Lost and Found
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Xanadu Weyr - Garden
An arch woven from the tendrils of a willow tree stretches overhead lightly creeping with ivy as one steps in from the meadow into this sanctuary of green. Cool gray flagstone carefully spaced enables a soft velvety moss to thrive within the cracks, and creates a single wide pathway that fluidly breaks off into two paths of stone once free of the natural arbor. It is a wonder this place, and meticulously tended from the way it seems not a single leaf is out of place.
On either side of the main path expansive grassy patches are trimmed short and edged behind with natural tan colored stone selectively chosen to stack just right. Beyond these are a line of fine puffed shrubberies in vibrant green intermingled with flowering bushes of brilliant pinks varying in hue from the very light to the very dark, which causes the occasional snowy white blossoms of other scattered here and there without worry to simply pop out of the scenery.
Directly in the center of the garden is another wall of intricately stacked stone, this of muted grays, creating what from the air would prove to be a perfect circle. It's been set high for safety, but not so much as one would not be able to lean over it to admire what lies beyond, either standing or sitting at the smattering of benches whose backs are set every four feet along it. Flush to the ground inside it's protective stone outcropping, is an enormous twenty foot wide fish pond. Within one can glean the metallic glint of playful goldfish, the unhurried cruise of fat koi, and even a frog or three among pale yellow and white flowering water lilies and their thick green pads.
The trees surrounding the entire garden were planted to give the impression that they had always been here, not only lending to a rustic look, but also alluding to the beauty that can be found among the wilds if only one might just look for it. Species vary from the ordinary Birch and Pine, but the flaming red capsules of the Indian Shot to the robust orange spokes of the Firewheel tree suggest the spice of the exotic.


RIGHT, SO, YOU SUCKERS LET ME SET. Now it's going to be a bad day for everybody. Or, well, at least it's a bad day for Risali. Maybe that's why she's escaping to the Gardens, hiding somewhere that maybe doesn't prevent that loud thrumming of bass and drums from ricocheting off of hers (and everybody else's) skulls, but that certainly keeps one giddily bombastic queen at bay. « MINION, I JUST WANT A LITTLE BIT OF A NIBBLE. AND FOR YOU TO ADMIRE MY HAT. » Yeah. The bad part is that it's storming - quite spectacularly, actually. The kind of storming that says you might want to seek shelter indoors soon but not right this second because those ominous clouds are still on the horizon and the dark might be foreboding, but certainly is no more dangerous than that. It is raining, and it is raining with gusto, which means tiny little Risali looks very much the part of a drown cat where she is sitting, there in the middle of all that falling wet, huddled up under her leather jacket on a bench with her legs pulled up towards her chest. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, YOUR WEYRWOMAN.

There is a rustling in the trees around the garden. A pause. More rustling. Some sort of animal? Well, sort of. Rinian pops through into the garden, wet by this point and proably lost. A common enough occurance thus far, but getting better! She carries a nice, thick branch, about as long as she is tall. It was probably dealing with that that more noise than she did herself. She brushes a strand of wet hair out of her face and looks around, trying to figure out where she ended up.

Aaaaaand there's S'van. Who hates the rain but is for some reason, wandering around in it ANYWAYS. He's sans hat of any sort, but he does sport a jacket with a hood, and said hood is definitely pulled up in a vain effort to keep out the wet, and keep in the dry, and maybe protect him from melting… Still. He's here, pretending he can't hear all that boom-boom-pow that is Leirith in all her glory. Maybe also pretending he doesn't see drowned-rat Risali, sitting there all cute and vulnerable in the garden. But definitely not pretending to be oblivious to the rustling and eventual emergence of one woodcraft apprentice. Rinian gets a look, and coming from six-and-a-half-feet up, it might be an *intimidating* look, even if Sev doesn't really intend for it to be so. Hands stuffed in his pockets, head tipped back to allow grey eyes to peek beneath that hood (even if it lets a little of the *HISS* RAIN in) and he offers an eloquent, "Huh," for the stick-wielding woman. "Pretty sure there's nothing in the garden to be scared of," he notes, chin-jutting toward her stick. "Except maybe Risa…" head-tip toward Weyrwoman. At least it comes with a grin?

