Share a beer
Who: W'ton and Rhodya
Where: The Glass Fountain
When: After dinner on day 5, month 4, turn 20
What: Wingmates share a beer and discuss what's going on. Rho's not comfortable in the Glass Fountain and Win's not comfortable with Dasarth's continued ignoring of the ladies.
Just after dinner finds W'ton sitting in the Glass Fountain. A pint of beer is on the table before him and no one else is in his booth. There's no book, hides, sewing, whatever to occupy his time. He is just in here drinking.
Rhodya's objective is the bar, and she's striding straight towards it when, out of the corner of her eye, she spots W'ton. She swings around without a moment's hesitation, plopping herself into the seat across from him and pulling up a wide, goofy grin. "Hey, wingmate," she tells him. She's still a little dorky about the whole knot thing. "Mind if I join you?" She's already sitting, of course, but there's always the option to get back up and leave him alone.
"Hey, fellow wingmate," W'ton says with a chuckle. He, of course, is not goofy at all! He is mature! He is serious! He does not stand in front of a mirror checking out his new knot /ever/. "Always have room for a wingmate. And former fellow weyrling. How ya been? This rain getting you down?" Peering around he waves to one of the women serving drinks to get her attention. In the middle of taking an order she waves back, but doesn't head right over.
Rhodya follows his gesture towards the serving woman and quickly smiles her thanks before twisting her face up into a wrinkle of distaste. "Yeah, a little bit. I don't like what it does to my leathers when I have to wear 'em, so I got myself another set I don't care about so much, for all the nasty days. But I finally finished decoratin' my weyr!" she adds brightly, her smile instantly returned. "My Papa came over to bring me this couch he's been workin' on, all curved so it fits right along the wall. Comfy as heck."
Leaning back in his seat W'ton grins widely. "I'm not saying plenty right now, Rhodya my sweet because you're a lady and all." Of course saying that is just as bad as saying what he might be thinking. "Rain doesn't bother me other than it seems to bring people down. What do you think about our wing? Think our wingleader's gonna stick around or run after that cold wench of his up north?" After a drink he adds, "And congrats on the decorating! It's always the best thing when a room comes together finally."
Rhodya arches a brow at him, making her disapproval for such thoughts known, but since he didn't voice them she decides not to scold him over it. She'll scold him over something else! "Aw, you shouldn't talk about her that way. I'm sure she's a nice girl or R-R'uen wouldn't be with her." She might be on a nickname-basis with the wingleader. /Might/ be. But she's polite enough not to wave it around. "Anyway, I really like Obsidian. Dunno if R'uen's gonna leave or not, but I'm kinda sorry Peirith went up so early and made it a thing." She looks sheepishly at W'ton, and admits, "They're gonna be shuffling the wing around and Gedroth and I ain't had time to prove ourselves."
The order she was taking must have been complicated because it's only now the serving woman gets away from the table and begins to head towards where Win and Rho are seated. "You ever met her?" W'ton asks with an arched brow. "Because I have and I tell you there ain't no one so good in bed to be worth that hassle." But, hey! It's not his problem. What is his problem is, "You're telling me. I don't know if I'll ever make wingleader under T'rev. Not considering our history. Weird her going up so soon too in an Interval. I wonder if that means Elaruth won't be going up for even longer? Wish there were some way to know."
Rhodya grimaces when he brings up his history with T'rev, but she does her best to soft-foot around it. She turns to place an order with the waittress, first of all; a simple beer. Then back to W'ton: "You sure you want Elaruth to go up so soon, anyway? I mean, Dasarth flies well and all, but there's always a risk. Especially since, far as I know, he ain't tried flying anyone yet, has he?"
"I'm not saying I want her to go up soon," W'ton says as he shakes his head. Then he shakes his head to the waitress. He's got plenty of beer left right now. When she's gone he says, "I just wonder. And, no. He's not gone up at all." If there's worry in his voice it's just a teeny bit and he tries to cover it with a drink from her glass. "When it was obvious Peirith was going up he didn't mind when we went away with Hattie. I don't...Well, he'll do it eventually."
"Might just be a late bloomer," Rhodya offers comfortingly. She glances over her shoulder at the waitress, as though her drink might already be on its way (it's not), then rolls her eyes. "Better than bein' an early one. Gedroth ain't stopped goin' after the greens since his first time at High Reaches, and you better believe he gave Peirith a serious thought, too. It weren't for the whole, winner's gonna be Weyrleader, so he /can't/, I'll bet you he would have tried." She shakes her fist at the brown, wherever he is.
Since he still has beer W'ton takes a drink. Haha! He has beer and Rhodya has none. "Well, sure but...I don't know. I can't make him understand we're not gonna stand a chance with Elaruth if he don't at least...try. Sometime. But he just refuses." Shifting uncomfortably in his seat he mutters, "I just don't want anything to be wrong with him." Clearing his throat he smiles. "Well, that's a right shame too. Cause I could just see you as Weyrleader, Rho."
