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:
	3/2/98

Log Cast:
	(People) Erdrick, Kailia, Mehlani, Ursa, Ceria, Ofira, Tinya,
Richenda, Kassima, E'rian (NPC), Asrai, K'nan, Peyra, Maylia, Emlyn, Xin

	(Firelizards) Buttons, Darin, Karin, Twink, Etheria

Log Intro:
	It's rather amazing what having one proddy firelizard can do to
a person -- even someone as generally shy and reclusive as Mehlani. She's
spent most of her life watching the effects of her father's greens upon him,
but watching it happen to her sire is as she discovers not at all the
same thing as having it happen to her.
	The bizarre thing is... Mehlani can't say she _minds_....

----------
Your location's current time: 15:00 on day 6, month 1, Turn 22, of the Tenth 
  Pass. It is a winter afternoon.

You walk through the large entrance to the Living Cavern.
Telgar Weyr's Living Cavern(#750RJ$)
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. 
  Branches of evergreens and glistening winter berries are ornaments of the 
  season.
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.
Contents:
Erdrick
Pierron
Kailia
Obvious exits:
Lower Caverns  Kitchen  Bowl  

Erdrick nods at Mehlani, "Hello."

Kailia waves to Mehlani!

Mehlani wanders out into the living cavern, blinks a few times as she is 
  hailed, and slowly turns her gaze in the direction of the other young 
  people. She then bobs her head, equally slowly, at Erdrick and Kailia, and 
  continues her wander, heading more or less for the klah pot.

Erdrick looks at you for a moment.

Kailia looks at you for a moment.

Mehlani(#4177POace)
This young girl stands at about 5'4" in height, and is perhaps about 15 Turns 
  old. Her build is delicate, with budding teenaged curves; her skin, pale, 
  speaking of unfamiliarity with Pern's sunnier climes. Long auburn hair, 
  uncharacteristically unbound, wreathes her head and spills down to the 
  middle of her back in thick, loose curls, and she is frequently pushing 
  rogue strands back out of her face. Seldom does this lass speak; when she 
  does, her voice is soft and sweetly toned. She seems seized by the urge to 
  daydream, her attention seeming to drift at random, her huge blue eyes 
  liquid and dreamy.
She is currently clad in a white blouse with a delicate lace-fringed neckline, 
  and similarly lace-trimmed cuffs gracing her wrists; the blouse is tucked 
  into a full, layered skirt of Harper blue that hangs flatteringly down to 
  her ankles and swishes about her slender legs when she moves. On her feet 
  she's sporting a scuffed but still pretty pair of cloud-grey suede boots, 
  and at her throat glints a silver chain from which dangles a translucent 
  opal.

'Lani, with deliberate care, pours herself up a mug of klah, blue gaze 
  lingering on the level of the liquid in her mug until she has, or so it 
  would seem, enough. Then, klah in hand, she chooses a seat apparently at 
  random, sinking quietly into it, and gazing out towards the Bowl as she sips 
  daintily at her hot drink.

Kailia grins, "You awake yet, Lani?"

"Oh yes," Mehlani gravely replies, not shifting her gaze.

Erdrick yawning slightly himself, he stands up, taking his empty mug and the 
  empty bowl and heads for the kitchen.
Erdrick walks off towards the kitchen.
Erdrick has left.
From the kitchen, Erdrick enters the kitchen from the living cavern.
From the kitchen, Erdrick leaves the bowl and mug there and walks back to the 
  living cavern.
From the kitchen, Erdrick walks into the Living Cavern.
Erdrick walks in from the kitchen.
Erdrick has arrived.
Erdrick walks over to the table where Buttons and Darin are and gently picks 
  them up, trying not to wake Karin up while doing it.

Ursa walks in from the bowl.
Ursa has arrived.
Ursa strolls in, looking mostly like her mind is elsewhere. She bobs her head 
  absently, saying, "'afternoon," in a most general way. She peers at 
  Erdrick--wasn't he the figure standing in the steam last night in the hot 
  springs? "Afternoon, Erwin," she says to him.

Erdrick nods at Mehlani, Kailia, and Ursa, "Much as I'd like to stay and talk 
  with ye I'd best go oil these three before they out grow thier hides 
  altogether."

Mehlani, whose blue regard is pointed towards the Bowl, register's Ursa's 
  entry after a moment or two. The girl bobs her head at Spineth's rider, a 
  distracted small smile curving one side of her mouth, and then her attention 
  wanders off again.

Kailia nods, smiling at Lani. She doesn't look awake.

Erdrick chuckles, looking at Ursa, "My name's Erdrick by the way."

Mehlani bobs her head to Erdrick as well, proclaiming gravely, "One does need 
  to take good care of one's fire lizards."

Erdrick yawns, "Aye, I try to take good care of these three." Smiles at his 
  firelizards.

Ursa nods again to the young man, agreeing completely. "Of course it is." She 
  moves towards the table of food, scowling at the offerings.

Erdrick nods as he turns to leave, "Mayhaps I'll see ye all later."

Kailia waves to Erdrick, "See you later..."

From the look on Mehlani's face, it would seem that Erdrick might have uttered 
  a nugget of profound wisdom. She nods absently to him, over her klah mug, as 
  she sips at its contents.

Erdrick grins and waves back at Kailia and Twink. Nods back at Mehlani and 
  walks out.
Erdrick walks towards the inner cavern.
Erdrick has left.

From under Kailia's hair, Twink chirples at that thought of good care.

Ursa eventually selects herself one of the fancy lil stuffed rolls that are 
  full of all sorts of nourishing things in one little package, and turns, 
  scowling as she looks at the cavern. She's still having troubles recognizing 
  folks here at Telgar. Mehlani she knows, but she also knows better than to 
  try to actually speak to her. She then scowls at Kailia, and says to her 
  without preamble, "Haven't I seen you with a big mess of youngsters?"

Kailia nods, "Yes, ma'am, it's likely you have. I'm one of the nannies."

Mehlani glances in Kailia and Ursa's direction, smiling somewhat vaguely, but 
  apparently listening to the conversation. For once fire-lizard-free, the 
  girl seems to have only her klah to occupy her, at the moment.

Ursa snaps a finger, as if just offered a revelation, and takes herself a 
  seat, uninvited. "Nanny, right," she says after properly polishing off a 
  bite. "Does that mean you care for babies? Or bigger kids? Or what?"

Kailia smiles, "A little bit of everything. I like the babies the best, and 
  that's who I've been working with the last few weeks. I had night watch last 
  night, had to stay up and watch all of the littleist ones."

Ursa frowns. "Little ones at night?" she asks. "Aren't they with their mommies 
  at night?" The roll is waved towards the nanny as she speaks.

Kailia shakes her head, "Some of them, no. Really there we,re only three, one 
  is the night hearth cooks, one lost her mommie, and the last is a rider who 
  had night watch herself."

Ursa nods, accepting this with thought, and considers it as she takes a few 
  more bites. "So how many do you usually have at night, then?" she finally 
  asks.

Kailia shakes her head, "Well, always the orphaned one, her mother was one of 
  the lower cavern women, and her mother didn't know which rider was the 
  father, so, she'll stay with us until we find a foster for her. Then, the 
  night cook's a few days a week, and the rest changes. It depends which 
  riders have night watch, or the like. When there's a gather, it gets pretty 
  busy."

Mehlani quirks her head first one way and then the other, listening to the 
  exchange, and then lifting a slender hand off her mug to shove loose auburn 
  curls out of her eyes.

Ursa seems to be taking each answer with a considerable amount of thought. 
  "And how about during Threadfall?" she asks.

