Letters, Babies, And Gossip, Oh My!!!

Participants:

Teallan.jpg Alara.jpg Merendezen.jpg

Date: July 15, 2010
Location: Eastern Weyr: Lower Bowl South
Synopsis: Alara runs into an old friend, and a new one. Discussion ensues.
Rating: PG
Logger: Alara

The handyman is busy not being handy at the moment, taken to exploring every part of the Weyr one section at a time, but certainly not one day at a time. He does, indeed, work. Though for now, Zen is exploring the southern part of the lower bowl with no particular aim to his wandering.

Alara is checking out her Weyr as well. Not so much as to learn it, as to check things over. She gazes out across the bowl, counting something, her lips pursed. Unfortunately, this means she's not necessarily watching where she's going, and nearly runs into the handyman. "Oh, dear. My apologies." She steps back and continues counting, before looking toward the man again. "I — I'm not sure I've met you yet. I am Alara, rider to Rauzath."

Merendezen stops as he notices the near collision, bracing for impact since there's not much he can do besides wait for it to come… Until it never arrives. When she gives her apologies he nods, pleasant. "It is quite alright." He leaves it at that, watching her with a mild interest and then introductions arrive and his lips curl into his signature charming grin. "We've not met, my lady. Alara." The name is repeated once before he dips into a formal bow, a hand over his heart before he rises. "Merendzen, fair Alara. I also go by Zen, if you so please to call me this."

"Merendzen." Alara dips her own head in greeting. "Well met." She gives him a little smile. "Welcome to the Weyr. What role do you play?" She sees a weyrfolk's knot on the man, but isn't sure what he does. This is important for her to know, especially right now when she's thinking about such things. "Are you one that Randi brought in?" This is also important to know.

Merendezen says, "Well met, m'lady." Zen inclines his head once more, "a handyman. Fixing things… If you ever need anything fixed, I would be more than happy to fix it for you." The mention of Randi has the man straightening slightly with a slight glance to see if said woman is approaching. "She was a gracious guide to me when I desperately sought nourishment. She is a wonderful guide.""

Alara is standing with Merendezen in the bowl. They're talking quietly, not really having gotten past the introductions much. The handyman's words lead Alara to tilt her head and give him a nonplussed expression. "She's a good guide?" She quirks an eyebrow. "I wouldn't have thought…" It's not rudeness so much as familiarity. She knows her friend. "Well, I'm glad she was able to help." That sort of answers her previous question. Not one of Randi's immigrants, then, or at least not one she brought in herself. Right. "Well, I'm sure there are many things around that could use repairing, though not many things have been built yet. Most are just still getting put into place. You might get more work doing those sorts of things for the moment." She gives a small smile. "If you feel you can help the Smiths out, that is."

Merendezen chuckles, "indeed. I was wandering, quite lost when I ran into her and mentioned food. Since we both were hungry, she guided me in the direction of the living caverns and we enjoyed lunch together. We joined a rider named T'ryn." His tone is a musing one, before the chuckle returns. "Is she not one to guide random men to their destinations?" A roll of his shoulders before he straightens a bit more. "Yes, it does seem there are many more things to be built, from what I've seen. I can indeed help the Smiths, but, it would require me to learn a few new things to better suit their needs."

It's her first visit to the Weyr. In a sense, it's exciting. In another, dismal. No one knows who she is. Teallan was certain Landing would lead to a wonderful opportunity of being, well. You know. /Famous/. Unfortunately, everyone's so caught up in learning from AIVAS or settling Eastern that she's had absolutely no luck in making herself known. Apparently a singer isn't in high demand. This is obvious today as she's been sent to find a Weyrwoman to deliver a note. Hasty directions with a dash of exploration later and she's shuffling along that treacherous path towards the Hatching Grounds. She spots the two and as she nears, brown eyes widen. "'lara!" she exclaims, almost shrilly, breaking into… well, the closest the girl likely ever gets to a run. And this run results in…? Well, likely barreling into the goldrider for a hug.

"Oh! You're …" Alara smiles brightly at the man, and shakes her head. "How did you do it, then?" Something in her tone changes drastically with the man's words. "Ther — I … I mean, T'ryn told me about that encounter, I believe." She blushes a little, perhaps giving more away than she intended. "I shall have to get that story from —" Further words are impossible as her breath is stolen away by an armful of singer. "Teallan!" Alara holds the girl back, to gaze at her with a crittical eye. "You've grown, my dear. And you're quite lovely." She smiles brightly at the younger woman. "What brings you all the way out to Eastern?"

"The one who made the fair Randi blush?" Zen offers in finishing, chuckling. "I simply let her know how pretty I thought she was in the form of various pet names." The color to her cheeks brings a brilliant grin to his face. "It was quite the encounter, I must admit. I look forward to seeing her again…" And then there is a singer launching herself at the woman and he takes a careful step back to watch the interaction with a mild interest, but not overly intruding for what appears to be a reunion.

