Xanadu Weyr - Meadow
A large, slightly rolling meadow is set high enough above the riverbank on both sides to avoid suffering from flooding, healthy ground cover and grass spreading out from either side of the dividing river. Scattered amongst the meadow are a variety of buildings, each with a narrow path leading up to it from a main, winding road. Some are set under a few trees, while others sit by themselves.
Stables and a smithy are settled on their own plots, while trees border the western edge of the meadow, and a faint outline of a fence can be seen to the north.
In the cool clear air of the failing light of the sun that quickly hides its face behind the horizon, Jutin sits in the meadow in a small cleared out area with a fire blazeing to offset the slight chill. Noone else seems to be near him, but theres room enough with rocks aplenty surrounding the fire for anyone who wants to come. Of course by his side is a blue plastic case, opened on the apprentices lap.
Admiring the place, Matteo saunters to teh edge of the meadow, on another of his walks. After a scan or two he comes upon Jutin. Now what was he up to? The young sailor does not hesitate to approach him, walking as quiet as he may across the grass without getting sucked into the sod.
Kysli is wandering in herself… from the opposite side of the meadow than the bridge. Where was she? Who knows. She isn't exactly paying attention to where she's going either.
J'ey wanders in and pauses, seems to be a crowd and he wonders if perhaps he should just turn around and disappear but then again, he needs to meet new people so he does not become insular and he shrugs and then pauses as he recognises Kysli and he smiles to himself and makes a beeline towards her.
Vatyri comes out of the nearby stables, donning pieces of straw that clutch to her working clothes. She wipes her hands together for a moment before lifting her head to stare at the crowd. She spins on her heel and begins to walk slowly back to the stables. Creep, creep.
Seems like Jutins paying too much attention to himself and his case to notice anyone moveing towards him…the light of the fire makeing sure he can't see far out and see anything but moving shadows…thats if he bothered looking. Twisting a few things is all is hands can be seen doing inside the case occasionally makeing a sharp *creeeek!* or *tang* noises before lifting it out of its case. Quite clearly wooden in design, It looks to be a long stick (about 4 feet) with 5 strings of various lengths running down it. At the base is a smaller drum thats about a foot long and half foot in diameter.
Matteo catches movement out the corner of his ambery eyes. he looks away from Jutin to notice three more wandering about the meadow, but it is no surprise that he watches Vatyri more so. Coming. Going. He wondered whether or not to call out to her. But as he takes another step and his eyes turn to Jutin again, his foot sinks in the mire. Squelch. Ew. No matter. Hope no one saw that. He doesn't quite notice Jutin's odd device, having become twice distracted.
Kysli pauses in her step and doesn't seem too pleased about the beeline the other rider is making. Nope… she didn't notice him, she'll just keep walking. The fire and people are spotted and she heads that direction.
J'ey continues making his beeline "Ahh Wingleader Kysli." he calls to her "How lovely to see you again, what a coincidence meeting you here, or perhaps not a coincidence? Perhaps meant to be?" He smiles warmly at her "I just thought we could continue that conversation we had the other evening?" He trots after her.
Vatyri again turns on a heel as soon as she hears J'ey, eyebrows going up in some expression of dismay. However, interest seems to seize her and the resident makes her way towards Jutin, eyeing his contraption. "What's this you've got here?"
Looking up to see Vatyri, Jutin gives a half hearted smile as he just shakes his head slightly. Holding the instrument in his left hand, Jutin places the blue case on the ground beside him then quickly starts plucking a few strings and retuneing. After what seems like a minutes gone by of that, Jutin starts with his first song, a slow kinda dirge to warm up easily on adding a few drum beats to the metalic strings that are plucked.
The sound turns Matteo's attention at once as he flails his foot to remove teh mud. He walks closer and eyes the strange instrument in curiosity. It had to be the oddest thing he'd ever seen in his life. Well, no. This was a lie. Seaports had stranger items. But still this was it's own sort of oddity. "Er, what does one call that?" He asks tentatively.
Kysli gives the rider a slight nod as she passes him, and sits down near the fire once she arrives there. The instrument gets a curious look but any questions she might have are kept quiet.
J'ey smiles as he catches up and then spots that others around "Jutin." he greets the smith and eyes the instrument and then nods at the others and then turns his attention back to Kysli and then realises he does not really have any questions. He beams at her "This is definetly a pleasure to see you agian Kysli, who knew that it would happen so quickly." Seeing they do live int eh same weyr, it probably is not as much of a conicidence that J'ey makes it out to be.
Vatyri tilts her head to the left, taking a step backwards at the metallic sound before moving forwards again. "I'm assuming that's a sort of instrument," she says to Matteo, eyeing J'ey and Kysli over her shoulder.
