==== September 22nd, 2013
==== Kyara, D'reize
==== Weyrling wingmates talk over a few things up at the Star Stones.

Who Kyara, D'reize
What Weyrling wingmates talk over a few things up at the Star Stones.
When There is 1 Turn and 2 months until the 12th Pass.
Where Star Stones, Igen Weyr

igenstarstones.jpg

Star Stones
The climb up here on foot is steep, narrow stone steps carved high into the sandstone, and from the top the precipice-drop to the jagged-craggy stones far, far below is treacherous. It's a wide sweep of ledge, a dragonlength and a half jutting out from a rough cliff wall. The wind here is ceaseless, dusty-dry during daytimes and biting at night. But for those who brave the climb to this lookout perched high above the Weyr's bowl, the view from these sandy-red rocks is breathtaking. Igen stretches wide-wide-wide around, a vast expanse of deep blue lake and lush green swamp and the myriad rust-rich colours of desert and rock. The real purpose of this spot, though, is highlighted not in its view of what is below but its view of what is above. Three tall rocks stand, one balanced across the tops of the other two, at the focal point of the ledge, perpetually framing one slice of the desert sky beyond.


It's a cloudy morning, and cool, but at least it's dry. There's also no wind up at the Star Stones at the moment, and Kyara is taking advantage of the calmness up high to work in a quiet space other than her weyr. When she doesn't let herself get distracted by the view, she's checking over a few things in her notebook, making notes, and asking Liareth to convey messages to certain others in her wing whom she isn't going to see in drills later today. She's asked her lifemate to bespeak Aeshnidaeth, to see if D'reize will come talk to her for a bit about an assignment for the next day. As she waits, Kyara stands propped against one of the upright stones, while Liareth watches the Bowl from her perch on the nearby edge, a lithe and statuesque jade sentinel.

And soon enough, a shadow appears on the horizon: Aeshnidaeth, wings vaning against that ceaseless wind, ghosts in for a landing on the very lip of the cliff. Once properly settled, she turns her head this way and that before crouching down to allow her rider to descend to earth. With a clap to her shoulder in thanks, D'reize removes his gloves and lets his gaze fall on Kyara, brows lifting briefly before he strolls lightly toward his clutchsib. "Wingleader." There's a certain dry amusement at according her the title: how ironic it is that a man must salute a woman in this time! How it must gall the more traditional among the riders to have it so — and how ceaseless his enjoyment of watching them wince every time he uses it for her.

Kyara watches the nigh-stealthy approach of her fellow greenrider through the air; Aeshnidaeth is another of the greens whose behavior fascinates her. She smirks as she compares the size of her lifemate to D'reize's. It'll be hard to tell which of them will end up the larger…and it won't be by much! She ticks off a salute to the grey-eyed man who slides from the other green's neck and comes her way, an easy smile coming to her lips. "Wingrider," she returns, pushing off the stone she's holding up and flipping her notebook shut. "Thank you for coming up. I know it's not exactly the easiest meeting place, but I was feeling a bit…scenic, this morning." She rubs her neck a bit, tucking the notebook back in her pouch. "I've got a run to make out to Nabol tomorrow - for the kitchen staff, of all things," she explains with a chuckle, "and I was wondering if you wanted to join me. We haven't had the chance to do much flying together, you and I, and it's an easy thing. If you're interested." She folds her arms, just steadily surveying him for a moment as she awaits his answer.

D'reize turns his gaze out to the scene spread out before them as Aeshnidaeth makes herself comfortable, her paws gathered beneath her and neck drawn in betwixt ruffled wings, still as the stone beneath her. After a long moment's thought, D'reize returns his attention to Kyara, one hand sliding through his hair as he smiles at her. "I mind it not." Quiet assurance given, he moves on to the meat of the conversation — that trip to Nabol. "What do we go to procure?" Naturally, he's curious to see what could possibly be so important in Nabol that it requires riders — even if they be weyrlings, still — to go and collect.

