
Xanadu Weyr - Meadow
A large, slightly rolling meadow is set high enough above the riverbank on both sides to avoid suffering from flooding, healthy ground cover and grass spreading out from either side of the dividing river. Scattered amongst the meadow are a variety of buildings, each with a narrow path leading up to it from a main, winding road. Some are set under a few trees, while others sit by themselves. Stables and a smithy are settled on their own plots, while trees border the western edge of the meadow, and a faint outline of a fence can be seen to the north.
K'ael is at Xanadu today! Well, he's usually at Xanadu for at least part of everyday, but today he's actually here for more than just work it would seem. It's fairly early in the morning and the rain is holding off even though it's a bit overcast. Up above, Azaeth is circling about the weyr, and down below his rider is doing much of the same. He's out for a run before the downpour starts. Though it's break time for now it seems, and the bronzer takes a seat in the grass while he sips at a water bottle.
Amelia is out and about for much the same reason- to take advantage of the sky before the downpour. Most mornings she'd be runnerback at this time; this morning she is not. The Beastcrafter instead is walking across the meadow toting a rather heavy-looking backpack. Her clothes are dirtier than normal, recently stained, whether that's blood or some other variety of liquid is up to a guess. On her way she happens to look up and notice K'ael and her walk veers just enough so she'll walk by and be able to say hello.
K'ael is topless, woo! And in a pair of shorts he wears for running. His shirt is stuffed into one of his pockets, and pulled out to wipe some of the sweat off himself as he sees someone coming. He recognizes Ame and gives her a wave, then blinks as it looks like she's covered in blood. "Faranth Amelia!" He springs up and rushes over to her. "Are you bleeding!? Are you alright?" The big bronze descends from the skies in case an emergency evac is needed for the beastcrafter. "Do you need a healer!? Azaeth can take you!"
Amelia stops walking when he rushes over and stares at K'ael with a rather nonplussed expression. "Uhh… I don't think so?" She glances down, then ohs! "Sorry, sorry, it's not mine, it was birthing, one of the owners out yonder," she motions in the direction from whence she came, "needed help for an early birth, they were having puppies too soon and one was er… stuck." She takes the break in walking to set the backpack down- up close a viewer can see the various implements of Beastcraft healing.
K'ael breathes a sigh of relief. "Whew… so you're not bleeding to death. Oh thank Faranth. Puppies, hm? That sounds like uh… fun. Or something. Are the all okay?" Azaeth hasn't been completely called off it would seem, the big bronze sticking his muzzle next to Ame and sniffing at her. This is a new smell for him. Canine birthing-jazz. "So… how have you been other than the puppy-thing? I haven't seen you or Dels in a while. You two are still an item, right?"
"Well, more or less they're okay. They're all out of the mom anyway. Whether or not they survive depends on the owners now, if they follow the craft's advice or don't." Amelia grins a little, adding, "I imagine it would've been much more interesting to you if they'd been kittens- how are your cats?" The grin turns into a little chuckle as the bronze's muzzle comes close. "Guess that smells weird, huh? I've been okay, busy as all get out. Dad says I shouldn't have time to ride with duties and everything, but I make time no matter what. Which I guess cuts into time with Dels… I don't get to see him as often as I'd like but I'm pretty sure we're still an item."
K'ael nods to Ame. "Ah well, you can only do so much, right? Pre-mature puppies. I bet they need special care that mom probably doesn't know how to give." He laughs then. "Well, I suppose so. My kitties are fine. A bit lonely though, since I've been at Western a lot lately. At least they have each other to keep them company until I can transfer." He blinks then. "Why shouldn't you have time? It's what you like, right? You should always make time for the things you like. Even Enka rides, and she's a senior weyrwoman and is stuck with me all the time." The bronzer nods about Dels then. "Ah… pretty sure? That doesn't sound very sure at all! If I see him I'll tell him to come make sure you two are." K'ael sort of tries to just Azaeth's big face out of the way to no avail; the bronze is part of the conversation now, just not saying much out loud it would seem.
Amelia shrugs, "Oh, Dad's just the sort of person who always finds something to do at the stable that keeps him too busy to ride. Mom's working on him, though. Anyway why would you say she's stuck with you? You're not such a bad human speciman to be stuck with." she grins a little at her jest, nodding towards his topless torso. Then she winces a little and adds hurriedly, "Oh, you don't need to tell him to make sure we are- I'm sure we are, I just have been so busy we haven't been able to do anything together lately."
K'ael blinks and nods. "Sounds kinda like my dad. Too busy out in the fields to stop and enjoy life a little. Eventually he'll be too old to be of any use out there though, thankfully." He chuckles. "Well, thanks! She must like me a little since she's pregnant with my kid and wants us to be weyrmates, right?" He flexes a bit for her. "Ah. Well I'll suggest a place to take you then, maybe. I've been meaning to stop in and bother D anyways. So, have you walked the tables then?"
Amelia laughs a little awkwardly when he flexes, but stoicly attends to his words rather than his muscles. "Weyrmates? Wait, are you leaving us, then, for real?" Concern in her expression gives way to a touch of red. "Oh, if you do, please don't go telling him I was only 'pretty sure' because I am sure. I'm not one of those people who needs to be constantly touching and talking to someone to be sure I love'em, you know? And yes, I walked a few weeks ago."
K'ael blinks a bit at Ame, then chuckles. "Unfortunately, yes. Once I can get my wing in proper order and all. It's not like I'd be able to convince Enka to come here, heh. Not with her being senior and all at Western. Besides, I've not been much of a wingleader anyways." He chuckles a bit. "Relax, your secret is safe with me. I'll just say how Enka and I went on this great date, and hopefully he'll get the hint." He nods to her, then. "I am. Well, not really. I'm sure I love Enka, but it's hard being separated like we are. And she'll need help with the baby and all. Anyways, congrats!" The bronzer grunts at Azaeth then, peering at the big bronze.