Overhearing that mutter, Rhodya leans forward to pat W'ton's non-beer-holding hand. "I'm sure he's fine. Just stubborn, you know, like he's always been." The idea of her as Weyrleader makes her draw back, surprised at first, then grinning back at him. "I'd be a good one, huh? Just for you, I'd make it so at the start of the week, every rider's got to wear pink to drills."
"Oh, Rhodya! You got my vote to win sometime then!" W'ton says with a loud laugh. When the waitress turns up with a beer the bronzerider digs out the marks to pay for it. "On me, future boss lady!" he tells the brownrider with a wink. "And I'm sure he's just stubborn, but...I mean...shells. I wish he'd just get it over with. My luck he /is/ waiting for Elaruth and he'll do so poorly he sulks for a month. And I...I hate thinking of someone else winning. I know it'll happen and all, but I just hate it."
Rhodya laughs and accepts his beer, raising it in thanks. "Don't say it /will/ happen," she admonishes him. "I don't know how it's gonna turn out, but if you're over there bein' Negative Nelly then for sure it ain't gonna be in your favor. Stay upbeat," she advises him, pulling her smile up with a finger to demonstrate. "Do you think he'd go for a queen at another weyr? Say Igen or something? Or is he really just - /on/ Elaruth?"
"My apologies," W'ton says as he smiles up wide. It's a complete exaggeration and he ends in a laugh. "I'm not trying to be down and I expect you'll keep all my worrying between us." He waggles a finger at her, "Wingmates' honor, right? That's something yea?" Because it surely /has/ to be something right? "I thought you'd wind up in Flint truth be told. I was pleasantly surprised to see you stuck with me." As for foreign queens there's a shrug. "I have no way of knowing. He's always known her so I figure maybe that's it? I really don't want him chasing no foreign queen. If he catches we're kinda stuck and...and I don't want to do that to Hattie."
Rhodya pauses a moment, her eyebrow climbing up. Then she chuckles at him. "Well, if you don't want him chasing no foreign queen how's he gonna practice? Even if he wanted to." She pops back into the cushions of the booth, bringing her beer with her, and relaxes. "Tell you the truth, I was pleasantly surprised, too. To not be in Flint, I mean. I know 'em all and we're friendly, but there just ain't no 'up' in that wing. I don't wanna end up like Phara."
"Oh, shell, yea," W'ton says with a rough laugh. "She talked to me about it once and I could tell she was real bugged by it." He grins and lifts his beer. "Shells, if R'uen leaves and someone else takes over it just means we can rise up faster. In a few turns Obsidian could be ours. To us being great!" He leans forward to clink his glass against hers. Then he settles back and frowns. "I know, I know. It's hard. I just... If I have to be stuck somewhere while other eggs hatch what if...what if she decides she doesn't need me anymore?" Awww. He's so insecure.
Rhodya stretches a hand forward and knocks her knuckles on the table, then taps her lips. She's got a mouthful of beer right now; she needs to clear that before she can remind him, "Language." But that's that. She joins his toast with a happy grin, like nothing happened there at all. "Well, I'd miss R'uen, so I ain't gonna hope he leaves. But I'm all for us being great." He leans back, and it draws her forward, looking at him with a twinge of concern. "Well, Hattie probably decides she doesn't /need/ people about a hundred times a day. But she likes you. I'm'a guess that's more important."
Sitting up straight W'ton shakes his head. "That's not true about her. She's not like that." There's a frown for a moment, but he clears his throat and has another drink of his beer. "But we are surely great. And I still don't think I want to risk being stuck somewhere in a Weyr full of people I don't know with Dasarth annoying them all you know? I'll just hope he decides to, well, either do it or not. Has Gedroth ever caught?" Holding a hand up he grins. "I'm not asking for details or nothing. I'm just wondering if he has."
"Aw, W'ton." Rhodya shakes her head, chuckling. "I'm friends with her, too, okay? Lemme tease her a little." She reaches over to pat his hand, but withdraws quickly, looking a bit uncomfortable. She pokes at her drink. "Matter of fact, he ain't yet. And he's trying, too, so I hope he just - you know. That it all comes together when he wants it to."
"Sorry. I don't mean to be that way." W'ton grins almost sheepishly and settles back in his seat. "Hey, you eaten yet? I can wave her back over and buy you something." His beer's almost gone so he probably could use a refill anyway. "I'm sure he'll win eventually. I hear it can take awhile. Or there's just blind luck and they do it right away. Sometimes I'm glad he's not interested."
