Who

Amarante, Divale, Doji, Xanthee, Talya, Chelsa, S'ayde, Ollene, Varli, Zisiene, Eala

What

Folks Gather at Igen River Hold for Beer, Food, Dancing, Kites, and Miscreant Children.

When

It is afternoon of the seventh day of the ninth month of the thirteenth turn of the 12th pass.

Where

Igen River Hold

OOC Date 10 Apr 2018 05:00

 

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Igen River Hold

Sitting on the cusp of a striking juxtaposition of sand and greenery, Igen River Hold hugs both rugged cliff and gentle slope of riverbank. Small fishing craft with brightly-hued hulls and sails can be seen to coast easily along the currents here, as well as larger boats built for transport and the occasional journey downriver to the ocean. Crafthalls for both boat-builders and fisher folk make up most of what can be seen from Igen River itself, the ramps and piers extending past the thin strip of tidal swamp to be found at this point along the water's edge. A smallish sprawl of industry, this hold - but a bustling one, with a colorful and thriving community of river-bound Seacrafters and holders who find such a lifestyle to their liking.

It is the seventh day of Autumn and 96 degrees. Overnight, the temperatures plummet to a reasonable heat. Sand coats everything.


As luck would have it, one of the first BIG DAYS for Igen River Hold's Kite Gather just happens to be one of the first nearly picture perfect autumn days! The light breeze that is blowing is just enough to stave off the worst of the lingering heat and not enough to really concern the kite flyers, and there are a lot of them over there! A riot of color fills the sky as boxes and squares and wherries and dragons and all sorts of other shapes fill the sky, dancing on the wind with strings guiding below. And it's not just the toys filling the air. The smell of all things fried wafts over from where the food stands have been set up and the hold folk are in the final stages of clearing out the dancing square while the harpers start to tune their instruments and guests start flooding in. There's plenty of room for dragons to land down by the river bank! And it's been a while since the last rain, so not even that muddy.

Amarante came to the Gather, initially, with a date. It's easy to tell that she considered herself on a date if you know her, because she's wearing very date-y clothes — a swingy pink sundress with a white soft cardigan, a nice choker, and her hair swept up into a milkmaid braid. However, it's not long before she can be seen on her own, no date in sight. Whatever happened to him (and while she looks a little bit put out, there are no tears streaming down her face or anything), he's been replaced with a kite built to look like a butterfly, with wide golden wings and red streamers. Healer plus kite are walking to the food tables, slowly, because Amarante is attempting to fly the kite while walking. This means she's largely walking backward or sideways on her trajectory — not the safest, but again, slowly.

No mud? However will he wreak havoc now and conveniently blame it on another? Thankfully, Lukoith is behaving himself (for now), where he's settled on the river bank, head raised and tilted as he impassively observes the kites in the distance. Divale may be feeling sorely out of place among so much festivities, but the Parhelion Wingsecond is making her rounds. Not quite on duty, as the Hold have their own Guards, but some habits are difficult to break — she's watching the crowd with neutral expression, dipping her head in polite respect to those who greet her in passing. She is dressed comfortably, but formally, in clothes that are still heavily more androgynous than they are feminine. Her hair is kept in the usual close cropped fashion along the back and sides, with the top left a touch longer. From the way she is aimlessly wandering, it's evident that she is in no particular hurry… or perhaps she is waiting (and definitely sans kite!).

There's a lot to observe, and not the least of these things are the kites flying in the sky. However, Zisiene's going to wander the gather, and perhaps get something to eat. Maybe find something to drink? Isie's going to just meander until she reaches one of the food stalls. Isie's hair is simply piled atop her head in a mess of dark blonde curls that refuse to be completely tamed. All the better to relieve the heat.
What a killjoy, Divale.
That's why you don't bring her to parties~

S'ayde is amongst those riders who have provided transportation to the Kite festival and he is currently helping his [assengers dismount from Kataskiath's back, a wide smile on his face. Somewhere nearby his weyrmate Moanna lands on her green, though she's laden with the twins, so no passengers for Maeveth. As soon as all who've hitched a ride are down, S'ayde relieves Moanna of their son and the whole family strides into the gather, intent on enjoying it's offerings. Kataskiath rumbles a friendly hello at Lukoith, and will settle nearby if the brown allows.

Are leathers appropriate Gather wear? Because that's exactly what Doji shows up wearing, and not the fancy kind either. She probably doesn't even own a fancy set. Right now, she's mostly ignoring the kites and just skulking awkwardly around the food stalls. Somewhere where there is enough space to fit the behemoth of a brown, Raktraeth is looking on very intently and practically salivating at all the morsels available, but the rider's the one fetching them. Or not. She goes to try and get some sort of spiderclaw cake thing that's sitting at the edge of the booth and her hand gets swatted away. "What do you mean you're not serving them until you got enough out? You have some right there???" The brownrider is very confused, but she'll take her swatted hand and appropriately take a step or two backwards.

Varli strolls quietly along the gather. First point of business? Food, and something to drink.

Talya has arrived to the heat of Igen yet again on the back of some Southern rider that had heard of the kite gather and had decided to check it out herself She is apparently still seeking the dry heat, or taking opportunities to return to a place she's at least somewhat familiar with, even if it was not the Weyr. Her dark eyes stare up at the sky, hooded with a hand as she stares at the kites already up there flying. Her trajectory are the food stalls and that deliciously fried whatever-it-was, but she nearly runs into someone as she does so distracted by the odd shapes flying. "Damn, my bad," she says, then pops over to the side. And steps on someone else. Right, maybe not be so distracted. She gives them a sheepish shrug, maybe an apology, and then cuts across right for the food. Gather clothes on Tal? Why, her usual baggy garb. There's a nice belt added, so that's effort.

