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.
// Exits lead off in all directions, a big archway the largest and that leading outside. Shallow stairs to the west lead to the offices and administration area while tunnels to the east lead to the infirmary, kitchen and resident's quarters. Southwards, a sloping tunnel leads down to the hot springs and southwest is a wide tunnel, carefully roped off to avoid accidents.//
It's a perfect time for a tea (klah?) party, lunch is well past and dinner is a few hours away yet. But people do get hungry, or miss lunch due to duties and things, thus the serving table has always got something ready to eat there, with attentive serving crew seeing to the refills. It's wintertime, so the selection is mostly piping hot, stick-to-your-ribs sort of fare, stews, casseroles and breads. Traffic in the cavern is fairly light, the tables sprinkled here and there with small groups of people snacking, talking, doing small tasks. Into this peace enters a pair of goldriders, the Weyrwoman and a visiting goldrider from Ista. "I can't eat too many," Thea's warning Cenlia as they enter. "I have to go back to the office and finish… things."
Cenlia is wandering after Thea, the Istan goldie grinning crookedly as she asks, "Things?" A brow quirks, the girl glancing briefly around the caverns, "Shards, ain't able to skip out of work fer an afternoon, even with a fancier knot?" It's hopeful, at least, though she does bob her head, "Guess ya can't get stuff done bein' carted off by D'had again," said in /all innocence/, just look at that smile so free of mischief. (Not.) "Gotta 'least try 'em, though," she's heading for a table, the smell of stews and other hot deliciousness causing the goldrider's stomach to make it known that she is /totally/ one of those whose duties made her miss lunch. The tragedy. Cen just clears her throat, "Could also eat somethin' with that lot. Goes better with klah an'.." eyes surveying the tables, as if to pick a good counterpart, but then pauses, "Shards.. been so long since I been here. Is weird bein' back," grin tilting a little more.
Karona passed through the caverns moments ago, lugging a muddy-bottomed crate to the store rooms, clinking all the way. It takes her longer to emerge than it reasonably should, but when she finally does reappear, there's not a trace of mud on her. Not her hands, nor her boots, everything as spotless as can be gotten in such a short period of time. She hesitates at the store room entrance, glancing to the serving table, then to the pair of goldriders, then back to the serving table, as if unsure which direction to head. The smith furrows her brow, and then makes her choice. It /would/ be impolite to refuse an invitation. She makes her way over to join Thea and Cenlia, opening with a blurted, "I cleaned up the crate of buckles and put it away." Like a good little apprentice. Er, journeyman. Ahem.
Derin is at a table nearby the buffet table, satiating his appetite with a plate piled high with food. What can we say, he enjoys his food. He looks up from his plate at the entrance of the three women, arching a brow at the comment of D'had carting Thea off, but he shakes his head. Food, right now, is much more important to the growing teen. He does keep an eye on the trio, though, just what is in that bundle that Cenlia brought with her. No approach is made, though, nope, he stays to his little spot like a good apprentice, only offering a (semi)polite muttered "Hello again." Whether or not it is heard isn't of much imprtance to him, he did it and that's what counts, right?
Skip out of work? Are you kidding? It's Thea, remember? To Cenlia's question, the Weyrwoman just smiles and shakes her head. "Not unless I want to do double the work tomorrow. Which I don't." Though the comment about D'had draws a quiet laugh and the replied, "Depends on /what/ things, I guess." She's either had lunch or isn't hungry, for she simply heads for the klah and fills a mug, nodding approval to Karona's cleanliness. "I'll be over there," she tells the two women and then it's right for Derin's table where she sits without asking if he minds. Though she does ask him casually, "Feeling better?" Because, yes. He has food now.
