Ka'el's Got Problems
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Xanadu Weyr - Forest
This broad path that leads from the main clearing into the forest has been designed in such a manner so as to be not only wide enough for wagons to travel through, but also providing ample space for dragons. The path appears only worn in the center though, as most of the traffic moving through this area is that of the two-legged kind. Flowers sprout up and speckle the lush grass with bright saffron and cheeky rose, creeping all the way up to the bases of the trees that rise upward in their aged magnificence, gargantuan limbs casting often welcome shade, the general atmosphere and scent of the path is one of freshness and wild abandon.
The path winds its way leisurely through the trees, deeper into the forest and a number of less traveled paths branch away from it. Southwest leads to the forest's edge near the base of the tumbled rocks that mark the wilder areas of the forest and the mountains that rise behind Xanadu. West leads to the Firelizard Theater, northeastward the path leads to the feeding grounds and beyond that the gravel road that bisects the paddocks leading to the bovine complex. East leads to the meadow where it joins both the road that crosses the bridge over the river leading to the clearing and the the coastal road that leads out of Xanadu bypassing the beach and the Caspian Lake. Here there are secluded spots where one might picnic.


It's late afternoon. Ka'el has been busy since dawn. In fact, few have seen much of the Weyrleader for the past two days. But, is that really such a surprise? He's the Weyrleader, after all. He's bound to be a busy man! Office work is a given. Trips away with the Weyrwoman…also, not much to arch brows over, especially as these trips lasted only brief hours before the Weyr was reuinited with its leadership. Where have they been jetting off to? That's on a need-to-know basis, and apparently, the general population needn't know. In a nutshell, to the public eye things have been business as usual. Even within the ranks of the administration hallway, it doesn't seem as if anything is amiss. But, to those who need to know, and those handful of people are very few indeed, it's obvous that things are most assuredly amiss. The forest is alive with springtime life. Flowers in bloom and avians flitting from branch to branch. Things look fresh, new, and green. Ka'el lingers near the somewhat tangled pathway that leads to his weyr, brows set down and eyes staring hard at the new grass. Grass glaring! Kanekith isn't here but is near, in the clearing where he's laid out after having nudged Luraoth vaguely in passing word that Soriana is wanted here.

It's amazing how many things aren't needed to be known by how many people. In fact, most of them don't even know the things they don't need to know… because they don't need to know about the knowing that they don't need to know. Really, the part that's notable (knowtable?) is when people notice there's something they don't need to know, but want to know it. The last two days… well, there really hasn't been much to make people think that… has there? Soriana, for the most part, has been going about her days like the business is very much usual. Oh, sure, maybe there was a bit of juggling of schedules, but nothing significant. Not that doesn't happen for all sorts of reasons! Business as usual. Soriana leaving the office sometime in the afternoon? That's not unusual either. There's plenty of things that might take her out of the office, with the quick 'I have somewhere to be' step that keeps her from being interrupted as she crosses the clearing and ducks into the forest, heading along the trail as she tries to match mental picture to surroundings. That there tree is… aha. Not actually a tree at all. That there tree is Ka'el, and she picks up the pace of her next few steps, coming toward him. She's not glaring at any of the grass, but there's the slight lingering frown that might (if one knew why) imply that something may have been wrong. Despite everything being business as usual.

He needs to speak with Thea, probably. And he will, soon. But she went her way and he went his after both of their footfalls fell in sync and led them to the infirmary just moments before. The infirmary, where worries were eased only to be replaced with new ones altogether. And that's why he's here perhaps instead of in his office, where worrying only amplifies behind a desk and helps nothing. Here he can think. There are no walls encasing him. No people knocking, needing him, forcing him to look unworried to fend off inquiries of concern or reason for rumor. Here, there's just one person walking towards him, and that's only because he called for her. Soft footfalls are heard only when Soriana is close, and his eyes lift up from the grass to instead hold her in his gaze, which changes little upon seeing her. Brows are still furrowed. Eyes, still troubled. But now, his feet are moving to bring him towards her, leaving behind the spot of grass that he was glaring at (likely causing the blades to breathe out a sigh of relief!). "Has word been sent to you?" he asks in lieu of a greeting. "She's made it back."

