Xanadu Weyr - Caverns
A massive cavern in it's own right, this one has been skillfully adapted for human habitation. The high ceilings have been painted a light, soft ivory, as are the walls where numerous tapestries hang to provide brilliant color and insulation from the stone. The floor has been left in its natural state, pale pink granite speckled through with glittering mica and dark flecks of basalt, leveled carefully but kept sufficiently rough to avoid slips.
The cavern itself is loosely divided into areas, each one set up to be suitable for some segment of the Weyr's population. The most frequently occupied area, however, is the one near the Kitchens where tables of varying sizes provide a place to sit down and eat or chat and a buffet of consumables is almost always kept stocked. Its plain that on most days, this area wouldn't accommodate anywhere near the full population of the Weyr and equally plain that on such occasions when a formal meal is laid out, tables are appropriated from all the other areas.
A big fireplace is set into the wall near the Kitchens as well, several comfortable chairs nearby providing haunts for elderly residents or riders who like a good view of all that happens. Rugs cover the floor in strategic spots, all of them abstract or geometric in design and most in the softly neutral colors of undyed wool.
Exits lead off in all directions, a big archway the largest and that leading outside. Shallow stairs to the west lead to the offices and administration area while tunnels to the east lead to the infirmary, kitchen and resident's quarters. Southwards, a sloping tunnel leads down to the hot springs.
Not many patients in the infirmary on this early autumn day, thankfully. All the reports and patient charts have been filed away. Everything is in its place, and the smell of disinfectant clings to everything. Unfortunately the smell has a lingering affect to Kera's clothes. Thankfully, the aromas from all the different foods work to conceal the odor. The greenhealer sips from her juice while picking over the remains of her meal. Minimur gives a little lizard belch before diving back into his little meat bowl. "Ugh, your manners are horrible Mini."
Being betweens duties of mothering and things that go on between clutches, Keziah is taking to opportunity to catch a bite to eat as well as something to drink as well. "Oh good, fresh cider from Reaches." she says cheerfully and then she quiets for a moment, a sad expression momentarily crossing her face. She gives herself a shake and then glances around as she gets a sack of meatrolls to go and then a plate that's covered with a myriad mixture of vegetables and some sliced wherry drowning in gravy. Heading over to the tables she smiles as she spies on of her former weyrlings "Kera, how are you doing?"
Kera takes a few bites before reaching into her satchel and dragging out a notebook. Flipping through a few pages, the greeting brings her attention up, spotting Keziah. Her hand twitches, as if resisting the urge to salute. Instead, she dips her head forward a bit, offering a smile "I'm good ma'am, yourself?" pulling her stuff closer: notebook, plate, lizard and his bowl, she makes more room for all Keziah's sack and plate. "Join me?"
Sitting down, Keziah lets out a little sigh of relief "It feels so good to just be able to sit down sometimes." she notes "Aside from being tired of being on my feet. I'm doing pretty well. The Trio, " A reference to her triplet boys, "haven't caused too much trouble today." She notes with a thankful whisper. "How about yourself?" she asks as she starts in on her plate.
Kera lifts an slightly amused brow at the thought of taking care of three little triplets. Shaking her head in amusement "And I thought Kiena had it bad with twins." Flashing a wink across the table, Kera gently stabs a steamed veggie from her plate. "Trying to get into my new routine now that we've been tapped into Wings. The infirmary's pretty quiet this sevenday, so I took break early." Hopefully the topic of Moncerath's maiden flight, and the aftermath that followed, won't be brought up, yet again. Another disgusting belching sounds comes from her little brown, who's trying to curl himself around his bowl, causing a little smirk from Kera.
Keziah laughs "Well, I've had help with caring for them. I'd be lost without Cora. I'm going to be devastated when she retires." she notes softly and then grins "Course, my oldest, Mirai, is helpful when she has the time, and Micaela has been doing some helping too, though she's only ten. Course, the one I worry about is Keera. I swear, she has an unhealthy fasciation with blood. She's always examining her brothers cuts and scraps and all. And she's only six." She lets out an exasperated sigh. She then glances at the brown "He's got himself a fair amount of gas there." she notes as she peers at him "Gulping your food perhaps?" she asks of him and wags her finger. "Course, always possible he found something that doesn't agree with him. But, glad to hear you're settling into a new routine. It can be different to get back into things again. How's Moncerath doing with your crafting duties?"
Kera 's brow may get a bit higher, listening to the list of help, that seems to come in the form of other children, mostly. Plucking from her plate as she listens, one tidbit catches her attention and brings a very amused grin. "Oh, sounds like a future healer to me." Trying to stifle her amusement a bit "I used to bandage up my da's beasts. Well, the little ones at least, pretending to heal them." Mini's belching cause's a few pairs of eyes to settle on him briefly, Kera reaches over and rubs over the brown's belly gently. "I think he was out hunting vtols' again. He'll be better tomorrow. Maybe one day he'll learn to leave them alone. " Chuckling a bit over that she's glad to talk about Moncerath. "Mon's been enjoying herself. Perhaps it's getting to see something outside of Xanadu. I'm not sure." Another veggie is speared with a fork. "You'll be having another group of weyrlings to whip into riders soon. I'm surprised you can remember names with so many passing through your care."
