Fort Weyr - Ezra's Room
Is there anything that smells *quite* like a teenage boy's room? The room that Ezra was given after his rather abrupt arrival at Fort Weyr is one that does not suit his station, but speaks to the sympathy his story brought up in people. One of the larger residential rooms, it actually consists of both a living room and a private bedroom. The rooms are not sparkling clean or spotless, but they are relatively tidy. The boy has been making an effort in trying to get over his hoarding ways. There are still piles of *stuff*, but it's stacked neatly in corners or beneath furniture. The floor is now visible and the couch, table and chairs are usable. There is also a fireplace that is kept very neat and free of ash, the smoke drawn up through a tunnel in the rock.
The bedroom has a large bed with rumpled, messy sheets and lots and lots of blankets and pillows, making a little nest for him to sleep in. The dresser and wardrobe are full of clothes, though he's made some effort to sort through it all. The rooms also have an overabundance of glowbaskets, which are placed on many of the surfaces and kept filled and bright constantly. He might be just a little afraid of the dark.


Ezra has chosen to take lunch in his room today, unable to tear himself away from the stack of books he's reading. Crop rotation. How…thrilling? So here he sits, in his empty rooms - no Zoi, no puppies, no firelizards. Just Ezra, some half eaten food, and all the knowledge he's trying to cram into his head.

There will be a firelizard to ruin that quiet moment of emptiness and (not-so?) thrilling study! Gren, Rayathess' firelizard, pops from Between and promptly swoops himself down to plop his rounded, plush-looking self right in into the most inconvenient spot for Ezra. Might be his lap, might be right on the book he's reading or maybe on a stack (that will conveniently fall over as a result). It's of no matter to Gren. He'll just land where he lands, all smug and pompous like a Terran-cat look alike as he fixes his half lidded eyes on Ezra. Oh and hold out his limb. Message! Not that there's a need. The note is simple and in Rayathess' handwriting. 'On my way to the Weyr. Cleared for leave on my rest day. Should be there by midday, maybe late morning if the roads are clear enough.' What time is it now? How… long did lazy ass Gren take to deliver this? Because there's suddenly a knock at the door.

Ezra cries out in dismay when the stack of books goes tumbling, right onto his meal, and the note isn't read at all because Ezra is too busy throwing the firelizard off the desk (yes, throwing) and grabbing the books and a tunic, wiping them down. When the knock comes Ezra's voice is a bit sharp. "What?" he yells.

Gren is not a thing to be tossed and with an indignant HISS of displeasure, and some swiped talons (that don't connect, thank Faranth!), he'll skitter across the floor, half bound up a wall, skip-glide and… probably wreck more havoc in his chaotic zipping about before he finally comes to a stop on the back of Ezra's couch, back arched, wings flared, tail whipping back and forth in the pinnacle of 'I'm PISSED off!' in case his red whirling eyes weren't enough to get his annoyance across. On the other side of the door, Rayathess frowns and then scowls. "Did I get you at a bad time, brother?" he calls back, only to hear the hissing and two and two click… "Gren, you miserable sack of bones! Ezra, I'm sorry!" He tries the handle of the door. Is it locked?

Of course it's locked. It's Ezra. Who makes his way to the door, unlocks it (clink, clank, ANGRY THUNK) and yanks it open with a scowl. Just a scowl before he's turning back to wipe down those books, trying to get mashed potato out from between the pages. Gross. So gross. And just to make things more chaotic, Ezra's trio arrive then, gold, bronze and brown /all/ in a huff, as they dive at Gren in hissed, protective indignation. Out out out!

Rayathess's scowling right back at Ezra when that door is yanked open, his apology lost with the greeting he's given. "Oh… damn, Ezra… listen, I'm sorry! Here, I know some tricks for the books." Maybe not quite for mashed potatoes but he can try? At least by way of apology. Only the whole scene dissolves into maddening chaos then as Gren lets out an infuriated SHRIEK of defiance when Ezra's trio returns. The brown "puffs" himself up, hissing and snarling and making these awful, awful noises that you'd wonder if he was being killed. Gren would have scuffled with Stone and even Alpha, now that he's rightly prickled and pissed but Cala? That seems to have Gren deflating but not without a few more wails and growls. "GREN!" Rayathess shouts over the din and with a squeal, the brown vanishes off somewhere to sulk and mope.

