Making Bets (Naeda Is Searched)

Western Weyr - Viewing Galleries
//Row after row of hard benches to sit on, with a good view of the sands below and the action that takes place there during every hatching.. Despite the times, people still come to see the new pairs formed and place bets on the outcome. //


It's the middle of a warm, sunny day at Western. Naeda evidently has a rest day, and is taking advantage of her free time to get a first look at the new clutch on the sands. She stands near the railing, peering down at the eggs with a little smile on her face.

Therynn isn't on to travel to the Weyr proper very often, giving great preference to the great outdoors surrounding Western, and often keeping to herself. Lately however, things have shifted a bit for the young, androgynous huntress, and a bit of a social swing has taken over. On this warm and sunny day, Therynn figures she better see what all the hubbub is about, entering the Galleries with a group of young rapscallion looking gents. She's not far removed from the shenanigans herself, and may even be the instigator, quick to call out "Alright gents.. lets hear those bets!"

Naeda's ears perk up. Bets? That's exactly the sort of mischief that would get her attention. She pulls away from the railing, peering at the group of rapscallions who has just arrived in the galleries. A wide smile crosses her face as she slides herself over. "Did I hear bets? What odds are you offering?"

Does Takapola see rapscallioning? He does! Well then. He'd better go see what's going on, where by better, we mean… he doesn't have anything better to do and it might be amusing. So, he comes trailing in somewhat after the group, glancing around the galleries before letting his eyes drift to the sands. Yep. Sure are sandy. Oh yeah, and also, there's eggy things there!

There's a rumble that begins to emanate from the group one guy saying "I've got ten marks on that one for gold.." another better against for another egg, arms and words flying as people start shouting their lineup and bets. Theyrnn's arms fly upwards dramatically, then slowly lower as she "Shhhhh's" the raucous group "Upset the queen and she'll take yer heads… n'I'll be betting on who's first if y'all don't pipe down. Lets do this like professionals.." She hands out pieces of paper and pencils. "One for you.. and you.." turning towards the approaching young lady who arrives with intrigue. ".. and for you lil'lady. Guess it depends on the pot and the outcome really. The categories span from basics of gold-no gold to pick an egg-any egg, and then when Candies start streamin' in it's a whole nother level." She pushes the paper her direction. "You in?"

"I'll put a mark on no gold. They're all too tiny. And the queen isn't favoring one." Naeda declares as she accepts the pencil and paper shoved her way, scribbling down the necessary information to make her bet official. She glances up at the person taking said bets. "… I'm Naeda, by the way. You are?"

Takapola grins as he listens to the flurry of bets, stepping forward to the rail. "Me, I'll bet they're dragons." He nods sagely as he looks them over. "Though that one in the corner might be a firelizard. Got that look to it." He glances back to the bustling bookie business.

Therynn head wobbles and shrugs a shoulder in neutral consideration "Crazier things have happened.." There's a smirk as the gal grabs the sheet and pencil, the rest of the gamblers all taking seats to scrawl out their hunches and ideas of grandeur. There's something gruff about the way Therynn presents herself, as if she purposely attempts to make her voice an octave lower in defiance of the dead giveaway femininity in the tone. "Therynn.." a hand is extended for a firm shake before gaze meanders towards the joker. "Oh my.. you'll definitely win a few with those bets. Care to partake?" She holds out a paper and pencil.

Naeda shakes the hand offered by Therynn, nodding and grinning. "Therynn. Now I know who to track down to collect from when I win. My instincts are never wrong." A little bragging sets the right tone for a first introduction. Her grin turns on Takapola. "Firelizard, huh? I'll put a bet on 'dragon'. Even odds, right?" Optimism.

What, Takapola joking? That never happens. He grins to Therynn. "Definitely? Where's the fun in that? A sure thing's hardly a bet at all." He turns his attention to Naeda, and laughs. "Done. I know a firelizard when I see one, and that, madame, is most certainly going to be a firelizard." …no it's not. Not in the slightest, but Takapola's grinning anyway.

