Waterfall's Basin (#3408)
     The weyr's fresh-water pool flows clean and clear, almost undisturbed by the river that rests here after crashing down from the heights above. This small bay is neatly surrounded by a series of smooth stone steps and hidden beaches, a haven from the wider lake beyond before the water drops further to the sea below.
     One gnarled, ancient tree has survived the ravages of time and Thread, reaching up towards the cliff above and the water below. A set of cruide boards makes the climb an easy one. The beach stretches, wide and warm, the waterfall quite a swim distant.

Kaeryn (#7720)
     With a height of about 5 foot 4, this young woman is not exactly overbearing in stature, but the confident air about her makes her seem a little taller. The strands of her golden hair flow fluidly down her back, ending in gentle curls at her waist. Bringing attention to the features of her heart shaped face are her blue eyes, highlighted with golden flecks, that sparkle mischievously in the light. Her skin is lightly tanned and delicate, tiny freckles powdering her small nose. A mysterious look in her eyes, and the way her pale pink lips upturn in a smile make her seem even more attractive. On her right wrist, there is a strip of harper blue wherhide that was formed into a bracelet.
     A soft, luxurious flaxen dress in a rich shade of russet drapes gracefully from Kaeryn's shoulders. The neckline is a demure scoop and is decorated with tiny golden tigerlilies. The sleeves are long and close fitting, tapering to a point at the base of her wrist. The bodice is close fitting as well but flares out from the hips to allow full dance movement. A black belt with a simple gold clasp sits snuggly around her waist. A pair of russet, calf height, wher-hide boots completes the ensemble.
     A bright silver knot dangles from a fine silver chain, a mark of friendship.
     A knot of blue and white adorns Kae's shoulder . Two twisted chords formed into a pair of loops and a tassle, all threaded through with a ribbon of gold, representing her rank as a Master of the Harper Hall. Within the knot rests a single stone of Sapphire and ribbons of black and orange signifying her posting as Istan WeyrHarper.

T'rell (#5123)
     A small fellow, his shoulders are broad, his hands well-calloused, and his form compact and fit. His dirt-brown eyes sparkle with mischief and humor to lend a joke to his short and wavy hair, which has become quite a remarkable shade of light grey. His cleanshaven features are unlined except when he's laughing and are free and mobile with his expressions, such that all his five feet and four inches of height are alight with a juvenile and contagious spirit.
     A dark brown, broken-in wherhide jacket hangs well on his shoulders over a plain shirt, his wingleader's knot aging less gracefully than its wearer with its bronze strand winding unevenly through the orange and black of Ista. An embroidered patch shows his wing insignia, a cresting wave cut by a sweeping bronze dragon. Work trousers end at brown boots, sturdy and practical.

Sejith (#4466)
     A bright brassy hide gleams, deepening in gradual shadow under wings and down to graceful talons in a rich bronze. Filling out with age and maturity, Sejith is well-muscled and sleek, his lack of obvious threadscore speaking of his easy coordination and airborne precision. Calm and steady in just about any situation, his exacting skill mirrors an inner intensity.
     Sejith's eyes whirl a deep and relaxed blue.

Usha (#22139)
The first thing you notice when you look at her are her eyes. Bright green eyes, brimming with sadness, that speak tales of suffering withought saying a word. Her hair is long and black, like the night, like between. Her features are delicate and small, though she herself doesn't seem to relize she posseses a fragile beauty. Her hair is drawn back in a loose ponytail at the nape of her neck. Indeed, the only truly vain sheing she seems to do is hide a scar with her hair, a scar that runs from her left forehead, across her eye, and down to her ear. the scar is well hidden though, and if you do catch a glimpse of it, you might search for more. If you sees the skin on her arms or legs, you will see many little scars, like a knife was poked into her skin many times, and longer ones, like the knife was drawn across her skin.
She is wearin a white sisal tunic, gathered around the neck and wrists. She wears a brown skirt of the same fabric, long, reaching to the floor. A similer brown sash is wrapped around her waist, and a hide vest is worn over her tunic. She has brown, slighty worn, hide boots on her feet, and a white apron to protect her skirt.
Usha is 18 Turns and 23 days old.

Perched on a neckridge, T'rell grins and salutes briefly to Z'diah, then waves to Kaeryn. "He told me you'd be here." He gestures to the dragon as he slides down the tall shoulder, and the bronze glances amiably upon the harper.

"I'd be suspicious and think that he's following me, if it weren't impossible for him to hide behind random trees," Kae turns and winks at the bronze pair before continuing along her path toward the water. "I thought it might be quiet, or less crowded, at least, if I came here at this time of day."

