In the Great Hall
OR:What Was That!?

Peydra turns with her glass to see the room as a whole, her eyes lingering on everyone for a moment before she raises the cup to sip -- a small sip, not overdrinking after exertion. Her gaze lingers on Madailynn for only a moment, then she shakes her head with some cross between amusement and disgust. Heavy footsteps carry her back over to the chair her practice sword claimed for her, and she settles into it, her eyes skewing upwards to rest on the ceiling.

Madailynn's a light sleeper, one has to be to avoid the pranks the kids play on sleeping nannies, and even rather light footsteps are enough to wake her, but considering the hall was rather devoid of activity, she had still been asleep. That's what one gets for spending the whole night stitching up warn clothing. But when Peydra moves back to her chair, she awakes, thin lids of skin shoot open and eyes instantly search around the room to find the sources of the noise. Once they alight upon Peydra though, Madailynn instantly gulps down a lump in her throat and shuffles about to right herself. Bad Madai!

Elisa steps in from the entry hall.

Peydra's attention slides back over to the nanny, lingering dispassionately on her for a few seconds as the older woman corrects her posture and bearing. The brownrider doesn't comment, simply lifts her glass to her lips for another sip.

Madailynn didn't /mean/ to fall asleep. Honest, but Ty was out doing something--probably bathing Theoth and considering that dragon, it takes more then a while--and she hadn't gotten much sleep that night due to the fact she spent it talking with Ty all night long. Lips are torn apart by a yawn and a hand is quickly shoved in front of her mouth to hide it as her eyes quint and tears form in them. You know, morning tears. Horrid little things. Peydra gets an innocent look before gaze flickers and falls back to her stitching that lays upon the table. Doesn't that boy know how to sew?

"Have Eriol take look over this list and see if there's anything he wants to add," Elisa tells the person she happens to stop at the entrance from the main hallway, handing over a small stack of papers. "And tell him to hurry, no telling when Fabrinath's going to clutch." And then they'll be up to their armpits in candidates. Just something /else/ to add into the chaos that is Xanadu Weyr. That done, she heads over to get some klah. Good strong stuff.

Peydra's gaze flickers back over to Elisa as the Weyrwoman's voice carries through the room, and she dips her head slightly before calling out: "I spoke with Branik the other day, and he said I'd be welcome back there provided I was willing to stay within the normal practice sessions, which I said I thought you meant?" The slightest inflection of a question tones the statement as the rider speaks.

Madailynn just plays her little role of 'background person' for now, not having anything productive to add to the conversation other then a hello. And Elisa looks too busy to even notice it if it was given so the Nanny just watches a few more moments before eyes flicker and her task is once more taken back up. Although finding the needle is another matter, "Ow!" Ooops, found it. "Shards and shells!" Wounded finger is eyed before it's gently pushed to her lips and sucked upon. The needle bit her!

Elisa gets her cup, looking over her shoulder at Peydra. Instead of calling across the room, she instead walks over, awarding Madailynn a brief unreadable expression before the brownrider is awarded the goldrider's full attention. "Aye, just let me know what the schedule would be," she replies. "So I don't ask you to do anything that would interrupt." Klah is sipped and she looks over at Madailynn. Heh. The nanny best watch, it looks like she is getting used to having her blood spilled. However the manner it was caused.

Peydra taps the side of her glass with one finger. "Well, I -- " She breaks off at the exclamation, her gaze flickering to Madailynn. "Careful," she advises, a touch of humor in her voice. "Whatever will people think of your ladylike language?" Then her attention returns to Elisa, and she notes: "I was planning on attending their afternoon sessions, which run roughly three candlemarks, up until dinnertime there. With the time difference, they'd start a few candlemarks after dinner here, and I'd be back sometime before midnight. I don't tend to have much going on in late evening."

Madailynn can't help the ruby hue that colors her cheeks as she realizes just how well the hall carries her voice around. And then it turns an even darker shade at Peydra's comment. Tongue goes ridged and she's about to snap back with a bitter comment before she swallows it back and slumps a bit further down in her chair. "Sorry..." Eyes then focus upon the shirt and she carefully situates it right and begins to work, pushing the needle easily through the material before pulling it through and starting over again.

Elisa gets that patent look of mild annoyance, but says nothing. If the two can keep their bickering to tolerable levels, she'll consider letting them both off unscathed. "Midnight, hm?" she asks. "No one's been silly enough to put you in the wing duty rotations, have they?" Yes, let's forget Elisa has Peydra tagged for duties of her own and put her on early morning drills or other wing stuff. Someone else would be feeling the lash of Elisa's temper right quick.

Peydra shakes her head simply. "No," she says, "though Mhairi was asking if I might have a candlemark or so free in the late mornings to cover for a slight gap in the rotation schedule. I told her I'd let her know in a sevenday or so, when I had a better sense of how my schedule was going to be treating me. Oh, and I talked to Jyfer last night, after liberating her." Yes, yes, move away from Mhairi so Jyfer-irritation takes over from any moodiness at the wingsecond.

Madailynn was good! She said sorry for her disturbance and didn't snap back--she's not stupid enough to act up in the weyr with all these dragons around, not a bit. So sewing continues, attention only flickering up to briefly survay the scene of gold and brownrider. But yet again she pricks herself--that's what happens when you try to sew without looking up--and she lets out a quiet whimper. Ow. Today's just not her day.

"And...?" Elisa prompts about Jyfer. Mhairi gets extra tolerance for two reasons... she's pregnant and one of Elisa's closest clutchsiblings. Madailynn is observed and she says, "Have some klah and something to eat before you bleed all over the shirt." She'll assume the shapeless fabric mass is a shirt, anyway. It doesn't look... fluffy enough to be specifically a woman's garment.

Breakfast is good to wake up with.

And again Peydra's eyes slide to Madailynn at the whimper. They linger there for a moment, and the brownrider's thumb rubs across a healing scab on her knuckles. "Um," she says, bringing her attention back to Elisa. "Well, she said sorry. I told her to clue in, stop pissing everyone off, do her job, stay away from the stables, and stop dating nutcases. She took it fairly well, said she'd been trying to drop Kaederan, but who knows how much of that is hindsight?"

Madailynn's head shoots up as she hears the subject change from what was being discussed and she only assumed that the comment was meant to her--after all miss 'I can't watch the needle' is the one bleeding. Amber eyes are blinked quietly before she gives a bit of a giggle before bobbing her head, placing down the shirt and shoving the needle into the little ball of material wrapped fuzz to make sure she doesn't lose it this time. "Point." She states with a shake of her head as she rises and slides off in search of sweetrolls and tea--is that all she eats? Most likely.

After so many Turns, one learns the good points. Usually. Elisa nods briefly as Madi heeds her advice--a vast improvement in her eyes and looks at Peydra with a chuckle. "Even if one could take a leap into the future and see how things would turn out, would that change things anyway?" she wonders. Humans are stubborn that way, thinking that they can control anything and make it come out just as they like. Levity drops a little. "Let me know if your schedule taxes you too much, all right? I'd rather hear from you than have Kinzhalth tattle on you to Zivath." No need to stir resentment between a rider and her dragon.

Peydra flickers a brief grin. "Yeah, sure," she agrees. "Not as if that massive hunk of brown spinelessness would dare, anyway." She laughs aloud at the response that comes back mentally, her attention retreating inwards for a brief moment. "But," she says, "that... whatever I said is demanding an oiling, so I ought to go deal with him. I'll let you know, though. And Branik said no charge, by the way. Practice sessions are always open to visitors.

Elisa grins faintly. "A good man. I remember him." From what? Oh, Elisa is not volunteering any information, apparently. "Go on, take care of Kinzhalth."

Madailynn searches around, high and low, hot and cold, and finally the right items are found, retrieved, and once more she sets off for her chair. Eyes lifting as Peydra expresses the need to leave. "Good day Peydra." She's /trying/ to be nice. Honest.

"He is," Peydra agrees simply, rising and retrieving her practice sword, slinging it over her shoulder. At Madailynn's farewell, she pauses, her eyes resting on the nanny for a moment. "Madailynn," she says finally, the quiet word acknowledging the sentiment and offering at least half a goodbye of her own. And then she heads outside.

Peydra exits the room for the smaller entry hall.

Elisa watches Peydra leave with an expression of amusement before she turns her attention to Madailynn. "So. Managing to survive the horrors of the Weyr?" she asks. Good, looks like Elisa is in a good mood. So far. Someone is /bound/ to ruffle her yet before sunset.

