The World of Pern(tm) is copyright to Anne McCaffrey (c) l967.
The Dragonriders of Pern(r) is a registered copyright.

This is a log of roleplay on PernMUSH, available online by permission of
Anne McCaffrey, author of the Pern novels, and recorded by A.S. Korra'ti
(piper@murkworks.net), player of Mehlani of Telgar Weyr on PernMUSH.
This log may be distributed freely as long as this header remains intact.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Log Date:
	1/23/98

Log Cast:
	Willow, V'dan (NPC), Maylia, Jaeleka, Ro, K'tyn, Pierron (NPC),
Tinya, Mehlani, E'rian (NPC), Kindre, W'kar (NPC), Jayna, Silen,
R'val

Log Intro:
	As if having assorted young lads bestowing presents upon her
isn't enough to unnerve Mehlani, there's been a new development in what
has become the apparent ongoing trend of male attention directed her
way -- someone has commissioned visiting Journeyman Harper Jena to
sing Mehlani a song. And in the meantime, Mehlani has realized that
young Jaeleka, fosterling of Master Ofira, has noticed the attention
'Lani's been getting as of late -- and she doesn't seem to care for it,
which upsets 'Lani deeply, for she has no idea how to soothe Jaeleka's
bruised sentiments. In the meantime, the best solution she's managed
to find is to try to keep to herself as much as possible, but sometimes,
she just has to cross through the living caverns... even if, at the
time, there's a discussion about boys going on, and a proddy green rider
present....

----------
Your location's current time: 17:40 on day 26, month 7, Turn 21, of the
  Tenth Pass. It is a summer afternoon.

Telgar Weyr's Living Cavern(#750RJM$)
This huge cavern is sufficently roomy to hold a large portion of the
  Weyr's population without feeling cramped. There's always a bustle of
  activity here. Fragrant dishes are constantly in prepartion for
  mealtimes: currently for the evening meal. Drudges are always present,
  either cleaning under Pierron's watchful eye, or helping fetch and
  carry. A myriad of glowbaskets and many ever-lit hearths make the
  cavern warm and inviting despite its size. The scents of cooking
  meats, baking breads and pastries, and the pungent aroma of spices
  hang mouthwateringly in the air. It is little wonder that those
  seeking to relax nearly always find their way here to do it. Dark
  summer blooms of vivid hue decorate the tables.
A short tunnel jaunts northward out to the bowl and the merry sounds of
  cooking, chores, and laughter echo from the kitchen at the southeast
  end of the cavern near the easterly passage to the rest of the lower
  caverns. Within the lower caverns is an entrance to the infirmary weyr
  to care for injured dragons and riders.

Willow says "You both seem so certain it's not what I want. I don't 
  know. I've never really got to meet a boy, so I don't know if I will
  not like it. Maybe I'll find a real nice boy, nothing wrong with
  that."

Shuffling in from the bowl, then, comes a rider -- or at least, he must
  be a rider, given that he's wearing a flight jacket and wherhide
  breeches and boots. But his clothes are askew, the laces of his jacket
  mistied so that they don't evenly line up, and his flight goggles are
  dangling backwards off his neck, bumping against his shoulderblades as
  he goes. V'dan, rider of green Chymeth, looks positively crestfallen,
  and as he surveys the lower caverns, apparently failing to espy
  someone present, he sighs woefully and shuffles towards a table.

Maylia hides a slight smirk towards Jae by sipping her klah again. In
  response, she shrugs. "You don't sound like it's what you want. You
  say it's what your mother thinks." She nods, slowly. "Perhaps it is
  what you want. Not a bad life. Food on the table, bearing child after
  child, a husband who..." A bob of her head towards V'dan, "Who comes
  in, dirty and mucky and just wanting food and sleep... I've seen it."

Willow says "Well I don't know what I want. So it's not going to hurt to
  take my mom's suggestion and atleast try to meet a nice boy."

Jaeleka says "It is too! What if you get stuck with rotten littles and
  hate it!"

Chymeth's rider notes Maylia's nod, and turns to nod back at her, only
  to promptly trip across the chair on which he'd been intending to sit.
  He crashes over on top of the chair, reddens, scrambles to set it up
  again, and babbles, "Ah, hello, Maylia, hello... Rierth" -- No, that's
  not right. "Er, uh, Tierth fares well?"

Maylia shrugs, stifling a giggle at Jae. "Nothing wrong with it, I
  s'pose." She peers at V'dan. "Careful of that chair, there... Tierth's
  well, thank you. And Chymeth?"

Willow looks over to see V'den setting up the chair, missing him fall
  over it. She nods at Maylia. "Exactly."