"Why are they out, if they're not being served?" Amarante is on the case of the interesting looking cake that Doji didn't get any of, but the question is addressed more rhetorically. She tries to catch the brownrider's eye, rolling hers sympathetically. "That's just unfairly tempting people." Tsk tsk. Even if she's naturally gravitating toward people who are not in pretty gather clothes, at least she is. Somewhere (Ista), Ione would approve. Oh, but speaking of fashion? Her gold firelizard is definitely wearing a little fascinator hat. It's not the same one Doji picked out a turn ago, though — seems she's gained more than one.

Even Amarante's firelizard is more fashionable than Doji.
But Amarante's firelizard's fashion is thanks to Doji in the first place, too.

When a rest day coincides with a Gather at the nearby Igen River Hold, Xanthee is there. The weyrbrat managed to snag a ride with S'ayde when he was assigned transportation for those weyrfolk wanting to enjoy the beautiful day and the festivities. As soon as she slips off the green's neck, she offers a wave and her thanks to the greenrider. Slipping off her battered but well-loved riding jacket, she folds it over her arm carefully as she shakes out any wrinkles from her emerald green tunic dress. The plan is for Mal to meet her in the evening and then wild runners couldn't keep them away from the dance floor. But for now, Xan will do a careful circuit of the stalls.

Ollene has sportingly hopped a ride from a dragonrider for this gather and his feet have never been more happy to be a-ground. Despite trusting the rider that brought him here, heights are a real issue for the caravan second. Shivering, he pushes off to go find a drink. Eventually he's near Divale and will approach with a salute and a smile. "Ahoy rider! Any idea where a man might be able to get a drink around here?" His tone is friendly enough, some would even say a bit flirty, maybe.

The swatty baker just gives a glare at Amarante and Doji for their questions and continues going about setting out the fried. "Maybe they're stockpiling them?" The brownrider offers her suggestion with a shrug, still eyeing the ever growing pile like a hungry weyrling dragon eyeing a pile of meat in the process of being butchered. She takes yet another step back which has her coincidentally also running into someone, so it's really a tough question to say if Talya stepped on her or she stepped into the Southerner. Either way, the brownrider lets out a little eeep, quickly followed by a string of "I'm sorry"s. Like, at least three. Maybe more.

Food acquired, Zisiene makes her way through the crowd in search of something to drink. Zingari Red would be prefered, but anything with an alcohol content would be good. Ah but look, there's more Zingari showing up and the short woman finds herself sitting down at a nearby table that's filled with people that are much taller than herself.

Oh, Tahi is here too; the Parhelion greenrider isn't so much fashionably late as she is coming from somewhere else entirely. She's also wearing her leathers, though she's got a bit of festive jewelry and a nice head-scarf to make it seem a little more gather-y. Rather than landing, Golgrainth has walked over to sit by the other Igen dragons, and Tahi is hunting down Parhelion riders — or conversation. She was already at Igen River visiting her family, so she's just come from the cothold. On foot.

Varli gives Ollene a sympathetic look as she pulls out a flask and hands it to him once she's close enough to him to do so, "It helps," she says to him, "I'd like to say you get used to it, but what can I say? I haven't," which is truth.

The beer tent at least is not as stingy as certain fry cooks! A prime corner spot with a double tent already has some kegs tapped and the ale is flowing freely already! Although, there is the start of a tiny line already beginning to form.

Chelsa loves gathers, and kite-flying ones are no exception. She's wearing a cute top and skirt in burnished oranges and golds, any excuse to wear an occasion-appropriate outfit. Kuramaeth has found a spot where she can sun herself without a threat of getting her hide dirty, and in the meantime, Chelsa finally spots her quarry: Divale. "Oh… you didn't dress up? I need to get you some cute shirts, don't I?" Not that she really minds the woman in conservative clothing, but maybe a little color would be nice.

Lukoith would never spurn Kataskiath, so the green will be 'welcomed' with a partially distracted rumble and not chased off as he would other company! Divale naturally begins to drift towards the food stands, yet doesn't seem inclined to try anything. Drinks, however? Oh, the moment she finds something worthwhile, she'll be on it! Aside from that, the brownrider is content to keep her own company for now and merely observe the crowds of people around her. At the sound of an unfamiliar voice hailing her, Divale turns to glance at Ollene with a neutral expression. "There is plenty," she begins in her driest of tones, while her free hand sweeps dismissively to the various stalls. "To pick from." Oh wait, she's supposed to be polite! Resisting the urge to sigh heavily, she will add: "This," Her drink is held up. "Was just two stalls down. Rather pleasant. Sharp kick." Conversation wanes, just as Chelsa hunts her down and there's a flickering half-smile for the greenrider's arrival. "You should know by now that I do not do cute. You… however have that in spades for us both." Was that… a flirty compliment? Hard to say, as Divale's features hardly shift and neither does her tone.

She better be sorry! Kidding of course… Talya just huffs a laugh and though she is much smaller than the brownrider, she holds her hands out as if to support Doji in case she should topple over on top of her. "No need to be sorry. Hard to see in this crowd. We all want some of that stuff." Oh, hey, she recognizes the brownrider! With a wry smirk she looks up to Doji. "I guess I should apologize, to your dragon. For not Impressing. All that work he put into dragging me here that time." So long ago. She eyes the food from around the rider and frowns at it. "Just grab some and run, they'll be too busy picking up the marks I throw at them that they can't chase us down." The suggestion seems to be pretty serious. There are two quiet cheeps coming from her hair, let loose as it was during the cool ride :between:. Two baby firelizards that peek their heads out to eye the food as well. Everyone's starving!

