Imani sidles in from the bowl, fresh from the field and basking in her own self-importance. Hey, tithing notices are important, too. The messenger dusts her gloves on her riding pants with cheerful abandon, peeling them off and flopping down at a convenient table still smelling of runner sweat and covered in dust. Who needs /baths/? Ha.
Krysa strolls into the cavern, a creening baby flit in one arm, stack of hides in the other as the greenrider threads her way through toward an empty table. "Shards, I'm getting you some food. Daft little thing." Hides get deposited as she slides into the seat, free arm waving over a passing drudge. "Klah and some food for this one, and please hurry."
K'pan glances up from the scrolls and nods at the messenger before returning his attention back to them, "I don't understand why my family can't just get along without having to drag me into things. I mean it's not as if I'm there alot." The mumbling has risen in volume a touch as he shakes his head in frustration.
Imani does offer K'pan a friendly wave and respectful nod of her head, catching the drudge on her way by for the greenrider to add, "Juice for me, also, please? Thanks!" The little squalling Thing is noted with a flinch and a face. "Noisy beastie...how can you stand all that? Sure it's not ill?" Imani wouldn't know the art of flizzen-pleasing. "Are they supposed to make that noise?"
Krysa sighs as the screeching finally stops, the newly arrived plate of morsels drawing the young green's attention. Eyes narrow as Krysa looks over the dusty messenger, slowly sipping her drink. "Shards no, she's just hungry, not too long out of the shell this one is. Looks like you've had a long trip. Welcome to Benden." Picking up the top hide, the mumbling bronzerider is finally noticed, flit creening a huge distraction of course. "K'pan? Problems?"
K'pan raises his head from the scrolls and shoves them to one side, "No more than usual, my family seems to think I can solve all their problems for them...sharding fools have nothing better to do than fight over silly things."
Imani shuffles out of her riding vest and lays it on the seat beside her, revealing a scruffy knot boasting Benden colors. "Welcome back, of course," she smiles, taking her drink as it's brought with an appreciative nod. "Long trip, indeed...all the backwater Holds the past sevenday, it feels like." Which is, of course, not true. Just one or two. Imani settles herself over her juice, savoring the coldness. Ahhh.
Krysa raises her mug in his direction. "Best of luck with that, I've never had to deal with those types of problems.. having no family and all. Seems like a big hassle... too much trouble for what they are worth. Glad I haven't had kids yet either." 'Brow raises as the Benden knot is revealed, the messenger once again getting a closer inspection. "Shards, well then, aye, welcome back. Name's Krysa, green Seraphynth's rider, wingleader of Kasai, don't think we've ever met."
Imani laughs merrily. "S'allright, not as if I'm even at the Weyr that often. Well met, lady Krysa. Th'name's Imani, Benden messenger. Family can be a funny thing, I always got along with mine..but that's just because Papa had an heir before he had me. I lucked out there." Grinsmug. Thank Faranth for brothers.
K'pan snorts, "Well it's not as if I had a choice in who my family was I'm afraid, besides I suppose it is sort of flattering they think I can solve everything for them." he turns to the messenger, "Welcome back I'm K'pan rider of bronze Korinth..."
Imani nods in K'pan's direction. "Well met. Imani, messenger." Whee~.
Krysa gathers up the now sated green and tucks her gently in the crook of an arm, nodding toward Imani. "Well met, aye, well met indeed Imani, and drop that lady business, I an't no lady... just a simple rider." A stray golden lock is tucked behind an ear as the bronzer is regarded. "That's very true... you can't pick your family... and aye, it is flattering to you. I'd just advise to make sure that they don't rely on you for /every/ little thing... I could see it driving anyone daft, trying to solve other people's problems... all the time."
K'pan gives a wry laugh, "Unfortunately it's too late for that as it seems they've decided that since I'm a rider, and I ride a bronze dragon I know more than anyone else so therefore can solve all their problems."
