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.
D'had's left standing not once, not twice, but three times. Or in theory he is as first Anatasha leaves, then Thea, and then N'shen. He's left there with mug of klah all but forgotten in his hand. A shake of his head and the Weyrsecond turns to walk off in the general direction that the greenrider went in.
Anatasha is sitting off in the corner furthest from the hearth, a mug of klah before her and a brooding expression on her face. One might have expected her to have fled altogether once the bomb had dropped, but no - she came for a drink, and she intends to have it, even if she doesn't look to be enjoying it.
Well at least she's made it easy to be found and D'had does just that after a brooding glance across the space. "What the f***!?" is the weyrsecond's greeting to the greenrider as the mug that he still holds slams rather hard against the table at which she sits causing the liquid remaining inside to slosh. Thankfully for him at least it’s low enough so as not to spill too much over the edge and onto his hand.
The greenrider seems unsurprised as D'had joins her, and barely jolts as his mug comes slamming down. "Temper, Weyrsecond," she says coolly. "You don't want to attract any unwanted attention, now do you? Gossips have long ears." Her icy green eyes meet his, and she gestures towards a seat. "Have a seat, get it off your chest. But do so in a civil manner, or more tongues than mine shall wag."
D'had glares a moment longer, but he does drop to a seat eventually. "What in Faranth's name was that about?!" So he hasn't exactly calmed down any, but at least he's trying to keep his voice down to ward off those who might be listening in.
"Was what about, exactly, D'had?" Anatasha's not playing coy here, she's geuninely uncertain what he's referring to. "Do you mean my conversation with my son regarding his Impression? The boy has been cooped up in those barracks, I assume. At least, I haven't seen him since before his Impression. I felt it necessary to let him know that I was… ah… proud of him."
"No," D'had snorts. He's far from amused right about now. "Glad ya took the time ta tell 'im how 'proud' ya are of him." At least he's giving her credit for that. "What's all this got ta do about me now?" That's the part that he's interested in right now.
"Absolutely nothing, if you don't want it to," Anatasha replies coolly, shrugging. "It shouldn't have had anything to do with you in the first place, but I mistook why the boy was sitting with you." She waves a hand aimlessly in the air. "I wouldn't worry your head about it, D'had."
D'had rolls his eyes at the woman uninterested in any excuses she might have. Though what qualifies as an excuse in his mind right about now might be touchy. "He's what? Fifteen? I've been here how long? And you've never bothered to mention it?" Not that it really would have changed much at the time, but that's not his point right now.
"Almost fourteen," Anatasha replies testily. "And why would I mention it? It was a flight, and I was stupid enough to break my leg the day after so I didn't have a chance to go *between* until it was too late. Anyway, if I recall correctly, you had your own life and hardly needed a child foisted off on you." She waves a hand, as if dismissing the past. "You should never have found out. The boy didn't need to be a burden to two of us." Implications.
"Still have," D'had points out. Or at least he's hoping he still has a chance at this point given how Thea left the caverns. "Woulda been nice ta make that choice on my own ya know." Then again if she'd said something at the beginning he likely would have avoided it, but still. Now is now. "Get over yourself," he grumbles, pushing up out of the chair to stalk off towards the clearing leaving that mug he'd had in hand on the table.
Anatasha snorts softly. "Pot, kettle," she murmurs under her breath, watching D'had go for a long moment before shrugging and dismissing him, and their mutual offspring, returning to her klah with a sigh.