Lendai's Little Ledger

Goodbye, mom...

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:45:50 GMT

Words are written slowly, gently, emotion splattered across each letter and symbol, all carefully placed upon the page with all the tenderness in the world.

Tye, rider of blue Valedath of High Reaches Weyr. Weyrlingmaster. Mother. Friend.

She's gone. Went between the other day, along with Palia. Oooh, Palia. A woman I considered as much a mother to me as both my own and Jala. Probably a woman I'd have rather to be born to. Sure, she was a little touched in the head, but she always had a smile on her face.

People have started asking if I'm going to try to live up to my mother's expectations now that she's gone. Show her glory by her line, all that crap. I give them a tight-lipped smile, nod my head, no words are said.

I won't. The dragonrider my mom expects is unattainable. While Dex and Rhaeyn will always have my mother's admiration, they still were /perfect/. But Dex is... Dex. The daughter my mom wanted me to be. And Rhaeyn is our Weyrwoman. I asked my mom once if she thought Rhae was doing a good job, in comparison to the last few seniors. It had been a while since I saw her get so heated up about something other than weyrling care. Rhaeyn is Tye-trained, after all. I shouldn't have been surprised. She said something to the effect that if half of the goldriders of Pern had even a dash of Rhae's potential, perhaps the old ways would linger on throughout an interval. She told me... "Rhaeyn's strong, so the Weyr is strong." Then went off about how I need to listen and learn better.

...I think she forgot that I impressed a few turns before Rhaeyn did.

She's right though. I wasn't around here for Frusha or Chey, but Rhae is what this Weyr needs.

Perhaps my mother's respect in those two, her high levels of admiration was not unfounded. I'll be watching them closely from here on out.

All the same. No. I refuse to live the rest of my life trying to be what my mom thought was the end all, be all dragonrider. Instead, I will chose to follow Palia's expectations. I'll be happy, I'll live life to the fullest. And to start that off, I'm going to visit Nicholarin. It's been a while since I've seen him last. I need to stop these long gaps between our visits. It's my own fault, I get so carried away in my own life.

You'll live on, Palia! In my thoughts, in your daughters! You'll live on mom. Through Dex's actions and the blood of myself and Yaiili. I worry that girl may be too much like mom, not enough like myself or Il'ad. Maybe I should ask Il'ad out on a date... I'm not altogether interested in him, my heart belongs to another. However... he's not bad looking and he is my sister's father. It couldn't hurt to at least get to know him better.

If I'm going to go to Ista Hold, I should sleep now. Bags under my eyes! Shards. I look closer to 30 than 23. What a bad role model I am for Yai. Letting my appearance slack so badly...

I don't remember the last time I brushed my hair.

...I still need to tell her mom's gone.

The writing ends. A little doodle of a dragon, more stick figure than anything, is all that appears afterward. Perhaps a picture of Valedath, perhaps not.

Being Replaced?

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 18:10:04 GMT

The writing is plain, nothing overly curvy or jagged. Little designs are here or there, lots of obvious pauses in the writing.

Rhaeyn was correct, there was a gold egg. Linny impressed a rather lovely gold, even Talicanitath took notice at how pretty she looked. I can't help but feel Linny is my replacement, and yet, on another vein, perhaps not. We are reversed, are we not? I was born High Reaches, fostered to Ista Weyr and impressed an Istan gold. She was born Istan, moved to High Reaches and impressed a 'Reachian gold. Perhaps the two of us will get on well. I feel resentment towards her, for reasons that aren't her fault, so I will be as nice as possible.

...

Talicanitath informs me to just wait it out, as High Reaches golds, which she is glad she is not, have a tendency to die early anyway.

Some sadistic, dark part of me finds that so very humorous. Though perhaps Linny's strong Istan center will help destroy the curse that has settled on this place in regards to golds.

I need to talk to Rhaeyn. I feel as if every time I try to take a step in the correct direction, I have her negativity holding me back. She always states that I need to grow up, that I need to put the Weyr first. But the moment I do, I'm told I'm doing it wrong.

I miss Lanti and her way of teaching. She helped me when I was about to drown and now with Rhaeyn, I feel like I can't ever come up for air.

I believe Rhaeyn hates me.

...Again. Talicanitath states something about just giving it some time, the Weyrwoman always dies eventually. I swear, that dragon...

Perhaps I will go and meet Kaelidyth. I'll bring Talicanitath with me. They can bond.

A quickly scrawled 'L' ends the entry.

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 04:48:08 GMT

...
...
...

AHAHAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!

This is honestly some great joke on me.

Seriously.

Not funny.

...

Boooored.

Wed, 27 May 2009 20:43:38 GMT

Words are pretty normal, nothing really deviating. Actually... the fact it's normal looking is bizarre in and of itself.

What even IS a Junior Weyrling Weyrwoman? That title doesn't even make sense. If Rhaeyn thinks I'm giving up my knot and tassels, she's got another thing coming.

Can't leave the northern bowl... or is it the central bowl? One or the other. Either way, even Tali is grounded. Something she's displeased about. She has an... extreme distaste for the senior gold. It's humorous, in a not-really-funny-but-totally-is.

I'm betting by now, that Seacrafter-woman has already informed Nick of what happened...

And... I'm surprised by how this makes me feel.

It doesn't. I... I honestly don't care. He'll be pissed... and I feel like I could care less. Really, other than being extremely bored, I don't really mind most of this punishment.

I feel nothing. Absolutely nothing. Not anger. Not hatred. Not love. Not sadness. Just nothing.

Maybe this is how I'm supposed to feel. To be impartial. I should ask Rhaeyn if this is how she feels. I mean... once she is speaking to me... on civil terms.

We've got her assistant, Linny, I think is her name? Well. She's running between the two of us, being our 'messenger' so to speak.

My last message was something to the effect of "Get over yourself." but... not quite like that. Though my snark is start to die down. Maybe I'll just send an apology... in a day or two. I shouldn't have lunged at her like that, but, shardit! Talicanitath was so mad, I was so mad, her mad plus my mad was just a bad time altogether.

Ah well.

Nothing... feels alright.

And that's all she wrote.

Tue, 26 May 2009 16:44:32 GMT

Letters are really... all over the place. Like, I don't know, the writer is very intoxicated.

I have spent the last few sevendays in a non-stop state of intoxication. I think my liver is failing... or I'm just peeing straight booze now.

Ehehehe! I wrote the word 'pee'!

Haven't seen Nick since he 'ejected me. Guess he never loved me. Dickhead.

Tali keeps talking, booze helps make her shut up.

Wonder if anyones noticed yet. Probably not.

...crap. Just vomited all over my cot.

Guess I'll need to clea--...

It ends right there, the words sort of scrawling off, into nothing.

Broken Heart Blues

Fri, 15 May 2009 17:10:53 GMT

Shaky, random, and not all too legible, the words are scrawled out, each letter more a chore than the last.

He proved me right and he proved me wrong. Perhaps dragonriders can feel love for someone or something other than their dragons.

However... he showed me that even if that's so, it's not in the stars for us. We may feel, but we're not meant to.

I... I told him I loved him. I didn't mean to, the words just slipped out. I want to say I didn't mean it, it was a desperation move... but I'd be lying to myself.

So.

This is what love feels like?

It hurts. It... really, really hurts. I feel as if my very heart has been ripped from my chest and stomped on.

I said the words, and he just /walked away/! As if I was simply discussing the weather and not spewing forth the words I've never /wanted/ to say.

How many times shall I allow him to hurt me before enough is enough?

All ends there. But have no fear, cause there's a LOG to go with it!

Gold, gold, gold. It's gold day, it appears. As Talicanitath lands in the Istan Courtyard, her hide flashing with newly scrubbed glitter. Lendai dismounts quickly and easily, turns of practice, her self also dresses in a golden-hued gown. Nothing fancy, but not really her normal style. And to top it all off, a firelizard, yet, also gold, sitting quite happily upon her shoulders, tail wrapped neatly around her neck. "Thanks, Tali, as always. Go sun for a bit, don't get dirty. I didn't spend all that time washing you to have to do it again, this time in the near-frozen lake at home." The dragon only rumbles her response, staying, more or less, right where she is until she deems herself fit to move. Bags connected to the riding straps are quickly shuffled through, a few items looked for.

Not everybody in the world is dressed in gold today, though there's a glimmer of gold on the shoulder of one tall young man as he leads a bay runner through the courtyard. His eyes are fixed on some trinkets in his hand, the reigns held loosely until the backdraft of a landing dragon's wings make the runner jerk his head up, and Nicholarin raises his head as well when the reigns pull at his hand. Dragon and rider recognized, Nick's already-slow pace slackens even further, and an oddish expression overtakes his face; something between wariness and severity.

A vase, of all things, is dragged out from the riding strap bag. Hoping back down to the ground, Lendai gives it a look over and sighs a little. "Shame. I liked this." Talicanitath is now really allowed to move off, the dragon moving nearer to the hold to splay out her form and do some dragon-tanning. Trying to appear as proper as possible, the 'Reachian weyrwoman lifts her head, squares her shoulders, spots Nick and almost drops said vase to the ground. It's recovered, though barely, and then Lendai just stands in one place, deer-in-the-headlights look on her face, as she stares at the heir of the Hold.

Nicholarin's feet continue moving at that slow pace, and take him in an arc of redirection toward the goldrider. "Hello Lendai," he says in a low tone, eyeing first the girl's attire, and then the vase held precariously in her hands. "Abrienna swore someone had stolen that. We all thought she was just being paranoid." He raises one brow at the girl, as though waiting for the punchline of an as-yet humorless joke. "Is that why you're here?"

Lendai flicks her eyes to the vase in her hands, then back up to Nicholarin. Trying to regain some amount of her composure, she throws her head back up, almost causing herself some unneeded dizziness due to the movement. "I... errr..." Ohgawd. Caught red handed. "An... Istan. At... Ista asked me to... return this." Or it was the guilt eating at her /soul/ every time she stared at it. "Since, y'know, I'm important and... stuff. Here." Lendai jerks the vase out, her out-stretched arms and hands wanting to give it over. "I apologize, y'know, for that... person." Shift eye. Her tone is squeaky, at best, not quite the self-assured woman she's trying to be. "And to steal some sand from your beaches. I'll bring it back!" Lendai blurts out. "And... yeah. Yeah." Eyes look down. "I wouldn't have come back otherwise."

Nicholarin makes no move to receive the vase into his already-full hands, though he does empty one hand by pouring the forementioned trinkets into one of his pockets, leaving his fingers tucked into the later. "That's nice of you," he replies blandly toward the return and the apology. "I'm sure Abrienna would like to thank you personally for returning it, so you should probably take it up to her." Bwahahaha. But the second portion of her stammering raises Nick's other eyebrow and he asks in monotone, "Why would you not have come back? Are you afraid?" Ahem.

"Yeeeeeah, no." Lendai states, just as blandly back. "I've no interest in dealings with the Lord or Lady Holder, though I've heard from Lanti that Lady Abrienna is quite pleasant to work with. It's not my thing anymore, I'll stick to High Reaches Lords and Ladies." In all their NPC-glory. She slowly withdraws her hands, tucking the vase under the crock of her arm for now. "I'll just... drop it inside the Hold, then. Someone will see to it." Faranth willing. The runner is given a look, the beast getting more a curious expression from her face than anything. "Wha'cha doing with dragon food?" Hey, it's a valid question, and it helps detract from his own question. "You said... and I... because you..." Lendai's frustration grows. "I'm not afraid of anything." Glare.

"Unless some transient refugee sees it just sitting on the floor and picks it up. In which case," Nick shrugs, "I suppose Abrienna will think whoever from Ista Weyr took it still has it." Supremely unconcerned with the ramifications of said understanding, Nick eyes Lendai in prolonged blandness, and replies, "Runners aren't dragon feed. Herdbeasts are. And this particular runner is worth more than all your possessions put together." Worth even more than the stolen vase in her hands. "Not to mention he went to Southern and back with me, so I wouldn't take kindly to any harm to him." The runner himself looks fairly unconcerned, half-asleep even, his head drooping against Nick's shoudler and his eyes nearly lidded. "You're acting like I banished you. I knew you'd sulk for a while then you'd show back up. It's what /you do/," he explains, the last two words ominous in tone.

"The way I see it, the moment, this thing is back, touching Ista Hold property, it's Ista Hold's problem, not the Weyr's. Neither Ista nor 'Reaches. So, whatever." Her snippiness is brought back, a defense mechanism. "All the same to a dragon, really. Not that he," Again, her eyes sweep over the form of the runner. "well, looks like a winner. Why a runner when not a dragon?" Either way, Lendai does seem intrigued enough to take a step forward and tentatively reach her hand to the runner, only to drop it after a few moments without even touching it. "They eat wherries too." Another random blurted statement. Though her friendly, if stand-offish demeanor gets dropped completely, at his words. "I don't sulk, nor am I so damned predictable. I've been busting butt at my Weyr, doing my /job/. You made it plain and clear you didn't want me around, following me back to my own weyr to ensure I got the damned message. Only in a professional sense. You /said/ that! So here I am, professionally, doing... stuff." It's true, girls really only hear what they want to hear and remember what they want to remember.

Nicholarin doesn't even bother rolling his eyes, seeming to think it not worth the effort. "That's what has always annoyed me about you, Lendai: Your utter lack of a sense of personal responsibility." Yeah. He just did. "If carrying something into the hold is so much trouble to you, then here," he reaches for the vase, grabbing it preemptively and waving a passer-by over with the hand holding Star Rising's reigns, startling the runner slightly out of his nap. "Would you be so kind," he asks of the drudge in a low growl, "To take this to the Lady Holder? You may tell her I /found/ it," he adds, shooting a glare toward Lendai. "There. Now you're free to leave. You're free not to come back. You're /certainly/ free," he emphasizes, sending the man with the vase scurrying well away, "To not see me anymore. Your firelizards can locate me, your lifemate can locate me. Either one of them can tell you where I am at any given time and help you stay /well away/ from me." Got it? And he turns toward the
And he turns toward the stables to lead the runner, presumably, back in the direction the were headed.

Lendai is honestly quite taken back with both Nicholarin's reaction and the jerking-of-the-vase-from-her-hands. Noooo! She didn't even get to say good bye. The drudge gets a fast glance, her eyes going from them back to Nick. His glare and words are noted, causing her frown to turn into a scowl. Leaving her dragon behind, she trots to catch up the the man, as well as his runner. Stopping right in front of the two of them and throwing her arms out. "Don't you just turn your back on me! I'm sick, sick, /sick/ to death of you always having the last freaking word. Even when I /try/ to have the last word, you randomly show up and have it. Is it some sort of mental issue you have, this need of mental superiority? By the great golden egg! You drive me /batty/!" Lendai all but screams, caring not for the people around. "What the shells do you want from me, Nick? What? You want me to stay away, so I do, then I show up and you get /mad/ at me for doing what you said. So here. I'm riiiight here. What do you want? I'll do it, just make some damned sense." As if she should talk.

Nicholarin is himself taken aback at the sudden appearance of the girl and her scarecrow pose. But her words quickly bring a frown back to his face and he stands silently while she rants, the runner at his side eyeing her much more warily than Nick is any longer prone to do. Her shrieking even draws the four-legged creature to put his ears back somewhat and take a couple paces backwards. Nick, however, stands his ground, having already been choked by the girl and therefore aware of the limits to her wrath. He considers her demands in silent reverie for a long moment, and at last he makes to shoulder past her and continue on to the stables, the bay skittering sideways and edging by the flailing human disconcertedly.

Lendai dodges out of the way, just in time before shoulder connects shoulder, but it doesn't stop the abused sounding squeak coming forth from her mouth. "Nick!" Foot is stomped, arms are flailed and mouth is all agape. "You can't just ignore me. I know you can't." She once again picks up her skirts and attempts to follow, throwing herself in front of the two, this time with her hands in her hips. The runner is snarled at, should it give a similar response to her actions. "The least you could do is just answer my stupid questions. After all you've done, I should deserve /that/ much."

Nicholarin does stop at Lendai's words and second obstruction to his path. But he looks more exhausted than agitated as he defends himself, "Lendai, I've done exactly one thing to you: Nothing. That's what's bothering you. I know what you're doing," he adds, "You're trying to get me upset so I'll make a move on you and you can feel good about yourself again. It's not going to happen," he says flatly. "I have a woman I love and who loves me, and she doesn't try to manipulate me with petulant tantrums or change her mind every minute like she's got two bloody personalities. I'm not playing anymore, Lendai," he says, eyes fixed firmly on hers and jaw set. "It's time to grow up."

"Sounds boring." Lendai comments, keeping her fists on her hips and her mothery-like stance. "See, the thing is, I never seem to feel good about myself after we have one of these 'spats'. I wish yelling and freaking out on you would make me feel better about myself. Raise my self esteem a little, make me feel more like a woman and less like a girl. Don't though." Shoulders are shrugged and arms are dropped to hand loosely at her side. "Faranth, I didn't come here to do this. Fight with you over the same shit, over and over. I really didn't. I thought about what you said. A lot about it. Been on my mind quite often, actually. Sort of... driving me crazy." She gives a weak smile, a small chuckle, any kind of pleasant action that will get her an equally pleasant reaction.

Nicholarin's tone is a little, well, pitying. "Lendai, I'm not playing with you anymore. This is exactly what I meant. Two seconds ago you're so mad you're shaking and screaming, and now you're trying to be all light and warmth." He shrugs helplessly, "You wanted the last word. So go ahead and have it." And he waits as an angel for undeserved punishment.
"Screaming, yes, shaking, no. Give me a break, I'm a being ruled entirely by my emotions. And they are quite... volatile lately." Her slight glare that remains fixed on Nick's face has that 'And I totally blame you for that' look about it. "I'm /trying/, in a round about way, to apologize for... going crazy, psycho goldrider on your ass." She grumbles, kicking at the ground. The punishment that should come forth... doesn't. Just a quiet, unsure girl, staring straight forward. "Can I pet your pony?"