Stone would have /loved/ a scuffle, the angry brown diving at the foreigner. But then the other brown is gone and all three settle down onto the back of the couch to preen themselves, pleased with their 'saving' the rooms. Ezra wordleslly hands Rayathess a book. "He /just/ got here," he mutters. "I assume with a note saying you were coming?"

Rayathess mutters a few curses and takes that book from Ezra's hand, careful not to ruin the soiled pages any further. Setting it down carefully, he begins to work on gently mopping up the mess in an almost methodical and practiced manner. "That would have been the note I sent at dawn, yes. I should've known better than to send Gren, but Cervena is proddy and Neelix is too young and just as prone to being distracted." he grumbles. Looking up from his work, he casts a worried glance about the room. "He… didn't break anything, did he? Because if he did, I'll have it replaced. I'm sorry, Ezra! I should have just had a message sent another way." Stupid firelizards.

Ezra shakes his head, finally relaxing now that his home is no longer being invaded. "It's fine. We might have to explain something to the Weyrharper…" Grimace. "But it's fine. Don't think he did any other damage, other than to the books. At dawn? Shards." What a useless firelizard. "Good to see you," he finally says, glancing at his brother with a little smile. It'll be funny when the books arent ruined.

Rayathess sighs. "I hope not. I'll never hear the end of it," he says with a grimace. Of course the Weyrharper will report to Rayathess' superiors and… it won't be a pretty thing. Books are probably still a valuable item, even with the advances of this era. His mouth only twists into a grimmer line. Ezra may as well have said that some priceless item was shattered. "Books are important. Ah… damn it all. They should be fine. Maybe a bit of staining." Hopefully? Right? He snorts. "Good to see you too." Even if this wasn't quite how he was hoping to drop in on his brother.

Ezra nods. "I won't tell them it was you," he reassures his brother. No need to ruin his career before it's barely begun. "So what's up?" And he /eyes/ his brother. Straight from one awkward to the next, huh?

Rayathess quirks a brow and opens his mouth to protest, only to close it again and sigh, shoulders dropping. "Thanks." He'll owe him for that! Since he IS feeling rather guilty for all the havoc Gren caused. Blinking, his eyes narrow as he stares at Ezra. Really? Not going to beat around the bush, are they? "Guess if I said 'nothing', you'd call me out on that, huh? Well… 'nothing' is half of it. The same old routine." He waves a hand dismissively and then, if his brother isn't against it, will flop down on one corner of the couch with a grunt. "And Laurali told you the other half, right?" Smirk.

Ezra shrugs a bit. "She told me Lyreh left. She was hurting, Raya. She wanted to talk to someone. Lyreh was one of her only friends." If not her /only/, but he doesn't want to say that. That'd be mean to voice.

Rayathess's frown is still annoyed and heavy, despite Ezra pointing out the obvious. "So? It wasn't hers to say. I told her to keep quiet about it." Which means that they had talked prior to Laurali going to the Weyr. Faranth only knows how "pleasant" that discussion was. Clearly not that well, if the girl sought comfort from Ezra. "She'll make new ones. Probably easily now." he snorts, though his tone holds doubts. He scrubs at his face then and runs his hand up and back through his hair.

Ezra frowns right back at him. "But why? Why wouldn't you tell me?" Then he shrugs. "Probably, but…still. You can't just say that."

"I was going to tell you!" Rayathess exclaims with a touch of frustration. "Today, in fact, when I figured I had a free day! I didn't want you to find out second hand. You see why I'm annoyed at her?" He scowls, looking up at Ezra and smirking. "Why can't I?" he fires back stubbornly, in quite the mood. Maybe he's hurting too and this is him just being a big… wuss over it. Eventually, he will sigh and rest his head back against the couch, staring directly ahead in a half-distracted manner. "Guess it wasn't really her fault. I forget how… alone Laurali is." Ouch.

Ezra sighs, shaking his head. "You still shouldn't be upset at her. She was…just trying to talk it through." He ignores the snappy question though, and then he nods. "She seems totally alone. I do hope she makes friends now that Lyreh has left the Hall." Not /gone/. Just left the hall. "How are you? Are you two…?"

Rayathess just looks stubborn and scoffs low in his throat but leaves the matter be. Too late now, anyways, to change anything and later he'll realize that Ezra was right all along and he's just being a huge jerk about Laurali seeking his younger brother out to talk. "If she can overcome her awkwardness and sadness, then yeah… folks will warm up to her." Harsh, but Rayathess is in a mood now and he crosses his arms over his chest. Looking up at his brother again, he smirks again. "Are we what? Finished? Yeah. We are." Duh? He says nothing about himself. "Lyreh wasn't happy and I couldn't make her happy either. So she made her decision."

