[log] snow, wine, and stars
Who: Carobet, Rodric
When: A few hours after High Reaches' hatching.
What: After the hatching, the harper and the healer-turned-candidate-turned-healer-again share a glass of wine. Family and the future are among the topics of conversation.
Where: Carobet's Office, High Reaches Weyr
Notes: Oh, absolutely stolen from rodricharper. Backscened, played on 6/14 and finished 6/21. And I forgot that because it was backscened, Carobet's remark to Alex about the stars happened after this scene. Oops.
The midday hatching is well over and snow falls thickly out in the bowl, making it impractical to linger out-of-doors. After mingling for a little while at the feast, Rodric finally caught sight of Carobet and broke away from his companions to greet the former candidate. His merry: "Please allow me to express both regret and pleasure at once, my dear. Regret that your dragon was not present, but pleasure at being able to accept your kind invitation," setting the tone of the conversation right off the bat. Further mischief followed with the capture of a bottle of wine from one of the serving tables and a pair of glasses. Now the master strolls along at a comfortable pace, accompanying the healer towards her office, his conversation light, suitable for the circumstances. "... and so I told her that we could certainly work out a make up exam, so long as she didn't miss class again!"
Carobet is quite cheerful in demeanor, for all that the fervor of the post-hatching celebrations has only allowed the glassy-eyed, overwhelmed expression on her face to abate just a little bit. There's a warm smile of thanks as the glasses are filled, laughter at the Harper's story. "And allow me to express my relief. That it's over, and that there's no dragon for me at the end of it. Only wine. I think I like this situation much better than any of the other options." She leads the way into the office, nearly collapsing back into her usual armchair, gesturing to the collection of open chairs for Rodric to take his pick.
"Relief, is far better than some of the alternatives," Rodric points out with a chuckle and sets his glass and the bottle down on the desk, then moves about to draw a chair up not across the desk but alongside it and settles into it gracefully. Once seated, he reaches for his glass again, takes a healthy sip that lets him enjoy the flavor fully. "I'm also pleased to hear that this situation is so high up in your esteem," he continues, eyes twinkling over the rim of his glass as he lifts it for another sip.
Carobet drinks quite a bit more from her glass than is really appropriate, given the quality of the vintage. Once she's quenched her thirst-- or, more accurately, downed enough to allow her to better accept the moment-- she holds up the glass, examining the color of the liquid inside, the way the light shines through it. "Quite good," she comments before setting it down, and then, with an amused smile at the harper, "And yes, it most certainly is." She kicks off the sisal slippers that have covered her feet since those thick leather sandals were dispensed with, flexing her toes in their freedom from footwear and hot sand. "What did you think of the hatching?"
"It is, I flatter myself that I picked out the best label from those available, though the Weyr's headwoman might wag her finger at me for 'stealing'," the harper quips and settles both arms comfortably atop the chair's rests. Kicked off slippers and flexing toes draw an amused grin and Rodric leans over to set his glass down again, bends a little, one hand aiming to curve around one of the healer's ankles. "It wasn't overly bloody, progressed well and the Weyr is fortunate in the distribution of colors," he says with a smile. "Foot rub?"
Carobet pretends to attempt to kick her foot free as her ankle is caught, a small movement accompanied by a girlish laugh. "Yes please," she says. "They're right what you say, you certainly know how to charm a lady." Another sip of her wine as she muses, "I can't see why any wine would be begrudged on today of all days. It's a celebration, isn't it? There were some lovely hatchlings on the sands today. Although perhaps they seemed that way because I had the advantage of seeing them up close."
A charming smile is therefore required as Rodric's grip firms up and he scoots forward enough to draw her foot up onto his knee. "A man has to have some talents in life," he notes with a crooked grin and without further ado, sets strong fingers to massaging that foot, careful not to tickle. "Mm, one thing to take a pair of glasses, another to make off with a whole bottle?" he hazards with a wink. "I did note that some of the greens seemed particularly elegant," the harper agrees. "But sitting some distance away, nuance is lost."