Imani sips her juice, expression mild. "Considered asking somebody for help?" she offers, peering across at the bronzerider over her mug. "They'd never know the difference, would they?"
Krysa raises her mug in K'pan's direction. "Well, that be the case, you have my best wishes..." A head nod is directed toward Imani, "Aye true enough, if you need any help, just ask, and you will have mine. Several people, different points of view, easier to figure out a solution to the problem."
K'pan gives a wry grin, "Careful I might just take you up on that offer, and then you'll never know a moment's peace." K'pan takes a sip of juice as he rolls up the scrols again and places them off to the side.
Imani shrugs lightly. "The benefits of having a Holder for a brother is you can get insights without getting your hands dirty. He complains enough." She smiles. "That's what we're here for, though. To help the menfolk?" We all know the menfolk can't handle things on their own, naturally.
Krysa tries to hide her chuckles behind a fit of coughs at Imani's last words, but it was a lame attempt at best. "Help the menfolk? Hum..." Trying not to smurk, the greenrider shrugs before sitting back in her chair once again. "Aye, K'pan, offer was freely given... let me know if I can help out in any way. I'd never hear the end of it from Sera if I at least didn't try to help."
K'pan quirks an eyebrow at Imani's statement about menfolk, "I'll have you know I'm a menfolk and am more than capable of 'handling' things on my own...now womenfolk well they're a different kettle of packtail's altogether."
Imani arches both brows, mouth forming a skeptical O. "...of course," she agrees amiably, hiding her smile behind a sip of juice. "Well then, ought we to withdraw our offers of assistance, then? If you're capable, then by all means.." Haha. Is she /mocking/ K'pan? Surely not. It's the runners getting to her head. "Behind a good man is a woman cleaning up his mess...if I know males." Harr.
Krysa doesn't even try to hide the bark of laughter that emerges in response to /that/ comment. "Shards, Imani... I really think I like you. But, you got some strange ideas about menfolk, especially the ones here at /this/ weyr. I know some who are more than capable of taking care of themselves. Our weyrleader, T'on, K'pan here... just to name a few." A sly grin crosses her features as she nods toward the bronzer, before signaling for her klah to be topped off. "And to /us/ womenfolk... well, them men /do/ have their uses after all." Enough said.
K'pan snorts and shakes his head, "Well I don't know about a woman cleaning up anything after a male since we males normally don't leave messes lying about for anyone to clean up. But if you'd like I'm sure I could have a word with the headwoman to see if she could find some for you to clean up in your spare time?"
Imani laughs-- but at that last comment, it's cut off a bit sharply. Aw, K'pan had to spoil the fun. She colors just a bit, watching K'pan steadily. "Spare time? In these times when does a messenger have spare time but for a cup of juice between runs?" She thinks about his first comment, and tries not to smile. "Should I assume that your request for help is withdrawn?" A brow quirks.
Krysa leans back and simply sips her klah, shards this is entertaining, much more so than going over the hides. "Well..." Um, nope. Not going to interfere this is just interesting watching.
K'pan just shakes his head, "Well might just check in with her see if you can be temporarily re-assigned to cleaning duties.who knows I heard she's short of help at the moment..and no I appreciate the offer of help." He gives a smile and winks to Krysa before finishing off his juice.
Imani shifts a little in her seat. Darn these pesky riders and their Powers. Bah. How to make ammends? "I'm sure the Headwoman doesn't want a dirty old thing like me folding linens," she remarks, tone subdued and maybe a bit grouchy.
Krysa grins and nods toward K'pan. "Well, this has been entertaining, but, duty calls." Hides are gathered and the sleepy flit is transfered to a shoulder. "Imani, well met once again, and K'pan... the offer still stands." With a grin, the greenrider strolls out, whistling a merry little tune.
K'pan snorts at Imani's statement and nods to Krysa as she leaves, "Thanks Krysa that's appreciated." then turns his attention back to Imani, "Well I'm sure the headwoman would arrange to have you scrubbed and cleaned before she put you to work, wouldn't do to leave finger prints on clean clothes or linen."
