Xanadu Weyr - Beach
The unerring range of subdued white rises and falls in a multitude of sandy dunes, creating an endless amount of tiny valleys constantly demolished and rebuilt by the frequent arrival or departure of a dragon. Smoothing out as it slopes gently to the edge of the deep blue water, the sand darkens and a shell here and there stands out for children to collect. The beach itself is set along a low cliff - the height lessoning as one heads eastwards, blocking a portion of the beach from direct access.
The wide wide stretch of water opens up to the east, the far distant shore way beyond the horizon and the beach curves ever so slowly round to east and west, distant arms of land embracing the wind-ruffled Caspian Lake. East leads up to the mouth of the Rubicon River, where the protecting cliff is merely an arms length higher then the sand, and beyond that, a winding road leading out of Xanadu's territory. Westwards, the beach narrows as the cliff swings out, leaving a path wide enough for dragons in single file before cutting in to the sheltered cove designated the Weyrling Beach. However, cut in the cliff face to the north are a variety of rough, wide staircases, providing access to the clearing and to the meadow.
It's been a warm day, rains have come and gone and they had had dawn with a warmth that can sometime be uncharacteristic for that early in the season. Keziah is making good use of the weather and is out there with Micaela and Alosynth. The little girl had been having a fit of tempers and not really liking having her brothers today. So the pair are near a small pool that Alosynth had dug to let fill with lake water and the shallow water had warmed up quickly. So, Micaela is in there splashing while Keziah is watching, leaning up against Alosynth as she too enjoys a break from the triplets.
Iforian has a little free time and the beach sounds like a good place to spend it. The tall miner-candidate has shed his jacket in favor of a sleeveless white top and dark pants, his hands shoved deep into his pockets as he casually walks down to the waterline a short distance from where rider, child, and dragon are enjoying the warm day. From all appearances, the gruff man doesn't even notice the trio, just looking out over the water.
The sound of a child calling him to come 'pway' with her has Iforian's shoulders going a little tense for a moment before he slowly turns to look in their direction. He just quirks a brow at the no longer pregnant rider and little girl for a moment before his shoulders rise in a faint shrug and he walks closer, cautiously staying out of reach of any stray splashing from Micaela, "Were ya talkin' t' me?" He doesn't sound like he can really believe that the little girl would want him to come over.
Keziah eyes Iforian as he comes their way and Micaela giggles brightly, the little two Turn old looking at her mother and exclaims brightly "He do too! See mama. He comes!" unfortunately, judging by the look on Kezi's face. Micaela does answer up "Yes you! You come pway!" she giggles and Kezi rolls her eyes "Do you see anyone else walking nearby?" the greenrider herself asks as she looks quite resigned.
"Yeah, yeah… I'm comin'." Iforian doesn't really sound too happy about it, though, as he gives a much put upon sigh, but kneels down by the pool and sends a little splash in the girl's direction, "And wha' makes ya think I wanna play with ya, li'l un?" She looks over at the rider and rolls his eyes, "No, ain't nobody else here, but I'm use' t' li'ls bein' 'fraid a' me."
Keziah rolls her eyes "She knows no fear." she mutters under her breath. Micaela on the other hand giggles "Silwy, not 'fraid of you." she states even as she squeals briglty at the water being splashed her way. She then picks up a carved wooden shovel from the water and holds it out to him "You dig too." she states.
Iforian sighs and shakes his head, unable to keep from smiling a little, the expression much more genuine than any Keziah has likely seen from him to date, "Ya ain't 'fraid a' me, huh?" At least he sounds amused by that, "Y'r a brave li'l lass, then." He reaches out to try to ruffle the girl's hair, chuckling softly at the squeel as he looks back over at the child's mother, "She's a cutie." Then he's being offered a shovel and he takes it with a bemused expression, "A'ight… Where ya wantin' me t' dig, sweetheart?"
Micaela just giggles at the hair ruffling "Uh uh. You funny." the little girl states. "Uh huh. I bwave. I's gonna be sir and Resu too." she states proudly. Kezi can't help but smile at that. "She is a cutie. Isn't she?" Yes, her youngest daughter has a soft spot in her mama's heart. As for where to dig "Right… here." Micaela states as she points to a spot on the edge of the pool.
