Gossip Monger [Kaya/Em]

[Shoki]

78.10.26
Midday


Delgeth was trying to sleep. During the day usually worked better, when everyone was busy working. Sometimes. He felt a spark of excitement and opened one eye. New dragon. Hmm, oh a messenger from Rainbow Mists. Well that was okay, it would die down soon. Oh, unless his rider caught wind of it-

A messenger?

[smear:c82009]Go find him yourself.[/smear:ffffff]

F’mil graciously excused himself from his conversation with the leatherworker and tried to track down where the messenger had gone. He only had so much time to track them down if he wanted scuttlebutt. He spotted a familiar Pink Weyrling and decided to recruit help.

“Emmeline! Have you seen a messenger? Delgeth saw one ride in but I do not know where he has gone.”

[Kaya]

"Oh, hi, F'mil," Em looked up. She was just returning to her weyrling lessons from lunch. "Looking for gossip, are you? Or do you have a letter to post? No matter, I saw his Blue huddled up against the Bowl and there's no mistaking him, so unused to the winter cold here. So with a mind to spot him, she had seen the Rider walking down the hallway towards the Weyrwoman's offices. "Where else do you think he's gone? Don't you see the emblem on his Blue's saddle? He's an important political messenger, he's gone to see the Weyrwoman or someone close to her no doubt." Em started walking them in that direction before she'd quite come to her conclusion. She was doing well in class. Perhaps F'mil could excuse her absence. Rioth, I'm with F'mil. We'll be late to lessens.

If you say we must, Em.

--

Korith huddled up against the Weyr Bowl side. It was so dreadfully cold. It made no sense to him whatsoever that it was supposedly winter here when it was so clearly summer back home. He made better sense of it by remembering they were amongst so many snowy mountain tops. He supposed some of the explanation made a hint of sense, but in the cold he didn't much care. Korith would much rather the weather be more hospitable, but he supposed that as it stood the wind better represented the feelings Telgar had for them.

Holt on the other hand was altogether too glad to be headed back towards the cold. He had emptied his bag with the Weyrwoman, and the Weyrleader, separately. He really couldn't do his job well otherwise. The Weyrwoman here was, to put it kindly, temperamental. Any action taken by others, she would find some fault with. It was impossible to speak, restrained or otherwise, about important business with anyone else as long as she was around. I'll be just another moment, Korith. These halls are so indirect, probably to keep folk from the cold.

Just hurry. Please, asked a very blue Blue.

[Shoki]

F’mil brightened up at the response. No direct answer but he had help and they were on the trail. What he himself was looking for leaned most toward gossip, but never mind that, they were away. Heading in the rough direction of the Weyrwoman’s location.

“Right, we merely have to be sure we do not miss each other.” F’mil said, moments before it almost occurred. Fortunately, a flickering gaze caught sight of a messenger bag and F’mil spun so fast he almost knocked into Emmeline. “Shardit, sorry about that Emmeline.” He tucked his arms to his sides, like someone keenly aware of their height and limbs before putting to a quick pace.

“Wait a moment!” His momentary slip up had left F’mil rather stiffly proper but he wasn’t about to let this go before he’d gotten what he needed. He closed the distance to the Blue rider and took a deep breath to speak cleanly. “I would like some news from Rainbow Mists if you have a moment to spare.”

[Kaya]

Holt stopped, then wished he hadn't. Curse his obedient legs. He turned stiffly in the cold to face the gangly stranger. "Sir, I'm on a route. I am expected elsewhere," Holt tried to weedle out of the man's tight gaze. He expected it not to work. It didn't. What would be safe news? Well, none of it. But there was the obvious, that certainly everyone had heard by now. That he couldn't be criticized for providing. "Fine, fine, I've a bit but you must have heard, Rainbow Mists has a new Weyrleader and a thus a Hatching on the way."

[Shoki]

F’mil’s face smoothing from stiff to merely formal was the only hint as to what was going on inside his head.

WELL THANK FARANTH FOR THAT. Delgeth rumbled a bit before trying back for a nap, he was just as pleased as F’mil that they didn’t have to deal with that looming issue anymore. As much as Delgeth might enjoy a good chase, they both had an issue with flights, and Queen flights were double trouble. Well that was past at least.

However F’mil, ever nosy, was a little curious as to the specifics. As was quite obvious the rider wasn’t pleased for the news which meant… Hmm. He wondered. He opened his mouth and made a stab at more information. In a rather roundabout way.

“I see. My condolences then.” He paused a moment, deciding not to let the bait hang long and merely continued innocently. “I rather did like D’gan as a Weyrleader. Shame it’s someone new.”

[Kaya]

"Oh, we all were glad of D'gan for the position. But he's a Rainbow Mists Rider yet and may take the reigns again in a few Turns, though your guess is as good as mine," Holt replied in turn, trying to assess if he could yet escape. He turned slightly and shifted back but sensed that the young Rider was not content to let him be just yet. And it would be a poor insult to brush off one of Telgar's King Riders, a little outside the popular loop though this one was. At least Holt assumed so, not being familiar with this one from his comings and goings at Telgar. And surely he must also say something flattering of the new leadership, and thus, "V'lan's a proper dragonrider if ever there was one, organized and already well versed in diplomacy. We should continue to do well with him."

