Who

Naneska, Ryott

What

Two recently returned desert dwellers meet at the Standing Stones

When

It is afternoon of the twenty-eighth day of the eleventh month of the twenty-second turn of the 12th pass.

Where

Standing Stones, Igen Weyr

OOC Date 21 Apr 2021 04:00

 

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"We really need to stop meeting like this Nan."


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Standing Stones

It is perhaps a pity that the Standing Stones lie in quiet isolation, half-forgotten in the Weyr's easternmost corner. Or perhaps it is inevitable: the grandiose beauty of these red rocks is ill-suited to Igen's coarse grit, and maybe only their loneliness allows them to survive unmarred. Whatever the reason, it cannot be denied that the Standing Stones, a lonely jumble of ancient boulders, have a glory about them. The tumbled field of pillars and arches has been shaped by eons of wind and water into strange shapes, twisted and rutted. The going is treacherous: only the Weyr's half-feral herd of caprines navigates the terrain with any ease. To the northwest, the lakeshore glimmers; to the east, rough-carved steps lead towards another ancient pile of rocks - though the Star Stones are less haphazardly placed than their Standing cousins.

It is the fifty-eighth day of Autumn and 78 degrees. Mercilessly bright, Rukbat's light heats the desert as a small dark cloud appears on the horizon.


It's another lovely autumn afternoon in the Desert Weyr, which is to say the sun is blazing as usual, there is the threat of another sandstorm on the horizon but it isn't hot enough to cook an egg on a rock any more, and that's something right? It is certainly good enough for a certain trader slash weyrwoman's assistant slash trouble magnet Entrepreneur, who is currently scrambling around the mysteriously glorious jumble of iron rich, wind sculpted rocks with all the appearance of industry, but given the isolation of her current location, this could all be a farce and she has no other reason to be here other than the call of something she can't quite put her finger upon.

With that dark cloud on the horizon as a backdrop, Igen's newest transferred queen is taking advantage of the still clear skies to do a bit of lazy flying, circling high above the standing stones. When Naneska passes close to a certain arch created by two collumns and a plinth stretching across them, there's the sound of something shifting against stone, above and before long, Ryott's face peeks over the edge of the stone to see who is scrambling around down there. When she recognizes Naneska, a ghost of a smirk threatens to curl her lips. "We really need to stop meeting like this Nan." She deadpans down at the former candidate.

Naneska sighs the long suffering sigh of the hard put upon… except the twinkle of her eyes and the subtle dance of disappearing dimples tells the truth of her white little lie. "Aye, we should. But somehow I doubt ye'd be so inclined… Ryott." But, Naneska doesn't stumble or start this time, always aware that this is the haunt of the Weyr's feral goats, and thusly on her guard in ways she wouldn't ordinarily appear to be. "I was wonderin' when ye'd pop up." This time she doesn't bother to smother her grin. "Welcome t' Igen" She gestures grandly at the arid beauty of their current location. "Or is it welcome back?" This last is a guess, even as finds somewhere to plant her feet and pushes wayward hair out of her face.

Ryott inclines her head briefly in a gesture of appreciation when Naneska uses her name and not her title, shifting until she can throw her legs over the the edge of the plinth she had been laying on. "Yeah, you're probably right. Can't fight my nature." She add with a bit of a shrug. "I usually pop up in the most unusual places." She says, tilting her head to one side with a dry chuckle. Her chin dips in a barely there motion in the affirmative to her last guess. "Indeed. I'm not from here originally, but I was searched from the Bazaar here. So yeah, welcome back to me." She says evenly, though the corners of her lips twitch. Finally, as if almost an after-thought, she thinks to throw in… "Sorry you were left standing and all that. I know how much that sucks… well not first hand.. but yeah." See… she can try to be empathetic… occationally.. if no one's really looking.

