Rappu
Pridesecond 
rapct[M:55]
Sailor Melty Rainbow Death
Posts: 496
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Post by Rappu on May 25, 2012 14:26:44 GMT -5
Dalahirath slipped inside the kitchen. The young dragonet was still small enough, and it was easy to move about around the stoves, tables and food. She enjoyed the smell of roasting herdbeast and flour, and all the different colours on summer fruit, and the hustle and bustle of the drudges, cooks and everyone passing by.
All in all, she liked the kitchen.
Especially when she heard new, interesting things. Rumours and gossip travelled fast in a Weyr, and Dalahirath lived for gossip. She wanted to know who was friends with who and who had gone swimming last week and what kind of pants someone had worn. Relationships and events were just so fascinating!
She squeezed herself into a lovely cool spot by a table with a pile of vegetables, trying to see if she could spot anyone she knew doing chores, and tucked her tail under her chin. Dalahirath didn't want to get the bow on her tail messy, oh no!
"Poor lad, I hear he's completely smitten with her..." Dalahirath perked her head. This sounded interesting! She turned to look at the dish-washing drudges, listening closely.
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Azhdarchid
Jr. Weyrwoman 
azhct[M:-1490]
Totes.
Posts: 1,627
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Post by Azhdarchid on May 28, 2012 22:20:34 GMT -5
He approached the kitchen stores at a lazy walk rather than trying to slide along the wall or duck. Stealth would never be a strong suit of his physique, but Weyrfolk easily missed when something was wrong if he pretended everything was just fine. His gait was natural swift, long in the pacing, so though he was in a hurry he did not have to put on any artificial haste.
He did have to duck a low-lying droopage of the stone ceiling, something he almost neglected completely till he noticed the lowest point about to impact his brow. His casual strut barely suffered, but he slowed up as he approached one of the last few in-use rooms between him and his goal. He would actually have to enter that room and skirt the wall around a bend into another tunnel. And from there lay only a wine cellar.
Of course he would have to do the same dance on the way back, but most people didn't get nosy if he was leaving the kitchen. He stopped in the dark outside the cavern and listened to the women natter, and more importantly he picked up on the shallow footsteps their soft shoes produced along the stone. They were all at the distant end, bent over their basins, occupied. He advanced through the entryway behind them, then moved silently through a standing of food-laden tables. Ever mindful of the little details, he turned his head toward hint of deep carmine dragonflesh poking out by a table leg.
Q'sis froze. He did not even check the positions of the washwomen before he leaned hard over, crouching awkwardly to get a better look at the other intruder. Olive-green eyes widened as his investigation reached its conclusion, shapely dark eyebrows rising into uncharacteristic arches.
"What are you doing here?" he demanded. One of the better-eared washwoman replied tinnily "Who said that?" and attempted to turn around, only to scramble back into her place to keep a grip on a slippery dish. She lowered it into the basin gingerly, and twisted to face the exit while wringing a cloth over her wet hands. But by the time she looked, Q'sis had retreated back out into the hall, and was hunkered by the entrance, watching the decorated dragonet from an angle. Unconvinced by the situation's innocence, the washwoman began wandering over to the tables.
Q'sis swallowed, setting his jaw. Come with me, he said. It was his voice, but not his. The dragonet could probably plainly detect the partnership implied, but Q'sis' other half didn't get any of her own words in. Now!
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Cathaline
Lady Holder
cathct[M:50]
Posts: 3,279
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Post by Cathaline on May 29, 2012 8:40:49 GMT -5
It was understandably rare for the Lady Holder of Crescent to pay a personal visit to Dalibor's kitchens. Relations between Hold and Weyr were good, and Samara made it a personal quest to attend each hatching, but she had far too much to do for her own people to take much interest in the day-to-day workings of her neighbours. Today was different, however. With the growing season upon them, Samara had arrived for a meeting with the Headwoman to discuss any particular needs that could be met in the next tithe. Having just completed this task, she had accepted the offer of refreshments before she would proceed to the dragon assigned to fly her back over to Crescent.
Since she was undistracted by work, Samara noticed the hulking, lurking man who entered the kitchens. She recognised him, too - Q'sis, rider of tan Unath, Pern's only male subqueenrider. She did not know him personally, but it fascinated her to view him in his natural environment two turns and more since she'd first watched him Impress. Soon enough, however, something strange occurred; from her position she could not see what had aroused his interest and, from the set of his jaw, his ire.
Rising, she strode over to the doorway, back erect. "Greetings, tanrider," she said, and eyed the pink hunched down by the table. One of the newest weyrlings, obviously, from her size. She must have slipped away while her rider was resting - or perhaps at chores in this very room, so Q'sis's outrage seemed rather misplaced. However, Samara had to defer to the experience of one who actually was a dragonrider and lived in the Weyr, so presumably he knew for a fact that the pink should not be here.
