Surly Disquiet [Open]

[Little Ebony]

Lach's boots had always been a marvel of craftsmanship (or at least since he'd become a rider). They were thick-soled and made of heavy, sturdy leather. They needed to be. As a boy he'd gone though boots faster than a leathercrafter could skin a hide. Right now, said boots were making booming steps across the weyrbowl. With each step the sounds got angrier and angrier. Why? Lach couldn't even tell you. He knew he felt unsettled. He found his fists clenching and unclenching periodically, and often caught the hair on the back of his neck standing on end. He stopped mid-bowl to gaze upwards, staring at the empty Weyr. It wasn't completely empty, but... they barely had a skeleton of Weyrfolk, and a mere thirty riders residing. He scowled. This wasn't meant to be permanent, but growing up in a family of thirteen only to move into a Weyr with thousands for the majority of his life? Such an empty place just gave him a feeling of wrongness. It wasn't like forest or farmland, which he'd expect to be unpopulated.

He wiped a hand across his face and moved on. It was springtime and everything was still vaguely cold and even more wet. It was most certainly not his most favourite of the seasons. While most of the Weyrbowl was well-packed, there were still a few puddles gathering on unever ground. When his boot went squish in one he winced and bit back a growl before stepping around the rest of it. He could deal with the heat, he could deal with cold, he could deal with snow and wind everything except rain and mud and puddles. He hated rain and mud and puddles. He trekked around the next puddle, fairly shallow but wide and long. There was just something about rainy weather that settled in his bones and put him on edge.

He flexed his hands, knuckles popping and cracking loudly, echoing across the empty Weyrbowl. Whiskey-coloured eyes dart around, but there was still no one in the bowl with him.

You seem agitated, Mine. Lach started, stopping in his tracks, He glared around, eyes narrowed until he assured himself no one was there.

"I think you enjoyed that..." he grumbled, beginning his stalking stride across the Weyrbowl once more. He was actually headed to the storage rooms off the kitchen to see if he could find a spare chest of drawers. His had yet to be shipped-- it was rather massive (a gift from his parents when he'd Impressed years ago), almost big enough for two people-- and while still so fresh here he wanted to make sure it was a place he could settle before he went back for that piece of furniture. It was made of heavy wood and many pieces. It would be a hassle to move it when he did.

For now he was looking for a temporary one, an extra one hopefully brought over by one of the two Weyrs. He tromped along across the Weyrbowl, squinting up at the cloudy skin and hoping it didn't pour on him while he was doing so.

[Lilacdew]

Huh. The day had gone interestingly, perhaps even frustratingly. There wasn't much for the Journeywoman to teach here at this Weyr, as the severe lack of numbers made it difficult to have any form of challenge in the teaching. However, it did make entertaining easier, and she was somewhat looking forward to the night when she'd sing for the Weyr and riders. Regardless, when it started to rain, she regarded it with a slight feeling of disdain. The rain made it difficult to maintain any form of proper appearance for a harper, and it had come suddenly at that. Fortunately it had ended, allowing the woman to make her way through safely across the bowl.

Glancing about, she saw no one and smiled. The puddles brought back memories, her eyes twinkling lightly in mirth as her little bronze firelizard popped out of nowhere with a light trill and bob of his head. Then her little blue, and all hell broke loose. That was when the two began light hearted playing that quickly involved them pouncing around in pools. The act was so entirely commical that the Harper was laughing in mere seconds, a light and gay sound. With no one about to worry, the tall woman really didn't fret about who would think what when it came to the Weyr Harper. She didn't need to worry about political, and when the lizards jumped about, she opted to play with them, her brown long ponytail flapping about behind her.

Their squeals caused her to start jumping about and around the puddles as they flitted, a new game they made up as they went as though little children out for a day's romp. It wasn't long before she was humming a new song, an infectious tune that suited the moment. The Weyr may have been small, the outlook gloomy and desolate in political relations, but no one ever said there couldn't be a little fun along the way. Besides, clad as she was in Harper blue, the garments were old enough that she didn't really have to worry about appearances otherwise.

