Would You Like Me to Carve

Writers: Chelle, Emma, Suzee
Date Posted: 11th July 2012

Characters: Rhosyn, K'sedel, Ciara
Description: The Promised Dinner
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 8, day 21 of Turn 6
Notes: Mentioned: N'vanik, R'enh, Solieira, K'reyel

K'sedel

Ciara

Ciara wanted to make this evening as easy as she could and had planned
the dinner carefully. With the help of the kitchen staff and the
headwoman they'd come up with a menu that should please both of the
Weyrleaders. K'sedel wasn't all that hard to please in her experience
but she appreciated the input she'd gotten on the Weyrwoman's tastes.

A pair of drudges came in with the trays followed by another with the
beverages and she waved them to their respective places. She wanted
them to finish and leave before either Rhosyn or K'sedel arrived.
Together they managed to set the table and place the food and drinks.
"Thank you," she smiled as they left the room.

"Ok," she said to the air around her. "Here we go."

Under the impression this was just a casual dinner, Rhosyn had slipped
into a sundress she'd wear around the Weyr. Sandals completed the
otherwise simple attire. About ready to just cut all her hair off with
how hot it had been, she headed to K'sedel's weyr. It didn't take long
but she stopped at the entrance, knowing Orlaith would have told
Nikornath that she was there. Of course it never occurred to her that
K'sedel might not be there either.

}:Orlaith's is here:{

Ciara went immediately to open the door for their guest. "Welcome,"
she greeted the Weyrwoman with a smile. She'd hoped K'sedel would be
here when Rhosyn arrived but assumed something had kept him at his
office a bit longer than he'd expected. "K'sedel isn't here yet but
please," she opened the door wider and stepped back to allow her to
step inside.

Her eyes opened when she was presented with Ciara alone, though of
course she did know the woman. Walking in, she found her eyes opening
a little wider as she looked at everything. So this was where her
Weyrleader kept his family. Picking up on details like decorating and
furniture choices, she was quiet as she just gawked, though not
rudely. "Thank you," he said as she stood there, unsure of what else
to do. **This is so odd**

}:He is your first Weyrleader. You've never had to deal with your
partners having families like this before:{ Orlaith said, as if she
knew something Rhosyn didn't, even though this was her first
Weyrleader too.

**N'vanik has a daughter and a weyrmate** Rhosyn pointed out. R'enh
had a child as well.

}:You have not met his daughter and the weyrmate only once:{ the queen
argued. K'sedel's children, on the other hand, often had dinner with
the Weyrwoman and she had different relationships with his grown
children as well.

Ciara followed the Weyrwoman toward the table but then turned toward
the sideboard. "Would you like something to drink?" She was usually
amused by the few people who came to their private space and the
gawking that ensued. She tried to keep things simple but couldn't
hide the size of the place nor the fine quality of the things her
weyrmate had collected over his lifetime. In this case she kept her
face neutral but pleasant with a slight smile.

"Oh..yes," she replied quickly. **This is awkward** Turning around and
away from the walls, she found a chair and quickly slid into it. Sitting was
better than just aimlessly wandering around. **Where the shells is he? He
invites me here and then he's late for his own party?** Resisting the urge
to keep playing with the end of her braid, she put her hands in her lap.

}:Calm down:{ the queen told her rider quietly, using her unique controlling
way to enforce it. Letting her breath out, Rhosyn relaxed slightly.

"Sorry I'm late," called out the Weyrleader. "Radela forgot Daggy and I had
to take him to her." He smiled at the ladies and walked over to plant a
quick kiss on his weyrmate's cheek. "K'reyel said she can stay with them as
long as we need."

Ciara leaned into K'sedel's embrace with a soft smile. "Thank you,"
she said. "Anything you'd like to drink," she asked walking toward
where Rhosyn sat and handing her a glass of wine. She'd been sneaky
and found out her favorite in advance like a good hostess. So
hopefully the Weyrwoman would be pleased by her choice.

"That wine looks nice," K'sedel said.

Taking the wine, she took a sip and was surprised at the taste. It was
quite familiar and she couldn't help but wonder if Solieira had assisted
in this little whatever-this-was. "Very good." Forgetting sips, she took a
swallow, hoping it would help put her at ease.

Ciara poured a glass for herself and Kes. "Anyone hungry?"

"I am," K'sedel said. "And something smells very good."

"It should," Ciara smiled and went back to the table to set down the
glasses at their normal places. She smiled at her wingleader and
pulled off the covers of the various dishes and put them on the
sideboard. "Please have a seat," she indicated the chair for Rhosyn
opposite K'sedel. She wanted both of them to just relax and enjoy.

"I have only one rule tonight," she looked back and forth between the
two other people. "No Weyr business discussions. Alright?"

When they had moved toward the table, Rhosyn got up from the chair
she'd claimed then sat where Ciara told her to. Her mind was momentarily
occupied when the dishes were uncovered. Oh yes, Solieira had been up
to something. Just as she had managed to push her mind back to her hostess,
she heard what Ciara said. Confused, she tried to think of something to talk
about that wasn't to do with her duties. Coming up short, she went quiet and
waited to begin getting some of the food onto her plate. "Ah sure."

"Not a problem," K'sedel assured his weyrmate. "Would you like me to carve?"

"Yes please," she pushed the herdbeast roast closer to him and then
served herself some of the mashed tubers before passing the dish to
Rhosyn. "Our daughter was quite put out that she wouldn't be able to
sit and have dinner with you tonight," she smiled. "But I wanted this
to be an adult evening."

