[Log] Smuggy
Who: Andikola, Bayan, Reighley
When: Day 16, Month 5, Turn 8
Where: Herb Garden, Fort Weyr
What: Reighley goes on a quest for herbs and meets Bayan and Andikola.
Herb Garden
As you enter the small gate, before you lies a large, open area which is bounded by high, clipped bushes. A mixture of herbal scents drift over to greet you. The garden is carved into four sections by stone pathways that end at a central location--a small pool. The pool is used to keep the proper humidity in the area and is slightly to one side, leaving a space to grow the herbs that prefer a drier climate. Small posts stick up out of the earth near the clumps of herbs, identifying them. A few benches are scattered here and there among the patches for you to rest and enjoy the beauty . At the opposite end of the garden, you see another break in the bushes that leads to a large shed used for drying and preparing the herbs.
Contents:
Andikola
Bayan
Obvious exits:
Lake Shore
Bayan
Bayan is a tall young man with smooth, dark skin. His eyes shine hazel and his short-cropped black curls are rakishly wild, flowing about like the waves of the sea. His eyes seem to smile at you...or mock you, depending on intent. As for his gentle lips, they curve into an endless smirk, as though he's about to get into some kind of trouble. He appears calm, but has a business-like air about him, which usually means there's more to him than meets the eye. He is 20 Turns old.
Andikola
Standing a petite 5'1" tall, this young lady is both slender and sturdy. Long black hair is kept in a thick braid whose trailing ends curl against her waist. Part of that thick hair has been cut short, forming bangs that frame her face, long enough to cover her eyebrows yet not quite in her eyes. A heart shaped face with large, thickly lashed, deep set hazel green eyes gaze out on the world with a quiet serenity at odds with her youthful appearance. A slender, pert, upturned nose above full lips and a delicately pointed chin and smooth jaw are set above a slender neck. Her arms and legs do not bulge with muscle yet they're not quite slender either. Her hands seem graceful, with long tapering fingers. Her feet however, are large. Long and slender yet large enough to belong to someone a few inches taller than she is.
Her clothes are old and careworn. A beige tunic that appears to be a bit frayed and a pair of black trousers that are more dark gray than black they are so faded. A leather belt that is cracked and peeling holds the trousers up, the tunic tucked neatly into them. An equally worn pair of ill fitting boots adorns those long feet of hers. Boots made for a man. The length works for her feet but the boots are wide and she has had to stuff socks down in them so they don't slop about.
Andikola is walking past the lake and into the garden with the expression on her face of someone who is probably where she is not supposed to be, yet she seems to be unable to stop. She sees someone sitting on the bench but remains quiet and steps carefully through the garden glancing at the various herbs. At the nearby mutter she turns to face the man and adds "Wood and wells."
When the Igenite rogue hears his curse being corrected -or seeming to be- he looks up and over to the young woman that's suddenly appeared. The upside chair that he sitting infront of gets a brief look before he replies "I believe I spoke the proper words," in his trademark easy drawl. "What, have something against a swear?" His smirk appears, making it obvious that he's more amused than defensive as he returns to his repairwork of the chair.
Reighley slips through the little gate carefully, shutting it back behind her before she sets out through the rows of herbs. She pauses periodically to kneel in the dirt and compare the plants to a small sample she has in one hand before moving on. Her path eventually carries her near Bayan and Andikola, and the young girl straightens, brows knitting as she glances over at the pair.
Andikola shrugs and answers "No. Every time my Dad or oldest brother said that, Mom would add 'wood and wells'. It rhymed." She blushes a little. "It was sort of an automatic reaction. Sorry." She takes a deep breath and adds. "I'm Andi." Seeing movement out of the corner of her eye Andi turns to look at Reighley and adds a quick. "Hello"
Bayan straightens his posture, nodding to her, "Well met, Andi. Name's Bayan," he puts in smoothly before he glances over at Reighley. "Sneaking about, are we?" he adds to the foster girl in amusement. "If you're looking to catch me at some sort of dastardly evil, then I'm afraid you'll have to be sorely disappointed. The only harm being done here is to this sorry excuse for a chair," and he shakes the upside down chair infront of him in indication. The rogue winks at Reighley then before glancing back at Andi. "Rhymed, huh? Hm. I suppose it would, though yours would sound strange if uttered in anger."
