Invitations
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Xanadu Weyr – Meadow
A large, slightly rolling meadow is set high enough above the riverbank on both sides to avoid suffering from flooding, healthy ground cover and grass spreading out from either side of the dividing river. Scattered amongst the meadow are a variety of weyrs, each with a narrow path leading up to it from a main, winding road. Some are set under a few trees, while others sit by themselves.

Runner stables with the paddock beyond are to the south beyond the meadow weyrs, a smithy and a woodcraft shop are settled closer in towards the path to the clearing, while trees border the western edge of the meadow, and a faint outline of a stone wall and low rolling hills can be seen to the north. Wagons laden with felled trees from the forests to the southwest or ore from the mountains to the southeast are hauled by burden beast up the road through the meadow, over the bridge spanning the river to be processed in the appropriate workshops.


Xeosoth is sprawled in the meadow enjoying any sun rays that he can. Lifting his head he croons a greeting towards Marel. M'kal is no where to be seen.

Maybe it's the sight of Xeosoth given her through the large windows of her cottage that has drawn Marel to the door of her new home, brownrider fetching up to lean in against the frame with her weight shared between hip and elbow. Either Isyriath is asleep in his weyr or soaring somewhere in the skies, for it's only his girl that appears, with no sight nor sound of the dragon himself. "Hi, Xeosoth," Marel calls quietly, slight smile gracing her lips.

Xeosoth whuffs a greeting, his eyes slowing spinning a happy green-tinged blue. Evidently Xeosoth bespoke M'kal shortly after Marel stepped out of her cottage for he is now traveling the path upwards to the meadow.

Marel must trust that Xeosoth (nor anyone else in the vicinity) is not about to raid her home for what few possessions might already be stored away or in place, as she leaves the door open when she steps away from it and towards the blue at a leisurely pace, one hand lifting his way in greeting, to deliver a gentle touch to blue hide or simply wave. She can't have caught sight of M'kal yet, for her focus is all on his lifemate.

Once his message is sent to his life mate, Xeosoth turns full attention to Marel once more. There's no move by the larger blue to raid her cottage for items nor is the temptation there really. First and far most he'll simply hound M'kal to start furnishing his own weyr soon enough. As Marel draws closer Xeosoth offers another whuff of warm breath her direction.

M'kal stops at the top of the path, gaze simply going towards Marel's cottage. From there his green eyes travels to watch Marel approaching Xeosoth and he seems content to watch the scene. After a moment he thinks of something and he tugs out from a satchel slung over his shoulder a pad of paper and some charcoal to quickly start sketching Marel and Xeosoth.

Encouraged by Xeosoth's reaction, Marel strays closer, steady steps carrying her nearer and nearer still, until she's close enough to lift both hands, aiming to touch careful palms to his nose. Or she /would/, were a life with dragons not to war with the old weyrling advice about making contact with other people's lifemates without permission. She hesitates, hands outstretched, and glances about, leaving the decision as to whether her touch lands entirely down to the blue.

Obviously comfortable in her presence, Xeosoth's eyes continue to whirl a slow and content blue-tinged color as he regards her approach. Unable to verbalize he has no objection to her contact he simple leans his wedge-shaped head forward to bump into her hands instead. M'kal has taken up a squatting position, fingers flying quickly over the paper so his attention is cast down briefly when she glances about.

Any hesitancy on Marel's part vanishes once Xeosoth nudges his nose into her hands, her small smile firmly back in place as she runs gentle hands over his nose and smoothly along the line of his muzzle. "You're a good sort," she tells him in a murmur. "And I've known lots of dragons." Albeit over only her fifteen turns. Her smile sharpens a little, grin aimed down at her feet like she'd hide it. "So, are you telling him everything I say or do we get to have secrets?" she teases quietly.

Xeosoth knows he's of a good sort! He tells M'kal daily. Speaking of M'kal though he's finished up his quick sketch and is striding over closer, close enough now to hear the words. "Xeosoth certainly isn't adverse to telling /me/ everything." he assures her with a crooked grin. Shifting the sketchpad to one hand he pulls out from a pocket a plain envelope. "He did tell me that you had stepped out of your cottage but…" he grins warmly. "I have been officially assigned a weyr." there's glee in his tone.

