Hypocrisy (Ka'rys)

[glamourie]

Oh, now she was mothering him again? Real piece of work, that one. Ka'rys was tempted to point out to Savitri that she seemed to have no problem telling him what she thought he needed to be doing; why, therefore, was it difficult for her to take her own advice? Ridiculous female. He squinted at her, then tensed slightly at her touch, though more out of surprise than anything else, and the uncomfortable feelings faded as quickly as they formed. It would take him quite awhile to get used to being touched; he'd gone four turns without so much as a hint of affection outside of flights, and he was not entirely welcoming of the change, though not completely adverse to it, either. So strange. His head tilted to the side and he watched her hand move over his arm and.... it was different when the person doing the touching was Savitri. He'd come to terms with the fact that he obviously liked her, but ... how much was beginning to concern him. Yes, she had a talent for irritating him, yes, she did make him question everything he believed in which could not have been a good thing, but... he did like her. She was sensible, if different, and she was a nice combination of southern naivete and practicality. She also wasn't so... superficial... as most women, although her fixation on his clothing did, somewhat, suggest otherwise.

Why did she continue to try and justify what he did not feel could be justified? The fact was, simply, that Savitri had neglected her health. Her former habits were exactly that, former. There was no fixing the past so trying to explain it out was like beating a dead runner, and he shook his head slightly to emphasize his opinion. "This seems to be a rather irritating habit of yours, my dear; you continually try to justify and explain the same thing over and over again, when I personally feel that justification and explanation is not necessary nor does it change the facts. What it comes down to is, you over-worked yourself, you shouldn't have, regardless of excuse, justification or otherwise. You can explain it all you want, 'vi, but it comes down to thus: you can't be overworking yourself like this, and you need to work on fixing it. End stop, really." He tilted his head slightly, then smiled. "So we'll get you some food - and then we'll see about getting me a towel. Sound fair?"

It did to him. Ka'rys watched Savitri gather her belongings up and made a slight face, crinkling his nose. He much preferred it when she left her hair down and swaying. He had a fixation on running his fingers through hair. Then again, the temptation was effectively reduced by her pulling it back. Maybe he would be able to resist, then.

Flicking his gaze to her sandals, Ka'rys quirked an eyebrow. "Nice shoes." He hated shoes as a rule, though, as evidenced by his own shoeless state (he rarely wore any if he could help it and his feet were so toughened anymore that the only time it was necessary was when he was flying between or going onto the Hatching Sands, really). Her question made him tilt his head, but he did not ask for elaboration. He knew what sort of effects going without sleep and food had on a person, having done so himself on numerous occasions. Instead of asking, he stood up, then wound his arms underneath Savitri's before gently pulling her to her feet. The action very much mimicked the way a parent would pull their fallen child up, except that the size difference between Ka'rys and Savitri was no where near as prominent; he only had a few fingers distance on her, after all. "Do you want to tell Hepaticath where we're going before we leave? That way she isn't confused or surprised?"

Rysmine burrows, Ciceroth confided with a slight rumble. He sleeps in a very large pile of furs and when he is upset, he burrows down into it and piles the rest on top of him, as though to hide. It is very funny to watch. I have told him he is not a tunnelsnake but he often tells me that I do not understand. He is right. I do not understand why he burrows and hides in his furs. I find it very strange. But! Yes. He gets cold very often. I have told him he should talk to a healer because it cannot be normal but he tells me, again, that I do not understand. He does not like healers much - when they are being healers. He says they are grouchy.

The bronze flapped his wings in distress as the cloth was suddenly thrown to him - he'd been talking and hadn't realized she was about to release it. He jumped forward in an attempt to catch it and barely managed to snag the grayish cloth by the sleeve, tearing it in the process. Oops. RysHis would not appreciate that. Not that he cared; it was just a silly cloth thing. Wiggling it, Ciceroth eyed Hepaticath for a moment before tossing the cloth high into the air, and over her general direction. Your turn! -- And Rysmine calls them shirts. He would say he needs shirts. I tore it... I don't think he will like that...

[kysseh]

He had tensed at her touch, but Savitri refused to let herself be bothered by it. Unlike a certain candidate friend of hers who flinched wholly from most any contact, Ka'rys had no reason to shy away, especially when he initiated contact as well. Thus, she continued her feeble attempt at warming him. Minus a shirt and soaking wet, he was unlikely to be warmed and dried by something as simple as a touch on the arm. But it made her feel better, and he seemed to relax into it... a little. He was watching her hand, and Savitri wondered what was going through his head. Unlike many people that she was used to, his feelings were not always apparent in his expression, and she frequently found herself guessing.

She did not have to wait for long, for he soon gave her yet another lecture on the uselessness of trying to explain herself. It miffed her. He had protested to explain his state, hadn't he? He did have a point, though. He was obviously not going to be persuaded by her argument that she did not do this on a regular basis, and she fell into sullen silence. At his suggestion, she merely nodded and childishly grumbled, "Yes, mother" beneath her breath. Fine. He didn't have to believe her. She would just reasonably point it out when he got to be in this sort of state the next time. He had it lucky then, though. He had gotten kisses and cuddles to go along with the lecture. She was just getting... more lecturing and his attempts at a massage that had her slightly bewildered.

His comment on her sandals--she had decorated them herself a few Turns ago and become rather attached to the odd little things--did not go unnoticed, but she chose to not respond to it, flicking him a wearily grateful smile as he lifted her to her feet. Her feet went beneath her to help him, and one of her hands circled his bicep to pull herself a little better upright, her other hand still clutching at his pillow. She was getting to be attached to the pillow; she hoped he didn't mind if she temporarily maintained possession. "Thank you," she said, slipping her hand down to rest it on his forearm for stability and for closeness. She liked him going shirtless, though she could do without the water. His question had her bewildered. "She knows. She can hear us talking." Can't you?

Of course I can. Ciceroth's is taking you for food like I told Ciceroth that he had should, and then he will bring you back so that I can make sure you sleep. You think very loudly, Mine. Hepaticath calmly--and a bit condescendingly--told Hers, making the young woman wrinkle up her nose in her dragon's direction. Savitri then turned and offered Ka'rys a tired shrug. "She knows. I think loudly, apparently."

A burrowing human? Hepaticath crooned in amusement and appreciation of the funny image of Ciceroth's tunnelling into his pile of furs. She overlaid that image in her mind with an image of Hers nesting in bed, and the result was... hilarious. She shared the image with Ciceroth, making sure that the furs in the image were curled in a circle around both of Theirs, who were curled in a fetal position and covered with many more blankets. Funny, was it not? They tell us we do not understand, but we understand very well. Mine is a broody queen, and Yours is a very odd tunnelsnake.... or perhaps a wher-cousin. They dig too. the gold pointed out sagely, very amused at the fact that Theirs were no longer to be considered 'human'.

