On the short side of average, and perhaps a bit stout, Lenala's appearance and bearing can best be described as 'comfortable'. Her hair is long, reaching nearly to her waist, and usually kept in a neat braid; its rust-red hue brings out the blush in her cheeks. Oddly bronze-green eyes are set in a pleasantly round face. Her movements are swift and efficient. Lenala is wearing a short-sleeved, loose blouse of sage-green linen with delicate embroidery of a darker grass-green around the collar and sleeves. A filmy linen skirt, matching the grass-green of the embroidery, falls to her ankles; she is also wearing a pair of sandals. She looks to be about 15 turns old.

5'10". Not a centimeter more or less. Shoulders broad and legs bowed, Valin seems to be a stout, hard worker, but he is definitely not going to bring the marks in at auction for his looks. Shaggy, wavy, shoulder-length, sandy blonde hair is bleached lighter in some places by Rukbat's glare, and his skin tone is that of a Southerner. His eyes are a jade-like green, always frank, and his emotions are easily read. It's rare that his soft baritone is raised in anger, but he does look to have been in a fist fight at one point, for his nose is slightly askew.

When it is not shading his eyes, an Igen-style high-crowned and wide-brimmed hat rests against his back. His tunic is no-sleeved, as he bows to the heat and humidity of Ista. The shirt is light tan, stained and worn from Turns of good use. A simple length of rawhide cinches his waist, and from the belt are suspended two leather pouches, while a utility dagger is sheathed at his right hip, along with a tucked-in pair of heavy duty wherhide work gloves. The hem of his tunic falls to mid-thigh, and then sturdy canvas trousers of a medium brown color cover his legs. They tuck into high black boots which are often spattered with dust and mud -- sometimes even blood -- but the smooth leather is easy to wipe clean.

Fiery crimson hair is pulled back into a tight runnertail as if its owner wished to keep those curls from spilling out of the bronze hide thong that captures each lock of E'stan's hair. A matching short, neatly cropped beard and moustache accent pale but healthy looking skin. Deep blue eyes survey his world as his strong, 2 weaver's-length stocky body strides confidently ever forward... when, of course, he hasn't been drinking too much. Serious by nature, E'stan is focused and sharp when it comes to watching over the weyr or taking care of his bronze, Mynarth.

Clad in riding leathers, his jacket and pants bear the colors of his home, Ista Weyr. Clean, but well worn, the top fastener of his jacket hangs open, jauntily, red chest hairs curling around the edge of the fabric. Black wehrhide knee boots are supple but polished to a glowing ember sheen. His shoulder knot show him as Weyrsecond of Ista Weyr and the bronze ribbon twined through it show him to be the lifemate of bronze Mynarth.

The first trait that everyone usually remarks on with this young woman is her fiery crimson hair, a trademark handed down from her father. She wears the mass long, swirling down her back to her hips in a riot of gentle curls and waves. Her eyes are a piercing blue that frequently deepen as her mood intensifies. She is of average height for a woman, standing around 5'6 or so, her figure willowy and slim. Her hands--frequently in use, either in gesturing as she speaks or involved in some chore--are long and delicate, but appear calloused on closer inspection. She's obviously not shy of some sort of hard work.

She's wearing a long, close to ankle length skirt in a light material of a midnight blue shade, along with a brilliantly white sleeveless tunic. A matching dark blue swatch of fabric pulls her hair away from her face in a runnertail at the nape of her neck. The knot of a journeyman healer graces her shoulder.

Shansi does not make an especially dramatic entrance, given some of her earlier performances. Rather, the young girl glides -- yes, it's that smooth, floating gait she's trying to perfect -- in from the shadows of the stairs. A pause let's her glance around the caverns, but she either sees no one familiar, or chooses not to socialize. She opts, instead, for the food tables. There, a faint sigh is given over this or that as she helps herself to a scant plate of food, before she turns to lean back against one such table: surveying the room once more.

Shansi blinks at the wave, then slips a cool smile in her direction. The gesture is not returned but for the faint tilt of her head -- but that might be blamed on the plate currently balanced between slim-fingered hands. Detaching herself from the table, Shansi steps closer to Lenala, casting a brief, narrowed glance at the hearth. Capturing a chair for herself, Shansi folds her legs and drops into the seat, pausing to settle a moment before she calls a soft, "I don't believe we've met," to Lenala. One brow lifts, "Or have I lost my manners and forgotten?"

