Lessons from weyrlings and traders.
RL Date: 4/23/09
IC Date: 7/19/19 --Log theft from T'rev again. Everyone kept their clothes on, for the record.
Southern Bowl, Fort Weyr(#675RJLs$)
There is a little more grass in this section of the bowl than at the center, though this can be attributed to the lake that's not too far off and not to any improvement to the sandy soil. More weyrs can be seen high along the mountain walls to either side, though there are none in the massive earthworks that spill down the southernmost section of the volcanically created valley.
The sandy lake shore is further to the southwest, creating a vast half-crescent that contains the blue-green waters of the lake proper. More to the west would be the feeding grounds that contain the animals designated for being consumed by both dragons and humans alike. Off toward the distant northeast would be the weyrling barracks, the Weyrleader's complex, the hatching complex, living cavern, and infirmary.
T'rev and Y'nolek stand in the Bowl a little ways out from the feeding grounds, where Agrith and Mecaith are currently chowing down. T'rev's hair is damp, sweaty and the wingleader is still dressed for drills though he's pulled his jacket off revealing a short sleeved shirt. It's summer! It's warm out! The pair of bronzeriders seem to be chatting amiably about wing formations. So interesting.
Considering she works in the kitchens, Jaeyi should be forgiven for having a bit of extra color in her cheeks whens he comes out of the caverns, across the bowl, headed generally lakewards. It's as good a place as any to waste time, to eat raisins-- which she's doing while she walks-- even if she never actually makes it that far. Surely, /certain people/ would have plenty to say about the fact that two bronzeriders waylay the baker, but the pair of them draw out a bright smile and an immediate change in trajectory. "Mornin'," from halfway there.
Breaking off from that discussion, T'rev turns slightly at that greeting from Jaeyi and his own smile is bright in return. "Hey Jaeyi. How's things in the kitchen this mornin'?" he asks with a typically appreciative look for the girl, flushed cheeks and all.
Eyelashes, briefly flashed toward the weyrling, precede Jaeyi's turning toward T'rev with the handful of raisins extended in a want-some? way. It's not the most tempting of treats, no, but we can't eat cake all the time. "I've been banished for the day, so you'd have to ask someone else. How's things in the--" Glance around, feeding grounds, wide-open-space. "--bowl this morning?"
One raisin is reached for taken and Jaeyi's claim to having the rest of the day free draws an increase of focus on T'rev's part. "For the day?" he drawls out with a slow grin claiming one side of his mouth. "What happened to cause such a thing?" Laughter follows and he winks at the baker while Y'nolek is distracted with Agrith. "Just off drills, m'self and talkin' shop a little with Nolek here. It's a nice day, thinking a little about how I want to spend the rest of it."
Obvious: "I can think of ways." That go right along with the eating of plump little raisins, which Jaeyi does with a particular relish for a moment. But her supply is relatively short, and she offers the last five or six toward T'rev to leave hands free to dust. "Uhhhhmn, I think it was caused by telling my Journeyman to shove a rolling pin up his ass? But I won't swear to that." Shrug. Prettily. Of course.
Pop into T'rev's mouth goes that first raisin grin widening and crossing his whole face. "You'll have to tell me about that in a little bit," he tells her and takes the half-dozen orphaned raisins, lining them up carefully on his palm. "What, he didn't say thank you?" the bronzerider says with a tsking sound and a little shake of his head, followed by a wink. "So, here you are at loose ends, with a whole day in front of you. Just got done with drills, no sweeps this afternoon, just gonna wash him when he's done eatin'," a nod towards Mecaith.
Jaeyi's fingers wave dismissively-- for the Journeyman's story, not for the things she'll have to tell T'rev about in a little bit. "He should have. He could use a little loosening up. But-- no. He said something about figuring out my priorities." And she has, by stumbling right across two men, even if one of them's off paying attention to his dragon and not her, pooh. "That's a little... gruesome, hmn?" At the mention of done-eatin', she turns to attend the pair of dragons doing their thing, looks sorry she even glanced.
And Mecaith's a tidy eater even! "Shame he ain't then," T'rev says with a laugh about the journeyman. "Maybe in time." Two raisins are chosen, made into bronzerider snacks. "It can be, yeah. During a flight's worse," he says with a little shift of one shoulder. "Mostly y'get used to it when you see it happen enough. But you don't have to look." T'rev reaches over for one of her hands, a light squeeze on offer. "Learned a bunch about beer-makin' the other day, helpin' Su study."
"That would probably be the smart thing to do," comments Jaeyi, a little wryly, while she makes good on the not having to look, turns a step or two toward T'rev instead of blood-and-guts over there. "Did you? New hobby, then?" she suggests, all too easy to coax into holding-hands with her fingers curling into his.
"Comes with the job," T'rev answers and makes the last raisins vanish, fingers happy to join in the finger-curling, his own chasing loosely through hers. "Nah, not yet. Still more in the 'drinkin' the proceeds' mode. Never knew there were so many different kinds of hops.
Enlightenin' I say."
Idly, Jaeyi points out, "It's a little weird that you people stand around and watch, but I guess-- different strokes for different folks." There's a very clear distinction between /those/ folks, rider ones, and /her/ kind of folks, normal ones. "Hops. Wow. Fascinating." Except not. "Is that what... Nigel... is supposed to be, by the way? I'm not clear on that whole situation yet."
"Not really watching, m'self, though it can be good to keep tabs on how much your dragon's eatin'," T'rev explains. "Nolek's keeping an eye out because Agrith's still learning how to do it right," a little thumb jerk towards where the weyrling is. "I guess so, to be honest, I don't quite get it either, still. Even after quizzing Su from this big fat book about beer." His thumb is moving, sliding up the side of her hand. Yes. He's aiming for distracting. "After I get Mec washed, want t'head up north a little way with me? Meet the traders? Might be interested in their food. Or the drinks. Or you know, ogling my hot cousins."
The knee-jerk response would have been no. She can get food here, drinks if she wants them, but-- "Hot cousins?" Jaeyi's smile turns to T'rev promptly for that, and she steps happily toward him, right up alongside him now with a do-tell look fluttering those stupid eyelashes. "Not that I'd /ogle/ so much, but that's intriguing. How far is 'up north a little?'"
Y'nolek is definitely watching Agrith hunt, not staring at Jaeyi's rear end or anything like that, nope. "Hey," he mumbles finally, at a break in the conversation, and flashes a smile at her.
T'rev's hand leaves Jaeyi's then, arm aiming to curl around her waist. "Mmmhm. Darker than I am, most of 'em, but you know. Good looks in the family," he says playfully, grinning down at her. "They've made it down to just above Ruatha. Can go Between or fly long." And there's Nolek stepping back their way again and he looks up, grins. "You missed the raisin's and talk of rolling pins up arses."
"Hi there, Nolek." And, the hand recently released, curls fingers toward the weyrling with one of her more fetching smiles in place to welcome him to the conversation. "We can revisit the rolling-pin conversation if you're really dying to hear it, but--" Jaeyi lowers her voice conspiratorily, but it's not quite as effective when it's not pitched right into the poor kid's ear. "--might be better to skip it." With a serious little nod. "I'll think about it," she concludes to T'rev, which really sounds 'I'm so on board for this.'
"I missed what?" Nolek blinks at T'rev, as Agrith glides over the fence and lands in the bowl proper a short distance away. Nolek watches him land, and then looks back to T'rev and Jaeyi in time to see that arm going around her waist, and his face falls - he looks crushed, and embarrassed, all at the same time. "I, actually, uh," he stammers, already taking a few steps backward. "I... gotta go." And he takes off at a loping run for the weyrling barracks, causing Agrith to lift his head in surprise, and lumber after him at a rapid clip.
"All right then," T'rev says agreeably about Jaeyi's thinking process, lifts his opposite hand, jacket scrunched down along his arm to wave after Y'nolek. "Okay, see you around Y'nolek. Good luck with the next bunch of lessons." Friendly. Definitely.
The same finger-curl greets Agrith, though the smile for the dragon's not quite the same as the ones Jaeyi generally puts together or their riders-- and it's a short-lived expression anyway, since Y'nolek taking off like that pretty much dashes it all to hell. "Ah--" That's as much as she gets out in his wake, blinking, mouth in the shape of a soundless O. As in oh-dammit.
There's a look shot sidelong towards Jaeyi and T'rev leans in close to murmur in her ear: "I guess maybe I shouldn't have gotten quite so cozy?" he asks, though the good-natured humor remains on his face. "Should I keep my hands to myself if we're around him?" A little head tilt in the direction Y'nolek went. Mecaith's onto his second beast already, still chowing down though likely done soon.
Agrith stops moving just outside the weyrling barracks and thrusts his head skyward, bugling loudly, upset about something.
From the oh to a calculating twist to one side, Jaeyi answers instead, "I think it's more that /I/ shouldn't have gotten quite so cozy." Seeing as she leans the rest of the way into T'rev at that, she's probably not talking about with-T'rev-specifically. "Yeah, remember that whole conversation we had about people-who-cling?" The bugling off in the distance doesn't help fix her tweaked expression. "...we should go."
And so with that lean into him, T'rev's arm tightens around Jaeyi and he nods, makes a little face. "Uh oh," he notes quietly and nods. "Yeah. Better ... put some space in between." His gaze flicks over to Mecaith and then nods towards the lake. "Go walk by the lake? Mecaith will come over when he's done and then we can head out once he's gotten cleaned up."
"Or, like, Somewhere Else. But that's a start, sure." Jaeyi, pluck a little dented, turns a very deaf ear toward the barracks. Threading her fingers through T'rev's, it's an unusally brisk pace at which she sets off.
Distracted for a moment, T'rev inhales sharply. "Ah ... yeah. Somewhere else. Would be very, very good." But the lake will do for the short term while Mecaith finishes up his meal. He turns then to keep up with Jaeyi, though he winces now and then, likely as his bronze passes on Agrith's distress.
