Logs:Weyrling Graduation - Hraedhyth x Cadejoth
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| RL Date: 15 November, 2014 |
| Who: Azaylia, Jadzia, K'del, K'zin, N'vad, Quinlys, R'hin, V'ros |
| Type: [[Concept:{{{type}}}|{{{type}}}]] |
| What: Weyrlings graduate! Most people have a good time. |
| Where: Mountain Meadow, High Reaches Area |
| When: Day {{{day}}}, Month {{{month}}}, Turn {{{turn}}} ({{{IP}}} {{{IP2}}}) |
| Mentions: Prinavi/Mentions, Telavi/Mentions, Teris/Mentions, Torani/Mentions |
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>---< Mountain Meadow (TP Room - HRW) >--------------------------------------<
A long, broad valley sandwiched between taller mountain peaks, its lush
grasses stand at waist height in the summertime and sway gently in the
constant breeze, dying back only in early winter. In spring, the meadow
comes alive, turning the ocean of green into a sea of reds, blues, yellows
and oranges as tiny flowers burst into bloom. At dawn and dusk, small
herds of wild herbivores might be seen at the end of the valley as shadowy
shapes who keep well away from visitors. Winding along the edge of the
mountain base as it follows a downward slope, a small stream provides
clear, fresh water from the snow-capped peaks.
Available Commands: +tp/help
-----------------------------< Active Players >-----------------------------
Azaylia F 27 5'9" Sturdy, Black hair, Brown eyes 1m
Jadzia F 22 5'6 Strong, blonde hair, blue eyes 1m
K'del M 33 6'4" Slender, Toffee hair, Baby Blue eyes 0s
K'zin M 22 6'1" Muscled, Brown hair, Brown eyes 2m
N'vad M 44 6'1" Slim, Ginger hair, Blue eyes 27s
Quinlys F 30 5'4" Soft, Dark red hair, Blue eyes 0s
R'hin M 52 6'1 lean, sandy hair, pale blue eyes 59s
V'ros M 21 5'8 Slim, Brown hair, Brown eyes 5m
----------------------------< Idlers + Objects >------------------------------
Scene Set
----------------------------------< Exits >---------------------------------
Out
>-------------------------------------< 11D 4M 36T I10, spring morning >---< It's soon after dawn on the eleventh day of month four when word goes out, first via dragon and then spreading further afield, that today is the day; it's graduation and spring picnic day! By mid-morning, everything is prepared, and weyrfolk begin to gather in the chosen location, spreading blankets over the grass and setting up long trestle tables soon to be covered in food and drink. There seems to be no real formality to the day; no speeches, no presentations. Nice day or no, there's a cool breeze out here, and while the sun is warm, it's far from hot. Still, K'del has rolled his sleeves up and removed his shoes, abandoning unnecessary clothing items to the blanket he and his family have staked out. Quinlys has gone a step further, donning a distinctly summery dress that shows off goose-pimpled shoulders, though her expression is utterly carefree; this is, after all, a celebration. She's free! Recently arrived, R'hin's dressed in a pair of black slacks and loose brown shirt, the material well-made and suitable for the occasion. While he's grinning at some of the no-longer-weyrlings, he passes by them for now without discussion, making a beeline for Quinlys. He's got a small bottle of some dark liquid in hand, presenting it by way of interception, "Tradition," he says, with a grin. "Can I steal you for a drink or two?" Jadzia has probably been around since people were told to show up. She never really made close friends with her fellow weyrlings and this is the sort of thing people like celebrating with their friends. So Jadzia celebrates with booze. Booze is always there for her. That's why they get along so well. She's dressed comfortably more than nicely, in pants and a light sweater that's a little too big and hangs off one of her shoulders where she sits on a blanket in the grass. Quinlys turns to face R'hin, her contented expression broadening into smug pleasure. "You always have the best ideas," she declares, sunnily, with a toss of red curls. "And since I'm now free," yes, she's heavily in denial about that other group of weyrlings, the ones that aren't graduating just yet, "There's no reason for me not to take you up on that." K'del pads across the grass on bare feet, pausing every so often to stop and converse with someone; he's relaxed and at ease, keeping his conversations superficial. Eventually, he ends up not far from Jadzia's blanket, and it's then that he diverts his path towards her. "Wey-- brownrider," he greets. "Congratulations." There's