Log: In which Taikrin pisses off Szadath
Date: Day 16, Month 11, Turn 23 of Interval 10
Summary: Taikrin meets Jolie with the intention of searching her on orders-- only to find she's already been searched! Things go downhill from there.
Note: Shamelessly stolen from Jolie!
Eastern Bowl, High Reaches Weyr
Ringed by rough granite walls to all sides but one, this end of the huge bowl narrows from the even broader plain to the west, continuing the ever so slight downward slope toward the blue and green of the Weyr's lake and surrounding foliage. More open to sun and wind than the western bowl, but less frequented when there aren't weyrlings in residence, the bowl's grassy tufts keep the topsoil in place and thicken into a bloodstained meadow within the feeding pens that adjoin the lake.
At the base of the surrounding cliffs lie entrances to several caverns, including the dragon infirmary and the weyrling barracks: the former to the northwest near where the spires begin, the latter opposite to the southwest. Both archways are large and dark enough for any dragon to pass through, but it's the infirmary's that is haunted by faint smells of redwort and numbweed, as though over generations they have seeped into the very stone. To the southeast, between the weyrling area and the lake, there are a handful of structures built into the floor of the bowl, standing out amidst otherwise an empty space.
A blanket of cold, dense fog fills the bowl with its oppressive presence and obscures vision.
With the candidates mostly sticking to the barracks within, all most of the Weyr's residents passing by on their way to respective destinations of the late evening, it might be easy to miss the former stablehand lingering out in the shadows of the bowl. Her trusty backpack over one shoulder and her candidate shoulderknot stashed away inside of it, Jolie keeps her posture casual as if she were merely waiting for the sky to turn green, or some-such. One would certainly think that she was about to go away somewhere with that backpack in hand, but with her shoulderknot missing.... The dark featured woman casts her gaze in the sky as she steps further into the shadows when a pair of loudly talking riders pass right in front of her. For the most part she avoid looking shifty, her stance one of still grace and of one far used to standing still for long intervals at a time.
A dark, hulking shadow looms against the wall of the bowl, only a couple of lengths down from the entrance to the new craft area. The dim light has sapped most of the color from Szadath's hide, but two whirling pinpoints of blue light are clearly visible in the patchy fog. He's curled around a figure made bulky by a dark grey riding jacket, partially obscuring her from view. But as his head turns and his gaze finally fixes on Jolie, Taikrin climbs up onto a forearm to scowl into the dim light. Her vigorous wave is punctuated by a low rumble, the sound rather ominous as it breaks the quiet of the night.
Jolie spies that shadow and wave and straightens up with a heavy sigh. Backpack hoisted up further on her shoulder, the candidate shoots glances left and right before she quickly closes the distance between them. Frowning into the gloom, "We meet again," she drawls that out, peering up at the rider as she gets close enough to the dragon to see her. She keeps her voice low in case someone should hear, and she checks their surroundings again before moving forward. "Ready for me?" she asks, a slight smirk appearing on her face and perhaps hard to see in the dim lighting.
Once Jolie has approached, Taikrin drops down from her perch atop the dragon, gesturing irritably for the other girl to approach before folding her arms tightly across her chest. "Oi, Jolie. Yeah, 'm ready." She doesn't sound too happy about it, though. Szadath shifts abruptly, curling himself out and around and providing a convenient shield from casual observers who might be crossing the bowl. "How y'gettin' on? Ain't had time t'catch up, lately. Y'hear from your uncle, lately?" Despite the darkness, Taikrin's gaze is focused tightly on Jolie's face, and her tone a bit sharp.
Jolie notes the other's mood with hardly a reaction - well, other than that annoying smirk, anyway. She doesn't seem to be put off by it though, the former stablehand lifting her chin proudly as she answers Taikrin with a look. "I've been sure peachy, darlin'," she plays the easy'n'casual role, perhaps to raise the other's ire and push buttons - or it could just be her personality. "Gotta deal with troublemakers a lot, though. Good thing I've got practice, ehh?" The double meaning seems to be there, the woman meeting Taikrin's gaze just as pointedly and without a blink. After a moment, she lets the gaze flicker over the woman deliberately before adding, "Ya should come by and see about me more often, though. Thought we were turnin' out to be friends. Breaks my heart." Beat. "Heard from uncle," she tacks that on then, as if answering that suddenly occurred to her. "He needs to see me, right? Best not to keep our dear uncle waiting." Words stay pointed as she says them, the smirk fading somewhat to something a bit more dangerous before she slides her backpack down and wordlessly offers it up for Taikrin to take.
