Natishen is Searched
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Xanadu Weyr - Store Room

This large storeroom is lit with a series of electric lights, illuminating the smooth cut walls. Rows of shelving contain all sorts of items, while large trunks contain all sorts of clothing, and a mix-matched variety of furniture is stacked up in one corner.


Sitting with a broody queen in a baking hot environment has its upsides, some might say. Thea might beg to differ. Mid morning at Xanadu finds her in the store rooms, rummaging through boxes of clothes marked 'summer wear' and muttering to herself. She's not looking all too pleased.

Natishen trods in from outside, looking distinctly disgruntled as he stares over his shoulder. "Bu- " Whatever he was about to say is cut off by some unseen presence, and, with an audible sigh, he turns around, trudging towards where the clothing is stored. There's a notable hitch in his stride when he spots Thea, but, recognizing her, he continues to her side. "G'day, Miss Thea," he says with sulky politeness. "I hope I'm not intruding on you." Given how his voice is pitched, it's clear he's talking as much for the outside lurker's benefit as for the weyrwoman's.

Outside lurkers be sharded and shelled. There's an extra pair of arms and legs attached to a back likely stronger than hers just arrived! Thea pauses her inspection of a pair of trous made of soft, thin linen to glance Natishen's way, the tiny wrinkles in her brow smooth as she brightens, sending the lad a welcoming smile. "Thea," the correction is an absent one - her focus is entirely elsewhere - "Natishen, and hi." The trous are tossed in a smaller box nearly full of clothes, a rug, a small glowlamp and a portable cooler. She reaches back into the larger carton lifts out a matching tunic of the same material, fingers flicking the tag to note the size. "Not at all. I could use some help, in fact. You busy?"

Natishen's glance goes to the doorway, and he opens his mouth, likely to respond that he is, when the outside lurker pokes her greying head in. Moyra sends a sharp look at the boy, then a smile to the goldrider. "I'm sure Natishen will be more than happy to help you, weyrwoman," the woman replies, her eyes sliding to her charge. "And after you've helped the weyrwoman, you will find suitable replacements for those rags you call clothing, understand?" At Natishen's grudging nod, she offers one in return, and a more respectful inclination of her head to Thea. "I'll leave him to you then, weyrwoman." A twinkle suddenly glitters in her eyes. "Try not to encourage him too much. He hardly needs it." And she's gone before Nash can so much as open his mouth. "I guess that's a no, Miss Thea. What would you have me do?" He may sound resigned, but he's quick enough to step up and help.

"But Ma'am, I-" That's all Thea gets out before the older woman disappears, leaving her to stare helplessly at the open door for a beat, before she shifts her gaze to the boy, astonishment still there in the sea-green of her eyes. Silence and then she barks a short laugh, "You two were made for each other, I'll say!" The thought she has causes her to snicker a little more as she drops that tunic into her box, folds the flaps closed then stoops to gather it into her arms. Amusement laces her drawled comment, "If that was Miss Moyra?" And she's guessing it is, although there was no introduction, "You both go around volunteering each other for stuff, don't you?" As she stands, she indicates a small tea table with a jut of her chin. "Can you grab that and follow me, please?"

"She's s'pposed to, she's the boss of me. But I think she's gettin' me back for goin' and volunteering her to help you. Not," Nash adds hastily as he plucks up the tea table, gripping it firmly in his hands before looking back to her for a direction in which to take it, "that she ain't willing to help. But she says it's not nice t' be making promises for people without their say-so, 'less I think I'm the boss of her now. Which I'm not," adds the boy, a bit resentfully. "She's a nice lady, Miss Thea, and she means well. I've gotta earn my keep, now that I'm old enough to do so, you know. So if that means helping you, well," and suddenly he shoots a charming grin at her, "I'm always ready to help."

Thea just stands listening and trying not to laugh, her mouth making quivery twitches through his speech and eyes glimmering with merriment. When he finishes, she's got her voice back in control enough to speak smoothly, "And so you should be. I need to get these things over to the hatching grounds. This way." And she leads him out to through the caverns and outside.


