Worried Over Nothing?
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Xanadu Weyr - Workshops
Some crafts are ill-suited to being tucked away in a cavern, too loud or too dangerous to be desirable. They've been clustered here, out in the meadow away from others. The central building is made of stone and glass, the roof shallow as it slopes away from the thick central ridge that holds forges and kilns for smiths, glassworkers, and others.
The smith forges are loud, dim and hot; windows here are covered with soot or have been replaced for safety. The large common area holds the main forge lodged against the central wall, with bellows at the ready and a chimney rushing high to open in the ceiling outside. This is the area that the apprentices are taught in and are able to use. The nearby wall clasps a vast and unspecialized collection of tools, while the built-in shelves of another wall host jars of nails, crates of wood and metal scraps, spools of wire, sacks of sand, and heavy bins of Cromcoal, all decorated with a fine coating of grime and sawdust. To the other side of the main forge, set against the outer wall, there are separate forges for Journeyman and Master use, each one kept clean and neat, even when in the midst of a project.
Further back there are heating systems and molds for metal and plastic alike, and a set of machines used to grind gears and cast various parts. There's a pump to bring up water for quenching, though it won't stay cool for long given the heat this workshop holds even in winter.
On the other side of the broad central wall is the glass shop, brightly lit through the heat-resistant fixtures and many windows that show off the skills of the crafters of Xanadu Weyr. That central wall and the one opposite it are both lined with kilns and glass forges for the glasscrafters to do their work. The portion of the room near the main entrance seems to be devoted to teaching, as a number of mobile diagram boards have been erected there with desks arranged in semicircles around each. The central portion of the room serves as the production area, with barrels of sand and various additives arrayed beside several long tables and charts, and finally, the back wall is made up almost entirely of cabinets and storage shelves.
There are other workshops scattered nearby, smaller buildings for the various other crafts that are better suited to be where the wind sweeps out over the sea and carries fumes and smoke with it or for those who need to catch their breath after the din of the forges.


Evening brings some relief from the hazy and hot glare of the sun and the summer day heat. Here in the forges however, it is always hot but with the hour being later, there are not so many Smiths at work and the area isn't too uncomfortable in which it work in. Kiena has seated herself at one of the various work benches, an array of tools and materials spread out around her. Her hair is a ragged mess as always, half out of the braid she tried to keep it in and most of the strands near her face have curled, likely from working under so much heat. No one else seems to be about, though there are likely some other Apprentices and Journeyman lurking about.

Ugh. /Why/ would anyone want to work in here? Mur'dah barely sets foot in the forges before he's sweating, grimacing, /pouting/ at how hot and gross and stifling it is. Still, he makes his way to Kiena, gently setting a small basket down on her table. "Brought you a snack." Surprise!

Kiena loves it in the forges, heat or not and has long ago become accustomed to it. Startling, she almost drops whatever it was she was working on, hissing softly through her teeth and then sighing in relief when it's caught and undamaged. "Mur'dah! Jays, you startled me." Surprise is right! Still, she eyes that basket with great interest and waves a hand for him to join her. "You're too sweet. What'd you bring me? I'd ask what you're doing here but… I guess it's fairly obvious now."

Mur'dah clears his throat a bit as he pulls up a chair and sits beside her, sitting close despite the heat. "Sandwich, some fruit, fried tubers." Sack dinner! "Sorry I scared you though. Didn't break anything did I?" he asks, unabashedly curious as he tries to see what she's working on.

Kiena doesn't stop him from sitting close to her, looking a little surprised that he does and not because of the discomfort of the heat and more because she knows she's not exactly… clean. Soot, metal and sweat aren't exactly appealing! Her eyes widen at the mention of the food and it's obvious then that she's hungry. Ravenous! She's already into that basket before he's half way through his apology. "Nah, don't be!" she mutters hurriedly. FOOD. "Nope. Was just working on the rings. Here," She'll pass him the two bands, one obviously his and the other hers and obvious by their widths. "Too bad you weren't here earlier! I was working on more interesting things then." Grinning, she pops a piece of fruit into her mouth, clearly teasing him.

Mur'dah laughs, reaching out to carefully take the rings from her. "What's more interesting than our weyrmating bands?" he asks, teasing her. "Unless you were working on a sword. Was it a sword?" Damn, he missed the sword. "Do you want a party?" It seems to be a question out of the blue, but it's not, as he turns the bands over in his hand. "These are looking amazing, Kiena…"

"Mhmmmhm?" Kiena's answer is muffled and incoherent due to the fact she's got half the sandwich in her mouth for a rather… unlady and impolite bite. After she swallows, she'll take smaller bites, but it's obvious she's still quite hungry and busily fixing that. She snorts, "A sword? Shards no! I've not had the joy of forging one yet. Just the usual tools. Ultility knives, shovels, nails, bolts, other odds and ends that hardly are odds and ends…" Should she go on? Smirking, she's startled again. "A party? For… our weyrmating?" It hadn't even crossed her mind. "Is this what folks do?" she asks, just before stuffing a few fried tubers into her mouth. Om nom! Her cheeks flush and not from the heat. "… thanks…" she mumbles around a mouthful of food.

