Fort's Firstday Party (Part 3)
RL Date: 3/29/09
IC Date: 5/1/19
T'rev ambles out of the crowd after a little while, approaching the dance floor, hands in pockets to watch. The wingleader pauses on the way over to greet an acquaintance, lingering with the greenrider, nodding and laughing once, before moving on.
"Ohh mmm ahh," D'kai answers slowly, which of course is no real answer at all, but he agreeably accepts Sulisah's touch with a widening of his grin down at her, and he pats with his free hand at the back of her own. "Worth a shot, isn't it?" Except then she's offering a drink and, almost regretfully, he swishes his mug at her, still quite full, and says, "I try to make it a point of personal pride not to drink anything unnatural-coloured. Though I'm sure it's /delicious/." Not a drop of dishonesty in his voice. Only. You know. Manly man, pink drink.
Phara nods to R'uen before she goes. "I will," she tells him and then goes off to jump her plate and bowl. The brightly colored drink is carried with her as she winds through the crowd to find herself a quieter corner to drink and observe.
Kaida frowns slightly, glancing over her shoulder to see what's set Kwei to grumbling. Of course, to her, the party and it's pairings all seem innocent enough. And at his next words, she completely misunderstands, "Hey! You were really good up there. Don't let a little accident with a drink ruin that." She smiles encouragingly. "Oh, I never get hangovers," she replies blithely to Jaeyi. Because getting a hangover requires drinking enough to actually get one. "Oh, thanks!" This said as she happily hands her drink across to the Baker. "Sorry to abandon you... maybe you'll find T'rev around somewhere? He certianly seemed interest in that dance you promised him." A cheery wink, and she'll let Kwei drag her off to the dancefloor.
And so it is that Ysar makes her way to the drinks table, choosing something light for the Weyrwoman, returning it to set it in front of Cirse with a smile. "I've been assured this is light and pleasant on the palate. The bartender called it a White Wine Spritzer." With the first part of her task completed, she offers the Weyrleaders another polite nod. "If you've need of anything, just let me know," she tells them both, then takes her leave to accomplish the second part of her task. She snags a drudge to help her, selecting meatrolls, roast wherry, bread, cheeses and a few other delectable tidbits for the Apprentice Harper and his companions. Lighter drinks are chosen---a pitcher of juice, some excellent wine, even cool, refreshing water. Beckoning to the drudge, she heads over to Kwei. When she gets there, Kwei is being dragged off to dance. "The Weyrwoman sent this over for you all," Ysar explains, directing the drudge to set the tray on a nearby table. "Please enjoy yourselves."
There's a quiet scraping of feet as Xelemir wanders into the beach, having followed the sounds of people talking in the distance and the lights it tends to attrack people like moths. And well, his curiosity got the better of him. His head tilts sightly to the side as he nears the edges of the party, a little grin pulling at his lips, "Man, I should have come over this way earlier with all the chaos that was going on here!" There's quiet laughter as Xelemir makes his way to the crowd of people.
As R'uen sits, Cirse crosses her legs at the knee, the divided skirt draping neatly to her ankles. Searching for an answer, she looks after the bluerider, but when her dark gaze lingers it's on the apprentice weaver and her companions rather than Phara herself. "I do wish I knew. It's been said she can be touchy, and I have attempted to be polite. If you find out, R'uen, please tell me. In the meantime," and here her eyes laugh back at him, "Cirse the Mighty? Really."
"Always." Sulisah replies with a smile, though it's only a second later she sticks her tongue out at him, "It's perfectly natural. You're not scared are you?" She wiggles the glass again, "Even the weyrleader has one so it can't be all that dangerous. Promise."
Jaeyi tells the empty space where Kaida had been, "Neither do I." But she's not exactly guzzling her drink, for all that she now looks the alcoholic part with a drink in either hand. That's about when Ysar makes her way over with still more drinks, prompting a bright little laugh to report, "I think I've got plenty, but thanks."
Aha. Jaeyi over there, as Kaida gets led away and T'rev swings by, grin at the fore. "Need help with those?" he asks the baker, nodding to the drinks, expression merry.
Kwei takes Kaida's hand and leads her off to dance, a wave going to Ysar at her approach. "Save them for me." He calls back to the assistant weyrwoman before he turns his attention back to Kaida and a nice energetic set piece to get the night moving nicely on the dancing front. "It was quite scary up there I must say, it's not often an apprentice gets to do a solo piece, especially a ballad like that one, but I didn't hear any booing so that's a good sign." He tells her with a laugh.
"Sure. Touchy." R'uen's total lack of emphasis makes it a pretty empty agreement, but he doesn't fight the statement either. "She's been having a hard time, I think. Dunno." Phara's business gets shrug. "And yes. Cirse the Mighty. You were in terrible want of a heroic moniker and now you have one. How's it feel?" That boyish grin is on his face again.
D'kai stares very intently at that drink, as though it was going to spring at him like its namesake, before slowly accepting it from Sulisah. "For /you/," he says with a distinct air of mistrust of the drink in hand, "I'll /try/ it. Except that means I'm stuck double-fisting!" He sloshes ale and then snakebite in her direction, and he mutters, laughingly sotto-voice with his characteristic lopsided grin, "You trying to get everyone to think I'm a lush?"
Ysar laughs at Jaeyi's comment, nodding her understanding. "No, I'd say you're set with drinks," she says. "Just let Kwei know the food is there, and the Weyrwoman is concerned about his condition in the morning." Having never been drunk herself, she's not too certain why the concern, but ... hers is not to question, and all that. "I hope you're enjoying yourself," is added, and then she's turning away, her job completed. "Have a great evening."
"No, they're both mine. I'm not exactly a cheap date," Jaeyi answers while she holds the second drink toward T'rev, welcoming his return without even a glimmer of what-a-pleasant-surprise to find he's made his way back around. "Do people routinely just wander up and wish you a great evening around here?" she inquires in an undertone, letting Ysar wander off with a nice little beam for the woman's cheer-and-food routine.
Sulisah manages to not laugh for approximated 0.5 of a second, then the giggles spill out. "Faranth forbid I should make anyone think anything of you." she wiggles a hand towards his ale mug, "You can have this one back one you finish the other one. Maybe. If you're good."
Phara catches Deke as she wanders by and snorts. "You /are/ a lush, she doesn't need help proving it." Just for the benefit of the double-drinking bronzerider.
Energetic set pieces are Kaida's cup of klah, and she definitely knows her steps. And while it can be difficult to dance and talk at the same time, she'll manage it, somehow. Likely breathless and grinning. "But it's brilliant that you got chosen for the performance. Shows that your teachers must have confidence in your abilities, and you've certainly got the talent to warrant it, Kwei."
T'rev accepts the glass from Jaeyi with a little brow-lift. "I'll keep that in mind, goin' forward," the bronzerider says and examines the contents of the glass briefly before having a sip. He leans in a little to catch that undertone and shrugs. "That's Ysar, she's one of the headwoman's assistants. Probably tryin' to make sure folks're happy. Though y'know, I bet she don't have to serve or anything," he tells the baker and tilts his drink her way, apparently intending to clink glasses. "Here's t'good drinks though, and hopefully, even better dancin'."
Kwei is starting to feel more like his usual self by the time that first dance comes to an end, if he keeps up this pace for a bit longer he's likely to sweat that pink thing out of him. "I do my best and you'll need to try an awful lot harder than that if you want me to blush with praise." He says with a cheeky smile, the dancing certainly cheering him up.
D'kai makes an exaggerated face of dismay in Phara's direction as she passes by with her comment; quickly enough afterwards he's nudging his mug of ale in Sulisah's direction, although he will gaze at it for a long wistful moment. "Thank you," he adds with a mock-prim lift of his chin to the bluerider, "For pointing that out to my attention." And he demurely lifts his drink to his lips to sip at it in the least lushy way he can manage. "Oh!" The exclamation comes after a first taste, along with another grin rounding on Su. "It /is/ good! What's in it?" Nevermind it's pink.
Jaeyi waits until after T'rev has a sip to inform, "That's Kaida's drink, by the way." She tips the edge of her glass to the edge of his, tries another very small sip that she seems to regret by the look on her face, which she busily chases away with a leading tilt of her head. Toward the dance floor, shall we head that way?
No, Ysar's work is actually finished for the day, though she doesn't mind lending a hand here and there when needed. It's what she does, and she doesn't mind it. She wanders through the crowd, stopping to chat with people she knows, play-dancing with one of the little girls she knows, and generally enjoying herself. Mostly, she just walks, or sits down at a table alone. Not much of a social flutterby.\eful that R'uen might say otherwise. "It does not feel like me, yet. Perhaps that means that you should practice it, at meetings," this with another of the could-be-joking smiles. Except! Then, Cirse the Mighty spots a disturbance off to the side: a table bumped by someone's hip, swaying like it's about to tip. Not that she sees to it herself, that's why they have people: a passing laundry-worker whom she quickly co-opts to do the actual work of lifting, who in turn calls to wandering Xelemir there for a hand, and then to Ysar to rescue them both and tell them what they should do with the pie that got beans all over the top.
T'rev laughs a little at the information given about the glass in his hand. "Well then, guess I'll just have t'get her another later," the bronzerider replies, nods for that little head-tilt. "Just need a safe spot for this," he lifts the glass in his hand.
Kaida's perfectly happy to stay out on the dance floor for as long as she and Kwei have legs to dance. Or until someone decides to change the tempo to something slower, at which point she'll skedaddle. "Pfah, I know better than to try to make a Harper blush. At least, not without proper information gathering first," is teased back.
Sulisah's grin falters a little as Phara appears, but brightens again at D'kai's exclamation, "Ah see now that would be telling. Just ask Harry if you want another." poor Harry, so overworked today. "I'll catch you later for a dance? I should really get back to the others." She waits just long enough for a yes or no and then wanders off, mug still in hand.
Jaeyi, with innocently round eyes; "What? Not just passing it along to the next sucker in line?" Hers... hers she sloshes onto the ground, leaving a vaguely pink stain that absorbs quickly into the gravel and then dangles the empty glass upside down from two fingers. "Safe spot," she echoes with a tiny bit of derision for his dilemma, ditching her empty glass on the very edge of a table she passes while she turns her back on T'rev, leaving him to solve the problem of his drink/Kaida's drink on his own while she cuts a path to the dancefloor. Expecting he'll follow, of course.
"Ah no. Probably not. We'll save the shop-talk for morning," R'uen agrees, or well, disappoints. "And now, actually, I have been handing out dance promises all evening and it's time I start paying up. And if you're good..." He narrows his dark eyes at Cirse, like she isn't good all the time, the proper thing that she is. "I'll save one for you." He sets his rather oddly colored beverage on the table. "By the way, don't drink this. I have no idea what's in it." And with that he's off to disappear into the crowd.
