Beach Party at Tillek
Who: Leova, Lujayn, Milani, Niena, Sesquina, Viviana
When: day 26, month 8, turn 15
Where: Tillek Hold - Fisher Beach
Summary: After the Weyr Olympics, there's a beach party to be had.
Sesquina grins. "Good. If they're needed. I'd suggest...." her head turns and her eyes lock onto something. An older man with short dark hair has made his way to the beach. He stops when he spies her, just short of the group of people enjoying the evening and waves. Sesquina gives a soft sigh. "I'd suggest enjoying the rest of the evening." she restarts as she glances back for her towel. "Looks like I'm needed. Nice to meet you all. Well, to sorta meet you at least." she turns and heads back grabbing her towel, she starts towards the man, who is standing patiently, smiling. "So much for a restful first night back home." she mumbles aloud as she crosses to him. He turns and the pair head back towards the Hold,
Viviana pouts as Sesquina disappears but she's philosophical as she looks about the gathering. "Evening Leova! Come join Niena and myself and of course you know our fellow candidate, Tillekan? He's been such a marvelous host, he's from here of course."
Lujayn has been near the bonfire toasting puffed sweets, but a few jostling youngsters prompt her to seek a less crowded space. She heads towards the hearth, waving idly to those she passes on her way to food.
Milani waves as Sesquina heads off. "Good meeting you!" she chirps brightly and curls her toes in the sand, arms wrapping around her knees. "All sorts of interesting folk about," she notes to Viviana with a grin from where both girls are sat on towels. A fain trace of dampness clings to Millie as if she were swimming earlier, but now it's almost dry. A moment later, Felden, another Candidate, approaches her with a roasted puffy sweet on a stick and without preamble he settles down /right/ beside the assistant headwoman to munch on his own treat. "Ooo thanks Felden! DOn't these look /good/, Vivy?" And she reaches over to tousle Felden's hair fondly.
The sound of Leova's name manages to get the woman's attention, though with all the hubbub it's hard to exactly track it down. The hearthlight flickers off her face turning this way and that way. "Jasvie?" she calls. "Thought you had to get back?" But there's no sign of the dairymaid so she takes a few steps further out, only to spot Lujayn. "That you looking for me?"
Viviana watches two more seacrafters wander by and nods thoughtfully. "Oh, they do look good indeed, Millie, they do indeed." With a bit of a frown that Leova doesn't recognise her voice, Vivy can only shrug. "Never mind. So Milani, do you really think the eggs will hatch that soon as they say?"
Lujayn gets a glass of Tillek white from the flasks on the serving table. "Wasn't me," She looks around, though she doesn't know who she's searching for. Giving a friendly smile to Leova, she reaches the hearth. "Having a good time, though?" Lu asks as she looks over the food, reaching for one of the wine flasks at long last. "I think with all this hard work, I could take a little wine instead of klah, don't you think?"
Leova looks around some more, too, getting a glimpse of distant people. Some of them are fellow Tillekians or fellow candidates, one of them is frowning some. Can't be looking for her if she's frowning, can she? Reluctantly she turns back to the hearth, running a hand self-consciously over the back of her neck. "Think you're right. Pour me one, would you?" Though she had a glass earlier, it was with plenty of food. "Been good. Got to thank some people for the blankets and letters they sent. And runner time, of course," and she could be even more self-conscious now but she's just not, grinning, happy in the moment. "You?"
"I don't know, Vivy, probably sooner rather than later. It's been long enough, after all," notes Milani thoughtfully and she calls over to Lujayn. "Yes, wine's fine!" Even as she stuffs her face with puffy sweet.
A tap on Viviana's shoulder and a whisper in her ear makes her pout but it doesn't stop her from gathering her things. "I've got early shift in the kitchens tomorrow and I've got to get all those favours in, with the hemming and darts and such, if the eggs are going to hatch soon." The rider waiting for her tosses a old scuffy flight jacket her way and the candidate wraps herself up in it, looking much like a little girl wearing her father's clothes. "I'll see you all later.." As she passes Leova's little group, she gives another wistful glance and a shrug then she's off.
