Dirty Little Secret
Location: Feeding Grounds
Time: Sunset on Day 16, Month 4, Turn 2
Players: T'zen, Roa, Tavaly, Uneth, Tialith, Immath
Scene: Don't tell T'zen a secret. Ever. (To really get what's going on, it's a good idea to read this log and then this one.)
Feeding Grounds
A white-washed fence cuts an arc across the bowl here, penning in the various beasts that serve as food for the Weyr's dragons. The area itself is large enough for several herds of animals and is the only place in the bowl where greenery might be found; a few small, twisted trees and shrubs are scattered along the rock wall to provide minimal shade. The fence is broken in two places, once near the northern wall where a wide gate can be found, and once again at the lake where it ends and the water takes up the task of keeping the herds penned in. The tunnel to the beast pens is situated near that single gate.
It's a windy day, the gusts and breezes chilly with humidity. Though the air is still filled with the promising scents of spring, the low temperatures and constant assault by capricious winds will keep many indoors.
A sudden gust of wind gives Uneth the staying power he needs to hover just above the stampeding beasts, his talons already crimson from a previous kill. The sun seems to sit atop one of the shorter spires, threatening to hide behind it at any moment and herald the coming of evening. T'zen leans against the fence surrounding the terrified animals, arms folded across the top beam, his chin resting on top. He is still in his full leathers, with the jacket undone to keep cool. Not many times he's out of those riding clothes, lately.
Tialith wings her way towards the fleeing creatures Uneth has stirred up, as she arrives from the Southern bowl The gold circles the pen with a low, annoyed rumble. She likes to sneak, likes to pounce. Herdbeasts don't taste as good when they're in a panic.
Walking from a similar direction comes Roa in her own usual garb, minus her knot. Arms are crossed lightly over her chest, her expression neutral, if a little lost in thought. That is, until she realizes which blue is hovering hovering over the grounds. And there, up against the fence...the goldrider swallows sharply. Moving discreetly behind her, and quickly sauntering off to a resting spot within eyesight but out of earshot, is the youngest of the four guards assigned to the Telgari’s detail.
Uneth sees the arriving gold and offers a friendly croon. Gust gone, the blue dragon takes to winging around the pen, circling higher as though allowing the gold to get her pick first. Or perhaps he's just not hungry enough to be greedy. T'zen doesn't look. His blue's always greeting some dragon or other. The breeze tickles at his crazy blonde hair, poofing a bit in its effort to tilt forward again after being held back under a helmet.
Oh. He hasn't noticed her. Well, good. That's good. That means Roa can just make her way up to the fence perhaps ten feet away from T'zen and wait there while Tialith hunts. Occasionally glances are sent T'zen's way every few seconds. Just to make sure he still doesn't see her.
Tialith thinks nothing of the blue's deference. Of course he should let her hunt, now that she is here, though Uneth is 'awarded' a small swirl of gratitude for the gesture. A plump creature with a faint limp is noted, selected, dispatched. The lifeless beast is held in her mouth as the queen moves a little further away to begin eating, rather than settling amid the crowd of frantic bovines.
Is T'zen even watching what's going on? He seems lost in thought. A flash of golden hide in front of him causes him to focus, taking note of the dragon who just carried away a herdbeast. And finally his eyes narrow a bit as he gets a better look. Yeah, he knows that gold. Lifting his chin off his arms, he glances around, managing to time it with one of Roa's glances. Eye contact. He blinks, puzzling at her for a moment, before declaring, "Rather quiet, there, eh, Roa?" Something sparks a memory.. not hard, for it's the last time he was with the goldrider. He offers a dry smirk, looking back at the beasts as they start to calm. Just slowing down a little, right up until a blue dragon drops into the thick of them, taking out a large buck. The survivors fan out in even disarray around the blue dragon. And a bite takes off the head, leaving a crimson fountain in its place. For all that, and T'zen's smirk simply grows, as he observes this.
Roa looks quickly away at the eye contact and is caught up, for a moment, watching Uneth's work. The headless herdbeast gets a surprised, and maybe slightly horrified, laugh from the goldrider. "Shells. Never seen any other dragon do it quite that way before." And then, almost reluctantly, the Telgari's head turns to again regard T'zen. "I, ah, didn't think saying hello just now was such a clever idea."
"Eh. Can't say I have either, really," admits the bluerider with a shrug. "Doubt he's gonna get much chewin' on a beast-skull." Thanks to Uneth for his bloody icebreaker. T'zen relaxes his stance again, resting his head sideways on his arms in order to keep facing Roa. "See, now, weyrwoman. That's what started this whole thing. Not sayin' hi." Tremendously over-simplified, perhaps, but it makes sense to him. "'pparently, Tav comes a-walkin' in, sees me givin' you a shardin' lift t'see the eggs, an' rather than say hi, or ask what's goin' on.. she just goes and figures the worst. All she had t'do was say hi. Coulda looked'er straight in the eye. Done nothin' wrong." Uneth actually does try to chew on the skull. With jaws powerful enough to chew firestone, it's possible, but not very enjoyable. So out comes the mangled beast head. Uneth grabs the headless body and flies to his own corner to eat the better parts.
Tialith has gone the more traditional route with her beastie, wrenching open the belly and burying her snout into the warm entrails which are then, what else, lifted upwards and worked into her mouth. A sort of draconic version of pasta. Roa's options, as far as places to look, seem to the her gut-tearing dragon, Uneth and his disembodied head, or T'zen, resting against the fence. So, it is on T'zen that the goldrider's focus settles. Or, his shoes anyway. "I'm so sorry," she murmurs. "I should have known better. She's furious. I...well. I've never seen her quite as angry before."
"Done nothin' wrong," the bluerider presses, "An' she knows it, Roa. We've.. talked." There's a wince accompanied with that. "Girl's got a temper, aye. Bother's me worse when she cries, though." He raises back off the fence now, arms dropping to his sides before habitually hooking his thumbs in pants pockets. Then, considering his last statement, he asides. "Weren't 'bout you, really. Girl'd been through a lot. One cup too many stacked too high, and it all came tumblin' down." And at that, the rider flinches. Why'd he think of that metaphor? "Ah.. or something like that." He sighs. "Anyways. .. Wait-" he finally realizes something, "She what spouted fury at you?" Sort of concerned and curious at the same time, is the mix of looks on T'zen's face.
Roa hmms? As if she hadn't been listening, hadn't been paying attention to every single word, even as she stares at T'zen's boots. Observes the way they move and shift. "Oh. Yes. She's very good at it," The words are so light and easy, even as brows lift, head tips upwards and her eyes quickly meet T'zen's before sliding away. Her hands have, unbeknownst to her, curled tightly around the fence. "Things are...all right between you two, then?"
T'zen nods, watching Roa and her avoidance. "We are fine. We-" He pauses, and lets the rest of it drop, with a shrug. "Took'er a coupla days hiding away from me, but she came back. Learnin' she tends to come back." And there's a bit of smile to go with that. Uneth's just making a mess of his herdbeast now. Half-eating it, half-tearing it apart. This finally gets T'zen's attention, and smile gets pulled into a frown. "Une, what's gotten into ya? If yer done eatin', leave it alone, will ya? Shards." There a rumbled response.
Roa is moved to watching Uneth and his mangling even as Tialith continues to pull fur away and devour flesh from bones "Irritation leaks," the girl muses as she regards the blue. "She came back. Well, that's good news, at least. I'm not sure I like imagining one of you without the other." Her hands have uncurled from the fence, and now only tap it idly. "Does she still hate me, do you think?"