There are a lot of things Jaeyi hasn't figured out yet about dragons. One of the things she /has/ gotten clear, however, is: "What's he saying?" It's a big lakeshore; they'll just have to make due with the bowl-side, the one that's not otherwise occupied.
On down into the shade of some trees that bend towards the water T'rev goes, looking over his shoulder now and then. "I guess Agrith's still sensitive," he explains. "He was just telling about half the weyr everything that you and Y'nolek either did, or he's thinking about doing with you," the bronzerider continues candidly. "Not that you don't have nice breasts, but the way he sees them, they're a lot bigger," T'rev notes with a wicked gleam in his eyes.
Not that Jaeyi's bashful, but she bends her forehead against T'rev's shoulder and utters an agonized, "Oh fantastic." It's not the most effective thing to do, but she thuds her forehead a few times against that shoulder. "He really seemed okay with it. At the time." Welcome to the world of hindsight, kids!
Comforting, T'rev's arm loops around Jaeyi's shoulders and he lets her thunk her head as much as she wants. "How old is he anyway? Probably hasn't gotten laid yet, s'why," the bronzerider supposes with a look over his shoulder towards the barracks. "Could also just be y'know, the whole strain of Weyrlinghood and everything," he continues sympathetically. "I can talk to him if you like? Or y'know, you want to handle that yourself?" he asks next. "Or ... should I just distract you?" His jacket is tossed vaguely towards the nearest rock and his other hand lifts, aiming for her chin to tip upwards and plant a kiss on the baker.
"I don't know?" Because they weren't exactly talking. "Eighteen? Nineteen? Forty-six? --No no no no, I'll talk to him. I'll figure it out." Jaeyi's not thrilled about the prospect, and little twitches of conscience make her slow to respond to T'rev's best intentions there, especially since her lips are still twisted askew when they hit his. But she doesn't feel so dreadful that she won't kiss him back, so don't let's pity her any further than she deserves.
That kiss when it lands is light. "All right," he agrees when his head lifts. "Though you know, forty-six, might make me wonder about how old you think /I/ am," T'rev says laughingly and looks out across the lake. Mecaith is landing near the shore now, dipping his head into the water to wash up after his meal.
Just to be sure-- "He's not still..." A glance follows Mecaith, just something bronze and glimmery and that's what worries her a little. "Like, going on about it? Right?" And Jaeyi kinda steps into T'rev again in that pressed-close way, the hopeful expression on her face maybe asking him to lie if he still 'going on about it.' As to his age: "You told me already."
"No," T'rev answers simply and shifts his arms to wind both around her, one hand running lightly down her back. "I guess this is just kind of ... a very up front lesson in why weyrlings ain't supposed to fool around," he says with a quiet chuckle. "Baby dragons have a bad habit of being loud about things you don't want shared." He's quiet for a moment then murmurs softly: "Mecaith doesn't do that, Jae. He's very careful about that. Always has been." The bronzerider laughs again, gives the ends of her hair a little tug. "Mostly foolin' around," he notes.
In her defense, Jaeyi points out, "I did tell him that it might not be the best idea ever. That was several hours before, but still." The very idea, the very sudden idea that Mecaith might ever have... She doesn't blush often, but, for now, she turns her face down with her forehead square in the middle of T'rev's chest and says, "That's. Comforting. But let's just not talk about--" The kinds of things that Mecaith /could/ tell people if he chose to. New subject: "I know who the unplucked flower is."
Hand to hair again. Nothing sexy about it, just reassurance. "Mm. I kind of meant for him. They have the rules for a reason," T'rev notes thoughtfully, fingers tangling in a long black curl. "Yeah. Don't worry about it. I swear, because, you don't have to." His head bends again, a kiss brushed to the top of her head. If the walls of his weyr could talk ... it'd fill up a lot of porn rags. That though, stills T'rev a little. "Yeah? How'd you fish that out of the pool of Weyr gossip?"
Remembered indignance has Jaeyi saying, "Really though, if a girl goes all-the-way after fifteen minutes of conversation, how can you expect you're the only one?" Nose crinkling, she mutters something about having that printed up on cards to hand out to people. Then, glancing up, cheeks re-cooled and no more blame to assign to Y'nolek while he's not around to defend himself; "She pretty much told me. Without knowing that I know the other half of the story. Poor girl."
"Maybe he thought it was true love?" T'rev counters, though clearly he's at least half-kidding. "I mean, you couldn't resist him, has to be forever his girl, right?" Deadpan, so deadpan but the wicked in his eyes! Still his hand is leaving her hair to find one of those recently heated cheeks. "Huh. You know, you'd think that's the sort of thing you wouldn't go ... bandyin' about the Weyr," the bronzerider says slowly, thoughtfully. "Did she seem okay though?"
Droll. Very droll, says the look Jaeyi shoots up at him; she doesn't find that funny, guy. And, as if in punishment, she covers T'rev's wickedly gleam with both palms-- or maybe that was just more a makeshift blindfold to cover up the kiss that follows. Anyway, in. between. pecks at his lips, she shrugs and answers, "She seemed disappointed. Like. You thought. She was looking for a long-term affair? And she says. She's not." Also, there's a nice bridge for sale...
Eyes covered T'rev is briefly bemused, but each little peck gets an answer at least. "I know. She said she's not, but ... y'know. Got the feeling anyway. And ... I dunno. Just didn't sit right. Was different t'other times I was asked. Knew them at least, friends." His palms lift in turn to hold her still for just a second so he can kiss her properly. "Okay," he says when he leans back. "Let me go check to see if Mecaith's clean enough and we can hit the road. Maybe stop someplace out of the way, along the way."
"I should learn this judge-of-character skill, apparently," says Jaeyi, making a last face over the whole, er, debacle. She rocks back onto her heels, unwinds herself from T'rev so he can go do dragonrider stuff, and decides that standing under a tree in the shade is probably not so bad a way to regain the missing little fragments of her composure. Also, he's hot so it's like free eye-candy.
"Poker," T'rev tells her laughingly and heads over to deal with Mecaith's hide. There's some clothing shed making good on the prospect of eye candy while he rinses off the bronze dragon's paws, makes sure there's no blood caught in folds of hide. "All right. Pretty clean. Enough for company at any rate," T'rev claims and holds out a hand towards Jaeyi. "Ready?"
The only kind of poker games Jaeyi gets invited to are strip-poker. And she very likely plays to lose. So she doesn't really put much stock in that answer, sorry. Not that she spends a lot of time mulling it over: woo, partial nudity~. "This may be the only time you get to here: yes. Let's please leave."
As if T'rev would object to strip poker. "I won't look the gift horse in the mouth," he says, hand closing around hers again. Mecaith's been careful not to get his straps wet and the bronzerider makes to help Jaeyi up, then bends to pull some layers back on. Wouldn't do to freeze all that hotness off Between.
Jaeyi'd help keep him warm at least! Also, *between* is way way way way way worse than just flying, and she's pretty much immediately sorry she agreed to this lark, even if it means getting away from certain butt-hurt weyrlings. --Lovingest way possible.
Between may be cold, but T'rev's arms around her on the other side are not. Neither are his lips which the bronzerider is putting to good use in the curve of the baker's neck. "Just down there," he murmurs though after a moment as they come out just shy of a stretch of road that leads off between idyllic green hills and there to one side is a clearing with a large circle of wagons in it. Off in the distance, a small hold can be glimpsed abutting a rocky hillside. "Hopefully, this'll be fun for you. Trader life ... well I think it's interesting."
Fun: "Damn sure better be." After suffering *between*, Jaeyi expects-- insists that this make up for what it takes to get here. Not the good kind of trembling, her breath shakes out in the warm air, and she nestles into T'rev for the sheer necessity of feeling /something/ after that. She'd enjoy the view, but she's also not an enjoy-the-view kinda girl. Down, please.
"And if it's not fun by itself ... I'll make sure the rest of the night is," T'rev promises, hand moving up along her thigh in a way that's definitely meant to be distracting. Whether it's because T'rev knows better or Mecaith is simply efficient, they don't linger up above but head for a clear spot to land swiftly enough. Kids run out to ogle the dragon landing, wave a welcome and chirp happily when they realize who it is. A couple of the older ones run back to the wagons to let grown-ups, presumably know, that there's a familiar visitor to the camp, with a guest.
Whether or not this indicates not-a-good-start, Jaeyi glances back with a hooked brow; "Kids. Really." Briefly, her hand chases his along her thigh in a way that absolutely does not pair well with a bunch of kids coming over to check out the visitors, then pushes it away with a pretense of decency. The "thanks" she adds is more for Mecaith's quick landing than T'rev's promises of later, though that at least flickers a smile. "All right. Show me the hot cousins."
"They always come runnin'," T'rev says about the kids, hand wandering a little more until she pushes it away. "I think you'll find they're used to ... certain things," he notes about the less than disturbed group who cluster around to pat Mecaith. The bronzerider though, swings a leg over, hops down and holds a hand up for Jaeyi's descent. And hey. Grown-ups coming. "My father's probably here too and Serina. But I'll leave you with the hot guys while I hang out with the baby." A wink upward at her follows. Speaking of hot cousins, there's a little cluster of them, with the look of older teens or young twenty-somethings coming around the corner of one of the wagons now, elbowing and shoulder shoving as they go.
Kids and baby back-to-back, so Jaeyi makes a nose-crinkle face at the bronzerider before she accepts the help down. If they're used to it anyway... Before she's lost to the throngs of cousins, she loops her arms up around T'rev's neck, says a quiet, "Thank you for getting me outta there," kisses him inappropriately, then turns to shake hands and look pretty and make eyes at... his relatives. Does that seem a little weird?
