Log: What Can Candidates Do?
Who: P'draig, Seramara, Zilya, Kailai
When: Afternoon, 5/30/11
Where: Fort Weyr LC
What: Sera and Kailai talk tea, Zilya arrives, newly Searched, some discussion of Candidate rules ensues.
Fort Weyr Living Cavern(#199RJa$)
Approaching half the size of the Hatching Grounds, this cavern echoes with voices during the day, and the soft patter of feet during the night. Dozens of tables are spaced throughout, each with open space around to provide small amounts of privacy for the discussions carried on at each. The night hearth, with a cluster of pots of stew and klah, is situated near the large entrance to the tunnel. Several other hearths are spaced around the huge chamber, lending light and some heat to the room. The far wall is lined with tables that always hold something edible to feed the throngs of people who come into this immense room in search of a meal, a snack, or something to drink. As with most Weyrs, the Living Cavern is the busiest place with the most activity. It is here that Fortians and visitors alike migrate in an effort to find information, share gossip, and just plain socialize.
Broad marble steps to the southwest lead up to the impressive Fort Weyr kitchen. An almost constant stream of activity centers around this staircase: people coming and going with loads of goods for the stores, fresh food, dirty or clean dishes and utensils, and plenty of folks just going in to do their duty for the day or night. The aromas wafting down the stairs are indicators of which meal is being prepared or served at the moment. The view into the kitchens is clear from the Living Cavern, everything gleaming and clean, and the muffled but bustling noises coming from within just add to the air of comfort, family, and hard work done at Fort Weyr.
To the east, a short flight of stairs leads to the hallway to the inner caverns. A stout door to the north has a healer's emblem on it, marking the Infirmary. To the south is a wide tunnel, leading out of the Weyr, and a wide opening to the west leads to the Weyr bowl.
Contents:
Kailai
Seramara
Sweaty and grimy, P'draig comes into the living cavern still peeling off his gloves, doubtless from riding sweeps. The brownrider stuffs the gloves into the pocket of his jacket, dangling open, the buckles clinking a little. The Weyrlingmaster pauses by the drink pitchers and searches among them for something relatively fresh. "There we go ... citron juice, that'll hit the spot."
That makes sense to Seramara. "Yeah, there has to be *some* way to figure how Thread's going to fall. It's better than just sitting and waiting and being surprised." While she hopes that no Threadscores show up in her infirmary. "Hello, P'draig. There's citron-iced cookies, too." She winces just a bit as the big man leaves a few smudges around the drink pitchers.
Zilya comes up the steps from the Inner Caverns.
Zilya has arrived.
Kailai looks up at the brownrider and then back at Seramara and nods. "Everything in nature follows a rhytmn, even thread. If we can just get enough data we can find the pattern and beat it. Its just a matter of enough people with a smart head keeping their eyes open." She states simply.
"Cookies, excellent," says the former Baker with a broad smile over his shoulder for the infirmary aide. He steps over to catch up two of said treats and takes his glass and the cookies over towards the girls. "Sure would like to find that pattern, yep. It'd beat being out on double or triple sweeps." He stuffs a cookie in his mouth and starts chewing, washing the sweet down with a sip from his glass.
"I really, really hope so," Seramara says fervently. "But you all are smart, so all of you working together will find *something*. Triple sweeps, P'draig? Ouch, you must be worn out." One more mug of tea for the rider. "Hey Zilya. Is the chair fixed already?" Something about the handyman seems different...
Zilya comes trundling into the caverns, not long after he had left, though he looks freshly washed, which is odd considering he left to fix a chair in a rider's weyr. He heads to the meal table and fills a mug with some juice, grabs a meatroll and turns back to the tables. "Well. Not exactly." he says with a smug grin on his face.
Kailai nods. "That's what I'm hoping to find sir. Me and the other scribes and assistant scribes. The problem is that the equations take a certain amount of data before they can be used on the comet falls." She sighs in a mixture of frustration and fascination. "I never thought starcrafters had such a tricky job. They gave us their records of the comet's trail fast enough, but because we're not trained in their craft we're having a bit of a time trying to figure out how it might affect a fall."
