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.
It's early afternoon in Xanadu, a fine clear day with a stiff breeze from the south. On the ridge above the meadow sits a lone figure on a low stone writing in a journal of some sort. Below the meadow glows an emerald green in the sunlight, the long grasses rippling in the wind as clouds chase their shadows across it. Thea seems to pay this no mind, however. Her attention is on that journal.
Into the silence of the ridge, comes a gaggle of voices. One of the Weyrlingmasters, walking with some of the younger candidates, talking about the history of the weyr. They're still in the distance, walking through the meadow on some sort of hike, probabably of the 'sights of the weyr' or something of that nature. There is a rustling nearby, and then from the taller grasses, a boy's head peeks out. "Gah." He looks left, right, and then settles eyes on Thea. "Oh, Thea!" Excitement lingers in Rogawani's voice as he crawls out from the grass, but stays crouched beneath it. "Can I hide here for a bit? They made me go on the stupid weyr lecture. If I sit through any more of that my brain is going to rot out of my head."
Thea's head turns at the sound of rustling, so she is watching the patch of grass when Rogawani's head pokes out. Faint amusement plays over her face for a moment as he speaks, "I can't blame you for wanting out of those. How well I recall wishing I could crawl away." She leans back from her hunch over that journal, rotating her neck to get the kinks out of it, then peers down to the meadow below. "Just don't let the Weyrlingmaster see you." She advises with a bit of a smirk.
"Wouldn't be so bad if I didn't know it already." Rogawani groans a bit, and pulls his legs underneath himself in a cross-ways fashion, still keeping his head ducked down. "Won't get caught, though, so-long as you don't go telling anyone?" He lifts one eyebrow, as if pondering if that's on the agenda. Then, with a shrug, he seems to let it go, trusting the Weyrwoman not to rat him out. His face turns a little more serious, although there's still a hint of that boyish smile there. "So…" Right, topic of conversation. "Are you doing okay?" He asks, picking at a rock on the ground and giving it a small toss to the side. "I mean, I don't see you as much these days."
Landing in the meadown below is the cinnamon brown form of Dulacth. The midsized brown bugling a welcome to the entire Weyr, and folding his wings back so Senkyou can dismount. The brownrider dismounts smoothly, unbuckling her straps and removing a little boy from the dragon neck, dirty blonde hair and a crooked nose, the child appears about 4 years old. Stripping off his flight jacket, the child takes off up the ridge, moving to tag rogawani and saying "Tag! Yur it!" Taking off in the opposite direction, as Senkyou runs up and says, "Y'all seen a little boy?" Looking around she huffs, "Hello Weyrwoman" Giving a salute and letting herself fall to the graas, "And, yu are?" Eyebrows raising, spotting the candidate knot. "Ahhh.. dragon bait." A little smile, "Name?"
Thea snorts softly at that, "Tell? Not I. If they ask, I never saw you." She flips that journal closed, tilting her head to eye him, "Hm? Me? Yeah, I guess. Why do you ask?" She shrugs a shoulder, "Haven't seen much of the Candidates at all lately." She gives a head-shake, "Been so busy with Hisolda gone." The kid runs by then and Senkyou arrives with her question-greeting. Thea just nods back and points wordlessly down the other sire of the ridge in reply. But she can see that Senkyou's attention is fixed upon her prey. Used to the Rider's ways, she just smiles. This could be entertaining.
"Thank Faranth. I can't sit through another history lesson. They don't really take into account that some of us have lived here all our lives." Rogawani manages to complain, although it's playfully done as he runs a hand through his ruffled, and grass-strewn hair. "Hrm. Yeah, I heard that Hisolda being gone has made a lot of work for you. Guess… well guess I just miss you 'n all. Making new friends but I don't get to hang out with my honorary big sis' anymore." He seems about to say something else, when dragon wings appear. "Shards, found me quick didn't they?" He mutters, but when a child appears, he blinks and seems confused. "What the?" And then there's Senkyou and his tension eases a bit. "I'm… Rogawani. And uh, he went that way." Ro' offers, pointing off in the direction the boy had run and sitting up a little straiter.
Listening to the name she lays back in the grass, crossing her hands behind her head and propping up her legs "Who found yu quick? So yur hidin' from someone hummm?" Tilting her head and pushing the mass of brown hair out of her face. "He'll be ok, gets lost Dulacth'll findum. I ain't concerned, kids got knack fer trouble like none other." COmmenting to thea and looking back at the candidate. "Rogawani, well then, tell me Rogawani, what're yu supposed to be doin'? Don't yu have chores? If yu don't, I got a brown that's just itchin' for a bath. I got a son who could need some watchin'. Here at Xanadu we like to insure the younger generation is kept occupied." Relaxing she stares up at the sky, "And how've yu been weyrwoman? I ain't inquired on yu in a long time, hope all is well for you and yours."