HOW DARE ALL THAT RUSTLING INTERRUPT RISALI'S BROOD. The goldrider shifts from beneath the protection of her jacket, squints grey eyes through strands of wet hair that cling to her face in an attempt to focus on who, or what, or where that sound is coming from, and ah-ha! There is Rinian, a figure not quite so familiar to the goldrider, and then BLOCKED by the BIG BODIES OF BIG BRONZERIDERS. Risali's eyes narrow, her lips coming together and pulling inwards then out only to part. Where S'van offers an eloquent, 'Huh,' Risali offers its highly intelligent cousin: "Uhm." CUE THE INSULTS. It's bait that Risali takes with a grand roll of her eyes (in a very PLAYFUL manner) even as she pulls some STOLEN PARCHMENT OUT OF HER JACKET POCKET, rolls up its sad, wet remains, and then CHUCKS IT AT THE BRONZERIDER'S HEAD. Whether it hits or not, Risali's dropping booted feet to the ground and pushing herself to stand, moving to join S'van (whom gets a punch in the arm, albeit gently) before her attention turns onto Rinian. "Don't worry; I'm only scary if you're a man." BEAM. And there's a deviant look towards S'van. "Or S'van, of course." INSULTING HIS MANHOOD. But then she's shrugging her jacket up high on her shoulders again, pulling it up over her head in a ridiculous display of exactly how one should not protect themselves against the weather. A beat as she looks between them and, "Am I interrupting something?"

Rinian blinks up at the very tall man, then down to the woman of reasonable size, then back up to the man in concern over his reaction to what seem to be some pretty big insults to the craft girl. There might be something to be scared of after all. She clutches the stick, either possesively or in simple reaction. "Ah..Oh no. This isn't for defense. It's for work." Maybe the mundane will help out.

Poor S'van. Unfairly cast as the villain simply because he's tall. He is wielding neither weapon nor insults, and yet, it is the bronzerider that is subject to suspicion and not the 'reasonably sized' (AKA TINY!) Risali with her wads of paper that go bouncing harmlessly off his chest, or the mysterious apprentice with her giant sticks of wood that are apparently work related and not defense-related. "Careful," he warns. "She bites." And he grins. Toothy and smug and all sorts of pleased as he peers down at that rain-drenched weyrwoman trying to insult his manhood, and then brazenly goes to swing and arm around her shoulders because he is FEARLESS in the face of imminent DOOM! And probably also because he KNOWS HER and she KNOWS HIM, and they're really only dangerous to each other. Cause he's definitely making all that 'avoidance of rainwater' somewhat challenging. "You should get a hood," he murmurs in an aside to Risali before, "Is it work that also has you, ah… lost in the garden?" is asked of Rinian. Assumptions have been made.

There's a gentle punch to S'van's side before she's tucked in against it, her own arm coming around the UNREASONABLY SIZED bronzerider as she allows her weight to sink in against him - and maybe draws some comfort from the contact if the way tension eases out of her shoulders says anything about it. But it's not in her expression, there's nothing in her voice that hints to anxiety even as she finds a smile for Rinian and her schtick. "It's an impressive stick," she intones, with the kind of somber inflection that says maybe she's joking, but maybe this is polite and she hasn't decided which side of the fence to come down on yet. As for hoods, Risa keeps hold of her jacket with her free arm and tilts her head back to look at S'van, to smile at him in a way that's honest and shows teeth before she shakes her head. "You should lose yours," she says, MAINTAINING HER MAKE-SHIFT ONE. "I bet if you went home to Jae soaking wet…" DID SHE JUST RAISE HER BROWS and the smile with a whole hell of a lot of mischief? She did, slow, and illicit, and diminishing as those grey eyes shift back to Rinian with humor lingering. "So… what do you do with this, ah, stick?"

Rinian relaxes as thankfully it seems good natured banter after all. With what she's seen thus far, you can never tell. She relaxes and replies, "It actually isn't for me. A Journeyman told me to go find one of this size. I've no clue what he wants it for though. I got a bit turned around once I found it and I'm not entirely sure where I've ended up.