"Ah. Well. I guess you ought to transfer, then. You'll have to visit sometimes, though. You've a lot of friends here still. And don't you go taking your cats Between, let'em travel the slower safer way. Cats don't like being bundled up for warmth, but they're also not built for the shock that we can handle if we put on a few more clothes." Amelia coughs a little, her last few words getting a little extra emphasis- perhaps hinting at him that maybe he should put on a few more clothes, too.
K'ael nods and chuckles. "Well, of course I'll visit and all." He blinks about the cats, then. "Er… yes ma'am. No betweening the cats, got it. I guess I'll put them on a ship or something." He gets the hint it would seem, or he's just tired of being half-naked and pulls on his shirt. Then he digs through his pockets, peering at Azaeth for a moment. "Well, I hate to do this to you, but Azaeth is insisting I give you this." He holds out a candidate knot in his hand. "He says a girl who is good at birthings ought to be on the sands for a dragon birthing. And he won't shut up about it."
Amelia has a laugh again, glancing at the sky and Azaeth while K'ael re-shirts himself. "Right, there's plenty of ships they could go on. Watch those delicate bodies." She's still chuckling when K'ael pulls out the knot, and she peers at it and then at him and then at Azaeth. "Uhhh. Um. Well. Really?" Gaze slides back and forth between dragon and rider. "Not that I'm not flattered, but are you joking?"
K'ael puts his sexy man-torso away for now. "Mm. Well, they're pretty resilient and all, but I'll make sure to put them in their special kitty-crate meant for carrying them around." He blinks at Amelia, and then nods. "Yep, I'm serious." The bronze gives a rumble then and huffs, peering at Amelia with a big whirling red eye. He's not joking! "Come on, you'd make a great rider, Ame."
Amelia takes a couple steps backwards from rumbling Azaeth, hands raising up in appeasement. "Right, right. Okay. Well. Sorry I thought you were joking, I didn't expect that's all," she peers at the dragon, expression apologetic. Then her gaze returns to K'ael. "Well, I'm honored to be asked. Ah… Dad'll be pretty out of sorts if I can't keep up my duties in the stable though. I hate to be all 'Oh, hi I'll answer house calls and heal up anything that comes to the barn' and then be all 'Sorry, I have different chores now!' I've had candidates come do chores in the barns, but if I can't keep helping with animals the Hall will have to send another journeyman." Her expression is torn. "How does it work, is it just randomly assigned chores here?"
K'ael chuckles. "Relax, he doesn't bite. Now get your big head out of here, Azaeth, I already offered her the knot." The bronze seems satisfied for now, and raises his muzzle to a normal level. "Well usually crafters are kept to their usual chores and whatnots. It doesn't make much sense to push a cart sideways, as they say. So why bother putting you on menial chores that anyone can do if you're specialized?" He taps his chin. "That doesn't mean you won't end up doing menial stuff from time to time though. They might have to send a second journeyman, true. If you impress you'll be out of commission for a while for your craft. But afterwards you'll be able to make calls wherever you're needed!"
"Right… well, I wouldn't go impressing myself the moment I get a white knot, might be nothing will come of it- er, not to insult your choices, Azaeth," Amelia adds the last bit quickly, then shrugs. "Well, I guess it's okay then. I'm not opposed to menial chores, after all I muck out stalls same as everyone else save those who pay for it to be done." Grinning just a bit, she shrugs lightly. "I guess it could be an adventure, something different to do for awhile and see where it goes, huh?"
K'ael chuckles. "Azaeth doesn't pick out too many candidates, but the ones he does generally impress." He pokes at Ame. "Even if it takes a few tries and all." He chuckles a bit. "Well, yes. Though as a candidate I never mucked stalls. They used me as free labor. I used to carry grain around, food, crates of things… you know. Whatever." He grins to her. "Great!" He hands her the knot. "Being a candidate is a lot of fun! Unfortunately it might put a damper on you and Dels' relationship for a bit. I'll show you the barracks if you'd like?" Azaeth for his part, looks pleased.
Amelia chuckles at the thought of K'ael being free labor. "So /that's/ how you built up that physique?" she accepts the knot and glances at the one currently on her shoulder. "Do we just… put this one away until after the hatching or do I thread them together? And I probably ought to get cleaned up first- get something not all birth-dirty on." She peers at K'ael as another question comes to surface, "Wait, why would it put a damper on the relationship?"
K'ael chuckles. "Nah. I worked with the transport wings even before I became a candidate. So I was already beefy, that just helped." He wiggles his finger at Amelia's knot. "You can thread them together. Like mine. One is for riding bronze, one is for Xanadu, and one is for being leader of the search and rescue wing." He nods a bit. "Well, there's no hanky panky while you're a candidate. I mean, you can kiss and cuddle, but no horizontal mambo, if you catch my drift."
"Ooohh! So, like being an apprentice again. Psssh. No biggie." Amelia laughs to distract from the red blush that instantly creeped into her face when he started explaining. "Right. Well. Okay then. I'm okay. D'son will surely be okay too." Gathering her composure, Amie smiles more assuredly. "So anyway, I'll just go get myself cleaned up then shall I? Do I simply report to the barracks in general or to whom should I report?"
K'ael chuckles and nods. "Exactly like that. It's like being an apprentice… rider. Or something." He pats her shoulder. "I'm sure Dels will be fine. And you, too!" He grins. "You can just head to the barracks whenever you're ready. Well, as long as it's before tomorrow, since that's when the chores will start up. I can take care of the rest. I'll let you get to changing though and all while I fill out the paperwork. See ya, Ame!"