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Alarele

Ariane doesn't suffer fools gladly, but apparently she suffers them more gladly than some!

Xeteo emerges from the recesses of the east cavern.

You say "Well. I guess we both learned something new about each other."

Xeteo nods affirmatively, and looks to see if the taskmast--er...auntie
is around still.

You're being eyed, the both of you, but no one seems to mind so long as
you keep moving.

Xeteo peers at his rag...and then looks for something he's more familiar
with. Like a broom. And sure enough, there are some, so he goes to get
that. Now. Sweeping out living caverns is not entirely dissimilar to his
farmhold duties, and thus, much less likely to get him thwacked upside
the head.

Ariane chuckles and keeps wiping. She's been scrubbing the floor and
sweeping entirely too much. let someone ELSE do it.

Swip-Sweep-Swip. Brushbrush. Humhum. Hey...he's not half-bad for carrying
a tune.

Ariane cocks her head, listening, and trying to get a sense of the chorus
so she can join in.

Xeteo rather suddenly and spontaneously breaks into song, "I'll sing you
one, ho, green grow the rushes, oh, what is your one, ho? One is gold and
all alone and ever more shall be so!"

Ariane shakes her head, not knowing that one. She hums along as soon as
she has the tune.

Xeteo twirls the broom, and heads in a new direction to sweep, keeping
time with his old farm-tune, "I'll sing you two, ho, green grow the
rushes, ho, what is your two, ho? Two, two, twisting in flight, birthing
new de-fend-ers, O!, one is gold and all alone and ever more shall be
so!"

Ariane echoes, a beat late, "And ever more shall be so..." At least she's
trying!

Xeteo gets to the end of the row between tables and turns around. The
looks he gets DO make him quiet a bit, "I'll sing you three, ho, green
grow the rushes, ho, what is your three, ho? Three...three...Craft, Hold,
and Weyr! Two, two, twisting in flight, birthing new de-fend-ers, O!, one
is gold and all alone and ever more shall be so!"

Ariane is starting to get the hang of it, and chimes in with more surety
on this chorus.

Alarele emerges from the recesses of the east cavern.

Ariane keeps scrubbing the tables while she sings with Xeteo.

Alarele clomps in, scowling at all the singing. "Can't you let a
candidate sleep?"

Ariane shakes her head to Alarele, grinning. "We gotta work late, we
gotta stay awake somehow. Besides, you can't hear the cavern from the
dorm."

Xeteo flashes Ariane a grin, and goes on. Hey, he really does have a nice
voice. Naieve and untrained, but nice. "I'll sing you four, ho, green
grow the rushes, ho, what is your four, ho? Four generations between the
Falls, Three...three...Craft, Hold, and Weyr, Two, two, twining in
flight, birthing new de-fend-ers, O! One is gold and all alone and ever
more shall be so!"

Alarele sulks, "I can. And why must you work late?" She regards Xeteo
with disgust, but manages (for a wonder!) to quench any smartmouth
comment that might be coming to her lips. "What an...interesting...song."

Xeteo sticks his tongue out at this newcomer, apparently in good spirits,
and stops, "Gotta do something to keep yourselves amused when digging
tubers."

Ariane thinks a moment. "IS it four generations between Passes? I thought
six." She replies to Alarele "Some of us get assigned late kitchen duty,
you know."

Alarele points out the obvious, "You are not digging tubers at the
moment, unless the stones have disappeared..." She considers that, then
shakes her head. "It's eight, by the way."

Xeteo shrugs to Ariane's question, "I dunno...ask Yalantran...he used to
Harper on circuit to the hold."

Matt' enters the yawning cavern from the arched opening that leads from
the bowl.
Matt' walks in and frowns. /She's/ in here? Forget it. He turns and heads
back for the door.

You say "Well, then, if you're lucky enough to be done by the eighth
candlemark, then count your eggs and be happy! I would be! Xeteo, I want
to hear the rest of that song."

Xeteo watches the man come in and disappear again, then blinks at Ariane,
"What song?" Oh, like he wasn't just singing, "Oh! Oh, that
song...uh...what number was I on?"

