Xanadu Weyr – Meadow
A large, slightly rolling meadow is set high enough above the riverbank on both sides to avoid suffering from flooding, healthy ground cover and grass spreading out from either side of the dividing river. Scattered amongst the meadow are a variety of buildings, each with a narrow path leading up to it from a main, winding road. Some are set under a few trees, while others sit by themselves.
Stables and a smithy are settled on their own plots, while trees border the northern edge of the meadow, and a faint outline of a fence can be seen to the east.
The biting snow continues to fall this afternoon in Xanadu. What started as a light snowfall has changed to freezing rain, welding the snow to the ground in a slick, rough ice. Weyr residents walk carefully along sanded paths, but the stuff coming down just covers it up rather quickly. Across the meadow walks xanadu's most junior weyrwoman, dressed for the cold in her flight leathers and stepping carefully on the rock hard ground-turned-to-ice.
/None/ too pleased, if his expression is anything resembling correct, Rhasmir is standing and glaring at the sky. He's not doing much else for the moment, just, well. Standing in his thin 'hide jacket and staring up as the snow falls. "Snow." If Thea is astute she'll hear the mutter, incredulous and irritable. "Of course. Of course it was snowing." Disgust colors the tone as he eventually turns from glaring at the skies (likely becaus a pellet of ice hit him in the eye), to the slick ground. "It's ice now." Helpfully, as he spots the weyrwoman. "Why are you out in /this/ mess?" And oh, good day, how are you? Riiight. "It's disgusting." Helpful, again.
Quiet chuckling comes from the approaching Thea. She's noticed the glaring Rhasmir is directing at both sky and ground. She's not looking too uncomfortable with a leather hood pulled up and a fine, soft wool scarf under that wrapping 'round both her head and neck. "I'm walking." Obvious answer, there and a sunny smile added to it. Something's made her quite cheerful. "It's not so bad, could be worse. Could have wind." a pause as her eyes flick up and down the man, then, "Why are -you- out in it, if I may turn the question 'round?"
Rhasmir makes a sour face, but it resolves into a twisty little grin after a moment — more a grimace, but can you blame him? "Oh, walking. Of course you're walking." The young man spreads his fingers wide and gestures broadly at the sky. "It's a grand day for it." A pause, and wince. "You have a point. Still. Ice? Really?" Grumble-grumble and a woebegotten look at the icy meadow ground. "Was going to take the sharding filly out for more training. Got a miner interested in her." A thin boot kicks at the icy grass and the lad snorts. After a moment, though, his eyes narrow and he slants a half-amused, half-wary look at Thea. "You're cheerful." Somehow a question and not a question at the same time, he lifts an eyebrow.
Thea laughs outright at the faces and sputtering Rhasmir is doing. She shrugs, offhand at his question, "I like rain. It's only frozen rain." So reasonable, her tone. "You… don't?" She lifts a hand, one finger gracefully flicks a few ice beads hanging off strands of dark hair that hang on her face, her eyes twinkling just a bit behind it. "Oh, ya were. That's too bad." Her voice sounds sympathetic, really. "Track's likely a mess, too." There's a solemn nod and a head-tilt. "Satoris want your mare?"
Rhasmir's eyebrows might well stick, they're so close to his sodden hair, and wouldn't that be funny? "Rain's nice." A huff. "This's /cold/." Yes, this from the lad who was perched on top of a sharding ridge not too long ago in light clothes. His eyes narrow, face shifts towards sly at the next, and a bright grin is given. "Well shells, didn't think to try the track. Bet Bell'd carry you around without too much grumbling if I asked her nicely while I trained the filly for a bit. Weather's perfect for it." All innocence, now, he grins broadly. It only lasts for a moment, though, before he's squinting. "Ah, shells. I don't think that was his name. Kolden? Olren…Leo…"
Thea nods, she has to agree. "It is, isn't it?" Still looking fairly happy about it too. Until he's mentioning -her- riding on of the runners while he trains the mare, then her smug smile falters. But she's not about to let on, "You can… use an icy track to train?" See, she doesn't really know. A mystified blink at the suddenly-perfect runner-training-weather. "Ah, Satoris is the only one I know. Hope you remember his name." And forget about runner-riding? Thea crosses her fingers behind her back.
Rhasmir can't seem to stop the bright grin at crops up, nor the little snicker that follows. "It is." He agrees, then winks. "You never know. They might have worked it today…you know those beastcrafters. Never miss a day. Bet they even covered it earlier or something…" But here he can't keep it up any more and laughs, shaking his head. "Nah, I'll spare the runners." Because surely she wouldn't be wary of riding them. Of course not. "Ah. I don't think we've met — he'll find me, though. Seemed keen on having her." A one-shouldered shrug; now that it comes down to it, he's not too keen on selling the younger runner. Another woeful look at the sky, and he's peering around warily, suddenly flashing another grin. "How d'you escape the healers? I just had one tell me a few minutes ago to get my fool rump inside before I caught my death. They all afraid of you?" Grin!
