Growing Together
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Xanadu Weyr - Weyrsecond and Jr Weyrwomans' Office
Office or study? Perhaps this room is a little of both. It is spacious and airy with the big windows opposite the door looking northwards, a perfect aspect when one is this far south. Those windows are framed by dark forest green drapes, soft ribbons and braid in dark, rich gold sewn along the edges to give them a sumptuous look. The back wall is covered by shelves that hold a variety of things - mostly records and reference material as well as writing tools and sheets of hide and paper. Tapestries, including several lovely scenes of the terrain around Xanadu Weyr, cover the rest of the wall-space while a soft, plain off-white rug hides the stone floor. A small, low table sits by the door and usually has some refreshment set out on it.
Several broad desks are arranged around the room, each one set so someone sitting at it doesn't look directly at any of the others. Small screens can be set up on each desk to give a little more privacy and each has one comfortable chair that goes with it. So far, it looks like one desk has a permanent claimant. There are also several other chairs, which can be used by visitors.


There's been a slight drizzle today, but that hasn't stopped Ka'el from departing the administration hallway for a little excursion across the Weyr. And so, it's a damp Weyrleader that returns to the Caverns with a pot in hand. And in that pot, is some dirt. And in that dirt…well. There's no plant. Nope, nothing at all! What a bummer. He's just carrying some dirt, like a common gardener or something. He bypasses the smell of lunch and heads back to the admin hallway, passing the door to his own shared office and stopping in front of the office of the Junior Weyrwomen and Weyrsecond. He lifts a hand to rub his wet face and push water-matted hair from his eyes. He should've used whatever the Pern equivalent of an umbrella is! Oh well. He knocks on the door, then tests the doorknob to push it open. "Anybody home?" he says, peeking his head in.

Someone is home and that someone is Kiena! She's at her desk, as a proper Weyrsecond should be and has yet to escape into the drizzle or anywhere for that matter. Whatever it is she's working on paperwork wise, it's got her good and stumped… or she's just slow at it. Probably a mixture of both, but either way her desk is littered with papers and this or that. Including the thick manual in which she has propped open right now and is scowling at it with a mixture of confusion, understanding and just downright boredom. "So many sharding words and procedures… so pointless…" Mutter, mutter, grumble. Wait, did someone just knock and open the door? Kiena's eyes dart up and spy a wet Weyrleader. A wet Weyrleader carrying… dirt? Uh. "G'day to you, Ka'el." she drawls and then hastily tacks on a 'sir' at the end with a smirk to follow. "Can I… help you? You've been outside, I see." You lucky basta— guy.

Ka'el is lucky indeed, ha! Lucky that Kiena's here, else he'd be stuck walking around with that pot of dirt with no one to give it to. … Wait a minute. That's for her? Grinning faintly as he gets a reply and a visual answer, he opens the door wider and lets himself in. Habitually do his eyes flit to one of the desks here, but he finds it empty, which doesn't surprise him in the slightest. He looks to Kiena and her desk as he approaches her, blinking at the paperwork strewn upon it. "That looks familiar…" he says with a wry smile as he pauses before her desk, pot tucked slightly beneath an arm. Eyes sweep over the paperwork and manual she's been tasked with, then looks earnestly at her. "It gets better," he says, "I promise it does, an' one day you'll be able to see the top of your desk again," he laughs. "Yes, I've been outside. It isn't rainin too badly. And yes, you can help me," he says, oblivious to the 'sir' that was tacked on as an afterthought. "You can help me by takin' a break and goin' with me to the table," he says with a nod to that central table with the snacks.

Kiena smirks all the broader for his wry smile and remark. "Is it like looking in a mirror?" she asks with a faint snort and promptly marks her spot in the manual before closing it. She's got a feeling she won't be reading from the pages anytime soon! The pot Ka'el is carrying is eyed with curiosity, but her question remains unvoiced and only shown in a brief flicker as her eyes lift to his at his promise. "It better get better." she mutters with a grimace. Or else! Kiena gives him a once over, noting his dampened state. "Not raining too badly, huh?" Right. Tilting her head to the side at his request, she hardly considers it before pushing back her chair and rising with a back cracking stretch. "Can't say no to that!" she muses and perhaps means it literally. He is the Weyrleader after all! Shuffling over to the central table, she'll at last point at the pot he has tucked under his arm and ask. "This have to do with… whatever that is?"

