Xanadu Weyr - Coastal Road
This coastal road runs parallel with the edge of beach that stretches endlessly beside the Caspian Lake. From coast to inland the dunes of the beach grow smaller and smaller until they eventually peter out into nothing but small moguls in the sand. The path is eventually seen to be blocked by a river that reaches the lake just south of the point where the road turns west and crosses a grassy meadow towards a sturdy wooden bridge that can be seen in the distance.
Late afternoon, and the warmth of Spring is tempered by the breezes from the lake, making the clearing before the weyrbarn pleasant in the dappled shade that shelters the dozing dragons that recline there. It seems Thea has finished work a little early today, and relieved the nursery of two very restless and active twins, much to the delight of both twins and nannies. Here they come, running full-tilt with squeals and shrieks of laughter, their mother on their heels and all nearly breathless with the effort. Poor Siebith and Seryth! And they were having such a pleasant nap, too!
Nap? What's that? D'had certainly wasn't taking a nap same as his lifemate. Not at all. He was just resting his eyes with his feet up on the rail and his chair tilted back. The straps he was oiling have been left, long forgotten, on the porch beside him.
It's a race! There's a sidelong look shared between siblings and something communicated wordlessly (how DO they do that?) as they enter the clearing. Their usual routine of cookie and milk would see them heading for those porch stairs and Thea prying little fingers off of the door so she could open it. But today? There's an unwary da to tackle - at least that's how it appears. MUCH more tempting! And so it is that boy and girl tumble up those stair and reach him - at full speed and just out of reach of their mother who is trying to apprehend them.
Unaware yes, but Siebith, while napping, knows enough to know that they're coming and gives his rider enough warning that his chair doesn't topple backwards on the three of them. It does topple, but it falls forward putting all four legs on the floor. Its with an 'oof' that D'had catches the pair of them though. "So now where'd ya leave yer ma? Hmm?"
"I'm right here," is the breathlessly laughed answer at the foot of the stairs. Thea has been trying to wrangle the pair from the caverns, so she'll let him do his part while she catches her breath. That armful of twins D'had has is a writhing, giggling, chattering tangle of arms, legs and elbows, each trying to outdo the other in climbing, hugging and claiming their da's attention. Muir's attempting to tell ALL about his day and drown out his sister, but Marella has the upper hand - she's got the wits to place a little palm on either side of her da's face and direct his attention where it belongs - on her!
D'had chuckles, turning a glance up towards Thea only to have his gaze dragged back to their daughter by the girl. "That so," he replies to one or maybe it's both. Either way its unlikely that he's heard (or rather understood) half of what they've had to tell him as he holds onto them. Wouldn't do to have them tumble off his lap with all that wriggling.
Thea still does her running and caring for Seryth is enough to keep her in shape, so it's really only a few moments that she needs until her breathing returns to near normal. Though she doesn't immediately rescue D'had from that onslaught. It's too much fun to watch and besides - they need time with him and he them. So she just mounts the stair after a much longer pause than might require, stepping up to the porch and that over-populated chair with a secretive smile to brush a kiss on his cheek. Marella's happy just to get daddy to meet her eyes, gives him a melting smile and says sweetly, "I'm love you." Muir gets right to it, "Beth needs me." And he points to the recumbent blue.
D'had tosses a grin towards Thea at that kiss, but he doesn't have a change to steal one from her himself before the twins have his attention again. "Oh, I think he's just fine," he replies to the boy with a chuckle, bouncing the boy into a better hold in his arm. "I love ya too sweetheart," he adds back to the girl pressing a kiss to her forehead.
It's a sweet, idyllic scene, one that Thea seems to be inclined to soak up for the tranquility, but she might sense a storm coming, and thus she steps away. At the door, she opens it and heads inside, only to bend back far enough to make eye contact with D'had, "I'm getting their snack. You want anything?" Marella's content for the moment to tuck her dark head under her daddy's chin after that kiss but Muir is struggling in the way three turn olds do when they want their freedom. Without a word of argument, he flips his legs off of his da's lap and becomes slack weight - and at the same time heavier (how DO they do that?) as if he'll just slide out of the arm that holds him.
D'had shifts the arm around Marella to be a bit more comfortable there, but then Muir is throwing himself. "Come on," he sighs towards the boy as he tries to keep hold of him at that awkward angle. "He's sleepin' and your momma's getting’ you a snack." And that snack -must- be more interesting than his blue. Right?
Well, D'had has his hands full, so that Thea doesn't get any answer doesn't seem to surprise her. With a tsk for Muir's impatience, she hastens to get those cookies, returning with them and a bottle of ale for D'had. Marella's watching her brother with growing interest, but accepts her cookie readily enough, content for the moment. Thea is practiced at doing what she can to help smooth things where she can, so she offers that ale to her weyrmate in trade for the squirming and now vocally protesting Muir. "Let me take him?"
"Go right ahead," D'had chuckles, handing over the boy in exchange for that bottle. "And thanks," added for the bringing of that same bottle. "Well sounds like they had a busy day, how bout you?" he continues in question of his weyrmate.
"The usual." Thea answers with an eyeroll that they both know means paperwork and more paperwork. As she takes Muir, who thinks he's getting his way and stops his fussing, she adds, "Finished a bit early." Which is why she's here so early before dinner, though that sort of goes without saying. She settles to have a seat on the steps, absently handing Muir his cookie while tilting a rather curious look at D'had, "Where were you at?"