"Told you Sho'd be useful," Taikrin shoots back in far less good humor. "Kid been askin' some /real/ inconvenient questions 'bout you though. Reckon you oughta watch yer mouth 'round him more." She paces closer towards Jolie, pushing Szadath's nose away as the brown momentarily dips it nearer as well. "Heard from 'im?" For just a moment Taikrin falters, eyebrows knitting together as her voice trails off into a husky whisper. She's not rattled long, though, and when she gathers herself back together, there's an attempt at a cocky smirk of her own. "Don't know as how he needs t'see you straight off, but he did tell me 'bout how he had a new job for you." The bag is waved off, and this time she doesn't swat Szadath's descending nose out of the way. "Guess you get t'be a candidate. What you think about that?" Apparently news travels slowly.
Brushing something unseen off her shoulder, "What's /he/ been askin'?" Jolie doesn't seem none too concerned about Sho - at least not on outward appearances. Dark eyes meeting Taikrin's then, "I wouldn't worry 'bout him, darlin'," she adds, the crooked smirk appearing again. "I reckon he'll be backing off. Seems awfully loyal to /you/, however." Smirk slips a bit at that, her posture drawing up more when the brownrider comes closer to her. She can't help the smirk that grows to smug levels for a brief second at her falter, there and gone in an instant. "Gotta keep the communication line open, ya know," she stays vague on purpose, but her own arrogance has time to falter at Taikrin's own words when she hears that their uncle didn't need to see her. Eyes narrowing slightly as she drops her own bag to the ground, "He sent /you/?" Eyes flick up and down the woman in the pause. Her tone then turning to all-business, "What's the job, then? And yeah, I am. Candidate, that is." Brow lifting at her dragon, "Think it's been just great. Had someone dump tubers in my cot the other day. Where've ya been?"
"Flamin' better believe he sent me! I been 'round the block a shardin' lot longer'n you! And that /is/ the job, you dim-- dim-- wait. What?!" It takes some time for Jolie' retort to fully percolate in Taikrin's brain. Her jaw drops, and she turns to stare at Szadath's looming head as if betrayed. "What d'you /mean/ you told me she felt weird? You didn't even say /nothin'/-- bloody /shells/." She whirls with nary a pause, anxiety fueling her outrage to new heights. "You ain't havin' me on? Someone really did search you for Szad's eggs?" she demands. "'Cause you really, /really/ don't want t'be playin' with me tonight."
Taikrin blowing off seems to have the candidate in a wry state. Jolie folds her arms across her chest, head tilting arrogantly at the other woman as she waits for the other to finish. Eyes flick between rider and dragon and back again, not saying anything at all before both her brows twitch and she breaks her silence. "Go talk to yer Weyrleader, darlin'," she notes on whether she was searched or not, the smile turning mocking. "He was the one that got to me. Told me some grand stories, too. About those defective eggs, and all that." Jo's in one of her moods, apparently, the woman not proving to have any tack as she speaks. "Makes me wonder if they are, though. K'del seemed so sure before he took it back. Thought I was going to turn him down. Think I should have?" Sardonic now, the woman takes a step up towards Taikrin now, arms remaining crossed as she regards her.
Szadath's obvious amusement shows in gleaming blue eyes and the low rumble that might feel rather like an earthquake to those he's wrapped around. He lifts his head out of range of Taikrin's irritated swat, which leaves her with only Jolie to vent her frustration upon. "/That/ jerk? Figures he'd be involved in screwin' things up for me." Her face darkens and reddens perceptibly, even in the dim light, and though she stands her ground against Jolie's approach, her spine is ramrod straight and her fingers are digging deep furrows in the sleeves of her jacket. "You want t'watch your mouth, girl, real candidate or no. I drop you between, ain't nobody gonna know about it." Her strident tones have dropped into something lower, more menacing. "Think you better step /real/ careful, if y'know what's good for you. I brought in that whole other lot. Maybe I'll just be helpin' them. 'Least Kaitlin knows how t'be grateful. Y'remember Kaitlin?"
