Xanadu Weyr - Meadow
A large, slightly rolling meadow is set high enough above the riverbank on both sides to avoid suffering from flooding, healthy ground cover and grass spreading out from either side of the dividing river. Scattered amongst the meadow are a variety of buildings, each with a narrow path leading up to it from a main, winding road. Some are set under a few trees, while others sit by themselves.
Stables and a smithy are settled on their own plots, while trees border the western edge of the meadow, and a faint outline of a fence can be seen to the north.
It's a warm summer evening, the humidity high in the air, thick enough to drink almost and already dew is shimmering on the ground amongst the patches of starlight that flicker through the clouds. Keziah is striped down to a pair of shorts and a thin top as she brushes at a patch of hide on Alosynth's left hindleg. "Honestly, I just oiled you this morning, not a dry spot around. And with all the moisture in the air. You're not getting fat are you? I mean, you've one heck of a set of hindquarters as it is but-" Keziah's monologue is cut of as the green looks back and nudges Kezi ever so 'lightly' and sends the girl sprawling with a squeal and a laugh "Brat!"
Evening means an end to chores and work for the day, something which is all too welcome to the chronically lazy Norela. Anticipating a night of adventure and excitement, the girl is making her way through the meadow in her favorite dress, clutching a bottle of wine in her hands as she heads off in search of good company. She first spots Keziah when the rider gets sent sprawling, attention grabbed by the squeal. She can't help but look a little amused, but nevertheless tries to make sure everything is in order. "You okay over there?"
Keziah glances up and can't help but grin "Oh yeah, everything's just dandy. This little lady here." There's a pause and a snorts "If you consider anyone with a 'quarters that big as little…" the green snorts and rumbles something which has Kezi eying the green "I am not a skinny little runt who can't get a man on her-" she coughs and then clears her throat. "Pay no mind to her." she mutters and then rises and then smiles brightly "Not sure I've seen ya around." she notes as she looks at the younger woman and purses her lips "Well, never mind that. Names Keziah and that lump is Alosynth." she notes even as the green turns her attention to the other and chuffs softly.
Norela continues to look amused at the little discussion between the dragon and rider. "I'm Norela. I'm one of the traders with the caravan passing through. It's very nice to meet you, Kez…" She pauses, blinks, then looks at the rider with renewed interest. "Did you say Keziah and Alosynth? I think I've… heard of you." For some reason or another, she only looks more amused now.
Keziah blinks a moment and then seems to turn her attention fully on Norela "Heard of me? You mean outside of just knowing the riders of a Weyr?" she asks as she looks at the amused girl. She sniffs a little "Likely all exaggerated accounts. I mean, it ain't my fault that things happen to others, really it isn't. If they-" she stops and then purses her lips again "Just what have ya heard Trader Norela and just what sorta goddies does your caravan carry? Ain't had much the chance to be lookin' and all."
"Well, it's just…" Norela considers her choice of words carefully before continuing. "… Some of the locals were talking about playing hide and seek down at the beach. I think some people were talking about you being involved in some game that was supposedly crazy. That's what was being said at the tavern, anyways." She laughs softly, then quickly tries to change the subject. "Oh, we've got everything! Candy, furniture, soaps, perfume, liquors… even some fine wines like this one!" She lifts up the bottle she conveniently happens to be carrying.
Keziah blinks a moment "Hide and seek?" she asks and looks a bit confused. "I don't remember playing hide and seek, least not one that got crazy or anything." She hmms a little "Ah well, no mind and all. Tavern gossip is always a bit twisted and such. Though I'm surpried they'd have said hide and seek and all. I 'member a Truth and Dare that I got to catch the tail end of when everyone stripped and ran off to the beach and all." She shakes her head a little then hmmms "Any good hides and all?" she asks with a tilt of her head. "I"ve been lookin' for some natural intricly colored herdbeast hides and all. Got someone who'll upholster some furniture for me, but I'm lookin fer some decent patterns."
