Xanadu Weyr - Candidate Barracks
A long, low ceiling room opens off the entrance hall to the arena, one wall slightly curved as it is set against the outer wall of the arena itself. Cots are set evenly the length of the room, in two rows, each with its own small press at the foot, for personal belongings. Wide windows are spaced along the outside wall, letting sunlight in, while other lights are available for the night time hours.
It's Very Early morning the day after the cleaning escapade. The barracks might not be completely spotless, but there's a definite lack of fuzzy and crawlie critters to be noted, and an oddly fresh scent of soap and … flowers? Yes. There's a bit of a white-petal'd flower here and there, something much akin to jasmine. Chaitra however, is no longer cleaning. He is curled up in a tight little ball on a cot only covered with basic linens.
Ryski's cot definitely got made sometime during the night. And as for the boy himself, well, he's sprawled sideways on it, head hanging off the edge as he sleeps. While not snoring, he does breath rather heavily. ..Maybe it's the blood rushing to his head with the position he's managed to get himself in. Nevermind the broom dangling out of one hand and onto the floor. Hey, even flowery smells are better than that../that/ smell, which seems to have mostly dispersed with all the mad cleaning going on.
Lorena is used to early mornings, deciding to check on the progress of the candidates before she starts in on the weyrlings. A cool morning light filters in through the windows as she enters, quietly. Virtually all were still out like a light and while her sense of discipline would demand more of them, she imagine's they've been up all night. It's true… it looks better. But Lorena had said spotless, and while she'll allow them time to sleep, she means business. She passes by the cots quietly, though unable to help the shuffling of her feet in sandals. Admiral, her blue, swoops down from the ledge with a quiet purr which tells her instantly that, yes, they've worked very hard so far. She holds the lizard and strokes his head as she peruses the cots. At the sight of Ryski she stifles a chuckle, and reaches out to gently extract the broom from the boy's hand and set it against the wall.
Chaitra stirs, but only a little bit as sandals go shuffling by him, and a little firelizard purrs to his owner about hard-working candidates. Chai sprawls out for a moment as if he's about to wake up. "Aw…. miss…." A deep breath is taken which is slowly expelled. "Th'crawlie… isn't…. going to e…a' you…." And something more like a bovine-snort sounds from the candi-hunter as he curls back up into his tight ball with a disgruntled groan. "Window…. Ryba…" … Whoever Ryba is?
Ryski has his broom../stolen/? Hands cling just a bit to it, jerking somewhat upright. "Water's too soapy!" ..Er..what? He blinks slightly, letting go of the broom completely as he looks around, managing a somewhat embarrassed expression. "Oh. Uhm..hey?" There's another glance around the room, giving a groggy glance toward Chaitra, and then Lorena. "Time to get up?"
Lorena hears Chaitra near by, casting a look as she goes to remove the broom.. but… it won't give. She blinks down at Ryski, who after a couple of mumbles wakes. A fleeting half smirk displays on he face as she looks at the boy. "Mm… I'll let you lot rest a bit more. Clearly you've been doing what I've asked… and not slacking off." Another glance at Chaitra. "Ryba? Who's Ryba?" She wonders. She moves over to stand in the aisle once more, surveying the room again, but this time with more critique to her eyes. "You all still have a lot to do." She murmurs to Ryski. "I wasn't kidden when I said I want to serve you all off this…" A tap on the floor with her good foot. "But it smells better in here."
"Wha'huh?!" Chaitra exclaims shortly after Ryski bolts up himself. Chain reaction! Thankfully it's just limited to the two young men. "Wha's up?" Chaitra asks around a rather huge yawn - can mouths /really/ open that wide? - his eyes most of the way shut still as he more or less denies the rising of the sun and.. and.. OH! It's COLD! "Auck!" He says, quickly throwing the covers back over himself, in an attempt for some warmth. "Ryba?" Comes the muffled question from under the blanket… he sounds a little worried. "She's no'/here/ is she?"
Ryski gives Chaitra an odd look for his search for..Ryba. Hands rub over his face for a moment, trying to wake up a little bit more, and shifts to a slightly more comfortable position, sitting with his feet on the floor. Said floor, of course, gets a wary look at the mention of eating off of it, before glancing at Lorena. "Like../off/ the floor, or just..you know..sittin' on the floor?" Not that the idea is completely revolting. He's a twelve turn old boy. Though he does grin after a moment, brightening considerably. "Bet that Rhelia chick will have a total /fit/ at that." She seemed prissy enough for it, anyway. "/Tell/ me Ryba isn't some girl you've got stashed under there..?" He finally exclaims the question, quite loudly in fact toward the blanket-hidden Chaitra.
Blinking and rolling over, Deianeira couldn't remain asleep… voices and moving things. She sits up squinting a bit. Rubbing the sleep from her dark brown eyes the dark skinned candidate inhales and looks left to right trying to make out shapes… in the slowing lighten darkness.
Lorena smirks amusedly at Chaitra. "I don't believe so? Harboring non-candidates follows the pets rule really so… she shouldn't be… since I don't have her in our records." All this is said in a dull murmur, a skill she's managed well thanks to many a night watch. She watches Ryski's reaction to the same idea with a small snort. "Shh, boyo. Let your mates sleep. They'll have to wake soon enough but for now, no sense in causing a stirr." A glance is shot at Nalkor's cot, but movement takes in Deianeira aswell as she sits up. "Mm… see what I mean? But in any case," She returns her eyes to Ryski. "Yes, I do mean that… tho you could sit on something if you want, but I doubt it'll help. We'll just see how it looks later on."
"NO!" Chaitra exclaims, a little louder than Ryski does. But then his tone lowers as he takes his top-most blanket with him, padding over to Lorena and Ryski, with a passing glance at Dei as she starts to stir. "No. Ryba's one of m'sisters." And it looks like he can barely supress a shiver. From cold or dislike, who can tell? "She wri'es of some … 'Hadria' chick like she's a fardlin' foun'ain of inspira'ion!" Oh, that one /does/ induce a shudder. "Gives me some awful stuff t'try on sometimes…" Chaitra then looks at the floor, and gives a fleeting smile to Lorena. "A'least there's no more crawlies crawlin' around?"
Deianeira blinks. The sound of voices fully awakens the young woman and she after her cleaning- of the barracks yesterday. Makes her get up and look more closely at te ose speakin. "Excuse me." she whispers… in a quiet voice.
Ryski stretches his legs out slowly, and then shrugs. "Nahh. Don't need anything to sit on. Floor's comfortable enough. /Sometimes/ better than a chair, too." Nah, eating off the floor won't be a problem, except for those people who might be thoroughly disgusted about it, no matter how clean they manage to get the place. Still, he grins, tossing a look toward Chaitra as the other boy lets out his own exclaimation. "Shh. She said keep it down, eh? Wouldn't worry about the crawlies, anyway. Firelizards'll take care of those usually. 'Least mine will. Like the taste 'n all." He does make a faint glance at Deianeira though, a brow lifting somewhat. "What?"
Lorena winces as Chaitra is even louder and gives the boy a 'look'. But despite this, she raises a brow at the name 'Hadria'. "Mm… heard a bit about -that- one from my brother actually. I'm sorry." Complete with pitying look. "But yes… no more crawlies. And hopefully no more fuzzy critters too. Or slimey ones… or other assortments." She muses, wandering over to the flowers on a dresser and sniffing them. "Heh… nice touch." The girl gets a look. "Hm, candidate?" She inquires quietly, moving over to her cot.
Deianeira clears her throat. "Sorry, I just happened to wake up and was wondering what was-" she stops and offer a polite bow of her head to Lorena when she spots her. "Morning, m'am." she says formally. She smiles. "Nothing ma'm, I am just woke up do I decided to come over and say good morning." she smiles pleasantly. "Though I suppose there is a serious dicussion going on."
