Running on the Beach

Xanadu Weyr - Beach

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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 lessoning 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.


It's morning, it's hot and sultry out on the beach and there's not much of a breath of wind other than a faint wispy breeze coming in off the ocean itself. As for Vivian, well she's out exercising, running barefoot along the hard sections of sand where the tide is out, making a good pace.

K'vin too is out, there's no duties for him today and the dragons he needed to heal or check on is all done for today. He simply sits on the sand and relaxes under the sun

Vivian pounds along the beach, the wet sands cool under her feet as she pushes herself in one last sprint. She aims for the water as she slows, letting the coolness wash over her feet before she kneels down and hands cup up the salt water in her hands and she douses it over her head and into her face, washing the sweat away. It's not long before she stands and makes her way inland again though, seeing a familiar face nearby she throws a wave his way.

K'vin smiles and waves at Vivian simply, he was watching her run and it's true she runs well. "Hello Vivian, how are you today?"

Vivian flashes the old man a charming smile. "Sweaty and in dire need of a drink." She tells him. "I enjoy the running, keeps me fit and trim, but yeah it can be tiring." She explains, walking over onto the drier sand to join him she stands there looking down at him. "What brings you here today?"

K'vin chuckles. "Well, the sun, I rarely got to enjoy it." He says simply. "I rarely spend time in Xanadu you know, I'm always being called here and there for emeergencies and what else."

Vivian stays standing where she is for now, listening. "Shouldn't you be slowing down a bit?" She asks him cheekily, the glint of mischief showing in her eyes. "get some apprentices trained up to do all the running around for you." She instructs with a grin as she eventually decides to sit down.

K'vin shrugs. "Oh, I have some apprentices already but when there's emergencies, I have to go." He says simply. "But it's true I should be slowing down, I'm not getting any younger.3

Vivian giggles at the reply, "Nah you just need to whip them harder until they know what they're doing." She tells him with a smile. "Tell me though, do the dragon healers need to be riders?" She asks him.

K'vin nods his head. "I think so, who else than a rider knows how to act around a dragon and such you know?" He says simply. "But it's a bit delicate. Let's say I didn't see a dragonhealer who wasn't a rider."

Vivian cants her head to the side, watching him while she listens. "I was just wondering, you've got people like me and Nicca who have been around dragons our entire lives, not just since impression. We don't have the fear that some of those holders have of them."

K'vin nods his head. "That is to be considered of course." He says simply. "I guess that for the first few years, you don't really need to be a rider, it's just easier.3

Vivian nods. "Just wondering, it's not for me, I'm trying to find something for Nicca to do, she's just flitting around trying to find a job that she likes." And who better to try and find a job for her than the big sister that she's fought like cat and dog since as long as they can remember.

K'vin grins and nods his head. "Tell you what, I'm willing to take her as my apprentice as a test." He says softly. "If she works well, I will keep her as apprentice, what do you think about that?"

Vivian lifts her shoulders in a shrug, a delicate teasing movement normally but not today. "I'll ask her." She replies. "See what she thinks of the idea, I was just thinking, I know she likes animals but doesn't want to commit to looking after her own as a job, so maybe caring for others would work out better for her."

K'vin nods his head. "Just tell her to come find me any time, I'm mostly in the living cavern when I'm not away or sleeping" He explains simply.

Vivian nods her head. "I will do, see what comes of it." She runs a hand over her hair tucking away some of the stray strands that have come out of her braid. "Don't suppose you brought any juice out with you?" She asks him, simply.

K'vin shakes his head. "No, I don't have any there but we can always go to the living cavern together and have a drink?" He offers with a smile.

Vivian bobs her head and moves to her feet in one smooth graceful motion and holds her hand out to the old man to help him up if he wants it. "Sounds like a plan, I really need a drink after that run."

K'vin takes Vivian's hand and stands up with her help. "Thank you." He says simply, bowing his head lightly. "After you." He offers courteously


Xanadu Weyr - Clearing


Vivian walks on ahead with a laugh, wandering towards the caverns with K'vin. "Not very often I hear that one, usually it's just so guys can look at my ass?" She tells him with a smile. "Though in your case, I'll go with gentlemanly behaviour." Given he's old enough to be her grandpa if not more?


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 and southwest is a wide tunnel, carefully roped off to avoid accidents.


The rider pulls a chair for Vivian as he heads to the serving table. "Juice then?" He asks, turning to her. "Or would you like something else?"

The way she's dressed she's probably making the older rider a very happy man. "Juice please." She replies back to him, flashing him one of her ever so sugary sweet charming smiles as she settles down into the offered chair.

K'vin is indeed a happy man but he's trying hard to conceale to Vivian's eyes and he turns back, bringing two glasses of juice, one for him and one for Vivian

Vivian takes the offered juice and takes a few sips to get the coldness in her mouth before taking a longer drink. "Have you been involved in any of that stuff over at western?"

K'vin shakes his head. "No, I wasn't in Western when it happened for that matter, I was over at Telgar, tending a wounded dragon." He explains softly, sipping on his juice.

Vivian bobs her head. "I was just wondering how bad some of them were." She asks, "Apparently there was a load from Ista as well appeared to help, I thought it would have been Fort or Reaches, but obviously not." She presses the cool glass against her forehead in an extra effort to cool down, though the big cavern is helping a lot with that already.

K'vin nods his head. "I understand." He says softly. "I was surprised as well that dragons can get burned with fire but well, it gave me some work too."

Vivian shrugs her shoulders, dropping the glass down to rest against her chest for a few moments while she talks. "Yeah, breathing fire and all that but maybe it's got something to do with the intensity, I'm sure someone bored me in great detail once about how some firs can be hotter than others?"

K'vin nods his head. "Yes, I understand that too." He says softly. "Can't say it makes a lot of sense to me but as long as I can heal it, it's fine to me." He says simply.

Vivian shakes her head. "I dunno, It's one thing I don't think I'll pretend to understand." She tells him with a soft sigh. "This is good." She murmurs as she drinks down more of the juice.

K'vin smiles. "Would you like a refill of your juice?" He asks, seeing her drink it so fast. "Or maybe some cider?"

"I'm fine with this, I'm going to go jump in the baths once I'm finished it." Replies Vivian, "Throwing salt water over myself to cool down and wash away the sweat just leaves the salty water needing to get washed off properly, it'll ruin my hair if I don't get it done soonish."

K'vin nods his head softly. "Oh yeah, totally." He says softly. "I'll need to get back to duties soon anyway too."

Vivian lifts the glass in toast towards him, then downs the last of it in a few long swallows. "Thanks for the company old man." She says with that same teasing smile from earlier, pushing the chair out from the table and getting back to her feet. "I'll speak to Nicca and see what she says, there's a chance though that she may not be even remotely interested."

K'vin smiles and nods his head. "I'll be around anyway if she needs some questions answered." He says simply. "Take care"

Vivian places the glass back down on the table. "Clear skies, old timer." She replies, given that he didn't take offence the first time and with quite the display on view she sashays off towards the bathing caverns.

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