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.
We're in the middle of the lunch press, early eaters already gone, late ones well… late. And most everyone else who fits in the middle group filling up tables and chattering, scarfing, laughing and every other sort of animation and noise that happens in large communal eating areas. Iroha's stepping along in the line that's still moving steadily along by the serving table, expression intent and almost predatory as she selects which dishes get portions piled onto an already full plate. Foooood.
With a nearly empty carry bag thrown over one shoulder, Rogawani isn't one of the first ones into the caverns for lunch. His hair is wind-swept and his face is flushed with the color of someone who has barreled head-first at some great speed. Giving himself a shake, he runs a hand through his tussled hair and then jockies his way into the food line, right behind Iroha. He doesn't seem to be as selective, piling on food without a worry or care for exactly what it is he's grabbing. By the time the plate is full, it looks more like a mismatched mountain of food stuffs than a casual lunch. Looking up from the tables, Ro' blinks at first, realizing that there's someone he doesn't recognise infront of him. The candidate knot is enough to explain that. "You're new right?" He asks, trying to get her attention.
Selective only until the line shuffles forward to the drinks, where upon Iroha just fills a cup from the first juice pitcher she grabs: redfruit, seems like. The jockying happening behind her doesn't illicit a reaction, at least not from her, though other people who'd been more patient and queued properly might be complaining. But then there's a question being asked, and curly-haired head in swivelled around on her neck. "Who, me?" Squint, peer. "Yes." Simply enough stated, as she's already starting to turn, eyes scanning to see if she can spot an empty seat anywhere. "Not been here but a few days," she continues. "Who're you?"
Most of those behind Rogwani appear to be weybrats, so even though they may shoot a glare or two up towards the messenger, he doesn't pay it much mind. Balancing the overflowing plate, he doesn't even bother grabbing for a drink as a meatroll goes rolling and he's forced to catch it on the fly. "Rogawani." He introduces himself, precariously balancing the meatroll again as he steps out of line, letting the kid behind him have a shot at the drinks. "Just one of the messengers here. If you have anything that needs to be sent back home, I'm your man." 'Man' seems to be a subjective term, as he can't be much older than Iroha. He motions with his chin a bit. "Come on, I know where there's some seats." He offers, and then heads towards the far end of the rows of tables, having to grab the errant meatroll a second time on his way.
Well, that solves that problem. Iroha flashes her wide and crooked grin, tipping her head forward in a 'lead on then' gesture. And then she follows along right on his heels, balancing her plate on her palm at shoulder height like some sort of scruffy waitress. "Ohhh, I do have some letters that need sent. I was going to ask L'ton to carry them, but he's busy enough…. Well, I need to actually -write- them first. M'Iroha, by the way."
The girl's grin is returned with one in kind from Rogawani, but after nearly tripping over someone's misplaced bag, his eyes look towards the floor instead. Finally, he leads her through to one of the further tables that seems mostly occupied by herders, stablehands, and a few of the scruffier members of the weyr. There's an almost appologetic look in his eyes as he slides in to take a seat, there seem to be quite a few openings at this particular table. "Sure, just track me down when they're done. Had to harass X'hil for months before he got me one for his aunt." The boy laughs to himself, and then inclines his head politely. "Nice to meet you, and welcome to Xanadu. Home of neverending craziness." He breaks a meatroll in half as he says this. "So where're you from?"
Herders, stablehands, and scruffy types? Iroha's relaxing already! Rough-around-the-edges people are the types she most comfortable with, being somewhat one herself. Or were the stained bare feet and haphazard clothes not a clue? The almost-apology is received with puzzlement, eyebrows lifting in silent question, as she folds herself into a seated position. "Oh, I can't take months! I just… have to figure out how to tell everybody. Explain, y'know?" Fingers flapping at her shoulder, and then she digging into her food, quick scarfing bites that get swallowed almost before they're properly chewed. Elegant, she ain't. Though at least there's no lip smacking or see-food happening. "Heh, been told folks're crazy down here," she notes inbetween bites. "Haven't met one yet." A crazy, that is. One green eye is closed in a cheerful wink. "Oh, I'm from Ista." She watches his face very carefully after that revelation.