Oh, dear... it had torn! Hepaticath winced in mild sympathy, but Ciceroth seemed bothered very little by its new rip. In fact, he kept wriggling it around before he tossed it high into the air. She rose onto her haunches and stepped clumsily around on her hindfeet, mouth gaping as she attempted to snatch it. She managed to snag it and dropped to all fours to thrash it around. Yes! It was hers! Hers! After another moment, she extended her neck as if to offer it to Ciceroth... and then she hopped away, rumbling softly. Shirts? Ohh, Mine was telling me that he needs different ones in better colors. But she likes him without layers. She says his hide is very nice. The gold twitched the shirt and waited patiently for Ciceroth to catch up to claim it from her.

[glamourie]

Oh, that was an ironic statement, and Ka'rys had to bite back a smile. Quoting him verbatim, was she? He was so tempted to reply the same way she had, except that he didn't recall what her response was. That whole night was a blur of uncomfortable emotions that he had buried deep beneath the surface, to soothe the hurt that came with it. A handful of nice conversations did not erase an immense feeling of confusion, hurt, anger and terror all at once. He wasn't actively upset anymore, as that would have been unfair, but... he still wasn't okay. Recognizing the source of the problem helped, some, but the chaotic emotions inside were not welcome. He'd spent his entire life trying to suppress every serious emotion, and then all at once it was undone and -- no. While he didn't blame Savitri (it was hardly her fault), he did not like that feeling, and he was doing his absolute best to tune it out and ignore it. Maybe if he went back to treating Savitri the same way he did everyone else, it would go away? If only it was that simple. He did not enjoy liking people. Others could say what they wanted about friendship, caring and attachments, but in Ka'rys's not-so-humble opinion they had disaster splashed over them in ink so bright as to outshine a gold close to flight. D I S A S T E R. And he was walking head first into it. Someone had clearly dropped him on his head as a small child.

"Of course she can hear us talking," Ka'rys replied absently, though he flinched a second later as her hand touched the so-fresh scar. Bad thoughts, bad memories. Flashes of silver and the sound of metal clanging against more metal echoed through his mind for a half a second, before he rationalized where he was. The scar was still very sensitive, and very awkward, but it didn't hurt anymore. It had healed up rather nicely, all things considered. "That doesn't mean she was paying us any attention. Ciceroth ignores me a lot. Says I talk too much, think too much, and generally do everything too much."

I hear you. I listen. I just don't choose to respond always. You do talk a lot.

Ka'rys snorted and cast Ciceroth a baleful look that the bronze did not see, as he was not facing the humans any longer. The bronzerider rolled his eyes and then turned back to Savitri before adding, "You think too loud, and I talk too much. Funny. I don't get that very often." He shook his head slowly, then added almost as an after thought, "First time I've ever had that complaint..." Under his breath he muttered something that sounded suspiciously like yeahthat'srightgobacktoignoringmeforthegold before turning his full attention to the goldrider next to him. "Let's get going - the sooner we get you fed, the sooner you can go back to sleep and maybe feel better. At this hour it's unlikely that very many people will be in the kitchens anyway. So you won't have to face any social situations." He paused for a beat, then quietly tacked on, "I repel people remarkably well, in any case. No one will stick around with me nearby." He was very good at chasing everyone off. Unintentionally. For once, it was a good thing.

Keeping his arm level so she could lean on him, he started off toward the main hall. It was, technically, on an island (they'd have to row, curse it), but the walk wasn't that far. Gave them time to talk, he supposed. Though, did he really want to have time for a heart to heart with Savitri? ...

Answer: No. Not really.

Snorting, Ciceroth's eyes took on a more rapid, cheery whirl. The idea of Ka'rys burrowing in front of someone was amusing. His rider was very embarrassed about his emotions, so when he showed them in front of people he tended to get upset. Why, Ciceroth didn't know. He rarely needed to be so upset, but... there was no explaining that to Ka'rys. I think he would be upset at being called either, he explained with a quiet rumble. But he does burrow and dig, and hide the blankets up above him. Though, it was closer to Ka'rys hiding in the shape of a small ball beneath several layers of furs, with his pillows clenched tight to his stomach. He looked very silly, doing that. Attempting to be a tunnelsnake.. or wher... was just ridiculous, in Ciceroth's opinion.

Ooh! She caught it! Ciceroth crooned approvingly and bunny-hopped after Hepaticath, though he was paying heavy attention to their surroundings. If the humans were leaving that meant he had to keep an eye on Hepaticath and make sure she was not hurt, which meant he had to be extra-careful. Doubly aware. The fact that Ka'rys was completely trusting in him, though, was reassuring. He leaned over to nudge her before flicking his tail again. Shirts. Yes. I think Yours said something about burning his shirts at some point. He has been afraid of her coming in and taking them from him. Should I tell him she likes his hide? There was a definite note of amusement, as if he was trying hard not to laugh. He knew how Ka'rys would take that comment. Throw it, throw it, so I can catch it. Please?

[kysseh]

She had not missed his flinch when her fingers ran over the scar, but she chose to ignore it and let him preserve his dignity. Savitri would rather not think about that fight anymore, though it pleased her to know that his arm was healing well. She would have been concerned were it not. She was concerned about all of her patients, but those to whom she was personally attached always received even more concern. For all that she was efficient and practical, even Savitri could not help but form attachments to people. 'Heartless' was not a word often used to describe her. Strict, yes. Blunt, most certainly. Uncaring? No.

"She listens in far too much. I think it's a mixture of nosiness and actual concern. She trusts you, but she doesn't trust very often or very easily. And the main reason she trusts you is Ciceroth," she replied honestly, chuckling slightly. He talked too much? Doubtful. "You don't talk too much. You lecture like a parent, though. You should foster or have children of your own. You'd be very good at it." She belatedly thought that he might run screaming for the hills at that announcement, but she disregarded that thought. Ka'rys did not seem the type of immature male to panic at the mere thought of responsibilities and offsprings. She did expect him to go pale and at least look a little bothered, though. That was a fairly normal reaction, as far as she knew.

