Ysbal smiles, "Well, if she's anything like her father." She blushes, "I mean mother."

Daiyn lets that slide. "She's not ours, really. We foster her. But she might as well be, since her birth mother's not got much interest in any of her children." He could go on and expound on Marva's many talents, but he hails a drudge to bring him some wine instead. That'll put him in the right mood for talking about his little girl.

Enter Tahayari, creeping up the stairs which lead into the lower realms of the Weyr. Several nervous glances are shot this way and that as the crowd-shy -- people-shy -- young man pauses momentarily, assessing the situation. Relief briefly washes across sun-bronzed features; conditions are apparently good enough for him, for he ventures further in, heading first towards the hearth.
The girl simply replies with an "Oh." Ysbal clasps her hands together, "That's a shame, least she's with somebody who cares."

Kassandra comes in through the narrow tunnel from the bowl.
Kassandra trundles in, one hand shoved in her pocket. The other bears a hide, which she studies intently.

Daiyn admits a broad smile. "Yes, she is -- and we're lucky too." He espies the young man moving towards the hearth and indicates him to Ysbal. "Is he new too? Like you?"

Ysbal glances towards Tahayari, "Hmmm, might be. Don't recognize him."
 
Tahayari isn't overly new -- he just likes to hide out in the farthest reaches of the caverns. He doesn't volunteer this information about himself, however, only sneaking a swift glance towards the other two. Distracted by the latest arrival, he offers up a tiny smile once he recognizes the bluerider before busying himself with pouring himself a hearty, hefty mug of klah and adding a liberal dose of sweetener to the brew.

"He's not that new," Kassandra points out absently, glancing at Tahayari briefly before returning to the study of her hide. The occasional mutter escapes her lips.

New folks everywhere are more than Daiyn's old mind can take in. "Well, he's having a late meal as well. -- Ho, Kassandra!" he greets with more effusiveness than he's shown towards anything besides his dinner this evening.

Diverting her attention to Kassandra and Tahayri, Ysbal waves, "Evening." Turning back to Daiyn then girl smile softly.

Kassandra blinks, looking up from her hide in surprise and the faintest bit of disorientation, before nodding at Daiyn. "Hey there," she greets, before snagging a redfruit with her unladen hand and biting into it. "Formations," she explains semi-clearly around a mouthful of redfruit.

Klah acquired, Tahayari skitters off to a reasonably out-of-the-way table, fingers clenched about the mug's handle. Again, he slants a vaguely curious glance towards those who happen to be discussing him; eventually, he calls out rather quietly, "I've been 'round for a few months or so." Belatedly, embarrassedly, he adds, "G'eve." His focus redirects to his heated beverage, and he tentatively blows across the top in an attempt to cool the klah off.

Daiyn returns to the young man, "Good eve'n to you as well," he intones formally, just as the drudge returns with his wine; there's more on his tray for anyone who wants some. "And what is it you do here?" Ysbal's own reply has been less than satisfactory, though he won't antagonize the young woman twice in one night.

Tahayari braves his steaming beverage, taking slow, deliberate sips. A grimace: "Ow." The youth sets his mug upon the tabletop, careful not to spill, while settling into a chair himself. As fingers rewrap around the klah and he warms his hands, Tahayari glances back to Daiyn and takes his time as he answers the question. "Oh, this and that -- a bit of everything. I help out down the lower caverns, mostly." Anything that takes him out of the public eye.

Kassandra munches absently on her fruit as she drops herself in a vacant chair with a most unladylike *thump*. Hides are spread out in front of her, and one finger traces the lines of the formations notated thereon.

Another unsatisfactory reply. "Young people these days," Daiyn mutters, contemplating his wine instead -- at least he's assured that it will mature with time. "All just poking about, doing this and that," he repeats mockingly.
Ysbal shoots a glance over to the ol' coot, "What's wrong with us young folk? Just because nobody has snatched us up and uses us judiciously doesn't mean there's something wrong with us."

Tahayari doesn't take well th criticism, whether it's meant nicely or not, and flushes an unelegant shade of crimson. He opens his mouth a stutters out something fairly unintelligable that might have become an answer if he hadn't shut up as soon as Ysbal spoke. In any case, he shoots her a grateful look, flushes some more, and studiously eyes the depths of his klah mug while fidgeting uncomfortably in his seat.

Kassandra looks up, and flaps the hide in Daiyn's direction. "Of course I'm poking," she shoots right back. "I've got formations to learn and to drill. And I just got handed these today."

Daiyn wasn't talking about Kassandra; the weyrbred have no bone to pick with gainfully occupied riders. "You need to learn discipline, learn some crafts. Can't be lolling about, not improving your skills with a Pass coming up on us," he insists, scowling in turn at Ysbal and Tahayari.

Ysbal hrmmph and gets to her feet, "That's fine for those that've got the time. I'm waiting for the caravans to swing back this way so they can pick me back up."

At a loss, Tahayari begins to stammer out a response, blush creeping back into cheeks as he looks up again and peers over at the others. "I...I...I wouldn't do good in crafts. Besides, my fa didn't want me apprenticing out." He doesn't explain further: two sentences are quite a feat for him.

