Xanadu Weyr - Weyrsecond and Jr Weyrwomans' Office
Office or study? Perhaps this room is a little of both. It is spacious and airy with the big windows opposite the door looking northwards, a perfect aspect when one is this far south. Those windows are framed by dark forest green drapes, soft ribbons and braid in dark, rich gold sewn along the edges to give them a sumptuous look. The back wall is covered by shelves that hold a variety of things - mostly records and reference material as well as writing tools and sheets of hide and paper. Tapestries, including several lovely scenes of the terrain around Xanadu Weyr, cover the rest of the wall-space while a soft, plain off-white rug hides the stone floor. A small, low table sits by the door and usually has some refreshment set out on it.
Several broad desks are arranged around the room, each one set so someone sitting at it doesn't look directly at any of the others. Small screens can be set up on each desk to give a little more privacy and each has one comfortable chair that goes with it. So far, it looks like one desk has a permanent claimant. There are also several other chairs, which can be used by visitors.
Some things a person can deal with easily and quickly, other things require a more… delicate touch. While most weyrwoman's work is tedious paperwork and (mostly boring) problem-solving, Thea has found herself with a rather interesting problem to solve. And so it is that she has called a gardener and a newly-graduated bronzerider to her office to provide the solution. She sits at her desk, writing in a ledger of some sort awaiting their arrival.
Cenlia arrives at the office looking wary, and rather nervous. The girl knocks quietly, as if reluctant to enter, worrying her bottom lip while a hatchling gold flit peers around from her shoulder. The rest of the girl's flock is absent, and she's back in her usual garden attire. Glancing around, she almost seems to be looking for a place to hide.
Easy footsteps mark R'owan's arrival with his usual relaxed sort of attitude. Settling into life as a transport wingrider isn't all that much different than what he'd done before impressing so it's quite easy to fit into that niche in weyr life comfortably. So, there's no ill ease as he slips himself through the doorway. Thea is practically family to him, afterall, so why be nervous about going to her office? The young man straitens himself, though, "You wanted to see me, Thea?" He asks, and then casts a sideways glance towards the gardener, lifting one eyebrow. "Hey Cen. Long time no ovine." Which is probably his way of saying 'long time no see'.
At the knock, Thea calls, "Come on in!" As Cenlia enters, the junior lays the pen down and closes the ledger, leaning back in her seat with a smile that could only be described as secretive and amused. But her greeting itself is friendly, easy. "Hi Cen. Haven't seen ya in awhile. How're-" R'owan's entry stops the question as her pale eye light up in welcome, "Hi you!" Her lips curve into a grin as she's nodding in answer to his question. "No ovines. I'm good with that. Have a seat you two. We need to talk." Well, that might sound ominous, if it weren't for Thea's beaming face. But then again, her obvious pleasure might be in something scary. Crazy goldriders abound, the tale go.
The arriving footsteps have Cenlia turning to spot R'owan, the gardener girl relaxing a bit when she recognizes him. Cenlia manages a grin for the bronzerider, and a, "Hey," as she wrinkles her nose at the mention of an ovine. As for Thea, Cenlia has an idea of why she's here… whether it's correct or not, well. Turning to the weyrwoman, Cenlia blurts out, "It weren't my fault! Was an accident, I swear. And it was just a plate of sammiches. 'Sides, M'nol was right, ain't no drudge. An' we cleaned up the mess!" The teensy gold on her shoulder croons quietly and nuzzle's the girl's ear. Cen glances again at R'owan, possibly wondering what he has to do with this. She does move to take a seat, biting her lip and giving Thea's beaming face the barest of suspicious glances. Crazy goldriders indeed - Cenlia has seen Thea wield a crossbow. The gardener isn't about to relax completely. Especially if there's a bronzer nearby.
R'owan's own smile comes in reply, quirking up wryly. Still, his eyebrows lift a little, perhaps glad to see a return of some good spirits to his goldriding friend. "Sure. Is this about the seven-day off I put in for? Promised I'd take Tali out to this island I've been scouting. A celebration, you know? We're weyrmates now. I even asked all official-like." He chuckles, although there is pride in his voice and the way he walks as he sets himself down in a chair, the picture of ease. He does blink a bit at Cenlia's issue, cocking one eyebrow upward even as a small blue firelizard peeks his head out from one pocket, blinking at the light, hissing quietly, and then ducking back inside.