When Viviana's that much nearer, it's near enough to realize and wave, and Leova does. Quickly. Staring after the girl for a moment.
"Sure," Lujayn hands her glass over to Leova willingly, pouring herself a second after Milani's carrying approval. "Want one?" She calls back, wondering if it wasn't so much an affirmation as a request. "That's right, this is your home," Lu remembers after a moment, assembling a plate of desserts. "Must be nice to have a visit."
"Please!" Milani's voice floats over after she's cleared her mouth of sweets. There's a startled "Eeek!" from her direction as Felden gets a little fresh and ultimately she has to put some sand in his hair to fend him off. "That's it young man, off to the sea with you to wash off, you got my last puffy sweet all sandy!" And she hops to her feet to drift closer to Lu and Leova. "I think I'm hungry for something more substantial than just puffies. What's looking good, or what's /left/ rather?" The assistant headwoman asks all this laughingly as she plants bare feet in sand nearby.
Leova takes a long drink, regaining that smile she'd misplaced when Viviana walked by, and starts raiding the desserts as well. "Definitely. Strange, though," but she leaves it at that as Milani drops by. "What happened to your hangers-on?" she asks their coordinator.
Lujayn takes a generous bite of bubbly pie, multitasking between sweets and pouring still a third glass for the thirsty Milani. "Why strange? Just because you haven't been in so long?" She asks Leova, moving aside to let Millie search for her food. "I think I saw a bit of spiderclaw in there.."
"I shoved one of them into the ocean for putting his hand up my skirt. It's one thing to flirt, it's another to get fondled without invitation. I think Felden's getting just a /wee/ bit frustrated about being in Candidacy so long." Milani, blunt as usual, but merry nonetheless. "Oo, spiderclaw, yum," Millie roots around for an actual claw and accepts the glass from Lujayn. "Thanks so much. Here's to the eggs cracking soonishly." And she lifts her glass for the toast then drinks promptly.
"Pretty much. Things moving on. Wish you could go visit Fort?" Leova asks Lujayn between munches of a tart, only to have the last bite nearly choke its way into a snicker at Milani's comment. She coughs a few times and drinks again, laughing.
Lujayn looks downright startled at Milani's story, but manages to smile when Leova almost inhales her tart. "That's unpleasant," She makes a grand understatement, raising her glass in the casual toast. "It would be fun, but a friend from home came and visited me. That was almost as good." Continuing to Leova, then asking Milani "Did P'draig ever track you down? He was here with Palia about a seven ago."
Post-swallow: big eyes at Leova for the choking. "Are you okay, Leova?" And there's innocence enough on Milani's face to show that she didn't /mean/ to startle anyone. It's just, you know, what /happened/. Her head bobs up and down a few times in a positive for Lu. "Oh yes. He brought Palia up to Mum's and we all had a big sit-down and cooed over Pali and Mum tried to talk Paddy into moving back home /again/, but Paddy keeps right on saying no." Shrug. "Anyway, yeah, he did. He said he stopped in to see you and was glad to see you so happy here."
"Does sound good," Leova says with polite interest, so she must be all right. Only all of a sudden she's got to laughing again, boot toe tapping. "Millie. Milani, I mean. Should get your brother some more of Louvaen's ale, except really it's Dolpho's ale. Some more of that. Shouldn't she, Lu? When'd Pern get so small anyway?"
"What?" Forget startled, Lujayn has entered the plane of bewilderment at Leova's laughing words. She fills her silence with more bubbly, looking plaintively to Milani. "What's she talking about?"