Kailia nods, "Yes, it goes up then a bit. But, for some reason, it seems to 
  not be too bad. Alot of the riders want their little ones near them at 
  night, to know they'rre safe."

Ursa frowns, realizing she hadn't made herself clear. "I guess I was thinking 
  more about during the day during Threadfall. Or do you just work at night?"

Slowly drinking down the rest of her klah, Mehlani finally rises to her booted 
  feet and wanders off towards the kitchen, humming absently under her breath. 
  There's a slight lilt to her step, as though rather than walking she is 
  sailing to unheard music.

Kailia nods, "Oh, yes. I do work during the day also. We rotate shifts. During 
  threadfall, we have all the children. Normaly, we have most of them at all 
  times during the day."

Ursa muses, "Is that so?" as if it were a fascinating revelation. "So 
  Threadfall is really not much busier than any other, eh? How many kids do 
  ya'll usually have in there? You must have a horde."

Kailia nods, "Tons! You see, since most of the riders have other dutied during 
  theday, we usually get the kids at some point. During threadfall, we have 
  them all day long, and some into the evening. We just have the kids for a 
  shorter period on non threadfall days."

Her mug safely deposited in the kitchen, Mehlani then heads for the cleaning 
  supplies in the store room. Emerging shortly thereafter with an apron laced 
  about her slim form and bearing a few dustrags, she begins a slow circuit of 
  the cavern, dusting shelves, and singing, very softly.

Ursa crinkles her brow, "So how many of ya'll are there, then, to take care of 
  tons?"

Kailia wrinkles her face. "Hummm, at least 20 or so. It varies, what with 
  people moving on and changing positions."

Ursa shakes her head. "There's sure plenty and plenty of babies round here," 
  she comments. "What's the oldest you have? When do they move on to the 
  Harper's classes?"

Erdrick walks here from the Inner Cavern.
Erdrick has arrived.
Erdrick walks in, Buttons on one shoulder, Darin on the other, Karin wrapped 
  around his neck.

Apron-bedecked, still softly singing, Mehlani takes her time dusting that 
  self, neatly picking up objects stacked upon it and dusting under them and 
  around them as she goes.

Erdrick nods at every one as he gets himself a mug of klah.

Eventually, Mehlani moves up to the mantel over one of the hearths, taking her 
  dusting job a little further around the cavern. Her gaze has gone soft and 
  shining, and the smile lingers around her mouth as she hums to herself. 
  Every so often, she pushes her hair out of her field of vision, in between 
  scrupulously dusting the stones of the hearth.

Ceria walks in from the bowl.
Ceria has arrived.
Ceria walks in and gets herself a mug of juice. Then she collapses into a 
  chair with a tired sigh.

Kailia nods to the young woman, "Hello."

Erdrick takes his mug of Klah to a table and sits, nodding at Ceria.

Ceria gives Erdrick a half-hearted wave and nods back to Kailia.

Trailing off in her humming as she happens to espy Ceria's arrival, Mehlani 
  calls out from her post by the hearth, "Hello, Ceria!" And then she returns 
  to dusting, her expression warm and absent.

Ceria smiles at Mehlani, giving the girl a slightly curious look.
Ceria looks at you for a moment.

Erdrick leans back in his chair, sipping his klah as he looks over a record 
  hide.

Kailia nods, "Well, they usually are with us all of the time until 5 turns or 
  so. Then they head of to the harper's classes. But we still get them even 
  when they're older if their mother are busy after thir classes."

Ofira walks here from the Inner Cavern.
Ofira has arrived.
Ofira walks in slowly, her step heavy. "'Evening all."

Erdrick nods at Ofira, "Hello."

Ursa nods quietly to herself. "Sounds awfully busy," she muses. To Ofira, she 
  nods absently, saying, "Afternoon, Craftmaster."

Ofira smiles and goes to get herself some juice and then sits down quietly.

At the sound of Ofira's voice, Mehlani glances in _her_ direction as well, and 
  for a moment, the girl pauses in her diligent task of dusting. She seems 
  briefly perplexed, but then she smiles absently at the Masterbaker, and 
  calls out to her, "Hello, Master Ofira," in an only slightly more shy tone 
  than the one she'd used to greet Ceria. Then, 'Lani dips her attention back 
  to dusting, falling back into silence.

Erdrick looks curiously at Mehlani.

Ofira looks up at Mehlani, startled to hear her speak aloud and smiles 
  pleasantly. "How is everyone this evening?"

Ceria nods to her Craftmaster and goes back to slowly sipping her juice.

Tinya walks in from the bowl.
Tinya has arrived.

Erdrick looks over at Tinya, "Hello."

Ofira waves to Tinya, smiling.

Kailia waves to Tinya.

Tinya walks in, rather heavily, and waves to various folks, returning smiles 
  and nods. She heads, as she's accustomed to, for the food table.

Ofira hauls herself from the chair, also heading for the food, and not 
  coincidentally, Tinya.

Kailia looks at the two women, an odd look on her face.

Mehlani doesn't appear to hear Ofira's question, not immediately. Humming for 
  a few minutes, she then blinks a bit, and then belatedly and solemnly 
  informs the Masterbaker, "Oh, I'm fine, ma'am, thank you..."

Ceria peers at Mehlani for a few moments and then shrugs.

Ursa turns as Ofira and Tinya walk past. "How are you two doing?" she asks 
  curiously, but quite sincerely.

Ofira smiles at Ursa, "Oh, all the usual symptoms. Aching back and feet. 
  Indigestions. Running to the necessary every half hour. Baby keeps me up at 
  night kicking. But fine. Just the way it's supposed to be."

Erdrick looks around, thinking that Mehlani seems to be acting rather strange, 
  even though he doesn't really know her.
Erdrick belatedly looks at Ofira, remembering her question, "I'm quite fine."

Ofira smiles at Mehlani and Erdrick. "Glad to hear it." Seh begins selecting 
  food from the table.

Ursa smiles wryly. "Sounds standard," she agrees with dry tones. "How much 
  longer, Ofira?"

Ofira considers and after a bried calculation, replies to Ursa, "Should be 
  within the month. three or four weeks, if Marrha has it right."

Tinya grins and nods agreement to Ofira's assessment, then offers her own 
  amendments: "My back's not so bad, but I've got _two_ sets of little feet in 
  my ribs to make up for it." She makes herself a smallish sandwich, and grabs 
  a muffin and a piece of fruit to accompany it.

Ceria wrinkles her nose as she watches Ofira and Tinya getting food.

Ofira nods to Tinya, "R'val just told me last night it was to be twins. 
  Congratulations!"

If she's aware of the glances being slid in her direction, Mehlani shows 
  absolutely no sign of it. The girl continues on her quest to dust the 
  cavern, wandering off around to an unoccupied table, and humming dreamily 
  under her breath.

Ursa looks at Tinya with surprise. "I hadn't heard!" she says. "These aren't 
  the first twins he's sired, are they?"

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

Erdrick nods at Richenda, "Hello."

Ofira waves to Richenda as she returns to her seat.

Tinya shakes her head. "No, Kieri had a set. And they run in my family, too, 
  so I can't say I was terribly surprised."

Richenda waves back, a trifle absentmindedly, as she gazes about, hand on her 
  hip.

Ofira smiles, "Have you come up with names for them? We just decided on them 
  last night."

Ceria finishes her juice and struggles to her feet. She offers Richenda a 
  slight smile as she goes to refill her mug.