There's a flash of teeth as Teallan fair gleams. Oh, how this makes up for no one knowing her yet. "And you!" she responds, eyes catching the knot and growing wide briefly. "I knew Telgar took you away to be a Candidate, but no one ever told me what happened! I figured you'd just been…" and she adopts the voice of the melodramatic, "romanced away by those dragonfolk." She steps back, glancing briefly to Merendezen and back. "I was sent with a group of apprentices from Harper Hall to study at Landing," she explains. Then attention to the man once again and she offers forth a hand. "Senior Apprentice Teallan, specializing in voice. I'm posted to Landing, but…" she digs around her belt pouches a moment before producing a folded and sealed letter to extend to Alara. "This is for you. Something about a song to commemorate the new Weyr's first clutch."

"As I say, Handyman, Merendezen, I do believe I would like to hear that story. Perhaps she'll tell me her side. Although, I heard there were hints of killing animals for the right to bed her. For shame." Her words scold, but her eyes tease. "Oh, but I was, Teallan, my girl." She's happy, and Rauzath's content-broody state just adds to that. "Lured away," you won't catch Alara saying 'seduced', at least not most days, "by the fair Rauzath, and spirited off to a new land. It's like the stuff of children's tales." She chuckles, and looks down at the missive, opening it, and nodding a couple times at its contents. A slight blush returns. "Oh, that would be lovely. I'm sure they'll do us all justice. It may be close, since Rauzath and Kaseth rose so close together. It might work out that they're both sandsbound at the same time, but that will make for a lovely large bunch of weyrlings." Alara is best pleased with this idea.

Merendezen gives a brief nod to Teallan as she looks to him, smiling but saying nothing in direction to her for the moment. "Perhaps she will… And yes, the wildcats. She said she wanted five and I offered her six. It is shameful, but I am rather taken by her." The scolding is met with his own, a grin playing upon his lips. "Aah. Yes, there are eggs due soon, yes? When should we be expecting their arrival and then how long until the Weyrlings follow?"

"The nanny that replaced you," Teallan starts, not supressing the shudder that follows. "Oh how I wanted to go with you. Ever since they took you away to be a candidate, I had wanted to become a Weyrharper so I could experience the atmosphere…" She looks around the bowl slowly. "When will it be done?" Then a glance back to Alara. "Well, perhaps it will be a ballad about both? Either way, the founding of a new Weyr and its first clutch are great things to celebrate."

"I heard. I heard she didn't last that long. I'm sorry." Alara comiserates with her former charge, and then looks up at the handyman. "Well… It seems she may be a bit taken by you, if her response is anything to go by, Handyman." The corners of her mouth quirk upward, and she gives a soft snort. "Although, things may not always be as they appear. Only time and patience will tell." After a long pause, during which she scans the note again, she gives a date. "That will be a couple sevens before the Hatching itself. As for the clutching, it should be …" and she gives the accurate date for that as well. "Or somewhere in that seven. She can vary as much as two sevens, which is why I'm unsure which gold will begin clutching first."

Merendezen listens quietly to the conversation between the two women, carefully keeping his nose out of it. "I shall have to inquire this of her, but, I shall trust your word as you seem to know her well and how she responds to such situation." He chuckles and nods, "that is true. I am luckily skilled in the art of patience." The dates given are nodded to, thoughtful still. "I would think that the gold who rose first would clutch first…"

"Women who grew quick at the sametime don't always birth at the same time," Teallan points out in a rather know-it-all fashion to Merendezen. "Dragons might be the same, I bet." She steps back a few paces, to be polite, as if realizing all of a sudden that she was still standing close to Alara. She toes at the dirt a little, looking up suddenly: "Does Eastern have a Harper yet?"

"Two, I believe. We have one who specializes in teaching, and an archivist. The latter helped us with our tunnelsnake hunt." Alara sounds very pleased at that. She hates the little critters. "I think you'll do best if you stay at landing, dear. There they have all that lovely music in the databanks." She's not progressive herself, but she does know how to talk to those who are. "And it is something like that, Merendezen. She does have a set amount of time she carries the eggs, but when the flights were so close together, there is no telling which will clutch first. Especially since this is Kaseth's first clutch. So, her … cycles, as it were, are untested." And this makes her a little embarrassed, but only a tiny bit of color rises to her cheeks. It's part of the job now.

Merendezen glances to Teallan, "really? I didn't know that. I don't know much about… Birthing or dragons clutching." But he doesn't seem ashamed to admit this, simply humble as he shrugs. "I see. I shall remember these things, thank you both for informing me. I shall have to look forward to the next times and see how it all works out then." There's a soft chuckle at her blush and he smiles, "I'll not pester you on it anymore."

Teallan looks a bit downcast for a moment at the news, but lifts her chin at the latter. "AIVAS does have a lot of music, but even the Progressive Masters don't like a lot of the non-traditional things." She looks to Merendezen and proffers upon him an easy smile. "Men aren't expected to know much of birthing." She's not mean. On purpose. "Is there warning when she clutches? Would I be able to watch?"

