A Day So Sweet... Well... Not Really

[zara]

The blonde haired girl moved quickly about the kitchen, trying to keep up with the pot that her brothers tossed around, trying to keep it away from her. She growled softly. "Please! Cassorah! You're the oldest still here! Why are you participating! Shouldn't you be out with that girl somewhere!" Cassondra grabbed for it again. She needed that! Gah! Boys! Her bright cobalt eyes flashing with annoyance. Fossrah and Fossifan laughed in unison and said, "Sure! But it's fun!"

Cassondra scowled once more and stopped as the door opened and her dad walked in, looking rather tired... He always looked tired these days - ever since her mother died... and shortly after, her younger brother Cassian... As soon as he stepped through the door, all the commotion stopped. "Father...?" Cassondra said. He looked up at her, but didn't say a word. She could tell he had been thinking about her mother...

"Do we have any meatrolls left?" he said softly, sitting down at the table.

Cassondra nodded and moved to get him one. She placed the tray in front of him and he gave her a weak smile before taking a bite and chewing it quietly...

Cassorah handed her the pot and left, motioning for Fossrah and Fassifan to follow. They did. They always followed their older brother. Cassondra watched them go, her eyes fixed on their backs quietly... She sighed as soon as they were out the door and turned to finish what she was doing when she was interupted.

Silence ruled, nothing being said by either father or daughter... But Cassondra didn't let it get to her... Soon her father was done eating and was retiring. She gave him a smile and a wish for a good sleep, then, when she was done scrubbing their little home, she grabbed a basket and walked out the front door, going to find something to do - perhaps purchase some sweet rolls for tommorrow morning... She had some marks left... Yes, that would probably be a good idea in order to care for her rather disfunctional family... Maybe she would see Lissaran, Ossarah, or Lissarran, all of whom had families of their own now... But taht wasn't the largest chance in the world... But, oh well... That was okay, she could use some time just to be alone, not playing the mother.

Her steps took her steadily out to the center of the hold. She hummed a sof tune to herself, only speaking if spoken to. What would she do today? She wasn't really sure... Her hands held the basket rather tightly and she seemed almost on edge... but that was normal for Cassondra. She was always on her gaurd, but whether she was looking after herself or looking out for those around her whom she might pass... well... that was the mystery. Most people didn't often ask and few ever truly noticed her.... SHe was just the shadow who happened across them every so often. She was always so quiet, but she wasn't shy... She would give her opinion if she had something to say.

[arratra]

Matren entered the room, almost completely hidden by an outsize wherhide coat.
As he struggled out of it, he explained to the curious onlookers, "The Master Smith here has asked for my presence. What for, I don't know."
Matren heaved the coat up onto one of the coat hooks and blew out his breath.
He went to the girl serving and said, "A mug of klah and a sweetroll, please. A meatroll if you don't have any sweetrolls. Many thanks."

[zara]

She gave a soft sigh. Yes... She had to wait to get the sweet rolls she needed for breakfast tomorrow. She walked over to a table and sat, watching the people around her absently. She would wait until they weren't busy anymore... Then maybe they wouldn't be as concerned with teh fact taht she was asking for a rather large number of Sweet Rolls... It was her families breakfast after all, and she did have her dad and her brothers to feed... The three taht were still at home, at least... And ever since her mother had died, none of them had eaten anywhere other than at home... none of them except for Cassondra, that was...

Cassondra caught sight of Matren. She knew who he was, but she didn't think he knew her at all... She had seen him around a few times, but it wasn't as though she went out of her way to speak to him or to anyone else. She often was on her own...

((Short... hmm...))

[arratra]

Matren brushed a stray lock of hair out of his face as he scanned the crowd.
Noisy, crowded, and hot.
Just the way he liked it.
He spotted a blonde-haired girl among them. He'd seen her before, but had never been introduced.
Matren paused to consider his own fortunes, and grimaced.
He brushed away the memories that he'd stirred, and considered his brother's fortunes.
"Why is it that Arratra was Searched? Why was he being bounced around like one of those balls that the kids I knew used to play with?"
He sighed.
"Where are Mom and Dad?"
He sighed in resignation.
"No way of knowing until they're found," he said, scanning the crowd again; this time he was looking for his breakfast. Again that blonde-haired girl caught his eye.
Something about her intrigued him.
Without meaning to, Matren caught her eye.