His suggestion had her nodding in agreement, and she followed along, permitting him to lead the way. Under normal circumstances, she would have been briskly walking out in front and dragging him along quite forcibly. But she was tired, and he seemed to be enjoying playing parent. That was permissible for now. She did not really lean on his arm, but her hand stayed resting where it was, exerting just enough pressure that she knew she had support if she should need it. Her footsteps were steady so far, though she was cautious where her sandalled feet fell. Breaking an ankle was not a fun way to spend her time. "I don't mind social situations. I just won't be very talkative, so people will just have to be content with that," she said simply, lightly tightening her grip on his arm. She would be talkative with him, of course. "You haven't chased me off yet." That just had to be pointed out, of course, though it seemed an obvious enough fact.

Hepaticath briefly paused in her play to look after Hers and Ciceroth's, just to make sure Hers was looking all right. As soon as she was satisfied that Ciceroth's was looking after SavitriHers, her attention returned almost fully to play. She waggled the shirt, crooning in amusement at the bronze's description of His' behavior. Burrowing and nesting... Theirs were such silly creatures! Yours and Mine should burrow and nest together so they can laugh at each other. They would never cease to be amused, and we would get entertainment as well. They would fight over the furs, though. Mine would want to make them into a circle around herself, and Yours would want to bury himself beneath them. Hmmm... perhaps they should not burrow and nest together. she said thoughtfully, though the image of Theirs fighting in that manner was highly entertaining. She would recommend this again at a later time.

He was chasing her! She returned his nudge with a very gentle headbutt of her own to his shoulder. Hers had been teaching her how to be gentle, and she thought she was managing it very well. She had not knocked the young healer down by accident in a few days. A personal record! The flick of his tail had her batting at it mischievously with one forefoot. She wants to burn them... but she said she would rather put them in color and make them bright red instead and give him nicer shirts to wear. You may tell him that she likes his hide. She thinks it is very smooth and very warm. Was Hepaticath jealous? Of course not. Ciceroth's human's hide could not compare to her own dragon hide, so there was no reason to be irritated by SavitriHers' like. I did ask her once why she did not snuggle him like she does with me and I do with you, but she got very embarrassed. Are humans always so silly about touching each other at all?

Oh, he was begging now. She crooned gently and then took pity on him, flipping the shirt up into the air above his head. Of course! I was only teasing you. I would not be cruel and keep it from you for good. she reassured him, eyes whirling a beautiful blue-green. This was so much fun!

[glamourie]

"I figured as much," Ka'rys replied, with no small amount of amusement in his voice. He probably should have cared more that Hepaticath did not trust him on his own merits, but he did not. It wasn't his job to prove himself to a weyrling queen. If she wanted to like him she'd find a reason on her own, and if she didn't, then she wouldn't. If she decided she disliked him and didn't want Savitri around him, that was just as well; it would prove his point all along. Yes, he'd be a touch upset, but he'd get over it. He wouldn't go out of his way to cater to a dragon other than Ciceroth and even the bronze rarely was coddled or placated. It just wasn't his way, and besides... he had the distinct feeling that anything he did to try and sway the gold's opinion in any direction would be taken wrong anyway, either by her, or Savitri, or both. Best just not to broach the topic, really. For everyone involved.

However, the rest of her statement drew a vague smile and he bowed his head slightly. He sounded like a parent, eh...? There were worse things to be told, although truthfully, he did not think of Savitri at all the way a parent would a child. Not remotely. Though, her behavior was child-like in its foolishness. He chose (probably wisely) not to point that out to her. They had dropped the topic for the most part, and he wouldn't dwell further. Instead, he chose to reply quietly, "And what makes you so sure I haven't?" He left it open to interpretation of which he meant; he would not outright lie to her, but being forthright about information was not one of Ka'rys's strong points and would never be. He told Savitri more than most people but that did not mean he was going to be welcoming of granting information to her. No sir. If she assumed he simply fostered, then that was fine. He did not intend to give her an exact answer to what he meant, whether she asked or not. He was good at dodging topics when he wanted to.

Carefully making his way up the shoreline, Ka'rys stepped lightly with practiced ease, and deliberately avoided any lumps or funny shapes on the ground where possible rocks or shells could be buried. He was barefoot, as usual par for the course, and did not want to end up bleeding everywhere. For once, he wasn't the one being lectured, and he rather liked the change. It was odd for a woman nearly ten turns younger than him to be treating him like an older. He'd never liked it when women the right age did it - let alone someone who was so... so much younger. Sometimes, she made him feel very old. He squinted, pushing that thought from his mind as he countered simply, "Yet. Yet. Give it time." It wasn't a lack of faith in Savitri. He had a lack of faith in himself. Or perhaps too much confidence in how repelling he could be. Few people had any level of tolerance for him after multiple meetings. "Pick a boat and get in, then I'll row us over. And for the record, I talk quite a bit... to Ciceroth."

Said bronze was quite of the opinion that Savitri and Ka'rys burrowing and/or nesting together was a very awkward idea - mainly because he knew that His would feel strange about it. RysHis had been exceptionally awkward about the subject of the goldrider ever since he'd fallen asleep with his arms wound around her after such a strange fight. He'd insisted Hepaticath was not to know about what happened and despite Ciceroth's disapproval of keeping secrets, RysHis must have surely had his reasons. So he did not give voice to his thoughts, instead simply crooning in amusement. He did not really understand why it mattered to RysHis so much. Obviously, he thought Savitri was a good snuggle partner. Wasn't that more important than awkward feelings? Ciceroth would snuggle with anyone, if they were comfortable. But then, RysHis did not make sense on a lot of fronts.

Eyes whirling in silent laughter, Ciceroth flicked his tail again, nudging Hepaticath's nose with it in the process. He had quite a bit of mobility with it, and a fondness for using it to express himself; playful or angry, depending on his mood. Playful today. They will explain when you are older, Ciceroth answered, then crooned. Rysmine would be most displeased if his shirts were made bright colors. He does not like bright. Yet Ciceroth's words implied he was encouraging the behavior, and he meant it, though he chose that moment to pass along what Hepaticath said about Savitri liking his hide -- no doubt RysHis would get quite a bit of amusement out of that. They are silly about snuggling together, it seems. RysMine does not like it when others touch him, though he does not -- He jumped forward to catch the shirt and shake it again. -- mind it from yours half as much. He likes her. He threw the cloth back up, rumbling quietly. Catch!

"Should I be complimented?" Ka'rys asked as he gathered the oars for the boat and untied it from the small stone dock built to allow transport to the different areas of the Weyr. "I think I like it when Hepaticath tells Ciceroth things. I find out all the interesting tidbits that way..."