"Sorry it couldn't be you and yours," Jolie drawls those words out, eyes falling on Szadath with a little wink. Back to Taikrin, her steps stop at the threat and she considers her words. "Drop me between and our uncle will notice," she puts in, not batting an eyelash to the threatening words. "I'd be careful too, were I you." Her tone turns deadly and low, eyes narrowing only slightly at the woman. "There's been talk that ya might be a turncoat. I got good ears, see," and the woman lifts free a finger and taps her ear a few times. "And yeah. I know all about Kaitlin," she adds coolly, chin lifting. "I'll be grateful when I'm not being threatened. Thanks." The smirk is gone, her face a cold mask as she glares the other down in a silent challenge.
"Yeah, see, here's the thing. Don't see as how uncle's gonna know nothin' when I tell him how y'ran off with a bluerider from Southern." There's a confident sneer in Taikrin's voice that isn't matched by the hints of worry creeping unbidden into her expression, nor the tension in her frame. "Turncoat? I'll show you turncoat you sneaky little tunnelsnake, I'll--" She advances on Jolie, fists ready to swing, with suddenly Szadath is intervening, swatting his rider away with an outraged bellow. He uncurls from around both women in a rush of wings and talons. There's an eerie silence between the pair as they stare at each other, Taikrin's outrages and furious gaze matching Szadath's madly whirling crimson. Another second, and then the brown throws himself into the air, heedless of the harsh swirls of wind his departure stirs up that buffet those left behind.
"And why would I run off with a bluerider?" Jo tosses that back shortly. "And what do ya-" but then Taikrin's advancing, the woman having stepped over some boundary since the brownrider's own dragon is intervening. It's balls that have Jolie not taking a quick step back - or perhaps stupidity - her hands coming to her sides and into fists in an instant until that bellow has her slapping her hands over her ears. She crouches at the dragon's sudden agitation, throwing a dark glare Taikrin's way as if she was blaming her for this sudden turn of events. It's when Szadath launches himself up into the air that Jo erupts. "What the shardin' fuc--" she's throwing at the brownrider, forcing herself to bite off the rest of her words to try for something 'nicer'. Breathing hard, "Such a temper," is her being nice, taking a calm step back from her with hands spread out. "I meant no insult. Not completely. Send your dragon my apologies."
Taikrin remains sitting on the ground where she'd fallen, neck craned to follow Szadath's flight though the dragon is quickly swallowed up by the darkness. She doesn't even appear to hear Jolie at first, though talk of her dragon brings her focus around. Her gaze is red-rimmed, and lips tight, and after a brief acknowledging glance, it focuses somewhere in the darkness over Jolie's shoulder instead as she slowly gets to her feet. "Yeah, whatever kid." Her voice is still husky, but the anger seems to have drained out of it to leave resignation in its place. "I'll pass it along. You just tell 'em I-- I did what I said. You're a candidate an' they're all candidates an' I did what they wanted."
Jolie keeps an eye on Taikrin even as she moves to reclaim her backpack, eyes regarding the other with her cool mask. To those resigned words, "I'll tell'em," she says knowingly, backpack getting slung over one shoulder. "Never ya worry on that." Still smarting herself, she transfers her gaze towards the sky where Szadath vanished for a moment, then she turns as if to go. Over her shoulder, "I'll be seeing ya around, Taikrin," she says, eyes full of meaning when she looks back her way. "We'll drink sometime. Candidates can drink, I hear."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Drink." Taikrin is obviously distracted; she twists again to look up and over her shoulder, presumably to wherever Szadath has holed himself up. "No, wait." Her voice goes hard, eyes cold. "You just leave me alone. Y'hear? Don't want t'hear nothin' about no uncles an' no shit like that. I don't even care. Szadath don't--" She breaks off, voice cracking, then whirls away. "I don't need this crap! I did what I said an' now I'm /done/ doin' jobs!"
"I mentioned nothing about them," Jo notes blithely on uncles, but she can see the other woman is cracking. Her frown is more pronounced, trying hard now to hide that concern that suggests that the candidate convict is not as hardened and cold as she wants to appear. She even falters in walking away, turning to take a step towards the brownrider before suddenly stopping and blinking a few times. Forcing her voice to cool, "A drink," she reiterates this time, eyes pointed on Taikrin. "We'll talk of...better things." She's willing to give the brownrider that much before she turns on a boot to go.
Taikrin doesn't turn around again, though neither does she move away. Arms fold tightly across her chest once more. "Better things. Right." Dark sarcasm colors her voice. "Whatever. Just-- leave us along. I got to find-- got to go." And she won't turn back, instead moving off at an angle from the bowl wall at a pace just shy of out-and-out running.
Jolie only turns around for a moment, her face carefully composed now as she takes in Taikrin's words. Then the candidate is off, disappearing into the shadows in her silence and not looking back again.