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Xanadu Weyr – Clearing

A wide clearing stretches from east to west, the ground packed hard although grass grows across most of it. Trees are strictly forbidden in this space, their danger to the constant draconic traffic reason enough to banish them to the forest that creates a this and sharp border to the north. Where the ground is less trampled, tiny flowers poke their delicate heads out from their shaded hiding places with upturned petals to wave to whoever may be looking.

The cliff looms imposingly on three sides, stretching upwards all the way up the side of the mountain where, high above, Xanadu's Star Stones and the ever present watchdragon sit on a lonely peak. Directly south is a massive tunnel, fully wide enough for even the largest dragon to fly down. Southeast are wide steps leading up to the Caverns and eastwards is the large entrance to the Infirmary. Somewhat north of the Infirmary is a human sized archway that has a frequent quantity of traffic — it leads to the Tavern. Southwest lies the low ledges currently belonging to Xanadu's queens while north and west a broad path cut by the side of the cliff leads to the Feeding Grounds and due north is the spacious trail that leads to the rest of the Weyr.


Natishen trots behind Thea, not quite able to keep up with her at a normal pace, despite a recent growth spurt. "So why you got to take all this stuff to the 'grounds?" he asks as he follows, clutching the tea table close to his chest. This, naturally, means the legs are jutting out dangerously in front of him, but with luck, he won't manage to impale anyone.

Thea has worked hard to get herself back into shape after giving birth to twins. Apparently the running and drills have paid off, for she is not only back to her trim self four months later, but she's regained a lot of her strength. The box she's carrying is heavy, though and she's perspiring just a bit as she steps out of the caverns and into the clearing. She's listening with a half-grin to Natishen's chatter - until his question, that is. She flicks a glance to sight the mid-morning sun's position with a slight frown and mutters, "I, uh… have to sleep there while Seryth's clutch is on the sands." There's an undercurrent of unhappiness as she admits this. "I probably ought to talk to your Miss Morya about helping D’h- ahh… me with the twins."

Thea's appearance from the caverns earns a snort from a blue lounging nearby. Irritated, happy, some other emotion completely, or a mixture thereof its not exactly clear. Of course that noise sets in motion another, this one the sound of a baby, and hopefully it won't turn to two anytime soon. "Ya coulda at least let me get them to the nanny before…" D'had starts his complaint to the blue aloud before his attention is drawn to the junior and her helper. Uh-oh, weyrmate alert, and baby still crying. He's so good at this. Not!

Natishen blinks at Thea's back. "You gotta sleep on the Sands? Isn't that kinda hot and… well… sandy? Why do you have to sleep there? Do all clutching goldriders gotta stay with their dragons?" Pausing in mid-stride, he adjusts his grip on the table, then trots to catch up to her, panting slightly. He's young, and relatively fit, but recent growth spurts and the onset of adolescence have left him with less energy than normal. Not that one can tell by his chatter. "I hear a baby," he says suddenly, craning his neck to peer around the goldrider.

If a snort from Siebith doesn't catch Thea's attention, that particular cry will certainly do it - she knows who utters both sounds before she even looks to see where they are. She winces, a guilty look flickers across her face as she spots D'had and Siebith, only to be chased by amused laughter, "I don't sleep -on- the sands. I've a mattress set up in the ‘level. And yeah, they're irritable when broody," She tells Natishen this even as she's tuning her steps and hastening to the weyrsecond's side. That box is plunked on the ground and she's reaching for the crying one. "You were all sleeping when I checked you earlier." And now they're here - so that means… (dundundun) he got them up and ready and… whoa! He's -holding- them all by himself.

Whoa! and all that aside, yes, somehow he managed to get them up and ready all on his own. Not that he's happy about it, but that might explain why he's so late in getting to the office this morning. "Here," D'had grumps, not in the least reluctant to let her take the boy. "We're not now." And while gold's might be irritable when broody, D'hads are when they have baby to take care of.