"Get me somethin' nasty," Rhodya suggests, a spark of mischief lighting up in her eyes. She points at the waitress to give her request context. "They got this place all fancied up, but I'll bet you there's somethin' on the menu that snobby people'd be ashamed to know was there. All covered in grease or somethin'." She coils up her fingers like a witch casting a spell.
"Another beer for me, darling, and...those fried potatoes with cheese and bacon. And some of that thick white gravy to dip it in." W'ton holds up a hand and grins. "Don't let them dump it on the potatoes. It makes em all mooshy." Mooshy is /so/ a word! Even if it's one that makes the waitress laugh. She heads off and the bronzerider shakes his head. "I don't think this place is all snobby. Why does everyone think that?"
"Because I /miss/ the Leaking Cavern," Rhodya replies, planting her elbow on the table and sinking her cheek into it. "And I still remember that smith fellow goin' on about his chandelier when we were candidates and had to help out." She stops to look up at the chandelier, squinting, then shakes her head. "I'm still convinced it's gonna hurt somebody. I don't know how but," she shakes her beer at it. Mark her words.
"I like it in here." W'ton looks around and shrugs his shoulders. "The truth of the matter is people only don't feel comfortable in here because they let the room get to them." He gestures towards the chandelier. "It's just a stunning piece of artistic design and it's not going to fall on someone's head or anything. This place looks nice so the weyrleaders have someplace nice to bring visitors. The Leaking Cavern was fine, but...well, this is still that place. New name, new furniture, same people."
"They've got the council room for visitors," Rhodya points out, just to be contrary. She picks herself up long enough to take a drink, shrugging as she comes out of it. "Guess it ain't really my problem. Now we've got our freedom, me and Gedroth have been goin' out to find places that're more comfortable. We've got one out by Ruatha River that's a real treat, quiet and dim, but not seedy. That's some kind of magic," she suggests, with a lopsided smile.
Finishing off his beer W'ton glances around for his new one, but it's not close. So, he lets it go because it was ordered and it will turn up. "You're just being contrary," he says with a chuckle. "Sometimes when you're talking to people you want somewhere less formal, but still somewhere you control. So, if you're trying to get a deal with someone you think might be less than willing to work with you then a formal setting like the council room won't work. But, hey, there. Let's go have a beer and discuss this over some nice toasted cheese and fruit? It will settle them and put them at ease. They'll be more willing to listen." He pauses and then asks, "You been to that place at Ista? They got some new place or something. Personally I think that's a long way to go for a drink."
Rhodya shakes her head and crinkles up her nose. "Nah, though I might have to, soon. My uncle's out there and he's real antsy to meet Gedroth, but he's too stubborn to come here. Livin' in Ista's made him soft - he's tellin' me he don't like our weather. I tell him neither do I, but I ain't a baby about it." She chuckles.
"Ahh. Well, you'll have to tell me what it's like," W'ton says with a grin. The waitress arrives with their order and sets it between them before giving him his fresh beer. "Ah, you're a dear!" he says as he fishes out his marks and pays including a nice tip. "Well, there you go. If that doesn't scream bad for you I don't know what will. You had this before?" Then he picks up his drink before adding, "I don't mind the weather."
"That," Rhodya declares, "is the most beautiful food I ever seen." She beams at the waitress who brought it, then grabs a potato, dips it in gravy, and chows down. Her eyes close in the euphoria. "Yeah, that's /bad/," she declares, in a tone that doesn't seem to find it bad at all. She reaches eagerly for another one. "Don't get me wrong, I ain't gonna cry about the weather. But it's nothing I get to lounge out in and enjoy, so I don't /like/ it. Though Gedroth does, at least the rain."
"Ah. I never really was one for just lounging in the weather," W'ton says with a shrug and another drink of his beer. He does not reach for a potato though. "I knew you'd like it," he tells her before laughing. "Just the thing." But he's not eating it. "The good news I guess is we can go wherever we want if the weather turns into something we don't like. The benefit of our positions and all." A frown appears and has a drink. "Benefits Nolek won't be reaping for awhile."
"I am," Rhodya admits without shame. "I'm no sunbathing beach bunny, but there's somethin' real nice about fallin' asleep in the sun on a warm afternoon. Nobody should ever have to be awake durin' the afternoon, anyway." She grins and goes for her beer, to give her stomach a short respite from all the heavy food that W'ton declines to touch. Thought of Nolek pauses her, though, and brings out a frown. "Such a shame, what's goin' on with him. I figure he deserves it more'n Kai ever did, but I tell you, W'ton, I can't help bein' a bit ticked off he brought it up. Just when Kai got freed and it seemed we were washed of the whole business."