Summary: Taikrin meets Jolie with the intention of searching her on orders-- only to find she's already been searched! Things go downhill from there.
Note: Shamelessly stolen from Jolie!
Eastern Bowl, High Reaches Weyr
Ringed by rough granite walls to all sides but one, this end of the huge bowl narrows from the even broader plain to the west, continuing the ever so slight downward slope toward the blue and green of the Weyr's lake and surrounding foliage. More open to sun and wind than the western bowl, but less frequented when there aren't weyrlings in residence, the bowl's grassy tufts keep the topsoil in place and thicken into a bloodstained meadow within the feeding pens that adjoin the lake.
At the base of the surrounding cliffs lie entrances to several caverns, including the dragon infirmary and the weyrling barracks: the former to the northwest near where the spires begin, the latter opposite to the southwest. Both archways are large and dark enough for any dragon to pass through, but it's the infirmary's that is haunted by faint smells of redwort and numbweed, as though over generations they have seeped into the very stone. To the southeast, between the weyrling area and the lake, there are a handful of structures built into the floor of the bowl, standing out amidst otherwise an empty space.
A blanket of cold, dense fog fills the bowl with its oppressive presence and obscures vision.
With the candidates mostly sticking to the barracks within, all most of the Weyr's residents passing by on their way to respective destinations of the late evening, it might be easy to miss the former stablehand lingering out in the shadows of the bowl. Her trusty backpack over one shoulder and her candidate shoulderknot stashed away inside of it, Jolie keeps her posture casual as if she were merely waiting for the sky to turn green, or some-such. One would certainly think that she was about to go away somewhere with that backpack in hand, but with her shoulderknot missing.... The dark featured woman casts her gaze in the sky as she steps further into the shadows when a pair of loudly talking riders pass right in front of her. For the most part she avoid looking shifty, her stance one of still grace and of one far used to standing still for long intervals at a time.
A dark, hulking shadow looms against the wall of the bowl, only a couple of lengths down from the entrance to the new craft area. The dim light has sapped most of the color from Szadath's hide, but two whirling pinpoints of blue light are clearly visible in the patchy fog. He's curled around a figure made bulky by a dark grey riding jacket, partially obscuring her from view. But as his head turns and his gaze finally fixes on Jolie, Taikrin climbs up onto a forearm to scowl into the dim light. Her vigorous wave is punctuated by a low rumble, the sound rather ominous as it breaks the quiet of the night.
Jolie spies that shadow and wave and straightens up with a heavy sigh. Backpack hoisted up further on her shoulder, the candidate shoots glances left and right before she quickly closes the distance between them. Frowning into the gloom, "We meet again," she drawls that out, peering up at the rider as she gets close enough to the dragon to see her. She keeps her voice low in case someone should hear, and she checks their surroundings again before moving forward. "Ready for me?" she asks, a slight smirk appearing on her face and perhaps hard to see in the dim lighting.
Once Jolie has approached, Taikrin drops down from her perch atop the dragon, gesturing irritably for the other girl to approach before folding her arms tightly across her chest. "Oi, Jolie. Yeah, 'm ready." She doesn't sound too happy about it, though. Szadath shifts abruptly, curling himself out and around and providing a convenient shield from casual observers who might be crossing the bowl. "How y'gettin' on? Ain't had time t'catch up, lately. Y'hear from your uncle, lately?" Despite the darkness, Taikrin's gaze is focused tightly on Jolie's face, and her tone a bit sharp.
Jolie notes the other's mood with hardly a reaction - well, other than that annoying smirk, anyway. She doesn't seem to be put off by it though, the former stablehand lifting her chin proudly as she answers Taikrin with a look. "I've been sure peachy, darlin'," she plays the easy'n'casual role, perhaps to raise the other's ire and push buttons - or it could just be her personality. "Gotta deal with troublemakers a lot, though. Good thing I've got practice, ehh?" The double meaning seems to be there, the woman meeting Taikrin's gaze just as pointedly and without a blink. After a moment, she lets the gaze flicker over the woman deliberately before adding, "Ya should come by and see about me more often, though. Thought we were turnin' out to be friends. Breaks my heart." Beat. "Heard from uncle," she tacks that on then, as if answering that suddenly occurred to her. "He needs to see me, right? Best not to keep our dear uncle waiting." Words stay pointed as she says them, the smirk fading somewhat to something a bit more dangerous before she slides her backpack down and wordlessly offers it up for Taikrin to take.
