==== October 1, 2013
==== Kapia, Kultir, Lendai
==== First Lendai is sour to Kultir, then she's sweet to Kapia. Sweet enough to hand over a shiny white Candidates knot!

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Living Caverns
Grand and spacious, the cavern curves high aloft in naturally-vaulted ceiling that soothes any sense of claustrophiba. Rich woods line the cavern floor, varnished and stained a rich mahogany, while round tables scatter about candlelit and intimate. The largest table lies southerly next the sideboard, long trestles that seem oriented to providing for the weyr's youngest. The rich blue of Azov can be seen from a distance in good weather, when the heavy stone doors covering the entrance are allowed to stand open.

Kultir sighs softly as Kalea heads into the kitchens but shakes himself and returns his attention to the girl across from him. He cocks a head at her and asks, "So, what has been keeping you so busy? I don't recall seeing you hanging around so much anymore. You finally go see the Headman and get given a job or something?"

Kapia grins and shakes her head. "No, I never found him. But look!" She lifts her arm, displaying her bracelet with the symbol of the dolphincraft upon it. "I apprenticed! Master Mailli said I wasn't too young after all. I'm a real crafter now."

Kultir laughs and looks closely at the bracelet. "Hey! Great job. See, we told you that you could do it." he says teasingly. "You aren't ever too old to Apprentice." He's actually quite glad to see the girl doing something she enjoys. "So, you're doing what? Dolphin stuff? Do you have a dolphin partner yet? Or are you a Seacrafter?" He's a bit confused on those two Crafts … or are they one craft with two specialties?

Kapia is sitting with Kultir, enjoying her klah and showing off her shiny new bracelet. "Well, uhm, no, I don't have a partner yet. I just jointed." She says with a sheepish little smile. "But I will someday, I hope! I'm just assisting for now."

Kultir grins and takes a long drink of his klah, eyes sparkling with delight at her good fortune. "I'm very glad to hear it, Kapia." he says sincerely. "I think you'll do a good job. You are so … intent to do well, I think you'll manage." He chuckles softly and cocks his head at the girl. "So … have they told you how you get a dolphin partner? Is it anything like Candidacy? You get picked and then wait forever till a day when someone finally decides if you get one or not?"

It has been a long day, and it is looking to be a long night. One Senior Weyrwoman needs something of a break, which is why Lendai finds herself in the Living Caverns at this time. A mug of klah is gathered, a long draw taken before the woman even sits herself down. A heavenly sigh releases from her lips, a look up as she sends a thought towards Yulena and her magical klah-hands. Surely, this brew was created by the cook-turned-candidate. Exhaustion written on her face and from, Lendai does not even bother making it towards the tables for the upper ranked. Instead she sits herself down, near enough what appears to be a candidate and dolphineer apprentice. She listens in, totally ease dropping, an eyebrow raising. "Someone? Someone? When is a dragon a someone? Has the Weyr been lapse in our ability to better teach you candidates that?" Her tone is bemused, her eyes sharp. A look to Kapia. "You're a new face." Lendai leans a bit closer to the girl. "New to my Weyr, are you?" Now her tone shifts, changes, becoming a tad bit nicer and welcoming. D'awww.

Kultir had seen movement around him and Kapia but didn't pay any attention to it since there are always people wandering around and he'd be a nervous wreck if he'd had to jump up and salute every single person who passed casually. However, when the voice sounds, obviously commenting on something he'd said, he looks up with a frown. His eyes fall on the Weyrwoman … the SENIOR Weyrwoman at that, and gulps, shoving himself to his feet and snapping the woman a sharp salute though there is no welcome in his expression. "Beg pardon, Weyrwoman. I was not commenting on the dragons but on the Dolphincrafters deciding when a new partnering occurs." he says in a low voice, still standing at attention. One thing he does not want is more trouble and he fully expects it after what this woman has overheard. His cheeks color and his ears burn with embarrassment, a sick look wavering in his eyes.

Kapia looks a little embarassed by the questioning from Kultir. "Well, actually, I didn't…" Then there's an unfamiliar face at the table. Worse, it's a face with a Weyrwoman's knot attached, referring to the weyr as 'her' weyr. She immediately sits up bolt straight, firing off a clumsy and uncertain salute. "W… weyrwoman!" She is in a near panic. "Y… yes. I am. I'm Kapia… dolphincraft apprentice."