"Enh, it's not just me. It's everyone. I agree with M'yr's decision on that. We need the coverage. It just gets ... exhausting after a while." P'draig's head tilts back for another long swallow of the cool juice, swiping at his mouth with the back of his hand. "They've got their noses buried in hides over at Starcraft and Harper and in the Records Rooms at the Weyrs. If there's anything to find they will," says the rider confidently.
Seramara looks maybe a wee bit horrified at the thought of burying her nose in hides. Thankfully, there are others to do this thing called 'research'. "We'll see, then," she says, not quite as confidently as P'draig. But it's reassuring when a rider is so certain, so she relaxes enough to go track down a couple more cookies. "So what happened that led to a bath, Zilya? You're smirking."
Kailai nods. "I hope so." She says simply. "Otherwise I'll have strained my brain for nothing." She chuckles as she takes a sip of tea. "I do paintings too. I've been doing some of the comings and goings out in the bowl. But I store them in the back rooms when I'm finished with them. Its an interesting way to keep records. If you just write them, faces get lost." She shrugs. "So I put my other talents to use. I painted D'rel and his green earlier this morning." Then she notices Zilya. "I thought you were going to fix a chair." She says, blinking in surprise.
Zilya plunks down in a seat. "Hello there, Sir." he says to they rider as he grins at his friends, smirk still plastered on his face. "Still keeping our records?" he asks Kailai, avoiding the question at the moment, perhaps hoping to let one of the folks notice exactly why he has returned so quickly and in his current state. "I was." he says to Kailai, "But Kalorith... that's K'len's dragon, he wasn't feeling cooperative." another smirk. Notice the young man remembered two names in one sentence.
P'draig eyes Kailai for a moment. "Where're you getting the materials for that?" he asks after a pause, and bites off a chunk of his second cookie. He turns slightly and takes in the sight of Zilya, nodding friendly-like. "Good day, Zilya. Aha," the Weyrlingmaster eyes the new knot on the handyman. "Well congratulations and I guess it's going to start flying fast and furious now, new faces every day." He squints out towards the Bowl. "What'd Kalorith do?"
Seramara blinks. "Kalorith broke the chair?" she guesses. "I remember when Soldreth broke some of the railings around the Hatching Sands, but that was Turns ago..." Then she follows P'draig's gaze to the handyman's shoulder. Oh. Well. "He broke the chair and then he Searched you? Wow, that must have been interesting."
Kailai laughs, perhaps the first time she's out and out laughed in front of other people. "Broke the chair and then searched? Talk about assertive!" She laughs as she takes a sip of tea. "That's going to be something funny to write about?" a pause. "/Did/ he break the chair?"
Zilya grins at P'draig. "Thanks. And he searched me is what he did." he laughs. "Kept giving me funny looks before K'len told me what was going on." he explains. "No, he didn't break the chair. I'm still going to fix that for K'len eventually. Just not today." he grins. "He wouldn't take us anywhere though, apparently until K'len asked me... and it was just out of the blue." he shakes his head. "I hardly heard him." he comments.
P'draig nods. "Ah so he didn't do anything weird to you while he was Searching you. That's good. My father's dragon Behemoth gets a little carried away when he's on Search. It can get ... messy." The rider's nose wrinkles up expressively. "Anyway, good luck with candidacy, Zilya. I'm sure the duties won't faze you any." Knocking back the last of his juice, the Weyrlingmaster sets his glass down and then drags out a chair, flipping it around and straddling it. Once seated he shucks off his riding jacket and folds it across one thigh. Dark marks on the back of his shirt show where his jacket was sticking to him from being out on sweeps all morning.
Seramara's smile is a little mischievous. "Are you sure you've thought it through?" she asks Zilya, all big-eyed innocent. "As a Candidate, you have to behave yourself. No flirting until after the Hatching. You might not survive." She avoids looking at P'draig the Smudgy, commenting instead to Kailai, "You should try a sketch of that scene. Kalorith looming over Zilya, with one chair in the background. It's almost symbolic of...something."