[kysseh]

Savitri was unsurprised that Ka'rys seemed not concerned with Hepaticath's opinion of him. Well... perhaps he was unconcerned or perhaps he was just resigned to the fact that the little gold was very particular with whom she did and did not trust. Either way, his tone implied that he was a bit amused by it. Normally, Savitri was just irked by it. Today... today she found it sort of comforting. People were not trustworthy. Hepaticath was. Or... mostly so, the little bigmouth.

She pretended to be unaware of what Hepaticath was sharing in the hopes that Ciceroth would not pass it along. Her return to reality came just in time for her to notice the vague smile and bowing of his head. There was something on his mind, and she wanted to know what it was. Her tired green eyes narrowed, focused on his face. Then they widened almost comically at his response. Sure that he had not... fostered? reproduced? Both options made her wonder. "You have a child. Or... did." It was a statement, not a question. If she framed it as a question, he would not answer. She had figured that out. But she did not need an answer. If he was being vague, it was a touchy topic, which meant fussing if she pushed. She would squeeze it out of him somehow... later.

His comments went unrecognized at first, but she climbed obediently into the boat, settling her bag and the pillow in her lap. She reached for the oars and thought better of it, very carefully withdrawing her hands. She was not so tired as to miss the fact that he would fuss at her for trying. No, better to just... not. His question had her shocked, and a faint blush crept up her cheeks as she watched him untie the boat. She was not embarrassed. No... she wasn't. "Complimented by what, exactly? She has been saying far more than she should," the young woman commented mildly in the hopes that he would just... drop it. "And I doubt you can really chase me off. It would take a lot of effort on your part, and you don't seem the type of person to waste the energy on something that ridiculous." Was it arrogant of her to suppose that he enjoyed her company? Perhaps, but the last time, he had seemed most agreeable to cuddling with her. He could scarcely dislike her if he permitted that.

The gentle tap to her nose had Hepaticath snorting and recoiling a half-step in surprise. She needed to learn that trick! Her tail, however, was not so coordinated as of yet, despite her efforts otherwise. No matter. She would get there! I hope that I grow older more quickly, then, so they can explain it. Mine seems to use that excuse a lot. Hepaticath said with a definite note of wistfulness to her mental tones. The thought of Hers making Ciceroth's wear bright colors was distracting and highly entertaining, though, and she rumbled low in her chest, eyes whirling quicker with amusement at the image. I think she intends to make them red. She says that if he tries to wash them, they will turn pink, and then he certainly will not wear them. Mine is very, very sneaky. And clever, but that did not need to be added. That would have been just too proud, and Ciceroth could guess for himself that Hers was quite... brilliant, really.

She fidgeted around and watched as he thrashed the shirt around, crooning happily at his evident skill. Ah, humans were so silly about things! Really, if they just stripped down to their hides and slept snuggled together in the sunshine, all the problems would be solved, wouldn't they? It seemed so to her, anyways, but apparently, the 'older' humans and Ciceroth were privy to something that she was not. How irritating! She would not be so rude as to bother Ciceroth about it, though, even if she really... really wanted to. I am glad that he does not mind Mine touching him. She likes him, and she trusts him. She would be very sad if he would not let her touch him at all. Hepaticath had to hop very quickly to get beneath the cloth, but she managed to catch it by the edge. It was tossed up again so she could shift her grip, and then she shook it around, growling playfully. Then she flipped it high up into the air and over Ciceroth's head. Your turn!

[glamourie]

Ka'rys just smiled at her, not elaborating. He did not intend to give her more details than that. Only one other person at Selenitas knew that Ka'rys had a child and that was Lauranna. She'd found out because she asked if he had any experience with babies, and he thought it proper to explain it. Well, no, some of the former Fort riders likely knew or guessed. He'd made no secret of her when he was there. But the people Savitri spoke to often would not know. Perhaps he would explain it at some other time -- but some part of him rather enjoyed keeping her guessing. At least he knew he wasn't boring her if there were things about him she still didn't know. Kalerary was a sore subject, though, one that would have to be brought up with care for the simple reason that his leaving could not be justified under normal circumstances. If he explained her, it would have to be... a more elaborate explanation than he was sure he could trust Savitri with. Though, there was always emotional blackmail. He hated the idea of resorting to that, but ... he wasn't above it if it guaranteed his own safety. Time would tell. But not today.

"The fact that you, as Ciceroth so eloquently put it, like my hide." He couldn't help but smile as he climbed into the boat and sat down, then gripped the oars. Good girl, she wasn't trying to do it. He'd have hated to have to hit her with one. Especially when she was so exhausted. He waited to add more until they were moving. "He said something about shedding layers."

If only he actually believed that. He was very puzzled on how he felt. On one hand he was highly flattered by the idea of anyone finding him attractive (he'd been called ugly more often than he had attractive -- it was such a rare concept) but on the other, he couldn't help but blame anything Savitri felt on a lack of experience on her part. First times of everything were supposed to be special and he'd rather ruined it for her. Should he have felt guilty? Probably, but he didn't. He felt absolutely no guilt, though he did experience a hint of worry. The worry spawned more from the fact that it could not have been normal behavior for a man of his age to be interested in someone so much younger than him -- yes, the age thing was definitely going to bother him for awhile. He was no E'ri, and he was not completely okay with the idea of taking advantage of someone so much... less experienced. Not that he was exactly bursting with experience himself.

"You do seem to be stubborn as far as that goes. I blow up at you and upset you, and you still come back." If he sounded mystified, it was because he was. Ka'rys honestly did not understand what Savitri saw in him. It was like being drawn to her polar opposite. She seemed to be a heavily emotional and empathic entity, and he was not, by any means. And he obviously hurt her. Strange female. "But tell me more about this liking of my hide. It will entertain me while I row, and red suits you. Far better than it suits me." Evidently, the hide comment was not the only one that Ciceroth passed on, and Ka'rys raised a slender eyebrow at her challengingly; daring her to deny what he was implying.

I think I should be more careful. That was the only response Ciceroth offered at first, though the slight amusement he got from His implied he was not angry. That was... good, at least. Rysmine is very good at figuring out things I know when I am not overly careful... He trailed off, figuring Hepaticath would understand what he meant, then added absently, You grow quickly. You are much larger than when we first met. Not long before you will be grown and hearing everything and wishing they would be more quiet, because you are trying to sleep. I am sorry, Hepaticath; sometimes I forget that Rysmine knows me very well...

He half-jumped to catch the shirt, and then flung it over onto the little gold's back before flicking his tail playfully. If you wet it and slap it onto the rocks, it makes funny shaped colors on the rock's surface. Shadows. Like splash patterns, he suggested playfully, hoping to ease the fact that Ka'rys was a cheater. He would get him back later. Later.