"The whole thing is a shame is what it is," W'ton says with a shake of his head. "What an idiot." He almost started to say another word, but the governess across from him might have wrapped his knuckles. "Then again I can't believe Kai didn't just say he was involved. Everything he went through... There's no sha- There's no way I'd ever do that. A man has to step up and own his actions. It makes us all look bad is what it does. Our whole class. I'm glad we're free of them."
The governess across from him can find things other than language to look on with disapproval. "Aw, you shouldn't talk like that," she says, in almost a wheedling tone. "They're Impressed to our dragons' brothers and sisters, plus we went through all those months together. Oughta be friends." In sunshine-happy world with unicorns. Rhodya lets her most recent potato-monstrosity dangle above the thick gravy, not committed to it yet. "Besides, if it was going to, our class already looked bad," she chuckles. "All weyrlings get in trouble, but we've been really spectacular. That includes you 'n me, mister." She wags her potato at him.
W'ton takes up his beer and has a drink from it before he says, "I know you like him, Rhodya, but just because you like someone doesn't make them a good person." Looking at the potatoes he seems to be considering them, but doesn't reach for one. "Just because you spend time with someone doesn't mean you get to like them either. He's had a chip on his shoulder as long as I've known him and I only tried to be nice. And suddenly it's my fault he doesn't like me? I tried being nice and all it did was make him be rude and surly to me." Shaking his head he has another drink from his beer. "There's trouble and then there's Trouble."
Rhodya arches a brow. "And just 'cause you don't like someone doesn't make them a bad person, either. I never understood what went wrong between the two of you." She shakes her head and dunks her potato-thing. A lady she may be, but it doesn't stop her from talking with her mouth full at this particular moment, the potato at least shoved off into her cheek so it's less obvious. "But I've known you both long enough to have seen my share of good and bad from each of you. I ain't tellin' you Kai's perfect. But I'm sayin' he's a nice guy."
"Manners," W'ton teases about the potato and has a drink of his beer. "And I never understood either other than it seem a man who speaks well and cares about what he looks like is somehow wrong." Shaking his head he finishes with, "You can think he's a nice guy fine, but you obviously haven't seen the guy I've seen. Maybe he's nicer to you because you're a woman." Shoulders shrug because it's not that important. "Anyway enough of that because I've got to be going soon and we should finish talking about something good."
Rhodya opens her mouth, closes it. Then opens it again, with a shrug that seems almost apologetic as she claims the last word. "I think I have seen that guy, but I'm willing to look past it." And there, she can force herself to quit. Although she can't quit those potatoes, they're too delicious. She shoots him a grin for that. "Sorry about talkin' with my mouth full. I'm real hungry, and these just hit the spot."
Waving his hand with a chuckle W'ton tells her, "It's ok. I forgive you. They are pretty good. I'm just trying to watch what I eat until I get settled in my new routine. Otherwise I'm liable to put on a few pounds." He pats his flat stomach with another laugh. "I can't risk that. I have some new trousers being made after all. And I've got my eye on some nice fabric to get a new shirt made." Well, of course he's going to mention clothes!
Rhodya pats her tummy, flat thing that it is. "My body spoils me. I get to eat whatever I like, and it stays skinny. Even when I wish it'd put on just a /bit/." She chuckles, though, used to it by this time. "Say, you know what? This ain't - well, it's sort of random, but like I was tellin' you I just finished my weyr officially. Sometime you can find the time, why don't you and Hattie stop by and I'll make you tea and scones or somethin'? I'd like to show it off."
She pats her stomach so he takes a look. Hey, she brought his attention to it so Win can't get in trouble. Also it's not like the bronzerider leers. "I just tend to eat a lot when settling into something new. Best to watch it until I'm accustomed to the wing and all. Then I can let up sometime. But my father got fat when he got older and I'm not going to wind up like him." Better to not enjoy fun good tasty bad for you potatoes. "And that sounds lovely," he tells her happily. "I'll speak to Hattie and we'll arrange a time to come by. I'm looking forward to seeing what you've done with the place. And I'll only laugh quietly over the table." But he's lifting his beer to finish it off before telling her, "Speaking of Hattie I'd best go make sure she doesn't try to work all night. She'll fall asleep with her head on her desk otherwise."
Rhodya shakes a fist at him when he mentions laughing at her table, but she laughs as well after the act is dropped. "Well, I'll only kick you a little bit underneath it. But yeah, that'd be a lot of fun. I ain't really had proper guests over at all yet, and I hardly get to see Hattie. You give that girl a hug from me, and let me know when you two can come over." She smiles at him, readying a wave to send him on his way.
"Tea with two of my favorite women," W'ton says with a grin. "How can I turn that down?" He slides from his seat and waves. "You have a good evening, Rhodya and enjoy that. We'll let you know when good is for us." On his way out he stops by the waitress and speaks to her. Not long after that some hideously decadent dessert gets brought over to Rhodya's table.