Kailai flushes. "I should probably try... it would be humorus to say the least." She chuckles. "And she's right. I stood once awhile ago. Lotsa chores, no boyfriend or girlfriend, no pets, no alcohol. And then at the hatching you need to be /really/ on the alert. Especially after the last one." She shudders. She peers at P'draig. "You look like you've been out all day. Are sweeps really that difficult?" She asks worriedly.
Zilya shakes his head. "Nope, nothing like that. It was so sudden I thought K'len wasn't even talking to me. Took me a minute to realize what he'd asked." he grins. "Thanks, your vote of confidence is appreciated." he adds. He turns to Seramara. "I can flirt. I just can't act on it. And if you hadn't noticed, I haven't exactly had the pleasure of acting on much of my flirting around here anyways." he waggles his eyebrows at her. To Kailai, "I'll stick to the rule but often the edges are fuzzy. And...uh... the weyrlingmaster here even told Val that he can have some ale with dinner." he says, finding all the loopholes he can.
The Weyrlingmaster's eyes turn mildly towards Seramara. "No flirting? Could have fooled me," he notes with wicked grin on his face. The grin doesn't last long, replaced with a more thoughtful look and the rider frowning down at the table-top for a moment, before he gives himself a shake. "Sun's out," notes P'draig for Kailai's question. "If you're flying back and forth a lot over a wide area and you're up in the sky with no cloud cover, it gets kind of toasty under your riding gear. Gotta wear it though in case you have to jump Between or bump into Thread. It's protection, see." He nudges the sturdy leathers with one elbow. He nods again at Zilya's words. "Just don't get soused."
Seramara sticks her tongue out at Zilya in a breathtaking display of maturity. "Still, you might get in trouble if you do it in front of the wrong person. So you'll have to *try* and be good." She grins back at P'draig, unfazed by his change of expression. "There was no drinking at all at Telgar. Graedin got drunk the day of the first Fall, and he got into *so* much trouble. There were bets on if he'd be allowed to stay out his Candidacy. Which he did, and Impressed bronze, so that worked out." She leans over to take a delicate sniff of P'draig's leathers. "Drop those with the laundresses before you leave," she suggests.
Kailai chuckles and sighs, "I think I'll get some of those citron cookies." She says with a chuckle. "Then I'll figure out what paint pigments I'm about to run out of." She gets up and returns later with a slate and a small plate, a saucer really, with three citron cookies and some more tea.
Zilya nods to P'draig. "Certainly not." he agrees. To Seramara's tongue? He wiggles his eyebrows at her. "No harm in a little flirting." he says with a mischievious smirk. He glances at Kailai. "You really keep track of how much of each color you have? Wish I could do that. I hardly ever know my inventory in my toolkit." he comments.
"Generally speaking, just behave with the usual respect and consideration you would on any other day," notes P'draig for Zilya's benefit. "Don't get drunk, don't get anyone in trouble, it's simple. Otherwise," he shrugs, "it's just another set of chores and learning how to dodge on the Sands." The Weyrlingmaster doesn't seem to fussed up about candidacy. "Well see, so long as you don't deck the Weyrleader when you get drunk, don't think you'd get sent home for /that/" muses P'draig with another shrug and grins at Seramara. "I was planning to, on my way to the baths."
Seramara makes little mental notes. Respect and consideration, gotcha. "That's what they said at Telgar. They used different words, and Weyrleader E'tyn blushed a lot, but it was about the same thing." She dunks the last of her cookie in her tea, nibbling. "I don't even drink *klah*, so I probably won't get drunk. Never enough to deck the Weyrleader, definitely."
Kailai chuckles, and then sighs. "I'd better get going. The portrait i did this morning cleaned me out of green pigment. That means a trip up into the hills to get the herbs and leaves I need for more." She sighs and quickly gulps the tea. "I'm Kailai by the way." She offers P'draig a hand just before she leaves.
Zilya nods. "I'll be good." he says, trying to sound innocent. He grins at Seramara. "Aww, klah's good, especially here. My folks make some good klah." he says, swelling just a bit with pride. "Oh, I need to be sure to tell them soon." he reminds himself. He waves to Kailai. "See you around." he says.