T'zen first glares at his dragon, and then turns the glare towards Roa, trying to ward off her diagnosis of the dragon's behavior. "Nothin' wrong here," he gruffs, no doubt effectively negating the statement while saying it. His expression softens as he considers Roa's next question, and a hand goes up into his hair, mussing around idly. He considers the response for a while, before finally looking back at the young rider. "Don't.. really know, Roa. Somethin' 'bout you an' the Captain. Thinks yer causin' problems'r something." He raises his brows at her. "I'm always the last to know anythin'. Bunch o' stuff came out that night from Tav. Not sure where she gets it all." There's a hint again of something disturbing the bluerider. A flick of his eyes away. Uneth snorts at his decimated meal, and takes flight, winging towards the lake.
A smaller snort follows Uneth's and Roa's head is tipped downwards, scowling. Tialith, however, eats blissfully undisturbed. She has a femur between her front paws and is languidly licking it clean. "I am so shelling sick of that rumor," the Telgari grits out at mention of the Captain, but another long look at the agitated blue smoothes away her own annoyance. Without directing her attention at T'zen she says, as if remarking on the weather, "I keep secrets well."
"So, what's true? What's with you and the Captain? Really? I know what Tav says. Seems you don't agree." T'zen watches his dragon fly to the lake, before regarding the goldrider. His jaw clenches a moment. Secrets. "Thought 3C was done, what with I'zul off to Benden and Br'ce takin' command. Thought it'd all go away." A pause. No clarification on what 'it' is. He continues, "Learned I'zul wasn't alone. Someone else knew."
Licking has moved from herdbeast bones to her own silvery talons as Tialith lifts one paw, spreads her fingers, and tidies.
Her rider turns so her back is to the feeding grounds, and she leans up against one of the fence posts. "We're friends," sighs Roa in a way that suggests she has said this many times before. "Just friends. That's all. Albeit, we are good friends, we talk a great deal and at odd hours..." her hands spread wide and her head shakes. "No one seems to be able to comprehend that." Then arms lower to her sides, hands flopping against her skirt. "Someone else knew? Is somebody out to bring the whole weyr down? Who? Who else knew?"
"R'vain." He intended to speak it out boldly, but somehow it comes out as a whisper. He tilts against a fence post now, arms folding in front of him. He stares at a spot of ground in front of Roa's feet. "Shardin' Weyrlingmaster. Apparently told Tav that he knew, and said nothin' about it. Not sure if he was /in/ on it. But he knew it was coming." And there's an anger rising in the rider, the more he thinks about it, bolstered by saying it out loud. "I'zul intended for the whole /wing/ to go *between*," he spits out. "Thought ol' fire-head an' I jus' liked to avoid each other after I tapped out of weyrlings. Maybe there's something more there." There's a determined look on his face. "Gonna find out soon enough, now." Uneth takes a whirl in the sky, and then straight down into the lake with a mighty splash. Sun well behind the spire, meaning its shadow has been creeping across the pair.
Roa's brows don't lift, so much as skyrocket upwards. "R'vain." The name is repeated under her breath. "That..." Her gaze drifts down and flits from side to side. "That's what he meant," she adds very softly. "Was that all Tavaly had to say? Why in the skies would he tell *her* about it? And why would I'zul...this isn't making sense." There is a muffled crunch as Tialith takes a bone between her teeth and snaps it in two.
T'zen's instantly a step closer, peering intently at the goldrider. "What he meant? 'Bout what?" And her questions. "Ah. Don't know, really, how she got it out of him." 'Cause no way he'd volunteer, right? "Dunno what else. Well, 'sides that the man don't know how to fight 'Thread." But that's small fry stuff to the rider now, and it's tossed out as such. "Seems Tav was more upset 'bout that than anything. More 'bout I'zul than R'vain." He ponders a bit, frowning, "Seemed to even defend the man. Shards, girl's been /helping/ the guy." He shakes his head. "Notion that it weren't some accident. Didn't sit well with the girl, I wager. *I* knew." And it seems T'zen's about to get more interested in 3C than the rest of it as well. "Couldn't take me down, shardin' I'zul.."
"Now this is a day that will go down in the history books. T'zen admits he's mortal." The jest lights a smile to Roa's face, but it doesn't last long. "I just...he mentioned the fall and didn't look like himself when he did. It was a while ago. He looked, well, he looked haunted. And Tavaly's..." blue eyes widen. "She's the green, isn't she. Making him and Ruvoth practice early in the mornings. And you...you're joining too, aren't you." It seems that the little goldrider has her own means of gaining clandestine information.
T'zen snorts. "Mortal? Mean's dyin' right? Nope. Not plannin' on it." But the man won't meet the goldrider's eyes, choosing instead to look off to one side. Uneth can be seen poking his head out of the lake here and there. He nods, listening. "So's there's somethin' there alright. R'vain's got somethin'." He finally meets her eyes with his own narrowed ones. But there's a smirk to go with it. "Now I don't think I've actually shared that bit. How'd you know I'm helpin' Tav with the Weyrlingmaster? Turnin' him around, she is. And, honestly, I'm shocked. Tav's got a golden tongue, and a fire 'bout'er to boot. But still.. it's /R'vain/."
"If anyone could cow the Weyrlingmaster, I suppose it *would* be her. Have you seen the drills he's putting the weyrlings through now? They're gorgeous. She's lit a fire underneath him, and no mistake." Arms cross tightly over Roa's chest as, after all that cleaning, what does Tialith do but glide back into the feeding grounds to choose and kill another herdbeast. And the whole process begins again. "I'm trying to join. Those practices. Tavaly's just going to have to chew and swallow if she doesn't like it." As far as the *how* she knew? That goes unmentioned, but perhaps amid the rest of it, the bluerider won't notice.
T'zen nods. "Weyrlings gettin' more than they bargained for." He laughs suddenly. "Wait'll they find out who's to blame." And then he peers at Roa again. "You tryin' to join? Ah, I don't mind. Can't say Tavaly'll be fine with it." He frowns, looking a bit more concerned about it. "You sure you want to jump in that circle?" Uneth has finally emerged from the lake, and settles for a nap.
"What circle? Tialith needs the challenge and I need something to get my reflexes up to snuff. And Ruvoth needs to learn how to maneuver with dragons his own size. Seems a fine deal all around." Roa watches her lifemate chew through tendons and wrench a clod of meat free. "I wouldn't mind, though, if you'd perhaps put a good word in to Tavaly for me."
Big grin. Too quick. "Good word in to Tav. Right," responds T'zen. And then a bit of honesty, "Do my best, anyway. I knows you're alright." He starts stepping away from the fence. "I best be goin'." He offers a wave. "Later, Roa. Say 'hi' next time, shardit." How's that for friendly?
"I will I..." Roa bites her lower lip and calls, "T'zen? Maybe you'd better not. Mention me to her. Just now." because a bit of good sense comes late, but at least that is better than not at all. As the bluerider departs, Roa turns back to watch her gold, fingers once more reaching around the edge of the fence. While her expression remains calm, out in the field, Tialith tears into her kill with a sudden and savage ferocity.
The sun has crept below the spires and the world is dimming as oranges and reds and purples in the sky slowly give way to the blue-black of night. A small figure stands by the feeding ground fence, staring out into the pen. Resting off to the side and ripping into a herdbeast like nobody's business, is a long, slender gold dragon.