Imani tries not to scowl at her mug of soup. Yep, K'pan's definitely not fun. "Eh," she grunts, offering no further comment. She can't think of any way to get even right now, however. "Well, were we going to have a look at those complaints or what?" Divert attention! Righto!
Fingerprints on clean clothes and linen? It's easy to tell that's Aoifen's specialty as he trots up from the lower caverns. His hair is wet, and his face is slightly pink, so he must've just had a bath - but his hands are already covered in dust and grime almost up to the elbows. He beelines for the beverage table.
K'pan laughs at Imani's attempt to divert attention from the talk of reassignment, even a temporary one. "Well now it seems my brother's herdbeasts wandered into a neighbours field and caused some damage to the crops, he's wondering what a fair compensation would be for the damages.." Imani is hard pressed not to smirk. See? A man's made a mess. We mustn't giggle, though. Nope. "Well," she replies instead, repositioning to K'pan's table with a polite nod to Aoifen, "If he grows any crops himself, a trade might be in order. I would see whether his neighbor has a shortage of some kind and make a trade equal to the damage done. Was it especially bad?"
As he passes by K'pan and Imani's table, Aoifen does his best to look unnoticeable, covertly looking the pair over just in case they're in league with the Weyrwoman's Clean Committee. His eyes freeze for a moment on the bronzerider's knot, and when Imani nods to him, he looks positively frightened. He glances down at his soiled hands, winces, and makes an abrupt about-face for the washing basin.
K'pan catches Aoifen's movements out of the corner of his eye, then returns his attention to Imani, "Let me look, no actually it was quite light as he caught the herdbeasts before they did much damange to the crops seems some hold brat managed to get 'herself' into trouble over the incident."
Imani must not frown. Straight face! Dragonpoker! No signs, we musn't encourage reassignment. Cleaning is no fun. Her runner'd miss her. Really! Break the poor thing's heart. "Equal labor, maybe, if it's nothing serious. He might think about installing some fencing, at least enough to discourage them from wandering." Imani glances desparately in Aoifen's direction. Wait! Don't leave! Help!
Aoifen isn't leaving, just moving to the sideboard to scrub his hands thoroughly. So thoroughly that he ends up noisily sloshing dirty water all over the counter. Not that he notices, of course; fourtteen Turn olds aren't particularly observant of such things. Eventually, his hands are washed - his hands, not his forearms. Don't need them to eat, so they don't have to be clean, right?
"Well they were fenced till that holdbrat managed to open the gate and let them escape, not sure what caused her to do it but what done is done. Am sure that she will be well punished for her actions as it nearly caused alot of damage to the neighbour's fields and might have resulted in the loss of some animals" K'pan looks to Aoifen as he heads to the washbasin and frowns as only hands are cleaned, "You know the weyrwoman sure was angry with that resident who didn't properly clean themselves, would have hated to be in their shoes let me tell you."
Imani takes the chance while K'pan's head is turned to make a not-very-nice face. Poor girl was probably trying to feed the things all by herself because some lazy brother hadn't felt like it and they rushed her before she knew what was happening. She was probably lucky not to get trampled. Still, she isn't going to complain if mean old K'pan's sniping at someone else. Imani peers at the list, frowning in thought. "If her well is contaminated, he might have to try and tap a different source, or send a fire lizard down to see if something's leaking into the water. It might not be patchable."
Aoifen screeches to a halt and turns huge blue eyes on K'pan. "The Weyrwoman?" he squeaks, his lower lip trembling a bit. Has everyone heard about the scene the other night already? He'll never live down the shame! The boy's frightened gaze drops to his hands, turning them over - "But I washed..." he almost whispers.
K'pan raises an eyebrow at Aoifen's statement peering closely at his arms, "Oh really seems to me you might have missed a few parts there...and you really wouldn't want to have her angry at you now would you?" turning his attention back to Imani he nods, "Yes and they are getting that done..then there's the matter of food spoiling in the storage area...I suspect dampness is the culprit there."
