[Song]s of old
WHO: Ivana, Saliqa, Teris, and Rorkes
WHERE: Kitchen, HRW
WHAT: Something is interrupted? But everybody gets a song.
Scavenger Hunt: A song from Rorkes.
Kitchen, High Reaches Weyr
Polished marble and granite surfaces, gleaming metalwork and pale woods characterize the vaulted fastness of the kitchen. Several large hearths gape red-mouthed against the outer wall of the cavern, their fires almost always stoked for the constant cooking the Weyr requires to feed its denizens. Sinks line the wall to one side of the hearths, providing ample space to wash large quantities of dishes, while to the other, cabinetry and a deep pantry provide storage space for items commonly needed on a day-to-day basis.
The remaining wall space is taken up by passageways and extra seating: swinging doors that lead variously to the main living cavern, the inner caverns and the storage rooms, a counter-height pass-through for food service to the Snowasis, and a series of nooks equipped with tables and benches for quick, out-of-the-way meals any time of day.
There's a sound of agreement for the first, an unhappy sound. But Teris moves on quickly enough. She usually does. "I'm not sure," she tells him, silent again for another few moments while they wash and rinse dishes together. "I'm supposed to get something from you, though." The look she offers over then is almost hopeful. How can he say no to that?
Ivana bangs through the door, looking incredibly ticked off, carrying a very wet rag in one hand with a dry one tied around her head.. and muttering angry imprecations under her breath. She comes to a stop in the middle of the kitchen, and sounding frustrated beyond belief, manages to sound polite when she asks, "Where do I throw th'wet rags?"
Saliqa trails the other girl into the kitchen by only a few steps, her pace seemingly quickened by the sight; a steady path right up to Ivana and a hesitant smile for her confirms it. "Ivana, dear, I thought that looked like y-- are you alright, then?" Even through her obvious concern, she glances away and to the rest of the room, keen gaze sighting upon the others there.
"Are you?" If Rorkes knows what she means--and he certainly does, judging by his faint smile--he tries to play innocent all the same. "I thought you already had plenty from me. More than you wanted." He cocks his head as he eyes her, dishwashing paused until--. A door barging open so close startles him, and his jerk definitely has a guilty tinge to it. So does the way he inclines himself ever so slightly away from Teris. "Ah. Over there, I think," he answers Ivana.
From afar, Taikrin assumed it was something hunt-related ;)
"That's not true--" But Teris is cut off for much the same reason that Rorkes is and she glances over toward the newest arrivals into the kitchen. She wipes her hands off on the apron that she's wearing despite the fact that they aren't quite done. That fact doesn't keep her from saying to the harper, "I think that's good enough. Thank you for helping me. And you know precisely what I'm talking about."
Ivana glances behind her at Saliqa and the frustration seems to ease. "Thanks," she tells Rorkes, and tosses her rag into the pile, maybe a little quicker than one might toss normally. Splat. "Hiya Saliqa, ah'm okay." She glances toward Teris and Rorkes, then back, and sighs. "How was your day?" The question's a little awkward, if sincere.
Saliqa squints after the rag, trying to see if just by its nature it will reveal what's so irritating about itself. Finding nothing, she looks instead at its thrower. "It was a lot of mending," she mentions, attempting a guiding hand behind Ivana to take her out of the main path to the side of the kitchen-- conveniently closer to the sinks. "Apparently some little boys around here got into quite the games and their clothes paid the price. Hello," an aside to Teris, pleasant and typical, "Hello, sir harper!" Clearly for Rorkes, and brighter.
"Er. Saliqa." Rorkes offers the greeting awkwardly, along with a nod for Ivana. "Miss. I was just, er. Well." He shoots a lost little look over his shoulder at Teris, and quickly, with her permission granted, steps away and wipes his own hands off on his pants, before shrugging. "I do know. --Er. How are you all? Everything okay?" The first aside for Teris; the latter, to Saliqa and Ivana also, what with her seeming so upset.
"Helping me with dishes," Teris supplies helpfully despite the fact that she does not seem exceptionally pleased to have been interrupted by more candidates. Unfortunately for Rorkes, she follows him when he steps away, untying her apron and depositing it somewhere that she likely didn't find it initially. "Hello," she greets with all her fake sincerity and smiles.
