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Yselle's Search


Date:  May 2, 2003
Places:  Telgar Weyr's Living Cavern and Southern Bowl
Game:  PernMUSH
Copyright Info:  The World of Pern is copyright(c) to Anne McCaffrey 
l967. The Dragonriders of Pern(r) is a registered copyright.

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Kassi's Note:  Sometimes it pays to be on late at night! ;)  An hour or
two after her chat with Is and Kich, Kassi wanders into the Living
Cavern and meets up with Yselle for the second time, and Lysseth soon 
ensures that the is more eventful than either of them likely 
anticipated.  If the Search part of this seems abrupt to you, you're not 
off the mark--Yselle had to leave fairly soon after everyone got 
outside, so we ended up rushing a bit, but I think/hope we all had fun 
regardless.  I know I certainly did. :)

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The Log:

You walk past the lintel and into the wide living cavern.

Pierron humphs thoughtfully as the Wingleader of Thunderbolt arrives.

Yselle slips into the caverns. Today she has no Levarn with her, no T'van.
She's poking at that horrible hair of hers, trying to brush it into
submission with her fingers. She looks tired.

Despite the direction she's entering from, the damp state of Kassi's
hair--probably visible in her forelock if not the tightly-woven braid--and,
to a lesser extent, clothing suggests she might have recently been in the
Springs; her words only confirm it as she sighs to no one in particular, "A
footrub *and* a soak; it's been a good evening, even if'n I didn't swim all
that much, and if'n there's only seafood available tonight 'twill be bloody
*perfect*--oh, stop looking at me like that, Pierron. You want me t'be
eating the chutney again?"

Yselle laughs a little. "The hot springs sounds just about perfect right
now. Who'd have thought there'd be so /many/ children in one place?" She
arcs a look at Pierron and carefully steps around him, muttering something
about tubers.

Kassima slants a distinctly amused look Yselle's way, automatically resting
one hand on her rather rounded abdomen. "I would have," she offers
helpfully. "*Trust* me. But then, I lead the Spawning Wing, and that does
give me a certain insight--or foreknowledge of doom, if'n you rather--is
that why you look as if'n someone's dragged you by the feet t'High Reaches
and back? Tired, I mean." She's a woman of priorities: she finishes her
route to the food table as she talks, and works on gathering together a
plate of packtail, rivergrains, stuffed peppers, cheese bread, and mint ice
cream, with a pause to make a very face at the very mention of the T-word.

Yselle colours just a little. "Uh, sorry," she says. "I didn't mean to
sound like..." she trails off. Some holes are better not dug any further.
"I'm working in the nursery now. Today...." she seems intent on the food
table too, although she pauses to pour herself a mug of klah and break her
train of thought to offer "...can I get you some?.... they were /such/
little rascals. I took a few of them outside, and they found a mud puddle,
and well... the laundry aunties are going to /hate/ me."

Kassima's laugh comes from low in her throat. "Don't be worrying it about
it. Besides, my lot isn't in the nursery, so you're welcome t'bemoan the
place for all of me, with nay offense taken. Nay much for klah, but could
you pour me a mug of milk if'n 'tisn't too much trouble? Aught I can get
you while I'm at this end?" Cheerfully, then, "The laundry aunties hate
*everyone*. Or if'n they don't, they probably should. So at least you're in
good company? Shells, though, nay wonder you'd think the Springs sound
delightful; sounds as if'n you could use a soak and a half."

Yselle asks, almost shyly "How many children do you have?" She finishes
filling her klah mug, and pours another mug full of milk. "What is that
delicious smell? Is it the stew? I'd love some of that, but you don't have
to serve /me/," she colours a little at the very /idea/. "Where shall I put
these?" indicating the mugs, "and yes, I'd love a soak. I'm not needed back
there today, so maybe I'll go in afterwards."

Kassima flashes a smile as she answers, "This one," with another brief
resting of her hand on her stomach, "will be the seventh, so long as it
doesn't turn out twins. But there's nay sign of that this time, thanks be
t'Faranth and all her vividly-hued little children. Hmm--" Turning towards
the stewpot, she sniffs at the air experimentally. "That might be it.
Shells, don't worry about it; hardly that much effort!" Scooping up a bowl,
she sidles to the pot and begins ladelling its steaming contents in. "At
the head of Thunderbolt's table, if'n 'twould, and thankee. Have you been
to the Springs a'fore yet? If'n you haven't, I can point you towards 'em
when you're ready if'n that bluerider lout hasn't done you the courtesy of
showing you where they are."

