Log: Surprise Visitor
Who: P'draig, Piper, Bella, Thandril
When: 18:15 on day 26, month 6, Turn 5, of the Tenth Interval.
Where: Living Cavern, Fort Weyr
What: Piper's proddy and things are a little awkward with her and Paddy. Paddy's sister Bella turns up out of the blue to add more fun to the scene.
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.
Piper has abandoned her usual comfy chair by the hearths for a more mix and mingle sort of a spot mid-cavern, where she sits conversing animatedly in the midst of the Sky Sentry wing.
Your location's current time:
P'draig enters, flying jacket slung over his shoulder, goggles protruding from one pocket, apparently just in from an errand or duty. His eyes scan the cavern briefly, before he steers a course for his own wing's table and tosses his jacket onto a chair there with a nod for the lone wingmate who sits there enjoying a cool glass of juice. The young brownrider steps back towards where the beverage pitchers stand and inspects each, while sneaking more peeks in the direction of that animated conversation over there.
"Oh yes," Piper reports to an amused looking brownrider, "The water's not nearly so cold as in previous summers, it usually takes almost till fall to warm up, and then it's cooling back down again. This year, it's just so crisp and refreshing, I confess I barely can make myself come in here for food, let alone work." She caps her statements with a giggle that says, "What's a girl to do?"
P'draig picks a pitcher and fills up a glass, pouring out yellow citrus juice. He's just taken a sip when that giggle and final statement reach his ears and he starts coughing profusely
A coughing fit over by the juice pitchers is audible if it persists for more than a moment, and it does draw Piper's attention. The tinkling laughter tapers off rather abruptly, and a certain glumness of expression arrives. Despite a kindly greenrider's urging, a plate of food is declined, pushed away with a shake of the head, "I'm not really very hungry right now. Tired, a bit, I think. Maybe I should just go to bed." During dinner.
From his pocket, P'draig manages to extract a handkerchief, though it resists being pulled out at first, causing the rider to perform a rather comical dance between pulling out the cloth and not spilling the rest of his drink. "Shells ..." he mutters under his breath and finally opts to set the glass down and wipes at his mouth and shirtfront. He casts another look towards where laughter just ended and takes a deep breath, stuffing his hanky back into his pocket. One hand reaches to retrieve his glass and then he plasters on a rather awkward smile, heading that way. "Good evening Piper, D'lik, Sendra ..."
Piper replies with a rather dull echo of, "Good evening," not even managing to append a name to the greeting. Sendra's kindness extends out to the approaching brownrider as she ignores all evidence of spill and contends, "Just in from sweeps are you? It's not that I don't feel for Boll with their loss, but you know, all these extras duties are beginning to be a bit of a drain on our time and energy, don't you think?" The greenrider smiles over at Piper and pats her arm, "Perhaps you've been overextending yourself that way too, maybe that's why you're so tired, dear." D'lik has merely lapsed into the watch-and-wait game as he eats his meal.
There's a flash of hurt on Paddy's face, at Piper's lackluster greeting, but he rallies pleasantness and politeness nonetheless. "Yep, just in from a run into the interior of the Hold," he replies to Sendra's query. "It's ... extra work, sure, but ... I wouldn't call it especially taxing work. Well not so far anyway." He clears his throat a few times, and avails himself of the juice still in his glass, concern poorly masked on his features as the rest of Sendra's words sink in. "Lots of places to look for the culprit or culprits though. A lot of ground to cover." His head nods briefly D'lik's way. "What's good tonight? I didn't get a chance to pump the cooks for the menu this afternoon since I was out."
Jekzith> Bella hops off of the Reaches blue that's just landed, slinging a pack over her shoulder. Waving up to the Bluerider, she calls out, "Thank you, H'rah! And tell Mivinth I'll be catching up with you again for a ride home, yes?" The rider laughs and calls down the affirmative before they take off in a whirl of wind that blows the girl's blonde curls all over.
Sendra seems to have naturally fallen into the role of hostess at the table, despite arguments that perhaps another at the table should properly hold that title, "I guess less taxing than frustrating," she hastens to agree, "If I could just find a clue somewhere, even a small one, I'm sure I'd feel it was worth the effort." She smiles, again, indicating the empty chair across the table, next to D'lik, "Why don't you sit and eat with us, since Piper's hunger's lapsed and I brought her a plate? Unless our pickings don't fit your former Baker's high standards," she teases. D'lik snorts slightly, and offers, "The mashed tubers are good, even if they are an old standard." Piper for her part has managed to acquire lines of fatigue and shadows of exhaustion in the scant few minutes that have passed since she was laughing it up with the SkySentry wingriders. Even Sendra's gaze contains a mote of concern.
