Xanadu Weyr - Observation Level
Dark blue seats form a semi-circle around the sands below, the lowest row separating from the sands themselves by merely a railing. The seats climb upwards, each row a bit higher then the previous, and they are broken up into sections by 3 sets of staircases. Lights are evenly spaced along the outer wall, lighting the seats and the sands easily, though they tend to be dimmed unless a major event is taking place. A large balcony looms overhead, darkening some of the seats, providing a place for observers of the draconic kind to watch without obstructing the view for others.
When one looks over the railing, the oddly hued sand below can be seen easily, the circle-shaped area of the sands spread out to the far walls, the sand itself a unique mixture of red and white grains.
Thea has set up a camp of sorts up in the Galleries. She has her small loom up here and a cot cushion takes up several seats. Beside it she has a small table with a jug of iced fruit juice and some food on it. Presently she is seated at the loom, poking a sharp hook quickly in and out of the thick material adding bits of raw wool to the nearly-finished rug.
Evening approaches, the guards have been posted and though Enkavir has spent the last few hours away from the Sands, he now returns. He brings a bowl of flavored crushed ice, rich with bits of berry and pineapple along with him, eyes darting over the sands before he sees Thea seated in the observation level. "Ah, there you are," he says by way of greeting, taking the steps with easy long-legged strides and closing the distance between them. He sets the ice down on her little table with a flourish, then nudges an empty seat beside the cot cusion with a toe. "Mind if I sit? I come bearing gifts and a promise of fine conversation." His crooked grin is offered, eyes bordering on green beneath dark brows.
Thea looks up at the sound of footsteps. The look of preoccupied concern lifts from her face as she spies who it is. One brow lifts slightly and a smile twitches her lips, "Do you now?" She gestures to the seat, "Of course you may sit. Please." Eyeing the bowl of ice, then the bearer, she asks, "Whatever that is, you have a knack for knowing what a Hatching Sands-bound woman would want." Anything cold and good company being at the top of the list, in other words. She pushes at the dark hair sticking to her forehead and tucks it behind one ear, reaches for another tuft of wool, fits it into the hook, but doesn't apply it to the tapestry yet. Instead, she tilts her head and gives Enkavir an appraising look, before saying quietly, "Thanks for helping with the tunnel earlier."
Enkavir settles himself lightly on the chair he nudged, managing not to flop or sprawl like some guys would. He leans back, casually stretching on arm across the back of the adjacent chairs, then waves a hand at the bowl of ice. "It's a frozen ice, they make them at the Hold where I was born in the height of summer, but we have all the supplies so… berries and pineapple and things. Let me know what you think." He snaps his fingers, shifts around to pull a spoon out of his pocket, and buffs it on his shirt before holding out with a grin that borders on sheepish. "My pockets are clean, I swear." As for knowing what sand-bound women would want, he just shrugs. "Doesn't take a Crafter to notice it's bloody hot down there, and I spent enough time at that passage's entrance to take note." He meets her appraising look levelly, drawing out the moment for beat before slowly nodding. "My pleasure, and any time."
Ice-green eyes flicker from the spoon back to Enkavir's and Thea's smile widens. She takes the spoon - she'll take him at his word, it seems. The hook is abandoned for the time being as she places it on the table. Spoon hovering over the treat, she asks playfully, "Born in a cold spot, then? Where might that be?" While waiting for his answer, she digs in. No sense letting good ice go to waste. And this looks mighty good! For the moment, she savors the sweet, letting the cold seep slowly down her throat. Her eyes widen and she nods wordlessly in approval, finally managing when her mouth is empty, "Thank you!"
Enkavir observes the acceptance of the spoon with tightly controlled mirth - it shows in his eyes and maybe just a little at th corners of his mouth. "A warmish spot actually, not far from here. But it's not hard for firelizards to bring back chunks of ice if you know where to send them." He shrugs it off, watching her enjoyment with steady eyes and then letting that smile bloom slowly over his mouth. "You are quite welcome. I can't imagine spending all my time in this sweltering cavern." He tips his head a bit ot the side then, eyeing her speculatively. "Have they found anything? Or are they just standing guard?" The passages, obviously.
