Cold Dinner

Writers: Devin, Suzee
Date Posted: 27th September 2010

Characters: Tavia, D'ren
Description: Tavia and D'ren meet in the dining hall.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 11, day 3 of Turn 5

Tavia

Tavia sat at the table with her plate of food. She hadn't gotten out of
the infirmary to get it while it was still hot so the whole plate of food was
cold and she made a face but continued to scoop it into her mouth and
washed it down with wine.

D'ren noticed her expression as he was passing by with his tray.
"Don't like the taste?"

She looked up as she swallowed. "No, taste is fine, just cold and I
know it would be much better hot."

She picked up her wine and took a sip, "This however, is just fine"
she smiled.

"You can have the kitchen staff heat it up for you. If you ask nicely,
they don't mind." D'ren's food had small wisps of steam rising off it.

She chuckled "That would take some time I would rather spend eating. But
thank you for the information." She looked him over "Are you meeting
friends or would you like a seat?" she asked before kicking out the chair
next to her.

Eating this late was an attempt to avoid a few people, not meet up
with anyone. "Thank you." He took the offered chair. "I'm D'ren. I
don't think we've formally met." He'd seen her around, but they hadn't
spoken outside of polite greetings.

"Nice to meet you D'ren," she said "I'm Tavia" she didn't see if he had a
drink so she smiled and offered him the skin. "Want some wine?"

"Sure. Thank you." He took the offered skin. "I have fruit juice, but
this sounds much better."

"Yeah," she smiled "Juice is good for the morning but in the evening, this is
much more relaxing. Especially after training all morning." She filled
an empty cup and handed it to him.

"And scrubbing your dragon." He took a sip of wine.

She laughed "Well that isn't quite as monumental a chore for me
as it is for you." She grinned and took another sip of her own. "There
are a few perks to green."

He nodded as he swallowed his first bite. "Very true, although there
are Candidates and weyrbrats available to help."

She set her cup down to pick up her fork again. Her eyes appraised him.
He wasn't too big, The big ones could be a little difficult at times. But
he was still a bit young and probably had romantic notions if he was hold
raised.

"I'm in Volcano, which wing are you flying?"

"I'm in Cyclone."

"Mmmmm" she said with her mouth full of tuber. She knew the wingleader a
bit. He was also rumored to train his riders well. She swallowed "Good
wing." she said "How are you liking it?"

D'ren shrugged. "Well enough. I don't have much to compare it to. The
Wing has changed some, but I've been in it since I graduated." He took
a sip of wine. "What's it like in the Queen's Wing?"

"Well," she said "I'm sure it's not as exciting as the upper wings,
but we're constantly looking for Thread that got through you guys."
She reached for the skin to pour herself more wine.

"Do you feel any pressure to protect the Queens, or do you just see
them as Wingleaders and fellow riders when you're flying?"

"A bit of both actually," she smiled "and it isn't exactly pressure,
more like..." she searched for an appropriate word "vigilance." She
wasn't certain she could really put it into words but decided to give
it a stab. "They're magnificent and can fight forever but they aren't
as agile as my Sawauth. So, dodging is harder. She swirled her wine a
little, "we try and keep the pressure off their blind sides. Above and
behind them is sometimes difficult for their riders to reach with the
agenothree tanks"

D'ren finished another bite as he nodded. "I can't imagine what it's
like for them, to rely on a machine instead of a flaming dragon."

"Oh I know!" she said. She couldn't imagine trying to swing that tank
around and miss your lifemate at the same time as you burned thread
out of the sky. "They're nothing if not determined," she smiled. She'd
rarely had to leap toward a patch about to score a gold, but that
didn't mean she was any less watchful. "I've always been in the
Queen's wing though there have been times I've wanted to fly up top."
she grinned.

"Because you need more danger in your life?" D'ren half-joked.

She started laughing, "Oh no." she laughed "Believe me I know exactly
what Thread score does to a body, I see it every fall." suddenly
serious she twirled her drink. "I don't want that." she stared at all
the memories of scored bodies in her head. She knew the odds against
this young rider, against every rider. "Nope," she shook her head with
haunted eyes.

D'ren took a somewhat larger sip of wine. "I didn't mean to bring the
mood down. Sorry."

She shook her head and tossed back the bit that was left of her drink
"It's alright, don't worry about it." She smiled at him and decided to
change the subject. "So, do you have a craft?"

He was more than happy to change the subject. "I stopped training when
I Impressed, but I used to be a harper."

Tavia reached for the skin and poured "Harper?" she nodded "You'll
soon feel you have the time to pick it up again and at least enjoy
something you're good at." then she held out the skin. "You are good
right?"

"At a few things," he admitted. He took the offered skin and topped
off his glass. "I never stopped completely, but it's a hobby now.
Nothing formal."

She smiled, "Yes, I know what you mean, you need to stay at it full
time to progress. I'd love to hear you some time."

He took a bite as he felt a bit of color rise to his cheeks. After
swallowing, he said, "I'm not as good as the harpers you're used to
hearing."

"Ahh don't worry about that! I hardly have an ear for music but I love
it anyway." she smiled sweetly. She really did love to listen to
anyone, besides it might boost his confidence a little.

He smiled a little. "Okay. It might be nice to have an audience."

"Alright!" she said with real pleasure evident on her face. She stood,
picked up the skin and her glass and she "Ok, I'll follow _you_."

Last updated on the October 1st 2010

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Cold Dinner