Unlike the smith, Cen is totally tracking mud around, like a grimy little trundlebug. She doesn't seem to have noticed mud-spattered boots, though she does at least not wander all over the place, heading straight for the food tables. Karona is spotted, though, and alas muddy detour! Cen raising a hand she grins at the smith, "Just in time. Shards, could eat half a herdbeast, feels like. Though prolly ain't a great idea to eat them things on their own," sidelong flicker of a glance at Thea. Cough. "Heya," that's in greeting to Derin, and after tracking little goldie footprints in a sort of squiggled trail over to the food tables, Cen grabs a mug of klah, and then some stew. Mm, stew. And possibly a hot breadroll, plopped right in the bowl as she trails after Thea, making something of a face, "Ugh, guess yer that's worse. Hate when stuff piles up. Sharding never ends though," bowl and mug set down before the girl drops into a chair, not bothering to ask Derin if he minds either.
Derin blinks, the weyrwomen pick his table of all places, is he in trouble? Hmm, he'd better answer with a respectful nod. "Mmm-hmm." Before a bite of stew is shoveled into his maw and he chews thoughtfully a moment before deciding he might as well ask it. "Am I in trouble?" Y'know for almost running over one of the weyr's riders or somesuch. He tears off a bit of bread, dipping it into the stew. He really should have better manners, shouldn't he? Ah well.
Karona just sort of follows the weyrwomen, looking a little lost. Cenlia's interest in the food, though, that gets a raised eyebrow, and an innocent query, "Why isn't it a good idea to eat those things on their own?" she wonders, though her attention does drift back to the food tables. "Probably shouldn't've worked through lunch…" she mutters, looking sheepish. Oops. But still, work is good? The arrival at Derin's table has at least one person remembering their manners, as always. "Mind if, uh," a glance sideways to Thea, then Cenlia, both already seated. "…if I join you?"
Wasn't Y'ki seen exiting the caverns not all that long ago? Ah well. It seems the bluerider is back! Maybe he skipped out on eating his first go-around. He does track mud though, boots bringing the muck right along with him into the caverns. At least, after a few steps, he stomps his feet against the floor, dislodging at least..some of the crud clinging there. Goggles are then pulled down, giving his head a little shake as he lets them fall to rest around his neck as he looks about the caverns.
There's a cadre of aunties fussing about the mud on the floors while they try in vain to keep the floors clean in the wake of all that coming and going. The herd of children being ushered in from the Clearing and through to the bathing caverns (streaming around Y'ki in the process) does nothing to help those floors either. With somewhat of a savage little grin curling her mouth, Thea asides to Cenlia, "I prefer ovines to herdbeast myself." Hard to tell just when or why she developed such a taste for the critters. Meanwhile she's busy working at opening the paper-wrapped cakes, a sidelong look given to Derin, answering him with a mild, "Not yet." Hardly reassuring, but her expression seems to say 'give it time, it's probable you will be eventually'. One perk her knot gives her; she can sit where she wants without asking if people mind. Though Karona's manners gain an encouraging smile from her. "Please do." And that open package is pushed to the center where all may partake.
"Only if ya dun't like boozecakes," Cenlia grins crookedly at Derin, about trouble, "Should try one, baked 'em special fer Thea." Ah yes, spreading the booze around. /This/ is Cenlia's mission in life. Nevermind all that silly goldrider duty stuff, psh. The girl plucks up the stew-dipped breadroll to nibble at, brow quirking at Karona's question. "Booze goes to yer head faster on an empty stomach," Cen supplies an answer, though there's a glint of mischief in her eyes, "Good way to have some fun, if ya got a lot of them cupcakes." All too-innocent, really. And speaking of! Once Thea has opened the package, bread is abandoned in favor of stealing one of /those/, the smell of baked goodness accompanied by the all too-obvious rum syrup coating the lot along with the goldeny-yellow burrercream frosting. There might be a bit of a sheepish look for Karona's actual showing of manners, though Cen only waves absently at an empty chair, wrinkling her nose for the sight of all those children over there, and probably that bluerider too. But she's then making /quite/ the face, "Ugh, /ovines/," and giving Thea a /look/, "Dun't remind me of them awful things."
Derin peeks up at Karona's question of joining, but the weyrwoman beats him to it, so it wouldn't really matter what his answer would have been as she outranks him, ayup, just like everyone else at the table. A slight frown at the answer of not yet from Thea and then apprentice's eyes catch the re-entering of Y'ki and he proceeds to slink down in his chair at least as much as he can and still successfully feed himself. "Boozzecakes?" He eyes them, nearly drooling as the package is opened, but then he glances from woman to woman, this is some kind of trap, isn't? Hmm…Now he's a bit suspicious of the women surrounding him.