Imani makes a face. "Yes. Not much for it but just taking an inventory and cleaning everything out. They might be able to minimalize labor if they can call in a favor. My father's Hold isn't far, I can write him and ask about it. It might be an easier fix than that, but I wouldn't know." Ah, poor Aoifen. Sniff. If only he knew.
Knew what? How mean K'pan is? Looks like Aoifen's finding that out right now. With the bronzerider's prompting, he finally realizes that his elbows need a scrub, and after giving the rider a little bow, he trots back to the basin again and once more begins sloshing the water about. At this rate, he'll die of thirst before he gets clean.
K'pan gives a fake scowl as he watches Aoifen clean himself a bit more, "Yes that will do the trick, the weyrwoman will be pleased when I tell her how well you managed to clean yourself up." He stands and heads to the serving tables and refills his glass with juice, "Thank you that would be a big help, as for the rest of this stuff it's just a matter of choosing which one's are more important and doing them first."
Imani looks relieved, and stands hastily to refill her own mug. Hey, being terrorized is thirsty business. Imani gestures a drudge over for a whispered conversation, and after some private chat the drudge heads off to the kitchens and Imani flops down, finally noticing as she's still covered in dust and grime. But you know what? SHE'S not washing /her/ hands. So there.
Aoifen's eyes widen again as K'pan addresses him once more, but this time he hardly looks frightened. In fact, he looks almost... admiring? "Will you really tell her that, sir?" he asks breathlessly, dogging the rider's steps over to the juice and filling himself a glass with *clean* hands while he's at it. "Will you really tell her that I washed well?"
K'pan smiles and nods his head, "Yes I'll tell her that, she'll be well pleased to hear it too." He turns his attention back to Imani, "You know you could be a better example to the rest of the weryfolk, specially with the weyrwoman on her 'cleanliness' campaign."
Imani glances K'pan's way. Shards. Bossy mean old K'pan. She'll remember this! Oh yes, and Imani /will/ get even. Don't think she won't. "When did the cleanliness campaign begin?" she asks, voice dripping sweetness.
Aoifen practically glows, unconsciously straightening his posture with the praise. He finds a place, just behind and to K'pan's right, and refuses to relinquish it. The boy's expression settles into one of firm reproval as he, too, looks at Imani, sipping his juice solemnly.
"It's been going on for awhile now, not sure when it started exactly but were I you Imani I'd work on keeping yourself a bit cleaner than you are right now otherwise she might reassign you permenantly to some other duty." K'pan re-rolls the scrolls again and nods his head, "So do be careful would be a shame if you ended up oh I don't know a stablehand or something else."
Imani watches K'pan, stone-faced. Oh, he will catch it some day. She can't say when...or how...but revenge will be hers! Oh, yes. Stormy grey-green eyes fix on Aoifen, boring into him. What're you lookin' at, runt? Grrr.
Aoifen edges a little more to the left, putting K'pan a little more between himself and Imani. But he's not completely cowed, because he pops his head out from around the rider to pipe, "There's a wash basin over there," and point with one clean finger to the mess he made, "or I can show you where the baths are." Immediately he looks up at K'pan like a puppy waiting for a pat.
K'pan smiles at Aoifen, "Maybe she needs directions there, I know some messengers tend to get lost easily inside. She's in sore need of clean clothes as well.." Taking another sip of his juice he looks Imani over almost as if he's ticking off the mess she's in.
Imani sets her jaw, eyes burning into Aoifen. Feel my wrath! Rawr. "I /know/ my way around the Weyr," she replies tartly. "I've been here long enough."
Aoifen looks like he's going to explode with happiness. K'pan /smiled/ at him. "Well, maybe I could fetch you fresh tunic and trousers from the laundry, then, while you take a bath?" He's so very eager to please both of them. Forget the fact that just a minute ago he was looking quite sternly at the messenger. "You really don't want to have the Weyrwoman find you dirty," he adds in a lower voice, with the fervency of one who knows.
