Warmth on a snowy day

[Jester]

Luna let out a sigh as she made her way down to the hot springs. It was another cold winter day in the weyr. She was glad that it was at least a clear day, she didn't want to to get covered in the little bit of snow that still came down. As Luna stepped into where the hot springs were she saw that she was alone. She put down her things and made her way into the hot water. Luna walked a ways in until the water was up to her neck and took a seat against the hot spring wall.

[Spiffy]

The wind was biting cold at Shea's back as he ducked into the entrance to the hot springs. He'd never been one for cold weather, being Istan by birth, but wold normally have put up with it as was required by his duties out and about the Weyr. Except this time he'd only brought a shirt with him, not wanting to have to carry too much back and forward all the way from the stables to the springs.

Somehow he found himself regretting his laziness.

But the heat rising up from the deep cavern was a welcome comfort as he jogged down the spiral staircase that led down to the springs, popping through the door with little more than a sweeping glance around, missing Luna in the corner completely. He pulled his shirt off over his head, the unfamiliar lightness of his shoulder puzzling him for a moment before he remembered that Dawn was with her clutch. That was something to look forward to - though Dawn wouldn't stand for her human acquiring another flitter, even one of her own offspring, he loved seeing the joy on others' faces when they were chosen by their own little lizard.

Shirt now removed, he struggled with his trousers, but in his daydreaming miscalculated how close he'd been to the edge of the pool, tipping in head first in a tangle of legs, arms and trousers. Spluttering his way to the surface, trousers floating around one of his legs under the water, he brushed the hair and water out of his eyes and blinked. It was only then that he saw Luna in the corner, and blinked some more.

"Uh, hi there!" he called over, waving as if nothing had happened.

[Jester]

As the hot waters of the springs warmed her, Luna let herself relax. She had been hard at work that day doing candidate chores. Though her job was nothing to brag about, as none of the candidate chores were, but she was pleased how much work she had been able to put in that day. It made the hot waters feel so much better on her sore muscles.

Luna let out a content sigh as she watched the steam rise from the waters. just as she closed her eyes she heard a loud splash near the front of the hot springs. She turned her head in time to see someone pop up from the waters. She stared as she watched as her finally realized she was there. "Um Hello." Luna slowly waved back and wondered if the fall had hurt him or not. "Um, are you alright?"

[Spiffy]

He pulled his focus away from the girl in the corner for a second, pulling a length of straw from out of his hair, then looked back to her. "Nah, I'm fine, I fall over all the time. How about you?" he replied at last, looking back at her. She looked pretty average, but Shea was usually pretty good at remembering faces; he had to be, or else he'd never keep up with everyone he knew so many people.

"Say, I don't think I've seen you about before, and I can't work out why. I thought I knew most people who came West. Maybe my memory just needs a jog...?" he suggested, grinning expectantly.

[Jester]

Luna let out a soft laugh as he pulled a piece of straw out of his hair. When she decided to come to the hot springs today she didn't expect to meet up with someone like him. "I came on one of the last ships out west so i got here later than most in the weyr." Luna could almost see him racking his brains to see if he knew her, though most people in the weyr didn't. For some reason no one had really noticed her yet, she figured it was because of her plain looks. "I'm one of the candidates they searched. My name is Luna. Its nice to meet you." Luna smiled gently at him, glad someone had noticed her for once.

[Spiffy]

He looked blank for a moment, then concluded with "Nope! I don't think we have met, in that case." Which ship she came in on didn't really make much difference, as everyone had been together in the Hold for the first Turn or so anyway, but there were several possible reasons for him not meeting her before. She seemed pretty quiet, and didn't stand out in a crowd, so that as probably why. He released the floating trouser from his leg tossing it onto the rocks at the side of the pool, and began to wade over to her, stopping at a respectful distance.

"Nice to meet you too. I'm Shea, Weyrherder. So you're a candidate then? Did you stand for our first hatching last Turn?"