"That he must," Carobet agrees, looking quite charmed indeed as her sands-scorched foot is massaged. "The greens were quite lovely. There was one blue in particular, too, that I thought quite elegant and beautiful. I've seen plenty of dragons up close, of course, but never so young... still shining with egg goo." Sip, sip. "My mother's green's quite beautiful. Dainty. Celadon, and dusky at the wingtips. She was here earlier, but she already took her leave." The 'she' being her mother, presumably-- or, more likely, the pair as a unit.
Fingers move over her foot from heel on up to toes, pressing into places where soreness tends to gather. "Did you have a favorite or did it all go by too fast?" Rodric inquires, looking up at the healer curiously. "Celadon - it's a lovely mix of blue and green for a shade. And I'm afraid I missed her in the crowd. Too many people to pay my respects to," he notes with a touch of apology though still humorous.
Carobet shakes her head. "It all went by far too quickly. I'm not even sure I remember them all quite right, or if they've blended together into new dragons in my mind." She laughs, and as Rodric continues his massage, her whole body seems to relax notably from the tension it's held all evening. "I barely had a chance to see her, myself. She had a handful with my younger sisters, all thrilled at being in a different weyr. They wanted to go play in the snow." Her smile is thin, but it's there on her face, a wistful expression. "But they came, so that was nice."
"It's my general impression that that's how it usually feels on the Sands. Fast and furious and over before one really realizes," Rodric notes thoughtfully and finishes up that first foot, holds his hand out for the other, smiling as he catches the minute signs of Carobet's relaxation. "How many younger sisters have you?" the harper asks next. "And they must not get to see it all that often, snow, given the climate in your home Weyr." His smile warms just a fraction and his voice is quiet when next he speaks. "Family support is always good to see, regardless of any -- complications."
Carobet has taken another sip from her wine, and sets her glass down again to make a show of counting on her fingers. "Three if you count those on my mother's side. Another four by my father. And an additional two foster-sisters. And six brothers. Not all of them came, of course. Just my mother's daughters. I think it was the first time any of them had seen snow." She casts a wry smile at Rodric as he speaks the last word. "It sounds like you know something of how that goes, then?"
"Nice big family, though I suppose that tends to happen in Weyrs, given flights and the relative lack of strictures." Rodric's hands move in similar fashion along this second foot as the first, again careful while he listens to Carobet's narration. "More from observing such in apprentices turn after turn at Harper Hall than personal experience. The Terriv clan is relatively close-knit and my particular family within it, while large doesn't suffer from any special complications." He takes a breath though, smile shading wry in turn. "My own children though, the family tree probably would look much akin to yours, though I have only three."
Carobet's smile turns back to wistful. "You're lucky, then. My family's not anything near close-knit. I haven't even met all of my father's children, scattered across Weyrs as they are. Of all of them, I'm only close to my foster-mother. And her daughter, a turn older than I am. Neither of them were able to leave the Weyr on such short notice, although they wanted to come." She's slouched low in her chair now, each arm propped over an arm of the chair, wineglass in one hand, eyes curiously on Rodric's hands on her foot. Relaxed.
Both of those palms close gently around Bet's foot as the massage portion comes to an end. One hand braces the sole, the other rests atop her foot, creating a sort of 'sandwich'. "My children are likewise scattered," Rodric says evenly and looks up, blue eyes finding hers, laugh lines crinkling up the corners of his eyes as his smile lingers. "But my brothers and sisters are all still with the caravan and I will be returning to them at Turnover." Sympathy shades his expression at mention of her foster-mother. "I'm sorry they weren't able to make it. A pity no one could provide a ride so quickly."
