Out, Around, Back

Xanadu Weyr - Tahryth's Weyr
A path of shell-fragment gravel leads from the front door to the wallow set along the cottage's leeward side, the earth hollowed and shaped for a dragon's comfort. If there were two dragons, they could watch the waves on the lake and the front door at the same time; so long as there's only one, decisions will have to be made.

Around the back side, a fairly large back yard has been fenced off to the edge of the cliffs that overlook the Caspian Lake. Sturdy posts and wide wooden rails form a small and private paddock. Built against the back wall of the cottage, there's a single runner stall, stone-floored with a split door. It has an elevated hayrack built in one corner, a grain bin and water trough in the other. There's even an old runner-shoe nailed to the door for luck. Inside, this cottage puts on few airs, focused instead on peace and comfort. The walls are sponge-painted, a pale mint undercoat speckled with a darker abalone green that gives it a soft and textured look. Heavy curtains hang by the four-pane windows, letting the inhabitant choose just how much of the outside world to permit. The views, should they be on display, are lovely ones; the blue sky over the lake, the green of the cliffs, and - from the small bedroom window tucked off to one side - the dragon's wallow.


There is a slight coldness in the air, it is the end of summer and fall is just around the corner. The cottage and small barn here seems about the same, save for the barn may have gotten a wee bit bigger. A pair of runners rest in the little paddock, chewing away on some hay, Tahryth is settled in her wallow eyeing the sky slightly with a soft croon escaping her at times. Idrissa is just making her way out from the barn carrying a basket that has some eggs in it. She has a oversized shirt on and pair of short, and there is a good reason for that shirt seeing how fair along she is with the pregency.

And then along to where the little path turns down… funny how things can come back to you even after turns away. But Soriana's back, and now she's making her way down the path toward the cottage and barn… okay, let's be clear. She's only headed toward the cottage because it's between her and the barn, and she doesn't even bother going up to the door, much less knocking on it before slipping around back to where she's got a much better chance of finding Idrissa. There's Tahryth, who gets a wave, and there's a pair of runners… Soriana nods to herself… and… aha! There's Idrissa, and Soriana grins as she steps a little faster toward her. "Hey!"

Tahryth looks over to Soriana, a happy croon escaping her at seeing her, it has been some time after all. Idrissa pauses at the message that Tahryth givesher, and then the 'hey' makes her blink. She smiles though. "Hey right back at you." She sets the basket down and wipes her hands off upon her shirt. "I was wondering where abouts you was."

It's a Soriana! An actual Soriana who's, well, here. She laughs a bit, with a duck of her head in a slightly abashed sort of nod. "Well… here, now." A crooked grin. She hops the fence, with a glance around that then has her gaze going back to Idrissa again, and smiling. "It's… sort of been a while, I know. But… yeah. We're back at the old farm, and I'm mostly working at the Annex."

Idrissa nods and chuckles softly. "That you are. I was going to come by… Just haven't gotten a chance." Not that she's been dealing wth the Weyrlings that much as of late. Though knowing Rissa she wasn't sure about just wandering over. "Everything going alright at the farm and such?"

Soriana nods. "Seems there's always something coming up to keep you busy, isn't there?" she muses with a bit of a laugh. "It's been the same for me. We're not entirely done unpacking, because when it's not some dragon with a sprained wing it's one of the kids wanting whatever it is they want this week…" Her eyes do drift down a little at that, noting once more that curve of belly beneath the shirt, then lift up again. "But, things are going well, all told. How are they for you?"

Idrissa smils a bit and nods slightly. "Yeah." Is offered softly, she isn't the most outgoing person if Soriana would recall, she isn't to sure where they left things either. Sure Ka'el and her fixed things, but still… There was a lot of things said, not said you know funthings. "Good, glad things are well. Kids?" Is questioned with an amused tone. She does catch that look though and she takes in a soft breath. "I'm alright." There is a moment where she scratches at her neck a bit and glances to herself. "It was a flight." Her hand settles lightly against her belly.

Maybe certain recollections are part of why Soriana's made her way out here! She nods to Idrissa, then hehs. "Kids, yes. We've three of them now - Skyler, Kaesen, and Arialla." Two more than when they left! And Idrissa's got… "Ah," Soriana says, and nods. Her head tilts, looking at Idrissa's expression. "How you feeling about it? Excited, terrified, both, something else entirely…?"