And there's a new crossbow to replace the one X'hil wrested from proddy Thea's fingers on the corner of Thea's desk. Why would that be there, one might wonder? It is unloaded and there are no darts visible, so it might be safe, yes? Cenlia can relax though, hmm? Thea wouldn't be likely to murder the gardener with a witness present, would she? Unless he is an accomplice! Bwaha! Cool eyes take in Cenlia as she launches into her 'defense' about sandwiches and cleaning. Thea's face is neutral as she just listens, letting the girl writhe for a bit as she answers R'owan pleasantly, "Sevenday off?" She waves a hand in the general direction of the Weyrleader's office. "Nah, that's D'son's department." His mention of islands and Tali has her smirking even while she mutters under her breath, "It’s always islands," but then her mouth spreads in a wide smile, eyes crinkle in obvious joy at his news, "You are? Congratulations!" Back to Cenlia, one hand on her desk lifts a finger slightly to point at the tiny gold, "So, what did you decide to call her?" Pause, then casually, "Got an interesting letter from a farmer in South Boll." Is that the look of a hungry feline ready to pounce its prey in Thea's eyes?
Cenlia hasn't missed that crossbow, oh no. Her eyes flicker toward it momentarily, but if it's not loaded… the girl glances back at Thea, looking wary, considering the weyrwoman doesn't seem to be reacting to the sammich-spilling incident. Cenlia blinks at R'owan, a grin re-appearing on her face when she hears about him and Tali, the gardener chuckling a, "Hey congrats!" Cenlia turns back to Thea, tilting her head and reaching up to scritch the little gold while saying, "Called her Bliss, 'cause all m' other flits suddenly st-" and the change in her expression when South Boll is mentioned is sudden and dramatic. Panic. Cenlia glups. Her eyes dart towards the crossbow for a moment, and then Cen launches into another rush of words, "It wasn't his fault! I swear. Was my idea!" And the most miserable look spreads over her face as she drops her head, "M' sorry." Sorry for what? Apparently the girl thinks she's in a lot of trouble, given the sudden hunching of her shoulders.
R'owan isn't so much worried over the crossbow, having been set strait at some point about who exactly fired in the bolt-to-the-butt incident. "Thanks." He says quickly, that grin still on his features. "I'll make sure to talk to D'son about it, then." He pauses, and glances over towards Cenlia, then. His eyes catch the gold firelizard, but then swivel back towards Thea. "So, what is this about then?" He asks directly, before quipping easily at his gardener friend, "Beautiful little one you have there, Cen. Just don't let Kassi know I said so, she'll nip me for it." He chuckles to himself, setting his hands into his pockets, one over the suspicious lump that is his most recent addition to his firelizard flock.
Thea's manner could hardly appear threatening. Why, she's downright pleasant with that little smile on her face as she listens to Cenlia. Evil planning might account for that one might surmise. Who knows what lurks in the minds of weyrwomen these days. At least Thea seems to be enjoying herself, which is a good thing, right? Right? If Thea seems to be watching Cenlia a little too closely, it is only her imagination. Or paranoia. R'owan's question is heard, at least Thea's eyes turn his way when he asks it. But she says nothing for the moment. Back to Cenlia. Do Thea's eyes pin the girl with a predatory stare? Might appear to Cenlia that way. The junior is nothing but bland as she asks, "What, exactly, was your idea?" While Cenlia forms her answer, Thea reaches down under her desk, lifts a box and passes it over to R'owan.
Cenlia gulps, not looking in Thea's direction. At the question, the gardener girl clamps her mouth shut. Not saying anything to incriminate anybody, nope. She just fixedly stares at the floor, waiting. Little gold Bliss on her shoulder makes an unhappy murble, and hunches down too. Cen looks miserable. Miserable and silent.
R'owan's eyes flip back and forth between Thea and Cenlia so quickly that one might imagine he's watching a very vigerous game of pong. "You shouldn't torture her like that you know. She's going to explode and we'll have bits of gardener to clean up everywhere." He murmurs, accepting the box offered out towards him. He plucks up what looks like an old leather jacket with a patch on the back, and one shoulder sporting a weyrsecond knot. "For me? You shouldn't have." His voice is teasing as he settles his gaze on Thea. "Guessing this is a delivery, right?"
Thea can wait too. She's the patient sort, with folks who not the annoying, overblown-ego, bronzer-forcing-their-oh-so-*cough*-studly company on her. She merely twines the fingers of her hands where the rest on the desk and waits. Silently. Patiently. R'owan's comment has her sending a flicker of a wink at him before she returns her attention to Cenlia. She snorts at the Bronzerider, smirking at him while nodding in answer to his question. "Don't make me drag Niva into this, Cen." Thea's voice is at least kind?
Cenlia, for her part, still looks miserable, and awfully guilty about something. R'owan's comment about torturing her earns the bronzerider a scowl, though as Cen's gaze lands on the jacket, her eyes go wide and she utters a startled, "That's X'hil's!" And she dives for the jacket without thinking. Probably not a good idea, since she's also diving at R'owan. She misses the comment about Niva altogether, though she'll probably regret it in a moment.