Ezra eyes his brother. "Relax, brother, I'm not the enemy here," he finally mutters, finishing with his last book and moving to a cabinet, opening it to reveal some tumblers and a few bottles of dark colored alcohol. With a soft clink of glasses, he pours them each a small shot and returns, offering Raya his glass. "I'm sorry it didn't work out."

Rayathess does relax, eventually and not without one last and long gusty sigh. "Sorry." he mutters, only to look up in mild interest when Ezra begins pouring some drinks. He takes the glass, only to struggle not to grin crookedly despite their conversation. "You do remember I can't drink, right?" he drawls to his younger brother and then… promptly knocks back the shot and tips the empty glass in silent thanks. Uh? At least he sets it aside after that, clearly not pushing it by signalling for more. One shot won't hurt. "Eh, whatever. I thought I'd be more torn up about it and… I was but then I realized it was just overdue. I was just too… blind to see before, y'know?" It still stings and hurts him though.

Ezra blinks. "Uh." No. No he didn't. He has OTHER THINGS on his mind. He tips his back too and sets the glass down, sprawling on the couch. Tilting his head, he looks at his brother and smiles faintly, shrugging a bit. "I guess…it just took time?"

Rayathess will watch Ezra as he sprawls on the couch and then shrugs his shoulders. It starts off as a nonchalant and carefree thing but rapidly his mood switches. He's got worse mood swings than most women! "Dunno about time. I think I was just too blind and naive to see the obvious. I kept trying to SEE her as a person she never was, Ezra. Lyreh would never fit in, no matter how much I or anyone would try. Just as I could never become her Setha again and turn my back on this life," He waves a hand in a vague gesture. "It never would have worked." Yet part of him hoped and probably still does in some childish way.

Ezra nods, shifting a bit on the couch in an open invitation. "I guess…I guess you can both at least know you were there for each other in the camps. You can appreciate her for that, even htough…though it didn't work out."

Rayathess is already on the couch but when Ezra shifts, he may spread out a bit as well. No need for him to sit respectfully here, right? So he'll slouch and stretch and just lounge. He frowns, nodding his head and then clicking his tongue in a frustrated sound. "I've my doubts about even that now, Ezra. I wonder… I really wonder… if she ever did love or care for me. Setha or otherwise. Or if she just saw something that suited her at the time…" He shrugs, grimacing. Not liking that thought that he was used.

Ezra shakes his head a bit. "I don't think she used you, Raya," he admits quietly. "Some of what you've told me she did…some of those things weren't for /her/. They were for you. She didn't have to watch Anrila. She didn't have to tend to you."

Rayathess's eyes drift closed and he scrubs at his face. No, he didn't forget those moments either. He just shakes his head sadly, "All true but that doesn't explain WHY she chose to leave in the end. Like those sacrifices meant nothing. I don't know, Ezra… It just all confuses me. One moment I understand and forgive her. The next I'm frustrated and angry…" he mutters. "It sucks." No, really?

Ezra considers for a moment, pondering another drink. This is hard stuff. "I'm sure they meant a lot," he finally says. "But you aren't defined by your past. Neither is she. It's not like…not like either of you owe the other your futures. She left for herself Raya. Not to get away from you. It's different." He reaches out to offer his brother's knee a squeeze. "It sucks." Agreed.

Rayathess would have had an entire bottle of something if he could, but he knows better than to risk it. One shot is enough, even if he shares a similar temptation to Ezra. Maybe one more? "Good point," he reluctantly agrees, all but grunting and grumbling the words. He sighs and shrugs his shoulders again. "Suppose she had to look to her own happiness in the end. I hope she finds it, wherever that is."

Ezra nods, not making the effort to get another drink. Especially not because he knows Raya can't - shouldn't - have another one. "That's all it comes down to in the end, right? Each of us finding our own happiness. Still. I hope she does too. And I hope you do too."

"Rather poetic way of putting it, but… yeah. In a way, that's how it always is, isn't it?" Rayathess murmurs as he stretches himself out again before slouching even further into the couch. As for his happiness, he only smirks and scoffs softly. "Kind of hard to go chasing skirts when I'm all but banned from such things. Though I guess it'd add some fun to the whole courting bit. IF I even bother with that sort of stuff now."
Ezra shakes his head with a little smile. "Chasing skirts wasn't really what I meant when I said happiness," he points outs.