Idrissa chuckles softly. "Three, I be there cute." There is a slight pause as she ponders what to say and glances off slightly. "I… I guess a bit of everything." She moves over to sit upon the bench, a soft breath escaping her. "Wasn't planning on it." Though who is over something like that?

"Mm, I think so. Especially when they're trying to get out of trouble," Soriana agrees, and smiles. "You should come over sometime and see for yourself." But for now… Soriana is the one doing the visiting, and she drifts over to the bench to join Idrissa, nodding to her. "…heh. I wasn't either, for Skyler." She looks to Idrissa with a wry smile. "Planning on it, I mean. I figured… kids were for other people."

Idrissa smiles and nods. "I bet. I will, bring them sugary things too and then just leave." She offers with an amused tone. A glance is offered over. "Never thought I would have a kid. Knowing me I'll do something stupid." Such is her life has been in the past.

"Oh, I see, going to have your revenge by making them bounce off the walls," Soriana says, and laughs. "Seems fair enough. I'll just send them out to run around the barn ten times." She grins, then hehs a little as she nods to Idrissa, watching her. "Likely you will." A smile. "I mean… I've lost count of the number of stupid things I've done. Like… I left out a jar of numbweed once, didn't realize it until Skyler came and told me his hands felt funny…"

Idrissa grins a bit and nods. "Course… That's alright I'll just have Tahryth play with them. Will wear them all out." A total win-win! As for the rest she smiles a bit and looks off slightly. "That's just numbweed though. Half the time I'm a mess as it is with certain things. S'dny wants to help… His nice just over bearing at times honestly."

Soriana grins. "Oh, yeah, they'll love that." Well, at least, the older two. The baby's more likely to just wiggle about. Good enough, though! But… ah, that's the least of the challenges of parent-hood. Soriana nods, listening to Idrissa and tilting her head a bit. "It is, yeah. But it's a part of it… and so's everything else." Her lips tug to the side a bit. "Do you want him helping?" she asks. "I mean… that's up to you. Anything from telling him to find a wet-nurse and take the kid, all the way through asking him to move in next door." A slight smile.

Idrissa smiles a bit at that. "It would be cute, for a bit at least." She says with a soft chuckle. As for the rest she seems a bit unsure for a moment it seems. "I thought about that… Seeing if he would want the kid, but then I didn't want to leave it like that, just handing the kid over without a care?" That isn't her, though she's thought on it a good bit there when she found out. "S'dny isn't the time I think to be good on his own as a parent… Not that I'll be much better." A slight shake of her head is seen. "I don't think he ould do that."

Soriana nods. "You never were one for giving up on a creature," she says. "Of whatever sort." A fond smile, and then she nods before tilting her head to the side. "Yeah? So… well, here's a question. What do you think you actually need to be a good parent, huh? What're you missing?"

"I don't know honestly." Idrissa offers. "I just know I don't want to turn into my mother." That would of course be a fear for her. "Everyone feels this way… Don't they?" She can at least hope on that bit.
Soriana nods. "Yeah… I wouldn't either." She half-smiles. "You could try turning into my mother instead?" A far better option! But, that grin is fleeting, and she lets out a bit of a breath as she nods. "I think so. Or at least… everyone who wants to do it right does. And I think… that's a good thing. I mean, it's… sort of how I felt with Luraoth, too. Touching the eggs, and going out on the sands, and then… realizing that I had her, that she was mine and I had to… had to do things right, because… because."

Idrissa chuckle softly at the talk of mothers and the likes. "I hope it's a good thing… If not I dono." This said with a soft murmur at the thought of it all. She lets her hand rub slightly across her belly. "I don't have much of a choice though, the baby will be here soon enough." A smile is seen and she nods. "That's true… In a sense really with Tahryth I had a run with raising a kid and he's turned out rather well." Tahryth snorts slightly thinking sheis better then that.

Soriana grins, then nods. "And at the most inconvenient time, you can be sure of that." A wry smile, and then she nods again. "Yeah. I mean, humans are different, to be sure, but… it's the same in some ways, too. I can't imagine your mother doing well with a dragon, can you?" Soriana arches an eyebrow to go with that question. "But Tahryth's turned out well, and that's you doing it."

