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 Sunday, January 3rd, 1999, for the benefit of members unable to attend. Logged by Pyrene.
Tessera on Pranks
Living Caverns
The rough-hewn majesty of this cavern far outpaces any delight in the multitudes of curves that form its enclosure. The glabrous grey granite is shot through with translucent obsidian, lending subtly-veined sparkle to the walls and the foot-trodden smoothness of the floor that shows centuries-old placements of the scarred trestle tables; carven hollows give homes for the glow baskets and the coat-pegs that line the walls. No mosaics, no painting, no tiles: just a few well-done tapestries mark the pathway that lead to the kitchen to the north and the inner caverns to the west, and frame the nighthearth's stew and snacks, while a heavier strip of oiled canvas shields the unwary from the wind in the bowl.
Tucked into a glowlit niche are Ford, Nocturno, Maeve, Kelpie, Felician, Lox, Vibo, Jazz, Kynance, Aegir, Bundr, Qyvox, and Palpatine.
You see Tray 'o bubblies and rainbow bread loaves here.
Tessera and Areiah are here.
Obvious exits:
Bowl Kitchens Inner Caverns Crafting Area
rainbow bread loaves
Freshly baked loaves of tender bread send out waves of odiferous warmth. Lined up in arrow-straight ranks, the crusts reflect a hue of rainbow. Canary yellow starts on the left, continuing up the line with an orangely crusted shell. Redfruit red suits the next fluffy loaf, following up to algae green, perfect sky blue, and a deeply pucely orange loaf, nearing black at the crusty base. Did the head cook have a run in with a rainbow? Or was it another group of pests; Candidates!
Pyrene yawns, shuffling in with some relief. "Kids are allll bathed and in bed!" she announces contentedly, before dropping into a seat with all the appearance of staying there for a good while. "Hi, people."
"Well.." Secrets about to be divulged, Tess leans closer, lowering normally well-heard voice to a softer pitch. "The kitchen." Tale starts. "We colored the bread." Joyous finger stabs at the rainbow'd loaves gracing the table a few lengths away. A smirk stains her face, perpetual in it's gloating for a prank well done. Face clears somewhat to mock-innocence at the arrival of Pyrene. A wave of free hand to the woman and she greets warmly. "Hi there.."
Pyrene stares suspiciously from Tess to Areiah. "Just what /is/ it with candidates and food colouring anyway? Do those white robes send you into a colour deprived frenzy or what?" she complains.
Rainbow loaves are eyed and Areiah just chuckles and shakes her head, creating that tell-tale musical strain of bells and ribbon-swishes. They're tied into her hair, you see - bells and ribbons of various colors, the whole collection drawn up in one thick, heavy ponytail. "Oh, I think it's cute, Pyrene. No doubt Nadesda didn't, though.. join us, Py?" Her good friend.
Tessera gives Pyrene a stricken look and a shrug. "We were feeling our oats?" is the cheeky answer as she retrieves a mug for the woman, offering drink as she sips at her own citrus concoction. "Actually, Nade has been a gem." Tess lets them in on a little secret; how magnanimous of her. "She got in on a prank with us," which one Tess does not reveal, "and we repaid her with coloring her bread. And she feeds us pie, still too." Nadesda is the soul of understanding the candidates plight, you see.
Pyrene peers carefully into the mug that she receives from candidate hands, "So is this poison or just salt water?" she asks straight-faced before relenting with a grin. "At least you're settling in I suppose... right into the madness. Speaking of which, Areiah, what's with the hair?" Ooh, late night tact! Can't beat it.
Tessera sniffs with a wink of teasing to the woman. "Only the finest dirty laundry water, miss." she informs as she smooches into her seat with a concealed yawn. Chores take their toll on a poor candidate, yes they do. A slight snicker is released at Pyrene's comment, an eye flicking to hair before she muzzles her mouth by sipping. Sip. Sip. The occasional rude slurp.
A toss of said hair and Areiah giggles, leaning to nudge Tessera. "Oh, you noticed, hmm? They were a gift to Ysbryth from the Candidates - Bryth suggested I borrow them. Suits me, don't you think?" Late night tact makes for interesting conversation, at least?