"I'm sure they'll come to visit soon," Carobet says quietly, in a voice that doesn't sound all that certain. But then her smile turns upward again as her brown eyes are caught by Rodric's blue ones, and there's a forced cheerfulness on her face that says she's put the matter aside for the time being. "You still haven't told me much about traveling with the caravan. Being a trader's always sounded wonderful to me, like an endless adventure. Although I suppose the reality and the thought are two different things." More laughter, another sip of wine.
Rodric's hand wanders a little farther afield than Carobet's foot, up along her ankle, but pausing just short of drifting any farther upward. The quality of the gesture is more comforting than anything else. The harper's gaze remains steady on Carobet's face and he inclines his head just once. "As they may. If it would be helpful and arrangements need a little nudging along, let me know. I've contacts just about everywhere and can call in favors for transport," he offers mildly then laughs a little, gives her ankle a little squeeze and starts to draw his hands back towards himself. "It is an endless adventure if you like the open road and going from place to place. There's also practicalities, like muddy roads and broken axles and so on, not to mention that traders need to sell everywhere that they go in order to make a living."
"I think perhaps that's why I ever said yes in the first place," Carobet muses. "I wanted some adventure. As much as usually, I like things to be planned. Predictable. Maybe joining up with a trading clan would have been a better idea." As Rodric pulls his hands away, she shifts in her chair, drawing her legs in and folding them beneath her. "Thanks. I think that might have been just what I needed tonight." As for contacts at the Weyr, "I appreciate your offer, although I'm sure my Ma can charm a rider into giving her a lift. It's more tearing herself away from her everyday life that's the challenge. Her youngest two are still quite young."
"Did it prove to be the adventure that you sought?" Rodric inquires as he leans back comfortably in his chair, glass reclaimed along the way. "There's elements of planning in caravan life, you have to plan what and how much stock you're going to take with you, what and where to trade things, which route to follow, but there's also a lot of working things out on the fly. A lack of fear of the open sky is a requirement too. Most traders, I think you'd find, have a dislike for being under a roof for too long." There's a slight pause and Rodric draws a breath. "We like to see the stars ..." Focus returns and the harper nods. "Understandable of course for one who fosters often," he says with understanding echoed in his voice. He interrupts himself by taking another mouthful of the wine and goes back to another comment. "I'm glad to have been able to be of service then. Standing must be at least somewhat nervewracking, even for the most composed."
"The stars," Carobet repeats, mouth twisting in an amused smile. "They symbolize freedom to you and your kin, I suppose?" A sip of her wine, as she nods in response to Rodric's remark of Agathine; he's right. "I can't begrudge her it... it gives her joy, of course. But it would have been reassuring she was watching from the stands this evening. And it was... /nervewreaking/, to say the least. I'd always heard so much said about the heat of those sands, but I still wasn't really prepared. I believe I was lightheaded the whole time I stood there." A beat. "My appetite for adventure is certainly sated, at least for the time being." And there's another smile at that, one of a different nature. Introspective, perhaps even content with the moment as it is.
"They do," Rodric confirms about the stars. "There are many tales about the stars in my family. And lightning. The sun. Free wind blowing," he continues and smiles warmly over the rim of his glass while she goes on. "A mother's presence often goes a long way towards reassuring nerves," he agrees about her foster-mother though there's sympathy at descriptions of light-headedness. A renewed twinkle takes up in his eyes though and they crinkle deeply at the corners with a renewed smile. "Completely sated? For all kinds of adventure?"
"I recently admitted that looking up at the stars makes me feel very small and insignificant," Carobet admits. "I'm beginning to think that the way one feels when they look at the stars says a lot about them as a person." But at Rodric's last question, she has to laugh. "I said for the moment! Who knows what tomorrow will bring. I never thought of myself as adventurous until recently. But a life without adventure... it'd be extremely boring, wouldn't it?"
"Or counter to that, much about where they are in life. What one sees in the stars can change, depending on life's path," Rodric says quietly and tilts his glass again, nearly emptying it this time. "It /would/," the harper says laughingly. "But for the time being could have meant a while," is offered over teasingly. "If you're ready for tomorrow though, well, it would seem you've a more insatiable appetite than one might think."