Milani blink-blinks roundly at Leova and Lujayn each in turn then puts something like two and two together to get four. "What d'you mean? Oh wait, do you know my brother too? Yeah I suppose Paddy does kind of get around." Thoughtfully said, as Millie nibbles on a 'claw. I thought he might come tonight actually, he still /loves/ Tillek after all this time." Another shrug and then she beams at Leova. "Oh that ale /is/ good isn't it? Louvaen was smart to get himself in on that bit of business I say."
Leova, laughing some more at Lujayn's expression, waves at Milani as the girl explains. "Isn't it though? Stood us a round of it. For a chair, even. So that's your friend?" She has another bite of tart, a bigger one, chewing it down with eyes slitted in happiness.
Lujayn shrugs. "Guess I missed out on that one - but yeah, I've known P'draig forever." She nods to Leova, still edgy about the girl's sudden mirth. "A few other candidates were there when he came by, we had lunch and all that." Nod nod.
"Awww, well you know, he's pretty sweet, even if he did used to tease me something fierce when I was little." Milani's tongue sticks out of her mouth sideways then she laughs too. "For a chair, that's a good story, Leova. Rider bought me a beer for a chair. Ha." She eyes Lujayn curiously next. "Huh. You never mentioned, Lu. Though come to think of it, he has asked a couple of times ... checking up. You know. Like big brothers do." Eye roll skyward.
"Use of a chair, anyway. Not even for the night," Leova says, looking out over the water with a small laugh before turning back. She sets the wine glass down only half drunk and has her way with a little more tart.
Lujayn blinks. "Beer for a chair," Is repeated yet again, trying to wrap her brain around that one, but fails. "Maybe I'm a little tired," She concedes at last, taking a seat near the hearth and her companions. "That's good to know, though. I'm looking forward to seeing some Fortians near hatching time." She smiles even as Milani rolls her eyes.
"Could be, Lu," Millie agrees, bouncing a little on her toes. "It's been a tiring seven really," muses the headwoman's assistant tipping up her wineglass for another sip. "Will your family come Lu? I"m sure Paddy'd bring them if you ask him." Blithely, she speaks for her absent brother, so blithely.
Leova and her rapidly disappearing tart listen idly, comfortable enough with their voices to just lean back and enjoy the company.
"They're dragonriders too, so they can come if they want," Lujayn wipes bubbly sauce from her plate with one finger, not trying too hard to keep up pristine manners. "I don't know what they've been up to since I left; I was usually pretty independent at home." She thinks. "Mostly I want to see my friends, but it would be nice if my parents came.."
"Oh!" Milani laughs. "For some reason I thought your folks were runners too, silly me." The assistant headwoman waves off her mistake with an airy gesture of a denuded spiderclaw husk that gets tossed into the fire and more wine consumed. "Yeah, it's nice to have people there to cheer you on."
Leova thinks to look back at the bubblies, and gives them a longing look even, but settles for crossing her arms so she can't pick up any servers. Or even her glass again. "How did you get to be a runner, anyway?"
Lujayn finally cracks a grin. "I wouldn't mind that, either," She laughs to Milani. "But this way they weren't always breathing down my neck. If you get an old auntie started, they'll tell you how little Lujayn couldn't sit still, wouldn't pay attention, got her nose into everything. They made me run it off." Lu beams, easygoing with a story she's told before. "Delivering messages in the Weyr, sometimes laps around the bowl if there wasn't anything for me to take. And it stuck, so when I got older I went into the formal Runnercraft."
Milani beams at Lu, listening to the story attentively. "Wow. So you've been running forever and ever ..." murmurs the assistant headwoman, impressed. "That's really something else. I like to run too. Sometimes I run at night to help me get to sleep." Her glass tilts upward and she drains its contents down, finds a spot to set it down. "All right. Speaking of running, I've managed to build up a bunch of energy myself, so. I'm going to go poke around the Hold a bit and see what there is to find." Hands smooth down skirts and she shakes her hair back, giving both L-girls a little wave. "I'll see you later or back at the Weyr, whichever comes first!" And she's off.