a surprised twitch of brows from R'hin about the notion of being free, but still he doesn't seem about to destroy that particular illusion. With a gallant gestures, he opens the bottle and brandishes it towards the Weyrlingmaster to take the first drink. It's strong, a plum brandy, and the bronzerider waits until she's at least taken a sip before he says, "So, does that mean I'm getting Telavi back, now?" with a completely innocent expression. The brownrider lifts her gaze up, up, up to K'del's face, along with a hand to shield her eyes from the sun. She even offers a smile, though she doesn't go so far as to get up. "Thank you, Weyrleader. Glad to be done with all that, I gotta say." Jadzia doesn't offer him a seat, either, probably assuming he'll be continuing on his way as he has been. Azaylia buzzes about like a happy little vtol, pale sundress fluttering around her as she greets and congratulates those once-weyrlings. Any excuse to dress down, the goldrider is barefoot as well, with a side-braid instead of a fancy updo. Hraedhyth is an extension of her rider's pride, a loud roar occasionally sounding in the distance as she tries to goad the now-grown dragons into her games. As Hraedhyth keeps close to Cadejoth, the Weyrwoman has bumped into K'del a few times now drawn by familiarity and draconic bond. She comes up behind him to smile at Jadzia, placing a hand on his arm in wordless greeting: hello again! "Congratulations, Jadzia! Are you and Savroveth excited?" She certainly is. Plainly, Quinlys notices that twitch of brows, her gaze briefly steely as if in warning: don't. Still, she's in too good a mood - and, you know, being offered brandy - for that to last; her mouth curves brightly, as she accepts the bottle for a long, satisfied sip. Pausing, and using the back of her free hand to wipe her mouth, she turns her gaze upwards to eye Savannah's wingleader. "No, I've decided to keep her. Perhaps I'll chain her up in my weyr." Amusement is visible in R'hin's pale gaze, though he looks satisfied when the Weyrlingmaster takes a sip of the liquid. "She'll probably enjoy that," the Wingleader suggests, content to play along with the dream for now, it seems. "I'll set up some sort of daring midnight rescue, throw her over my shoulder and carry her to freedom." K'del's head half-turns at the touch of Azaylia's hand upon his arm, but the sound of her voice - a clear identification - turns his attention back towards Jadzia and her bottle. "Remember that feeling well," he admits, then, answering her comment with an upturned smile; amused in recollection. "Turn's not so long, really, except that it can feel like a lifetime. Right, Azaylia?" K'zin would probably love to have overheard the Telavi's two wingleaders discussing her fate because surely he'd have something to say about it-- at least the chaining part, but alas he is too far away, settled on his stomach on a blanket with his head bowed over a sketchbook in quiet, clandestine conversation with one of the still weyrlings, T'lan, who evidently does exist despite Quinlys' excellent imagination. Over the tilt of the bottle - a second sip is apparently vitally important right now - Quinlys' eyes gleam with amusement. She offers it back after she's swallowed, though, telling R'hin, breezily, "You can try. She might like that. Romance. Shells knows I've not much of that to offer, but then... romance isn't always top priority, is it?" Beat. "She'll likely have some more time now, at least. When I let her out. Me, I'll be aiming for a hard-earned vacation, but who am I to judge the work ethics of others?" Jadzia offers the same smile to the Weyrwoman as she did the Weyrleader. "Sure, we're excited," she says, though she doesn't sound particularly excited. Savroveth is probably more obviously excited, but he's, fortunately, not sitting here on the blanket. "It's not so long," she admits. "Especially when you think about how long an apprentice is an apprentice." With a low-throated chuckle, R'hin accepts the bottle back, and takes a generous gulp. He doesn't hang onto the bottle for that long, offering it back to the Weyrlingmaster as he says, "She probably would," he agrees. "Vacation?" he echoes, with a hint of laughter. "You mean, you don't want to come work for me, too?" He's clearly not being serious, pale gaze amused as his eyes flicker past her briefly. Wrapping pale fingers around the bottle, Quinlys lets out a snort of laughter. "Please. I'm about as stealthy as-- shells, a gold