Kassandra wrinkles her nose at Daiyn. "Oh, be nice," she retorts, a hint of a grin tugging at the corners of her lips.

N'ait, sitting in a table nearby and watching the group speak with one arm resting lightly on a bent knee, foot on the seat, suddenly says, with a light grin, "Ah, let the boy alone. As long as he can learn not to get himself killed, he'll still be one more step above many others."

Ysbal glances at the others, "Oh, sure leave the boy alone." She hrmmphs and starts for the bowl.

Daiyn watches Ysbal go -- an idle, impudent girl, in his estimation, but at least one with a pulse. "Not getting himself killed won't do much for the Weyr that has to feed him," he replies belatedly to the other rider, still keen on Tahayari.

Tahayari protests feebly, "I'm not a boy." But more blushes accompany the words, and he hastily refocuses upon what he deems safe: the floor and his feet. "I don't plan on dying, either.

"Nobody plans on it," Daiyn appends at the young man's interjection. "With young people, it comes from being careless, mostly."

Even if Tahayari's studying the ground, his next words are directed to Daiyn. " 'Sides, I help out. And I'm not stupid -- I'm not going to go running around if -- er, when -- Thread's falling."

Ysbal slinks on out to the bowl.

"When, when," Daiyn emphasizes, wineglass cradled with misleading ease in his right hand. "Not 'if', young man."

Kassandra hasn't really been listening, but the mention of Thread catches her attention. "Sooner than you think, Tahayari," she muses quietly. "Much sooner than you think."

Tahayari's previous life in a Hold is certainly revealed in that statement and in his dubious look. Although he doesn't contradict either Daiyn of Kassandra, his position's relatively easy to guess if his expression gives away any clues -- and it usually does. "Okay. When. Whatever."

Daiyn gives the riders a look, as if to say, "See what I mean?" What he does say to Tahayari is, "Helping out isn't much good. Any old drudge can help out. You look as if you've got half a brain at least," despite the fact that he can't seem to utter more than a few half-sentences at at ime, "and you should be doing something more useful with it."

Ysbal comes in through the narrow tunnel from the bowl.
Ysbal quietly walks towards the stairs, a glare does to go Daiyn though.

Kassandra sends Tahayari a sympathetic glance. "Sure he has half a brain," she quips. "He knows Quirin is bad news." Wink.

N'ait motions to Yari and asks, a brow raised curiously and that amused expression on his dark features, "Would you prefer he just /borrowed/ a dragon and hopped on up with us, Daiyn?" He drops back into his chair comfortably, actually showing curiosity in the conversation. Not too surprising.

Ysbal, just about to go down the stairs turns about, "Why is Quirin bad news?" As an after thought she adds, "I was thinking of purchasing wine from the Vintner."

Daiyn cants a distinctly disgruntled glance at N'ait. "Don't patronize me, rider. I respect the Weyr and its ways. This boy," and he looks over at Tahayari, not patronizing him despite the diminutive, "needs a niche, a direction. Even if he impresses someday," and those chances get slimmer with each passing turn, "what skills he /learns/, he hones, will be useful to him and to the Weyr."

Tahayari scowls briefly over at Daiyn before turning crimson again at his less-than-proper manners. He does bristle a bit, though, and his tone's a bit sharper than usual as he queries, "And just what d'you think's useful that I should be doing?" Glancing towards Kassandra, he grins bemusedly, unflustered at the mention of his questionable friend. "Yeah. He's an okay guy, though." N'ait captures Yari's attention next, and his brow furrows with confusion as he echoes, "Borrow a dragon? Why would I want to do that?" Nevermind that he's completely terrified of heights and dragons.

Kassandra chuckles at Ysbal. "Quirin's dangerous. But that's okay, because dangerous can be fun."

Ysbal smirks, "Umm, well if he's bad news I don't want any sort of trouble." Her head tilts slightly.

"Quirin's not dangerous. He's nice enough." Tahayari defends the vintner despite past experiences, adding, "We grew up together." Distracted by Daiyn, the young man glances back over and eyes him with alarm. "I'm not going to Impress. Don't want to Impress. Don't worry about that. I don't plan on staying here at the Weyr forever."

N'ait puts up one hand and explains, quietly, "I wasn't patronizing, sai Daiyn. Just.. confused to what you meant, I suppose. " He grins at Yari and shakes his head, "Just a joke, lad."

Ysbal nods, "Oh, " then clippity clops down the stairs, "I'm off to go move a box or something. Maybe that'll make him happy."

Daiyn mutters something or other, but it's lost in his gulp of wine. When there's a suitable pause in the conversation, he asks Yari, "What are you good at doing, then? Besides poking about?"

Kassandra chuckles softly, and eyes Tahayari. "You never know," she mentions quietly. "There'll be eggs on the Sands soon, too...and then what'll happen to you?"

Ysbal heads down the stairs, deeper into the Weyr.

Jalani comes in through the narrow tunnel from the bowl.
Jalani whistles quietly as she walks into the cavern. "Evenin'"

N'ait twists so quickly in his seat that his knee, bent still so that his foot can rest on the chair, bangs lightly into an armrest. Dark blue eyes land on the greeter and he smiles brightly, sliding easily to his feet, "Lani!"