"There ya go," says P'draig easily, resting his arms on the back of his chair. "Klah's good stuff, 'specially when you're so tired you can't see straight." He nods Kailai's way. "Well met. P'draig, Weyrlingmaster," he concludes the introduction. "I'd offer to shake hands, but I'm a sweaty mess."
"Try the herb gardens," Sera suggests to Kailai. "There's indigo there too, if you need some blues. Have fun!" She laughs, shaking her head at Zilya and P'draig. "No, no. I don't drink klah because...well, I get really hyper and bouncy and kind of scary when I do. So I try to avoid it. Tea's my drink."
Kailai nods her thank you to the others at the table. "Thank you, all of you. If its not too much trouble. I just dont' want somebody getting... upset... at me for using Weyr supplies for paint! Especially when it can help somebody."
Zilya laughs at Seramara's comment. "I suppose I can see that in you." he says in a teasing tone, almost as if he were an older brother than anything else. He grins at P'draig. "That is so very true. But personally, I just like the taste." he shrugs.
n?
"Ahh, yeah, I suppose if you're not used to it klah can do that," agrees P'draig. "I've been drinking it so long I can't really remember when I started." He offers the infirmary aide a lopsided grin. "Tea's good for relaxing. 'specially the kinds made with flowers. Tastes good too. Ever had a sorbet made from tea?" The Weyrlingmaster waxes all Baker-esque all of a sudden. "Made some good sauces out of klah a couple of times. Goes nicely with wherry and a strong Benden red."
"It's good with milk and sweetener," Seramara says wistfully. "But the last time I tried to drink some, I ended up scrubbing every single table in Tillek's hall. And my brother Tayver says I tried to climb up to polish the big seal over the door, but I don't remember that at all." Her mouth purses thoughtfully as P'draig starts rhapsodizing. "You know, I never thought of that. But if there's sweet tea, it could be used *as* a sweet...hmmmmmm."
Zilya grins at the weyrlingmaster. "You should really talk to my parents, they're always up for new ideas." he offers and then lets out a laugh at Seramara. "Sounds like that's all it takes to get you drunk. Klah.. never thought of it that way." he laughs again, amused.
P'draig whistles lowly at Seramara's remark. "Shells, girl, that's some energy," he says blending humor and a hint of admiration. "Yep, you can. Delicate flavors, subtle, not too overwhelming. Kids seem to like that a lot. That and plain old sweetener syrup with fruit mixed in." He nods Zilya's way. "Worked with 'em a few times since they got here," he notes with a sideways grin. "Posted here before I Impressed y'know. It's always a pleasure to have a bit of time to step back in the kitchen and through some dough around."
"Not drunk!" Seramara defends herself against such insinuations. "Hyper and really single-minded, but not *drunk*." And no doubt she'd say more, if she didn't abruptly become aware of the time. "Oh, I'm on duty in a bit. I'd better get back--F'ran got hideously sunburned when he was down at Ista, and he'll need another dose of numbweed cream." She bounces up, dropping her empty plate and mug with a drudge. "Congratulations, Zilya, see you in the kitchens, P'draig!" A flutter of hair and loose sash, and she's gone.
Seramara walks down the eastern stairs to the Inner Caverns.
Seramara has left.
Zilya grins. "I'm proud of them." he says with a grin, refering of course to his parents. "Actually, if you don't mind I think they're both in there now and they'll be more than happy to hear my newest bit of news hmm?" he grins. "Nice seeing you again though." he offers a wave to Seramara as she's out the door and on her way already. "Later..." he says, though she's now long gone.
P'draig waves as Seramara excuses herself. "See ya," he offers casually and returns his attention to Zilya. "Absolutely, I'll bet they'll be thrilled, go on then. Just don't let 'em ply you with too much ale or celebratory wine,' nods the Weyrlingmaster with a grin. Getting a whiff of himself he makes a face and catches up his riding jacket. "I think I have a date with the baths and the laundry."
Zilya laughs. "See you around, Sir." he says, tacking the title onto the end of his comment with a grin and florish. "I'll be sure they know." he agrees and disappears into the kitchens.