Akyla lurks. Sort of. Really, the greenrider just happens to be in the area — likely excuse, as not — and well, what better things to do with her free time than go goggle at eggs in the galleries. Or something like that. In reality, of course, given the hefty little assistant weyrlingmaster's knot riding on the woman's shoulder, she's getting her bearings, trying to see what the eggs look like, so she can remember what hatches from what, and who she's going to have to be teaching in the future. And to cast sly sideways glances at the assembled folk within the galleries, scrutinizing and examining them. There's hardly more than a quick rat-tat-tat of the sound of her boots against the stairway, and her dark-haired head appears, followed by the rest of her before the greenrider slinks down to the seats near the rail, propping a boot up against the bench ahead of her, and listening in on the turn of the conversation. Snoop.

Therynn giggles and tilts her head with a nod of agreement towards Naeda. "Well met Naeda.." a few unruly locks fall over her eyes before a flick of the head motions towards a stormy looking gent sitting in the back row. "S'not me to hunt for should you win.. I do my biddings for Sansha over there. He's the head honcho when it comes to betting and loosing.. wheeling and dealing and a whole lot of other shady business." She whispers the last part "I do however wish you the best." The gent in the corner shrouded in darkness shifts to place a keen eye on the group as marks and betting sheets start pouring in from the temporarily less rowdy gents who fear the queen will off-with-their-heads at any exclamatory point. Theyrnn keeps a runny tally of names and amounts, rather organized for a youngin. A discerning eye settles on Takapola and she encourages "Put'cher money where yer'mouth is eh?" That rat-tat-tat of books has Theyrnn's neck craning, and the moment that AWLM knot is spotted Therynn gives some sort of a hand gesture as if to signify a temporary closure of bets and related conversations. "So ya.. firelizards.. how bout that." As Sansha says 'this type of miscreant behavior is not in the favor of Western's rules. Ya see a knot ya shut down the crowd' and just like that, the group of gamblers are merely a set of jester-like spectators. Taka-thanks for the segue convo!

Naeda grins wickedly at Takapola. "Well then. We have a bet. You're all witnesses!" She pauses. "Wait… we never set the stakes. Thoughts there?" The dolphineer is distracted for a moment, having developed a bit of a sixth sense for sly sideways glances. She's sensing one right now! After finding Akyla at the source, she gives the greenrider a wink before returning to the conversation. Then she's back to grinning at the bookie, apparently unconcerned about the blatant rulebreaking. "Nice to meet you, Therynn. So, you travel around doing this, or do you have another line of work?"

Takapola grins to Therynn. "Then what odds do you offer?" he asks. Because if he's going to put marks down… oh, but apparently Sansha's done with this? Oh well. Takapola… isn't. And neither is Naeda, so. "Fortunately we've a bit of time to arrange those stakes." He grins. "What with them newly laid. So!" He ponders. "Well, whichever it is, it's bound to be hungry, right? So… we could bet a feast's worth of a meal, to be delivered at the winner's convenience." The greenriding assistant to weyrlingmasters is merely glanced at, and the conversation (so suitable for eavesdropping) as continued as he listens to Therynn and Naeda. Firelizards? "Not yet." He gives that egg a meaningful glance, and grins wide.

Bets, bets and more bets — how very interesting indeed. But the greenrider isn't going to partake, at least not right away. But it doesn't hurt anyone in the slightest for her to be listening in like a miscreant eavesdropper of some sort. She's quick enough to catch the wink from Naeda, smirking a little at the quick hush-hush of activity in Therynn's direction, and well, if all Takapola is going to do is glance at her, that's perfectly all right too. But the woman still hasn't said anything, preferring to stay out of the conversation for the moment.

Therynn chuckles softly and sends a wink Naeda's direction "Who me? Hah, guess I definitely keep to the shadier parts of Western, but no this is not my usual gig. M'a huntress by nature, spend most my time on the outskirts, but 'round clutches and during tournaments in the Rec Cavern Sansha and I do what we can to let those with wild hearts wager and chase. 3 to 1 there's a gold.. bets are leaning towards that one.." She points to Blossoms egg "There's also at least one green" Carry on "A brown" Petrified "A blue.." Blight "And potentially two bronzes.." Feline and Scorched. "The odds, as usual are in favor of the house, with considerations set to change as they harden." This is all said quietly enough that the gallery racket would let about half the words slip here and there should anyone be snooping. *coughcoughAkyla* A downward turn to her lips, looking up towards Sansha for approval "A feast is a great place to start.. M'names Therynn." Hand extends towards Takapola, a few more sidewards glances towards Akyla who doesn't seem to mind, or notice the grade-school passing of notes/bet sheets.