Where: The Glass Fountain
When: After dinner on day 5, month 4, turn 20
What: Wingmates share a beer and discuss what's going on. Rho's not comfortable in the Glass Fountain and Win's not comfortable with Dasarth's continued ignoring of the ladies.
Just after dinner finds W'ton sitting in the Glass Fountain. A pint of beer is on the table before him and no one else is in his booth. There's no book, hides, sewing, whatever to occupy his time. He is just in here drinking.
Rhodya's objective is the bar, and she's striding straight towards it when, out of the corner of her eye, she spots W'ton. She swings around without a moment's hesitation, plopping herself into the seat across from him and pulling up a wide, goofy grin. "Hey, wingmate," she tells him. She's still a little dorky about the whole knot thing. "Mind if I join you?" She's already sitting, of course, but there's always the option to get back up and leave him alone.
"Hey, fellow wingmate," W'ton says with a chuckle. He, of course, is not goofy at all! He is mature! He is serious! He does not stand in front of a mirror checking out his new knot /ever/. "Always have room for a wingmate. And former fellow weyrling. How ya been? This rain getting you down?" Peering around he waves to one of the women serving drinks to get her attention. In the middle of taking an order she waves back, but doesn't head right over.
Rhodya follows his gesture towards the serving woman and quickly smiles her thanks before twisting her face up into a wrinkle of distaste. "Yeah, a little bit. I don't like what it does to my leathers when I have to wear 'em, so I got myself another set I don't care about so much, for all the nasty days. But I finally finished decoratin' my weyr!" she adds brightly, her smile instantly returned. "My Papa came over to bring me this couch he's been workin' on, all curved so it fits right along the wall. Comfy as heck."
Leaning back in his seat W'ton grins widely. "I'm not saying plenty right now, Rhodya my sweet because you're a lady and all." Of course saying that is just as bad as saying what he might be thinking. "Rain doesn't bother me other than it seems to bring people down. What do you think about our wing? Think our wingleader's gonna stick around or run after that cold wench of his up north?" After a drink he adds, "And congrats on the decorating! It's always the best thing when a room comes together finally."
Rhodya arches a brow at him, making her disapproval for such thoughts known, but since he didn't voice them she decides not to scold him over it. She'll scold him over something else! "Aw, you shouldn't talk about her that way. I'm sure she's a nice girl or R-R'uen wouldn't be with her." She might be on a nickname-basis with the wingleader. /Might/ be. But she's polite enough not to wave it around. "Anyway, I really like Obsidian. Dunno if R'uen's gonna leave or not, but I'm kinda sorry Peirith went up so early and made it a thing." She looks sheepishly at W'ton, and admits, "They're gonna be shuffling the wing around and Gedroth and I ain't had time to prove ourselves."
The order she was taking must have been complicated because it's only now the serving woman gets away from the table and begins to head towards where Win and Rho are seated. "You ever met her?" W'ton asks with an arched brow. "Because I have and I tell you there ain't no one so good in bed to be worth that hassle." But, hey! It's not his problem. What is his problem is, "You're telling me. I don't know if I'll ever make wingleader under T'rev. Not considering our history. Weird her going up so soon too in an Interval. I wonder if that means Elaruth won't be going up for even longer? Wish there were some way to know."
Rhodya grimaces when he brings up his history with T'rev, but she does her best to soft-foot around it. She turns to place an order with the waittress, first of all; a simple beer. Then back to W'ton: "You sure you want Elaruth to go up so soon, anyway? I mean, Dasarth flies well and all, but there's always a risk. Especially since, far as I know, he ain't tried flying anyone yet, has he?"
"I'm not saying I want her to go up soon," W'ton says as he shakes his head. Then he shakes his head to the waitress. He's got plenty of beer left right now. When she's gone he says, "I just wonder. And, no. He's not gone up at all." If there's worry in his voice it's just a teeny bit and he tries to cover it with a drink from her glass. "When it was obvious Peirith was going up he didn't mind when we went away with Hattie. I don't...Well, he'll do it eventually."
"Might just be a late bloomer," Rhodya offers comfortingly. She glances over her shoulder at the waitress, as though her drink might already be on its way (it's not), then rolls her eyes. "Better than bein' an early one. Gedroth ain't stopped goin' after the greens since his first time at High Reaches, and you better believe he gave Peirith a serious thought, too. It weren't for the whole, winner's gonna be Weyrleader, so he /can't/, I'll bet you he would have tried." She shakes her fist at the brown, wherever he is.
Since he still has beer W'ton takes a drink. Haha! He has beer and Rhodya has none. "Well, sure but...I don't know. I can't make him understand we're not gonna stand a chance with Elaruth if he don't at least...try. Sometime. But he just refuses." Shifting uncomfortably in his seat he mutters, "I just don't want anything to be wrong with him." Clearing his throat he smiles. "Well, that's a right shame too. Cause I could just see you as Weyrleader, Rho."
