T'rell hefts Sejith's straps off their sturdy pegs, wherhide trailing across the worn floor until he tosses the end over the dragon's lowered neck. "Catch it, that's right..." he kibbitzes as Sejith balances the harness, squirming it into place. The man pulls the straps home, buckling them snugly, and with a pat on the neck, proclaims, "Ready." He glances around, seeking; finally he wanders over. "Kae, have you seen my jacket?"

Kaeryn rolls her eyes open, slowly, and looks up at T'rell from where she lies on the couch. After blinking a couple times to get her eyes to focus on his form, she lifts her arm and points in the direction of the bedroom. "It's on the chair by the bed, last I saw it."

T'rell takes the bedroom stairs two at a time despite their roughness, and grabs the jacket by the collar. "Thanks." He descends them all at once, landing lightly on the main floor. "Didn't mean to wake you." His tone softens as he closes the space between them, half-perching on the edge of the couch.

"I wasn't sleeping," Kae replies with slow shake of her head, "I was just resting my eyes in hopes that the room would stop spinning." Chin tilts upwards so the harper can take him in as he perches nearby, "I didn't think there was Fall today. Is there?" Question is asked and she rolls over on her side, wrapping her body around the pillow.

T'rell furrows his brows, small lines forming on his forehead in concern. "No, just drills," he answers offhandedly. "You feeling okay?"

Kaeryn flicks her fingers as if pushing his worry away, "Fine. Just woke up feeling a bit under the weather this morning, a little queasy. I'll just lie here for a while, it'll go away." Her light blue eyes are covered, once again, as her eyes flutter most of the way shut.

T'rell bends to kiss Kaeryn's forehead gently. "Alright, then, just take it easy. Bren's with Cirrus today anyway, isn't she?"

"For most of the morning," Kae nods, smiling tiredly. "She came by to gather her this morning and decided she'd keep her longer than usual because I wasn't feeling well." Fingers lift and brush across T'rell's warm jacket, "If you have lunch after drills, would you bring me a bit of juice back? We're out here, gave Bren the rest of it for breakfast."

"Sure thing," T'rell promises. "I was hoping maybe you'd want to celebrate this evening, but we'll see how you're feeling later on, eh?" Without further elaboration, he catches Kaeryn's hand, places a kiss on it, and returns it as he rises from the couch.

"Have good drills," Kae murmurs as she curls up, pulling the blanket up over her shoulders and begins to drift back to sleep.

T'rell moves quietly toward the door, signalling to the dragon; Sejith's wings barely rustle as he too tiptoes out.

T'rell, in the shallows with Sejith, waves cheerfully as he spots Kaeryn and Kaeryn-ling on the beach. The dragon turns toward them, submerging his nose to send bubbles boiling to the surface as he lazily glides toward the beach with the surf.

Just outside the entrance to the weyr, Kae releases Brencia, who immediately runs down the hill and makes a beeline for the water. "Brencia, go to daddy and you can swim with him, don't go over there by yourself," the mother instructs, moving not quite as quickly as the toddler, but following along, prepared to chase if necessary.

T'rell strokes toward the shore, pacing Sejith. Standing in knee-high waves, he beckons, smiling to Brencia. "C'mon," he encourages the girl. "I'll catch ye."

Brencia squeals happily as she throws herself in the direction of her father's arms. "Daaaaaaddy! Swiiiim!" the words are yelled in her high pitched voice as she splashes into the water, arms outstretched.

Kaeryn pauses, out of the range of the rolling waves, and settles down into the sand where she removes her shoes and sets them off to the side. Toes dig into the warm black sand as she watches the toddler run father-wards. Now satisfied the girl is in safe hands, she leans back, making herself quite comfortable in the sun, preparing to lazily watch the three as they play in the water. "Good drills today?" she calls, speaking loudly enough to be heard over the water.

T'rell is nearly bowled over by the toddler's enthusiasm. Catching her in the water, he supports her as she continues to paddle with surprising efficacy. "Very good, considering we broke in a new wingmate today," he grins to Kaeryn. "Feeling better?"

Brencia's arms swing about, splashing into the waves where they cause even more chaos. Little legs beat into the water as well, determination showing on her face as she tries to reach Sejith's side. "Seji, Daddy, Seji!"

