Aiming for Fun [Kaya]

[Shoki]

77.06.16
Late afternoon
Kaya

R’le was quite annoyed. He had been working all afternoon on one little bit of paper, signed by this, that and the other person. Finally he managed to get it all arranged and whoops! It wasn’t actually needed. That was rather vexing. Fortunately he knew exactly how to blow off steam.

Quiorith! Tell Archith and Hrith that I’m hosting a little game of darts near the edge of the jungle. I have the perfect target

The Cloud went to do that and R’le dashed off to find a spot to set up. Quiorith was lurking nearby, for appropriate directions, while his rider put the paper up and drew a neat target on the back. It would do. He had a dart set handy, obtained for this exact purpose, and opened it up and set it back some distance from the makeshift target. Perfect! Now all he had to do was wait for someone to play with.

Burn nibbled on his shirt.

And not get eaten alive while he waited.

[Kaya]

Lithena! Invitation! Hrith announced. The Black-Green got up to look out into valley. There weyr didn't afford them a view of R'le - probably very few of them would have in any case - but Hrith enjoyed the looking. She could imaging where R'le was based on Quiorith's message. And with Lithena out doing something her claws couldn't manage it would be fun to watch.

Oh. Darts. And it's nearing dinner so of course I can bring the best part, Lithena replied. She passed by a mirror to make sure she looked just right. Never knew when a passerby would stop to watch their game of darts. Looks arranged, Lithena picked up a small wooden crate. Annoying to carry anything at all, but worth it. Not worth trusting to firelizards, even if she did now have three. However did that happen?

Please stay lucid enough that I can watch. Hrith requested. Lithena laughed and headed out the door towards this very fun sounding round of darts with friends. If you insist, Hrith. No promises after dinner.

What a lady you are, Lithena.

I made no promises of being so.

Life of party, of course, Lithena made it there before her sister. Who was probably buried in work. Or wallowing in personal problems. Rilora seemed to collect them like Lithena collected bottles.

"Gift from a friend of mine up north," Lithena announced as she approached R'le. She set down the crate and drew out what she considered a good drink. Then a trio of glasses, though she predicted what Rilora would say. "Thanks for bringing the darts."

---

It would be a few more minutes before Rilora arrived. She started to frown at Lithena's habits but then in a second thought revoked her first. Of the two of them, who could really be said to have their life better put together? Lithena.

"Thanks for the invite, R'le," Rilora got out a smile. It was an effort but she suspected it would get easier with a few more minutes as she was finally left by the burden of work and the cruel thoughts one thinks when alone. "Darts? Drinks? Good."

"You're kind of stiff, sis. I got a glass for you if you'll take it," Lithena offered with a smile, wrinkled by her expectation of a 'no'.

"Now you know there's a reason I say no to drinks around you two, right?" Rilora protested.

"Hey. Just one. S'all you need anyway," Lithena defended, swooping around to fill up the glasses. "Save your baby sister having to keep yours from going to waste."

Rilora's eyes drifted up to the side and she smiled. Her sister. "R'le, you're going to hold her to that?" she asked. "One?"

[Shoki]

R’le looked up with a broad grin when Lithena showed up. She put down a box that he looked at intently as she revealed its contents. He gave an appreciative whistle.

“If I had known you were brining something so fun, I woulda started doing a dart night on the regular.” R’le chuckled before looking up at the voice of the other Brennawen. He gave a pleasant wave before she went to eye what Litehna was about. Siblings.

“Hey now, I have learned my lesson about how many bottles is proper with this group.” R’le tried to be serious, but he was never very good at it. His grin kept seeping in.

“That I will. Besides, I will be wanting my fair share of that bottle tonight so I’ll make sure it sneaks my way, not yours.” R’le was already eyeing the glasses. He really did need to relax right now, and he was well acquainted with liquor for that purpose. Still he had to wait for his glass.

“Who wants to go first? Lithena? Rilora?” He motioned to the darts with a little flair.

[Kaya]

"I suppose me," Rilora offered, moving to pick up a dart. Lithena dropped in next to R'le, one glass in each hand. She offered one to him with a tilt of the head while her eyes flickered between Rilora's attempt and her expectation that R'le would take the drink. Rilora threw the dart well enough, it hit the edge of the board, which wasn't bad for a first through.

Lithena had already slipped back to the crate and retrieved something for her sister. "Here. Help ya throw better."

"Of course it will," Rilora accepted with dripping sarcasm. She took a ginger sip and indicated for Lithena to take her turn. Lithena shrugged, casually picked up a dart, and carelessly threw it. It bounced off the tree onto the ground. She took a generous drink and slid out of the way for R'le. "Does so, Rilora. Just watch my aim get better."

"Your turn, R'le," Lithena prompted, standing next to her sister to watch. "How've you been, anyhow?"

[Shoki]

R’le accepted the drink with a nod and took a sip. There, now he was on his way to relaxation. Good stuff too. He watched Rilora’s throw with a little bit of satisfaction. Served that target right. He took a sip while Lithena threw a dart, then chuckled at her statement about her aim getting better. Well he didn’t doubt that at least. He grabbed a dart next and looked at the target while he spoke.

“Oh here and there. On the one hand Yinaire is just starting to walk. Always seems exciting. On the other work is work. Paperwork’s been annoying but well,” R’le let the dart fly and it neatly hit the edge of the circle he drew on it. “I manage to destress afterward.” He let a grin play on his face. “Usual stuff. What about you guys? I feel like I see you both all the time but don’t get a chance to talk.” He pulled back, keeping the drink in his right hand so he didn’t have to shift it when his turn to throw came up again.