Jekzith> Bella heads into the Living caverns.
Jekzith> Bella has left.
Bella saunters in, pausing just inside the entrance to look around with a slight squint. She runs a hand absently through her curls, holding them on top of her head for a moment as she peers about before letting them drop in a tousled mop around her face. Somehow she seems to be taking in her new surroundings while at the same time looking for someone or something particular.
"Uhhh ..." temporizes P'draig, looking from face to face around the table, eyes lingering longest on Piper. "Sure ... if it's not imposing. I'm sure the 'pickings' are plenty fine." He jokes with the greenrider a little, a more honest smile crinkling up the corners of his eyes a little, but the depth of Piper's fatigue causes him to fall silent for a moment before one of his hands makes an attempt to rest on her shoulder, accompaniment to a quietly murmured: "Are you sure you're all right?"
Bella
Seemingly of all leg and limb, this girl is thin to the point of lanky. She's a bit taller than a girl of 16 Turns, 0 months, and 7 days. Her skin holds an olive tone, her eyes big and bright green. A mop of curly blonde ringlets falls just past her ears in a charming, cute haircut. Her smile is winning, full of even white teeth, her lips pink and healthy. She's got a way about her, always seeming to be on the move, always observing things around her curiously. Unable to sit still long, she's often chasing after a playmate or a sibling with gales of laughter following behind her.
Bella is wearing a warm-looking sweater of dark blue wool that brings out the color in her eyes. Her pants are sturdily made and really look more like they belong to a bigger boy rather than this lanky girl. On her feet are ankle-high moccassins with a sturdy sole, just perfect for her active lifestyle.
Thandril steps in from the bowl, following Bella in by a minute or two, waving to a few faces he knows, and then walks further into the cavern. He notes the presence of Piper, and then P'draig as well, and waves to them as he walks over. He notes a new face, or rather, a face he is sure he has seen once or twice before, and waves to her as well.
"Yes, yes," replies Piper listlessly, shoulder sagging a hair at the additional weight, but making no attempt to shrug it off, "And you should eat. It is dinner time," the words drag from her. She has yet to notice the blonde visitor who has recently entered. D'lik glances between the weyrwoman and the other brownrider, tsking softly, "There, there, Piper, chin up, or I'll be carrying you up to your weyr," the words contain no overly obvious innuendo, but there is a hint of a challenge as his eyes flicker back to Jekzith's rider. "No imposition at all," quips Sendra as she nudges the still untouched food plate across the table by the free seat.
Bella doesn't seem to see who she is looking for in the crowded living cavern. Noting the young man appearing just behind her, she smiles a dazzling, winning smile and asks Thandril, "Excuse me? Hi. I was wondering if you might be able to help me find someone?"
P'draig's hand tightens briefly on Piper's shoulder, before he drops into the offered chair and pulls the plate over. "Mashed tubers are hard to get wrong," he says neutrally, as he claims the cutlery that goes with the plate. "Maybe I need to put the apron back on and make some cookies?" he tries to jolly Piper a little, before D'lik's comment makes his lips compress just the slightest bit. "I'm sure that won't be necessary," he notes pleasantly enough before he silences himself with a goodly mouthful of food.
Thandril pauses his approach towards the two riders, and looks back to Bella, and smiles to her, "Sure. Hi and welcome to Fort." He notes, smiling as he offers his hand to her, "From the reaches? Lived there as a kid untill recently, Another of the Kandri Spawn you see." He notes, grinning to the young woman.
Piper manages a slight curl of lip that might be interpretted as a smile at D'lik suggestion. However, it is nothing next to the smile that literally blossoms full blown, animating her features entirely as she gushes (the mere talk of sweetening inducing a bout of energy apparently), "The kind with the carob chips?"
Bella narrows her eyes slightly at the young man in front of her, recognition flashing in her eyes, "Wait, I know you. You're... Thandril, right?" She grins lopsidedly, a familiar sight if he's met her father, "I'm Abbe and E'lan's daughter. We had some lessons together, didn't we?"
