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~~~Lute~

Lute stroked the girl's hair and smoothed her clothes, wiping her cheeks when need be to catch whatever tears might have slid free from her dark lashes. She seemed to be recovering quickly, which was good. The greenrider just kept smiling and soothing until the youngster was talking again.

"Rella, huh? That's a," The woman gave a brief pause, a stray though catching her off-guard for a moment. "Ah," She cleared her throat and smiled anew. "That's a really pretty name. How old are you, sweet pea?" Lute chuckled softly. "Yes, exactly! Like the instrument. I play it too. The lute, I mean. I used to be a Harper before becoming a rider. Would you like to hear me play it some time? I'd love to have you as an audience." At the questions posed of her, she gave a soft sigh. "I don't know where your mommy is, but we can try to find her, okay? We can go together." Lute rose to her feet and picked up Rella to set her on her hip. "Let's go get someone to help us. Six eyes will be better than four. I know someone who could lend a hand. Rella, why don't you tell me about yourself while I look for him?"

Hm. Lute knew that T'rel was around the dance space. If there was on activity that that man needed to do at a gather, it was dancing. With the initial start of the fake thread falling, there was less screaming and more milling about, grumbling, muttering, and some folks trying to bring back the festive vibe that the gather had going. "Excuse me," she said softly as an older couple brushed past her looking none too pleased. Narrowing her eyes slightly to squint over and between the heads of the crowd to see if she could spot T'rel. She doubted that he'd have gotten too far.


~~~G'non~

G'non looked over the crowd before briefly looking to the plush that Ionan showed him. It was quite a close representation of the senior Queen and of good construction. Kudos to her skill. The weighty pause that followed Ionan's showing off of his toy made a knot form in the bluerider's gut. He rubbed Ionan's back and held him close, glowering in the vague direction of the crowd, perhaps in the off chance that eye contact would be made with the perpetrator of this humorless prank and that person would feel the very considerable weight of his displeasure.

R'yn's snapped statement at him, drew his attention, his glower softening to a mere frown. "It's okay, son. Don't worry. This was just a sick, sad joke to someone. This 'thread' is fake. This thread won't be hurting anyone, past maybe paper cuts. Let's go check on Tic, huh?" He asked, picking up on R'yn frantic rundown of questions to the Weyrwoman. "That's a great little Calith that she gave you, huh?" He slowly approached. "You both, okay? Ticene, I'd like to thank you for Ionan's little Calith. It's a lovely gift..."

Really Cesa hoped that the whole thing had been put to bed. She didn't know what bad blood there was between G'deon and T'rel, but there was no point poking T'rel about it now. If he wanted to tell her, then he would. If not then it really wasn't any of her business. Mecesa was always concerned for T'rel, but not enough to get heavy-handed and start demanding he tell her of every aspect of his life. Their relationship had always been based on trust and if T'rel didn't trust her with whatever the problem was, then she hadn't earned being told.

Just as it looked like they were going to be able to escape from the situation, it looked like another had joined the fray. Another two actually. Cesa stood by awkwardly as Lavi hugged T'rel, she couldn't say she knew the woman that well or what her relationship was with T'rel. Yet again her absence reared its ugly head to point out that she would have known all about Lavi had she not abandoned T'rel the way she had. "Can't say I've had any complaints so far." Cesa was quite relieved for the distraction of T'nus addressing her. Even if her answer had been a lie. She could complain about having her dance interrupted, being dragged from pillar to post and that her friend had become riled up enough to draw a knife. Still, not being one to complain Cesa just smiled pleasantly instead.

Honestly the young woman just wanted to be away from the whole thing. She was even beginning to contemplate seeking out R'cen again and leaving T'rel to the many vying for his attention. Maybe then she would actually be able to do what she came here to and dance. Or not. Screams laced through the air and the Greenrider instantly tensed, dropping her body ever so slightly. Gone were the days when Cesa would have been part of those seeking shelter when trouble came. Those at Benden had been as intent on training Cesa as they had been Yodith. It seemed to them a weak rider meant a weak dragon. As such Cesa was instantly on the alert.

That alertness however was wasted when she realised it was just paper falling from the sky. Holding up her hand, Mecesa allowed some of the streamers to land on her hand and slither through her fingers. She missed T'rel's grin in her direction as she examined the silver sliver, her thoughts on the matter staying private as her face showed no indication of what she felt on the matter. At his chuckle and close proximity she jumped slightly, turning to look at him with a frown. What had he done now that they had to leave?

Her frown faded at the idea that he would be blamed and a slight smile reappeared. T'rel had been a bit of a prankster when he was younger, but she doubted anyone could blame him. He'd been stood in the middle of a crowd of people when it happened. Interesting being stood still considered it was meant to be a dance space. T'rel's laugh was infectious and Cesa had to try hard not to laugh along with him. "You shouldn't really be encouraging them." They would only get in trouble for it in the end anyway, that wasn't very suitable behaviour for him.

