Xanadu Weyr - Beach
The unerring range of subdued white rises and falls in a multitude of sandy dunes, creating an endless amount of tiny valleys constantly demolished and rebuilt by the frequent arrival or departure of a dragon. Smoothing out as it slopes gently to the edge of the deep blue water, the sand darkens and a shell here and there stands out for children to collect. The beach itself is set along a low cliff - the height lessoning as one heads eastwards, blocking a portion of the beach from direct access.
The wide wide stretch of water opens up to the east, the far distant shore way beyond the horizon and the beach curves ever so slowly round to east and west, distant arms of land embracing the wind-ruffled Caspian Lake. East leads up to the mouth of the Rubicon River, where the protecting cliff is merely an arms length higher then the sand, and beyond that, a winding road leading out of Xanadu's territory. Westwards, the beach narrows as the cliff swings out, leaving a path wide enough for dragons in single file before cutting in to the sheltered cove designated the Weyrling Beach. However, cut in the cliff face to the north are a variety of rough, wide staircases, providing access to the clearing and to the meadow.
A gorgeous sun-set is just beginning over the lake as M'nol wanders from the Weyrling portion of the beach to the beach shared by the entire Weyr. He'd sent Phy a note to ask her to meet him and he really hoped she'd show. Today was the day… the day he was going to take her into the skies. Faraeth gave a happy bugle as he swoops to the beach from over the lake, landing nimbly with a neat backwing.
Phylicia is actually here early this time, but not so early she's bored from waiting. No, instead she's perched on a small pile of stacked (and dried) floatslam. It looks more or less like she's freshly bathed. Her brown hair is down and still minorly damp in some places, though the rest of it falls in soft almost-waves. As Faraeth lands her face splits into a smile and she claps from the distance she's at. Far enough away where she's not going to get showered with sand. For the moment, M'nol has her back. Or at least her side, which she's not paying attention to.
Phy's long hair momentarily causes Morl to run his fingers through his own nearly non-existent hair, missing his longer hair of his earlier days. He sighs, a stupid grin on his face, then he tip-toes up behind Phy and places his hand over her eyes, "Guess who!"
Phylicia is trying not to be jumpy, but nonetheless as her eyes get covered, she squeaks in surprise, starting in her seat before she settles down, her heart still beating in her throat. "I thiiiink…" She drawls out, lifting one hand to gently pry one of his off her eyes. "That it's a dragonrider behind me!" And she twists, grinning up at Morl from her seat. "Am I right?"
M'nol chuckles, a big smile on his face, "You'd be right about that indeed." He releases her eyes, moving one hand to her shoulder, "But the real question is, what're we going to do tonight?"
Phylicia smiles, twisting in her seat enough to more or less face him, but not get her legs caught up in her skirts. "Well, I was hoping you'd tell me." She says with an impish smile, pulling his note out from her small pouch. "Sunset at the beach, M'nol?" Oh yes, she's likely being baited for something and she cares not. This is playing to her romantic fantasies far too well!
M'nol smiles, "Well… if it were my decision… the sunset's nice, but would you like to get a little closer to it?" Faraeth rumbles happily, knowing exactly where is rider is going with that one. "Whadda ya think?"
Phylicia's head twitches to look at Faraeth as he rumbles, but that lasts only a moment before she turns back to look at M'nol again, and gingerly stands up from her pile of floatslam. Wouldn't do to get a splinter, afterall. "I think I'd like that." She says simply, holding her hand out to him. "A lot. Lead on, sir." She finishes, looking extremely happy or thrilled. Or both.
M'nol smiles big, teeth showing between his teeth, "Well, then, I'll get up and help you from his back. It's easier that way." Faraeth rumbles happily, cocking his elbows to lower his neck to ease the climb. M'nol checks the straps carefully before reaching up and hoisting himself onto Faraeth's neckridges. He settles and straps himself in before reaching a hand down to Phy, "M'lady?"
Phylicia gladly takes the offered hand to help her up, /especially/ since she's in skirts. If she would have known they'd be riding, she would've changed into one of the few pairs of slacks she does own But thankfully her overskirt is long enough to cover her legs at least down to her knees. But lets say that M'nol better be careful where his eyes wander otherwise. With very little grace she gets herself settled on Faraeth's neck with some laughing, shaking her head. "I've only ridden a-dragonback, oh… twice? in my life?" She laughs as she shifts again. "And then only on greens, or blues." She can't quite seem to get entirely comfortable, but she's still enjoying herself. "Faraeth, you're /big/."
Faraeth rumbles happily at Phy's compliment and M'nol chuckles, "He says thanks." M'nol reaches carefully and very gentlemanly around Phy to buckle the passenger straps, letting his arms linger around her just a moment, before he turns back forward, "Hang on, he pushes off harder than a green, too."
Phylicia doesn't seem to mind his arms around her at all, and in fact, returns the favor when he warns her to hold on. "This should be somewhere between 'interesting' and 'scary'!" She says in his ear, her arms tightening around his waist. "Let me know if I squeeze too tight?" Is the softer, sheepish follow up.