Carobet takes a long sip of her wine as she mulls over what Rodric says.
"That's true. Perhaps one day, I'll see something very different in the stars." Her lips purse just slightly, as the harper turns her words on herself, and she realizes that he's right. "Perhaps tomorrow would be overdoing it. Tomorrow I'll settle myself back into my old room and rearrange my upcoming appointments. The day after that, I'll take on a new adventure. What do you suggest?" Laughter, and a grin-- she's joking, but only partially.
"I hope that should your view of them change, you will share it with me as I'm most interested to see how that comes to pass," Rodric says sincerely and chuckles lowly. "A think a day off from adventure is entirely acceptable, re-settling, re-orienting and then opening up to possibilities. A very solid plan," the harper says seriously enough though humor is never far from his face. Long fingers stroke at his chin and he offers up a mock-thoughtful look. "Do one thing that you've never done before," he finally proposes. "It can be trivial or grand, but it has to be entirely unfamiliar."
Carobet nearly downs her wine as Rodric proposes her next adventure, her eyes dancing with amusement at the whole idea, her smile echoing the sentiment. "I'll do just that," is her response as her wineglass is set down once more. "I'll have to try and think up something good to try, first. But I'll be sure to let you know how it goes. And if I ever begin to see the stars in a different light, I'll share that also. I think they're both very clever experiments."
"Then I will have much to look forward to the next time we meet. Perhaps a new view of stars, and many interesting adventures and experiences." He lifts his glass one last time in 'toast' and drains the last of the contents, setting it aside. "Do you find yourself tired, Carobet?"
Carobet reciprocates with a toast of her own, and the downing of the rest of her glass. "That we do. And, given the festivities that I'm sure are still continuing, I wish I could say I wasn't. But it'd be a lie." She yawns as if on cue, which is followed by a laugh-- odd-sounding given the combination of the two, and the hand that has flown to her mouth to cover the involuntary display of tiredness.
"A busy day," Rodric says lightly and eyes the unfinished bottle. "Shall we finish that and then call it a night?" he proposes, with upraised brows. "Or leave you to further contemplation of all that's gone on, after walking you home?"
Laughter comes easily, but a bit ruefully. "I'm afraid another glass or two would leave me even sleepier than I am now," Carobet observes. "I think it might be time I call this eventful day to a close. But I do hope that I can share another bottle of wine with you soon. Since, as you so rightly observed, we will have much to talk about."
"Then we should save it for another time," Rodric decides about the wine and stands to put the stopper back in. "Keep it until then?" he suggests and holds a hand out to her. "Are your rooms attached here, or shall I walk you there?" he offers next, the expression on his face warm. "If you're tired, you should rest and I should, very unfortunately, probably find my ride back to Fort, though the company has been superlative."
"Until then," Carobet agrees, rising to take his hand and, once again, looking rather charmed by his gallant gesture. "My rooms are off the common room," she says, "But it's not far. And as for company, I'd have to say the same." Her next words are warm and emphatic, as a smile gives way to a more serious expression. "Thank you, Rodric, for accepting my invitation. I really don't think this evening would have been quite so nice, otherwise."
Rodric folds his fingers around hers and draws her hand up to his lips briefly. "I do remember where the common room is," he claims and stands there for a moment, still holding her hand, returning that smile, then he shifts to bring her hand to his elbow in proper style. "Thank you for making it. It's been a delightful day and evening." Thereafter there's the door of the office to deal with and the short walk back to the common room. There, he'll wait until she's opened her door before bowing again. "Rest well, Carobet. Until next we meet."
Carobet opens the door to her room and slips inside, pausing at the threshold to smile warmly back at the harper. "You, as well, Rodric. Until we meet again." And then she's disappeared within, to rest and ruminate alone over the events of the day.