Momentarily distracted by the comedy relief around the spiderclawcakes stand, Xanthee can't help big a soft giggle as she turns to look around for a drink. Her eyes spy the stall with the freshly tapped keg and will quicken her pace considerably as she sees others heading over as well. Finally slowing when she reaches the end of the line, the green eyed girl lets her gaze wander over the gather grounds, trying to see if she can't spy any other likely stalls she would like to peruse once she has a drink in hand.

Kataskiath is quite pleased with being able to settle around her favorite brown. Her rider, however, kisses his weyrmate and wanders off with their son to explore while Moanna takes off in a different direction. They'll meet up again later but the chance to be out socialising has them both eager to meet up with friends if they can. He pauses near a stand set up for sweetrolls and debates getting one to split with his toddler.

"I'm lucky I didn't hit anyone, I'm not sure if the two of you just took care of it for me by colliding in front of me or …" Amarante shrugs up one shoulder, then glances back at the food curiously. Forge the hat-wearing firelizard chirps back at Talya's accompaniments. The idea of throwing the money and running with the cake is tempting, though, and so she's looking between Talya and Doji a little more curiously. "Is that something you apologize for, not Impressing? I never did that. Should I have?" Sorry, Syzaith?

Ollene turns a "Thanks." in Varli's direction and takes a swig off the flask, but then Divale is pointing towards a stall a couple of lengths back and he nods. "Thanks. I like my liquor with a little kick in it. Much appreciated." This is aimed at both Divale and Varli as Ollene hands back the flask and turns to move towards this drink Divale suggested. The flirty comment sent Chelsa's way is grinned and chuckled at. But then he's gone, off to find his drink!

Chelsa gives Divale a charmingly demure smile and a teasing little curtsey. "Thank you. Though maybe I wouldn't give you cute… dramatic might be more your style. I'm going to think on it," she says quite certainly. Probably she has given Divale things to wear at various points in their friendship. And perhaps those things ended up in the back of a closet or at the bottom of a clothespress. "Are you drinking anything interesting?" she asks, leaning over to check the contents of Divale's cup. She'll steal it for a sip if the woman allows.

Doji is the sorriest of sorries! Just look at her blushing face, but it's quickly replaced by a bewildered blinking as Talya's actually apologizing to Raktraeth via her. "Don't uh… that isn't necessary? Like, at this point, there's no way he even remembers that. Besides, Search is never a sure thing. It's always just a possibllity. Someone's always going to get left standing." Or multiple someones. Doji's one of the few in this little cluster that happened to get lucky the first go round, and she FULLY doubted that would happen until probably two weeks into her own weyrlinghood. And then she notices the firelizard hat and blinks again, pointing. "Is that the one from the place?" Where she was dragged? Details are hard, but at least the spiderclaw cake hoarding baker has finally amassed a large enough stock pile that he's willing to accept orders. And he turns to Talya first since she's the one to mention marks first. "Three for a quarter mark."

"So long as you don't force anything feminine and dramatic?" Divale's giving Chelsa a bit of a side-eyed glance for the greenrider's 'plotting' but for all anyone knows, that could be a jest as well! No need for stealing, either. Once inquired about, she will merely offer the glass for Chelsa to take and enjoy — or not. It's a rather potent whiskey and not mixed with anything to dilute the full flavour. "I'd advise small sips." She warns and perhaps too late, if the greenrider is eager to try. Ollene is given a respectful nod of her head for his thanks and her gaze may track him for a few seconds before her attention is drawn back to the young woman beside her.

Talya looks between Amarante and then Doji with a shrug. "I honestly don't think it's a thing, but figured it should be said. I didn't think I'd run into you again," is said to Doji at the end. Because she is coming back more often than she thought she could! Finally taking advantage of the fact that she lives in a Weyr with dragonriders everywhere heading in the same directions that she wants to go do. It's the month-old gold that pulls out of her hair to peek curiosly at the other one. The blue will stay hidden until there is food, thankyouverymuch. Which is when the man decides to pick her out first. "Are you trying to rip me off, old man? I have children to feed here, you want them to /starve/?" She glowers at the spiderclaw cakes and, reluctantly, she pulls a quarter mark but holds up four fingers. "As your first loyal customer of the night." Ignore the crowd behind them!

Zisiene scooches a touch when someone wants to sit at the table she's seated at. A grunt is given in answer to the mumbled thanks. Maybe she'll go wander again once she's finished whatever the fried bit of food is? Maybe not.

Amarante is not laughing. Amarante is not laughing. Amarante is keeping a straight face at Talya's exchange with the baker! "I think I apologized to Tavuqth when I told him I didn't want to stand again," she says lightly, not completely sure — but Tavuqth must have forgiven her by now. Which is totally the same thing as having completely forgotten about it. "This is actually her second one, though we still have the first. She really likes the little hats. You started a trend," Doji is informed solemnly.

Chelsa gives Divale a perfectly innocent look. "You're saying you'd like a shirt that's masculine and pink?" She's joking. "I'm sure I could do something for you in a dramatic black. Something that would suit you for you." Chelsa is fond of Divale for who she is, without needing to try to change her. Though she wouldn't mind highlighting some of the best things. She accepts the glass from Divale and gives it an experimental sniff, followed by a careful sip. "Ooh, this is nice. A second sip, in which she pretends to make off with the glass… before smiling and returning it to Divale. "Are you here to watch the kite flying? Or just the people?"

Xanthee finds her gaze falling back to the Spiderclaw cakes stall, as she narrows her eyes at the woman who's speaking, thinking she recognizes her voice but not being able to place it at that moment. But then her attention is taken as she gets to the front of the line and she orders a half-pint of beer. It's still too early to get into the hard stuff, but Xan enjoys the occasional ale. Paying her marks, she wanders over to see who was trying their negotiation skills with the baker. When it is revealed to be Talya the southern girl, she wanders closer to watch. This should be interesting.