Alarele's eyes catch Matt' as the greenrider flees. Then back to the
singing candidates. "Eight generations between Passes."

Xeteo ohs, "I was on eight?" He starts back up.

Matt' stops as he remembers he came in there for something.. he turns
around. What was it.

Alarele groans, "What about another song? Something that's a little
less...ah...raucous? Do you know the one about the, um, the herbs in the
pantry?"

Ariane's gaze goes to the greenrider, and like a good candie she calls
"Can I get you something, sir?"

Alarele is a bad candie, so she just prepares to harass the greenrider.

Matt' smirks. Yeah, but it'll get him into trouble more ways than one, so
he just shakes his head and mutters. "Do I look like I need help?"

You say "Well, I thought you might want something to drink or eat. If you
do, just let me know!"

Alarele, tactless, answers, "Yes. You look like you need to learn how to
treat a guest to the Weyr. Except I'm staying permanently now." She
smiles. Do her canines look longer than normal to you?

Xeteo sings zestfully, "I'll sing you eight, ho, green grow the rushes,
ho, what is your eight, ho? Eight, Eight for the Major Craftings, Seven
for the seven brave Traders, Six for the Weyrs that Watch us, Five for
the five dragon colors, four for the generations between the Passes,
Three, three, Craft, Hold, and Weyr, two for the two twining, birthing
new de-fend-ers, One is gold, and all alone, and ever more shall be so!"

Xeteo startles right out of his song, "I didn't know Candidates were
guests? I thought we were drudges?"

Matt' walks by Alarele, then turns to Ariane. "IN fact.. there is
something you can do for me.."

Ariane giggles and looks away from Xeteo at his comment. Ooh, he'll get
it for that one. "Yessir?"

Alarele shrugs, "I was a guest who got Searched. Now I'm a drudge."

Matt' points his thumb towards the guest/candidate/rude person. "Teach
her some manners.. before Zy does.."

Xeteo ows! as he's suddenly smacked with that wooden spoon, and goes
fleeing to sweep again, song completely forgotten.

You say "I can try, sir, but I don't know if she'll take lessoning from
me, sir."

Xeteo's glare at the auntie that's tormenting him is pretty clear...give
rude people to her...he's not even rude, and he's got knots all over his
head.

Alarele parks her rear on a table and points out, "Violence is hardly the
way to solve anything, rider, whatever your name is. And just because you
think I need manners, doesn't absolve you from the necessity of treating
a guest courteously." She shrugs with one shoulder, "Of course, you can
torment me now, since I'm a drudge."

Xeteo chimes in, "Isn't the proper way to deal with a rude guest to ask
them to leave the next morning, and never bother to invite them back?"

Alarele folds her arms and sententiously comments, "That gold egg on the
sands needs me."

Matt' smirks. "What.. so it can reject you to your face?"

Ariane chokes and turns her head. Oh, my. Who died and made her Lady
Holder?

Xeteo blinks, and just gapes at Alarele.

Alarele beams sweetly at Matt'. "Care to make a wager?" She ignores the
other candidates.

Matt' grins and nods. "Most definately! I'll give you 1000 to 1 odds,
that the gold passes you up.

Ariane's fingers twitch. Wager. Oh, does she ever want to, but the
thought of even more chores keeps her silent.

Xeteo remains very quiet. His wagering is reserved for fast runners and
mares.

Alarele presses her lips together in a thin smile. "Very well! Have you
2000 marks you care to spend? No, I'd better only wager one...they're my
marks, you know, earned myself."

Alarele examines her fingernails, studiously innocent. "I might wish to
buy something at a gather before the Hatching, you see."

Ariane points out, innocently, "You can wager service, as well."

Matt' hmms. "I might like that idea better! Here's the bet. I'll bet you
that the gold passes you up. If I win the bet, you are my servant for 2
months! If you win, I will be your personal taxi service for one whole
turn.

