Logs:A Woman's Touch
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| RL Date: 24 February, 2013 |
| Who: Devaki, Hana |
| Involves: High Reaches Weyr, High Reaches Hold |
| Type: Log |
| What: Devaki has a fix for the Weyr's problems, and a task for Hana. |
| Where: Empty Junior Queen's Weyr, High Reaches Weyr |
| When: Day 28, Month 1, Turn 31 (Interval 10) |
| Mentions: Alida/Mentions, Azaylia/Mentions, Vinien/Mentions, Issedi/Mentions, Madilla/Mentions, Braeden/Mentions, Yuliye/Mentions |
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| It's late evening, and Issedi's long since gone to bed. Vinien's been fussy, and Devaki's been up to try and settle him down, the pacing and low murmur of his voice faintly audible -- he's telling some story about a Sea Monster, and a girl -- a story Hana may have heard snatches of here and there before. Finally, Devaki emerges from the bedroom, looking drawn out, moving towards the hearthside to stoke it up a bit as the cool air begins to seep into the cavernous weyr. Despite the hour, Hana is only just returning from the snowy Bowl; shawl used to cradle a small gathering of greenhouse flowers - a mix of white and pink. There is a pause, as the woman glances around, before going to put her 'prize' in an empty bowl. "Vinien?" she asks, keeping her voice soft as she places her shawl up to dry out. While he may not have been fussy when she left (or maybe she just escaped while the escaping was good), it is still a good bet on the reasoning behind such drawn features. Devaki turns from his crouching posture in front of the hearth, eyes tracking Hana briefly, lingering on those flowers. The twist of lips that he gives in answer to her query is answer enough, although he adds, "I think the noises disturb him -- the dragons. Once he's older, I'm sure he'll love them," a slight roll of eyes towards the ceiling, quick enough that it could be missed as he rises to his feet. "You're up late," he adds, "Here, stand over by the hearth." He shuffles over a step to make room. "They're from the greenhouse?" The flowers, presumably. Hana hms, and nods. "Issedi was missing some - either for the room, or her hair, so I retrieved a bit of both for tomorrow," she admits, slipping a small comb out of her sleeve to rest next to the bowl before moving towards the hearth. "Different sounds will do it - even once he's older, I'm certain." There's a small wrinkling of the nose at loving dragons, before she lifts a hand to make sure her bun'd hair is where it should be. "I wasn't ready to sleep, and it seemed like a good time to do it." "Do you have younger brothers and sisters?" Devaki asks, his expression genuinely interested, following her progress as he folds his hands together behind his back. Surprise is visible in the islander's expression as he catches that wrinkle of nose on Hana's part. "I thought that was everyone's dream on the mainland. To get a dragon." Hana shakes her head, "One and only, to my parents disappointment," she says calmly enough, holding her hands out to the flames. "And that may be, however, those so chosen have to get their hair cut." And that, of course, is a horror without words, even if said hair is never let out of braids or buns. "Even if your hair has never been cut. Never!" There is a slight rise on that last word, before she recalls herself and shoots a quick glance towards the offshooting rooms where others sleep. That draws a quick and genuine smile from Devaki. "That's the only reason? That you'd have to cut your hair?" He's smiling, gaze settling on her hair, speculatively. "It is nice. But..." he shakes his head, and there's a momentary silence as he stares into the fire, expression sobering. Finally, quietly, "It changes people." "Everything changes people, Devaki - something that grows up that big just makes for bigger changes, I suspect. And my hair is a perfectly good reason - thank you for the compliment," Hana replies, starting out thoughtful, then huffy, to end with a quick smile. "Besides. I have no desire to have one step on me - regardless of what others say." "Not like this," Devaki retorts, a little more sharply than he probably means. There's a quick breath, and then on the next exhale: "I'm sorry. I get what you mean, but becoming riders changed the islanders I knew so much. I don't know how much of it was the dragons, and how much of it was this place, and sometimes I wonder. Still do." There's a faint smile, for the stepping-on, then, softer, "How about a nightcap, Hana?" Hana shakes her head, and admits, "I still can't imagine moving to an entirely new place - it must have taken a great deal of courage. A nightcap?" She is quiet for a moment, then nods, "That would be much appreciated - get rid of the last bit of chill, I think." "We had no choice. They took us, all of us, whether we wanted or not." It's light, matter-of-fact, distant enough from the experience that the bitterness and anger is barely detectable. There's a slight tension to Devaki's posture as he steps away from the hearth, but it doesn't quite reach his voice as he steps to the sideboard: "What do you think, of what's going on here at the Weyr?" There's a genuine interest; it's not the first time he's asked Hana for her opinion, though the first time he's asked her of it in relation to the Weyr's politics. Hana turns to regard the fire, keeping her silence for a long moment. "That there's many people very worried, though of those most.. involved?" Perhaps not the correct word, though she continues, "I have mostly only spoken with Lady Azaylia." "It goes against their Tradition." The their is very clearly and deliberately spoken, in between the sound of clinking glass and the splashing of liquid over where Devaki stands. "I haven't had the pleasure... though Issedi spoke well of her. Seems certain they'll be fast friends." There's amusement from the blond man as he picks up the glasses. "What's your impression of her?" Hana turns and makes her way slowly towards the sideboard. "Quite traumatized over the loss of her hair," comes the somewhat teasing response (her inner child weeping over the loss, really!). "Also tired - and I think, grateful for a bit of relaxing time in the greenhouse, getting her hair braided with flowers. Very kind, as well - she was must insistant I tell her if anything came up needed." "You girls and your hair," Devaki says with a smile, although as Hana approaches he offers her one of the glasses, then tugs a hand through his own hair, perhaps unconsciously, with all the talk. "It mustn't be easy, at her age. I don't understand, though, why