Swimming lesson
Who:Edani, Iesia, Jakkal, Javeri, P'draig, Sunniva, T'mic, X'lar
Where: The beach
When: Afternoon on day 16, month 2, turn 18
What: The candidates are given swimming lessons. Someone nearly drowns. Sunniva does not learn to swim. P'draig wears a speedo.
It is a beautiful spring afternoon and the sounds of laughter ring across the beach. This is a swimming lesson, yes? Well, yes, but for the candidates it's also something of a lark and no amount of insistence of good behavior is going to ruin this day for everyone. Several dragons can be seen farther up and down the beach, but none are that close to where the candidates and their teachers are gathered. Right now there's several groups separate from one another by a few feet. Each small group has their own teacher and each teacher is basically saying the same thing right now. Warnings about swimming out too far are repeated often as is the fact that all candidates must have a partner or buddy when they enter the ocean so if someone needs help they can receive it.
Some of the more rowdy candidates jostle each other and talk through the instructions until told to cut it out. Candidates in each group look around for someone to declare their buddy. It's obvious early on that several young men and women are going to have a lot of trouble finding someone willing to actually be paired up with them. Eventually they will be forced into pairs, but for now there's been no demands as of yet for that. There is no mention of cutting out the horseplay as it seems to be realized there is little chance of that. What is pointed out is that there is a healer and anyone who feels fatigued or gets a cramp is to come in immediately and if it is bad enough seek out the healer.
Dressed for a day at the beach, though her posture suggests all seriousness, Iesia wanders towards the grouped candidates from the direction of the waterfall pool. There's a low, laden bag slung over one shoulder, as well as a recognizable waterskin. There's a quick scrutiny of the candidates collected and she sighs. "I didn't realize there would be so many..." she mutters.
She /does/ have a swimsuit -- not just the shorts and tank top affair she can periodically be seen in -- and that's what Sunniva's wearing now. A modest one piece, dark blue; hair up in a ponytail and sandals on her feet, she cuts the very figure of apprehension. That might also be why she's a bit later than the others, not yet rounded into a group or paired with anyone. The other candidates and gathered folks are watched and she'll stay ... just over here for now. Really. She'll join in. Eventually.
P'draig has been here for a little while already and stands in the shallows with his hand under one of the younger candidates' mid-section. 'That's it, feel it? The water will hold you, it will, I promise. All right. Float," he's saying encouragingly and then draws his hand away. "And you're floating!" And so the kid is, if a little uncertainly. It's highly likely Paddy's got on shorts or something under the water.
A chance to go to the beach, no matter the reason, had Javeri one of the first candidates present. She already knows how to swim and has made it quite clear of that in case anyone got the wrong idea. After all not knowing how to swim when growing up on an island is too embarrassing. Not that she says that exactly since there happens to be a local candidate or two who cannot swim. A pair of loose shorts is worn along with a modest swimsuit top. The light blue of the shorts contrasts with the bright orange of the top making her look very nearly like she's never matched colors in her life. No sandals bother her feet and she looks impatiently out at the water as she waits for all the dire warnings to end. Not that she goes racing for the water when they do.
A few other latecomers are inevitably dragged to a group, Sunniva among them -- oh-so-grudgingly among them. The sandals are ditched shortly after, the location memorized for future retrieval. She settles in to listening to the warnings, paying rapt attention -- so rapt, in fact, that she gnaws on her lower lip as if that might help somehow. Javeri is spotted, as is P'draig, and she tosses a wave and smile toward each of them, though she's loathe to lift her voice in greeting just yet.
A heavy sign is given before, like Sunniva, Iesia drops her things into the sand. Their location is marked, and she spends half a second hopping on first one foot, then the other, removing her sandals and adding them to the pile. And then onward she goes, right into the water as well. Sunniva is eyed first, then Javeri, and lastly P'draig, who's lucky enough to be the closest instructor to the Healer. She doesn't go very far, just up to her knees. "Floating," and she quirks a wry sort of grin. "Easiest part."
Near the shore a beefy bluerider chats up several of the female candidates. He gestures grandly and then splashes a couple of the girls playfully before leading them out into the water. He seems to have less interest in teaching them to swim than he has interest in spending time flirting with scantily clad women in the water. Since the girls are not complaining they get away with it for some time.
Up come gray-blue eyes at Iesia's words and P'draig smiles. "Baby steps," he says simply then looks past the healer as others arrive and he lifts a hand to wave in greeting. His first student is starting to lose it and go down and Paddy extends a hand to the lad. "Whoa there, okay, take a break and practice those arm motions," he tells the kid. "So far so good," he switches back to Iesia. "And how're you doing today?"
A candidate and his swimming buddy barrels for the water and nearly knocks Javeri down in the process. "Come on," she yells to their backs. "Idiots," is mumbled more quietly. Her head shakes as she studies the other candidates and finally makes her way over to where Sunniva is standing. "Need a buddy?" she asks with a grin. "I think you're running out of options, but I just know Kameron is not called yet." And who would want to be his buddy? As she waits for an answer she looks around and spies more non-candidate people she knows. "Oh, hi, P'draig!" she calls out and then, "And hi, Iesia too! I'm glad you made it!"
A glance is given to the others as they do their thing and then Sunniva's gaze is abruptly tugged Javeri-wards with a sudden smile. "Oh! Yes, I suppose I do?" Despite the attempt at confidence, she manages to sound slightly uncertain anyway. Her nose wrinkles at the mention of Kameron, mouth twitching unpleasantly to one side -- that'd be a 'no', then. She steps a little closer to Javeri, just in case, and echoes her greetings with a nod for each and a friendly, "Hello, P'draig, Iesia."
First a glance for that poor, floating candidate, Iesia's gaze harsh and scrutinizing. But she says nothing, perhaps thankfully. Next, a glance for P'draig, a quick meeting of his gaze, and a one-shouldered shrug. "Mm. It is once more a glorious Istan day," she responds, dry and sarcastic as if such fabulous weather should be loathed rather than appreciated. Javeri's greeting is given an inclination of her head and a flat, "You asked me to be here, in an official capacity. So here I am." If anything, the candidates will try to be safe just so Iesia won't come near them, right? "Sunniva." Hmph.
Kameron stands in waist deep water with no shirt on. He tries to flirt with any female that goes by despite the fact they all see him and try to veer past. It doesn't matter and his pudgy chest puffs out as he leers at some of the outfits worn by some of the candidates. When he spies on he particularly likes he wades and waddles through the surf towards her and winds up smacked with a wave that sends him spluttering into shallow water and sand.
"Volunteered to help," P'draig explains with a laugh. "Swimming is one of my favorite forms of exercise and fun all in one," the brownrider explains. For Iesia, there's a nod. "Yeah. I'm still getting used to that about the weather," he says of the often sunniness. His gaze tracks to Kameron and there's a little shake of his head then he's gesturing towards the water. "Anyone else here for learning or just to have a good time?"
"Come on then!" Javeri says with a grin for Sunniva. "We'll get you in the water. We'll get you set up with P'draig. Otherwise who knows who you might have. I hear a couple of the teachers tried to grab someone's rear when teaching them floating. And, of course, it's never the cute teachers that do that!" She heads for the water now quite done with being on the beach and doesn't even splash more than necessary. "P'draig? Sunniva cannot swim /at all/." Oh, the horrors! "And I think she needs a fine teacher so I think you should give her the basics." Shifting gears right away she grins at Iesia. "Well, even still you could have decided to be busy sewing a finger back on or something weird like that. I read in a book once that a healer sewed a whole hand on someone from someone else and that hand was crazy. That sounds fun!"
X'lar has been here, really, all this time. In fact, he's been laying out on a white towel not far from the lesson. Every once in a while he opens an eye to watch the candidates. You know. To make sure they're still alive or something. However, he does end up having to prop himself up a bit with his elbows, looking back down at the water with a wrinkled nose. "At least the surf's..." He trails off as he watches Kameron, wincing. And then, with that, lies back down, enjoying the weather for the time being.
"I-" Sunniva begins, then tries again with a sigh and a soft, "oh. Well, alright." She's pulled along placidly behind Javeri -- if not literally, then definitely figuratively -- and winds up about ankle-deep in the water near P'draig and Javeri. There's a glance to Iesia and another smile for the fact that her name is remembered, then it's back to P'draig. "Well, I-" but, Javeri's assessment is correct, so she shakes her head. "I cannot swim, no."
A narrow-eyed look towards that particular candidate. Iesia's lips are pressed firmly together, obviously disapproving of just about everything in this situation. The sun. The water. The teachers. A scowl. She sloshes a bit further out, the better be of assistance if someone should try to drown themselves. "Not at all?" she asks suddenly, a glance going first to Javeri and then to Sunniva. There's a smirk of some sort, a wicked thing that, thankfully, doesn't linger long. "I doubt that was an historical account," says Iesia of the hand story. "There have been attempts, certainly, but I have not yet encountered someone who was able to sew on a new hand that worked. Or that was not immediately rejected by the host..." but she stops herself there. "Clearly," says Iesia to P'draig, "This is more a lesson in leering at girls than swimming."
Something about what Javeri just said seems to amuse P'draig to no end, his head ducks and he lifts a hand to the back of his neck. "Sure Sunniva, Javeri, come on over. I promise. No grabby hands." Though it's possible he's still trying to hold down laughter as he lifts both palms for inspection. "For some maybe," he answers Iesia more seriously. "I can't really defend the large percentage of my gender that enjoys the view of a lovely lady dressed for swimming." There's more humor pulling at his mouth then as one of his palms turns upward, offered to Sunniva.