Chaitra grins a little sheepishly at the 'look' from Lorena. He really didn't mean to say that so loud, but … it's Ryba. Which induces a small amount of terror. "Eh'm jus' lucky if she doesn' figure out where Eh am now." He says softly to the Assistant, before grinning at Ryski. "Well, really don' have t'worry 'bout crawlies then, do we?" It was just the fact that they all escaped En Masse that had the place swarming. And Deianeira is looked at over his shoulder and given a friendly smile as he shakes his head. "Nothin' too serious 'bout this, miss." Is commented quietly.
Ryski tilts his head slowly, and then just shrugs. He's certainly not in a serious mood. No, he's still slightly groggy, with hair mussed quite a bit from sleeping. His nose wrinkles, however, when Lorena heads off to the girl's cot, shaking his head. "We /do/ at least get to eat before we go off and clean some more, right? I mean.. you know. Breakfast and everything.."
Lorena gives a small shake of her head. "No… not really. Just telling what still needs to be done. You all still have quite a bit to do." She continues in her quiet voice as the light in the room becomes a subtle white gold with the rising sun. "As I said to these lot, I don't know if it transferred to everyone, I want to be able to serve you all off this floor. You still have time. Untill late afternoon…" She peers at Ryski and gives a small smirk. "Yes. That you do. But you all are dutyless today untill this place is clean. Any one who slacks off, feel free to tell me."
Deianeira nods. She looks around the room. "Let's then begin I suppose. Getting it done now means we don't have to worry later. It'll be easier once everyone is up… but…. I think having a few of us cleaning in shifts would be a good idea.
Keziah staggers into the barracks, yup, she's up. She's been up for a little bit it seems like. Course there's the smell of milk about her and a very noticable wet spot on her pants and the front of her vest and short. It seems the bundle of blankets is gone and one can only guess where she's been. She doesn't see Lorena nope, her eyes are half closed practically as she stumbles for her cot.
Chaitra sighs inwardly to himself. Well, at least Deian isn't nearly as bossy as Rhelia was, if Deian could be defined as bossy. "Ooo. Food. Tha' sounds like a /real/ goo' idea, Ry." Food. Yes, food is a very good idea to starving male youths who apparently want to grow a little more. Except Chai isn't in /that/ stage anymore, but he can still put food away. "Late af'ernoon…" Chai mumbles a moment looking at the floor. "Secon' washin'?" And probably a good scrub down of the walls too. Cots have already been done.
Ryski /is/ at that stage! He needs to grow more, or risk being stuck short /forever/. It could happen, after all. He does glance over though at Deian's sudden..take charge attitude, eyes narrowing in irritation. "Man, is /every/ girl gonna start taking over? …Rhelia's worse, but geez, I was up most of the night, ya know? I'm hungry!" He needs to wake up and refuel before he can get to the whole..cleaning process. Keziah's entrance earns a slight face from Ryski as well, although his lips do quirk up somewhat, almost smirking. "..Don't call me /Ry/. Name's Ryski." Words of course, being flung back at Chaitra.
Lorena raises her eyes, and brows, to Keziah's enterance, delaying her reaction to Deia. "Mm… however. So long as it's spotless this afternoon." And the cleaner the better really. "If you're doing it thoroughly, you won't have much time before I return. After all, there are a load of you… so I expect all the more in the time allotted." She heads over to where Keziah is, looking down at the girl with Admiral perched on her shoulder. Both have the same critical look. "Up early?" She remarks a bit too casually.
Keziah stops just before flopping onto her bunk, theres the tenseness that comes just before one expects to get whacked. She shifts a little and turns to look at Lorena a flicker to the blue and then back to Lorena "Yes, ma'am." she murmurs even as she swallows. She then takes a bit of a breath as she straightens up some and looks around. Oh shards, lots are up now and oh dear. Cleaning. Already? She bites at her lip, she was sure she'd have a bit more time before that got started.
Deianeira nods. She looks back to the girl who's stumbling back to her cot. She looks around. "So we should make a list of what needs to be done… of what still needs to be cleaned, and organise it by who can do what best…"
Oh no. The cleaning goes and goes, and goes after what Lorena found in the barracks the previous night. But Chaitra doesn't say anything as he notes the spots on Keziah's clothing, slipping back over to his cot to finally put on his boots once more, since that's the only thing he managed to shuck off before he passed out. "Ryski. Sorry." He appologizes softly. But now more people are waking up - naturally - and his voice raises to an almost-normal level. "D'you wanna mebbe go grab me a mea'roll or two? 'Nd I'll ge' star'ed on ano'her round of sweepin' before we mop 'gain?" He looks at Deian and quickly strides over next to her. "Ah, miss. It'd jus' be easier t'pick a task 'nd do it, withou' wastin' time on a list…" He's not trying to be cruel, but with a time limit, they just well… don't have time.
Ryski isn't as gentle as Chaitra is about things. "Yeah, if /you've/ got the time to sit around planning and making lists, you've got time to get scrubbing and stop wasting time." He sniffs, eyes rolling somewhat. Although it's likely it's leftover resentment from Rhelia's completely bossy nature the previous night. He shifts around on his cot then, climbing to the end of it to get into his clothespress for a tunic. "Yeah yeah. I'll grab some stuff to snack on." Though it's debatable whether they should be eating in the room they're trying to clean. His own voice has raised back to a more natural level, which is..unfortunately, a bit on the louder side of things to begin with. He gets up, looking around for his shoes.
Amarante has connected.
Lorena gives Keziah a critical look as, yes, more are waking. The golden shafts of sunlight probably attribute to that fact, hitting right above the wall of the cots opposite those under the windows. No doubt the reflective pale of such is becoming a bit bright on their closed eyes. "Mm… well, I commend you for an early start, as certainly you're getting ready to help your fellows?" But rather than wait for an answer, Lorena turns to the barracks at whole. "Alright folks!" She calls out in bosun's command. "Time to get yourselves up if you have any self preservation at all! You have until this afternoon to finish cleaning. I expect when I return to be able to near-see my self in these here floors. Admiral will stay and warn you when you all have an hour left." The flitter leaps from her shoulder, whirls about the room, squwaking is own orders, before resuming his perch. "When I return you will all be lined up with your cots made and dressed neatly, smelling sweetly" Pointed look at Keziah. "and knots showing." Lorena, with a final sweep of the room to make sure everyone'd waking, heads out.
Deianeira smiles. She looks at Chaitra… "Well I suppose, and the name's Deianeira." she says offering her hand in a friendly hand shake. "But it'll go quicker if we organize it instead of trying to make it a free-for all cleaning up the place, which could make a bigger mess than what we need to clean. I am trying to plan a head." she exhales. "But we don't have time argue about this." she looks down at the read of barracks. "Let's clean the floors…" she says in slightly upset tone.
Keziah blinks a moment. Her eyes wide. "Ye.. yes ma'am." she states and looks down at herself and winces a little. Least it wasn't as bad as she was expecting. She doesn't mean for mischief to happen, it well. Just does. "I'll make sure to get cleaned up ma'am." and hopefully her clumsiness doesn't get the best of her between now and then. She blinks a little at Deianeira and then shakes her head a little "Everyone workin' on one thing ain't gonna help either, we'll be tripping over ourselves and all. But workin' together's a good idea and such, but no point in overdoing that fact." as she grabs a broom and starts sweeping out from under her cot.
Chaitra heads to collect the broom that Lorena confiscated from Ryski a little earlier this very morning and starts further back in the barracks, sweeping with meticulous care to get /all/ the dust bunnies and stray dirt that they might have cleaned up the previous night. "It's called a mental list." Chaitra says with a friendly grin as he sweeps, though his eyes never leave the ground. "Y'make it up as y'go, 'nd check thin's off as y'go." He summarizes for Deia in a friendly manner. "Chaitra's m'name." And then he gets back to business. "We alrea'y gave th'floors one scrubbin' last night. 'Nd the linens on th'cots all go' changed, 'nd the cots beaten clean of /mos'/ their dust 'fore bein' remade…" By his gracious self…
Deianeira nods. "Alrigjt. Well, I don't do well with mental lists." she explains. She turns to look at her hands and then grabs broom to begin sweeping the otherside of the barracks. "What else is left besides sweeping and washing."