"New wingmate? Someone that'll work well with you, I'm hoping?" Kae queries, forever worried about the well-being of both rider and dragon. "I'm fine now, I guess it was just something I ate yesterday, or something. Felt fine after a little rest, and now I'm all back to normal." Toes continue to dig in the sand, digging a oddly shaped canal between herseld and the water.

Sejith extends a wing closer to Brencia as T'rell escorts her through the mild waves, most of the larger ones having broken against the bronze's seaward side. "Here's Sejith!" Daddy congratulates the girl as she touches the smooth metallic hide, helping her up to sit on the floating wing as he replies to Mommy. "One of the weyrling pairs," he tells her. "They're all graduating these days, so we've claimed them. A good solid brown and his rider," he grins. "I think you know them."

"So you've claimed Uillauth and Ali, then?" Kae smiles approvingly, nodding her head. "Good. Now I know someone'll be there to take care of the two of you when I'm not there." With an 'umph', she pushes herself up to her feet and walks across the sand in her barefeet, heading into the water, dress and all. At first, she lifts it, keeping the waves from touching it, but evenutally, she just lets it get caught in the waves as she reaches the others. "Feels nice, doesn't it?"

T'rell lets Brencia splash him, her feet kicking as she sits on Sejith's sturdy wingspar. "I was wondering when you were coming in." Then he retaliates, scooping up his daughter and tossing her up into the air to catch her again low to the water as she squeals in delighted protest. "Ha-ha, you thought you could get away with that, didn't you?" he cackles playfully at the girl.

"The two of you seemed to be enjoying it, so I thought I'd give it a feel," Kae steps closer to Sejith, out of the way of 'cia's swinging limbs. Confident he's sturdy enough to lean against, she does so, his hide warm, if a little damp, making a good prop against the waves.

T'rell splooshes the both of them down into the water, where Brencia proceeds to splash wildly, completely soaking everything in range and finishing, panting, with a big beaming smile. "There," T'rell wipes salt water from his face, "now she'll sleep well tonight." Calmer now, he sits down in the water, picking up a shell for Brencia to explore. "I thought maybe we would celebrate Ali's graduation to the wing, if you're feeling better. She said something about errands, but maybe tonight."

"That would be nice," Kae agrees, running her fingers across the shining hide as she leans against it. "Ash is supposed to be coming to visit soon, as well, so maybe one day we'll get the rest of our Ista-residing family together and have a picnic or something." With a swishing movement, mostly to blame on the soaked lower half of her dress, she scoots over and lowers herself into the water.

Sejith watches Kaeryn slide off him, his head resting on the sand as he blinks at her, a contented, tired blue. T'rell catches Brencia from floating out of his grasp after a translucent jellyfish, quietly informing her that such creatures are not for grabbing at; then he grins to Kaeryn. "Why stop at our Ista-residing family?" The dragon grunts, probably agreement, a low rumble amplified underwater.

"Because if the weather is poor, I'm not sure we can fit all of our family in the weyr?" Kae replies with an echoing grin as she leans over to rest her head against his shoulder. "That would be nice as well, though. Let your family see Bren now that she thinks she's all grown up."

"We could always carry everyone up to the beasthold," T'rell points out. "Plenty of room in the barns, right? Think your dad would mind?" He winks.

Kaeryn laughs and shakes her head, "I'm sure he wouldn't mind, but we'd have to ask. Until then, I'll just look forward to having Ash around for a few days. Maybe she and Ali will keep an eye on Brencia so we can take a day or two off. Ya think?" Now that her clothes are entirely soaked, save the very top of her dress, leans back, resting the bulk of her upper body weight on her elbows.

T'rell raises his eyebrows at the idea. "A day off? You must be joking," he teases wryly. "Though I can guarantee that we'll be keeping Ali and Uillauth busy enough that Ashlyn will definitely have some spare time while she's here." He chuckles. "It depends on Fall, really."

Kaeryn sighs unhappily and leans her head back, closing her eyes so she isn't blind from the sun. "Well, I need a day off, or ten," she murmurs softly as she rolls her head around, stretching the muscles in her neck. "Thought it might be nice to have one with you, that's all. I know, you can't rearrange Fall, but wouldn't it be nice if you could? Just once?"

"Hang around for another twenty-four turns?" T'rell shrugs, grinning, and bounces Brencia. "By then we won't need a babysitter anymore, either." There's a bright side to everything, by golly.

