More Lessons Learned
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Xanadu Weyr - Observation Level

Dark blue seats form a semi-circle around the sands below, the lowest row separating from the sands themselves by merely a railing. The seats climb upwards, each row a bit higher then the previous, and they are broken up into sections by 3 sets of staircases. Lights are evenly spaced along the outer wall, lighting the seats and the sands easily, though they tend to be dimmed unless a major event is taking place. A large balcony looms overhead, darkening some of the seats, providing a place for observers of the draconic kind to watch without obstructing the view for others.

When one looks over the railing, the oddly hued sand below can be seen easily, the circle-shaped area of the sands spread out to the far walls, the sand itself a unique mixture of red and white grains.


"I was just meeting with Mom," Amelia shrugs a little. "We're having dinner in a couple days with her man… planning the menu and all. But she's been doing stuff with the candidates all day so I had to come to her to talk about it." When K'ael makes it up to sit by her, she leans over to give him a quick hug. "Anyway, when she left to go back to them I just got to sitting here thinking about when I was one of them. Seems like ages ago, I guess it wasn't, really."

K'ael nods to her. "Ah right. She's a rider here too, right?" He nods to her and chuckles. "Her man? Weyrmate? Or just a boyfriend? I haven't seen my parents in a couple turns now or more… More I think. Since Enka and I got weyrmated. I guess I'm a bad son." He hugs her back, then chuckles. "Heh… Does Dels ever talk about when we were candidates? For us… it was a long time ago, unfortunately." The bronzer grins at her.

Kiley is coming into the observation level after freeing herself from chores and rather than spending free time working on something, she is here. Though she pauses in her enterance to cast a gaze to those already present in the area before she inclines her head and offers a quick salute before making her way further in. Her gaze does briefly linger on the talking riders before quickly fluttering away and towards the sands where the eggs reside with their clutchmother. Brows work into a frown as she takes a seat. She leans forward to stare just a moment longer before her gaze drifts towards the riders, peeking from them and to the eggs before that frown wrinkles deeper into her brows. This continues for another moment, then she speaks. "Sir, ma'am." More of a more formal greeting than anything. "Do the eggs always give.. Feelings?"

"Weyrmate. I mean, sort of- he's not a rider. She's one of the assistant weyrlingmasters. She loves the teaching… Pheri does too, really." Amelia grins a little proudly, then her expression turns a bit wry. "She wasn't really allowed to teach me and Ilaydith, though. The weyrlingmaster kept her on a different rotation. Anyway… Dels mentions is now and then. I don't think we've talked a whole lot about it. We don't talk as much about the past as the future." She has another grin, then in the pause between sentences, she hears Kiley's greeting and glances over, then has to smile. "Yeah… yeah, they usually do- it's the dragon inside. Their minds are a lot further along than their bodies, you know."

K'ael smiles and nods to Kiley. "Yep. They only have feelings really, at this point. Sort of… the beginning stages of consciousness. The dragons don't remember anything that happens while they're in the egg, but most people believe the touchings help the tiny dragons inside get to know the prospective riders." He nods to Ame and grins. He wriggles his eyebrows to both girls then. "I was a bad candidate." He doesn't much elaborate though. "Future talk, hm? Are there little Ames and Delses in that future?"

Kiley smiles as Amelia glances over towards her, inclining her head. "That is… Amazing." The woman tilts her head back in consideration. "That their minds are so far ahead and can project things to those who touch them." She then looks to the sands, her gaze still thoughtful before drawn back to the riders and her smile grows just a little wider when K'ael smiles at her. "I was wondering if they remembered. But, babies don't remember.." She trails off and then the thoughtful look works into a frown, "why exactly do they need to get to know the prospective riders? I've heard a few different things and.. All the eggs down there seem rather hostile except for.. Three or four." She leans forward to rest her elbows upon her knees, pointedly avoiding looking towards K'ael for the eyebrow wiggling and his statement that follows; her gaze simply returns to the sands and focuses upon the eggs.

Amelia laughs a little. "Hostile, eh? I wonder if that isn't a bit of Seryth projecting her protectiveness over them. Not that I know how she's been with other clutches, but I know some queens get… very possessive. Not unlike any other broody momma… geese and ducks are terribly possessive of their eggs, too." Out comes the nerdy Beastcrafter, who then blushes a little at K'ael. "Ooooh, maybe, maybe. We'll see." She smiles again, shrugging. "We're a little busy right now though. He's got a lot on his plate."

