Xanadu Weyr - Weyrleaders' Office
Office and retreat, this is the domain of Xanadu's Weyrleaders. The door is in the eastern wall, quite close to the southern end while the northern wall is dominated by big, expansive windows, framed by sumptuous deep blue drapes edged with a brilliant gold braid and tied back with a thick rope of braided gold and blue cord. In between, the eastern wall is covered floor to ceiling with shelves that house all sorts of records, manuals and supplies that are used on a day-to-day basis. The southern wall has the Weyrleader's desk — plain fellis wood, well polished and masculine. From behind his desk, the Weyrleader can look straight through the windows and out onto the main airspace of Xanadu. The western wall is where the Weyrwoman's desk resides: a lovely piece of furniture made of warm cherry wood. From her seat, a glance sideways gives her an equally good prospect out the window. There are a few other seats, some comfortably arranged around a low round table for small, informal meetings while there also some that can be drawn up to one of the desks.
On the south side of the door, the space is occupied by a low oblong table where refreshments can be set without someone needing to intrude. There is also an 'incoming' tray where incoming correspondence or similar items can be left.
In the several days since Seryth has clutched, Thea has been with her pretty much most of the time either on the Sands or in the level. At the moment she is in the office, gathering an armload of paperwork to bring back there so her work won't pile up. Dressed in her usual, loose-fitting and thin cloth tunic and trous so she won't swelter, hair twisted up off her neck, she's still flushed so hasn't been off them long, by the looks of it. Though the day started out bright and warm, by evening it's turned rainy, nothing dreary, just a light spring rain misting down from thin clouds red-tinted with the sinking sun behind them. It's helping melt the massive snow drifts left by that last freak blizzard, large patches of newly-sprouting grass already visible.
"Thought I might find ya here," D'had begins making his presence known from where he leans against the open doorway of the office. "Weyrleader says ya gotta find that 'second knot ya were holding onto," he comments casually, pushing off the entry to stride across the room and offer to take some of those papers she's gathering. "Let me take somethin' hmm? Then ya can at least get somethin' ta eat on the way back too." Yes, he's going to make sure she eats between stints on the sands too.
"Augh!" Those papers in the crook of Thea's arm thankfully don't go flying when the woman jumps. She turns a wide-eyed and slightly disoriented look over her shoulder at him, free hand to her chest in a futile gesture to slow down her heartrate. Yeah she's not eating much and not sleeping well without him either, so is he going to make sure she does that too? "Do you ever knock?" It's a rhetorical question really, and she is glad to see him despite the irritable-sounding question as a smile for him follows right afterwards. A smile that fades when his statement sinks in. She looks disquieted, says flatly, "Oh. He… finally found someone." Her head drops for a moment, then she lifts her chin and says firmly, "He'll just have to order whoever it is a new one. He can't have the old one!"
D'had chuckles given her reaction, amused yet apologetic. "Not often," the reply he gives for his knocking, or lack thereof. "Let me take some of that, hmm?" he questions, offering to take some of that load off her hands once again. "Don't see the point in orderin' a new one. Knot's a knot. 'Sides, sounded like he's looking for it now."
Thea absently hands over the stack in her arm, not that it's all that large a one, while her focus remains on D'had. "Tough! He'll have to wait," she growls stalking over towards one of the filing cabinets and yanking a drawer open, nearly tipping over the tall case in the process. This is uncharacteristic Thea-behavior for sure as her fingers move nimbly through the tabs there in search of… in search of… She finally pauses while staring at the files hanging there, not really seeing them. Then bursts into tears. Noisy crying too - not like her at all.
"Careful," D'had warns given the wobble that yank causes. Just what has gotten into her he hasn't the foggiest, but he's not going to push too hard just yet. If she wants to be cranky… well everyone's allowed a day like that once in awhile aren't they? It's when she starts crying that she has him befuddled. "Babe," he starts, stepping towards her, reaching to set that stack of papers on the desk as he passes in order to have both hands free to pull her into his arms. "What'sa matter?" Pause. "You ain't pregnant, are ya?" he inquires peering down at her and internally cringing even while he waits for her answer.
Well, there's cranky and then there's… this. The filing cabinet dares to wobble, does it? While he's striding towards her Thea kicks it for good measure, even while those tears begin. At least she doesn't punch or kick him when he steps up behind her and pulls her into his arms, so at least she's not mad at him. She turns, wraps both arms around him, head buried in his shoulder to give vent to the angry storm that's descended on her, not that it lasts all that long. It might seem like forever while his question hangs there unanswered though. After however long it is, she lifts her head, grinding the heel of one hand over an eye to wipe it dry, blinking at him with the other. "What? Pregnant?!" Blink. Then vehemently, "Shells no!" And then she starts laughing. Poor D'had.
D'had waits in awkward silence for that answer and when she gives it he can at least laugh with her. "Well… if it ain't that then what's go into you?" he asks. Obviously something has, that's clear as day given her abuse of the filing cabinet. "You alright?" Worried? Yes.
