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 lessening 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.
Out on the beach, despite the fact that it's winter, is Avaeth and Zevida. The goldrider (luckily) is not wearing skimpy clothes as the obviously glowing gold is in the water, swimming with a few bronzes who happened to spot her. While Zevida herself, is alone, staring at the dragons with her arms crossed over her chest with her brows drawn in the slightest of frowns.
Vivian is out walking, getting away from everything for a bit. Seeing Zevida she wanders over in that direction. "Set him up yet?" She asks once she's close enough to her. There is a faint smile on her face as she checks what kind of mood the goldrider is in, a glance following her gaze to the dragons in the water. "Perhaps not the best question right now." She murmurs.
Jessamin sashays down to the beach, her overflowing sewing basket in hand as always, and a little brown hatchling on her left shoulder. The wee darling seems intent on playing with her hair and making a toy of it; Jessamin chuckles softly as she shifts the basket in her grip, reaching up to pull a few stray locks of hair out of the way. "Come on, Madder, let my hair alone, hmmm?" She picks a less crowded spot on the beach on which to settle, listening and observing as she occupies herself with the day's mending.
D'had meanders down the beach, his steps sure to lead him towards the gathering of women eventually. Of course Siebith is likely to annoy them first as the blue suddenly appears high above the water only to turn into a spiralling plummet and dive into it, which of course is a cause of waves. Even if he is only a blue, a dragon is still a dragon. And dragons aren't exactly small.
Nicca has brought a large bag of old clothes down to the beach with her. Giving the others a cheerful wave, she sits down, tips the clothes out in a pile beside her and takes out a small pair of scissors from her pocket with which she starts to unpick the stitching holding a length of purple braid to a blouse. Her plump gold firelizard seems to have decided that the pile of clothes is a great spot for a nap.
Zevida glances at Vivian, her brows lifting slowly. "Not yet." She answers cheerfully enough. Her smile is almost.. Wicked as she is turning her gaze back towads the dragons in the water, Avaeth commanding the attention.. At least until the blue dives in and she's heading in his direction if only to look. D'had is given a look, and, the smile is more.. Serene than wicked but she doesn't call out towards him. Nope, Jessamin and Nicca are gaining her attention.
Jessamin chuckles softly to herself as the little brown finally decides to leave her hair alone, crow-hopping down into her lap and squarely into the pile of mending there. She rolls her eyes, laughing to herself. "Knew I should have made you that nest days ago. Now you'll make me pay for it, hmm?" Despite her best efforts, the hatchling has decided to make the pile of mending its resting place for the time being, curling up in her lap rather contentedly. Jessamin does her best to rescue at least the worst off of the clothing for repair; a child's frock comes free from the pile, which she sets to work on repairing before the hatchling can reclaim it.
Vivian's nod of reply to Zevida is an encouraging one. "You'll find the time for it I'm sure." She says as her smile seems to fade at the appearance of others, Nicca in particular earning herself a few daggers just for breathing in the vicinity. She sighs though and shakes her head. "Don't people know how to control their dragons." She comments icily as the blue sends waves everywhere. Her attention although wandering around the people around the beach doesn't really settle anywhere else for the moment.
Siebith might as well be half fish for how he swims, not to mention how long he stays submerged. The lack of reappearance of the blue seems not to phase the rider as he continues to stroll until his attention is captured by the gathering of those of the female persuasion. "'Lo ladies," he drawls pleasantly, dropping his chin in a polite nod of greeting for them all.
The dirty look has not passed Nicca by, and she returns it with a sickly sweet smile. "A very good day to you, Vivian," she remarks with saccharin politeness, punctuating the words with a yank that shifts the braid with an audible rip. Nicca tosses the denuded blouse back into the bag, and picks up another shirt from the pile, wrinkles her nose at the vicious green colour, and shoves that into the back unaltered. Jassamin's mending has caught her eye and she peers over curiously.
Jessamin 's needle glints as it is passed back and forth in stitches that mimic the weave of the original fabric. Bit by bit, she lays down a section of thread matched in hue to the fabric of the frock—much like the warp threads on a loom. Once these cover the tear, she reverses direction, instead weaving the needle in and out of the threads just laid down, as if her needle were a shuttle and the thread, the weft. So intent is she on executing her task well that she does not note any curiosity for the moment.
Zevida is shifting her attention back towards Vivian once she speaks. "I'm sure. I'll find a greenrider going proddy soon enough." She muses, then is shrugging her shoulders. "The blue can dive if he wants." D'had is given a slow look, and she's smiling /just/ for him. Not really, "hello." At least she's being pleasant this time, sad she doesn't remember his name from the looks of it.