Around the spire once and downward dipping. Straps come loose, and a strong hand grips them, swinging vinelike downward. The straps are unhooked as the rider dangles below the green's neck. The green dives, spreads wings and swoops, hovering mere feet above the ground. Letting one side go, the rider pulls the straps clear of the green's neck and touches the earth. Nearly flawless, save for the fact that the dragon's unknowingly dumped her in the single most muddy spot on the ground. A single word, unintelligible, but definitely angry, exits the girl's mouth. Oh, hey, look! It's Tav. A cursory glance around leaves the girl with two deductions. One. A gold is eating nearby. Two. Her rider's in here somewhere. "Roa?" She calls, slinging straps over her shoulders.
The word muttered under Roa's breath as a green descends and the rider atop begins some impossible daredevil move in not one that is fitting for delicate ears. Her head turns to watch the gold who remains vested in eating and informs her rider idly that she is still quite hungry and intends to catch another after. So...stuck. As Tavaly spies the not-easy-to-conceal gold and then the much smaller rider. There is a pause, after her name is called. And then, simply, "Yes." It's almost a sigh. Defeated.
"Happy Turnday. Late." The girl says instantly, looking over her shoulder as, with much fanfare and giddiness, Immath sits on her first piece of dinner. SITS on it. Like an ELEPHANT. How barbaric. Shaking her head, the girl steps over to the space that Roa occupies, still several feet away from the woman. "That, and I'm sorry. Lost my head." She doesn't quite look at the Telgari, and the posture taken up by the greenrider is one that speaks clearly: apologizing is not her strong suit. And she doesn't like being put into a position where she has to do a lot of it. Leastways by herself. "Hopin' I didn't run my mouth off so bad that we can't be pallies, still. I said some wicked stuff, I know. And.. well, I don't believe a lick of it. You're a good person, an' I should know better than to think you're jimmy'in up with half the weyr. Sorry.." Her head hangs, then.
The goldrider's head shoots up, eyes widening. She didn't tell *anybody* about her turnday. Not a single soul here, so, "How did you..." But then there is the most horrible squelching sound and Immath is sitting. On something with legs. Even Tialith stops, mid chew, to turn her head and just...blink. "I..." An apology is not at all what she expected. "It's, uhm, it's all right, Tav. After all the things flying around, well, I suppose it's only fair you'd start to wonder. But, ah, there is something you could do. A couple somethings. To make it up to me."
Now, this isn't at all on the list of things she expected. "Might consider it. Usually, an apology from me is enough to make people crap themselves.. Don't do it often, you know." Tav says, and withdraws a little package from among the straps on her shoulders. She hefts it, and tosses it in Roa's direction. "I find things out." The girl says, in regards to knowing. "What is it you've got in mind, then?"
A small, long fingered hand reaches up and catches the package easily. Even a goldrider has to know how to nab things out of the air. It is drawn down and hugged lightly, but not yet opened. "You might not believe me, Tavaly, but your wrath still isn't the worst thing I've seen. As for what I've got in mind...R'vain," the Telgari beings a little bluntly. "A couple things regarding him. One. I want in on those practice sessions you've been having in the mornings." And here she stops, simply to see what Tavaly has to say.
Not the worst. That's true. Then again, poor girl hasn't seen it full bore! ROAR! Tav's pale blues skirt to the side as she continues to face the outer grounds. That frigid stare holds a moment. "That's asking a lot. I'm doing it for the weyrlings, you know. Not just for R'vain." She begins. "You might be too much of a distraction, but I will consider it. What's number two? I like to know my options before giving a decision aloud."
"He needs to know how to maneuver around bigger dragons," the Telgari notes softly. "Tia, being a queen, is less likely to be suspected and less likely to get pressed for information from other dragons. Besides, distraction is good. Learning to ignore it is necessary." There's her two cents on how to train. "Number two." The soft sound of swallowing in the growing darkness. In the distance, Tialith's eyes seem to glow as the lingering light is refracted though all those facets. "Tell me what you know about the Weyrlingmaster and three cee."
There it is. The stone in the empty well. "That Sharding idiot." Are the first words to fall from Tavaly's lips. Leather squeaks as hands tighten over straps. She continues to stare outward, the frost removed from Roa's direction. "That. Is none of your concern, I'm afraid. Not meant to reach Caucus, not even meant to reach me. I knew telling him would lead to trouble.." She shakes her head, the straps thrown roughly on the ground. She takes a few steps away from the girl, throwing her head back and just.. roaring. Immath looks up from her chew toy, it's spine dangling visibly from a head caught halfway in her maw. "NEVER again. He is /soooo/ in for it." Stomp stomp stomp.
Roa, surprising enough, does not do much more than wait out this storm. Tavaly is left to fume and roar, and snarl and stomp. The goldrider just continues to hold her package and watch Tialith lick the bones clean. "It didn't reach Caucus. It reached me. Please, Tavaly. This is...this is something I need to know. *Please*."
Whirling, wide pale eyes now search the goldrider's face with wild frustration. "/WHY/, of all things, would /you/ care about a wing that was demolished /here/. You know one or two of the riders that were in that wing, and even /they/ don't want to ask questions anymore. Riders died. Morbid.." She begins pacing. Then finally throws her hands up. "Fine. Not like it won't reach the rest of the weyr with that foul moron's jaws flapping. Couldn't keep it to himself for one whole day. ONE day. You would THINK that something like THIS would be big enough for him to shut up for five minutes.." She holds her head in her hands, massaging temples. "The man who lead the wing /planned/ for the wingriders to be killed. All of them, so I'm lead to believe. For whatever reason, not even I know that, and I have the supreme misfortune of knowing more on the subject than even the old Weyrleader, I'm beginning to think. There. Does /that/ satisfy the craving? Shells of Immath's Egg, I hope it does, because that is a gruesome thing to obsess over. Cor, and you asked too much with number one as it is." Pace pace pace. A spring's gone loose in Tava's head. Panic?
"Okay, okay, shhh." One hand, the one free from present, is held out towards Tavaly. "He planned it. That was speculated months ago. There are reasons, I must presume, that I'zul went back to Benden in exchange for an entire wing. Why does *R'vain* know? What was his part in the mess?" Leave well enough alone? Not hardly. Not even with a ticking Tavaly pacing up and down before her. It's that important. Or Roa's just that gruesome.
A short laugh. She's falling apart. She sits, suddenly. In a patch of mud. "R'vain?" She questions, staring outward for a moment. The ghost is gone, and her pale eyes are vacant as they stare past the new grass over to where Immath slowly chews, watching her rider with concern growing green-gold in her bejeweled gaze. "R'vain knew about it before it happened. Coward could have saved the wing, but he said nothing. I'zul told him he planned on killing some of the riders off.. R'vain doesn't remember. All or just most. That part's fuzzy." Head in hands again, the girl takes a deep breath. "No more. Now I need to know why /you/ need to know. You owe me that much, and if you're dead set on coming to practice with us, my allowing it hinges on your answer." There's the edge, again. Back into the blues of her eyes.. But not turned toward Roa. Now /Tav/ needs to know.
The motion is quick and fluid. One moment, Roa is outside the fence. The next, with a quick hop, she's swinging up, over and landing inside to lower herself down, cross-legged, in front of Tavaly. The present is settled on her lap and nevermind the sounds the mud makes as she sits. "Tialith. Fancies Ruvoth. A lot." This is, none of it, is easy to say. "I need to know, when she flies, how hard I'm going to have to fight her to keep him from catching." Maiden flight. First catch. Maybe that's a valid big deal in Tavaly's mind as well as Roa's, but hey. Maybe not at all.