[kysseh]

Well, she was not going to get anything more out of him on the discussion of offspring, apparently, and he was going to use the details their bigmouthed dragons were spewing to turn the tables on her. She should have been really annoyed, but... honestly, Savitri was just too tired to be that annoyed. She was embarrassed initially at being called out, but the blush faded soon enough. It took too much energy to react that way. She shifted a little in the seat and refused to answer until he started rowing, partially out of stubbornness but largely because she was trying to formulate an appropriate answer that would not get her further teased. He seemed to take great delight out of poking fun at her.

Oh... she think she had settled on something resembling an answer. She blinked wearily and then looked to his face, offering up a slight shrug. "I don't have any reason to not come back. I was concerned about your injuries, and... then I was just curious. Now I'm intrigued and attracted. You haven't stuck a knife in me, hit me, or abused me in any way... so I don't see what the problem is. You're interesting, attractive, and not nearly as pushy as most of your peers. Is that the answer you wanted?" she said slowly, carefully, tilting her head to one side to peer up at him. "But, yes, I am stubborn. It is a character flaw but also a good trait to have when faced with difficult people."

She fidgeted in her seat and lifted a hand to brush a few stray tendrils of hair from her face. Ohhh... the hide thing. She flushed again, unable to control it. Red. Hepaticath had told Ciceroth who, apparently, could not keep his thoughts to himself. Lovely. "You..." She broke off, trying to figure out a proper way to say it. Just letting it tumble out of her mouth won the battle. "The shirts are hideous, Ka'rys, and considering you haven't figured out a way to get rid of me, I will continue to try to get rid of them." That was out, finally. The rest.... oh, that would be difficult.

"Your skin and the muscles beneath it form a very attractive image," she said quite bluntly, getting a wee bit too sleepy to be tactful. The movement of the boat was making her head start to droop a little, but she tried to force it to stay upright. She needed to eat and answer his question. "Warm, soft, not pasty or dried out. Surprisingly supple. I've seen plenty of shirtless men before. You're among the most appealing," she mumbled around a wide yawn, scrubbing the back of one hand across her eyes. So... so tired! Couldn't he just let her sleep here in the boat. She fidgeted again. Just... a few moments, wouldn't hurt, right?

Hepaticath was more than willing to forgive her playmate for an occurrence that he had clearly not intended. Apparently, His and Hers were arguing over His' hide and Hers' liking of it. Was it really that complicated? Humans were such odd creatures! Mine is also very skilled at such things, though not as skilled as Yours, I do not think. Not yet, anyways. She tries very hard to pick up on things when I am not paying enough attention to keep her from... 'overhearing.' The little gold was annoyed at that detail, but her annoyance soon passed in favor of Ciceroth's compliments. Silly bronze... flattering her. She crooned affectionately anyway. That is all right, PlaymateMine. They listen in regardless of how much we try to not let them here. I am still eager to grow, though. It will be nice to fly... and to not trip over my own feet, as well as to know all of these secrets. she said plaintively, huffing a draconic sigh.

Play took precedence over all else for the moment, though, and she let out a soft noise of confusion as he flung it onto her back. Her head and neck craned around to snag it, and she shook it around a bit as he explained how to make pretty patterns. Ahhh, yes! That had potential! She hopped over to the water and dunked the shirt, withdrawing the dripping wet cloth and ferrying it back over towards the rocks. A quick whip of her head had the shirt slapping down on a rock and leaving a vaguely shirt-shaped wet... stain... behind. She wriggled, her wings flaring and tucking alternately to express her delight. That is fun! You should try. she said, extending her neck to offer him the plaything.[/size]

[glamourie]

Why yes, yes that was what he wanted to hear. The problem was, he didn't really believe her. Why was he asking her questions that he didn't believe her answer for? ... Because he wanted to believe her? So confusing. He rowed, glancing over her head for the tree-island that made up the main hall and slightly distracted himself. As far as he was concerned, Selenitas was downright strange. Weyrs were meant to be built of stone, inside of mountains and as cave-structures, not... in trees. Trees which they had to protect during Threadfall lest the Thread burrow in and kill them. Ridiculous. The Weyr's founders were not thinking logically, in his opinion. Tree houses. What was wrong with them? There was no proper Weyrbowl, either. It didn't feel like a Weyr without the Bowl. Yes, he was more critical; he missed the layout of Fort, which was truly ideal to prevent attacks. The only ground entrance could be watched, and otherwise anyone intending to enter the Weyr had to do so through the rider weyrs. It was essentially a safe haven, as a Weyr was meant to be. Selenitas was so out in the opening, so... exposed. His paranoid streak disapproved.

"One day," he said quietly, bowing his head slightly, "you will understand why people rarely bother with me." If his statement was ominous, then it was intentional; Ka'rys did not believe any sane individual would inflict themselves with his presence. 'Difficult'; she had implied he was difficult and he was, but not intentionally. Ka'rys simply did not play well with others. He never had. Technically, he understood that the problem stemmed in the fact that he pushed other people away, but... every time he started to let anyone in, it just ended in hurt. There was very little Ka'rys feared, but emotional hurt was one of those things. Thus he kept an acceptable distance from everyone, and Savitri had already made it wonderfully clear that she would not accept that. She seemed to get agitated if he didn't at least throw her tiny scraps of information, and no amount of insisting it made him uncomfortable got through to her.

He was betting that she got sick of him before Hepaticath was grown. Pessimist? Oh, yes.

As for him being one of the most appealing individuals she'd seen? The thought made him quietly laugh, and he added quietly, "The fact that I'm probably one of the few to touch you likely helps that impression, but I'm flattered. We're almost there." He glanced up at the tree as he rowed, before finally pulling into the small wooden dock. The oars were set aside and he tied the boat carefully before climbing out and holding his hand out for Savitri to take. But before she could, he added very quietly, and with no small amount of suggestive lilt that could have been threatening and playful at once, "If you ruin my shirts, Savitri, I will see to it that you regret it until the end of time."

Well, Rysmine has had thirteen turns of practice, Ciceroth replied fondly, though he picked up the knowledge of his age more from Ka'rys than his own memory. He just knew he wasn't young. He flapped his wings playfully as he considered. It wouldn't be that long before Hepaticath was grown. He couldn't remember her size at hatching but he recognized she was much larger than the last time he'd seen her. Hatchlings grew very fast. Patience, patience. She wouldn't have that long to wait. Rysmine says I used to trip over my wings. You will get better about avoiding that. He'd had it reinforced time and again that he had to protect his wings, at any cost. Keep them clamped to his sides if not in flight, dodge to avoid them being attacked and injured, a wingless dragon was a cripple and cripples were not allowed to live. He remembered.