Of course it'll get better! Ka'el just fails to tell her uh…when it'll be better. It'll be a surprise! "No, not badly," he confirms of the weather, disregarding the fact that it looks as if he himself stood right out in the middle of it and jet .. let it rain. "But if the reports from Galaxy are true, that won't hold up. Weather patterns show it'll storm later." He walks with her to the desk, looking smug as he so proudly carries that pot that he hasn't even mentioned having or stated a purpose for. Maybe he's going to throw dirt on someone as a prank? … Maybe not. The pot is set down with a soft clunk of terracotta to wood, and as she asks of it, he grins and places a hand upon the rim. "Sure does," he confirms, bobbing his head once before he gestures to the pot with a free hand. "Happy office warming!" he says chipperly, beaming at her. It's every woman's dream! Dirt! Oooh, ahhhhh! "It's my gift to you as a welcome. Eh … a bit late, I know," he says, sounding guilty, "but time got away from me easier than I'd thought it would on this."

"Oh joy of joys! Another storm?" Kiena remarks in dry sarcasm and a rolling of her eyes for Ka'el's report from Galaxy. Forgive her for not jumping for joy? Still rolling her shoulders to ease the stiffness from them, she will watch as he sets the terracotta pot down. If he did intend to throw the dirt as a prank, he best be prepared to run and run fast! Or watch his back for Faranth knows how long… because the Weyrsecond would exact her revenge somehow. Weyrleader or not, he's not untouchable! At least… not to her? Sort of. But it's no prank but a present, which is just as good if not better! "Don't worry," Kiena drawls, giving him a sidelong look that is almost amused for his guilty sounding apology as she steps forwards to peer curiously and closely at the pot. It's… dirt? "Thank you, Ka'el, for the belated gift. What's planted in it?" she asks, likely assuming something has been tucked away in that dirt and thus stiring her curiosity. Fern? Flower? Carnivorous insect eating trap plant?

It's storm season! Apparently. Xanadu has been seeing a lot of rain lately, but .. eh. Ka'el doesn't have to fly out in it anymore, sooo he hasn't worried about it too much! Perk of Weyrleadership: Keeping dry in the rain. But /not/ being immune from pranks from the Weyrsecond! Luckily, he doesn't have a prank for her, and thus he's safe for the time being. He grins at the thanks, nodding his head once before glancing to the dirt. What's planted? "Nothing," he answers. … Uh. So he really is giving her a pot of dirt? … He's so thoughtful! But wait, there's more! He reaches into a pocket and pulls out a small packet, giving it a shake. It sounds like small beads within. "Seeds," he says as he hands them over to her. "Got'm from Marel's shop. I was told by the worker there that a vine will grow from them. Pretty and green and flowering in the right season. A good office plant, he said. And it's said to bring good luck and serenity to its owner, even moreso if started out from a seedling, so… seeds." Beam! "Figured maybe we could plant'm together, and it'll be the first .. uh, sort of but not really official thing we've done together as Weyrleader and second."

Kiena doesn't mind flying in the rain so long as the winds are down. Flying in snow though? Nope. She likely still has to face the elements more that Ka'el ever will, but for once she's happy to be inside and warm. "Nothing…?" she says in a slow drawl, brows lifting up in an incredulous way until he goes on to explain. Oh! Now that makes sense! Grinning, she accepts the packet and opens it carefully to peer inside. Seeds! Just as he said. "Never thought you to be the green thumb type." Kiena muses and with seed packet still in hand, she will move close enough to reach out and clasp him by the shoulder. "Thanks Ka'el! Don't think I've ever grown a plant of my own. Vines, eh? Perfect." Apparently she likes 'em! Who wouldn't? As for the meaning, she blinks and her hand slips from his shoulder to her side as she peers curiously at the packet. "That so, huh?" she says, a touch skeptical but still grinning crookedly. Laughing, she looks up at him again. "Sort of but not really official?" she says in an almost teasing and mocking repetition of his words. "Sure, I'd like that. Beats reading out of the manual and I need the break. So these seeds require some special tending or does one of us just need to dig a hole and the other plant?"

