Boozed Riders
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Xanadu Weyr - Caverns

A massive cavern in it's own right, this one has been skillfully adapted for human habitation. The high ceilings have been painted a light, soft ivory, as are the walls where numerous tapestries hang to provide brilliant color and insulation from the stone. The floor has been left in its natural state, pale pink granite speckled through with glittering mica and dark flecks of basalt, leveled carefully but kept sufficiently rough to avoid slips.

The cavern itself is loosely divided into areas, each one set up to be suitable for some segment of the Weyr's population. The most frequently occupied area, however, is the one near the Kitchens where tables of varying sizes provide a place to sit down and eat or chat and a buffet of consumables is almost always kept stocked. Its plain that on most days, this area wouldn't accommodate anywhere near the full population of the Weyr and equally plain that on such occasions when a formal meal is laid out, tables are appropriated from all the other areas.

A big fireplace is set into the wall near the Kitchens as well, several comfortable chairs nearby providing haunts for elderly residents or riders who like a good view of all that happens. Rugs cover the floor in strategic spots, all of them abstract or geometric in design and most in the softly neutral colors of undyed wool.


The caverns are mostly empty just now, the lull between lunch and dinner in full swing. In one corner, though, sits a poor brownrider, covered head to toe in firelizards so it seems that he can't even stand. M'nol looks completely exasperated, though he's not struggling against them… anymore…

It's at that time that K'vin chooses to go out and just enjoy some drink and maybe some sweets as well. He waves at M'nol and smiles. "Heya."

Cenlia enters the caverns, her own firelizard faire having been left back in the garden. Only one tiny, hatchling gold perches on the girl's shoulder, peering about with curiosity. The gardener looks to be in good spirits, and apparently is catching a late breakfast or early lunch, as she heads for the food tables. Slung over one shoulder is a large leather bag, which sloshes somewhat as she moves. Grabbing some meatrolls and a glass, the girl looks around and spots the firelizard perch of a rider over there. Snickering a little, she makes her way over with a, "Hey," in greeting to M'nol and K'vin.

M'nol tries to raise his hand in greeting, but finds it weighted down by two brown bodies, so instead he smiles, "Howdy… my flits're holding me hostage."

K'vin grins and sits down at M'nol's table. "So I see." He says simply. "Too much firelizards it seems." He says simply. "You should stop standing for clutches like this."

Cenlia peers at M'nol, "Holdin' ya hostage? What for?" The little gold on her shoulder peers at the other firelizards and chirps.

M'nol gives a decent attempt at a shrug, causing Aventurine to glare down at him from atop his head, "Near as I can tell? Keep me from runnin' off to see Phy again. R'zel's trying to finagle a way to get her re-assigned here, but the silly things seem to think I'll ruin it." He nods to K'vin, "Maybe… but I just can't stand to see 'em without a home."

K'vin chuckles. "Maybe it's a good thing they're holding you hostage then." He smiles at Cenlia and waves his hand. "Heya Cenlia."

Cenlia raises her eyebrows, "That's wierd," as she swings the sloshing bag off her shoulder and sets it on the table. "No wierder than what mine do though," and she grins. Flopping down in a seat the girl opens the bag and says mischievously, "I got special delivery from South Boll, you wanna try some?" to the two riders.

M'nol raises an eyebrow at the sloshing bag and his flits begin to slowly move and re-locate so that he can actually sit up, though Bloodstone and Jasper stay firmly planted on his shoulders while the others disperse for now, "What's it taste like? they had something out at graduation, but it burned and tasted bad."

K'vin eyes Cenlia. "Hmm, I heard a lot about you, do I dare ask what's in that?" He asks simply. "Or do I assume it's alcohol?" He adds after a pause.

Cenlia pulls out a bottle of goldeny liquid, labelled as Sunny Orchard Peach Brandy. "Tastes good," the girl promises, grining at M'nol, and then laughs, telling K'vin, "Peach brandy. The good stuff." She sets the bottle on the table.