Yselle's eyes widen. "SEVEN!!" she says all too loudly. Of course /then/
she colours again. "Sorry," she says. "I thought only holders had so...uh,
sorry, never mind." She quickly heads over to the Thunderbolt table before
she can dig the hole any deeper at all. "If /you/ were best friends with
Tel, would you ask him where the springs were?" she says. "Shells. I'd
never hear the end of the innuendo." She sits down and pushes the mug of
milk over to a spot next to her. "Thank you. You're very kind." That would
be regarding the stew.

Rather than offended, Kassi seems highly entertained by that exclamation.
She ceases ladelling long enough to laugh. "Seven! Oh, believe you me,
Weyrfolk have large broods too--at least some of 'em. I'sai's got a lady
carrying his tenth, y'know, and Jazmin has six; F'hlan has eight, M'kla had
eight, J'lyn has... well, lots. And L'cher's numbers don't bear talking
about. But in m'case, I'm also from one of those Holder families that
regularly produces broods of seven or so, so 'twas probably just doomed
from the start." One eye closes in a brief wink as she finishes with the
bowl, sets it on her tray, and carts the food over to yon table.
"M'Wingmates shouldn't mind you sitting here at this time of night. Most of
'em are sane enough t'be *sleeping*. And you do have a point--I can promise
you, though, I've never *personally* stumbled on people sleeping together
in there. So they're nay so iniquitous a place as that. And don't mention
it." The stewbowl is set before Yselle, and then the greenrider arranges
her own plates before finally sitting. "Was your lad one of those who got
in the mud?"

Yselle jumps up. "Oh. Sorry. I should have thought." Only slowly does she
sit back down again. "If you're sure it's okay. Wow. Well I knew male
riders had a lot," she says. "I mean, they all do, don't they? I wonder if
Tel has any more?" she frowns. "Yes, sadly Levarn was one of the first. I
really think Tel's a bad influence on him." She smiles fondly though, as
she always does when she's ennumerating her friend's faults.

Kassima makes a quick, reassuring gesture. "Nay, nay, you're fine, and nay
apology necessary. Truth, there's naught saying you *can't* sit here
whenever, you just might get dirty looks if'n 'twere a bunch of Wingriders
wanting lunch and they ran out of room. They don't *all*." The woman
considers the array of foods on her plate, and idly scoops a bit of the
mint ice cream up to slather over one of the stuffed peppers before taking
a bite. "Some of 'em are childless, or only have children with their
weyrmate--'tis just nay infrequent, with greenflights, t'see rider men with
plenty of children scattered here and there. 'Tis possible T'van does have
more, even possible he doesn't know about 'em, though most Weyr women I
know of tell the father if'n they know who he is." Grinning, she adds,
"Methinks lads find a way t'get into mud with or without a bad influence
i'truth--but you might tell T'van that anyway. Mayhaps he'll feel guilty
enough t'change swaddling for an afternoon."

Yselle nods. "The truth is, I hardly ever met a rider before I came here.
Well now and then they'd come to the hold, but not often, and when they
did, they didn't come to see /me/. Once I got a rider some klah when he
visited though. That was pretty exciting. I guess I just... well, you know,
I just never thought much about it. Everybody /says/ riders have lots of
uh... kids. I hope there aren't too many more little Tels around though.
One of him is /quite/ enough. He missed the swaddling stage, well mostly.
Typical. Levarn just wears it at night now."

Though Kassi can't help but grin, there's understanding in it. "As amusing
as the notion of serving one of us klah being exciting seems *now*, I
remember feeling just that way about that sort of thing. Why should you
think much about it? When riders aren't much in your life, when you never
go to a Weyr, there's just nay reason t'think much about us. Unless you
have something t'do with preparing our tithe, I suppose. And plenty of
riders do have plenty of children, 'tis true." There's a pause full of
chewing before she adds, "Plenty of sex, too, if'n that's what you meant.
Nay all of us, but there are promiscuous ones. And a'course there are
flights. Think your lad would like having siblings? Or would he be jealous?"