Doji reaches up to run a hand through her rather short hair as she tries not to blush but that's a losing battle. Apologies make her blush. Social interaction of most sorts make her blush. The list of things that don't is still rather small. "If you say it too much, he'll probably forget there isn't a clutch on the Sands and Search you again. I think he got up to six in this clutch. Even if dragons didn't forget most things in days, he'd probably have trouble keeping it straight." As for the trend she started, Doji just gives a 'huh'. Wherever her own gold is, Sassafras most definitely doesn't have a hat. She'll pass her own mark over to the baker in exchange for the delicious fried goodness. There's a little bit of a brow furrow at the idea of feeding the young firelizards fried food. "Be careful about that… the grease might not agree with them too much. I haven't heard of firelizards getting thicktail, but you wouldn't want to be the first." Trust her. She knows from first hand (or first foot) experience from earlier in the day.

"Do firelizards have gall bladders? If they do," Amarante actually glances over to Doji who presumably knows about dragon anatomy enough to say so, and Amarante also knows she doesn't! "Then you definitely want to be careful with feeding them anything fried." That isn't stopping her from eating fried things, though! She pays for a cake — just one — and is only getting to start to take a bite of it when a tall gentleman wearing Healer Master's knots who definitely isn't the guy Amarante came here with appears and takes her arm. "A word, Journeyman," Igen River's posted Healer requests, and Amarante cannot by order of rank appropriateness refuse even if she'd clearly rather stay with Talya and Doji, so she offers up a weak and disappointed-to-them-only-not-where-he-can-see, "Sorry," oh no Doji's going to blush again, before putting on a bright fake smile for the Master. "What can I help you with?" And off she goes to get conscripted into doing something a lot less fun than flying her kite.

Divale just closes her eyes briefly as she exhales, mouth quirking into a smirk for Chelsa's joke (threat?) of pink. Then, in the next beat, she gives a fleeting, wolfish grin. "I do like color," she admits. "Like red. Dark red!" Blood red. "Dark blue isn't so bad either…" Anyone sensing a theme? It's likely for the greenrider not pushing for her to change that Divale has kept their friendship alive. Reaching to reclaim her glass, she will offer Chelsa her arm in return — as is only proper (for a gentleman). "Would you like your own glass? It's not far from here." As for her plans, here? Divale's features slip back to her reserved look, though there's amusement laced somewhere in her tone. "A little of both. The kites are strangely fascinating…" But the crowds are also alluring in their own way.

"Three." "Four." This seems to be the trend as The crowd dips around Talya to get to the spiderclaw cakes, but the baker seems to have enough attention to not budge on her poor negotiations. They don't last longer than a round or two, since she wants those damn cakes. And drops exchanges her quarter mark for a smaller unit to get herself just one. "Fine, we'll find you guys something else," is said to the poor firelizards on her shoulders. This likely because two people now have told her it was a bad idea to feed firelizards the fried cakes. She backs away from the stall with her single treat. "It's like a gamble, did any of those that your brown Searched end up Impressing?" is finally asked of Doji, even as she gives Amarante a nod farewell, not having gotten the Healer's name. "Firelizard with hats. I hope Beast doesn't get hat idea in her head…" By the way the little gold watched the older one, she probably liked it. "I'd imagine the thing gets lost :between: and— oh hey, it's Xanthee!" Spotted.

S'ayde gets his sweetrolls and moves with Synn to sit down and eat them. As usual, the ex-spy's eyes are on everything watching everything. Old habits die hard and he's glad this one hasn't, he sees the most amusing things in crowds of people. Though, to be honest, he's probably one of those amusing things himself. Any spyling watching right now owuld probably die laughing whilst watching the ex-Zingari spy try to talk a two turn old into eating something sweet.

Ollene manages to get his drink, also whiskey, and moves around until he's near the spiderclawcakes and they catch h is interest. Being a cook, he's always facinated with new things. He'll plop himself in line for one, mouth watering over the good smell of the things. He'll have to ask the baker what he does with them.

Xanthee is spotted and she will take that as her cue to wander closer as she takes a sip of her drink. "It's Talya!" She replies with a giggle. "Fancy meeting you here. How're things Southern-way?" She asks conversationally as she eyes the girl's baby firelizards, "Oh, you got another one since the Hatching Talya?" She seems to remember the girl got her gold while they were still Candidates. Another long sip, as Xan smacks her lips lightly at the refreshing drink.

"They don't have anything exactly like a gallbladder…" Doji could probably go into a much longer discussion about what organs they think dragons might have that could function like one (dragon anatomy is weird and mysterious, 'kay? Hard to autopsy when 99.9% go between), but Talya is mercifully saved from overhearing that conversation by the arrival of the hold healer and the disappearance of the journeyman. Doji will give an awkward wave with a half eaten spiderclaw in her hand. "I think about half of them did?" As for Raktraeth's success rate. She sounds unsure if fifty/fifty is good in this instance. "There's a shop in the bazaar that makes tiny hats for humans, but well, they fit firelizards as well."

Chelsa muses over the color suggestions, the ideas tumbling over each other in her mind. No doubt by the end of the evening, they will be coalesced into a new project. "Those colors definitely suit you. But let me think on it a bit. I want to give you something just a little bit different…." But not so different that Divale won't wear it at all. She surrenders the glass and wraps her arm around Divale's, leaning on her just a little. "Everything does have a nice atmosphere, doesn't it? I wouldn't mind a drink of my own, actually," she says, giving the woman a little smile.

