Prospects

Writers: Eimi, Yvonne
Date Posted: 20th September 2008

Characters: Zebrekhan, Tsaera
Description: Zeb and Tsaera make plans to do a little prospecting
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 12, day 4 of Turn 4

"Your Lord Holder might not be so happy that you've left his Lady so
exposed like that," Zeb said with a roguish smile. "Some Steward might
come along and sweep her off her feet."

"Is that a hint?" Tsaera raised her eyebrow and left her Lady where she
was. "If it is, I'd advise you to 'check' again."

"I secretly like to break my opponents spirit before I win," the
geologist said as his Steward swooped in from the corner of the board
and took her Lady. "I'll get to your Lord in a moment."

But Tsaera shook her head. "My Lady had you in _check_. You can't take
her until you're out of check. Nice try, but you need to put her back!"

"She did not," Zeb cried indignantly. Looking closer, however, he saw
that she was alright. "Well crackdust. I guess you did." He put the
pieces back to their original position. Considering his move for a
moment he slid his watchtower in between her Lady Holder and his Lord
Holder. "There."

"Better." The watchtower was guarded by a Steward, but Tsaera left her
Lady in place and moved a watchtower of her own. "I haven't seen much of
you lately. What have you been up to?"

"I've been prospecting up-river a bit." He paused in his story as he
considered his options. Her watchtower had not been moved randomly.
Zeb had a feeling she was trying to make a subtle move to box in his
Lord Holder. Well, his Lord Holder could be moved behind his watchrider
for the time being. "A young boy found some tiger iron that had washed
down from the hills somewhere. I want to see if I can find the source."

"Really?" Tsaera looked up in interest. "Any luck so far?"

"Hmmmmm..." he hummed, staring at the chess board intently. "Maybe..."

"'Maybe' meaning....?"

"Meaning after this game perhaps I should take you back into my
bedroom," Zeb replied with a roguish grin.

"While 'let me take you to my room and show you my rocks' might work on
impressionable young women, don't you think it's a little hoary to use
on me?" Tsaera shook her head and leaned back into her couch pillows.
"Have you found a vein or haven't you?"

The geologist leaned back and crossed his right leg over his left in a
relaxed position. "I have not. But I've found some rather interesting
stones which have told me that there is one. It's only a matter of
time."

"Really." She couldn't quite hide the excitement in her voice - what a
coup for her Weyr, were one found! It would take some of the pressure of
the Holds beholden to her, and make problems such as the beast disease
that had ravaged the flocks much less of an issue. Money cured many
things. "In wash from the river or tributaries, or from the cliffs
themselves?"

"I think I might have found the tributary they have washed down from,
but I won't be sure without exploring a little further inland." But if
it were the right tributary, it would narrow the search considerably.

Tsaera leaned forward, her attention entirely off the game. "You know,
travelling inland is much easier by dragon..."

A smile turned the corner of his lips. Like he hadn't thought of that
already! "Do you know any dragonriders who might be interested in this
sort of thing?"

"Tabanirth and I haven't done any prospecting for.. I can't remember the
last time we did. Before I became Lady Weyrholder, at the very least, if
not before then. K'reyel can handle things for that long." The young
Weyrleader was doing well with his responsibilities, but that was
partially due to the fact that his father was there, every step of the
way. It would have driven a lesser man crazy. "I'll take you myself."

"I would be pleased to have your experienced eye." And some time with
her alone away from the Weyr and out in the wilds where anything could
happen... "I would be free whenever you were, m'lady."

"Why don't we take the next restday, if you're okay with working then. I
can't really get away any other time." Even then, to be gone from the
Weyr for an entire day could be difficult. There was always something
that needed her attention.

"Why don't we go up the night before? Make a real trip out of it. When
was the last time you camped out under the stars?" A prospecting trip
where he slept in a warm bed every night just didn't sound like real
work to him.

Tsaera laughed. "Not since before I Impressed! The ability to flee
/between/ when it rains or when you burn your klah is an invaluable
thing. But I'd be up for a night outside, as long as _you_ make the
klah."

"I _never_ burn my klah." It was high time he got her back into her
natural element. She loved her craft once. Zeb was determined to
remind her there was more to life than Thread.

Last updated on the September 24th 2008

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Prospects