"The dragon picks the rider, candidate. If you did not know that, now you do. Please try to remember that from here on." Lendai simply comments back, picking up her mug in both hands and taking a delicate sip before placing it back down. "Sit, sit. No need to be so tense. I'm not going to bite you." She waves a now free hand at the spot Kultir had only moments ago occupied. She turns her attention to the little dolphineer, her head nodding. "Kapia." The name is said, and then the woman gives a nod. "Kapia. Well met. I'm Lendai, gold Talicanitath's." All smiles for the moment being is Lendai, the goldrider inclining her head in greeting. "How are you finding Southern so far? I do hope," a sly glance to the candidate, one eyebrow quirking. "that everyone has been nothing but nice to you?" Her smile turns to just a small grin. The whole scenario amusing the woman very much so right now.

Kultir's ears burn even redder though it's only half embarrassment now, anger flares in his amber eyes but it is swiftly suppressed as he resumes his seat. His hands clench around his mug as he sighs softly and grits his teeth for a moment to get himself back under control. "I ain't stupid …" he mutters into his mug as he takes another long drink and then wincing as he hears his words come back to his ear. Oh great … that was not supposed to be aloud but … it's out now. He tries to turn polite attention on the girl as she talks to the goldrider but can't help fidgiting somewhat in his seat.

"Oh, uhm! Of course." Kapia replies very quickly and worriedly to the Weyrwoman, trying not to look like some sort of small frigthened rodent. "Almost everyone… I mean, /everyone/ has been nice to me." A hasty correction clearly made in desperate hopes of warding off further questions. "Your weyr is a very lovely place. Thank you for your hospitality." She ducks her head.

"Then I suggest not acting like you are." Lendai says sharply. Oh yes, she heard that. Her amusement disappears briefly, irritation fully taking root in her words. "And watch what you say around those who severely over rank you." Her own deep breath is taken, her own temper reined in. Teenagers will be teenager, after all. Kapia speaks and it draws Lendai back towards the young girl. The smile blooms once more. "Why, thank you!" Pride radiates off of the Weyrwoman, sitting a little straighter. "Aren't you just so polite!" The woman coos, scooting closer to the girl. "If only everyone could be such well spoken litt—what do you mean, almost everyone? Has someone tried to harm you? Were they mean to you?" Cause Lendai will straight up kick their ass. Ka-pow!

Kultir sends a sharp look at Kapia for that … coverup and frowns. "Kapia … you know that weyrling was out of line! You weren't his personal drudge to be fixin' his food an' gettin' his drinks." he says, trying to get the girl to stick up for herself. But then, of course, his big mouth gets him into trouble again. He slumps into his chair and glares at a spot across the table from him though well away from Kapia and the weyrwoman. If he'd dared he'd have thrown something or stormed out. As it is, his expression tells exactly what is going through his mind right now.

Kapia's panic grows at the direct questioning. She shrinks further down in her seat, sending a very worried look in Kultir's direction. Can't very well continue her coverup after that, can she? She wrings her hands nervously, barely able to meet Lendai's gaze. "Well… uhm… there was this one bronzerider who said that… uhm… I was a woman and I should be doing what he said. But he's left me alone since then. Really! Everyone else has been really, really nice. And he was a bronzerider. I'm nobody important. I don't mean to make fuss!"

Lendai's attention goes from Kapia to Kultir and back to Kapia. A wince is given, the Weyrwoman reaching over to pat at Kapia's shoulder just a moment before withdrawing her hand. "I'm sorry, dear, that you had to deal with that. Sadly… it's the way of things here. And while we might try to adjust the attitudes of some. The fact remains," A deep sigh, the goldrider slumps over a little as her shoulders shrug. "it is sadly to be expected. Women are," Twitch. "seen as lesser. Though I am glad you have had no other issues outside of that. Should anyone else harass you, you feel free to come straight to me, alright?" D'awww. Lendai likes her. BFFS4EVER. A scoff from the Weyrwoman, however, as well as her head shaking back and forth. "Now, now! Don't say you're nobody important! Everyone is important somehow. Everyone is needed. One way or another." Musing for a quick second, the Senior starts to dig around in the pockets of her riding leathers. "Shardit… I know I have one. Somewhere… Give me a moment to find it, now."