[Kaya]

"Talk about all the time," Rilora shrugged, trying to shift off the weight of all those papers. Since the war started it was one message after another, reports and stocks and gathering support, or at least neutrality. And D'gan had been rather distant in all of it. The violence of it all wasn't easy to manage. "You're right though. It's been a cold and lonely social life since this nastiness all started. I'm not exactly a popular one for this," Rilora chuckled uneasily. She picked up a dart and sized up the target. She inhaled, held it, and threw the dart. A little closer towards the middle this time. She sighed and backed up for Lithena's turn.

"Gotta blame someone," Lithena shrugged, throwing her dart with umph. It thudded into the tree several inches above the paper. "Shards." Lithena swore and kicked back her glass. "Maybe this isn't my sport, R'le." Lithena agonized. "Get Rilora talking about something other than the mess the world is in."

"Like my personal life is better." Rilora quipped, her arms held in to her chest, glass resting under her chin.

[Shoki]

Grim stuff these days. R’le tried not to think too hard about that sort of stuff, as he tended to get testy otherwise. Besides, there were a few things to be grateful for. Problem was, they could get tedious to listen to after a while. Speaking of.

“Me? I’m having a hard time keeping the subject off things related to Yinaire. Frankly I’m surprised you people can still stand me.” A little light teasing and he took a sip of his drink. It really was hard though. He grabbed another dart and aimed it at the target. This time he was, well, very close to center. Probably a good thing for a man whose chosen weapon was throwing knives.

“Well if we are trying to keep things all sunshine and rainbows, I can tell you that one of my harper friends is coming down in a seven day or so. He’s got business at Cliffside so he wanted to stop on by and say hi. Don’t know if that is good for you guys, but it’s something.” R’le got out of the way for Rilora’s next shot. “Might be able to persuade him to put on a little show. If you guys wanted.”

[Kaya]

"Doting father," Lithena teased in an aside. She let R'le continue. She watched with raised brows as the dart sunk into the middle of the target.

"Only if he's the funny sort," Rilora said, moving to pick up a dart. The pile of them was getting smaller. "I deal with the serious stuff on the daily, you know." She felt the weight of the dart, interested by it and this game, the sharp point. She felt a philosophical thought nag but pushed it away. She took a sip of her drink and set it down to take her turn at darts. "I'm glad your son is well, all my grumpiness aside." Rilora took aim and let the dart go. It landed on the other side of the center as her last dart. "I'll get the middle next time." The board would need to be cleared soon, but she didn't offer. Lithena would probably miss again.

Lithena went. Her dart zipped past the tree all together. Swearing she stomped off after it. "Don't hit me!" she called back, entirely unconcerned.

"She really does have horrible aim," Rilora commented.

"I can hear you!"

"But on your offer, if you think it'd help, have him come by the dinning hall. I'm sure the people here could use a lift of spirits. I'm just not sure how apt my spirits are to lifting," Rilora admitted, picking up her glass again. "Archith hasn't been any help either. She's been in a mood since her egg was stolen. It's enough to make me wish I had fallen into the simple farming life I expected without doubt as a child. Honestly, how did I end up here?"

[Shoki]

“I think he knows a couple jokes. He was with me on drums way back when though.” R’le watched Rilora’s dart fly, giving an appreciative nod at the result. He gave a fresh grin when Rilora said she’d hit the center next. Rilora he believed. As for Lithena, well… He watched the dart completely miss the tree. He wasn’t that surprised.

R’le grabbed the next drat her would be using, twiddling it with his fingers. On hand for darts, the other for his drink. Good times.

As he listened to Rilora his grin went to more of a mischievous smile. How did one get here, huh? Well...

“If you were anything like me, well you had a dragon rider come to you and promise and adventure you couldn’t have anywhere else. And you think, hey, if it doesn’t work out, you might be out a little time, but you haven’t lost any of the knowledge you had, and might even have made some dragon rider friends. Even if you have to go back, you’ll go back with stories of dragons.” R’le took a sip of his drink. “Or maybe that last part was just me.” He gave a casual smile.

[Kaya]

"Well she certainly wasn't thinking of all the hunky men," Lithena teased, returning with her dart. She had finally found it. Took long enough. "You should paint these orange or something..."

"Oh, no, Lithena. That was you." Rilora quipped back.

"Was it now? Hm. You could be right," Lithena agreed, returning to swing her arm over her sister's shoulders. "That sound right, R'le? Course it does," she answered immediately. "Seriously. Or not, sis. Anyway, small town life wasn't for me. Much more exciting here."

Rilora shoved Lithena to the side. She took a dart and hit above the center, about half way between the rim and the middle. "Huh. Probably time to clear it, R'le?" she asked.

"I'll get it. Not that you appreciate all that I do for you day in and day out, dearest sister." Lithena carried on, taking the darts from the board.

"Sometimes I'm not sure why I said yes to the SearchRider," Rilora said. Her voice tried to shrink. "Lithena was going. Mom said it was okay. And to keep an eye on her. And the farm kept running fine, after some adjustment, without us."

Lithena dropped the scattering darts down amongst the group. "Well, you're here. Got anything better to say?"

"I'm working on it," Rilora said. She took a sip. "And it's your turn."

Having forgotten, Lithena picked up a dart and half heartedly threw it at the board. It flopped to the ground before making it to the tree. "Your go, R'le. Tell us of these adventures you were promised."