Idrissa makes a sight face at the thought. "No… She wouldn't know how to deal with cutting up the food and cleaning up after one." It would be amusing to some degree really. "Taking it one day at a time… Would be alright, wouldn't it?"

Soriana laughs a bit, and nods. "But you dealt with it, and never lost sight of who you were doing it for." She turns her head, glancing toward that there green dragon, then tilts it back toward Idrissa and nods. "Yeah. One day at a time… well, it's how I do it." A crooked smile. "And you don't have to do it all on your own, either. I mean, whatever you decide with… that rider," whatever his name was… "You can always take them to the nursery for a day, or bring them over to visit and sneak out while I make a distraction."

Idrissa she smiles a bit at that and nods while glancing over to Tahryth and then looks back to Soriana, a soft chuckle heard. "Well that is one way to do it. Though I think there are easier ways to take a break then getting S'dny involved." Like say the nursery! She closes her eyes a bit with a soft breath escapes her. "I'll deal with that when it comes to it really." This said softly. "As of late the other things I've thought about dealing with have been naps and trips to the bathroom, around trying to eat things that are strange."

Soriana nods. "I wouldn't mind watching the kid sometimes, either." She smiles. "One more doesn't make that much difference, and I maybe have a bit of practice. Nothing compared to the nannies, of course, but still." A bit of a laugh, and then she nods. "Yeah… sometimes I think the cravings are just so if your kid ends up a picky eater, you can't take it too hard because you just know you've eaten weirder."

Idrissa looks a bit amused at this thought. "I'll remember that, and when your pulling your hair out with four kids to watch." She offers with a teasing tone. "You know I'll help as well with your little group." There is a slight pause and she shakes her head slightly. "Well when you put it that way I suppose that makes some sense. Though if tehy want pickled tubers for a meal I'm going to refuse."

Soriana grins. "Just wait until I'm getting you to lead them all on field trips…" she says, then laughs. "Oh yeah, that reminds me. There's a 'brat who wants riding lessons, figures he can convince his parents if it's an actual beastcrafter doing it. And… well, probably now is not the time for it, but is that the sort of thing you'd be up for doing? Once you've caught up on sleep and all, that is." …as if parents are ever really caught up on sleep. Just like with baby dragons! And as for diets… Soriana grins. "You sure? Because hey, that sort of counts as eating vegetables!"

Idrissa grins at this. "Well I have to admit I'm a little out of practice with field trips as of late. Though I will figure out a few good spots." She glances over to the pair of runners, one being RedFeathers. "Sure, Feather's would be the best to give lessons. I'm thinking Flower wodn't be much help, she still isn't broken in yet. Been a bit hard as of late." A shake of her head is seen. "I can't stand the smell of them. I ate a bunch of them at the start… Spent more time puking up pickled tubers then actually keeping them down." Have to love it.

Soriana hehs, and nods. "I recommend thinking about it when you're up at night trying to get the baby back to sleep. Or… well, thinking about anything, really. Talking out loud helps them get to sleep, sometimes, and it's not like they know the difference between lullabies and your shopping list." She grins, then nods about those runners, taking a look over at them. "Yeah, I can see that. Sure Feathers is glad for the company, though." She smiles, then tilts her head back to Idrissa and… "Oh." Her nose wrinkles, and then she gives her head a bit of a shake. "Yeah, okay, fair enough."

Idrissa seems amused over that. "I'll have to remember that then. Just start talking about beastcraft stuff, and lesson things." That would be funny, the kid could be an expect beastcrafter at a young age! "Yeah, he rather likes the company. You know if the lessons turn out well I bet I could get you a foal of your very own for the kids." She offers with a teasing tone before a soft oh escapes her while glancing to the basket of eggs. "Do you all need eggs? I have some more inside. The hens have been good layers this turn. Surprized I'm nto sick of eggs as of yet."

Soriana nods. "Kaesen got to hear dragonhealing procedures. Hasn't seemed to take hold… yet." She grins. "Skyler's the one who's crazy for dragons lately." A shrug for that. Maybe it's a phase, maybe it's not, either way that's okay! She laughs a bit at Idrissa's suggestion of a foal, but nods. "Maybe. I suppose we do have room for one…" she muses, then hehs. "We'll see. I know Tea - who is not mine, he's one of the 'brats who's helping Skyler settle in - would love a horse of his own. If you need someone to bribe for help, that is." She grins, though… given pregnancy and babies, maybe it's partly serious. As for those eggs… "You know, I could probably use some. Dinner or breakfast or what have you…"

"I think every kid goes through that crazy dragon stage at some point." Idrissa offers with an amused tone. "I'll have to bring Tahryth over, she's always amused with kids. I think it is becaue she is still one herself." She says with an amused tone. Tahryth snorts a bit but doesn't try and disagree with that. At the talk of Tea she nods with a smile seen. "Well then, I wouldn't mind the help, maybe I can bribe 'em with muffins or something." That's a thought! "Well, I have a basket with some here, your welcome too and your welcome to come and get some whenever you like."

