Taking back what's ours.
RL Date: 3/22/08
IC Date: 9/31/15
This is basically the last log in a long line of plot-heavy scenes about Crom ceceding from High Reaches Weyr. There will probably still be some trickle RP, but there's no more big-heavy-stuff to deal with. Many many thanks to all the people who made this work. My own personal thanks to all the people involved in the "spin-off" RP based on the theft of Cromcoal-- all my logs.
Sunset. Autumn. Most of High Reaches Weyr is tranquil tonight, weyrlings all snug in their barracks and aunties just starting to complain about the cold in their bones. The bowl is nearly deserted, just a pair of dragons hunting the feeding grounds and a few kids playing in the last light before their mother hollers them indoors. Puddles of light begin to appear around the walls of the Weyr when glows are unshielded.
N'thei and F'rint walk into this gathering gloom together, bronze and brown dragons skimming parallel lines to land near the middle of the bowl. Geared up, low conversation between them, they shake hands and brake stride. The older of the two, grizzled brownrider, is gone *between* moments later, leaves N'thei to look around anxiously at the emptiness.
Kaylith skims in on the heels of F'rint's departure, landing just off from where Wyaeth might be situated. Her rider, Shanlee, slips down the emerald side, her face devoid of expression. Arms fold about herself, and the Weyrsecond leans up against her lifemate, seemingly unconcerned by the emptiness of the bowl.
Breaking out of Between into the Reaches' dusk, a small wing of dragons glides over the Bowl silently and sets down not that far away from here N'thei and Wyaeth wait. << Telgar's duties, >> conveys Mecaith, endlessly polite. << Telgar comes to offer support to the Reaches to enforce the agreement. >> His explanation is succinct, precisely worded likely an elaboration on T'rev's "Tell 'em why we're here". Before he dismounts and tags on over with a salute for N'thei and Shanlee. "Weyrleader, Weyrsecond, Telgar's duties t'the Reaches and her queens." He gestures behind him to the accompanying riders to name them, then stands 'at attention', his usually cheerful face uncommonly solemn.
Nikoth emerges from the sky, circling to a landing in the all too familiar bowl. A'son slips off the dragon's neck, devoid tonight of a certain knot that some would expect him to have. He looks around, a quick survey of the empty bowl tonight. It isn't empty for long though, as Telgar appears there with their small wing of riders.
Just because only Jaireth could be seen - the speckled glint of his hide fading in the light as he's seen landing farther down from Wyaeth and Kaylith - doesn't mean that his rider will be nowhere to be found. B'yan could be seen emerging from behind moments later, his eyes scanning the skies first before lighting on Telgar's arrival.
Welcome though they may be, Wyaeth rumbles with possessive displeasure while he tracks the descent of the Telgari dragons. N'thei plays a hand down the flickering wings, flashes a smile that gleams unreasonably brightly at Shanlee, then steps away to greet the T'rev with a succinct, "You have our thanks. " His greeting to the Istan bronze is a sight more genial, complete with quick strides to carry him with a handshake toward A'son. "--Broke free of the chains, good for you! Jaireth, Nikoth, Mecaith, Wyaeth. Make Shanlee do the talking and we'll just look big-and-gruff. Should be an impressive show, neh?"
The arriving Telgari are afforded short interest by Shanlee, T'rev's salute matched and a return of, "Our duties," given accompanied by a brief flick of eyes over the bronzerider. But still the Reachian Weyrsecond doesn't move from her lean against green hide. Nikoth and his, arriving draws a light lift of brow, then nothing further as she turns head over shoulder to catch B'yan's approach with a nod of head and absurdly out of place greeting, "Nice weather we're having isn't it?" was that a bored note that just crept into her tone? "Better things I could be doing with my day off," muttered in low disgruntlement and she's then digging around in a pocket for something or other. Ah, a flask. N'thei's bright smile is met with an unimpressed look of her own and arc of brow, his further words on her doing the talking not much more other than a light snort.
T'rev turns slightly to observe Nikoth's descent, and that might be the pull of humor on his face as he realizes whose bronze that is. The thanks from N'thei are acknowledged by a simple nod, while Shanlee earns a brightly flashed grin and a return glance-over. Once A'son's down on the ground, he salutes again. "Sir, Telgar's duties," but doesn't offer anything more until Shanlee remarks about the weather. He chuckles softly and a little gleam builds up in his eyes. "Perfect for a little outing, yeah."
"I told you that I wasn't shackled down." A'son says, small smirk catching onto his lips. "I hope you pay the woman enough to put up with you, or at least give her a vacation now and again." He moves his hand to lift it in a wave to Shanlee, but she's already brushing off him being there. Or so it seems. A lift of shoulders and he leans into the bronze behind him. "Is this all we're waiting for, fearless leader?" He lifts his eyebrows to T'rev. "Telgar's duties to who? High Reaches?" He asks, a hand purposely planted across the knotless shoulder.
Watching T'rev and Mecaith land and address the Weyrleader and Weyrsecond, B'yan and Jaireth approach the group and it puts them within earshot. A'son's own arrival gets a look of peaked interest from the man, but it's Shanlee's quip that draws his full attention. "Nice weather and I could think of a few ways to spend it." Hazel eyes finding A'son before sending him a nod, "Weyrleader," is his succint greeting before he looks back to the group.
N'thei kens to the greenrider's snort and it puts another too-bright smile on his face, though with teeth-on-edge. "This is all we're waiting for, but give me a moment, will you? --B'yan, we'll be arriving in V formation; I want you and T'rev at the extreme legs of the V to land at the edge of the road. I don't think they'll have room to turn around, but keep an eye for anyone who tries to bolt. Shanlee and A'son at my back. F'rint will have the rear. Questions?" And then, swinging around to his Weyrsecond, he lowers his voice momentarily.
Shanlee senses "N'thei's brook-no-arguments tone; "Take tomorrow off, but cut it out. If you don't agree with what we're doing, keep it to yourself. This gets solved tonight, whether you like it or not.""
About to make comment on A'son's remark to N'thei, Shanlee bites it back instead offering the now Istan a twist of lips. Yes, she does see him there. T'rev's returned once over draws a light smirk and nothing more as eyes skip over the rest of the Telgari present. It's B'yan's remark that earns him an amused glance as he nears, "A beach, some wine..." the words left to trail off. The flask is uncapped a swallow taken, fortitude against the negligible cold of course, and returned back to her pocket. Then she waits, attention briefly holding to N'thei as he hands out directions of approach. His lowered comment to her, draws nothing more than her expression closing as she mounts up, "Aye Sir. Hold to your rear," so very dutiful.
Off over by the caverns, two shadows lurk in the arced entrance of one and after a moment, two tall young women cross the Bowl, dressed in practical clothing. As they draw nearer, the head of braided strawberry-blonde hair contrasting with ebon-dark might identify the pair as Milani and Amerie. There's a pair of determined expressions on both faces too.
T'rev gives A'son a cocky little grin. "Duties t'you, A'son, and a hello from Carys, for what it's worth, sir." Now his hands dive down into his pockets and he rocks back and forth a little, heel to toe. One of the other Telgari kind of rolls his eyes at the young 'Second, clearly unimpressed by the lad's casual approach. B'yan's approach also earns a nod and a simple, "B'yan." T'rev swings around eyeing the girls first with a hint of appreciation, then puzzlement for their presence, but N'thei's giving orders and he nods. "Okay, got it, Weyrleader, we hold the outside and hem 'em in." He forwards another nod B'yan's way and subsides.
Lips momentarily thinning, B'yan shows the look of acknowledgement to N'thei's words with a bare lift of his chin and looks towards the Telgari. Jaireth shifts close for his rider to mount, his wings halfway lifted as if already in preparation to launch. Since T'rev speaks, he doesn't, just sending a brief smirk Shanlee's way for her comment before he grabs ahold of his straps.