"Oh, well, I didn't think it was historical," Javeri says with a smile. "But I did think it would be really neat if it were. Not that I'd want someone else's hand. You'd never know where it had been. Or what it had done. I mean it's kinda gross just thinking about it!" Feet rub along the sand under the water as she looks farther out to sea. "I'm her buddy," she explains with a grin and a nod towards Sunniva. "So, I'll be staying close. But probably not too close because I want to go swimming, but don't want to get in trouble for being away from my buddy." It beats winding up with Kameron or who knows who as a partner. There were plenty of bad options. Someone whose only fault is an inability to swim is a great choice.
"Be nice, 'sia," X'lar calls out in amusement to the healer, eyes closed. Even if he's not part of the swimming, X'lar does seem to be listening. If only a little. He does seem rather relaxed. Maybe this is his attempt at getting some shut-eye. His right eye opens at hearing Paddy's latter remarks on defending that percentage of men enjoying the view of women swimming. A grunt is sounded from the bronzerider and that eye closes.
It takes a moment for Sunniva to get over her evident wariness and join the rest of the conversation but, when she does, it's with a sudden, "Oh! Oh, I trust you would not be the sort to do anything untoward, P'draig." Though, perhaps she only means with regards to herself? Who knows. In either case, she slants a wary look to Javeri -- nothing for Iesia, this time -- and then it's back to lip-chewing as she reaches to rest her hand on Paddy's upraised palm with a look of utter cluelessness. A backwards look is cast to X'lar with a smile, but then it's all business. Serious Business.
Farther out in the ocean Harnig dives down under an oncoming wave. He's nowhere to be found and the other candidate he was swimming with begins to call out his name. Just as his friend begins to swim inland the sailor appears behind him and dunks him. Laughing he takes off for the shore as his spluttering friend gives chase.
Lazy bronzeriders are completely ignored. Iesia slants a glance at P'draig instead, and simply rolls her eyes. "Ought to garb them in tunics and trousers, then." She most likely means the candidates. Maybe. A sigh. "Well, get on with it," she offers by way of encouragement. "It's really not that bad," she says of swimming. "The water does most of the work for you." There's a quick glance around at the rest of the candidates, those near and far, but nothing seems to be amiss just yet.
From X'lar's spot comes the sound of a canine. Well, not really. It sounds like the bronze rider is snoring. For the time being, he sleeps while the swimming lesson takes place not too far from him.
"Sounds good, Javeri," P'draig says to the candidate, "very good 'buddy' behavior," he notes with a wink. Sunniva earns a nod. "All right then, just this way," he states and takes Sunniva's hand, makes to draw her forward into the water. Just watch your step right there, okay. We'll start with basics, floating, go from there." He speaks in a calm, measured tone, likely meant to be reassuring.
So, since she doesn't have to learn Javeri moves out a little ways so she can float and swim a little near where Sunniva and P'draig are. That this allows her to be by Iesia is just a bonus. "Have you had continued trouble from the candidates?" she asks the healer before wrinkling her nose. "Oh, wait. Eww. Trousers and tunics? For swimming? That's ridiculous! Who can swim with all that on? The less the better!" Not that she is not quite decently garbed.
"Oh. Thank you," is directed to Iesia for the encouragement, a faint smile surfacing and lingering. There's a slight nod to P'draig and Sunniva takes his lead, green eyes fixed on the water as she picks her way carefully along. "So, what- how do I do this, P'draig?" she wonders, finally dragging her gaze up to the brownrider.
There's a stifled sigh from Iesia. She turns back to P'draig and Sunniva briefly, though her attention is clearly floating around to the rest of the group in a bored sort of way. "Hm?" she says, glancing back to Javeri. "No. Thankfully, you seem to be the only one attempting to kill yourself," she replies dryly. "And really, it is not so difficult to swim in such clothes. Though I am not sure it would inspire less ogling, come to think of it..."
"Have to agree with Javeri. All that drag, kind of dangerous," Paddy says mildly as he and Sunniva get to about waist depth in the water. "All right, what most folks seem to have trouble with, is trusting the water to hold them. So we'll start there. Just lie back slowly, I"m going to put my hand here," he flattens his palm down in the water, "hold you up and you need to slowly let go with your arms and legs." Iesia is cast a brief look that betrays humor in Paddy's eyes, then it's back to helping Sunni lie back in the water. "Close your eyes and think like it's a nice feather bed."
"You can do it!" Javeri tells Sunniva as she grins. "You're going to have no trouble at all!" Encouragement is just what a buddy needs to do. Just not while standing too close because then she cannot splash around a bit. "I am not trying to kill myself," the potter tells the healer with a laugh. "It's just the kids in the nursery want me dead. And the seashells." Not that she's trying at all to be careful where she walks right now. Seashells? What seashells?
"Alright," sounds awfully dubious, but Sunniva nods -- though perhaps more to reassure herself than him. A nervous sort of smile is given to Javeri, a wordless thanks for the encouragement. She holds still until he explains fully, another nod and then she shuts her eyes as bid. The candidate takes a deep breath in, lets it out, then slowly starts to ease herself back as directed. So far, so good? At least, so long as she's not thinking about it too much. It's only when she gets as far back as she can without lifting her feet that she asks, "Like this?"
"Mm, and I am sure you did nothing at all to provoke such an attack," from the children, clearly. Iesia smirks just a little, and though she tries to appear indifferent, her attention lingers a bit longer on Sunniva and P'draig as the lesson gets into full swing. "How is your foot?" she suddenly asks Javeri, a quick glance given downwards before Iesia remembers there is water obscuring a proper view.
Several candidates dare each other to go farther and farther out. The youngest of the group hangs back while the older ones taunt him. As he turns to head back to shore one of the others yells out calling him a baby, but he continues to swim to shore anyway.
"Yep," P'draig confirms, puts out his other hand to take hers. "Now pick up your feet and just let go. I'll hold onto you, I promise and you can grab my hand if you feel nervous." Paddy's still got a smirk for the conversation going on between Iesia and Javeri but mostly he's focusing on Sunni.
"How could I provoke an attack on children? That's just-" Javeri tries to decide what it might be and decides on, "Mean to suggest." Lifting her foot from the water she balances on the other as she holds the former hurt one out. "Mostly completely better," she says with a grin. "I'm keeping an ear out for insane attacking seashells today." No, she's not. Nor is she even trying to check where she walks as she splashes around and wades a little farther out into the water. Not too far as she is talking and doesn't want to leave her buddy.
Another "Alright," is given and Sunniva keeps her eyes resolutely shut. One foot lifts, then the other, legs bent uncertainly and arms awkwardly spread just a little. Unsure what to do with them, obviously, so she does a fairly decent impression of a water-logged spinner that happens to be missing a lot of legs. A water-logged spinner that is clearly concentrating /very hard/ on what she's doing, though there is a soft noise of amusement at Javeri's words.
"No one else has come to see me because a child has bitten them," notes Iesia with a snort. "So I must assume that it is you, and not the children, that inspired the incident." Ah, deductive reasoning from Iesia. "It's not mean. It's simply... fact." Or not. At her lifted foot, Iesia glances once more towards it and makes a move as if to grab said foot. She stops herself before she gets too far, clears her throat, and says, "Well. If you're walking on it, and swimming... with it, then it's likely healed. But be careful of reopening the cut, and make sure you clean it well when you're finished?"
T'mic ambles away from the glade surrounding the waterfall pool, his trouser legs rolled up but shoeless and frowning. On a line to head to the Sandbar, he catches sight of the one-legged Candidate and then, P'draig and Sunniva. His frown dissolving into one of his more usual grins, he ambles over to join in on the fun. Or at least, to ogle his weyrmate unabashedly. "Heya," he adds after a moment, gives a little wave that's meant to be all-encompassing.
X'lar has been snoring up until now. All of a sudden, however, he snorts awake and calls out in shock: "But what about my undies?!" Some dream, apparently. He grimaces and rubs at his face. This time he inspects the swimming lesson with both eyes, actually going so far as to sit up in a pseudo lotus. "Don't go out -too- far," Xie offers to the candidates in dry amusement. "Otherwise I'll have to find a sailor to take me out on his ship to find you."
"Let your arms just kind of float out alongside your body, let the water hold them up, go kind of boneless like when you're relaxing on the sand," P'draig explains. "Same with your legs, don't try to direct anything right now, just let go. My hand is right here. Trust me to catch you, trust the water to hold you." He looks up and over at Javeri again. "Foot's all better? Good. My knee's just about good too. Still a little sore here and here, but no more hobbling." And there's Mic and Paddy's face splits into a sunny grin. "Hey Mic. Swimming lessons."
Two of the slighter candidates hug the shallow water and seem unwilling to go too far out. Eventually they brave the water up to their waists and when that doesn't seem to kill them they try to swim out a little bit more. Now that they are treading water they feel more confident and the male of the two starts to swim out to shore. He doesn't get very far before he disappears under the waves and his friend starts to yell. Oleanna has a loud, piercing yell and she can be heard back to the beach hollering, "Help! Help! Yinral! I can't see him! Help!"
There's a moment of uncertainty, with Sunni on her back in the water and her limbs still tensed up ... but then she forces herself to unwind, arms going first, then legs, though the 'boneless' part of the equation takes a moment or three for her to figure out. Sunniva exhales, long and low, then lifts her voice to greet the latest arrival with, "Hello T'mic." No, she is still not opening her eyes; perhaps waiting to see if the 'floating' works by thinking happy thoughts?
