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 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.
X'hil is taking a leisurely stroll down the beach, though he keeps glancing over towards Kinseth, who is watching from nearby. After a few meters, he stops, a puzzled expression on his face as he whirls around to face Kinseth. "No, shut it, I /don't/ want to hear it. This is /stupid/. Is a walk on the beach really all you can think of? I don't /care/ if /other/ riders find it relaxing, no." he mutters. He's too busy being stubborn at Kinseth to notice anyone else just yet. Meredith - the man's brown firelizard - is hovering nearby as usual, though Katsu's antics get his attention, and he flies over to see what the other firelizard is pouncing on.
Cenlia has wandered down to the beach, dressed not in her usual plain garden attire but in a short halter top, with an indigo-dyed sarong tied about her waist. The girl is laughing as she walks down the beach from the direction of the meadow, her four firelizards swooping and trilling around her as she goes. Carried over one shoulder is a very large bottle of wine, and a small basket swings from her free hand. Trailing behind her is her brother Eledri, the young man wearing pale shorts and an unbuttoned shirt. He's not scowling, for once, but neither does he look particularly happy. Because they're not dressed in similar clothes, the similarities between the siblings aren't as pronounced, but it's still quite obvious that they're related. Cenlia's flits spy Meredith and Katsu, and trill greetings, flying in their direction. Cenlia also turns in that direction, though her attention is more on the big bronze dragon over there. The girl calls over a with a smile, "Hello, Sir Kinseth!" She waves when she spots X'hil and then Karashi, and wanders over towards them, Eledri looking even unhappier when he sees the bronzerider, but following Cenlia nonetheless.
Katsu looks up at the other flits with a squeak, the he buries himself in the sand. His antics only make Karashi laugh a little harder, she notices she has company and sits up. She waves to both of them with a smile, "Cenlia, X'hil. Pleasure to see you both out enjoying the beach" she was clad simply in loose clothes, it was clear by her damp hair which has formed bouncy ringlets she had not been lying there long.
X'hil seems to come to some sort of arrangement with Kinseth, even if it's one of mutual ignoring, as he breaks free of that locked-eyes stare at last, and turns away to find himself face to face with Eledri. "Oh. Hello." he says, quickly looking away from the computer crafter, eyes landing on Cenlia. He actually almost smiles at her greeting for Kinseth, though if the bronze has a response he's certainly not passing it on. "Hey Cenlia!" She gets a more enthusiastic greeting than Eledri got, but then /thread/ would probably get a more enthusiastic greeting than Eledri got. He glances towards the firelizards idly, nodding to Karashi. "Mm, likewise." he responds, though he's still a little quiet. Meredith is more friendly, crooning curiously at Katsu as he buries himself in the sand. What are you up to, then?
Cenlia plops down in the sand near Karashi while the girl's four firelizards land by Katsu and peer at him curiously. It's bright blue Mizzle who pokes his nose into the sand nearby, snuffling curiously, as bronze Charmer trills and waggles over towards Karashi, crooning sweetly and posing with wings half-open to show off his goldeny-tinged hide. Cenlia grins at the firelizards, and tells Eledri, who sits nearby, "You should try to go to a hatching for one. Shardin' useful things." Brown Trouble snorts at Cenlia and disappears *between* to re-appear some distance off, though he doesn't go far. Eledri just makes a sour face, which doesn't improve with X'hil's greeting. "Weyrsecond," the computercrafter mumbles, grabbing the basket from Cenlia and rummaging inside. Cenlia, though, is in good spirits, and judging from that huge wine bottle she's holding, she's got good reason to be. Benden Red. Yep, no wonder she's in a good mood. The girl uncorks the bottle and tells Eledri, "Gimmie the glasses, will ya?" She turns to Karashi and X'hil, "Want some? B'miel just got back from Ierne today, an' he brought presents!" Well, no wonder she's so happy. The girl begins filling glasses Eledri hands her without waiting for a reply, saying, "Who is?" and then blinks, looking around and seeming puzzled.
Katsu pops up from the sand with a squeak at them all, sand flies about him, showering all. Karashi lifts her arm to fend off the shower of sand with a laugh, she reaches out her hand to scratch Charmer as he croons to her. At Cenlia's offer of wine, Kar thinks for a moment, well it was mid afternoon. "Sure… so long as no one plans to get drunk. Don't want to fish anyone out of the water" couldn't hurt to have one glass could it..
Meredith tilts his little firelizard head at Cenlia's Trouble, chirping curiously as the other brown disappears. Should he do /his/ trick too? There's a curious warble directed at X'hil, but the man doesn't notice. "Who what?" he asks Cenlia, blinking curiously. Kinseth snorts, the sharp exhale sending a small puff of sand rising up from the bronze's muzzle, just for a second. The wine offer gets no comment, though his expression does look fairly conflicted. He wants it, but he knows he /shouldn't/. And it's too early! There's a frown finally, and he mutters, "None for me, I'm just on break, more paperwork to file in a short while." Riiight. He doesn't seem in any hurry to leave though, flopping down in the sand beside Karashi. "Shards, no, I'm /not/ fishing anyone out, I'm on /break/." If it happened, he'd probably help, but he's not going to go out of his way here.