K'pan can hardly restrain himself from bursting out into laughter, "He turns to Aoifen and smiles again, you know you're very helpful indeed I know I've seen you about before but I've not caught your name before." He turns to Imani, "My isn't he a nice offering to help you get decent."
Is it hot in here? No, it's just Imani's temper bubbling. Usually she's so cheerful, too. See what you've done, K'pan? "He's just /charming/," she replies through gritted teeth. Quake with terror, Aoifen. You're expendable. Her eyes blaze. This is so unfair.
"My name is Aoifen, sir," replies said boy with awe, staring up at the bronzerider. "I'm with Iaveia a lot - you know, greenrider Sie's daughter." The two are actually rather inseperable. "You're bronze Korinth's rider, aren't you, sir?" he asks in that same hushed voice. Imani doesn't even exist right now.
K'pan gives a nod, "Yes that's right Aoifen, and I do know her sweet girl. Well I'm going to mention you to the weyrwoman and tell her how well you've done and how helpful you've been." snorting he turns back to Imani, "He's quite the young man, seems as if you could take a lesson from him."
Imani is silently betting K'pan never even /sees/ the weyrwoman. But she'd dare not say so. She contents herself with another sip of juice, and tries not to bite a piece out of the mug with it. She makes no comment other than a stony glare.
Aoifen has to stop himself from jumping up and down with glee. Brownie points! He got brownie points from K'pan! And the Weyrwoman will know, too! This is the best day /ever/. "C'mon, miss," he cries, gesturing eagerly to Imani. "We'll get you cleaned up in no time!" Her baleful glare is wasted on the blindness of youth.
K'pan can't stop himself now, laughter escapes him in loud gafaws, "You know you can help scrub her Aoifen, am sure she could use the help, can't you Imani?" Stopping himself from falling off of his chair K'pan controls himself "Am sure he'll do a good job too won't you Aoifen?"
Imani draws herself up for a hearty argument. "He most certainly will /not/!" she gasps, slapping a hand down on the table. "And shame on you working him over! You give dragonmen a bad name, what ever happened to honor?!" She stands, looking suspiciously like she might run. "Don't you even think about it!"
Aoifen's enthusiasm wilts as he looks from the angry girl to the laughing rider. Somehow, something happened and he missed it. He backs up a bit, away from Imani and K'pan both, and wraps both hands around his juice mug. He takes a very, very long sip. Let /them/ resolve this.
K'pan stops his laughter long enough to speak, "Oh please I'd not have the lad do that, but you're such a tempting target for teasing I couldn't resist." He looks to Aoifen and smiles, "But I am going to tell the weyrwoman about you Aoifen you've done well and she needs to know that."
Imani splutters, face burning red. "Well..you shouldn't even joke about it," she replies, flipping her braid behind her. It's annoying. "He was quite ready to chuck me in the drink! You shouldn't encourage it!"
The anxious look on Aoifen's face melts away and his boyishly cheerful smile reappears as K'pan reassures him. But he sees that Imani's still unhappy, so that in his turn he assures her, "Oh, I would /never/ do that!" He's very serious, too, as serious as someone his age can be. "I just meant that I'd get you new clothes lickety-split! Auntie Sie says I'm getting too old to bathe with girls." His pale cheeks flush.
"Am sure you are getting a bit old to help wash her Aoifen, but fetching her new clean clothes is a good thing." K'pan finishes off his second glass of juice, "Well Imani you must admire his wilingness to be helpful, after all he's more than willing to get you clean clothes and direct you to the baths." Imani shakes her head forcibly at Aoifen. "Of course you're too old," she replies, and tries to soften her tone a little. Oy. /Males/. "There is nothing wrong with my clothes!" Except she's a dustball, of course.
Aoifen gets that wide-eyed look again, this time going for the whipped puppy version. "N-no," he says softly, "they're very nice clothes. But the Weyrwoman might not like how dusty they are." The kid makes it sound like Lyllya's the Bogeyman. "I'd just get you some clean ones for a bit, and take the dirty ones to the washerwomen for you."