Haunting the deeper waters of the coastline is Jakkal's task this afternoon, it would seem. When the cry goes out from Oleanna, he lifts himself a little higher out of the water, bellows a "I'm coming, you get to store or he might pull you under too!" and begins to make his way to that area with broad, powerful strokes.
Lots of things work by thinking happy thoughts; floating may or may not be one of them. "So I see," Mic tells Paddy, amused, before skinning out of his shirt and pants and wading in to assist. Oleanna's call has his immediate attention, but he soon spots the 'missing' Yinral a little way behind her. He looks for a moment as though he'll yell back, but Jakkal is on the way and T'mic turns back to Paddy and Sunniva. "I never was much good at floating," he admits, which probably isn't the most helpful thing to be admitting just now. "Actually swimming is easier."
"Good, good," P'draig encourages calmly as Sunniva slowly relaxes into the water. "Now think about having a string from the tip of your head through your spine and on down and let that string line everything up. Keep your arms out slightly from your sides and just breathe in and out. I'll keep my hand here a little longer and when you feel ready, just say 'go' and then I'll take my hand away." He looks up at Mic, grins. "Well that's the other way to learn, just jump in, sink or swim, but I think Sunni's doing just fine."
A cry of alarm has Iesia's attention, distracted immediately from Javeri's foot to the more pressing matter. It's first an irritated sort of look, Iesia probably assuming it to be candidates at play once more. But, then it's not playful, and the seriousness doesn't fade. Her lips purse and, after a moment's hesitation, she's sloshing in the general direction of the chaos with a look that's purely business.
X'lar finally looks about for a moment, wrinkling his nose at the candidates in the water, learning. His eyes count, one after the other, to make sure they're all there. He then stands up from his towel and walks toward the water. Jakkal seems to have Yinral covered and so Xie decides to go a bit farther out, if only to get a better look at the situation.
Yinral sinks under the waves and another frantic scream comes from Oleanna before she splashes furiously towards where he was. She screams again and then she sinks under the water several yards from his position.
"Oh." That's probably for T'mic, from the slight angle her head tilts in. Then, "Am I?" is asked of P'draig, Sunniva hesitating for a moment before she tries the mental string exercise. Relax, let the arms drift ... there's a brief start at the screaming, a moment of tension when she feels herself sink, and then a forced focus. Finally, with muted resolve, "I think- yes. Go." Ready as she'll ever be.
Jakkal shakes his head as he nears the pair and spots Yinral only to notice Oleanna turn back and sink under. Spotting someone swimming near he lifts himself out of the water enough to shout in that direction the quick instruction to, "Get the foolish girl, would you? I'll get Yinral." He doesn't wait for a reply before he ducks under the water to snag the lad.
Both feet on the sandy ground Javeri looks out to sea. She takes a few steps towards the deeper water, but stops when she notices the others doing the same thing. She stays where she is at and watches in between glances to see how Sunniva is doing. "See? No sinking for you, Sunniva. Someone else already has that taken care of. I don't know what they were thinking going out so far when they just learned to swim earlier." Not that she doesn't sound concerned because she does, but she also thinks it was a bad idea.
Edani rounds the curve of beach, heading from the direction of Ista Hold. A well-worn copy of a smallish booklet in his hand. His lips move, but no sound issues from them. Reciting something to himself, most likely. He stops for a moment when he notices all the activity in the water, then continues, nearing the group.
With his focus still on Sunniva, P'draig looks up and out towards the deep, notes that others have a rescue well in hand. "It'll be okay," he tells Sunni and when she says 'go' waits a moment then draw his hand away. "Keep your back like that string. Get used to that floaty feeling on your back. Next step is to flip over, do it on your front and then start moving arms and legs."
"Clear a path you idiots!" It could be meant for her, it could be meant for the soon-to-be dragged out candidates. Either way, Iesia's sending threatening looks left and right at the gawkers, sloshing through the water in a determined fashion. There's not much she can do at the moment, being too far to assist in the actual rescue. But her job will come later, if necessary.
T'mic says easily, "Just didn't want her to get discouraged if it doesn't work." Not that his sunny smile down at Sunniva suggests that in the least. He keeps an eye or an ear (or both?) on the drama farther out but adds, "There's other options for learning, if you need 'em." A glance toward the beach means Edani's caught his eye; he nods and gives the boy a splattery wave.
With the others helping those choking on the little water, X'lar watches in slight concern. However, at Iesia quickly moving toward them, that concern just seems to melt away and he returns to watching the rest of the candidates in various stages of learning how to swim.
Slow breathing. Relaxed. Only after a moment or two does she feel comfortable enough to ask of whoever feels inclined to answer, "Are they alright?" Concerned, of course, but trying not to let it sink into the rest of her. P'draig and T'mic's reassurances would normally garner a nod, but lacking that, she settles on a sigh. Sunniva cracks an eye, as if looking at the sky might reflect the goings on in the water and she's not quite sure she wants to see. The floating thing seems to be well in hand, though, at least for now. "On my stomach? The same way? Oh, but what do you mean, T'mic?"
"They're not gonna die I bet," Javeri says as she shakes her eyes with one hand to see Jakkal grabbing Yinral. "Don't worry about them" she says with a bright grin. "You just worry about not sinking yourself." Yinral will need to be hauled to shore because he's not moving himself. Yay for swimming dead weight back to shore. Oleanna surfaces again and struggles to stay afloat as she tries to spot where Yinral is at and if he's been found. Once she sees him safe she'll begin to head back for shore. If someone were to lend her a hand that would probably help her, but otherwise she'll make it, eventually, on her own.
"Not sure yet," P'draig says, "but I think they will be," Paddy answers and draws both hands away. "Mmhm, on your stomach. You can try to just flip over, but don't forget not to breathe in or you'll get a noseful. If you feel water going up your nose, blow out," the brownrider advises.
Edani nods back to T'mic as he walks closer and offers a quiet, "Evenin'." Possibly not heard above all the splashing and cries going on out further in the water, and also due to the fact he wisely veers away from the water's edge. His interest keeps him in the area, a bit of concern fleets across his face at the towing in of swimmers.
Under the water, Jakkal looks around and spots Yinral nearby. A few swift kicks and he's gotten a hold of the fellow. Both break the surface a moment later. It is at this point that the ex-Stablehand notes that the subject of the rescue does not appear to be moving much. Not willing to waste time to check if he's breathing (nothing he could do out on the water about it either way) he begins to bring him to more shalow waters. He uses strong, but rhythmic kicks, trying not to shake the body in his grip more than is required.
"Huh, what?" Mic asks cleverly, looking away from the rescue and back to Sunniva. "Oh, I just mean that if floating doesn't work, there's other ways to teach you to swim. Might try up on the plateau, too. S'where the babies wash." Presumably he means the weyrlings...? "But right now, you just listen to Paddy. I'll just stay here and keep quiet." Just not so quiet that he doesn't return Edani's, "Evening!" with another grin-and-wave. "Come to swim? Can you grab one of those towels over there? Looks like we'll need a couple."
"Oh." That would be for Javeri, sounding somewhat relieved. It's repeated again for P'draig, just before Sunniva lowers her feet to the sands and hangs, arched, in the water before straightening. Her fingers reach up, adjusting her ponytail, and then she turns, only to look at the water. The called greeting of Edani /is/ barely heard, but a wave is tossed in that general direction. Face-down in the water? Just a bit intimidating. There's a slight nod to T'mic, a stalling tactic, surely.
Iesia's in Healer Mode now, all seriousness and no snark. As Jakkal and Yinral are up, she sloshes back towards shore as well, shooing people left and right with swift hand movements and dangerous looks. "Out of the way," she repeats. "Bring him over here, please?" she calls, voice loud to carry above the crowd. "Oh, just put him anywhere that's dry," she finally decides, moving to intercept the pair.
Jakkal hears the instructions, but the barest nod is his only reply. As they get to the shallow water and the tall man's feet touch bottom, he picks up Yinral with a deep grunt and sets him down gently on the shore. He takes a step back then, to let the Healer near, but doesn't go much futher, set to keep others out of the way and to be there if needed.
"Nice job," P'draig tells Sunniva, looking out towards the rescue-in-progress. "I think it'll be fine, Iesia's got them in hand," the brownrider notes. "Do you want to try another step, Sunni, or take a break?"
Kameron moves closer to where the poor candidate lies on the sands. Because he is concerned about what is going on with Yinral. Not because he's trying to gawk at the female candidates who have flocked around. Nope. He's certainly not trying to peer down the front of the girl in front of him's swimming top. That would not be why he peers over her shoulder the way he does.
X'lar grunts once at Jakkal and Yinral before looking to Iesia, relief etched on the teen's face as she moves into action. There is a brief shake of his head before saying, "Shells, if it's not one person, it's another and /Kameron/, /stop/ /leering/."
Edani manages to divert his gaze from Jakkal's rescue-in-progress to answer T'mic with a shake of his head, "Come from Harper Lesson, up the Hold." The tone of his voice says it all; he's not pleased about that. He swivels in the direction of the towels, tucks the booklet under his armpit, then trots over to snag one. He nears the edge of the water uncertainly proffering the towel. He's keeping one eye on the action, but manages to nod briefly to Sunniva.
She manages a brief stint of face-down-in-the-water, but eventually gives that up with a bit of a sputter and a definite wrinkling of her nose. "I-" and Sunni pauses, craning around to see just what's going on, especially since she's now hearing the Healer and the coordinator and yet other familiar voices. With a shake of her head, the young woman looks back to P'draig. "I would like to continue, if I may."
