Out of Hearth and Home

Western Weyr - Living Caverns
Here is the center of Weyr life, the living caverns. These two main rooms were man-shaped from smaller caves, and are joined by a carved arch with depictions of dragons in flight and dolphins leaping in swirling waves. One room has many round stone and wooden tables and a stone fire-pit instead of a hearth. Over the round-walled, gas fired pit is a large conical hood made of polished bronze, with reliefs of dragons with their riders flying over ships guided by dolphins. This hood and chimney keeps the room smoke-free. Through the archway is an enormous hall, with long tables and benches, some carved from the rock floor, many crafted of wood. This room is a combination dining and meeting hall, and can seat over 300 comfortably. Above both rooms, angled shafts lined with polished metal bring in sunlight during the day. Electric lights also burn, day and night.


Teiraim appears to be thoroughly, soaking wet. No doubt due to the fact that he's making his way in from the bowl, pausing near the entrance to drip a bit as he surveys the caverns with a slight furrow of brow.
From afar, K'ael poses us in?

K'ael is also soaked! Even though he's carrying an umbrella. They have those on Pern, right? Either way, it's been the weyrwoman in her very pregnant state that's gotten to enjoy the sort of dryness. Though at least the bronzer had the sense to put on a poncho before heading out into the wet. But now it was time to get dry and get something warm in their bellies. K'ael hangs his poncho up and leaves the umbrella with the rest of the wet items. He'll offer to take Enka's coat as well. "It's been a while since we've been to the caverns as a couple. You think there'll be staring?" He grins to her.

Of course Pern has umbrellas. Well, at least post-AIVAS Pern does. Either way, umbrellas are pretty useful things to have no matter what, so it's not like they'd just disappear from existence. Either that, or a couple of helpful dragons with large wingspans could do the same kind of job until one reached the caverns. Shrugging out of her wet raincoat, Enka smiles faintly up at K'ael for a moment before she leans close. "I'm guessin' people have gotten used to it by now." she chuckles a bit. "But there's nothin' wrong with a bronze takin' his pregnant gal over to get some food." She gives Teiraim a passing nod and smile as she pauses, gaze flickering over the sparse population. "Or maybe they're too busy worryin' about the wet to stare."

Teiraim, at least, doesn't seem to be staring - at least, not at K'ael and Enka, anyway. Whoever he was looking for appears to be absent - to his relief, if the slight relaxing of shoulders is anything to judge by. He doesn't seem to know who the pair are, giving a faint nod as he steps out of the puddle he's made near the entrance, slouching through the tables towards the hearthside. Musing over his choice of beverages - or possibly between the various klah pots simmering there - he's unaware of the tall, lanky girl that creeps up behind him, until she yells something intelligible immediately in his ear. Leaping a mile, Tei eyes the girl with a narrowing of eyes that suggests he knows all to well who it is. There's, maybe, a slight growl to his response: "Faranth, Missy, you trying to kill me?" Missy grins. "Maybe. Get me some klah," she adds flippantly, striding away to select a table nearby.

K'ael invented the umbrella if Pern doesn't have them, then. And he'll make a ton of marks from it and never have to work again! Or probably not. The bronzer taps his chin a bit to the goldrider. "Hm. Well that's not fun. Maybe I should walk around with my hands down my pants or something to attract attention. Or down your pants. That's more fun but it might be more awkward to get around." There's a blink as someone yells, though it didn't look like Teiraim was in immediate danger, so there's no rushing in to save him. Instead K'ael is ushering Enka towards the food tables.

"Are you sayin' you /want/ to attract attention?" Enka grins, a sly little quirk of her lips, as she peeks up at K'ael. "Because if that's the sort of attention you want to attract…" she leans towards him slightly, all sweet amusement — but at the sound of the young man's voice, Enka's drawing away, peering curiously in the direction of Teiraim and the young woman. There's a brief nod of relief — at least all he's doing is jumping and yelling — before she allows K'ael to steer her towards the food tables. "I'm starvin'," the goldrider puts in. "Seems like we've been workin' double time with the flood and the mudslide," she sobers for a moment, her gaze straying towards the food selection. "Shells, seems like I haven't even met half of the refugees yet."

