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With drills and training done for the day Kleos was heading over to Ralae's weyr with a basket of food and a bottle of wine, it seemed too seldom that she got a chance to spend quality time with her clutchmate and longtime friend but this evening she would make up for it at least a little. Along with the food she carried her fiddle case just in case entertainment was called for, and there was no end of things she wanted to chat about.

It wasn't too far from her weyr to Ralae's and so soon she was outside... without enough hands to knock. <>

Moriath sent a feeling of assent and faint amusement before reaching out to Zabreth. <>

<> Moriath replied, passing on the message, <>

Kleos laughed, shaking head head as she stepped inside. "Yes thank you, though I seem to have pulled a muscle in my back during a tight turn. It was all I could do not to hobble around like an old maid when we landed, though it's eased a little now. How are you today?... Ah, I forgot my corkscrew, do you have your to hand?" Wine and food, and a time in which she didn't have to be 'wingleader Kleos'. She loved her job but she couldn't imagine not being able to set it aside, time spent with Ralae really was a blessing.

"Very well then, next time you can cater," Kleos agreed with a warm smile; honestly she liked bringing along treats for the pair of them, but if she enjoyed it might not Ralae too? It was only fair that they ought to share.

"I think most things are easier than they were in the past, and especially in the Past!" she continued with a smile, reaching up to rub the old threadscore scar on her face. "Can you believe that was nearly twenty turns ago? We were so young then." And she had been a fool, but what teenager was not! She had thought herself so very mature and wise, she was somewhat surprised that Ralae - dear Ralae - had been able to stand her back then. "Do you suppose everyone cringes a little when they think of how they were when they were young? I think I was terribly self possessed, how did you ever tolerate me?"

Of course from an objective standpoint Kleos was still rather self possessed - not that she was aware of it - albeit it in a more mature sort of a way and with more practical experience to back it up.

"My art fares well, I've just finished a family portrait for one of my riders. I was actually hoping that I might do a portrait of Zay and Moriath next? I need to practice dragon anatomy.... Too quiet though?" Kleos sipped at her wine, leaving an opening for Ralae to say whatever she wished to.

<> Moriath rumbled mild concern. <>

<> Moriath asked, she knew Kleos would want to help if she could.

"I must admit the food here is better than Malvren's," Kleos agreed with a smile and an apologetic shrug to their former home. "Malvren can't equal the sweetness of the fruits here, and I believe the wine I brought came from Ursul as a matter of fact." Kleos felt that she ought to have a discerning pallet, it was probably only proper for a wingleader, but honestly she liked most wine unless it was blatantly terrible. The fact that Ralae approved of what she'd brought warmed her heart a little, she had done a good job tonight.

"I would have been lost without you too my friend," she continued after another sip of wine. "Who else could I turn to? Who else could know me as you do? Who else would have put up with me as I started to learn the fiddle! I would not be without you for all the world." But Ralae longed for company in the evenings, a person to share her life with. Neither of them had weyrmates, so many had paired off and yet they were still somehow alone together. Somehow that didn't seem so terrible.

"Well.... Perhaps we could have sleep over parties?" Kleos suggested after a a moment as the idea came to her out of her previous thoughts. "I often find my own weyr rather quiet in the evenings. We could do this," she gestured around them, "but not return to our own weyrs to sleep.... What do you think?"

Moriath was baffled, baffled but pleased. <> she replied, <> The crimson paused as she tried to think of the right words. <> she concluded eventually.

"When we clear the rogue golds out we shall have to," Kleos agreed with a small nod, her mouth set in a small serious line. There was a lot of pain left in those marble halls, perhaps walking them again would help them both.

"And let the wherries cluck!" she continued, her expression lifting into a wry smile. "I'm sure I don't mind what they think of our relationship." Ralae seemed to mind from the way she'd stumbled over her words like that, which was fair but made Kleos' heart sink a little for reasons she couldn't entirely place. She supposed she just didn't like to think of her friend worrying about what people thought of her, she deserved to be happy after all she'd been though. "We can tell them we're not," Kleos continued with a nod, "and if they don't believe that then I shan't mind at all."

Kleos smiled around her cup at Ralae's compliment, waving her free hand expressively in a 'oh hush!' sort of a way. When Ralae continued however her smile died and she lowered her drink, swallowing hurriedly so that she could speak. "Well," she coughed slightly, having rushed the swallowing perhaps too much, "well it is their loss. I only wish their foolishness didn't hurt you so." Kleos set aside her cup and reached over to take one of her friend's hands in both of hers. "I want to be around you Ralae, I couldn't imagine my life without you in it."

Ralae's suggestion about tail tweaking however didn't sit quite right with her not because she objected to the idea of anyone thinking they were together - anyone would be lucky to be Ralae's weyrmate - but because it was untrue. If it would make Ralae feel better though.... It was a dilemma. "And, well, we could be mysterious?" Kleos suggested tentatively. "Tell people it's none of their business and let them go to distraction with a lack of an answer."

<> Moriath sounded a little bemused, she had never felt the urge to rise herself and so she couldn't really wrap her head around the feelings surrounding it. <>

Ralae certainly was affectionate tonight! Not that she minded of course, and while Kleos hadn't actually meant any kind of permanent arrangement... well why not? She would be more than happy to live with her friend, her best friend. Kleos had always hoped she might one day catch a lady's eye but... well that clearly hadn't happened and she was nearly forty so she doubted it would in the future. She didn't want to be alone forever, and what did it matter what people thought?

"Well, why not?" Kleos agreed with a smile. "Once you've decided upon something there's no point in delaying unless you need to make plans to see it though and this is hardly complicated. I would suggest we wait until tomorrow to actually move anything however! I think I've had a little too much wine to be trusted not to drop things or fall over myself."

<> Moriath said again, sounding pleased if still rather puzzled. She had a feeling that more was going on here than she was aware of... more than Kleos was aware of too.

"Thank you," Kleos replied, accepting the bread and starting to nibble on it; they'd rather neglected the food in favour of drink! And they were supposed to be sensible mature riders, yet that was part of the beauty of being around Ralae; she didn't have to remember herself, never worried about how she presented herself. It was a safe, warm, comfortable feeling.

"I think I know what you mean," Kleos nodded with a chuckle as Ralae tried to explain hersself. "They are interesting but..." She laughed louder and waved her bread. "What you said! Life is complicated, and things are difficult to explain, but at least we both understand that we can't always quite say what we mean." Following Ralae's gaze to the wine Kleos grinned and shook her head. "I think we both ought to drink a good quantity of water before we sleep! That way we stand a chance of being sharp tomorrow... or at least not too dull." It was fortunate that Dauntless was scheduled in for a rest day really.

<> Moriath replied to Zabreth with a mental smile. <>