
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.
The living caverns have emptied after the morning meal, leaving only a few stragglers. Riders who had duties and are just getting back to the weyr, an a few weyrfolk who are catching a mid-morning snack. Into this somewhat sparce group walks Rogawani, having come from the clearing outside after teathering his runner at the stables. Removing his gloves, the boy tucks them into his pocket and then runs both hands through his hair, tussling it up to get rid of the moisture the morning air had left clinging to the strands. "Good to be home, now for some food." He chimes as if this were a regular mantra of his. Weaving his way through the tables and approaching food with the greedy eyes of a young man not yet having had his breakfast. Claiming a plate, a few sweet rolls, a chunk of meat or two, and just for good measure some fruit, he balances the plate precariously before filling a cup of Klah and tottering over towards a table, trying not to spill anything.
Niva is arguing with someone, though given that its Niva, that in itself is not too out of the ordinary. However, the woman wearing the knot of a greenrider continues to pester her, even after a curt dismissal. The pair pausing in the entrance way, Niva simply looks the woman over once more, shaking her head. "You're a shardin' fool, ya know that?" And then with a more obvious dismissal, the Weyrwoman is heading to find some breakfast of her own before another day on the Sands.
The irritated voice of the Weyrwoman is enough to make Rogawani stop mid-bite and turn his head to watch the fireworks. Unfortunately it seems like the worst of it is over so there isn't all that much for him to watch. Mouth continuing it's interrupted path, he finishes the bite of his sweet roll, chewing it as his eyes follow the goldrider's path. Normally not the type to draw notice to himself, however, the boy quickly turns back to his meal, taking down a slug of klah, pretending not to have noticed anything.
Its probably a sound that Rogawani should get used to, if the recent rumors are anything to judge by. Interrupted in her quest for food by another rider, asking for who only knows what before being sent on his way, Niva finally manages to come by her breakfast, and then she's turning to find a place. Unfortunately for Rogawani, the Weyrwoman has deemed him harmless and unlikely to ask for anything, and so that's where she's headed, settling down without a word other than. "Morning."
Again, Rogawani is forced to stop mid-bite, only finally chewing after a reminder from his stomach which seems more imperious than his brain this morning. Swollowing, the boy nods his head, mumbling out as if it were an automatic response, "Morning." As his mind catches up to things, he adds a small quip, "Want me to get a stick and beat them off of you for a little while?" He offers, showing a small, timid smile that suggests he's only joking, maybe. Lifting his mug, the shaggy boy washes down his food, eating faster than is probably healthy.
Niva is digging into her own breakfast, even if the majority of it is made of klah and pastries. With one of the said pastries in hand, she's waving it around with a chuckle, shaking her head. "I'm not sure even that would help. They're all nuts." Okay, stir crazy, perhaps. After a moment, she shakes her head at the boy, laughing softly again. "You'd think we don't feed you, the way you're eating." At least she's relaxing, without anymore interruptions.
"Too many encounters with rogue ovines probably." The boy comments with a little chuckle, rumors about them showing up in odd places and even bursting into flame having spread not only to the weyrfolk, but to some of the small local holds as well. With the Weyrwoman making the comment on his eating, Rogawani purposefully slows himself down. "Sorry ma'am. Force of habit. When I started as a runner, they had me going back and forth so often that I rarely got a bite to eat." Lifting one of the sweet rolls, he also notes, "And these don't travel well in pockets." The second sweetroll gets nearly devoured within a few bites, washed down again with another liberal gulp of hot klah. "Why's everyone bothering you so much anyways?" He's a messenger, news is his business.
"They don't have one who's quite at home in their office. Bloody animal." It seems that the young lamb is still a resident of the Weyrleader's Office - that being one battle Niva can't win with R'sul. A soft sigh, a shake of her head, and then she's looking back at Rogawani. "The greenrider? She doesn't want any more candidates from the southern most cotholds. Said they're too weird." And then she nods at the serving table. "And, that brownrider demands to be let see his daughter attempt to Impress at Eastern." A shake of her head, and she waggles a finger. "You have it easy, boy."
Placing an arm over his mouth, Rogawani can't help but laugh a little bit at the predicament the poor Weyrwoman is in with her impromptu office visitor. "Well, I certainly don't envy you your ovine problem." He snickers, trying to collect himself as to not get into too much trouble. "Are the southern cotholders really that strange, though? My route doesn't take me that far." The fruit seems next on his agenda, taking a bite and then wiping a trail of juice that escapes his mouth. "The brownrider thing sounds pretty normal though, but there's the quarantine right?" Not having one on one iteractions with the dragonriders all that often, he's heard enough to know what's going on, even if not first-hand.
"If you know of anyone who wants a lamb, I'd be happy to let them into… kidnap it when R'sul is otherwise occupied." Clearly, Niva's not nearly as fond of the animal as the bronzerider is. A shake of her head, and she rolls her eyes. "Don't let Ysa hear you ask that, I'm sure she'll lecture you for an hour about them. They just seem.. shy." Of course, Niva's judgement has been less than steller in the past. A nod, and she grimaces. "Nothing in or out. Though, apparently we have some riders who feel it doesn't apply to them."
"Not me. My runner is trouble enough." Rogawani replies, shaking his head from side to side. "There is a cothold between here and Black Rock that has some ovines. Maybe sneak it off there?" The boy suggests, lifting his eyebrows before giving a small, innocent shrug of his shoulders. Raising his hands a little, "I think I'll pass on the lecture. If I ever get sent out there, I'm sure I'll find out for myself." Who knows, it could happen, even if dragons usually taken the more distant holds. The quarantine however, the boy certainly does have at least something to say. "I don't think it's just riders. My last trip out, I saw a holder's bronze lizard come from between with a sack of fruit. Istan fruit by the look of it."
"Perhaps Flossie'll have to take a fieldtrip." Niva murmurs mostly for herself, pondering the boy's suggestion over, before giving a slow nod. "Good choice, though. She tends to get out of hand." Niva comments, her displeasure with the Junior's attitude of late coloring her own attitude, and loosening her tongue about the woman. "Most of them haven't even seen a dragon, much less thought of being Searched." But then, the subject of distant holders is dropped, at the mention of firelizards, and it evokes a series of swears from the Senior. "Shardin' firelizards." She finally manages, fingers rapping loudly on the tabletop, her meal forgotten for now.
"Flossie?" The boy asks, that childish laughter threatening to come up again as he purses his lips together. Luckily, he's been around riders long enough to have learned that laughing at them isn't a good idea. So, the laugh is quickly stiffled as he just looks curiously at the mention of a place where people hadn't seen dragons. "That's weird. Can't imagine what that'd be like. I've lived here all my life, it'd be just odd not to see dragons around." Reaching a hand up, Rogawani scratches at his wind-swept hair before taking a bite of his nearly forgotten fruit. Talk seems to slow his ravenous eating it seems. "I'd guess it's gonna be hard to keep things quarantined with little mindless lizards flitting in and out as they please. Most folks don't even seem to keep track of where they go."
"R'sul's idea. He thought she was cute." A frown, and she nods at the boy. "Things aren't good for much, seem to cause more trouble than they're worth." She mutters, but then their quite is interrupted by yet another perturbed rider. With a nod to Rogawani, Niva's excusing herself, half listening to the complaints being given as they head in the direction of the Hatching Arena.