[Little Ebony]

Noises had L'chlan stopping in his trek across the Weyrbowl. He was almost all the way across, close to his goal, but he recognized that voice. He turned, and across the way spotted a lone figure and two small, darting shapes. And they were darting in the puddles!? His eyes narrowed. Weyrbrat! He took a closer look, and determined it was too tall to be a child. And too blue. Then he heard laughter again and pinned the voice. It was the Harper. He let go a long suffering sigh and, with one last look over his shoulder at his goal, made his way back across the Weyrbowl towards the splashing figures.

When he reached the group of frolicking firelizards and lone Harper he strode-- stomped-- over to Taliene. At the far end of the puddle she'd most recently bounced into and folded his arms over his broad chest. His expression dripped disapproval. Anyone would have guessed that the next words out of his mouth would have been and exactly what do you think you're doing? but, with the mood he was in, his words came out in far many less than he'd planned on using... and somewhat growled.

"Why?"

[Lilacdew]

Taliene was having a blast with her firelizards. For her, this was no work and they were happy at that. Another laugh and turn, she dodged one of their cleverly timed dives off to the side, "Mezzo, really, you'll have to practic-OOP!" Treble's timed dive almost had her that time, and she danced out of the way with a light chuckle. That was when she noticed the irate looking dragonrider and blinked. Her cheeks were already red from the cool air and exhertion, her hair mussed from the jumping around.

Almost immediately, she felt incredibly self concious. This was not normally how she portrayed herself, and yet for some reason, he sounded...cranky. It surprised her to say the least, L'chlan had always been far more cordial. Then again, she hadn't displayed moments of insanity either. Regardless, she coughed and stepped lightly out of the puddle, letting the lizards play while she walked up to him, slightly damp, "It's really quite simple, L'chlan. It was fun!"

Despite the self conciousness, she was bouyed by the rapport she'd just had with her firelizards, enough to really respond cheerfully at the man, "Sometimes, you just have to slow down and enjoy the moment. I didn't have any work to do right off, so why no-OOF!"

She forgot to pay attention and stumbled, fumbling to her knees straight into the puddle when the little blue Mezzo caught her off guard with his diving. She glanced down at herself and didn't know whether to laugh or stare in surprise. The harper's face was a mask of incredulous surprise, something uncommon on the woman to boot...Well, there went the puddle. That was when laughter took hold. Embarassed as she might be, self concious as might happen...this was just too much!

[Little Ebony]

He'd been noticed. As he stood at the edge of the puddle and stared down at her, he arched one brow as much as he could while still looking angry. He took in her mussed hair and pinked cheeks as she couched and--

Wait. Cough? He stared at her suspiciously. The air was wet and heavy with the recent rain, not the greatest to be running in, to be sure. It was her answer that baffled him though. Jumping in puddles was fun? He seriously doubted that. Puddles were the bane of a good walk. He could do without them. Slow down an enjoy puddles? By the first egg he would. It would certainly serve her right if she got sick from all this boisterous dallying in--

He lunged forward as her firelizard took her knees out from behind her with a shout, but it was too late and he watched as she was soaked from the splash. He stared for a moment and looked at her as if she had gone completely, sharding insane. What was she thinking?

Lach scowled darkly, stomping his way through the puddle, but yet not splashing her at all as he reached her. Without so much as a 'by your leave' he tucked his hands into her underarms and lifted her straight up as if she weighed no more than a doll and started stomping his way towards the Weyr entrance nearest her rooms.

Still scowling all the way, he broke his silence with, "Och, lass, I am going to have tae make sure you're actually eatin' at our suppers, and not just singin'."

[Lilacdew]

The Harper was amused. Her lizards had gotten her good, and the moment they had, they were instantly contrite, surprised by the shock of emotion they received from her. Immediately chirping concern, Taliene reached up to console them when the dragonrider apparently had a mind of his own. She felt him haul her up into the air, and she was taken by absolute surprise for a moment as her feet dangled­-No small feat for someone tall as she.

Bewielderment followed the intial shock, and it was but a moment before the surprised woman regained her harper trained wits and frowned. She began to squirm, tugging and pushing on his arms while kicking without kicking him, attempting to get back down to the ground where she could walk for herself, "L'chlan! Really, I can most certainly walk myself and this is positively uncomfortable and ludicrous besides. I'm fine at that! Just a little wet. Oh drat you, put me down!"