Mur'dah laughs, "I think I'd rather see you working on our rings than /nails/, little bird," he teases. Then a nod, as he tries to steal a tuber. "Yeah. Darsce made it sound like you really wanted one."

Kiena laughs softly, "What's wrong with nails? Nails means I get paid, remember?" she teases him back. She'll mock glare at him for his thievery but she does not snap at him or try to hoard the food protectively. In fact, she seems to be finally slowing down on her consumption of it! "Darsce? Not entirely surprised then. Didn't she have her baby?" she asks softly as she takes the weyrmating rings back from him.

Mur'dah hands the rings back over and nods with a smile. "Yeah, she did." Then a shrug. "Well, I think it's up to you if you want a party or not. I didn't know…" If she'd want to celebrate, or be private, or if this means less because it's her second weyrmating, or if she even had a party for her first…he knows nothing.

Kiena carefully tucks and stores those unfinished rings away and turns right back to their conversation and to her unfinished "meal". "Have you gone to see her, Jethaniel and the babe yet?" she asks curiously, only to frown faintly. He knows some things! "No, it's alright. Just never thought of it 'till you brought it up? Don't think I had a party before…" Picking at some of the fruit, she is quiet as she thinks and lifts one piece up to inspect it. "If we did… Do you think anyone would show up?" The fruit is popped into her mouth, but she'll glance to him sidelong and a touch sadly.

Mur'dah shakes his head. "Not yet. Figured I'd give them some time to sort things out before I invaded…" Then he smiles, chuckling and reaching over to squeeze her knee. "I…don't know. I'd hope so! But…never sure. I think a few people would."

"Want some company with that invasion?" Kiena offers with a crooked smirk and when he reaches over to squeeze her knee, she will slide her hand over his and squeeze back. Her smirk now turns to a small smile, "Couldn't hurt. I mean, we don't really have to do anything huge. Just… small. Spur of the moment? And if people come, they come. If not…" She almost sighs but shakes herself out of that funk by chuckling instead. "We've our own party." There.

Mur'dah smiles. "If you'd like, and if they wouldn't mind. Maybe you can give Darsce some help." He just assumes she needs it. Then he nods. "Sure, we can do that. Maybe something in the cafe? Spread the word through the dragons, just tell folks we're there?" He smiles. "And yes, we can have our own party too. Afterwards. In our weyr."

Kiena shrugs her shoulders, "I'd not want to impose but if they don't mind me tagging along to say hello then I'd be alright popping in for a spell. Help? I could… though I doubt I'm exactly the best role model of 'what to do'…" But she at least knows what it's like? Smiling softly, she offers him the last piece of fruit. "The cafe sounds like a good idea. Public spot but not as bustling as the caverns. There's always the taverns too if we want cozier." Blinking a moment, she then laughs. "Oh, I figured that was a given!" she says, still chuckling.

Mur'dah winks at her as he takes the fruit to gobble up happily. "Well I can always ask if they'd mind you coming along." There. Easy solution! Ask. "I love the cafe, especially out on the porch. I think that's an ideal spot. We'll just have to…do it sometime. See who shows up."

There's always an easy solution! Well… most of the time. Kiena smiles gratefully for Mur'dah's suggestion. "Alright then, that's settled!" Chuckling, she nods her head in agreement. "I do love it there too. Wasn't that where we celebrated your Turnday once? And with it being the height of summer… a porch side party above the beach is almost too perfect! And… well… when's your next day off?"

Mur'dah ohs, laughing. "Oh yeah, we did. Darsce gave me that ball thing…" /That/ went over so well. Still, he smiles. "Uh…two days from now I think? Would that work for you?"

Kiena grins. "I remember that. Do you still use the knife I gave you?" she asks softly, reaching out to gently touch her hand to his leg. Tilting her head, she mumbles under her breath as she does some quick calculations. "Y'know? I think it does! Two days from now then. Late afternoon? When the worst of the heat is tapering off?" Speaking of heat, Kiena seems to be feeling it now. She wipes the back of her hand over her forehead and though her smile wavers a moment, it's back soon enough. "Shards," she breathes. "I can't believe I'm actually planning a… a party…" Kind of.