S'van is the gentle giant of the pair (J'en being the not-so-gentle one…) so he's gonna see all that leaning and leeching of comfort and just… GIVE MORE OF IT! A gentle squeeze of his arm, a dart of his eyes that is half question and half check-in, and then back to Rinian because there are sticks and quests and… pseudo questions. "Xanadu Weyr, the gardens," he supplies for the 'where' she's ended up. "Is there somewhere you're trying to go?" But then, maybe Sev isn't the best to provide directions, seeing as he's a darn foreigner! And then there's Risa. Lovely Risa. With her comments, and her mischief, and her illicit, shifty-eyes that has S'van… not squirming but definitely looking all sorts of amused plus a *little* bit strained. "Aede doesn't want to leave," is the simple answer that will have to suffice. Because he's stuck here, whether he wants to be half-drowned in Xanadu or not. "Speaking of…" because dragons are freakin' annoying with their demands, (but make pretty good excuses to leave a scene). There's another squeeze of Risali's shoulders, a reach over to playfully tug-tug at her FAKE hood, and a murmured promise of FINDING HER LATER. And then a glance for Rinian, an amused but still sincere and friendly sort of smile, and a friendly enough, "Good luck with your… well. Good luck." And then he's heading for the meadow to meet that bronze beast that calls him 'lifemate.'

I mean, it is a pretty impressive stick, and maybe that's why Risali's eyes linger on it until S'van's movements and words are drawing her attention back to him. There's something apologetic that flickers through the golderider's expression, a tightening of her own arm slung low around his hip, a nod for words, and then a SWAT at tugging hands that do little to chase away the answering smile. Her attention fixates back on Rinian then, waiting until S'van as left before she rocks forward on her heels and then gestures around them. Awkward, perhaps, but this is Risali. "I can get you where you need to go. I'm Risali, by the way." « AND I AM LEIRITH, IT IS OKAY TO BE IMPRESSED BY MY HAT, TINY STICK WEILDING MINION. » No, really, if Rinian is receptive to the touch, she'll have one gold crashing in with drums and bass and the promise of a headache - as she does to everybody in the weyr. Welcome to Xanadu, home of the Queen without manners. It might be why Risali's smile goes just a little stiff, but doesn't diminish. "Well met."

Rinian starts to reply with her name when a boom/crash in her head startles her into silence for a moment. She's used to loud noises though, saws and such, so it isn't too awful. "Oh! Well, that's new… Sorry, I'm Rinian. My duty to you Risali, and to Leirith." She looks curious, "Hat?"

Risali's smile takes on a hint of something else, though the emotion is hard to place. "Sorry," comes softly, almost unheard over the din the rain makes, by the rumble of thunder in the distance that acts as a precursor to what's headed their way from the sea. "She does that to everybody." But formalities are met with a hint of the uncomfortable as Risali dips her head to accept them, as she clears her throat and latches onto conversations about hats and just what it is that the gold means. "Right. Well, there is a weaver - well, he's a rider now - who made a hat for Leirith. It's stunning, actually, but quite big and she's wearing it now." A beat, hesitant. "If you want to look." THERE IS DOUBT IN THAT. BUT HERE D'LEI, HAVE A SET. IT IS RAINING, there is DOOM (by which we mean LIGHTNING and THUNDER) on the horizon, threatening to send people inside, and Risali is drenched and cornered by a VERY VIOLENT RINIAN WITH HER STICK. Just kidding, but Rinian does have a stick, and Risali is talking to her about sticks and dragons.

Rinian is also drenched, and she and the stick are on par height wise with Risali. So not terribly threatening. "A dragon, in a hat? I'm sure she looks lovely. I'd love to see it." Who wouldn't want to see such a sight? "Only, I hope its not getting ruined with the rain?" It suddenly dawns on her, "This rain really isn't all that cold, is it?"

Why is D'lei out in the rain? He really shouldn't be. Let's be honest, he shouldn't even be out of the house, but… here he is, in a tunic that's too large for him by about the same scale that one that fit him would be too large for the two ladies talking. He's at least heading out of the gardens instead of into them, his pace slow and seeming rather… cautious. Like a stick might be useful, but… he has none of those. No hat, either! So yeah, he is also soaked by that there rain.

