Have some pie [D'ren]

She juggled the pie as she walked down the paths between huts. It bubbled and steamed in the cooler morning air. She'd gotten rather proficient baking pies and for once hadn't burned one. It had taken all of her persistence to convince the kitchen matron to let her take this pie but she'd prevailed. It was to be a gift for someone and the mention of who it was to be for bad finally broken the woman's stubbornness. A bump from Mizeath nearly sent the pie tumbling and Ameris turned her head to glare at the dragon beside her. "Mizeath! You nearly made me drop the pie!" she told the dragon hotly. Mizeath's face radiated nothing but innocence.

Shaking her head Ameris shifted the bubbly pie to her other hand. She didn't know what had gotten into Mizeath this morning but the gold was acting the spoiled child today. I am not the gold muttered. "You are to. We're going to see D'ren and give him some company and this lovely pie and you've tried to ruin it twice now!" Ameris chastised. She received nothing in response but a snort and eye roll.

The dragon's tail twitched as she walked along, the forked ends snapping out to catch Ameris along the backside. The woman jumped, sending another scathing glare to her dragon, "Would you please?" And again no response. Rubbing at the offending sting Ameris neared the hut the retired weyrleader occupied and her steps slowed. Maybe it wasn't a good idea. Maybe he didn't want to be bothered. She should go back and maybe give the pie to R'nya or something. As she turned to make her way back to the weyr proper she found her way blocked by a golden hide. Oh no you don't, the dragon said, you wanted to give D'ren this pie and some company so you are going to march over there and knock on his door, right this instant!

Well.. Her eyes wide at the stern and demanding tone Mizeath's voice had taken Ameris turned back around. Swallowing the lump in her throat she did as she was told and marched over to the closed door. With one last glance at her bossy dragon Ameris raised a hand to deliver two firm knocks to the wood.

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Phone tag! Please pardon the weird. Also I'll add this to the timeline as soon as I'm home from work.

D'ren wasn't expecting company. He rarely was, aside from the occasional quick visit from B'jin or Ravana, or even rarer and less desirable drop-by from Tsuen. D'ren mostly stayed on his own, and while he certainly loved company, it was a bit alarming to hear a knock at his door when he wasn't expecting! He didn't even have Ronarth to warn him this time. The normally excitable bronze was fast sleep.

Friendly was alseep, too. The tiny green was curled softly in D'ren's lap, thin body rising and falling dramatically with her breaths. The bronzerider slowly lifted her and set her on the table beside him, rising to his feet at the drowsy creature chirped and watched him move. He headed to the door, glancing for a moment out the window before pulling the door open.

"Oh, hello! You must be Ameris," he said with a smile. He hadn't been around much, but he'd gathered enough gossip to know the names of the two new golds and their riders. Hhe hoped he'd placed the right name to the face, but she looked like the young lady that all the gossips described. News traveled fast, and D'ren didn't even have to leave is home to pick up on the juiciest bits.

The aging bronzerider pulled the door open and motioned for her to come inside. 'Please, come right in. I'm sorry it's a bit of a mess." He wasn't expecting company, but he didn't say as much. He didn't want the young lady to feel unwelcome, though he was awfully embarrassed by the poor state of his quarters! Well...poor by his standards. He was certain that if  Ronarth was awake, he'd remind D'ren that most riders would have loved to come home to such a relativity neat living space.

"I must say, miss, you've caught me off guard. What brings you here?"

Poised to turn and run, Ameris cringed slightly when the door was swung open. So much for hoping D'ren wasn't in. "Hello! Yes I'm Ameris," she was secretly pleased that the retired weyrleader had remembered her name. She was so used to being on the outskirts, waiting for impression that she hadn't really thought much about others knowing her name and it tickled her that D'ren had remembered. If Mizeath could have rolled her eyes she would have at the train of thought her bonded's mind had taken. Everyone would know her name now.

The goldrider followed the older man into his hut, closing the door on the snout of her dragon. Mizeath, you are much to large to fit in here. Wait outside with Ronarth and make friends, Ameris demanded of Mizeath. The golden dragonet was forever forgetting that she was to big to fit most places anymore and usually it was a constant source of amusement for her rider, but today Ameris couldn't take the chance that Mizeath damaged something of D'ren's.

She very nearly snorted at his idea of a mess was. Compared to her own hut, his was immaculate. It didn't have the random toys or clothing strewn about waiting to be picked up. "It's really a lovely home," she said quietly. She decided then that she needed more things to make her home and actual home. Wall coverings or drawings or something. Anything to make the sparse rooms more lively. His next words caused her to remember why exactly she came to visit him. "A pie!" she blurted, shoving the pie towards him. "I.. Uh.. I brought you a pie. I baked it myself and I dare say it may be the best one yet. I figured you might be lonely and in need of a pie.." she trailed off as she realized she had begun to ramble. That was brilliantly done, the gold rumbled from outside as she contemplated the best way to wake the sleeping bronze beast without startling him.

Pie? D'ren was initially confused, his mind focused far too much on the niceties of the conversation to deal with an unexpected outburst like that without a double-take. He smiled slowly, his expression friendly and amused. The young goldrider's lack of grace was endearing, and it reminded of him of Jada before Tsuen got her claws in the poor girl. What a mess life was these days!