Oh, but Ka'el's the Weyrleader. Aren't there always people needing him? But here, at least, he can keep them at a distance and pretend - for the moment - that they don't exist. Just him, that poor defenseless grass, and now… Soriana. She comes to meet him, and her hands reach vaguely out though her eyes stay on up on his as she nods. "Luraoth," is her answer. No, that's not the who in question, it's just how she knows about it. "She was watching." So Soriana knew… pretty much as soon as anyone did. At least… the very basics. But not the details, because Soriana's steps didn't converge on the infirmary, and Luraoth didn't press. Don't crowd the patient. So. "Is she okay?"

Luraoth. Ka'el nods once. He should've assumed, but making assumptions is usually a bad thing in his profession. BUt she knows, which doesn't give him reason to wipe that frown off of his face, and at her question he gives his head a slight turn. A half headshake. "No. Not really." He's stopped when near of course, and his eyes leave hers to turn and glance, watchful for prying ears. But, again, seeing Ka'el with Soriana isn't noteworthy news. Although their recently budded weyrmating likely has not been front page news, it's not a secret to anyone that the Weyrleader fancies this particular weyrwoman junior, and vice versa. So even if there was someone gallivanting through the forest, it's unlikely that they'd give them more than a passing look and perhaps a hello, considering their knots. But Ka'el sees no one of immediate concern. A traveler passes, walking with a runner along the forest trail some yard away. The clip-clopping sound of runnershoes and wagon wheels interrupts from somewhere unseen, a distant sound. "She looked.." Ka'el continues with his eyes now back on her, "She's badly shaken. Healers don't say she's hurt…physically, but her mind is…not well." A frwon, and he lifts a hand to rub at his temples a little. "Have you ever heard of this happening?"

At least it means Ka'el doesn't have to explain it from the start. Not that there aren't still explanations to be had, but… he can skip what's apparently the good news part and get right to the rest of it. Soriana frowns at his answer, holds that expression a moment before she nods. Okay. Well… not okay, but… acknowledged. If gossip does come of this from that passing traveller, it might be someone wondering if that rumored pairing's having bumps aong the road. They're both looking so serious, you see… but then, there's other reason to be serious. Plenty of them, including the one that's the actual reason for their looks today. Soriana tilts her head in question for that look - not hers, the one Ka'el tries and fails to describe - then lets out her breath slowly. The mind. All in the mind, which can make things sound so minor until there's actually something wrong with the mind. And you can't just toss numbweed and a bandage onto it. "Is she…" Soriana doesn't even know what she wants to ask. A jibbering lunatic? No, Luraoth would know that much. There'd have been more distress, enough to cut through even exhaustion. But there's a lot of possibilities in between slavering madness and actually being okay. Soriana frowns, thinking on them, and her eyes flick down before looking up to Ka'el again at his question. "Sort of. There's… the dragonhealers call it betweening syndrome." And it's not a grade-two sort of problem. "I mean, some people can't handle between, everyone knows that." They're usually too terrified to try. Or do it once, come out screaming, and never again. They don't become dragonriders. "But it's not just some people, it's stressful for everyone. The nothing. There's… reports of it exhausting dragons, messing with people, on… long transits." She frowns. Long transits, the files say, but a zip between anywhere on Pern is the same length. Just count the heartbeats.

Jibbering lunatic. How would Ka'el have handled that? Not as well as he handled what he saw today. Today, he was perfect. Calm. Collected. Concerned. The three critical c's for managing a crisis, right? There were no tears. No visual breakdown of seeing his friend and Weyrsecond so obviously shaken. So obviously distorted. So obviously…frightened. But, would he have been so calm if she had been in a state of madness? Can betweening drive a person to madness? Perhaps. Probably. If things were drastic. If a person was lost in time too far one way or the other..probably. Ka'el's fingers press at his temples again and his eyes squint closed. He nods her and there, showing that he is listening. The grim look on his face, even though his face is mostly tilted towards the ground, is sign enough that he's listening to her. "Betweening syndrome.." He echoes the phrase before lowering his hand and lifting his eyes to her. "Is it a thing a rider can … overcome? Is it damaging to their bond with their dragon, do you know? Do riders find their old selves after a time, or is it something that's known to ground them?" Perhaps he should be asking someone with more experience than Soriana these questions. A Grade four or five, perhaps. Regardless, it's she that he turns to, seeking these unknown answers to questions he never had reason to ask. "We couldn't stay long. THe healers wanted their time with her, of course, and she needed to rest. I haven't asked her anything. I don't know if she went .. back or forward or whatever else."

