Tea For Two (Rhia)

[Kiran]

Kira finally had a dragon. After a Turn and a half of waiting, a beautiful blue dragon had Impressed to her.

It was hard to believe it, waking up in have morning and seeing different walls around her, feeling the presence of another sleeping being without seeing him, hearing his lovely calm voice as he greeted her for the day. A giggle escaped her. She and Lili both! It was wonderful being in the same weyrling class. And she had her friend S'idon with them, and though not everyone they hoped would Impress did, it was still so many.... It made Kira very happy.

She bounced out of bed and got dressed, throwing on her green tunic and brown pants. Tauth just gazed at her, slowly unfolding himself once she had finished. "Alright! I promised Lili we would eat together this morning, so we are getting you fed and bathed bright and early." The blue gave her a small nuzzle. But that didn't speed him up at all - he was content to take his time. After all, what was the rush?

Kira went ahead and knocked on her friend's door. "Morning! We are finally up and at 'em. I think Tauth and I have finally worked out a schedule so we aren't late for everything." That had been a bit of a challenge, since her blue liked to stop and smell the roses when it came to getting anywhere and doing anything. But he didn't mind attempting to be -right on time- if given enough time to do things in. And he rather liked Lili and her pink. They were interesting. His eyes whirled with calm blues and greens as he waited for his friends (they were Kira's friends and by extension his) to come out.

[RhiaBlack]

Kira was right on more than one account.

It was a huge change. More than once, Lili had woken in a panic, worried because she was in a different room after over two turns of being in the same room, in the same place, with different roommates.

The Drudges had agreed to keep her crate-present until Lili had the official room-listing - as well as when she could adequately get the present into Kira's room without the other girl knowing ahead of time. A surprise, if nothing else, one that Lili had worked closely in secret with her mother at Tillek to complete.

Eventually, Lili had given up trying to get any sleep on her own. She had simply pulled her blanket and pillow over to Peranzath's couch, and crawled in under the cover with her Pink. Peranzath certainly hadn't minded. It made the feedings that were necessary for her Pink much less of a problem.

As a result, a very tired - but no less pleased - Lilianai pushed her door open to find Kira and her Blue outside it. What was his name again..

Tauth, MineLove.
Right.
Is that what sky looks like, LiliMine?
What?
Like Tauth's hide.
A bit lighter, but sometimes other colors, too.
One day we will see, yes, MineLove?
We can see today, if you like. They don't prevent us from going outside, just not where the Weyrlingmaster and the Watchdragons can't keep an eye on us. We're not supposed to go out alone.
But we are not alone, MineLove, you have me, and I have you, and one-plus-one, that equals two, yes, yes it does?
You're still little, Pera, there are lots of things out there that could hurt us. With these poisonings and such, they're not trusting anyone without another Rider and Theirs, or in a group.
I see, MineLiliLove.

The conversation happened as Lili offered a bright but absolutely exhausted smile towards Kira, having pulled on her clothes sometime in the process between coming from her bed to Peranzath's couch. She was rumpled, but otherwise clean enough.

"I'm still getting used to the new room. Two turns in the Candidate's Barracks, and I'm all sorts of out of sorts. Thankfully, the only thing I have to worry about with this one is her talking me to death."

Peranzath bugled a soft greeting to Tauth, though she seemed distracted by her own thoughts, before nudging her head under Lili's hand. The Pinkweyrling gently scratched Hers' eye ridges.

"I don't know about you, but I'm -starving-. There's supposed to be a feast tonight, too, I think. Maybe later, there was a lot of people hurt at the Hatching, so I imagine they'll probably wait til most of them are bandaged up and feeling better." She rubbed her face, letting Peranzath past her before she closed her door to follow her Pink out.

"How'd the pair of you get along? Liking being a Blueweyrling so far?"

[Kiran]

Kira walked beside Lili as Tauth took his place beside Peranzath. "I still can't believe it. It's hard to imagine that you were only there for six months longer than me, but I feel the same way. I was lost in my own room this morning!" Kira gave a chuckle. "And I still have a hard time believing that I impressed a blue. I honestly thought I would get a pink or green or cyan, and it's weird because..." She trailed off, a faint blush on her cheeks.

Because KiraMine wishes to be four. That is two by two, Peranzath, her blue helpfully supplied to the pink beside him. He rather liked her and her fascination with numbers. It was interesting. But there is no rush, as right now we are also two by two. She can be four later. The blue had picked up that Kira was rather fond of R'nar, as the thought of him crept across her mind. But even Tauth's casual mention of this made Kira flush bright red with guilt. At least the one she liked HAD a dragon- she couldn't say the same for Seph! It still made her a bit sad because she didn't have a girl. Hers would Chase. They both would Chase...