Natishen waddles over with the table, setting it on the ground and rubbing his arms as he peers curiously at the babies. "They're so small," he says, a bit wonderingly as he carefully tucks his hands behind his back, craning his neck to stare at the boy that Thea is now holding. "What did you name 'em?" His gaze shifts briefly to the goldrider's face, before he glances warily at D'had, then back to the children, clearly facinated by them.

Thea takes Muir with practiced, easy movements, curling the babe in her arms and shifts to lean against Siebith with a fond pat asking the blue, "How's my hero today?" She gives D'had a blink, "And you didn't send for me to help?" Amazing! She might comment more, but her babies are being admired. "You should have seen them when they were born four months ago." Thea can't keep the pride out of her voice as she tells Natishen that. She patpats the boy's back, swaying just a bit back and forth to soothe him. Over his cries she says, "This is Muireadhach- Muir and that one-" she tilts her chin at the one D'had has "-is Marella."

"I.. didn't want to bother you?" D'had replies as to the reason for not having sent for her, a hint of question in the words. He managed, however it was. "That," he starts, leaving Thea to finish the introduction of the twins while he finally settles a look on the teenager. "Helping?" he assumes the rather obvious even as Siebith gives another snort.

Natishen turns a wary gaze on D'had again as the bluerider addresses him, tilting his head to the side as he studies the older man. "Yes sir," he says finally, letting his gaze drift back to Muir. "Miss Thea needed help." He neglects to mention Moyra's orders to him. "Why are there two of them? Don't most people just have 'em one at a time? I know that animals sometimes have lots of babies at once, but you're a person." He lifts his gaze from child to mother, staring expectantly at her.

Thea doesn't quite manage not to stare at the weyrsecond. He didn't want to bother her? Oh, this cannot bode well. Muir hiccups and hushes, his mouth gnaws on her shoulder as his wide eyes take in the blue behind her. "He's helping me move some stuff to the 'level," she tells D'had with a guarded tone that turns into a chuckle at the teen's question and denoting her human. "My brother would beg to differ on that one, remember?"

D'had nods. Right. "Well then," he more more or less agrees with all said, about to say something more when he turns a glance towards Siebith. That glance doesn't last long at that as he fails to completely contain his amusement with the boy's question. "Guess we just got lucky?" Or unlucky depending on how one looks at it.

"Your brother is silly. You're definately not a runner. Or a dragon. Or one of those smelly whers. So you're probably human." Nash's experience, clearly, is quite varied, and thus he must know what he's talking about. Or so his matter-of-fact tone suggests. "I like babies," he muses as he studies Muir. "Sometimes they're loud, and they smell a lot, but they're kinda cute. Miss Moyra lets me help her sometimes when she's working with the nursery aunts. But I think I'd rather have 'em one at a time," he finally decides. "Someday." Must qualify that.

D'had earns a look for his 'lucky' comment, Thea's eyes narrowing just a hair as she observes him. Siebith there behind her gets another pat and a glance for his restlessness. Her brother silly? She smirks, "Oh, he is!" She'll agree he's silly, too bad he's not around to hear her do that. "Most people would agree with you, there, Natishen. One at a time." The utter bone-weary way she says it speaks volumes as she shifts Muir to one side and eyes her weyrmate, "Give me Marella, I'll take her to the nannies, hmm?" Where they'll no doubt, be sure to titter and snicker over the way their diapers and clothes have been arranged.

No doubt the nannies will find it amusing. "Well take her," D'had replies, handing the girl over. If she wants to, he's not going to stop the woman. Siebith on the other hand is paying far to little attention to the .. well attention he's being given. Rather than making happy noises or anything of the sort for Thea's pat he's snorting again, stretching his neck towards Natishen. "Are you gonna pick 'em up?" D'had goes on to ask.