dragon. I don't really get what you lot get up to, but I know I'm better suited keeping clear. Anyway, my bosses might have me murdered if I got a taste for it and quit my day job." She's teasing, too, hair bobbing about her shoulders as she shakes her head, and goes in for another drink. "Honestly, I still have little moments of panic when I think about weyrlinghood." Azaylia's laugh is a soft one, embarrassed to be saying as much but the casual atmosphere brings that out in her. "Hraedhyth didn't make it easy." She gives an agreeable nod toward K'del before her bright eyes turn back to Jadzia. "I never thought about it that way." She doesn't think too deeply on that, instead giving a little bounce where she stands, "Any plans before you're tapped into a wing?" "I can negotiate some vacation days for you," R'hin continues, persisting in spite of her snorting reaction, but only after her next sip, as if the alcohol might persuade her otherwise. "Your bosses?" he echoes Quinlys, and his gaze drifts towards where Azaylia and K'del are talking with Jadzia, lips twitching upwards. Leaning close to the bluerider, he murmurs conspiratorially, "I bet they'd up your vacation time if you threatened to, at least," with a knowing laugh. Laughter seizes both T'lan and K'zin simultaneously before the sketchbook is quickly shut and T'lan is tucking it away in his pants as the bronzerider, grinning at him, shifts to take his leave, getting up off the blanket and stretching. It's alright to just be friends with a still-weyrling at a party, right? It's not like K'zin has ever really commanded much teacherly respect, what with his capacity being unofficial. Still, he's here and heading to make the rounds to offer his congratulations to those who are no longer weyrlings... and to get another sandwich. "Cadejoth, either," acknowledges K'del. "And then-- mm. Well, I was only sixteen. It was so strange when I was around apprentices my own age, knowing they'd started their training long before me, and here I was, finished and with rank of a kind." Beat. "Weird." His blue gaze considers Jadzia for a few moments more, then glances sidelong at Azaylia. To both, "Make use of the freedom, if you can. Though, really... the point is just to work out what you want out of life, I guess." Again, Quinlys lifts her eyebrows over the bottle, and laughs. Her gaze does not follow R'hin's towards the weyrleaders, but perhaps she's aware of where he might be looking, anyway; "Bet they might. Really, though, with only one queen, now--" A pause. That's a more serious topic, and one that has her shaking her head. "Well, it could be a few turns before we're put into action again. So." Over by the little stream, a cheer goes up from a group of Boreal riders, saluting their newest wingmate - one of the group's greenriders. A few of the other newly graduated weyrlings seem envious; first tapping, after all! R'hin doesn't miss the cheering of the Boreal riders, although it only attracts his attention briefly before it returns to Quinlys. He clucks his tongue briefly as she turns the conversation serious. "If you're a serious drunk, I might need to steal back that bottle," he warns, though moments later, he's adding along those same lines, albeit in lower tones, "There are other options. They sent a queen to Telgar," he points out, "And they just had a gold hatch. Strong looking, too, to a weyrbred girl. With Prinavi, Teris, and," a moment's hesitation, barely noticeable, "Torani, they'll have a full house." Azaylia is startled into standing up straight by Boreal, turning so Jadzia and K'del don't have their ears blown out by her deafening cheer! Okay so it's more of a delicate yay. When she turns back it's with a bright smile, "None?" She's not judging Jadzia, just surprised. "I suppose just taking it easy is a plan in itself." So cheery, painfully so. For K'del, she leans in to give him a faint nudge, "I bet you were an adorable little weyrling. Though, Cadejoth was probably cuter." K'zin's laugh is mostly covered by his cough. No really. He didn't mean to come up to the Weyrleaders-and-brownrider with sandwich in hand (and quickly stuffed into his mouth so he has an excuse not to immediately talk) just when Azaylia was commenting about how adorable K'del and Cadejoth probably were as weyrlings. With full mouth he greets them, puffy cheeked with a sound that might be translated as hello if he weren't trying not to talk with his mouth full. Telavi's clearly been making progress with