Tahayari shrugs his shoulders at N'ait and moves on, brow creasing as he ponders Daiyn's question. "Don't know. I used to help out the Steward some back home. We all did -- me an' my brothers." Uneasy at Kassandra's mention of eggs, he fidgets more and takes his time to formulate an answer, seeking refuge in his klah. After a long sip, his gaze flickers back to the bluerider and he pulls a small face. "I'll go home?" he offers naively. "I'm not here to get a dragon or nothin'. My fa probably wouldn't be too happy if I did." Jalani's entrance steals his attention momentarily and he bobs his head once in a greeting.

Jalani winces as the knee makes contact with the armrest. The greenrider's expression softens as she walks up to N'ait, reaching out to give him a one armed hug. "So, how are you doing today?" Her gaze then sweeps the rest of the room, sardonic humour twists a smirk on her lips. "Well, Tahayari, aren't you a bit too old to be worried what Papa thinks?" She stares openly at Daiyn. "You new around here?"

Jalani's comment elicits plenty more blushing from the horrifically shy teen and a hastily reply: "No!" A pause. Oops. Maybe that wasn't what Tahayari meant to say; it doesn't help his embarrassment any, for he reddens further and shifts nervously in his chair. "Er. I mean..."

N'ait returns the hug, but doesn't pull his arm away from Lani once it's over. He smiles and replies to her question lightly, shrugging, "Well, much better now." He quirks a light grin at Tahayari and anyone looking closely enough will see the tenseness of his jaw as he quite literally bites his tongue to keep from laughing.

"No, ma'am," is Daiyn's well-mannered response. "I'm the woodcutter, Marva's father. -- Maybe you could help with the records then," he suggests in turn to Tahayari. "A place like this has too many records for one person to keep track of."

Jalani nods to Daiyn. "Ah, well, then, well met, and all that, nice to see you again, or whatever." A little smirk goes towards Tahayari. "Thought you were older than that." Then her attention is back to N'ait. "Oh, really? And what was the problem before?"

"Maybe." Tahayari escapes to the relatively safety of turning his attention back to Daiyn and doesn't respond to Jalani. It's obvious that he hears her comment, though -- what else would account for the continued blushing? "Maybe I could do that."

N'ait gives Jalani a light squeeze about the middle with his arm, saying, with a light smile,"You weren't here." It's a simple, charming little answer, and one could definitely expect N'ait to make it. Well, to Jalani, anyway.
"You should try," Daiyn emphasizes, more fatherly than frowning now. Belatedly realizing how late it's grown, he gets up, excusing himself. "I've to tuck Marva in now. You think about that seriously, boy." He gestures with his wineglass at Tahayari before leaving.

Tahayari answers simply -- "Okay." Then it's back to contemplating the dregs of his klah with exaggerated seriousness. He does sneak in a glance towards N'ait and Jalani, amused.

Jalani smiles back, reaching to kiss N'ait's cheek. "You do say the sweetest things, even if you do hog all the covers." Nodding to Daiyn, she wriggles her fingers. "Nice seeing you again, if we have met before."

Daiyn nods, polite enough, to the riders as he goes. A father's duty calls, and he must answer.
Daiyn heads down the stairs, deeper into the Weyr.

N'ait looks at Jalani with surprised innocence, one brow lifted, "Do I, really?" He seemed to have not the slightest clue of this problem. Hm. Learn something new every day. And, in N'ait's case, probably forget it by the next.
Jalani snorts. "Do you, you say?"

Jalani chuckles. "Poor me, I freeze, literally freeze." She looks over at Tahayari for support. "Do you know how it is to freeze, left bereft of a blanket, in the middle of the night."

Tahayari glances back suspiciously, searching for the right answer; he's said the wrong things enough for one night. Politically correct and cautious, he answers, "No? But I bet it's cold."

Kassandra finally slips out, quietly...
Kassandra disappears through the narrow tunnel to the bowl.

Jalani looks sorrowful. "You have -no- idea, none at all, the horrors I go through."

It was considered an impossible occurance, yet, now it occurs: N'ait looks guilty. He furrows his brow and says, quietly, "Ah, love, I'm sorry. I didn't know I did that." Sure, the joking over freezing to death (we hope) doesn't pass over his head, but he feels sorry for the idea of it.

Jalani sniffs yet again. "I get used to it, it is my lot to suffer." Even she begins to roll her eyes at the melodrama. "Oh, get off of it, I just steal a fur from the couch is all."

Tahayari attempts a small grin before he rises from his seat, empty mug in hand. Muffling a yawn, he trots over to the hearth and deposits the used crockery in a basin with other dirty utensils and plates. Extending a shy smile for the others, he announces, "I think I'll go find my cot -- probably wouldn't be good if I fell asleep here." With that, he heads towards the stairs.

N'ait sighs and bows his head, shaking it, "Great. I've driven my only love to steal.." Who's joking now? He lifts his head to smile at Tahayari, chuckling lightly as he says, "Aye, but not the first. Goodnight, lad."