ain't sure ya should be takin' any sort of advice from 'im

Zorya's been promoted to Senior Apprentice. Pi takes her for a celebratory drink at the Gemstone Tavern at Fort Weyr.


Fort Hold - Fort Hold - River Road
A longish road, that may have been well kept at one time, but has fallen into slight disrepair, travels along this length of the Fort Region. From here one can spot the great cliffs of Fort Hold and Harper/Healer Hall rising to the north and east respectively. To the west is the large gather meadow, home to some of the biggest Gathers on Pern and to the northwest dust can be seen rising from the beasthold area.

Afternoon at Fort Hold, which of course includes both Harper and Healer Halls. Just outside the walls, near the landing field is where Zorya was supposed to meet Pi for her ride home. The only problem with this arrangement? The Harper Apprentice hasn't shown up yet. Late is not something usual for the girl, as a matter of fact its quite the opposite.

Pi runs a little late often enough, so the greenrider actually being on time gives Zorya a bit of leeway. The green's just found a place to sun herself so Pi simply climbs up onto a rock and sits there as she waits. Apparently someone is in a good mood with that grin on her face, but that's been quite commonplace after stepping down and pegging M'iken with the wingleader position. Not to mention the harper hall has a relatively convenient location. Going on ten minutes of waiting though there's visible restlessness. "Zorya, where are ya?" is muttered but more out of concern, really.

Ten minutes stretches on to twelve. Maybe longer, then again when you're waiting it always seems longer than what it really is. Its about then however that the blonde makes her appearance. Pace quickened, as realizes her untimeliness and she tries not to keep her cousin waiting. Quickened yes, but she's not running by any means. "I'm soo sorry Pi," she calls once she's within easy earshot.

Pi hadn't gotten to the point where she was getting up to go look for her missing cousin, so is still reclining on the rock when she hears that call. She got no farther than the question to nobody in particular. Pushing herself up though she manages to suppress a grin almost entirely, only letting it peek through a little as she stands with her hands on her hips and an expectant look.

"Sorry," Zorya apologizes again once she's drawing up beside the stone perch Pi has found. "Schedule was different and things just took way longer than usual." she goes on to explain though she doesn't go into great detail on just what was different. Other than lateness however everything seems to be in place, except… the knot on her shoulder is different. Maybe?

Pi tilts her head slightly at the brief explanation and gives it a little shake. "Ah well, ya better come on, Ah'm already late so yer jus' gonna have ta hang with meh for awhile. Ain't got anythin' too pressin' at home do ya?" Hopefully not from the sounds of it. Psy wanders back out of her sunning spot and sticks her foreleg out all nicely for the pair. There's a croon to Zorya as well, she apparently likes the girl and has made it clear during the many ferrying from hold to weyr.

Zorya nods. "Not today, no," she replies, trying to keep the smile that pulls at her lips from becoming too telling. She's never been one to brag or show off as it were. The green's crooning draws the girl's attention away from her rider and she lifts a hand to give Psy a light pat on her muzzle before hoisting herself up onto her neckridges. Hey, at least that's something she's gotten worlds better at since her first time.

You'd hope Zorya's gotten good at scrambling on dragon back, she gets flown here and there enough after all. It's hard living someplace and working in another, if not both. "Allrigh', let's go." Admittedly she is good about waiting for the girl to be buckled in and climbs up and does the same before giving the order to take off. They're not in the air for too long before they pop Between. The scenery once they come back out isn't all that different, it's probably recognizable enough as Fort Weyr, one would at least hope so.

Fort Weyr - Near the Entrance Tunnel
The massive rock face that makes up the outer walls of Fort Weyr dominate your view amongst the small cotholds that dot the landscape. The path is well-worn and well tended, bushes and tall pine trees running right up against the road, keeping it well shaded in summer, and protected in winter.
Next to the tunnel entrance is a small Tavern, sounds of merriment facilitated by alcohol pouring out the doorway each time some one opens it.

Psylenith spirals down to land, though from the first minutes it's obviously not going to be in any one of the bowls. Indeed they land outside of the weyr itself, near a forest. "Allrigh', off we go." And indeed, Pi dismounts and waits expectantly.

True enough, though its not as if she's going back and forth every day. When Psylenith lands its only a moment after Pi reaches the ground that Zorya does the same. "So how is it? … Not being wingleader anymore?" she asks making idle conversation until there's a better idea as to their visit to the weyr.

The response Zorya gets is a slightly overly happy "Absolutely wonderful, ya have no idea." With a quickly added. "Jus' leave yer things with Psy, ya won' be needin' em." The dragon does have place to store stuff on her straps, really. You've got to have 'saddle bags' fo some sort after all. "An' hurry up."