One thing R'owan certainly wasn't expecting was to be dived at by a gardener while his attention is diverted elsewhere. The jacket is all but snatched from his hands as he lets out an 'oof' of breath at being nearly slammed into. "Easy, Cen. I'm not going to eat it. Sheesh." He raises his hands up as if trying to ward off some sort of charging beast. The blue firelizard in his pocket climbs out and begins to hiss, flaring his dark wings protectively. "Easy Kucha." He puts a hand infront of the lizard, who starts trying to hiss around it at Cenlia. "Mind getting off me, though." He grunts. "You're squishing certain important body parts…" He winces.
Thea remains placid and silent through the diving. Might be she expected that reaction. She does snicker, though. Can't be helped. She eyes the blue firelizard. "He's not hurt, is he?" She shakes her head, and passes document towards Cenlia. "Came from South Boll with this." She sits back, watching while the gardener composes herself. "Have a look. D'son has read it already." All said quite casually, pleasantly even. Could be discussing the weather.
Once she has the jacket, Cenlia hugs it close, and then with a rather deep blush, she backs off from R'owan, muttering a sheepish, "Sorry." But the way she's clinging to that jacket, it might as well be some rare type of booze. The little gold on her shoulder flares her own wings, hissing back at Kucha. Cenlia, however, looks ready to bolt with the jacket. Thea's words give her pause, the girl hesitantly taking the document while maintaining a deathgrip on the jacket. Mention of D'son actually has the girl's shoulders relaxing a bit. D'son is pretty swell after all, in Cen's opinion. Cenlia reads the letter. She blinks, her expression going from worried, to baffled, to incredulous, the girl letting out a rather disbelieving, "The /chicken coop/?" There's a soft groan. But no, she's still not explaining that one.
"He's fine, just startled." R'owan replies, his voice slightly higher than normal until Cenlia's weight is fully off of him. He coughs once, and then holds out an arm for the blue lizard, who hops up still churring irritatedly as his oversized wings fold backwards. "So, is anyone going to fill me in on just what is going on here… or am I just here to look pretty and get squished by overzealous girls?" He asks with a bemused expression on his face, lifting the blue lizard up onto his shoulder, where he curls protectively, eyes still whirling red at the gardener.
Thea watches the way Cenlia hugs that jacket and her expression becomes rather thoughtful. It's pretty clear the girl is not going to talk. She flickers a look at R'owan, raising a brow at the oddly-pitched vocal tones he's using. "I'm as in the dark as you are." One hand waves at the letter, "The jacket was from the farmer's chicken coop. That's all I know." Back to Cenlia and Thea sighs, "What was your idea?" Patience wearing a bit thin? Might be.
Cenlia bites her lip, glancing from R'owan to Thea while the little gold on her shoulder settles down, eyeing R'owan's blue warily. Cenlia reads the letter again, and then glancing back at Thea, then back down to the floor, mumbling, "He took me to a gather for m' turnday." A pause. "In South Boll." Another pause. The gardener girl's gaze flickers back to the crossbow as she finally asks Thea, "X'hil ain't in trouble, is he…" and after a moment, "Y' ain't gonna go after him with that?" Finally she looks back at the weyrwoman, almost pleadingly.
R'owan shifts in his seat, now that his favorite bodyparts aren't quite so compacted. He clears his throat and turns his attention towards Cenlia. "I don't think anyone's going to get the sharp end of Thea's crossbow, Cen. Not unless my father shows up again." He chuckles slightly, still trying to keep his own mood light. There's more going on here than he knows, that much is clear. "Last I heard, going to gathers wasn't against the law or anything." Confused much?
Thea is nodding as Cenlia talks, her face is actually sympathetic when the girl isn't looking her way. "Gathers are legal," she agrees with R'owan, her eyes sharpen on the bronzer and she mutters, "He better not!" Her eyes follow Cenlia's to that crossbow on the corner of her desk. The question has Thea rubbing her face, "I'm never gonna live that one down, am I?" Suddenly she's the old Thea Cenlia knew before… before responsibility kicked in. She leans forward, eyes dancing, "Never intended to shoot him. It wasn't even loaded." Her lips curve in a conspiratorial grin, "I only have it here for him." She's smirking as she says that, one hand lifts to stab at the larger, sturdy desk that belongs to the Weyrsecond, empty right now save for a single cupcake sitting on a plate in the center of the desktop. She continues, "X'hil is Ista's problem now, so no." She lifts a hand to rub at her forehead, "Just… can ya tell me if anything was damaged that the Weyr needs to make good on?" The look Thea returns to Cenlia is just as pleading as the gardener's was a moment ago. Pleaseplease say no.