"They're standing guard at the moment. I don't know if they've gone inside yet. I think they're waiting for Niva and R'sul to come have a look." Thea answers as she takes another spoonful of the fruited ice. She blinks at Enkavir for a moment, the wheels turning and she repeats slowly, "A warmish spot not far from here that has ice." She goes very still, her voice strained, "I know of a place like that." Her eyes sharpen slightly, pinning him with a stare, "Not to seem rude, but where exactly?" She watches him carefully, not quite suspiciously, but it's close. On the Sands below Seryth raises her head to watch the pair in the Galleries.
Enkavir lets out a litte 'huh', turning his head to look down at the guards. "And the golds don't mind them down there, eh?" He rubs a palm over his head, smearing his hair around and leaving a chunk dangling down toward his eyes. "Are they going to look? The Weyrwoman didn't seem too concerned about some suspicsious something or other that new wingleader was telling her about." When she goes all still and strained his eyes slowly slide back to her and his brows move up as slowly as his eyes moved. "Not exactly. The firelizards go to where there /is/ ice and bring it back. And then we crush it up. And…" He waves vaguely at the bowl. "Originally Black Rock Hold, but my family has a small cothold near Ressac Beach Sea Hold and that's where we would make this." Seryth's attention has him glancing down at Thea, eyes narrowing. "What?"
Thea listens to Enkavir carefully, not needing to look at Seryth to know the gold is suddenly alert. "Things are not always what they seem." Is she replying about Niva or is she making an observation about people in general? Thea doesn't define it. At the mention of Ressac Beach Sea Hold, her eyes narrow just a tiny bit. She tenses visibly, but as nonchalantly as she can, she offers the bowl of ice to the young man sitting across from her. Casually, "Have a bite." It's not a request. And though she looks pleasant enough, if Enkavir is astute, he'll notice the weyrwoman has gone quite pale. Seryth rumbles and rises to her feet, eyes beginning to show yellow flecks.
Enkavir goes as still as Thea went a moment ago. His brows draw downward, inward, leaving his eyes cast in shadow until they glitter darkly instead of with their typical pale light. "That is true enough," he comments, his voice easy enough to seem out of place coming from between the firm line of lips. When she offers the bowl that line twists into a harsh smirk and he takes the spoon from her. "Why thank you, Thea. So kind of you to share." He scoops a large bite and slides it into his mouth, turns the spoon around to offer it back handle first and rolls the ice around with his tongue. The rumbling gold must be noticed but his eyes stay fixed solidly on sea green eyes instead of swirling yellow-flecked ones as he swallows. "Are you feeling quite well, ma'am? You look a bit pale." He reaches out a hand as if to brush the back of his knuckles against one nearly white cheek.
Thea watches Enkavir take the iced treat without hesitating and nods a silent approval before exhaling suddenly. She closes her eyes briefly and leans back limply against the loom frame behind her. "Forgive me, Enkavir," she says weakly. "With all that's been happening…it's hard to know who to trust." She opens her eyes, one hand gesturing towards the tunnel down below, "Ressac has seen some very bad happenings these past three turns. And your mention of a warm spot near ice just described an isolated spot we discovered that we believe is a Renegade hideout."
Enkavir's touch is brief and he settles his arm across the chairbacks once more. His eyes remain intent on her, though the harsh lines of his face relax a bit as she slumps. "Nothing to forgive. I understand that things are… tense around here even if I am not always clear on all of the reasons or details." Long fingers tap idly at the chair back and he tips his head a bit to the side. "Do you think the issues the Weyr is having is due to renegades? I mean, apart from-" he trails off, shaking his head with his mouth curled up in something like disgust. "Drowning runners and flaming ovines and exploding soapsuds and the like. The real trouble, that's who you are pointing the finger at?"
A flicker of a smile ghosts Thea's lips at his mention of the catastrophes, "Too much boozing causing all that mayhem…folks just don't reason with all their smarts at times. They were shardin' -ovine-. Would they feed 'em fellis-grain, they'd have been able to just lead 'em back to pasture!" The fear fades slowly from her eyes, but a shadowed look haunts them as she answers Enkavir's question carefully, "Renegades, so far are a bother to the holders more than they are the weyrs." She starts to add something else, but shuts her lips tightly.
