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Shard it!

Clearly escape was not meant for Erisi, because the person he wanted to talk to the least was walking right towards him. Mentally he droned on about how anyone could be skinny with dark hair, but he kept that comment to himself. It would be best to avoid getting on her bad side, if only because he didn't want her conjuring up nasty rumors about him. So, he was going to play nice and escape as soon as possible. He flashed Nandeli a small smile, that was most likely strained from the effort he put into bringing it to his face. Even as he was smiling his mind was grumbling about how much of a dimglow he was for even giving her the opportunity to stop him for a quick interview.

"I picked the one that tasted the least like wherry dung."

Okay, so maybe was just a critic, but he hadn't found the klah all that appetizing, and the one he voted for was one he'd likely only drink on occasion, when he was desperate or when he wanted to pretend to be all polite and nice. At least his answer would give Nandeli enough to chew over so that he could slip away. It should be an appropriate enough distraction, he would suppose.

Coriath had tried to talk him out of it, including resorting to a certain degree of theatrics, but he hadn't been able to talk his very interested rider out of the Klah off.
It was of course a completely silly sort of contest, and it was well arguable that there were any number of things they could have been doing instead of arguing over who made a better cup of Klah, but he personally, admittedly being a little biased toward the subject, thought it might well ease some of the tensions of being vigorously worked and crowded into the stuffed to the gills weyrs and barracks.
"Well if the Weyr didn't know about this contest from the gossip mills, they sure knew about it from that bellow." He noted, impressed both at the rapid fire spread of the word about the contest, and at the young mans capacity for volume.
"Looks terrific." He added, of the setup, as he moved forward to enter the fray, tugging idly at a strand of the hair he used to conceal the scarred side of his face from everyone but the particularly determined, and those that saw him ready to fly.
Assuming permission based on the behavior of others who had already arrived to try the well advertised brews, he stepped in to taste test, following in roughly the order he'd been observing.
He took a light sip of the first cup, and then a larger swallow of it after determining he wouldn't burn his taste buds off in the process, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.
He did enjoy the complexity and the strength of it, though he thought perhaps he might have preferred it with a sweet desert pastry, instead of breakfast.
The second, he was less certain about. It was earthy, light on the spice but not terribly unpleasant, and he paused to sniff at it with a faint frown after taking a sip, trying to sort out the unusual change in taste and texture. The thickness made him think almost that maybe it had been left to heat too long, and had been boiled down into a thicker substance. Odd. Very odd. Not terrible. But definitely odd.
The third tasted pretty much familiar, and received the same sampling as the first cup. He sighed faintly though not with displeasure at this one. This was pretty much the Klah he'd come to know, love, and perhaps drink the excess, and he considered the options carefully.
He really should pick one, but it was a bit difficult. "Definitely not bad. First one tastes like something you'd serve with some nice baking though, so it would be my second choice of the three." he admitted, finally dropping his stone into the third basket.

Two very handsome young men? Wait, what? Oh yes! Sovann grinned back at Okassis, loitering near the table and eating up all of the compliments (and insults alike). There were plenty to be had, and he'd almost been expecting more of the latter. After all, he knew what was in each pot (or so he thought). It was really no surprise that the bronzerider had chosen the third batch of klah. What did amuse him, though, was what the 'skinny fellow with the dark hair' had to say about the klah. Least like wherry dung indeed! "Well well... looks like there will be some competition after all." It seemed that folk weren't all choosing the same brew, which frankly surprised him. Privately, he wondered if the Weyrfolk would appreciate the jolt to their systems. How many cups of klah was too many? It seemed that they were going to find out.

Kiriwar was a bit late in arriving to this competition, but he knew that it was better late than never. He hurried through the halls and tunnels, taking care to not be caught and delayed, wanting to get to this klah-off as soon as he could. He grinned happily as he hurried down the last way to the area this would take part in, shoving his hair back into a quick and rough braid. He had finished his chores of organizing and cleaning up the wine cellar, so was a bit dusty and sweaty, but he knew that a good klah would wake him up plenty.

Smiling brightly, he sniffed at the air, making his way further in as he made his way over towards the area the klah was at, looking around for anyone he may know and may be able to talk to in order to catch up -- was that Nandeli? He peered a bit, then waved to see if she noticed him.

Okassis had already laughing turned to wave Kypak over, offering out one of the mugs toward him with a lift of a brow and an encouraging smile--

Then the singing started. And setting the cup down again, he had to turn and stare at his friend, beet-red, taunting him with... shards, did Sovann actually write a fardling tune to make fun of him with? When had the fisherman's son become a Harper?... not very long ago, obviously, or he'd have a better singing voice.

Still, Okassis was completely floored. "Oh, I am, am I?" he barked, not quite laughing, not quite growling. "You got a voice like a wherry, you know that?" He was already moving, readying himself for a grab at the scowling seaholder.

Nan's eyes lit up when S'kagi made his way over to their table. Aha! Now this was real advertising material right there! All of the boys would want to try the klah after a bronzerider had done it. She waited until the rider had cast his vote before she called out the news. "This just in, Bronzerider S'kagi has even tried his hand at tasting the klahs! Now I don't know about all you folks out there, but if the bronzeriders are doing it then why aren't you? He's gotta know something you don't, am I right?" Tactic number two: bring people in by suggesting that those who have done it now know something special. It was definitely worth a shot.

Okassis's statement only added fuel to the fire, and she clapped her hands together eagerly. "Hear that? You pretty ladies better get over here fast before that kiss gets given away! And he's awful handsome~! Not an opportunity I'd pass up lightly!" Now wouldn't that be something! It was a pity that Okassis hadn't included both pretty boys and pretty girls, though. That would have been awesome.

She was distracted from the pair when a wave caught her eye, and she looked up to see Kiriwar. Waving back from her perch, she beckoned her friend over. "And it looks like we have Kiriwar, coming all the way from chores to sample some klah! And this one's an apprentice Vintner, so watch carefully~!" Now that she had engaged Kiriwar in the competition it would be rude of her to look away from him. Still, she tilted her head slightly in an attempt to eavesdrop on the conversation between Sovann and Okassis. Looks like things were getting good over there too.

S'kagi cleared his throat as he put the last cup down, turning his attention to Nandeli's play by play of the situation...and the growing heated argument. And was that a... a SONG?" He stared at Sovann with a new interest, wondering exactly what had been going on amidst the candidates that had inspired such an creative form of enmity, if a bit off key.