The Dragonriders of PernŽ is a trademark, Registered U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, of Anne McCaffrey. This is a recorded session, generated by Harper's Tale MOO in April, 1998, for the benefit of members unable to attend. Logged by Pyrene.
Meeting Taliesin
Living Caverns
The rough-hewn majesty of this cavern far outpaces any delight in the multitudes of curves that form its enclosure. The glabrous grey granite is shot through with translucent obsidian, lending subtly-veined sparkle to the walls and the foot-trodden smoothness of the floor that shows centuries-old placements of the scarred trestle tables; carven hollows give homes for the glow baskets and the coat-pegs that line the walls. No mosaics, no painting, no tiles: just a few well-done tapestries mark the pathway that lead to the kitchen to the north and the inner caverns to the west, and frame the nighthearth's stew and snacks, while a heavier strip of oiled canvas shields the unwary from the wind in the bowl.
Tucked into a glowlit niche are Lightfoot, Kynance, Kate, Goblin, Vibo, Reno, Maeve, Snow, Nocturno, Lox, Zhaneel, Kyrus, and Majicke.
You see Tray 'o bubblies here.
Obvious exits:
Bowl Kitchens Inner Caverns Crafting Area
Taliesin arrives from deeper in the Weyr.
Taliesin
The man that slides quietly across, or perhaps into, your gaze is one of something more than an ordinary appearance. His frame, tall and dark, stretches towards the ceiling in a height that is that of more than the usual, perhaps by a handspan. But what he gains in height, he lost in any form of girth. Thin, it's almost a wonder that he can move at times, his limbs seeming to bear no strength at all. Tis not the case though, as any who happens to take a journey with him might notice. His fingers take on the appearance of his body, long and thin, and can be just as useful as they can clumsy. Handsome he is, but only in the way of his dark, defined features, and a radiant smile that loves to make itself shine off of his lips. Brown eyes shift quietly, always taking in their surroundings, and may twinkle like sun off a mud puddle, or be as cold as a dust covered rock, poking gently out of a mornings snow. With a voice to match his personality, either quiet and soft, or soaring and rompus, Taliesin is here.
His clothes are simple, yet elegant in a strange way. Trousers of the purest black hang loosely off his legs, a weave of two intertwining lines curving white up the outer seams of the pants. A shirt, light and airy, of a pure white clings to his torso, kept only from blowing everywhere by a black half vest, which starts full across his shoulders, then narrows as it makes his way down his chest, moving to a single point as it reaches his waist. The whole outfit is pulled, and held, together at the waist with extravagance, a bright red belt circling his waist. Black wherhide boots adorn his feet, and at times, a long, flowing black cape adds to his eccentric air. Do clothes give insight into the person? Perhaps on some, and this is definitly one of those people.
He is awake and looks alert.
Taliesin is 22 Turns, 1 month, and 3 days old.
Pyrene sits on a bench, legs swinging and eyes occasionally flickering over the kids sitting reasonably quietly at a table, picking at their food. Seeing Taliesin enter, she nods to him, "Hello, want some greens?" A wicked smirk plays across her features, but the grumbles from the kids are less enthusiastic.
"Greens?" Pause as Taliesin slips into the caverns, and his eyes go over first Pyrene, and then the kids at the table, a bit of a wicked smile returned to Pyrene. "Why sure...I'd love some.." Stepping his way over towards the table, and humming on the way there.
Pyrene grins and raises her voice, "I thought you must like them. You're so tall, you must eat plenty of greens." In a slightly lower voice she adds, "You don't have to though, I'm not that cruel. Well, not to anybody over 16 anyway." Some would beg to differ, but she really is more interested in child torturing right now.
"Well exactly..the only way I got so tall and strong was to eat my greens..." Looking directly at the little kids as he says that, Tal shifts his body a bit to lean over and whisper to Pyrene anyways. "Well, as long as they're well cooked, I'd eat em..."