The table is spotless by the time the apron-bedecked Mehlani finishes dusting 
  it, and for good measure, the girl dusts each of the chairs around it before 
  drifting off to tackle another of the hearths. En route she happens to see 
  Richenda, and she bobs her head politely to the woman, humming liltingly as 
  she goes.

Richenda's eyebrow reaches toward her hairline.

Erdrick looks at Richenda and shrugs.

Tinya shakes her head. "Not yet. It's hard, trying to come up with two of each 
  sex. Maybe I'll ask Kassi, just for the entertainment," she says with a 
  grin, then asks, "What did you pick?"

"Erdrick," says Richenda as she follows Mehlani with her eyes, "are you 
  settled in now? I'm told you helped a bit with numbweed a day or so ago."

Ofira laughs, "Well, Kassi came up with a bunch for us too, bu t in the end we 
  went with one I thought of and one K'tyn thought of. Ivalra for a girl, and 
  Irival for a boy." she smiles.

Erdrick grins, "I'm pretty settled in now."

Ursa has lapsed into silence, getting distracted by this and that. She offers 
  to Richenda, "He found the hot springs last night." She scowls slightly, "He 
  wasn't interested in actually getting in, though."

Erdrick blushes slightly.

Ceria stops and leans on a table for a moment. She glances at Erdrick and then 
  pours herself some more juice.

Richenda chuckles good-naturedly. "Well, that's because Holders are careful 
  about their thises and thats and private bits for a while. It'll be easier 
  later."

Erdrick gulps, looking down at the record hide as if he expects it to jump up 
  and run away.

Kailia blushes, "I wore shorts and a sleeveless top in the first few times."

Ursa nods absently. "That's about what Emlyn said, too," she agrees.

Tinya smiles. "Those are nice," she says. "I suppose I should start thinking 
  harder. Let me know if you have any ideas."

"Well, yes. Of course, Rennick still covers up his whatsis if he thinks of 
  swimming or bathing in public." Richenda now watches Ceria, a bit worriedly, 
  and smiles at Kailia. "Is everyone doing well? Especially all of you rounded 
  pregnant sorts?"

Tinya smiles back at Richenda. "Except for the aching feet and the tiny toes 
  in my ribs, I'm doing just fine," she says, then waves her sandwich vaguely 
  as she adds, "I just came to get this, I have watchriding down at the Hold. 
  Gotta go!" She turns and heads for the bowl, humming happily, very slightly 
  off-key.

Ceria grins wryly at Richenda as she slowly heads back to her seat, pausing 
  occasionally. "I'm ok," she says. "Just tired of being so huge." She glances 
  down at her extended abdomen.

Ofira smiles, "Well, I'll think about it. But others are a lot better at it 
  then I am."

Very softly, Mehlani shifts from humming to actual singing once more -- 
  something about "Somewhere down this road, I know someone's waiting, Turns 
  of dreams just can't be wrong". Then her voice drifts back down into an 
  indistinguishable murmur, as she reaches the other side of the hearth.

Tinya walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.
Tinya has left.

Ofira nods to Richenda, heading back to her office, "I'm well. Just the usual 
  complaints," she smiles, patting her stomach. "See you all later. I've got 
  to go work on the menu for the Weyr Festival Feast."

Erdrick's eyebrows raise watching Mehlani curiously.
Erdrick says "Bye Ofira"

Ofira walks towards the inner cavern.
Ofira has left.

Richenda pats her stomach and answers chipperly, "Well, some of us want to 
  have those tums, and some of us have tums without babies within. Just 
  endure."

Ceria smiles. "I don't have much choice," she says. She finally reaches her 
  chair and collapses into it with a tired sigh.

Richenda's right foot begins to tap. "Gracious."

Kassima walks in from the bowl.
Kassima has arrived.

Erdrick looks over at Kassi as she enters, "Hi Kassi."

Ceria nods to Kassima as she enters.

Mehlani stands up on her tiptoes for a moment to peer along the length of the 
  hearth, and beams at what she sees, evidently _quite_ pleased, to be giving 
  a hearth a smile that actually displays her teeth. Then, the girl lowers 
  herself again, and sails off to hit another table, her skirt swirling 
  slightly with her motion.

"For the millionth time, cousin," a male voice can be heard to argue, "I say 
  you should stick to your cards. Leave the dicing to me. I swear, random 
  chance seems to loathe you." The words precede Kassima and E'rian's entrance 
  into the 'Cavern by mere heartbeats, and both riders pause to either wave 
  jauntily or immediately salute the Weyrsecond--guess which is which. 
  "Evening, ma'am, all," Kassi greets before nudging Eyr sharply in the 
  elbows. The younger greenrider oofs, but at last does Kassi the favor of 
  shutting up.

Eyes narrowing, foot still tapping, Richenda just says, "Barefoot and 
  pregnant. That's what this weyr is. Barefoot and pregnant." A glance at 
  Mehlani, then she adds in a mumble, "And a bit off."

Still singing to herself, her voice lifting on high clear notes even if she 
  _is_ singing too softly for the words to be made out, Mehlani dreamily 
  continues her task of table-dusting, a bit slow, but quite thorough.

Ceria blinks at Richenda. Then she shrugs and takes a sip of her juice.

Kailia giggles, "But, Richenda, it's more work for me! After this, I think we 
  might need even more nannies."

Erdrick's eyebrows raise slightly looking towards Kailia.

"Oh, I'm not complaining in the least, in the least," Richenda tells Kailia 
  gaily. "No, everyone loves babies and I more than most. Just that I fear 
  about not being able to fuss over them all."

Kassima blinks at Riche, and glances down at her feet. "Shoes... check. Nay 
  pregnant, check. And nay a bit off, check. As many would say, I've been more 
  than a bit off since the day 'twas born. How fares with you, Riche?" E'rian, 
  of course, has no time for such pleasantries; he hastens to slide into a 
  seat near his dicing wingmates at the Starblaze table. Except.... "Hey, 
  Mehlani," he says as he catches sight of her, both eyebrows arching 
  appreciatively. "If it were possible, I'd say you're looking lovelier than 
  ever."

Ceria chuckles at Richenda. "I'm sure you'll manage," she comments lightly.

Richenda winks at Ceria and reaches a hand over to tousle her hair. "I'll do 
  my best, lass."

Ceria grins.

At the sound of E'rian's voice, Mehlani looks up from her dusting, and the 
  girl freezes there for a moment, seeming... transfixed. Her eyes actually 
  look starry, and although the pink blush that colors her cheeks and the 
  demure dipping of her gaze is normal for her, she _also_ calls over softly, 
  "Hello, E'rian... thank you...!"

Asrai walks in from the bowl.
Asrai has arrived.

Ceria blinks at Mehlani in amazement.

Erdrick looks completely puzzled.

Asrai comes striding in, looking around the cavern before heading further in. 
  Her eyes a bit..weary.

E'rian blinks, too... but hardly seems upset by this change in Mehlani. Oh, 
  no. If anything, his grin grows even broader. "Always welcome, lady fair, 
  though you've little to thank me for; nothing gives me so much pleasure as 
  telling a maid the truth of her supernal beauty." Yep, Eyr has definitely 
  inherited the familial talent for laying it on thick. "You should wear such 
  things more often. It brings out the morning-sky blue of your eyes."

Asrai makes her way over to the serving table, pouring herself a healthy glass 
  of wine before claiming a seat. She blinks as she doesn't seem to notice all 
  the attention given to Lani at first. Asrai seems a bit, preoccupied.

Erdrick's eyebrows raise now at Asrai, wondering what happened to the Weyr to 
  change it so drasticly overnight.