"You have a lovely bow," she said at last. There was really no need to interfere with the situation, but she rarely got the opportunity to chat with the dragonriders, and as long as she was here anyway...
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Rappu
Pridesecond
rapct[M:55]
Sailor Melty Rainbow Death
Posts: 496
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Post by Rappu on May 29, 2012 9:10:08 GMT -5
Dalahirath's attention quickly turned from the cooks' gossip to Q'sis. She cocked her head and blinked at the tanrider. Why was he sneaking around like that? But then he spoke to her, and Dalahirath's simple mind knew exactly what to do in a situation like that. Well, the man retreated pretty quickly but Dalahirath paid no heed to that. Hers had said that etiquette was important even if the other party didn't behave accordingly.
Good afternoon! How do you do, I'm Dalahirath! Where do you want us to go? Her voice was a whisper, but an excited one. The dragonet took a couple of steps towards Q'sis, happy that she might learn something new from the seemingly skittish man. She didn't know why he was so nervous, but she'd find out, one way or another. The pink craned her neck forwards, wanting to get a better look, and took again a few steps closer. The strange man had probably been sneaking to hear what the cooks were talking about. Yes, that made a lot of sense. Did you know that the girl who works at the creche wants to go out with one of the healers? Dalahirath offered helpfully, and trotted to Q'sis.
The older woman caught her attention. She seemed like someone important, so Dalahirath nodded her head deep and introduced herself again. Thankyou! Mine likes this bow too. I have many bows. The dragonet's eyes swirled blue and she hummed happily. But wait, wait, hadn't Hers always said that it was polite to give a compliment back? She looked up and down the Lady Holder, but it was so hard to decide what to say. Which item on the woman did she like best? Um... Your dress is very... Dressy! Proud at her compliment, Dalahirath puffed up and then turned back at Q'sis.
You wanted to go somewhere! Can we go all together?
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Azhdarchid
Jr. Weyrwoman
azhct[M:-1490]
Totes.
Posts: 1,627
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Post by Azhdarchid on May 29, 2012 10:56:29 GMT -5
The washwoman working her way over to investigate spotted Dalahirath's tentative slither, and was at first possessed by the notion of an enormous tunnelsnake. She started to squeak out a cry of terror when she recalled there were no pink tunnelsnakes, and there was a Lady Holder at the door. Q'sis, occupied with Dalahirath's mental tumble, gave a full-bodied spasm of surprise at the appearance of Samara. His lips parted, making a blank 'o' at the woman, eyebrows snarling. The squeak the washwoman had put out had gotten the attention of the others, and now all basked in Samara's forthright presence.
Q'sis slowly pulled his feet in underneath him and stood, putting his head back well above the elderly woman's, and the dragonet's. With the resumption of his height, his features started to recover, but Samara chose that moment to compliment him on his...bow? He blinked, then followed her eyes to Dalahirath's tail. Q'sis grimaced at the accessory. The tanrider did not know who greeted him; he had never been close enough to Samara to make a mental note of her face, not even at Turn's End celebrations. But he had some recognition of her from Hatchings, a familiar attendee. Someone important enough to bear witness to dragon births, but not a woman of the Weyr. He knew all of those.
He took a shallow step into the entryway, enough to present himself as accompaniment to the commanding lady. The pink dragonet was continuing to chatter so loudly, he could pick her up even without his dragon's assistance.
"I am only a Weyrling, my lady," he said, rotating the shoulder with his tan knot affixed to it. "That is Dalahirath. She is going to go outside, where she belongs." He glared at the ruinous pink. "I will be escorting her." The Weyrling glanced sideward at the washwomen, who were reacting to his apparent association with Samara with shock rather than their usual anger. He played on: "But perhaps there is something you need before we depart? I would be happy to assist you, as your representative from Dalibor for the duration of your visit. Of course, I was delayed from my duties to you when I spotted this pesky dragon and had to chase her down. My apologies." He inclined his head, unable to execute a full bow in the cramped entryway.
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Cathaline
Lady Holder
cathct[M:50]
Posts: 3,279
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Post by Cathaline on May 30, 2012 6:00:40 GMT -5
Samara couldn't help but smile at the pink's polite, if childish, comment. "Thank you, my dear," she said, somewhat intrigued at the concept of a weyrling who kept her dragonet in bows. From what little she knew of this period, the chores, lessons, feedings, and oilings were quite exhausting; a man or woman who took care to keep their bonded in bows must be rather extraordinary, mustn't they? She had a little time to kill, and she had to admit to herself a desire to meet the rider of this young one.
