Her perhaps impolite question is interrupted by R'co's greeting, "Hello, R'co. Enjoy the hatching?" A quick introduction to the company she keeps, "Brownrider R'co." Seems to be plenty of 'Reachian representatives this evening.
There's a grunt from K'zin at the elbow from Alida, but it's nothing he's not used to from the normally ornery blonde anyway. It's enough prompting to have him reaching for and passing the bluerider a champagne. Let her have her bubbly drink; he'll stick with his beer. A nod follows N'muir's departure, before Ali's words of dancing have great-big-smile breaking onto his face, "I wouldn't miss it for anything, ma'am. Do you dance? I can count on all of you ladies to help fill my dance card, can't I? I didn't have enough toss dances at our feast." And this is the first big party he's attended since, so who can blame the eager boy. His eyes are drawn briefly to the weyrlings who've entered, measuring them briefly, possibly as prospective dance partners. Then back to the group, which has now been joined by the blond R'co. Having been just taking a sip of his beer when brown eyes found the brownrider near the goldrider, his perhaps over-abundance of surprise has him coughing... and coughing. It does trail off before it becomes too worrisome, though a bright blush is left on his cheeks.
N'muir tips his head in half-acceptance of Aishani's word. "Thank you," he murmurs with some hint of awkwardness, noting as he stares down into his wine: "I'll pass on the sentiment to Weyrwoman Ali." Better then that she doesn't well long, and he flashes a brief smile. "I'm glad to hear," of Iesaryth's well being. "I haven't seen her for a while, although granted things have been rather busy. I'm sure you can imagine." His head bobs again. "Bijedth is good. His own clutch is just over a half a Turn old... a little younger than Iesaryth's, if I remember?" N'muir checks his wine before looking to E'ten with something akin to humour brimming in his eyes. "You should just get a whole 'skin for us, I think. What's one wineskin between the three of us? Unless... Weyrwoman, you /will/ drink, won't you?"
It's frickin' saluting day, apparently, and since Alida's on good behavior, she fires yet another militaristic one of those suckers off for both Aishani and E'ten, the pale-blonde's back ramrod-straight while giving such proper greetings. "Ma'am; and 'Reaches duties..." is noted crisply to shani and the Fortian bronzer. Even as her guard's ears are picking up on the small static from the new weyrlings just beyond them, the woman's nodding briskly to Ali, and noting wryly, "Maybe I'll step on K'zin's tones 'n make 'im screech, this time." Smirk. The departing N'muir earns another, more prefunctionary salute. R'co's arrival draws a very neutral expression, a faint bob of head, and nothing more. Ah, and then her champagne is arriving via Waki, and the bronzer gets her crisp, "Thanks, toots," before she's sipping from her flute of yummy bubbly goodness.
Ali immediately looks uncomfortable at Azaylia's question, but she's far too polite not to answer, even if she takes another sip of her wine first. "They- they were asked to leave candidacy," she says, firmly. "We couldn't be sure if they- if they could be- trusted. After last time, I- /we/ weren't going to take that risk." Except the flush of color to her cheeks suggests she's not quite so confident in that decision as she was /before/. The other goldrider's greeting of R'co is more than welcome, if for the distraction side of things: "Welcome to Fort, R'co," the junior murmurs, and Alida's comment about dancing receives a rueful sort of smile, by way of answer to K'zin, "I /love/ to dance," she murmurs, with a warm sentiment, "Even when I /wasn't/ so good at it myself- but I had lots of practice since then."
Something about all the 'Weyrwoman'-ing makes Aishani grimace, if faintly. "We are imposing," she tells E'ten, straight-faced, and does her best to imitate N'muir's particular brand of looming in the other man's direction. "Thank /you/," she replies to N'muir, for some reason grateful to have that passed on. "And yes, things have been busy. The Turnover tends to do that, I think, and we