When Iroha doesn't react to his choice of tables, Rogawani seems to relax as well, seeming more at ease. "So you're okay with this table?" He asks, just to be sure, eyeing her with wry speculation, and then explains. "Some girls get all sensitive 'bout sitting over here. Like they're going to catch the 'dirties'." He laughs, and then picks up the stray meatroll and finishes it off in two easy bites. He easily manages to keep pace with her eating, not paying all that much attention to the food. Swollowing, he smirks a little, "Sorry to say I'm not one of the crazy ones. Weird, yes. Crazy no." He waves a meatroll in the air, and then tilts his head curiously. "Ista, huh? Seems like we're getting Istans all around. Guess it's better being searched here than by 'Reaches or something."
Iroha glances around at the other occupants at the table, smiling brightly if any catch her looking, before a curl-bouncing nod is directed across the table for Rogawani. "'Course! Back home, I work in the gardens, help out in the stables… nothing wrong with good clean dirt!" The incongruity of that statement is completely lost on her. "Drives my friend L'ar about as skittery as a flit, though." A fond grin, a drink of juice, before food once more gets attacked. "Oh, I think it would be really interesting to go live at Reaches for a while. Just to see what it's like, you know? Just… maybe over the summer?" Grin. "But Dhonzayth sired the last clutch I stood for, so when L'ton asked me if I'd like to try again, well…." She shrugs. "It's an adventure! I've never actually left Ista before. Have you? Lived anywhere besides here, that is?"
"Nothing wrong with it at all." Rogawani replies, his face brightening a bit. "Most of my friends fit into one of those two categories, gardens or stables. So we should get along just fine." His mouth quirks upward a little bit, but he listens with intent curiousity even as more food gets shoveled blindly into his mouth. If it weren't for the relaxed expression on his face, one might guess that his quick speed of eating had to do with worry over the food disappearing. "A summer at 'Reaches?" Rogawani asks, incredulously, lifting one eyebrow before shaking his head. "I'd bet they celebrate summer with snowball fights." He's exaggerating, obviously. "Heh, I've only been out of the weyr a time or two really, but I can see the appeal. I get my adventure being dragged along scouting the wilds. Maybe you guys will get dragged on an expedition sometime."
D'had makes his way into the caverns, pushing past a throng of people that are blocking the way to where the food is served. A plate is collected with much grumbling about already being out of something. Then again, that's what he gets for being on the late end of arriving for the meal. Of course once food is procured then its the adventure of finding a place to sit that's not terribly crowded.
Iroha bounces a little in her seat, her grin brightening by a few degrees, if that's even remotely possible. It does make her seem to fit well with Xanadu's reputation for housing crazies, though, especially when her wicked-sounding chuckle is added to the dementedly cheerful expression. Yay, new friend! "I have never seen snow," she says then. "I want to, some day. I want to try sculpting something out of it! And snowball fights sound like ever so much fun. Oooh, do you think so?" About the scouting expeditions. "That would be great! We never really got to go out anywhere at Ista, but there was the whole flu amongst the dragons and everyone was all worried and now that things are back to normal it's just work work work!" That's not actually a complaint. "What do you go scouting for?" The table where she and Rogawani are sat has several empty places, due mostly to the snooty avoidance some folks have for the dirt-grubbers and muck-shovellers of the Weyr.
"Well, I'm sure we get more snow here than in Ista." Rogawani chuckles to himself, throwing a piece of fruit into his mouth without looking. His eyebrows lift a little bit at her enthusiasm, "It's white, and cold, and wet, but it's fun to throw at annoying little brothers." The boy quips, seeming amused by the thought of hitting his brother with a slushball. He seems to take a break from the relentless shoveling of food to seem thoughtful. His smile falters just a hint, but then he shrugs his shoulders. "You heard that a goldrider went missing from here, right?" He asks, keeping his voice lower now. "We keep finding these traces of her off in the wilds. Renegade camps, abandoned sandy pits like hatching sands…" He leans forward a bit, meaning to keep the last bit between the two of them. "We even found evidence that some of her dragon's eggs might have survived. Evidence of a hatching, and candidates."
And so it is that D'had finds his way towards the far tables of the caverns. Sure there are place here and there with an open seat, but maybe he's just not feeling up to playing quite the social roll at the moment. But then there's a table, the one that Rogawani and Iroha are seated at to be exact, with more than a few places. That's where he heads and when he gets there … its an unceremonious drop into one of the open spaces, plate set to table before him. And then… he just sits.