Reighley blinks at Bayan, regarding him dubiously. "Nooo," she explains patiently, like he were the child, "I'm on an errand. The kitchens need more sage." And she holds up her sampling of leaves to prove it, adding, "I'm trying to find it. I don't know where it's planted." She glances around him to peer curiously at Andikola, offering the unfamiliar person a small smile.
Andikola grins. "Actually, Mom said shards and shells when she was angry and Dad did the other half. Only happened once though." She looks the chair over. "Half a rocker?" leaning to one side to see Reighley clearly, she adds a quick "I'm Andi" to the girl and points to the sage she stepped past a moment ago. "Over there I think."
Bayan puts on a dramatic look of shock, placing a hand over his chest as he bows his head. "Oh! I've been corrected! Many apologies, fair Reighley." His dramatic acts ends with a chuckle and a shrug. "I wouldn't know where any of whatever herbs you're looking for. I'm just here for the peace and quiet." He looks back at the chair, answering Andikola with a smirk, "The chair's rotted through," he briefly explains. "I'm checking how bad it is...if it isn't so bad, then the parts can be replaced. otherwise.." he shrugs casually, "it will make for a good fire-starter."
Reighley glances up at Andikola, nodding once as she turns to find the requested herb. She kneels to survey it, comparing it again to the one in her hand, and finally she beams. "Thanks, this is it," she tells the girl, leaning over to start picking a few of the plants. Meanwhile, she glances over at Bayan several times, studying the man uncertainly.
Andikola's eyebrows go up as she watches the girl for a moment before her attention goes back to Bayan. "You make it sound like you need someone to keep an eye on you. And what do you have so far? Chair or fire starter?" she asks, reaching up and tossing her hair behind her shoulder.
The rogue notes Reighley's looks with mild interest before goes back to picking through his various tools beside him. "Have anything to ask of this poor outsider, Reighley, because you're looking awefully hard at me," he asks in a mild drawl, hiding his chuckle. Glancing to Andikola, he shrugs a bit, "An eye on me? Well, I have no suspicions here," he just offers to her simply. Examining the chair, "So far, this chair can be saved. No fire starter." A smirk.
Reighley raises up again, glancing at Bayan. "Can't a girl look where she wants these days, or is that just not done where you're from?" she asks him.
Andikola gives a start and turns to look at Reighley. Not quite staring but not a glance either. Her face visibly shows the struggle going on inside whether to answer either Reighley or Bayan. Finally, she simply decides to keep her mouth shut, not answering either. Shoving her hands in her pockets she uses the toe of her boot to nudge a rock away from the end of the nearest row of herbs.
"Usually when one is looking so hard at another, they want something," Bayan puts in mildly, "...where /I'm/ from." A flash of a smile is given before he picks up a tack-hitter and goes to working on one of the legs. He looks over at Andikola, "So, you're a resident here, Andi?" he asks her suddenly.
"Well, guess customs are different," Reighley says smugly as she turns back to gathering the sage. Finally, tucking it into a pocket of her pants, she stands back up, dusting off her hands but not her knees. "I'm Reighley. I live here. He doesn't," she tells Andikola cheerfully, offering a dirty hand.
Andikola takes the dirty hand in the traditional greeting. "Well met Reighley. Pleased to meet you." she turns so she's half facing both. "I'm not a resident, no. I just got here with the S-train early this morning. Really early. Was helping unload until my uncle told me to explore since I probably won't be near the weyr for another few turns."
Bayan chuckles deeply at Reighley's cheeky answer for him, "Aren't they always," he returns amiably. When mentioned that he didn't live here, the rogue seems to bow to Andikola. "Ah, she's right there. My place is far from here," he comments easily. "Is your family traders, Andi? Sure sound like it...my parents just pulled out into the family trade a couple of days ago. They're starting the run in Igen."
"The... S-train?" asks Reighley, brows knitting as she peers at Andikola and patently ignores Bayan.
Andikola nods. "Oh, sorry. S-train is what my father and uncles call it. It's a supplemental tithe train with the spring crops and such. We stopped at Ruatha first, then my father said I could come on to the weyr with my uncles if I behaved and minded what they said. My home hold is beholden to Ruatha."