"Well, I certainly appreciate it," D'ren said as he motioned for Ameris to hand it to him. "I'll go put this in the kitchen and fetch us something to drink," he offered, his sense of chivalry kicking in. He had a young lady in his house! After all day of undoubtedly dealing with all sorts of indignities inflicted by either weyrlinghood or thew Weyrwoman, D'ren was certain she would like some tea of some klah. Or maybe he was just happy to have something to do? Either way!

He took off as a leisurely pace, quickly rounding up some glassware and putting some water on. It had been a bit warm of klah, but then again, it was always too warm by his standards. He felt gross and overheated even now, even though he hadn't stepped foot outside that day. He cursed the heat under his breath as he headed back into the sitting chamber and seated himself.

"Ronarth and I don't get many visitors lately," he said pleasantly. It was a great boost to his morale. As fr as he was concerned, he and his bonded were living in deserved exile for their utter failure as both running the weyr and protecting Tsuen. To think that anyone cared enough to visit provided a warm sense of redemption, fleeting through it was. D'ren had always been a man of simple pleasures, so it didn't take much to make his day.

Ameris followed quietly behind D'ren as the man bustled around his hut. For all her misgivings, it had become readily apparent that she had done a good thing. The elder bronzerider had been in need of company and Ameris feared that he would languish away from the lack of contact. She supposed he did have contact with others if you could count Tsuen as company. The elder goldrider terrified her and Ameris was doubly glad that the woman had not been in the vicinity of D'ren's hut when she and Mizeath had ventured forth.

"I couldn't imagine why not," she replied to his statement, "You were the weyrleader! You must have visitors wanting to pick your brain all the time." She watched as he gathered the makings for klah and though she would have much preferred chilled juice she said nothing. Having some klah with the bubbly pie she had thought to bring would suit just fine. She walked around a small table and stopping with a hand on the back of one chair she asked politely, "May I?"

Mizeath snuffled around the elder bronze dragon. She was to much a lady to pounce on the dragon to wake him up, though she wanted to in her little heart of hearts. If only he would wake up! She circled him another time before settling herself to the ground a short distance from him. Stretching out her neck, the little gold took a few experimental sniffs before softly nudging the dragon on his shoulder. She was silent while she attempted to wake her elder.

"Oh! Let me get that..."

D'ren walked over briskly and pulled the chair out for her, giving her a polite nod. "Go ahead and have a seat...the tea should be done soon," he replied. He'd been meaning to make some anyhow. It was a wonder he got through the days without it! He smiled at her, walking away to tend to the fire and taking those idle seconds to try and decide how to answer her other question, or even if he should.

"Not as much as you'd think," he said, settling on a simple and dismissive answer. It wasn't appropriate to discuss politics to young ladies, and he wouldn't have anything favorable to say about the new paradigm. He didn't care for Tsuen, S'kef, or any of their associated officers and cronies. What good would it do to rant about it here, though? Anyone who was aware of the weyr's politics would know of his disapproval within him having to say as much, the fact was widely known! Yes, it was better to let it politely slip by, rather than starting an unpleasant conversation.

Okay...new topic.  He glanced out the window to see the little queenling sniffing adorably around his dormant bronze. Splendid! "Mizeath really is precious," D'ren offered, looking back to Ameris as he began pouring her class. "Tell me, has anyone drawn her for you? They're so cute and sweet at this age, and she'll be grown up before you know it...if you haven't captured her properly, you really ought to while you still can," he reasoned lightly. He smiled, pouring a second glass before moving over to the table and setting them down.  He grunted a little as he seated himself. His stomach was so fussy lately!

"If no one else has done it for you, I would be willing to," he told her. He wondered cheerfully if she even knew he could draw.

"Thank you," she said as she slipped easily into the chair. He really was a dear, sweet man she concluded, and really not as daft as her father said. He was endearing as he fussed with the fire and fixed the tea he'd suggested. Her brow furrowed with his comment. "Thats.. Unfortunate," she replied just as simply and decided to drop the subject. It was quite obvious D'ren had no intention of going into further detail on the matter and Ameris had no desire to cause the man any undue stress.

She smiled brightly at the compliment given to her gold. "Why thank you!" she said, "I'm certain Mizeath would appreciate the compliment." And I do. Thank you, D'ren for thinking so, Mizeath inputed and Ameris chuckled quietly. Her head shook at his question, "No. No one has offered as of yet. I'd had a thought to ask, but really didn't want to be a bother."

She took the offered glass and took a few sips of the liquid. It had a wonderful taste and quite unlike most of the teas she'd encountered and much tastier than klah even! She frowned again as he sat with a tiny grunt. Was he injured somewhere and no one had made mention of it? Certainly someone would have notified the others if D'ren was sick again!

Her frowned smoothed into a pleased look at his offer. She hadn't known he could draw! And that he offered to do so for her and Mizeath was indeed a wonderful thing. "You would do that?" she asked, "I really don't want to be a bother, D'ren but if you have the time to draw her properly while she's young, I would certainly appreciate it!"