A low chuckle, then. "But you'll be going home for flights, won't you? You're a Caucus student.. but still a Telgari." Tav says, peering at Roa, now. Moonkissed, in this moment. Shock, mostly. That, and she's sitting in mud. "Ugh, man.. Bedding R'vain? That'd be like.. trying to kiss a tunnel snake, only way worse. I think a tunnel snake would be easier to contend with." Convulsions. "Dirty old man. Kinda feel bad for Ruvoth." Tav leans her head back on a post. "There are several ways to avoid that end, you know. When she starts getting tetchy, let me know. I can and will extend training so that Ruvoth and R'vain are away from the weyr when she launches.."
Roa smirks weakly. "Caucus flights are often held here. S'lien would prefer it if I stayed and..." she looks down. Looks away. "This doesn't make sense. I've *seen* him with the weyrlings. I walked past a class in the bowl and I shelling swear, if there was one thing R'vain showed fondness towards it was the dragonets. How could he know riders would be murdered and not..." and then her head turns to look full-on at Tavaly, "If you truly believe that. That he helped murder those men, fully understanding what he did, how can you help him?"
Shaking her head, Tav shuts her eyes. Tight. "He's not.. No." She says firmly, raising her head again. "If there is only one thing I know about R'vain, and I know more than I'd care to, by now.. He's not a murderer.. I don't.. think. I'm not sure. Shards, I'm messed. I'm not sure he /knew/ that I'zul wanted them dead. He knew something was gonna happen, but.. not /what/." She holds her head again, pupils going back to their usual size. "No. If R'vain knew fully what I'zul was going to do, I /know/.. I KNOW he would have told someone. I don't think he took I'zul seriously. He cares too much. He cares so much, sometimes, that it nearly kills him. Shards, no /wonder/ he drinks so much.." And then a sharp upward flick of her head. "I am helping the weyrlings." The girl says with a dedicated ferocity. "I don't give one wit about what that man does, but when it comes to teaching Threadfighting, by the first Egg, I want the next generation of riders to know exactly what they're up against and how best to be prepared.. Roa, I'm so sharding sick of watching my classmates decrease in number. I /have/ to teach him, don't you see? If I don't, then he'll continue to teach outdated methods and more /children/ - stupid weyrlings.. they'll die. And we can't afford that. Life is just.. too precious."
A slow nod and a careful exhaling of breath from Roa as Tavaly speaks. He didn't know. Okay. Good. Okay. "That's...that seems more reasonable. Though why I'zul would..." One hand, now muddy, lifts and slashes horizontally through the air. Enough. Topic closed. "All right. Fine. Then you keep doing what you're doing, and if R'vain slips even a little, you use what you know to scare him straight again. And if that doesn't work, you have him replaced." She pushes herself up..sqqqqquelch...and bends down to help Tavaly up as well. "You're sitting in mud, girl." There is a tiny smile dancing in the corner of her mouth. The sort that appears when, really, one should actually be crying.
Tavaly sinks against the post again. "Told him I would. Threatened that if he didn't start shaping up I'd have him replaced.." She glances further out. "Made another offer.. Long before. This next go around, once I'm graduated, I'll be helping him teach. Many reasons. 'Specially 'cause these dragonets cannot be held responsible for where they come from, and they need fair treatment. All of them. Down to the last tiny green, and R'vain will need reminding, because his dragon isn't strong enough to corral his hate." She sits up, dropping mud from the seat of her pants. "This is a bad, bad night.." Shaken, for sure. These are not things that the girl was prepared to speak about EVER again. It shows. A haunted expression over pale, almost ashy skin. Once standing, she turns from Roa and leans over the fence to deposit the remainder of dinner into the growing grass. Fertilizer!
Wrapped package is tucked into a skirt pocket so both hands are free (but muddy, but free). One draws Tavaly's hair back and just holds it loosely at the nape of her neck as her food makes its reappearance. The other moves in a slow circle around the greenrider's back. "I'm so sorry," she whispers. And in her own mind, that phrase is covering a whole big mess of things.
Shoulders heaving, Tav's hand grips the wooden post near her head tightly. "Such a queenrider." She manages to choke out, resting her chin on a fence rung. "Destroying a moment's peace, smoothing it out with a few softly spoken words. Don't." The girl shakes her head and rises, wiping her mouth on the back of an already dirty sleeve. "Would you still train with us? Knowing now what you do? And if so, why would you dangle Tialith in front of Ruvoth, fearing what you do?"
"I would," Roa says of the first, "because I would rather understand him than not, if worse come to worst. And that means ignoring the rumors and trying to uncover him, much as anyone can." She steps back as Tavaly recovers, her hands sliding away to clasp one another. "And I'd dangle...we would fly with them because much as that may allow Ruvoth to learn Tialith's patterns, it lets me learn Ruvoth's. I can use that, if I need to." Her jaw clenches as teeth are clamped together.
"He's a good man, you know. If you can stop parading around in front of him like a proper ambassador." Tav says, spitting to the side. Such a delicate blossom. Puke. "Stuff like this. Sitting in the mud. Do more of it. Tired of seein' so many girly women. No wonder the men on Pern have no respect for half of them. You wanna understand R'vain, you have to act like him, sometimes." The greenrider states. "Come down to our level, Roa. Yes, you can train with us. But there are conditions, and if they're not met, I'm gonna kick some butts. No idle chit chat between you and R'vain. This ain' jaw-flappin' we're doing up there, it's hard work. And wear pants. We don't need skirts billowing in the breeze. Where we go, where I take us to train, that is my domain. My rules. I /am/ the weyrlingmaster, and it's not a game. And don't get sidetracked. You might want to learn about Ruvoth's tricks, but that is not the purpose of our training sessions. Our purpose is to make sure that old goat teaches the next group proper so that they don't end up betweening and staying there in a panic. Had enough of that."
"No," Roa says softly, "I don't know. Not at all." This is in response to R'vain being a good man. But then she quiets as the weyrling greenrider lays down the law. She could retort, quip about how she DOES fly the queen's wing and of course she has pants blah blah blah. But she simply listens, keeps her thoughts to herself, and when Tavaly finishes, Roa only nods once, sharply. "Understood."
"Fantastic. We start before the sun does, and you'd better be on time, because I carry a bucket of icewater with me. Usually I save it in case R'vain's hung over, but I will bring two if I have to." She perks, salutes, and glances across to Immath. Who is finished. Thankfully. "For now, we rest. I have several glasses of a very strong drink to comfort myself with tonight." With that, the girl nods once to Roa, and hefts her muddy straps in her journey to the green.
What novel timing. Tialith rises as well, fully cleaned and apparently declining that final herdbeast after all. Roa hops over the fence as the gold wings her way in the direction of the barracks. "Good night, Tavaly. And thank you. I don't think I need to mention that the things I've told you are to be held in the highest confidence. In other words, please don't tell T'zen." A tiny smirk. As she moves, a shadow disengages from a boulder on the other side of the grounds. Morley the guard, far enough away to be out of earshot but close enough to keep an eye on the be-guarded weyrwoman.
"Trust me, my dear. He's getting an earful already. I don't have room in my tirade for girly secrets!" Tav calls before mounting and lurching into the black.