Phara shrugs at D'kai. What? He had it coming. But she's passing, yep, passing them all by and heading away to the perimeter of the gathering.
Both of T'rev's brows lift and he considers his drink for a moment. In his case, down the hatch and the glass set down next to Jaeyi's. He'll owe Kaida big time, later. For now, he winds his way through other bystanders and then moving targets, to reach for the baker's hand and claim that dance.
Xelemir's head cants to the side after hearing his name, catching sight of the wobbling table. Quickly crossing the floor, a hand reaches out to stop the wobbling before it has time to fall to the ground. "Well, that was close." He murmurs half to himself, catching sight of Ysar. "Oh, hello! I didn't see you there, mind if I have a seat? It's certainly lively here isn't it? It's a good thing it's not like this every day or we'd see no end of work!"
D'kai groans and makes an unsuccessful pass for his ale before Sulisah makes her exit. "Wouldn't've asked if I didn't want to know," he adds with a chuckle, but waves the vinter off with a casual agreement for that dance -- naturally! But he does raise his voice to call after, mournfully for the loss of his /real/ drink, "... You better drink it before it gets cold!" Phara? She gets a nod, but she's heading in the opposite direction and Deke himself ambles back towards the more crowded clusters of people.
"A wise man does pay his debts," Cirse murmurs before R'uen goes, taking care to look particularly proper with her straight back and lifetime supply of composure. She takes the opportunity to sit for a little while, and sip her own drink, gaze roaming the crowd as Xelemir in fact does help get that table squared away and Flint flits off after the baker.
Kwei is happy to use up a lot of energy in dancing, it's something he enjoys doing and he does it with enthusiasm and skill. "It does work sometimes, but not if you're just pushing random buttons and hoping that you hit the right target." He replies to Kaida with a wink. They keep dancing until such time as a slower number comes on, at which point he dips a deep bow to her. "I think that's our cue to skedadle back to our drinks, or a fresh one in my case." He grins as he leads her off the dance floor.
When her table is bumped, Ysar is startled into attention. She'd been half-way daydreaming as she watched the dancers, her foot and fingers tapping to the rhythm of the music. The beans that spilled are quickly wiped up with a napkin, fortunately before harming her dress. "Oh, no problem," Ysar says, smiling. "Certainly, have a seat if you wish." She cants her head to the side. "May I assume by that comment, you work in the laundry?" Ysar inquires politely. "I'm Ysar, by the way. Assistant Headwoman. We've probably passed in the tunnels, I'm sure, but please forgive me if I don't know your name."
Sulisah has lost all her friends to the dancefloor, so it's time to head for a seat and drink that ale she... acquired.
A dance that's as easily claimed as the hand, Jaeyi only too easy... to draw into the steps. "So," with her hand laid across T'rev's shoulder, fingertips just above his collar-- skin, not fabric. The interest in small-talk is nil, but she moves her hand just enough to tug the embroidery and recall the earlier tidbit about where the man's attire originated. "True what they say about traders and bronzeriders?"
Laughing delightedly, Kaida dips a curtsey just as deep back to Kwei. "Thank you for that," she says, and will companionably link arms with him if he allows it. "I enjoy a good bit of friendly teasing, but don't really care to embarrass people just for the sake of it. Seems a bit mean, to push 'em to that extent. Shall we just head straight for the beverages? I think I'd like something a bit less potent than that pink think Su passed us."
After making sure the table isn't about to fall over, after all, it wouldn't be very good if beans and soup spilled all over the place, and certainly if it was on someone, Xelemir helps himself to a seat. A smile is flashed at Yser, "Laundry...? I do a little helping about everywhere, but I mostly help in the kitchens, I like to cook. But I don't mind helping out with odd stuff every now and then." Shoulders lift in a indifferent shrug, "Oh, right, I'm Xelemir. I moved here not too long ago. So it wouldn't be surprising if you haven't met me yet. I'm still going around and getting myself settled."
As she looks around the crowd, all at once Cirse sits up straighter if that's possible, and then quickly unfolds her legs and stands. Off she sails after a poor passing handyman, her drink still in hand, thought bubbles of possible shop talk practically floating above her head. Dancing... she might get around to, later.
Kwei does indeed allow his arm to be snagged for the walk back to the table. "I'm sure I heard Ysar putting food and some juice down for us, courtesy of the weyrwoman." He tells her. "That's probably the best place to start." He says with a smile, "After that I have a few more dances to honour." One they're back he snags some of the juice and after a quick sip to make sure it is actually just juice he takes a good drink to help recover from the dancing.
D'kai does another round or two, nursing his refreshment in hand although every so often he'll lift it to his eye with some trepidation. His next lap includes a stop by an old Flint wingrider; a weyrling who's likely to be heading back to his lifemate soon; and finally, he'll linger a moment at the edge of the dance floor before -- ha! surprise! -- he turns on Sulisah seated behind him and with a swift but less-than-graceful motion attempts to swap out his half-drunk snakebite for his (former) ale.
The music's gone slower in the space of time between when T'rev snagged Kaida's drink without realizing it and getting onto the dancefloor. One hand curls around Jaeyi's fingers, the other drops properly to her waist as the bronzerider moves through the steps. "Depends on what you've heard," T'rev answers, smile just a hint wicked around the edges.
For a moment, Ysar looks a little dismayed, but then her expression clears. "Sorry, I was thinking about all the laundry that's going to need to be done after the party," she apologizes. "I oversee the laundry as part of my duties as assistant, you see," she explains. "But, I know the kitchen staff was furiously busy today." She smiles again, nodding. "Welcome to Fort Weyr, then, Xelemir. If there's anything I can do to help you get settled, let me know." There's a warmth in her voice making the words not seem like an automatic "form response."
Kaida arches her eyebrows, "Courtesy of the Weyrwoman, really? Guess you made a better impression with your singing than you thought." She wisely waits until Kwei's tested the juice before helping herself to a full glass and a large draught. Settling into a seat, she fans herself with one hand as she watches the couples still remaining on the 'floor for the slower set. And that's where she'll stay for a time, passively watching until the band sees fit to up the tempo again. Then, assuming Kwei hasn't already wandered off to honour the remains of his dance card, she'll part company with the Harper and seek different partners of her own.
Sulisah squeaks, there's really no other description for it. Arm moves quickly out of the way, almost straight out behind her in the end, and there's a certain amount of scrambling so that she can get to her feet. "You were supposed to be being good."
Xelemir leans back idly in his seat, wrapping his arms behind his head in a makeshift pillow. A foot idly taps at the ground as he half-listens to the music. Head canting towards Ysar once again as she speaks, "Oh, no problem! If you want, I'd be more than happy to help with the laundry after. I'm a little exhausted from all the cooking, but I like helping out with things." Shoulders lift in indifference, watching the people go about thier business. "Oh, no worries, I'm quite settled. It just took me a while to get in the swing of things, it's not like I had a lot to unpack or anything."
Jaeyi pitches forward onto her toes enough to put her lips on a level with T'rev's ear, where her voice drops below the level of the conveniently slower music. She mutters to T'rev, "... a... brace... for a big disappointment.... it. Brace... for... how they put..." Drops back to the flat of her feet and pretends she's distracted with smoothing down the collar she took the effort to ruffle. "Care to disprove the myth?"
"That a girl better brace herself for a big disappointment. --No, that's not it. Brace herself for a /small/ disappointment, that's how they put it."
"No, you don't have to help with the laundry," Ysar assures the young man. "We have it covered. This is a party, and you're supposed to be having fun after you finish your work shift." She's insistent about this. "Everyone should have fun at the party they helped put on. It's one of the rules, you see." It's obviously a joke, from her expression and tone of voice. "Seriously, though, relax and enjoy yourself. It is a party, after all. Eat, drink, be merry."
D'kai certainly was being good! Only he really wanted his ale back, that's all. With a tip of his mug in Sulisah's direction and certain cast of satisfaction to his features he draws deeply from it, and winks at the vinter. "I can only be good for so long. Plus your little creation was much too potent for me." He offers it back to her, though, happily. "But don't let me interfere with your sit-down!"
Kwei drinks the juice down and takes a seat for a few moments to catch his breath and have a bite to eat, with some more juice as he scans the crowd for his next dance partner. Eventually though his gaze settles on Ysar and he smiles, murmuring to himself, "Time to make sure she has some fun and doesn't keep working through this." He gets to his feet and wanders over in time to catch her last few words. "Some advice I think you need to take yourself at times." He bows before speaking to the young man with her. "May I interrupt and steal this fair maiden away for a single dance?" Note that Ysar isn't getting an option in this.
Sulisah does the only mature thing left to do under the circumstances - she sticks her tongue out at D'kai. "Well that's you off my dance list."
T'rev isn't so much taller than Jaeyi that bending his head down to catch that murmured remark is a hardship. What she says though, draws a slow smile onto his face, even as the music dictates a twirl of one's partner. The bronzerider aims to make that spin happen, and it's not until after he's drawn her back in that he answers. "Be delighted t'try," is the answer, his eyes twinkling merrily, plainly amused by the question.
"You sure? I suppose, I don't really mind. Though it /is/ nice to sit down!" Xelemir laughs lightly, a grin pulling at his lips as he considers the people dancing on the floor. "I'm just happy to sit here and watch, besides, I have two left feet. I'd end up stepping on people's toes if I tried to dance and people'd have sore feet, and that's never any fun." He grins in amusement, a hand waving dismissively in the air. "Do you want anything? I might go grab something to eat real quick."
Ysar laughs lightly at Xelemir's joke about his left feet. "No, mine are quite sore enough from standing around all day," she tells him. "This is the first chance I've had to sit down for any length of time, so I'm happy to watch. I might dance a little later on, if anyone asks me, but I somehow doubt anyone's gonna ask me." She shrugs a little, settling back in her chair. "Something to drink might be nice," she asys when he offers. "I've heard tell of a strange, pink drink around, and that it's supposed to be /very/ strong. None of that, please. I'm not a drinker."
D'kai answers in kind; real mature, sure. But whether or not she means it, when the time comes for a dance the bronzerider will drag her to the floor anyway if she'll yield to his particular brand of charm, before Deke's called away to tend to a dragonet and weyrling all wound up from the excitement of day.
Jaeyi, spun, returned, cranes her neck a little on they way out and back. "I had a feeling you'd be willing to give it a whirl," she answers with a cheerful sense of satisfiaction. She's not so tremendously light on her feet that she's a particularly elegant dance partner, but there's enough vibrancy in her posture to work in her favor. "I had an eye for that tall drink of water, but not so much as a glance my way," with a tragic finale. "What's his name?"
