Xanadu Weyr - Clearing
A wide clearing stretches from east to west, the ground packed hard although grass grows across most of it. Trees are strictly forbidden in this space, their danger to the constant draconic traffic reason enough to banish them to the forest that creates a this and sharp border to the north. Where the ground is less trampled, tiny flowers poke their delicate heads out from their shaded hiding places with upturned petals to wave to whoever may be looking.
The cliff looms imposingly on three sides, stretching upwards all the way up the side of the mountain where, high above, Xanadu's Star Stones and the ever present watchdragon sit on a lonely peak. Directly south is a massive tunnel, fully wide enough for even the largest dragon to fly down. Southeast are wide steps leading up to the Caverns and eastwards is the large entrance to the Infirmary. Somewhat north of the Infirmary is a human sized archway that has a frequent quantity of traffic — it leads to the Tavern. Southwest lies the low ledges currently belonging to Xanadu's queens while north and west a broad path cut by the side of the cliff leads to the Feeding Grounds and due north is the spacious trail that leads to the rest of the Weyr.
Vivian just rolls her eyes at Laera's response. "Two square inches of cloth doesn't really count as an outfit, its more of a decoration than anything else?" She does flick her gaze towards Kellen though when he's been pointed out. "Oh great, that's all we need, though I suppose it'll make a change from the usual bronze rider preening all the time."
Kellen smiles a bit as he comes in closer to the pair, nodding his greeting and waving a bit. He's only been here a short time so he can't recognise people right off if he's met them, or remember names. But he does look cheerful enough, if a bit groggy-eyed from sleep. He pulls out a pad of paper and a pencil while he is near them, getting ready to start writing again.
"Goodness Viv, there is definitely more than two square inches in this outfit, but its like the first time I have had real boobs. Gotta show them off to advantage while I have the chance." Yay pregnancy boobs for the nearly flatchested. She adjusts her halter top a bit, adjusting her assets within. Oh now she is probably just trying to stir Vivian up. Kereth looks down at the two young women with a quizzical look before lowering his head to Kellen and wuffling his hair softly.
R'sul wanders out from the hatching grounds, looking a little warm and slightly flustered. His path heads towards the caverns, taking a circuitous route around Kereth partly as an excuse to waste time answering his summons from Niva, and partly just because he felt like enjoying the relative coolness of the evening.
"And if you call that one modest, I'm sure I don't want to see you decorating yourself with an immodest one." Replies Vivian with her usual sweet smile. Kellen isn't saying anything so Viv pretty much bypasses him in favour of looking around for a means of escape, and there it is in the shape of the Weyrleader. "Oh R'sul." She calls out to him.
Kellen listens back and forth between the two, though the mention of breasts does cause the young boy to blush a bit. He looks up at the blue dragon as his hair is wuffled and smiles a bit, reaching out to pat the dragons nose a bit if it was close enough. When someone else is called out to, he would look as well, smiling and giving a wave to R'sul as well.
Laera just laughs at the next cut, "Soon as it gets a bit warmer, I got this great set of bathers that will look great at the beach. It covers four square inches I think." Pregnant teen in a bikini…teh hot. Oh Laera just seems to be enjoying the back and forth, perhaps quite used to it from a few girls around the place, especially a few jealous ones who Laera has managed to turn their boyfriend's heads. Innocently of course. Ahem. Kereth warbles happily at the touch but as Vivian moves he is distracted for the moment and looks to the girl curiously before taking a few steps to stop her escape to the Weyrleader.
If there's one voice R'sul fears more than Niva's it's Vivian when she's pretending to be nice. He takes a couple of very deliberate steps towards Kereth, clearly contemplating hiding behind the blue for safety purposes, but by then it's rather too late. "I'm… um… sort of in a hurry Viv. Need to see your mother. Can it wait?" The other two are given polite nods and he begins to skirt round Kereth, glad that the blue is giving him a shield.
Vivian gives a very sarcastic 'ooooh' sound at Laera. "Two inches for each boob then is it?" You can almost hear the venom dripping from her tone. Nothing to do with Laera, it's just Viv in the wrong mood. "I have the reports that WE need to check over." It's a very definite 'WE' meaning help me out here before I need to be rude. Although rude is relative when it comes to Viv. When the blue gets in her way she takes a step back and squares up to it. "Move." She growls at the dragon, her eyes narrowing as she stares at the dragon. "You are in my way." Size apparently makes no difference here.
"Exactly…" Laera responds with an effervescent grin and a wink before she is looking up to her lifemate's odd behaviour. Kereth does not seem swayed by the order, but instead just settles in as if to get comfortable. He extends his hazy blue muzzle towards the other woman as if to examine some aspect around her, a curious warble to his tone. Laera raises hands to her hips as she watches the scene before her, a curious brow raised at R'sul. Her dragon ain't ever done this before.