"Told you Sho'd be useful," Taikrin shoots back in far less good humor. "Kid been askin' some /real/ inconvenient questions 'bout you though. Reckon you oughta watch yer mouth 'round him more." She paces closer towards Jolie, pushing Szadath's nose away as the brown momentarily dips it nearer as well. "Heard from 'im?" For just a moment Taikrin falters, eyebrows knitting together as her voice trails off into a husky whisper. She's not rattled long, though, and when she gathers herself back together, there's an attempt at a cocky smirk of her own. "Don't know as how he needs t'see you straight off, but he did tell me 'bout how he had a new job for you." The bag is waved off, and this time she doesn't swat Szadath's descending nose out of the way. "Guess you get t'be a candidate. What you think about that?" Apparently news travels slowly.
Brushing something unseen off her shoulder, "What's /he/ been askin'?" Jolie doesn't seem none too concerned about Sho - at least not on outward appearances. Dark eyes meeting Taikrin's then, "I wouldn't worry 'bout him, darlin'," she adds, the crooked smirk appearing again. "I reckon he'll be backing off. Seems awfully loyal to /you/, however." Smirk slips a bit at that, her posture drawing up more when the brownrider comes closer to her. She can't help the smirk that grows to smug levels for a brief second at her falter, there and gone in an instant. "Gotta keep the communication line open, ya know," she stays vague on purpose, but her own arrogance has time to falter at Taikrin's own words when she hears that their uncle didn't need to see her. Eyes narrowing slightly as she drops her own bag to the ground, "He sent /you/?" Eyes flick up and down the woman in the pause. Her tone then turning to all-business, "What's the job, then? And yeah, I am. Candidate, that is." Brow lifting at her dragon, "Think it's been just great. Had someone dump tubers in my cot the other day. Where've ya been?"
"Flamin' better believe he sent me! I been 'round the block a shardin' lot longer'n you! And that /is/ the job, you dim-- dim-- wait. What?!" It takes some time for Jolie' retort to fully percolate in Taikrin's brain. Her jaw drops, and she turns to stare at Szadath's looming head as if betrayed. "What d'you /mean/ you told me she felt weird? You didn't even say /nothin'/-- bloody /shells/." She whirls with nary a pause, anxiety fueling her outrage to new heights. "You ain't havin' me on? Someone really did search you for Szad's eggs?" she demands. "'Cause you really, /really/ don't want t'be playin' with me tonight."
Taikrin blowing off seems to have the candidate in a wry state. Jolie folds her arms across her chest, head tilting arrogantly at the other woman as she waits for the other to finish. Eyes flick between rider and dragon and back again, not saying anything at all before both her brows twitch and she breaks her silence. "Go talk to yer Weyrleader, darlin'," she notes on whether she was searched or not, the smile turning mocking. "He was the one that got to me. Told me some grand stories, too. About those defective eggs, and all that." Jo's in one of her moods, apparently, the woman not proving to have any tack as she speaks. "Makes me wonder if they are, though. K'del seemed so sure before he took it back. Thought I was going to turn him down. Think I should have?" Sardonic now, the woman takes a step up towards Taikrin now, arms remaining crossed as she regards her.
Szadath's obvious amusement shows in gleaming blue eyes and the low rumble that might feel rather like an earthquake to those he's wrapped around. He lifts his head out of range of Taikrin's irritated swat, which leaves her with only Jolie to vent her frustration upon. "/That/ jerk? Figures he'd be involved in screwin' things up for me." Her face darkens and reddens perceptibly, even in the dim light, and though she stands her ground against Jolie's approach, her spine is ramrod straight and her fingers are digging deep furrows in the sleeves of her jacket. "You want t'watch your mouth, girl, real candidate or no. I drop you between, ain't nobody gonna know about it." Her strident tones have dropped into something lower, more menacing. "Think you better step /real/ careful, if y'know what's good for you. I brought in that whole other lot. Maybe I'll just be helpin' them. 'Least Kaitlin knows how t'be grateful. Y'remember Kaitlin?"
"Sorry it couldn't be you and yours," Jolie drawls those words out, eyes falling on Szadath with a little wink. Back to Taikrin, her steps stop at the threat and she considers her words. "Drop me between and our uncle will notice," she puts in, not batting an eyelash to the threatening words. "I'd be careful too, were I you." Her tone turns deadly and low, eyes narrowing only slightly at the woman. "There's been talk that ya might be a turncoat. I got good ears, see," and the woman lifts free a finger and taps her ear a few times. "And yeah. I know all about Kaitlin," she adds coolly, chin lifting. "I'll be grateful when I'm not being threatened. Thanks." The smirk is gone, her face a cold mask as she glares the other down in a silent challenge.