She began to glare at the man, whom she couldn't tell if he was doing this out of frustration or caring. His next words were a mixture of both, and all she knew was that soaked as she was, she didn't need to be hauled about like a dangling cat caught at doing something bad. Her irritation was beginning to flow, and at quite the level of frustration at that.

Unfortunately, her irritation sparked her bronze's protective streak. The lizard began to dive at the dragonrider, just adding fuel to the flame as the lizard squeaked out angrilly.

[Little Ebony]

It didn't take long for Taliene to start protesting. As if regaining his senses, L'chlan immediately glanced down and, seeing they were free of the puddle, set her down carefully. He frowned at her choice of words and crossed his arms over his chest again stubbornly. Just a little bit wet? Didn't she have any idea... He closed his eyes briefly, and when he reopened them he met her gaze squarely and spoke slowly, as if he was trying to rein in his temper.. "I doona think you ken how sick you can get. You catch pneumonia, lass, and you could lose your voice. When my brother caught--" he stopped cold and dropped his gaze. His brow furrowed as if he were angry with himself and he wiped his hand across his mouth as he took a moment to gather his thoughts.

He seemed to consider his options, then took a good look at the Harper. She was soaked completely from the knees down from her fall and hand been splashed quite well also. The garments practically clung to her. Her Harper robes couldn't be keeping her too warm, and beside that it was still early Spring and quite cool. "You should change into some dry clothes." He opted for a complete change of topic. "If you doona mind, we could get some klah and lunch afterward?"

[Lilacdew]

Incredulously, Taliene stared up at the taller man for a while as she hung in the air. When he put her down, she balanced herself immediately, sighing in a bit of relief. That method of being carried was uncomfortable if nothing else. She looked over at him, "Thank you. That was getting a bit hard to bear an-" She blinked. HE was angry, his body language said that much. But she couldn't quite figure out why, and when he spoke of her getting sick, it cooled her frustration almost immediately. So he had a bit of a good reason for acting the way he did, and in an odd way, it was almost sweet for all it was abrupt and a bit rough.

However, when he put her down, her bronze chittered loudly, stopping his diving attacks about the rider's head, landing on her shoulder and tightly wrapping his tail about her neck while her little blue did the same on the other. In unison, they continued to glare at L'chlan as the Harper sighed at them. Lifting a hand to each of them, she stroked them to reassure them. That was when she looked up at L'chlan and tilted her head to the side, "L'chlan, I thank you. Honestly, worry not. I won't get sick from this. And if I lose my voice, you can make fun of me all you like, fair?"

She decided not to push too much on the 'brother' topic just yet. She'd wait til he calmed down a bit, but she did chalk that bit of information in the back of her mind.

Her tone was jovial, the smooth bit that you use when attempting to placate while remaining polite and light hearted. And that was when he invited her for lunch and she blinked in surprise for a moment. Staring up at him for a moment, she smiled lightly, "Sure. I can join you for lunch and klah."

[Little Ebony]

L'chlan scowled, pointedly looking away as he growled, "Doona worry. Who's worried? Hn! I Was--" her comment on her voice cut him off mid-thought. His nose flared and his jaw tightened and it was clearly visible that he was biting back anger. A muscle in his jaw ticked and he closed his eyes as if trying to regain composure, his arms still folded across his chest. It was a moment before he began to speak again.

"When me an' my brother, Carter, were still bairn he was helping my Da rescue sheep after a bad rain. He had ta wade through much water to save the strays. The next morning he woke up with a cough and a high fever. It got worse from there, and he spent the next month in bed. My Da said it was pneumonia and we called a Healer up of course, but the cough stayed with Carter for a long time, and still returns. Not only that, but--" he stopped and turned back to her then, fixing her with an intent stare as he took her shoulders to drive home what he was about to say, "Taliene, his voice changed, and when that cough acts up, which is often, he doesna breath right." he wasn't sure she would understand what he was getting at, but he wasn't exactly the most eloquent of people so... this is how it would come out Somewhat angry and vaguely... awkward.

[Lilacdew]

Taliene was surprised yet again. This dragonrider, who definitely barely knew her (if you considered the timeframe Bivium was open), was angry at her. No..wait...More that he was angry for her. Her eyes widened sightly in understanding as he spoke of his brother, and she immediately adopted her harper 'listening' stance, her attention on him as though it were the most natural thing in the world to stand there dripping wet in the cold to do so. Her indigo gaze shifted imperceptably, and her hands moved away from her lizards when he set his hands on her shoulders, her lizards squaking as they took to the air, chitting a loud protest at the man.