Alarele shakes her head, "No dice, unless I get to choose the turn and
take it in parts. When I ride a dragon, I will not /need/ your taxi
service, save when she is heavy with eggs."

Matt' grins. "How about I do all your mucking for you then for the entire
time you are a weyrling."

Now that's somewhat better. Alarele warms to the idea, then frowns. "And
you taxi me around when my gold is broody."

Amerae enters the yawning cavern from the arched opening that leads from
the bowl.

Matt' hrms, then nods, offering his hand. "Deal."

Ariane shakes her head. Matt' seems awfully sure of winning the wager.

Alarele shakes her head, "I'm not done yet. What does being your servant
entail?"

Matt' tilts his head. "Whatever I want. For 3 months."

Alarele shakes her head, "You said two."

Ariane eyes Xeteo. If THEY talked to a rider like this, they'd be mucking
out until the eggs hatch!

Alarele is special.

Matt' hmms. "You added, so I added.

Amerae walks in slowly. Her eyebrows delicately arc as she catches part
of a conversation in the cavern. She simply chuckles as she hears Matt' s
response; she moves for the wine.

Xeteo just shrugs.

Not that Matt' can add, mind you. He can barely read.

Alarele folds her arms, commenting, "But I thought you were so sure of
your winning. What should it matter, if the gold ignores me, how much I
asked you for?"

Ariane comments to no one in particular "Funny, I thought I was in Fort,
not Bitra..."

Don't you know Rele comes from Icy Feet Hold, which is almost as bad as
Bitra?

Matt' hmms. "Well.. ummm." Think, Matt, think. Just don't hurt yourself.
"Um.. Why does it matter how many months I get if you're going to get
that gold's attention anyways."

Alarele has an answer for everything. "This gold might be as stupid as
the last one I watched stumble over to another girl on the Sands."

Ariane laughs out loud, she can't help it.

Xeteo nods, "I always heard that Fortians were more willin to spank women
that misbehaved than any other place on Pern." It's not QUITE a whisper,
"And legend has it,t he last vain girl to get a gold killed hers from
sheer stupidity." Oh ho...he might not have been here long, but he does
listen to some gossip.

Amerae takes her wine flask and fetches a glass. Eyes narrow as she hones
in for a seat. Finding an empty chair an empty table, she pours her glass
half full of wine then takes her seat. She remains quiet but is obviously
listening to the conversation for the corners of her lips are quivering
in a smirkish grin.

Ariane whispers back "No, that was High Reaches!"

Alarele comments idly, "The more fool her. With acquaintance and diligent
attention, you /may/ learn that I am not /so/ very stupid."

Xeteo blinks slowly at Ariane. He almost looks like a bovine when he does
that.

Ariane grins at Xeteo.

Xeteo grins back, and observes innocently enough, "No...just rude and
insufferable. You probably don't have any friends, do you?"

Ariane hisses "Xeteo!" She jerks one shoulder at the aunties who are
certainly watching this.

Alarele observes in her own innocence, "Oh, not many...a couple
greenriders...a bluerider, a brownrider, that junior weyrwoman down at
Ista..." Apparently she's not so disdainful of the gold's choice as she
seems.

Xeteo says "That's way down at Ista." He moves over to sit next to
Alarele, still holding his broom, "You blood to a family or something?"

Amerae blinks at a unheard voice then let's out a little laugh. She
stands and moves back out to the bowl.
Amerae walks off towards the Northeast Bowl - Fort Weyr.

Alarele frowns and edges away just a bit from Xeteo. "I am the daughter
of the Holder of Icy Feet Hold. An old and proud bloodline, indeed."

Xeteo ohs, "Isn't that that little hold on uh...oh, I forget."

Alarele supplies, "The very edge of the Snowy Wastes, up by Benden Weyr.
Yes. They have the best ice fishing on Pern."

Xeteo offers his hand, "I'm the second son of Xeret, of Shorst Hold,
looking to Southern Boll. A pleasure to meet you."

Alarele eyes the hand and gingerly lays her own fingers across it in a
squeamish gesture. Back to Matt'. "Well? Have you considered the deal?"

