(no subject)
WHO: G'thon, I'lyan and Roa
WHAT: I'lyan tells G'thon about the 'guest instructor' bit before gossip does. Roa warns I'lyan that Sefton may notice his lack of attendance in classes.
WHEN: day 4, month 11, turn 1 of the 7th Pass.
Leading Edge - Friday, May 26, 2006, 3:55 PM
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Weyrleader's Weyr
Rank allows slightly more comfortable furnishings than can be found elsewhere in the Weyr. Done in warm tones, the walls have been white-washed and hung with sunny tapestries to match the shades of the area rugs and the bed coverings. Those rugs divide the room into sections. There is the seating area, suitable for conversation and informal meetings, with its couches and low central table. There is the working area, occupied by a desk and shelves for hidework. Last but not least, there is the living area where the Weyrleader sleeps and stores his clothing and riding gear.
The weyr has two exits. The first is a simple doorway that leads to the stairs and back down to the shared office. The second is a curtained archway that leads to the couch and ledge sized for a bronze dragon. The ledge is some distance above the bowl and accessible only from the air.
Contents:
Roa
G'thon
Northern Sky (NS) Out (O)
Roa has set her ever-present satchel down near one of the plush seats, but at the invitation of food doesn't seat herself and instead makes her way towards the little cart. "I don't think I would have visited if I wasn't in the mood for tea," is her friendly rib back to the weyrleader. It even comes with a glance his way and a smile. A small plate is picked up and few rolls are selected as well as a bit of the cheese. "How have you been, sir?"
"I get on all right," replies G'thon, a tongue-in-cheek remark, as though assuring an auntie or even his mother of his continuing hold, however tenuous, on the will to live. "And you, Roa? Aside from willing to take tea with me." Droll, rolling pleasure, indulgence even, makes his words rich, and the Weyrleader offers her one of the filled cups from his hand while she's close by, settling the pot back down on the tray with the other hand meanwhile. "Gathered any more thoughts on this notion of Thread's value?"
Roa accepts the tea, setting it on the corner of her plate with a soft clink. "I was only trying to be polite, sir," she says in response to G'thon's tongue-in-cheek remark. "Not looking to see if you've keeled over while I was serving myself appitizers." Somewhere along their acquaintance, the little goldrider seems to have slipped comfortably into the wry and blunt banter that's being bandied about. "Thread's value?" she asks, walking carefully back to her seat. "I believe I perhaps underestimated its ability to keep things static. I think, in certain situations, it can indeed be a catalyst for change." Over to the chair and her satchel, she carefully sits.
The Weyrleader lets out a low laugh, shaking his head - but there seems to be no real disapproval of Roa's reply; if anything, his smile warms and the lowered eyes with which he watches his hands, tending to the amendments of his tea, sparkle with a little extra life. But he finds a little bit of seriousness to listen to her words upon and in due time remarks, "Of course. But for better or worse? I think I suggested before that things remaining static could not possibly be positive - although you argued well enough against that to ensure your grade, I believe." Another dry chuckle and G'thon takes up some bread and cheese himself, edging them onto his saucer by the foot of the cup, and carries it all over to another of the upholstered chairs.
There is a sound on the stairs, quick rumble of booted feet and a tap on the door. "Sir?" I'lyan's voice comes through not long after the laugh. "I was wondering if you had a moment?"
Picking up the tea and balancing the plate carefully on her lap (thank you, Lady Sian's etiquette lessons) Roa says, "I don't believe that either change or static are unequivocably good or bad. It's important to know the context before--" but then she stops, looking over her shoulder, because I'lyan has arrived.
G'thon has some reply prepared, or at least percolating; that's evident in the pop of his jaw and the parting of his lips, the wry raise of a silver brow. But Roa stops, and not in a way which suggests she's providing an opportunity for her conversational partner to speak. The weyrleader takes some subtle cue from her reaction and turns to regard the entryway. What he sees there causes him to rejoint his jaw and stretch a mild smile over his mouth. "Ah," he says, as if this was wholly expected. "I'lyan." And he turns back to Roa with that smile: "Roa, perhaps we can hold off this topic just a moment? I assume you've met Benden's wingsecond in your classes."
I'lyan steps in nodding politely to Roa, "I hope I'm not interrupting? It wasn't anything terribly important, sir. I can always come back...?" His voice rises on this last, putting the question to both.
Roa looks between the two male riders and after a moment she says, "I'lyan and I have met before, yes," oh-so-politely sidestepping the matter of classes and attendance. Or lack thereof. To G'thon's polite request an equally polite smile is offered, nothing like the one flashed playfully moments before "Of course sir. Another time, then?" The plate and tea are set down, and the satchel reached for as she prepares to leave. Or at least, to wait outside.
