LOG: Iskiveth an' Szad did good!
Date: Day 2, Month 11, Turn 23
Location: Living Caverns, High Reaches Weyr
Synopsis: Celebrations for Iskiveth and Szadath's clutch are varied, but restrained.
For a 'party', things are a little anticlimactic in the living caverns. The tables have been pushed aside and stacked, the buffet dressed up with garlands, and a few harpers are even playing music-- but it's not exactly a roaring success, thus far. Indeed, most of the assembled weyrfolk seem a little unsure, though news has certainly spread about the thirteen eggs on the sands. Amongst them, K'del is trying to look enthusiastic, talking animatedly to a group of young, search-age residents about how, well, why not think about standing? They're good looking eggs! The impact might be lost a little, though: no one, yet, has actually /seen/ the eggs.
Despite the precautions taken and the secrecy being maintained, Szadath has been loudly and obnoxiously declaiming about the eggs to anyone who will listen since not long after the first arrived. 'Dude, LOOK, this one is HUGE!' 'That one is SO ROUND!' 'SHELLS, Iskiveth, how'd you even get that one out!' He's still there, lounging on a ledge just above the sands and being generally obnoxious, but the comparatively subdued Taikrin is just now, belatedly, making her way into the caverns. She's not drunk -- there's no scent of alcohol -- but she looks as though she might be: her cheeks are flushed, her gait a little unsteady, and if her smug grin were any wider, she might crack her jaw. "Beer!! Beers all around!!" /Now/ it's a party.
Eventually Teris arrives, too, considering this is a party in honor of the eggs her dragon popped out and everything. She doesn't look particularly smug or happy, though. She looks tired. But she did, at least, manage to change into something more appropriate for a party; a simple but well-made and tailored dress, and she pulled her hair back into a bun. Since it's not as though she's particularly close to anyone, it's probably no surprise that she starts gravitating toward K'del once she notices him.
Taikrin's arrival appears to send the group of teens K'del has been talking to scattering - something about that enthusiasm, somehow. Maybe. It does mean that K'del can glance in her direction, expression twisting into something unreadable, though; it's an expression he's still got in place as Teris begins to approach. Noticing her; "Teris. How's she doing? How're /you/ doing?" He looks maybe as tired as she does, but he manages a smile, at least: encouraging, perhaps.
If people are stopping and staring and otherwise seeming less enthusiastic than Taikrin knows they ought to be, well-- it doesn't dim her smirk any. Leading by example, she makes a beeline to the booze table, cutting clean past the few people who had been waiting to secure a tall mug of something. As nobody there seems entirely willing to engage her in conversation she pauses, gaze sweeping across the caverns. "Oi, Weyrleader!" she calls loudly as she weaves through the crowd to share her sly smugness with Teris and K'del. "Whadda ya think of /them/, eh? Iskiveth an' Szad did good!"
A brow arches just noticeably at K'del's expression but Teris doesn't question it when she answers him. "She's fine. I don't think I've looked forward to her falling asleep so much since she was just a baby herself. She's a little restless still, but." She shrugs. Not a whole lot she can do about that and it's certainly not worth risking waking the dragon up at the moment. Teris glances Taikrin-wards at the sound of the brownrider's voice and there's a brief flicker of a smile that's gone again the next moment and whatever she might have said in addition is swallowed and cleared from her throat.
"I can--" begins K'del, presumably in response to Teris, but Taikrin's approach does distract him from that. He gives her a measured glance, /his/ words both quieter and more restrained. "Thirteen isn't bad," he allows. "It's certainly not-- what were you boasting, a while back? Too many? It's not thirty, either. But," and he manages a smile for the admission, "they do /seem/ egg-like enough." Which is probably high praise, given his previous comments on the subject.
It's not that Taikrin is possessive, precisely, but she meets that flicker of a smile from Teris with a broad one of her own, and steps to her side in a way that might be just a /little/ close. "They're so /big," she breezes on, ignoring talk of numbers and counts and bets altogether. "I didn't remember 'em bein' so /huge/, y'know? 'Specially a couple of 'em-- that super colorful one, an' that one what looks like a gold egg. Just--- huge. And awesome. People see 'em, they'll be linin' up for big fine hatchlings like those." There are frequent glances at Teris throughout, her smile faltering a bit each time. "Iskiveth did great," she repeats, as if that should make Teris as delighted and over-the-top as Taikrin is at the moment.