Do Leirith and Lovely belong in the same sentence? Probably not, which might be why Risali huffs breathy laughter and then nods her head, gesturing towards the entrance. "She's over that way if you want to…" See her? Risali's words trail off as those grey eyes settle on one much too familiar form making his way from the gardens. "Faranth," Risali invokes, half amusement, half… no, okay. It's mostly amusement and a pained twist at the end that maybe speaks to concern. "Come on," she tells Rinian. "We might need your big stick before your journeyman gets it." TO BRAIN D'LEI AND CART HIM BACK HOME, OF COURSE. And Risali is moving, taking not-nearly-long-enough strides with a call of, "Dash!" in an attempt to maybe flag down the Weyrleader before he disappears in ALL THAT RAIN. LEIRITH IS WAITING FOR YOU TO ADMIRE HER HAT AT THE ENTRANCE, DASH. RUN.
Rinian falls in easily beside the weyrwoman, with big stick in hand. She peers through the sheets of rain at the figure that seems a bit off. She didn't read her mind, really, but asks, "To beat that person, or help them with it? Don't worry, the Jouryman can wait." He's already waited while she got lost, and appretinces are used to being on the short end of the…stick.
Yep. That's him! D'lei looks up, instead of focusing on the path in front of him, and peers through the rain… aha! He grins, stopping where he is to lift his right hand and wiggle fingers… while standing there and letting them catch up, which is kind of the opposite of running. "Hey," he says as they get near enough, and his gaze shifts between them before he grins. "So… what's a pair like you doing in a rain like this?"

"I haven't decided yet," Risali answers honesty, even if she already knows. But they reach D'lei and Risali is shrugging out of her jacket, not really caring that it's Definitely Too Small as she brings it around D'lei's shoulders and adjusts it to make sure that tunic-protected-things are not getting more wet. There's a flash of anxiety in Risa's expression, but she buries it with a humored, "Fire is going to take out your kneecaps, you know, and I'm going to pretend really hard not to see her do it." Jacket adjusted, Risali steps back to look at Rinian. "I was…" Running away, is what that opening and closing of her mouth that ends in an almost grimace says, even if she turns it into, "helping… ah… sorry. I don't think that I caught your name." A beat, and then, "I was helping her find her way back to civilization. She was lost." Though how she ended up here in the first place, she will let Rinian do the telling. "What are you doing out here?" Those raised brows aren't quite disapproval (because this is Risa, who thrives on recklessness and bad ideas), but they are certainly curious.

Rinian takes a better look at D'lei and offers him the stick. "Why don't you lean on this?" She somewhat appently provides the asked for name, "Rinian." She's rather more worried about the man who really looks like he shouldn't be out in the rain. "Maybe we should head inside where its dry?"

"She wouldn't," D'lei claims with a blithe smile… though he doesn't resist Risali turning her jacket into a lopsided shawl for him. "…because then she'd feel guilty and have to fix them." See? He's got this… though he does accept that stick that Rinian offers, his position getting a bit more lopsided but also more stable. "Thanks," he says. "I think we still count as civilization. Unless the Weyr's been swept away by the rain, anyhow." He grins. "I'm D'lei." Things he also is: putting off answering Risali's question.

"It's always the quiet ones, Dash," Risali murmurs, because isn't that the rule of thumb? But if the avoidance of an answer to her question is noted, Risali doesn't push. Those grey eyes remain for seconds, brows knitting, and then Risali is looking back to Rinian with a muted smile. "Dry does sound nice. That storm looks like it's going to be here sooner rather than later." A flicker towards the horizon, towards those things that GIVE HER ANXIETY and then a mischievous smile as her eyes roll back to D'lei, hands on her hips, heedless of the fact that she is now getting thoroughly soaked through. "Do we though, Dash? Leirith is here." And there's that booming of laughter, and a, « YOU COULD COME AND SEE MY HAT, MINIONS. IT WILL NOT KEEP YOU DRY, BUT YOU WILL BE SO CAPTIVATED THAT YOU WILL NOT CARE. GAROUTH SAYS IT MAKES MY BADASS STAND OUT. » DID HE THOUGH, LEIRITH? Still, Risali is looking around for somewhere that at least might provide them cover for a little bit.