Lenala grins. "If we have I don't remember either, so we're even. I'm Lena, from Igen Weyr but living here in the wet now." She holds out her hand, palm up, for the traditional greeting.

Shansi pauses a moment, then sets her newly acquired plate down on the ground, leans forward, and lightly touches fingers to palm. "I'm Shansi, daughter to Lord and Lady High Reaches but, as are you, living here now." As she settles back again, her lips purse thoughtfully a moment, then she murmurs, "I don't know how you people do it. I find it unbearably hot even here, but you, no doubt, think otherwise?" A hint of petulance, something akin to arrogance, and just a whisp of dry humor enter the crisply cool voice.

Lenala nods. "High Reaches? Yeah, that'd be worse. The heat I'm used to but the humidity is killing me. I'm sure people have mentioned that you should drink _lots_ of water...and swimming helps, too. Other than that I probably can't help you."

Shansi tips her head back a moment, contemplative, and gazes just a bit down her nose at Lenala. Not exactly in an offensive way, but ... not exactly politely. "Yes, they keep telling me that." Whatever cloud marred her expression a moment earlier passes, though, and she smiles, "I think I'll manage though. Some of the fashion here is just wonderful, and I'm just mad to try it out."

Shansi nods, "Quite. Though we were just discussing that the other day. You can't do but so much to dress for heat, whereas the cold... oh, there are endless possibilities for that." A faint shrug.

Shansi lifts the back of one hand to her forehead in an unconsciously melodramatic gesture, "How true." That same hand is used to tuck an errant curl behind one ear. "I've yet to make up my mind about this Weyr, truth be told." She crosses her legs, "But.. we'll see. Some of the riders are certainly .. interesting." And that is one *loaded* word.

Shansi merely nods, then abruptly leans forward to reclaim her plate. Flicking at the corners of it -- as if it were dirty now -- she quirks her lips into a bemused smile, "I don't think Father would be entirely pleased with some of them, but ... " Another of those cool shrugs, "Who's to say?"

Shansi's expression abruptly turns muted. "Oh?" is the single, almost sybillant, sound. Cool exterior is broken, though, by a glimmer of interest in the honey-brown eyes.

Shansi smiles, suddenly, smugly, "Oh." Again, that word, yet how the meaning *does* change... "You might call it that, yes." A sly lowering of lashes, then she looks up again, "Or lust, at the least. But that's no business of a proper Holder's girl, now is it?" Lifting a meatroll for brief inspection, she tilts her head to the side, awaiting some response.

Shansi merely shrugs yet another time, then asks, "What issue of love brought you here, if not a breach of duties or society?" A pause. "Or did you do something even a Weyr cannot approve?" Eyes sparkling, she lightly teases, then samples her meatroll.

Boy, the conversations one walks in on. Valin trundles in, mildly swatting at a bronze thing that hovers and zooms at head-level, swooping about the fellow and chittering loudly. Nonetheless, the firelizard isn't a /complete/ distraction, for he peers over toward the two that speak of relationships. He grimaces, gives them a wide berth, and moves along to find some food -- for the 'lizard, of course.

Shansi is seated somewhere near the hearth, plate in hand, by Lenala, who's eating stew. The two are engaged in some sort of conversation, with Shansi's head tilted just a little to the left, listening. A nod follows the other girl's words, though, and a surprisingly gentle, if brief, "I wish you luck, then." Valin would go unnoticed but for the firelizard, which earns the boy a quick, narrowed gaze.

Valin mutters a stern word to the fluttering firelizard, and after a moment the critter settles upon a strong shoulder. Val nods approvingly, rewarding the charming metallic fellow with a brief scritch and also by promptly finding food for him.

Shansi gives an equally vague, "Oh, right..." to Lenala, but there's something to the distracted murmur that makes it seem she's either not paying attention, or simply still doesn't understand. Her meatroll is again lifted, and she finishes the thing off, licking her lips.

E'stan offers a hand in greeting, not going too far into the room, rather kicking out a chair right by the opening. His smile and nod follow as he takes a seat.