Teris is looking at K'del again, her expression going a little uncertainly odd. Whatever this tension is between the Weyrleader and the brownrider is evidently news to her. And not especially pleasant. She either doesn't realize the extent or doesn't care about Taikrin's proximity to her. "They're very nice," says Teris, lacking only some small bit of conviction. "I mean, if everything works out all right, they'll be very nice." Her voice is quiet, almost like she doesn't actually want to include K'del in her words but it's a little hard with him right here.
A barely-audible snort emerges from K'del at Taikrin's reference to a gold egg, but he's otherwise silent as both goldrider and brownrider converse. The quietness in Teris' voice does not stop him from contributing at the end of it, however, as he agrees, "If everything works out all right. Exactly. Got to be positive, though, right? If we want people to want to Stand. Still-- thirteen. That won't be too hard to come up with, surely. And they /do/ look decent."
"They look great. They /are/ great." There's an edge to Taikrin's voice, to match the sharpening of almost-glare at K'del. She's saved from outright hostility by the smirk still in place, but it's a near thing. "Now maybe if /everyone/ will stop actin' like there's a /problem/ or somethin', people'll be linin' up for th'chance t'Stand." A hand moves to rest, briefly, on Teris' shoulder. "There /ain't/ a problem." If it's a little loud, well-- there are a couple of teenagers that are just in Taikrin's line of sight that are looking just a /little/ too skeptical. "Cheers." And any more ranting is postponed in lieu of taking a long, long pull from her mug.
There's a brief moment where Teris' eyes narrow at K'del but she refrains from actually opening her mouth to say anything. Especially when a hand lights on her shoulder and she has to turn her head to glance at the touch. For a few moments she's left trying to remember what she might have gone on to say but she just shakes her head and says instead, "There are plenty of people to stand. It's ridiculous to suggest that there aren't."
In the face of this, and, perhaps, his continued attempts to be positive, K'del only nods, agreeing, "Right. Quite right. It'll all be fine. Good clutch, we'll convince 'em all of that in time, just see what happens." Which is not exactly unrestrainedly positive-- but it's better than nothing, maybe. Maybe. "Doesn't help that no one's really seen them yet, you know? So we'll just give people some time, and maybe they'll have a little more... confidence."
K'del's capitulence -- and a long, stiff drink -- go a long way towards restoring Taikrin's equinamity. "Yeah-- yeah! That'll show 'em." She's still not smiling at K'del, but rather at a spot just over his shoulder. It's progress! "Hey, Teris--" She turns, still a bit too close, and offers one of her more charmingly lopsided smiles. "You want a drink or somethin'? Gotta celebrate, yeah?! I can see if they got any of th' /good/ stuff bangin' around somewhere." She pauses, glances inscrutibly at K'del, then: "Y'know, maybe one of those reds? Or somethin' stronger?"
"So let them see them," says Teris easily, maybe just a touch sharply. Simple enough, right? "I think I might head back soon. See if I can't get some sleep while she's out. I have a sinking feeling I won't get much while she's not. But... I think a drink sounds nice, yeah." She even nods her head once, glances at K'del again, then looks away from him, expression unreadable. "You can come to my weyr, too, if Szadath isn't keen on taking you back to yours," she continues to the brownrider, ignoring the fact that Taikrin could get a ride from a variety of places.
A line has appeared on K'del's brow, now, as though he's decided that something is /up/ - or being communicated in code - between Teris and Taikrin; something he can't entirely work out. He keeps his tone level, though, noting, "They're welcome to go in and have a look from tomorrow. The dragonhealers wanted--" he doesn't finish that. It's probably be reiterated numerous times, by now: the dragonhealers wanted to keep an eye on things, just in case. Going back to Teris' weyr? That definitely turns his lips into a thin line, but it's less unhappy than simply unreadable.
As Taikrin is quite obviously in the same boring old leathers she was wearing before Szadath abandoned her to gawk at Iskiveth, there's a touch of gratefulness in the delighted look she gives Teris. "Yeah? That'd be awesome. He's bein'-- well. You know." The brown had been reluctant to leave Iskiveth alone before; it's likely far worse now. There's something else, too, a small quirk of an eyebrow and a bit more swing in her hips as she takes a half-step back. "Be right back." Before she turns to harass the bartender, though, she smirks once more at K'del. Just because. "Don't go nowhere!"
