Passing off Zalyu

Ista Weyr - Living Caverns(#9756RJ)
Large enough to house the entirity of the weyr's population at one time, the cavern set aside to house the very heart of the weyr's life is a grandoise, somewhat circular affair, filled with rows of long tables. Bustling and busy, it is a rare moment indeed when there is not someone at work or leisure in here; the long trestle table by the kitchens is perpetually filled with plates and trays of food, a pot of something always bubbling upon the mahogany hearth, ready to fill the belly of any hungry resident or rider. Although a high table is set aside for seating respected dignitaries on formal occasions, most of the tables here are not designated to any particular group— rather, all levels of Ista's population eat together, intermingled across the broad cavern.
Great tapestries have been flung down the walls, orange and black borders remarking upon Ista's heritage, the age-faded hangings depicting scenes of importance to the Weyr— the erruption of the volcano; the first clutch; the view from the star stones, over forest, dark beach, and glistening waves of blue. Propellor-like fans have been affixed to the ceiling in more modern times, cooling the cavern on the hottest of days. Passageways lead up the stairs to the kitchens, down a second flight of stairs to the lower caverns, and out into the expanse of the broad weyr bowl.

Zorya nods, leaving the tapestry behind for intelligent company and conversation. It will be there later. "I think so, yeah." she replies, thinking for a moment as she crosses the cavern to join the girl. "Yeah, when he was introducing me to dragons.." Inimeth, and that meeting having been the first for her. "So far it's been wonderful," she continues on to answer the second of the green rider's questions, "I think I'm finally starting to find my way around that I'm not getting lost all the time." she laughs.

Dryssa takes a seat for herself now that she's managed to get Zorya's attention, giving the girl a friendly smile. "D'son's a nice guy. A little awkward sometimes, especially for a bronzerider, but definitely a nice guy. Very… holdbred, if you know what I mean." She takes a long sip of her fruit juice, then smiles again. "Well, don't be afraid to ask if you need some help! It's what we're here for."

"He seems nice," Zorya agrees, "Mind?" she asks, nodding to indicate a nearby chair, taking a see once Dryssa has confirmed that she doesn't. No, she doesn't quite know what the other girl means, but then she's not going to say it. "Thanks, but it was kinda fun." Not always, not when she had to ask three different people how to get to the springs to meet Zip one day, but still. "Trying to find my way around, it was kinda like a game." she laughs.

Dryssa quickly shakes her head and smiles at Zorya's first question. "Oh, no, please! Take a seat. Company is always welcome. Besides, it's practically my job to be friendly to visitors." She leans back in her seat, smiling brightly. "So what sort of fun things have you done here at Ista so far? How long are you going to be staying?"

L'ton is meandering into the cavern with a child. Now, given that this is L'ton, really the presence of a child should be nothing out of the ordinary. However, the fact that this child is not with the nannies, nor is the toddler familiar looking other than that he is a miniature L'ton, should raise a few red flags. They both, however, are in lightweight clothes as they enter the cavern, Zalyu distracted by the stuffed firelizard in his hands, while L'ton seems to decide that his neice and her companion are the ones to bother.

Niah walks into the living caverns, glancing around anxiously and walking quickly ,almost jogging, to the food. Getting herself a little bit of this, but grabbing a glass of juice and putting just a very little bit of wine in the glass. It could easily be missed, her spiking her juice. She is wearing her riding jacket, hair braided from the root and left in two braided pig tails on her back. They make her look much to young to appear nearly six months pregnant. Spotting L'ton with the child she waves, sipping on her spiked juice and saying. "Who is this?"

"So far its been alot of wandering, and getting lost." Zorya replies, with a smile. The majority of her first couple days in fact were spend more or less lost. But that's beside the point. "Met some people, caught up Zipalla." she adds. "At this point it looks like indefinitely." L'ton, being out of sight hadn't yet caught the girl's attention, until Niah's questioning of the child in his arms. "And how have you been doing? Since graduation and all…" she trails off, the blue rider having drawn her gaze to her uncle.

Dryssa grins as she continues her chat with Zorya. "Well, that's great to hear! There are certainly worse places to have an extended stay at Ista. Just let me know if there's anything we can do to help. We try to be a friendly bunch, and all. I've been great! Star Ruby is just a fantastic wing to work with…" She trails off when she spots the arriving riders, waving to both of them. "Hi!"

"Zorya, Dryssa.." L'ton offers in greeting to both of them, having apparently taken note of Dryssa's name at some point during her time as a weyrling, for he's offering her a wide smile. And then he's catching Niah's words. "This, Niah, is Zalyu." And then he's waving her into a seat with them. "Ah went to Xanadu ta take him a present, and Ah came back with him as a present of my own." L'ton is still somewhat confused by the whole thing, honestly, and the 18 month old is left to stare at the three women around him with a bubbly giggle.