Zorya nods, turning to tuck the few things she'd had in hand into one of the green's bags. "Glad ta hear it," she replies, twirling on one foot as she moves back towards her cousin. "Guess we both have things ta be happy bout today," she notes idly enough though there is that tone of excitement tinging her words.

Pi grins right back at the other and starts shooing her to the tavern with a little "mmhmmm" Poor Zorya, but she should be rather used to her older cousin, right? Anyhow, there's no turning back as Pi manages to snag the girl's hand and lead her to the bar itself. "Jus' the regular fer meh, but could ya make somethin' special fer meh cousin? Jus' got herself promoted." Though the look the man recieves is defintily enough to remind him not to make it too strong. They've probably had talks regarding that before, really. And you thought she didn't notice.

Fort Weyr - Gemstone Tavern
The dim lighting by the flicker of candles lining the walls is enough to offer a view of a room decorated in such a way as to be tastefully appealing. Each piece of furniture and decoration is chosen to accent another piece, and so on and so forth, matching and tying the whole room together in a theme that's separate, and yet at the same time unified. Tables line one wall, dimly lit by candles hanging in sconces all along. The bar along the far right wall is made of richly toned mahogany, tooled by a master and polished to shine with the soft glow of wood at its finest.

Candles strategically placed add to the atmosphere, accenting, punctuating. Towards the back is an open fireplace, constantly burning with a bright light, warming the tavern on cold nights and serving as a gathering place for patrons' story-tellings. Across the room, lush pillows and soft-covered floors promote relaxation at ease. Just before the pillows is a long stage, so full of its own vigor and memory - nicks here, marks there, scuffs from footware and other things - that it's possible to imagine the shows put on for the patrons without necessarily seeing the performances.

"But Pi," Zorya protests even as she's pulled along towards the bar. Where's she's about to protest again, this time in regards to the drink itself, she stops mouth already beginning to open. No, she's never been one to be much on drinking, but then Pi has met her father and has a better idea of why than some. When its emblazoned in your mind from an early age that its bad.. well yeah. "I-," she changes what she was going to say, turning blue-eyed gaze from bartender to cousin. "How'd you?" Know? But then of course she's remembering the new knot on her shoulder and being that the greenrider knows she just can't keep that smile from breaking out any longer.

Pi turns and gives the younger one of those teasingly exasperated looks. "Ah ain't /tha'/ dense, tha's Pal." Hey, she even managed to get a ribbing in on that cousin is well, all is normal in the world. "So ya can have one drink, Taye ain't gonna make it strong, he knows meh too well." No, she doesn't spend a lot of time hanging out here, really… right. Taye of course, being the current bartender. Both of the women are at the bar, though the greenrider definitly seems more comfortable with that fact despite Zorya's bright grin.

Zorya chuckles lightly, "Ah know," she teases back, her grin falling back to the pleasant smile she most often wears. "Ya ain't gonna tell him though. Right?" she's just double checking on that. "Ah kinda wanted ta tell him myself." As for the drink, she thinks for a moment before finally giving in with a nod. "Alright. But nothing too strong." she adds, sending a glance towards Taye as well.

A young woman wearing a flowing calf length pale dress and a leather vest over the top of her shoulders strides in, looking clearly amused upon entry. Any ranking knot happens to be hidden underneath the current leather vest she wears, so unless someone knew her face, it would be hard to tell whom she was. Kessa simply looks around at the faces in the tavern, decidedly moving toward the bar straight away, stride confident in her pern style cowboy-ish boots. She finds a spot open at the bar and takes a stool near Zoyra and Pi, leaning over the counter to order as the bartender comes her way, "One of those orange things L'ton served me, please?" The bartender gives her a knowing look as Kessa settles herself even more readily at the bar, tucking a hand to smooth her dress underneath her legs.

Isa comes in shortly after Kessa, the brownrider nervously adjusting knots on her left shoulder, knowing she's horribly conspicuous but almost not really caring except when she has the newer knot set on and the old one off. "What to do with these…" She mutters to herself, dropping into a bar seat by Kessa. "Benden, if you've got it." A pause. "Orange things?"

Pi quickly gives a nod as she moves to perch on the stool next to her, may as well wait for the drinks comfortably. Apparently they hit the rush despite it not being prime bar time quite yet. "Ah won' tell 'im for ya." anything else she was about to say gets cut off as she turns at the name 'L'ton'. "Oh ya gotta be kiddin' meh." is half muttered though it's more exasperation than anything else and her mood doesn't actually appear all that dampered.

