Xanadu Weyr - Weyrling Barracks
A long and roughly oblong cavern, about a third of the space is open, used for classes or chores as required. The rest of the space is filled with couches of varying sizes, all with plenty of space between them. Some couches are obviously intended for the very young weyrlings while the largest ones at the back are for the older weyrlings.
Where's Ka'el? It's not a question that's on everyone's lips lately, but it has come up more often. Perhaps at mealtimes when the weyrlings congregate to eat and chat and unwind. Or in those inbetween class times when dragons and riders take advantage to the precious moments of freedom before their next class or task to splash and play and chase each other at the beach. And perhaps most peculiar is at night, when pairs with full bellies and tired minds curl up in cots and couches to rest off the wearisome day. Ka'el is absent, sometimes only finding his way back long after dinner has been eaten and a chorous of snores has sounded. This foggy day, in which a veil of gray has descended upon the weyr, Ka'el is a little less absent than usual and can be found in the barracks alongside a can of oil and a rag in his hand. Most are off eating dinner or studying … or doig a combination of both, which leaves the barracks nice and quiet.
It's the Mystery of the Missing Ka'el. Someone needs to pay a quarter-mark and get Encyclopedia Brown on the case… or maybe it'll just go down as one of the unsolved mysteries of the age, along with such questions as… Aren't the dragons supposed to be the ones wearing the straps? That's what they would have you believe, and yet, here's Soriana with a bunch of them draped over her shoulders as she enters the barracks. One of them dangles down to drag over the ground, and she glances back at it to grumble something mostly incoherent. Where's Luraoth during all this? Why, she's out on the beach, playing with the other dragons. It's the Case of the Tangled Straps. …and there goes another of the straps, tumbling down and uncoiling over the floor. "…shards'n'shells…"
Kanekith is ready for his oiling. He's asked for it, which is why Ka'el is gathering all of the necessary materials for it. But Kanekith himself? Well … it isn't usual for a weyrling to be caught with oiling materials without his dragon eagerly waiting nearby, usually hurrying them along. But that's the case now. No Kanekith! Though that definitely doesn't mean the bronze isn't present in other ways. "I'm ready.." he announces to the bronze-less room, eyes going distant a moment. A longer moment. There's definitely conversation happening. A conversation that ends with a verbal, "Well hurry! I would've stayed if I knew…" Cursing breaks his thoughts and refocuses his eyes beneath a brisk blink. He glances in the direction of the familiar voice, spotting Soriana and her spilled straps. "Straps: 1 Soriana: 0," he remarks as he slings his oiling rag over a shoulder while heading her way.
So here they are, weyrlings without their dragons. Really makes it clear who's in charge here, huh? Soriana's kept busy trying to wrestle those straps during Ka'el's attempts to bring his partner into line (or at least the barracks), but it's a losing battle. There's far more strap here than there is goldrider… probably because it's meant for gold, not rider. She glares at the straps, which don't recoil from it, then glances up to Ka'el instead. "Hah. You only say that because you didn't see the rest." That she defeated? …well… more like the previous victories of the straps along the way here.
"Oh, so you mean the straps score would be much higher?" Ka'el supposes with raised brows. "I should've known. I apologize to the straps for underestimating their capabilities when put against you." He gives his head a sad little shake, an apologetic look etching across his face. But then it's all ruined with his grin as he stoops to help pick up the fallen straps. "S'alright. I don't think you tore'm or anything," he says, examining each piece. "Not that I know much about torn straps, so that's a good thing. Y'know how bad I am about makin' them in the first place." He makes a face then and continues to help with the straps til she has them collected again.
Soriana turns that glare on Ka'el… until he starts helping. That turns things around nicely, into grateful smile as they get hoisted up again. At least they're not damaged. "…good," she says, and settles them over her shoulders more evenly (she hopes) and shambles off toward her couch. "Not like Kanekith doesn't give you plenty of practice." How that bronze grows! Soriana grins crookedly at the thought, but it settles after a moment. "They've been looking at 'em extra hard lately. Reina had to sit out last formations, they wouldn't let her ride." Even just on the ground! Those weyrlingmasters, with their… safety-mindedness.
