Logs:An Acceptable Candidate
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| RL Date: 11 May, 2015 |
| Who: Lilah, Eliyaveith, Kaelige |
| Involves: Fort Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: Kaelige is busy. Lilah volunteers him to help wash Eliyaveith despite it, and he sorta-promises good behavior for a white knot. |
| Where: Lakeside Grove, Lake, Fort Weyr |
| When: Day 10, Month 10, Turn 37 (Interval 10) |
| Weather: Overcast, autumn morning |
| Mentions: Hattie/Mentions |
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>---< Lakeside Grove, Fort Weyr(#2047RJs$) >---------------------------------<
Hardy mountain trees cluster together on the far end of the lake,
providing a shady retreat beneath high, spreading branches. Right along
the edge of the trees, several stone picnic tables are set up to welcome
fresh air diners. Here and there within the grove, tumbled boulders from
ages ago provide places to sit for those taking a break from a walk around
the shore. Toward the Bowl wall, the trees grow more closely together
providing a somewhat secluded spot for a private conversation or quiet
contemplation.
Although the clouds are patchy with glimpses of sky in the early morning,
they turn gray but rainless around the time the sun comes up. The overcast
weather, with a hint of humidity, carries throughout the day with early
evening winds starting to break up the cloud-layer. A public hiding place. Kind of counter-intuitive if addressed as such, but not to Kaelige. Kael, the boy who sits in the shade of a tree that's slowly elongating under rukbat's rise over the edges of the bowl. He sits on a raised root on one of the clumped, old trees of the grove's patch. Old, like the Weyr and the history it carries. In this hiding place, it's so common to see one or two people that it makes a better hiding place than attempting to be out of sight to start with. He sits with one boot forward, one slightly back, such that he appears like he could stand and make a swift departure if necessary. His blue-green eyes search beyond the waters to the people still working on repairs and the riders already in the middle of their morning routines. Studying them. In his lap, the brown firelizard he's always so quick to send away. At the moment, alone, he lets it sit, stroking him lightly. There's a dark spot of gold amongst those dragons bathing in the waters of the lake, amongst her brothers and sisters but much less rowdy than some. Her rider is moving to join her from the bowl, rather than anywhere else, a bucket of washing instruments and oil and rags carried with her for a proper bath. Her gaze, however, catches on Kaelige as her path brings her through the grove towards the lake, sliding over him in a study of that posture and of that firelizard from a distance as she gets closer. For as ready as he appears to be to leave even before someone in particular starts moving in his direction, Kaelige isn't so quick to stand. He's quiet as if he waits (hopes?) for the goldrider to keep going about her important buisness. His partially shaded gaze moves away from her to continue watching those around as if a sentry in his tiny spot of the Weyr bowl. When his survey passes back and he realizes she's only getting closer that he touches his drawn hood with a thumb and forefinger as if out of habit and perhaps security. Then, he rises slowly and almost reluctantly, with that dusky brown creature nearly slithering off of him more like a stable feline than what he is. "Weyrwoman." He offers wryly, his white grin seen beneath his shadow before vanishing as that head dips very briefly for her in show. "You look rather unoccupied," is Lilah's greeting to Kaelige, the trace of a brow curving upwards in question for the young man as she only draws into a comfortable distance to him before stopping. Her gaze drops to the firelizard briefly before lifting back to Kaelige. "No duties today?" Kaelige lifts his head from his showy respect, the grin that could well be classified an eerie smirk lingering. "I'm always doing something." It's not so much defensive, but sounds about as laid back as he appeared just a moment ago. A half-hearted shrug follows that as he lets himself look just past her to the lake and dragons bathing within. "The stablemaster felt bad for how much work I've had to do the past couple of days." He says, a pitiful edge to his voice as if she should, in fact, feel bad for him. "Mandatory break." As if that's a thing. "A mandatory break," Lilah repeats musing, the weight of her dark eyes unwavering from Kaelige as she falls silent after that. The look she gives him, however, is expectant in its silence. "Exactly." Kaelige weighs against her musing and her silence. He waits a couple of beats, in about as much a hurry as ever. Eventually he walks a couple of steps towards the lake, evidently in thought. As he moves, a hand lifts to scratch his head allowing the hood to fall away