'Lani turns a vivid shade of rose, her face shyly directed down to the table 
  before her, but her head remains turned partly towards E'rian, and one blue 
  eye can be glimpsed peeking past the curtain of her unbound hair. "You're 
  very sweet!" she informs E'rian solemnly.

Etheria has arrived.

Etheria
This little green's skin is the color of a rich and vibrant glen. It's a very 
  vibrant and brilliant green which you can get lost in if you stare too long. 
  Her tiny jeweled eyes dart all about, not missing a single thing that goes 
  on in -her- home 
Etheria is 0 Turns, 2 months, and 12 days old and is 22 centimeters in length 
  with a wingspan of 36 cm.

Richenda calls as she heads toward the inner caverns again, "I'm off to find 
  Siani. Later, everyone!"
Richenda walks towards the inner cavern.
Richenda has left.

Asrai blinks, Lani's words finally penatrating her musing. Slowly the tiny 
  Bluerider swings her head in Lani's direction, her eyes going wide at the 
  site before her. "They've all gone mad." She intones softly.

Ursa pulls herself to her feet. She nods, absently and vaguely, since she's 
  not really conversing with anyone specific at the moment, and heads for the 
  bowl.

Kassima shakes her head slightly, her braid swaying against her back like a 
  pitch black serpent. "Uncle Keyssar never should've read Eyr all those 
  romantic ballads when he was young," she informs anyone who might be 
  listening. "See, this is what's wrong with the things: they drive otherwise 
  sane people straight into nauseatingdom." E'rian allows his outer appearance 
  of suaveness to slip long enough to stick his tongue out at his cousin 
  before sliding a scoundrel's grin Mehlani-wards. "Not half so sweet as you, 
  m'lady. Not even a rose could be half as sweet as you. But then, I imagine 
  you must hear that a lot."

Ursa walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.
Ursa has left.

Erdrick looks at Asrai then at Mehlani, shakes his head slowly, completely 
  lost.

Kailia reches quietly.

Erdrick looks at Kailia, "Are you alright?"

Ceria frowns disapprovingly at Kailia.

Kailia grins, nodding, whispers to Erd, "This /is/ pretty sappy..."

Kassima shoots Kailia a look that could only be described as sympathetic.

Perhaps fortunately, Mehlani's shyly lowered gaze means that she misses the 
  young green rider's childish gesture at his cousin; once E'rian's words are 
  directed back to her, however, she might be seen to lift and lower her 
  white-clad shoulders in a soft shrug, her only reply to the youth. Her head, 
  however, is still turned half towards him, suggesting she is very aware of 
  his proximity, and she is still blushing.

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

Peyra walks in from the bowl.
Peyra has arrived.

Asrai seems to sense her weyrmate's presence as he enters the cavern. Her 
  attention is torn from Lani as she swings it towards the arriving K'nan. 
  "Hello darling." She greats in a perhaps over enthusiastic voice.

Ceria sits quietly, her gaze grown rather blank. She appears to be deep in 
  thought.

Erdrick looks over at K'nan, nods at him, "Hello."

Peyra looks at you for a moment.

Never let it be said that E'rian isn't one to take advantage of a situation, 
  even if he isn't sure of what the situation is. "Care to sit with me?" he 
  asks of the blushing young maiden. "I've heard much about your skill at 
  dragonpoker. Perhaps, with your help, I could win enough from these louts to 
  buy you pink roses to match the color of your cheeks... unless you'd prefer 
  flowers with the blue of your eyes, of course." He waggles his eyebrows 
  once, a gesture that plainly says, 'How about it?'

"It's -still- winter! Why is it winter still..shard it, I can't even go to 
  Boll and escape all this!" K'nan's dark scowl nearly precedes him into the 
  cavern..then suddenly brightens into a warm grin as he looks to Asrai, "Love 
  of my life and light of my heart..there you are..." Now there's a mood swing.

Peyra looks at you for a moment.
Peyra looks around very quietly as he comes in from the Bowl.

"I have to finish the dusting," murmurs Mehlani to E'rian, peeking sidelong at 
  him as he appears to have closed the remaining gap between them, standing 
  there tall and grinning at her side. To punctuate her point, she waggles her 
  dustrag at the table nearby.

"On the other hand, there are times when all that love stuff can come in 
  handy," Kassi murmurs under her breath as she sinks back a bit in her chair. 
  Anything that makes a proddy K'nan even a smidge less frightening is a good 
  thing in her book.

Peyra
Peyra is around eleven or twelve, albeit a bit small for his age. His hair is 
  a dark black - black enough to have blue highlights in sunlight. His eyes 
  are a deep brown, and peer out from under not terribly-well-cut hair. His 
  nose is long and skinny. He's wearing a brown shirt and matching pants, very 
  plain. Over the top is a white apron, still clean and free from spills.
In truth, Peyra is 13 Turns, 4 months, and 17 days old, although very small 
  for his age.

Asrai takes another deep drink from her wine glass, perhaps to steady her 
  nerves. "Now dear, " She stats in a soothing voice, "You know why you can't 
  leave..not with Veyath such a lovely shade." Now there's tact at its 
  greatest. "Can I perhaps get you a glass of wine..it will at least warm your 
  inside."

E'rian wrinkles his nose a bit as a stray cloud of dust wafts towards his 
  nose. "Ah, I see... well, then, I don't imagine you'd allow me the 
  incomparably sweet delight of helping you?"

Erdrick watches E'rian out of the corner of his eyes, he seems to be thinking 
  hard, as if trying to remember what E'rian's saying...

Etheria chirps quietly as she stretches her little wings out.

K'nan flashes Kassima a brief and startling grin..for no apparent reason..then 
  continues on over to Asrai's table, hopping up on it and sitting on the 
  edge, favoring his weyrmate with a warm smile.. "Wine sounds great..and 
  she's not proddy. Everyone just keeps saying so."

Etheria has left.

Kassima summons up a return grin for K'nan somehow, though it's a slightly 
  faltering grin. There's nothing more disconcerting than being grinned at by 
  a proddy rider out of the blue. It can make one wonder whether he's just 
  baring his teeth before he goes for your throat. "Know the feeling, mentor 
  mine," she quips with one bob of her head.

Ceria manages to get to her feet rather suddenly and she heads out of the 
  living cavern.
Ceria walks down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.
Ceria has left.

Mehlani turns slightly more towards E'rian, briefly lifting a liquid blue gaze 
  up to his face and then down again. "You are very kind to offer," she tells 
  him gravely, lifting an extra rag out of her apron pocket, holding it up for 
  the dark-haired young rider. "Thank you, again...!"

Peyra looks out toward Ceria after making sure to get out of the way. He stays 
  put near the entrance.

Asrai returns with a full wine glass. Handing it to K'nan she speaks with him 
  softly, She mutters to K'nan, "... would her... her?... remember... last 
  time..." 

Gallantly, the young greenrider accepts the rag and bows deeply to the one who 
  gave it to him. "Your wish is my command, light of my heart, fairest sight 
  ever to grace my eyes." With one dubious glance towards the rag, he 
  straightens. "Um... where do we start?" Dusting is evidently not his forte.

K'nan casts Kassima a suspicious glare - know what feeling? - before taking 
  the glass of red from his weyrmate with a soft smile..responding in just as 
  low a tone of voice. He mutters to Asrai, "Not at all,... it..together... 
  our... were.." 

Maylia has arrived.
Maylia enters from the Bowl.

Kailia waves to Maylia!