When: Afternoon, 5/30/11
Where: Fort Weyr LC
What: Sera and Kailai talk tea, Zilya arrives, newly Searched, some discussion of Candidate rules ensues.
Fort Weyr Living Cavern(#199RJa$)
Approaching half the size of the Hatching Grounds, this cavern echoes with voices during the day, and the soft patter of feet during the night. Dozens of tables are spaced throughout, each with open space around to provide small amounts of privacy for the discussions carried on at each. The night hearth, with a cluster of pots of stew and klah, is situated near the large entrance to the tunnel. Several other hearths are spaced around the huge chamber, lending light and some heat to the room. The far wall is lined with tables that always hold something edible to feed the throngs of people who come into this immense room in search of a meal, a snack, or something to drink. As with most Weyrs, the Living Cavern is the busiest place with the most activity. It is here that Fortians and visitors alike migrate in an effort to find information, share gossip, and just plain socialize.
Broad marble steps to the southwest lead up to the impressive Fort Weyr kitchen. An almost constant stream of activity centers around this staircase: people coming and going with loads of goods for the stores, fresh food, dirty or clean dishes and utensils, and plenty of folks just going in to do their duty for the day or night. The aromas wafting down the stairs are indicators of which meal is being prepared or served at the moment. The view into the kitchens is clear from the Living Cavern, everything gleaming and clean, and the muffled but bustling noises coming from within just add to the air of comfort, family, and hard work done at Fort Weyr.
To the east, a short flight of stairs leads to the hallway to the inner caverns. A stout door to the north has a healer's emblem on it, marking the Infirmary. To the south is a wide tunnel, leading out of the Weyr, and a wide opening to the west leads to the Weyr bowl.
Contents:
Kailai
Seramara
Sweaty and grimy, P'draig comes into the living cavern still peeling off his gloves, doubtless from riding sweeps. The brownrider stuffs the gloves into the pocket of his jacket, dangling open, the buckles clinking a little. The Weyrlingmaster pauses by the drink pitchers and searches among them for something relatively fresh. "There we go ... citron juice, that'll hit the spot."
That makes sense to Seramara. "Yeah, there has to be *some* way to figure how Thread's going to fall. It's better than just sitting and waiting and being surprised." While she hopes that no Threadscores show up in her infirmary. "Hello, P'draig. There's citron-iced cookies, too." She winces just a bit as the big man leaves a few smudges around the drink pitchers.
Zilya comes up the steps from the Inner Caverns.
Zilya has arrived.
Kailai looks up at the brownrider and then back at Seramara and nods. "Everything in nature follows a rhytmn, even thread. If we can just get enough data we can find the pattern and beat it. Its just a matter of enough people with a smart head keeping their eyes open." She states simply.
"Cookies, excellent," says the former Baker with a broad smile over his shoulder for the infirmary aide. He steps over to catch up two of said treats and takes his glass and the cookies over towards the girls. "Sure would like to find that pattern, yep. It'd beat being out on double or triple sweeps." He stuffs a cookie in his mouth and starts chewing, washing the sweet down with a sip from his glass.
"I really, really hope so," Seramara says fervently. "But you all are smart, so all of you working together will find *something*. Triple sweeps, P'draig? Ouch, you must be worn out." One more mug of tea for the rider. "Hey Zilya. Is the chair fixed already?" Something about the handyman seems different...
Zilya comes trundling into the caverns, not long after he had left, though he looks freshly washed, which is odd considering he left to fix a chair in a rider's weyr. He heads to the meal table and fills a mug with some juice, grabs a meatroll and turns back to the tables. "Well. Not exactly." he says with a smug grin on his face.
Kailai nods. "That's what I'm hoping to find sir. Me and the other scribes and assistant scribes. The problem is that the equations take a certain amount of data before they can be used on the comet falls." She sighs in a mixture of frustration and fascination. "I never thought starcrafters had such a tricky job. They gave us their records of the comet's trail fast enough, but because we're not trained in their craft we're having a bit of a time trying to figure out how it might affect a fall."