Yselle smiles a grateful little smile at Kassima's understanding; she looks
just a little uncomfortable at the mention of sex, but skates right over
that to say "I don't know. There's always just been me and him. Now he's
got Tel too, it's like... like a present. Tel's so good with him..." she
smiles fondly. "But see he's not used to Tel, doesn't really think of him
as his father. If he had another kid, I don't think it would have much of
an effect. Although..." she looks a little embarrassed as she confesses "I
don't know if I'd like it. Not just yet, you know? I mean, we only found
him again just now, and I really like all the attention he's giving Levarn.
They play such great games together. Tel's just like a big kid himself. I
don't want to share that just yet."

Kassima isn't blind to the discomfort, nor slow to apologize: "Sorry," she
says, sheepish. "I just thought, with the pause before 'kids,' you might've
meant... I know what feeling, believe it or nay. One of m'sons didn't see
his father from the time he was mayhaps a Turn old until he was five--it
made things strange, and took him a time t'really think of Ev as a father.
Mayhaps in time your Levarn will see T'van more that way, especially since
he's so young." She tears a piece of cheese-bread from a larger slice.
"Hey, now, that makes sense t'me. 'Twasn't thrilled m'self about Isley; Is
doesn't spend much less time with Kiss than he did a'fore she was born,
though. Mind you, Kiss--Kisai, our daughter--is his eighth, so there's
never been *that* much time."

Tasayli comes into the living caverns from deeper in the Weyr, looking like
she'd more or less tossed on whatever clothes she'd been wearing the day
before. She's sleepy-eyed, with one eye looking a little more ... er ...
shadowed than the other. The girl shuffles towards the hearths in oversized
plushy-like slippers, not bothering to hide a wide yawn.

Yselle is sitting with Kassima at the table for Thunderbolt wing. They've
both got plates of food and mugs in front of them. "Uh, I sort of um...
did," she says. "Just... this is silly, I know, but it's just not something
I've ever really talked about much. Wow, things seem so /complicated/
around here. I thought Tel and I were messed up. So was that a... flight
too?" The entrance of another person at this time of night does attract her
eye and she sends the girl a smile.

Kassima's plate is still fairly full, though she's been making healthy
inroads in the food; she's now dipping a forkful of packtail in the mint
ice cream before eating it. Yum. "Well, all the same, I'm sorry if'n I made
you uncomfortable. And in my book at least 'tisn't silly at all. If'n you
stay about a Weyr long you might well end up used to it, but even if'n you
don't, there's nay shame in it--heyla, Tasayli," she breaks long enough to
call over, waggling her fork to the girl with a grin. Then, turning back to
Yselle, "Kisai? Aye, she was--I'sai was weyrmated for a long time, so
almost all of his children are flight-children or flight-loss-children.
This one Katlynn's carrying now's the only exception as best I know."

Tasayli schluff-schluffs her way to the hearths with a sleepy smile in
return for Yselle, and spends a good long moment staring at the variety of
late-night offerings there. Not seeing anything that strikes her sleepy
fancy, it seems. Kassi's greeting is met with a childish whine. "Auuunnn-ti
Kasssssiiiiii? I can't sleep." Pern, as a whole, should care it seems.
Schluff, schluff, schlufff, she heads for the pair.

Yselle frowns a little as though she were trying to make sense of the
names. "Oh, I'sai," she says. "The weyrlingmaster? Tel's spoken of him.
Right." She laughs a little and says "So many people here. I don't think
I'll ever get used to it. I guess we weren't from a /small/ hold, but..."
she breaks off, eyes widening at the combination of foods. "Uh..."
fortunately, Tasayli distracts her attention fairly quickly. She smiles
gently at the girl, but takes a back seat to the greenrider.