Kassima straightens a bit, her expression one of relief, as K'nan now glares 
  at her. "That's more like it," she murmurs under her breath before lifting a 
  hand to hail her mentee. "G'deve, Maylia!"

Maylia brushes a stray lock from her face, sweaty and damp despite the chill 
  air outside. She heads through the cavern towards the klah pots, waveing. 
  "Evening, all!" She calls.

Peyra continues to stand near the entrance from the Bowl, a bit awkwardly, 
  remaining quiet.

Erdrick nods at Maylia, looking around curiously.

Asrai glances over at E'rian, then back to K'nan. Something makes her thing 
  twice about what she was about to say and her mouth closes with a snap. 
  Instead she just sips her wine.

Emlyn walks in from the bowl.
Emlyn has arrived.

In utmost earnestness, Mehlani gestures to the table, and explains somberly to 
  E'rian, "You have to take the rag and wipe down any flat surface... it'll 
  pick up the dust, you see..." Every third word or so, she peeks up at the 
  green rider again.

Erdrick looks over at Emlyn, grins and waves at her, "Hello."

"Just in from the Springs?" Kassi asks of the younger greenrider, tossing off 
  a wave to Emlyn too. "Or have you found some other way t'keep warm in this 
  frigid chill?"

Erdrick chuckles at Kassi's words.

Asrai gives Emlyn a nod of greeting, though most of her attention is in 
  keeping K'nan from instantaneously exploding or something just as messy.

Emlyn is dressed against the cold in a sweater more notable for its bulk than 
  its craftsmanship. She returns Erdrick's wave before getting a steaming mug 
  of klah. That done, she joins Kassima. "What chill? Da says, 'It isn't too 
  cold until you can't get to the beasthold,' and since he never once let us 
  go without caring for the animals, it must not be too cold." She grins and 
  winks.

K'nan takes a long sip of his wine..looking up and letting a calculating gaze 
  sweep across the room. Searching for a target, perhaps. Uh oh.

Maylia grimaces, shaking her head at Kassi. "No, but I sure need a bath. Easy 
  to keep warm hauling firestone about, breaking it, sacking it, stacking 
  it..." She nearly moans as she drops into a chair. Drops of klah splatter 
  from her freshly filled mug, hastily wiped up.

Peyra continues to stand as awkwardly as ever near the Bowl, silent. Why he's 
  doing this is certainly a mystery.

E'rian takes a valiant attempt at this dusting gig, swiping the cloth across a 
  surface that's grey with a thin film of dust. "Like this?" he wonders. 
  Stealing a look at Mehlani, he remarks, "Y'know, I bet you could practically 
  write words in this stuff."

Erdrick looks from Maylia to Emlyn, blushes slightly.

Emlyn notices Peyra by the entry to the bowl. She calls to him, "The draft is 
  less bone-chilling over here by the hearths, Young Man."

Asrai watches K'nan carefully, perhaps ready to intercede..perhaps ready to 
  run.

Kassima grimaces at Emlyn, though only half-seriously. "Feh t'that; m'Da 
  always said, 'Men and women were given fingers for a reason, and that reason 
  probably isn't t'freeze 'em off wandering around in the cold like a blooming 
  wild canine.' A'course, Da *is* a bit touched in the head. Ah, aye," she 
  then says to Maylia, nodding in sympathy with the girl's plight. "That would 
  certes do it, better'n aught else save perhaps for mucking."

It is, perhaps, also fortunate for Mehlani that she hasn't happened to notice 
  the way K'nan is scoping the room. But then again, given the way she keeps 
  peeking at E'rian, it's doubtful she's happened to notice anyone else in the 
  room in the last several minutes. She slowly bobs her head to Milleniuth's 
  rider, explaining earnestly, "If you can write words in it, there's far too 
  much dust...!"

Maylia glugs down her klah quickly, nodding to herslelf. and heads towards the 
  springs...
Maylia goes home.
Maylia has left.

Peyra smiles to Emlyn. "It's all right, miss. I don't mind."

Kailia stands, "Well, I need to go start my shift in the nursery. G'bye 
  everyone."
Kailia walks towards the inner cavern.
Kailia has left.

K'nan finally settles his gaze on Kassima..and frowns.."Say..Kassi.."

Asrai winces, glancing at Kassi over the rim of her wine glass. With seeming 
  unconsciousness, Asrai lays a comforting hand on K'nan's arm.

Emlyn gives Peyra a disbelieving look, but nods. She settles into a seat near 
  the warmth put off by the great, roaring hearth, then turns her attention to 
  K'nan. After a moment's study, she tilts her head to consult silently with 
  Pleiath.

Chuckling under his breath, E'rian writes the first line of a rather old 
  ballad called 'My Lady's Eyes' in the dust, humming along in that resonant 
  baritone of his. "Could be fun leaving messages for people to see, though," 
  he points out, his eyes sparkling as he does so.

Peyra adds to E'rian, "The messages stay longer if you wet your finger first." 
  Then he seems to have regretted speaking out in public.

Kassima tears her eyes away from the amusing spectacle of her cousin trying to 
  dust, regarding K'nan with confusion for a moment. "Aye, K'nan?" She 
  succeeds rather admirably at keeping the wariness she no doubt feels from 
  her tone.

Emlyn leans toward Asrai and smiles reassuringly.

Erdrick looks confusedly about and quietly sips his klah as he tries to puzzle 
  things out.

K'nan's frown deepens just a bit as he considers the greenrider for a quiet 
  moment..then asks, "What was that comment about earlier, when I walked in?"

Mehlani gasps a lttle, first at E'rian's dust-writing -- not to mention the 
  humming -- and then at Peyra's helpful interjection. Turning pink once more, 
  the lass shakes a dainty finger at the green rider, scolding gently, "You're 
  being silly." But she's also smiling.

Asrai returns Emlyn's smile. "How are you and Pleiath doing, Emlyn?" The 
  conversation between K'nan and Kassi seems safe enough at the moment.

Eyr brushes the dust from his fingers off onto his slacks, grinning down at 
  'Lani. "So I am," he readily admits, "but the world would be boring without 
  a little silliness. Why don't you try it?" To Peyra, he winks. "My thanks 
  for the tip, but methinks 'twould be harder to wipe away the residue that 
  way."

K'nan is, however, keeping one eye on Emlyn and Asrai..

Emlyn answers Asrai with a warm smile. "We're thriving, thank you very much. 
  How are you, Cygnith, and the triplets getting along? I feel like we haven't 
  spoken in a very long time." She's aware of Erdrick's attention, but not on 
  K'nan's.

Peyra smiles more broadly, but remains quiet again.

Kassima tilts her head, regarding K'nan a bit curiously. "What, that bit about 
  knowing the feeling? I just recall how 'twas when everyone would insist that 
  Lysseth was proddy, when I was certain she wasn't... or insinuate that she 
  would be, soon. 'Tis all." Innocuous enough, right?

K'nan shakes his head slowly at Kassi's question, "No..the earlier one. When I 
  -first- walked in." Why do proddy greenriders always seem to have better 
  ears than anyone else?

Erdrick looks at Buttons who's lying on the table, nods slightly.

Mehlani's blue eyes blink a few times, and she steals another peek at E'rian, 
  seeming torn... but only briefly. That flush still delicately brightening 
  her cheeks, she leans slightly over the table, stretching out a single 
  fingertip to start scribing words across the portion of tabletop she hasn't 
  managed to dust yet. Her words read 'Someone holds me safe and warm / 
  Dragons soar through a silver storm'.