By contrast, T'rev is quite light on his, and clearly at home with the dance steps and swinging the baker about. He quirks up a little grin and asks: "Bronzerider too? Head of blond curls? That'd be D'kai. He's my wingrider, but helpin' out with the weyrlings just now," he explains. "Charmin' fella," he notes with a wink.
"See? No need to have even more sore feet from a clumsy guy stepping on them." Xelemir chuckles to himself, pulling his arms from the back of his head to fall at his side, "Hey, no problem, this is the first chance I've gotten to sit down all day as well. I'm happy just watching everyone else. But gimme a moment and I'll get you something." And with that, Xel pushes himself to his feet, purposely stalking through the crowd in an attempt to find the serving table in the choas.
Sulisah watches the dancing for a while, then eventually just wanders off.
"Introduce me?" Jaeyi puts her mouth around the name D'kai a few times, eyes tilted upward thoughtfully while she contemplates the sound of it, smiles at whatever decision she makes, and adds in that low-voiced way of hers, "Not right away, of course. --Quite the dancer, T'rev, certainly bodes well."
And suddenly, there's Kwei beside her table, asking for a dance. Ysar's smile kind of fades, replaced by a look of surprise. "Me?" she says, voice near a squeak. "But, I'm really not a very good dancer," she tells the young Harper apprentice. She glances at her table companion, giving a grin. "He doesn't know what he's up against." But she nods, rising, and accepts the offer of a dance. "You sure about this? I'm really clumsy."
Kwei chuckles and nods his head, his eyes sparkling. "Of course I'm sure, you need to have some fun as well, and if that means it's me that drags you up to dance, then so be it." He tells her as he takes her hand and tugs her towards the floor for the slowish number that's playing at the moment. "I'll bring her back at the end of this next dance." He promises Xelemir.
Xelemir pauses as his table companion is suddenly stolen away, leaving the male to grin after, "Break a leg...well, maybe not a leg, but try not to break any toes!" He snickers quietly, shaking his head, "Nah, you two have fun, I'm hungry anyway, it's torture working around food all day when you're hungry." He winks playfully before continuing on his way to food.
"You bet," T'rev replies, unruffled by the fact that Jaeyi just asked for an in with another guy. He just spins the baker again when the music says so and smiles down at her for that low-voiced remark. "Plenty of time," is his own quieter answer. "Do like a good dance," he replies to the compliment. "Traders have all sorts of innerestin' dances."
"If you insist," Ysar says, letting herself be led by the hand. Thankfully, the slowish dance is something Ysar's seen done at parties before, and so she's sort of familiar with the steps. Of course, watching and doing are two different things. It's a good thing Ysar is a fairly quick study, or else Kwei's toes might be history. "On your own toes, so be it," she quips as Kwei takes her out onto the dance floor.
Along the length of T'rev's arm and back, Jaeyi briefly reaches back to cover the hand at her waist with her own, something about it brightening her merry brown eyes before she lays her fingers over the back of his neck again. Intrigued, or playing that way; "Reaaallly now. I'm a quick study, care to impart a few of them?" Stupidly long black lashes flutter hopefully-- blatantly.
Kwei grins as he leads her out by the hand, he tugs her close and places his other hand on her waist taking his time to lead her slowly through the dance so he doesn't actually get his feet crushed. "I'll take the risk I think." He tells her with a grin, before he lowers his voice to ask her something.
T'rev's fingers tighten fractionally beneath Jaeyi's and draws her just a little bit nearer than is strictly polite. "Mmhm, ain't nothin' quite like a trader dance," the bronzerider claims and this time when he spins her out, the return has an added twist to it, leaving the baker facing outward, T'rev's arm crossing over in front, joined hands held down down near her hip just below where his other hand still braces her waist. He murmurs something down near her ear then, flexes his wrist to swing her back out into the proper position.
Ah-hah, food is found. After securing a plate, Xelemir makes his way back the way he came, pausing for a moment or two to watch the dancers. Amusement flickers in the young man's eyes, snickering quietly to himself before finding his seat once again, and plopping down.
Sunset's past and the light is fading around the dancefloor that's been set up near long food and drink tables along the lake's shore. Torches are being lit as darkness falls and the harpers are playing a slower piece just now. Several couples sway on the dancefloor, including T'rev and Jaeyi, Ysar and Kwei, while other folks linger around tables and drinks, or cluster to speak.
You sense T'rev murmurs down near Jaeyi's ear, breath a tickle along skin: "If we're goin' to do some of those dances, best to be someplace other'n here."
The dance goes as well as can be expected. She stumbles a few times, her attention more on the whispered conversation than the steps of the dance. At least she's laughing at herself, and her clumsiness. "I'm so sorry!" she exclaims to Kwei. "Your feet are going to be black and blue by the time we're though." A wince. "You have my full permission to stamp my foot after this dance is through."
Kwei continues to lead Ysar through the slow dance, murmuring quietly to her at times throughout. He seems rather relieved by the end of it, whether it's because of the whispered conversation or the fact his feet are still mostly intact, who knows. "I may ask T'rev, but probably afterwards." He tells her with a laugh, "I'm sure it won't be needed, I'll leave your feet alone, I've tortured you enough I'm sure." As the song comes to an end, he plants a light kiss on her cheek, "Thank you so much." He beams at her as he dips a bow to her.
Someone new has appeared in the seat next to Xelemir, and that someone is Rhodya. The weyrling is wearing her knot (because she's required to do so) even though it doesn't go very well with her sunny, sleek yellow dress. She has her hands folded on the table and is looking around politely, clearly looking for something to do, so when Xelemir arrives she gives him a smile and a bright "Hello!"
/Trader/ dance, and there's Jaeyi with a long sigh when she comes back around to loop her arms around T'rev's neck, speaking of not strictly polite. "I knew this baker bit wasn't all it was cracked up to be," she confesses, oh-so-disappointed that her walk of life does not include indecent dance steps. But at least it involves a lotta pie~! Quiet answer, quiet answer.
Jaeyi, absolutely unrepentant about her eagerness, "Oh, we could have left before you went off to dance with the weaver. Really." Brow quirked questioningly, "I'm not even sure why we're still here at all."
"The way to some men's hearts is said t'be through their stomachs," T'rev replies with mock-gravity, both hands curling in the small of the baker's back. He's reaching back a moment later though to unhook Jaeyi's hands from around his neck, draws one of them up to brush a kiss to her knuckles, then without another word, draws her off the dancefloor through the crowd and out into the dark beyond the torches.
Ysar's cheeks instantly flush at Kwei's light kiss. "You're welcome," she says, smiling shyly at the Harper apprentice as he returns her to her table. "Though I should be thanking you for putting up with me. I keep meaning to take lessons, but I never seem to have the time. Maybe I'll make more of an effort in future." When she reaches the table, it's to see another person seated there with Xelemir. "Hello," she says to the girl, smiling as Kwei releases her, and turning to Kwei. "I don't think you need to worry. Have a good time on your date. Somehow I don't think T'rev will even notice anything," she says, nodding toward the bronzerider and his companion.
Xelemir cants his head towards a audible plop as the seat that had been empty prior is now occupied. A quick peek and then the teen is smiling warmly, a hand idly lifting up to wiggle a greeting. "Hello! I didn't even see you walk up!" He laughs loudly, a hand idly rubbing at the back of his head, nodding to the dancers. "I was watching them." A quick look at the knot on her shoulders, "Oh, a weyrling? I wasn't here for the hatching, so congrats." And then Kwei is dropping off his table companion again. "Enjoy yourself? Hope you didn't break too many of his toes." Xel teases playfully. "You did pretty good out there, I think, better than I would have done."
Kwei escorts her back to the table, the perfect gentleman. "You've got the basics okay so it's just refinement that's needed, then you can learn some other dances." He tells her with a smile. Glancing back at the mention of T'rev. "Yeah I think the healers may need to invent a new procedure to separate that pair, either that or a bucket of water would do the trick just as well." He tells her with a laugh. "I shouldn't say things like that mind you, one of these days it's going to get me in a lot of trouble. For now though," He bows to the table, "I need to move on and pick up my next and last dance partner of the night." He winks at Ysar and then slips off into the crowd to find that lucky girl.
"I just snuck in," Rhodya confesses, glancing out at the far periphery of the dance floor. There's a not-so-little brown dragon hovering over there, dutifully keeping his distance yet clearly entranced by the show. "Hope I didn't scare ya, turning up out of the blue." She smiles at Xelemir, then extends her greeting to Ysar, though there's a moment of hesitation now as her gaze flicks from him to her. "Hello," she answers. "Hope I didn't steal your seat. I don't mind finding another one, if I did."
True, and "If I was after men's /hearts/, I'm sure that would cheer me right up." He may not have another word on the matter, but Jaeyi did not spend all morning up to her elbows in flour and butter to miss out on the fruits of her labors. Hold that thought, tiger, says the one finger she raises. Tapping a frequenter at the dessert table on his beefy shoulder, she offers him a smile that'd convince a man to yank out his own teeth with his bare fingers, let alone step a little to one side. "Thank you. I'm going to be in dire need of sustenance before the day's done," she informs, picking expert fingers through what's left of carefully concocted pastries.
T'rev laughs by way of answer. "Can't really go wrong I think, with bein' able to make good things to eat," the bronzerider notes. Oh hey. Words after all. Thoughts: holding.
Ysar laughs at Kwei's parting remarks, then turns to the table. "No, no," she assures Rhodya, pulling a chair from another table over and sitting down. "I'm only going to be here for another few minutes, really. I promised a friend I'd help her get the littles to bed. They're hyped up on sugar after all the pastries they ate." She laughs, fanning herself with a hand. "I'm Ysar," she tells the other girl.
"Oh, no, not at all, no bother. I don't mind the company, I'm just sitting here and enjoying the show. Not often I get to come these sorts of things, you know?" Xelemir offers a warm smile in responce, wrapping his arms over his wast in a light fashion as he listens to the music and watches the couples dance with faint amusement." And as Ysar grabs a seat, "See? No problem at all, help yourself to the table all you like. After all, it's another person to talk to! I'm Xelemir by the way, I moved here not too long ago."
Rhodya grins, cheerful again now that she's found a warm reception. "Rhodya," she answers to both of them. "Guess I should add now, that I'm brown Gedroth's. That one." She points, this time, at the distant dragonet, who's got his neck and front paws stretched out as far as they can go, bringing him as close as possible to the dancers. "So what do y'all do? And where'd ya come from, anyway, that you don't get out to parties often?" she adds to Xelemir with a wink.
