Wash away the rain ((Menta?/Open))

[LyricalBlue]

The buzz of insects and the song of the night birds far below in the jungles reached up and bounced across the high, sheer walls of the Weyr Bowl. But the sounds were distant, as if hesitant to disturb the sleeping dragons and people of Ponaa Weyr. A lone figure stood calf deep in the dark waters of the lake that was sheltered against the side of the bowl. The slim woman stood, her light skin making her visible against the dark waters and she stared up wards. She stared at the small bright red star just cresting over the horizon of the Weyr's cliffs.

Her hair fell in a dark sheen down her shoulders and back as she stared up wards. How could something so small and insignificant cause so much death and destruction? Once again, Lyrai had been unable to sleep so she had found herself out here, to take a dip in the lake while it was still and calm. Only that baleful glare of the Red Star had distracted her.

If N'mos caught her out here like this, she'd be in for an earful. That man was positively phenomenal in his list of the Weyrwoman's faults. And no doubt swimming alone, naked would be something he could add to that long list. That man was all gas and ash, she really shouldn't let him bother her. She snorted and looked away from the sky and down at the water swirling about her calves.

[menta]

Ki'lair walked slowly down to the lake, his white shirt open and barefoot. His epxression was his signtaure scowl. He'd just gotten word from his old Weyr that another of his Weyrlings had died in thread. He had gotten news like this more and more recently. It never hurt any less everytime. He had prided himself in the training of those Weyrlings...and even though it was unreasonable to blame himself for their deaths, he couldn't help it. A swim always seemed to help.

He noticed a figure down at the edge of the water. Who was it. He wondered. He really didn't want itnrude, if someone wa having a privtae moment. People down at the lake at this hour usually did. He waited a moment and then proceeded slightly of his original course. He wasn't trying to stare, but the figure looked familiar, was that Lyrai? He sat down at the edge small ways away from her. So what was the Weyrwoman doing down her right now?

[LyricalBlue]

At the sound of a boot crunch on the beach, Lyrai whirled to look. Her brown eyes widened when she caught sight of Ki'lair. Oh shafitt! An instant later she recognized the man and her eyes flicked to her clothes folded up on the beach. Ah well, she supposed if a man was to find her naked at lake in the middle of the night at least it was the quiet Wingthird. Lyrai's eyes flicked back to Ki'lair and she arched one dark eyebrow.
"Up late again I see."

She turned around fully and walked slowly out of the water. Sure Lyrai had been holdbred, but she'd been at the Weyr too many years now to care much for modesty. The Weyrwoman picked up a long towel and wrapped about her body. Almost slim as a lad she was, Ly had always hated it thought it had been usefull in the past. And shed never managed to carry a child to term, so her body looked much as it had ten turns ago. She looked about the Weyr Bowl, sure that N'mos would fly down on them at any moment with accusations and a great deal of yelling. Eventually Lyrai looked back to Ki'lair and she did smile faintly then, still nervous.
"It seems the only time I ever see you bronzerider is a night in unxpected places."

[menta]

Ki'lair looked up as he heard a voice break the soft stillness. "Lyrai?" He said, softly, still unsure of his own eyes and ears. He stood, straight and waited for her to come twards him in the edge. It seemed he wouldn't be having alone time right now. "Weyrwoman." He said as she reached hi, trying to ignore her attire. He gave a short bow to her, always rigidly polite even in the oddest circumstance.

He almost smiled, "Aye it does. May i ask what milday is doing down here, unacompanied, at such a time." He watched her briefly, and he couldn't say he was totally displeased with her interupting him, but she confused him so completely. What was she doing here, now?

[LyricalBlue]

Lyrai snorted, really men could all be alike sometimes. She was hardly a child, it was bad enough Queens weren't allowed to fight thread but for him to suggest Ly should be accompanied. It was so.. so like N'mos. "Unacompanied?" The Weyrwoman placed her hands on her hips and glared up at the bronzerider. Sure he was an easy foot taller than her, but that hardly gave the man any right to imply she needed looking after. "I am the Weyrwoman of Ponaa, Ki'lair, not some child that needs watching."

She raised an eyebrow then and gestured to her clothes and then shook her head and grinned. "What else do people come down to the lake for? Certainly I'd be clothed if I was taking a stroll." Then she shrugged, deciding magnanimusly not to chew him out. "I couldn't sleep, and what are you doing down here at this hour unacompanied hmm?"

[menta]

Ki'lair growned inwardly. He really was bad at this talking thing. "N-no. M'lady, i simple meant that you are defenceless by yourself. Oh shards! Thats not what i mean either...i just, there are some men that would take advantage is all..." He trailed of lamely, looking at the ground, even though she probably couldn't see his blushing face in the dark anyways. He wasn't confidant speaking around women, but usually he was just aloof and detatched, not awkward an bumbling as he was with Lyrai. What was it? Well she was a Weyrwoman, she had rank one him-which was very important to the bronzer- so that was probably it. He thought to himself.