Time: Sunset on Day 16, Month 4, Turn 2
Players: T'zen, Roa, Tavaly, Uneth, Tialith, Immath
Scene: Don't tell T'zen a secret. Ever. (To really get what's going on, it's a good idea to read this log and then this one.)
Feeding Grounds
A white-washed fence cuts an arc across the bowl here, penning in the various beasts that serve as food for the Weyr's dragons. The area itself is large enough for several herds of animals and is the only place in the bowl where greenery might be found; a few small, twisted trees and shrubs are scattered along the rock wall to provide minimal shade. The fence is broken in two places, once near the northern wall where a wide gate can be found, and once again at the lake where it ends and the water takes up the task of keeping the herds penned in. The tunnel to the beast pens is situated near that single gate.
It's a windy day, the gusts and breezes chilly with humidity. Though the air is still filled with the promising scents of spring, the low temperatures and constant assault by capricious winds will keep many indoors.
A sudden gust of wind gives Uneth the staying power he needs to hover just above the stampeding beasts, his talons already crimson from a previous kill. The sun seems to sit atop one of the shorter spires, threatening to hide behind it at any moment and herald the coming of evening. T'zen leans against the fence surrounding the terrified animals, arms folded across the top beam, his chin resting on top. He is still in his full leathers, with the jacket undone to keep cool. Not many times he's out of those riding clothes, lately.
Tialith wings her way towards the fleeing creatures Uneth has stirred up, as she arrives from the Southern bowl The gold circles the pen with a low, annoyed rumble. She likes to sneak, likes to pounce. Herdbeasts don't taste as good when they're in a panic.
Walking from a similar direction comes Roa in her own usual garb, minus her knot. Arms are crossed lightly over her chest, her expression neutral, if a little lost in thought. That is, until she realizes which blue is hovering hovering over the grounds. And there, up against the fence...the goldrider swallows sharply. Moving discreetly behind her, and quickly sauntering off to a resting spot within eyesight but out of earshot, is the youngest of the four guards assigned to the Telgari’s detail.
Uneth sees the arriving gold and offers a friendly croon. Gust gone, the blue dragon takes to winging around the pen, circling higher as though allowing the gold to get her pick first. Or perhaps he's just not hungry enough to be greedy. T'zen doesn't look. His blue's always greeting some dragon or other. The breeze tickles at his crazy blonde hair, poofing a bit in its effort to tilt forward again after being held back under a helmet.
Oh. He hasn't noticed her. Well, good. That's good. That means Roa can just make her way up to the fence perhaps ten feet away from T'zen and wait there while Tialith hunts. Occasionally glances are sent T'zen's way every few seconds. Just to make sure he still doesn't see her.
Tialith thinks nothing of the blue's deference. Of course he should let her hunt, now that she is here, though Uneth is 'awarded' a small swirl of gratitude for the gesture. A plump creature with a faint limp is noted, selected, dispatched. The lifeless beast is held in her mouth as the queen moves a little further away to begin eating, rather than settling amid the crowd of frantic bovines.
Is T'zen even watching what's going on? He seems lost in thought. A flash of golden hide in front of him causes him to focus, taking note of the dragon who just carried away a herdbeast. And finally his eyes narrow a bit as he gets a better look. Yeah, he knows that gold. Lifting his chin off his arms, he glances around, managing to time it with one of Roa's glances. Eye contact. He blinks, puzzling at her for a moment, before declaring, "Rather quiet, there, eh, Roa?" Something sparks a memory.. not hard, for it's the last time he was with the goldrider. He offers a dry smirk, looking back at the beasts as they start to calm. Just slowing down a little, right up until a blue dragon drops into the thick of them, taking out a large buck. The survivors fan out in even disarray around the blue dragon. And a bite takes off the head, leaving a crimson fountain in its place. For all that, and T'zen's smirk simply grows, as he observes this.
Roa looks quickly away at the eye contact and is caught up, for a moment, watching Uneth's work. The headless herdbeast gets a surprised, and maybe slightly horrified, laugh from the goldrider. "Shells. Never seen any other dragon do it quite that way before." And then, almost reluctantly, the Telgari's head turns to again regard T'zen. "I, ah, didn't think saying hello just now was such a clever idea."
"Eh. Can't say I have either, really," admits the bluerider with a shrug. "Doubt he's gonna get much chewin' on a beast-skull." Thanks to Uneth for his bloody icebreaker. T'zen relaxes his stance again, resting his head sideways on his arms in order to keep facing Roa. "See, now, weyrwoman. That's what started this whole thing. Not sayin' hi." Tremendously over-simplified, perhaps, but it makes sense to him. "'pparently, Tav comes a-walkin' in, sees me givin' you a shardin' lift t'see the eggs, an' rather than say hi, or ask what's goin' on.. she just goes and figures the worst. All she had t'do was say hi. Coulda looked'er straight in the eye. Done nothin' wrong." Uneth actually does try to chew on the skull. With jaws powerful enough to chew firestone, it's possible, but not very enjoyable. So out comes the mangled beast head. Uneth grabs the headless body and flies to his own corner to eat the better parts.
Tialith has gone the more traditional route with her beastie, wrenching open the belly and burying her snout into the warm entrails which are then, what else, lifted upwards and worked into her mouth. A sort of draconic version of pasta. Roa's options, as far as places to look, seem to the her gut-tearing dragon, Uneth and his disembodied head, or T'zen, resting against the fence. So, it is on T'zen that the goldrider's focus settles. Or, his shoes anyway. "I'm so sorry," she murmurs. "I should have known better. She's furious. I...well. I've never seen her quite as angry before."
"Done nothin' wrong," the bluerider presses, "An' she knows it, Roa. We've.. talked." There's a wince accompanied with that. "Girl's got a temper, aye. Bother's me worse when she cries, though." He raises back off the fence now, arms dropping to his sides before habitually hooking his thumbs in pants pockets. Then, considering his last statement, he asides. "Weren't 'bout you, really. Girl'd been through a lot. One cup too many stacked too high, and it all came tumblin' down." And at that, the rider flinches. Why'd he think of that metaphor? "Ah.. or something like that." He sighs. "Anyways. .. Wait-" he finally realizes something, "She what spouted fury at you?" Sort of concerned and curious at the same time, is the mix of looks on T'zen's face.
Roa hmms? As if she hadn't been listening, hadn't been paying attention to every single word, even as she stares at T'zen's boots. Observes the way they move and shift. "Oh. Yes. She's very good at it," The words are so light and easy, even as brows lift, head tips upwards and her eyes quickly meet T'zen's before sliding away. Her hands have, unbeknownst to her, curled tightly around the fence. "Things are...all right between you two, then?"
T'zen nods, watching Roa and her avoidance. "We are fine. We-" He pauses, and lets the rest of it drop, with a shrug. "Took'er a coupla days hiding away from me, but she came back. Learnin' she tends to come back." And there's a bit of smile to go with that. Uneth's just making a mess of his herdbeast now. Half-eating it, half-tearing it apart. This finally gets T'zen's attention, and smile gets pulled into a frown. "Une, what's gotten into ya? If yer done eatin', leave it alone, will ya? Shards." There a rumbled response.
Roa is moved to watching Uneth and his mangling even as Tialith continues to pull fur away and devour flesh from bones "Irritation leaks," the girl muses as she regards the blue. "She came back. Well, that's good news, at least. I'm not sure I like imagining one of you without the other." Her hands have uncurled from the fence, and now only tap it idly. "Does she still hate me, do you think?"
