Western Weyr - Tiki Lounge
The room seems far bigger inside than outside, even when full of relaxing weyrfolk and travelers. Towards the front, in the western corner, is a small stage, providing the intoxicated or just plain brave a chance to display their talents. Several tables with chairs decorate the floor and a small area is open for dancing. The bar is rather long and well stocked, glasses of different shapes and sizes hanging suspended from a rack above the bar. Behind the bar is another open window that gives one a view of the forest behind the tavern. Turning around, one is greeted by a lovely view of the lagoon. A decent breeze helps to cool the room. Up above, rafters provide a perch for fire lizards and local avians. The thatch roof, made of straw, rarely lets in any rain.
It's early afternoon, and the Tiki Lounge is half-full with folks eating lunch. The patio is crowded but inside is still relatively calm - not to mention cool. And that, it would seem, is what one slender brunette with a rough chop of hair is seeking as she sits at a table and fans herself in between sipping on a tall glass of something fruity and iced. She looks sunburnt with her pale complexion ruddy where skin is visible; and, in an attempt to stay cool, there's plenty of that. Her typical androgyny is set aside as she's chosen to wear a bikini and a sarong, though her figure is hardly what you could call girly.
Zi'on generally isn't one to drink during the day. And in fact he's not really around for a drink. The bronzer has a case hefted over one shoulder when he comes in, wearing a short sleeved button up shirt and a pair of nice trousers. He moves to the bar and has a discussion with the batender, who takes the case and hands Zi'on something. Since he's wearing his knot, he can't be conducting seedy business, can he? The bronzer lingers at the bar while the bartender fixes him a drink, then he takes it and moves further into the lounge, accidentally bumping into Seleaux's chair as he goes by. "Oop. Excuse me, sorry."
"Hey!" Seleaux's balance on her chair is precarious when she's bumped into, fingers splaying across the counter in front of her to regain it. "Shiiit, y'know you coulda knocked me /riiight/ off've there?" Her accent is very similar to a certain brownrider's, though far stronger. The brunette runs a hand through her untameable hair - which, up close, is damp. Her hazel eyes flicker over the bronzerider appraisingly, before settling on his knot. "All them fancy bits mean you're somethin' big here, then?"
Zi'on blinks as Seleaux starts lecturing him about falling off her chair. "I could have, but I didn't." He furrows his brow at her. "Have we met before? You sound really familiar…" Though she doesn't really look anything like Rou, so the bronzer fails to make the connection. He raises a brow at her. "Eh? Oh. My knot." The bronzer tugs at his beard, which is long again and a bit unruly. Shaving doesn't occur if he's got no one to shave for, apparently. "You must be new around here. I'm Zi'on, Suldith's rider. Weyrleader." He extends a hand to the girl.
"Y'what? You're the Weyrleader?" Cue embarrassment! If Seleaux wasn't already red, she would like be positively beet-like by now. "I din't mean to offend none, sir. Only you hit me by su'prise when I weren't expectin' it, n' I thougt I mighta lost my drink cos of it." She takes his hand, shaking it with a firm, sturdy grip. "I reckon if we'd've met already sir I mighta known you were the Weyrleader. I'm Xeau, sir. Seleaux… but my folks n' that call me Xeau."
Zi'on nods to her, then invites himself to her table, taking a seat. He smiles a bit to her. "You didn't offend. Don't worry about it. And your drink is fine, so no harm done, right? I'll even get your next one," And this one. Really the bronzer will pick up Xeau's tab for as long as he's bothering her. "Heh, maybe. I don't always wear my knot though. Or introduce myself like that. It makes people nervous in a social setting." He raises a brow at her. "Xeau? Similar to… Rou?" They sort of talk the same, but he's still not certain. "So do I get to call you Xeau?"
Seleaux nods her head, fluffing up her choppy hair again. "Xeau, Rousseaux… yeah. Rou'x now though, right? Whatever. She got even /fatter/." It's not said maliciously by any means; if anything, there might even be a hint of jealousy behind that stressed word. The teenager looks at Zi'on, then grins lopsidedly - that, at least, is a family trait! "Y'can call me whatever you like. If I can get on your good side, y'can persuade that sister o' mine that it's ok to stay, right? One've them weyrwomen said it was alright, but Rou still ain't happy about it, I don't think."
Zi'on blinks, then grins and nods. "Rou'x, yeah. Well, that tends to happen when you're pregnant and all. Rou's been curvy since I met her, though." Hopefully Xeau already knows, or Zi'on's just gone and spilled the beans! A waitress comes over to bring the bronzer his lunch. A Tiki Torpedo burger and tuber straws. Zi'on's usual. "Heh. I'll call you whatever you like. Since when does Rou'x get to decide who stays and goes at the weyr? Why does she not happy about it? I would have thought it would be nice to have some family around. I know it is for me."