Taking a few spoonfuls of the tubers for herself, Rhosyn turned her head
when she found herself addressed again. Not really knowing what to say
to the daughter remark, she latched onto the second one instead. "Adult
evenings are good. Apparently, they're needed every once in awhile." She
tried to think back on whether or not her parents had adult evenings and
decided those probably happened after the children were in bed.

K'sedel made short work of producing a good number of slices of the
herdbeast roast that Ciara had organized. "How many slices?" he asked
Rhosyn. "Tell me what you'd like."

Looking at the size of those slices, the goldrider erred on the side
of caution. Her old mentor had said 'you can always get more, but
never put too much on your plate'. Deciding it was good advice,
especially in this setting, she eyed some of the meat. "Two will be
fine, thank you."

K'sedel deftly lifted two of the slices onto her plate. "Ciara? How much for
you?"

"Two," she said lifting her plate and thanking him when he'd placed
them on her plate. She had a fast metabolism and under other
circumstances would have asked for more but she didn't think it would
be the correct thing to do in front of another woman. She had to deal
with female jealousy on that score often enough to be a good girl in
company. The roast looked so good though.

Two and a half slices were put on the Weyrleader's plate, along with some
vegetables and the tubers. "Thank you for organizing this Ciara, if you see
our Headwoman before me, tell her it's appreciated."

She nodded at K'sedel then she smiled, "I will." Her eyes opened as
she remembered something and she looked back and forth between the
other two. "Just you wait, there is a wonderful looking dessert too."
She smiled at Rhosyn, "We don't usually eat like this. I think the
headwoman likes you. But then I told her tonight was special."

"I saw you dancing with a Dolphin Cove rider at the last hatching. I
didn't know you could dance that well," she smiled.

"Dessert? Mmm... Solieira is a special lady. And yes, we're friends."
Faranth knew she didn't know what she would do without her headwoman.
Making a mental note to tell her thank you at a later date, the
Weyrwoman tried to pinpoint which rider Ciara was talking about. It
was hard, really. "Actually, I love dancing. It's something I've done
since I was young."

"Did you have lessons?" asked K'sedel. sometimes knowing about a person's
past could help explain their present. "I had a few in the Farmcraft Hall,
before the plague."

"No, it was more copying the adults really. Then I went to the Weyr
and followed the rest. When I was getting my manners lessons, though,
I'm sure there were some formal dancing lessons involved." Her voice
went mildly sour as she didn't like to recall those days. Being forced
to comply with the rest of the world at the risk of her dragon being
forced as well. }:It's over now. No one will do that again:{

"Well maybe you and Kes should practice something so you can impress
people at the next event." Ciara smiled. She knew he stood up with
Rhosyn as part of their leadership of the Weyr but it would certainly
look good on them if they could take advantage of her abilities.

"I always thought we did pretty well, but if he's up for something
more arranged, I'm game." Her eyes turned towards the Weyrleader as a
slow smile came across her face. **K'sedel had dance lessons-go
figure.**

"If we can find time," K'sedel said. "If it wasn't that my mother, and my
wife-to-be had insisted..." He didn't speak often of the wife he had lost in
the plague, she'd been carrying a child and even now that double loss still
hurt.

Ciara's hand moved to his knee under the table in mute apology. She
hadn't meant to bring up any subject that would open old wounds.
"Well," she said since their plates were almost cleaned. "Who's ready
for dessert?"

"Ah..I'm good. Wonder what it is.." Finishing up the last bite of roast she
had managed to get down, the petite queenrider considered what Solieira
might have sent over. Smiling to herself, she knew everything she could
think
of would be good so there was nothing to worry about.

The greenrider smiled. "It's some kind of cake with berries. Solieira
seemed to think you'd like it." She patted K'sedel's leg and rose from
the table to retrieve their dessert. Three plates were already made
up and she placed the others before getting her own and bringing the
sauce. "Here," she said handing it to Rhosyn. "She said this goes on
top but not to put it on until we were ready to eat. Anyone for some
klah to go with?"

It was sort of interesting to watch the two of them. In some ways, the
way they acted towards each other reminded her of her own parents.
Rhosyn had never been quite that way with a man-that possessive-and
had never had one be that way towards her. "No thanks, I'm not a big
one for klah." Putting a hand out to handle the sauce business, she
finished the task and put a bite in her mouth.

Ciara brought the pot back to the table and poured a cup for K'sedel
before her own cup. Then she helped herself to the sauce and passed it
along.

"Oh, this _is_ good."

"Looks like our headwoman has surpassed herself with the dessert then,"
K'sedel said as he added some sauce to his own.

With that Ciara felt like she'd accomplished something with this
dinner-pleasing both the Weyrleaders and just socializing. Hopefully
it would help their working relationship to have a nice dinner
occasionally. "How about we do this once a month?" She smiled at the
other two.

That gave Rhosyn pause. For one, her mouth was full of dessert. For another,
even though it hadn't been entirely awkward, it was hard to think about doing
it once a month. It wasn't like she didn't already sit with K'sedel at dinner
in the Dining Cavern most nights anyway. However, she knew it was going to sound
quite rude if she said no.

}:Do your duty:{ her gold chimed in though deep down Orlaith understood her
rider's reticence. The goldrider was a loner for the most part. She had friends,
but she had never really shared a weyr with anyone for a long period of time
and she liked to pick and choose when she was around others in small groups.

Chewing the rest of her bite, the Weyrwoman tamped down the first response
that came to mind. "Umm...we can do it again and see how it goes?" Hopefully
that was a good enough answer.

Last updated on the July 15th 2012

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Would You Like Me to Carve