Flying kites isn't so much Eala's scene — the greenrider doesn't even know how to do so, in truth — but she has a young girl and a seemingly reluctant teenager on her hands who'll likely enjoy the festivities far more than she will. She has her arm wrapped around Ailsa's shoulders while Eanraig walks alongside them, his sister's hand firmly in his grip. One good look at the kites and Ailsa is off like a shot, yanking her unsuspecting brother along by the hand as she chases after the breeze-charmed objects. "Don't lose her!" the greenrider cries out in warning as they vanish from her sight. Clearly she's not overly concerned, as she makes no attempt to pursue them — those two are responsible to be left to their own devices.

"I guess half is good? With so many left standing anyway, he must be a good Search dragon." Talya remarks about Raktraeth's Searching skills. Her dark sticky looking blue does blink his big eyes at Xanthee, as if he knows he was being spoken about. The tiny thing at least hides pretty well on his human's shoulder, and does a good job of not bothering Talya. Beast, on the other hand, moves a lot more. "It wasn't planned," Tal says with a heavy sigh. "Less than two days after the hatching and this thing arrives." She won't go into details, though she gives the Blue a fond little pat with her free hand. "Wouldn't want them to get sick, that's not something I want to deal with double… no fried food. Y'all just ate before we left, so chill out." This said to the firelizards, who weren't really freaking out. It was hopeful to try to play to the baker's sympathies. "And Southern's there, getting better there and thank Faranth I never got sick. But it gave me a new job." The sick and the dying that is. Ahem. She points to the ale in Xanthee's hand. "That next, and then to the kites. How has being holed up away from Igen's heat been treating you?" is asked of the other ex-candidate.

Raktraeth certainly thinks he's a good Search dragon, although right now he's trying to search out some more foods he his rider should try. And his head might be hovering a little bit too close to the tents for comfort for some of the further stall owners closest to the dragon landing zone, but he's only toeing the line for now. "If they're really hungry, I can send some of mine to catch a fish or two from the river for them." Doji's got a whole fully grown fair of her own. Fishing for some babies should be no problem. Xanthee's arrival is met with a wave of her less-full hand. "Hey, Xanthee. I haven't seen you in the Tea Room in a while." And it was summer, so clearly a frequent haunt for many a rider, Doji was no exception.

Xanthee turns to Doji at the mention of hats for firelizards, blinking as she notices the brownrider there. "Little hats? For firelizards huh? That sounds adorable." the teen exclaims as she smiles in the brownrider's direction, "Hiya Doji, and I don't work there anymore actually. Weyrwoman Nasrin snagged me as her assisstant a couple seven after the Hatching." She offers in response to her query. Her finger is waggled in the direction of the little blue looking out as her, "Oh he's darling. I don't have a blue." she mentions off-handedly. "I did get a new one though, a gold. My teacher Kyara gave her egg to me. She's back home right now, happily sleeping off the meal I stuffed her with before I headed down here." The girl perks up at the mention of a new job, "Ohhhh? Really? What are you doing?"

One drink for the greenrider, coming up! Divale merely shrugs her shoulders, while walking sedately along the path and careful not to bump into anyone else passing by. "I never knew there was a festival for kites," she admits, lapsing silent while they reach the stall and a second glass of that whiskey is procured and paid for. Any further conversation of clothing is left to drift, as she will turn them back into the crowds. "Or that kites were truly that popular." Belated is her pick up of the previous comment she made, but Divale's never been great with small talk. Her gaze wanders again, scanning the crowds with habitual caution and it's by chance that Ailsa darting off like a shot catches her eye. From there, it doesn't take long for Divale to spy Eala and there is a respectful dip of her head given to the Wingleader, followed by a bemused smirk.

Talya actually seems to consider Doji's offer, before shaking her head quickly. "No, it's alright. But thanks. If they start fussing I'll get them something…" Her dark eyes look at the stalls around them. "Something not fried." Lesson learned before she made that mistake, thank Faranth for Healers and dragonriders nearby right? Not like she got a manual with two firelizards at once, though she did pick up on what she learned from her candidacy lessons. Blue gives a sweet little cheep to Xanthee, just to butter her up. He definitely knows he's being spoken about. "I'm working with the Guards now, actually. /Much/ better than bartending." There is something more relaxed to Talya that probably only those that saw her around Southern working can really detect. Her old job sucked for her. "Speaking of, I'm gonna go find a working bartender for a drink." She gives Doji and Xanthee a grin and begins to move off, using the time to munch down on her spiderclaw cake instead of being disgusting and talking with her mouth full.

"I suppose everyone enjoys doing something new for a day," Chelsa muses, in response to Divale's comments about kites. "And they do look lovely, hanging in the air likes they do." There are a few colorful ones flying above the field nearby, dancing and tugging against the wind. She gratefully accepts the whiskey, sipping it carefully, a warmth moving through her as she does so. She spots Divale signal to Eala, and she gives a wiggle-fingered wave to the other greenrider. "Should we go talk to her? Maybe she'd like a glass of whiskey too." I mean, who wouldn't?

"There was this shop, and Weyrwoman Ione and well, Amarante's firelizard ended up with a hat. And now apparently she has another one," Doji tried to offer a hurried explanation right before polishing off the last of her spiderclaw cakes. "I'm told that there's also some sort of stew down this way. With tomatoes and a little shellfish and some wherry and sausage…" She'll start drifting down to another stall, although giving Talya a bit of a salute as she leaves. "good luck!" Maybe with the drink, maybe the promotion, or maybe both! "Weyrwoman's assistant, huh? So what all does that entail? Inventory and stuff?"

By the time Ollene gets up to the front of the line, they're all out of cakes again and he groans. It's going to be a bit before more are made. Giving up on that, he moves on, chancing upon Doji and Co, he meanders up. Socialising take two. "Good day ladies." He gives a salute and a half bow, using both his people's and the weyr's code of ethics and manners. Better covered twice than not at all. He takes a sip of the whiskey, strong, hearty, not Zingari red, but ok nonetheless. "Anyone here flying kites today?"