"Tell her I'll write back soon, huh?" A'son says to T'rev before climbing up onto Nikoth's neck again. He catches Shanlee's twist of the lips and he gives her a wave, "So we fly together again?" There's no wait for an answer though, he grabs the bronze's straps and gets him into position behind Wyaeth, but across from Kaylith.
N'thei draws a breath, a long-and-important one while Shanlee mounts, and he sets his hand to his own riding straps when the pair of girls make their entrance. Momentarily, eyes closed, he's clearly wracking his brain for some response, for some plausible way to ditch them; "A'son-- no. Shanlee, bring Milani. Amerie can ride with A'son. They can take inventory or something." He pinches his fingers across his forehead in a moment's frustration, but he's in brisk-mode and there's no point facing the inevitable argument.
In a moment, everyone with a dragon on-the-scene gets a flash from F'rint's Oranyuth-- the darkness closing in on a tithe train still trying to plow ahead for the night, using glows to light a road high in the mountains between Crom and Telgar.
For her part, Amerie doesn't look like she's arguing - after all, why argue when there's Milani to do it for you? The darker of the pair settles for just looking as if she doesn't intend on moving even while N'thei's eyes are closed, arms folded - and with something close to a smile, she heads off in the direction she's pointed in, managing not to look too pleased. Might have something to do with the flying ahead.
Shanlee appears just as mystified as to why the two teens would be going along and not more than a little annoyed at suddenly being designated a passenger at the last, "Going to hit someone with a broom?" ill-humor, but at least an attempt as she offers Milani a hand up. Kaylith's wings unfurl into verdant lushness, the green at the ready to take up position behind Wyaeth and the image from Ornayuth carefully scrutinised.
T'rev strides on over to Mecaith, delivers some crisp instructions of his own as he nears the rest of the Telgari and swings up aboard the bronze, resettling flight gear and clipping in, suddenly all business himself. The girls earn another curious look and he shrugs once, mouthing "Inventory?" to one of his wingmates. "You got it, A'son," he anwsers the wherever-he's-from-tonight bronzerider and waits.
Millie for her part shoots N'thei an inscrutable look, rolls her eyes skyward and just buttons up the jacket she's got on. "Sure thing, Weyrleader, sir, hi Shan!" All outward cheer as she makes her way over to her assigned ride. She's even got a clipboard that she waves jauntily as she approaches Kaylith. Of course there's a little neck-craning A'son's way and another wave accompanied by beaming smile before she's scrambling aboard the green with Shan's help. "Noooo, I'll just quietly stay out of the way and gloat or smirk or something," she answers cheekily and clips in without help. "Alll set!" she chirps brightly.
B'yan vaults up Jaireth's back and settles, adusting his straps and passing slight curious glances towards the assistant headwomen before Jaireth fully spreads his wings.
A'son casts N'thei a look, Shanlee is a cast a look. And finally he looks down at Amerie and offers her a hand. He doesn't however, seem to be particularly excited to be doing so. "Alright, on up." That's a close to a greeting as he comes. Whenever she's all up there, he'll check her straps before turning back around to check his own.
Getting to the tithe train is easy enough, assuming no one botches the coordinates and disappears on the way. Wyaeth leads the V first over the Reaches, then a gruff signal to transfer *between*. At the heights, the air is downright bitter and the wind makes it no better when the formation veers fast toward the open road at the front of the tithe train.
As the dragons draw nearer, the stamp of hooves and a worried neigh cut through the night. The creak of wagon wheels and the chatter of tired conversation gives way to the sudden realization by the Cromese that they've been routed. By the time the dragons land, a wide-eyed buck-toothed man with an air of importance about him stumbles out the flaps of his tent and, wearing his long underwear and boots, hurries to the head of the train. "What's the meaning of this?!" In no place to make demands maybe, but he sounds distinctly commanding while he peers through the dark at the five riders and two passengers one after another.
Casting a glance back at Milani, "You do know this isn't an outing for a picnic don't you?" Shanlee's comment in response to the girl's overly bright chirpiness for the task at hand as they burst out of *between* on Wyaeth's heels. Slipping down Kaylith's side and helping the teen down next, the Weyrsecond turns an amused look onto the wagonmaster for his attire as she closes the gap while pulling off gloves, "We'd heard tell you'd lost your way. Thought we'd do right by our duty and help to redirect you." Thus giving the man ample opportunity to co-operate.
With Wyaeth put down, N'thei stays mounted long enough to drive home a point; he is on a dragon, and this wagonmaster is not. Even on the ground, he makes a show of sizing up the half-dressed man while leaning against a big bronze shoulder. He may be wearing the bigger knot, but there's clear deference for Shanlee to talk it out with the man.
Jaireth comes out of Between in formation, keeping a slight angle so that B'yan could see the tithe train easily below. He lands smartly on the ground and doesn't even snap his wings in place before B'yan is down on the ground. Like with T'rev, he's at a place to block the tithe train in one direction, nodding a wordless greeting to one of the men staring dumbfoundedly in his direction.
Amerie is in complete contrast to Milani, as per usual - she's had little more than a shrug and a grateful nod for the hand up from A'son - and if the travel's had any effect on her, she's limited it to a shudder once she dismounts and is on firm ground again. Moving aside quickly, she watches the head of the train and any gathering Cromese warily, content to stay out of the way for the time being - though she does quirk a satisfied-looking smile at Shanlee's response to the man.
Nikoth lands neatly on the ground, A'son coming down his neck again. Amerie is hardly given a second look once she's off safely and to the sides. He moves in front of the bronze, his lifemate snaking his head down so that they're on an even level with one another. He looks behind the frazzled man and to the wagons, one hand lifts up on in a wave.
T'rev gets the visual, checks it with his wingmates and they all form up as directed and snap Between sharply. Over the tithe train, they take up the positions N'thei requested. Once all the dragons are down, he too is on the ground and in spite of the low level of light, he make something of a show of his knot, the Telgar white and black a start contrast to Reaches blue.
Atop Kaylith, Milani just sighs and rolls her eyes again. "Of course it's not a flaming picnic, Shan, but you know, not everything has to be approached with a long face," the assistant headwoman asserts. She shuts up for the duration though, sparing the greenrider's ears. Upon arrival, she is quiet and 'serious' and staying in the background, with a businesslike air.
More people file out of their wagons, some calming runners who struggle against their reins, some talking in frightened whispers among themselves while trying to overhear the exchange between their wagonmaster and the riders. There are fourteen wagons on this road and forty-odd people tending them; not one of them has the brass to speak out against the impasse. Except for the man put in charge, who looks worriedly down the line before he steps nearer to Shanlee; "We are by no means lost, greenrider. We set out for Telgar, and Telgar's where we're going!" The words have just left his lips when his attention lights on T'rev, on his knot. His appeal shifts to the young bronzerider-- "Sir, please, we must get down this road if we're going to make it to your Weyr."
Stepping forward a little, leaving Mecaith on guard, T'rev steps forward as he's addressed and gives the wagonmaster a polite nod. "Telgar's duties t'Crom. Beggin' your pardon, but I gotta say, y'seem lost t'me. The Reaches're your right destination, man, y'ain't expected down Telgar-way. Y'been steered wrong." He's got on a wry, 'what can you do' expression, honest sympathy for the tithe-master's plight, but a certain firmness about the fact that, yeah, they're headed the wrong way.