Xeteo nods slowly, "Must be the Bitran in you that makes you want to
wager on anything but runners." This guy is stupid, free of the fear of
death, or some of both."

Alarele enunciates carefully, "I do not wager on runners because there is
far too much left to chance."

You say "And this isn't left to chance at all?"

Matt' shakes his head. "Three months.. it doesn't matter if you're going
to get the gold. They don't 'accidently' impress.."

Xeteo starts to protest, "No it's not! You can always tell a winner if
you're smart. Only fools bet on the wrong runner."

Alarele cuttingly comments, "Only fools bet on runners to begin with! Any
runner can trip and break its leg halfway through the race." To Matt', a
quick shake of the head. "No deal, then."

Matt' murmers to Ariane.. "She's afraid to lose. She knows she's going to
lose."

Xeteo nods, "And I hear anyone can get in the way of the wrong green
hatchling and get their liver ripped out and et before it Impresses. I
bet it's the same."

You say "If you're so sure you'll take her, what do you have to lose?"

Alarele rolls her eyes, "I'm not sure I'll take her. If she has any
sense, she'll choose me. Still..." A disquieted frown at Xeteo, "Not if
one doesn't get in front of hatchlings who are heading on their way to
other people."

Ariane points out "If she truly needs you, evcen were you in the stands
she'd find you."

Xeteo nods, "Maybe. I've never been to a Weyr before." He thoughtfully
adds, "Or to a hatching. I don't know why I said yes. I mean...I know
runners and ovines, and here I am, at a Weyr...and my father's going to
grow feathers and fly around the second moon when he finds out I'm not
headed back home. Maybe Mai will write him and tell him."

Matt' mutters. "She's afraid.." he says and goes to get some juice.

Alarele peers at Xeteo, only remarking, "That would certainly be
interesting to see. If you happen to witness this remarkable event, do
fetch me so I can watch it as well." Tra la la...ignore! Ignore! Tra la
la la!

Xeteo grins slowly, "I'll bet you'd have to get in line behind the Lord
Holders who wanted to see and find out how he did it first!"

Ariane shakes her head to Aralele. "Well, if you ever wish to make
friends with us lowly fellow candidates, I'm sure you have interesting
tales..." she breaks off and bursts out laughing at Xeteo.

Alarele shakes her head, "Nah. Say, when do you think he's going to take
off? Maybe we can get some unsuspecting rider to take us to the top of
the Star Stones. No reason to waste a good view on those unable to
appreciate it."

Matt' walks back over, sipping his juice. "Sure you don't want to bet? I
mean, I'd be doing all your mucking for you during your weyrling time..
you aren't going to enjoy that at all."

Xeteo thinks, "Well, it takes nearly two sevenday to get to Boll. I think
he'll notice I'm not home in three sevenday...and...it might take him a
while to find out that I'm not at Fort Hold anymore either."
Xeteo says "So, unless Mai writes him, it might take a couple of months."

Alarele nods, "And the eggs will be hatched by then." So confident! "And
they wouldn't dare deny the newest queenrider a chance at seeing the
spectacle."

Ariane rolls her eyes. "Did this Icy Meat hold have a harper?"

Xeteo blinks like a watchwher, "They wouldn't? Someone told me that they
don't let Weyrlings do anything for at least two turns. Not even leave."

"Feet," Alarele corrects, "Icy Feet. Well...you can see the moons from
any point on Pern, you know. Hasn't your harper told you that?"

Xeteo nods, "I...guess you're right."

You say "The Starcraft says the moons are far away, says the harpers. So
unless his Da was big as ten dragons, you couldn't see it."

Matt' shakes his head. "NO gold in their right mind would pick you.." he
says plainly.

Xeteo blinks at Ariane, and then laughs, "Father's fat...but he's not
THAT! fat!"

Alarele nods, "So I could make him," a thumb jerks back towards Matt',
"take me up to the Star Stones and we could look through a distance
viewer and see him." A scowl at Matt', "You've taken a poll?"