"Enh, it's not just me. It's everyone. I agree with M'yr's decision on that. We need the coverage. It just gets ... exhausting after a while." P'draig's head tilts back for another long swallow of the cool juice, swiping at his mouth with the back of his hand. "They've got their noses buried in hides over at Starcraft and Harper and in the Records Rooms at the Weyrs. If there's anything to find they will," says the rider confidently.
Seramara looks maybe a wee bit horrified at the thought of burying her nose in hides. Thankfully, there are others to do this thing called 'research'. "We'll see, then," she says, not quite as confidently as P'draig. But it's reassuring when a rider is so certain, so she relaxes enough to go track down a couple more cookies. "So what happened that led to a bath, Zilya? You're smirking."
Kailai nods. "I hope so." She says simply. "Otherwise I'll have strained my brain for nothing." She chuckles as she takes a sip of tea. "I do paintings too. I've been doing some of the comings and goings out in the bowl. But I store them in the back rooms when I'm finished with them. Its an interesting way to keep records. If you just write them, faces get lost." She shrugs. "So I put my other talents to use. I painted D'rel and his green earlier this morning." Then she notices Zilya. "I thought you were going to fix a chair." She says, blinking in surprise.
Zilya plunks down in a seat. "Hello there, Sir." he says to they rider as he grins at his friends, smirk still plastered on his face. "Still keeping our records?" he asks Kailai, avoiding the question at the moment, perhaps hoping to let one of the folks notice exactly why he has returned so quickly and in his current state. "I was." he says to Kailai, "But Kalorith... that's K'len's dragon, he wasn't feeling cooperative." another smirk. Notice the young man remembered two names in one sentence.
P'draig eyes Kailai for a moment. "Where're you getting the materials for that?" he asks after a pause, and bites off a chunk of his second cookie. He turns slightly and takes in the sight of Zilya, nodding friendly-like. "Good day, Zilya. Aha," the Weyrlingmaster eyes the new knot on the handyman. "Well congratulations and I guess it's going to start flying fast and furious now, new faces every day." He squints out towards the Bowl. "What'd Kalorith do?"
Seramara blinks. "Kalorith broke the chair?" she guesses. "I remember when Soldreth broke some of the railings around the Hatching Sands, but that was Turns ago..." Then she follows P'draig's gaze to the handyman's shoulder. Oh. Well. "He broke the chair and then he Searched you? Wow, that must have been interesting."
Kailai laughs, perhaps the first time she's out and out laughed in front of other people. "Broke the chair and then searched? Talk about assertive!" She laughs as she takes a sip of tea. "That's going to be something funny to write about?" a pause. "/Did/ he break the chair?"
Zilya grins at P'draig. "Thanks. And he searched me is what he did." he laughs. "Kept giving me funny looks before K'len told me what was going on." he explains. "No, he didn't break the chair. I'm still going to fix that for K'len eventually. Just not today." he grins. "He wouldn't take us anywhere though, apparently until K'len asked me... and it was just out of the blue." he shakes his head. "I hardly heard him." he comments.
P'draig nods. "Ah so he didn't do anything weird to you while he was Searching you. That's good. My father's dragon Behemoth gets a little carried away when he's on Search. It can get ... messy." The rider's nose wrinkles up expressively. "Anyway, good luck with candidacy, Zilya. I'm sure the duties won't faze you any." Knocking back the last of his juice, the Weyrlingmaster sets his glass down and then drags out a chair, flipping it around and straddling it. Once seated he shucks off his riding jacket and folds it across one thigh. Dark marks on the back of his shirt show where his jacket was sticking to him from being out on sweeps all morning.
Seramara's smile is a little mischievous. "Are you sure you've thought it through?" she asks Zilya, all big-eyed innocent. "As a Candidate, you have to behave yourself. No flirting until after the Hatching. You might not survive." She avoids looking at P'draig the Smudgy, commenting instead to Kailai, "You should try a sketch of that scene. Kalorith looming over Zilya, with one chair in the background. It's almost symbolic of...something."