Her eyes darted to the pink with sudden realization, making her cough with surprise. Oh, dear. Hers would chase, and that meant that possibly...

"Tauth, how about we go outside with Lili and Peranzath? It might be a nice outing." It was a desperate change of subject, but the blue didn't comment on it other than to tell her they could do it later. After breakfast.

"The feast should be nice, something to perk up the spirits after..." After the girl had her throat slashed out in front of her. Kira raised a hand to touch her own throat in painful memory. Throats tended to go first when candidates were killed here, it seemed. And they bled a lot. She glanced over at Lili. "How is Seph doing, anyway? That wher... It..." Kira didn't know what else to say about it. Everyone had seen how Seph had been rejected. She hadn't the heart to go over and talk to Lili when she had been comforting her boyfriend.

[RhiaBlack]

((Sidenote: Pera voices her thoughts to both Lili as well as Kira/Tauth in this post.))

Peranzath flashed a bright pink grin towards Tauth. I'm on to you, Mister Sir. Her tail twitched casually behind her, before it wrapped around Lili's wrist. Not unlike a toddler holding her mother's hand, something Lili insisted on ever since she had discovered Peranzath had the tendency to let her mind wander.

"I had actually thought about going out. Peranzath has never been outside, at least in the sunshine. It was dark out, and she's curious about what the sky looks like. She asked me if it was the same color as Tauth's hide. She's...rather curious." Lili shrugged a little bit.

"Her mind tends to wander, too, so if she asks you something completely at random, don't worry too much about it. She likes learning things, from what I gather."
Yes, indeed, yes yes, I do. I am very curious, but harmonious, too!

Peranzath uttered it in a sing-song manner, something she'd taken to doing since she knew Hers was a Harper-in-training. She hoped that Hers would find the time to sing to her - Lili had already hummed around her several times, though it was absentminded. Much like Hers tended to get sometimes. Like Weyrling like Dragon, indeed.

"It seems pretty nice out, can probably handle both. Grab breakfast, and eat it outside by the lake? I might be able to keep Peranzath out of my meatrolls, then."
I would like that, very much. New things to smell and see and....touch?
"Maybe, if you behave."

Peranzath pushed her head against Tauth's shoulder, crooning to the Blue before she settled her headknobs back under Lili's hand. Pretty, handsome Bluuuue.

Mention of Seph made a frown creep across her expression.

"He's taking it pretty hard, from what I saw. He really only wanted Seidon to Impress, and he did, so he seemed happy at that once he realized what happened. It was hard to see with so many Candidates out there, so he didn't know until Peranzath walked over there to sit in front of him."
I like that you are two, MineLove.
"Yes, I know, Pera. Seph is only one right now, though."

She sighed forlornly. Peranzath cooed at Hers habitually, on auto-pilot as she followed Kira, Tauth, and Hers towards the Dining Hall.

"It's going to be hard, not...feeling the same way for him that I have. I don't want to get overemotional with him, Jazz said that if we swing too far on the pendulum, so to speak, and too suddenly, it could force our dragons between. So for now, I'll have to sort of just...be a little distant with him until I've graduated, and then I won't be able to do anything with him until he's Impressed and graduated, too. I know Peranzath will probably Rise before then, so it's...just a matter of figuring out if I want to deal with that before he's out, you know? I mean, that's if he even gets a male dragon, he could Impress a female, and then we've got to figure that out, too. I don't know."

She ran her free hand over her face with a sigh.

"Knowing my luck, the first time Peranzath chases, it'll be some inexperienced sharding dimglow that has no idea how to handle a woman ending up in our weyr. Not that I'm against teaching people things, but not a lot to teach in Flightlust, so I'm told. I better get used to betweening before then, that's for sharding certain. I end up pregnant and Seph will probably kill someone..."

She giggled, and shook her head.

"Ah, well. Still have two turns or so before I even have to worry about any of that. Plenty of time. I'm so excited to be out of Candidacy and Weyrlinghood, and have my Rider's knots, so we're not stuck here under anyone's thumb so often. It'll be nice to finally take Peranzath and go explore things. When there's not work to do, of course, or Thread to fly. What's the first thing you and Tauth are going to do when you graduate?"

LiliMiiiiine....are there such things as WherryWhers?
No, silly. Of course not.
I bet they would taste delicious.
If you managed to catch and kill one, sure. I bet they would be super mean. Teeth and claws and fangs all in those hook-beaks, oh dear.
Ooooohhh deeeear. Mmmm....in a Klah-sauce....mmmmm.
Stop it. I'm hungry enough already.

[Kiran]

Tauth cocked an amused eye and flashed a grin back at Peranzath when she smiled at him, a nice, toothy pink smile. She was calm and didn't rush things. He liked her for that.