"Do it, they'll all have fun," Soriana encourages with a grin. "Luraoth'll join in too." Kanekith, on the other hand, has dignity… or something like that, anyway. She nods about Tea. "Muffins, getting to touch a runner, getting to try to ride one… really, anything to do with runners, Tea is all about that. Well. One of the Teas, anyhow." She hehs. "They're twins. Both named Tea, as far as I can tell… or at least, as far as they'd like to convince everyone." Kids! Always trying to confuse the poor adults. Which… they are now, aren't they? When'd that happen? Soriana nods about the eggs. "Skyler'd probably have fun helping gather them, too. Like a treasure hunt! …more or less."

Idrissa smiles and nods. "Sure… Let me know when would be a good day. I've given Kera all my lessons as of late honestly. The Weyrlings are close to graduating as well." She ponders at thet alk on twins, a soft ah escaping her. "Twins? WEll hat must be interesting, and hard to figure out who is who. Maybe we can tag them with number tags if they start to really cause issues?" This questioned with a tasing tone. "The hen's are nice sothey won't chase after anyone at least. Have to watch out for the pair of roosters, they can be awful."

"I will," Soriana agrees. Whenever the calendar has a break! …which, truth be told, is easier now than it once was. She's just a junior and dragonhealer now, and Ka'el is just a smithrider. They have a life outside of work! …mostly. Soriana nods about the weyrlings. "Kera was telling me, yeah. Already planning their graduation." A grin, and then a shrug. "I'm sure it'll be fine, whatever it is." And as for those twins… she laughs! "Tag their ears, like prize herdbeasts. One on the left, the other the right." …are you taking notes? This is her official maternal advice for dealing with twins! She nods about those hens, and as for the roosters… oh, that reminds her. "How's Ripley doing these days?"

"Kera is really good with the Weyrlings, the lessons…" Idrissa offers, pausing slightly. "I thought about going back to being a beastcrafter honestly." She's always felt strange about teaching Weyrlings, like it wasn't really her. "Tahryth enjoys working with the young dragons though soshe's against it." She grins to the tags bit and nods with a soft chuckle heard. "Yep, just what I was thinking, blue for one, red for another." Makes total sense! A slight wave of her hand is sent towards the cottage. "His around still, not a angrey as he was as I got a gold lizard now. She keeps him in check."

"I should go sit in on some, see how they're going," Soriana says, then nods. She tilts her head to take a look around the barnyard, and smiles. "Seems you've got about half of one around here in any case," she says. "Maybe we can get you up to two thirds if I get you to help out around our place. It's turned more farm since we left, there's a fellow from one of the holds who kind of… took over the land, keeping it up again. It's kind of nice, really." She grins, then laughs about those ear-tags as she nods. "Exactly." The cottage gets a glance, and then she smiles about that new lizard and nods. "Yeah… that makes sense. Dragon-kin sort of need to have a queen around, or they get… a little off."

Idrissa smiles and nods with a glance towards the barn and the like. "Might need to make the barn a bigger again, especially if I try to keep a herdbeast around." Hey, they do give milk. "Or perhaps a couple of caprine instead, there smaller and eat gras. Could help with the land over at your place if we have a small herd of them." Hey… milk, goat cheese! "It's been a bit funny how they fawn over her honestly. Ripley will do whatever she wants and actually behaves."

Soriana grins, and nods as she looks at the barn. "Could do a mixed herd, caprines for milk and wool…" she offers. "You could send them all along the weyrs, trimming everyone's grass for them. People'd probably like that." A moment, and then a laugh. "Least, until they find the, uh, fertilizer left behind." She grins, then nods about the firelizards. "Course, when the gold herself is a bit of a brat, you're sort of out of luck… but Haruhi is reasonable…ish… lately."