Kassima bites a lip to keep from looking too amused at that whine. Holding
an arm out in offer of a hug, she asks, "Been tossing and turning, kit?
Poor lass. I'd be suggesting warm milk, but honestly, the stuff's
disgusting. I can't do that t'you." Yselle gets a wry grin. "That's the
one. Would've been an Assistant for T'van's clutch, methinks. He's one of
m'best friends, has been for Turns--i'truth, though I don't often tell him
so, I can't think of many people I'd rather have had a child with. Nay that
I've ever *chosen* t'have one. All seven were serendipity. And I'm
rambling. What Hold were you from?" she questions, lifting a curious brow
and seeming oblivious to any distress her food may be causing. "One of the
majors?" Before she can get an answer, though, she darts a half-puzzled,
half-exasperated look outside. "Shells. Yselle, did you still want t'go to
the Springs? Lyss knows 'twere talking about it and she's decided she wants
t'go soak some *more*, and emphatically suggests that I kill two wherries
with a stone and take you on over now. Which a'course is her way of making
sure I go too, so she'll have someone t'scratch her muzzle. A lazier
creature I could never hope t'find. Tasayli, you could come with us? The
steam might be good for making you sleepy. Certes nay as nauseating as
bloody warm milk."

Tasayli's shuffling comes to a halt near the Thunderbolt table, head
listing to one side, arms limp -- likely mostly exaggeration for effect.
But still, she's obviously sleepy - and obviously disgusted by warm milk.
"Ugh. Babes can have the warm milk, thanks. But steam baths ... maaayyybeee
would help? And 'least she's not so lazy she just goes without the warm
bath, but complains anyways?"

Yselle sends a startled look Kassima's way at the mention of milk being
disgusting. She sneaks a peek at the other woman's mug when the greenrider
is looking away, but her next words seem to cheer her. "That is /so/ nice,"
she says. "That you're friends. I always felt like such a freak because Tel
and I weren't, you know? But I do adore him... when I don't want to kill
him, that is. We're both from Lemos Minehold. I'm afraid that sort of thing
doesn't happen terribly often there." At the mention of the hot springs,
she startles. "Oh. Yes. Wait a moment." She downs the rest of her klah, now
only lukewarm, in a gulp, and hastily swallows the last few mouthfuls of
stew in her bowl. "Are they big enough for dragons? Wow. They must be /huge/."

"Healer's orders," Kassi explains to Yselle, at that glance, in a wry
murmur. "Around here, at least, I can be promising you're nay a freak for
that. Children born of love are less common than born out of circumstance
or friendship, I'd say--with exceptions." She casts a fond smile towards
Tasayli at that. "My thoughts precisely. I can't stand the stuff either,
however often 'tis suggested I drink it. We'll go, then; just let me--" Her
fork and knife make relatively quick work of the remaining food on her
plate. Thankfully, there wasn't much of it. After a swallow: "I daresay it
doesn't. Been to the Minehold, though nay oft; 'tis a good-sized place, but
you're right, nay quite this big. And they're fardling *enormous*. I vote
we make Lyss pay for her whim by giving us a ride in; what say you two?"

Tasayli rubs at her eyes, glancing between Kassi and the new nanny, not in
on the relationshippy stuff. She's a bit young, still, for anything more
than the in-play imitations that the pre-teens get into. She's also either
too sleepy, or too used to Kassi's barely-edible combinations of food to
have them register. The suggestion of a ride in draws a nod that's as close
to enthusiastic as a half sleepwalker can give.

If anything this startles Yselle even more. "I um... would she mind? I've
never ridden on a dragon before. Is it that far?" Seemingly without
thinking, she gathers up the plates and puts them with the rest of the
dirty dishes. "Do I need to grab a towel, or will they have some there?"

Kassima pushes her chair back, then pushes herself out of it. "She might
grumble, but she doesn't really mind. Trust me. Actually, t'quote, 'Aye,
aye, bring 'em out, but I want t'get a look at 'em first t'make sure
neither one of 'em looks apt t'throw up on me.' Faranth. Mooning over
Taralyth earlier's put her in a good mood, at least--and 'tisn't far at
all, which is the only reason I suggest this. Lyss doesn't have her straps
on so a long flight wouldn't be practical." After tidying up her own
plates, she offers Tasayli a rueful, sympathetic grin for the glance before
appending, "And there should be towels. Most people seem t'just go in
without aught; I always bring m'own towel in, but you can use one of those
lying about for drying off with and nay anyone will mind. You ready,
sleepyhead?"

"Got lots there," Tasa chips in, waking up a little at the clatter of
plates against each other. "And Lysseth grumbles. You get used to i - hey,
I haven't thrown up on her since I was... well, it's been a couple of turns
at least?" The youngster's cheeks have the decency to turn pinkish at this.
In a quick aside to Yselle, she notes, "Don't worry 'bout the no straps.
I'll sit behind you, my ma doesn't bother with'em often, either. Wha? Yeah,
I'm ready."