Meatrolls, wherry strips, herdbeast slices... whatever meat is closest, Valin grabs two helpings of that, since he's feeding two; himself and that still-growing bronze. Of course, the firelizard likely isn't going to be eating the rivergrains that the stablehand purloins. A plate, a bowl, and a mug of juice are set upon a wooden tray, and Val brings this over to one of the more quiet and sparsely populated tables.

Shansi takes no more notice of Valin, then, now that the firelizard has quieted, but her gaze does follow Lenala's to the rather easily spotted E'stan. Contemplative, she observes for a moment before giving just the faintest of nods. Her own greeting.

E'stan slides down in his seat, then folds his hands on his chest. A long sigh is given, one that just may indicate it's been a long day for him. Ankles cross, boot heel thumping slightly on the floor.

Valin uses fork and knife to dig the meat out of a 'roll, doing his best to separate the bread from the stuff that his firelizard wants to get at. He works right quickly lest the bronze critter get ticked off; he's got /enough/ scratches, thank-you-very-much. Once he's accumulated a pile that's /already/ disappearing quickly, Val settles down to his own meal, an unmutiliated meatroll and that rice, washed down with water. Simple fare, simple guy. The dull 'thud' of E'stan's boot catches his attention for whatever reason, and, looking up, he then bobs his head politely to the bronzerider, but calls no greeting. Good thing, too... rivergrains probably would have come flying out of his mouth.

Shansi shrugs -- this time merely lifting one shoulder rather carelessly, and looks his way again. To Lenala, she murmurs, "Do you know who that is?" Still watching the rider, for whatever reason.

E'stan's eyes flicker to the side in the female voices general direction, curious, yet not enough to intrude on their conversation. One brow raises as his head tilts, more curious than not at what may have been said.

"Mmm," is Shansi's only response, as she tilts her head a bit more to the side. "He certainly ... would stand out in a crowd." Amusement forces the girl to smile at that. And the smile widens a notch as this now-identified E'stan looks their way. But, catty as it may be, she also turns back around fully to Lenala. And blinks, as Lenala leaves. "Hmph!" is the faint, curious and rather frustrated sound of the brat who is Shansi.

E'stan watches Lenala leave suddenly, then visibly shrugs, taking it upon himself to rise from his chair to wander toward the serving table. He doesn't seem too serious about getting anything, probably just passing time.

Valin eats slowly, enjoying the simple fare, and pausing occasionally to check up on his 'lizard's progress. He chuckles softly into his glass of water as the critter eats in the exact opposite manner -- messy, fast. Val sets the glass aside, then sweeps the crumbs that are practically everywhere into one cupped hand. "Shards, Cid..." he mumbles. The crumbs are brushed back into the bowl. Meat and meatroll downed and demolished, the stablehand rises to dump the bowl's contents into the proper receptacle, then bring said bowl back to the kitchen. Returning just a minute later, while he's up he decides to get a refill on his water, and so approaches the table E'stan also circles, addressing him politely and evenly. "G'd even', Weyrsecond."

Shansi merely frowns at her plate a moment, then gives her head a little toss and picks up the last morsel of food -- a pastry. As she takes a small bite, a faint tapping -- rather more insistent and more obnoxious, but quieter than E'stan's earlier thud -- begins. Ah, it's her crossed foot and the chair leg.

E'stan hmms, distractedly, then sends a look toward Valin. "Is it now?" he asks with a smile. "Thought it'd be mid day, that's how slow it seems to be going today." Shansi? Well, he sees her, sure, sending an admiring glance. "Something wrong with the food, Shansi?"

Ceralise strolls in from deep within the weyr, walking slow and glancing around as if to familiarize herself with the area. She sees something that makes her grin, but whatever it is goes unremarked upon as she makes her way to the serving table for a drink.

Valin snorts mild humor at that, reaching for the water pitcher. "I'm thinkin' it's th' heat that makes things go so slow, Weyrsecond." He nods slightly to himself, pouring his water. Once done, he steps back, turning about, and very nearly bumping into an approaching Ceralise.

The tapping promptly stops. Slowly, Shansi turns back to the food tables, then shakes her head. Swallowing, she lifts her voice to answer, "Not the food, E'stan." Using the name just supplied her, yes. "The lack of company." Her most charming of smiles granted, she now looks straight to Valin, as well. And then to Ceralise. Finally, back to the Weyrsecond, "Any chance I might join you?"