K'pan stands and stretches a bit, "Well am sure you two will get along quite wonderfully, and Aoifen if you keep up the good work am sure the Weyrwoman will be quite pleased with you." K'pan gives a wry laugh, "And Imani I'll talk to the headwoman for you if you'd like, maybe she can find you a nice safe, clean job inside?"
Imani narrows her eyes. "I would no sooner give up riding for the Weyr than you, even if our mounts are a bit different." This she says with a special vehemency, face a little too intense. "I will have no part of a job inside the Weyr, it's not my place." Well, way to rain on everybody's parade getting all serious, Imani. Sheesh.
Aoifen ums, "I'll just go get those clean clothes, then..." uncertainly. This atmosphere is getting way too complicated for his young-for-his-age mind to understand right now. He bobs a bow to K'pan, and one to Imani, too, then scuttles back towards the lower caverns.
K'pan sits back down at his table and starts to put away the scrolls, "So Imani thank you for your assistance with the 'problems' I appreciate it."
Imani seems to realize she's gotten all serious, and lets some of the anger drain out. Funny how light-headed one can feel afterward. "Er..right.." She glances in the direction that the boy went. "I meant no..I meant no disrespect, by what I said. I understand it's not..not my place." She bows her head. "My apologies." ...she'll still get revenge. When it'll be funny.
"Well that's quite alright, I understand that women can get stressed out quite easily and over react. It's in their make up or something." K'pan doesn't look directly at Imani otherwise he'll not be able to control his laughter, "So I understand it wasn't really your fault."
Imani is more relieved that K'pan didn't strike her than she is angry that he's still dishing on females. Another day, another day. "Thank you," she replies, closing her eyes for a moment. Phew. Lucky! Sipofjuice.
Faster than you can say Faranth's flatulent forefathers, Aoifen reappears in the tunnel entrance, his arms laden with piles of fabric. "Look!" he pipes, trotting up to Imani puppylike. "Catchka in the laundry room said that she's had these cleaned for you since your last run and has been waiting for you to be back for them." He done good! ...right?
K'pan quirks an eyebrow at Imani's lack of explosive reponse to his taunting, "Well done Aoifen, you're quite the young lad. I think I might have to take you for a ride with me and Korinth sometime if you'd like." he looks around for his juice glass and realizies it's empty, "You sure you don't want me to talk to the Weyrwoman to get you reassigned Imani? Wouldn't be a bit of trouble maybe get you to calm down a bit?"
Imani glances up. It just doesn't end, does it? She doesn't dignify it with an answer, and responds fawningly to Aoifen. She knows Catchka. "Thank you...Aoifen, was it? I appreciate it." Her hands are clean enough as she gingerly handles the clean clothes. Let's not frighten the younglings. For now. "Good job." Aoifen's head whips from K'pan to Imani to K'pan again, his eyes *bulging* now with incredulous joy. He literally might explode from happiness; his chest rises and falls in short jerks as his breathing becomes shallow. "Th-thank you," he whispers to Imani before taking a hesitant step towards K'pan, then stepping back again. He just can't believe his good fortune. "Y-... you mean it? You might take me for a ride on Korinth?" It's every boy's dream, you know.
K'pan nods his head, "Yes of course I mean it, Korinth will love taking you up for a flight Aoifen. He always enjoys doing that, and I know he'll be happy to meet you." Looking around he sighs a bit, "Well I think I need to get going, again Imani thank you for you assistance and for the company, it made the afternoon much more pleasant than it started out as."
Imani nods quietly. "Likewise," she replies, and gives Aoifen a smile. Ah, youth. How she lives it. "Enjoy yourself, Aoifen. I can find my own way to the baths." She gives his shoulder a pat as she stands, bowing in K'pan's direction. "Your health and your dragon's, sir. Good night." Exit: Stage left! Imani takes her clothes, too.