from his messy black-haired head. The 'lizard, at one point next to his boot, sneaks away farther into the grove. "You look like you need a couple of those. Maybe more." Is his sarcastic tease, said lightly at least. After a moment's more of consideration, "Your queen?" A bit more earnest of a tone, as he dips his now unshielded head towards the gold in the waters. Lilah's lips twist into what might be a hint of a smile, though it is certainly not shared with Kaelige. As he moves, so does she, starting towards the lake as well with measured steps. "Yes, that is Eliyaveith. Actually, I could use a hand, more than a break. Come with me." That isn't a question so much as an order, as the weyrwoman thrusts out the bucket of bathing supplies to the younger man to carry to the shore. Sharding... Much as Lilah doesn't share her smile, Kaelige doesn't share the falter in his own smirk. It's kept, at least, when it recovers though perhaps with a little less gusto. How will he ever make progress with such vigilant weyrwomen around? "Do you ever take a break?" Is the follow up that comes naturally, in mock-defeat with palms raised slightly in surrender. "You should. It's good for the body." And one of those palms balls into a fist to thump his chest once to signal his apparent robustness from all those 'breaks' he takes. But, for all the drama the odd boy displays, his other hand takes the enforced supply bucket. "What exactly am I doing now? This looks like more than linen running." "No. I never take any breaks; I have grown beyond food and sleep and all of those petty concerns," answers Lilah in dry humor, leading a path towards the shore without waiting for Kaelige to follow. Just expcting him to. But she at least explains on the way, "Eliyaveith needs to be washed and oiled. She is being very insistent about it this morning and a rider is their only option, since they cannot do it themselves." >---< Lake Shore, Fort Weyr >------------------------------------------------< The lake's shore is a broad crescent of golden-hued sand, stretching from
the southwest wall near the feeding grounds and around to the southeast
where the sand gives way to soil and leaf detritus from a cluster of hardy
mountain trees. Where the lake deepens, clear blue water darkens to murky
teal, hiding stony depths. Dragons often sun here and riders use the lake
for dragonwashing in the warmer seasons, while all of the Weyr's denizens
may enjoy walks and picnics among the large, smooth boulders that
interrupt the smooth flow of sand. Many of the Weyr's children also play
at skipping stones with the wide variety of rocks available along the
water's edge.
Although the clouds are patchy with glimpses of sky in the early morning,
they turn gray but rainless around the time the sun comes up. The overcast
weather, with a hint of humidity, carries throughout the day with early
evening winds starting to break up the cloud-layer.
"So Impressing makes you the impossible. Immune to all human needs." Kaelige's sarcasm continues, unrelenting. He's following, though he gives Lilah a few paces ahead of him before he walks after her. The way he goes about it is particularly intentional, in her shadow back those some-odd feet, watching her more than where they're going. "Are all riders that impressive, or is it to gol-" It's not that Kael hasn't been on or near dragons before. He's been at the Weyr long enough and he got here some how. But not quite in this manner, and not so close to one quite so.. big. "If a rider is their only option, I guess that leaves me out. Do I just hold your bucket?" He's not quite that stupid, but he's all about testing, teasing. Eliyaveith is certainly quite large, built not on the slender lines that can be seen in other dragons but rather bearing a bulky weight that makes her no less intimidating. Yet, there's a softness in the whirl of her gaze as she examines Kaelige when the two approach, a low croon of noise giving welcome to the young man. "Every color has their own special skill. Bronzeriders automatically become assholes, for example," offers Lilah to the younger man in explanation, unphased by the appearance of her own dragon. But the slide of her gaze for that teasing is challenging, before she adds dryly, "Grab a brush and scrub where ever you can reach." The gold, at that, start to hunch low to the shore. "Such a terrible fate." The hurt in his voice sounds close enough to real, Kaelige's free hand raising to place his palm over his chest as if his heart pains him. She may not see him do it, given how pecularly well he does at staying behind her until they're right next to the queen herself. "They must be jealous." He adds, almost as if implying it to be the cause. There a few moments where he's holding the bucket and looking from one end of Eliyaveith to the other. Gauging, calculating- one of the first hints there may be a few more gears than sarcastic ones grinding on and on upstairs- on just exactly