Logs:Or We Could Set Them On Fire!
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| RL Date: 25 April, 2010 |
| Who: K'del, Teris |
| Involves: High Reaches Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: K'del and Teris catch up while they dragons get to know each other. |
| Where: Lake Shore, High Reaches Weyr |
| When: Day 27, Month 7, Turn 22 (Interval 10) |
| Weather: The sun is high in the sky and there is not a cloud in sight. There's a breeze that tempers the heat with no humidity lingering in the air. |
| Mentions: Tiriana/Mentions |
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| Lake Shore, High Reaches Weyr The rest of the bowl may be barren, grass barely surviving at best, but here by the lake, it's brilliantly green in the warmer months: thickening and thriving in the silty, boulder-dotted soil just before it transitions to soft sand and thence to the cool, clear water itself. A large freshwater lake fed by a low waterfall, it not only provides warm-weather bathing space for humans and dragons, but has one end fenced off as a watering hole for the livestock in the feeding grounds. The water there is often muddier than the rest of the clear lake, whose shallows drop off abruptly several yards out into deep water, and whose edge undulates against the coarse-hewn bowl wall: here close enough to just be bramble-covered rocks, there far enough away that a narrow land bridge divides the main lake from a smallish pond. Between are several rocky outcroppings that form excellent makeshift diving points, though only one -- across the bridge -- has a set of narrow, slippery, quite possibly tempting stairs. It's one of those lovely High Reachian summer afternoons, warm enough for half the weyr - it seems - to skive off and spend some time in or around the water. Cadejoth is right out in the middle of the lake, a living, breathing climbing structure and diving board for a horde of pre-teens, and, if the rumbles of glee emanating from out there are anything to go by, is having the time of his life. His rider-- well, K'del lingers closer to the shoreline, sitting on the lake's sandy bottom with water up to his waist, his hands bobbing lazily atop the water's surface. Iskiveth, as usual, is the first on the scene and there must have been at least a bit of flying or gliding because she kind of 'appears' with a splash not too much further out from the shore than K'del, though well clear of him, and it's not that easy for a dragon of her growing size to just appear out of no where without between involved. Whoops, excuse that wave! She screeches a cheerful, not-pretty sound and charges out further into the water with no small bit of splashing. Teris is standing at the edge of the water now, watching to make sure the gold isn't actually pushing boundaries that might get them in trouble but she must be content because there is no yelling. K'del is insensible of Iskiveth's arrival, too lost in his own water-and-sunlight-encouraged reverie to make any note of it at all until that wave crests over him-- he's left spluttering, turning his attention back to eye the young dragon, and then, perhaps softened by her cheerfulness, turns back around to seek out the inevitable Teris. Curls pasted down his face in every which way, there's not much dignity left, but still; "Afternoon, Teris." Meanwhile, Cadejoth greets Iskiveth with a cheerful rumble of his own, shaking his chains with her as he reports, « The little one was never brave enough to climb to my neck before, but she did it today! Isn't that fun? » And exciting. And-- the splashes the children make aren't really impressive enough to form more waves. "Hello, K'del," the weyrling says to him, smiling. It's even a relatively genuine smile and it probably has something to do with the fact that her dragon put him under water. "Enjoying yourself?" Iskiveth dives and comes up somewhere on the far side of the bronze, lifting up her pointy head high to peer at all of the children. « Why do you let them crawl all over you? » she asks, perhaps not quite convinced that this is all that exciting or fun. She floats closer, wings spread out to either side of her to eye one of them more closely. It's not as though she's never seen a child before but she's never really had them playing around her. Pushing dank strands of hair back from his face, K'del favors Teris with a smile that suggests he's well aware /why/ her smile is so genuine, but doesn't care, anyway. "Having a very pleasant, /cooling/ afternoon," he tells her, stressing that second-to-last word with amusement. At least he wasn't clothed for his soaking: he's shirtless, just wearing his swimming shorts. "Going to come in? Water's nice. Cold. But nice." Of course it's cold; it's always cold. Cadejoth lowers his neck below the water to let one of the children scramble onto it, as he explains, « They enjoy it! It's /fun/. I like the way they laugh; it makes me happy. » Certainly, he does thrum with satisfaction, jangling merrily. « I like little ones. They don't have to worry about duties or propriety. They just /do/ things. » "I'll get wet," Teris counters about this coming into the water business. She isn't in clothes that aren't precisely meant for swimming, but the skirt she's wearing that's definitely not meant for duty would be