Nicholarin is completely somber as he replies, "Only if you promise to never scream at me again." There. "And he's not a pony. He's a runner. And he bites." So nya. Nevermind that said runner eyes Nick almost as blandly as the young man was eyeing the girl just moments ago, not a fang in sight. But Nick sighs and shakes his head, "That's exactly what I'm talking about." There's a lot of Lendai proving Nick's point today. "You say you're ruled by your emotions, well, I'm ruled by my logic. If you can't get over yourself enough to stop freaking out--a feature which I absolutley do not find attractive in any person--I'd rather you stay away from me."

Lendai lets her lower lip jut out, her eyes going wide as she looks at the runner. "So that's a no? You can pet my dragon, to make it fair." Talicanitath, who is overhearing the conversation in the way a dragon can, snorts at that. "What do you mean by 'getting over myself', exactly? Like, stop thinking I'm as dead sexy as I am? Or this amount of self-importance I walk around with upon my finely boned shoulders? I'm bad with meanings." She grins once more, still watching the runner. "Eh, well. Your logic makes me want to beat things, but I'm not asking you to be someone or something you're not. I just... beat things." Lendai shifts in place. "I've gotten quite violent!" She chirps up, almost cheerfully.

Nicholarin stares at Lendai for a long moment, disbelief coloring his expression, and slowly, slowly shakes his head. He executes a slow-motion blink and takes a deep breath, "Lendai, I think you should probably go ahead with whatever you were doing. I have things to get done." Things beside talking to a ten-turn-old stuck in a hormonal teenager's body? Something like that. "Goodbye, Lendai," he adds, and moves to step around her again, this time at a more clipped pace.

"No! No! Wait. Um..." Lendai gets jittery fast, watching him move away. Running after him, twice, didn't seem to work. Throwing herself in front of him didn't work. The goldrider, starts jumping from foot to foot, eyes again going wide, panic flushing through her system. "/I love you/!" She blurts out, her hands instantly coming up to her mouth, slapping herself in the movement, the moment the words are out.

Nicholarin's steps falter, and pause. The runner, by now having started and stopped so many times that /he/ is getting jittery, pulls on the reigns and makes to continue toward the stables, but only for a moment. Then the bay's hooves stop against the cobblestone of the courtyard, and he perks his ears toward teh stable doors as though listening to conversations within. Nick, however, rather than arguing or laughing or even replying, merely executes a little shake of his head and continues on to the stables.

Log!

Tue, 05 May 2009 14:57:21 GMT

Log from yesterday's RP with Lendai and Nicholarin.

Nicholarin is hiding. Unfortunately, hes not doing a very stealthy job of it. The young man shoots frequent, nervous glances toward the healer area as he moves around the other edge of the hall, keeping mostly behind groups, and offering nervous smiles when his name is said, rather as though he would prefer to tell them to hush and not say his name than acknowledge the greetings.

It's been quite a while since Lendai has been through those great doors. The goldrider has the decency to appear a bit uncomfortable, but it doesn't make her stand any less tall or seem any less assure of herself. That's right, she deserves to be here. Yep. That's right. Riding clothes are shed as she takes a few tentative steps around, eyeing the Holders and even crafters bustling around. "Excuse me?" She squeaks out, only to clear her throat and try again. "Erm. Excuse me!" A tall, willowy man turns and looks at the rider expectantly. "I'm looking for Nicholarin? Ist-- eeer. High Reaches Weyr sends its regar--" Lendai's cut off pretty quickly, as the man just points over towards the Lord Holder's son and goes on his way. Not totally caring about the guy's rude demeanor, the goldrider gives a large smile and pretty much shouts Nick's name. Hiiiii!

Ista Hold Courtyard
Built into the side of a hard granite cliff, Ista Hold looms dominantly to the west. Windows pock the smooth surface of the cliff in neat rows until they get closer to the ground, where they begin to frame the great bronze doors leading into the Hold itself. A sea breeze seems constantly in the air here as the ocean and the wharf lay but dragonlengths to the east. Beaches are scattered to the north, recreational areas for the Hold's residents when not working.
It is a winter afternoon.
Gold Talicanitath is here.
You notice Illy and Jovan asleep here.
Obvious exits:
Ista Hold Dock Main Beach Great Doors Guard House Stables

Nicholarin walks down some steps which lead to the great doors and the Hold.
Lendai is led in by Nicholarin.

Main Beach
This long stretch of white sandy beach stands pristine among the beaches around Ista Island. The sand stretches off into the distance on either side of you, disappearing into the horizon. Several large uprooted trees dot the beach where they were most likely felled in a big storm. They look as if they'd make great benches, for people or firelizards alike. To the east, the crystal blue waters of the Hold cove roll up in gentle waves onto the beach, hissing softly as they ebb and flow. To the south, Ista Hold juts out of the cliff. Just west of here, a low bluff leads up to the grassy field that serves as the Hold's main gather grounds.
It is a winter afternoon.
Curled up in the sand are two firelizards.
Obvious exits:
Shallows Steep Trail Gather Meadow Ground Weyr Courtyard Courtyard Ista Sea Hold

Nicholarin walks in from the courtyard.
Lendai is led in by Nicholarin.

Nicholarin does not groan. He looks very much like he would like to groan, but instead he raises a hand in a weak wave and hurries across to grasp Lendai's arm above the elbow and escort her right back out the door. Yes. Lendai is officially banned from Ista Hold. Okay, that's not the real cause. Maybe it's the shouting. Nick doesn't say anything, but just keeps marching her right along until they get to the beach. Once there, and with Nick looking around frequently, as though nervous he's about to be munched by a dragon any second, he says, "Hi Lendai. Haven't seen you in a while." His tone is mono, as though the words are rote greeting. Truthfully, he neither looks excited nor disappointed to see her, just nervous of being jumped out at by something or someone.

Oddly enough, Lendai doesn't say a thing as she gets dragged out of the Hold. Though she does send a few looks behind her, as they get farther away, only to note her dragon follows at a distance. Once they stop, so does the gold. To wallow in the warm sands and get some sun. "Hi Nick." Lendai states, a sweet little smile on her face. "I'm glad you are well." Though the young man does get a few look overs, just to make sure that there are no awful looking burn scars from the Volcano. "I was very sad to hear that you had to leave 'Reaches for the evacuation. Though I understood." Clasping her hands behind her, Lendai feels herself sinking into awkwardness. "I'm sorry it took me a bit to come and see you. The eggs /finally/ hatched a sevenday ago. I got here as fast as I could. I'm due something of a vacation soon." Or she had better be. "Anyway. Here I am!" Now DO ME YOU STUD!

Nicholarin remains distracted up to half-way through the goldrider's explanation. When her words finally reach his consciousness, he blinks and fixes his eyes on her face, looking somewhat perturbed, as though confused by the vein of her conversation. His eyes waver from her right to left and back again in quick succession, like the heads of spectators at a ping-pong match. The slight downward arch of his lips becomes more pronounced at the mention of vacation, and at long last he says, "Well...that's great. Where are you planning to go?" And he turns his head again to look back toward the Hold.

Lendai blinks a few times, her sweet smile slowly being replaced by a look of... confusion and a tad bit of annoyance. "Here. I'm planning on coming here." She says at last. "And staying with you, in your room, for a sevenday or two. Once I get it okay'ed by the Weyrwoman, at least." Is she telling the truth? Probably not. But her tone has slipped to something quite droll. "Maybe I can meet your dad. Have a drink, talk shop. Then you and I can go and have tons and tons of sex. How about it?" Maybe that'll get through the boy's thick skull.

"Oh," Nick's tone holds politely pleasant surprise, but no actual emotion. Not until he says it again. The second, "Oh," is more pointed, flat, and is accompanied by his turning to look at Lendai again. His mouth opens for the young man to reply, and then just sticks open, as though in the act of saying, "eh." His eyes shift slightly, not focused on anything further than his own nose as he considers his words. "I...didn't realize you were planning on that, still," he says at length. "I didn't hear from you after I left, so I presumed you made other plans." His tone, truthfully, is somewhat formal in this last, as well as his annunciation, which becomes much more Lord Holderlike.

"Other plans? Other /plans/?" Lendai shakes her head, "What other plans? I have no other plans. You were the plans!" She doesn't even know what she's saying! Yay for being female and emotional! "I sent you a note a few days after I received yours! I sent it on my stupid firelizard who assured my dragon that it arrived, in stupid little firelizard way!" Unless, of course, all the draconic creatures are conspiring against her. Said dragon does get a dubious glance. "It's only been like a bloody month, at /most/! You /knew/ I was on the sands, waiting for those damned eggs to hatch. Other /plans/ in-freaking-deed." Arms are thrown up, emotions are spewed out, and Lendai goes from sweet and innocent, to pissed off and bitchy in three seconds FLAT. A new world record! "So yes, Nick. I /am/ still planning that. Even now, that is still the plan. What's /your/ plan?"

Recognition dawns on Nick's face, and he says, "Oh! That note...That was...over a month ago." At least. He makes a hesitant reach for her, haltingly, and then more determined as he clamps his hands onto her shoulders if only to keep Lendai from having an all-out seizure. "Lendai! Ssshh...Calm down, calm /down/," he insists, as though calming a child from a night terror. "It's okay. Calm down..." Soothing, gentle, all the nice, pleasant things with sugar and honey drip from his voice, and he rubs her arms gently. "Okay?" he asks at length, his attention fully on her, eyebrows raised as he ducks his head slightly to look at her face. Yes, very much like calming a child. "Lendai, a lot has happened in the last month. For me, at least." At /least/.

Lendai isn't easily soothed, but she allows herself to calm down a little, at least hushing her tone a little. "Right. Right." She takes a breath. In and out. Head is lifted, shoulders pushed back, and once again she's the respectable 'Reachian goldrider. "I'm calm," is snapped out, a frown marring her features. Staring straight into the Holder's eyes, Lendai grits her teeth. "A lot has happened? Like what? What happened that gets me this type of greeting?" The lack of love greeting! "Surely you didn't meet another woman, hotter than /me/," UNPOSSIBLES! "and woo and sex her up, while I've been sitting on the sands, hot and heavy waiting for you?" Fists are clenched and eyes are narrowed. "Or... or is your father stepping down? Are you about to take on the Lord Holdership?" And if so, can she touch him, just to say she has. It's like being a celebrity!

Nicholarin's hands fall away from Lendai's shoulders, but one of them moves up to press his fingers to his lips, nail-side against his skin, as though waiting to gnaw on his nails. But the gesture partly hides the slight upturn of his mouth and the pressing of his lips together to stop them from breaking into a full smile as he just returns the girl's look after her question. That, surely, must be confirmation enough without his speaking a syllable. At least he has the good grace to hold an apologetic look in the irrepressible merriment of his eyes.

"Well?" Lendai snaps out once more, not amused by Nick's slight movements and lack of speech. Even less amused by the lack of his hands on any part of her person. The apologetic look is noted, though not completely understood. "/Well/?" Her voice takes on a breathy, almost desperate sound. Quite unlike her, really. "Which is it? Do you just simply hate me now? Am I no longer good enough for you? Cause I can assure you, my ass is /not/ fat, no matter if you may think it is." Said rear is pointed to, just to emphasize her point. "I'm about as hot as they come. And nice. And /giving/! I'm so freaking giving, I might give you a black, bloody eye." Snarlsnarlsnarl. "Are you already sated? Sleeping with all those other women? I know you have. I was /told/. But I'm not here to judge, oh no, I'm here to see you. But I /should/ judge. I should judge like whoa. But I'm not! Cause you told me /no/! And I'm not even making sense anymore, for Faranth's sake /stop me already/!"

Nicholarin's face turns more pink by shades, until the comment about her ass is out, and he can no longer contain the sharp, loud laugh that erupts. He just keeps laughing, too, as she works herself up again, shaking his head and taking a couple staggered steps backwards, trying to catch his breath. By the time she comes to the end of this true tirade, Nick's laughter has subsided to chuckles, and he shakes his head almost sadly, expression purely apologetic, excepting the grin that still fights for dominance over his face. "Lendai...it's not like that. I slept with two girls...once each. And...and someone else." Now doesn't that just sound like he's turned gay? But Nick takes a deep breath, keeping those two or three paces between them as he says, his lips still in a crooked grin, "Lendai, I've met someone. I've never been so happy. I mean...really, /genuinely/ happy. Not always worried and stressed like I was--" with the tease-girl? "--Before." Statement made, he studies her face, his body slightly tensed, as though ready to duck out of the way of a punch or dive away from a kick to the crotch.

The laughing? Yeah, not helping so much to subside the rage that is building in Lendai. It's noted as she goes through her tirade, noted that he's still chuckling at the end, and that happy little smile on his face? That's noted too, and only fuels the fire. "Oh." Is all she says to begin with. Talicanitath's head is lifted, perhaps the first sign of what's to come, and one perfectly proportioned, swirling eye is angled towards the young adults. Lendai turns on her heel and starts to walk away from Nicholarin, towards the dragon. But then she stops, a good few feet away, and turns once more. With something akin to a Xena-war cry, the goldrider sprints and LUNGES at the Lord Holder's son, hoping to take him down and start throttling ... or possibly go flying past him and land with a face full of sand. Either or!

There's no denying Nick is surprised at the initial lack of response. His eyebrows go right up and his mouth goes right down in one of those, 'well, that wasn't so bad' expressions. Then comes the turn. The roar. The lunge. In a three second move slowed down to take up a full twelve seconds of slow-motion film, Nick turns, pivoting on his right foot, the same shoulder coming up as he flails backwards with his left hand, working to get his left foot as completely out of the way as his torso. The young man's eyes go wide as he twists, a gasp of air sucked into his lungs--not unlike at a drowning man's final slip below water's surface--and his right hand flails out to catch him as his foot catches on the sand and he goes sprawling to the side of the path of the oncoming destruction.

One way or another, Lendai's lunge-of-doom worked. She still ended up with a mouth full of sand, and one eye glued shut because of the sand now in it. Plus, sand-burns on her face, but all in all, she's pretty pleased. More so as she attempts to get back to her feet, after flinging herself a bit away from Nick, and re-lunges at him, in an attempt to get on top and get her hands around his throat. Yes, this may /technically/ be considered attacking one of the Blood. But really, Lendai's far too gone to care. Talicanitath is up on her feet, throat warbling a similar warcry that came forth from her 'rider, and really just making more attention towards herself than the two need. "You." Grab and shake. "Ass." Grab and SHAKE. "HOLE!" GRAB AND SHAKE.

Stop and Stare. Nick thinks he's moving but he goes nowhere. That is, he starts to try and crawl backwards, but Lendai's hands are around his neck by then. He seems torn between laughter and desperation as he croaks out, "Len--dack--!" He flops back on the sand to grasp the girl's wrists and pry her hands away from his neck, gasping somewhat when he can breathe again, but still working to fight her off, probably with the result of a man looking like he's trying to fight off a brain-sucking zombie, if she keeps her elbows locked. "Lendai, stoppit! Can't--help--it! My god--Lendai--" Then he turns his appeals elsewhere, "Talicanitath, get her off me!"

Lendai isn't quite ready to stop yet. The goldrider taking out all of her life-long frustrations that do with or have had to do with Nicholarin in this one moment. Though she does lay off the neck squeezing for a bit, allowing the Lord Holder-to-be the ability to breath while she instead places her hands on his shoulders and starts to shake the crap out of him. Maybe even smacking his head into the sand a time or two? Perhaps. "I can't believe you!" She screeches out, not caring about the tone of her voice or anyone possibly watching as she attacks. "I'm gone for a month and you /move on/! You tell me no, and you /move on/! You sleep with two other woman and /someone else/ and you /MOVE ON/!" SHAKESHAKESHAKE. Finally, Lendai is spent, the goldrider still trying to shake, but the energy just isn't in it. Talicanitath? Well. She stopped making all the fuss, realizing her rider was just fine and is quite amused watching as her own mauls the Holder. The shouting is acknowledged with a loud enough rumble, though, for the two to hear her. If only she had a dragon-sized thing of popcorn...

Nicholarin's head does get a knock or two against the ground, and he's quite lucky the ground is just soft sand. He pulls Lendai's hands away from his shoulders once or twice, but the slippery little thing gets the better of him in the end, and he just lays there and lets her have her way with him, so to speak. When she's finally still, though presumably still straddling him, he heaves a sigh and squeezes his eyes shut. "Ow." Yeah. All that screaming, name-calling, and general freaking out, and Nick's reply is 'ow.' "I think you gave me whiplash." Whiplash, bruises to the neck and skull...there's definitely a basis for an assault lawsuit here. Assault against the Lord Holder's son, no less! The /heir of Ista Hold/ even!

"Good!" Lendai states, the heat still evident in her tone. "You deserve it. You deserve it and a lot more. Trust me." She gives a small sniffle, as something akin to sadness now comes on. "I hope I gave you some wicked bruises as well. That stay forever. So when your new girl looks upon them, she'll say 'Nick? Where did you get those bruises?' and you'll say "A rider attacked me cause I'm a stupid, idiotic JERKWAD!'" Unstraddling the lad, Lendai flops to the side, arms crossed at her chest and continuing to glare at Nicholarin. "Now what?" She asks, frown still there!

Nicholarin heaves a sigh, as though grateful to be able to breathe without the pressure of her weight on him, and sits up slowly, using one hand to prop his torso up, the other feeling gingerly at his neck. "Really, Lendai, what did you expect?" he asks at length, chagrin seeping into his voice. "You said yourself there couldn't be anything permanent between us. I didn't plan the timing, but I did hope you'd be happy for me." Hope in the vague way he hoped everyone he wasn't thinking about at all would be happy when he saw them and again remembered they existed.

Lendai starts to re-gain her composure, wiping the sand from her now reddened face, wincing in pain at the few spots where said sand went deeper into her skin. Hair is fixed as best as she can, sand again shaken free. "I want permanent, but open." Lendai states simply, now more focused on making herself pretty than anything else. It helps to focus her. "We can't be handfasted or weyrmated, no, but we can be friends. With benefits." Eyes look up now, staring Nick right in the face. "Lovers, yes, committed, perhaps not. But it'd still work." With a look of determination, the goldrider stops fussing with herself and gets to her knees. "I swear, Nicholarin, you are such a... such a...." A variety of words come to mind, but she with holds them. "I'm not done with you." Is all she says, leaving that ominous statement out there.

