Fort Weyr - Living Caverns
This cavern, having been created by bubbles in the volcanic flow of this extinct volcano, has a breathtaking ceiling — a vast dome that arches high above the heads of the weyrfolk that scurry around beneath it. A hollow echo can be heard from loud enough noises, and the chatterings of various firelizards are consequently multiplied into a chaotic babble. All in all, the living cavern is a loud place.

Tables are scattered around the room, apparently in no particular order. Over to one side near the kitchens, two medium sized serving tables are constantly spread with snacks, klah, and other goodies. The tables look worn, yet perfectly fitted to the atmosphere of the caverns. In the 'corners' of the cavern, smaller two and four place tables are set up for more private talks or just a less chaotic atmosphere in which to eat.


In the hours after dinner, the caverns are still bustling with hangers-on, those without anywhere else to go - or who are simply enjoying each other's company around a drink or four. There's a crowd gathered in one corner, forming a loose semi-circle around one guard recruit as he demonstrates a little sleight of hand for them… and before one watching woman notices, Russall has her bracelet on display, held out in front of her face. The crowd laughs, Russ dips his head to politely end the entertainment, and slowly they all disperse, leaving him folding up a streamer of dainty handkerchiefs.

R’yal might not have a lot of free time to himself, but lingering a little after already being late for dinner wasn’t a crime. He munched on a whole fruit while watching the bit of entertainment, grinning just a little at all of it. It was fun to watch, after all. He’s still finishing up the fruit when things begin to disperse though, still milling about himself while Russall cleans up. “And this is what you do when you’re not guarding?”

"And this is what I do when I'm not guarding," Russall replies without looking up - perhaps without even really knowing who he's confirming his hobbies to. He keeps folding until the streamer is able to be tucked into his pocket, and which point he turns his blue-grey eyes upwards to see who he's speaking to. The smirk on his lips says he did know that it was R'yal, and he looks the young greenrider over with a curious gaze. "Is that," he nod his head at the fruit, "what you do when you're not weyrlinging?"

"I don't think there's any real time when I'm not." Weyrling is a full time gig! R'yal does smile though, busily finishing off the fruit before wrapping the inedible bits in a cloth. "But when Livanyth lets me go inside without her to eat..yes. Eating is what I'll do." Fingers get dabbed slightly with the cloth then, cleaning them off. "Where did you learn how to do that stuff?"

Russall stands up, still smirking at the R'yal, though not in an unpleasant way; he's amused by him. "I first saw some guy passing through the Weaver Hall doing it," he says as he takes a step towards the weyrling, "and I realised it's what I'd rather be doing than dying cloth." Winking, he suddenly flicks his wrist and produces a faux flower in his fingers, which he holds out for R'yal. "So I came home… and joined the guard." Not the most obvious career move.

“You were at the Weaver Hall? Bewildered, R’yal stares for a moment or two as he thinks about that. “I was there for a little while before they sent me out here.” A fellow weaver! Almost. Not quite. “Dying cloth can get..messy. I can’t blame you. But you wanted to do..this instead of weaving?” Tricks? The weyrling starts slightly at the flower appearance though, reaching for it with a slight smile, though he does look again at Russall, brows lifting. “..How did you go from that to the guard?”

"Uh-huh, I was a Weaver… for all of half a turn or whatever. Not my thing." Russall whips the flower away from R'yal's fingers before he can close them round it, booping him on the nose with the petals instead. Then he tucks it behind the greenrider's ear, before stepping back and slipping his hands into his pockets. "How did I go from tricks to the guard? Just like that." He shrugs his shoulders. "How did you go from being a Weaver to a weyrling?"

R’yal is…booped? He doesn’t move for a moment, though his face does go a bit pinkish when he does finally take a step back. He doesn’t attempt to remove the flower though, despite reaching up to touch it. It’s secure, at least! “It just..I don’t know. Seems like a bit of a direction change. And..being a Weyrling definitely is, too. I guess. Certainly not what I’d planned on..”

Russall looks quite smug that the flower stays in place. He ruffles his hand through his hair, taking on an easy, relaxed stance. "It is a direction change, but it was right, and I did it, and it's what I do now." A server passed by with a tray to top up the post-dinner snacks, and Russ filches a handful of crackers, winking at the girl as she roll her eyes and keeps going. "So, I'm guessing you weren't from a Weyr before you ended up part of one?" A cracker's offered to R'yal, held out between his fore- and index fingers.