Ryski just..escapes the barracks. Oh yes, off he goes right after Lorena..although his final destination might be different. After all, he comes back a short while later, already halfway done with a meatroll. He's got another in hand, however, wandering right over to Chaitra with it. "Here. Careful about crumbs." He's at least being neat about eating for once, making sure not to send anything falling to the floor as he finishes up. He does look around, however, hurrying to get one of the rags that had been used before, and just heads over to a window, starting to give the glass there a good cleaning between bites of his breakfast. "I got this over here."
Amarante is awake - she's just sort of staring off into nothing, as the half-sleepy are wont to do. Sitting on her cot, dressed yet not fully, she's holding her boots in her hand with a bowed head, blue eyes half-open. Thus, she starts awake as there's a voice booming at her - Lorena's at that. Yesterday was exhausting. She still has blisters on her hands. She rubs her eyes and squints around, wondering what part of her scrubbing from the day previously didn't pass muster. Putting on her shoes at last as Lorena heads out, she finishes with her morning dressing up and ties back her hair properly with wrapped hands. She's even got on her knot. First thing she does is make her cot, though a question pops up in her head. "Are we going to strip the cots again?" she asks Chaitra curiously. If still muzzily. Tiiiiiired….
As the chores carried on throughout the barracks, Nalkor only just returns… His cot was empty as Lorena had come in and given her speech. He might've passed her by outside to receive her directions that he missed in regards to the barracks, though he otherwise simply crosses to his space - giving another scruff to his head with the towel slung over his shoulder. Fresh faced, clean shaven, hair combed back; it looks to be a luxury for this man by the way he has a pleasant smile on his face as he reaches his cot. Along his way in though, he offers several 'Good Mornings' to anyone who looks. Flipping his towel down on his unmade cot, he snatches a shirt out of his press, freshly washed, evident by the way he takes a good clean whiff. He throws it on several seconds later, setting his towel to dry over the press once it's closed.
Keziah hmms a little "Giving it a spit shine." she mutters and shakes her head a little "Course, if it wasn't for certain snitches, this wouldn't be a problem." She mutters under her breath. "How in the first shell are you supposed to make it shine? Wax? Do we have to wax the bloomin' floors?" She blows out a breath.
"It wouldn' hurt." Chaitra says in Keziah's direction, before actually looking up for a moment at Amarante. Familiar face. Ponder. Ah! From last night. He then shakes his head, looking back to the ground as he stuffs a portion of the meatroll in his mouth with a muffled "Thanks!" In Ryski's direction. Chew, chew. Swallow. "Naw. Eh don' think we could get 'em any cleaner anyhow." Not without totally replacing the cots anyways. Some of the dust just … settles. For life. He continues to sweep, and with the pressure he's putting on that broom, one might be surprised if the broom survives the rest of the day.
Ryski smirks a little to himself, looking over his shoulder from his window cleaning task. "Heh, well who cares if it's /actually/ shiny or not? What matters is that you're gonna have to /eat/ off it when Lorena gets back, so ya might wanna get ready for /that/." Mmm, food off the floor. How..scrumptious sounding. "/I'm/ just glad the place is getting cleaned up." He won't mention that /he's/ the one that suggested the entire barracks be scrubbed. Ohhh definitely not. "No more stinky, smelly animals wandering around, mucking up everything."
Amarante bathed last night, but she'll have to go bathing again at some point today. Most likely. She tucks and tugs until everything is straight and looks pristine. To whatever degree that might be. She even makes sure everything in her press is straightened up neatly. Finding a scrub-brush, she starts scrubbing - not the floors, right now, but the /walls/. At least wherever they look the worst, and as far from the beds as she can manage so as to not drop dirty water all over them. One mustn't forget the walls…
Nalkor notices something out of sorts just then as he straightens from the close of his press. He shoves the towel out of the way as he immediately bends over again to wing it open. The lid of the press clangs against the cot, the man looking immediately alarmed at the contents of his press. At first his hand stoops down into the press, moving items carefully out of the way. Irritation finds his always set sneer turning into a scowl, frown lines at the ridge of his brow as he begins to fling a few things out of his press, hissing to himself, "Where is it?!" The press is only so big and can hold only a small amount of personal possessions. What ever he's looking for can't have gotten off far. Finally. Hands snap against the sides of his press and he almost glares into the thing.
Any crumbs that do manage to fall from Chaitra's snack - and that's all it is, since he'll stuff his face later - is promptly swept up by his own broom. Although, it looks like he got /so/ much sleep, since he seems to be zoning out as he does his super-sweeping. Sweep. Yah, he's still cleaning, he's just done directing now. Ayup
Keziah eyes Ryski "Nougat's cleaner than you are." she states as she eyes him "As bas as your brother you are." She mutters "Stupid sanctimonious…" she trails off with the alliteration and never really finishes it. Or if she does it just got to low to hear. She sweeps up her pile of dust and all, and look at that no berries. A glare at Ryski and then she's distracted. A blink at Nalkor "What did you lose? Your pass to get off from cleaning with the rest off? She went out that way."
Surprisingly enough, Ryski's not all /that/ much of a dirty boy. He bathes regularly, after all. And though Keziah's insult of him hardly has an effect at all, it's her mention of his brother that has the boy tensing, and whipping away from the window to glare at the girl. "Don't you /think/ you can talk about my brother like that you goat-smelly, wherry brained twit!" He seethes, words hissing at the girl. "Certainly has more brains than you ever will with your head up a goat's butt all day." He growls a little then, moving away from the window in order to peek at Nalkor…if only briefly. "Whatever it is, I didn't take it."
What's that strange sound? There's footsteps, some soft strained speech, and a soft metallic clanging. In comes a rather strange sight. It's Lorena, back first, and Senkyou, with a ships bells suspended on a wooden frame. Lor glances about for a place. "Ah! Over here!" How she got the preganant lady to help her, Faranth only knows. But it's clearly not -too- difficult between the two women, as they place it just beside the enterance at the head of the aisle. Clangitty clung! "Thank you, wingleader!"
All that work to fold everything so neatly into the press is undone in a matter of seconds. Nalkor's once again digging through his stuff, though this time shaking out every article of clothing. A flustered expression is turned back to Keziah, "What pass?" he didn't get the sarcasim there, flinging his shorts out of the press next. It seemed to be the last item flung, a thwarted groan uttered as he sinks back onto his heels. A glance back at Keziah, "If your caprine got it, she'll get sick.." a warning concern, "they like to chew on stuff, as it is.." he grumbles, pushing himself off his knees to toss everything haphazardly back into his press. He nods at Ryski, "I doubt any'one' did.." emphasis on 'one.' He forgets the items in his press, hoping with a few flips of his cots sheets that he'd find what he's searching for there. Flip flip, rustle rustle.. Finally, "Anyone found a knot on the floor this morning or last night that wasn't their own?" No wonder he's anxious.
Somebody is rolling over in there grave, Senkyou actually helping out is a new site indeed. Placing the bell down she looks it over, to make sure no damage was done on it's trip, though such things are very hardy. She glances around, green eyes flickering from face to face and giving a small nod to those she knows. Having heard of the inspection she raises an eyebrow at Lorena, "No problem at all, not like I need an excuse but I had to see the place for myself." With, if you don't know Senkyou, what could be a sweet smile to Lorena she asks, "Whatta yu plan to do with the bell?" Keziah gets a lazy wave, having remembered her from last clutch, and remembering just what her and Lala did to them she glances over to the newer face of Nalkor. Nudging Lorena with her elbow she asks, "Is that 'im?" A semi-whisper, yup she heard the rumors
Amarante pauses in her scrubbing of the wall - both as there's a bell-thingy placed inside the room, as well as a question brought up by Nalkor. She glances that way, scrub-brush halting, to look at first one and then the other. "Ah… they swept first, last night," she says slowly. "Or so I hope, at least. Anyway, if they did it may be elsewhere by now. If they didn't…." She doesn't look at the mop-water. "I'm not sure where they would have taken it to dump it out, if it got caught in the mops….?" She turns and scrubs again at a spot. Until she realizes it's less stain and more natural coloration, and abandons it with a snort for herself.