When: A few hours after High Reaches' hatching.
What: After the hatching, the harper and the healer-turned-candidate-turned-healer-again share a glass of wine. Family and the future are among the topics of conversation.
Where: Carobet's Office, High Reaches Weyr
Notes: Oh, absolutely stolen from rodricharper. Backscened, played on 6/14 and finished 6/21. And I forgot that because it was backscened, Carobet's remark to Alex about the stars happened after this scene. Oops.
The midday hatching is well over and snow falls thickly out in the bowl, making it impractical to linger out-of-doors. After mingling for a little while at the feast, Rodric finally caught sight of Carobet and broke away from his companions to greet the former candidate. His merry: "Please allow me to express both regret and pleasure at once, my dear. Regret that your dragon was not present, but pleasure at being able to accept your kind invitation," setting the tone of the conversation right off the bat. Further mischief followed with the capture of a bottle of wine from one of the serving tables and a pair of glasses. Now the master strolls along at a comfortable pace, accompanying the healer towards her office, his conversation light, suitable for the circumstances. "... and so I told her that we could certainly work out a make up exam, so long as she didn't miss class again!"
Carobet is quite cheerful in demeanor, for all that the fervor of the post-hatching celebrations has only allowed the glassy-eyed, overwhelmed expression on her face to abate just a little bit. There's a warm smile of thanks as the glasses are filled, laughter at the Harper's story. "And allow me to express my relief. That it's over, and that there's no dragon for me at the end of it. Only wine. I think I like this situation much better than any of the other options." She leads the way into the office, nearly collapsing back into her usual armchair, gesturing to the collection of open chairs for Rodric to take his pick.
"Relief, is far better than some of the alternatives," Rodric points out with a chuckle and sets his glass and the bottle down on the desk, then moves about to draw a chair up not across the desk but alongside it and settles into it gracefully. Once seated, he reaches for his glass again, takes a healthy sip that lets him enjoy the flavor fully. "I'm also pleased to hear that this situation is so high up in your esteem," he continues, eyes twinkling over the rim of his glass as he lifts it for another sip.
Carobet drinks quite a bit more from her glass than is really appropriate, given the quality of the vintage. Once she's quenched her thirst-- or, more accurately, downed enough to allow her to better accept the moment-- she holds up the glass, examining the color of the liquid inside, the way the light shines through it. "Quite good," she comments before setting it down, and then, with an amused smile at the harper, "And yes, it most certainly is." She kicks off the sisal slippers that have covered her feet since those thick leather sandals were dispensed with, flexing her toes in their freedom from footwear and hot sand. "What did you think of the hatching?"
"It is, I flatter myself that I picked out the best label from those available, though the Weyr's headwoman might wag her finger at me for 'stealing'," the harper quips and settles both arms comfortably atop the chair's rests. Kicked off slippers and flexing toes draw an amused grin and Rodric leans over to set his glass down again, bends a little, one hand aiming to curve around one of the healer's ankles. "It wasn't overly bloody, progressed well and the Weyr is fortunate in the distribution of colors," he says with a smile. "Foot rub?"
Carobet pretends to attempt to kick her foot free as her ankle is caught, a small movement accompanied by a girlish laugh. "Yes please," she says. "They're right what you say, you certainly know how to charm a lady." Another sip of her wine as she muses, "I can't see why any wine would be begrudged on today of all days. It's a celebration, isn't it? There were some lovely hatchlings on the sands today. Although perhaps they seemed that way because I had the advantage of seeing them up close."
A charming smile is therefore required as Rodric's grip firms up and he scoots forward enough to draw her foot up onto his knee. "A man has to have some talents in life," he notes with a crooked grin and without further ado, sets strong fingers to massaging that foot, careful not to tickle. "Mm, one thing to take a pair of glasses, another to make off with a whole bottle?" he hazards with a wink. "I did note that some of the greens seemed particularly elegant," the harper agrees. "But sitting some distance away, nuance is lost."