Inappropriate kissing: always welcome, even if it earns a little teasing from some of those cousins. What about the last girl he brought down? As he makes introductions. Seems some of the 'cousins' aren't of the first cousin variety but some flavor of third or fourth or more distant than that. Big family. Very big family. Maybe weird, maybe not. It doesn't seem to faze T'rev any as he leaves her in the care of a dark-haired, dark-skinned, blue-eyed specimen of Terriv hotness, with a lingering touch to her shoulders as he slips away to spare her the oochie coochie babyness of visiting Serina and Cedri. Cyril-the-hot-cousin seems /more/ than amenable to flirting and showing Jaeyi around too and there's an easy sort of friendliness to these people, with their bright clothes, bright wagons. It might make for a fun little while, until T'rev comes back with his father in tow.
Jaeyi seems happy enough among them, too, but then that's generally her state of being anyway. There's a lot of "...so that makes you her second-cousin by marriage..." kind of talk, a fair few cheek-kisses and easy laughter, not a little hand-holding with Cyril there, and absolutely no way she's going to remember half the names she's picked up. "Well, there's old enough and then there's /old enough,/ isn't there," she's in the middle of debating, and no telling which side of the line she thinks is better.
In answer there's tale-telling and explanations galore and Cyril, well he seems to be cut from much the same cloth as T'rev and whispers more than one potentially inviting thing in Jaeyi's ear. "Old enough for ...?" is the teasing question that rings out, not from T'rev but the white-haired man whose face doesn't quite match up with the color of his hair, eyes bright blue. Though though don't look quite alike, there's still no mistaking the relationship between Rodric and T'rev as the pair join the group.
"To know better," is the prompt reply, wholly innocent in lilt while Jaeyi turns, hands folded primly behind her back instead of like all tied up with Cyril's there. Just a little-- no, she can't place the older gent's face, though there's a brief twitch like she at least knows she ought to try. "This would be...?" The question to T'rev; be polite, make introductions.
"Know better about ...?" Rodric's eyes dance with humor and there's more than one giggle in the group and some eye-rolling too. T'rev's head ducks a little and then he looks up at Jaeyi, smiling warmly. "Da, this is Apprentice Baker Jaeyi from Fort Weyr, originally Boll, Jaeyi, this is my father, Master Rodric." Cyril's been tugging playfully at Jaeyi's hair this little while but cuts it out as things go formal, his own hands clasped politely behind back.
Jaeyi, so subtly, steps back to stomp Cyril's foot in a cut-that-out way, she's trying to make a good impression here. What she's old enough to know better about gets waylaid because; "I know who you are." Not so eloquently, there's the abrupt addition of, "Wow. I would never have..." She blinks at T'rev, blinks at Rodric, duly surprised by this turn of events, and it's the bronzerider that gets a stage-whispered, "Give a girl some warning next time."
Big eyes on Cyril, a match to the baby blues on Rodric and most of the young people around here, though there's some brown scattered here and there, the odd set of hazel. The abruptness from Jaeyi is duly ignored and Rodric holds out his hand for hers, executing a little half bow. There's those legendary polished harper manners. "Jaeyi," the name rolls off of Rodric's tongue smooth as anything, "a pleasure to meet you. T'rev has told me that you make the most delicious pies in all of Fort. You'll have to indulge us sometime and bring some to the caravan." T'rev he just shoots Jaeyi a helpless little look, gestures in a way that might indicate 'he insisted' or 'didn't know he was going to come along' or something along those lines.
Composure; "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'm usually a little more--" Not off balance? Jaeyi clears her throat, smiles one of her better smiles, which really just helps her find her stride enough to take the offered hand with her own little warm one. "Rodric," without the polish but with her more customary, man-at-the-center-of-her-world warmth, "it is a pleasure and an honor, sir. And I would love to bring you pie some time." Let's /ignore the euphemism/ for a while, so says the briefest flick of a glance she sends to T'rev.
Her hand is taken, but not merely to shake, oh no, it's brought up to the harper's lips as he bows over that hand even if it's just the faintest brush of them across knuckles. "No apology necessary, my dear," he says in those same mellifluous tones. "And I will look forward to that day," he adds on about the pie, mercifully clueless about any euphemisms or at least having a better poker face than his son even to ignore them with. T'rev's just observing this introduction with a hint of amusement on his face and hands propped on hips.
Here's probably not the best thing for sixteen to admit to over-sixty, but Jaeyi's happy to report, "I saw you once before, when I was very little. My mother thought you were very handsome." And it's a fairly fond memory, as these things go, judging by the brand of smile she wears to relate the story. If he was twenty years younger, she'd be all over him, yes, but it's not her customary, 2x4 to the head flirtation that adds, "And I'm inclined to agree, sir."
There's a warm smile on Rodric's face for that. "Thank you, I'm flattered that you'd remember," the harper continues. "And please, next you see her, convey my regards to your mother," he adds sincerely, fingers squeezing her hand lightly, briefly before retreating. Some of the younger of the cousins drift away from the collection, back to chores or other occupations. "Da's a dab hand at poker, n' well y'know, harper master so all that playin' n' singin' stuff if you fancy a bit of music," the bronzerider volunteers his father for duty. Rodric just chuckles softly and reaches over to clasp T'rev lightly on the shoulder. "Since re-discovering his roots, T'rev's been very enthusiastic about learning my trade," he tells Jaeyi, "it makes an old man happy to be able to pass it on, given none of my other children have been so inclined. But tell me, Jaeyi, does a talent for baking run in your famliy, or are you the stand out star?"
"Iiii'm thinking the poker lessons will have to wait," says Jaeyi carefully-- again, strip-poker's not the kinda thing you suggest to the dad of the guy you're banging. Even if the dad's kinda hot. Hands her own again, she returns them behind her back, where at least now there's no cousin pestering her, and remarks, "Your son, sir, seems to take an enthusiastic interest in a lot of things. What's the term? Jack-of-all-trades?" It's fond, though, and followed by a dismissive, "My interest was fostered early, and-- well. I like food." Like somehow that could be confidential, given certain curvy aspects.
It could be striking, the difference between how the father speaks and how the son does, though there might be something similar in the way they might both be able to set a person at ease. "As you wish, you are our guest, Jaeyi," Rodric says lightly. "We will be settling around the fire for noon-time meal soon though and if you are staying through the evening, I will be playing as will many others and there will be dancing. Which, yes, my jack-of-all-trades son is reasonably good at." There's teasing in those words and T'rev sticks his tongue out at the both of them very maturely. "Hey, y'know, gotta do what y'love best, right?" Deadpan. Innocent. But Rodric does have a slant-wise look for the bronzerider. "An early interest fostered, tended and now finding fruit, I presume. I should be at the Weyr this autumn and winter and will perhaps have the opportunity to sample more of your cooking than just pie. You'll have to tell me what you think of Terriv food too, if you are eating with us."
Smiling over at the younger man, Jaeyi answers with, "I think I'm staying?" The answer's more for T'rev to give than her, though she's not exactly keen to jump back to the Weyr-- where everything today has effectively sucked. "And I'm certainly eager to try someone else's cuisine for a change, sir, so thank you very much for the offer. I've only had the pleasure of one dance so far," is that an accusation? "So maybe we can make that right tonight?" To T'rev? To Rodric?
"Ain't plannin' on headin' back 'til after dark," T'rev confirms, smiling back at her with warmth in his eyes. "Excellent," Rodric says with sincere pleasure and gestures towards the inner ring of the caravan. "Won't you come join us then? We can speak more and entertain you. There are stories to tell and songs to share and more of T'rev's cousins and other caravan folk to meet," the harper elaborates, eyes crinkling up at the corners. "And only one dance? T'rev, for shame," Rodric chides though the tone is playful. "Certainly, that will be made right," the harper asserts. "And if you'll be so generous, do save a dance for me my dear." Cyril's also making eyes at her of the pleading kind but T'rev only winks. "You got it," he says and waits for Jaeyi to fall into step before joining the general exodus towards the heart of the caravan. On the way there, there's people hanging out on wagon tongues or sitting on chairs or the ground working at hand-tasks. A womane embroiders shirts in a manner similar to ones she may have seen T'rev wearing around the Weyr, an older man sets beads carefully in a necklace, two middle-aged men re-arrange cargo in one of the wagons: bolts of fabric (oh gosh, some of that sought after sisal!) and other items that seem to have come down from the north.
"Moooore," Jaeyi drawls happily for the cousins, eyes bright while she perches on to her toes to peer off in the direction of all those cousins with all their fine eyes, a cheery curl of her fingers for Cyril in particular. With a safe enough distance, with enough confidence, she lowers her voice and says as an aside, "You should have told me your father was--" She nods. Masterharper. Famous. It's only a little, disappointed sniff afterward before she's taking in the scenery, eyeing the people, the activities. She's not exactly made of trader stuff, but there's a kid-at-the-carnival excitement in the bounce of her step, the bright eyes.
Rodric exchanges talk with almost every person they pass, speech peppered with the odd strange phrase that doesn't sound like standard Pernese. In the middle of the wagons, there's a firepit stacked with wood, though it's not lit yet. There's smaller cook fires all around though and it's these that smoke away, pots steaming cheerily and there's a light scent of spices in the air. "Have a seat," the harper gestures to the logs rolled up around the pit and T'rev heads over to one of these, a little roll of his shoulders accompanying his answer to the baker's aside. "Thought you knew," he says mildly. "He's only got three of us, Rodmilla's married to a holder in Nerat, Vylana's a greenrider at Telgar. And then me. But he only found out about me n' me about him a couple of turns ago. Had no idea who my father was most of my life." He slides onto a seat on one of those logs, pats the space beside him invitingly and drapes his jacket on the other side, head tilting back to the somewhere-between-Fort-and-Ruatha summer sun. "It's ... well I don't like t'make a big deal out of it either," the bronzerider says slowly while Rodric is off over by one of the cookfires asking about lunch for three. "He's my father and the Terriv harper which is ... well s'more important now than what knot he used t'have, y'know?"
