Working Hard?
caverns.jpg


Xanadu Weyr - Caverns
A massive cavern in it's own right, this one has been skillfully adapted for human habitation. The high ceilings have been painted a light, soft ivory, as are the walls where numerous tapestries hang to 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, leveled carefully 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, however, 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. Its plain that on most days, this area wouldn't accommodate anywhere near the full population of the Weyr and equally plain that on such occasions when a formal meal is laid out, tables are appropriated from all the other areas.
A big fireplace is set into the wall near the Kitchens as well, 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.


Evening has come to the Weyr. So has cold weather. The combination of these things and others has Soriana sitting on a couch near the fire, her feet up on a table and a book open in front of her. She's reading it, really she is. She's definitely not staring off vaguely at the hearth, where a warm fire crackles and a gold firelizard sprawls bonelessly along with other heat-greedy flits. Nope. Not her.

Idrissa is making her way on into the cavern, her jacket is pulled around her tightly as she does her best to keep warm. A slight yawn escaping her while she shifts and rubs at her neck a few times. Her gaze dirfts over the room and she goes on to get herself a mug of klah and then spots Soriana. With a smile she heads on over to where she is. "Hey Soriana."

Pretty fire. Uh, huh, what? Soriana blinks, and hastily starts to move and- oh. She settles back against the couch again, and grins. "Hey, Rissa." She slides a bookmark into place and lets the book thump closed, then waves a hand at the couch next to her. "Come, warm up!"

Idrissa hops up onto the couch next to her friend. "Thanks!" She offers before taking a long sip from her mug. "How goes?" This questioned after the drink. "Keeping warm I hope."

"Oh, it's okay." Soriana shrugs. "Studying for a history test." She shoves the book aside onto the table, because now she has better things to do. "Yeah, I haven't frozen yet. How about you? Are you back to beastcrafting yet?"

Idrissa peers curiously at Soriana at the test bit. "What you having to take a history test for?" This questioned curiously before she nods a moment. "Ya I'm allowed to get back to work. Finally, light stuff for a few days an then so forth an stuff."

"It's the history of dragons," says Soriana. "One of the classes at Ierne. The teacher said as how," cue the nasal professor voice, "-a historical understanding can aid us in our ongoing quest for knowledge and improvements to procedure." She smirks, and shrugs. "It's sorta interesting, but I dunno about it being actually useful. Anyways, yay for you getting to do things again! Even if you never did start that trundlebug farm."

Idrissa ahs and peers at Soriana, she looks a bit amused and a soft chuckle escapes her at the 'voice'. "Well I suppose that does make sense. Didn't think of like like that at all actually." There's a pause and she chuckles. "Ya, no worried about a trundlebug farm for me. Back to dealing with Runners. Red Feathers is all healed up, but he has some scars across his haunches. Sort of like me, just well not on my haunches…"

"I suppoooose you can keep runners instead!" says Soriana with a long-suffering sigh promptly followed by a grin. "I mean, given you already have one and all, and you'd have to get the trundlebugs started from scratch." She nods at the mention of scars. "Not that it's required to match your runner, but I'm glad you're both doing okay. We should go for a ride or something."

Idrissa grins and nods. "Totally. Figure I should just keep with what I know, and well what I have so to speak." This said with an amused tone. A nod is seen and she ohs. "Sure. That would be great fun."

Soriana nods her agreement. "Hopefully there'll be some more nice days." She gives the world outside the caverns a slightly accusing glance, then shakes her head. "Oh well." She swings her legs off the table. "I'm gonna get some klah." She picks up her empty mug. "Want anything?"

"That would be nice. But with winter coming I think they will be far and few found for a little while at least." Idrissa peers at her mug and offers it towards her friend. "Maybe I refill?"

Soriana sighs. "You may have a point there," she admits, then takes the mug with a nod. She brings it over along with hers and fills them both up, then comes back over and offers the one to Idrissa before flopping down with hers. Mmmm, evenings by the fire with klah. Those are one of the good things about winter coming.

Idrissa grins and takes hold of her mug once Soriana is back over next to her. "Maybe we can figure out some day to go before it gets to bad weather wise."

Soriana nods. "I've got mornings mostly free for the next sevenday or so," she says with a hopeful look sidewise at Idrissa. "And you know me, I can be exercising whichever runner needs it so you can pretend it's part of your beastcrafting." She grins.