By the look on her face, Seleaux clearly did /not/ know the news about her sister. "Hold the 'lizard there, Weyrleader - she's /what/?!" The girl's eyes open wide and her mouth drops open as she looks over to Zi'on in utter disbelief. "Sir… y'jokin', right? D'you reckon that's mebbe why she wanted me outta her weyr? Outta /here/, period? Cos she ain't told no-one yet! Ma'll be mad!"
Whoops! There Zi'on goes, shooting his mouth off and getting into trouble. "No! I mean, well…. Last I heard she wasn't sure but…" How does one back out of this one? "I er… I dunno. I would have thought having family around for that would be a good thing… Why will your mom be mad?" Also why hasn't she told anyone? "Rou lives here at the weyr now. She's an adult and all and the weyr will help look after the little one. So I don't see why it's a problem. Anyways, you were bound to find out eventually." Though maybe much later. Not right this second while she's at Western.
"Aw man, mum blew a gasket when Seaux took Rousseaux outta home, she's already flippin' out cos now /I'm/ gone too, n' Rou's got herself knocked up?" Seleaux laughs, drumming her fingers on the tabletop. "She don't like Weyrs so much, our ma. Reckons they're all just full've people havin' sex n' makin' babies… now three of us're outta home n' livin' in them, though I din't see Rou havin' no sex up in her weyr when I were there!"
"Seaux? Well, I guess that would make a mother worry, yes. When did you leave? How did you get here, anyways? Well, Rou's been gone for a while and she's an adult…" And Zi'on hates the term knocked up, but since he doubts Rou planned to get pregnant, that's what she was. "Well… that's not all we do. But there are flights and stuff." He blinks. "Why, that's not why you're here, is it? You're a little young I think to be having sex and making babies…" He coughs. "Well, that's good that you didn't see it. Though I would hope your sister could contain herself for a while when she has a visitor."
Seleaux sips on her drink, draining the last of the juice before nudging the glass away. "Seaux's our brother. S'sel. Seauxsel, before he Impressed Sarhlianth, which were /ages/ ago now. He took Rou'x out, n' then he took me out too, when I asked. He's sorta bouncin' around Weyrs though n' din't want me with him, so I hadta come here to Rou'x… only she din't really want me, either." Xeau shrugs her shoulders nonchalantly. Then she laughs when she's told she's too young. "Y'know, that's /why/ I came, cos I'm too young f' that shit. Ma woulda had me married off in the next coupla turns n' I don't want none've that. Rou'x got away from it, so why shouldn't I?"
Zi'on is sort of slowly eating his burger. Though he's looking a bit sorry that he ordered it. "Ah. I didn't know that Rou had such a big family." Did he? He probably knew at some point. "I see. Well, you're always welcome at Western. You should probably stick around the redident's caverns though. I don't think you want to be bunking with your sister. Plus you'll meet some of the other weyrfolk down there." He blinks then. "Already? Well, it's probably a good thing that you got out of it and all, in that case. It's better that you're here. You can pick your own guy then. Or no guy if you want."
"There's me, Seaux, Reaussel n' Liessel, too. Five of us kids. Aunts n' uncles n' cousins n' all that back home as well. None of 'em really leave, y'know?" Seleaux shrugs her shoulders, looking down at the fingers she just counted out her siblings on. "Ma got Reaussel married early. She started lookin' for someone f' Rou'x to marry when she were 16, though marriage woulda come later. Mebbe like when she were 18, or summat? Tha's like what she tried t'do to me, anyways." Again, she shrugs. "I'm bunked into the dorms sir, thanks. Wouldn't wanna sleep up wi' Rou'x anyways, she's all grumpy n' possessive n' shit. Don't like me touchin' /nothing/ up there… n' it's /full've/ shit t' touch."
Zi'on nods. "Well, I've heard things about cotholds and whatnot. A lot of kids don't end up leaving. Lots of intermarrying and such. But you left. And your brother and Rou. I guess eighteen isn't too bad for marriage. It's still a little young. How old are you then? Sixteen?" He frowns at bit at Rou being grumpy and possessive about things in her weyr. "I see. I didn't think Rou was that way, but I guess I don't know her all that well. You'll be better off in the dorms though. I'm sure we can find something for you to help around the weyr with. And you can collect your own shit then." He chuckles. The burger is slid away, barely touched, and the bronzer focuses in on his drink. He finishes it up and calls over a waitress to take his order for the next.
Seleaux pinches a tuber straw from the discarded plate, grinning cheekily at the Weyrleader. "Yeah, I got settled in alright so far! I been helpin' out in a coupla places, but I'm good at helpin' in the stores the most. Like keepin' inventory n' stuff like that? I kinda like it." She stretches her arms out in front of her, and beneath the table her legs are stretched as well, one bare foot brushing against Zi'on's shin. "I reckon I'd be like what Rou's like too, if I suddenly got all've that space. We were sharin' a room before she left. Me, n' her, n' Liessel."
