Bundled Energy (Open)

[Niceta]

Sigh.

The loud gust of air leaving the woman's mouth could likely be heard by anyone who happened to be passing the doorway at the time, the sound clearly communicating all manner of emotion - annoyance, tiredness, irritation, utter boredom. The sound of someone who would clearly prefer being anywhere but where she was at present, preferably outside.

Niceta mumbled unlady-like curses to herself, brushing wisps of her short hair off her cheek, one leg tapping sporadically against the ground underneath her desk. It was a well-known fact she loathed the theoretical side of her...er, career choice...choices...but it had to be done.

Was it really any surprise, though? She wasn't a woman made for sitting still for long periods of time. Her energy could be felt throughout the Hold on any given day, bustling inhabitants along, checking tithes and messages, and of course, her favorite pasttime, chasing after the young wherlings she had taken upon herself to train.

Another sigh. She needed a distraction, any kind of distraction, so long as it gave her excuse to abandon the boring figures in front of her and leave the stuffiness of her study without incurring a lecture from one of the stewards, or, better yet, an old Aunty who felt it was her duty call to scold a wayward young Lady Holder. A scolding which, Niceta thought dully, nearly always included a lecture on why she should get married, and who, and when, and...just no.

Propping her chin on her hand, her dark blue eyes focused unbriefly, hopefully seeking the dim presence that would tell her Nicesk was awake. It was drawing towards late afternoon, a little too early for the gold wher to want to be out and about, perhaps, considering she normally woke at dusk, but...one could hope, right?

Or not. Niceta practically planted her face against the desk when she found Nicesk was still indeed dozing, and in no real hurry to get up any time soon.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

The woman's forehead hit her desk steadily, and her soft groan of frustration echoed throughout the study as she leant - or all but threw her weight - back into the high-backed chair, tilting it on two legs and running her slender, calloused hands through the wisps of her hair.

"Faranth save meeeee..." she mumbled, covering her eyes wearily.

[K'ivan]

Rescue arrived.

A sleek bronze dragon appeared in the sky. For those who knew him, he struck an easily recognizable profile against the intermingled azure and white of the mid-winter day. His unusually long tail ended aburptly where it had been truncated Turns ago in a between accident. Another injury to thank the Syndicate for.

Baizynth circled the moderate sized Hold as he searched for a good place to land. He circled thrice and then decided on the fields opposite the main set of buildings. Though close to the Hold proper, he landed were well away from the runners' stables and the pen that the herdbeast currently clustered in. No doubt some were a'field during this day too. His landing was practiced and smooth, only scarce dust rose up as he settled to the ground. Shall I wait or return when you're ready? Baizynth craned his neck and swiveled his head as he looked toward his rider. He shifted his right fore-leg and presented it to K'ivan in case his rider wanted to use it to dismount.

Your choice my friend. There's hunting around here, if you're hungry... perhaps Dysmeth might be?[/color] K'ivan slid off the edge of Baizynth's neck, using the prooffered knee for a ledge to ease his descent. Once on the ground, he tugged off his helmet and ran a hand through his hair, the platinum locks pulled away from his face and bound in their customary braid.

Baizynth looked up toward the sky, and considered the matter. I shall ask Dysnmeth. Good idea. He set his foreleg down and settled better on the ground, sitting up and looping his tail loosely over his haunches as he waited for the gold to appear and eventually land.

K'ivan attached his helmet to his belt and looked around to see if any of the Holdfolk were present. He'd wait for Ampara to join him before venturing into the Hold. If he saw anyone he intended on asking them were the Lady Holder was; however if no one was present he knew the way well enough to find her. He suspected she'd been in the stables or her office at this time of the day. Or perhaps taking a late lunch, early supper. He hoped it wasn't the latter as they had come here to dine.

Despite the intention for actually paying Niceta a social visit, he wanted to discuss some Guardian-related matters with her as well and discern her opinions of the current situation. The lack of tithe was growing dire. Measures needed to be taken soon. There were also rumors that concerned him, some he'd heard from members of the lower Caverns at the Weyr, others F'rendil and the other Guardians at Kajano Hold reported to him.