Cenlia lets out her breath, R'owan getting the briefest grin, and then her gaze flits back to Thea, the girl actually stifling a snicker as she says, "Knew it weren't loaded. X'hil didn't." There's a lopsided grin, eyes finally showing some cheer as she peers over to the desk with the cupcake, Cen saying, "For who, D'had?" But at the mention of Ista, Cenlia drops her head, saying in a small voice, "'S my fault he left." Whether or not it's true, Cenlia certainly believes it. She doesn't immediately answer about any damages, though the girl shakes her head. However, she's not looking up, and it might be because there are tears forming. Yep, /tears/. Just what /did/ happen in South Boll?
"He won't. Although I'm sorely tempted to take a delivery route to Fort just to have Nyunath bugle next to his cottage at the crack of dawn." R'owan does have a little bit of a vengeful streak, but it's not as loud as some others. His eyes turn towards the crossbow again, raising one eyebrow at the thought. Poor D'had? Poor Thea? "I don't think it's anyone's fault he…" R'owan cuts himself off, looking towards Cenlia again with a worried expression. "What's wrong?" There's more concern in his voice now, dropping the more jovial attitude for true worry over a friend.
"That was my intention," Thea says smugly. She can't help but add, "Scared him all the way to Ista." Snort. She nods in reply to Cenlia, "Mmm, yes. For D'had. I'm his official bodyguard now." Her eyes dance, "I scare away the gals that he's running from with it." So the office has become more interesting of late. Might be partly why the junior is in better spirits these days? She flickers R'owan a grin, "Tempting as it is…" She's not going to tell him what to do, nope. He's all grown up now. Her snickering fades completely at Cenlia's tears, there's a soft, "Oh, hey!" And she's getting up, making her way around that desk to kneel beside her, trying to look up at her, one hand reaching to pat her shoulder if she'll allow it. "I'm sure that's not true, Cenlia. Listen, he's just waiting for you to grow up, he told me that once. He's mad about you."
Sniffle. Cenlia looks painfully embarrassed, rubbing quickly at her eyes and grumbling a too-quick, "Nothin'," at R'owan. But then Thea's approaching and there's shoulder-patting, and Cenlia immediately attempts to wave the weyrwoman away with a, "I'm fi-" and then Thea says what now? Cenlia looks absolutely horrifed, "WHAT?!" Her cheeks go crimson, and she looks at the weyrwoman like Thea might have grown an extra head or something. Dropping the jacket, Cenlia backpedals, and premptly falls off her chair.
R'owan just about stares at the chaos going on around him. The crying starts Kucha churring again under his breath, the little lizard's wings fanning. The bronzerider nearly gets out of his seat when Thea pre-empts that decision and then the news that comes out of her mouth has him blinking with some surprise. "Wha…?" Ever seen a fish out of water? Yeah, that's pretty much what Ro's expression reads as at the moment. And then, there goes Cenlia falling off her chair. "Oh boy…" Shaking his head, the rider rolls his eyes a little bit, getting to his feet even as his blue lizard begins to prowl back and forth across his shoulders. "You okay, Cen?" He offers a hand out to her as Kucha hops off and hovers at the edge of the abandoned chair.
"Shells," It's softly muttered and as full of dismay as one could make it. Thea reaches a hand to stop the fall, doesn't quite manage to catch Cenlia but offers a hand to help her up. She drops it as R'owan stands. "Uh, sorry. Might've been a slight exaggeration on my part, Cen." Yeah, someone's been out of touch with her friend for too long. Someone's got some explaining to do and she stays right there on her knees as she does it, "I thought you liked him, so one day I asked him about you? And his words were, 'Cenlia's too young'." Wince. So much for matchmaking. She pauses, "Why do think he left because of you?" Is there anything that isn't complicated about the girl?
Bliss chitters scoldingly at Thea as the little gold's shoulder-perch of a human suddenly finds itself on the floor. There's a rather surprised 'gah' from Cenlia, but she is still looking at the weyrwoman like Thea might have lost it, though she accepts R'owan's hand up and then looks indignant and grumbling, "That's a shardin' load o' manure." She nods to R'owan, "Yeah, 'm fine," and rubs her butt. As Thea explains, Cenlia snorts, "Shardin' /right/ - X'hil is /old/." Okay, maybe not that old. But old enough for Cen's cheeks to turn redfruit-hued at the mere suggestion. Probably doesn't help that she was clinging to the man's lost jacket just now. Speaking of said jacket, Cen moves to retrieve it from where she dropped the thing, giving Thea a glare and grumbling, "He just did." Her explanations certainly need work. But she averts her eyes, expression torn between embarrassed and guilty. Heh, complicated? You betcha.
