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[G] [P] 741.02.15 | Party Planner - Printable Version

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741.02.15 | Party Planner - Casa - 20.Feb.20

The date of Transfer was creeping closer, something that alternated between causing Casa delight, and crippling anxiety. She was sure she was going to be a spectacular failure, but was doing her best to bury that fear and live up to the expectations of everyone – except M’ris, since he wasn’t exactly subtle about his lack of faith in her – and crush this Weyrwoman gig. Of course, as far as everyone was concerned, she was just going to be a pretty figure head, anyway. Which Casa had been training with Azrin to negate; she needed her Weyrleader to appear to be Mr. In Charge, but receptive enough to listen to whatever she mentioned. They’d worked hard (she and Azrin, that was) to narrow down their choices. Which in turn had resulted in her having to play a careful hand of cards to get one of her top three picked for Weyrleadership by the current Weyrleadership. Casa wasn’t sure how well that part of Azrin’s plan would go, but he had seemed pleased with the final announcement.

Technically, Azrin wasn’t well ranked enough in Ista to have been invited to the meeting the current Weyrleaders had held, wherein the Hold and Hall had met Casa and her new partner in crime. Casa, though, had done her part to get him invited. Partly, it was because she didn’t want him to murder someone in revenge for the slight of not being invited, and partly it was because it could be – and was – easily explained as his being her primary mentor in all things Istan. Casa had great respect for Azrin, but she was also very aware how dangerous he was. Possibly more aware than he realised she was, which she felt might be its own danger, really. Casa puffed out a little sigh, and made her way towards the coffee shop they’d agreed to meet at.

While not late, Casa was by no means early, either; she had spent the morning in the Hold, floating around between shops and stalls, buying things she legitimately needed, and more than a few things she didn’t. All of her purchases had been paid for, with a tip given for the delivery to be made to her dragon in the case of things that were ready that day, and to be delivered to the Weyr in the case of things that wouldn’t be ready for either hours or days. Possibly weeks, given some of her purchases, but Casa didn’t care either way. She was a goldrider – and proudly displaying her knots on her shoulder – and knew no one would mess with her purchases. Not when the dragonriders could so very easily travel the length of the planet to get their purchases elsewhere. Something Casa had heard more than one dragonrider mention in order to get a better price. Since she herself had nothing better to spend her marks on, Casa didn’t care how much money she threw around, and while she had made a point of being overly generous, she’d also been quick to spin away and shun a market stall or store that thought to take advantage of her. It wouldn’t take long for word to spread, she knew, and Casa planned to reap the benefits of that.

Entering the small shop, one of the small outlying buildings that had little tables outside and a few inside, Casa looked around curiously and ignored the looks she was receiving. She knew she cut an impressive figure, with her soft hide pants that were both comfortable and fitting (but not quite to T’ryn levels) and her white shirt with a fitted vest that matched her pants buttoned over the top. Calf high boots with a low heel clicked as she made her way over to talk to the owners, smiling warmly at them and easily falling into idle chitchat with them. She felt Azrin arrive without having to turn and see him walk in, but shifted to give him a friendly smile when he stopped beside her. “My lord,” she said cordially, and then beamed at the wife when she brought Casa a hot chocolate, steam wafting off the top and smelling divine.


RE: 741.02.15 | Party Planner - Azrin - 29.Feb.20

Azrin stopped outside the quaint little café they had agreed to meet at and gave it a once over. It wasn’t a bad place and he had in fact been a few times in the past, but he never quite saw the point of going to one of these places when one had servants and drudges at home to wait on you and not cost extra. He tried to get Casa to come to the Hold but he did see her point—too many would be constantly trying to talk to him for one reason or another and nothing would get done. So he had agreed to this place run by an older couple that seemed like decent folk since he didn’t have any dirt on them.

He entered, his carefree lordling persona slipping into place with a smile to the owners as he came up beside Casa. Even without her greeting, Azrin knew everyone would know he was a lord with his finer clothing and the way he carried himself. He didn’t need to display his rank like dragonriders liked to do, though he did still wear his ring with the High Reaches crest despite having no intentions to return there with his brother as Lord Holder.

