The Dragonriders of PernŽ is a trademark, Registered U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, of Anne McCaffrey. This is a recorded session, generated by Harper's Tale MOO on Thursday 25th November, 1999, for the benefit of members unable to attend. Logged by Pyrene.
Breakfast and an Early Egg-Touching
And on Pern ...
The time is 03:06.
It is before dawn of the eightieth day of winter.
It is the twenty-first Turn of the Tenth Pass.
It is a winter before dawn.
Living Caverns
Tegran, Areiah, and R'sli are here.
Areiah dips her head, quick, short. "Indeed it is, though I can't recall - is he the one that was Searched out at.. oh, Faranth, I don't remember where it was. It could well have been Igen, but my memory is getting progressively worse lately." Go figure. "Anyway, yes, this is his second time Searched at the 'Reaches and I, for one, hope his dragon is waiting out on the Sands this run through." He's a good lad, yes indeed. And speaking of Candidates.. "Pyrene!"
R'sli shifts in his seat, and spies another victi--ah, candidate appearing from the Caverns. "Pyrene," he breathes, almost a whine. "Be a love, would you, and do me a favor?"
Pyrene wanders in... insomnia again apparently. Get a room to yourself a few turns and suddenly it's impossible to share. "Evening..." she gets out to those in the caverns, with a careful blink at Ris. "A favour? What favour?" She's noticed that favours aren't so favourable to her now that she's changed her knot.
Tegran nods and raises his glass in greeting to the young woman entering, "G'eve. Or," he changes with a small snicker, "should Ah say
g'morn.."
Khayet comes out of the kitchens, the smell of fresh baking following just behind.
"Go and see what's taking Khayet so long with that crunchy grain snack the workers make, would you?" The greenrider waves a hand, face flushed. "I've been looking forward to eating some all day, and some flaming person has eaten them a--oh, Khayet! There you are!" The greenrider brightens considerably. "Did you get the snack?" Oh, please please.
Okay, so he had to wait for it to be baked.....But....Eventually, the harper-candie does return, and with the very sorts of treats taht R'sli wanted as of an hour ago. "Aye sir....fresh from the oven...." And thankfully bake by real bakers.....
Tegran looks over with another grin towards Khayet and tips his head towards him in short greeting again before taking another drink.
Pyrene blinks at R'sli and Khayet and then, seeing as that's where the food is, takes the closest available seat. Focus is turned to Tegran and Reia as she waits for people to wait on her, like they're supposed to. "Who's your friend Areiah?" Yes, Areiah's friend. Who /is/ he, now??
Tegran grins back at Areiah, his eyes changing towards Pyrene and nods, "Name's Teg." he looks at his glass, once again re-re-forgothowmany-filled then shrugs, "Full name's Tegran, but just didn't need to say the whole thing." he finishes off by shaking his head.
R'sli looks gratefully at the lad, and takes with plate with a nod. "Good lad. Now take a break." He munches into a snack with a blissful expression. "These are the best," he notes to the table. "Dig in."
"What? Oh - oh! I'm sorry, ah, Pyrene, this is Tegran, former Harper and dear friend of mine. Tegran, Pyrene, former nanny, current Candidate, and also dear friend of mine." Seems Areiah has a lot of those, huh? "It's good to see you, Py - I've not in awhile, though I suppose you've been busy with chores and such," she offers, light, soft, pleasant. "And welcome back, Khayet." There, that covered everyone, didn't it?
Khayet nods, "Thank you sir but....the wall won't clean itself...." He looks to where there brat-splatted wall awaits that mop and water.....
Tegran chuckles, "Wow," he turns to Reiah, "You fit everyone in so prompt, you've got the welcomes down perfect, doncha?"
Oh, the friend speaks for himself? And Pyrene was hoping to make Areiah blush... still. "I'm Pyrene, head-- oh no... candidate--what she said." She hopes... "I've been busy enough Reiah... I swear I'm working twice as hard as the other candidates." Sulk. She helps herself to the snacks though since Ris is so kindly offering, with a nod to Khayet. "So where'd you meet?" she asks of Areiah and Tegran.
Tegran laughs, glancing for the nod to see if Reiah'll start it, as they usually do catch talking the same time.