To Q'sis, she said, "I would be happy to accompany you both; I have some time yet before I am due to depart. I am Lady Samara of Crescent," she added, seeing that he was unaware of who she was. "It is nice to meet you both. There is nothing more I require, but I always welcome the rare opportunity to greet the dragonriders who protect my Hold and my people." Noting how difficult he found bowing, she added, "I believe we need no longer stand on ceremony, Q'sis, at least not to such an extent."
Sweeping past them both, she headed down the corridor toward the outside. "I was unaware that you remained a weyrling," she told Q'sis, not with any particular judgment; she knew how old his dragon was, but there had of course been no need for Fajra and O'sho to gossip about a heldback rider. "When is your class due to graduate?"
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Rappu
Pridesecond
rapct[M:55]
Sailor Melty Rainbow Death
Posts: 496
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Post by Rappu on May 30, 2012 13:43:04 GMT -5
Dalahirath pricked her ears and her eyes swirled with light yellow dots. That wasn't at all how it should be, oh no. Or was it? Maybe Q'sis had come to take her away from the kitchens. But why? She'd just wanted to listen to the cooks. Confused, the dragonet started talking to Analucia: AnaluciaMine, a strange man says I shouldn't be in the kitchens. Why does he say that? There is also a lady who said I'm dear! Oooh, and she said my bow is lovely! What do you th-
Analucia very nearly ran to the scene in a flurry of frills and a lacy-trimmed apron. She had been close, eating lunch and planning on oiling her dragonet afterwards. She had told Dalahirath to stay outside, but of course the curious pink couldn't be kept away from the kitchens with all of its interesting stories and things... "Dalahirath! What have you been doing? Oh!" She stopped in her tracks as the sight of Lady Samara caught her. "Your Ladyship," she said and did her most official and complicated curtsy, "it is a honour to meet you. Er, I am Analucia, of Pink Dalahirath." She recognized the Lady Holder right away; her grandmother had made sure to teach her about all the major Lord and Lady Holders on Pern as a part of her education. Why Lady Samara was in Dalibor she didn't know. All she knew was a hope Dalahirath hadn't said anything stupid... "I hope my young dragon has not offended you in any way," she managed nervously.
Oh, and there was someone else, too. Was that the weyrling who'd been held back for some reason? "Good afternoon. Q'sis, if I am correct?" There was only one male tanrider in the whole Weyr, and there was one Weyrling kept from graduating... That was a rumor Dalahirath had picked up from multiple people. The discussion between the Senior Weyrwoman and the man was shrouded in secrecy, though, and Analucia hadn't the slightest idea just why he had been held back, but she did not approve. Q'sis had probably broken the rules a lot if he had been held back, gambled and drunk or had an affair. If he had wanted to graduate he could have done it...
Dalahirath snuggled Analucia's head gently, happy to see her weyrling again. Q'sis just said we would be going somewhere! He told me so in the kitchens. Now we can go all together and it will be fun, she announced cheerfully.
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Azhdarchid
Jr. Weyrwoman
azhct[M:-1490]
Totes.
Posts: 1,627
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Post by Azhdarchid on Jun 1, 2012 21:02:46 GMT -5
Q'sis had already coaxed his face into a tanned calm from which it would not easily depart, even when the guest announced herself Lady Holder. Her bearing and mannerisms all ran refreshingly counter to the average female's blustering. Those sucked onto the Weyr's premises were especially demented with time. He marked himself with an appropriate amount of surprise, a heft of his black brows, and then remained still to allow Samara her plunge forward. He considered briefly what her actual purpose might have been in the kitchen's depths, and if the washwomen would let him attend it.
He backed behind Dalahirath and lifted an empty goblet from one of the tables, fastening it to his belt before he followed the others.
"The Cloudchasers will graduate two months from now," he replied, not assuming himself into that group any more than Samara had. "W'al has not as yet complained of me," was all he could add in his own defense. He had always worked to make sure the final decision was not up to W'al, so as not to give the Weyrwoman actual bolts for her 'bow. "Stop here," he told both Lady and dragon. "What do you prefer, Samara?" She had said ceremony was extraneous at this point. He liked her name. It was similar to another's, and rolled off his lips almost as warmly. "Water or wine?" He drew the goblet from his belt, raising it to just below his own eye-level, then turning into one of the rooms off the hallway.
The workers inside had already been eyeing the procession, and gave the interloper room to collect the necessary drink. If Samara desired nothing, he could always sip it himself. When he returned, the pink's Weyrling had finally dragged herself in. Q'sis knew Dalahirath was not Saia's, but somehow he was still annoyed when Saia did not show up to claim this pink too, like the color was an infection inadequately contained. "You are not correct, but you did get my name right," he answered quietly. "Out of the Lady's way. We're going to the Bowl."
Since the dragonet had been returned to her lifelong keeper, his responsibilities now went only to Samara. He broke the ranks to move up beside her in the broad hallway. His olive eyes searched her face, then flicked back at Analucia once before he offered the goblet.
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