"One of our Bakers has been studying with a Journeyman over there," Kyara replies. "Time for her to come back, it seems - with another Apprentice in tow. And…apples." She laughs a little at this, leaning back against the stone again. "The kitchen staff and Bakers want a good few bushels of them because they're well in season, and since we're headed that way, they figured they'd ask." She shakes her head with a wry grin, amused by this. "It won't be a regular thing, I'm sure. It's a good exercise in some betweening references we haven't made much use of, besides." With a sigh, she looks out over the land beyond the Bowl again. "How are you doing lately, D'reize? And Aeshnidaeth?" If he doesn't mind talking a little more beyond business, she's in no hurry to move on to the next; there's time yet.

D'reize is normally a rather laconic man, preferring action to words. However, there being no need for action, he is indeed content to speak. Kyara, is, after all, a wingmate: perhaps she rates more than a few words tossed at her here and there. "I suppose it's convenient." Smirk. And then, he leans himself right up against the wall of the Weyr itself, hooking a bootheel into a small crater marring its surface. "I am… adjusting, finally." A full Turn later — but hey, one never said D'reize was the fastest rabbit in the hutch. "This thing is real, and isn't going away."

Smirking in turn - "convenient" is a good word for it, yes - Kyara crosses over to a spot next to D'reize and leans there instead. That way she doesn't have to speak any louder than she feels the need to, contemplative as she's been over the past sevenday or so. "No, it isn't," she affirms quietly, a slow nod accompanying. "I get the feeling most of us are still adjusting, particularly as we get closer and closer to becoming full riders." She smiles over at him - a slightly nervous expression not unlike the one she wore the first time they learned to fly. "Almost there, now. Just a few more lessons, and off we go! One step closer to what we've got to fight." The thought of Thread certainly sobers her smile quickly enough, but she diverts. "Have you given any thought to what wing you might like to fly with?"

D'reize shifts his shoulder in a facsimile of a shrug, warding off the chill thoughts that Thread brings, and the possibility of death. The very notion brings to mind uncanny things, and he'd rather not contemplate it any longer than he has to. "Likely Mirage — I've designs on being a dragonhealer, you understand. And that's where they put dragonhealers." While he finds the idea mildly distasteful, he's learned to accept what is, not what is wished for. "Which will you be going into?"

"Really?" Kyara's smile for D'reize at his plans for dragonhealing is thoughtful, eyes dancing appreciatively as she considers this. Her respect for what dragonhealers do has increased manifold since the day K'ane called her and Vash out to the dragonhealer yard to witness the damage of a flight aftermath. "What made you decide that? Not to say I couldn't picture you as such; you've the temperament for it," she offers sincerely. D'reize may be quiet, but there's an air of calmness about the man that she finds herself appreciating quite a bit. "Do you have Healer training? You've the build of a seacrafter, and I thought I heard you mention that's what you were, before Impressing." She suddenly turns very slightly red at this, realizing that saying he has a build that marks him to a certain craft means she had to have looked him over to determine that - which she did, and not without a flicker of admiration, if she's honest. It might be an awkward observation, in that case. If he even caught it. She glosses over that by clearing her throat a little and answering his question. "I'm hoping for Whirlwind, though most will call me crazy for entertaining the idea, I'm sure. I'd be fine in Sandblast or Parhelion, too…but Lia always pushes for the best. As do I. So I'm hoping it's not too much a stretch to hope for."

D'reize gives Kyara one of those sidelong looks that suggests he had, indeed, caught all that, and is mercifully not going to officially take note of it. Not yet, anyway. Later, however, he might merrily tease her half to death regarding the activity of her eyes. HOWEVER, to the point: "It's the fact that healers of all kinds will be needed. And Aeshnidaeth — she seems to have a mellowing effect on our more nervous wingmates. And so, I believe this may have an efficacious effect as a dragonhealer. If the dragon can calm another, without the use of force, then… " He shrugs, leaving Kyara to deduce the rest of her own accord. And as she asks after his former craft, he grins wryly at her. "I was. And yet, all Seacrafters learn Healing, at least the basics. We have need of it, out on the sea — sometimes we don't put into port for a month, and injuries happen." He turns his head, then, considering Kyara thoughtfully for some long moments, his gaze neutral and weighing. "He favors those who would strive to be at their best and serve the Weyr well, does our Weyrleader. He may take you, should you ask. I cannot be certain, naturally; I am, however, fairly certain he has an interest in you, going by the way he grilled you that one time in the Living Caverns." He lifts his shoulders again, indicating it's all supposition for him.