The girl in front of Kameron looks behind her at X'lar's words and shudders. "Ewww!" she says and steps to the side and then back away from the candidate trying to leer at her. Kameron looks at X'lar. "I was just trying to see if I could help," he says before giving up and moving away. Instead he finds a spot where he might watch Sunniva while making a show of trying to float. He cannot float, but sinks really well.
Jakkal narrows his eyes at X'lar's comment, but he's looking directly at Kameron with an expression that relays quite clearly that the other Candidate might want to show the girl before him a bit more respect. If the other can get out of his self-delusions long enough to get the message is another matter. As he moves on to Sunniva, Jakkal's frown deepens, but the young man doesn't leave his post near Yinral and the Healer.
"Sure," Paddy notes to Sunniva. "And you don't have to keep your face in the water. But it's a good idea to get used to how it feels. Blow bubbles and stuff. But you can also just keep your head above water."
As soon as Jakkal has stepped away, Iesia is dropping into the sand beside the prone Yinral. A quick check of vitals - heartbeat: check, breathing... nope. Iesia's quick about it, not bothering to explain or direct - and she'll leave the crowd-control to Jakkal, it seems. Throwing her weight on her hands, Iesia begins the classic CPR. One, two, three.. and suddenly Yinral is coughing up water, and Ie's rolling him onto his shoulder to stop him choking a second time. A few more minutes and the boy's out of danger, though looking a bit worse for the experience.
It's this time that Oleanna makes it to shore. She's fine, but doesn't make it too far up out of the water before collapsing. Swimming out, screaming and flailing, and making it back has clearly taken it all out of her. Not wanting to cause a scene she just lies where she is to catch her breath.
"Well, welcome to the Weyr," T'mic returns to Edani, paying no mind to the younger man's tone of voice. He does nod Edani and his towel back toward the rescuers, though. "Think they'll need that more'n we will." He keeps watching Iesia and the others until Yinral starts coughing, then it's back to Sunniva. "Sea water's really salty, too - should keep your eyes closed tight as you can and try not to swallow any." Exhibit A, Yinral. "Want Paddy or me to tow you while you kick?"
Jakkal looks relived as Yinral begins to cough, but as he scans the crowd again he spots Oleanna's collapse. "You okay?" he booms out before glancing at the Healer and then to X'lar. He doesn't want to leave his post if he's needed there, but clearly he'd like to check on the other potential victim.
The not-floating Kameron is initially unseen by Sunniva, who is a bit more occupied with talking to P'draig. "That seems a bit difficult, to keep my face up and my body down like that." But, eventually, her gaze tracks over to see what's going on with the others and the young man is espied. Her lips flatten into a line, but she says nothing, looking instead to P'draig for the next step.
"Huh?" Oleanna asks as she lifts her head up and then sees Jakkal. "Oh? I'm fine. Just a little tired is all. Arms are tired. But I just need to sit here for a bit." Well, she's not sitting she's lying there, but still. She doesn't appear as if there is anything wrong other than being tired.
Edani nods a silent thanks to T'mic and steps 'round Iesia and Yinral, taking care not to get in the Healer's way. He's balled the towel up without meaning to; a quick shake rights that. Uncertainly for a moment, then with a roll of his eyes at Oleanna's dramatics, he drapes it over her. "Warm you up a bit," He comments as he edges away from the girl.
Jakkal nods at Oleanna's reply and offers her a grin. "Foolish thing you tried there, going back when you can't swim yourself. Brave, but very foolish." His expression becomes more serious at the second statement, but he then goes quiet, his attention returning to 'crowd control,' as it were.
X'lar grunts once again as he watches the rescue scene before sighing, rubbing at the bridge of his nose. "No more candidates in the deeper waters," X'lar calls out to the rest of the candidates. "In fact, everyone should just chill in the shallows or the beach."
"Thank you," Oleanna tells Edani with a weary smile. "That's very kind of you." She sits up straight and wraps the towel more tightly around her shoulders as she looks to where Yinral is to see if he is still doing ok. "I can swim," she tells Jakkal as an aside. "Maybe not so well." Not so well at all. Yinral coughs more and spits up some more water before he struggles to sit up on the beach and rub at red salt water eyes. Shivering once he looks at Iesia like he's trying to remember just what she did to save him.
Javeri groans at X'lar's words and shakes her head. "I didn't even get to go swimming," she says with a sigh. Because she's been sticking relatively close to Sunniva even if she's been too busy watching things to actually participate in conversation.
Jakkal nods at X'lar's instruction, offering another glance to the Healer and her patient. As he sees Yinral sitting up, he figures the situation is in hand and makes his retreat from what threatens to be another large social gathering. Can't get caught in one of those again!
A bit of tension, that Iesia didn't know she had, eases from the Healer's shoulders. She sits back a bit on her heels, though she's not going very far. "Focus," she tells Yinral. She studies his eyes first but seems to decide they'll be OK. "You OK now? Do you remember what happened?"
"Oh." She blinks a little at X'lar's edict, then cants an apologetic look to P'draig. "I suppose I shall just have to try another time," Sunniva finally says, mouth drawn to a side. "Thank you for teaching me how to float, P'draig." There's a look then to Javeri, apologetic -- as if this were somehow her fault -- and then she pads toward the shore and vaguely in the direction of X'lar and the others.
"I think I will be fine," Yinral tells Iesia with a wane smile. "I don't really remember. I was out swimming and then suddenly I couldn't stay above water. Maybe I was tired? I don't know." He coughs again and spits a little more salt water out onto the sand. "I'll be ok?" he asks Iesia because she's a healer after all and she should know, yes? Big puppy dog eyes look at the healer like he expects her to reassure him.
X'lar eyes Javeri, telling her: "Well, then, talk to your friends who seemed to get in over their heads, Javeri." He looks past the candidate to look at Iesia with Yinral, concern again alight on the teen's face. He shakes his head before going on to say, to the candidates (particularly Oleanna): "The most important lesson in swimming is how to swim /safe/." The teen almost looks angry. Almost. He returns to his towel, sitting down. It's here where he scans the crowd, counting candidates once again.
"It'll come together eventually," P'draig says optimistically to Sunniva and nods as she excuses herself. Then he sneaks a look over at Mic. "I think all this teaching is hungry-making work. I'm going to go on up to the 'Bar, get a bite. They seem okay here," a gesture towards where Iesia et co are taking care of things. Then Paddy retreats out of the water to get his towel and pad over to the Sandbar.
"We'll try again up at the pool," Mic promises Sunniva cheerily before wading after Paddy. He pauses to grab a towel and his clothing, giving himself a lick and a promise of drying before tugging on shirt and pants.
"Mm. You should be fine," assures Iesia in a tone that's not really all that reassuring. "However, I would like to keep you in the infirmary overnight," and it's clear she's leaving no room for protests, "Just to be on the safe side. Perhaps someone can help you there?" Because clearly he's about to shatter into a million pieces if he stands and walks on his own. A moment later and Iesia hauls herself back to her feet, brushing stubborn sand from her damp knees. "X'lar!" she calls, meaning to catch his attention. "This one," and a finger is pointed directly over the head of Yinral, "Is staying in the Infirmary overnight." There. Official stuff done.
Edani continues edging away from the crowd, a relieved look at the recovering swimmers. After a glance round the area, he pulls his still-dry, though maybe now-smelly booklet, from his armpit and opens it. Once-again immersed in reciting, he heads down the beach.
"Of course he is," X'lar notes of Yinral to Iesia. "Yinral, you and I will be talking later. Behave yourself and you might even get a story like Arambis did when he spent the night in the infirmary." He glances back to Iesia, nodding his thanks to her briefly, silently. For the time being, he just stays seated on his towel on the beach.
"Thank you. Do take care," is tossed after P'draig and T'mic, then Sunniva's picking her way to shore and to acquire a towel. She doesn't bother really drying herself, instead being a bit more concerned with finding a place to put her towel. The eventual choice is somewhere near X'lar, with the logical thought probably being 'it's more safe than near the water'. She sighs, spreading the towel out then arranging her be-swimsuited self onto it with a low and still concerned, "That was dreadful."
Yinral doesn't seem in any way ready to argue with spending the night in the infirmary. Although he's not thrilled with the idea of moving from right where he is right now. Oleanna moves up the beach to sit next to her swimming buddy and the two speak in hushed tones about the whole incident and what exactly it was the healer did to the candidate.
Sitting? Oh no, this will no do. "On your feet," and Iesia bends, grabbing Yinral by the arm and physically hauling him up. "Hey," she snaps, catching the attention of that burley bluerider from earlier. Maybe it's punishment for his previous leering, for now she's thrusting the candidate at him with swift orders for him to be carried to the infirmary. And no, she won't listen to arguing. "March. Now." And with that said, Iesia leads the group back to the Infirmary.
X'lar rubs his forehead as Sunniva arrives near him, looking up at her for a moment before smiling briefly at her. "Don't let that chaos stop you from learning. /Some/ people don't realize that the sea is dangerous. /Those/ people get hurt. /You/ will learn about safety and be fine. I mean, look at me, I've been swimming since I was like... three or four, Sunniva." He eyes Yinral and Oleanna before returning his attention to Sunniva, telling her: "Makes me want to re-think the whole spear fishing lesson now." He grins, however, making light of the situation. At Iesia's departure, he nods again, sighing. He rubs his face again and looks out to the water.
Eventually Javeri comes out of the water, but she doesn't settle down near where X'lar and Sunniva are. Maybe she doesn't want a repeat from the last conversation that left her abandoning the talk. Instead she talks to a couple of the other candidates who are sitting near her and they quietly discuss Oleanna, Yinral, Kameron, and so much more.