Asrai smiles warmly at the mention of the triplets. "Cygnith and I are doing 
  fine. He's quite busy mooning over Veyath at the moment..not that its too 
  much different from normal. The triplets are doing just fine...heard from 
  their foster mother the other day. Kana has her two brothers wrapped around 
  her little finger. Gets them into all sorts of trouble even at this early 
  age."

Erdrick quietly picks up Buttons and the sleeping Darin, being careful not to 
  wake Karin up.

Kassima's brow furrows a bit as she dredges through her memory. "Oh, that... I 
  just said there were times that this love stuff can come in handy, that's 
  all. Wouldn't you agree?"

Emlyn grins at the report and nods. "Lucky little girl to have two companions 
  like that." She shifts her attention to K'nan for a moment, then back to 
  Asrai. "So, Cygnith anticipates a mating flight, then?"

Erdrick looking about, decides it might be best just to slip out quietly from 
  this confusing scene.

K'nan frowns suspiciously, "What do you mean by 'come in handy'.." Then he's 
  distracted again, and looks down to Asrai and Emlyn..sighing wistfully, 
  "Can't I go visit them? Vey and I'll behave.."

Asrai chuckles, "Cygnith always anticipates one of Veyath's mating flights." 
  Despite her light words she gives Emlyn a significant nod of her head.

Peyra keeps his mouth shut, as always, although he picks a table now.

Asrai looks up at K'nan with a loving smile, "By the end of the week, love. We 
  have to wait for our next day off. that way we can spend the whole day with 
  them." Smooth when she wants to be, eh?

Kassima winces; trust her mentor to fasten on that. "It seemed t'cheer you 
  up," she explains, settling on a half-truth. "If'n it can brighten the 
  spirit so, then it must have its uses, for all of its drawbacks."

Emlyn speaks up, adding to Asrai's explanation, "Besides, in Veyath's 
  condition, you'd probably generate a rise in the birth rate of every locale 
  you visited."

Asrai winces, hiding a smile in her wine glass.

Erdrick glances at Kassi as he makes his way quietly towards the lower cavern, 
  and the hot springs.
Erdrick walks towards the inner cavern.
Erdrick has left.

K'nan's ignoring Kassima now, much to her relief one'd imagine..and frowns at 
  Emlyn, brow darkening. "What d'you mean by that?"

E'rian reads over Mehlani's verse, and quirks a crooked smile. "Lovely," he 
  murmurs, slipping an arm around her shoulders if she allows it. In another 
  clear space--there must be a lot of dust here, to have all of this room--he 
  writes, 'Thy hair, thy lips, thy beauteous face, and all thy studied female 
  grace have won for thee anon a place, within this broken breast.' "One of my 
  favorite poems," he explains softly.

Emlyn lifts her shoulder, not daunted by K'nan's brow. "I mean your dragon's 
  clearly about to rise. Surely you've noticed your own behavior and hers are 
  different from usual?"

Kassima does indeed seem relieved, though she only allows it to show on her 
  expression for an instant. "How fare the children, Asrai?" she asks brightly 
  in an attempt to change the subject.

Mehlani's attention wanders -- off to Emlyn, at the words 'Veyath's 
  condition'.' Emlyn's further words distract her enough that she doesn't see 
  E'rian's arm in motion until it's slipped round her, and then, startled, she 
  lifts her gaze to the young rider. Her gaze flickers to his new dust-writing 
  long enough to read it before returning up to him, her eyes wide. 'Oh," she 
  breathes.

Peyra has no chance of reading it from where he sits, but he sure tries.

K'nan shakes his head with a derisive snort, "She's nay close to rising at 
  all..and how'm I acting different?" Of course..he's sitting on the edge of 
  the table, and his moods have been swinging like a pendulum.

Asrai slips into a seat, watching her wyermate. Occasionally her eyes drift to 
  Lani and her young suiter. there is about her a thoughtfull expression...one 
  that might scare K'nan in saner times.

Emlyn answers calmly, surprised she has to for so experienced a green rider as 
  K'nan, "Well, your moods are swinging back and forth like a walking heifer's 
  udder before milking, and Veyath's brighter than the two moons' reflection 
  off the lake at Benden weyr."

E'rian asks with deceptive lightness, "D'you like it? I confess, I've always 
  had something of a fondness for all things romantic in nature. Unlike those 
  among my kin who would close their hearts to love completely," and this time 
  it's Kassi who sticks her tongue out at E'rian, "I prefer to bask in the 
  warmth of beauty and the sweetness of true words." His eyes flick towards 
  the poem again, and then back to those eyes of fascinating crystalline blue 
  that look up at him.

Asrai smiles, placing a light hand on K'nan's arm once more. "Its alright 
  K'nan, its the natural cycle of things."

K'nan has always been a stubborn one - you might almost think that he claims 
  that he isn't proddy simply so he has something to argue about. Hey, wait 
  a.. "Well..I mean..that could be any number of things. I oiled her today. 
  You're just jealous she shines so well.." At Asrai's touch, he sighs..and 
  looks down, grumbling, "All right, all right."

Kassima leans back in her chair once she's ever-so-maturely expressed her 
  disagreement with her cousin, and eyes Emlyn rather oddly at the udder 
  metaphor. "And I thought Da was colorful. I'll have t'remember that one, 
  t'tell him."

Mehlani's started to look rather odd. Dazed, perhaps. Her eyes blink rapidly a 
  few times, and then she slowly bobs her head in answer to Eyr's query, 
  looking almost hypnotized.

Asrai chuckles, "Just as long as you don't chop off wherry heads or go around 
  kissing every girl in sight..I'll take the mood swings." she gives the other 
  greenriders in the room a playful wink.

Emlyn laughs and shakes her head. "Veyath is a fine green, a credit to the 
  whole group of greens, but I'm not jealous of her shine, no." She picks up 
  her mug and sips, then asks, "What kind of proddiness do you hate the worst? 
  The one I hate is when I'm randy as the beasthold feline."

Erdrick walks here from the Inner Cavern.
Erdrick has arrived.
Erdrick quietly walks back in.

Kassima rolls her eyes at Asrai in an exaggerated gesture. "You *know* I only 
  did that the once! Remind me t'be very, very glad that Lyss only sets me off 
  in one way, eh? At least I always know what to expect, even if'n I'm nay 
  always certain what time of Turn to expect it."

Peyra doodles idly in the dust, quietly, listening perhaps.

K'nan chuckles quietly.."I'd never kiss every girl in sight..that'd mean 
  kissing Kassi." He winks..then sighs over to Emlyn, "All of the above?"

Kassima now rolls her eyes at K'nan. "Horror of horrors, eh?" she quips with a 
  wry grin.

Some of that romantic light in Eyr's eyes fades a bit, and his gaze takes on a 
  cast of faint concern. "'Lani? Are you all right?"

Proddiness? Proddiness? Mehlani's attention wavers again, off to the 
  discussion between Kassima and Emlyn and K'nan. Then, her gaze lifts back to 
  E'rian, turning slightly confused.

Emlyn smiles sympathetically at K'nan. Noting that Erdrick's returned, she 
  nods a greeting to him, then looks to see if Peyra is still standing by the 
  entry. Oh, good. He seems to be sitting at a table.

Asrai seems to relax as K'nan does. "Good thing too." She says jokingly. She 
  then looks thoughtfully once more at Lani and her suiter. "K'nan, you 
  know..I heard the most interesting stories the other night in here..."

Erdrick nods at Emlyn, finding a seat somewhere.

Of course..K'nan's seeming bout of calmness might end at any moment. The 
  greenrider returns Emlyn's smile faintly..then cuts his gaze to Asrai, "Oh? 
  What story?"

