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Kleos laughed again - a soft chuckle this time - and then noticed that she'd laughed several times since Siata had arrived, and smiled several more. Despite all the troubles she had to face, just at the moment she felt... she felt happy, and secure. "I suppose we can only speculate about what might have been had some factors been altered. Still," she smiled and inclined her head slightly, "I like to think that sense would have prevailed, and that you would not have been stabbed." She thought then of V'eck's swift hands and added; "Or shot," as she made a mental note to check up on the old rider and his highly strung dragon.

"In any case, yes, I did indeed go on the search for Mystweed. It was on one of those mission that I acquired this," Kleos gestured at the twisted Threadscore that ran down her face and neck, disappearing beneath her collar. "We were barely more than Weyrlings at the time, but my Moriath performed admirably. Despite injuries, my group and I returned from our mission with the grubs and plants we had been sent for," she added with an air of pride.

"Ah, yes, the young lady was a... trifle upset," Kleos said diplomatically; she couldn't blame Becka in the least, the poor girl was only in her mid teens somewhere and had been given a lot to deal with all of a sudden. Still, they had got through, and most of the little group of them who had made it to the Infirmary with her had made it here to Trine. She hoped those who had not had found sanctuary at other Weyrs.

"I didn't get back up right away," Kleos added with a rueful smile; "Much as I would like to claim so, we spent some time in the Past convalescing before we were able to return." A part of her wished they could have lingered longer, explored the Time they had gone to... but that would not have been proper, of course.

As Siata vanished Kleos gave a nod and stood with her arms folded behind her back to await the lady's return. Up on her shoulder Ice sensed that they were Standing Nicely and sat up straighter. When Siata popped back out he gave a little cheep of greeting and blinked at her. For her part, Kleos smiled again. "Indeed we did my lady... and perhaps we can find somewhere pleasant and private to do so?"

Kleos nodded. "We were all under a lot of stress; I do not think any of us can be blamed for how we acted." And they had lost Malvren, despite their best efforts both considered and frantic. She had to try not to think about that, to try to keep enjoying Siata's company, and the drinks she had acquired. The compliment to Ice helped, and Kleos smiled as she reached up to stroke him again. "He is a most endearing fellow, and loyal friend; I found him on the beach not long after I arrived at Malvren, as lost and alone as I felt at that time. He was good for me, and I for him." She felt rather lost again now, but no longer alone; she was never alone thanks to Moriath, and more than that she had human friends. All things considered losing Malvren was not the worst thing that could have happened; she could have lost her dragon, or Mercy, or one of her new friends like Siata.

There was another thing to do; check in with mercy. Moriath knew that Aerith was safe, but that was not the same as seeing her friend with her own two eyes.

"I confess I do not yet know Trine well enough to know of private places to go. Everywhere is crowded of course... at least this close to the buildings." Kleos brightened as this led her to another thought, and inclined her head back the way they had come. "If it suits you, Moriath could fly us out along one of the lakes until we find a deserted spot?"

Kleos - totally blinded-sided by Siata's comment - could only splutter and blush for a few moments. "Oh! Well! I didn't mean...." But Siata knew she hadn't meant anything untoward; she was merely jesting with her. Kleos subsided and offered a sheepish smile. "I am sure I need not say that I have no dishonorable intentions, but I shall say it in any case." It was important to be completely clear on matters such as this; she didn't want there to be any misunderstandings.

"In any case my good lady, let us go indeed." She offered Siata her arm instinctively, despite the fact that their height difference made the motion a little unorthodox. "She will meet us part way," she added as her dragon spoke to her, "we need only put a little distance between ourselves and these tents." The last thing they needed was Moriath stepping on something, or even the simple gusted wind of her wings knocking over something precarious.

It always gave a little thrill when somebody accepted her arm; she supposed that was because by taking it they were accepting her. She knew she was a good person - her morals unimpeachable - but it was always nice to be a liked person as well; it was not wrong to seek acceptance, so long as you did not debase yourself for it, and sought it from the right sort of person. For all that she was a little rough around the edges Siata was definitely the right sort of person, as good and true as she could wish to find. She didn't know quite what else she thought of the powerful lady just yet, there hadn't exactly been time to consider it and right now there was still too much to consider to worry about it.

She (almost) made her feel dainty, and that made her in turn feel good. Kleos smiled again. "I am glad to do it; you deserve to be treated properly, and praised for your fine and stalwart character as much as your striking looks.

"Behaving correctly is one of the cornerstones of my life; since arriving at Malvren I have striven to live up to the ideals of a dragonrider. It is not always easy, but in the end it is always satisfying to have done the right thing," Kleos continued with a small bow of her head as they walked on together. Looking up she spotted Moriath starting to circle down to the ground ahead of them, and gave another nod as the crimson confirmed something with her. "Moriath has her riding straps. For dangerous flying of course they ought to be properly affixed to flight leathers, but for a simple trip such as this we can simple tighten them over our thighs.... Of course should you wish to cling to me, I would not object." That was as close to saucy as Kleos ever got, and the attempt to follow in Siata's vein of humor made her blush. Again.

If it was possible, Kleos' stance became even more erect (Ice sat up tall again too); she knew that Siata had been joking, but that didn't mean it didn't make her feel good. As well as knowing she was a good person and enjoying being liked, she enjoyed it when other people noticed her efforts at goodness and duly acknowledged them. Not everyone valued the effort she put into living properly; some people called her ridiculous, pompous, stuck in a Harper tale! Thankfully today she was not trapped in the company of such a foolish cretin; she smiled back at her companion and came to a halt as Moriath made her final decent.

"Again my lady, you are too kind to me."

And then the crimson landed with a thump and loped a few paces towards them to lose the last of her momentum. Rippling with muscle and marred heavily by scars she held herself as tall and proud as her rider, and acknowledged Siata with a bow of her great head. Held delicately in her mouth were her riding straps, which Kleos quickly stepped forward to take and put onto the dragon.

"She says hello," Kleos called as she worked, "and she hopes you are well. There." As she fastened up the last buckle Moriath stooped, and the blonde quickly climbed up into place and fastened the straps over her thighs. "Step up onto her leg there and then swing aboard behind me using the straps," the rider instructed with a nod for emphasis. After a moment she reached her hand down towards Siata and smiled. "You can take my hand for balance if it helps, but I fear I am not strong enough to be of more aid than that!"

Moriath crooned in response to the thanks and dipped her head slightly; the affable acknowledgement was clear enough not to need a translation from Kleos.

This was fortunate as the crimson rider was distracted by wondering what she ought to do about the straps. When they'd fled Malvren she'd been in a rush and so she had just done them herself but... well, they weren't rushed now and it seemed inappropriate to be touching Siata's thighs. Probably it was best to ask the lady do them herself, and run her through checks to be sure they were secure; that would be a useful lesson for the future as well as proper.

"Have no fear, we shall bare you safely," she said with a smile, twisting around to look at her passenger. "First though, the harness. Do you see those loose straps under your thighs? Pull them over your legs and fasten them to the buckles you will find. When they are tight enough they should feel snug but not crushing, and you should just be able to slide your little finger underneath."

Kleos peered at the straps around Siata's legs - stars they were powerful! - and gave a satisfied nod. "Very good; hold tight to me now, and lean forward with me!"


Once her passenger had been given a moment to follow those instructions Moriath bunched her powerful muscles and launched herself into the air. Powerful beats of her wings made the world drop away below them until they were at a comfortable height, and the crimson glided forward along the edge of the lake.

Squinting against the wind (which was noticeable even though they weren't going especially fast) Kleos called; "I hope you can enjoy this a little more than our last flight together!"