Kailai flushes. "I should probably try... it would be humorus to say the least." She chuckles. "And she's right. I stood once awhile ago. Lotsa chores, no boyfriend or girlfriend, no pets, no alcohol. And then at the hatching you need to be /really/ on the alert. Especially after the last one." She shudders. She peers at P'draig. "You look like you've been out all day. Are sweeps really that difficult?" She asks worriedly.
Zilya shakes his head. "Nope, nothing like that. It was so sudden I thought K'len wasn't even talking to me. Took me a minute to realize what he'd asked." he grins. "Thanks, your vote of confidence is appreciated." he adds. He turns to Seramara. "I can flirt. I just can't act on it. And if you hadn't noticed, I haven't exactly had the pleasure of acting on much of my flirting around here anyways." he waggles his eyebrows at her. To Kailai, "I'll stick to the rule but often the edges are fuzzy. And...uh... the weyrlingmaster here even told Val that he can have some ale with dinner." he says, finding all the loopholes he can.
The Weyrlingmaster's eyes turn mildly towards Seramara. "No flirting? Could have fooled me," he notes with wicked grin on his face. The grin doesn't last long, replaced with a more thoughtful look and the rider frowning down at the table-top for a moment, before he gives himself a shake. "Sun's out," notes P'draig for Kailai's question. "If you're flying back and forth a lot over a wide area and you're up in the sky with no cloud cover, it gets kind of toasty under your riding gear. Gotta wear it though in case you have to jump Between or bump into Thread. It's protection, see." He nudges the sturdy leathers with one elbow. He nods again at Zilya's words. "Just don't get soused."
Seramara sticks her tongue out at Zilya in a breathtaking display of maturity. "Still, you might get in trouble if you do it in front of the wrong person. So you'll have to *try* and be good." She grins back at P'draig, unfazed by his change of expression. "There was no drinking at all at Telgar. Graedin got drunk the day of the first Fall, and he got into *so* much trouble. There were bets on if he'd be allowed to stay out his Candidacy. Which he did, and Impressed bronze, so that worked out." She leans over to take a delicate sniff of P'draig's leathers. "Drop those with the laundresses before you leave," she suggests.
Kailai chuckles and sighs, "I think I'll get some of those citron cookies." She says with a chuckle. "Then I'll figure out what paint pigments I'm about to run out of." She gets up and returns later with a slate and a small plate, a saucer really, with three citron cookies and some more tea.
Zilya nods to P'draig. "Certainly not." he agrees. To Seramara's tongue? He wiggles his eyebrows at her. "No harm in a little flirting." he says with a mischievious smirk. He glances at Kailai. "You really keep track of how much of each color you have? Wish I could do that. I hardly ever know my inventory in my toolkit." he comments.
"Generally speaking, just behave with the usual respect and consideration you would on any other day," notes P'draig for Zilya's benefit. "Don't get drunk, don't get anyone in trouble, it's simple. Otherwise," he shrugs, "it's just another set of chores and learning how to dodge on the Sands." The Weyrlingmaster doesn't seem to fussed up about candidacy. "Well see, so long as you don't deck the Weyrleader when you get drunk, don't think you'd get sent home for /that/" muses P'draig with another shrug and grins at Seramara. "I was planning to, on my way to the baths."
Seramara makes little mental notes. Respect and consideration, gotcha. "That's what they said at Telgar. They used different words, and Weyrleader E'tyn blushed a lot, but it was about the same thing." She dunks the last of her cookie in her tea, nibbling. "I don't even drink *klah*, so I probably won't get drunk. Never enough to deck the Weyrleader, definitely."
Kailai chuckles, and then sighs. "I'd better get going. The portrait i did this morning cleaned me out of green pigment. That means a trip up into the hills to get the herbs and leaves I need for more." She sighs and quickly gulps the tea. "I'm Kailai by the way." She offers P'draig a hand just before she leaves.
Zilya nods. "I'll be good." he says, trying to sound innocent. He grins at Seramara. "Aww, klah's good, especially here. My folks make some good klah." he says, swelling just a bit with pride. "Oh, I need to be sure to tell them soon." he reminds himself. He waves to Kailai. "See you around." he says.
