Poking Around (Rei

[dragon]

No, she wasn't supposed to be here. But since when did rules ever apply to her? Rules were for breaking. Following rules led to a rather boring life, in Orena's opinion. Bend those boundaries, stretch the bounds of reality, go where forbidden, do that which is eyed askance ... it was skads of fun!

Going in under cover was even more fun. It was a shame she didn't have someone to do it with ... that would be even more fun. But she'd make do with what she had.

Pretending to be someone she wasn't was something she was pretty good at ... or had been. She was somewhat out of practice. Might as well dust off all those clothes that had piled up in her possession after Isori had vanished.

Orena was dressed as a common weyrfolk, in a dirt-colored tunic belted only with a braided leather belt. Her skirt was barely a lighter shade than her tunic was, but it only went to her knees ... barely longer than the tunic. Barefoot, she padded around almost silently, fully aware that she didn't look like herself at all. Especially with her usually wildly curly hair tamed into a singular braid down her back.

Today, she was masquerading as a carefree young woman, rather than a rider. Which was actually pretty easy to do, since she'd spent most of her life as just that. It was time to get away from all the stuffy riders and their continual upstaging, one-upping, and down-putting they did to each other all the time. All the posturing was just ... tiring. So today, she was not going to be a rider. She was going to be just Orena. Of course it helped a lot that Riavorth was snoozing and wasn't going to be demanding her attention. Commence playtime!

Of course, pretending to be weyrfolk had its downsides, too. Twice already she'd been roped into doing some chore or other that normal weyrfolk did. But as soon as eyes were turned elsewhere, she'd wandered off without actually doing it. She wasn't here to do chores! She was here to ... well ... get into things, play, goof off ... in general do things she otherwise couldn't or shouldn't do.

Now all she really needed was a partner in crime to goof around with ... it really was so much more fun when her sister had been around ... this was far less entertaining!

[Rei]

So no one ever said that Er’ani liked rules. At all. He was very much a rebel. Blaze your own path of glory type guy. Whether or not that would ever change was up for debate. But for now it was the honest truth. As such the albinorider was ridiculously bored. You could only practice archery and read for so long. It was time to create some fun. Probably with one of his ridiculous games. Didn’t much feel like playing forest ninja or bothering the kitchen drudges. So the teenager decided to come up with his own game. Lketh normally slept though the brightest parts of the afternoon to save his skin and eyes discomfort. So rolling off the albino and throwing on a simple brown tunic, forgoing knots (who needed to know he was a senior weyrling anyway?), Er’ani exited his weyr and made his way down the hall.

Bah. What he really needed was some company. Most of the people he knew were likely busy this time of day. So that left him to himself. Things were just not as fun when you were running around solo. After traipsing about the hallways for awhile the albinorider found himself in the lower caverns. Mingling with some of the weyrfolk down there he was chatting up one of the candidates when he caught sight of Orena. Well hello. She had some lovely legs. Nudging his companion for a name, and failing to received one from him, Er’ani shrugged and started to make his way over to her. As he drew closer he came to the realization that she wasn’t wearing any shoes. Not even simple slippers. Hmm. How queer. With a wide grin he tapped her on the shoulder to gain her attention.

“I couldn’t help noticing that you looked a little lost. You new here?” With a smile he rubbed the back of his neck and then a brilliant idea came to him. He wasn’t wearing any knots. What was the harm in playing a little pretend? Hello fun. “Name’s Eroiani.” He offered her a little bow and a wink. “Just got here from the north actually so I’m a bit new too. You think maybe we could try and figure this place out together?” So what if he was lying through his teeth? All was fair in the name of fun and this girl would be none the wiser. He’d probably eventually tell her later but for now the teenager was all for some fun and games.

[dragon]

Getting tapped on the shoulder wasn't unusual .. especially given her masquerade for today. Being tapped on the shoulder was a lot nicer than getting her elbow grabbed, that was for sure. But as was expected of her, she turned about to see who it was that wanted what, eyebrows lifted in a quizzical expression.

Wait ... what? She looked lost? Did she look lost? But before she could do more than slightly open her mouth, he was talking again. She waited for him to finish, a grin appearing on her features as she waited, slowly broadening. How sweet! How much better could the day have gotten, but to have a nice looking lad stop her and ask if he could help her ... and better yet, hang out with her! Of course some girls might have considered all that a touch on the fresh side, but Orena didn't mind or care.