V'dan, it would seem, is terribly clumsy today. He manages to make it
  into the chair nevertheless, and he fixes a hangdog gaze over on
  Maylia, proclaiming, "Oh, she's, ah... well... you know." He pauses a
  beat, and then adds tragically, "Weyrbound!"

Maylia, her attention now on the greenrider, shakes her head, giving him
  a sympathetic look. "Is she faring any better?"

Ro walks here from the Inner Cavern.
Ro has arrived.

Willow says "Why is Chymeth weyr bound?"

Ro gives Maylia a warm smile as she walks into the room.

V'dan blinks guileless dark hazel eyes, fidgeting restlessly with one of
  his jacket laces, and seems to not quite comprehend Maylia's question.
  "Oh, she's alright, I suppose, but she could go up at any time, and
  she's just very cross with me, we argued, you know, about her
  timing..." He blinks again, turning to Willow, and telling her
  miserably, "Oh, she's proddy, and we're weyrbound, and so she left
  without us!"

Willow says "Who is us?"
Willow seems very curious now.

Maylia flashes a grin towards Ro, before returning her solemn attention
  to the cluttered, bedragled V'dan. "Ah!" She says, clueing in. "I was
  afraid she'd been injured and I'd not heard. Proddy?" Despite herself
  she casts a wary glance out towards the bowl. Catching his last
  comment, she frowns. "and which She is that?"

"Oh, Chymeth and me, of course," explains the green rider to Willow, and
  to Maylia, he turns a gaze that turns absolutely liquid. He heaves a
  sigh, releases it, and breathes, "_Kassima_."

Jaeleka audibly gags.

K'tyn walks in from the bowl.
K'tyn has arrived.

Pierron waves his arms expansively, driving the cavern's girls before
  him like a flock of avians, as he orders them to straighten up for the
  weyrleader.

Maylia is curious, but also concerned. And confused. And any other C
  word that would apply. She blinks, leaning back and casting a dubious
  look on V'dan. "Kassi? Well, yes." With the air of someone asking a
  question they really don't wish the answer to, she asks: "And this
  upsets you?"

K'tyn offers salutes to those to salute first, and waves to everyone
  else. "Heya."

Ro smiles at the weyrleader "Evenin', sir.

V'dan nodnodnods to Maylia, making unruly chestnut strands falling
  across his brow bounce up and down with the force of his head-bobs.
  "Oh, I'll manage, she was quite right to take the others to the
  Festival, but--SIR!" Chymeth's rider promptly startles at K'tyn's
  voice, jerking in his chair, and trying to toss off a salute at the
  same time. He manages to knock his chair over in the process.

Maylia is so stunned, that it takes a moment before she processes the
  idea of Pierron shooing the cavern's girls. That means... "Evening,
  sir!" She calls out, with a snappy salute.
Maylia tries her best not to chuckle at V'dan. Really.

K'tyn blinks at V'dan, grinning. "Take it easy, lad..." He looks at the
  person nearest him--it happens to be Ro. "Is the klah strong today?"

Ro says softly "I can' tell you for certain, because I haven' had any
  since the time with Flirk's Klah, but from what the others have said
  it's a little stronger than average today."

Never mind that the Weyrleader is only about three Turns his senior;
  V'dan is certainly doing an excellent impersonation of a gawky
  teenager. The young green rider glances sheepishly about, sets his
  chair upright again, and creeps back into it.

K'tyn nods at Ro sagaciously before proceeding to find said 'strong'
  klah. "I hope so. Twoud be nice to have a decent mug of klag for a
  change," he mutters, then waves tiredly at everyone. "Pay no mind to
  me, please. I did not mean to halt the conversation."

"Thank you, sir!" V'dan gushes at Prometh's rider. "I was just telling
  Maylia, how I'll certainly manage with Kassima gone to the Festival,
  but I shall certainly be counting the days until she returns..." He
  heaves another sigh, his expression turning positively dreamy.

Maylia tries to catch K'tyn's eye, nodding gravely in V'dan's direction.
  The look she gives the other greenrider is one that's been interpreted
  since time immortal as 'LOONEY' but she mouths the word, "Proddy".

Jaelekahaving reached her mooning quotient for one day gets up and heads
  off. Shaking her head sadly..
Jaeleka walks towards the inner cavern.
Jaeleka has left.

K'tyn blinks. Just blinks at V'dan. "Ah. I see," he says quietly. "I am
  sure she will be happy to return, too." The gestalt of what is
  happening rings clear as Maylia silently informs him of V'dan's
  condition. He swallows a laugh with a large sip of klah.

Tinya walks in from the bowl.
Tinya has arrived.

Willow seems abit lost in the conversation. She stands from her chair
  with a shrug, heading on her way.