"Perhaps it would be interesting to spend our rest day out, then. There is a time of morning... And evening... That the sky is as dark as Tauth's hide. I think I'd like to see how much he blends in as well." She aimed the comment at both Lili and her pink. Tauth snorted a bit, but a rest day out seemed nice. We could relax all day, not need to rush anywhere. I like this. Kira was beginning to think that her dragon had a bit of a lazy streak to him. "But for now, breakfast sounds really good." She shot a grin over at her friend. "I think I could use all the fresh air I could get." The stink of the sands, from the blood and the egg remains, had almost gotten to her the night before. It had haunted her dreams that night, and Kira was close to swearing that she could still smell it.

Tauth moved so that he could playfully nudge the pink back, settling in beside Kira. Kira said the sunrise is pink. Someday we should see a sunrise as pink as you are. But you can be the sunrise until then. He was absolutely fine with that, since he wasn't in any rush to see a sunrise. It would happen eventually, one day.

Kira pursed her lips a bit as Lili talked about flight and chasing and betweening. Hadn't she realized? "Well, you know what they say, 'five coughs Between keeps a figure lean'. And I'm sure there will be a share of men who end up in your bed one way or another... But when he Impresses a dragon, it will be the same for him and women. If he gets angry or upset with the situation, that's something to remind him of, because he will have to come to terms with it for his own dragon. Really, the only way you wouldn't be needing to Between is if the rider is a woman." Kira's cheeks flushed and she looked away. "Tauth might Chase Peranzath. And he might win."

Seemed like it should be said now. "I mean, he might not decide to Chase and there are plenty of other dragons out there that could win besides him, but... You know..." Her eyes darted back towards Lili quickly. "When I made that comment about my Flirt before the Hatching I didn't mean it when I said I'd been trying to steal you or anything, I like men, but in Flightlust..." Her hands fluttered helplessly. Kira was embarrassed by this whole discussion, but it had to be brought up. It would be even more awkward if somehow Tauth actually did manage to win a flight and they woke up together with no warning! Kira reached up to brush a strand of hair from her eyes. "Though I suppose it wouldn't be much better. I count as an 'inexperienced sharding dimglow with no idea how to handle a woman'." Saying it made Kira calm down a bit, though she couldn't stop the embarassed smile that flitted on her face from that.

But she supposed there were worse things than the possibility of ending up in bed with a friend. Kira wouldn't have to worry about pregnancy, and she liked Lili. Not romantically, of course, but she could feel safe ending up with her instead of a stranger. Of course, there was a possibility that Tauth would be the next Mifth and never win a flight, but that seemed rather unlikely....

They arrived in the kitchens, and Kira grabbed a bucket of meat for Tauth. She was glad that she had gotten a smaller dragon- some of the larger ones for the bigger hatchlings would have been a struggle to carry. "As for what I would like to do when I graduate..." She thought about it as they headed towards the entrance, the sun lighting up the light blue sky.

Talk to R'nar? Tauth didn't know or fully understand why his rider would want to do that, or why it seemed so urgent, but he would go along with it. At least it wasn't like she was talking to him now.

Kira colored at that. "Perhaps that," she concieded. "Or perhaps I'll take Tauth and visit my sister and father. They head home in a few days, got to see me Impress, but it would be nice for them to see me as a full-grown rider. And I'll have a niece by then that I should visit and play with. It would be a nice vacation." And it took her mind off of her own relationship conundrum.

Tauth hay paused at the entrance of the cavern, looking around and taking in the hustle and bustle that had already started. The blue tilted his head. I am not the color of the sky right now, he concieded to Peranzath. Then he went back to watching the people and dragons. Kira paused, waiting for him, but the blue was happy to take his time to get over to her. "Come on, I have breakfast. Aren't you hungry?" It seemed the press of his hunger was the only thing that could get him moving at the moment.

[RhiaBlack]

Lili's cheeks should have colored at the prospect of sharing her bed with another woman, but in all truths it wasn't the first time. Probably wouldn't be the last, either. She shrugged faintly.

"You're right, honestly. I'm going to have lots of them show, that's just how it goes. Can't change it, I mean...Peranzath won't pick someone she knows I'm not comfortable with, and I'm comfortable enough with you, so it only makes sense. We'll see. She might Rise before Seph Impresses and graduates, she may not, it all depends. I mean...I can pull him after that point, make him my weyrmate, but until then there's not a whole lot I can do aside from just ride the wave, I guess."

She smirked slightly, retaining her silence until they reached the Kitchens. Like her Pink, Lili's mind tended to wander, though she - unlike Peranzath - was perfectly capable of focusing while it did so. Maintaining her awareness of the world around her, and the conversations she was engaged in. She gently guided Peranzath away from walking into a wall, before retrieving a bucket of meat for her Pink, and some meatrolls, sweetrolls, and Klah for herself.

