Who

Xanthee, Agertha

What

Xanthee is having herself a pity party. Agertha? Well she's just there to get quietly drunk only to change her mind.

When

It is afternoon of the twenty-eighth day of the fourth month of the eleventh turn of the 12th pass. It is the eighty-eighth day of Spring and 82 degrees. It is a bright, sunny day.

Where

Dustbowl Cantina

OOC Date 02 Jul 2017 04:00

 

Oh if I were girly, and a follower my Kes would get me kicked from every Weyr on Pern


igendustbowlcantina.jpg

Dustbowl Cantina

To enter the Dustbowl Cantina is to descend: the heart of the ancient tavern lies half underground, at the foot of ancient steps, insulated from summer heat and winter cold by the volcanic rock surrounding it. A windowless place well-lit by glows, it is homey, even cozy, with a certain bijou charm - but for the deep gouges worn in wooden table and solid stone, some clearly lingering evidence of boisterous brawling. The wall behind the well-polished bar, though, remains free from scars or graffiti, as does the door into the small kitchen, and the stairwell up into the owner's quarters: the barkeep and his staff reign, and they guard their territory well. After all, only a fool angers the source of the booze.


Alone, in a back corner table, Xanthee, the ebon-haired former Candidate, is sitting and nursing a tall glass of cider. And with the couple of empty glasses on the table in front of her shows that this isn't her first one either. Curled up on the chair next to her is her little green Banshee, and on her shoulder, crooning worriedly and rubbing his bronze head on her cheek is Grymm. She stares into nothingness, and sways a little in place before letting out a tiny belch and taking the glass in hand for another swig.

The door to the cantina swings open, then closes again as Agertha makes her way in. It's not uncommon to see the green riding wingleader in the cantina no, but what is uncommon is to see her place an order for something other than klah, "Mind if I join you?" Agertha asks of Xanthee as she approaches with a glass of wine in hand.

Xanthee looks up with a sigh and spies the wingleaders's know and she tries to stand up, but her feet get tangled and she ends up just flopping back into the chair. Grymm cheeps his disapproval of being so rattled and takes off to find another, more stable, perch. "Sorry Ma'am. Don't think I can stand at the moment but sure, please join me." she says, her usually sassy voice flat with a slight slur. Another swig of cider.

A nod of understanding is given as Agertha seats herself, "Maybe ease up a little?" the suggestion is given in a kind tone. She takes a sip of her wine, "I can't say I understand being left standing," after all her bond cracked shell and bee-lined to her, "I will say that just because you didn't find your bond this time doesn't mean there won't be one next time," unless of course Xanthee will be past Searchable age at that point, something that Agertha has no way of knowing.

Xanthee shrugs her shoulders, "It's not that. I'm weyrbred, I know how these things work. I've only just gotten to the age where I can stand so there could be many more Hatchings in my future." Pause as she lets that thought sink in and then she shudders slightly. "I just started letting myself believe since my mom was a rider that it was going to happen, when I know better. That's not a guarantee." She sways a bit as she says this and looks up with searching eyes at Agertha, like she suddenly remembered herself. "Sorry ma'am. I am so rude, haven't even introduced myself proper. I'm Xanthee."

Agertha gives a soft chuckle, "True, but I hear that it's more likely for someone who has a rider for a parent to Impress than not," so maybe? "Well met. I'm Agertha, green Kestrath's of Arroyo," like knot and patch on her jacket weren't enough to state wing, and rank.

Xanthee breaks into a fit of the giggles. "Oh there is a weyrling you need to meet!" she exclaims randomly. "He was going on and on before the hatching that only girly men should ride greens and that greenriders were picked because they were followers. And he impressed green! I about died." Xan's laughter fades off a bit. "Some of the matches were perfect, others left me scratching my head."

Agertha chuckles, "Oh if I were girly, and a follower my Kes would get me kicked from every Weyr on Pern," this is followed by a deep laugh, "She's loud, and can sometimes be obnoxious if I don't keep a mental muzzle on her."

Xanthee smiles a bit wanely, "It was so great to see my friends find their lifemates. But I won't see them for awhile now, and I'm gonna miss them. I was thinking about getting out of the Weyr, but I have like no where to go. I've never been anywhere." she shrugs and swallows the last bit of her cider, is about to raise it in the age-old signal of "one more" but decides to take Agertha's advice and doesn't. "I just don't know if I can go back to drudgery after that."