“My lady future-Weyrwoman,” Azrin grinned as he gave a playful swooping bow to her. He straightened, considered not ordering anything but finally settled on a tea, and then led Casa to a table off to the side where he took the chair that had his back mostly to the wall and a view of the room. It was a habit he had cultivated when young where he needed to keep an eye on certain people like his elder brother. He honestly didn’t think anyone in the café would jump him and he didn’t believe the woman steeping his tea would do anything to it but it was nice to have a view.

He removed his satchel and draped it over the back of his chair before making himself comfortable. Chit chat was kept to a minimum while he waited for the damned tea he had decided to order and when it came, he smiled pleasantly and even thanked the woman though he left it sitting untouched and instead studied his pupil. Casa didn’t seem to be showing any outward signs of distress about her upcoming change in rank and he was pleased to see that his greeting hadn’t seemed to noticeably rattle her. Good, their work together was paying off and his investments in the girl hadn’t been for nothing.

Finally, he grabbed his tea and took a sip. The slightest frown appeared as he set the mug back down and returned his attention back to Casa. “Weak, but it will do.”


RE: 741.02.15 | Party Planner - Casa - 01.Mar.20

Following Azrin, Casa settled herself in the seat that was set for her, appearing at ease with her back to the room; and honestly, she wasn’t particularly stressed about it. While viewing the room would have been preferable, if only because she was curious and nosy, she had the added security of dragon sense, and of course Azrin with her. He was far more likely to poison her when she wasn’t looking, than some one random was to appear out of no where and literally stab her in the back. Cradling her mug in her hands, Casa lifted it to her lips and took a sip as Azrin made himself comfortable.

A soft laugh escaped at Azrin’s grumblings about the strength (or lack thereof) of his tea, and Casa’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “When given the choice, one should always embrace the chocolate.” She teased, before taking another sip of the smooth chocolate deliciousness in her mug. Casa had tested the hot chocolate in several of the establishments across the Hold, and found just a couple that she valued above the others. The current little store was her favourite, though there was a smaller, kind of sadder looking place that made an excellent hot chocolate, she didn’t think Azrin would have appreciated being dragged into such a dumpy place. Nonetheless, she wouldn’t be surprised if they ran a shadier business on the side that he knew about or took part in.

After some carefully manufactured ‘idle chitchat’, the function of which was to deter any eavesdroppers from being interested in their conversations – and Casa went out of her way to make it as dull as possible to the average ear, babbling about things no one but Azrin would actually understand; titbits and gossip tossed in amongst airheaded girly crap – Casa finished her hot chocolate and smiled winningly at Azrin. “Since the current Weyrleaders sucked all the fun out of the transition,” Casa said cheerfully, absently folding and refolding a cloth napkin she hadn’t used, “I thought it might be fun to host a party – Holder friendly, of course –“ her eyes twinkled mischievously. “I was thinking upper rank area, but personal invitation.” Casa lifted an eyebrow at Azrin, curious to hear his take on the idea.


RE: 741.02.15 | Party Planner - Azrin - 01.Mar.20

Oh? A party he wouldn’t need special circumstances to get an invite for? How refreshing. He knew his role at the last party was as Casa’s mentor in all things Instan and Holder etiquette in general rather than simply being invited due to his birth rights. He was the second son of High Reaches (now brother to the Lord Holder but such details were slight and hand-waving) and married to the second child of Ista. That should have been more than enough reason to have him at the little shindig but he accepted Casa’s clever thinking to find a loophole that would allow him in on such an event as it showed her continued growth.

“I assume by hosting, you mean at the Weyr. Would it be held in the Bowl? That charming dining cavern? Both?” He could see both working easily though it really depended on who else was invited and how much Casa wanted to show off. Did she want dragons constantly in view? Or, perhaps she wanted her own controlled party where not everyone in the Weyr would be invited and allowed to saunter through when they felt like it.

“Personal invite to only Ista or would you branch out to other regions to help build a rapport?” If that was the case, Azrin had some names in mind that he could place as plants to help spread encouragement of the new leadership during small talk. He also had some names that would benefit in attending such a party. Shoving his bland tea aside, Azrin pulled out his notebook from his satchel but made no move to start writing names down for Casa until he learned more about the party and her intentions.