"I come from a family of green thumbs," remarks Ka'el, expression dimming for a fraction of a second before his full grin returns. "And, I'll tell you somethin' you might not've known about me. Are you ready? … I was a member of farmcraft for about a turn." Shock and awe! He gives her a sage nod. "Honest truth," he says, living up a hand as of to solemnly swear. "But of all the green thumbs that have run through the Crestwood blood, mine was more gray than green. Hadn't the knack for it. S'one've … actually. It's the main reason why I came to Xanadu to study smithing in the first place." A smirk. "but, I think I know enough of seed planting to not mess this up too badly. In fact, I don't think anyone could mess this up!" he laughs as he places a hand on the rim of the pot. "But even so, I asked anyway. Apparently, all we do is poke a few holes with our fingers, put a few seeds in each, cover, water, and wait." Easy! "So, Weyrsecond 'o mind, which job do you want? Digging or seeding?"

Kiena tilts her head curiously when he goes into a bit more detail about his family, likely only aware now of how little she knows of his past. She knows a few details from what they shared, but this seems to be news to her. Is she ready? Brows lift and she grins, only to chuckle dryly. That's shock and awe? "I can believe it." she muses, snickering when he lifts his hand. "And I won't tell a soul. At least it's better than saying you were a fisherman. Fisherwoman? Eh, doesn't matter. I mostly gutted the catches… and there's no glory in that." More like gory! "Smithing suited you. Just as it does for me. Looks like we both left home to seek out something better, huh? Only… who knew?" She gestures to the office in a off handed way to indicate their positions. Weyrsecond and Weyrleader, dragonriders. Who knew, indeed! It certainly wasn't factored into her 'new life' plans. "Never say never, but I think this is fairly straight forwards!" Kiena muses and grins when he lays out the instructions. Easy! "Hmm. I'll plant, you dig. About time you do some dirty work?" she teases, only to grimace. Ugh. "Okay, that was bad. I take that back."

"Does that mean that I should worry that one day, if I piss you off enough, I may wake up to find myself expertly gutted?" quips Ka'el as he gives her a suspicious look. Hmmm! He's dealing with a fisherwoman here! He can't be too careful… He snickers, which ruins his seriously suspicious act, and as she mentions where they are now, he has to agree with a nod. "Tell me about it. If anyone would've told me this is where I'd be in six turns, I'd've called them crazy." .. Geeze, has it really been six turns since he came here? Way to make yourself feel old, Ka'el! But now, it's plantin' time! And her words…wait, what? The look on his face shows his amusement at her choice of words, and he elevates a brow, even as she takes her words back. Too late! "What? You think I can't get down and dirty?" he drawls, a teasing look in his eyes. "Weyrleadership hasn't made me soft, Kiena. In fact, I think these past months have hardened me in ways you couldn't imagine." He fights back a smirk but loses the battle in the end, and he pokes a finger into the dirt, wiggling to make a hole.

Kiena tilts her head in a somewhat smug manner as if she's considering Ka'el's little quip or at least pretending to be "dangerous". "Maybe?" she drawls in a close to sing-song way. Wouldn't he like to know? "Gutted, neutered… Might depend on just how much you piss me off." she says with a toothy smile and dead serious look before that cracks apart as she laughs. Kidding! Sort of. The bluerider is still not a woman to cross. "I'd have said the same thing too," Kiena muses with a slight shake of her head. "I'd never been off the isles until… well. Now, actually." She then laughs again, not her usual gruff and harsh laugh but a true genuine one as she settles herself down on a chair and begins to carefully open the packet of seeds in preparation to plant them. "Oh, I think you could get down and dirty. I just may not want to picture that in my head, alright?" she fires back at him with a smirk and wrinkled nose, only to snort. "Just so long as you don't get too warped by Weyrleadership. Remember to have fun now and again, right?" Then she peers at him closely while he makes the first hole and once his finger is clear she'll plant the first seeds while murmuring. "How have these last months changed you?"