Snort. Dark thoughts pushed aside. Ciceroth took the still-sopping shirt from Hepaticath and then, with an amount of speed nearly unusual for a dragon his size, slammed it down against the other side of the rock. The shirt smacked audibly, and the water spread out. When he lifted it back up, the pattern resembled a tree, and he held the shirt back to Hepaticath before rumbling. Your baby tree returns.

[kysseh]

The softness of his tone, the words themselves, made Savitri tense. Was he trying to chase her off again by threatening? If so, he would have to be more pointed out it. She was nervous, true, but Savitri knew him enough to know that he would not be interspersing playful with genuine threats if he meant serious harm. He was not the type to toy that way. If he wanted to threaten, he would just flat out do it. And though his words made her want to shrink away out of weary precaution, she stayed where she was, listening in silence. He did not mean it... hopefully. His comment about his shirts had her looking a bit huffy, but she was too tired to launch into a prolonged debate with him.

She stood carefully, one hand clutching the pillow to her chest and the other into his offered hand for support. There was no rush to get up onto the dock, but she was up without too much delay, though unwilling to release his hand. The touch was comforting, and the fact that he had courteously offered the hand, despite his ambiguous words and tone, soothed her worries. "I don't think that adding color constitutes as 'ruining' them. And... if you want to get rid of me, you'll have to specifically ask. Until you do so, you're stuck with me bothering you, and you'll just have to deal with it," she told him quite bluntly, tugging lightly on his hand to make sure he heard her. He was paying attention, wasn't he?

Then she dropped his hand and moved toward the stairs up toward the platform and the main hall above, not in any particular hurry but not lagging either. It was a far cry slower than her normal brisk pace, but she had nowhere important to be. Food was important, but it would not disappear if she took an extra minute or two. Besides, going slower gave him a chance to catch up, if he felt like it. At the bottom of the stairs, she stopped and turned back, looking at him expectantly. He was coming, wasn't he? Perhaps he was still being stupidly insecure over his physical attributes. If he caught up, she'd reassure him in proper detail. "Ka'rys?"

Hepaticath crooned in admiration at her playmate. Thirteen Turns was a very, very long time! She could scarcely imagine the graceful and coordinated Ciceroth tripping over his own wings, and she moved closer to nuzzle his shoulder with obvious affection. I can not imagine you clumsy or tripping. You are far too graceful. she said simply, looking over his wings. They were long wings, even folded up against him as they were. She twitched her own wings and then craned her head around to look at them, wondering. No, hers were not that big. Perhaps they would be when she grew... or perhaps they wouldn't. It didn't matter. She would fly regardless, and she would work to fly well.

The speed with which he slapped the shirt against the rock had her momentarily startled, and she jumped noticeably. Well, it served her right for being distracted, didn't it? She examined the little pattern on the rock, rumbling in amusement at the shape it made. She remembered the tree! The tree can not hit me this time, though. Me or you. she remarked. He offered her the shirt, and she took it very carefully, waggling it around a bit to create a nice shower of droplets in the vicinity. Water! She so enjoyed playing with the water. After a brief second, she wound up and smacked it down on the rock in front of her. Her momentum carried too far, and she knocked her head lightly on the rock, squawking awkwardly and dropping the shirt. That was very stupid of me. she observed, settling back on her haunches to sit and looking more than a bit embarrassed. That was what she got for being overly enthusiastic.

[glamourie]

"I like gray. It matches everything," Ka'rys protested as he helped Savitri onto the dock, and her light tugging of his hand made him tilt his head to the side. As soon as she let go, he turned and started after her, at a more leisurely pace, but close enough that if she looked as though she was going to fall, he could catch her. He was very aware of the effects a lack of sleep could have on a person and he did not, by any means, want to have to fish Savitri out of the river. Especially not with its current. The stairs up into the tree were equally concerning and he kept a close enough follow that he was sure she would fall back into him if she did lose her balance and stumble. He didn't relish the idea of being someone's pillow but it would at least be better than her breaking all of her bones. At least if he got hurt he could pull out the guilt trip instead of feeling responsible. He was selfish enough to think of himself first, after all.

Did he want to chase her off? Yes and no. There were so many conflicting factors, he thought to himself as he stared at his feet. So many problems that could arise.

On one hand, he could tell Savitri nothing. That was his current course of action - give her as little information as possible without outright lying to her. He did not like talking about himself, and he felt most comfortable with that path, as it was also the most safe. But the result seemed to be that she pried and picked more, and as a direct counter, Ciceroth had no problems telling Hepaticath things, sometimes even by accident. Therefore, Savitri found out certain things anyway, and he did not want to have to deal with her complaining at him for not telling her directly. She seemed to take it so personally, like it was a deliberate slight to her, and trying to explain to a goldrider that his actions had very little to do with her was a nuisance.

Whereas, if he told her, he risked everything. Secrets were best kept when only one person knew them. If Savitri found out, could he really trust her to keep her mouth shut? If she knew the truth, would she understand or care about the danger it posed to him if even one other person found out? Would it matter? Or would she hand him over to Shmee and the other southern idealists? He and R'non could form a club - bronzeriders hated for their past and outed for their stupidity. Except, he liked to think he was more intelligent than R'non. If he told her, and that was a very big If, he would have to play it very carefully. Very carefully indeed. He'd have to plan - but he wasn't entirely sure she could handle it. Savitri was very fond of saying she wanted to hear the truth and recoiling when she didn't like what she heard. Somehow he doubted that she would like to know the truth about his past. That was not something that would sit well with anyone in the south, he was certain.

His name made him blink and Ka'rys looked up in surprise, having not been paying a great deal of attention to Savitri. He was walking with his head bowed, but he could see her out of the corner of his eye just in case she fell. They were coming up on the so-worrisome stairs...

"Hmm?" he asked, then raised an eyebrow. "I'm coming. I just figured I should stay behind in case you decided to take a dive into the river. The current is fast enough that I am not sure I could catch you with much ease." He lifted one hand to brush a strand of his hair, finally beginning to dry, out of his face before pointing forward. "Stairs. Food." Pause, then, "I wonder if they have any redfruit. I haven't eaten since I got back, I don't think..." And he was cold. He was hoping to get a nice mug of klah to even that out, because he honestly felt like shivering. Cursed water and wicked bronze.