"You're taking them away?" Natishen looks a little crestfallen, then confused. "But what about your stuff? The table? If you go away, where should I take it?" He sidles closer to the tea table, reaching down to put a hand posessively on its surface. "Miss Moyra told me to help you," he says, almost accusingly, to the goldrider. "I can't do that if you go away." Siebeth's snorting goes unnoticed - or at least, unattended, by the boy. Seems he's too used to dragons to notice even this odd behavior.

The line of Thea's lips form a flat line as she gathers Marella for that abrupt reply of D'had's and she turns away without meeting the man's eyes. "I didn't abandon him, Siebith," she whispers, assuming that's what's the matter with the blue. She turns away, by all appearances about to leave both her box and the teen with her table sitting there in the clearing and at the mercy of the grumpy weyrsecond. "Um, yeah, Natishen but only to the nursery. I'll be right back. Wait for me." Another look slid her weyrmate's way, "Natishen's not afraid to pick them up now, why would he be then?"

D'had shakes his head, "I meant you," he clarifies the question to Thea. "As in tonight? From the nanny…" Or is he going to have to. "Don't worry," he adds more as an aside to the boy, "She gets like this." Whatever that's supposed to mean. In the meantime the blue is slinking closer to Natishen, clearly interested in his attention if no one else. This draws a somewhat irritated sigh from the Weyrsecond. "You like flying?" he inquires of the boy a second later.

Natishen's eyes grow wide, and he stares at Thea. "I guess I could," he says slowly, confused now, and too inexperienced to recognize the byplay between the adults. "Might be hard though, I don't think I'm big enough to carry both of them at once." The dark skin of his cheeks flushes, growing darker, and he gazes down at the ground. "I'll wait here." Then his head snaps up, and it's D'had's turn to be stared at, this time in disbelief. "Well, who doesn't? Uh. Sir," he amends hastily. "Mother takes me up sometimes… or she did, before. And some of the other riders too, but just around Xanadu."

Thea is halfway to the cavern's entrance when D'had speaks, "Huh?" It takes her a moment to figure it out. Oh, me? Yeah. I'll pick them up." But guess who gets them all night? His 'like this' only garners a silent eyeroll. She catches Siebith's stealthy movements, her lips twitch into a grin. "I'll be right back," she tells the boy. For some reason she's snickering to herself as she heads inside.

D'had nods, only half paying attention to Thea's response now. He'll regret that later for sure. "No, no, do you like flying," he repeats the question. This is a double check process here and if anyone knows Siebith there's good reason even if his rider could easily word his question much better to get the point across.

Brow furrowing, Natishen stares long and hard into D'had's face. "Yes sir," he replies cautiously, taking a step back. "I mean, flying on a dragon, that is. Is there any other kind of flying?" Clearly a bit uncomfortable at being left alone with the Weyrsecond - especially since the bluerider seems intent on asking the same question over and over, he glances in the direction Thea went, then helplessly back to D'had. "I'm sorry, sir, but that's the only kind of flying I know." He flushes again as he admits his own ignorance.

D'had chuckles, "Well no, suppose there ain't," he replies, throughly amused with the discomfort of the boy for the moment. That is until it actually sinks in which leaves the question was he really amused with his discomfort or just his reply. "Sie here likes to make a big to do about it though, and he seems ta think ya might need a ride."

Natishen's confusion is not alleviated by this reply. If anything, in fact, the boy seems even more puzzled. "Tell him I'm grateful," he says slowly, "but I don't think I'm going anywhere any time soon. I have to wait for Miss Thea, I promised to help her." He points at the table in helpful explination. "Then I promised Miss Moyra that I'd look for clothes in the storeroom that fit, because she seems to think mine don't." As it's clear he's recently gone through a growth spurt, it seems his foster mother may be on to something.

"You dressed them without putting diapers on them?!" Incredulous, not really. Amused, clearly. Thanks to Xanadu's oh-so-efficient nannies, it's only a few minutes to drop off the babes, so Thea returns just in time to hear the weyrsecond's remark to the boy. Headed to get that box of hers, yep. "Oh, Natishen, you should go. Really. I'll come back for the table." She headtilts at Siebith, "You'll never forget it." Even if he wants to.

