Slipping Away
Location: Upper caverns and Stores
Time: Evening on Day 8, Month 2, Turn 2
Players: Kierom, Roa, Essdara
Scene: Two scenes that I logged as one since they happened so close together. On the heels of Ulyath's flight, Roa bumps into Kierom in the upper caverns and then Essdara in the stores.
Upper Caverns
This is one of the busiest hubs in the Weyr, apart from the living cavern. Here is where the day to day business of life is overseen by High Reaches' support staff. To the north are doorways that lead to the staff offices and the formal council chamber. The east is given over to the craft hall which serves as a sort of embassy and work center for those Weyr's apprentices, journeymen and masters in every craft. Beyond that is the records room entrance. Opposite those doors, to the west, is the larger doorway that leads to stores. South takes one back towards the living cavern.
As a high traffic area, there is little decoration to be seen. Small plates beside each door mark the room's purpose and some effort has been made to soften the coldness of the stone by scattering rugs over the floor, but for the most part this is a thoroughfare rather than a true destination.
Kierom walks in from the Living Caverns headed towards the record Room with a package wrapped in hides under one arm and a few hides in the other, looking around.
Roa comes walking from the direction of the living cavern as well, although a long enough time behind Kierom that it's possible she didn't know he was ahead of her. She's still in her riding gear, goggles dangling around her neck, cap in hand, nose pink. She seems to be intent on heading for the stores.
Stopping for a moment to hand the hides to a boy who nods and then takes them towards the record room, Kie turns around and heads back towards the Living Cavern. Thinking he glimpses a familiar figure, he adjusts the package under his arms and speeds up a little. "Roa?"
Roa starts, sholders twitching visibly as she turns, eyes darting quickly around for the owner of that voice. Ah. There. "Kierom," she says with a small smile. "Hello."
Blushing as he catches up to the rider, Kie smiles softly as he moves the package a little. "I didn't mean to scare you...."
"Oh," The Telgari shakes her head. "It's all right. It wasn't you really. Just...the flight. It tenses up all the golds and, uhm," she shakes her head again. "I'm sorry. May I help you with anything?"
Still blushing, Kie hands the package over to Roa and nods. "I heard about the flight. Interesting thing it is." He grins then. "I had that made for you after what happened in the Stores...."
"I..." flights, it seem, jangle goldriders enough that they lose their usual capacity for speech. She accepts the offered package and opens it slowly, brows lifting at the small, decorated blade within. "Um, why Kierom. That's very...very thoughtful of you." She looks up, towards the young man, with another small smile.
Blushing, Kie nods. "You don't have to say anything, and I hope you never have to use it. I just got worried about you after that." A sense of protectiveness is about him as he smiles at Roa. "Which is why I went for a little more decorative."
"Well, thank you again, Kierom." Roa is carefully folding up the knife in its wrapper and tucking the whole parcel into the pocket inside her jacket. And then, well, she stands there, not entirely sure what to say next. Finally she settles on, “So, I heard...you're no longer a guard?"
Sighing, he shakes his head, "No, Nabol wanted some of the guards back and after the fight with my brother....." He shrugs. "I'm trying to stay here though."
Roa ahs softly. "Well, I'm sure the weyr can always use more help in various areas. I imagine it won't be too hard to find a place here, if you wish."
Kierom nods at Roa, "I do want to stay here, Roa and wanted to let you know that if you need anything, just ask."
Another small nod from the Telgari. "Thank you," she says again to the boy, her gaze drifting back to the store room. "If you don't mind, I've a few things I need to gather up..."
Kierom nods slowly and bows to the rider, "I do mean it. IF you need anything, just ask. I will let you get back to what you were doing."
The goldrider is already heading off as Kierom speaks, although she stops when she realizes he's still talking and turns around, her smile weak and apologetic for the unintentional disregard. "I will. Have a good night, Kierom."
Kierom nods and waves at the goldrider, smiling softly. "Good night Roa."
With a turn, the girl slips quiely into the stores.