Soriana reaches out, brushes her fingers along Ka'el's arm lightly. They fall away again, and she frowns, shrugs a little. "It's…" She shakes her head. "Depends on the rider. But she got back, right?" She did. Luraoth knows, she told Soriana. Even now, the gold can feel that presence, though she's leaving him undisturbed. Because eating and drinking and resting are what's important for him, right now. "So that's good." They're back home, not lost between, trapped forever in the nothingness of… Soriana swallows. "So whatever happened…" forward or back or sideways… "It's not going to hurt her bond. Not unless she… blames him, somehow." Which Soriana doesn't think is very likely, to judge from her tone. "I don't know much about it." Ask that grade five, but there's not one here… and truthfully, they don't know much either. Most of the facts, even for dragonhealers, are limited to 'It's dangerous, don't do it.' Which doesn't much help when it happens. Maybe once they knew more, but… "She's not… I don't think it's physical. Not beyond exhaustion, anyway." And that, she dismisses with a wave of a hand. Easily treated by a healer and bedrest. "It's just… stress. Whatever she… there's no medical reason not to recover. But… it's hard on people."

Ka'el reacts to that touch to his arm by reaching for her hand after it falls away, stepping closer, and placing it on his chest to hold there. "Marel," he says, looking at her with a knowing expression in his eyes. "She blamed Isyriath for what … didn't happen with Seryth. For what could've happened with her and her ma. They were without each other for a long time, and whenever I went to see her, she looked bad an' never spoke of him." He frowns again, eyes shifting off. He needs to check up on the brownrider. It's been a long time since he's had words with her that weren't administrative. A long time since he's been with his friend. His eyes close and he looks suddenly tired. Very weary. An exhale slowly deflates his chest, dropping it slightly. "I'll have to do something. Figure out what's best for her. If she Betweened badly once, it can happen again.. It might be worse. Make her worse. She'll resent me for makin' her retrain with the Weyrlings. I could ask V'dim to give her lessons alone but…with all the Weyrlings, what time would he have? And if she refuses to, then what? I fire her?" He wrinkles his nose, brows creasing.

Marel. Soriana's mouth draws sideways and down, and while her eyes don't look away from Ka'el's, there's nevertheless a certain fall to them, and then a sigh. She nods slowly, her fingers splaying as they rest against his chest. "It's… not the same thing, though." And, she hopes, the reactions will be different as well. A challenge fought through together, a disaster averted by a human-dragon team instead of a fight that breaks that team apart and sows mistrust and anger instead of closeness. Soriana brushes her fingertips in a soft touch, her gaze lowering for a moment. "She's probably scared," she says as she looks up again. "Whether she admits it or not. I would be." And probably not admit it, either. What to do? "You can make her rest, for a start. Tell her she's on vacation. To spend time with her kids. Here, not… anywhere else." Not betweening, because… it went wrong once. It could do that again. Which makes for a kind of mediocre vacation, but given that 'vacation' is just being a euphemism for 'medical leave', that works. "V'dim knows his stuff." Does Western's weyrlingmaster? That's a thought for another day. Soriana's thoughts are going elsewhere, quiet for a moment. "…ask her what would have happened if she'd given someone else coordinates. Those coordinates." Whatever they were. "Nobody has to know why she's with the weyrlings except V'dim. She can tell them… it's an adminstrative review. That she's watching him." Instead of the other way around.

"You're right. It's not the same but," Ka'el's eyes open now, "it feels the same to me. I hope you're right." And he truly does. he lifts her hand from her chest to touch his lips lightly against her fingers before releasing it altogether. "She won't admit it if she's afraid. Shell, if I even hint that I think she is, she'll probably come after me." To that, he smirks a little, and the curve of his mouth lasts a handful of seconds before it begins to slip. "Shards… her girls. I hadn't thought of what would've been told to them. She sees them often." But two days likely wouldn't be too difficult to pass off as busy times for a rider. She is the Weyrsecond, after all! "I'll speak to V'dim likely after speakin' with Thea of what to do with her. I wouldn't feel right havin' her back on duty without more training." Proper training? V'dim's training, which apparently is good enough to keep Xanadu riders from major mishaps in Betweening. "I'll see her again tomorrow. Give her the day to .. gather herself. Sleep it off." Not to mention the Healers won't let him step foot in there, and he's the Weyrleader, dang it! "We've another problem," he says, this time shaking his head as he says it and giving his eyes a brief roll. Uh oh.