Sejith turns an innocent gaze upon the Harper, then sighs deeply and stretches out to rest his head upon crossed forelegs. His rider grins, loosening the dragon's straps for comfort, and nods to Kaeryn. "He does follow you," T'rell confirms. "You'd be amazed at what he can hide behind."

Kaeryn huffs, crossing her arms over her chest and trying to look angry, "So you're telling me that there's not a place I can go without being followed by this big loveable lump of yours? I guess that means I'd might as well just give in and let him take me where I want to go. Easier than walking, anyway." She uncrosses her arms and stretches them up high over her head. "Besides, why were you looking for me *this* early in the morning?"

T'rell feigns offense. "You don't *want* me looking for you?" His eyebrows raise, a glimmering of amusement and challenge in his glance as he methodically strips his gloves from his hands, tucking them in his belt.

Kaeryn groans, rolling her eyes skyward. "Men." It only takes a couple steps for the harper to be by T'rell's side, and she reaches out to gently tug on his ear, "I didn't mean that, and you know it. I just thought you'd be engrossed in your work or something, since it seems that's what you've taken to doing in the early hours of the day."

T'rell catches Kaeryn's hand in the act of tugging and holds it. "Well, I was. And I sortof still am, though it's more of an excuse for a break," he admits with a grin and a shrug. "I was wondering what you had planned for evening entertainment in the next fortnight or so."

Kaeryn curls her fingers around T'rell's hand and squeezes it lightly, "Well, feeding dinner to the little ones is usually followed by a bath for each of them. From there, I'll probably sing Ish to sleep, followed by telling 'Cia a story until she falls asleep as well. After that, I have a little quiet time to either spend working or with the cute bronzerider that is always around, and then, sleep." Eyebrow raises questioningly and the harper shrugs, "Just the usual. Why?"

T'rell chuckles and shakes his head. "No, no, I meant for the Weyr," he clarifies, not without a fond roll of his eyes. "Is it you or Torlan who's doing that now, or have we hired someone else I haven't heard about?" It's a tug-fest: he reaches over and tugs at the end of one of Kaeryn's graceful curls, teasing.

"Oh, that would be me," Kae wrinkles her nose and swats his hand away. "Torlan has taken to burying his nose deep into the hides even moreso as of late, which means I shouldn't count on his assistance there in any way." Eyebrow raises again, "Why? Is there something special happening soon?"

T'rell shrugs nonchalantly. "Oh, only that the Weyrling class is graduating." He lets his tone trail off, tossing the information away.

"Already?" Kae blinks, shaking her head, "It seems like the hatching just happened, but I guess it has been longer than that, hasn't it?" Pulling away, she moves over to a nearby rock and tugs her boots off, dropping them one at a time to the ground below. "I'll see if I can't get a few harpers to come up for a visit and to provide entertainment so I'm not forced to perform the entire evening."

"The dragons are more than a turn old now, believe it or not." T'rell crouches, sitting on his heels next to Kaeryn and fingering a small, water-washed rock. He considers, then skips the rock once across the dawn-glazed surface of the inlet pool. "And actually, I wasn't just thinking of the event itself, but of the leadup. It'd be good to revive some of the older teaching songs, I thought. These kids probably haven't heard them all that much yet."

Kaeryn cocks her head to the side as she listens to T'rell's thoughts, nodding occassionally, "I guess that would be a good plan, but did you have any in particular in mind or did you just want mt to dig and see what I might come up with?"

T'rell watches the ripples widen in interlocking rings from the stone's violation of the water, thinking. "I can't remember what they're called," he frowns briefly. "But there are several that deal with the balance between Hold, Craft and Weyr, and the duties of each. They'd be good to bring out, since many of these weyrlings are hold and craftbred. Besides," he grins, "They're pretty full of themselves after having Impressed, it'd be good to bring 'em back to reality, eh?"

"That's true," Kae gives a quick nod before turning her head to look toward the weyr, "They aren't the only ones that could use the lesson right now either, I'm sure. Quite a few of us could use the reminder."

T'rell nods noncommittal agreement. "And there's that ... Threadfighter's Ballad, I think it was called?" he guesses, shifting to sit on the sand. "It can be depressing, but it's also really good."

Kaeryn's facial expression hazes over for a moment as she thinks, trying to recall the song, and after a moment, she wrinkles her brow and shakes her head, "I'm afraid that's one I might actually need to look up. It seems familiar, but it isn't one that was forced into our minds as much as the other. Torlan probably knows where I could find it, though."