Iroha's cackle is worse than her chuckle, and she drops her fork to clap both hands over her mouth to stifle the harsh sound. "Ooh, I bet Daryn would -love- it. I could ask Ma… oh but no, she'd never let him come along. Not with dragonriders, and I'd have to ask one of them to take us." The words are muffled behind her fingers, but easy enough to be heard. When Rogawani lowers his voice she leans forward, green eyes wide as she listens attentively, possibly even gratifyingly as she ohs as if he's revealing the most guarded of Pernese secrets. Which, for uninportant people like gardeners, it might well be. Kinda. "Vaguely," she says honestly. "I don't usually pay attention, honestly. I mean, that's all the problem of the Weyr Council, right? Nothing I can really do about it and-" And nothing bad could possibly come from Xanadu to Ista? Could she be that naive? Another "Ohhh." and a small nod. "That's pretty bad, huh? Renegade dragonriders…. why would anyone -want- to, though?" Because the world is all sunshine and rainbows, obviously. Not. Leaning back, she tips her head curiously towards the unceremonious drop of dragonrider into seat. "Hi!" she chirps over at him. Because well, it's only polite to greet someone new to the table. And she's just that darn friendly.
Rogawani's nose twitches a little at the girl's cackle, seeming bemused by the sound of it. At least he can make someone laugh. "Something wrong with dragonriders?" He asks, her muffled words bringing that curiousity out again. "But yeah, kinda bad." He mutters, still keeping his voice down. "I don't know the whole of it, though. Something about this cult leader and doomsday or somesuch." He leans back, scratching at the hair above his ear. "One time we found these big burning sulfer pits, though. It was beautiful, and kind of scary." His voice is louder now, which shows that at least this discovery isn't a big secret. "You could see the light from them really far away." The change of subject comes as soon as D'had comes into view. "G'day Wingleader." Ro' offers, friendly enough before he starts to eat again.
D'had wasn't so much paying attention to who he was sitting with as to the fact that he could sit without being crowded. At the greeting of the two however he … well he's still quiet, not saying anything for a long moment until he finally looks up and dark eyes settle on the pair of them. "Hey," he greets, a charismatic smirk of a smile accompanying the word.
"According to Ma, they're all…" Iroha scrunches up her face, her voice taking on the tones of someone who's quoting another person, "Listless, immoral louts, no better than Trader vagabonds, nothing but trouble and don't you go near them!" She rolls her eyes and sticks out her tongue, showing just how much she agrees with that assessement. Which is, not at all. "She's still not talking to me since I packed up and moved to the Weyr, and it's been almost a whole Turn. Refused flat to let any of my sibs come to the hatching." A shrug, uncaring. "Got a new family now." Oh yes, the determined reality of teenagers. Bloodkin? Pah! Who needs 'em? Then she's blinkblinkblinking as Rogawani continues the story about the missing goldrider and various discovers made. "I would've like to see -that.-" She scoops up her juice, brings her legs up to hook her heels on the edge of her chair and rests her chin in the hollow formed between her knees. D'had gets another curious look, but beyond that, perhaps she assumes he wants to be left alone.
Now it's Rogawani's turn to laugh at the assessment of dragonriders. "Wow…" Is all he says at first, shaking his head from side to side. "Then again, I suppose for some that's truer than others. That Istan bronzerider of yours has quite a reputation." He notes, wiping the grin off of his face as he finishes off another meatroll, leaving a pause in the conversation. Once finished, he licks his lips and then nods a bit rueflly. "Well, maybe she'll change her mind when you come home with a dragon." He looks down at the pitiful remains of what was once a full plate, and pokes around a crumb or two. "I've got the other side of the mark in my family. My brother's Donakan. Well, half-brother." He searches her eyes for a moment to see if the name rings any bells, yet.
D'had can't help but let out a long chuckle for the girl's retelling of her mother's view on riderkind. "Well if that's what she thinks of them I'd hate to think what she'd think of me," he comments. Its nothing but amusement in his eyes for that comment however as he picks up fork to set to eating. "Speaking of Ro.." he starts around a mouthful. Speaking of what was being spoken of moments ago that might well be. "Wanted to ask you a few things on one area. Since you've been below the vegetation and all."