[Jester]

Luna watched as Shea stopped close enough to continue talking to her but far enough away in respect toward her. She was glad to know he was a man with manners. "No, I didn't stand for the first impression." Luna thought back to the time of the impression and fought back a blush. Days before the hatching she had been wandering around the weyr and had gotten stuck out in a surprise down pore. She had known that the clouds had looked dark but had decided to explore anyway. She paid for her foolishness by being bed ridden for a week in the infirmary and missed the hatching. "I was sick at the time so I couldn't stand for the hatching."

[Spiffy]

"Aww, that must have sucked, you poor thing. I hope your dragon wasn't there then," he said, truthfully. It didn't occur to him that what he'd said may be misconstrued. "I've never stood for a hatching, though I've seen several. I suppose if a dragonet had ever wanted me he could just walk right up into the stands, I've seen it done before" he said with a shrug. Truth be told, a bluerider at Telgar had said something to him about his dragon thinking he'd make a candidate, but he'd declined the offer - it just so happened that it was a particularly busy time for the Weyr beastcrafters and he'd gotten caught up in the action. By the time the next hatching came around he'd aged out anyway, so that was that.

"Still, I can't complain; I got my flitter and she's a handful enough as it is," he rambled, grinning. "Say, her clutch will be hatching sometime soon, you wanna try out for a little critter? She won't let me keep any more," he offered, sinking a little lower in the water so that it took most of his weight.

[Jester]

"It's all right. I'm sure I'll impress when I'm meant to." Luna looked away and watched the steam swirl around. She really hoped she would be able to be at the next hatching. She didn't want to go through missing another one since it wouldn't be much longer till she wouldn't be able to stand at one. Luna looked back at Shea when he mentioned his flitter. "I'd love to get the chance to be able to have one. I'd really like to meet your flitter also. What's her name?"

[Spiffy]

"I'm sure you will." He laughed good naturedly, even though he'd no way of knowing if she'd Impress at all. "Her name is Dawn. I'd have brought her over, but she's being broody at the moment. You know what mothers are like. She loves attention though," he added with a small sigh, remembering just how much attention she liked, especially when she was a hatchling. He thought, or at least hoped, that she'd calmed down since.

"If you do Impress one I can only hope that you've got it at least fairly well trained by the time the dragon hatching comes. Broody queens never seem exactly welcoming to firelizards when their babies are hatching. I've seen several come very close to being eaten, actually," he mused.

[Dragon Song]

Candidate chores. Awful, grubby meaningless tasks that someone of her noble stature should not be doing. Kiara simply couldn't stand it all. Still, it was a small price to pay. However, right at this moment she needed a severe bath and chance to relax. Wrapping a warm jacket around her shoulders, Kiara picked up a soft towel and began her way to the hot springs. To her they were probably the best thing about this place. Somewhere where she could soak and cleanse herself of the days toils and make sure she was able to retain her natural beauty.

Examining her nails and fingers raven haired Kiara checked for callouses, blisters and other such imperfections that might have otherwise marked her perfect skin. However, asides from the dirt that was stuck beneath her, thankfully non damaged, nails and dirtying her hands there was nothing to be worried about. Her hands were still as delicate, dainty and perfect as they should be. The chores weren't causing any lasting damage it would seem. And she didn't plan for them to be able to anyway. She was already working on a drudge or two to try and get out of most of the worst ones. Another few days and she'd probably have the boys hooked enough to ask, "How high?" if she said "Jump."