"That he must," Carobet agrees, looking quite charmed indeed as her sands-scorched foot is massaged. "The greens were quite lovely. There was one blue in particular, too, that I thought quite elegant and beautiful. I've seen plenty of dragons up close, of course, but never so young... still shining with egg goo." Sip, sip. "My mother's green's quite beautiful. Dainty. Celadon, and dusky at the wingtips. She was here earlier, but she already took her leave." The 'she' being her mother, presumably-- or, more likely, the pair as a unit.
Fingers move over her foot from heel on up to toes, pressing into places where soreness tends to gather. "Did you have a favorite or did it all go by too fast?" Rodric inquires, looking up at the healer curiously. "Celadon - it's a lovely mix of blue and green for a shade. And I'm afraid I missed her in the crowd. Too many people to pay my respects to," he notes with a touch of apology though still humorous.
Carobet shakes her head. "It all went by far too quickly. I'm not even sure I remember them all quite right, or if they've blended together into new dragons in my mind." She laughs, and as Rodric continues his massage, her whole body seems to relax notably from the tension it's held all evening. "I barely had a chance to see her, myself. She had a handful with my younger sisters, all thrilled at being in a different weyr. They wanted to go play in the snow." Her smile is thin, but it's there on her face, a wistful expression. "But they came, so that was nice."
"It's my general impression that that's how it usually feels on the Sands. Fast and furious and over before one really realizes," Rodric notes thoughtfully and finishes up that first foot, holds his hand out for the other, smiling as he catches the minute signs of Carobet's relaxation. "How many younger sisters have you?" the harper asks next. "And they must not get to see it all that often, snow, given the climate in your home Weyr." His smile warms just a fraction and his voice is quiet when next he speaks. "Family support is always good to see, regardless of any -- complications."
Carobet has taken another sip from her wine, and sets her glass down again to make a show of counting on her fingers. "Three if you count those on my mother's side. Another four by my father. And an additional two foster-sisters. And six brothers. Not all of them came, of course. Just my mother's daughters. I think it was the first time any of them had seen snow." She casts a wry smile at Rodric as he speaks the last word. "It sounds like you know something of how that goes, then?"
"Nice big family, though I suppose that tends to happen in Weyrs, given flights and the relative lack of strictures." Rodric's hands move in similar fashion along this second foot as the first, again careful while he listens to Carobet's narration. "More from observing such in apprentices turn after turn at Harper Hall than personal experience. The Terriv clan is relatively close-knit and my particular family within it, while large doesn't suffer from any special complications." He takes a breath though, smile shading wry in turn. "My own children though, the family tree probably would look much akin to yours, though I have only three."
Carobet's smile turns back to wistful. "You're lucky, then. My family's not anything near close-knit. I haven't even met all of my father's children, scattered across Weyrs as they are. Of all of them, I'm only close to my foster-mother. And her daughter, a turn older than I am. Neither of them were able to leave the Weyr on such short notice, although they wanted to come." She's slouched low in her chair now, each arm propped over an arm of the chair, wineglass in one hand, eyes curiously on Rodric's hands on her foot. Relaxed.
Both of those palms close gently around Bet's foot as the massage portion comes to an end. One hand braces the sole, the other rests atop her foot, creating a sort of 'sandwich'. "My children are likewise scattered," Rodric says evenly and looks up, blue eyes finding hers, laugh lines crinkling up the corners of his eyes as his smile lingers. "But my brothers and sisters are all still with the caravan and I will be returning to them at Turnover." Sympathy shades his expression at mention of her foster-mother. "I'm sorry they weren't able to make it. A pity no one could provide a ride so quickly."