Naneska places a hand on her chest dramatically. "Ye seem more broken up about that than I. But I thank ye for yer sympathy." And it does seem that the trader doesn't hold onto the shame and disappointment that are common with the unImpressed. "I figure the correct pairs were made on th' day. And all o' the other excuses." She shrugs casually before winking. "There will be other days." Although those days are becoming quickly numbered for the Bitran trader. "Ye note I'm not in th' barracks fer Svaera's clutch yeah? I do not have th' hunger that Vassa did." She does cock her head speculatively at the mention of that name, before letting the matter drop. "One thing I've learned, is happiness is usually found following one's nature. Contrary n' complex as those beasts may be." She winks, she too has a nature that doesn't slot nicely into preconcieved notions, even if it differs from the diminutive weyrwomans.

Ryott lifts a brow in as much surprise as she allows herself when Naneska responds as she does. "Oh then. My bad." She offers with a shrug, see what happens when she tries to be all empathetic? Best she sticks to what she knows. "I'd have to agree with that. It's people who go against their nature who often end up miserable." She remarks even as she suddenly slips off the edge of the stone and bends her knees into her landing to absorb the impact before straightening. "I'm glad Vassa finally found her lifemate." She remarks plainly, though the back of her jaw tightens just a bit as she finds herself somewhere to lean. "Are you back working for Hannah then? Now that she's back from her little vacation?"

"Don't let me discourage ye from a little social easin'." Naneska offers advice where she will. "'Tis good t' practise when th' stakes are safe n low." She winks. "Not yer bad at all." But nothing really keeps a good woman down for long right? "Aye, I'm glad she did too." There is a faint echo of better her than Nan, but that is only to be expected given Naneska's essentially warm and sunny nature. "'N Halle, N' Ik'ris n' all th' others. I didn't get a chance t' say me goodbyes proper t' them all." She does show more regret for that than the fact she walked off the sands yet again. "I'll visit, when I get th' chance." She decides before grinning again. "Aye, Hannah's a good sort, even when I go missing fer months at a time." The enter key is tricksy!

"Goodbyes are overrated." Ryott grumbles a bit before she reaches up to push her dark hair out of her face. She really needs a haircut, it's almost down to her chin for crying out loud. On the topic of Hannah, Ryott bobs her head slightly. "I just met her the other day. I didn't know she was from the Oldtime. That's gotta fuck with a person's head, to travel between whens on a one-way trip." she observes rather bluntlty before cocking her head to one side to change the subject yet again. "So what were you rooting around for up here?"

Naneska grins, cocking her head in that somewhat cheeky way of hers. "Perhaps not goodbye, but more 'see ya round'. I don't close doors I don't need to yeah?" Whatever it is or was, Naneska hasn't gotten the closure she needs to move on to the next big thing she's got cooking in that brain of hers. "From what I've bin able to disover, Hannah's nowtime has bin a bit o' a mindfuck as well. Ye'd have come across th' particulars in Southern's records." Where Naneska learned what she knows will continue to be a mystery as she takes in the windwrought pillars of the stone around them with unabashed awe. "Some places call ye, agin and agin n' ye can't ignore 'em. This is one o' those places." For whatever reason this is one of her absolute favorite places anywhere. "And sometimes th' feral goats drag interestin' things with 'em when they scrounge in the middens." Interesting = barely profitable honestly.

"I know what you mean. This was one of my favorite places to come when I lived here before." Ryott actually confesses to Naneska as she nods slowly. "I know about that call too. It's what brought me back here. For good. A Trader knows to trust her gut when it comes to what feels like home." She adds with a dry chuckle and a half-smirk on her lips. Her eyes lift upwards briefly to watch the fluid golden form of Wrayth and her contortions in the air. Naneska's goat talk though is enough to bring her attention back on the other woman with a speculative brow lifted in her direction. "Is that so?" She asks with a passing interest.

Naneska nods with enthusiasm, the Midden often contains surprises, good and bad. "Aye, once found a nanny-goat with a fancy necklace wrapped around her horns. Only missing a couple o' stones. Got good marks fer th' stones, and sold th' rest as scrap t' th' smiths." That was a good day! "Mostly though, it's just garbage." She admits, with a wry grin. "And an excuse t' hang out here and pat th' caprines." And she doesn't incite them to living cavern chaos pied-piper them to places they probably shouldn't be much any more. "Me wagon is home though. She looks over her shoulder in the direction of the caravan grounds. "'N Igen too… I guess." One of those things she realised back in Southern.

