Xanadu Weyr - Coastal Road
This coastal road runs parallel with the edge of beach that stretches endlessly beside the Caspian Lake. From coast to inland the dunes of the beach grow smaller and smaller until they eventually peter out into nothing but small moguls in the sand. The path is eventually seen to be blocked by a river that reaches the lake just south of the point where the road turns west and crosses a grassy meadow towards a sturdy wooden bridge that can be seen in the distance.
It's evening, just after dinner. Thea's walking the coastal road, not in a particular hurry at the moment. From the look of her flushed cheeks, she's taking a break from the Sands. Her hands are thrust into the jacket pocket and she's got her attention out over the waters of the lake, fixing her gaze off on the horizon where land meets shore.
Chaton is sitting, smack dab in the middle of the road, staring out at the lake. He's got his knees drawn up to his chin, and he seems to be reflecting on… something. Who knows what?
Away from the road, the waters of the lake stir. The shadows of evening making the dark waters all the more haunting for the movement of the waters. Ripples break the surface, hinting at something large moving within the depths.
Thea does catch something out of the corner of her eye. A bit of color perhaps. She turns her head and there is a mindhealer sitting in the middle of the road. Hmm. She stops a good bit away from Chaton, just eyeing the lad. A glance over her shoulder to see if there anything coming such as a runner-ridden messenger hell-bent for the Weyr or a delivery cart rumbling at high speed towards them. Nothing. Isn't that lucky? There will be no flattened shrinks tonight. She turns back, "Uh, Chaton? Didn't your mama ever tell you not to play in the road?" Cue faint amused smile.
Chaton looks up. "Guess not." he mumbles. He stands up and brushes himself off. "Hey Thea. What are you up to?" he asks, looking up at her. "What's going on out there?" he asks, nodding at the water. "It's been churning every so often."
A bit of color. Yes, perhaps. Or perhaps a hint at leas that, yes, there is something lurking beneath the surface of the water. Then again, in the darkness that only grows as evening slowly settles its blanket across Xanadu, its hard to tell for certain.
Thea's eyes return to the lake, but it's clear her interest isn't really on the water. She jerks her eyes away from the horizon, turns so her back is to the lake, shrugging indifference. "Could be fish, shipfish, currents." She doesn't really seem to care. Instead she tilts her head at Chaton. "You've picked an odd place to ponder things tonight."
Chaton nods. "I like to look at the water." he says. "It soothes my mind. Thea, dont you have a place you like to just sit and think?"
Thea doesn't answer the question. Instead she fixes Chaton with a bright stare. "Soothes…your…mind?" This is too good. Her lips form a small grin. "What have you got on your mind needing soothing?" Someone's curious, yes. "And why aren't you subjecting yourself to all the mindhealery that you've been so insistently saying we all need?" Oh yes, she is mightily amused. "I can call a mindhealer, perhaps Craftmaster Alric?"
The quiet rumbling of wooden wheels rattling, followed by the pungent odor of fresh paint wafts in. Soon, a bulky shadow of a wagon dimly illuminated by swaying lanterns looms into view. To one side of the vehicle ambles a dragon, and in lead is a a draft runner- greying old and decidedly unphased by his 'escort'. Seated in the driving bench of the wagon is Kerys. As the motley caravan approaches the lake, the woman calls out a halt, and clambers down to the ground.
Chaton sighs. "I have lots on my mind. Perhaps this is my own form of Mindhealery. Sitting quietly by the water, watching it churn." he sighs. "I talked to a woman today. K'nan. She didnt even properly realize that she was being held prisioner in a cell." he shakes his head. "And I have no idea what to do for her. I informed them that she was not fit to be held at trial, but other than that…" he frowns. "And there is a lady friend…" he pauses, and closes his mouth. Too much said too quickly. "I don't need Master Alric, thank you."
Thea steps to the side of the road as the rumbling from the forest sounds. She flickers a glance at the on-coming wagon before returning her attention to Chaton. Her head tilts, "And you can't see that most folks here might be capable of the same kind of mindhealery themselves?" Her lips widen at his denial of needing Alric. "Don't much like having that suggestion put to you, do you Chaton?" There's a pause, "Perhaps backing off people a bit, rather than insisting they're all in need of your skills might be nice?" She doesn't comment to the rest of his words - yet because Kerys is pulling up just then, so she eyes the cart, horse and escort, offering the rider a warm smile. "Hello. Nice…evening isn't it?"
Chaton snorts. "Reverse mindhealing never works." he mutters, turning and walking past the cart, and the goldrider, and the runner. Moodily.
Kerys waves to Thea as she is unhitching the old runner. "Hello! Yes, it is a rather lovely night." She glances up at the starry night sky and smiles. "I hope you don't mind us stopping here, old Antanas is not the young runner he used to be. " At that comment, the old stallion snorts and paws the ground as if in protest. Kerys laughs and rubs him lightly on the nose, "Hush now, you big grump. I know you're thirsty, and hungry."