"I know.." remarks Ka'el in response to the strap talk, voice shadowed as he deposits the straps wherever they need to be. Assuming, on Luraoth's couch. "Mine didn't pass either," he admits begrudgingly. "I mean, they were alright. I thought so at least. Jnelle did warn that they were a bit uneven and a few of the stitchings were off a bit on one side, but I didn't thing it was a big deal." Apparently, Barely Passable is not the passing minimum anymore! He makes a face before exhaling. "How many marks do straps cost, usually?" A smik follows, showing this to be a jest (for now). "Where's Luraoth?"
Luraoth's couch is indeed the destination for those straps, and Soriana sighs with relief as they slither and coil their way down. They'll need untangling, of course, but… she can do that later. Her head tilts toward Ka'el at his admission, with surprise (but not much of it, because she did see those straps), and then a nod. "It is important," she says in the defense of those picky weyrlingmasters, then sighs. "Mine are still okay, but…" yeah she's not an expert. "You should ask Mur'dah to look them over. He's good." As is Jnelle? Well, maybe, but never mind that. Soriana isn't. She's not commenting on the mention of Jnelle at all! Though she does give a real answer to Ka'el's joking question. "Four, five marks." That's marks, not… eighth-marks or something. And how does she know this? She's been a busy weyrling, apparently. Also she used to wander by shops in Ierne that sold such things for the lazy dragonrider. Speaking of lazy… "She's out on the beach."
It is dinnertime, which has rendered the barracks a bit quiet as weyrlings have mostly moved off to the caverns to chowdown while dragons, mostly independent corral ground hunters by now, either lounge while their riders socialize or hunt one of the poor beasts held in the corrals. Ka'el, who apparently has been too busy to be social lately, is currently helping to carry a tangled set of straps over to Soriana's cot, and the mess of leather is just now being deposited on Luraoth's couch. He eyes them with a cocked brow. "I charge a half mark for untangling," he informs. "And since Luraoth's a gold … it'll be a whole mark." And these are marks he'll definitely need if that price she's just said is true. "Shards. That much? I'll be poor in a turn." As for Mur'dah helping? Now it's his turn to do the disregarding, answering only with a snort. "Kanekith's at the forge, even though he's supposed to be coming for his oiling he asked for," he emphasizes, glancing up to the empty air.
"A mark, huh?" Soriana asks as she picks up one end of one of those straps and gives it a shake. This is the point where they're supposed to snap and uncoil nicely. … She said… yeah, they're not obliging. Sigh. "Do you offer volume discounts?" Because it's only going to get worse from here, as Luraoth keeps growing. Maybe she can develop some strap-bundling skills to keep them in order. Maybe. As for the price of actual straps, she nods. "That was for basic sets. Fancy ones were more." Hence why the weyr makes all the weyrlings at least attempt to learn it! Ka'el's ignoring of Mur'dah is noted, but not commented on… this time. Instead, she glances back to the entrance (not yet shadowed by a Kanekith) and chuckles. "You'd think summer'd be warm enough for him."
"Maybe we could work out a Friends 'n Family sort've deal," Ka'el remarks after his mental glaring at his wayward bronze has ceased. He looks back at her spaghetti-like strap entanglement.. "Though y'know, that's only the baseline charge. There's still fees towards labor. Time spent an' degree of knottage, y'know." He strokes at his chin thoughtfully, brows furrowing vaguely. "But .. again, I'm sure we'll work out something. The friendlier you are, the better the deal. So y'd better start sucking up now an' bein' .. extra friendly." His hand drops and a grin appears. "Ever since I started goin' back, that's all he's wanted to do. He's too big to get inside, but he'll look in any window he can find. He likes the fires." He too glances to the entrance, though knows Kanekith isn't there. Yet anyway. Even that stubborn bronze won't be able to ignore his itchy hide for long!