Oh, feelings. Rational or not, Soriana nods to that, and trails her fingers against Ka'el's cheek after the kiss before she lowers her hand. There's a faint tug up at one corner of her mouth to hear that it wouldn't be admitted - "Of course not," she agrees. But, admitted or not… Soriana would bet on it being there. Not that she'll ever be able to collect on that bet. On the matter of the girls, she's quick to add, "That's why they're fostered." So that when things happen - whether it's extra meetings or… more serious things… there's a source of stability in their lives. "They'll be fine." Whatever they were told, or… more likely, not told. Need to know basis, right? As for the talks with Thea and V'dim - and the need for more training - Soriana nods. "I'd… like to know what happened." A crooked smile. "Failing that, I'd like to know it won't happen again." She'll take what she can get! Including a pause until tomorrow, and Soriana nods to that part of things. "Sleep's good." For all that ails you! Possibly even… Soriana arches her brows. "What now?" Because they didn't have enough problems.

"When I know more…if I know any more…I'll let you know. If it's something I'm able to let you know." Because sometimes, there's that rare thing that a Weyrleader should keep to himself. But in this case, this big important case, there may not be details to be kept secret. Secret things that are harmful should not be kept secret…even if the person with that secret doesn't agree. Will it come to that? Ka'el can't read the future. He …apparently can travel there, but definitely has no desire to. So, he leaves it at that and moves on to the next thing that's worth reporting, and he gestures to the path to his weyr. "Kanekith won't agree to share a couch with Luraoth. He also won't agree to leave his couch and won't stand for me to leave him behind. So. I'm not allowed to leave my weyr." He gives her a look. A 'Kanekith is being hardheaded Kanekith again and this isn't really as much of a problem as it is just annoying'. "I've explained to him that 1. I've not moved yet, and 2. It hasn't been discussed who is moving where, and that it may very well be that Luraoth and you come to us," he gives her another look. A 'that's just an empty threat' sort of look. "And so if that happens and he chooses not to move, then in the end, he'll be sharing his arch anyway. And it's gonna be a tight fit."

Soriana nods that she'll know what she knows when she can know it, unless she can't. Predicting the future is hard. Visiting it? …let's not go there, except at the plodding rate of one second per second. It's safer that way. Her eyes flick down the path Ka'el indicates. Has something crashed into… oh. Kanekith is… being Kanekith. There's a crooked little smile for that. "I see." Luraoth does have those extra couches for her visitors, but somehow… given that this is Kanekith… Soriana doubts that matters. It's the his-ness of it that's important. And the hers-ness. And the fact that these be different things. As Ka'el continues to explain, Soriana… oh, she starts to snicker. She can't help it, really. It's just… she can imagine the stubborn Kanekith, and it's such a change from the actual serious things, and so… it's funny. "We could stack them on top of each other?" Because that's… certainly not impractical at all. "Facing different ways, probably. Otherwise they wouldn't fit." Not that they… well. It's the principle of the thing? Kanekith's Anti-Sharing Principles.

The snickering is appropriate. It's ridiculous. It's silly. It's a /random/ change of moods. But it's Kanekith! And it's a thing that now Soriana knows about and now they can come up with a master plan to thwart the stubborn bronze? Or Ka'el can just drag him by the nose when it's time to go because his dragon is supposed to listen to him! "D'you hear that, Kanekith?" he says, cupping a hand around one side of his mouth to direct his voice down the path. "Stacking. That's what it's come to. Squeezed an' stacked in there instead've in your own spot in the barn!" Shouting down the way really isn't necessary. Telepathic bond and all. But its' done for Soriana's sake. Plus, sometimes…he just wants to speak out loud. In retaliation, Kanekith gives the loudest snort he can manages, just to make sure everyone who needs to hear him can hear him. Was it loud enough? No? Oh, let him try again. SNOOORRT!!!! Cue a blue-eyed roll from Ka'el. "You see what I deal with?" he says to her, as if this was news. "You should have Luraoth sit on him. It'll teach him a lesson on sharing."