K'ael nods to Kiley. "I'm sure I touched Azaeth's egg before I impressed, but I don't much remember it. It's all muddled. My whole life is a little bit before I impressed. And Azaeth can't remember most things without a little help. I figure most of them are a little scared, since they can't really tell what's happening. Eventually they'll have to choose someone to impress to. Best to get to know them a little before, right?" He chuckles. There's a grin for Ame. "I have to confess I was rather hoping you and Zip would be pregnant together. It might be easier for you both having someone to talk to."

Kiley tilts her head and hms softly. "Maybe that is it. They seemed as if they wanted to test.. Well, me, at least. I'm not sure if everyone feels the same things." The computer crafter chuckles softly at the explanation of animals and how they respond to the eggs. "Well, some mothers are protective of their children as well.." Her gaze drifts back to K'ael as he speaks, nodding once. "I see… I think.. I shall write down what all the eggs looked like and try to watch on the Sands what dragon comes from what, just so I know later." Pause and her gaze is traveling up towards the ceiling. "Maybe I can write a computer program for that.. Entering small descriptions of each egg and when they hatch put which one they come from so their rider may look it up later.. But for my notes I could write what they made me feel." However she draws herself from her thoughts back to the two riders and her cheeks color a light shade. "But, you're right.. Best to get to know them all. Right… I'm sure they're all scared because we're imposing our minds upon theirs."

Amelia blushes a little deeper. "Yes, I imagine it would be good to have someone to compare things with. I know I'd like it to happen soon, but Dels is pretty busy right now… we'll see how things are after the hatching." A small shrug and she looks over to Kiley. "Now that's kind of a nifty idea… nifty use of our technology." Amie glances at the eggs. "So which one made the biggest, or I suppose, the best impression on you? Perhaps we can remind you someday, if you should impress now, what you felt when it all began."

K'ael chuckles. "Well, that could be. A test to see which candidate they like? I dunno. I haven't touched an egg in… a long time. Not all the golds are possessive and angry on the sands. Lots of them are though. I don't know about Seryth in particular." He nods about writing down notes. "Some of the more artistically inclined I know like to draw or paint them…" He grins to Ame. "Just pin him down. Though.. I can relate. Enka was gone more than she was around. In the end it just wasn't going to work out." He looks down at the eggs, then to Kiley. He squints a bit. "You're probably a brownrider."

Kiley colors a little darker and smiles proudly, "thanks. I think it would be an interesting addition, especially if you want to remember what egg your dragon came out of.. For sentimental value." As for the eggs, her attention returns there and she frowns in consideration. "Well," she points out towards the Love's Temple Egg "that one made me feel weird. Very… Emotional. Loving." Her fingers trail towards the Stele Translations egg, "that one tested me a lot. That was one of the harsher ones." Then to the Islands of Strange Stone Egg, "that one made me really happy at first but then it became frightening. Those three really stood out the most.." She trails off to return her gaze towards the riders and she nods. "I imagine since you've already Impressed there's not much of a reason for you to touch them. But I wonder if they'd respond to a rider touching.." This has her trailing off for a moment before she returns to the conversation. "I wish I was more artistic, but, my forte lies in technology." But that isn't a complaint from the woman. K'ael's comment earns a blink. Another follows and then her head tilts in questioning. "Why is that?" Pause, "I… Am not attracted to women." Poor Hold-bred girl.

Amelia nods. "It's not all that different from the early days of our dating, really. At least we share a house now," Amie laughs a little, then listens to Kiley. "You know, I only vaguely remember Ilaydith's egg… I think it was really playful… I'm not sure it'd be right for a rider to touch eggs, though. Except maybe for the clutchparents, I could see that perhaps being understandable. But like K'ael said, it could be something of a test. Anyway from what I've studied- loosely- the more they're touched, the quicker the hatching." Then she laughs out loud at Kiley's last comment, pulling in the laugh quickly. "Sorry, sorry. Didn't mean to be rude. You don't need to be attracted to women to ride brown, honey. My weyrmate is very much a /man/, and my lifemate is, well, he's just about the most beautiful brown color ever."