"That so?" Ryott intones again. "Can think of some better ways to scavenge bits and bobs." Somewhat less ethical ways though, which might include skipping the midden and just relieving them from the source to begin with. "I think a few of them still hold a grudge on me…" She muses, surreptitiously looking around but not spotting any of the little creatures in the vicinity, at this time. Nodding along then with Naneska last, she lets out an uncharacteristic sigh. "Igen's home for me, it took me impressing half a world away though, to come to that conclusion. Funny how that works." She muses almost wistfully. "It's good to be back. I just hope she gets used to it soon enough." She looks upwards to make it clear who the 'she' she's talking about is.

Naneska grins, this time toothy and full of cheek and twinkle. "I can't help ye there." On account of her being a lowly merchant-assistant-freespirit and all the exceteras. "But ye adapt, or ye do not." Thats an oddly fatalistic approach to life from one so full of it. "I can't imagine it is different for them." Her head nods to the distant glimmer of gold on the horizon. "But agin, what do I know?" Other than turns of keen observation. "There probably are better ways. But are they fun ways." Also goat-petting! "To many people here are willin' t' step on anyone and everyone. I get it." But she won't do it, for reasons that she doesn't really ever talk about. "Agin, ye adapt, or ye do not."

"I'm decent at adapting." But is she really? Ryott's frown deepens just a bit as she crosses her arms over her chest, and starts to brood just a bit on a few things. "What do you mean it's not different for them? You mean settling into a new Weyr?" She asks with a cant of her head to one side. "I suppose you're right. She'll adapt, eventually, even if I have to take her back to visit her favorite spots in the South occasionally." She adds with a shrug before looking over Nan's way. "So this is your idea of fun then? When there's so many other amusements in the Bazaar?"

Naneska nods again. "Dhiammarath seems settled, 'n she's travelled turns 'n miles from th' home she was born too. There are others too, from the oldtimes. But ye'd be hard pressed t' distinquish them from those from th' now." She's no expert obviously. "Fer th' most part. Ye still get dicks threatened by unwomanly autonomy." Where is she getting these words she's mangling with her Bitran brogue. "They're fun too!" The glimmer of devilment glitters in her foxy hazel eyes, a fire not seen often. But it's there! "'N sometimes a body wants quiet n' nature. 'N sometimes, a body wants company 'n a drink or two." Fun comes in all shapes and sizes! You've just got to look hard enough for it, just like the riches in the junk people throw away. "If ye want t' see what kind o' fun I kin get t' in th' bazaar, yer welcome t' tag along, Ryott." It may not be as shady as the goldrider is used to, but it certainly wont be filled with sweetness and light… even if Nan does have a tendacy to bring some kinds of fun home to her wagon with her.

"Oh… Right." Ryott relents when NAnaeska elaborates on what she meant. "I guess you're right. I'm sure Wrayth'll settle eventually." Though they don't call her the Trickster queen for nothing. "I think the real test will be when she goes up next." She admits, almost more to herself than to her companion. She'll relent with a shrug of agreement for her next about the different kinds of fun one desires, giving a non-commital grunt that sounds like agreement anyway. When offered to join Naneska for her type of Bazaar fun, she looks quietly skeptical a moment before offering another shrug. "Why not? Got nothing better to do." The hides building up on her new desk would probably disagree with her. She's already dressed in her usual Bazaar wear, so she wouldn't even have to go back and change. "Let's do this." She says as she reaches up to pull her cowl up to cover head head as she makes for the way down.

"Nothin' like a good time t' settle what needs t' be settled." Naneska declares with a grin, brushing her hands free of dust before scrambling to where her sandals are kept. "It'll be fun." There is no skulking in the shadows or other nefarious things, and it is way less mysterious than the Bitran may have made it sound. But there will be drinking, and much laughter as Naneska trades wits and quips with those lighter delights in the open places of the bazaar, and if Ryott departs for darker places, it is unlikely Naneska will be solo for long after.

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