Maylia hides her chuckle behind her own klah mug, eyes squinting in an
  attempt to stop the giggles. V'dan, at the best of times, is somewhat
  entertaining, but this?

Tinya waves as she walks in, nodding to folks, calling, "Evening!" K'tyn
  gets a reasonably crisp salute as she passes him, on her way to the
  food table.

Willow walks off towards the kitchen.
Willow has left.
From the kitchen, Willow enters the kitchen from the living cavern.

Chymeth's rider nodnodnods enthusiastically to K'tyn. "Of _course_ she
  will! She told me so herself, just as she was taking off, and my only
  regret... my deep, abiding regret... is that Lysseth is _green_... not
  that she's not perfect as she is! She's Kassima's dragon, of course,
  so she is flawless..."

K'tyn nods, quietly amused by V'dan's gushing if the turned up corners
  of his mouth are any indication. "Ah ha. Of course."

Mehlani comes hastening in from outside, then, dripping wet, water
  running off the brim of her hat; 'Lani's holding the hat itself by
  both her hands.

Maylia nods a greeting to Tinya, and then Mehlani, hardly taking her
  eyes from V'dan.

K'tyn smiles warmly at Mehlani as he sips his klah. "Heya, little one,"
  he says to her as she passes, though he notes her careful handling of
  her hat. "You are well?"

V'dan, apparently delighted to have gotten an audience for the current
  preoccupation of his mind, beams at K'tyn and Maylia. "The thought of
  her return is my solace," he rhapsodizes, "while Chymeth and I must
  stay weyrbound. Chymeth can argue with Milleniuth all she likes...
  she's very cross with me, you know... but >I< will ponder...
  _Kassima_." And he heaves another enormous, lovestruck sigh.

Mehlani bobbobs her head to K'tyn, as she pauses near the entryway,
  tilting her hat to shake the water off it.

K'tyn lifts the mug to his lips, turning away just in time to hide a
  very BIG smile at V'dan's latest rapture. To Maylia, he mutters, "Has
  he been doing this all day?"

Tinya comes over to the tables with a plate of food and sits down to
  eat, then pauses abruptly in mid-bite as she finally picks up on what
  V'dan is going on about. She begins to laugh, then starts coughing and
  has to lunge for a mug of klah to clear her throat.

Maylia manages her best, and most convincing, sympathetic and
  understanding nod V'danwards, before hiding her snickers in a sip at
  her klah mug. The mug might be empty, but it serves its purpose well.
  She discreetly shakes her head at K'tyn, shrugging as she lowers her
  mug, back under controll. "He's just been in here a short time before
  you came in." is her quiet answer.

Ro stifles a giggle behind her hand.

V'dan seems blissfully unaware of Maylia's and K'tyn's exchanges, as he
  gets a little distant-eyed -- well, okay, a little _more_ distant-eyed
  -- while muttering into the air, "I am _not_ being silly, Chymeth,
  they _asked_...!" To Tinya and Mehlani both, he waves a bony hand,
  adding, "Hello! Tinya, please don't mind Chymeth, she's just being
  grumpy because Millenuith won't share that brown with her."

As though one proddy greenrider per Living Cavern weren't enough, the
  rider of the aforementioned Milleniuth--one E'rian, by name--sashays
  in with a roguish smile that could probably make the most hard-hearted
  LCG swoon. Said smile is barely visible over the huge bouquet of
  exotic flowers he carries in one hand, to say nothing of the wrapped
  parcel in the other. "My lady!" he cries upon espying Mehlani, his
  hazel eyes brightening and turning downright limpid. Sorta like
  V'dan's, really. "Dearest lady who provides the only light to fall
  upon my shadowed existance, at last I have found you!" Uh-oh.

K'tyn nods his head in an exaggerated affirmation. "Ah. I see," he says
  dryly, then beams at Tinya, trying not to cough his klah all over his
  shirt. "Tinya. You look well."

Maylia shakes from head to toe with suppressed giggles, and quickly
  rises to replenish her klah. A handy excuse, as she starts to softly
  chuckle on her way. Returning, with the giggles just barely under
  control, she resumes her seat. And sits back to watch.

Water shaken off her hat, Mehlani, noticing Ro, starts to traverse the
  cavern to greet the younger girl, glancing at V'dan as she goes -- the
  word 'Milleniuth' pinging her attention. However, the ecstatic voice
  of E'rian behind her is an even louder ping on her attention, and the
  girl immediately freezes. Then, slowly, she peers over her shoulder.

V'dan blinks, and then beams at E'rian upon the younger rider's entry,
  startled and then delighted. "That's Kassima's cousin," he remarks to
  Maylia, when she comes back. Which means, of course, that E'rian is
  therefore Perfect.