K'ael nods. "I wonder if anyone took any notes about our clutch. Maybe Lisle did. Or one of the other candidates… It was a big group, I think." He peers at the eggs as Kiley points them out. "Ah… they probably wouldn't respond at all. I think that part of me is probably closed off now. All full with Azaeth. And Azaeth would have a fit." He peers. "He might come down and try to stomp the eggs or something else horrible." There's a blink, and he chuckles also at her last comment. "My weyrmate is also a brownrider. And I doubt she's very attracted to women either. I'm a far stretch from anything lady like, heh." He grins to Ame. "A house isn't a replacement for sex. Babies aren't either, by the way."

"I think it is a good idea.. Perhaps I'll get writing, then. Maybe someone will like that, maybe some of the new Weyrlings would really like it, too." Kiley's head tilts in a thoughtful way as a smile works onto her lips. She's soon drawn from those thoughts and the smile remains as Amelia goes on about the riders touching the eggs. "I imagine it wouldn't really be right for a dragonrider to aside from the clutchparents' rider, yeah…" This trails off in favor to the last statement about the hatchings and her brows lift considerably. "That's true?" The laughter from the rider has her cheeks coloring darker and she quickly ducks her head. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude or offend or anything. I'm sorry." She looks to K'ael and then considers. "Maybe that's why.. Because the dragons already fill their mind…" But she doesn't finish as K'ael, too, chuckles at her statement, only furthering the color of the woman's cheeks. "I'm sorry."

Amelia nods, agreeing with K'ael. "Makes sense… Ilaydith takes of a big chunk of my mind now. In fact I think he's going to be waking up from his nap pretty soon, ready for a bit of an evening flight." She grins a little. "Nothing like a sunset up there in the sky. Anyway, don't worry about it- er, I didn't catch your name, sorry. There's plenty of misconceptions outside the weyrs. I love my boys, though, wouldn't trade either of them for the world."

K'ael nods. "Momma gold would probably freak out, too. To see another rider touching her eggs. I don't like to be on the dinner menu for dragons, either." K'ael grins a bit. "Heh, it's alright. It'll be less shocking this way when you impress to brown." He winks at Kiley. "Browns don't chase much. So there are lots of straight gals riding them. Of course there are exceptions and all, but it's not like riding gold."

Kiley blinks Amelia and then nods slowly, "it was nice meeting you, ma'am. She smiles and inclines her head. "Kiley is my name, ma'am… I apologize for my ignorance." An apologetic smile is given to the woman. "That.. Is a very good point. She probably wouldn't be very happy about that." K'ael earns a look and she colors another shade of red, "ah.. Right.. If… I do." The woman shifts rather uncomfortably and then her shoulders shrug in response. "I think I'll just have to see what happens.. But, it wouldn't hurt to learn about what each rider faces."

Amelia grimaces a little uncomfortably herself. "Really, don't apologize, Kiley. You're fine. You're learning. No need to feel bad about what you don't know yet." She offers a grin then. "At least it's getting close to that special time for you guys- more than halfway hard, I think I heard? Maybe?" Amie shrugs and stands, collecting a bag by her chair as she does. "I'd best get on back to the house- Dels ought to be home soon." She throws K'ael a significant look and smiles. "Maybe I'll get some quality time tonight. See you around, Kiley, K'ael." And then she's off.

K'ael smiles to Kiley. "If you don't this time, it'll happen eventually. It's good that you're taking an interest though. A lot of crafters see it as a burden I think, once they get searched." There's a nod to Ame. "Seems about that now. Soon they'll be crackin' and the weyr will be in a party mode." There's a grin to Ame. "You best get home then. Make sure to make the most of your time. See ya, Ame." He winks to her. Him and Zip were already trying, Ame and Dels have some catching up to do! Then he turns back to the candidate. "Kiley… we met the other night, right?"

Kiley nods to Amelia, "thank you." Though the question brings her pause and then she nods, "perhaps? I'm no dragonhealer… But, I do hope it comes soon. I am rather eager for the experience." She waves a farewell to the departing woman and smiles before her gaze drifts back to K'ael. "I know a lot of people are… Discontent with how Search interrupts things, but, I accepted to learn. It isn't really a burden for me since I did accept the task." Her gaze drifts to the eggs and she smiles. "I'd like to see what they all Hatch simply for the way they felt." While her gaze remains on the sands, she nods once towards the bronzerider. "We did. In the kitchens… You cook a lot?"

K'ael chuckles and nods. "It is exciting. How long have you been at the weyr? Even for people who aren't standing things are exciting when the dragons start to hum." The bronzer stretches a bit, holding onto the front of the bench and leaning back. "Yeah. I can imagine it's rough for a crafter to interrupt things. And if you impress, you're out of the craft for such a while, it can take time to get back." He chuckles a bit and shrugs. "I can make simple things. Throw it on the grill, and I can cook it. How about you?"