Neutered? Ka'el eyes her, and stares at her…and winces at the thought of being neutered. And veeery slowly does he sort of angle his body away from her, lest she get any ideas! No neutering of the Weyrleader! "I'll keep all of that in mind.." he says with a vague snicker and wary gaze. He pulls his finger out of the dirt, leaving her room to plant those seed, which he uses the side of his hand to cover with soil. "I have fun every day," he assures with a grin. "Why, just the other day I threatened a candidate with dragon breath. … Kanekith's breath, not mine," he says with a snicker. "Told her it was a test she'd have to pass, and she was ready to do it too! But I hadn't the heart to go through with it." Yet anyway. He pokes another hole, and another, leaving them for the seeds to be deposited. "I have fun. I don't think I'm able to not have fun, but I'm realizing that even though I'm Weyrleader, I don't always get my way." Hrph! "Turnover, for example. I had it planned in my mind how I'd spend my evening and with who. Dealin' with a drunken rider who'd started at least three fights in the Taverns wasn't it. So, if I had to say how it's changed me most, it's made me be more responsible."

Kiena rolls her eyes when he angles away from her and shoots him an incredulous look. "Jays, I'm joking Ka'el. I'd not harm you, yer fine. Even if you pissed me off!" She's harmless, really! Zi'on's proof of that and so is Th'ero. She'll shake out a few more seeds, but keeps them readied in the palm of her hand until he digs the next little hole. "Ha! You didn't!" Oh, but he did and the Weyrsecond snickers with a crooked grin flashed his way. "Shells, if they aren't gullible sometimes. Glad you didn't actually go through with it. Poor thing was probably confused enough!" Says the bluerider who tricked Kera into her own Search. Ahem! Those seeds are planted in the second hole and she leaves it for him to cover them again. "Ahh, now I see." she murmurs and grimaces. "I remember that about Turnover. Dunno why you didn't just send me if you were lookin' to enjoy the evening." she points out.

Ka'el can't be too careful when it comes to his…uh…crown jewels? Yeah, let's go with that. But he laughs, still giving her a glared look. "I trust you now, but the moment I see something sharp in your hand…" he jokes as he pokes another hole for her seeds. "Their eagerness makes them gullible, doesn't it? I don't remember if I was that way as a Candidate. I think I was more shocked than eager through the whole thing." He swipes his palms together, brushing off his hands as he eyes the little holes he's made, likely enough for her to plant the remainder of her seeds. "I know I could've," he says regarding the Turnover situation, "but it was my responsibility. Kanekith told me about it. The bloke's dragon was having a fit outside the tavern. I would've felt wrong passin' the buck to you, especially as you'd just gotten your girls and it was their first Turnover on Xanadu with you. In any case, it was handled." He smirks, eyeing their work. "Is everything coming along alright with that? The foster doing alright? Girls settling in well?"

"So don't invite you to join me in the forges then?" Kiena drawls with a twisted smirk sent this way and plants a few more seeds. She chuckles dryly, "Could be that some of 'em can't handle their eagerness. I wasn't gullible, but I did get behind a few harmless pranks." she admits with a slight shrug of her hands. The rest of the seeds are planted and covered and she brushes her hands clean too before scanning the office. "Any water? Supposed to water new planted seeds, right?" she mumbles, only to turn her gaze back to him and keep it focused all while he speaks. In the end, she only sighs and grimaces, "Suppose you have the right of it. The girls would've been fine if I had to leave. Innes offered to mind 'em and so did Mur'dah." But she'll let it go then. Too late now anyways to fix it! Kiena smiles, dipping her head down a bit. "Everything is going well. They've settled in though I think they've been kept too busy to really notice that they're not… going back to Western, you know? I should bring them by sometime. I'm sure Ezsrisa is still holding it to you that you teach her to swing." The "right" way!