"Neither does whatever you've been doing to the people of the Weyr, Chaton." Thea is not amused. "Don't you walk away from me!" It's not a request. "You might want to know I've sent word to Alric already about your behavior here, so unless you want insubordination added to it, I suggest you stay and have a listen." She smiles pleasantly to Kerys. "I don't mind in the least. Do head just past that tree there." She gestures toward it with one hand, "There's a guest Weyr if you need one. I've just had it freshened and stocked." Her gaze returns to the mindhealer. "Now what is troubling you most? K'nan, the lady or something else?" Her voice is not unkind as she asks it.
Kerys smiles, "Thank you!" She takes up the runner's lead. "Ierne's duties to Xanadu and its queens," she adds as well. Quvianth takes the opportunity to sidle up closer to her rider, her large head nodding to Thea.
Chaton turns on his heels and walks back up to Thea in stiff formal movements. If she's going to use the weyrwoman voice on him, he'd follow suit. "Well, Thea, if you must know K'nan was the most pressing issue on my mind, but I do appreciate your calling to my attention an even more pressing matter. If I guess correctly, and please correct me if I don't, you're not exactly pleased at me because I upset your friend Sigam, right?" he frowns. "Well, I was all perfectly ready to make amends with the Dragonhealer. I beleive I told you that. Or is it the fact that I've teased the weyrlings a little? Other than that I havent been 'doing anything to the people of the weyr'. In fact, I've spent the past week away from the weyr at Ista doing civil service and evaluating K'nan." he frowns. "So, please, if I've somehow 'done things to the people of the weyr', please tell me, so I can either rectify whatever I've done, or start packing my bags." his expression and tone are forced formal politeness that might border on the edge of obnoxiously polite.
"Well hello Quvianth," Thea addresses the queen, a glance at Kerys before asking, "Your cart then? It's painted nicely." What does one say about a cart? Chaton's return and words to her have her shaking her head. "Not at all Chaton. Sigam can handle his own problems and I'm sure if you enter his Annex again he'll do so just fine without any help from me whatsoever." She listens quietly to his rather long defense, ignoring for the time being his overdone politeness. "The weyrlings, yes." She pauses, "Most folks don't take kindly to a mindhealer joking in that manner, in fact, some take serious offense." She does smile, "Can you tell me what it is about K'nan that troubles you? She seemed harmless to me. Why is she locked up in prison?"
Chaton inhales sharply. "She doesn't even properly understand that she's being held captive! That's what's wrong with K'nan! That's what troubles me. And I don't know why she's in prision. Something about breaking and entering, I beleive, but they wouldn't tell me the charges. I left my recomendation that she wasn't fit to stand trial…" he breaks off. "Why are you so concerned about me anyway? Look, if you want me to apologise to the weyrlings for offending them, I will, but I can handle my personal troubles." He's flushed red under his mop of similarly coloured hair. "Permission to take my leave?" he asks, standing almost salute straight, though he's not saluting.
Thea shakes her head, "Stay just a moment, Chaton." She seems to mull something over, "What concerns me about K'nan is that she's separated from her dragon. Might be more humane to let her out of that dungeon of a prison and have her under an escort? It is an island after all. Where could she go? And Quvianth there could inhibit her blue from taking off." She slides a look at Keyrs, "The prison is a rather harsh and depressing place. And poor K'nan really is harmless, poor thing." As to the rest of Chaton's remarks, she merely shakes her head, suggesting soothingly, "Just…let folks come to you if they want to talk, ok?"
Chaton nods. "I requested a meeting to speak with someone about letting her out." he mutters, as if somewhat insulted that she didn't beleive he thought of that. "Right, people to me. Got it." he stifles a huff at being made to stay. "Is there anything else?"
Kerys takes a pace or so back to tie up the old runner to graze and water himself, her ears still following the conversation. "Quvi and I will be headed back come morning, once I get Antanas and the wagon to the docks… I've not seen K'nan, but I hear she's well guarded."
"Yes, actually Chaton there is. Grow a thicker skin and some patience. It's something a Journeyman ought to have done by now. Alric can have you bumped back to apprentice if you can't do that." There's a little bit of asperity in Thea's quiet tone, her patience wearing thin. Green eyes flash a warning to the lad not to push her. "I'm glad you did that," is all she says about K'nan. Her face softens as she turns to Kerys, "I'm sure she is, as she is in a cell and unable to be with her lifemate. Can you imagine?" Her eyes are troubled over that. "Kerys, I want to send some supplies for Ista with you when you go. Stop by the Infirmary. They will be all ready for transport." She smiles, although it is a bit on the sad and worn side, "And perhaps coming with you, they won't be turned away." She turns to leave, "I'll talk with you again, Kerys." Both of them are included in a nod, smile and "Clear skies," before the werywoman turns and heads off towards her weyr.