Teenage derision; "Because former Masterharper would be my first guess." Her eyes chase Rodric for a moment longer before she drops onto that log, tucks in next to T'rev, one knee crossed over the other; it's an easy proximity for sit-and-chat. "Seems strange. Don't take it the wrong way, but I expected someone-- else, that's all. Is it always like this here?" Busy, loud, bright, worth leaning forward on the log to peer around continue just taking stock of all the /things/ going on around them.
"Mm. Just thought it was all part of the rep these days," T'rev says with an easy shrug. "I get it often enough: 'Oh my goodness, you're so much like your father, chip off the old block.' Or even you know, the nudge-nudge-wink-wink about his y'know, tastes and mine. Bein' ... similar." His grin goes lopsided as he says that, comfortable, companionable himself, with both hands braced on the log to either side. "You mean expected /him/ t'be different or for me t'have a father who wasn't him?" Brown eyes are steady on her face, considering her. "And yeah, pretty much. It's a rowdy, merry sort of life. Could've been happy here if I'd known and y'know, hadn't Impressed." He points to a few of the women, some of them wearing brightly beaded necklaces. "They're married. But see the colors mean different things. 'Bout what kind of marriage it is. Ain't all of 'em y'know, traditional holder-type faithful married."
With a quick smudge of her mouth across his lower lip, Jaeyi sticks with a simple, "You to have a different father." She's probably a /little/ too young to have much memory of life with Rodric as Masterharper, to have more than a vague recollection of what his reputation entailed, though she's clearly taking in the similarities between the pair of them now that she has a moment. "So, like, some of them have husbands but they're still allowed to... look outside their marriages?" /This/ is a foreign concept for her and, head tilted, she picks out the different colors with no understanding what they might mean. "See, if only that's what they expect of good little holder girls, I'd have been such a happy bride."
"Ahh. What would you expect for me?" T'rev can't help but ask curiously. "And if you can stomach Between again sometime, I can take you to Nerat t'see the other side of my family. The waystation. My grandfather. The one who makes the cakes," he explains further, leaning a little for that smudge-that's-not-quite-kiss. "Mm, something like that. Goes both ways, not just wife able to, husband too. They live together, build their wagon trade together, but ain't limited to one partner in bed. There's other kinds of arrangements too. Not too many double couple and three-way though. Most marriages are like holder style and then next most often is the open thing. There's also plenty that never get hitched. Ain't a shameful thing t'have kids without a husband in this caravan at any rate," he goes on then grins over at her. "Yeah? Able t'settle down with someone, so long as you could still play on the side?" He explains the colors that are on display then, the patterns, subsides as Rodric approaches again, with three bowls, one tucked into the corner of his arm. "Hopefully, our humble trader fare is tasty enough to tempt you, Jaeyi. Tell me what you think and I'll pass it along to the cooks-for-today." Curry, lightly spiced, yellow in color, rich in flavor in those bowls, the main meat is wherry this far north rather than the chicken that's more common down south.
Whatever Jaeyi would expect for T'rev's father will just stay with her, whether because she's distracted by the rest of the details of Terriv-marriages or because she'd rather just keep it to herself. "Mmn, I could be faithful if faithful just had a more forgiving definition," before she looks up to take one of the bowls, to flash a grateful smile to Rodric. First, there's professional interest, then she settles to eating to enjoy and not just critique. "Compliments to the cooks-for-today, gentlemen. Tell them-- the discerning palate is impressed. And will make every effort to return the favor some time."
"A forgiving definition of faithful," T'rev drawls out with a quiet chuckle. "Mm. There's ... someone I could be that faithful to," he confesses, low-voiced, looks down now, self-deprecating at the ground. "But overall I know I ain't cut out for anything other than what you just said and it'd have t'be with someone that understood that. Tried once with a girl who said she was and figured out she wasn't. Ended, really damn badly." The bronzerider trails off though for the food's arrival and takes his bowl with a beam of thanks for his father. Rodric settles down on Jaeyi's far side, one leg crossing over the other with unstudied masculine grace and the harper listens attentively to her opinion before he digs in with his own spoon. "That will please," he tells her with a charming smile that reaches into his eyes and sets them to twinkling.
One of her oh-so-alluring ear whispers is Jaeyi saying, "You told me. If it ever works out, I'll cut you loose, no hard feelings." Like it's /hers/ to do the cutting-loose, particularly in that situation! She makes a sympathetic face at his really-damn-badly, but people misreading intentions is the whole reason she's cut and run from Fort for the day, so she's happier to watch Rodric smile than worry about people who get their feelings hurt. "So this is retirement, hmn? I always thought it would be, mmmmn, more cottages and floppy-eared-dogs, less wagons and lots-of-dancing."
That whisper brings his head down a little and T'rev smiles Jaeyi's way, reaches over to give her knee a little squeeze. "I know. Goes both ways." Easy as pie. "Pretty happy for now though." Which migh cancel out the people-feeling-bad part. Maybe. Mouth full for a bit, T'rev only listens and leans forward a little to catch his father's reaction along with the verbal answer. Rodric looks up, smiles sideways at the pair. "Yes, it is. I'm not the sort of man who can really sit still and doze," the harper replies, confessional-toned though there's always that laughter in his eyes. Like father, like son. "Dancing keeps the heart young," he claims, "as does the strong foundation of a loving family. What better for a man with a broken heart?" he quips, likely referring to the physical condition, given the merriment of his expression, rather than anything more personal.
"I know a few things." It's, like, a reflexive response for Jaeyi, paired with bright eyes, paired with a cunning smile that has absolutely no business being shone upon a man four times her age. Better for her to look back down at the yellow curry, to scrape around the edge of the bowl, to add cheerfully, "Dancing makes the heart young. So your ticker ought to last you till the next Pass?" With a lean to one side, a nudge of her shoulder against T'rev's. "Not that I'd know from /personal/ experience."
Rich laughter pours forth from Rodric for that response from Jaeyi and his eyes settle on her intently. "If my ticker lasts so long as that, I won't be in a position to complain. And my dear, if a few things were different, I would humbly request the benefit of your wisdom and ask you to educate me, but as it stands, I will simply ask for more than one dance later tonight," he continues, dipping his spoon into his curry with the good humor still creasing his face. T'rev ... well, usually he's not a bashful sort nor easily embarrassed but that set of lines sees him ducking, coughing on his next mouthful of curry and trying not to splutter it all over as his shoulders shake with silent laughter.
It sounds innocent, a simple question; "What things?" Educate, Harper. A little concern waylays Jaeyi's attempts to flatter an old man, though, though it's stage-concern at best. "It's really going to put the cherry on top of my bad day if you choke to death, T'rev."
Amused, Rodric nods slightly towards his son over there, lifts a hand to tug at a white lock of hair for another and then reaches a finger to tap lightly at the knot on her shoulder with a meaningful lift of brows. "Need a hand there, son?" he asks over her head, but T'rev is waving it off, face suffused with a ruddy flush. He grins up at the two of them, waves his spoon. "Wrong pipe. Ain't gonna die." Might even be refreshing that the pair of them can banter this way without anyone getting offended.
The first-- pft, they just went over the whole no-strings-attached issue. The latter two-- okay, she can't wind back the clock, and the knot... "I'm one tardy shy of being done with my apprenticeship, and not in the congratulations-way." Done with her own food, bowl held across her knees, she shoots a look at T'rev for his wrong-pipe, points out, "He can dance, not so bad a singer, leads a Wing, but he can't eat his lunch. Mmn." The last with an ironic, silly boy shake of her head.
"That's a shame if you're as talented as T'rev claims," Rodric answers, deadpan. "And I'd ask for your age, but it's never polite to ask a lady such things, so I believe we will leave that safely ambiguous." The harper applies himself to catching up on the food issues while T'rev takes a few deep breaths. "Make good stuff out of leather too." Because he's a /talented/ silly boy. "Da, we'll sing together later? I've learned the high part for that one song," he tells Rodric with a grin. "Lookin' forward to trying it out." The harper nods just once, lifts his spoon in salute since his mouth is full.
Not the first time it's been said: "T'rev miiiiight occasionally be overly flattering." Luckily, Jaeyi's not eating, because 'good stuff out of leather' clears her throat a touch and has her pretending there's even a glimmer of leftover interest in the now empty bowl. Hum hum hmmmn, apparently there are some talents she's going to have to find out about later. A glance between the pair lets them make their duet plans without her assistance, only a mild, "I don't think I met all the cousins, gentlemen, and it's only-- what? About six hours till dusk?" There are a lot of cousins! "So you two plan your show, and I'll..." Go flirt elsewhere for a while.
There's the obligatory 'who me' look from T'rev at that accusation of flattery and then he's finishing up his food in spite of the choking thing and holds a hand out for her bowl. Any throat-clearing about leather either gets missed or actually just floats right on over T'rev's head. "All right, I'll be here with the old man or over by that wagon there," he points to one a little ways down. "Serina's. But if you don't want to even /see/ the baby, don't stop by there long," he says with a grin for the baker. Rodric only smiles at Jaeyi, warmth in his eyes as they linger on her face. "About that many. Do enjoy your visit with the younger Terrivs. I look forward to our dances later, Jaeyi." His nod is polite as she excuses herself and once she's risen he returns to finishing off his meal. Eventually T'rev clears away all three bowls and there's back and forth about the music for that night, more baby time for T'rev and a large number of the caravan's children gathered at Rodric's feet for an impromptu lesson. Later still a couple of wagons come down the road from the direction of the hold: apparently there was business going on today but only with a smaller contingent. As the sun sets, Jaeyi'll get the potential treat of a Terriv firelighting ceremony and the formal guest's greeting that goes along with it. And after that, a lot of dancing, a lot of grog and more good food, always with just that titch of spiciness. In the dark ... well, it's dark. We'll leave that to everyone's imagination.
Jaeyi just has a very nice day. Which is good, because it means the chances of anyone getting a rolling pin forcibly entered into their anus are a lot lower. Even in the dark.