"We need to…?" R'sul pauses, then begin inching away quickly again once Kereth seems determined to stay in the way. "They can definitely wait for a little while, I need to see your mother and you know how she hates being kept waiting. Come to the office in… an hour?" His inching towards sanctaury is getting a little quicker now, completely around the back of Kereth, safety in sight.
Vivian's free hand comes down to rest on her hip, foot tapping the ground delicately yet meaningfully. "Move your big blue self out of the way, you are blocking the progress of your Weyrleader and his Personal Secretary." The last part really is capitalised, how she manages it who knows but it she does usually manage a certain amount of command in her tone, one part that she takes after her mum.
Kereth lowers his head to within inches of Vivian's, his breath wuffling her hair giving another low inquisitive warble. No we are not moving. Not at all. Something is of interest here. He finally looks up to Laera, the pregnant teen's eyes unfocus for a moment before she barks a laugh, "You sure?" Another low warble from the blue and Laera just shakes her head and gives a dismissive gesture, "Well ask yourself you big oaf." Kereth lowers his head back to Vivian tilting it slightly, «I wish you to stand.» Comes a soft subtle note in Vivian's mind, like a wind on a spring day. Simply worded, and so soft you can think you had imagined it.
R'sul almost makes a break for freedom. Almost. Between Laera's comment and Kereth's actions even he is not completely oblivious to what's going on. Suddenly he does speed up — moving towards Laera instead of the caverns. "Can I have a word with you please." Not giving her time to answer he takes her arm, moving her a little away from the current events and hissing at her, "Are you crazy? Her? Niva'll kill me!"
Vivian's foot keeps tapping, she'd probably have crossed her arms by now if she wasn't holding a bundle of reports under one arm. "I am standing, unless you have a strangely different meaning for this upright position." Her tone could cut ice, as R'sul finally moves round the dragon though she does turn away from the blue.
Laera is just watching the scene with a look of bemusement on her face, well until R'sul grabs her arm. She blinks at him as he drags her to a side before she just laughs at his question, "Who am I to deny a dragon's choice, especially my own?" She asks ever so sweetly, "Besides it will be a hoot to see Niva's face, she might even forget my little trangression." She says with a wink and patting the tonny baby belly. As Vivian gives her response Kereth looks at her curiously then to his lifemate for assistant. Laera just nods to the blue and motions to Vivian. Just keep going. So As Vivian steps away Kereth just moves to sit in her path again. «Stand for the Weyr. For the Eggs I ask.» Again it is just a soft whisper of a voice as if not wishing to intrude.
"But… but /her/?" R'sul is caught somewhere between panic and fear thanks to Kereth's over-friendliness towards Vivian. "He could be wrong. It's happened." he keeps his voice low, trying as much as possible to keep the coversation between just himself and Laera. "I'm not telling her. You can tell her. I'm… well I don't know what I'm doing, but I'm not telling her."
Vivian's back to the dragon with brows raised, a strangely happy smile appearing on her face. "What? My gold is to come from this clutch?" She states it more than asking. "Well if you'd just said as much." Her eyes roll at the stupidity of Kereth for not just stating the obvious already as she turns to face R'sul. "Oh grow a spine will you, but don't worry I won't let it affect my work for you."
"Why not her? There have been worse choices before, maybe one can soften her up." Laera responds to R'sul with a grin, arms crossing under her bosom. Yes she will stand by her chosen's choice. "A dragon's choice is never wrong R'sul, they may not be destined to be riders but they always have some place here!" She says with assurance. "The Headwoman can tell her." She says to save both their skins and looks back to her lifemate. Kereth looks at her curiously, «I know not what colour…but will you stand?» He replies, with a bit more volume this time, raising his head to look down at her.
R'sul shakes his head. "Oh it can be. There's always a chance." Of course only then does he realise that Vivian was listening in. Quieter, definitely to Laera only, he comments, "I'm going to… drown myself or something. You deal with it. I know nothing." And with that he heads for the beach instead — that meeting with Niva can happen if and when she calms down from this news.
Just to the left of the constellation known as the Gather Circle a bright light streaks across the sky.
Vivian waves a hand dismissively at the blue. "I already said yes." She tells the dragon before she catches sight of R'sul fleeing like the coward he is. With a sad shake of her head she murmurs. "I don't know how he ever managed to cope before." She resettles the pile of paperwork and waves a hand at Laera. "I'll pick up a knot later on, 'I'll' go and deal with this lot just now seeing as he's run off." She pats the files and makes off for the admin complex.
A golden streak brightens the sky to the west.
Laera grins at R'sul and pats his arm, "Now now, it can't be that bad." She says with a wink before she leaves him to his drink and heads back to Vivian, "Well welcome…candidate Vivian." Laera says with a laugh and a shake of her head, "Sure enough, I reckon you know where things are Viv." Kereth visiablly relaxes as the girl actually says yes and finally moves out of her way to amble to Laera's side, "I will go inform the Headwoman…it will be a hoot to see her reaction." She winks and heads on.