"Why, yes. I am new." She answered with a small smile and a lowering of her lids as she looked him up and down. Okay, perspective in the eye of the beholder. She'd been around close to two years by now, but so what? Compared to some of the old farts rolling around, or some of the weyrbrats, that was certainly new! "Eroiani. That's a nice name, Eroiani. Rolls so delicately off the tongue..." She flashed a grin at him, tilting her head to one side. "I'm Rena." She answered, deliberately leaving that big awkward O off the front of her name ... mostly because she didn't want to get recognized as a rider ... especially since his lack of contraction in his own name signified that he was not. That imposition of rank would so ruin any relaxation and fun!

"I like your accent! What part of the North are you from? I've never been there, I admit." Which also meant his telling her where from wasn't going to mean a whole lot to her either. But it was a conversation starter. "And how did you find our little hole in the woods, being from there?" Now that was a point of interest! Was he here legitimately, or ... or was he with those awful wastelanders?

Leaning toward him slightly, Orena flashed a grin again. "I'd love having you show me around~"

[Rei]

It was obvious by her expression that Er’ani had surprised her. Good. Surprise put people off their guard momentarily. It would give her less time to try and pick apart his quickly concocted story. A return bright and charming smile was offered in response to her grin. She seemed pleased by his arrival. That could only mean good things. How often was someone disappointed when a pretty girl was glad to meet them? Not many and none if you were sane. Getting a pleasant greeting from his pretty woman was nothing less then encouraging. It seemed that he hadn’t been too forward for her. Good. That meant she wasn’t the shy type. Er’ani found himself less and less attracted to those who were shy. Bold women were much more fun he had come to realize. In fact the albinorider had also come to realize, in just the past few months, that he was gravitating towards the company of them. Hmm.

As Orena looked him up and down though half lidded eyes Er’ani couldn’t help straightening his back and drawing himself up into a stance that was far more easy on the eyes. If it happened to show off his best features then that was just a happy coincidence yes. A warm smile greeted her answers and the remark about his name. Best thing was that was his full name so he found himself glad that she liked it. “Rena hmm? Pretty name. I’d say it certainly does you justice.” Who said a little bit of flirting hurt anything? Besides if he wasn’t mistaken her actions could be constituted as bit of flirting too. Fun. Even if she didn’t choose to wear shoes she still seemed more then worth getting to know. Who knew where things could go from there. That was the reason you met new people to begin with. To enrich your life. Or so Er’ani was coming to believe.

“You like my accent? I think you might be the first person to ever admit that.” ‘Eroiani’ responded with amusement. “Actually I’m from a small cothold around the vicinity of Benden weyr. Being as you’ve never been there I doubt you’d know the place. Not even really worth putting on a map if truth be told.” With a wink he shrugged. “I was being trained in the harper craft but I’m afraid I never got too far into it. The person I was learning from wasn’t very learned herself. So I ended up joining a trade caravan and long story short I ended up here one day. Some dragonrider told me that his dragon thought I’d be eligible for impression and now it looks like I’m stuck here. The caravan ended up leaving without me.” Giving a deep sigh he then smiled. “But I find I don’t mind it so much with great company such as that of your own. How have you been hiding from me for so long?” With a wink he offered her his arm.

“And I would love to show you around. Where should we go first? Any place in particular you want to see? I’m sure we could find something fun to keep us entertained in a busy place like this.”

[dragon]

He perked up and straightened his posture as she looked him over. Orena smiled as she witnessed that. He saw her looking him over, and apparently liked it. Which in turn indicated that he wanted her to notice. Which could imply all sorts of interesting things~! But, he was talking again and she focused on what he was saying instead of dreaming up things she could make him do. "Awwww, thank you!" She said, with just the barest hint of a blush touching her features (Yes she'd been practicing that ...)

"I dooo! Actually! Aw, really? No one else likes your accent? That's sad! Though I bet where you're from, everyone talks like that and doesn't even notice." She sucked in her bottom lip and gave a firm nod. Yes, that must be it! But then she smiled again. "Oh! A harper! Can you sing me a tune?" She asked, batting her eyelashes a few times as she tilted her head to one side plaintively.