Crossing her arms over her chest as Taikrin turns to go find a drink, Teris seems slightly reluctant to actually look at the Weyrleader again. She even turns partially away to look at the other people about and probably attempt to pick up on their general thoughts and feelings and whatnot. Or try to look like it anyway. She's not an exceptionally insecure sort of person but it hasn't been a big secret that she's been a lot more insecure about this whole clutching thing. "I want to be happy," she finally says but she doesn't add on the unspoken 'but.' She knows very well that hopes might get dashed, after all.
K'del and Teris are standing in the midst of a fairly restrained, even lacklustre party: it seems most people haven't quite got into the spirit of 'yay eggs' over general wariness. Taikrin's just left them - off to harass the bartender. The Weyrleader is quiet for a moment, considering his junior; then, finally he nods. "I know," is his quiet response to whatever she's just said. "I-- yeah. The same. But they /do/ look okay. And so we have to... at least try and be positive, right? To be sure." He's trying to catch her eyes and look hopeful; for a moment, it looks like he'll try and take her hand to squeeze it, but in the end, he doesn't, letting it drop back towards his side.
Agnethe may not have been in attendance at the clutching, nor has she been around for much of the party (such as it is), but she melts into the crowd with ease. Just a step or two in from the doorway and she shares a few murmured words with a young man standing there, and when she continues on her way she has somehow ended up with a half full wine glass, a smile on her lips, and - thanks to the not inconsiderable volume of interaction between bartender and clutchdaddy - a destination. She wends her way past various bodies to lean against the edge of the table, taking necessary steps to finish her current drink before the bartender comes back. "Hear congratulations are in order," she offers by way of greeting.
If she notices that hand, Teris ignores it. Her gaze flickers over Taikrin occasionally but her expression remains neutral. "I am positive," she assures the bronzerider without looking at him again. "And Iskiveth is quite sure they're all perfectly fine. That ought to count for something, shouldn't it?" Shouldn't it? She doesn't seem entirely certain but it makes some sort of sense.
K'del is not put off by the way Teris doesn't look at him, or the fact of /where/ she's looking: he keeps trying to meet her gaze. "Good. And yes-- reckon so. Iskiveth ought to know these things... mothers usually tend to, I think." If he's not entirely convinced, still, he's doing a decent job of pretending otherwise, of labouring the point, even. "Seems like Taikrin's-- looking out for you." Neutrally said.
"Hey--- hey! Agnethe-- thanks!" Taikrin is startled from her none-too-subtle stare at K'del and Teris, though pleasantly so, at the other woman's arrival. "Wait 'till they let everyone in t'see 'em-- they're huge an' so bright, y'know? Reckon that's a good sign." She pauses as the bartender finally holds a glass of wine out to her, taking it in her free hand while passing off her own mug of beer for a refill. "Pretty awesome, I gotta say." There's a distracted glance over her shoulder at Teris again, but it doesn't impinge on her enthusiasm for going on and on about her favorite topic to Agnethe. "Be lookin' for people to Stand for 'em soon, I guess. Reckon I don't actually know how it all works, but-- whatever. You been doin' okay?"
Agnethe will sieze the opportunity to slide her own glass across the table, with a sweet smile for the bartender besides as she then gestures towards Taikrin's drink, and indicates she'll have one of the same. Then she turns to watch her companion, and, as a result, follows the direction of the stare towards Teris and K'del. She considers that thoughtfully, chin lifted. "Mm. Awesome," she repeats, half absently. "Everyone excited?" Because not everyone looks it. Some party. Then her gaze goes back to Taikrin and her smile reforms as she claims her new drink. "'Magine that's so. Your own batch of candidates to torment. How many eggs are there, then? Can't recall." As for how she's doing, she merely gives a shrug, one hand raised. One gets by.
Teris doesn't linger on whether or not Iskiveth actually knows anything about anything. She does finally look at K'del when he mentions Taikrin, though, eyes narrowed defensively. "She's been around when I've needed someone around. She's my friend." The tone of her voice, most definitely not neutral, suggests that's more than she can say about certain other people.
A combination of hurt and frustration cross K'del's expression at Teris' response to his words. In the end, sighing, he shakes his head. "I wasn't--" he begins. And then, trying again, "Didn't mean it like that. Glad you've got her. But don't go blaming /me/ for everything that's between us." That last bit is slightly sharper than the rest. "Not that I'm perfect, but-- neither are you." He glances away, finally, as though now that she's willing to look at him, he can't manage to look at her. "I'm still your friend."