Thesy strolls in from the Central Bowl.
Pyrene peers at the soggy mess in the large bowl in the centre of the table. "Oh, I'd say they were well cooked..." And she's not touching them. It's her right as a nanny."But you can eat 'em if you want. It looks more impressive for the brats anyway." She draws one leg underneath her as she reaches over to get some bread and cheese. "This on the other hand, is generally safer."
"Morning!" is called softly as Thesy quietly slips in. Breakfast is gathered quickly before the bluerider settles at the Zephyr table. A smile and a nod for the assistant nanny, the kids and the strange young man before she concentrates on her meal.
A smile at that, and Taliesin does reach for a bowl of greens. "I've always found that the safe way out is never quite as fun.." Turning his head, before he eats, to the one who just entered and greeted them, Tal smiles soflty at Thesy.
Pyrene shrugs and takes a bite of her bread watching Taliesin with the fascination she always reserves for anybody who eats that stuff voluntarily. But Thesy is allowed a wave, "Morning Thesy. 'Drinth well?" She cares, really she does.
Down goes the first bite, and Tal can't deny that he has to cringe just a little bit, but he keeps a smile on his face for the kids, and starts slowly munching down on the /overcooked/ greens.
Thesy sprinkles more sweetener on her cereal and takes a sip before replying to Pyrene with a wink, "Oh, he's perfect. Taking a nap right now before he'll get his bath. Care to join us, Pyrene?"
Thesy reluctantly returns to RL. Sheesh!
Thesy has disconnected.
Pyrene shudders and doesn't deign to dignify that with an answer, instead turning to concentrate on Taliesin. Trying desperately not to laugh--isn't she polite?, she points out, "Really, you don't have to eat them. Although the kids are watching you.... I suppose they'd notice if you stopped now." OK, so she /is/ cruel to over 16's, but it's true, the kids are paying close attention to Taliesin now. He's definitely dropped himself in it.
He'll finish them all off too, it's part of the challenge, and turning his head soflty sideways, Taliesin winks at Pyrene, and then continues. Bite after bite more going down, Taliesin gets nearer and nearer to the bottom of the bowl, until it's all gone, and he puts down the bowl and smiles.
Pyrene allows herself to smile now and applauds, "And for not only finishing but finishing first!" she announces to the room at large, "You get /two/ sweetsticks." She solemnly holds out a handful of various flavours, "Anybody else who finishes, gets one of their choice," she adds to the children, who set about their meals again without a noticeable increase of enthusiasm.
Laughter, as it seems they really don't care much anymore, and Taliesin takes two sweetsticks and starts sucking on one, turning fully to Pyrene and grinning. "Wasn't so bad..." Sticking out his tongue, in a gesture hidden to the kids, that easily means he /really/ thought it was horrible.
Pyrene snickers and shakes her head, "You brought it on yourself. Still, those are the first sweetsticks I've given out all week. Thought I was going to have to eat them all myself." Not that she would have minded, of course. "Want some real food now?" And she motions to the bread and cheese still on the table.
"To wash that stuff down? I'd love it..." Reaching for a piece of bread and cheese, Taliesin rather quickly munches them down, and smiles at the way they do at least a small part in getting rid of the taste of the greens -- and the sweetsticks cover the rest. "I'm Taliesin..just in case you didn't know.." Smiling and offering his hand.
Pyrene has never been the best at introductions. "Oh, yeah, and I'm Pyrene," she fills in, clasping his hand, before returning to her own breakfast. "Klah will cover the taste as well, you know, provided you like the taste of klah." She grimaces, sipping from her juice at the thought. At any rate, it's an offer. A concession to manners, if you will.
"You know...that's a good idea..." And pressing himself up, hair sweeping lightly behind him as he turns, Tal goes straight towards the klah, pouring himself a glass while asking her, "So how did you get the job of watching the children?"
