Xanadu Weyr - Shore of Lake Caspian
The cliffs that run along the shore come and go, various weyrs nestled along the tops of them or dug into the walls, but eventually they recede enough to expose a beach. The white sand echoes the rise and fall of the cliffs with a multitude of sandy dunes, endlessly creating tiny valleys that are constantly demolished and rebuilt by the frequent arrival or departure of dragons. The dunes smooth out as the gentle slope approaches the edge of the deep blue water. The sand darkens, and a shell here and there stands out for children to collect.
The beach narrows to the southwest, leaving a path barely wide enough for dragons in single file before cutting in to a smaller, more sheltered cove. The sands are the same white, the waters the same blue, but they're calmer and more tranquil, more protected from the winds that ruffle Lake Caspian and the currents that tug beneath the surface.
Rough, wide stairs lead up to the meadow above and the road that runs along the top of the cliffs, passing through the fields and heading for the river mouth that can be just barely seen from here. The largest of the staircases up the cliff is located near the docks that jut out onto the peaceful blue waters.
It's been a couple of days since the discussion in the garden led to cooperation among the candidates. Scrap material located and some things donated, and a lot of hands has meant the simple construction hasn't taken long. A deck not unlike an ice fishing shed sled rests on the ground. It still has holes in the bottom like one of those sheds, but in this case, two long ones to account for the log tubs. The walls are up, though they have no insulation. Holes for the pipes from the cauldron still outside, and a doorway that is in the back of it, cauldron side, still need their makeshift canvas coverings. As does the roof. This is the task the height challenged Rinian finds herself on now, with a momentary lull in available helpers. She really should wait but…its so close to being done! The canvas itself has seen use first as a sail..then a patched sail…then a cargo covering and then..who knows. But its been patched up again for what is likely to be its last purpose, though who can say for sure?
Wandering down from the direction of the meadow, a lone figure can be made out trudging himself down through the snow towards the beach, revealed to be Mathis as he reaches the top of the last crest and pauses there to survey all that is Leiourthtopia. However, hazel eyes stop at the new construction, that when compared to the crayon adorned cardboard buildings stuck out like a proverbial sore thumb. Head tilted, he spots Rinian and feet carry him that way, careful of his footing so as not to lose it and end up breaking something vital to his continued existence or craftwork. "What's going on here?" he asks, not having been privy to garden conversations and the like.
Rinian is about to answer him when a strong gust of wind envlopes her in the tough canvas. It takes her a moment to wiggle back out of it. "Well…bringing some indoors to the baths, apparently. And it seems a lot of people were interseted so its gone pretty quickly. What do you think?"
Hazel eyes widening, Mathis is quickly closing the distance between them with big and slightly awkward strides, all in an effort to save Rinian from that canvas. It was slower than he might have expected, given that he didn't weigh much and that gust was trying its darndest to knock him over anyway. He does help, somewhat with a tug here and tug-tug there, rolling the canvas back up so that it can not issue such threats again. "Of course they're interested. It's winter and those curtains do nothing to trap the heat against your body." Mathis KNOWS, he has experienced this for himself on more than one occasion when he'd huddled beneath rapidly cooling water so as not to DIE from rapid onset exposure. It was a thing! Settling the canvas, he looks back towards the construction. "I think it'll serve the purpose? Who's idea was it?" Brows lift, and he glances back towards Rinian.
Rinian smiles her thanks to him for the help. "I imagine you can guess. Though there was encouragement from Nessalyn as well. Can you help me get this up?"
The smile is returned along with a nod, before ensuring that there would be no more assault by canvas. As soon as this is a task that can be marked completed, Mathis dusts his hands off against one another in emphasis of completeness, pausing in contemplation before coming up with an unsure, "Uh, Sylvarin?" What? It was his best guess! Who else would be prissy enough to demand walls when it was cleanliness that was on the line? "Did she help with this at all?" Curious rather than accusatory or suggesting something in particular, still unable to make up his mind whether or not he liked her. "Sure!" he responds with entirely on automatic, because he'd do just about anything for her, but then there's an sheepish twist to his expression, "What am I helping with exactly?"
Rinian gestures to the top beam, and all four walls. "We need to get it up over that, and fasten it securely to all the walls." She nods to his guess though, "Yes, Sylvarin. And Ness is working on the automation part. She also got us some better pipes for the water delivery. Anyway, once we get the roof up, all we need is the extra canvas up for the door and to insulate around where the pipes come in and exit." See, pipes now carry the used water out and away.
Following the gesture, Mathis looks up and then down the structure in progress, the dawn of understanding alighting his features. He totally got it now. "Okay, I think that'll be easy enough." As he listens to Rinian explain onwards he does as he was instructed, loosing the canvas from where he'd pinned it down with a rock and getting up on his tiptoes to flip it over so that it covered the top of the bathhouse, pulling it taut and then holding it in place. "Ha! I knew it." comes from the other side, poking his head out and smirking toothily at the other woodcrafter. Yes, yes, Mathis. You are very smart. All the deductions are belong to you. As Rinian continues, he does his best to keep his hold on the canvas, another whipping wind gusting through to threaten the security of his grasp, "I have to admit, it's a lot less techie than I'd expected from her." Where were her bold ideas about an automated system? Eyes trace along the pipes, considering this. "Too bad she didn't think of a way to pipe the water in as well as out." Then they could just sit back and soak up the profits. Well, tend the fire and soak up profits.
Rinian shakes her head as she helps him get it straightened out. "Hold it as best you can." She'll go around and temporarily tack it down, so they can tighten it and fasten it more securely without fighting the wind. "She didn't suggest how we built it, just that we should. And she's working on the automation."
"I am!" Mathis protests, giving the canvas one last yank before Rinian starts to secure it, pleased as punch when he can let go of the thing at last when she had it tacked down without any worry of it tearing itself loose again, helping to get it more permanently resolved. A soft chuckle, "You could have lead with that." That Nessalyn was planning on automating everything, "It sounded like she wasn't all that involved." Admittedly, it didn't help that cause that neither she nor the baker were around to even so much as oversee. "How much of this did you do on your own, Rin?" he asks, as the canvas goes tarp and becomes one with the overall structure.
Rinian shrugs as she works with him to make it relatively permanent. "Well, Nessalyn wants to make a bonfire of it when the springs are open again. And as its all scraps…" Not really a problem. "And Sylvarian said something about a special dessert." That should make Mathis happy, right? She notes, "Some of the other candidates and weyrfolk helped actually, when they could. It'd not be nearly this far along otherwise."
Smirking with a roll of his eyes skywards, "Of course she does," he mutters, perhaps carried off on an errant breeze. He'd seen the glee in that woman rise to a disproportionate level at that last lesson they'd had with Risali and D'lei, the one with the fires. Though, he had no problem with it being broken up and burned either, attributing the same value to it that Rinian had. It was little more than scraps tacked together for temporary shelter. It may shock the woodcrafter girl that her bestie over there isn't bursting with delight at the prospect of sugary delights, nodding once before he begins to inspect their progress this far and promptly changes the topic, "Well, we should finish this up, otherwise it won't be done before we have to tear it down." One of the cardboard constructs tips over and rolls a fair distance away. "I'll get it. When I get back, we'll finish this up as best we can and then maybe grab some lunch?" Big grin o'teeth adoring his face, he chases after that toppled and wind blown building until he catches it. Once he's returned, he makes good on his promise and helps Rinian complete what they can and escorts her back to the weyr for a well deserved meal.
Rinian is well and ready for it by then too. She loops her arm in his in companionship as they head through the winter weather for whatever food that may be found. Not as good as the usual these days, but if its at all hot, it'll do.