Xanadu Weyr - Meadow Ridge
The meadow continues its gentle rolls and dips, grass tall and short waving in the slightest of breezes. Each hill seems to grow a bit higher, a bit steeper, as eventually, the meadow works up to a large ridge, the top flattening out at its new elevation.
From the top of the ridge, the view is certainly something to be admired - higher than the majority of the trees, one can look out over the rest of Xanadu Weyr proper. The houses in the lower meadow - each roof a different color - and the clock tower peeking upwards from the its forest surroundings are all visible, as is the cliff that houses the Weyr Caverns themselves. And yet, the ridge also holds an amazing view of the night sky - horizon to horizon - unaffected by the light pollution of the more heavily traveled regions.
Settled upon the ridge is a rather distinctive looking building - nearing three stories tall, circular grey walls have carefully been erected, and a large dome is settled upon this solid foundation. Large panels make up the roof, aside from one section which remains open, and from which the telescope the struction houses peeks out. Sitting adjacent to the tower is a long, low building, meant to serve as offices, record rooms and dorms for those who man the observatory, as well as providing a handy platform for those who seek to use smaller, hand-held 'scopes.
Perched on the ridge, simply watching the weyr, is a boy. Hair cropped short and feathering over his forehead in the breeze, the lad is dressed in well-tailored clothes, a bit rumbled but otherwise neat, leaning back on his hands and admiring the view. There's a kind of wonder in his gaze as drabbish eyes survey the land, the knot on his shoulder showing himn to be not one of the weyrfolk, but a visitor from Breakwater hold, some days' distance away. He doesn't look particularly travel-worn at the moment, legs stretched out and bent at the knees, simply relaxing in the morning sun. Therea breath taken, slowly in and out, though he's otherwise quiet and unmoving, perhaps taking a break from whatever he's supposed to be doing to watch the world go by.
A cloud of dust is raised as Rieselth backwings to a landing, and her rider, a lovely, tiny woman in a green gown, slides down and smiles, as she approaches the edge of the ridge. The green herself simply chooses to stretch out, and bask in the sunlight of the afternoon.
The cloud of dust has Iessrien raising a hand to shield his nose and eyes briefly, leaning futher back as his gaze goes up, the boy blinking out of his thoughts with straightening shoulders. Eyes widen, though only faintly, at the sight of the green dragon, the holder lad possibly unused to the creatures still. He has manners, though, and once he spots the woman, he sits upright properly and inclines his head with a polite-enough, "Hello, ma'am," in greeting, offering a hesitant smile. Its her gown which catches his eye though, eyebrows arching just the slightest once the dust clears a bit, Iess brushing some off his sleeves briefly.
Shellie returns the smile, as she walks over. "It's quite the view isn't it? I like to come up here after I get out of my shift in the infirmary sometimes." She settles down on a rock near the observatory, and looks out over the weyr spread out below.
Iessrien nods somewhat, gaze drifting back to the view, and taking another breath after the dust has cleared completely. "It is.." he agrees quietly, "It sort of reminds me of home, but with barns and buildings instead of fields." He shifts back to leaning on his hands, head tilting to glance at Shellie, "You're a healer, ma'am?" the politeness remaining, though after a moment's thought he adds on quickly, "Oh, I'm Iessrien. From Breakwater Hold," another (this some slightly sheepish) smile offered to the woman.
Shellie grins and offers her hand, as Rieselth stands up, eyes whirling green, and approaches the boy. "Shellie, Senior Journeyman Healer at the Weyr. And this beauty is my lifemate, Rieselth." Her eyes go out of focus for a moment, and she grins even more widely.
Iessrien leans forward somewhat, dusting his hand on a knee before taking Shellie's briefly, his grip firm, fingers soft. His are definitely not the hands of someone who's spent much time working the fields, certainly, skin entirely free of callouses. Eyebrows go up again, their slight arch in response to Shellie's title, though he only inclines his head again with another polite, "It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am." The standing dragon draws his dishwater gaze, drab blue eyes widening just the slightest once more. "It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Rieselth," is said to the green, the boy inclining his head a second time.
Shellie smiles. "It's a pleasure to meet you as well. Are you visiting from one of the outlying holds?" Rieselth seems /awfully/ interested in Iessrien, which doesn't seem to attract the attention of her rider.
Iessrien nods to Shellie, offering the attentive Rieselth another polite, and faintly hesitant smile, before turning to the green's rider, "My father's the lord of Breakwater Hold. He sent me here to learn the ways of the world, or somesuch thing." His tone turns just a little wry, his smile thin, "I guess having older brothers wasn't enough. He wants every one of my siblings to get experience in dealing with people." Though if that were the only reason the boy's been sent to Xanadu, there's little explanation for the barely-suppressed grimace as he says that.