Kiley takes a moment to respond, tilting her head back and making a face at the ceiling. "Four months and fifteen days." The woman responds, glancing to K'ael. "I imagine that it is a time for celebration, to welcome the new dragons to the Weyr and such. But, I don't imagine there's much else besides that…" She leans forward onto her knees once more as she considers the rider. "It is rough, but you have free time as a candidate to work on your craft.. But, they say you'll be so busy as a Weyrling to really do any craft stuff, but I imagine once you start settling into things that you'd have time to review?" She continues to look at the rider, lifting her brows in question. As for the question of cooking, she shakes her head. "I burn everything that I touch when it comes to food."

K'ael chuckles. "Keeping tabs on it that closely, hm? Not long enough to see a hatching during that time. Ever seen one before? I had only seen one before I stood." There's a nod to her. "I don't have a craft, so I didn't have to worry about that. If you impress your time will be mostly taken up by your dragon. But there is down time, as they get older. Then once you're done you can join the craft wing. Most weyrs don't have something like that. Usually you join a regular wing and split your time between weyr duties and craft duties as much as you can." He laughs. "That's how I am with computers. I destroy them wherever I go."

Kiley shakes her head, "I just did the math really quickly. Or, really, I cheated because of my Turnday…" There's a shrug that follows and she smiles sheepishly. "I've never seen a Hatching.. And having my first one be seen from the Sands? It is something that I would like to experience." Her fingers lace together as she leans forward a little more, her gaze shifting from the man towards the sands. "It sounds time consuming, but, as it should be. Babies are much the same but there is much more to learn as a rider. I imagine I'll have a harder time of it to learn all the rest of the things that anyone born in a Weyr would know if I do." His comments bring her pause and her gaze settles on him. "Each Weyr is different for how they handle riders with crafts? Why do goldriders no continue their crafts? Or do they? You made it sound as if they don't." A soft chuckle comes forth and she smiles fondly. "I broke some of the electronics in our Hold as a child, but computers what held most of my attention."

K'ael chuckles and nods. "Ah… I see. I don't even remember my own turnday most of the time. I got too many other ones I do have to remember. Standing is pretty exciting. It can be dangerous though, too. Don't let any crazy hatchlings bowl you over." He laughs and nods. "Though you get more sleep as a weyrling. But you're just as tired when you get up usually. Bah. I wouldn't worry about being from a hold. I was holdbred. All the weyrbrats think they know everything and exactly how it all will go, but most of them don't know much of anything. The only difference will be that they'll have flown before, and betweened a lot more, usually." He blinks. "Most goldriders do, somewhat. It can be hard, they have extra responsibilities. But yeah, each weyr handles their wings differently. Xanadu has a lot of crafters in general living at the weyr." There's a nod about her craft. "Didn't really have much opportunity where I was. I didn't leave the hold until I was seventeen. And I impressed soon after that. My attentions were elsewhere anyways, when I was younger."

"I decided to transfer on the day of my Turnday." Kiley shrugs, "it makes it easier to remember, I suppose." The smile remains on her lips, however. "It isn't so much a reminder that you're getting older so much as a celebration that you were born." She slowly sits up and nods, "I will be careful to watch where I am in relation to a dragon, just to make sure that I'm not in any of their ways.. If they're anything like how they are in the eggs? I want to be rather far away." Her lips press together into a thin line and she murmurs, "I can't imagine being any more sleepless than I already am. To wake up feeling tired would be dreadful…" But, she leaves it at that to consider what he has to say. "I.. Well, that's good. Being from a Hold or a Weyr and having it not make a difference.." His answers about goldriders are met with a very slow nod, "then, yes. I can see why they don't continue their crafts… It is good that Xanadu encourages their crafters, then. I didn't realize that there was such a difference between Weyrs." Her legs cross and she leans back in her seat somewhat. "Most boys seem to have their focus elsewhere, I've noticed in observation… That is amazing that you Impressed shortly after leaving your Hold."