Bella glances about with a sly grin. She mutters to Thandril, "... looking... suprise... I haven't seen him since..." She snickers.
Thandril grins a touch, and nods, "Ah, ok. Funny how you meet all the same people a few turns after you think you would never come across them again eh?" He asks, smiling a touch to Bella. After a moment more, he nods to the mutter, and he grins, "Aye, that I might be able to help you with." He says, nodding his head in the proper direction subtly.
The sudden shift in Piper's demeanor elicits an answering grin from P'draig, though some might catch the release of tension in his shoulders that signals something akin to relief in the young brownrider. "If that's the kind you want, and they sound good, you betcha," he replies blithely and tosses back another sip of his juice. "So no one's come up with anything new since the last report?" he directs this towards Sendra, once he's swallowed his drink.
"Not from what we heard at our morning briefing," Sendra begins to answer, "Annilith's been holding musters to keep us apprised..." Her conversation is halted as Piper begins to talk overtop of her, "Are you going to make them now?" she inquires of P'draig, "They're just the best when they're still all warm and melty," she enthuses.
Bella follows Thandril's gaze and her grin widens. She nods to him, winking, "Thanks! I'll catch up with you later, alright?" Without waiting for a response, she walks confidently across the room, weaving in and out of various folks, eyes fixed on her goal. Finally she stops behind P'draig, drops her pack on the floor beside her and slides her hands around his eyes. "Guess who?" She winks at the others at the table playfully.
"Right ... " agrees P'draig with Sendra ... then chuckles softly, even as he spears some greens to go with his tubers. "I guess I could ... depends on if they don't mind in there. Might be wiser to wait 'til everyone's done eating," he notes nodding towards the kitchens. He's just opened his mouth to say something else, when a pair of hands come down over his eyes. "Huh wha ---" he drops his fork and lifts one of his hands to cover Bella's.
Whether it is the absence of imminent cookies or the vivacious blonde that is covering her beloved's eyes, Piper's smile exudes a certain sharpness, "Let me guess," she addresses Bella, not recognizing her despite P'draig's oft-mentioning his sister, "Another greenrider?"
Bella snorts, shaking her head, curls bobbing cutely around her face, "Not even close." She doesn't release her grip on P'draig's face, eyes darting from Piper over to Sendra, eyebrows shooting up curiously at the response of the greenrider.
P'draig's eyes are covered, so he doesn't catch the expression on Piper's face. Her words though definitely penetrate. His other hand joins the first and gently pries at Bella's fingers. "Bel," he says firmly, fondness in his tone. He manages to peek one eye out from under Bella's fingers. "Piper, meet Bella. My sister." He's doing his best to keep his own voice even. "Last I checked she hadn't Impressed, nope. Got any news on that Bel? Or did Mum or Da or Abbe bring you?"
Piper should have the decency to look chagrined, but instead pops up out of her chair, "From Reaches, Reaches, right, I was supposed to..." her trailing off lacks a certain genuineness, but nevertheless she merely bounds off under her steam, making her exit through the bowl.
Bella's hands drop from P'draig's eyes to his shoulders as she watches Piper leave abruptly, blinking in suprise, the playful smile melting from her face. Sinking into the goldrider's recently vacated chair, she turns to P'draig, "Wow, Paddy, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make her leave like that..." She glances back towards the entrance, frowning now with concern and confusion.
P'draig sighs and pillows his chin on his fist, watching Piper go. "I think I'll make those cookies and bring 'em over later anyway ..." he murmurs. His head shakes back and forth as he focuses on his sister's face. "Oh ... no, no I don't think ... well I dunno .." he tips a look Sendra's way. "Not Bella's fault, right?" he queries a bit weakly. The greenrider shakes her head. "Oh definitely not dear," she says warmly to Bella. "Not your fault at all." Paddy scratches at the end of his nose then wrinkles it up. "Jekzith won a flight see .... first time." Then he grins, unaccountably brightly at his sister. "So. Staying for a while, or just passing through? Hungry? Wanna help me make cookies to get back on Piper's good side later?"
Bella grins a bit uncertainly, "Sure, I can help you do that. Just visiting. H'rah brought me. Da said when I turned sixteen, I could visit you here without him. That was a sevenday ago." She leans in to say to him quietly, "And I'm thinking of going to talk to the Harpers about some sort of Scribe training. I think Da will let me since Remi's there, but I didn't want to ask him outright. He's so overprotective." She rolls her eyes and looks at P'draig critcally for a minute, "You look really good, though. Being a rider agrees with you, Paddy."