Nicholarin turns his head slightly to watch Lendai's face as she speaks, perhaps to prognosticate whether she means to make another attempt on his life or not. However, her attitude seems deceptively more calm, and he shrugs his shoulders lightly. "I told you, I didn't plan this. I've never been happy before. Not like this. It's been a struggle--always some huge struggle. When Erarei was here I was fighting to make her stay and when she was gone I was fighting to get her back. With you...Lendai, you are aware that a couple days here and there isn't what I want, aren't you? You at least understand that I /want/ someone with me most of the time, don't you?" In other words, he's not a normal guy. We knew this.

"Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah." Lendai makes that hand motion with her hand, you know the one, the 'talking way too much' motion. "You are the girliest guy I know. I go off the handle cause I'm a woman and it's in my make up to do so, what's your excuse?" That's right, now she's just getting insulting! "Fine, whatever, be with your new woman. But be with me too. I told you before and I'll tell you again." She does this crawling-thing across the sands, to get all up in Nick's face. "I want to be your mistress. That hasn't changed." She looks intently at him, wetting her lips and arching an eyebrow. "I'll show up, we can have some fun, enjoy each other's company, then go on our way. Heck, you'd have an ally then, in High Reaches. It'd be beneficial in so many ways." The last words are practically purred out.

Nicholarin's jaw drops slightly at her reply, and his eyes narrow as she continues. Her crawling doesn't disturb him until she licks her lips, and then he starts leaning backwards, away from the girl. "What, next you're going to say you want to have sex with me because you're a goldrider and you can't help wanting to screw anything with a penis?" Family MOO? Where? "What is it, my title that attracts you? Or is it just /natural/ for a guy to want to have sex with as many people as possible, and this makes me a freak because I actually want to have something /meaningful/ with a woman, instead of just throwing my 'seed' to the wind and seeing what sprouts?" His tone starts to take on an acid edge, and he shakes his head, "I suppose next I should be thanking you for offering friendship to a poor Lord Holder's son that doesn't have any options but what he's handed? Or is it that you have me so figured out that you know I'm exactly like any other Holder's son out there?" His jaw, finally set into a rigid line as evidence of his gritting teeth, doesn't move as he adds, "Is that what you've been after all this time? Just the ability to say you've fucked a Lord Holder's son? Fine." And he promptly starts undoing his belt in violent, jerky movements.

Lendai rolls her eyes, "And you tell me that /I'm/ overdramatic." Cause. She is. The goldrider puts a hand up, to hopefully stop those violent, jerky movements with his belt. "You know full well I liked you before I knew you were Lord Holder just as much as I did after. Don't get all pouty on me, here. I'm the one whose been wronged." In her eyes at least. "I'm your friend cause I like you. You're good to talk to, respectable, and see me more as /just/ a dragonrider. So knock it off." Hands are dropped. "You Holder types and your need for monogamy. I swear, your type of thinking is starting to infect the Weyrs and it's making me sick to my stomach." Lendai gets to her feet, holding her hand out to help up the heir-apparent, if he so chooses. "I assure you, if all I wanted was a great lay with a Lord Holder to be, I'd get it. Easily. I hear there is one, Taram, I think his name is? From Nabol or Fort or Telgar? I hear he's fair of face and just as easy. At any rate, that's not what I want." Heck if she even knows what she wants, really! "/You/ attract me, Nick. You. Just... you." Something breaks in her tone and her lower lip starts to quiver. "There really is never going to be a you and me, is there?"

Nicholarin's hands do pause in their task of removing his belt--maybe he was going to whip her--but he is already shaking his head by the time she's to her feet, and joins her there, hands occupied to unable to use hers as leverage. "No," he retorts belligerently. "You wanted to have sex, so we're going to have sex, right here. On the beach. Take off your clothes." But even a pissed off Nick can't keep from snorting lightly at those words, and his scowl dissipates into a resentful grin. With that grin comes the motion to rebuckle his belt, and a sigh heavy enough to drag the corners of his mouth back down. His brows draw together and he asks, "Isn't Taram the stablemaster at Ista?" Weyr, that is. Swimming pools, movie stars. "If you want to be friends," Nick returns to the topic at hand, "Then we can be friends. If you just want to screw me, I can pretty well promise you'd get the chance to do it once, Lendai. Because at some point," he admits with a resigned sigh, "I'll probably be in the mood to have absolutely meaningless sex. And when that time comes, you'll probably be around somewhere, and we'll probably have mind-blowing, violent, passionate sex, and then," he pauses raising his brows at her to emphasize the weight of his next few words, "I'll never want to see you again. Understand? Never. As in, you might as well have dropped /between/." He purses his lips together and asks, "That's what you want? 'Cause if it is, I can take you up to my shitty room and we can have sex on my shitty cot and tomorrow it can all just be a bad memory." And he waits, because there is a question in there.

"He's like the second or third son of one of those Lord Holders. I met him a time or two around Ista Weyr, really just in passing. I thought he was scheduled to marry one of your sisters?" Her information may or may not be incorrect. Shoulders and shrugged, eyes are cleared, and her quivering lip is forced to stop, for appearance-sake. "So, are you telling me that even though you /promised/ me that we'd, and I quote, make love, that it was a lie? Not just meaningless sex, but something... meaningful. That's all gone now? Cause some random chick you just met like a month ago saunters in and changes everything?" Lendai arches both her eyebrows, her face appearing very dubious. "I want to be your friend and /be more/!" Awww. Sad. It seems Lendai is once again going to leave without getting any. Alas!

Nicholarin reaches a hand out tentatively for Lendai's shoulder, probably tentative out of concern that it might be grabbed and HACKED OFF WITH A KNIFE. But if the hand is accepted as the comforting gesture it is meant to be, Nick carefully pulls Lendai into a hug. "I'm sorry about that. Not that I said it," he's quick to clarify, "But that I'm going to break it." He frowns slightly and leans back to look in the girl's face. "You know, the reason I didn't take you up when you offered is because I actually wanted it to mean something--not just be running up to your mother's weyr," he grimaces, still chagrinned at the thought, "And humping like a couple of proddy greens." Not that two greens could hump, but that's beside the point. "I /had/ planned," he emphasizes, seeming somehow puzzled as he speaks, "To put together a really nice place for us to spend some time. Somewhere really...really /nice/." How does a boy explain romantic without using that word? Nice. "I want you to meet her," he exclaims, expression suddenly animated again with hidden exclitement. "I think you'll like her. You're probably my closest girl-friend, so I want you to know her."

Lendai does allow the hug, for a few moments. Until he says he's going to be breaking his promise, in which the man gets shoved at in a rather violent move. "So you lied to me then! That's /fantastic/!" Lendai struggles to get away completely, again wrapping her arms around herself, in an effort to bring herself some comfort. Talicanitath starts to meander over, sensing the upset that is once again brewing. "I love the fact that I've been sitting around, like a sharin' moron, listening about your exploits with other women, but not letting it get to me. Excited for when I got to see you again. Just to have you stomp all over my hea--" Lendai snaps her mouth closed on the word... and her tongue. "/Shard it all/! You've made my life absolute /hell/! All you. Always you! And I want to hate you for it. I want to hate you so much, I just... /hate/!" Rage makes it hard to make sentences sound complete. "I don't /want/ to meet your stupid girlfriend. And it's freaking /sick/ that you want me too. I... I... I..." She's just completely defeated. "I'm done. I need to go. I need to be away." Her soft sniffles can barely be made out, as her head drops. "I have things. To do. At home." Turning on her heel, she motions to her dragon, who finally makes it to Lendai's side. All the while GLARING at the Holder. Big dragon GLAAAAAARE.

Nicholarin has been glared at by dragons before, even this one, so it doesn't stop him reaching to grasp Lendai's wrist and hold onto it tightly however hard she may kick at his shins and defame him to his face. "Lendai, look, I understand. I'm sorry. It's not like I /asked/ people to tell you I had sex with Erarei. I did it out of spite--because I was angry with her and I wanted to get back at her at least some amount. You can't tell me you wouldn't have done the same thing if you'd had an engagement broken off like that--" His tone is somewhat entreating, but his final message comes out clearer, "Just--don't go hurt yourself or anything." And with that he releases her wrist.

"It's just alwaaaaays about you, isn't it?" There are still tears, though unshed, but the venom is there as well. "You sleeping with this person, you being angry, you being happy. You, you, you, you. Any wonder Erarei ran for the damn hills, if it's always about you!" The words are meant to be hurtful, but she's hurting. So it seems fitting! hand is jerked over and over, in vain attempt at freedom. When he does release it, she stumbles back, onto Talicanitath. Reaching up, she grabs at the straps and starts to lift herself. All her riding clothes? Completely forgetting, somewhere on the sands around them. "What the hell do you care what I do to myself?" And she's up, grabbing a fistful of riding straps. "This isn't over." Is the last thing she gets out, before giving that important mental command that has the gold throwing her wings out, with little disregard as to where Nick might be, and taking off. Again! No disregard! Fwoosh!

Oh noes! Nick follows Lendai back to her ledge! All the way to High Reaches!

Nicholarin is there. On Lendai's ledge. Because he got directions. He comes in calling, "Hello?" Lendai has probably had about twenty minutes to compose herself--or to break every item in her weyr that she is strong enough to lift and throw. "Lendai?" The questioning is undoubtedly because he's not sure if this /is/ the right weyr or not.

Lendai actually took to drinking the moment her feet landed on her ledge. Also, she's covered in a thick blanket, as it's ass cold in between and ass cold in High Reaches. There is no need for wine glasses in this weyr, instead the rider is just drinking straight from the bottle. Truly lady like! A hissing noise is heard from the side, the dragon also residing in the weyr obviously displeased with the intrusion of their sanctuary. "What do you want?" Says the blanket'ed bundle from a nearby chair, near a small hearth. "And how the hell did you get here so fast?"

"Called in a favor," Nick replies, stepping further into the room after confirming that he is in fact where he means to be. He pauses near the doorway, though, looking toward Talicanitath and, out of respect, saying, "I just came to make sure you didn't disappear /between/ or something like that. And," he adds somberly, "To have sex with you."

"Oh please. I'm not so messed up I'd kill both myself and Talicanitath. I've got her to think of, as well as myself." Lendai comments, pulling the blanket down from her head so she can better see. "And any dragonrider worth their salt can Between home, even when upset." Or drunk! She knows, she's done it. Nicholarin is stared at, after his final words, and then given a sharp, nasty sounding bark of laughter. "No thanks. I'm not interested." She makes a motion at the entrance. "You may remove yourself from my personal quarters now." This emotionless thing is pretty easy! Or it's just the booze. At any rate, Lendai takes another swig of her wine, still staring at the Holder.

"Yes, yes it -is- nice to have something to live for." Lendai states, tipping her wine bottle towards her dragon, who just watches, intently. "Well. Normally, I'd go and find someone to spill my guts too, but Iasri is busy with wing crap and Rhaeyn has more important things to do than listen to me whine and then ask me to explain why I attacked someone of blood! I could also go, find the first person who looks at me wrong and beat their face in. But I'm still getting to people here. Don't want to make a bad impression." Another drink, this one followed with a pissy-looking grin. "So yep! Looks like this is it. If it makes you feel better, this is probably the worst tasting shit I've had in a while." And so, she takes another good-sized drink.

Nicholarin eyes Talicanitath, and starts a slow step toward Lendai. If the dragon can read his thoughts--which she probably can because they're quite loud--she will hear him practically shouting in his head, 'I'm not going to hurt her,' over and over. He continues toward the rider as long as he's not chomped in half of flicked out of the weyr by the dragon, probably consoling himself the whole way that she wouldn't hurt him because he's the Istan heir. Honor among theives and all that. But if he does manage to make it all the way over to Lendai, he reaches out to carefully, and firmly, grasp the bottle and start pulling it away from the girl. "Let me have that. Seriously, let's just...talk..."

If Nicholarin was anyone other than the Istan heir, his ass would've been thrown from the ledge so fast, he wouldn't even have the chance to shout for help. So Talicanitath allows him to stay, for now, but the dragon stays on alert, as long as her 'rider is this tensed. "No!" Lendai says, childishly. Keeping her grasp firmly on the bottle and pulling it back. "It's /mine/." Reverting back to her teenage years, apparently. "You can talk, I want to drink. It soothes my rage and makes me feel better. Or at least helps me pass the frick out." So she keeps on pulling. "Plus, what more do we have to say to each other? Go live your happy freaking life."

Nicholarin raises his brows at Lendai's petulance, and momentarily rolls his eyes. "Right, going to be difficult--" he says, the 'if' portion to an 'if then' statement, and promptly sits on her. Yes. Sits. On her. And kisses her. Lips to lips. Long, firm kiss, hand holding the back of her hair. Kiss. Muwah. And then he sits back a little and demands, "Now will you listen to me?"

"You just stay the hell aw--" Lendai does not go into this kissing thing sitting! Okay, well, she does. As she's stuck, being sat on, but it doesn't stop her from thrashing around... or at least attempting to thrash around. The blanket around her form makes moving a tad bit harder to move. "No!" She states again, still pouty and acting the child. "Fine. Whatever. Just get your fat ass off of me." Grumble.

The young man stands up and, in an entirely passable impersonation of Lendai, Nick retorts, "My ass is /not/ fat." And he even points at it. Just like she did. So there. "Listen to me," he says, back to being serious and kneeling on the floor in front of Lendai's legs, his hands on her knees, "Whatever your issue is--you need to figure it out. Because," and he raises his chin a little, "I think you're in love with me."

Lendai can't quite help the crack of a smile that forms at Nick's movements. The goldrider looking down a moment, to get back the angry. Her bottle of wine is dropped completely, allowed to spill where ever it pleases, as she reaches for another. "I have no issue. You're the one laden with issues. Tons of them. I'm issue free." Lendai burbles, attempting to free the wine within the bottle by jerking on the cork. A few choice swears are said as she yanks, but those yanks are stopped as the L-word is said. Another bark of laughter is emitted, "I'm not. Dragonriders don't love. Get over yourself. I told you, I lust you. I even like you. I don't love."

If Nick was amused, he's not anymore. Any semblance of a smile fades off his face and he shakes his head slightly, lowly but firmly replying, "You're a liar." BLAM! "You're the only person alive who pretends to believe that." WHAM! "You're absolutely lying to me." SMACK! "And I hope for your sake," he adds, pushing to his feet, "That you're not lying to yourself too." ZOIK! "You're not really that stupid, are you?" he asks lowly, continuing to eye the girl.

The blanket is thrown off and Lendai is to her feet. "I don't think you quite realize who I am. Let me inform you." Standing up straight, back nice and tall, shoulders pushed back and head held high, she informs. "I am Lendai, rider of /gold/ Talicanitath. I am a junior weyrwoman of High Reaches Weyr, second /only/ to the Weyrwoman herself, mainly because our Weyrleader is worthless and hasn't shown his face in months. No one, and I mean no one, talks to me that way." That's right, she's trying to rank-pulling thing. "I don't lie. I'm not stupid. I don't love you. There isn't room for love in my life, outside my dragon. I /like/ you. But even /that/ is feeling pretty damned stretched at the moment." Is all but snarled out. "

Nicholarin will let Lendai belly right up to him if she so desires, though his demeanor remains relaxed and unruffled. Her words solicit only a bland blink from him, and he is quiet for their duration. Tempted as he may be to give the girl a slap, or a good, firm spanking, he does not. "I talk to you that way," he says plainly, voice calm. "I talk to you that way because I wouldn't be your friend if I didn't. And because I genuinely believe you're too intelligent for all this bravado to be true." He takes a breath, letting it out slowly, "You really believe that riders can't love anyone except their dragons? Then I'm glad I didn't sleep with you. And making love," he adds emphatically, "Is impossible for you to do. All you're capable of, then, is sex."

It's that plainly, calm voice that sometimes forces Lendai to violence. "Pffft. We're totally able to make love but not be in love. They are two totally different things. You don't understand because you aren't a dragonrider. Have you /seen/ the majority of us? You should spend a day, sitting at the Weyr, watching. Nine out of ten dragonriders aren't in love with their weyrmates. They can't be. It's impossible. But you can be assured they make love with the best of them." Alas, so many would disagree with her, but she stays firm on her stance. "You didn't want to sleep with me because you're /scared/ of me. Scared of what /you/ feel for /me/! Or what you could feel for me!" Yeah! So take that

Nicholarin's voice remains calm as he very simply says, "I feel I could sleep with you right now. But I also feel that you would be furious when I left. Lendai, you're acting exactly like Erarei." Maybe that's why Nick is remaining so calm. "You want to be my friend, but only if I'll sleep with you. Okay." He reaches up and starts unbuttoning his shirt. "I'll sleep with you. If only to help you figure out that it's not what you're pretending it is. I'll sleep with you."

"No, I've met Erarei. She's just strange. I, however, make perfect sense." Lendai comments, trying hard not to take offense, where offense was meant. "Nick." She lets out a sigh and grabs up her blanket, wrapping it around her shoulders. "I don't want to just /sleep/ with you. I'll still be your stupid friend even if we're not freaking sleeping together. It just hurts." She says, simply, shrugging those shoulders and hoping that Nick will just leave that at that.

Nicholarin is quiet a moment, before reaching down to take her jaw and tilt her face up toward him. "That's exactly what I'm saying," he says softly, looking into her eyes. "I know you don't want to /just sleep/ with me." He studies her face a moment, before leaning down to press a kiss softly to her cheek. His eyes meet hers again as he says, "That's why I think you should stay away from me. Find some nice bronzerider to have lots and lots of sex with, and stay well away from me. You'll understand when you find the person who makes you comfortable, not anxious." Because Nick makes her anxious.