"I've never said I'm perfect. But you're just as much to blame as I am." Teris has lowered her voice slightly and she's still watching K'del even if he isn't watching her now. "Anyway, it doesn't really matter does it?" Which might be an entirely female thing to say. But she is. So she's totally allowed! She doesn't say anything else, just turns her attention back to find Taikrin heading back. And she'll wait for her drink at the very least.
More frustrated than ever, "I know that. Never claimed I was blameless." K'del looks back, now, to consider Teris, and to shake his head again, particularly as she claims it doesn't matter. "It /does/ matter." But Taikrin's coming back, and he bites back anything further he was intending to say, not that he looks happy for it.
"Totally ridiculous an' it's even /worse/ now. I swear, if you could hear 'im talk you'd be as ready t'strangle him as I am!" There's no hiding the fondness in her voice, nor her own insufferable smugness at what Szadath has wrought. "There's no livin' with him-- eh Teris?" She doesn't falter at the obvious tension between K'del and Teris, choosing instead to draw up beside the weyrwoman and offer up the glass of wine. "Y'all met Agnethe? Tried t'shark me at dice, she did." To Agnethe, then, with a hint of the smug: "Well, guess y'met th'Weyrleader. This here's Teris. Iskiveth's Teris, y'know?"
See Teris? She's not talking to K'del anymore. It's probably for the best, really. But she doesn't smile when Taikrin brings her friend over, either. Poor Agnethe. There's a slight nod of her head, at least, to her when Teris accepts her wine more enthusiastically than she's probably done much of anything in the last little while. Which still doesn't say much. "A pleasure, Agnethe. But, if you'll excuse me, I think I'll take this," she raises her glass slightly, "and return to my weyr. Have a good evening." Teris casts Taikrin a quick look. She hasn't forgotten about inviting her over but she doesn't need to follow her now. And then she's moving off.
K'del, at least, has a polite greeting for Agnethe, despite the fact that he's obviously not too pleased right about now. A moment or two later, he excuses himself, though at least he doesn't leave the party: he has more people to talk to, to encourage. Cheerleading, yay.
Location: Living Caverns, High Reaches Weyr
Synopsis: Celebrations for Iskiveth and Szadath's clutch are varied, but restrained.
For a 'party', things are a little anticlimactic in the living caverns. The tables have been pushed aside and stacked, the buffet dressed up with garlands, and a few harpers are even playing music-- but it's not exactly a roaring success, thus far. Indeed, most of the assembled weyrfolk seem a little unsure, though news has certainly spread about the thirteen eggs on the sands. Amongst them, K'del is trying to look enthusiastic, talking animatedly to a group of young, search-age residents about how, well, why not think about standing? They're good looking eggs! The impact might be lost a little, though: no one, yet, has actually /seen/ the eggs.
Despite the precautions taken and the secrecy being maintained, Szadath has been loudly and obnoxiously declaiming about the eggs to anyone who will listen since not long after the first arrived. 'Dude, LOOK, this one is HUGE!' 'That one is SO ROUND!' 'SHELLS, Iskiveth, how'd you even get that one out!' He's still there, lounging on a ledge just above the sands and being generally obnoxious, but the comparatively subdued Taikrin is just now, belatedly, making her way into the caverns. She's not drunk -- there's no scent of alcohol -- but she looks as though she might be: her cheeks are flushed, her gait a little unsteady, and if her smug grin were any wider, she might crack her jaw. "Beer!! Beers all around!!" /Now/ it's a party.
Eventually Teris arrives, too, considering this is a party in honor of the eggs her dragon popped out and everything. She doesn't look particularly smug or happy, though. She looks tired. But she did, at least, manage to change into something more appropriate for a party; a simple but well-made and tailored dress, and she pulled her hair back into a bun. Since it's not as though she's particularly close to anyone, it's probably no surprise that she starts gravitating toward K'del once she notices him.
Taikrin's arrival appears to send the group of teens K'del has been talking to scattering - something about that enthusiasm, somehow. Maybe. It does mean that K'del can glance in her direction, expression twisting into something unreadable, though; it's an expression he's still got in place as Teris begins to approach. Noticing her; "Teris. How's she doing? How're /you/ doing?" He looks maybe as tired as she does, but he manages a smile, at least: encouraging, perhaps.