"Oh H'rah ... yeah, he's a good egg," notes Paddy, with a hint of protectiveness of his own for his sister. "Harpers ... wow ... got your mind made up then? And I'll bet Remi'd love the shaking up." There's a mischievous twinkle in the brownrider's eye with that statement, which might indicate that the opposite is true. "Well if you want an endorsement over there I'm happy to give it ..." He blinks and looks down at himself. "Really? Huh. Thanks Bel."
Bella absently tucks a stray curl behind one ear and nods, "Yep. Really." She gets a mischeviously lopsided grin on her own face, "Oh, I think it'd be fun to see what my arrival might stir up in Giremi's perfect and orderly world. Especially since I know all his childhood secrets."
P'draig wags a finger at Bella. "Oh tsk tsk, you just -couldn't- do that, you know. Remi, he's such a good kid and all," says Paddy very deadpan, clearly in support of this idea. "He's getting downright stodgy, always stuck in his hides and stuff. I'll take you down there tomorrow if you like? I'll have Jekzith bespeak Lazryth and let him know?"
Bella shakes her head, eyes widening, "No, don't tell Da, okay? Please? He knows I'm here at Fort for a few days and that's good enough for now."
P'draig shakes his head and nudges Bella's shoulder. "Not where we're -going-, just that you're staying the -night- silly. You gotta tell him --- oh yeah, okay," he nods a couple of times and stuffs a few more forkfuls of food into his mouth.
Bella watches P'draig eat for a minute, "Well, your manners haven't changed, even if you have." She snickers, eyes dancing with mirth again. "So, are you suprised to see me at all?"
P'draig swallows and washes his food down with more juice. "Hey, I just got off sweeps. I've got to keep fed y'know. Big growing boy." He's mimicking someone they both know it would seem though it wouldn't be readily obvious to anyone else. "Not too much. I figured you'd be down eventually. Just wasn't sure if you'd sneak off, or have it out with Papa first." He pushes back the now empty plate and leans his chair up on two legs, feet stuck out in front of him, fingers laced behind his head. "How about -glad- to see you?"
Bella folds her arms across her chest and leans back in her own chair, crossing her legs, "Fine, be that way. Growing boy, indeed. You do realize that Da stopped growing about a year after he Impressed, but he still uses that line to this day, even though he's well past /forty/." She snorts, asking, "So, are you glad to see me? Have I changed at all?"
Blithe and dimply is Paddy's grin back at Bella. "Sure, sure, but I'm not even twenty yet and Mum says I've still got some growing in me." He gives the young lady a once over from head to toe, its quality clearly that of the sibling type and nothing more. "Longer hair ... lots taller - you've grown a bunch Bel. You look nice," is P'draig's rather efficient but well-meant assessment.
Bella snorts again, "Fine, fine." She glances around, commenting idly, "So who are you going to introduce me to while I'm here, hm? Anyone handsome? A bronzerider, maybe?" She looks at him sidelong.
P'draig's eyes roll up to the cavern's ceiling. "Introduce? Sure. You'll meet 'em all anyways if you pitch in and help anyway. Just don't go spending the night up in anybody's weyr, hear? Otherwise Papa'll roast my hide."
Bella looks at P'draig pointedly, "Firstly, I'm not a rider. Therefore unless someone gives me a real reason to spend the night in their weyr, I'm not going to do it. Besides," she shrugs, "What Da doesn't know won't hurt him. Will it?"
P'draig bursts out laughing at that last bit. "No, no it won't and he could stand to be a little bit in the dark I think and start treating you like a grown up and not like you're gonna break if you so much as step foot outside of the Reaches. Anyway ... how about those cookies huh? Or do you want a tour around the Weyr?" So saying Paddy straightens up, dropping the legs of his chair back onto the floor and starts gathering his dishes.
Bella says, standing and retrieving her pack, "Cookies are good. I'd rather see the Weyr in the daylight." She picks up his mug to assist him further.
P'draig clatters his cutlery into the middle of his plate, and shoves the chair back out of the way. "Just this way, lil' sis," he teases a little and leads the way to the kitchen for goody-making.
Bella tags along behind him, saying defensively as they disappear into the other room, "Don't call me that! Ily's the little one, remember?"