Areiah gives a quick wink and another of those shoulder-jostles to Tegran, nodding once, twice. "Practice makes perfect," she murmurs, and then quirks a lopsided grin, waving a hand. "No, no, go ahead, go ahead. You tell it better than I do, anyway." And he likely does. She's better at asking questions.
R'sli leans back with a sigh, and motions to a seat. "Take a seat, son. The caverns can wait while you rest a moment." His gaze turns stern. "I thought I spoke to you about that." Violet eyes darken to amethyst as he gazes at the candidate. "Come and join us." A steely request, but a request nonetheless.
Pyrene pulls her knees up to her chin and gives R'sli a fond smile. Now /that's/ the right attitude to take... such a nice weyrsecond! She's caught Areiah's wink of course and ears prick up to hear what the story might be.
Tegran laughs again, "Oh, shards, t'was so long ago! She was merely a candidate, and...well," he looks up and rolls his eyes, "Where to start..hmm."looking back down to Pyrene, "Ok. Ah was involved with Annalee sooo long ago, and one time, to come up and visit her as a candidate, Ah mixed her up with Areiah here." he tilts his head for emphasis, "They looked so much alike, and they were both candidates at the time. Took me a few minutes to figure out wich was Alee at first." he chuckles again, taking a sip during the pause, "That was the short version, of course, since telling all details would take way too long. OH so long ago Ah can barely remember it all."
Khayet gives Pyrene a wave and his usual little smile. "Yes sir..." He aquiesses, perhaps wisely. "Before I do sit though.....Would anyone like anything? I"m heading for the klah pot anyways....."
Tegran gives a quick slight grin and a glance towards Khayet.
R'sli drops his head into his hands, and groans softly. "Why me?"
You overhear Tegran mutter, "Tis ... Ah'm not ... ... to ... Khayet ... ... all ... time." to Areiah.
Pyrene starts to reply to Tegran, then breaks off to place her order, "Oh, redfruit juice please Khay!" There... now, where were we? "Alee and Reia? Really? I've never had any trouble telling them apart... Areiah blushes more easily you see... Doesn't she Ris?" And she prods Reiah's clutchmate hopefully. C'mon, join in with gossip-getting here.
"It was terribly amusing," Areiah chimes in - stopping to give Khayet a glowing smile and a shake of her head. "Thanks, but no thanks." Wineglass is held up, half full, and she's content. "He came right into the barracks and all of a sudden I was being hugged by this complete stranger - and Annalee walked in and nearly went into hysterics." Another pause, this one due to her companion, and she stifles a grin, giving him a pointed /look/. Two looks, really, but the second is for Pyrene. "I don't blush as easily as I used to," she protests, and she's right. Kinda.
Tegran nods with a quick chuckle, "Aye, aye. But t'was so long since Ah had seen either of them before that time. Ah can tell now," another grin with a drink, "just wasn't quite ready f'r it then."
R'sli looks up and grins suddenly at Pyrene. "Not as much as she used to," he agrees. "But just mention chocolate sauce, and see what happens."
Ears perk up from Tegran as he tilts his head to look towards Areiah, a large grin forming, then he rests his head on his hand, starting to laugh.
Pyrene smirks at Areiah, "But still more easily than Alee... chocolate sauce?" That even rates a blink from her. "Areiah, Areiah, Areiah... what /is/ this story... Or maybe Ris had better tell it? You never were much good at talking through blushes." Innocent look--which most likely fools nobody.
Khayet nods to Pyrene, "Right...R'sli? Would you like anything to go with your snack bars?"
Areiah's disbelieving blinks - all three or four of them, 'tis hard to count when she's doing it so quickly - are all for R'sli. That urge to crawl under the table and go into permanent hiding is visible on now-crimson'd cheeks, but self-confidence (what little there is) wins out, and Pyrene is given a choked protest; "There /is/ no story!" Oh, no. "And not a word from you, either, Teg." Hmph. Mean people - red really isn't her color!
Tegran chuckles yet again and tilts his head all the way back, bending to look upside down to behind him, where Khayet it, "Oh Khay," voice sounding slightly different as his neck is bent, "Donna worry about it, come sit. Anything needed Ah'll get it."