Well, he came to play and not to talk, so Jutin refuses comment as he continues, but the tone of his instrument changes as Jutin quickly picks up the pace. From a slow dirge into a more of a steady beat with a few strings plucked for good measure. A strong bass beat keeps his tempo as starts into the musical parts of the song, quickly running his fingers to change the notes and keep a steady upbeat. (think of the song 'kill the beast' in beauty and the beast for an idea)
Matteo's eyes reguard the woman, wingleader, and the rider, J'ey. He's genuinely bemused by this rider's antics, but snaps back to alert at Vatyri's words. He KNEW that! "But what is it /called/… Not what is it." He looks a bit indignant, but it's hard for him to look serious with the reminants of mud up to his mid calf. When Jutin doesn't comment on the matter, he drops it. Fine then. Needless to say he was now in a sour mood. Mud wasn't a thing one could step in a still be pleasent.
Kysli sighs slightly, and manages to give the other rider a smile, no she's not in as good as a mood this time around. And last time he had no luck either… won't he just give up, and leave her alone?
J'ey takes the smile as permission to keep talking "Indeed so please tell me more about Tornado, what is the wing's aims and aspirations, what are your duties? "
Seems Jutins more into his beat, not even looking at anyone and instead gazeing past them into the fire and darkness. Though the instrument doesn't look like it could produce the notes of anything but basic quality, Jutins playing seems to bring it into a life all its own. Suddenly the apprentice softly starts singing
"Wind of the blue skies,
Flames of the warm fires,
Black shadows of night,
The strong earthen heartbeat, it never tires…"
Vatyri quirks an eyebrow in Matteo's direction, his indignant forebearing largely ignored. More of a tilt is given to Jutin's music, the girl leaning slightly to one side to hear. "Hmmm. Sounds nice…" A hush falls over her, however, as the smith starts singing. A look over surprise does cross her face, however, at this.
Blinking, Matteo eyes Jutin curiously. His eyes look out across the meadow as far as can be seen. He, too, seems to become lost in the music a little, gaze unseeing and mind working away. Who knows what lies in the deep unshown reaches of Matt's mind?
Kysli almost starts talking but has the wonderful distraction of Jutin's music to thank as she zones out. Oh darn… no responding to the rider. Her head is canted slightly to one side as she listens.
J'ey sighs as he is interrupted and shakes his head, seems he is not going to get any satisfaction from Kysli and he frowns "Wingleader? Have I said something to annoy or insult you?" he asks "I mean, you seem to be..?" he searches for the word "Would you prefer if I left or something, have I said or done something I need to apologise for?"
Lightening up on the bass beats with his elbow, Jutin slows his music down, though not in its complexity as he blankly looks on and continues playing and singing.
"The deep evening light clings to the beat,
As the air calms down, and cools with like a treat
The sands long forgotten, its ever blazeing heat,
Newborn hatchlings, all screaming for meat…"
Vatyri raises a hand to subdue a snicker at a certain line in Jutin's song, smothering it into a questionable cough. "Well." J'ey and Kysli are again eyed, and a look of curiosity crosses her face at the two.
Matteo seems to come too for a second and take a deep breath. He looks about at the others as if just noting they were there, his eyes falling on each person's face for a long while of study, hoping to go unnoticed for that duration. If they do he looks to the next person quickly. The music continues and a smile flashes upon his face. So true the words were.
Kysli can't help but grin at that last line then shrugs slightly, deciding she'd better answer J'ey. "Not exactly." What kind of answer is that? "Just /not/ in the mood for your antics."
J'ey looks hurt and clenches a hand to his chest "Antics? Antics? and pray may I ask who has been telling such lies about me. I get up to no antics…" he pauses for a moment and rethinks that "At least not quite recently and not around you Kysli, but if you find my presence so uncomfortable I will leave…" he pauses "Though I am enjoying this song."
Easeing off his strings again, Jutin goes into a drum solo with his hands as he quickly taps the drum on the bottem of his instrument into a roar of beats to quicken the pulse of the music,
"But soon those hatchlings, cute as they are
Will grow up into dragons, thier hearts a constant beat,
They quickly learn to flap thier wings, in the skies they'll soar
Of course I would soon lookout, when the male greenies come in heat…"
Vatyri arches an eyebrow at Jutin's next verses, crossing her arms over her chest. A snort is emitted at J'ey's reply before the girl redirects her attention onto the person in front of her.
Matteo lets out a laugh that turns into a cough at such sudden hexhalation of breath. Seems the mystique of teh song was not wholy lost. He catches his breath and can be found chuckling quiet a bit in his silent way. Oh my. he would too, that's for sure.
Kysli gets distracted again blink… male greenies. Ok… Another sigh, how to explain what she's annoyed at. "Nevermind." is grumbled. That's the best answer he's going to for the time being.