-----------------------------------------
Darkness permeates the store rooms, broken only by the pale light from the tunnels leading into it. As well, there is a brighter point within the cavern, a glow basket wobbling along between two sets of shelves. Essdara prowls along the row she is in, moving out of the darkness along the row that, ultimately, has the spices.
Down near the end of the spice row stands Roa, in full flight gear, cap held in hand, sort of just starting straight ahead at an assortment of jars. One might presume she was looking for something except that she, herself, has no glows and that, except for the squeezing and relaxing of the cap between her fingers, she doesn't move at all.
Essdara looks surprised as the light from her own glow washes over the goldrider. "Roa? Didn't hear you come in!" She comes to a stop next to her, and turns the glow to look over the things on the shelves. "Another sleepless night, alas. Figured I'd see if tea would help. What brings you, and in the dark no less? That's a dangerous habit in here, you know."
Roa looks over, blinking slowly at Essdara, brows furrowed for a moment before they lift again. "Dara," she says, as if just now recognizing the girl. "I was, um, looking for extra blankets actually. But I seem to have stopped in the wrong aisle." Odd.
Essdara looks over at her, her expression now a bit worried. "Would you like me to go with you?" She bounces the glow basket a bit. "I've got light. Lots of people need extra blankets this time of year." A quiet pause. "Or elsewhere? You feeling ok, Roa?"
"Yes, I...it's nothing." Roa pulls her gaze away from the spices and over, more properly and fully, onto Dara. "It's a little disorienting after flights. Tialith's thoughts go a mile a minute and I tend to..." she pauses, struggling for an appropriate word, "...to drift."
"To drift? I am not sure I follow... But you look like you are more asleep than awake, to me." Dara smiles a bit. "But I guess that's why you need a blanket? Flights... They are a bit odd, I admit. Make the head all fuzzy. I admit I am glad there aren't more of them than there are, everyone's always a bit odd. If I can help at all...?"
"Maybe, could you show me where the blankets are, again? Normally I can find them, even in the dark. But I think, since some of the shelves fell over, well, things seem to be rearranged." Roa's hands slowly twist the cap in her hands into a tight wad of leather.
Essdara ohs softly. "Of course. I had forgotten about that, it must certainly make things more difficult.. To find, I mean." She offers a hand, "C'mon, I was just past them a bit ago so remember right where they are. Debated an extra one myself, going to be a cold night."
Roa quietly slips her hand in Dara's, letting the kitchenhand guide her. "It's particularly tricky when one forgets to bring glows," she murmurs as she walks.
"For someone used to not needing them, I think that's expected. But things change, and so we adjust. I'm sure next time, you won't forget, and I was here this time, so why worry about it?" A shrug and a smile. "It's good to see you off those crutches, though. I hadn't heard that you were healed up."
Roa simply trails quietly along as Essdaa talks. At the mention of her lack of crutches she laughs softly. "It's wonderful to have both feet back, and it happened just in time. I'm not sure what I would have done if I'd needed to get Tia out of here and me in a splint."
Essdara grins. "You're a resourceful woman, Roa, you would have found a way. I dunno, you're not much bigger than a redfruit, maybe you could have ridden in her mouth?" She stops as they reach the shelf the blankets are on. "Here we go. Slim pickings, I am afraid, the best ones have long since been given homes."
Roa stops in front of the blankets and pauses, wrinkling her nose. "In her..." she laughs softly. "That is an avenue I had not even considered." The girl crouches down and pulls two heavy but horribly colored blankets from those that remain. "These ought to do it," she muses to herself. "Thank you, Essdara."
Essdara says, "Want me to carry one of those for you, and walk you out, Roa?" She smiles over at her. "I never see you any more, so I am loathe to just walk away. Not to mention, you still lack glows!""
"Both fair points, I admit. I am sorry I've been so scarce. It's only.." and here comes that same line again, "things have just been so hectic." Her smile is a mite bitter. "I expect you're getting tired of hearing me say such."
Essdara waves a hand. "Not overly much. Honestly... I take the moments I can get with you, and don't let the rest bother me. I enjoy when we do meet up, but I've long since given up on expecting it. We both have enough things in life that it doesn't matter."