When: 18:15 on day 26, month 6, Turn 5, of the Tenth Interval.
Where: Living Cavern, Fort Weyr
What: Piper's proddy and things are a little awkward with her and Paddy. Paddy's sister Bella turns up out of the blue to add more fun to the scene.
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.
Piper has abandoned her usual comfy chair by the hearths for a more mix and mingle sort of a spot mid-cavern, where she sits conversing animatedly in the midst of the Sky Sentry wing.
Your location's current time:
P'draig enters, flying jacket slung over his shoulder, goggles protruding from one pocket, apparently just in from an errand or duty. His eyes scan the cavern briefly, before he steers a course for his own wing's table and tosses his jacket onto a chair there with a nod for the lone wingmate who sits there enjoying a cool glass of juice. The young brownrider steps back towards where the beverage pitchers stand and inspects each, while sneaking more peeks in the direction of that animated conversation over there.
"Oh yes," Piper reports to an amused looking brownrider, "The water's not nearly so cold as in previous summers, it usually takes almost till fall to warm up, and then it's cooling back down again. This year, it's just so crisp and refreshing, I confess I barely can make myself come in here for food, let alone work." She caps her statements with a giggle that says, "What's a girl to do?"
P'draig picks a pitcher and fills up a glass, pouring out yellow citrus juice. He's just taken a sip when that giggle and final statement reach his ears and he starts coughing profusely
A coughing fit over by the juice pitchers is audible if it persists for more than a moment, and it does draw Piper's attention. The tinkling laughter tapers off rather abruptly, and a certain glumness of expression arrives. Despite a kindly greenrider's urging, a plate of food is declined, pushed away with a shake of the head, "I'm not really very hungry right now. Tired, a bit, I think. Maybe I should just go to bed." During dinner.
From his pocket, P'draig manages to extract a handkerchief, though it resists being pulled out at first, causing the rider to perform a rather comical dance between pulling out the cloth and not spilling the rest of his drink. "Shells ..." he mutters under his breath and finally opts to set the glass down and wipes at his mouth and shirtfront. He casts another look towards where laughter just ended and takes a deep breath, stuffing his hanky back into his pocket. One hand reaches to retrieve his glass and then he plasters on a rather awkward smile, heading that way. "Good evening Piper, D'lik, Sendra ..."
Piper replies with a rather dull echo of, "Good evening," not even managing to append a name to the greeting. Sendra's kindness extends out to the approaching brownrider as she ignores all evidence of spill and contends, "Just in from sweeps are you? It's not that I don't feel for Boll with their loss, but you know, all these extras duties are beginning to be a bit of a drain on our time and energy, don't you think?" The greenrider smiles over at Piper and pats her arm, "Perhaps you've been overextending yourself that way too, maybe that's why you're so tired, dear." D'lik has merely lapsed into the watch-and-wait game as he eats his meal.
There's a flash of hurt on Paddy's face, at Piper's lackluster greeting, but he rallies pleasantness and politeness nonetheless. "Yep, just in from a run into the interior of the Hold," he replies to Sendra's query. "It's ... extra work, sure, but ... I wouldn't call it especially taxing work. Well not so far anyway." He clears his throat a few times, and avails himself of the juice still in his glass, concern poorly masked on his features as the rest of Sendra's words sink in. "Lots of places to look for the culprit or culprits though. A lot of ground to cover." His head nods briefly D'lik's way. "What's good tonight? I didn't get a chance to pump the cooks for the menu this afternoon since I was out."
Jekzith> Bella hops off of the Reaches blue that's just landed, slinging a pack over her shoulder. Waving up to the Bluerider, she calls out, "Thank you, H'rah! And tell Mivinth I'll be catching up with you again for a ride home, yes?" The rider laughs and calls down the affirmative before they take off in a whirl of wind that blows the girl's blonde curls all over.
Sendra seems to have naturally fallen into the role of hostess at the table, despite arguments that perhaps another at the table should properly hold that title, "I guess less taxing than frustrating," she hastens to agree, "If I could just find a clue somewhere, even a small one, I'm sure I'd feel it was worth the effort." She smiles, again, indicating the empty chair across the table, next to D'lik, "Why don't you sit and eat with us, since Piper's hunger's lapsed and I brought her a plate? Unless our pickings don't fit your former Baker's high standards," she teases. D'lik snorts slightly, and offers, "The mashed tubers are good, even if they are an old standard." Piper for her part has managed to acquire lines of fatigue and shadows of exhaustion in the scant few minutes that have passed since she was laughing it up with the SkySentry wingriders. Even Sendra's gaze contains a mote of concern.