Ivana quite willingly goes along with Saliqa, and manages a rueful smile for Rorkes, and a slightly defensive "Heya" for Teris. "Ah'm all right, ah appreciate y'r askin', Harper. Sorry ah banged in here so quick. Had a little discussion out there in th'living caverns. Who knew ah had a temper?" Her eyes involuntarily go to Teris again for a moment, but she grins as if she were telling a joke. "Ah'm Ivana," she says to Rorkes. "Not sure'f we've met formally, but glad t'do it now."
There's smiles for everybody from Saliqa as she passes the glance around the little group, then narrows right back in on Rorkes, "That's nice, helping with dishes," she pipes up over Teris' explanation. "I'm doing quite well, thank you for asking. It's been a while since we talked, hasn't it? I owe asking you about that song for your wife we were working on together." Bright and enthusiastic, she's only distracted from this briefly by a wry look to Ivana, "Oh, a 'discussion', eh?"
"Yes. That," is Rorkes' lame agreement to Teris. Followed by a cough, and he looks possibly more uncomfortable. "Oh. You want... /that/ one?" he says, rather hopelessly. "I mean, I've never quite finished it, and anyway, I don't really--I mean, I can't play now, anyway; I should really be working." And he nods toward the homework assignments he's set up in one alcove of the kitchens. Though, his guitar is traitorously close to them, too. "Rorkes," his name is offered to Ivana. "And, if I play one song, will that--will it work for all of you, then, at least?"
Song for his wife, eh? That makes Teris look at the harper with an unpleasantly hitched brow, the line of her jaw a little tighter than usual. She doesn't say anything, though, as she glances toward the homework assignments. "I'm sure if you say that it works for all of us, then there's not much to be said against the idea, hmm?" She eyes the other two girls after she speaks as though she expects them both to fall in line well enough. Still, though, she doesn't look too thrilled when she's eyeing Rorkes again.
Ivana can only nod and flash an encouraging smile at the Harper in agreement; she's never heard him play before and the opportunity definitely shouldn't be missed. She leans over quickly to Saliqa. "Yep. Tell ya later."
She eyes Ivana and her mysterious answer a moment longer, but soon enough Saliqa is caught in turning that lightly crooked expression of disappointment at the harper. "Never quite? That's too bad, I would have liked to know how it turned out... perhaps later?" She brightens easily at the mention of playing, nodding to each of the other girls, "You know, it never specified. Just 'a song'. I wasn't sure if it meant written, or played, or /about/ us, specifically..." Her hand rolls in open circles in front of her, giving Rorkes this row of choices to do with what he will.
"Well. I think it's also up to me, really, but." Rorkes lifts his shoulders, and with a sigh, and a reluctant glance at his three candidates, steps over to his seat to take it, and the guitar, up again. "Since you requested this one." He takes up strumming, a slow melancholy sort of tune that you'd probably expect from him. The lyrics, what handful there are, are all about crappy work, long days, and just wanting to hurry home to her. Rorkes looks a lot embarrassed about the whole thing, especially since there are a few other workers hanging aroudn to hear it now. Not his wife, though, at least.
Teris takes a seat nearby, though not too closely to the harper himself, and she settles herself properly there with one leg crossed over the other despite the whole wearing pants thing. She doesn't speak while he plays but as she listens, watching his face rather than his hands, she doesn't look any happier. It's kind of an awkward expression in general since she isn't exactly upset either.
Strolling to another seat, Saliqa situates herself where she can study the harper's face; her own is a mask of attentiveness broken occasionally by the apologetic note she offers to Rorkes, in noticing his own reluctance. Her lips press together continuously like she plans to hum, but she keeps politely quiet during the song, only tapping a finger once or twice against her knees that are pressed together in front of her.
"Well," says Rorkes, abashedly as he finishes. The strings are muted by one hand, and he glances at Saliqa, then Teris, the latter glance more apologetic than most. "So, that's... it, really. All I have, for, what, months of work now. I'm quite slow about the process, you understand--some of my peers, they can bang out a new one in an hour, and me, I'm lucky if I manage half a dozen lines in a month. I can make you a note, if you like, saying you found me."