Keziah eyes Ryski a moment "What are you going to do? Insult me to death?" she asks "I'm entitled to an opinion. He don't like me and I don't like him. Deal with it." She eyes Nalkor and rolls her eyes "He, for your information and contrary to belief to do not eat everything in sight. Fact they're quite finicky. More so than I can say for most guys who'll shove anything into their mouths, and if you'ld actually take the time to deign us with your prescence, you'ld have noticed that he's been gone out of here for awhile now." she states. "And maybe you should check at your gir…" she trails off as she hears Lorena's voice and then mutters as she goes back to cleaning "Will not stoop, will not stoop." she murmurs to herself like a mantra and just goes back to working. She catches the wave however and gives a little one in return and murmurs a hello, though she keeps working. The bell is eyed and then groans "Don't tell me we're gonna be keepin' time with that thing? Being called and all that." Grumble, grumble, grumble.
Lorena glances about to give a small frown as Nalkor is more… making a mess than cleaning one. But, tho to no surprise, she says nothing for now, instead answering Senkyou. "Attention getter. There are enough flits in here and voices… hard for Admiral to let them know when I'm coming." As the noise level rises she raises her brows in a 'see?' sort of way. But Nalkor's exclaimation if heard and she turns her attention on him again. "Yeeah… that's him." She muses, turning a little pink despite her frown. She moves down the aisle toward him with the strange feeling of being watched. A glance passes to Keziah, only catching a thread of the conversation. She stands at the base of the cot. "Erm… Nalkor? Is there a problem?" Yay for stupid questions.
It's about that time, that Ryski's dirty rag leaves his hand, for Keziah's direction. ..He was done with the window anyway. "I don't insult /your/ family to your face. Don't be talking about /mine/." Hey, Delenn's his brother, after all. It's only natural that he'd be offended. His head shakes then, fingers ruffling into his hair as he seems to calm down just a bit. "Nah, I haven't seen any knots laying around, and we've been cleaning all over the place.." And then? Then Lorena's back, with a Senkyou this time. And…a bell? He grins, wandering back over to his own cot to straighten the sheets.
Heat. It rises slowly, but then it colors his neck. It's not because of Keziah, though certainly she doesn't help matters, but it's more because of the frustration belonging to an organized man who has lost something so valuable at this point in the game. It's infuriating to lose something and not remember where one last put it. It's no doubt that when he peers back over toward Keziah, his gaze may be a little sharp, "What was that? You think that I haven't been in the barracks because I'm too snot nosed to visit?" He wings his arm down which had picked up a corner of a sheet, narrowing his gaze at her, "Maybe if you'd pay attention to the chore list and not goof around all day with that caprine of yours, you'd notice that people actually work - which means they aren't going to be in the same place every single minute of the day with one another. Grow some common sense woman. We're not on the same chore roster as eachother. And I still have to keep with my craft in the afternoon. If you've a problem with that, go suck your thumb." He flips the sheets back further, seeing the knot vacant. His eyes turn on Amarante, "In the mops. Good thinking. It could've fell under my bed." He does check there first. He's on the floor on hands and knees when Lorena comes over, his head crooked to the side so he looks over at her. "Problem? Mmm. Might be, if I can't find my candidate knot."
Quiet, to quiet Senkyou slowly walks down the aisle looking around her face very blank as she gets down on her knees, which is hard enough for the pregnant rider and looks under random beds. "You weren't kiddin' where yu?" Finally breaking her facade of uncaring inspection, brows coming together and shoulders up in a small writhe at the current conditions. Keziah and Ryski are eyed, scanning both with a severe look mixed between annoyance and disgust. All of her glaring is suddenly interupted by Nalkor's reaction Keziah, someone might need to be punished and Senk can't let Lorena have all the fun. "Didja lose somethin'?" Asking with a minute tilt to her head, possibly to make her seem a little less harsh, having heard this is the one of the rumors she looks him over up and down like a runner who will be put up for sale, Ama's work is appreciated subtly and Senkyou says "Keep it up." Which could be openly interprutted.
Keziah gets hit in the head by the rag. She closes her eyes and inhales a few times. Will not kill, will not kill. She pulls it off and then walks over to Ryski "Kindly please do not through dirty things around." she states as she drops it on his cot and walks away without another word, though she does look at him as she'd like to trounce him. A glare to Nalkor "Well duh, I'll have you know I /have/ been keeping up with my Weyr duties as well as my Craft duties thank you very much." she states "And maybe if you weren't so busy…" she mrrs and closes her mouth. Will not finish that sentence. A glance to Lorena. Not with present company. She goes back to the area she was working on and just turns her back to the rest of them.
Lorena is clearly wrong footed with Nalkor so displayed and clears her throat again. Her eyes dark back and forth between Keziah and Nalkor and then stop on Keziah when Ryski throws a cleaning rag at her. Tension is slowly rising with the pressure of the handsome candidate, the Wingleader and the surrounding audience of her other charges. And the rag seems to be the straw, despite Keziah's more than acceptable manner of dealing with it. It was just… too late. "Oiy! Enough of that!" She growls, nostrils flaring. She passes a glare between Ryski and Keziah. Somewhere in there is a small pleading look at Nalkor, but it's just to try and hide the slight bit of favoritism there. Amarante is doing as she should and thusly doesn't get much a attention from the assistant, so it's a good thing Senkyou is making up for it. She'll most likely be one commended later for her attention to duty. But at the moment? "I don't care what prejudices you all are harboring, or for why… tho likely as not, Keziah…" And Jirka, but the poor boy's probably still sniffling in the background somewhere. "…you will feel the repercussions for your actions and will have to just -deal-. The task at hand is not to make your personal -selves- look good… but to make the barracks and each other the finest Xanadu can ever be hoped to have. And by Faranth if you won't learn it after today! Or you all won't be able to smell anything but brine and decaying fish waste for weeks! I want everyone… yes," Glare at Keziah. "-everyone- helping Nalkor look for his knot. As I said before, a mistake by one will be punishment for all!" She doesn't look at Nalkor, uncertain as to exactly what response she might get for that.
Nalkor settles back on his ankles, putting a supporting hand on his thigh, "Mm. I've reason to believe that it's missing from my press. Either I left it out or someone took it. There's no way I can prove either. All I know is that I have to find it before you call inspection, right?" He offers Lorena a slight smile, attention moving on toward Senkyou, "Could have," he repeats to her. It's funny, he notices how she looks at him - and he looks back at her in almost the same way. Eyes flicker between the pair, "How much is it to replace them? If I can't find it, I'll likely have to get a replacement." A pause, "With the rumours about Weaver Hall, I hope there's extra knots in your stores." He shoots Keziah a look, mouthing to her with a gesture of a finger, 'you, me talk, later.' He waits to see if she caught his mouthed words and his implied intentions, casting his eyes back to Lorena. Immediately he looks a little … upset? Maybe? It's hard to describe since his features seem always set on a curious sneer like tilt. "I appreciate everyone's help," he stands up as he says this, "though if we cannot find it," this to Lorena and Senkyou, "I'd rather alone take the punishment. Looking for it, is punishment enough for everyone else." The man slips his arms over his chest, "thank you for letting us have the time to look." As for the candidates in the room, "Someone check the mop heads, Amarante would you?" He doesn't wait for her response, turning to Ryski and Keziah, "Keziah, would you look under the beds on that side? Ryski," he pauses, hoping he used the right name, "Would you be so kind to look in the trash bin over on that end of the room and I'll take the one on this end? I've a feeling it was swept up."