Tegran sits back upright, then rests his head on his arms, stretched out on the table, facing in the direction of Areiah.
R'sli holds up his klah mug with a wink. "I'm fine," he calls. "Now come and sit down." The greenrider turns to Tegran with a definite changing-the-subject tone. "You mentioned you were in Southern?" he asks. "How are things down there?"
But red goes so well with gold... At any rate, Pyrene is relentless. "Your cheeks're giving you away, Reia dear... I've known you too long..." She sighs at R'sli, who obviously has no idea of the basic tenets of gossip-mongering. You /don't/ change the subject just as it's getting interesting!
Tegran grins as he catches his breath, sudden change of topic, "Oh, uh, huh. Well, the usual work Ah guess. Not too much changes down there lately."
Sure you do. "Have you seen Arialla yet? Or Annalee? I know she'd be happy to see you - she's got a baby now, a darling little girl." Areiah will pass out brownie points for the rescue later - despite the fact that R'sli is the one that got her into trouble in the first place. No mention of cheeks or chocolate made further. Phew? Safe? "And, yes, please, Khayet - have a seat, relax a little." Faranth knows the boy must need it.
Khayet sticks his tounge out at Teg, apparently over the shock of seeing him again. "I'm still up.....besides, you don't know how I like my klah...." He says as he drifts off towards the juice for Pyrene, and decides to confiscate the klah pot and the accompanying sweetener and cream. he serves the former nanny first of course before sitting himself near to R'sli with out thinking enough about that. Well, other than the passing of the pot. "I've told him about Avenlea....well, all but how terribly I spoil her...." He grins almost guiltly at that.
Tegran slumps downward, sliding on the bench, "Agh, no, ha'nt seen them yet." quick tilt of head towards Khayet, "Was told though, that Arialla /is/ wed to Ripyo."
Mharida arrives from deeper in the Weyr.
Pyrene accepts the juice with dutiful gratitude. "Thanks Khay... and you can spoil Avenlea all you like, as long as you stop if I'm sent back to the nurseries." There, now he has it from the ultimate authority. Parents? What have they to do with how their child is Impressed... never enough at any rate. Since Areiah has escaped this time, she files away the information for later prodding and waves to Mharida. "Evening! Khay's on waiter duties!"
R'sli falls asleep.
R'sli has disconnected.
Areiah hadn't heard that - and gazes at Tegran, as though perhaps he's done something interesting. "Annalee didn't tell me about Arialla getting 'fasted - how lovely for her, then. I've not seen Arialla in - well, nearly two turns, I think it is, now. Good grief, I really do need to make some time to catch up with a few old friends sometime soon, mmm?" Musing, and half to herself, but it's conversation, at least? Or it is if you can understand any of what the little lady is babbling on about.
Khayet chuckles, "I started when you were head nanny, tis habbit now! Ach, and sh'es her mam's singing voice too, Teg.....Beautiful lass....will charm you right out of any cookies in the room......" He opens his mouth to disagree, but then, with R'sli drifting off, doesn't bother. "Well, hasn't happened yet...I think their waiting for the next spring gather...I really need to send her that letter, instead of just adding onto it...."
Tegran tilts his head back from side to side as he sits up, almost as if cracking his neck but only slightly bobbing his head. He looks down and finishes his last drink with a quick gulp. He turns towards Khayet, distant grin on his face as he nods slightly, "Aye, Ah can't wait t'see her, that's for sure." he laughs again, "Oy, babies, a /lass/ of Alee's at that. Aye," a quick laugh, "Ah've been gone for way too long."
Pyrene waves reproachful fingers at Khay. "Ahh, but a spoilt baby is a different thing from a spoilt toddler..." She settles comfortably in her chair with her juice. "Well... when Ysbryth gets off the sands, she'll probably want to stretch her wings anyway Reia. You could go and visit places, take a break... take me with you in fact?" Ever-hopeful, ever-enterprising.
Khayet says, "Aye...you have...." firmly to Tegran with a nod. "Though, a child of -mine-, one should be scared at...." He grins almost ruefully then looks to Pyrene, "And if your names changed a bit by then?"