Contrary to what she was saying hours ago while hovering protectively over the pastries, Jaeyi looks down at the plate of delectables with a touch of pride to inform, "Actually, I had a hand in all of them." She turns the plate to display the spread, tilting it to catch that ever-so-poetic evening sun in T'rev's line of sight before she draws it back down, possessively. "My roommate will not look the other way." As in, she's not inviting him back to her place, oldest excuse in the book.
"A hand, hmm," T'rev answers Jaeyi, grinning and dutifully admires the plate. "Goin' to hang onto that all throught the ride up?" he asks her, which is perhaps also an answer on the roommate issue.
After a few minutes of sitting, Ysar gets reluctantly to her feet. "I'm sorry, but I see one of the nannies waving at me," she says, nodding toward a young woman at the edge of the party. "I'd best be heading out. It was a pleasure to meet both of you," she tells them. "I hope you both have a great time at the party." She nods, smiles and waves. Moving away, she meets up with the young nanny, then they both head inside the caverns.
Xelemir smiles as he notes the name, "Rhodya, huh? Well met!" And then the brown gets a look over his shoulder, "Gedroth? How old is he? He doesn't look like a hatchling." Xel's not an expert on dragons, after all, a hand idly reaching up to scratch at the side of his head. "Well, I do a lotta odd things, help with laundry, sweep, clean...but I like to cook." Xel says quite proudly, "It's fun mixing things together to see what sort of tastes they make. I used to cook for my dad all the time back home." Shoulders lift indifferently, "Um, I'm from outside of the weyr, from a little cothold. We had parties, but nothing like /this/! This is huge! I've never seen so many people in one place before. It's kind of exciting."
Jaeyi hadn't thought about that, slides her eyes to one side, narrows them, drags her lower lip between her teeth for a second. It's too many pastries to just scarf, and they're too pretty to brutalize like that, and Pern hasn't got tupperware, so... Plucky; "I'll manage. Never been on a dragon, mind, but I've got a knack for riding." Subtle? Who?
"Just means a little juggling," T'rev says with a chuckle an offers Jaeyi his arm. "Mecaith's a smooth flyer, shouldn't be a problem," he tells her and it's his turn to tilt his head meaningfully now as a bronze dragon moves a little closer, but on the edge of things, his hide sandy in hue.
A man wearing a bluerider's knot ducks out of the crowd and stops at Rhodya and Xelemir's table, sliding a plate full of goodies in front of the weyrling. "Saw somebody I want to talk to," he explains, then disappears before anyone can comment. Rhodya shoots a bemused look at his back, then explains to Xelemir, "Didn't want to get stuck in the crowd by the food tables. Gedroth may not look a baby, but believe me, he is. He decides he's hungry and I'd better get there or he's crashing the buffet." Then, remembering something, she shoots him an apologetic smile. "Not really. Don't want to give you the wrong impression of dragons, you not having grown up with 'em. You gettin' on okay with the weyr life and all?" She snatches a bite of her dinner.
After a few days at the Weyr, Jaeyi's over being awestruck by dragons. She's not on a first-name basis with any just yet, and she plucks a little at T'rev's sleeve while she eyes the bronze, eyes the wall of the bowl, takes a steady breath. "Reassuring. How do you get up there?" Bearing a plate of dessert especially.
"Easiest way will be for you to climb on up first, let me hold those, then I'll pass 'em back up. Coverin' it over with a cloth'd be good, just in case one or two try t'hop off the plate," he notes humorously. "And if y'mean up Mecaith's side, straps," the bronzerider points out. "Grab onto one, pull yourself up. Or y'know, I can always lift you," he adds with a wink.
There's a sideways glance at the brown dragon for a moment as Rhodya makes mention of him, "He'd really do that?" Xelemir asks, his attention quickly returning to the weyrling curiously. "We worked hard making that food after all, I wouldn't be surprised if he wanted to try it..." A hand idly rubs at the back of his head in thought. "Huh? Oh, I'm a pretty-easy going guy, but they are really interesting to watch. I'll have to admit, I find them facinating. A few dragonriders visit our hold every now and then, so we do see them, just..." He trails off, eyes searching the rims of the crowd at all the glowing eyes. "I've never seen so many! I'm adjusting pretty well, I just have to take a moment to step back sometimes so my head'll stop spinning."
Holding the plate out on one hand, pushing it toward the bronzerider, Jaeyi suggests, "I'll try the straps, you go find something to cover those with." Bravely, resolutely, she sets to accomplish this task with an apologetic smile to the bronze-- like her particular weight is going to cause him distress. Not graceful, not at all.
Rhodya glances at her brown, and he flexes his talons, so there's some kind of conversation going on there... but Gedroth doesn't look away from the dancers for a moment of it. "No, he wouldn't," she says, sounding firm on this. "I was just funnin' ya. I mean, I might slip him a thing or two after the party, but he knows he ain't allowed near the group. Of people." She swirls her hand to indicate said group. "What'd you come for the weyr for, then?" she asks with a smile. "Just the excitement or...? I take it you're a cook."
T'rev takes the plate gamely and winds up cornering one of the cooks to steal the towel off her waistband with a charming smile and a one-word explanation: "Jaeyi". Mecaith, thankfully is a very patient and zen fellow and he's helpful too: hunkering down like that so it's easier on Jaeyi to get up on his back. T'rev returns a few moments later and looks up along his dragon's side. "Here, I'll pass these up," he tells the baker, and aims to keep the plate level as he does so.
Xelemir considers the brown dragon again, mostly out of satisfying his own curiosity before returning to the conversation at hand, waiting politely until the weyrling speaks once more. "I was going to say...I think he'd have a hard time getting to the table with all the people around." Xel murmurs half to himself, "Well, it's just my dad and me back home, and I usually helped him with chores and all that." Shoulders lift in a idle shrug, "I just thought I'd come here and see if I could find a actual job instead of just flailing around back at home. Besides, it's a little too quiet for my tastes back home."
It's a plate of food. Treated like it's the holy grail. The cook, who will probably try to suffocate Jaeyi at some point tomorrow in retribution, watches from across the shore while the baker collects the plate delicately, a lot less concerned with how much of a view she's revealing while leaning over like that than she is about one of those pastries landing in the dirt. "It really seems like someone would have rethought this aspect of the dragonrider lifestyle," she comments drolly down at T'rev.
"They did down south in some places," T'rev claims as he grabs a strap and climbs up behing the apprentice baker, reaches around to clip the safety straps on. "They've got cottages around the Weyr instead of ledges up in a cliff," he explains further. "Hold on tight to that plate for when he takes off," he adds about the baked goods, "and then again for landin'."
Rhodya chuckles, but she makes a grotesque face. "He'd find a way. He does." She picks up the mysterious fruity drink that her friend brought her, takes a sniff of it, then shrugs before downing a drink. "Flailin' around's not so good," she agrees. "My Papa came from a cothold, said it bored him out of his mind. He went the apprenticin' route, works as a tanner now over at Igen Weyr." She looks wistful for a moment, but as per usual with her, quickly dissolves it with a smile so sunny it rivals her dress. "I've only lived in weyrs myself, but I'm still gonna go out on a limb and say it's the best kind of place to live at. Folks are friendly and there's always something to do, so you can't really go wrong."
"Cottages. How..." The word she's looking for is provincial, but Jaeyi's a baker, not a harper, and her summary eludes her. Mind on the plate, and perhaps a little on scooting back against T'rev granted, she doesn't have to think so much about the whole o m g she could fall to her death aspects of flying.
Xelemir tilts his head half to himself, "Well, if you want to go grab him something, I wouldn't mind." Xel says, waving a hand in the direction of the brown, "After all, if I was hungry, I wouldn't enjoy waiting for my food, either. Shards, I've been in the kitchens all day helping out, and let me tell you, it's not fun when your stomach is reminding you that you're hungry." He laughs quietly. "I'm a little old to start apprenticing now, so I figure I'd just help out with odd jobs here and there, maybe just stay in the kitchen. I do enjoy cooking, it's fun experimenting with things and seeing how well they work together, I think." A smile pulls at the edges of his lips, "Oh, I quite agree from what I've seen so far. It's definitely exciting around here, with all the things to see and people to meet. I don't think I'll be bored for a while. If you don't mind me asking, what were you before you were picked out for candidacy?"
"Cute?" T'rev offers with his own less-than-harperesque vocabulary and though he's got her safely strapped in, winds an arm around Jaeyi's waist in answer to the scooting back move on her part. Mecaith straightens up and takes a few steps away from the immediate area where his wings won't knock into anyone else before he spreads them out wide. "Takin' off," T'rev murmurs to his companion and then the bronze is bunching and leaping and off into the sky with a few beats of broad wings.
Not spot-on, but Jaeyi remembers, "Quaint!" And she announces it hurriedly at the same moment the ground falls out from beneath her. White knuckles really don't go with her cavalier demeanor, but she tries for lightly when she says over the sweep of wings and rush of wind, "I think I prefer dragons better when I'm not on them."
"Nah," Rhodya says, waving away the suggestion with a hand. "Gedroth can wait. I don't really want to remind him that he has a stomach." With a wink, she moves back to her own dinner, picking up a fork and a knife so she can dig in. From the looks of things, she's the one who's starving, not her dragon. "I don't mind at all, ain't nothin' intrusive in that, even. I was a leatherworker. See, my Papa taught me to work leather, but I didn't want to apprentice either - in my case, it was not wanting to deal with certain parts of the craft - so I just did it on my own. Nothing wrong with doin' that either, gives you a little flexibility." She taps the knot on her shoulder. "'Course now that I have him, I'm stuck." Not that she sounds or looks unhappy about that.
"Quaint," is echoed with a nod from T'rev as Mecaith leaves the party and torchlight behind, skimming up through twilight skies for his ledge. "Should try some real flyin' sometime, see if you still feel that way. It can be mighty excitin'," the bronzerider claims. Shortly Mecaith's shape disappears into the dimming light, just a shadow landing on his ledge up on the bowl wall as the pair slip away from the festivities.
Xelemir nods his head as he listens, picking at a bit of fruit that's on his own plate, listening to the idle murmurings of the crowd as they go about their own business. "Leatherworker?" Xel echos, "I'm not sure that's something that I would want to do. But I hear you on the apprenticing, and I can kinda see where you're coming from. If you apprentice, you have to do what they want you to do, so you can't really do anything you want to do. I mean, it's the same thing in the kitchens, but every so often, but if you make something good, then everyone's making it." A little grin, however he does look at the brown. "Nothing wrong with being stuck! If anything, it just gives you more opportunities, more freedom. And I think having a dragon is more than worth it. How much longer till you guys graduate anyway?"