Hearing a chirrup Cesa turned to see a green flitter hovering in front of her all tangled in the streamers. "You have something to do with this?" Cesa asked, laughing at the green firelizard's interesting appearance. Streamers were wrapped around the green's body and neck. By the three clutched proudly in her jaws she had also been trying to catch them and succeeding. "I don't suppose you'd be willing to dance with me?" Cesa asked as the green landed in her hands. Teller trilled happily and the rider rubbed noses with the little creature, seemed that the firelizard was her best chance of having a dance partner. Not that Cesa much minded. If she was lacking a partner then she'd gladly dance alone.

Z'ke

Z'ke nodded, ignoring the pounding of his heart within his chest. Dorado chirrred with worry as Z'ke bent to retrieve the ribbon from the ground. The brown's demeanor immediately brightened as his prize was given back to him.

Z'ke smiled wanly at Aelyn and A'lin. "I'm Fine. Food sounds really good now."

"Would the Weyrleader really do something like this?"

........................
Zofer

Zofer waited till the rider seemed to collect himself. The wrath on the man's face reminded Zofer that he'd most likely fought Thread when it fell. "Yeah." Zofer agreed carefully. "It was in poor taste." Zofer reached out and put a bracing hand on G'deon's shoulder. "Let's go."

Spending time with riders was already proving to be an interesting experience. He hadn't expected tempers to run so short among them. Their outward appearance was always collected and sure of themselves (one reason Zofer was sure he'd fit right in. Who was more confidant than he?). Not even an hour into the Gather on his first day there and he'd already diffused a fight and was watching a man force himself to relax with an oddly blank look on his face.

It was only a few moments before G'deon seemed to 'come back to Pern'. Zofer swung back into talking as if the rider hadn't been off in the clouds on him. "I've already been by one vinter stall. They've got a few vintages and a brew or two but I'm sure somewhere around here has to have some spirits."

((I apologize for the short crummy little posts XD I'll get back into the swing I swear))

Not really noticing how far she'd stepped whilst talking to the dark green firelizard in her hands. It was usual of her to move with those that had gotten back to dancing after the hiccup in the celebration, she hadn't really been thinking about the others that had formed the weird little group. Someone who had popped up who's only concern was seeing her and Cesa loved her for it. Even if that someone was just a smaller green with the heart of a harper. So when her name was hissed behind her the young woman's head whipped around, ebony stands falling about her shoulders from the motion.

"Ah well, I did try to dance with you, but you just seem in such high demand today." It was unsurprising that the bronzerider's proximity did not faze Mecesa. T'rel had always been the kind to touch people so the motion of wrapping his arms around her waist was in no way troubling for her. Teller hopped the distance to her bonded's shoulder and burrowed into the dark wave, watching T'rel from her hiding place, letting out the whistle that the green often did as a greeting and then ducking her head back to try and hide.

Laughing happily, Cesa took hold of her skirt in one hand and dipped in a curtsy as she had once seen a holder girl in response to T'rel's bow. "Perhaps I was, though I would be honoured to be awarded enough of our Weyrlingmaster's valuable time for a whole dance." Straightening back up the greenrider raised a knowing eyebrow as he let slip some rather choice bits of information. "'He' is it?" Seemed that T'rel knew more than he was letting on about things, no wonder he had taken it so well. "Who might this he be, hm?"

Frowning slight, Cesa tilted her head to the side at T'rel's mention of R'cen. She had been certain, from his reactions a short while ago, that he did not like the man, so why would he want him to join them? When understanding dawned, Cesa smiled and shook her head. "I think you'll find it was your friends interrupting. My friends have their own things to attend to. We can go elsewhere if you like though." She could see why T'rel might want to dance elsewhere, it seemed everyone wanted to stop and talk with T'rel at this gather. Still she wasn't certain where else they could dance.

"Vio!" came a voice from directly behind the baker apprentice. A smaller body latched onto her and trembled. It seemed even fourteen turn old boys could be frightened by silver streamers. "Vio, are you alright? This isn't thread. I know it isn't, but--" Jakkin rambled on, almost incoherently. He had clearly worried about his friend, whether the streamers had caused actual harm or not.

He had a single silver streamer stuck in his hair, but the boy did not seem to notice it. Or if he did, he didn't seem to care. He had a smudge of dirt and sand residue on his tunic where he must've fallen in his rush to find his friend. Otherwise he had an air of someone who enjoyed being clean at all times. He wrapped an arm around her. "Vio, that scared me," he complained. He wasn't usually so verbal about his feelings. Indeed, Vio was usually the first one to hear his complaints. Poor girl.