M'nol chuckles, resting his right hand on hers, "If you manage to squeeze to hard, I'll buy you a present." He gives the quick command to Faraeth and the dragon pushes up off the ground, sweeping his gossamar wings, taking them higher up into the thermals above the lake.
Phylicia squeaks as Faraeth launches up into the sky, her arms jerking tighter around M'nol's middle with a short laugh as she buries the side of her face against his back, her hair whipping out behind her. Talk about a blow drying job. "Don't dare me, M'nol. I might squeeze for the fun of it!" And she's virtually shouting, since the air tends to rip words away before they carry too far.
M'nol chuckles as Faraeth settles out to an easy glide, cutting the wind sound down considerably, "Not sure as I'd object to that." He looks out in silence at the sunset for a moment, then sighs, "Beautiful, isn't it?"
Phylicia tightens her arms just a little bit so he knows that she isn't scared or anything, but tightening her grip because she wants to. She then raises her head off of his back, looking towards the sunset, which she can see quite clearly. "It really is…" She murmurs softly, which he may or may not be able to hear. But in a moment of peacefulness, her head finds his back again, and she exhales in a happy sigh. Happy Phy!
M'nol smiles, inhaling slowly, then sighing softly, "It's not as pretty as you, though…" He turns slightly, so he can put an arm around her as Faraeth rumbles again, winging his way across the sea.
Phylicia twists enough so he can put an arm around her without either of them ending up in a totally messed up position. One hand leaves off squeezing to stroke Faraeth's neck beneath her as he soars, then tries to find a comfy position against M'nol again. "Now that," She says, smiling at him sweetly. "is sweet." If a little gag worthy, but like we've noted before; that works.
M'nol smiles more, glad for her assistance in making them more comfortable, "Sweet like a bubbly pie or sweet like burnt sugar on a doughnut?"
"Bubbly pie." Phylicia responds with a smile, definitely content with the way things are going, as she looks at the sunset, before shivering. She kinda forgot to get a jacket, she did. "Definitely bubbly pie."
M'nol smiles happily, holding her tighter when she shivers, "That's good… Are you getting cold? I could go to the hold across the lake…"
Phylicia nods, her arm tightening around him again. "I am…" She sounds almost guilty at being cold. "If I knew we were gonna go flying, I would've asked for a riding jacket.." And then where he suggests they go brings a faint blush to her face that has nothing to do with the passing air flow. "Do you think they'd mind? The holders?"
M'nol chuckles, "I don't think so. I think it's empty." He grins big, "And there are pillows and blankets in his saddle bags. I learned from last time."
"You did." Phylicia chuckles as she tucks herself against him as much as she can, starting to tremble slightly from the cold now. Sunset isn't exactly the warmest times of the day, though its certainly beautiful. "Lets go down to the hold then. I'm not scheduled until late tomorrow at the infirmary."
Rubicon River Hold - Landing Cliff
Faraeth flies smoothly over the form of Rubicon River hold, backwinging neatly onto the dragon landing area. M'nol smiles and reaches back to unbuckle Phy, his arms lingering again before he unbuckles himself. He offers her his hand, "Want to slide down first?"
Phylicia's arms tighten breifly as she braces herself against the landing, which still jars her a little bit anyways. But she definitely isn't fighting as M'nol's arms linger, and she takes his hand, her eyes laughing and lips smiling. "I probably should. Otherwise you might get more of an eyeful than I'd care for." She teases.
M'nol blushes, shifting to allow her to slide cleanly down Faraeth's leg with his help, "An eyeful? Of what?"
Phylicia slides down, which is a much easier process than the mounting of Faraeth was. "Of leg." She says with a grin, before she murmurs under her breath. "Among other things." And indeed on her way down, her skirt does hike up quite a ways, but falls easily back into place when she's on the ground, peering up at him and waiting with a smile.
M'nol slides down as well, swinging his leg cleanly over Faraeth's neck and sliding to the ground. He smiles and reaches into Faraeth's strap-bag to pull out two fluffy pillows and a large plush blanket, then raises an eyebrow to her, "These work?"
Phylicia finishes fluffing her skirt back into place, watching as M'nol pulls out the pillows and the large blanket. "Oh wonderful!" She says enthusiastically before she looks around the landing ledge, trying to see if that one handy thing is here as well. "Oo. Even if the hold /is/ populated, there's a guest weyr, M'nol." She says cheerfully, point to the proper area which has a blessedly visible sign to it.
M'nol smiles broadly, "Great! It's good you noticed it." He tucks the pillows under one arm, blissfully oblivious to Phy's near skirt-malfunction, and motions with one arm towards the guest weyr, "Care to lead the way, m'lady?"
Phylicia takes the large blanket and folds it over her 'free' arm, whether he wanted her to do that or not. She then smiles and then with her true free arm, loops it through M'nol's guesturing arm. "I think walking together sounds better." She says in a perky tone, and starts walking towards the guest weyr, her shivers having alieviated slightly, but not entirely.
M'nol smiles softly as she takes his arm and willingly begins to walk with her to the guest weyr, Faraeth following behind, "I'd be glad to walk with you, Phy, as far as you want to walk. Now let's get you under a blanket."