"I guess that's where it ends up different for us, there's not a lot of men on female dragons, so you'll probably end up in that situation a lot more than I will. Doesn't really matter either way, though. I've done that stuff with a girl before. Doesn't change a whole lot, just don't have to worry about betweening afterwards."

She followed Tauth and Kira outside, nodded slightly to one of the Drudges, who moved off to help some others take the crate to Kira's room, and then finally they were out in the sunshine. Peranzath's attention shifted promptly. Ouuuutsiiiiide!

Like a shot from a cannon, the Pink's sleek frame scampered with a gangly stride out into the grass and earth. She tripped over a stone, and rolled across the ground with a gleeful croon, flopping back over on her back before finding her feet and shaking herself off. Lumbering alongside Tauth, she followed both Weyrling girls to the edge of the lake. Lili plopped down, set the meat bucket aside, and used one hand to feed Peranzath while the other handled her own breakfast.

"You and R'nar going to become Weyrmates too, once you've graduated? I keep telling mom all the time that it's better to pick one. I mean, I'm all about variety and stuff, but sometimes just knowing you can trust that one person, it makes it all the better. Pera, slow -down-, by the First Egg..."

She used her nails to shred the pieces into smaller chunks, and offered them up to the Pink at her side.

"I hope Sora and Seph Impress at the next one, that way they're not that far behind. I think it'd be nice to be in the same Wing with them all, but even at that, I'd worry so much about them being all right, I don't know if it's a good idea. I'm just looking forward to being up there, and not down here."

[Kiran]

There was actually a bit of relief that Lili wasn't shocked or surprised by what she had to say. All the same, Kira still felt embarrassed about it since she most definitely hadn't been with a woman - or anyone, she had to admit, and when graduation rolled around would probably have a long talk with Lili asking advice and getting firsthand information - but chasing would be a matter of life from here on in. She would deal with it. And it was true, it might not come up between them! But if it did.... "True. I know you, and you're my friend, and push comes to shove I don't think I'd mind if Tauth caught Peranzath. If it even came up." Though Lili had a point about her situation....

Kira plopped down next to her friend, Tauth settling down in front of her to eat delicately, savoring each bite. "Naw, I haven't asked R'nar anything. I didn't get a chance to talk to him since I told you about him. He still doesn't even know I like him. I figure there's lots of time, though. I can talk to him when I graduate. Since he's in the class before us, then he'll have three months to... I dunno, shop around, experiment a bit. No pressure." Besides, if Kira were being entirely truthful, she as terrified that R'nar wouldn't like her back. She kept her eyes on the shreds of meat she was feeding to Tauth. "Might ask him to be my lover first, see if we fit."

Kira glanced over at Lili when she said it would be nice to have her other friends Impress next. "Yeah, I think it would be really nice if they did, too. I think it would be a lot of fun if we all ended up together. I think it's wonderful that you and me and S'idon have already lucked out, but having the others with us... It would have made things perfect." She leaned over and nudged Lili with her shoulder. "Don't worry. You waited this long for a dragon. Seph can't be too far behind." Kira knew how terrified Lili had been of aging out. "You thought for certain you were going to age out, but it didn't happen, you know? If there was one for you, has to be one for him!"

Tauth chimed in at that. His is taking its time. There is no rush. He still has turns before he could be too old, and even then His might find him. A few Impressed that were 'too old'. Why wish for these things to be rushed? He nuzzled Kira. His Impression had been rushed, but his hatching hadn't. He had taken his time to be laid in his egg. Kira had been waiting six turns for him, even if she had only been a candidate for a turn and a half.

Kira smiled and scratched his eye ridges. "Seconding what Tauth said. So. You know our weyrlingmaster, right? I don't early know much about him. What's he like?" She was curious about the man. Having heard a lot of things secondhand, Lili seemed the right person to pump for information.

[RhiaBlack]

Lili's lips tugged at one corner, before breaking into a full-blown smirk. She continued to tear meat chunks into smaller pieces for Peranzath, who had effectively lost herself amid her thoughts. Well, there would be little for conversation from the Pink, so it appeared.

"Seems like a good idea. Probably for the best anyways, wouldn't make any sense to go off asking him to be your Weyrmate if you don't sort yourself with him first. Something for after graduation, I suspect. K'var says we have to avoid that sort of thing for now, so I think I'm going to have to limit being around him for a while. At least for any long periods of time, he tends to...bring out things in me. I have a hard time keeping my hands off him, and you know how that ends up. The last thing I want is to lose Peranzath, or get in trouble. K'var caught us, when I...you know. He wasn't really that happy with us, but we didn't have Dragonets at the time. He understands, he said, but I still don't want to make him mad at me."