And let's be clear, Ka'el dragging a dragon who's at least a hundred times heavier than him around by the nose? Also ridiculous and most definitely snicker-worthy. If only they had a better plan! One that didn't come down to 'be more stubborn'… because this is Kanekith! He's got stubbornness from that nose all the way to his tailtip. Soriana grins as Ka'el calls to Kanekith. (Also silly, but then… that's this whole thing! And it's less ridiculous than certain (bronze) parts of it! Besides, it amuses Soriana.) She laughs at the snort. "Oh, I see," she tells Ka'el, and shakes her head with a mock-sadness whose falseness is made obvious by a grin. "Next he'll turn hermit crab, and say not only isn't he moving, he's going to carry the place with him wherever he goes. He'll do patrols like that." Weyr on his back! As well as Luraoth, but… "I'm sure he'd make the finest of cushions. Because he meant to." She smirks, and shakes her head.

"Oh, don't tempt him or give him any ideas," warns Ka'el. "Next thing you know you'll have a weyr-backed dragon on your hands, stuck in the infirmary from strained…everythings from tryin' to walk with a weyr-shell and gold on his back." Don't put it past him! He might just do it! "It'll take some doing…and I may have to ask you to ask Luraoth for some help, but we'll get his bronze arse out of there, one way or another." Kanekith doubts it. He highly doubts it! No one is going to get him to move, no way, no how! But if he's arguing, Ka'el's not making any signs of hearing him, and he only gives one last glared look down the path before he looks back to her. "So. Yeah, that's that side of things. He'll come around." With prodding and promises and nose-leading. He sighs heavily, his mind still adjusting to the shift from low to high in moods. He'll still worry about Kiena, but it's something he can't do anything about until tomorrow. Tomorrow will be difficult. Today doesn't necessarily have to be. "On the subject of weyrs … yours is nicer than mine."

It's utterly ridiculous to even consider! Buuuut this is Kanekith, so in with the snickering, Soriana nods. "Point. Also that's… probably bad for the architecture." Probably. It's not like she's an expert. At least not when it comes to architecture. Dealing with stubborn dragons? Well, Luraoth gets determined about different sorts of things than Kanekith, but… between the gold and the other dragons she talks to, Soriana has one or two clues what it might be like. "It's not like there's a rush," she says, though whether that's for changing Kanekith's mind or their moving in - or both - she doesn't really say. She notes that sigh, and echoes it with a smaller one of her own. The serious bits don't go away, even if they're… tucked aside, because there's nothing to be done about them just not. Deliberately ignored for lighter topics. Like weyrs. As for hers? It's nicer, yes, in ways like size and furniture and view. But… "It doesn't have a forge," Soriana notes, not that having one is a feature for much of anyone except a smith, but as it happens, Ka'el's one of those. She reaches out to brush her hand against his. "Or arches."

No rush at all! It isn't as if the both of them don't have plenty of things that keep them busy enough that moving belongings and furniture and whatever else can't wait. Maybe summer! Summer's a nice and lazy time of the year where freetime sometimes it a little easier to find. But.. it's hot. Who wants to move in the heat? Fall! Fall's perfect. Not too hot. Not too cold. It's that 'just right' type of inbetween weather! But a lot of things happen in the fall. Xanadu gets busy, with harvests and gathers.. Maybe the Weyrlings will be nearing graduation by then, and thus amplify that busyness by a thousand! Maybe..winter! But, brrr. Who wants to work in the freezing snow? Ka'el's eyes shift to her hand as it's brushed against his, and he stretches his fingers to toy with hers, Touching. Grazing. Not exactly holding. "It doesn't," he agrees, "and that's too bad because any weyr without a forge isn't complete," said with a dramatically slow headshake. "But, it does have you, and I can't think've any addition that'd be better than that." A light smirk follows, though he faintly tilts his head brows lifting and smirk fading a little. "You know, nothin' has to change at all. I don't have to stay with you. … I guess we never really talked about it." Not really. The glow was still there! The warm fuzzy of being together in a starlit cave. Newlyweds, in a sense. "There are weyrmates that don't live with each other."