After helping Cenlia to her feet, R'owan just rubs at the back of his neck, looking a little bit lost. "So, just what was I supposed to be doing with that jacket, Thea?" He asks, motioning towards it with one hand before looking again at the goldrider. "Because I don't think I'm going to be able to pry it out of Cenlia's hands unless you've got another bombshell like the last one to drop on her." He's back to joking, which means that he can't think things are too serious at the moment. Leaning slightly against the chair, his blue lizard clambers up along his arm and settles again like some watchtower sentry.
Thea sighs and tosses up her hands. She's done. She rises from the floor and heads back to her chair plops down in it, props her elbows on the desk and buries her face in her hands, rubbing it in frustration, then just stills. For a long time she remains silent. Finally, she lifts her head, gazing at Cenlia and her voice is tired when she speaks. "Whatever. I'm tired of trying to understand and you've apparently decided I'm not someone you can trust. Fine. That works both ways. Just… take the jacket back to X'hil, please." He tone is crisp, "R'owan, I'm trusting you to get her there safely. Without incident." She pulls a copy of another letter from her desk drawer. "Just take this-" She slides it across the desk to Cenlia. "Along with you when you return home." It bears the signatures of D'son and whoever else Cenlia conned into signing they'd keep her out of trouble. Her eyes flick towards R'owan. "Delivery to Ista. Delivery to South Boll. Got it?"
Cenlia blinks at R'owan, looking sheepish and loosening her grip on the jacket just a bit. Cenlia watches Thea warily, but at what the woman says, the gardener winces slightly, her face falling. She seems about to protest, but then closes her mouth again. There's an odd set to her jaw as she silently turns for the door without another word to Thea or R'owan.
R'owan's face falls again, and his hands shove into his pockets. This certainly is not how he had hoped his early days as a rider would go. He doesn't answer Thea's request at first, looking instead at Cenlia's turned back. He turns on his heel and looks at Thea almost pleadingly, "Thea… Do I really have to do this?" Apparently his loyalty to his friend is warring with his duty as a rider already, and he hasn't even been one officially for more than a seven day or two.
Thea's lips remain firmly pressed together as Cenlia stands and turns. Perhaps it is only R'owan who will see them tremble as tears gather in the pale green of her eyes. "Cenlia." It's a low-voiced plea. "I can't keep you out of trouble, that's only something you can do." She draws a shaky breath, "I… was your friend once, would still be if you'd let me. But you've pushed me away… and I let you." Her voice cracks and she clears her throat harshly. "I'm sorry, but if you can't trust the Weyrstaff, just why are you here?" She slides a look toward R'owan, "That is up to Cenlia." Meaning it is not too late, maybe? "Cenlia?"
Cenlia pauses at the door, wincing again at R'owan's question and looking perhaps a little sorry. The look she gives Thea is more guarded, the girl quiet a moment before finally saying, stubbornly perhaps, "I ain't gettin' X'hil in trouble again." And then there's a lift of her chin as she shoots back pointedly, "I stand by my friends." Meaning X'hil. Of course, what she thinks he may have done wrong is debatable. But it's clear the girl's loyalty to the now-Istan bronzer is absolute. Her hands tighten on the jacket as she says more softly, "Would do the same for you." And she just stands there.
R'owan's face is a somber mask as his shoulders hunch forward slightly. Something about this conversation seems familiar. Eerily familiar. Like a certain time that a certain goldrider had thought that Ro' was trying to push her away. Deja moo. The feeling that you've heard this bull before. Still, he just stands there, letting his eyes slowly look back towards Cenlia, even as his little blue firelizard starts to pick at his shoulder knot. Yep, he's regretting that knot at the moment.
“Fine, stand by him." Thea's a little exasperated. "But if you can't trust me to help you sort out stuff like this-" She sighs, "I mean it, Cen, I can't keep you out of trouble and with things the way they are between Xanadu and Ista? I don't need this!" She eyes that jacket. "And I'm not risking jail again, or I'd take it back to X'hil myself. And get to the bottom of it." She eyes R'owan. Perhaps something about the way he's looking has her asking a little pointedly, "You have any other suggestions then?" Back to Cenlia, "You're upset and I am trying to help. I'm not asking for the details. Forget it! But I know you're not fine - don't lie and tell me you are!" So that came out a little more forcefully than she intends, her voice softens, pleading, "Tell me what I can do?" It's not often Thea is totally defeated.