Jekzith> Bella heads into the Living caverns.
Jekzith> Bella has left.
Bella saunters in, pausing just inside the entrance to look around with a slight squint. She runs a hand absently through her curls, holding them on top of her head for a moment as she peers about before letting them drop in a tousled mop around her face. Somehow she seems to be taking in her new surroundings while at the same time looking for someone or something particular.
"Uhhh ..." temporizes P'draig, looking from face to face around the table, eyes lingering longest on Piper. "Sure ... if it's not imposing. I'm sure the 'pickings' are plenty fine." He jokes with the greenrider a little, a more honest smile crinkling up the corners of his eyes a little, but the depth of Piper's fatigue causes him to fall silent for a moment before one of his hands makes an attempt to rest on her shoulder, accompaniment to a quietly murmured: "Are you sure you're all right?"
Bella
Seemingly of all leg and limb, this girl is thin to the point of lanky. She's a bit taller than a girl of 16 Turns, 0 months, and 7 days. Her skin holds an olive tone, her eyes big and bright green. A mop of curly blonde ringlets falls just past her ears in a charming, cute haircut. Her smile is winning, full of even white teeth, her lips pink and healthy. She's got a way about her, always seeming to be on the move, always observing things around her curiously. Unable to sit still long, she's often chasing after a playmate or a sibling with gales of laughter following behind her.
Bella is wearing a warm-looking sweater of dark blue wool that brings out the color in her eyes. Her pants are sturdily made and really look more like they belong to a bigger boy rather than this lanky girl. On her feet are ankle-high moccassins with a sturdy sole, just perfect for her active lifestyle.
Thandril steps in from the bowl, following Bella in by a minute or two, waving to a few faces he knows, and then walks further into the cavern. He notes the presence of Piper, and then P'draig as well, and waves to them as he walks over. He notes a new face, or rather, a face he is sure he has seen once or twice before, and waves to her as well.
"Yes, yes," replies Piper listlessly, shoulder sagging a hair at the additional weight, but making no attempt to shrug it off, "And you should eat. It is dinner time," the words drag from her. She has yet to notice the blonde visitor who has recently entered. D'lik glances between the weyrwoman and the other brownrider, tsking softly, "There, there, Piper, chin up, or I'll be carrying you up to your weyr," the words contain no overly obvious innuendo, but there is a hint of a challenge as his eyes flicker back to Jekzith's rider. "No imposition at all," quips Sendra as she nudges the still untouched food plate across the table by the free seat.
Bella doesn't seem to see who she is looking for in the crowded living cavern. Noting the young man appearing just behind her, she smiles a dazzling, winning smile and asks Thandril, "Excuse me? Hi. I was wondering if you might be able to help me find someone?"
P'draig's hand tightens briefly on Piper's shoulder, before he drops into the offered chair and pulls the plate over. "Mashed tubers are hard to get wrong," he says neutrally, as he claims the cutlery that goes with the plate. "Maybe I need to put the apron back on and make some cookies?" he tries to jolly Piper a little, before D'lik's comment makes his lips compress just the slightest bit. "I'm sure that won't be necessary," he notes pleasantly enough before he silences himself with a goodly mouthful of food.
Thandril pauses his approach towards the two riders, and looks back to Bella, and smiles to her, "Sure. Hi and welcome to Fort." He notes, smiling as he offers his hand to her, "From the reaches? Lived there as a kid untill recently, Another of the Kandri Spawn you see." He notes, grinning to the young woman.
Piper manages a slight curl of lip that might be interpretted as a smile at D'lik suggestion. However, it is nothing next to the smile that literally blossoms full blown, animating her features entirely as she gushes (the mere talk of sweetening inducing a bout of energy apparently), "The kind with the carob chips?"
Bella narrows her eyes slightly at the young man in front of her, recognition flashing in her eyes, "Wait, I know you. You're... Thandril, right?" She grins lopsidedly, a familiar sight if he's met her father, "I'm Abbe and E'lan's daughter. We had some lessons together, didn't we?"