"Of course, that would be even better. Could sell the milk and wool, cheee too." Idrissa seems rather interested in this idea the more it is talked about. A soft laugh is heard. "The fertilizer is just extra, it is good for the ground and the like." She nods slightly. "Hecate is well… Bosy I have to admit, though Ripley seems to actually enjoy it." Of course he would.

"And then a few more steps and you're pretty much back to being a beastcrafter again…" Soriana says, and grins. "Seems fun, though." Fertilizer and all! "I've already told the kids, if they step in something, they take their shoes off on the porch." A shake of her head, a crooked smile, and then she nods about those firelizards. "Yeah, that… kind of goes with the color. I'm glad they're getting along, though!"

Idrissa chuckles osftly and smiles. "Indeed." This said with an amused tone at the idea. "Should be amusing and stressful whenever she starts to glow. Something I'm honestly not looking forward too if we want to be honest." She smirks a bit. "Hard enough dealing with Tarhyth when it happens to her."

Soriana makes a sort of equivocating gesture with one hand. "Firelizards aren't so bad as dragons, generally. I mean, golds can be a bit worse than greens, I guess, but I don't think she's likely to be all that bad compared to Tahryth, really." But she could be wrong! "Now, if they both happen to do it at the same time…"

Idrissa smirks a bit. "I never felt much with Willow, figured that much. Hecate is… Interesting at times. Tahryth turns into some feline on the prowl." It has gotten interesting with that green off in the herd dealing with the males to say the least. She nods a bit while shifting, a soft breath escaping her while she goes. "Let me get you the rest of them eggs. I'd let you grab them but Ripley is actually curled up around that basket."

Soriana nods. "Hecate will probably be somewhere in the middle between them. A bit more than Willow, but less than Tahryth." Which is all for the best, because who could survive two dragons worth of rising? Soriana shifts up to her feet, and nods. "Heh, yeah. More even tempered or not, he'd probably still take my fingers off for disturbing him."

"If not I'm getting rid of Willow and Hecate." Idrissa mutters at the thought. As if she would. "Ripley would take mine off if he thought he could get away with it sometimes." The blue does have issues with everyone but her really. Idrissa isn't gone that long, ther is a sight crash and Ripley is heard hissing at some point. "Honestly stop it." Rissa mutters out while she comes back with another basket of eggs and starts adding into the ones there. "Maybe I could wander over tomorow? Maybe I'll make some cookies."

Soriana just laughs, and she heads over to wait at the doorway. Crash! Hiss! Grin! Two from inside, and one from her, and then she holds up her basket of eggs to take the rest of them. "I'll have to make… quiche, maybe. Or omelets tomorrow." Eggs to use are a good problem to have! A good and tasty problem. Once they're settled all in one basket, she hefts it a bit, then nods. "Yeah, come on over! Cookies are always a good excuse for a visit. Probably should have brought some myself, but…" Well, she didn't, and she shrugs a bit for that.

Idrissa smiles and nods. "See, there you go." This said with an amused tone and she even grins a bit while she brushes her hands off. "That's alright. I don't need cookies… Even though I really want some." Cause… cookies! "I'm… Really glad you guys have come back. It was really well strange without ou guys here."

Soriana laughs. "Mm, cookies." But hey, at least she brought over an excuse to bake some! That's still… sort of… helpful, right? She smiles, then, and nods. "Yeah… so am I. I mean, Telgar's a fine place, and I learned a lot there, but… it was never quite home." A crooked smile, and then she steps closer, reaching out an arm to offer a hug. Well, a half-hug, anyway, she's still got those eggs in the other hand.

Idrissa will be careful of those eggs, but yes she will give her a hug back. "Everyone else missed you all too, but still you know.. Me th emost." This said playful like. They had some hard times there, but she still missed them none the less. "I won't keep you to much more. I bet the kids are wondering where you are hiding afterall."

Soriana laughs. "Let 'em wonder. It's good to have mysteries every now and then." But still. "It really is good to see you again… and I'll see you tomorrow, too." She grins. "Anytime from mid-afternoon I should be around, and the kids'll be back from the nursery and lessons. Come by, we can compare farms and talk." Another hug - bonus round! - and then, "I suppose I should head back, huh?" She grins, and waves. "Until tomorrow!" And then… she heads off! She disappears! …but not for long. Not this time.


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