they don't simply seek advice from their elders. It makes little sense to me to allow such young women to be in control of such an important thing without any guidance." Hana wraps both hands around the class, bringing it in close as she tilts her head slightly in thought. "I.. believe that may be part of the problem. Not that I have heard enough to understand but.. isn't that part of the problem? That there is no senior weyrwoman to guide and teach? I'm not that familiar with how Weyrs work - beyond what the Teaching Songs say - but I haven't heard of this sort of situation happening before." Devaki takes up his own glass, but he's watching Hana thoughtfully, rather than partaking of the liquid immediately. "Their senior is not decided by age, but whose dragon is the most precocious. Neither goldrider has the experience to teach the other, and I doubt having your dragon have sex first magically teaches you the wisdom of age." There's a faint snort there. "No; what they should be doing is looking to their elders." Hana shakes her head slightly, her words not quite as she meant them, "In this case, I had meant by age, though the other way seems less than wise," she admits, complexion slightly flushed. A sip of her drink is finally taken, warmth spreading from inside out. "But I think I know what you mean. Tradition that works until it... lacks." A nod, somewhat approving, from Devaki, as he too, takes a sip of the liquid. It takes him a moment after, exhaling out, and there's a bit of roughness from the alcohol when he finally says, "They can't see it, though. That it doesn't work, because it's the way it's always been for them. Although," he pauses somewhat, "I've heard there are people who think otherwise." Hana shakes her head, and admits, "None of it makes proper sense to me, Devaki - I did tell Azaylia though, that she needs to let people help her when it comes to things that can be helped with. After all, there are other things that people cannot help her with. What little I understand, I am almost tempted to share that advice to all the others as well, except they may not take it so well." Also, they may take it as meaning things other than hairdressing and such. "I'm sure they won't," Devaki agrees, almost immediately, something wry in his expression. "Speaking of people who could use some advice; perhaps you can spend some time with Alida. She's of Pars Hold; not much of a people person. I imagine she's ruffling a lot of feathers -- her Captain didn't have too many nice things to say of her. She could use a... a woman's touch." A slight grimace here, then, "I'd consider it a favor owed to me." Hana offers a wry smile at the mention of sureity, before she nods. "Alida? Ah, the nighthearth, if memory serves. I.. can, if you wish. It is the only time I have really seen her, though there may have been a glance during the party." "She's been Searched," Devaki adds, and even he can't quite hide the surprise in his voice and expression at that. He takes a moment to sip from the glass, attention dropping downward briefly, before he continues, "If she's to represent Pars, and in turn, High Reaches Hold, she should do it with some... decorum. I can think of no better teacher." Hana's eyes widen a bit. Manners? Oh boy. Another - very small - sip is taken, before she glances from Devaki to the room Issedi sleeps in and back, before coming to a decision - or just wanting to cause the man a bit of thought. "Azaylia and Issedi had a lovely tea; I believe she, Azaylia was quite taken with Issedi -- and with Lord Braeden's sense of duty to family." There is a pause, then fainter, "Searched? Are there.. different decorum to be considered in such a position?" There's a slight motion of Devaki rocking back on his heels, but it's not until Hana mentions Braeden that the man's gaze fixes on her intently. "His duty to family?" he echoes, keenly interested. A faint grimace, and he adds: "It means she's beholden to the Weyr's rules, rather than her Lord's." "I will have to find.. perhaps Madilla.." Hana murmurs to herself, before focusing on the here and now. "Ah, well, yes. She seemed to think he was not.. exactly the family sort. Issedi was most supportive of his attention to duty, and then we spoke about Vinien and perhaps a visit to the Weaver Hall once Hatchings and such allows." "Madilla?" Yet another subject that has a distinctive lilt of interest, and Devaki takes a sip from his glass to attempt to make it more of a casual thing. "What would... make her think that he wasn't? Braeden dotes on Vinien." Hana doesn't look at Devaki - after all, it is rare enough for the woman to have a nightcap that watching the light through the liquid is absolutely fasinating, "She did not say - and was very insistant that he was just the Lord Holder we needed." There is a faint smile at some of the other thoughts offered, before she shakes her head. "Perhaps when we return, he and Lady Yuliye might be able to visit and spend some time without duty interrupting." While Hana studies the liquid, Devaki -- shamelessly -- studies her, head tipped consideringly. "He is not like his father, that's for sure," the islander murmurs, with something that sounds like thankfullness. A slight twitch of expression, and he adds, "Perhaps. Still, the Hold's in well enough shape. I'd have thought the Weyr has more to worry about on their own soil, than ours." "I am not sure who was the most discomforted by the subject," and Hana will silently include herself in that contest. There is a shake of the head, before she looks up with a smile. It fades, then returns a bit, before she places the glass on the sideboard. "I think that was enough to allow me to sleep - much more, and I would fear for my ability to assist Lady Issedi in the morn," she admits. "I shall see about see if the Weyrhealer has any good information about decorum as soon as possible, and then hunt down our Pars guard soon after then." "I can only imagine." With a tip of his glass, Devaki downs the remainder of the liquid in his, before setting it down beside Hana's. With a smile, he says, "I could tell her you're ill, you know. But -- you're right. I need to be up early to go over duty detail with the work crew. I'll probably be gone most of the day; let me know how you fare? And... give my regards to the Weyrhealer, would you?" A slight pause, as if considering, before he finally settles on, "Good night, Hana." "Of course; sleep well, Devaki," and with that Hana makes her way to her own sleeping area, most of a glass of drink left behind. |
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