Plenty of things? Ha! More like too many things. If they don't fight against them, there's always something to keep them busy and make tomorrow turn into the day after and the day after that. Sometimes it does that even if they do fight against it, but… some things are worth fighting for. Soriana's fingers brush back against Ka'el's, teasing lightly, and she nods. There's a crooked smile for the incompleteness of the forgeless weyrs, and then a small laugh and a smile for the addition of herself. She's not the sort of thing listed on the assignment packets! At least… not usually. Her fingers curve against his, and then head tilts as she hears what she knows, taking it in for a moment before she nods. "… I guess you don't," she agrees. "I mean…" It's a fuzzy thing, weyrmating. In a sense, all it means is… whatever it means to the two of them. So maybe they should start at the beginning. "Do you want to? Live together, that is. We could just… carry on." They both live at the office half the time anyway, right?

Does he want to live together, or carry on as they have been? Home, to each of their separate weyrs that they each have personalized to their likings. His, with his forge that he can hammer away on. Kanekith with his arch he doesn't have to share. His bed with his stuff and his room and his space to do with what he wants. A bachelor pad, sans the bachelor status? Sure…that could work. It has worked, as she has pointed out. It's what they've done since getting their weyrs, turns ago. So, why should weyrmating be different? .. Because it is different. Because if it wasn't, there wouldn't be such a thing as weyrmates, right? They'd all be .. boyfriends and girlfriends. Or they'd go around with no labels at all and do what they want, which whom they wanted, whenever they wanted to. Does he want to live with her? "Yes," he answers, straightforward and no hesitation. Which .. surprises him because what /was/ on his tonge to say was 'Do you?' But, his tongue had other plans, likely in cahoots with his brain. "If you want me to. If you don't, that's alright. Kanekith'll be happy," he remarks, smirking.

Oh, but Soriana didn't say what she wanted. She's making Ka'el go first! Where… by making we mean she's asking. And if he asked her back she might even answer instead of going ten-turn-old and saying 'I asked you fiiiiirst' at him. But he doesn't ask her back, at least not before answering. Yes. Yes he does, and Soriana's smile for that is immediate. Probably done without asking her brain whether it should, but she keeps the expression even once she's had time to think about it as he continues. Which is an answer of its own, even before she nods that she wants him to. "Kanekith," she says with a smirk, "can deal." Her fingers press to Ka'el's. "I do want." Even if she's going to have to figure out how to shove her closet into half the space, and get a bigger klahpot for mornings. "I want to wake up to you." And she says that having seen the mess his hair turns into overnight! She grins at him, then glances down the path to… his weyr. As they've established, the less nice of the weyrs. But the one with the forge and… "We could make it… an office. Or something." She looks back to Ka'el. "To…" To mean he didn't have to give it up, because really - why would they need another office?

Kanekith will most certainly deal! Ka'el's fingers curl around hers as the pressure against them grows, and he grins, wider…and wider as she speaks. She wants to? .. Now, does she really want him? Men are messy creatures! Granted, Ka'el is on the neat side of the male spectrum, again due to turns of being molded that way as an apprentice and other things. But still! He's a guy. She may regret agreeing having his stuff in her space. Him, hogging the bed. Or the couch. Or her favorite spot on the floor to read. He probably has habits that'll get under her skin. … But, that's the fun of living together, isn't it? Learning all of the little idiosyncrasies that make people so unique, and learning to live with those little quirks. Ka'el pulls her towards him to kiss her lips, his fingers of the one hand that's held lacing between hers. He pulls back long after, and smirks in reference to his weyr. "Or," he suggests, "we can leave it for some other Weyrling to get assigned. Or maybe someone'll move in before then. Some new journeyman smith or something.." He's willing to give it up? It'd seem so. "I can always get another forge brought to your place." It's really just the forge he's not /as/ willing to let go of!