Bella glances about with a sly grin. She mutters to Thandril, "... looking... suprise... I haven't seen him since..." She snickers.
Thandril grins a touch, and nods, "Ah, ok. Funny how you meet all the same people a few turns after you think you would never come across them again eh?" He asks, smiling a touch to Bella. After a moment more, he nods to the mutter, and he grins, "Aye, that I might be able to help you with." He says, nodding his head in the proper direction subtly.
The sudden shift in Piper's demeanor elicits an answering grin from P'draig, though some might catch the release of tension in his shoulders that signals something akin to relief in the young brownrider. "If that's the kind you want, and they sound good, you betcha," he replies blithely and tosses back another sip of his juice. "So no one's come up with anything new since the last report?" he directs this towards Sendra, once he's swallowed his drink.
"Not from what we heard at our morning briefing," Sendra begins to answer, "Annilith's been holding musters to keep us apprised..." Her conversation is halted as Piper begins to talk overtop of her, "Are you going to make them now?" she inquires of P'draig, "They're just the best when they're still all warm and melty," she enthuses.
Bella follows Thandril's gaze and her grin widens. She nods to him, winking, "Thanks! I'll catch up with you later, alright?" Without waiting for a response, she walks confidently across the room, weaving in and out of various folks, eyes fixed on her goal. Finally she stops behind P'draig, drops her pack on the floor beside her and slides her hands around his eyes. "Guess who?" She winks at the others at the table playfully.
"Right ... " agrees P'draig with Sendra ... then chuckles softly, even as he spears some greens to go with his tubers. "I guess I could ... depends on if they don't mind in there. Might be wiser to wait 'til everyone's done eating," he notes nodding towards the kitchens. He's just opened his mouth to say something else, when a pair of hands come down over his eyes. "Huh wha ---" he drops his fork and lifts one of his hands to cover Bella's.
Whether it is the absence of imminent cookies or the vivacious blonde that is covering her beloved's eyes, Piper's smile exudes a certain sharpness, "Let me guess," she addresses Bella, not recognizing her despite P'draig's oft-mentioning his sister, "Another greenrider?"
Bella snorts, shaking her head, curls bobbing cutely around her face, "Not even close." She doesn't release her grip on P'draig's face, eyes darting from Piper over to Sendra, eyebrows shooting up curiously at the response of the greenrider.
P'draig's eyes are covered, so he doesn't catch the expression on Piper's face. Her words though definitely penetrate. His other hand joins the first and gently pries at Bella's fingers. "Bel," he says firmly, fondness in his tone. He manages to peek one eye out from under Bella's fingers. "Piper, meet Bella. My sister." He's doing his best to keep his own voice even. "Last I checked she hadn't Impressed, nope. Got any news on that Bel? Or did Mum or Da or Abbe bring you?"
Piper should have the decency to look chagrined, but instead pops up out of her chair, "From Reaches, Reaches, right, I was supposed to..." her trailing off lacks a certain genuineness, but nevertheless she merely bounds off under her steam, making her exit through the bowl.
Bella's hands drop from P'draig's eyes to his shoulders as she watches Piper leave abruptly, blinking in suprise, the playful smile melting from her face. Sinking into the goldrider's recently vacated chair, she turns to P'draig, "Wow, Paddy, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make her leave like that..." She glances back towards the entrance, frowning now with concern and confusion.
P'draig sighs and pillows his chin on his fist, watching Piper go. "I think I'll make those cookies and bring 'em over later anyway ..." he murmurs. His head shakes back and forth as he focuses on his sister's face. "Oh ... no, no I don't think ... well I dunno .." he tips a look Sendra's way. "Not Bella's fault, right?" he queries a bit weakly. The greenrider shakes her head. "Oh definitely not dear," she says warmly to Bella. "Not your fault at all." Paddy scratches at the end of his nose then wrinkles it up. "Jekzith won a flight see .... first time." Then he grins, unaccountably brightly at his sister. "So. Staying for a while, or just passing through? Hungry? Wanna help me make cookies to get back on Piper's good side later?"
Bella grins a bit uncertainly, "Sure, I can help you do that. Just visiting. H'rah brought me. Da said when I turned sixteen, I could visit you here without him. That was a sevenday ago." She leans in to say to him quietly, "And I'm thinking of going to talk to the Harpers about some sort of Scribe training. I think Da will let me since Remi's there, but I didn't want to ask him outright. He's so overprotective." She rolls her eyes and looks at P'draig critcally for a minute, "You look really good, though. Being a rider agrees with you, Paddy."