"Bronzeriders," Lendai hugs herself, eyes again on the floor as she speaks. "are so overrated. You have no idea." It seems its just a day of unshed tears for poor Lendai. "I don't want to stay away. You're... not like every other guy out there. You're different. You're... special." And so she hugs herself tighter, looking back up and trying not to let out the sob welling up inside. "You make me happy. And make me think different things and... and... you make me realize the importance of my station. If we don't see each other, I'll just go back to being that obnoxious girl." And hell, /no one/ wants that! "You do make me comfortable." Though this is said with a bit of hesitation.

Nicholarin curls his arms around Lendai as she hugs herself, the embrace warm but gentle. Her words draw a soft chuckle from the back of his throat, particularly when she calls him special. He tilts his head a little to rest his cheek on her hair, shaking it slightly, "I'm just a guy, Lendai. There are a hundred guys out there just like me. A thousand guys that have my manner of speech or turn of thought. Ten thousand guys that will remind you of me. Just...find one that's not duty-bound to a hold, the way you are to your lifemate."

Lendai rolls her eyes, allowing herself to be hugged, but only for a few, mere moments. "Nick, I... really just want to be alone. I've been through enough in one day, alright? We've both said and done a lot and I've got absolutely nothing left in me. I want to drown myself in alcohol, pass out in my bed, then wake up tomorrow and start the same old, same old all over again. Alright? So just... go. Please. You've done and said enough." It's hard for her to get these words out, but there they are. "Go to any dragonrider, tell them the junior weyrwoman orders them to take you back to your hold. They can bespeak Tali to get confirmation." She moves away from him, giving him her back. "Just go. I'm sure I'll... see you again. Maybe." And so Lendai lapses into quiet.

Nicholarin makes a face, "Lendai, this may come as a shock to you, but I don't need your help to get back to the hold." He says the words softly, matter-of-factly. But he nods, stepping back and looking at her a moment before shaking his head lightly. "I don't think you will. Except maybe in an official capacity." Because they have to attend parties. It's required. He gives her a terse nod, offers one to Talicanitath, too, and heads out off the ledge.

Words slow to form, groggily written and smudges galore.

Depressed. Hungover. Depressed. Wait. Said that already.

Thought for sure he'd send a note, maybe flowers, anything to say he didn't mean it, I can come visit whenever. We can still make it all work.

Nope.

Men are dicks. I'm going to get drunk. Again.

No "L" again, no nothing. Oh! Wait! There is a little wine glass doodle. That has to count for something?

Le sigh

Tue, 05 May 2009 00:25:55 GMT

Words. They are there. In some sort of capacity. And they are full of EMO!

Mmm. Wine is bitter. Veeeery bitter.

At least this crap is. I'm pretty sure Rhaeyn is hiding the good stuff all to herself... I should sneak into her weyr and check... Hmm.

Attacked the Lord Holder of Ista's son today. Was a good time. Really. I mean it.

Nick has written me out of his life. Says I love him, I told him he's stupid and wrong and /he/ loves me. Then went on to say we need to stay away from each other. I said something like "See you later." He said "Probably not ever again."

My heart is bleeding, I'm pretty sure. That's the only way it could possibly hurt this much. Maybe I feel on my chest weird when I dive bombed Nick to the ground.

Haha! That was awesome.

I hate my life. I hate this Weyr. I hate being a 'rider. I hate everything and everyone.

Most of all. I hate Nicholarin. I hate him, with every single bit of my being. I hope his penis shrivels and fall off, his seed dries up, and his balls get mauled by a half-starved canine the size of a herdbeast.

The more I say it, the more it will become true!

Again, I restate...

Fuck my life.

This emo filled journal entry is brought to you by the letter "L" and one giant, anger-filled gold dragon, ready to flame some Holder bitch ass!

FML

Mon, 04 May 2009 22:14:54 GMT

Words are written, quick and to the point, nothing fancy and special here.

Fuck my life.

...yep. That's all.

Some ball bustin' about to go down, up in here!

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 20:13:57 GMT

Aaaaaand back to the erratic, obviously pissed off writing. Letters are jerky and quick, leaving tails on some words and others all mushed together.

Not only did he say no to me...

HE'S BEEN SLEEPING WITH OTHER WOMEN.

Other women, but not me.

Do you have any idea how that /burns/? It /is/ my ass. I just know it. I can't help it! My body isn't used to cold weather, it's storing fat!

Met with Tilla, she brought me food on the sands. Informed me she's spent the night with Nick /and/ she saw Erarei and Nick head towards the ground weyrs together.

Are you fucking serious? I get rejected, told we have to wait, and then he goes off with two other women?

There is so, so, SO much wrong with this picture, it is not even funny.

I have no claim on Nick, I know that, he knows that. He can have sex with whoever he wants, whenever he wants. I know I can't tell him otherwise, I have no right. But, by the great golden egg, he can't get me all worked up and then do it with someone else! Someone who /disengaged him/!

AND THEN TELLING ME NO.

I think I should just shack up with Rhaeyn, we can mess around with each other, get our rocks off, but continue our professional relationship.

Sounds better than dealing with all this other crap.

The next man I run into, I'm seducing the hell out of.

The "L" is a bit smaller than normal, hastily written, as if the writer had other things to attend to.

He said /NO/!

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 17:00:34 GMT

Words are written in haste, quick motions that make scratchy appearing letters. In a rush, or annoyed?

He shook his head. Shook it and said no.

What the hell does a girl have to do to get some? I mean, really!

Oh, I understood at the time. I guess going up to my mom's weyr and doing it in there would've been... awkward. But its not like I've got many other choices, here! I don't have a weyr here yet! I'm still waiting on word from the Istan Weyrleaders. And something tells me Rhaeyn wouldn't appreciate me shedding my clothes in public and making a fool of myself.

/GAH/!

He said no.

What the hell has Pern come to that a woman offers a fling a gets told no?

Oh gawd, I bet he noticed how large my ass is getting. He must not like big butts.

This sucks.

And that is that. Her usual "L" is placed in its normal spot, with a cheeky little :P face under it.

Young hearts, wise minds

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 23:18:21 GMT

The words are all over the place, whimsical and free, following a freedom and randomness all their own. Little hearts are here and there. Just designs all over the place.

I'm staying at High Reaches. Forever!

And I've found ~~love~~ lust.

Yes. Lust. That other word is wrong and far, far too sticky. Plus, my duty is to my Weyr, while his is to his Hold. It's quite a story, really. I wonder if I should ask a Harper to make a story. There is that nice new Weyrharper, perhaps I can explain the situation to her. She can make a cute little ditty that'll make me laugh.

Ah, journal. He is /disengaged/! Free from the claws of that trader-lass! Erarei is her name. And I believe I have met her before, the day of Talicanitath's clutching. She was with Eric, the guard. Talking with him. She was /right there/! I could've beat her face in like I've wanted to for so long.

At any rate, he's more mine now than he's hers. And while I realize that he has to take a wife and have babies and all that stupid jazz, that doesn't mean I can't be his mistress!

I might need to hide my face behind some nice scarfs when at the Hold. But, eh! Relations are good and no one will know what I did anyway.

O'bama has been trying to sneak onto the sands more lately. Talicanitath requires me to be out there with her much of the time. I think I've lost about five pounds from the heat. And while I'm looking fantastic, I almost passed out at least a half dozen times.

I'm going to take a loooong vacation after this clutch is off the sands. Going to steal Nick and have the two of us go to some random Island in the middle of the ocean. Oh! Like that one we brought the Istan candidates too! Where... was that though. No matter, I'll figure it out!

I'm so bloody happy!

Now if I could just get him in bed... I bet he's fantastic in the sack!

And that is that, the writing stops, as per usual, and a little extra <3 is placed at the end, next to the large, loopy L.

Hmmm...

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 22:41:32 GMT

The letters are scratched fast, with jerky motions.

V'arik is hot. He's got this whole adorable innocent air about it.

I wanna pop his man cherry.

Oh yeah.

A large L is all that comes after the words.

Those 'Reachian days...

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 16:22:21 GMT

The words are lazily written, sloppy to a point, but still legible. They seem to simply flow with out much worry or care.

This vacation was exactly what both myself and Talicanitath needed. She's already looking like her old self, her hide gleaming with health and beauty. She's starting to have that fat-look to her belly though. No doubt those eggs are forming.

Ah yes, she finally rose. And, of course, some moronic little bronzeriding weyrling won. It's something both Tali and I do not discuss. I see it as something of an embarrassment. Seriously. Going from a rider like R'yn to some good for nothing weyrling. And then the little prick went and declared himself Weyrleader and myself Weyrwoman! I was sure Rhaeyn was going to kill me when she heard, but actually... she was quite nice. Took it out on O'bama though, heard she kicked his ass. Ha! He deserved it. If that prick thinks he'll get to sand-sit with Talicanitath and myself, he's got another thing coming.

I find myself... quite enjoying the atmosphere here at 'Reaches. I miss it. I enjoyed growing up here. It's not Ista, no. But it doesn't need to be. It's High Reaches. I know, eventually, I'll have to go back to Ista. But a piece of me... just doesn't want too.

Even Tali seems to be adapting. Though she has confided in me her extreme dislike of the Weyrwoman's dragon. They actually have a bit in common, from what I've noticed. Tali just seems a bit more... refined in her leadership, while Rhaeyn's dragon is more pushy and aggressive. But both are quite egotistical.

I hear that Lanti pretty much has everything fixed between Ista Hold and Ista Weyr. I'm... well. Extremely impressed. And she fixed it all without ever telling people what myself and numerous others have done. Now /she/ is Weyrwoman material. Minka should sit back and learn a thing or two... I should also take my own advice.

I agreed to help out a bit at High Reaches Weyr with whatever Rhaeyn needs. I should probably actually start doing stuff. People are starting to notice my lack of involvement. It's just /so nice/ to relax, sleep in, not worry!

But soon I'll be stuck on the damn sands. Faranth! I'm not looking forward to that. There better be a shit ton of eggs, or I'm going after O'bama myself. He better not have infected my dragon with his awfulness!

Ah well. That's all for now. Perhaps I'll go do some archiving. Maybe snoop around the stores. I'm dying to make a cold-weather gown! With a fur lining! I need to talk to a weaver...

It's funny...

I find myself not ever wanting to go back.

A large, loopy L is placed at the bottom of the page, with a few doodles and drawings around it.

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 15:28:22 GMT

The words are sketchily placed upon the hide, many jagged edges to each letter and no fun and loopy loops. Perhaps the writer is worried?

I told her. I /told her/! How the hell did that happen?

At least I made it clear that she will get no names from me. I'll take those with me into Between. Talicanitath doesn't think we can trust her or Dedanseth. She's positive the two have already been to the Weyrleader and Weyrwoman.

But... then wouldn't they have approached me? That's the only thing that makes me stay where I am. And, of course, my pride. I can't just up and leave my Weyr. That will only solidify their ideas of me. They think I'm immature and didn't think through my actions. I did. I know exactly what I did. I thought about it long and hard.

I'd do it again. In a moment.

However... I should send some flowers or something to Lzi. Maybe go and visit. Lzi would keep quiet if she knew it was me, right? Hmm. I don't know.

I'm not quite sure what to do now. Lanti said I can help, but she never said what I can help with.

Shards. I need to get a hold of Pippa. Let her know Lanti knows but that I didn't drop her name. I'm not sure if Pippa will tell or not that she helped raid. That's her choice. I almost hope she doesn't, but that woman is just as shardin' stubborn as the rest of us.

Ista needs less hardheaded women in its midsts.

Well. Let's hope this isn't my last entry. Worse comes to worse, I hightail it to Ista and hide out with my mother. Or maybe Rhaeyn would hide me. I should go and see her. Maybe get some perspective on my options. How sad is it I need advice from a woman who hasn't even been a dragonrider for a full turn? She just... seems to have it all figured out. Tali is five now, and I still don't feel like I have a clue.

Ah well. Whatever happens, happens.

It'll be my karma.

( Linked from Lanti's LJ! )

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 16:59:23 GMT

Writing is sloppy, oh so sloppy. As if the person just woke up or is about to go to bed. Oooor has a raging hangover.

Never. Drinking. Again.

Woke up naked at High Reaches Weyr.

Pretty sure I slept with Rhaeyn and that one greenrider. Um... don't recall his name. Hunkyboy.

Faranth, my brain is trying to escape my head. The pounding! I want to just go back to bed, but Talicanitath is scolding my unladylike behavior. Bah! What does she know.

'Reachians know how to party.

Memo to self. Visit more often.

Writing stops. No fancy L this time. Just a simple X and that is all.

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 17:31:15 GMT

The words scrawled onto the page are jagged and written quickly. Much of it is smooshed together, words running into one another. Perhaps the writer is concerned?

I, Lendai, Istan rider of gold Talicanitath, am the leader of the raiders. Let this be my confession.

With the help of many other inhabitants of the Weyr, both rider and resident, we have been pilfering goods from the Hold. Goods that are rightfully our own! The Hold denied us our tithe, our earned right for spending years saving their righteous asses! We've lost good men and women, wonderful dragons, all to save them! And what do they do? Deny us life! Because by taking away our supplies, you take away our livelihood.

But we shot back at them. We took what was ours. Perhaps though... we took too much. Or took too much, too soon, too fast. I'm unsure where I went wrong, but now it appears as if we are the ones being stolen from. Which is an outrage! No one should dare to insult /my/ Weyr in such a manner!

I do not wish repercussions from Minka and D'baji just yet though. Though honestly, what can they do? Talicanitath assures me they would never be rid of her. More so since Jeyth and Pippa are also raiders as well. They couldn't possibly get rid of us both. Though with Hannah back... they could try to ship us to another Weyr. Though how stupid would that be? Both Talicanitath and Jeyth are strong, able bodied golds! Young with many, many turns of clutches ahead of them. Jeyth, I believe, is due to rise any day now. While Talicanitath should be going up soon again as well.

Ah. It seems my confession turned into something of a rant.

Is it bad that, more than anything, I want to rebel again my Weyr's leadership? Must be Talicanitath's influence. Shards, what would my mother say? Bah. You know what? I don't care what she'd say. Ista is my concern, not her.

Perhaps I should go and meet the new goldrider at High Reaches. Maybe make an ally? Couldn't hurt.

The writing stops at that. A loopy and lovely L written at the very bottom of the page.

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 18:34:19 GMT

There is no joy erupting forth from the writing on this page. Spatters of spots where words may have been are now gone, possibly from tears that were shed as one wrote.

He's gone.

He's gone.

It doesn't matter how many times I write that out, but it's still a bitter pill to take. Nicholarin was found out. How? I have no idea. But it wasn't from me or from my dragon. So I can only assume someone inside the his hold had found out and alerted his father.

He had the chance to stay, but decided to go on and do his duty. All because of what we talked about.

We never even stood a chance.

I'm a goldrider and he's the official heir of the Istan Lord Holder. If I am ever to be the Weyrwoman, we will meet as alliances instead of friends. Or possibly even enemies. But Nick is a fair boy, so I must have hope that the Weyr and the Hold will never see unfriendly times.

Talicanitath is sad for me, though I can feel she's a little relieved. Says it wasn't meant to be. My duty is to my Weyr. Our duty is to the Weyr.

Sometimes I wish I never impressed. Sometimes I wish my parents weren't dragonriders. Sometimes I wish I was someone completely different.

I'm just as stuck being a full fledged goldrider as I was being a candidate and a weyrling.

So this is the rest of my life? This is what it means to have obligations? This is what it /truly/ means to be a goldrider. To be a Junior Weyrwoman. Shards, I wonder what more comes with being /the/ Weyrwoman! Perhaps I should be easier on Minka.

I guess all that's left to do is get going on this hidework. Even if it's not important, I need to do my duty. And support my dragon.

The eggs are starting to harden.

The Weyr will prosper.

A small L is written, all curvy and elegant. And below it, a small note is made.

Dragonman avoid excess
Greed will bring the Weyr distress;
To the ancient laws adhere,
Propers thus the dragon-Weyr

(Log to come once the player stops being a lazy ass and edits her logs ;)

Growing up.

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 20:56:27 GMT

He /lied/ to me! All that time, I was falling for the jerk, and he was LYING to me.

He IS the son of the Istan Lord Holder! He's the son! The /heir/ to the Lord Holder spot! And in all the time I've known him, in all the time we chatted, he /never told me/!

Well I got him good. Slapped him clear on the face and marched off. HA! Take that.

Time passes between the two entries, though still are on the same page.

I'm starting to regret my actions. It took a good talk with Talicanitath and some thinking, but maybe he had a point. I was pretty... well... I wasn't the best of children. Talking about the Lord Holder's son like I did. I still feel like I'm a giant joke to Nick but...

Shards, I like him so much and he... he must hate me. And what's worse, he has someone else. Someone /important/ to him. A girl that's important. I ruined my chance with him. Completely ruined it. He likes someone else, he thinks I'm a twit, and then I went and slapped him.

But he /hugged/ me. Like he hug-hugged me. Like a real hug. A I'm-not-going-to-let-you-go hug! Or maybe I'm just reading into it and he just wanted me to shut up.

Sometimes, I hate this Weyr. I hate it and I hate my position in it. I think once those eggs hatch, Talicanitath and I are going on a long vacation. It's not like we'll be missed.

How am I to even show my face around here?

(Log to come!)

It never stops.

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 22:44:26 GMT

The writing is jagged at best. Harsh lines scrawled here and there, noting the anger behind the writee. Throughout the message, there are a number of tears, as if the writer jabbed the hide just a tad too much.

I swear to Faranth! This entire bloody Weyr is out to get me and my dragon! The candidates are all crazy, the Weyrleaders hate me, and Talicanitath has to share her sands with another gold!

And the /hidework/! By the great golden egg, it just keeps heaping up inside my weyr. I haven't touched the lot of it since I first graduated. I'm starting to worry if the Weyrleaders have noticed or not. I just... don't want to do it. At all. Why should I have to scribe things anyway? That's what residents are for. I'm doing my job. I'm Tali's rider, she's had eggs, there you have it. Weyrlife goes on. Plus, it's not like we'd be the Weyrwoman anytime soon. Minka's dragon proved to not be sterile with her clutch, so we dodged a bullet there.

Thank Faranth.