Areiah grins, all lopsided softness, nodding emphatically to Pyrene. "Oh, yes, yes - though if your dragon is out on those sands, you won't be going anywhere for awhile." Funny, she seems to almost enjoy telling the former nanny this. A subtle little sadistic streak, maybe? "Oh? Then they've not been 'fasted yet?" she asks of Khayet, interest clear. A pause, and a careful schooling of expression 'fore she poses another question to the young man; "Are you planning on starting a family, then?" Maybe she /does/ have a sadistic streak.
Tegran blinks repeatedly at the last comment, almost sobering up, as he turns towards Khayet, a goofy inquisitive look on his face.
Pyrene blinks for a moment at Khay, then it registers with Areiah. "Oh, well... I daresay /if/ I Impress, I'll be needing a holiday anyway..." Especially with D'renn as her weyrlingmaster. "But I may well not... I think D'renn and Thes only Searched me for their own sadistic reasons anyway..." Well, actually she's sure of that, what she's not so sure of is how Trydanth and Sardrinth really felt about it. "And Khay's not got any family plans as long as he's here," she replies for the
harper-candidate.
Khayet has to turn suddenly to keep from spraying everyone with klah as he chokes on it. "Me?" His voice cracks slightly. He coughs again, still trying to recover. "I think not, dear lady....Last I checked, men don't get prengant...not even the most femine of them.....Besides, I'd ne'er wish to put anyone through that.....-If- ever I'm a father you can be sure it's through adopting or fostering...."
Tegran can't help but laugh, his head tilting back down to rest his forhead on his hands, facing towards the table as the laughter muffles quieter.
Tegran takes a breath, looking around as time catches up with him, "Shards," he yawns, "please say it in't already near morning. B'rent was supposed to get me sometime before dawn...or early morn.." he grins as his eyes close for a moment, thinking, "One o' them."
Pyrene twinkles approvingly at Khayet. "Good boy!" At Tegran's yawned question, she glances towards the bowl entrance... "It /does/ seem to be starting to get light..." she observes.
It was the choking that did it - Areiah giggles, and can't seem to stop, vainly trying to hide her head against Tegran's shoulder. No use, though - it's just too amusing. "My.." she tries, but has to stop, then start again, dabbing at her eyes with the back of her hand and sitting up straight once more. "My apologies, Khayet, really and truly. I didn't mean /you/ would be pregnant, of course, I meant you would be playing father." It was too easy, too open. Too teaseable. Laughter fades, though, with the declaration of her companion, and brow furrows in concentration. "You can't stay just one night with us? We've guest quarters, and they're more than aptly comfortable - I'd be more than happy to ask Ysbryth to pass along a message to the watchdragon at Southern, if you like?" Oh, dear. He seems to be getting the big, blue, hopeful-eyed look.
Khayet shakes his head, "Aye, I know...I'd be the one...nevermind...I...uh think I need some air....Do stay Teg, Mharida makes the most amazing biscuts at breakfast time....."
Pyrene straightens, smothering her own yawn... "You won't offer him your weyr, Reia?" she tosses with light wickedness. "I should get going anyway... a candidate's work is never done, so they tell me."
[Yiddae promises us an egg-touching so we abandon the RP in the LC. Poldhu
remains to catch Areiah's and Tegran's flirting.]
A single step and the heat increases. Another and it gets hotter still. A few more and you are out onto the Sands themselves, bathed in waves of warmth.
Sands
Heat rises -- ripples -- wavers in a stifling curtain that envelops dragons and eggs while smothering riders and visitors. The black sands have been raked into ruts and dips, an alien, uneven surface for anyone trying to walk across them. Some say tension seers the heat: residue of hope, fear, relief, sadness, pain and ultimate joy staining high grey walls and lurking about the many viewing ledges that speckle the walls. Ancient murals of dragonlore fade across the walls near gallery and entrances.
Gold Chayath, Brown Tyrodinth, and gold Ysbryth are here.
You see Mound of Eggs here.
Yiddae is here.
Obvious exits:
Bowl
Mharida moves into the heat, shimmered and blurred by the ripples that rise off the Sands.
Pyrene is summoned, urged, and ordered out onto the sands. But she has Yiddae for supervision, and Yiddae rides brown, so she won't complain. "Morning..." she yawns, hovering vaguely around Chayath's clutch. Seems awfully early just to come and touch eggs... but it's better than the midden at this hour.