Pacing delicately down the stone steps into the hot springs the candidate was most distinctly looking forward to having the place to herself. It was fitting of someone of her class anyway. Needless to say she was most distinctly appalled when she found not one, but TWO other people in what should be her private time! Honestly people these days. However, before she brushed them off Kiara made sure that they weren't going to be of any use to her. One of them she could see was a fellow candidate, so instantly she held no value to Kiara. The man however.... who was he? Creeping forwards Kiara observed him until she remembered him. Well, vaguely remembered him. He was from the stables and worked with the beasts. She'd have no use for him either then. Who wanted anything to do with foul, disgusting smelly animals that were good only for clothes and sometimes eating? For a moment she considered turning and leaving, ignoring the other two. But, she really needed to clean herself off. In her current state she could even be considered a lowly drudge! As if anyone would consider her to be a drudge. So, with a total disregard for the other two Kiara slipped neatly into the warm water. She didn't bother to school her expression so it would be relatively clear to both Luna and Shea that she wanted nothing to do with them. Choosing the other end of the springs Kiara waded over and began to scrub the muck from her pale skin and rinse out her already glossy black hair.

((Mia shall come later. It'll be fun finding out what she RPs like - it's always fun trying out brand new characters!))

[Jester]

"Do or don't, I will still try." Luna hoped she would be able to impress one. She would love to have one as her friend. A second later Luna heard someone coming down the stairs and then saw it was another one of the candidates. Luna suppressed a groan when she saw who it was. She still didn't know the girl's name, but she did know that she thought very highly of herself and looked down on anyone she met. It was lucky for Luna that they didn't share any chores together. "Speaking of Queens, here comes our self appointed one." Luna watched as the girl sat on the other side of the springs, she didn't much care for the girl or anybody who looked down on others.

[Spiffy]

Shea nodded. "No harm in trying," he agreed. He shrugged, scratching his head and deftly removing his finger from a snarl, but in doing so he missed the sound of the second candidate's entry and the disapproving glance she spared them.

He looked at Luna when she mentioned queens, momentarily confused by when she'd said, before catching on to where she was looking. He spun around in the water, finally spotting Kiara on the other side of the pool.

"Oh hi there!" he said. Unfortunately the fact that she may not want to talk to them was totally lost on Shea, and he greeted her as he would anyone else. "You can come over here if you like, we don't bite! Do you?" he said quieter to Luna, winking at her.

[Dragon Song]

The cheek of some people! Kiara was no dimglow, she knew what was meant to be an insult and what wasn't. Stupid child hadn't even bothered to lower her voice though, how bad did she think her hearing was? Obviously the girl had no tact whatsoever. However, Kiara could not deny herself a little smirk at the comment either, though she made sure her face was turned as if she had not heard. Of course she was the queen. Someone with her nobility of blood, her natural good looks and grace, her quick mind and obvious character was of course a queen amongst greens. How could she not be? Which was exactly why she would be the one to Impress the next queen egg when it was on the Sands. Of course with the senior queen's condition after that attack it was unlikely that she would survive. Not that Kiara cared huge amounts. Just so long as she lived long enough to lay a queen egg and for it to hatch and Impress to Kiara. In a way, it would also play out to her favour. It would mean that when - Kiara never said if - she Impressed her queen she would be the Weyrwoman when her Gold rose. Which suited her just fine, and her lack of morals didn't make her feel guilty in the slightest.

Kiara would have continued to completely ignore both Shea and Luna had Shea not called over to her. Turning slowly with a look of disdain on her face Kiara coolly regarded him for a short while, seeming almost to weigh him up. He had nothing to offer her so she was not interested in the slightest in him.
"If I had wanted to come over then I would have done. As it is I have no dealings with people such as yourselves," she replied levelly before turning her back to them once again. Sharding fool that the man was.

[Jester]

Luna watched as the girl pretended not to hear her. She could almost feel the disdain the girl felt for her. Luna really didn't care if she didn't like her. Luna was not afraid to state the truth.

She watched in surprise as Shea asked the girl to join them. It showed her once again that Shea was a nice person. it also reminded how not a nice person Kiara was. Luna clenched her fists under the water as Kiara insulted them in such a way. At least Shea had been trying to be nice to her, she didn't have to be so rude to at least him. Luna strongly wished to march right over to the girl and punch that pretty little face of hers in, but knew it would not be the right thing to do so she stayed where she was.