Where: The beach
When: Afternoon on day 16, month 2, turn 18
What: The candidates are given swimming lessons. Someone nearly drowns. Sunniva does not learn to swim. P'draig wears a speedo.
It is a beautiful spring afternoon and the sounds of laughter ring across the beach. This is a swimming lesson, yes? Well, yes, but for the candidates it's also something of a lark and no amount of insistence of good behavior is going to ruin this day for everyone. Several dragons can be seen farther up and down the beach, but none are that close to where the candidates and their teachers are gathered. Right now there's several groups separate from one another by a few feet. Each small group has their own teacher and each teacher is basically saying the same thing right now. Warnings about swimming out too far are repeated often as is the fact that all candidates must have a partner or buddy when they enter the ocean so if someone needs help they can receive it.
Some of the more rowdy candidates jostle each other and talk through the instructions until told to cut it out. Candidates in each group look around for someone to declare their buddy. It's obvious early on that several young men and women are going to have a lot of trouble finding someone willing to actually be paired up with them. Eventually they will be forced into pairs, but for now there's been no demands as of yet for that. There is no mention of cutting out the horseplay as it seems to be realized there is little chance of that. What is pointed out is that there is a healer and anyone who feels fatigued or gets a cramp is to come in immediately and if it is bad enough seek out the healer.
Dressed for a day at the beach, though her posture suggests all seriousness, Iesia wanders towards the grouped candidates from the direction of the waterfall pool. There's a low, laden bag slung over one shoulder, as well as a recognizable waterskin. There's a quick scrutiny of the candidates collected and she sighs. "I didn't realize there would be so many..." she mutters.
She /does/ have a swimsuit -- not just the shorts and tank top affair she can periodically be seen in -- and that's what Sunniva's wearing now. A modest one piece, dark blue; hair up in a ponytail and sandals on her feet, she cuts the very figure of apprehension. That might also be why she's a bit later than the others, not yet rounded into a group or paired with anyone. The other candidates and gathered folks are watched and she'll stay ... just over here for now. Really. She'll join in. Eventually.
P'draig has been here for a little while already and stands in the shallows with his hand under one of the younger candidates' mid-section. 'That's it, feel it? The water will hold you, it will, I promise. All right. Float," he's saying encouragingly and then draws his hand away. "And you're floating!" And so the kid is, if a little uncertainly. It's highly likely Paddy's got on shorts or something under the water.
A chance to go to the beach, no matter the reason, had Javeri one of the first candidates present. She already knows how to swim and has made it quite clear of that in case anyone got the wrong idea. After all not knowing how to swim when growing up on an island is too embarrassing. Not that she says that exactly since there happens to be a local candidate or two who cannot swim. A pair of loose shorts is worn along with a modest swimsuit top. The light blue of the shorts contrasts with the bright orange of the top making her look very nearly like she's never matched colors in her life. No sandals bother her feet and she looks impatiently out at the water as she waits for all the dire warnings to end. Not that she goes racing for the water when they do.
A few other latecomers are inevitably dragged to a group, Sunniva among them -- oh-so-grudgingly among them. The sandals are ditched shortly after, the location memorized for future retrieval. She settles in to listening to the warnings, paying rapt attention -- so rapt, in fact, that she gnaws on her lower lip as if that might help somehow. Javeri is spotted, as is P'draig, and she tosses a wave and smile toward each of them, though she's loathe to lift her voice in greeting just yet.
A heavy sign is given before, like Sunniva, Iesia drops her things into the sand. Their location is marked, and she spends half a second hopping on first one foot, then the other, removing her sandals and adding them to the pile. And then onward she goes, right into the water as well. Sunniva is eyed first, then Javeri, and lastly P'draig, who's lucky enough to be the closest instructor to the Healer. She doesn't go very far, just up to her knees. "Floating," and she quirks a wry sort of grin. "Easiest part."
Near the shore a beefy bluerider chats up several of the female candidates. He gestures grandly and then splashes a couple of the girls playfully before leading them out into the water. He seems to have less interest in teaching them to swim than he has interest in spending time flirting with scantily clad women in the water. Since the girls are not complaining they get away with it for some time.
Up come gray-blue eyes at Iesia's words and P'draig smiles. "Baby steps," he says simply then looks past the healer as others arrive and he lifts a hand to wave in greeting. His first student is starting to lose it and go down and Paddy extends a hand to the lad. "Whoa there, okay, take a break and practice those arm motions," he tells the kid. "So far so good," he switches back to Iesia. "And how're you doing today?"
A candidate and his swimming buddy barrels for the water and nearly knocks Javeri down in the process. "Come on," she yells to their backs. "Idiots," is mumbled more quietly. Her head shakes as she studies the other candidates and finally makes her way over to where Sunniva is standing. "Need a buddy?" she asks with a grin. "I think you're running out of options, but I just know Kameron is not called yet." And who would want to be his buddy? As she waits for an answer she looks around and spies more non-candidate people she knows. "Oh, hi, P'draig!" she calls out and then, "And hi, Iesia too! I'm glad you made it!"
A glance is given to the others as they do their thing and then Sunniva's gaze is abruptly tugged Javeri-wards with a sudden smile. "Oh! Yes, I suppose I do?" Despite the attempt at confidence, she manages to sound slightly uncertain anyway. Her nose wrinkles at the mention of Kameron, mouth twitching unpleasantly to one side -- that'd be a 'no', then. She steps a little closer to Javeri, just in case, and echoes her greetings with a nod for each and a friendly, "Hello, P'draig, Iesia."
First a glance for that poor, floating candidate, Iesia's gaze harsh and scrutinizing. But she says nothing, perhaps thankfully. Next, a glance for P'draig, a quick meeting of his gaze, and a one-shouldered shrug. "Mm. It is once more a glorious Istan day," she responds, dry and sarcastic as if such fabulous weather should be loathed rather than appreciated. Javeri's greeting is given an inclination of her head and a flat, "You asked me to be here, in an official capacity. So here I am." If anything, the candidates will try to be safe just so Iesia won't come near them, right? "Sunniva." Hmph.
Kameron stands in waist deep water with no shirt on. He tries to flirt with any female that goes by despite the fact they all see him and try to veer past. It doesn't matter and his pudgy chest puffs out as he leers at some of the outfits worn by some of the candidates. When he spies on he particularly likes he wades and waddles through the surf towards her and winds up smacked with a wave that sends him spluttering into shallow water and sand.
"Volunteered to help," P'draig explains with a laugh. "Swimming is one of my favorite forms of exercise and fun all in one," the brownrider explains. For Iesia, there's a nod. "Yeah. I'm still getting used to that about the weather," he says of the often sunniness. His gaze tracks to Kameron and there's a little shake of his head then he's gesturing towards the water. "Anyone else here for learning or just to have a good time?"
"Come on then!" Javeri says with a grin for Sunniva. "We'll get you in the water. We'll get you set up with P'draig. Otherwise who knows who you might have. I hear a couple of the teachers tried to grab someone's rear when teaching them floating. And, of course, it's never the cute teachers that do that!" She heads for the water now quite done with being on the beach and doesn't even splash more than necessary. "P'draig? Sunniva cannot swim /at all/." Oh, the horrors! "And I think she needs a fine teacher so I think you should give her the basics." Shifting gears right away she grins at Iesia. "Well, even still you could have decided to be busy sewing a finger back on or something weird like that. I read in a book once that a healer sewed a whole hand on someone from someone else and that hand was crazy. That sounds fun!"
X'lar has been here, really, all this time. In fact, he's been laying out on a white towel not far from the lesson. Every once in a while he opens an eye to watch the candidates. You know. To make sure they're still alive or something. However, he does end up having to prop himself up a bit with his elbows, looking back down at the water with a wrinkled nose. "At least the surf's..." He trails off as he watches Kameron, wincing. And then, with that, lies back down, enjoying the weather for the time being.
"I-" Sunniva begins, then tries again with a sigh and a soft, "oh. Well, alright." She's pulled along placidly behind Javeri -- if not literally, then definitely figuratively -- and winds up about ankle-deep in the water near P'draig and Javeri. There's a glance to Iesia and another smile for the fact that her name is remembered, then it's back to P'draig. "Well, I-" but, Javeri's assessment is correct, so she shakes her head. "I cannot swim, no."
A narrow-eyed look towards that particular candidate. Iesia's lips are pressed firmly together, obviously disapproving of just about everything in this situation. The sun. The water. The teachers. A scowl. She sloshes a bit further out, the better be of assistance if someone should try to drown themselves. "Not at all?" she asks suddenly, a glance going first to Javeri and then to Sunniva. There's a smirk of some sort, a wicked thing that, thankfully, doesn't linger long. "I doubt that was an historical account," says Iesia of the hand story. "There have been attempts, certainly, but I have not yet encountered someone who was able to sew on a new hand that worked. Or that was not immediately rejected by the host..." but she stops herself there. "Clearly," says Iesia to P'draig, "This is more a lesson in leering at girls than swimming."
Something about what Javeri just said seems to amuse P'draig to no end, his head ducks and he lifts a hand to the back of his neck. "Sure Sunniva, Javeri, come on over. I promise. No grabby hands." Though it's possible he's still trying to hold down laughter as he lifts both palms for inspection. "For some maybe," he answers Iesia more seriously. "I can't really defend the large percentage of my gender that enjoys the view of a lovely lady dressed for swimming." There's more humor pulling at his mouth then as one of his palms turns upward, offered to Sunniva.