Madailynn pauses mid-stride, foot still in the air ready to make the next step. Blink. Uh oh. She's in here alone with the Weyrwoman isn't she? The Hold's Head Nanny gulps quietly before she smiles and lets her foot slowly descend. "Sort of. Just, evading dragons on my walk down here and hiding out until Ty is done with his responsibilities and can come save me." A soft chuckle bubbles up from her throat before she slides back to her little 'area' and places the plate of rolls and the mug down upon the table's top.

M'rika steps in lightly and, almost, bouncily in from the entry hall.

Elisa tilts her head to one side as she considers Madailynn. "To your credit, I have to say it is admirable that you are attempting to stay with T'cerin even with dragons about. However, you can't run from them forever, especially if you are going to spend any time near the Weyr." As if the Hold isn't close enough? "For your--and /his/--sake, you need to get over this."

M'rika blunders into the Hall, looking as though she tripped over something on her way through the door. "Sharditall, Audath, stop complaining right now!" She put s both hands to her head in exasperation and then manages to look around the Hall, "Good day Elisa! How is Zivath?" She smiles at Madailynn, trying to remember the woman's name, "Well met, Nanny."

"I'm getting better." Madai states to the Weyrwoman while reaching out to snag a sweetroll from her plate. "They're just... just... so /big/! It's hard for one so small to get used to the size factor. And then with the ha-" She abruptly cuts herself off as M'rika enters, bottom lip curl inwards and her tongue fiddles with it. "Well met." Is all she offers the familiar yet still unnamed--in her mind--brownrider that visited a few months back at the hold.

Elisa isn't going to let this go, no. Not when the nanny is on Elisa's stomping grounds and is apparently rather attached to one of Zivath's children. "And then with the... what?" she prods, not ungently, but not about to let Madailynn off the hook. To the other woman, she grins. "Good day, M'rika. Zivath is fine. Smug as usual." When isn't the gold rather self-satisfied? <> Attention is given back to Madailynn with patient expectation of an explanation.

M'rika moves along to the table, pouring herself a mug of klah and gathering up some of ther fresher bread that is out. She moves casually to sit at the table near Elisa, not wanting to outright intrude on the present conversation.

Madailynn's cheeks flush with color before she turns away and reaches for her mug of tea, trying her best to avoid the question only to get pinned with that expectant look of hers. D'oh! A sip is taken before she puts it back down and looks quietly at Elisa for several moments before finally giving in. "Then with the hatching, not impressing and Ty impressing... other things helped feed my fear and the like." She states, hoping that's enough to sate the Weyrwoman--even if she doubts it is. M'rika gets a 'save me' look too. Yeah, save her, she needs to be saved!

Elisa grins wryly. "The best the dragons can do is see who is most likely to be acceptable to a dragon. Sometimes it may be Turns before the right dragon is shelled for a person. Sometimes... they never are." She shrugs slightly. "But you can't go on fearing dragons, not with T'cerin being a rider. It /will/ come between you both. If not now, someday. It has happened often enough." It had happened to her own weyrmate, though neither discuss it much. "Unless you are not willing to face your fears and run from them... you may as well be merciful and end it now." She pauses. "But if you are ready to face them, I will help as I can."

M'rika glances at Elisa, not only is she careful about crossing the Weyrwoman, this goldrider has always been a good friend to Miri. Even before Audath plunked his brown self into Miri's life. "I don't mean to interrupt, but, I never caught your name... I'm M'rika, rider of brown Audath." Seh smiles, just a bit.

Madailynn's face sobers a bit more, sliding closer to the sadder side of the spectrum. "I know that.. but it doesn't mean rejection on the sands is any easier when your future husband was plucked and 'stolen' away from your world and placed in another either. It only complicated things for me." Shoulders rise and then fall in an absentminded shrug. "Anyway, I mean I'm over that fact, I have no problem with coming here and with Theoth-" Because he's just a big puppy! *cough* "-but... dragons just aren't my thing so to say. Obviously since I'm still a Nanny 'eh?" She heard the part about it taking several turns, but doesn't mean she's going to even /dream/ she'll get searched again. "It's not easy Weyrwoman, but I'm dealing with it in my own time." Sort of. If you consider hiding in here and Ty's weyr 'dealing with it'. M'rika gets a smile and a bob of her head. "No, your Audath just frightened the hold's kidlets and sent me to the ground. But I don't believe we exchanged names. I'm Madailynn. Hold Head Nanny, obviously."

"There are people who have lived their whole lives among dragons, Madailynn," Elisa says, discounting that reason immediately. "There are many who had been brought here during Search, stood as you had, and have no lifemate. But they remain, and do not fear dragons. Yes, they are big. But runners are big as well." Elisa figures once you decide that once a creature is large enough to accidentally crush you with an inadvertant move, size beyond that is pointless. "You are no more worthy than someone who was not Searched, you are no less worthy than someone who Impressed. And you cannot hide forever. Would you deprive T'cerin of the company of those friends he has made here at the Weyr? Just because they have dragons?"

Madailynn's face scrunches up in a wince at the things the Weyrwoman says. "It's not that easy Weyrwoman." At least she doesn't call her Elisa like her weyrmate or she'd really get herself into hot water. "People are different. People also have phobias. Some of spinners, some of crawlers, or VTOLs, or... you know what I mean. My phobia was dragons. Even firelizards had an effect on me--that is until I unfortunately impressed one of the pests!--it just... takes time. I'm different then a lot of people. And many others take rejection and their whole life and future being upturned by one moment a lot easier also." Pause. "And I never would take Ty away from his home here at the Weyr, I would never ask that of him, to give up all his dragonriding friends. That is why I come here. What's done is done, he can't unimpress any better then I can suddenly become a dragonrider." Or.. something like that!

Elisa nods. "Aye. My own personal nemesis is healers," the Weyrwoman states matter of factly. But she's not going to get into any discussion about her own phobias. "But how is skuttling in the shadows and hiding going to help?" she wonders.

Madailynn reaches up to stifle the giggles that fall away from closed lips. "It'll save you a shot some times ya know..." She knows that wasn't what the Weyrwoman was asking though. "Ahem. Sorry... but yeah, I know, hiding doesn't help. But it's not as if I have to really deal with dragons other then Theoth that much. I still live at the Hold..." Pause. It looks as if something suddenly sparks in her mind. "And that reminds me. Ty and I were discussing me possibly moving into his weyr." Another pause before she abruptly tacks on. "Not any time /soon/. Maybe in a few months or a half of a turn. But I was just... wondering if you had any problems with it." She still has yet to bring the matter to Lady Keelin, but that'll be for another day when and if it is decided she will even move. But best to check to see if the roads were clear over here first before setting a plan up.

Considering the request with utmost solemnity, Elisa sips her klah, studying Madailynn with that ever so wonderfully intent gaze of hers, behind it all the authority that being who she is resting there. "Perhaps. On one condition."

Madailynn's sugary amber eyes widen a bit as she blinks. "And what would that condition be?" Inquires the Nanny in a /very/ careful voice. Knowing Elisa... this could be trouble after all.

"When you can bring yourself to assist me in washing Zivath, you will have my blessing to weyrmate to the man you love." Elisa is... Elisa. What can a person say?

Oooh look, saucers, oh wait, those are Madai's eyes! Oops. Lip quivers a bit and the poor young lady just looks quite aghast--but then that was sort of the point wasn't it? Mouth opens and chin just falls, leaving her mouth just hanging wide. Insanity uncurls from her shoulder perch and nest of curls to poke her head out, slither on out, and get her curiosity aroused enough by the gaping hole on her human's face to experiment a bit. Muzzle twists slightly to the side before she sticks her head in the open mouth and peers about. Sadly the poor pink tainted green doesn't quite get her head out before Madai realizes what's going on and the poor girl ends up getting caught in the nanny's mouth. "Grwrh!" Not even a second passes before Insanity is left free and skitters back quite a bit. Aaaah! She tried to /eat/ me. "Um... can I just say I impressed one of the oddest firelizards on pern..." Eye shifts and then she looks back towards the Weyrwoman. "Wash?... Zivath? Big moody gold who I'm sure will by some miracle remember me..."

M'rika has disconnected.

Like rider, like dragon. Think Zivath is the only moody one around the Weyr? "Wash Zivath," Elisa confirms the nanny's now worst nightmare. "Zivath doesn't hold grudges. But if you come with the same attitude you had when you first met her, you'll get the same reaction. A firelizard, no matter the terror, is no comparison." She has Myrrdin, after all. Unholy terror of the Weyr.

Madailynn wrinkles her nose a bit at that comment. "I've had quite a lot of time to work on that attitude..." And it's a /lot/ better then four turns back, everyone who knew her then has to admit to at least that much. "But... she's so... /big/." And scary, and has lots of sharp teeth, and oh yeah, /gold/! And Myrrdin is the unholy terror of the weyr, but Psychotic has to be the Queen of brattiness at the Hold. That's for sure.