He may tease later, but it's nice to be blissfully unaware of that; Kyara doesn't pick up on what the sidelong look suggests and is content to just continue on with the subject at hand. "Sounds like she'd be very well suited for it, right alongside you," she says of Aeshnidaeth, glancing with approval at D'reize's green. She frowns a little at her own forgetfulness. "And I should remember that, shouldn't I?" she says of the fact that Seacrafters learn some Healing. "Since my father was a seacrafter - married to a Healer, even - and my brother is." She gives a little shake of her head, chuckling. "Even I learned a bit of Healing from my mother, but that was so long ago." She holds up her hands, seeming to evaluate her fingers. "Being a Harper - and a rider, now - may have hardened my hands a bit, but I'm fairly certain I might still have a touch for Healing, if I decided to learn." She shrugs. "More than the basics we're required to know, that is. For people and dragons." At his evaluation of the Weyrleader, she smirks in consideration. "That'd be twice he's grilled me now. Once during Candidacy, also. I figure he wouldn't do that if he didn't see something in me…though I haven't decided if he's trying to help me out or test me. I think it's both. Testing doesn't have to be a bad thing." She adds in a confiding tone, with a smile gone lopsided, "He scares me a little." Though she thinks maybe he scares everyone a little.

D'reize merely snorts, shrugging off any recriminations on his wingmate's part. "What, along with everything else you have to do?" He spreads his hands, evocative of holding a large burden. "It's sheer folly to assume minor details will always be remembered. And conceit." A thing for which he has little tolerance, and much dislike. "I think we all had better bone up on the rudiments of it before long. It's a necessary skill."

Kyara's eyebrows tick upward, and she blinks at D'reize, surprised at his evaluation of remembering such small things as…conceit. It isn't something she'd ever considered before; a different perspective, to be sure, and it even raises her hackles slightly until she thinks about it for a long moment. His words make sense…but it brings up the question of why she's so adamant about remembering all the little things. "I…never would have thought of it as conceited to try remembering; I'm sorry if I've come off as such," she says, folding her arms and turning in her lean to meet his eyes earnestly. "You're right. No one should expect to remember every little thing; it isn't possible. And it would probably be really annoying to be able to do that, actually. I suppose I just…" Teeth worry at her lower lip for a second as her eyes move down and away in thought. "Doing that is just some subconscious way I have of trying to hang on to the memory of my parents, I think. In the past." Carefully, she looks back up at him, her smirk cautious. "Sometimes I just need a friend to remind me to be more now-focused. Y'know, when 'now' isn't focused on drills and lessons; I think I've got that covered." They ALL ought to have that covered by now. "I hear a few lessons are forthcoming, before we graduate," she says of the Healing basics. "To brush up what we already know, plus covering more about Threadscore." She shudders at that, but at least it's a discussion she's already had with K'ane and Vash.

D'reize tilts his head at her, a slight frown marring his brow. "Ah, shards, girl — I didn't mean to kick you. It's just, you get so wrapped in the details, you drive yourself insane like a wherry with no head. It's nice to remember, don't get me wrong. However, I've no expectation of all my little details being known." In fact, the relief that most do not remember might as well be a third person standing on the Stones with them. "At least you've good reason for trying to remember it all — one should always remember one's family." And this is encouragement from him, comrade to comrade — right down to that gentle curve of his mouth that might suggest an actual smile as he reaches out a fist to gently push her shoulder with. "Pfft. The way they go at it, we can do drills in our sleep." Those drills follow him everywhere, persistent and clamoring; he wakes reciting them at times. "Oh, yes, and the flight lessons. As if I needed those kinds of details thrown at me to remind me of what's coming."

Kyara takes D'reize's push of her shoulder with a soft smile of her own, even leaning into it a little before turning forward again, her back against the rock. "It's alright," she sighs, laughing quietly at the comment about drills. "Yes, I'm sure we could. I'll bet some of us do, in our dreams." She gives him a knowing wink; this is something that became evident about D'reize while they were all still cooped up together in the Weyrling Barracks. At the mention of the flight lessons, she makes a sound that's half a snort of weariness over the matter, half a huff of resignation. "Shells," she groans, slipping down the wall to sit and scrubbing a hand over her face before draping her arms over her knees, a familiar flush rising to her cheeks. "You're telling me. It's not…" She drops her head against her arms for a moment before looking up at her fellow greenrider. "It scares me," she admits quietly. "I don't feel like I'll ever be ready."