J'ey sniffs softly, first the song about greenies and now this, rebuffed. "I do mind, I mean I might be working with you in the future and you seem to have something against me and I would like to clear it up if at all possible."
Jutin seems to notice theres one of exactly what he was talking about near him and blinks as he drops the notes to the song…trying to recover, he picks it up again, though not anywhere the quality of what it was before.
'Erm…The mornings night,
The middawn's light,
The eagles sight,
Come together on the clifftop heights…"
Vatyri seems to tire of standing; flopping down the ground seems to remedy that problem, and all of the straw stuck to her flutters down to rest about her. Attentiveness can only go so far, and Vaty seems to listen with one ear before looking all about her. Hmm.
Matteo finds himself gazing off again into the dark again. More movement as Vatyri sits. Good idea. He too sits, but upon a rock near the fire. he now watches the smoke with due interest. He new some ways to read smoke patterns, but it'd been a long time. He tries to jog his memory of the patterns before him. Seems to be of no use.
Kysli is not going to survive this… J'ey gets a sideways glance. "Then maybe try to clear it up when I'm in a better mood." Sounds like rather sound advice, especially as she seems close to snapping.
J'ey decides it is a lost cause "Perhaps I will, perhaps I won't, it will be your loss Kysli, excuse me Jutin." He turns and strides off.
Jutin sighs as he knows hes lost the beat for his song, drawing his fingers lightly across the strings a final time before laying it to rest on his lap. Looking about as if noticeing everyone for the first time he smiles and says "Good evening…seems you stumbled into my playing?"
"Yes, quite a while ago," Vatyri quips, leaning backwards before peering towards Kysli. "Want to join us?" she calls over; perhaps being with someone other than J'ey would help put a brighter perspective onto things.
Matteo jerks out of a strange trance in which images had floated in and out of his mind in a channeling fashion. But as he tried to grab them they slipped away… A sandy bowl of a Weyr… and… a brown dragon… what else? Damn it! His eyes swivel over at Jutin but he holds back unnecessary accusation in his face and just arcs a brow, his thoughts spoken by Vatyri. he follows her gaze to Kysli and just now seems to recognize her. Her brown had Searched him. That's right. However he is soundless, still mentally cursing at loosing the images.
Kysli mumbles something, not sounding particularily cheerful. Oh well, nothing she can do about J'ey now… she doesn't /like/ having him seemingly annoyed at her… but maybe it will keep him from bothering her? Jutin gets a small smile. "It was rather nice." is offered quietly.
Weakly smileing, Jutin bows his head slightly in thanks to kysli before picking up the blue plastic case and putting it in his lap. Wrapping the instrument in cloth as he closes it tight again…"You know…when I play…my cares melt away, my fears turn away and I can face another day…" he sighs, knowing once he loses his beat…its hard to get it back again.
"What about when you are smithing?" Vatyri asks, tilting her head sagely to one side. Prying a boot out of the mud seems to occupy her mind, and thus, she resorts to using a stick. Squelch.
Matteo watches as Jutin puts away the instrument and nods. "I know very well what you mean. Same for me, with ships." Well, not the same… but they knew what he meant. His eyes watch Vatyri's actions, still trying to retreive what ever images he'd gotten just now. He relents his mental search, but still watches her, ears tuned for any of them all. Stupid smoke.
Kysli tilts her head to one side then covers a yawn with her hands. Her mood seems to improve though, at least. The others are watched for a moment quietly, the rider not having anything to say.
Pondering, Jutin just shakes his head. "Smithing is just a job to me, another days work for another days pay…not that I get much anyways…I was hopeing to impress a dragon, and then I wouldn't have to worry about money anymore…even this instrument is being paid on…it'll be another 4 months before I'm done with that…" Jutin sighs not wanting to get into his finacial troubles in front of others…well that explains why he alway has odd and sometimes nifty stuff…"But enough of my woes…what brings you all out here tonight?"
Vatyri takes one hand out from the mud, waving it towards the stables and consequently splattering someone with flung mud. "Stables," she says idly, again sticking the hand back into the mud. Stupid boot.
Matteo mumbles something about taking a walk. "Since i can't sleep to save my life." He'd taken up residence back out in the trees near the shore but somehow he couldn't sleep at all. Not even with the winds as of late. He'd also been oddly clumsy lately which is most embarassing. He continues his gaze, but it seems he's not even registering most of everything else. Fatigue washed over him heavily.
Kysli just shrugs, "Walking…" she's taken to doing that alot recently. Usually nice and peaceful, by herself. Shifting to sit crosslegged she gazes into the fire for a little.