"I'm sure your wife will be happy when it's finished," Teris finally says, neutral and not looking away when he glances at her. Nope, her gaze is fixed quite firmly on the harper. "Please. I'd appreciate a note so that no one questions me," that is said with a brief glance toward the other candidates as though she doesn't trust them.
"That's a good idea," Saliqa agrees easily enough for the note, not taking Teris' wary gaze and so perhaps not seeing it. "Anyway," she nods to Rorkes encouragingly, though not quite as enthusiastically as before; she's being gentle, "I think it's nice to take your time on something important. It can show dedication to work it over and over again, not just toss it out like a lump and say it's done."
"Or indifference," says Rorkes at once, and looks like he regrets it almost as quickly. Still, he qualifies, "That one doesn't know the right words, and just toys with the wrong ones over and over, and calls it progress. --I'll just get that note." Flushing, he bends his head to shuffle papers until he finds a blank page to tear in half. On one half, he writes 'Saliqa's team has received my song', and the other is 'Teris' team.' Both are signed, and then held out to the two girls.
There's a snort from Teris when Saliqa encourages Rorkes or whatever it is that she's doing but she doesn't actually speak out against the other girl. Instead she continues watching the harper. When he has a note ready and signed, she rises to take it from him with a brief hesitation in which she gives him a private, meaningful look. "Thank you, harper. If you don't mind, I'll leave you to your," wife-song, "papers." She glances over toward the other candidate to include her in the rest even if another run-in is altogether likely before the day is through, "Have a good evening."
Saliqa stands to take her turn in accepting the sheet of paper. The point towards the scavenger hunt draws a smile to her face as she grips the note, but it's fleeting and chased away by the talk. "I hope it's indecisiveness," she says, "Because I think indifference would be terribly sad." She bobs to both in turn, mainly to Teris first when the farewell is given. "You as well." Something hopeful seems to be in her watching the other candidate, but it isn't for long. Harper is given his own goodbyes, then she excuses herself to get on with the evening.
"Wouldn't it?" says Rorkes, but that's all, as both of them leave. "Oh. Do you--well. Goodnight, Saliqa. Teris?" That last has a hint of question to it, moreso than the other. "I should go, too, I suppose; it's later than I thought."
WHERE: Kitchen, HRW
WHAT: Something is interrupted? But everybody gets a song.
Scavenger Hunt: A song from Rorkes.
Kitchen, High Reaches Weyr
Polished marble and granite surfaces, gleaming metalwork and pale woods characterize the vaulted fastness of the kitchen. Several large hearths gape red-mouthed against the outer wall of the cavern, their fires almost always stoked for the constant cooking the Weyr requires to feed its denizens. Sinks line the wall to one side of the hearths, providing ample space to wash large quantities of dishes, while to the other, cabinetry and a deep pantry provide storage space for items commonly needed on a day-to-day basis.
The remaining wall space is taken up by passageways and extra seating: swinging doors that lead variously to the main living cavern, the inner caverns and the storage rooms, a counter-height pass-through for food service to the Snowasis, and a series of nooks equipped with tables and benches for quick, out-of-the-way meals any time of day.
There's a sound of agreement for the first, an unhappy sound. But Teris moves on quickly enough. She usually does. "I'm not sure," she tells him, silent again for another few moments while they wash and rinse dishes together. "I'm supposed to get something from you, though." The look she offers over then is almost hopeful. How can he say no to that?
Ivana bangs through the door, looking incredibly ticked off, carrying a very wet rag in one hand with a dry one tied around her head.. and muttering angry imprecations under her breath. She comes to a stop in the middle of the kitchen, and sounding frustrated beyond belief, manages to sound polite when she asks, "Where do I throw th'wet rags?"
Saliqa trails the other girl into the kitchen by only a few steps, her pace seemingly quickened by the sight; a steady path right up to Ivana and a hesitant smile for her confirms it. "Ivana, dear, I thought that looked like y-- are you alright, then?" Even through her obvious concern, she glances away and to the rest of the room, keen gaze sighting upon the others there.
"Are you?" If Rorkes knows what she means--and he certainly does, judging by his faint smile--he tries to play innocent all the same. "I thought you already had plenty from me. More than you wanted." He cocks his head as he eyes her, dishwashing paused until--. A door barging open so close startles him, and his jerk definitely has a guilty tinge to it. So does the way he inclines himself ever so slightly away from Teris. "Ah. Over there, I think," he answers Ivana.