Norela blinks and looks confused for a moment, then laughs. "Truth or dare! That was it… geeze, that makes a whole lot more sense than hide and seek, doesn't it?" She scratches her head and laughs some more. "I suppose I /was/ drinking a lot that evening. I must've just gotten mixed up. But that does sound like quite a game. That sort of thing happen a lot here?" At the prospect of making a sale, she brightens up. "Oh, really? I bet we have something that'll meet your needs. My uncle handles most of that sort of stuff himself, so he'd be the one to talk to."
Keziah chuckles "It's a tendency to happen every now and again. When times are slow or after something major has happend to either liven things up or to destress and all. Can be quite entertainin'. Won't generally catch me doin' all that. Don't drink much meself. Lightweight like me? I'd be doing things I'd be regretting and all." she notes and goes to store her brush in her bag a little ways off. "He does does he? I may just have to go and talk with him." Course no sooner are her words outta her mouth and Alosynth is rumbling at her. "I am not ignoring you." she notes "Just got things to do. What do you mean yes I am and I ain't been hearin' ya. Huh?" she frowns a moment and then glances over at Norela. "The lady here says I shouldn't be letting you outta my sights and all just yet." she says as she eyes Norela suspiciously.
Norela seems rather confused by the suspicious eyeing. The wheels in her mind turn after the remarks about drinking and beach debauchery. Then she jumps to the completely wrong conclusion about just what Keziah is getting at. She grins flirtatiously at the rider and holds up her wine. "Oh, she /does/, does she? Well, I was going to share this with some nice stablehands I know, but if you're offering to keep me company…"
Keziah blinks a moment and slaps the palm of her hand to her forehead. "Oy." she mutters and shakes her head. "No thankee medear. Iffen I was inclined to be with a girl outside of flights and all. I've a number of other offers already. No thinks. I want me a man. Course findin' a man ain't easy. Either all to young or to old or already attached. Bloomin' shame it is, and I ain't one for robbin' the cradle or the grave." She shakes her head a little "No girl, ya got it all wrong." A pause and a look towards Alosynth and a blink and a thoughful look at Norela. "All wrong indeed." she muses quietly."
Norela looks rather disappointed as she lowers the wine bottle, all the pep vanished from her face in rather short order. "I'm not /that/ young." Which is the only part of that she even has something approaching a rebuttal to. After a little moment, she manages a much more friendly smile for her face. "So, you wanted to put in an order for something else, then?" She eyes the green for a moment. "I'm not sure what we have in stock that a dragon might want…"
Keziah rolls her eyes "They always say that. 'I'm not /that/ young' you'ld think a girl wouldn't be entitled to actually having someone only slightly their senior to woo them and not someone their junior or way too much their senior. It's not that unreasonable…is it?" She snorts and then headshakes "Don't need to be discussing my love life." There's a snort from Alo and Kezi rolls her eyes "Okay, or lack thereof, but that's my own choice thank you very much. I'm sure I could have just about anyone if I said okay, but I don't all right so just leave it an-" She cuts off suddenly and then clears her throat and then smiles ever so sweetly at Norela "Just ignore all that and well, it's not your wares /she's/ interested in. It's you me dear."
"I would think it'd be flattering." Norela mutters with just a little bit of sulleness. Clearly, her love life is not exactly a fantastic topic for her right now either. "But… yes, enough about that, I think." Lest Norela commit another terrible string of faux pas. She eyes the green, uncomprehending. "I'm afraid I don't quite get what you mean."
"Flattering?" Keziah hmmphs "Sure, flattering when it's children or ancients who are drooling over you. Very flattering." So what if that's really exaggerating age differences. It's the point of the matter, right? She eyes Norela again "You can't be that daft, can ya? You're at a Weyr, there are eggs on the sands, and a dragon is takin' more than a second look at you?" she asks as she arches an eyebrow. "Think girl."