house-breaking. Quinlys drops her gaze towards the bottle, then offers the bottle back to R'hin. "it's not my fault you bring up serious topics," she begins, though it's clear she's rather more focused on the rest of what he's brought up. "Do you think they might do it? Telgar, offer. High Reaches, ask? Or whichever way, I guess. I mean, we've not had a gold hatch here since Hraedhyth, and that's turns ago, now." Jadzia's attention is drawn toward the cheering, but she doesn't do any cheering of her own except for the brief lift of her drink before she downs the rest of it. "Taking it easy is always nice. I hope you two get enough of that." Not that Jadzia takes it very easy even when she's taking it easy, as often as she's out running herself to exhaustion. Her attention shifts briefly to K'zin when he arrives and she, finally, seems to feel the need to stand. Maybe so she can refill her drink. "Cadejoth was-- hello, K'zin. Fine day, isn't it?" K'del's tone is too cheery for there to be reprimand in there for the sandwich-stuffed greeting, though his gaze does turn to regard the younger bronzerider, brows raised ever so slightly. "Mm, not as much as I'd necessarily always like," he adds, in answer to Jadzia. "But some. Days like today help, at least. Spring. It's lovely to see, isn't it?" Surely Jadzia isn't going to run away from scintillating conversation like this! "If it hasn't come up yet, it probably will, soon. You can't be the only one wondering, and people will start to ask," R'hin says, accepting the bottle with a glance down at it. He takes a gulp, though holds onto the bottle while he says, "Telgar's the only Weyr with a surplus of queens. Southern and Honshu have only the one queen, but they didn't transfer a queen to Telgar. I--" he pauses, briefly, gaze directed downward, expression drawn, "Don't think Telgar would offer. But if High Reaches were to ask," he exhales, cutting a glance briefly around the gathering, expression oddly serious. Jadzia senses "R'hin's serious, pale gaze briefly passes across the brownrider's, as if trying to catch her eye, but it doesn't linger." "Viyareth's of the High Reaches line," remembers Quinlys, smugness banished in the wake of this, more serious, conversation. "Which makes their new queen of it, too. And Iskiveth, obviously. Well, we'll see, won't we? It-- V'ros, hello. Why aren't you off celebrating?" She breaks off from her seriousness to push a smile back in place, tossing her hair over those bare shoulders as she gives the newly-made brownrider her full attention. There's a bit of a stern look for K'zin, short-lived as it is. He interrupted a baby Cadejoth story! Still, Azaylia is forgiving enough to slide an arm around the bronzerider in a quick side hug, "K'zin! Ooh, where'd you get that?" She leans back, eyes scanning various blankets in the hope of finding out herself. As Jadzia stands, the goldrider turns her attention back to the newly graduated, "Not so much, these days. Though I may have to make more excuses, now." What with the weather improving with days better spent outside. "It's always a good day when weyrlings graduate," K'zin offers back to the weyrleader once he's swallowed. "Especially when-- well, no, nevermind." No one needs to talk about weyrlings who didn't between themselves into rocks or anything on a day of celebration. Big brown eyes will blink innocently at Azaylia in the face of her stern look, and then he'll gesture in the direction of the platter from whence it came. "I was just coming to congratulated Jadzia. Through weyrlinghood with all her braids still in place," he offers to the blonde with a grin. "You'll let me buy you a drink later?" the bronzerider asks of the brown. "Mmhmm," R'hin agrees with Quinlys, as he takes another, deeper drought of the bottle, before casually handing it back to Quinlys. "Wouldn't be a bad idea to bring some Telgarai blood back into the High Reaches line," is his thought, his posture turning less serious as V'ros approaches, an easy grin directed to the brownrider. "You can officially stop doing that." Presumably he means the ma'am and sir'ing, though he doesn't specify. Jadzia's gaze wanders away from those in direct proximity to her for a few moments, catching sight of V'ros. Or maybe R'hin. But her attention comes back to glance from K'del to Azaylia to K'zin. "Spring is great. Still looking forward to spending some time in warmer places, though. A drink would be great, later." The last is to the younger bronzerider, then