how much golden hide there is. He lowers the bucket, and continues down to retrieve a brush from within. Despite how soaked his sleeves get submerged, he seems unwilling to pull them up. "She won't mind me doing this?" He's not so much hesitant as curious, despite that welcoming croon. Eliyaveith answers that question by stretching her head closer to Kaelige, huffing a breath over him thoughtfully before withdrawing with a low rumble. "No, and you do not have to worry about hurting her. Their hide isn't exactly delicate," Lilah explains to that question, though on a second thought she adds, "But stay away from her wings." She grabs a brush herself, leaving the young man on this side of the gold as she steps around the dragon to the other. She wouldn't be able to see if he works, but there is Eliyaveith there, watching him. "No, it comes inherent with the dragon. If you were to Impress, do you have a particular color you'd want?" Kaelige grows quietly serious as Eliyaveith's warm breath washes over him, the slighest hint of uncertainty betraying his rather solid facade. Though he seems to quickly grow past that. Comfort, for him, grows far too fast into overconfidence. As Lilah falls out of sight around the of her dragon, he reaches his dry, free hand to touch the queen's draconic shoulder. He's not quick to jump into working, but can't really deny the weyrwoman nor perhaps does he want to in this particular instance. One might think he didn't hear her when it takes him so long to respond. Eventually, "I never thought about it." He lies, retrieving his hand to walk down her side and back again. A weird pacing of sorts. "Did you always wish to Impress her?" A straight forward question, at least, and he doesn't sound to be quite so sarcastic this time. "Do you want to Impress?" is what Lilah follows up to that response, curious, as she works at cleaning the other side of her queen. Eliyaveith's warm under that touch and still, only watching him as he touches her with her own interest. The weyrwoman says, "I always wanted to Impress. I can't imagine having Impressed anyone but her, but-- I would be lying if I said I didn't think often about if she'd been green. Or brown or blue." "You'd certainly be leading a different life." Is the grossly understated remark. Even he, uneducated in the life of riders as he is, could state that with confidence enough. Kaelige finally raises the dripping brush to golden hide, his blue-green eyes watching Eliyaveith's faceted eyes with reservation. Even her gentleness doesn't seem to breathe a hint of trust from the boy. "Yes." The definitive answer seems to come in sharp contrast to the lie he started and then retracted in short term. "I can't say I ever thought it would be a possibility, but I've hoped.." There's a weird edge in his voice as he utters the last word, as if he didn't like the taste of saying it. His hand scrubs in large circles, making progress but slowed by cautious thought, "Was it your first time Standing?" Lilah's breath exhales in a dry laugh even before she answers, "No. I Stood four times, and it wasn't till the fourth that Eliyaveith found me. There are some who give up after the first time or Impress, others who end up aging out without ever Impressing. It's not all the Harper tales of being Search the day before and being wrapped up in a whirlwind of stepping out onto the Sands and finding your lifemate immediately." Her lecture, at least, ends with a pause, before she offers, "If you want to Stand for Elaruth's clutch, go pick up a white-knot from one of Shevena's assistants after we're done here. Tell them Lilah sent you." Eliyaveith rumbles at that, a proud noise, before she moves to bump her muzzle against Kaelige's shoulder gently. Kaelige is guarded to say it lightly, and raises his soaked hands, dripping more as they are with his sleeves sopping, as if to protect himself from the queen's oh-so-gentle nudge. The smirk seems to slip back onto his beyond-his-years face void of its usual shadows as his protective guard eases to brush her muzzle with a palm instead. "You aren't so bad." Kael says quietly- intended for the dragon alone- not knowing if she can understand him or not. But what does that matter? He talks to runners and canines all day. To Lilah, he speaks up enough, "Four times? Persistent even back then." His sarcastic voice is back, teasing again. "I never paid much mind to those tales, so I don't think I'm much drowned in fantasies." He overdramatizes the concept with an unseen shrug, "Is it because I'm another body, or because I'm actually candidate material?" Not that her answer matters in his plan after that offer. "She sees something in you," Lilah answers for her queen, and for that question, despite the fact that she didn't hear Kaelige's words. Instead, it seems she is only speaking for her queen. "And because you're another body. And because if you want to Impress, you should at least have the opportunity