Seriously though. Have you ever heard of a dragon just NOT having eggs? I'm worried that it's genetic. I mean, Lanti's gold is Talicanitath's dam, right? And I believe Minka's is Lanti's dragon's dam. So really, it could happen to us too.

I won't let it though. We couldn't live with that embarrassment!

Oh, and did I mention that Nick is a candidate? Yes, /that/ Nick. I... I've never forgotten about him. I wonder if he still likes me? Is it weird that I hope he does? Shards. I always seem to act like a total spazz around him. I freaked out in the caverns when I saw him today, forced this one resident to be a candidate, all cause I thought they were together.

I'm not /allowed/ to like a candidate. I'm pretty sure there are rules about that!

What am I to do!?

And just like that, the writing is finished. Though the end does seem much smoother than the beginning.

The woes of a goldrider-to-be

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 23:39:17 GMT

The handwriting seems erratic, at best. There are lots of harsh lines and splots, almost as if the writer is angry.

I am /not/ a goldrider. I told him, at least twice, I'm not. I'm simply a rider (not even really one of those yet!) who happens to have a dragon that's gold. That doesn't make me a goldrider. It doesn't mean I'm going to be the next Moreta or Torene. Heck! I'm not even going to be up in Saria or Pyrene's greatness. They were all the good goldriders.

Me? No, no, no, no. So maybe Talicanitath is gold. That doesn't automatically mean I'm a goldrider. I'm just her rider. Her lifemate. I love her, but shards and shells, couldn't she have been a blue instead?

Met two guys today. They were the ones who did this to me. Made me so upset that it woke up Tali! Well, not Shaon. He was a cutie, but with /two/ girlfriends. Pity. But the other, Nick was his name. I liked him, a lot. He was all nice. And he was a holder! Shaon took off and Nick and I got to talking. Just chatting, really. Then he told me...

Faranth. He told me to start /acting/ like a goldrider instead of pretending I'm not. Shards! I refused to talk about it and just said goodbye and ran away.

If being a goldrider means I'm offlimits to all the guys my age, then I want none of it.

I liked him, too.

Sharditall!

The writing, as always, is ended with a large, flowing "L" and a "T" written next to it.

Living Cavern
The smooth, rounded walls cavern sweep upward from an oval base, two dragonlengths long and one wide, large enough to seat every member of the Weyr at mealtimes. The soft blackness of the lava which forms these caverns swallows glowlight, so shelves for glowbaskets abound, dotting the walls every three or four paces and casting gentle greenish light toward the sparkles of gold volcanic glass embedded in the ceiling. Ancient, lustrous tables run along the axis of the cavern, and at the far end rests the raised dais and high table, where Weyrleaders and honored guests eat during formal occasions. Behind the high table, the Weyr's symbol is embedded into stone: a smoking mountain in black on an orange shield, trimmed in gold.
Perched near the food are fourteen firelizards.
You see Firelizard Tapestry, Dart Board, Living Cavern Notice Board, Kassim's Cot, and Rusalochka's Cot here.
Shaon and Nicholarin are here.
Obvious exits:
Northeast Caverns Kitchens Bowl Southern Caverns

Nicholarin cranes his neck a little to look over the shoulder of the person nearest them in line. "I think there's stew. Come on," and he will definitely lead the way to the tables with the food on them. "Did we have breakfast?" he asks, brow furrowing as though trying to remember that they, in fact, had two breakfasts.

With a towel thrown over her shoulder and her hair nice and damp (and not up in their normal style), Lendai walks into the living cavern from the baths. Perhaps it was the smell of food or the need of human company. Either way, she's here. "Mmmm." Before she grabs anything edible, the weyrling makes a beeline for some drink. Passing by the alcohol, with a noticed frown, she pours herself a glass of fruit juice and then finally makes herself a sandwich. Lendai finds herself a table and sits down. The moment her butt hits the seat, she starts inhaling. Lady like, as always.

"We slept till noon." Maybe not entirely true, but Shaon has a knack for lying now, apparently. "Do these shorts really look that gay?" is asked of the other boy, even if he's momentarily distracted by The Girl. Or maybe it's just her demeanor that astounds him. No less, there isn't any extreme staring. That could be creepy. "What?" Wait, did Nick say anything?

It does take a few monster bites of her food for Lendai to remember she's in mixed company. A glance up spies two lads, looking to be about her age. Trying to hold back a blush, she sits up higher and refuses to allow herself to slouch. Muuch better. Tiny bites are taken from her lunch, along with tiny sips of her juice to accompany it. All along, she attempts to watch the two unfamilar faces from the corner of her eye. Ah yes, the subtle tactic, not really Lendai's best attribute, but heck, she's trying. Finally, after she finally swallows, she raises her hand and gives a wave. "Hi."

"Hey--" Shaon says, nudging Nick's arm with his elbow. "Watch this." Oh look! Lendai suddenly has company! After having grabbed himself a tray of food, he settles across from her, belatedly returning the 'hi' with a quick chin-nod in greeting. "'sup?" Yeah, he's totally playing it cool. Just ignore the shorts. Surely Nick's joined them by now, right? Maybe that's why Shaon's attention is momentarily distracted.

Lendai can act cool too. Or maybe, more so in her case, coy would be the best word for it. "Oh, you know. This and that." She lets her eyes roam over Shaon, making a quick assessment before looking back down at her food. "What's up wit'cha?" A piece of the sandwich filling fall out from between the bread slices and lands on the plate. Still trying to act all nonchalant, she picks up the meat and pops it in her mouth. Then chokes a little as she tries to swallow into her lungs. OhFaranth. Coughing slightly, Lendai grabs at her glass to take a sip. There. All better! Breathing easy now, she'll pretend the last thirty seconds didn't just happen. "Are you... uh... from around here?"

"Just visitin' family," Shaon notes before thumbing over towards his friend. "Brought my friend along 'cause he's never been up here before." As far as being from around here's concerned, Shaon merely shrugs--because his mouth is full! When he swallows though, he nods his head. "Grew up here. Only moved away a couple turns ago to go apprentice at the Seacraft. You?" Knots are insignificant, see.

"Oh, that's neat." Lendai comments, putting down all edible items and putting her head on her upturned hands. "So you're Weyrbred, then? You don't look like anyone I've known before." Then again, she only moved here a few turns ago as it was. Shrugging in response to her own comment, Lendai finally takes a glance at Nicholarin, one eyebrow arching at the other boy. "He's never been to Ista Weyr before? Where's he from then?" She doesn't actually ask him that, oh no, her attention is back on Shaon. "Oooooh," She goes all breathless and smiles softly. "So you're a Seacrafter? How exciting! Have you gone on tons of ships and steered a boat? Or... what exactly /does/ a seacrafter do?" Blink. "Me? I've lived here for a few turns. Originally from 'Reaches though. I'm Lendai, I... work... here." Yes. That's kind of the truth. Not really.

"That's surprising," Shaon says under his breath. But since it's unlikely the comment was overlooked, he adds "I'm related to half the Weyr." Quite literally. He starts to answer about Nick too, but soon gets distracted yet again, this time by the subject to follow. "One, actually. But I did get to steer it! And I suppose it all depends on what you specialize in. Apprentices do a little of everything--classes, mostly." To put simple. "Shaon," said boy says in introduction. "And that's Nick." Hi Nick!

Lendai has heard that comment before. "Related to half the Weyr..." Thinking, thinking, thinking. "Oh! Are you one of N'ano's kids?" The many that there are. "Was it really hard to steer?" She switches to the other topic easily, almost forgetting her other questions. "I'd think something as big as a ship would be impossible to move around easily. Does it take forever for it to turn?" She's such a curious little thing. Go figure. "You should be a captain. That way, you could man your own ship and go where ever you want! Y'know... so long as there was water." Ahem. "Shaon? Well met! You too, Nick." The other lad does get her attention again. "You an apprentice as well?"

Nicholarin comes back from lusting after the food, which we must presume he was doing, and shakes his head, turning back to face his friend and the girl, and his eyebrows go right up. "Yes. Very gay," he answers Shaon very belatedly. He settles at the table next to Shaon and nods to the girl. "Hey." And he actually just turns his attention to his food, almost pointedly ignoring her. Well, Shaon was there first, after all. But he's not so rude as to not answer questions, so he shakes his head a little at the girl's question and says, ever so eloquently, "No."

"On of like, twenty dozen. As of this moment, I am exactly the middle child." Which makes Shaon more than cool. Or something. "It's hard to steer, but not hard at the same time." And because he can, he gives his upper arm a little rub. Yeah, check out that bicep. Well, it'll be there in due time. "Y'know, I was actually thinking that or becoming a navigator. They're the ones who give the real direction on where to turn the ship." Does he sound smart yet? "He doesn't really do anything," he then pipes up on Nick's behalf, but not without a wicked grin.

Lendai grins and gives a very girly giggle. "That's pretty impressive. I'll keep my fingers crossed that your dad doesn't decide to have any more." The rest of Pern still needs time to catch up. She checks out his arm and nods appreciately. "Nice! You'll be totally buff from all that hard work! I can't imagine the life of a seacrafter would be easy. But... mmm. Think of how tan and manly you'll get." Lendai smiles all coy like, fluttering her lashes and getting her flirt on. Her curiousity, as always, gets the better of her while she looks between the two boys. "So wait. You're not a crafter or a Weyr resident?" This causes her to look baffled. "So what? A... trader then? Holder boy?" Pause. "Holdless all together?"

Nicholarin slugs Shaon for that particular statement, but otherwise keeps his attention mostly on his food. Or on someone else across the room, or down the table from them, perhaps feeling third wheel vibes. Or maybe he's just interested in the workings of a Weyr. "I do stuff," he protests, glancing at Shaon, "I hide from my step-monster." The girl's questions get an odd look for him, as if he's trying to decide if she's teasing or not. "No. No. No. My mother is a Weaver Journeywoman. At Southern Boll." A little thin on words today, it would seem.

"Which is a task in itself," Shaon's quick to mention, nudging Nick after his comment about his step-mother. "I met her before. She's a real bitch." Just like the canine. "His dad's pretty cool though." With no mention of what he does. "So. High Reaches. I hear it's cold up there. Does it snow a lot?"

Lendai runs a hand through her slowly drying hair and makes a face. Ick. It's getting all poofy. With one hand she continues to tame the wild beast of her mane, the other just lays on the table. "Oh, she can't be all that bad. Maybe she's just worried about you." She awkwardly shrugs, but grins all the while. "Why don't you go be with your mom-mom, then?" Nosy is thy middle name. Giving up on making her hair look decent, Lendai just tosses a ribbon in to keep it secured. A glance around the caverns. Yep. No one to tell her it's not part of the uniform. Exxxxcellent. "Why're you at Ista Weyr if you mom lives at Southern Boll?" She's just assuming the rest of his family lives there as well. Back to Shaon, she nods her head. "Oh, shards, yes. It's freaking freezing. I suggest you stay away from there if you like the warmth. We'd get tons of snow. Though you can make some of a coolest snow houses out of it. Just... make sure a dragon doesn't step on it. My mom's did that once thinking it was a drift. Luckily, I was no longer in it at the time." Now fiddling with her ponytail, she keeps on rambling. "Okay, maybe you should visit at least once if you never have. Snow is pretty darned fun." And cold.

"I would if I could," Nick retorts, having a sip of his drink. "And she is that bad. Really. Annoying as...well...crackdust." The next question from the girl gets a wry look from the boy. "Visiting my father. Have to. No choice." Two words. All sentences. The taller boy shoots a look at Shaon, though, "Haven't you at least seen snow? You said your dad used to fly you all over the place." Okay, maybe that's not strictly what Shaon said. Close enough.

"I went up there once with my dad, but that was like, ten turns ago." Yeah, Shaon's old enough for that to be a significance. "I always tried to hide whenever he wanted me to go with him anywhere. Hated between. It sucks more than anything." Because it's so cold and dark and well, it's just--void of everything.

Lendai simply nods, "Oh." And let's that be that. She can't pry too much. Seems unladylike or so she's been told. "Ten turns ago, eh? So you were like, what? Sevenish?" Guessing is her best friend. "And you really don't like it between? I mean, yeah, it's not exactly a place where you'd want to throw a party, but at least it gets you where you need to go. And, shards! You can go anywhere you want. Not just be stuck in one, stupid freaking place for months on end." Her face drops to an instant frown and her nose wrinkles with distaste. "Anyway, you should check it out again. Though we don-- erm... they don't have much for a seacrafter at the actual Weyr." Just one big normally frozen lake.

The taller boy watches Shaon as he talks, murmuring, "I've never been. Always took ships everywhere." Or walked. "It can't be that bad. Riders go between all the time." And then abruptly Nicholarin looks at the girl and says, "You should know, orange really isn't your color." And he jerks his chin toward her top.

"I prefer to walk," Shaon says, grinning over at Nick for some unknown reason, though maybe he understands the significance. "Or take a ship," he then adds after Nick's prompting. He must like boats if he's a seacrafter, right? "Five. I'm only fifteen." But hey, if he looks older, then kudos.

And Lendai's good mood quickly turns sour. "I don't -want- to wear this stupid shirt." She growls out, pulling at the top. "I have no choice. It's my stupid uniform theat they forced me to wear. Because of tradition or some crap." This is not a happy_Lendai topic. "Give me a nice yellow or a flattering pink any day." She sighs wistfully. "Really? Only fifteen? Hmm." She says no more on that and just continues to fume quietly for a couple more moments. "You don't really have much choice if you're a 'rider, though. Flying straight blows." Sagenod. "Takes forever. How long does it take to get someone on a boat, anyway?"

Nicholarin 's left eyebrow goes up at the girl's protestations and he goes back to eating. For a moment. "So, you're a rider?" he asks, eyeing the girl as he chews. Well, they are at a Weyr. She is wearing a uniform. And talking about flying straight. It's inductive reasoning.

"All depends on where you're going. It took a few days for us to get to the southern continent," Shaon notes, shrugging as he slouches slightly against the back while stuffing half a roll into his mouth. Yay for multitasking? Lendai is then given a quick once-over. "Oh! Ha! You're a weyrling, huh? That sucks." Because well, it does. Being a full-fledged rider is where it's all at. "So you have all these rules 'n stuff, huh?"

Lendai just shrugs her shoulders. Giving neither a yes or a no. Her lunch is remembered and she just concentrates on chewing for a little while. "Shards, yeah. I am." Not that it's a bad thing, per se. Just a... thing. "You got it in one. Being a weyrling really sucks. Can't drink, can't wear what I want," She waves her hand in the air. "You've got it good not being an apprentice or a weyrling, Nick." Lendai comments. "No rules! Are yours bad, though, Shaon? Like... no girlfriends and all that?"

Nicholarin snorts and shakes his head, "Shaon has a girlfriend." Oh, who just let the feline out of the bag? "You have two, don't you Shaon? Well, a real one and a crazy one." Nick makes the comment totally deadpan, just taking another bite of his food, and managing around it, "Yeah, those clothes really aren't good on you." To Lendai.

"Well, for taking off for a month with this guy to wander around the Island, I got issued extra punishment--have to clean fish for a turn, see a mindhealer, take history lessons from the harpers, can't drink and can't have 'extracurricular relationships'. Otherwise, the hall's pretty lax on the rules, so long as we don't--y'know, overdu---" Oh, and then Nick breaks the news--uh, not that it's bad news, right? Ahem. "Shiane's not my girlfriend, and I'm glad she said no before 'cause she seriously /is/ crazy. I have more stories for you later. Remind me." As for Jhethisea? Well...

Lendai nods along with everything Shaon says, her eyes getting wider and wider with each 'punishment'. "Faranth! Could they be any harsher on you? It's only a month." So says the girl who has never seen teh inside of a crafthold. "Wait... wait. /Two/ girlfriends? Come on, now. That's not right, Shaon." She frowns at the apprentice, making a tsking sound, even with his explanation. An annoyed look goes to Nick, along with an eyetwitch. "Yes. I realize this." Ahem. "But, shards, Tali is," Holding out her fingers, she counts. "A bit over half a turn old? Weyrlinghood can't last too much longer. So I'll have my lovely outfits on again soon!" Hopefully.

"Oh yeah?" Nick prompts Shaon. "Couldn't be crazier than sleeping with her brother." That's just gross. "His girlfriend is pretty cute. She looks at me funny though," he adds, seeming amused at that. His gaze lands on the girl across from them and he considers a moment, "Kind of like you do."

"I have /one/," Shaon emphasizes, giving Nick a narrow-eyed look. "Wait, what? I didn't sleep with Shrik!" Yes, Shaon has completely misinterpreted that statement. "Sick!" Well, they -shared- a bed, but they didn't do anything! Honest. "Yeah, you're pretty hod." Change of subject? You bet'cha! But that's a quick grin that Shaon gives the girl before he stands up hastily. "I just saw my mom." And thus he's unofficially excusing himself. "Be right back. Or you can come if you want," is then offered to both... or Nick, who knows. "Or stay here. I'll only be a sec." But with that, Shaon FLEES!

Lendai sits up straight, "I do not." But she could be and not actually know it. Screwing up her face now, the weyrling tries to look at Nick in a normal way. Or what she hopes is normal. "Cute, huh? Lovely." Using her finger she stabs at what's left of her sandwich and pushes it away. Watching Shaon take off, Lendai can't help but snicker to herself. "He's... um..." She tries to find the right word for it. "Well, he's amusing! And possibly a bit more like his dad than I first thought." Snort. "Two girlfriends."

Nicholarin opens his mouth to protest, but Shaon is practically running away, so he just turns back to the girl. Or his food. "What did you say you're called?" One must presume he's asking the girl, despite his staring at his food. He glances up at her comment, though and nods noncommittally, "He's interesting. Good guy to hang out with I guess."

"Lendai." She says, once again leaning her elbows on the table to help prop her head up on her hands. "Lendai, the weyrling." So not a title she enjoys right now. "And you're just Nick, right? Nick from Southern Boll." A bit of a sigh is let free, but she does begin to grin again. "I'd say. He's taking you all over Ista Isle. That's quite a task. I haven't even been all over. Let alone to the hold. How did'ja two meet? Parents were friends or any of that?"