Tinya manages to get over her coughing fit in time to hear V'dan's
  comment to his dragon, so his greeting to her gets a slight smirk and
  the reply, "Oh, we don't mind her. She's a clever thing, isn't she?
  Liath likes her." She smiles back at K'tyn and says, "Thanks. I _am_
  well, these days." Indeed, she looks happier and more relaxed than she
  has in ages. "How are you?" she inquires.

Kindre walks in from the bowl.
Kindre has arrived.

Pierron nods thoughtfully as he eyes the junior Queenrider.

Ro says gravely to Mehlani "I believe there's someone here to see you."

Off in a corner, W'kar, now full rider of blue Murth, and untactful as
  ever, breaks into loud guffaws. With a poke to his buddy, he draws his
  friends attention to the scene.

With a quick nod to the Weyrleader in lieu of a salute, since his hands
  are full, E'rian crosses quickly over to Mehlani and falls to one knee
  at her feet. "Fairest of the fair," he breathes, eyes gazing raptly up
  at her in the sort of way that makes one wonder whether anyone's home
  inside his skull, "please pardon the intrusion of my presence upon
  your gracious self, but I had a most pressing desire to lessen the
  unworthiness of my soul by bringing you gifts--yea, the very tokens of
  my esteem...!" He holds both the flowers and parcel out to her,
  shining eyes at once mesmerized and entreating.

Maylia raises her eyebrows and nods to V'dan, as though with thanks for
  having enlightened her. After all, she was only in his weyrling class,
  she'd have no clue who he is. Really. Snicker.

Kindre regards Pierron as she usually does once on the receiving end of
  his looks. A slightly suffered sigh escapes her lips before she moves
  to procure herself a glass of wine. Catching the flickering bits of
  laugher seems to tug at the corners of her mouth. Smiling, she offers,
  "Good eve all, Weyrleader," before sidling up to the latter. "How was
  your day? Prometh is well from what Herath felt the need to tell me."
  E'rian's near-proposal causes her to giggle.

Someone to see her, indeed! Uh oh. Mehlani, flabbergasted, forgets that
  it's bad manners to gape; she gapes at E'rian, the gape growing more
  pronounced as she marks first the flowers, then the parcel, and _then_
  the young rider's kneeling. "Uh... thank you?" she squeaks.

K'tyn returns E'rian's salute, a bemused expression on his face that
  sharpens as Kindre comes in. He beams at the goldrider, dropping his
  mug to the table and moving to her side with an interest and rapidity
  that may surprise some.

V'dan, watching E'rian, stares in wonder and awe, and then babbles out,
  "A hide! I need a hide!" He grabs Maylia's shoulder, and blurts at
  her, "Do you have a hide? And a pen? I need a pen, too!"

"That is simply too sweet," Kindre remarks quietly to K'tyn while
  pulling her eyes from the younger pair to stare up at the Weyrleader,
  "Don't you think?"

Tinya stares at E'rian's little performance with frank amusement, then
  glances around at Kindre's greeting. She waves, calling, "Evening,
  Kindre!" then turns back to tonight's episode of Greenriders On
  Parade.

Maylia finds her attention quickly pulle from the Weyrleader's interest
  in Kindre, to V'dan. Forcibly pulled. "A hide? A pen?" Looking at him
  like he's lost his mind, she produces a wrinkled message hide, well
  scraped, and a charcoal stick.

E'rian is by far too enthralled by the auburn-haired Presence that he so
  adores to notice pithy things like V'dan's glowing description of him.
  He heaves a blissful sigh at 'Lani's thanks, delight enscripted on his
  every feature. "Oh, thank me not, dearest one! Thank me not! It is the
  least one such as I can do--a humble offering, and not one, alas, that
  so much as approaches being worthy of your beauty. However, there is
  one thing more I have to offer you...."
E'rian hastens to add, "Apart from my undying devotion, of course."

Ro looks from V'dan to E'rian and carefully fades into a dark corner.

Kindre turns at the sound of her name and smiles wide in the bluerider's
  direction. "Tinya! How fares with you? Liath is well, I hope," she
  remarks before E'rian's silver-painted words reverberate back to her.
  "I think mayhaps he's been hanging around Jh'rin a bit too much..."

K'tyn ducks his head to pass his lips in what should be the barest touch
  of a kiss to Kindre's own lips. "Indeed. It reminds me that I have
  been remiss in my attentions to you, sweet one." He winks at the
  goldrider, then looks with some concern at the rapturous E'rian and
  shy Mehlani.

Chymeth's rider lights up as Maylia passes him the hide and charcoal. He
  promptly huddles over in his chair, scribbling frantic notes, breaking
  off chips of the stick in his haste.