IC Date: 7/19/19 --Log theft from T'rev again. Everyone kept their clothes on, for the record.
Southern Bowl, Fort Weyr(#675RJLs$)
There is a little more grass in this section of the bowl than at the center, though this can be attributed to the lake that's not too far off and not to any improvement to the sandy soil. More weyrs can be seen high along the mountain walls to either side, though there are none in the massive earthworks that spill down the southernmost section of the volcanically created valley.
The sandy lake shore is further to the southwest, creating a vast half-crescent that contains the blue-green waters of the lake proper. More to the west would be the feeding grounds that contain the animals designated for being consumed by both dragons and humans alike. Off toward the distant northeast would be the weyrling barracks, the Weyrleader's complex, the hatching complex, living cavern, and infirmary.
T'rev and Y'nolek stand in the Bowl a little ways out from the feeding grounds, where Agrith and Mecaith are currently chowing down. T'rev's hair is damp, sweaty and the wingleader is still dressed for drills though he's pulled his jacket off revealing a short sleeved shirt. It's summer! It's warm out! The pair of bronzeriders seem to be chatting amiably about wing formations. So interesting.
Considering she works in the kitchens, Jaeyi should be forgiven for having a bit of extra color in her cheeks whens he comes out of the caverns, across the bowl, headed generally lakewards. It's as good a place as any to waste time, to eat raisins-- which she's doing while she walks-- even if she never actually makes it that far. Surely, /certain people/ would have plenty to say about the fact that two bronzeriders waylay the baker, but the pair of them draw out a bright smile and an immediate change in trajectory. "Mornin'," from halfway there.
Breaking off from that discussion, T'rev turns slightly at that greeting from Jaeyi and his own smile is bright in return. "Hey Jaeyi. How's things in the kitchen this mornin'?" he asks with a typically appreciative look for the girl, flushed cheeks and all.
Eyelashes, briefly flashed toward the weyrling, precede Jaeyi's turning toward T'rev with the handful of raisins extended in a want-some? way. It's not the most tempting of treats, no, but we can't eat cake all the time. "I've been banished for the day, so you'd have to ask someone else. How's things in the--" Glance around, feeding grounds, wide-open-space. "--bowl this morning?"
One raisin is reached for taken and Jaeyi's claim to having the rest of the day free draws an increase of focus on T'rev's part. "For the day?" he drawls out with a slow grin claiming one side of his mouth. "What happened to cause such a thing?" Laughter follows and he winks at the baker while Y'nolek is distracted with Agrith. "Just off drills, m'self and talkin' shop a little with Nolek here. It's a nice day, thinking a little about how I want to spend the rest of it."
Obvious: "I can think of ways." That go right along with the eating of plump little raisins, which Jaeyi does with a particular relish for a moment. But her supply is relatively short, and she offers the last five or six toward T'rev to leave hands free to dust. "Uhhhhmn, I think it was caused by telling my Journeyman to shove a rolling pin up his ass? But I won't swear to that." Shrug. Prettily. Of course.
Pop into T'rev's mouth goes that first raisin grin widening and crossing his whole face. "You'll have to tell me about that in a little bit," he tells her and takes the half-dozen orphaned raisins, lining them up carefully on his palm. "What, he didn't say thank you?" the bronzerider says with a tsking sound and a little shake of his head, followed by a wink. "So, here you are at loose ends, with a whole day in front of you. Just got done with drills, no sweeps this afternoon, just gonna wash him when he's done eatin'," a nod towards Mecaith.
Jaeyi's fingers wave dismissively-- for the Journeyman's story, not for the things she'll have to tell T'rev about in a little bit. "He should have. He could use a little loosening up. But-- no. He said something about figuring out my priorities." And she has, by stumbling right across two men, even if one of them's off paying attention to his dragon and not her, pooh. "That's a little... gruesome, hmn?" At the mention of done-eatin', she turns to attend the pair of dragons doing their thing, looks sorry she even glanced.
And Mecaith's a tidy eater even! "Shame he ain't then," T'rev says with a laugh about the journeyman. "Maybe in time." Two raisins are chosen, made into bronzerider snacks. "It can be, yeah. During a flight's worse," he says with a little shift of one shoulder. "Mostly y'get used to it when you see it happen enough. But you don't have to look." T'rev reaches over for one of her hands, a light squeeze on offer. "Learned a bunch about beer-makin' the other day, helpin' Su study."
"That would probably be the smart thing to do," comments Jaeyi, a little wryly, while she makes good on the not having to look, turns a step or two toward T'rev instead of blood-and-guts over there. "Did you? New hobby, then?" she suggests, all too easy to coax into holding-hands with her fingers curling into his.
"Comes with the job," T'rev answers and makes the last raisins vanish, fingers happy to join in the finger-curling, his own chasing loosely through hers. "Nah, not yet. Still more in the 'drinkin' the proceeds' mode. Never knew there were so many different kinds of hops.
Enlightenin' I say."
Idly, Jaeyi points out, "It's a little weird that you people stand around and watch, but I guess-- different strokes for different folks." There's a very clear distinction between /those/ folks, rider ones, and /her/ kind of folks, normal ones. "Hops. Wow. Fascinating." Except not. "Is that what... Nigel... is supposed to be, by the way? I'm not clear on that whole situation yet."
"Not really watching, m'self, though it can be good to keep tabs on how much your dragon's eatin'," T'rev explains. "Nolek's keeping an eye out because Agrith's still learning how to do it right," a little thumb jerk towards where the weyrling is. "I guess so, to be honest, I don't quite get it either, still. Even after quizzing Su from this big fat book about beer." His thumb is moving, sliding up the side of her hand. Yes. He's aiming for distracting. "After I get Mec washed, want t'head up north a little way with me? Meet the traders? Might be interested in their food. Or the drinks. Or you know, ogling my hot cousins."
The knee-jerk response would have been no. She can get food here, drinks if she wants them, but-- "Hot cousins?" Jaeyi's smile turns to T'rev promptly for that, and she steps happily toward him, right up alongside him now with a do-tell look fluttering those stupid eyelashes. "Not that I'd /ogle/ so much, but that's intriguing. How far is 'up north a little?'"
Y'nolek is definitely watching Agrith hunt, not staring at Jaeyi's rear end or anything like that, nope. "Hey," he mumbles finally, at a break in the conversation, and flashes a smile at her.
T'rev's hand leaves Jaeyi's then, arm aiming to curl around her waist. "Mmmhm. Darker than I am, most of 'em, but you know. Good looks in the family," he says playfully, grinning down at her. "They've made it down to just above Ruatha. Can go Between or fly long." And there's Nolek stepping back their way again and he looks up, grins. "You missed the raisin's and talk of rolling pins up arses."
"Hi there, Nolek." And, the hand recently released, curls fingers toward the weyrling with one of her more fetching smiles in place to welcome him to the conversation. "We can revisit the rolling-pin conversation if you're really dying to hear it, but--" Jaeyi lowers her voice conspiratorily, but it's not quite as effective when it's not pitched right into the poor kid's ear. "--might be better to skip it." With a serious little nod. "I'll think about it," she concludes to T'rev, which really sounds 'I'm so on board for this.'
"I missed what?" Nolek blinks at T'rev, as Agrith glides over the fence and lands in the bowl proper a short distance away. Nolek watches him land, and then looks back to T'rev and Jaeyi in time to see that arm going around her waist, and his face falls - he looks crushed, and embarrassed, all at the same time. "I, actually, uh," he stammers, already taking a few steps backward. "I... gotta go." And he takes off at a loping run for the weyrling barracks, causing Agrith to lift his head in surprise, and lumber after him at a rapid clip.
"All right then," T'rev says agreeably about Jaeyi's thinking process, lifts his opposite hand, jacket scrunched down along his arm to wave after Y'nolek. "Okay, see you around Y'nolek. Good luck with the next bunch of lessons." Friendly. Definitely.
The same finger-curl greets Agrith, though the smile for the dragon's not quite the same as the ones Jaeyi generally puts together or their riders-- and it's a short-lived expression anyway, since Y'nolek taking off like that pretty much dashes it all to hell. "Ah--" That's as much as she gets out in his wake, blinking, mouth in the shape of a soundless O. As in oh-dammit.
There's a look shot sidelong towards Jaeyi and T'rev leans in close to murmur in her ear: "I guess maybe I shouldn't have gotten quite so cozy?" he asks, though the good-natured humor remains on his face. "Should I keep my hands to myself if we're around him?" A little head tilt in the direction Y'nolek went. Mecaith's onto his second beast already, still chowing down though likely done soon.
Agrith stops moving just outside the weyrling barracks and thrusts his head skyward, bugling loudly, upset about something.
From the oh to a calculating twist to one side, Jaeyi answers instead, "I think it's more that /I/ shouldn't have gotten quite so cozy." Seeing as she leans the rest of the way into T'rev at that, she's probably not talking about with-T'rev-specifically. "Yeah, remember that whole conversation we had about people-who-cling?" The bugling off in the distance doesn't help fix her tweaked expression. "...we should go."
And so with that lean into him, T'rev's arm tightens around Jaeyi and he nods, makes a little face. "Uh oh," he notes quietly and nods. "Yeah. Better ... put some space in between." His gaze flicks over to Mecaith and then nods towards the lake. "Go walk by the lake? Mecaith will come over when he's done and then we can head out once he's gotten cleaned up."
"Or, like, Somewhere Else. But that's a start, sure." Jaeyi, pluck a little dented, turns a very deaf ear toward the barracks. Threading her fingers through T'rev's, it's an unusally brisk pace at which she sets off.
Distracted for a moment, T'rev inhales sharply. "Ah ... yeah. Somewhere else. Would be very, very good." But the lake will do for the short term while Mecaith finishes up his meal. He turns then to keep up with Jaeyi, though he winces now and then, likely as his bronze passes on Agrith's distress.