"And we'll be old," Kae replies dryly as she pushes her wet-self up to her feet and meanders back toward the beach and the towels she left lying there. Towel is wrapped around her shoulders, soaking up some of the moisture that has drenched her clothing, and she walks a little ways along the sand.

T'rell picks himself up, and Brencia too, and follows Kaeryn back, dripping. "But you'll never know it by looking at us," he predicts. "When's Ashy coming, anyway?" Back to a safer subject.

Kaeryn shrugs noncommitally as she lifts the towel to her hair, squeezing the wet curls near the bottom dry. "Couple days, I guess. Really not sure." Bending down, she picks up her sandals and begins walking up toward the weyr, "I'm going to get out of these wet things. I'll come back out in a moment if you three plan to stay outside." With a small shrug, she wanders up the path to the weyr.

T'rell finds the extra towel left for Brencia, setting her down on it as he watches Kaeryn walk up the hillside. "Alright," he trails off. "So, Bren-bren, what'd you do today with Cirrus?" Sejith floats back out into deeper water; he needs a good soak.

Brencia wiggles her toes down into the sand, like she's seen her mother do many times before, making the sand stick all the way up her wet legs. "Played," she responds, answers as short as she is. "Cirri 'ad bu'blies." Fingers are held up, revealing the purplish stains showing her tale is true.

Kaeryn walks slowly into the room and glances around with a sigh. She shakes her head and makes her way into the bedroom to change. Wet clothes are peeled off and dropped to the floor so she can dry off, before redressing in another, longer dress. A pair of sandals are slipped onto her feet and she fastens before gathering the wet things and dropping them into the small hamper near the door. "What's gotten into you, Kae?" she mutters at herself as she walks back down the stairs and heads back toward the beach. Near the bottom of the hill, she stops, not wanting to disturb them, or maybe just to try to figure out what to say after being so snippy before.

"Really?" T'rell examines Brencia's blue fingers. "You didn't save any for me, did you?" Oblivious to Kaeryn's return, he continues his idle conversation with the toddler. Excellent conversationalist.

Brencia brings her sandy blue fingers to her face and sticks them in her mouth, testing to see if any of the flavor might still be there. Saddened, she shakes her head, poking her lower lip out. "Sowwy, Daddy. Ate 'em all." Fingers are extended again, revealing the fact that her hands are actually empty. "Mommy have bubblies?" she asks as her gaze fixes on her mother, who was trying to stay hidden from view.

Kaeryn gives both T'rell and Brencia a sheepish grin from where she stands, but doesn't move toward them, obviously preferring to stay where she can't snap at those she loves. With the question though, she steps foward, holding out her hands. "No bubblies, love, not today."

T'rell looks up, and grins to Kaeryn. "We'll just have to wait until next time, then."

Kaeryn runs her fingers through her hair and gives T'rell an apologetic smile, lifting her shoulders and shaking her head. "I don't mean to be snappy, I just... I don't know. Don't take it personally?"

T'rell shrugs, patting the sand beside him as an invitation. "Do I ever?" A teasing, rhetorical question.

Kaeryn settles down in the sand beside him, reaching out to flatten a few of the wild curls on Brencia's head. "I don't know what's gotten in to me, I'm just testy, I guess."

"It won't work, you know." T'rell states it matter-of-factly, watching Kaeryn attempt to fix Brencia's hair.

"Maybe not," Kae replies, still messing with the child's hair for a moment longer, "but it gives me something to do other than feeling bad for being rude without reason." Giving up on the unruly curls, she leans over, resting her head against T'rell's shoulder and closing her eyes. "Maybe it's just because I'm hungry. Haven't eaten anything since I got sick this morning, didn't want to push my luck."

Brencia squirms at the extra fussing, shaking her head to fluff her hair out again. "Stop, Mommy," she whines, pushing Kaeryn's hands away.

"Sorry," Kae mumbles toddler-wards, sighing against T'rell's sun-warmed shoulder and falling silent, for the time being, at least.

T'rell raises an eyebrow at such a show of independence. "Bren, that wasn't very nice," he corrects. "You don't just say 'stop,' you say 'please stop.' Right?" Mundane little problems require turns of leadership training, it's always the case.