Roa hugs her borrowed blankets to her chest, resting her chin on he tops of them. "I'm glad to hear, Ess, that you have enough things. Would you walk with me? And you can tell me all about what I've missed."
Essdara chuckles and nods, turning towards the pathway to the exits. "Not all that much to have missed, really. Just made friends, found ways to pass time, and so on. Aida, especially, since we learned how not to want to kill each other. And been very close with one of the weyrlings... That's been a nice thing too."
Roa falls into step next to Dara, her head nodding, chin rubbing against the blankets a little as the other girl speaks. At the mention of being close with a weyrling, up go those eyebrows and she murmurs a soft, "oh?"
Essdara nods, a smile breaking out. "Anaddui. We'll see what happens." She says, simply. "What about you? What have you been doing that has you so busy? Or is it more of the things that you hedge about and can't talk with people about?"
Roa hmmms. "Well, I wish you much luck and happiness with this Anaddui," she says with a small smile. But at the question, her eyes suddenly drift down. To the blankets. To her toes. "Lots of homework and classes. And then extra infirmary duty with the bad couple of falls we had. Mostly, that's what it's been." Mostly. If you don't mention the best friend with a heart condition or the clandestine meetings with weyrwomen.
Essdara nods softly. "Well, it doesn't sound like it is much fun, really. Try to find some time to do something nice for yourself, or at least relax a little. Won't do Tialith or anyone else good if you work yourself down to nothing." A shrug brings her quiet as they walk through the shelves.
Roa chuckles softly. "You're right of course," and though her words are reasonable, her tone implies that she's less than convinced. An then she lapses into silence as they approach to doorway to the stores.
Essdara is quiet too as they walk, apparently unsure of what to say. As they approach the tunnel out, she breaks the silence in a quiet voice. "Yeah, figured you'd say that." A bit louder. "It's been nice seeing you, Roa. I hope you sleep well, and warm. Next time, try not to forget your glows, there might not always be someone here to try to help next time."
"I'll remember. Thank you Ess, and, well...I'm glad you were here tonight." The goldrider hovers in the dorway a moment longer before turning to dash off into the hallway.
Time: Evening on Day 8, Month 2, Turn 2
Players: Kierom, Roa, Essdara
Scene: Two scenes that I logged as one since they happened so close together. On the heels of Ulyath's flight, Roa bumps into Kierom in the upper caverns and then Essdara in the stores.
Upper Caverns
This is one of the busiest hubs in the Weyr, apart from the living cavern. Here is where the day to day business of life is overseen by High Reaches' support staff. To the north are doorways that lead to the staff offices and the formal council chamber. The east is given over to the craft hall which serves as a sort of embassy and work center for those Weyr's apprentices, journeymen and masters in every craft. Beyond that is the records room entrance. Opposite those doors, to the west, is the larger doorway that leads to stores. South takes one back towards the living cavern.
As a high traffic area, there is little decoration to be seen. Small plates beside each door mark the room's purpose and some effort has been made to soften the coldness of the stone by scattering rugs over the floor, but for the most part this is a thoroughfare rather than a true destination.
Kierom walks in from the Living Caverns headed towards the record Room with a package wrapped in hides under one arm and a few hides in the other, looking around.
Roa comes walking from the direction of the living cavern as well, although a long enough time behind Kierom that it's possible she didn't know he was ahead of her. She's still in her riding gear, goggles dangling around her neck, cap in hand, nose pink. She seems to be intent on heading for the stores.
Stopping for a moment to hand the hides to a boy who nods and then takes them towards the record room, Kie turns around and heads back towards the Living Cavern. Thinking he glimpses a familiar figure, he adjusts the package under his arms and speeds up a little. "Roa?"
Roa starts, sholders twitching visibly as she turns, eyes darting quickly around for the owner of that voice. Ah. There. "Kierom," she says with a small smile. "Hello."
Blushing as he catches up to the rider, Kie smiles softly as he moves the package a little. "I didn't mean to scare you...."
"Oh," The Telgari shakes her head. "It's all right. It wasn't you really. Just...the flight. It tenses up all the golds and, uhm," she shakes her head again. "I'm sorry. May I help you with anything?"