Ryski, for his part, doesn't seem to care at all if most of the other candidates are older than him. He doesn't seem to mind the dirty rag on his own bet though, simply picking the thing up again to clench in his hand, lips quirking up. He stays quiet though as Lorena has her outburst, eyes training directly on Keziah during it. There's a certain amount of triumph there, even if he didn't really win anything. The mention of Nalkor's knot again does get his attention though, nodding. "I'll look as we clean and all, but I haven't seen it so far.. Hey, maybe you dropped it yesterday sometime during chores?" Maybe? Though his eyes roll at being asked to look in the garbage, tromping on over to take a peek in the bin. "You /know/ we got rid of a lot of stuff already, right?"
Keziah turns to stare at Lorena. She kept her temper, she's working and still she's getting yelled at? She just looks on in disbelief. She opens her mouth as if to say something and then just snaps it shut again. She takes a breath "I see, so having a dirty rag tossed at me is perfectly acceptable behavior, but then again, he's one of you guys so of course he's not in the wrong, and Nalkor, well. He might as well be sleeping…" she slams her mouth shut and then just drops the broom and starts looking for the knot, muttering under her breath. "Oh sure, yeah giving us the time. We still ahve to have this place cleaned on time. I doubt that's getting extended." comes her muffled voice as her heads under a cot.
Senkyou snorts loudly at Lorena, a smile on her face half in pride and a good bit of it amusement as she caves under the pressure. Nalkor's thorough examination makes the wingleader a little defensive, hands going to her stomach possesively and eyebrows going up, eyes getting a little bigger as she gives a clear look that reads 'don't go there'. With all of that she says to Keziah, "No throwing things period, that goes." Turning to look at Ryski "For both of you." Making sure to give both a long look, Ama's cleaning is ignored. Nalkor's asking she says, "NO, you need to develop as a group. That is how a wing works, if you impress you will have to work and be /punished/ as a group." From a wingleader perspective she probably knows a good deal about it, "I expect all of you to respect yourselves, your superiors, and each other." Pushing the superiors, to the whole group. "You should all start growing up, take some responsibility and help each other." As eveyone starts to look she steps back approvingly.
Lorena can't avoid Nalkor for long. Particularly when he requests taking the blame and discussing the options. She turns, looking at him with a twinge of admiration. As if his loss of the knot had losened her faith in her own choices, only to be newly secured in such a noble request. Oh shush, she can be poetic if she wants. She slowly nods, still looking at him so. But the words she speaks are to Senkyou… "It's his choice, Wingleader… I will not deny someone such. We will, all things concidered, get you a replacement, Nalkor. But unless the origional is found by this afternoon… I'll see to your consequences." She looks around at the others in almost curious fashion as they do as he asks. She looks to Senkyou, almost in request for approval of the decision she altered. After all, these are her candidates, but Senk is older and of higher, relative, rank than her. Plus her friends are Lorena's 'family' in a loose sort of expression on the term. Keziah, however, gets whirrled on… literally as she spins about on her good foot (did anyone notice she's servicably sound?). Senkyou beat her to it, but Lorena does close in on the girl. And in deadly quiet cold of her speech… "Ryski knows he'll get punished same as anyone. And Nalkor just stood up for all your hides… I appreciated how you handled that -one- situation… but rising to levels as you have now has not done you any favors. Xanadu expects everyone to do their duty. And right now your duty is to your peers and theirs to you as they are helping clean up this mess." Puff. She doesn't like being mean. Never the less she walks away from the candidate with self carriage unbefitting her current thoughts and feelings. Was she being unfair?
"Fair enough." Nalkor says with a disinterest in fighting for the rest of the groups rights to avoid a punishment because of him. Such is life though, "Apprenticeship was much the same—" he adds as an aside, turning to his bed sheets to flip them again, turning over the pillows in case the knot isn't under there either. As for Senkyou, he doesn't go any where, other than offering a friendly sort of look, a tightened mouth is perhaps the best he can do for a smile at that moment. At her last remark though about taking responsibility, he chuckles - amused as he cannot have taken on more responsibility than to have come to Xanadu. Uhoh? He watches the interactions between Lorena and Senkyou, since Lorena just upsurped Senkyou's decision. If one looked close, they would see the rise in his brows. What he watches happening afterwards when he politely excuses himself to rummage through the other trash bin has him further mused, maybe because Keziah has drawn the bad attention toward her … but at the same time, he knows that she's going to be livid with him later.
Keziah stares at Lorena "Maybe it's just too bad that I'm not some guy to catch your eye. Not that I'd want that kind of favortism. Everyone things Nougat was so flippin' dirty. Now, that's just an excuse and he hasn't even developed the scent glands of a full grown buck and he won't. Not with castration. There isn't even any berries around. I made sure of that. But now, it's because someone else had something that reaks that they blame me so they don't get in trouble. Duty to me? Right. And I wasn't the only one that had something here. I didn't even have filty crawlers in here. But, it's all my fault. If it's all for one and one for all, then some people shouldn't be singled out to get their dressing down in public while others will get dealed with later. That's breeds contempt. As for punishment. I'm more than willing to own up to my responsibilites, I don't even mind having to be punished for others mistakes, but I will not stand for being blamed for someone elses stench, just because I work with goats." She stops and then gulps a bit as she realizes that she may have gone to far. But she doesn't back away. She'll take her beating as she deserves, but she adds in one last thing "If we're to function as wing." a pause and a swallow "Perhaps we should have someone appointed like Wingleader and a Wingsecond." she murmurs "Umm, for better organizating and working together. Or even perhaps switch off the position. I know it can't be an easy job."
Amarante murmurs a quiet, "Thank you, ma'am," to Senkyou when she's offered a compliment regarding her work. All the same, when their duties are shifted, she sets her brush aside and nods at Nalkor, moving to the mops to politely borrow them and check the bottoms. She combs her half-wrapped fingers through first one and then another, then checks the dirtied water with a sucked in hiss of breath and a slight watering of her eyes. Blisters that popped and dirty mop water are mortal enemies, don'tchaknow. Even wrapped in cloth as they are, the sting is felt. That bucket clear, she waves at the ones using it and moves to the second bucket. She combs her fingers through the one another Candidate is holding, and then pulls up the one still in the water bucket. Moving it as best she can, it's only half out of the water when she examines it. And finds something. She frowns and works it free of its knotted up mass while the others are conversing, and then pulls out something wet. And dirtied beyond belief. There's even a bit of…. something… on it that feels a touch slimy that might be some form of soap left on it from the mop. "Err." Her nose wrinkles just a bit. "Nalkor? I think…. it's dead?" She dangles his knot from between her fingers and gives him a half-apologetic, half-dubious look.
Nalkor was up to his forearms in waste before he paused to listen to Keziah's rant. It can't be helped but to turn his attention toward her and listen to every word that she speaks. He actually straightens, with a few crusted pieces of garabage falling out of his hand. In fact, he absently brushes his hands free of crumbs and dust that he dug up. What is a person to say to that mouthful?? Right then he's thankful he doesn't have to be in either of the rider's shoes at that point. Certainly more than he could think about — his deliberation on what to say in response to that would take longer than it would for her to spill twice as much out again. Yet, his eyes follow over toward another lass calling out for his attention, and his hopes for finding his knot in good condition are dashed. His whole body seems to give in to a slump, his facial features even drooping as he wanders over toward Amarante. "Good that you found it," his foot falls echo over the barracks floor proper, arriving over at the mops and buckets, about to take the knot away from Amarante with a cringe on his mouth, "Dead. You're right about that…"
Lorena turns to look at Keziah with a small snort. "No… you weren't the only one. There was also a feline and some crawlies, but their owner isn't berating the shells out of everyone because of the punishment." She looks worn, but not undone just yet. "I have yet to give you anything beyond cleaning here, which if done properly and has a team you will more than likely -find- his knot. As it is, you function as a crew. You have no officer standing yet. You work together -TOGETHER- to get things accomplished. By now I know several WLMs in the past who'd have you -and- Jirka breaking backs doing horrible things… I'm given you a change to redeem yourselves. Now you can stand there yapping at me, or you can get to your duty, whether you like it or not, and get it done and prove me wrong in thinking that you're a waste of this weyr's time." Does she really think that? No. She doesn't. But she knows how to incite work… sometimes abuse, sometimes support. And an illustration to her point comes up as Nalkor's not is found. It's a tough moment as she fights to hide the pleasure at this turn of events. Cough.