"I was scared you'd be hurt! But then I saw it just bouncing off... And thread doesn't do that, does it? I've never seen it in person..." He hoped he would never have to. The streamers had frightened him enough.

--Iliyana--

Cooing to the little gold, Iliyana made her way over to the booth selling meat rolls. While she didn't particularly have any marks, she was still able to get a few free meat rolls. This was mostly due to Little Wing's presence, and Iliyana was more than happy to give her most of the spoils. Once that was done, she took to wandering the gather.

Perhaps she could say hello to the Weyrwoman while she and Little Wing were out and about?

--Viorica--

"Jakkin! When did you get here?" The redhead startled, but tugged the younger teenager into a hug anyway. "There, there, I'm quite fine and so are you," Viorica said, catching the silver streamer nestled within Jakkin's hair and twirling it around her fingers as she pulled it away.

"It was just someone's rather bad idea of a prank." Frowning, Vio pulled away from Jakkin so that she could brush at the residue on his tunic. "Did you fall? Are you hurt? You didn't drop anything, did you?"

--Rella--

Clinging shyly to Lute and unsure of what was going on, Rella blinked up at the man named T'rel curiously. The nice lady was saying things that didn't seem very important, and he was looking at them with kind brown eyes, eyes that reminded Rella of Mama. And he had curly hair, too! Curly hair like Rella! Right then and there, the toddler made up her mind on who this person was and what he was to her.

This settled, she reached out for him, forgoing all attempts to hold onto Lute in favor of grabbing out to be held by T'rel. Practically dangling in the young woman's arms, Rella smiled brightly and gave a happy squeal before calling out "Daddy!"

A doubtful frown and a small smile was Cesa's reply to T'rel's compliments. "Always the charmer, hm, T'rel?" Mecesa wasn't about to go picking apart T'rel's words. He was a harper, it was what he did, he was bound to be good at it. Never mind that there were women at the gather that were shining far brighter than Cesa ever could. Women with a natural grace and delicate features, lithe of limb and with shy smiles. No matter who dressed her up or how, Cesa was still a plain girl with flour in her hair and on her face underneath. Still, it was nice being told otherwise now and again. She just couldn't let herself get caught up in it enough to believe it, dreaming never did anyone any good.

"Zellie is clearly becoming a grouchy old man." Cesa had never found Yodith bothered by noise. The green seemed to show unflappable calm in any situation, something Cesa found both strange and reassuring. "Ah well, naturally we should be celebrating Zelith's existence, unfortunately I think it impossible to throw a gather large enough to pay him due respect." Let the bronze think himself great. He would forget her comment soon enough anyway. Besides, Cesa felt she might have some ground to make back up after the grouchy comment. She didn't put it past Zelith to be insulted by each of those words, except maybe man. Perhaps he would let that one go.

At Lute's arrival Cesa smiled. "Hello Lute, it's-" Cesa made a face as T'rel cut her off with his own opinion of the gather. She wasn't angry, but there was a look of 'Really?' tossed in the bronzerider's direction. Looking back to Lute her smile soften to a concerned frown at the idea that her fellow greenrider wasn't enjoying the gather. The prank obviously had been a set-back, but surely it hadn't shaken her up that much. As the couple began to have a disagreement, Cesa looked about a little to see if there was anyone that could pluck her out of the situation. She didn't really want to get stuck between the secret partners as they squabbled. T'rel had told her about he and Lute and she didn't want to be pulled in as his back-up. Afterall she had been laughing with him. Still, Cesa did think that Lute was perhaps reacting a little too drastically, T'rel hadn't actually been the one to pull the prank and her experience with children was that it was shock that caused them to be upset and the more you made of it the worse it got. Like when a child fell, half the time if whoever was looking after them just smiled and made out nothing was wrong the child would have no problems carrying on as though nothing had happened.

Lute's insinuation had Cesa raising her brow in a surprise. Was she really insinuating what Mecesa thought she was? Over a similar name and curly hair. There were scads of people with curly hair in the Weyr and having the sound 'rel' in her name didn't make the girl T'rel's. Besides that, Cesa knew for a fact T'rel wasn't the child's father. Unfortunately Rella's reaction did not help. Still, the bronzerider took it in stride by taking the young girl into his arms. When he turned to Cesa she put on a gentle smile for Rella's benefit. "I'm afraid I don't. Hello again, Rella." Her smile genuinely brightened as her nervousness faded. She knew the girl from the crèche and knew her mother. Enough to have Yodith send a message to Rumith with a choice bit of information for Lute.

Not T'rel's is this child. Born of a flight she was, rides a brown her father does and weyrmated is he.