Pyrene thinks about that, "Well, I used to be a brat, so I suppose they thought it'd keep me out of trouble." Worked to an extent. "At any rate, they tricked me into it, and now I guess I'm doomed to looking after other people's kids for the rest of my life." And only fifteen. How tragic. "Why? You want to help?" He was mad enough to eat his greens wasn't he?
"Nope...just wondering.." Turning, and smirking at her, Taliein moves back towards the table, humming and sipping his klah the whole way. "But I should probably be careful about being around the kids to much, probably be a bad influence.."
Pyrene cocks her head curiously, "A bad influence? Why?" Now her curiousity has been piqued, she's not going to change the subject for awhile.
"I'm just not necessarily what you would usually call a good person...is all.." Sitting again, and winking to her, Taliesin leans back in his chair and tries to keep from laughing, but there's a little twinkle of humor in his eyes.
Pyrene peers carefully at him, "Well, I'm not necessarily a good person. I don't eat my greens," she points out. "So what makes you so especially Not Good." She places her chin on her hands and rests her elbows on the table. It's interrogation time. Got to do something while the children don't eat after all.
"How about drink wine and flirt with women...extensively?" Leaning in to wink at her, Tal raises his mug while he's leaned fowards, and takes another large gulp, eyes peering at her over the rim of the mug.
Pyrene shakes her head, "Lots of the riders do that. 'Specially when they're proddy. Don't restrict themselves to women either." She cocks her head at him and thinks, "/I/ ran away from home. Twice." So the second time probably didn't count. Still, beat that Mr Bad Guy.
Taliesin smiles soflty, "Yeah...but I'm not a rider..." Setting his mug down on the table, and giving up on convincing her that he's a bad person, Tal tilts his head sideways soflty. "Why'd you run away?"
Pyrene shrugs slightly disappointed that he's got no more secrets, or at least none that he's willing to tell her, "The usual, didn't want to be there. I get seasick, so I decided a seahold wasn't the best place for me. Parents weren't too keen on the weyr, but that's their problem. I'm not leaving."
"It's nice here isn't it?" Looking up quietly, eyes perusing the walls and ceiling of the cavern a second, before he turns back to Pyrene agian, smiling, "Wanna know a secret?" Leaning in gently, and whispering to her. "I ran away too..."
Pyrene is impressed. Secrets are always interesting, if only by virtue of being secret. "Why did you run away?" she whispers back.
"Because I didn't like what my parents wanted me to be...and would have rather wandered for the rest of my life..." Leaning back and smiling gently, there's a twinge of something in Tal's eyes, indicating there's more, but he doesn't seem apt to give that away at the moment.
Pyrene considers that, not willing to let him get away with so little. "What did your parents want you to be? Handfasted with a brood of kids? I think that's what mine had in mind. Probably still do, for that matter," she makes a face briefly, before watching for his answer.
Taliesn laughs soflty know, for he knows that she's going to scoff at him when he tells her, "They wanted me to take over the Hold they owned...and that was not in my plans...though yes, they probably intended me to have a number of kids as well.." A gentle laugh rolling softly from his lips at that.
Pyrene doesn't scoff, but she does take more than a few moments to work out why this would have been so bad. "Er, was it a seahold?" she hazards, "Or somewhere in the middle of nowhere?" She then suddenly registers what else he said, and presses on with a more interesting question, "What were your plans then? Or are, I s'pose." Unless his plans were to sit in a weyr and eat greens with an assistant nanny.
"Mainly to enjoy my life..." Picking up his klah again, Taliesin takes a sip to wet his lips, before he explains. "The life of a holder was never one for me...staying in one place got hard without motivation...and being a holder wasn't enough. On top of that, there was all the specifics you had to live by, doing everything you can to not offend anyone.." Tongue goes out, in a displeased expression. "At least that's how my parents saw it..and I never liked that.."
Pyrene leans back, mulling this over and nods. "'Sides, it's too difficult to never offend people." Especially when you've a natural gift for it. "So you went off... Was there somebody else to take over the hold at least?"