Rinian looks over at the coming storm. "As much as I love a good lightning storm, I prefer them from inside. With a warm fire, something nice to drink, and something to read or carve." She is startled by the voice again, but it makes her laugh. "Oh..I think I like her."

D'lei hehs, with a brush of his fingers over to Risali's side - she's wet, so are they - and then a grin. "See? She likes her," he says with a nod toward Rinian. "That means we count as civilization. It's a rule." According to whom? NO COMMENT. "Come on, then." He's just going to move right along before anyone can call him out on a lack of sense. "Let's head inside." As if it was his idea in the first place, and not their good idea he's stealing. Time to dash away! ….ooooor it would be, except even with the stick, he's really not moving all that fast… particularly not with the occasional winces when his torso does too much of a twist. STILL. He flees with all available haste, which means that the two of them will only have to slow down a little to not leave him behind.

"You're one of the few," Risali whispers to Rinian with dry humor, "but Leirith appreciates it." And maybe Risali does too; that smile is honest anyway, even if her nose scrunches and fingers tighten on her hips in an effort not to punch D'lei as might be the regular course of action in these particular circumstances. "Shut up, D'lei," she breathes instead, words lilting with humor, smile persisting at the corners before she's nodding her head. Risa gestures Rinian to lead while she falls back to keep pace with D'lei, ready to tuck in against his side and be used as a crutch if that Big Stick just isn't cutting it, or to simply make sure he's okay. "Right. Inside, to a fire." AND DRY SPACE. FLEE THE STORM, FLEE! "I'd say, 'Beat you there,' but I have a rule against taking advantage of the invalid." SHE TRIES TO BE FUNNY, OKAY. But yes, to somewhere less outside!

Xanadu Weyr - Caverns
A massive cavern in its own right, this one has been skillfully adapted for human habitation. The high ceilings have been painted a light, soft ivory, as have walls hung with numerous tapestries that provide brilliant color and insulation from the stone. The floor has been left in its natural state, pale pink granite speckled through with glittering mica and dark flecks of basalt. The stone is carefully leveled but kept sufficiently rough to avoid slips.
The cavern itself is loosely divided into areas, each one set up to be suitable for some segment of the Weyr's population. The most frequently occupied area is the one near the Kitchens, where tables of varying sizes provide a place to sit down and eat or chat and a buffet of consumables is almost always kept stocked. It's plain that on most days, this area wouldn't accommodate anywhere near the full population of the Weyr, instead feeding people in shifts as they come off duty. On occasions when a formal meal is laid out, tables are borrowed from all the other areas.
There's also a big fireplace set into the western wall, several comfortable chairs nearby providing haunts for elderly residents or riders who like a good view of all that happens. Rugs cover the floor in strategic spots, all of them abstract or geometric in design and most in the softly neutral colors of undyed wool.
Exits lead off in all directions, the largest an archway to the northeast that leads outside. Near it there's an alcove with hooks for coats and shelves for muddy boots. A tunnel to the east goes to the infirmary, and a set of stairs just a little south of that lead up to the offices and administration area. To the south, a long and sloping tunnel leads down to the hot springs. The kitchen is off to the southwest, while the residents' quarters are reached by tunnels going west, deeper into the cliff.

"You do?" D'lei replies to Risa. "That explains so much." And just what does he mean by that, hmmmm? Whatever it is, it's going to have to wait, because… there's walking to do! And while normally that would not be an impediment to conversation, well… this is not normal times. Not even by Xanadu standards! And somehow, they make it through garden and fields, following the road (aaaand Risali's directions, when they're needed) to make it into the Place of Dry. Well. It's at least the place where there's a roof overhead and a warm fire, even if there's a lot of water and mud tracked in at this point. Still, it's drier than outside, and there are even chairs by that fire. D'lei sinks himself into one of them with a substantive sense of relief, sinking against it - and then wincing, and shifting himself to be angled a bit to one side and take pressure off the other.