Nicholarin shakes his head, "No, we're done with the walkabout. That was a couple months ago. We're supposed to be visiting his parents right now, except his craft doesn't know I'm here, too." He pauses for another bite, the last one, before replying, "No, I ran into him on the beach when I was leaving the hold and asked if he wanted to come with me. Before, I mean," Nick adds, reaching for his cup and having a sip.

Lendai chews on her lower lip, nodding. "Aaah. Got'cha." Sorta. "So he's dealing with all those punishments nowish." She winces. "What a bummer. I thought we had it bad." That puts some things into perspective for her. "Wow. So, you're telling me you met him on a beach and just left with him? That's intense." Or at least she seems so. "Just to take off like that with a stranger and all. I'm surprised your parents let you! They sound all strict." Waving down a druge, Lendai gets another glass of juice and takes a drink. "Mmm. You should stay at the Weyr! It's better here than at any hold. There aren't many rules and once you hit like fourteen, you're more or less on your own!"

"My parents don't know what I do. They don't care," Nick adds a little lower. He blinks up at Lendai a moment and frowns, "What, just stay here? I would, but I don't want to--" He has to break off as the drudge comes over, and waits until she leaves before finishing, "Just become a drudge. I want to do something. I just haven't figured out what yet." He finishes off the last of his drink and leans forward on the table, "You have a boyfriend?"

"That's sorta nice. Your free to go off and figure out what Pern has for you. No worries about what the 'rents think and all that." Lendai kicks back and starts to really relax. "You wouldn't /have/ to be a druge. You could be whatever you want. A messenger, guard, nanny, all that... fun stuff." Fun is in the eye of the beholder, right? "Then again," She taps her chin. "I guess since you're free to do what you want at your home, it's not really needed for you to stay here." That answers that! Lendai gives a shake of her head, "No, not at the moment. There was this one guy I kind of liked during candidacy but..." She makes a face. "Well, my dragon hates his. Plus, he's all about meditating and all this mindhealer mumbo-jumbo." Pah. Lendai just doesn't get it. "And the fact that the Weyrlingmasters frown upon romantic relationships." Not that she gives a hoot about what they think. "What about you? Any special girl in your life?" Flutter.

Nicholarin shrugs, leaning back in his own chair a little. "Not really. I asked this girl out, but she already had a boyfriend." And she was like six turns older than him. "So, what, you're a Weyrbra--er...Weyr kid? Grew up here like Shaon?"

"Not /here/, really. I moved here when I was like ten. But yeah, I'm a glorified Weyrbrat! I've none nothing but the Weyr." Lendai beams. "Though I'd like to think I handle myself like more of a Holder. Y'know. Not as crazy as some weyrfolk can be. Loud and obsene." Just to prove her point, she squares her shoulders and tries to sit more proper-like. "It helps that Tali kind of thinks the same way. High maintenance-y." Clicking her tongue, she grins. "Aww. That's a shame. Not that I'll propably know them but who did you ask?"

Nicholarin might sound just a little sarcastic when he says, "What's so great about holders? They're lazy, they do nothing but buy expensive stuff...Crafters are better, and riders. At least they do something useful," he adds with a bit of a frown. "Hm? Oh, a girl named...um...Vanya. I think that was it. Dolphincrafter." He eyes Lendai a moment, then asks, "Wait, Tali? Is that your dragon? What, you're a GreenRider?"

"C'mon! Holders are so proper and prime. They use manners and dress nice. I've heard they can be a little close-minded, but that's nothing that can't be fixed." Crossing her arms, she watches Nicholarin intently. "Riders aren't that great. The lot of them are really inconsiderate. They see nothing about sleeping around with everyone. I mean, I realize mating flights happen, but really! It's just... ugh! They aren't as well rounded as holders. Or even crafters!" That's her thought on the matter at least. "Oh! Vanya? I just met her the other day. Isn't she lovely? She promised me a ride on the dolphins sometime. She's dating... um... that new healer. Ta-something?" Shrug. "Yep, that's her name. My dragon's, that is. Or rather, her nickname. She's Talicanitath. And no, she's a gold." Ahem.

Nicholarin's eyebrows shoot up at Lendai's reply, and he eyes her almost more suspiciously. "Really." It's not a question. "Excuse me, GoldRider. I didn't realize." And there is the abrupt formality that Lendai may have thought she would like to see, but which, in reality, is somewhat stiff and calculated. Certainly not warm or relaxed. "Holders can be very proper when necessary. Especially when they're angling to force you into the position they want you. And they flatter," he adds, eyeing her sideways, "To puff you up and put you off your guard."

"Oh Faranth." Lendai shakes her head. "Please don't call me that. I'm not a goldrider." Well... she is. But not really. The formality gets a wince, as well as a frown. "Plus, right now I'm just a stupid weyrling. I've got as much authority as a piece of bread." Just to prove it, she salutes to him. "I bow to everyone. Not the other way around." And doesn't it just leave a bad taste in her mouth! "I'll take your word on that." Lendai comments, rubbing her arms. "Maybe I'll take abrupt and in-you-face other than being forced into something I wouldn't wanna do." Rubbing her face, she pouts slightly. "Did that happen to you? Getting forced into something you didn't want?"

"Your lifemate says differently," Nick drawls, pushing himself up to sit a little straighter. "Besides, I don't really care for rank. I think it makes things too easy on people. Makes them too lax." As for her question, it brings Nick up short in his relaxed sort of rant. "I'm on Ista. That's proof of it. I'd rather be with my mother."

Lendai snorts, "Just cause she's a gold dragon and I'm her rider does not mean I'm a goldrider. Or..." Shudder. "A weyrwoman." That comment alone causes a quick moment of internal hysterics. "There isn't anything wrong with rank. Just... how you act /with/ your rank. There are those who can handle it very well. Others not so much. I'd say those born into rank have it easier. They can learn how to act. Those who get it thrown in their faces? That's a lot harder. More of an ability to abuse it." Sagenod. Lendai crosses her legs at the ankles and starts swinging them back and forth under the table. "That doesn't seem fair. You look old enough to make your own choices. Can't you just grab a dragon or hop a boat back to your mom?"

Nicholarin starts as something knocks against one of his outstretched legs and his pulls his feet in. "No. She'd send me back. I'm supposed to be learning from my father--who doesn't have any time to spend with me, so I spend all my time running away from my stepmother who just wants to dress me in ridiculous outfits and talk really, really loudly about how boring Ista is." He sighs and leans on the table a little. "And Shaon's got a girlfriend now, so I don't have anything to keep me occupied."

"Oops! Sorry." Lendai blushes and stops her legs from swinging. "Learning from your dad, huh? What is he supposed to be teaching you?" Her hands occupy themselves by starting to fuss with her hair again. This time putting her pigtails back in and adjusting the ribbons. "Ista's not /that/ bad." Lendai defends her home. "There is tons to do! Your step-mom should be happy to be here! She could be freezing her tail off in 'Reaches or Fort!" She gives a delicate sniff. "She sounds about as interesting as watching eggs harden. Your stepmom, that is." Her hair the way she likes it, the weyrling raises an eyebrow. "Well, why don't you get a girlfriend too? That way you two can double date whenever you see eachother!"

Nicholarin shrugs, "Learning how to be a gentleman, I guess." He heaves a sigh, "I already know how to be a gentleman. I just find it really boring unless it's necessary, and would rather be doing something useful than strutting around a hold acting like someone important." It's Lendai's comment about Nick's stepmother, rather than the comment about a girlfriend, that really catches his attention, and he looks her in the eyes. "She is. And arrogant." He looks away, though, shrugging again and adding, "Don't know any girls at the hold I want to date."

Lendai scratches her nose, "Oooh. That's kind of an odd thing for a dad to teach. I thought you'd say something like 'how to cook' or 'how to gut a fish'! I'd find that dull too. Any kind of lessons like that normally are." Stretching out her arms, she settles back down into her seat. "Hmm. Arrogant? What's she got to be arrogant about? It's not like she's the lady of the hold or anything." Lendai just rolls her eyes. Some women make the rest of them look so bad. Seriously. "So, don't date a girl at the hold." She quips. "Date one... somewhere else."

Nicholarin snorts at that and murmurs, "You ever met the Lady Holder? Dumb as rocks." But the suggestion of dating someone else catches his attention, "Where? In High Reaches? That would make the dating part a little hard."

Lendai shakes her head, "Nope. I'm not exactly the kind of person that a Lady Holder would /want/ to meet. Snot-nosed teenager? Haardly. I guess they just need to be pretty and be quiet? How /lame/!" All her past ambitions of being a lady holder are being destroyed. Ah well. "Well, no. Like someone still on the island, since this is where your stuck. Like a crafter or a rider."

"You're a GoldRider. She'd be thrilled to meet you. She's not pretty or quiet. She's loud and gaudy." Nick considers Lendai's suggestion and nods, "Well, that's a good idea. A rider, I mean. But most riders are going to be too old for me. You're the only rider I know my age. And you're a GoldRider." Which means she's off limits, apparently.

Lendai twitches. Just a little. "I'm not a goldrider. And even if I was, I wouldn't want to meet her anyway. I'd have Tali eat her." Not that her dragon would ever be caught dead doing something like that. "Right! A rider is the best, cause they can come and see you at the hold whenever they want. Just need their dragon to bring them. And no, I'm not." Lendai grumbles. "I'm just a rider who /has/ a gold. It's not like I'm a weyrwoman or anything." See? It's all good!

Nicholarin stares at Lendai for a long moment, as though considering her words, and finally takes a deep breath to say, "Lendai...if you're not going to act like a GoldRider, why did you bother to accept when they asked you to stand? You said that people who have positions thrust upon them have the tendancy to mess them up more than people born into it," or something like that. "You should take your own advice and be a good GoldRider, instead of insisting that you're not one." So saying, he pushes to his feet and reaches across the table for the girl's hand, over which, if he succeeds in procuring it, he bows rather formally, but with none of the prior cool stiffness.

"Because I knew if I was asked to stand, it would make my mom proud!" Lendai retorts, getting instantly defensive. "And I thought I'd impress blue! Not... that I don't love Tali she just... comes with a lot more." Oh yeah. This is when the girl does her best not to think about the 'more'. Shaking her head, she states, "I /will/ be a good one! Y'know. Someday. Maybe." Another violent shake of her head. "Shells! I don't want to talk about this." Clearly agitated, she allows her hand to be taken, though she does stand herself. "I-I-I have to go. Tali's woken up and..." She shuffles in place, a frown ever present. "It was nice meeting you, Nick. Maybe I'll bump into you some other time." For now, Lendai withdraws her hand and takes off for the weyrling barracks. To quote Shaon, FLEEEE!

Her name is Talicanitath...

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 22:53:52 GMT

The writing is back to being sketchy looking, almost as if the person writing is shaking. The paper is full of little pictures here and there, as well as small comments around the pictures.

Shards.

That just about explains it all. Holy freaking Faranth.

The hatching finally came and went. Finally. I thought it would never come, I figured I'd be killed before I could even try for a dragon. But no, no death... no death, but yes to the dragon.

Don't, don't, don't let Talicanitath hear me thinking this. Please, let her be as asleep as I think she is (who can tell?!). I didn't want to impress a gold! I thought I'd be like my parents and get a fighting dragon! But... but... now I'm going to be a junion weyrwoman the moment I graduate. Oh Faranth, oh my gosh, I can't do this...

The words stop right there, then seem to pick up again, the utensil now really digging into the skins.

Okay. Sorry. I think about the future and start to freak out a little bit. Talicanitath felt me freaking out or heard me or however that works and woke up. She says that spazzing like that makes my face look blotchy. Shards, I can't wait till my mom meets her. Mom thought I acted like a Lady Holder, just wait till she sees Tali. I hope Valedath at least likes her.

Mom... are you proud of me? Am I finally going to be someone you're proud to call your daughter?

I heard she fainted when I impressed. I have to wonder if it was because she was happy or because she was sad. I don't know how to ask.

I'm a dragonrider. Shards... I'm a goldrider. I... I can't believe this at all.

The entry does end now, as the normal little '"L" is placed below the text. This time, however, the letters "& T" are accompanied with it.

Raindrops keep falling on my head!

Wed, 05 Dec 2007 19:56:43 GMT

The writing is badly smudged, almost as if the paper that is being used was really, really damp. Though some words are hard to identify, the words are still readable.

Oh.
My.
Goodness.

The ceiling came down on us. Oh yeah, I wrote that correctly. The ceiling started to fall in the candidate barracks and then water filled the room. All of my stuff is ruined! Completely ruined! ...alright, maybe not completely ruined, but wetter than a bowl after a rainstorm. That stupid meteor that hit the Weyr a few days ago caused this crack to form in the wall that water leaked out of. We all adjusted well enough, just learning how to leap and hop over any water trails. But today, I guess it all just gave way!

And you know what? Mallory grabbed me and threw me over his shoulder! All because I was screaming. Well, if the roof of the Weyr started coming down on you two different times, once on the sands, than in the barracks, you would scream too! Anyway, he tried to save me, or something of that sort. I was a little surprised. He's stronger than he looks, though I'm far from fat.

Anyway, got a good look at his butt. It's rather ni-- let's forget I almost just wrote that.

I hope this hatching comes soon. I'm pretty sure the Weyr is trying to kill the candidates. Maybe all this craziness will stop once the eggs hatch. Shards and shells, I hope so. But with Thread starting to fall again... who knows...

The writing ends there, with a large "L" placed after the final paragraph.

Candidate's Barracks
Long and low, this large room angles back into the mountain in a near-perfect rectangle, devoid of windows and hearth. A functional room -- the black volcanic rock has been painted with a cheerful mural, with the other walls painted in green and orange thoughtfully, before resuming the stark simplicity in the seemingly endless rows of cots that scatter back into the shadows. A small clothespress sits at the end of each puce-covered bed -- yes, puce. Every cot sports a rather gaudy and obnoxiously purple cotton coverlet, leftovers from PranksPast. Boys to the right, girls to the left. Enjoy.
Hanging out on a long wooden shelf on the wall are eight firelizards.
You see CANDIDATE INFORMATION BOARD, Rusalochka's Cot, Lendai's Cot, Ilidar's Cot-thing, Pippa's Cot, Mallory's Cot, Kassim's Cot, Corona's Cot, Ossia's Cot, Denalia's Cot, Zian's Cot, and A Mural here.
You notice Denalia, Rusalochka, Ossia, Ilidar, and Corona asleep here.
Kassim, Mallory, Zian, and Pippa are here.
Obvious exits:
Caverns

Pippa is settled upon a cot. Now, granted, it isn't hers. But does that even really matter? Apparently not to her as she fidgets upon it, dragging a needle through what might eventually end up being her candidate's robe. Poke, pull, poke, pull... yeah. "I'd have tried to find mine from last time around, if I didn't figure it'd only reach to my knees." Sure, they are fine knees, but more than likely tempting targets for dragonet teeth.

Lendai stands in front of a tiny mirror, one she begged her mother to send her, as Martin had taken their original one. Hmpf. Fiddling around with some red hair ribbons, she ties one, only to untie it and redo it, trying to get the /perfect/ bow. After a few moments, the candidate reaches for a brush to smooth out of pigtails. There! Perfect. Using her hand to fluff up her hair, she shoots a look over her shoulder to Pippa. "So you want yours to be really long? I'm trimming a few inches off of mine to do the opposite. Need to make some attempt at cooling down on those sands. Plus, short is the new long." Sagenod.

Zian's robe is... a bundle of cloth shoved in a pile at the end of the bed, with a small little hide package containing needles and thread dumped on top of it. Zian is sitting as far away from is as possible, as there is the distinct chance hat it /will/ eat him alive. The girls receive a look of vague exasperation. "It's a white robe. I don't get why you're all acting like it's some sort of high-fashion dress." Glare at the cloth again. Evil.

Mallory peers over at the preening Lendai, brows raised. "Why on Pern are you putting ribbons in your hair?" Such a lovely mannerism, he has. He's starign at his pile of white fabric, prodding it with a needle. "Sewing. Why must there be sewing."

Pippa stops in her sewing, frowning most considerably. "Really..." she drawls slowly, thinking on Lendai's words. "Do you think short is the way to go this time..." After all, fashion must be considered. "I've got this horrible premotion though that something is gonna happen and I'll end up arse up and then the galleries and all will see my bottom in all it's glory. I just know that'll happen if I make it short." Because that is how life works. She does shoot a glance across to Zian though, "Have you even started on yours yet?"

Lendai sends Zian a frigid look. "You'd rather we go out there, looking completely dumpy? Oh yes, a dragonet will /totally/ want to go for someone looking horrid. I bet it'd rather go between than impress. Even if we are all forced to wear the same thing," A fact that does not sit well with her. "We might as well try to look our best." So there! Nyah. Now her attention shifts to Mallory, who gets the same look. These boys. "I always wear ribbons in my hair. Unless Martin is around, at least." Which causes her to dive into many a room when the headman is around, to quickly take them out. "Pippa! You won't fall down, you're too willowy to do that." Lendai grins at the girl. "If you make it too long, you'll look like you're wearing a dress." A boring, white dress.

"I'm sort of hoping it's going to make itself," Zian admits, wrinkling his nose at the white, unmade, garment. "That or a weaver will miraculously make friends with me and offer to do the sewing for me. I can dream, right?" He sighs, unhappily, and shakes his head. "Also, when I tried to experiment with stitches, I just kept stabbing myself in the hand." Lendai's comments receive a somewhat bemused expression. "Dumpy?" He looks at her, then blinks down at his own body. Well, dumpy isn't a word he would genuinely use to describe himself. "/Dumpy/? Heeey! I am not overweight!"

Mallory shake shis head. "A dragonet can't ruddy well /see/ you well enough to care. They're too hungry." But of course, he's sure the girls won't listen. Zian gets a smirk. "They think they have to seduce the dragons to like them." He grimaces as a particularly enthusiastic poke of the needle pricks him. "Ow. Stupid robe. Why the shard can't we just go out there in regular clothes?"

Drip! Drip! Nothing like a little water torture to brighten the life of a candidate. Especially when the water is falling from the ceiling and onto someone's bed.