Making her way carefully down the slope to the beach, Keziah is planning on making full use of her mandatory, well forced couple of days off. With Mirai settled in with Caro and the Stablemaster insisting she give her ankle a bit of a rest, she plans on just just, a little rest and relaxation and people watching. Which, judging by the number on the beach today shouldn't be too hard to do.
"I sure ain't plannin' on gettin' drunk. Not after nearly takin' a dive in the spilled keg the other day," Cenlia giggles while still glancing around. The girl is sitting near Karashi and is pouring wine from a huge bottle of Benden Red. She lifts the wine out of the way to avoid getting sand in it, and hands a glass of the stuff to Karashi. The girl spots Keziah, and waves a hello, grinning and offering a glass of wine. Cenlia's bronze firelizard, Charmer, croooons happily when he gets scritches, which causes brown Trouble to swoop over to attempt to attract some scritches as well, shoving Charmer aside - or trying to. The larger firelizard stands his ground, while still managing to pose and croon. Cenlia's other two firelizards, midnight-blue Rogue and bright blue Mizzle, see the scratches being handed out to Charmer, and they scurry over towards Karashi as well. Eledri, Cenlia's brother, is sitting nearby and continues to rummage in the basket, which appears to contain wrapped foodstuffs. He gives the firelizards a wary look. Cenlia, however, seems suddenly suspicious, eyeing X'hil when he declines the wine, and glancing over at the dragon's snort. And then Cenlia stares. For a moment. She remembers her manners, though, and pours more wine, nodding seemingly to herself and suggesting, "Get 'im drunk? Always works for me." Eledri frowns over at his sister, but he's busy fishing out wrapped meatrolls from the nasket and offers them to anyone who wants one.
Laughter emits from Karashi as she is mobbed by Cenlia's fire lizards, even Katsu gets up and waddles over to her lap. "Easy guys, you'll get your turn too" she takes a sip from her glass of wine and buries the bottom in the sand so it does not tip. She reaches out and scratches each of the flits, she finds their favourite spots. Reaching out to take another sip from her wine glass, she stops and looks at it. Wine was gone and in it's place Katsu, somehow he wedged his tiny body in it and Karashi peers at the little bronze head and tail that stick out the top of the glass.
X'hil looks much more interested in the basket that Eledri is rummaging in than the wine bottle Cenlia has, in fact, he's trying desperately to /ignore/ that wine bottle. It doesn't exist, it isn't there, nope. In his quest to not notice the wine bottle, he casts his glance over the beach, and spots Keziah, waving her over. Maybe she won't drink, and he won't feel so out of place? Though, Eledri doesn't appear to be drinking, at least. Meredith tilts his head curiously at Katsu, clearly wondering just how the bronze managed to /fit/ in the glass, let alone get wedged in like that. X'hil scowls at the brown. "Don't even /try/ it." he snaps.
Cenlia watches Karashi get mobbed by flits, and can't help but snicker. Charmer and Trouble, after each getting scritches, both try to get closer to Karashi but instead the two get into a squabble, and end up wrestling each other in the sand. As the two firelizards tumble past, Eledri makes a face, but even he can't look too grumpy at spying Karashi's flit in the glass. Cenlia giggles, grabbing a meatroll for herself and saying, "Here have another gl-" and then the girl suddenly looks startled, wincing slightly and muttering, "Shards, what'd he do now? Get the weyrwoman drunk again?" Cenlia eyes X'hil suspiciously. Eledri frowns, and says, "Who?"
With a wiggle and a twist, Katsu pops from the glass unharmed, it leaves Karashi to wonder how he even got in there in the first place. She sees Charmer and Trouble begin to toussle and she places her glass down. A wobbly Katsu takes a few jumps before he finally makes her shoulder, settling down with a hick to sleep. She reaches into the fray and scritches them both, "There boys, no need to fight"
X'hil blinks at Cenlia suddenly, and frowns, face flushing just slightly. "I didn't /do/ anything!" He assumes she means him, going instantly on the defensive. "I /do/ wish people would stop /assuming/ things." Wait wait wait, he's assuming right now, isn't he? He doesn't seem to notice the hypocrisy in that statement, though. Kinseth shifts in the sand, looking up at the sky. X'hil frowns a little, and glances to Karashi, frowning at the wobbly firelizard. "He's a tricky little one. Could teach my blue a few things, I'm sure." The grimace on his face implies that is /not/ a good thing. Thankfully the blue isn't around to learn any new tricks.