"Last time I took advantage of an invalid, I woke up covered in blood." LOOK AT THAT ACCUSATION IN THOSE EYES, curbed as it is by humor. Because that is something the goldrider still wakes over during hours that shouldn't exist gasping, reaching out for reassurance and… that is unimportant. Important is entering those caverns, making their way to the fire, and then abandoning D'lei (and possibly Rinian) to a chair. Risali moves to the serving tables, to grab a pitcher of klah and three glasses, to hesitate there where she stands, and then grab the water pitcher as well before RUDELY juggling the arm full of pilfered things back towards the fire. She sets them down, pours some water for D'lei, some klah for herself, and then sinks into a chair closer to D'lei's. She toes off her boots, puts her feet up on the arm of Dash's chair, and looks for Rinian with a smile and a gesture towards the pitcher of klah. There were three glasses, after all. "Help yourself." Though there's an expression at D'lei, maybe for his pain, even if she doesn't comment on it.

Rinian trails after Risali and picks up some random things to eat and puts them on a tray, bringing that over as well. She considers the man, now that she can see him better, and though extremely curious, she doesn't ask how he came to be in such a state. She does ask however, "May I have that stick back for a little bit?"

"Mmh," is all D'lei says to answer that accusation from Risali, though there's an actually troubled look and maybe some genuine contrition for the first time. Still, walking takes precedence over talking, and by the time they get there, it's time for other things. Like… sticks! "Heh," he says, and lifts that stick to extend it toward Rinian. "Thank you for the loan. I'll be fine once I've rested." Or so he claims, anyhow… but there are at least more options for support here than out in the gardens. He takes the glass Risali gives him - fine, fine water - and grins as he lifts it up to her in a toast before taking a sip. Mmm. Tastes like …. water.

DELICIOUS WATER. Risali watches the exchange of sticks, huffs laughter as she raises her glass in salute to the Weyrleader, and then takes a drink from her own. Maybe she is watching him from over the rim of the glass with humor that fades into something concerned before she distracts herself by turning her attention onto Rinian. A beat, two, three, four, and Risa tries to find a topic of conversation because she is spectacularly bad at people. "So how long have you been here in Xanadu Weyr? Are you just visiting, or…?" THIS IS POLITE, RIGHT? It's totally polite.

Rinian is still rather drippy, as all of them must be, as she perches on the edge of one of the other chairs and looks over the stick critically. When she'd fetched it, she was getting what she was told. Now, she has a different plan in mind, and wants to be sure its suitable. She glances up to Risali, always taught to make eye contact when speaking to someone. Though to be honest, she gets that wrong frequently. "I've been posted here, but its only been a few days really." She even offers information she wasn't asked for, but it does round out the picture. "I've come here to work on my Journeyman's project." She pulls out her knife and frowns at it, "Not the best for the job, but…" Ah well. "Really should be more prepared." She deftly starts to remove the bark from the long stick, leaving a mess on the floor..for now.

At least Rinian has manners; Risali is sprawled in her chair and definitely keeping her feet up on D'lei's as she lets that fire soak into her clothes and her bones, shivering just a touch, but not enough to go and attempt to retrieve her jacket from D'lei. She does catch at the hem of her own tunic with the fingers of one hand, tugging gently on the fabric, pulling it away from her skin and making a kind of gentle fanning motion in an attempt to get it to dry faster. She drinks, and she fans, and she looks at Rinian as the woman speaks again and smiles around the rim of her glass at her. A beat, two three, and she's leaning sideways to deposit klah on the floor beside her chair. "How do you like it so far?" Risali asks. Xanadu, she means, genuinely curious for the answer to that as well as the answer to her next question. It comes after the goldrider watches the handling of that big stick and that knife, a moment's hesitation before, "… Woodcrafter?"