Karona blinks at Cenlia, then at the rumcakes, then at Cenlia. "B-booze?" There's a furrowed brow. "Really, booze?" It may have come up before, but apparently she has difficulty accepting that food might be boozed. "…actually. I'm not hungry." She does smile briefly at Thea's invitation to sit, sending a sheepish glance Derin's way, before rather awkwardly taking a seat. "…klah. Klah though. Klah is good." she rambles slightly, keeping eyes /off/ the cupcakes. Not hungry, really! Ahem.
Y'ki is in a flood of children! He doesn't move much though, glancing down to make sure nobody steps on him. It's important, when dealing with tinyfeets. There's a faint sigh though, fingers raking through dark hair before focusing on..that table. That table rather suspiciously filled with woman and a minor miner. "Like the kid needs you stuffing that /crap/ in him?" Oh yes, them's fightin' words, there. The bluerider gives his head another shake though, things finally settling from all the goggle-wearing and the wind blowing outside as he stalks by the table, glancing a bit disdainfully at the occupants. But he continues, off toward the food and the other hot stuff. Stew!
Thea's chuckling could be Cenlia's reminder of boozecakes on an empty stomach, but more likely it's her reaction to her comment on ovines. As for her, she'll just sip her klah and hope most of those cakes disappear before she has to eat any. Though Karona's reluctance isn't helping any. She nods at Derin and the smith, indicating they're both welcome to have one. "You are allowed an ale a day you know. One won't get you drunk." Unless… yeah. Empty stomach and not used to alcohol. A mild look tracks Y'ki on his way by, curious perhaps at his reappearance.
Yees. The boozetrap has been set. Cough, ahem. The way Cenlia is grinning, all lopsided and mischievous, it probably doesn't bode well, trap or not. But the girl does wave a hand idly at the box of cakes, telling Derin, "Have some. Brought plenty extra." Boozecakes are for sharing, after all. In Cen's world, anyway. "/Booze/," Cenlia affirms, with a nod to Karona, practically beaming at the smith, "M' cousin C'lom owns this cake shop in Ierne. Got a whole sharding /army/ of riders deliverin' them things all over the place." There's a shrug when the smith is apparently not hungry, the goldrider nibbling on her boozecake, though Y'ki's words get a headtilt. "What are you, his nanny?" the girl quirks a brow at the bluerider, "Yer welcome to try one too, though them's Thea's cupcakes." Not so willing to share with him, apparently. She has to grin at the other goldrider, all of the cakes for Thea; Cenlia came here to booze the weyrwoman afer all.
Derin arches a brow curiously, though he does love sweets, hmm, these weyrwomen are taunting him. Poor poor youngster. Should he or shouldn't he. He watches the two weyrwomen a moment as he finishes stew and bread. The teenager will wait until he sees someone else eat one and see how boozey they are maybe. So he settles for sipping his juice, and watching the women distrustingly, ayup.
Karona glances sideways at the cakes, then frowns. No. Cakes bad. "Er, ma— Cenlia, you, uh, mentioned something earlier, sounded like an interesting… story. Exploding oven?" she queries. Perhaps curiousity can distract from hunger? Perhaps. Thea's offer of cakes has the woman shaking her head. "Ah, no thankyou, ma'am. I… I don't drink." she says, with a sheepish shrug. Her eyes do keep drifting towards the cakes, though.
Y'ki busies himself with getting food, piling it in places before he finally returns. And oh, does he return. In fact, he plunks down right at the table with everyone else, despite the slight scowling that goes on. "If I have to be." His gaze refocuses on Derin then, eyes narrowing just a little bit on the teenager. "Don't you have a wher to be taking care of?" A brow lifts after that, but he does slowly look at Thea finally, inclining his head..just a little. Well she is the Weyrwoman, after all. For..what that might be worth to Y'ki.