Milani's response earns her as patient a look, although with a slight eyeroll, as Shanlee can manage but she leaves it at that. Business first. Lifting a fine brow at the wagonmaster's response, a tight smirk plays about the Weyrsecond's mouth, "Oh really," flat, "Heading for Telgar deliberately are you?" falling silent as a pointed look to direct the man's attention once again skips across Wyaeth, Nikoth, Jaireth, Mecaith and the Telgari contingent. Then turning to T'rev cold amusement hovering, "He says he's coming to you? Amusing chap isn't he?" Back to the wagonmaster, "I believe you have ample room here between our dragons, to get this train turned around and heading back in the -right- direction, aye? Not your fault. Just following orders I'm sure. But we're here to tell you, you have new ones now."
Amid the rustling, amid the rising wave of talk from the Cromese, a messenger on foot slips out of the group, slides down a game-trail at the edge of the road. In a matter of minutes, he'll be out of sight on his way to let his Lord know the doings on the road.
B'yan and Jaireth keeps their position, the former staring the wagons down with seemingly singleminded interest. It's only on the few closest to him before he looks back at the few men now looking his way, his expession unreadable. No words come from the Wingleader - no greetings or waves - and his study remains heavily on the wagons and the people.
Amerie makes her way over to Milani, still trying to stay in the background as well - though she has a quick look back to A'son and a glance around at the situation before she notes quietly to the other assistant headwoman, "Maybe not the best idea." You think? With a wrinkle of her nose, she looks back to the discussion between riders and Cromese, dark eyes narrowed a touch. Her gaze sweeps the gathered crowd carefully, adding, "I can't see them giving much of an argument."
A'son remains like the rest of the other riders, arms crossed over his chest and silent. There's only an upward lift of his eyebrows for the explanation given by the Cromese man.
Big eyes for Amerie from Milani and a murmured: "Mmm noooo, but it is kind of nice to see the turnabout being fair play and all." Millie's gaze lingers on the long wagon train as if she's mentally tallying what they've got. "It's a good tithe too, much needed," she finally assesses and shoots a look on up towards where the riders are taking care of things.
N'thei beckons wordlessly to the pair of girls, one hand open toward them and fingers briefly flicked in a follow-me gesture. With Shanlee ably "negotiating" matters, he picks out the most matronly of the wide-eyed women at the fringe of the wagons, the one with the most worried and businesslike look on her face. Deferential but certain, "Begging your pardon, madam, but those girls will need an inventory from you. Not to impugn the honor of your wagonmaster, but we'd like to be sure /everything/ arrives at the Reaches."
The wagonmaster looks flatly ridiculous while he pulls on his thinning hair and paces in his long underwear, distraught at T'rev's lack of reason. "I can't just-- don't you understand? When Lord Crom tells you to see this tithe to Telgar, you don't just turn it around and go to High Reaches!" Shanlee's new orders only make matters worse, and he bravely marches right up to the greenrider amid the line of dragons; "We will continue down this road, madam, so you'll just have to move your dragons and let us pass!" It's a last-ditch bravado and he knows it as much as they do; not a single skittering animal is going anywhere near dragons without being whipped-to-death first.
Shanlee tries one last time, lifting her chin as the wagonmaster steps right up to her, "Look. Perhaps you hadn't heard. An accord has been reached between the Weyrs and -this- tithe, is ours," affording him benefit of the doubt, "I'd also ask you to take a good look around you at those riders and their dragons. My Telgari counterpart here, shows Telgar's support of this too. Are you sure you want to do this? Place a resistance over something that is not yours personally? Are the marks you're being paid to transport the goods worth a skirmish?" her tone reasoning and held level as she tries appeal to the man's common sense for his own sake, even offering a charming flash of smile to him although it holds a distinctly cold edge of warning to it
From mental tallying... Amerie's more interested in the people than the tithe itself, but when Millie mentions it, she cuts a glance to the wagons proper, with a slight smirk. "One benefit of catching it heading in the other direction?" she asks lightly, even as she's quick to spot N'thei and start forward, with one of her more bored and businesslike expressions in place. "It won't take long," she assures the woman as politely as she can manage. And as if it's a done deal - which it is, in the end - she glances back to Milani and her clipboard, and starts for the back of train.
T'rev quietly shadows the wagonmaster over to Shanlee and offers a sympathetic smile to the man even while he nods along agreement with Shanlee. "Yep. M'afraid you got the wrong directions, sir. Y'need t'be headin' Reaches way with this, an' you got my word that we'll help you get there without trouble, yeah?" His eyes slide sidelong to Shanlee briefly, a little smirk for her own coldly charming smile showing up on his face. Clearly, the young man is duly impressed by Reaches' Weyrsecond. "We're just all tryin' t'do the right thing here," he adds on. "There's been agreements made and they gotta be seen to."
The woman wrings her hands, pulls on her disheveled braid, and looks at the two women less than half her age like they're more dangerous than all the dragons put together. "Oh my, girls, I don't even know where to begin." She lies badly while a woman who looks very much like her daughter peeks out of a covered tent briefly, then makes haste to tie the flaps closed. Nothing to see here!
B'yan continues his study - more on the wagons than its inhabitants now - and continues to look very much like a dragonrider. He seems to follow the exchange of conversation easily from where he stands, with a sudden mark piece between fingers and starting its dance on one hand. Over, down, out -- it goes, a rhythm that doesn't seem to break.
N'thei is gesturing and Milani hops to energetically even, clipboard and pencil at the ready. In contrast to Amerie's boredom, she has a sweet smile on her face for the stunned looking woman. "Oh I'm sure that can't be! Someone so clearly capable and knowledgeable," patters Millie brightly, "I'm sure you know /exactly/ where we need to begin or you wouldn't be here at all!" Flutter, flutter, butter, butter. She even reaches out to hook the woman's arm gently with hers. "Won't you show me all the wonderful things that you've so kindly been taking care of?" Beam.
Wiping his palm across his brow, a cold sweat in the dark while he peers at the glowing dragon eyes, while he looks back at the people and the wagons under his charge, the wagonmaster sighs long and loud. "This won't change things, you all should know. This tithe /may/ go to High Reaches, but the next and the next? You all going to show up and take over every train?" A deferential man very likely the wagonmaster's son hovers to one side, awaiting the orders that come without ceremony. "--We'll camp here tonight. In the morning, we turn toward High Reaches." To be met by a general outcry of dismay from the Cromese; we do /what/?!
N'thei's found the muscle in the group of holders. The girls are getting inventory, Shanlee and T'rev are being diplomats, so he shades toward a few thug-looking gents at the side of one of the wagons, shaking his head soundlessly to dispel their treasonous mutterings; not so far away, Wyaeth's talons glint gunmetal gray in the wan light.
Shanlee offers the man a mildly approving nod, "You've lost no profit on this deal in turning it around. Any extra provisions you might need to make the trip back will be afforded you and yours. I'll see to that personally," stepping back as the wagonmaster tells of his decision to the rest of the train, "Good man." A flicker of a smile goes his way, "Come, allow me to introduce you to those that ride with me," moving toward the others now as her flask appears once again, "Share a drink with us." Speaking as she moves, "I am greenrider Shanlee, Weyrsecond at High Reaches," a hand indicating the brownrider, "This is F'rint, my colleague..." and so it goes. Those that wish to remain anonymous need only show as much with a light shake of head.
The matron looks dazedly down at Milani, her hand pressed to her cheek. "Well I don't even know where to begin! The manifest-- I mean, there is no manifest, you see. And even if there was one I'd hardly know where to find it!" At which point a bright-faced girl eager to help pops out of the recently lashed wagon and proclaims happily, "Right here, mama!"
"Telgar will not accept any tithes from Crom," T'rev adds mildly to Shanlee's words. "By accord 'tween th'Weyrs, Crom looks to the Reaches, only stuff we'll be allowin' in, is from th'minehold, see?" The Telgari bronzerider's tone continues light, but decisive. "So even if th'next n' the next keep a'comin' our way, it'll all just get turned back at Telgar and that's a hell of a long time on th'road for y'all and double the money for travel expenses, which don't make a whole lotta sense." He nods as the Reaches greenrider passes around the goodwill of the flask and tosses his own introduction into the ring, then clasps his hands loosely behind his back, tagging along as Shanlee and the wagonmaster make the rounds.