Keziah sniffs a little "I'd prefer if she was interestin' in healing the little critters. That's what Mirai would often do. She's a soft spot indeed for the hurt and mangled ones." she notes "But nah, Keera prefers people." It's no secret of Keziah's feelings for healers, course that fact that she's sharing a mate with one, well sometimes it's all show. "I don't always remember everyone's names, but the more recent ones are always easiest." she notes "Still, it's a trick of the trade like anything else. And I've had a knack for names. Was helpful in S&R, people respond better when you talk to them by name." she adds "Course, no one likes to respond to 'Hey, you. Yeah idiot who decided they could swim in mud.'" She laughs "Just doesn't work out well that way."
Kera picks at what's left of her meal, while continuing to rub her belchin' lizard's belly. Smiling as she learns a little about some of Keziah's children. Tilting her head as she shifts to lean against the table some "Maybe your little ones will add to both Beastcraft and Healer Halls. Between them, they'll make sure both the two and four leg beasties stay healthy." Nodding over that, she sips her juice. "I thought about requesting Search and Rescue Wing. But after thinking about it, figured I'ld not be much use being only half trained." Shrugging it off, she regards Keziah, listening to how she manages to recall names. The sudden full belly laugh gets quite a few looks from nearby tables, and a scolding chitter from Minimur when she stops rubbing his belly. Kera gets her humor stifled after a short time and swipes at her watering eyes and gives her head a gentle shake "No, that probably wouldn't work very well. But I can imagine just how frustrating your job can be."
Keziah grins "Well, now I don't deal with those lamebrains, just new lamebrains." she says, though there's a smile on her face. "It's amazing how some people react when they get a dragon. Some just seem to go off their rocker. But eventually, most everyone finds their equilibrium." she remarks. She can't help but laugh at the little lizard. "Course, it's interesting too how some people react once they get their finger on one of them little greedy guts." she chuckles "Which reminds me. I really outta see about doing something about Eirwyn's latest clutch. I so do not need to boys getting their fingers in on one just yet."
Kera chuckles a little, nodding as Keziah's lamebrain logic. "I think I can point out at least one that I was a weyrling with that never had a rocker to begin with." Thinking a moment more she seems to agree with somethging said. "I know it took me a while to level out. The first couple of sevendays after the hatching.." She trails off and glances around briefly before peering back to Keziah "I was sorta terrified that I would do something stupid and end up hurting Mon….but things seem to have worked out." Smiling over that and blinking as she absorbs what is said next, she sits a bit straighter in her seat. "You've a clutch of eggs? Would you be willing to work out a trade? I've a friend that I think would benefit from having a lizard friend."
Keziah nods a little "It is a terrifying time, when you're still learning to trust in yourself as much as your dragon trusts in you." she notes and then she blinks a moment "A trade? Well, I suppose so." she hmms a little "A friend huh? You sure they would be happy with one? You can't make a firelizard stay. Not like a dragon does. If they're ill treated, they will go away." she shrugs a little "Still, I've nothing against it. What did you have in mind?" she asks after a moment, looking thoughtful herself.
Kera doesn't have a lot of marks, not that she likes the idea of buying an egg anyway. Just doesn't seem right to her. Nodding at the reminder that a mistreated lizard won't stick around. "I don't think that would be the case. But I do think he may learn a lot from one." Her fingernails click across the table as her fingers drum lightly. "I'm very good at needlework." A lot of healers, practicing stitch work and all. "I could make threadwork a picture for you. Something with your children maybe?" Nodding as she warms to the idea herself. "It may take me a couple of months to finish, with duties and such.." She trails off and thinks "If not that, my dad's a Journeyman in the beastcraft. Last sevenday a couple of canines had litters. Would your little ones maybe like a little pup when they are old enough to go to homes?"
Keziah laughs "I don't need any more critters. That's for sure. Being associated with the Beastcraft myself, I get my fair share. However, I do like the idea of a needleworked picture. I think that would be quite lovely, and probably safer for your sanity then watching my kids for awhile, which is one thing I tend to trade with." she smiles, ever so sweetly. The joyful terrors that they can be. "And no worries about the length of time. I'm in no big a hurry."
Kera grin, dipping her head forward with a chuckle. "Ah, yea, guess you would have more than your fair share of beasties around. I know my parents holding is overrun with them nearly all the time." Eyes roll to the cavern ceiling briefly in amusement before peering back to her tablemate. "Okie. If you have a sketch I can work from that, and just ignore me stalking around staring at your kids for a bit." Thinking about how that last bit may have sounded "Hmm, I could have said that last bit better. But you know what I mean, hopefully." Looking to Minimur, who has settled down to a snooze from a stuffed belly and getting it rubbed. "Just let me know what kind of scene you would like and I'll get to stitching when I can start gathering proper colors and scene idea.."