[Admin]

If you wish it, wish it now,
If you wish it, wish it loud,
If you want it, say it now,
If you want it, say it loud.

P'nay didn't know the details, but he'd been ordered to go pick up someone from Western Hold. It was something about someone talking to some boy who needed to get to the Weyr because someone had told someone that they knew someone. He was fairly certain that no one had any clue about exactly was going on with this, but he was just following orders. If he attempted to shrink on general duties like this, he would have to try to argue and explain to his dragon exactly why they couldn't do it, which would be hard because he didn't have a reason that they couldn't do it. It didn't take all that long to fit Annith into her riding straps and mount up, and after that it was just a short hop between to the hold half way across the continent. The entire task shouldn't take all that long; he'd be back to doing whatever frivolous thing he'd been doing. He'd already forgotten what it was; he was sure that it must have been somewhat important, in a not important sort of way.

Keeping quiet as they were on a mission and under orders, Annith circled the hold once in a descent and then landed lightly in an open field. Her rider gave her a pat on the shoulder in congratulations of another flawless landing and then slithered off her back. From there, things got a bit more difficult. He strode forward as if he knew exactly where he was going. It was easy; he'd had years of practice pretending more confident than he ever actually was. It wasn't much harder than that to find a pretty young woman, busy with some chore, that was more than happy to help a charming, winking dragonrider if he asked. All he had to do was drop the name of the person he'd been sent to fetch and he was pointed in the right direction by her. Another wink and a flirty thanks got giggles out of the woman, but he had little time to enjoy them as he set off to actually do what he'd come to do. She'd told him towards just off the main hold; that wasn't that hard to find.

A boy of around twelve turns, solid build, dark brown hair. That was the one, busy staring at a girl; he quirked an amused smile and sauntered over. He couldn't say that this one had bad tastes, even if he seemed a bit young. "Matren? Pretty friend;" he greeted the boy with a chuckle. Then his attention wavered for a moment, distracted by Annith. The yellow had decided to join them now that he'd found their passenger, taking flight and gliding over to land lightly behind her rider before anyone could really react. She looked at them with a sunny expression, stretching her neck out to sniff at the girl that her rider had called pretty, Cassondra. He controlled the urge to roll his eyes at her need to come and say hello, turning back to his momentary charge. "I'm P'nay, and that's Annith. We were requested to fetch you up to the Weyr for right now. You should fetch your things;" he explained to Matren, gently smiling at the boy, trying to pretend he wasn't bored.

There’s a field near the dream,
I watched it grow with brightest eyes,
I watched us all reach out and leave,
For the strength as we touched the sky.

[arratra]

Matren jumped, taken completely off guard.
"She just seems so lonely," he explained, "I know how she feels. Especially after four months at sea with no one for company."

Matren grabbed the coat, and snagged the tongs that fell out of it; this certainly explained why he was wearing such a big coat. Matren had had little to do on the ship but repair every single little thing he saw; it was the one thing that had kept him sane. Even then, he had taken to listening to and speaking with the dolphins that had decided to follow the boat. They had understood much of his words, and he had, in turn, learned some of their speech.

Stuffing the tongs back into the pocket from which they came, he struggled into the coat, saying, "I heard rumours... Well truth be told, rumours of rumours, that a boy, four years older than me, had been Searched and was at Dalibor. He bears the same last name as me."
"Arratra Smith," he explained before the question was even asked.

As he buttoned up the jacket, he said, "Thank you for coming, P'nay. I appreciate it."

[zara]

Cassondra felt only the slightest tinge of unease at the dragon's appearence. She was trying to pretend that she was minding her own business, but it was harder when Annith came and sniffed her. She gave just the slightest hint of a smile and, a little tentatively, reached out a hand to the Yellow. She was a rather lovely dragoness. She turned her gaze to P'nay, but said nothing. She was not the one he was here for, she supposed.

She thought about her family then. If she had been, and she had gone, as she knew she wanted to, then what would her family do? Her brothers, her dad? She wasn't sure if they would have been able to manage on her own... though they would have wanted her to go...

((Sorry it's short...))

[Admin]

Few scenes from my life or moments,
Mean more to me than our fine nights,
I remember like yesterday,
The time of my life.

