I'll Drink to That

Writers: Anika, Len
Date Posted: 3rd December 2014

Characters: Gautrek, N'ki, T'bel, G'waren
Description: Gautrek catches up on Weyr gossip.
Location: Vintner Hall
Date: month 10, day 14 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Lanniya, N'vanik, Rhosyn (not by name)

Gautrek

Wanting to get a feel for the cliental and their preferences, Gautrek
had come to enjoy a glass of wine at the Hall Tavern. As he sipped at
his red, he noticed there was a nice mix of people and the journeyman
was trying to decide who to approach. There seemed to be a fair
contingent of dragonriders tonight and he watched for a likely opening
to introduce himself to one of the small groups.

T'bel sighed heavily, pushing his glass away from him. Though he had
ordered a beer, it was the last thing he really wanted. But both his
weyrmate and N'ki were drinking it, so he hadn't given it any mind
when they had ordered one for him as well. A man was close by with a
red in his hand. T'bel wanted to moan, then and there. A red was
exactly what he needed, tonight.

Catching the longing look of the slender dragonrider, Gautrek motioned
to one of the serving women and procured another glass, pouring some
from his own bottle. The extra glass in hand he approached the trio
with an affable smile.

"Might I interest you in a glass? It's a new release from the Hall.
Soft and smooth with undertones of berry and a hint of oak, but
finishes with a nice touch of spice."

"M'dear, you must have read my mind." T'bel took the offered glass
with a large grin. He couldn't stop it, he really was desperate for
just the right type of wine. After taking a sip, he shut his eyes in
pure bliss. "This makes the beer taste like dragon piss in
comparison."

"A sentiment I won't share with the brewers in my craft, but sometimes
one just needs a touch of the grape to truly feel content and
certainly no one deserves that more than our fine dragonmen," Gautrek
replied with a broad smile of his own.

"Aren't you the charmer!" T'bel chuckled and patted the empty seat
between himself and N'ki. The two other blueriders grinned at the
Vintner, one a bit more broadly than the other but both welcoming.

"My thanks, gentlemen. I've just returned to the Hall after
journeying far and wide," he said accepting the seat. "I'm generally
called Gautrek, unless I've offended the wrong lady, in which case
it's best not to discuss what I'm called."

"Oh, this one here," and T'bel waved a hand at N'ki, "He doesn't even
have to upset a lady to be called the same things." There was a flirty
tone in his voice that made the two blueriders chuckle.

Gautrek laughed as well and took a sip from his wine. Though many
Crafters were uncomfortable with the nature of blue and green riders,
the vintner held no such reservations. They had different
inclinations than his own and that was perfectly fine with him. "So
what is the news from the Weyr, gentleman?"

"Well, it's not our Weyr, but River's Buff have a fine gold eye on
their Sands, from their Weyrwoman_and_they also apparently have a girl
who can speak to all the dragons." T'bel took a sip and watched the
man's reaction for that.

N'ki chimed in. "They seem to be the lucky Weyr, eh? Unlike poor
Dolphin's Cove."

"A gold on the sands _and_ a girl who can hear all the dragons! My,
my it does sound as if fortune is smiling upon them at the moment.
I've heard Dolphin Cove has had quite the turnover of Weyrwomen, but
there was a hatching not long ago, correct? Sometimes difficult times
just prove refining, so that the end result is just that more
excellent."

"Hope so. N'vanik has really had his hands full these last few turns,"
G'waren said.

"Indeed. What of Dragonsfall, though? Didn't you just have a Hatching
the end of last month?"

"We did." G'waren nodded to Gautrek.

"Lots of little ones underfoot right now." T'bel rolled his eyes and
took another sip of the wine. On the table before him, tiny bronze
flit, Swift, looked hopefully at the vintner for some treats.

"Ah, and who is this fine fellow? I wish I had a bit of meat to offer
him but alas, I've nothing on me."

"This is Swift who, as you can see from the size of his tummy, is
anything but." Swift creeled out to the new man and stretched his neck
out like he couldn't believe T'bel was saying anything bad about him.

"But so very handsome," Gautrek reached out his hand slowly to see if
the flit would accept his touch. "Shall I have one of the servers
bring a meat roll or two, lad?" he asked Swift while waving at one of
the busy women passing by with his other hand.

T'bel may have been shaking his head no but Swift was all but
quivering in delight at the prospect of food.

N'ki laughed at both. "I really need to get one of these, don't I?"

Snagging a couple of meat rolls brought by the serving maid Gautrek
offered a piece of one to Swift. "I've been thinking the same thing,
though they're fairly hard to come by here at Amber Hills I
understand."

"Well, the traders from the warmer, sea side parts are always selling
eggs at the gathers," T'bel said. "You could always get one there.
That's how I got this boy here. He was supposed to be for my
weyrmate's son, but that child Impressed a green before I could give
him the egg, so I ended up with Swift here."

Gautrek laughed. "Seems you both got a pleasant surprise, then." He
offered the little bronze another piece of meat roll. "Yes, I
definitely think I need to look into acquiring an egg. I understand
they can be quite useful pets, too."

T'bel liked this man, who was comfortable and didn't seem to get his
nose out of joint that he was sitting with blue and green riders.
"Tell you what, the next gather I hear of--if you like--I'll come over
on my little Fanth and take you along, so you can get that egg."

"What a marvelous offer! I can't possibly decline. You must let me
buy you all a round of drinks," Gautek insisted, waving the serving
maid over yet again. He did so enjoy meeting new people!

"Now_that_sounds like a good plan!" N'ki raised his glass to the man.

Last updated on the December 23rd 2014

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I'll Drink to That