Elisa grins faintly, not without some sympathy, but not with any yielding, either. "Zivath is the smallest of the golds on Pern," she points out, as if that would help. "But if you can face her without fear, then you and I will both know your fear of dragons is ended, or at least, manageable."

Madailynn's brows squish together as her lips suddenly open again. "Smallest golds on Pern? She's still huge to me and with one easy roll I could be implanted on the bottom of the lake." Sniff. "But... I'll do it... Before I can move here right? I have to do that..." Good thing she isn't moving anytime soon 'eh? "You sure she won't like... eat me or something? I mean I've never washed a dragon before, I don't know how to do it, what if I do it wrong and she gets upset?" Gulp. Oh geeze, not that thought... little psycholets with Ego genes are frightening enough! Have some mercy on Pern for Faranth's sake!

Jyfer walks from the central hall.

Nope. No mercy. "Yes, she is huge. But there are few instances of a dragon harming a human accidentally, and even rarer purposely. The only time they /would/ is if you intend harm on their lifemate or a dragonet." Don't plan on hurting Elisa, now, do you Madailynn? "Fewer instances, indeed, than when a runner throws a rider. Or rolls over top of one. Or pins a stablehand against the wall." Or other various gruesome effects of runner hooves on the human anatomy. "And I'll show you. Zivath is resilient."

Jyfer walks in from the kitchen, rag and a buckt of warm sandsoapy water in hand. She pauses noticing the Weyrwoman, then goes to the farthest table from her. Jyfe sets down the bucket and wets the rag, then begins scrubbing the table in front of her, eyes focused on her task.

Madailynn doesn't think she could even really talk back to Elisa let alone /hurt/ her. "I don't believe I could do either of those things so I guess I'm safe..." It still doesn't keep her from that sinking feeling in the back of her mind you know. Just the thought of having to wash that big... huge... dragon makes her shudder. "Runners never were my things, father dealt with them for the wagons but I was a little girl and there were lots of boys to tend to them." Shoulders rise and then fall into a shrug. "I'm sure she's a lot more then that... actually I know she's a lot mor-" She stops herself and just smiles innocently. Oops.

Peydra walks from the central hall.

Glancing over at Jyfer briefly, nods to herself, and returns her gaze back to Madailynn. "Dragons are as intelligent as humans. But I've been stepped on by more lunkheaded men than even bumped by Zivath. "When you are ready. Zivath likes to swim daily." Or more than once a day. Lucky Elisa.

Peydra half-runs, half-skips into the room, seizing the hands of a startled drudge and twirling him around in a quick, cheerful circle before releasing him and moving with a bouncing step over towards the food table, leaving the drudge to stumble back a step, blinking in shock at the brownrider. Yes, that /was/ Peydra.

Jyfer continues her scrubbing. Her head turns slightly, noticing Peydra's entrance, but her focus is directed back to her work and she doesn't even notice the woman's umm..giddy entrance. As she finishes the first table Jyfe pulls out a dry rag and dries the table, then takes her bucket and rags, moving to the next table to clean.

Madailynn gives a quiet sniff. "Just give me a day to come out and I'll attempt to wash-" Pause. "Wait a second, do I have to wash her /all/ of her and all by myself?" Uh. Eek! But then a bouncing Peydra takes her attention off Elisa and latches itself onto the brownrider. What in Faranth's name...

Elisa opens her mouth to reply to Madailynn and just leaves it open as Peydra... skips. Skips? Peydra? Someone got her a new sword or something equally deadly? "Uhm. Yes. I mean no, you don't have to wash her all by yourself, but it will be a challenge. She likes to go out deep." Scuba scrubbing some days. Elisa shakes her head in amusement. "But you have to wash her without /fear/. She'll know. And if you are afraid, she'll tease you."

Peydra sloshes a bit of juice into a glass, and turns back to Elisa, enthusiasm sparking in her eyes. She hasn't bubbled out her news, yet, though, waiting patiently for an interlude in the conversation into which she can insert herself. Well -- semi-patiently. Her foot is tapping a bit too quickly for an appearance of real patience. "Oh, Jyfer?" she addresses the drudge. "Could you maybe go see if they've got any blackberries in the kitchen?"

Madailynn blinks at that comment. A dragon who teases her? "How can she tease me? I can't hear her... and I didn't think dragons verbally talked last time I checked..." She trails off and continues to watch the brownrider. Yeah, it has to be a new sword or /something/... right? It's not as if she rides green... *shudder* Madai'll just sit safely over here in her chair and not make any swift movements... yeah... maybe she won't attack if she stays still. Perfectly still..

Jyfer looks up from her work and gives a nod to the brownrider. She quickly leaves the bucket and rags on the table, and wiping her hands on her trous heads back into the kitchen. She returns a few minutes later and approaches the brownrider. "Brownrider Peydra... The headcook says we do, but he was wandering if you just wanted blackberries, or them cooked in a bubbly or something?"

"Just the berries," Peydra replies.

"You'll find out," Elisa replies cryptically. Elisa's lived with that crazy-- <> Ahem. /Insane/ <> gold since they first met eyes. And she still gets teased. Think anyone else would be immune. Peydra's limited patience is only taxed for a moment. "Yes, Peydra?" You vibrate impatiently enough to make the floor tremble, oh, young brownrider?

Jyfer gives a quick nod and heads back into the kitchens. She returns with a bowl of blackberries and approaches the rider again. "Here they are Peydra, he said if you'd like more just send me back in." Jyfer then goes back to her table washing.

>> I bespoke Madailynn with: Rich amber darkens with the primordial motion of ancient forests in your mind, an earthy scent cut with the quiet tang of steel -- bitter and familiar. A quietly androgynous voice speaks, sharp with a light aftertone of ash. < Cannot hear which? > <<

"I found it!" Peydra breaks off. "Kin! /Stop/ that." Her eyes flick to Madailynn. "Sorry," she says simply. "Um. The records. That someone lost. That you wanted me to collect from all the Holds." Which effort Peydra was dreading. "I found it! Some idiot put them in with the weather reports. Faranth knows what tithes have to do with weather reports, but. They were there!"

Madailynn quirks a solitary brow at Elisa's comment. Uh oh, why doesn't she like the sound of that one? Maybe because it was the way it was said, or maybe it was because who said it. Naw, it had to have been both. Peydra just gets getting stared at. *blink* Too much sugar in her klah? But the moment that unfamiliar sound enters her... head?! The Nanny /jumps/ out of her chair, amber eyes aglow with fright. "What in Faranth's name?!" Kin?... Kinzahlth? Eeek! Dragon in hear head! Gettit out! Gettit out!! The brown doesn't get much to go off of, us a mess of fright and confusion before she finally calms down enough and sits back down. Blinking hardly and hazarding a reply... Voice drops to a near whisper before her lips move. "Can't hear Zivath..."

Jyfer 's eyes flicker as the Hold nanny jumps from her seat, and Jyfe shakes her head, going about her work. She finishes a few more tables, then stops her washing. She moves throughout the hall taking empty plates and dishes from the other table, making several trip as she carries them back to the kitchens, always returning for more.

Elisa offers the nod of thanks for Jyfer bringing Peydra's requested treat out to her, then turns her own look of bewilderment at Madailynn. "Zivath chooses when she is heard," Elisa states magnanimously. "Consider yourself fortunate that most of her commentary is directed at me." /Lucky/ Elisa. The goldrider gives Peydra a look of 'behave' while addressing her. "Ah, thank you, Peydra. That will save a lot of work." For Peydra and Elisa both.

Peydra nods her appreciation to Jyfer a bit belatedly. "Yeah. I was right there, so went to grab something for Keiden, and it was right in front of my face. And ignore him, Madailynn, he's just being a brat. Yes, a brat," she confirms for the mental affronted voice. "He barely even verbalizes for me; he just wanted to shock you. He'll stop now." Or else.

"Lucky you." Madai replies to Elisa, chuckling soft. Surly that gold has some... things to say, that's for sure. And slowly her rapid breathing slows and she tilts her head quietly at Peydra and her verbal 'sparing' with her dragon. "I didn't mind." Much. She just wasn't... expecting it and found it quite an odd experience.

Finishing clearing the tables, Jyfer returns to the kitchen with her bucket, returning with a fresh rag and fresh water. She goes to work on the newly cleared tables, drying soon as they are finished being clean. Both riders get the briefest nod for their comments, Jyfer trying to avoid them both and just stick to her work. Much safer that way.

Linden walks in from the entry hall.

Linden exits the room for the smaller entry hall.