The laughing doesn't last long either. Thea's dark brows lower at that question and her green eyes are back to stormy, if indeed they ever went from it to begin with. Is she alright? Her muttered answer is, "Yes. No… Maybe." Then she's turning her head, dropping her eyes to glare at that still-open drawer like she'd shoot it with her crossbow if only she had it with her. "I need… ah! This." One arm unloops from around his waist and she reaches to pull a blank form from one of the files. Her jaw is set, ready for an unpleasant task, and since she hasn't moved from his arms, she tilts her chin to make eye contact with his dark ones. "Who's the lucky person (read: 'I'm gonna make his life miserable') I have to order a new knot for?"
D'had just shakes his head. No use arguing with her now when she's ready to shoot the furniture. Maybe is good enough for him, he'll ask again later. "Easier ta write it if yer sittin' down, hmm?" he suggests. Sitting might not make the difference but a writing surface would. "Want I should spell it for ya too?" He could be all harper-like for a matter of 17.2 seconds.
And Thea is so preoccupied she hasn't formed coherent enough thought to answer his question as to what exactly IS the matter with her. "Probably," she mutters as to needing to sit down. Slipping from his arms, she and that ill-fated paper make it over to her desk where she flumps into her seat without her usual grace. There she reaches for a pen, takes a deep breath, visibly steeling herself to write. The scratchy sounds are loud in the silence save for the rebellious under-her-breath muttering the whole while she fills it out. All those turns they shared the Weyrsecond and Junior's office and he's certainly never heard her do paperwork like this, has he? Her pen now hovering over the spot for the name, her eyes lift to his. "So, how does it go?" Sure, he can spell it for her, that's not what she minds about this whole thing.
They did share that office for quite awhile, and as for having heard her complete paperwork like this… maybe once? It certainly wasn't a usual occurrence. D'had watches as she crosses to her desk, drops into her chair and sets to writing. When she asks for the name again he obliges by spelling out for her, "D-h-a-d." While he manages a straight face he can't keep the grin he's hiding out of his eyes.
Thea's pen actually gets halfway through writing the d before it clicks just whose name she's writing. Her penmanship was not-so-smooth to begin with; now it goes awry as her hand jerks, leaving a messy trail of ink across the printed portion. Not that she's noticing, mind. No, she's staring at her weyrmate and his laughter-filled eyes over there. Yep, he's managed to shock her into open-mouthed silence. She says what pops into the sands-crazed mind first. "Is this… some kind of a joke?"
D'had can't hide that grin any longer when she gives him that look of bewilderment. Lips curve into that smirk of a smile he tends towards. Joke? Really? "Would I do that to ya?" Oh sure he has his days where he likes to tease, but would he ever really go that far?
Slowly she admits, "Probably not." The look Thea's giving D'had is nonplussed, slightly wary even. She's been from the height of anger to the depths of grief in a matter of five minutes. Men are so lucky not to ride the roller coaster of emotions that leave behind a limp sort of dazed exhaustion! But now there's that maddening smirk. She loves it but… he's in trouble! The pen is carefully set down on the desk as she rises and steps towards him much like a cat stalking its prey. "So you want the Weyrsecond's knot, do you?" Unreadable, the expression and tone but in her eyes there's a gleam of dare ya. Watch out D'had!
D'had has been in trouble with her before. It’s never fun, but he'll make due. "Don't know that I'd say I want it…" he replies carefully, standing his ground as she stalks towards him. What are you up to Thea? "Weyr needs it though…" He's taking one for the team see!
This time it could be though? Cat-like or no, she doesn't pounce. Yet. She's still walking his way, hips moving in a sultry way as she continues her stalk. What is she up to? Why nothing. She's innocent! "It does," she agrees silkily. "But the Weyr can't wear it, so…" Her brows lift questioningly. He's going to, right?
Of course it could be, but that's not exactly what he's expecting right about now. "Yeah…" D'had agrees slowly, not quite sure where she's leading now. "So until the Weyrleader finds someone else…" he's agreed to wear the knot.
Thea reaches D'had and in spite of the catlike spring she might appear to be contemplating, there's no tackling the poor man. She slips her arms around his neck instead. She could be getting ready to kiss him goodbye before strangling him? "So like you said, a knot's a knot and there's no point in ordering a new one." She's smiling, genuine merriment brimming from her eyes so his life is probably safe at this point. "There's only one tiny little problem."
D'had chuckles, catching her around the waist as she wraps her arms around his neck. "Problem huh…" he prompts her to continue, returning her smile with one of his own. "Dare I ask what ya did with it?"
Thea's smile grows slowly, sensuously. "I'm wearing it at the moment." No, it's not anywhere visible, but there's a telltale chain about her neck and a glimpse of blue, gold and silver in the V of her blouse where it's left unbuttoned. She's tucked it somewhere safe and close to her heart, aww! Sappy sentimental Thea. "So if you're going to wear it…" She rises on her tiptoes and leans to breathe against his lips, "You'll have to get it yourself." Is that a challenge? Why yes. Yes it is!
"Where?" D'had begins the question, but doesn't finish it as he catches a glimpse of the color beneath her shirt. "Is that so…" he teases right back given that challenge of hers, leaning down that short space more to make their lips meet. Here's hoping Xe'ter doesn't need anything from the office soon.
D'had - "What'sa matter?" Pause. "You ain't pregnant, are ya?"
Oh, now that would just be too funny.
I reject your reality and substitute my own.