Okay, so this one is worked around through this loop… see, the tangles were kind of useful back when she was carrying it! They kept the whole bundle together. Now, though, they keep the whole bundle… together. Also a mess. Soriana prods one strap through a tangle, then points it at Ka'el. Pull this! And they haven't even finished working out the cost yet. That's just bad business, and what's worse, she doesn't seem to care! "Extra friendly, huh?" She gives another bit of strap a tug. Seems like the straps are getting extra friendly with each other! "I'll see what I can do." She grins back to him, and then applies herself more to those straps, though she nods to Ka'el as he talks about Kanekith and the forges. "At least you know he won't mind you smithing," she says, then hehs. "Though he might insist you build an open-air forge." How else will Kanekith be able inspect his rider's work closely enough? After a moment, Soriana's grin turns to a sigh. "I should take Luraoth by the Annex again. We've been a few times, but… it's been busy." And there's nobody so hated by busy healers as a person underfoot… which, until she can get back to lessons… well. Sigh.
Tahryth is making her way into the barks carrying what looks like a basket within her jaws of bottles, or something that has a slight glint to them. There is a soft warble escaping the green while she bounces along seeming like in a good mood from the looks of it! Idrissa is following after her dragon, smirking a bit while she shakes her head while eyeing her dragon, funny thing. "Hey guys." She offers once she catches sight of the others. There is a pause by her cot and she pulls off her bag setting it upon her trunk. Tahryth warbles a bit while she trods over to Soriana and Ka'el, and sets the basket down before them. « Gifts! » Not that the two hear her. "She.. Brought everyone gifts." Which Rissa paid for of course, so it was a joint effort or something.
That's alright. Ka'el will just bill Soriana later! Kneeling, he gets down and dirty with the straps, taking the end that's given to him and pulling. And oh! If he threads this end through that loop, it'll loosen that bit even more! It's like a puzzle. Or better yet, a challenge of pulling things apart in just the right order, very akin to tinkering. "An open air forge wouldn't be a bad idea. I mean, once we get to that. I want him to see what I do anyway, and with him likin' it as much as he does, it'll be good for both've us. I can ask Kiena.." Perk. Oh that's right! He hasn't told her yet. Grinning, he pauses in his untangling efforts to look at her directly. "There's a new apprentice smith on Xanadu. A bluerider." And the first real smithrider he's gotten to know! "It's been busy … for you or for them?" he asks for clarification. "She's a gold. And a gold that used to have wing problems. I bet they'd love it if you took her, and you could get some hands on things in." It's about now that he hears Idrissa's greeting, and he turns his attention her way. A basket-dragon! Not something you see everyday. "Hey. … Uh, shells?" he supposes when 'gifts' are mentioned and basket lowered.
And once they're all apart, the straps can… be looked at firmly and told not to tangle up again, and they'll totally listen, right? Well… they'd better. For now, Soriana works at untangling them, and between them, she and Ka'el are making pretty decent progress. Her head tilts at the unfamiliar name, looking at him. Ki-e-who? Oh. "That's cool," she says, and after a moment to think about it, she grins. Yeah. It is cool. "So she's like… been a rider for a while?" Obviously, given that there haven't been any hatchings in the past sevenday. Sometimes the obvious still needs stating. "Maybe she'd go in on that forge with you." They could both use it, with not one but two dragons peering in curiously! "Could power it with firestone, call it the Dragon Forge." She grins wide, and then… oh, the busy. "Both," she says, and sighs. "I barely have time for anything lately, and it's like… I don't want to just be a visitor." Soriana wants to do something, if she's going to be there… and yet. Where's the time? That's the problem with weyrlinghood. There's no time. She shakes her head. "Maybe-" but that'll have to wait for another day, because here's a green with a basket of goodies. "Hey Tahryth," she says to the dragon, then looks back to Idrissa and waves. "Well, that's nice of her…"
Idrissa doesn't catch much of what the two are talking about, she doesn't even try to while she sis upon her trunk. "No, not shells.. Some scented oils for your dragons actually." This said while she smirks at the idea. Tahryth warbles while nudging the basket towards both Soriana and Ka'el. "She, wans you guys to pick two that you like." So maybe it is more like samples then anything seeing how big the gold and bronze dragon just happens to be!
