Logs:Aiden's Search
| |
|---|
| |
| RL Date: 10 October, 2015 |
| Who: Aiden, Quinlys |
| Involves: High Reaches Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: Aiden joins the candidates for Niahvth and Roszadyth's clutches. |
| Where: Living Caverns, High Reaches Weyr |
| When: Day 18, Month 13, Turn 38 (Interval 10) |
 |
| Aiden is sitting at one end of one of the tables, alone with what appear to be some handwritten notes. He's holding them in one hand and the fork in the other, as he eats his food slowly, usually without looking. He's a little more careful with the klah mug, and will pause his study to make sure he doesn't spill it. So far splitting his attention hasn't resulted in any accidents. There's a gather on at Crom, today, but Quinlys hasn't left for it jut yet: clearly, she needs food and klah first, whatever delights are on offer at the celebrations. It's with these in hand that she ends up, quite by chance, at Aiden's table, setting them down before she actually, properly, registers the presence of the young man. "Oh," she says, waiting until he actually seems less distracted by his notes to actually say something, "Morning!" Aiden looks up from his notes and smiles. "Morning, Weyrlingmaster." He puts down the notes. "Sorry, someone suggested something for me to make and I didn't know how to do it, so I've been looking at the recipe. Were you able to get everything moved and cleaned in the barracks? Last time we spoke was moving that huge rug. I hope you got some help to put it back." He picks up the mug of klah, blows on it a little and takes a sip. "I was," agrees Quinlys with a smile, leaning back in her chair as she wraps both hands about her mug. "Some of my assistants came by and helped with the rest, but your help was invaluable for me in the moment." She tilts her head forward, indicating the notes, and the presumed recipes, "How's all of that going? Everything you ever dreamed of?" Aiden smiles. "I'm glad. That rug was too big for one person. Almost two big for two come to think of it. It's been a challenge, but I think I like that. And I've learned a lot too. I didn't realize what I needed to work on, until I came here. Cooking when I wasn't in the craft, I helped with what I could in the kitchens. So you tend to get a lot of experience in some things and not much in others. Apprenticeship has helped to fill some of the gaps." He pats the notes on the table. "I guess the next gap is going to be a breakfast puff." "A breakfast puff?" Quinlys chews on that (metaphorically) before picking up a piece of her toast and chewing on that, instead. "What's that?" Aiden glances at the notes for a second. "Well, apparently it's a light pastry filled with cream, so delicate work. The person who requested it also said that they put sugar on top, though this one says fruit, but that's a small adjustment to make." He smiles at Quinlys. "Someone says something they want to try, I find I want to learn how to make it. I guess I picked the right profession." "Sounds fancy," is Quinlys' summation of the situation. "But I get the appeal. Making stuff; there's something about it, isn't there? Teaching's different, but there's still an element of... making a mark. Leaving something behind. Making people happy, or better, or whatever. You know?" Aiden nods. "Although it's intesting how different baking is from other crafts in at least one way. If someone makes clothing or something out of glass, they want the owner to keep it forever. The worth of my craft is if there isn't anything left on the plate. But I can make it again and again too. And hopefully come up with new recipies too. Someday." He gathers some greens on his fork. "Were you in a craft before becoming a rider?" he asks before taking a bite. "Not me," says Quinlys, with a firm shake of her head. "I was born here, raised here, and... I think I knew what I wanted from the time I was little. Tiny, really. My brother became a Star Smith, but the rest of us... I worked with the cleaning crews for a few turns until I Impressed. Not really a vocation, but in a way it's easier to Stand if you're not leaving something you care about behind." Blue eyes linger on Aiden, thoughtful. Aiden nods, looking interested. "I can see that, and you didn't have to leave a lifestyle behind either, if you were from here anyway. It's probably strange for the candidates that are from the Holds. It was for me for a little while. But that might be because I was moving away from home for the first time. I think every job is important, craft or otherwise, or the job wouldn't exist." He smiles a little. "That's one thing I learned from working for my father training as a steward. All the pieces that it takes to keep the Hold running. I'm sure there are more pieces at a Weyr." Quinlys, nose wrinkling, confirms, "Lots of pieces. Shells but I'm glad they're not mostly my pieces to deal with-- I have enough on my plate with weyrlings, you know? And