Xanadu Weyr – Caverns
A massive cavern in it's own right, this one has been skillfully adapted for human habitation. The high ceilings have been painted a light, soft ivory, as are the walls where numerous tapestries hang to provide brilliant color and insulation from the stone. The floor has been left in its natural state, pale pink granite speckled through with glittering mica and dark flecks of basalt, leveled carefully but kept sufficiently rough to avoid slips.
The cavern itself is loosely divided into areas, each one set up to be suitable for some segment of the Weyr's population. The most frequently occupied area, however, is the one near the Kitchens where tables of varying sizes provide a place to sit down and eat or chat and a buffet of consumables is almost always kept stocked. Its plain that on most days, this area wouldn't accommodate anywhere near the full population of the Weyr and equally plain that on such occasions when a formal meal is laid out, tables are appropriated from all the other areas.
A big fireplace is set into the wall near the Kitchens as well, several comfortable chairs nearby providing haunts for elderly residents or riders who like a good view of all that happens. Rugs cover the floor in strategic spots, all of them abstract or geometric in design and most in the softly neutral colors of undyed wool.
The hatching has been over for a few hours now and the feasting well under way, in fact it seems to be winding down at last for the evening grows late. The newest Weyrlings have been drifting in as they could when their lifemates were seen to and settled in their couches, some perhaps even slipping out to check on them now and then, afterwards returning to finish celebrating with their friends and families. The scent in the colorfully-festooned caverns is of rich roasts and baked pastries, mouth-watering treats that Thea only now is getting a chance to taste as she finds a quiet corner with a few stuffed chairs empty to curl up with a plate under a cluster of gold, bronze, brown, blue and green balloons that hang from the ceiling.
Mur'dah is one that has snuck out and come back, rushing to the barracks to simply stare at his newly hatched brown for a few moments, before his desire to socialize and eat pulls him back to the caverns. Stepping back in, he absently tugs at his new knot and drifts again to the food tables. Surely he has room for a /few/ more plates…
On Mur'dah's shoulder, little paws land and grip gently as the weight of a small body settles there with a chittering monologue. A firelizard muzzle pokes into his cheek and puuuuushes to turn the Weyrling's head to that corner where his mother sits, having spotted her son across the room and sent Shep after him. Thea waits to catch his eye, waves with her fork and points with the utensil to the empty seat across from her with a small grin. She has the coveted fireside seats and no one is nearby - a quiet haven in the slowly-thinning crowds. Shep, having watched over the twins from their birth, probably almost feels they're partly his, certainly hasn't been shy about trying to boss them around and that is no different now. He'll remain on that shoulder scolding while Mur'dah gets his third - or is it sixth? plate and heads for his person's vicinity, vocalizing with irate cheeps, chitters and groans to hurry him along, sounding more nagging than the boy's mother ever could.
Mur'dah jumps a bit when he's landed on, but turning his head has him recognizing his mother's firelizard, and he follows the creature's nudge to look in her direction. Grinning, he grabs a plate and tries to gently push Shep off his shoulder. "I'm hurrying, I'm hurrying," he mutters. Should he have chicken or wherry? He gets both, since Shep makes it so he can't think straight. Hurrying to his mother's side, he sits down across from her and then stands, putting his plate down, and goes for a hug.
Shep clings, nudging that hand with the top of his head. At least he doesn't bite. Ruin would! But it's far too happy in here for Ruin's tastes. No, the bronze is off in the infirmary soaking in the tragic aura of misery some weeping girl is doing over not impressing while the healers try to ply her with a bit of fellis to calm her hysterics. Shep would recommend the succulently-rare roasted ovine! But he is too well-trained to beg or sneak a slice for himself. The brown firelizard lifts off the shoulder only when Mur'dah is indeed headed in the direction pointed out to him, and even then he glides along with him, circling overhead while the boy has his hug. Then he lands on his normal perch and drapes around Thea's shoulders like a stole, churrupping smugly satisfied to have successfully delivered. Thea is slow to release her son, her hug fiercely proud and almost longing. He's growing up so fast! Eyes are bright as she settles back into her chair, "Well now, you did it. He's not blue though. Are you okay with that?" Her smile hints at teasing with that question.
Mur'dah returns that hug just as fiercely, almost clinging to his mother before she releases him. He sits and prods at his food, beaming like a drunken idiot. Not that he's /ever/ been drunk. "Yes," he answers quickly, before he blushes and laughs. "He's perfect, he wouldn't work as a blue." Whatever that means. "I'm fine. He's great."