Giving a small laugh and a smile, Jutin says "Oh well…wasn't hopeing to catch the sleep walkers…wasn't actually ready for any company…There will be a festival in about two weeks…and I'm sure that since I know a few people are putting marks up for the winners of the cook off…that I can finnally get myself out of so much debt. The problem is all I've got is a recipe and that smithdragon…the end of it calls for it to be toasted…so I'm putting a bit of flare in to help win…I'll be in big trouble though if it dosn't impress like I'm counting on it to."
Vatyri eyes Jutin and then eyes Kysli. "Hmm. That shellfish platter, Jutin? You'll have a competition," the girl says with a grin, still working on prying her boot out of the suctioning mud. "Why are you in so much debt?"
Ezventh flitters down from the sky, coming to land quite carefully near the stables. His rider, Daniella, dressed in her typical brown leathers, slips from the straps, and pats the brown. She gives a curious wave to those gathered in the meadow area, but she slips into the stable.
Daniella meanders back out, starting to move towards Ezventh, who has inexorably moved himself closer to the people standing in the meadow chatting. Silly dragon. Daniella slips up beside him, patting his hide gently, and glancing about at the people present. "'Lo." She says, quietly.
Matteo looks up quite suddenly to the rider and her dragon just arrived and nclines his head. Strange. No real greeting from Matt. No introduction either. He goes back to staring off, just listening. Most of his attention is with them all, as the flames reflect eerily in his amber eyes.
Kysli randomly flops back, laying down on the ground, and staring up at the sky. "Hello." is returned equally as soft though she doesn't glance back at the rider as that'd be… difficult.
Looking at Vatyri, Jutin gives a sigh then says "Things cost money…I like things…I don't have money…but I like things more and I like things now…" Jutin gives in way of explaining why hes in debt. "Anyways, that chance is past now…so I gotta hope I can qualify for journyman soon just to get the extra marks every week, not to mention getting my own private room to store stuff and not out where I have to hide it.
Vatyri quirks an eyebrow towards Jutin, shaking her head from side to side. The boot is given up on for a moment, and there Vaty sits; in the mud, with her foot stuck. Daniella's quiet greeting is heard, and thus Vatyri turns herself about as much as she can, waving. "Hello, there!"
Daniella smiles at Vatyri, holding a finger to her lips. She slips up behind Jutin silently, till she's right up behind him. "Hide what?" She asks in a low, silky sweet voice, winking at Vatyri.
Matteo seems to snap out of it for a few seconds to frown at Jutin. Seafaring, unless you were a fisherman, was one of the least rewarding jobs imaginable. He looks up and across the flames a ways to Vatyri and tries to surpress a smile rather unsucessfully at her struggles with her boot. He would offer help, but for some reason went against that again. He'd been doing that a lot too… what the shells was wrong with him? After a second he musters himself up a bit more. "Need help?" He asks mildly.
Kysli snickers slightly at what Daniella says, but just continues gazing up at the sky. Nothing better to do anyhow… and the occasional sparks dancing up is nice to watch.
"Me? Help? I think I'm fine. These boots are old, too. No since in having to clean them up," Vatyri says, rising somewhat awkwardly. A moment is spent scowling at the said boot before she tips her head towards Jutin, winking back at Daniella. Those gathered about the fire are given a 'Goodbye!' as a farewell. Then, the girl walks off, pulling her foot out of the boot and walking away with just one boot on.
Okay…whats about to happen in the next three seconds could qualify for some pern history records. The moment Daniella says 'Hide what?', Jutin sets a new record for the sitting high jump, causeing him to go what seemed (like to him anyways) 3 feet straight up. Next record was an object farthest launched from a sitting position, which goes to the instrument case which flys a few feet forward before bounceing hard off a nearby rock. The last record of course is Jutins heartbeat, which felt like a never ending beat is his chest, right before he faints from the surprise.
Daniella sits back on her heels, just watching the scene she's caused with eyes a little wide. But if anyone takes a second glance, they will see there are tears rolling down her cheeks. She puts a hand to her mouth, squeezes her eyes shut, and bites down on her lip - the flickering fire light betray her body's tremoring - she's trying incredibly hard not to laugh. "I didn't know Jutin was the fainting type," she says with absolutely no apology in her voice as she moves over near Kysli. "Maybe I shouldn't have scared him like that."
Kysli seems to have… dozed off? Ah well… from the nice and peaceful expression on her face, it's probably best not to wake the rider up.
Matteo gives a snort at Jutin as he falls over, but watches Vatyri go. The amusement at the fainting Jutin replaced again at the other wave of fatigue that assails him. Damnation. Better attempt sleep. He doesn't move in response to his thoughts, at first, still watching the area in which Vatyri had left. Silly Matteo. He says a distracted 'good night' to them all, looking over them for a second. But up he goes and off across the meadow. fatigue has occupied care, and he slips into many small bogs. Somehow he manages to get onto the bridge and leave.