Naeda beams at Akyla before looking back to the others. There. She is quite confident that her simple wink has defused all possibility of an authority figure intervening and made it safe for betting and other debauchery. "Mmm. A feast sounds like appropriate stakes. Unless you're just trying to find an excuse to take me to dinner and are disguising it as a bet." Her grin turns on Therynn. "Oooh. A shady huntress. How exotic. You know, I want to learn to hunt. I tried to go in the jungles at Eastern, but this friend of mine stopped me. Y'know, she's not spontaneous like me." Sure. That was the problem.

Takapola shakes his head. "I'm not betting colors." He shrugs to Therynn. "You'll just have to find someone else to take up those." Not that there won't be plenty, most likely. He laughs to Naeda. "Who, me? Surely if I were to do something that scheming - which, I hasten to assure you, I'm not - I would at least have the sense to pick a bet that can be answered before the eggs hatch! Why, we'll have to wait entire sevens to know which one of us is buying dinner." Because it could definitely be a firelizard. Yep. That's his story, and he's sticking to it. Now, back to Therynn! "A feast for you, too?" he asks, and glances to Naeda. See? Feasts are totally stakes like that. And might involve steaks. He taps his fingers against his chin as he regards Therynn and her suggestion. "Well, maybe." He grins. "What are you going to bet for it? Got to have something on the line." And, as it's not a proper bet yet, he doesn't take Therynn's hand, just smiles. "Me, I'm Takapola."

Really now, simply betting on the outcome of a clutch is what everyone does. After all, did anyone not fail to notice the /giant/ (well, maybe large sized) board sitting somewhere to the left of the stairway with old bets from previous clutches scrawled across it. Sure maybe there's nothing that's been set up for this new clutch, but it just goes to show that there's nothing illegal about bets. Now, if someone were to say, crawl over the rail and try on some lark to examine the eggs up close … well, then the greenrider might have to step in. But if everyone wanted to play hush-hush like they were apprentices passing notes, all Akyla can do about that is chuckle and look amused. "Ought to specify what kind of a feast," she finally interjects into the conversation, as she's been snooping in the entire time. "Fancy one, or just a lot of crackers and cheese."

Therynn shrugs, the mask of indifference overriding any expression of opinion or otherwise. "Eh.." she gives Naeda a goofy grin. "But, I bet he wouldn't need an excuse to get you to have dinner with him.." It's hard to tell if she's serious or not, the dryness giving little room for interpretation, regardless of if her deductive reasoning is on point of far fetched. This is now turned on Takapola and she concedes "I'd be a fool to turn down the chance atta Weyr cooked feast. Meat couldn't be anywhere near s'good as my catches but, s'been awhile since I haven't caught and cooked m'own. I've got an array of fine pelts for attire or otherwise, worthy of the wager no doubt. Good luck on ya though Takapola, I've got m'hunches." There's pure elusion here in reference to means of obtaining such information, which may be why she and Sansha make attempts to draw the least amount of attention from Western's higher ups including AWLM's who might look down upon Dragonhealer bribery and other trickery of such nature. One raised brow refocuses on Naeda and she says "Wow, she sure sounds like a drag. Hunting is the best excitement ever.. unless you're attempting t'do it covered in blood or naked or something. E'ryone needs spontaneity and fun some times..

"Asking directly probably would've worked." Naeda answers Therynn, talking about Takapola as if he's not right there listening. "But now that he's chosen this indirect approach, he's locked in. It's such a shame." She shoots Akyla another grin. "Good point. I am a classy lady, and I deserve a classy feast. Top shelf only." Takapola gets an almost taunting sort of grin before she looks back to the bookie. "Oh, she's actually a lovely friend…" Her smile turns a little sheepish, eye contact avoided for the moment. "Y… yes. Who would be silly enough to try hunting in the jungle naked? Right?" Convincing.

Pfft. Who bothers pretending like guys are there? Everyone knows they're deaf as posts, more often as not! Particularly when being asked to do things. Which… sort of counts, in this situation. Kinda sorta almost. Takapola laughs to Akyla's contribution. That loophole could have been a very useful one. "..or a feast suited to a new-hatched firelizard." Not that he'd have tried doing that. At least… not without a backup plan. Course not. He grins wide. "Besides, I'll surely need those sevens to scrounge enough marks to make a worthwhile feast for your pleasure." He sweeps a bow in Naeda's direction, like some courtly holder sort of guy or something, and grins as he straightens up again. "It will, I assure you, be the classiest… if, that is, you win." He winks, then turns his gaze back to Therynn, and laughs. "But, lady hunter of the wilds, what are you actually betting on?"