"Which one, D'son or L'ton?" Iroha asks curiously, eyes sparkling. Yes, she knows of the reputation of one of them, and is rather amused by it. "And you should meet K'ael. He's a -complete- flirt, but really sweet." Again, a rather fond smile. "Had him convinced I was his little sister, once. That was fun. Then he got his memory back." She not really doing anything with her juice, more just rolling the cup back and forth between her palms. "Ha! She'll disown me, is what she'll do." Face twists, smooths again, settles into a puzzled expression as he searches her face. Donakan, Donakan… "Pipsqueak?" Said with a vaguely insulting tone to the moniker. Nothing more than that, though, so maybe the one she's thinking of and the one Rogawani's related to aren't the same. Curls splay over her shoulder as she cocks her head towards D'han, grinning mischeivously. "Wee-ell, are you a listless, immoral lout?"
"L'ton, although I have to wonder about D'son and the weyrwoman's daughter." Rogawani lets the end of that comment trail off. He gives a chuff of laughter, seeming amused by the number of riders, present company included, who seem to fit the description of 'complete flirt'. "I swear the riders get all the girls." He manages to say, and then ends up distracted by D'had's statement. "Huh?" He looks a bit perplexed for a moment, not sure exactly what the rider might be referring to. "Um, I can tell you what I know. What's up?" His face shifts from the smile he'd had, and lingers in more worried thought for a moment before Iroha's nickname for his brother brings him around again. "Short, curlyhaired little prick? Yeah, that's him. Thinks riders are the best thing since meatrolls and the rest of us are pondscum."
D'had chuckles, "Well if she don't like riders and she don't like traders." He winks towards Iroha, "Was a trader, now a rider." He'll just conveniently not comment on being a listless, immoral lout. Its not his fault women trip over him. Right? Okay, so he has a bit of an ego, that's all beside the point right now. "Just tryin' ta get a better idea of what I'm looking at on sweeps. Easier to know what's not right is all." he adds for Rogawani's assurance. Nothing to worry about. "Map's out in Siebith's pack yet though. Was stopping in for a bite," he explains as he continues to eat, "didn't expect to run into you so quick."
Iroha jawdrops at Rogawani. "D'son and… -who?- He'd better not let F'yr close with anything sharp… or 'splody." Smirk. "L'ton's alright. I stood with his daughter an' niece back at Ista. They both Impressed, brown an' green, respectively." To Rogawani's comment about 'riders getting all the girls, she laughs again, a quick sharp bark that's quickly stopped. But no comments are made. "Double trouble!" This squeaked to D'had, all cheery and bright. "Ma's… well, if you aren't a Holder or properly 'prenticed to a respectable Craft, she's got no use for you." Hence the girl's current state of disfavour. Skipping back to Ro now, eyebrows lift as she nods at the description. "Pipsqueak. Hoping to get put on stable duty with him sometime." Sweet, sweet and completely NOT innocent smile.
"Uh." Rogawani feigns innocence, rubbing the back of his neck as his eyes shoot up towards the top of the cavern. Luckily, the conversation shifts fast enough that he doesn't have to make any more comments about the weyrleader. His eyes move back down towards Iroha again, smirking a bit. "That's actually what Tali told me yesterday. She plans on tossing him into a dung pile." Amusement shows on his face, doubled now as he imagines -two- different girls making his brother's life miserable. Ahh, sweet justice. Then, abruptly, his focus shifts over to D'had. "Oh, sure." His face goes serious again, all business. "I'm pretty familiar with the holds and the regularly traveled roads. I think I remember everywhere we checked out though. I -should- be able to identify them on a map." He doesn't seem too sure though. "Eat, I've got time." He pokes at another crumb, in no rush to be dragged away from the interesting Istan girl.
"Some people just like that," D'had replies with a shrug, letting his attention drift from the conversation back to his plate. A hand lifts to idly wave towards Ro. "Yeah, yeah. I'll let you know when I'm done. Don't let me take you away from the girl too quick." Wink.
