Xanadu Weyr - Clearing
A wide clearing stretches from east to west, the ground packed hard although grass grows across most of it. Trees are strictly forbidden in this space, their danger to the constant draconic traffic reason enough to banish them to the forest that creates a this and sharp border to the north. Where the ground is less trampled, tiny flowers poke their delicate heads out from their shaded hiding places with upturned petals to wave to whoever may be looking.
The cliff looms imposingly on three sides, stretching upwards all the way up the side of the mountain where, high above, Xanadu's Star Stones and the ever present watchdragon sit on a lonely peak. Directly south is a massive tunnel, fully wide enough for even the largest dragon to fly down. Southeast are wide steps leading up to the Caverns and eastwards is the large entrance to the Infirmary. Somewhat north of the Infirmary is a human sized archway that has a frequent quantity of traffic — it leads to the Tavern. Southwest lies the low ledges currently belonging to Xanadu's queens while north and west a broad path cut by the side of the cliff leads to the Feeding Grounds and due north is the spacious trail that leads to the rest of the Weyr.
Early morning has dawned on the weyr, and the sun casts long shadows over the clearing. People are bustling this way and that, coming to and from the morning meal to their various jobs about the weyr. Among those moving, there is one stationary pair standing a bit close to the hatching arena. A shorter boy with tussled bround hair and a candidate knot pinned to his shoulder seems to be in an intent arguement with a tall, blond-haired woman. "Why didn't you tell me?" Rogawani's voice has a nearly hysterical tone to it. His body is tense, "Don't you think I would like to know? He's my father!" He accuses, a bit louder than what would normally be polite.
"Do you think it really matters, Rogawani?" The woman's voice is serious, her eyes looking down at the boy with a mixture of frustration and maternal affection. Dakana, the boy's mother, simply sighs. "He's never written. He wouldn't even come back to see you after you were born. Do you think he suddenly cares now?" She knows the words are hurtful, but she says them anyways, "Let it go."
While not much of a very early morning person, Sabrina has been out exploring what she could of the surrounding area, checking out the local greenery. It's when she's comming back to the weyr, intending to grab something to eat quickly before she's to report for her first set of actual chores in turns, when she comes upon this scene between mother and son. Thinking better of not walking too closely to them while they argue, she opts to walk around them; giving them a wide berth so as not to disturb them. Her eyes are trained upon them untill she's nearly passed them, and she turns her eyes back towards her path.
The boy's face winces as if he'd been struck, although it's more the force of words than it is anything phyiscal. "Ever think maybe it was you that kept him away?" Rogawani asks, his voice hurt. This time, it's Dakana who winces, and so the two stare at each other for a few seconds. "Nevermind." The ex-messenger finally says, "Whatever." It's clear that he hasn't quite let it go yet, but rather than continuing to argue about it, Ro' steps around his mother, ending up on a path that parallels Sabrina's. He'd noticed her having to walk around, it seems, because as he gets closer, the boy says a quiet, yet sincere, "Sorry." Towards her, still seeming a bit upset, his eyebrows drawn together.
Sabrina can't help but give the boy a bracing smile when his path meets her and he apologizes to her. "No need to apologize to me." She says, shoving her fingers into the pockets of her trousers. "If anything, I should apologize for walking up on that." She says, giving the younger teen a somewhat brighter smile. "I'm Sabrina, by the way. Just moved here." She says with a shrug of her shoulder, not used to having any sort of knot there, let alone one ment for clutch candidates. She's greatfull, she's pulled her hair back in braids today, keeping it out of her face save for a few strands of hair that had managed to escape being tied up.
Rogawani's face softens a bit, returning to it's usual boyish charm now that he's away from the frustration that his mother has been bringing to his life as of late. "It's my fault, she kept avoiding me about it so I tried to catch her before she went off to the nursery. Should have waited." The last part ends up mumbled, obviously feeling bad for the outburst in public. Still, a smile does find a way onto his face as she introduces herself. "Just searched?" He hazards to guess, and then stands a bit straiter, trying to make a good second impression. "I'm Rogawani, always been here, I guess, but this is my first time being a candidate." He explains, "Nice to meet you."