E'stan has also been carousing at the serving table, but his back's to his sister, Ceralise. That's probably a good idea as he'd most likely deck Valin for even vaguely touching his sibling. Certainly the invitation from Shansi is appreciated by his return smile. "How about over there?" he asks, gesturing to a nearby table.

Ceralise gasps as she suddenly finds the front of her tunic and skirt wet from the cold water. She automatically staggers back a step. "Well, that's not exactly how I'd planned on cooling off," she grins, once the surprise has worn off. She does arch a brow at E'stan's back, but other doesn't do anything else to alert him to her presence.

Shansi stands, giving her skirt a quick brush with her free hand to smooth out any wrinkles. "That would be fine." A quick flicker of her eyes is all that signals she took note of anything behind E'stan, but the smile remains. She really can be a charming girl, now, can't she? Moving first to the tables -- to satisfy her own thirst, it would seem, she asks of E'stan, "You've been here some time, then?" She leans forward to grab a clean mug, then adds, "At the Weyr, I mean?"

E'stan slips into a chair at the table, back still to Cera, again sliding down into it for comfort's sake. "Here? Oh, yeah. All day. T'rrent's had this VTOL up his.." he stops quickly, mock-coughing, then continues, "I've been up to here with mapping new flight plans. Seems T'rrent decided we needed something new. Musta came to him in a dream.."

/DAMN/ that thing called momentum! Valin stops abruptly, quick enough that he doesn't collide with Ceralise, but the water in his glass doesn't react as well, sloshing over the rim and splooshing onto the dragonhealer's clothing. "Oh /shard/itall," Valin whispers, taking a step back, refusing to meet the gaze of the one he's /no/ doubt offended. In fact, he subconsciously registers fire-red hair, and likely expects a storm to break. Another step back and he bumps against the serving table. He steadies it, then sets the offending, half-empty glass down upon it. Way over there on a table, a bronze firelizard sits up on his haunches and chatters loudly in response to his pet's anxiety.

Shansi merely lifts one brow, cooly amused, and then follows. She sets her newly taken mug down, then drops more gracefully into a chair of her own, across from E'stan. After a moment, she murmurs, a bit dryly, "I actually meant ... have you lived at the Weyr for many Turns?"

Long distance to E'stan: Shansi hees. You missed the cause for this. Lenala thought Shansi came to the Weyr because of some 'love' problem, so Shansi lied and said something vague about 'lust, actually'. So now the girl is, still amused by this thought, toying with the idea of playing the lust-driven role that she painted for herself. Seeing if it fits her, anyway. (She'd certainly never considered *that* before, but she's mad enough at her parents to try anything)

Ceralise blinks as the young man that just soaked her succumbs to all sorts of problems as a result of the slight accident. "Um... are you alright?" she asks, trying very hard to supress the laughter in her voice. "I know I am. It's just a little water and in this heat, I'll be dry before you know it."

Ineban wanders in with a whistled tune on his lips; unfamiliar, it can be nothing less than a spontanous series of notes that just happen to sound semi-good next to each other. Just in time for chaos. Oh good. Someone pass the popcorn. Water flies and firelizards scold, and all this unerringly draws his attention. "Well. Good evening."

Valin turns toward the table, and swipes up one of the folded dry cloths that drudges set there /just/ in case spills should occur (although normally the rags are used to wipe the table or the floor). Val turns to Ceralise again and hesitantly holds out the dry square of fabric. "I'm s'sorry," he mutters, slurring words together like the commoner he is, but not particularly stammering. "I didn't see y'were b'hind me, journeywoman. Sorry... sorry. Uhm... c'n I get you a drink?" A wan smile falters, but he /did/ attempt one. " 'M better at pourin'. Promise."

E'stan gives Shansi an interested smile, eyes seeming to be looking anywhere else but those sweet eyes. "Oh. Yeah, quite a while now." Of course the rucus behind him is now heard, as he turns in his seat to openly gawk at what he sees. "What's going on?" he asks, immediately standing.

Shansi stands as well. "If you'll excuse me..." This murmured softly, as she goes on and steps back. Other matters have taken over, and she's not one to sit and wait.

From afar, Valin tsks. He was expecting a spectacular hissy fit 'cause the commoner 'boy' with the bronze firelizard upstaged the girl of the Blood. He's disappointed. ;) Sleep well. :)