The mention of Ista and jail has Cenlia cringing, the girl eyeing the floor once again. Cenlia opens her mouth but doesn't speak yet, looking embarrassed when Thea accuses her of not being fine. There's a brief look toward R'owan, and then back to the floor, not looking at Thea, but not leaving either. Finally, after a long moment, Cenlia murmurs, "There ain't nothing you /can/ do…" and Cenlia, too, looks defeated. But she raises her gaze to Thea, saying at last, "Sir Kinseth, he asked…" she looks rather pained, but continues nevertheless, "he /asked/ me not to let X'hil-" the girl bites her lip, interrupting herself worriedly, "Dun think X'hil even knew he did." But Cen's shaking her head, repeating her earlier statement, "'S my fault he left." Seeming downcast, the girl eventually grumbles, "I can talk to my da. We ain't /done/ nothin' wrong," eyes back up to meet Thea's gaze if the weyrwoman is still looking at her, "I swear." A pause. "An' if we did, then 's my fault, an' I'll pay for it."
R'owan quickly shifts his eyes away, shaking his head from side to side. "No suggestions." He's already proved just how quickly how easily he can put his foot into his mouth when dealing with certain people, and as much as he may like leather, he's not really interested in repeating the experience. Still, worry marks his brow as he looks towards Cenlia, trying to make some sort of sense out of her words. Sometimes it's as if girls speak an entirely different language, one that doesn't have a dictionary and the rules change so often that even they don't understand each other half the time. "Kinseth asked you not to let X'hil… what?" He asks, perhaps being a bit more direct than necessary. There's probably steam coming out of the poor lad's ears, his brain working overtime to try to figure out just what he's been dragged into.
"Asked X'hil not to?" Thea prompts at the same time R'owan asks his question, her eyes slide from Cenlia to the bronzerider and back. As she waits for an answer, her dark brows lower and she mutters irritably, "It's not either your fault X'hil left, so stop it. He didn't leave because he was in trouble." At least not that she knows of. Cenlia's insistence she's done nothing wrong in south Boll receives an, "Alright, I'll take your word for it, but talk to Journeyman Dobrerin, repay his postage for shipping the jacket and comply with his wishes about announcing yourself in the future when visiting with Riders from this Weyr."
Cenlia, eyes downcast, chews her lower lip, but remains quiet about what Kinseth had asked her not to let X'hil do. After all, Cen doesn't know why the bronzer left, or if he really was in trouble somehow because of their last booze heist, but the girl isn't about to give anything more away in case she betray her friend. Instead, raising her head to nod when Thea mentions Journeyman Dobrerin, Cen saying quietly, "Will talk to my Da."
R'owan could be a fly on the wall for all the impact he's had on things, but that doesn't seem to bother him all that much. He places his hands back into his pockets and then looks towards Thea with one eyebrow raised. "So… delivery to Ista. Delivery to South Boll. Delivery back home to Xanadu?" Yes, he's reaching at the moment, but he wants to be sure just what the end result of all this emotional, possibly hormonal girl-chaos is. "I really don't know if Nyunath'd let her go anyways. You know dragons when they get attached to people." He's lying, but at least he's trying to stand by his friends.
Who stands by Thea these days? might be the look on Thea's weary face. "Listen, please both of you. I'm just doing my job. I don't like this, but trust is a choice. We all live together, we cooperate together and sometimes we have to work at making this happen." She glances at Cenlia at that last, giving her one last chance, "Can you tell me what is worrying you about X'hil's leaving here? Because I can tell you this - he ran away before because he was all paranoid about his bronze flying his mother's green. Went to Ierne to live for years… risked both his dragon and mine during the plague to avoid it, too." For someone who obviously had issues with the man, her voice is merely tired as she reveals this. "It really ate at him, Cenlia. All the time." R'owan's question has her sighing some of her tension out. "Unless I can get some cooperation from Cenlia, it is Ista, Boll." She leaves off Xanadu, ignoring his bit about dragons. She sees right through that.
There's a grateful glance toward the bronzerider as Cenlia stands there, eyebrow rising slightly at R'owan when when he mentions his dragon. She knows it's a lie, of course, but she isn't complaining. Her gaze returns to Thea, listening to what the woman says, though it's likely that any trust the gardener girl had in the weyrwoman is long vanished. "Don't see what me worryin' about X'hil has got to do with trust," Cenlia frowns, "He's m' /friend/. An' I know why he ran off last time - I was /there/." There's a slight grimace, the girl recalling the incident, and then there's another shrug, and a grumbled, "Mebbe he saw his ma again."
R'owan would stand by Thea for most things, but this is something that he simply doesn't quite understand. Responsibility, it's still something the fledgling bronzerider is trying to avoid at all costs with the exception of his wing duties, so understanding the role of a weyrwoman? Good luck, he's not born with the right equipment for that. So, Ro' just sighs to hismelf and shoves his hands into his pockets sulkily. "I'll take her wherever she needs to go, when someone's sure that's what needs to be done." The key phrase, of course is … 'wherever she needs to go'. Not necessarily that his trip would end in South Boll. "I'm just the delivery boy with the big bronze-butted runner with wings, remember?"