Iroha doesn't believe that innocence for one second, eyeing Rogawani with a suspicious expression that would make F'yr proud. Well, maybe not, since her green eyes are still sparkling with laughter, not threat of imminent bodily harm. The smirk gets a reply in her own grin, much too toothy to mean anything good. "Only tossing?" She does finally seem to remember her juice, though it's tipped back and drained, not sipped. Dropping her legs to lean forward, she sets the cup down while wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. D'had's comment about taking Rogawani away from 'the girl' earns him a slanty-eyed look. Muh? "Iroha," she provides her name. Glancing with extreme interest between the two for all their cryptic - to her - talk of maps and such. She's got a small reference, but still. "Oh, don't let me keep you. I should really probably get back to chores, or something." Not that she's making any move to jump up and run off. Maybe she's just lonely?
"If you plan on doing more than that, I want an invitation." Rogawani chimes in easily enough, raising his eyebrows with a bit of a wicked look lingering in his eyes. "I can go for Tali's toss and stay for whatever you have planned afterwards." He seems to ignore the suspicious look on the girl's face, looking instead at D'had with slightly pursed lips. "Don't rush off, Iroha, D'had's not even done eating yet." His eyes turn back to her as he offers a smile. "Besides, I'm enjoying the company." He admits easily enough. "And I'm sure the chores can wait a few minutes? I don't think the eggs keep tally of how fast you get them done." He teases.
There are several inevitabilities in this world. One is that on any given day, any given bluerider WILL want klah at some point of that day. Well.. any given bluerider, resident, passer-by or any number of different occupations as klah addiction is something that is never properly measured but extremely prevalent in Pernese society. In the case of Cirilia, that time is now, and she heads to the klah pot. She mutters under her breath, accounting for her currently wet hair amidst a string of curses and oaths. The rest of her looks dry, though.
Chuckling wickedly, Iroha bobs her head in a cheerful nod. "Consider yourself invited, then. We'd need someone to stand guard and then back us up with an alibi when he runs to tattle, anyway." She taps her fingers idly on the table's edge, wiggles her shoulders. Not impatient, just a complete lack of the ability to -sit still.- She looks rather pleased, then, and even grateful as Rogawani tells her to not run off. "So'm I. Forgot what it was like bein' the new girl." She tips her head back, fingers still going beatbeatbeat on the table. A drummer, she would not make. "Oh, 'course the -eggs- don't care. It's the people I'm worried about. And, I like working. There's nothing worse than, well, nothing. Though I can't wait for a proper free day so I can really start to explore this place. And visit the Annex. I really want to see that." Sadly, with their table being located all the way over -here- and the serving table all the way over -there- she doesn't notice any particular arrival, bluerider or otherwise. Or maybe not sadly, because then the woman is spared from being peered at like an interesting cross-section under a microscope?
Cirilia sighs softly as she gets the first sip of klah. She finds a seat to settle when.. tap.. tap.. tap.. taptaptaptap, Iroha's fingers drumming on the table get Cir's attention. An eyebrow raises skeptically. A glance at the girl's shoulder tells the story of why the bluerider doesn't know her. She mutters sleepily, "More of 'em." to no one inparticular.
"I'm afraid any story I have will only fly with the weyrlingmasters. His mom would never believe it." It's odd, the way Rogawani refers to the shared family member as 'his mom' instead of 'our mom'. "It'd be worth it though." He drums his fingers along his cheek, bemused at the images that flash in his mind's eye. "Ahh well." He has to shove them to the side, sitting up a bit straiter and stretching his arms over his head. "Wouldn't want to get you into trouble." He admits, ruefully. His mouth opens to say something else, but Cirilia's voice draws his attention this time. "Hey there Cir. How's Tamasth?"
Iroha doesn't seem to find it odd, though that's maybe because Rogawani had thought to mention that Donakan was a half-brother. Or if she does, it's only a brief flicker at the fact that it's a father they share instead of a mother. Or so she's assuming based on the choice of wording, at any rate. "What could they do, really? Send me home?" Yes that. But still, a cheery little shrug. "Bah, I likely won't -really- do anything to him. Not unless he mouths off again, and there's much more subtle things to do than drop him headfirst into the muck pile." Like stick rotten tunnelsnake eggs under his pillow, or convince him that a weed is perfectly harmless and let him break out in an itchy rash or… well. When his attention drifts, she follows it, tapping fingers ceasing because she's lifting her hands to wiggle fingers in a wave. Yes, both hands, flap flap.