Boozing the Weyrwoman. Good luck with that, Cenlia. Fool her once… Though Thea does take one (How can she not in the face of all that good cheer?) and settles it on a little plate in front of her while raising her mug to take another sip. The sip goes awry with the question Ista's Junior poses to Y'ki though and she splutters while choking down a laugh. Far be it from her to pressure people to indulge, though the open package is pushed just a titch further away from her (and in the bluerider's direction) with the tacit inclusion of him in the invitation the others got. With a shrug of her shoulders for Derin's and Karona's refusal of the treats, she sips her klah. Note she hasn't eaten any yet herself either. Diversion works though and so she nods encouragingly to Cenlia. "Do tell us that one." The implication that things just… explode around the young woman on a regular basis.
Sniff, no love for the boozecakes. Oh well, more for the goldies! Cenlia is certainly munching on hers, idly licking rum'd frosting from fingertips as she peers at the contents of her stew. Hmm, rumcakes or stew.. Tough choice, though apparently the girl settles for dessert first. Cenlia blinks, Karona's reminder of the exploding oven getting something halfway between a grin and a grimace. She might give Thea a sheepish look, too, but it's kind of true. Things /do/ just.. tend to explode around the Istan junior. Whether or not she had something to do with it, though, is another story. "Was back in Ista, me an' Fy were tryin' to follow one of C'lom's recipes," the girl eyes her cupcake, "Kind of didn't do so well., Added too much rum, an' then set the oven too high. Figured it'd cook faster, y'know? But, um, thing caught fire," cough. Doot dee doot. She glances at Y'ki when the bluerider sits down, brows arching a little more, though she make noo comment there. Boozecake, she has it. Nom.
And another one joins Derin's table, wow, at least this makes him look popular. Too bad he doesn't care too much about popularity though. At the mention of tending his wher, he sighs quietly. "He's sleeping now, he won't wake up 'til nightfall." So nyeh! Means he still has a little time to be tempted by sweet boozetreats. "Exploding…ovens?" Wow, that could be suckish. The miner's eyes travel back to the cakes, they look so good and nummy sweet. Why is everything so unfair anyway?
Karona looks reassured when Thea takes a cake, though it seems to have slipped her notice that Thea has not taken a /bite/ of the cake yet. Cenlia's story is a distraction, though. "Oh my. Flaming oven. That sounds… not good." But, exciting? Possibly. An entertaining tale, at the least. "D-does that sort of thing… happen /often/?" she wonders, idly reaching for a cake, not even aware of what her hand is doing.
Y'ki eats his stew! With a /fork/. Hey, his roll will get the wet stuff later. For now, there's large /chunks/ to be eaten, and the bluerider simply partakes, irritably eyeing those others occupying the table. Derin's comment however, earns a glare. "I see." Explosions, however, at least earn some mild interest, and he does..listen.
It's true the former gardener girl attracts calamity like a magnet. SO not her fault, is it? Thea listens with the curious mixture of awe and relief to the story. Totally has nothing to do with the fact that she lives at /another/ Weyr halfway around the world, noooo, not at all. Poor Derin gets a puzzled look for all his eyeing of those cakes. She did give him permission to have one? Karona's question is followed by one of her own, a straight-faced, "Did anything die?" Because… animals tend die around her in these unplanned catastrophes too. Glaring bluerider doesn't seem to phase her at all, a rather bland look given the young man. At least she doesn't heckle him. Meanwhile she'snibbling at her cake while being careful to let the drips get caught by her plate.
"Yeah, thing exploded when we opened it," Cenlia adds to the story, grin for Derin and the others, stuffing her face with a big bite of boozecake. Nom nom nom. Klah follows, the girl nodding to Karona about it not being good, "Shoulda seen us afterwards. /Shards/, thought we was gonna be in a load of trouble. Didn't have no fancy knot back then, so me an' Fy ran outta there, hid in an old, sealed-up weyr till the noise died down. 'Least we got the fire out first, but figure was better to lay low awhile." Griin. "Was back when X'hil was weyrleader, so guess wouldn't've been /too/ bad if we'd got caught." Yay 'friends' in high places? Ahem. As for that sort of thing happening often.. Cenlia will jsut clear her throat and sip klah, answering after a second, "Um.. mebbe." Around /Cenlia/, anyway. Poor Ista. It's really not been the same since the gardener girl ended up there. "Didn't kill nothin'," Cen at least can answer Thea honestly, though.. there's then a bit of akward shifting as she settles back in her chair, "Did have some trouble in the storage caverns awhile back. Was tryin' to flush out a nest of tunnelsnakes, an' ended up fallin' in a box of crawlers." She makes quite the face recalling that, "Shardin' /critters/."
