Xanadu Weyr – Beach

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.
It's no secret throughout the Weyr that M'nol's behavior has been far from usual lately. This cool, gusty day finds him curled up between Faraeth's forepaws staring out at the water. He's dressed normally enough even if he looks a tad disheveled. The fact that his has a blanket and pillow with him makes it look like he's been there quite a while. Bloodstone and Agate are curled up with him, but the rest of his fair has taken to sporting in the waves, since it was much more fun than comforting M'nol. The lad is awake and he sighs softly, leaned back against Faraeth.
Mid-morning finds Thea ambling down the beach, taking a break from the office apparently and doing the responsible thing - exercising. Since winter's grip is on the land, she's well-bundled in a fur-lined coat that has been made especially to allow for her expanding belly. The winds off the lake have brought a rosy glow to her cheeks, contrasting with the luminescent glow pregnancy will give a woman's complexion. At least her hood keeps her hair from whipping every which way. And it's because of that hood that she doesn't quite notice M'nol and Faraeth until nearly upon them. When she does, she angles her path to head that way, greeting them with a serene, "Morning."
Faraeth's head comes up first, blinking one large, orange-tinged opalescent eye at her. The eye whirls slowly as he angles his wedge-shaped head to get a better look at Thea's pregnant belly before he rumbles a gentle greeting. M'nol's voice is flat, not quite toneless but certainly drained, "Morning… be nice, Farry…" He glances up then, actually looking at who it is and a half-hearted smile splits his face, "Oh, Hi Thea… long time no see…" He glances at her belly, then nods, "Congratulations."
Thea blinks at Faraeth as his eye swings around to inspect her, a slow smile of amusement for the brown, "Ah, Farry's fine, M'nol. And thanks. Only two more months of this…" It's obvious that she's delighted herself, but then her brow wrinkles with concern for him. "You've seemed rather down for awhile, M'nol. Something's wrong." Someone's been far too busy with things to visit lately or catch gossip it seems. Gone is her former grace as she lowers herself to sit beside him on the sand. "Wanna talk about it?"
Faraeth blinks at her once, then turns, resting his head on the sandy beach with a quiet wuffle. M'nol nods, absently scritching at Bloodstone's drooped head, "Seems like nothing's right anymore…" He sighs, shifting slightly in an attempt to make it easier for her to sit. He stares back out at the waters for a few moments, then nods, deciding that he can trust Thea. After all, he always has, "I figured Phy would have told you… you two were pretty close."
Thea settles herself awkwardly, adjusting the folds of her coat so she's sitting on it rather than on the cold sand. She eyes that woebegone look of his. "Nothing's right? How so?" She pulls one glove off to offer the drooping bronze firelizard a scritch. "Phy? Told me what exactly?" There's a small bit of comprehension dawning in the clear green of her eyes as he mentions his weyrmate's name. "Oh we are. But I've been resting a lot more lately and when not doing that, I'm playing catch up in the office. She's been recalled to the Hall, so I haven't seen her in quite awhile. That what got you down? Pop up for a visit." She shrugs, not understanding what's got him so down about that.
M'nol shrugs, continuing his absent scritches of the tiny bronze, "Just that… it's like my whole life's been turned upside-down and nothing quite makes sense anymore…" He nods slowly, listening to what she had to say about her relationship with Phy before he sighs again, "It's not just that…" tears spring unbidden to his eyes and he does his best to hide, them, but even that motion telegraphs the event, "She basically left me, Thea. Said we should be friends… that she wanted…" the intake of breath is long and ragged, "That she wanted Tenebrous…"
"Oh. Hmm." It's not really surprise, exactly in Thea's voice as M'nol reveals that. For a long while she remains silent. Then slowly, thoughtfully, "I know there's a certain bond between mentor and apprentice…" A shrug follows, "Though she never spoke of her feelings to me about him and I haven't seen him around for… oh, over a month now." She levels a keen look at the brownrider. "You know, you guys are so young and changes happen…" She draws a deep breath, "I know it must hurt - I mean I can see it does, but at least you know where she is and can be friends. Take some comfort in that, eh?" She turns her head to gaze across the lake towards Black Rock Hold, murmuring softly, "I still have no idea where Kav went. Nor why." There is in that quality of her tone, acceptance, however.
M'nol sighs and Faraeth rumbles, seemingly at the same time, "I know… I think… I think a lot of it /is/ because we're young… maybe too young to know what we really want… I miss her…" He sighs softly again, leaning against Faraeth for support, "I keep hoping she might realize it's me she wants and come back to me…" Faraeth rumbles again and whatever he said makes M'nol chuckle some, "Faraeth thinks I should just go get laid and get on with my life." He shrugs, then nods again, looking out over the lake, "I miss him too… but you found someone else… maybe I will too… maybe not…"
Thea nods agreement to the being young part, carefully schooling her face not to grimace at the getting laid part, merely saying mildly, "Sex is no substitute for love, Mnol." That glove she'd taken off is pulled back on and once her fingers are wriggled into it and warming up, she uses the hand to brace herself, leaning back on it. Quietly, "Sometimes it takes time to grieve and let go." She slides him a look, eyes glinting with gentle humor as she corrects him, "I didn't find someone else. I wasn't looking." She smiles slightly, "Someone found me." She draws a breath, then cautions him, "I know it can be lonely, but I'd give yourself time before trying to find another." Her two marks.