"Crackdust, I've kept 'em on me, I know I have. Not that I've had a chance to even… Ah-ha!" Lendai finally finds what she's looking for in the most unlikely of places. Or rather, for her, a pretty normal place. Withdrawn from her very own cleavage is a tangle of white. "Found it!" She beams at the white knot, before looking at Kapia and beaming at her. "It's something, Kapia, that you will ultimately have to accept. I'm from the Oldtimes, I know well how hard a concept it is to grasp, even with my own traditional upbringing and believes. You're female, which is a mark against you in this time. Against a bronzerider, even a weyrling, you don't have much holding. He was, in some way, in his right to expect something. At least in accordance to how some think around here. However!" Back to the happy, here! "This might help in some regard! Well. Not right away. It actually makes it worse to start with." The Candidate's Knot is placed in front of Kapia. The choice is given. "Candidates have basically no rank, and while you are not considered drudges, you are the bottom of the Weyr hierarchy. Though… if you impress… that can drastically change life for you." Lendai is leaning forward once more, probably getting a bit too close and in poor Kapia's bubble. "Kultir here can tell you. Candidacy is a wonderful time! And the best opportunity to… change your fate, if don't mind me saying so. So will you stand for Dhiammarath's eggs? Become a candidate? Perhaps even impress a dragon?"

Kultir barely manages to keep a snort of amusement inside at the Weyrwoman's mention of him telling Kapia how great Candidacy is when every one knows how hard he's tried to keep from conforming in the Weyr's tradition. Otherwise he stays quiet, watching Kapia and hoping she will take the knot since it can't hurt the girl. It might even help her, come to think about it. Well, one more bed filled in the Barracks … maybe those eggs will crack shell soon.

Kapia was clearly not expecting this. She stares at the knot for a moment, stunned, seemingly unable to process just what is being offered to her. "M… me?" She blinks, another moment of silence passing before she can give anything approaching a real answer. "I… yes! I'd love to stand!" She beams, disbelieving, reaching to snatch the knot as if afraid it will be taken back if she hesitates. "I'll work hard, I promise! I won't let you down!"

"Excellent!" Lendai claps her hands with excitement. "Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful! That makes you my candidate, I hope you know. Mine and Talicanitath's, in essence." Since what is Lendai without her gold dragon? "Our only one, at that. We've been lapse in asking people to Stand. So I'll be expecting you to make me proud out on those sands!" No pressure. "Now, there are some rules that need to be obeyed. No alcohol. No sex, which also means no relationships. If you had a little boy toy, you no longer do. Also, no leaving the Weyr without an escort. The eggs aren't too far from hatching. Perhaps a few more sevendays or so. I'll need to ask Hannah to be sure. But as it gets closer to when they might hatch, you'll be unable to leave the Weyr at all. For now, however, should you need to leave, you must have an approved dragonrider escort you out. Understand?"

Kultir watches Kapia's excitement and smiles slightly, nodding briefly at her. "Congratulations, Kapia." he says wryly, in a tone that says 'Now you get to see what we go through.' He sighs heavily as he hears the same restrictions as he'd heard and frowns as there is still no mention of giving up your friends. A groan sounds at the length of time till Hatching and mutters, "Another moon? Faranth, help me …" He takes another long drink of his klah and shakes his head at his thoughts.

This still has not sunk in for Kapia. Some of the prohibitions mentioned have her turning bright red. "Oh! Uhm. It's okay. I already can't drink, because of my apprenticeship. And I don't have a… a 'boy toy'. Or any boys interested in me. I'm… too plain." She shakes her head, but smiles all the same. "I'll obey all the rules, I promise!" She gives Kultir another little grin. "Maybe now I can help with the chores? I mean, you all are my friends already…"

"Perfect, then! No muss, no fuss! Just how I like it!" Lendai finishes off her klah with a smack of her lips, the mug inches towards Kultir. "Clean this up, please and thank you. I need to go get our newest candidate settled in the barracks." The goldrider gets to her feet, brushing any wrinkles from her leathers before taking a step away from the table. "If you would be so kind to follow me? I'll show you the way to your new home." That said, the Senior Weyrwoman of Southern Weyr turns and starts walking out of the Living Caverns, fully expecting the new candidate to follow after.

Kultir heaves a sigh as the mug gets pushed to him and the order penetrates his mind. "Yes, ma'am." he says shortly, gathering the mug as well as his own and getting to his feet. His expression is definitely an … odd picture right now. He stalks to the kitchens and slips behind the covering, finally able to let his anger and frustration show.