Derin is glared at by the bluerider? Ah well, what else is new right? The apprentice listens to the story with curiousity indeed interesting in hearing whether or not explosions happen a lot around Cenlia. He reaches a hand towards the cakes now, he wants to partake in the sweet tastiness too! And the weyrwoman said it was okay, right, so it must be okay for him to have just one. And before anyone can say anything, cake is brought up for an experimental bite, yay sweets!
Karona blinks at Thea. "…die?" She turns back to Cenlia, eyes wide. "…/die/?" she repeats, apparently unable to comprehend the question. Though mention of tunnelsnakes and crawlers has her face screwing up in disgust. "Oh. Hope /those/ died." she says, with a shudder. "I think… I think I won't be, uh, visiting Ista. No offence. It just… it sounds dangerous." Not that she was likely to go visiting anywhere /anyway/, if she's in such trouble with the masters as she seems to claim. The cake is idly nibbled at, Karona's expression turning puzzled. "…hey. This thing isn't bad, actually." she realises. Though, her fussiness is evident as well: "…sticky though, ugh."
It's a faint smirk that appears at the mention of crawlers. Y'ki tilts his head..just a bit, but at least he refrains from commenting there. He seems mostly concentrated on his food, although there's a brief flicker of a look when Derin goes after the boozecake. Disapproval! His roll gets dunked in the stew though, before he chews on that, finally lifting his gaze back to the conversation at hand. "And they didn't strip the flesh from your bones?"
Between bites of the cake, Thea announces, "These are delicious." Maybe being weyrmated to D'had has given her a taste for the booze within them? More likely there's enough sugar in them to make up for what they're drenched in. As for Cenlia's critters, she shrugs, "Those are no great loss." Here's hoping they died and didn't scatter throughout Ista's Caverns – or follow her here. She chortles at Karona, "It's not Ista that's dangerous." With a too-innocent look back at Cenlia, she asks, "You…didn't have anything to do with that volcano going off, did you?" Grin. She's totally kidding. Y'ki's look of disapproval draws her attention to Derin and she does warn him mildly, "Just one."
Rum'd cupcakes are indeed very sweet; C'lom definitely knows his stuff. Cenlia gives Derin an approving grin, to counter Y'ki's disapproval over there, of course. "Lighten up, shards," she tells the bluerider, "Them things ain't gonna /kill/ him. Should try one, might sweeten that sour face you got." Ho hum. Cen is innocent and sweet, just like her cupcake. Which she continues to nibble, letting drops of syrup escape into the klah. Though there's some throat-clearing at Karona. "Yeah, me an' animals dun't get along." Understatement. "Anyplace is /dangerous/, shoulda seen the tunnelsnakes here in Xanadu. Me an' Kire got shardin' /ambushed/, out by the greenhouse, an' then there was that time the trundlebugs all swarmed all over the resident dorms, an' then there was the shardin' /runner/.." she does not, however, mention the ovines. This might be on purpose. Ahem. Though there /is/ a bit of a glance at Thea. THe girl snorts at Y'ki's question, though, "Didn't have time to. Way I ran outta there, half-hauling somebody too. Worst part was after jumpin' in the hotsprings.." a brief pausea and a bit of a face made, "..Turns out baby tunnelsnakes can /swim/. Ugh." Wait.. wash't she talking about crawlers just now? She beams at the boozecakes, grinning all around, though the expression falters a moment at the reminder of the volcano, vaguely wry, "Dunno, with my luck, always some disaster happenin'." But there's a certain ..lack of humor in her eyes at this, attention quickly flicking back to the klah, to take a gulp.