Ciceroth preened slightly at the compliment, making extra sure to flutter his wings to show off. He took excessive pride in his care for them, but graceful wasn't exactly the best description, at least not on the land. In the air he was, though, and he knew it; no part of him was prone to self-depravation, and anyway, he was intelligent. On the ground though, he looked quite silly, and he knew it. He was awkward, and slow, and generally lucky that he didn't make a total wherry of himself. RysHis often reminded him of how different he was on the ground than in the air, but he was a creature of flight. It wasn't his job to be graceful on the ground. He'd leave that to the humans.

Thank you. You'll get there, he complimented as he nudged her back, only to start in alarm as the little queen hit her head on the rock. Flicking his tail, he nudged her upward with his head as best he could, crooning in worry. The tree did not get you, but this time the rock did. His eyes whirled, slightly alarmed. I am not sure what good sitting on the rock would do. Oh, he knew well enough that it was actually a lack of balance on her part, but Ciceroth was - as before stated - intelligent. He would not rub it in the little queen's face that she was still so awkward on her limbs. Better to blame the rock. It probably deserved it anyway.

[kysseh]

Savitri made a slight face. Gray did match everything, but... that horrendous shade of gray matched only the face of a dying person, really. She would tell him that eventually, but she focused on keeping her footing secure. She was rather inclined to not fall of the stairs; it was an awfully long way to the river. While she was a good swimmer, the current and depth in this location were just a bit too much for her in her current state. Ka'rys didn't seem to be paying attention either, which meant that one or both of them was at a risk for tumbling in. Her calling of his name had him alert, though, for which she was grateful. She would not have to save him if he put a wrong foot down, then.

She frowned at him. Did he really think she would fall in? She was being careful! Then her frown turned to mild annoyance as he pointed and demanded. She scowled back at him, turned around, and began walking again. She took her time with it in order to not falter, though a portion of her mind was occupied with trying to figure out an appropriate response to his bratty demands. Well... perhaps she did not have much room to talk on the 'bratty' front, but he was an adult too. An older and more energetic adult, at that. He was in such a good mood. She envied him and wondered what had happened to put him in such a good frame of mind. "I'm sure there will be redfruit. And klah, so you don't get a chill from Ciceroth tossing you in," she spoke back over her shoulder, pausing as she got to the top of the stairs to look down at Ka'rys. Should she?

No, perhaps not. She moved toward the hall and hauled open the door, waiting patiently until he caught up before letting it swing closed behind them. Her nose was filled with the residual odors of something nice, and her nostrils twitched, unbidden. Her stomach gave another growl, and she sighed. Busted. Now she was positively starving, though she doubted her stomach could handle a great deal. "I'm sure you heard that. I'm going," she grumbled as she made her way toward the kitchens. She paused at the entrance, though, a bit overwhelmed by the assault of odors on her nostrils. What to eat... what to eat...

Ciceroth's preening earned him a croon of amusement from his smaller playmate, and Hepaticath lightly fluttered her wings and then tucked them in tight at his nudgings. Such a good playmate was he! She was grateful for his affection, and she pressed up close to him, settling on her haunches and lifting her head to rest it on his back, fisted forefeet rested against his side. It was a long way to reach up, but he was a comfortable chin rest. And he was just comforting all around. Her head did not hurt so badly, so she stayed resting as she was. It was still the tree, I think. The water mark looked like the tree. she pointed out, of the private opinion that the tree was hunting her, somehow. It was ridiculous... but she thought it nonetheless.

Anyone wandering by would probably have thought it odd to see the little gold weyrling pressed up against a bronze's shoulder, head resting on her back, huddled close like a little child seeking comfort from a trusted older sibling. Not parent, of course. Hepaticath never thought on the fact that Ciceroth was her sire. No, he was just her fun, older playmate that kept her from getting injured. Good company. Good warmth. Good... hilarity. No, it might poke you in the rump if you did. The thought is appreciated, but I'd rather you not be hurt. she told him, crooning softly. Eventually, I will learn how to have fun without hurting myself.

[glamourie]

She did so love offering him annoyed expressions. Ka'rys was tempted to grin cheekily back at her, but thought better of it. As much fun as it was to provoke her, he was trying to be good. So he settled for following behind her at a careful pace, his fingers lacing together behind him at the small of his back. Up the stairs and through the door he moved before being bombarded by an array of smells; stew and klah, roast and spices. The smell of meat turned his stomach over and he barely managed to avoid groaning in response, but apparently he was the only one repulsed by that particular scent, as an odd growling noise came from the general region of Savitri's stomach. He glanced over at her and grinned ear-to-ear, unable to help himself. At least she acted without him having to nag her, though. He didn't want everyone in the main hall to realize that he actually cared... although surely their presence must have earned a couple odd glances. He forcibly did not look to see. Truthfully, Ka'rys did not want to know. Instead he shuffled after Savitri to the door of the kitchen, following her inside before indicating one of the pots.

"Soup or something would be good. Stew probably better but if you haven't eaten in a while, something easy on the stomach is likely to go over better. That and some of the bread," he suggested, fishing out a redfruit from a nearby bowl much to the dismay of one of the drudges, who glanced at him, then back to her project, without comment --- her expression made her agitation obvious, but she was smart enough not to scold him. He ignored her. "There's bound to be a spare stool -- this one should work."

One of the stools on the abandoned side of the kitchen had his attention and Ka'rys shoved the redfruit into his mouth to free up his hands. He grabbed the stool and moved it over to one of the counters nearer to Savitri and gestured for her to sit, before pulling the fruit out of his mouth, along with a sizable hunk from it. Hmm. What else. He twirled the fruit in his fingers as he glanced around the kitchens, then spied a particular pot on one of the stoves. He swallowed, then indicated it with a nod, "That looks like some kind of cream soup, from the color." He never touched the stuff, but Ka'rys ate strangely. "Tell me what you want and I'll get it. No sense disturbing the drudges." They probably would throw things at him anyway. Oh, but that fruit was impressively flavored - so much better than the ones in the north. Larger too. If there was one thing that he had to say made Selenitas livable, it was their food.

While waiting for an answer, Ka'rys shoved his fruit back into his mouth and shuffled over to retrieve one of the finished pots of klah, indicating it with one finger to ask whether it was okay if he took it. The drudges nodded to him and he grabbed a mug, then filled it before setting it on the counter next to Savitri. The pot itself was placed on a cooling platform to avoid burning the counter surface. He did not retrieve a mug for himself, having already forgotten to take care of himself. He'd also completely forgotten that he was shirtless and partially wet, so he did not notice the few awkward glances he received (as a result of his shirtless form, his scars, the fact that he was forming little puddles, and that he'd brought in an exhausted-looking goldrider).