Akyla's work here is done. Making sure that classy ladies get classy feasts or some such thing like that. "A feast for a new hatched firelizard …" she looks thoughtfully at Takapola, finger tapping briefly against her chin, "which is either going to mean you'd be dumping a plate of ooey gooey raw red meat on the table or spicing it up with some jerky and other snacks that someone that's not a firelizard could eat. /If/ of course, a firelizard's even involved at all." Well, that's just pure speculation, of course. "I'd recommend the Tiki Lounge," she supplies helpfully to the seacrafter. "They've got a wicked good menu midweek. High quality stuff." the greenrider pauses, and laughs when Naeda comments about traipsing around a jungle without a stitch on. "I think someone would have to be crazy to do that. If bugs and sunburn didn't get you, I'm sure there's some sticker plants just waiting to poke someone in very tender unmentionable places."

Therynn is, definitely a bit rough around the edges. Y'don't spend all your time in the woods without winding up a bit rough-and-tumble socially awkward like. "We've all got our ways of approaching thangs.. ain't that right Takapola?" Seeing as how that gently selective hearing goes, there's a good chuckle and a nod sent towards Akyla as she agrees "The lady has a point there… a clutch like this surely deserves more than some cheese n'crackers. This ain't your first time with bets n'wagers eh?" She asks the rider before adding "Also sounds like yer well versed in Western cuisine. Therynn.. huntress of Western outskirts." Is said huskily with an extended hand towards the rider. She then turns towards Takapola "Only the finest for Naeda and I.. y'almost got away with that one." Fortunately for Takapola a meal served on a plate is considered pretty fancy by Therynn-standards, the ooey gooey meat part doesn't sounds too bad either. "And.." idle index taps chin "..well there's definitely no firelizards.. but I'm betting onna gold." Only knitted brows and more chuckling is shared by the huntress in reference to nude prowling.

Naeda squirms a little, trying to laugh off the whole topic of nude jungle excursions. "Y… yeah. Crazy, right? Nobody'd try to do that. Definitely." This is some very persuasive stuff here. She grins and tries to shift the topic away from her highly questionable past escapades. "Yes! A fine feast it will be. Perhaps we'll have to invite our new rider friend, since she was so kind as to ensure the bet included fancy feasting."

"Or fish guts," Takapola suggests. "Those make a fine feast for a new-hatched firelizard." But… not so much for a human of… well, any sort. He does nod to the suggestion of that lounge. "Oh, aye, I suppose they do. If you're not up for trying Takapola-style specialties, I suppoooose I could go for something conventional like that." He grins. "A way, as it were, for the approaching of things." There's a wink sent to Therynn for some reason of other, and then he looks between huntress and dolphineer. The finest for the two of them, is it? Or wait, no, Naeda's suggesting he up that number to three. Three lovely ladies out to dinner. (Nothing funny. Just resolving a bet.) For a bare fraction of a second Takapola might appear to be thinking this through, with maybe a few of his plusses (and plus ones) being nonned, but then he laughs. "The more the merrier! When it comes to bets involving firelizards, no expense is too great." He grins, tossing a glance to Akyla, then turning his eyes to Therynn. "A gold, is it?" He glances to the sands, and laughs. "Sure. If there's a gold, I shall fete you as nobly as such a one would deserve. If there's not, your wild mis-step shall earn me the wild treasures of the hunt!" So now he'll (finally) shake her hand.

"Oh," Akyla takes the remark from Therynn rather airily. "I've been on vacation, and have had an /awful/ lot of free time on my hands," which is like as not going to be much curtailed over the next Turn and a half, what with one little blue dragon hatching out of Orraeloth's clutch, Shadhavarth's clutch before them on the sands and then the senior queen had to go and rise and there'd be even more eggs and more baby dragons just when the lot of them have a chance to catch a breath. "I've been able to go to dinner a lot. Seems I've always got someone asking me to join them." All right, so the greenrider gets around, whatever floats her boat. And she'd shake the hand that the huntress has extended out towards her, but she's just a wee bit out of distance and too lazy at the moment to reposition herself, so Aky settles instead for tossing a sort of salute at the younger woman. "Well there you go," Naeda gets a wry smile from the greenriding weyrlingmaster's assistant. "I'd be able to recommend the latest and the greatest. And of course, if the Tiki Lounge didn't suit, I'm sure Ystwyth would gladly convey the lot of us anywhere we'd like to try." At that rate, the world is their oyster. Mmm, oyster.