Murkat wanders in looking around. He might as well take a break. His ride will probably be a while, seeing as she's talking to her sister. He gives a nod the the two riders, as well as to the nanny. Slipping quietly into a seat at a nearby table, he just sits, watching, wondering what is going on.

Elisa grins at Madailynn faintly. "When you're ready. Zivath always needs to be washed." Nose wrinkles. "Particularly after the heavy rains and she rolls in a mudpuddle." Yeah. Brown gold. Silly dragon. "Don't rush yourself, Madailynn. Fears aren't easy to overcome, but this one is necessary, I think you will agree?" That said, she eyes Peydra and chuckles. "You're scaring the weyrfolk, Peydra." Giddy Peydra's are just... not comprehensible. A different drudge is hailed. "Whatever's available. I missed breakfast," she informs him. A greeting is given to Murkat. "Welcome to Xanadu Weyr." Craziest place on Pern. Believe it or not.

Peydra simply grins at Elisa, tossing back her juice in a cheerful gulp and settling down with her blackberries. Mmm. Her eyes flicker up, and she offers the newcomer a friendly grin. "Murkat! Hi!" She pauses, her voice taking on a dry overtone as she notes: "Y'know, for someone who's supposed to be living up north," (and she points up; shardit, it's accepted code), "you're spending an awful lot of time down here."

Jyfer continues her work, eyes taking in Murkat's appearance and clouding over. She quickly looks back down at the table she is washing and works with a renewed vigor. Wash, scrub, dry. It's all she focuses on as she finishes the rest of the unoccupied tables in the hall. She takes her bucket and rags back into the kitchen then. She comes out a few minutes later, and pours herself some juice, enjoying a few minutes of rest. Then she returns to the kitchens with her glass, arriving this time with a broom, to start sweeping.

Madailynn believes that one, but then she's only here because of her 'weyrmate' after all. "I won't Elisa... I'm better.. just... I don't know if I'll be able to just hop in and grab a brush any time soon... I don't know, she's still big." She's gold, that's why. And an odd gold at that. "Maybe we can start with something... simpler?" That might be good? "To build up to the washing?" She doesn't know, she's just suggesting so she doesn't end up attached at the bottom of the lake come wash time.

Murkat grins. "Greetings Weyrwoman. I wouldn't quite say that." Oh yes, he's being polite. He's heard about the weyrwoman's temper and he has to desire to become the object of her attentions. Turning to the other voice, he smiles and waves. "Hiya Peydra." He grins sheepishly at her remark. "Well, Lil is down talking to her sister about a commision so I decided to tag along." After all, he wouldn't miss a chance to come down to xanadu. Always something interesting going on, and that he knows from personal experience unfortunatly.

"Oh. Well, that's good. Family ties and all." And Peydra's refreshing hers lately. "I'll actually be heading up north in a few candlemarks, so I shouldn't talk, I suppose. I'm resuming training with the guard up at Fort Hold. My da's horrified. He says he won't spar with me. Claims it's because he would be all worried about hurting his baby. I think it's cause he knows that someday before too long I'll be able to beat him, and he doesn't want to know when it happens." She grins cheerfully and pops a blackberry into her mouth. "Who's her sister?"

Elisa nods at Madailynn and grins. "Slow is better." Less traumatic with a playful gold. "Whenever. I'll make room in my schedule." A welcome break to be sure. Murkat receives a grin. "Ah, yes. L'lia. Fine rider, from what Fort has told me of her." Yes, she knows the arrangements there. The drudge brings her breakfast and moves to actually /sit/ at a table. "Please, feel free to make yourselves comfortable." Then she won't have to krick her neck to look up at everyone.

Jyfer glances around the hall, and goes to the farthest corner from the kitchen and starts sweeping towards the kitchen door. She moves slowly but efficently as she goes, keeping her focus on the work before her, and not him. No need to make a scene, especially with the Weyrwoman here. She starts humming as she goes, getting into her work.

Murkat grins and points his finger at her. "Well see there, I'm not the only one that frequents the opposite continent." Rising from his seat, he makes his way over to the group of people, no use in shouting across the room. Seeing the table Elisa indicated, he slides into a chair. While he wasn't technically invited, he always manages to end up inviting himself. "That she is Weyrwoman." Of course he would think so. Turing back to Peydra, "Oh, you might know her. She's down at smith hall. Name's Sillvena." He absentmindly doesn't include a rank. Noticing the drudge sweeping, he just raises an eyebrow and shrugs. He's not conserned with her, he really doesn't hold that much animosity toward her...well, other than that whole jail thing.

Peydra blinks once. "Well," she says, her tone a bit wry. "Know /of/, anyway. Huh." She consumes another blackberry thoughtfully. "Don't really know that many smiths. Just met one the other day. She's making me a sword." Wuh-oh. "Jemar? Jenar. Jenar, right. But I don't get over there much."

Elisa grins but is silent. A Weyrwoman needs to eat to be able to keep a Weyr full of rampant insanity in order. Well. Sorta. So she listens while she finally sits to breakfast. No use having the Weyrleader giving her a scolding about the topic.

Jyfer keeps sweeping towards the kitchen door. She stops about halfway into the room and goes to another corner, working her way in from that side as well. She still hums as she goes, some tune or another her cousin taught her on one of her many trips down from Fort Weyr.

Murkat shrugs and shakes his head. "I don't either, well other than Master Sill." Yep, this time he remembers. Nodding, "I think there's a smith there by the name of Jenar." Looking at Peydra's dish, his eyes light up. "If you don't mind me asking, where did you get those?" He has a weakness of any type of berry, and those look great.

Peydra simply chucks one thumb towards the kitchen. "They've got some in there. Jyfer grabbed them for me." She slides the bowl over towards him slightly in invitation. "Help yourself." She glances up. "Jyfer, would you mind grabbing us another bowl?"

Jyfer looks up from her work at the brownrider, then at the person next to her. She sets down her broom against a table saying "No I don't mind getting /you/ another bowl brownrider Peydra." She turns and goes into the kitchen, returning a few minutes later with another bowl. She places the bowl in front of Peydra then goes back to her broom.

Murkat grins and immediatly accepts the unsaid invitation. He doesn't have to be asked twice. Selecting a berry from the top, he quickly pops it in his mouth, and then proceeds to lick the juice from off his fingers from where he grabbed it. Uh oh...Jyfer was mentioned, and even worse, she's going to be serving him...well, them. But luckly the new bowl of berries arrives without incident.

Anki walks in from the entry hall.

Peydra blinks once at Jyfer as her berries return, and looks down at the bowl, then back up at the drudge. "Well," she says, her tone tending towards the acidic. "That was cheerful and polite." Her gaze flickers back and forth between Murkat and Jyfer. "Faranth, what did he do you you that you can't even be polite to him through /implication/?"

Elisa offers Jyfer a look through slightly narrowed eyes, but she remains silent. Breakfast first. She may need the energy. Anki is given a cursory wave of fingers.

Madailynn just... tries her best to scoop up her sewing stuff and start off in the direction of the exit. "Good day Weyrwoman... I'm sure Ty is long done with Theoth and wondering exactly where I wandered off to." Hey, she /tried/ to be polite, even if the Weyrwoman isn't exactly paying attention to her. Best she scoot before problems arise. "Anki! Ooh! Hi, bye..." The Hold Nanny once more slips closer to the doors.

Jyfer looks over her shoulder at the brownrider and says in a soft voice, "I would prefer not speak about it brownrider Peydra, I should finish my chores." Her eyes go to the floor in front of her as she starts sweeping again, hoping no more questions are asked.

Anki has impeccable timing for brawls, disagreements and other such delicate matters. Such an excitable weyr. Wandering into the great hall, she nods from A to Z. "Weyrwoman, Madailynn, Peydra." Jyfer is given a nod, though eyes narrow curiously.

"If you cannot be polite to a guest of the Weyr, I think you should request chores elsewhere." Thus speaks Elisa.

"Well, apologize, then," Peydra says, her tone still a shade incredulous. "As if you meant it, please."

Murkat just looks at the xanadu drudge. As if she's the person to ask...she's the one that got him tossed into jail, or at least that's how he sees it. Whispering to the brownrider, low enought not to be overheard by anyone, "You won't get her to say anything. If you ask anything else, you'd be lucky if she doesn't run out of the room." Yep, she's famous for running. Looking up, he notices the new arrival and gives a wave.

Murkat promptly shakes his head. "No appoligy is necessary Weyrwoman, brownrider." He doesn't want to ignite a volitile situation.

Madailynn escapes right out the door. She does /not/ like being around when Elisa gets annoyed.

Madailynn exits the room for the smaller entry hall.