Cirilia replies to Ro's question with a very grumpy and sleep-deprived, "Bringing the water to me." She takes a pull of klah, "Consider yourselves lucky that you don't have to listen to his debates and rationalizations," she emphasizes the subjects of her statement by stabbing a finger at Ro and the finger-drumming girl. "If there's a loophole, he finds it."
D'had glances up from his nearly finished plate of food to send a glance between the two that were at the table and the new arrival of Cirilia. A nod is given to fellow bluerider, not to mention wingrider. "Least that explains why Sie don't like listening to him," he chuckles in regard to the woman's comment on her own blue. "He doesn't do rational very well."
"That would be a shame." Rogawani replies, without any hint of sarcasm, showing that he would certainly mind if Iroha was sent home. Still, he doesn't comment, his mouth quirking up just slightly as his own mind echoes somewhere along the same lines as the girl. Fortunately for him, he's got distractions to keep his mind from going too far down that train of thought. "I consider myself quite lucky, to not be near the beach today." He muses, and then glances towards D'had, eyeing his nearly empty plate and knowing that he'll have to leave soon. "Almost done?" He asks, figuring that he might as well get the map work over with.
Iroha blinks across at Rogawani, startled. Though why him being nice should cause startlement is anyone's best guess. That and talk of rationalizing dragons or the opposite, and what looks like the imminent departure of her new friend to do actual work type stuff, sets the girl to being silent. Just wide-eyes going back towards Cirilia to follow those finger jabs. Blink. Blink.
Cirilia shakes her head firmly, "You might get away unscathed. You just let him get you in the water without arguement. He doesn't think he needs to find loopholes with you." She pauses then adds, "I think." Her wingleader gets a laugh, "I honestly think it's why he can't ever catch a green. I don't think even /they/ like his rationalizations." Her brow furrows, "There are eggs on the ground… I wonder if I could trade." The corner of her mouth quirks in a grin when a disapproving rumble sounds from outside.
D'had nods. "Close enough," he replies to Rogawani after a glance back at his plate. The remainder of a meatroll is grabbed as he moves to stand. The rest can be cleaned up by someone else. "Lets get that over with. Sure you've got more interesting things that looking at maps." Surely Donn can think of his fair share of things that would be. A nod towards Iroha, "Nice ta meet ya kid," then towards Cirilia, "And I'll see you later." That with a wink for the woman.
As D'had rises, so does Rogawani, leaving his plate bare except for a few crumbs. "Right, like mucking my runner's stall is so much more gratifying than looking over maps." He mumbles with some amusement in his voice still. "It was nice meeting you Iroha." The boy offers her a genuine smile. Then, he nods towards Cirilia, and his face shifts into the 'all business' mode again, stepping out of his chair to follow the wingleader.
Iroha waves cheerfully towards D'had, "And you! Uhm." A leeeeeaaaaan over towards Cirilia, since obviously she knows him. "Who is he?" Not exactly a subtle sort of whisper. If his name had been mentioned at all during the course of the meal, she totally missed it. Popping upright again, a bright grin for the boy more her own age, "You too, Rogawani!"
Cirilia tosses a wave in Ro's direction. Hopefully, he'll make it out of the cavern and on his way without Tamasth insisting that now would be perfect swimming weather. She nods to D'had with a slight grin, "Looking forward to that." She looks at Iroha and smiles, "Always good for a candidate to know her future possible wingleader. That's D'had."
(( D'had and Rogawani's RP continues in: Rogawani is Searched ))
Iroha's smile doesn't lose on iota of brightness, as if her face has actually stuck in the manner that so many mothers warn their children about. It's just her eyes that go a little dull. "Well… here's to hoping!" Chirped, bright, and her very empty juice mug lifted in a fake toast towards Cirilia. "And you would be?" Because if they're talking possible future wingleaders, then possible future fellows should also be known. "I'm Iroha."
Cirilia peers into her own mug for a moment and rises to get more klah. Sweet, sweet klah. As she heads toward the pot, she replies, "Cirilia. Blue Tamasth's one and only." Only a tidge of sarcasm there. The mug is filled deftly and swiftly, and the bluerider heads back to Iroha. She offers a hand, "A pleasure, though wait til you meet my 'mate before saying it's just as much of a pleasure for you. He's got a recent obsession with dragging people off for a swim."
D'son ambles in looking a little windblown, loosening up a flying jacket, like he just came in a-dragonback from somewhere. The Weyrleader starts to pass by Iroha and Cirilia then pauses, backtracks and /grins/. "Iroha? Nice to see you, what're you doing here?"