Thea simply nods, "Be many more if you Impress. And there's no escaping those." She flashes him a sympathetic look. His next words bring a shadowed hue to the light green of her eyes, "Yeah, there is that. I miss you and Enkavir, too." For a moment her mouth is a flat, unhappy line but she purposely shifts it into a wan smile. She's trying. Senkyou's grilling Rogawani is observed with wry amusement, "He's working for me at the moment." She doesn't define what that might be. "I'm well, thank you." She answers the brownrider gravely, inclining her head. Green eyes flicker to the Candidate with a silent message that may mean any number of things.
Rogawani just glances over towards the brown rider, but doesn't say a thing regarding who he might be hiding from. Even when the barrage of questions follows, he keeps his mouth shut, thankful in the end that Thea comes up with a reason enough for him to be out here and not following one of the Weyrlingmasters around like a lost puppy. "I've got my chores finished for the day Wingleader. Senkyou, right?" That's the only female wingleader he's able to recall, so he goes with that guess. "The Weyrlingmasters said I should talk to you about Comet, since I worked as a messenger before being searched." He seems all too willing to turn attention back on the brownrider instead of on himself. However, his eyes do flick towards Thea, his expression growing faintly… worried. "Well, if you do need to… talk or anything. You know where to find me, right?" He tries to show his best supportive smile, although it ends up faintly shadowed, too.
Thea watches the interplay between Wingleader and Candidate, nodding slightly to confirm Rogawani's words. "Comet?" She echoes it, a brow raising questioningly. Her eyes flick from Senkyou back to Rogawani. Her lips form a crooked smile at his expression and reminder, "I'll remember, Ro." While she waits for the brownrider to finish with the Candidate, she asks him, "Heard you've all been touching the eggs. How was that experience for you?"
Eyes narrowing Senkyou crosses her hands over her knee, sitting up "Well then yu obviously are being shorted on chores, which is a travisty. Poor neglected fella, i'll see to it you have more to do tomorrow so yu won't suffer from such boredom." At thea's remark she gives a faint nod, listening intently to him. "Comet? Well I've been the comet wingleader for upwards of ten turns now, what is it yu'd like to know? We need more male riders, cuz faranath knows I'm shorted by those flippant open mawwed greenriders. Always goin around and.." A faint blush and she hmms, "Would be nice, you impressin'.. Been needin to replace a pesky wingsecond." Talking to herself, eyes glazing over, and a spark of something she'd forgotten lighting up her features. Turning around she says, looking for the little boy who she had, "I'm leavin' now, leavin' yu here, leavin' without yu. Hope no feline gets yu, if yu see one just scream a lot, someone might see yu." Standing up she presses a finger to her lips and starts to creep out of where she's presuming the child is.
"Right. It's the delivery wing, right?" Rogawani asks, still trying to keep his tone light, interested, and not at all as if he were hiding from weyr history lessons with the weyrlingmasters. "Guess they figured that's the wing that's most up my alley." He seems a little overwhelmed at the tirade that comes from Senkyou's mouth a moment later though, and he just runs a hand through his hair. "Um, they do give me plenty of work, ma'am. We get some time off here and there." This isn't one of them, but at least it's a true enough answer. "So, what exactly does a delivery rider do? Is it like what I do normally except on dragonback? Bringing the mail and packages 'n such?" While trying to show some interest there, he glances back at Thea, nodding a bit. "Got out on the sands once or twice, sure." After all the talking with other candidates, he's not quite sure how much he wants to admit to a rider. Still, honesty tends to be Ro's usually way of dealing with things. "It was… strange. Not what I was expecting. Lots of colors and visuals. Like I was hallucinating, but without having eaten the funny mushrooms in the woods to do it."
"Oh, -that- Comet. I thought it might be, you know-" Thea flips a hand in the general direction of the stables. "-one of the runners in there might be yours, Senkyou." She just listens calmly to the Wingleader for the duration of her speech, used to this sort of thing from her. Her eyes slide to Rogawani, face impassive, but there is a tiny glint of laughter in there. She waits until the brownrider takes a breath, then nods at Rogawani, "I remember doing that. Seryth's egg made me cry. And feel funny."
Just as it seems his mother is going to leave, Zalyu, the blond child runs out and says "No! nO! wait! wait wait wait.. momm" Senk turn around and says, 'Oh well, yu found me.. guess I'll need to take yu with me now." Glancing at the stables she gives a nod, "Yes indeed, do own a few runners. Well, at first we only give yu mail, but yu also carry packages to seperate people, carry people, yu make sure things are given to the right people. Also includes helpin' folks move large objects, job is one the dragons enjoy. If yu love to fly, then you'd fit in fine. Also to keep busy, I ain't ever stuck at the weyr for to long." Looking over to Dulacth she gives a nod, "I'd better get goin' he needs a good wash. Zal come on.." Zal looks at rogawani "Yur still it."