IC Date: 5/1/19
T'rev ambles out of the crowd after a little while, approaching the dance floor, hands in pockets to watch. The wingleader pauses on the way over to greet an acquaintance, lingering with the greenrider, nodding and laughing once, before moving on.
"Ohh mmm ahh," D'kai answers slowly, which of course is no real answer at all, but he agreeably accepts Sulisah's touch with a widening of his grin down at her, and he pats with his free hand at the back of her own. "Worth a shot, isn't it?" Except then she's offering a drink and, almost regretfully, he swishes his mug at her, still quite full, and says, "I try to make it a point of personal pride not to drink anything unnatural-coloured. Though I'm sure it's /delicious/." Not a drop of dishonesty in his voice. Only. You know. Manly man, pink drink.
Phara nods to R'uen before she goes. "I will," she tells him and then goes off to jump her plate and bowl. The brightly colored drink is carried with her as she winds through the crowd to find herself a quieter corner to drink and observe.
Kaida frowns slightly, glancing over her shoulder to see what's set Kwei to grumbling. Of course, to her, the party and it's pairings all seem innocent enough. And at his next words, she completely misunderstands, "Hey! You were really good up there. Don't let a little accident with a drink ruin that." She smiles encouragingly. "Oh, I never get hangovers," she replies blithely to Jaeyi. Because getting a hangover requires drinking enough to actually get one. "Oh, thanks!" This said as she happily hands her drink across to the Baker. "Sorry to abandon you... maybe you'll find T'rev around somewhere? He certianly seemed interest in that dance you promised him." A cheery wink, and she'll let Kwei drag her off to the dancefloor.
And so it is that Ysar makes her way to the drinks table, choosing something light for the Weyrwoman, returning it to set it in front of Cirse with a smile. "I've been assured this is light and pleasant on the palate. The bartender called it a White Wine Spritzer." With the first part of her task completed, she offers the Weyrleaders another polite nod. "If you've need of anything, just let me know," she tells them both, then takes her leave to accomplish the second part of her task. She snags a drudge to help her, selecting meatrolls, roast wherry, bread, cheeses and a few other delectable tidbits for the Apprentice Harper and his companions. Lighter drinks are chosen---a pitcher of juice, some excellent wine, even cool, refreshing water. Beckoning to the drudge, she heads over to Kwei. When she gets there, Kwei is being dragged off to dance. "The Weyrwoman sent this over for you all," Ysar explains, directing the drudge to set the tray on a nearby table. "Please enjoy yourselves."
There's a quiet scraping of feet as Xelemir wanders into the beach, having followed the sounds of people talking in the distance and the lights it tends to attrack people like moths. And well, his curiosity got the better of him. His head tilts sightly to the side as he nears the edges of the party, a little grin pulling at his lips, "Man, I should have come over this way earlier with all the chaos that was going on here!" There's quiet laughter as Xelemir makes his way to the crowd of people.
As R'uen sits, Cirse crosses her legs at the knee, the divided skirt draping neatly to her ankles. Searching for an answer, she looks after the bluerider, but when her dark gaze lingers it's on the apprentice weaver and her companions rather than Phara herself. "I do wish I knew. It's been said she can be touchy, and I have attempted to be polite. If you find out, R'uen, please tell me. In the meantime," and here her eyes laugh back at him, "Cirse the Mighty? Really."
"Always." Sulisah replies with a smile, though it's only a second later she sticks her tongue out at him, "It's perfectly natural. You're not scared are you?" She wiggles the glass again, "Even the weyrleader has one so it can't be all that dangerous. Promise."
Jaeyi tells the empty space where Kaida had been, "Neither do I." But she's not exactly guzzling her drink, for all that she now looks the alcoholic part with a drink in either hand. That's about when Ysar makes her way over with still more drinks, prompting a bright little laugh to report, "I think I've got plenty, but thanks."
Aha. Jaeyi over there, as Kaida gets led away and T'rev swings by, grin at the fore. "Need help with those?" he asks the baker, nodding to the drinks, expression merry.
Kwei takes Kaida's hand and leads her off to dance, a wave going to Ysar at her approach. "Save them for me." He calls back to the assistant weyrwoman before he turns his attention back to Kaida and a nice energetic set piece to get the night moving nicely on the dancing front. "It was quite scary up there I must say, it's not often an apprentice gets to do a solo piece, especially a ballad like that one, but I didn't hear any booing so that's a good sign." He tells her with a laugh.
"Sure. Touchy." R'uen's total lack of emphasis makes it a pretty empty agreement, but he doesn't fight the statement either. "She's been having a hard time, I think. Dunno." Phara's business gets shrug. "And yes. Cirse the Mighty. You were in terrible want of a heroic moniker and now you have one. How's it feel?" That boyish grin is on his face again.
D'kai stares very intently at that drink, as though it was going to spring at him like its namesake, before slowly accepting it from Sulisah. "For /you/," he says with a distinct air of mistrust of the drink in hand, "I'll /try/ it. Except that means I'm stuck double-fisting!" He sloshes ale and then snakebite in her direction, and he mutters, laughingly sotto-voice with his characteristic lopsided grin, "You trying to get everyone to think I'm a lush?"
Ysar laughs at Jaeyi's comment, nodding her understanding. "No, I'd say you're set with drinks," she says. "Just let Kwei know the food is there, and the Weyrwoman is concerned about his condition in the morning." Having never been drunk herself, she's not too certain why the concern, but ... hers is not to question, and all that. "I hope you're enjoying yourself," is added, and then she's turning away, her job completed. "Have a great evening."
"No, they're both mine. I'm not exactly a cheap date," Jaeyi answers while she holds the second drink toward T'rev, welcoming his return without even a glimmer of what-a-pleasant-surprise to find he's made his way back around. "Do people routinely just wander up and wish you a great evening around here?" she inquires in an undertone, letting Ysar wander off with a nice little beam for the woman's cheer-and-food routine.
Sulisah manages to not laugh for approximated 0.5 of a second, then the giggles spill out. "Faranth forbid I should make anyone think anything of you." she wiggles a hand towards his ale mug, "You can have this one back one you finish the other one. Maybe. If you're good."
Phara catches Deke as she wanders by and snorts. "You /are/ a lush, she doesn't need help proving it." Just for the benefit of the double-drinking bronzerider.
Energetic set pieces are Kaida's cup of klah, and she definitely knows her steps. And while it can be difficult to dance and talk at the same time, she'll manage it, somehow. Likely breathless and grinning. "But it's brilliant that you got chosen for the performance. Shows that your teachers must have confidence in your abilities, and you've certainly got the talent to warrant it, Kwei."
T'rev accepts the glass from Jaeyi with a little brow-lift. "I'll keep that in mind, goin' forward," the bronzerider says and examines the contents of the glass briefly before having a sip. He leans in a little to catch that undertone and shrugs. "That's Ysar, she's one of the headwoman's assistants. Probably tryin' to make sure folks're happy. Though y'know, I bet she don't have to serve or anything," he tells the baker and tilts his drink her way, apparently intending to clink glasses. "Here's t'good drinks though, and hopefully, even better dancin'."
Kwei is starting to feel more like his usual self by the time that first dance comes to an end, if he keeps up this pace for a bit longer he's likely to sweat that pink thing out of him. "I do my best and you'll need to try an awful lot harder than that if you want me to blush with praise." He says with a cheeky smile, the dancing certainly cheering him up.
D'kai makes an exaggerated face of dismay in Phara's direction as she passes by with her comment; quickly enough afterwards he's nudging his mug of ale in Sulisah's direction, although he will gaze at it for a long wistful moment. "Thank you," he adds with a mock-prim lift of his chin to the bluerider, "For pointing that out to my attention." And he demurely lifts his drink to his lips to sip at it in the least lushy way he can manage. "Oh!" The exclamation comes after a first taste, along with another grin rounding on Su. "It /is/ good! What's in it?" Nevermind it's pink.
Jaeyi waits until after T'rev has a sip to inform, "That's Kaida's drink, by the way." She tips the edge of her glass to the edge of his, tries another very small sip that she seems to regret by the look on her face, which she busily chases away with a leading tilt of her head. Toward the dance floor, shall we head that way?
No, Ysar's work is actually finished for the day, though she doesn't mind lending a hand here and there when needed. It's what she does, and she doesn't mind it. She wanders through the crowd, stopping to chat with people she knows, play-dancing with one of the little girls she knows, and generally enjoying herself. Mostly, she just walks, or sits down at a table alone. Not much of a social flutterby.\eful that R'uen might say otherwise. "It does not feel like me, yet. Perhaps that means that you should practice it, at meetings," this with another of the could-be-joking smiles. Except! Then, Cirse the Mighty spots a disturbance off to the side: a table bumped by someone's hip, swaying like it's about to tip. Not that she sees to it herself, that's why they have people: a passing laundry-worker whom she quickly co-opts to do the actual work of lifting, who in turn calls to wandering Xelemir there for a hand, and then to Ysar to rescue them both and tell them what they should do with the pie that got beans all over the top.
T'rev laughs a little at the information given about the glass in his hand. "Well then, guess I'll just have t'get her another later," the bronzerider replies, nods for that little head-tilt. "Just need a safe spot for this," he lifts the glass in his hand.
Kaida's perfectly happy to stay out on the dance floor for as long as she and Kwei have legs to dance. Or until someone decides to change the tempo to something slower, at which point she'll skedaddle. "Pfah, I know better than to try to make a Harper blush. At least, not without proper information gathering first," is teased back.
Sulisah's grin falters a little as Phara appears, but brightens again at D'kai's exclamation, "Ah see now that would be telling. Just ask Harry if you want another." poor Harry, so overworked today. "I'll catch you later for a dance? I should really get back to the others." She waits just long enough for a yes or no and then wanders off, mug still in hand.
Jaeyi, with innocently round eyes; "What? Not just passing it along to the next sucker in line?" Hers... hers she sloshes onto the ground, leaving a vaguely pink stain that absorbs quickly into the gravel and then dangles the empty glass upside down from two fingers. "Safe spot," she echoes with a tiny bit of derision for his dilemma, ditching her empty glass on the very edge of a table she passes while she turns her back on T'rev, leaving him to solve the problem of his drink/Kaida's drink on his own while she cuts a path to the dancefloor. Expecting he'll follow, of course.
"Ah no. Probably not. We'll save the shop-talk for morning," R'uen agrees, or well, disappoints. "And now, actually, I have been handing out dance promises all evening and it's time I start paying up. And if you're good..." He narrows his dark eyes at Cirse, like she isn't good all the time, the proper thing that she is. "I'll save one for you." He sets his rather oddly colored beverage on the table. "By the way, don't drink this. I have no idea what's in it." And with that he's off to disappear into the crowd.