Karona's jaw drops. "…tunnelsnakes here in Xanadu?" she squeaks, looking terribly alarmed. "Th-they're /worse/? THEY CAN SWIM?!" She suddenly claps her hands over her mouth, belatedly aware of the volume at which she was speaking. Her cheeks are very red, and she's trying to slouch down in her chair and hide now. Yep, no Karona here. Ahem.
Derin arches a brow at Y'ki. "Crawlers don't strip flesh from bone." Do they? Maybe if they're evil crawlies they could. "These are really good." Rin says as he licks sticky sweetness from his fingers, mmm. If he's allowed just one then he's going to savor it as much as he can. "You should try one." Ayup, that's aimed at Y'ki, come on you know you want to. "I see tunnelsnakes out by the wher dens sometimes, they're not that scary." Of course not, he's a male, it's different for males than females right?
"My /face/ is just fine." Y'ki growls just a little at that, although he does finally sit back in his seat a bit. The time of ravenous devouring of food is over with. He leans on an arm though, chin propped up in a palm as he just looks at Cenlia, lashes lowering ever so slightly. "/I/ don't need any of it." Or maybe he's just worried about his girlish figure. Karona's outburst earns a faint look from the bluerider though, upper lip curling just a little bit. "..Tunnelsnakes are everywhere. What kind of sheltered bubble do you live in?" And he's being offered..rumcake again? Derin gets a faint sigh, at least. "No."
Thea has to snort at Cenlia's attempt to cajole Y'ki into 'sweetening up', but she says nothing. Instead, she nibbles, licking her fingers daintily and reaches for another cake absently while listening to that litany of critter-mayhem. She does take note of the lack of humor in the young woman's eyes at the mention of the volcano and hmms to herself. Karona's outcry draws a rather startled blink. Somewhat surprised, she notes, "There's tunnelsnakes all over Pern." Though she doesn't deride the woman, rather seeks to soothe her with, "They tend to avoid the light." A glance is spared for Y'ki over there, but at least she doesn't echo the others. She's mellow, it seems. Nothing to do with the rum. Nothing at all.
Cenla might appear just a tad amused by Karona, the former gardener offering casually, "Just gotta whap 'em good with a shovel, is all." At least the girl isn't afraid of the things, though she does make a face, "Yeah, sharding things can /swim/." To Derin, there's a grin and a, "Glad ya like 'em, and yeah, them things ain't scary, unless you got them crawlin' in yer clothes an nipping all over." Shudder. "Yer face looks like the backside of an unripe citrus," it's said oh so casually to Y'ki, "'Course ya do. Unless yer afraid of a little boozecake. Dun't drink much, do ya?" Maybe it's teasing. Or maybe she's just a little defensive of her cousin C'loms cupcakes. She'll have to nod in agreement with Thea and the others, "Can't find anyplace /without/ tunnelsnakes. 'Least the ones over here ain't poisonus, yeah?" Well, she can ..hope? "Guess you ain't had too much trouble since them ovines, huh?" this asked of Thea, though possibly Cen's just hoping the mayhem isn't all /her/.
Karona /eyes/ Y'ki at his reaction to her outburst. "I know /that/, obviously they're /everywhere/, but… but she made it sound like there were more of them here, or, or they're just /worse/ here, or something." She grimaces, then glances around the table, suddenly all too keenly aware of the attention her outburst garnered. "I… uh. I should… work… thing." she stammers, pushing up from the table. The barely nibbled rumcake is left behind as she bolts.
Derin isn't going to leave his cake, not before he gets a chance to finish his treat. He glances from Cenlia to Y'ki, rather curious at the teasing. The apprentice takes another bite of his boozecake, busying himself with trying not to loose any little bit of flavour.
"Tunnelsnakes?" A voice familiar to perhaps only Cenlia enters the conversation. M'al pulls up a chair, but before sitting glances about to those present. "Afternoon." He'd entered a time earlier with a dolly of boxes and gone down the hall first, past the little group. Now, however, he's returned back into the caverns, sans dolly and boxes. "Hope you all dont mind my joinin'you?" And without waiting for an answer he takes his aquired seat. "What about tunnelsnakes? Xanadu got issues with 'em again? Heard 'bout a time while back… didn't know it was still an issue?" He looks to Thea, "Weyrwoman." And a nod of his head to her.