Leova gives Lujayn an appreciative grin. "Wish everyone were that good at it. Taking things that look like problems and turning them into something right..." She adds, looking after their coordinator, "Wonder if we're even going to get her back."
Niena wanders in on that line. "Get her back? Where's she going?"
"Sure she'll come back," Lujayn laughs. "She's just going to have a look around." Stretching her own legs with a short trip to the hearth, she crosses Niena's path with a wave. "Millie just went for a walk, and Leova got worried straightaway. Tilleks know Tillek best." Instead of depositing her used plate, she manages to salvage the passed over remnants of tarts and crumbled bubbles, bringing the assortment back to the table with a steaming mug of klah. "Did you take care of runners for very long here?" Being the animal sort, not the Lujayn sort.
"Wouldn't say worried," Leova says with a wider smile, arms still folded, still leaning against the table, though she leans out of the way when Lujayn goes by. "Here? Not so long. Back at Granite, a while... Got to visit the stables, see how the filly's growing and the mare's putting up with her," she explains to Niena. "Been having fun?"
Niena nods at the explanation, then in answer to the question. "I loved the toasted sweets, and the other food's been wonderful as well."
Lujayn pushes the plate towards Niena and Leova, playing hostess for a moment. "Most of it's all picked over, but these look fresh." She sniffs her klah happily, letting the steam hit her face. "I never rode much, even though it's faster than running. I'd pity the beast that got stuck with me." She smiles. "Were you in the diving competition at all? I missed that one."
"Nice to see Tillek welcome its Weyr, anyway," Leova agrees about the food, and about what that means. She gives Lujayn a shake of the head for the diving, but also a sidelong look that half-hides a smile. "When you want to get off and go do it youself, no wonder they don't like it so much."
Niena has never turned down food before, and now is not about to be the first time. She takes one of the bubbly pies and smiles thanks. When talk turns to Holds and their Weyrs she nods grimly in agreement. And when runners and runners are mentioned she giggles, then asks "What's riding a runner like?"
"Don't ride /me/," Lujayn replies mulishly and grins Niena's way, but leaves the better description of riding to the girl who's more familiar with it. "It's higher up than walking," She offers after a sip of klah, not much help.
Leova gives Niena a suddenly doubtful look. A "pull the other leg" look. "Good," she does say. "Though ours mostly pull wagons, bred more for that than riding."
Niena ahs. "I've only ever ridden dragons, and that was only three or four times." Taking Lujayn's comment literally, she says "I didn't think there were any piggyback races for these games, were there?"
Leova offers in a dry voice, with respect to dragons, "It's lower down than flying."
"In between walking and flying, then. Kinda bumpy." Lujayn says things as they come to mind. "I didn't hear about any piggyback races," She tilts her head. "Maybe there will be more games next summer. We should suggest that one."
Niena nods and sighs. "Yet another thing I should maybe try sometime. I have a lot of those these days."
"And you live there," Leova murmurs. "You should tell some of the girls here what it's really like, Niena, not just flying all over and getting whatever you want from places all the time."
Lujayn looks curious, but doesn't venture to ask, instead helping herself to a section of tart. "The runners are probably in their stalls for the night, or else we could try putting you up on one of them," She raises a brow, mischief written on her face. "That, and riding probably isn't the point of the beach party." Go figure.
Niena nods. "And I imagine riding isn't something you can just up and do, either. Do people really think all riders do is go places and get things? There wouldn't be much time to fight thread if that was the case."
Leova, wearing a mostly-amused frown, makes as though to glance around. "Don't give anyone ideas, Lu. Though. They probably have an extra stablehand on duty, in case of people acting up. Might just go check anyway. See you both," and Leova strides off, right through the dancers.
Lujayn waves to Leova, noticing a thinning of the crowds in general. "I think most people are heading back - we should catch a ride before they forget us." She stands, klah in tow, and heads down the beach to look for a departing rider.