candidates." That's the point at which she hesitates, teeth coming to rest upon her lower lip, cautiously. "Aiden..." Aiden nods. "I'm glad they aren't mine either. Not that that was the only reason I didn't want to become a Steward, but I'm satisfied if people like my food." Speaking of food, he eats more of his before his name is spoken and he looks back up from his plate. "Yes?" Quinlys hesitates, her teeth still resting upon that lip. Finally, "Olly needs me to ask you this. So... just let me reassure you that you're perfectly welcome to refuse, that it's not... not more than a question. Okay?" Aiden puts the fork down slowly, frowning a little at the seriousness. "Okay. I don't mind answering a question. What did you ... he, want to ask?" Another moment, two moments, of hesitation, and then Quinlys comes out with it: "He'd like me to offer you the opportunity to Stand for Niavhth and Roszadyth's clutches. As a Candidate, I mean. But--" Her gaze turns more serious still. "I know you're a baker, and that you like your work. So I don't want you to feel any pressure to accept." Aiden blurts out a quick laugh. "Me? What made him think I'd be a good rider?" He pauses to look at Quinlys a moment. "It's not a joke, is it? I never thought much about it to be honest. Some of my friends would, like it was a foregone conclusion that they would impress someday. I just didn't think I'd be asked. Are you sure he meant me?" "I'm sure," certainly sounds sure, though Quinlys does not necessarily seem excited about it. "I-- think about it carefully, okay? There are no guarantees you'd Impress, and... that can be hard, believe me. Even with a craft to go back to. Some people find their old world too narrow, afterwards." Aiden smiles. "Thanks for the concern, but I'm always going to like cooking, impression or not." He stops, apparently thinking, and absently lifts his klah to his mouth for a sip. He doesn't speak until it's back on the table again. "I never really thought about being a rider, and I'm not really sure what to think about it right now either. But while you say there's a choice, and it's not like I don't believe you, I guess I think there's a duty there to say yes when asked that question when you don't have a really good reason not to. Because I like being in a Bakercraft and love cooking doesn't seem like a good enough reason, especially when I can cook and be a rider. I just might be cooking for myself instead of a whole Weyr or Hold." He shrugs. "So I say yes." Whatever Quinlys thinks about that logic, she doesn't comment; this is, after all, Aiden's decision, not her own. "Well," she says, with half a sigh. "We can certainly use the candidates. In that case: congratulations, Aiden. May those hatchings bring you everything you apparently never dreamed off." Her smile, now, is somewhat crooked. "Talk to your Journeyman first, though. When you're ready, go find the Headwoman, and she'll get you all set up." Aiden nods. "Thanks, I'll do that soon, before they hear it from someone else. I hope they won't be mad. It's not like I don't like being a baker. And most likely given the odds, I'll be a baker after the hatching too. How are we doing for candidates? There are a lot of eggs, do you think we'll have enough people on the sands?" He pauses with a smile. "It just occured to me that the hatching I was looking forward to watching from the galleries is going to have a whole different perspective. It feels ... odd." "Good plan," is kind of dry, really, but amused too. "I-- well, I hope so. The last thing we need is crafters upset at us. We're... doing okay. I'd prefer more, but there's still time, obviously. I'm hoping we might pick up a few at that gather, later today. That's my plan, anyway. Sands really is the best place to watch these things, promise. It's-- like nothing else. Scary, but also exhilarating." Aiden nods. "I can imagine it'll be exciting. I guess if nothing else, it'll be an interesting story to tell when I write to my parents next. Oh wait, they can come, right? If they want to I mean. It'll be nice to see them if they can get away." He seems more excited now at the prospect. "If you want them there," Quinlys promises, "We'll do our best to get them there. For both clutches, even." She rises, now, gathering up her dishes. "I should get going, but... if you have questions, you can come to me, okay? You know where I work." Aiden nods and stands up as well to do the same. "I will, thanks. I should get going to, and talk to my superiors. Have a good day at the gather, if you're planning on going." He starts to walk away with this dishes and turns back, putting the mug down so he can pick up the recipe he was studying and stuff it in his pocket. "Can't forget about that, I still have to learn to make those." He picks up the mug again and brings the dishes to the cleaning station. Quinlys smiles, at least, as he heads off towards the bowl. A solid morning's work! |
Leave A Comment