Participants:
| Date: | 7th July 2010 |
|---|---|
| Location: | Eastern Weyr: Living Cavern |
| Synopsis: | Ciara finds L'han to ask him a favour - on Randi's orders. |
| Rating: | PG-13 |
| Logger: | Ciara |
The main Living Cavern at Eastern Weyr is a near replica of the "Lower Bowl" in shape. It is circular, with ceilings sloping up into a gentle cone shape. There are a few stalactites hanging from the ceiling, from which the Weyr's few firelizards may perch. Between these, there are a few inverted "hills", showing exactly how quickly the workmen finished this job. It lends an eerie quietness to the place, as the features cut the sound more effectively. The glowbaskets on the walls highlight the tables of all shapes and sizes around the room. The Head Table appears to be more traditional in place and kind, but the rest of the tables are variable. The east side of the room boasts larger rectangle tables suitable for whole groups of riders, while the middle holds smaller circular tables more appropriate for a family with children. The west side of the room has small square tables which often double as gaming tables on lazy days and most evenings.
Near the Head table, off to the East side, the double doors of the kitchen swing open. Near those doors, two long rectanglular tables are set up for food and drink service. On the eastern and western sides of the room, the stairs lead up to parallel hallways which connect to the rest of the Weyr. A third, smaller set of stairs at the southernmost end of the cavern leads to the Weyr Entrance.
The weather is warm today, and Ciara comes into the living cavern with a slight sweat on her forehead. She makes a beeline for the drinks on one of the long self service tables, and helps herself to a tall glass of fruit juice. Chugging down half of it while still stood at the table, and only turns around when she's quenched her immediate thirst. Her eyes narrow slightly as she surveys the people there.
L'han is there, working through his meal for lunch. Just because his dragon is lucky enough to only eat once a week does not mean he can, more's the pity. He looks up from the bread he's currently munching on and looks around to those present, giving a nod to Ciara, recognizing her from the other night in here.
Ciara sees the nod, and the rider's face triggers her memory. "L'han?" She heads over, drink sloshing from the speed of her movement. "Right?" Her eyes have widened now, giving her less of a critical look and more of a friendly one.
L'han sets the bread down and nods, "Good afternoon, Ciara… right?" He then chuckles as it's just about the same thing she asked him, "Yeah, I'm L'han." he gestures at the empty seat across from him. "How're you liking Eastern Weyr? It's plenty new, but slowly it's becoming a good place to call home."
Ciara smiles back, well pleased that she's recognised him - and he her. "Yeah!" She sits in the seat indicated, plonking her juice on the table. "It's really interesting. Everything's so…new. And different. For me, anyway, I suppose riders are used to what Weyrs look like." She shrugs a little as she says that.
L'han tilts his head and says, "Indeed. Dragons flying about, people of all crafts and types, no other place quite like it on Pern." He sips from his drink and says, "And with that, it's also the hardest place to get used to, so if there's anything I or the other riders can do to make things more comfortable for you, most of us are usually willing to help out. Many hands make light work, especially in these times."
Ciara nods along with L'han's words. "Really?" She says to his comment about the Weyr being hard to get used to. "I never knew that…I'd heard that attitudes can be a lot different to Holds but…I don't know much else about them to be honest." Again there's a little shrug. "Oh - there is one thing. Well, Weyrwoman Randi asked me to ask you, really." She sounds rather bold about asking, though she hasn't come out with the question yet.
L'han shrugs and says, "I suppose it really depends on the person. Some take to being here with gusto, others… not so much. I had it lucky I guess, I was born and raised in a Weyr." But when she mentiones that Randi wanted her to ask him something… "Oh? What did she want you to ask me?" His curiousity is now gotten by the fact he ignores his meal, his attention firmly given to Ciara.
"Oh…well. I hope I'm one of the ones who can fit in…." Ci looks faintly worried now. She has the decency to look a bit guilty for interrupting L'han's lunch with the request-slash-order. "Well, she wanted you to take me to Nerat to get my things, and bring them back here. Now that I'm a resident here and all."
L'han nods to Ciara. He knows Randi would have meant it as an order, especially with the unresolved stuff between her and him, but she's still his Weyrwoman all the same. He picks up his bread, taking another bite and then just asks, "When did you want to leave? We'll have to jump to Keroon and fly the rest of the way to Nerat, but Escaeth can get us there prietty quickly."
Ciara motions to L'han's lunch, with a shake of her head. "It's not urgent - I don't want to interrupt your lunch. If you're free this evening, that would be fine for me? I'd quite like to have a bit of a flight too…I've been with watchriders a few times but they just go straight /between/. It must be nicer, to see everything underneath you." She's getting a bit distracted, and is starting to ramble as she feels more apologetic for Randi's orders. Never mind that she /does/ need her stuff from home.
L'han chuckles and says, "I like that myself… flying there I mean. Betweening and all that goes with it, it's a useful tool for dragons and their riders, but it still creeps me out." He nods to Ciara and says, "Just let us know about a half hour before you're ready to leave. I'll want to make sure her straps and everything are ok for you and anything you'll be bringing back. Is there anything really heavy you wanted to bring back with you?"
"It creeps /you/ out?" Ci looks…pretty stunned, to be honest. "No offence but…I thought riders got used to it? I mean, I find it sort of scary, in a weird way, but you have to do it all the time, don't you?" She looks like her beliefs have just been turned on their head. "Oh um, sure. I haven't got anything heavy, no. Just clothes and a few trinkets. It should go in a couple of bags."
L'han laughs at Ciara's reaction to his being creeped out by between. "Oh we get used to it, but me and my girl just don't like it for different reasons. We handle it ok, but if we aren't pressed for time, we'd rather just fly to where we need to go. But that sounds ok for what you're bringing back. Just aren't sure what you get when people need a lift. So tonight you want to head out?"
"Oh…." Ciara still looks rather amazed, but she lets the topic drop, trying not to look at L'han too much. It's rude to stare, and all that. "Do people ask you to carry furniture and stuff?" She enquires, caught by his mention of not being sure what people want from lifts. "And yeah, tonight is fine - if it's fine by you, that is," she adds, looking at him with a friendly, hopeful smile.
L'han nods at Ciara, "Yeah they do, but Escaeth is a green. She's not that big or strong, good for flying about and maybe bringing a person and their clothes on over here to Eastern, but anything big needing to be moved, thats a brown or bronze's job. I just like to be certain to have the right dragon for the job. Except that for personal furniture, they'd just tell you to sell it and buy new stuff from the crafters here. Except some stuff isen't easy to replace, ya know?" He finishes up what's left on his plate and nods, pushing out his chair and standing up. "I've got some stuff to take care of, but you can find us out by the dry lake tonight. Just so we're not both looking for each other."
Ciara is all nods again, hanging onto L'han's every word. The curiosity is plain in her face, her slightly opened mouth and the few lines on her brow. "I see…well, I'll try not to bring any beds or anything," she says with a flash of a grin. Then the rider stands, and Ci reaches for her juice. "Sure, sure. Thank you so much, L'han. I couldn't have done this without your help."
L'han laughs and says, "No worries. Just make sure to let the Weyrwoman know I've done what she wanted me to? I'd have helped you even without the order, but I'd rather not annoy her." He picks up his glass and finishes whats left of his drink and waves to Ciara, "See you later Ciara. And don't worry if you need to move a bed or something… I just can't guarantee it'll get here." He grins at the woman before he heads on out.