D'reize chuckles softly, remembering one particular midnight, waking up shouting coordinates. Ah, the life of a weyrling rider. And as Kyara slides down to sit, so does D'reize with a soft thud of butt meeting stone. Running his hands through his hair, he heaves a long sigh of his own, and admits, "I haven't even had sex yet, and they're telling me I had better 'hurry up and get it over with'. As if it's something you just rush into, like buying socks or some shit." He scoffs, flicking his hand dismissively at the very notion of that attitude. "Hell, nobody's ever really ready, I think. Those that say they are are putting on a front, in my opinion."

The weyrling Wingleader, while well composed in just about every other aspect of being a rider, is not so much in this - as her present position indicates. Kyara's hugging her knees a little, her blush not fading, though that she hasn't closed off completely over the matter is a strong case for just how much she's changed since coming to Igen. She glances over at D'reize at his admission, a little sideways. "I haven't either," she confesses in turn, half-whispered. "It's good to know I'm not the only one who thinks it's not something to be rushed, though. Of course," she lifts a finger to accent her next point, "our Weyrlingmaster thinks that, too. It's our oh-so-blunt bronzerider of an AWLM that thinks the quicker the better." Thank you so much, K'ane. She gives a rueful chuckle. "I got put on the spot over the matter with him once outside of lessons." With full-on sarcasm, "Fantastic, that was." She nods subtly at D'reize's last, considering. "I suppose you're right. I mean, even with different attitudes and confidences…I can't imagine what happens the first time around not being surprising in some respect, even if you've…" She makes a vague gesture to trail that off; he'll get what she means.

D'reize, startled, jerks his head up a little to stare at Kyara. "And here I'd thought… " He trails off, the search for words evident in his blank face and blinking eyes, then restarts, his tone soft. "I'd thought I was alone in that, myself." Oh, sheer relief! There's one other to commiserate with him over the oddities of life, and the desire to keep some things sacred. "Pfft. Perhaps the AWLM is a bit too… hungry to be considered a model for how all riders should be in that regard." And D'reize is certainly not about to follow K'ane's advice regarding his sexual education — he buys no hookers, no way, no how. It will happen in time. "What, did he pressure you about it?" That brings a scowl sweeping across his face, and a squint of annoyance. "Because really, it's stupid to try and push a person into something." As to the rest, he does get it, and is in complete agreement.

Kyara returns his gaze with her chin rested on her arms, the slight smile on her lips warm as she gives a little shake of her head; no he isn't alone! "The few who know were surprised at me, too," she observes, a finger dropping to trace absently over the toe of her boot. "I'm not sure K'ane really wants to be a model for us in that regard," she speculates. "He just…likes sex. 'Engagin' in a little friendly sexual encounter,'" she says, dropping into a passable imitation of K'ane's accent for a moment, "every now and then, is the way I heard him put it, so I assume it just has to do with the way he is rather than a motivation to be an example, really." She shakes her head at D'reize's question, brow furrowing slightly. "No, D'reize, he didn't pressure me. Just said what he said in the lesson, more or less. About getting it taken care of." She touches D'reize's arm briefly, a light sigh escaping her. "I appreciate the concern, though."

D'reize chuckles softly at her mimicry. "Good one." And there's a subtle sort of appreciation for her counterpoint — he hadn't especially thought of it that way. Now it's out there, he's forced to consider, and concede, the point. "I suppose you're right; I forget there are those who are very much in agreement with indulging the pleasures of the body." Why one would do so is far, far beyond this young greenrider, who is content to indulge the pleasures of the eye: that panorama before them, for instance, is taken in while fingers are laced around the shin of one upraised knee, the other leg outstretched before him. He smiles crookedly at Kyara, willing to joke at his own foibles. "As if I could go to the man and challenge him to a duel if he had. I doubt I am at all intimidating." While he's a fairly well-muscled lad, he's still slender, and still very young in the scheme of things. K'ane would likely win that fight.