Perhaps not immediate danger, but danger nonetheless. Teiraim lingers near the hearth, his jaw set in a stubborn cast, but really, what can he do, stand there all day? He pours two mugs of the drink, casting dark looks across to where Missy's seated - though the blonde appears to be oblivious to the looks she's receiving. Making his way over, Tei sets the mugs down with, perhaps, a tad more force than necessary. "And some food," Missy adds, with a falsely innocent look. They stare at one another for a moment or two until, with a low grunt, Teiraim slouches his way over to the food tables, grumbling something under his breath that's probably best left unheard. He edges in behind K'ael and Enka, hovering with an ill-concealed impatience that manifests with a futile attempt to wring out his soaked shirt.

K'ael grins. "Maybe. I dunno. It might be fun. Anyways, I think you know what kind of attention I tend to attract anyways." Generally the Enka-kind. K'ael in his utmost obliviousness lingers at the food tables a while before even starting to put things onto his plate. "Mm. Soon all the cotholders around are going to be here at the weyr if the rain doesn't stop soon." He tilts a head at the goldrider. "What do you need to meet them all personally for?" One would wonder why the bronzer was looking over the selection at all, since his plate contains close to everything available. It's less like a plate and more like a mountain of food with a bubbly on top.

Enka makes a snickering sound before she grins wryly at the bronzerider. "Oh yes, I /do/ know." she pauses, picking up a plate and tapping at her chin with the other hand. "You know, some fun like that might liven up the place though, seein' as the weather's got everyone all gloomy and depressed." Well, maybe not her, and maybe not the riders and weyrfolk who've been involved with the rescue, but Enka's heard plenty of grumbling coming from residents who're worried and upset about all the rain. "Oh I'm hopin' I can bribe the cotholders who aren't gettin' washed out to take on some of the refugees before they eat us out of hearth and home." Not that such words were meant for the young man behind them, Enka ladling some food on to her plate, and glancing over her shoulder in time to see Teiraim trying to wring out his shirt. "Shells, man," she says, "you ought to get somethin' dry to wear. Or at least do a better job of gettin' the water out." That stated, she's looking back at K'ael. "I don't think I want to meet them /all/ but I can tell you, as someone who was a refugee, it sure was reassurin' knowin' that someone took the time to talk to me and make sure I was all right."

Halfway through the process of wringing out his shirt, Teiraim casts a glance towards K'ael. Nope, still going. It's very possible that the faint sigh that comes from the young man is audible to the two. Certainly, the trilling, "I'm starving," from over where Missy's seated is audible, and earns a narrowed glance from the young man. It's about then - perhaps mercifully - that he's distracted by Enka's words, or the tail end of it anyway. He stares, evenly, at Enka, blinking a moment or two. "I'm sorry, I was—" he trails off a moment, floundering, then, turns and slouches off without another word. Missy, noting that he comes back empty handed, gives him a look, to which the dark response is, "Deal with it. Apparently only riders are allowed to pile their plates sky-high," a slanted look is given towards K'ael before he drops into a seat. "We'll get something later."

K'ael grins. Then he blinks. "Wait, you want me to walk around with my hands down -everyone's- pants? Or are you planning to loan me out to some lonely women?" The bronzer sounds a bit worried. "Mm. Or at least convince them to give a little more until the rains are over so the weyr can sustain the extra mouths. Or I guess you could ask another weyr. Ship some of the younger ones off as candidates or something." The bronzer blinks a bit as Teiraim apologizes and then leaves the line. "Huh. Maybe he wasn't hungry after all?" Then to Enka. "Ah, well. I I suppose that's true. Maybe we ought to get some harpers in and have a recreation night or something with them."