Yselle nods slowly. "Okay," she says, her voice warming to an entranced
grin. "Well, it sounds very exciting! Tel and I always talked about what
we'd do if we ever got a chance for a ride on a dragon." She pauses and
adds "Of course, we also used to talk about what we'd do when we got our
own hold -- he was going to be Lord Holder and he decided I'd be the
headwoman. Horrible man. I told him I'd be the Lady Holder and he'd be the
chief drudge... I'm sure I won't throw up."

"Aye, and 'tis just a good thing for you dragon memory isn't much t'sneeze
at! Though I don't think she's forgotten *that*. Honestly, who could?"
Kassi's teasing Tasayli openly; her tone's too light and amused for
anything else. "Good, good. And just you wait, Yselle--you want exciting,
talk t'me sometime after I've borne this child and 'twill take you up on
Lyss for one of her more... ah... active flights. What *did* you say you'd
do, if'n you got the chance?" she inquires curiously as she makes for the
exit. "I also vote for this last turn of events. But y'have t'be admitting,
were he a Lord, he'd probably nay end up lacking for heirs with a
lascivious nature like his!"

You walk down the short tunnel and out into the bowl.

Yselle comes out of the short tunnel from the living cavern.

Tasayli comes out of the short tunnel from the living cavern.

Tasayli schluffles out after Kassi and Yselle, either scuffing her slippers
because they're so oversized, or because she's tired and not picking up her
feet. "No throwing up this time, I promise," she sleepily assures. "Not my
fault, anyways. I was sick!" Protests aside, she seems interested in
Yselle's answer, too.

Yselle giggles as she follows along behind Kassima. "Oh, well Tel was going
to talk the dragon into just carrying /us/ and taking us to some far away
place we'd never been. Somewhere exotic, like... Ista. I bet he went there
without me," she adds. "Well when S'vyn finally forgives me, I'm going to
make him take me there. I wonder if Levarn's too small to fly? He could
come too. He'd love it." She grins at Tasayli and says helpfully "I'm sure
you were heaps better than most other kids."

A pair of very blue eyes glows faintly from just outside the range of the
light cast by the Living Cavern glows. Its owner is only a dark
shadow-shape until Kassima calls in exasperation, "Wench, stop trying
t'look all mysterious and imposing and get *over* here." There's a decided
*snort*, but the long, slender green dragon obediantly uncurls and paces
with as much dignity as legs not really meant for ground travel can afford
one into the light. Settling back so that most of her weight's on her
haunches, she dips her head to better be able to size up her potential
passengers. "This is Lysseth," Kassi introduces, with a gesture towards her
green. There's affection in her voice as she speaks the dragon's name. "And
g'luck with *that*--I've nay known dragons who liked carrying anyone
without their riders! But methinks Levarn's old enough, if'n you'd like
t'take him."

Tasayli trundles along, craning her neck to peer up into the night sky,
then over to one of the walls of the Bowl. This one takes a little longer,
but she shrugs, and greets the green, "Evening, Lysseth," before nodding to
what Kassi says. "I've never ridden my mom's or dad's dragons without them.
'Course, I pretended to, sitting up there waiting for'em sometimes."

Yselle giggles. "This is the boy who was going to single handedly run a
large hold," she reminds Kassima and Tasayli "And all sorts of other
improbable things. Oh, hello Lysseth, aren't you lovely?" she says. "Boy,
won't Tel be surprised when I tell him?" her grin is wide, it's excited, as
much as might be expected from a girl ten turns younger.

Lysseth gives Tasayli a cursory look, but despite the fact that this is the
one who actually *has* thrown up on her in the past, she seems unconcerned;
most of her attention is for Yselle. Abruptly, she gives a deep rumble of
almost smug satisfaction and darts her muzzle forward--enough to, if the
young woman doesn't step out of the way, connect with her shoulder with
definite impact if not quite enough so to leave a bruise. "Lysseth!" Kassi
yelps. "I thought you wanted to--oh, nay. Nay, nay, nay. You bloody
*harridan*, you didn't mean a word of it, did you? You just wanted her out
here." Looking terribly abashed, the greenrider turns to say, "She says
that she is indeed lovely, and you have excellent taste. She also, ah, sort
of has another thought that might surprise Tel even more."