There's a squawk from Trouble at the surprise scritches, and he chitters grumpily, though Charmer just croons happily and attempts to nuzzle Karashi's fingers. Cenlia raises her eyebrows and says to Karashi, "Hunh, guess I know how to stop 'em fighting all the time now," and she grins a bit before glancing back at X'hil and asking, "I ain't never do nothin' either, but ya gotta admit, trouble follows like a flit on a meatroll." Speaking of which, brown Trouble growls at Cenlia and eyes her meatroll. Cenlia makes a face, but she does stop pouring the wine, handing the last glass to Eledri. The girl frowns at Kinseth, and gives him a long look before she mutters, "Well one glass never hurt nobody," though she does not offer any more wine to anyone, instead taking a big gulp of her own glass. Eledri looks from X'hil, to Cenlia, to Karashi, the computercrafter trying not to look too amused by the antics of the firelizards. He's determined to be grumpy, it seems, and tells Cenlia, "Weren't you not going to eat on the beach because you were afraid of getting more of those things?" He indicates the firelizards. A certain mischievous blue might not be around right now, but unfortunately, Cenlia's blues /are/ around, and after Katsu's stunt in the glass, the little two blue go investigate the remaining glassware. Eledri wisely moves the glasses back into the basket, saying, "I don't know how you manage these to get any work done with thing creatures around."
.
Karashi laughs "Katsu's not normally like this, I think he's going through his terrible twos stage. Usually he's so well behaved" she reaches out to pour herself another glass of wine, hand free she reaches over to scratch each flit intermittently, making sure each got equal scritches whilst she sipped, or more likely gulps down her wine.
X'hil scowls absently at everything, but nothing in particular. One of those days. He'll join Eledri in being grumpy, though he actually seems a little disappointed when Eledri finds himself with a glass of wine. He shakes his head, and stands up. "Like I said… Just on break. Actually have to head over to Telgar now, if you'll excuse me…" Well, that would explain why Kinseth has his straps on, at least. And why the dragon's been looking a little impatient and fidgety. "Come on Meredith." he calls to the brown, who steps to. Well, his entertainment - Katsu - is sleeping now, he has no reason not to come along."I'll uh, see you around." he nods to Karashi and Eledri, then frowns at Cenlia. "I, er… Come by the office some time, I've still got that, er, letter." He seems a little sheepish. He didn't get it signed, did he? And he's had it for months!
Charmer continues to croon at Karashi, waggling his tail and posing every time he gets scritches, as if trying to show he's the most scritchable flit. Cenlia rolls her eyes at Eledri and mutters, "Flits ain't so bad. Been training 'em to help me get tools and stuff," but the girl does hesitate with the meatroll, looking around veeery carefully. Just in case. When she's sure that there are no firelizard eggs lurking anywhere nearby, she raises the meatroll to take a bite, but sneaky little Rogue gets there first, clinging to the meatroll and taking a chunk out of it. Cenlia blinks, muttering, "I just fed you, ya little thief!" Though the girl doesn't look too upset, especially with that glass of wine she's sipping. She's still glancing now and again at X'hil, but as she surrenders her meatroll to the firelizard, she asks the bronzer, "Oh, hey, I need the letter back. Weyrleader D'son wrote me another one and signed it." Well, seems Cenlia took matters into her own hands? Either way, she's got her signatures now. "I'll come by to get it," the girl nods, and waves a free hand to X'hil, and to Kinseth, eyeing them both speculatively. Eledri outright scowls at the mention of letter, not looking at X'hil but looking very unhappy anyway.
"Take care then X'hil, I don't want to see you in the infirmary overworked 'kay" she waves to him. Resuming scritches to all the firelizards. Katsu sleeps soundly on her shoulder, until he slips off with a 'thud' as he lands behind her. A startled squeak from him wakes him, he lumbers across the rug, still wobbling from the wine. He tumbles onto Eledri's lap, where with a squeak he settles to sleep again.
X'hil absently waves Kinseth over to the meadow, though the man lingers for now. He'll follow his dragon shortly. X'hil looks both relieved and guilty to hear that Cenlia got the second signature on her own. "Ah, well, good. Bring that one around and I'll sign that too, if it'll help." he shakes his head slowly. "Sharding /Kinseth/." Right. It's the dragon's fault. Sure. It is true that Kinseth has kept X'hil occupied /recently/, either directly or indirectly, though what the man's excuse for before Kilaueth's flight was is a mystery. There's a chuckle for Karashi though. "I'd rather be in there overworked than injured. Shards, I've been /there/ too much already." he rubs his rear and then the back of his head idly, though both injuries are long healed by now. The man retreats finally, and Kinseth flies over the beach not long after, disappearing into between. Work to do.
Cenlia watches the weyrsecond go, shaking her head and mumbling, when he's safely out of earshot, "Dunno what he's done now, but sure can't good if his dragon's not lettin' him drink." Eh? Where'd she get that from? Well, it seems to be Cenlia's assumption, anyway. She frowns and watches Kinseth fly over and disappear, adding, "Hope he dun get all stuffy, neither. I swear, it's all that paperwork that does it," and the girl makes a face. Her brother frowns at her, and is about to ask something when he suddenly has a firelizard in his lap. The young man looks around as if unsure what to do about it. It's bad enough Cenlia's firelizards pester him. Cenlia, though, just snickers at her brother. After all, serves him right for being a grump. She turns to Karashi and grabs the wine bottle again, offering, "Want some more? B'miel brought back a whole rack of this stuff."