Overhearing that mutter, Rhodya leans forward to pat W'ton's non-beer-holding hand. "I'm sure he's fine. Just stubborn, you know, like he's always been." The idea of her as Weyrleader makes her draw back, surprised at first, then grinning back at him. "I'd be a good one, huh? Just for you, I'd make it so at the start of the week, every rider's got to wear pink to drills."
"Oh, Rhodya! You got my vote to win sometime then!" W'ton says with a loud laugh. When the waitress turns up with a beer the bronzerider digs out the marks to pay for it. "On me, future boss lady!" he tells the brownrider with a wink. "And I'm sure he's just stubborn, but...I mean...shells. I wish he'd just get it over with. My luck he /is/ waiting for Elaruth and he'll do so poorly he sulks for a month. And I...I hate thinking of someone else winning. I know it'll happen and all, but I just hate it."
Rhodya laughs and accepts his beer, raising it in thanks. "Don't say it /will/ happen," she admonishes him. "I don't know how it's gonna turn out, but if you're over there bein' Negative Nelly then for sure it ain't gonna be in your favor. Stay upbeat," she advises him, pulling her smile up with a finger to demonstrate. "Do you think he'd go for a queen at another weyr? Say Igen or something? Or is he really just - /on/ Elaruth?"
"My apologies," W'ton says as he smiles up wide. It's a complete exaggeration and he ends in a laugh. "I'm not trying to be down and I expect you'll keep all my worrying between us." He waggles a finger at her, "Wingmates' honor, right? That's something yea?" Because it surely /has/ to be something right? "I thought you'd wind up in Flint truth be told. I was pleasantly surprised to see you stuck with me." As for foreign queens there's a shrug. "I have no way of knowing. He's always known her so I figure maybe that's it? I really don't want him chasing no foreign queen. If he catches we're kinda stuck and...and I don't want to do that to Hattie."
Rhodya pauses a moment, her eyebrow climbing up. Then she chuckles at him. "Well, if you don't want him chasing no foreign queen how's he gonna practice? Even if he wanted to." She pops back into the cushions of the booth, bringing her beer with her, and relaxes. "Tell you the truth, I was pleasantly surprised, too. To not be in Flint, I mean. I know 'em all and we're friendly, but there just ain't no 'up' in that wing. I don't wanna end up like Phara."
"Oh, shell, yea," W'ton says with a rough laugh. "She talked to me about it once and I could tell she was real bugged by it." He grins and lifts his beer. "Shells, if R'uen leaves and someone else takes over it just means we can rise up faster. In a few turns Obsidian could be ours. To us being great!" He leans forward to clink his glass against hers. Then he settles back and frowns. "I know, I know. It's hard. I just... If I have to be stuck somewhere while other eggs hatch what if...what if she decides she doesn't need me anymore?" Awww. He's so insecure.
Rhodya stretches a hand forward and knocks her knuckles on the table, then taps her lips. She's got a mouthful of beer right now; she needs to clear that before she can remind him, "Language." But that's that. She joins his toast with a happy grin, like nothing happened there at all. "Well, I'd miss R'uen, so I ain't gonna hope he leaves. But I'm all for us being great." He leans back, and it draws her forward, looking at him with a twinge of concern. "Well, Hattie probably decides she doesn't /need/ people about a hundred times a day. But she likes you. I'm'a guess that's more important."
Sitting up straight W'ton shakes his head. "That's not true about her. She's not like that." There's a frown for a moment, but he clears his throat and has another drink of his beer. "But we are surely great. And I still don't think I want to risk being stuck somewhere in a Weyr full of people I don't know with Dasarth annoying them all you know? I'll just hope he decides to, well, either do it or not. Has Gedroth ever caught?" Holding a hand up he grins. "I'm not asking for details or nothing. I'm just wondering if he has."
"Aw, W'ton." Rhodya shakes her head, chuckling. "I'm friends with her, too, okay? Lemme tease her a little." She reaches over to pat his hand, but withdraws quickly, looking a bit uncomfortable. She pokes at her drink. "Matter of fact, he ain't yet. And he's trying, too, so I hope he just - you know. That it all comes together when he wants it to."
"Sorry. I don't mean to be that way." W'ton grins almost sheepishly and settles back in his seat. "Hey, you eaten yet? I can wave her back over and buy you something." His beer's almost gone so he probably could use a refill anyway. "I'm sure he'll win eventually. I hear it can take awhile. Or there's just blind luck and they do it right away. Sometimes I'm glad he's not interested."