a lot easier to get wet than the more standard duty wear. She takes a few steps into the water, getting her feet and just past her ankles wet, at least. That's safe enough. Iskiveth has no such worries about being wet, clearly. She moves even closer to Cadejoth, bringing her pointy muzzle toward his neck where there are children playing. She blows bubbles in their direction, then flicks her head to splash water gently. « I like to have fun! But they're so /small./ Teris would be upset if I hurt one, I think. » Not to mention, you know, everyone else. But, hey! Not worrying about duties or propriety and just /doing/ things? Kind of sounds like Iskiveth. And she likes that, the flicker of her fire subdued into almost inviting hearth fire for the kids that can't tell anyway. K'del, not looking like he'd mind the wetness, much, but he shrugs anyway, and seems pleased enough by her steps forward. "Swimming doesn't have to mean /actual/ activity, you know," he points out, easily. "But whatever. How are you? Both of you?" The children, despite some of them looking a little wary - between the sharpness of her, and the reputation she must no doubt have around the weyr, well, who wouldn't be at least a /little/ wary of Iskiveth? - seem pleased by the bubbles and the water splashes. Certainly, their raucousness doesn't diminish, and one takes a flying leap from Cadejoth, splashing the vicinity between the two dragons. « I think she would, » agrees Cadejoth. « We have to protect them. I think K'del worried about me hurting them, too, once. » Faded into forgetfulness, but perhaps picked up from K'del, anyway. « But I don't. Not ever. They grab on my tail if they sink too far. But they're not scared! Not most of them. » "But whatever," Teris repeats, kicking water in the general direction of the Weyrleader with a roll of her eyes, smile or not. "We're well, I think. Iskiveth is incredibly excited about the both of us being able to fly." There's enough emphasis on her lifemate's name to suggest that Teris doesn't entirely share the gold's enthusiasm. She does have a reputation, after all. "What about you? Cadejoth?" The blonde moves further into the water, gathering the fabric of her skirt in her hands to clear the hem of water as she moves closer. Out in the water, Iskiveth makes a delighted little hissing sound and she watches but she's not attempting to mime any invitations to draw the little people away from the bronze. « I'm not sure I'd want to be so very careful all the time. » More water rains down on the Weyrleader, who doesn't seem to mind this, either. His grin is actually kind of cheeky. "And you're not so excited?" he returns, archly, tipping his head to the side slightly. "Course she's excited. They're always excited. Big moment, all that. Would've thought you'd be excited, too, if only because it means weyrs are getting closer. We're-- okay. Well enough." More quietly, "Worried about my sister, I guess." That gossip has probably spread a little bit: Weyrleader makes wings search for his adult sister. Yeah. « That's why I don't come and play /all the time/, » explains Cadejoth, wriggling his neck and shoulders to send a couple of the children flying into the water with a splash. Their laughter is loud and enthusiastic. « Only when I feel like. I don't think we've had any accidents or anything. It's safe. » Teris has to think about her answer for a moment because she's not quite sure how to put it. When the hem of her skirt finally starts getting wet, she gives up on trying to keep it dry and instead lowering to her knees in the water behind the Weyrleader, leaning forward to rest her elbows on his shoulders if he allows it, head tilted to one side along an arm. "I'm not not excited. She can just be... enthusiastic." That's her reason. "I'm sure she's perfectly fine," offers Teris almost reassuringly. "Worrying doesn't help anything. Trust me." Iskiveth seems doubtful. « They don't bother you when you don't want to be bothered? I suppose that wouldn't be so bad. Maybe they would like to have battles with each other! » And it's probably a good things Iskiveth hasn't shown any interest in actually speaking to them because that could go no where good. K'del makes no remark on way Teris positions herself, and with her elbows on his shoulders, he abandons any attempt to look at her directly, and turns his attention, instead, towards the two dragons out in the lake. "Aha," is his answer to her explanations. "So it's more, you're not quite as enthusiastic as she is. More reserved. Figures. Suppose-- being excited, or not, doesn't change anything, either. Same as worrying." He seems to have accepted her remark on the worrying, too, abandoning that topic in order to add, "She looks good, anyway. Iskiveth. Getting big." « Battles? » Cadejoth has to think about this, in between dipping his head down to fetch another of the splashing children. He swings it up again, and the child holds on for dear life until he lets go triumphantly, squealing all the way back into the water. /Fun/. « How would they do that? » "Mm," Teris allows about enthusiasm versus reservation. "I'm looking forward to the freedom it will allow. And my own weyr, finally. I won't miss staying in the barracks with any of those people." She lets out a sigh just thinking about it but