A candidate, hm? He looked a bit old to be a candidate. But then, who was she to talk? She'd been older when she'd been Searched, too. Older when she Impressed. He didn't look too old to be a candidate, so it was entirely possible. "Who, me? Hiding? Nawwww." She gladly slipped her arm through his, somewhat flattered by the gesture. Maybe it was a northern thing! "I've just been busy here and there I guess." She shrugged, but grinned again. "I'm not today, though. Today I am not doing anything I don't want to do, so that leaves lots and lots of time to play."

"Anywhere! Ohohoh! How about the drumheights? Have you been up there? I hear tell it's quite a stunning view, over the canyon and waterfall and all that..." Orena suggested. "I heard a rumor that if you shout up there, you can't hear an echo because of the falls."

[Rei]

Er’ani flashed Orena another charming smile when she blushed. She got even more cute as time passed. No way was he letting this one get away from him now. Thankfully it didn’t seem that she was planning on going anywhere either. Nope mutual flirting was always a good sign. “You’re more then welcome my lady.” He responded with a small little bow and a wink. “I only speak the truth after all. Rena is an extremely pretty name.” Dark eyes fixed unfailingly on the woman’s face as she spoke and the albinorider chuckled. “That’s very true. Where I come from everyone talks like I do. So obviously no one notices that I talk a bit different. I’m glad you southerners like my accent though. Especially you. If you don’t watch it compliments like that might just keep me talking and then you’ll never get rid of me.” He teased before Orena got the bit in about singing for her. Drat.

Mentally racing through his options Er’ani pounced on the first excuse he could find that might be at least a bit believable. “A tune hmm? Well I’m afraid my voice is best when accompanied by an instrument of some type and my guitar left with the caravan. Something I am still quite upset about.” With a pretty believable deep sigh he smiled at her. “But maybe a bit later I’ll attempt a little something for you. Right now I think it’s more important to explore this place and see what it has to offer. Don’t you?” As she took his arm with an answer to his question he nodded. “Oh I can understand that. Sometimes here lately I’ve been trying to hide. Those drudges are amazingly good at finding pointless labor for us candidates and such to do. I like my free time quite a bit.”

Er’ani laughed as Orena claimed, quite enthusiastically, that she wasn’t going to do anything she didn’t want to do. “Well then that makes two of us. A pair of rebels we are my dear. I think this weyr better watch out.” At her proposal of where they could go he tilted his head. “Hmm the drumheights? Have to admit that sounds interesting. I’ve seen them from a distance but haven’t been close enough to see if you can get to the top of them. Lets go check it out shall we?” Keeping her close to his side the ‘harper’ started for the drum towers, making sure to keep his full attention on the woman. “So you never mentioned. How did you come to be here? Are you a candidate or just common weyrfolk?”

[dragon]

Orena giggled, grinned and winked. "Maybe I want to keep you talking, has that ever occurred to you?" she teased. Turning her chin to one side, she continued to meet his gaze through lowered lashes before she finally just laughed and paid more attention to here her feet were going, leaning slightly on his arm now that she had it. "Awwwww, you lost your instrument? That so sucks." Orena sighed. "But you can't do a cappella?" Well ... he had said he wasn't the best, and she did know it took a pretty talented and strong voice to do that. So she wasn't going to pressure him with it ... but poking fun at him with it was a whole other boat of fun. Especially once they got to the drum heights. Unless she was mistaken, drum towers had drums in them! She would get him to serenade the canyon with a drum song, or embarrass him into doing it by whaling away on the drum randomly herself. Yes, this was a very good plan in her mind! She couldn't stop grinning just thinking about it.

"Drudges are good at lots of stuff. That's why they're drudges." Orena commented, trying to at least sound like she had been paying attention to most of what he'd said instead of plotting. "Rebels, yes! Rebels have all the fun, while the good die young~" She sing-songed the statement just right to make it sound like it should have rhymed. Even though rhyming was hardly a suit she had, much less was good at. "You'll get to see them now, then!" She slipped her arm out of his most of the way, catching his hand and sprinting up the last flight of steps into the tower proper. Circling around to the front of the drum, she openly stared up at the monstrosity of the thing. "Wow, it's big!"

"Oh, um, me?" She shrugged absently. "I just came in from a Hold, that's all. I'm not a candidate ... I'm too old to stand on the sands anymore." She looked over at him with dancing mischief in her gaze. "If only just barely!"