"Ha!" Enka lets out a crow of amusement, a little bark of laughter, grinning mischievously at K'ael. "Might be a little hard for you to /walk/ around if you were doin' that. 'Sides, I don't think you've got enough hands to accomplish that." she sniffs. "No, no, aint plannin' to loan you out. You're mine, and that's how it's stayin'." Of course, she's also his, so … fair's fair, right? She pats the bronzerider's cheek with her hand, glancing down at her rather unladen plate, and then casting a look at his. Anything she might have said is suddenly interrupted by that stammered apology of a sorts from Teiraim. "Wait — err," too late, he's gone. "Maybe he wasn't, but .." she looks thoughtful. Was it something she said? "Mmm. Could be somethin' to consider. Way of gettin' everyone's spirits up."

Back at the table, Teiraim pushes wet hair back out of his face, before wrapping his hands around his mug. Missy, still staring at the pair near the serving tables, starts to rise before the young man grabs her arm, pulling her back down. "Uh-uh. They've taken us in," he mutters in a low voice. "Until we can get back to Riverside, we have to play nice." Missy gives him a level look. "Yeah, I said the n-word." Missy snorts. "Yeah, you're so good at the nice." Teiraim pauses in the midst of lifting his mug to his lips, "I can be nice." "When?" Tei pauses long enough that Missy starts laughing.

K'ael grins back at the goldrider and laugh. "Well, yes it might be. Not to mention I'm sure I'll get more than a few slaps. My face would be all raw." He chuckles to her then. "Fair enough." Following her eyes to her plate he blinks. "Aren't you hungry either?" He shrugs then about the holder man. "Music and dancing. Food. Wine. For at least some of us. Just to keep morale up and all." The bronzer scans the caverns. "I'm going to go grab us a table. Can you manage?" There wasn't any reason to think she couldn't. Enka could waddle well enough for now, at least.

Enka makes a face at that thought. "Wouldn't like that," she remarks dryly. "You gettin' slapped in the face. And if it was a guy? Shells, he'd probably just try and deck you." Although it would probably take a pretty strong man to try and knock the bronzer over. As if anyone could. Maybe he'd hit below the belt. And Enka wouldn't like that in the slightest. Her rather empty plate is regarded once again. There's /some/ food, just not a lot of it. "I've got a baby kickin' my tummy all sorts of ways," she comments to K'ael. "I want to eat, but I can't feel like I can cram a whole lot in there." a pause, she tilting her head to think. "That'd be really nice. A nice party or somethin'." Her voice drops suddenly. "You know, I had a sweeprider report to me earlier. He made it all the way past the storms, says it's clear skies after that. Maybe we ought to have a party for the end of the rain. Should be a few days yet. A feast, really." She nods a little. "If you'll get us a table," she says, "I'll get there." Sure, she can waddle pretty fine. There's a pause as the goldrider looks over at Teiraim and Missy — apparently she missed all the dark glowering looks, and has only noticed the laughter. "Now that's what I like t'hear," she calls out to them. "People laughin'. Seems like it's been missed around here."

Out of boredom, perhaps, Missy starts poking a finger at Teiraim's arm, who does his best to ignore it. When she continues, hard enough that it sloshes some of his klah over the edge, the young man growls under his breath, "You'll lose that finger in a moment." Blinking innocently, Missy observes, "Just wanted to see how long that nice kick was going to last for. Not long at all, I see." Enka's comment draws attention from both of them. Missy's not laughing anymore, and Teiraim says with an oddly sober seriousness, "She won't do it again."

K'ael peers. "Well, I try not to stick my hands in other men's trousers, honestly. I don't really plan to start now, even for a running gag." Hitting below the belt would be an easy way to knock K'ael over. Enka wouldn't like that, and K'ael certainly wouldn't like it. The bronzer kind of gives her wussy plate of food a poke. "Ah. Well. The baby should know that you need to eat if he wants to eat. Maybe after you get something in you he'll settle down for some sleep in there." The bronzer nods to Enka. "Well, that would be good. A celebration of sorts. You have people ready for the clean up, right? I might be able to help, even." Since Enka isn't going to pile up any more food, he heads with her to a table not too far. He raises a brow at the holders.