Senkyou was remaining very calm, dealing with the teens was like bringing in new weyrlings to her wing but with Keziah speaking up she snap just a little, her voice backed by the strength and somewhat proud power that must be in her for her to ride a brown like Dulacth, "You will quiet down right now young lady, and you will show respect, if you hadn't brought the animal in here you'd have never been singled out. Every word out of your mouth betrays your ignorance." Lorena's chiming in senk steps back, she doesn't have to deal with them, she does so that she can have a little control after impression about who she brings into her wing, knowing them better. Nalkor's knot being found brings a sigh, and for now an optimist she says "You've at least found it."
Keziah stands there, taking her tongue lashing and fighting to keep her mouth shut. By the looks of things, she might be even literally biting her tongue. She instead just inhales in and out, trying to calm herself, even if she's anything but. Her eyes flicker over to Amaranthe and the 'knot'. Her eyes widen at the sight of it and she blinks. Does she say anything? No. She's not even sure what to say in regards to the slimey mass
Amarante looks at it critically as she dangles the knot, then peers up at him for a moment. Nalkor /does/ look awfully droopy… "Well," she says slowly as she glances from it up to him and then back again. "Maybe… maybe not /entirely/ dead." She pauses. "We can soak it and wash it, like the laundry. And maybe scrub it too. That would help matters." She glances at the cots around her. "There has to be /some/ way to make the white things stay white, or be white in the first place," she tells him thoughtfully. "Maybe… maybe one of the Weavers would know? So it's not… /completely/ dead, maybe?" She's all about the hope as she nods up at Nalkor with a hesitant smile.
Nal takes the dangling limp soiled knot between his fingers, "This will have to be scrubbed…" he turns it around in his fingers, softly to Amarante, "but at least you found it. Saved us all a headache." As if to show it off, he turns the dripping knot around for the others to see, "Thanks to Amarante," he quips in with power behind his voice, "I'll take care of it's condition once we're done cleaning here." So noticed his cot is still in disorder and his press has to be put back together. An aside to Amarante, "I'm sure there's some sort of dye they use, if not some sort of cleaning solution. We'll bring it back to life, I'm sure."
Lorena moves over and looks at the knot held dripping and… yes… very very dead. Exhale, with a disheartened look on her face. She looks at Nalkor and Amarante. "Well… good on you for locating it… but the condition in which it is found is still going to have to call for something I'm afraid." But what…? She listens to tthem talk of cleaning and nods her head. "See what you can do for cleaning it and getting it to look the best you can. The 'price'," The word is said pointled, to show it will be something specific, "for its replacement and any faults to display…" She looks over to Keziah. "Will be decided by Keziah… since she seems to think my decisions are unfair." There's a fleeting return of the shyness when she looks at Nalkor, almost an apology. "But the better it looks, I'm sure, will cause for less severe of a punishment, am I right Keziah?" She just… waits. "And for the willingness and diligence of you all whi did the searching… I'm extending the time till curfew tonight." After all, punishment one for all is also reward one for all.
Myesha stares at the floor while the riders chew those most responsible for the mess out. Her foot tapping on the floor along with rather frequent sighing are enough to show she's not very happy. "Of all the things," She mutters darkly, her eyes darting over to Keziah but then over to Amarante. The nasty knot causes her nose to wrinkle in displeasure. Nasty!
Senkyou nods approavle and turns to leave, she's done here really she's overstayed her welcome. Pulling at her clothing she avoids the wet floor, because that's just asking for her to slip and fall. Peering over all the people she says to Lorena. "I'm gonna go down to the beach, I've got this new drink from the Sable sands in Ista." Examining all of the candidates she gives Nalkor a small smile, which may be a bad thing. "I'll be back to see yu all." With that she leaves.
Keziah's face goes completely blank. Punishment? She needs to decide it? Hey, wait a minute? "Um, yes. better shape it's in the umm less severe the punishment. " she looks completely shocked and dumbfounded. A glance to Nalkor and then the knot and then back at Lorena with a horrified look in her face. She looks about as if she's to question Lorena and then shakes her head in utter bemusement and wonders if maybe cleaning the midden heap or something wouldn't be better.
Reactions? Drum roll? Nalkor simply turns the knot toward Keziah, so she can have an inspection of it or at least look at it's current condition, "I'm going to try and rinse it out. Wash it. Return its colour." With intentions spoken out loud, his gaze returns on Lorena - nothing detrimental held in his gaze. It's her duty afterall. His gaze follows after Senkyou, catching in time that small smile, subsequently it leads to his own curious uplift of brow. Rebounding a look toward Lorena, he murmurs, "After this is all done" he waves to the barracks, "any chance you can give me your grand tour of your home? Spare time being what it is" meaning not much of
Amarante has apparently helped push cleaning to curfew, AND given hope of resurrection to a dead Candidate knot. Not that Nalkor was a dead Candidate, or not YET at least - though she glances at Keziah as Lorena speaks, and has to wonder - but… his knot was very muchly in need of CPR. She nods at Nalkor all the same, smiling a little, and then gets up to move back to her scrub-brush. Where she promptly proceeds to kneel and go after the cracks and crevices therein where wall meets floor with lethal intent. For the dirt at least. DIE DIRT DIE!
Myesha eyes Nalkor and Lorena curiously, moving closer to the pair in order to catch the words. She's close but not too close, can't be obvious when you're eavesdropping. And she grabs up a brush and starts making work of a slightly less dirty spot, frowning all the while. "I do not even want to /know/," She says dramatically, pointing at a mushy brown rag of something. "What that is. Or what is used to be."
Lorena barely contains the satisfied smirk at Keziah's reaction, helping to hide it by inspecting Amarante. Loyauth… remind me to buy that girl a pony or something. Yessm', miss Lory. Her eyes, brighter now from the turn in events and appreciation of the girl swing back to catch Nalkor's as he speaks quietly to her. Blink. Shifty eyes around. She spots Myesha looking their way and fights furiously at the flush rising up her neck. "Mm…" She nods, though her expression resumes a meekness. "I'm sure… something can be worked out." She echos the quiet speech, gazing at him much longer than any professional conversation would allow. Loooory. Gah.. Er hem… She shakes her self out of it a little and nods again. "Right… Um…" This is said louder, looking around. "Curfew tonight, candidates." She repeats, looking around again. She pauses on Nalkor, and then hurries out.
Keziah stands there a moment longer as she watches Lorena leave, not even blinking as Lorena's gaze stops on Nalkor. After she leaves she sits down on the edge of her bed. "What just happened there?" she murmurs to know one in particualar "And how am I supposed to know whats a suitable punishment?" She eyes Nalkor a moment, but there's no glare or animosity, just dumbfoundedness. "That, umm sounds like a good course of action."
Nalkor purposefully, a little playful streak under his gruff exterior, shoves the remains of his candidate knot toward Myesha, "It came from the lagoon—" he wriggles it, some of the brown water slipping off in numerous drops. Though on second hand he straightens with a sort laugh, "it's actually my knot. Don't ask me how it got into this state, but it spent some time getting aquainted with the mops." There's something for Lorena only in his gaze, that doesn't speak of professional candidate to rider relationship either, but its good that he only holds her gaze for a second or two as she departs. "Have a good afternoon," he tips his head at her, before taking his snot-wet like knot toward his cot area. Diligently, he aims for his press, where things have been scattered in his earlier attempts to find the valued knot. He drops it, the dirty water logged knot splats on the ground beside his press.
