[Log] Nice Place Y'Got Here
Who: Andoran, Ebrina (NPC), I'neph, Talbrin (NPC)
When: Day 27, Month 6, Turn 448
Where: Bowl, Benden Weyr; Elben Hold
What: I'neph and Andoran visit Elben and pick up some supplies.
I'neph is loitering with Dioscuth around the bowl, doing very little but just sitting there by the bronze and enjoying the nice weather. Dioscuth, of course, looks restless, and keeps giving the other dragons passing by looks--first hopeful ones, then mildly put-out ones when they don't answer whatever mental challenge he's sure to be issuing.
Andoran trudges around the Bowl, clearly looking for someone or something from the way his head is twisting back and forth, and the squint he gives the dragons he passes. He's dressed a little bit more ruggedly than usual and there's a carry-sack dangling across his body, slapping his hip as he moves, largely empty from its limp shape. Finally he spots I'neph and Dioscuth and heads that way purposefully. "I'neph! Good day," he calls out as he draws nearer. "Ready for that little trip?"
"What trip?" says I'neph blankly. Then: "Oh. Oh, yeah." He does not sound particuarly enthusiastic when he remembers. "I guess. Don't got nothing better to do, so." He pushes himself heavily to his feet and nudges Dioscuth, who perks right up, excited. "You really wanna go now? I don't even got a visual on this place, you know."
"It's not far from here. Two days by runner. How long will that take, flying straight?" questions the Harper, his usual easy-going manner a bit displaced by a hint of urgency. He plants himself before the bronzerider, arms folded across his chest, brow furrowed a little.
"Not... that long," concedes I'neph, with a sigh. "Fine. We can fly straight, I guess. C'mon." He turns to Dioscuth to begin getting the bronze ready, strapping him up--though he's definitely taking his time, and earning hurry-up whuffs from the dragon, too. Finally, though, he finishes and moves to scramble aboard--after six turns he's still not gotten graceful about doing that. He doesn't offer Andoran a hand, just glances expectantly over at him to get himself aboard on his own, too.
"Right, then you'll have a visual, if you decide you want to go there again," says Andoran winningly and swings his carry-sack around out of his way, grabbing a strap and heaving himself up the dragon's side just as ungraceful as I'neph, though he does manage it by himself. He huffs and puffs a little when he gets up and tries to strap himself in, but gets one of the clips on backwards.
Once Andoran is on, I'neph glances over at him, at the straps; it takes him a moment to realize, too, that the straps aren't quite properly done. With an exaggerated sigh, he reaches to undo it and then refasten it properly, shaking his head at the harper's ignorance. Then, turning back, he clutches his own straps quite tightly, tensing as the bronze leaps upward and spreads his wings, heading upward over the bowl. "Which way?" I'neph calls back, while he clings to Dioscuth's straps.
"Thank you," the Harper says simply for the correction and grabs a hold something, not I'neph. He leans forward so that the rider can hear better. "Turn towards the ocean and slightly south, that should be roughly a straight line towards the hold."
I'neph cuts his eyes back toward Andoran, then nods once. Dioscuth turns that way, soaring on out toward the Hold. The trip doesn't, indeed, take too long, and Dioscuth makes his way toward Elben without much misdirection, eventually finding himself over a little hold. "That one?" asks I'neph dubiously, tangling his fingers tighter in the straps before he glances downward, over the bronze's side, at the hold.
Andoran settles in for the ride, the rushing wind discouraging conversation, the Harper is left with his own thoughts until familiar pastures and the sweep of land down to the ocean come into view with the small hold perched up in the hills halfway between a rockier lift of the land and the beach where waves rush up to break around some rocks before lapping onto a sandy shoreline. "That's it down there," he calls out, pointing to the snug little place. Small like bugs, people can be seen at work out in the pastures, the fluffy dots of sheep white against green grass.
Dioscuth, at Andoran's affirmation, angles downward, heading to land as near the main hold as he can. Only once the dragon's touched down on the ground does I'neph release his death hold on the straps with a whoosh of relief. "Okay, so," he says then, straightening and moving to unbuckle himself and slide down. He doesn't help Andoran again, but then, maybe he can get out of the straps better than he got into them. The rider glances around when he's on the ground, looking unimpressed. "This is where you're from?"