Niah is caught off guard, smiling her biggest brightest smile at the little boy, "Oh L'ton, he is perfect. Can I keep him?" She asks breathlessly, like love at first sight. Reaching out her arms for the child she says to L'ton, "Can I hold him?" It seems she is getting a jump on her mothering, sitting down she then looks concerned quietly saying with big eyes, "That is awful, what kind of person would just hand off their baby?" Shaking her head and sipping on her juice, she runs a finger down Zalyu's cheek. Absently she waves to the other two at the table, very distracted around the baby.

"I.. yeah." Zorya replies to Dryssa, having mostly stopped listen and simply watching L'ton until he's taken a seat with them and is introducing the toddler. She understands that completely. "They do that, pawn off the kidlets when you least expect it be they cousins, nieces and nephews or otherwise. He's precious though Ton." she smiles brightly. She's ended up playing babysitter -alot-. "Reminds me of Eykyan when he was that little."

Dryssa is sitting at a table with Zorya, enjoying a mug of juice. It's mid-afternoon on what seems to be an exceptionally hot day at Ista. L'ton and Niah are nearby, along with an adorable eighteen month old child holding L'ton's hand. Dryssa smiles warmly at the kid. "Oh! He's adorable. A relative of yours, right? There's a definite familial resemblance."

L'ton is more than willing to deposit Zalyu in Niah's lap, grinning at her. "Yer welcome to him fer now. Ah mean, eventually Senkyou may come ta get him, but she said she wants his daddy ta get to know him, fer a while." Or, at least that was her excuse, L'ton just went with it. Zalyu continues to giggle and chuckle, leaning to try and grab at Niah's ponytails, as L'ton shakes his head at Zorya, before nodding at Dryssa. "Mah son." He offers with a smile.

Niah takes him readily, cradling him around her stomach and giving his head a soft kiss. "Hello little one." She bounces him slightly, nodding to L'ton and sipping her juice. The food is left alone, and she says to L'ton "Well, he should get to know what a wonderful person you are." She whispers, before lapsing into silence. Looking at Dryssa and Zorya, her shyness coming out and she fidgets slightly and plays with the baby. At the pulling she readily accepts it, allowing him to do what he pleases with her hair and saying. "You are so very cute." To the little one.

Audria slips into the cavern, almost unnoticed, running her fingers through her hair, then idly pushing up her glasses. Making her way to the serving table, she quickly pours herself a mug of klah, then looks around for somewhere to sit. When she notices the small cluster of riders, plus Zorya, she starts to move past them, until she recognizes Dryssa there, and goes over to the young greenrider, whispering something into her ear.

"What?" Zorya asks, "They do…." She's been there! And half expecting her uncle to do the same sooner or later now that he's show up with one of the many children she's heard he has.

Dryssa is a little surprised by the sudden appearance of Audria by her ear, jumping a bit and then giving the nanny a smile. "Well, hi! How're you, Audria? Lovely weather we're having, isn't it?" When the surprise wears off, she smiles back at the others and the kid taking up so much attention. "That would certainly explain it. He's adorable!"

L'ton watches the appearance of the nanny for a moment, tilting his head at the unheard whisper before, shaking his head at Zorya. "Dun worry, Ah ain't gonna stick ya with him." Not that she should have to worry, considering how Niah already seems quite attached. "Ah do have to say he's real cute. Ah mean, look at them curls. And those big ol' eyes." He makes a face at the boy as his nose is grabbed at, before Zalyu wiggles around to look at Dryssa with a smile. "Kiiiiiiiiiiiiiii." Perhaps not quite the right sound to start off the word, but, that /is/ why babies are cute.

Niah giggles at the baby, not relaxing much but bouncing the baby. At Zorya she seems to catch onto the conversation, shaking her head at L'ton. "I insist he comes home with me tonight." she whispers, to him. Giving the baby another small kiss. "Unless, of course Mai wants him." She hugs the baby, and says to Zorya. "I-I'm taking him home." Her tone firm, looking at him and then at Audria. No waving, just awkward amount of staring.

Audria giggles, blushing at the sudden attention from L'ton. She knows his reputation, but hasn't yet managed to connect said reputation to the baby-toting bronzer that's right there in the conversation. "Oh, I'm not going to stop you, Dear. It's up to his daddy there. Believe me, I don't like taking work home with me." She turns to Dryssa, and smiles at her. "It is, and I'm doing wonderfully. How about you?"

Zorya laughs, "Ah don't mind." Though it is nice to know he wasn't planning on it. "Ah'm used to it anyhow." A smile towards the toddler, "I have to agree though, he is cute." And she's not just saying that because he's family. "Will be good practice, huh?" she adds with a bit of a chuckles, turning a smile towards Niah.

Dryssa can't help but grin at the cute greeting she receives from the smiling baby, giving him a little wave of her fingers in return. "Well, hi yourself! You really do looke just like your dad, you know that?" She giggles and looks back at Audria. "I'm doing great! Been a little busy. Vyanath's in a very energetic mood today for some reason."

L'ton arches an eyebrow at Dryssa's words, shaking his head. "Just.. keep an eye on her. And, it might be best fer ya ta not go ta far from the Weyr, just in case." L'ton interjects from where he's still making faces at Zalyu, even as they are now to the boy's back. "Nah, not just like meh. Ah think he's way cuter, Ah mean.." L'ton shrugs a bit, giving Audria a wink across the table before he's resting his hand lightly on Niah's shoulder. "Fine, fine, ya can take him home." One less thing for him to worry about!