T'zen first glares at his dragon, and then turns the glare towards Roa, trying to ward off her diagnosis of the dragon's behavior. "Nothin' wrong here," he gruffs, no doubt effectively negating the statement while saying it. His expression softens as he considers Roa's next question, and a hand goes up into his hair, mussing around idly. He considers the response for a while, before finally looking back at the young rider. "Don't.. really know, Roa. Somethin' 'bout you an' the Captain. Thinks yer causin' problems'r something." He raises his brows at her. "I'm always the last to know anythin'. Bunch o' stuff came out that night from Tav. Not sure where she gets it all." There's a hint again of something disturbing the bluerider. A flick of his eyes away. Uneth snorts at his decimated meal, and takes flight, winging towards the lake.
A smaller snort follows Uneth's and Roa's head is tipped downwards, scowling. Tialith, however, eats blissfully undisturbed. She has a femur between her front paws and is languidly licking it clean. "I am so shelling sick of that rumor," the Telgari grits out at mention of the Captain, but another long look at the agitated blue smoothes away her own annoyance. Without directing her attention at T'zen she says, as if remarking on the weather, "I keep secrets well."
"So, what's true? What's with you and the Captain? Really? I know what Tav says. Seems you don't agree." T'zen watches his dragon fly to the lake, before regarding the goldrider. His jaw clenches a moment. Secrets. "Thought 3C was done, what with I'zul off to Benden and Br'ce takin' command. Thought it'd all go away." A pause. No clarification on what 'it' is. He continues, "Learned I'zul wasn't alone. Someone else knew."
Licking has moved from herdbeast bones to her own silvery talons as Tialith lifts one paw, spreads her fingers, and tidies.
Her rider turns so her back is to the feeding grounds, and she leans up against one of the fence posts. "We're friends," sighs Roa in a way that suggests she has said this many times before. "Just friends. That's all. Albeit, we are good friends, we talk a great deal and at odd hours..." her hands spread wide and her head shakes. "No one seems to be able to comprehend that." Then arms lower to her sides, hands flopping against her skirt. "Someone else knew? Is somebody out to bring the whole weyr down? Who? Who else knew?"
"R'vain." He intended to speak it out boldly, but somehow it comes out as a whisper. He tilts against a fence post now, arms folding in front of him. He stares at a spot of ground in front of Roa's feet. "Shardin' Weyrlingmaster. Apparently told Tav that he knew, and said nothin' about it. Not sure if he was /in/ on it. But he knew it was coming." And there's an anger rising in the rider, the more he thinks about it, bolstered by saying it out loud. "I'zul intended for the whole /wing/ to go *between*," he spits out. "Thought ol' fire-head an' I jus' liked to avoid each other after I tapped out of weyrlings. Maybe there's something more there." There's a determined look on his face. "Gonna find out soon enough, now." Uneth takes a whirl in the sky, and then straight down into the lake with a mighty splash. Sun well behind the spire, meaning its shadow has been creeping across the pair.
Roa's brows don't lift, so much as skyrocket upwards. "R'vain." The name is repeated under her breath. "That..." Her gaze drifts down and flits from side to side. "That's what he meant," she adds very softly. "Was that all Tavaly had to say? Why in the skies would he tell *her* about it? And why would I'zul...this isn't making sense." There is a muffled crunch as Tialith takes a bone between her teeth and snaps it in two.
T'zen's instantly a step closer, peering intently at the goldrider. "What he meant? 'Bout what?" And her questions. "Ah. Don't know, really, how she got it out of him." 'Cause no way he'd volunteer, right? "Dunno what else. Well, 'sides that the man don't know how to fight 'Thread." But that's small fry stuff to the rider now, and it's tossed out as such. "Seems Tav was more upset 'bout that than anything. More 'bout I'zul than R'vain." He ponders a bit, frowning, "Seemed to even defend the man. Shards, girl's been /helping/ the guy." He shakes his head. "Notion that it weren't some accident. Didn't sit well with the girl, I wager. *I* knew." And it seems T'zen's about to get more interested in 3C than the rest of it as well. "Couldn't take me down, shardin' I'zul.."
"Now this is a day that will go down in the history books. T'zen admits he's mortal." The jest lights a smile to Roa's face, but it doesn't last long. "I just...he mentioned the fall and didn't look like himself when he did. It was a while ago. He looked, well, he looked haunted. And Tavaly's..." blue eyes widen. "She's the green, isn't she. Making him and Ruvoth practice early in the mornings. And you...you're joining too, aren't you." It seems that the little goldrider has her own means of gaining clandestine information.
T'zen snorts. "Mortal? Mean's dyin' right? Nope. Not plannin' on it." But the man won't meet the goldrider's eyes, choosing instead to look off to one side. Uneth can be seen poking his head out of the lake here and there. He nods, listening. "So's there's somethin' there alright. R'vain's got somethin'." He finally meets her eyes with his own narrowed ones. But there's a smirk to go with it. "Now I don't think I've actually shared that bit. How'd you know I'm helpin' Tav with the Weyrlingmaster? Turnin' him around, she is. And, honestly, I'm shocked. Tav's got a golden tongue, and a fire 'bout'er to boot. But still.. it's /R'vain/."
"If anyone could cow the Weyrlingmaster, I suppose it *would* be her. Have you seen the drills he's putting the weyrlings through now? They're gorgeous. She's lit a fire underneath him, and no mistake." Arms cross tightly over Roa's chest as, after all that cleaning, what does Tialith do but glide back into the feeding grounds to choose and kill another herdbeast. And the whole process begins again. "I'm trying to join. Those practices. Tavaly's just going to have to chew and swallow if she doesn't like it." As far as the *how* she knew? That goes unmentioned, but perhaps amid the rest of it, the bluerider won't notice.
T'zen nods. "Weyrlings gettin' more than they bargained for." He laughs suddenly. "Wait'll they find out who's to blame." And then he peers at Roa again. "You tryin' to join? Ah, I don't mind. Can't say Tavaly'll be fine with it." He frowns, looking a bit more concerned about it. "You sure you want to jump in that circle?" Uneth has finally emerged from the lake, and settles for a nap.
"What circle? Tialith needs the challenge and I need something to get my reflexes up to snuff. And Ruvoth needs to learn how to maneuver with dragons his own size. Seems a fine deal all around." Roa watches her lifemate chew through tendons and wrench a clod of meat free. "I wouldn't mind, though, if you'd perhaps put a good word in to Tavaly for me."
Big grin. Too quick. "Good word in to Tav. Right," responds T'zen. And then a bit of honesty, "Do my best, anyway. I knows you're alright." He starts stepping away from the fence. "I best be goin'." He offers a wave. "Later, Roa. Say 'hi' next time, shardit." How's that for friendly?
"I will I..." Roa bites her lower lip and calls, "T'zen? Maybe you'd better not. Mention me to her. Just now." because a bit of good sense comes late, but at least that is better than not at all. As the bluerider departs, Roa turns back to watch her gold, fingers once more reaching around the edge of the fence. While her expression remains calm, out in the field, Tialith tears into her kill with a sudden and savage ferocity.
The sun has crept below the spires and the world is dimming as oranges and reds and purples in the sky slowly give way to the blue-black of night. A small figure stands by the feeding ground fence, staring out into the pen. Resting off to the side and ripping into a herdbeast like nobody's business, is a long, slender gold dragon.