Scented oils? From Tahryth? Ka'el exchanges a look with Soriana. What'd they do to earn such a gift? Considering Kanekith's and Tahryth's usual interactions, he'd be little surprised if his vial contained explosives! But well … they get to choose their own, and he's pretty sure she doesn't feel such animosity towards her goldriding friend. He peeks into the basket to consider the different jars with lifted brows. "You…must've spent a lot on this," he says as he lifts one random jar to pull back the lid and sniff. Flowery! Nice…but probably not the best match for Kanekith though. "I dunno how long she's been a rider. She doesn't look old. Probably a few turns or somethin'. But she knows smithin' though," he says, grin re-appearing. "She's even in to weaponry. Knows loads, but is still just an apprentice." The conversation continues throughout oil sniffing. "I know how y'feel…about the 'visitor' thing," he agrees before eyeing Idrissa curiosly. "Where'd you get these?"
"Scented oils?" Soriana says, and smiles to Idrissa and Tahryth both. The glance from Ka'el is returned with raised eyebows. What, is he objecting to nice gestures? He'd better not be, even if Soriana still has no idea about what's prompted this round of gifts. "S'nice." The gesture in general, though the same might be said of the first one she sniffs. It's kinda cinnamon-sugar. Very sweet. She puts it down to consider the next, and nods to Ka'el. "Kinda good, anyway. That she's not some crusty old rider." Otherwise Ka'el might never feel comfortable sharing a forge with her. It can just be a sort of… senior apprentice, junior apprentice thing. Now with dragons! Soriana nods about the visitor thing. "Should still visit, though." Yes she should. "So I will." So there. She gives another vial another sniff, and blinks. "…wow that one's strong." It's vanilla. Well. More like VANILLA.
Idrissa smiles and nods to Soriana while giving Tahryth a soft scratch across her head once the green is back over to her. "Well, don't worry about it." This said with a smirk at the question from Ka'el. Yes it did cost a slight few marks, but hey, what else does she have to spend money on. "Your all friends, and well, sort of missed your turndays and all. So just some late gifts." She points at the basket to two bronzeish tinted bottles. "There are two in there that have a smokey scent to them. Like some smither might like perhaps."
Ka'el likes vanilla! "Oh lemme see," he says, reaching for the vial. Mmm … VANILLA! <3 "Maybe mixed with unscented oil it wouldn't be so …strong," he muses, apparently unopposed to riding a vanilla scented dragon. He gives Soriana a questioning look. "Is this too girlish?" She's a girl. She'd know, right? He caps the bottle of oil and keeps a hold of it, though his eyes still glance at the others. "Smokey. I don't know if I'd want him smellin' smoke all day," Ka'el admits with a chuckle. "He's already more'n a little … taken by the forge." A smirk follows. "He'll be too busy smellin' himself all day to be of any use to me, y'know." But that doesn't stop him from picking up one of the bottles to give a tentative sniff, though his eyes trail back to her immediately after. "Turnday? Y'mean like the one that's coming up again in .. what, two months?" his tone is beginning to sound amused. And, back to that new smither. "Would'a been better if she was a guy."
Soriana hands over the vanilla to Ka'el. It's very vanilla! Like, the good stuff, with a mellow warmth and a sort of roundness to the scent… once you get past the initial blast. It's not bad, just strong… and it could certainly be mixed with plain oil. That way it'd last longer, too! "Nah, it's not girly," she says after giving it due consideration. Because she's totally an expert on girlish now, unlike the last seventeen turns of her life. For a moment, with her hands empty, she tilts her head at Idrissa, then laughs. "Huh. Guess so. We were all… kinda busy." She grins, and gives her head a bit of a shake. "Y'didn't have to, y'know." That said, she picks up another bottle. Sniff, sniff, what's this one going to be? Hey, it's klah! The best part of waking up is … a dragon? Maybe. She just… wait, what? "And what's wrong with girls?" Soriana asks Ka'el, with a smirk and a shove at his shoulder that, out of respect for the little glass bottles, is barely even a touch of fingers. It's the thought that counts?
Idrissa chuckles and shrugs. "Well, mix it with the klah one and it can be smokey klah?" This questioned with an amused tone. "Well If you don't want them as a turnday gift call it whatever you like silly." A nod is seen and she smiles. "Yeah, I suppose we have all be sort of busy with stuff." Yes 'stuff'. Tahryth warbles softly as she settles down upon her couch and stretches out with a slow lash of her tail. "Girls can do anything a guy can do you know."