Niah raises and eyebrow at Dryssa's comment and shakes her head, paying more attention to the child. She jumps a bit at the hand, relaxing and getting another long drink of her juice, then looking at the food and saying. "You hungry little guy?" Looking over at L'ton she says, "has he been fed?" She strokes his hair, "He could be you when you were small." She comments, thoroughly enjoying the baby in her lap. When he gives her permission she says, "You're going to have to help me get him up to my weyr."

Audria smiles as she watches Niah with the baby, the blushes bright red at the wink from the younger man, and looks down, then turns to Dryssa. "You should keep an eye on her dear. How old is she now?

Dryssa tilts her head and peers at L'ton quizzically, oblivious to what he might be implying. "Huh? Keep her close to the weyr? She's just feeling a little antsy, she isn't sick or anything. I'dve made sure she saw the dragonhealers if I thought she might be ill!" She gives Audria a little smile. "Vyanath? She'll be two in another four turns or so. Just graduated, you know."

"Just in case she decides ta go up. Cause, well, we're use ta it, but them holders, not so much." And he's bobbing his head in Zorya's direction, before leaning a bit across the table to Dryssa. "But, Ah know that C'nor told ya, but dun worry when it does happen. Cause, it's gonna be 'kay." And then he shakes his head a bit at Niah, with a grin. "If'n ya say so. And, Ah dun think he has. And, Ah will." Her slew of questions are answered all in one breath, even as he's watching Dryssa for another moment, grinning to himself at Audria's reaction.

Audria nods. "She's about the right age, dear. Has she risen before?" She glances at L'ton, and blushes again.

Dryssa blinks, processing what L'ton said for a moment. "Go up? Already? But… Tejath's the same age, and she hasn't gone up yet. How'm I supposed to know if that's what she's up to?" Dryssa seems almost suspicious for a bit, pondering everything. "Well, uhm, no, she hasn't. I didn't think she was getting old enough!"

"Ah've been wondering when yer group would start. Usually there's at least one that decides to take off before they even graduate." L'ton explains for Dryssa's benefit, shaking his head and keeping an eye on Niah and the toddler in her lap, before looking back to Dryssa. "Most of ya'll seem ta want ta get outside, right before it happens, like, ya dun wanna be crowded but ya do. But, Ah ain't sure, cause well, Dhon ain't no green." He winks at the young, uncertain rider, while Audria is the recipient of a toothy grin as he leans back in his chair, running his hand through his hair.

A hurried Tellus strides in to the cavern and heads towards the serving table, "Right, yes…okay..Look, I…I'll be there." She just rolls her eyes as she continues to chat it up in to that annoying little communications device she's always got on hand. "Okay, alright. Good bye. S…Goodbye." Click, she closes the device and puts it away.

Audria goes an even brighter pink when she notices L'ton's latest look, and tries to find something else to busy herself with. She looks around, and spots a new arrival, smiling shyly at the minecrafter

Dryssa starts to look a little worried as she mulls over the possibilities. "Well… I guess I knew it'd happen sooner or later. Huh. Anything that I should… you know… do to prepare? Or something?" That whole lecture apparently went in one ear and out the other. After catching Audria's look, she looks over and spots Tellus. She grins brightly and waves. "Tellus! Hi!"

"Ah guess Ah'd try and like, make sure that ya ain't stuck anywhere with someone ya dun like. And try and keep an eye on her.. if'n she seems real antsy, it could be a sign, and ya may want ta make sure ya ain't with all the Holders, ya know?" He shrugs a bit, letting his gaze wander from Audria when she gets distracted, simply nodding his head to Tellus.

Zorya just sits and looks between the four of them. Confused? Very much so. She turns a questioning gaze on her uncle. Explain? Someone, please. There really is alot more to know than she ever thought possible.

Tellus's glance sweeps past Audria, to whom she smiles back, then to the reason she's even distracted, "Hey there Dryssa." Well she feels that eyes are upon her, "What? If you're talking mating flights, don't look at me, Tesk isn't about to go chasing no dragon." Of course the imagery would be like a chuaua mating with a great dane.

Audria blushes, then remembers something, as she checks her watch. "Oh my! I need to go, get the kids ready for dinner." She leans over and whispers to Dryssa.

Dryssa offers Audria a slightly embarassed little smile. "Yeah, see you later." She then looks to those remaining, sighing and leaning on the table, propping her chin up in her hand. "L'ton thinks that maybe Vyanath is going to go up soon." She says by way of explanation to both Tellus and L'ton.

L'ton nods, letting that be his echo of Dryssa's words. But then, his eyes are widening slightly, and he's shaking his head, excusing himself. "Ah.. Ah gotta run. Dryssa, g'luck, and Niah, ya take good care of him. If'n ya check with the nannies, Ah'm sure they have a pouch to help ya get him up there. And Zorya, stay out of trouble." His instructions are tossed over his shoulder at them before he's headed at a sprint for the bowl.

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