Apparently somewhat versed in the way Cromese tithe trains are put together, Amerie's snagged the clipboard somewhere along the way, and left bubbly Milani to distraction while she starts lifting up flaps as she likes, peering beneath them and making notes. As the manifest appears, she flicks Millie a dark look and gives a snort in the eager girl's direction. "You're giving that to a genius, you know. I'd hope it's accurate." Making a note ominously, the tall girl lifts herself up onto a railing, peering at some boxes with interest.
"Ma'am, I would rather not give the idea that we're friendly." The wagonmaster sounds just sorry enough to avoid being rude in response. The man who is his son skitters off in a rush to start battening down the wagons for the night, to pass along the news to anyone who may not have gotten the gist. "If it's all the same," continues the 'master in a heavy and defeated voice. "I'd like to put my people to bed for the night and see where we stand in the morning." --When there's been time for that messenger that slipped off to make it back to Crom, undoubtedly!
Shanlee shrugs easily, "As you wish. I'll leave you to your people and preparations then," her steps having halted her near Jaireth now, "But like the Telgari said," turning to nod at T'rev behind her, "This is the way of things now. No use getting...lost, on the trail again," the smile sly for the wagonmaster. Her part, the talking bit done, the Weyrsecond takes to sipping from her flask and offering it to any others that may wish to join her. N'thei and the two assistant headwoman watched with idle interest as they tally up the contents, her comment to B'yan musing, "Reckon they got anything interesting in there?"
Milani doesn't protest the removal of the clipboard, just giving Amerie a nod as she makes off with it. "Oh, you have such /helpful/ assistants!" Millie enthuses and steps forward to take that manifest firmly from the daughter with another beaming smile. "You're all so /very/ kind to help out and she's flipping through the pages already, eyeing the columns with an expert eye and a smirk for the tag of 'genius' from Amerie. She moves along the wagons then, murmuring a note or two to Amerie and does her best big-eyed flirting with Sonny Boy there to keep him from battening down one of the wagons before she's checked it. All the while, she keeps a firm hold on that manifest, not letting anyone take it back.
N'thei, from the sidelines, sends an inquisitive look after the two girls going over the inventory, a look whose intent is clear; wrapping it up soon? This followed by a toss of his head indicates he'll be up there, with the dragons and stuff, and that's exactly where he heads. Flatly businesslike, he addresses Shanlee and B'yan at once; "F'rint will keep watch tonight. B'yan can relieve him at dawn. Work up a duty roster for who can be posted to the road until the train makes it to the Reaches, Shanlee."
With the negotiations seeming to be under way, B'yan hasn't much moved from his spot. His eyes remain lingering on the wagons as he sift the mark piece between his fingers as Shanlee approaches. To her question there's a lazy shrug before he turns his attention on her. "Nothing of interest, I'm sure," comes a rather vague statement musingly. "Other than coal and what-have-yous, right?" He catches the order from N'thei easily then, sealing off whatever else he was going to add and just sending him an inclined head in agreement.
No one's trying to steal anything out from under the prying eyes of Amerie and Milani, only a lot of surly looks while they peer at the contents. "Just you quit pawing through our things, girlies! You have the manifest, and I keep my books like I keep my beds-- perfectly tidy." The once-matronly woman turns waspish in an instant while she watches the two of them question her manifest, a big humph for the uppity teenagers.
The approach of N'thei is met silently by Shanlee, just a nod and an, "Aye, Sir," for drawing up a roster, then sweetly, "Shall I put your name in for the last leg of the journey?" Before she turns away to get busy on that task, B'yan is afforded a small smirk, "One's man rubbish, is another man's treasure," wink, and she's off.
Amerie doesn't quite look /done/ at the glance from N'thei, but she gets the idea; nodding at the last of the notes from Milie, she hops down from her latest perch ably, handing over the notes to the other girl again. Giving the various manifest-and-inventory people a haughty glare, she looks about to say something to the waspish woman - and visibly struggles with the desire before pushing it down, offering a dazzling smile, and starting off. "Are you fine with all that, Milani?"
T'rev looks up and over at N'thei at his orders to Shanlee and nods once, briskly. "I'll report back to Telgar, sir, and let them know that the tithe is safely in Reaches' hands. If any further support of the agreement is needed, just say th'word. Be happy to be put into the rotation if need be." And the younger bronzerider retreats then, back along the line towards the other Telgari. Since no one else in the tithe train seems to be making a break for it, he starts to give out orders to form up again, preparatory to heading back to Telgar.
The wagonmaster gives T'rev&co. one last betrayed look before he busies himself with the preparations for turning an entire tithe train around at the drop of a hat.
Milani takes all the notes and the manifest and puts them together, unfazed by the waspishness on display she just smiles at the woman and nods. "It's a good manifest, very helpful, everything seems to be in order, Weyrleader, sir, this will be filed back at the Reaches and checked when the tithe arrives." See, she can be business-like too. Really. Just all smiley and stuff while she does it. "All good Amerie," she assures her counterpart and starts to walk briskly back towards the Reaches dragons.
"Oh, you'll go in the rotation? That'll help enforce things somewhat," Shanlee offers the departing T'rev a chuckle and adds his name to a growing list. Raising the hand with stylus in farewell, "Clear skies, Telgar," and goes back to scratchings and scribblings once again before mounting her own dragon and looking set to leave.
Snorting at Shanlee's comment, B'yan finally straightens up to slip the mark away and turns for his dragon. He passes the wagons long last look, the people an even longer one, and the Wingleader is mounting up and checking his straps for departure.
N'thei never does get around to answering Shanlee about his place in the rotation, kind of glances at her dubiously but leaves it at that. "We'd best leave these people to their rest, as the man says. Milani--" She takes the words right out of his mouth, right there with the manifest before he can even ask about it. Impressive. "Shanlee, lead back to the Reaches?" While all set to mount again himself.
T'rev shoots a little look over his shoulder at Shanlee and winks before he tosses off a jaunty salute. "Yes ma'am." And there's a last charming grin from the 'Second before he's dealing with stuff. The Telgari mount up, reform on Mecaith's wing and with a last salute N'thei's way, T'rev has the riders from the other Weyr lift off, hover and blink out for home.
As she approaches the dragons, Amerie gives B'yan a nod and Shanlee a flash of a smile before glancing back to make sure Milani's still coming along unimpeded - and then she is and already presenting the paperwork. Faster than expected. With a blink, she folds her arms, giving one last look at the tithe train making camp before they're all set to head out.
The snort from B'yan is met with a chuckle. A light frown follows N'thei's request for her to lead them back, but with a nod of head in acquiesence she's soon lifting her hand in the signal for all to rise in a similar formation as they arrived, bar the Telgari of course. This after ensuring Milani is safely up behind her first and flashing a half-smile down to Amerie with a wink to go with it.
"All set Shan!" Milani reassures the Weyrsecond and she gives one last look around too, completely with a beaming grin for N'thei, looking /far/ too pleased with the entire proceedings.
With the signal given, and Amerie's nod returned neutrally, B'yan leads Jaireth into the sky once he's back in formation and hovering in wait to go Between.
Wyaeth leaves his place in the formation-- not so peculiar a thing for anyone who's ever had the misfortune of flying 'fall with him. This must have been planned in some way though, for Kaylith takes the lead of the V. The command to return to the Reaches comes from the green, but it's really only Jaireth and Kaylith and their passengers that head back to the Weyr. Nikoth returns to Ista, and Wyaeth? He and N'thei are off doing god-knows-what, something that doesn't involve coming back to High Reaches any time tonight. Kaylith drops altitude to the bowl to let Milani off.
