Xanadu Weyr - Faraeth's House in the Trees
Here within the thickest part of the forest is found something that is rarely seen before, though on Pern there are so many things still to be discovered and maybe, just maybe this is one of them.
Set just a little off the dead center of this large clearing is a tree that has stood here for years on end, the girth of the tree is not one a single person could wrap their arms around, no this tree must have at least 50 people(if not more) standing palm to palm with arms outstretched in order to make a complete circuit around it. Time has created a large cavern in the trunk of it, large enough for a fair sized dragon to lay partially within it to get out of the weather. At sometime in the past several years someone has constructed a large awning to add more space to the dragon wallow area so whomever rests within is now completely covered.
Along the interior of the tree someone has built a stair way that curls around and upward to an archway high up in the tree. From the archway one steps out into a cottage of sorts that resides within a flat cradle where the large branches sprout outward. Inside the cottage one will find things are pretty simple, one large room for all ones living needs with a second room for a bedroom. Within the mainroom one will find a set of chairs before a stone fireplace, a rather worn braided rug sets between them on the hardwood floor. Each of the walls facing the outside have large windows in them, allowing light to filter in through the creamy sisal curtains. One nice things about these windows is that they slide open and shut to allow for a natural flow of fresh air to move through the cottage. In the bedroom there are plenty more windows in the walls, as well as a pair of huge skylights. A good sized bed rests with the head against the rear wall, the mattress plush and waiting for bedding to be placed upon it.
It is early evening in Xanadu, flooding the treetop weyr with light muted only by the carefully selected curtains for just such an occasion. The main room is in a certain amount of disarray, a few insulated bags that most likely carry food, two extra-thick sleeping rolls, a bundle of pillows, and two duffel bags litter the room in only a mild semblance of order. Seated at the eating table, M'nol carefully ticks off supplies on his list, then sighs, setting it aside, "Now… where to go…"
Phylicia's twisted ankle is more or less healed, since she's stayed off it for most of the day. Just a small trek here to sit, then a little walk there to get a bite to eat… All in all, she's looking like she actually slept last night, which would be easy enough from the exhaustion that was threatening. Her slow steps echo softly up the stairs, huddled in her coat until she comes into the living area with a small shiver. "Are you planning on a pillow fight?" She asks lightly from somewhere behind him, eyeing the bundle of pillows.
M'nol turns around to face her, then grins, "No… just wanted to be prepared… you can never have too many pillows… even with a dragon as big as Farry for a bed." He flushes a little, then asks, "Did you… did you sleep well?
Phylicia sheds her coat, hanging it by the door as she smiles somewhat shyly in return as she walks to the pile of pillows and picks one up, only to loft it at M'nol. "If it's a holding we're headed to, they'd likely have pillows." She giggles. "And if we're camping, one'll do. You can't make ground softer." Well, you could, but it would take more blankets and pillows than she's willing to carry. "Decently." She says, still smiling. "With the help of some tea. What about you?" She asks, returning the question.
M'nol shrugs, "It… took a while… but Farry helped and I didn't have sweeps until late morning." He tries and fails to dodge the pillow, making a soft 'ackpth' sound when it hits him. Poking his head out from behind it… or perhaps moving it away from his head, he smiles, "What would you say if I said possibly neither? I've heard there's this great secluded nook at Eastern. Close enough to walk to the Weyr for supplies, but far enough that we could be alone." He grins, blushing a little considering /who/ had mentioned said place to him.
Phylicia didn't say it didn't take her awhile to fall asleep, just that tea helped. "My question would be, then, how warm is it there?" She looks for a place to sit down that doesn't have stuff sprawled all over it. "If you think I'm taking a break someplace where it's cold, I'm staying here. Inside." Her tone is both serious and joking at the same time, which makes for an interesting combination as she finally finds a chair that is devoid of stuff and sits down with a small sigh.
M'nol grins, checking one last thing off his list, "It's supposed to be moderate there, not freezing, but not too hot, either." He gives her a tiny little sad face, "Sides, Farry'll keep us warm." He slides a mug of klah across the table to her and smiles, "I packed heavy sleeping rolls, but there're a couple of lighter blankets in the one duffel if they're too much."
Dragons and firelizards may be borne heaters, but that's still not exactly what Phylicia had in mind for a break. "What's 'moderate'?" She asks, looking at the mug of klah for a moment and deciding to pass on it. She's fully awake, and doesn't really drink it except for when she's needing a kick. She smiles a little more at his sad face. "I think Faraeth will forgive me for saying that I don't want to rely on him for heat." She stretches her legs out, trying to hold back a yawn. Doing nothing is exhausting. "I find it easier to take things off." And there's a moment's pause before her cheeks flush deeply. Y'wanna think before you speak, woman?
M'nol grins at her double-entendre, "And here I was about to ask if you wanted me to keep you warm. I haven't gone there yet, but I'm told it's generally warm there. Maybe Xanadu late spring?" He watches he push the cup away, but takes a sip of his own. He /had/ worked today… mostly.
Phylicia's cheeks flush a little deeper. "You could still keep me warm." She says softly, almost shyly. At least the thoughts of such things don't turn her cold. "Oh. Well, late spring-ish isn't too bad." She changes the topic before she stands up, looking at the disarray of things. "So, do you think you need help?" She asks quietly. She's still holding her breath, waiting for one of the Masters to scream at her to stop day dreaming and get her tush back to work.
M'nol smiles, flushing a little as well, "I'm glad of that…" He's even more glad that he isn't put off such things purely because of what's happened… what he's done… He pushes that thought from his mind and smiles, standing as well, "Depends what you mean by help. It should all fit easily on Farry's harness and in his pack, so I was going to have him come on up here and load through the door when we were ready to go… I didn't want to rush you." He moves towards her, gently brushing her arm with his hand.
Phylicia doesn't shy away from the brush on her arm, but instead of returning the gesture she only leans minorly into his light touch. "Well, is everything packed up? Or are you just going to put everything into Faraeth's pack instead of some smaller ones?" One hand idly plays with the pendant he gave her as she thinks. "And do you have everything?" Not that she really knows what's going on besides he wants to take her somewhere.
M'nol moves to put an arm around her if she'll let him and hands her a long checklist of necessities… It seems he's been thinking about what they might need all day. Everything from dried klah to a small jar of numbweed seems to have manage to be packed into all of the bags. He smiles, "I think I have everything we might need… I was going to leave things in the smaller packs and put those in Farry's pack to keep things sorted."
Phylicia, again, doesn't pull away as he now puts his arm around her, but she can't stop herself from stiffening a little in a combination of aprehension, excitement and nerves. The hand not playing with the pendant takes the list as she looks at it. "You've got things figured out, haven't you?" Comes from her as she scans the list a few more times, feeling more than a little nervous now as she shifts her weight.
M'nol smiles softly, giving her stiff form a gentle squeeze, "I tried to… to make it my job… and almost none of the food is perishable… we don't have to leave right now if you want to wait another day or two, that's fine…"
"I'm sorry." Phylicia says so quietly at first as she's squeezed. She hands him the list back before running her hands through her hair. "I.. don't know why this is so hard." She manages to choke out before she withdraws from under his arm, looking vaguely frustrated, and likely with herself.
M'nol looks honestly sad this time, but still smiles, "Take the time you need, Phy. You know I'm here, waiting, whenever you're ready. No matter what."