T'rell snorts lightly. "I bet he could. I don't think I've seen the man more than twice since he arrived," the rider guesses. "I only know he's there because you tell me he is." He grins. "It's not an old song," he explains. "I think it was done at the beginning of this Pass, but I've heard it now and then ever since we Impressed." His glance flicks unconsciously to the sleeping Sejith. "I know Fort has it in their records."

"I'm lucky that he prefers the company of his archives to that of other people," Kae reminds him gently, "Otherwise, there wouldn't have been a place for me to come in and fill. How would you like having to visit your children at the hall any time you wanted to see them?" She reaches out and tenderly runs her fingers through his hair. "It was easy enough to convince them that he should stay on as archivist to assist me in my duties as weyrharper, though."

T'rell reaches up to rest his arm aroung Kaeryn's waist. "Oh, I'm grateful, I'm grateful," he grins. "And it's a good thing Bren doesn't have that second-floor window you had in the Hall. Did you see her try to fly down the hillside yesterday?" He shakes his head, amused since he doesn't have to be concerned about her safety.

Kaeryn groans, shaking her head, "I'm glad I didn't. But now that I know, I'll be sure to keep it closed any time we're visiting and have to stay there. If she isn't a rider when she's older, I'm not sure what craft will be able to fill her need for excitment."

T'rell shakes his head. "She still loves the dolphins, you know, and she can swim as well as kids twice her age. She might start out there, if she keeps it up," he theorizes. "But she's just as happy with bugs and tunnelsnakes, so who can tell?" He grins up at Kaeryn, just to see her reaction.

"Speaking of dolphins..." Kae begins, frowning just a little, "Rumor has it that Brina has convince Utoxin to let a mural be painted in the main room out there, and guess who they want to do it?" She lifts her shoulders into a shrug and tilts her head a little, "It would mean my needing to spend a little time out there, but I don't know when they want it done, or how large yet, so I don't know for how long. Whether I come home every night or not, which I guess, also means whether I take 'Cia and Ish with me, would mostly depend on if you have time to make two trips out every day."

T'rell raises his eyebrows with interest. "That's great news for you," he nods approvingly. "Isn't that the sort of thing you really like to do?" His hand moves across Kaeryn's back, a fond rub. "I should be able to get over there most days, so it's up to you and Cirrus whether to leave the kids here or take them along. You know my schedule," he shrugs. "I can keep an eye on 'em when I'm not on duty."

Kaeryn nods quickly, agreeing, "It is. That's my speciality, and it's what I prefer to do over anything. Jer always said that mural painting was an art that not all artists can do, and it's what I feel I'm best at. Working on such a large scale. It's just that they usually take such a long time to do, not including the planning before, and it could keep me away for a while." Her frown lightens, smiling a little, "I could do so much with it, though, but I haven't even tried anything on such a scale since 'Cia was born."

T'rell smiles encouragingly to Kaeryn, sitting on the sand beside her rock with one hand leaning against her back. "I think you should go for it," he tells her. "Don't worry about 'Cia or Issham, Cirrus and I can keep 'em from killing themselves while you're away." With his light promise, he winks.

Usha walks in from the path, head up, but it goes down when she sees who's here. "Oh, excuse me, sorry." she turns red, "Did i interrupt something?"

"I thought it would get easier, being able to leave them behind for a day or two when I had to work," Kae explains with a sheepish smile, "but I'm afraid it's just gotten harder, so I'll probably have to come back as often as I can. It'll take at least four or five sevendays to complete, considering the fact that I wouldn't be able to just work during any time of the day, since it's the main room of the hall." The harper turns herhead, giving Usha a smile and shaking her head, "No, of course not. Besides, it's a public place, it would be a pity if only particular people were allowed to come here."

T'rell turns in his seat to spot Usha, shaking his head. "No, no," he insists. "Not at all." He starts to get up, pushing off the clean sand. "Were you looking for someone?" Maybe she wasn't actually sent to call him back to his duty... at least, he can hope.

Usha shakes her head, still a little embarresed. She's a /drudge/ for pete's sake, why are they being so nice.."No, i wasn't looking for anybody. Just walking, and looking around a bit before someone makes me do something they don't want to do."

Relieved, T'rell retakes his seat in the sand and chuckles. "Far be it for me to interrupt you, then," he grins. Hey, drudges are the people to know if you really want to get by in the weyr.

Kaeryn cracks a smile, "I remember coming out here to hide when I was an apprentice and desperate to get away from everyone. Please, make yourself comfortable, it's the perfect place to get a little quiet time in," T'rell is given a wink, "or a little conversing." The harper master looks the drudge over for a moment before bringing her hand to her chest, "I'm Kaeryn, Kae, harper, and this fellow here is T'rell." Ranks are dismissed for the moment, no point in frightening the girl.