Around the spire once and downward dipping. Straps come loose, and a strong hand grips them, swinging vinelike downward. The straps are unhooked as the rider dangles below the green's neck. The green dives, spreads wings and swoops, hovering mere feet above the ground. Letting one side go, the rider pulls the straps clear of the green's neck and touches the earth. Nearly flawless, save for the fact that the dragon's unknowingly dumped her in the single most muddy spot on the ground. A single word, unintelligible, but definitely angry, exits the girl's mouth. Oh, hey, look! It's Tav. A cursory glance around leaves the girl with two deductions. One. A gold is eating nearby. Two. Her rider's in here somewhere. "Roa?" She calls, slinging straps over her shoulders.
The word muttered under Roa's breath as a green descends and the rider atop begins some impossible daredevil move in not one that is fitting for delicate ears. Her head turns to watch the gold who remains vested in eating and informs her rider idly that she is still quite hungry and intends to catch another after. So...stuck. As Tavaly spies the not-easy-to-conceal gold and then the much smaller rider. There is a pause, after her name is called. And then, simply, "Yes." It's almost a sigh. Defeated.
"Happy Turnday. Late." The girl says instantly, looking over her shoulder as, with much fanfare and giddiness, Immath sits on her first piece of dinner. SITS on it. Like an ELEPHANT. How barbaric. Shaking her head, the girl steps over to the space that Roa occupies, still several feet away from the woman. "That, and I'm sorry. Lost my head." She doesn't quite look at the Telgari, and the posture taken up by the greenrider is one that speaks clearly: apologizing is not her strong suit. And she doesn't like being put into a position where she has to do a lot of it. Leastways by herself. "Hopin' I didn't run my mouth off so bad that we can't be pallies, still. I said some wicked stuff, I know. And.. well, I don't believe a lick of it. You're a good person, an' I should know better than to think you're jimmy'in up with half the weyr. Sorry.." Her head hangs, then.
The goldrider's head shoots up, eyes widening. She didn't tell *anybody* about her turnday. Not a single soul here, so, "How did you..." But then there is the most horrible squelching sound and Immath is sitting. On something with legs. Even Tialith stops, mid chew, to turn her head and just...blink. "I..." An apology is not at all what she expected. "It's, uhm, it's all right, Tav. After all the things flying around, well, I suppose it's only fair you'd start to wonder. But, ah, there is something you could do. A couple somethings. To make it up to me."
Now, this isn't at all on the list of things she expected. "Might consider it. Usually, an apology from me is enough to make people crap themselves.. Don't do it often, you know." Tav says, and withdraws a little package from among the straps on her shoulders. She hefts it, and tosses it in Roa's direction. "I find things out." The girl says, in regards to knowing. "What is it you've got in mind, then?"
A small, long fingered hand reaches up and catches the package easily. Even a goldrider has to know how to nab things out of the air. It is drawn down and hugged lightly, but not yet opened. "You might not believe me, Tavaly, but your wrath still isn't the worst thing I've seen. As for what I've got in mind...R'vain," the Telgari beings a little bluntly. "A couple things regarding him. One. I want in on those practice sessions you've been having in the mornings." And here she stops, simply to see what Tavaly has to say.
Not the worst. That's true. Then again, poor girl hasn't seen it full bore! ROAR! Tav's pale blues skirt to the side as she continues to face the outer grounds. That frigid stare holds a moment. "That's asking a lot. I'm doing it for the weyrlings, you know. Not just for R'vain." She begins. "You might be too much of a distraction, but I will consider it. What's number two? I like to know my options before giving a decision aloud."
"He needs to know how to maneuver around bigger dragons," the Telgari notes softly. "Tia, being a queen, is less likely to be suspected and less likely to get pressed for information from other dragons. Besides, distraction is good. Learning to ignore it is necessary." There's her two cents on how to train. "Number two." The soft sound of swallowing in the growing darkness. In the distance, Tialith's eyes seem to glow as the lingering light is refracted though all those facets. "Tell me what you know about the Weyrlingmaster and three cee."
There it is. The stone in the empty well. "That Sharding idiot." Are the first words to fall from Tavaly's lips. Leather squeaks as hands tighten over straps. She continues to stare outward, the frost removed from Roa's direction. "That. Is none of your concern, I'm afraid. Not meant to reach Caucus, not even meant to reach me. I knew telling him would lead to trouble.." She shakes her head, the straps thrown roughly on the ground. She takes a few steps away from the girl, throwing her head back and just.. roaring. Immath looks up from her chew toy, it's spine dangling visibly from a head caught halfway in her maw. "NEVER again. He is /soooo/ in for it." Stomp stomp stomp.
Roa, surprising enough, does not do much more than wait out this storm. Tavaly is left to fume and roar, and snarl and stomp. The goldrider just continues to hold her package and watch Tialith lick the bones clean. "It didn't reach Caucus. It reached me. Please, Tavaly. This is...this is something I need to know. *Please*."
Whirling, wide pale eyes now search the goldrider's face with wild frustration. "/WHY/, of all things, would /you/ care about a wing that was demolished /here/. You know one or two of the riders that were in that wing, and even /they/ don't want to ask questions anymore. Riders died. Morbid.." She begins pacing. Then finally throws her hands up. "Fine. Not like it won't reach the rest of the weyr with that foul moron's jaws flapping. Couldn't keep it to himself for one whole day. ONE day. You would THINK that something like THIS would be big enough for him to shut up for five minutes.." She holds her head in her hands, massaging temples. "The man who lead the wing /planned/ for the wingriders to be killed. All of them, so I'm lead to believe. For whatever reason, not even I know that, and I have the supreme misfortune of knowing more on the subject than even the old Weyrleader, I'm beginning to think. There. Does /that/ satisfy the craving? Shells of Immath's Egg, I hope it does, because that is a gruesome thing to obsess over. Cor, and you asked too much with number one as it is." Pace pace pace. A spring's gone loose in Tava's head. Panic?
"Okay, okay, shhh." One hand, the one free from present, is held out towards Tavaly. "He planned it. That was speculated months ago. There are reasons, I must presume, that I'zul went back to Benden in exchange for an entire wing. Why does *R'vain* know? What was his part in the mess?" Leave well enough alone? Not hardly. Not even with a ticking Tavaly pacing up and down before her. It's that important. Or Roa's just that gruesome.
A short laugh. She's falling apart. She sits, suddenly. In a patch of mud. "R'vain?" She questions, staring outward for a moment. The ghost is gone, and her pale eyes are vacant as they stare past the new grass over to where Immath slowly chews, watching her rider with concern growing green-gold in her bejeweled gaze. "R'vain knew about it before it happened. Coward could have saved the wing, but he said nothing. I'zul told him he planned on killing some of the riders off.. R'vain doesn't remember. All or just most. That part's fuzzy." Head in hands again, the girl takes a deep breath. "No more. Now I need to know why /you/ need to know. You owe me that much, and if you're dead set on coming to practice with us, my allowing it hinges on your answer." There's the edge, again. Back into the blues of her eyes.. But not turned toward Roa. Now /Tav/ needs to know.
The motion is quick and fluid. One moment, Roa is outside the fence. The next, with a quick hop, she's swinging up, over and landing inside to lower herself down, cross-legged, in front of Tavaly. The present is settled on her lap and nevermind the sounds the mud makes as she sits. "Tialith. Fancies Ruvoth. A lot." This is, none of it, is easy to say. "I need to know, when she flies, how hard I'm going to have to fight her to keep him from catching." Maiden flight. First catch. Maybe that's a valid big deal in Tavaly's mind as well as Roa's, but hey. Maybe not at all.