"I am hardly a /child/." Norela insists, despite the much more important inssue being discussed. "I'm nearly twenty! If I was in a craft, I could be a journeyman by now. Just because I'm short…" She pauses, considering what Keziah was actually trying to get at. "Wait a minute… you want me to stand for the clutch? Like, as a candidate?" She eyes the dragon, thinks for a moment, then shrugs and grins. "Sure, why not?" Always casual, apparently.
Keziah rolls her eyes "I don't care about yer age girl, you're the wrong gender for me anyways, so don't be too offended, I mean the boys and old grandfathers who set their sights and all on me." She snorts a bit "But never you mind that and all. Yes, I mean for you to stand. Alo here thinks you've got somethin' to be attractin the dragons and all. So who am I to argue with her? But glad ya be wantin' to stand. Some don't you know." she shrugs a little and then eyes her "Yer family ain't gonna have a problem with it are they?" she asks as she starts headin' towards the Weyr proper. "Best be gettin ya settled into yer new quarters and all."
"Well, to tell you the truth, I kind of like it here." Norela says with a happy smile. "I'd like the opportunity to stick around a little longer." The comment about her family gets her thinking, but she shakes her head. "I think they'll be okay with it… more or less, anyways. They'll deal with it." She follows along, grinning. "I get my own quarters? Great! I hate sleeping outdoors in the rain you get here."
Keziah chuckles "Well, it's indoors right enough, but you'll be sharin' and all with the other candidates." she notes and then pauses to look at Norela "You ain't into pickin fights and all are you? Quarters can get kinda close the closer we get to hatchin' time and there ain't always a lot of breathin' room let alone privacy. You won't be doing much with tradin' and all, cept maybe a little here and there perhaps, we can't have ya goin' outta the weyr much so you'll be provided with things to keep you occupied."
"Do I look like much of a fighter?" Norela asks with some amusement, shaking her head. "I'm used to close quarters. I'll be fine. If there're any problems, I can just pass this around." She lifts up her wine again. "And that's fine. My family can handle the business for a couple months."
Keziah leads the way into the Candidate barracks and looks around "Not much differnt than when I was last here." she notes and peers around "Least it's still smellin decent and all." she notes with a wicked grin "Well, find yerself an empty bunk. Choose wisely because you won't have much hance fer switching after a bit."
Norela eyes the dorm when she is brought inside. She's obviously not used to this sort of living arrangement, and it takes her a moment to adjust. She picks the first empty bunk she sees, setting her wine bottle down on it to claim it. "This'll work, I suppose."
Satoris has a bunk somewhere near by the door. Like last time. It's not that he's that much of a goody-two-shoes (he is). It's just that certain people have always found it prudent, for unknown reasons, to keep livestock in the barracks and near the door there's a great deal more airflow. The Miner-turned-Candidate is sitting on his cot, doing some paperwork. Apparently his work doesn't pause even for candidacy, oh no.
Keziah glances at the bottle again and hrms "Make sure ya check on that. Who knows. Could be conitraband now. Oh, also. No sex. Off limits, that it is. After all, iffen yer pregnant, you won't be on the sands. And don't matter iffen yer with a girl. It just ain't fair to the others so none of it with none of them." She pauses a moment as she starts to head out "Any question?"
Norela goes pale, looking briefly terrified. "Wh… what? No wine? And no sex?" There is a moment of uncomprehending horror. "You're… you're not joking, are you?" She sighs heavily. "I guess I've heard that candidacy is supposed to be difficult. Now I know why… no, I guess that covers it all." She settles on her cot, looking glumly at the other candidate present. "Hi."
Keziah headshakes "Not jokin me girl. Never joke where dragons are concerned." A pause and a grin "Unless it's about their big butts." she notes and then strolls out of the barracks whistling happily.
Satoris looks up, regarding Norela with those icy blue eyes of his. There's no pity in them. "Apprentices are under the same rules, you know. Candidacy is short-term… Mind, if you Impress, I hear the rules become even more strict." The miner sniffs slightly and flips through some more papers before making a few marks on one with his writing utensil.