If people are stopping and staring and otherwise seeming less enthusiastic than Taikrin knows they ought to be, well-- it doesn't dim her smirk any. Leading by example, she makes a beeline to the booze table, cutting clean past the few people who had been waiting to secure a tall mug of something. As nobody there seems entirely willing to engage her in conversation she pauses, gaze sweeping across the caverns. "Oi, Weyrleader!" she calls loudly as she weaves through the crowd to share her sly smugness with Teris and K'del. "Whadda ya think of /them/, eh? Iskiveth an' Szad did good!"
A brow arches just noticeably at K'del's expression but Teris doesn't question it when she answers him. "She's fine. I don't think I've looked forward to her falling asleep so much since she was just a baby herself. She's a little restless still, but." She shrugs. Not a whole lot she can do about that and it's certainly not worth risking waking the dragon up at the moment. Teris glances Taikrin-wards at the sound of the brownrider's voice and there's a brief flicker of a smile that's gone again the next moment and whatever she might have said in addition is swallowed and cleared from her throat.
"I can--" begins K'del, presumably in response to Teris, but Taikrin's approach does distract him from that. He gives her a measured glance, /his/ words both quieter and more restrained. "Thirteen isn't bad," he allows. "It's certainly not-- what were you boasting, a while back? Too many? It's not thirty, either. But," and he manages a smile for the admission, "they do /seem/ egg-like enough." Which is probably high praise, given his previous comments on the subject.
It's not that Taikrin is possessive, precisely, but she meets that flicker of a smile from Teris with a broad one of her own, and steps to her side in a way that might be just a /little/ close. "They're so /big," she breezes on, ignoring talk of numbers and counts and bets altogether. "I didn't remember 'em bein' so /huge/, y'know? 'Specially a couple of 'em-- that super colorful one, an' that one what looks like a gold egg. Just--- huge. And awesome. People see 'em, they'll be linin' up for big fine hatchlings like those." There are frequent glances at Teris throughout, her smile faltering a bit each time. "Iskiveth did great," she repeats, as if that should make Teris as delighted and over-the-top as Taikrin is at the moment.
Teris is looking at K'del again, her expression going a little uncertainly odd. Whatever this tension is between the Weyrleader and the brownrider is evidently news to her. And not especially pleasant. She either doesn't realize the extent or doesn't care about Taikrin's proximity to her. "They're very nice," says Teris, lacking only some small bit of conviction. "I mean, if everything works out all right, they'll be very nice." Her voice is quiet, almost like she doesn't actually want to include K'del in her words but it's a little hard with him right here.
A barely-audible snort emerges from K'del at Taikrin's reference to a gold egg, but he's otherwise silent as both goldrider and brownrider converse. The quietness in Teris' voice does not stop him from contributing at the end of it, however, as he agrees, "If everything works out all right. Exactly. Got to be positive, though, right? If we want people to want to Stand. Still-- thirteen. That won't be too hard to come up with, surely. And they /do/ look decent."
"They look great. They /are/ great." There's an edge to Taikrin's voice, to match the sharpening of almost-glare at K'del. She's saved from outright hostility by the smirk still in place, but it's a near thing. "Now maybe if /everyone/ will stop actin' like there's a /problem/ or somethin', people'll be linin' up for th'chance t'Stand." A hand moves to rest, briefly, on Teris' shoulder. "There /ain't/ a problem." If it's a little loud, well-- there are a couple of teenagers that are just in Taikrin's line of sight that are looking just a /little/ too skeptical. "Cheers." And any more ranting is postponed in lieu of taking a long, long pull from her mug.
There's a brief moment where Teris' eyes narrow at K'del but she refrains from actually opening her mouth to say anything. Especially when a hand lights on her shoulder and she has to turn her head to glance at the touch. For a few moments she's left trying to remember what she might have gone on to say but she just shakes her head and says instead, "There are plenty of people to stand. It's ridiculous to suggest that there aren't."
In the face of this, and, perhaps, his continued attempts to be positive, K'del only nods, agreeing, "Right. Quite right. It'll all be fine. Good clutch, we'll convince 'em all of that in time, just see what happens." Which is not exactly unrestrainedly positive-- but it's better than nothing, maybe. Maybe. "Doesn't help that no one's really seen them yet, you know? So we'll just give people some time, and maybe they'll have a little more... confidence."