"Get me somethin' nasty," Rhodya suggests, a spark of mischief lighting up in her eyes. She points at the waitress to give her request context. "They got this place all fancied up, but I'll bet you there's somethin' on the menu that snobby people'd be ashamed to know was there. All covered in grease or somethin'." She coils up her fingers like a witch casting a spell.
"Another beer for me, darling, and...those fried potatoes with cheese and bacon. And some of that thick white gravy to dip it in." W'ton holds up a hand and grins. "Don't let them dump it on the potatoes. It makes em all mooshy." Mooshy is /so/ a word! Even if it's one that makes the waitress laugh. She heads off and the bronzerider shakes his head. "I don't think this place is all snobby. Why does everyone think that?"
"Because I /miss/ the Leaking Cavern," Rhodya replies, planting her elbow on the table and sinking her cheek into it. "And I still remember that smith fellow goin' on about his chandelier when we were candidates and had to help out." She stops to look up at the chandelier, squinting, then shakes her head. "I'm still convinced it's gonna hurt somebody. I don't know how but," she shakes her beer at it. Mark her words.
"I like it in here." W'ton looks around and shrugs his shoulders. "The truth of the matter is people only don't feel comfortable in here because they let the room get to them." He gestures towards the chandelier. "It's just a stunning piece of artistic design and it's not going to fall on someone's head or anything. This place looks nice so the weyrleaders have someplace nice to bring visitors. The Leaking Cavern was fine, but...well, this is still that place. New name, new furniture, same people."
"They've got the council room for visitors," Rhodya points out, just to be contrary. She picks herself up long enough to take a drink, shrugging as she comes out of it. "Guess it ain't really my problem. Now we've got our freedom, me and Gedroth have been goin' out to find places that're more comfortable. We've got one out by Ruatha River that's a real treat, quiet and dim, but not seedy. That's some kind of magic," she suggests, with a lopsided smile.
Finishing off his beer W'ton glances around for his new one, but it's not close. So, he lets it go because it was ordered and it will turn up. "You're just being contrary," he says with a chuckle. "Sometimes when you're talking to people you want somewhere less formal, but still somewhere you control. So, if you're trying to get a deal with someone you think might be less than willing to work with you then a formal setting like the council room won't work. But, hey, there. Let's go have a beer and discuss this over some nice toasted cheese and fruit? It will settle them and put them at ease. They'll be more willing to listen." He pauses and then asks, "You been to that place at Ista? They got some new place or something. Personally I think that's a long way to go for a drink."
Rhodya shakes her head and crinkles up her nose. "Nah, though I might have to, soon. My uncle's out there and he's real antsy to meet Gedroth, but he's too stubborn to come here. Livin' in Ista's made him soft - he's tellin' me he don't like our weather. I tell him neither do I, but I ain't a baby about it." She chuckles.
"Ahh. Well, you'll have to tell me what it's like," W'ton says with a grin. The waitress arrives with their order and sets it between them before giving him his fresh beer. "Ah, you're a dear!" he says as he fishes out his marks and pays including a nice tip. "Well, there you go. If that doesn't scream bad for you I don't know what will. You had this before?" Then he picks up his drink before adding, "I don't mind the weather."
"That," Rhodya declares, "is the most beautiful food I ever seen." She beams at the waitress who brought it, then grabs a potato, dips it in gravy, and chows down. Her eyes close in the euphoria. "Yeah, that's /bad/," she declares, in a tone that doesn't seem to find it bad at all. She reaches eagerly for another one. "Don't get me wrong, I ain't gonna cry about the weather. But it's nothing I get to lounge out in and enjoy, so I don't /like/ it. Though Gedroth does, at least the rain."
"Ah. I never really was one for just lounging in the weather," W'ton says with a shrug and another drink of his beer. He does not reach for a potato though. "I knew you'd like it," he tells her before laughing. "Just the thing." But he's not eating it. "The good news I guess is we can go wherever we want if the weather turns into something we don't like. The benefit of our positions and all." A frown appears and has a drink. "Benefits Nolek won't be reaping for awhile."
"I am," Rhodya admits without shame. "I'm no sunbathing beach bunny, but there's somethin' real nice about fallin' asleep in the sun on a warm afternoon. Nobody should ever have to be awake durin' the afternoon, anyway." She grins and goes for her beer, to give her stomach a short respite from all the heavy food that W'ton declines to touch. Thought of Nolek pauses her, though, and brings out a frown. "Such a shame, what's goin' on with him. I figure he deserves it more'n Kai ever did, but I tell you, W'ton, I can't help bein' a bit ticked off he brought it up. Just when Kai got freed and it seemed we were washed of the whole business."