Asrai hmms as she watches K'nan walk off after something. She then looks to 
  Emlyn with a grin. "Well, he's not too bad tonight."

Peyra continues to be quietly seated.

Emlyn gets up to refill her mug. She gives Mehlani and her companion a smiling 
  look as she pours. She turns to peer at the cavern before going to sit back 
  down.

Mehlani murmurs, "I...", but trails off after that single word. She lifts a 
  hand to her brow, pressing the back of two fingers there, while her gaze 
  lingers on E'rian's features; something about him appears to fascinate her. 
  She finishes in a dreamy, distant small voice, 'I'm fine..."

Asrai giggles at something, perhaps the tone of Lani's voice... Thing is, she 
  looks so innocent when someone glances her way. Go figure.

E'rian still looks mildly confused, but he gives Mehlani his most 
  roguish--and, not coincidentally, most charming--grin. "Good," he murmurs, 
  leaning down to brush a light kiss along her cheek. "'Twould be a sad thing 
  for anything to be amiss with such a vision as you, m'lady."

Kassima catches Asrai's eye, nods towards Eyr, and pantomimes sticking her 
  finger down her throat.

Erdrick eyebrows ascend into the clouds, watching E'rian and Mehlani,

Asrai bursts into another fit of giggles. Looks like living with a proddy 
  rider has finally done the poor girl in, she's lost it. She definitely 
  wasn't looking at Kassi just then, nope nope.

"What's so funny?" K'nan returns from wherever he went to..whatever he went to 
  get concealed in his hand as he heads back towards Asrai.

"Life," Kassi quickly supplies, removing her finger from her throat. "Naught 
  unusual, I fear."

Asrai stiffles her giggling, looking at K'nan with interest, "Whatcha got 
  there?" she then, of course, tries to peek around K'nan's hand.

K'nan hops back up onto Asrai's table, letting his legs hang to the floor..and 
  grins, "What? This? Oh, nothing at all." He keeps it carefully hiden in 
  hand. "So what's the joke?" He looks between Asrai and Kassi with a 
  suspicous look.

Mehlani doesn't answer E'rian -- unless a slight fluttering shut of her eyes 
  and a sudden weakening of her knees that makes her sway where she stands can 
  be considered an answer, as he brushes that kiss across her cheek.

Peyra comes back in from the Bowl after leaving for a while.

Emlyn returns to take a seat. She decides to explain to Erdrick what's going 
  on. "Now, when a green dragon needs to mate, she isn't always aware of The 
  Urge, but The Urge nevertheless makes itself known." She nods toward K'nan, 
  then goes on, "And his mood swings are one of the more common ways The Urge 
  appears. Another way is ungovernable lust. That's one that most of the weyr 
  enjoys, even though it tends to spread colds and such."

Erdrick's eyebrows raise, "Um, I think I understand..."

Peyra listens to this as well, too, still over near the entrance.

Kassima makes a face at the mention of ungovernable lust. "Either that, or we 
  can become just plain irritable. Constantly. Irrationally. It helps if'n 
  your dragon's the sort who won't let you get any sleep for days, then argues 
  you into a migraine t'boot. Joke, K'nan? Oh... naught much. 'Twas just 
  making m'usual commentary on romance and the like."

K'nan mmhmms quietly..eying Kassima for a moment. "You keep talking about 
  romance and love and all..why?"

Asrai grins, still trying to see what it is K'nan's trying to hide. "Oh 
  nothing..Lani's got a suiter. Speaking of which..do you know that people get 
  serenaded...and recied love poems?" She looks pointedly at K'nan. "And love 
  peoms written in the dust of a table about them." she says it all with 
  complete innocence...of course. "Just something I found out the other night."

Emlyn then nods towards Kassima as she continues her impromptu lecture, "Some 
  riders display extremely bizarre behavior. Some become fascinated with sharp 
  objects and raw meat. Others cry and cry, and some simply stare off into the 
  distance and refuse to talk. But when the dragon finally goes up and gets 
  The Urge quenched, then the rider returns to normal."

Kassima jerks her thumb towards E'rian and Mehlani. "I'm watching them," she 
  explains simply.

Erdrick grins slightly, "Normal? You Kassi?"

"Or as normal as they ever get," a rather grizzled brownrider mutters.

Erdrick chuckles at the brownrider's comment.

Peyra wanders over closer to Erdrick and Kassima, perhaps to get a better 
  place to listen.

Speaking of sharp objects..K'nan absently draws one of his beltknives and 
  starts to sharpen it on the whetstone he returned with..turning his attenion 
  to Asrai with a grin, "Yeah..that's always sweet, someone singing to you..or 
  writing a love poem, and all.."

E'rian smiles crookedly at 'Lani once more, his arm tightening a bit around 
  her shoulder to draw her closer. "I didn't mean to make you nearly fall," he 
  says with a hint of a laugh. "You *are* all right, aye? I'll leave you in 
  peace, of course, if you'd prefer it...." His tone implies that *he* 
  wouldn't prefer it, though.

Erdrick noticing the beltknife, glances towards Kassi as he half remembers 
  some comment made about her and knives.

Kassima shakes her head in denial. "If'n you think I'm normal, we must nay 
  have met a'fore. I suppose 'tis sweet enough," she further comments to 
  K'nan, "but 'tis hardly the kind of thing one can't live without. Some seem 
  t'feel otherwise, though."

Asrai nods, a bit disapointed that the secret object was just K'nan's 
  whetstone. she settles back into her seat with a small sigh, although her 
  eyes begin to glitter. "Yes, very sweet. I'm sure the recipient enjoys it 
  very much."

Mehlani appears to be entirely oblivious to the conversation going on now, 
  even the parts mentioning her. And serenades. And love poems. Feeling her 
  knees turning wobbly, she fumbles, instinctively curling an arm of her own 
  around E'rian to brace herself. As he asks her a _second_ time if she's 
  all right, her brows knit together, and she murmurs distantly, "I feel odd..."

Peyra looks at you for a moment.

K'nan nods absently to Kassima..then continues with his conversation with 
  Asrai, grinning, "Yeah..I'm sure they do. Must be nice having someone love 
  you that much.." Just dig that hole deeper, K'nan. Just keep digging.

Erdrick chuckles, "I donna think yer normal Kassi, a'course, a 'normal' Kassi 
  would nae be as fun."

Emlyn drinks some of her klah. She speaks up, "There are other ways of showing 
  love, K'nan and Asrai. A sincere smile when your partner gets back from 
  sweeps. Throwing a blanket over them when you find them napping on the 
  couch. A hug in the night." She smiles.

Asrai's lips purse, this obviously isn't going the way she had hoped. "Yes, I 
  supose it would be nice to have someone love you that much." she starts to 
  look around the room, perhaps for sympathy..perhaps for a brick. At Emlyn's 
  words she nods, "Oh, I know..but the other stuff would make an interesting 
  change." she says rather pointedly.

Erdrick glances at Emlyn at her words, blushes slightly as he remembers 
  something and walks over to get himself a mug of klah.

E'rian absently brushes a lock back from Mehlani's face, his strap-calloused 
  fingers light and gentle. "Mmm-hmm. Mayhaps you'd do better to go somewhere 
  quieter," he says with what sounds like genuine concern. "You're not acting 
  quite like yourself." He refrains from mentioning, of course, that he finds 
  this version of Mehlani to be an improvement.

Peyra continues to lean against a wall near Erdrick and Kassima.