IC Date: 9/31/15
This is basically the last log in a long line of plot-heavy scenes about Crom ceceding from High Reaches Weyr. There will probably still be some trickle RP, but there's no more big-heavy-stuff to deal with. Many many thanks to all the people who made this work. My own personal thanks to all the people involved in the "spin-off" RP based on the theft of Cromcoal-- all my logs.
Sunset. Autumn. Most of High Reaches Weyr is tranquil tonight, weyrlings all snug in their barracks and aunties just starting to complain about the cold in their bones. The bowl is nearly deserted, just a pair of dragons hunting the feeding grounds and a few kids playing in the last light before their mother hollers them indoors. Puddles of light begin to appear around the walls of the Weyr when glows are unshielded.
N'thei and F'rint walk into this gathering gloom together, bronze and brown dragons skimming parallel lines to land near the middle of the bowl. Geared up, low conversation between them, they shake hands and brake stride. The older of the two, grizzled brownrider, is gone *between* moments later, leaves N'thei to look around anxiously at the emptiness.
Kaylith skims in on the heels of F'rint's departure, landing just off from where Wyaeth might be situated. Her rider, Shanlee, slips down the emerald side, her face devoid of expression. Arms fold about herself, and the Weyrsecond leans up against her lifemate, seemingly unconcerned by the emptiness of the bowl.
Breaking out of Between into the Reaches' dusk, a small wing of dragons glides over the Bowl silently and sets down not that far away from here N'thei and Wyaeth wait. << Telgar's duties, >> conveys Mecaith, endlessly polite. << Telgar comes to offer support to the Reaches to enforce the agreement. >> His explanation is succinct, precisely worded likely an elaboration on T'rev's "Tell 'em why we're here". Before he dismounts and tags on over with a salute for N'thei and Shanlee. "Weyrleader, Weyrsecond, Telgar's duties t'the Reaches and her queens." He gestures behind him to the accompanying riders to name them, then stands 'at attention', his usually cheerful face uncommonly solemn.
Nikoth emerges from the sky, circling to a landing in the all too familiar bowl. A'son slips off the dragon's neck, devoid tonight of a certain knot that some would expect him to have. He looks around, a quick survey of the empty bowl tonight. It isn't empty for long though, as Telgar appears there with their small wing of riders.
Just because only Jaireth could be seen - the speckled glint of his hide fading in the light as he's seen landing farther down from Wyaeth and Kaylith - doesn't mean that his rider will be nowhere to be found. B'yan could be seen emerging from behind moments later, his eyes scanning the skies first before lighting on Telgar's arrival.
Welcome though they may be, Wyaeth rumbles with possessive displeasure while he tracks the descent of the Telgari dragons. N'thei plays a hand down the flickering wings, flashes a smile that gleams unreasonably brightly at Shanlee, then steps away to greet the T'rev with a succinct, "You have our thanks. " His greeting to the Istan bronze is a sight more genial, complete with quick strides to carry him with a handshake toward A'son. "--Broke free of the chains, good for you! Jaireth, Nikoth, Mecaith, Wyaeth. Make Shanlee do the talking and we'll just look big-and-gruff. Should be an impressive show, neh?"
The arriving Telgari are afforded short interest by Shanlee, T'rev's salute matched and a return of, "Our duties," given accompanied by a brief flick of eyes over the bronzerider. But still the Reachian Weyrsecond doesn't move from her lean against green hide. Nikoth and his, arriving draws a light lift of brow, then nothing further as she turns head over shoulder to catch B'yan's approach with a nod of head and absurdly out of place greeting, "Nice weather we're having isn't it?" was that a bored note that just crept into her tone? "Better things I could be doing with my day off," muttered in low disgruntlement and she's then digging around in a pocket for something or other. Ah, a flask. N'thei's bright smile is met with an unimpressed look of her own and arc of brow, his further words on her doing the talking not much more other than a light snort.
T'rev turns slightly to observe Nikoth's descent, and that might be the pull of humor on his face as he realizes whose bronze that is. The thanks from N'thei are acknowledged by a simple nod, while Shanlee earns a brightly flashed grin and a return glance-over. Once A'son's down on the ground, he salutes again. "Sir, Telgar's duties," but doesn't offer anything more until Shanlee remarks about the weather. He chuckles softly and a little gleam builds up in his eyes. "Perfect for a little outing, yeah."
"I told you that I wasn't shackled down." A'son says, small smirk catching onto his lips. "I hope you pay the woman enough to put up with you, or at least give her a vacation now and again." He moves his hand to lift it in a wave to Shanlee, but she's already brushing off him being there. Or so it seems. A lift of shoulders and he leans into the bronze behind him. "Is this all we're waiting for, fearless leader?" He lifts his eyebrows to T'rev. "Telgar's duties to who? High Reaches?" He asks, a hand purposely planted across the knotless shoulder.
Watching T'rev and Mecaith land and address the Weyrleader and Weyrsecond, B'yan and Jaireth approach the group and it puts them within earshot. A'son's own arrival gets a look of peaked interest from the man, but it's Shanlee's quip that draws his full attention. "Nice weather and I could think of a few ways to spend it." Hazel eyes finding A'son before sending him a nod, "Weyrleader," is his succint greeting before he looks back to the group.
N'thei kens to the greenrider's snort and it puts another too-bright smile on his face, though with teeth-on-edge. "This is all we're waiting for, but give me a moment, will you? --B'yan, we'll be arriving in V formation; I want you and T'rev at the extreme legs of the V to land at the edge of the road. I don't think they'll have room to turn around, but keep an eye for anyone who tries to bolt. Shanlee and A'son at my back. F'rint will have the rear. Questions?" And then, swinging around to his Weyrsecond, he lowers his voice momentarily.
Shanlee senses "N'thei's brook-no-arguments tone; "Take tomorrow off, but cut it out. If you don't agree with what we're doing, keep it to yourself. This gets solved tonight, whether you like it or not.""
About to make comment on A'son's remark to N'thei, Shanlee bites it back instead offering the now Istan a twist of lips. Yes, she does see him there. T'rev's returned once over draws a light smirk and nothing more as eyes skip over the rest of the Telgari present. It's B'yan's remark that earns him an amused glance as he nears, "A beach, some wine..." the words left to trail off. The flask is uncapped a swallow taken, fortitude against the negligible cold of course, and returned back to her pocket. Then she waits, attention briefly holding to N'thei as he hands out directions of approach. His lowered comment to her, draws nothing more than her expression closing as she mounts up, "Aye Sir. Hold to your rear," so very dutiful.
Off over by the caverns, two shadows lurk in the arced entrance of one and after a moment, two tall young women cross the Bowl, dressed in practical clothing. As they draw nearer, the head of braided strawberry-blonde hair contrasting with ebon-dark might identify the pair as Milani and Amerie. There's a pair of determined expressions on both faces too.
T'rev gives A'son a cocky little grin. "Duties t'you, A'son, and a hello from Carys, for what it's worth, sir." Now his hands dive down into his pockets and he rocks back and forth a little, heel to toe. One of the other Telgari kind of rolls his eyes at the young 'Second, clearly unimpressed by the lad's casual approach. B'yan's approach also earns a nod and a simple, "B'yan." T'rev swings around eyeing the girls first with a hint of appreciation, then puzzlement for their presence, but N'thei's giving orders and he nods. "Okay, got it, Weyrleader, we hold the outside and hem 'em in." He forwards another nod B'yan's way and subsides.
Lips momentarily thinning, B'yan shows the look of acknowledgement to N'thei's words with a bare lift of his chin and looks towards the Telgari. Jaireth shifts close for his rider to mount, his wings halfway lifted as if already in preparation to launch. Since T'rev speaks, he doesn't, just sending a brief smirk Shanlee's way for her comment before he grabs ahold of his straps.
