(no subject)
Who: Medina, Essdara
Where: Living Caverns
When: The morning after the star social
Comment: Not played with Medina in ages, and was very very happy to see her again!
Late evening has come, and the weyr is more or less deserted. With the Star Social in full swing in the mountains, there are only a scattering of people left in the weyr. One of those returning is Essdara, coming into the cavern wearing the yellow dress she had for the event, and a smile on her lips as she surveys the rare joy of an almost empty living caverns.
The living cavern is busy with noise and people. Not as busy as it could be, at this time of the morning, nor nearly as loud, with most people quietly glaring at their food, threatening it with being eaten, blaming it, the night, anything but themselves for their hang overs. Through all this, Medina paces sturdily, toward the food and the klah. Papers stick out of her satchel, there is a further scroll under her arm, and a stylus of some sort behind one ear. If one was to look closely, one might see the dark circles under her eyes, or the slight crease in her normally spotless tunic. Few people do look closely at her, though, as she weaves through the crowds.
At the tables is Dara; she's just instructed one of the aides in restocking a few things that are low - Klah flows like a river this morning - and is gathering a plate of food for herself. And she is humming. It is, perhaps, the cruellest thing that could ever happen, for Dara is, even humming, one of the worst musicians on Pern. But then she sees Medina approaching, and offers her a dazzling smile. "Good morning, Journeyman Medina. How are you today?"
The smile Medina offers back to her is overcheerful, almost stretching her face into a rictus of greeting. "Goodmorning Essdara." She greets in return. The smile slips almost as quickly from her face, as she picks up a mug of the steaming black water-of-life, and takes an appreciative sip, then another, before looking at the food. "You're in a cheerful mood this morning. Not hung over?" The Klah has, to a certain expent, restored the colour to her cheeks and lips.
Essdara wrinkles her nose. "No, I was smart and continued to avoid the tuff. Never once had any good come from it, so, I get to be happy today! But it was an interesting social, even if I was only there an hour or so. A bit of dancing, the raffle, then came home. Did you make it up? Heard a rumor of a rough birth?"
"Yes, one of the drudges was giving birth to twins. Twin births are always a lot of work, and risky. I had to stay down and help out there." Medina shakes her head, smiling to herself. "but we have now two healthy future bronzeriders." the smile is in sympathy with the servant's ambitions for her newborn sons, and seems much more genuine than the first. "They were born about 1.15 in the morning. Which is why I am here so late. I overslept." Her facde turns into a grimace of rue, punctuating her words.
Essdara winces. "Aye, well, I am sure they will be lenient on you." She moves around the table to Medina's side, "Join me for breakfast, if you can spare the time? We've not spoken in months and I always wanted the chance to talk with you more."
Medina nods, picks up her carefully selected plate, and moves away from the sideboard with Essdara. Before she goes she refills her mug of Klah, already almost empty. "I've got a while till my next class, and there's no point going to this one now and drawing attention to my lateness." She pauses, caught in her thoughts. "It's not the first time I've been late to class, but this lecturer hasn't threatened me with failing," she grins, preparing Dara for her dark humour, "Yet."
Essdara doesn't seem btohered by it, simply giving a soft laugh. "And others have? I can't imagine it is easy, hon, balancing your studies with your job as a healer. I can't even begin to describe the respect I have for you for doing so." She leads them to an out of the way table, even more quiet than normal this morning. "But I admit more fondness for your healing than your studies, since the former has benefitted me greatly. I can't imagine anyone else would have handled my foot better."
"You give me too much credit, Dara. But I am glad you haven't had any further troubles from the foot. And I doubt I am the only one with such a balancing act, so I shouldn't complain." Medina sat down lightly at the table selected, placed her things carefully, squarely in front of her. "But how have you been going? I've so rarely seen you." She raised her eyes to meet Essdara's, a look of concern across her face, her own troubles seemingly vanished.
Essdara meets that gaze levelly, and with a warm smile. "My life is quite good, at the moment, Medina. There's little I could ask for that would improve it. And so I am doing my best to relax, enjoy my life, and find time with my friends. Which brings us to breakfast!" She stabs a slice of herdbeast with a fork. "Other than carefully balanced, how are you? You look worn, but after the night you had, I can't imagine anyone would look better."
Medina smiles at Essdara's enthusiasm for breakfast, and picks at her food for a moment, before setting the fork down again, and taking up the mug of klah. "I am glad you are enjoying life. How was the Social Last night? I wish I could've gone, but, then, things turn out the way they do for a reason." A flash of regret passes across her face. "Any good gossip coming from last night?" She ignores, for the moment, Dara's questions.
Essdara shakes her head, "None that I know of, alas. But I didn't stay long. None of the people I want to see at such events were there, so it really was just a social visit, to see what it was like. Got a dance with Syn, but she was waiting on someone to arrive and he eventually did." She grins brightly, "But I won a beautiful prize from the raffle, a nice amethyst pendant. I need to find a chain for it before i do anything with it, but it was very nice." She lets questions frop for now, their avoidance in part answer.
