Misunderstanding, Much?

Continued from These Are Not the Lessons You Are Looking For.


Xanadu Weyr - Clock Tower

Deep in the foliage at the side of the landing field, a small path gives way to a rather large clearing. Within the center of this patch of bareness amongst the trees and other plants of the jungle stands a square clocktower, rising up through the canopy of trees. The structure is made of a dark gray stone, and each corner is framed by a thick wooden beam. Beside the clocktower, a large lake has been dug. It's obviously an artificial lake, as it's shaped too perfectly oblong-shaped.

The tall, towering structure rises up easily past the leafy growth of the forest, three sections of bare gray stone walls stacked atop each other, each one slightly smaller than the one it's built on top of. Each one of these "sections" is joined with more of the same dark wood that frames the corners of the tower. The wood forms a framing around the top and bottom of each section. Near the top of the structure, right under one of the clock's faces, there's a ledge with railings. This ledge is big enough for a dragon to land upon.

There are no windows in the tower, merely one slit in the middle of each one of the four walls that make up each section. They look like they could be used to mount an attack from the inside. There's only one door in the place, it seems—a dark wooden door that matches the beams that frame the clocktower. It seems to be the only entrance to the tower.

A loud ticking sound permeates the air from above, not so loud that it's painful, but enough that it's heard well. It's not overly loud, but it's loud enough to be heard. The clock at the top of the structure keeps near-perfect time; it strikes the hour, every hour…one strike at one, two strikes at two, etc. But at noon and midnight, it strikes eight times, a melody from old Earth, before striking the hour.

Ding! Dong! Ding! Dong! … Ding! Dong! Ding! Dong!


Moria is visible on the ledge of the tower when K'ael enter's the clearing, and she's looking out over the forest so she doesn't notice his arrival. A bronze firelizard is perched on the rail before her, and she's stroking him for comfort as she gazes out over the trees, absorbed in her thoughts. Her green, obnoxious creature that she is, is perched on the hour hand of the clock face, chittering to herself as she flaps her wings and tugs on the metal hand. The gears are winning, since it doesn't really move.

Azaeth is lingering outside the tower, but it's unlikely that Moria can match the bronzer to his dragon yet (she might be able to soon, though). K'ael climbs the tower by foot though, even though he could easily scare Moria a second time by asking for a ride up to her. He finally gets to where she's sitting, and pokes his head out onto the ledge. "Ria?"

Moria doesn't startle so badly this time, in part because Trina cackled madly when K'ael head appeared and dived toward it. The crafter whirls, snatching the green out of the air before she can finish her assault. "Don't you /dare/, you little minx!" she snaps at the green, wrapping her in her arms. Mulgrave scolds Trina too, but doesn't leave his sunny perch on the rail. "Wingleader," she says coolly, holding the firelizard close to her chest.

K'ael blinks as a green comes diving towards him. "Whoa!" He shifts his head to the right and clunks it against the door. "Oof… ow." Rubrub. That cool greeting gets a pout from the bronzer, though. He clears his throat a bit. "Er… mind if I join you? I think… maybe we misunderstood each other a bit…"

Moria nods graciously, maintaining an indifferent facade at K'ael's request. She returns to her place along the rail, depositing Trina next to Mulgrave, where the bronze can keep the crafty green in check - she does so hate to upset him. "By all means, Wingleader, clarify your earlier words. I don't offer any gurantee that I will change my mind about you."

K'ael steps out onto the ledge. He's still got that flower with him, and twirls it between his fingers as he tries to figure out what he ought to be saying. "It's just… Er. I thought maybe we could… do something sometime. You know, besides the glasscraft lessons and all…" Keep the word 'date' out of it. "I don't know…"

Moria turns her head enough so K'ael can see her raise a brow at him. "Why would I want to do that? What, be just another conquest for you?" she asks bitterly, shaking her head. "Again, no. I am not interested in being a notch on your belt, Wingleader. There are plenty of other women in the Weyr whom I am sure would be willing to satisfy that goal."

K'ael blinks at her. "What? No.. it's not like that." He sighs. "You wouldn't just be a notch. I'm not looking to get you into my bed, I just want to get to know you better. You're right, there are plenty of other women around willing to just do… that. But that's not what I want. I guess it… might be hard to believe that though." He sighs again and his shoulders droop. "I'm sorry. I won't take up any more of your time." He sniffs at the flower he's holding, then opens up the door warily, in case it decides to bite him again.

Moria's shoulders relax as she blushes brightly, ducking her head. "Oh. I'm sorry. I guess you're right, I did misunderstand you. I thought, when you said all the stuff that you did, that you were just trying to charm me into your bed," she says sheepishly. Mulgrave chirrups a reassurance, though to which of the humans isn't clear. "You don't have to go, K'ael. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said those things."

