Sunset Picnic

Xanadu Weyr - Beach

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The unerring range of subdued white rises and falls in a multitude of sandy dunes, creating an endless amount of tiny valleys constantly demolished and rebuilt by the frequent arrival or departure of a dragon. Smoothing out as it slopes gently to the edge of the deep blue water, the sand darkens and a shell here and there stands out for children to collect. The beach itself is set along a low cliff - the height lessoning as one heads eastwards, blocking a portion of the beach from direct access.

The wide wide stretch of water opens up to the east, the far distant shore way beyond the horizon and the beach curves ever so slowly round to east and west, distant arms of land embracing the wind-ruffled Caspian Lake. East leads up to the mouth of the Rubicon River, where the protecting cliff is merely an arms length higher then the sand, and beyond that, a winding road leading out of Xanadu's territory. Westwards, the beach narrows as the cliff swings out, leaving a path wide enough for dragons in single file before cutting in to the sheltered cove designated the Weyrling Beach. However, cut in the cliff face to the north are a variety of rough, wide staircases, providing access to the clearing and to the meadow.


The sun is drifting into a beautiful sunset as M'nol spreads a very comfortable looking blanket out on the sands, setting a bulgingly over-full picnic basket at its center before beginning to spread out bovine sandwiches and fried tubers. He glances up towards the path from the beach, checking to see if Phy has come yet, this was all for her, after all. Hopefully sitting on the beach wouldn't be too uncomfortable for her.

The beach is actually where Phylicia has spent a fair portion of her time when she's not trying to soak away the bruise, being in classes, or carefully making her way to and fro around the Weyr. She's in her normal Weyr-bound outfit, and the rare - but welcoming - breeze coming from the way of the water ruffles the fly-away blouse into motion as she slowly walks (now without much of a limp at least) down the path and towards that comfy looking blanket. "I got your note." She says with a little bit of a grin to her face as she approaches.

M'nol smiles when Phy appears, standing and moving to her side as offered support, "Evening, Phy." He wraps her up in a tight if gentle hug, planting a kiss on her cheek if she'll let him, "Sorry I've been away so much lately… I was hoping I might be able to make it up to you and your bruise."

Phylicia may be bruised but she isn't broken, especially where her torso is concerned. She returns his gentle hug, kindly twisting her head slightly for easier access to her cheek. "K'ael and D'had have been calling you away for drills still?" She knows he usually gets home late, when she's already asleep, and she's usually up before him to start stretching out her muscles. She looks down at the blanket full of food and smiles. "Why is it your briberies seem to consist of food?" Not that there's an actual complaint to this, mind you.

M'nol nods a tad sadly, "They've really gotten a tunnelsnake in their trousers about this firestone thing. It seems like whenever I'm not on sweeps I'm drilling. I've missed you." He turns a little, trying to lead her to the blanket, "Why? Well because it's easy to arrange and it always seems to cheer you up. Would you prefer firelizard eggs an expensive jewelry?"

Before she's lets herself be seated upon the blanket, Phylicia's arms give a last squeeze as if silently appologizing for what his wing is putting him through. But then she's grinning as she shakes her head almost rapidly as she settles herself. "No, no." She starts off as she shifts, making sure that her left leg is still extended comfortably. "I don't need a fair like you've collected, and this-" She fingers the healer-pendant which almost never gets taken off, "-is quite enough." She fixes him with a look that while good natured, still chides a little bit. "Not that I /ever/ want to know what you spent on me for this."

M'nol smiles softly, understanding the squeeze and squeezing her softly back in return, then grins, "Not many people… heck, probably no one should have a fair like mine. I'm just glad they can all hunt for themselves now." He smiles, passing her a bovine sandwich, "I haggled them down pretty well, actually. Probably paid less than half what it's worth."

Phylicia holds up a hand, trying to stall him from going into any further detail. "I said I didn't want to know." She says, laughter tingling in her tone, though she apparently meant what she said. But then she takes the sandwich and takes a bite. It's probably been awhile since she's eaten more than a few munches of things to keep her going. "How have the drills been going though?" She asks after swallowing.

M'nol swallows a bite of his own sandwich and smiles sadly, "Tiringly. Feels like I don't do anything but work anymore. I never knew I could be this sore…" He takes another bite, chewing slowly, "What about you? How are your shifts going?"

"I'm sorry." Phylicia says, knowing full well that it's neither her fault nor that there's much she can do. She's nibbling upon the sandwich in her hands, thinking. "I could give you a massage?" She offers before residing into momentary thought again. "The shifts? There's still a few cases of heat exhaustion, stroke, dehydration that trickle in." She sighs. "I know water's running short, but there's still sources available to drink."

M'nol smiles again, "I hadn't even thought of that… it would be nice, I think… if you're up to it." He nods, listening carefully to the list of woes for the infirmary, "People aren't drinking enough water? That's horrible. Don't know what I'd do without the stuff, personally."

Phylicia finishes off her sandwich and takes one of the available napkins to wipe her hands off as she carefully scoots herself behind M'nol, her fingers first working into the muscles around his neck, firmly digging in with a gentle pressure. "Tell me if I press too hard, or need to press harder." She says softly as she starts to knead, continuing on with the other topic a few moments after. "Some people don't drink enough in regular circumstances. So all the dryness and heat just seems to make it worse."

M'nol archs his back and shoulders as Phy begins gently massaging them. Managing to stay mostly quiet, he does eventually yelp loudly when she catches a particularly hard knot, "Can't imagine that, I guess. ow. The first thing they teach you in the -eep- mine is to drink plenty of -erk- water…"

Phylicia's hands jerk in surprise at his first yelp, and again as he continues making noises to the point where the third time she pulls her hands away. "You're supposed to tell me if I'm hurting you, 'Nol." She says, her tone somewhere between lightly worried and very minorly annoyed. "Massages don't do any good if I'm causing you pain." Though sometimes undoing a knot makes for a bit of pain.

M'nol nods, "It's not hurting a lot, just… catching hard spots… that's supposed to hurt, right?" He blushes a tad, "This is my first massage, but I thought I read that…"

Phylicia ohs, putting her hands back on his neck and resuming where she left off, trying to undo that knot of hard muscle underneath her fingers. "Well, just try and relax, and not to tense up." She says, her tone lightening up. "Tensing up kind of defeats the purpose." She explains with a quiet giggle as she concentrates on what her fingers are doing, and the pressure applied. "I should do your back, once we get home too.."

M'nol nods, willing himself to relax with mixed success, "I -eng- thought so… so -erk- tell me about your studies. Learning anything -awp- new?"

Phylicia's face is a mask, primarily of concentration. She doesn't give many massages and she's trying not to do anything bad. Finally, the knot begins to loosen, and the kneading probably doesn't hurt quite so badly anymore. And she chuckles then, her mask slipping a little bit into a smile. "You should know better, 'Nol." She chides, continuing to gently rub. "I'm always learning new things."

M'nol nods, relaxing more as the knot is finally worked out. Sighing contentedly, he nods, "I know, it's just always interesting to hear what you're learning."

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