"I hope so.." A smirk at that, and Taliesin shakes his head soflty. "I haven't talked to them in forever...I don't even know if they're alive anymore.." The tone in his voice is almost frightened, but Tal washes it down with more klah, and nods. "And you're exactly right..it's way to hard to not offend anyone.."
Pyrene blinks at that morbid turn, "I know mine are alive... they write every now and then pestering me..." Of course, as confirmation of their existence, it's rather comforting in its way. She frowns for a moment, "But are you enjoying your life now?" she wonders, "I mean, I'm happy enough with mine and all, but well, it's not what I had in mind."
A thought at that, and Taliesin smiles quielty and looks up to hers, brown eyes soflty locking upon her face. "Aye...though I really must say I expected to wander more...things just turned out differently there, and well, here I am..." Standing soflty, going to get rid of his klah cup. "Would you like some more juice?"
Pyrene drains the rest of her glass and holds it out, nodding, "Please." Never one to stop people waiting on her after all. "Why would you want to wander anyway? Nothing wrong with the Weyr, and travelling's a pain, if you ask me." Not that he did.
Glass taken lighlty in hand, Taliesin takes the few moments that it takes to go and dispose of his mug, and pour her another glass of cold juice, before he speaks. "I love the road..I love seeing new things, new people, and frankly, I often get bored with places I've been for any amount of time..."
Pyrene takes the glass, forgetting to thank him as she muses out loud, "Roads aren't /particularly/ exciting," literal-minded girl, she is, "I've got nothing against new things and people, but I suppose that I just prefer letting them come to me. And you do get plenty happening in a weyr. Well, this weyr at any rate, not so sure about the others. People are all mad up here, you know... not much chance for it to get boring."
Taliesin laughs agian at that, the sound soft and velvety, and sits. "I just hope that I add to the fray appropriatly. I wouldn't want to bore anyone up here, you know..." Leaning soflty against the table now, relaxing.
Pyrene winks, "You're keeping /me/ entertained enough, and that's terribly important." She casts her eye over the children still shoving greens around their plates (and in some cases in each others faces), "Nobody else wants a sweetstick?" It's more of a threat than a question or bribe. "Is that what you do then?" she asks, abruptly turning back to Tal, "Just keep people occupied all day long?"
"Well in that...don't I keep myself occupied?" Taliesin smirks soflty at that, and stretches a bit. "No...I help out however I can here about the weyr...but most the time that I'm alone I'm either drawing or writing..."
Pyrene's interest perks up again, "Drawing? You're an artist? Who've you drawn in the weyr? Or don't you draw people?" She wants to /see/!
Looking around soflty, Tal realizes that he doesn't have any of his stuff with him, and turns back to her, "Dragons and people mainly.....whatever comes to mind..but it's all back in my cot..."
Pyrene makes a moue of disappointment, "Who've you drawn then? Dragons or people? And do you show them, or is it better not to?" she teases.
"Some of them it's most definitly better not too..." The thought of some of them bringing a chuckle to his lips. "But otherwise...they're all decent....I suppose I could go get some, if you like..." Tal's in a generous mood right now.
Pyrene blinks eagerly at him, "Could you? I can't really leave here unless I bring the brats with me, and they're supposed to make at least some attempt at eating their lunch first. Would you mind?" Nothing like a little art discussion over a meal, you know.
"Indeed...I'll be right back then.." Pressing himself slowly out of his seat, Taliesin dissapears into the lower caverns. Some minutes later, letting Pyrene deal with the brats as she will, Taliesin appears again, a small scetchpad tucked neatly under one arm.
Pyrene always deals with the brats as she will, ie as little as possible. She makes no attempt to disguise her interest, instead holding out one hand for the book questioningly.
But nannies don't have time for adults sketchings. Another nanny beckons and with an apologetic wave, Pyrene's rounding the kids up and shepherding them out the door.