"I was referring to trusting me enough to talk to me." Thea doesn't understand what is going on in Cenlia's mind. How could she? "I can see you don't. I wish we could change that, but if you're not willing to talk, how can we?" She's beyond explaining the stress the girl's escapades have put her through. A look is sent R'owan's way, "You're more than that, Ro. I wouldn't have asked you to come if I didn't trust you." She lowers her eyes, stares at her desk for a long few moments. Then, with a sigh she looks up at Cenlia, "I was hoping my ultimatum would prompt you to be honest with me. Since it hasn't, I'll let you know that before the decision is made, you'll be seeing Niva." There's a tired finality in her voice. "Whatever they decide, I wish you would think about what I've done to betray your trust. I'm tired of losing the people I care about. I don't think I can take one more." Ysa, Enkavir… who's next in otherwords.
Cenlia glances from R'owan to Thea, the gardener girl clamping her mouth shut in a frown. "Ain't got nothin' t' do with trust," Cenlia grumbles sulkily, but invoking the senior weyrwoman does cause the girl to gulp. She returns her gaze to the floor, silently, shoulders hunched as the little gold hatchling on her shoulder sneaks under her hair and mrrs quietly. But, perhaps immaturely, Cenlia shoots back at Thea's last comment, "You're the one who should be thinkin' 'bout it, I'm just the gardener. What do I know." Grumpy teenager wins over wisdom. Alas.
R'owan's face softens a little as he shakes his head slightly at Thea. "Not what I meant." He lifts his eyebrows a little, looking quite the part of a boy who has bitten off more than he can chew in the responsibility department. "Just mean that I don't know much about all this. What it's like to be responsible for a weyr. Should probably learn at some point, especially since tall pale and bronzy might get lucky someday. Still, right now I'm pretty clueless." He shrugs his shoulders, and holds out an arm for the blue firelizard who clambers up onto his arm, still looking disgruntled. "S'far as I see, Cen's beating herself up enough thinking that she's the cause of X'hil leaving for Ista." He speaks softly, trying to play a very inexperienced diplomat card. "Think about it, Thea. You're asking her to trust you. But maybe she feels it might be betraying X'hil's trust if she did say anything. Sometimes loyalties don't line up so nice."
Thea's totally confused as to where the girl is coming from.' "Don't ya think I have? I can't come up with a thing I've ever done to you." It is said without heat, just tired-sounding. "You're the one who has the answers I'd be willing to listen to." She takes a breath, opens her mouth to say something more when R'owan speaks. Her eyes shift towards him and she nods at his first comments, listening to the rest. About getting lucky? "Weyrling training prepares folks to be responsible folk. I have a hard time understanding why so few seem to remember that training." She mulls over the rest before speaking, "Yes I pretty much get that she doesn't want to betray X'hil. Frankly I think neither of them shows much common sense." She closes her eyes, rubs her temples with both hands, adding without opening them, "It's these kinds of things that sometimes make intra-Weyr relations difficult." Whatever 'these things' are. She's still in the dark. Green eyes open and meet Cenlia's, one hand lifts the letters and holds them out to Cenlia. "Take these to Niva, please. She'll decide." A flicker of a glance towards R'owan, "I think Cenlia will go by herself." She rises, steps to the door and opens it for the gardener. And yes, she'll be standing there to watch that the girl makes it to the Senior's office.
Cenlia's eyes lift, blinking in surprise at R'owan, perhaps not having expected it to be laid out so clearly. He's hit the metaphorical nail on the head, though, Cen biting her lip and then telling the bronzer, "Y'ain't /that/ clueless. Can see bettern' /some/ people," eyes never moving toward the goldrider, but her tone is just the slightest bit acidic. Taking the letters wordlessly, there's no reply to Thea's words, the girl squaring her shoulders and walking out with only a coldly grumbled, "Yes, ma'am," at Thea. She does stalk to the Senior Weyrwoman's office, letters in hand, and perhaps a bit paler than usual. But her face shows clearly that right now, even /that/ direction might be preferable to staying and facing the junior weyrwoman.
R'owan takes a deep breath, trying not to make a face at the insinuation that he's forgotten his training. "I haven't forgotten anything. But there's a big difference between weyrling lessons and actual practice." The young man lifts his irritated blue firelizard back into his pocket, where he curls up with only his tail sticking out, still twitching at all the sound. It's day. It's sleeping time! Stupid humans. "You can't tell me that you learned everything you need to know about running a weyr as a weyrling?" He raises an eyebrow, almost daring Thea to argue that particular point. Still, he lets it go after that, and looks towards Cenlia with a sympathetic look. "I try. When you need me, just have a lizard come nip me in the rear, okay?"