A low chuckle, then. "But you'll be going home for flights, won't you? You're a Caucus student.. but still a Telgari." Tav says, peering at Roa, now. Moonkissed, in this moment. Shock, mostly. That, and she's sitting in mud. "Ugh, man.. Bedding R'vain? That'd be like.. trying to kiss a tunnel snake, only way worse. I think a tunnel snake would be easier to contend with." Convulsions. "Dirty old man. Kinda feel bad for Ruvoth." Tav leans her head back on a post. "There are several ways to avoid that end, you know. When she starts getting tetchy, let me know. I can and will extend training so that Ruvoth and R'vain are away from the weyr when she launches.."
Roa smirks weakly. "Caucus flights are often held here. S'lien would prefer it if I stayed and..." she looks down. Looks away. "This doesn't make sense. I've *seen* him with the weyrlings. I walked past a class in the bowl and I shelling swear, if there was one thing R'vain showed fondness towards it was the dragonets. How could he know riders would be murdered and not..." and then her head turns to look full-on at Tavaly, "If you truly believe that. That he helped murder those men, fully understanding what he did, how can you help him?"
Shaking her head, Tav shuts her eyes. Tight. "He's not.. No." She says firmly, raising her head again. "If there is only one thing I know about R'vain, and I know more than I'd care to, by now.. He's not a murderer.. I don't.. think. I'm not sure. Shards, I'm messed. I'm not sure he /knew/ that I'zul wanted them dead. He knew something was gonna happen, but.. not /what/." She holds her head again, pupils going back to their usual size. "No. If R'vain knew fully what I'zul was going to do, I /know/.. I KNOW he would have told someone. I don't think he took I'zul seriously. He cares too much. He cares so much, sometimes, that it nearly kills him. Shards, no /wonder/ he drinks so much.." And then a sharp upward flick of her head. "I am helping the weyrlings." The girl says with a dedicated ferocity. "I don't give one wit about what that man does, but when it comes to teaching Threadfighting, by the first Egg, I want the next generation of riders to know exactly what they're up against and how best to be prepared.. Roa, I'm so sharding sick of watching my classmates decrease in number. I /have/ to teach him, don't you see? If I don't, then he'll continue to teach outdated methods and more /children/ - stupid weyrlings.. they'll die. And we can't afford that. Life is just.. too precious."
A slow nod and a careful exhaling of breath from Roa as Tavaly speaks. He didn't know. Okay. Good. Okay. "That's...that seems more reasonable. Though why I'zul would..." One hand, now muddy, lifts and slashes horizontally through the air. Enough. Topic closed. "All right. Fine. Then you keep doing what you're doing, and if R'vain slips even a little, you use what you know to scare him straight again. And if that doesn't work, you have him replaced." She pushes herself up..sqqqqquelch...and bends down to help Tavaly up as well. "You're sitting in mud, girl." There is a tiny smile dancing in the corner of her mouth. The sort that appears when, really, one should actually be crying.
Tavaly sinks against the post again. "Told him I would. Threatened that if he didn't start shaping up I'd have him replaced.." She glances further out. "Made another offer.. Long before. This next go around, once I'm graduated, I'll be helping him teach. Many reasons. 'Specially 'cause these dragonets cannot be held responsible for where they come from, and they need fair treatment. All of them. Down to the last tiny green, and R'vain will need reminding, because his dragon isn't strong enough to corral his hate." She sits up, dropping mud from the seat of her pants. "This is a bad, bad night.." Shaken, for sure. These are not things that the girl was prepared to speak about EVER again. It shows. A haunted expression over pale, almost ashy skin. Once standing, she turns from Roa and leans over the fence to deposit the remainder of dinner into the growing grass. Fertilizer!
Wrapped package is tucked into a skirt pocket so both hands are free (but muddy, but free). One draws Tavaly's hair back and just holds it loosely at the nape of her neck as her food makes its reappearance. The other moves in a slow circle around the greenrider's back. "I'm so sorry," she whispers. And in her own mind, that phrase is covering a whole big mess of things.
Shoulders heaving, Tav's hand grips the wooden post near her head tightly. "Such a queenrider." She manages to choke out, resting her chin on a fence rung. "Destroying a moment's peace, smoothing it out with a few softly spoken words. Don't." The girl shakes her head and rises, wiping her mouth on the back of an already dirty sleeve. "Would you still train with us? Knowing now what you do? And if so, why would you dangle Tialith in front of Ruvoth, fearing what you do?"
"I would," Roa says of the first, "because I would rather understand him than not, if worse come to worst. And that means ignoring the rumors and trying to uncover him, much as anyone can." She steps back as Tavaly recovers, her hands sliding away to clasp one another. "And I'd dangle...we would fly with them because much as that may allow Ruvoth to learn Tialith's patterns, it lets me learn Ruvoth's. I can use that, if I need to." Her jaw clenches as teeth are clamped together.
"He's a good man, you know. If you can stop parading around in front of him like a proper ambassador." Tav says, spitting to the side. Such a delicate blossom. Puke. "Stuff like this. Sitting in the mud. Do more of it. Tired of seein' so many girly women. No wonder the men on Pern have no respect for half of them. You wanna understand R'vain, you have to act like him, sometimes." The greenrider states. "Come down to our level, Roa. Yes, you can train with us. But there are conditions, and if they're not met, I'm gonna kick some butts. No idle chit chat between you and R'vain. This ain' jaw-flappin' we're doing up there, it's hard work. And wear pants. We don't need skirts billowing in the breeze. Where we go, where I take us to train, that is my domain. My rules. I /am/ the weyrlingmaster, and it's not a game. And don't get sidetracked. You might want to learn about Ruvoth's tricks, but that is not the purpose of our training sessions. Our purpose is to make sure that old goat teaches the next group proper so that they don't end up betweening and staying there in a panic. Had enough of that."
"No," Roa says softly, "I don't know. Not at all." This is in response to R'vain being a good man. But then she quiets as the weyrling greenrider lays down the law. She could retort, quip about how she DOES fly the queen's wing and of course she has pants blah blah blah. But she simply listens, keeps her thoughts to herself, and when Tavaly finishes, Roa only nods once, sharply. "Understood."
"Fantastic. We start before the sun does, and you'd better be on time, because I carry a bucket of icewater with me. Usually I save it in case R'vain's hung over, but I will bring two if I have to." She perks, salutes, and glances across to Immath. Who is finished. Thankfully. "For now, we rest. I have several glasses of a very strong drink to comfort myself with tonight." With that, the girl nods once to Roa, and hefts her muddy straps in her journey to the green.
What novel timing. Tialith rises as well, fully cleaned and apparently declining that final herdbeast after all. Roa hops over the fence as the gold wings her way in the direction of the barracks. "Good night, Tavaly. And thank you. I don't think I need to mention that the things I've told you are to be held in the highest confidence. In other words, please don't tell T'zen." A tiny smirk. As she moves, a shadow disengages from a boulder on the other side of the grounds. Morley the guard, far enough away to be out of earshot but close enough to keep an eye on the be-guarded weyrwoman.
"Trust me, my dear. He's getting an earful already. I don't have room in my tirade for girly secrets!" Tav calls before mounting and lurching into the black.