K'del's capitulence -- and a long, stiff drink -- go a long way towards restoring Taikrin's equinamity. "Yeah-- yeah! That'll show 'em." She's still not smiling at K'del, but rather at a spot just over his shoulder. It's progress! "Hey, Teris--" She turns, still a bit too close, and offers one of her more charmingly lopsided smiles. "You want a drink or somethin'? Gotta celebrate, yeah?! I can see if they got any of th' /good/ stuff bangin' around somewhere." She pauses, glances inscrutibly at K'del, then: "Y'know, maybe one of those reds? Or somethin' stronger?"
"So let them see them," says Teris easily, maybe just a touch sharply. Simple enough, right? "I think I might head back soon. See if I can't get some sleep while she's out. I have a sinking feeling I won't get much while she's not. But... I think a drink sounds nice, yeah." She even nods her head once, glances at K'del again, then looks away from him, expression unreadable. "You can come to my weyr, too, if Szadath isn't keen on taking you back to yours," she continues to the brownrider, ignoring the fact that Taikrin could get a ride from a variety of places.
A line has appeared on K'del's brow, now, as though he's decided that something is /up/ - or being communicated in code - between Teris and Taikrin; something he can't entirely work out. He keeps his tone level, though, noting, "They're welcome to go in and have a look from tomorrow. The dragonhealers wanted--" he doesn't finish that. It's probably be reiterated numerous times, by now: the dragonhealers wanted to keep an eye on things, just in case. Going back to Teris' weyr? That definitely turns his lips into a thin line, but it's less unhappy than simply unreadable.
As Taikrin is quite obviously in the same boring old leathers she was wearing before Szadath abandoned her to gawk at Iskiveth, there's a touch of gratefulness in the delighted look she gives Teris. "Yeah? That'd be awesome. He's bein'-- well. You know." The brown had been reluctant to leave Iskiveth alone before; it's likely far worse now. There's something else, too, a small quirk of an eyebrow and a bit more swing in her hips as she takes a half-step back. "Be right back." Before she turns to harass the bartender, though, she smirks once more at K'del. Just because. "Don't go nowhere!"
Crossing her arms over her chest as Taikrin turns to go find a drink, Teris seems slightly reluctant to actually look at the Weyrleader again. She even turns partially away to look at the other people about and probably attempt to pick up on their general thoughts and feelings and whatnot. Or try to look like it anyway. She's not an exceptionally insecure sort of person but it hasn't been a big secret that she's been a lot more insecure about this whole clutching thing. "I want to be happy," she finally says but she doesn't add on the unspoken 'but.' She knows very well that hopes might get dashed, after all.
K'del and Teris are standing in the midst of a fairly restrained, even lacklustre party: it seems most people haven't quite got into the spirit of 'yay eggs' over general wariness. Taikrin's just left them - off to harass the bartender. The Weyrleader is quiet for a moment, considering his junior; then, finally he nods. "I know," is his quiet response to whatever she's just said. "I-- yeah. The same. But they /do/ look okay. And so we have to... at least try and be positive, right? To be sure." He's trying to catch her eyes and look hopeful; for a moment, it looks like he'll try and take her hand to squeeze it, but in the end, he doesn't, letting it drop back towards his side.
Agnethe may not have been in attendance at the clutching, nor has she been around for much of the party (such as it is), but she melts into the crowd with ease. Just a step or two in from the doorway and she shares a few murmured words with a young man standing there, and when she continues on her way she has somehow ended up with a half full wine glass, a smile on her lips, and - thanks to the not inconsiderable volume of interaction between bartender and clutchdaddy - a destination. She wends her way past various bodies to lean against the edge of the table, taking necessary steps to finish her current drink before the bartender comes back. "Hear congratulations are in order," she offers by way of greeting.
If she notices that hand, Teris ignores it. Her gaze flickers over Taikrin occasionally but her expression remains neutral. "I am positive," she assures the bronzerider without looking at him again. "And Iskiveth is quite sure they're all perfectly fine. That ought to count for something, shouldn't it?" Shouldn't it? She doesn't seem entirely certain but it makes some sort of sense.
K'del is not put off by the way Teris doesn't look at him, or the fact of /where/ she's looking: he keeps trying to meet her gaze. "Good. And yes-- reckon so. Iskiveth ought to know these things... mothers usually tend to, I think." If he's not entirely convinced, still, he's doing a decent job of pretending otherwise, of labouring the point, even. "Seems like Taikrin's-- looking out for you." Neutrally said.