"Right," D'had replies only to be interrupted by his weyrmate. "Sorry?" What's he supposed to say? It wasn't his fault. Clearly! He was framed. Or, well it's D'had he probably just didn't think enough to realize in the process. "At least they were dressed?" Lame. But it should at least earn a laugh from the woman. As for the boy, "Won't take too long if you wanna but…" And then he's turning to stare towards the blue. "Again?"

Natishen eyes Thea as she returns, then, for the first time, turns to study the blue. He's silent for a long moment as he just gazes over Siebeth, then he looks again to the weyrwoman, half-reluctant, half-hopeful. "I promised to help you," he says again. "I don't want to go back on my promise…" His gaze tracks to the dragon again, slides briefly to the bluerider, then back to the blue. While he's clearly reluctant to put off helping the goldrider - there's a definate wistfulness about him at the promise of a flight. "I really like flying," he muses, half to himself.

Thea just chuckles, shaking her head. "I wonder you touched them at all." The diapers. "Yeah, thanks for not hauling them stark naked across the Weyr." She has her grin back, "They all want you for diapering lessons, though." The table in question makes a good seat and it's here Thea settles herself while the two talk. "Ah, you will, Natishen, I'll just sit here and watch you take a ride, hmm?" She eyes the lad for a long moment when he says he likes flying. "How do you feel about controlled falling?" Nonchalant.

See there. Thea's so much better at wording the question he was trying to ask. D'had is still intent on his lifemate however, perhaps thankfully missing that comment on diapering lessons. Yeah, good luck dragging him there babe. "What about..? No.." he continues, tossing a not so casual glance towards the boy even as the blue gives him a nudge.

"Falling hurts," Nash replies promptly, though now it's Thea's turn to be eyed with confusion. The pair are certainly taxing his braincells tonight. "How do you control a fall?" He's genuinely curious - perhaps that answer would mean less bruises for the gawky teen, though he manages to catch himself as Siebeth's nudge staggers him slightly, unexpected as it was. "Hey now," he scolds, before flushing and looking at D'had. "Sorry." Weyr etiquitte has been drilled into this boy, for certain. "What about what?"

Yeah, diapering lessons for the weyrsecond. So not her idea. Thea wants them to live to see their first turnday, thanks. "Nono. Falling doesn't hurt a bit. It's the sudden stop at the end that gets you, really," She tells Natishen sincerely with a tilt of her head towards the blue. How to control? She starts to answer, "He can show-" But then there's that nudge and she just quiets to watch.

D'had shakes his head, seemingly just as confused as poor left out Nash. "Him…" the Weyrsecond repeats some otherwise unheard directive turning a glance to both the boy and Thea, settling on the latter. "He wants him to stand for her clutch." He, his, her, they all run together without names to clarify which just might be why he's addressing the weyrwoman instead.

At first, Thea's words do nothing to wipe that puzzled expression from Natishen's face, but then he suddenly giggles, clasping his hands over his mouth. His eyes still dance with amusement though as he slowly draws himself under control, dropping his hands and straightening his shoulders. "Never thought of it that way, Miss Thea. That's rea- huh?" He turns slowly to stare at D'had, brow furrowing in that all-too familiar frown of confusion.

The weyrsecond has Thea's full attention with that one. "Really." Not phrased as a question, not really. She turns to Natishen with renewed scrutiny, one brow lifts slowly before her eyes shift back to D'had's. "And does Siebith think he's brave enough to be a rider if one of her babies picked him?" Discussing the boy as if he's not even there. Tsk.

"It's always with you and the ride isn't it," D'had comments to Siebith. One would think he'd have it down to a science by now, but he's still surprised every time along with everyone else. "Think that's what the flying question's about," he replies to Thea. Nash? Not even there until he turns brown eyes on him again, the blue giving another, albeit gentler, nudge as if to emphasis. "So?" Now if he would just realize he never actually asked the question.