She offered a wry sort of grin, etching her thumb across part of Peranzath's hide to remove a bit of mud from it. She took immaculate care of her Pink, and the spatters of muddy grit across the Pink's oiled flesh didn't seem to please Lili much. All the same, she didn't voice her disapproval.

"He's pretty nice, all things considered. I'm kind of a handful sometimes, and I think he understands that. There's a lot of others of us, people who get into things like I do, and he says he understands that. I hear he's pretty promiscuous, too, so I don't doubt that Argotath might fly Peranzath one day. It'll be awkward afterwards, but we can't really control who our Dragons pick. I mean...I imagine Peranzath will have her choices as far as favorites go, but everyone I've ever talked to about it says you don't really have apprehensions and stuff when you're in the middle of it. I dunno. I've never dealt with that before, kind of worried about what would happen."

She rubbed the back of her neck after wiping her hand on a napkin, and sighed heavily.

"We've got two turns to figure it out, all the same. I suspect when it comes to that, we'll be ready for it. Have to be. I'm honestly just worried about Pera picking someone I don't know, or worse yet, someone who has no respect for women. Seems to be a couple of those around here, if the rumor mills are true. Thankfully most of them seem to be on dragons that wouldn't ever fly a Pink, or have a Blue chase them."

[Kiran]

OOC note: Tauth can be heard by Lili as well as Kira.

Kira breathed a sigh of relief when Lili agreed that her plan was okay. Yes, it was true that they weren't supposed to have those sorts of relationships. She didn't want Tauth to think for an instant that she didn't love him most of all. His eyes whirred a gentle blue as he nudged her hand at that thought, letting her know clearly he loved her more than anything as well. The Healer smiled at him as she listened to Lili talk and tell her about the weyrlingmaster and the situation with Seph besides.

A light hum of agreement sounded when her friend came to the end of it. "Well, sounds like we will have an interesting turn and a half then." She gently nudged her friend. "It's probably good you're a handful - makes life interesting and will keep K'var on his toes." Kira gave Lili a wink and grinned. "I'm glad I have two turns to think everything through. Definitely keeps the pressure off. Things will work out." Whether Tauth Caught Peranzath or not, how things worked out with R'nar, there was time.

I could have told you that, Kira Mine Own. Her Bonded's expression was bemused as he rested after having finished his meal, listening as Kira and Lili talked and ate. She stuck her tongue out at him before taking another bite of the meatroll she had started, then washed it down with the dregs of the klah. She hated to admit it, but her bonded (and her thoughts drifted to Z'dyn, since he had said a similar thing as well) was right. Things happened in their own time. Her Weyrlinghood would be one long lesson in learning to accept that.

As she reached out to scratch his eye ridges, she became aware of a tingling sensation in the back of her mind. Kira frowned. "Tauth... Do you itch?" The feeling she couldn't quite describe made her own skin feel sensitive and a bit like she had to scratch herself. Tauth nodded.

I do, KiraMine.
"Why didn't you say something earlier? Come on, let's get some oil, I'll bathe you right now."
You were having such a lovely talk. There was no need to rush it.
"Tauth...."
And there is no need to rush things like that. Though I think that I am, indeed, ready for a bath and oil now that you are finished.
"I would most certainly think so!"

Kira was frowning deeply at her little blue. He would be tricky to take care of if he didn't feel the need to tell her immediately when he needed something. She would have to keep an extra-careful eye on his needs. She glanced over at Lili. "Is Perzanth also ready for it? As long as I'm getting a bucket for him I might as well grab one for you at the same time." A flicker of a smile crossed her face. "And her tumble earlier definitely made her a bit dirtier than Tauth." She was sure Tauth would have his own spills and get filthy as well, but for now it seemed his tendency towards laziness was making her job a bit easier for now.

She got up to get some while Tauth nudged up against Lili and his sister, both of whom didn't seem to rush much. He liked that a lot. Kira was glad that her blue got along with his sister - it meant one good friend right out of the egg. Kira didn't know what she would have done if her dragonet hadn't liked Lili's! Upon returning, she handed Lili the oil and a brush. "So how did your family take your Impression? I don't remember if you said they were coming to this one or not. Dad and Kida came to see this one, they left already to go back home, but they were so excited to meet Tauth! Especially since they were worried about.... Everything. Dad was so happy about mine." A glow of happiness suffused Kira as she talked about it. Things had been tense since the last Hatching. Her sister had written her to reassure her that it was fine she hadn't Impressed, but she had been to two hatchings already, maybe she would return to Healer's Hall if she didn't Impress the third time around? Her father had been ever supportive in his quiet way, but Kira had still felt a sting if shame she had invited him when she was fairly sure she wasn't going to Impress anyway.