Matt' shakes his head. "Don't need to. You know it.. that's why you won't
take the wager."

Xeteo cocks his head in the quiet, and looks to Matt'. It takes him
several moments to make a connection. Dragonrider. He picks his broom up,
and starts sweeping again, meekly.

Alarele smiles sappily, "Oh, is that so? I'm simply waiting for you to
give me a fair bet."

Matt' laughs in her face. "Are you kidding me? 18 months of mucking
against 3 months slavery? I think that's /more/ than fair!

Alarele primly retorts, "I have no idea what you could ask of me during
that slavery. It could be injurious to my morals. Besides, slavery is
outlawed in the Charter. Or," she adds with that sickening smile, "didn't
your Harper teach you anything about that?"

Matt' chuckles. "Your what? Morals? I dunno what you mean by that.. but I
was thinking about having you clean my weyr and clean up after Zyhaneth..
and give her baths.. and make our bed.. that sort of thing."

Ariane is getting bored with this. When the Headwoman hears this, Alarele
will be given chores for all of daylight and candlemarks past for
sevendays.

Xeteo is still studiously sweeping the already clean floor.
*swip*Sweep*swip*

Alarele's eyebrows rise into her hairline. "'Our' bed? I thought
something of the sort."

Ariane rolls her eyes. "His and his green's. Jays."

Matt' blinks. "Me and my weyrmate..

Xeteo gets a very confused expression, as he no doubt tries to imagine a
four poster bed big enough to fit a green dragon.

Don't hurt yourself, Xeteo. Alarele frowns, "And what if I Impress a
color other than gold?"

Matt' shakes his head. "You're my slave after weyrling period. I'll drop
it to 2 months, just cause of the impression itself.

Alarele shakes her head, "A sevenday."

Matt' pondes. "So.. 3 months if you don't impress at all.. a sevenday if
you impress something other than a gold?

Alarele nods, "And you muck up after my dragon for a month."

Matt' chuckles, then has to laugh. "No.. you said you would be the next
goldrider. That's the bet."

Ariane finishes wiping the last table. She turns to watch what she hopes
will be the outcome of this whole conversation.

Alarele shakes her head, "Not at all. You said the gold wouldn't even
look my way, would totally ignore me. /That/'s the bet."

You say "Oh, for pity's...that wasn't what he said!"

Matt' shrugs and turns away, walking back to refill his juice. "She knows
she's not going to get it.. with all her bragging and boasting, deep down
she knows she doesn't have what it takes."

Alarele shakes her head, "He did too. He said he would bet that the gold
passes me up. And, rider dear, do tell me what it takes, O you of such
wisdom and experience."

You say "Passes you up doesn't mean never LOOKS at you. It means she
walks by. Fall and Fire, this is getting silly."

Matt' steps up to her and nods. "Certainly. Someone who's kind and
caring, not all full of themselves like they are something important.
When you impress, you are not important. Your dragon is. You become part
with your dragon. NO dragon would want to impress to someone who thinks
only of themselves." That said, he turns and walks over and sits down
into a chair.

Xeteo sits down, done sweeping, and listens very quietly.

Alarele nods. "I agree. I do wish others would not go around telling
people what they will and won't Impress. Or lecture them on their
personalities," she snaps at Matt, fire and--is that pain?--smoldering in
her eyes. "But I suppose since I am the least liked of all candidates, I
have no reason to hope that I might find a lifemate with hide as golden
as Rukbat. Every deed I act is doomed to failure because I am just the
shardingest most hateful person." Her eyes close as she leans back
slightly, with an air of reciting. "I am rude, and obstinate, and
tactless, and cruel. Yes, I have heard it all before."

Xeteo uhhs softly, from behind Alarele, "So...why do you keep doing it?"

Alarele leans back a little more, viewing an upside-down Xeteo with
glistening eyes, and laughs just a little. "What else am I supposed to
do?"

You say "If you've heard it all before, you forgot to mention lonely and
craving attention."

Matt' shrugs. "You could stop being so mean.."

Ariane shrugs a little. "After all, you sound just like my littlest
brother after he's been scolded a bit. He'll show all of US!"