she adds, "I think I'm going to go fill this back up, if you'll excuse me." She's being polite and everything! Though she doesn't wait for any sort of dismissal before she's turning to go do that. K'del, certainly, makes no move to halt Jadzia's departure, though his gaze lingers after her, more thoughtful than anything else. It's as he turns back, smile more or less in place, that he confirms, "You definitely need more outside interests, Azaylia. All work and no play makes all of us boring, and at least I have young kids; hard to be bored with them around." "I'm.." V'ros takes in a great big draw of that fresh spring air, and lets it out in a sigh. He fidgets with his hands and manages something like a smile, shrugging at R'hin's reminder. "It's new.. still. I don't know when I'll get used to that or.. not being a weyrling. Not having Quinlys to rely on." All the babies birds have been pushed out of the nest - but they're not all happy about it, apparently. His gaze shifts between the two. "I didn't mean to interrupt anything," he says, waving a hand in a harmless way. There's a soft farewell for Jadzia, and Azaylia's own gaze follows her with a hint of curiosity. "Hm." K'del earns a few innocent blinks, not unlike K'zin's a moment earlier. "Me?" Under attack and smiling for it, she places a hand to her chest, "I always make time for play dates." Not what he meant, and she knows it, judging by the sly curl to her lips. On a more serious note, "I wouldn't even know where to begin. All my interests are inside the Weyr. If that makes me boring--" Suddenly, she turns to the younger bronzerider, "K'zin, do you think I'm boring?" The curve of Quinlys' mouth is thoughtful for that first remark of R'hin's, though thoughts along that train are discarded as she focuses in on her former weyrling. It's a good thing she is not a sentimental soul; she might otherwise melt at what V'ros has to say. As it is, her smile is both smug and beaming. "Oh, V'ros, you know where I live." Beat. "Work, that is. Don't visit me at home. And anyway, you'll have a wingleader and wingmates to look out for you. You'll flourish, you'll see. Right, R'hin?" R'hin's brow furrows, and he glances at Quinlys, and strangely, leans forward to pinch her arm. "She's still real, I think. Not about to disappear, despite her wishes to lie on a hot beach down south. I think you're good, kid," to V'ros, with a grin. "Give him a drought of that bottle, would you, Quinlys?" With a knowing sort of nod. It's strong even for those used to drinking, and it's a deliberate choice over any kind of reassurance. K'zin's eyes briefly follow the brownrider before coming back to first his weyrleader then his weyrwoman. K'del makes an excellent wingman even though he almost certainly wasn't intending to be. "Of course not, Weyrwoman," the younger bronzerider's smile is genuine, "We could even go riding again, sometime, if you liked," K'zin offers up to Azaylia with a smile. Maybe since Telavi will be happily chained in Quinlys' weyr she won't notice if he hits on Azaylia, but probably he means as friends. Both of K'del's hands lift; he yields. "Fine, fine," he says, smile winningly bright. "Guess that means I stand corrected. Forgive me any implications. Maybe I ought to leave the two of you to get... reacquainted or whatever. Beginning to feel like I'm in the way." Late. Can one be late to a picnic? Official ceremonialness had nothing to do with N'vad, perhaps that excuses the earlier absence, but now, at least: an appearance. Or maybe he's just been delayed by the same thing that makes it take an extraordinarily long time for him to dismount and actually join the others, laborious steps even with the cane. If he looks around enough on the way over to where people have gathered, perhaps it'll pass for a leisurely wander. It's just that he leisurely wanders like he's borrowed one leg from the Tin Man. "It would be weird," V'ros mumbles, and still, manages to blush all the way up to his hairline. "I couldn't.. come here, after.. now. Not now, since we're graduted already. And she has.. the other weyrlings." He spreads his hands - see? Can't. Not that he should. Not that he can. Just- "How long does it take to be tapped? Can you.. be?" He's back to looking nervous, glancing between the two older riders for now. Quinlys sticks her tongue out at R'hin for that pinch - ouch! - but otherwise seems unfazed by it; amused, really. Following R'hin's suggestion, she nudges the bottle of brandy in