Pyrene cocks her head. "I suppose so," she hesitates, Tact catching up with her finally, if not the ability to lie convincingly. "Don't they get a little, er, annoying though?" A glance at Tess, "And wherever you got them from, show them to the brats and I will kill you." A sunny smile is bestowed upon the girl, and she sips the laundry water. Not bad. They're washing clothes in juice this week she sees.
Tessera is as innocent as a newborn runner. Blinkblink of wide jade-flecked eyes are turned on the two with a mischevious smile spoiling the effort. "They are safely hid under my cot. Along with my other supplies," she notes vaguely. What those supplies may be? No one but the killler-death dust bunnies that lurk under her cot know. And herself of course.
"Glad you like it," Areiah quips, winking at Pyrene, this motion followed fluidly by another - a pat on Tessera's shoulder, 'fore the 'rider rises, drains the remaining contents of her cider mug, and deposits the empty vessel with the others to be washed. "It's temporary, though, not to worry. Take care, you two - and Tessera? See me tomorrow afternoon sometime, please?" With a general jingle and a wiggle of fingers to the pair, she disappears - that didn't sound ominous, did it?
Areiah steps into the shadows that lead back into the Weyr.
Pyrene narrows her eyes at Tessera, "Just so long as they stay there." She hrmms a bit, idly swishing her juice in her mug and muttering about candidates under her breath. "So looking forward to the hatching?" she suddenly inquires innocently, "All those baby dragons with sharp claws and teeth running around with no clue what they're doing?" Another one of those benevolent smiles before she turns to wave belatedly at Areiah's disappearing figure.
Tessera waves a tired hand as the woman dissappears, a nod given to instructions. Tipping the last of her own juice back, she flicks a grin at Pyrene. "Of course. Well, mostly." A gentle grin shows stress lines forming about the mouth. "A bit nervous that it'll be like last time," she confides. All the gore, the hapless mauling? Tess is far from worried about that. She has friends to shove in their paths first, you see.
Pyrene straightens surprised, "Last time? You've been searched before?" That's typical that is. She lives at the weyr for four turns and nothing, while somebody from... well wherever Tess is from, gets searched twice. Fine. She doesn't care. Who wants to be a rider anyway? Hmmph.
Tessera suppresses a chuckle at the woman's outraged look. "Well. Yes." That's it. Just throw yourself to the tunnelsnakes, Tessera. Luck has never held for her, it's just blind chance that a second time comes around for the little herder girl from Nowhere Hold Keroon, you understand.
Pyrene yawns, "I knew candidacy wasn't as bad as they say it is. Assuming you had a choice in coming here... or did we kidnap you?" It wouldn't surprise her. "Or maybe you're just mad," she muses on to herself, "Faranth knows you need to be to impress. I mean we have goldriders with bells in their hair, blue dragons who bury people in snow and /none/ of the guys has the faintest idea of colour co-ordination." Pyrene, queen of sweeping generalistions.
Tessera stands, pushing her stolen wingleaders chair, full to overflowing with cushions back to it's home table, returning dirty mugs to the counter as she stifles a yawn. "Begging your pardon, miss, but I need to get back and check some laundry I left starching." Wouldn't do for some poor person to wind up with pants that stand up by themselves, now would it? "Actually, I willingly came," she replies. How weird is that? Contriving to come here, perhaps. "I'll try miss. Dedicate myself as a rider as the self-appointed Fashion Police of 'Reaches?" It sounds like a plan to her. A hand is extended. "I hope I'll see you around the caverns more often, then?" she grins as she prepares to leave.
Pyrene bursts out laughing, "Really? that sounds good, we need one..." If Tess is any good at it, Pyrene might have to tie her to the weyr if she doesn't impress. "Well, go back to your starch then, You'll see me here when I can get away from the kids no doubt." She smiles and waves, leaning back in her chair to rest.
Tessera chuckles, amusement spilling out as she agrees. "I've noticed," she dares before she skips back to Gladys' haranguing and laundry detail.
Tessera steps into the shadows that lead back into the Weyr.