"Sir an' Resu, huh?" Iforian chuckles low, slightly confused about exactly who or what 'sir and Resu' are, the sound rumbling in his chest, "Tha's quite impressive." He flashes another smile over at Kezi and nods, seeming to forget to leer for the moment. He chuckles and gives the little girl a mock salute as he scoops up a shovel full of sand to start digging where he's been told to.
"Uh huh. I's gonna Resu people." Micaela states brightly "I's have draggie and wher both!" Kezi can't help but smirk a little at that. Course, there's a startled look for the smile and she looks at Iforian with a wary look. Yeah, she don't quite trust a simple smile. Not that she says anything about it. No, she's quietly lounging, enjoying the break and well, with a candidate to play with Micaela, she can relax more. "You do sir and Resu?" she asks the miner.
"Well, tha's a good goal, sweetheart." Iforian keeps digging the hole he's been told to dig, willing to keep the girl entertained for the time being. He chuckles again, shaking his head at the thought of the girl thinking she can have both a dragon and wher, "Well, my mum has a wher an' my da has a dragon." Keziah's wary look is ignored, since he's got the undivided attention of a little girl. Female attention is female attention, after all, right? Not that he's being creepy about it, or anything. He's just keeping her entertained. For once, he's acting like a normal person and not being a jerk. It's shocking!
He shakes his head, "Nah… I ain't 'sir and Resu'." At least he finally figured out that she was saying 'search and rescue', "I build things." He demonstrates by starting to sculpt a little hut out of damp sand, "An' I go underground an' bring up rocks 'n stuff."
Micaela ohs and frowns a little as she tries to think of who does that and then she oo's a the sand hut and starts making her own little hut. Or more like a lump of sand. "Build things huh?" Keziah asks. "Didn't think miners did that."
Iforian looks over at Kezi and shrugs a shoulder, "Aye…" He draws in a little road for his hut, smiling at Micaela's mound of sand, "'S what I specialize in: Masonry." He makes a face, "Mum's a wherhandler an' I was gettin' in trouble a lot when I was a kid." Not surprising judging by how he's acted since he got to the Weyr, "She got me in as a 'prentice, an'…" He trails off and shrugs again before presenting the little girl with the hut, "A sand hold just f'r ya, my young Lady Holder."
Micaela lets out a huff and shakes her head "Uh uh. That's Aunti Ali." Kezi clears her throat. "She's only holder, not Lady Holder." she murmuers softly and Micaela ohs and then she grins. "I's gonna be wherhander and wider!" she states proudly "I need weyr not hold."
"Well, in tha' case, I think we need a wallow, eh?" Iforian rumbles another chuckle as he scoops out a shallow depression beside the hut, "There ya go, li'l weyrwoman. Now ya got a weyr." He sits back as he presents the little structure with a flourish.
Keziah smiles and just shakes her head at the young man. Micaela on the otherhand is completely entranced. It's a wonder that she's actually Kezi's flesh and blood. "Bootiful!" the little one exclaims. Kezi hehs just a little. "Well, ya seem to have a way with kids for someone who scares them all."
Iforian chuckles softly and reaches over to ruffle the wet little girl's hair again, "Glad ya like it, sweety." He looks over at Kezi and hehs softly, "I got younger sibs." He shrugs one shoulder, "Most kids 's just scared a' how big I am." He might not be the biggest man ever, but he is a pretty big guy.
Keziah hehs just a little "Well, she's around Ers'lan a lot, so." she shrugs a little. Micaela giggles at the touch and then she nods "He my new daddy." she states quite proudly. Kezi shrugs, well, what can ya say to that. "Well, good ya have experience with younger sips, iffen ya Impress."
"Ah…" Iforian nods knowingly, not that he's really met this Ers'lan to know him, but still… He gives the little girl a crooked grin, "I'm sure he's a good daddy, too." Especially if the little girl is so proud to have him for her daddy. He looks over at Kezi and shrugs, "I s'pose so. Mum made sure I took care a' 'em so's I'd know how t' tend t' a wher hatchlin' if'n I ever got 'un." He stands and brushes off his knees where he'd been kneeling beside the little pool, "If ya'll 'scuse me, I gotta get t' my chores." He gives both rider and her daughter a harper-worthy bow as he excuses himself.
Keziah gives a nod and simply looks thoughtful at his words. "Well, we won't keep you then." she notes softly as she looks over at her daughter "Will we Micaela?" The little girl sighs and then shakes her head head. "No, mama." she murmurs and then grins at Iforian "Bye-bye!" she calls out and then turns away from the edge and splashes through the water.