From afar, Taikrin assumed it was something hunt-related ;)
"That's not true--" But Teris is cut off for much the same reason that Rorkes is and she glances over toward the newest arrivals into the kitchen. She wipes her hands off on the apron that she's wearing despite the fact that they aren't quite done. That fact doesn't keep her from saying to the harper, "I think that's good enough. Thank you for helping me. And you know precisely what I'm talking about."
Ivana glances behind her at Saliqa and the frustration seems to ease. "Thanks," she tells Rorkes, and tosses her rag into the pile, maybe a little quicker than one might toss normally. Splat. "Hiya Saliqa, ah'm okay." She glances toward Teris and Rorkes, then back, and sighs. "How was your day?" The question's a little awkward, if sincere.
Saliqa squints after the rag, trying to see if just by its nature it will reveal what's so irritating about itself. Finding nothing, she looks instead at its thrower. "It was a lot of mending," she mentions, attempting a guiding hand behind Ivana to take her out of the main path to the side of the kitchen-- conveniently closer to the sinks. "Apparently some little boys around here got into quite the games and their clothes paid the price. Hello," an aside to Teris, pleasant and typical, "Hello, sir harper!" Clearly for Rorkes, and brighter.
"Er. Saliqa." Rorkes offers the greeting awkwardly, along with a nod for Ivana. "Miss. I was just, er. Well." He shoots a lost little look over his shoulder at Teris, and quickly, with her permission granted, steps away and wipes his own hands off on his pants, before shrugging. "I do know. --Er. How are you all? Everything okay?" The first aside for Teris; the latter, to Saliqa and Ivana also, what with her seeming so upset.
"Helping me with dishes," Teris supplies helpfully despite the fact that she does not seem exceptionally pleased to have been interrupted by more candidates. Unfortunately for Rorkes, she follows him when he steps away, untying her apron and depositing it somewhere that she likely didn't find it initially. "Hello," she greets with all her fake sincerity and smiles.
Ivana quite willingly goes along with Saliqa, and manages a rueful smile for Rorkes, and a slightly defensive "Heya" for Teris. "Ah'm all right, ah appreciate y'r askin', Harper. Sorry ah banged in here so quick. Had a little discussion out there in th'living caverns. Who knew ah had a temper?" Her eyes involuntarily go to Teris again for a moment, but she grins as if she were telling a joke. "Ah'm Ivana," she says to Rorkes. "Not sure'f we've met formally, but glad t'do it now."
There's smiles for everybody from Saliqa as she passes the glance around the little group, then narrows right back in on Rorkes, "That's nice, helping with dishes," she pipes up over Teris' explanation. "I'm doing quite well, thank you for asking. It's been a while since we talked, hasn't it? I owe asking you about that song for your wife we were working on together." Bright and enthusiastic, she's only distracted from this briefly by a wry look to Ivana, "Oh, a 'discussion', eh?"
"Yes. That," is Rorkes' lame agreement to Teris. Followed by a cough, and he looks possibly more uncomfortable. "Oh. You want... /that/ one?" he says, rather hopelessly. "I mean, I've never quite finished it, and anyway, I don't really--I mean, I can't play now, anyway; I should really be working." And he nods toward the homework assignments he's set up in one alcove of the kitchens. Though, his guitar is traitorously close to them, too. "Rorkes," his name is offered to Ivana. "And, if I play one song, will that--will it work for all of you, then, at least?"
Song for his wife, eh? That makes Teris look at the harper with an unpleasantly hitched brow, the line of her jaw a little tighter than usual. She doesn't say anything, though, as she glances toward the homework assignments. "I'm sure if you say that it works for all of us, then there's not much to be said against the idea, hmm?" She eyes the other two girls after she speaks as though she expects them both to fall in line well enough. Still, though, she doesn't look too thrilled when she's eyeing Rorkes again.
Ivana can only nod and flash an encouraging smile at the Harper in agreement; she's never heard him play before and the opportunity definitely shouldn't be missed. She leans over quickly to Saliqa. "Yep. Tell ya later."