Jyfer looks from her Weyrwoman to Peydra, then sighs softly looking at the floor. She raises her eyes to look at Murkat and say "I am sorry if I insulted you Murkat, I had no right." She takes a deep breath then goes back to her sweeping, wanting to run, but not after all that has happened.

Peydra's eyes flick to Murkat. "Yes," she contradicts him, "it is. Maybe not for you, but it's a slight on the Weyr if we don't offer courtesy to our guests. And as far as I can see, you did nothing to offend her."

Murkat nods at the appoligy. "I know you intended no slight." Boy, if that wasn't hard to say, but she's being polite and he can do no less. Turning back to Peydra, he raises his hands in submission, "You are a member of this weyr and I am just a visitor, and it was wrong of me to say what is necessary or not."

Peydra nods with vague satisfaction at that, lifting another blackberry. Her gaze flicks to Elisa, then back to Murkat. "So, are you enjoying Fort Weyr? What've you been doing up there?"

Anki slips into a chair and waits for the scene to play out before her, idly nodding her thanks to another drudge with a cup of juice. She asks no questions yet, brow creased with curiosity's lines.

Elisa grins faintly at Murkat, merely inclines her head and continues with her breakfast. Fingers wiggle at Anki and a greeting is offered. "Good day, Journeyman," she greets politely.

Jyfer continues on with her work, almost giving a sigh of relief when no more is asked of her. She works on finishing up her sweeping, bringing her pile of dirt closer and closer to the kitchen door. She rests her broom against the wall and enters the kitchen again, coming out with a dust pan, and proceeds in 4 trips to get all of her pile picked up. She then disappears into the kitchen for awhile.

Murkat grins at the question, still poping blackberries, eating more than his fair share. "Well, I'm still trying to learn my way arround. Plus everythings new, I've never lived in a weyr before." He debates asking for a drink, but looking around the only drudge spotted is Jyfer. He decides he really doesn't need that drink that badly. "But my main occupation is staying out of trouble." Something he accomplishes just fine at fort, but has problems with here down south.

Peydra laughs at that. "Yeah," she says. "I hear you on that one." Her gaze flicks over to Elisa, then back. "No real position or anything, though? Lucky guy: move, get weyrmated, get a vacation." She winks slightly and consumes another berry.

"Weyrwoman. It is, isn't it? Quite glorious after all those miserable weeks of wind and rain." Weather. It's a safe topic. "It seems as if life is picking up again. Probably the delight that they're not hoisting a ton of sand around in their socks." Anki sips quietly from her mug, stifling the flow of nonsense for a moment.

Murkat smiles and laughs. "I guess you can sum it up that way." He winks right back. "But I don't know how much longer it will last. I think Lil's getting tired of always having to track me down. She'd rather I had some kind of responsiblities. In her mind, she thinks it would keep me out of trouble." As if that would be possible.

"She's probably right," Peydra observes drily. "That's certainly been Elisa's approach with me." Her attention returns to the Weyrwoman for a moment, then reverts. "And it is nice to be doing something useful, I have to say. I think I was getting bored, almost. And I'm not anymore." This last statement is accompanied by a rueful smile.

Jyfer returns from the kitchens, and glancing around, decides that this is not the place for her to take her break. She gets a plate of food, and a cup of juice, retreating back into the kitchen for the time being.

Elisa grins at Peydra, that impish one of someone who is wicked and thoroughly enjoys it. Yep, if Peydra was bored... she'll assure she's bored no more.

Murkat nods slightly. "I know she's right, but I have no desire to tell her that. Besides...I'm still a guest resident and haven't really decided what I want to do. Actually, the only thing I wouldn't mind doing is gardening." He hasn't decided whether or not to approach anyone about a postition quite yet, besides, he's still being watched by his weyrwoman. "Besides, I'm never his trouble." This is said with a big grin and a laugh in his voice.

Head tilted, Anki lets most of the conversation wash around her. "To ask someone else to alleviate your own boredom is perhaps a little scary. One never knows what they might come up with," is murmered after moments of listening.

Peydra laughs aloud. "Oh, yeah," she says, her voice heavy with irony. "And they say love has no secrets... Well, good luck lazing as long as you can."

Murkat, overhearing the Journyman's remark, nods. "You're right about that. I'm Murkat, Fort Weyr." He extends his hand in greeting. Turns to Peydra. Oh yes, he can hear the tone of her voice. He raises an eyebrow, and begins to say something. Comming up with a better idea, he promptly grins and sitcks out his tounge at her....yep, real mature.

Peydra simply winks at Murkat, her own maturity level being decidedly on the low side.

Anki shakes Murkat's hand once, grip comforting. "I know, I've seen you around there, I think. I'm Anki. Assigned to Fort Weyr as well. You came for the nice weather as well?"

Murkat shrugs. "Well met Anki. I do think I've seen you around." About the weather he shakes his head. "I just got dragged along, something about measurements." He grins, anyone who knows him knows that he is never /dragged/ south. "Besides, it's nice to get out of fort every now and then." Peydra's wink has not gone unnoticed. He's heard of her reputation too.

Peydra has a reputation. It's so useful. She eats another blackberry.

Eriol walks from the central hall.

Elisa sets her eating utensils on her plate and rises, claiming a newly filled mug of klah. "I should see to some things. Pardon me, everyone." (OOC: She finishes eating, I get to eat. Yay!)

Elisa has left.

Anki shakes her head slowly. "If you two are going to sit here grinning at each other, I'm going to go and have a talk with the weavers." Still, she's grinning.

A small crowd of drudges and assistant Stewards follow along behind Eriol as he pads in from his office area, each asking him something different. Infinite patience. He just has to remind himself that it's a part of the job. "No, we don't want to interfere in the Headwoman's part of the Weyr, Shao. And Kura, please organize those reference hides; I don't want them to be lost in the shuffle, hmm? Now, everyone, please go do what I've asked you to do." Shoo, shoo.

Jyfer returns from the kitchen's after her break. She comes out with a bucket and rag to start the whole cleaning process again, cleaning up after the riders who have finishes their lunch.

A'dal walks in from the entry hall.

Peydra's eyes flick up as Eriol walks in, her eyes freezing on him for a moment. Then a smile curves her lips, faint and vaguely feline. Wuh-oh. It's gone quickly, though, and she selects another blackberry from her bowl and lifts it to her lips slowly. In some weird caricature of flirtation, she slips it into her mouth, her eyes lingering on the steward.

Murkat grins. Yep, him and peydra...still children at heart. He doesn't know about her, but he lets his childside come out more than often. Looking at Anki, he decides to show her what a great conversationalist he is, and sticks his tounge out at her this time, before returning to the dish of blackberries.

Anki chooses that moment to bury her smirk in her cup of juice, eyes fixed safely on a particularly 'interesting' knot of wood in the table's scoured surface. Nice timing indeed. "You mentioned something about L'lia earlier, Murkat? How is she?"

Dare Eriol even ask what brings that caricature to life? Smoothing away a faintly wary smile, the steward wends his way through mid-day crowds, tossing a nod to Jyfer in thanks, towards the group. "Blackberries?" he asks mildly, grey eyes fastening upon Anki -- pretty women have that tendency -- in query.

A'dal saunters into the hall, looking around a little bit vaguely as one hand scratches at his short-cropped hair. "Good day," he mutters, nodding around as he wends his way drinks-ward.

Murkat pushes the dish of blackberries away, he's had his fill. Calling over a drudge, he asks for a cup of klah. To Anki, "Oh, she's doing pretty good. She's running around here somewhere." If he's down south, it's a good bet she's somewhere around.

Anki grins slowly. "I'll go and look for her later, then." A polite head-dip to the newcomers as Anki pushes the blackberries in Eriol's direction with a "Yep. I haven't had any, but judging from the amount Murkat here ate, they can't be /too/ bad. Hello, Eriol, A'dal."

Jyfer gives a nod in acknowledgement to Eriol, then continues with her cleaning. She ignores the others, no need for more trouble. She does pause every now and then to clear away a dirty dish, carrying it to the kitchen.

Peydra's eyes skew away from Eriol as he glances her way, returning back to the bowl of berries. At his question, they slide hesitantly upwards again, and she observes: "Yeah. They're great. Want some?" And she slides her bowl a few inches closer to him -- not doing much to close the distance between the two of them, of course.

"Blackberries?" A'dal asks, taking Anki's greeting as an invitation to sit down once he's gleaned himself a mug of tea.

Jyfer finishes her tasks and puts her equipment away, then heads to the dorms to sleep.

Jyfer has left.