M'nol nods, "I know… oh, Faranth, I know… it's what Farry thinks… Me… maybe I need to find myself, too…" He shrugs gently, then sighs again, "I'm not looking… I wasn't looking the first time, either… just happened…" He wipes at his eyes with one sandy hand, "At least I know where she is and what happened… but yeah… it's still hard…. she'd become so much a part of who I was…" He glances over at Thea's belly, and smiles some through the tears, "D'you think it'll be a girl or a boy?"
"Yeah, yeah, I know." Thea's voice is full of empathy for the boy. She's been there! She winces as he wipes his eyes, "Watch out for the sand. Get it in your eyes and ouch!" It sort of goes without saying though. She nods understanding, "Take the time to make some new friends. Do things." She pauses, "R’owan's about your age. Maybe the two of you..?" She follows his eyes down to her rounded abdomen, in spite of the somber conversation she smiles softly. "I have no idea. I -hope- a boy since D'had hasn't any sons-" she amends, "-that he knows of anyway."
M'nol nods, wiping his hand on his pants as if that would magically remove the sand considering how much was on his pants already, "I've barely seen Ro since graduation… Ruz and Kez are never around anymore either… S'gam, F'yr, and Cen are all off at Ista… I feel…" He sighs softly, "alone…" Faraeth rumbles again and Morl actually turns on him a little, "I don't care how cute the new gold at Ista is. Xanadu's my home!" Faraeth actually rolls his eyes and M'nol sighs at that same time, "I hope it's a beautiful baby boy, then. Not that you could make a non-beautiful baby."
Thea moves as if to draw her knees up, forgetting she cannot do that any longer, then winds up just shifting to one hip, curling her legs beside her instead. Still awkward, but comfortable for the time being, she chuckles, "They're around. Just busy, I guess. Though I know how hard it is to have friends leave for other places. I still miss my big brother Siggy." She remembers something and smirks, "Last time I was proddy all I could think of was I needed to go to Ista visit him, but couldn't seem to say it coherently. Poor D'had." She flickers a laughing look at the brown, "What, seven golds here not enough for you?" In what she intends as an encouraging tone, "Can go visit Ista, you know. See your friends - it'll help." For his last, there's a bright smile, "Aw, thanks, but I had some help you know. Might look like him." And beautiful might not be the word folks would use for the Weyrsecond.
M'nol nods, "We all are… 'sjust hard after being so close for so long." He nods, half-smiling, "I remember hearing about that… you wanting to go to Ista, that is… and I've tried, but they only just graduated… he wasn't free last time I was there and…" he swallows a little, "And last time Farry caught a green… a /boy's/ green… he threw stuff at me in the morning… it was… awkward." Faraeth rumbles and M'nol chuckles again, "He says that until he catches one there are never enough. He's been determined to catch a gold since we were still Weyrlings." He grins a little, still flat, but talking helps, "Well.. if it takes after D'had I really hope it's a boy… 'twould be unfortunate for a girl. Still, I'm sure there's some pretty in him, too."
Thea nods, "Yeah, tell me about it. I don't see Ro hardly at all anymore and Tharen - hardly see my own brother these days. After the fires and floods…" Yes, still cleaning up after all that mess has kept folks rather busy. She manages not to roll her eyes about the flight M'nol's mentioning. "You need to come to grips with that, M'nol. It's just a flight. Over and done, you know? Let it go." She just grins at the brown then, "Good luck with that one, boy. Rarely happens." So encouraging she is! She's snickering at his last comment, reaching to aim a poke at his shoulder. "Hey now! D'had's not bad-looking." Though Tharen might disagree, if only to push his sister's buttons.
M'nol nods, "It coming on the tail off all the destruction is hard, too…" He grins a little, "I… don't want him to throw things at me again… they might be sharp this time…" Faraeth's head comes up, nuzzling M'nol gently, then blinking at Thea, "He says thanks." M'nol's actually chuckling a little now, "He's not at all. But I'm sure he'd rather a daughter took after you than him. He's very… masculine."
Thea shifts, leaning forward in preparation to rising. "Here's hoping we have a calmer season next spring and summer, eh?" She pushes up, rising slowly. Once standing, she brushes her gloved hands together to loosen the sand clinging to them. A slight frown follows the brownrider's mention of sharp things, likely thinking of knives. "Well, he needs to get a grip, too. I'll mention it to the Weyrlingmaster and if that doesn't help, perhaps one of the master mindhealers needs to pay a visit." There's a bit of a satisfied tone in her voice as she agrees with him about her weyrmate, "Hmm he is. However his ma was nice-looking, so…" Then in an apologetic tone, "I can't sit out in this cold as long as I used to." One hand rubs the small of her back, the other waves towards the living caverns, "If you need to talk again, catch me in there by the fire." With a little wave, she heads off in search of warmth and the work she's yet to do in the office.
M'nol nods, rubbing Faraeth's foreleg gently, "I should probably check and make sure he's okay…" He nods, then, smiling some, "Of course. Keep warm, I'll see to the weather." That last joke is a tad flat, but it's there, "Stay safe. I can't wait to meet baby Thea."