[Shoki]

F’mil nodded along, this was all true but not what he was interested in. Fortunately the Blue Rider came around and let go the information that F’mil wanted. V’lan? Really? Shards, that was an interesting kettle. What the other rider said was all true though which made things all the more interesting. This was a juicy piece of gossip wasn’t it?

“I will grant you that. He has a known record of good mediation.” A fair pedigree too, though that was more of a qualification for this side of the ocean. Hence he didn’t mention it. “No doubt. Rainbow Mists shall do well.” He did not allow himself to say more then that, otherwise he might be overheard saying nice things about the leadership. Which was all very true and much more complicated with Telgar’s Weyrwoman.

[Kaya]

"I trust that satisfies you for news, Crimson Rider, sir," Holt nodded his head. He had already said far more than he wanted to. Honestly, he could not fathom that the news that an Igenese dragon had won the Queen Flight had not reached Telgar by now. It was the kind of interesting twist in interWeyr affairs that should have spread to every major hub within hours. Or so he imagined it. "If you've no further need of me, I've other deliveries to make." Again he set his head in a respectful nod and waited to be dismissed.

[Shoki]

F’mil’s brain was flipping a mile a minute under the weight of new gossip but the Blue rider called him back and he expressed a touch of sheepishness.

“Yes, I apologize. Thank you very much for your words. I will not take up anymore of your time. May you have fair winds.” He nodded back and waited for the Blue Rider to leave before turning back to Emmeline. He hadn’t meant to leave her out of the conversation but he could be horrifyingly one minded when it came to either gossip or morbid topics.

“I am sorry, I did not mean to leave you out of that. But it was most interesting…” He trailed off. There was a bit of danger about Delgeth being having to shut out Telgar for a stretch but he’d take that more mild inconvenience for having to avoid RMW or fearing a Queen flight. “Thank you for the help though. Both I and Delgeth thank you.” Delgeth did the mental equivalent of a sleepy murmur, well on his way to a nap.

[Kaya]

"And you," Holt echoed, and with a shallow bow turned about to hustle out to Korith. It was so cold!

What took you so long?! Korith complained.
I tell you, I am bluer now than when we got here!

Lies! You've stayed out in the cold plenty of times-

And the wind!

Yes, yes, and the ice and everything else. But, anyway, let's get out of here. Before someone else stops us. Holt had barely finished his thought before his Blue launched upwards to escape the cold Telgaran mountains. A few moments climbing and in a wink they were gone.

---

"Hm, what? Interesting?" Em looked up, focusing on F'mil. Posture unconcerned, as if she simply had business standing in that little hall towards the Bowl anyhow. "Did you find out what you wanted to know?"

[Shoki]

“In so far as I can go back to work, yes.” F’mil got a sneaking suspicion that he might have more work of that variety in the future. Not that the Weyrleader would ask him to stay around RMW and try to snoop about what V’lan’s presence might change, but F’mil knew that he was invested in keeping Telgar away from that conflict and the shorted it lasted the better the chances.

What the Weyrwoman would do in light of this news was anyone’s guess. Unfortunately.

“Everything else is merely the accompaniment to the melody.” He’d been reading up on his favorite dead raising instrument again. He wondered if he would do anything beyond read about it. Reading about it was delightful though. He peered at Emmeline for a moment. “Did you ever envy Weyrleaders?” He put it in a past tense, though it was possible she still did envy them. He just thought she didn’t seem to at the moment.

[Kaya]

Emmeline opened her mouth to give an answer, as if it were the most obvious thing the world. But not a sound come out. She hung there with her mouth open, before it snapped shut and she frowned. Did she envy them? Perhaps she had a few days dreaming of lording a title over her aunt. Her family certainly expected her to Impress well. But did she envy them? "I don't know," she ventured. "Maybe?"

To envy, one had to know their desires. And for her? It would be a good thing to ponder during whatever boring weyrling lesson was being presented today. "What I do know is I'll envy your free time if I'm not to lessons soon." She gathered herself up to go, trying to brush off the question that asked after her true nature. Even she wasn't entirely sure. Maybe Rioth would know? "See ya," she called with a casual wave.

[Shoki]

F’mil watched the weyrling swallow her answer and give a different one. Interesting. He took a breath to speak but it didn’t seem the time. Oh well, there would be plenty of time to share his views on the matter at a later date. He chuckled a very little before giving a wave in return for hers.

“See ya.” He echoed the words but he wasn’t quite comfortable with them. Well, maybe he could be more himself with practice. Well there were two good ways to get him to be most himself. A good run in with his favorite morbid subjects was one. Of course, in light of the situation he knew the more apt decision. He started to head toward the dining hall.

He supposed it was time to gossip with the kitchen workers.