Eriol nods cheerfully, nimbly selecting a few of the best left and popping them lightly into his mouth. Lips stained faintly purple from the juice, he tilts his head at the brownrider, then at Anki. "'lo," he offers, then gulps down the remainder of the berries in his mouth. "Rather, hello." A dashing -- or what he considers to be dashing -- smile and a slight bow, and grey eyes fasten upon Anki's face once again. "I don't believe we've met formally. I'm Eriol."

L'lia walks gracefully with a light air to her step in from the entry hall.

Peydra's gaze flicks to Anki when Eriol's gaze is off her, and she rolls her eyes. See?

L'lia nearly bounces in, Mur told her he would be around here. He is spotted as well as the others. "Hello." Mouth corners turned up in a smile as she gets closer, from the look of it she looks rather happy. "I finished giving the measurements to Sill so we can go soon.. We also went over some decoration.. and wood types." She says to Murkat, knowing he will be pleased as well. For the others she doesn't know she gives a little wave, "I'm L'lia... rider of brown Kleith." And to Anki she gives a big smile, "Havn't seen you in a while.."

"Blackberries," Anki affirms before she winks at Peydra, motion miniscule. She cups her hands around her juice and sets to eyeing Eriol, gaze going up, down and all around before she simply nods. "Yes, I know. Steward for Xanadu Weyr, correct? Or assistant, I can't remember. Anki, weaver journeyman. Pleased to meet you." She grins at L'lia. "I've been around the weyr."

Eriol spares a brief glance at Peydra. There's something he's missing, of course, but that's nothing new. "Head Steward, at your service," he replies to Anki, eyes sparkling with amusement. "So, are we going to be so lucky to have you as our new Weaver of the Weyr?"

Murkat gives a wave as his weyrmate bounds in. "You seem excited," he says before she says anything. He puts on a slightly pouty face. "How come I don't get to pick anything out?" Don't let him fool you...he couldn't care less about things like that. Still looking sad, he reaches for a couple of blackberries...ok, so maybe he hasn't had enough. Filling his mouth, he quickly swallows and nods. "Whenever you're ready."

"Hello, L'lia..." A'dal greets the Fort rider, reaching to take a couple of blackberries from the bowl. At Eriol's question, he tilts his head to look at Anki. "Have you been persuaded to, Anki?"

Peydra's cheeks heat slightly as Eriol looks at her, and she looks away quickly, then back up through the corners of her eyes. She selects another blackberry and slides it smoothly into her mouth.

L'lia grins a bit, "Well since you decided to go to the Weyr instead I figured you didn't care..." She knows he isn't serious. She just now spys A'dal... She knows him... Herder... way back when... "Oh Hi!" She pipes up to him... but she must remember the time, she needs to do several things before she an have more relaxation time. "Well I think we should be going... Besides Kleith says he wants to lounge in the lake.."

Anki grins. "Afraid not. Fort's still got my services. They seem fond enough to want to keep me for another term. Still, it all depends on the assignments made, of course." Her shoulders lift in a smooth shrug. It's well known that the Weaver masters make all those assignments high on klah and fatigue anyway.

A'dal grins at L'lia now... he's been recognised and it's an evident relief. Although Anki's answer gets a scowl. "Is Kleith in the lake here, L'lia? Much warmer than Fort's...."

Murkat grins as he stands up, slipping an arm around her. "All I care about is the end product." Shaking his head, he looks at her. "Kleith always wants to lounge in any body of water he can find. I'm telling you, one of these days he's going to end up so waterlogged...." He lets the comment trail off, giving a laugh.

Eriol makes plenty of decisions while on klah and far too many sweetrolls, so he's not one to talk. A moue of disappointment is directed towards the weaver. "That's a pity. It would have been nice to find a pretty woman taking my measurements," he comments, then quickly pops another couple blackberries in his mouth. Gets him into trouble, that mouth. Chew, chew, swallow. "So, Peydra, have you sent that letter yet?"

L'lia chuckles a bit at Murk's comment, and it is very true, if it is cool he will just lay in the sun longer after... After all Lil does all the work for him. She then gives a wave to the other people in the room. "Well I must be going, and drag him along... Nice seeing you again A'dal Anki... Nice meeting the rest of you." Then she is out bringing Mur with her.

L'lia exits the room for the smaller entry hall.

Murkat exits the room for the smaller entry hall.

"Wouldn't -- " Peydra breaks off. She doesn't say it. Oh, Faranth, the temptation looms /so/ strong, but she doesn't say it. Instead, she just looks down at her bowl and replies quietly. "Um... well, no." Her gaze skews sideways up to him, then down again.

Anki smiles happily at L'lia and Murkat. "I'll be back at Fort before you can blink, promise. I have to arrange some things down here, though. Bye!" Her fingers probe in the basket for a blackberry as she eyes Eriol with a Glance o' Doom. "Plenty of pretty women over at the Hall if you'd prefer. I'm sure they wouldn't mind measuring you." A grin to A'dal. "You know, your face might just freeze like that."

A'dal bites his bottom lip, resisting the temptation to stick it out at Anki. "There's plenty of women about," he echoes Anki to Eriol, though with a slightly suggestive tone as he reaches for another berry or two. Though since Eriol's already talking to Peydra...

A'dal was resisting the temptation to stick out his tongue. Sorry.

Perverted bronzer! {Anki}

Eriol snaps his mouth shut abruptly, Anki's glare quickly closing down that line of exploration. At Peydra's rejoinder, he beams at her. "Ah, and here I was hoping you /had/. Or would you prefer to sign your name to it?" He's risking a smack with this one, but that's all the fun -- especially with Peydra.

Peydra's gaze lifts to Eriol here more solidly, a definite overtone of irritation in it. Okay. This isn't working. New tactic. "Oh, only if you came along," she snaps back at him. "I mean, you and T'on? Faranth, you /must/ be the two manliest creatures in the Weyr."

"What letter?" A'dal asks his clutchmate curiously - sure, he might be headed for a smack by asking, but....

Anki's smirk is a work of art, delicate and practised. "You know, from the way you two go at it, one'd think you were longtime weyrmates." Trust the weaver to drop the proverbial bomb.

"Ah, that's better," Eriol observes, grinning cheerily in the face of Doom (also known as Peydra). "I'd begun to think that you really /did/ want to sign your name to it." Anki's bombshell is a dud, when it comes to the steward. He merely grins all the more widely, patting the weaver's hand gently. "Ah, but I'm merely Peydra's irritant, you see. She continually threatens to toss me ::between:: and cut my bowels open... all those nice threats." He definitely is courting some pain.

Jyfer walks from the central hall.

"Only because I know hwo much you'd enjoy it, oh darling puddle of primordial man-sludge," Peydra retorts. Her eyes flicker up to Anki for a minute, half a glower in them. But only half; the brownrider really is in a good mood today.

A'dal seems relieved that Peydra didn't answer him after all - and hopefully didn't even hear him. "Erm. That's...." he mumbles something.

Anki wrinkles her nose at Eriol. "She's quite proficient at those. I'd at least get a new set of clothing, so that you can let the others stain with impugnity." That's Sara's influence for you, striking a deal in the most inappropriate of situations. "A'dal, can you shove those berries this way again, please?"

V'ria walks in from the entry hall.

Jyfer walks in with a basket of clothes in her arms to be folded. She looks around and spots a free table, quickly moving to it and setting the basket down. She glances around and smiles seeing Murkat has gone, then pulls out the first item and starts folding it.

"Berries? Sure." A'dal can do berries. He gives Jyfer a brief nod as he looks around - then realises the berries are in front of him. "Berries. There you go, Anki."

V'ria strides in, her ever-present swagger, well... present. Bright eyes regard the great hall with curiousity before she pauses, hands on her hips, making a show of looking around. Her eyes quickly fall on Jyfer as she enters. "Jyfer!" she purrs, hurrying to her cousin. "How've you been?"

"Oh, the black doesn't show the blood much," Eriol demurs, his smile remaining unchanged as the insult washes over him. "Ah, Peydra-love, one of these days someone's going to wash your mouth out with lye soap, and then where will you be? Couldn't eat these lovely berries after that." And another couple berries are nicked from the quickly-emptying bowl. "Ah, Jyfer." Again, he greets the drudge with a smile.

Jyfer turns from her work, and a grin breaks her face as she sees V'ria. "Vic!," she calls out to her cousin, and waving to the seat across from her "What are you doing here? And get over here, have a seat, I haven't seen you in weeks how are you?" Seems that there is something positive in Jyfe's life right now.

Peydra reclaims her own bowl moodily, and then eyes them speculatively. How much would black show berry-stains? Not well enough to warrant wasting the berries. "Oh, Eriol," she says cheerfully. "They can try. Are you going to try? Oh, please do say yes." She would genuinely love the excuse.