Marel twists at the waist to glance over one shoulder, her hands slowly drawing away from Xeosoth. "Tattletale," she softly accuses the blue, her voice warmed by good humour as she turns to face his rider. "Have you had a look at it yet?" she asks M'kal of his newly-assigned weyr. "I hope you decided to try and get some furniture after all!" If one can lecture about such, she tries to. "I've not got much, but… I'm not really sure what to do with all the space yet."

Xeosoth would offer a shrug of innocence but really he is not so innocent as he nudges into her back with his nose. "Not yet. I just found the note when I stopped back in the barracks. It's been kinda empty in there as people move out." which means he's been ending up in the infirmary more often just to avoid being in the empty barracks. "J'myn's got a place just off the coastal road. The view in the mornings is pretty sweet." "So I was just on my way to check it out now." he finally gets to the answer to the question. "Wanna join me?" he glances down at the paper in his hand. "It says here they had to inspect it for safety…including a geological stability analysis." he stumbles over the words slowly. "Should be interesting… I think.

Automatically, Marel drifts back a hand to brush fingertips against Xeosoth's nose as she answers M'kal. "…Geological stability analysis? So it's… coastal? Or forest? Assuming 'stability' means a danger of falling off or falling into." She dips her head in a shallow nod to answer his invitation, saying, "I think I'd better. I'd hate to send you off there and never see you again." But wait: "It /is/ safe, right? They wouldn't make you live in somewhere where you'd be at risk?"

M'kal shakes his head. "Nope, not forest or coastal but it's off the meadow somewhere." he steps closer to show the map given to him but not before he stashes the pad and sketch away in the satchel. "See?" he points. "Says to take the route along the edge of the ridge. And there aren't any landmarks."

"Stability issues around /here/?" Or further afield; same difference. Though it surfaces for a moment, Marel hide any deeper concern well, leaning in to get a look at the gestured-to paper. "I guess we'd better take a look. If we wander into someone else's weyr… we know we've got the wrong place." Without warning, she starts back towards the rose-covered front of her cottage, calling back, "Just let me lock the door!" Which she does, key swiped from her back pocket and deposited there after, before she heads back to M'kal's side.

M'kal waits until she's returned form locking the door before he moves off. Curious Xeosoth follows a ways behind. "Just at this…" M'kal looks about until he spies what he hopes is the right trail. "Here." grinning brightly at Marel he walks.

Marel angles a fond glance back at Xeosoth as she keeps pace with M'kal, eyes on the path ahead and scanning for the right trail, until, of course, the bluerider grins at her and she finds herself doing the same in return, echoing, "Here?"

"Looks like it." M'kal returns, trotting down the trail. It's not too far until he stops, a shelf of rock protruding over the meadow to form a ridge. Several ledges and made made cave openings can be spotted along the line, though all seem occupied except for one…he peeks into one and grins as he double checks the map. "This one." he gestures for Marel to follow.

Xanadu Weyr - Xeosoth's Nanook Nook

One of Xanadu's few subterranean weyrs, while this one isn't technically below ground, it is within the shelf of rock that protrudes over the meadow forming the meadow ridge. Rather than taking the path that crests the hill leading to the top and the observatory up there, by taking a path along the side formed by a long ledge that skirts the side and follows the gradual rise of the edifice, one will find several ledges and manmade cave openings. Xeosoth's is one of the first and therefore lowest in elevation. Still the ledge provides a nice view of the meadow, the paddocks, the forests beyond and a bit of the mountains that rise behind the deep forest. Sunny in the mornings, by midday the ledge is in deep shade and remains so for the rest of the day. Following the tunnel in, one finds a smallish cavity enclosed in stone perpetually cooled by its position on the north side of the ridge. The wallow, a depression formed in the rock, is just the right size for a large blue to sprawl in or a blue and green to cuddle in comfortably together.

Xeosoth follows as well, immensely curious about his new living arrangements. "Of course we can sleep here tonight." M'kal tells the blue. Quickly though he's busy looking around and taking in the first part of the weyr. "Wow…" he breathes one word, clearly in awe at the place of his weyr.

Marel obediently follows after, stepping out of line enough to allow Xeosoth through before her, should he so wish, given that it /is/ his weyr. It's probably entirely inadvertently that she echoes M'kal, breathing out, "Wow," as she steps round in a small circle, shuffling her feet around on the spot. "It's under…" Yes, that is a very obvious observation, and this is likely what prevents her from finishing that sentence.