K'ael blinks. "No! No… I just… heh… Other girls both here and at other weyrs do that sort of thing. And when I need that sort of thing I can go to them for that. But they're not like… proper girlfriends or anything. They're good company for… at night. But during the rest of the time they usually don't stay interested. I'd like some company for the rest of the time… and maybe, down the road, nighttime. If things go that way." He holds the flower back out to her. "It's okay. It's hard to read people's intentions. And I don't exactly have a good reputation."

Moria nods slowly as she listens to K'ael, and accepts the flower when it is offered back, holding it gingerly. "I'm not very good at reading people at all," she admits ruefully, tugging a strand of hair back from her face. "I'm also not very used to men wanting to have anything to do with me, so I tend to jump to the conclusion that they just want sex - so many of them do, anyhow. I'm sorry I overreacted." She hesitates, and asks, "Do you still want to try those lessons?" She doesn't say a word about his search for a possible girlfriend - she's just not ready to go there.

K'ael watches her take the flower. In fact his gaze is focused on it for much of their conversation. "Well… I'd like to at least be friends. Trying to make a few since it looks like I'm going to be here for the long haul." It's tempting for K'ael to tell Moria about all the girls he could go to for sex, but he decides it would be best not to. "Sex is easy for riders. There are flights for those things." He smiles a bit to her. "It's everything else that's more challenging, really." He nods about the lessons. "Yes, please."

Moria nods, her grasp on the flower firming as she accepts his words. "I think I can do friends. I'll try to not overthink what you say in the future, and ask you to clarify if I get confused." She pauses, then continues, "Would you mind a raincheck on the lessons until tomorrow? I'm a little out of sorts, which isn't the best for glass blowing." Mulgrave croons approvingly at Moria as she relaxes, waddling along the rail until he can lean toward K'ael and bestow the same croon to him. Trina has settled to ignoring them all, preening herself in the sun.

K'ael smiles and nods. "I'll try not to say confusing things. But there's no promises there. I put my foot in my mouth basically… all the time. So you can feel free to yell at me." He nods to her about the lessons. "Sure, tomorrow would be fine. Sorry… I guess I sort of messed up your afternoon. I promise I'll make it up to you though. If you need to go someplace, anyplace, just give me a holler." He grins to Mulgrave, and reaches over to give him some scritches. "Can I give him a treat?"

Regardless of what Moria says, Mulgrave is going to make sure he gets a treat, since K'ael has offered. The bronze tries to climb onto K'ael's arm, draping across it if allowed. "Well, I'm pretty sure he's asking for one," Moria says with a slight smile. "Thank you for being understanding. Again, I'm sorry. It was terrible of me to say those things and then run off." She blushes again. "And thank you for the jerky. And the flower, I think…" Because she's still not sure what to think about the flower.

K'ael blinks as Mulgrave climbs onto his arm. He laughs a bit. "Okay then." The bronzer reaches into his pocket to pull out his little sack of treats. He pulls out a piece of jerky for the flit and hands it over to him. "There you go." He grins to Moria. "Really, it's alright. It wasn't so bad. At least I didn't get a slap. And you're welcome. I make the jerky all the time, so if you run out just let me know." He smiles. "I should probably get back to duties…" Azaeth must be listening in, since the bronze gets up from where he's lounging and moves clock-wards.

Moria smiles more fully as Mulgrave chirps his thanks and daintily starts ripping pieces of the jerky off. Trina takes exception to this, lofting over to cling to the doorframe so she can steal the strip of meat from Mulgrave. In moments, the are both aloft, chasing each other and the meat in a wild display of acrobatics. "I should have warned you," Moria comments, watching the firelizards. "She's jealous of /everything/. He didn't scratch you taking off, did he?" And she guestures to his arm.

K'ael blinks at the green, and then more as the two go at it. "Wow. I would have given her her own piece." He chuckles. "I would have even made sure it was bigger. Hm?" He looks down at his arm. "Ah, I don't think so. Seems alright. No more than a normal take off." Plus he was in his riding coat, which helped. A few moments later and there's a big bronze looking at the two of them, and K'ael pats Azaeth's bronze snout. "Alright Azaeth, sheesh."

Moria stares at Azaeth for a moment as his head appears next to the balcony, then shakes her own head. "She would rather take his then have her own. I'm glad Mulgrave didn't scratch you. And, since it seems your dragon is ready to go, I won't keep you any longer. Feel free to stop by the complex tomorrow, or whenever is convenient, and we can start those lessons and demonstrations."

K'ael chuckles. "Apparently he is. Thanks, Moria." He grins about the fire lizards. "They all have their little quarks." He moves over to hop onto Azaeth's neck. "I'll bring lunch tomorrow. We can eat then have a lesson maybe? That way I won't take up too much of your work time." He's not going to give her a chance to refuse, though. Or at least Azaeth isn't. "See ya later, Moriana!"

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