And she'll probably trip over his boots at least once. So if she breaks her neck, she'll regret it! Otherwise, though… it'll be an adventure, and one Soriana's willing to embark on. Her lips keep their smile right up until the part where they press to his. During that part, they're busy with the kiss itself, her fingers slipping in between his, there and there and - a gentle squeeze - there. Holding hands is good. So's kissing. And, as she pulls back, the smile reasserts itself on her face. "…that too." After all, they don't need two weyrs, do they? That's sort of the whole point of this, that they're going to move in together and share the space. Weyrmates. Mates in a weyr! "Once we get Kanekith out, anyway." Which might take all summer and all fall. Sometime around midwinter the cold might finally convince him that a heated barn's a better option? Maybe? The humans certainly seem to be in agreement, and Soriana nods about the forge. "There's room." Where? She doesn't know exactly, but somewhere in those fields of distance from the shooting range, there's bound to be a suitable spot. Or maybe near that half-tumbled rockwall. Or… something. They can figure it out! There'll be a lot of figuring out, and that's okay. No, more than okay, and Soriana leans in for another kiss.

Kanekith is not moving. They might as well get that out of their heads right now! This is one battle he will win, he'll show them! When it gets cold, he'll just tough it out like the big tough bronze that he is! When it rains and Luraoth is cozy in her barn and Ka'el and Soriana are dry in their weyr, Kanekith will just glare at them from afar. And they'll feel his glare waves. Two of the three of them will even hear his glare thoughts! They'll see! >.> <.< "Kanekith doesn't like bein' alone. That's his weakness," he says in stage whisper to Soriana, even though Kanekith isn't presently here in this area. "Let'm sulk for a while, he'll get over himself." Oh he sounds so sure /now/ whereas before it was going to be a battle! Ah well. The thought of moving in with her, complete with his forge somewhere for him to use, is making everything seem like a piece of cake now. Absolute cake! He kisses her in return, eager to do so. His arm wraps around her and he dips her down a little to make the gesture more dramatic. And playful. Dipsmooch! He pulls her back up, lips separating after, a soft smile intact. "Last thing. I want to speak with your ma."

The glaring will be epic. A stare with heat like that of… say… a nice warm barn with heating coils built into the couches. Or, er. Lava. That's right! Heat like lava and dragonbelches. Not the warmth that Kanekith could have if he just slunk in and admitted defeat. Which he won't do. Because he's a proud bronze dragon. Defiant and unmoved! …yet. There's always tomorrow. Soriana nods sagely to Ka'el's secret (and never mind that Kanekith can hear that whisper just as well as he could the shout). "There's no rush." They can wait him out! "The weyrlings're barely running, let alone flying." So there's no need to give away the weyr from out over Kanekith's back. Besides, while he may be willing to give up the space, Ka'el's got all his stuff to bring over! Including whatever furniture he's become attached to, they'll find room for it somewhere. She puts her arms around Ka'el, leaning back that dippish bit as her lips part against his, then return to their smile. Last thing? Did he make an agenda for this meeting? …Weyrleadering must be rubbing off. Or, well, this is Kale. He always did write out plans in that notebook of his. Maybe he's just a good fit for the job, strange as it sounds. "Do you," she says. She sounds amused about it more than anything. It's not like she expects to have mother and weyrmate (It's still strange, to think that. Good, but… strange.) conspire against her. Maybe she should? "She's got a restday in four. Probably going to spend it with the runners." Which will make her fairly easy to find. Not that the office isn't easily findable too, but presumably Ka'el already knows that.

Yes, there were points he wanted to cover. Things he needed to say. Kiena's news took priority as first. Their living situation and Kanekith, second. And this third thing… really could have been a second thing. This is where the 'order of importance' got a little blurred. They were equally important, but he could've very well say them both at the same time! So … heh. Maybe Ka'el is a bit of a planner! That notebook of his came in handy after all. "I do," he counters her with a smirk, stealing a brief kiss between that phrase and her next words. He nods. He knows Sorrin's schedule. Or rather, he knows where to go to find the schedule of the Weyrwomen. They're not in his jurisdiction, but still, he knows to get what he needs. "You want to come?" he asks, brows lifting a little. "I'm gonna be talkin' mostly about myself," he says, his smirkish look continuing. "About what a great guy I am. Educated and trust-worthy. Things like that. I'm also planning on telling her that I asked you to be my weyrmate," he continues in a slightly more serious tone, "and assuring her that you're in good hands with me. Things like that."