Phara shrugs at D'kai. What? He had it coming. But she's passing, yep, passing them all by and heading away to the perimeter of the gathering.
Both of T'rev's brows lift and he considers his drink for a moment. In his case, down the hatch and the glass set down next to Jaeyi's. He'll owe Kaida big time, later. For now, he winds his way through other bystanders and then moving targets, to reach for the baker's hand and claim that dance.
Xelemir's head cants to the side after hearing his name, catching sight of the wobbling table. Quickly crossing the floor, a hand reaches out to stop the wobbling before it has time to fall to the ground. "Well, that was close." He murmurs half to himself, catching sight of Ysar. "Oh, hello! I didn't see you there, mind if I have a seat? It's certainly lively here isn't it? It's a good thing it's not like this every day or we'd see no end of work!"
D'kai groans and makes an unsuccessful pass for his ale before Sulisah makes her exit. "Wouldn't've asked if I didn't want to know," he adds with a chuckle, but waves the vinter off with a casual agreement for that dance -- naturally! But he does raise his voice to call after, mournfully for the loss of his /real/ drink, "... You better drink it before it gets cold!" Phara? She gets a nod, but she's heading in the opposite direction and Deke himself ambles back towards the more crowded clusters of people.
"A wise man does pay his debts," Cirse murmurs before R'uen goes, taking care to look particularly proper with her straight back and lifetime supply of composure. She takes the opportunity to sit for a little while, and sip her own drink, gaze roaming the crowd as Xelemir in fact does help get that table squared away and Flint flits off after the baker.
Kwei is happy to use up a lot of energy in dancing, it's something he enjoys doing and he does it with enthusiasm and skill. "It does work sometimes, but not if you're just pushing random buttons and hoping that you hit the right target." He replies to Kaida with a wink. They keep dancing until such time as a slower number comes on, at which point he dips a deep bow to her. "I think that's our cue to skedadle back to our drinks, or a fresh one in my case." He grins as he leads her off the dance floor.
When her table is bumped, Ysar is startled into attention. She'd been half-way daydreaming as she watched the dancers, her foot and fingers tapping to the rhythm of the music. The beans that spilled are quickly wiped up with a napkin, fortunately before harming her dress. "Oh, no problem," Ysar says, smiling. "Certainly, have a seat if you wish." She cants her head to the side. "May I assume by that comment, you work in the laundry?" Ysar inquires politely. "I'm Ysar, by the way. Assistant Headwoman. We've probably passed in the tunnels, I'm sure, but please forgive me if I don't know your name."
Sulisah has lost all her friends to the dancefloor, so it's time to head for a seat and drink that ale she... acquired.
A dance that's as easily claimed as the hand, Jaeyi only too easy... to draw into the steps. "So," with her hand laid across T'rev's shoulder, fingertips just above his collar-- skin, not fabric. The interest in small-talk is nil, but she moves her hand just enough to tug the embroidery and recall the earlier tidbit about where the man's attire originated. "True what they say about traders and bronzeriders?"
Laughing delightedly, Kaida dips a curtsey just as deep back to Kwei. "Thank you for that," she says, and will companionably link arms with him if he allows it. "I enjoy a good bit of friendly teasing, but don't really care to embarrass people just for the sake of it. Seems a bit mean, to push 'em to that extent. Shall we just head straight for the beverages? I think I'd like something a bit less potent than that pink think Su passed us."
After making sure the table isn't about to fall over, after all, it wouldn't be very good if beans and soup spilled all over the place, and certainly if it was on someone, Xelemir helps himself to a seat. A smile is flashed at Yser, "Laundry...? I do a little helping about everywhere, but I mostly help in the kitchens, I like to cook. But I don't mind helping out with odd stuff every now and then." Shoulders lift in a indifferent shrug, "Oh, right, I'm Xelemir. I moved here not too long ago. So it wouldn't be surprising if you haven't met me yet. I'm still going around and getting myself settled."
As she looks around the crowd, all at once Cirse sits up straighter if that's possible, and then quickly unfolds her legs and stands. Off she sails after a poor passing handyman, her drink still in hand, thought bubbles of possible shop talk practically floating above her head. Dancing... she might get around to, later.
Kwei does indeed allow his arm to be snagged for the walk back to the table. "I'm sure I heard Ysar putting food and some juice down for us, courtesy of the weyrwoman." He tells her. "That's probably the best place to start." He says with a smile, "After that I have a few more dances to honour." One they're back he snags some of the juice and after a quick sip to make sure it is actually just juice he takes a good drink to help recover from the dancing.
D'kai does another round or two, nursing his refreshment in hand although every so often he'll lift it to his eye with some trepidation. His next lap includes a stop by an old Flint wingrider; a weyrling who's likely to be heading back to his lifemate soon; and finally, he'll linger a moment at the edge of the dance floor before -- ha! surprise! -- he turns on Sulisah seated behind him and with a swift but less-than-graceful motion attempts to swap out his half-drunk snakebite for his (former) ale.
The music's gone slower in the space of time between when T'rev snagged Kaida's drink without realizing it and getting onto the dancefloor. One hand curls around Jaeyi's fingers, the other drops properly to her waist as the bronzerider moves through the steps. "Depends on what you've heard," T'rev answers, smile just a hint wicked around the edges.
For a moment, Ysar looks a little dismayed, but then her expression clears. "Sorry, I was thinking about all the laundry that's going to need to be done after the party," she apologizes. "I oversee the laundry as part of my duties as assistant, you see," she explains. "But, I know the kitchen staff was furiously busy today." She smiles again, nodding. "Welcome to Fort Weyr, then, Xelemir. If there's anything I can do to help you get settled, let me know." There's a warmth in her voice making the words not seem like an automatic "form response."
Kaida arches her eyebrows, "Courtesy of the Weyrwoman, really? Guess you made a better impression with your singing than you thought." She wisely waits until Kwei's tested the juice before helping herself to a full glass and a large draught. Settling into a seat, she fans herself with one hand as she watches the couples still remaining on the 'floor for the slower set. And that's where she'll stay for a time, passively watching until the band sees fit to up the tempo again. Then, assuming Kwei hasn't already wandered off to honour the remains of his dance card, she'll part company with the Harper and seek different partners of her own.
Sulisah squeaks, there's really no other description for it. Arm moves quickly out of the way, almost straight out behind her in the end, and there's a certain amount of scrambling so that she can get to her feet. "You were supposed to be being good."
Xelemir leans back idly in his seat, wrapping his arms behind his head in a makeshift pillow. A foot idly taps at the ground as he half-listens to the music. Head canting towards Ysar once again as she speaks, "Oh, no problem! If you want, I'd be more than happy to help with the laundry after. I'm a little exhausted from all the cooking, but I like helping out with things." Shoulders lift in indifference, watching the people go about thier business. "Oh, no worries, I'm quite settled. It just took me a while to get in the swing of things, it's not like I had a lot to unpack or anything."
Jaeyi pitches forward onto her toes enough to put her lips on a level with T'rev's ear, where her voice drops below the level of the conveniently slower music. She mutters to T'rev, "... a... brace... for a big disappointment.... it. Brace... for... how they put..." Drops back to the flat of her feet and pretends she's distracted with smoothing down the collar she took the effort to ruffle. "Care to disprove the myth?"
"That a girl better brace herself for a big disappointment. --No, that's not it. Brace herself for a /small/ disappointment, that's how they put it."
"No, you don't have to help with the laundry," Ysar assures the young man. "We have it covered. This is a party, and you're supposed to be having fun after you finish your work shift." She's insistent about this. "Everyone should have fun at the party they helped put on. It's one of the rules, you see." It's obviously a joke, from her expression and tone of voice. "Seriously, though, relax and enjoy yourself. It is a party, after all. Eat, drink, be merry."
D'kai certainly was being good! Only he really wanted his ale back, that's all. With a tip of his mug in Sulisah's direction and certain cast of satisfaction to his features he draws deeply from it, and winks at the vinter. "I can only be good for so long. Plus your little creation was much too potent for me." He offers it back to her, though, happily. "But don't let me interfere with your sit-down!"
Kwei drinks the juice down and takes a seat for a few moments to catch his breath and have a bite to eat, with some more juice as he scans the crowd for his next dance partner. Eventually though his gaze settles on Ysar and he smiles, murmuring to himself, "Time to make sure she has some fun and doesn't keep working through this." He gets to his feet and wanders over in time to catch her last few words. "Some advice I think you need to take yourself at times." He bows before speaking to the young man with her. "May I interrupt and steal this fair maiden away for a single dance?" Note that Ysar isn't getting an option in this.
Sulisah does the only mature thing left to do under the circumstances - she sticks her tongue out at D'kai. "Well that's you off my dance list."
T'rev isn't so much taller than Jaeyi that bending his head down to catch that murmured remark is a hardship. What she says though, draws a slow smile onto his face, even as the music dictates a twirl of one's partner. The bronzerider aims to make that spin happen, and it's not until after he's drawn her back in that he answers. "Be delighted t'try," is the answer, his eyes twinkling merrily, plainly amused by the question.
"You sure? I suppose, I don't really mind. Though it /is/ nice to sit down!" Xelemir laughs lightly, a grin pulling at his lips as he considers the people dancing on the floor. "I'm just happy to sit here and watch, besides, I have two left feet. I'd end up stepping on people's toes if I tried to dance and people'd have sore feet, and that's never any fun." He grins in amusement, a hand waving dismissively in the air. "Do you want anything? I might go grab something to eat real quick."
Ysar laughs lightly at Xelemir's joke about his left feet. "No, mine are quite sore enough from standing around all day," she tells him. "This is the first chance I've had to sit down for any length of time, so I'm happy to watch. I might dance a little later on, if anyone asks me, but I somehow doubt anyone's gonna ask me." She shrugs a little, settling back in her chair. "Something to drink might be nice," she asys when he offers. "I've heard tell of a strange, pink drink around, and that it's supposed to be /very/ strong. None of that, please. I'm not a drinker."
D'kai answers in kind; real mature, sure. But whether or not she means it, when the time comes for a dance the bronzerider will drag her to the floor anyway if she'll yield to his particular brand of charm, before Deke's called away to tend to a dragonet and weyrling all wound up from the excitement of day.
Jaeyi, spun, returned, cranes her neck a little on they way out and back. "I had a feeling you'd be willing to give it a whirl," she answers with a cheerful sense of satisfiaction. She's not so tremendously light on her feet that she's a particularly elegant dance partner, but there's enough vibrancy in her posture to work in her favor. "I had an eye for that tall drink of water, but not so much as a glance my way," with a tragic finale. "What's his name?"