V'ros' direction, encouragingly. "Oh, come on. I still see plenty of my old weyrlings. It turns out I'm a person, too, would you believe it?" On the topic of tapping, she shrugs; "It happens when it happens. Could be today, could be in a sevenday or so. That part definitely isn't up to me." Azaylia's expression is a touch smug as she looks to K'del. See? It's all in good fun, though, and she gives a soft laugh and a shake of her head. She'll eventually concede, "Maybe a little boring." K'zin's offer has the goldrider intrigued, and she gives a soft nod, "I do miss runners, at times." Off in the distance, Hraedhyth gives a rumble of disapproval. She wrinkles her nose at K'del with a playful accusation of, "You just want an excuse to go escape back to your family, since you're so interesting." With a soft laugh, she slips an arm around the Weyrleader's for a quick hug, and then K'zin. "I'm actually going to find one of those sandwiches. I'm sure we'll run into each other again." The day is not yet over. A drink is necessary but once Jadzia has herself all topped off, she doesn't go wandering back to her previous group. Maybe that wasn't even her blanket she was sitting on. She does wander, though, toward where the Weyrlingmaster is chatting with R'hin and V'ros. As she comes closer she offers, "Congratulations, V'ros. I didn't think you'd even make it." Best friends, obviously. Clucking his tongue, R'hin says to the bluerider, "What did you do to him, Quinlys?" only half joking as he regards V'ros. "She likes being given alcohol, too," he adds, with a wink towards the Weyrlingmaster. As for the brownrider's latter question, his shoulders shift. "Depends how much the Wingleader wants to torture you. How easy you are to find over the next seven. How much of a deal," with a nod towards Boreal's group, "They want to make about it." Jadzia's voice directs his attention towards the newly arrived brownrider, greeting with her with a casually familiar arm slipping around her waist and a brief murmur. Jadzia senses "R'hin senses the hand R'hin slips around her waist searches for a suitable pocket to slide a square of material into. It's almost defintely -- even before being inspected -- a wing patch, confirmed as he murmurs, "We'll celebrate with Savannah later."" "Well," K'zin begins after Azaylia has parted, "we can go riding, too," he bats his eyes at K'del, "only I've never known you to enjoy runners." The younger bronzerider grins cheekily at the older one. "I am still waiting to win back my marks, though." The ones he lost in that game they played in the infirmary forever ago. It can't have really been much if anything at all. Maybe he just needs to ask them both for dates, to be an equal opportunity bronzerider and all. Quinlys? A person? That's almost funny, but V'ros manages not to break out of his frown. He does listen with increasing gravity to his expression, and stiffens when the other brownrider's familiar voice breaks into their conversation. "Jadzia," he returns the greeting, brown eyes snapping to the blonde. Her baiting doesn't receive a response, rather he devolves into brooding silence, eyes flicking down to the arm the older man wraps around her waist. With a generous shrug, Quinlys tells R'hin, "I know how to win the hearts and minds of our youth." It seems to amuse her, although not as much as the sight of R'hin putting his arm around Jadzia's waist. Her gaze flicks back to V'ros. "V'ros," she says, nudging the bottle towards him again. "Have a drink. And then go celebrate with your clutchmates. Today's not the day for regrets." "K'zin," says K'del, amused, as he reaches to clap the other bronzerider on the back. "Not going on a date with you. Your girlfriend might kill me. But," he tips his head towards the tables. "Come grab a drink with me?" Jadzia doesn't seem to mind the arm around her waist even a little bit. She tilts her head to look up at the bronzerider and whatever he says makes a flicker of a smile pull at her lips. She lifts her drink slightly and her words are audible enough, "I'll drink to that." But, really, Jadzia will drink to just about anything. "Date," K'zin pretends(?) to be shocked. "Who said anything about a date?" But a drink? That he'll do, grinning to the older man as they move to secure something worth drinking. (Hopefully.) R'hin's arm doesn't linger overly long, and, with a grin for Jadzia, lets it casually drop away. "He's not drinking," the bronzerider observes to Quinlys, pale gaze on the brooding brownrider. "I