"Good," Enka nods slightly at K'ael. "It's probably better not to anyway. I mean, you've got better places to stick your hands," It would really hurt a lot. And be really unsportsmanlike. And leave unhappy people as a result. She twitches her plate away from his poking fingers, not the least bit sullen, but it's more of a teasing gesture than anything else. "That's what I'm hopin'," she says, "and while he's sleepin', maybe he could take away the backache, and the sore feet." Poor woman. It will all be over soon enough. "I really hope so," she says, nodding. "A party probably would make everyone feel happy. Or at least happier. Until we had to start cleanin' things up. Might need your help on that." she pauses, chewing her lower lip thoughtfully before she waddles towards a table. "And why shouldn't she be allowed to laugh?" Enka demands suddenly of Teiraim, her gaze turning towards him and Missy. "She ought to laugh if she wants to."

"Yes, she should," Teiraim agrees with Enka, "But we're imposing on you and yours enough as it is." Missy, with a very pointed elbow into Teiraim's side, pipes up, "Don't mind him, he's always like that." Teiraim, with a cough and a subtle rub of his ribs, notes K'ael's reaction and says, "Sorry. Don't let us keep you from your meal. Or you from sitting," he adds, with a not-so-subtle look at Enka's stomach, brow furrowing in concern all of a sudden.

K'ael nods to Enka. "Like down my own pants. Or your pants." Or he could keep them to himself. That would really be the best idea. "Well, I might be able to help you out with your back and feet a little later, love. Get you nice and relaxed." The bronzer takes a break from eating to rub a bit at Enka's back. Poor woman indeed. In just a few weeks though they would be in high alert status. K'ael nods to her about the clean up. He tilts his head at Teiraim, then laughs. "Imposing? Hardly! The weyr always welcomes its surrounding holders. Emergency or not. Actually the weyr is more or less open to anyone. We're supposed to be making you you guys are relaxed here. As well as you can be at least, given the circumstances."

Enka chuckles wryly, nodding a bit as she mmmhmms softly. "Like that," she says. Although keeping them to himself would probably be a good idea, right now anyway. "I think a nice massage would be good," the goldrider remarks, "And then …" she trails off, easing herself down onto the chair, and allowing the bronzer to rub her back, closing her eyes a moment as she does so. Which means she misses that pointed look from Teiraim. Maybe it's just as well that she does. "Aint imposin'," Enka says then, opening her eyes, her words an echo of K'ael's. "We get tithes and what not for helpin' out, so it comes out clean either way. Besides, even if you didn't, the Weyr would still be obligated to help. It's just who we are."

Teiraim frowns at K'ael's laugh, shoulders shifting uncomfortable at the rider's reaction. "Yet we are eating you out of hearth and home. Well, not you," Teiraim acknowledges after studying K'ael's knot a moment, and his piled plate a little longer, eyes shifting to Enka, "But Western." Missy gives the young man another nudge, perhaps a little too late. The interplay between Enka and K'ael doesn't go unnoticed, and it appears to make the young man uncomfortable, rising from his seat. "Obligated," he echoes Enka, "But still imposing. We've heard all the grumbles."

K'ael chuckles a bit to Enka. "Well, we'll get you nice and fixed up when we get home. And then." Either he hasn't noticed any looks for Teiraim, or he's just ignoring them. "Heh. I don't think you need to spend your hours worrying about Western's food supplies. There are plenty of places that the weyrwoman can request assistance from. Obligated or not, I don't think it's anyone intention to make you uncomfortable at the weyr. The grumpiness comes from the weather, I guess. You can only go so many days with the rain before it starts to bring you down."