Even before they've landed, some of the locals have noticed the bronze dragon coming in for a landing. A group of children down amongst the vines run along beneath him waving and shouting greetings, while an adult makes for the hold itself to give warning. Atop Disocuth, unclipping is apparently easier than to clipping in, after all, the catches only have to be released and Andoran manages this all right. He slides off the bronze, hair in wild disarray from being whipped about up above. "Yes, this is Elben," the Harper indicates, warmth in his voice for the place. He shades his eyes against the sun, getting his bearings, even as two men and a woman approach from the hold.
"Huh," says I'neph, glancing around again and then eyeing the people running around. Idly, he reaches to straighten up his hair, though it's short enough the ride has hardly mussed it at all. "Well. You get to do the talking," he notes, looking at the people approaching. Dioscuth, meanwhile, leans his head toward toward the children nearby, rumbling a deep note.
The children huddle into a group a dragonlength or so away, watching with big interested eyes and a lot of whispering until one of the older ones exclaims, "HEY! Look it's /Andoran/!!!" The holders continue their approach, body language a touch wary at first, the older of the two men, hair silvered, skin on the swarthy side, bows to the rider and harper as he gets nearer. "Welcome to Elben, duties to the Weyr," he says formally, then cracks a grin for the harper. "And welcome home, Harper, your mother will be eager to see you." Given I'neph's words and the warm welcome to himself, Andoran steps forward to do the niceties. "Thank you, holder Talbrin, it's good to be back," returns the Harper, reaching a hand out to give the holder's hand a warm shake. "This is I'neph, rider of bronze Dioscuth," he gestures to his companion. "He was kind enough to convey me here today."
"/Wingleader/ I'neph," the bronzerider inserts quickly. "Wingleader. Benden's duties, I guess." He steps forward to offer a hand to the man as well, at least that polite, for all it takes him a minute to remember to be so. "Good to meet you."
Talbrin clasps I'neph's hand briefly. "Likewise, Elben welcomes the Weyr." The holder's manner is careful, respectful but there's still that edge of wariness about him. The woman at his side, younger, with a strong resemblance to the holder clears her throat, and casts both rider and harper a welcoming look. "May I offer you some refreshment?" Andoran smiles broadly at the group, including the other man, who still has not spoken. "Thank you Ebrina, that would be lovely. You get pretty parched up there," he jerks a thumb upward at the sky." The holder gestures for the guests to precede him and Andoran starts walking towards the hold proper, along with Talbrin.
I'neph falls in step, too. "Be nice, something to drink. And hey, you got snacks, too? Would really appreciate it," he tells their host, even while he shoos another look around the hold. "Nice place y'got here." Then, he falls quieter, following along while the holders and Andoran lead the way.
Andoran continues to converse with Talbrin, pleasantries about the weather, the health of the hold, inquiries about particular residents and so on. Ebrina meanwhile walks closer to I'neph. "Certainly, we have things to eat. Good cheese, fresh fruit, bread, and there's wine or klah whatever you'd like for drink," the holder woman says merrily. "And thank you, we're pretty happy with Elben ourselves." Gracious and good-humored is Ebrina where the other holder who still walks along with them is taciturn and keeps shooting more wary looks at the rider from under the cover of the hair that flops forward over his face.
"All that?" says I'neph, sounding surprised; his brows arch and he glances at the holders a long moment before smirking and slipping a thumbs-up sign to Andoran, not very subtly. "Hey, this /was/ a good idea, harper-man," he says, smug.
Ebrina gives I'neph a brief brow-raised look. "Certainly, honored guests should always be well-provided for." Andoran casts a look back at I'neph and grins. "I'm always excited about introducing people to my home. I hope you'll enjoy your visit, I'neph." It's not long to the doorway of the hold, a well-kept building of sturdy stone, metal shutters flung back to catch the breeze that comes up the hill from the ocean. It boasts two floors and is set slightly into the hillside so that one side of the building is protected from the elements by the lee of the hill. The roof slopes gently outward beyond the walls, a mix of slate tiles and hammered metal sheets, though there are spots where repairs have been made with wood, betraying the fact that this hold like so many others had also forgotten about Thread. Inside, there's a fire going in the hearth, a long table has been hastily laid out with the promised refreshments, the whole scene neat and cozy, signs of a prosperous, well-kept small hold.