"Oh, a pendant! That's wonderful. Congratulations. That'll look beautiful against your skin." Medina's praise is effusive, and warm. "Who was Syn waiting for?" She asks, to make conversation. "Who else was there, and who wasn't? Any of the other Caucus Students there?" She watches Essdara's face through the questions, eyes bright at the conversation.
"Some broznerider, R'zel, I think. I saw Neiran there, he won a book of some kind. Didn't see anyone else I know is a student, though, but I was there pretty early." She tilts her head. "Did I head someone say it was a two day thing? If it is, do you think you will make it there today?" A grin. "I'd go with you and offer a dance if you were worried about being alone."
Medina casts her eye over Essdara's head, staring through the wall, as if calculating something out. "I don't think I can make it. I didn't know it was a two day event, and I have an assigment in High Reaches Hold History due. I'd better finish it on time, and make it decent, that's one of the lecturers that has threatened me with failure." she grins in apology at Essdara, if there's something less than genuine in the regret, it's subtle. "But save a dance for me at some other point. I /will/ make a social event sooner or later! Will you go tonight anyway?"
Essdara shrugs, continuing to smile; she's neither dissapointed nor surprised. "Well, I hope it is an interesting assignment, at least. History always has some fascinating insights into the way the world works. And, well, that depends. Limerri or Nari find time, and want company, I'll tag along. R'vain, maybe, if he's lonely. Otherwise, probably not. I don't do well in crowds to begin with, and being alone just isn't enough fun there for me." A tilt of her head. "You were really threatened with failure?"
Medina casts her eyes down to her plate in answer, as if looking for patterns in the artfully rearranged food thereon. "I don't think he'll go through with it, though. And in some classes I'm doing really well." she heaves a sigh. "But still. I better get to my next class. Etiquette." She makes a face, then pulls herself up, eyes already facing the bench where dirty crockery and cutlery go.
Essdara reaches over to lay a light hand on Medina's wrist, and it's her turn for concern in her eyes. "Hey. Just remember, I'm always around if you need something. I may not take the classes, but I would do my best to help. Even if you just need an ear to chew or something. Any time, ok?"
Medina glances gratefully at her friend. "Thank you." She says simply, and holds her eyes for a moment longer. Then she turns, and heads toward the benches. Anyone following her progress would note that she takes another cup of klah, and nurses it on her way out the door, towards the classrooms.
Where: Living Caverns
When: The morning after the star social
Comment: Not played with Medina in ages, and was very very happy to see her again!
Late evening has come, and the weyr is more or less deserted. With the Star Social in full swing in the mountains, there are only a scattering of people left in the weyr. One of those returning is Essdara, coming into the cavern wearing the yellow dress she had for the event, and a smile on her lips as she surveys the rare joy of an almost empty living caverns.
The living cavern is busy with noise and people. Not as busy as it could be, at this time of the morning, nor nearly as loud, with most people quietly glaring at their food, threatening it with being eaten, blaming it, the night, anything but themselves for their hang overs. Through all this, Medina paces sturdily, toward the food and the klah. Papers stick out of her satchel, there is a further scroll under her arm, and a stylus of some sort behind one ear. If one was to look closely, one might see the dark circles under her eyes, or the slight crease in her normally spotless tunic. Few people do look closely at her, though, as she weaves through the crowds.
At the tables is Dara; she's just instructed one of the aides in restocking a few things that are low - Klah flows like a river this morning - and is gathering a plate of food for herself. And she is humming. It is, perhaps, the cruellest thing that could ever happen, for Dara is, even humming, one of the worst musicians on Pern. But then she sees Medina approaching, and offers her a dazzling smile. "Good morning, Journeyman Medina. How are you today?"
The smile Medina offers back to her is overcheerful, almost stretching her face into a rictus of greeting. "Goodmorning Essdara." She greets in return. The smile slips almost as quickly from her face, as she picks up a mug of the steaming black water-of-life, and takes an appreciative sip, then another, before looking at the food. "You're in a cheerful mood this morning. Not hung over?" The Klah has, to a certain expent, restored the colour to her cheeks and lips.
Essdara wrinkles her nose. "No, I was smart and continued to avoid the tuff. Never once had any good come from it, so, I get to be happy today! But it was an interesting social, even if I was only there an hour or so. A bit of dancing, the raffle, then came home. Did you make it up? Heard a rumor of a rough birth?"
"Yes, one of the drudges was giving birth to twins. Twin births are always a lot of work, and risky. I had to stay down and help out there." Medina shakes her head, smiling to herself. "but we have now two healthy future bronzeriders." the smile is in sympathy with the servant's ambitions for her newborn sons, and seems much more genuine than the first. "They were born about 1.15 in the morning. Which is why I am here so late. I overslept." Her facde turns into a grimace of rue, punctuating her words.