Idrissa nods at this and ponders. "Morning rides aren't bad. Good way to get the runner our and excerised early after all." She peers at Soriana and grins. "Course. I'm sure that would work out fine."

Soriana grins, and nods. "You just let me know. Or if it happens to be a nice day, I'll just come and lurk around the stables and we'll see." She takes a sip of klah, and settles back comfily against the couch.

Idrissa smiles and nods. "Sure. I'll let you know." She grins and chuckles. "You know that you like to lurk around the stables. So much fun."

No Shahani today! ka-el must have done something good to free him from babysitting duty. Or maybe he sent her on some very long task. Who knows. Whatever the case, he arrives in the caverns alone (well, not counting Alloy!) and shudders a little upon entering. His eyes scan the faces that are here before alighting upon a sparsely bearded man who nurses an ale. He approaches, exchanges words and a note, which the man reads and responds with a "WHAT? THAT FARKIN' CHEATIN', YELLOW BELLIED..SENDIN' A SHARDIN' APPRENTICE TO DO HIS DIRTY SCAMMIN' WORK!" .. Yeah. Kale is shuffling off in the middle of all that, hands behind his back and head slightly ducked.

Soriana laughs. "Oh, yes. I mean, bales of hay are just number one for comfort as far as places to sit go. And the smell of runners and… hay, hard to beat!" She grins, and is just in the process of opening her mouth again when a shout of shoutingness gets her attention. What's going on now and? Oh, hey, there's Kale in the middle of it. She makes the finger-waggling gestures of 'hey come over here to our refuge where nobody is yelling!' and then gets to her feet, standing up and going to corner one of the riders and ask a series of random questions about his dragon that put her conveniently between Kale and the angry bearded man. You're welcome.

"I've never complained about the smell." Idrissa pauses as she ponders that. "You think Kale would complain about it… Wait I think he did a moment actually." She takes a sip from her mug, bright gaze drifting up at the sudden loud voice that is booming over the area and a faint ah escapes her before she catches sight of Kale, whom she also waves over to the comfy couch.

Oh look, friends! Friends and safety! Kale spots Soriana and Idrissa and tries to sneakily shuffle of towards them while the man continues his tirade. Aw. Look how Sori becomes a perfect blockade! He grins as he passes her, then quickly approaches, flopping down onto the couch with a heavy sigh. "Had a feeling that was going to happen," he sighs, glancing towards the red faced man who is now packing up his things, likely to go give whoever wrote that note a piece of his mind! "If I ever turned up strangled to death, you'll know what happened. Haven't they ever heard of 'don't shoot the messenger'?"

Idrissa shakes her head slightly while she waves after Soriana, isn't that nice of her! She then looks back to Kale and offers him a smile along with patting the space next to her. "So what did you give him a message for anyway?"

Kale scoots closer. "Ah, a bill," he answers with a snicker. "He asked for quite a few things done. Wanted some new daggers. Wanted an old one of his that broke fixed. I warned him that it was sort've an antique, and it was going to cost more because the metal type that it had isn't mined here, so we had to get it flown in. But he wanted it anyway and…" He snickers, shaking his head. "Oh well. At least he didn't bash my head in."

Idrissa ahs at this, looking amused before she shakes her head slightly. "Nice." This said with an amused tone. "Did you get everything fixed and made to his liking?"

"Hell if I know," Kale answers with a light grin. "He's goin' over there now I guess. Probably to try rippin' Orik a new one. He's the one that did most the work, not me. But if that happens," he snickers, "I wanna be there to see the fireworks. Orik will eat him alive." He slouches in the comfy seat, eyes half closing. "What were you and Sori here talkin' about? Me?" cuz you know, the world revolves around Kale!

Idrissa looks amused and just grins. "Well that would be rather amusing to tell you the truth." She peers at him as he goes on, and she chuckles. "Oh we was so totally talking about you. Wasn't your ears like burning an all?"

"Is that why my ears were on fire?" Kale quirks a brow and lifts both hands to fan at the sides of his head, cooling down his poor, burning ears! "I knew something was out of sorts when my head was getting hotter than the rest of me in the forge! It better be good at least." He smirks at her and leans forward expectantly. "Good juicy gossip about how wonderful I am?"

Idrissa grins and ndos while she peers at his ears, she pokes at his arm. "Should I just dump some water on your head to make sure your ears aren't on fire?" This questioned with an amused tone. "Naw not much gossip really. At least I don't think there was much involved." She ponders at this and hums a moment.