[Ampara]

Dysmeth's arrival was in sync with Baizynth's. She hovered while her bronze friend circled, taking measure of the hold rather than trying to find an immediate landing place. Ampara appreciated the view. It wasn't often she got so many changes of scenery in one day. It was easy to see that Niceta kept the place running smoothly, everything looked ship-shape.

We're dawdling, Baizynth is landing.
Well dawdle less by all means.

The rider started when dragon suddenly plunged, arrowing after Baizynth towards his chosen landing place. Feeling playful are we? Always.

Dysmeth slowed, landing just as softly as her companion, not letting K'ivan wait more than a moment for his present company. Ampara dismounted, leaping the few feet to the ground before her dragon offered a hand, so to speak.

"I like it here." She joined K'ivan, surveying the view from the ground, "No animosity in the air."

[Niceta]

The thumping of head against desk had been muted somewhat by the fact that Niceta had crossed her arms in between the hard surface and that of her softer - though most would tease otherwise - head, but it would leave quite an interesting red spot for a fair hour or two on her temple nonetheless.

A red mark that was duly noted by one of the messengers, a lad who stalled in his deliverance of the new arrivals to stare, open-mouthed and caught between giggles and awed horror, at the sight of the Lady of the Hold mumbling to herself from where she had buried her face into her arms, the appendage still occasionally moving in a half-hearted thump as she pondered the torment of life in general.

"Mi...lady..." the boy managed, choking a bit on the former - amusement - now as Niceta's dark eyes found him, the mild tinge of desperation only making the situation that much more comical, if the red splotch on her fair-tanned skin didn't do it for her.

"What is it, boy?"

"Oh yes...uh...Weyrwoman Ampara is here to see you. And...Baizynth's rider, K'ivan. The Junior Weyrleader," he cleared his throat, straightening up as she sat back. Good lad, Niceta thought, Bit too much dancing about the words...but when Nic Runs and clutches, I'll need any good potential I can get.

The thought of being visited by the aforementioned riders lightened her heart, though, putting a bit of intrigue into an otherwise boring day. She knew she was one of the very few who tithed faithfully to the Weyr, and she didn't see why she shouldn't. It was abhorrent, to consider leaving the protectors of Pern to starve. That, and she genuinely got on with Ampara when they encountered...and K'ivan...well...the man was a lot like herself.

Niceta grinned now, the lusty sparkle returning to her eyes. Nodding, she dismissed the boy, waving away his query as to whether he should go and escort the pair in, chuckling at his slightly wide eyes at the thought that she would do it herself.

"I'll have them meet me in the kitchens. I've a sudden hankering to take a picni-oh, there you are, my love."

This was said to a figure that immediately made the boy's eyes widen in a kind of frightened awe, making him backpedal immediately. Nicesk huffed at him before inclining her head to Niceta, rustling her short wings and accepting the hand against her prominent eye-rides with solemn grace and a quiet sigh of contentment.

Niceta felt a surge of pride at that little action alone. Whers were not beautiful creatures in the slightest, but Nicesk had her moments - if not all the time - where she would display attributes that one, if they looked past the thick muscle and the stunted draconic look, could almost construe as lovely. And at the end of a long day, Niceta was genuinely glad that she had the golden wher by her side, with all its trials and tribulations.

"There, Nicesk..." she murmured, scratching the gold's chin, "Be a gentle-lady and greet our guests for me. I'll be there in a moment."

Nicesk tilted her head, regarding her long enough for Niceta to briefly ponder if this was going to be one of the wher's less obedient moments. But then the gold rumbled, apparently pleased with the comment, nudging her pelvic bone with a kind of rough gentleness before turning and trundling her way down the halls, and ultimately, outside to where the huge forms of the dragons glowed in the afternoon light.

Of all whers, Nicesk was perhaps one of the few who wasn't particularly fearful of her cousins. She was Niceta's wher, after all, and to be frank, she carried herself with enough dignity and reticience so as not to be bothered too deeply if they viewed her with disgust. Besides...at one time or another, she would have met these two, right?