"Tell her I'll write back soon, huh?" A'son says to T'rev before climbing up onto Nikoth's neck again. He catches Shanlee's twist of the lips and he gives her a wave, "So we fly together again?" There's no wait for an answer though, he grabs the bronze's straps and gets him into position behind Wyaeth, but across from Kaylith.
N'thei draws a breath, a long-and-important one while Shanlee mounts, and he sets his hand to his own riding straps when the pair of girls make their entrance. Momentarily, eyes closed, he's clearly wracking his brain for some response, for some plausible way to ditch them; "A'son-- no. Shanlee, bring Milani. Amerie can ride with A'son. They can take inventory or something." He pinches his fingers across his forehead in a moment's frustration, but he's in brisk-mode and there's no point facing the inevitable argument.
In a moment, everyone with a dragon on-the-scene gets a flash from F'rint's Oranyuth-- the darkness closing in on a tithe train still trying to plow ahead for the night, using glows to light a road high in the mountains between Crom and Telgar.
For her part, Amerie doesn't look like she's arguing - after all, why argue when there's Milani to do it for you? The darker of the pair settles for just looking as if she doesn't intend on moving even while N'thei's eyes are closed, arms folded - and with something close to a smile, she heads off in the direction she's pointed in, managing not to look too pleased. Might have something to do with the flying ahead.
Shanlee appears just as mystified as to why the two teens would be going along and not more than a little annoyed at suddenly being designated a passenger at the last, "Going to hit someone with a broom?" ill-humor, but at least an attempt as she offers Milani a hand up. Kaylith's wings unfurl into verdant lushness, the green at the ready to take up position behind Wyaeth and the image from Ornayuth carefully scrutinised.
T'rev strides on over to Mecaith, delivers some crisp instructions of his own as he nears the rest of the Telgari and swings up aboard the bronze, resettling flight gear and clipping in, suddenly all business himself. The girls earn another curious look and he shrugs once, mouthing "Inventory?" to one of his wingmates. "You got it, A'son," he anwsers the wherever-he's-from-tonight bronzerider and waits.
Millie for her part shoots N'thei an inscrutable look, rolls her eyes skyward and just buttons up the jacket she's got on. "Sure thing, Weyrleader, sir, hi Shan!" All outward cheer as she makes her way over to her assigned ride. She's even got a clipboard that she waves jauntily as she approaches Kaylith. Of course there's a little neck-craning A'son's way and another wave accompanied by beaming smile before she's scrambling aboard the green with Shan's help. "Noooo, I'll just quietly stay out of the way and gloat or smirk or something," she answers cheekily and clips in without help. "Alll set!" she chirps brightly.
B'yan vaults up Jaireth's back and settles, adusting his straps and passing slight curious glances towards the assistant headwomen before Jaireth fully spreads his wings.
A'son casts N'thei a look, Shanlee is a cast a look. And finally he looks down at Amerie and offers her a hand. He doesn't however, seem to be particularly excited to be doing so. "Alright, on up." That's a close to a greeting as he comes. Whenever she's all up there, he'll check her straps before turning back around to check his own.
Getting to the tithe train is easy enough, assuming no one botches the coordinates and disappears on the way. Wyaeth leads the V first over the Reaches, then a gruff signal to transfer *between*. At the heights, the air is downright bitter and the wind makes it no better when the formation veers fast toward the open road at the front of the tithe train.
As the dragons draw nearer, the stamp of hooves and a worried neigh cut through the night. The creak of wagon wheels and the chatter of tired conversation gives way to the sudden realization by the Cromese that they've been routed. By the time the dragons land, a wide-eyed buck-toothed man with an air of importance about him stumbles out the flaps of his tent and, wearing his long underwear and boots, hurries to the head of the train. "What's the meaning of this?!" In no place to make demands maybe, but he sounds distinctly commanding while he peers through the dark at the five riders and two passengers one after another.
Casting a glance back at Milani, "You do know this isn't an outing for a picnic don't you?" Shanlee's comment in response to the girl's overly bright chirpiness for the task at hand as they burst out of *between* on Wyaeth's heels. Slipping down Kaylith's side and helping the teen down next, the Weyrsecond turns an amused look onto the wagonmaster for his attire as she closes the gap while pulling off gloves, "We'd heard tell you'd lost your way. Thought we'd do right by our duty and help to redirect you." Thus giving the man ample opportunity to co-operate.
With Wyaeth put down, N'thei stays mounted long enough to drive home a point; he is on a dragon, and this wagonmaster is not. Even on the ground, he makes a show of sizing up the half-dressed man while leaning against a big bronze shoulder. He may be wearing the bigger knot, but there's clear deference for Shanlee to talk it out with the man.
Jaireth comes out of Between in formation, keeping a slight angle so that B'yan could see the tithe train easily below. He lands smartly on the ground and doesn't even snap his wings in place before B'yan is down on the ground. Like with T'rev, he's at a place to block the tithe train in one direction, nodding a wordless greeting to one of the men staring dumbfoundedly in his direction.
Amerie is in complete contrast to Milani, as per usual - she's had little more than a shrug and a grateful nod for the hand up from A'son - and if the travel's had any effect on her, she's limited it to a shudder once she dismounts and is on firm ground again. Moving aside quickly, she watches the head of the train and any gathering Cromese warily, content to stay out of the way for the time being - though she does quirk a satisfied-looking smile at Shanlee's response to the man.
Nikoth lands neatly on the ground, A'son coming down his neck again. Amerie is hardly given a second look once she's off safely and to the sides. He moves in front of the bronze, his lifemate snaking his head down so that they're on an even level with one another. He looks behind the frazzled man and to the wagons, one hand lifts up on in a wave.
T'rev gets the visual, checks it with his wingmates and they all form up as directed and snap Between sharply. Over the tithe train, they take up the positions N'thei requested. Once all the dragons are down, he too is on the ground and in spite of the low level of light, he make something of a show of his knot, the Telgar white and black a start contrast to Reaches blue.
Atop Kaylith, Milani just sighs and rolls her eyes again. "Of course it's not a flaming picnic, Shan, but you know, not everything has to be approached with a long face," the assistant headwoman asserts. She shuts up for the duration though, sparing the greenrider's ears. Upon arrival, she is quiet and 'serious' and staying in the background, with a businesslike air.
More people file out of their wagons, some calming runners who struggle against their reins, some talking in frightened whispers among themselves while trying to overhear the exchange between their wagonmaster and the riders. There are fourteen wagons on this road and forty-odd people tending them; not one of them has the brass to speak out against the impasse. Except for the man put in charge, who looks worriedly down the line before he steps nearer to Shanlee; "We are by no means lost, greenrider. We set out for Telgar, and Telgar's where we're going!" The words have just left his lips when his attention lights on T'rev, on his knot. His appeal shifts to the young bronzerider-- "Sir, please, we must get down this road if we're going to make it to your Weyr."
Stepping forward a little, leaving Mecaith on guard, T'rev steps forward as he's addressed and gives the wagonmaster a polite nod. "Telgar's duties t'Crom. Beggin' your pardon, but I gotta say, y'seem lost t'me. The Reaches're your right destination, man, y'ain't expected down Telgar-way. Y'been steered wrong." He's got on a wry, 'what can you do' expression, honest sympathy for the tithe-master's plight, but a certain firmness about the fact that, yeah, they're headed the wrong way.
Milani's response earns her as patient a look, although with a slight eyeroll, as Shanlee can manage but she leaves it at that. Business first. Lifting a fine brow at the wagonmaster's response, a tight smirk plays about the Weyrsecond's mouth, "Oh really," flat, "Heading for Telgar deliberately are you?" falling silent as a pointed look to direct the man's attention once again skips across Wyaeth, Nikoth, Jaireth, Mecaith and the Telgari contingent. Then turning to T'rev cold amusement hovering, "He says he's coming to you? Amusing chap isn't he?" Back to the wagonmaster, "I believe you have ample room here between our dragons, to get this train turned around and heading back in the -right- direction, aye? Not your fault. Just following orders I'm sure. But we're here to tell you, you have new ones now."