Therynn was definitely getting a bit tired of holding her hand outstretched towards the Seacrafter and his sillies. An outstretched tongue shows that the idea of fish guts does not sound pleasing, and that she does have some semblance of standards… kind of. There's a firm exchange of hands between the two and she says "Well then it'sa bet.." Win win for Therynn as she has more pelts than she knows what to do with. There's a blush as she catches that wink, and a bit of throat clearing as attentions are set on the rider. Uh-oh.. Therynn's being awkward again… she can tell by Akyla's reaction, and this causes her to blush even more. "Doesn't sounds like a bad problem t'have.." she says to revive herself in the convo, clearly missing the insinuation tied to her being a greenrider. The hand, the tired one that's been outstretched for quite awhile now, takes a hint, and returns that salute before turning back to tend to a wee tiny gent tugging on her shirt. THey exchange a few whispers before she readdresses the nearby trio. "Aye, th'more th'merrier. I like yer styles.. all of ya n'yer sweet gambling ramblings.. I'll be around so feel free t'check in if ya see me t'see where the pools at 'such. For now.." Sansha stands and heads for the exit a few of the younger gents fast on his trail "..I must depart. S'been real nice getting t'know yous guys.. see ya'round m'sure." And with that she sends a quick wave and is out with the group.

"We shall have to scout out the best possible places for our feasting." Naeda says with a wide grin and a nod, evidently already celebrating her surefire victory over Takapola. Akyla's remark earns a little laugh. "I can imagine you have more offers than you know what to do with." She says with a grin which is probably a fair bit flirtatious. It passes quickly. Therynn is given another grin. "Very nice to meet you. We'll have to do some hunting sometime. Properly clothed, of course!" She raises a hand to return the wave.

…and just where is a seacraft apprentice going to get the marks to take three ladies out for oysters and steaks or whatever else it is that catches their fancy at whatever fancy-pants establishment ends up being selected? Well… that's Takapola's problem. The wheels in his head are surely turning, but… why worry about tomorrow (or, er, a few sevendays from now) when today's another glorious day? He'll figure something out. He always has… so far. For now, his expression remains a cheerful one despite that nagging bit of thought in the back of his head. At least he didn't specify the place, so he's got some wiggle room. It… should… be enough that he won't go broke and have to indenture himself as a drudge. Or so he hopes. He's made his bets - he grins for Therynn's confirmation of the one with her - and now he's got to lie in them. Oh wait, no. That would be if he made his beds, not his bets. That's totally different. At least he doesn't have to pay for those scouting trips Naeda's planning, "Oh yes, do! And tell me all about them so I can pick which one you'll be feasting me at." Assuming he wins. Which he won't, given he's a snowball's chance in Igen. But hey, they've installed some electric coldboxes there, right? Anything's possible. Some are just very, very, VERY improbable. He grins to Therynn, giving her a wave of farewell. "I'm sure you shall, O keen-eyed huntress of a thousand garments!" Unlike certain hypothetical naked hunters, who don't actually exist.

Akyla chuckles with some amusement. "Well, it's not a bad lifestyle, and nothing I'm ashamed of in the least." the greenrider's proud of well, being a greenrider. "Oh do I ever," Naeda's comment get a rather cheerful grin from the older woman. "Sometimes I think I have to schedule in all the handsome fellows who want to take me to dinner and dancing and other things." Therynn's saluted is noted, received with a nod in return, and then Akyla's swinging her leg over the bench to straddle it, facing towards Naeda with a speculative look. "Don't suppose you'd care to make another wager?" she says, rather teasingly at that, and while it's not nearly as flirtatious as that grin that the other woman sent in her direction, well, it's a cheery enough remark. "Betcha can't guess what I've got in my pocket." Of course, coming from a guy, maybe that would be easy … but then again, Akyla's not a guy. So it's a curious question for sure.