There are a lot of things Jaeyi hasn't figured out yet about dragons. One of the things she /has/ gotten clear, however, is: "What's he saying?" It's a big lakeshore; they'll just have to make due with the bowl-side, the one that's not otherwise occupied.
On down into the shade of some trees that bend towards the water T'rev goes, looking over his shoulder now and then. "I guess Agrith's still sensitive," he explains. "He was just telling about half the weyr everything that you and Y'nolek either did, or he's thinking about doing with you," the bronzerider continues candidly. "Not that you don't have nice breasts, but the way he sees them, they're a lot bigger," T'rev notes with a wicked gleam in his eyes.
Not that Jaeyi's bashful, but she bends her forehead against T'rev's shoulder and utters an agonized, "Oh fantastic." It's not the most effective thing to do, but she thuds her forehead a few times against that shoulder. "He really seemed okay with it. At the time." Welcome to the world of hindsight, kids!
Comforting, T'rev's arm loops around Jaeyi's shoulders and he lets her thunk her head as much as she wants. "How old is he anyway? Probably hasn't gotten laid yet, s'why," the bronzerider supposes with a look over his shoulder towards the barracks. "Could also just be y'know, the whole strain of Weyrlinghood and everything," he continues sympathetically. "I can talk to him if you like? Or y'know, you want to handle that yourself?" he asks next. "Or ... should I just distract you?" His jacket is tossed vaguely towards the nearest rock and his other hand lifts, aiming for her chin to tip upwards and plant a kiss on the baker.
"I don't know?" Because they weren't exactly talking. "Eighteen? Nineteen? Forty-six? --No no no no, I'll talk to him. I'll figure it out." Jaeyi's not thrilled about the prospect, and little twitches of conscience make her slow to respond to T'rev's best intentions there, especially since her lips are still twisted askew when they hit his. But she doesn't feel so dreadful that she won't kiss him back, so don't let's pity her any further than she deserves.
That kiss when it lands is light. "All right," he agrees when his head lifts. "Though you know, forty-six, might make me wonder about how old you think /I/ am," T'rev says laughingly and looks out across the lake. Mecaith is landing near the shore now, dipping his head into the water to wash up after his meal.
Just to be sure-- "He's not still..." A glance follows Mecaith, just something bronze and glimmery and that's what worries her a little. "Like, going on about it? Right?" And Jaeyi kinda steps into T'rev again in that pressed-close way, the hopeful expression on her face maybe asking him to lie if he still 'going on about it.' As to his age: "You told me already."
"No," T'rev answers simply and shifts his arms to wind both around her, one hand running lightly down her back. "I guess this is just kind of ... a very up front lesson in why weyrlings ain't supposed to fool around," he says with a quiet chuckle. "Baby dragons have a bad habit of being loud about things you don't want shared." He's quiet for a moment then murmurs softly: "Mecaith doesn't do that, Jae. He's very careful about that. Always has been." The bronzerider laughs again, gives the ends of her hair a little tug. "Mostly foolin' around," he notes.
In her defense, Jaeyi points out, "I did tell him that it might not be the best idea ever. That was several hours before, but still." The very idea, the very sudden idea that Mecaith might ever have... She doesn't blush often, but, for now, she turns her face down with her forehead square in the middle of T'rev's chest and says, "That's. Comforting. But let's just not talk about--" The kinds of things that Mecaith /could/ tell people if he chose to. New subject: "I know who the unplucked flower is."
Hand to hair again. Nothing sexy about it, just reassurance. "Mm. I kind of meant for him. They have the rules for a reason," T'rev notes thoughtfully, fingers tangling in a long black curl. "Yeah. Don't worry about it. I swear, because, you don't have to." His head bends again, a kiss brushed to the top of her head. If the walls of his weyr could talk ... it'd fill up a lot of porn rags. That though, stills T'rev a little. "Yeah? How'd you fish that out of the pool of Weyr gossip?"
Remembered indignance has Jaeyi saying, "Really though, if a girl goes all-the-way after fifteen minutes of conversation, how can you expect you're the only one?" Nose crinkling, she mutters something about having that printed up on cards to hand out to people. Then, glancing up, cheeks re-cooled and no more blame to assign to Y'nolek while he's not around to defend himself; "She pretty much told me. Without knowing that I know the other half of the story. Poor girl."
"Maybe he thought it was true love?" T'rev counters, though clearly he's at least half-kidding. "I mean, you couldn't resist him, has to be forever his girl, right?" Deadpan, so deadpan but the wicked in his eyes! Still his hand is leaving her hair to find one of those recently heated cheeks. "Huh. You know, you'd think that's the sort of thing you wouldn't go ... bandyin' about the Weyr," the bronzerider says slowly, thoughtfully. "Did she seem okay though?"
Droll. Very droll, says the look Jaeyi shoots up at him; she doesn't find that funny, guy. And, as if in punishment, she covers T'rev's wickedly gleam with both palms-- or maybe that was just more a makeshift blindfold to cover up the kiss that follows. Anyway, in. between. pecks at his lips, she shrugs and answers, "She seemed disappointed. Like. You thought. She was looking for a long-term affair? And she says. She's not." Also, there's a nice bridge for sale...
Eyes covered T'rev is briefly bemused, but each little peck gets an answer at least. "I know. She said she's not, but ... y'know. Got the feeling anyway. And ... I dunno. Just didn't sit right. Was different t'other times I was asked. Knew them at least, friends." His palms lift in turn to hold her still for just a second so he can kiss her properly. "Okay," he says when he leans back. "Let me go check to see if Mecaith's clean enough and we can hit the road. Maybe stop someplace out of the way, along the way."
"I should learn this judge-of-character skill, apparently," says Jaeyi, making a last face over the whole, er, debacle. She rocks back onto her heels, unwinds herself from T'rev so he can go do dragonrider stuff, and decides that standing under a tree in the shade is probably not so bad a way to regain the missing little fragments of her composure. Also, he's hot so it's like free eye-candy.
"Poker," T'rev tells her laughingly and heads over to deal with Mecaith's hide. There's some clothing shed making good on the prospect of eye candy while he rinses off the bronze dragon's paws, makes sure there's no blood caught in folds of hide. "All right. Pretty clean. Enough for company at any rate," T'rev claims and holds out a hand towards Jaeyi. "Ready?"
The only kind of poker games Jaeyi gets invited to are strip-poker. And she very likely plays to lose. So she doesn't really put much stock in that answer, sorry. Not that she spends a lot of time mulling it over: woo, partial nudity~. "This may be the only time you get to here: yes. Let's please leave."
As if T'rev would object to strip poker. "I won't look the gift horse in the mouth," he says, hand closing around hers again. Mecaith's been careful not to get his straps wet and the bronzerider makes to help Jaeyi up, then bends to pull some layers back on. Wouldn't do to freeze all that hotness off Between.
Jaeyi'd help keep him warm at least! Also, *between* is way way way way way worse than just flying, and she's pretty much immediately sorry she agreed to this lark, even if it means getting away from certain butt-hurt weyrlings. --Lovingest way possible.
Between may be cold, but T'rev's arms around her on the other side are not. Neither are his lips which the bronzerider is putting to good use in the curve of the baker's neck. "Just down there," he murmurs though after a moment as they come out just shy of a stretch of road that leads off between idyllic green hills and there to one side is a clearing with a large circle of wagons in it. Off in the distance, a small hold can be glimpsed abutting a rocky hillside. "Hopefully, this'll be fun for you. Trader life ... well I think it's interesting."
Fun: "Damn sure better be." After suffering *between*, Jaeyi expects-- insists that this make up for what it takes to get here. Not the good kind of trembling, her breath shakes out in the warm air, and she nestles into T'rev for the sheer necessity of feeling /something/ after that. She'd enjoy the view, but she's also not an enjoy-the-view kinda girl. Down, please.
"And if it's not fun by itself ... I'll make sure the rest of the night is," T'rev promises, hand moving up along her thigh in a way that's definitely meant to be distracting. Whether it's because T'rev knows better or Mecaith is simply efficient, they don't linger up above but head for a clear spot to land swiftly enough. Kids run out to ogle the dragon landing, wave a welcome and chirp happily when they realize who it is. A couple of the older ones run back to the wagons to let grown-ups, presumably know, that there's a familiar visitor to the camp, with a guest.
Whether or not this indicates not-a-good-start, Jaeyi glances back with a hooked brow; "Kids. Really." Briefly, her hand chases his along her thigh in a way that absolutely does not pair well with a bunch of kids coming over to check out the visitors, then pushes it away with a pretense of decency. The "thanks" she adds is more for Mecaith's quick landing than T'rev's promises of later, though that at least flickers a smile. "All right. Show me the hot cousins."
"They always come runnin'," T'rev says about the kids, hand wandering a little more until she pushes it away. "I think you'll find they're used to ... certain things," he notes about the less than disturbed group who cluster around to pat Mecaith. The bronzerider though, swings a leg over, hops down and holds a hand up for Jaeyi's descent. And hey. Grown-ups coming. "My father's probably here too and Serina. But I'll leave you with the hot guys while I hang out with the baby." A wink upward at her follows. Speaking of hot cousins, there's a little cluster of them, with the look of older teens or young twenty-somethings coming around the corner of one of the wagons now, elbowing and shoulder shoving as they go.
Kids and baby back-to-back, so Jaeyi makes a nose-crinkle face at the bronzerider before she accepts the help down. If they're used to it anyway... Before she's lost to the throngs of cousins, she loops her arms up around T'rev's neck, says a quiet, "Thank you for getting me outta there," kisses him inappropriately, then turns to shake hands and look pretty and make eyes at... his relatives. Does that seem a little weird?