Enkavir's eyes track the shifts in Thea's expression, falling to her mouth then back up to her slow-to-clear eyes. "I didn't actually hear the whole story of the ovines to be honest. It all strikes me a bit like one of my cousins trying to get attention but obviously I'm not one to judge." But he is - that faint smirk says it more loudly than all of his words. Then he quiets to listen to her explanation, and listen with more than just his ears to words that are left unsaid. One brow inches up and he slowly nods. "I see. Well then, no need to worry about that warm but icy spot, is there now?"
"Trust me, it's too much booze." Thea's frown says exactly what she thinks of that escapade. She looks down, fiddles with the spoon for a moment, then raises her eyes to probe Enkavir's expression carefully. Making a silent decision, she quietly disagrees. "Oh, but there is." She looks around for a moment to see if there are any egg-watching folks in the galleries, then adds very quietly, "Please don't repeat this, but I think Niva's more concerned than she lets on." She rubs her arms. In spite of the warmth in the place she shivers, "I suppose she's concerned that the Renegades may join with that odd bunch of Kefai's. Crazy meets crafty and there's no figuring what they'll do."
Enkavir shrugs at this, a lopsided motion that only lifts one shoulder. "I am sure you are right. The girl seems a bit young for that sort of thing, but I've seen her drink myself so I don't doubt your word." He shifts, cocking one foot up on the chair and draping an arm laguidly over it. "I have found there's little enough you can control in life without giving up your control willingly, you know. Drink isn't for me." He watches her probing levelly, keeps his eyes steadily waiting as she looks away, and then leans closer as she finally speaks. "Hmm. This Kefai fellow, you think he's crazy? I'm sure you know far more about him than I do. Why don't you just… take him out?"
Thea just smiles fondly, "Cenlia's one of a kind, that gal." Which is probably a good thing for the Weyr given that one's penchant for trouble. She nods a silent agreement to his comment on drink, a wry twist to her lips, "So I've seen." Enkavir's question is considered carefully, "Actually, aside from briefly kidnapping one of the weyrwomen a few turns ago and a goldrider running off to join him, Kefai's people - whoever they are - haven't really done anything to weyr or hold that I know of. Killed a few of their own, but…" She shrugs, indicating it's beyond her ken. "Can't take him out for being nuts. Holds'd have to do that anyway." She tilts her head, casually adding, "For a newcomer, you're mighty interested in the goings-on." Still cautious, this weyrwoman. Seryth, however, has settled back onto the Sands.
Enkavir lets a soft chuckle escape and he nods. "It seems that she is indeed." He leaves the topic of Cenlia for the moment, listening to her answer with obvious thought but no sign of approval or otherwise. When she finally asks her question he lets out that chuckle again, an easy tumble of low notes as he flips the hand on the chairback dismissively. "New to Xanadu but long in the area. We've heard of Kefai even at our little cothold." He tips his forehead toward the sands then. "And now with the eggs and strange goings on… a person has to know what he's getting himself into doesn't he? Ignorance isn't bliss. I've never believed that."
Thea pays heed to every movement of Enkavir's closely, not trying to hide the fact that, yes, she's studying him. She relaxes, leaning back against the frame. "True. Although sometimes neither is knowing all the facts - which I still don't. Other times you figure you know what's what and… it all changes." The tension leaves her lips as a smile plays across them, although her eyes are shadowed with a brief sadness. Abruptly she blurts, "I'm sorry I was suspicious, Enkavir. I think the tunnel and the odd laughing and noises really threw me." She looks down at the bowl in her lap, now a puddle of melted ice and fruit bits and her eyes crinkle in merriment as she snickers at herself. "Can't believe I thought…"
Enkavir remains stoic throughout the studying, one eyebrow slightly cocked and his eyes remaining comparatively dark. "I'd appreciate just knowing the facts there are to be known, honestly. And I'm going to keep asking questions until I feel like people are being honest with me." He lifts that hand, palm out but fingers relaxed, forestalling. "Not that you are't being honest, mind you. I just mean in general." He's been so still it is almost statue-like so when the hand in his lap moves to drag through his hair it might almost be a shock. The motion occurs as she snickers and her eyes crinkle, and it just might hide a tinge of something… different in his own gaze. A brief moment of softness flickers through them but soon it is replaced with careful neutrality and he shakes his head. "Worry not, weyrwoman. Things aren't always what they seem." He reaches to take the empty bowl, eyes on hers.