And Mehlani, her eyes round as saucers, with flowers and parcel thrust
  into her hands, stares down at E'rian and blurts, "But... this is...
  quite marvelous enough, E'rian.... truly...."

Kindre's eyes shut for the briefest moments when K'tyn kisses her.
  Smiling a bit more broadly after it's through, she grins. "That is
  truly all the attention on need, dearheart. Though a few less evenings
  alone certainly would plaster a smile to my face for a sevenday or
  three." Reluctantly her attentions focus back on the younger couple
  and the insistant V'dan. "I wonder what he's up to...then again," she
  shakes her head, "I also half don't even want to know..."

"*Nothing* could be marvelous enough for you, sweet Mehlani," E'rian
  avows with every evidence of sincerity. It's funny what proddiness can
  do to a mind. "You are the epitome of beauty, wisdom, and grace, and
  little on this world could be worth the notice of you--certainly not
  I. But perhaps I may, for a moment, elevate myself in your sight--for
  I have," he explains, clasping his hands over his heart and staring up
  at her with awe, "written you... a song. Would you consider spending a
  moment of your immeasurably precious time listening to it, light of my
  life?"

Tinya turns her head to reply to the goldrider, and discovers that her
  attention is otherwise occupied. She smiles at the pair, murmuring,
  "Something _else_ is new," and then when Kindre's attention returns to
  the rest of the room, says, "Liath's fine and I'm even better," with a
  grin as she adds, "Looks like you're doing well too."

"Dearest... lady... who," V'dan mumbles as he frenetically scribbles,
  nibbling at his lower lip and looking back and forth between his hide
  and the action of Kassima's Perfect Cousin. "... casts... light...
  shadowed... existence..."

Maylia finds herself torn, between watching the scene unfolding between
  the shy, reclusive girl and a proddy greenrider fascinated with her,
  and trying to read whateverit is that V'dan so urgently -must- write.

"I am, I truly am," Kindre affirms to Tinya with a nod and smile. "I'm
  glad Liath is well. Richenda mentioned how well he had done and such.
  Heading to the Reaches sometime this eve for the festivities?"

Mehlani started blushing at E'rian's original greeting; now, she's
  turned a vivid rose, and she stares down with thunderstruck eyes at
  the green rider kneeling at her feet. The only reply she can manage is
  a breathless, "_Song_?!"

K'tyn grins at Kindre, muttering to her as he watches Mehlani. "I...."
  He blinks at V'dan,half overhearing the greenrider-- He cannot hide
  the laugh that escapes him this time, for it fairly bursts from him
  with a spluttering explosion that he tries, in vain, to control.

It would seem that V'dan is desperately trying to write down every word
  E'rian gushes forth. He's not exactly hiding this, and thus, Maylia
  can easily get a glimpse of his scribblings -- as well as the fact
  that half his words aren't very legible, no doubt to the breathless
  speed at which he's trying to scribe them out across the hide. His
  fingers are managing to smear half his letters as he goes, as well.

E'rian nods vigorously, without once taking his eyes from the vivid
  pools of blue (set oh-so-becomingly in her rose-tinted face!) that are
  Mehlani's eyes. His own are growing increasingly liquid and
  entreating. Rather like those, it might be said, of a newborn canine
  pup. "I have not the songwriting talents of my Harper father, joy of
  my heart, but... what humble gifts I possess, I can only dedicate to
  you in the hope and dream that you might choose to brighten my spirit
  with your shining regard for so much as a minute more." Are those
  *tears* brimming in his eyes? If so, from his expression, they could
  only be tears of joy at the very thought.

Tinya nods to the goldrider. "When R'val gets back from sweeps," she
  says. "I promised to wait for him."

Kindre's head tilts slightly at Tinya. "You did? But I thought you
  two...well, weren't..." Widened eyes and a shrug seem to be the finish
  to her curious inquiry.

Maylia resists correcting a spelling error on the hide, as well, too, as
  it gets promptly smudged anyways. She just finally gives up reading,
  as it's much more fun to watch.

K'tyn turns to Tinya, trying to converse--or at least listen to Kindre
  and Tinya's sane conversation--when a mad light starts to gleam in his
  eye. "Kindre--have I told you how lovely you are, lately? That you
  shine more brightly in my eyes than the sun on the sea at midday?" A
  grin splits his face, and copying E'rian, he sinks to one knee. "I
  should be forever grateful if you might--you might bestow upon this
  poor man," K'tyn places both hands on his heart as he gazes upward,
  trying to keep a straight face. "A token of your esteem."