Vivian glances over at the dreaded sister, the pair of them of course having just about as bad a reputation as each other for being spoiled brats. "Hi Nicca." She drawls back with an equally sugary smile. "How are you, trying to find some new clothes amongst those old scraps?" She asks her, just the tiniest hint of bitchiness creeping through in her tone.
"Proddy green for who's that now?" D'had questions as he draws up to beside Zevida and Vivian. Come now, he should at least be known by reputation by now. Doubtful that he'll mind her not remembering his name though. Word is he's terrible with the things himself. An arm is draped loosely over the goldrider's shoulder - if she'll have it that is, a half smirk of smile shared with all.
Zevida is dismissing Vivian, because she's bitching at her sister. Instead, she's grinning at D'had. "Just.. A bit of torture, that's all. Nothing to worry about, you're safe." She's batting those eyes of her's at the bluerider and allowing that arm to come around her and she's settling up against him as if she might as well belong there. At least she's not punching him.
Nicca raises an eyebrow at Vivian. "Hardly. I am going through the clothes that I haven't worn for a Turn, since it is less than likely I will wear them this Turn either. I am removing trimmings that might be used again. Then I will dispose of them for fabric reuse." A thought catches her and she removes the slime green blouse from the bag again and tosses it over. "Unless you would perhaps like to take this? I am sure it would suit your colouring far better than mine"
Jessamin sets her mending down in her lap for the moment, the tear in the frock half covered by what almost seems like new fabric. She just smiles to herself, taking a moment to scritch Madder between his little eyes. A contented, trilling purr emanates from the tiny brown firelizard, and he arches his neck as a kitten might their back, for more attention. At the mention of fabric re-use, though, Jessamin finally looks over in Nicca's direction with a hint of curiosity.
Vivian remains perfectly civil, in words at least as she replies back to Nicca. "I think I'll pass, suitable or not, I really don't want you cast offs." She tells her as she tosses the blouse back, aiming for her head of course. She turns back to reply to Zevida and sees D'had there and rolls her eyes. "D'had dearest, are you remembering your appointment with the weyrleader?" She asks him.
D'had chuckles, "Well darlin' long as I'm safe," he teases in return. A wink is tossed towards Vivian even as he gives Zevida a playful squeeze. Yes, not being hit is a good thing, that flattery of flutters is even better and the smirk on his face widens. Then again, that just the usual hint of charming smile that the man wears. "Hasn't called me in yet pumpkin," he remarks in reply to the eldest of the sisters. Which only goes to mean he hasn't been told he's missed it yet.
Zevida gives Vivian a look as she turns back to them, smiling. "D'had's got an appointment?" There's a name this time because Vivi gave it away. Her hand is moving to play with the bluerider's shirt if he doesn't stop it. "Very safe, for now." A soft giggle (which is not very Zevi like, at that) before she tilts her head towards him. "Well, you might get yourself in trouble. What's it all about?"
Nicca seems not even to notice the thrown blouse coming her way, but her hand reaches up to snatch it out of the air without looking - it seems that she was anticipating the move. "Do let me know if you change your mind," she coos, and then turns her attention to Jessamin. "Don't you agree the colour would be just /perfect/ for her?" She displays the foul shirt over her hands for Jessamin's appraisal.
Jessamin can't help grinning at Nicca, appraising the blouse with a mock critical stare. Madder's head pops up above the confines of the mending nest, and the hatchling emits a disgusted creeling noise upon seeing the blouse. "Oh, I agree with you on that one, Madder. The blouse doesn't suit either of them." She chuckles softly, looking more directly at Nicca this time. "No, it's not foul enough for her. But, if you wanted to try and save the thing…" She tilts her head to one side, considering. "I'd be tempted to suggest overdyeing it with indigo, and try for a murky aquamarine color. It might be salvageable then."
Stop? Him? No. That's like crazy talk or something right there. Siebith finally shows himself again, a fish in mouth that's tossed dolphin style towards the gold and her entourage of bronze. The treat followed by an appreciative croon. "You know what they're talking about?" Donn half whispers in an aside as dark eyes observe the Jessain and Nicca and their clothing conversation. That's one thing about the so called 'gentler' sex he'll never quite understand. The obsession with clothing. The hand that rests on Zevi's shoulder idly giving a light, massaging squeeze.
Vivian does the studiously ignoring of Nicca and Jessamin in that I'm above you way. "Just need to look forward to me scheduling you in for some lovely sweeps if you do miss it." She replies to D'had with her usual sugary smile that really doesn't carry to her eyes.