Natishen isn't stupid, despite the fact that Thea and D'had have had him doing his best imitation of a stranded fish most of the afternoon. He clamps his jaw shut and eyes the blue, warily at first, but with growing hopefulness. Still, even this brash lad isn't foolish enough to presume anything - especially around this pair. So when the bluerider addresses him, he pulls himself up and faces him, green eyes sparkling with a combination of wariness and hope. "So… what, sir?"

"Yes, but," Thea slides another look the boy's way, her eyes remain there as she finishes, "he hasn't actually said he'll go." She shifts to eye Siebith, then his rider. "Are you gonna put it to the test and take him up?" Her lips twitch, but she's managing to remain serious as she tilts a look at Natishen, "So how do you feel about flying upside down and backwards?" Questions? He only asked about flying so far.

"Candidate boy," D'had replies. He did ask that already. Didn't he? "You want to stand for her clutch?" There. Question asked, hopefully clear and to the point this time around. He sends a glance Thea's way and shrugs. "He's past that." The flying test apparently given timing of the remark. It doesn't, however, mean it won't come back up at a later date should Nash choose to accept. "Well when you say it that way almost sounds scary," he adds to the junior with a shake of his head as he looks back to the teenager for his answer.

Okay. Maybe "isn't stupid" is a bit strong. Or perhaps Natishen is just, in the way of teenagers, very reckless. "Flying upside down? Backwards? Wow, that sounds so… fun!" Or stupid. "Have you ever done it? What's it li- " And the stream of questions is cut off, very abruptly, when D'had poses one of his own. And here we have the young teenaged Nash, who not too long ago announced so brashly that he certainly would Impress, staring glaze-eyed at the Weyrsecond. "For real? Stand?" Then, unwilling to let the moment end up as lost as his wits, he nods dumbly before finding his voice. "Of course!" And, at that moment, his voice decides to crack, ranging from childish treble to baratone between the space of those two words.

Thea ahhs silently. Past that is he? "Well, with Siebith, I can never tell. I guess you'd know." Back to Natishen she blinks, utters a short laugh, "Terrifying's the word I'd use. Though, the feeling grew on me?" She falls silent then, listening to him, nodding encouragement here and there. Her expression flickers from pleased to proud as he answers.

D'had chuckles. "Terrifying at first so I'm told," he agrees with Thea's descriptor. "Guess I'm just used to it after… so long." Yeah, lets just not go into how long he and Siebith have been a pair. Speaking of the blue, he seems rather smug himself at the answer the boy gives, leaving him with one last nudge and snort for good measure. "But yeah, for real. Maybe one of these days you have time he'll give ya a ride can find out for yourself." About flying upside-down and backwards. "For now, maybe Thea can get you setup after you finish helping?" Suggestion.

"I think I'd like that," Natishen replies after a long moment of contemplating the supposed terrors of flying upside down and backwards. At the mention of helping, however, a guilty look crosses his face, and he glances sheepishly over his shoulder at Thea. "Sorry - got caught up." He pokes a finger at the table upon which the weyrwoman is perched. "Maybe we should get this stuff where it needs to go, Miss Thea?"

At least those are the stories floating around the Weyr about the pair, who knows if they are true? That pause before the words 'so long' earn a headshake and a sly smile from the junior. Rather than assuring him he's hardly old and still got it, Thea asks, "Do you have one of those white knots on you, then?" A long, considering look is directed towards the teen for his assertion, but again she doesn't say anything but, "Absolutely." Meaning the table. With that she rises smoothly, stoops to gather that box in up in her arms again, looking expectantly towards the weyrsecond.

And D'had has a few of those knots in one of those pockets, yes. This is given over to the boy with a litany of rules such as: no leaving the weyr without a rider, do your chores, no fighting or getting drunk and no sex during Candidacy. At least one of them is bound to cause a reaction of some sort maybe? After all is said and done, congratulations offered and good luck wished, Thea leads the way to the 'level with her things and then settles Natishen in the barracks.

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