Zi'on smiles back at Seleaux. He clearly doesn't mind her picking at his plate. He's done, so anything on it is up for grabs. "Yeah? That's good. Maybe you can help S'rorn with some things. He's head of the transport wing. You can maybe help the riders fill out their paperwork and keep track of things." Zi'on blinks when he feels skin brush against skin. Was that on purpose? Or an accident? When his new drink is brought out the bronzer nervously takes a few sips. "I guess. I dunno. I didn't get my own space until I got a weyr, either. But I was younger than you. It scared me a little, after being with all the weyrlings for so long. Is Liessel older or younger than you?"
"Liessel's younger, but only by 10 minutes." Seleaux grins, stealing some more tuber straws. They're good, and she's hungry! "What's the transport wing do? Just carry stuff back n' forth? I don't know much about Weyrs n' stuff, only what y'hear people talkin' about… n' they din't much talk about them back home, really. It were all talk about wool, Weavin', rabbits n' farmin'. I'm good at that too, y'know. Farmin'."
"Ooh, you're a twin!" For some reason Zi'on is excited about this. Mostly because the siblings he grew up with are twins. Also the sister he's now closest with at Western is a twin. So he seems to get along well with twins. Or something. "They provide transport. Heh. Goods, people. It's how we conduct trade really. Make sure the surrounding holds have everything they need, and can get to where they need to go." He nods to her. "Ah right, the rabbits. Well, there's not a lot of farming that goes on at the weyr. There are fruit groves on some of the surrounding islands though."
Seleaux is a twin, yep! She nods her head along with Zi'on's enthusiasm, grinning. That grin fades a little when he talks about the lack of farming, but then she shrugs it off. "It don't matter, I can help in a lotta other ways. D'you know I can knit? Well, course you couldn't've known, you've just met me. But I like t'knit! Mebbe I'll make summat nice for Rou'x and the baby. D'you got kids, Weyrleader? I could mebbe knit summat for you?"
"Sorry. Some of the surrounding hold area might need help picking some fruit or something. Melons are in season right now I think." Zi'on grins and rubs the back of his head. "Ah, can you? Heh, no, there's no whay I could have. But you do come from a family that makes wool and such, so I guess that makes sense. Yeah, I've got two boys. Two and ten months old. Well, maybe after you knit something for your sister's tot we can talk. Maybe you ought to join up with the weavers though, if you like to knit. You could learn how to make clothing and all of that. I dunno. Just a thought."
Shaking her head, Seleaux wraps her fingers around her empty glass. "Nu-uh, no Weavers for me. Ma wanted us all t' follow in the family footsteps, but I find it kinda borin'. Knittin's alright when I'm doin' it just to fill in time, but it ain't somethin' I wanna be doin' all the time, y'know? There' more better things I can be doin'." She smiles at the Weyrleader, lopsided and toothy. "Two's a kinda cute age for a baby, don'tcha think?"
Zi'on motions to her drink. "You want another? I can get the waitress." He flags one down, just in case. "Ah. Well, my ma wanted me to be a harper. When I told da though, he told me to stand. It took me a few tries, then I impressed. I thought about joining with the techcraft then later, but I waited too long and now I don't have the time." Zi'on tilts his head at Seleaux. "Eh? Ten months, or two turns? I guess they're both cute in their own ways. Ezio at least mostly potty trained now, so that's good and all. And I guess I've had a little bit more time to spend with him lately."
"Two turns, sir. They're kinda cute at two turns, n' they get cuter from there on out. Babies're a bit too much hard work before then, I think." Seleaux orders herself another fruit juice, grinning thankfully at Zi'on once the waitress leaves. "Ezio's a cute name, too. What's th' other one called?"
Zi'on shrugs and chuckles. "I suppose. When they're not running around naked or getting into everything. I kind of like them as babies." The fact that his son is getting older scares the bronzer a bit. What if he's a bad influence? Or what if Ezio starts to hate him for not being around a lot? "Eszrian. All my kids' names have to start with 'E'. It's a family rule. But it's saved my behind a few times already I think. So I'd like to stick to it. You like kids then, eh? I'm sure eventually your sister will be appreciative of that fact."
"All with an E? Why's that the family rule, sir? Our is just t'make names outta the parents' names. My pa's Roussel, my ma's Seauxlie." The waitress drops off fresh drinks, and Seleaux thanks her. Then she raises her glass to chink it off Zi'on's, before taking a sip. "Kids're alright. Sometimes I had t' help look after them a bit, but it ain't nothin' I reckon I could do full time."
Zi'on nods to her. "All with an E. It's a generational thing. All of the people in my da's generation started with P. My generation with Z, and my kids with E. Not sure the next one. Guess I ought to find out though so my kids know. My da had a lot of kids. Keeps me from doin' something horrible." He grins as she touches her glass to his. He tosses his head back and finishes off his drink. "You get used to them. Anyways, I should be getting back and all. It was good talking to you, Xeau. Weclome to Western." Zi'on smiles to her and gives her a nod. Then he head to the bartender to settle up their tab before heading out.