Xeteo ums. Now that one has him stumped. "I dunno..just...be nice. You
look like a very nice girl." Oh, that one's bright.

Alarele ahs and closes her eyes. "Yes, lonely and craving attention.
Friendless. Hateful. I said that one before. Mean, there's a good one."
Eyes open again. "Nice?"
Alarele adds, "Don't leave out inconsiderate. I wouldn't want to forget
that one."

You say "I didn't say hateful. I think you're sharding lonely to the
point you don't care what people think of you as long as they think.
Seems to me that gold doesn't need you, but you sharding straight need
her, or something."

Alarele gets her head screwed on straight and smiles a bit crookedly at
Ariane. "Everybody needs a dragon. Some just need one more than others.
And some get one. ANd some don't."

Matt' nods, looking up. "Don't forget.. wet."

You say "No, everyone doesn't need a dragon. Some just need to learn
where the middle of their own guts are, and live there."

Alarele's eyebrows climb into her hairline. "And you? The middle oftheir
guts?" A frown at Matt'. "...Wet?"

Matt' nods. "Yeah.. wet. You listed everything but 'wet'.

Melusa emerges from the recesses of the east cavern.

You say "Me? I know where my home is." She jerks her hand to her heart.
"It's here. And if someone shares it with me, well and good. And if a
dragon likes it enough to choose me, well and good. I'll be happy. But
then, I don't know much. I'm only a miner."

Xeteo blinks at Matt'..."She's wet?"

Alarele repeats slowly. "Wet. Why...wet?"

Melusa wanders in, finally done her chores for the day and looking for
some relaxing conversation. She waves cheerily to everyone.

Matt' stands and walks over to her, setting his glass down along the way.
"Let me see your hand."

The reflective mood is gone. Rele eyes Matt' warily as she holds her hand
up beside her head, as if considering. One little twirl of the wrist and
her palm faces the ceiling. "Yes?"

Xeteo senses "Ariane looks at you thoughtfully, as if judging for herself
where YOU live."

Melusa notices Alarele and sighs, barely audible, but still noticeable.
She pours a mug of klah and sits with the clump of candies, waiting to
see what Rele has stirred up now.

Matt' nods and reaches for the hand, grabbing it by the write and pulling
her toward him. He ducks his shoulders and lifts her onto his shoulders.
"Or at least you will be.." he says, heading for the door.

Ariane shakes her head and just steps out of the way. This, Rele had
coming.

Xeteo blinks and jumps to his feet as Rele is grabbed.

Melusa watches Matt' and whispers to Ariane, asking what's going on.

Alarele eeks and begins yelling about assault and rape and such things as
she gets dragged along.

Matt' walks off towards the Northeast Bowl - Fort Weyr.
Alarele walks off towards the Northeast Bowl - Fort Weyr.

Ariane says louder to Melusa "Oh, she and Matt were betting on whether
she gets the Gold or not. She swears she will. he swears she won't."

Melusa snorts. "Just like her... I wonder what they did to her up at Icy
Feet Hold."

You say "She's the loneliest flaming woman I've ever seen, and she
screams like a toddler."

Xeteo sits back down....mostly hoping Matt' won't /actually/ do any of
the things Rele's screaming...but he keeps an eye on the door.
Dragonriders are nice people, really. He believes that.

Melusa rolls her eyes. "And yells at people for no reason, assuming that
/no/ one could possibly be as intelligent as she is..."

You say "the bad thing is, I feel sorry for her but not enough to try and
work her out of it. Am I a bad person? Ooh! hear that splash!"

Xeteo adds, almost sadly, "Icy Feet is a long way away. She's lonely." As
if it's not already been said.
Xeteo looks...thoughtful.

Matt' enters the yawning cavern from the arched opening that leads from
the bowl.
Matt' walks back in.. wet up to his calves.. grinning widely.

Melusa raises an eyebrow at Xeteo and says irritably, "Well, if it's
company she wants, she has a funny way of askig for it!"