A _song_? A _SONG_?! V'dan, transported with stirring romantic
  sentiment, cries out rapturously, "Of course!" He keeps scribbling,
  then calls out to E'rian, "Thank you! Thank you! Please, sing--oh,
  shards, a hide, I need another hide!" He frantically flips the one
  he's using over, scribbling out notes at breakneck speed.

The sight of E'rian's gaze seems to captivate Mehlani. "I," she begins.
  She is blushing furiously now, and it takes her a moment to manage to
  continue, "Um... I will listen... of course..."

Maylia's attention flashes from the young couple to K'tyn and Kindre.
  She mutters under her breath, "Faranth... who next?" Never mind that
  it was just a few sevendays ago that a similarily mushy scene took
  place with her involved.

"You *will*?" E'rian breathes, his face lighting up so much that you
  could swear he were gazing at the sun at midday rather than the
  furiously blushing face of his beloved. "Oh! Oh, most lovely of all
  maidens, I shall not let you down!" With that, he takes a deep breath
  and closes his eyes in preparation to sing.

Tinya grins, the happy light in her eyes making clear just how much the
  situation has changed. "We weren't, but now we are," she says simply.

Maylia shrugs at V'dan, having given him her message hide already. As a
  last resort, she tugs on the sleeve of his riding jacket. "Use this?"
  she suggests.

E'rian opens his eyes to stare into Mehlani's as he begins to sing, his
  baritone voice throbbing poignantly on every sweet note, "What was it
  when I looked at you? What power has chained me through and through?
  And bound my heart with links so tight, I cannot live without the
  sight of you...?"

Entirely oblivious to the Weyrleader and Kindre, who are, after all,
  unconnected with Kassima past the fact that they fly for the same Weyr
  which is hallowed by her Shining Presence, V'dan stares with anxious
  urgency at E'rian, trying to memorize his position, his tone of voice,
  and the number and kinds of flowers he has brought to Mehlani. He even
  starts practicing the younger rider's expression, but mostly manages
  to get his lower lip quivering a little before Maylia distracts him.
  "THANK YOU!" he crows, right between E'rian's first and second lines,
  and he promptly begins to scribble on his own sleeve.

K'tyn looks at Kindre, humor lighting his eyes. "I have a song, as
  well," he says earnestly, straining to keep his face straight. "Tis
  not one I made up, but... and old one my Da used to sing."

Milleniuth's young rider continues, blissfully unaware of any stares he
  may be getting from the audience he's been unaware of ever since he
  first spotted Mehlani, "What nameless thing has captured me, and made
  me powerless to flee? What thing is it without a name, that brings my
  mind back e'er the same to thee?"

As E'rian begins to sing, Mehlani's wide eyes settle down a little, more
  towards their normal size... but she looks no less wonderstruck, as
  she stands there with her lips slightly parted, her face softly
  flushed. She had absolutely _no_ idea he could sing, and she's staring
  at E'rian as if seeing him for the first time.

Taking in a deep breath, E'rian raises his hands up in a gesture of
  seeming supplication to Mehlani as he finishes almost breathlessly,
  "The name of Love cannot apply; its commonness does not descry that
  haunted, hunted painful cry that my soul makes for you. That e'er," he
  sighs rather than sings that word, "my soul eternal makes for you."
  The last note is held for a moment, before the proddy one lets his
  voice fade into a hopeful, waiting silence.

Maylia surreptitiously moves her own riding jacket from V'dan's reach.
  And eyes the charcoal stick, wondering how long it will last at the
  rate that he's chipping it.

K'tyn gives up on his parody, returning to a standing position and
  watching E'rian sing. Smirking only slightly, he snitches a bit of
  hide from V'dan, scribbling his own song on it with a warm grin before
  tucking it into the retreating Kindre's hand.

Mehlani just.... stares. And, staring, she abruptly takes an involuntary
  step backwards, her legs actually wobbling beneath her.

V'dan, indeed, is making chips of charcoal fly in all directions. As he
  finally gets down to the remaining stub, he shouts out, "A SONG! A
  SONG! She must have a song!" He leaps to his feet, knocking over his
  chair again, and he bolts out of the cavern hollering, "Chymeth!
  Chymeth! You have to help me write--" And with that, V'dan is gone.

K'tyn sniffs, thoughtfully, watching Kindre leave. "Hm. Pardon me,
  everyone, I believe I need to...." he looks about the table. "Ah, go
  make a delivery."
K'tyn walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.
K'tyn has left.

Breathless, his life suspended, E'rian stares up at Mehlani with his
  heart showing clearly in his eyes. "Did you... like it?" he asks.
  Plainly, whether or not his life will continue to be worth living
  hinges upon her approval. He doesn't even notice V'dan's cries, which
  takes *real* preoccupation.