Enka's smile is a glimmer of excitement. "It sounds wonderful," she says, attention traded three-ways between bronzer, refugees and her plate of food. "I'm goin' t'hold you to that," Not that Enka would ever doubt the bronzerider's ability to pay up, so to speak. "K'ael's right." she responds then to Teiraim. "If you're hungry, you ought to go get some food. That's what you were doin', wasn't it? Since you were in line behind us. And don't you worry about food round here." After all, when Enka had mentioned being eaten out of hearth and home, it was rather flippant at that. "I'll pull in as many favors as we can get if I have to. Aint right otherwise." she leans forward slightly, regarding the refugees a moment. "Now, where'd you two come from anyway?"

Teiraim's attention is fixed on Enka, still standing. "That's not what you said earlier." Teiraim looks at Missy a moment, then back to Enka. "We're fine. We know how to look after ourselves. Thank you for the hospitality, however." A faint hint of a smile touches the young man's lips before her answers her query, "Riverside." Missy's risen as well, tugging on the taller man's arm. "Let's just go, Tei." With a slight tip of his head, the young man lets Missy tug him away from the table.

K'ael grins to Enka. The bronzer generally made good on his promises to her. At least he thought he did, and doubts Enka would let him get away with not fulfilling things. "The weyrwoman knows what it's like to be a refugee. I don't think she would ever turn someone away. And I think most of the riders here would give up a few meals to make sure there was enough to go around." K'ael nods a bit to Teiraim. "Well, the rains will be over soon at least, right? So you may as well enjoy your visit to the weyr while you're still here." The bronzer has finished off most of his food. All that remains is the bubbly, sitting there all lonely on a mostly empty plate.

There's a wry little grin for K'ael as Enka leans back against her chair, poking absently at the rest of her meal. The bronzer is good at making hood on his promises, so the goldrider has no complaint there. "I didn't mean it like that," Enka says abruptly, her gaze fastened on Teiraim for a long moment. "If you don't want to believe me, I suppose that's just somethin' I'll have to accept, but …" she trails off, shoulders going up in an absent shrug. "You're welcome, anyway." There's a slight nod when the cothold is mentioned. "We'll do what we can to get you back on your feet." she promises. There's a glance at K'ael then, Enka nodding. "I know what it's like, really. And people complain, but that don't mean nothin'." But if the two are leaving, there's not much she can do about it.

Teiraim nods slowly at Enka's comment, meeting the woman's gaze for a moment. He appears to accept her word, nodding again, though his brow furrows as he glances at K'ael, then at the man's plate. He starts to open his mouth as if to add something, but Missy continues to tug Teiraim away, and the young man lets her, heading towards the lower caverns.

K'ael pats his belly. If the bronzer wasn't working so much he would have surely put on a bit of sympathy weight. But as it was he was skipping meals fairly often, so that wasn't exactly possible. Plus he always ate a lot. As the two holders leave the bronzer raises a brow to Enka. "Well… they sounded a bit ungrateful, didn't they? I'll just… assume they're a bit stressed out. And uncomfortable at the weyr." He sighs a bit and pokes at the bubbly. "I guess I'll bring this back. You about ready to head home?" The bronzer reaches over to give Enka's hand a squeeze, and smiles to her a bit.

Enka glances sideways at K'ael, her lips quirking into a slight smile before she shrugs at the departure of the refugees. "I … " she starts to say, thinks the better of it, and thinks her lips into an emotionless expression. "I suppose they're worried," she remarks, "about feelin' like they're bein' a burden, or wonderin' if their home is still standin'. You're right, probably stressed, and feelin' uncomfortable." And watching a bronzerider and a goldrider make eyes at each other probably hadn't helped — holder morals and all. "Sure, bring it on back. I can't eat anythin' else." She'll probably end up raiding the pantry of her kitchenette at midnight or something. "I'm ready to go. I definitely need a massage." She squeezes his hand back, and musters a cheery grin before she's awkwardly pushing her chair back. Off they go.

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