"Oh, well, I didn't think it was historical," Javeri says with a smile. "But I did think it would be really neat if it were. Not that I'd want someone else's hand. You'd never know where it had been. Or what it had done. I mean it's kinda gross just thinking about it!" Feet rub along the sand under the water as she looks farther out to sea. "I'm her buddy," she explains with a grin and a nod towards Sunniva. "So, I'll be staying close. But probably not too close because I want to go swimming, but don't want to get in trouble for being away from my buddy." It beats winding up with Kameron or who knows who as a partner. There were plenty of bad options. Someone whose only fault is an inability to swim is a great choice.
"Be nice, 'sia," X'lar calls out in amusement to the healer, eyes closed. Even if he's not part of the swimming, X'lar does seem to be listening. If only a little. He does seem rather relaxed. Maybe this is his attempt at getting some shut-eye. His right eye opens at hearing Paddy's latter remarks on defending that percentage of men enjoying the view of women swimming. A grunt is sounded from the bronzerider and that eye closes.
It takes a moment for Sunniva to get over her evident wariness and join the rest of the conversation but, when she does, it's with a sudden, "Oh! Oh, I trust you would not be the sort to do anything untoward, P'draig." Though, perhaps she only means with regards to herself? Who knows. In either case, she slants a wary look to Javeri -- nothing for Iesia, this time -- and then it's back to lip-chewing as she reaches to rest her hand on Paddy's upraised palm with a look of utter cluelessness. A backwards look is cast to X'lar with a smile, but then it's all business. Serious Business.
Farther out in the ocean Harnig dives down under an oncoming wave. He's nowhere to be found and the other candidate he was swimming with begins to call out his name. Just as his friend begins to swim inland the sailor appears behind him and dunks him. Laughing he takes off for the shore as his spluttering friend gives chase.
Lazy bronzeriders are completely ignored. Iesia slants a glance at P'draig instead, and simply rolls her eyes. "Ought to garb them in tunics and trousers, then." She most likely means the candidates. Maybe. A sigh. "Well, get on with it," she offers by way of encouragement. "It's really not that bad," she says of swimming. "The water does most of the work for you." There's a quick glance around at the rest of the candidates, those near and far, but nothing seems to be amiss just yet.
From X'lar's spot comes the sound of a canine. Well, not really. It sounds like the bronze rider is snoring. For the time being, he sleeps while the swimming lesson takes place not too far from him.
"Sounds good, Javeri," P'draig says to the candidate, "very good 'buddy' behavior," he notes with a wink. Sunniva earns a nod. "All right then, just this way," he states and takes Sunniva's hand, makes to draw her forward into the water. Just watch your step right there, okay. We'll start with basics, floating, go from there." He speaks in a calm, measured tone, likely meant to be reassuring.
So, since she doesn't have to learn Javeri moves out a little ways so she can float and swim a little near where Sunniva and P'draig are. That this allows her to be by Iesia is just a bonus. "Have you had continued trouble from the candidates?" she asks the healer before wrinkling her nose. "Oh, wait. Eww. Trousers and tunics? For swimming? That's ridiculous! Who can swim with all that on? The less the better!" Not that she is not quite decently garbed.
"Oh. Thank you," is directed to Iesia for the encouragement, a faint smile surfacing and lingering. There's a slight nod to P'draig and Sunniva takes his lead, green eyes fixed on the water as she picks her way carefully along. "So, what- how do I do this, P'draig?" she wonders, finally dragging her gaze up to the brownrider.
There's a stifled sigh from Iesia. She turns back to P'draig and Sunniva briefly, though her attention is clearly floating around to the rest of the group in a bored sort of way. "Hm?" she says, glancing back to Javeri. "No. Thankfully, you seem to be the only one attempting to kill yourself," she replies dryly. "And really, it is not so difficult to swim in such clothes. Though I am not sure it would inspire less ogling, come to think of it..."
"Have to agree with Javeri. All that drag, kind of dangerous," Paddy says mildly as he and Sunniva get to about waist depth in the water. "All right, what most folks seem to have trouble with, is trusting the water to hold them. So we'll start there. Just lie back slowly, I"m going to put my hand here," he flattens his palm down in the water, "hold you up and you need to slowly let go with your arms and legs." Iesia is cast a brief look that betrays humor in Paddy's eyes, then it's back to helping Sunni lie back in the water. "Close your eyes and think like it's a nice feather bed."
"You can do it!" Javeri tells Sunniva as she grins. "You're going to have no trouble at all!" Encouragement is just what a buddy needs to do. Just not while standing too close because then she cannot splash around a bit. "I am not trying to kill myself," the potter tells the healer with a laugh. "It's just the kids in the nursery want me dead. And the seashells." Not that she's trying at all to be careful where she walks right now. Seashells? What seashells?
"Alright," sounds awfully dubious, but Sunniva nods -- though perhaps more to reassure herself than him. A nervous sort of smile is given to Javeri, a wordless thanks for the encouragement. She holds still until he explains fully, another nod and then she shuts her eyes as bid. The candidate takes a deep breath in, lets it out, then slowly starts to ease herself back as directed. So far, so good? At least, so long as she's not thinking about it too much. It's only when she gets as far back as she can without lifting her feet that she asks, "Like this?"
"Mm, and I am sure you did nothing at all to provoke such an attack," from the children, clearly. Iesia smirks just a little, and though she tries to appear indifferent, her attention lingers a bit longer on Sunniva and P'draig as the lesson gets into full swing. "How is your foot?" she suddenly asks Javeri, a quick glance given downwards before Iesia remembers there is water obscuring a proper view.
Several candidates dare each other to go farther and farther out. The youngest of the group hangs back while the older ones taunt him. As he turns to head back to shore one of the others yells out calling him a baby, but he continues to swim to shore anyway.
"Yep," P'draig confirms, puts out his other hand to take hers. "Now pick up your feet and just let go. I'll hold onto you, I promise and you can grab my hand if you feel nervous." Paddy's still got a smirk for the conversation going on between Iesia and Javeri but mostly he's focusing on Sunni.
"How could I provoke an attack on children? That's just-" Javeri tries to decide what it might be and decides on, "Mean to suggest." Lifting her foot from the water she balances on the other as she holds the former hurt one out. "Mostly completely better," she says with a grin. "I'm keeping an ear out for insane attacking seashells today." No, she's not. Nor is she even trying to check where she walks as she splashes around and wades a little farther out into the water. Not too far as she is talking and doesn't want to leave her buddy.
Another "Alright," is given and Sunniva keeps her eyes resolutely shut. One foot lifts, then the other, legs bent uncertainly and arms awkwardly spread just a little. Unsure what to do with them, obviously, so she does a fairly decent impression of a water-logged spinner that happens to be missing a lot of legs. A water-logged spinner that is clearly concentrating /very hard/ on what she's doing, though there is a soft noise of amusement at Javeri's words.
"No one else has come to see me because a child has bitten them," notes Iesia with a snort. "So I must assume that it is you, and not the children, that inspired the incident." Ah, deductive reasoning from Iesia. "It's not mean. It's simply... fact." Or not. At her lifted foot, Iesia glances once more towards it and makes a move as if to grab said foot. She stops herself before she gets too far, clears her throat, and says, "Well. If you're walking on it, and swimming... with it, then it's likely healed. But be careful of reopening the cut, and make sure you clean it well when you're finished?"
T'mic ambles away from the glade surrounding the waterfall pool, his trouser legs rolled up but shoeless and frowning. On a line to head to the Sandbar, he catches sight of the one-legged Candidate and then, P'draig and Sunniva. His frown dissolving into one of his more usual grins, he ambles over to join in on the fun. Or at least, to ogle his weyrmate unabashedly. "Heya," he adds after a moment, gives a little wave that's meant to be all-encompassing.
X'lar has been snoring up until now. All of a sudden, however, he snorts awake and calls out in shock: "But what about my undies?!" Some dream, apparently. He grimaces and rubs at his face. This time he inspects the swimming lesson with both eyes, actually going so far as to sit up in a pseudo lotus. "Don't go out -too- far," Xie offers to the candidates in dry amusement. "Otherwise I'll have to find a sailor to take me out on his ship to find you."
"Let your arms just kind of float out alongside your body, let the water hold them up, go kind of boneless like when you're relaxing on the sand," P'draig explains. "Same with your legs, don't try to direct anything right now, just let go. My hand is right here. Trust me to catch you, trust the water to hold you." He looks up and over at Javeri again. "Foot's all better? Good. My knee's just about good too. Still a little sore here and here, but no more hobbling." And there's Mic and Paddy's face splits into a sunny grin. "Hey Mic. Swimming lessons."
Two of the slighter candidates hug the shallow water and seem unwilling to go too far out. Eventually they brave the water up to their waists and when that doesn't seem to kill them they try to swim out a little bit more. Now that they are treading water they feel more confident and the male of the two starts to swim out to shore. He doesn't get very far before he disappears under the waves and his friend starts to yell. Oleanna has a loud, piercing yell and she can be heard back to the beach hollering, "Help! Help! Yinral! I can't see him! Help!"
There's a moment of uncertainty, with Sunni on her back in the water and her limbs still tensed up ... but then she forces herself to unwind, arms going first, then legs, though the 'boneless' part of the equation takes a moment or three for her to figure out. Sunniva exhales, long and low, then lifts her voice to greet the latest arrival with, "Hello T'mic." No, she is still not opening her eyes; perhaps waiting to see if the 'floating' works by thinking happy thoughts?