Inappropriate kissing: always welcome, even if it earns a little teasing from some of those cousins. What about the last girl he brought down? As he makes introductions. Seems some of the 'cousins' aren't of the first cousin variety but some flavor of third or fourth or more distant than that. Big family. Very big family. Maybe weird, maybe not. It doesn't seem to faze T'rev any as he leaves her in the care of a dark-haired, dark-skinned, blue-eyed specimen of Terriv hotness, with a lingering touch to her shoulders as he slips away to spare her the oochie coochie babyness of visiting Serina and Cedri. Cyril-the-hot-cousin seems /more/ than amenable to flirting and showing Jaeyi around too and there's an easy sort of friendliness to these people, with their bright clothes, bright wagons. It might make for a fun little while, until T'rev comes back with his father in tow.
Jaeyi seems happy enough among them, too, but then that's generally her state of being anyway. There's a lot of "...so that makes you her second-cousin by marriage..." kind of talk, a fair few cheek-kisses and easy laughter, not a little hand-holding with Cyril there, and absolutely no way she's going to remember half the names she's picked up. "Well, there's old enough and then there's /old enough,/ isn't there," she's in the middle of debating, and no telling which side of the line she thinks is better.
In answer there's tale-telling and explanations galore and Cyril, well he seems to be cut from much the same cloth as T'rev and whispers more than one potentially inviting thing in Jaeyi's ear. "Old enough for ...?" is the teasing question that rings out, not from T'rev but the white-haired man whose face doesn't quite match up with the color of his hair, eyes bright blue. Though though don't look quite alike, there's still no mistaking the relationship between Rodric and T'rev as the pair join the group.
"To know better," is the prompt reply, wholly innocent in lilt while Jaeyi turns, hands folded primly behind her back instead of like all tied up with Cyril's there. Just a little-- no, she can't place the older gent's face, though there's a brief twitch like she at least knows she ought to try. "This would be...?" The question to T'rev; be polite, make introductions.
"Know better about ...?" Rodric's eyes dance with humor and there's more than one giggle in the group and some eye-rolling too. T'rev's head ducks a little and then he looks up at Jaeyi, smiling warmly. "Da, this is Apprentice Baker Jaeyi from Fort Weyr, originally Boll, Jaeyi, this is my father, Master Rodric." Cyril's been tugging playfully at Jaeyi's hair this little while but cuts it out as things go formal, his own hands clasped politely behind back.
Jaeyi, so subtly, steps back to stomp Cyril's foot in a cut-that-out way, she's trying to make a good impression here. What she's old enough to know better about gets waylaid because; "I know who you are." Not so eloquently, there's the abrupt addition of, "Wow. I would never have..." She blinks at T'rev, blinks at Rodric, duly surprised by this turn of events, and it's the bronzerider that gets a stage-whispered, "Give a girl some warning next time."
Big eyes on Cyril, a match to the baby blues on Rodric and most of the young people around here, though there's some brown scattered here and there, the odd set of hazel. The abruptness from Jaeyi is duly ignored and Rodric holds out his hand for hers, executing a little half bow. There's those legendary polished harper manners. "Jaeyi," the name rolls off of Rodric's tongue smooth as anything, "a pleasure to meet you. T'rev has told me that you make the most delicious pies in all of Fort. You'll have to indulge us sometime and bring some to the caravan." T'rev he just shoots Jaeyi a helpless little look, gestures in a way that might indicate 'he insisted' or 'didn't know he was going to come along' or something along those lines.
Composure; "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'm usually a little more--" Not off balance? Jaeyi clears her throat, smiles one of her better smiles, which really just helps her find her stride enough to take the offered hand with her own little warm one. "Rodric," without the polish but with her more customary, man-at-the-center-of-her-world warmth, "it is a pleasure and an honor, sir. And I would love to bring you pie some time." Let's /ignore the euphemism/ for a while, so says the briefest flick of a glance she sends to T'rev.
Her hand is taken, but not merely to shake, oh no, it's brought up to the harper's lips as he bows over that hand even if it's just the faintest brush of them across knuckles. "No apology necessary, my dear," he says in those same mellifluous tones. "And I will look forward to that day," he adds on about the pie, mercifully clueless about any euphemisms or at least having a better poker face than his son even to ignore them with. T'rev's just observing this introduction with a hint of amusement on his face and hands propped on hips.
Here's probably not the best thing for sixteen to admit to over-sixty, but Jaeyi's happy to report, "I saw you once before, when I was very little. My mother thought you were very handsome." And it's a fairly fond memory, as these things go, judging by the brand of smile she wears to relate the story. If he was twenty years younger, she'd be all over him, yes, but it's not her customary, 2x4 to the head flirtation that adds, "And I'm inclined to agree, sir."
There's a warm smile on Rodric's face for that. "Thank you, I'm flattered that you'd remember," the harper continues. "And please, next you see her, convey my regards to your mother," he adds sincerely, fingers squeezing her hand lightly, briefly before retreating. Some of the younger of the cousins drift away from the collection, back to chores or other occupations. "Da's a dab hand at poker, n' well y'know, harper master so all that playin' n' singin' stuff if you fancy a bit of music," the bronzerider volunteers his father for duty. Rodric just chuckles softly and reaches over to clasp T'rev lightly on the shoulder. "Since re-discovering his roots, T'rev's been very enthusiastic about learning my trade," he tells Jaeyi, "it makes an old man happy to be able to pass it on, given none of my other children have been so inclined. But tell me, Jaeyi, does a talent for baking run in your famliy, or are you the stand out star?"
"Iiii'm thinking the poker lessons will have to wait," says Jaeyi carefully-- again, strip-poker's not the kinda thing you suggest to the dad of the guy you're banging. Even if the dad's kinda hot. Hands her own again, she returns them behind her back, where at least now there's no cousin pestering her, and remarks, "Your son, sir, seems to take an enthusiastic interest in a lot of things. What's the term? Jack-of-all-trades?" It's fond, though, and followed by a dismissive, "My interest was fostered early, and-- well. I like food." Like somehow that could be confidential, given certain curvy aspects.
It could be striking, the difference between how the father speaks and how the son does, though there might be something similar in the way they might both be able to set a person at ease. "As you wish, you are our guest, Jaeyi," Rodric says lightly. "We will be settling around the fire for noon-time meal soon though and if you are staying through the evening, I will be playing as will many others and there will be dancing. Which, yes, my jack-of-all-trades son is reasonably good at." There's teasing in those words and T'rev sticks his tongue out at the both of them very maturely. "Hey, y'know, gotta do what y'love best, right?" Deadpan. Innocent. But Rodric does have a slant-wise look for the bronzerider. "An early interest fostered, tended and now finding fruit, I presume. I should be at the Weyr this autumn and winter and will perhaps have the opportunity to sample more of your cooking than just pie. You'll have to tell me what you think of Terriv food too, if you are eating with us."
Smiling over at the younger man, Jaeyi answers with, "I think I'm staying?" The answer's more for T'rev to give than her, though she's not exactly keen to jump back to the Weyr-- where everything today has effectively sucked. "And I'm certainly eager to try someone else's cuisine for a change, sir, so thank you very much for the offer. I've only had the pleasure of one dance so far," is that an accusation? "So maybe we can make that right tonight?" To T'rev? To Rodric?
"Ain't plannin' on headin' back 'til after dark," T'rev confirms, smiling back at her with warmth in his eyes. "Excellent," Rodric says with sincere pleasure and gestures towards the inner ring of the caravan. "Won't you come join us then? We can speak more and entertain you. There are stories to tell and songs to share and more of T'rev's cousins and other caravan folk to meet," the harper elaborates, eyes crinkling up at the corners. "And only one dance? T'rev, for shame," Rodric chides though the tone is playful. "Certainly, that will be made right," the harper asserts. "And if you'll be so generous, do save a dance for me my dear." Cyril's also making eyes at her of the pleading kind but T'rev only winks. "You got it," he says and waits for Jaeyi to fall into step before joining the general exodus towards the heart of the caravan. On the way there, there's people hanging out on wagon tongues or sitting on chairs or the ground working at hand-tasks. A womane embroiders shirts in a manner similar to ones she may have seen T'rev wearing around the Weyr, an older man sets beads carefully in a necklace, two middle-aged men re-arrange cargo in one of the wagons: bolts of fabric (oh gosh, some of that sought after sisal!) and other items that seem to have come down from the north.
"Moooore," Jaeyi drawls happily for the cousins, eyes bright while she perches on to her toes to peer off in the direction of all those cousins with all their fine eyes, a cheery curl of her fingers for Cyril in particular. With a safe enough distance, with enough confidence, she lowers her voice and says as an aside, "You should have told me your father was--" She nods. Masterharper. Famous. It's only a little, disappointed sniff afterward before she's taking in the scenery, eyeing the people, the activities. She's not exactly made of trader stuff, but there's a kid-at-the-carnival excitement in the bounce of her step, the bright eyes.
Rodric exchanges talk with almost every person they pass, speech peppered with the odd strange phrase that doesn't sound like standard Pernese. In the middle of the wagons, there's a firepit stacked with wood, though it's not lit yet. There's smaller cook fires all around though and it's these that smoke away, pots steaming cheerily and there's a light scent of spices in the air. "Have a seat," the harper gestures to the logs rolled up around the pit and T'rev heads over to one of these, a little roll of his shoulders accompanying his answer to the baker's aside. "Thought you knew," he says mildly. "He's only got three of us, Rodmilla's married to a holder in Nerat, Vylana's a greenrider at Telgar. And then me. But he only found out about me n' me about him a couple of turns ago. Had no idea who my father was most of my life." He slides onto a seat on one of those logs, pats the space beside him invitingly and drapes his jacket on the other side, head tilting back to the somewhere-between-Fort-and-Ruatha summer sun. "It's ... well I don't like t'make a big deal out of it either," the bronzerider says slowly while Rodric is off over by one of the cookfires asking about lunch for three. "He's my father and the Terriv harper which is ... well s'more important now than what knot he used t'have, y'know?"