By contrast, T'rev is quite light on his, and clearly at home with the dance steps and swinging the baker about. He quirks up a little grin and asks: "Bronzerider too? Head of blond curls? That'd be D'kai. He's my wingrider, but helpin' out with the weyrlings just now," he explains. "Charmin' fella," he notes with a wink.
"See? No need to have even more sore feet from a clumsy guy stepping on them." Xelemir chuckles to himself, pulling his arms from the back of his head to fall at his side, "Hey, no problem, this is the first chance I've gotten to sit down all day as well. I'm happy just watching everyone else. But gimme a moment and I'll get you something." And with that, Xel pushes himself to his feet, purposely stalking through the crowd in an attempt to find the serving table in the choas.
Sulisah watches the dancing for a while, then eventually just wanders off.
"Introduce me?" Jaeyi puts her mouth around the name D'kai a few times, eyes tilted upward thoughtfully while she contemplates the sound of it, smiles at whatever decision she makes, and adds in that low-voiced way of hers, "Not right away, of course. --Quite the dancer, T'rev, certainly bodes well."
And suddenly, there's Kwei beside her table, asking for a dance. Ysar's smile kind of fades, replaced by a look of surprise. "Me?" she says, voice near a squeak. "But, I'm really not a very good dancer," she tells the young Harper apprentice. She glances at her table companion, giving a grin. "He doesn't know what he's up against." But she nods, rising, and accepts the offer of a dance. "You sure about this? I'm really clumsy."
Kwei chuckles and nods his head, his eyes sparkling. "Of course I'm sure, you need to have some fun as well, and if that means it's me that drags you up to dance, then so be it." He tells her as he takes her hand and tugs her towards the floor for the slowish number that's playing at the moment. "I'll bring her back at the end of this next dance." He promises Xelemir.
Xelemir pauses as his table companion is suddenly stolen away, leaving the male to grin after, "Break a leg...well, maybe not a leg, but try not to break any toes!" He snickers quietly, shaking his head, "Nah, you two have fun, I'm hungry anyway, it's torture working around food all day when you're hungry." He winks playfully before continuing on his way to food.
"You bet," T'rev replies, unruffled by the fact that Jaeyi just asked for an in with another guy. He just spins the baker again when the music says so and smiles down at her for that low-voiced remark. "Plenty of time," is his own quieter answer. "Do like a good dance," he replies to the compliment. "Traders have all sorts of innerestin' dances."
"If you insist," Ysar says, letting herself be led by the hand. Thankfully, the slowish dance is something Ysar's seen done at parties before, and so she's sort of familiar with the steps. Of course, watching and doing are two different things. It's a good thing Ysar is a fairly quick study, or else Kwei's toes might be history. "On your own toes, so be it," she quips as Kwei takes her out onto the dance floor.
Along the length of T'rev's arm and back, Jaeyi briefly reaches back to cover the hand at her waist with her own, something about it brightening her merry brown eyes before she lays her fingers over the back of his neck again. Intrigued, or playing that way; "Reaaallly now. I'm a quick study, care to impart a few of them?" Stupidly long black lashes flutter hopefully-- blatantly.
Kwei grins as he leads her out by the hand, he tugs her close and places his other hand on her waist taking his time to lead her slowly through the dance so he doesn't actually get his feet crushed. "I'll take the risk I think." He tells her with a grin, before he lowers his voice to ask her something.
T'rev's fingers tighten fractionally beneath Jaeyi's and draws her just a little bit nearer than is strictly polite. "Mmhm, ain't nothin' quite like a trader dance," the bronzerider claims and this time when he spins her out, the return has an added twist to it, leaving the baker facing outward, T'rev's arm crossing over in front, joined hands held down down near her hip just below where his other hand still braces her waist. He murmurs something down near her ear then, flexes his wrist to swing her back out into the proper position.
Ah-hah, food is found. After securing a plate, Xelemir makes his way back the way he came, pausing for a moment or two to watch the dancers. Amusement flickers in the young man's eyes, snickering quietly to himself before finding his seat once again, and plopping down.
Sunset's past and the light is fading around the dancefloor that's been set up near long food and drink tables along the lake's shore. Torches are being lit as darkness falls and the harpers are playing a slower piece just now. Several couples sway on the dancefloor, including T'rev and Jaeyi, Ysar and Kwei, while other folks linger around tables and drinks, or cluster to speak.
You sense T'rev murmurs down near Jaeyi's ear, breath a tickle along skin: "If we're goin' to do some of those dances, best to be someplace other'n here."
The dance goes as well as can be expected. She stumbles a few times, her attention more on the whispered conversation than the steps of the dance. At least she's laughing at herself, and her clumsiness. "I'm so sorry!" she exclaims to Kwei. "Your feet are going to be black and blue by the time we're though." A wince. "You have my full permission to stamp my foot after this dance is through."
Kwei continues to lead Ysar through the slow dance, murmuring quietly to her at times throughout. He seems rather relieved by the end of it, whether it's because of the whispered conversation or the fact his feet are still mostly intact, who knows. "I may ask T'rev, but probably afterwards." He tells her with a laugh, "I'm sure it won't be needed, I'll leave your feet alone, I've tortured you enough I'm sure." As the song comes to an end, he plants a light kiss on her cheek, "Thank you so much." He beams at her as he dips a bow to her.
Someone new has appeared in the seat next to Xelemir, and that someone is Rhodya. The weyrling is wearing her knot (because she's required to do so) even though it doesn't go very well with her sunny, sleek yellow dress. She has her hands folded on the table and is looking around politely, clearly looking for something to do, so when Xelemir arrives she gives him a smile and a bright "Hello!"
/Trader/ dance, and there's Jaeyi with a long sigh when she comes back around to loop her arms around T'rev's neck, speaking of not strictly polite. "I knew this baker bit wasn't all it was cracked up to be," she confesses, oh-so-disappointed that her walk of life does not include indecent dance steps. But at least it involves a lotta pie~! Quiet answer, quiet answer.
Jaeyi, absolutely unrepentant about her eagerness, "Oh, we could have left before you went off to dance with the weaver. Really." Brow quirked questioningly, "I'm not even sure why we're still here at all."
"The way to some men's hearts is said t'be through their stomachs," T'rev replies with mock-gravity, both hands curling in the small of the baker's back. He's reaching back a moment later though to unhook Jaeyi's hands from around his neck, draws one of them up to brush a kiss to her knuckles, then without another word, draws her off the dancefloor through the crowd and out into the dark beyond the torches.
Ysar's cheeks instantly flush at Kwei's light kiss. "You're welcome," she says, smiling shyly at the Harper apprentice as he returns her to her table. "Though I should be thanking you for putting up with me. I keep meaning to take lessons, but I never seem to have the time. Maybe I'll make more of an effort in future." When she reaches the table, it's to see another person seated there with Xelemir. "Hello," she says to the girl, smiling as Kwei releases her, and turning to Kwei. "I don't think you need to worry. Have a good time on your date. Somehow I don't think T'rev will even notice anything," she says, nodding toward the bronzerider and his companion.
Xelemir cants his head towards a audible plop as the seat that had been empty prior is now occupied. A quick peek and then the teen is smiling warmly, a hand idly lifting up to wiggle a greeting. "Hello! I didn't even see you walk up!" He laughs loudly, a hand idly rubbing at the back of his head, nodding to the dancers. "I was watching them." A quick look at the knot on her shoulders, "Oh, a weyrling? I wasn't here for the hatching, so congrats." And then Kwei is dropping off his table companion again. "Enjoy yourself? Hope you didn't break too many of his toes." Xel teases playfully. "You did pretty good out there, I think, better than I would have done."
Kwei escorts her back to the table, the perfect gentleman. "You've got the basics okay so it's just refinement that's needed, then you can learn some other dances." He tells her with a smile. Glancing back at the mention of T'rev. "Yeah I think the healers may need to invent a new procedure to separate that pair, either that or a bucket of water would do the trick just as well." He tells her with a laugh. "I shouldn't say things like that mind you, one of these days it's going to get me in a lot of trouble. For now though," He bows to the table, "I need to move on and pick up my next and last dance partner of the night." He winks at Ysar and then slips off into the crowd to find that lucky girl.
"I just snuck in," Rhodya confesses, glancing out at the far periphery of the dance floor. There's a not-so-little brown dragon hovering over there, dutifully keeping his distance yet clearly entranced by the show. "Hope I didn't scare ya, turning up out of the blue." She smiles at Xelemir, then extends her greeting to Ysar, though there's a moment of hesitation now as her gaze flicks from him to her. "Hello," she answers. "Hope I didn't steal your seat. I don't mind finding another one, if I did."
True, and "If I was after men's /hearts/, I'm sure that would cheer me right up." He may not have another word on the matter, but Jaeyi did not spend all morning up to her elbows in flour and butter to miss out on the fruits of her labors. Hold that thought, tiger, says the one finger she raises. Tapping a frequenter at the dessert table on his beefy shoulder, she offers him a smile that'd convince a man to yank out his own teeth with his bare fingers, let alone step a little to one side. "Thank you. I'm going to be in dire need of sustenance before the day's done," she informs, picking expert fingers through what's left of carefully concocted pastries.
T'rev laughs by way of answer. "Can't really go wrong I think, with bein' able to make good things to eat," the bronzerider notes. Oh hey. Words after all. Thoughts: holding.
Ysar laughs at Kwei's parting remarks, then turns to the table. "No, no," she assures Rhodya, pulling a chair from another table over and sitting down. "I'm only going to be here for another few minutes, really. I promised a friend I'd help her get the littles to bed. They're hyped up on sugar after all the pastries they ate." She laughs, fanning herself with a hand. "I'm Ysar," she tells the other girl.
"Oh, no, not at all, no bother. I don't mind the company, I'm just sitting here and enjoying the show. Not often I get to come these sorts of things, you know?" Xelemir offers a warm smile in responce, wrapping his arms over his wast in a light fashion as he listens to the music and watches the couples dance with faint amusement." And as Ysar grabs a seat, "See? No problem at all, help yourself to the table all you like. After all, it's another person to talk to! I'm Xelemir by the way, I moved here not too long ago."
Rhodya grins, cheerful again now that she's found a warm reception. "Rhodya," she answers to both of them. "Guess I should add now, that I'm brown Gedroth's. That one." She points, this time, at the distant dragonet, who's got his neck and front paws stretched out as far as they can go, bringing him as close as possible to the dancers. "So what do y'all do? And where'd ya come from, anyway, that you don't get out to parties often?" she adds to Xelemir with a wink.