Niena nods. "Last thing we need is for the eggs to hatch while we're here."
When: day 26, month 8, turn 15
Where: Tillek Hold - Fisher Beach
Summary: After the Weyr Olympics, there's a beach party to be had.
Sesquina grins. "Good. If they're needed. I'd suggest...." her head turns and her eyes lock onto something. An older man with short dark hair has made his way to the beach. He stops when he spies her, just short of the group of people enjoying the evening and waves. Sesquina gives a soft sigh. "I'd suggest enjoying the rest of the evening." she restarts as she glances back for her towel. "Looks like I'm needed. Nice to meet you all. Well, to sorta meet you at least." she turns and heads back grabbing her towel, she starts towards the man, who is standing patiently, smiling. "So much for a restful first night back home." she mumbles aloud as she crosses to him. He turns and the pair head back towards the Hold,
Viviana pouts as Sesquina disappears but she's philosophical as she looks about the gathering. "Evening Leova! Come join Niena and myself and of course you know our fellow candidate, Tillekan? He's been such a marvelous host, he's from here of course."
Lujayn has been near the bonfire toasting puffed sweets, but a few jostling youngsters prompt her to seek a less crowded space. She heads towards the hearth, waving idly to those she passes on her way to food.
Milani waves as Sesquina heads off. "Good meeting you!" she chirps brightly and curls her toes in the sand, arms wrapping around her knees. "All sorts of interesting folk about," she notes to Viviana with a grin from where both girls are sat on towels. A fain trace of dampness clings to Millie as if she were swimming earlier, but now it's almost dry. A moment later, Felden, another Candidate, approaches her with a roasted puffy sweet on a stick and without preamble he settles down /right/ beside the assistant headwoman to munch on his own treat. "Ooo thanks Felden! DOn't these look /good/, Vivy?" And she reaches over to tousle Felden's hair fondly.
The sound of Leova's name manages to get the woman's attention, though with all the hubbub it's hard to exactly track it down. The hearthlight flickers off her face turning this way and that way. "Jasvie?" she calls. "Thought you had to get back?" But there's no sign of the dairymaid so she takes a few steps further out, only to spot Lujayn. "That you looking for me?"
Viviana watches two more seacrafters wander by and nods thoughtfully. "Oh, they do look good indeed, Millie, they do indeed." With a bit of a frown that Leova doesn't recognise her voice, Vivy can only shrug. "Never mind. So Milani, do you really think the eggs will hatch that soon as they say?"
Lujayn gets a glass of Tillek white from the flasks on the serving table. "Wasn't me," She looks around, though she doesn't know who she's searching for. Giving a friendly smile to Leova, she reaches the hearth. "Having a good time, though?" Lu asks as she looks over the food, reaching for one of the wine flasks at long last. "I think with all this hard work, I could take a little wine instead of klah, don't you think?"
Leova looks around some more, too, getting a glimpse of distant people. Some of them are fellow Tillekians or fellow candidates, one of them is frowning some. Can't be looking for her if she's frowning, can she? Reluctantly she turns back to the hearth, running a hand self-consciously over the back of her neck. "Think you're right. Pour me one, would you?" Though she had a glass earlier, it was with plenty of food. "Been good. Got to thank some people for the blankets and letters they sent. And runner time, of course," and she could be even more self-conscious now but she's just not, grinning, happy in the moment. "You?"
"I don't know, Vivy, probably sooner rather than later. It's been long enough, after all," notes Milani thoughtfully and she calls over to Lujayn. "Yes, wine's fine!" Even as she stuffs her face with puffy sweet.
A tap on Viviana's shoulder and a whisper in her ear makes her pout but it doesn't stop her from gathering her things. "I've got early shift in the kitchens tomorrow and I've got to get all those favours in, with the hemming and darts and such, if the eggs are going to hatch soon." The rider waiting for her tosses a old scuffy flight jacket her way and the candidate wraps herself up in it, looking much like a little girl wearing her father's clothes. "I'll see you all later.." As she passes Leova's little group, she gives another wistful glance and a shrug then she's off.