The gold wher paused some feet from Baizynth, the closer of the two, lifting herself back on her haunches and emitting a quiet trill of greeting to the bronze and the Senior Queen. Then she lowered herself, waiting, just for a moment, to gouge their responses through her large eyes before she would turn and lead them to her partner, as she had promised.

[K'ivan]

Baizynth shuffled to one side to give Dysmeth more room; though it was hardly necessary considering all the space they had around them. He flared his wings and settled better on to the ground, gripping the dirt and rock with his claws as he shook himself. Are you hungry, Dysmeth? There is often good hunting here. He swung his head to indicate the area around them.

The terrain was flatter here than around the Weyr or Kajano Hold, nestled in the foothills it proved to be a more rolling landscape. The mountains were in the distance, quite a few days trek over land. Behind them could be seen the two rivers that intersected, the X they created giving Rivers Crossing Hold its name.

“Mhm. Niceta is good people… too bad she isn’t the Lady Holder, we’ve have none of this problem with tithing. "She’s a Guardian too." He lowered his voice so others wouldn’t hear though at the moment they were likely out of ear shot. He had no idea if Ampara already knew the information. She might as Niceta made no secret of her association with the Guardians' organization and K'ivan had seen her wear her Guardians' insigna on her jacket or tunic just under her Holder and Craft knots. On the other hand, how often did Ampara come out this way to visit with the Rivers' Crossing Holder? Better to give her information she already knew than surprise her or keep her in the informational dark, especially after the conversation they had on the mountain.

Seeing the gold Wher come up caused K’ivan to smile. “Hello Nicesk, what a pleasure to see you again. Here to escort us?” He offered his hand toward her to scratch her eye ridges if she wanted some. During his numerous visits on Guardian matters he’d gotten to know the queen Wher and her presence and personality proved once and for all Whers were not inferior to dragons. Nicesk was every bit a queen in her right, and the other Whers he’d seen her interact with treated her with the same reverence dragons treated their queens.

Speaking of which, when Nicesk approached Baizynth, he radiated his pleasure to see her and inclined his head by way of respect when she trilled. Then he rumbled a greeting to her, low and genial. He was tolerant of Whers before he met Nicesk and Vanech’s Vanesk. The two changed his mind. Now he appreciated his ground-bound cousins and so respected the queen as was her right to be respected.

K'ivan watched Nicesk begin to walk away. "Hm, appears I was right... shall we follow our lead?" He chuckled as he gestured for Ampara to lead the way, and then would follow her.

[Ampara]

Perhaps... I'd at least be happy to stretch my wings.[/color]

Ampara smiled, thinking that if Lady Niceta were their primary supplier that her job would be far too simple. Well... maybe not, considering some of the other things that had happened to the weyr, but maybe this would be one of their last dark stepping stones. She nodded to K'ivan, letting him know she understood.

Her reaction to Nicesk's arrival was one more of curiosity. It wasn't often that Ampara came to call when the whers came out to play, and she was unsure if she'd ever been quite so close to the queen wher. Her natural inclination was stoop down to see eye to eye with the interesting and magnificent creature; however, she wasn't sure if Nicesk would take such scrutiny as an affront so she kept upright, smiling still.

"It's a pleasure Nicesk," Ampara added with a nod to the wher.

Dysmeth mirrored Baizynth's greeting, except she didn't lower her head as they were both queens afterall she added a projection of mutual respect and understanding. Much like her rider she hadn't had much interaction with Nicesk, but she found nothing wrong with liking watch-whers they were as much cousins as the little cousins. She was pleased that Nicesk had taken the time to greet them and come out to meet them, and she hoped that maybe they'd have another chance to meet again before too much time had passed.

"We'd better or she might leave us behind." Ampara grinned, and started after the wher, happy to follow her wherever she might take them.

[K'ivan]

((-nudge-))

[K'ivan]

((What do the ladies think, is this thread going to continue?))

[Ampara]

((It doesn't have to, unless Sammy really really wants to.))