Contrary to what she was saying hours ago while hovering protectively over the pastries, Jaeyi looks down at the plate of delectables with a touch of pride to inform, "Actually, I had a hand in all of them." She turns the plate to display the spread, tilting it to catch that ever-so-poetic evening sun in T'rev's line of sight before she draws it back down, possessively. "My roommate will not look the other way." As in, she's not inviting him back to her place, oldest excuse in the book.
"A hand, hmm," T'rev answers Jaeyi, grinning and dutifully admires the plate. "Goin' to hang onto that all throught the ride up?" he asks her, which is perhaps also an answer on the roommate issue.
After a few minutes of sitting, Ysar gets reluctantly to her feet. "I'm sorry, but I see one of the nannies waving at me," she says, nodding toward a young woman at the edge of the party. "I'd best be heading out. It was a pleasure to meet both of you," she tells them. "I hope you both have a great time at the party." She nods, smiles and waves. Moving away, she meets up with the young nanny, then they both head inside the caverns.
Xelemir smiles as he notes the name, "Rhodya, huh? Well met!" And then the brown gets a look over his shoulder, "Gedroth? How old is he? He doesn't look like a hatchling." Xel's not an expert on dragons, after all, a hand idly reaching up to scratch at the side of his head. "Well, I do a lotta odd things, help with laundry, sweep, clean...but I like to cook." Xel says quite proudly, "It's fun mixing things together to see what sort of tastes they make. I used to cook for my dad all the time back home." Shoulders lift indifferently, "Um, I'm from outside of the weyr, from a little cothold. We had parties, but nothing like /this/! This is huge! I've never seen so many people in one place before. It's kind of exciting."
Jaeyi hadn't thought about that, slides her eyes to one side, narrows them, drags her lower lip between her teeth for a second. It's too many pastries to just scarf, and they're too pretty to brutalize like that, and Pern hasn't got tupperware, so... Plucky; "I'll manage. Never been on a dragon, mind, but I've got a knack for riding." Subtle? Who?
"Just means a little juggling," T'rev says with a chuckle an offers Jaeyi his arm. "Mecaith's a smooth flyer, shouldn't be a problem," he tells her and it's his turn to tilt his head meaningfully now as a bronze dragon moves a little closer, but on the edge of things, his hide sandy in hue.
A man wearing a bluerider's knot ducks out of the crowd and stops at Rhodya and Xelemir's table, sliding a plate full of goodies in front of the weyrling. "Saw somebody I want to talk to," he explains, then disappears before anyone can comment. Rhodya shoots a bemused look at his back, then explains to Xelemir, "Didn't want to get stuck in the crowd by the food tables. Gedroth may not look a baby, but believe me, he is. He decides he's hungry and I'd better get there or he's crashing the buffet." Then, remembering something, she shoots him an apologetic smile. "Not really. Don't want to give you the wrong impression of dragons, you not having grown up with 'em. You gettin' on okay with the weyr life and all?" She snatches a bite of her dinner.
After a few days at the Weyr, Jaeyi's over being awestruck by dragons. She's not on a first-name basis with any just yet, and she plucks a little at T'rev's sleeve while she eyes the bronze, eyes the wall of the bowl, takes a steady breath. "Reassuring. How do you get up there?" Bearing a plate of dessert especially.
"Easiest way will be for you to climb on up first, let me hold those, then I'll pass 'em back up. Coverin' it over with a cloth'd be good, just in case one or two try t'hop off the plate," he notes humorously. "And if y'mean up Mecaith's side, straps," the bronzerider points out. "Grab onto one, pull yourself up. Or y'know, I can always lift you," he adds with a wink.
There's a sideways glance at the brown dragon for a moment as Rhodya makes mention of him, "He'd really do that?" Xelemir asks, his attention quickly returning to the weyrling curiously. "We worked hard making that food after all, I wouldn't be surprised if he wanted to try it..." A hand idly rubs at the back of his head in thought. "Huh? Oh, I'm a pretty-easy going guy, but they are really interesting to watch. I'll have to admit, I find them facinating. A few dragonriders visit our hold every now and then, so we do see them, just..." He trails off, eyes searching the rims of the crowd at all the glowing eyes. "I've never seen so many! I'm adjusting pretty well, I just have to take a moment to step back sometimes so my head'll stop spinning."
Holding the plate out on one hand, pushing it toward the bronzerider, Jaeyi suggests, "I'll try the straps, you go find something to cover those with." Bravely, resolutely, she sets to accomplish this task with an apologetic smile to the bronze-- like her particular weight is going to cause him distress. Not graceful, not at all.
Rhodya glances at her brown, and he flexes his talons, so there's some kind of conversation going on there... but Gedroth doesn't look away from the dancers for a moment of it. "No, he wouldn't," she says, sounding firm on this. "I was just funnin' ya. I mean, I might slip him a thing or two after the party, but he knows he ain't allowed near the group. Of people." She swirls her hand to indicate said group. "What'd you come for the weyr for, then?" she asks with a smile. "Just the excitement or...? I take it you're a cook."
T'rev takes the plate gamely and winds up cornering one of the cooks to steal the towel off her waistband with a charming smile and a one-word explanation: "Jaeyi". Mecaith, thankfully is a very patient and zen fellow and he's helpful too: hunkering down like that so it's easier on Jaeyi to get up on his back. T'rev returns a few moments later and looks up along his dragon's side. "Here, I'll pass these up," he tells the baker, and aims to keep the plate level as he does so.
Xelemir considers the brown dragon again, mostly out of satisfying his own curiosity before returning to the conversation at hand, waiting politely until the weyrling speaks once more. "I was going to say...I think he'd have a hard time getting to the table with all the people around." Xel murmurs half to himself, "Well, it's just my dad and me back home, and I usually helped him with chores and all that." Shoulders lift in a idle shrug, "I just thought I'd come here and see if I could find a actual job instead of just flailing around back at home. Besides, it's a little too quiet for my tastes back home."
It's a plate of food. Treated like it's the holy grail. The cook, who will probably try to suffocate Jaeyi at some point tomorrow in retribution, watches from across the shore while the baker collects the plate delicately, a lot less concerned with how much of a view she's revealing while leaning over like that than she is about one of those pastries landing in the dirt. "It really seems like someone would have rethought this aspect of the dragonrider lifestyle," she comments drolly down at T'rev.
"They did down south in some places," T'rev claims as he grabs a strap and climbs up behing the apprentice baker, reaches around to clip the safety straps on. "They've got cottages around the Weyr instead of ledges up in a cliff," he explains further. "Hold on tight to that plate for when he takes off," he adds about the baked goods, "and then again for landin'."
Rhodya chuckles, but she makes a grotesque face. "He'd find a way. He does." She picks up the mysterious fruity drink that her friend brought her, takes a sniff of it, then shrugs before downing a drink. "Flailin' around's not so good," she agrees. "My Papa came from a cothold, said it bored him out of his mind. He went the apprenticin' route, works as a tanner now over at Igen Weyr." She looks wistful for a moment, but as per usual with her, quickly dissolves it with a smile so sunny it rivals her dress. "I've only lived in weyrs myself, but I'm still gonna go out on a limb and say it's the best kind of place to live at. Folks are friendly and there's always something to do, so you can't really go wrong."
"Cottages. How..." The word she's looking for is provincial, but Jaeyi's a baker, not a harper, and her summary eludes her. Mind on the plate, and perhaps a little on scooting back against T'rev granted, she doesn't have to think so much about the whole o m g she could fall to her death aspects of flying.
Xelemir tilts his head half to himself, "Well, if you want to go grab him something, I wouldn't mind." Xel says, waving a hand in the direction of the brown, "After all, if I was hungry, I wouldn't enjoy waiting for my food, either. Shards, I've been in the kitchens all day helping out, and let me tell you, it's not fun when your stomach is reminding you that you're hungry." He laughs quietly. "I'm a little old to start apprenticing now, so I figure I'd just help out with odd jobs here and there, maybe just stay in the kitchen. I do enjoy cooking, it's fun experimenting with things and seeing how well they work together, I think." A smile pulls at the edges of his lips, "Oh, I quite agree from what I've seen so far. It's definitely exciting around here, with all the things to see and people to meet. I don't think I'll be bored for a while. If you don't mind me asking, what were you before you were picked out for candidacy?"
"Cute?" T'rev offers with his own less-than-harperesque vocabulary and though he's got her safely strapped in, winds an arm around Jaeyi's waist in answer to the scooting back move on her part. Mecaith straightens up and takes a few steps away from the immediate area where his wings won't knock into anyone else before he spreads them out wide. "Takin' off," T'rev murmurs to his companion and then the bronze is bunching and leaping and off into the sky with a few beats of broad wings.
Not spot-on, but Jaeyi remembers, "Quaint!" And she announces it hurriedly at the same moment the ground falls out from beneath her. White knuckles really don't go with her cavalier demeanor, but she tries for lightly when she says over the sweep of wings and rush of wind, "I think I prefer dragons better when I'm not on them."
"Nah," Rhodya says, waving away the suggestion with a hand. "Gedroth can wait. I don't really want to remind him that he has a stomach." With a wink, she moves back to her own dinner, picking up a fork and a knife so she can dig in. From the looks of things, she's the one who's starving, not her dragon. "I don't mind at all, ain't nothin' intrusive in that, even. I was a leatherworker. See, my Papa taught me to work leather, but I didn't want to apprentice either - in my case, it was not wanting to deal with certain parts of the craft - so I just did it on my own. Nothing wrong with doin' that either, gives you a little flexibility." She taps the knot on her shoulder. "'Course now that I have him, I'm stuck." Not that she sounds or looks unhappy about that.
"Quaint," is echoed with a nod from T'rev as Mecaith leaves the party and torchlight behind, skimming up through twilight skies for his ledge. "Should try some real flyin' sometime, see if you still feel that way. It can be mighty excitin'," the bronzerider claims. Shortly Mecaith's shape disappears into the dimming light, just a shadow landing on his ledge up on the bowl wall as the pair slip away from the festivities.
Xelemir nods his head as he listens, picking at a bit of fruit that's on his own plate, listening to the idle murmurings of the crowd as they go about their own business. "Leatherworker?" Xel echos, "I'm not sure that's something that I would want to do. But I hear you on the apprenticing, and I can kinda see where you're coming from. If you apprentice, you have to do what they want you to do, so you can't really do anything you want to do. I mean, it's the same thing in the kitchens, but every so often, but if you make something good, then everyone's making it." A little grin, however he does look at the brown. "Nothing wrong with being stuck! If anything, it just gives you more opportunities, more freedom. And I think having a dragon is more than worth it. How much longer till you guys graduate anyway?"