"Oh H'rah ... yeah, he's a good egg," notes Paddy, with a hint of protectiveness of his own for his sister. "Harpers ... wow ... got your mind made up then? And I'll bet Remi'd love the shaking up." There's a mischievous twinkle in the brownrider's eye with that statement, which might indicate that the opposite is true. "Well if you want an endorsement over there I'm happy to give it ..." He blinks and looks down at himself. "Really? Huh. Thanks Bel."
Bella absently tucks a stray curl behind one ear and nods, "Yep. Really." She gets a mischeviously lopsided grin on her own face, "Oh, I think it'd be fun to see what my arrival might stir up in Giremi's perfect and orderly world. Especially since I know all his childhood secrets."
P'draig wags a finger at Bella. "Oh tsk tsk, you just -couldn't- do that, you know. Remi, he's such a good kid and all," says Paddy very deadpan, clearly in support of this idea. "He's getting downright stodgy, always stuck in his hides and stuff. I'll take you down there tomorrow if you like? I'll have Jekzith bespeak Lazryth and let him know?"
Bella shakes her head, eyes widening, "No, don't tell Da, okay? Please? He knows I'm here at Fort for a few days and that's good enough for now."
P'draig shakes his head and nudges Bella's shoulder. "Not where we're -going-, just that you're staying the -night- silly. You gotta tell him --- oh yeah, okay," he nods a couple of times and stuffs a few more forkfuls of food into his mouth.
Bella watches P'draig eat for a minute, "Well, your manners haven't changed, even if you have." She snickers, eyes dancing with mirth again. "So, are you suprised to see me at all?"
P'draig swallows and washes his food down with more juice. "Hey, I just got off sweeps. I've got to keep fed y'know. Big growing boy." He's mimicking someone they both know it would seem though it wouldn't be readily obvious to anyone else. "Not too much. I figured you'd be down eventually. Just wasn't sure if you'd sneak off, or have it out with Papa first." He pushes back the now empty plate and leans his chair up on two legs, feet stuck out in front of him, fingers laced behind his head. "How about -glad- to see you?"
Bella folds her arms across her chest and leans back in her own chair, crossing her legs, "Fine, be that way. Growing boy, indeed. You do realize that Da stopped growing about a year after he Impressed, but he still uses that line to this day, even though he's well past /forty/." She snorts, asking, "So, are you glad to see me? Have I changed at all?"
Blithe and dimply is Paddy's grin back at Bella. "Sure, sure, but I'm not even twenty yet and Mum says I've still got some growing in me." He gives the young lady a once over from head to toe, its quality clearly that of the sibling type and nothing more. "Longer hair ... lots taller - you've grown a bunch Bel. You look nice," is P'draig's rather efficient but well-meant assessment.
Bella snorts again, "Fine, fine." She glances around, commenting idly, "So who are you going to introduce me to while I'm here, hm? Anyone handsome? A bronzerider, maybe?" She looks at him sidelong.
P'draig's eyes roll up to the cavern's ceiling. "Introduce? Sure. You'll meet 'em all anyways if you pitch in and help anyway. Just don't go spending the night up in anybody's weyr, hear? Otherwise Papa'll roast my hide."
Bella looks at P'draig pointedly, "Firstly, I'm not a rider. Therefore unless someone gives me a real reason to spend the night in their weyr, I'm not going to do it. Besides," she shrugs, "What Da doesn't know won't hurt him. Will it?"
P'draig bursts out laughing at that last bit. "No, no it won't and he could stand to be a little bit in the dark I think and start treating you like a grown up and not like you're gonna break if you so much as step foot outside of the Reaches. Anyway ... how about those cookies huh? Or do you want a tour around the Weyr?" So saying Paddy straightens up, dropping the legs of his chair back onto the floor and starts gathering his dishes.
Bella says, standing and retrieving her pack, "Cookies are good. I'd rather see the Weyr in the daylight." She picks up his mug to assist him further.
P'draig clatters his cutlery into the middle of his plate, and shoves the chair back out of the way. "Just this way, lil' sis," he teases a little and leads the way to the kitchen for goody-making.
Bella tags along behind him, saying defensively as they disappear into the other room, "Don't call me that! Ily's the little one, remember?"