"Well, that's an interesting way to think about it. But I can't stop thinking about me getting older. My weyrmate is quite a bit younger than me. So I'll be an old grandpa when she's barely old." K'ael laughs a bit. "Just keep aware on the sands and you'll do fine. It's the ones that get careless that end up hurt. And you'll sleep just fine as a weyrling. You'll just pass out at first. Once your dragon is older and hunting for themselves though it'll be less demanding on you." He chuckles. "Yeah. I was busy chasing skirt even as a candidate. I just couldn't have any skirt when I did catch it." The bronzer nods then. "My brother also rides bronze. My ma is weyrbred, her father rode. Guess it's in the blood, or something."

Kiley hmms softly and nods, "that is certainly something that will keep you thinking of age. Maybe.. You'll age gracefully as they say?" The woman chuckles softly before nodding her agreement. "I don't intend on letting anything distracting me. I want to remember every detail while keeping myself out of harm's way… I don't think there are any careless people among the candidates right now. But everyone also appears to have someone that is looking out for them in some way or another." She lifts her hand to prop her chin upon it, tilting her head just so. "I guess passing out will be an easier way to sleep. I will keep that in mind, should I Impress." His comments again earn a look from the woman, something more scandalous upon her face than before and then she gives him a wary eye. "Right.." Cough. She moves on to the subject about family and hms. "My sister rides green."

K'ael grins. "Maybe. Hopefully. I keep thinking I'm losing my hair." He bends his head down to show her his noggin. "What do you think? I can tell it's thinning. Baldness doesn't really run in my family I don't think, but if it's going to happen, it'll be me that gets it." He looks at her then. "You got someone looking after you?" He chuckles a bit to her. "I'm sure the boys have been chasing your skirt, too. It's just the age for it, really. Does your sister ride here? Or someplace else?"

Kiley peeks carefully at his head as he leans over, quietly inspecting before she blinks. "I don't entirely see anything. It looks all there to me." The woman blinks once more, "I think you're fine." Think being the keyword there. She sits back before she shakes her head slightly. "No, not really. Partially, but he's more focused on one of the other boys. But even then.. They've all sort've got one another." Cheeks flush and she shakes her head a little more frantically than before. "No one has been chasing my skits.. Maybe they will later, I've just started losing some weight…" Her gaze drifts away then, avoiding the bronzerider. "My sister rides in Eastern but she rarely visits any in the family.. Maybe my oldest brother, they were always close but that may be it. She never writes, either."

K'ael is paranoid. Past all the big muscles and the macho exterior K'ael is constantly worried that he's going to wake up one day and be old and ugly and fat. And that his weyrmate is going to run off with someone young and handsome. He rubs at his hair. "Hm… I hope so." He chuckles then. "No? I guess I don't know much about the candidates here. The only ones I know were some of the boys that were on the boat that sank that we pulled out of the water. Maybe they're not the right type. It's good to be a close group though. Me and some of the other candidates I impressed with… we were like family while we were all still at Ista." There's a nod about her sister. "Busy I guess? Or maybe someone rubbed her the wrong way? One of my brothers disappeared a while back. No one knows where he is. Well, I think my other rider brother does, but won't tell anyone else."

"It really looks fine." Kiley insists offering a smile in response to his chuckle before shaking her head. "I think everyone is pretty well behaved.. For the most part. Pyriel and Ryeokie have this.. Thing and…" She shrugs, leaving it at that with a wave of her hand. "I.. I like everyone, but, I don't.. I think we get along fine." The woman shifts positions again, recrossing her legs and then resting her arms over the upper leg. "She's always been a bit different than the rest of my siblings. She was always more stubborn and my oldest brother always supported her decisions.." She considers him and then smiles thinly. "I see.. Guess it is a normal thing for some families."

K'ael grins to her. "Well, you're better off without someone chasing skirt right now anyways. The temptation is bad. When I was a candidate… well. I didn't chase the other candidates. Instead I went after the clutchmother's rider." He laughs. Shameful, he is. There's a nod about her sister. "There's at least one of them in every family. Once you impress you can go looking for her. You'll have more in common if you're both riding. Or if you don't impress I can take you to Eastern. If you want, that is." He gets up and stretches out a bit. "Anyways.. I should head back home before Zip starts looking for me. It was good talking to you, Kiley."

"This is true, but I do not need whatever comes with it regardless. Feelings, emotions, love.." Kiley waves her hand once more to continue the list before her cheeks darken at his words and the woman looks utterly scandalized. It takes her a moment to compose herself once more before nodding meekly in understanding and in thanks. "Thank you.. For the offer. I would really appreciate that." And finally, she smiles and inclines her head. "It was nice speaking with you as well, sir. Have a nice night."

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