Cenlia pauses and glances back at the bronzer. There's a brief nod to R'owan, and perhaps a thankful look, but the girl pointedly avoids glancing Thea's way, instead turning and continuing her march to the Senior Weyrwoman's office. And perhaps gulping as she reaches to knock on the door.
See what happens to Cenlia as she Visits Weyrwoman Niva.
Thea watches Cenlia leave silently, her eyes track her progress to Niva's office, watching until she is let in and the door has shut. She lets out a long, exasperated breath before turning to R'owan with a blink. "Huh? No no. I was referring to a bronze-butt twit who should know better than to drag a teenager on wild escapades as first a Weyrsecond, then a Weyrleader. Not you." Her voice is shaky with the stress she's under. She needs to sit, but rather than retreating behind her desk, she plops down in the seat Cenlia had. "Learned a lot of it during Weyrlinghood, yes. They gave us extra lessons." She stares absently as the floor for a beat, "Didn't learn everything though." Her eyes lift to his and there's a bit of a desperate appeal in hers, "Has she ever told you what I did to her?"
R'owan seems a bit surprised by Thea's change in attitude, but perhaps it's more the difference in the relationship the two share. "Well, that's X'hil for you. Can't expect a knot to change a man." He glances out the door, and then takes a step closer to Thea, keeping his voice lower. "Probably should hide whatever vintage it was the weyrleader and weyrwoman were getting into the night they decideded that was a good call to make." He's kidding of course, and the slight quirk of his mouth shows it as he reaches a hand out to set it on Thea's shoulder. "I haven't a clue, Thea. I just count myself lucky that Tali's a tomboy. She's easy to read. The rest of you girls just confuse the living daylights out of me."
It probably is mostly that. It could be partly that he has joined the ranks of Xanadu's bronzeriders who will know and should know Weyr politics, if only a little too late to avoid what they'd Impressed themselves into. To his words, she snorts, "He should never have gotten it in the first place! Niva was drunk when she saddled us with him and it wasn't wine. Was potato ale." Bitter the words, but the tone is just tired. No mention of Cenlia. There's just nothing more to say about her once-friend. His pat on her shoulder has her relaxing just a bit, but the mention of Tali has her grinning outright. "And no more worries about healers butt-grabbing you, huh?" Her old sparkle is back as she gives him a saucy wink.
"Right. Avoid the potato ale." R'owan says with his usual dry sort of wit, smirking a little bit. His eyes do roll a bit in his head. "Oh, I still worry about it. That healer still is posted here, you know." He casts a quick, furtive glance at his own rear end, as if it still held some sort of brand from being touched so offensively such a very, very long time ago. "I think I'm safe for the time being, though. If he comes near my rear again, I'll have Nyunath sit on him." Dragons, useful for so many things. "You need to relax, though. Go grab that dragon of yours and catch some air. Steal some time away. The weyr will still be here, and you'll feel better for it."
"And drunk Weyrwomen." Thea nods sagely before growling, "Yes, he's still here. But… I don't think he'll be touching you again. Ever. Or anyone else like that, for that matter." Her snicker is downright malicious as she pats the crossbow on the corner of her desk, purring, "Unloaded crossbows come in handy for many things." She hmms at getting away, smirking, "Got away for five days to Ista." Doesn't that count? But no, she's not that dumb. "Maybe sometime… if I had a place I wanted to go, someone to go with. Not all that fun going somewhere alone." Her smile is there, just a bit wobbly. "I'll be alright."
R'owan's expression is incredulous as he looks at Thea, lifting his hand from her shoulder and folding both arms over his chest. No, he isn't about to let her get out of things quite -that- easily. "Alright then. The next gather at a foreign weyr or hold that comes around, you're coming with me." He thumbs towards his chest. He doesn't seem about to give her a chance to worm out of it, glancing down at his pocket as if remembering something. "I should head out, though. Kucha hasn't been fed in a while." It's hard to tell if he's making up a reason to go, or if the lizard's lack of movement is just due to his now-dark confines. "I've got one more run to take care of, too. Can't shirk my duties you know. Senkyou'd have my hide."
Thea laughs at that, "Alright it's a deal, but you should know I pretty much hate huge crowds." She shakes her head, "I'm hopeless, I know." She rises at his last words, "I won't keep you, then." She's stepping back towards her desk and her work, "Senkyou would have to go through me first." There's a chuckle at that, "Though I might have to get creative with her. She's not afraid of crossbows."
"Sigh. My poor hide. So wanted by everyone." R'owan places an arm to his forehead as if he were truly put out by such things. Then, with a smirk, he lets both hands drop to his sides. "Just let me know if you need anything else, okay? And you don't have to threaten me with a crossbow to get it." With that, the young bronzerider turns to the door, his firelizard's head peeking out from his pocket to give one last, parting look at Thea.