Pippa levels a glance at Zian. "Seriously? A weaver?" She cracks out into a big grin at the idea, "That'll happen when wherries start flying out of my arse." She sets her own robe down, sort of dropping it on whoever's cot she had temporarily invoked squatter's rights on. Stepping over a rivulet of water from the leaking wall, she moves over to Zian's cot, standing over it. "And you look beautiful, Lendai. Maybe if you wear those ribbons during the hatching, it'll be just the last bit to make that dragonet come for you. After all, feline's like fluttering things, don't they?" Mallory gets quite the scowl though at his words, "Seduce the dragons..." Give her a moment. And then she is breaking into a bit of a grin at his words. "Actually, I like that."

"Not dumpy as in overweight." Lendai says in exasperation. "Dumpy like... dumpy. Y'know! All untidy and shabby. You're not fat, Zian." And she thought girls were self conscious. Shaking her head and looking back at her mirror, she now attempts to use her fingers to curl her lashes. Not the best method, but it's worth a try or two. "If they're able to impress, then I think they /are/ able to see." My, my, isn't she a haughty little thing today. Though she does spare a grin over to the other girl candidate, as well as a sassy wink. "Thank you! And that's my hope, but the likelihood of the 'riders letting me is pretty much zero." Sniffle. The sound of some drips is ignored, but Lendai does glance at the ground, making sure her favorite sandals aren't getting wet. Nope! Still good.

"Thanks for the reassurance that I am merely shabby," Zian says dryly, rolling his eyes, though his lips do twitch in a small smirk. He doesn't yet some to have noticed the slowly growing damp patch on the blankets of his cot, given that he's sitting with his back to it. Pippa, however, it starting to scare him, first with the wherries comment, and now the seducing the dragons comment. He gives her a baffled look. "Seducing the dragons? I'm not even going to ask how you'd expect to do that. Not the easiest creatures to wine and dine, I assume."

Mallory rolls his eyes skyward. Girls! Utterly useless creatures. Well, on most occasions, anyway. "My point is, they won't /care/ about your robe. It simply doesn't matter. They're babies. They want Mommy and food, like, yesterday. Or the day before that. But go on, get all gussied up if you want," He sighs, tossing his robe aside. The nasty little drip is eyed consideringly. I think I'm going to have to try and fix that." Famous last words, those.

Drips like cracks. Sounds like a reality show, but in reality it's happening above their heads. A single drip in one point along the long crack in the ceiling soons becomes a second... and then a third. All steadily dampening anything that may be below them.

"Better to ask for forgiveness than permission," Pippa drawls with a knowing wink for Lendai's benefit. "I wouldn't worry too much about it though. Just like I'll stop worring about the hemline of my robe." Even if maybe she will shorten it up just a tad. Her ankles aren't half bad. "Well, if it doesn't matter, why do we all have to wear white robes to begin with? I doubt it is because we're gonna all head out there and do some synchronized interpretive dance. There is a point to it all." She flashes Zian a wink with the looks she keeps getting from him, just because she can. But she shifts a bit though, frowning at the increased dripping. "Go stick your finger in that one, Mallory."

Lendai frowns and picks a little fuzzy off of her sundress. "Maybe the dragonet who walks up to me will." She remarks rather absently. "Who actually knows why one dragon picks one person, while another goes for someone totally different. So unless you know /exactly/ what a baby dragon is looking for, other than food, I'd love to hear it." Perhaps the stress of candidacy is really starting to get to young Lendai. "You're not /that/ shabby, Zian. You're a lot less shabby than some of the candidates here." Only mildly shabby? "Shards, if they really make us start dancing, I'm out of there. Dragonet or not." Oh. Wait. That was a joke. Either way, Lendai stops all her thoughts as a drip does touch the top of her head. "/Ugh/! Gross! I just showered and got my hair the way I like it. Mallory, fix this one above me too. My /hair/!"

"Less shabby? Why thanks you for the compliment, my dear," Zian flashes Lendai an amused smile, possibly teasing her a little. But then he flinches as the cracks spread, and suddenly the water - very cold by the way - is dripping down on his head and coming down the back of his neck. "Gah!" he leaps off the bed, and looks at the ceiling, frowning in concern. "I swear, I think this place is going to collapse soon. Don't we have any buckets or anything? Or, you know, stonemasons to fix things?"

Mallory puts his hands over his face. "No! I am not sticking my fingers in those! Why don't you move away from the drip so your hair doesn't get wet?" He gives Zian a hlep-me look. "Why don't we go ask if there's something we can put in the holes, besides fingers?" He yelps as a drip slides under his collar and down his back. "That's cold!" He grumbles, pouting. "That's it, I'm moving to the resident barracks until this is fixed!"

Dripping on Lendai is fun. And so, the first harder drip ends up falling right on her too. It's almost a stream of water, broke into non-ending drops of doom. And of course, uninvited party guests have to show up too.. in the form of ten or eleven more dripping spots.

Pippa casts a glance at the ceiling, looking rather dubious. "I swear, its nicer outside than it is in here. Anyone else for moving out before the whole fardling ceiling comes down on us, and whatever lake is losing all its water on our heads." Well, mostly Lendai's head. And anyway, seriously, thats way more than enough water to drown a fish in. "Oh!" She sure isn't going to leave that half-finished robe to be stained and moldered though. The girl steps over a cot or three to reclaim the cloth, tucking it under her shirt.

"No problem, Zi." Lendai winks at the older teenager, all the while wiping off water droplets from her head. It seems no matter where she moves the water still seems to find her. "Is it getting worse?" She asks the others, staring straight up at the ceiling. At least until a droplet hits her in the eye. "AH!" Both hands slap over her face as she squeals. "/Gross/! It's gonna eat my eyeball!" It being the bacteria, maybe? Heck if Lendai knows. And then... well, and then it suddenly feels like it's raining. "Ohmygoodnessitisgettingworse!" Yep, those were words, sort of. Making a beeline for her cot, the starting-to-get-really-wet candidate starts shoving everything she can get her hands on into her trunk. "I'm with Mallory! Drudges have better sleeping spaces than this!"

Mallory picks up his pile-o-robe and squaking, complaining lizard babies. "Shards," He grumbles, "Lizards don't get colds, do they? Mine are so young yet!" Wet, sticky - that water really is gross - and festooned with lizards, Mallory begins to move toward the exit. Hurriedly.

"Sleeping /outside/ would be better than this. I'm pretty sure we could set up beds in the bowl or something." Because, you know, they live on a tropical island after all. The nights don't really get very cold. Zian looks helplessly at his slowly soggifying cot, and tries vainly to pull it out of the stream of water. It lasts all of a few seconds before a new set of droplets is coming down.

See crack. See crack spread. Hear loud popping sound as a piece of the ceiling falls down close to the exit and release a steady stream of water into the room. A stream that raises the level in the water fast enough that if you watch, you can see it get higher. And it keeps dripping on Lendai.

Pippa waddles forth, shirt pregnant with the balled up robe underneath to keep it mostly out of harm's way. No way she is going to leave all of her hard work from earlier to be left to this most unexpected of elements. "OooohOoooooooh....Crackdust," she mutters, sliding a heel in a growing pool of water, windmilling her arms for balance and just barely managing to keep it. Her eyes grow wide as marks though as now it isn't just water, but ceiling that drops down. The next words that pour from her mouth aren't fit for civilizied company at all.

"Shard it all!" Mallory squeaks as the ceiling begins to cave. "We ought to hurry before Lendai gets drowned. C'mon, girl, leave that stuff."

Lendai pouts, "Oh no! The blanket Corona let me borrow is getting ruined." Hopefully the other girl won't be mad. Trying in vain to fold everything up so it fits in her little trunk seems easier said than done. "How in the great golden egg did I end up with more stuff than I came here with?" Isn't that always the question. Leaving her stuff and heading for the door, she turns to shout, "I'm running to get help!" Or maybe not, as the sky seems to be falling. Screaming, she starts jumping around. "The barracks doesn't want us to leave!" So instead, she runs over to Pippa and jumps up and down. "What do we do?!" Always look to the smart one in a crisis, and to Lendai that would be the dolphineer. Her clothes are now completely drenched, her hair ruined, and overall, she just looks like a slowly drowning feline. "Why do ceiling keep trying to fall on us?!" First the hatching caverns, now the candidate barracks. Poor candidates aren't getting any breaks this round.

It's probably not best to ask where exactly Zian learnt the vast array of expletives which he's now exercising, but he's certainly doing so with gusto. "Everyone out before we drown! Or before the ceiling falls on us." More than it already as, that is. He grabs a handful of his stuff out of his trunk, the stuff that'd be damaged by the rapidly rising water, but the candidate robe-in-progress is left behind to die. Then he's splashing through the water towards the exit.

Mallory sends his lizards arrowing out of the cavern, the oldest looking after the newest, then marches over to Lendai. "We /leave/." He says, forcefully, then picks her up, flinging her over his shoulder - he'll pay for it tomorrow, he's sure - and runs. "Come /on/, Pippa! And the rest of you, before the whole ceiling does go!"

Mallory walks to the Caverns.

Row, row, row your candies roughly out the door. Or at least they'd better swim there, because the water is up to waist level and still raising. That the crack in the ceiling has grown and small pieces are falling with little splashes doesn't help. Is that a fish?

The fact that Lendai thinks that Pippa is the 'smart one', and came running to her, would normally be something laughable and hilarious, and leave the girl grabbing her middle. Alas, not quite at that point now. "Hurdle it and get out," she suggests, because honestly... Mallory is basically saying the same thing over there -that is until he comes over here, and takes up Lendai in one of those swashbuckling moves. Nice. She splashes towards the exit, cringing as she plunges through what amounts to a waterfall of fardling cold water, and heads to the exit.

Pippa strides to the Caverns.
Zian walks to the Caverns.

Lendai is quite stunned as Mallory is suddenly in front of her face. Wow, he can move fast when he wants to. Lendai just stares at him in shock as one moment she's nodding her head stupidly and then the world is upside down. "What are you DOING?!" She bellows out as she's hefted over Mallory's shoulder. "I can walk, you know!" Squirming about in his grasp, she has no choice but to go with him, it seems.

You go to the South Caverns.

South Caverns
Caverns continue to twist and tangle into a labyrinth of ancient tunnels: from high, soaring, vaulted roofs to nothing more than crawl-space at times the weyr extends deep into the mountain. Most of the walls are the smooth and glossy obsidian of ancient volcanoes, dark but for the fickle light of green-tinted glows. The floor is likewise worn by feet and time to run smooth and unbroken off to the main caverns to the north, or into the dorms and barracks in the opposite direction.
Peeking at you from a ledge up high are two firelizards.
Mallory, Pippa, and Zian are here.
Obvious exits:
Crafters' Area     Guards Barracks     Living Caverns     Staff Corridor     Candidate Barracks     Resident Dorms Nursery

"We should probably find someone and tell them the entire weyr's about to drown you know," Zian points out, as he drips onto the floor, looking back at the barracks, because the way the waters was rising, it's going to start flooding the southern caverns too, and then the other dorms.

Lendai just stares at Mallory's butt, since being wet makes her less inclined to lean up and expend energy. "Y'know Mal..." Ahem. Her face pinkens slightly and she just snaps her mouth shut. "Am I safe enough now that I can be put down?" Cause at the moment she suddenly feels like her breakfast wants to see her face to face.

Pippa stares at the stream of water upon the floor, then drops her head to shakes it about much like something a canine would do. "Faranth... I sure hope that is just going on in there. Everyone got out alright?" She glances about, looking at the back of drowned 'rats', and what amounts to Lendai's behind.

Mallory chuckles and puts her down. "Good. Your brain has blood in it now. Sorry about that." He didn't precisely want to intorduce her to any..interesting..parts of his anatomy, and all.

Pika drops down and splashes happily in the water dripping off Lendai. Z

ian runs his hands though his hair, and rivulets of water are wringed free. "I think everyone else is out on chores or stuff..." Because, surely, no one was sleeping through that. If they drown in their sleep, however, Zian can't be held accountable. He glances at the barracks. "Seriously, we should tell someone. I don't want to have to bail out the
Weyr."

As the world rights itself, Lendai grabs one pigtail each and starts to ring them, her once happy, dry, perky little bows now deflated. "That sucked." She comments as water pools at her feet. A little firelizard is given a nasty look, but she just continues to fling droplets from her person. "You don't think that other parts of the Weyr are getting soaked as well, do you Pippa?" The idea does hold some merit. "Shards and shells, I hope so. I didn't even think about checking the other cots for bodies. Someone should get the Weyrleader or the headman. Or someone! That water was only raising!" Hysterics? Lendai? Noooo.

Pippa shoots a glance to the others, and announces aloud. "You realize if and when it gets done in there, we're going to have to clean it up." And the idea of all of that wet, mouldering, nastiness briefly gives the girl a shiver that has nothing to do with her currently damp state. "Oh, I'm sure..." She glances over her shoulders as a pair of drudges round the corner, go slack-jawed at the sight and then go scurrying off again, crying out that the Sky is Falling, The Sky is Falling!

Mallory gives Lendai a hard stare. "Nobody was asleep through that. Really. Calm down, or I'll put you back in there." Sucha sweet gentleman, is Mallory. He's also not laughing at her, not at all. Ignore the muffled giggles as he wrings out his shirt. "Shards, you were wet." And he'd already had his bath for the day. He really didn't need another.

Zian nudges Lendai with an elbow. "If they were in there, they're dead now. Best to think of those of us who survived." Oh, if Pern had much of a religion, Zian would /so/ be going to hell for winding Lendai up. "Let's try the living caverns or something. There might at least be a rider hanging around to tell. And if we tell someone else, it's not our problem any more." He pauses. "Except we'll probably still have to fix whatever it was. Because they like making us suffer and what have you."

Lendai makes a face, "Faranth, I didn't think of that." Sometimes being a candidate sucked. "I don't want to clean up that mess! It'll take forever! Maybe the Weyr will take pity on us and order the drudges to do it." Like the two running off. The teen can't help but smile just a bit as she watches them. "I really... I can't believe that actually just happened." Really. She's stunned. Mallory gets a nasty glare. "Touch me again and I'll kick you in an unpleasent place." She huffs, trying to regain her haughty attitude and failing miserably. "You aren't exactly dry yourself, y'know." Eyes widen at Zian's words, her face paling. "You don't /really/ think anyone is /dead/ in there, do you?" Now her eyes start to make water of their own. "I know I really hated some of the other candidates, but not enough for them to /die/!" Sniffle. Oh yeah, Zian's meeeeean!

Pippa drags her hair out to her back, and then peeks down the neckline of her shirt to see how her gown faired. Wet, but not too bad. "I'll go make sure someone knows -although how could they not with all of the racket. I swear, if they didn't hear it, that'd be just... well... just dumb," she finishes up lamely before trotting off towards the caverns.

Message 11 of 11 on *TinyPlots (#2060):
Date:     Wed Dec 5 13:12:24 2007 CST
From:     Pippa (#26216)
To:       *Ista Weyr (#608) and *TinyPlots (#2060)
Subject: Nobody likes soggy candy

Everyone knew that ever since the shake up at the Weyr a seven-day or so before involving that rock that fell from the sky, there had been a few leaks in the Weyr, most noticably in the candidate's barracks. Of course, just about everything in there is a bit cracked, including the candidates themselves.

Well, what were casual leaks one afternoon became drips, and then streams, and then it seemed like part of the ceiling decided it'd fall down too, right there in the barracks -along with what apparently was the entire contents of one the Weyr's water resivoirs.

Seeing as only a handful of lazy (chore-shirking) candidates were in there at the time, not a one was hurt, but those that escaped were wet through and through and already grumbing about the mess that is going to need to be picked up.

--------------------------

Searched!!

Wed, 14 Nov 2007 20:36:32 GMT

Living Cavern
The smooth, rounded walls cavern sweep upward from an oval base, two dragonlengths long and one wide, large enough to seat every member of the Weyr at mealtimes. The soft blackness of the lava which forms these caverns swallows glowlight, so shelves for glowbaskets abound, dotting the walls every three or four paces and casting gentle greenish light toward the sparkles of gold volcanic glass embedded in the ceiling. Ancient, lustrous tables run along the axis of the cavern, and at the far end rests the raised dais and high table, where Weyrleaders and honored guests eat during formal occasions. Behind the high table, the Weyr's symbol is embedded into stone: a smoking mountain in black on an orange shield, trimmed in gold.
Perched near the food are fifteen firelizards.
You see Firelizard Tapestry and Dart Board here.
Obvious exits:
Northeast Caverns Kitchens Bowl Southern Caverns

Aaaaah. Mornings. The bane of young Lendai's existence. More so when one spends the evening jamming out at the gather. With eyes all splotted with red, the teenager sits at a table close to the hearth, nursing a mug of klah. She isn't her normal chatty self, at least not for a while, at any rate. All those who come close get a scathing glare. Hisss.

"What'er'yown kind do'er'yown kind..." That's Laeri singing, or trying to, anyway. And to himself no less! Or to Lendai since that's where he's headed. She's there, he's there, they're both by the hearth ow. "Hey. I saw you yesterday." Along with the entire Ista Weyr population, no less.

Ilidar flounces in, looking like one of those extremely gay men who wear skirts. Of course, in typical male fashion, he's in search of food. After attaining a plate loaded with a disturbingly large amount of food, he head over towards Lendai, shrinking at her hard glare. He didn't do anything this time! He's been a very good boy of late. He sits on the floor in front of the hearth. Munchmunchmunch. Yes, good boy Ilidar! Yes. Sit. Stay. Eat. Good boy!

Lendai looks up at Laeri, her face visibly wincing with his singing. She tries to be cheery and full of glee, but fails and only grunts at the guy. A nice, long drink is taken from her mug before its pretty much dropped back to the table. Both hands come up to her face and just rub over her entire face. No worries, this is all part of the waking-up-process. Very scientific. Finally, she's able to croak out some noises that may be words. Maybe. "Really? I didn't see you." Narrowed eyes zone in on his face. Ilidar is spotted as well and he gets snort. Lucky men! "Don't you all know it's /morning/!"