Either the Weyrleader is unaware of any subtext regarding attendance, or Roa's sidestep was completely expected. In either case, G'thon allows a chuckle and a wave of one pale hand to be his gestural dissuasion of the goldrider's obvious intent to make scarce. "Roa! No need. You -were- here first. Sit, sit." And that is -his- playful note on the matter; more seriously, he turns to the bronzerider and asks, "If whatever brings you here is not too private a matter, perhaps you'll have a cup of tea with us a moment, I'lyan? If it is, then I do fear it might be best for it to wait." Absolutely gracious, he rises from his chair, setting aside his own tea and food, to move over to the tea cart. Plainly he does not expect waiting.
I'lyan was raising a hand to say essentially the same thing, and he nods to both Weyrleader and goldrider, "Not too private at all, sir. It'll be a matter for gossip soon enough." He flashes a smile at Roa, and moves on in to the tea cart, accepting the tea that is poured more as a matter of politeness than any true desire for it. "Please don't let me run you out, Roa? No, this has some bearing on our discussion of a few days ago, sir."
Roa settles back into her seat easily enough, visibly relaxing a smide as drink and food are resettled as well. "All right then," she says softly. "I suppose a bit of evesdropping never hurt, so long as the other to occupants are aware of it."
"Has it?" This, too, has a rhetorical tone completely lacking in surprise. G'thon tips a single nod in approval of I'lyan's taking the tea, and offers the young man a seat with a careless wave of pale hand at the chairs arranged for that purpose, where Roa and he had been. And where Roa still is, and to where the weyrleader returns, now that his new guest has tea. "A matter for gossip, then. You've hardly been here long enough to already have such a keen sense for what's worthy grist for the mill, I'lyan. Do tell?"
I'lyan adds a bit of sweetner to his tea and stirs before making his way to a seat. "Not eavesdropping at all, Roa, when you're invited to stay. And it's just a small thing, really, sir. I had the opportunity to speak with the Weyrlingmaster today. We'd not yet met before." He settles the tea, taking a sip before continuing, "I'd no idea he had no staff to work with."
Roa picks up a small roll, biting off a bit a chewing thoughtfully as she listens. She seems passingly interested, or at least more focused on the food than on the conversation, until the mention of the weyrlingmaster. At that, her head turns just a bit to the side, eyes lifting to watch as well as listen. She says nothing, however, only swallowing down the bite of whatever it was she just ate.
G'thon arches a pale, suddenly severe brow. "I had no idea he felt himself anything less to the full task in his own," says the weyrleader, and then for some reason glances at Roa, as if requesting some silent exchange of her opinion on the matter. Or so it might seem from the bronzerider's perspective; Roa herself may catch a certain air of humor about the look. Then back to I'lyan, and G'thon settles his expression into something almost like apology: "R'vain has never felt any compunction about demanding resources if he needs them - or feels entitled to them. And - " Smiling now outright, for even I'lyan to see, G'thon lowers into his chair. "- I fail to understand how this could become a matter of gossip."
I'lyan mms. "He mentioned that the wingleaders have been so busy," doubtless not the word R'vain used, "And so I offered to do a few sessions for him. A guest instructor, as it were." There is a hint of emphasis on the word 'instructor'. "My area of expertise is wing tactics. And Benden has a few that are unique to them. If they work in the western winds here, R'vain would like to have the weyrlings know them." The bronzerider's turn of phrase is interesting. "Thus, why it will evenually become gossip." He turns a smile on the goldrider, "I'm sure Roa can vouch that m attendance in classes is... sporadic at best. Though I've not had a complain from an instuctor." Yet.
Roa's lips curl upwards a smidge at G'thon's glance and then a bit higher at I'lyan's disclosure on his class attendance. "Your presence in class has seemed to be the stuff of legend as of late," she agrees, "Though the Headmaster is calling students into his office for review now." The implication isn't spoken outright. "But it's always seemed to me to be helpful when a variety of thoughts or teaching styles are presented in any class. Alternate instructors were helpful when I was a weyrling."
"Ah, well enough. R'vain has had several guest instructors, to borrow your term, over his turns in the post." Now the dry amusement in G'thon's eyes is offered for both his guests to see, and it creeps into his tone along with the sound of the smile through which he speaks. "As long as how you spend your time does not result in some unseemly argument between my weyrlingmaster and the headmaster, I see no issues with this. Whatever rumors go around are yours to bear." Again, the weyrleader glances at Roa, then back to I'lyan. And something perches on his lips, something he thinks to say - and then thinks better of, and merely smiles.
I'lyan mms at Roa. "Is he now? Interesting. So far I've escaped his notice." He nods slightly to G'thon and says merely, "He's got an interesting perspective on life here at the Reaches." He puts his tea up. "I just wanted to keep you in the loop, before you heard it from someone else. Thank you, m'lady, for letting me barge in on you." He inclines his head to Roa, then G'thon, and is back out the door in a moment.