Fort Weyr - Centre Bowl
The wide center of the bowl is often bustling with activity as riders come and go. Off westward can be seen the entrances for the candidate barracks and the guest weyr, while to the east is a large opening that leads into the dragon infirmary. The bowl stretches off both to the north and to the south, where the sheer stone walls rise steeply to the sky.


Word was sent in advance and word spreads fast here in Fort, no matter the day or weather. While most are out and about to enjoy the last of the warmer and clear autumn days, others are drifting towards the centre bowl in preparation for the new arrival. Th'ero stands off to the side, dressed in his more formal and warmer riding leathers and his expression as stoic and unreadable as ever. At times he will turn his head to murmur to the one next to him and adjust the small wrapped bundle he has tucked under his arm. Velokraeth heralds Kayeth's arrival with a melodious warble that is full of warmth and welcome. Genuinely too and lacking his usual wry wit and teasing. Such a call from the pale bronze no doubt draws a few of the more curious dragons out to their ledges to sneak a peek of what has the Weyrleader's lifemate in such a joyous mood. Though truthfully, Kayeth has no doubt drawn the most attention simply by arriving! Once she has landed and Nyalle has dismounted, Th'ero will straighten his shoulders and with a slow breath steps forwards. "Good morning to you, Nyalle! And to you, Kayeth." he greets, some of that reserved air melting away to allow a small smile to curve the corner of his mouth as he dips his head in a respectful nod. "And welcome." he adds in a lower, almost gentled tone. "Everything is ready if you would like to have your belongings transported now to your weyr?"

D'ani is here. Today he's wearing his dress leathers, dyed a smoky bronze and buffed to a shiny finish and polished boots. He looks formal, but give him a minute or two and he'll probably have his jacket off and the sleeves to his white shirt rolled up his forearms. The Weyrsecond is standing quietly nearby Th'ero as Nyalle and Kayeth touch down and he executes a smart salute to her. Proper dress, proper bahavior, but the grin of welcome is warm. Dremkoth is not perched on the starstones today, though he is watching Kayeth's arrival and rumbles a greeting to her, along with the other dragons welcoming her.

Kayeth's red-gold form positively gleams in this light, and the young queen takes advantage of it with an arched neck and curved tail, wings half unfurled before they settle again over the rippling color of her sides. Her reply to Velokraeth is a soft, fluting call of reply, rich in its tone as she stands proudly beside her rider, body curved slightly. Nyalle snaps off a smart salute with her right hand to the trio, and then both hands are clasped in front of her. "Thank you, sirs. Ma'am. Good morning to you as well. I hope you and your lifemates are doing well this morning?" Her eyes travel along the bowl wall until they focus in the direction of the ledges, and she nods her head slightly. "That would be best, thank you, as Kayeth is eager to be out of her straps." The queen doesn't seem to be fidgeting as she stands there, straps adorned with boxes and crates and the other items that make up Nyalle's life. There's not a lot there, truth be told. She flickers a faint return of D'ani's smile, but there is much (poorly) hidden within her jade green eyes.

Kimmila tilts her head to listen to Th'ero and she nods her head at whatever it is that he said. Watching the gold arrive, Kimmila whistles softly. "Shards, she's a striking one. Wiyaneth's great grandaughter you said? Clearly the pale color isn't genetic." She watches the rider approach with a small smile and a return salute, though hers is much less formal. And she isn't wearing her knot either, ha. Up beside Velokraeth, Varmiroth adds his greeting with a high pitched trumpet and then the blue is quiet, settling onto his belly to watch.

Velokraeth is no doubt taking in the sight of Kayeth's gleaming hide with avid interest, rumbling in approval and likely sharing a few private observations with Varmiroth and Dremkoth both. Down below and unaware of his bronze's fascination (for now), Th'ero would have cast Kimmila a brief smile for her whistle and comment, silent in his agreement about the paler hide and a touched amused by the bluerider. Standing in front of Nyalle now, he keeps Kimmila close to his side and D'ani on the other, with the young goldrider held under his gaze. "I am doing well and so is Velokraeth, thank you." He falters for a moment, uncertain if he should ask Nyalle the same or not. He's no fool, he knows how High Reaches Weyr is and how difficult this may be for her. Yet formality and proper manners dictate otherwise, so with a low spoken voice he continues on, though skirts around asking directly. "I'm sure she is eager. She is looking very well this morning. While we have your belongings unpacked and transported, would you care for some breakfast? Or would you prefer to settle in first?" he asks, politely waiting on her response before ducking his head down to murmur a few words to Kimmila.

Yeah, D'ani can see the look in Nyalle's eyes. Moving from the only home you've ever known is not an easy thing, this is something he knows personally. Perhaps he's hoping his warm smile will help put her at ease a little. They're in a crowd, not the best place to ask for personal confidences, after all. The Weyrsecond does, however, tilt his chin and his brown eyes glash her with a look of empathy, for now remaining silent while the Weyrleader speaks. He nods his agreement with Kimmila about Kayeth, murmuring, "Her coloration is remarkable."