When Viviana's that much nearer, it's near enough to realize and wave, and Leova does. Quickly. Staring after the girl for a moment.
"Sure," Lujayn hands her glass over to Leova willingly, pouring herself a second after Milani's carrying approval. "Want one?" She calls back, wondering if it wasn't so much an affirmation as a request. "That's right, this is your home," Lu remembers after a moment, assembling a plate of desserts. "Must be nice to have a visit."
"Please!" Milani's voice floats over after she's cleared her mouth of sweets. There's a startled "Eeek!" from her direction as Felden gets a little fresh and ultimately she has to put some sand in his hair to fend him off. "That's it young man, off to the sea with you to wash off, you got my last puffy sweet all sandy!" And she hops to her feet to drift closer to Lu and Leova. "I think I'm hungry for something more substantial than just puffies. What's looking good, or what's /left/ rather?" The assistant headwoman asks all this laughingly as she plants bare feet in sand nearby.
Leova takes a long drink, regaining that smile she'd misplaced when Viviana walked by, and starts raiding the desserts as well. "Definitely. Strange, though," but she leaves it at that as Milani drops by. "What happened to your hangers-on?" she asks their coordinator.
Lujayn takes a generous bite of bubbly pie, multitasking between sweets and pouring still a third glass for the thirsty Milani. "Why strange? Just because you haven't been in so long?" She asks Leova, moving aside to let Millie search for her food. "I think I saw a bit of spiderclaw in there.."
"I shoved one of them into the ocean for putting his hand up my skirt. It's one thing to flirt, it's another to get fondled without invitation. I think Felden's getting just a /wee/ bit frustrated about being in Candidacy so long." Milani, blunt as usual, but merry nonetheless. "Oo, spiderclaw, yum," Millie roots around for an actual claw and accepts the glass from Lujayn. "Thanks so much. Here's to the eggs cracking soonishly." And she lifts her glass for the toast then drinks promptly.
"Pretty much. Things moving on. Wish you could go visit Fort?" Leova asks Lujayn between munches of a tart, only to have the last bite nearly choke its way into a snicker at Milani's comment. She coughs a few times and drinks again, laughing.
Lujayn looks downright startled at Milani's story, but manages to smile when Leova almost inhales her tart. "That's unpleasant," She makes a grand understatement, raising her glass in the casual toast. "It would be fun, but a friend from home came and visited me. That was almost as good." Continuing to Leova, then asking Milani "Did P'draig ever track you down? He was here with Palia about a seven ago."
Post-swallow: big eyes at Leova for the choking. "Are you okay, Leova?" And there's innocence enough on Milani's face to show that she didn't /mean/ to startle anyone. It's just, you know, what /happened/. Her head bobs up and down a few times in a positive for Lu. "Oh yes. He brought Palia up to Mum's and we all had a big sit-down and cooed over Pali and Mum tried to talk Paddy into moving back home /again/, but Paddy keeps right on saying no." Shrug. "Anyway, yeah, he did. He said he stopped in to see you and was glad to see you so happy here."
"Does sound good," Leova says with polite interest, so she must be all right. Only all of a sudden she's got to laughing again, boot toe tapping. "Millie. Milani, I mean. Should get your brother some more of Louvaen's ale, except really it's Dolpho's ale. Some more of that. Shouldn't she, Lu? When'd Pern get so small anyway?"
"What?" Forget startled, Lujayn has entered the plane of bewilderment at Leova's laughing words. She fills her silence with more bubbly, looking plaintively to Milani. "What's she talking about?"
Milani blink-blinks roundly at Leova and Lujayn each in turn then puts something like two and two together to get four. "What d'you mean? Oh wait, do you know my brother too? Yeah I suppose Paddy does kind of get around." Thoughtfully said, as Millie nibbles on a 'claw. I thought he might come tonight actually, he still /loves/ Tillek after all this time." Another shrug and then she beams at Leova. "Oh that ale /is/ good isn't it? Louvaen was smart to get himself in on that bit of business I say."