"I'm sure they'll come to visit soon," Carobet says quietly, in a voice that doesn't sound all that certain. But then her smile turns upward again as her brown eyes are caught by Rodric's blue ones, and there's a forced cheerfulness on her face that says she's put the matter aside for the time being. "You still haven't told me much about traveling with the caravan. Being a trader's always sounded wonderful to me, like an endless adventure. Although I suppose the reality and the thought are two different things." More laughter, another sip of wine.
Rodric's hand wanders a little farther afield than Carobet's foot, up along her ankle, but pausing just short of drifting any farther upward. The quality of the gesture is more comforting than anything else. The harper's gaze remains steady on Carobet's face and he inclines his head just once. "As they may. If it would be helpful and arrangements need a little nudging along, let me know. I've contacts just about everywhere and can call in favors for transport," he offers mildly then laughs a little, gives her ankle a little squeeze and starts to draw his hands back towards himself. "It is an endless adventure if you like the open road and going from place to place. There's also practicalities, like muddy roads and broken axles and so on, not to mention that traders need to sell everywhere that they go in order to make a living."
"I think perhaps that's why I ever said yes in the first place," Carobet muses. "I wanted some adventure. As much as usually, I like things to be planned. Predictable. Maybe joining up with a trading clan would have been a better idea." As Rodric pulls his hands away, she shifts in her chair, drawing her legs in and folding them beneath her. "Thanks. I think that might have been just what I needed tonight." As for contacts at the Weyr, "I appreciate your offer, although I'm sure my Ma can charm a rider into giving her a lift. It's more tearing herself away from her everyday life that's the challenge. Her youngest two are still quite young."
"Did it prove to be the adventure that you sought?" Rodric inquires as he leans back comfortably in his chair, glass reclaimed along the way. "There's elements of planning in caravan life, you have to plan what and how much stock you're going to take with you, what and where to trade things, which route to follow, but there's also a lot of working things out on the fly. A lack of fear of the open sky is a requirement too. Most traders, I think you'd find, have a dislike for being under a roof for too long." There's a slight pause and Rodric draws a breath. "We like to see the stars ..." Focus returns and the harper nods. "Understandable of course for one who fosters often," he says with understanding echoed in his voice. He interrupts himself by taking another mouthful of the wine and goes back to another comment. "I'm glad to have been able to be of service then. Standing must be at least somewhat nervewracking, even for the most composed."
"The stars," Carobet repeats, mouth twisting in an amused smile. "They symbolize freedom to you and your kin, I suppose?" A sip of her wine, as she nods in response to Rodric's remark of Agathine; he's right. "I can't begrudge her it... it gives her joy, of course. But it would have been reassuring she was watching from the stands this evening. And it was... /nervewreaking/, to say the least. I'd always heard so much said about the heat of those sands, but I still wasn't really prepared. I believe I was lightheaded the whole time I stood there." A beat. "My appetite for adventure is certainly sated, at least for the time being." And there's another smile at that, one of a different nature. Introspective, perhaps even content with the moment as it is.
"They do," Rodric confirms about the stars. "There are many tales about the stars in my family. And lightning. The sun. Free wind blowing," he continues and smiles warmly over the rim of his glass while she goes on. "A mother's presence often goes a long way towards reassuring nerves," he agrees about her foster-mother though there's sympathy at descriptions of light-headedness. A renewed twinkle takes up in his eyes though and they crinkle deeply at the corners with a renewed smile. "Completely sated? For all kinds of adventure?"
"I recently admitted that looking up at the stars makes me feel very small and insignificant," Carobet admits. "I'm beginning to think that the way one feels when they look at the stars says a lot about them as a person." But at Rodric's last question, she has to laugh. "I said for the moment! Who knows what tomorrow will bring. I never thought of myself as adventurous until recently. But a life without adventure... it'd be extremely boring, wouldn't it?"
"Or counter to that, much about where they are in life. What one sees in the stars can change, depending on life's path," Rodric says quietly and tilts his glass again, nearly emptying it this time. "It /would/," the harper says laughingly. "But for the time being could have meant a while," is offered over teasingly. "If you're ready for tomorrow though, well, it would seem you've a more insatiable appetite than one might think."