Teenage derision; "Because former Masterharper would be my first guess." Her eyes chase Rodric for a moment longer before she drops onto that log, tucks in next to T'rev, one knee crossed over the other; it's an easy proximity for sit-and-chat. "Seems strange. Don't take it the wrong way, but I expected someone-- else, that's all. Is it always like this here?" Busy, loud, bright, worth leaning forward on the log to peer around continue just taking stock of all the /things/ going on around them.
"Mm. Just thought it was all part of the rep these days," T'rev says with an easy shrug. "I get it often enough: 'Oh my goodness, you're so much like your father, chip off the old block.' Or even you know, the nudge-nudge-wink-wink about his y'know, tastes and mine. Bein' ... similar." His grin goes lopsided as he says that, comfortable, companionable himself, with both hands braced on the log to either side. "You mean expected /him/ t'be different or for me t'have a father who wasn't him?" Brown eyes are steady on her face, considering her. "And yeah, pretty much. It's a rowdy, merry sort of life. Could've been happy here if I'd known and y'know, hadn't Impressed." He points to a few of the women, some of them wearing brightly beaded necklaces. "They're married. But see the colors mean different things. 'Bout what kind of marriage it is. Ain't all of 'em y'know, traditional holder-type faithful married."
With a quick smudge of her mouth across his lower lip, Jaeyi sticks with a simple, "You to have a different father." She's probably a /little/ too young to have much memory of life with Rodric as Masterharper, to have more than a vague recollection of what his reputation entailed, though she's clearly taking in the similarities between the pair of them now that she has a moment. "So, like, some of them have husbands but they're still allowed to... look outside their marriages?" /This/ is a foreign concept for her and, head tilted, she picks out the different colors with no understanding what they might mean. "See, if only that's what they expect of good little holder girls, I'd have been such a happy bride."
"Ahh. What would you expect for me?" T'rev can't help but ask curiously. "And if you can stomach Between again sometime, I can take you to Nerat t'see the other side of my family. The waystation. My grandfather. The one who makes the cakes," he explains further, leaning a little for that smudge-that's-not-quite-kiss. "Mm, something like that. Goes both ways, not just wife able to, husband too. They live together, build their wagon trade together, but ain't limited to one partner in bed. There's other kinds of arrangements too. Not too many double couple and three-way though. Most marriages are like holder style and then next most often is the open thing. There's also plenty that never get hitched. Ain't a shameful thing t'have kids without a husband in this caravan at any rate," he goes on then grins over at her. "Yeah? Able t'settle down with someone, so long as you could still play on the side?" He explains the colors that are on display then, the patterns, subsides as Rodric approaches again, with three bowls, one tucked into the corner of his arm. "Hopefully, our humble trader fare is tasty enough to tempt you, Jaeyi. Tell me what you think and I'll pass it along to the cooks-for-today." Curry, lightly spiced, yellow in color, rich in flavor in those bowls, the main meat is wherry this far north rather than the chicken that's more common down south.
Whatever Jaeyi would expect for T'rev's father will just stay with her, whether because she's distracted by the rest of the details of Terriv-marriages or because she'd rather just keep it to herself. "Mmn, I could be faithful if faithful just had a more forgiving definition," before she looks up to take one of the bowls, to flash a grateful smile to Rodric. First, there's professional interest, then she settles to eating to enjoy and not just critique. "Compliments to the cooks-for-today, gentlemen. Tell them-- the discerning palate is impressed. And will make every effort to return the favor some time."
"A forgiving definition of faithful," T'rev drawls out with a quiet chuckle. "Mm. There's ... someone I could be that faithful to," he confesses, low-voiced, looks down now, self-deprecating at the ground. "But overall I know I ain't cut out for anything other than what you just said and it'd have t'be with someone that understood that. Tried once with a girl who said she was and figured out she wasn't. Ended, really damn badly." The bronzerider trails off though for the food's arrival and takes his bowl with a beam of thanks for his father. Rodric settles down on Jaeyi's far side, one leg crossing over the other with unstudied masculine grace and the harper listens attentively to her opinion before he digs in with his own spoon. "That will please," he tells her with a charming smile that reaches into his eyes and sets them to twinkling.
One of her oh-so-alluring ear whispers is Jaeyi saying, "You told me. If it ever works out, I'll cut you loose, no hard feelings." Like it's /hers/ to do the cutting-loose, particularly in that situation! She makes a sympathetic face at his really-damn-badly, but people misreading intentions is the whole reason she's cut and run from Fort for the day, so she's happier to watch Rodric smile than worry about people who get their feelings hurt. "So this is retirement, hmn? I always thought it would be, mmmmn, more cottages and floppy-eared-dogs, less wagons and lots-of-dancing."
That whisper brings his head down a little and T'rev smiles Jaeyi's way, reaches over to give her knee a little squeeze. "I know. Goes both ways." Easy as pie. "Pretty happy for now though." Which migh cancel out the people-feeling-bad part. Maybe. Mouth full for a bit, T'rev only listens and leans forward a little to catch his father's reaction along with the verbal answer. Rodric looks up, smiles sideways at the pair. "Yes, it is. I'm not the sort of man who can really sit still and doze," the harper replies, confessional-toned though there's always that laughter in his eyes. Like father, like son. "Dancing keeps the heart young," he claims, "as does the strong foundation of a loving family. What better for a man with a broken heart?" he quips, likely referring to the physical condition, given the merriment of his expression, rather than anything more personal.
"I know a few things." It's, like, a reflexive response for Jaeyi, paired with bright eyes, paired with a cunning smile that has absolutely no business being shone upon a man four times her age. Better for her to look back down at the yellow curry, to scrape around the edge of the bowl, to add cheerfully, "Dancing makes the heart young. So your ticker ought to last you till the next Pass?" With a lean to one side, a nudge of her shoulder against T'rev's. "Not that I'd know from /personal/ experience."
Rich laughter pours forth from Rodric for that response from Jaeyi and his eyes settle on her intently. "If my ticker lasts so long as that, I won't be in a position to complain. And my dear, if a few things were different, I would humbly request the benefit of your wisdom and ask you to educate me, but as it stands, I will simply ask for more than one dance later tonight," he continues, dipping his spoon into his curry with the good humor still creasing his face. T'rev ... well, usually he's not a bashful sort nor easily embarrassed but that set of lines sees him ducking, coughing on his next mouthful of curry and trying not to splutter it all over as his shoulders shake with silent laughter.
It sounds innocent, a simple question; "What things?" Educate, Harper. A little concern waylays Jaeyi's attempts to flatter an old man, though, though it's stage-concern at best. "It's really going to put the cherry on top of my bad day if you choke to death, T'rev."
Amused, Rodric nods slightly towards his son over there, lifts a hand to tug at a white lock of hair for another and then reaches a finger to tap lightly at the knot on her shoulder with a meaningful lift of brows. "Need a hand there, son?" he asks over her head, but T'rev is waving it off, face suffused with a ruddy flush. He grins up at the two of them, waves his spoon. "Wrong pipe. Ain't gonna die." Might even be refreshing that the pair of them can banter this way without anyone getting offended.
The first-- pft, they just went over the whole no-strings-attached issue. The latter two-- okay, she can't wind back the clock, and the knot... "I'm one tardy shy of being done with my apprenticeship, and not in the congratulations-way." Done with her own food, bowl held across her knees, she shoots a look at T'rev for his wrong-pipe, points out, "He can dance, not so bad a singer, leads a Wing, but he can't eat his lunch. Mmn." The last with an ironic, silly boy shake of her head.
"That's a shame if you're as talented as T'rev claims," Rodric answers, deadpan. "And I'd ask for your age, but it's never polite to ask a lady such things, so I believe we will leave that safely ambiguous." The harper applies himself to catching up on the food issues while T'rev takes a few deep breaths. "Make good stuff out of leather too." Because he's a /talented/ silly boy. "Da, we'll sing together later? I've learned the high part for that one song," he tells Rodric with a grin. "Lookin' forward to trying it out." The harper nods just once, lifts his spoon in salute since his mouth is full.
Not the first time it's been said: "T'rev miiiiight occasionally be overly flattering." Luckily, Jaeyi's not eating, because 'good stuff out of leather' clears her throat a touch and has her pretending there's even a glimmer of leftover interest in the now empty bowl. Hum hum hmmmn, apparently there are some talents she's going to have to find out about later. A glance between the pair lets them make their duet plans without her assistance, only a mild, "I don't think I met all the cousins, gentlemen, and it's only-- what? About six hours till dusk?" There are a lot of cousins! "So you two plan your show, and I'll..." Go flirt elsewhere for a while.
There's the obligatory 'who me' look from T'rev at that accusation of flattery and then he's finishing up his food in spite of the choking thing and holds a hand out for her bowl. Any throat-clearing about leather either gets missed or actually just floats right on over T'rev's head. "All right, I'll be here with the old man or over by that wagon there," he points to one a little ways down. "Serina's. But if you don't want to even /see/ the baby, don't stop by there long," he says with a grin for the baker. Rodric only smiles at Jaeyi, warmth in his eyes as they linger on her face. "About that many. Do enjoy your visit with the younger Terrivs. I look forward to our dances later, Jaeyi." His nod is polite as she excuses herself and once she's risen he returns to finishing off his meal. Eventually T'rev clears away all three bowls and there's back and forth about the music for that night, more baby time for T'rev and a large number of the caravan's children gathered at Rodric's feet for an impromptu lesson. Later still a couple of wagons come down the road from the direction of the hold: apparently there was business going on today but only with a smaller contingent. As the sun sets, Jaeyi'll get the potential treat of a Terriv firelighting ceremony and the formal guest's greeting that goes along with it. And after that, a lot of dancing, a lot of grog and more good food, always with just that titch of spiciness. In the dark ... well, it's dark. We'll leave that to everyone's imagination.
Jaeyi just has a very nice day. Which is good, because it means the chances of anyone getting a rolling pin forcibly entered into their anus are a lot lower. Even in the dark.