Thea enters the clearing walking briskly, in a hurry to get somewhere as usual. In her hand is a clipboard, her eyes and attention upon the chart affixed to it. Voices warn her she had better pay heed to where she is walking, so she glances up. A warm smile for Rogawani, "Congratulations on your Search Ro," she calls as she approaches. There's a hint of teasing light in her tone. "The unthinkable finally happened, no?" Her pale green eyes flick over to Sabrina, noting her white knot and a polite smile forms upon her lips. "Hello, they've brought in another Candidate, eh? Lesse," She steps up to the pair, drops her gaze to that chart while running a finger down her list, "Youe name is…?"
Sabrina shrugs lightly. "If it had been my mother avoiding me, I'd have done the same." She notes. "But then, my mother and I have always had an interesting relationship." There's a small sparkle in her hazel eyes to suggest that is was a good relationship at least. She nods lightly to him at his question of just being searched. "Aye, just a few days ago, but I've only just arrived, I had a few things I needed to take care of before I could leave Fort…" She trails off then as another woman approaches them, falling silent when she seems to know her new aquaintence well. "Ah, yes ma'am. It's Sabrina actually." She says when the goldrider addresses her, her head moving unconcisouly to try and see what's on the clipboard.
"We don't get along well." Rogawani sighs, although from the sound of his voice, it seems as if the separation isn't his choice. For the time being, he tries to allow that part of the conversation to drop. "Fort, wow." He manages to say, sounding a bit impressed. "We got a girl from Ista, too, but most people seem to be from around Xanadu." He opens his mouth as if about to explain more when Thea's voice catches his attention. His face turns and he offers a far brighter smile towards the Weyrwoman, "Thanks." He still seems sheepish whenever anyone congratulates him. "And yeah, it happened." The boy rubs the back of his neck, looking embarassed. "You haven't seen Kav recently, have you?" He hazards to ask. "Been meaning to talk to him." Behind the pair of candidates, Dakana just stands, watching her son for a while until Thea comes into view. Then, the nanny turns and walks towards the cavern, her expression concerned.
Thea moves closer to Sabrina, pivoting on one foot so she can see the fine print on the chart. "Fort, you say? Welcome to Xanadu Sabrina." The smile for her warms. "Don't see your name on here, do you?" One hand rubs at her eyes while she grumbles, "Eyes're tired. Been looking at names since before dawn." Her eyes lift at Rogawani's question. Noting the boy's unease, she doesn't say more about being searched. Instead, "Haven't seen him since we rolled out of bed and he left the cabin." Back to that chart, she mulls something, then shares, "I need to find a few Candidates with nothing pressing to do this morning, are you available later, Ro?"
Sabrina gives Rogawani a sympathetic expression, she's not exactly close to her father, so she can /sort of/ understand the pain of an estranged parent. She looks a little sheepish then. "Actually I'm from Landing. Was only visiting Fort." For an absurdly long time for any regular visit. Though that part doesn't need to be said. She smiles though at the welcome from Thea. "Thank you." She moves to see if her name is on the list, which she's sure it well should be since M'iri and her blue devil Kieranth had searched her days prior. "Ah, yes, there I am." She says pointing to a name, not to far from the bottom. She keeps out of the conversation of Rogawani's looking for someone, since she has no idea of whom they are talking, even if she'd managed to see him, she wouldn't know it.
"Landing?" Rogawani's voice seems even more impressed by this than Fort. He laughs a little bit, and then nods his head. "I'd always wanted to go to Landing, but never got a chance to get that far. Is the technology there really what I hear? I mean, we've got a lot around the weyr but-." He cuts himself off, realizing that he's rambling slightly. Shaking his head, he looks back at Thea, bobbing his head once. "Right, I forget about that sometimes." He mumbles, and then lifts his eyes when she mentions needing candidates. "I'm free if you need me." He hasn't even bothered to check his chore assignment, so the boy latches on to the possibility of getting out of one of the regular chores by signing on to whatever the Weyrwoman needs.
Thea has no idea what is going on in Sabrina's mind, but perhaps by the blank look on the girl's face she can guess, so she explains dryly, "Enkavir. Our records keeper. Kav's my name for him. Was new here once myself, I remember how that is." When Sabrina points out her name, Thea ahs and writes a small check-mark on the empty box by her name. "Thanks and it's just Thea, unless there's the Weyrling Managers are around. -They- insist on protocol." Her eyes roll at this, a telling sign of what she thinks of protocol. She snickers at Rogawani's eagerness, perhaps reading that all-to-telling and familiar chore-avoidance look in his eye. "Great." No explanation given yet as to what she needs him for.