Xanadu Weyr - Kairoikyriath's Manor
Gray stone walls rear out of the forest's tangle in the form of a cottage. It's two stories, square in aspect with a flat roof and a hint of battlements in the placement of the cornices. There's an ongoing war here - with the greenery, a tangle of vines assaulting the stone of the walls.
Along one side of the cottage runs a small stream, extending to mark the edge of the courtyard cleared from the surrounding forest. There's enough room for dragons to land, and the lady of the weyr may recline in her couch, a comfortable hollow in the earth.
The path leading here crosses the moat at a small drawbridge, made complete with a wooden crank on the weyr side to pull the rope up and lift the planks away - though really, the stream's narrow enough that most people could jump over it without a problem.
It's an overcast day on Xanadu, causing the temperature to be a cool sort of comfortable. It's just after lunch and the wings are on the move again. So are Ka'el and Kanekith, who'll be taking a late lunch today as they've been airborne for a while, gliding above the Weyr in a sweep of the lands. They're circling over the forest now when it's decided that breaktime is now, and thus the large bronze makes his descent within a clearing. His arrival is made obvious by the sound of wingbeats as he slows his flight, legs extending in preparation for his landing. His rider holds on, bracing for the slight impact of dragon to ground. *Thud* Success! Kanekith's wings fold neatly as he exhales a snorted breath, and Ka'el sits up, lifting goggles from his eyes as he peers off towards the nearby cottage that's nestled here. "Makes you miss livin' in the woods, huh?" he murmurs to his lifemate with a smirk, patting him on the neck before he unstraps himself to dismount. "C'mon. Let's see if anyone's home."
Someone is indeed home, at least physically. Mentally may be another matter. The afternoon finds Innes ensconced in her home, curled up in an armchair as she catches up on some reading. Eventually she'll have to get back to work, just… after her long lunch. Of course, reading can't hold her attention for all that long. In spite of good intentions, Innes is shortly on her feet, pacing around her home. Food during lunch might be good. And the weather is nice. She could… grab a snack and go outside. Yes! With her plan solidified, she snatches up a roll (the meal of champions!) and steps outside, closing the door sharply behind her. Her eyes widen as she's greeted with the sight of a familiar dragon… but not the one she might expect to see outside of her home. "Well, if it isn't the fantastic Kanekith," she hails around a mouthful of roll. "There are certainly worse unexpected visitors."
Ka'el approaches the weyr while Kanekith settles himself on the grass. Apparently, he's not hungry enough to go feed. And this grass? It's nice and soft and just begging for a big bronze body to smoosh it down! And that's just what Kanekith has mind to do, after a show of snuffling the grass, pacing, and finding just the right, perfect spot to plop himself down in. Thwump! Ka'el glances over his shoulder, smirks, and fondly rolls his eyes before pausing just before the stream that runs along. It's definitely something he could cross on his own. Just a little hop over, but regardless, he lingers as if it were a raging, roaring thing. He looks across and towards the goldrider that's emerged from her abode. "Fantastic! Did you hear that, bud?" he calls to his lifemate, "You're a real popular sort, aren't you? You'd think she'd say that I was the fantastic one. Or at least, 'marvelous'. I'd even take 'awesome'. But…alas. I'm not even recognized as anything!" He looks back to Innes, a hurt look etching over his features. "Being just the lowly, disregarded servant that I am, might I come over?"
It's lucky that the real lady of the manor is out getting her own snack (or perhaps being a bit of a glutton), or she might have something to say about Kanekith smooshing her grass without permission. Innes, however, doesn't appear to care in the slightest. The grass will survive, certainly. She arches a brow at Ka'el's pained expression, remaining unflinching in her own amused look. "I suddenly see more of the resemblance between dragon and rider," she teases dryly. A skeptical glance goes between the bronzerider and the moat, and then back again. "I think I'd like to see you venture to cross without permission, actually. It looks quite dangerous, and a feat of bravery might earn you a name." She crosses her arms as she fixes him with an expectant look, gesturing with her chin in the direction of the 'dangerous' moat. "Go on, then."