He nodded slightly, "I...was just coming down to think. And yes, very stupid of me." He agknowledged dutifully to his superior. "As for unacompanied, well, i'm with you now aren't I." He gave a small smile, finally saying something sensibly bright, as he was due to once in a while. He was awkward, but depsite what he had just said, he was not completely stupid. "Now if it does not offend you m'lday, why are you down swimming at this hour. I know from experience that few people come dow to the lake by themselves at this hour without reason." He took a deep breath at the end, glad that he had made it through another sentence without messing up. He looked almost cute, for such a tall and imposing man, to be so worried with what he was saying.

[LyricalBlue]

One eyebrow arched further upward with each stumble as the Weyrwoman stood staring at Ki'lair, her hands on her small hips. Suddenly she felt bad for beratting the bronzerider, he seemed almost childlike in his attempts at smooth coversation. Lyrai glanced away, doing her best to maintain a straight face and not to giggle. At the unacompanied comment she looked back up at him, eyebrow arched again. Now that had more than one meaning or she was a wherry fool. Lyrai grinned up at the tall rider and then up into the night sky.

"I was doing the same thing you were, thinking." It drove her into a frenzy that the Weyrleaders had declared Queen's couldn't fight thread. There were too few they said, to risk in such a way. So instead, every time thread fell, Lyrai had to pin Zhariath up indoors. They could fight as well as any man, the Queen had certainly proved before she was as agile as any bronze, small as she was.
"They won't let us fight Ki'lair, its really nonsense. Just because they lost Zemith in that stupid accident..." Lyrai glared up at the red star as if challenging it. "Nonsense."

[menta]

He inclinced his head slightly to the side. Now this was a topic he knew somthing about. N'ms was his Wingleader after all, and he spent most of his life not flying studying thread fighting tactics. He had read alot about the women who used to fly thread. He had his own opinions on the subject. "It is ture that you Queens are few, and in fall you do pose a bigger target, and are less able to dodge thread. However i believe that this it outweighed by the undeniable strength and speed, as well as superior intelligence of the Golds. Not to mention just the presence of one of you lovely Golds is a great boost to moreal during a long fight." He said evenly, as if he were simply giving facts not his own opinion. Than he gave her a sideways glance. "It is a shame about Zemith, and it would be wrong for me to pubblically speak against my Weyrleaders, but if it wasn't..." He let the sentence trail in the air, leaving the message obviously hanging.

He watched Lyrai, before speaking, hoping it wasn't out of place, "You speak as if you are not one of them, the Weyrleaders. Because you are. And you are young and you have time to change things. And if you do not have a Weyrleader that surpports you, than Zharieth can chose someone who will." It was a slightly simplistic asnwer, but not totally untrue. Lyrai might have more power than she realized.

[LyricalBlue]

As Ki'lair began to speak Lyrai almost verbally flayed the man. Bigger targets indeed, Zhariath was as nimble as any bronze. But luckily he saved himself moments later, how could she possibly say anything against a man who complimented her gold. Well maybe he was just making a general statement about golds in general but never the less she decided Zhariath deserved the compliment anyway.
"I hardly constitue as the public and besides I very much doubt there is any bad you can say about him I haven't said myself."

She adjusted her towel nervously as he continued to speak. The man really did have his act together when it came to running the Weyr no matter their diffrences. But Lyrai always found herself wondering, Fierzath had always caught Zhariath very quickly and using some kind of surprise manuver. At what point was it that her Queen actually chose who caught her? It seemed to Ly that Zhar had never had enough time to actually choose, though she had never voiced that idea.

The Weyrwoman tilted her head and studied Ki'lair for a long moment, maybe he wasn't such a bad sort after all. "Funny he doesn't seem to see it that way. And he seems to do a sharding good job at chasing off the competition." Lyrai turned and sat down on the sand with a sigh.

[menta]

Ki'lair watched the young woman throuh dark stony eyes that revealed nothing of what he was thinking. If he wanted to let someone know what he was feeling, he could tell them in words. That was his sentiment anyways. "I admit i ride no Queen, but i have watched her, them, and i believe that if she really wanted, she could chose. You aren't so young and inexperienced anymore. Silly tricks won't win a flight forever." He aswered back, his tone almost asking her to disagree with him, even though it sounded somewhat like a compliment. Sometiems he could be shy and utterlu thoghtful, but he still had a bit of his old arrogance and forcefulness in him.

He look towards the water and quickly at her towel. "I am sorry i interupted you from your swim." He answered, eyes drifting to the black water for a moment. He hoped she didn't mind talking to him, he knew he would mind talking to himself. He wasn't the best conversationalist.

[LyricalBlue]

At least the night was fairly warm, Ly could sit damp as she was and not freeze. He had a very good point and she knew it. But she also knew, without a strong prefrence of the rider's, things were thrown into a muddy pit indeed.
"You're right and the next time Zhar rises will be diffrent. I won't abide that intollerable man any more than I have to." When he appologized she shot him a genuine smile, he really was a decent man for a bronzerider. "Really its alright, your company is welcome."