Iroha unfolds from her seat, not because she's leaving, but because she's been sat down for far far too long. Streeeeeeetch of long arms and legs, eyes squinching shut. Then a full body shake, almost like a wet dog… shame about the lack of tail, though. When Cirilia returns, the Istan girl will give a firm shake of that offered hand. And suddenly there's light in her eyes again, and a bounce bounce bounce up onto her toes. "Oh, does he? I go swimming all the time back home. Shell hunting, and stuff. Our dragons aren't always so friendly, though." A flicker of a shadow, some memory there then gone. And… "D'SON!" It might even echo. Okay, so she's only met him twice, and only briefly at that, but he's someone she -knows-, kind of. And Weyrleader or not, mostly-stranger or not, arms swing wide as she practically leaps forward to hug him. Rapid-fire babble happening at the same time, "L'ton needed help with a delivery so I came over with him and oh wow it sooooo beautiful from dragonback and then L'ton said there should be at least a token Istan on the Sands and asked if I'd be willing to try again and gee that was such a surprise but here I am!" Just like that. A very deep breath is taken after the outrush of words. "How -are- you?"
Cirilia's eyes open wide as D'son is 'attacked' by the young candidate before she can even answer the girl's question. Always a little more than apprehensive with Weyrleaders and the like, Cirilia just sits back to enjoy her klah and watch the girl hop all over the bronzerider, mischief lighting her eyes.
Iroha. Attack! D'son blinks, eyes wide but he's a good sport and hugs Iroha back, patting her back in a friendly manner. "Right, right, gotcha. Well shells, congratulations then. I'm, pretty good, thanks. You know, busy a lot. Just taking a little break after my latest round of visits around the area."
"Sorry," Iroha says over her shoulder to Cirilia, not sounding very. But still, she -does- mean it. "Just nice to see someone who's not a total stranger." Beam. Double-beam, even. If her grin gets any wider her face might crack. "We miss you," back to D'son. "But you're settling in here alright, yes? F'yr said you got a -laptop.-"
Cirilia shrugs quietly. Whether or not Iroha sounds sorry is really none of her concern. The girl looks obviously happy to see D'son, and why should Cir ruin it? That she's a big chicken when it comes to bronzers, regardless of age, doesn't come into the equation. Yeah, her parents taught her that they were just like any other rider and should be respected, but this is beyond just respect… maybe she just has more qualms about doing something to look or sound stupid than her lifemate. Whatever the reason, she gets up to find some of those meatrolls that D'had was enjoying earlier.
"Aww, thanks Iroha," D'son says sincerely and gives her shoulder another little pat. "Yeah, they've got a lot of really cool stuff here. I have a computer in my office and the laptop for roaming around the Weyr. Hold that thought though, let me get some klah and a snack and I'll be right back and you can —" he looks up spots Cirilia gone. "Heh, was going to say, introduce me to your friend, but, hold on."
Iroha blinks after Cirilia, eyebrows quirking upwards in puzzlement. Why'd she leave? Aww! She casts a qick glance around, trying to spot her. Oh wait, "She said her name was Cirilia," is called after D'son even though he told her to hold on. Which she does, skipping around in a little circle, absently gathering up her dirty dishes that are still sitting there from luch. Though the gathering merely consists of placing empty cup on crumb-scattered plate and leaving it there.
Cirilia hasn't left… well, not completely, and she sort've returns with her plate piled high of meatrolls. But now the bronzer is gone, so she doesn't have to be quite so apprehensive. She sits and takes a long, sniff of her foot. She sighs, "Always tastes better with klah."
D'son gets over to the klah pot, pours a mug and catches up some of those same meatrolls. It's a merry-go-round between the table and the food! Back over there, he nods to a chair and smiles at Cirilia. "Iroha says you're Cirilia? Nice to meet you. D'son, bronze Inimeth's the Weyrleader introduces himself as he sits down. Maybe it's because he looks young enough to be the Weyrwoman's son that he doesn't actually introduce himself as Weyrleader.
Iroha can't sit down. Not yet, anyway. She's still practically vibrating with an excess of energy. So she'll stand by the table, hands clasped in front of herself, swaying like an inverted pendulum. "It's too bitter without sugar, but I can't stand it sweet, either," she notes over towards Cirilia. "Juice is best." A glance sent D'son-wards, a smile. He's nice, really!