But it'll help Kanekith's feelings to know he was in second place, not third. So don't tell him that he could have been third! Because his feelings are bruised enough already. (And also he isn't moving. Nope!) Really, it's pretty easy for anyone working in the admin hall to get the schedule of anyone else who does. They probably have a meeting together at some point. Meetings are like that! So, having established that Ka'el doesn't need to ask Soriana to find out about her mother, the reason he did is… aha! To see if she wants to be involved. Does she want to come? Her initial answer is an arch of brows. Does she? That depends on what… "Heh. Name, rank…" Which Sorrin already knows, but only in the context of Ka'el-the-Weyrleader and Ka'el-her-daughter's-boyfriend. Not Ka'el-her-daughter's-weyrmate, which is both subtly different and the next thing on his list. "So, all that sort of thing." She leans in, touches his lips with another kiss. She's lost count of how many of those. Maybe next time she should try a list. "Yeah, I'll come." She grins, teasing. "Just in case you try any truly horrendous fibs."

But if he asks? Shhh…he was in first place the whole time! Kanekith is always first, don't you know? Even when he isn't. The number of times they've kissed would probably fill up a book pretty quickly! Ka'el isn't complaining though. He likes kissing. He definitely likes kissing her the most, and keeping a list would most assuredly cut in to their kissing time because they'd have to stop. Then write it down. Then put the pencil away. Then put the notebook away. So much lost time! That probably could've amounted to five more kisses if they would've skipped the whole list thing. The fact that she wants to join him is…well. Is it really surprising? What girl wouldn't want to hear what their boyfr-….weyrmate is saying to their parent behind closed doors? "Fibs? When have you known me to ever lie?" he asks with wide and innocent eyes. "Nothin but truth makes it past these lips, love. There's no lie in my utter awesomeness." Muwhaha! He closes hi s arms around her, hugging. "Family's important," he murmurs. "She's your family, and I want her to know me more than what she does." Does he kiss her again? You bet he does! Gently, on the mouth. "Do you want to grab a late lunch with me? Take it back to the office?" There's work to be done, but also food to be eaten!

Kanekith is the First and Only on the list! At least when the list is 'Ka'el's dragons'. But defining what does and doesn't go on a list is one of the most important parts of making them! Hence why they don't keep a list of kisses. Because lips don't need to be listed, just kissed. At… pretty much every opportunity. Like that one. Soriana just grins to those wide and innocent eyes. "Suuuuure it is." And, admittedly, it is! …about important things. Serious things. Silly ones? Well… do those really count as lies? It probably depends on who you ask, but Soriana's still grinning as she leans into those squeezing arms, pressing her lips to his cheek since his mouth is busy with saying something, one that makes her expression soften. Family's important, and she nods. Ka'el's family… well, they wouldn't understand, but Sorrin… yeah. Soriana's mother can understand, and so Soriana understands why Ka'el wants her to understand. "We'll get lunch or something. The three of us." Yes, technically she's working that day, but she can take a long lunch. However long is necessary! Soriana kisses Ka'el back, and then… yes. Lunch. Lunch is for taking, both in future plans and today. "I dunno," she says, and there's a touch of the teasing in her tone again. "It might be an early dinner." She hugs him warmly, and sneaks in one more of the uncounted kisses before they head off to do just that.

Lunch with Sorrin and Soriana, his weyrmate and … well, she isn't his mother. She's Sori's mother. But he wants Sori's mother to like him because family is important, and he wishes to be a part of theirs. Just like he would want her to be a part of his … if his hadn't been a family of one. But, he still has one brother out there somewhere, flying in the clear blue skies of Pern, unattached to anyone and anything. "Lunch it is," he agrees. Now! They only have to get Sorrin on board, and operation Meet the Weyrmate is a go! But for now, that's a plan he'll have to write in his books to get done as soon as possible. Invite Sorrin to lunch without sounding like a dweeb. Easier said than done, even if he is the Weyrleader! But that's alright, because right now, as he laughs at her early dinner comment (it /is/ about that time, isn't it?) he doesn't feel very dweebish at all. In fact, as he's kissed, he finds himself feeling much better than how he felt upon arriving here, mind full of tasks and worries and problems that need to be fixing. "Whatever it is, late lunch or early dinner, I'm ready for it." So's his stomach, which growls on cue. And so he walks off with her, glad to hold her hand and feel thhe metal of her ring pressed against his finger, as they hunt down something to eat.


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