Y'ki snorts softly. "I drink in the company of friends. And that doesn't include cake-eating Istans who look sorely like the ass of a goat." If they're going to be calling names, well then the bluerider will join right on in! Though he does stand up, snatching one of the boozecakes on the way. Hey, people keep on offering, he might as well take one! He quietly stalks away from the table though, and off toward the caverns exit once more. The boozecake? It, alas, ends up fed to the muck and mud, a faint smirk thrown over his shoulder before he finally disappears.
Thea flicks a glance between Cenlia and Y'ki but for the moment holds her tongue. Perhaps she trusts the bluerider to remember the young woman's rank without being reminded. She's vastly amused at Karona however, "Not to worry, there are more of them wherever she-" with a headtilt at Cenlia, "-is, apparently. So if you want to be on the safe side…" The implication is clear. For that flustered look, she starts to reassure the craftwoman, "It's okay-" But she doesn't really try to stop her from going. M'al's appearance receives a pleasant nod and an, "Afternoon, Greenrider." Perhaps it's because her reflexes are slow thanks to the rumcakes on - you guessed it - an empty stomach, for her reaction to Y'ki's comment is belated, likely called after he's gone. Her sharp, "Bluerider!" probably doesn’t reach him. Too bad, she'll have to deal with him later. When she's not tipsy.
Derin watches as Y'ki disappears into the caverns and leaves him here with the weyrwomen, but at least M'al isn't a female so it's a little better. The boy frowns, though, watching the cake be wasted by the bluerider. He shifts to watch after Y'ki, well at least he wasn't called a name. The boy finishes his rumcake, fiddling briefly with his juice before taking a swig to wash down the last bit of sweetly sticky boozesauce, yummy.
Cenlia opens her mouth, possibly to reassure Karona, or somesuch thing, but the smith is already feeling, and the former gardener does look a little sheepish at that. But the new voice has her face brightening immediately, "M'al!" and the girl totally drops the remaining chunk of boozecake in the klah, out of her seat and attempting to tacklehug the greenrider, "Shards, ain't seen ya in forever! How've ya /been/?" Apparently, Cenlia's mellowed a little since impressing, amazingly. She gives hugs! Gasp. Was there a bluerider talking about goats just now? Yeah, Cen misses that, or maybe she just ignores it, because she's totally waving at the greenie with a, "This's m' cousin M'al. Shards, we got boozecakes. You want one?" Someone.. may have had a little too much sweetening today. Cough. At least she'll beam at Thea and Derin, indicating the boozecakes with enthusiasm.
M'al raises his brows at the offering of boozecakes. "Sure, s'pose I shall." He takes one gingerly, a bemused halfsmile creeping into his features at his cousin. "Oh I've been alright. You? Heard there's been baby Zeeks wanderin' around Ista these days? Hope the weyr can take it." He takes a bite, sitting back against the back of the cahair and drawing up a leg to rest the ankle casually on the opposing knee. "M'al," He confirms to the others. "Green Kaelynith's mine. The one who's probably gabbin off any mind or ear for the next 100 dragonlengths or so." He glances in the direction of Y'ki. "He alright? Not a fan a'snakes?" Munch munch munch.
Thea isn't noticing how many cakes Derin winds up eating; she's not his nanny either it seems. Besides she's too busy giving her friend a comical look that she really means to be quelling for goading Y'ki. Oh well. She'll get to that later too. She waves off that third boozecake with a little tilt to her head on a neck gone too flexible. Forming her words carefully she notes, "I have to get back to the office." Using both hands on the tabletop to steady herself as she rises, "Nice meeting you M'al. Welcome to Xanadu. Later Cenlia. Thanks for stopping by." And hopefully, since M'al's related to Cenlia, he's seen that she has this effect on just about… well, everyone! The group is given a general wave, a few cakes nudged off the package and onto a plate left on the table for them. The rest go with her as she walks - normally save a little lean off to one side - to the office. Whether she gets much work done depends on who's in there to share them with her.