Anki waggles her fingers at V'ria before they're gainfully employed with berry-nicking. "Too bad, too bad. Ah, thanks, A'dal. How's Meath?" A wrinkle of nose at the feuding pair.

Not one to turn down a perfectly good offer, V'ria takes a seat, smiling at her cousin. "Oh, yes. Sevendays and sevendays and sevendays," she exaggerates playfully. "By the way, Nidheith says hello."

Jyfer nods, smiling as she continues her work folding clothes. "Tell him I said hello, and he better be taking care of you." She laughs "So how have you been? What brings you to Xanadu? Nothing wrong with the family is it?...Not that I should care but you know...??"

A'dal pokes his large fingers in the berries again, pulling out a few. "Meath's fine..." There's that brief moment of drift, slow as the movement of continents before he adds to Anki, "He says hello." Dragon greetings being passed around everywhere, it seems. "What're you doing here again?"

Eriol peers at Peydra, genuinely startled. "Because I don't care to be ripped limb from limb. Any other man -- save the cute ones, leave me the cute ones -- who might be insane enough to try is welcome to do so by my leave. I'll just take care of what's left after you're done with him." For once, there isn't a hint of a grin upon his face. "Want the rest of my blackberries, Peydra?"

"If you do, Eriol, I will flay you," Peydra says simply. "I will hang you by your -- " She breaks off abruptly, glancing around the room. Right. Innocent ears. Maybe. "Toenails. And skin you. And make a tunic of you."

V'ria flashes Jyfer a brilliant grin. Oookay, enough with the over-happiness, maybe? "Well, I actually got a letter from my mother! Can you believe it? A letter! Not a long one, but still!" Excited, obviously. "She asked how I was doing, pretty much, but hey, it's something!" Annoyance flashes in her eyes for the briefest moment. "Of course, it was forwarded from Harper Hall..."

Anki licks the juice discreetly off her fingers. "Taking a little break. Do you have /any/ idea how cold it's getting to be up at Fort again?" She's a creature of warm weather and all the little comforts. "I wanted a bit of a vacation before I settled into the drag of knitting gloves and scarves again." Eyebrows arch at Peydra. "Make a rug out of him. It'll last longer and warm your feet better."

Jyfer shakes her head. "At least you got a letter Vic, its progress, I left turns before you did and still have no word except what you tell me, just remember, we are happy away from them, and you have Nid..." Her eyes try to meet her cousins as she folds a pair of trous.

"Ooh. You want me that much?" Eriol asks, perking up slightly as he skates the very thinnest of margins: Peydra's temper. "Ah, at least then I'd be close to you all the time." He's almost trilling the words, but the wary look in his eyes is smart, considering the circumstances. Irritated, ex-guard brownriders are dangerous things, even if they are almost friends.

"Is there enough of him to make a tunic? Or even a rug?" A'dal asks assessingly - apparently completely serious. "I'm sure Anki knows someone who could do it though...." He flashes a brief grin at Anki though. "You're here to be warm again, eh?"

V'ria frowns momentarily before she leans sideways, trying to meet her cousin's eyes. "There's something you're not telling me," she finally declares after a long moment. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, yes, Eriol," Peydra replies, her tone almost violently flat. "I want you. I need you. Take me." She lifts one hand to press against her forehead in a hideously bad acting job of swooning.

Anki shudders. "Are you kidding? I wasn't made for snow. It's delightfully pretty, but not when you have to slosh ankle-deep through it." Caught by professional interest, she peers at Eriol again. "Hm. Perhaps enough for a small footwarmer, if you skin him just right and take care not to tear it." She gives a snort and a rueful glance at A'dal. "He's asking for it, isn't he?" Another snort. "As is she."

Jyfer stops what she is doing to shake her head at V'ria. "There is nothing wrong..." Someone is lying. Her ears pick up the conversation between Eriol and Peydra and she tries not to laugh, Peydra is not the one to mess with. She knows that well.

"I'm not sure who's asking for what..." A'dal replies to Anki thoughtfully. Perhaps the jaw-drop was for the bad acting.

Murkat walks in from the entry hall.

Eriol taps his chin briefly, watching Peydra through half-lidded eyes. A moment passes, and then the Steward comes to a decision, grabbing Peydra and kissing her soundly. He'll definitely pay for it, but it's worth it, no? Grinning down at her, he murmurs, "You asked for it." Now, shall he flee?

V'ria continues to frown. "Don't lie to me, my dear. I'm here, and willing to listen." Her eyes narrow. "What exactly has gone on in the past weeks anyway?"

A'dal bites his bottom lip, shifting in his seat ready to get up... just in case there's a fight.

Murkat strolls in giving a wave to Anki and Peydra and a nod to all the others in the room he doesn't know. Winking to Peydra, "Did you miss me?" Yep, he's back...he always get his way. He raises an eyebrow...maybe this isn't a good time to talk to the brown rider. Instead, "Hello again Anki."

Jyfer looks at the clothes in front of her and sighs softly before meeting her cousin's gaze again. "Well yes some things have happened...." Her jaw drops though as she watches Eriol kiss Peydra, someone is beyond dead.

Peydra uncurls herself from her seat with an almost feline motion, rising smoothly and stepping towards the steward. "Oh, Eriol," she purrs, reaching up to touch his cheek lightly. "I never knew you cared." She bats her eyelashes at him, making the second time in the last six months that she has done that to anyone. "So, I suppose this is the part where we go up to my weyr, right?" Why is this sense of impending doom slowly filling the room?

A'dal shifts in his seat nervously. This isn't good - if even he can sense the undercurrents, it's worse than not good.

V'ria glances over just in time to catch the kiss. "Hmmmm... heh... well, well. Young people, so wild, so naive, so innocent." Let's try, Ha, HA, and /HA!/ to all three. "Wait a sec," she muses, "I'm younger than they are..." She drifts off, a wistful look in her eyes.

Jyfer chuckles at V'ria and shakes her head. "No cous, you don't quite get it...he /kissed/ Peydra." Her eyes light up as she watches Peydra, someone is going to get hurt, and its not her for once.

Hmm. "I think we're going to have Thread in here in another second, Ard," Anki murmers, caught off-guard enough to revert to the old name. Still, eyes glittering with interest, she nudges him in the ribs and grins at Murkat. "Care to place a little bet? Say.. how long it'll take her to demolish him?"

If he weren't holding on to Peydra, Eriol would've hit the floor at that particular moment. As it is, all he manages is a rather stunned fish-like opening and closing of his mouth. Ahem.

"Thread or something.... and I'm not betting on /this/," he answers, low-voiced to Anki. He doesn't /want/ Peydra to hear him this time.

Murkat decides not to get any closer to the impending action. He knows Peydra's reputation well enough to know that there is probably going to be a fight...how does he always manage to find trouble. Moving over to Anki, he grins and shakes his head. "All I know is it won't take long...that's for sure."

Peydra simply blinks at Eriol, innocence -- well, pseudo-innocence embodied. "What?" she queries gaily. "You wouldn't kiss a girl like that if you didn't intend to follow through, would you?" Blinkblink.

V'ria looks at Jyfer carefully. There was some deeper meaning to the action that occured than she saw, obviously. She shrugs. "Hey, I've never been kissed, except for... that one... time..." A sour expression lights her face. "Crazy proddy greenriders. Anyway, I've never /really/ been kissed..." Babbling, V'ria dear. She turns her attention back to the action. At Peydra's next words, she stares, mouth gaping until she snaps it shut, but even then she continues to stare.

Anki tcches. "You're no fun." Settling her elbows firmly on the table, she smirks at the poor pair. Well. They seem to be going on just fine.

"N-no..." Eriol replies, and though his voice is smooth, he still looks vaguely stunned. Blink. Blink. Snap out of it, Eriol. A thought apparently occurs to him, as his eyes light up with a faintly devilish glint. If he's actually managed to charm her -- possible, in his eyes -- he'll take his chances. "Do I get to carry you off like a swooning Holder girl, like in those Harper ballads?" Swooning Peydra. Scary thought.

Jyfer raises her brow at her cousin. "You've never kissed..." Smirk. "Well its quite nice...sometimes." She won't go into more than that with her cousin, and not in usch a public place, you'd think with V'ria in a Weyr now she would...Nah.

"You'll have to follow it through, she's right..." A'dal seems to be on Peydra's side, for some bizarre reason. Maybe just for entertainment. "Don't you agree, Anki? He has to follow through? I mean, if someone kissed /you/ like that...." A'dal's tongue runs away with him, and he blushes.

Murkat slips into a chair next to Anki. He just looks at her. "I'm lots of fun...I just want to leave this room in one piece, and the way to do that is to stay out of anything involving an angry Peydra." He gives her a wink before turning back to the two.