her attention focuses on the dragons, too. "Thanks," like is was compliment to her, too. "She doesn't think she's big enough," added with some amusement. « They could fight each other! » Iskiveth is forming her own thoughts on this and offers the bronze vivid imagery of groups of children in formation, advancing on each other with delighted squeals and screaming. Of course Iskiveth would think it's great fun. "Worked out which one you want?" is K'del's light question, amused. "Getting a weyr was pretty much the most awesome thing ever for me, too, as I recall. Such... privacy. Never had it before. Barracks kinda suck, by the time the dragons are that big. Earlier too, maybe." He considers the two dragons more thoughtfully, as Cadejoth swings his tail against the water, smashing it up merrily. "She's maybe a bit smaller than some queens, I guess... hard to tell, at this point. Still. Bigger than all the others, far as I can see." Cadejoth considers this imagery, and dismisses it. « They might hurt each other! And their families would kill us for it. » "I think so, yes. It's the one I've been bathing in. I like that one." Teris seems to expect K'del to know which exactly she's been bathing in but she's smiling about it, too, so not in any negative way. "I haven't ever paid attention to the size of growing queens. But she is bigger than the others. She likes that. But the bronzes aren't that much smaller." This makes her sound a little thoughtful, too, and she seems to remain comfortable using K'del as a resting post. « I don't think they would hurt each other. But it would hardly be our fault and no one would kill /us./ Don't be silly. I would kill /them/ first. » This should go without saying, by the tone of her mindvoice. Whether or not K'del does know which one she's talking about, he gives no audible indication. "Mmm. Have to see whether Tiriana decides to just assign you to one, or lets you pick," he says, neutrally. "I don't think she's thought about that yet, though. For any of you." More important things to think about, no doubt. "I admit, I haven't ever really /seen/ a growing queen before, much. But I figure-- right, the bronzes aren't that far behind. Seems like they may even outgrow Cadejoth, both of them." His hands splash about in the water, but otherwise, he doesn't move - a nice, sturdy resting post. « I suppose you would, » agrees Cadejoth, sounding thoughtful, a faint spark zinging merrily through the rustling chains of his mind. « But that wouldn't be good, really. I only like it when food dies. Everything else shouldn't. » This thought that Tiriana might try to assign her to a weyr that she doesn't want makes Teris tense somewhat, irritated. But it passes before long. "If she does that, I'll stay in the weyr I want anyhow," she tells K'del. "It's not as though she can keep me from staying in one over the other, is it?" Challenging him won't do a whole lot of good so she doesn't quite sound challenging. « What if they're bad people? Bad ones that like to hurt the little ones. They might taste okay. Or we could set them on fire! » As if aware of that tension - perhaps, as close as they're positioned, he can - K'del tilts his head around as much as he can without dislodging the weyrling, to look at her. "Hah," he says, more amused than concerned. "That'd probably work. Can't see why you shouldn't have the choice, either-- guess we'll see." It's easy for him to laugh, of course! « On fire? » Cadejoth projects an image of himself, breathing fire at things. But... tree-things, not people-things. « I suppose. If they were /really/ bad. I don't know about eating them, though. Really. I prefer wherries. » Probably. As far as he knows, anyway. The conversation hasn't stopped his activity: another child goes swinging up into the air, and then down. When K'del tilts his head to look at her, Teris offers him a quick, impulsive kiss on the cheek before she says anything back to him. "There's no one else," she adds like that should make all the difference. Of course she couldn't just have her pick if there were someone already there. But then she wouldn't know to want it anyway. Iskiveth moves further out into the water so she can splash around and not be careful at all. The way she carries on, she might look like she's drowning but Teris never looks worried. « Wherries /are/ good, » she admits. « I bet a bad person wouldn't taste that good. But /fire./ Setting them on fire would be an acceptable alternative. Or! We could have bad people do battles with each other! Oh, that would be exciting to watch. » The kiss obviously pleases K'del, who beams in Teris' direction, though he turns his head back-- it can't be too comfortable swivelling like that. Maybe because of the kiss, he has to think for a moment before; "Right. No - no one else. So it's not like you'd be encroaching on anything. Anyone. Would it be weird, having Tiriana's old weyr? Even if it's been Ezalea's since then. Or Lujayn's?" Beat. "Think it was weird for Tiriana, moving in to /Satiet's/ weyr. But that's what happens. Most people move into a weyr because someone has vacated it, and that's often--" He doesn't finish the thought. Nice and morbid. Cadejoth watches after Iskiveth, but makes no move to join her: there are children to play with! And they really can't go any