Zorya might not know any of the faces within Fort Weyr's tavern other than Pi's, but the name Kessa uses is one she knows. As such the woman earns a curious look from the newly appointed Senior Apprentice. The harper's gaze soon enough shifts back to her cousin, a brow raising in silent question as she finally settles into a seat beside the greenrider. "Of all the people.." her sentiments loosely echoes the other Istan's.

Kessa regards the newly appointed assistant weyrling master with a slight smile, apparently in good spirits. She chuckles as the other picks up her name for a drink, in which she responds, "I can't remember the name of it. I had a lot of things on my mind. " The bartender comes back and offers, "Screwdriver ma'am." With a nod of his head he goes off to retreive the Benden and serve other customers, though Kessa lifts up a hand, "That's what I meant to say instead of orange things." She chuckles as she pulls the citrus drink toward her, taking a tasting sip as if to appraise it for what she had the other day. A moment later she hears an exasperated voice though in the din of the tavern she can't quite make out where it came from. So she curiously looks around her with brows raised to see if she could catch the owner of the voice. To Isa however, she abruptly asks, "How are the current weyrlings doing? They should be nearing graduation soon, I believe?"

Isa wrinkles her nose at the sound of it. "Screwdriver? No thanks. They are all fine. We've covered mating and manned flights, so we're on our most dangerous lesson - /between/." At the sound of L'ton and the other woman's reactions, the AWLM peeks over at her junior weyrwoman. "Er, do I really want to know or should I stick with my weyrlings here and basically ignore everything outside of the lessons?" She wonders aloud.

Pi swings a leg slightly as she pulls another sort of orange drink, though this one's just a little brighter but hopefully not stronger. "Jus' can' escape him can we?" is asked of her companion with a little shake of her head and a definite eyeroll. She doesn't sound entirely put out admittedly, maybe hinting on amused even. "Weyrwoman, Ah really ain't sure ya should be takin' any sort of advice from 'im, no offense or nothin'." They aren't all that far away from the other two so interfering in the conversation isn't all that hard.

Zorya chuckles, shaking her head just a bit as she curls fingers around her own glass. Blue eyes drift from the others towards the contents of her drink, examining it with mild curiosity. "Don't matter where Ah go…" she agrees with the other Istan in subtle amusement herself before the glass in hand is finally lifted towards her lips. No drink is taken just yet however, rather it's turned in hand and examined just a bit longer.

"Oh. Well, I hope they all make it through. Choth's four are in the mix, so we're anxious to see how they do." Kessa takes a small sip of her juice, working around the flavour in her mouth before she shakes her head, "It's actually rather good." A beat later and as Isa gives her an odd look, the poor girl returns the look with a blank naive expression on her face. "Know what?" She asks, clearly mistified by this whole ordeal - must not get out much. Utterly lost, she blinks at Pi next whose words make her sit a little straighter, "Why not?" Apparently the man's belt knotching hasn't reached her ears yet.

Isa ahas. "Oh L'ton! Istan Bronzer." She tells Kessa, clearly bemused. "He's known for his belt notches; that is, notorious for catching a numerous amounts of greens and golds and he's got /multiple/ children if I remember correctly. Some Weyrleaders can't stand him." Xanadu for instance- he's got a interesting reputation there indeed. "Remind me to tell your four and any other greens or golds around to avoid him." She sighs, and shakes her head. "This is why I'm glad I'm a brownrider, not on a green."

Pi twirls her stool around to peek at the others, raising a slight eyebrow at Kessa by this point. "Ah think he needs a warnin' sign, really. An' ya don' gotta warn us." Obviously, the second part is directed to Isa. "Trust meh, not a problem." If anyone of them have talked to the infamous bronzerider all that much, the woman's accent may be somewhat familiar. The question is if that's enough to trigger in either of the Fortian's minds.

Multiple. That's the word that get another raise of a brow from Zorya as she lifts her gaze over the drink in hand to once again eye the Fortian women. "Multiple might even be an understatement." she puts in with a chuckle for Pi's commentary, her own accent echoing that of the other. "Sign might not be such a bad idea." she agrees, "Should have one painted for him an Dhon." she giggles. All in good fun of course.

Kessa lifts a brow at Isa, clearly listening to the description of the gentleman she ran into the other night. "I can see why…" she abruptly starts, "He knows how to smooth talk." She lifts up her drink, regarding Isa over the rim before with a shake of her head, she takes a longer much more draining gulp. Of course, she turns to the other two, "How many?" She asks, perhaps to all three of them who know this man apparently more than she, "How many children does this infamous man have? Two, three?" She looks between them, not quite grasping the scale of L'ton's conquests. "Are you related to him? Or do Istan folk all share a similar accent? You sound alike, but I didn't want to be rude and just assume… I've never been to Ista." Poor sheltered little goldlet. Zorya's further comments make her shake her head, "You make it sound like he has fifty children."

