Main Beach (#590)
     The beach here is of a fine, glittering black sand... volcanic sand, remnants of a long-past eruption. The beach is fairly wide, which is a good thing since many of the Weyr's dragons like to come here and lounge in the sun. The crystal blue waters of the ocean roll up in gentle hissing waves on the shoreline, sometimes leaving shells or other treasures from the sea in their wake. On the north and south ends of the beach, the cliff from the plateau retreats into the forest, and trees flank the beaches.

Kaeryn (#7720)
     With a height of about 5 foot 4, this young woman is not exactly overbearing in stature, but the confident air about her makes her seem a little taller. The strands of her golden hair flow fluidly down her back, ending in gentle curls at her waist. Bringing attention to the features of her heart shaped face are her blue eyes, highlighted with golden flecks, that sparkle mischievously in the light. Her skin is lightly tanned and delicate, tiny freckles powdering her small nose. A mysterious look in her eyes, and the way her pale pink lips upturn in a smile make her seem even more attractive. On her right wrist, there is a strip of harper blue wherhide that was formed into a bracelet.
     A soft, luxurious flaxen dress in a rich shade of blue drapes gracefully from Kae's shoulders. The neckline is gently scalloped, scooping down just enough to show off her slender neck and the thin silver necklace that encircles it. The sleeves are short, ending about a third of the way down to her elbow, and the hem of each is decorated with silver threaded embroidery. The bodice is close fitting but flares out from the hips to where it ends just above the knees, allowing full movement. On her feet is a pair of wherhide sandals that are perfect for the Istan heat and sun, protecting her soles from the hot sand or ground but allowing her feet to stay cool.
     A bright silver knot dangles from a fine silver chain, a mark of friendship.
     A knot of blue and white adorns Kae's shoulder. Two twisted cords formed into a pair of loops and a tassle, all threaded through with a ribbon of gold, representing her rank as a Master of the Harper Hall. Within the knot rests a single stone of Sapphire and ribbons of black and orange signifying her posting as Istan WeyrHarper.
     She is wearing a silver and gold braided chain bracelet with the Dolphinsinger charms.
     Kaeryn is 29 Turns, 11 months, and 10 days old.

T'rell (#5123)
     A small fellow, his shoulders are broad, his hands well-calloused, and his form compact and fit. His dirt-brown eyes sparkle with mischief and humor to lend a joke to his short and wavy hair, which has become quite a remarkable shade of light grey. His cleanshaven features are unlined except when he's laughing and are free and mobile with his expressions, such that all his five feet and four inches of height are alight with a juvenile and contagious spirit.
     Bare to the waist, his shorts are a colorful blend of patterns and designs, made of a light cloth so as to dry quickly. His toned body is well-tanned; a couple of old scars more or less blend in, though the threadscore on his ankle is still evident even after more turns than he thought he'd count.
     T'rell is 40 Turns, 7 months, and 7 days old.

Sejith (#4466)
     A bright brassy hide gleams, deepening in gradual shadow under wings and down to graceful talons in a rich bronze. Filling out with age and maturity, Sejith is well-muscled and sleek, his lack of obvious threadscore speaking of his easy coordination and airborne precision. Calm and steady in just about any situation, his exacting skill mirrors an inner intensity.
     Sejith's eyes whirl a deep and relaxed blue.
     Sejith is 27 Turns, 5 months, and 5 days old.
     He is 76 feet (25m) long, with a wingspan of 126 feet (42m).

T'rell waves from the shallows, just following Sejith into the water. "Afternoon, Harper," he calls a cheerful greeting.

Kaeryn wanders down the path from the weyr she shares with her family, guitar in her hand, and pauses near the shore, waving in return to T'rell and Sejith, her tone cheerful as well, "Afternoon, Rider! Bathtime, I see?"

"That it is. Done with lessons already?" T'rell queries across the glittering beach. Sejith slides deeper into the water, past what could be termed shallow and into where he can float, nearly weightless, and soak.

"Yep," Kae replies, using one of the words she's continually trying to train her students against using. "Easy day today, and since the little ones are still with Cirrus, I thought now would be a good time for a little song-working. How about the pair of you? Hard day?" Finding an appropriate place to sit, she makes herself comfortable, resting the well-polished guitar in her lap.

T'rell glances over his shoulder at the bronze, floating quite comfortably now, and splashes out of the surf toward Kaeryn until he stands, dripping not quite on her guitar. In a more conversational volume, he responds. "At least I didn't have to deal with Holders again this morning," he grins. "And drills I don't mind, even the big ones." He spreads his arms wide, almost like the fish that got away. "That's a challenge."

Kaeryn adjusts a few of the strings of her guitar, gently touching one and listening before moving on to the next. Attention is pulled away from the guitar as T'rell comes to shore, dripping a trail of water across the sand. Fingers strum across the strings once again, and she nods, pleased at the sound. "Are the Holders really that bad? I've never had much trouble with them, but I suppose they look at Harpers and Riders in two very different lights, don't they?"