Carobet takes a long sip of her wine as she mulls over what Rodric says.
"That's true. Perhaps one day, I'll see something very different in the stars." Her lips purse just slightly, as the harper turns her words on herself, and she realizes that he's right. "Perhaps tomorrow would be overdoing it. Tomorrow I'll settle myself back into my old room and rearrange my upcoming appointments. The day after that, I'll take on a new adventure. What do you suggest?" Laughter, and a grin-- she's joking, but only partially.
"I hope that should your view of them change, you will share it with me as I'm most interested to see how that comes to pass," Rodric says sincerely and chuckles lowly. "A think a day off from adventure is entirely acceptable, re-settling, re-orienting and then opening up to possibilities. A very solid plan," the harper says seriously enough though humor is never far from his face. Long fingers stroke at his chin and he offers up a mock-thoughtful look. "Do one thing that you've never done before," he finally proposes. "It can be trivial or grand, but it has to be entirely unfamiliar."
Carobet nearly downs her wine as Rodric proposes her next adventure, her eyes dancing with amusement at the whole idea, her smile echoing the sentiment. "I'll do just that," is her response as her wineglass is set down once more. "I'll have to try and think up something good to try, first. But I'll be sure to let you know how it goes. And if I ever begin to see the stars in a different light, I'll share that also. I think they're both very clever experiments."
"Then I will have much to look forward to the next time we meet. Perhaps a new view of stars, and many interesting adventures and experiences." He lifts his glass one last time in 'toast' and drains the last of the contents, setting it aside. "Do you find yourself tired, Carobet?"
Carobet reciprocates with a toast of her own, and the downing of the rest of her glass. "That we do. And, given the festivities that I'm sure are still continuing, I wish I could say I wasn't. But it'd be a lie." She yawns as if on cue, which is followed by a laugh-- odd-sounding given the combination of the two, and the hand that has flown to her mouth to cover the involuntary display of tiredness.
"A busy day," Rodric says lightly and eyes the unfinished bottle. "Shall we finish that and then call it a night?" he proposes, with upraised brows. "Or leave you to further contemplation of all that's gone on, after walking you home?"
Laughter comes easily, but a bit ruefully. "I'm afraid another glass or two would leave me even sleepier than I am now," Carobet observes. "I think it might be time I call this eventful day to a close. But I do hope that I can share another bottle of wine with you soon. Since, as you so rightly observed, we will have much to talk about."
"Then we should save it for another time," Rodric decides about the wine and stands to put the stopper back in. "Keep it until then?" he suggests and holds a hand out to her. "Are your rooms attached here, or shall I walk you there?" he offers next, the expression on his face warm. "If you're tired, you should rest and I should, very unfortunately, probably find my ride back to Fort, though the company has been superlative."
"Until then," Carobet agrees, rising to take his hand and, once again, looking rather charmed by his gallant gesture. "My rooms are off the common room," she says, "But it's not far. And as for company, I'd have to say the same." Her next words are warm and emphatic, as a smile gives way to a more serious expression. "Thank you, Rodric, for accepting my invitation. I really don't think this evening would have been quite so nice, otherwise."
Rodric folds his fingers around hers and draws her hand up to his lips briefly. "I do remember where the common room is," he claims and stands there for a moment, still holding her hand, returning that smile, then he shifts to bring her hand to his elbow in proper style. "Thank you for making it. It's been a delightful day and evening." Thereafter there's the door of the office to deal with and the short walk back to the common room. There, he'll wait until she's opened her door before bowing again. "Rest well, Carobet. Until next we meet."
Carobet opens the door to her room and slips inside, pausing at the threshold to smile warmly back at the harper. "You, as well, Rodric. Until we meet again." And then she's disappeared within, to rest and ruminate alone over the events of the day.