think you need to hold a lesson in drinking at the end of weyrlinghood. I'm sure the Weyrleaders wouldn't mind." One, last, hard look is given Jadzia and R'hin before V'ros is reaching out to take the bottle of brandy from Quinlys. He takes a long swig - probably brought on by R'hin's goading - and holds it out to the bluerider again. "Thanks," he says under his breath, his eyes already moving away as he says much quieter, "for everything," and then he's walking away, presumably to go find his remaining, untapped clutchmates to drink with. K'del's far too amused by K'zin's reaction, pretend or not, to actually remark on it. Instead, he leads the way towards the tables, helping himself to two glasses, both filled with quiet efficiency. "It's kind of too early in the day for a drink, but... this is a celebration, right? So we'll celebrate. Hear you've been helping out with the weyrlings. You happy with them?" Quinlys accepts back the bottle, though there's something troubled in her expression as she watches V'ros walk away, as though she's not entirely happy, or comfortable, or... something. Whatever it is, she pushes it away so that she can smile back at Jadzia and R'hin, and take another long swig for herself. "How dreary," she says. "I hope you two aren't going to be so dreary. Perhaps I ought to teach them all drinking games. And how to hold one's liquor. Life skills, yes." "He doesn't really do fun," says Jadzia like she's some sort of authority on matters of V'ros. Enough to know that he's not fun by her standards, anyway. "I plan on having lots of fun, though. With lots of drinks." Because if Jadzia and Quinlys know anything personal about each other, it's that they both enjoy their drinking. "Yeah," is probably for both the celebration and in answer to the question. K'zin sips at the drink, "Quinlys said she'd think about letting me stay on to help next time." Whenever next time ends up being. And maybe that's not exactly what Quinlys said, but that's what K'zin heard. "I feel like I'm learning things. Ras likes it well enough too," which, for K'zin, is an important consideration. "I'm grateful our wingleader has been giving me the time." But it's not as if K'zin was fulfilling any major roles with the wing when the opportunity came up, so it probably didn't take much rearranging on F'manis' part to still do without him for the time he was leant to Quinlys. There's a brief flicker of brows from R'hin, the quizzical look that accompanies it directed at Quinlys for a moment. "Important life skills," the Savannah Wingleader agrees. "Otherwise they'll get wrecked and taken for all they own in their first card game or drinking game. Think of it as protecting High Reaches' reputation." At least, that's how he's selling it. He gives a low-throated, pleased laugh at Jadzia's comment. "I'm glad to hear that. You should take a couple of days," he adds, "To celebrate." "'Next time,'" murmurs K'del, thoughtfully. Next time is, after all, likely to be some time from now, unless matters change. "Mm. Well, good for you. Seems like, in the end, maybe it'll be a better fit for you than Taiga." Staring into his glass, thoughtfully, he adds, "Gave me wingsecond's knot back, last night. Better for the wing, really, given how little time I've for wing things, these days." "Got to protect the Weyr's reputation at all costs," agrees Quinlys, breezily. If she's more serious thoughts on her mind, they're hidden well beneath her smiles. "Something to action for that other group, then." The ones she's, alas, acknowledging the existence of (for now). "Anyway, Jadzia, you and I should go drinking again sometime, now that we're not weyrling and weyrlingmaster, right? Share some of your fun around." "Thanks," says Jadzia to R'hin. She looks, for a moment, like she might want to say more, but she holds off and instead turns her attention back to Quinlys with a quirked smile. "I think that would be nice. And if you need a hand teaching the weyrlings how to drink, I'd be happy to help them with that." But just the drinking. None of the other stuff. "Let the games begin," K'zin says after a moment to recover from his surprise. "Wonder who F'manis'll tap to take it." Not that there haven't been those covering the post when need be. It's an idle curiosity, the kind that only confirms K'del's statement of it being a better fit for K'zin; he's not invested in the answer. And K'del, in the way he glances at K'zin, thoughtful, seems well aware of that lack of investment; it