S'ayde is eventually rejoined by Moanna and their daughter, though Dyanna seems fit to be tied and Moanna looks frustrated. Hearing his twin go off, Synn starts and S'ayde echos his weyrmate's sigh. Here they go. Up both of them get, heading for their dragons and the relative quiet of the dragon resting areas. Hopefully they can get their kiddos under control and enjoy more of the gather, if not, they'll just wait at their dragons until their passengers come back.

"Guard huh? I bet you'll be well suited for that." Xanthee says before Talya wanders off for a drink. Turning then to Doji the black haired girl smiles, "That sounds darling, is the shop still around?" she wonders because now she can't get the idea of a little tiny hat for Banshee. At her second, Xan raises an eyebrow and shrugs as she meanders after the brownrider, "Anything she asks." She jests with a smirk but then gives an actual answer, "Keeping track of appointments, taking notes for her during meetings, lots of running and fetching. Yes, inventory as well. Lots of hidework. I'm kept very busy." She says with a happy smile. And then Ollene is there and Xan tilts her head to one side in his direction, "Good day sir." she chirps in reply.

Eala's attention doesn't stay upon the vanished kids for long, and the greenrider does a quick scan of the gathered crowd out of habit. It's on this scan that she notices Divale and Chelsa, and lifts a hand in greeting. Without anywhere else to be, the greenrider makes her way over, commenting, "I lost my kids," by way of greeting. There's an utter lack of concern along with those words.

"Yes…" And after a moment, Doji will provide a couple possible names of the shop because neither she nor I as the player can remember it at the moment. But names are offered! The arrival of Ollene and the salute from a non-rider gets yet another blush from the brownrider. "Uhh.. hello. And I'm just here because my dragon heard there'd be so much food…." And that breaks off into some mumbles as she glances over her shoulder towards where the behemoth brown's lurking head can be seen. Raktraeth will pull back and try to maintain a guise of perfect innocence. He wasn't doing NOTHING.

Divale glances up to the skies again, where a few of those kites still ride the winds. "I suppose," she'll admit reluctantly. "They have their appeal. Some are quite complex in design, I wouldn't think they could fly." She's no expert on kites! And she chuckles dryly for Chelsa's suggestion. "Perhaps." But that'd require going back to the stand and there's no time for that! "Children will do that," Divale tosses back by way of greeting, along with a fleeting smile. "Wasn't sure if you'd make it or not. Drink?" The glass that had hardly been touched by the brownrider is now offered straight up to Eala. No cooties, promise!

Chelsa smiles as Eala approaches them, and she lets her arm uncurl from around Divale's, so they can all stand around and talk as friends. "I'm sure they'll turn up by the end of the day," she says. Spoken like a woman who doesn't have any children. "The whiskey is really quite good. I'm surprised they're serving up something so strong, though. Hopefully we won't all be passed out in the grass by dusk." she says, grinning.

Ollene doesn't bite! Promise! Doji's blush has Olly puzzling over the rider, odd that a rider would blush over receiving proper respects. Xanthee's chirpy reply is met with a wide, white toothed smile. "There does seem to be planty of that around." He says of food. "Unless you want a spiderclawcake. There seems to be a shortage of those." He chuckles and takes a drink of his whiskey, a hand running through the thick length of his hair.

Speaking of complex kite designs… two older teens come out with a monster of a kite. It's gotta be at least ten feet long. And it's shaped like a giant goldfish complete with a gaping mouth. It takes a few attempts, but eventually they get the thing airborne.

Xanthee makes note of those shop names and will definitely be checking them out for possibly tiny hat cuteness. At Doji's reason for being there, she just laughs a little bit as she watches the exchange between dragon and rider, her smile warm, "As good a reason as any else. I'm looking forward to the dancing later myself." to the unknown man with the long hair, the raven-haired girl gives a shrewd once-over. He's pretty, that's for sure, and if she were not happily taken with a certain miner, Xan might be getting her flirt on, but instead she will offer, "Hi, I'm Xanthee." with a tip of her glass and a friendly smile in his direction.

"I wasn't too keen, but Ailsa really wanted to come." Which in turn meant that both Eala and Eanraig had to come along. "I'm not sure where Kor is." This doesn't appear to bother her either, though she is quick to reach for that offered drink. If the brownrider has cooties, chances are Eala has already caught them, anyway. Wink. (Or not so wink, they just spend a lot of time together.) "They will," she agrees with Chelsa. Some children might be inclined to run off, but these two are about as well-behaved as one can hope for. "Maybe it helps to fly the kites somehow?" She lifts the glass to her lips, giving an approving nod when the liquid touches her tongue. "I've never flown one, so I wouldn't know."

Doji can be an odd avian. Mostly because she's a human, but still an odd one of those as well. "They got enough of the cakes now… although why they had to wait to have so many before selling when they had some…" She just shakes her head in confusion. As Xanthee mentions dancing, she'll turn her attention towards the dance floor, eyeing it cautiously. "Last time I danced… I think I elbowed someone in the face." She doesn't quite remember. Graduation night was a blur and there was a lot of drinking. And since Introductions are happening, she'll chime in with her own matter of fact tone, "Doji, brown Raktraeth's." The jacket she's still wearing fills in the rest of whirlwind and dragonhealer trainee.