Usha nods, agreeing, not wanting to get on his bad side.. She kneels down by the water, splasing some on her face to get some dirt off from her last job. She shakes her head, spraying water all over the place, then smiles at them, "It is a good place for hiding, isn't it? I'm usha."

"At your service," said fellow agrees amiably, sketching what would be a bow were he standing. "And that guy there," T'rell gestures to the very relaxed bronze dragon stretched out on the strand, "is Sejith, my roommate. Nice to meet ye, Usha. I'd offer a towel, but I haven't got one." He shrugs, smiling crookedly.

"But I do," Kae points to a rock near her forgotten boots, "Feel free. I was planning to take a dip in the water, but it's a little colder than I'd expected. I don't recall it getting that chilled usually, even if it is winter. Maybe I'm just getting to old for the cold water."

Usha waves at the dragon, "Hi Sejith." dragons.... Now if she could impress, all her problems would be solved... She gets herself off that thought, she'll proboly never even get a flit... "no, that's all right. I don't need a towel. I can take wet. at least i don't have soap." gag soap, buckets and buckets of it. That's what her nightmares are...

"Hah!" T'rell exclaims dismissively to Kaeryn's absurd claim. "Too old? Too soft, more likely," he challenges. "Why, Sejith and I go swimming every day, no matter." He grins, watching the drudge stroll on her way. "I think we scared her, eh?"

"Too *soft*?" Kae laughs at the idea, shaking her head, "I just prefer not getting ill, or that would leave you to be the only one to put the children to bed every night, and that could be a disaster. It's hard enough for us to do it together most nights." She turns her head, also watching Usha leave and shrugs, "Maybe she realized she was actually having a conversation with the weyrleader," she teases, mussing his hair a bit, "You frighten people now that you're the head man, you know."

T'rell cringes at the thought. "Don't remind me." He sighs, pushing his silver hair back from his forehead; it immediately falls forward again in random waves. "I thought dealing with *one* wing was tough."

Kaeryn reaches out and pushes the hair away from his forehead again, patting it down the way she does when fixing Brencia's hair. Maybe that's what it needs, a mother's touch? "And I thought you were busy enough only dealing with that one wing, but things change, and maybe you're just what the weyr needs. Strong leadership always helps a weyr thrive, and right now, I think the leadership is at it's strongest." What's that, a compliment toward the working pair of that includes Saria?

A silent query hovers in T'rell's plain brown eyes, mingled with a grateful affection and eyebrows cockily upraised. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, O impartial one," he grins. His hair doesn't stay -- it never has, why should it start now? But it doesn't matter; he takes her hand and holds it for a moment. "But I haven't the foggiest idea of where to start most days." (repose!)

"I would venture to say that is quite a compliment, dear," Kae points out, squeezing his hand gently, "because it isn't just you that I'm speaking of, and you should keep that in mind," in just a few words, the harper attempts to put so much meaning. "I've worked with the past two weyrleaders a little, and I wouldn't think that they were any more prepared than you are when taking the job, but you have a wing that respects you, children that love you, a weyrwoman that adores you, and a harper that not only loves you but will back you up no matter what it takes. You can do this."

T'rell's hand slips down to the rock's surface in amazement. "Shells. How'd I end up with all that?" He laughs, shaking his head, then looks up to meet Kaeryn's eyes. Quietly, he whispers. "Thank you." It might as well have been 'I love you.'

Kae brushes her fingers across the top of his head again, through his hair, "You're a good man, T'rell, and good men deserve that because they earn it. The important thing is," she pauses, studying his face quietly for a moment, "that you have to believe it for yourself before the people that don't know you believe it." A smile creeps on her lips, showing that she's leaving the seriousness behind for a moment, "Besides, you've the best weyrharper a weyrleader could possibly have."

T'rell grins broadly. "That I already knew, Weyrharper." He takes a deep breath, then rises enough to perch on the edge of the rock with Kaeryn. Suddenly, he laughs, shortly and merrily. "I wonder what all my old masters are thinking?"

Kaeryn laughs, her eyes crinkling enough to show the lines that are slowly forming there, "I'm sure they are preparing to hide in their respective halls until it's over, but only because they know the T'rell of then, and not the T'rell of now."

"You know," T'rell's mischievous nature peeks out once more, and he leans on one knee as he turns to face Kaeryn with a grin. "I think I like that. Hide, y'old buggers," he exclaims to the authority figures of his youth.