D'had ahs and nods, turning Marella in his lap so she can watch the field in front of the weyr while mommy and daddy talk and eat that cookie without spilling crumbs down his shoulder. "Finished some things a bit early an' came home ta take care'a equipment." Do things like oiling straps - that he didn't finish.
Thea's gaze falls to that pile of straps with a hint of amusement twinkling in her eyes, but her voice holds not one trace of it as she says evenly, "I see that." Muir, meanwhile has eyed that cookie offered, then his parents so busily talking and his momma is SITTING?! Nono. This was not where she was supposed to go with him! He eyes Siebith once more, then slyly takes the cookie while keeping an eye on his mama, he relaxes and nibbles. Marella is easily turned and content to sit on her da's lap, although from time to time the twins make eye contact and there seems to be some unspoken something between them. All appears peaceful - yay! Into the silence Thea notes, "The nannies were reading a picture storybook when I went to pick up the twins."
D'had takes a drink of his ale and nods as he swallows. Whatever is going on between the twins, he's completely oblivious to it. "Were they now?" he inquires, turning a glance down towards the pair of littles in their laps. Maybe they'll have more to share on that one?
Thea's oblivious to it as well. Muir is being good and thus she shifts him to sit beside her; he's heavy and growing more so every day. With half her attention on the lad for a moment, she nods, "Yes, and all of them were riveted to it. Except-" and over the boy's head she gestures, not wanting to actually draw attention to the fact that she's talking about him. Muir's flickering glances between his momma and Siebith, dutifully nibbling that cookie. See momma? Being good here. Truuuust me! Marella pipes up, "A dragon-like-a-birdie story!"
"That so.." D'had replies to Thea, eyeing the boy. Yes, they're talking about him even if he doesn't know and is hoping they're ignoring him and his 'plans'. That comment to his weyrmate flows right in the next that's directed to their daughter, "Dragon like-a-birdie huh." Like he has ANY idea what that means.
Thea's brows twitch, a faint concern etched there, "They couldn't get him to sit still, he was running around-" Marella leans forward to peer up at her daddy's face, eyes full of humor for that uncertain return of his. "He flew!" And her little hands motion a 'there you go - simple!' while cookie crumbs fly from her half-eaten cookie. And here Muir senses his opportunity (yes, he's been listening to every word) and launches off that step in a sprint for poor Siebith, his arms outstretched, pantomiming wings as he joyously and loudly says, "I'm fly!" Thea sighs, watching him go. Not like he can hurt the dragon after all. "Doing that," she says in a mutter of both annoyance and woe.
D'had chuckles. "I see," he replies for Marella though his laughter is far more for her brother. "Well then they shouldn't read him stories about flying?" comes his suggestion as Siebith unfurls a wing in an effort to fend off the boy. He's careful, Muir isn't going to end up hurt, but neither is Sie exactly in the mood to be a jungle gym.
"Too late for that," is Thea's muttered reply, and that wing has her starting up, whether it's to rescue boy or dragon unclear. Muir is not expecting the wing in his path and that blocks his full-tilt run, setting him back on his behind in the dirt. Apparently all Muir wants is to say hello, for he makes no effort to climb Siebith; he stays put, chattering away, telling daddy's dragon all about something. Thea sinks back down to have a seat, flashing D'had an irritated glance. "I can't tell the harpers not to teach them dragonlore, Donn. And we've put if off far too long as it is; it's time they went up." Though she seems ambivalent to the idea if he tension can be read correctly.
"He…" D'had starts, cutting off when Thea sits. He does keep an eye on the boy as he chatters on to his lifemate. "I ain't askin' ya ta say not teach 'em. Just," but he stops to stare towards her at that last remark. "They're only.." Well how old they are doesn't matter. They're still too young as far as he's concerned. "Don't think I even saw a dragon when I was their age."
Thea won't be sidetracked. She allows the subject of harpers and their stories to slide with a shrug. "Neither did I, but then, we weren't living in a Weyr at three turns either. And Donn-" her rush of words stops and she lifts her chin for that stare of his. Fighting with her own inner conflict and perhaps something else, she gets it under control, tucks her chin and says quietly, reasonably, "We can't go anywhere with them if we don't begin taking them up. And you hold them off- well, forbidden fruit is all the more desirable."
"Don't matter," D'had replies, "They're too little." That's his thought on the matter. "You find someone who says different I'll think about it." He needs convincing though.
Thea's eyes flash with hurt surprise at that 'you find someone says different'. "Why should I do that?" Her voice is ice-quiet. She's rising as if she'd like to flee, confused at his response. "Other's riders take theirs up-" She turns away, her back rigid.
D'had snorts. "You ask him," he replies, pointing towards the weyr next door that belongs to N'shen. "See how old he was. I ain't other riders." What else is new? He doesn't agree with what some others think.
Thea turns to eye D'had, her lips pressed together, face set and white. She's hurt and angry, and not trying to hide it, but there's not a word from her as she heads over to the by now, sleepy boy nodding off in the dirt over there by the patient Siebith. She kneels, picks him up gently, cradles his head to her shoulder and moves on past the man holding Marella, also asleep. Muir is settled in his bed for a nap and she? Finds something, anything to do to keep busy. Sweeping Siebith's stone portion of the weyrbarn seems to be the thing and she sets to with a vengeance, dust boiling up in her wake.