She eyes Ivana and her mysterious answer a moment longer, but soon enough Saliqa is caught in turning that lightly crooked expression of disappointment at the harper. "Never quite? That's too bad, I would have liked to know how it turned out... perhaps later?" She brightens easily at the mention of playing, nodding to each of the other girls, "You know, it never specified. Just 'a song'. I wasn't sure if it meant written, or played, or /about/ us, specifically..." Her hand rolls in open circles in front of her, giving Rorkes this row of choices to do with what he will.
"Well. I think it's also up to me, really, but." Rorkes lifts his shoulders, and with a sigh, and a reluctant glance at his three candidates, steps over to his seat to take it, and the guitar, up again. "Since you requested this one." He takes up strumming, a slow melancholy sort of tune that you'd probably expect from him. The lyrics, what handful there are, are all about crappy work, long days, and just wanting to hurry home to her. Rorkes looks a lot embarrassed about the whole thing, especially since there are a few other workers hanging aroudn to hear it now. Not his wife, though, at least.
Teris takes a seat nearby, though not too closely to the harper himself, and she settles herself properly there with one leg crossed over the other despite the whole wearing pants thing. She doesn't speak while he plays but as she listens, watching his face rather than his hands, she doesn't look any happier. It's kind of an awkward expression in general since she isn't exactly upset either.
Strolling to another seat, Saliqa situates herself where she can study the harper's face; her own is a mask of attentiveness broken occasionally by the apologetic note she offers to Rorkes, in noticing his own reluctance. Her lips press together continuously like she plans to hum, but she keeps politely quiet during the song, only tapping a finger once or twice against her knees that are pressed together in front of her.
"Well," says Rorkes, abashedly as he finishes. The strings are muted by one hand, and he glances at Saliqa, then Teris, the latter glance more apologetic than most. "So, that's... it, really. All I have, for, what, months of work now. I'm quite slow about the process, you understand--some of my peers, they can bang out a new one in an hour, and me, I'm lucky if I manage half a dozen lines in a month. I can make you a note, if you like, saying you found me."
"I'm sure your wife will be happy when it's finished," Teris finally says, neutral and not looking away when he glances at her. Nope, her gaze is fixed quite firmly on the harper. "Please. I'd appreciate a note so that no one questions me," that is said with a brief glance toward the other candidates as though she doesn't trust them.
"That's a good idea," Saliqa agrees easily enough for the note, not taking Teris' wary gaze and so perhaps not seeing it. "Anyway," she nods to Rorkes encouragingly, though not quite as enthusiastically as before; she's being gentle, "I think it's nice to take your time on something important. It can show dedication to work it over and over again, not just toss it out like a lump and say it's done."
"Or indifference," says Rorkes at once, and looks like he regrets it almost as quickly. Still, he qualifies, "That one doesn't know the right words, and just toys with the wrong ones over and over, and calls it progress. --I'll just get that note." Flushing, he bends his head to shuffle papers until he finds a blank page to tear in half. On one half, he writes 'Saliqa's team has received my song', and the other is 'Teris' team.' Both are signed, and then held out to the two girls.
There's a snort from Teris when Saliqa encourages Rorkes or whatever it is that she's doing but she doesn't actually speak out against the other girl. Instead she continues watching the harper. When he has a note ready and signed, she rises to take it from him with a brief hesitation in which she gives him a private, meaningful look. "Thank you, harper. If you don't mind, I'll leave you to your," wife-song, "papers." She glances over toward the other candidate to include her in the rest even if another run-in is altogether likely before the day is through, "Have a good evening."
Saliqa stands to take her turn in accepting the sheet of paper. The point towards the scavenger hunt draws a smile to her face as she grips the note, but it's fleeting and chased away by the talk. "I hope it's indecisiveness," she says, "Because I think indifference would be terribly sad." She bobs to both in turn, mainly to Teris first when the farewell is given. "You as well." Something hopeful seems to be in her watching the other candidate, but it isn't for long. Harper is given his own goodbyes, then she excuses herself to get on with the evening.
"Wouldn't it?" says Rorkes, but that's all, as both of them leave. "Oh. Do you--well. Goodnight, Saliqa. Teris?" That last has a hint of question to it, moreso than the other. "I should go, too, I suppose; it's later than I thought."