Myesha can't help but keep a grin off her face as she watches Lorena blush, unfortunately the riders words are too low for her to hear. "Curfew." She repeats, watching as Lorena runs off. "Lucky her, does not have to deal with this mess." And she rolls her eyes, scrubbing away at that spot she's so intent on. She's gotta walk on that floor, ya know? But then there's a nasty knot on her face and she falls on her behind. "Get that thing away from me!" She yells, eyes flashing angrily up at the man. Once it's gone however she composes herself quickly, staring at the spot once more before getting to her feet and dusting herself off. "Nal and Lor, guess they have a thing going?" She explains to Keziah with a playful shrug, happy now that she's not cleaning or being harassed with nasty knots. "You had better be nice to her, Nal." She adds in a playful reprimand. "She is a nice girl."
Amarante is crazy! Only not really. She doesn't notice the strains of violin music and fluttering, twittering birds and floaty heart-bubbles going around because there is DIRT and she was told to CLEAN. She is completely unaware that she's up for a pony of her very OWN. Hopefully a fast one that she can race somewhere. <3 She scratches at her forehead for a moment with the back of one of her wrists. "You know, we'll have to all bathe tonight at some point," she also says to nobody in particular. "Before curfew at that. If they want us scrubbing nooks and crannies of this place, I can only imagine our own personal ones had better match." She pauses. "Though how they're going to tell outside of looking at us, I don't want to think of." She glances up at Keziah, though. "You want us to help you with that punishment thing?" she asks curiously. "We could always offer suggestions, and we'll probably not be half as harsh as anything you could come up with yourself. Well, maybe. I know a couple Candidates this time around who seem to be…. inventive." Scrub scrub.
"Hey hey hey," Nalkor says over his shoulder, "Don't be giving me any punishments until you see the results of my cleaning. That's prejudging the situation and the outcome. Tsk." He's already going back to folding his clothes at the end of his statement, not too sure he can risk his fate in some woman's fingers? Ahh well, such is life, and life is not all the time favourable now is it? Wallowing is not his style, so he continues to fold and tuck, fold and tuck, push and arrange. At the end of a few minutes, his press is looking in good shape once again.
Keziah sighs a little as the 'monster' heads off, not that she's a monster really, that in essence is Keiranth. "Well, curfew, I guess we better get back to work." she eyes Myesha and snerks "Oh yeah, I'll say, ever since Lorena Searched him." she snickers a little at that and eyes Nalkor "Rumour has it that he asked for a few 'favors' of her before he'd accepted." Course some rumours probably have gone into play-by-play stuff. "But that's neither here nor there and I guess if it happened before he was Searched it's not against the rules and all." A shake of her head and then she grins at Myesha "Least the floors cleaner than it was, but if you'ld like to pick a spot and start workin' on it. I'm not sure if the windows have been done yet." she hmms as she starts to look at them and then grins at Amarante "I wouldn't mind some suggestions, but we'll wait and see how bad it looks by inspection time."
Myesha stares over at Amarante, watching the girl as she scrubs away before bursting into laughter. "I bet some of us," And her hazel eyes come to focus on Nalkor now, dancing with mischief. "Would not mind a very /through/ investigation!" And she wipes a few tears away from her eyes before giving the place a good look. "How did it get this bad? I mean, I noticed the smell but I figured some people were not bathing." And she reluctantly moves over to that brown rag, poking at it with a boot clad foot. "Favors? What kind of favors?" She says quickly, eyes snapping over to Keziah. Gossip time! Don't mind the fact that one of those being talked about is folding of course. "Sexual favors?"
Nalkor slams his trunk down enough to make a loud resounding snap, gaining attention from them hopefully, before they go into a spiel. He can tolerate women chatting and gossiping - it's their nature, but when they start to disrespect another and himself right in front of his face, he doesn't tolerate it, ask his apprentices. He looks over his shoulder at Myesha, "Watch what you're saying Myesha, before you bring disgrace to those you speak of." He stands upright, looking tall and right then, for all the world, older than the rest of them, "Lorena's honour is still her's. I have not done anything which would take that away from her. Whatever favours you think I've done, I've not." A beat, "You should be ashamed of yourselves. These are the people you're going to be working for and you're already showing them a great amount of disrespect." A look at each of them, "Wouldn't it be better to get straight answers from the source than gossip about it when I'm standing right here?"
Keziah eyes Myesha and blinks "I never said sexual favors." Whether or not it was implied she won't verify. She glances at Nalkor and then sighs. " He does have a point." Gah, did she just say that? She turns and goes to work on the windows herself "We've only so long to get this finished, even if was extended. How about we call a truce?" she asks "Least till we get this done?"
Amarante looks up and around at the others as they start off on a tangent. "Why's it matter who's doing what with who anyway, so long as they aren't Candidates?" she points out to them. "If we're going to be part of the Weyr and on dragons, it's not like it's a big problem. I'm pretty sure our Weyrlingmasters and assistants are in their positions because we can trust their judgments and them." She eyes Nalkor. "And you /are/ rather good-looking, so I can't blame her. Just, you know, if anything the pressure's more on you than anyone else if you do like her back. It's hard enough to be with someone as a weyrmate. My parents for example? Anyway, it's even harder if only one of you is Impressed. At least if you're with a dragon, you know where you stand and it's mutual." She rubs the back of her neck. "But yes. Truce. There's still enough dirt and whatnot around here to make them upset, as picky as they're going to be." She points at Admiral. "And he's still watching us, you know." Dun dun dun! Ominous Firelizard Eyes of Doomish Doooooom!
The loud sound catches Myesha's attention of course, her eyes moving over to Nalkor quickly, a bit shocked. She listens to his words quietly, tilting her head so she can observe him better. "Come now love, there is nothing dishonorable from that." And there's a wave of her hand to dismiss his anger, smiling happily all the while. "Sex is normal, and I would never think any less of either of you from doing it. Besides that is the ultimate goal from any courtship." Maybe she's been around dragonriders too much or maybe that's how she herself is. But obviously that's how she sees the world. And she turns her attention to Keziah now, nodding her head. "I will take care of the windows then. And after that we can see about that bath, right Ama?" Obviously she's not too bothered by the rather tense scene.
Nalkor seems to approve of Keziah's decision to not further the discussion of whatever is going on with Lorena and himself. People click, other's don't, and some more than not. Yet, it seems to Nalkor there needs to be some dirty laundry aired between himself and Keziah. He pauses only to regard Amarante, nodding to her words, "Thank you Ams," his voice filled with admiration for that one - hard worker, common sense, all around nice girl? What's not to like? As the conversation follows around the room, he listens abruptly to Myesha, "It's dishonourable if you think I asked from her a sexual favour to be here. Or visa versa." Myesha unlike Amarante, earns a frown instead of a quirky nickname. He approaches Keziah then, looking at her as she washes the windows, "So what's up with you Keziah?" A pause to make sure he's got her attention, "Your attitude toward me has changed. You asked me to swim with you, once, do you remember? Where's that funny girl gone, hrm? Why so grouchy - toward me in particular?"
Keziah has moved onto the lights since Myesha said she will do the windows. She's quiet as she scrubs at them since they've been dusted and doesn't answer Nalkor at first and then just shakes her head a little "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be grouchy at you." she murmurs quietly and stops to look at him "It's not your fault." she adds "It's mine for reacting as I have, and not just to you either." she sighs softly.