Rogawani chuckles a little bit, nodding his head. "Yeah, that Comet. Not looking to replace Rider for a few more turns." His smile cracks through the surface, but widens a little as the boy comes back into view. "Yeah, I'm still it. I promise you a game of tag next time I'm on kidlet patrol, okay?" He's one of the few candidates who doesn't seem to mind that particular duty. "Thanks for the information, Wingleader. If there's a dragon out there for me, I'll certainly consider the wing, but I'm not counting eggs before their hatched." No, he's still not one to get his hopes up at this point in the game. As he settles his gaze back towards Thea, the boy nods a bit. "Yeah. There was this one that I just felt… like it wanted to challenge me, make me a better person." He scratches at the side of his head, and then lifts one shoulder. "And one that snatched some memory right out of my head and lit it on fire. Is that… normal?"
Thea shudders slightly, "Runners." The tone of her voice says just what she thinks before she flashes Rogawani a silent look of apology. She follows the child with her eyes as he comes running back through, but she doesn't comment except to Senkyou's explanation of Comet Wing. "Sounds nice, flitting about the planet here and there." Her voice sounds wistful. She headtilts at Rogawani, "Challenge you, huh? What did it look like?" Her eyes are sparkling with a little more life now, "And so tell, if you don't mind, what memory did the other pull from you?"
Atop the ridge, two forms are sitting surrounded by taller grass. The boy, Rogawani, is settled with his back to the tall grass, ducked forward as if trying to keep out of sight. Thea is sitting atop a low stone, with a journal set nearby. Rogawani's eyebrow lifts, eyeing the Weyrwoman with a bit of a bemused look for her shuddering response to the idea of runners. "I promise, no more crazed runners." He chuckles, and then seems to echo her thoughts, tapping at his chin in thought of the wing and what the Wingleader had said. Still, his mind is easily distracted these days, and Ro' perks a bit at the question. "Oh, kind of brownish?" He doesn't seem to know how to describe it in words. "The fire one was the reddish with the gold color on it." His face forms into a small frown, "Took a memory of my mom, when I was still real little, before Donakan got older. She'd given me a quilt for my turnday. So I'd always have something to keep the nightmares away."
Tharen wanders up the ridge from the meadow below. From the glance he gives back over his shoulder it might be likely that he's shirking duties. That or he's just paranoid about someone or something? Hard to say for sure. Then again, knowing Tharen… Looking back up the ridge it doesn't take very long for him to notice those two forms, or for him to figure out just who that female one is. Of course, that done, there's more sneaking to be had.
Thea listens to Rogawani's account with keen attention, green eyes watching his face. "You had nightmares? Aw, Ro, that's awful! What were they about?" Her head tilts a little and she asks softly, "She sort of changed since then, huh?" She doesn't comment on the runners, crazed or no. "Yeah it's sort of common for the eggs to do all sorts of odd things to folks who touch 'em." Thea answers Rogawani belatedly. there's the sound of sneaking again and Thea's turning around to see who else is headed her way. If the grasses are long enough, she may not see…
At first, it seems as if Rogawani doesn't want to talk about it, but then he tilts his head a little and grimaces before giving a nod of his head. "Yeah. After she left and got weyrmated to D'oran, I had nightmares sometimes." It's hard for him to admit, that much is clear. "She still cares, but it's not the same thing anymore. She's got her family, I've got mine." He manages to smile once again, but the rustling sound nearby is enough to spook him. "Listen, I'm going to head off and go catch some chores or something. That way Senkyou can't turn me in and the weyrlingmasters can't be too upset at me for ditching class." He gets to his feet, crouching near the edge of the grasses, "Remember, if anyone asks, you saw nothing." Like a spy, Rogawani slinks back into the grasses.
As Rogawani speaks, Thea's face softens, losing the sadness that seems etched upon her face as of late. Her lips firm just a bit, but she bites them to keep from saying something that might be out of place. Instead she mirrors his deliberate smile, although her eyes are warm, "Saw? Saw what?" That forced smile becomes one of genuine humor, "Later Ro bro." That hand from behind clamps down on her shoulder and she startles, "Yiiii!" Somehow the arrival of Tharen always manages to render her so articulate and eloquent. "Shards, Tharen." She give him a short glare while reaching a finger to poke his side, attempting to jab it into the soft area between his hip and rib cage. "What have you been up to?"
Tharen just laughs for that reaction, rubbing his ear with a knuckle. "Geez Thea, you have to be so loud about that?" he teases, squirming just a bit more for that poke that might be considered 'manly' before he sinks down to sit beside her. "Oh, this and that. You know how things go." Like he's going to tell her he's avoiding work.