Mur'dah smiles. "All the time," he says, covering her hand with his and giving it a squeeze before he looks concerned at her. "Are you too hot? Should we go?" This isn't exactly the best place for a romantic evening, that's for sure. "Afternoon sounds ideal, sunset, even." Then he laughs. "Planning what? A day and time we'll be in the cafe?" They don't even have to decorate!

Kiena squeezes his hand back and smiles, pleased that he still has the knife she gifted him with. "Yeah, maybe… maybe it's high time to leave. Just need to tidy up." Which she starts to do, very slowly as she continues to talk with him. "Sunset sounds the best of it all! And… well, yeah I guess you have a point there, huh?" she muses, giving him another half-grin as she pushes to her feet. Maybe she got up too fast, but she is suddenly bracing her hand against the side of the workbench as she grunts softly. "Huh…"

Mur'dah reaches out, up, to steady her, frowning as he gets to his feet. "Are you okay?" he asks softly. Concerned. "Let's get you out of this heat. You can clean up later…"

Kiena leans against him for a few breaths to steady herself and then waves him off. "I'm alright! I'm alright. Just… tired, that's all and, ugh… might've ate too fast for this heat." Sure, that's what it is. She tries to smile to reassure him but it comes of shaky and a bit queasy. "No, I have to clean up or the Journeyman on duty tomorrow will skin me alive. Help me, Mur'dah? I can show you where these go…" And she'll direct him, either by pointing or taking a few shuffling steps and guiding him until everything is where it should be.

Mur'dah frowns, wanting to insist but not quite sure /how/, so instead he'll put his full energy into helping her clean up, so they can get out of there as fast as possible. "I think you need a cool bath, little bird," he murmurs. "Or a shower."

It's a good thing that Mur'dah didn't insist because Kiena would only stubbornly dig in her heels all the more. By the time he finishes, her strength seems to be waning and she looks exhausted and wilted. "Yeah… Yeah, a cool bath sounds good. Thanks, Mur'dah…" She'll reach out then to take his hand and with slow steps lead him out of the workshop and towards home. The walk seems to refresh her a little bit and by the time they reach the door, she has regained some colour to her cheeks. "You off duty for the rest of the night?"

Mur'dah takes her hand but once they're outside he tries to slip his arm around her waist to support her as they walk. "I am. Are you sure you're okay? Why don't you rest and I'll get the bathroom ready for you, okay? Have something to drink too…" He's fretting a bit, that's clear with the nervous looks he keeps giving her, checking on her color, her energy…

Kiena won't protest Mur'dah slipping his arm around her waist and is grateful for it. "I'm alright! I'll be alright. Probably just too much heat, not enough water and ate too fast… Shocked my body." Uh huh. She'll just keep telling herself that. "I'll drink some water," she promises as they step down familiar paths and reach their weyr. Once inside, she gives a relieved sigh and turns to kiss him gently. "Don't stress yourself out, okay? If I really thought something bad was up, I'd tell you." Kicking off her work boots, she'll give him a reassuring look and then begin to walk slowly into the kitchen.

Mur'dah doubts that, but he doesn't argue with her as he vanishes into the bathroom to start a cool bath for her. Not too cold though. Warm, really, but not /hot/. Enough to cool her down without giving her a chill.

And Kiena will behave… at least for a little while. Long enough to bathe and clean off the day's work and grime from her skin and cool down (in one sense, anyways). Refreshed and feeling better, the rest of the evening will progress as it normally does with her usually goading and taunting Mur'dah playfully into a "game" that leads them to the bedroom with far from innocent intentions.

Later Kiena will nestle and curl up against and around Mur'dah, snuggling back and making a few pleased and content sounds as he pulls the blanket up and over them. "Sleep well, beloved," he whispers, yawning and she'll answer him: "You too, love. My turn to make breakfast in the morning…" Her words drift off and she will be asleep moments later. She stays asleep too!

Right until dawn, where she stirs awake, wakes Mur'dah in her usual way and then pads down the stairs to prepare their breakfast, leaving him to bask in his little morning "wake up". Kiena will make enough food to feed half a Wing but Mur'dah will find himself eating most of it. She'll only get through a quarter of her plate before she loses interest and nibbles on some boring dry toast instead. Something must be up! She snubs her nose at her klah too which is highly unlike her but she'll reassure any concerns of Mur'dah's. Yes, she'll take it easy at the forges. Yes, if she doesn't feel good she'll come home. No, she feels fine, just an uneasy stomach. Yes, if it doesn't clear up she'll go to the Healers — that is followed by a wrinkled nose and shudder, mostly in mocking play and joking.

Time for work and Kiena will prepare for her duties too, following Mur'dah as far as she can before kissing him and wishing him clear skies and good flying (and probably whispering a few sweet nothings and other things not-so sweet and quite crude to let his imagination chew over).


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