Good! Because Ka'el is starting to warm up to the vanilla, and to have it deemed too girlish would be disappointing. And so vanilla wins the battle of the oil bottles, and it is kept in his hand throughout now, thouhe he leans towards Soriana everytime she lifts a bottle, trying to get a whiff. Sniff! … Wait, klah? Who wants to go around smelling like that all day? He cocks a brow at the klah-addict of the group, just waiting for her to pocket the stuff. But instead, he's shoved! Well, more like touched, but when is he known not to overreact to the slightest things. "Heeey.." he turns his offended shoulder away, giving her a glare before his eyes dart between gold to greenrider. "Woah. Don't get all United Women of Pern on me," he says, holding up his free hand in defense, the gesture accompanied by a grin. "Uh, have you forgotten the female variety of smiths we've had filter through? Wakua? Shahani? We haven't had the best've luck with quality of female smiths. Xandu's been cursed."
Soriana does sniff the klah oil, and she does look at it for a bit, but… nope. She doesn't need it on her dragon! It's put back down, as are a number of the others. Sori's being piiicky. "Smoky klah?" she says to Idrissa, and laughs. "I don't need to remember the camping trip that much." And klah isn't usually supposed to be smoky! As for the smiths of Xanadu… "Well then, maybe this…" uh what was her name? "Kiena is going to make up for them." No pressure, person she hasn't even met! And back to the oils she goes, this time giving a sniff to those smoky ones. Just because Ka'el doesn't want 'em doesn't mean Soriana can't investigate them. Maybe she wants a touch of smoke during her days. She certainly takes some time in considering them, fingers lingering on one in particular even as she reaches for another. Huh. This one is kinda subtle. Sorta a mellow caramel-and-almonds scent.
Idrissa grins at Soriana and shrugs. "Could be worse. Could have found some fruity smell that was so sweet it would make you sick or something." This said with an amused tone. "Well third time is a charm isn't it what they say? So maybe this Kiena person will be the right one." Possible! She lays back upon her cot and yawns. Someone is thinking about a nap it seems, Tahryth is already asleep from the looks of things.
"Hey so…can I have two?" asks Ka'el who has sniffed out another one that he kinda likes. This one has more of a light, musky scent. Like … a woodsy aroma. More of the fire of a campfire than the smoke of it. "Or is that an extra charge?" He smirks a little. "An' … Kiena seems alright so far. But so did Wakua til she wanted to mount everything that passed her by. But this one … who knows. She's older, and sort've.." He trails off. Hm, how to put it? "Well, not too girlish, from what I saw. Think that'll help with Orik. He has issue with women." Silence follows as he does a mental check on Kanekith. Are you coming or what?
"If you do have any of those," Soriana says of fruity sweet sickening smells, "Jnelle's cot is right down that way." Not that Idrissa doesn't already know that. As for Orik and his issues with women, Soriana gives Ka'el a look that he'd better not come up with his own to match, then nods. "Well, you'll see." But she'll be cheering for Kiena, just so's you know. Despite not having actually met her. The bottle of caramel and almonds is clung onto, for now. It's a nice scent, and she thinks Luraoth'd approve too, so… yeah.
Idrissa glances towards the cot where Jnelle stays and makes a face. "Yes well.. Maybe.." This said with a soft tone at the idea and she shakes her head. A glance is sent towards Ka'el. "Sure, don't see why not. Hope you guys like them and all."
Ka'el has no issues with women, nope! He likes them very much! Just not … well, the aforementioned examples. Sori's look is met with a 'whaaat?' look of his own. He hasn't done anything! Yet. The night is still young. "Heh. C'mon, she's not that bad, is she?" he questions of the two, arching a brow. His interactions with the girl have been amicable! And she does have some skills that are benefitting him lately, though his defending of the girl, if even it could be considered that, is kept merely at that before a grin is shot to Idrissa. "Thanks! I … heh, guess I owe you a turnday gift too, huh?" .. Seriously overdue.