Shellie nods, and sighs, a sad look on her face for a moment. "I see." Her eyes blur for a moment more, as Rieselth this time decides to whuffle the boy. "At any rate, are you enjoying living here at the weyr?
Iessrien tilts his head faintly at the sad look on Shellie's face, mouth opening to perhaps ask, but he hesitates, closing it instead and looking away, back to the view. Lips press together for a moment in thought, though he's distracted by Rieselth's whuffling, giving the dragon a bit of a blink, and looking askance at her and then Shellie. "Uh.." murmured softly, a pause, and a flicker of a glance across the ridge toward the weyr proper, "..I guess so. It's.. a lot of things are different than I'm used to," admitted with a quietly sheepish expression, though his smile is returning, "It's a lot less restrictive than the hold, but confusing too, and everyone's.. back at home I was considered kind of too.. uuh, casual. Here, I feel like the prude!" And that elicits a laugh, light and warm, though what he's done to have said something like that, who knows.
Shellie nods. "I grew up in a farmcraft cothold myself, so believe me, I know how you feel. Of course, impressing changed all of that for me." As Rieselth whuffles again, her eyes go out of focus again, and Shellie speaks to the dragon. "Be patient, love. I was working up to asking him." She shakes her head. "Rieselth has a question for you, and she's not going to rest until I ask for her.
"You did?" Iessrien seems a touch surprised by this, regarding Shellie a moment longer before blinking, and then looking a little sheepish for this, "I guess it;s hard to imagine that everyone from a weyr has always been here," that soft, sunshine-laugh again, for his own sillyness. "At home, the only visitors we ever had were the traders and the sailors. It's.. so different here," voice growing quieter, though there's some confusion in his face as he glances from Reiselth to Shellie and back. "Ask me..?" he titls his head to the woman, thin brows sneaking together.
Shellie nods. "It is, and it has a bearing on our question. Seryth clutched not long ago, and we're looking for potential riders. Rieselth wants to know if you would stand as a candidate for her clutch." She smiles, and simply waits for the answer.
Iessrien blinks. He opens his mouth, entirely caught off-guard by the question, "..Uh." It's such a terribly eloquent answer, isn't it? There's a quick look between dragon and rider, Iess moving to sit upright fully, hands rubbing distractedly over his knees while he thinks this over, teeth absently chewing the inside of his cheek for a second or two. And then, another moment, and there's a sudden flash of a grin over his angular face, some unspoken humor flickering behind his eyes before he replies, almost wryly, "Wouldn't /that/ be a surprise for my father," gaze flicking up to Shellie, and then the green before the boy stands, dusting off his pantlegs before he straightens and replies more formally, "I would be /honored/ to stand as a candidate for Seryth's clutch." Poor boy, he likely has no real idea what he's just agreed to.
Shellie smiles, and stands up as well, then leads the way over to Rieselth. "Then, climb up. We'll take you down and get you settled in at the Barracks." She climbs up and offers you a hand up.
Iessrien follows, after another moment's hesitation, unable to hide the slight flicker of wonder as he approaches the dragon. He accepts the hand up, murmuring his thanks, eyes just a little wide.
Xanadu Weyr - Candidate Barracks
A long, low ceiling room opens off the entrance hall to the arena, one wall slightly curved as it is set against the outer wall of the arena itself. Cots are set evenly the length of the room, in two rows, each with its own small press at the foot, for personal belongings. Wide windows are spaced along the outside wall, letting sunlight in, while other lights are available for the night time hours.
Shellie enters for the second time today, accompanying Iessrien this time. "Now there are a few rules you need to know. First, no getting drunk. It affects behavior, and not for the better. Second, no sex. Pregnant candidates are a bad thing, as are candidate fathers. Third, no fighting." A glance is directed to Pyriel, and the stitches in the Harper apprentice's lip. "And finally, no leaving the weyr unless with a rider. You need to be available at a moment's notice, since we can't predict when the eggs will hatch." She grins and turns back to the rest of the candidates. "Everyone, this is Iessrien, the newest candidate.
Iessrien continues to follow, though his steps slow a bit, the holder boy lagging behind slightly once he and Shellie arrive at the barracks. He gives the greenrider a less enthusiastic look for the rules rattled off, though it earns some nods, the mention of pregnancy having brows arching just a touch. "Understood, ma'am," he replies with eyes still faintly wide, moving away to a little to look around, awkwardness more evident in his movements as he takes in this unfamiliar place.