Keziah laughs "Oh, stalk them all you want." she replies cheerfully. "I doubt they'll mind. They're certainly not apt to being paranoid at all." There's a thoughtful look. I've a few pictures that you can use hanging up in the house. But, I think one capturing them in play would be kind find, if that isn't too much trouble." she smiles softly "Actually, better yet. I think if you could capture them asleep. That might be even more endearing. I do love it when they're sleeping. Especially as babes." A wistful look fleets across her face. "Hmm. Maybe." she looks thoughtful and then gives herself a little shake "Well, I'll see about getting you two of the eggs. No guarantees on what they are, but I'll think I'll pick the biggest two." she notes "Not that there's a lot of size difference."
Kera arches a surprised brow as Keziah encourages her to stalk the little ones. Pushing her plate away, her notebook is grabbed up, a couple of pages flipped forward til she gets to a blank sheet. Scribbling a couple of quick lines, tossing the ideas down to give thought to later. "Playing hmm. Maybe work up a game of kickball." She murmurs on to herself as she jots down a couple more thoughts "Gonna be too cool soon for sandbuilding…oh, maybe snowbuilding…." Trailing off, she looks up confused to Keziah. "Two? I was only asking about one….But, for two, I think that would call for two different threadworks." Kera nods determinedly on that point, adding a notation near the top of her scribblings. "You don't have to go through all that trouble of sizing. What ever comes out will be great." The greenhealer flashes a fond smile to her now gently snoring brown. "Even if they have horrible table manners."
Keziah laughs and shakes her head "No, no, no. No need to do two. Just one. Sleeping. I think that would be good." she notes "And yes, I agree, they are great. Except for those times that they decide to hunt for you and bring fresh kill to the table." she notes with a smirk. "That's something else. Depending on what it is, and what table it is." she shakes her head a little "Vesuvius once brought a fish to table during a wing meeting." she shares. "That was quite embarrassing, and a bit smelly. But, what can you say?" She shrugs a little.
Kera grins, and will do two threadworks anyway, whether Keziah expects it or not. Putting a check next to one line she scribbled earlier, she nods. "I'll start working on catching your little ones when they are sleeping." No, that doesn't sound creepy at all. The antics of Vesuvius is met with a wrinkled up nose. "Ugh. Thankfully he hasn't pulled that little stunt. Can't say I would be very amused either. Surely everyone at the meeting understood, and probably found some humor in the situation?" Fingers flick towards her little sleeper "He's not brought me any treats like that. It used to sorta gross me out listening to him eat vtols or other little things he caught, but that passed not long after Moncerath first couple of hunts."
Keziah snorts "Oh yeah, they certainly found humour in it. At my expense." she notes, but she can't help but smile. Short little Kezi has taken a lot of guff over the Turns. "Yeah, dragons have a way of… putting things into perspective. Spinner legs dropping on you from above because someone doesn't like to eat them.. well they certainly don't seem to be a big deal. One reason we like getting you in on cutting up carcasses for your babies so quickly. Watching a dragon devour a living animal is something else. Especially if a dragon isn't a dainty eater. I am so glad that Alosynth doesn't make a big deal out of disemboweling on the fly."
Kera nods, her expression pretty much saying 'aint that the truth'. Then her eyes instinctively dart up and scan the ceiling above for anything that may be considering dropping from above. No one likes Spinner surprises. Dropping her gaze back to Keziah with a little shiver as if something is creeping down her neck, she shakes it off. A little smirk over dainty dragon eaters overshadows the image of a midair disemboweling "Mon can be…enthusiastic when she decides she's really hungry. But she's not as messy as she used to be. Unfortunately, I still find myself cleaning bits from between her teeth a lot." She gives a shrug "Even that doesn't bother me the way it used to."
Keziah laughs brightly "Well, the alternative to cleaning is leaving it there to rot, and oh my the stench from not only rotting meat, but if a tooth abscesses?" she shudders "It's a nasty thing. Course, I've one dragonhealer talk to me about the pus coming out of lanced abscess." she adds, even as she takes a nice big bite of her food. "Course, I suppose there are worse things." she notes as she finishes off her food. "Well, I'll go get those eggs for you, and I should likely get back to work."
Kera crinkles her nose and gives a quick head shake "Much rather pick out the bits and have her good and healthy." Keziah's probably talking to the one person that casual mention of pus-filled abscesses being lanced while eating, doesn't seem to gross out. The Healer has seen her fair share of even more unpleasant conditions in her training and duties. When the awlm finishes and is ready to see about the eggs, Kera nods and starts putting her notebook away. "Give me just a moment and I'll come along to save you a bit of time." Letting work be gotten back to that much quicker from Keziah side of things. "I really appreciate your generosity by the way." Kera hurries to gather her dirty dishes up, gently waking her sleeping lizard scooping him up and onto her shoulder til he wakes fully. For now, he clings to Kera's hair while peering around and she deposits her dishes and hurries back to Keziah.