K'tyn and Kindre's abrupt departure is entirely lost upon Mehlani, who
  is still staring at E'rian in apparent utter fascination, trying to
  fathom what in the world has happened to him. "I," is her first
  intelligent reply, the word barely audible. "I mean... you... sing...
  very well...!"

Jayna walks here from the Inner Cavern.
Jayna has arrived.
Carrying a flimsy bit of scarlet cloth--perhaps a scarf--Jayna smiles
  broadly. She nods respectfully to the riders and Pierron and moves
  toward the klah pot.

Still clinging to the flowers and the parcel E'rian has bestowed upon
  her, Mehlani manages to keep standing, despite the force of the limpid
  hazel gaze he's entreatingly fixed upon her. And, still staring down
  at the kneeling green rider, she is, accordingly, entirely oblivious
  to Jayna's entry.

Oh, joy! Oh, rapture! Oh, rapturous, all-consuming joy! E'rian's eyes
  kindle with a hope and love that make them shine like twin hazel
  stars. "Such words from your lips could almost make me believe myself
  less humble than the dirt for a moment, resplendant lady... but no
  ground that bears your footfalls could be anything less than hallowed
  and sacred. If the song pleased you, I believe I shall weep for sheer
  delight."

Jayna stares with an 'oh' at Mehlani and the flowers and all. Then,
  remembering her manners, she grabs a cup with awkward quickness and
  fills it with klah.

_Cry?!_ "Y... you don't have to do that," Mehlani babbles out.

"But what else would you have me do, heart's own?" E'rian asks
  guilelessly, rising to his feet. "How else could I properly show my
  appreciation for the joy that one moment in your presence brings me?"

Jayna takes her klah and her scarf and backs up. . . slowly. . . 
  slowly. . . to a table far, far away from the exuberantly proddy
  rider. She sips her klah quietly.

Tinya, while obviously greatly absorbed in and amused by watching the
  young couple, isn't so oblivious as to fail to notice Jayna's
  entrance. She waves over at her, smiling.

_She_ has to decide this? Well, if he insists... Mehlani valiantly gasps
  out, "You've... shown... your appreciation v-very nicely, I'm
  touched... truly... thank you...!" Perhaps if the thought crossed her
  mind, she, like Jayna, would be fleeing, but something keeps Mehlani
  rooted to the spot in which she stands. As E'rian gets up, she follows
  him with her awestruck eyes, apparently unable to look anywhere
  besides E'rian's lean young features.

Jayna sees Tinya's wave and grins back. Silently gesturing toward the
  lovers, she mimes being totally absorbed in her sewing and klah-
  drinking.

From the kitchen, Willow walks into the Living Cavern.
Willow walks in from the kitchen.
Willow has arrived.

E'rian opens his mouth to reply, then falls silent as an imperious
  rumble is heard from outside. "My other lady calls, fair one. I would
  be loathe to leave you--save that doing so will bring me all that much
  closer to the rush of pleasure that accompanies each fresh sight of
  you." Before he turns to go, though, the greenrider takes a step
  forward... and gives Mehlani an impetuous, if rather long-lasting--
  provided that she doesn't jerk away, of course--kiss. The sort of
  smooch that would be accompanied by poignant romantic music, were this
  a movie. "Farewell!" he whispers once the kiss is broken, and whirls
  on his heel to dart out to where his green awaits him.

Willow walks into thecavern, and blinks abit as she watches E'rian kiss
  Mehlani.

Jayna smiles at the girl in the brown dress. "Heya, there," she says,
  looking up from her mug of klah and her gather scarf, which she's
  spread out on the table and is examining.

Seized, kissed, Mehlani has absolutely no time to think of anything.
  Before she can even so much as formulate a thought, she is wobbling
  where she stands... and as E'rian turns to stride off to attend to his
  dragon, the girl promptly collapses, sitting down hard right there on
  the floor, flowers in one hand, parcel in the other.

Tinya waves a hand at Willow, then giggles as E'rian makes his grand
  exit. Mehlani's collapse, however, gets a look of _slight_ concern,
  and a, "Hey, are you all right?"

Willow gives a smile to Jayna, as she walks over to Mehlani. "You okay?"
Willow looks at you for a moment.

Mehlani sits there, clearly stunned, just as clearly hyperventilating.
  She stares in the direction E'rian has vanished, until Willow's
  presence registers upon her. She looks startledly up to breathlessly
  and blankly squeak, "What?"

Jayna grabs a cup and fills it with cold water. She takes it to
  Mehlani's table.

Willow says "Your very much liked by the boys so I'm told."

Ro breaks out in yet another fit of giggles from her place in a shadowy
  corner.