Thea thbbts at Tharen as he sits, "Be louder next time you do that." She so will too! Her eyes narrow just a bit at him, although her lips are curved in a knowing smile, "Must be your midday break or something. Unless the stables are finished early." She smirks, not at all fooled by his evasion. She doesn't pursue it, though. "Did you get that note sent to Ma? And what did she say? Is Da mad?" Her fingers tap her thigh in a tattoo of impatience to know the answer to this. Likely she knows the answer to all of these questions. Predictable, all of them.
Tharen laughs, "Yeah, yeah," he mutters. Louder… "Yeah, something like that," he goes on, nodding to comment on the stables. Its just easier to pretend like that. "…" A long pause follows that last string of questions as he looks towards his sister. "… Of course I did.." Not. They are all rather predictable answers though. "You know she's going to be upset and he's going to be mad, so what's the point?"
Thea scrubs her face with her palm, "Tharen, she's upset already with you missing, you must know that. But she's likely got you dead and buried." She's rolling her eyes. "Brothers." Plural. Not that she has more than one, but… "I'll write." To heck with the point says her voice. She lifts that journal, flips it open to a blank page, since the one she had was started with a note that said, 'Dear Kav…'and starts writing, "Dear Ma and Da," She says it out loud so he can know what she's sending, "Tharen has come to Xanadu Weyr for a visit. He's been working so hard in the beastcraft…" Her eyes slide to him with a significant glance. "-that he forgot to write. He sends his love and is sad to have caused you worry." She ponders, "What else do you want to say?"
Tharen sighs, leaning back to rest palms on the ground behind him. There's no point in arguing with Thea either. At least he knows that much. "Aww come on, you know ya love me," he taunts, leaning to nudge the goldrider's shoulder. There's that writing though, and that glance causes him to wince. Yes, yes, he knows better than that too. "That sounds perfect."
Thea leans to nudge Tharen back, "Of course I do." She snickers at him as she returns her gaze to the note. "Why else would I help you keep your life in order?" She finishes writing, "Tharen says he delivered the stock before he left and is looking for Cold Stone's stock trading prospects here." She finishes with a flourish, "He sends his love and wants you to know he is staying out of trouble. Love Thea and Tharen." Again with the glance. "So. Meet any cute gals yet?" Smirk. Nosy sister on the prowl. "I can always ask around."
"I didn't hear anything about you in there," Tharen comments, peering over at the paper as she signs the end. Sisters. So not fair. "There's some nice ones. So much prettier than you, and nicer too. Who'a thought." Teasing of course. Hey, if she's going to be nosey its only fair that he tease her some too.
Thea makes a face at Tharen, so used to this sort of thing from him by now, "You must be referring to Vivian." Sage nod. "Watch out for that one, she'll have D'son for lunch and you for dessert." She eyes that note thoughtfully, adding in, "P.S. I am enjoying Tharen's visit. He's being so sweet to me. He's really grown up." A few well-intentioned stretched truths never hurts, right? I have a weyrmate now. He's so good to me. We will come for a visit soon." She sticks her tongue out at Tharen with a grin and a grimace all mixed up into one odd combination of a facial expression. "How's that, better?"
Tharen hmms, "Don't think I met that one yet," he replies to the mention of this so called Vivian. "You'll have to introduce me." Yes, yes, that sounds like a good plan. "So I know who I'm looking out for I mean." While she's writing he's peering over to read, even though she's saying it out loud. Have to make sure that's what's actually being written. Or something. "Weyrmate?" This could be interesting.
"Trust me - if you'd met Vivian, you'd know it." There's a bit of a wicked gleam in the ice green of Thea's eyes, "Oh, suuure, I''ll do that. Introduce you to her. Tomorrow." She rips out the finished note from her journal, folds it and slides it into her shirt pocket. At his one-word question, she glances out of the corner of her eye at him. "Uh huh. Weyrmate. Yep." A secretive smile curves her lips. He'll have to do some digging.
And she can be sure he'll be doing just that. Digging. "Sounds good to me." he agrees about meeting the girl, "Anything special I should know about before that?" Sister is going to introduce him to a girl. This could be dangerous, but hey, its a girl and that's all he's thinking thus far. "You gonna tell me anymore on that weyrmate thing, or am I going to have to catch the gossip?"
"She's beautiful?" Thea's tone indicates this is true before adding, "And, ah…uniquely talented when it comes to helping the unwilling to become willing." Whatever that means. A careless hand wave, "Rogawani can fill you in on that." The next question is mulled over as she stands smoothly, collecting her journal. "Can come meet him if we can find a few moments to speak to him. His name is Enkavir. There hasn't been any time to but say hi-bye in passing since he was Searched, though, so it may be awhile." She starts down the incline to the meadow. "Back to work for me. See ya Tharen. Which I hope is true for you of your supervisor in the barns." Big sister needling little brother. Force of habit.