Food! I'neph's eyes light up at once, as soon as he sees the spread on the table. "Enjoying it already," he adds to Andoran cheerfully as he notes. "Don't mind if I help myself, do you?" Hope not, because he moves to start helping himself even before the words are out of his mouth. "So..." he begins then. "You got a lot of stuff here. Good food. 'Preciate it, we really do. Right, Andoran?" He gives the harper a pointed look: it probably means something along the lines of back-me-up-here or maybe get-on-with-the-begging-for-food-to-take-back-with-us.
Ebrina looks a bit taken aback at the suddenness with which I'neph gets right down to eating and she shoots Andoran a sidelong look as if to say "is this what all riders are like?" Andoran's face quirks a little, apologetic. "Thank you kindly for the hospitality," he says genteelly, taking a seat when it's offered. Ebrina bustles about with some pitchers, offering I'neph some wine, while the taciturn fellow sticks around for a few minutes, then steps out still without saying a word. "The Interval has treated Elben well, the harvest looks like it'll be a good one, Talbrin," compliments Andoran, "you've done a great job as usual." Talbrin laughs wagging a finger at the harper. "Why do I get the feeling you're about to ask me for the shirt off my back, eh Andoran?" The harper grins wryly in answer. "Not the shirt, not the shirt ... but I'll cut to the chase. The Weyr could use your help, Talbrin. It's a tough job getting a whole Weyr back up to speed after being abandoned so long. Foodstuffs especially are in short supply ... I'm sure you can figure why," he notes lightly. The holder looks thoughtful, nodding along.
"Faranth, yes," I'neph backs up Andoran as he moves to settle alongside the harper once his plate is full. And wine, too? His mouth forms an ooh of happiness. "Thanks. Shards, we don't got none of this around. Benden Weyr, short on wine--ain't that ironic? We're hanging on with the food 'n' the water, but s'not exactly the easiest thing in the world, you know?"
"As the Wingleader says," agrees Andoran, with an open-handed gesture towards I'neph, slight emphasis on the rider's proper title, since he made such a big deal of it earlier. "If you've any surplus after the harvest, the Weyr would certainly appreciate it." There's light emphasis on the word appreciate as well. "If there's anything you could send back right now as well ..." he trails off and gives the holder another wry smile. "Let's just say it'd make some stomachs very happy." Pointed look at I'neph, busy with his plate.
I'neph, busy eating, settles for offering a too-big smile and nodding his agreement.
Talbrin sits back in his chair, turning his mug of klah back and forth and watching the liquid swish inside, thoughtful. "You're sure Thread is coming?" he finally breaks out, fixing Andoran with a close look. The Harper nods immediately, "I'm sure or I wouldn't be here asking, Talbrin," replies Andoran with conviction. "Thread is coming ... I want Elben safe, best way to make sure of that is to have a good relationship with the Weyr." The holder nods again, still thinking it all through. "Your father's been singing all the most traditional stuff lately, getting it in everyone's minds about supporting the Weyr. It's hard to believe it's coming again ..." his eyes lift up to the roof, as if looking through it. "Better to be safe than sorry though," he finally nods decisively. "Ebrina - go find Tared and have him organize some sacks, the sort of thing these two can carry back. He won't be happy about it, but I want it done." He gestures for his daughter to go ahead and she bobs a sort of curtsey, leaving the wine pitcher on the table. "Thank you Talbrin," Andoran says very sincerely. "You'll be wanting to go see your folks, I'll bet," the holder continues. "Your father's down at the beach helping with the nets, your ma's probably at home." The harper ducks his head a little and rises. "Will you be coming along I'neph? Or would you rather stay here?"
I'neph glances down at his plate, then up at Andoran. "You go on and see your family, and I'll stay here and visit." With his food, to be sure.
Andoran chuckles softly and nods. "See you later I'neph."