Jayna drops to the seat next to Mehlani and puts her arm around the
  girl. The hyperventilating's not good. "Shhh. Hush, Mehlani. Take a
  deep breath. Here, drink this." She soothingly offers the cup of
  water.

Apparently totally failing to comprehend Willow's observation, Mehlani
  breathes rapidly in and out, her features flushed crimson, her gaze
  full of shock. "He..." Pant. "He... " Pant. "He..." Still sitting
  right there on the floor, the lass then blinketyblinks at Maylia and
  drops the parcel, fumbling for the cup; once she has it, she starts
  gulping down water.

Jayna looks clinically at Mehlani. "Your color's not so good, Mehlani."
  She fans the girl.

Maylia smiles somewhat lopsidedly, trying to keep from giggling. Second
  mug of klah finished, she watches Mehlani with a touch of concern.
  "Are you all right?" She asks.

Jayna looks around. "Ro, or. . .uh. . . I'm sorry, I don't know your
  name. . . will one of you get another cup of cold water for Mehlani?"

"He KISSED me!" Mehlani squeals.

Willow moves over to get a glass of water for Mehlani
Willow pours a glass of water and returns over to Mehlani, handing it
  down to her.

Silen walks here from the Inner Cavern.
Silen has arrived.

Jayna tries not to laugh at Mehlani's squeal. "How'd it feel?" she asks,
  kindly.

Silen walks out, humming a tune under his breath.

Tinya smirks a bit, looking at the girl on the floor. "Men. They _will_
  do things like that," she drawls, dryly.

Maylia restrains a grin, nodding as reassuringly as she can towards
  Mehlani. "That he did," she observes.

Willow says "Is there something wrong with him kissing you?" She
  questions. Watching Mehlani curiously."

Silen walks over to the group, making a bit of a face at the word
  'kissing'. He smiles at Mehlani, though, and waves to the rest.

Jayna looks at Mehlani, there on the floor. "Ready to try to sit up
  here?"
Jayna notices Silen. "Oh, Silen, didn't see you over there," she smiles.

Ro listens intently, cautiously venturing from the shadows "What was it
  like, 'lani?"

The second mug of water is gulped down in the wake of the first, and
  Mehlani, E'rian's bouquet still clutched in her left hand, reddens yet
  again at Jayna's inquiry. How'd it _FEEL?!_ She doesn't answer that;
  if her expression is any indication, however, not to mention the fact
  that she collapsed, the kiss clearly ranks on the same caliber as the
  vivid blooms and the green rider's clarion baritone singing. She
  _does_ bob her head to Jayna at her second question, though.

Jayna offers her hand, with a grin.

Silen blinks, visibly realizing Mehlani isn't lying on the floor because
  it's fun. He dashes to her side. "Are you all right?"

Jayna laughs. "You'd better get up here, Mehlani. You're starting to
  scare people." She offers her hand again, for Mehlani to use to pull
  herself up if she wishes.

R'val has arrived.
R'val enters from the Bowl.
R'val wanders into the cavern and waves amiably to the people inside. He
  spots Tinya, and heads towards her.

"He kissed me," Mehlani blurts, more softly now, The lass looks faint,
  still. Then, as she fumbles at Jayna's hand and shakily rises, she
  begins to realize that there is a ring of mildly concerned faces
  around her, and she blushes yet again. "I.... I... I think I should
  lie down now..."

Jayna smiles at R'val from her bench near Mehlani, who's just rising
  from the floor.

Silen oh's quietly, and backs away to give Mehlani some room to stand.

Jayna tilts her head at the shakey girl. "Shall I walk with you to the
  dormitories, to make sure you get there alright? Or would you like to
  lie down right here, on a bench?"

Tinya smiles as R'val comes in, waving and calling, "Heyla!" to him,
  patting the seat beside hers for him to set down.

"I want to go to my cot, please," Mehlani mumbles, her voice and eyes
  dazed. _He kissed me. He KISSED me. HE kissed me. He kissed ME?!_

Willow moves over to a bench, sitting down. Watching Mehlani still.

R'val sits at Tinya's side, gladly accepting her invitation, and kisses
  her cheek.

Silen grins, though he does out of kindness try to hide it from poor
  Mehlani.

Jayna puts her arm around the glassy-eyed girl and winks at Tinya,
  R'val, and the others. "Can you walk, do you think, Mehlani? Or shall
  we draft some help, carrying you?"

Mehlani looks down, realizing E'rian's other gift is still at her feet.
  Slowly, mechnically, she crouches down to pick it up, and upon rising
  again, she informs Jayna, "I can walk... thank you..." Still looking
  rather as if someone had clobbered her with a rock rather than kissed
  her, the girl promptly wanders off.

[End log.]