Bayan nods in understanding, passing Reighley an amused glance before setting the chair aside. "Met a girl on a tithe train in the Reaches," he adds in with a nod. "She was just deciding whether she should stay behind longer in the Weyr when I had to go visit my sister." He grins at her, "Ruatha's nice. My brother and I have been that way turns before. I wouldn't mind another visit there before I head back to the Reaches."
"Oh, I... see," says Reighley, offering another small smile to the older woman. "What's it like? Your home, Ruatha? Are you planning on staying here long? When are you going back?" The latter, to Bayan; she sounds genuinely curious, rather than like she's trying to hurry him out.
Andikola says "Ruatha? It's gorgeous." enthusiastically. "My home hold is a bit south of that and it's not quite as rocky as it is around here. We grow a lot of crops, both for the humans and herdbeasts." she shrugs. "I think it's a little warmer there too."
Although the question delivered to the rogue maybe curiosity, he still looks at Reighley wryly. "Worried that the plates will be stolen if I stay any longer?" he puts in with a raise of his eyebrow. After a pause, a non-chalant shrug comes as he goes back to the chair, "I go back when I'm not needed by my brother...once things are taken care of," he finally answers her absently. "There's...other factors, as well, but I do feel a need to return to the Reaches....if it's only for alittle while." His look is guarded now before he glances at Andikola with a grin. "Sounds like a good life, Andi," he comments with a nod. "That area over there's as good a place to live it. My da tends herdbeasts in Igen, so I know a bit about it."
"I'm making conversation," Reighley shoots back with a grin. "You should try it some time, instead of just looking all smuggy and stuff. What's at High Reaches for you?" Pause. To Andikola: "Warmer? That must be nice. But I think I like it here."
Andikola grins and after a few seconds a chuckle emerges. A deeper throaty sound. "It seems like it's warmer anyway" she adds to Reighley. Her eyes return to Bayan and fill with curiosity again. "Actually, I'm curious too if you've been to Reaches and are going back so soon." she admits frankly.
Bayan blinks at the foster girl before bursting into laughter. Holding onto the legs of the chair, he shakes his head once the laughter dies down, "Smuggy? What's that suppose to mean? And I am making conversation...maybe not to your tastes, perhaps?" He lets go of the chair and sits back on the bench as both of them regard him. The Igenite rogue suddenly assumes a look of mild boredom, "What's there? I have friends, got repairwork to finish, and despite all the suspicions on my person, I actually like it there," he answers with a half-shrug. "It's not a bad place, and perhaps it's all the distrust that draws me back. Always said if I had to settle somewhere on Pern, it would be the Reaches." He glances at his tools briefly, "I made a promise to come back here though, and I don't break promises. I'll definitely be adding Fort under my itenerary with Igen in the future."
"Smuggy," says Reighley, frowning. "Don't laugh at me. It's--it's when you're all smug. Smuggy, see." She half-turns away, folding her arms over her chest. "A promise to who, though?" she can't help asking--always with the questions.
Andikola doesn't even bother to try to hide the rampant curiosity that is filling her. "Is it a girl in Reaches?" she asks, jumping to the obvious conclusion. A startled blink flits across her face when she hears her uncle holler for her. "Be right there!" she yells back though she can't stop the soft sigh. "I think they use a timer when I'm out of their sight." she mutters.
Bayan shakes his head, amused by Reighley and her ever-curiosity. "Smuggy? Hm, think I'll use that one..." he muses, just as smug as the word implies. Suddenly finding one of the chair legs interesting, the rogue seems to take a pause before answering. "Draila," he says, not looking either one of them. He grins at Andikola's question, "That just maybe why I left the Reaches," he says to her, finally looking up and flashing her a grin. "But it's not the main reason." He hears the holler and blinks. "Guess you better go answer that," he says to her amiably. "It was a pleasure talking with you though."
Reighley glances back at the yell, brows knitting. "Oh. I should... I was supposed to be only a minute for the kitchens," she remembers, glancing downward at the sage peeking out of her pockets. "I should go back. See you later." She waves then, and turns to head back out the gate herself.
Andikola looks confused. "Wait, I thought you said you promised someone in Reaches? I think I'm confused." With a shake, she straightens up and sighs. "I suppose I'd better. We'll be here a couple days but that's about it I think. It was nice meeting both of you." she adds over her shoulder as she heads out of the garden and back into the tunnel.