"Yeah, see, here's the thing. Don't see as how uncle's gonna know nothin' when I tell him how y'ran off with a bluerider from Southern." There's a confident sneer in Taikrin's voice that isn't matched by the hints of worry creeping unbidden into her expression, nor the tension in her frame. "Turncoat? I'll show you turncoat you sneaky little tunnelsnake, I'll--" She advances on Jolie, fists ready to swing, with suddenly Szadath is intervening, swatting his rider away with an outraged bellow. He uncurls from around both women in a rush of wings and talons. There's an eerie silence between the pair as they stare at each other, Taikrin's outrages and furious gaze matching Szadath's madly whirling crimson. Another second, and then the brown throws himself into the air, heedless of the harsh swirls of wind his departure stirs up that buffet those left behind.
"And why would I run off with a bluerider?" Jo tosses that back shortly. "And what do ya-" but then Taikrin's advancing, the woman having stepped over some boundary since the brownrider's own dragon is intervening. It's balls that have Jolie not taking a quick step back - or perhaps stupidity - her hands coming to her sides and into fists in an instant until that bellow has her slapping her hands over her ears. She crouches at the dragon's sudden agitation, throwing a dark glare Taikrin's way as if she was blaming her for this sudden turn of events. It's when Szadath launches himself up into the air that Jo erupts. "What the shardin' fuc--" she's throwing at the brownrider, forcing herself to bite off the rest of her words to try for something 'nicer'. Breathing hard, "Such a temper," is her being nice, taking a calm step back from her with hands spread out. "I meant no insult. Not completely. Send your dragon my apologies."
Taikrin remains sitting on the ground where she'd fallen, neck craned to follow Szadath's flight though the dragon is quickly swallowed up by the darkness. She doesn't even appear to hear Jolie at first, though talk of her dragon brings her focus around. Her gaze is red-rimmed, and lips tight, and after a brief acknowledging glance, it focuses somewhere in the darkness over Jolie's shoulder instead as she slowly gets to her feet. "Yeah, whatever kid." Her voice is still husky, but the anger seems to have drained out of it to leave resignation in its place. "I'll pass it along. You just tell 'em I-- I did what I said. You're a candidate an' they're all candidates an' I did what they wanted."
Jolie keeps an eye on Taikrin even as she moves to reclaim her backpack, eyes regarding the other with her cool mask. To those resigned words, "I'll tell'em," she says knowingly, backpack getting slung over one shoulder. "Never ya worry on that." Still smarting herself, she transfers her gaze towards the sky where Szadath vanished for a moment, then she turns as if to go. Over her shoulder, "I'll be seeing ya around, Taikrin," she says, eyes full of meaning when she looks back her way. "We'll drink sometime. Candidates can drink, I hear."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Drink." Taikrin is obviously distracted; she twists again to look up and over her shoulder, presumably to wherever Szadath has holed himself up. "No, wait." Her voice goes hard, eyes cold. "You just leave me alone. Y'hear? Don't want t'hear nothin' about no uncles an' no shit like that. I don't even care. Szadath don't--" She breaks off, voice cracking, then whirls away. "I don't need this crap! I did what I said an' now I'm /done/ doin' jobs!"
"I mentioned nothing about them," Jo notes blithely on uncles, but she can see the other woman is cracking. Her frown is more pronounced, trying hard now to hide that concern that suggests that the candidate convict is not as hardened and cold as she wants to appear. She even falters in walking away, turning to take a step towards the brownrider before suddenly stopping and blinking a few times. Forcing her voice to cool, "A drink," she reiterates this time, eyes pointed on Taikrin. "We'll talk of...better things." She's willing to give the brownrider that much before she turns on a boot to go.
Taikrin doesn't turn around again, though neither does she move away. Arms fold tightly across her chest once more. "Better things. Right." Dark sarcasm colors her voice. "Whatever. Just-- leave us along. I got to find-- got to go." And she won't turn back, instead moving off at an angle from the bowl wall at a pace just shy of out-and-out running.
Jolie only turns around for a moment, her face carefully composed now as she takes in Taikrin's words. Then the candidate is off, disappearing into the shadows in her silence and not looking back again.