"If a few sips of that whiskey is enough to knock me flat on my ass," Divale muses dryly, while glancing sidelong to Chelsa next to her. There's no comment on her arm being released and her posture remains rather at ease, even for her. "Then my tolerance is clearly lacking and I should work on fixing it." When those teens arrive with their monstrosity of a creation, the brownrider catches herself watching their struggle for longer than she'd intended. "… I certainly hope no one is in the path of that thing when the wind currents fail." She remarks offhandedly to either greenrider. Mention of Ko'an has Divale giving Eala a look, followed by a smirk. "Somehow, I feel this isn't his… thing." Or Eala's, apparently! Yet here they are. The wink is met with a light scoff, as close to a return as expected.

Ollene tips his glass to Xanthee and Doji in return. "Ollene, of the Armida Zingari, well met." He takes a drink then, listening to the conversation at hand. That is until a particularly keen looking piece of male performer walks by. Well. There goes Olly's intent to socialise here. "It was nice meeting you ladies…" Eyes track the performer closely. "Please excuse me though." With a bow, Ollene takes off, skirting the crowds to catch up to that piece of eye candy. Whether he is seen again this night is a crapshoot.

Chelsa looks up at the large kite being flown, skeptical for a moment. "They must be quite light in order for the wind to hold them… right?" She isn't really a kite-flyer herself. She smiles and gives a wink to Divale. "Maybe we should take a bit of that whiskey back home, hmm? Oh, I should have brought a flask…." One of those things she considered, then decided against it at the last moment, figuring there would be plenty to drink here. And there is, but… what if you want to drink elsewhere?

"Probably to build up a crowd around his stall to create a stir and thus sell more cakes." Xanthee takes a wild guess at the subject of the baker and his cakes. But she's probably wrong. To Ollene she accepts his name with a grateful bob of her head before she watches him keenly and follows his gaze with a raised eyebrow. Oh now she sees. A little wave is offered to the retreating Zingari man. Then to Doji's comment about dancing she just shrugs and smiles, "I'm an ok dancer, but Mal is amazing and I just follow his lead. He's meeting me here later." she says as a smile lights up her face when she talks of her Miner-love.

"One of the weyrlings ate a kite this morning. Or well, last night. He ended up in the dragonhealer yard this morning," And Doji's going to tactfully leave out the details of the rest of that story as she works her way closer to the stew booth, giving Ollene a nod as he bids his farewell. Any additional food gathering is paused for a moment as she spots that giant kite. "How long do you think it took them to build something like that?" And then after Xan finishes her gushing… "So candidacy didn't put a damper on that whole thing?" Tact, your name is not Doji.

Eala arches a brow sky-high at Chelsa's words, but she doesn't say anything. Divale, however, does receive a subtle look which suggests they may be having words later. Or perhaps a silent conversation will say enough. "Isn't the best way to improve your tolerance a great deal of practice? Maybe we'll have to schedule weekly drinks as a wing." So that EVERYONE can practice. There's a faint upward curl of her lips, before the greenrider rolls her eyes. "No, people are much too well-behaved here." Including her kids, right? Right.

Divale meets Eala's gaze with steadfast coldness and not at all flustered by the greenrider's subtle hints. What could it possibly be? Plenty, given the brownrider's track record. There's a resigned sigh, barely audible among the din of the festivities, that signals that she expects these 'words' to be happening the next morning. "I would not complain against that," she remarks neutrally, while giving Chelsa another sidelong look, while faintly shaking her head. "It'd be too much trouble to bring the whiskey back, when I've already my own back at the Weyr." Not a bluff, either! She's got her own private (and tiny) stash going on. Another scoff, while her gaze flicks back to Eala. "Careful, now. You might just jinx yourself?" Joking aside, Divale's attention is drawn away again and it's not difficult to pinpoint the source, given the unfocused look to her eyes. "If you'll both excuse me? That massive kite has drawn… unwanted attention." Cryptic for: Lukoith is getting restless or she's tapping out on social niceties and needs to quickly exit before she does something Not Nice. Could be both! Either way, her leaving is abrupt and she'll owe later apologies (HA!) to both greenriders some other day.

"Not at all!" Xanthee says with a faintly suggestive waggle of her dark eyebrows in the brownrider's direction, "You know what they say, distance makes the heart grow fonder. And boy does it ever!" That is said with a little titter as she looks in the direction of that big kite and she just shakes her head, "I have no idea. Several sevendays at least." she guesses. Then she finally registers something that Doji said previously. "Wait? How did the weyrling eat a kite? How could they have mistaken it for food?" she boggles at the other woman.

Doji doesn't actually have words to respond to that, although she did bring Xanthee's response on herself by even asking the question. For the moment she's doing a pretty good impression of the giant fish kite with her mouth gaping as she tries to find words and then just gives up, shaking her head. And then she has a work question to answer. Yay distractions! "He sneezed. Or well, inhaled before sneezing. His rider will be having to comb through his muck piles for days to account for all the little pieces." She is probably getting some stink eye from some of those folks waiting in the stew line with her for mentioning muck, but the brownrider is seemingly oblivious to the glares at least for the moment.

Chelsa hums as Divale exuses herself, but she doesn't press. "All right, I'll catch you later," she calls to the woman's retreating figure. In the meantime, there's whiskey, snacks, and kites, all lovely entertainments for the day.

Lucky for Divale, their conversation is likely to consist mostly of more skeptical eyebrows, and very little desire for actual gossip. "Well, at least if they misbehave here, it's not my responsibility to fix things," she says decidedly, lifting her glass in an unspoken toast. To not being in charge! She takes a hearty sip as Divale is making her farewells, smirking at the reasoning. "Please try to keep him from eating it." It's one thing when it's a weyrling, it's another entirely when it's a full-grown dragon. As her companions both depart within moments of each other, Eala finds herself suddenly alone and scanning the crowd again. There seems to be a bit of a commotion over toward where the kites are centered, with a few voices raised to shout about something or another — but again, not her responsibility.