Tasayli's not overly concerned at the lack of interest in her, after all,
many dragons will just ignore the weyrbrat crew. Most, even. But the next
turn of events elicits at first surprise, then wistful comprehension.

Yselle really wasn't expecting to be nudged by the dragon, so staggers back
a step or two. She looks rather surprised. "Uh, thank you," she says,
rubbing her shoulder. "She does?" now she's baffled, "Uh... what sort of
thing would she be thinking that would surprise Tel? He knows dragons
pretty well, doesn't he?"

"Relatively well," Kassi agrees, still sheepish. "But--well, you'll see
what I mean." After a slightly rueful and, once she sees that wistfulness,
sympathetic glance towards Tasayli, she draws herself up into full formal
posture: feet apart, hands clasped behind her back. Never mind that,
pregnant as she is, this looks rather silly. And never mind that the slight
upward quirk to her mouth-corners doesn't really go with it. "Yselle of
Lemos Minehold," she recites, "green Lysseth has found you worthy to be a
Candidate for Daelyth and Palineth's clutch at Telgar Weyr. Do you accept
the offer of Search?"

Tasayli schluffles over a step, letting things go as they will between the
trio. At Kassi's glance, she shrugs it off, chin up, no worries.

Yselle really isn't paying a lot of attention to how silly or otherwise
Kassima is looking. Right now she seems more hung up on her words. "Are you
serious? Me?" her voice goes up and up and up in tone, finally ending in a
rather undignified squeak. "Uh..." she arcs a look at Tasayli as though the
younger girl might have the answers. She swallows. "Uh... what do I say? Is
yes, okay?" she's frowning as though her mind is racing. "It doesn't sound
right. I'm sure there should be 'through fog fire or fall in there
somewhere...." that's muttered rather desperately.

Telgar Weyr> TelgarW_Bldr welcomes Yselle to the knot as a candidate!

Telgar Weyr> Kassima grins. Welcome to the Lunatic Fringe, Yselle! ;)

"Yes works," Tasa chips in, helpfully.

Telgar Weyr> Tasayli wooooos :) Welcome!

Telgar Weyr> Yselle beams :D Thank you!

Kassima drops the formal pose to flash the younger woman a grin. "Dead
serious; Lysseth says you should Stand, and she's quite prepared t'argue
with you about it if'n you don't believe her. But aye, 'Aye' is fine--and
thankee for saying it too! It means I don't have t'try t'explain t'her what
'nay' means." Lysseth, being Lysseth, just settles back again and radiates
smugness. "Welladay. The bath might need t'be postponed until you're set up
in the Barracks with a cot and all... at least your things should be easy
t'move, hey?" She nods to Tasayli, but the smile she gives the girl still
has some wry rue in it.

Yselle's mouth is hanging open. A vtol buzzes around a bit and heads right
into it, which has a dual effect. It causes her to cough and choke but also
snaps her out of it. "Move my things? Right." Someone is going to have to
explain all of this to her.

Tasayli snorts. "Anyone *ever* said nay to Lysseth?" she asks, sleepily
grinning. At the mention of postponing baths etc, she nods. "I think,"
yawn, "I'm gonna try goin' to bed again. 'f I don' sleep, Tav'll have a
better chance of givin'me another black eye." She's not too tired to flash
her auntie Kassi a grin, and bid Yselle a quick, "Congrats - and don't
let'em work you too hard for your keep, huh?" But then, she's heading into
the caverns, presumably bedwards.

Oh, poor Kassi. She's trying so hard not to laugh, to the point where she
smacks a hand over her mouth and fakes a rather unrealistic coughing fit as
the vtol meets its untimely end. "Into the Candidate Barracks," she
supplies, grinning. "Come along with me? I can show you where 'tis, and you
can get your cot claimed. Fortunately there should be quite a few left.
Yashira tried!" she calls after Tasayli, grinning back. "And g'night! Don't
beat your brother up *too* badly tomorrow!"

It's a rather bemused girl who is moved to the candidate barracks, then.
But she does take a moment to say very shyly "Thank you Lysseth."

[Editor's Note:  At this point both Tasayli and Yselle 
needed to go, so the log ends. :) ]