15.06.02/Midday/Kitchens (Heather)

[Simile]

Black hair was braided down her back, loose pieces falling here and there across her face and on either side, framing her angular face, high cheekbones and almond shaped, deep brown eyes. Her nose was crooked. That was an old story. From when she and her sister. She stood straight and tall with dignity and pride. She was short. Quite short at that. Her skin was a rich tan color. Her coloring flowed well together.

Annae looked around her. She found herself thinking of her brother who had transferred to SMW. E'nae and Brown Xirith. She rather missed her brother at the moment. She had heard from him more than the rest of her family, though. That was for sure. Her mother hadn't want to let another daughter go to a Weyr, but Annae had gone all the same. But, because of that, she hadn't heard much from them lately. But... Next tiem there was a Gather, she would go.

Emri and Hrin swooped in then, as though to take her trail of thoughts back towards food - the reason that they had coem in the first place. Annae sighed and shook her head, but smiled. Her Blues were her closest friends here.

She had made plenty of "friends" but she didn't, in all honestly, feel overly close to many of them. She felt a bit... different than them at that.

[Heather]

/I bet the bread is going to be quite delicious today./

You disgust me.

The 6'5 Rider chuckled to himself as he entered the kitchens. The growling of his stomach spurred him on to go faster in his search for sustenance. For some reason Tserynth had the bright idea of flying all morning without stopping to eat. Although he had to admit that he thoroughly enjoyed himself. It was not often that they flew for a long period of time.

X'sias grabbed a plate of food and sat himself at a nearby table. He unconsiously shifted his hood further over his head and began to pick at his "breakfast." His mind wandered to that of the Weyr he was currently located at. It was definitely different from that of his old one. For one thing, the people here seemed to be happier than most. He guessed that was a good thing. But then again, that made more people wish to speak with him and become 'friends'. Not that he minded. X'sias could be a willing partner in any conversation and actually take interest. However, he just prefered not to.

A disturbance caused the dark-skinned Rider to break out of his reverie. He raised his eyes to the source of the commotion only to land on the girl that sat near him. Apparently her two blue fire lizards were ready for their meal as well. His lips quirked into a small smile.

"You'd think they were being starved to death." X'sias told the girl, motioning towards her blues with a deep chuckle.

[Simile]

Annae gave a small half smile, not looking at the Rider who had spoken to her as she answered, "Yeah... But I would truly ashamed of myself if they were..." She turned and gave him a smile as she tore off a piece of her roll for the two flitters, then tore it in half and gave each of them a piece, careful to make sure that the Blues didn't get her fingers or snip at each other.

Her dark eyes focused on the man. She didn't recognize him, but he seemed and interesting and friendly sort. Her smile showed just a hint of her white teeth under her dark lips. She looked back to the blues as she fed them each another piece. She, apparently, didn't have food for herself here because it was quickly disappearing into the mouths of Hrin and Emri. "My name is Annae and these two are Hrin and Emri. May I ask your name?" she said politely to him.

[Heather]

Who are you talking to?

/A young girl. I think she is a candidate./

Interesting. Be nice Mine.

/Aren't I always?/

X'sias' eyes came back into focus as he stopped talking to his nosey dragon. He shook his head slightly before taking a moment to actually look at the girl before him. She was rather nice looking and he fleetingly wondered why she sat here all alone. Most young women he knew were constantly surrounded by their friends and persistant suitors. He mentally scoffed at the thought of the young randy boys. X'sias was not like most men, he did not feel the urge to have relations with anyone as of yet. It was just as well since Tserynth still doesn't feel the need to Fly.

Why waste time with females. They just get moody on you and you never know when they're going to snap.

/Very true Tser/ He mentally chuckled. /Now leave me be and go sun your hide./

Fine. I see how it is.

It was then that X'sias realized that it had been several seconds since the girl had asked for his name. He smiled apologetically at Annae and tore off another piece of his bread. He reached out his arm slowly towards one of the blue flitts, offering a piece of his own roll. His eyes betrayed no sign of fear towards the miniature dragon; although, in the back of his mind he was a tad bit worried that it might bite him. Not that he couldn't take the pain, mind you. He was just afraid that instinct would take over and he would just backhand the thing. That probably wouldn't go over too well. "My name is X'sias. I am sorry for the awkward delay in my answer. Tserynth was being a nuisance." His lips quirked into a smirk at said dragon's indignant huff in reply.

[Simile]

Annae, surprisingly, had always been quite good at avoiding suitors and people in general when she desired too, although there was some learning involved over time. For the moment, she would much rather not have any suitors around. It made her life much simpler with just Emri and Hrin and her few friends.

Annae smiled. "There is no need to apologize, X'sias. Have you been at Rainbow Mists long?" She smiled as he tore off a piece of bread and offered it to the two blues. Hrin and Emri sniffed at it, curious and unsure... But It was Hrin who acted first, carefully inching forward before snatching the bread from X'sias hand without biting him or causing any injury.

"Hrin has always been the braver of the two." Annae reached out her hand to the slightly lighter blue flitt, Emri. "And Emri, his little brother, although much more timid, can be more aggressive when he feels pressed." She scratched the flitter's eye ridges, giving a smile as the flitter started to croon.