Rayathess rolls his eyes and smirks again to Ezra. "I'm already happy in all other respects, brother." he drawls with a low chuckle. Glancing back to the desk, he exhales softly. "Sorry that Gren made such a mess of your work. What were you reading, anyways?"

Ezra eyes him. "Are you?" he asks, not to be sarcastic but to be genuine. He wants to know. "I was reading about crops and things. What we might be able to plant up there. Varieties, what sells well, what we need to grow for us…"

Rayathess eyes him right back. "Yes." he states firmly, just as genuine. "I am. I've you and Anrila, I've my Craft. Stonehaven isn't lost. I've family and home. What more could I want?" Glancing back to the books, he looks all the more guilty that his brown firelizard caused such trouble. "Sounds both fascinating and dull at the same time."

Ezra reaches out to give his brother's knee a gentle squeeze, nodding. "I'm glad," he says, soft but genuine just the same. "It…yeah. It is. Dull on the one hand but on the other…it's almost /real/. So. It's…there's pressure." Self-imposed, sure.

Rayathess smiles and nods his head to his brother, only to frown. "Pressure? How? You can only grow what the land will take, Ezra. Most don't even bother studying before hand and go by trial and error. At least you're looking into it. Have you talked with any Farmcrafter?"

Ezra chuckles. "I can't fail my first growing season. There's pressure. To get it right. To not mess up too badly…and yes, I've been speaking with them."

Rayathess makes a soft sounds of understanding and exhaling, he gives his brother a long, lingering look. Thoughtful and studying him closely but in the end his smile is almost amused. "Ezra… you're going to make mistakes. That's… it's just a part of life. It's good that you're doing all you can to avoid it but you shouldn't worry yourself sick trying to get everything perfect."

Ezra nods, "I know I will. I just can't mess up /too/ badly." He said that. "I can't make some stupid mistake and have folks think I'm not giving it my all. And I'm not worrying myself sick…what gave you that idea?" Puzzled, he slants a look at his brother. "I'm just studying."

"You could give your all and some will still protest," Rayathess points out with a grimace and then shakes his head. "Nothing did. I assumed, sorry." he mutters, his eyes not on Ezra but back on those books again. Then he smiles, "And after you study crops, what is your next topic?"

Ezra shrugs. "Well that's their problem," the young heir answers with a little smirk. "After crops? Livestock, probably. I've done a few circuits already. From livestock I usually go to mining, minerals, then Smithcrafting, stonemasonry, then to woodcrafting, how to properly take care of the land…then back to farming. Among those are books and journals about being a good holder, a good leader…cooking, those sorts of things." He shrugs. "Lots of reading." What else is there to do?

Rayathess laughs softly. "Well said!" Tilting his head, he'll listen to Ezra list off his "topics of study" and there's a low whistle. "Impressive list. Impressive that you've the motivation to DO this on your own! Lots of reading is right and most heirs are often reluctant to even lift a single book." he muses.

Ezra shakes his head a bit, with a smile that's gentle but also fiercely proud. "Most heirs haven't been through what we've been through," is his simple, blunt, and truthful answer.

Rayathess smiles crookedly to Ezra's simple, blunt and truthful answer. "So true, so true." he agrees and then sits up, stretching his back a bit. "So seeing as I'm here for the day and I've ruined your studying… What's there to do, brother?"

Ezra pushes to his feet with a little grin. "Well, you're just in time to help me feed the puppies. Come visit with them, they're a great little bunch. You can pick one out if you want, too…" Has he already offered? He doesn't remember.

"She had her puppies finally? How many?" Rayathess will ask, clearly more excited just to see them, though he'll help in feeding them too. Plus as an added bonus, he gets to spend more time with Ezra. "Lead on!" He'll tell him, gesturing for Ezra to lead the way. He'll follow! "Sure! Let me see 'em first though." In the end, he'll probably show a soft side to him and pick one of the females.

Ezra grins. "Six," he answers and then he grins, "alright, you can have one. There's one boy and four girls left unclaimed. I think I'm keeping them all though. I mean all but yours and Laurali's. Well, I'm keeping hers for now…." and he rambles as he leads his brother out to the barn to see the puppies.