Naeda has no problem revelling in her assured future winnings. She's practically salivating in anticipation already, a far-off look in her eyes as she grins and dreams of feasts to come. "You're a lucky fellow, getting to treat such lovely ladies to a feast." She assures, barely holding back a giggle. Her flirty smile is sent towards Akyla again, meeting that look from the straddling greenrider. "Hmmm. Maaaaybe." She doesn't guess just yet, her eyes scanning over Akyla as if trying to peek at whatever might be concealed in said pockets. "What do I get if I guess right?"

Oh, yeah, Takapola is the lucky one here, what with being the one who gets to pay for those feasts for ladies who're… making flirty eyes and smiling, respectively. Hmm. This, a part of the young man's brain informs him, could go rather terribly or exceedingly well, and honestly, he's not sure which one seems more likely. But hey - focus on the positive, right? Hope for the future! Dream the impossible (or at least improbable) dream. He takes a moment to look over Akyla himself. "…for that matter," he muses, "there's the question of which pocket." Takapola leans back, his pose a casual one. Apparently he's got enough bets of his own at the moment, but that won't stop him from watching.

The greenrider isn't one to dream of feasts to come, she enjoys them, but when going out to eat is a more happenstance occurrence rather than a treat, well, there's no need to fantasize and build castles in the air. "He's lucky lucky luck indeed," Akyla would quite agree with that, casting a sideways smile towards Takapola. "Could always make a nice outing of it." Her foot taps against the floor of the galleries, Akyla leaning back to hook a thumb into the particular pocket as she leans back a tad to give Naeda another long scrutinizing look. "Need any hints?" Because Aky can supply them if necessary. "If you win the bet," she declares grandly, "you win the contents of said pocket." Oh big hurrah. Since the greenrider's clothing doesn't appear to be moving, there's not a living animal in there. And since it doesn't smell, there's not a dead one either.

"He raises a good point. Which pocket are we talking about?" Naeda asks, nodding in Takapola's direction in acknowledgement of his helpful suggestion. Still, her eyes remain on the greenrider. Probably looking for more hints. Or just using this as an excuse to ogle. "… Hmmm. Yes. I do need hints." She concludes.

Oh, Luck's sure to be with me however it goes," Takapola agrees upon due consideration. "After all, they know from Bitra to the Reaches," but mostly in Bitra, "that she's a Lady." He grins to Akyla, observing her for a moment and then bringing his observations around to Naeda - because, after all, the dolphineer's providing Akyla with eyes on her, and so Takapola can take a moment to consider her … tastes in fancy feasts. Which can obviously be discovered through exterior observation.

"That would be this pocket," Akyla indicates the pocket in question, moving her hand to pat it gently. "As far as hints go, here's the first one. It's white." Anything more would really be telling, and the greenrider seems content to answer these hints one at a time. And certainly it's not just because she's got Naeda's attention, now, does she? "Care you make a guess, or will you need more hints?" Well, anything could be white, couldn't it?

This is much too vague for Naeda's liking. Her eyes narrow a little bit as they focus on the pocket in question, and she scoots closer. A glance is taken back at Takapola, perhaps hoping he'll have more insights here. But this is a difficult one to guess. "… More hints, please." Why not?
No reason not to get hints, unless of course there's a penalty for them. If there is, then… it depends on what the penalty is! Takapola may be looking at the wrong person, but he is listening, and when Naeda looks to him, he grins. "Might be an egg." What can he say? It's a popular topic these days. "That'll hatch into the rare and fabulous firechicken."

Why not indeed. It's a strange sort of wager to be playing to be sure, but nonetheless, it's a game of chance indeed. As far as penalties go, Akyla really hasn't said that there are, now did she? "Wouldn't have patted it if it was," she remarks drolly in reply to Takapola's comment, "even gently. Wouldn't want to destroy the rare never before seen firechicken before it even had a chance to hatch, now would I?" More hints then, well ask and ye shall receive. "It's long and thin, like a tunnelsnake without legs." So white and long and thin. Whatever could that be?

"And a pocket seems like a dangerous place to be keeping an egg regardless." Naeda points out, eyes still on the pocket of mystery. Her brow furrows at the latest hint. "… Huh. Well, that means it's nothing I was going to guess before… hrm. Long, thin, and white…" She spends a moment pondering. "… Any chance of one more hint?" She gives her most charming smile.

