Who

Mayte, Pim, Rhiex, and Yukie

What

Mayte discovers the Crater Lake for a bit of R&R, but PTing guards Rhiex and Pim found it first. Then Yukie comes to partake.

When

22nd day of the second month of the 12th Pass

Where

Crater Lake

OOC Date 25 Feb 2014 08:00

 

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Crater Lake

Four centuries ago, a chunk of the very comet that drove some Oldtimers forward crashed to the desert near Igen Weyr, collapsing the original inner caverns and breaking through to a new spring that now feeds into Igen's underground aquifer. The result? Beauty from destruction - a long, crystalline lake of brilliant sapphire blue. Sharp sandstone rings the water in jagged peaks, where sparse desert shrubs cling to steep, sandy slopes and reflect darkly on the pristine, mirror-like surface. Out in the midst of the lake, a small island pierces the glassy plane, umber from azure in a near-perfect cone. A startling break in the stark desert and savannah surrounding the Weyr, the crater lake sits like a jewel in the rough - a picturesque, inviting respite from the rough, dry terrain beyond.


For a short stroll to find a nook to read in, Mayte has gone remarkably far. As she approaches the Crater Lake, dark eyes are wide with astonishment, even if she's huffing a little when she pauses in her step to view the setting sun over the water. "Wow," is what she says, shifting the blanket, a basket of food, and some glows to a slightlly more comfortable hold on her arms. The vintner continues muttering to herself as she moves to find a small flat place to sit. … Mayte might be at this for a while.

Laps around the bowl are okay with some people — and some guards. Some OTHER people require more strenuous and less-boring forms of PT. Like Rhiex, who has hiked out here under full pack and gear, sweating like a damn packhorse and probably more laden. Well, he's coming from the FAR side of the weyr, so Faranth only knows where he's been. He rounds the far side of the lake and comes on a slow approach to where Mayte is considering putting down her picnic.

Sometimes a girl has to get away from the people (read: men) she's purposefully put herself into a position to spend a lot of time around. She's definitely not following Rhiex, though. Even though he's probably one of the most pleasant of the bunch, he's also kind of frustrating. No doubt Pim will be frustrated to bump into him out here, too. Fortunately she hasn't quite seen him yet since she's more busy picking out a path as she jogs, apparently intent on running herself into the ground.

Sooner or later, there's always a flat place. And Mayte has found it, ahhing in delight. Blanket is spread, provisions laid, and Mayte sits, regal as any Vintner apprentice, looking forward to a good evening. Except there's some footsteps, so Mayte looks up before she even gets to open her book. O hai. "Hey! Rhiex!" After a long trek, a familiar face is welcome: "Whatcha doin' out here?" And then there's another figure trotting around that gets a curious look from Mayte: "Ugh! How is this place so popular?" that's more or less asked of herself; if Rhiex overhears it, well. Sound, water, so on…

Poor Pim. Poor Mayte. Poor Rhiex. The lattermost entity of that comes 'round the bend, finally, and THERE IS MAYTE with her spread-blanket and goodies. Rhiex owlishly blinks at her: "What on Faranth's green earth are you doing out here?" comes his first question, then redoubled in silent question as he notices Pim. "That is an excellent question, miss Mayte."

Even if she can't hear what they're saying, voices carry well enough to catch Pim's attention. She doesn't exactly stop but she slows to a sort of shambling, might-as-well-be-walking pace as she lifts a hand to push the loose bits of her pulled-back hair from her sweaty forehead and squints for the source. "No," she says, loud enough to be quite audible. The rest is kind of less so, especially since she does finally stop, bending over, facing away, with her hands on her knees, but doesn't sound particularly thrilled. But then she's back up, arms up over her head as she works at catching her breath and walking it off in the pair's general direction.

Not those goodies, just for clarification. "I'm reading," Mayte defends, waving her yet-unopened book at the guard, "and having a snack." One hand is waved at the basket, where some fruit and a wineskin peek up. Pim's not-so-stealthy approach is watched for a moment before Mayte realizes something and tells Rhiex, "Hey, I asked you first." An eyebrow arches expectantly before it slides to Pim… well, Pim's butt, "Is this a group exercise or something?" Moving to sit cross-legged, Mayte has to crane her neck to look up, up, waaaaaaaaay up…

Don't get Rhiex started on Mayte's… goodies. He's just found his footing about life, again. The young man focuses instead on the sight of Pim all bent-over, realizes just what he is looking at and averts his gaze. Lalalala he didn't see ANYTHING. Shapely arses just run all over the people involved in this scene, obviously. "Reading?" He peers down at Mayte's book at her words, moving a few precise steps over to get a better look at all of her … goodies. "What are you reading?" He shades a look to Pim as she approaches closer, something of a smile sketching out on his face. "Recruit," he greets her neutrally.