"There ya go," says P'draig easily, resting his arms on the back of his chair. "Klah's good stuff, 'specially when you're so tired you can't see straight." He nods Kailai's way. "Well met. P'draig, Weyrlingmaster," he concludes the introduction. "I'd offer to shake hands, but I'm a sweaty mess."
"Try the herb gardens," Sera suggests to Kailai. "There's indigo there too, if you need some blues. Have fun!" She laughs, shaking her head at Zilya and P'draig. "No, no. I don't drink klah because...well, I get really hyper and bouncy and kind of scary when I do. So I try to avoid it. Tea's my drink."
Kailai nods her thank you to the others at the table. "Thank you, all of you. If its not too much trouble. I just dont' want somebody getting... upset... at me for using Weyr supplies for paint! Especially when it can help somebody."
Zilya laughs at Seramara's comment. "I suppose I can see that in you." he says in a teasing tone, almost as if he were an older brother than anything else. He grins at P'draig. "That is so very true. But personally, I just like the taste." he shrugs.
n?
"Ahh, yeah, I suppose if you're not used to it klah can do that," agrees P'draig. "I've been drinking it so long I can't really remember when I started." He offers the infirmary aide a lopsided grin. "Tea's good for relaxing. 'specially the kinds made with flowers. Tastes good too. Ever had a sorbet made from tea?" The Weyrlingmaster waxes all Baker-esque all of a sudden. "Made some good sauces out of klah a couple of times. Goes nicely with wherry and a strong Benden red."
"It's good with milk and sweetener," Seramara says wistfully. "But the last time I tried to drink some, I ended up scrubbing every single table in Tillek's hall. And my brother Tayver says I tried to climb up to polish the big seal over the door, but I don't remember that at all." Her mouth purses thoughtfully as P'draig starts rhapsodizing. "You know, I never thought of that. But if there's sweet tea, it could be used *as* a sweet...hmmmmmm."
Zilya grins at the weyrlingmaster. "You should really talk to my parents, they're always up for new ideas." he offers and then lets out a laugh at Seramara. "Sounds like that's all it takes to get you drunk. Klah.. never thought of it that way." he laughs again, amused.
P'draig whistles lowly at Seramara's remark. "Shells, girl, that's some energy," he says blending humor and a hint of admiration. "Yep, you can. Delicate flavors, subtle, not too overwhelming. Kids seem to like that a lot. That and plain old sweetener syrup with fruit mixed in." He nods Zilya's way. "Worked with 'em a few times since they got here," he notes with a sideways grin. "Posted here before I Impressed y'know. It's always a pleasure to have a bit of time to step back in the kitchen and through some dough around."
"Not drunk!" Seramara defends herself against such insinuations. "Hyper and really single-minded, but not *drunk*." And no doubt she'd say more, if she didn't abruptly become aware of the time. "Oh, I'm on duty in a bit. I'd better get back--F'ran got hideously sunburned when he was down at Ista, and he'll need another dose of numbweed cream." She bounces up, dropping her empty plate and mug with a drudge. "Congratulations, Zilya, see you in the kitchens, P'draig!" A flutter of hair and loose sash, and she's gone.
Seramara walks down the eastern stairs to the Inner Caverns.
Seramara has left.
Zilya grins. "I'm proud of them." he says with a grin, refering of course to his parents. "Actually, if you don't mind I think they're both in there now and they'll be more than happy to hear my newest bit of news hmm?" he grins. "Nice seeing you again though." he offers a wave to Seramara as she's out the door and on her way already. "Later..." he says, though she's now long gone.
P'draig waves as Seramara excuses herself. "See ya," he offers casually and returns his attention to Zilya. "Absolutely, I'll bet they'll be thrilled, go on then. Just don't let 'em ply you with too much ale or celebratory wine,' nods the Weyrlingmaster with a grin. Getting a whiff of himself he makes a face and catches up his riding jacket. "I think I have a date with the baths and the laundry."
Zilya laughs. "See you around, Sir." he says, tacking the title onto the end of his comment with a grin and florish. "I'll be sure they know." he agrees and disappears into the kitchens.