R’yal shakes his head a little, watching Russall filch the crackers. That flower still stays in place, too, even while he nods and reaches for the offered cracker. He may have just eaten, but that matters little. Crackers are good for nibbling! He munches on the corner of it, head tilting just slightly to the side. “Mmhm. From out in Lemos originally.. I’d never even been to a Weyr before.”

"And yet here you are." Right here, in Fort Weyr, amusing Russall! The guard reaches for the flower, drawing it slowly away with a caress of his fingertips against R'yal's cheek - too seemingly deliberate to be unintentional, and yet his expression remains unchanged, so maybe it was accidental? "They're not cheap to make," he explains, tucking it away again. "Did you think about the question I asked you the other day?"

R'yal keeps very…very still at the faint touch. That pinkish color? It remains, and once the flower is gone again he gives a nervous brush to tuck somewhat longish hair behind the same ear. "Well then you should definitely hang onto them. Question..? Oh! That. I guess…I guess I have thought about it some more. It's a little..overwhelming I think, but I'm not exactly afraid of what's going to happen.. If..if that makes any sense."

"Not being afraid is good," Russall agrees with a nod. That piece of hair that R'yal tucked away is tugged loose when he reaches forward, so that it falls free once more. "Do you know any riders who you'd like it to be with? There's plenty to choose from…" His hands come back to his sides, thumbs tucked into his pockets.

R’yal’s eyes widen a fraction, although he shakes his head just a little. Maybe to keep that lock of hair out of his face. “I don’t really..I mean..we’re not exactly exposed to a lot of them, except the Weyrlingmasters and…really. No.” The greenrider is not into much older, grumpier men.

"Oh well. Better get looking, hadn't you?" Russ grins, rocking on his heels. "Do you know who you want to end up with?" There's a moment of thoughtfulness on his face, before he snorts in amusement. "And that's not the same as the question I just asked you."

“I thought…it was usually who caught.” R’yal chews on his lower lip somewhat, watching Russall. He shakes his head though after another moment or two, trying to put words to thoughts properly. “It’s been..just Liv I’ve thought about for a long time now, I just..I haven’t..well..”

R'yal's stumbled reply makes Russall laugh, though not unkindly; he's amused by the way he's got the poor kid so embarrassed. "Alright, alright - you've not thought about it. You don't know. I get it, it's all good." He gently bumps his knuckles off the greenrider's chest. "You oughta pop into Shenanigans and meet some guys. Or girls?"

“I’ve been in there before. It was…strange.” And filled with very embarrassing ladies. R’yal still looks a little flustered, but manages to take a slow in and out breath. “..Um..guys.” He’ll at least admit to that, shifting on his feet just a little. “And it’s not…it’s not like I don’t know…guys.” He’s talking to one!

"Thought so." Smugness tugs one corner of Russall's mouth up, and he nods to confirm his own accuracy in guessing. "Pretty, and on green… couldn't really be anything else, could you?" The recruit shifts around to settle his behind on the edge of a table, crossing his legs at the ankles and stretching them out in front of him. "You should be less shy about it all, though."

R’yal’s brows furrow just a little, watching Russall settle. “It’s not exactly..easy not to be. Besides..we have../rules/.” Rules for good little weyrlings to follow. Or not follow, as some cases may be.

"Why isn't it easy? And not being shy isn't against the rules, I'm sure." Russall draws one hand from his pocket, to drum his fingers against his thigh while looking curiously at R'yal. "Do the weyrlingmasters tell you you have to keep everything bottled up? Or is that just a rule you have for yourself?"

"It isn't good for the dragons if we get..emotional." R'yal makes a slight face, but rocks forward on his feet somewhat toward Russall. "It isn't easy to just not be who you are. You're lucky, I probably wouldn't have been able to even talk to you when I got here."

If Russ notices the lean towards him, he pays it no mind. "Why are you doing the hard thing and not being who you are, then? Who are you?" Now he leans forward a little, resting his elbow on his thigh. "Are you not who you are right now?"

R’yal frowns a little at that, huffing. “You just told me to be less shy. I can’t just..stop being that way. I’ve gotten..better.” He draws back again however, tucking that hair right back behind his ear once again. “I’m R’yal. I’m Livanyth’s. That’s who I am.” His head tilts just a bit, looking back over his shoulder just slightly. “And I should go. It really was nice to see you again..” He turns a bit quickly, making a quick exit to the green waiting just outside the cavern. Livanyth was never happy about being left for too long!