Kassima looks ever-so-slightly wistful for a moment, listening to the other 
  riders; she then dismisses the words with a slight shrug. "A dragon can't 
  serenade you, but you still know she loves you," she settles for saying. "A 
  different sort of love, but love all the same."

K'nan nods a few times absently, "I suppose it.." He pauses and blinks back 
  down to Asrai, something finally sinking into his head. "You think so?"

Emlyn nods to Kassima's comment. "It's wonderful, the dragon's presence in 
  your thought. It isn't human, though."

Asrai blushes softly as K'nan starts to get the picture (and just in time 
  too..Asrai had finally spotted a nice looking brick). "Well, yeah..I do." 
  she doesn't quite meet his eyes, but at least she doesn't use the batting 
  eyelash thing on the poor proddy rider.

Peyra stands and leaves the long table by the kitchen.

'Lani's head unconsciously tilts towards E'rian's hand, and she blinks 
  owlishly at him. "I have to finish the dusting," she protests, her voice 
  still small. She does not, however, seem inclined to move, still standing 
  there with the green rider's arm supporting her.

Kassima gives another shrug, absently pulling her braid around over her 
  shoulder. "I suppose nay. But with your lifemate's affection, I think you 
  can lead a very full life even without a human romance. Really, it seems 
  much more trouble than it could possibly be worth."

Emlyn turns to give Kassima a wide-eyed, somewhat shocked look. "Human 
  affection seems more trouble than it's worth?"

Xin walks here from the Inner Cavern.
Xin has arrived.
Xin wanders in, blindfolded, being lead by a friend.

K'nan reaches over and brushes his weyrmate's cheek lightly with his 
  fingers.."I'll see what I can do, then.." He smiles...his eyes sparkling 
  brightly.

E'rian eyes the dusting, and impetuously sweeps the sleeve of his jacket along 
  the table surface. "Done," he informs her with a smile that shows off that 
  dimple of his. "Your peace of mind's more important than any dust, anyway. 
  *You* are far more important."

Xin is pushed into a chair, and a small group of lower cavern types circle 
  around him. Could this be the end for Our Hero?

"Nay necessarily *affection*," Kassi admits. "Friendship, for instance, often 
  has more benefits than troubles... but love? Another matter entirely. That's 
  why I keep the List, t'remind me of why I'm exceedingly fortunate."

Asrai smiles at K'nan's words, reaching up to give the hand on hre cheek a 
  little squeeze. It is then that she notices the new blindfolded arrival. She 
  nudges K'nan and motions towards the lad and the small gathering. "what do 
  you supos that is about?"

Erdrick looks around, confused, as he tries to figure out what's going on.

Emlyn regards Kassima for a long moment before saying, "Well, it must be a lot 
  of work, keeping the list and consulting it. Some might recommend that sort 
  of work poured into the right person would be far more rewarding than the 
  solitude."

Suddenly, as if there were a plan, the group shouts out, "HAPPY TURNDAY!"

Emlyn jumps at the shout.

Erdrick blinks.

Mehlani blinkblinks dewily at E'rian's proposed solution to the problem of her 
  chore for the day, and then murmurs at him, "Oh... well... thank you.... 
  very much....!" She stumbles a little as Eyr has to let her go at least 
  somewhat to do that sweep with his arm, and she then blinks distractedly at 
  the commotion surrounding Xin.

Peyra blinks as the noise goes off. "All right, that got my attention."

K'nan's attention is quickly turned to the blindfolded boy..and he blinks. At 
  the sudden shout, he leaps up - overbalancing andgoing sprawling. 
  "Oof..wha.."

Erdrick looks completely lost as he looks around.

The blindfold is removed from Xin's face and a large, 'Fear-made cake, is 
  brought to him.

Asrai blinks, looking down at the sprawled K'nan. "Dear, you alright?" 
  Belatedly she reaches down to help him up.

There is a bunch of excitrement, and a large number of kisses are applied to 
  Xin's face.

Erdrick watching Xin, sighs because his turn day isn't until the 12th month.

Kassima chuckles wryly, perhaps at the truth of the quip. "Aye, well... 
  mayhaps if'n that right person exists, which I sincerely doubt, I'll learn 
  for certain whether or nay 'twould be the case. Until then, it seems best 
  t'remind m'self of the benefits of solitude. And i'truth, they *are* 
  numerous." Her mouth curves up in a rueful smile--which is then wiped from 
  her face as she jerks her head about at the shout. "Bloody big cake, that," 
  she notices.

K'nan reaches up and clasps hands with his weyrmate..getting to his feet and 
  muttering under his breath, casting a dark glare in the general direction of 
  the shout and looking around to see where his knife's gotten off to..

E'rian, too, is somewhat startled by the shout. "Quite welcome," he answers 
  distractedly before refocusing his attention on Mehlani and favoring her 
  with a wry smile. "Sounds like there's about to be a commotion indeed. Are 
  you certain you wouldn't rather go somewhere quieter...?"

Peyra continues to hover around the tables, quietly; never actully sitting, 
  but never leaving either.

Erdrick looks at Kassi curiously, wondering what she's talking about.

Asrai takes up K'nan's knife, but doesn't hand it back directly. "Nuh uh..not 
  until you promise to behave..they didn't mean to startle you, dear."

Mehlani blinks, and then, as if trying to practice it a few more times to get 
  it right, she blinks some more. Slowly, she bobs her head to E'rian, 
  beginning to look rather disoriented. "Yes," she breathes. "Yes... 
  please...."

K'nan blinks as he notices that Asrai has his knive..and blinks innocently, 
  "Of course I behave.."

E'rian nods, giving 'Lani's shoulders a quick squeeze before turning to head 
  out to the Bowl. "Does the Records Room sound all right?" he asks as quietly 
  as he can, considering that he wants to be heard over the commotion.

Asrai holds the knife behind ehr back, just to emphasize her point. "On 
  Veyath's shell, please." She knows better then to trust K'nan when he looks 
  innocent.

Mehlani blinkblinks at E'rian as he deftly guides her off, murmuring absently, 
  "It's... cold out..."

Peyra continues to remain stainding awkwardly, mostly near the Thunderbolt 
  wing's table.

Xin is carried off by some friends for a more private celebration.

K'nan just tilts his head and gives Asrai a /look/..a hurt look that she 
  wouldn't trust him.

E'rian immediately removes his arm from around Mehlani long enough to shrug 
  out of his own wherhide jacket, draping it over her shoulders. "That should 
  keep you warm, nay?" he inquires, a hint of a grin--he grins often, this 
  greenrider--tugging at one corner of his mouth. "Better I be faced with the 
  cold than you, sweet flower of a lass that you are; flowers are ill-equipped 
  to brave the frost. Their beauty is much more suited to warmth, which I will 
  provide for you in whatever quantity you desire." Offering her his arm in a 
  more gallant fashion, he asks, "Shall we?"

Kassima tilts her head, looking up at this man who keeps hovering near her 
  Wing's table. "You could always sit down if'n you wanted to, y'know," she 
  points out with a hint of a smile.

Emlyn rises and yawns. "Well, I think I'd better get back to the ledge. If 
  you'll pardon me, Friends?" She puts away her used mug.

Peyra blinks and smiles. "Really?"

Erdrick sighs, "Bye Emlyn."

Asrai smiles sweetly at K'nan. She leans forward and kisses the tip of his 
  nose before handing him the knife hilt first. "Here you are dear." She 
  doesn't, however, apologise. She looks over at emlyn and smiles, "Good Eve, 
  Emlyn."

Mehlani bobs her head slowly at E'rian, smiling vaguely at him, and lets him 
  lead her out.

[To be continued....]