Amid the rustling, amid the rising wave of talk from the Cromese, a messenger on foot slips out of the group, slides down a game-trail at the edge of the road. In a matter of minutes, he'll be out of sight on his way to let his Lord know the doings on the road.
B'yan and Jaireth keeps their position, the former staring the wagons down with seemingly singleminded interest. It's only on the few closest to him before he looks back at the few men now looking his way, his expession unreadable. No words come from the Wingleader - no greetings or waves - and his study remains heavily on the wagons and the people.
Amerie makes her way over to Milani, still trying to stay in the background as well - though she has a quick look back to A'son and a glance around at the situation before she notes quietly to the other assistant headwoman, "Maybe not the best idea." You think? With a wrinkle of her nose, she looks back to the discussion between riders and Cromese, dark eyes narrowed a touch. Her gaze sweeps the gathered crowd carefully, adding, "I can't see them giving much of an argument."
A'son remains like the rest of the other riders, arms crossed over his chest and silent. There's only an upward lift of his eyebrows for the explanation given by the Cromese man.
Big eyes for Amerie from Milani and a murmured: "Mmm noooo, but it is kind of nice to see the turnabout being fair play and all." Millie's gaze lingers on the long wagon train as if she's mentally tallying what they've got. "It's a good tithe too, much needed," she finally assesses and shoots a look on up towards where the riders are taking care of things.
N'thei beckons wordlessly to the pair of girls, one hand open toward them and fingers briefly flicked in a follow-me gesture. With Shanlee ably "negotiating" matters, he picks out the most matronly of the wide-eyed women at the fringe of the wagons, the one with the most worried and businesslike look on her face. Deferential but certain, "Begging your pardon, madam, but those girls will need an inventory from you. Not to impugn the honor of your wagonmaster, but we'd like to be sure /everything/ arrives at the Reaches."
The wagonmaster looks flatly ridiculous while he pulls on his thinning hair and paces in his long underwear, distraught at T'rev's lack of reason. "I can't just-- don't you understand? When Lord Crom tells you to see this tithe to Telgar, you don't just turn it around and go to High Reaches!" Shanlee's new orders only make matters worse, and he bravely marches right up to the greenrider amid the line of dragons; "We will continue down this road, madam, so you'll just have to move your dragons and let us pass!" It's a last-ditch bravado and he knows it as much as they do; not a single skittering animal is going anywhere near dragons without being whipped-to-death first.
Shanlee tries one last time, lifting her chin as the wagonmaster steps right up to her, "Look. Perhaps you hadn't heard. An accord has been reached between the Weyrs and -this- tithe, is ours," affording him benefit of the doubt, "I'd also ask you to take a good look around you at those riders and their dragons. My Telgari counterpart here, shows Telgar's support of this too. Are you sure you want to do this? Place a resistance over something that is not yours personally? Are the marks you're being paid to transport the goods worth a skirmish?" her tone reasoning and held level as she tries appeal to the man's common sense for his own sake, even offering a charming flash of smile to him although it holds a distinctly cold edge of warning to it
From mental tallying... Amerie's more interested in the people than the tithe itself, but when Millie mentions it, she cuts a glance to the wagons proper, with a slight smirk. "One benefit of catching it heading in the other direction?" she asks lightly, even as she's quick to spot N'thei and start forward, with one of her more bored and businesslike expressions in place. "It won't take long," she assures the woman as politely as she can manage. And as if it's a done deal - which it is, in the end - she glances back to Milani and her clipboard, and starts for the back of train.
T'rev quietly shadows the wagonmaster over to Shanlee and offers a sympathetic smile to the man even while he nods along agreement with Shanlee. "Yep. M'afraid you got the wrong directions, sir. Y'need t'be headin' Reaches way with this, an' you got my word that we'll help you get there without trouble, yeah?" His eyes slide sidelong to Shanlee briefly, a little smirk for her own coldly charming smile showing up on his face. Clearly, the young man is duly impressed by Reaches' Weyrsecond. "We're just all tryin' t'do the right thing here," he adds on. "There's been agreements made and they gotta be seen to."
The woman wrings her hands, pulls on her disheveled braid, and looks at the two women less than half her age like they're more dangerous than all the dragons put together. "Oh my, girls, I don't even know where to begin." She lies badly while a woman who looks very much like her daughter peeks out of a covered tent briefly, then makes haste to tie the flaps closed. Nothing to see here!
B'yan continues his study - more on the wagons than its inhabitants now - and continues to look very much like a dragonrider. He seems to follow the exchange of conversation easily from where he stands, with a sudden mark piece between fingers and starting its dance on one hand. Over, down, out -- it goes, a rhythm that doesn't seem to break.
N'thei is gesturing and Milani hops to energetically even, clipboard and pencil at the ready. In contrast to Amerie's boredom, she has a sweet smile on her face for the stunned looking woman. "Oh I'm sure that can't be! Someone so clearly capable and knowledgeable," patters Millie brightly, "I'm sure you know /exactly/ where we need to begin or you wouldn't be here at all!" Flutter, flutter, butter, butter. She even reaches out to hook the woman's arm gently with hers. "Won't you show me all the wonderful things that you've so kindly been taking care of?" Beam.
Wiping his palm across his brow, a cold sweat in the dark while he peers at the glowing dragon eyes, while he looks back at the people and the wagons under his charge, the wagonmaster sighs long and loud. "This won't change things, you all should know. This tithe /may/ go to High Reaches, but the next and the next? You all going to show up and take over every train?" A deferential man very likely the wagonmaster's son hovers to one side, awaiting the orders that come without ceremony. "--We'll camp here tonight. In the morning, we turn toward High Reaches." To be met by a general outcry of dismay from the Cromese; we do /what/?!
N'thei's found the muscle in the group of holders. The girls are getting inventory, Shanlee and T'rev are being diplomats, so he shades toward a few thug-looking gents at the side of one of the wagons, shaking his head soundlessly to dispel their treasonous mutterings; not so far away, Wyaeth's talons glint gunmetal gray in the wan light.
Shanlee offers the man a mildly approving nod, "You've lost no profit on this deal in turning it around. Any extra provisions you might need to make the trip back will be afforded you and yours. I'll see to that personally," stepping back as the wagonmaster tells of his decision to the rest of the train, "Good man." A flicker of a smile goes his way, "Come, allow me to introduce you to those that ride with me," moving toward the others now as her flask appears once again, "Share a drink with us." Speaking as she moves, "I am greenrider Shanlee, Weyrsecond at High Reaches," a hand indicating the brownrider, "This is F'rint, my colleague..." and so it goes. Those that wish to remain anonymous need only show as much with a light shake of head.
The matron looks dazedly down at Milani, her hand pressed to her cheek. "Well I don't even know where to begin! The manifest-- I mean, there is no manifest, you see. And even if there was one I'd hardly know where to find it!" At which point a bright-faced girl eager to help pops out of the recently lashed wagon and proclaims happily, "Right here, mama!"
"Telgar will not accept any tithes from Crom," T'rev adds mildly to Shanlee's words. "By accord 'tween th'Weyrs, Crom looks to the Reaches, only stuff we'll be allowin' in, is from th'minehold, see?" The Telgari bronzerider's tone continues light, but decisive. "So even if th'next n' the next keep a'comin' our way, it'll all just get turned back at Telgar and that's a hell of a long time on th'road for y'all and double the money for travel expenses, which don't make a whole lotta sense." He nods as the Reaches greenrider passes around the goodwill of the flask and tosses his own introduction into the ring, then clasps his hands loosely behind his back, tagging along as Shanlee and the wagonmaster make the rounds.