Zevida's fingers go to playing with his shirt, he's not stopping her. When Siebith surfaces and tosses Avaeth that fish, she's catching it and returning the croon. Those bronzes: never got a croon, they're dismayed as the gold moves to shower her attention on the smaller blue. Zevi's shrugging her shoulders at the question. "Clothes, I imagine. That shirt.. If anything." Her head tilts, to rest on D'had as she chuckles at Vivian. "Should make that meeting, then, D'had. Must be important."
Nicca giggles at Jessamin. "Not sure I'd risk it. It's not as if I'd have a clue what I was doing, after all. Though mind you, I don't think there's much you could do to this shrit to make the colour worse." She pauses, thinks, and then rummages in the bag. "If you /do/ change your mind, Viv, there's this scarf you could have as well." She's addressing her sister's studiously turned back here. The scarf is the colour of boiled green berries, with streaks of brick red running through it. "It would match your eyes."
Siebith just knows how to treat a lady. Especially a glowing one. Hey, he learned from the best. Right? D'had chuckles, "Dunno sweets," he tosses back to the goldrider, "Those extra sweeps might be worth it." This followed almost instantaneously with a wink for Vivian being that she's the other who's closes to him, not to mention threatening with those very same sweeps.
Jessamin bursts out laughing at the interplay between the two sisters, shaking her head as she grins at Nicca. "Remind me not to get you mad. I'd be dressed in pea green from here till forever." She sets the mending down in her lap, holding out a hand in belated greeting to Nicca. "Name's Jessamin, new to Xanadu."
Vivian keeps her back to her sister and new friend. "Oh really, I can arrange that for you if you really want me to?" She explains to D'had with a wicked grin starting to form, she is in a position to do that unfortunately. "But either way, it shouldn't be too bad, he's sweet really and just wants to get to know everyone he's going to be dealing with while he's here."
Zevida giggles again, lifting her brows. "Worth it how? Going to give your reports to me?" Though, she's giving him a look at that, not one for extra reports. Fingers tug lightly at that shirt before she smiles at Vivian. "I think he's asking for it, too." A pause, "ahh, the new Weyrleader."
Nicca drops the baiting, at least for the moment, it's not much fun when you can't get a reaction. "I'm Nicca. Welcome to Xanadu." She dumps the atrocious clothes back in the bag. "Pea green? No. Maybe vomit yellow or something. And only if you got me really mad. What brings you here then? And where were you before?" She stretches out on the sand, pillowing her head on the despised clothes, turned slightly towards Jessamin, but one ear clearly cocked towards the three-way conversation the others are having.
Jessamin idly strokes Madder's back, the little brown settling down again and chirruping happily at the attention. While she, too, keeps an ear on the three way conversation nearby, the main focus of her attention is on Nicca. "Search brought me here. I didn't quite make it this time around, though. But there'll be other chances." She smiles wistfully, glancing at the dragons in the water, before turning back to Nicca. "Formerly of Ista Weyr. I kind of gathered not long after I got here that probably wasn't too smart to get into, so I keep it to myself now."
D'had chuckles, waving Vivian off with his free hand. "Nah, no need for that just yet. Or you feeling left out, pumpkin?" Zevida earns a grin as he looks down at her, "Sure there's some sort of reports you wouldn't mind," he teases, "Like how beautiful ya are…" the hand on her shoulder lifting to catch her earlobe between his fingers momentarily before dropping back along her neck to give her shoulder a rub once again.
Vivian just shakes her head. "Feeling left out? I don't think so." She replies a touch frostily. "Just make sure and be there and everyone can be happy." She watches what he's doing to Zevida and rolls her eyes. "Either way, I think for the moment I'll leave you pair to get more familiar." And with that she turns away, heading off down the sands back to the weyr again, her sister ignored completely on the way past.
Zevida laughs softly at the teasing, her fingers leaving the shirt to trail upwards. "Hm, I don't mind that report." She agrees, another laugh and she moves to gently pat his cheek with her hand. It's when Vivian's comment comes she snickers, "no need." But, the girl is already taking off and she's batting her eyes at the rider beside her. "Scared her off."
Jessamin gathers together her mending; with his nest being so disturbed, Madder squawks at her, crowhopping up her arm and onto her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Madder, but I'd better be getting back. I'll make you that nest, I swear." She looks back to Nicca, and smiles. "Maybe I'll see you around sometime, then. Wouldn't go throwing those clothes out just yet… they could be salvaged for quilts." With that, she gets to her feet and makes her way off the beach.
D'had chuckles, "I'll do what I can." he assures Vivian before she's all too soon walking off. "Too bad that." he notes towards Zevida, "She seems like a nice girl. Just means there's more time for you though." Wink. Siebith meanwhile is busy showing off all sorts of water-related stunts for any who will watch. He is a master after all.