Haunting the deeper waters of the coastline is Jakkal's task this afternoon, it would seem. When the cry goes out from Oleanna, he lifts himself a little higher out of the water, bellows a "I'm coming, you get to store or he might pull you under too!" and begins to make his way to that area with broad, powerful strokes.
Lots of things work by thinking happy thoughts; floating may or may not be one of them. "So I see," Mic tells Paddy, amused, before skinning out of his shirt and pants and wading in to assist. Oleanna's call has his immediate attention, but he soon spots the 'missing' Yinral a little way behind her. He looks for a moment as though he'll yell back, but Jakkal is on the way and T'mic turns back to Paddy and Sunniva. "I never was much good at floating," he admits, which probably isn't the most helpful thing to be admitting just now. "Actually swimming is easier."
"Good, good," P'draig encourages calmly as Sunniva slowly relaxes into the water. "Now think about having a string from the tip of your head through your spine and on down and let that string line everything up. Keep your arms out slightly from your sides and just breathe in and out. I'll keep my hand here a little longer and when you feel ready, just say 'go' and then I'll take my hand away." He looks up at Mic, grins. "Well that's the other way to learn, just jump in, sink or swim, but I think Sunni's doing just fine."
A cry of alarm has Iesia's attention, distracted immediately from Javeri's foot to the more pressing matter. It's first an irritated sort of look, Iesia probably assuming it to be candidates at play once more. But, then it's not playful, and the seriousness doesn't fade. Her lips purse and, after a moment's hesitation, she's sloshing in the general direction of the chaos with a look that's purely business.
X'lar finally looks about for a moment, wrinkling his nose at the candidates in the water, learning. His eyes count, one after the other, to make sure they're all there. He then stands up from his towel and walks toward the water. Jakkal seems to have Yinral covered and so Xie decides to go a bit farther out, if only to get a better look at the situation.
Yinral sinks under the waves and another frantic scream comes from Oleanna before she splashes furiously towards where he was. She screams again and then she sinks under the water several yards from his position.
"Oh." That's probably for T'mic, from the slight angle her head tilts in. Then, "Am I?" is asked of P'draig, Sunniva hesitating for a moment before she tries the mental string exercise. Relax, let the arms drift ... there's a brief start at the screaming, a moment of tension when she feels herself sink, and then a forced focus. Finally, with muted resolve, "I think- yes. Go." Ready as she'll ever be.
Jakkal shakes his head as he nears the pair and spots Yinral only to notice Oleanna turn back and sink under. Spotting someone swimming near he lifts himself out of the water enough to shout in that direction the quick instruction to, "Get the foolish girl, would you? I'll get Yinral." He doesn't wait for a reply before he ducks under the water to snag the lad.
Both feet on the sandy ground Javeri looks out to sea. She takes a few steps towards the deeper water, but stops when she notices the others doing the same thing. She stays where she is at and watches in between glances to see how Sunniva is doing. "See? No sinking for you, Sunniva. Someone else already has that taken care of. I don't know what they were thinking going out so far when they just learned to swim earlier." Not that she doesn't sound concerned because she does, but she also thinks it was a bad idea.
Edani rounds the curve of beach, heading from the direction of Ista Hold. A well-worn copy of a smallish booklet in his hand. His lips move, but no sound issues from them. Reciting something to himself, most likely. He stops for a moment when he notices all the activity in the water, then continues, nearing the group.
With his focus still on Sunniva, P'draig looks up and out towards the deep, notes that others have a rescue well in hand. "It'll be okay," he tells Sunni and when she says 'go' waits a moment then draw his hand away. "Keep your back like that string. Get used to that floaty feeling on your back. Next step is to flip over, do it on your front and then start moving arms and legs."
"Clear a path you idiots!" It could be meant for her, it could be meant for the soon-to-be dragged out candidates. Either way, Iesia's sending threatening looks left and right at the gawkers, sloshing through the water in a determined fashion. There's not much she can do at the moment, being too far to assist in the actual rescue. But her job will come later, if necessary.
T'mic says easily, "Just didn't want her to get discouraged if it doesn't work." Not that his sunny smile down at Sunniva suggests that in the least. He keeps an eye or an ear (or both?) on the drama farther out but adds, "There's other options for learning, if you need 'em." A glance toward the beach means Edani's caught his eye; he nods and gives the boy a splattery wave.
With the others helping those choking on the little water, X'lar watches in slight concern. However, at Iesia quickly moving toward them, that concern just seems to melt away and he returns to watching the rest of the candidates in various stages of learning how to swim.
Slow breathing. Relaxed. Only after a moment or two does she feel comfortable enough to ask of whoever feels inclined to answer, "Are they alright?" Concerned, of course, but trying not to let it sink into the rest of her. P'draig and T'mic's reassurances would normally garner a nod, but lacking that, she settles on a sigh. Sunniva cracks an eye, as if looking at the sky might reflect the goings on in the water and she's not quite sure she wants to see. The floating thing seems to be well in hand, though, at least for now. "On my stomach? The same way? Oh, but what do you mean, T'mic?"
"They're not gonna die I bet," Javeri says as she shakes her eyes with one hand to see Jakkal grabbing Yinral. "Don't worry about them" she says with a bright grin. "You just worry about not sinking yourself." Yinral will need to be hauled to shore because he's not moving himself. Yay for swimming dead weight back to shore. Oleanna surfaces again and struggles to stay afloat as she tries to spot where Yinral is at and if he's been found. Once she sees him safe she'll begin to head back for shore. If someone were to lend her a hand that would probably help her, but otherwise she'll make it, eventually, on her own.
"Not sure yet," P'draig says, "but I think they will be," Paddy answers and draws both hands away. "Mmhm, on your stomach. You can try to just flip over, but don't forget not to breathe in or you'll get a noseful. If you feel water going up your nose, blow out," the brownrider advises.
Edani nods back to T'mic as he walks closer and offers a quiet, "Evenin'." Possibly not heard above all the splashing and cries going on out further in the water, and also due to the fact he wisely veers away from the water's edge. His interest keeps him in the area, a bit of concern fleets across his face at the towing in of swimmers.
Under the water, Jakkal looks around and spots Yinral nearby. A few swift kicks and he's gotten a hold of the fellow. Both break the surface a moment later. It is at this point that the ex-Stablehand notes that the subject of the rescue does not appear to be moving much. Not willing to waste time to check if he's breathing (nothing he could do out on the water about it either way) he begins to bring him to more shalow waters. He uses strong, but rhythmic kicks, trying not to shake the body in his grip more than is required.
"Huh, what?" Mic asks cleverly, looking away from the rescue and back to Sunniva. "Oh, I just mean that if floating doesn't work, there's other ways to teach you to swim. Might try up on the plateau, too. S'where the babies wash." Presumably he means the weyrlings...? "But right now, you just listen to Paddy. I'll just stay here and keep quiet." Just not so quiet that he doesn't return Edani's, "Evening!" with another grin-and-wave. "Come to swim? Can you grab one of those towels over there? Looks like we'll need a couple."
"Oh." That would be for Javeri, sounding somewhat relieved. It's repeated again for P'draig, just before Sunniva lowers her feet to the sands and hangs, arched, in the water before straightening. Her fingers reach up, adjusting her ponytail, and then she turns, only to look at the water. The called greeting of Edani /is/ barely heard, but a wave is tossed in that general direction. Face-down in the water? Just a bit intimidating. There's a slight nod to T'mic, a stalling tactic, surely.
Iesia's in Healer Mode now, all seriousness and no snark. As Jakkal and Yinral are up, she sloshes back towards shore as well, shooing people left and right with swift hand movements and dangerous looks. "Out of the way," she repeats. "Bring him over here, please?" she calls, voice loud to carry above the crowd. "Oh, just put him anywhere that's dry," she finally decides, moving to intercept the pair.
Jakkal hears the instructions, but the barest nod is his only reply. As they get to the shallow water and the tall man's feet touch bottom, he picks up Yinral with a deep grunt and sets him down gently on the shore. He takes a step back then, to let the Healer near, but doesn't go much futher, set to keep others out of the way and to be there if needed.
"Nice job," P'draig tells Sunniva, looking out towards the rescue-in-progress. "I think it'll be fine, Iesia's got them in hand," the brownrider notes. "Do you want to try another step, Sunni, or take a break?"
Kameron moves closer to where the poor candidate lies on the sands. Because he is concerned about what is going on with Yinral. Not because he's trying to gawk at the female candidates who have flocked around. Nope. He's certainly not trying to peer down the front of the girl in front of him's swimming top. That would not be why he peers over her shoulder the way he does.
X'lar grunts once at Jakkal and Yinral before looking to Iesia, relief etched on the teen's face as she moves into action. There is a brief shake of his head before saying, "Shells, if it's not one person, it's another and /Kameron/, /stop/ /leering/."
Edani manages to divert his gaze from Jakkal's rescue-in-progress to answer T'mic with a shake of his head, "Come from Harper Lesson, up the Hold." The tone of his voice says it all; he's not pleased about that. He swivels in the direction of the towels, tucks the booklet under his armpit, then trots over to snag one. He nears the edge of the water uncertainly proffering the towel. He's keeping one eye on the action, but manages to nod briefly to Sunniva.
She manages a brief stint of face-down-in-the-water, but eventually gives that up with a bit of a sputter and a definite wrinkling of her nose. "I-" and Sunni pauses, craning around to see just what's going on, especially since she's now hearing the Healer and the coordinator and yet other familiar voices. With a shake of her head, the young woman looks back to P'draig. "I would like to continue, if I may."