draws a slow nod from the weyrleader. "He chose not to give me his thoughts," he says, with a flash of teeth. "Guess I'm out of the loop, now, except as his superior. Weird feeling. Like... I no longer belong to any wing. But it's for the best. Should've done it when Cadejoth was grounded, really." There's so much R'hin could say, and yet he settles for, "Please invite me. Please." With a sigh, as if he already anticipates being turned down, "I suppose you ought to have girl time." His gaze is roaming, and it's probably by no coincidence that he says abruptly, "I should get some food to soak up all this brandy." With a nod towards the bottle of brandy, and a grin for Quinlys, "Take care of that, would you?" And then he's off, striding across the meadow. "But not the rest? Not eager to get tapped into my service? Ha." Quinlys is amused by Jadzia's words, but seems pleased by them, too. "I'll keep you in mind." R'hin's remarks draw a smirk, but aside from waving the sloshing bottle after him, she makes no comment. Instead; "I wouldn't've picked you for the type he'd want, but... I guess it goes to show how little I'd be suited to the work he does. Good for you, for finding a place." "Don't know that I've ever felt at home in Taiga." The younger man admits it without prompting. "I remember how angry I was when you tapped me into it at my own graduation." K'zin can reflect with amusement now at his younger self. "Always thought you wanted me there to makes sure I turned into the right sort bronzerider." Not that that necessarily happened the way either of them expected. "Am I doing alright?" With that, presumably. There's a slightly more genuine smile from Jadzia but her only response for R'hin is a wrinkle of her nose before he's wandering off to eat or whatever he's actually going to do. "Not the rest," she agrees without shame. "I don't know how you do it. I think it's the dragons. Just people might be okay." She lifts a hand to tuck her hair behind one of her ears as she adds, "Thanks. It's nice to have--" She pauses and shakes her head before amending with just, "It's nice." K'del, in contrast, exhales into his glass, watching the liquor ripple beneath. "Mm," he says. "It was a decision that made sense at the time. It seemed right. But..." His shrug is wry. "Made lots of mistakes. It's-- ha." He breaks off, apparently having caught up with the rest of what the other bronzerider has said. "You're doing just fine. You're you." "I love it," admits Quinlys, quietly genuine. "It's been what I wanted to do since I was a weyrling myself. But," she glances at the bottle in her hand, then back at Jadzia, "it's not for everyone. I guess that's kind of the point." Much less serious is the way she adds, grinning, "I bet it is. We all have to find that something. Helps a lot. So - good for you, Savroveth's rider. Good for you both. Cheers!" "No one can see the future," K'zin says, excusing the weyrleader from omniscience with a close-lipped smile. "Every man," presumably woman too, "can only do the best with what they know at the time. It wasn't a bad plan," he shrugs his shoulders. "Just went awry somewhere along the way. Maybe things turned out better anyhow," he seems to be finding happiness at any rate. "Even if I do have to spend marks bribing Quinlys with quality whiskey." It's a joke! Maybe. "Cheers," says Jadzia, lifting her glass again so she can justify taking another gulp. "I'll let you go so other people know you're free for annoying small talk. But don't forget about drinking." Never forget about drinking. Jadzia offers a very informal salute with the hand that's holding her glass, then turns to wander off and start some of her celebrating. Instead of answering most of that, K'del contents himself with laughing at the last of it. "Looks like someone's been giving her expensive brandy, instead. You might need to up your ante." He nods in the weyrlingmaster's direction, mouth twitching as he does so. "Ought to go find my family, though. We'll catch up again soon, though, yes?" "Oh, fine. Do you know how boring that gets?" But Quinlys is cheerful enough, even in that. "Enjoy yourself, Jadzia!" '"She definitely will. K'zin has to groan, doesn't he? Brandy. "Ought to go find Telavi myself." He nods, swallowing down the last of his drink, a smile and nod to confirm that they'll catch up. Soon. Possibly over a deck of cards since K'zin will be needing some additional marks for the brandy. |
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