Rinian has the bark stripped off quickly, and now that it's off she continues to do some shaping and smoothing, pausing to eye it critically as she works. Now that she's working, she sort of forgets about that eye contact thing. "Oh, sorry. Yes. I should have probably have mentioned that." She answers the last, then gets to the first. That one she considers as thoughtfully as she is the wood itself. "It has been very interesting so far. I've met people unlike the folk I'm used to, but that isn't a bad thing." She smiles as she works, keeping her eyes there is probably good idea when dealing with a sharp knife. "Probably why they send us out after all." The way she speaks doesn't really match the youth of her appearance. "Some of them made me pretty nervous at first, but I've gotten to know them a little better. Some I'm not real sure I want to get to know better, but isn't that pretty normal no matter where you go?"

Hey, Risa's doing better than Dash at this polite-conversation thing. She's actually talking, as opposed to sipping water and kind of dazing out now that he doesn't have to actually keep on his feet and can let his focus lapse. Or maybe he's being distracted by his dragon, because that's also a thing that happens to rider invalids. The draw of a knife gets a quick flick of eyes, an attentiveness that's sharp for a moment - then ebbs as he sees what's actually being done with it. Okay. It's fine, he can take another sip of water and moment of daze before he rejoins the conversation. "There's something useful to know about anyone," he says, and gives a crooked smile. "Even if it's just how to avoid them."

Is she though? Usually Risali just hides behind D'lei and lets the man take the lead because he's SO MUCH BETTER AT PEOPLE. Maybe that's why the hint of relief when he stirs from his haze and glass of water, why she's sinking lower into her chair and STRETCHING HER LEG and POINTING HER TOES and — poke — utilizing them to poke the bronzerider in his arm. She doesn't say anything, though she does smile at him before her attention jumps back to Rinian as she shimmies just a little bit and rights herself somewhat. "I think so," Risali answers honestly. "There are certainly people that I have no interest in forming any sort of bond with." EVEN A BUSINESS ONE. But Risali shifts again, to get to her feet, to stretch slow like a cat preparing to leave its spot in the window (the one that lets in all the sun) before she moves to D'lei's chair and settles on the arm, fingers reaching for his so that she can catch his hand and squeeze. Maybe she saw that look. Maybe this is just as much for her as for him, as she tucks her toes under one of his thighs and leans into the back of the chair, mindful of injuries. "Did any of them give you any trouble, Rinian?"

Rinian looks up a moment as he speaks, but not so long as to risk her fingers. One end of the nicely fat stick still is, though rounded and smoothed to be comfortable in the hand. The rest is being shaped to a slightly slimmer, though still strong, circumfrance. It should help to lighten the weight of it, without compromising its ability to support weight. Shavings pile around her chair and stick to her wet clothes, as well as tangling in her hair as it has swept forward of her shoulders as she's worked. "Not exactly. I think it'll all work itself out with time. Except.." She frowns ever so slightly before it smooths away in her concentration on her work. "Well, I could be wrong, so nevermind." She asks, "Have you two always lived here?"

Not exactly? That makes D'lei's eyebrows lift a bit, even as he curls his fingers back to Risali's and gives them a squeeze of their own. CAUGHT. But his hands can do that on their own, so he can keep his gaze on the busy woodcrafter. "…then again, you could be right," he suggests with a smile. "Unsubstantiated rumors can be fun." D'lei shrugs a bit - winces a bit, and squeezes Risali's hand again before he goes on to answer that question. "I'm from Paradise River Hold, originally. And a few other places besides, before I ended up here."

SQUEEZE. Risali squeezes back, to lend strength, or draw strength, or any combination thereof. "D'lei is right, you know. You could be right." Which is not so much a push for information, but more or less an implication that maybe she is risking ignoring that internal klaxon alarm at her own peril. Still, that next question comes and Risali's eyes drop to D'lei, attentive as he answers, hand squeezing his again before she clears her throat and looks back to Rinian. "I came from Half Moon Bay Weyr, then the Harper's Hall." SO MANY MOVES IN HER LIFE. SUCH ADVENTURE. "What about you, Rinian? Where did you start to end up here?"