deeper. /Really/. « Battles with each other, » he considers, apparently inclined, today, towards repeating what he gets told. « Like when riders practice fighting? Only... bigger. Or like the fights they have at gathers, sometimes! Big people, beating each other up. » It's obviously a memory of K'del's, and tinged with distaste that probably isn't Cadejoth's own. Teris, probably pleased too with how he takes the kiss, attempts another but this time to the side of his neck. But then she's moving off to the side, more beside him but probably not because she wants him to be able to see her more easily. "I don't think so. I never knew her very personally until she was already in the Weyrwoman's weyr. I imagine it might be more weird if she died and I moved into that weyr." Never mind the thought of herself being Senior Weyrwoman kind of makes her smile. Iskiveth calms in her splashing around to shift around and actually look at Cadejoth, awed. « They actually /do/ that? Oh! I want to see it! » There's is definitely nothing distasteful about the way Iskiveth imagines it. There's probably a lot more blood and wounds that should be fatal not being so. K'del receives the kiss with as much pleasure as the first, and, as Teris moves beside him, turns his head to consider her. It must just be a side effect, then - but K'del does nothing more than glance. "Let's not talk about the Weyrwoman dying," he murmurs, though his thoughts seem to be less on Tiriana specifically than on the role in general. "Last thing this weyr needs is /another/ tragedy." Beat. "Though from the looks of it, you don't mind the thought. Harbouring ambitions, are we?" It's a light tease, wreathed in amusement. Cadejoth seems to realise only too late what he's shown the young queen; it takes him a few moments to formulate a response. « They doooo... » he admits. « But it's in play, not for /real/. They don't kill each other. » But sometimes they let animals kill animals! He probably didn't mean to share /that/ thought, either. "I hold no ill will toward Tiriana. Not to that extent. I'd never want something horrible to happen to her. I mean, sure, she's a bitch. But that's probably why we get along." You know, most of the time. Teris offers a less genuine, somewhat sarcastic smile for the rest and still shrugs. "I can't help that I'm ambitious. But I wouldn't hope for tragedy in order to attain more." Where's the challenge in that, anyway? "I was content as her assistant and I'm sure I'll be content as her junior." If Tiriana were someone else, Teris might not be so content, but that's another story. « Animals! Oh! Do you think the herdbeasts would try to kill each other? » Her attention turns toward the feeding grounds, eyes whirling with an eager blaze. K'del points out, quietly, "Couldn't exactly make an accusation out of it. Ambition, I mean. Had plenty of ambitions of my own." /Had/. He's smiling, anyway, unconcerned by it. "Anyway. Glad the two of you get along for the most part. It'd be... nice. Weyrwomen that don't hate each other. Hopefully." He's not going to count his chickens on that one, just in case. "Guess you've started your training, now? Storerooms and records and... whatever else. Though I guess you've an advantage there, given your career path thus far." Cadejoth's neck swings around to follow Iskiveth's, but his answer is in the negative. « I don't think so. They're not really... fight-y animals. They only run from us! Why do you like things killing each other so much? You can kill your own food, isn't that enough? I only hunt when I need to. » Teris nods her head slowly, gaze shifting out toward where her lifemate is all excited. "I'd say I have some sort of advantage, yes. Been basically doing the job sans dragon for awhile, at any rate. Do you have ambitions still?" From dragon to K'del goes Teris' eyes, one brow arching curiously while she moves a hand through the water. Iskiveth is disappointed. Quite a lot. Her fire fizzles and smokes like someone has thrown water on it. « I don't know, » she returns petulantly. « I think it's exciting. And fun. Like you think those things are. » The children who she turns her attention toward again somewhat dejectedly. "Makes it easier on you. Maybe better that, way, given... Iskiveth." It probably isn't intended as an insult. If anything, the way he says the name is affectionate, but the pause before it? Well. "What's there left to be ambitious about? I'm twenty turns old, and hold the highest position I ever can. Anything else I want in my life is less... ambition, I guess." He answers that honestly, turning his attention back to the goldrider to do so; he shrugs, even. Cadejoth seems-- saddened, by that sudden loss of flame. He offers a spark, metal against metal, consolatory. « Perhaps it is, then, » he decides, firmly. « And I just can't see it. I can't see /everything/. » Most things, though. The weyr is /his/, after all. And everything in it. « What shall we give you and yours as a weyrwarming present, when you get your weyr? » Maybe it's his question. Maybe it's K'del's. The comment about her lifemate, despite any affection, earns a sharp look. But that fades quickly and she can't help a quick laugh. "Probably better, yes. She's gotten better about not immediately attempting to follow through on all of her