Essdara winces. "Aye, well, I am sure they will be lenient on you." She moves around the table to Medina's side, "Join me for breakfast, if you can spare the time? We've not spoken in months and I always wanted the chance to talk with you more."
Medina nods, picks up her carefully selected plate, and moves away from the sideboard with Essdara. Before she goes she refills her mug of Klah, already almost empty. "I've got a while till my next class, and there's no point going to this one now and drawing attention to my lateness." She pauses, caught in her thoughts. "It's not the first time I've been late to class, but this lecturer hasn't threatened me with failing," she grins, preparing Dara for her dark humour, "Yet."
Essdara doesn't seem btohered by it, simply giving a soft laugh. "And others have? I can't imagine it is easy, hon, balancing your studies with your job as a healer. I can't even begin to describe the respect I have for you for doing so." She leads them to an out of the way table, even more quiet than normal this morning. "But I admit more fondness for your healing than your studies, since the former has benefitted me greatly. I can't imagine anyone else would have handled my foot better."
"You give me too much credit, Dara. But I am glad you haven't had any further troubles from the foot. And I doubt I am the only one with such a balancing act, so I shouldn't complain." Medina sat down lightly at the table selected, placed her things carefully, squarely in front of her. "But how have you been going? I've so rarely seen you." She raised her eyes to meet Essdara's, a look of concern across her face, her own troubles seemingly vanished.
Essdara meets that gaze levelly, and with a warm smile. "My life is quite good, at the moment, Medina. There's little I could ask for that would improve it. And so I am doing my best to relax, enjoy my life, and find time with my friends. Which brings us to breakfast!" She stabs a slice of herdbeast with a fork. "Other than carefully balanced, how are you? You look worn, but after the night you had, I can't imagine anyone would look better."
Medina smiles at Essdara's enthusiasm for breakfast, and picks at her food for a moment, before setting the fork down again, and taking up the mug of klah. "I am glad you are enjoying life. How was the Social Last night? I wish I could've gone, but, then, things turn out the way they do for a reason." A flash of regret passes across her face. "Any good gossip coming from last night?" She ignores, for the moment, Dara's questions.
Essdara shakes her head, "None that I know of, alas. But I didn't stay long. None of the people I want to see at such events were there, so it really was just a social visit, to see what it was like. Got a dance with Syn, but she was waiting on someone to arrive and he eventually did." She grins brightly, "But I won a beautiful prize from the raffle, a nice amethyst pendant. I need to find a chain for it before i do anything with it, but it was very nice." She lets questions frop for now, their avoidance in part answer.
"Oh, a pendant! That's wonderful. Congratulations. That'll look beautiful against your skin." Medina's praise is effusive, and warm. "Who was Syn waiting for?" She asks, to make conversation. "Who else was there, and who wasn't? Any of the other Caucus Students there?" She watches Essdara's face through the questions, eyes bright at the conversation.
"Some broznerider, R'zel, I think. I saw Neiran there, he won a book of some kind. Didn't see anyone else I know is a student, though, but I was there pretty early." She tilts her head. "Did I head someone say it was a two day thing? If it is, do you think you will make it there today?" A grin. "I'd go with you and offer a dance if you were worried about being alone."
Medina casts her eye over Essdara's head, staring through the wall, as if calculating something out. "I don't think I can make it. I didn't know it was a two day event, and I have an assigment in High Reaches Hold History due. I'd better finish it on time, and make it decent, that's one of the lecturers that has threatened me with failure." she grins in apology at Essdara, if there's something less than genuine in the regret, it's subtle. "But save a dance for me at some other point. I /will/ make a social event sooner or later! Will you go tonight anyway?"
Essdara shrugs, continuing to smile; she's neither dissapointed nor surprised. "Well, I hope it is an interesting assignment, at least. History always has some fascinating insights into the way the world works. And, well, that depends. Limerri or Nari find time, and want company, I'll tag along. R'vain, maybe, if he's lonely. Otherwise, probably not. I don't do well in crowds to begin with, and being alone just isn't enough fun there for me." A tilt of her head. "You were really threatened with failure?"
Medina casts her eyes down to her plate in answer, as if looking for patterns in the artfully rearranged food thereon. "I don't think he'll go through with it, though. And in some classes I'm doing really well." she heaves a sigh. "But still. I better get to my next class. Etiquette." She makes a face, then pulls herself up, eyes already facing the bench where dirty crockery and cutlery go.
Essdara reaches over to lay a light hand on Medina's wrist, and it's her turn for concern in her eyes. "Hey. Just remember, I'm always around if you need something. I may not take the classes, but I would do my best to help. Even if you just need an ear to chew or something. Any time, ok?"
Medina glances gratefully at her friend. "Thank you." She says simply, and holds her eyes for a moment longer. Then she turns, and heads toward the benches. Anyone following her progress would note that she takes another cup of klah, and nurses it on her way out the door, towards the classrooms.