to try your hands at making your own fate, even if it takes you a hundred tries." Eliyaveith only presses her jaw into the brush of his palm, continuing to watch the young man with a brightly jeweled eye.old in her hide. "The one your rider already had to give extra chores for misbehavior?" Kael says that loudly enough so Lilah can hear, but really directed at her queen. Mock-surprise laces his tone, edged with a quiet chuckle. It may seem as though he even takes a bit of pride in that statement. "Quite a few reasons. I can barely argue." And he, of course, would argue anything just for the sake of it. The humor remains prominent in his tones and once he withdraws from the queen's soft muzzle, he runs the brush of his other hand on the part of her neck he might reach. "I like runners fine, but it wasn't my intent to stay in the stables the rest of my life." A different edge suggests something underlying his meaning, "I appreciate your offer." His dark grin is a bigger now, more earnest, more inward. "And I accept. Though I have to admit.. I hope it won't take four times. And that perhaps I'll get something of those immunity skills you have." He adds, alluding to the conversation prior. It is at that question that the goldrider steps back around her queen, brush still in hand as she places herself in a way that she can look at Kaelige before Lilah starts in on telling him, warningly, "Don't cause trouble, do your chores, remember your place. Then, if it does take you more than once, you will have that opportunity. She may see something in you, but that won't mean much if the Weyrleaders decide you are not an acceptable Candidate for this clutch or future clutches." A pause, before she adds, "If you do Impress, you'll need them. Having a baby dragon is exhausting and trying." Kaelige, at least, appeared to be working by the time Lilah was able to see him again. That had to be a plus right? His hand pauses in his scrubbing, as if caught red handed. "I never cause trouble. I was just sitting, making sure everyone was working hard..." The scrub brush is waved in the direction of the grove, cocky expression betraying his portrayed innocence. "More chores?" There's a considerable pause at that apparently unforeseen detail, but then he adds, "I'm sure they'll all get done." Somehow his reassurance doesn't convey much assurance. "I'll look to not break any of those rules for you then. You'll have no reason to want to.. ah.. get rid of me." He fishes for the words a moment, tossing the brush into the bucket with a loud sploosh. The curve on that for Lilah specifically is made a bit inappropriately, at the least. "And if I do Impress? Will you approve?" An unfortunate turn? Lilah only appraises Kaelige for his answer, a dark weight of her gaze sliding over him in flat study for all his reassurance. And then, she answers truthfully with a dry, "I doubt it. But we will see if you do." The goldrider gestures to the brush he just threw back into the bucket with her own, the only addition to her words before she steps back around to the side of Eliyaveith's that she was working on. Eliyaveith, meanwhile, only rumbles a noise that is likely meant to reassure him this time, before she nudges at him with her nose again gently. "And I thought I was the negative one." Kaelige adds as an aside to Eliyaveith with playful, sarcastic exasperation. It is quite possible that the boy is starting to enjoy himself given the next nudge from the queen, taken back a step with that press of her nose. Given both his hands are free, he's plenty able to rub a bit better now if she allows. It potentially it could come as no secret he has an easier time with non-human creatures than anything else. "She can't possibly dislike me too much if she brought me near you, right?" All of this said plenty loud enough for Lilah to hear. That motion the weyrwoman had given him wasn't missed, though perhaps he intended to pretend it was. "Indeed, we'll see. I promise not to get myself kicked out before then." Probably not better than what he said before. "Anyway, how often do you have to do this? Or do you always volunteer help?" 'This' meaning scrubbing, of course. "Once a sevenday for her, now that she's fully grown. It will be more once winter sets in, because her hide gets just as dry as our lips," Lilah answers simply of the questions, though she ignores that question to her dragon. Eliyaveith doesn't, answering it with another huff of breath for Kaelige's sake that seems to convey something about her rider, but without words, it is hard to tell what exactly that is. She seems pleased, however, with Kaelige's attention. She will be even happier still when that oil is applied, bringing out the more subtle spots of gold in her hide. |
Comments
Cass (23:02, 13 May 2015 (EDT)) said...
She got you to work and then sign up for more? This feels like a slippery slope, indeed, Kaelige.
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