Still blushing, Kie hands the package over to Roa and nods. "I heard about the flight. Interesting thing it is." He grins then. "I had that made for you after what happened in the Stores...."
"I..." flights, it seem, jangle goldriders enough that they lose their usual capacity for speech. She accepts the offered package and opens it slowly, brows lifting at the small, decorated blade within. "Um, why Kierom. That's very...very thoughtful of you." She looks up, towards the young man, with another small smile.
Blushing, Kie nods. "You don't have to say anything, and I hope you never have to use it. I just got worried about you after that." A sense of protectiveness is about him as he smiles at Roa. "Which is why I went for a little more decorative."
"Well, thank you again, Kierom." Roa is carefully folding up the knife in its wrapper and tucking the whole parcel into the pocket inside her jacket. And then, well, she stands there, not entirely sure what to say next. Finally she settles on, “So, I heard...you're no longer a guard?"
Sighing, he shakes his head, "No, Nabol wanted some of the guards back and after the fight with my brother....." He shrugs. "I'm trying to stay here though."
Roa ahs softly. "Well, I'm sure the weyr can always use more help in various areas. I imagine it won't be too hard to find a place here, if you wish."
Kierom nods at Roa, "I do want to stay here, Roa and wanted to let you know that if you need anything, just ask."
Another small nod from the Telgari. "Thank you," she says again to the boy, her gaze drifting back to the store room. "If you don't mind, I've a few things I need to gather up..."
Kierom nods slowly and bows to the rider, "I do mean it. IF you need anything, just ask. I will let you get back to what you were doing."
The goldrider is already heading off as Kierom speaks, although she stops when she realizes he's still talking and turns around, her smile weak and apologetic for the unintentional disregard. "I will. Have a good night, Kierom."
Kierom nods and waves at the goldrider, smiling softly. "Good night Roa."
With a turn, the girl slips quiely into the stores.
-----------------------------------------
Darkness permeates the store rooms, broken only by the pale light from the tunnels leading into it. As well, there is a brighter point within the cavern, a glow basket wobbling along between two sets of shelves. Essdara prowls along the row she is in, moving out of the darkness along the row that, ultimately, has the spices.
Down near the end of the spice row stands Roa, in full flight gear, cap held in hand, sort of just starting straight ahead at an assortment of jars. One might presume she was looking for something except that she, herself, has no glows and that, except for the squeezing and relaxing of the cap between her fingers, she doesn't move at all.
Essdara looks surprised as the light from her own glow washes over the goldrider. "Roa? Didn't hear you come in!" She comes to a stop next to her, and turns the glow to look over the things on the shelves. "Another sleepless night, alas. Figured I'd see if tea would help. What brings you, and in the dark no less? That's a dangerous habit in here, you know."
Roa looks over, blinking slowly at Essdara, brows furrowed for a moment before they lift again. "Dara," she says, as if just now recognizing the girl. "I was, um, looking for extra blankets actually. But I seem to have stopped in the wrong aisle." Odd.
Essdara looks over at her, her expression now a bit worried. "Would you like me to go with you?" She bounces the glow basket a bit. "I've got light. Lots of people need extra blankets this time of year." A quiet pause. "Or elsewhere? You feeling ok, Roa?"
"Yes, I...it's nothing." Roa pulls her gaze away from the spices and over, more properly and fully, onto Dara. "It's a little disorienting after flights. Tialith's thoughts go a mile a minute and I tend to..." she pauses, struggling for an appropriate word, "...to drift."
"To drift? I am not sure I follow... But you look like you are more asleep than awake, to me." Dara smiles a bit. "But I guess that's why you need a blanket? Flights... They are a bit odd, I admit. Make the head all fuzzy. I admit I am glad there aren't more of them than there are, everyone's always a bit odd. If I can help at all...?"
"Maybe, could you show me where the blankets are, again? Normally I can find them, even in the dark. But I think, since some of the shelves fell over, well, things seem to be rearranged." Roa's hands slowly twist the cap in her hands into a tight wad of leather.