Maybe I should stop it, Ciceroth suggested, though he did not move, mainly out of concern for dislodging Cath from her position. His gaze lingered on the smear of wet spots on the rock, and he briefly considered suggesting he 'remove' the tree by hitting the same spot with the shirt again. The shape would change and then Hepaticath would not have her fearsome tree to worry about anymore. It was endearing that she was so-convinced the little sapling was out to get her. He was very sure that there was little danger of the 'tree' actually hurting him, though. It was, after all, just a smear of water against an otherwise light colored rock. He chose not to correct her, though, instead crooning back to the little gold. That will be good as I do not like seeing you hurt. One day, I will dig up that tree and bring it to you, make it pay for hurting you so often. When you are bigger. We will throw it in the river, and watch it float away. Down stream, I think. Maybe it will find the ocean and become a wherry's nest.

[kysseh]

On any other occasion, Savitri would have appreciated the bluntness with which he was behaving. Now it was just irritating how he was bustling and fussing around her like she was... helpless. She was exhausted near to falling over, true, but she was not about to die of starvation... not for awhile yet. Still, she did not fuss at him for caring and made her way toward the stool without any protest initially. He looked rather silly with the redfruit clutched in his teeth like that, but that also went unacknowledged in favor of the place to sit, and she settled herself on the stool, bag at her feet and the pillow still cuddled on her lap. She got a few rather odd looks, but she guessed that it was the combination of hers and Ka'rys' rather odd appearances, with her being nearly dead on her feet and him being wet, shirtless, and-

Scarred.

Even tired as she was, Savitri's heart twisted painfully at the sight of the scars marring his upper back. Whip scars, they looked like, and they were old ones at that. She just sat and stared in silence as he went to retrieve the klah, her green eyes wide and worried as he came back. It distressed her to see those signs of old injury on him. Old serious injuries, really. She just stared down at the mug as he set it down on the counter in front of her, unconsciously licking her lips. She was thirsty. "What about you?" she inquired, glancing over his wet self, hesitant about taking a drink unless he had some as well. "You need to warm up a bit... or at least get a towel." The last thing she wanted was for him to freeze.

Her stomach growled again, and she grimaced in response. She was so hungry, and she glanced around the kitchen. What did she want? Something that went down easy, and he had mentioned soup in the vicinity. "Soup... soup is good. Another fruit if you can get away with it," she said, eyeing the fruit jealously. She loved fruit, and the fact that he had snagged one had her immediately envious. He did look rather humorous walking around with it stuck in his mouth like that, though he did not seem to notice. Of course he didn't. Dense little man, wasn't he? She shifted a little on her perch and lifted a hand to tuck a few stray strands behind her ears, giving a rather annoyed-looking drudge an apologetic smile and a nod to indicate that yes, Ka'rys was with her, and, yes, he was a pain. Her apologies.

By the time that I am bigger, it will be bigger too. We should let it grow and not bother it anymore. Hepaticath said sagely, though she crooned in quiet amusement at the thought of a tree floating downriver to become a wherrynest near the shore. That would be so funny! But, a tree in the river could also block the water, so that was perhaps not a good idea. Hepaticath had learned the problem with damming up a little stream and then suddenly releasing it. She had knocked Hers over by mistake. She belatedly realized that she was hampering Ciceroth's ability to move, and she quickly pulled away and tucked her wings in tight, crooning her apologies. I am sorry... she said, politely grateful and apologetic as she retrieved the shirt and waggled it at him. More games... right?

[glamourie]

. . . ?

Had he said something off? She'd gone silent; his initial reaction was to poke and prod to find out what was wrong... although, from her facial expression, he had a pretty good guess. He kept his questions and thoughts to himself. He didn't want to know if he was right. There were more important things to be discussing. Like Savitri's health. Which did not, in any way, relate to him. Ka'rys hated being in the spotlight. (Actually, there were numerous times in weyrling training that he'd wondered why he'd managed to Impress a bronze when he did so hate it -- but Ciceroth was very insistent that he shouldn't question things he could never understand and he'd eventually let it go in favor of not arguing.)

"I'll get a towel after I've seen you eat. My clothing is in my weyr; it's quite a walk and I don't plan to leave you alone," he countered with a shrug, then indicated the klah with his index finger. "Besides, I'm fine; I'll probably want to bury myself in my furs when I go back to sleep, but I'm perfectly fine otherwise. I'd rather make sure you're all right if it's just the same to you." It was warmer indoors, so the chill had somewhat passed. Yes, walking around in dripping pants was awkward, but they were beginning to dry. He probably should've hunted down a new pair, though. The fabric of his leggings was not designed to be worn whilst wet and the last thing he wanted was for it to brush against his skin and chafe. Maybe he could steal someone's clothes that were being washed, or some of the extra stuff they had stored away... it wouldn't fit him right, but hear Savitri talk about it, his clothing normally didn't anyway. Maybe, maybe.

Soup first, though. He gathered a bowl before prowling over to the soup pot. A few quiet words were exchanged with one of the drudges, who nodded and filled the bowl before setting a hunk of bread on the side. Ka'rys bobbed his head in thanks, then set the bowl down next to the klah pot on the counter (he noticed that Savitri hadn't touched it and shot her a brief accusing look). As he was doing that, the drudge had snagged a few types of fruit and sliced them into bits, with expertise that made it look easy. The woman put the plate next to Savitri, half-bowed, then went back to work, and Ka'rys flopped onto one of the stools, taking deliberate care to face her this time. He took another bite of his fruit and squinted, thoughtful.

"Did you know the fruit in the north is about one half this size?" he inquired, indicating the half eaten redfruit with interest. Most southerners seemed surprised by that but then, most of them had never set foot in the north. And had no desire to do so. Ironic, since there was once a time when both continents were united. Not in anyone living's lifetime, though. "Doesn't taste half as good either. I used to eat a lot less." Why was he making small talk? Mainly to make sure that Savitri stayed awake to eat. He half-expected her to pass out in her seat. Ridiculous female. Didn't she realize how much she worried people? Yes, he was fussing. Intentionally.

It will not be much bigger. Trees take Turns and Turns to get big. You will be bigger much faster, explained Ciceroth, though he relented; if she wanted to leave the little tree alone, that was fine with him. He didn't particularly like the idea of digging up trees anyway. Wait - why was she apologizing? The movement made Ciceroth lift his head and croon curiously, though as soon as he realized what she was sorry for, he rumbled in amusement and nudged her. You owe me no apologies. He paused, then added slyly, Rysmine likes Yours more than he is willing to admit, I think; he is greatly enjoying fussing over her.