T'rell quirks his eyebrows in an expression of abused tolerance as he nods. "They do, very different. The Weyr is something they'd rather not think about until Thread falls, and would rather forget about when tithe comes due." He sighs. "But enough of that." He grins again, suggesting, "We can talk about holders next time I'm already in a bad mood."

Kaeryn offers him a grin and pats the sand beside her, "Sit with me, we can catch up on the other weyr happenings while you dry off in the breeze." Her fingers continue to fiddle with the strings, adjusting them in a way that has become second nature to her. "And if any in particular keep giving you trouble, let me know. I don't know many Holders that want to argue with a Harper."

T'rell chuckles, taking a seat willingly enough. "Sure, I'll dry off just in time to go back in and scrub. And I'm sure I'll take you up on that offer before long," he predicts. "What're you working on, anyway?" He nods in the general direction of the guitar.

"There are advantages to having the harpers in your corner, you know," Kae reminds softly, giving T'rell's leg an affectionate pat. "Currently, it's called 'tuning a guitar'," she offers a dramatic pauses, blue eyes sparkling with mischief, "but once I complete that work of art, I'm going to move on to the song that I've been working on mentally all day."

T'rell ohs appropriately, eyes wide with fascination. "Tuning? Wow."

Kaeryn laughs lightly, shaking her head and giving T'rell a mirrored version of his fascinated look, "Isn't it wonderful?" A wink, and seriousness returns, her fingers slowly moving across the strings in the beginnings of a tune. Voice joins a couple bars into the song, only quietly enough for the pitches to be properly sung, "Funny how I feel, more myself with you, than anybody else that I ever knew.."

T'rell smiles broadly at Kaeryn's look. "That's very good," he compliments lightly. Then, listening more critically, queries quietly. "This is your new song?" He settles down into the sand, drawing his knees up and resting his arms atop them.

Kaeryn continues playing, eyes lifting from the strings long enough to give him a nod, but instead of continuing with the song, she starts over, changing a few notes here and there to fit her own vocal range. Satisfied with the opening, she lets the guitar rest on its side in her lap. "The beginnings of it, at least. It's always been easier to hear it in my head than it has been to make it sound that way."

"My problem exactly," T'rell grins, agreeing. "But that's a good start, I think, and I like the change you made the second time. Is it for you to sing, I guess?"

"I guess you could say that, yeah," Kae nods again, this time not returning her attention to the guitar. "Some of the songs I write, I just write for myself to sing, because they're too close to my heart to give to someone else, I guess." Fingers slip gently over the strings, "This is one of those songs."

Well, he had been speaking in a performance sense, not a personal one, but the rider nods anyway, silent in contemplation of that reply.

"My voice, you mean?" Kae asks as she settles the guitar back into her lap and begins the song again, for the third time. "I guess you could say all my songs are written for me to sing, in my general range, I mean, but this one is moreso, probably only a handful of others could sing it exactly the way I write, when it's just for *me*."

T'rell smiles to Kaeryn. "Nobody can sing it like you can." A swift wink indicates that he's completely aware of his total and infallible impartiality.

"Of course, if you ever actually *sang*, I'd write songs for you as well," the teasing continues, back and forth, as usual between the pair, and Kae smiles. "I've a couple duets I've done recently that would be nice to perform, had I someone with the proper vocal range around here, but all of my students are too young to be singing baritone, or even a proper tenor, just yet."

T'rell chuckles, low and amused. "I don't sing a proper anything," he points out. "Why can't you write something for a pipe instead?" A damp finger pokes at Kaeryn's arm, prodding. "All this singing, I just don't know."

Kaeryn wrinkles her nose and swats T'rell's hand away from her arm, "I play flute more than sing, you know. I've written many a tune for flute that could be played by just about any wind instrument if I just do a little transcribing." Eyebrow raises, challenging, "All you have to do is ask."

T'rell raises his own eyebrow, this time mirroring her expression. "All I have to do is ask, huh? Who says I need transcription, huh?" He grins, an innate macho response to the challenge.

"Oh, *excuse* me for offering," Kae replies with a forced look of annoyance on her face, only the continual spark in her eyes showing that she isn't actually annoyed. "I'll just let you write your own music, how about that, Mr. Weyrleader?"

T'rell mimics teasingly, "How about that, Ms. Weyrharper?" He grins. "I'll just play your instrument, that's what I'll do," he decides, starting to reach for her guitar, as if he were going to claim it for himself.

Kaeryn lifts the guitar, preparing to hand it over, "I guess you're dry enough, so here you go. *You* play."

T'rell grins suddenly and broadly as he accepts the instrument, then schools his features to a more solemn, concert expression that, in its exaggerated properness, evokes a sense of the ridiculous. He rests the guitar on his knee, holding it... the wrong way around. He pauses, clears his throat, and turns it the other way. Tut-tut! He holds up a forestalling finger -- do not disturb the Master.