Xeteo blinks at the greenrider, and asks, "What did you do?"

Ariane calls to the rider "You want that drink now?"

Alarele enters the yawning cavern from the arched opening that leads from
the bowl.

Matt' shrugs and points behind him.
Matt' says "She'll need it more than me.""

Xeteo blinkblinkblinks more at Alarele and hops up to get a towel. Wet
floors...they'll be mopping for hours.

Melusa can't quite hide a chuckle at the dripping Alarele.

Alarele staggers in, dripping wet, and remembering to spit out the dirt
stuck in the corners of her mouth /before/ she enters the cavern. "Why,
you...scruffy little...half-witted...ash-brained...IDIOT!" She bends to
pull off one of her oversized, water-filled boots, and clomp-clumps
towards Matt', boot held threateningly. "If this is your idea of fun,
rider, I would thank you to take a hike!"

Ariane sighs and heads to get the mop. Doesn't ANYONE in this Weyr wipe
their feet?

Xeteo is right behind Ariane, looking both resigned to more mopping...and
concerned.

Melusa stops chortling long enough to realize that maybe she should help
clean up the mess... although maybe Rele should clean up after herself...
She resigns herself to scrubbing a floor that she had just cleaned a few
hours ago.

Matt' bats the boot back in her direction, hopefully spilling it's
contents back onto her.

Ariane starts mopping the floor by the entrance to the cavern.

Xeteo heads for the dripping Alarella to mop where she's tracked.

A large wad of sand chooses that moment to dislodge from Rele's tunic and
splot on the floor. "Where do you think you get off with such an outrage,
you...you...refugee from a stagnant pond!" The boot and its contents
remain one until Rele snaps her wrist, sending a large goosh of dirty
water and small fish back towards Matt'.

Melusa scrubs the dirt around the entrance of the cavern.

Xeteo yelps and intelligently ducks the flying water and fish. First
intelligent thing he's done all night.

Ariane gives Melusa a grateful look. Best to be small, helpful candidates
now, because the dung is going to spray like flame from a flamethrower
from this one.

Matt' gets dirty water on him. "You're gonna get rolled around in the
dirt in a moment, if ou don't cut that out'

Melusa sighs as more of the cavern floor needs to be scrubbed. She says
quietly to Ariane, "I think Rele should clean up her mess... why are we
doing it for her?"

Xeteo hisses in Melusa's direction, "We don't want to get rapped on the
heads with spoons?"

Alarele draws herself up on what remains of her dignity, boot in hand,
dripping madly. "I am sorry, fellow candidates, that this otherwise fine
young fellow created this mess. Indeed, I would offer to clean it up
myself, but..." With a glare towards Melusa, "I am afraid I am far too
dirty to be of any help. I go to bathe. Go soak your head, rider."
AMazing. She knows nobody's name anymore.

Ariane whispers "We're on kitchen duty?"

Alarele walks off towards the East Cavern - Fort Weyr.

Melusa looks at Xeteo... "I would be the one to get in trouble. I was in
charge of making sure it's clean today."

Ariane shakes her head. "She's not as smart as she thinks she is."

Matt' shakes his head. "Leave it."

Xeteo looks confused at all the advice, and stops mopping entirely.

Ariane blinks. "leave it? But, sir.."

Matt' nods. "Go.. have some fun or something." he smiles.

You say "But..but..."

Melusa looks at Matt'. "You're sure I won't be blamed? It's ok?"

Matt' shrugs. "Nah.. don't worry.. tell em to talk to me."

Melusa looks right into Matt's eyes. "You're absolutely sure? I don't
want to be put on tuber duty for the next sevenday."

Ariane nods, leaning the mop against the wall. The aunties are all
gossiping behind their hands. She grabs Melusa and Sheldinn and nods to
Matt'. "Thank you, sir. May I be excused now?"

Xeteo is grabbed, still blinking like a poleaxed ox.

Matt' nods. "Yeah yeah.. go on."

Ariane heads for the candidate dorm, unbeliving at getting done with
chores before the eleventh candlemark.

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