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 bustling somewhat for breakfast and into that bustle comes the young form of M'nol. He's not smiling, but he's not dragging as much as he has in previous days, either. He is, however, bundled against the cold as he makes his way to the food line, grabbing a roll and a cup of klah before moving to an empty table and beginning to write out a list of supplies
Some people come hunting breakfast while others? Others come hunting people. This morning there is a weyrwoman on the prowl for a certain brownrider by the name of M'nol. Thea enters the caverns, having been guided by Seryth's query to Faraeth as to where his rider is. The junior steps into the cavern, eyes sweep the room until she spots the teen in line. She leans against the wall until he's seated, then pushes off, walking over to stop at his table uninvited. Without a word she places her crossbow gently on the table in front of her, pointed right at his chest. It's not loaded, so there's nothing, absolutely nothing to worry about. Right? And then her other hand places a handful of darts on the table. She lowers herself gracefully into the seat across from him. "Morning M'nol." Why, she sounds downright cheerful.
M'nol glances up, "Hi Th-…" He cuts off when the crossbow and darts find their way onto his table. He swallows loudly, then takes a sip of klah, trying to calm his nerves. Thea wouldn't shoot him… right? "Eh… Mornin' Thea." He tries to smile, but there's still fear behind his eyes.
Thea doesn't say a word. She just reaches into her jacket pocket, removing a few items. A bottle of some liquid is set on the table. Beside it a cloth of some sort. Then Thea's hand reaches into her other pocket removing what looks like a white linen handkerchief, a spotted and damp one at that. She reaches across the table to hand it to the brownrider.
M'nol takes the handkerchief, his hands shaking slightly as he stares at it and the other implements, "I… Thea… what?"
Thea doesn't answer the vague question, although ice green eyes flick to him once as she opens the bottle. The look says he ought to know just what has dampened that handkerchief. She lifts the cloth and holds it to the bottle's mouth, turning it upside down to soak the cloth. She picks up the crossbow and begins slowly to rub the liquid-soaked cloth on the barrel. Casually, eyes upon her task she comments, "Heard you had a time there over at Ista."
M'nol blushes really deeply, clinging to what must surely be Phy's handkerchief for dear life now as he stutters out, "N-n-n-not by ch-ch-choice! I w-woul' n-never. N-no' on p-p-p-purp-p-pose. C-c'mon Th-thea, You kn-know m-me b-b-better'n tha'! I d-din' muh-muh-mean t-t-ta 'n' Ph-phy 'n' I're w-w-workin' on it…" All the while, though, he's staring right at that crossbow. He's /heard/ tales about that crossbow.
Thea focuses on the weapon, squinting at it. Is that a smudge? She hold the thing, by the stock, turning it in the light to be sure, and it is once again pointed in his direction. Her finger has, quite by accident, found the trigger. She's not even looking at the teen. Her cloth swipes at the smudge and she lowers her eye to sight along the barrel. Ah! All gone! There's satisfaction in her eyes as they move further along that barrel to the brownrider's face. Cool the tone, she asks, "Did Faraeth chase?"
M'nol nods, at the same time scooching slightly away from the table, glancing around the room now. Someone, anyone, help??? "H-he ch-ch-chased a g-green…"
Thea's eyes sharpen at his answer, the crossbow is lowered and replaced on the table, again gently. The goldrider never takes her eyes from the brownrider as she lifts a dart, bringing it up to eye level. Again casually, "Did he catch?" The point is there between their locked eyes and she lifts one finger to the tip, barely touches it. Barely. It's a featherlight touch, even. Her finger is lifted and there at the tip oozes one drop of bright red blood. She ignores it, just waits for the answer icy eyes never waver from his.
M'nol scooches a bit further away, "N-n-no… I… I w-w-was d-d-d-drugged…"
The dart tip is turned his way, moving closer to him. Thea's manner is unhurried as she proffers the tip. "These," she tells him offhand, just causal conversation really, "were just sharpened. Check it for me?" She waits for him to touch the point. She ignores the excuse he stammers, "So Faraeth lost and you headed to the pub, hmm?" His edging away has her raising one dark brow slowly. She's doing nothing! Just cleaning her crossbow and keeping a brownrider company.
M'nol nearly has his finger to the tip before she accuses him, at which point he begins waving his hands in front of him and shaking his head vigorously, at least, though, finding his voice, "No! I don' even 'member th' flight! One minute I'm grabbin' a mug o' klah 'fore comin' back, next I'm in bed with some girl I've never met 'fore! I didn' go anywhere near th' pub. I learned after th' time Siggy go' dyed."
"Ah. So a mug of klah, with a lovely lady in the caverns then, yes?" No accusations, merely questions, rather uninterested questions at that. "Spare me the details, Rider." Thea's calm request is merely breathed out in a way that says, 'I know it's wet when it rains.' She waits, that dart is still there, awaiting his opinion, "So…?" The dart edges closer, "I need to know if this'll do." Ever-so-patiently.
M'nol continues shaking his head, "No one else was there… jus' th' usual klah pot on th' night hearth." He reaches his hand out shakily towards the dart, knowing full well she's not letting up until he touches it, and pricks his finger gingerly on the end, then winces, "Yup… sharp…"
"A klah pot and the night heath." Thea repeats while watching his finger with eyes that narrow just slightly as he touches the wicked tip of that dart. "Ah, wonderful! I'll use this one, shall I?" She lifts that crossbow, which is now pointed carefully under the table and at a very delicate spot for the brownrider as she fits the dart carefully into the chamber. There is a resounding click that echoes off walls in the now-emptying caverns as she pulls back on the mechanism that ratchets back the bow. Her fingers caress the safety absently as she eyes the crossbow thoughtfully. "Bit of advice Rider. Flights you don't win… leave right after. Go home to Phy. Do not pass Go." Cool eyes lift to his. "You love her?"
M'nol's eyes open wide, so wide they nearly swallow up his eyebrows, and his hands stray to protect the target of Thea's aggression as if they would actually help stop the bolt if Thea pulled the trigger. He nods slowly, not bothering to continue trying to push the point that he was probably drugged even before the flight, "I do. I love her more than I can explain in words. I've already promised her I won't eat or drink anything where there's a party going on unless someone I trust is there to stop me from doing something stupid again. I /never/ want to hurt her again. /Ever./" He is, at the very least, sincere, and for the first time since Thea set the crossbow down on the table, he's talking with conviction, not fear.
Who's aggressive? Thea's just cleaning her crossbow and having a chat with a friend of a friend. "Just tell her you were stupid not to do that. And that you are sorry. And that it will never happen again. Nothing more." One finger flicks and the safety is now off. The finger finds it's way to the trigger easily without her eyes having to leave his. "Bring your own klah to flights too."
M'nol nods, probably very lucky that he can't see the crossbow well enough to know what she's doing, "I did and I promised her I would always carry my own drinks now when I go outside of the Weyr. It means everything to me to mend things with her. I'm even…" he gestures feebly to the paper before him, "We're going to take a few days to be with ourselves."
Thea lifts a brow again, "Also you need to man up and don't whine how it wasn't your fault." She rises, the weapon is still pointed under that table as she pockets the bottle and cleaning cloth. Her hand reaches over and twitches the hanky out of his fingers. "Mine. Lent to a broken-hearted friend last night." Her finger tightens on the trigger. "I'd better not have to do this again." The finger jerks, the trigger is pulled and there is a sharp *THWOCK* as the string is released. So lucky for M'nol's future children that Thea has not fitted the dart in properly. By plan or by mistake? He may never know. She smiles sweetly at the brownrider. "Have a nice day."