Kaeryn lets Dad discipline for now, and just rests there, quietly, listening as the quick lesson takes place without her assistance, obviously concentrating on her moment of misplaced anger more than she should. "Am I always this cranky when I'm not feeling well?" she pries for information, obsessing over small things apparently another of her moods of the day, or moment.

T'rell considers the question, putting an arm about Kaeryn's shoulders while Brenciapouts, murmuring a reluctant apology. "That's better," he accepts. "Hmm. Are you always...? Well," he begins scientifically, "On days when you're just tired, it's a different kind of cranky than when you're both hungry *and* tired, or when this little person has been asking you 'why' questions for two candlemarks." Sejith begins to emerge from the water, dripping onto the sand as he stretches out in the sun to dry.

Kaeryn gets comfortable in the sand, curling up against T'rell as though to sleep for the evening. "So I'm always like this in some way, shape or form, you're just kind enough not to point it out." Which puts him in the category of 'smart men', right? Close enough, at least.

"Always?" T'rell's fingers find a lock of Kaeryn's hair, twining it idly. "I didn't say always, did I?" Innocent to the last. Brencia, of course, notices the hair-twining and interjects, "That Mommy's hair." She picks a handful of sand up from the beach and it dribbles, dark and glinting, through her chubby fingers.

"No, you didn't," Kae admits, opening her eyes to study his seemingly glowing face in the light of the setting sun. "But mommy likes it when he plays with my hair," she responds to the youngster as she shifts, making herself comfortable, winding up with her head in his lap. "It feels good and calms me down, so he has my permission to play with it if he wants."

"Why?" Brencia starts.

T'rell closes his eyes and chuckles low. "Because." He opens his eyes again, regarding a much smaller pair of brown eyes. "Are you hungry yet?"

"I could use some food," Kae replies, tilting her head back so it rests against T'rell's chest, allowing her to look up at him from a semi-comfortable position. "Not too much, mind you, until I'm sure I'm not going to wish I hadn't, but maybe a little stew and some juice would be nice. Doesn't that sound good, Bren?"

Brencia nods, licking her lips. "Yumm," she agrees enthusiastically -- probably just for attention and adoration, rather than actually looking forward to stew.

T'rell continues to wind Kaeryn's hair around his fingers for a moment longer before smoothing it out again. "What'd you eat yesterday that made you so sick?" he wonders, concerned. "One of Bren's mudpies?"

"As good as she can make them *look*, I'm not about to eat them," Kae laughs, nuzzling her head comfortably into his lap once again. "I honestly don't recall eating anything out of the ordinary yesterday, or the day before that. Had some fruit for breakfast, a roll and a bit of meat for lunch, and the same for dinner, with a few pieces of fruit and juice. Bren had most of the same, and she's fine."

"Maybe you should take a day off, then." T'rell suggests. "We've a restday coming up anyway, maybe we should all go up to Silver Cove for a picnic," he suggests, gently shifting Kaeryn to allow them to move off the beach and toward the possibility of dinner.

"Can't we just spend the day in bed, sleeping the day away?" Kae suggests as she's oh-so-gently moved, sitting up and stretching her back. "Granted, I wouldn't be soaking in much sun that way, but who cares, really?"

T'rell shrugs, massaging Kaeryn's shoulders for a moment as he gets up, recruiting Brencia to help him fold up the towels. "Sure, we can do that. We'll hang a 'do not disturb' sign over the weyr entrance."

"That might actually work," Kae considers the thought as she gets to her feet, dusting the sand off her dress and picking up the towel Bren tried to fold. "Let's just bring this back before we go eat, shall we?"

"Want a ride?" T'rell offers the small girl, whose eyes brighten. "Shoulders!" she demands hopefully; "Shoulders what?" her father asks, picking her up into his arms. "Pleeeze?" At such an earnest plea, the man acquiesces and hoists Brencia up to ride on his shoulders. Sejith has fallen fast asleep on the warm sand, tail trailing into the water to be washed by waves. He'll be here awhile.

"I've got some work to do," T'rell admits regretfully. "But it shouldn't take long."

"Alright, as long as you don't mind me getting some sleep while you work," Kae mumbles as the enter the weyr and she moves to the bedroom to drop the towels in the basket of things needing to be washed. "I'll just be a minute and then we can go on over, alright?" With that, she disappears into the bedroom.

T'rell nods agreeably, giving Brencia a ride around the cavern on his shoulders, bouncing like the gait of a runnerbeast.

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