Anki completes the sentence for the poor, blushing Herder. "If someone kissed me like that I'd expect something further too, you're right. Still, you have a point there. You bluffed, Eriol, now she's calling it. I wouldn't renege now, if I were you." Ah, budding romance. What would it be without a peanut gallery?

Peydra eyes Eriol for a moment. "Do you think you /could/?" she queries. "There are an awful lot of stairs between here and there." It might be amusing to see him try, but... "No." Peydra will not be carried. She beams. "I could carry you?"

"That /would/ be entertaining." A'dal seems to be enjoying his role as heckler, now his blush is fading.

V'ria glares sourly at her cousin, almost as though reading her thoughts. "But," she suddenly says in exasperation, "I'd better start such..." Perhaps it's silly in her eyes? Perhaps? Oh, so naive... "Because when a green goes proddy with Nid around, and if Nidheith catches her, I'd be, err, in a /very/ uncomfortable position..." She drifts off. A little too much said, perhaps? Probably.

Jyfer chuckles and grins at V'ria. "Ah cousin but you know you may enjoy it...I know I did, and I didn't even have a dragon." Ok now her cousin just knows waaaay too much about her.

"Carry me? You could, at that," Eriol muses, then starts to chuckle impishly. "Should we give them something to talk about?" Oh no, he's not about to start to sing (thank Faranth!); he's merely going to take his punishment. His face turns slightly more serious, though there's the barest hint of a leer in that tiny, upturned portion of his lips. "Seriously, Peydra, do you /want/ to carry me?"

Anki grins. "Intriguing, certainly. I'd give good marks to see that." She gives a whimsical sigh and reaches for her umpteenth berry, waiting to see the inevitable end of this little drama.

V'ria turns to stare at her cousin in shock. "Umm, ahh, errrr... I..." Speechless for once? "I'll, ahh, err, take your word for it..."

"I don't think they'd want us watching," A'dal points out to Anki, managing to suppress a blush this time.

The brownrider's expression, too, turns serious. "Do /you/, Eriol?" she queries. "Because if you don't, I'd suggest you shut up about the whole thing fairly permanently."

Jyfer laughs at V'ria's reaction. "Ah cousin, you won't have to for long, I trust in Nid's capabalities." Evil evil family members. "So has he shown a lot of interest in greens yet? Or even golds?"

Anki stretches her legs out underneath the table. "Oh, I don't know. They're still here. Besides, who's going to drag me away? You?" A laugh.

Murkat goes home.

A'dal takes another berry... and nearly spits it out again as he catches sight of Peydra's expression. And swallows it hastily then. "Erm.... well, I /could/," he answers to Anki.

V'ria grins wickedly. "Oh, yeah. No female dragon is safe, I think." Her eyes twinkle, then suddenly space out. "Ah, Jyfer," she says after a moment, "I've got to go. Assignment to do. Don't ask, for I don't know. Nidheith just says I have to go. So... later, dear." She stands and hugs her cousin briefly.

Jyfer nods and hugs V'ria, watching her leave. She says in a soft voice "Please come back again...and soon." She gives a wave then sits back to watch the show, clothes in front of her forgotten for the moment.

M'rika has connected.

Anki regards her nails. "Uh huh." Her eyes start to twinkle at Peydra, a silent go-go-girl falling from her lips before she waves to V'ria, seeing her leave from the corner of her eye.

V'ria nods at Jyfer. "I'll be sure to!" She whirls on her heel and strides out, her ever-present swagger, well... present.

V'ria exits the room for the smaller entry hall.

"It depends, Peydra," Eriol replies, grey eyes as serious as they ever get. "Since you're not going to back down, and neither am I, we might as well enjoy it, hmm?" Silence from the peanut gallery, or they'll find the remainder of Eriol's blackberries dumped over their heads. "But I don't think it's necessary to carry me."

M'rika has disconnected.

A'dal nods over to V'ria as she leaves, but most of his attention is torn between today's stage show and the weaver he's sat near.

"Right," Peydra says simply. "Um." Well, something has been lost of her original confrontational fury. "Well. Let's." And that said, she reclaims her half-empty bowl of blackberries and heads for the stairs.

Eriol doesn't even toss a wink over his shoulder to his erstwhile fans as he, too, makes his way to the stairs. Though what Peydra may do with the blackberries is a bit worrying.

Eriol has left.

M'rika has connected.

"/Yes!/" Anki hisses softly, punching the air beneath the table victoriously. The best kind of matchmaker doesn't have to do a thing. She grins. "Oh, I'll bet Eriol's in for an interesting night and a half." A melancholy sigh. "Isn't that just so beautiful, A'dal?"

A'dal'a jaw drops again. "B... beautiful?" he stammers, staring at Anki with eyes wide open. Mostly in shock. "They... erm.... erm...."

Jyfer just tries not to laugh...too loudly. She goes back to folding the clothes, shaking her head. Oh boy will there be some gossip about this great hall tomorrow.

Anki nods solemnly. "They're gone, yes. To her weyr, I would think. Or Eriol's room. Who knows?" She industriously wipes her fingers on the nearest clean cloth, trying to get the purple stains off her fingertips. "Of course it's beautiful. Don't look so shocked, A'dal. After all, they didn't invite you along, now did they?" Cruel, cruel wench.

A'dal decides to shrug. What else can he do, except lick the last of the berry juice from his own fingers. "Beautiful. Alright. If you say so."

Anki wrinkles her nose. "Oh, come on. They've been fighting like canines and felines over this for the past few months and now that they resolve it, you're shocked?" Fingers tickle at his ribs. "Really, Ard. You're such a Holder sometimes," she teases.

A'dal squirms, not exactly fighting Anki off. "I didn't really notice them," he admits sheepishly.

Anki snorts. "You have an innate gift to miss important things right beneath your nose, Rider," she states.

Jyfer works on folding her clothes, eyes scanning the hall. Anki and A'dal theres another pair of them. She shakes her head and keeps to her work, still fighting the laughter.

A'dal squirms a bit further away, and shrugs. "Yeah. Sorry." What else can he say, when Anki's making this kind of accusation.

Anki sighs and pats him on the shoulder. "You don't have to be sorry about it. Innocence is a good trait. Sometimes." Switching to another subject, she motions. "Nice haircut. Who did it for you?"

A'dal runs a self-conscious hand across his short short crop. "Oh. Just a girl I know. She cuts my hair sometimes." Is innocence causing A'dal to go pink again. "It's a bit.... well, short."

Anki nods stoically into her eyes, eyes resolute on staying focused on the tabletop again. "Yeah. So I noticed. I can see the tip of your ears. Very cute, really." She eyes the direction the two disappeared in. "Do you think they liked each other on first sight?"

"They don't act like they do..." A'dal answers, sounding definitely puzzled at the matter, but relieved that Anki's no longer commenting on his hair. Though he does rub one ear nervously. "Why?"

Anki smiles whimsically. "It's so romantic." Anki? Gushing? She /is/ still relatively young. "Oh. No, it's like that in all the books. They fight a lot, but they harbor a secret passion for one another." Were Peydra still here, she'd probably be bashing the weaver's head in by now.

A'dal sounds skeptical. "If you say so, Anki...." He also sounds very uncomfortable. "Do you think they'll be speaking tomorrow?"

Anki shrugs nonchalantly. "Maybe. Probably not. They'll always have this time, though. Perhaps a miracle happens." She stands. "I'm going to get more juice. Want some?"

"Juice.... please?" A'dal seems to be thinking... slowly, of course.

Anki takes her own time about pouring her refill and his juice before she makes herself at home opposite him again. "Look. I don't know why you're nervous, but you don't have to be. Whatever has you shifting like a feline on a hot spot is probably never going to happen soon."

"I know," A'dal answers gloomily, accepting the juice with a glum face.

Anki sinks her fingers into her hair. "Would you cheer up, then? You can relax. No fate worse than death today. That's what you want, isn't it?"

A'dal nods agreement, face brightening. "Any day when a fate worse than death doesn't strike me has to be a good one. How about you?"

"I.." She pauses to down the remaining juice, standing. "...tend not to agree with you. I think I'll be hoofing it back to the Hall. Feel free to visit."

"Oh." A'dal's face falls. "Alright.... I'll see you again, sometime. I suppose."

Anki frowns thoughtfully. "Perhaps you will." Perhaps Anki'll stay away and stop torturing herself. She gives a half-wave and makes her way out to the entry hall, presumably leaving for the Hall.

Anki exits the room for the smaller entry hall.

A'dal sighs softly, and gives up his juice as a bad job. Time to go.

A'dal exits the room for the smaller entry hall.