Whether it's the whole 'gay man' aspect, or the fact that children in Igen are now going to starve to death for Ilidar's hoarding, Laeri stares. Still staring. And maybe that's a weird look on his face, too--or he's going to sneeze. ...Nothing.

Okay! "I was stuck in the smith booth," he then explains, returning attention to the girl. "Thus, I've been up for like, a candlemark already." And already taking a break from his duties. Go figure.

Ilidar snickers, but is careful to swallow his food before talking. "I've been up for... too long. Little flitter decide he was hungry. Spoiled thing he is, he didn't dare fetch his own food, like he very well could of. Nope! He had to make a fuss and made me stuff him. I need to get some new oil."

"Oh," Lendai fidgets in her seat, torn between leaving to find a quieter table but fighting with her manners that tell her to stay put. Manners win out and she stays where she is, letting out a sigh. "What exactly do you have to do at the booth, anyway? Sell stuff? Was I even near the smith booth yesterday." Must have been, or Laeri wouldn't have noticed her. "Did'ja dance at all? Some of the apprentice harpers came and did a few songs. They were pretty bad." Yeah, she's mean. And right now she doesn't give a crap. "Obviously, you need to learn how to train your firelizards, Ilidar. They should be bringing /you/ the food." Have to wonder what food would taste like after being brought in from between. Hmm. "They should make the day after a Gather a rest day."

"You know where there's some great oil? In the infirmary. My brother makes them," Laeri suggests without explanation of just who his brother might be. It's not too important. "Sell stuff." That's to Lendai, of course. "Didn't actually sell anything though 'cause I suck and Al came by so I got distracted anyway." Dancing? Apparently Laeri's distracted again because he doesn't answer that particular question. Just ignore the picking at the back of his neck.

Ilidar yawns, and glances at his already empty plate. How is that even possible? The world may never know. "I think I'm going to go do that now. See you guys later." And with that, he's off.

Lendai shakes her head, suppressing the urge to roll her eyes. "You're never going to make journeyman getting distracted and stuff." She gets to her feet and grabs up some breakfast. Plopping back down, she takes a bite of the eggs. "Have you ever considered that maybe this Al might be holding you back?" Lendai states, waving a hand around. "And... could you not do... whatever it is you're doing with your hand?" Hard to ignore something that makes her want to throw up a little in her mouth.

"I totally will! I at least get stuff done. If I had sold anything, the marks would've been mine anyway, but I don't need any." As Lendai gets up, Laeri's eyes trail after her for a moment until she returns. "Holding me back? Maybe if I turn thirty and I'm /still/ an apprentice. Then I'll start to worr--huh?" Oh, the picking? He looks confused for a moment before it finally dawns on him. No apology though! "You should be a smith. They're having a contest right now to see who can recruit the most apprentices."

M'cai moves steadily in from the South Caverns.

Lendai purses her lips, "What was the last thing you got done, huh? What did'ja make?" My, oh, my! She's cranky today. "And how could you not need the marks." The last part isn't really a question, just a statement of annoyance. "You should make sure your... guy knows how important your profession is. Selling your stuff means people know you... and stuff." Not really sure why she's lecturing the older teen, Lendai does the face rubbing thing again. Argleblehmeh. "Me? A smith? Err... I don't think so. The craft seems boring." Huzzah for being blunt! "Wha'cha get as a prize?"

"Make?" Oh, it's might've been a while. "I made these hide cutouts of peni--" And saved by the sneeze! And the sniff that follows. And the wiping of his nose on his upper sleeve. Ahem. "I don't 'cause Al seriously, buys me everything. I guess healers make pretty good marks. Unless it's a family fortune that I don't know about." A thought to ponder! "It's /so/ not boring. If it's caught /my/ attention, then it must be something good. I had 3 jobs before it, y'know... And... I dunno. They didn't say."

There are too many L's in the living cavern. Which is why there's a M'cai there to mix things up a bit. Or at least limp his way up from..somewhere down in those caverns. Either way, it's sluggish progress that the brownrider makes, scooting right along in a little shuffle across the cavern floor. It's food he goes after first..and then toward Laeri, who gets a faint bop on the head. Mainly as a friendly gesture, of course. "/Some/ people don't like smithing. Baking is a good craft.." And then? The rider sits down..if gingerly.

Shilo walks in from the South Caverns.

Lendai really can't help but be mildly disgusted by Laeri. It's times like this that make her contemplate becoming like her mother and liking the females. Shoving /that/ thought aside, she stares at the smith, head just shaking in disbelief. "I... see." No. She doesn't. "I always assumed Healers were poor." Or was that Harpers... "Was it through your smith craft you met Alain? Maybe /that's/ why you like it. Maybe it really /is/ boring, but the benefits rocked." Lendai gives a gingerly grin at M'cai, the first smile to grace her face so far this morning. "Too easy to make a mess with baking, and I bet you'd gain a million pounds." Hands go to her stomach. "You gotta sample everything you make." What's the old saying? Never trust a skinny chef.

"That's 'cause /some/ people haven't given Smithing a whirl," Laeri says, reaching back to pinch M'cai in return. Again, a friendly gesture. "Why're you limping?" Yes, it's noted, even if M'cai's sitting now. "No." And just as quick, attention returns to Lendai. "It's actually his fault," Laeri mentions, thumbing towards the rider. "Way before I became a smith. I was actually a healer then. Well, candidate, I think. Or was it after... something like that. So what /do/ you do around here, just out of curiosity."

M'cai makes a somewhat sour face, sinking down into his chair just a little bit. "I was never fat..." Does that mean he was a /bad/ baker? Sniff. He'd protest, but really, he just doesn't have the energy for it. Maybe after he eats. Which..he does start to do, chewing lightly on a piece of bread. Blink? Laeri gets a quick glance for his question, and then just..returns his attention to the plate. "I had a long night."

Martin walks in from the Southeastern Bowl.

What does she do? Erg. That's a good question. "This and that." Yep. That's her answer. "Whatever my fostermother tells me to do." M'cai gets another smile, lucky guy, and Lendai nods her head. "Well, maybe you're just lucky then. Y'know, people who can eat and eat and never gain weight?" Curse those humans. /Curse/ them. Having been completely oblivious to the limping, Lendai is all eyes and ears now. The gossipy girl leans towards the 'rider and smith. "Got hurt at the Gather?"

Shilo slips in, peering about as the soft fluff of brown curls swings slowly in one direction, then another. Moving further in, he pauses to pour himself some klah before sliding towards the small cluster comprised of Lendai, Laeri, and M'cai. "Sorry, but one of you didn't ask for someone earlier to send help with a squeaky cupboard hinge, did you?"

Martin comes in from the outside and glances around the room. Spotting the brownrider, he promptly turns red and changes direction--/away/ from the younger man. He takes himself to the sideboard to pile some food on a plate. Nevermind that his ears, still visible, remain a nice crimsony color. He'll just get...um...some klah. Yes. Klah.

"Mmmhmm," Laeri smirks, giving M'cai a wicked grin before reaching over to mess up his hair as best as he can, if only because he can. "I eat and eat." Like a bird. "Still skinny." Ish. "Yeah, me," Laeri says, tossing up a hand towards Shilo as he comes by. "Someone from the kitchens came by the smithy saying it sounded like nails on a slate, but I don't have any grease for it. Gotta get more from the hall."

"Huh? Gather?" M'cai looks a tad confused for a moment, before he just shakes his head. "Oh, um..no. I didn't go." Oh look! More food goes into his mouth, before he ducks away from that hair-ruffling. "Oh don't you look at me like that, Laeri." Talk of squeaky hinges gets a glance then, brows arching upward before his attention shifts right toward the elusive headman. Ha! There's no escape now.

Lendai makes a face at Laeri, "Consider yourself lucky then." Grumbling under her breath, the teen starts attacking her eggs with a vengence. Eating up, she just goes quiet and tries to listen for once. Too bad it doesn't last long, as Shilo comes up to their table. "Not me, n--" But then the boy is given an answer, and Lendai goes back to her food. Mmm. Breakfast. "Oh. You missed a good time."

Shilo rummages in a pocket and pulls a small tin free. After a slight rub to the sawdust-afflicted sides, he holds it out to Laeri. "Got a bit of grease left myself, if you were planning on giving that hinge a fix, your more then welcome. If not, I could swing by today and give it some treatment."

Martin can only avoid turning around for so long, and finally does so, looking down at his food once he catches sight of M'cai's eyebrows raised at him. He narrowly misses getting run over by a drudge with a tray of sweetrolls, and finally winds his way over to sit...well...a little away from M'cai. Maybe by Laeri. Yes, that may be a good place. And then, in a gentlemanly greeting, he says, "Mrf."

"So like, you don't do anything? Better not let the headman know that. He likes to put people to work. Isn't that right, Mickey? Slave work, right?" Waggle waggle. And then Laeri can't help but burst out laughing, nearly keeling forward. "I kill myself som--" Oh look, Martin. He gets the elusive stare now. And then Shilo's talking again, but Laeri misses everything after--well no, he misses everything. "Huh?"

M'cai lets out a slight sigh, resting his chin in a palm as Martin sits..well../away/ from him. That wasn't supposed to happen. He even looks vaguely irritated at something or another..quite possibly not even the current conversation at all. His head shakes though, before he tugs lightly on Laeri's sleeve. "Would you give him a smack for me, and tell him he can sit over here? I won't /bite/." The 'he' being Martin, of course. All the talk of work gets a groan out of the rider though, before looking at Lendai again, skeptically. "If you don't /do/ anything, I'm sure I can put you to work somehow. In fact, it's probably best if you just go ahead and move into the candidate barracks. Those guys are put to work well enough."

Lendai watches the interaction between Laeri and M'cai, one eyebrow arched up. Uh... huh. "Slave work?" She's almost scared to ask what that should even mean. Blinking a few times, her attention goes to just Laeri. "I do to do stuff. Just like... not as much as others. I do laundry and some chores. And I... er... clean up the beach." AKA she combs it for dropped goodies. "And I've been thinking of doing some research." Sniff. So nyah! She's about to say her greeting to the headman, but just pauses and instead, stares at M'cai. "I /do/ do work, like I said I d--" Pause. "The candidate barracks? Why, do they need to be cleaned?" Eww. Unwashed masses of cots and sheets and... Lendai shudders.

Shilo cocks a brow and slips to tin back into a pocket. "Don't worry about it, I've got some free time later, I'll go see about that hinge." Smiling in his vaguely lopsided way, he retreats a few steps in order to sit and finish his klah.

"Who doesn't do--" Martin starts, and then is ordered a smack from Laeri on M'cai's behalf. And he goes all quiet and starey at his food again. "Cleaned and filled," he adds after Lendai's question. "You've no idea what a turn of dust can do to a place." And no, he's not going to sit by M'cai, it seems. It's too...dangerous.

"Heck yeah they do. It was like, the worst few months of my life." As if Laeri actually -did- anything other than shirk. "And then the dragons try to EAT YOU on the sands." Or you get sick like Laeri and have to get yanked off the sands by the healers. As far as Martin's concerned, well, Laeri just offers him a wicked grin. "I totally just got permission to hit you, y'know." And yet, he doesn't? And Shilo's talking again. Funny how that works out, huh? "Wait, what? Oh. Cool. You're my hero 'cause like, everytime I go in there, they think I'm trying to snatch something."

M'cai promptly /leans/. Yes, he leans to get a look at Martin, huffing. "Are you going to make me get up and come over there?" That's just mean. But Lendai's questioning gets a dismissive wave from the brownrider instead, attention averted. "Oh, well I'm sure they'll make you clean up there eventually. Or at least keep it neat, if you're going to be staying there. I mean..you do want to, right? I guess it /is/ optional, but Giavistoth isn't really sounding like it." He does lift a brow then, pointing a fork at the girl. "I'm saying he wants you to stand for the clutch, in case you were wondering." Or in case she didn't get it. Yeah.

"A turn of dust..." That so doesn't sound like Lendai's definition of a good time. And Laeri only seems to drive this fact home. "Oh, they do not eat you." Her nose is wrinkled. "But they're really that bad, huh?" Maybe she'll need to get some reinforcements. "Is... anyone else going to be helping me clean them?" Whether she wants to or not, Lendai has been taught to do what those who outrank her tell her to do. "I want gloves, at least!" Maybe a gas mask. Biohazard suit. Her mind once again comes to a halt and she just blinks. "Wait. Wait. You want me to /stay/ in there?" Nope, she didn't get it, at first. But it's coming. "Oh. Oh! OH! You're asking me to stand? For the clutch? The clutch on the sands? Right now? That clutch?" Questions bubble out of her mouth at a fast pace, most just sounding like gibberish. "Yes, of course! Faranth! And yeah, I'll clean up in there too." The heck she's staying anywhere that isn't /clean/! "Um... just 'cause I'm curious... what would your dragon have done if I said no?" Not that she did, but her cusiousity knows no bounds.

Shilo drops the empty klah mug on the table and heads towards the kitchen to attack the squeak.
Shilo walks to the Kitchens.

"He'd eat you," Martin murmurs, all but cowering under M'cai's accusations. And Laeri does get eyed. For not hitting Martin. Faranth, he's done it twice already, you'd think he'd welcome the third chance. But the headman pushes to his feet and clambers out of his chair to grab his plate and drink and move over to sit by M'cai. Sort of. No touching allowed.

"EAT YOU," Laeri can't help but pipe up at the same time Martin speaks. "And people have too gotten mauled on the sands, I'll have you know." So very true. "Think dragons eating humans is almost like cannibalism? I mean, they say a dragon's just another part of the person, and vice versa..." Anyway. Moving on. Hi Martin. "Al says I have to flirt with people to make friends, but if I do it to you, it's pro'lly 'cause I'm pissed and can't tell your face from a bovine's." And then Laeri grins--like, really big.

Whether touching is allowed or not, M'cai doesn't seem to have read those rules, considering he promptly leans on Martin's arm. /Lean./ And then there's so much talk of his dragon eating people. "..People taste bad. That's what he says, anyway. I dunno, he'd probably just glare at you or something." But that's not a problem, now is it? Lendai said yes, after all. "Good then! I don't have any white knots on me or anything, but I'm sure someone'll have one for you.."

"That would explain why you were hitting on me the other day," Martin retorts, "You were drunk." Yeah, that kind of pissed. "Though I didn't realize you were into bovines, Laeri." And then he's leaned on. Erk. Martin leans a little away and chuckles nervously, "Um...I'm eating."

Two out of three Weyr residents say the dragon would eat her. So Lendai isn't quite sure who to believe, but logic says to go with what the dragon's rider is saying. "Oh. Alright." Ahahaha. Ahem. "I'll make sure to stay on his good side, either way." I.E. She doesn't want to know what the inside of a dragon looks like. Standing up from her seat, the teenager shuffles in place. "Okay. Right. White knot." Lendai is quite perplexed at what to do next. "Do I... do I go in there right now?" A step is taken towards the lower caverns but she looks back at M'cai. He who has all the answers!

"I wasn't hitting on you the other day. When was I hitting on you?" Maybe Laeri was SO DRUNK that he doesn't remember. Or maybe Martin's full of it. "Bovine's are hot." Rather than deny it, Laeri plays along. "I totally want one for a pet 'cause then I could have milk whenever I want." Nevermind the process it takes to get milk, and what has to be done to it otherwise. Anyway, moving on again! "Can't you get her a knot?" That's to Martin. He's the headman afterall.

M'cai just blinks for a moment, staring at Martin, and then simply pushes himself to his feet. "I'll get you one, you don't have to worry about that." He does move then, away from his seat. "You can if you want, though you should probably get some of your stuff first. Either way, I'll make sure they know you're coming." Which it seems is exactly what the brownrider is preparing to do, as he makes a slow exit.

Lendai nods her head, really bewildered with everything going on, as the realization just /crashes/ down on her. "I'm a freaking candidate." Holy crap. "Okay, right. Stuff. Alright." She can do that! Turning in the opposite direction, Lendai starts to move for the bowl. "Must tell Jala." Yeah, nothing intelligent is going to come from her mouth for a while.

As M'cai pushes to his feet Martin looks.../relieved/! Well, maybe it's just nice to know he's not going to be in danger anymore. He just hunkers down and starts in on his food, snorting a little and shaking his head, "Glad I don't have to sleep with you, Laeri. That's just gross."

Trying to make them proud

Wed, 14 Nov 2007 20:11:47 GMT

The time is 14:00.
It is afternoon of the twenty-eighth day of autumn.
It is the fifth Turn of the Tenth Interval.

The writing is rather sketchy, at best. As if the person writing it has rather bad handwriting. Many words are crossed out and re-written.

My mother sent a weyrling from 'Reaches yesterday to deliver a few gifts. One of which was thie journal. When my mother was a candidate at High Reaches she had a journal just like this one, her words, not mine. Said it was very helpful to getting through the harder times. I've been a candidate for almost a sevenday now and I don't really get what she meant by 'hard times'. Yeah, the hours suck. They make us get up with the sun. What's worse, they make us get up and then expect us to excersize! I've never ran a day in my life, now I'm being told to run dragonlengths. I'm always at the back of the group, huffing and puffing along. It's ~~embaresing~~ embarassing! I try to shrug it off, but if my parents got wind of how horrible I am, they'd never let me live it down.

Crackdust! What happens if I keep faltering at these tasks? Does it mean I'm not dragonrider material? My mother will most likely disown me. Jala will kick me out of her weyr. Alena will /never/ let me live it down. A boy, Illidar, said I had a good chance at getting a dragon. Something about it being in the blood. He's a bloody liar. Blood has nothing to do with it! I don't know what you do need to be good "material". Do I already have it because I was asked to Stand? M'cai made it sound like his dragon would have it no other way. The dragons always know, right? Right?!

Faranth. As if this stupid slip of hide has the answers to my questions. Forget it.

I just want my mother to be proud of me. To be proud of the fact she had me. I feel like she doesn't even care that I've alive...

The writing ends after that. A few more words are placed down, but are completely inked out. A simple, flowing 'L' is placed underneath the words.