"I grew up in a cot hold in High Reaches. I was never supposed to stand," Agertha says, "I came here to watch my cousin, and here I am with a dragon in my head," she's not complaining, "Sometimes you don't know what's going to happen until it does."

Xanthee nods a little bit, "Yeah, I am trying to keep that in mind. It's a little hard since everyone I got close to in our huge class impressed, but I am happy for them." Another little sigh, "How was it growing up in a cot hold? did you have to adjust to Weyr life?"

Agertha nods, "I can understand. My cousin was left standing, and wound up Impressing at a different Weyr," she thinks for a moment then nods, "Life in a mountain cot hold is a lot different than life in a Weyr. The biggest adjustment I had to deal with was the heat," and if she were honest with herself, Agertha's still not adjusted to that.

Xanthee grins a little bit and nods. "Maybe I should go somewhere for a little bit. I wonder if I could join a caravan or something. One thing that thsi has made me see is that I was waiting around for stuff to happen instead of making it happen for myself."

Agertha gives a thoughtful look, "It would take getting used to," the caravan life, "Not everyone is suited to life outside of the protection of Hold or Weyr," then again, not everyone is suited for life in a craft, which is where she was headed had she not Impressed.

Xanthee shrugs her shoulders, "It might be good. just for a few months while my friends focus on their lifemates. I don't really have a talent for a craft, so it'd have to be something else. Don't think I could make it in the north though, I don't much like the cold."

Agertha chuckles, "I miss the snow," is admitted. Agertha finishes her wine, and cocks her head to one side, "Guard duty perhaps?" or maybe not. Agertha's not sure what Xanthee would find interesting, so she's just throwing stuff out there. A look around the cantina assures the greenrider that her bond is still sound asleep. As relaxed as she appears outwardly, Agertha's starting to feel herself becoming easily agitated.

Xanthee smiles a little bit, "I've heard about snow. it must be wonderful!" She is still under the effects of the cider and doesn't seem to notice Agertha's anxiety building. Her stomach does a rumble and she holds it embaressedly. "Sorry. I guess cider isn't really filling." She flags down a waitress, "Can we get some meatrolls over here please?" she asks. The waitress nods on her way back to the kitchen.

Agertha gives a nod, "I do miss the snow, but my father's very hidebound in his thinking. When I Impressed, I ceased to exist for him," so Agertha's not been back since she Impressed, "Good idea that," the food, "Never smart to drink so much on an empty stomach. Water before you sleep will help too," says the woman who rarely drinks anything.

"Thanks for that tip, I'll make sure to do that. Yeah, I usually don't overdo it," says the 15 yo Xanthee, "Mostly just a glass of wine at Turn's End." She sighs heavily at Agertha's words and shakes her head, "I don't understand family that would disown someone. Don't they know that some people don't get the option of family." She scowls at her emmpty glass and just looks like she is about to order another when the waitress is back with a plate with several meatrolls on it, and with some forethought, a tall glass of ice water. Distracted by the food, she picks one up and blows on it gingerly before taking a bite. "Help yourself." she offers after she swallows the first bit of savoury meat and flakey pastry.

Agertha gives a shrug, "Much as I'd like to say I understand, I don't either," she hasn't heard from her family since a few months after she Impressed, "I think there are some that just don't feel women should Impress to any color but gold," and since she's clearly not in that class of riders, "Anway, it's made life easier for me to not have to deal with that headache."

Xanthee clucks her tongue and shakes her head while taking another bite. "That is rediculous. My mom was a brownrider and gave her life in protection of the Weyr. Women are just as able as men in most respects. I guess growing up in the Weyr, I haven't been even the least bit hidebound, it seems so foreign that others aren't as open."

Agertha gives a shrug, "I did have a brother that was proud of me," she takes a meat roll, and thinks for a bit, "He died in an accident of some sort. The details weren't clear when my mother wrote to tell me," last time she's heard from her home, "I'm just glad that things have worked the way they have," for the most part she's had a good life.

Xanthee nods a little bit as she finishes off the roll and dusts her hands off of crumbs. "Well at least you have the memories of him. I'm sure you will cherish those." she smiles a little forlornly and then looks as if she suddenly remembers something. "Oh shards! I was supposed to be right back to help with the prep for the evening meal." She bobs her head in respect for the wingleaders position, "Great to meet you ma'am." And she is off, her two flitters quick on her heels, albeit a little wobbly.

Agertha gives a nod as Xanthee makes her way out of the cantina. A second meatroll is popped into her mouth, and then she too is dropping some marks to pay for the drinks and meal before leaving.

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