Leova, laughing some more at Lujayn's expression, waves at Milani as the girl explains. "Isn't it though? Stood us a round of it. For a chair, even. So that's your friend?" She has another bite of tart, a bigger one, chewing it down with eyes slitted in happiness.
Lujayn shrugs. "Guess I missed out on that one - but yeah, I've known P'draig forever." She nods to Leova, still edgy about the girl's sudden mirth. "A few other candidates were there when he came by, we had lunch and all that." Nod nod.
"Awww, well you know, he's pretty sweet, even if he did used to tease me something fierce when I was little." Milani's tongue sticks out of her mouth sideways then she laughs too. "For a chair, that's a good story, Leova. Rider bought me a beer for a chair. Ha." She eyes Lujayn curiously next. "Huh. You never mentioned, Lu. Though come to think of it, he has asked a couple of times ... checking up. You know. Like big brothers do." Eye roll skyward.
"Use of a chair, anyway. Not even for the night," Leova says, looking out over the water with a small laugh before turning back. She sets the wine glass down only half drunk and has her way with a little more tart.
Lujayn blinks. "Beer for a chair," Is repeated yet again, trying to wrap her brain around that one, but fails. "Maybe I'm a little tired," She concedes at last, taking a seat near the hearth and her companions. "That's good to know, though. I'm looking forward to seeing some Fortians near hatching time." She smiles even as Milani rolls her eyes.
"Could be, Lu," Millie agrees, bouncing a little on her toes. "It's been a tiring seven really," muses the headwoman's assistant tipping up her wineglass for another sip. "Will your family come Lu? I"m sure Paddy'd bring them if you ask him." Blithely, she speaks for her absent brother, so blithely.
Leova and her rapidly disappearing tart listen idly, comfortable enough with their voices to just lean back and enjoy the company.
"They're dragonriders too, so they can come if they want," Lujayn wipes bubbly sauce from her plate with one finger, not trying too hard to keep up pristine manners. "I don't know what they've been up to since I left; I was usually pretty independent at home." She thinks. "Mostly I want to see my friends, but it would be nice if my parents came.."
"Oh!" Milani laughs. "For some reason I thought your folks were runners too, silly me." The assistant headwoman waves off her mistake with an airy gesture of a denuded spiderclaw husk that gets tossed into the fire and more wine consumed. "Yeah, it's nice to have people there to cheer you on."
Leova thinks to look back at the bubblies, and gives them a longing look even, but settles for crossing her arms so she can't pick up any servers. Or even her glass again. "How did you get to be a runner, anyway?"
Lujayn finally cracks a grin. "I wouldn't mind that, either," She laughs to Milani. "But this way they weren't always breathing down my neck. If you get an old auntie started, they'll tell you how little Lujayn couldn't sit still, wouldn't pay attention, got her nose into everything. They made me run it off." Lu beams, easygoing with a story she's told before. "Delivering messages in the Weyr, sometimes laps around the bowl if there wasn't anything for me to take. And it stuck, so when I got older I went into the formal Runnercraft."
Milani beams at Lu, listening to the story attentively. "Wow. So you've been running forever and ever ..." murmurs the assistant headwoman, impressed. "That's really something else. I like to run too. Sometimes I run at night to help me get to sleep." Her glass tilts upward and she drains its contents down, finds a spot to set it down. "All right. Speaking of running, I've managed to build up a bunch of energy myself, so. I'm going to go poke around the Hold a bit and see what there is to find." Hands smooth down skirts and she shakes her hair back, giving both L-girls a little wave. "I'll see you later or back at the Weyr, whichever comes first!" And she's off.