Tyrodinth rumbles softly, alerting Yiddae to the presense of Candidates. She stays by her lifemate's side, a reassureing hand resting on the mud-dark hide. "Come on in." is called softly, her tone somewhat amused and somewhat irritable. "He's quiet... Chayath's sleeping." And Ysbryth? Yiddae can't tell. "How many of you have been out here before?"
Poldhu> "Pyrene!" Areiah squeaks - squeaks? - yes, squeaks after the Candidate, but by the time she actually manages to call her name, she's long gone. Oh well. "Ah.. oh, well, then, take care, Khayet? I owe you a draconic lullabye anytime you want to take me up on that," she reminds - but again, misses. Seems she's chasing 'em away tonight.
Poldhu> Tegran chuckles, blinking awake before waving to the three leaving, "Ohh, you really want me to stay, doncha. Well, 'nestly, Ah /really/ want to stay too. Tis up to the 'brownrider of Southern', though." he adds with a laugh.
Mharida peers through thick eyelashes at the brownrider, eyes flicking then to each of the dragons in turn. A quick shake of her head answers the question, and she contents herself with settling behind another. Her huge human shield makes it easy to settle, foot tracing shapes in the sand.
Khayet moves into the heat, shimmered and blurred by the ripples that rise off the Sands.
Pyrene waves her hand in a vaguely affirmative gesture. She's been out here the once--and once before she seems to remember, but that was when there were no eggs on the sand. Settling with the other candidates, wry grins tossed to Mharida, Khayet and others, she waits for the go-ahead.
Poldhu> "I'm sure I could sway him if you'd really like to stay?" Was that an offer, or a question? 'Tis hard to tell, and Areiah offers no explanation, herself. "It's a lovely little room, none too far into the caverns, and judging by the shadows under your eyes, that's likely a good thing." Eyes - those lovely, two-toned eyes. Finally, she takes a minute to peer into them - and about glows, smiling stupidly all over again.
Poldhu> Tegran releases a heavy, quick sigh while noticing the amount of hair he's got hanging down, now loose from the leather thong holding it back. "So, shall we see these quarters..?" he says, then chuckles as it just enters his tipsy head what Pyrene said as she left.
Yiddae's gaze flicks to Khayet as well, repeating her question to him and to the other Candidates straggling in afore responding to the two girls. "Have you been out here before? Alright then. Basically, the idea is to get familiar with the eggs. Touch them. Gently, yes, but don't be afraid... theyr'e not so fragile as to break if you breath on them. Be a little careful of the one Chayath's sleeps curled up round but none of the others are particular favourites. I'll warn you if Tyrodinth is upset. All make sense?"
Khayet bows deeply, nearly in half even and takes a spot, although belatedly with the others. "Aye ma'am." He whispers, not wishing to disturb -anything-.
Poldhu> Areiah blinks once, twice, and then nods, draining the remaining contents of her own wineglass and sliding 'round her side of the table, rising, stretching - if subtly. Then: "'Tis this way. We've spare blankets if you find it too cold. Some do, if you're not used to our climate." Ahem. "This way." Didn't she say that already?
Pyrene nods, casting a swift glare to said egg--she sacrificed her first attempt at a robe to that one--before she moves off to circulate. Less respectful of the eggs than some candidates, she traces her way past this one and that, but pauses at the Hide The Shoes Egg... the one that caused so much interest last time.
Poldhu> Tegran grins and stands, rubbing his eyes and, for a moment was going to pull the jacket round tighter, then stopped, not quite being able to tell whether he's hot or cold at the moment. He looks up, heading with
Areiah.
Poldhu> Areiah leads on, then, good little tour guide that she is. In, in, in.
Poldhu> Areiah steps into the shadows that lead back into the Weyr.
Poldhu> Tegran steps into the shadows that lead back into the Weyr.
Yiddae nods then, waving them onto the clutch itself. With a slight frown for one youthful weyrlad who wasn't paying her as much attention as he should.
Mharida blinks as her six foot shireld shifting, forcing the girl to do the same. Small steps, and one hand is extended to the shell of an egg, the candidate tilting her head to one side to watch the Full Moon Egg.
[I had to go so log ends here.]