"The only thing I sort of regret is that one of my best friends here didn't get to see it. I still gotta talk to him, introduce him and his dragon to Tauth, but I guess it's handy that we live in the same Weyr. I can do it almost anytime when Tauth is awake and we don't have classes." The key would be getting those times to coincide. "But dad and Kida... I'm glad they got to meet him. And dad didn't get a chance to meet you, but for the record he says you are one of the best things to happen to me since I got here since you got me playing again. He thought it was fantastic." Kira grinned at her friend. "We even all got together and played and sang a bit, and he said that I was better than ever. He thinks you're a great Harper already, for teaching me as well as you have."

[RhiaBlack]

Lili's cheeks flushed slightly at the compliment, as Kira returned with the bucket and brush. Peranzath was nudged, and the Pink wandered down to the lake to wash the mud from her hide. All the while, she seemed distracted by her own thoughts. Lili was silent for a time, careful to keep an eye on Peranzath as she picked delicately across the shoreline and dipped into the water. A shimmy of her frame, and she started to preen herself not unlike a bird. Lili nudged her thoughts enough to remind her to wash behind her headknobs, and after a few minutes of silence, a very wet, but very clean, Peranzath made her way back up to the pair.

Lili laid the brush and bucket to one side - Pera had to dry off first, elsewise the oil was simply going to roll right off her hide. She laid down, resting her pink face and head across Lili's thigh. One of the Pinkweyrling's hands rested against her headknobs, scratching lightly.

"Never boring, but certainly get grumped at enough..." she giggled, and shook her head. "My family didn't come. Mother had a Gather to go to at one of the other Holds across the water, so she and Dad went that way. I've sent them word, so I imagine they'll show up soon enough. Speaking of - she sent me something for you, I had the Drudges take it to your room, now that we know which one you're in. It should be waiting for you when you get back."

There was no rush, of course. Lili had half been banking on Tauth to slack up their progress, in order for the surprise to be put in their room with enough time for the Drudges to get out unseen - well, unseen by Kira, at least.

Lili ran her thumbs across Peranzath's neck ridges, rubbing them between her fingers to the delight of her Pink. Whirling green-blue eyes slid closed, and Lili kept up the idle attention as they basked in the sunshine.

"I imagine my sisters will be jealous, but it's not like they can't get Searched one day and go to another Weyr. I don't think they'll end up at this one, probably would have by now."

[Kiran]

The few minutes of silence as their dragonets cleaned themselves, a mental exercise in directions and figuring how to get ideas across if there ever was one, was welcome for Kira. She enjoyed watching Tauth follow Peranzath's example, and with a few mental nudges emerged just as clean as the pink, albeit had done so more slowly as he had decided to examine the pillies that were lying closer to shore. Kira decided to send her fair in with him, she could oil them all at the same time then. They dove and played, Flirt playing to Spindrift's gentle commands as he tried to direct their play and bathing. Nightwing did his own thing as usual, while Starfire just had fun. Kira grinned at the bunch. She was happy with them all, and Tauth seemed to like them as well, engrossed in watching them interact and play. It slowed up his progress, and Lili was beginning to oil her pink by the time he came back to Kira to dry off.

The mention of a gift startled her. Eyes wide, she looked at Lili with bright eyes, then jumped up and hugged her friend. "Oh, Lili! You didn't have to do that at all, and her I am without a gift for you, and oh Lili that's just so nice..." She didn't mind that some oil got on her clothes, but did pull away since she was getting in the way of caring for Peranzath, and she didn't want Lili to be irritated or annoyed by that. "I can't even begin to thank you... And I don't even know what you gave me!" It took all her willpower not to run back and see what it was. Tauth's gentle laughter in the back of her mind kept her from dashing off, as well as the knowledge that it would be incredibly rude to do so.

::I have to do something for her in return! This is so nice of her, she didn't have to get me anything, and oh! But I don't even know what I could get for her in return!::
Kira, when your flits have eggs, like mother laid us, perhaps you could give one to Lili.
::....That's a brilliant idea! How did you know that she wanted a flit or two? I can! I'll have to wait for Starfire or Flirt to Rise, and then hope they lay eggs, but... But it just might work! If she doesn't get one before then. I'll hope she doesn't.::
Depending, you could offer one as a graduation gift. And then it can be a genuine gift, not just in return for the one you got.

Kira scratched Tauth's eyeridges as she began to oil him, a grin on her face. It was a brilliant idea. "Is it okay, when we are done, if we go back so I can see what it is? It's just so exciting! I can't even guess at what it is." She hoped Lili wouldn't find her question too rude. Kira also tucked the idea of giving Lili some of her flit eggs away for later. Who knew when her fair might have viable eggs? She hoped it would be soon, though! What a wonderful surprise!