It's a good thing Pim doesn't see Rhiex looking at her butt because she might start thinking he's human or something. And we can't have that, now, can we? "You know, I came out here to get away from you guys," is her form of a greeting to the guard when she's close enough to stop and loiter, arms still folded over her head, then she offers something more standard to Mayte with the addition of a friendly grin, "Hey."

Goodies, or goodies? Mayte waves her book in Rhiex's direction: "Just doing a bit of studying up on vine diseases and illnesses. Like contagious mildew, or pests that just love grapes…" Fortunately for the guard, his recruit comes to the rescue, simply by drawing a response: "You're a guard recruit?" The Vintner looks over Pim once. And again, just to be sure. "I heard about girls in the guard," Mayte says conversationally, "But you're the first I've actually, like, met." The book is shifted to let Mayte stick out her hand in Pim's direction: "Hi there. Mayte. I work just off the sidestreet."

Rhiex is totally not human. Come on. He would NEVER stare at Pim's ass. … really. (Unless he gets drunk. Ask Mayte about that sometime.) "Well, you obviously aren't doing a very good job at it, then," to Pim's comment of getting-away-from-him; his voice is delivered lightly. The guardsman is in full pack, heavily laden with Faranth-only-knows-what, talking to a picnicking Mayte and a cooling-off-from-her-run Pim in a random spot by the lake. "That sounds, ah, interesting." It's to Mayte, and with the same distance that he gives his brother when crop rotations come up. He opens his mouth to say something else to Mayte then seems to decide it's better off left alone.

"Pim," says Pim to Mayte. "There aren't a lot of us yet but that'll change soon enough if I have anything to say about it." And judging by the way she says it, she has plenty to say about it. She even looks at Rhiex challengingly before remembering that attempting to antagonize him usually just ends up with her being annoyed.

Mayte can confirm about Rhiex's superhuman skills in… Anyways, she's not blushing, too fascinated with Pim: "Good. There're some idiots who'll test ya, but just belt 'em upside the head." Such an easy answer, lightly given, with a grin to boot. Was Mayte joking? As for the Vintnering Art, Mayte gives Rhiex an entirely certain look: "If we run out of wine grapes, it won't be on my watch." And a harrumph! The book is, however, laid aside so Mayte can root through her basket blindly and pull out the wineskin: "A break, anyone? S'good stuff…" The skin is uncapped and waved about to let the scent of a powerful red colour the air… for a nose, that is.

Down the beach, light steps taken, Yukie is (for once) without the basket that's so often in her presence. Dressed demurely in white, the healer doesn't seem to have abandoned her duties entirely. Does the girl own anything in any other color? It's a mystery. Maybe it's just the same shift dress day in and day out. Blond hair is woven into a long braid that bounces with each light step. Mayte, Rhiex, and Pim are spotted, a clustered that's in the middle of the path her feet have chosen to take. As the girl draws closer, the smudges of dirt on her skirt can more easily be seen, and the braided leather cord that serves as a belt is minus any other accouterments. "Evening." Her greeting is serene, tranquil; her demeanor reminiscent of cool nights next to still summer lakes.

"She has plenty to say about it," Rhiex comments unnecessarily to Mayte. It doesn't sound antagonistic coming from the man: instead he has something of a smile to him when he says it, merely conversational. The man finally wrestles off the straps of his pack when he realizes that he's not going anywhere in a hurry, turning alert gaze from Pim to Mayte. And then a DISTRUSTFUL look for her wine. "I'm good, thank you, Vintner." An inclination of his chin.. before a flash of white catches his eye and he grins at the approaching Healer. "Yukie," he greets.

Whether Mayte was joking or not, Pim has probably already taken it to heart. And now when she inevitably hits someone, she has probable cause to blame it on the vintner. Not that she would. Or that it would work. It wouldn't. But she smiles at the idea - the hitting one, not blaming Mayte for things one - then makes a face at Rhiex before finally saying, "I don't really drink, sorry. Especially not after… during a run. It can be dehydrating, you know. Do you have any water?" The last is said to Rhiex because he's the one carrying everything he owns, by the looks of it. And then there's another person and Pim turns a grin over in greeting, "Hi!"

Mayte nods in satisfaction at Rhiex's response, "Good." Though it seems like Rhiex is settling in, so Mayte scoots back on her blanket a little - pow-wow time - though he gets a Look when Mayte notices his glance at her wineskin. "No worries," Pim gets off a lot more easily, though the vintner has to aver, "No water, unfortunately. I wasn't expecting a lot of people here." Oh wait, NOT to her? Mayte mphs and looks over to where everyone else is looking, eyeing Yukie curiously coming up the way. The skin is held out idly before her, in case the woman partakes, but Mayte can definitely offer a, "Good evening, miss!"