The girl in front of Kameron looks behind her at X'lar's words and shudders. "Ewww!" she says and steps to the side and then back away from the candidate trying to leer at her. Kameron looks at X'lar. "I was just trying to see if I could help," he says before giving up and moving away. Instead he finds a spot where he might watch Sunniva while making a show of trying to float. He cannot float, but sinks really well.
Jakkal narrows his eyes at X'lar's comment, but he's looking directly at Kameron with an expression that relays quite clearly that the other Candidate might want to show the girl before him a bit more respect. If the other can get out of his self-delusions long enough to get the message is another matter. As he moves on to Sunniva, Jakkal's frown deepens, but the young man doesn't leave his post near Yinral and the Healer.
"Sure," Paddy notes to Sunniva. "And you don't have to keep your face in the water. But it's a good idea to get used to how it feels. Blow bubbles and stuff. But you can also just keep your head above water."
As soon as Jakkal has stepped away, Iesia is dropping into the sand beside the prone Yinral. A quick check of vitals - heartbeat: check, breathing... nope. Iesia's quick about it, not bothering to explain or direct - and she'll leave the crowd-control to Jakkal, it seems. Throwing her weight on her hands, Iesia begins the classic CPR. One, two, three.. and suddenly Yinral is coughing up water, and Ie's rolling him onto his shoulder to stop him choking a second time. A few more minutes and the boy's out of danger, though looking a bit worse for the experience.
It's this time that Oleanna makes it to shore. She's fine, but doesn't make it too far up out of the water before collapsing. Swimming out, screaming and flailing, and making it back has clearly taken it all out of her. Not wanting to cause a scene she just lies where she is to catch her breath.
"Well, welcome to the Weyr," T'mic returns to Edani, paying no mind to the younger man's tone of voice. He does nod Edani and his towel back toward the rescuers, though. "Think they'll need that more'n we will." He keeps watching Iesia and the others until Yinral starts coughing, then it's back to Sunniva. "Sea water's really salty, too - should keep your eyes closed tight as you can and try not to swallow any." Exhibit A, Yinral. "Want Paddy or me to tow you while you kick?"
Jakkal looks relived as Yinral begins to cough, but as he scans the crowd again he spots Oleanna's collapse. "You okay?" he booms out before glancing at the Healer and then to X'lar. He doesn't want to leave his post if he's needed there, but clearly he'd like to check on the other potential victim.
The not-floating Kameron is initially unseen by Sunniva, who is a bit more occupied with talking to P'draig. "That seems a bit difficult, to keep my face up and my body down like that." But, eventually, her gaze tracks over to see what's going on with the others and the young man is espied. Her lips flatten into a line, but she says nothing, looking instead to P'draig for the next step.
"Huh?" Oleanna asks as she lifts her head up and then sees Jakkal. "Oh? I'm fine. Just a little tired is all. Arms are tired. But I just need to sit here for a bit." Well, she's not sitting she's lying there, but still. She doesn't appear as if there is anything wrong other than being tired.
Edani nods a silent thanks to T'mic and steps 'round Iesia and Yinral, taking care not to get in the Healer's way. He's balled the towel up without meaning to; a quick shake rights that. Uncertainly for a moment, then with a roll of his eyes at Oleanna's dramatics, he drapes it over her. "Warm you up a bit," He comments as he edges away from the girl.
Jakkal nods at Oleanna's reply and offers her a grin. "Foolish thing you tried there, going back when you can't swim yourself. Brave, but very foolish." His expression becomes more serious at the second statement, but he then goes quiet, his attention returning to 'crowd control,' as it were.
X'lar grunts once again as he watches the rescue scene before sighing, rubbing at the bridge of his nose. "No more candidates in the deeper waters," X'lar calls out to the rest of the candidates. "In fact, everyone should just chill in the shallows or the beach."
"Thank you," Oleanna tells Edani with a weary smile. "That's very kind of you." She sits up straight and wraps the towel more tightly around her shoulders as she looks to where Yinral is to see if he is still doing ok. "I can swim," she tells Jakkal as an aside. "Maybe not so well." Not so well at all. Yinral coughs more and spits up some more water before he struggles to sit up on the beach and rub at red salt water eyes. Shivering once he looks at Iesia like he's trying to remember just what she did to save him.
Javeri groans at X'lar's words and shakes her head. "I didn't even get to go swimming," she says with a sigh. Because she's been sticking relatively close to Sunniva even if she's been too busy watching things to actually participate in conversation.
Jakkal nods at X'lar's instruction, offering another glance to the Healer and her patient. As he sees Yinral sitting up, he figures the situation is in hand and makes his retreat from what threatens to be another large social gathering. Can't get caught in one of those again!
A bit of tension, that Iesia didn't know she had, eases from the Healer's shoulders. She sits back a bit on her heels, though she's not going very far. "Focus," she tells Yinral. She studies his eyes first but seems to decide they'll be OK. "You OK now? Do you remember what happened?"
"Oh." She blinks a little at X'lar's edict, then cants an apologetic look to P'draig. "I suppose I shall just have to try another time," Sunniva finally says, mouth drawn to a side. "Thank you for teaching me how to float, P'draig." There's a look then to Javeri, apologetic -- as if this were somehow her fault -- and then she pads toward the shore and vaguely in the direction of X'lar and the others.
"I think I will be fine," Yinral tells Iesia with a wane smile. "I don't really remember. I was out swimming and then suddenly I couldn't stay above water. Maybe I was tired? I don't know." He coughs again and spits a little more salt water out onto the sand. "I'll be ok?" he asks Iesia because she's a healer after all and she should know, yes? Big puppy dog eyes look at the healer like he expects her to reassure him.
X'lar eyes Javeri, telling her: "Well, then, talk to your friends who seemed to get in over their heads, Javeri." He looks past the candidate to look at Iesia with Yinral, concern again alight on the teen's face. He shakes his head before going on to say, to the candidates (particularly Oleanna): "The most important lesson in swimming is how to swim /safe/." The teen almost looks angry. Almost. He returns to his towel, sitting down. It's here where he scans the crowd, counting candidates once again.
"It'll come together eventually," P'draig says optimistically to Sunniva and nods as she excuses herself. Then he sneaks a look over at Mic. "I think all this teaching is hungry-making work. I'm going to go on up to the 'Bar, get a bite. They seem okay here," a gesture towards where Iesia et co are taking care of things. Then Paddy retreats out of the water to get his towel and pad over to the Sandbar.
"We'll try again up at the pool," Mic promises Sunniva cheerily before wading after Paddy. He pauses to grab a towel and his clothing, giving himself a lick and a promise of drying before tugging on shirt and pants.
"Mm. You should be fine," assures Iesia in a tone that's not really all that reassuring. "However, I would like to keep you in the infirmary overnight," and it's clear she's leaving no room for protests, "Just to be on the safe side. Perhaps someone can help you there?" Because clearly he's about to shatter into a million pieces if he stands and walks on his own. A moment later and Iesia hauls herself back to her feet, brushing stubborn sand from her damp knees. "X'lar!" she calls, meaning to catch his attention. "This one," and a finger is pointed directly over the head of Yinral, "Is staying in the Infirmary overnight." There. Official stuff done.
Edani continues edging away from the crowd, a relieved look at the recovering swimmers. After a glance round the area, he pulls his still-dry, though maybe now-smelly booklet, from his armpit and opens it. Once-again immersed in reciting, he heads down the beach.
"Of course he is," X'lar notes of Yinral to Iesia. "Yinral, you and I will be talking later. Behave yourself and you might even get a story like Arambis did when he spent the night in the infirmary." He glances back to Iesia, nodding his thanks to her briefly, silently. For the time being, he just stays seated on his towel on the beach.
"Thank you. Do take care," is tossed after P'draig and T'mic, then Sunniva's picking her way to shore and to acquire a towel. She doesn't bother really drying herself, instead being a bit more concerned with finding a place to put her towel. The eventual choice is somewhere near X'lar, with the logical thought probably being 'it's more safe than near the water'. She sighs, spreading the towel out then arranging her be-swimsuited self onto it with a low and still concerned, "That was dreadful."
Yinral doesn't seem in any way ready to argue with spending the night in the infirmary. Although he's not thrilled with the idea of moving from right where he is right now. Oleanna moves up the beach to sit next to her swimming buddy and the two speak in hushed tones about the whole incident and what exactly it was the healer did to the candidate.
Sitting? Oh no, this will no do. "On your feet," and Iesia bends, grabbing Yinral by the arm and physically hauling him up. "Hey," she snaps, catching the attention of that burley bluerider from earlier. Maybe it's punishment for his previous leering, for now she's thrusting the candidate at him with swift orders for him to be carried to the infirmary. And no, she won't listen to arguing. "March. Now." And with that said, Iesia leads the group back to the Infirmary.
X'lar rubs his forehead as Sunniva arrives near him, looking up at her for a moment before smiling briefly at her. "Don't let that chaos stop you from learning. /Some/ people don't realize that the sea is dangerous. /Those/ people get hurt. /You/ will learn about safety and be fine. I mean, look at me, I've been swimming since I was like... three or four, Sunniva." He eyes Yinral and Oleanna before returning his attention to Sunniva, telling her: "Makes me want to re-think the whole spear fishing lesson now." He grins, however, making light of the situation. At Iesia's departure, he nods again, sighing. He rubs his face again and looks out to the water.
Eventually Javeri comes out of the water, but she doesn't settle down near where X'lar and Sunniva are. Maybe she doesn't want a repeat from the last conversation that left her abandoning the talk. Instead she talks to a couple of the other candidates who are sitting near her and they quietly discuss Oleanna, Yinral, Kameron, and so much more.