Thea is hungry. But she's been aching for just this sort of thing ever since those two browns chose her children (Both of them! And both browns! She is still marveling over that) and so her plate goes neglected for the moment as she drinks in her son's blissful expression with a smile that widens. "I can't wait to see him," she says, fork held with fingers that have forgotten they have it. Shep will have that slice of ovine, if you don't want it, Thea. His creeping forward reminds her to resume eating and she says, "Tharen went to get your grandmother settled in the guest cottage. You saw her earlier, yes?" And then she adds, "I don't think she or I breathed the entire hatching until you both impressed."
Mur'dah nods, and then laughs breathlessly. "I don't think /I/ breathed! And when Marel impressed…" He trails off, grimacing. "Thought my heart was breaking. But then Kalsuoth was there, and it was okay again. Both browns, Mom. Both of us. Browns. Brother dragons." He beams. Clearly that is something extremely important and special to him.
Thea can't stop smiling either. "I never imagined you two with the same color," she says shaking her head in wonder. Brother dragons indeed! So many similarities for two very close siblings who will now share… Her smile falters a tiny bit and she asks, "How's Marel taking it that she didn't impress the gold? Her father looked…" Her frown is fleeting and she says quickly, "We haven't spoken, but I peeked at his face. He looked very proud of you both." But there's something she's not saying in there.
Mur'dah shakes his head and grins. "I didn't either! And she seems fine. Happy. She won't leave his side. I'm gonna take her some food." If he doesn't eat it all first. "I…we're both happy, Mom. Real happy." And then he looks at her, curious. "He did?" he asks, hope soft in his voice.
Whatever Thea is thinking is pushed down for later. Her worries may never materialize, even! She looks genuinely relieved to hear about Marel. "I'm glad," she says simply of her daughter being happy. "She'll be a good rider, as will you." Of that Thea has not one doubt. "I'll help you load a basket for her after you eat." Because she's sure he's going to eat that one and another plate will surely not be enough to get them both through the night, will it? As for D'had, Thea nods a touch more solemnly. "He did," she says softly. After fourteen turns together, she's learned to read the taciturn man. "He didn't look surprised though. He knew all along you would be a rider someday. He told me that often when you were a wee lad." And she sighs quietly. "Keep trying with him, Muir- Mur'dah." She laughs under her breath, "I've got to get used to your new name."
Mur'dah grins, "That'd be great, thanks. I don't want us to get hungry during the night." As if they'd starve. "I'm … I'm glad he's proud of us," he says quietly, before glancing up at her and grinning. Blushing a bit, he glances around before leaning in to murmur softly, "You can still call me Muir, if you want, Mom. You gave me that name. Just 'cuz Kalsuoth gave me another doesn't mean you can't use yours."
"We-e-e-ll, it's close enough to Muireadhach," she says it with his father's people's trader tongue inflection, the burr that makes it Mur-ah-ha, "that I think I'll manage." Thea’s pride in him is obvious in that she's willing to go with the honorific his dragon chose. And then she remembers to ask, "That bronze that eyed you? I thought he was the one."
Mur'dah nods, looking at her with wide eyes. "I thought it was too," he whispers. "That was the one from that one egg…but then he moved on and I was…relieved. I didn't want a bronze, Mom. Not even a little bit." No ambition.
Thea nods somberly along. "I noticed. Maybe it remembered you in some dim way, since you touched it." Thankfully dragon memories are short-lived? She can't help but laugh lightly at his confession, "No huh? There's one thing your father would say to that. He'd say, 'Smart boy!'" Because the pressure and work to go with the bronze hide… She could tease about that bronze hide chasing his sister's would-be gold, but she does not.
Mur'dah shrugs, "I don't know. He looked at us. But…it doesn't matter any more, right?" And then he grins, looking relieved, and nods. "Yeah. I know bronze isn't for me. Never thought brown was either, but now that I've got it, it's perfect. Blue would've been too…small…"
"I don't think it does?" Thea says with a shrug that matches his. "Hatchlings are primarily focused on their hunger and wrapped up in their new bond, their minds soaking in the nuances and reveling in the discoveries they're making. I'm sure you felt quite feasted-upon until your Kalsuoth fell asleep?" She remembers her first hours after impression, even after all these turns. As for small, she just chuckles because they're all small right now.
Mur'dah nods, and he grins goofily. "Yeah, mine is too," he says, rubbing his forehead and then running fingers through his hair. He laughs. "Yeah, my mind is spinning, but it's…easier now that he's asleep. He's so curious. Wanting to know everything, already. It's…exhausting."
Speaking of exhausting, "Your grandmother came to my chamber right after you and Marel were born and said, "'Sleep when they do.' It was the best advice I ever got." And Thea rises, since her plate is now empty. "Come, I'll help you pack that basket for Marel. The cooks will give me the best of everything." Rank certainly has its privilege! Of course, by the time she is finished, the basket will be a hamper and it will have enough goodies in it to feed the entire barracks with a midnight picnic!