M'nol smiles, eyeing the bottle with perhaps too much interest, "I suppose I can give it a try."

K'vin hmms softly and eyes the bottle carefully and then Cenlia. "Right, brandy." He hmms softly. "I suppose I could give it a try too." He says simply. "At least once."

Cenlia hops to her feet to retrieve more glasses, returning to fill them with brandy, and then nudging them in the direction of the two riders as she re-takes her seat, grinning broadly. "Thought going home was gonna be bad, but got a bunch of stuff from my folks." Filling her own glass, Cenlia takes a sip, then comments, "Best brandy in South Boll." Not that she's biased or anything. Ahem.

M'nol leans forward slowly, so as not to dislodge his passengers, and takes the glass. For a moment, he just examines the liquid, as if that would tell him how it would taste, then he glances up at Cen, "Sip or gulp?"

K'vin nods his head and slowly takes the glass and sniffs at the liquid. "Hmm, smells like pear for sure." He comments simply. "Is it strong?" He asks Cenlia.

"Ya sip it, silly. This ain't a drinkin' contest," Cenlia snickers at M'nol. Cenlia tilts her head at K'vin's question, "I guess… there's stronger, but this one's not distilled as much. 'S only maybe eighty- eighty-four proof?" She takes another sip of her glass, turning the bottle to consider the label.

M'nol carefully brings the glass to his lips and sips from it. Like most, his first drink is accompanied by a humorous face, eyes scrunched up, mouth slightly puckered. After a beat, though, he smiles, "It's pretty good… just a little odd taste to it."

K'vin sips carefully at the drink and hmms softly, swallowing the stuff slowly. "It's not bad." He says softly. "It tastes really good actually."

Cenlia can't help snickering at the face M'nol makes, but then grins at both riders, "Sunny Orchard's best." There's the briefest pause before the adds, "Brought back a bunch of bottles from South Boll, since the weyrleader maybe wanted to buy some. Figure I could sell the rest. Goes for a halt- to quarter-mark a bottle back home."

M'nol takes another sip, still smiling, "Why can't all booze taste like this?" He ponders for a moment, "a half to a quarter mark, huh? I may have to get some for when Phy comes back."

K'vin hmmms softly. "It's really good." He says simply, sipping the last of his glass. "Can I have a refill?" He asks simply. "Or are you going to pay me for it?"

Cenlia takes another sip, grinning, "Weyrleader D'son wanted a couple bottles, and I promised Ro a turnday present too." Cenlia nods to M'nol, "Will set a couple of bottles for ya, too." She giggles at K'vin, happily re-filling his glass and saying, "Promise t' buy a bottle and I'll open up the tuber ale next."

M'nol takes another sip off his glass, thoroughly enjoying the flavor of the booze in question, and grins, "thanks Cen." He quirks an eyebrow, "Tuber Ale?"

K'vin coughs a bit. "I'm not sre Tuber ale would taste that good." He says simply. "But this brandy do taste good, it's a nice discovery."

Cenlia nods, "Tuber ale. Though it ain't actually /ale/… 's more like vodka. My cousin Evi makes the stuff. Homebrew. Really stong. But there's also…" she pauses and looks back into the bag, moving things around and causing them to clink, "…wine, apple brandy, and a… bottle of cider? Dunno how the cider got in this bag. Think the it might've turned into something else by now though."

M'nol chuckles, finishing off his glass, "We can always count on you for the good stuff, right? So I'm willing to try anything you have to offer."

K'vin grins and nods his head. "That is good, I'd try the apple brandy too, if you want." She says simply. "Sounds good anyway." He says again, sipping some more on his alcohol.

Cenlia pulls out the apple brandy next, reaching over to fill M'nol's glass and then setting the bottle on the table, "This one ain't as strong. Me, I prefer the peach brandy, 'cause I helped pick the peaches." And she grins at K'vin, "Sold a bunch of bottles to Beldar in the tavern, so there's brandy now, 'least for awhile."

M'nol takes a judicious sip of the apple brandy and his eyes light up just a little, "This is even better! That aftertaste isn't as noticable."