Kale snickers. "If you dump water on my head and ruin this couch, you'd be the one kicked out, not me," he grins as he leans over to snuggle against her shoulder a bit. Ahhh, free pillow services! He closes his eyes, looking pleased. "What? Girls who don't gossip?" He snickers. "The two of you are one of a kind then. The first girls ever who do not gossip." He shakes his head. "I lucked out then, haven't I?"

Idrissa ponders that idea for a few moments it seems. "Well I would at least have a reason for getting kicked out then. Other then like the other night when you was going on about how people was getting kicked out for no reason." Though they did have some fun that night. She peers at him and smiles, pressing closer and lets a hand playful;y ruffle his hair a few times. "I dono, don't have to gossip. An of course your lucky. Two of the best girls around and they get to annoy you and you of course /love/ it."

Kale snickers and opens his eyes as his hair is ruffled, squinting. "Weeeell when you put it like that, I don't feel so lucky anymore," he laughs, quirking a brow at her. "I knew you two got joy out've annoying me. What have I ever done to you, huh? Other than bein' pretty perfect in every way." Uuuh…riiiiight.

Idrissa chuckles and takes a sip from her mug, a curious glance is offered back to him once more. "Please, you annoy us, we annoy your. One big happy annoying friendship circle…thing." Yes thing. "Perfect huh? I dono if anyone is /perfect/."

"I annoy you?" Kale scoffs! "Me?" He leans back a little and fixes her with a lifted brow look. "What have I ever done to annoy you? Nothing, that's what," he answers for her, looking smug again, especially when she comments on no one being perfect. Ah, he's just about to remind her just how perfect he is… but the word "perfect" reminds him of something. Or rather, someone. "What happened with Weyrwoman Thea? Has she gone?"

Idrissa chuckles softly and hums. "At times? In the past.. Perhaps!" She doesn't go into great detail though it seems. Another sip is taken from her mug, her gaze flicking over to him once more and she chuckles. "Thea? I heard she was out on a trip or something. Dono much more then that actually. Why?"

"Just … wondering," says Kale, glancing to the administration hallway. "I heard she was gone… Just rumors, y'know? Some people sounded annoyed talking about it. Heard her weyrmate isn't happy with her not bein' here. Was just … wondering," he says again. "Wondering if anyone heard where she went off to, or saw her leave."

Idrissa shrugs at this and ponders a moment. "Well, I know she was going off with someone, or to met with someone… Or something like that." She peers into her mug a moment, which is empty once more, oh well. "I'm sure she'll be back soon."

Kale is quiet a while, thinking. Who would she be meeting? Especially so far away? Where do they go? Is this a plan for the weyr, or something more personal? These are probably the gossipy things he's been hearing, and now they're stuck in his head! "I hope so," he answers, shaking his thoughts away. "I miss seein' her around." He shakes his head and sits up a bit. "Anyhow, I'm not here for overly long. I've another message to give, and I don't see the fellow here like I was hoping."

Idrissa tilts her head and peers over at Kale. "I'm sure she will be. She is in charge of the whole Weyr after all." She points out. "Thea is really a really great person, an I'm sure she'll be fine. Back around in no time. Your see." A soft aww escapes her as she hears this. "Well that's alright. I was going to go give Feathers some extra attention before it go to late. So I guess it works out."

Kale nods in agreement to the 'really really great person' bit. BUt really, he doesn't know that for certain. Sure, she seems really nice. She does a lot for the weyr. But the most he knows is that .. for someone who is thirty something turns, she's amazing looking! Maybe gold dragons have super powers! He stands up and offers his hand to her to help her up. "I can walk you back a ways, if you want."

Idrissa doesn't know Thea all that well, but it is pretty easy to figure out that yes Thea is a great person! Though she doesn't think about the whole 'looking amazing' bit like Kale would. Naught Kale! She smiles and takes hold of his hand standing up. "Sure, that'll work." Her mug is set aside and she leans close to give him a quick kiss. "Come on, don't want you getting in more trouble or something." This said while she gives his hand a squeeze and starts to move off.

Trouble? Kale? … never! *cough cough* But aw, what great friends he has! One that gets him away from a yelling customer, and another who is going to keep him from doing something stupid and landing himself in trouble for the first time in his life! He smiles at the kiss and keeps her hand in his after she stands up. "I never get in to trouble," he says, squeezing her hand in return. Then, he heads out with her, Alloy trailing behind with a quick chirrup! Don't leave him behind!


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