ideas. But she still... has a lot of ideas." The weyrling considers this problem with ambition then shakes her head. "I don't think wanting something else would be less ambitious. Just a different sort of ambition. You wanted children, right? And then you'd have to be a decent father. Or make things... better with the holds. That sort of thing. Your ambition could be to be a better Weyrleader." She smiles as though to say she doesn't think he's completely awful. Iskiveth seems somewhat consoled by the shared spark and she lets her fire come back to life, crawling along the bronze's chains as she thinks. « I want fire. » Somehow. « Or something I can wear around my neck with jewels. » K'del gives an apologetic look in response to Teris' sharp one, but it fades to a grin as she laughs. "Faranth protect us all when she can travel Pern at her will," he says, though there's a note of thoughtful amidst the amusement. "Guess... ambition always seemed to me to be achieving specific goals, obvious achievements. Maybe having kids is one of them, but I don't know. Being Weyrleader one day was, like, the greatest ambition I ever had. And then... bam. A full rider for six months and then I had it. But the rest... makes sense, too. /Do/ want kids, to be a better Weyrleader. To... be remembered as someone who did good things, useful things." And there's the crux of it; he gives her a rueful little smile. « Fire! » Cadejoth lets it crawl up his chains, jangling them merrily to match the crackle and pop. « Or something you can wear. And for your rider? » No sharpness for that. Teris just smiles. It's a fond smile as she again glances out where the gold is. "Maybe Cadejoth won't catch Iovniath next time. And then you can aspire to being Weyrleader again, hmm?" She's turned her grin toward him, still vaguely fond but it's hard to say if that's actually directed to the bronzerider or just a side effect of talking about her lifemate. Then she starts rising, her skirt clinging to her in all sorts of interesting ways. "You have plenty of time to be remembered that way." Iskiveth glances toward the shore before she submerges. Fortunately /that/ doesn't put out her fires. She has to think about what Teris might like. Probably more than she really ought to. « Teris doesn't wants many things, » she eventually admits, bemused. « She does like that stuff they drink. Wine. Oh, and she's complained about things to write with. And blankets. And she thinks about yours sometimes. » The image she offers with the last is absently done, she doesn't really understand; Teris above K'del in the dark with a heat that Iskiveth can relate to but without anything that actually interests her going on. Boring stuff. No knives or anything! « /I/ think she ought to have a necklace that matches mine. » "If Cadejoth doesn't catch Iovniath again, reckon I'll take a few turns before I think about /that/ again," says K'del, determined, if still amused. Can he be forgiven for watching her rise like that? Well. As she stands, her legs /are/ directly in front of him, after all! It's only natural. He doesn't answer her last comment, only nods, thoughtful. Cadejoth accepts this list patiently, no doubt relaying it to his rider as he goes-- though he stumbles on that last thought, narrowing in on it, considering it from different angles. K'del /must/ get that one, too, because he coughs suddenly, and turns his attention /away/ from Teris, to watch the dragons again. /Interesting/. « A matching necklace, » says Cadejoth, finally, with a note of gleeful amusement, now, sparks bouncing around his chains all pleasant and warm and cheerful. « Maybe we can do that! We'll have to see. Are you going in, now? » Teris plucks at the sticking skirt but if she notices K'del looking, she doesn't jump down his throat about it. She does notice the way she looks away and it's probably a very good thing that /she/ remains blissfully ignorant. "If someone else catches her, you'll have several turns before you get another chance," she points out, smiling. "I think I'm going to head in before I my skin gets completely gross. Have a good day, K'del," she says and doesn't wait around long before she's heading back toward the shore. Iskiveth seems terribly pleased that they might be able to do the matching necklace thing. « I can't wait! » One more thing to be excited about. « Teris says I ought to. But I'll come visit you later! » If she remembers. The gold starts snaking her way back toward shore. A /very/ good thing. But K'del? Well, it was good for /him/. Hope! There's still hope! Or something. "True," he agrees, levelly, as he rises and turns around to watch her go. "You, too, Teris. See you around." Cadejoth makes no promises to the gold, but he seems /amused/ by her reaction, bubbling after her with smoke and clattering metal, all shiny and bright. « I'll watch for you, » he tells her, grandly. « We'll do fun things! » Teris leaves K'del with a smile and she waits for Iskiveth to reach the shore before she turns, feet back in her sandals, to head toward the barracks. The gold trots after her, wings pumping and furling and unfurling in her continued excitement with her fire slowly withdrawing from the bronze as they go and other things catch her attention. |
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