Regardless, she nodded slowly, ignoring Mezzo and Treble. That was when the last of her frustration with the man dissipated, and did so quickly. She reached up to pat his hand with one of her cool ones and smiled, "I think I understand."

She smoothly ignored the awkwardness, as though to mention it would embarass the taller man. He was attempting to express a genuine concern, but didn't know how to do it. She'd accept that well enough, and gripped his arm in a companionly manner, "I understand. It's not going to happen to me though, ok? Promise, and that's a fact."

After all, if she said it she meant it. There was no separation from that manner, and she was confident in her abilities to have fun without being stupid. Besides, the game she was having with her lizards was just that. A game. No reason to worry the man though, and with that she sighed gently, "And besides, I didn't think anyone was watching or nearby. My apologies for worrying you."

[Little Ebony]

He stared at her, almost incredulously, and for a moment was almost speechless. "You... promise?" he sputtered, pulling back. He paused for a long moment, staring at her in disbelief. He seemed to come back to himself and that expression disappeared. "I doona believe you can choose whether or not you catch sickness." he deadpanned.

The next words out of her mouth took even longer to sink in, and it was definitely not the right thing to say. He had to resist taking her shoulders again and shaking her for being foolish. "You only did it because you thought no one was watching?" he grated. "So you ken it can make you sick? And you still did it? You canna control whether or no' you get ill, but you can control whether or no' you're doing things that may make you ill. A summertime swim is good fun. A romp in the puddles in early spring? That is just no' a good idea. It is still too sharding cold for that."

[Lilacdew]

Well, that certainly wasn't the reaction she had expected, and as the man scowled at her even more, she sighed in a gentle bit of frustration. He didn't quite understand her, and that was acceptable, but while he was complaining they were still standing outside and she was beginning to feel the cold now that she wasn't moving around as much. Her lizards were still squacking, though she choose to ignore them. Frowning gently up at him, she folded her arms, "L'chlan, I am certain you understand what I meant. And I wouldn't have gotten wet if Mezzo hadn't surprised me so. I was perfectly dry before then, and I meant more that I wouldn't have been playing like that at all since I don't exactly show people more hmm..goofy natures, I suppose."

She looked thoughtful for a moment before adding, "Honestly, long as I kept running around around I wasn't going to be sick. I wasn't chilled."

Oddly, his concern was endearing, in a frustrating sort of way.

[Little Ebony]

By Faranth, she just wasn't getting it. The point was that anything could have knocked her over and gotten her wet. It didn't have to be that exact moment. It probably would have happened if he'd interfered or not and then she'd be sick and she'd--


Was that a shiver? He eyed her suspiciously. She looked cold.

He threw his arms up in frustration and ambled over to her immediately, sliding his jacket off and onto her shoulders before nudging her towards the Weyr again. "I willna argue anymore. Let's just get inside so you can warm up." the anger had seeped from his voice , replaced with something akin, but not quite, concern. "Before you really do catch a chill."

[Lilacdew]

Good heavens, this man was incorrigable. For the first time in her life, the person she was talking to only seemed to be getting more frustrated with her...without her trying! This was getting nowhere fast, but at least she could listen to what he was saying. But sure as the fire of a dragon's breath flames when firestone was chewed, she just found herself at the end of her harper-trained wits. What in the world was she supposed to do to placate the man and make it better?

She shivered then, the breeze finally getting to her when he dropped the jacket on her shoulders. She blinked, startled as she looked up at him, lifting one of her eyebrows, "Alright, alright. I'll go inside, and I'll get a cup of klah to boot."

Just as well that she was getting cold, for his insistence had absolutely nothing to do with it. Not at all.

Convinced of this, she nodded, walking inside, a wry amused smile on her face, "I'm going inside..I'm going, I'm going."

She didn't quite know if to laugh or not, but she blinked, hearing that semblance of what was possibly concern. Maybe she had misheard it, but regardless, she chalked it up to the back of her memory to remember for later. This was something to keep in mind. After, of course, she got changed into something a bit warmer.