"Yes." Amarante replies to Myesha with a gesture as she moves right on down the line, ducking under someone's cot to continue her scrubbing, so her voice echoes up from under the cot. "Part of me is really looking forward to a good scrub with sweetsand after dinner. The part that /isn't/ is my hands, which are blistered up already and in need of numbweed." She goes silent for a few, and then? "Um. Anyone think we'll be off to do an egg-touching after we're done with this? They should be hardened up enough by then." She scrubs a moment, and then, almost inaudibly, "If we can even /move/ after all this is done, that is…"
"Ooh, I never meant that you became a candidate because of sexual favors." Myesha says, her face dropping. "I know that is not what happened, /dragons/ do the picking, not their riders." She states firmly, her feathers ruffled a bit. "And to be honest you did not seem too honorable last time we met." And she rolls her eyes a bit in annoyance as she works on the grimmey windows. But her mood drops back to a cheerful one in no time. "Poor thing, are your hands really that bothered?" And she inspects her own carefully, not a blister yet. "Egg touching? Maybe, that would be a nice way to end the day. After spending all of it cleaning." But she listens closely to the words passed between Keziah and Nalkor, doesn't give up this one.
Nalkor offers Keziah an encouraging smile along with a hand that rests on her shoulder, "Kez," he too gives her a short nickname out of no where, "If there's anything troubling you, I'm a good listener" he gives a gentle supportive squeeze, "or if there's just something you need help with, let me know. I don't want us to be butting heads, you crazy girl" the last is intone with a sense of endearment, "You should be cliff jumping and laughing about it, having fun. I don't like to see you this way." Honest opinion, though he completely ignores Myesha for this once, only sending her a look at the mention of his honourable actions the last time they crossed paths. Eh, can't be a good guy all the time.
Keziah blinks a little and then gives Nalkor a crooked smile and then completely changes the topic "So, when do you think they'll take us to survival camp?" she asks thoughfully "Have you heard anything at all on it?" Her eyes dance a little at being called a crazy girl and the mention of cliff diving. She glances over her shoulder at Ama "That could be interesting. Hopefully there's no creepy sensations in any of these." she shudders a little "I swear I felt as if I was drowning at one point."
Amarante makes a little sound in her throat. "I did dishes, then was in the middle of scrubbing dragons down and caring for them when we were told to come here," she admits. "So they've been wet more than dry the last few days, and holding onto a brush for hours on end. I was mopping a good while yesterday, scrubbing too. In here." She pauses and then, as if somehow sensing that Myesha is eavesdropping, offers, "You should've seen how one girl reacted to the cleaning and the crawlies that were loose yesterday. The cleaning was like we'd just asked the Weyrwoman to do it, and then the crawlies had her screeching and /running/ out of here in the middle of mopping. I laughed a little, but kind of not, either. It left a lot more for us to have to work on last night, you know?" Here, have another tidbit of info! Look at the shiny! "It was odd," she agrees. "The only clutch I've stood for, I wasn't Impressed, last year. But it's strange, those sensations… not that I would mind a watery one. I grew up around Half Moon Bay Hold, so there was a lot of access to the beach."
Nalkor decides to leave it as that, his offer out on the table for the young woman to accept today or two hundred days from now. "Survival camp?" he balks at Keziah, "You've lived out there in the mountain ranges tending your caprines. You can do it no problem." As for himself, his confidence in being a journeyman is enough to pass by the conversation. Once again at his bedside, after leaving Keziah's side, he starts to pull the sheets tight, making sure any wrinkles are smoothed out. For now he goes back to listening as he goes along with the clean up in his area.
Myesha catches that look and can't help but smirk, shrugging her shoulders. "Men." Now back to the eggies. "I wonder when they will hatch, I mean, no time soon but still." Shaking out her rag she starts to sneeze from all the dust. "When /was/ the last time someone cleaned this place? Anyways, I was thinking of writing a song based on the egg touching so," And she gives the rag another good shake, this time pinching her nose and making her words come out in a nasally pitch. "So if anyone wants to tell me what they felt during it, you know, if something really stuck out," And she glances at all the candidates present, releasing her nose. "Feel something really interesting, let me know." At the mention of survival camp her face falls. "I hope it is not anytime soon, or ever really. That is something I wish my brothers would have have to have done, not me." And at Amarante's ability to provide her with gossip she turns towards where the girl is cleaning. "Ooh, is that so? Who was it? Really now, I /hate/ cleaning but I do my part." And she starts scrubbing the window pane in order to further emphasize this. "I love the beach, I grew up in Ista Weyr."
Keziah laughs "Oh I know I can survive it. I survived it last time and came out of it with Eirwyn there." she that's with a grin. She goes back to scrubbing "It's just that I'm a little eager to get out there into the wilds." A thoughtful pauses and she purses her lips "Maybe that's my problem?" she shakes her head a little "Being in one place for so long? Now getting out in the wilds and all?" She bahs a little "Guess I'd better get over that." she snorts a little as she leans back and looks at the lamp and then frowns "Shards, but I look a mess."
Amarante doesn't answer for a moment. "I… don't know, not really," she admits. "Chaitra was there, though. She was a newcomer. One of the ones they just Searched and brought in. I think it's the one who came with her brother? Starts with an R, if I'm thinking of the right name with the right face…." She comes out from under the cot she's working under and peers up at Myesha. "And survival camp is it? Hopefully less, "Here, now survive" and more "Here's HOW you survive" right? I know it's a huge crop of Candidates, but there are better ways to pare down the numbers than letting nature weed out the weak from the strong."
Myesha after hearing all the information that Amarante can provide she chirps up. "Rhalin? Or Rhelia? I always get them confused, names are much too similar." At all the talk of the looming journey she begins to lose her gusto for cleaning, dropping the rag down before plopping onto the cot where Amarante is cleaning. "If they are anything like some riders I know then I would not be surprised if it was like that." Her eyes dart around, checking to see if anyone is listening in. Once the coast is clear she drops her voice, almost to a whisper before admitting her plans to her fellow candidate. "I am going to try and get sick, or pretend to be sick. Anything to get out from going." She says with a wink to the girl.
Keziah grins at Ama "What? Don't want them to drop you by the volcano and say, make it out alive?" she asks with an oh see sweet look "No trudging through the marsh hoping that it doesn't suck you in? Thinking if the creatures don't kill you, surely the stench will?" She polishes off another light and eyes it. "Naemon, err N'mon was such a wuss." she murmurs and shakes her head. She pauses and looks around "Things are looking better." she murmurs and then eyes the floor "Still not sure I'd want to eat off of it. Something we can put on it maybe? Some kind of what is it called shelac or something or another? Though I suppose that'd take too long to dry and all."
Amarante frowns. "No, no I really don't think that's the best way to go about things, dropping us off somewhere and telling us to survive until they get back. That's one too many dragons they might take the future lifemates from, after all." She looks over at Myesha and sighs a little. "I won't say anything," she whispers back. Louder, though, she says, "But I think it was Rhelia. Actually. It's the a at the end of the name, you know? Sounds like the sister." She squirms out all the way and sits up, the halo of bright white-gold on the floor that her hair made vanishing immediately. "I don't think there's any way to get the floor clean enough to put anything on it properly. It's… stone. Which is packed earth. Which you will forever be sweeping fruitlessly."
Myesha eyes the floor, brow furrowed. "I do not care /how/ much we clean it. I would never eat off the floor." And that's a fact. "Oh, I do not much about cleaning. Just music and men really." And she takes a moment to check the cot, making sure it's not disgusting, before leaning back and resting. "Maybe I will write a song about men… "The man song"." And she can't help but giggle, as she enjoys her small break. "Of course you will not tell! I would never tell on you." And she adds a wink to Amarante before getting to her feet, ready to start cleaning again. "I hope you are right, that Senkyou seems a bit off to me. I would not put it past her to just let us fend for ourselves." Cause you know, she knows /so/ much about the rider.
Keziah eyes Myesha oddly "The Man Song?" she asks and just shakes her head a little. "Well, actually we get set up in the bunkhouse, least I think we will be. L'alie said they have them fixed now." she murmurs "And then there's some lectures and classes and such. Last time they put us into pairs, gave us a time and then dropped us off in various places and various times and had us find our way back." she smiles a little at that. "Was some interesting things to see." she trails off "Though the abondoned camp with all the bones scattered about was pretty freaky." She looks at the room "Think it looks clean enough for inspection?" she asks after a moment.