Thea isn't the jumpy type nor does she flinch when Enkavir moves suddenly. She relinquishes the bowl, still smiling, "Enkavir, you may have your work cut out for you, then, because Niva doesn't always tell folks all she knows. Not even her Juniors." Her eyes dance impishly, "Although as records keeper, you'll be entitled to ask her any and all questions. Shells, I may have to get my information from you." She ponders something, then tentatively and unlike her normal self, adds in a rush, "I'm still learning who to trust, even here. I try not to bother the Weyrwoman much." Almost as if she regrets being that honest, she straightens and tilts her chin and her eyes dare him to laugh.
Enkavir takes the bowl and cradles it in his hand, returning her smile though his is perhaps a bit cooler than hers. "I like a challenge," he confides, eyes sparking with a hint of the impishness she shows. "And I intend to get on her good side, if only by doing the paperwork everyone but me seems to despise." He pauses then, eyes narrowing at her hasty confession. He doesn't laugh but his grin does deepen. "And yet you've chosen to trust me. At least this far." He lifts the bowl as an indicator, nevermind that she made him taste ithimself. "Well I would say I'm honored but at the same time, perhaps you are not quite careful enough by half." It's a bit cryptic and he stands, looking down at her for a beat. "Don't fret too much. You look a bit worn around the edges - tired. You should try to get some rest."
Thea throws a confused look Enkavir's way, any levity vanishes in it's wake. She remains seated, drops her head and studies the tip of her booted toe, allowing her hair to swing forward and curtain her expression. She doesn't comment except to mutter, "Already on her good side - I do my job. It's all you have to do." She shrugs, "Don't know if that'll help you get answers she don't want to give ya." Then she sighs, "I am tired, but I'll be fine." She peeks back up and adds a roguish, "Thanks for the ice and the…fine conversation."
Enkavir shakes his head, flicking his fingers dismissively. "Don't mind me," he manages a pale smile. "I always think things through too much, I can be paranoid. You can trust me - we can trust each other." His breath inward and outward is slow, his tongue sneaking out to wet his lips as if that statement wasn't the easiest one to make. "Just be sure you sleep sometime. Maybe somewhere other than here. Don't you guys ever get a break? The heat, and the watching… it's oppressive. And there are two goldriders you know." He shakes his head, it's not his place, and then he tosses a grin down at her, just as roguish. "Anytime, Thea."
Thea is baffled by Enkavir, whether she knows it or not, her face shows it clearly. "I'll be alright," she repeats, tucking a strand of her hair behind one ear, her mind on the eggs and that tunnel likely. "We do get short breaks, yes. But Seryth needs me near her." There's a draconic snort from the sands at that comment. A person wouldn't have to be a Rider to interpret the irony it conveys, either. Thea's lips press together stubbornly as she turns to give the young queen a brief look, her eyes lingering tenderly for a moment. Turning back she adds briskly, "I must be here with her. Heat's not as bad up here. It's why I moved my cot up."
Enkavir is a baffling sort of guy, or so says the easy grin that he adopts with her baffled expression. "I'm sure you will be," he assures her with a firm nod. "I'm sure Seryth could use a break too sometime. Solarith is here, Kensith could be here. There are guards posted all over the place and it's not like she's…" he trails off uncertainly, "sitting on the eggs." He holds up another forestalling hand. "I don't know, you do what you need to do, but with all of the dragon illness in the world you should take care of yourself and her too." He just keeps sticking his foot in his mouth and at least that's less baffling. "Anyway,you know what you are doing better than I do, obviously. You have a good evening, ma'am."
It's hard to keep from laughing at the 'sitting on eggs' comment and Thea does laugh quietly about it as she waves a 'see ya' to the man. She says no more to him, though but she does look less fraught than she had been. She turns to her loom, picking up that abandoned hook and absently stares at the emerging picture.