"Oh, maybe not intimidating," Kyara lightly teases the man, "but probably a fair sight quicker than him. You could probably get in a few strikes at crucial points before he managed to…flatten you. Or something. Not that I'd want to see you flattened." She chances a wink at him to go along with that, unfolding her legs to stretch them out in front of her. Kyara's eyes find that same view to take it in for another good moment; she is most definitely one to appreciate the pleasures of the eye, herself. She notes D'reize's observation of it, grinning softly at him. "If we leave early enough tomorrow, we can catch the sun coming up over the mountains near Nabol. This time of the Turn, it's bound to be an amazing sight," she suggests.

"You wound me with your confidence in my abilities to defend your honor." And D'reize tries to look truly offended, he really does — but it's too funny, and he ends up laughing. Unfortunately, Kyara's right, darn her. No time for ego bruising, she's talking a lovely sunrise. "You've a deal. What say we meet on the Rim?" That way they catch spectacular sights going both ways.

Kyara finds D'reize's laugh infectious, picking up on it herself. Between getting over her own wounds, being frustrated over the rules concerning the latest clutch, and working even harder to try to make sure things get communicated and moving smoothly while Sienna is confined to bed (with K'ane doing the same above her and Vashae), the former Harper has found little time to just…laugh about things for the sake of laughing. At least that's how it feels at the moment. "I say," she replies, standing and offering him a hand up, "you've a good plan, my fellow greenrider." She sees his reasoning there, and appreciates it quite a bit. "Thanks for coming up here, D'reize. And for just…talking a bit. We should do it more often," she says, crooking another small smile at him.

D'reize takes the proffered hand to aid in hauling himself to his feet, still grinning. Once on his feet, he brushes the dust from his backside, glad for the respite from the serious business of learning to ride a dragon. It's a breath of fresh air to simply be a young man again, teasing girls and generally just unwinding with a friend. Sooner or later, the respite from reality will end, and the sky will fall on their heads again. All to the good that they forge bonds of comforting friendship now, while there's time. "No bother — and I agree: we should make time for this more often. It's well worth it, I think."

"Very well worth it." Kyara would be perfectly content to just stay up on the Stones until drills come around, finishing her necessary tasks and hashing out a bit more music while surrounded by the panorama of the desert Weyr…and would be quite happy to invite D'reize to join her in that, but there's no time for that today. A few more sevens, and the opportunity to do so may actually present itself. Glancing overhead, she does her best to discern where Rukbat is through the cloud cover and gives a soft hmm. "I should probably get down from here, myself. Find some lunch, before I forget." Liareth wings over from her nearby perch on the Rim as Kyara gestures downward to the Central Bowl. "You're certainly welcome to join me, if you like."

D'reize looks tempted, very tempted — but duty calls, in the form of one green dragon: Aeshnidaeth turns her head to eye her rider steadily, ruffling her wings briefly. "I can't — my lady there requires a bath and oiling." And the headache he might be subject to is not worth the possibility of more time spent with Kyara. "Perhaps we shall share lunch another time?" He's cautiously hopeful about that, though he struggles to maintain a cool nonchalance.

Chuckling, Kyara checks Liareth's straps and looks beyond to where Aeshnidaeth stirs. "We mustn't ignore our ladies, of course," she states with mock solemnity, to which Liareth gives a rather pointed whuffle to Kyara's head, freeing hair from the loose runner-tail she's been keeping it in and whipping it around her head. With a dismayed tsking sound, she chucks her dragon lightly on the jaw and springs up to Liareth's neck, re-tying her hair while grinning promisingly at D'reize. "Of course!" she answers with happy warmth. She rather hopes to see D'reize outside of weyrling-related things, too. "Just let me know when will work for you. I'll be there." And with that, she and Liareth seem to drop from the edge of the Star Stones ledge, only to reappear a moment later at a lower altitude in a descent to the Central Bowl.

D'reize follows suit, mounting the now-impatient Aeshnidaeth, who launches off the cliff with a snap of her wings, barely giving her rider the time to properly salute his Wingleader. She's off to have her bath and oiling, and woe betide the fool who gets betwixt her and her grooming time — they will feel the wrath.

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