Apparently somewhat versed in the way Cromese tithe trains are put together, Amerie's snagged the clipboard somewhere along the way, and left bubbly Milani to distraction while she starts lifting up flaps as she likes, peering beneath them and making notes. As the manifest appears, she flicks Millie a dark look and gives a snort in the eager girl's direction. "You're giving that to a genius, you know. I'd hope it's accurate." Making a note ominously, the tall girl lifts herself up onto a railing, peering at some boxes with interest.
"Ma'am, I would rather not give the idea that we're friendly." The wagonmaster sounds just sorry enough to avoid being rude in response. The man who is his son skitters off in a rush to start battening down the wagons for the night, to pass along the news to anyone who may not have gotten the gist. "If it's all the same," continues the 'master in a heavy and defeated voice. "I'd like to put my people to bed for the night and see where we stand in the morning." --When there's been time for that messenger that slipped off to make it back to Crom, undoubtedly!
Shanlee shrugs easily, "As you wish. I'll leave you to your people and preparations then," her steps having halted her near Jaireth now, "But like the Telgari said," turning to nod at T'rev behind her, "This is the way of things now. No use getting...lost, on the trail again," the smile sly for the wagonmaster. Her part, the talking bit done, the Weyrsecond takes to sipping from her flask and offering it to any others that may wish to join her. N'thei and the two assistant headwoman watched with idle interest as they tally up the contents, her comment to B'yan musing, "Reckon they got anything interesting in there?"
Milani doesn't protest the removal of the clipboard, just giving Amerie a nod as she makes off with it. "Oh, you have such /helpful/ assistants!" Millie enthuses and steps forward to take that manifest firmly from the daughter with another beaming smile. "You're all so /very/ kind to help out and she's flipping through the pages already, eyeing the columns with an expert eye and a smirk for the tag of 'genius' from Amerie. She moves along the wagons then, murmuring a note or two to Amerie and does her best big-eyed flirting with Sonny Boy there to keep him from battening down one of the wagons before she's checked it. All the while, she keeps a firm hold on that manifest, not letting anyone take it back.
N'thei, from the sidelines, sends an inquisitive look after the two girls going over the inventory, a look whose intent is clear; wrapping it up soon? This followed by a toss of his head indicates he'll be up there, with the dragons and stuff, and that's exactly where he heads. Flatly businesslike, he addresses Shanlee and B'yan at once; "F'rint will keep watch tonight. B'yan can relieve him at dawn. Work up a duty roster for who can be posted to the road until the train makes it to the Reaches, Shanlee."
With the negotiations seeming to be under way, B'yan hasn't much moved from his spot. His eyes remain lingering on the wagons as he sift the mark piece between his fingers as Shanlee approaches. To her question there's a lazy shrug before he turns his attention on her. "Nothing of interest, I'm sure," comes a rather vague statement musingly. "Other than coal and what-have-yous, right?" He catches the order from N'thei easily then, sealing off whatever else he was going to add and just sending him an inclined head in agreement.
No one's trying to steal anything out from under the prying eyes of Amerie and Milani, only a lot of surly looks while they peer at the contents. "Just you quit pawing through our things, girlies! You have the manifest, and I keep my books like I keep my beds-- perfectly tidy." The once-matronly woman turns waspish in an instant while she watches the two of them question her manifest, a big humph for the uppity teenagers.
The approach of N'thei is met silently by Shanlee, just a nod and an, "Aye, Sir," for drawing up a roster, then sweetly, "Shall I put your name in for the last leg of the journey?" Before she turns away to get busy on that task, B'yan is afforded a small smirk, "One's man rubbish, is another man's treasure," wink, and she's off.
Amerie doesn't quite look /done/ at the glance from N'thei, but she gets the idea; nodding at the last of the notes from Milie, she hops down from her latest perch ably, handing over the notes to the other girl again. Giving the various manifest-and-inventory people a haughty glare, she looks about to say something to the waspish woman - and visibly struggles with the desire before pushing it down, offering a dazzling smile, and starting off. "Are you fine with all that, Milani?"
T'rev looks up and over at N'thei at his orders to Shanlee and nods once, briskly. "I'll report back to Telgar, sir, and let them know that the tithe is safely in Reaches' hands. If any further support of the agreement is needed, just say th'word. Be happy to be put into the rotation if need be." And the younger bronzerider retreats then, back along the line towards the other Telgari. Since no one else in the tithe train seems to be making a break for it, he starts to give out orders to form up again, preparatory to heading back to Telgar.
The wagonmaster gives T'rev&co. one last betrayed look before he busies himself with the preparations for turning an entire tithe train around at the drop of a hat.
Milani takes all the notes and the manifest and puts them together, unfazed by the waspishness on display she just smiles at the woman and nods. "It's a good manifest, very helpful, everything seems to be in order, Weyrleader, sir, this will be filed back at the Reaches and checked when the tithe arrives." See, she can be business-like too. Really. Just all smiley and stuff while she does it. "All good Amerie," she assures her counterpart and starts to walk briskly back towards the Reaches dragons.
"Oh, you'll go in the rotation? That'll help enforce things somewhat," Shanlee offers the departing T'rev a chuckle and adds his name to a growing list. Raising the hand with stylus in farewell, "Clear skies, Telgar," and goes back to scratchings and scribblings once again before mounting her own dragon and looking set to leave.
Snorting at Shanlee's comment, B'yan finally straightens up to slip the mark away and turns for his dragon. He passes the wagons long last look, the people an even longer one, and the Wingleader is mounting up and checking his straps for departure.
N'thei never does get around to answering Shanlee about his place in the rotation, kind of glances at her dubiously but leaves it at that. "We'd best leave these people to their rest, as the man says. Milani--" She takes the words right out of his mouth, right there with the manifest before he can even ask about it. Impressive. "Shanlee, lead back to the Reaches?" While all set to mount again himself.
T'rev shoots a little look over his shoulder at Shanlee and winks before he tosses off a jaunty salute. "Yes ma'am." And there's a last charming grin from the 'Second before he's dealing with stuff. The Telgari mount up, reform on Mecaith's wing and with a last salute N'thei's way, T'rev has the riders from the other Weyr lift off, hover and blink out for home.
As she approaches the dragons, Amerie gives B'yan a nod and Shanlee a flash of a smile before glancing back to make sure Milani's still coming along unimpeded - and then she is and already presenting the paperwork. Faster than expected. With a blink, she folds her arms, giving one last look at the tithe train making camp before they're all set to head out.
The snort from B'yan is met with a chuckle. A light frown follows N'thei's request for her to lead them back, but with a nod of head in acquiesence she's soon lifting her hand in the signal for all to rise in a similar formation as they arrived, bar the Telgari of course. This after ensuring Milani is safely up behind her first and flashing a half-smile down to Amerie with a wink to go with it.
"All set Shan!" Milani reassures the Weyrsecond and she gives one last look around too, completely with a beaming grin for N'thei, looking /far/ too pleased with the entire proceedings.
With the signal given, and Amerie's nod returned neutrally, B'yan leads Jaireth into the sky once he's back in formation and hovering in wait to go Between.
Wyaeth leaves his place in the formation-- not so peculiar a thing for anyone who's ever had the misfortune of flying 'fall with him. This must have been planned in some way though, for Kaylith takes the lead of the V. The command to return to the Reaches comes from the green, but it's really only Jaireth and Kaylith and their passengers that head back to the Weyr. Nikoth returns to Ista, and Wyaeth? He and N'thei are off doing god-knows-what, something that doesn't involve coming back to High Reaches any time tonight. Kaylith drops altitude to the bowl to let Milani off.