Nyalle glances at her lifemate for a long moment, her eyes distant before they return to focus on the Weyrleader. "I would prefer to unpack her myself, if that causes no issue," she says softly. "It won't take me long and then I would be very pleased to join you for breakfast once she is settled." She catches D'ani's comment and that, if nothing else, brings a wide smile to her face. "Thank you, si - D'ani," she says, correcting herself with a wider smile offered.

Kimmila dips her head down at Th'ero's whisper and with a little shoulder nudge to D'ani - hey, she's cute! - the bluerider is turning on a heel and striding off towards the caverns at a swift clip.

"She is a remarkable gold." Th'ero adds a touch belatedly to Kimmila and after D'ani's murmured agreement, looking up to Kayeth before turning his head again to Nyalle and his smile remains warm, understanding flickering in his dark gaze. "No issue at all! You may take all the time you need." he assures her and as Kimmila moves off to the caverns, the Weyrleader will gesture with his arm towards the north bowl. "Shall we then?" he murmurs and will offer her his arm if the gesture is not already offered and if she accepts. "Your weyr will be by the administration complex," he goes on to murmur, with a sidelong glance given to D'ani as they walk forwards. "And if you should ever need anything, you've only need to ask…" Above, Velokraeth will give Varmiroth a quick nudge before slipping from the ledge he had perched upon to greet the gold and swiftly wings back to his home ledge to watch and observe from there.

D'ani's shoulder is nudged and then Kimmila is running off?! Whaaaat was that for? He blinks after her for a seconds of stupid, then turns back to be an active part of the welcome committee. Nyalle is just a youngster but Dremkoth's besotted attention to the beautiful Kayeth is making the Weyrsecond giddystupid here. So please, someone, stop him before he blurts- "Would you like us to help you do that, Nyalle?" Heh… Th'ero… he's… just invited himself along?

Nyalle nods to Th'ero and slips her arm through his, keeping a polite distance but still accepting his offer. "Thank you, sir," she murmurs, walking sedately beside him. Turning, she smiles at D'ani, cheeks coloring slightly at his eagerness. "I would appreciate the assistance, certainly D'ani, if you would not mind." Kayeth walks along after them, as graceful on the ground as she in in the skies, with a feline-esque grace to her movements.

Th'ero keeps a polite distance as well as he picks a path along the bowl, out of the worst of the mud and water. He'll give D'ani another look, this time a questioning one at the Weyrsecond's eager offer and has to duck his head down soon afterward to keep himself from grinning when he clues in to the younger bronzerider's giddiness. Not even here for a few minutes and Nyalle's drawing attention among the bronzeriders! "No trouble at all," Th'ero murmurs and as they walk through the north bowl there are more weyrfolk and riders gathered to catch a glimpse at the newest arrival and already there is the low hum of whispered voices. Who is she? Is she here to stay? Look at that gold! Kayeth gets her share of attention too, human and draconic alike. Nearing the administration complex, he will let his arm slip from Nyalle's and motion with his hand for her to continue on forwards. Her and Kayeth's ledge should be obvious enough, as it would be the only one not occupied or showing signs of occupation.

D'ani can lug boxes and bags, shove furniture around, no problem (thanks Dremkoth, ol buddy ol pal)! There's nothing like a dragon's mental push, is there? He's rubbing the back of his neck while trying to avoid looking sheepish in the wake of the Weyrleader's ducked head. He can well imagine how that sounded. Oh well. It's…. not an unpleasant task, to help the new arrival settle. He's quiet as they walk, probably wrestling with Dremkoth in an attempt to redirect his attention elsewhere. It's… not working.

Nyalle returns polite smiles, but she never lingers for long, her ears coloring a bit as she hears the whispers. Assuming, of course, that they are negative comments rather than positive. Any comments about Kayeth though are greeted with warmer smiles and adoring glances to her lifemate. As she walks up the stairs Kayeth steps away from the group and crouches, surging upwards in an effortless sweep of her wings, more of a leap than actual flying, but it looks good as she touches down on her new ledge. Standing there for a moment, the gold poses, wings spread and head turned, tail held out behind her in a graceful arc. A roar is sent to the weyr at large, letting them know she has arrived. "Hush, you," is Nyalle's fond and clearly adoring admonishment to the queen, to which Kayeth responds with an amused rumble. Shifting, she turns to present her side to her rider and the men, and Nyalle climbs up to start unfastening things. There's no furniture, all she has are boxes and bags. And not many, at that, as she starts to hand them down carefully to the men. "Thank you for your help, sirs," she says quietly.

