A Pleasant Afternoon

Writers: Avery, Emma
Date Posted: 19th July 2016

Characters: Xeladrie, K'dee
Description: The Lady spends some time with the watchrider.
Location: Sunstone Seahold
Date: month 6, day 12 of Turn 8
Notes: Mentioned: Bryvin

Xeladrie

Xeladrie was bored and restless. Her plan to stop dealing with the
child was working out well enough; as her supply of milk dried up, the
babe was easily handed off, and she had more time for herself. Bryvin
had said they could head to Citrus Bay sometime soon, but so far no
details of the promised trip had emerged. So instead she decided to
take a long walk.

**Glimmer, who's the watchdragon?** she thought at the green flit,
focusing on the watch area and adding curiosity.

Glimmer popped out there and saw a bronze dragon. ~~Exciting~~ she
sent back to Xeladrie before flying over to him and flaping around his
head to take a look.

The little green made an impression on her much larger bronze cousin.
Vatonth bugled a soft greeting to the little one, watching as she
circled around. His rider laughed. "Found a friend have you?" he said
aloud as he slowly walked over from his seat to lean against the
bronze's hide. "Don't get her over excited, I'm not sure her owner
would appreciate that too much."

Glimmer shrieked at the bugle and blinked /between/. When she
re-emerged, she dove down to stare Vatonth in the eye, cheeping loudly
to scold him for startling her.

Xeladrie arrived not far behind. She was wearing a long dress with
short sleeves and wearing a hat to stave off the sun. "Good day,
bronzerider K'dee."

"Ma'am," K'dee said formally, managing to stand up straight to greet
the Lady of the Hold. "It's a pleasure to see you today."

"It's lovely to be outside," she said. "Are you too warm out here? Do
you ever need a drink? The Hold would be happy to provide its
courtesies."

"I'm from the Weyr. Means I'm used to the weather, but a cold drink
would always be welcome on a day like this." K'dee smiled, trying to
be unobtrusive as he admired the Lady Xeladrie. There was just
something about her that he could admire, she seemed to have brains as
well as beauty, especially when compared to some of the other young
women who had just happened to walk past to try and catch a glimpse of
a bronze dragon and his rider.

"If you wouldn't mind some company, I could get some cold drinks and
sit out here, enjoying the sun." She could tell her husband it was for
her health.

"I'd never say no to some good company, and I believe I did promise to
tell you something about my craft," K'dee said after a moment. "I've
been charting the weather patterns, and i could explain something
about it, if you'd like."

"Yes, I'd like that. Especially if you can tell me if anything bad's
coming up soon. I'll be right back," she assured.

It didn't take her long to find a drudge and re-task them to go
indoors, get a pitcher of cold fruit juice and some glasses, and to
bring out a portable shade for them. Being the Lady had its perks.
Once she'd sent off the drudge, she walked back over.

"They'll bring it out soon."

The bronzerider gave her a smile as he awkwardly bent to retrieve the
hides he'd been using. "It's simple really. I record the air pressure
and temperature, the rainfall level, wind direction and speed." He
showed her the notes. "We can use it for lots of things, like
predicting weather conditions during fall, or if storms are coming."

"Rainfall level makes sense to me. What does air pressure have to do?"

"At it's simplest," he began. "If the air pressure is what we call
high, which is over this mark," K'dee showed her another chart. "The
more stable the weather tends to be, and the winds are more gentle. If
it drops suddenly, then we know that the weather will be more
changeable, for example it could rain, or we could see storms."

"Interesting. I would have assumed high is bad," she said. "So that's
how you make the daily forecasts?"

"That's part of it, we also get reports of weather systems moving in,
mainly from other riders. It could be that if there's a bad due north
of here, we'd want to know if the wind changes to bring it closer in
so we can prepare." Definitely some brains he thought, some people
didn't get it when he tried to explain how weather patterns could
develop and impact life. "We also look at the currents at sea,it's a
warmish one all turn round near here, so that helps keep the climate
warm."

"So the riders can pass weather news to each other. Does that mean it
circles around the whole continent? Does anyone make a note of the
whole South, or just what ones own area looks like?" Dragon
communication sounded useful.

"We could get it if we wanted to, but as riders, the main thing is to
know about the area each Weyr covers. A windy day makes threadfall
worse, but a very cold, or wet day can make fall easier even though
flying conditions are harder." He grinned, "But there are advantages
to knowing what the weather is like, it means I can do things like go
and see snow in the middle of summer if I wanted to."

"Such an ability to travel. It sounds _marvelous_," Xeladrie said. "Or
if you lived in a winter weyr, you could see the beach whenever? What
sights you must have seen."

"I'm sure you've seen some wonderful things here too. Parties,
celebrations and the like."

"I have," Xeladrie agreed. "But never the mountains, or snow more than
a few times..." She shrugged.

"Maybe," a thought occurred to the bronzerider. "And I mean no
impropriety in this, but if your husband were to accompany us, or give
his permission, I could show you the mountains near Dream's End Weyr.
They have snow on top almost all of the turn."

"I will ask him. I'd love to see the snow. And I had been meaning to
ask if we were attending the next Hatching at your own Weyr. Do you
know when that will be?"

"Soon I believe," replied K'dee. "I have no doubt there'll be an
invitation sent here."

"I hope so. I'd really love to see the eggs crack, and to pay our
respects to the new leader." She sighed wistfully. "Would you be our
ride, if the Lord says yes?"

"I'm sure that could be arranged."

"That would be wonderful. I'd rather go with someone I trust," she
said with a charming smile. And K'dee was a bronzerider, so he'd be a
trustworthy chaperone.

"If you mention it when you reply, that would be best." K'dee returned
the smile. Did the Lord here know how attractive his wife was?

"Then I will," she promised. She took a deep sip of the cold drink the
drudges had brought while they were talking. It had been so enjoyable
to talk to K'dee that, she didn't know when. "I should probably go
back inside now. To feed my son. But I will see you later?"

"I'll be here for the next few candlemarks."

Last updated on the July 29th 2016

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A Pleasant Afternoon