"Oh, true enough," Takapola acknowledges, nodding to first Akyla, then Naeda. "You wouldn't want to risk losing such a noble creature as a firechicken." He grins, and this time his gaze rests on the weyrlingmaster as she gives another hint. Which… makes his eyebrows lift for some reason, a moment of what might be surprise - or maybe recognition? But it passes quickly, and what he says is, "It's a parsnip, I expect - or perhaps a few stalks of chard." His smile's securely in place.

Oh that's a charming smile all right, and Akyla can't help but grin right back. "Now why would I go around carrying vegetables in my pocket anyway?" she asks of Takapola, airy amusement in her tone before she addresses Naeda. "You can wear it and show that you're part of a special group." so there they have it. White, long and thin, and wearable as part of a group of special people. There's so many possible choices with that though, it's possible the dolphincrafter might not get it right.

Now it finally becomes painfully obvious. "Ooooh." Naeda grins a little more. "It's a knot! I suppose I should've gotten that earlier, I was just hoping it was…" The wheels turn in her head. "Wait. A white knot?" She's getting it now.

"I'd be wondering that myself," Takapola says with a nod. "But who I am to question your vegetation choices?" He shrugs his shoulders along with a grin, but then… it's not a vegetable. Not at all. It is, in fact… a knot. Takapola turns to watch Naeda as she puts the pieces together, and the smile on his face skews sideways as she does. Not that he says anything about it.

Ding ding ding! We have a winner! "Yup," Akyla nods at the question, her hand dipping into her pocket and pulling out the white knot cord in question one slow teasing inch at a time before she presents it to the dolphineer. "And as such, Ystwyth would like me to convey to you that she would like you to stand for the clutch currently on the sands. Do you accept?" It's a little formal, but that's just the way they roll. "Might mean we'd have to stay close to home for the feast," she adds in an aside to Takapola. "Or maybe you'd have to give a rain check for a while." Which hey, might mean he's has a lot more time to save his marks, right?

Naeda is surprised, just eyeing the knot for a moment. But it doesn't take her all that long to reach a decision, smile creeping quickly across her face. "… Yes. I'd be honored to stand." She says with a decisive nod, reaching out to accept the knot. "… Even if it /does/ mean a feasting delay." She laughs, a delighted energy filling her now. "Well! I suppose I'll have to move my things to the barracks? At least it's not far from my room…"

Of course, she could say no, but… oh, who does that? Candidacy's an honor and all that. There's a reason they break out the formal phrases - it's like having a feast on fancy china with real silverware. It befits the occasion. So Takapola watches Naeda as the offer is made and she accepts it, nodding slightly as she agrees before his gaze flits back to Akyla. "It might, at that." He laughs briefly. "Won't be the first time." A shrug, and then he looks to Naeda. He's quiet for a moment, but when he speaks, his tone's a teasing one. "Mind you, just because you'll be on the sands doesn't mean I'll be trusting you to watch that egg! I'll be here to keep a proper eye on things." He grins, though there's maybe just a touch of something else lurking behind it. Whatever it is, it doesn't stop him from also saying, "Good luck."

Akyla did sort of spring that one on Naeda after all, so the surprise is to be expected, but when she accepts the knot, the greenrider's smile widens immeasurably. "Ystwyth will be so proud." she declares, "she usually has good luck searching people." Well, the key word there is usually. "Now, you'll have to move to the barracks, yes. And there's a bunch of rules." Rules are usually meant to be broken, but there's hard and fast ones that just can't be messed with. "But as far as I'm concerned, just follow these two. No booze, no messing around that results in awkward little bundles nine months later, and that's just about it. If you have any questions, you can ask me, or the headwoman or the weyrleaders." Takapola gets a slightly apologetic smile, she might've ruined something there, or at least thrown a wrench in the plans. "Now, I've got to run, but you can move your stuff to the barracks any time today." Swinging her other leg over the bench, the greenrider hops to her feet. "Good luck, Candidate."

"Yes ma'am!" Naeda fires off a quick salute. "I can follow those rules. I've had the same ones for my apprenticeship, after all. Please thank your lifemate for me! I won't let her down." She giggles a bit, then gives Takapola one more smile. "I'm gonna go move now. See you at the feast!" She dashes off.


Add a New Comment
Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License