Kaeryn laughs again, shaking her head and sighing contentedly. "I have to admit that I was worried, at first, after the flight. You being Weyrleader, but I think it's all going to be just fine."

"Well," T'rell sighs lightly, "Let's hope you're right, eh?" He tosses a companionable arm around Kaeryn's shoulders, then, after a quick, covert glance, abruptly takes the woman into a more romantic embrace. Woo.

Kaeryn giggles as she's pulled into the embrace, burying her head against his shoulder, "I was going to offer my desk as a shared office, but I'm wondering how much work you can accomplish with your overzealous shadows begging for play time and how many hides would disappear for Brencia's favorite new game of 'I hide your things and giggle until you find them." A pout finds its way to her mouth, "It took me over a candlemark to find my best set of brushes the other day, but since I'd promised her I'd play, I didn't think it would be fair to demand them."

T'rell grins with a sigh. "Sorry, I think she takes after my side with that," he apologizes, smiling as he shrugs. "We should direct her to hide less important things, eh? And then, she can teach Issham what not to hide when he starts." Train 'em early and often, right?

Kaeryn pokes at T'rell's leather-clad form and grins, "Like these leathers? She hides them well, so I might be able to convince you to wear a nice new pair if these go missing." With another laugh, she shrinks as much as possible, ducking her head to hide the smile there. "After all, a weyrleader should dress the part, right?" If one good thing comes from his being weyrleader, Kae intends it to be a new wardrobe. Woo!

"Hey," T'rell grins in protest. "These *are* my new ones." He bats Kaeryn's poking finger aside playfully. "Though I guess I should at least change my knot." Studying one's clothing often leads to unexpected revelations. "I guess I forgot about it."

Kaeryn shakes her head, "They just won't do, but if you leave it to me, I'll get you a new set or two made and you won't even have to do anything but give up the ones you have for a day. I won't even make you spend an afternoon being poked, prodded, and measured." Gentle fingers run down the length of one arm, feeling the well broken in leather. "I'll even return this set so you can wear it, as long as you promise to wear the good ones on days that you're supposed to represent the weyr."

T'rell eyes Kaeryn suspiciously. "Well, okay, if I have to," he surrenders reluctantly. "Later today." With an emphasis on the 'later'. "I just hate having to break these things in."

Kae beams as widely as a child just offered a tray full of bubblies, "I'll request the softest wherhide they have, promise. And I'll even stick to this plain ole brown, if you prefer."

T'rell eyes the harper dubiously. "Please do," he requests. "Whatever you do, don't get Elle's advice on color, eh?" He smiles crookedly. "She nearly traumatized poor N'ano."

Kaeryn sulks, just a little, "I just thought you'd look nice in a deep, dark blue set, white shirt.. it would be really nice." Light blue eyes bat sweetly up at T'rell, as if saying 'pleeeease?'. "If not, maybe I could get you a new set of gather clothes. And you should trust me better than that. Would I ever ask you to wear something you'd not feel comfortable with? Other than new leathers being stiff, I mean."

T'rell grimaces. "Blue, huh?" He sighs. "And as soon as it gets dirt or ash on it, it'll show. Better brown, or grey or something," he decides. "That way it'll stay neat, right?" En garde.

Kaeryn sits up straight, straightening out her dress a little, almost to the point of looking prim and proper, were it not for her lack of shoes. "Fine, brown or grey. Maybe both. But will you let me get you a new set of gather clothes at least? Something you can wear for the balls I've to play at and therefore dress up for? Please?"

"Besides," The rider grins conspiratorially to his dragon. "Brown nearly matches Sejith." Hah. T'rell now has a reason for having taken the first thing that fit from stores. "Oh, okay, you can get me something for balls if you want," he allows, almost graciously. He grins. "Thanks, Kae. And now," he sighs, inhaling deeply, "back to work. I've got drills in an hour."

Kaeryn reaches over to grab her boots, pulling them on, one after the other, and gets to her feet. "I've work to do myself, so I'll see you this evening. I'll be in the weyr most of the day, working on tomorrow's lessons." Leaning over, she plants a kiss on his cheek, "Make sure you eat something before drills, alright? And if you don't mind, could you gather 'Cia from Cirrus tonight? I'll probably be too buried in my work to remember."

T'rell nods, already focussing on the day's duties. "Sure thing, I'm off sweeps 'till tomorrow again, so I'm technically free this evening." He grins. "See you 'round, Harper." He winks affectionately, standing and caressing, for a moment, her hair.

And then he's off, striding across the beach toward an awakened Sejith, buckling the straps back up and mounting.

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