Cirilia freezes mid-chew. The Weyrleader is talking to her. Tenatively, she swallows and replies, "A pleasure, sir." She doesn't notice the omission of his title. She just figures that everyone should know the Weyrleader of their own Weyr. That she makes a point to memorize all the Weyrleaders of all the Weyrs in order to avoid them is similarly omitted. Instead, she remarks, "You're taller than I thought."
"I like the spiciness in the klah," D'son notes looking down into his mug. "Juice is pretty sweet though," he says with a lift of his eyes to Iroha, then looks back across at Cirilia. "Likewise and um — how tall did you think I was?" Asked curiously.
Iroha can't help her snigger at -D'son- being greeting all formal and polite-like. It's a quick little snort, as she bites the insides of her cheeks, mouth puckering weirdly as a result. "Juice is a different kind of sweet, though. Not so…" she flails then, hands unclasping as she lifts them in random circular waving. "Gag-worthy." And then it's a very interested look back to Cirilia as she awaits her answer in regards to D'son's height.
Instantly, Cirilia's cheeks flush. And thusly, it begins. She clears her throat, "I'm not sure. I.. uhh.. well, you're.. umm… young and I.. uhh.. assumed…" She looks around, trying to figure a way out of this. Oh! Change the subject! That's a good one. She raises her mug a little, "Spicey, warm and wakes you up.. most of the time." Stammering doesn't seem to be helping her in the least, though, and she stuffs half a meatroll in her mouth to keep it from spouting off anything else to get her in trouble.
D'son shoots Iroha a little look like 'what's so funny?' but he's grinning too, clearly not taking himself all that seriously. "Gag-worthy? Really? Huh." He dunks the end of one of his meatrolls into his klah though which might say something about his taste in food. "Oh that I'd be short, because I'm not twenty yet?"
Iroha's surprise is evident when Cirilia blushes and starts stammering. Meep? Of course, there's some sympathy there as well. Making a fool of oneself in front of Important People, no matter how completely unscary they are, is something she has experience with. And so out she comes with a completely random, "Hey, Cirilia, you said your lifemate likes to go swimming? A recent development, or something like that?" She bobs her head in a nod towards D'son. Gag-worthy. Really.
Cirilia shakes her head at D'son. She chokes down the meatroll, "I didn't mean that. It's just. When you're looking /up/ at someone, even astride your dragon, it's hard to gague height." She mutters a quiet 'thank you' to an unseen person. Sometimes, having a master debater of a blue helps. To Iroha, she nods. There's the subject change she was hoping for, "More like tossing folk in the ocean then swimming off after them."
"Ohh, well sure," D'son says easily, "that makes sense," to Cirilia. "And swimming? The lake makes for good swimming here. It's not the ocean like at Ista, b ut …"
Iroha looks far too intrigued at that idea. No, really. "He -tosses- them? Like, off his neck or?" Dragon diving boards? For just a moment, she starts to sit down, and then hops back up again. Jitter. "The ocean is the best place to swim," she announces on the tail end of D'son's trailing 'but…'.
Cirilia relaxes a tad but not much, "Rogawani was kind enough just to let Tamasth just push him into the water. I'm the one who gets ditched in the deepest spot." She nods to D'son, "Not like Island River either but thankfully warmer than the 'Reaches." Another bite of her meatroll and a sip of her klah makes her eye the combination for a moment. Maybe dipping.. she tries it and instantly makes a face as bits of meatroll are now swimming in her klah.
"Pushing into the water. Huh. ANd yeah, I do miss being able to walk out into the water almost anytime." D'son doesn't seem bothered by the flaky bits in his klah and dunks again.
"That just sounds like -fun!-" Iroha enthuses at Cirilia. And people say it's the Xanadu folk who are crazy? She's opening her mouth to say more, perhaps to D'son, when an overheard voice drifts on the air, "Do you know a-" papers rustle "candidate Iroha? She was supposed to report for a chore stint an hour ago." Squeak! "OhshellsIbetterrun!" she rasps out in a panicky little whisper, and then does just that. Shouting over her shoulder as she nears the exit, "Byyyyye D'son!" And she's gone.