P'nay eyed Annith and the girl well he waited for the boy to get ready. The yellow seemed to be very intently watching the poor soul for some reason and he was trying to puzzle out why his comment about her being pretty had made her so intent. He was broken from his own intent staring when the boy spoke. "Don't know anyone by that name, and last names aren't something I even know at all. You can be a smith, and that's that;" he said with a sympathetic shrug and a smile. He turned and headed across the short distance towards his dragon, expecting Matren to follow him.

Suddenly, Annith swung her head around to fixed her whirling eyes with her rider's. Her. She should be a candidate; she said in her firm, 'I'm sure of it' voice. The yellowrider raised his eyebrows in surprise at his lovely dragon, holding a questioning expression to see if she might cave and then just shrugged when she went back to intently watching the girl. "Oi, you! Come here! You wanna be a candidate?" He beckoned to Cassondra as he yelled over at her. If she didn't say yes, even if it was after a bit of hemming and hawing, he'd eat his hat, or something, or whatever.

Please don't leave me
Without saying goodbye,
Without saying goodbye,
Let's travel back in time.

[zara]

Cassondra just quietly looked at Annith... until she heard P'nay yell to her, which made her turn her gaze sharply towards him, her peircing blue eyes immediately looking straight at him. She was quiet for a minute. "Me...?" she said softly, as though thinking. "I would like to... but... my family needs me here," she said, tone... actually, she had no tone, really. It was just a matter of fact statement. How was her father supposed to take care of her three brothers who were at home without her? He had always had her mother before... And Collif... he was only nine months older than she... Not even a full year... She was thinking about this rappidly, though her expression remained smooth and somewhat impassive, barely giving off the gleam of hope that she felt. She did want to go... rather badly at that...

[arratra]

Matren shrugged, then jumped when P'nay spoke to the girl.
So this was what Searching looked like.
Matren crossed his arms, and spoke, "Look, this is nice and all, but I really think we ought to be going."

At this point, his coat fell down, and he started struggling with it.
"Hey! Help!"

((sorry it's so short.))

[zara]

Cassondra sighed. She moved to help him then, calm and cool the entire time. He was an... interesting young man... Cassondra collected several of his things and handed them over to him, giving him a slight smile before standing and moving away again. She looked at P'nay and then looked away, frowning slightly as she thought...

"I would like to, but I should speak to my father first. Would you allow me to do that?" she asked him seriously, looking at P'nay levely. She would rather be anywhere but here, but she would never leave her father alone if he couldn't handle their family alone.... But then again this was her chance. "Perhaps..." she said mostly to herself, looking at P'nay still, however. Yes. If it came down to a no... She would go anyway. It was where she would much rather be.

[Admin]

Don't interrupt the sorrow,
Darn right,
In flames our prophet witches,
Be polite.

P'nay slowly developed a headache as he faced off with Cassondra and tried to think. She stumbled out a refusal, Annith started to get sad because of that, the boy started complaining and then fell over, and the girl went to help him. The burning pain of annoyance in his head got better though when the blond said that she did want to come, but she needed to talk to her family. That immediately lightened his dragon's mood, which significantly lessened the throb of confusion and frustration in his head. "You can go talk to them, but, if they agree and you're coming, bring your stuff when you come back. We need to get going;" he told her smoothly, meeting her gaze with a charming smile. Once she was gone, he rounded on Matren, smile becoming less amused than before. He ignored a warning, soothing croon from Annith, who hated any sort of disagreement, because he was feeling grumpy. "I have a right mind to smack you in the back of the head. You don't interrupt searches. No rider or dragon questions another dragon's choice for candidates, so you don't interrupt. Now, up with thee;" he told him, finishing with indicating for the boy to clamber aboard a kneeling Annith.

Don't interrupt the sorrow,
Darn right,
He says, "We walked on the moon,
You be polite."

[arratra]

Matren was stuffing the tools back into their pockets, and he looked up at P'nay with a frown.
"I wasn't questioning Annith's choice, but you were given a job-. Scorch it! Never mind!"
He clambered up onto Annith's back, careful not to hurt the yellow, and settled behind the spot where he suspected P'nay sat.

He gripped the straps, and looked around curiously; he'd never been on a dragon before.