"Rhiex," Yukie greets the guard serenely, before turning first to Pim and then to Mayte. "It's a nice evening," her eyes fall to the offered drink but she holds out a hand gently shakes her head no. Softening the rejection with gentle smile, the healer says so warmly, kindly, "No thank you. I've duty later in the infirmary. And tonight promises to be rife with excitement. One of the ladies is about to give birth in a few candlemarks." Her voice is quiet, tranquil though no less sincere than if she were boisterous. "Are you," she glances around, "Picnicking?"

It doesn't take long for a tiny nowtimer goldlet to appear from ::between::, chattering scoldingly at the guardsman of the group. Rhiex grimaces and re-shoulders his pack without even looking at the message tube. "I've apparently been gone too long," he formally apologizes to the group at large. "I will see all of you ladies later. My fondest regards for the remainder of your day." That's to everyone, apparently, a quick inclination of his chin given before, pack-and-all, he's trotting off. NO WATER FOR YOU PIM.

And now that no one has water, Pim is super thirsty. That's how these things work. "I should probably get the rest of this done with so I can sleep without all the snoring and farting waking me up all night. Men are gross." Just in case anyone thought she was talking about herself. Except when she turns to head off, it's jogging right after Rhiex. He wanted conversation and her sparkly charm on the way, right?!

Fondest regards? Mayte eyes Rhiex like he's growing another head and that's totally not a smile on her lips. She does wave good bye to him with a "See you later!" Promise? Threat? Who knows, because Mayte repeats the same thing to Pim as she departs, even though Mayte adds, "Yes, they are!" Those who complain otherwise? WELL, now it's Mayte and Yukie, so the Vintner eyes the Healer and gestures to the expanse of blanket before Mayte's crossed legs. "Kinda." The spine of the book is tapped with one free forefinger, "And a bit of reading. And yourself?" The basket that sits next to Mayte is shuffled through: "I have some fruit and meatrolls too. Though the latter'll be cold by now."

A group, Yukie comes, and then there were none but Mayte. If Yukie expressed such things as bewilderment, it would show in the slight raise of brows, the widening of big, dark blue-green eyes and the way she turns her head to spot Rhiex and Pim making their exit. People are what people are, and a slight shrug is all she needs to rest an even keel once more. "I would love a slice of fruit," the healer says as she carefully sits down on Mayte's blanket with a gentle smile. "I'm Yukie. Journeyman healer." Interest is piqued in the vintner's reading material, though she's not so untoward as to ask. "I don't mean to intrude…"

Mayte doesn't seem terribly perturbed by suddenly being in the presence of Yukie alone. Instead, as the Healer sits, Mayte pulls the basket to sit between them, fishing out a meatroll herself to nibble on. "Nah, no worries," the Vintner is unconcerned, "I just came out here to do a bit of light reading; studying, y'know?" A wave out to the lake and all, "I'd only heard about this place for a long time, until someone finally told me how to get here." The frustration of eager youth sings a bass undertone in Mayte's voice, "Been here nearly two Turns and I just discovered it!" Oh, and in case Yukie wasn't aware: "Have all the fruit you like, miss. My name is Mayte, Vintner apprentice."

In contrast, Yukie is practically stillness embodied, though her gentle demeanor gives little to find fault with. She reaches to pluck a piece of fruit from Mayte's basket, slanting a soft smile to the other girl with a whispered word of thanks. "It is a quiet place for such activities. I find when I am deep in my books, the world could burn around me and I'd never notice." Curious, limpid blue-green eyes focus on Mayte. "I've been here a little over two turns, I suppose, by now. Time is a fluid vessel when one is lost to one's studies, but I discovered this place exploring shortly after arriving here." She pauses and slips a bit of fruit into her mouth. "It's lovely here." But then something about Yukie suggests that almost everything is lovely to her, even the ugly.

Mayte turns her head from Yukie to observe the lake as the woman talks, shrugging a little, even if she turns back to the woman when, "Time is a vessel?" Yes, that's what Mayte takes from that, with furrowed brow: "I always figured time spent while I was studying was lost between or something." And that's about as philosophical as Mayte gets outside of wine. "Wish I'd found it sooner," the Vintner replies a little wistfully, "Coulda spent a lot more time reading." It's the start of a descent into a long conversation about the Lake which lasts until the basket is emptied (healthiest dinner) and the Three Sisters shine brightly, two Crafters discussing the healing of different things.

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