Making sure to oil thoroughly, Kira found herself a touch messy when the oiling was over. The bare amount of practice they might have gotten during candidacy still didn't quite prepare for the differences between getting the smaller spaces of a young dragonet, and her eagerness to get going making her bump into her blue when she went around him faster than he turned for her and they ended up bumping into each other. But he was content to hold still and let her do as she wished (though telling her to slow down once or twice, he was rather enjoying and savoring the feeling of being oiled), which made it that much easier than some of the more energetic dragonets would have been.

Kira grabbed the mugs and the bucket when she was done. "Come on! Let's go! I'd love a peek before classes, gotta bed down Tauth any Peranzath anyway, don't we?" The question was rhetorical, as Tauth was feeling tired as it was and Kira could feel it herself. She was feeling ready for that nap.... But she and Lili had classes. Tauth stuck close to the pink as they walked back to the barracks, slowing Kira down as she was ready to run back to her room. "I'm glad that your parents are going to come to see you soon. I bet they will be so proud of you, what with your own dragon and all! Are your sisters coming too, then? It would be interesting to meet the whole family, bet you're all troublemakers of a sort." She winked at Lili playfully.

[RhiaBlack]

She was certainly excited enough, from the looks of it. Lili giggled, painting the oil across Peranzath's hide rather carefully. She didn't like it when her Dragonet itched, least of all did she enjoy that rather uncomfortable tinge in the back of her mind. Discomfort was discomfort, regardless of which end of the bond it came from, and Lili wasn't about letting that particular feeling exist between them.

Peranzath was more than willing to help Lili figure out where she'd missed a spot, at any rate.

Over here, behind my shoulder, MineLove. Oh,oh, and behind my neckridge. Down one, yes, yes right there...oh, and then the top of my left wing. Up a b--there you are! Fantastic, MineLove, you are getting so good at this!
I've had practice, I'd hope so.

Lili seemed marginally distracted, though when Kira and Tauth bumped into one another, it wrought a smile from the Pinkweyrling that was only further broadened by the hug and the exclamations.

"Of course we can. Peranzath's in need of a nap, and we don't want to be late. I suspect K'var doesn't like it when anyone's late, so if we're going to see, we had best hurry."

Helping with the buckets and brush-carrying duty, Peranzath took up the brush and bucket Lili had used to oil her with her teeth around the handle as they moved back into the Weyr.

When they reached Kira's room, the Drudges had long since placed the crate there. It was a considerably large one, and they had left a note to simply leave the crate itself and the interior stuffing out to one side - they would come back to get it after lunch, and send it to the lower caverns to be used to ship back other things.

Lili leaned against the doorway, Peranzath craning her lithe, dainty pink head into the room to observe.

"It's sort of a joint present from my mother and I. She worked really hard with a crafter to see it finished before the Hatching, just in case you Impressed. I was going to keep it in my room if you didn't, but thankfully that didn't happen. She said she would have no thank-yous from it, that you more than earned it by becoming a Dragonrider in the future and befriending me here. Said that you could take your time with it, that it was more sentimental a piece than anything else."

The crate held attachment points on the forward side that could be opened as a door, and then the entire thing could be dismantled into panels easily enough, to allow for unboxing.

Once the Blueweyrling pulled the front panel off, it became clear what lay inside.

A finely crafted, brand-new Harp, the soundboard and soundbox carved in relief with dragons, inlaid in gold along the crown, pillar, and base. Much more elaborate than a simple gitar, of course, but the music it could make was sweet and delicate. Hopefully something that would attune with Tauth's love of taking one's time.

"I figure, when we graduate, that Tauth can take it with you up to your new weyr. Mother said there is a leather cover there so that it's not exposed and what not when you're not in here. That would be something hard to steal, and I don't think anyone in here would be that foolish to do something to it, but it protects from accidents, I would hope. I can help you learn to play it, if you don't already know. Something we can look to when things aren't so busy, though admittedly I suspect the way chores and lessons are, we won't really get to spend too much time with it until after Graduation and getting settled in."

[Kiran]

When Kira saw the crate, she was glad that she had one of the larger rooms. But she still had no idea what could possibly have been in it! She rushed forward to examine it and open it as Tauth set himself on his sleeping couch, amused by Kira's eagerness. Her fingers flitted over the fastenings so that she could open it and see what was inside.