"The whole thing is a shame is what it is," W'ton says with a shake of his head. "What an idiot." He almost started to say another word, but the governess across from him might have wrapped his knuckles. "Then again I can't believe Kai didn't just say he was involved. Everything he went through... There's no sha- There's no way I'd ever do that. A man has to step up and own his actions. It makes us all look bad is what it does. Our whole class. I'm glad we're free of them."
The governess across from him can find things other than language to look on with disapproval. "Aw, you shouldn't talk like that," she says, in almost a wheedling tone. "They're Impressed to our dragons' brothers and sisters, plus we went through all those months together. Oughta be friends." In sunshine-happy world with unicorns. Rhodya lets her most recent potato-monstrosity dangle above the thick gravy, not committed to it yet. "Besides, if it was going to, our class already looked bad," she chuckles. "All weyrlings get in trouble, but we've been really spectacular. That includes you 'n me, mister." She wags her potato at him.
W'ton takes up his beer and has a drink from it before he says, "I know you like him, Rhodya, but just because you like someone doesn't make them a good person." Looking at the potatoes he seems to be considering them, but doesn't reach for one. "Just because you spend time with someone doesn't mean you get to like them either. He's had a chip on his shoulder as long as I've known him and I only tried to be nice. And suddenly it's my fault he doesn't like me? I tried being nice and all it did was make him be rude and surly to me." Shaking his head he has another drink from his beer. "There's trouble and then there's Trouble."
Rhodya arches a brow. "And just 'cause you don't like someone doesn't make them a bad person, either. I never understood what went wrong between the two of you." She shakes her head and dunks her potato-thing. A lady she may be, but it doesn't stop her from talking with her mouth full at this particular moment, the potato at least shoved off into her cheek so it's less obvious. "But I've known you both long enough to have seen my share of good and bad from each of you. I ain't tellin' you Kai's perfect. But I'm sayin' he's a nice guy."
"Manners," W'ton teases about the potato and has a drink of his beer. "And I never understood either other than it seem a man who speaks well and cares about what he looks like is somehow wrong." Shaking his head he finishes with, "You can think he's a nice guy fine, but you obviously haven't seen the guy I've seen. Maybe he's nicer to you because you're a woman." Shoulders shrug because it's not that important. "Anyway enough of that because I've got to be going soon and we should finish talking about something good."
Rhodya opens her mouth, closes it. Then opens it again, with a shrug that seems almost apologetic as she claims the last word. "I think I have seen that guy, but I'm willing to look past it." And there, she can force herself to quit. Although she can't quit those potatoes, they're too delicious. She shoots him a grin for that. "Sorry about talkin' with my mouth full. I'm real hungry, and these just hit the spot."
Waving his hand with a chuckle W'ton tells her, "It's ok. I forgive you. They are pretty good. I'm just trying to watch what I eat until I get settled in my new routine. Otherwise I'm liable to put on a few pounds." He pats his flat stomach with another laugh. "I can't risk that. I have some new trousers being made after all. And I've got my eye on some nice fabric to get a new shirt made." Well, of course he's going to mention clothes!
Rhodya pats her tummy, flat thing that it is. "My body spoils me. I get to eat whatever I like, and it stays skinny. Even when I wish it'd put on just a /bit/." She chuckles, though, used to it by this time. "Say, you know what? This ain't - well, it's sort of random, but like I was tellin' you I just finished my weyr officially. Sometime you can find the time, why don't you and Hattie stop by and I'll make you tea and scones or somethin'? I'd like to show it off."
She pats her stomach so he takes a look. Hey, she brought his attention to it so Win can't get in trouble. Also it's not like the bronzerider leers. "I just tend to eat a lot when settling into something new. Best to watch it until I'm accustomed to the wing and all. Then I can let up sometime. But my father got fat when he got older and I'm not going to wind up like him." Better to not enjoy fun good tasty bad for you potatoes. "And that sounds lovely," he tells her happily. "I'll speak to Hattie and we'll arrange a time to come by. I'm looking forward to seeing what you've done with the place. And I'll only laugh quietly over the table." But he's lifting his beer to finish it off before telling her, "Speaking of Hattie I'd best go make sure she doesn't try to work all night. She'll fall asleep with her head on her desk otherwise."
Rhodya shakes a fist at him when he mentions laughing at her table, but she laughs as well after the act is dropped. "Well, I'll only kick you a little bit underneath it. But yeah, that'd be a lot of fun. I ain't really had proper guests over at all yet, and I hardly get to see Hattie. You give that girl a hug from me, and let me know when you two can come over." She smiles at him, readying a wave to send him on his way.
"Tea with two of my favorite women," W'ton says with a grin. "How can I turn that down?" He slides from his seat and waves. "You have a good evening, Rhodya and enjoy that. We'll let you know when good is for us." On his way out he stops by the waitress and speaks to her. Not long after that some hideously decadent dessert gets brought over to Rhodya's table.