"Fool beastcrafters, then. Out in the snow and ice…" Thea's looking faintly alarmed as Rhasmir goes on. Then he's laughing it off and her eyes tighten just a tiny bit as she whooshes out a breath she didn't know she was holding. Now that her life isn't in mortal danger, she can be sunny one more. "After she's sold, what then?" She's watching him keenly, shrugging off her unconcern of marauding healers with a brief laugh. "I rank 'em unless I'm their patient, which I hope never happens again." She quirks a brow at him then, "You must not have experienced their particular brand of hospitality, if you're out here disregarding their warnings." Sweet smile.
Rhasmir can't help but laugh, stuffing his hands in jacket pockets and grinning wickedly. It lasts for a long moment before his face falls a touch, and he's frowning, lifting a hand to rub at his neck. "Well," A sigh, chilly air misting faintly. "I'm thinking I'll have Ike ride out and bring a few more in. We've a little gelding that'd probably sell, and I'm thinkin' leather'd go down well…" He flashes another grin. "And he could load 'em down with meat on the way back." No mistaking the longing look, there! But then it goes wistful, accompanied by a wry grin and a shake of his head. "I guess you've gotta get some perks for all the shardin' paperwork." Nod-nod-nod he goes, fishing out another wicked grin. "M' proud to say that only three healers've ever touched me. When I was born and when I broke a few bones once." Beam! Smart lad, you brag all you want!
Thea just shakes her head with a helpless laugh, "That was two, I think. Not three. Or did it take an extra one to hold you down while setting your bones?" She gives a small shudder, "Haven't met with Shellie's tender mercies, then? Lucky. Beware her." Absently she raises her hands to grasp her hood, giving it a snap to dislodge the ice bits accumulating on it - tiny ice globules fly in all directions. "Ah, Rhasmin. Ever the trader. That opening for Assistant to the Steward is still open, if you're interested."
Rhasmir sports a wince, shifting uncomfortably. "Got tossed on rocky ground. I don't remember it, but I apparently took a few cousins to hold me down and a pair of healers to set my sharding shoulder and leg." Grumble grumble nosewrinkle. "Shellie? I'll be sure to stay clear." The grin is quick to return. "What'd you do to get her attention?" She's given an assesing look, complete with a lifted eyebrow as he steps out of the way of evil flying ice. He's icing up enough; his hair could snap if it was poked! The brief wry grin that returns is squished by a faint, maybe slightly sad smile. "Ah, shells. I'm not cut out for that! I'd snap in a sevenday or two and run off in the middle of the night, you know? Don't you ever just want to?" The trader lad shudders. "I thought on it. And I sure like Xanadu, it's — well, when it's not shardin' snowing — nice. But.."
"Ah… " There's a significant pause, where Thea looks like she might not want to ask the question, but the temptation is too much, "Tossed off by a runner?" No smirking just yet though. "Who, Shellie? Mmm." She ticks them off on her fingers, "Accidently shot her in the shoulder with an arrow from my crossbow, got clonked on the head by a fallen branch, Seryth took flight while I was stuck in there and.. oh yes. Got drunk along with three other patients in there." A rueful look accompanies all that. It's plain to see she didn't consider it a good time. "You're probably right, Rhasmin. Stewards staff don't get outside much." Her gaze wanders out to the ice-laden trees across the meadow, a far-away look in them, "I do… sometimes, yes." Her eyes refocus on the here and now and a soft smile lights her face, "But not as much as I used to. Paperwork's not even as bad anymore."
Rhasmir's eyes dance as he glances back at the goldrider, a slow grin spreading. "Yeah, yeah." Here he chuckles, shaking his head. "I've been tossed more times than I can count. Only broke those bones though. Grandda says you bounce when you're young though. He just splats." Snickering faintly, he listens quietly to the long line of injuries, eyebrows listing with each one. "Shardin' — shells, woman!" He chokes, belly-laughing. "She didn't tear you a new one? I'd say she's a patient woman!" Mischief returns to his expression, with a wicked grin given. "Maybe a Weyr's less boring than I thought." Mused with that grin and a faint shake of his head. "No, I bet they don't. I'd go completely mad." The grin flees for a moment, leaving a look that's at least three-parts scared pantsless. But it's fleeting, and the grin returns after a moment, somewhat rueful. "Ah, who can blame you. How long've you been a rider? Paperwork, not as bad?" Iced eyebrow lifts and he grins. "You sure you're not ice-headed?"
"Oh, I see." Thea says it quietly, then dryly adds, "Too bad it was rocks and not sand." A hint of a smile follows that. "Uh, no. Shellie's not patient, not at all. She tore, trust me." Her lips curl into a wry kind of grimace, "No, this weyr has never really been boring, unfortunately. Fair sight of things happening of late. Depending on who you talk to, it's been either disaster or delight." She waves a hand towards the garden, indicating the source of - something, then shoves her hands deep in her pockets, "Been a rider now for bit less than three turns." There's a genuine laugh, "Not ice-headed at all. Paperwork is just better, that's all. Speaking of which, I've to be at the office. Later." And she's walk-sliding off towards the Caverns.
Rhasmir's grin is toothy and maybe a little bit wolfish as he waves off the goldrider. "Good luck!" Called after her with a faint smirk. "Fardling crazy goldriders." Muttered after, then a squint. "…and be careful!" And as he stomps off towards the stables, he's careful to mind his own advice. Can't have /that/ hanging over his head. And well, that Shellie sounds absolutely terrifying!