Xanthee really should come with a disclaimer. Ask about her relationship at your own risk. But back to the topic of the unfortunately weyrling. "That's horrible! His poor rider." Xanthee notices the stink eye out of the corner of her eye. Then she spies a familiar bronze firelizard circling the gather area, meaning that her beau had finally arrived. With one final smile and a lazy salute of two fingers tipped to her temple, Xan beams at the brownrider, "Well, my date just got here. I'll see you around Doji." And the teen is off, almost skipping, to disapear into the crowd, following the bronze firelizard to her boyfriend.

"He's the one that let his dragon eat a kite," Doji has very little sympathy and just gives a shrug. Guess who won't be letting poor Soth eat another kite any time soon or ever? That guy. The brownrider gives a wave to the other girl as Xanthee departs, just in time for Doji to acquire the tiniest cup of stew ever, by request. If Rakraeth had his way, she probably wouldn't be leaving until she had to roll out of here, but moderation is key. As is exercise combined with the eating. She'll take a brief stroll away from the food stalls for a bit, which leads her closer towards the kites and coincidentally Eala. "Uh-huh. That doesn't sound good." Statement of fact, but Doji doesn't seem inclined to go investigate what all the commotion might be, even if she is ignoring the cardinal rule of 'ignore it and hope it goes away'.

Ignore it and hope it goes away is a great strategy. Unfortunately in this instance, it's more a case of 'ignore it and watch it come running up to your with a massive grin looking far too proud of itself'. "I can't imagine what's causing that kind of commotion when it comes to ki-" Eala is saying to Doji, when Ailsa somehow manages to dart through the crowd with all ten feet of that massive kite trailing behind her. It dwarfs her to a ridiculous degree. All that weaving and dodging through the crowd likely means that several people nearby are in the midst of tripping over that long tail, just to make matters worse. Eala looks properly gobsmacked as the girl appears, presenting the kite to her like it's the greatest gift in the world. "How- what-" Any words of wisdom here, Doji?

Doji has absolutely no words of wisdom in this instance. She looks nearly as surprised as the wingleader, although she can at least get a full sentence together after she finishes her spoonful of stew. "Is that your's?" What 'that' and who she is referring to is entirely questionable. Either the kite to Ailsa or the girl to Eala. As for her own troublemaker, Raktraeth takes a few more steps back from trying to hover his neck over the closest food stall. Now is probably not a good time to try and steal a mouthful of anything.

"Noooope!" Ailsa sing-songs with apparent glee, grinning all the more when Eanraig joins them, looking a little winded. "They weren't nice, so I took their kite away." It takes Eala longer than she'd like to gather up the words to speak, but given that she's a mother by circumstance and not by nature, these moments don't always come naturally to her. "That doesn't give you license to steal his kite, Ailsa." Privately she may entirely agree with this kind of justice, but she has a reputation to uphold. And also an audience in Doji. "Have you ever stolen from someone because they were being mean, Doji?"

Doji is just trying to mind her own business and eat what's left of her stew when suddenly she's drawn back into the discussion and looks a bit like a runner seeing a dragon overhead, but gulp down the stew she will before answering. "Me? I don't think I've ever stolen from anybody. Not even on accident." And then as an afterthought, "And if I had, I would have felt really bad about it." And probably returned the accidentally purloined item along with like three extra copies or something just to make amends.

There's no apology forthcoming for dragging Doji back into this mess. If Eala has to unexpectedly parent, she's going to use every available resource. "That's good, because you're not supposed to steal." The latter part of this statement is directed very pointedly at Ailsa, whose smile has yet to really dim. #sorrynotsorry, apparently. "Would you have felt really bad about it even if they were mean, awful people?" She doesn't even bother attempting to communicate the desired answer to the brownrider with her eyes — she's pretty damn sure that Doji is going to get the answer right regardless.

Oh, predictability. No eye or hand signals needed here, since Doji immediately responds with, "Well… yes. Because you shouldn't steal. It doesn't matter what they did, it matters what you did. There are rules." And the brownrider places great faith in said rules, even if she has encountered more than a few people who refuse to acknowledge that they might apply, she's still going to firmly hold onto the belief that everything will work better if everybody followed them. Also, as lovely as teaching moments might be, those teens who owned the kite are working their way through the crowd, but it's taking some time. However did Ailsa manage it with the giant kite in tow will forever remain a mystery, but time's a ticking on the lesson clock.

Ailsa is small and apparently very willing to trip people on her quest to reach Eala, that's how. The little girl — who looks so much like her aunt — stares up at Doji with big, round eyes which don't look any more apologetic than they did before. There is, however, a dawning understanding in that gaze. But that may have more to do with the fact that her brother is tugging on her arm, murmuring something to her about the approaching teenagers. "What if I take it from them when they're not looking? That's better, right?" Ailsa chirps, evidently more focused on the getting caught part than the moral of the whole situation. Eala drags a hand over her face, no doubt swallowing a litany of curses as she tries to redirect the situation. "Just… give it back. Apologize. We'll talk about this later," she instructs, waving the girl off and giving Eanraig a stern look in the process — he's meant to be the responsible one! "Thanks." That's for Doji, offered up as an afterthought as the greenrider watches her charges vanish back into the crowd, probably tripping more people in the process.

Drag her in once unexpectedly, shame on you. Drag the brownrider in twice, and well, shame on Doji. She's not going to get caught again! As soon as Ailsa brings up the next question, Doji's shaking her head and quickly makes to back her way out of the spot she had been and then anywhere else but there. Eala's thanks is going to either be met with empty air or fall onto the chest of that absurdly large man carrying a teeny tiny kite and a beer in his hand. Doji's outta there!

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