Lyrai turned and looked back over the lack, wrapping her arms around her legs in order to conserve some heat. She remained quiet for a little while, as comfortable in a lull of conversation as speaking. Ki'lair really was right, next time would be diffrent; Fierzath would be running out of tricks. Besides all bronzeriders were trained to responsibility, really a good portion of them could run the Weyr. N'mos wasn't exactly unique in his abilites.

Lyrai grinned wickedly, a thought comming into her head and she glanced back up at Ki'lair.
"So what will Alazrath do the next time Zhariath or Sharieth rises hmm?" Maybe baiting him that far wasn't quite fair, but she really was genuinely curious as to his answer. He hadn't been at the Weyr long enough to participate in any of the Queen flights yet. And Ly was willing to put several marks on the younger twin Queen comming into heat soon. One could almost put a timepiece by the two of them, their pattern was so regular.

[menta]

Ki'lair smiled to himself, well when was he ever not right? The more comftorable he began to feel, well less awkward anyways, the more his own cockiness and self-assuredness shown thorugh, though he thought himself gentleman enough to alway keep such thoughts to himself. Ki'lair crossed his arms to his chest at her question, shifting slightly on the sands. But despite the intriguing nature of the question, the answer was actually fairly simple. "He will give chase of course. Two both, as is the nature of a Bronze." He didn't usually expect to fly a Queen, altough they had just once when they were younger, but he believed that giving chase in a Gold flight was a duty of any healthy bronzer. Yet, he wouldn't quite no what to do if he were to win one now, especially with Zhariath. He was a good leader among smaller groups of riders, but he would not do well having to lead a whole Weyr of people and talk to them and such, at least not with his current social tendencies.

"Speaking of which. How fairs Zhariath's clutch?" He asked, remembering some talk of difficulties at the clutching recently. He hoped that they were ok. Losing a generation of hatchlings would be disastorous...oh and it was probably hard for Lyrai and Zhariath. He quickly cut in after the question, after glancing back at the Weyrwoman, "Are you sure you aren't too cold?"

[LyricalBlue]

Lyrai chuckled quietly and nodded. Of course, a safe answer that was; the Weyrwoman was quietly pleased that Ki'lair wasn't all left feet and dragonling wabbles. She grinned again up at the tall bronzerider. Then he mentioned the clutch and she felt her good humor vanish like thread in water. Lyrai turned her head to stare out over the water. With the Weyr's healers and Ruet hovering around Zhariath day and night, the queen was improving rapidly. However they all remained severely worried about the health of the clutch.

Finaly she did turn her head back to him, deciding that the health of the eggs was something that the bronzerider really should be aware of. Shards, probably half of Pern was aware of it by now. The health of any of the Queens was a widely discussed topic. If any of them were so much as off their feed by a few days the Weyrs were all a twitter.
"We're worried, but Ruet has the healers watching them every moment of the day it seems and so far they seem to be hardening normaly. Though... they seem to be smaller than average."

Then Ki'lair asked how she was doing and Lyrai smiled slowly and inclined her head. "I'm alright, its really not that cold out." Pulling her towel up higher on her chest, she decided that she reallly didn't want to think about the eggs anymore. It seemed every moment of the day she was worrying about them. Lyrai stood up and looked up at the tall man then winked. "Not that I wouldn't mind some warming up." Who said she couldn't be saucy now and then, surely she had the right. And after all Ki'lair was right. It was her choice, not N'mos's who ended up running the Weyr.

[menta]

Ki'lair frowned slightly at her reaction to his question. That wasn't a good sign but he offered her a rare, sypmathetic smile. "Don't worry. They have a strong mother and they are safe on the sands. The helaers are good...and if they are hardening well, i wouldn't worry myself over the size yet." He said. He had a way of making awrful things sound less bad, and in a reasonable fashion. A remement of his Weyrlingmaster days.

He cocked his head slightly to the side at the next thing she said. Uh oh, she would get his stuttering and bumbling again. He took a quick breath to compose himself and then he was calm once more. "Aye? Would you liek to go inside for some klah, or continue your swim?" He asked. It might be the smart thing to just walk away now, but he was admittedly intrigued....but not stupid....he hoped.

[LyricalBlue]

She couldn't help herself, Lyrai giggled then cover her mouth with a hand. Either this man had no interest in women or he had a remarkable sense of discipline. And given that he rode bronze her bet was on the discipline. Maybe she should simply let him go, but at the moment she was far to amused for such a droll ending to the conversation. The Weyrwoman arched one dark eyebrow and smiled mischievously.
"Well I'm not sure going to the Weyr Hall for some klah would be a great idea given my dress." Alright, she could change but where would the fun be in that.

Lyrai pulled the towel from around herself and slowly folded it and sat it next to her clothes. Turning back, she walked into the water then dove forward as soon as it was deep enough. A moment later she came back up. Smiling brightly she motioned for Ki'lair to come too. "Come on bronzerider, a swim is good for the body and mind." Her dark eyes glinted brightly as she watched him and wondered just how deep that discipline went.