Hrin looked at X'sias curiously and gave a questioning chirrup, as if to ask if he could have more. "Hrin won't bite you. Especially if you are giving him food."

Her smile was small, but beautiful in its own way. Her brown eyes sparked when she smiled. She looked back to the little blue who lay across her forearm and stroked his wings.

"So... What does Tserynth think of flitters?" She looked over at him out of the corner of her eye. She knew that many dragons really didn't like flitters and she was really curious as to Tserynth's opinion of them. As well as his. "And what do you think of them?" she added, tone truly curious. She gave him a friendly smile.

[Heather]

X'sias let out a deep chuckle as the food was quickly devoured. He put the rest of the bread in his mouth and began to clap his hands free of the remaining crumbs. The Rider then held up his hands towards the fire lizards in a form of an apology. He had come to the kitchens to eat, not feed small creatures. "I sincerely apologize little ones. I had naught to eat all day."

His eyes stayed on the miniature dragons as he mulled over Annae's question. Did he like them? He cocked his head to the side. Perhaps they had a certain charm about them. To be completely honest, the things had piqued his interest from time to time. Such big personalities for something so small. "I like them well enough I suppose Annae. Never had the time to get to know one well enough to discover my true feelings on the little critters though."

/Tserynth what DO you think about your mini-mes?/

They amuse me.

"Tserynth considers them a form of entertainment. They amuse him apparently." X'sias looked at her for a moment and let out a small smile. Perhaps they could see just how much his dragon tolerated them. It was a bit disconcerting to think that he had no idea of his own Bonded's feelings towards fire lizards. "Would you like to meet Tserynth?"

[Simile]

Annae smiled a little sheepishly. "They are rather hungry little creatures." Emri looked very down cast at the idea that no more food was coming, but he crooned anyways and rubbed his head into X'sias' palm, as if saying "thank you" in his own flittery way. Hrin ducked into Annae's hair again.

"They can be a lot of fun, but they can be a bit annoying too... But as far as pets go, I think they are the best kind. But that's just as far as pets go, though. They make good friends, but they aren't very good with conversation," she grinned, laughing a little bit.

"Sure!" she said, rather excitedly. She blushed a little, embarrassed because of her own enthusiasm to meet the Brown.

[Heather]

X'sias flashed a smile at the little flitt and patted his head softly. Perhaps he would consider obtaining one at some point. He'd have to get permission from Tserynth of course. Although he didn't think he would have to press too hard for a positive response. His dragon tolerated everyone with respect, even the little fire lizards that most of his brethren loathed. "I can see where they would be lacking in that department, yes." X'sias laughed along with her.

At her excitement, X'sias flashed the girl a grin and began to get up from his seat. He stepped back with a bow and gestured an arm towards the exit. "After you milady, Tserynth awaits." Adjusting his head cover, he led the way to the large Brown.

/Tser, you're about to have company./

Oh, let me prepare myself. Never mind, I don't have to. I'm already quite amazing.

/In other words you're just lazy./

I'm a Brown? It's in my nature.

X'sias let out a hearty laugh. "I'm afraid I must apologize in advance Annae. Tserynth can be a bit much sometimes." He had to admit, this was going to be interesting to say the least. One never could know what the Brown was going to do. And somehow that fit X'sias perfectly.

[Simile]

"Yeah... They are good at images. But not at all at words!" She grinned.

"Thank you," she said, bowing slightly, feeling a little bit embarrassed by the gesture, or rather, his words. She had rarely been treated so politely, especially by men or boys... Then, he was probably much more grown up than most of those whom she was thinking of at this point.

Annae grinned. "I don't think there will be need for aapology.." She gave him her small, most endearing smile then.

((Sorry... lack of muse...))

[Heather]

"Well Annae, I won't take the apology back just yet. I like to think of Tserynth as having multiple personalities in one body. One minute he's a goof and the next he's spewing philosophic quotes at you, or me rather."

X'sias let out a chuckle as his dragon sent an indignant reply through their bond. He sent out a soothing mental caress to the Brown. "He is a very good companion though, don't get me wrong miss. We've been through some very tough times..."

The Rider trailed off for a few seconds as the flashbacks of their Hatching flitted across his mind. A shudder ran through his body and X'sias mentally kicked himself. It was not good to show weakness.

What is done is done.

/Right, no use dwelling on it now./

As the Weyrbowl approached, he could see Tserynth in the distance. Having noticed them as well, the large dragon put on a show of puffing out his chest and holding his head high. "Oh boy...here we go."

[Simile]

Annae smiled slightly. "Well.... I guess that's fair. Tserynth must be an interesting dragon, though." She grinned. A philosophic dragon. She didn't think she had met one of those yet. But they were all different, that was for sure.

She blinked, surprised he had just called her miss. She wasn't particularly used to that.... "I see... But I bet the two of you are stronger for it," she said softly, reaching over and gently patting his arm as a means of comfort, actually feeling somewhat awkward about it.

Annae grinned and laughed. This would definitely be fun. "Seems he is rather proud of being shown off," she whispered to X'sias, still grinning.