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.
Sophyrinth makes a lazy circle around the beach before finally landing. The green warbles to her rider, happy about that smooth landing. "Yes love, it was lovely." S'ya says with a giggle, slowly unstrapping herself and moving down carefully with the help of her lifemate. She was getting big enough now that it was becoming rather difficult to do the simple things. When she lands on the sand she takes a moment fiddle with her dragon's straps, moving to take something out of a pouch attached to them. There's a little tin full of sweets that is produced and she just plops down right then and there and digs in.
Aradir's out late. That much is clear. He sits quietly in the darkness, fishing a little. Aloysius is curled up in a ball next to him in the sand, having made this cute little round indentation in the sand, formed JUST SO to be comfortable. Being a quiet boy by nature anyway, he isn't waking his 'lizard friend. And with his thoughts in a pleasantly warm 'bubble' of 'gonna catch me a fish', that's not bothering the blue, either. He looks up, however as the sound of wingbeats fills the air. He notes a rider landing and smiles. "Hello," he calls out. The 'lizard sticks his head up, stretching and yawning slightly.
S'ya is already half way through the box when Aradir calls out to her. "Oh, hello love!" She says happily, Sophyrinth warbling to the boy as well. "Any luck with that?" She asks, pointing at the rod. After a moment she realizes she's yet to offer any of her treats up and so she sets to pointing to the tin. "Care for a sweet? I have some klah candy, cookies and a few truffles left." Of course Aradir is going to have to move over if he's interested, the greenie not in the mood to get right back up with that fat belly of hers.
Aradir smiles. "Little bit," he notes. "Pretty good at it." He grins, and pulls the line back in. Aloysius takes the cue and skitters up to the auburn-haired boy's shoulder as he breaks the rod down, clipping the lure and putting it in his rather beat-up tackle box. He stands, and moves closer to S'ya. He plops down near where she's sitting, and titls his head at the tin. "Truffles?" he inquires, seeming interested. Favorite. Sweet. Ever! Aloysius even seems interested, craning his neck to sniff.
"Sometimes it is like that. I used to go fishing with my brothers in Ista all the time and well, sometimes we would get a good haul and the others not a single bite." S'ya says as she picks out a truffle for Aradir, handing him a bitter sweet one. "Yes, truffles. And they are very good if I do say so myself. My mom sent them over to me as a gift for my new job." And she points to the AWLM knot on her shoulder. Sophyrinth lowers her head when Aradir joins them, the green whuffling them boy curiously, mostly his hair actually.
Aradir chuckles a bit as the dragon whuffles his hair. "Hello," he greets the dragon. He greets Sophyrinth as if the green(?) were a human. He takes the truffle from S'ya. "Ah! Thanks," he offers. And he actually splits the truffle between himself and the 'lizard on his shoulder. "Job?" He looks to the knot. "Con…congra…c-con…gratu…lations," he stammers, tripping over the word.
Sophyrinth bugles back her own greeting before moving her wedged head away from Aradir and begging for a truffle. "Alright, you can have this one." S'ya says with a giggle. She watches as the green licks up the treat, her eyes whirling quickly as she swallows it whole. "Silly thing." S'ya says before leaning against one of her lifemate's speckled paws. "Thank you, love. I am not sure if I am looking forward to the task or not but so far it has been alright." Sophyrinth continues to watch Aradir, the dragon's tail flicking this way and that, sending sand spraying behind her.
"New job? Duties are what?" Aradir inquires of S'ya. Something else that interests him. He looks a little wistfully at the dragon…must be nice to ride a dragon through the skies, all majestic and proud. And the connection he's heard the dragons have with their riders…that must be an experience like no other!
"Well, my duties revolve around helping the Candidates and then those that become Weyrlings. I would give lessons, help anyone that has problems adjusting to the lifestyle or anything like that." S'ya explains happily, giving So a pat when the green sets to whuffling the boys hair again. The dragon protests, moving to nudge her rider gently. "Alright, alright, I will ask him." S'ya shakes her head a bit before looking over to Aradir. "She wants to ask if you could spare a lock of your hair, love. She has this weird obsession with asking people for some hair now a days." Sophyrinth holds her head up high when S'ya asks Aradir, eyes whirling madly.
Aradir blinks, looking from S'ya to the dragon and back. "Oh! Yes. Hold," he notes, rummaging in his belt-pouches. He pulls a hair-tie from one pouch and binds the very end of his hair, then takes a knife, and cuts the hair above it. Not too greatly much of his hair, but a respectable-sized lock. The hair-tie binds the lock together. "Good?" he inquires, holding the lock out to So for inspection.
"She is just too silly for her own good. She keeps asking for everyone's hair, saying she wants to make 'the biggest hairball on Pern'." S'ya says with a slight sigh. Sophyrinth looks thrilled when Aradir complies, the green sniffing the offered lock before warbling happily. "She says it is perfect, a wonderful sample of your lovely hair and that she thinks you are fit to stand." S'ya says, the corner of her mouth quirking into a grin. Sophyrinth bugles her agreement, getting to her feet suddenly. "Shells, love. He has not agreed yet! So, what do you say, love? Will you stand for the eggs on our sands?"
Aradir blinks a couple times. "Stand?" He tilts his head slightly. Then it seems to register, and he grins widely. "Attend hatch? You mean?" He looks pleased. "Love to!" Really, it looks like So has just made Aradir's day in saying this. Aloysius even seems to pick up on the boy's mood, and trills slightly.
"Yes, love." S'ya says with a giggle, getting to her own feet slowly. When Aradir agrees she beams, moving to the pouch on her lifemates straps in order to fish out a Candidate knot and deposit the tin and hair. She moves back over to Aradir, handing him the white knot and two more truffles. "Welcome to Candidacy, then! I can go ahead and show you where the barracks is and we can get you settled in. No drinking, sex or ditching chores and remember to mind your manners." She adds a wink, Sophyrinth trumpeting behind her happily.
Aradir accepts all three gratefully. One truffle he gives to Aloysius, who gobbles it quickly. The other truffle Aradir eats. And then he turns his attention to the knot. It takes him a very short moment to figure it out, but once he does, he dons it properly. "Right?" he inquires, asking whether he's got it on right, looking from So to S'ya.
"Perfect, love! Now follow me and we can get you settled in." S'ya says happily, waving Aradir to follow her as she heads over to the clearing. Sopyhrinth hums to herself happily as she watches her rider head off, whuffling Aradri's hair once more before taking to the skies. The green makes a lazy circle before disappearing.