Leova gives Lujayn an appreciative grin. "Wish everyone were that good at it. Taking things that look like problems and turning them into something right..." She adds, looking after their coordinator, "Wonder if we're even going to get her back."
Niena wanders in on that line. "Get her back? Where's she going?"
"Sure she'll come back," Lujayn laughs. "She's just going to have a look around." Stretching her own legs with a short trip to the hearth, she crosses Niena's path with a wave. "Millie just went for a walk, and Leova got worried straightaway. Tilleks know Tillek best." Instead of depositing her used plate, she manages to salvage the passed over remnants of tarts and crumbled bubbles, bringing the assortment back to the table with a steaming mug of klah. "Did you take care of runners for very long here?" Being the animal sort, not the Lujayn sort.
"Wouldn't say worried," Leova says with a wider smile, arms still folded, still leaning against the table, though she leans out of the way when Lujayn goes by. "Here? Not so long. Back at Granite, a while... Got to visit the stables, see how the filly's growing and the mare's putting up with her," she explains to Niena. "Been having fun?"
Niena nods at the explanation, then in answer to the question. "I loved the toasted sweets, and the other food's been wonderful as well."
Lujayn pushes the plate towards Niena and Leova, playing hostess for a moment. "Most of it's all picked over, but these look fresh." She sniffs her klah happily, letting the steam hit her face. "I never rode much, even though it's faster than running. I'd pity the beast that got stuck with me." She smiles. "Were you in the diving competition at all? I missed that one."
"Nice to see Tillek welcome its Weyr, anyway," Leova agrees about the food, and about what that means. She gives Lujayn a shake of the head for the diving, but also a sidelong look that half-hides a smile. "When you want to get off and go do it youself, no wonder they don't like it so much."
Niena has never turned down food before, and now is not about to be the first time. She takes one of the bubbly pies and smiles thanks. When talk turns to Holds and their Weyrs she nods grimly in agreement. And when runners and runners are mentioned she giggles, then asks "What's riding a runner like?"
"Don't ride /me/," Lujayn replies mulishly and grins Niena's way, but leaves the better description of riding to the girl who's more familiar with it. "It's higher up than walking," She offers after a sip of klah, not much help.
Leova gives Niena a suddenly doubtful look. A "pull the other leg" look. "Good," she does say. "Though ours mostly pull wagons, bred more for that than riding."
Niena ahs. "I've only ever ridden dragons, and that was only three or four times." Taking Lujayn's comment literally, she says "I didn't think there were any piggyback races for these games, were there?"
Leova offers in a dry voice, with respect to dragons, "It's lower down than flying."
"In between walking and flying, then. Kinda bumpy." Lujayn says things as they come to mind. "I didn't hear about any piggyback races," She tilts her head. "Maybe there will be more games next summer. We should suggest that one."
Niena nods and sighs. "Yet another thing I should maybe try sometime. I have a lot of those these days."
"And you live there," Leova murmurs. "You should tell some of the girls here what it's really like, Niena, not just flying all over and getting whatever you want from places all the time."
Lujayn looks curious, but doesn't venture to ask, instead helping herself to a section of tart. "The runners are probably in their stalls for the night, or else we could try putting you up on one of them," She raises a brow, mischief written on her face. "That, and riding probably isn't the point of the beach party." Go figure.
Niena nods. "And I imagine riding isn't something you can just up and do, either. Do people really think all riders do is go places and get things? There wouldn't be much time to fight thread if that was the case."
Leova, wearing a mostly-amused frown, makes as though to glance around. "Don't give anyone ideas, Lu. Though. They probably have an extra stablehand on duty, in case of people acting up. Might just go check anyway. See you both," and Leova strides off, right through the dancers.
Lujayn waves to Leova, noticing a thinning of the crowds in general. "I think most people are heading back - we should catch a ride before they forget us." She stands, klah in tow, and heads down the beach to look for a departing rider.
Niena nods. "Last thing we need is for the eggs to hatch while we're here."