Essdara ohs softly. "Of course. I had forgotten about that, it must certainly make things more difficult.. To find, I mean." She offers a hand, "C'mon, I was just past them a bit ago so remember right where they are. Debated an extra one myself, going to be a cold night."
Roa quietly slips her hand in Dara's, letting the kitchenhand guide her. "It's particularly tricky when one forgets to bring glows," she murmurs as she walks.
"For someone used to not needing them, I think that's expected. But things change, and so we adjust. I'm sure next time, you won't forget, and I was here this time, so why worry about it?" A shrug and a smile. "It's good to see you off those crutches, though. I hadn't heard that you were healed up."
Roa simply trails quietly along as Essdaa talks. At the mention of her lack of crutches she laughs softly. "It's wonderful to have both feet back, and it happened just in time. I'm not sure what I would have done if I'd needed to get Tia out of here and me in a splint."
Essdara grins. "You're a resourceful woman, Roa, you would have found a way. I dunno, you're not much bigger than a redfruit, maybe you could have ridden in her mouth?" She stops as they reach the shelf the blankets are on. "Here we go. Slim pickings, I am afraid, the best ones have long since been given homes."
Roa stops in front of the blankets and pauses, wrinkling her nose. "In her..." she laughs softly. "That is an avenue I had not even considered." The girl crouches down and pulls two heavy but horribly colored blankets from those that remain. "These ought to do it," she muses to herself. "Thank you, Essdara."
Essdara says, "Want me to carry one of those for you, and walk you out, Roa?" She smiles over at her. "I never see you any more, so I am loathe to just walk away. Not to mention, you still lack glows!""
"Both fair points, I admit. I am sorry I've been so scarce. It's only.." and here comes that same line again, "things have just been so hectic." Her smile is a mite bitter. "I expect you're getting tired of hearing me say such."
Essdara waves a hand. "Not overly much. Honestly... I take the moments I can get with you, and don't let the rest bother me. I enjoy when we do meet up, but I've long since given up on expecting it. We both have enough things in life that it doesn't matter."
Roa hugs her borrowed blankets to her chest, resting her chin on he tops of them. "I'm glad to hear, Ess, that you have enough things. Would you walk with me? And you can tell me all about what I've missed."
Essdara chuckles and nods, turning towards the pathway to the exits. "Not all that much to have missed, really. Just made friends, found ways to pass time, and so on. Aida, especially, since we learned how not to want to kill each other. And been very close with one of the weyrlings... That's been a nice thing too."
Roa falls into step next to Dara, her head nodding, chin rubbing against the blankets a little as the other girl speaks. At the mention of being close with a weyrling, up go those eyebrows and she murmurs a soft, "oh?"
Essdara nods, a smile breaking out. "Anaddui. We'll see what happens." She says, simply. "What about you? What have you been doing that has you so busy? Or is it more of the things that you hedge about and can't talk with people about?"
Roa hmmms. "Well, I wish you much luck and happiness with this Anaddui," she says with a small smile. But at the question, her eyes suddenly drift down. To the blankets. To her toes. "Lots of homework and classes. And then extra infirmary duty with the bad couple of falls we had. Mostly, that's what it's been." Mostly. If you don't mention the best friend with a heart condition or the clandestine meetings with weyrwomen.
Essdara nods softly. "Well, it doesn't sound like it is much fun, really. Try to find some time to do something nice for yourself, or at least relax a little. Won't do Tialith or anyone else good if you work yourself down to nothing." A shrug brings her quiet as they walk through the shelves.
Roa chuckles softly. "You're right of course," and though her words are reasonable, her tone implies that she's less than convinced. An then she lapses into silence as they approach to doorway to the stores.
Essdara is quiet too as they walk, apparently unsure of what to say. As they approach the tunnel out, she breaks the silence in a quiet voice. "Yeah, figured you'd say that." A bit louder. "It's been nice seeing you, Roa. I hope you sleep well, and warm. Next time, try not to forget your glows, there might not always be someone here to try to help next time."
"I'll remember. Thank you Ess, and, well...I'm glad you were here tonight." The goldrider hovers in the dorway a moment longer before turning to dash off into the hallway.