"Not when you're making knives an' daggers, no," answers Ka'el, grin crookedly playful. "We did a lot of sneaking in my group. Sneakin' out at night. Sneakin' into the kitchens after hours. Sneakin' into other cots.." A smirk at that, and he shakes his head at the memories. It wasn't really that long ago, was it? A few turns… "Yes, water," he agrees, head bobbing as he moves towards one of those ever-present pitchers that the kitchen folk, or someone, makes sure is always available in the offices. He brings it closer to the pot and tips it ever so carefully, dribbling water onto the soil as he listens to her. "Keepin' them busy is good then, I guess," he says, glancing at her for confirmation of that. "They're happy here, from what I've seen, and that's what's important. Bring them by the office anytime," he says, his grin growing now. "Seein' them is bound to be loads more entertaining than any paper I've to look over. And I haven't forgotten the swing deal!" He's probably looking forward to it as much as Ezsrisa is, in fact. More fun times to be had. But not right now. Right now, there's a little tug that's felt on his brain, and he slightly tilts his head to one side, his eyes growing distant for a moment. "And that…is the end of our gardening session," he says, blinking his eyes back into focus.

Kiena scoffs, "I make more than knives and daggers, you know." she quips back at him and then tilts her head to regard him curiously. "Never pegged you as the sneakin' type." she admits with a grin that slowly broadens as she chuckles again. "Then again, I never thought I'd be the prankster type. Go figure? At least one of 'em was worth it." Leaning forwards, she observes while he takes over the watering and once it's done she will push to her feet and carefully take the pot and place it somewhere closer to her desk where it'll hopefully be happy enough to grow. "Oh, it's good that they're busy. Else they get into mischief." Or they'll begin to ask her about Western and Kiena isn't quite sure if she has the answers yet for them. "I'll bring 'em by then the next time you're drownin' in paperwork." she muses. Which could be tomorrow! Right? "Oh good! …" Kiena goes silent as Ka'el grows distant. She knows that look, the tell tale one any rider adopts at times. "More bad news?" she drawls with a concerned frown. It's the end of the gardening session and her break from work! That manual… is waiting.

"Not exactly," Ka'el answers with a light shake of his head. "Kanekith is just … heh, bein' Kanekith. He feels he needs to be oiled, and he's probably right. It's been .. a few days." He wrinkles his nose at the realization of that. Paperwork is no excuse for forgetting the basics of dragon care! He scratches at an elbow, likely due to an itch Kanekith is sharing with his rider as proof. Oiling is now! "But I don't believe you. Your girls can't be the type that get into any sort of mischief. I've always seen them on their best behavior." Smart girls! They're keeping their antics private til they corner him alone and he has nowhere to run! Straightening, Ka'el eyes the currently plantless pot, his grin lingering. "It'll grow," he says, nodding assurances, "I can feel it." And it'll ooze good luck! For now though, he takes a step away from it and the table that it sits on, eyes flicking momentarily to Kiena's full desk. "Don't spend too long behind the desk," he advises, "it'll turn your brain to mush, and a mushed brain is hard to come back from." He lifts a hand in a wave to her before he starts to the door to head out..and get some oil. It's oilin' time!

Kiena gives an understanding look when Ka'el explains what is calling him away and smiles crookedly. "Don't let me hold you up then. I know how that goes. Ujinath can be just as demanding on me some days." she admits and then laughs softly. "You've not spent enough time with them yet, Ka'el. Give it time, you'll see. Maybe I'll sic 'em on you for a day and you try watchin' 'em and try to get through your day at the same time. Bet you'd not last for a whole candlemark." Is that a challenge? As for the affirmation that the plant will grow, Kiena smiles warmly. "Thank you again. For the gift. It was thoughtful of you and I'm sure it'll grow just fine. It'll be nice to have some greenery in here." One glance to her desk has her wrinkling her nose and sighing gustily. "Yeah, yeah. I know. I'll just finish with the last thing I was slogging through and maybe call it a day there." she promises and fires off a half-wave, half-salute that is too casual to be taken seriously. "See you around, Ka'el. Sir." Smirk. Kiena turns then and shuffles back to her desk to settle with an ungraceful 'thump' to the chair. Back to work for her! Joy of joys.


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