Isa coughs. "Caluprith?" She asks, and there's a pause of lapsed silence. "Children, I believe at the last known gossipped account was probably over thirty. His conquests- caught riders in flight, riders he managed to smooth talk - a little bit less, but still probably over the multiple level." She notes, sipping at her Benden wine. "Er… you do sound like him." She notes, peering at Pi.

Pi is staring at Kessa at this point, blatently and without any shame. But at the questioning of her upbringing and it's relation to that of L'ton she just grins. "Nah, majority of Istan's don', jus' us Shiptons." That still may no make sense to the naive weyrwoman though, but the greenrider's too distracted by other parts of the discussion to clarify. Head turns back to Zorya "Ya have any clue? Ah don' even know how many he has at home, not ta mention every other weyr he's been ta."

Zorya takes a moment, blue eyes glancing towards the ceiling. She holds up a finger for Pi's question, the signal to wait just a second. Clearly she's sorting it out and counting in her head given the little bob here and there and the shift of her eyes. "Almost," she agrees with a nod as she looks back towards the other three. "Give 'im another turn and 'e might. Niah's expectin' again, so less there's some Ah don't know about her's would be…" A wiggle of fingers as she runs through a portion of the list in her head once more and she nods. "Forty. … If Ah'm countin' right." A nod. Yes, that sounds about right.

It was a lucky thing that Kessa wasn't drinking anything when Isa announces the number of children the bronze rider has sired. She stares at them all, looking between them, "You can't be serious…" her tone drops to that of utter disgust, "Thirty? Over thirty even? Oh dear Faranth." She looks horrified as she peers into her drink, swishing around the ice, popping her face up again to mutter, "Thirty?" As if that number would disappear. "Every other Weyr?" She looks clearly upset about this but then suddenly relieved, "Thank Faranth for Choth." She doesn't explain what that means but simply finishes up her drink, tapping a finger to order a second round when the bartender notices. Noticing Pi staring, she returns the look with a 'what' expression drawn on her features, "No. He didn't, if that's what you're wondering." She fidgets in her seat, looking aghast as the number rises, "Forty? Dear me." She starts to laugh, as if to break off her anxiety and embarrassment that she let herself nearly get caught in the web that is L'ton. "He could start his own Hold with that many!"

Isa gives a soft chortle, and shakes her head. "For having all of my family members in Weyrs across Pern, I'm glad to say that no one has been caught in L'tons' emotional web and baby-making snares." She then peers over at Kessa. "Kessa, 'scuse me for bein' blunt, but to be honest: L'ton isn't dangerous or anything like that, but don't let Dhonzayth anywhere near Choth. /Anywhere/." A pause, and then there's marks on the bar and Isa at the door. "Weyrlinnnnnnnnngs!" Can be heard from her as she disappears abruptly from the bar.

Pi watches the weyrlingmaster retreat rather ubruptly and then blinks. "Aw shardit, Ah was supposed ta get ya home too wasn' Ah." They've probably spent a bit more time at the bar then she'd anticipated with this whole conversation relating to L'ton. "Nah, he ain't dangerous. Ain't a horrible man or nothin' either… well, Ah guess that's debatable." Really, it's said with affection of sorts. "But turnin' him down is much more fun, Ah'd

Zorya shakes her head, "Hardly dangerous," she agrees with Pi and the departing Isa. "He's actually very nice." The man just has more than his fair share of children. There's a giggle for the greenrider's remark about turning the man down. This followed by a blink and a nod, "Probably," she agrees, being reminded of the time. "Need ta catch Uncle L'ton 'fore Leslyn sends him off on more errands."

Isa's abrupt departure has Kessa chuckling, "It's Gooseth. He's being quite the spectacle. Good luck with him Isa. Fiesty brown that one." She smirks at the warning, "Oh, well, I can't help what happens during a flight, but outside of that, I'm sure Choth can manage her own. She absolutely cannot stand to be around male dragons. It's kind of odd." A beat, as she watches the woman depart, while the other two prepare to leave. "He seemed nice enough," she admits to them, "favoured me with a few drinks." Resettling on her stool, she regards Zorya with a worded question: "Uncle?" She just smirks as she leans onto the bar with an elbow, "Have a good flight back. Clear skies."

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