Kaeryn watches as the instrument, *her* instrument, is taken into the lap of a person who obviously intends to play it incorrectly. She blinks, shaking her head quickly, and then closes her eyes. No, this is too difficult to watch, but not too difficult to comment on. "Do you think that maybe, just maybe, your too many candlemarks in the heat have melted your brain?"

T'rell frowns deeply, very much like his old music theory Master. One may be able to tell that it was not his favorite subject. "Philistine," he accuses. "Obviously you have no appreciation for true *art*." He raises his right hand, placing his left fingers on the strings, and strums, plucking each string carefully; it resonates and combines into the sourest chord ever played on the poor guitar. He holds the pose, pretending to appreciate it, then arches an eyebrow at Kaeryn, the unfortunate owner of said guitar.

Kaeryn groans, holding her hands to her chest to show pain in her heart, "Puh-lease, dooon't. My guitar isn't meant to be played like *that*." Reaching out, she puts one hand on the body of the guitar, preparing to forcefully return it into her lap. "I didn't spend months making this thing for you to make it never play correctly again, you know."

T'rell changes his fingers quickly to form one of the most basic and consonant chords, running his hand across the strings once more just to set it back in its proper mood again before releasing the instrument. "Aw, you're no fun," he accuses lightly. "But how come you never write wind duets, only sung duets?"

"Because I've never had anyone to play them with, I guess," Kae replies with a shrug, brushing her fingers across T'rell's before fulling regaining control of the instrument. "Of course, you know the fact that you can purposely make such a horrible sound with this instrument leads me to believe that you could, just as easily, play well."

T'rell shakes his head, insisting, "Beginner's luck, that's all. I was never much good at the guitar, even when they were trying hard to make me." He grins wryly. "And by now, I think I can remember maybe two, three chords at most."

"I didn't think I'd ever be able to play properly, either," the weyrharper admits, her fingers now easily finding their positions on the strings, "but guitar has always been Jerran's instrument, and he's a good teacher." Cocking her head to the side in a way that forces her curls to fall behind the neck of the guitar instead of between the strings, and she begins to play a different song, this one slower, sadder.

T'rell rests his dry-enough hand on Kaeryn's back, a light contact. "I had good teachers, too," he jokes. "And you heard how well they served. Best stick to something I can actually play," he decides. "What's this one?" He nods toward the guitar, and the new song.

Kae's fingers continue to play the tune, her eyes slip closed, just letting her hands do the work, obviously knowing the song well enough to do it without thinking. "Just a little something I wrote when we were out on the Lady Rose," she whispers softly, not wanting to take away from the mood that the music is setting.

Curious, the rider sits quietly at the harper's side, his hand still resting against the small of her back as he listens to her song mingle with the susurrus of the waves.

"Long ago, in someone else's lifetime, someone with my name who looked a lot like me, came to know a man and made a promise, he only had to say and that's where she would be," the words are half-whispered, half-sung, but ever smooth as the harper continues the song just a little longer. A few chords later, she strums once, and stops playing.

T'rell remains quiet, though as he faces Kaeryn, his look is a question in itself.

With a shake of her head, the harper begins to play the first song again, trying to lighten her own mood, which seemed to drop so quickly. "I really didn't know what I was doing the first time I stepped onto that ship, did you know that? I was scared of my future in the craft, and unhappy. I didn't know if I'd made the right decision, and it was then that I wrote that song. Not exactly party performance material."

"Maybe not," T'rell replies, his tone quiet as he shrugs slightly. "But look at where it's gotten us now?" With the hand that's not caressing Kaeryn's hair, he gestures broadly at the beach, the sea; the weyr, their life. "Not so bad as all that?"

Kaeryn laughs, setting the guitar aside and scooting a little closer to T'rell's side, resting her head against his shoulder, "Basically, we have to take chances or we'll never know what might happen, right?"

T'rell smiles affectionately, placing a light kiss on Kaeryn's forehead. "Something like that, yeah." He squeezes her gently, one arm around her shoulders. "Maybe you should write an oboe part to that song and turn it into something you can be happy to play," he suggests, giving voice to a notion before giving it much thought. "And after I scrub Sejith down, pound 'im dry and oil 'im soft again, you can teach it to me."

Kaeryn laughs, picking up her guitar again and getting to her feet, "Well, you can have fun with Sejith and I'll go work on this song a little more. Maybe I'll even be able to play it for you later tonight." She leans over and plants a kiss on his head, patting it gently, "Time for us both to return to work."

T'rell pushes up from the sand, catching Kaeryn's hand long enough to return the kiss with a rougish grin. "Oh, yeah. Work." He brushes away the sand that stuck to his shorts, dusting off his hands. "We'll be back up there when we're done," he promises as he jogs down the beach and back into the water.

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