"Hey--- hey! Agnethe-- thanks!" Taikrin is startled from her none-too-subtle stare at K'del and Teris, though pleasantly so, at the other woman's arrival. "Wait 'till they let everyone in t'see 'em-- they're huge an' so bright, y'know? Reckon that's a good sign." She pauses as the bartender finally holds a glass of wine out to her, taking it in her free hand while passing off her own mug of beer for a refill. "Pretty awesome, I gotta say." There's a distracted glance over her shoulder at Teris again, but it doesn't impinge on her enthusiasm for going on and on about her favorite topic to Agnethe. "Be lookin' for people to Stand for 'em soon, I guess. Reckon I don't actually know how it all works, but-- whatever. You been doin' okay?"
Agnethe will sieze the opportunity to slide her own glass across the table, with a sweet smile for the bartender besides as she then gestures towards Taikrin's drink, and indicates she'll have one of the same. Then she turns to watch her companion, and, as a result, follows the direction of the stare towards Teris and K'del. She considers that thoughtfully, chin lifted. "Mm. Awesome," she repeats, half absently. "Everyone excited?" Because not everyone looks it. Some party. Then her gaze goes back to Taikrin and her smile reforms as she claims her new drink. "'Magine that's so. Your own batch of candidates to torment. How many eggs are there, then? Can't recall." As for how she's doing, she merely gives a shrug, one hand raised. One gets by.
Teris doesn't linger on whether or not Iskiveth actually knows anything about anything. She does finally look at K'del when he mentions Taikrin, though, eyes narrowed defensively. "She's been around when I've needed someone around. She's my friend." The tone of her voice, most definitely not neutral, suggests that's more than she can say about certain other people.
A combination of hurt and frustration cross K'del's expression at Teris' response to his words. In the end, sighing, he shakes his head. "I wasn't--" he begins. And then, trying again, "Didn't mean it like that. Glad you've got her. But don't go blaming /me/ for everything that's between us." That last bit is slightly sharper than the rest. "Not that I'm perfect, but-- neither are you." He glances away, finally, as though now that she's willing to look at him, he can't manage to look at her. "I'm still your friend."
"I've never said I'm perfect. But you're just as much to blame as I am." Teris has lowered her voice slightly and she's still watching K'del even if he isn't watching her now. "Anyway, it doesn't really matter does it?" Which might be an entirely female thing to say. But she is. So she's totally allowed! She doesn't say anything else, just turns her attention back to find Taikrin heading back. And she'll wait for her drink at the very least.
More frustrated than ever, "I know that. Never claimed I was blameless." K'del looks back, now, to consider Teris, and to shake his head again, particularly as she claims it doesn't matter. "It /does/ matter." But Taikrin's coming back, and he bites back anything further he was intending to say, not that he looks happy for it.
"Totally ridiculous an' it's even /worse/ now. I swear, if you could hear 'im talk you'd be as ready t'strangle him as I am!" There's no hiding the fondness in her voice, nor her own insufferable smugness at what Szadath has wrought. "There's no livin' with him-- eh Teris?" She doesn't falter at the obvious tension between K'del and Teris, choosing instead to draw up beside the weyrwoman and offer up the glass of wine. "Y'all met Agnethe? Tried t'shark me at dice, she did." To Agnethe, then, with a hint of the smug: "Well, guess y'met th'Weyrleader. This here's Teris. Iskiveth's Teris, y'know?"
See Teris? She's not talking to K'del anymore. It's probably for the best, really. But she doesn't smile when Taikrin brings her friend over, either. Poor Agnethe. There's a slight nod of her head, at least, to her when Teris accepts her wine more enthusiastically than she's probably done much of anything in the last little while. Which still doesn't say much. "A pleasure, Agnethe. But, if you'll excuse me, I think I'll take this," she raises her glass slightly, "and return to my weyr. Have a good evening." Teris casts Taikrin a quick look. She hasn't forgotten about inviting her over but she doesn't need to follow her now. And then she's moving off.
K'del, at least, has a polite greeting for Agnethe, despite the fact that he's obviously not too pleased right about now. A moment or two later, he excuses himself, though at least he doesn't leave the party: he has more people to talk to, to encourage. Cheerleading, yay.