"Oh, no, it's no bother." This is spoken softly to the man as Alara considers. "Oh, there is warning a couple days ahead of time for me. My girlie gets quite specific in her requests for things," that's putting it mildly, really, "and then takes off toward the Sands. She doesn't like spending a lot of time there beforehand. She figures if she's going to have to sit and watch them hatch, she'll keep to the weyr until that time. Or sit in her favorite sunbeam, or whatever." She snorts. "And you really wouldn't want to watch, I don't think. It's all rather boring, and it takes up the better part of three days…" She tilts her head to the side in the universal sign of a dragonrider being bespoken, and snorts. "She does say that you're welcome to come and talk to her during that time. She may not respond back, but she welcomes company." A wince, and Alara shakes her head with a grin. "Especially if you come bearing gossip."

Merendezen nods to Teallan, "and if we were, I would be such a horrid man, not knowing what I should." He inclines his head to the younger woman before smiling widely and turning fully to Alara. "It embarrasses you and I would hate to make you uncomfortable, but I am /most/ thankful that you answered my questions. I am quite curious about these things." A frown draws his brows downwards, briefly. "I think if I were a dragon, or a woman… I would not want anyone to watch me birth." The frown does not linger past that as they go up with curiosity.

Merendezen nods to Teallan, "and if we were, I would be such a horrid man, not knowing what I should." He inclines his head to the younger woman before smiling widely and turning fully to Alara. "It embarrasses you and I would hate to make you uncomfortable, but I am /most/ thankful that you answered my questions. I am quite curious about these things." A frown draws his brows downwards, briefly. "I think if I were a dragon, or a woman… I would not want anyone to watch me birth." The frown does not linger past that as they go up with curiosity. "Your dragon loves gossip?"

"I doubt they can help being watched," Teallan muses aloud, looking from Zen to Alara. "Gossip?" she echoes, head tilting to one side. Her hair, left loose as it is, shifts past her shoulder with the gesture. "Well, as a Harper, I assure you I can bring her gossip often."

"Having only Rauzath's experiences to go by, I think you may be right, on the whole, though she's a little more showy than most," Alara reassures the Handyman. "She doesn't mind having people all the way up in the galleries, though. They don't see much of the actual process, and can see the eggs as she rolls them out and counts them and …" She snorts, and then nods to both of them. "Oh, yes. Technically, that's not her own term, of course. She calls it 'juicy bits of information', but we all know that's exactly what she means." She rolls her eyes. "She'd be grateful for that at any time, Little Tea." The nickname slips out before she realizes it, and she brings her hand up to her face, to cover her mouth in embarrassment. "Oh, my. I'm sorry. I mean, Harper Teallan."

"True, people are curious. They want to see eggs." Zen offers in agreement to Teallan before looking to Alara, "I suppose that is a good thing, though. The first clutch in a new Weyr, I imagine people will constantly drifting in to see how she progresses… I can only imagine that it will be quite the event. I look forward to seeing the end result, myself. I will give her privacy." He chuckles at that, "juicy bits of information, yes, it is quite obvious. But, entertaining, I am sure you must know all the happenings around the Weyr as well. It is good to keep tabs of everything." The nickname is politely ignored, so not to embarrass the Harper.

The nickname brings about bright cheeks and Teallan scowls a moment… until Alara recovers and her features smooth over. "Well. Next time I have some gossip to share, I shall bring it to her." She casts a glance to Zen, before gaze returns to the Weyrwoman. "I should return. They'll be wondering where I am soon. They said they don't need responses to the letter until closer to clutching." Things like preferred names, titles, and the like have been requested. As well as, of course, permission to write the ballad.

"Well, thank you ma'am, for the delivery, and I shall hope to see you again. Rauzath looks forward to it." Alara smiles, and turns toward Zen herself. "I think you might be right. People will probably bet on them, and the number, and how long, and …" She shakes her head. "It really is … yeah." She doesn't understand that about her fellow Pernese. "I shall reply shortly with all the information." She smiles, nodding to them both. "Now, I really must get back to figuring out how many new weyrs we need to dig before the hatching. They wanted an estimate." She snorts again, and pockets the message.

Merendezen inclines his head at the look, "I hope to see you again sometime, Harper Teallan." He bows a slight one, not as extravagant as the one he produced for Alara, but it is a bow all the same. "People always look for ways to make marks, my dear. Marks can buy one many important things…. And betting is one of the easier things to do, though there is a greater chance of losing than winning." He inclines his head once more, for a farewell to the Weyrwoman.

Brown-topped head dips in a nod in response to Zen. "I am at Landing, if you ever wish to seek me out." Teallan smooths down her skirt briefly and offers a last respectful gesture — a small curtsey — to Alara before she angles off to find her way back out of the Weyr.


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