M'kal grins. "It is! Wow…" M'kal says moving through the tunnel to the the wallow that would be Xeosoth's sprawling point. "It's perfect! C'mon in let's check out the rest!" he goes through the large door sitting open just a bit..

M'kal's Glacial Grotto

A simple wooden door set on iron hinges leads deeper into the ridge to the human quarters. Modest in size, this dwelling consists of but two rooms: a sitting room and a sleeping room. To make up for the lack of windows the chambers in this dwelling have electric lighting installed overhead, recessed behind a cleverly-cut stone ledge that allows illumination to be directed up and onto the vaulted ceilings, gently casting the pure white walls in a subtle bluish tint. The space is devoid of furniture, but the natural stone floors have been sanded to velvety smoothness. The north slope position of this weyr ensures that the temperatures are comfortably cool turn-round; never too hot, never too cold.

M'kal flips a switch by the door and his eyes travel upwards immediately to follow the electric lighting as it illuminated the vaulted ceilings in a bluish tint. Momentarily he's simply speechless as he takes in his very own space. "All mine…" he finally murmurs.

"Electrics!" Marel exclaims, her hands knotting together before her. "If there are lights, maybe you could have more electrical thing added, if it'd all run on the same… wiring?" Her lack of knowledge of that particular subject shows, her momentary glee at the sight of the lights dimmed to sober seriousness not by that, but by M'kal's murmuring. "Blue-ish lights, even. Just right for you," she says softly.

M'kal clearly has no idea but the possibility seems to brighten his mood even more. "I dunno…maybe I can ask Jeth about it though." he grins brightly at her. "Maybe I will need to get some furniture in here after all. I could bring over my cot from the barracks but that aint really all that comfortable…" he grins goofily. "A desk would be nice. And I can hang some of my drawings up." he's all aglow with giddiness as he returns to her side. "And it's close to you too. You could come over and sit out on the ledge with me in the mornings." suggests M'kal with a hint of sudden shyness to his voice.

"You mean you /aren't/ going to sleep on the floor?" Marel teases, quiet smile gleaming more in her eyes than on her lips. "You need a proper bed." And /that/ makes her blush and move on quickly. "A desk," she agrees. "And frames. And a proper table; everyone needs a proper table." At his suggestion, she untwines her fingers and slowly, tentatively reaches out a hand towards one of his. "I could," the brownrider murmurs with a touch of shyness to match his. "I could bring breakfast over." Or she could attempt to cook breakfast, that is.

M'kal draws in a breath to let it out slowly. "So much furniture?" he seems surprised to know he should get so much stuff. "Well a bit at a time won't be too bad I suppose.” The mention of breakfast draws his thoughts away from the needed items to food. There's a distinct lack of a kitchenette here which isn't too bad considering the lad most likely has no idea how to cook. Shyly he slips his hand into her outstretched one. "Breakfast would be good." he agrees.

"Bit by bit," Marel affirms. "That's what I'm doing. I have a bed and a couch and if I don't eat in the caverns, it's sort of like… a picnic on the floor." She can't help but let out a brief chuckle at how silly that might sound, though her fingers curl securely about his despite her tentativeness. "We can do that then." Of breakfast, not that it really needs her agreement again, but she seems to need to say it or else is unsure just what she could or should say. "You want to go to storage and see if there's a bed for you to sleep in tonight?" Practical. Easier.

"I suppose a bed would be first though Xeosoth has already asked if I could curl up with him tonight." M'kal smirks faintly. "Doesn't wish to sleep so far from me. Doesn't believe me that it's not really that far." A couch sounds good too. Maybe. For if I have company." content with her hand in his he gives it a gentle squeeze. "I could do up a painting for you if you like." he offers.

Marel answers, "I'd like that," quietly, aiming a slightly brighter smile over at him, only then her bossy, take-charge side starts to take over and she begins to tug at his hand, meaning to draw him back out into the meadow. "Come on; you need furniture. We're going to look for some. You can't invite people in here and tell them to sit on the floor." And, if she gets her way, she'll drag him off to the storage caverns to hunt down the furniture essentials; not that she'll let go of his hand the whole way.

M'kal offers a goofy grin but doesn't fight the pulling as he is tugged along to go look for furniture. "Okay okay..you're right." he concedes the need for furniture.


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