What? It's Jnelle. If anybody'd like something fruity and girly, it's her. Soriana still smirks a little to Idrissa, and then at Ka'el's question… she sighs. "When she's actually paying attention to something that isn't trying to catch a boy, she's okay." Okay, huh? High praise. But that's all Soriana has to say about it, for now. She turns back to Idrissa with a grin. "Well, thank you!" she says, lifting the bottle of oil to show what she's thanking for. "I'm sure Luraoth'll appreciate it.
Idrissa smirks at Ka'el and rolls her eyes a moment. "It's Jnelle.. I'd rather not deal with her unless I have too." Yes she has made this greenrider not happy it seems. There is a pause while she looks to Ka'el watching him a few moments. A soft ah escapes her. "Naw.. Don't owe me anything." A soft smile seen and she nods. "Your welcome guys. I hope your dragons like them too. Tahryth likes this violet scented one that we found."
Poor Jnelle. Nobody likes her! Well, that's not entirely true. Many boys like her. And even some girls. Those that have managed to weasel their way onto her good side, that is. The In Crowd. And then there's Ka'el, who can't honestly say that he dislikes the girl. Though common sense has him keeping that bit to himself in present company, and so he nods a little to the both of them, smirking meanwhile. "Thanks Idrissa," he offers to her, holding both bottles in one hand. "I'll put these away and .. go look for Kanekith. He's not budgin', and I don't want to be up all not oilin' his mega hide. I'll see you guys." A grin and he lifts a hand to both girls, his look lingering on Soriana a little longer than necessary before he moves to set his new oils on his cot and head off to drag his dragon home.
Plenty of people like Jnelle. She's very good at the popularity games she plays. She wins a great deal of the time. Ka'el may not say it, but Soriana's aware he doesn't dislike Jnelle. She's seen them working on straps together and all the rest, and she is trying - unwillingly and at the prodding of Luraoth, admittedly, but nevertheless trying - to give the other girl a fair chance. Make that another fair chance. And maybe Luraoth's giving another prod now, because Soriana sighs and adds, "We'll go out for drinks with her sometime, if you want." Because, hey, drinks will make it easier to deal with Jnelle, right? She can but hope. She can also hope Ka'el forgets about it and it never happens. For now, she waves to him. "Good luck." Because, if dragon's anything like rider once he has something to fascinate him… Ka'el will need it! She watches him back, as he heads off, then looks back to Idrissa and smiles. "Yeah?" She looks to Tahryth, and hmms. "Can see that, I guess!"
Idrissa glances after Ka'el and waves as he is heading out. "Later then." She peers over to Soriana, a brow lifting and she smirks a bit. "Drinks.. We're need drinks to be able to deal with her I'm sure." A shake of her head is seen before she lets her arms fold under her head, thinking about a nap it seems. "Yeah.. Tahryth really liked it, so I got her some. Figured it would be nice if everyone had something a bit different you know?"
"You don't have to come," Soriana says to Idrissa, but it's the moment of surprise on her face that tells the real story. She wasn't thinking of Idrissa when she made the offer. Not that she'd mind Idrissa coming along, of course, but… the 'we' meant her and Ka'el, not the three of them. Her smile holds a trace of awkwardness as she tries to move on. "So, where'd you find the oils, anyhow?"
There goes that awkwardness, it is ever linger now isn't it? Idrissa lets a glance flick towards Soriana watching her and catching that look. "Oh.. Right.." A shrug is seen while she shifts and rests upon her side, blanket getting pulled up while she tucks her pillow close. "From the flower shop. It's still there an all."
"Oh," Soriana says, and nods. Yep, the flower shop's still there. Of course it is; things don't end just because someone's left the area. They linger on… just like awkwardness. She turns back to gaze at her straps for a moment - they better not be tangled again - then sighs. "I'm gonna go get some dinner." Eating's good, now and again. "You want anything?"
"Naw I'm good. Going to grab a nap I think." Idrissa offeres while closing her eyes. She'll try to avoid that awkwardness, somehow. Though really it is getting harder to do so when simple conversations are brought up. In the past it wouldn't have be awkward, it would have been a normal conversation between the three. Funny how things change so suddenly. "See you later for class."
"Okay," Soriana says, and waves to the closed eyes of Idrissa. "Seeya," she says, and leaves. Time to get something to eat, and then… well, she may not have anything planned, but something's sure to show up and keep her busy. It always does, lately.