K'vin smiles softly and nods his head. "Thank you." He tries the apple brandy, hmming happily. "That tastes good." He breaths out, blinking a bit

Cenlia sips more brandy from her own glass, grinning and re-filling glasses as they get emptied. "If ya like the brandy, should try the wine too," the girl nods, rummaging again in the bag. The little gold firelizard on her shoulder sneaks down to the table while she isn't looking, and steals a nibble out of a meatroll on the girl's plate.

Bloodstone emits a tiny draconic chuckle at the gold's impudence, then croons at her gently. M'nol chuckles, taking another deep sip of the brandy, then emitting a quiet, "Mmmmmmmm… 'sgood…"

K'vin takes another sip of the brandy and burr, swaying a bit on his chair and he smiles, a bit silly. "Yeah, good." He whispers, smiling some more

The little gold, Bliss, tilts her head up to peer at Bloodstone momentarily, then sticksher nose back in the meatroll, nibbling at it. Her meatroll. Omnomnom. Cenlia pulls out the wine. It's a fruit wine, judging by the label. Probably peaches. Cenlia spots her gold flit stealing her meatroll over there, and gives the little firelizard a look, "Oy, greedyguts, I just fed you." With an eyeroll, Cen places the wine on the table and says, "This stuff's new vintage. But still okay. Not as good as a lotta the wines we get around here, but I figure ya might wanan try it."

M'nol takes another sip, draining his glass of the apple brandy and holds it out for the wine, "'M up fer anythin'." He grins a little lopsidedly. Bloodstone croons, your meatroll.

K'vin grins again. "Yeah, wiiiiine." He says happily. "up for anything toooo." He adds with a wider grin. "C'mon, bring it on!"

Cenlia unstoppers the wine and fills M'nol's glass again, placing the bottle on the table. "Figure I could see if Jeffin can make winecakes or somethin' with the wines I brought back. Or maybe in bubblies." There's a giggle at K'vin, the girl re-filling his glass with wine too, saying, "Wish I could get Thea to come drink. Bet she'd like peach wine." The girl then downs the rest of her own glass, and re-fills it with wine.

M'nol takes a judicious sip of the wine, then coughs gently, "Wine'sa little diff'rnt than brandy…" It doesn't stop him from taking another drink, however.

K'vin tries the wine next and smiles brightly. "Hmm, this stuff ish good." He groans out and chuckles, taking another sip of his wine and sighing happily. "Prefer the peach brandy m'self"

Cenlia giggles happily, telling M'nol in a cheerful voice, "Yeah, wines're different. Got more other stuff in 'em. You gotta distill wine to get the brandy, so that stuff," she points at the peach brandy, "Is that stuff," and she points at the wine, "Only it ain't been distilled. There's moren' that, but basically, 's how it goes." Cenlia is then nodding in agreement with K'vin, "Yeah, brandy is better. 'S more booze in it." Meaning, more alcohol.

M'nol takes another sip, nodding like he actually understood Cen, which was a bold-faced lie, "MmmmHmmm… S'far I liked th' apple brandy th' besht."

K'vin nods his head and sighs. "Is good." He says with a more than slightly slurred voice and he smiles. "You have good stuff." He comments

"Can have some more," Cen giggles amiably, nudging the bottle of apple brandy toward M'nol. Cenlia practically beams at K'vin, "Best stuff in South Boll. Prolly the best peach brandy on Pern." But she giggles, not really believing that. "You ever tried brandied peaches? M' brother Eled, he found a recipe for it while he was lookin' through the computers in Landing. Ain't the same thing, but shards, it sounds good," Cenlia grins at the dragonriders, "Bet brandied peaches an' peach brandy inna bradycake would be really good."

M'nol finishes the wine and pours a second glass of the proffered apple wine with a smile, "Thanksh Cen." Was that a hiccup? No. Of course not… He takes a decent sip and then asks, "Brandycake? 'sthat cake wi' booze innit?"

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