Rinian is taking off less material now, as she seems to be smoothing it as best she can without better tools to hand. She seems to have a habit of answering the most recent questions first, and then dealing with the others. "I'm from Lemos Hold. I've traveled a little, visiting some family, but I've not really stayed anywhere else before now." She hasn't got a saw handy, but she does the best she can to get a little of the length off to make it more useful for the plan she has in mind. "I don't really want to speak badly of anybody when I don't really know them. Wouldn't that be kind of rude? Not that I really know his name anyway."

D'lei's gaze shifts to the work in progress of the stick, then back to Rinian's face. "It's a good region for woodcraft, I hear," he says, and has himself another sip and observation of that stick-in-progress before… "Mmh." Was there a glance to Risali at that somewhat-lacking description from Rinian? There was. A meaningful sort, too… or at least, one that seemed that way. "Well," he says as his gaze returns to Rinian. "We're not so worried about the rude part, around here. You may have met Leirith? Big yellow lump, has no idea what an inside voice is or why one shouldn't interrupt." He pauses a moment, as if seeing whether she'll invade at that mention, then grins. "Not knowing a name, that does make it a challenge to talk about. But if you do decide you're troubled, well… we're around."

« I RESEMBLE THAT REMARK, MINION. » Laughter, amusement at the insults that imply she is yellow and a lump. They are not far from true, anyway, and Leirith is the kind of dragon who can appreciate the humor in her own faults, rather than be offended by them. ONLY SOMEWHAT IMPORTANT, because Risali is meeting D'lei's look with one of her own, a slight tug of her lips that says something; a shift of her body as she holds just a little tighter to his hand and then forces her attention back onto Rinian, nodding as if this might reiterate the point made by D'lei. But she doesn't add to that portion, instead saying, "I hope your stay is good." Because SHE DOES, and it is the polite thing to do. Look at her drown her own awkward in her klah. CHUG CHUG CHUG CHUG.

Rinian puts her knife away, and this time when the voice comes it isn't quite so startling. She smiles, "Minions hmm?" She stands, trying to brush off shavings with one hand but not having much luck as they like her wet clothing too much. She tests the stick out, and though its too tall for her, it should work decently for him. She offers the stick-turned-cane to D'lei. "Sorry its so rough. If you like I'm sure I can make something much better for you in a couple of days." She tries to sweep the shavings towards the fire with a foot, but wet floor and no broom makes that none to successful. She has considered what they said though and at last notes, "I don't know his name, but he was dressed all in black. He was just.." She tries to figure out a good way to put it. "Scary. It wasn't that he did anything in particular, besides some comments of questionable taste. It's just..I found him very scary." She shakes it off, "I'll come back later and clean this mess up. I'd better go find that Journeyman another stick."

Minions, indeed. "At her service," D'lei says with a grin to Rinian as his hand continues that silent conversation with Risali's. "She's very good at delegating, Leirith is." Yeah, sure. Delegating. That's what it is. Dash lifts brows again as Rinian offers the now-cane to him, then grins as he releases Risali's hand to take it. "No apologies," he says, running his fingers over it and then using it to gesture at her. (Because that's what canes are really for, right?) "You're not allowed to apologize for demonstrations of speed, skill and kindness." Stern look, followed by an earnest smile. "Thank you. I appreciate it." He lowers that cane again, resting his hand on it as he listens to her report on that mysterious man who… "Mmh." He nods, a concerned sort of frown on his face, and then another one as his smile returns. "Well. I hope the scariest thing you'll encounter from here is that journeyman asking what took so long. Me…" A glance to Risali, then back to Rinian. "…I should probably go face the scary healers asking me why I got the bandages wet." Siiigh. And after that, he'll probably even be a good invalid and go take a nap.

FACE THEM INDEED. Risali's silent - which is probably not an odd thing for the Weyrwoman, but perhaps that look is. There are no words to explain it away, and when D'lei pulls away to grab that walking stick, Risali watches the interaction between woodcrafter and Weyrleader with a quiet smile - the kind that says her attention is somewhere else. "Good luck," she whispers for Rinian, a scrunch of her nose that adds humor to it, as she takes D'lei's words as a sign and moves to heed them. She gets in those boots, helps D'lei back up, and then walks with him back to their home, pressed close and whispering with the kind of expression that says maybe the conversation they're having is important. THE END.


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