It was an offer with good intentions? And certainly no unpleasant task. Th'ero will stand aside as he walks up to the ledge after Nyalle, casting a brief glance to D'ani and what looks to be a hint of a grin. One that fades as Kayeth leap-glides to her ledge and new home and now who's the one looking a touch awe-struck? High Reaches Weyr were fools to let this gold go! At the roar though, the Weyrleader can't help but chuckle, glancing from his Weyrsecond to Nyalle with a smile that is a touch more relaxed than his previous stoic and reserved nature. "She is settling in, I see?" he muses as he strides forwards to help carry the first boxes and crates to be unfastened from the straps, which are then given to D'ani. If he notes the lack of furniture, the Weyrleader keeps his tongue held in check. Either by pure luck or someone's thoughtful thinking, the weyr given to Nyalle has been furnished though it remains to be seen if it's to her tastes. "We're glad to help, Nyalle. Isn't that right, D'ani?" Kayeth's roar is echoed by a few other dragons adding their curious warbles and calls, among them Velokraeth who adds his rich toned voice to the mix from where he is perched on his ledge.

D'ani's also among those who gaze awestruck at the resplendent gold. Because Dremkoth is. High Reaches were fools to let her go. What were they thinking??? Oh well, Kayeth and Nyalle belong to THEM - cough! - Fort Weyr now. Dremkoth! Darn you. Get out of my head! Oh wait, you can't. Nev..er…mind. Sigh. D'ani is keeping his mouth shut so he doesn't say what's popping into Dremkoth's head - and consequently into his head (it goes something like, 'hubba hubba' and 'say baby, how's about a turn about the Weyr with me?' sorta thing though he's not saying them directly to the young gold, mostly to D'ani). He'll just nod dumbly at Th'ero as he stands there with his arms held for those boxes and carries them back and forth to stack them where Nyalle wants them.

They were thinking Nyalle was a Weyrleader stealing slut. Nyalle passes the last of the boxes and bags down to the Weyrleader and Weyrsecond before nimbly moving down from Kayeth's foreleg to pull off the queen's straps. Once freed, Kayeth kicks into the skies to soar upwards and perch on the rim, finding a nice flat spot to settle and gaze down upon the weyr that is her new home. Her thoughts are warm and pleased, though the island that is her inner most mind is shrouded in mist with flickering storms. Down below, Nyalle pushes hair out of her face and smiles. "If you two would just give me a few minutes? I'll meet you down in the bowl if you'd be so kind." She needs to wash up. Change into something more appropriate.

The Senior Weyrwoman's paranoia and power hungry ways made them think Nyalle was a Weyrleader stealing slut — and all that drama and unpleasantness. Who knows what other mind games and twisted truths also circulated about that Weyr, but High Reaches is no friendly place to be with Pandara in control. Th'ero will take the last of the bags and boxes along with D'ani and set them down where they've placed the rest of them. Watching again as Kayeth takes off, his gaze will lower to the goldrider and he will nod his head in a respectful gesture. "Take your time, Nyalle. But first…" He will pull that wrapped bundle out now, which he had tucked away neatly into his pocket. Now it's held out for her to take and when she does and pulls back the cloth cover it will be her new Fortian knot. Something that should have, perhaps, been given to her by the Senior Weyrwoman but from his hands instead. "Welcome again to Fort Weyr, weyrwoman Nyalle." Th'ero murmurs with another one of his warm but reserved smiles. "We'll wait for you down in the bowl." Stepping back, he will purposely reach over to clasp D'ani on the shoulder as if to turn the Weyrsecond to face him so that they could discuss something as they head for the stairs. When truthfully, the Weyrleader is probably making certain the younger bronzerider follows him and doesn't stand there.

Nyalle blinks a few times before she puts on a smile and reaches out to take the knot. As if it were a live thing. "Thank you, sir," she says, her voice soft but suddenly a bit thick. Then she's turning and moving with long strides into her inner weyr, closing the door softly behind her. Above, Kayeth's tail twitches and her muzzle dips, still gleaming in her body but her mind is elsewhere, consoling her rider on that dark and shadowed island.

Th'ero will wait patiently with D'ani down in the bowl until Nyalle has finished cleaning up and changing and if she takes a little longer at it, the Weyrleader gives no hint to any impatience or restlessness. Just a silent understanding as they no doubt make small talk again on the way to the living caverns where they rejoin Kimmila before taking their seats at the main table. As more riders and weyrfolk drift in to start their day with a meal, word has drifted by now and it won't take long before Nyalle is spotted, an unfamiliar face with a Fortian knot. A new gold rider? Now that makes for some very interesting news! And all through their breakfast, she'll no doubt have to field a few introductions from those bold and outspoken enough to approach. Then the chance for escape will come, when Th'ero excuses himself and Kimmila, claiming that they've a pressing matter to attend to. One that apparently will need the Weyrsecond's presence too, leaving Nyalle to either continue to be social or return to her weyr to settle in.