"Does that mean you're callin' me handsome?" quips Ka'el as he turns his head faintly to one side, showing a profile while pressing fingers to his jawline. So masculine! So prolific! So … dragonesque? He cracks a grin after a few seconds have ticked by, then lowers his hand to peer at the challenge before him. Crossing the raging river of death! "I accept this challenge. This quest shall be the thing that brings me honor!" A fist is pounded to his chest before he takes a few steps back, glaring at the water, sizing it up. "If I perish," he says, voice theatrically dramatic, "may my legacy live on through my son. May Xanadu remember my name. May it be written in history books that I, Ka'el Crestwood, died a glorious death! … For Xanaduuuu!" Chaaaarge! He bursts forward, running, running, running towards the (small) river's edge. Legs coil, and he leaps! Over, over, soaring over the monstrous (not really) river that splashes up at him, as if trying to reach for him with watery claws! Will he perish? Will the water take him and wash his remains away? .. No! He lands on the other side with a thump of boots to grass and a huff of breath. "Victory!" All the while, Kanekith watches. Heh. And they say he's the dramatic one?
"I don't recall such words ever leaving my mouth," Innes retorts, eyeing his ever-so-masculine profile with barely (okay, not at all) concealed amusement. "But you are looking a lovely shade of bronze today." With her gaze now focused somewhere between the two, it's hard to say whether she's talking to dragon or rider. Oops. She leans against the wall of her home, settling in to watch his performance. "Yes, yes. If you perish, I'll tell your lady fair that you died bravely, and I'll make it my duty to teach your son the legend of your life." Though she attempts to look utterly disinterested, there's a smile tugging at her lips as she speaks. And while the possibility of Ka'el missing the edge of the stream and having to live with the horror of wet feet isn't exactly a cause for great concern, she does straighten up to watch as he jumps. When he lands successfully, she makes a show of clapping loudly. "Well done, wonderful Ka'el. You've triumphed over… unspeakable odds." Nonexistent odds are unspeakable, aren't they?
Ah, the feeling of accomplishment! Ka'el straightens only to bow beneath the applause that he most definitely deserves for such an incredible feat. "Thank you, thank you," he says graciously, bowing twice, three times before staying upright. He grins at her, a boyishly crooked look, before he approaches. "And of course, such a triumph over such odds most definitely deserves a reward, yes?" he says with lifted brows. "Like…for instance…lunch?" Didn't he see her eating something a few moments ago? And Ka'el is definitely not above mooching from the Weyrwomen, Jrs and Senior! He laughs now in show of jest. "Hello Innes! Kanekith and I wanted to pay you and Kairoi..kyriath a visit because we felt it overdue. It being lunchtime is only a coincidence, y'see." Another smirk as he pauses. "You aren't heading back to the offices already, are you? If you are, I'd like to walk with you .. even if it means jumping back over your river, which I may not be able to clear this time, since I've spent so much energy doing it the first time already." Woe!
Innes snorts even as she continues to applaud. It's not the feat that deserves the applause so much as the ridiculous performance which accompanied it. But she'll just… keep that to herself. "I should have known such entertainment would come at a price." She reaches into the pocket of her light jacket, pulling out another bread roll. Just ignore the few flecks of pocket lint, and it's perfectly appetizing, right? She holds it out as an offering, not even bothering to brush it off. "Enjoy. That's my winning lunch." It's enough to keep someone full and fueled for all of five minutes. "Kai's off making a meal for herself, I'm afraid." Her nose wrinkles a little at the thought. "But you've successfully paid me a visit, even if I should be heading back to the offices." The heavy emphasis on the word suggests that she'd rather be doing… well, anything else. "I'd be happy for the company, though. So much so that I'd even allow you to use the bridge this time." So giving! So kind!
That meatroll is the most appetizing thing Ka'el has ever seen before! … really. See how he's practically drooling at the lint-speckled thing? The lint's just extra … uh … protein! Makes it even more scrumptious. Yes. Ka'el's eyes are on the morsel, in all of its linty glory. "Looks delicious," he agrees, giving his stomach a pat. "Though I'd hate to eat it on the go. I wouldn't be able to appreciate the … uh … flavor. It'd be an injustice. So… I'll politely pass. Another time!" Way to dodge a bullet, right? Hopefully! The confirmation that the offices indeed are her next stop earns a nod and glance in the general direction of the caverns. "Well then, we've a journey ahead of us, made more pleasant with company. I'll pay Kairo a visit another day soon." He chuckles then makes a wide-eyed face of shock as she deems the bridge as their ticket across the river. "My gratitude goes out to you, m'lady! I couldn't bring myself to hope for so much. You truly are a saint!" He laughs as they start off, taking the bridge route over the trickling water. "I'm glad I've this time with you, actually. I've been meaning to take a trip to Eastern, and I'd like for you to come with me. I think it'll be a grand opportunity for Kairo to visit another Weyr with other golds. And I think you need a bit of off-Weyr time as well. Get to know other Leaders in person." An administrative outing! Which they'll have an opportunity to discuss (or possible argue against!) in more detail during their walk back to work, Kanekith in tow.