When Kira saw it, her breath was taken away. It was an absolutely beautiful instrument, finely crafted and delicately carved. "Lili... This... This had to cost a fortune!" It was much finer than the one that her father had on hand when she was learning to play it. Kira ran her fingers over the delicate carvings, plucking the strings ever so gently and hearing gentle, sweet notes ring out. She turned back to her friend with tears in her eyes and launched herself at Lili, wrapping her arms around her tightly. "It's beautiful and wonderful and amazing and I don't care one sharding bit if your mother says that I shouldn't thank her, when she comes I want to because this is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me and I don't even..." Finally running out of words, Kira just gripped Lili tightly for the next few moments before releasing her, leaning down to give her pink a pet on the eyeridges. "You have one of the best riders in the weyr! And don't ever doubt that!"

She stood back up, unable to keep the grin off her face. "I know the basics of playing, but I'll definitely need lessons to get better. I know our time is really restricted, but perhaps on our restdays.... If you can spare the time on occasion. I'd be honored if you would." As it was, Kira's fingers were itching to settle on a stool and try plucking the strings like she remembered, but they were going to be late for lessons at this rate! Kira glanced over at Tauth, who had already fallen asleep. He had figured that Kira would get things sorted as she pleased. As long as she didn't rush him....

Kira looked back at Lili. "A Turn and a Half is a long time. I'm sure that we will figure out something." She was confident of it. And she would take the best care she could of the precious gift. Oh, her father would be over the moon when he heard about this! "Next time my father comes, he'll fully expect me to have Apprenticed in Harpering, what with this sort of bribery." She gave Lili a playful wink. "I wonder if they have such things as Dual Apprentices. Would make my life that much easier."

[RhiaBlack]

Oof! Lili dissolved into giggles at the sudden grab and snog, and gripped Kira with both arms to spin her around with a full blown laugh. Her eyes danced just as readily - she loved making people happy, especially those she considered friends and loved ones. The overjoyed expressiveness in Kira's words only further pleased Lili. She'd done a good thing, and that good thing had been rewarded in the Blueweyrling's reaction.

"You're welcome! And don't you get her started, I have to hear that all the time from her in the first place. I -just- got her to stop gloating over how she's Impressed the best girl in the Weyr, blah blah blah. I'm not the best at anything, I'm all right, and that's all right with me."

She giggled, and yawned suddenly with a shake of her head. Turning back to peer at Peranzath, the Pink was obviously quite drowsy. Lili let her bonded prop her large head on Hers' shoulder, and gently pet the side of Peranzath's dainty but long jaw.

"Of course! I'd be happy to. We could even get the Drudges to help us move it outside when it's nice, I bet, let Tauth and Peranzath play in the sun while we work over some chords and such. Mother says Harp is one of the easier stringed instruments to learn, but one of the harder ones to master. I imagine once we graduate and have some time between Threadfighting and Drills and such, I can teach you the more complicated stuff Mother taught me. She sent a post with it, said for me to send them one back and let them know if I had Impressed or not. I imagine I'll have a lot to write them of, that's for sure. She promised that she and Father would come visit, even if my sisters couldn't. It will be nice to see them, no less. I'll make sure that I bring them to see you!"

Peranzath was dropping, and quickly at that. Lili could feel the Pink's head anchoring down on her shoulder, only to jerk back up as she woke herself.

"I had better get this one into bed. I'll see you at lessons!Oh, Mother said to make sure you cover it, it'll keep things from falling into the strings and such. She sent replacement strings and stuff to clean it with, too. That's in my room, I forgot to bring it with me - I'll give it to you after lessons today, just remind me. I had better go get Peranzath to bed, before I have to have someone help me carry her."

[Kiran]

Kira stepped back, dizzy from the spin but beyond ecstatic about the gift. And it was clear that Lili was just as pleased. Kira would find some way to repay her, she would make sure of it... she just had to figure out how! And would need to find time for it besides. That would be an interesting proposition while doing a weyrling's duties, but that was part of why they had restdays now, wasn't it? And there would be days that she couldn't have harp lessons with Lili and whatnot. So Kira shoved the ideas that were bouncing around to the back of her mind and nodded enthusiastically at Lili's ideas.

"I think those all sound great! It'll be good fun to play for our dragons, and even better to see them when they come. Now git, you're right, that pink is absolutely exhausted! And I need to make Tauth more comfortable as well, so I'll see you soon!"

Kira gave her friend another hug and waved a cheery goodbye to both of them, heart light from the whole thing. A dragon! A harp! Her gaze took in the instrument once more as she moved to Tauth's side and adjusted him to a more comfortable position, easing the vague ache in her own mind. Kira sighed with relief. Tauth was a fine dragon, and the harp was worthy of being played by any Harper. It would be no decoration, that was for certain. With one last brush of the smooth wood, Kira headed off for the lesson, nearly skipping the entire way there.

She had never been more happy that she had been stolen away to the Weyr. If anything else had come of this, it was that she was perfectly content here and had found her place. Kira knew she was never going to leave.